Week in History Published April 24, 2008 FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash -- -- This week in U.S. Air Force History, April 25 - May 1 April 25, 1944 Lt. Carter Harman of the 1st Air Commando Group, flying a Sikorsky YR-4 helicopter, rescued four men from the Burmese jungle in the first Army Air Forces combat rescue by helicopter. April 25, 1967 Maj Gen Benjamin D. Foulois, America's oldest military pilot, having flown the first Army aircraft under the tutelage of the Wright brothers in 1909, died at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., at the age of 87. April 26, 1966 Maj. Paul Gilmore, pilot, and 1st Lt. William Smith, weapon system officer, became the first Air Force crew to shoot down a MiG-21. The F-4C crew used a Sidewinder missile to down the aircraft near Hanoi. April 28, 1993 Secretary of Defense Les Aspin announced that women would be allowed to serve in combat roles, including the flying of Air Force combat aircraft. April 29, 1918 Lt. Edward V. Rickenbacker, who later became the leading U.S. ace of World War I with 26 victories, shot down his first airplane. May 1, 1960 Francis Gary Powers, a CIA U-2 pilot, was shot down over Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union. Captured and put on trial for espionage, he was later exchanged for a Soviet agent captured by the United States. This week in Fairchild History, April 25-May 1 April 25, 2006 Col. Claude V. "Van" Fuller assumed command of the 92nd Mission Support Group, replacing Col. Douglas Jackson. May 1, 2003 After supporting Operation Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia since 1994, the last 92nd Air Refueling Wing KC-135 departed Prince Sultan Air Base.