1912: First Marine Aviation

When the Navy opened the nation's earliest aviation camp in Annapolis, Maryland, First Lieutenant Alfred A. Cunningham was the first Marine to receive training. With this action, the rich legacy of Marine Corps aviation began. 
 
1stLt Cunningham, after only two hours and 40 minutes of instruction, embarked on the Marine Corps' first solo training flight. After this, Marine Corps aviation operations grew to successfully support ground and amphibious assaults during World War I and beyond. 
 
The date of Cunningham's solo flight and the original date of his assignment are both recognized as "birthdays" of Marine Corps aviation.