At a 50th anniversary gala capping a celebration of 50 years receives a plaque from Ed Gormel.

At a 50th anniversary gala capping a year-long celebration of 50 years of launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Center Director Roy Bridges (left) receives a plaque from committee chairman Ed Gormel. The plaque has a photo of the first rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFSj) and an anniversary patch below it that was flown on STS-99. The first launch at CCAFS took place at 9:28 a.m. on July 24, 1950, with the liftoff of Bumper 8 from Launch Complex 3. The gala, hosted by the Cape Canaveral Chapter Air Force Association, featured such speakers as Center Director Roy Bridges; Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command, Lt. Gen. Roger DeKok; and the Honorable David Weldon, U.S. representative of Florida’s 15th Congressional District