(Coast Guard Historian’s Office) After Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Ernest J. King assigned sea-going development of helicopters to the U.S. Coast Guard on 15 February 1943, naval aviation's first designated rotary-wing pilot, Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Frank Erickson, tested and accepted the Navy's first helicopter, an HNS-1, at Bridgeport, Connecticut on 16 October later that year. Thus began a 74-year journey featuring man’s ingenuity, skill, and daring as industry and technology constantly improved the aircraft. Subscriber-Only Content Subscribe to Naval History magazine to gain access to this article and a host of other fascinating articles and stories that keep our maritime history and heritage alive.