“Air Force One” is the designation of the airplane carrying the President of the United States. “Marine One” is the designation of such a helicopter — technically of any Marine aircraft carrying the president, but most often happening to be a helicopter. Military use of helicopters started in the U.S. in WW II, and expanded to government and civilian use soon after. President Dwight Eisenhower was especially impressed with the aircraft’s convenience for medium-haul flights, hiring one to take him to his summer home in Rhode Island, a distance short enough to make Air Force One too impractical, and far enough where a motorcade would take too long (and would disrupt traffic besides.)

On this day, July 12, in 1957, Eisenhower hopped on board a Bell 47J “Ranger” to complete the first ever trip by a president in a helicopter.

The Ranger helicopter was little more than a canopy under rotors, 1800 lbs empty and powered by one 260 hp engine, giving it a cruising speed of just over 90 mph. No armor and none of the creature comforts of today’s Marine One helicopters: magnitudes more space, a lavatory and a galley kitchen. Modern Marine One helicopters are powered by two 3,000 hp engines (a redundant one is kept for emergencies), and high-strength aluminum alloys making them not only bulletproof but crashproof at forces up to 15g.