One of three 707-153s bought "off-the-shelf" and converted to military use, this aircraft was completed as a VC-137A by Boeing Aircraft of Seattle, Washington on April 7, 1959. On May 30, 1959 this aircraft was accepted by the U. S. Air Force, painted in Military Air Transport Service colors (white top with extensive Day-Glo orange) and markings and assigned to the 1298th Air Transport (Special Missions) Squadron at Andrews AFB, MD with a deployment to Washington National Airport in Washington, DC. In June 1961, the aircraft was assigned to the 1254th Air Transport (Special Missions) Wing, Andrews AFB.