***image1***We celebrate Sept. 18, 1947 as the birth of the Air Force, but there was certainly an “air force” before 1947.
Much less emphasis goes to our Air Service, Air Corps and Army Air Force predecessors, though we still carry their honors and many of their traditions.
While Sept. 18 is the big day, there are certainly other key dates in Air Force history worth noting too.
For example, there is “Air Force Day.” It was named by presidential proclamation as Aug. 1, 1947. On this day, U.S. military airfields everywhere held open houses highlighting the theme, “Air Power is Peace Power.” (Anyone remember Strategic Air Command’s motto?) Why Aug. 1? That was the date in 1907 the Army established the Signal Corps’ Aeronautical Division to oversee “all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines and all kindred subjects.”
If we celebrated that day the Air Force would be 97 years old. But that was the Army and we are the Air Force.
The 1947 start year is non-negotiable. But what about the day?
The National Security Act was actually signed July 26, 1947, but no one calls that the birthday of the Air Force.
Conversely, the place of that signing is ‘officially’ recognized as the birthplace of the Air Force.
Confused yet?
The official birthplace of the Air Force was inside President Truman’s VC-54C — the first aircraft specifically designed for U.S. presidential use.
July 26, Aug. 1 and Sept. 18 – — so many dates to remember.
Had enough? Well then here are a few more; Nov. 1, 1947, the Department of the Air Force Seal was approved; June 16, 1948, the Women in the Air Force was established; and July 26, 1948, Exec-utive Order 9981 was signed requiring equal treatment in the military regardless of race.
So what did we get on Sept. 18?
We got a Secretary of the Air Force, W. Stuart Symington and an Air Force Chief of Staff, General Carl Spaatz, and most importantly, a fresh start.
Our new leadership wanted us to have the best of everything — lots of people, planes and equipment.
The reality of being in a post-WWII drawdown was difficult.
Not even the Air Force’s blue uniform was ready in 1947. In planning since 1946, the first shade #84 blue uniforms did not become available until April 8, 1949, and there were so few of them that Air Force members still wore Army uniforms well into 1950. Nothing moved fast enough.
It took two years to get some 40 transfer orders approved to move the Army personnel, equipment and real estate over to the new Air Force.
Even after that smoke cleared, issues still remained about organizations supporting both services.
One such unit, the Army’s 862nd Engineer Aviation Battalion was still building Air Force bases as late as 1952.
Incidentally, they, along with the German Labor Service Unit, built Ramstein.
The exact end of the Army-to-Air Force transition is difficult to pinpoint. Some might say it never ended.
What is certain is that the creation of the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 18, 1947, was a turning point in our service’s history that enabled our predecessors (and a few of us) to perform some of the most remarkable accomplishments of all time.
The U.S. Air Force has much to celebrate this September.
Happy Birthday Air Force!
The story continues.
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***image1***We celebrate Sept. 18, 1947 as the birth of the Air Force, but there was certainly an “air force” before 1947.
Much less emphasis goes to our Air Service, Air Corps and Army Air Force predecessors, though we still carry their honors and many of their traditions.
While Sept. 18 is the big day, there are certainly other key dates in Air Force history worth noting too.
For example, there is “Air Force Day.” It was named by presidential proclamation as Aug. 1, 1947. On this day, U.S. military airfields everywhere held open houses highlighting the theme, “Air Power is Peace Power.” (Anyone remember Strategic Air Command’s motto?) Why Aug. 1? That was the date in 1907 the Army established the Signal Corps’ Aeronautical Division to oversee “all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines and all kindred subjects.”
If we celebrated that day the Air Force would be 97 years old. But that was the Army and we are the Air Force.
The 1947 start year is non-negotiable. But what about the day?
The National Security Act was actually signed July 26, 1947, but no one calls that the birthday of the Air Force.
Conversely, the place of that signing is ‘officially’ recognized as the birthplace of the Air Force.
Confused yet?
The official birthplace of the Air Force was inside President Truman’s VC-54C — the first aircraft specifically designed for U.S. presidential use.
July 26, Aug. 1 and Sept. 18 – — so many dates to remember.
Had enough? Well then here are a few more; Nov. 1, 1947, the Department of the Air Force Seal was approved; June 16, 1948, the Women in the Air Force was established; and July 26, 1948, Exec-utive Order 9981 was signed requiring equal treatment in the military regardless of race.
So what did we get on Sept. 18?
We got a Secretary of the Air Force, W. Stuart Symington and an Air Force Chief of Staff, General Carl Spaatz, and most importantly, a fresh start.
Our new leadership wanted us to have the best of everything — lots of people, planes and equipment.
The reality of being in a post-WWII drawdown was difficult.
Not even the Air Force’s blue uniform was ready in 1947. In planning since 1946, the first shade #84 blue uniforms did not become available until April 8, 1949, and there were so few of them that Air Force members still wore Army uniforms well into 1950. Nothing moved fast enough.
It took two years to get some 40 transfer orders approved to move the Army personnel, equipment and real estate over to the new Air Force.
Even after that smoke cleared, issues still remained about organizations supporting both services.
One such unit, the Army’s 862nd Engineer Aviation Battalion was still building Air Force bases as late as 1952.
Incidentally, they, along with the German Labor Service Unit, built Ramstein.
The exact end of the Army-to-Air Force transition is difficult to pinpoint. Some might say it never ended.
What is certain is that the creation of the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 18, 1947, was a turning point in our service’s history that enabled our predecessors (and a few of us) to perform some of the most remarkable accomplishments of all time.
The U.S. Air Force has much to celebrate this September.
Happy Birthday Air Force!
The story continues.