Into the Wild Blue Yonder: Birthday of the U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

Today is the 76th birthday of the U.S. Air Force, a day to celebrate all the brave men and women who served their country by daring the “wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun.”

Both of my parents and my sister were in the U.S. Air Force, and I grew up for years on an Air Force base. I remember the military planes flying overhead, the Air Force song broadcast daily on speakers, and most especially the deployments when my father was away from home for months. But there are so many Americans now who forget those who have served and especially those who have died while serving in the Air Force, for whom the military is only a name mentioned occasionally on the news. Today we remember and honor all these Americans who wore and wear the Air Force uniform.

“[Stripes.com] On Sept. 18, 1947, the National Security Act of 1947 established the Air Force as a separate military branch. It is the second youngest branch of the U.S. armed forces after the U.S. Space Force, which was founded in 2019 and also falls under the Department of the Air Force.

However, the branch’s roots trace back to 1907, when the U.S. Army Signal Corps established an aeronautical division to take ‘charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects,’ according to the Air Force Historical Research Agency. The Army’s first airplane came in 1909, and by the time World War I broke out in Europe in 1914, the 1st Aero Squadron had 12 officers, 54 enlisted men and six aircraft. Those numbers would increase throughout the war.

In 1926, the Army Air Service became the Army Air Corps. By the end of World War II in 1945, the Air Corps had more than 2 million service members and over 63,000 planes, according to the Air Force fact sheet.”

Our military leadership now is very corrupt and self-loathing, but there are still countless airmen who deserve our respect and gratitude for their loyalty and courage. To all veterans and active duty Air Force, thank you for your service.