United States Air Force

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aviation branch of the United States armed forces. The mission of the USAF is "to defend the United States and protect its interests through air and space power". It was created as a separate branch on September 18, 1947.

Brief history

For a detailed history, see History of the United States Air Force.

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In December 1906, the U.S. military began its relationship with aviation by authorizing Army Specification #486, which called for the creation of an aircraft for military usage. Just three years earlier, the Wright Brothers first experienced heavier-than-air flight, and they signed a contract with the Army on February 10, 1908.

Related Topics:
1906 - Wright Brothers - 1908

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In 1912, an Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps was created.

Related Topics:
1912 - U.S. Army Signal Corps

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In 1917, upon the United States' entry into World War I, the U.S. Army Air Service was formed as part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). Major General Mason Patrick commanded the AEF Air Forces; his deputy was Major General Billy Mitchell. The Air Service provided tactical support for the U.S. Army, especially during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne offensives. Among the aces of the Air Service were Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and Frank Luke.

Related Topics:
1917 - World War I - U.S. Army Air Service - American Expeditionary Force - Mason Patrick - Billy Mitchell - Battle of Saint-Mihiel - Meuse-Argonne offensive - Ace - Eddie Rickenbacker - Frank Luke

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In 1926 the Air Service was reorganized as a branch of the Army and became the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). During this period, the USAAC began experimenting with new techniques, including air-to-air refueling and the development of the B-9 and the Martin B-10, the first all-metal monoplane bomber, and new fighters. In 1937, the B-17 Flying Fortress made its first appearance. In a spectacular feat of navigation, three B-17s intercepted the Italian passenger liner Rex at sea.

Related Topics:
1926 - Air-to-air refueling - B-9 - Martin B-10 - 1937 - B-17 Flying Fortress - Italian passenger liner Rex

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In 1941, the Army Air Corps became the U.S. Army Air Force and the GHQ Air Force was redesignated the Air Force Combat Command. In the major military reorganization effective March 9, 1942, the newly designated United States Army Air Forces gained equal voice with the Army and Navy.

Related Topics:
1941 - 1942 - United States Army Air Forces - Army - Navy

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In Europe, the USAAF began daylight bombing operations, over objections of the Royal Air Force planners on the Combined Chiefs of Staff. The US strategy involved flying bombers together, relying on the defensive firepower of a close formation. The tactic was only successful in part. American flyers took tremendous casualties during raids on the oil refineries of Ploiesti, Romania and the ball-bearing factories at Schweinfurt and Regensburg, Germany. When the P-51 Mustang, with its increased range, was introduced to combat, American combat losses dropped, and operations during Big Week in late winter of 1944 caused the Luftwaffe to lose experienced pilots.

Related Topics:
Combined Chiefs of Staff - Ploiesti - Romania - Schweinfurt - Regensburg - P-51 Mustang - Big Week - 1944 - Luftwaffe

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In the Pacific theater, the USAAF used the B-29 Superfortress to launch attacks on the Japanese mainland from China. One of the major logistical efforts of the war, "flying the Hump" over the Himalayas, took place. To carry both a bomb load and fuel and to bomb at high altitude through the jet stream affected the B-29's range. As soon as airbases on Saipan were captured in 1944, General Curtis LeMay changed strategy from high-level precision bombings to low-level incendiary bombings, aimed at destroying the distributed network of Japanese industrial manufacturing. Many Japanese cities suffered extensive damage. Tokyo suffered a firestorm in which over 100,000 persons died.

Related Topics:
B-29 Superfortress - Logistical - The Hump - Jet stream - Saipan - 1944 - Curtis LeMay - Tokyo - Firestorm

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The B-29 was also used to drop one primitive nuclear weapon on each of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in August 1945.

Related Topics:
Nuclear weapon - Hiroshima and Nagasaki - August - 1945

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The United States Department of the Air Force was created when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947. It became effective September 18, 1947, when Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson administered the oath of office to the first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington.

Related Topics:
United States Department of the Air Force - Harry S. Truman - National Security Act of 1947 - September 18 - 1947 - Fred M. Vinson - Stuart Symington

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In 1948, Communist authorities in Eastern Germany cut off road and air transportation to West Berlin. Military Airlift Command supplied the city during the Berlin airlift, using C-121 Constellation and the C-54 Skymaster. The Royal Air Force also played a significant role in flying tonnage into the city with Avro Yorks, Avro Tudors and Douglas Dakotas.

Related Topics:
1948 - West Berlin - Berlin airlift - C-121 Constellation - C-54 Skymaster - Royal Air Force - Avro

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The Korean War saw the Far Eastern Air Force losing its main airbase in Kimpo, South Korea, and forced to provide close air support to the defenders of the Pusan pocket from bases in Japan. However, General Douglas B. MacArthur's landing at Inchon in September 1950 enabled the FEAF to return to Kimpo and other bases, from which they supported MacArthur's drive to the Korean-Chinese border. When the Chinese People's Liberation Army intervened in December, 1950, the USAF provided tactical air support. The introduction of the Soviet-made MiG-15 caused problems for the B-29s used to bomb North Korea, but the USAF countered the MiGs with the F-86 Sabre.

Related Topics:
Korean War - Far Eastern Air Force - Kimpo - South Korea - Close air support - Pusan - Douglas B. MacArthur's - Inchon - September - 1950 - Korean - Chinese - People's Liberation Army - MiG-15 - F-86 Sabre

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In 1954, the United States Air Force Academy opened in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Women first attended the USAFA in 1976.

Related Topics:
1954 - United States Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs, Colorado - 1976

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The USAF played a significant role in the preparations for the 1991 Gulf War, and the use of USAF, U.S. Naval, and other Coalition air power damaged the Iraqi infrastructure and combat abilities for six weeks, before the ground phase of the war began.

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After the war, the USAF took the lead role in maintaining "no-fly zones" over northern and southern Iraq until the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

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USAF air power was also used in the 1996 NATO air operations over Bosnia, and the subsequent 1999 war with Yugoslavia over Kosovo.

Related Topics:
Bosnia - Yugoslavia - Kosovo

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