Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
In 1907, the chief of the Army Signal Corps created the progenitor to the US Air Force when he issued Memorandum No. 6, officially placing three men in a separate division—the Aeronautical Division—to oversee work on military balloons, air machines, and related subjects.
The air arm gained more permanence and resources—60 officers and 260 enlisted men—when Congress in 1914 created an Aviation Section within the Signal Corps. Four years later, the Army Air Service was established, followed by the Army Air Corps in 1926 and the Army Air Forces in 1941. (The Army Air Corps existed under the AAF until 1947.)
In 1947, Congress established the US Air Force as a separate service—climaxing a 40-year effort.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM NO. 6
An Aeronautical Division of this office is hereby established, to take effect this date.
This division will have charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects. All data on hand will be carefully classified and plans perfected for future tests and experiments. The operations of this division are strictly confidential, and no information will be given out by any party except through the Chief Signal Officer of the Army or his authorized representative.
Captain Charles DeF. Chandler, Signal Corps, is detailed in charge of this division and Corporal Edward Ward and First-class Private Joseph E. Barrett will report to Captain Chandler for duty in this division under his immediate direction.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
Officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., said the range is “fully mission capable” to support launches following a major May 28 mishap involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.
The Air Force has begun inspecting T-38 Talons as it works to get its fleet of trainer jets back in the air. The first aircraft could be flying again within days.
The Space Force awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract on May 29 to build a constellation of satellites that can sense and track airborne targets from orbit.
Lawmakers drafting the 2027 defense policy bill worry the Air Force is not moving fast enough to arm its tanker fleet with new protection systems capable of defeating incoming missile threats.
More than a dozen Air Force personnel were decorated with some of the service's highest awards for their actions in combat operations in the Middle East last year while assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing.
Vice President JD Vance urged new graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy to be ready to adapt in an unpredictable era—and made the case that artificial intelligence cannot replace humans in making the most important decisions on the battlefield.
Northrop Grumman hopes its efforts to make more B-21 Raiders faster will encourage the Air Force to expand the final fleet size of the advanced stealth bomber.
Venture capital-backed aircraft startup Hermeus announced May 28 its Quarterhorse unmanned aircraft will conduct a series of flight tests with the Defense Innovation Unit over the next few years.
The U.S. military’s newest jungle school has been an “embrace the suck” course for Marines and Soldiers since opening in January—not anymore. Staff Sgt. Duchaine Paul just became the first Airmen to graduate the rebooted jungle warfare course in the punishing Panamanian jungle.
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