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
2017 marks 70 years since the United States Air Force was established as an independent military service, but many of USAF’s entities trace their history back much further. In fact, 65 of today’s Active Duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve units have lineages dating back to World War I.
Most began their time as WW I-era Army aero squadrons, and many were stationed in France during the Great War. Over time, units have changed names, locations, equipment, and missions—sometimes repeatedly. They may have been inactivated and reactivated several times. The stories of these units and their airmen can fill volumes, and many official and unofficial histories are available online.
Today, a diverse collection of more than five dozen Air Force groups and squadrons trace their histories back a century or more, as in the case of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron and 2nd Air Refueling Squadron. On the following pages are their patches—check them out.
Research by Mike Tsukamoto, photo editor, and Daniel L. Haulman, Air Force Historical Research Agency
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
The KC-135 Stratotanker that lost part of its vertical stabilizer in a deadly midair collision over Iraq in March is among a group of damaged tankers that have returned to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., to be fully repaired.
Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess will receive a fourth star and take the helm of the Space Force following a unanimous Aug. 6 vote, approving his nomination to become the third CSO since the service’s establishment in 2019.
As U.S. Southern Command shifts its counter-narcotics mission to a permanent task force, the Air Force piece of the larger war on cartels in Latin America and the Caribbean is likely to grow.
As the Space Force implements sweeping acquisition reforms over the next few years that will change the way it sets requirements, manages programs, and fields systems to operators, the head of its acquisition field command wants to ensure all of the change doesn’t disrupt program execution.
As the last few A-10 Warthogs leave Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Air Force Special Operations Command is accelerating plans to move a new wing to the Arizona base.
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 A competition scenario about protecting astronauts from hazardous space weather, assigned...
The Air Force has awarded Boeing a $75 million first production contract to begin acquiring its long-range JDAM as the service seeks to expand and extend its munition strike options in an increasingly distance-driven targeting world.
Lt. Gen Daniel Tulley took charge of Air Mobility Command on Aug. 3, where he will oversee the Air Force’s vast airlift, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation missions around the world.
✓
Thank You!
Check your inbox to verify your email address and finish setting up your AFA account.
★
Welcome Back!
An account with this email already exists. Please log in to continue.
Subscribe to the Air & Space Forces Daily Report
The latest news from Air & Space Forces Magazine, as well as news from other leading publications, delivered right to your inbox every morning!
We’re sorry, there has been an error. Please review your input or try again later.
