Happy Birthday, Air Force
(September 18, 2010) |
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| PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (9/17/2010 - AFNS) -- The
Airman's Creed reminds all Air Force personnel that we are
"faithful to a proud heritage, a tradition of honor and a
legacy of valor." On Sept. 18, we have the opportunity to
remember our service's rich history and the heroic Airmen
who have gone before us as we celebrate the 63rd birthday of
the United States Air Force as an independent branch of the
Armed Forces.
Although the Air Force is very young compared to our sister
services, we have an amazing history that continues to be
discovered even as its legacy is added to by today's brave
Airmen.
And what a history it has been. With our roots in the U.S.
Army's early aviation units, the first military aviators of
what would become the U.S. Air Force were trained by the
Wright brothers themselves. Within less than 20 years of
Orville and Wilbur's first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., in
1903, the airplane would become an indispensable weapon on
the modern battlefield.
During World War I, virtually all modern aviation combat
missions would be conducted in one form or fashion, and even
our modern notions of aviation command and control were
executed by Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell, the first
of many iconic figures who dot our history.
In World War II, Army Air Corps Airmen conducted strategic
bombing missions across Europe while land forces were being
built up to invade the continent, opening a significant
second front on the Third Reich and diverting resources from
their efforts on the Eastern Front. Ultimately, these
strategic bombing operations would become a vital part of a
massive joint air-land-sea campaign that ended the war in
Europe, and prevented an invasion from occurring in Japan.
Additionally, World War II saw the awe-inspiring service of
the Tuskegee Airmen, who not only took the fight to our
enemies in a gallant and deadly manner, but also changed our
nation forever through their undying dedication, optimism,
and perseverance. All of us as Airmen can proudly proclaim
that we follow in the steps of the "Red Tails."
In addition to our aviation history, we also can be proud of
the Air Force's history in space.
When Apollo 11 went to the moon, two Air Force officers were
on board, Colonels Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, along
with Neil Armstrong. These three pioneers would perform one
of the greatest feats in all of human history by going to
the moon, exploring it on foot, and then safely returning to
Earth.
Along the way, the Air Force would be at the vanguard of
operationalizing space with our sister services in such a
way that our terrestrial forces could be smaller, lighter,
more lethal, more mobile and more informed than ever before.
It is not too strong a statement to say that the Air Force's
efforts in space have changed the way America fights its
wars. And we are currently forging an equally exciting
history in cyberspace.
As we remember the remarkable history of our service, let's
not forget that all of these achievements are made possible
by the men and women who have gone before us. We stand on
their shoulders, and we are amazed at the heights they have
lifted us. So it is especially gratifying when we learn more
about their remarkable exploits under very difficult and at
times deadly conditions.
For example, just within the last few weeks, White House
officials have announced that the president soon will
present a posthumous Medal of Honor to Chief Master Sgt.
Richard Etchberger. Chief Etchberger died on March 11, 1968,
in Southeast Asia at a time when neither his mission, his
location nor his heroic actions could be acknowledged. His
mission, however, was to operate a radar site, a mission to
which the Airmen of the 21st Space Wing can fully relate.
But Chief Etchberger's radar site was in the country of
Laos, and it was used to guide U.S. bombing operations in
Vietnam. In fact, so great was the secrecy around this
mission, and so great was the dedication of Chief Etchberger
and his fellow Airmen, they were actually "discharged" from
the Air Force before going undercover for this mission.
On March 11, 1968, the North Vietnamese attacked the radar
site to shut down the support it gave to the American
bombing campaign. During the battle, 12 of the 19 personnel
at the radar site were killed, and Chief Etchberger
selflessly tended to the wounded while engaging the enemy.
He then helped to load the wounded onto a rescue helicopter.
Chief Etchberger was the last person to board the
helicopter, but he subsequently died when the aircraft was
hit by an armor piercing round, causing him to bleed to
death. Although he was recommended for the Medal of Honor at
the time of his death, political sensitivities regarding the
nature of the mission in Laos prevented it from being
approved. Fortunately, this decision will soon be rectified.
The chapter of the Air Force's history dealing with
ground-based radar operations during the Vietnam War is not
as well known as other events in our history, but Chief
Etchberger's story is a telling reminder of the honor and
valor that these early battlefield Airmen displayed, and the
legacy they have left each and every Airman today.
So, on Sept. 18, all of us as Airmen can justifiably be
proud of the heritage we have inherited; honored to stand on
our nation's ramparts beside Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and
Coast Guardsmen; and humbled to walk in the footsteps of
great Airmen like Chief Etchberger.
Happy birthday to the U.S. Air Force! | |
By USAF USAF Col. Stephen N. Whiting
21st Space Wing commander
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Air Force News Service
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