USO Canteen Freeper Style USAF Happy Birthday .... September 18,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and AntiJen

[Snow Bunny]

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Happy 55th Birthday to the U.S. Air Force

The first heavier-than-air flight took place in 1903 when man went aloft in hot air balloons which were used for aerial observation in the American Civil War, Franco-Prussian War, and American campaigns in Cuba. Air balloons over the battlefield provided rapid, accurate reconnaissance of enemy forces. Steerable airships, or dirigibles, were the logical replacements for balloons, but air power developed from the epic, controlled-power flight of Wilbur and Orville Wright which occurred at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec. 17, 1903.

Almost from the beginning of military aviation in the U.S., some men such as Billy Mitchell had urged the creation of a separate air force. During World War II, the Army Air Force was almost independent from the Army, but this was only a temporary wartime situation. However, experience gained during the war had shown that an air arm independent and co-equal with the Army and Navy could perform satisfactorily.

After months of inter-service and congressional negotiations and compromise, on July 26, 1947 President Harry S. Truman on board the presidental aircraft "Sacred Cow" signed the National Security Act of 1947. The measure established an independent Air Force for "offensive and defensive air operations" and placed the Army, Navy, and Air Force on an equal level under a civilian Secretary of Defense. The Department of the Air Force began operating as a separate entity on Sep. 18, 1947 at which time W. Stuart Symington was sworn in as the first Secretary of the Air Force. General Carl Spaatz, WW II commander of U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe and in the Pacific, was named the first USAF Chief of Staff.

The U.S. Air Force thus entered a new era in which airpower became firmly established as a major element of the nation’s defense and one of its chief hopes for deterring war.

Under the National Security Act, the functions assigned to the Army Air Force’s commanding general transferred to the Department of the Air Force. The act provided for an orderly two-year transfer of these functions as well as property, personnel and records.

Later, under the Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958, the departments of Army, Navy and Air Force were eliminated from the chain of operational command. Commanders of unified and specified commands became responsible to the president and the secretary of defense through the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The act redefined the functions of the military departments to those of essentially organizing, training, equipping and supporting combat forces for the unified and specified commands. Each military department retained resource management of its service.

Aviation Firsts

Air Force Medal of Honor Recipients

US Air Force Academy

Famous Air Force Aircraft

World War I

World War II

Korean War

Vietnam War

Famous Aerial Operations

US Air Force Museum

Air Force Vision

- Global vigilance, reach and power.

Air Force Mission

- The mission of the U.S. Air Force is to defend the United States and protect its interests through aerospace power

Air Force Management

The Department of the Air Force incorporates all elements of the U.S. Air Force. It is administered by a civilian secretary appointed by the president and is supervised by a military chief of staff. The Secretariat and Air Staff help the secretary and the chief of staff direct the Air Force mission.

To assure unit preparedness and overall effectiveness of the Air Force, the secretary of the Air Force is responsible for and has the authority to conduct all affairs of the Department of the Air Force. This includes training, operations, administration, logistical support and maintenance, and welfare of personnel. The secretary's responsibilities include research and development, and any other activity prescribed by the president or the secretary of defense.

The secretary of the Air Force exercises authority through civilian assistants and the chief of staff, but retains immediate supervision of activities that involve vital relationships with Congress, the secretary of defense, other governmental officials and the public.

Field Organizations

The nine major commands, 35 field operating agencies, four direct reporting units and their subordinate elements constitute the field organization that carries out the Air Force mission. In addition, there are two Reserve components, the Air Force Reserve, which is also a major command, and the Air National Guard.

Major commands are organized on a functional basis in the United States and a geographic basis overseas. They accomplish designated phases of Air Force worldwide activities. Also, they organize, administer, equip and train their subordinate elements for the accomplishment of assigned missions. Major commands generally are assigned specific responsibilities based on functions. In descending order of command, elements of major commands include numbered air forces, wings, groups, squadrons and flights.

The basic unit for generating and employing combat capability is the wing, which has always been the Air Forces prime war-fighting instrument. Composite wings operate more than one kind of aircraft, and may be configured as self-contained units designated for quick air intervention anywhere in the world.

Other wings continue to operate a single aircraft type ready to join air campaigns anywhere they are needed. Air base and specialized mission wings such as training, intelligence and test also support the Air Force mission. Within the wing, operations, logistics and support groups are the cornerstones of the organization.

Field operating agencies and direct reporting units are other Air Force subdivisions and report directly to Headquarters U.S. Air Force. They are assigned a specialized mission that is restricted in scope when compared to the mission of a major command. Field operating agencies carry out field activities under the operational control of a Headquarters U.S. Air Force functional manager. Direct reporting units are not under the operational control of a Headquarters U.S. Air Force functional manager because of a unique mission, legal requirements or other factors.

Major Commands Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga. Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany

Historic Air Force Songs

Itazuke Tower

(Tune of "Wabash Cannonball")

"Itazuke Tower, this is Air Force 801,
I'm turning on the downwind leg, my prop has overrun;
My coolant's overheated, the gauge says 1-2-1,
You'd better get the crash crew out and get them on the run."

"Listen, Air Force 801, this is Itazuke Tower,
I cannot call the crash crew out, this is their coffee hour;
You're not cleared in the pattern, now that is plain to see,
So take it once around again, you're not a VIP."

"Itazuke Tower, this is Air Force 801,
I'm turning on my final, I'm running on one lung,
I'm gonna land this Mustang no matter what you say,
I'm gonna get my charts squared up before that Judgment Day."

"Now listen Air Force 801, this is Itazuke Tower,
We'd like to let you in right now, but we haven't got the power,
We'll send a note through channels and wait for the reply,
Until we get permission back, just chase around the sky."

"Itazuke Tower, this is Air Force 801,
I'm up in Pilot's Heaven and my flying days are done;
I'm sorry that I blew up, I couldn't make the grade,
I guess I should have waited till the landing was okayed."

Let's Have a Party

Parties make the world go round
World go round, world go round
Parties make the world go round
Let's have a party.


Now, we're gonna tear down the bar in the Officers' Club (Boo)
We're gona build us a new bar (Yay)
It's only gonna be one foot wide (Boo)
But it's gonna be a mile long (Yay)
There's gonna be no bartenders at our bar (Boo)
There's only gonna be barmaids (Yay)
Our barmaids will wear long dresses (Boo)
Made out of cellophane (Yay)
You can't take our barmaids to your bunks (Boo)
They take you to their bunks (Yay)
You can't sleep with our barmaids (Boo)
They don't let you sleep (Yay)
Soda's gonna be ten bucks a glass (Boo)
Whiskey free (Yay)
Only one to each pilot (Boo)
Served in buckets (Yay)
We're gonna throw all the beer in the river (Boo)
And then we'll all go swimming (Yay)
Now no girls are allowed in the USO hall (Boo)
With their clothes on (Yay)
There'll be no lovin' on the dance floor (Boo)
And no dancing on the lovin' floor (Yay)

Glory Flying Regulations

(Tune of "Glory, Glory Hallejulia")

Hap Arnold built a fighting team that sang a fighting song,
About the wild blue yonder and the days when men were strong.
But now we're regulated 'cause we don't know right from wrong,
The Force is shot to hell...

CHORUS:
Glory flying regulations
Have them read at all the stations
Burn the ass of those that break them
The Force is shot to hell.

Once they flew B-26s through a hell of flak,
and bloody dying pilots gave their lives to bring 'em back,
Now they're playing ping-pong in the operations shack,
The Force is shot to hell...

I've seen them in their T-Bolts when their eyes were dancing flame,
I've seen their screaming power drive that blasted Goering's name;
But now they fly like sissies and they hang their heads in shame;
The Force is shot to hell...

Now one day I buzzed an airfield with another happy chap,
We flew a hot formation with my wingtip on his lap,
So they passed a new directive and we'll have no more of that,
The Force is shot to hell...

So now mine eyes are dim with tears for happy days of old,
We loved to take our chances for our hearts were young and bold,
From now on we have no choice but live to be quite old,
The Force is shot to hell...

[tomkow6]

[BringingUpPatriots]

I am baaaaaack! It's that crazy woman again!

BUP

[ArrogantBustard]

Here's your Momma's missile:

The Snark, originally designated as the B-62, was an interim-type, air breathing intercontinental weapon produced during the period when intercontinental ballistic missiles were still being perfected. It carried a nuclear warhead and was launched from a mobile platform by two booster rocket engines. These propelled the Snark to flying speed in four seconds, at which time they were jettisoned and the missile continued in flight, powered by its internal jet engine. The missile and its ground support equipment could be lifted by an aircraft, such as the C-124, and could be set up and ready for launch soon after arrival at a site.

The Snark's flight path was controlled by internal celestial guidance. When the missile arrived over its target, the nose section containing the warhead separated from the fuselage and fell in a trajectory onto the target. The rest of the Snark, now useless, was destroyed on impact with the ground.

The first Snark operational unit was activated by the Strategic Air Command in 1958 at Presque Isle AFB, Maine. With the availability of large numbers of ballistic missiles in the early 1960s, the Snark became obsolete and was removed from service. No Snark was ever used in actual combat.

Snark in flight:

Warhead delivery test sequence. The tail (engine) section breaks away, the warhead continues on ballistic flight path:

And if it were for real, pic #4 would be somewhat spectacular.

[BringingUpPatriots]

Tomkow,
I would say that this is me...but I got loose! Now what?

[SAMWolf]

B-26 Marauder bump

B-26 'Marauders' of the Ninth Air Force return from an attack on enemy positions in Northern France. Pictured is "Yankee Guerrilla" of the 386th. BG.

Martin B-26 Marauder bombers attack a German railway depot in late 1944.

During this B-26 Marauder's last mission the aircraft was shot up and fell out of formation. Looking like easy prey she was jumped by Luftwaffe fighters, but tail gunner Bill Norris shot down three Fw190s and damaged a fourth.

[tomkow6]

Don't ask me! Can't you see I'm a little tied up for the moment?LOL!

[blackie]

You really get around, don'tcha. Pippster... :o)

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!

[Kathy in Alaska]

[SAMWolf]

Arnhem Bridge - Monday 18th

B Company of the 2nd Battalion had failed in its attempt to improvise a crossing of the river from its position at the pontoon bridge, and so Lt-Colonel Frost ordered them to return and reinforce his positions at the north end of Arnhem Bridge. After fighting its way through enemy opposition, B Company arrived safely, although their No.4 Platoon in the rear had become cut off and were forced to take refuge in a house, where they held out against German attacks for the next 24 hours until their ammunition ran out and they were forced to surrender.

Frost had also asked for C Company, who were further in the rear, to come to the Bridge, but German resistance was strong by this time and they were surrounded in the narrow streets of Arnhem and had no option but to surrender.

When the fires on the Bridge finally died down, Frost considered sending more men across to capture the other end, but it became apparent that the southern approaches were now too well defended by German infantry and armoured cars. Although it was now impossible for his small force to capture all of the Bridge, he believed that it was still effectively under his control while he held the northern end. By dawn it became clear at that Frost's force was completely surrounded. Nevertheless he remained confident that he could hold out until the rest of the Division arrived, and at this stage he had no reason to suspect that this wouldn't happen within a matter of hours.

A steady supply of reinforcements had arrived during the night. The 2nd Battalion at the Bridge now amounted to about 340 men. The 1st Para Brigade HQ, less Brigadier Lathbury, brought a further 110. With these had come 105 Royal Engineers, and an Anti-Tank Battery and RASC platoon, each consisting of 40 men. Finally, C Company of the 3rd Battalion, amounting to 45, had successfully managed to thread their way through the German defences and took up various positions around the Bridge. These, together with several other small parties, including 8 men from the Reconnaissance Squadron and their commander Major Gough, brought the total defence to a very respectable 740 men.

Engineers from A Troop of the 1st Para Squadron, under the command of Captain Eric Mackay, initially took up positions in a library (27), but had only been there for a few moments when German infantry attacked their position. This was repulsed, but Mackay concluded that the building was very vulnerable to attack, and so withdrew his men into the neighbouring school house (26). This was the only organised German action against Frost's defence on Sunday night.

Early Monday morning saw several probing attacks by German tanks and infantry, but these were all beaten back. Later in the morning, lookouts on the roofs of buildings cried out that armoured cars were on the Bridge and approaching. The initial reaction was that a forward group of XXX Corps' Guards Division had made an early appearance, but these hopes were soon dashed when the vehicles were identified as German. These were men from the Reconnaissance Squadron of the German 9th SS Panzer Division. What their exact intention was remains a mystery, but they either wished to challenge the defenders or race through them into Arnhem in order to oppose the rest of the 1st Airborne Division.

Whatever their mission was it was an absolute disaster. The Airborne men held their fire until the last moment, whereupon they pounded the vehicles with PIAT bombs and Anti-Tank shells. Supporting German infantry were met with heavy gunfire and were unable to advance any further than half way across the Bridge. Other German units were brought in as reinforcements, but they made very little progress. The fighting lasted for two hours before the heavily mauled Germans withdrew to safety. The Bridge was littered with German dead and burning wreckage, including the Commander of the elite unit who attempted the crossing, Hauptsturmfuhrer Viktor Graebner - a brave and well decorated soldier - who was also killed during this action.

The remainder of Monday saw various attacks on the eastern side of the perimeter all directed towards buildings occupied by men of the 1st Para Brigade's Defence Platoon and of the 3rd Battalion. These were all repulsed with several tanks destroyed; although the defenders had to abandon a few of the positions they held (20, 21, and 23).

www.extraplan.demon.co.uk

[SAMWolf]

Specification:Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II

Type:single-seat close air support and battelfield interdection aircraft

Powerplant:two 4112-kg (9,065-lb) dry thrust General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans

Performance:maximum speed 381 kt (706 km/h; 439 mph) at sea level; cruising speed 336 kt (623 km/h; 387 mph) at 5,000 ft (1525 m); combat radius 402 km (250 miles) for a 2-hour loiter with 18 Mk 82 bombs plus 750 rounds of cannon ammunition

Armament:one internal GAU-8A 30-mm cannon with 1,174 rounds; twin AIM-9L installation and one ALQ-184 or ALQ-131 ECM pod for self-defence, and up to 12 LAU-68 rocket pods for marking targets; maximum theoretical ordanance of 7258 kg (16,000 lb)

[BringingUpPatriots]

I can untie you!!

"Set me free, little girl, all you have to do is set me free! You can do it if you wanna, all you have to do is set me free"
The Kinks

[SAMWolf]

[SAMWolf]

[SAMWolf]

[SAMWolf]

[Poohbah]

A salute to the US Air Force, the alternative to military service :o)

[SAMWolf]

Air Force ROTC has a long history of tradition and honor that dates back to the turn of the last century. Established with the passage of the National Defense Act of 1916, it is the largest and oldest source of commissioned officers for the Air Force.

The first Air ROTC units were established between 1920 and 1923 at the University of California at Berkeley, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Illinois, the University of Washington, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College. After World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, chief of staff of the War Department, signed General Order No. 124, establishing Air ROTC units at 77 colleges and universities throughout the nation.

The Air Force ROTC Vitalization Act of 1964 authorized a new two-year Senior Program, scholarships and a Junior Program. An experimental program to commission women through Air Force ROTC was first conducted from 1956 to 1960. Women were again enrolled in the Senior Program, starting in 1969, and in the Junior Program four years later. Eligible Air Force enlisted men and women pursuing a college degree who are interested in becoming commissioned officers are given that opportunity through competition in the Air Force ROTC Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program, established in 1973. In 1978, Air Training Command, with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, assumed responsibility for the Air Force ROTC programs.

On July 1, 1993, Air Training Command merged with Air University to form Air Education and Training Command. Air University became a direct reporting unit under Air Education and Training Command and Air Force ROTC realigned under Air University. In February 1997, in an effort to reduce duplication of effort and streamline administrative and reporting procedures within Air University, Air Force ROTC and Officer Training School realigned under the newly created umbrella organization, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools. This restructuring placed oversight for three-quarters of Air Force officer production under one command, the AFOATS commander, a brigadier general.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Most appropriate and bears repeating.

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

[kneezles]

WOO HOOO! Thanks for your posts Sam!

[tomkow6]

"Set me free, why don't babe,
You just keep me hangin' on!"

Supremes-Motown