by Capt. Bryan Bouchard
Air Force National Media Outreach
7/29/2011 - NEW YORK (AFNS) -- Citing the city's long military history, Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared July 28 as "Air Force Day" in New York, through a proclamation read at the Air Force Association Iron Gate Chapter's 50th Anniversary Luncheon here.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz spoke at the event, and received the proclamation from retired Air Force colonel and current New York Commissioner for Veterans Affairs Terrance Holliday.
The proclamation highlighted several historical instances of New York's link to the military, including a vignette of how former New York Mayor Fiorello Henry LaGuardia was part of a bomb squadron in Europe during World War I, and rose to the rank of major in the Army Air Service. LaGuardia later tried to return to the service after the outbreak of WWII.
"The Air Force's patriotism and courage continue to make New York City and our country stronger, and its members deserve the utmost gratitude and praise for preserving our nation's freedoms," the proclamation reads.
Schwartz, who grew up in nearby Toms River, N.J., later helped present several awards honoring chapter members and endeavors, and thanked those in the audience for their continued support of Air Force operations and issues.
New York was the 2010 location of Air Force Week, where dozens of special events and celebrations stretched through the city's five boroughs. The next Air Force Week in New York is scheduled for August 2012.
