For 75 years, American Airmen have excelled as they execute the Air Force mission to fly, fight, and win — delivering airpower anytime, anywhere in defense of our nation.

Airmen are called to “Innovate, Accelerate and Thrive” as the U.S. Air Force and Department of the Air Force approach their 75th anniversaries on Sept. 18, 2022. Airmen will always be there to provide America with the airpower it needs to defend the nation, deter or defeat our adversaries, reassure our partners and allies, and help diplomacy proceed from a position of strength.

Commentary: Lessons from our past – Claire Chennault on Agile Combat Employment

As the Air Force leans into Agile Combat Employment, lessons can be learned from Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers and how they operated in China during WWII.

Read More

AF 75th Birthday INNOVATE

Innovation, fueled by Airmen, is our heritage. Airmen continue to push technological and cultural boundaries which make America the leader in airpower and spacepower. Innovation is an integral part of how we train and employ our squadrons, develop our capabilities, and continue to move toward an even more effective Air Force.

AF 75th Birthday Accelerate

From their inception 75 years ago, the U.S. Air Force and Department of the Air Force have excelled at keeping pace with rapid changes in technology and in the demands placed on the Air Force’s five core missions: air superiority; global strike; rapid global mobility; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and command and control.

AF 75th Birthday Thrive

We are the world’s greatest Air Force because of those who have gone before us – particularly those who weren’t afraid to break barriers. Empowered Airmen are the competitive edge we have over our adversaries and the reason we are the world’s greatest Air Force.

Air Force 75th Anniversary Commemorative Poster: Air Force Firsts

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: The Doolittle Raid - 1940s Era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. - 1950s Era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: Flight of the Blackbird - 1960s era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: Apollo 15 - 1970s era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: B-52 Stratofortress - 1980s era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: Stealth War - 1990s era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: Dominate the Skies – 2000s era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: First Unmanned Flight - 2010s era

Air Force 75th Anniversary Poster: Force of the Future - 2020s Era

Air Force Posters Frontiers of Blue — Air Force Posters Archive

See More

Video by Kenneth Raimondi

Veterans in Blue 2017 - Charlie Simpson

3d Audiovisual Squadron

June 8, 2017 | 3:58

Veterans in Blue is a multimedia collection showcasing men and women who have contributed to the legacy of the Air Force.

Charlie Simpson was commissioned as an Air Force second lieutenant in November 1959 and retired as a colonel in August 1989 after nearly 30 years of service. Simpson initially served as an aircraft maintenance officer and transitioned to intercontinental ballistic missile duty 18 months later. "The threat we faced as a nation was very real back then, and a lot of focus was placed on the ICBM program," Simpson said. One of the toughest challenges he faced in his career was the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. "I was sitting at work on Oct. 20 and we were preparing a Titan I missile for an exercise in a few days when I received a call from the Mountain Home Air Force Base (Idaho) command post to put the missile back on alert," he said. "We didn't know the reason for this until President Kennedy made his speech in regard to the Cuban missile crisis," said Simpson. "We went to a 24-hour schedule and everything at work became very tense as we waited to see what would happen." The tension finally came to an end when the Soviet Union agreed to withdraw all nuclear missiles from Cuba. After retirement, Simpson has remained an active member in the missileer community traveling and sharing his story.

Created by: 3d Combat Camera Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas

References to non-federal entities do not constitute or imply Department of Defense or Air Force endorsement of any company or organization.