Air Force leaders gather at memorial for anniversary

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Matt Proietti
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The Air Force's three top leaders laid a wreath at the Air Force Memorial Sept. 18 to commemorate the service's 60th anniversary.

"The memorial gives (us) a home to honor the service and sacrifice of men and women of the Air Force and its predecessors, and so it is right that we lay this wreath here today," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne.

The secretary spoke after remarks by Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley. Together, the men laid a wreath of white flowers, blue ribbons and green foliage at the base of the three stainless steel spires.

The ceremony, attended by about 200 people, featured F-16 Fighting Falcons soaring overhead as an Air Force trumpet player played "Taps" to recognize those who died while serving in the Air Force and its predecessors.

The Air Force was preceded by the Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Signal Corps; the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps; the Division of Military Aeronautics, Secretary of War; the Army Air Service; the U.S. Army Air Corps; and the U.S. Army Air Forces. It became a separate branch of service from the Army on Sept. 18, 1947. 

General Moseley said the military has provided air service to the nation for 100 years since the establishment of the Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps in August 1907.

It had "exactly three Airmen and no airplanes," he said, adding that the Air Force has since become a dominating instrument of national power. 

"Technology has advanced at a remarkable pace, and innovative Airmen have found clever new ways to use that technology in defense of the United States, her worldwide interests and her noble ideals," said General Moseley. "Through all of the change, however, the quality of our Airmen has been immutable. It is their service and sacrifice we honor today." 

The general saluted Airmen who braved "flying machines that sometimes quite literally came apart in flight" and "real and perceived barriers such as the sound barrier, and race and gender biases." He praised those who faced "withering anti-aircraft artillery fire that made (missions) near-suicidal" and "ferocious weather and fierce terrain that in some campaigns combined to claim thousands of Airmen and hundreds of airplanes as casualties." 

More than 55,000 Airmen have died in combat while serving in the Air Force and historical flying service arms, the second highest of any of America's four armed services. More than 52,000 of the deaths came in World War II. 

Those sacrifices continue today, Chief McKinley said.

"At this very hour, Airmen are in harm's way accepting their no-fail mission and taking the fight to the enemy," he said. "Our Airmen are traversing dangerous mountain passes ensuring the security of convoys and delivering critical supplies to forward operating bases. They are embedded with Special Forces teams and they are always on the ready to call in lethal close-air-support."

Secretary Wynne described the Air Force as "the nation's sword and shield, its avenger."

"Since the dawn of aviation, Airmen took to the skies despite the unknown dangers that awaited them,"  he said. "Our Airmen thrive on a culture of innovation (and) courage, pushing the limits of man and our machines in air, space and cyberspace."  

Chief McKinley addressed all Airmen about the future.

"In another 60 years Airmen will stand under the same banner of freedom and tell amazing tales of heroes on the battlefield," he said. "You will have been part of that tradition of honor and legacy of valor."

Following the ceremony, Air Force Airmen took turns posing for photos with the wreath under the three spires of the Air Force Memorial, which was dedicated in October 2006.

The memorial sits atop a knoll adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery and provides open views to the Pentagon, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol. 

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