Thirteen years later, Air Force dedicates its memorial

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  • By Tech. Sgt. David A. Jablonski
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  Soaring 270 feet into the sky over America’s capital, three stainless-steel spires forming an equilateral triangle will memorialize the U.S. Air Force.

The groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication for the Air Force Memorial was Sept. 15, in Arlington, Va. The ceremony included speeches by Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche, Chairman of the Air Force Memorial Foundation Ross Perot Jr., Virginia Congressmen James P. Moran and Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska.

Dozens of air power legends attended the ceremony, some who served shoulder-to-shoulder with the founding fathers of the Army Air Corps.

The ceremony ended three days of events surrounding the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition.

General Jumper explained the significance of the memorial’s site.

“That first (test) flight demonstrated (to the Army) by the Wright Brothers took off right over there on the ridge at Fort Myer, and they flew around a pylon … and returned,” General Jumper said, gesturing to the Army installation a few hundred feet to his right.

“It was a demonstration of the most meager capability, but it turned into what we have today that we’re most proud of, as we went higher, faster and farther through the decades that have intervened,” he said.

The secretary expanded on the symbolism.

“Human beings need symbols,” Secretary Roche said. “Symbols are important to us -- anyone in the armed forces recognizes that. The beauty of this structure will be like that of all good art: It will mean different things to different people. To young people who know nothing of air power, it will be a focal point to learn about air power. To others, who are not so young, it will be a memorial to the many accomplishments and deeds of Airmen. To those on active duty, it will be a sign of pride that they walk in the footsteps of great men and great women and that they have an obligation to build upon that. And to others, this edifice will be a symbol of the reaching of American air power, of American space power and of the men and women who make up the U.S. Air Force.”

Senator Stevens wrote the legislation that began the Air Force Memorial process 13 years ago. The Air Force is the only service without a memorial in the capital.

“At the request of the Air Force Association, I authored the original legislation to begin this memorial,” the senator said. “But I’m sure they had no idea that we’d be standing here some 13 years later. It’s been a long process, but we never doubted we’d achieve this goal.

“As I recall from my old Army Air Corps days, we all had mottoes,” he said. “The motto of my squadron was: ‘We do the impossible immediately -- miracles take slightly longer.’ This is one of those miracles, because we’ve succeeded and brought about a memorial to all of those who have served a nation as part of the various air forces.”

Following the dedications, the official party evoked another symbol by digging their spades into the ground. Officials then unveiled a marble stone; however, a flyover of modern and historic aircraft was canceled because of rain.

The memorial site lies in a parking lot of the current Navy Annex Federal Office Building south of the Pentagon and next to Arlington National Cemetery. From this point, people can look over the top of the Pentagon and across the Potomac River to see the national capital.

The Air Force Memorial design will capitalize on this vantage point.

The array of arcs against the sky will evoke a modern image of flight by jet and space vehicles. At the same time, it will enshrine the past in permanent remembrance of the pioneers of flight who came before and pay homage to those of the future. The three spires will represent the core values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. The spires will be asymmetrical and of uneven height so that the view of the memorial changes from every angle. Each spire will be illuminated.

The memorial’s design team featured architect James Ingo Freed, of Pei, Cobb, Freed and Partners Architects, and sculptor Zenos Frudakis of Glenside, Pa.

The Air Force Memorial Foundation is still accepting donations. To make a tax-exempt contribution, or to learn more about the memorial, visit www.airforcememorial.org.