Air Force Memorial dedication events to kick off service's 60th Anniversary Commemoration

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Arlington, Va. --  The dedication of the nation's newest memorial, the U.S. Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va., will begin the service's 60th Anniversary Commemoration, "From Heritage to Horizons - Commemorating 60 Years of Air & Space Power," on Oct. 14.

The Memorial, composed of three bold and graceful spires soaring skyward to a height of 270 feet, will be dedicated and given to the nation by the Air Force Memorial Foundation at an official ceremony Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m. on the 3-acre promontory adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery and a short walk from the Pentagon.

The Memorial honors the millions of men and women who have served in the U.S. Air Force and its predecessor organizations, including the U.S. Signal Corps, the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Forces. It pays tribute to the dedication, sacrifice and contributions of those who pioneered the skies, those who shape the air, space and cyberspace victories of today, and those who will continue to do so in the future.

The Memorial hosts a paved "Runway to Glory" at the site entrance, a larger-than-life bronze Honor Guard statue, two granite inscription walls located at either end of a central lawn and a glass contemplation wall that reflects the missing man formation, the final tribute given to fallen airmen. The Memorial's surrounding spaces will be landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground overlooking the nation's capital.

The  official dedication party will include Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, Air Force Chief of Staff T. Michael Moseley and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, as well as H. Ross Perot, Jr., chairman of the Air Force Memorial Foundation.

The dedication ceremony will include an aerial review consisting of aircraft from the 1930s through modern day, from the B-17 and B-24 of World War II fame to the B-2 Spirit and C-17 Globemaster III of the Global War on Terror, as well as a five-ship "Heritage Flight" featuring the P-51 Mustang, the F-86 Sabre, the F-4 Phantom, the F-15C Eagle and the F-22A Raptor. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will also perform a flyover and "bomb-burst" maneuver reflecting the design of the Memorial's three spires.

Due to space limitations at the Memorial site, overflow seating will be available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the dedication.

The Air Force also will host an Open House in Pentagon South Parking from 
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14. Aside from the live simulcast of the dedication from 1:30 to 3 p.m., the Open House will feature performances by the U.S. Air Force Drill Team and the U.S. Air Force Band high-energy "Max Impact" ensemble, a "Heritage Parade of Uniforms," a concert by country singer Lee Ann Womack and a wide variety of interactive displays and exhibits showcasing America's Airmen, Air Force equipment, technology and aircraft.

Static aircraft displays will include the Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles; UH-1, HH-60, MH-53 helicopters; the CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft; and an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter display model.

The weekend will conclude with a memorial service Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the Memorial site. Wynne, Moseley, McKinley, Perot and the Air Force Chief of Chaplains Major General Charles Baldwin will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony punctuated by a missing-man formation flown by F-16s. Again, due to space limitations at the site, overflow seating will be available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the service.

Immediately following both the official dedication ceremony Oct. 14 and the memorial service Oct. 15, shuttles will transport the public from Pentagon South Parking to the Memorial site to view the Memorial.

The weekend's events are easily accessible from the Pentagon Metro station, and the public is highly encouraged to use the Metro as there will be numerous road closures in the area and parking will be extremely limited.

The Memorial will be closed to the public Oct. 16 while the grounds are restored following the weekend's activities.

For more information about the Memorial and the weekend's events, visit the Air Force Memorial Foundation website, www.airforcememorial.org.

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MEDIA ADVISORY:
Event attendance - To attend any of the Memorial weekend events, all media are required to register in the "Press Room" at the Air Force Memorial Foundation's website, www.airforcememorial.org, prior to Oct. 13.

Media opportunities - To be notified of media opportunities with Air Force senior leadership and significant individuals in Air Force history prior to Oct. 13, contact Capt Tom Wenz at 703-571.2787 or thomas.wenz@pentagon.af.mil. Various opportunities are currently being coordinated.

Multimedia press kit - To receive a multimedia press kit, to include b-roll, still photography and audio files, in advance via e-mail, provide the appropriate e-mail address and contact name and phone number to Capt Tom Wenz at Thomas.wenz@pentagon.af.mil. This press kit will be released by Oct. 10.

For other inquiries, contact Maj Cristin L'Esperance at 703-571.2786 or cristin.lesperance@pentagon.af.mil.