The History of the United States Air Force Essay

With its history woven in every American war since the establishment of the United States Army in 1775, the ADA branch was not

“Air defense artillery units have a proud heritage dating back to the dawn of this country 's history when the colonists erected fortifications and emplaced artillery pieces to defend against attack from the sea. Seacoast defense continued to be the primary mission of "foot" artillery units (as opposed to mounted field artillery units) until World War I, when a new dimension in warfare emerged-attack from the air. Through World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam, air defense artillery units served as an indispensable part of the armed forces of the United States.”

The Eighth bomber command was part of the Army Air Force and was re-designated as the 8th air force in February of 1944. The command took the headquarters to England in early 1942 once they were activated to conduct aerial bomb runs over Nazi-occupied Europe. During World War II the 8th AF became the greatest air armada in the history of the Army Air Force.1 It was commanded by great Generals such as Jimmy Doolitle and produced one of the most famous planes, The Memphis Belle.

The Army began its linage on June 14, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress created the Continental Army in order to combine the 13 American colonies and fight the British forces (). From then on out the United States Army has seen multiple wars from the War of 1812 to present wars today, and will continue to be one the many forces to protect the USA. Now over the years, the United States Army has had to shift the way it conducts its soldiers to fight in the wars and how to be proficient in battle; even with the new warfare tactics that our enemies are developing daily.

Have you ever thought about becoming a soldier for the U.S Army? Well, if not after hearing the many benefits and unbelievable experiences that the military offers a career in the military may be just what you decide to do. The history of the U.S. Army dates back to the mid 1700’s. The first American unit was formed in 1747. This unit was known as the

The United States Air Force has been able to carry on a great tradition of air supremacy and advanced technology. They were born in September 1947, when they separated from the Army Air Core, and became their own unit (www.peterson.af.mil). Providing for the troops that serve always has been a top priority of the Air Force. The Air Force is run in management form, just like any large organization, or small business. It has a rank structure, where tasks are delegated down from the ranking Officers through the Enlisted Core. After significant evaluation, I have researched and identified the following six categories necessary for the Air Force to preserve

Over the years, America has been involved in numerous conflicts. One of the most controversial has been the Vietnam War. Even though the United States Military failed in its efforts in the war against Vietnam, the military has learned valuable lessons about our forces during the conflict. Anti-Aircraft weapons were used during the Vietnam War, and their capabilities have increased over time to become what is now called Air Defense. Air Defense’s equipment, units, and personnel played a critical role especially during the ambush on Route 9 of the Vietnam War.

With the acquisition of new aircraft, the training requirements increase as well. The Aviation Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama was created to train Army aviators in flight training as well as develop a standard for Aviation a cross the force. Through all of these challenges, the foundation was set for Army Aviation to grow into the fighting force we know now.

On July 1, 1891, congress established the U.S. Army Signal Corps (Layman and Mooney, 1944, p. 2). Understanding the use of balloons in prior wars, the Chief of the Signal Corps felt aviation was an activity that should fall in his corps realm and he petitioned for congressional concurrence. The only issue was congress would make no such acknowledgement. As early as 1892, the Signal Corps began purchasing balloons (Fredriksen, 2011, p. 1). BG Gully and his successor as the Chief of the Signal Corps, BG Allen, kept providing reports on the significance of aviation operations to the military. Initially the gentlemen envisioned a means to communicate being greatly enhanced. Two inventions at the turn of the century would contribute to these beliefs but also make it hard for them to plead their case. With telegraphy and airplanes both being invented,

“The power of an Air Force is terrific when there is nothing to oppose it” (Churchill,

Many Air Defense units today have a long history that runs deep with accolades and awards. One of these units is 3-4-ADAR. Third Battalion (Bn.) Fourth Air Defense Artillery Regiment (3-4 ADAR) is the most decorated Air Defense unit in the world. The Air Defense Branch is a relatively young branch by comparison. The ADA Branch originates from the Field Artillery Branch. AD did not become a branch of its own until technology advances made it necessary for a change. As plains started becoming a part of combat, the more need there was for AD. Our branch became its own, as air superiority became the deciding factor in winning wars.

During post-Cold War Era Air Defense Artillery began the technological advances and defensive systems in order to protect the United States against any threat foreign or domestic. The development of air defense capabilities was due to defense vulnerabilities that were revealed during World War II, also, the Cold War introduced new threats that would change the way air defense would engage and defeat the enemy in the future. Air Defense Artillery introduced the guided missile which allowed the Army to specialize and take their combat experience developed in Vietnam into the Nike missile variants which proved invaluable during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the cold war, ultimately allowing great soldiers like SGT

There was no need for airspace regulation in the US up until 1903 when the Wright brothers began the modern age of air flight with a homemade aircraft. Then in 1905, the work of the Wright brothers accumulated into the first practical aircraft that and subsequent improvements that allowed aviation technology to develop into commercial aircraft as well as war-capable planes which were used in World War I.

The name Federal Aviation Administration was established eight years after The Federal Act of 1958.

The Army and the Air Force have many similarities and differences, some of the similarities are the troop’s dedication, diversity, and patriotism, and some of the differences are the way each branch trains, their respective customs, and quality life.