TYR Tactical

Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Jamestown’s Military Through The Ages Returns

Sunday, March 6th, 2022

We’ve written about the Military Through the Ages weekend in the past and it is a must attend event if you are near the Tidewater of Virginia.

You’ll get to see hundreds of reenactors depicting every type of military unit from 500 B.C.E. all the way to modern-day soldiers.

It’s coming March 19-20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the historic Jamestown Settlement.

Get the details here.

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Carlson’s Raiders

Sunday, February 20th, 2022

It’s not hard to say that anyone who wanted to be in military Special Forces when they were a kid has watched the movie Gung Ho! So, in honor of Evans F Carlson’s Birthday on the 26th. He was one of the best leaders in military history and helped build today’s Special Forces foundation. He spends over two years in China with the guerrilla, learning unique tactics that he would bring to the U.S. to help fight the Japanese in WW2. We need more leaders like this in the world.

Evans F Carlson enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 16 and began his military career in 1912. He served in the Philippines, Hawaii, and Mexico, and less than a year after leaving active duty, he reenlisted in time for the Mexican punitive expedition. During his military service, he was wounded in action in France and was awarded a Purple Heart. He was promoted to Captain in May of 1917 and was made a lieutenant in December of 1917. After the war, he entered the Marine Corps as a private and gained the rank of second lieutenant the following year. Meanwhile, in Nicaragua, he was awarded the first of three Navy Crosses. In 1940, he became an observer in China during the years leading up to World War II and was impressed with the guerrilla warfare being waged against Japanese troops. While he was in Japan, he became convinced that Japan would attack the United States.

He advised General Douglas MacArthur of an impending invasion in the Philippines and the need for guerrilla units in case the Japanese army attacked. However, MacArthur ignored his recommendation.

Carlson returned to the United States and joined the United States Army again. Carlson and Merritt Edson advocated the use of guerrilla warfare as part of the Allied Pacific War effort. After Edson was assigned the 1st Raider Battalion, Carlson received command of the 2nd Raider Battalion.

Approximately 7,000 applied for enlistment in the 2nd Raider Battalion, but many people that applied were rejected. He asked each candidate about the political significance of the war. He later said he favored men with initiative, adaptability and held democratic views. James Roosevelt, the son of Franklin D. Roosevelt, became Carlson’s assistant.

The Raiders learned the tactics employed by the Red Army against the Japanese. This practice involved learning how to kill people silently and quickly. To more effectively imitate the guerrillas of China, Carlson eliminated the privileges of officers. The same level of nutrition, wearing the same clothing, and carrying the same equipment were all factors.

Carlson’s field research into the Red Army convinced him that trust in the men in battle improved their performance and the belief in a better pollical system. So, he would provide information on how undemocratic governments are under Nazi Germany and Japan. Also, he encouraged the men to discuss their vision of a functioning society after the war.

In August of 1943, Carlson and 222 marines left Pearl Harbor and landed on Makin Atoll. After two days of battle, Carlson’s men destroyed the radio station, burned the radio station’s equipment, and captured documents. Thirty marines were among the first to die during the Battle of Tarawa. As a result of this raid, the Japanese fortified the Gilbert Islands.

On 4 November 1943, the Raiders landed on Guadalcanal. During the next 30 days, Carlson’s man killed over 500 enemy soldiers and only lost 17. Carlson had been wounded and was forced to return to the United States for medical treatment.

Carlson’s superiors expressed concern about his unorthodox tactics and ideas. They were also concerned about his relatively close relationship with Agnes Smedley. This radical journalist was involved in campaigning for USA support of communist forces in China to help them defeat the Japanese Army in Asia.

In May of 1943, Carlson was promoted to be the Raider Regiment’s executive officer and was stripped of the direct command of his battalion during the Guadalcanal campaign. Carlson was also upset with his superiors by becoming involved in a controversial project of publishing pamphlets on the contribution of the Afro-Americans in the war. Carlson eventually returned to action in November 1943 at the battle of Tarawa. On Saipan, he received severe wounds when trying to rescue a radio operator who the Japanese had shot.

Carlson eventually returned to action at Tarawa in November 1943. During the Battle of Saipan, he was injured while rescuing a radio operator who the Japanese had shot. Being injured caused him to have to retire from the United States Marines after the war.

Below is the movie.

warfarehistorynetwork.com/2015/07/27/evans-carlson-forms-carlsons-raiders

In Memoriam – Col Gail S. Halvorsen (USAF, Ret)

Friday, February 18th, 2022

Earlier this week Col Gail S. Halvorsen (USAF, Ret) aka The Berlin Candy Bomber and Uncle Wiggly Wings passed away. His family was at his side at the Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, Utah, where he was admitted following a short illness.  Colonel Halvorsen was 101 years old and he is survived by his five children and numerous grand- and great grandchildren.

We received this information from the Airlift/Tanker Association:

Col Halvorsen, a Utah native, began his flying career when he earned his private pilot’s license in 1941 through a Civil Air Patrol program.  His passion for aviation led him to join the Army Air Force in 1942 flying transport aircraft.  In 1948, peace in Europe was threatened as the Soviet Union blockaded all ground access to war-torn West Berlin. Then, Lt Halvorsen, a member of the newly formed United States Air Force, began flying humanitarian airlift missions to starving West Berliners.  During one mission, he paused to share two sticks of gum with nearby German children who were watching the aircraft and busy flightline.  Two sticks of gum did not go far and he promised the children he would be back the next day to drop candy from his airplane, telling them, you will know it is me when I “wiggle” my wings.  That simple act of kindness and compassion led to “Operation Little Vittles” and, in all, over 23 tons of candy were dropped from Allied aircraft. His impact spread beyond the smiles of German children.  He brought visibility to the plight of the German people and put a human face on their suffering—Americans now saw the Germans as humans, not enemies. Strategically, the Allied resolve strengthened, and West Berlin’s freedom was secured without a single shot fired and his act of kindness forged the strong bond between America and Germany that endures today.

After hanging up his uniform Col Halvorsen continued his life of service by inspiring youth and adults around the world to a life of service. 

May He Rest In Peace

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Desert Storm False Invasion

Sunday, February 13th, 2022

With four Republican Guard heavy divisions and the equivalent of a fifth, made up of commandos, Iraq invaded Kuwait on 02 August 1990. Then U.S. President George H. W. Bush quickly said that the United States didn’t condone Iraq’s actions.

During Operation Desert Shield, President Bush formed a coalition (“a collation of the willing” Chapelle) of 35 countries to protect Saudi Arabia and then free Kuwait. On 06 August, the U.S. sent troops to Saudi Arabia, the 82nd Airborne Division and Special Forces were some of the first on the ground (I am sorry if I missed other groups). This began a buildup of combat power in the region, which at its peak had about 600,000 U.S. troops there at one time.

During Desert Shield, some smaller operations took place, including Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Special Reconnaissance looking for SCUDS and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), and running around in Desert Patrol Vehicles (DPVs they would be the first forces into the city of Kuwait) but indeed General Schwarzkopf was not a fan of any Special Forces. He didn’t want to use them for anything. He even had operators from Delta guarding him. On 17 January 1991, Desert Shield turned into Desert Storm with the start of the air campaign. More than 18,000 air missions were flown and more than 116,000 combat air sorties by the U.S. and between 32-40 other countries, including several Arab countries. They dropped 88,500 tons of bombs on the enemy.

On 28 February 91, the ground war started again; a lot of groups played different roles in the invasion. Special Forces Groups conducted special reconnaissance, CSAR, and Direct-Action missions.

Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Group One had run NSW Task Group Center based out of Ras Al-Mishab. There were SEAL platoons from almost all west coast teams, including a Platoon for SEAL Team Five and a boat Det from Special Boat Unit 12.

One of the Platoons from SEAL Team Five and the High-Speed Boat (HSB/ HSAC )Det from SBU-12 was tasked with conducting an over the horizon beach attack to fool the Iraqis into thinking a full-scale amphibious landing was going to happen. To help with this, over the horizon, off the coast of Kuwait, was an armada of ships, each carrying approximately 17,000 Marines, all ready to land on the beaches. But, the only amphibious assault of Kuwait would be carried out by a half-dozen Navy SEALs. Lt. Tom Dietz (the only reason I am using his name as this is well documented) and five other SEALs would drive up the coast from Ras al-Mishab in a pair of Fountain-33 HSBC as the sunset on Saturday, 23 February, the day before the allies were scheduled to commence the ground campaign. The Fountains, propelled by 1,000-horsepower MerCruiser engines, sped up the Kuwaiti coastline at 40 miles per hour. This might sound fun, and at first, it is, but it is not the best on the knees. That night, the water temperature was a bone-chilling 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the gulf. It was even more concerning because it was plagued with mines. The SBU 12 boat guys sailed blindly, with their lights turned off, knowing that if their thin-shelled boats encountered a mine, it would not end well for them. When they entered the minefield, they traveled slowly at first; then, after some talking realized fast or slowed if they hit a mine, it would be not good, so travel fast was decided to be the best plan.

Dietz’s speedboat came to a halt 15 miles off the coast of Kuwait at approximately 10 p.m. His team was able to free the Zodiac rubber raiding boat attached to the bow. After swimming up to Kuwaiti beaches in stealth for a month, searching for prospective amphibious landing sites, the SEALs discovered that all of them were well fortified and mined, indicating that they would be difficult to reach. Dietz’s two motorized Zodiacs made their way gently to the coast, halting every few miles so the commandos could look and hear what was going on.

The F470 Zodiac stopped about five hundred yards from the beach, and the swimmer were launched. Each carried haversack with C4, which they would use to string buoys out along the swim to the beach. These buoys with a diameter of four feet would give the impression that the buoys were marking impending amphibious ships. The beach charges were set for 1 a.m. local time about 3 hours before the Collation forces began breaching the minefields along the Kuwait border on Sunday, 24 February. This would give the Iraqis time to move troops east to the coast, where the fake invasion was thought to be happening. The importance of time could not be overstated. For the Iraqis to respond effectively, they must be allowed to do so by moving forces east in response to the diversion rather than reinforcing soldiers in the west, where the actual attack would occur.

The SEALS kept an eye on the coast while swimming toward the beach together. Each swimmer had an MP5 with them, and SBU-12 HSP was slowly making their way towards the beach to help in an emergency and for a follow-on mission after the platoon was back to the F470s. The team would stop and look at the beach with a pocket night-vision scope every hundred yards. In the early 90s, items like that were not as waterproof as they are now, so it was stored in a good old plastic bag. They even made all black surfboards sent from Coronado to carry radios. Because of the smoke from the oil wells burning, the night seemed even more ominous. The sand on the beach was white and looked like it had just snowed out even though it was sand.

The crew split out on the shoreline and unloaded its haversacks in around a foot of water. The rest of the team followed suit. Dietz instructed the timers to be set by using hand signals. The SEALs exfilled keeping an eye on the beach. After closing in on the Zodiacs, the HSBC opened up on the shore with their .50-caliber machine guns for half an hour in an attempt to make the Iraqis think a more significant force was attacking the coastal fortifications. Two-pound charges were dropped off the sides of the boats and exploded every five minutes. Around the same time, the USS Missouri battleship opened up with her 16in guns, firing 2700lbs shells over the heads of the guys in the boats. They were firing at the Iraqi command bunkers near the Kuwaiti coastline, helping with the illusion that an American-led amphibious assault on occupied Kuwait would be on the horizon. At precisely 1 a.m., explosives on the beach went off. Dietz radioed back the code word “Pamela,” meaning “mission completed.”

After a brief pause, Missouri fired once more into Iraqi-occupied Kuwait. This time, the Marine Corps dispatched ten helicopters to mimic a landing force on the ground in Iraq. The Iraqis launched anti-ship missiles at Missouri, but a British ship intercepted and destroyed the lone missile that posed a severe threat to the warship. Coalition jets were able to locate and destroy the missile launch point quickly.

As a result of the bombardment’s effectiveness, Iraqi troops sought to surrender to the drone (from the USS Missouri) that flew back over the target area, waving little white flags. For the first time in history, troops would try and surrender to a drone.

Hundreds of lives were saved during Desert Storm due to this fictitious amphibious assault by Naval Special Warfare. After six weeks of air attacks, the ground campaign only took 100 hours before Kuwait was freed. On 28 February, a ceasefire was established, effectively putting an end to the hostilities until Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein agreed to the peace agreement provisions. The coalition forces suffered a total of 300 casualties in the combat, which is significantly less than the number of deaths they would have suffered if the Iraqi troops had been permitted to concentrate on the actual threat.

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Australian Z and M Special Units WWII

Sunday, January 16th, 2022

Growing up the movie “Attack Force Z” one of my favorite movies and still is. I have always wanted to an old school WW2 operation doing an insert by Klepper kayaks and blow-up a ship in a harbor or a bridge. You know like Cockleshell heroes or Attack Force Z  

SOE-Australia (SOA) was a WWII Special Forces and covert operations organization operating in the Pacific theater behind Japanese lines. It was made up of men and women from Australian, British, New Zealand, Canadian, South African, Indonesian, Timorese and Malay. SOA fought a secret, undercover war against the Japanese occupying force on the islands north of Australia. With the success of the British SOE unit in the European theater, Winston Churchill ordered that a similar unit be formed in the pacific. SOA was made up from many different units like the Royal Australian Navy’s  Coastwatcher’s, a propaganda unit the Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO), the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/SIA), a Dutch East Indies intelligence unit (NEFIS), the United States’ Philippine Regional Section (PRS, operating in the southern Philippines) and an Australian/British Special Operations group, which was to carry out missions behind enemy lines. The SOA took part in hundreds of covert operations against the Japanese and were directly responsible for eliminating thousands of enemy troops and sinking tons of ships and supplies, they paid a high price with more than eighty SOA commandos losing their lives. To maintain security, the SOA was given a cover name – Inter-Allied Services Department (IASD, mostly referred to as the ISD). It had British SOE agents that had escaped Singapore and the Dutch East Indies before it fell to the Japanese. That helped get it up and running.

SOA operators could operate in parties as small as two men, ISD Operatives faced overwhelming odds against a barbaric and increasingly desperate enemy. They conducted similar operations as many other SF groups in WWII. From Jedburgh’s type of missions (training indigenous guerrilla forces) to conduct direct action missions and raiding targets of opportunity. They also performed special reconnaissance missions close to enemy forces behind the lines.

The ISD men kept quiet about their exploits for over 50 years, and even today, the full story has never really been made public. The whole story of ISD operations during WWII is one that has been largely overlooked and misunderstood for the past 75 years. One of the main reasons for this is the misunderstanding that ISD was named Z or M Special Unit. The Z and M just referred to their administrative arm of the units. Z Special Unit was also used for requisitioning stores and transport through Australian Army channels. There are cases where Colonels were removed from transport aircraft to make room for ISD Corporals. Such was the administrative power of the Z Special Unit. So, this is how it was broken down, for Australian Army personnel and civilians assigned to ISD, and later to SRD, and as such, Z Special Unit appears on the service records of every Australian soldier who was assigned to either of those organizations. Another reason for some of the confusion is that in early 1943 the SOA was giving a new code name the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD), and the term SOA was only to be used at the highest level. Z Special Unit does not appear on the service records of RAAF, RAN or British, NZ, Canadian, or South African personnel assigned to ISD or SRD since they weren’t enlisted in the Australian Army. However, Z Special Unit or Z Force became a common term in the post-war years, even among SRD Veterans. Although it is historically inaccurate to refer to the Special Operations as Z Special Unit. So, where do M Special units fit in? During the war an Allied Special Forces Reconnaissance Team under the command of the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD.) It was the successor of the Coastwatcher’s unit. Raised in Queensland, Australia, in 1943, the unit operated behind enemy lines for long periods in the Pacific theatre, collecting intelligence such as enemy troop movements and shipping details. It was disbanded at the end of the war in 1945.  

Unlike its sister unit, M Special Unit wasn’t as well known for direct action missions. Z Special Unit was comprised of about 81 members and generally inserted via small boat, submarine, or airplane and conducted quick hit and run missions. They would also conduct intelligence-gathering operations. M Special Unit, on the other hand, operated behind enemy lines for extended periods and did long-range intelligence collection; as such, they tried to go undetected and, as such rarely engage the enemy.  

Also, all personal assigned to ISD were still listed as attached to the parent unit they came from. The reason for this was to help maintain secrecy. It was also used as a way to hide the funding for the ISD. As one of the best ways to keep something secret is never to show that money is going to them. The units never had an official insignia. You will often see a Z of M with a dagger through it. This was not made until 1970 and unfortunately, is mistaken for the units WWII symbol. 

One of ISD/SRD’s most famous Operations was called Jaywick. They used a 68-ton wooden ship. British authorities had seized the Kofuku Maru in Singapore following Japan’s entry into the war. In 1943 she was renamed Krait and assigned to the SRD. The objective of Operation Jaywick was for SRD members to attack Japanese shipping in Singapore. SRD commandos paddled into Singapore harbor in kayaks and attached limpet mines to Japanese enemy shipping. The stealthy raiders sank seven ships and about 39,000 tons of supplies and equipment before escaping home to Australia. By the time they returned nearly seven weeks later, the crew of 14 had carried out one of the most successful clandestine raids in Australian history. Throughout the war, the 70-foot wooden-hulled boat involved in the Jaywick raid, MV Krait, sank more shipping than any other ship in the Australian navy.  

In a subsequent mission to Jaywick called Operation Rimau, the raiding party was detected by the enemy, hunted down and executed. Seventeen of SRD members lie in graves at Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore. In Operation Copper, eight men landed on an island off New Guinea to disable enemy guns before the Allied landing. Discovered by the Japanese, three commandos were captured, tortured, and executed. Four others escaped and fled out to sea, but only one made it home.

No matter what their name was or what they are called now, the units of WWII are the forefathers of today’s Special Forces in Australian and New Zealand and helped end the war.

www.australiansas.com/Establis%20SF

Naval Special Warfare Celebrates 60th Anniversary of SEAL Teams

Tuesday, January 11th, 2022

SAN DIEGO, Calif. and NORFOLK, Va. (Jan. 7, 2022) – Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) rang in the New Year with a celebration of their own as this month marks sixty years since the establishment of the first SEAL teams.

Recognizing the need for an increase in special forces and unconventional warfare during the Vietnam War, President Kennedy directed the Secretary of Defense to increase and reorient U.S. special forces and unconventional warfare units in a speech to Congress, May 25, 1961.

“Our nation’s Naval commandos celebrate the 60th anniversary of the SEAL teams this week with President John F. Kennedy’s order to establish SEAL Team 1 and 2 in January 1962,” said Rear Adm. H.W. Howard III, commander, NSWC. “We’re reminded of the legacy that set our standard and the heroes whose shoulders we stand upon today.”

Within eight months, preexisting Underwater Demolition Teams provided the manpower required to establish the first SEAL teams at Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Coronado, California, and NAB Little Creek, Virginia, Jan. 1, 1962. Their mission was to conduct unconventional warfare, counter-guerrilla warfare and clandestine operations.

“As we urgently adapt and innovate to meet new threats and missions of greater complexity and risk, we honor the stewardship, integrity, grit and gallantry that the founding members of our community demonstrated in their service,” said Howard. “In marking this milestone, Naval Special Warfare also celebrates our authentic and timeless team – a team anchored on earned trust, candor, creativity and resilience – a humble team with an ironclad commitment to the nation and all we serve.”

The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community’s history pre-dates the establishment of the SEAL teams by twenty years. In August 1942, the Amphibious Scouts and Raiders (Joint) and the Special Mission Naval Demolition Unit were established at Amphibious Training Base Little Creek, Virginia, to perform specific missions during Operation Torch – the allied invasion of North Africa – in November 1942.

“Our community is built upon the shoulders of the warriors who came before us,” said Capt. David Abernathy, commodore, Naval Special Warfare Group 1. “The high standards, unique capabilities, strength and diversity found across the NSW community today is a direct reflection of those first SEALs who paved the way.”

Capt. Donald G. Wetherbee, commodore, Naval Special Warfare Group 2, said that throughout the community’s 80-year history, naval commandos engaged in operations from the beaches of North Africa and Normandy, the islands of the Pacific, Korea and Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, to countless other areas of the world – on land and under the sea.

“Today’s SEAL teams, along with other components of Naval Special Warfare, represent a unique ability to access denied environments, providing scalable kinetic and non-kinetic effects that set the conditions to undermine adversary confidence and provide diplomatic leverage in competition, and higher end options in crisis and conflict,” said Wetherbee. “At the same time, the incredible leadership, cognitive attributes and character of our people remain the same as they did from day one of our community’s birth. I’m truly humbled to have the privilege of working with the men and women of Naval Special Warfare every day.”

From Scouts and Raiders, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Operational Swimmers, Underwater Demolition Teams, and the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons of World War II to now SEALs, Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) and special development groups, Naval Special Warfare is a complex and humble community who is proud of its warfighting heritage.

NSW commands will celebrate this milestone all year long by hosting events and ceremonies, as well as releasing stories and social media posts that highlight the rich history of SEAL operators to honor NSW’s proud warfighting heritage, give insight into how special operators integrate with the fleet for distributed maritime operations, and highlight the capabilities NSW assets bring to the strategic competition.

Since 1962, Naval Special Warfare has been the nation’s premier maritime special operations force – a highly reliable and lethal force – always ready to conduct full-spectrum operations, unilaterally or with partners, in support of national objectives, and uniquely positioned to extend the Fleet’s reach, delivering all-domain options for Naval and joint force commanders.

For more news from Naval Special Warfare Command, visit www.facebook.com/NavalSpecialWarfare or www.nsw.navy.mil.

Courtesy Story by Naval Special Warfare Command

The 1983 Death Valley Run

Sunday, January 9th, 2022

I had never heard the story of the 1983 Death Valley Run and it all revolves around this extraordinary man named Lionel “Choo Choo” Pinn. Now, I was familiar with 1SG Pinn as a kid in the 80s because I used to read up on the Vietnam war a lot so I knew he was a triple CIB awardee for combat in WW II, Korea and Vietnam. I had also learned that this Special Forces Veteran was nicknamed “Choo Choo” because he was always smoking cigars, even while running, so the smoke he trailed reminded everyone of a train, a “Lionel” Train.

He was a Native American with parents hailing from the Osage, Douge (Doeg), and Mi’kmaq tribes. 1SG Pinn was also a second generation Soldier. It’s guys like this that inspired me to join the Army. There’s a whole lot of his story here and it’s worth your time to read. It’s quite inspirational.

His whole carerr is amazing, but then after retiring from the military, he and some other former paratroopers cooked up a scheme to parachute in Death Valley and run 15 miles a day until they made it 100 miles, in honor of their fellow Vietnam Vets. Here’s an intro from a local TV station.

A documentary was made of their trek and it’s offered in two parts. Narrated by Martin Sheen.

Part 1

Part 2

With 2022’s Arrival, U.S. Air Force Gear Up To Commemorate Its 75th Anniversary

Saturday, January 8th, 2022

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

It’s never too early to start celebrating a major milestone, which explains why the U.S. Air Force and Department of the Air Force kicked off the year with a bang Jan. 1 by highlighting the start of their 75th year at the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl.

Seventy-five years after the Air Force’s birth on Sept. 18, 1947, the spirit of innovation that has driven the service was on display when a B-2 Spirit from the 509th Bomb Wing, located at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, roared over the Tournament of Roses Parade and one of the most prestigious college bowl games, the 2022 Rose Bowl, to kick-off the yearlong 75th-anniversary celebration.

The B-2 has supported the Tournament of Roses and Rose Bowl for nearly two decades, showcasing one of the Air Force’s premier weapon systems over the skies of Pasadena to inspire a future generation of patriotism and aviation.

Joining the B-2 this year to kick off the celebration was an Air Force Total Force Band, comprised of 75 Airmen-Musicians from 14 units. Fittingly, the band marched in the 75th spot in the Tournament of Roses parade lineup.

The Airmen taking part in the start of the year celebration highlighted one of the service’s greatest strengths: the nearly 700,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen who remain the heart and soul of the service, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., who currently serves as the service’s highest ranking military officer.

“Ever since the Air Force became a separate military service, empowered Airmen have pushed the boundaries of technology and innovation that have allowed the service to excel and keep pace with the rapid changes and the demands placed upon us,” Brown said. “Our commemoration of this important anniversary provides a chance to reflect on the amazing accomplishments of our service and those who have served among its ranks since 1947, while also celebrating the boundless future that lies ahead.”

Brown added, “As the Air Force approaches its 75th anniversary, we have a responsibility to our nation and our international allies and partners. I am confident that our Airmen will continue to innovate, accelerate and thrive so that we can execute our mission to Fly, Fight, and Win…Airpower Anytime, Anywhere.”

To honor the past, present and future, the theme for the 75th anniversary is “Innovate, Accelerate, Thrive – The Air Force at 75.” That focus captures a range of activities and observations that will take place throughout the year and highlight the anniversary’s significance.

“The 75th anniversaries of the U.S. Air Force and the Department of the Air Force provides a unique opportunity to highlight the contributions of our Total Force Airmen, both past and present, who have fought and defended our nation in air and space,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said. “When you think about what the Air Force has accomplished since its inception in 1947, there’s so much to be proud of – it’s truly incredible.

“These past 75 years have showcased the service’s ability to adapt to any situation and provide unparalleled airpower as well as spacepower right up to the establishment of the U.S. Space Force within the Department of the Air Force in 2019,” he said. “As we look ahead to the next 75 years, we must continue to adapt and modernize so that our Airmen and Guardians have the warfighting capabilities they need to stay ahead of our pacing challenges, while also ensuring they and their families have the resources they need to thrive. One team, one fight!”

Throughout 2022, the Air Force will celebrate its 75th milestone with various events around the U.S. and worldwide to showcase the values, commitment, and expertise of America’s Total Force Airmen, past and present. In addition, the service will spotlight its history, accomplishments, and many of the pioneering Airmen whose innovation, dedication to mission, and war-fighting spirit helped established the U.S. Air Force of today.

Innovation fueled by Airmen has always been a part of the Air Force’s heritage, even before it became an independent service in 1947.

Maj. Gen. Billy Mitchell, also known as the “Father of the Air Force,” was one Airman who paved the way for the service. According to military historians, his commitment to pushing boundaries and working towards a distinct aerial service branch seeded a renaissance for the airpower legacy that would distinguish itself during conflicts across the globe for years to come.

Likewise, Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, who was designated the first and only five-star General of the Air Force by President Truman, also played a key role in leading, developing and innovating American military airpower during World War II, providing the necessary vision and drive to ultimately create the conditions for an independent U.S. Air Force following the war. Today, Gen. Arnold is considered an airpower pioneer whose efforts helped to lay the foundation for modern Air Force logistics, R&D, and operations, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The Air Force’s history is also the history of the nation’s advancements in space. Under the Air Force’s early space pioneers such as Gen. Bernard Schriever, the Air Force developed and integrated the technologies that put U.S. rockets and satellites into space. By Operation Desert Storm in 1991, often called the nation’s first space war, space became central to nearly all military operations. These same technologies that brought victory in Desert Storm, such as GPS and communication satellites, are now essential to modern life in America. The importance of space grew to such an extent that the U.S. Space Force emerged as an independent service within the Department of the Air Force in 2019.

“This is what is being celebrated as the U.S. Air Force and the Department of the Air Force enter their 75th years and what was on display in the skies over California when the B-2 roared overhead: 75 years of American airpower, spacepower, and innovation that have secured our nation and made us stronger,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Department of the Air Force Public Affairs director.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Photos by Nicholas Pilch