| It's no secret to Airmen who know their service | | | | significantly since WW II, aerial bombardments were |
| branch's history, but many in the Armed Forces might | | | | still an inaccurate science and the "Fly boys" could not |
| be surprised to know that it wasn't too long ago that | | | | pin point targets the way Airmen can today. |
| the Air Force and the Army were combined under | | | | Although the "Air Force" was fairly independent in |
| one umbrella. | | | | practice during World War II, it wasn't until 1947 that |
| Today there is a healthy rivalry between the service | | | | the U.S. Air Force was officially created, and it is the |
| branches and certainly Soldiers don't want to be | | | | year 1947 that Airmen look to when the celebrate |
| confused with Airmen and vice versa. But prior to | | | | the birth of the Air Force. |
| 1923 there was no organized "Air service" per say, | | | | In the years since, the Army and the Air Force have |
| and it wasn't until 1926 that we had the | | | | developed a close-knit relationship through their |
| establishment of the Army Air Corps, which was a | | | | experience fighting in Korea and Vietnam, and most |
| part of the Army. | | | | recently, in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| It's important to remember that even as late as | | | | Just as the Army and the Air Force have a shared |
| World War I, using airplanes in combat was still at the | | | | background, so do the Marine Corps. and the Navy. |
| experimental stage. Many of us have images of the | | | | The Marines fall under the authority of the |
| Red Baron and the great dog fights over the First | | | | Department of the Navy, and serve as "sea soldiers" |
| World War, but they had little or no impact on the | | | | on Navy ships. |
| war in general: Aerial bombing circa 1917 mean little | | | | The Marines, however, maintain an air capability with |
| more than tossing grenades and other munitions out | | | | their own Marine fighter jets and helicopters. |
| the side of the cockpit by hand. It was the Soldiers | | | | Experience has shown that Marine pilots work |
| and Marines who had the biggest impact in that war. | | | | effectively with Marine combat troops on the ground. |
| In the period between the two world wars, | | | | The shared language and procedures help Marine |
| members of the newly created United States Army | | | | pilots to offer air support to Marine infantry. And |
| Air Corps began to work with new aviation | | | | then, of course, there are the Navy fighter pilots |
| technology and to understand how it could best | | | | who also work closely with Marine elements on the |
| impact combat. With the ushering in of World War II, | | | | ground. |
| the Army Air Corps was retired and the U.S. Army | | | | Although the four main branches of the service all |
| Air Service was created to fight the Axis powers | | | | maintain separate traditions and cultures, they are |
| during the course of the War. | | | | united in their mission to serve the Constitution of |
| The Army Air Service flew countless missions over | | | | the United States and under the authority of the |
| fortress Europe, dropping bombs into Germany and | | | | President of the United States, who is the |
| taking on some of the most dangerous missions of | | | | Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. |
| the War. Although the technology had increased | | | | |