SR-71 Memorial Dedication

SR-71 Memorial Dedication. 8th Air Force Museum. USAF aerial reconnaissance can trace its roots back to the American War between the states, when balloons carried aloft battlefield observers. The invention of the aircraft offered exciting new possibilities. The Wright brothers courted the air service with their new "flyer" as an excellent platform for battlefield reconnaissance. The airplane got its first observation test in 1911, but came into its own during World War I from 1914-1918. Aerial reconnaissance has become a crucial tool for war fighting commanders and an indispensable factor in diplomacy and maintaining peace throughout the world. The ultimate aircraft built from the ground up for the reconnaissance mission was the SR-71 now on display at the 8th Air Force Museum. Known as the black bird, the SR-71's sleek profile masks its location in the air and protects its mission, peaceful reconnaissance. The Wright brothers could not have imagined that their first powered flight would fly almost exactly the length of the SR-71, which 62 years later would soar from Kitty Hawk beyond the speed of sound and faster than a speeding bullet. , , VFW Post 5951 Bossier City, Louisiana and Centuries and Hill Crest Cemeteries dedicate this monument in recognition of the dedication and the sacrifice of those who served in the mission of USAF reconnaissance.