Foundations of Air Power

Foundations of Air Power. . On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright succeeded in flying the first free, controlled flight of a power-driven, heavier-than- air plane. Later that day his brother Wilbur piloted their Wright Flyer in their longest flight of the day, a sortie lasting for 59 seconds and traversing a distance of 852 feet. It was an extraordinary achievement., American military aviation began in 1907, when the Department of War (Army) issued an order on 1 August, which read: , "An Aeronautical Division of this office is hereby established to take effect this date. The Division will have charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects. All data on hand will be carefully classified and perfected for future experiments. The operations of this Division are strictly confidential..." , The active strength of the Aeronautical Division in 1907 was 3 personnel., The Air Combat Warriors celebrated by this memorial are children, parents, and siblings-patriots of every color, creed, identity, and origin. Theirs is a story of skill and valor, service and sacrifice-and the story of the citizens , who gave them the tools and created the airpower they employed. American scientists, engineers, businessmen and craftsmen dreamed and labored to build the machines they flew. Women pilots delivered combat aircraft to theaters of war before they became air warriors in their own right; and from countless airstrips across America, many Airmen risked selflessly to train the pilots and aircrew members the nation has sent into war. Over decades, across the globe, millions of enlisted and officer Airmen have built and run the bases, loaded the weapons, and repaired and refueled the planes that Air Force aviators flew. Perhaps most of all, this memorial is also the story of every American who supported their Air Force and made it the most formidable air armada the world has ever seen.