The United States Air Force became a separate military service on 18 September 1947 with the implementation of the National Security Act of 1947. The Act created the National … See more

The Air Force came of age in World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the lead after the Munich Agreement, calling for a vastly … See more

The USAF was heavily deployed during the Vietnam War. The first bombing raids against North Vietnam occurred in 1964, following the See more

The USAF modernized its tactical air forces in the late 1970s with the introduction of the F-15, A-10, and F-16 fighters, and the implementation of realistic training scenarios under the aegis of Red Flag. In turn, it also upgraded the equipment and … See more

World War I
In 1917, upon the American entry into World War I, the first major U.S. aviation combat force was … See more

In practice, the Army Air Forces became virtually independent of the Army during World War II, but its leaders wanted formal independence. In November 1945, General Dwight D. Eisenhower became Army Chief of Staff, while General Carl Spaatz See more

• National Museum of the United States Air Force See more