On Saturday, we were initially trapped in the RV park because the annual Air Force Marathon was taking place...15000 runners strong, and our road was closed to traffic. But in the afternoon we headed over to the USAF Museum, which has an IMAX theater along with displays in 3 hangars starting with hot air balloons and the Wright brothers all the way through space flight and drones.
To enter and leave the hangars you have to go thru the gift shop first and last, of course...so very American of them! haha
They started with a tribute to the enlisted people, mentioning the 1st enlisted members, the 1st female Chief Master Sergeant in 1960, a Senior Airman who died in Afghanistan in 2002 and received the Air Force Cross for his heroism, and, of course, Bob Hope!
Each of the 3 hangars were basically broken down into 2 to 3 sections, with the 1st displays covering hot air balloons and how they were used in wars as early as the civil war.
It wouldn't be an air museum without the Wright Brothers, of course. Although the brothers took their first actual flight in North Carolina, it was on a section of this base that they worked out the particulars of flight...there is a section that has a memorial here somewhere, but we haven't seen it yet.
Just think of the advances made here: the 1st flight isn't till 1903 and goes only a matter of feet, but by the 1st World War in 1914 people were flying planes like the one below! I know most young people think the world only got started with the Internet, but the advances back in those days must have been mind blowing.
The 3rd and 4th pics are a quick story of 2 Roosevelt's, one in WWI and the other in WWII...when our leaders actually had family members invested in our wars.
And finally, they pointed out that at the same time that we had airplanes taking part in war, we were still using homing pigeons!
Didn't know that the Air Force song was the result of a song-writing contest in 1939.
They had a quite a display on some people who survived the Holocaust, but more specifically on how WWII and its aftermath led to the Berlin Airlift and the breakup of Berlin into 4 sectors. It definitely brought me back to the 2 years I was stationed there in the early 80s. It went into maps of all the concentration camps, including Dachau that I visited while there; Checkpoint Charlie that you had to cross to get to East Berlin and the Russian Sector; the Berlin Airlift, a major airlift feat to feed the Berliners when the Russians blockaded the city; and then they had a section of the Berlin Wall on display. The 2nd to last picture is a picture of a medal I wore in uniform, awarded simply because I served in Berlin during the Cold War. It was my favorite medal...It was called the "Army of Occupation" medal...I loved it because it sounded so tough! haha
This type of stuff, which we are used to seeing on airplanes of WWII vintage, always cracks me up...can you imagine a guy putting anything like this on his uniform coat today?
They had a bunch of stuff in the Aviation Hall of Fame section, but I put this guy's picture up (Engle, I mean) because Cathy was in charge of conducting his retirement ceremony at Lackland AFB.
I am all about these drones we have now...killing the enemy while holding on to a joy stick from 5000 miles away seems like the way to go to me! Amazing what can be done today!
This looks like a spaceship, or the Jetsons, to me. This was actually flying around in the 1990s and none of us knew anything about it.
I think there are quite a few civilians who know nothing about these flags. Unfortunately, we see them all too often nowadays...blue stars for families that have members serving, gold stars for those who have died. We see a lot of them in RV windows on the bases we visit.
Different Air Force Command and base patches...most of you will recognize Lackland, home to Air Force Basic Training, and therefore the gateway to the Air Force.
I included these just because I think they are totally cool looking!!! As for the SR-71, although it was a recon aircraft, I was told when I was in Russian Linguist school that it started out as a fighter, but because it was so fast it had to be converted to recon...supposedly it kept running into its own fire as it sped along. I don't know if that is true, but that's what we were told, and it sounds like a good story, so I am going with it!!! haha
Cathy is holding a lunch box for sale in the gift shop! Seems like the slogan came true, huh?!
These are the Air Force Core Values that all members must learn and exhibit. In all honesty, the hierachy about drove us crazy constantly changing these in the 1990s, but they finally settled on these 3, so that's good.
And finally, 3 of the medals that both Cathy and I wore...aren't they pretty?!
I wish I was able to go to the Air Force museum, I find all that stuff very interesting. I really enjoy learning about how planes and other air craft have developed over the years and how quickly they develop as well.
ReplyDeleteIt really was quite extensive, so I think most people would find it pretty interesting, Maggie. The size of some of the planes is incredible...you can't even take a picture of them without backing up so far that the scale of it is lost.
DeleteI remember the Berlin Wall, glad I got to see it before it
ReplyDeletewas taken down!!!!
How did you and/or Cathy get the National Defense medal???
Very impressive, didn't know you had any medals!!!!
My God! I had so many medals I looked like the dictator of a small country! haha Take a look at our pictures in blue uniform some time, on the left side across from our name tapes.
Deleteseems like such a great place. I wish i could have gone thru with you. I love telling people that my sister served for 20 years. I also pass on your "the Air Force is the thinking mans service". The "motto" is one that every person should live by. I think i want to get it and hang it my house.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder people used to swear they saw aliens in the 90's. Those planes sure look like what we imagine they look like.
Your medals are pretty impressive. It must feel cool to be a part of something so big!!!!
I never really thought of the alien connection, Marie, but I think you're right...you would definately think some of these were UFOs if you saw them, and then be convinced that the government was lying to you when they denied it! haha
ReplyDeleteAnd Thanks! I am definately proud to have served, and only wish that some form of National Service was mandatory...I strongly believe we would be a much better, and more united, country if there was.
The SR didn't fly into it's own fire, but in development and testing it did fly into it's own supersonic airflow, so I guess kind of, sort of, the same thing. I always liked to hear the sonic boom when I wasn't working, I knew it had just flown in the general vicinity (just way high up). We supported these aircraft, mostly in the far east.
ReplyDeleteThis museum is another place I'd like to get to one day.
I remember an Instructor in school telling us that...we were just gullible kids. haha
DeletePaula, you didn't make the alien connection????
ReplyDeletethe pictures just before the Bird of Prey, if they
don't look like what we think alien ships would look
like, nothing does?????????????
I just thought of the Jetsons...slowing down, I guess! haha
DeleteI knew a guy that crashed a SR-71. His name was Lt Col Fuehauf. Really nice man but all the bells went off and he ejected but they couldn't find anything wrong with the plane. That ended his career. Also don't forget I got the Air Force Song placed in the regulation that all Air Force Members much stop and stand at attention when it is played. We did it but it never was placed in the regulation. The Army, Navy and Marine's did but we didn't make it a requirement until I brought it to their attention. I have the message to prove it. I didn't make it up.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that Hallie, and in all honesty I didn't think you made it up, either! haha Good for you...I just always assumed it was in the regulation!
ReplyDelete