Roots and Creation Roots and Creation of the U.S. Air Forceof the U.S. Air ForceRoots and Creation Roots and Creation of the U.S. Air Forceof the U.S. Air Force
Lesson OverviewLesson OverviewLesson OverviewLesson Overview
Air power before there was an ‘Air Force’ The predecessors to the US Air Force The Air Force’s path toward
independence
Air power before ‘Air Force’Air power before ‘Air Force’Air power before ‘Air Force’Air power before ‘Air Force’
Air Force birthday: Sep 18, 1947Before then, there
was no U.S. Air Force; only U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard
Pre-Air ForcePre-Air ForcePre-Air ForcePre-Air Force
But air power had a long role in the U.S. military for decades prior to 1947
What was the first war that featured air power? Civil War
1845 1850 1860 1870 1880 1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 1910 1915 19201845 1850 1860 1870 1880 1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 1910 1915 1920
Civ
il W
ar
First powered airplane flightHow can this be?
BalloonsBalloonsBalloonsBalloons
What were they used for?
E N S I N O E R C N A S A CR E C O N N A I S S A N C E
Air Power in the U.S. militaryAir Power in the U.S. military Air Power in the U.S. militaryAir Power in the U.S. military
1907-1918: The U.S. military’s air power belonged to the Aviation Section of U.S. Army’s Signal CorpsStarted with balloons and
added airplanes later Why the Signal Corps?
CommunicationsAir power was at first viewed
strictly as an information-gathering utility
How was information How was information passed down to the ground?passed down to the ground?
How was information How was information passed down to the ground?passed down to the ground?
Cameras Dropped messages Colored flares Aircraft maneuvers Radios And… pigeons
Air power in World War IAir power in World War IAir power in World War IAir power in World War I
But soon, missions went beyond reconnaissanceShooting down enemy
balloons and aircraft‘Dogfighting’ enemy
airplanesDropping munitions on
enemy
Creation of the Creation of the Army Air ServiceArmy Air ServiceCreation of the Creation of the
Army Air ServiceArmy Air Service
Despite air power’s combat roles, it remains buried in the Signal Corps
That changes when President Woodrow Wilson uses his executive powers to create the Army Air Service in May 1918
A combat arm of the Army (1918-1926) Equal to Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery
This change gave the Air Service more control, but it still answered to the Army
Insignia of the Air Service
Air Service Wants MoreAir Service Wants MoreAir Service Wants MoreAir Service Wants More
But funds were in short supply after WW 1 Congress no longer emphasized national
defense After all, WW1 was known at the time as the … ‘War to End All Wars’
As a result, the Army was tightfisted in how much money it gave to the Air Service
This only increased the Air Service’s desire for independence… equal to the Army and Navy
U.S. MilitaryU.S. Military
NAVYNAVY ARMYARMY
InfantryInfantry CavalryCavalry ArtilleryArtillery Air ServiceAir Service
AIRAIRFORCEFORCE
Brig Gen Billy MitchellBrig Gen Billy MitchellBrig Gen Billy MitchellBrig Gen Billy Mitchell
Brig Gen Billy Mitchell WW1 Army Air Service
general; most prominent advocate of air power
Believed air power would be crucial to winning future wars
Would be easier to direct air power if the Air Service were equal in stature to the Army and Navy
An independent service would also get a larger share of government money
U.S. Department of WarU.S. Department of WarU.S. Department of WarU.S. Department of War
The US Department of War disagreed with Mitchell
It believed in a three-pronged national defense, based on…
the Navy’s battle fleet
the Navy’s coastal defenses
the Army’s coastal defenses
Another name change Another name change and status elevationand status elevation
Another name change Another name change and status elevationand status elevation
In 1926, an act of Congress elevated the Air Service to the Army Air Corps
This was a compromise between advocates of a separate military service and traditionalists who believed air power existed only to support ground operations
Why is a ‘Corps’ better than a ‘Service’? It boosts the idea that the air arm is no
longer only in ‘service’ to ground troops… merely providing ‘service’ to the ground troops
The Army Air CorpsThe Army Air CorpsThe Army Air CorpsThe Army Air Corps
The Air Corps could conduct independent missions
By definition, a corpscorps is a branch or department of the armed forces having a specialized function
The Army Air Corps’ ‘specialized function’ was force projection from the air
Can anyone name another ‘corps’ of the U.S. military?
U.S. Marine Corps Does anyone know the Marine Corps’ ‘specialized
function’? Force projection from the sea
Aircraft DevelopmentAircraft DevelopmentAircraft DevelopmentAircraft Development
B-17
P-35
P-36
Another name changeAnother name changeAnother name changeAnother name change
The Army Air Corps officially became the Army Air Forces on 20 June 1941
The new Air Force remained under the command of the Army
But it could now oversee its own functions in combat, training, and maintenance
The war The war afterafter the ‘War to End All Wars’the ‘War to End All Wars’
The war The war afterafter the ‘War to End All Wars’the ‘War to End All Wars’
What was it?World War 2
Air power’s role was prominent in WW2 Bombing, dog-fighting, recon, transport,
troop-dropping, close-ground support
The argument for an independent Air Force could no longer be ignored
The National Security Act of 1947The National Security Act of 1947 The National Security Act of 1947The National Security Act of 1947
In July 1947, President ______________ signed into law the National Security Act of 1947
Created the U.S. Air Force (finally independent of the Army)
Also created the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and the National Security Agency
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In what war did air power first appear?The Civil War
What was the main role of air power in that war?Reconnaissance
The air arm of the U.S. military originally belonged to what branch of the Army?Signal Corps
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In addition to reconnaissance, what was air power used for in WW1?Shooting down other side’s aircraft, dropping
explosives Why was money for military aircraft in short supply?
The ‘War to End All Wars’ was over Woodrow Wilson uses executive power to create
what?Army Air Service
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Who believed U.S. airpower would be crucial to winning future wars and strongly advocated a separate Air Force?Billy Mitchell
What name replaced Army Air Service?Army Air Corps
What name change followed Air Corps?Army Air Forces
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In what war was air power so decisive that it led to creation of an independent Air Force?World War 2
What legislative act created the Air Force?The National Security Act of 1947