A jet plane soars through the sky. A drone hovers above an enemy target waiting to release its deadly rocket. A GPS satellite circles Earth, sending information that helps you get where you want to go. Behind all these activities are the men and women of the U.S. Air Force.

Follows the evolution of the US Air Force and looks at significant events and campaigns that have shaped its history. Extensive detail begins with the present day major commands and unit structure, and commands which were in place in 1947. Each is detailed including development, unit assignments, serial batches, and an explanation of the role of each variant. A list of current tail codes is presented, along with command assignment, aircraft operated, and home base.

Contains papers presented at the Air Force Historical Foundation Symposium, held at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, on September 21-22, 1995. Topics addressed are: Pt. 1, The Formative Years, 1945-1961; Pt. 2, Mission Development and Exploitation Since 1961; and Pt. 3, Military Space Today and Tomorrow. Includes notes, abbreviations & acronyms, an index, and photographs.

Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.

This illustrated, large-format book presents the U.S. Air Force Art Program's depiction of the Air Force across the service's history, starting with the birth of U.S. military aviation under the auspices of the Army. It interweaves the story of the Art Program, including features on artists and their thoughts on significant works, with the history of the birth and growth of the Air Force itself. The volume includes a foreword by Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the current Air Force Chief of Staff, who calls the book a "celebration" that records "how the connection between Airmen and artists began, how this relationship evolved, and how artists have documented Air Force operations over the decades." This publication would make a great coffee table book. The author, Dr. Timothy R. Keck, spent his career in the Air Force History program and championed the Air Force Art Program while serving as command historian of Pacific Air Forces. He retired as the Air Force senior historian in 2012. This historic art reference work may appeaal to current airmen, veterans, and members of the general public with an interest in the history of air power, particularly as it is portrayed in Air Force. Additionally, art students and libraries with art history and military collections may also be interested in this work. A suitable companion work published by the United States Army includes the following: In the Line of Duty: Army Art, 1965-2014 can be found at this link:https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-029-00579-4 Other products published by the United States Air Force can be found at this link: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/agency/888

In Today's Air Force Heroes, kids will meet real-life airmen and women who have displayed incredible courage in the face of danger as they served their country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Readers will meet heroes like Earl Covel, a Staff Sergeant who risked his own life during a battle in Iraq in order to protect his 19-man team. With his unit under attack and pinned down in a house, Sergeant Covel raced to an exposed rooftop to direct U.S. fighter jets sent to the scene to help. He remained on the roof, under intense enemy fire, for 36 hours. Thanks to his selfless act, his team remained safe and the Americans won the battle. This is just one of the many acts of courage recounted in this riveting look at our nation's military heroes. Written in a narrative format, Today's Air Force Heroes will keep kids turning the pages as they read about individual soldiers who've shown uncommon courage in the face of great danger. Large action photos, fact boxes, and maps enrich these true stories of bravery and valor.