Page 19 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 9-25-15

Thunderbolt NEWS September 25, 2015
http://www.luke.af.mil
19Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt

Soaring to 68: Luke celebrates AF birthday

6WRU\DQGSKRWRE\6WDII6JW Col. Russell Boester, 56th Dental Squadron deputy 0D\RI%\WKHQWKHVHUYLFHKDGJURZQWRRIÀFHUV
MARCY COPELAND and 178,000 enlisted men with 11,754 aircraft at their disposal.
commander, and Airman 1st Class Michael De Ubl, 56th
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs After restructuring in 1920, the Army Air Service became a
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron F-35 armament spe- combat arm of the Army and renamed to the Army Air Corps.
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during a traditional cake cutting ceremony with Col. Russell cialist, cut a cake Sept. 18 at Luke Air Force Base. The By 1939 World War II was underway and by 1941 the De-
Boester, 56th Dental Squadron deputy commander and Airman partment of War created the Army Air Forces. Luke Air Field
1st Class Michael De Ubl, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron cake cutting ceremony was performed to celebrate the was constructed in the valley outside of Phoenix in 1941. After
F-35 armament specialist, the youngest Airman at Luke. President Roosevelt asked congress to appropriate $300 million
68th birthday of the U.S. Air Force. for aircraft purchases for the Army, expansion of the Army
´,W·VDQKRQRUDQGQRWZKDW,H[SHFWHGZKHQ,ZDVWROG,ZDV was underway creating new bases that could train pilots and
JRLQJWRFXWDFDNHµ'H8EOVDLG´,ZDVQ·WUHDOO\H[SHFWLQJWKLV ÀUVWDLUSODQHLQIURPWKH:ULJKWEURWKHUV7KHÀUVWDHUR mechanics. This expanded the aviation arm of the Army with
ZKHQ,RSHQHGXSWKHHPDLOIURPP\ÀUVWVHUJHDQWEXWNQRZ- squadron was born in December of 1913. the training of pilots and enlisted taking place at Luke and
ing about the tradition and where it comes from, I feel honored.” serving overseas during the war.
The Army established the Aviation Section of the Signal
With many traditions established over time, every branch &RUSVWRIXUWKHUWKHSURJUHVVLRQRIWKH$UP\·VÁ\LQJFDSDELOL- $IWHUWKHDWWDFNRQ3HDUO+DUERUWKH86ZDVWKUXVWLQWR
of service has their own, but there are a few that are shared ties. Within a few weeks, World War I had erupted in Europe, WKHZDU:LWK*HQ+HQU\´+DSµ$UQROGWKH$UP\$LU)RUFHV
among the services such as the cake cutting. DQGE\WKH86KDGHQWHUHGWKHFRQÁLFW VDZ PRELOL]DWLRQ RI WKH QDWLRQ·V DYLDWLRQ LQGXVWU\ DQG WKH
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A cake is presented to the commander with the oldest and )DOOLQJEHKLQGLQWHFKQRORJ\WKH86KDGGLIÀFXOW\NHHS- An estimated 2.4 million personnel and 80,000 planes were
youngest member of the service present. The commander cuts ing up with the aviation advancement of the Allied Powers. organized in major commands, numbered air forces, air divi-
WKHFDNHDQGKDQGVWKHÀUVWSLHFHWRWKHJXHVWRIKRQRU7KHQ President Woodrow Wilson created the Army Air Service in sions, groups and squadrons.
a piece is handed to the eldest member as a sign of honor and
respect to experience and seniority. After dominating the skies during the war, and based on
wartime achievements and future potential, the Army Air
After taking a bite, the eldest member passes the cake to the Forces was separated from the Army and the U.S. Air Force
youngest with a clean fork symbolizing the passing of wisdom, was created on Sept. 18, 1947. Recognized as equal to the Navy,
NQRZOHGJHDQGH[SHULHQFHDVZHOODVWUXVWDQGFRQÀGHQFHLQ Army, Marines and Coast Guard, the Air Force became the
those who will continue to carry on the tradition of that service. ÀIWKEUDQFKRIWKHDUPHGVHUYLFHV7KH$LU)RUFHKDVOHGWKH
combat services into a new era of superiority with the ability
As with all traditions, it stems from a history that began as WRVXSSRUWDQ\VHUYLFHDQ\ZKHUHZLWKDPRPHQW·VQRWLFH,WV
something small and grew into something that would one day PLVVLRQLVWRÁ\ÀJKWDQGZLQ«LQDLUVSDFHDQGF\EHUVSDFH
change the world.
´,DPYHU\KRQRUHGµ%RHVWHUVDLG´,W·VEHHQDJRRGUXQDQG
7KLVLVWKH$LU)RUFH·VKLVWRU\ we are a young service, but we have a lot of our own heritage,
7KH$LU)RUFHZDVRQFHNQRZQDVWKH$UP\·V$HURQDXWLFDO and I am honored to take part in it.”
Section, Signal Corps in 1907, when it was still using balloons
in aerial observation from the 19th century. It received its

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