U.S. Air Force Birthday Date in the current year: September 18, 2024

The history of the U.S. Air Force can be traced back to the establishment of the Aeronautical Division of the United States Signal Corps on August 1, 1907. The Division procured its first powered military aircraft in 1909 and established the first flying unit in the United States military, the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, in 1913.

In 1914, the Aeronautical Division was absorbed and replaced by the Aviation Section of the U.S. Signal Corps. Upon the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1917, an Air Service was formed within the American Expeditionary Forces that fought on the Western Front. The Aviation Section was replaced by the short-lived Division of Military Aeronautics for four days in May 1918. On May 24, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson officially established the United States Army Air Service as an independent but temporary branch of the U.S. Department of War.

In 1926, the Air Service was renamed the United States Army Air Corps. Shortly before the entry of the United States into World War II, the Army Air Corps was reorganized into the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Although the USAAF was a de jure component of the United States Army, it was the de facto aerial warfare service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

With the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947 on September 18, 1947, the United States Air Force officially became a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The day of its establishment as a separate branch is considered the official birthday of the U.S. Air Force. Since then, the Air Force has participated in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the NATO intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the war on terror, and other military operations, as well as in major humanitarian operations.

Today, the United States Air Force is the world’s largest air force, with over 5,000 manned aircraft, and more than 325,000 active duty personnel, over 145,000 civilian personnel, and almost 70,000 reserve personnel (as of 2023). It also includes the Air National Guard, a federal military reserve force with more than 1,000 aircraft and over 107,000 personnel.

The core missions of the U.S. Air Force are aerial supremacy, command and control, global integrated ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), global strike, and rapid global mobility. Along with conducting independent air operations, the U.S. Air Force provides air support for other service branches of the Armed Forces and aids in the recovery of troops in the field.

Even though the birthday of the U.S. Air Force is not a federal holiday, it is widely observed in the military and by veteran’s organizations. Some military history museums celebrate the occasion by offering free admission to all Air Force active-duty members, reserve members, retirees, and veterans. You can join the celebration by learning more about the U.S. Air Force and posting on social media with the hashtag #AirForceBirthday.