Do You Know When The U.S. Air Force Started?

On this day in 1974 the first chief of staff of the independent U.S. Air Force General Carl Spaatz dies in Washington, D.C., at age 83. U.S. Air Force previously had been a unit of the U.S. Army!

during WW II Spaatz was made commander of U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe and continued the practice of daylight bombing, the target now being Germany itself, especially its fuel-oil plants. Since Germany had already lost access to oil in Romania after that country’s occupation by the Soviet Union, the destruction of its native oil production proved particularly devastating to Germany’s ability to keep up aircraft production.

In 1945, with the war in the West over (Spaatz was present at the formal German surrender at Reims on May 8), his focus shifted to the Pacific and the Japanese. Although he initially opposed the use of atomic weapons against Japan, he eventually acquiesced and directed the bomb drops on order from President Truman. In fact, his telegraph to Washington stating that there were no Allied prisoner of war camps in Hiroshima resulted in that city becoming the first target of the atom bomb.

In September 1947, General Spaatz, an illustrious combat career behind him, was named the first chief of staff of the now independent U.S. Air Force, which previously had been a unit of the Army.

Connecticut now has a World War II Traveling Museum that has started to do presentations in local library's having the Museum deliver resources and paraphernalia available at the events. The Traveling Museum has also been at recent events for visitors to tour and learn about World War II.

They are very interested in going around the state to help educate the public, especially for students, about what our heroes, both men and women, have done for our freedom. Click: Here To Learn More About This Museum and also like them: on Facebook!