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Origin Date: September 18, 1947
Before the creation of planes, the only other flying machines used in warfare were balloons. The balloons were used in many battles before the 1900s, including the Civil War. On December 17, 1903 the Wright brothers had their first successful flight, which started the path to the official Air Force. President Theodore Roosevelt first took interest in the idea of airplanes as a military tool around 1906. In 1908, the Wright brothers were contracted by the U.S. Signal Corps (branch of the Army that manages communication and information systems) to build an airplane, and in 1909 they delivered it.
Following its creation, the Aviation Section was mediocre at best, however aviation would show its value against Germany in WWI. France asked the US to supply 4500 planes and 50000 men, and although the U.S. did not hesitate to agree, the end result was nearly a disaster. Regardless of the outcome, the war showed how important air power was, and how crucial of a weapon it could be. This led to an aviation movement in the 1920s and 1930s to create an independent air force.
The AAF (American Air Force) was created and expanded during WWII, and during this time became the world’s most powerful air force. Because of this, after WWII, on September 18, 1947 the official U.S. Air Force was born.
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