History Of The United States Air Force
The United States Air Force became a separate military service on September 18, 1947, with the implementation of the National Security Act of 1947. The Act created the United States Department of Defense, which was composed of three branches, the Army, Navy and a newly created Air Force. Prior to 1947, the responsibility for military aviation was divided between the Army (for land-based operations) and the Navy, for sea-based operations from aircraft carrier and amphibious aircraft. The Army created the first antecedent of the Air Force in 1907, which through a succession of changes of organization, titles, and missions advanced toward eventual separation 40 years later. The predecessor organizations leading up to today's U.S. Air Force are:
- Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps August 1, 1907–July 18, 1914
- Aviation Section, Signal Corps July 18, 1914–May 20, 1918
- Division of Military Aeronautics (May 20, 1918 to May 24, 1918)
- Air Service, U.S. Army (May 24, 1918 to July 2, 1926)
- U.S. Army Air Corps (July 2, 1926 to June 20, 1941)* and
- U.S. Army Air Forces (June 20, 1941 to September 17, 1947)**
* The Air Corps became a subordinate element of the Army Air Forces on 20 June 1941, and was abolished as an administrative organization on 9 March 1942. It continued to exist as a combat arm of the Army (similar to the infantry, armor, or artillery) until abolished by reorganization provisions of the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 495), July 26, 1947.
**The Army Air Forces were abolished by Transfer Order 1, Office of the Secretary of Defense, September 26, 1947, implementing the same provisions. Transfer Order 1 was the first of 200 Army-Air Force transfer agreements drawn up in June and July, 1947, and ordered the transfer of all military and civilian personnel of the Army Air Forces to the Department of the Air Force and the USAF. The final transfer order was signed June 22, 1949.
Read more about History Of The United States Air Force: World War I and Between Wars, World War II, Cold War and War in Korea, Vietnam War, Combat Operations Since 1975, Modern Day
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