United States Air Force: Timeline

1941   World War II: Former mayor of New York City New York City

[i] in the [[United States]... 

, Fiorello LaGuardia, and the director of the Office of Civilian Defense, sign an order creating the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (in April 1943 the CAP was placed under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Air Forces United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was a part of the U.S. Army [i] during World War II [i] ... 

).

1947   The United States Army Air Forces United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was a part of the U.S. Army [i] during World War II [i] ... 

, along with some components of the United States Navy United States Navy

The United States Navy is the branch of the United States armed forces [i] responsible for conducting naval [i] ... 

's air arm, becomes the United States Air Force.

1948   The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 557 which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as the auxiliary of the United States Air Force.

1950   Korean War Korean War

The Korean War began on June 25 [i], 1950 [i] and ended with a truce [i] on July 27 [i], 1953 [i] . ... 

: While in an F-80, United States Air Force Lt. Russell J. Brown intercepts two North Korea North Korea

[i]n [[country]... 

n MiG-15s near the Yalu River and shoots them down in the first jet Jet aircraft

Jet aircraft are aircraft [i] with jet engine [i]s. ... 

-to-jet dog fight in history.

1960   July 1 — A Soviet Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 MiG fighter north of Murmansk in the Barents Sea Barents Sea

The Barents Sea is a part of the Arctic Ocean [i] located north of Norway [i] and Russia [i]. ... 

 shoots down a 6-man RB-47. Two United States Air Force officers survive and are imprisoned in Moscow Moscow

Moscow is the capital [i] of Russia [i] and the country's principal political, economic, financial, edu ... 

's dreaded Lubyanka prison.

1968   Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

: United States Air Force First Lieutenant and Bell UH-1F helicopter pilot James P. Fleming rescues an Army Special Forces unit pinned down by Viet Cong fire, earning a Medal of Honor Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration [i] ... 

 for his bravery.

1970   Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

: Operation Ivory Coast - A joint Air Force United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerospace [i] branch of the United States armed forces [i] and one o ... 

 and Army team raids the Son Tay prison camp in an attempt to free American POW Prisoner of war

A prisoner of war is a combatant [i] who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an ... 

s thought to be held there (no Americans are killed, but the prisoners have already moved to another camp; all U.S. POWs are moved to a handful of central prison complexes as a result of this raid).

1986   President Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President [i] of the United States [i] ... 

 signs the Goldwater-Nichols Act into law, making official the largest reorganization of the United States Department of Defense United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervi... 

 since the Air Force United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerospace [i] branch of the United States armed forces [i] and one o ... 

 was made a separate branch of service in 1947.

1995   United States Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady's F-16 is shot down over Bosnia while patrolling the NATO NATO

Aznar also proposed a strategic co-operation with India [i] and Colombia [i]. ... 

 no-fly zone. O'Grady survives on bugs and grass until he is rescued.

1998   NASA NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States Government [i], res ... 

 announces the choice of United States Air Force Lt. Col. Eileen Collins as commander of a future Space Shuttle ''Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia

Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space shuttle [i] in NASA [i]'s orbital fleet. ... 

'' mission to launch an X-ray X-ray

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation [i] with a wavelength [i] in the range of 10 to 0.01 nanometre [i] ... 

 telescope, making Collins the first woman commander of a space shuttle Space Shuttle

NASA [i]'s Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System , is the United States [i] ... 

 mission.

1998   The DNA DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid [i] that contains the genetic [i] instructions for t ... 

-identified remains of United States Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie arrive home to his family in St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis , sometimes written Saint Louis, encompasses an independent city [i] in the U.S. state [i] ... 

, after being in the Tomb of the Unknowns Tomb of the Unknowns

The Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument in Arlington National Cemetery [i], United States [i] dedicated ... 

 since 1984.