Off we go into the wild blue yonder, 
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At ‘em now, Give ’em the gun!
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one ******* roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing’ll stop the U.S. Air Force!
(the last line said “Nothing’ll stop the U.S. Air Corps prior to 2020)
Today, we pay tribute and wish a Happy Birthday to the United States Air Force, officially “born” on this day in 1947.
In 1490, Leonardo da Vinci designed plans for a flying machine. Through the years, man tried and tried to get airborne, having its first success with dirigibles. When the Wright Brothers took to the air on December 17, 1903, it seems they cracked the code to aeronautics. From here, the idea of flight lit a fire in those who wanted to high in the sky.
The idea of the military in the air was conceived on August 1, 1907, when “the US Army Signal Corps established a small Aeronautical Division to take “charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects.”1 A 40-year gestation period took them through WWI and WWII as part of the Army.
“The 1st Provisional Aero Squadron, organized at Galveston on March 5, 1913, began flying activities a few days later. On December 4, general orders redesignated the unit as the 1st Aero Squadron, effective December 8, 1913…
“Meantime, Congress created in the Signal Corps an Aviation Section, comprised of 60 officers and 260 enlisted men, to replace the Aeronautical Division. Signed by the President, this bill became law on July 18, 1914. It directed the Aviation Section to operate and supervise “all military [US Army] aircraft, including balloons and aeroplanes, all appliances pertaining to said craft, and signaling apparatus of any kind when installed on said craft.”2 They were placed under the Army’s jurisdiction.
“A War Department letter of March 21, 1946, created two new commands and redesignated an existing one: Continental Air Forces was redesignated Strategic Air Command, and the resources of what had been Continental Air Forces were divided among Strategic Air Command and the two newcomers – Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command. These three commands and the older Air Transport Command represented respectively the strategic, tactical, defense, and airlift missions that provided the foundation for building the postwar, independent Air Force.
The National Security Act of 1947 became law on July 26, 1947. It created the Department of the Air Force, headed by a Secretary of the Air Force. Under the Department of the Air Force, the act established the United States Air Force, headed by the Chief of Staff, USAF. On September 18, 1947, W. Stuart Symington became Secretary of the Air Force, and on September 26, Gen. Carl A. Spaatz became the USAF’s first Chief of Staff.”3
Today, we are thankful for the visionaries who saw that battles were not confined to land and sea but were headed to the skies. I would imagine that when the infant form of the Air Force was born, there were those who thought that flight was just a passing fad. How wrong they were! As of August 26, 2026, “162 air forces [were] ranked by the AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength), with 58,339 military aircraft in service worldwide as of 2026. The United States [leads in the rankings with] 12,996 aircraft, ahead of China (6,341 aircraft) and Russia (5,378 aircraft).”4 The Gambian AF, Luxembourg Army Aviation, and Sierra Leone Air Defense AF all have one aircraft apiece!
Again, Happy Birthday to the best and biggest Air Force in the world!
Battles in the skies have been going on for a very long time, long before even da Vinci started drawing his plans. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 2:2 tells us, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”
In realms beyond our vision and comprehension, spiritual battles take place constantly. Though we don’t see it with our eyes, we are told that it is happening. Daniel had a vision where he was granted momentary sight into this realm.
“And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. (12) Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. (13) But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” (Daniel 10:11-13)
Never fear this battle! We know the fate of those fallen angels, the demonic hoard. Take comfort today in the fact that the battle is already won. Victory is OURS through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
1https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433914/the-birth-of-the-united-states-air-force/
2Ibid.
3Ibid.
4https://www.globalmilitary.net/air_forces/
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