The USAF Memorial

A soldier can walk the battlefields where he once fought; a Marine can walk the beaches he once stormed; but an airman can never visit the patch of sky he raced across on a mission to defend freedom. And so it's fitting that, from this day forward, the men and women of the Air Force will have this memorial, a place here on the ground that recognizes their achievements and sacrifices in the skies above.

President Bush, October 14, 2006

Finally. After nearly 15 years of inter-service squabbles, court fights, two approved locations, and months of construction, the United States Air Force has a memorial. Up until yesterday, the Air Force was the only armed service without a memorial. No longer.

President Bush and a host of other dignitaries, including Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, the Secretary of the Air Force, the USAF Chief of Staff, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, and hundreds of their predecessors, attended yesterday’s dedication ceremony. The dedication ceremony included fly-bys of historic aircraft and was capped by the USAF Thunderbirds performing their signature bomb burst maneuver, which was the inspiration for the monument’s design.

And speaking of the design…

James Ingo Freed, one of America’s finest architects, gave the nation a design that truly honors the men and women of the Air Force. Featuring three stainless steel spires that soar skyward, the tallest reaching a height of 270 feet, the Memorial’s design is truly representative of flight and the flying spirit of the Air Force. The three spires impart a sense of accomplishment in command of the sky, and evoke the image of the precision “bomb burst” maneuver performed by the United States Air Force Thunderbird Demonstration Team.

The three spires also represent the three core values of the Air Force - integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all that is done - and the Air Force’s total force - active, guard and reserve.

Embedded in granite beneath the three central spires is the Air Force "star," which has long been emblazoned on Air Force aircraft and serves as the rank insignia of every enlisted member of the Air Force. Other key elements of the Memorial include a Runway to Glory at the site entrance, a bronze Honor Guard statue developed by the renowned sculptor, Zenos Frudakis, two granite inscription walls located at either end of the central lawn and a Glass Contemplation Wall that honors fallen airmen.

I’ve got to go there…I just have to. A new addition to the “to-do” list.

Links:
President Bush’s address.
AP News Release
Air Force Memorial Foundation home.
The Memorial’s Texas Connection(s).
AF.mil Memorial stories and photos.

(Photo credits: Memorial and Falcon - Reuters; Thunderbirds - White House photo)