The Genesis of an
A c a d e m y
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usafa.org
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steven A. Simon ’77
April 1, 1954 is considered the
Academy’s birthday, the beginning of its distinguished history of achievement and contributions to the nation. On that momentous date sixty years ago, with prominent Congressional and Air Force leaders looking on, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law 325, 83rd Congress, 2nd Session, formally authorizing the establishment of the Academy. In actuality, however, rather than a beginning, April 1, 1954, marked a successful culmination of decades of planning and advocacy. Indeed, many of the most important events in Academy history occurred prior to its official founding. Coverage elsewhere in this special issue will focus on the sixty years since “Founders Day.” This piece will address milestones before that date—the Air Force Academy’s “pre-history.” The notion of an air academy for the United States is almost as old as aviation itself. The Wright Brothers’ historic December 17, 1903 flights are a good starting point. While the French used tethered observation balloons as far back as the 1790s, the Wrights’ achievement of heavier-thanair powered flight greatly expanded the military possibilities for aviation. In 1909, the U.S. Army purchased an aircraft from the Wright Brothers for $30,000. Less than a decade later, forward thinking Army officers were musing aloud about the need for an air academy. Lieutenant Colonel A. J. Hanlon wrote in a November 26, 1918, letter, “As the Military and Naval Academies are the backbone of the Army and Navy, so must the
Aeronautical Academy be the backbone of the Air Service. No service can flourish without some such institution to inculcate into its embryonic officers love of country, proper conception of duty, and highest regard for honor.” In the next few months, other officials, to include Brigadier General William “Billy” Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel Barton K. Yount, and Lieutenant Colonel William C. Sherman issued supportive memos that fleshed out details of the curriculum and purpose of the academy. One of the most contentious arguments in the early days was how much flight training should be included in the program. Some wanted academy graduates to be fully trained pilots, while others believed the institution should provide military instruction and academic education, while flying training would take place elsewhere.