Image Gallery

Clear Filters | 621 - 640 of 20399 results

230831-F-AU145-1007

This grand display of the Enlisted Force stands in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force’s Kettering Hall as a tribute to the backbone of the Air Force. The display shows the roles of Airmen past and present through photographs and video. Six mannequins display uniforms of Airmen from 1918 to 2019 and include a WWI mechanic, WWII Public Affairs Specialist, Cold War Police Officer, Southeast Asia War Flight Engineer, Persian Gulf War Aerial Gunner and Global War on Terrorism HALO Parachutist. The full exhibit, which contains nearly fifty elements, is placed throughout the ten galleries of the museum. Since 1907, enlisted Airmen have distinguished themselves as a technically minded and highly professional force. Their thirst for advanced skills, coupled with specialized training, makes them an elite group which produces quality results. Whether repairing the first military aircraft, reporting the weather for D-Day, or flying remotely piloted aircraft, enlisted Airmen have contributed greatly in many career fields. Over time, their responsibilities have increased, and the force has become more diversified in abilities and characteristics. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
Details Download

230831-F-AU145-1007

Enlisted exhibit captions Enlisted Maintainers exhibit in the Korean War Gallery of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. With the arrival of the jet age after World War II, the Air Force began purchasing equipment and using technical data for troubleshooting. However, when the Korean War began, the newly independent Air Force struggled to provide enough trained personnel. Maintainers served twelve-month tours in Korea. When they gained proficiency with their aircraft, they returned to the United States and an inexperienced maintainer took over. Inadequate maintenance, combined with challenges such as rough runways, cold weather, and supply shortages, caused aircraft to deteriorate faster than expected. In response, the USAF used better-equipped facilities in nearby Japan for Rear Echelon Combined Maintenance Operation (RECMO), which proved successful. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
Details Download

230831-F-AU145-1007

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, JoAnne Bass, was keynote speaker for the opening of an Enlisted Force Exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on November 9, 2023 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The exhibit, which contains nearly fifty elements, is placed throughout the four buildings and ten galleries of the museum. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
Details Download

Flying the Hump

A primary objective in the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) was resupplying Allied forces fighting the Japanese military in China. With materiel support, the Allies could prevent Japanese victory and keep their forces from shifting elsewhere.
Details Download

Flying the Hump

A primary objective in the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) was resupplying Allied forces fighting the Japanese military in China. With materiel support, the Allies could prevent Japanese victory and keep their forces from shifting elsewhere.
Details Download

Flying the Hump in WWII

Communication between flight and ground crews was a significant problem. A lack of adequate power and radios restricted navigation, and overused channels delayed the reception of information. In early 1943, there were only nine Army Airways Communications System stations located across the entire CBI. By May 1944, more than a hundred stations like this one in Burma assisted flight crews in many ways, including personnel-directed takeoffs and landings. (U.S. Military photo)
Details Download

Flying the Hump

The Curtiss C-46 Commando was considered the workhorse for flying over the “Hump.” It was sturdy and could carry nearly double the cargo of a Douglas C-47 Skytrain. However, as a two-engine plane, if one failed, it lost 50% of its power, earning it the nickname "Ol' Dumbo."
Details Download

Flying the Hump

Whether over the mountain peaks or dense jungles, the survival rate was low if a bailout became necessary. Beyond injury, aircrews had to contend with enemy encounters, disease, insects, and a lack of food and water. This Airman was fortunate to be rescued by a member of a friendly indigenous tribe after crashing in the Naga Hills region of Burma in 1942.
Details Download

Flying the Hump

The first cargo-carrying flight over the Hump flew in April 1942, hauling gasoline for the Doolittle Raiders. Throughout the rest of the year, Tenth Air Force faced a shortage of reliable aircraft, facilities, and personnel. When Air Transport Command (ATC) took over from 1943 through 1945, they flew 456,977 flights transporting 685,304 tons, nearly sixty percent of which was gasoline.
Details Download

Flying the Hump

A primary objective in the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) was resupplying Allied forces fighting the Japanese military in China. With materiel support, the Allies could prevent Japanese victory and keep their forces from shifting elsewhere.
Details Download

Flying the Hump

Until mid-May 1942, the Burma Road had been the access route for supply delivery. However, with the Japanese pushing west through China to the border of India, taking Burma along the way, the Allies looked for another way to keep the more than 50,000 American and 200,000 Chinese soldiers well-equipped in China.
Details Download

Jupiter Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile

C6/Jupiter/pho 13 Patrick AFB, FL, pad 26, 27 Feb 1959. Jupiter No. 22 launch by Army Ballistic Missile Agency.
Details Download

Jupiter Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile

C6/Jupiter/pho 6 3 Dec 1959 Jupiter missile servicing. Photo from Chrysler Missile Division.
Details Download

220210-F-AU145-1008

Operation Deep Freeze is the codename for the Department of Defense joint, inter-agency support of scientific research in Antarctica. The US Air Force has provided annual support for the mission since 1955. Transporting personnel and critical supplies to the most remote and inhospitable location on the planet is no easy task. USAF airmen and aircraft face many challenges operating in the harsh arctic environment where seasonal temperatures can drop lower than -30 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite these difficulties, the dedicated men and women of the USAF provide regular aerial resupply, medical assistance, and transportation to the scientists of the National Science Founda tion (NSF) and US Antarctic Program (USAP). These scientists study Antarctica’s glaciers and geology, climate, weather, and marine life. The US Air Force is a proud partner to peaceful scientific research and exploration in Antarctica. A ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules sits on the ice runway at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during OPERATION DEEP FREEZE in 2007. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
Details Download

A Force For Good, Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions

The Department of the Air Force has a long history of providing support to people and communities in distress, both domestically and internationally. Trained for combat, the women and men of the DAF are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to support the needs of others when called upon. These special humanitarian assignments fall into four broad categories: Critical Care, Goodwill Missions, Global Firefighting, and Rescue Operations. These difficult, non-combat operations demonstrate the versatility and capability of the Air Force and showcase the talents and dedication of our nation’s Airmen.
Details Download

A Force For Good: Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions

Military working dogs (MWDs) perform many specialized missions throughout the Depart-ment of Defense (DoD). They provide installation security, assist law enforcement, and can be used to detect drugs or explosives. Callie, a Dutch Shepherd, is the only MWD trained for search and rescue (SAR) missions—working with her handler to locate missing people during crises or disasters.
Details Download

A force for good: Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions

In 2018, then-Technical Sergeant Kenneth O’Brien was one of approximately forty US mili-tary personnel deployed to Thailand to assist Thai authorities with rescue efforts. O’Brien, a pararescueman (PJ) with the 320th Special Tactics Squadron, volunteered to be one of the first US divers in the cave. He also aided in multiple days of preparation leading up to the rescue, moving equipment and supplies through the cave system and clearing obstacles and hazards in the sump between Chambers 2 and 3. During the three days of rescue, O’Brien was the lead medic in Chamber 3 and assessed all twelve boys, the coach, and rescue divers for injuries to determine if the rescue could continue. Each Airman typically chose their own wetsuit and other gear based on their personal needs and preferences, often using things they had collected over their careers. Sgt O’Brien wore the wetsuit, water boots, gloves, and helmet seen here throughout the eight-day mission. The buoyancy compensator, tank, and facemask are representative examples of other equipment O’Brien used.
Details Download

A Force For Good: Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions

The Department of the Air Force has a long history of providing support to people and communities in distress, both domestically and internationally. Trained for combat, the women and men of the DAF are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to support the needs of others when called upon. These special humanitarian assignments fall into five broad categories: Critical Care, Goodwill Missions, Global Firefighting, Aerial Delivery and Rescue Operations. These difficult, non-combat operations demonstrate the versatility and capability of the Air Force and showcase the talents and dedication of our nation’s Airmen.
Details Download

A Force For Good: Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions

The Department of the Air Force has a long history of providing support to people and communities in distress, both domestically and internationally. Trained for combat, the women and men of the DAF are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to support the needs of others when called upon. These special humanitarian assignments fall into five broad categories: Critical Care, Goodwill Missions, Global Firefighting, Aerial Delivery and Rescue Operations. These difficult, non-combat operations demonstrate the versatility and capability of the Air Force and showcase the talents and dedication of our nation’s Airmen.
Details Download

A Force For Good: Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions

The Department of the Air Force has a long history of providing support to people and communities in distress, both domestically and internationally. Trained for combat, the women and men of the DAF are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to support the needs of others when called upon. These special humanitarian assignments fall into five broad categories: Critical Care, Goodwill Missions, Global Firefighting, Aerial Delivery and Rescue Operations. These difficult, non-combat operations demonstrate the versatility and capability of the Air Force and showcase the talents and dedication of our nation’s Airmen.
Details Download