In support of an official event 

The Museum will be closed Sunday, May 25
In addition, the Fourth Hangar will be closed Saturday, May 24

Access to the Presidential Gallery will be limited from May 15 to June 5
 

Fact Sheet Alphabetical List

Fact Sheet Search

  • Special Delivery: Loadmasters

    Loadmasters fill a crucial role in airlift operations, performing skilled calculations to safely deliver people and supplies around the world.Loadmasters are enlisted aircrew members who serve as cargo specialists. They load and unload cargo, assist passengers, and conduct airdrops.When loading

  • Staff Sergeant Scott Sather “First There”

    USAF Staff Sergeant Scott Sather, a combat controller, was the first Airman killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 8, 2003. As part of the US Air Force’s elite 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Sather served with a Joint Special Operations Task Force alongside members of the US Army’s “Delta

  • Staff Sergeant Henry E. Erwin Medal of Honor Recipient

    In April 1945, on a mission over Koriyama, Japan, radio operator SSgt. Henry “Red” Erwin was charged with dropping phosphorous smoke bombs to mark a target. Upon releasing the bombs, one proved faulty. It exploded while still inside the launching chute, rocketing back into the aircraft and striking

  • Sergeant First Class Harold O. Nicholls

    Recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, 1918Sergeant First Class Harold O. Nicholls volunteered to serve as an observer with the 7th Balloon Company on multiple occasions. Observers rode in the balloon’s basket at a height around 1,500 ft to observe artillery fire and communicate adjustments.

  • Sandy: Locate, Identify, and Protect

    With its long loiter time, pin-point accuracy, and rugged construction, the A-1 Skyraider excelled at Rescue Escort (RESCORT) to recover downed aircrew.The first USAF A-1s assigned to RESCORT duty came from the 602nd Air Fighter Squadron (Commando) in August 1965. Skyraiders rotated from Bien Hoa

  • Support from a Distance: PROJECT WATER PUMP

    In 1964, the US Air Force began providing aircraft and flight instruction to the Royal Lao Air Force (RLAF). Under the codename WATER PUMP, USAF Air Commandos at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB), Thailand, trained RLAF, Thai, and other Lao forces. Eventually, this included this included the

  • Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia (SAR in SEA)

    The museum's newest permanent exhibit is now open in the Southeast Asia Gallery. "That Others May Live" tells the story of Search and Rescue operations during the wars in Southeast Asia.Global Peacetime TransitionARS Enters Southeast AsiaA Call for UnificationRescue Specialist Pararescue in

  • Search and Rescue Legacy

    Today’s search and rescue tactics, techniques, and procedures are rooted in harsh experiences and lessons learned during the war in Southeast Asia.The ability to quickly control the airspace above and below a downed aircrew, while protecting them from enemy threats, contributed to the overall

  • Sgt William Ocker

    The “Father of Blind Flight”Captivated by flight after witnessing early tests by the Wright brothers, Sgt William Ocker became a highly proficient aircraft mechanic and the Army’s third enlisted pilot. His ability to rapidly master aviation principles, combined with a passion for improving flying