Willow Run:Colossus
of American Industry. Page 5-1.
A story of the B-24 Liberator Production and
Combat.
Click Here for a list of Colorado
Airplane Museums.
Click Here's a picture of a B-24 Liberator on display at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.The picture of the B-24 Liberator, shown on this page, was taken by Warren Benjamin Kidder, author of "Willow Run" and "Alaska. "The Air Force Academy is currently open to visitors. Visitors to the Air Force Academy must enter through the North Gate, which can be accessed from Exit 156B on Interstate 25, 14 miles north of downtown Colorado Springs. Other areas open to visitors include the Cadet Chapel, the Field House, Arnold Hall and the Honor Court. The Visitors Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. The Cadet Chapel is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday with periodic closings for chapel events. Motorcyclists must wear helmets upon entering Academy grounds. For more information, call the Visitor's Center at 719-333-2025. Click Here for a list of Museums in Colorado. |
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Mission: To educate, train and inspire men and
women to become officers of character, motivated to lead the United
States Air Force in service to our nation.
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Click Here to see
the Script Release for
"Willow Run
The Eighth Air Force WW2 Movie"
U.S. Air Force Academy Many of America's pioneer airmen advocated the creation of an academy to prepare officers especially for the air service. One of them, Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell, tried in vain to persuade first, the government, then, private interests to establish such a school. In 1948, the Air Force appointed a board of leading civilian and military educators to plan the curriculum for an Air Force academy. The idea made little progress outside the Air Force, until 1949 when Secretary of Defense James Forrestal appointed a board of military and civilian educators. This board headed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, then president of Columbia University, and Robert L. Stearns, president of the University of Colorado, was tasked to recommend a general system of education for the Army, Navy and Air Force. In 1950, this board found the needs of the Air Force could not be met by a desirable expansion of the older service academies. The board recommended that an Air Force academy be established without delay and proposed that, in peacetime, not less than 40 percent of the regular officers taken into each service should be academy graduates. Congress authorized creation of the Air Force Academy in 1954. Harold E. Talbott, then secretary of the Air Force, appointed a commission to assist him in selecting the permanent site. After traveling 21,000 miles and considering 580 proposed sites in 45 states, the commission recommended three locations. From those, Secretary Talbott selected the site near Colorado Springs. The state of Colorado contributed 1 million toward the purchase of the property. On July 11, 1955, the same year construction began, the first class of 306 men were sworn in at a temporary site at Lowry Air Force Base, Denver. Lt. Gen. Hubert R. Harmon, a key figure in the development of the Academy since 1949, was recalled from retirement to become the first superintendent. Two years later, Maj. Gen. Briggs took over as the Academy's second superintendent. During his tour, on Aug. 29, 1958, the wing of 1,145 cadets moved to its present site from Denver. Less than a year later the Academy received accreditation. On March 3, 1964, the authorized strength of the Cadet Wing was increased to 4,417 and later reduced to its present number of 4,000. Perhaps the most controversial event in academy history was the admission of women. President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation Oct. 7, 1975, permitting women to enter the nation's military academies. Women entered the Air Force Academy for the first time on June 28, 1976. The first class with women graduated in May 1980. |
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Your Personal Autographed Copy, Send Check or Money Order to: KFT Publishers,
For Information Contact |
Click Here to visit the Air Force Academy official web site.
Here's another Book
Review about a B-24 Pilot in WW2, Jessie Pettey.
Webmasters Note. After reading this book and talking to my
friend, who I always called my second dad,
I found that my friend, Frank Simpson, was the duty driver for
James Stuart,
Glenn Ford, Robert Cummings and David Nivin, while he was stationed at the Air
Force Academy.
Click Here's Warren Benjamin Kidders New Book, The Mighty Eighth Air Force Click Here's the Movie Script for Willow Run
Y-I-BET on the Youth of America. Youth Innovative Business Environment Training. A Better way for kids to learn about technology, aviation and industry. This is an extensive exhibit that had hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of dollars put into making it. The original concept of the Y-I-BET Program was designed by C. Jeff Dyrek |
B-24
Liberator Movies
B-24
Liberator Aviation Art
B-24 Liberator Models B-24
Liberator Books
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