[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14287]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN CELEBRATION OF THE 65TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 14, 2012

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the United States Air Force for 65 years of innovative progress and 
strong, steadfast defense of our nation. Over the last 65 years, the 
brave men and women who have served in the Air Force have made 
significant contributions in defending our homeland and safeguarding 
our liberties.
  A celebration commemorating the 65th Birthday of the Air Force will 
be held at the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia 
on Saturday, September 15, 2012, at 6 p.m. Lieutenant General Andrew 
Busch, Vice Commander of the Air Force Materiel Command will be the 
guest speaker for the evening.
  The United States Air Force was officially founded on September 18, 
1947. However, its history and legacy go back even further. Less than 
four years after the Wright brothers flew the world's first airplane, 
the U.S. Army Signal Corps formed an Aeronautical Division in 1907. 
Known by several different titles and serving a number of purposes, the 
precursors of the Air Force were instrumental in World War I and 
especially World War II. Today, the United States Air Force, with its 
cutting-edge technology and distinguished manpower, is a superior and 
well-respected authority of air and space.
  Shortly before the establishment of the Air Force, on September 1, 
1941, construction began on the new Georgia Air Depot located sixteen 
miles south of Macon, Georgia. At the time of its dedication in 1943, 
the Depot Commander, Col. Charles E. Thomas, renamed it the Warner 
Robins Army Air Depot in honor of his mentor and the ``father of 
logistics'' of the Air Force, Brig. Gen. Augustine Warner Robins. Now 
known as Warner Robins Air Logistics Center and Robins Air Force Base, 
this former dairy farm pastureland would become the largest industrial 
installation in Georgia and one of the nation's finest defense assets.
  Robins Air Force Base employs a workforce of over 25,584 civilians, 
contractors and members of the military. It is a vital part of the 
economy in Middle Georgia and brings in billions of dollars each year 
to the surrounding communities. Through my ongoing interaction with 
Robins Air Force Base personnel, one of the things I have come to 
admire most is their remarkable interaction with the people of Middle 
Georgia.
  Furthermore, Robins Air Force Base, along with the United States Air 
Force, is a strong advocate of diversity and hence is able to recruit 
and train the most talented men and women to become the most 
distinguished officers and personnel in the United States Armed Forces.
  The vast success and numerous achievements and victories of the Air 
Force would not be possible without the talented manpower that drives, 
or rather, flies, it. The ideas that manifest into state-of-the-art 
technology, the hands that build and operate it, and the minds that 
make the decisions that impact one life or millions of lives are all 
due to the diligence, creativity, and dedication of a people united in 
sharing and protecting the ideals of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in paying tribute 
to the men and women who, over the last 65 years, have served or 
currently serve in the United States Air Force. Their outstanding valor 
and patriotic service have made the United States Air Force the best in 
the world.

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