USAFA Beginnings Scrapbook

1948

New York Journal American Editorial Advocating the Creation of an Air Force Academy

1954

The cover of the 1954 brochure prepared by the Colorado Springs committee to bring the Academy to the city. Representatives of 580 proposed locations in forty-five states presented similar materials for consideration by the Site Selection Commission.

President Eisenhower, after signing the Academy Bill on April 1, 1954, congratulates Secretary Talbott. Looking on are Congressman Vinson, General Twining, Congressman Short, Undersecretary of the Air Force Douglas, and General Harmon.

Colorado Newspapers Announcing the Award of the Air Force Academy to Colorado Springs

Signing of General Order No. 1, activating the Air Force Academy Command, 14 August 1954, in the office of Brigadier General John T. Sprague, Commander, Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado

Seated, Lieutenant General H. R. Harmon, Superintendent Standing, left to right: Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert C. Cooke, Ass't. Personnel Officer, USAFA Brigadier General Don Z. Zimmerman, Dean of Faculty, USAFA Brigadier General John T. Sprague, Commander Lowry AFB

HQ USAFA, General Order No. 1

1955

          Original USAFA Site     

Model of the Original Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill Design

Initial Design of the Air Force Academy presented to the public, May 1955

Graphic Commemorating the the Air Force Academy Dedication, 11 July 1955

Rocky Mountain News Front Page covering the Air Force Academy Dedication, 11 July 1955

Air Force Academy Dedication Ceremony 11 July 1955

Air Force Academy Dedication Ceremony and Activities, 9-11 July 1955

Val Bourque, the first cadet to be sworn in at the Air Force Academy on 11 July 1955. Originally a member of the Class of 1959, he graduated with the Class of 1960 and was the first Academy graduate KIA in Vietnam, October 1964

Class of 1959: Day One

Air Force Academy Dedication Ceremony 11 July 1955

Air Force Academy Dedication Ceremony 11 July 1955

Welcome by Lt Gen Harmon, USAFA Superintendent; Invocation; Remarks and Dedication by Secretary of the Air Force Harold Talbot; Oath of Office to the Class of 1959 by Brig Gen Stillman, Commandant of Cadets; Remarks by Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen Nathan Twining; Benediction; National Anthem.

          Cadets at orginal site, Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado     

1958

Cadets marching the last few miles up North Gate Boulevard to the Air Force Academy permanent site on 29 August 1958

Sketch by Milton Caniff dedicated to the first issue of the Falconews

This nine-foot-high bronze eagle with two eaglets was officially unveiled and dedicated Saturday noon, Dec 13, 1958, at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It is a gift from personnel of the Air Training Command to the Academy. The bronze eagle symbolizes the Air Force's speed, power, and readiness of flight while the two eaglets represent the cadets.

The statue was designed by Carl Mose of St Louis, Missouri. Former ATC commander, Lt Gen Charles T. Myers, now retired, was instrumental in organizing the sculptor project and three years ago commissioned Mose to begin work. The approved statue was cast in bronze in Mexico City. Both the eagle and two eaglets sit atop a ten-foot high, marble-fronted pedestal north of the Cadet Dining Hall. The inscription below the statue reads: "Man's Flight Through Life Is Sustained By The Power Of His Knowledge. Presented By Members of The Air Training Command. 1958”

Cadet Wing Commander, Robert D. Beckel, center, accepts ownership papers on the statue, while looking on are General Curtis E. LeMay, USAF Vice Chief of Staff, third from left; Lt Gen Frederic H. Smith, Jr., Commander, Air Training Command; second from right, and Maj Gen James E. Briggs, Superintendent of the AF Academy, right.

The Eagle and Fledglings Statue dedication at the head of the Air Garden, 13 December 1958

Airman Magazine article featuring the Eagle and Fledglings sculptor, Carl Mose

The Opening of the Planetarium and its first use in cadet navigation training

1959

The Cadet Library opens on 5 January 1959

Statue of Pegasus to be presented to the Air Force Cadet Wing by the Italian Air force

Air Force Academy buildings to be name for pioneer Air Force officers during June Week 1959

Dedication of Fairchild Hall with Mrs. Fairchild and others

 

Dedication of Harmon Hall including Mrs. Harmon and members of the Harmon family

Mrs. Hoyt S. Vandenberg of Washington, D.C., widow of Hoyt S. Vandenberg, stands with other dignitaries after memorialization ceremonies Wednesday, June 3, 1959, which named the Cadet Dormitory at the Air Force Academy Vandenberg Hall. The dedication ceremonies honoring the World War II commander of the Ninth Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1948 to 1953 occurred just prior to graduation of the historic Air Force Academy Class of 1959.

With Mrs. Vandenberg, from left to right, are the Secretary of the Air Force, James H. Douglas; General Carl Spaatz, USAF (Ret.), first Chief of Staff of the Separate Air Force; General Thomas D. White, present Chief of Staff; Major General James E. Briggs, Academy Superintendent; and Captain Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr., son of General and Mrs. Vandenberg.

Graduation ceremonies for the USAFA Class of 1959

Life magazine article on the first graduating class of the Air Force Academy