The Air Force Academy is the youngest of the U.S. service academies. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a congressional bill establishing the Air Force Academy on April 1, 1954. It was the intent of the Air Force to create a landmark equal to that of West Point, Annapolis or any other highly visible national asset. On June 14, 1954, the then Secretary of the Air Force, Harold E. Talbott, chose the present site and, on the same day, named a corner of Lowery AFB, Colorado, as the temporary site of the Academy while the permanent site was being constructed. The dedication of the temporary site and the swearing in of the first class (306 cadets) took place on July 11, 1955. Lt. Gen Hubert R. Harmon, who had been involved in much of the pre-legislation Academy planning, was recalled from retirement to become the first Superintendent. The first class of cadets to include women entered in 1976, and graduated in 1980. The Academy received two special honors on April 1, 2004 when the U.S. Postal Service celebrated the Academy’s 50th anniversary with a commemorative 37-cent stamp. Additionally, the Academy’s cadet area was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/usaf-academy
Get a free copy of our comprehensive Colorado Springs Military Relocation package.
Get Started
Sign up to get essential PCS resources straight to your email:
*Your information is always kept strictly private and confidential.