Elizabeth Figueroa Quinones
Potential visitors to the AFHRA are encouraged to contact the Agency to let us know when you plan to arrive and how long you plan to stay. We will attempt to accommodate all visitors. To schedule a visit or request digitized copies of AFHRA holdings please utilize the "Contact Us" page or call (334) 953-5697. Please note, the Agency processes requests on a priority, first in, first out basis. Current wait times for general public requests are 150 days to receive a response.
In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, America faced dark and uncertain days. Retired Air Force Colonel Richard L. Uppstrom, former Director of the Air Force Museum (now National Museum of the United States Air Force), described it best: "To say our backs were to the wall was perhaps an understatement." In today’s Hangar Highlight we're spotlighting a riveting oral history lecture from our audio collection at the Air Force Historical Research Agency. In this recording, Retired Colonel Robert G. Emmens—a member of the legendary Doolittle Raiders—shares his firsthand account of the daring Tokyo raid that took place just four months after Pearl Harbor. This lecture, delivered around the 43rd anniversary of the raid (circa 1985), takes you inside the operation and recounts the 14 months Colonel Emmens spent interned in the Soviet Union afterward. If you have two hours to spare, the full recording is an absolute must-listen. But for those on the go, here are the highlights!
✈️ Journey back to the early days of aviation defense in the Panama Canal Zone! In the recent From the Stacks blog post, we explore the establishment of key airfields like France and Albrook Fields, the Army Air Corps expansion, and groundbreaking innovations in U.S. aviation from 1917-1936.🛩️ Discover how these pivotal years laid the foundation for future defense strategies. Stay tuned for more! To read this latest post, click the link here:
⏰Timeliness and quality are the backbone of any Department of the Air Force history report—because “if it loses its timeliness, it loses its value.”🔍 During the Vietnam War, CHECO historians, like Warren Trest, were at the forefront, documenting air operations in real-time. They flew on combat-rigged C-130s, worked through long nights, and braved base shelling to deliver critical reports that shaped decisions at the highest levels. Today, Department of the Air Force historians carry on their legacy, capturing operations in real time to ensure the warfighter and leadership have the insights they need. This critical mission hasn’t changed: provide timely and quality analysis to improve both operational effectiveness and combat capabilities in real time.
Since its activation July 1, 1964, the 5th Combat Communications Group, based out of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, has crafted a legacy of innovation and adaptability.
For many with family who served in a previous war or conflict, they might never know what happened to their relatives. But sometimes, connection to those lost comes from unexpected places or people. This was the case in December 2024 for Lt. Col. Jonathan Askins, 445th Airlift Wing chief of safety,
U.S. Space Force Col. Nick Hague returned to Earth following a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station, March 18, 2025.
Robert Young has spent his career dedicated to preserving the history of those who served their country. His 38 years of service in the U.S. Air Force (29 years at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center) have been shaped by a passion for history, a commitment to honoring sacrifices, and a
The Air Force Historical Research Agency serves as an institutional memory of the Department of the Air Force, preserving history through a vast collection of documents, personal records and historical papers since its establishment in 1943. The agency plays a crucial role in maintaining the stories
When Meaghan M. Kacmarcik was 10 years old, she was stricken with a rare genetic eye disease that impaired her vision, but she has not let it stand in the way of success and her passion for history.
Former U.S. Ambassador Stuart Symington visited the Air Force Historical Research Agency to take a look at some of his grandfather’s old documents and memorabilia while here as a guest of the Air Force chief of staff.
Through vivid interactive maps, immersive storytelling and the power of visuals Coffman’s project, History turned Digital, takes historical archives, and turns it into a web format offering a fresh approach to learning history. He aims to make the 325th Fighter Wing’s history more accessible and
Department of the Air Force (DAF) heraldry connects us to our long and storied past. Organizations need enduring symbols in the form of emblems to promote esprit de corps, morale, and a sense of heritage. Some people use the terms “emblem” and “patch” interchangeably; however, the two products are
“Space Starts Here,” by Rick Herter, Space Systems Command’s first official painting, includes a quote from American rocket pioneer Dr. Robert H. Goddard: “It is difficult to say what is impossible, because the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”
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