From the Field

The History and Museum Program includes historians, archivist, and curators across the Department of the Air Force. Take a look at the work our program has done over the years and the historic events covered under their watch.

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DAF History & Heritage News

News Articles

  • History office plays key role in OCP emblem-to-patch conversion

    Since early recorded history, warring tribes often carried banners or flags marked with emblems to represent factions and motivate their warriors to fight for the cause. It is to this historical tradition that we can trace the evolution of military emblems and patches. As the Air Force begins

  • 75 years of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing: Operation Iraqi Freedom

    In December of 2002, while the war in Afghanistan continued to be a prominent fixture in American current events, the 386th AEW began to transform its tiny Southwest Asia undisclosed location from a small steady-state base to, at the time, the largest air base in U.S. Central Commands area of

  • 386th hand selected for largest amphibious invasion

    Just as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing has a significant role in today’s mission, their storied history began during World War II. On Tuesday, June 6, 1944, Allied forces landed on the beaches in Nazi-occupied Normandy, France in one of World War II’s most ambitious operations, nearly 73 years

  • 386th AEW celebrates 75 years of history

    On Dec. 1, the 386th BG, now the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, celebrates its 75th birthday; a journey that started at MacDill Air Field, Tampa, Florida, in 1942 and continues to this day at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

  • Once an Okie, always an Okie: The History of Reserve Airmen at Tinker

    U.S. Air Force Reserve units served here dating back to June 1946, when they were still part of the Army Air Forces. Since that time, Air Force Reserve units on base have flown bombers, trainers, transports, fighters and now command and control and aerial refueling aircraft.

  • Nose art pays tribute to B-52’s top secret past

    A B-52 Stratofortress from the 419th Flight Test Squadron is sporting new nose art to commemorate it’s storied past. Renowned aviation artist Mike Machat completed the artwork earlier this month on B-52 #60-0036. Machat recently completed nose art on an Edwards B-1B Lancer and was again commissioned

  • The Great Escape: setting the record straight

    A memorial ceremony took place to commemorate the “Great Escape” of World War II near Ramstein AB, Germany on July 1, 2017. The memorial honored Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Roger Bushell and French Air Force 2nd Lt. Bernard Scheidhauer, the two escapees executed near Ramstein in March 1944.