Happy 78th Birthday US Air Force
- Christina DeSantis
- Sep 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Happy 78th Birthday to the United States Air Force. Today, we celebrate not only the anniversary of our service’s founding, but the generations of Airmen whose courage, innovation, and devotion have shaped the character of our nation.
This reflection comes from Lorin “Crash” Burton Krueger ’59—a classmate known for his humor, candor, and deep affection for the Air Force family. In his own unmistakable voice, he offers a brief but heartfelt tribute to the service that helped form us, carry us, and inspire us across a lifetime.
Happy 78th Birthday, United States Air Force
USAF NOW
Today, in September of 2025
we look back to the birth
of a mighty war fighting force
that has shaped our nation
with honor and courage.
That is the United States Air Force.
Seventy-eight years ago today,
the Army Air Corps was renamed,
and we were just youngsters,
playing in the sand
or dreaming of being an aviator- yeah.
From P-51s, B-17s, and B-24s,
we have rocketed into space
and have a force that does more.
Let us continue to be first,
And celebrate birthdays galore.
And God bless our country
With a soaring, and quiet whisper of flight.
May all aviators of the United States Air Force
be among those who perform— what is right.
-Crash (Lorin Burton Krueger '59)
Lorin Burton “Crash” Krueger, USAFA Class of 1959
A proud member of the Academy’s First Class, Lorin “Crash” Krueger has carried the spirit of the early Air Force across a lifetime of service, leadership, and camaraderie. Known among classmates as “Red Dog” and “WGFP,” he brings humor, heart, and a deep love for the Air Force family to every story he shares. His reflections preserve not only personal memory, but the character and culture of the Air Force that shaped a generation.
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