The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven American uniformed services. The USAF originated in 1907 as part of the United States Army. It underwent several transformations and reorganizations (most famously the United States Army Air Force) before becoming an entirely separate branch by legislative act in 1947.
The highest official of the USAF is the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, a position subordinate to the Secretary of Defense. The highest military official is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, who serves as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Literary Comment[]
As many Harry Turtledove works are set before 1947, or have Points of Divergence before 1947, the USAF may not exist in its OTL form in a number of works.
United States Air Force in "Getting Real"[]
Despite sufficiently advanced aircraft, such as the F-27 Strike Peregrine, the United States Air Force was completely defeated in its few sorties during the Sino-American War of 2117. The Chinese use of the hallucinogenic "Real" was more than sufficient to overcome the pilots and force them to crash.
United States Air Force in The Hot War[]
The United States Air Force was still a relatively new branch when the Korean War broke out. It played a heavy role in bombing North Korean troops and infrastructure in support of UN troops. The Chinese intervention in the war threatened to turn the tide regardless. Under General Douglas MacArthur's orders and with permission from President Truman, the USAF used B-29s to drop atomic bombs on China, starting World War III.
United States Air Force in "The Road Not Taken"[]
The United States Air Force deployed SR-81 reconnaissance aircraft to monitor the arrival of the Roxolani fleet in 2039.[1] When the aliens proved to be hostile, the USAF used their F-29s against the Roxolani, helping to utterly defeat the alien "threat".[2]
See Also[]
- United States Air and Space Force, the equivalent service branch found in Worldwar.
References[]
- ↑ See e.g. Kaleidoscope, pgs. 177-179, mpb.
- ↑ Ibid., pg. 187.
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