BOISE, Idaho — The United States Air Force is celebrating its 77th birthday on Sept. 18.
The U.S. Air Force was officially established as an independent military branch in 1947 after the National Security Act mandated the reorganization of the U.S. Government's military establishment. Prior to the separation, military air strategy was under the U.S. Army.
Idaho is one of only 26 states to have any air bases. Idaho's two air units are Mountain Home Air Force Base in Mountain Home and Gowen Field Air National Guard in Boise.
Mountain Home Air Force Base originally opened as a bomber training base during WWII in 1943. In 10 years, it transitioned to an operational Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomber and missile base, lasting from 1953-1965. The following year in 1966 the base was recognized as a Tactical Air Command and lasted until 1991 when the Air Force announced it would become home to the 366th Fighter Wing.
The National Air Guard in Boise was the state's first air guard. It was founded in 1946, even before the official U.S. Air Force establishment. The base moved from downtown Boise to Gowen field in 1947 where it is still located today, just south of the Boise Airport, and is home to the 124th Fighter Wing.
Together, both locations have around 4,500 military members.
Several Idaho officials took to social media to show appreciation for air units local to Idaho.
"I tie my celebration and my happiness to more of a being an American and being able to give thanks to this great country," Chief Master Sergeant Jesus Olivares of Mountain Home Air Force Base told KTVB Wednesday.
The Mountain Home community recently held a parade for Air Force Appreciation Day on Sept. 7.
"The Mountain Home community and the Air Force, I think, is one of the most rich relationships that I've ever seen in my 23 years, and I've been to about nine locations," Chief Master Sergeant Olivares told KTVB.
Idaho’s two air bases say that their vision is to be America’s best Fighter Wings.