This display of the enlisted force stands in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force’s Kettering Hall as a tribute to the backbone of the Air Force. The display shows the roles of airmen past and present through photographs and video. Six mannequins display uniforms of airmen from 1918 to 2019 and include a World War I mechanic, World War II public affairs specialist, Cold War police officer, Southeast Asia war flight engineer, Persian Gulf war aerial gunner and Global War on Terrorism HALO parachutist. The full exhibit, which contains nearly 50 elements, is placed throughout the 10 galleries of the museum. (Ty Greenlees/U.S. Air Force)
(Tribune News Service) — A newly completed exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force honors the enlisted personnel of the Department of the Air Force throughout its 76-year history.
The museum’s newest permanent installation, which was created over a more than three-year period, contains more than 40 elements that are placed throughout the museum at locations near the era or artifacts that correlate to their specialty, according to a press release announcing the exhibit.
The Enlisted Exhibit is open to visitors daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Featured elements of the exhibit, which was funded by contributions from the Air Force Museum Foundation, include the following:
• A display in the WWII Gallery featuring the story of Staff Sgt. James Meredith, who was one of the first Black airmen to serve in an all-white squadron.
• An introduction to Enlisted Maintainers, who work in all conditions at all hours to troubleshoot urgent repairs, overhaul complex systems and closely inspect parts to prevent future problems in a variety of areas, including aerospace propulsion, electrical systems, weapons systems, and more.
The Enlisted Maintainers exhibit in the Korean War Gallery of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (Ty Greenlees/U.S. Air Force)
• Insight into Musical Ambassadors who serve as musicians, arrangers and audio engineers in the U.S. Air Force bands, providing inspirational performances to honor veterans and connect the public to the department through music.
• The uniform worn by Sgt. Benjamin Fillinger, one of 15 airmen from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base who transferred into the U.S. Space Force in 2020. Space Force guardians are top performers in the fields of information technology, cyber security, communication systems, and space systems operations.
Today, enlisted airmen and guardians represent approximately 80% of the Department of the Air Force, according to the release.
“The men and women of our enlisted corps are not merely participants in the chronicles of our nation’s defense, but they are architects of history,” Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass said during a recent event to mark the opening of the exhibit. “Our heritage is rooted in the ideals of integrity, service, and excellence. A tapestry woven with the threads of sacrifice and valor.”
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