The United States Air Force (USAF) celebrates its 77th birthday this Wednesday, September 18. World War II was over two years before and the Korean War lay three years ahead when the United States Air Force ended a 40-year association with the Army to become a separate service.

With the signing of the National Security Act of 1947 by President Truman on September 18 of that year, the Air Force was created to establish airpower as a major element of the nation’s defense and one of its chief hopes for deterring war. It also positioned itself at the forefront of innovation, defending the skies and shaping the future of the nation’s air and space power.

The Air National Guard, the reserve component of the Air Force, was established the same day. Soon afterward, National Guard Army Air Forces units began to transfer to the Air National Guard.

View a music video tribute to the Air Force produced and uploaded last week by Senior Airman Justin Todd of Space Base Delta 1 (Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado).