HERITAGE MINUTE

One of the most interesting areas in the McDermott Library is the stunning circular staircase pinnacled by a replica of the Wright Brothers' airplane. 

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The aviation pioneers, appropriately enough, occupy the uppermost region of the facility, at the top of the striking three-story spiral staircase.  The geometrical staircase was designed to satisfy the Superintendent, Lieutenant General Hubert Harmon.  Harmon didn’t care for the rigid, square Modernist architectural style, so the Academy project’s lead designer, Walter Netsch, designed the staircase to provide General Harmon with some variety.  By the time the Orville and Wilbur Wright busts were dedicated on April 20, 1979, they had actually been at the Academy for nearly eleven years.  They were donated to the Academy on November 22, 1968, by Retired Air Force Colonel Milton Seaman, the Academy’s first liaison officer.  They have been displayed in several locations.  First, they were located on the footbridge in front of the Library, where cadets would rub the busts’ heads for luck on their way to the academic building for exams.  The statues also resided in the Air Gardens in front of Mitchell Hall before moving to their current location.  The area also features a quarter-scale replica of the Wright Flyer of 1903 suspended under the skylight at the top of the stairs, a bust of Charles Taylor, the engineer who built the engine for the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight, and other displays.

Displayed along the spiral staircase of USAFA’s McDermott Library is an impressive collection of rifles used by U.S. troops throughout the ages. ----more----

The collection of 31 military shoulder arms dates from 1763 to the 1970s.  Donated by Lieutenant General Albert P. Clark, sixth superintendent of the Academy and a prisoner of war during World War II, the rifle collection tracks the evolution of arms through the decades — from the early single-shot muzzleloader to fully automatic weapons.  Some of the earliest firearms on display are a French Charleville Musket and a British “Brown Bess” musket — used during the Revolutionary War.  The Clark collection also includes various types of bayonets and fighting knives used by the combat soldier over the past two hundred years.  The rifle collection was donated on March 14, 1973, and has been on display for cadets and visitors to study ever since.  A West Point graduate, Clark became well known for helping to organize a massive escape attempt from a German POW camp.  Those events were the inspiration for the 1963 film, “The Great Escape.”

DOWNLOAD THE CLARK COLLECTION CATALOG

Situated at the north end of the Air Garden on the Academy Cadet area’s Terrazzo, just under the flagpole proudly displaying the American flag, is the Academy’s Graduate War Memorial. ----more----

The idea for the memorial was conceived by Captain Richard T. Mathews, from the Class of 1960, who served as the first alumni secretary.  The $24,000 cost of constructing the memorial was covered by donations by graduates and parents of graduates.  The memorial was eventually presented by the Association of Graduates to the Cadet Wing on October 10, 1970.  The names of Air Force Academy graduates who have lost their lives in combat are etched in the three slabs of Starlight granite that make up the memorial.  The inscription at the top of the memorial reads, “In memory of our fellow graduates who have fallen in battle.”  At the dedication ceremony in 1970, Brigadier General Robin Olds, commandant of cadets at the time, challenged the cadets in attendance, saying quote “Remember these names.  Honor them.  They are a part of you, the wing.  They represent your past, as you today represent our future.  Reflect in their example of selfless devotion to duty, and gain courage so that, when you face your test, you may add honor and glory to the annals of the wing – and of the Air Force – and of our country.”  With the addition of two fallen warriors in October 2023, the names of 190 Air Force Academy graduates are carved into the Academy’s Graduate War Memorial.

SEE THE LIST OF NAMES HERE

Have you met the “USAFA Before USAFA History Guy?”----more----

Col. (Ret.) Jack Anthony ‘78 (R) is the Academy’s recognized authority on our “pre-history,” which has earned him the handle, “USAFA Before USAFA History Guy.” Join Jack and Heritage Minute host, Steve Simon '77 (L), as they share stories about a of few of Jack's favorite historical sites on Academy grounds — and some untold stories as well!

WATCH!  HERITAGE MINUTE IN THE NEWS

It’s the Air Force Academy’s 70th year bringing up great leaders who go on to serve the nation in uniform!----more----

You might be surprised at what you don't know about the institution or its founding. Heritage Minute podcast host, Steve Simon, a 1977 USAFA grad, recently joined Fox 21’s, Krista Witiak, for a fun, rapid-fire Q & A about the school’s history and heritage! Watch now!

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HERITAGE MINUTE IN THE NEWS PART 2

A pair of fighter jets on display at the Academy played key roles in our national defense! Steve Simon ’77 has their story!‌----more----

In this episode of Heritage Minute with Steve Simon '77, the stories behind the F-15A and F-16A fighters on display at the west end of the Terrazzo in the cadet area. These aircraft represent planes that have been flown by countless Academy graduates, and have recently played key roles in America's national defense.

In this episode of the Heritage Minute podcast, host Steve Simon '77, flashes back to May 1968 when the F-105D Thunderchief static display on the USAFA Terrazzo was dedicated.----more----

What happened next resulted in 300 broken windows, more than $50,000 in damage and a grounded pilot. How did it happen? And did the pilot ever fly again? Get the full story in this episode of the Heritage Minute podcast.

The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Airforce Academy Association and Foundation

The 9/11 Memorial was dedicated on September 9, 2011, as part of the Class of 1976's 35th reunion class giving project. The memorial incorporates an actual girder from the World Trade Center.

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The memorial features two granite slabs, representing the Twin Towers, atop a five-sided foundation that represents the Pentagon. The words, "World Trade Center," "The Pentagon" and "Shanksville, Pa." are etched onto the memorial.

The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Airforce Academy Association and Foundation

----more----One key mission of the Association of Graduates is to highlight some of those things that make the Academy the special place that it is.

Whether it’s a statue honoring a war hero, a static display of historic aircraft or a collection of important memorabilia, these reminders help tell the story of USAFA and the big Air Force through the decades.

Heritage Minute Podcast Channel Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon '77

The Heritage Minute Channel and Podcast is a production of  the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Airforce Academy Association and Foundation