United States Air Force Memorial Dedication
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia
Marker Inscription
Dedicated 14 October 2006 George W. Bush 43rd President of the United States of America
The Story
High on a promontory overlooking the Pentagon and the Potomac, the United States Air Force Memorial marks the service that carried American power into the sky. Its three soaring stainless-steel spires evoke the contrails of jets peeling away in flight, honoring the airmen and women of a branch that became independent in 1947 and reshaped how the nation defends itself. The memorial was formally dedicated in the autumn of 2006, decades after the Air Force had proven decisive from the skies over Europe and the Pacific to the Cold War and beyond.
Why it matters
As the national tribute to the U.S. Air Force, it enshrines the rise of air power as a defining force in modern American history, a reminder that the country's story in the twentieth century was written as much in the air as on land or sea.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Drug Enforcement Agency Museum and Visitors Center0.5 mi away · 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA
- Arlington Historical Museum0.7 mi away · 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, VA
- Diplomatic Reception Rooms Museum2.0 mi away · 2201 C Street Northwest, Washington, DC
- National Museum of American Diplomacy2.1 mi away · 330 21st Street Northwest, Washington, DC
- Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington2.1 mi away · 3550 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA
- Art Museum of the Americas2.1 mi away · 201 18th Street Northwest, Washington, DC
Attractions
- United States Air Force Memorialnearby
- United States Coast Guard Memorial0.2 mi away
- Pentagon Memorial0.4 mi away
- USS Serpens Monument0.4 mi away · VA
- September 11 Memorial0.4 mi away · VA
- Columbarium0.6 mi away · VA
Food & drink
- Dama's Bread0.2 mi away
- Dama Pastry & Cafe0.3 mi away · 1505 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
- Saigon Saigon0.3 mi away · 1101 South Joyce Street, Arlington, VA
- Smoothie King0.3 mi away
- Sandella's Flatbread Cafe0.3 mi away
- 1983 Chinese Cuisine0.4 mi away · 1101 South Joyce Street, Arlington, VA
Places to stay
- Sheraton0.4 mi away · 900 South Orme Street, Arlington, VA
- The Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City0.5 mi away · 1250 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Washington DC - Crystal City0.8 mi away · 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA
- Embassy Suites Crystal City National Airport0.9 mi away · 1393 South Eads Street, Arlington, VA
- Crystal Gateway Marriott1.0 mi away · 1700 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA
- Crowne Plaza Crystal City-Washington, D.C.1.0 mi away · 1480 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA
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Related people
- · George W. Bush
Related events
- · Dedication of the United States Air Force Memorial (2006)
Themes & tags
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