Col. Greg Otey, 19th Airlift Wing commander, gives his opening remarks kicking off the Air Force Ball Sept. 12 at the Peabody Hotel. Highlights of the event included performances by talented base singers and an Elvis impersonator as base personnel and community leaders celebrated the Air Force’s 62nd birthday together. (US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jim Araos)

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Milton Crenshaw, an original Tuskegee Airman flight instructor; Col. C.K. Hyde, 314th Airlift Wing commander; Col. Greg Otey 19th Airlift Wing commander; Col. Steve Eggensperger, 189th Operations Group commander; and Senior Airman Ronnie Miller, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron, prepare for the official cake cutting during the 2009 Air Force Ball Sept. 12 at the Peabody Hotel. Highlights of the event included performances by talented base singers and an Elvis impersonator as base personnel and community leaders celebrated the Air Force’s 62nd birthday together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chris Willis)

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Staff Sgt. LaTanza Meabon-Whiteside, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron, sings the national anthem while members off the base honor guard present the colors during the 2009 Air Force Ball Sept. 12 at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock. Highlights of the event included performances by talented base singers and an Elvis impersonator as base personnel and community leaders celebrated the Air Force’s 62nd birthday together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chris Willis)

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Members of Little Rock Air Force Base and the local community dance during the 2009 Air Force Ball Sept. 12 at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock. Highlights of the event included performances by talented base singers and an Elvis impersonator as base personnel and community leaders celebrated the Air Force’s 62nd birthday together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chris Willis)

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Col. Greg Otey, 19th Airlift Wing commander, takes the lead during the cake cutting portion of the Air Force Ball Sept. 12 at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock. Assisting Col. Otey in the cake-cutting ceremony are from left to right, Milton Crenshaw, an original Tuskegee Airman flight instructor; Col. C. K. Hyde, 314th Airlift Wing commander; Airman 1st Class Ronnie Miller, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron; and Col. Steve Eggensperger, 189th Operations Group commander. (US Air Force photo by Senior Airmen Jim Araos)

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Little Rock celebrates Air Force's 62nd birthday

Published Sept. 14, 2009
By Bob Oldham
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- More than 700 Airmen, their guests and Air Force supporters attended the base's Air Force birthday bash at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock Sept. 12.

Participants danced and celebrated the successes of the nation's youngest service, which was created Sept. 18, 1947.

This year's birthday marked 100 years of powered flight in the military. Orville and Wilbur Wright were awarded their first military contract in 1909. They were paid $25,000 to deliver an airplane that could fly at least 40 miles per hour, stay in the air for an hour and carry two people and enough fuel to fly 125 miles.

Today, the Air Force's F-22 Raptor can cruise at twice the speed of sound, and unmanned aerial vehicles patrol the skies over combat zones while being piloted from halfway around the world in the United States.

The C-130J Super Hercules can haul 35,000 pounds of cargo 2,100 nautical miles.