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I recently found a yellowed folded-up copy of an article I had clipped some 15 or 20 years ago. I remember that I had said to myself after reading this article taken from the "Desert Airman" here at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, "How can it be possible that I can remember the words of The Marine's Hymn that my Uncle Carl taught me when I was 4 years old, but NEVER learned the words to the Air Force Song before, during or after the 22 years and 7 days that I spent as part of that organization?" I'm sure that it would have been a requirement had I been an officer, especially an Air Force Academy graduate, however, it just never entered my mind to memorize it. Yeah, I learned my "Security Instructions", and lots of other irrelavent stuff in basic training back in 1958, but other than marching to the band in parades or hearing it sung by the Academy Choir, etc., I just never paid attention to the words other than "Off we go, into the wild blue yonder, flying high into the sun." Well, I am a
little ashamed. So, as penance, I posted this web page. Try singing that
second stanza! And oh yeah, do you recognize any of the names in this story? John 1 May 2003
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The Story Behind The Air Force Song |
The Song We Sing More than 700 manuscripts had
arrived for the Army Air Corps song committee in Washington by May 1939, Manilla A.
McDill, Madeline D. Tinker, and other committee members were becoming discouraged.
“You can’t force Army songs,” offered Col. Edmund L Gruber, composer
of “The Caissons Go Rolling Along.”
“When you find a song you like, it will come from a young flier who has the
feel of flying in his bones and knows the thrill and the glamour of the Air Corps,”
he said.
Thirteen months earlier, Liberty magazine responded to the corps’ need for a
song by offering a $1000 prize to the composer of the most stirring theme. In spite of
this carrot and the support of Lowe’s theaters and popular singer Kate Smith, results
had been dismal. The committee set June as
the contest closing date.
Two days before the contest ended, the Army’s chief of information, Col.
Harrison H.C. Richards, phoned committee member Mildred A. Yount.
“There’s a composer and his wife in my office, and I wish you would see
them,” said the colonel to Mrs. Yount. “He
has written a song and wants to tell you about it. Please
see them and take of this for me.”
The committee had a rule that songs had to be submitted as manuscripts, and it did
not entertain auditions. Mrs. Yount
reluctantly agreed to special consideration for Robert Crawford, as he and his wife had
flown to Washington from New York.
The composer had written the song in two hours as he flew his private plane from
New York to his home in Connecticut. Then he
made a recording which he presented to Mrs. Yount. To
comply with the rules, he scribbled out a manuscript on the spot, before the miffed
committee woman. |
| Off we go,
into the wild blue yonder Climbing high into the sun. Here they come zooming to meet our thunder, At em’ boys, giver ‘er the gun. Down we dive, spouting our flame from under, Off with one, hell of a roar. We live in fame, or go down in flame, For nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force !
Who love the vastness of the sky. To a friend, we’ll send a message of his We drink to those, who gave their all of old, Then down we roar to score the rainbow’s
pot of gold. Here’s a toast, to the host of men we
boars, The U.S. Air Force !
Minds of men
fashioned a crate of thunder, Sent it high into the blue. Hands of men blasted the world asunder, How they lived, God only knew. Souls of men, dreaming of skies to conquer, Gave us wings, ever to soar. With scouts before and bombers galore, Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force ! Off we go
into the wild sky yonder, Keep your wings level and true. If you’d live to be a gray-haired
wonder, Keep your nose out of the blue. Flying men, guarding our nation’s
borders, Will be there, followed by more, In echelon, we carry on, For nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force ! |
| I found these additional links: The Air Force Song Full Lyrics
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