The Air Force Song

Aka

Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder

Service Songs

• People use music to identify many things including the military services

• Each service has a song that reminds people of the spirit and dedication of that organization– Army = The Caissons Go Rolling Along– Navy = Anchors Aweigh– Marines = The Marine Corps Hymn

The Air Force Song

• 1937 General Hap Arnold decided the new Army Air Corps need its own song

• The Army Air Corps sponsored a contest– Professional musicians would judge– A magazine offered a prize of $1000

Many Applicants

• Over 760 entries were offered• Some were amateurs and some were

professionals

Winning Entry

• The contest was about to expire

• Captain Robert Crawford entered his song– Some liked it right away– Some were indifferent,

Col. Charles Lindburgh for example

• Ultimately Gen. Arnold decided in favor of Captain Crawford

Problems arise

• The Army Air Corps did not have enough money to publish the song

• Captain Crawford sold the song to a private firm– The Air Force is the only service that does not

own the rights to its own song.

Changes

• 1947 the Army and Air Force become separate services– Song goes with the Air Force– Lyrics required slight change

• Original ending = Nothing can stop the Army Air Corps

• Current ending = Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force.

Protocol

• When played at a military ceremony, service members will stand at attention

• When played inside, service members will rise and join in singing loudly.

Lyrics 1

• Off we go into the wild blue yonder

• Climbing high into the sun

• Taking off for the sky– Yonder = Out there

• A favorite tatic of fighter pilots

Lyrics 2

• Here they come zooming to meet our thunder

• At ’em boys, give ‘er the gun

• Describing the enemy fighters preparing to attack

• Directs the wing man to fly with full throttle

Lyrics 3

• Down we dive,

• Spouting our flames from under

• Off with one hell of roar

• Favorite tactic of US fighter pilots

• Rapid fire cannons strapped to the bottom• Pulling out of the dive

Lyrics 4

• We live in fame or go down flames

• Hey nothing can stop the US Air Force

• Victory or death

• Exclamation