HERITAGE MINUTE

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HERITAGE MINUTE

Whether a statue honoring a war hero, a display of historic aircraft, important memorabilia, a person, place or event, these memorials, artifacts and people help tell the story of the Air Force Academy through the decades.

  1. Blodgett Peak's 1943 C-49-J Crash Site

    3 DAYS AGO

    Blodgett Peak's 1943 C-49-J Crash Site

    The Academy is home to a large number of impressive static display aircraft.  In addition to those in populated areas, there is one aircraft well off the beaten path, just to the west of the Academy, that predates the others by decades.

    2 min
  2. KAFA: The Academy's Radio Station

    3 DAYS AGO

    KAFA: The Academy's Radio Station

    At the age of 53, KAFA, the Academy’s Cadet radio station is still going strong!

    14 min
  3. KAFA 97.7 FM: USAFA'S Radio Station

    NOV 10

    KAFA 97.7 FM: USAFA'S Radio Station

    Lots of colleges and universities have radio stations, but there is only one KAFA! ----more---- The station was the brainchild of then-Cadet John Severski, Class of ’71, and came into being only due to the perseverance and ingenuity of John, several other like-minded cadets, and a few supportive USAFA staff members.  It was a classic Do-It-Yourself project, as they begged, borrowed, and scrounged the necessary equipment to build a studio in Vandenberg Hall.  When Academy officials applied for a broadcast license, they requested that the call letters be either KAFA or KDET (pronounced “cadet”).  Obviously, the FCC approved KAFA.  At 6:57 p.m. on 17 January 1971, the station began broadcasting with 10 watts of power at the frequency 89.7 on the FM dial.  Following the National Anthem, the first song played was “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby Stills and Nash.  The Superintendent, Lieutenant General A. P. Clark, then delivered a welcome message. KAFA has undergone changes over the decades, but is still largely as its founders dreamed and designed it.  After going off the air for a time in the 1980s, it has broadcast continuously since 13 February 1989.  The format has varied slightly, but has largely stuck to its rock roots.  The frequency has changed three times due to signal-bleed into commercial stations’ coverage, and is currently broadcasting at 97.7.  Since 1 May 2008, KAFA has been available online, making it accessible to graduates, parents, and other interested listeners anywhere in the world.  Funding for the streaming has been provided by the Association of Graduates since day one.  KAFA has served the Academy community by broadcasting live from significant events such as graduation, in-processing, and even sporting events. In 2018, after nearly a half-century in Vandenberg Hall, the station moved to this state-of-the-art studio in Fairchild Hall.     The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation

    3 min
  4. A Legacy of Leadership and Scholarship - Gen. (Ret.) Steve Lorenz ’73

    NOV 3

    A Legacy of Leadership and Scholarship - Gen. (Ret.) Steve Lorenz ’73

    Gen. (Ret.) Steve Lorenz graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1973 and went on to participate in some of the most impactful moments in our nation’s history. Hear a few of his stories in this edition of the Heritage Minute Special podcast with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon ’77.

    26 min
  5. The Biggest Permanent Mural in the World

    NOV 3

    The Biggest Permanent Mural in the World

    The Air Force Academy houses one of the largest permanently hung murals in the world.

    2 min
  6. The Home of Falcons Hockey

    OCT 27

    The Home of Falcons Hockey

    One of the three sporting venues in the Cadet Field House is the 2,600-seat Cadet Ice Rink.  ----more---- Like the other facilities in the huge building, it saw its first use in 1968 -- May fourth, to be precise -- when Olympic gold medal winner Peggy Fleming skated at the dedication.  The primary tenant of the rink, as you might imagine, is the Falcon ice hockey team.  The first game on the rink was an 8-6 victory over the Colorado All-Stars, a collection of former collegians, in an exhibition game played on November twenty-ninth, 1968.  During the first shift of the first period of that game, before the safety nets were put up, a puck went over the boards, through the “shatter-proof” glass and onto the running track in the multi-purpose area.  The first intercollegiate game was an 8-1 loss to Notre Dame in December 1968, while the first intercollegiate victory came against Ohio State the following month, by the score of 6-4. Since then, the hockey team has enjoyed remarkable success, with seven trips to the NCAA tournament.  Air Force was the first-ever service Academy team to earn an NCAA bid.  Decorating the south end of the arena are murals honoring six of the Academy’s best-ever hockey players.  One honoree is my ’77 classmate, Chuck Delich, who still holds the NCAA record for most goals in a career, with 156.       The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation

    2 min
  7. USAFA'S Clune Arena - Home Falcon Basketball

    OCT 20

    USAFA'S Clune Arena - Home Falcon Basketball

    Covering nearly five acres of terrain and encompassing three distinct sporting areas, the Cadet Field House plays host to a number of events, not all athletic in nature.  The largest of the three venues, in terms of seating capacity, is Clune Arena.

    2 min
  8. The Cavernous Cadet Field House

    OCT 13

    The Cavernous Cadet Field House

    The Air Force Academy’s cavernous Cadet Field House contains facilities for intercollegiate basketball, hockey, and track & field, among other sports and events.  Sometimes IT’S mistakenly called Clune Arena.

    2 min
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About

Whether a statue honoring a war hero, a display of historic aircraft, important memorabilia, a person, place or event, these memorials, artifacts and people help tell the story of the Air Force Academy through the decades.

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    heritageminute
  • Years Active
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  • Episodes
    47
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    © 2024-2025 | U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation | All Rights Reserved
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