55th Cold War Memorial

The 55th SRW Association’s “Cold War Memorial” honors brave Fightin’ Fifty-fifth warriors from the cold war era. The monument uniquely captures the 55th Wing Association’s heart-felt efforts to design, fund, establish and dedicate a lasting monument at the USAF Museum’s memorial gardens, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, dedicated on 5 Sep 2003.  For over a decade the monument’s caretaker was Jack Kovacs, Lt Col, USAF (ret, 55th SRW RB-47 pilot), who dutifully maintained the site’s dignity until his death in 2020. The memorial’s etched remarks tell its significance so well. 

“We must never forget that freedom is never really free; It is the most costly thing in the world. And freedom is never paid for in a lump sum, payments come due in every generation. All any of us can do is to offer the generations that follow a chance for freedom.”

The 55th SRW’s outstanding legacy remains very much alive in today’s Fightin’ Fifty-fifth.  It is seen daily on flight lines across the world, in countless locales where enemies of freedom seek to harm our nation, allies and interests. The wing continues at the forefront of this struggle; facing numerous challenges in defense of our cherished freedom. The cold war warriors of the past – and your warriors today – would have it no other way – because … VIDEMUS OMNIA … “WE SEE ALL.”