The 1956 emblem

In 1955 Captain Guy C. Chestnutt, then Commander, decided that we needed an emblem. He told me to research the regs, etc. and develop a contest for EM only to draw up an emblem. I did that, and we got no entries. Capt. Chestnutt got out of sorts and ordered all officers to submit an idea. I decided that a shield would conform to our mission, hence the shield. Red is for valor or blood. The circle represents the face of a 24-hour clock, or the face of a compass. THe four black marks are 0600 hrs, 1200 hrs, 1800 hrs and 2400 hrs representing around-the-clock operation; or the four marks also represent the four points of a compass North, East, South and West, or 360 degree coverage.They did not like my idea for the emblem. That idea was drawn by A1C Ronald Foley who incidentally was very severely burned later in an off-duty accident and air-evaced to Brooks AFB. I liked a scroll at the bottom, so I drew one on, but needed a motto. I know no Latin, but did have a French dictionary, and decided upon QUI VA LA, or "Who Goes There". The Air Force officially adopted the emblem in the spring of 1956.