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The Pegasus Statue - The Story Behind this Special Gift
Manage episode 422684922 series 3555827
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In the traffic circle outside Doolittle Hall, the Air Force Academy alumni headquarters, is a remarkable sculpture of Pegasus. ----more----
This winged horse, a gift from the Italian government, has been on the Academy grounds since before our first class graduated. The Pegasus statue is a replica of one displayed at the Italian Air War College in Florence. In mythology, Pegasus is noted for invincibility in war, as well as glory, knowledge and inspiration. The sculpture stands more than 10 feet tall and weighs eight and a half tons. The ball on the base represents planet earth. The marble used for Pegasus was quarried in the Apuan Alps near where Michelangelo obtained the stone for many of his projects. The carving of the sculpture was supervised by noted Italian sculptor Mario Moschi and was dedicated on May 15th, 1959. General Silvio Napoli, Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, was the guest of honor at the ceremony. The statue stood outside the Arnold Hall Ballroom until the spring of 1994, when it was moved to Doolittle Hall. USAFA lore says that Pegasus will fly under certain circumstances, but in this case, it “flew” in a more conventional way, by crane and truck.
The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Airforce Academy Association and Foundation
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