Flying skivvies:
Most of the SR-71 fleet was retired in 1989, though a few flew in the 1990s. The Air Force brass hated the SR-71 (probably more than they hate the A-10), so it was retired as soon as they could finish gutting the program.
I understand why some folks were in favor of a separate air force in the 1940s, but the splitting of the Air Force from the Army following World War II has, to my mind, proven to be one of the most costly bureaucratic blunders that this nation has ever made. Other than the strategic deterrence mission, the job of the Air Force is to support the riflemen on the ground. But everyone recognizes that the Air Force has never been in love with the air-to-mud mission role (which is why the Air Force keeps trying to kill off the A-10s), greatly preferring the air-to-air "white scarf around the neck, tally-ho on the blighters" combat mission, to the detriment of everything else, including ground attack, reconnaissance and trash-hauling.
Probably serves them right that drones are going to put most of the zoomies out of a job in another decade or two.
(H/T)
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