US, UK Airmen celebrate partnership at AF Ball Published Sept. 22, 2015 By Senior Airman Erin O'Shea 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- For Airmen in England, celebrating the U.S. Air Force's 68th birthday on Sept. 18, came with a twist. This year, Royal Air Force members joined the festivities in RAF Lakenheath's Hangar 7, which also marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. At the 2015 Air Force Ball, U.S. Air Force service members from RAFs Lakenheath and Mildenhall, as well as British forces from throughout the region, merged to honor the two services' shared past and reap the benefits of a partnership rooted in history. "I am really excited about this," said U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Novotny, 48th Fighter Wing commander. "It's been a long time since RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall have partied together. I don't think it's been done in decades, when we both invited our Royal Air Force partners from surrounding installations to share the night, too." This year's theme, "Celebrating Heritage and Honoring Partnership," was bolstered by the presence of a World War II-era Spitfire, flown in from RAF Coningsby and on display between an F-15 fighter jet and HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. The night began with a blending of traditions, with the ceremonial presentation of the colors by a U.S. honor guard, accompanied by a bagpiper in full regalia who played the U.K. national anthem, followed by a small choir of U.S. Airmen, who sang the U.S. national anthem. As the night drew to a close, ball-goers transitioned outside to watch a traditional piano-burning ceremony. The burning of a piano is a long-standing tradition in the RAF. The evening served as a reminder of the strong alliance between the U.S. and U.K., honoring 75 years over the course of one night.