SAN ANTONIO – The Thunderbirds are a military institution in the United States, and the origins of the US Air Force air squadron are partially linked to San Antonio. Great pics, videos of Thunderbirds flyover sent in by KSAT viewersThe roots of the Thunderbirds can be traced to June 1917 when the 30th Aero Squadron was organized at Kelly Field in San Antonio. It was demobilized a year later and then reconstituted as the 30th Bombardment Squadron in 1923. The 30th Bombardment Squadron was reassigned to Kelly Field from 1930-1932, but was organized as a Regular Army Inactive (RAI). In September 1985, the 30th Bombardment Squadron was consolidated with the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, which is the squadron known publicly as the Thunderbirds.