The White Falcon - 22.04.1961, Blaðsíða 2

2
WHITE FALCON
Saturday, April 22, 1961
Pictures Tell SAC Story
In the 15 years of its existence as the Free World’s most
powerful defensive fist, the Strategic Air Command’s story has
been told in practically every communications medium.
An exception has been a first rate book of dramatic photo-
graphs and cryptic text that brings the SAC story up to date in
context with the present-day world situation and the weapons to
meet it. Mel Hunter, an able writer, photographer and artist in
the field of science and aerospace, has corrected this oversight
with “Strategic Air Command”—a handsome large book crammed
with exciting photographs and word portraits of the men, the
machines and the missions related to this powerful, dedicated major
combat command of the U. S. Air Force. Hunter traveled over
most of the globe and lived and flew missions with the men of
SAC to get this story.
Aside from the fairly well known role of SAC’s big bombers,
the jet B-52s, B-58s and the older B-47s, and their aerial tanker
teams, the KC-135s and KC-97s—the all important maintenance
men, the world-wide dispersal at bases in Europe, Africa, Alaska
and the Far East—this book covers in detail the rapid mix of
missiles, particularly ICBMs, into the aerospace counterforce of
this strong air arm. This includes Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, Hound
Dog, Quail and even Snark, with some of the best photos ever
taken of these missiles, their associated ground equipment and the
men responsible for their combat performance.
The book is well organized for readability as it covers the
complete SAC story in the command’s growth to its present position
of strength and hope for freedom-loving people. It includes the
background that led to the jets and missiles in the SAC inventory;
description of a tanker operation (B-52 and KC-135) from start
to finish; a visit to SAC’s Command Post several stories beneath
the earth at Omaha; airborne and ground alerts which lead to end-
less practice bombing missions; “big ears”—the far off radar in-
stallations; the SAC mission in Spain and the United Kingdom;
the B-58 Hustler, newest bomber in the arsenal, which in February
of this year earned the coveted Thompson Trophy for a new world’s
speed record of 1284 miles per hour (the B-58 holds six additional
speed records); and even a look into the future to the B-70 Mach
3 Valkyrie bomber and the Dyna-Soar space project.
This book should be coveted not only by SAC men but also by
all individuals of the Air Force family. It includes a foreword by
Gen. Thomas S. Power, Commander in Chief of SAC.
★ A -jir
Education Aids Services
Membership in the Armed Forces no longer is an automatic
road block to aspirations for a higher education, and the service-
man’s oath to defend his country no longer cancels out his chances
for a college diploma.
It might have been largely true 15 years ago, say two deans of
the University of Maryland’s University College, Drs. Ralph J.
Klein and Stanley J. Drazek. But today, they point out, more than
250 American universities and colleges offer off-duty, classroom-
type courses at military installations or on their regular campuses
which are within commuting distance.
Nor is the serviceman or woman stationed overseas forgotten.
In nearly every area of the free world, through University Col-
lege, the University of Maryland operates in cooperation with
the services. In the Caribbealn theater, courses are offerd by
Florida State University.
At some 200 teaching centers in 22 countries on four continents,
as well as at military installations in Maryland and the District of
Columbia, University College today offers undergraduate, resident
credit courses, says its Assistant Dean, Dr. Klein.
Each year, he adds, more than 20,000 overseas students in uni-
form enroll in courses in such subject fields as business admin-
istration, philosophy, foreign languages, history, psychology, math-
ematics, speech and education. Courses which require extensive
laboratory facilities are not offered overseas.
“University of Maryland teachers and students have clad them-
selves in fur-lined parkas to attend classes at Air Force bases
in Greenland,” says Dr. Drazek, University College Associate Dean.
“American history has been taught to Army and Air Force
students in West Berlin, 110 miles behind the Iron Curtain. On
the other side of the world, in Korea, similar courses are being
offered just south of the 38th parallel.”
Dr. Klein and Dr. Drazek, who have a combined 23 years of
educational experience with members of the Armed Forces, think
the thousands of service people who enroll for courses are motivated
by a desire for increased knowledge for cultural, occupational or
military self-improvement.
Another objective, they say, may be to work for a degree.
A third motive is to prepare themselves for post-retirement careers.
“Quite often all three goals may play an important role in an
individual’s misd,” says Dr. Klein. “And frequently an immediate
goal may develop into a long-range program.”
(This is another of a series of
articles telling the story of the
U. S. Air Force Academy. This
week we are using it for this
column. Editor.)
Flying training motivates and
prepares the cadet for his career
in the Aerospace Age. An im-
portant revision of the AF Aca-
demy curriculum in 1960 elimin-
ated full-scale navigator training
beginning with the Class of 1962,
and substituted pilot and naviga-
tor indoctrination and an expand-
ed space technology program.
Command training is a more
intangible item. The tenets of
this program are not limited to
any specific area of training but
pervade the many activities of
the Academy.
Through their membership in
the Cadet Wing, all cadets ex-
perience realistically a four-year
laboratory in command and lead-
ership. As members of the fourth
class (freshman), cadets have
simple individual responsibilities
in the Wing. In initial basic cadet
summer training they are pre-
pared mentally and physically for
the four-year course ahead.
This period includes a rigorous
week of survival training and in-
tensive . military training and
physical conditioning. Upperclass-
men serve as instructors through-
out the summer training, exer-
cising the command authority they
have developed during their own
rise through the echelons of cadet
responsibility.
Cadets, as they gain maturity,
have more and more complex wing
duties, until as First Classmen
they may reach the most respons-
ible posts available to them as
cadets, including that of Wing
Commander, with the rank of
Cadet Colonel.
The Air Force needs mature,
well trained, well disciplined of-
ficers to direct the mission of
the Air Force in the Aerospace
Age. Academy officials are con-
fident that its graduates will be-
come this type of officer, pre-
pared to accept the trust, and
doing their utmost to guarantee
the security which this nation
must achieve." The Airmanship
Program, with its lessons well
learned, is a key to their future
development.
Stay On Sidewalk
Roller skates, toy wagons and
scooters, are all sidewalk vehicles
—so boys and girls, don’t play
with them in the street.
Cars may not be able to stop
in time, and some drivers might
not see you in the street. For
safety’s sake, keep away from
traffic.
You’ll have a lot more fun
without accidents. Keep roller
skaters, wagons and scooters on
the sidewalk.
THE WHITE FALCON
Col. Benjamin G. Willis, USAF
Commander, Air Forces Iceland
The WHITE FALCON is an official Class II Armed Forces newspaper published weekly at
Keflavik Airport, Iceland by Air Forces Iceland of the Military Air Transport Service for
all contingents stationed at Keflavik Airport. The WHITE FALCON receives AFPS and
AFNS materials. Views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the
Department of Defense.
Information Officer................Capt. Warren J. Papin, USAF
Editor .............................. TSgt Wylie Mason, USAF
Isafoldarp.-entsmlOJa h.f.
Aerospace Power for
*Air fo*c
Budget Changes AF Projects
President Kennedy’s readjusted defense budget that wss pre-
sented to Congress on March 28 increases some Air Force pro-
jects and decreases others.
Overall, it increases new obligational authority of the Army
by $50 million, Navy by nearly $1.5 billion, and Air Force by
$373 million.
Getting additional budgetary support were the following pro-
grams: SKYBOLT, MINUTEMAN, AIR ALERT, GROUND AL-
ERT, AIR DEFENSE, MIDAS, COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS,
DISCOVERER, DYNA-SOAR and non-nuclear weapon improve-
ment of the F-105.
Being decreased were: the B-47 bomber, the TITAN II missile,
the SNARK airbreathing missile, the B-70, and the nuclear plane
project. ^
* * *
The President cited the MINUTEMAN, with its hardened silo
site and railway car flexibility, as playing a major role in our
deterrent force. He recommended improved design changes to im-
prove this solid-fuel missile, a generous allotment for practice
firings, and doubling of production. “Together, these recommenda-
tions for MINUTEMAN will require the addition of $96 million
in new obligational authority to the January budget estimate,” the
presidential message to Congress said.
Mr. Kennedy recommended $50 million in new funding over
the FY 62 budget for the bomber-carried SKYBOLT missile, say-
ing “Its successful development and production may extend the
useful life of our bombers into the missile age—and its range is
far superior to the present HOUND DOG missiles.”
* * *
“I am asking for the funds to continue the present level of
indoctrination training flights, and to complete the stand-by capa-
city and materials needed to place one-eighth of our entire heavy
bomber force on airborne alert at any time,” said the President.
Also stressing that ground alert has a high degree of reliability,
the chief executive said, “I therefore recommend that the proportion
of our B-52 and B-47 forces on ground alert should be increased
until about half of our total force is on alert.” He requested $45
million in new money to finance the alert forces.
President Kennedy said BMEWS and the MIDAS system
would provide about 30 minutes warning by detecting missiles
immediately after launching and requested $60 million in additional
funds to accelerate completion of the development phase of the
MIDAS program for an earlier operational target date.
* * *
“The invulnerable and continous command posts and com-
munications centers provided in these recommendations (requiring
an additional $16 million in new obligation authority) are only the
beginning of a major but absolutely vital effort to achieve a truly
unified, nation-wide, indestructible system to insure high-level com-
mand, communication and control and a properly authorized re-
sponse under any conditions.”
“There are a number of other space and research programs
related to our strategic and continental air defense forces which
I find require additional support. These include missile defense and
penetration aids, Dyna-Soar, Advent, Defender, Discoverer and
certain other programs. An additional $226 million in new obliga-
tional authority is requested to finance them.”
* * *
On F-105s, the President’s new budget request to Congress
said, “I am recommending $25 million in new obligational authority
for the modification of the F-105 tactical fighter to improve its
capability to handle conventionally armed ordnance items, and to
increase its suitability for airstrips of all types of areas.”
“Expected phase-out of Navy and Air Force fighters by 1965,
together with reduced numbers and increasing obsolescence of the
remaining aircraft, make necessary the development of an advanced
tactical fighter emphasizing non-nuclear capabilities. I am re-
questing $45 million in new obligational authority for this purpose.”
Mr. Kennedy said “A total of 129 new, longer range, modern
airlift aircraft will be procured through fiscal year 1962, compared
with the 50 previously programmed. An additional $172 million new
obligational authority will be required in the 1962 budget to finance
this expanded program.” But he mentioned, however, that contracts
for the new C-141 transport already had been included in the
January budget and would not require extra funding.
* * *
Mr. Kennedy said the planned phase-out of a number of B-47
wings would be accelerated promptly to save $35 million, adding the
phase-out of the SNARK would save another $7 million.
“In view of the extremely high cost of the B-70 system, its
lesser survivability as a ground-based system and its greater
vulnerability in the air compared to missiles, its capabilities as a
second strike system do not appear to have sufficient advantages
over a much less expensive missile, or even a B-52 or successor
bomber equipped with SKYBOLT, to justify a request in fiscal
1962 for $358 million.”
Mr. Kennedy mentioned uncertainties about the missile force
and certain inherent advantages held over missiles by manned
bombers. He commented, “To preserve the option of devloping this
manned bomber weapon system, if we should later determine such
a system is required, I recommend that the B-70 program be car-
ried forward essentially to explore the problems of flying at three
times the speed of sound with an airframe potentially useful as a
bomber, with the development of a small number of prototype air-
craft and related bomb-navigation systems.”
He said the B-70 project would be funded at $220 million, $138
million less than requested in the January budget.
Peace Through Deterrence