Offutt air force base, strategic air command headquarters. Sac had been started two years earlier, and was supposed to be americas nuclear punch, which would so terrify the russians or anyone else, that they would never even think of attacking the u. This situation began to change in the mid1950s as the soviet union began to build up its longrange bomber force and to develop intercontinental ballistic. Sac history this section is still under development. Media in category strategic air command the following 26 files are in this category, out of 26 total. Sac was the operational establishment in charge of americas landbased strategic bomber aircraft and landbased intercontinental ballistic missile icbm strategic nuclear. All are by the office of the historian, strategic air command. He also shared the history of the strategic air command sac, which controlled strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles during the cold war. In october 1997, the air weather service headquarters, scott afb, ill. Mar 06, 2020 it was delivered to the 96th bombardment group, heavy, strategic air command at dyess on 7 july 1985, and was retired after 17 years, 7 months, 23 days of service. Air force command charged with intercontinental air strikes, especially nuclear attacks. In december 2014, air force global strike command afgsc is recognizing the 70th anniversary of the continental air forces, the predecessor of strategic air command sac and todays afgsc. History of strategic air and ballistic missile defense, 19451955. By 1948, hardening western attitudes, the growth and forward deploy ments of the u.
Air force and as a major part of the nuclear deterrent against the soviet union between 1946 and 1992. Over its fortyyear life, over a million men served in it. This frame is made of mahogany colored wood and measures in total 6. The development of strategic air command, 19461981, provides a brief chronological account of the command s most significant activities and major contributions to the nations defense. This great heritage began with the construction of fort crook. Strategic air command archives this day in aviation. Headquartered first at andrews air force base in maryland and then, after november 1948, at offutt. Headquartered at offutt air force base, nebraska, usstratcom is responsible for strategic deterrence, global strike, and operating the defense departments global information grid. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. It pretty well covers the history of sac from beginning, through the glory days of the 50s and 60s, the air vietnam war, to sacs unfortunate demise in the early. Office of the historian, headquarters strategic air.
History strategic air command fiscal year 1969 historical study 116 vol. Fact sheet history of offutt air force base offutt has played a major role in american military history for more than a century. For the first time in the competitions history spare aircraft were pro hibited. Air defense command, established in march 1946, through the continental air command december 1948 to a continental air defense command in september 1954. The development of strategic air command, 19461981, provides a brief chronological account of the commands most significant activities and major contributions to the nations defense. Power, a program was initiated to memorialize strategic air command combat crew personnel who were killed in the performance of their flying mission. United states strategic command usstratcom is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the united states department of defense. To commemorate this, the command history office is republishing a series of stories detailing the first 20 years of sac. General curtis lemay, who took over command in october 1948, made the bombing competition an annual affair with on the spot promotions for successful crews. Dutch holland and june allyson as his wife sally also starring in the motion picture were frank lovejoy and harry morgan. Strategic air command sac was both a department of defense specified command and a united states air force usaf major command majcom responsible for cold war command and control of two of the three components of the u. Strategic air command declassifies nuclear target list from 1950s. Strategic air command began alert operations thirty years ago. How the strategic air command would go to nuclear war.
General horner, the coalition forces air component commander during operation desert storm, ar. Strategic air command, the 1955 paramount pictures motion. Air force special film project 1236, sac command post is available for free download at the internet archive. Air command accelerated soviet efforts for defense. History strategic air command fiscal year 1969 historical. To commemorate this, the command history office is republishing a. A brief history throughout most of its first decade, strategic air command operated from safe sanctuaries located in the united states. The strategic air forces of the united states during world war ii included general carl spaatzs european command, united states strategic air forces in europe usstaf, consisting of the 8af and 15af, and the united states strategic air forces in the pacific usastaf and its twentieth air force 20af. List of commandersinchief of the strategic air command.
Air force base south of omaha, adjacent to bellevue in sarpy county, nebraska. Center for military history and strategic analysis at the virginia military institute. Military history often concerns itself with the interaction of great events and. The development of strategic air command 19461981 a. Since that time, thousands of dedicated aircrews, missiliers, maintenance specialists, and support personnel have worked diligently to give the nation a credible deterrent force. With the end of fighting in the korean war, president eisenhower, who had taken office in january 1953, called for a new look at national defense. Strategic air command veteran bruce blair takes the story in to the 1970s, with an extraordinary account, based on personal experience, of how sac would have carried out its. There were many individuals who distinguished themselves. Strategic command is one of eleven unified commands under the department of defense dod. The deterrent force was in this sense beyond question. Air force general curtis lemay was summoned back from germany, where he was in charge of the berlin airlift, which provided criticial provisions to germans during the soviet blockade, to take charge of the strategic air command, which would become known simply by its acronym, sac.
On may 29,1960, the windows were dedicated and the chapel was designated the sac memorial chapel. Col dutch hollands flight time in the b36 peacemaker and b47 stratojet. History of the strategic air command, 1 january 1958 30 june 1958. Hopkins on how the strategic air command would have gone to nuclear war provided incredible detail on sac procedures during the 1960s. This edition differs slightly from the 1976 version in the coverage of the first 30 years of the commands existence. It was the first of four hollywood films that depicted the role of the strategic air command in the cold war era. They flew many aircraft, had access to many weapons and were stationed at many bases. Strategic command and control and warning 19451972 479 pages pdf while very much not light reading very academic, this document gives a very indepth look at how the air force and nuclear forces evolved during the cold war. Second, eighth, fifteenth, and sixteenth air forces and sev entytwo divisions and wings in the strategic air command.
Strategic air command 19461992 was established as a major command of the united states air force in the aftermath of world war ii on 21 march 1946. This is a history of strategic air commands role in the cuban crisis of october and november 1962. The development of strategic air command, 19461986 the. The commanderinchief, strategic air command cincsac was the most senior officer and head of the strategic air command sac. Im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. The development of the strategic air command, 19461986. Commander in chief, strategic air command cincsac, but targets in south. As the air force activates air force global strike command, a brandnew major command committed solely to the nuclear deterrence mission, 20th air force and the icbm mission will transfer from air force space command to afgsc. Meilinger, usaf, retired w hen the soviets blockaded berlin in june 1948 and war seemed imminent, the joint chiefs of staff asked the commander of strategic air command sac, gen george kenney, to brief them on his units readiness. The mission of the strategic air command provides the themes for the stained glass windows. Home world war ii operational documents strategic air war against germany, 19391945. The strategic air command sac was both a major command in the united states air force and a specified command in the united states department of defense.
Strategic air command in the united kingdom wikipedia. Strategic air command, the 1955 movie from paramount pictures, starring jimmy stewart and june allyson and lt. The prestige of the strategic air command bespoke assurance that whatever the numbers of personnel and aircraft, if determination and training could deliver the atomic blow, the threat of atomic retaliation was real. Strategic air command sac was both a united states department of defense dod. Strategic command usstratcom, the 557th weather wing, and the 55th wing 55 wg of the air combat command acc, the latter serving as the host unit. In 1948, the continental air command assumed control over air defense, tactical air, and air reserve forces. In november of 1958, at the suggestion of the commander in chief, general thomas s. The development of strategic air command, 19461976 dtic. Power, a program was initiated to memorialize strategic air command combat crew personnel who. The history of the unified command plan, 19462012, covers the formulation of the. History unified command plan joint chiefs of staff. Strategic air command united states air force britannica. Most b36 peacemaker fans know the classic film strategic air command, the 1955 paramount pictures movie starring james stewart as lt. History of the strategic air command, 1 january 1958.
Dec 20, 2011 the prestige of the strategic air command bespoke assurance that whatever the numbers of personnel and aircraft, if determination and training could deliver the atomic blow, the threat of atomic retaliation was real. A new era in air power history began on 1 june 1992, when the air force reorganized by inactivating mac and the strategic air command sac and formed from the elements of these two historic organizations the air mobility command amc. Sac was the operational establishment in charge of americas landbased strategic bomber aircraft and landbased. Strategic air command is a 1955 american military aviation film starring james stewart and june allyson, directed by anthony mann, and released by paramount pictures. Sac had numerous exercises, operations, and command controls. Strategic air ballistic missile defense center of military history. Strategic air command was established to deter communist aggression, prevent nuclear warfare, and wage the cold war. Strategic air command declassifies nuclear target list. For afspc, the pride shared today in the heritage and rich history of the icbm mission. It was delivered to the 96th bombardment group, heavy, strategic air command at dyess on 7 july 1985, and was retired after 17 years, 7 months, 23 days of service. Strategic air command b29s began deploying to europe on a regular basis during 1947, and during that year, nine aircraft of the 97th bomb group were based at giebelstadt army airfield. Alert operations and the strategic air command, 19571991. Icbm timeline national museum of the united states air force.
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