The SAC ACCA Flyer Strategic Air Command

Airborne Command Control Association

Recording, Preserving and Celebrating the Legacy of PACCS

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Folded Wings

Maj. Gerald Acheson

July 13, 2005

Volume XIII, Issue 3 October 2007

PACCS MEMORIAL

Jack Suggs, SAC ACCA’s President Emeritus, has recommended that a com-mittee be appointed to evaluate the cost and time of developing a memorial to recognize those members of the Strategic Air Command who operated and maintained the Post Attack Command Control System (PACCS). Jack noted that “our groups’ ages cover a span of around thirty years of military application against strong and dangerous military opponents in the communist world” and that such a project would be an ex-cellent way for all members to participate jointly. It would honor those who served as crew members, battle staff or support per-sonnel. He also indicated that this could be “one final positive action that will last much

longer than after we are gone.” The Board unanimously agrees and has appointed a Memorial Study Group naming Fred Kemp (Chairman), Steve Leazer and Jack Suggs. Thanks to information shared by Ron Resh, Project Coordinator of the SAC Memorial being dedicated next spring, as well as contact with Sarah Parke, Public Affairs Specialist at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF), spe-cifics detailing Memorial Park procedures

Please see PACCS Memorial on Page 3 Please see Reunion on Page 6

DAYTON REUNION 2008 By Jim Dart

It’s only a year until our next reunion and things are well on the way to making this an event to remember. You can tour the museum, visit with friends, spend a night at a dinner theatre, and as always, enjoy each others company. Our reunion consists of a variety of events which center on a day of touring at

the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The museum does not have an EC-135 but is planning to open its EC-121 for us to tour prior to the museum opening to the public that day. SAC ACCA has a block of thirty (30) rooms set aside for the reunion at a cost of $80.00 per night. Now is the time to call and make your reservation. Our accommo-dations will be at the Doubletree Hotel lo-cated at 11 South Ludlow Street, Dayton,

FOLDED WINGS

CMS William R. Elia

17 August 2007

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This newsletter is published three times per year by the

Strategic Air Command, Airborne Command Control

Association (SAC ACCA) and is free to Association

members.

Information, general correspondence, changes of

mailing address, newsletter articles or recommendations

to:

SAC ACCA

c/o Wilton Curtis, Secretary

2319 Pleasant Run Dr.

Richmond, VA 23238-3026

Renewals & New Membership to:

SAC ACCA

c/o George Birch, Treasurer

2031 W. Placita de Enero

Green Valley, AZ 85614-5433

2006 — 2008

Board of Directors

President Jim Kroskey ctr93889@centurytel.net

Vice President Jim Dart abncp@earthlink.net

Treasurer George Birch gebirch@aol.com

Secretary Wilton Curtis wcurtis135@aol.com

President Emeritus Jack Suggs

Appointed Officers

Historian Greg Ogletree

Reunion 2008 Rick Cabeen

Planners Jim Dart PACCS Memorial Fred Kemp

Study Group Steve Leazer Jack Suggs

Reunion Site/Date

“GLASS” MEMORY By Rick Stone

In early July, while watching fireworks, someone asked me if they would look the same from the other side. It brought back memories of flying the “Two” Glass on the 4th of July. I guess I must have done it more than once. About 2030L, we’d transition over to Hills-boro and fly all the way over to the edge of KY-3 coverage. Then, we’d get the Nav to start

a more or less north to south zigzag while slowly moving to the west. We’d take turns crowding around the windows to watch the fireworks’ displays in every small town in Iowa and northern Missouri. The zigzag would keep us moving along with the onset of local dark-ness and every little town would start their fireworks at a different time. When it was time, we’d transition back to Fairview and keep up the pattern until we were relieved. We didn’t even care a lot if they were a few minutes late taking off. The view was fantastic and continued for much more than an hour. So, I was pretty confident in my answer. Yes, fireworks look good from about every di-rection.

*****

PLEASE CONSIDER WRITING A STORY FOR THE FLYER. IF WE ARE

TO CONTINUE TO RECORD AND TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF

PACCS, IT WILL BEST COME FROM MEMBERS’ RECOLLECTIONS AND MEMORIES OF THEIR VARIOUS

EXPERIENCES.

(Editor’s Comment: Thanks to Rick Stone for providing the recollection printed above.)

and policies have been obtained. The committee has already learned that the NMUSAF has run out of room for the placement of large-type memorials ($25,000) until they can expand which may not occur for at least a couple of years. Current place-ments are limited to either a wall-mounted bronze plaque or a granite memorial bench. The plaque must be made of bronze and

measure 12” long by 10” high and ½” thick. The color, lettering, beveling, anchoring bolts and mineral content of the bronze are all spelled out in detail. It would be placed on an existing wall in the Memorial Park designed to hold a total of 128 plaques. There are ap-proximately 75 spaces currently remaining and cost around $1,500-$2,000. Plaques are mounted in the next available position. The size of a bench measures 54” x 14” x 4” with a single leg whose dimensions are 46” x 8” x 14”. The cost ranges from $3,500 - $6,000 and may be even higher depending on the inclusion of pictures, lettering and en-graving. The bench’s material must be granite and one of these types: Barre Gray, American Black, Impala Black or India Black. In addition to the costs noted above, a Me-morial Park Maintenance/Perpetual Care Fee must also be paid. This cost varies with the type of memorial and would be approximately $500 for a bench.

For this proposal to be successful the Study Group needs your input! Many ques-tions arise such as do you support the pro-ject, what kind of design would you like to see and how much expense should be consid-ered? Your ideas and suggestions will play a significant role in guiding the committee. Moving this forward is going to require a con-certed effort on the part of the entire member-ship. To view existing memorials in the park and

to obtain further information, visit their web-site at:

www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/exhibits/memorial/index.asp.

The need for input from members can-not be emphasized enough! Especially im-portant is the issue of timing. Considering the advanced age of a number of our mem-bers, the next reunion now only one year away and visits to the Museum figuring

prominently in the scheduled activities, might this be the best time for dedicating a memorial to preserving the legacy of PACCS? If the Association decides to go with a plaque or a bench, your suggestions on art work and wording would be most helpful. Please make every effort to either email or U.S. mail your recommendations and ideas as soon as possible to the committee at:

PACCS Memorial Study Group Fred Kemp, Chairman 2356 S. Orchard View Dr. Green Valley, AZ 85614-1400

or

fkemp8367@aol.com

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PACCS Memorial from Page 1

SAC REUNION 2008

Holiday Inn Dayton/Fairborn, Ohio

April 30- May 4, 2008

Dedication of the SAC Memorial on Friday, May 2, 2008 at the National

Museum of the Air Force.

For more information, contact:

Toby Romero at: jtrome-25@excite.com

1-866-260-9302 (Outside AZ) 1-520-203-8809 (Within AZ)

USAF ANNIVERSARY

On September 18, 2007, the 110th Con-gress of the United States passed Concur-rent Resolution H. CON. Res. 207 stating, in part, “That Congress remembers, honors, and commends the achievements of the United States Air Force on the 60th anniver-sary of the creation of the United States Air Force as an independent service.”

In commemoration, a wreath was laid at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia by Secretary of the Air Force, Michael W. Wynne, Chief of Staff General T. Michael Moseley and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Rodney J. McKinley. The memo-rial sits atop a small hill adjacent to Arling-ton National Cemetery.

(From Air Force Link website)

PASSING OF CINCSAC

General Russell E. Dougherty, USAF (Ret.), a former Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command from 1 August 1974 to 31 July 1977, died September 7, 2007 at his home in Potomac Falls, Virginia. He was one of SAC’s most respected and beloved commanders. As CINCSAC, Gen. Dougherty “oversaw

the most lethal nuclear arsenal in the world, including bombers, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft and intercontinental ballistic mis-siles. He was considered an airpower vision-ary and served on various government and commercial defense-related boards after re-tiring from the Air Force.”

(From Press Releases, AFA website.)

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***REMINDER*** ASSOCIATIONAL DUES COVER THE PE-RIOD OF 1 JANUARY - 31 DECEMBER AND ARE DUE ON THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY OF EACH YEAR. TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE CURRENT, SIMPLY CHECK THE YEAR FOUND IN PARENTHESES ON YOUR MAIL-ING LABEL. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT YOU COM-PLETE THE ANNUAL DUES FORM EACH

TIME YOU RENEW. JUST MAILING A PER-SONNAL CHECK DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE UPDATING OF PERTINENT INFORMA-TION SUCH AS PERMISSION TO RELEASE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE NOTIFY THE ASSOCIATION’S OFFICERS OF ANY CHANGES, SUCH AS YOUR U.S. OR EMAIL ADDRESS, AS THEY OCCUR. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WHO RENEW SEVERAL YEARS IN ADVANCE.

SALUTING THE FLAG Senate Bill S.1877 was passed by unani-mous consent on July 25, 2007. It clarifies U.S. law to allow veterans and servicemen not in uniform to salute the flag. The sponsor of the bill, U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (Oklahoma) said “ the salute is a form of honor and respect, representing pride in one’s military service. Veterans and service members continue representing the military

services even when not in uniform… I look forward to seeing those who have served sa-luting proudly at baseball games, parades and formal events. I believe this is an appro-priate way to honor and recognize the 25 million veterans in the United States who have served in the military and remain as role models to other citizens.” The bill has been sent to the House Judi-ciary Committee for consideration. As of Oc-tober 8, it has yet to be reviewed.

(From AFA.ORG)

SAC ACCA & P-51’s By Wilton Curtis

Based on the title, I’m sure your first thought is what does the most famous fighter of WWII have to do with the Association? The answer, of course, is nothing except for those members who served in WWII and/or the Ko-rean War and may have once been associated with the airplane. My only purpose in tying the two together was to simply relate that while attending the “Gathering of Mustangs and Legends” Air Show at Rickenbacker Field near Columbus, Ohio on September 28-29, several people asked me the meaning of the SAC ACCA logo on the cap I was wearing. This provided an excellent opportunity to acquaint those folks with the PACCS program and the crucial role

it played during the Cold War. The Air Show

represented one of the largest gatherings of these unique aircraft since WWII with more than 75 of them parked on the tarmac along with AT-6’s P-38’s, P-40’s, P-47’s, a B-17, B-25 and a British Lancaster Bomber.

Also present were the Thunderbirds, an F-15, F-16, F-22, C-130, C-17, C-5A and best of all, a B-52H. The large variety of aircraft present made my four-day round-trip of 900 miles from Virginia, well worthwhile. I related some history of the field when it was known as Lockbourne Air Force Base to a few of the spectators sitting nearby. Two radio-relay aircraft that were used to help maintain the early years of the PACCS East Link, PINCHER 13 and PINCHER 14 (EB-47L’s and later KC-135A models), flew from there. How-ever, what surprised me the most was climb-ing aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker parked on static display and chatting with an Air Force Reserve crewmember who said he had never heard of LOOKING GLASS! Interestingly, while moving about the ex-hibits, I met Sarah Parke, Public Affairs Spe-cialist at the National Museum of the Air Force, who was manning a booth. Due to the crowd, we only had a brief chat but she re-called the SAC ACCA Study Group’s inquiries concerning the Memorial Park and noted her ready willingness to assist the Association.

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“Gathering of Mustangs” Air Show, Rickenbacker Field, Ohio September 2007

Ohio, 45402. You can call (937) 461-4700 or(800) 222-TREE (toll free) to make your res-ervation. Please remember to tell them your group code is “SAC.”

Printed below is a distillation of the reun-ion events. It is a summary of the planned e-vents and the anticipated times of execution.

******

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Wednesday, October 15 1000-1700 Reunion registration 1800-1900 Social Meet & Greet, Heavy

Hors D’ oeuvres Thursday, October 16 0900-1000 EC-121 opening & tour prior to the regular museum opening 1000-1500 Museum touring (Lunch on your own @ the museum) 1500-1700 Presidential and Research & Development Flight Tour 1800-2000 Buffet dinner at the hotel Friday, October 17 0900-1100 Carillon Historical Park 1110-1230 Lunch at Engineer’s Club 1230-1530 City Tour 1530-1600 Esther Price Chocolate & Souvenir Shop 1700-2000 LaComedia Dinner Theatre, “The Full Monty” Saturday, October 18 0900-1200 Business Meeting 1800 Banquet at Wright -Patterson AFB Club with Air Force Color Guard & Ensemble (Depending on members’ input, this day’s schedule may be revised to include the dedication of a PACCS Memorial) Sunday, October 19 0900 Memorial Service

Reunion from page 1

SAC Airborne Command Control Association

2008 REUNION

Registration Form

(Dayton, Ohio: October 15-19, 2008)

Attendee Name(s) _______________________________________________________________________ (List all attendees: member, spouse, guest)

Address: _______________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ________________________________________________ Telephone No: _________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

To obtain a reservation at the Doubletree Hotel-Downtown, 11 South Ludlow Street, Dayton,

Ohio 45402, telephone (937) 461-4700 or (800) 222-TREE. The cost for a room is $80.00 per night. Be

sure to tell them your group code. It is “SAC.” There are thirty rooms reserved at this price.

Registration must be received by September 15, 2008. NO EXCEPTIONS! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Event Date Event No. of Persons Cost Each Total

Weds, Oct 15 Registration Fee (Each ________ x $15.00 ___________ person must pay)

Transportation Costs ________ x $54.00 ___________

(Bus three days/tour guide)

Thurs, Oct 16 Buffet dinner at hotel ________ x $30.00 ___________

Fri, Oct 17 Carillon Historical Park ________ x $8.00 ___________

Lunch at Engineers Club ________ x $24.00 ___________

LaComedia Dinner Theatre ________ x $35.00 ___________

Sat, Oct 18 Dinner at the Wright- ________ x $22.00 ___________

Patterson AFB Club

Note: Dress code is jacket and tie.

TOTAL AMOUNT FOR ALL EVENTS SELECTED ____________

Mail Registration Form to:

SAC ACCA

George Birch, Treasurer

2031 W. Placita de Enero

Green Valley, AZ 85614-2542

Aircraft 61-0262. Assigned to Westover A.F.B. 1 Jan 65 as an EC-135A (8AF AUXCP-GRAYSON). Now on static display at the South Dakota Air & Space Museum at Ellsworth AFB, S.D.

SAC Airborne Command Control Association Wilton O. Curtis, Secretary 2319 Pleasant Run Drive

Richmond, Virginia 23238-3026

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED