Whiteman AFB Cold War Study

8/3/2019 Whiteman AFB Cold War Study

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A SYSTEMIC STUDY OF AIR COMBAT COMMANDCOLD WAR MATERIAL CULTURE

VOLUME 11-27:A BASELINE INVENTORY OF COLD WARMATERIAL CULTURE AT WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE

for

Prepared forHeadquarters, Air Combat CommandLangley Air Force Base, Virginia

Prepared byPatience Elizabeth PattersonDavid P. StaleyKatherine J.Roxlau

Mariah Associates, Inc.Albuquerque, New MexicoMAl Project 735-15

UnderContract DACA 63-92-D-OOll

United States Army Corps of EngineersFort Worth District

August 1997

United States Air ForceAir Combat Command


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LIST OF ACRONYMS

AAF - Army Air FieldAAFBU - Army Air Force Base Unit

ABS - Air Base SquadronACC - Air Combat CommandACHP - Advisory Council on Historic PreservationAFB - Air Force BaseAGE - Air Ground EquipmentAMC - Air Materiel Command

AMMS - Airborne Missile Maintenance SquadronAMS - Avionics Maintenance SquadronBMW - Bombardment WingBW - Bomb WingCEBMCO - Corps of Engineers, Ballistic Missile Construction OfficeCES - Civil Engineering Squadron

CINCSAC - Commander in Chief of Strategic Air CommandDoD - Department of DefenseERCS - Emergency Rocket Communication SystemFMS - Field Maintenance SquadronFTD - Field Training DetachmentFW - Fighter Wing

HABS - Historic American Buildings SurveyHICS - Hardened Intersite Cable SystemICBM - Intercontinental Ballistic MissileLCC - Launch Control CenterLCF - Launch Control FacilityLF - Launch Facility

MAC - Military Airlift CommandMANG - Missouri Air National GuardMariah - Mariah Associates, Inc.MMS - Munitions Maintenance SquadronMW - Missile WingNCO ., Noncommissioned OfficerNHPA - National Historic Preservation ActNPS - National Park Service

NRHP - NationalRegister ofHistoricPlaces .NSC - National Security CouncilOCONUS - Off the Continental United States

OMS - Organizational Maintenance SquadronPACCS - Post-Attack Command and Control SystemPME - Precision Measurement Equipment

RAPCON - Radar Approach Control Center


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GLOSSARY

Anti-Ballistic Missile Protocol - signed in 1974, this agreement amends the Strategic ArmsLimitation Treaty I by reducing the number of anti-ballistic missile systems deployed by theUnited States and the Soviet Union to one each.

Defense Triad - a group of three weapons systems that was viewed by President Eisenhower at theend of the 1950s as the basis for stable deterrence between the United States and the SovietUnion. The weapons systems included the B-52 bomber, the Polaris submarine launchedballistic missile, and the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile.

Emergency Rocket Communication System - a specially equipped missile that transmitsemergency messages from the National Command Authorities to sites where nuclearweapons are deployed. The missiles carry radio transmitters rather than nuclear payloads.This system was developed as a back-up means of sending messages to United Statesmissile installations and bomber bases.

Historic American Buildings Survey - a division 'of the National Park Service, this officeprovides documentation of historically significant buildings, structures, sites, or objects.Documentation includes measured drawings, perspective corrected photographs, a writtenhistory, and field documentation.

Killian Report - (also known as the Surprise Attack Study) a list of recommendations presented tothe National Security Council for building the U.S. military. It contains recommendationsfor research and development of new technologies, including long-range nuclear missiles,dispersal of the country's existing bomber force, and development of early warning radarsystems.

Legacy Program - a preservation program developed by the Department of Defense to identify andconserve irreplaceable biological, cultural, and geophysical resources, and to determine howto better integrate the conservation 'of these resources with the dynamic requirements ofmilitary missions.

Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty - a multilateral agreement signed by over 100 nations. Thetreaty prohibits nuclear testing underwater, in the atmosphere, and in outer space. It doesnot prohibit underground testing. The Treaty, signed in 1963, aimed to reduce.environmental damage caused by nuclear testing. .

National Emergency War Order - the war plan kept by the President and other nationalcommand authorities that directs the function of individual military bases should thenation go to war.


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GLOSSARY (Continued)

National Register of Historic Places - a listing, maintained by the Keeper of the Register underthe Secretary of the Interior, of historicbuildings, districts, landscapes, sites, and objects.Section 106 - a review process in the National Historic Preservation Act by which effects of anundertaking on a historic or potentially historic property are evaluated.Section 110 - a requirement in the National Historic Preservation Act that all Federal agencieslocate, identify, inventory, and nominate to the Secretary of Interior all properties, owned orunder control of the agency, that appear to qualify for inclusion in the National Register ofHistoric Places.Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty I - signed in 1972,this was the first treaty to actually limit thenumber of nuclear weapons deployed. Anti-ballistic missile systems and strategic missilelaunchers were the weapons systems limited in this agreement.

"trategic Arms Limitation Treaty II - developed ill 1979, this treaty further limited the number ofnuclear weapons deployed by each sideby setting numerically equal limits. The treaty alsoaddresses modernization of systems for the first time, allowing development of only onenew intercontinental ballistic missile. Though this agreement was not signed, due todeteriorization of United States and Soviet Union relations in the late 1970s, both sidesagreed to abide by its terms.Strategic Arms Reduction Talks - a series of negotiations in 1982 and 1983 between the UnitedStates and the Soviet Union that sought to reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons.No agreement was ever reached, primarily because neither side could agree on whichweapons to reduce. The SovietUnion walked out of the negotiations after the United Statesbegan deploying Pershing II ballistic missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles in WesternEurope in December 1983.Vladivostok Accord - signed in 1974, this agreement set new limits on the number of nuclearweapons deployed by the United States and the Soviet Union. Unlike the Strategic ArmsLimitation Treaty I, this agreement set numerically equal limits on the number of nuclearweapons deployed by each side. Italso limited for the first time nuclear weapons equippedwithmore than one warhead.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MANAGEMENT SUMMARY iLIST OF ACRONYMS . iiGLOSSARY ~ iv1.0 INTRODUCTION 12.0 BASE DESCRIPTION 4

2.1 CURRENT BASE MISSION 42.2 GEOGRAPIllC DESCRIPTION.......................................................................................... 52.3 CURRENT BASE LAYOUT 72.4 BASE LAND USE 10

3.0 IllSTORICAL OVERVIEW 143.1 BASE IllS TORY AND COLD WAR CONTEXT 143.2 BASEDEVELOPMENT 21

4.0 METHODOLOGY 274.1 INVENTORY 274.2 EVALUATION OF IMPORTANT RESOURCES 28

4.2.1 Documentation ~ 284.2.2 Evaluation ofltnportance 284.2.2.1 Cold War Context 284.2.2.2 NRHP Criteria, 294.2.2.3 Exceptionalltnportance 30

4.2.3 Evaluation ofIntegrity 304.2.4 Priority Matrix 314.2.5 Resource Organization 32

4.3 BASE SPECIFIC METHODS 325.0 RECONNAISSANCE INVENTORY RESULTS 356.0 'EVALUAti()N REStJLTS :::: 366.1 OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT INSTALLATIONS 36

6.1.1 Documentation 366.1.1.1 Documentary Collection 366.1.1.2 Documentary Collection 38

6.2 COMBAT WEAPONS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS 386.2.1 Alert Facilities 38


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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)

6.2.1.1 Bomber Alert Facility ; 386.2.2 Missiles 40

6.2.2.1 Missile Launch Control Facility 406.3 MATERIEL DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES 416.4 TRAININ"G FACILITIES 42

6.4.1 Missile Training 426.4.1.1 Missile Launch Facility Trainer 42

6.5 IN"TELLIGENCE FACILITIES ~ 437.0 UNDOCUMENTED RESOURCES 448.0 FUTURE THREATS TO RESOURCES 459.0 PRELIMIN"ARY RECOMMENDATIONS 46

9.1 NRHP ELIGIBILITY "469.1.1 Evaluation and Determination ofNRHP Eligibility 469.1.2 Implications ofNRHP Eligibility 48

9.2 EVALUATED RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS 509.2.1 Documentary Collection 509.2.2 Documentary Collection 529.2.3 Bomber Alert Facility 529.2.4 Missile Launch Control Facility 529.2.5 Missile Launch Facility Trainer : 53

10.0 REFERENCES CITED 54APPENDIX A: RECONNAISSANCE IN"VENTORYAPPENDIX B: BASE LAYOUT MAPS SHOWIN"G IN"VENTORIED RESOURCESAPPENDIX C: PHOTOGRAPHS OF IN"VENTORIED RESOURCESAPPENDIX D: DATA BASE DOCUMENTATION FOR EVALUATED RESOURCESAPPENDIX E: DETAILED RESOURCE CONTENTSAPPENDIX F: EXTANT SOURCES OF IN"FORMATION


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Figure 1.1Figure 2.1Figure 2.2Figure 2.3Figure 2.4Figure 2.5Figure 3.1Figure 3.2Figure 3.3Figure 3.4

Table 6.1Table 6.2Table 9.1

LIST OF FIGURES

PageBases Selected for the Air Combat Command Cold War Study...... .... ... .... ... .... .... .. 2Location of Whiteman Air Force Base...................................................................... 6Whiteman Air Force Base Layout............................................................................. 8Standard Strategic Air Command Base Layout........................................................ 9Whiteman Air Force Base Land Use Diagram : 12Standard Strategic Air Command Base Land Use Diagram 13Whiteman Air Force Base 1950-1960 22Whiteman Air Force Base 1960-1970 24Whiteman Air Force Base 1970-1980 ; 25Whiteman Air Force Base 1980-Present ; 26

LIST OF TABLES

Evaluated Resource Prioritization by Air Force Group and Subgroup 37Evaluated Resource Prioritization by Priority Rank 37Recommendations for Evaluated Resources 51


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1.0 INTRODUCTION

Mariah Associates, Inc. (Mariah), under contract with the United States Army Corps of Engineers,Fort Worth District, is conducting a reconnaissance inventory of Cold War material culture onselected Air Force bases throughout the continental United States and in Panama for the AirCombat Command (ACC) (Figure 1.1). As each base is inventoried, a report is completed. Onceall 27 bases in the study have been inventoried, -a fmal report will be compiled integrating allevaluated resources and assessing them for significance at the national level.

Prior to the initiation of base inventories, Mariah developed a historic.context for the ColdWar anda methodology for assessment of Cold War material culture (Lewis et al. 1995). The historiccontext sets the framework for developing individualbase Cold War contexts, evaluating resources,and defining significance, and the methodology defmes how to conduct the inventory andevaluation. Using the historic context, the methodology also defmes four temporal phases of theColdWar to aid in evaluating resources. The phases are delineated based on significant Cold Warevents and related developments in U.S. government policy and military strategy. The relationshipof resources to the phases helps to guide research efforts throughout the inventory, evaluation, andprioritization processes. The phases are as follows:

Phase I - July 1945to January 1953This phase begins with the explosion of the first experimental atomic bomb at Alamagordo,New Mexico. This event spurred-a period of intense technological experimentation. Thisphase, spanning' the Truman administration, represents the inception and perpetuation ofCold War propaganda that fueled fear and mistrust of the Soviet Union and significantlyaccelerated the nuclear arms race.-Phase II - January 1953to November 1963This phase begins with the Eisenhower administration and is characterized by a continuedmassing of nuclear and conventional forces and an associated explosion in defensetechnology. During this time, deterrence through intimidation was the driving force behindthe U.S. strategy. With the signing of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty by Kennedy,both superpowers leaned toward a more amiable co-existence, arid a condition of detentewas born. \


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Volume 11-27 : Wh ite m an A ir F orc e B ase 2

MCCONNELL(S AC )

L O R I N G( SAC)

.MOUNTAINH OM E (TAC) E LL SWO RT H (S AC )OFFUTI (SAC HQ).B EA LE (S AC )

C AS TLE (S AC ) NELLIS (TAC) WH I TEMAN

BARKSDALE(SAC)

S EY MO UR J OHNS ON .(TAC) POPE (M AC)SH AW (T AC )M OO DY (T AC )

CANNON(TAC) LlT ILE R OC K.(MAC)

KE YOCONUS

HOWARD (PANAMA) (TAC)( ) 1A0ST RECENT COIAIAAND PRIOR TO JUNE 1992

: W : AC e HEADQUARTERS

F ig ur e 1 .1 B ases Selected for the Air C om bat C omm and C old W a r Stud y.


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Volume 11-27: Whiteman Air Force Base 3

Phase III - November 1963 to January 1981This phase covers the entire era of detente between the superpowers and is characterized bymultiple attempts at nuclear arms limitation talks and agreements. Strategic ArmsLimitation Treaty (SALT) I, the Vladivostok Accord, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Protocol,and SALT ITwere all signed by the leaders of the two nations during this phase.

PhaseN-anuary 1981 to November 1989This phase begins with the start of President Reagan's administration and ends with theopening of the Berlin Wall. This phase is characterized by the massive buildup of militaryforces, triggering new technological developments focused on upgrading andmodernization, all as a prelude to Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START). Detente wasreplaced with deterrence through intimidation, with a focus on the threat of the StrategicDefense Initiative (SDI).

The overall goal of the Cold War study is to comply with Section 110 of the National HistoricPreservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended. Section 110 requires federal agencies toinventory cultural resources under their control and evaluate those that are significant orpotentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The reportsproduced by this project will provide a tool for ACC to use in determining which resources areeligible for the NRHP, and in selecting a number of these resources to be nominated to theNRHP.

This report is a reconnaissance inventory of Cold War related resources on Whiteman Air ForceBase (AFB). Whiteman AFB, a former Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation, is one of thebases being evaluated in the attempt to determine the extent of ACC Cold War cultural resourcesnationwide. As described above, a final report will synthesize the individual base reports andprovide initial management recommendations for evaluated resources,


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2.0 BASE DESCRIPTION

2.1 CURRENT BASEMISSION

The current host unit on Whiteman AFB is the 509th Bomb Wing (BW). It accepted hostresponsibilities for the base from the 351st Missile Wing (MW) on July 1, 1993. The 509th BW is\made up of the 509th Operations Group, the 509th Logistics Group, the 509th Support Group, the509th Security Police Group, and the 509th Medical Group. Each of these groups has its attendantsquadron, whose missions are in support of the overall missions on base.

One of the main missions on the base at present is that of the 509th BW, the United States AirForce's (USAF) only B-2 Stealth bomber flying operation:

The primary mission of the B-2 is to enable any theater commander to hold at risk and, ifnecessary, attack an enemy's war making potential, especially those" targets which, if notdestroyed in the first hours or days of a conflict, would allow unacceptable damage to beinflicted on the friendly side (Whiteman AFB 1994:4).

The 509th Operations Support Squadron and the 393rd Bomb Squadron are the units which fly andsupport the B-2 and its mission. Additionally, the 509th Operations Group flies and maintains theT-38 Talon as a companion trainer to the B-2. The~T-38 supplements the mission as a basicproficiency trainer due to the limited number of training flights available in the B-2.

The 509th Logistics Group is comprised of the 509th Logistics Support Squadron, the 509thMaintenance Squadron, the 509th Contracting Squadron, the 509th Supply Squadron, and the 509thTransportation Squadron. All of these units work to ensure the accomplishment of the day-to-day.mission of the base. The 509th Support Group comprises the 509th MissionSupportSquadron.fhe509th Services Squadron, the 509th Communications Squadron, and the 509th Civil EngineeringSquadron (CES). The 509th Support Group is charged with meeting the needs of every person onthe base who must support the mission. The 509th Security Police Group is comprised of the 509thSecurity Support Squadron, the 509th Security Police Squadron, and the 351st Missile Security


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Squadron. The 509th Security Police Group is responsible for a dual-wing security mission:deactivating the Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system and protecting theB-2. The 509th Medical Group is responsible for the good health of the military and their familiesassigned to Whiteman AFB and providing excellent health care to the retired military and theirfamiliesresiding in the local area.

The secondmain mission atWhiteman AFB is that of the 351st MW. The 351st Operations Groupis comprised of the 351st Operations Support Squadron, the 508th and 509th Missile Squadrons,the 47th Rescue Flight (flying the HH-1HHuey helicopter), and the 351st Maintenance Group. Allthese units are charged with accomplishing the mission of the 351st MW: to operate, maintain,secure, and safely deactivate the Minuteman II weapon system in accordance with the Presidentialdirective in regard to START.

Whiteman AFB has taken on a third mission, that of the 442nd Fighter Wing (FW). This wingcurrently operates and maintains the A-10 Thunderbolt II. It is responsible for the manning,training, and combat readiness of Air Force Reserve units and the Missouri Air National Guard(MANG)unit atWhiteman AFB.

2.2 GEOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTION

Whiteman AFB is located in Johnson County, 60 mi (96 krn) southeast of Kansas City, Missouri,9 mi (14 krn) west of Warrensburg, and 2 mi (3 krn) south of Knob Noster. The region ispositioned on the northern fringe of the Ozark Mountains in the Central Lowlands physiographicprovince (Figure 2.1). Its elevation is 834 ft (254 m) above mean sea level (USAF HistoricalResearchAgency 1943); The immediate area is characterized by slightlyrolling topography, andis used mainly as farmland. The base is bounded by Knob Noster State Park and StateHighway 132 on the west, on the east by State Route D, on the north by agricultural lands thatintervene between the base and Knob Noster, and on the south by agricultural and grazing lands(USAF 1989:33).


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,MISSOURI

COLUMBIA @

PROJECTLOCAnON

F ig ure 2 .1 Location o f Whiteman Air F orc e B ase .


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2.3 CURRENT BASE LAYOUT

The layout of Whiteman AFB (Figure 2.2) is fundamentally similar to the standard SAC baselayout (Figure 2.3). Any variations from that layout are related to the historic functions of thebase.

The central feature of Whiteman AFB,like all air bases, is the air field portion of the base. Themain or instrument runway is positioned in a north/northeast-south/southwest orientation and is12,400 ft (3,779 m) long and 200 ft (61 m) wide. This runway has been the main runway since theearly 1950s .. Prior to this, in 1943, the base had four 7,200 ft (2,194 m) runways oriented north-south, east-west, northeast-southwest, and northwest-southeast. Portions of the other runwayscanstill be seen as breached expanses of concrete. The eastern end of the old east-west runway iscurrently being used as a transient missile holding facility.

The flight apron is located along the western side of the instrument runway. Mission and supportbuildings are found along the entire western side of the apron. Mission buildings, namely hangersassociated with the B-2 bomber, were built along the eastern side of the apron at the northern end.The alert facilities are located at the northeastern comer of the base. Weapons and warhead storagefacilities are separated from the rest of the base, located on the eastern side of the main runwaybeside the old northeast-southwest runway.

Unaccompanied housing is centrally located at the base. Accompanied or family housing is locatedon the western side of the base in two separate areas. Commander's housing is located within thenorthern one of these two areas.

The two accompanied housing areas are divided by a community area that includes the main gate,school, youth center, church, clubs, and visitor's quarters. Other community facilities are centrallylocated on the base. A recreational greenbelt extends from the southern end of the base north to


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---- N----

Figure 2.2 Whiteman Air Force Base Layout.

8


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S A C . . , L A Y . D W G


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between the family housing and the unaccompanied housing. The base golf course lies east of the. .northern family housing area and is outside of the base perimeter. This property is leased, notowned, by the USAF.

Industrial buildings and facilities are located at the northern end of the base between the northernfamily housing and the northern end of the flight line mission buildings.' This land use is likelyrelated to the existence of a railroad line located several miles north of the base. The shortestrailroad spur would lead to the northern end of the base.

2.4 BASE LAND USE

The following is a list of standard SAC land use categories:

Alert Facilities - to provide for air combat readiness and rapid deployment of air crews.Base Support Facilities - house base support functions and supplies.Command Post - provides tracking of all base activities and communication between battle

staff and SAC headquarters.Community - shopping, medical, and family support facilities.Family Housing - accommodations for married personnel and families, including temporary

housing.Headquarters - buildings that house administration.\Industrial - facilities for the storage of supplies and maintenance operations for base facilities

and utility systems, and facilities for industrial contractors.Mission -areas for the preparation and maintenance of aircraft.Recreation - areas used for athletics, camping, and recreational activities.Unaccompanied Housing - accommodations for single personnel, temporary personnel, and

visitors.Weapon and Warhead Storage - for nuclear and conventional weapons.


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Open Space is another land use type that occurs throughout Air Force bases; however, it is notshown specificallyon maps in this report. Open space areas are not directly functional but providebuffers for base facilities, safety clearances, secure areas, utility easements, and environmentallysensitive areas.

Figure 2.4 is a diagrammatic land use plan for Whiteman AFB, and Figure 2.5 is a diagrammaticland use plan of a standard SAC base. Whiteman AFB follows thestandard plan in a majority ofways. In bothplans, all areas except the weapons and warhead storage areas are located to one sideof the flight line, with the mission buildings against the flight line. The headquarters tend to belocated awayfrom the flight line near the middle of the base. The alert facility is located near oneend of the runway.

Differences between Whiteman AFB and the standard SAC base land use are few. At WhitemanAFB, the main runway is separated from the mission buildings by open space and a large parkingramp. Several hangars associated with the B-2 bomber stand in isolation east of the ramp andremoved from the rest of the flight line mission buildings. This varies from the standard plan,which has all mission buildings grouped together along one side of the flight line. The communityland use atWhiteman AFB is broken into three areas. One, a community belt of sorts, leads fromthe main entrance between two units of family housing into the core of the base and variousheadquartersbuildings. The second community area is centrally located, and the third, consisting ofthe hospital, is surrounded by family housing and recreation areas. This is different from thestandard diagram, which shows most of the community buildings located in one central area.AlthoughWhiteman AFB has the standard golf course location and dispersal of recreational areaswithin housing areas, WhitemanAFB uses a recreational greenbelt to.divide.some of the housingareas from the mission, headquarters, and support areas.


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LEGENDI!ii B AS E S UP PO RT F AC ILITIES1 m COMMUNITYc : J F AM ILY HOUSING H EA DQ UA RT ER SII1IINDUSTRIALIIDIMISSIONt: 3 RECREATIONIUNACCOMPANIED HOUS INGm W EAPON AND W ARHEAD STORAG E

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Figure 2.4 Whiteman Air Force Base Land Use Diagram.


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3.0 mSTORlCAL OVERVIEW

3.1 BASE HISTORY AND COLDWAR CONTEXT

At the beginning of the Cold War era, Sedalia Army Air Field (AAF) had been in existence justthree years. It began as a glider training field near Warrensburg, Missouri in 1942. Two other sitesfor the installation had been considered, but lack of room for expansion negated their use. Themayor of Warrensburg, Mr. A. G. Taubert, and the president of the chamber of commerce, Mr. E.C. Houx, convinced Colonel Ox, the United States Army officer in charge of the search and surveyof potential installation sites, to consider the area near Knob Noster called the "Blue Flats." Uponseeing the area, Colonel Ox recommended its selection and purchase. The Blue Flats area, calledsuch by the locals because of its loose, gray-blue top soil, was purchased and developed asthetraining field (USAF Historical Research Agency 1956:1).

Before construction began on the air field, work was initiated in May of 1942 on a spur line of theMissouri Pacific Railway to the site. Construction of the air field's runways was started andfinished in 25 days (USAF Historical Research Agency 1956:1). During that time, Sedalia AAFwas activated and placed under the direction of the I Troop Carrier Command. The air field'sprimary mission was the activation of troop carrier units and the advanced training of glider pilots.Many troop carrier wings and groups established themselves at Sedalia AAF for the duration oftheir training. However, the majority of these tactical organizations received about three months oftraining at the air field before moving on to other installations for more advanced training and thenoverseas to theaters of operation (USAF Historical Research Agency 1956:3). By September 1943,4,290 personnel were assigned to Sedalia AAF.

InApril of 1944, all units at the installation were consolidated and placed under the 813th Army AirForce Base Unit (AAFBU). The mission of the 813th AAFBU and Sedalia AAF was to traincombat crews and individuals for overseas replacements. Radio operator, mechanic,communications, navigation, and weather schools were all conducted at Sedalia AAF. In the first


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quarter of 1945, the conversion from C-47s to C-46s and the attendant combat crew training werethe priority (Hooker 1993:7).After World War IIwas over, Sedalia AAF was scheduled to be deactivated. On March 28,1946,the 813th AAFBUWasdeactivated, and, in its place, the 332nd AAFBU was activated and assignedto the Third Air Force and the newly organized Tactical Air Command (TAC) (Miller 1988:5).Deactivation and closure of the air field continued as the main mission. In September of 1946, theUSAF became a separate branch of the military. On December 14, 1947, the air field was turnedover to Air Materiel Command (AMC), and 11 civilian caretakers took over responsibility for thebase.In 1949, Sedalia AAF was considered as a location for the USAF Academy; however, a site inColorado was chosen. Also in 1949, the Soviet Union developed an atomic bomb. Truman'splan to cut defense spending was overshadowed by the National Security Council's (NSC's)advice to commence a massive military build-up in order to counteract the new Communistthreat. North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, and the reality of the Communist threatbecame even more obvious. All previous budget constraints were loosened (Lewis et al. 1995).Within this context, SAC, with its new global deterrence mission, needed additional bases.Funds were allocated for modernizing and maintaining existing bases rather than building newones (Lewis et al. 1995). Almost immediately, SAC annexed Sedalia AAF to be under itscommand. On August 1, 1951, Sedalia AAF became Sedalia AFB, under the Second Air Forceof SAC (Miller 1988:6).

Rehabilitationof the base continued into 1952under the 4224th Air Base Squadron (ABS) as workwasundertaken. to .prepare the base to deploy a B-47 Stratajet wing with30 aircraft (MillerI98~:7),On October 20, 1952, the 4224th ABS was deactivated, and the 340th Bombardment Wing(BMW) was activated at Sedalia AFB. The members of the 340th BMW were receiving training inanticipation of the arrival of the B-47s and the associated KC-97 tankers. In late March of 1954,the first B47assignedto the base touched down at SedaliaAFB.


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In 1955, USAF Headquarters notified Sedalia AFB that it would be renamed in honor of SecondLieutenant George A. Whiteman. Lt. Whiteman was a native of Sedalia, Missouri and was one ofthe first American airmen killed in World War n. He was stationed with the 44th Pursuit Squadron(Interceptor), 18th Pursuit Group, Wheeler Field, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, when theJapanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor, Lt. Whiteman managed to reach his fighter and attemptedto engage the enemy in combat. The Japanese pilots shot him down just as he became airborne. Bythe time the rescue teams found the 22 year old pilot, he was dead (Miller 1988:8).

Despite the work done at Whiteman AFB and the mission of the B-47, the aircraft was beingphased out of the USAF inventory for the newer and more advanced B-52 Stratofortress.Whiteman AFB had served well as a B-47 strategic bomber base, but there were no plans tocontinue the strategic bomber mission at the base (Miller 1988: 10).

Once again, national policy and strategy had a direct bearing on Whiteman AFB and its future. Asearly as 1955, work on the Minuteman ICBM had begun, and, by 1958, the development stage hadbeen reached (Lewis et al. 1995). One major development in the Minuteman series was the ratio of10 missiles or launch facilities (LF) to one launch control facility (LCF), which makes this missilesystem less expensive than the older Atlas and Titan systems. The Minuteman uses a solid fuelpropellent, and so is a much safer system than the more volatile liquid-fueled Titan. Lighter weight,smaller size, and lower cost distinguish Minuteman from earlier ICBMs. Minuteman missiles aredeployed in hardened, dispersed LFs, and provide a highly reliable, survivable, and responsivedeterrent force; during the Cold War, this force maintained a near 100% alert rate (USAF n.d.). InApril of 1961, test borings were made within a 50 mi (80 km) radius of Whiteman A~B to explorethe geological compatibility of the area for a Minuteman missile complex. InJune, the Departmentof Defense (DoD) announced that.Whiteman AFB had been chosen as a support blise for aMinuteman missile complex (Miller 1988: 11).

On April 14, 1962, the ground breaking ceremonies were held for the first Minuteman complex atWhiteman AFB. Four agencies, two military and two civilian, were involved in the missile


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construction and installation program, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ballistic MissileConstruction Office (CEBMCO) was designated the Deputy for Construction under the Whiteman,USAF Site Activation Task Force (SATAF) organization. The Corps of Engineers directlysupervised the construction of the LF, LCF, and support facilities by the Prime Contractor(civilian). The Boeing Corporation (civilian) was the integrating contractor for installation andcheckout of the missile and its components (Antonelli 1964).

Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) N was deployed on and around Whiteman AFB throughout 14counties and covered well over 8,000 mi2 (20,718 km') in western central Missouri. SMW Nconsisted of 15 flights, with each flight responsible for one LCF and 10 LFs. The individual LFswere located approximately 5 to 30 mi (1.5 to 9 km) from the respective LCF for that flight. TheLCFs were 14 to 38 mi (22 to 41 km) from the respective squadron office location, in this case,Whiteman AFB (Antonelli 1964:1-4). Whiteman AFB has the smallest of all the missile areas, andis the only base to have an LCF located within the boundaries of the base (Oscar-J, Real PropertyNo. 1230).

By June 1962, excavation of 90 of the planned 150 LF sites was underway. As launch tube linerswere installed and concrete was poured around the tubes of the initial 90 sites, construction startedon the other 60 sites. Road upgrading and bridge reconstruction also had to be accomplished inorder to lay the network communication cables. This voice network system, called the HardenedIntersite Cable System (HIeS), was an elaborate link joining each LCF throughout the state. Thecable system measured 1,777 mi (2,859 km). In addition to roads, bridges, and cables, land rightshad to be acquired from more than 6,429 landowners (351st SMW History Office n.d.:32).Construction continued until November 1962 when the installation of the 150th launch tube wascompleted.

During the missile site construction, the 340th BMW continued scaling down its operations inreadiness for the deactivation and phaseout of the B-47s and the re-deployment of the KC-97Itankers. On February 1, 1963, the 351st SMW was activated and assigned three squadrons: the


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Volume //-27: Whiteman Air Force Base 18

508th Strategic Missile Squadron (SMS), 509th SMS, and the 510th SMS. On September 1,1963,the 340th BMW departed for Bergstrom AFB, Texas, and the 351st SMW became the sole wing atWhiteman AFB and therefore assumed base host responsibilities.

SATAF successfully turned over the missile sites to SAC in operational condition one after theother through late 1963 and early 1964: The first operational flight was Bravo of the 508th SMS;other flights followed, with Oscar Flight of the 510th SMS being the [mal delivery. The 351stSMW was now, two years after the formal ground breaking, a combat-ready deterrent force of SACon full alert duty (351st SMW History Office n.d.).

illMay 1966, the 351st SMW began a program called Force Modernization whereby the existingMinuteman missiles were replaced by the new Minuteman II ICBMs, and the LFs and LCFs weremodified to work with the new missile. Whiteman AFB's SMW IV was the second Minutemanwing to receive the newer and more sophisticated Minuteman II missile. Lima Flight of the 509thSMS was handed over to the Boeing Company to begin the modifications, On September 21, 1967,the first on-base LF maintenance trainer, the "T-12," was accepted into the inventory of the 351stSMW (Office of the Historian, Headquarters, SAC 1983:52). On October 19, 1967, formalceremonies were held at Whiteman AFB to mark the completion of the Force Modernizationprogram (351st SMW History Office n.d.).

ill 1967, survivability of command, control, and communications was an important facet of thenational defense. President Kennedy had developed the Post-Attack Command and Control System(PACCS) in 1962, and other systems came on line to ensure survivability of communications links.The Emergency Rocket Communication System (ERCS) went on line to replace the Blue ScoutJunior rockets-of 1963 ( L e w i s eCal.1995):Dtiring the modemizationprogramof the Minutemanmissiles, the ERCS system, kno~ as 494L, was made operational for the 510th SMS using 10 .ofthe squadron's 50 missiles. The 510th SMS was the only squadron in the Air Force operatingERCS. Each ERCS missile carried a communications payload similar in appearance to the nuclearwarhead reentry vehicle loaded on a Minuteman II. Each communications payload included two


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ultra-high frequency (UHF) transmitters that could each broadcast on any of 10 frequencies. Thetransmitters were automatically activated when the payload and missile separated during flight(Turley 1991). The ERCS system was a deterrent force from 1967 through 199 C when it wasdeactivated.

Early in 1968, SAC was dispersing its alert forces, and Whiteman AFB entered into an agreementwith the 43rd BMW, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas to support 18 Convair B-58 Hustler bombers andseven KC-135A Stratotankers. Not until July 1969 did four of the supersonic bombers arrive tocarry out' SAC's Satellite Basing Program. The USAF phased out the B-58s, and they departedfrom the base in December of 1969. SAC then announced that four of the original seven KC-135Atankers would remain on alert status at Whiteman AFB after July 1, 1970.

The Spanish Navy training program "Matador" got underway at Whiteman AFB in March 1976when the first AV-8B Harrier aircraft arrived. The program ended in October the same year. Basepersonnel were treated to the unusual sight of this aircraft maneuvering through its vertical takeoffsand landings during the program (Miller 1988: 15).

The 351st SMW maintained its mission of nuclear deterrence by continually training and evaluatingsystems and personneL In 1979, a major modification called the Silo Upgrade Program (SUP) wasbegun. Shortly after the completion of SUP, the 351st SMW embarked upon project Rivet Switch.This was a modification to the UHF radios located in the wing's launch control centers (LCCs)(351st SMW History Office 1989).

In the middle to late 1980s, Whiteman AFB saw more growth and modernization. Several.. upgrades to the missile systems and the manning ofthosesystemsdominated the operations and,maintenance of the 351st SMW. These improvements allowed the wing to perform its duties andmaintain an effectively high state of readiness (Hooker 1993: 17).


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General social changes occurring during the Cold War were reflected at Whiteman AFB with theopening of the missile operations career field to women. Studies regarding the feasibility ofincluding women in missile crews were being done as early as 1975 (Vaughn 1975; White 1979).Both studies agreed that there were no legal or job-related barriers that prevented women fromentering the Minuteman crew force. Both authors recommended initial implementation programsto permit women officers to enter combat crew duty. On March 25, 1986, Captains Nancy K.Dean and Linda S. Aldrich of Whiteman AFB's Alpha Flight, became the first female combatcrew members to pull alert duty at a Minuteman site, Alpha-I (Donovan 1991:2). WhitemanAFB's 351st SMW had also been the first wing to have black officers pull alert duty as missilecombat crew members. In January 1988, the 351st SMW made another first when 1st Lt. CharlesCarr and 2nd Lt. Kara Bloomer pulled the first male/female split gender crew alert (Hooker. 1993:18).

In January 1987, the announcementwas made thatWhiteman AFB would become the first home ofthe USAF's B-2 bomber. The base became a hub of construction as SAC released approximately90 million dollars for B-2 support projects for fiscal year 1988 (Hooker 1993:18). The 509th BMW

\

was activated at the base to carry forward the B-2 bomber mission.

With Eastern European nations leaving the Soviet Bloc and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989,the world began to change in many ways. In January 1991, the USAF announced that allMinuteman II ICBM wings, including the 351st SMW, would be deactivated. START, signed byPresident George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev in July 1991, signaled a future change atWhiteman AFB. The diminishing threat of nuclear war brought about another significant eventon September 27, 1991. President Bush addressed the nation in response to the significantdevelopments regarding the end of the Cold War ..Duringhisspeech, the President orde:r,:ed,as.a.goodwill gesture to the new leaders of the former Soviet Union, the immediate stand down of thenuclear armed alert missiles already scheduled for phase-out under the START treaty. "At 1459hours on 28 September 1991, Whiteman AFB officials reported to the Commander in Chief ofStrategic Air Command (CINCSAC), General George L. Butler, that the directive had been


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complied with. For the men and women of Whiteman AFB, this represented the Cold Warvictory" (Hooker 1993:20).illJune 1992, Whiteman AFB was reassigned to the newly created ACC. illJuly 1993, the newlyrenamed 351st MW transferred base host responsibilities to the newly renamed 509th BW. The509th BW continues its mission with the B-2 bomber. The 351st MW continues the deactivationand dismantling of the Minuteman II launch complexes.

3.2 BASEDEVELOPMENT

When the Blue Flats area south of Knob Noster was chosen as the site of the Sedalia glider trainingfield, and subsequently renamed Sedalia AAF, the facility was made up of 3,370 acres (1,363,ha). tand contained four runways, each 7,200 ft (2,194 m) by 150 ft (46 m) wide (Figure 3.1). Sevenhangars for both powered aircraft and gliders were located to the west of the north-south runwayand apron.

ill1951, the base was brought back to life under SAC, and new facilities were needed to support thebase's B-47 mission. This included stronger runways to support the weight of the new plane.Improvements continued through the 1950s with the construction of a new north-south runway 200ft (61 m) wide and 10,400 ft (3,170 m) long and the installation of a runway approach lightingsystem (Figure 3.1). A waste processing plant was constructed along with a 250,000 gallon waterstorage tank and a maintenance shop. New family housing and other community facilities wereadded, such as an elementary school, library, post office, swimming pool, gymnasium, baseballdiamonds, tennis and basketball courts, football field, and a base commissary. A nine-hole golfcourse, on the.western.side of the base across State Highway 132, was added i111958. Workwasalso begun on a new base chapel.


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V olu me Il-27: W h item an Air F orc e B ase

LEGEND~ 'EX ISTING STRUCTURESIIEW CONSTRUCTION--N-----

':'" ,'.:.,: .. ' ,',: :,' :.. ,':.

F igure 3 .1 W hitem an Air F o rc e B a se 1 9 50 -1 9 60 .

2 2


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The 1960s brought continued development on the base (Figure 3.2), as well as missile complexconstruction at 150 locations in the surrounding 8,000 mi2 (20,718 krn'). This was for theMinuteman ICBMs thatWhiteman AFB took on as its primary mission. A new alert facility wascompleted in 1960. A newbase theater was opened in 1969,as well as a child care center. The late1960s saw the return of the flying mission when the base prepared for the B-58 that was to standalert duty. The alert facility was once more prepared for that function. The B-58 was onlystationed at WhitemanAFB for a short time and was replaced in 1970with four KC-135A tankerswhich were to stand alert duty.

In the 1970s, a new hospital was completed (Figure 3.3). In 1978, construction on a newcommissary was begun. Other refurbishing projects continued on the base, including housing andrecreational areas that were expanded.

The 1980sbrought a lot of change for Whiteman AFB. New facilities, such as the civil engineering,complex, a missile maintenance complex, and several more dormitories, were constructed (Figure

r-

3.4). In 1987, SAC released almost 90 million dollars for B-2 support projects. Many of thesupport buildings along the flight line were replaced or completely refitted in the late 1980s andearly 1990s. The construction work in support of the B-2 mission is ongoing and expected tocontinue for some time.


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LEGEND~ EXISTING STRUCTURESIIEW CON STR UC TIO N----N ...

Figure 3.2 Whiteman Air Force Base 1960-1970.

24


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LEGEND~ EXISTING STRUCTURESII EW CONSTRUCT ION

- - - - N . . .

Figure 3.3 Whiteman Air Force Base 1970-1980.

25


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LEGEND~ EXISTING STRUCTURESII EW CONSTRUCTION----N ..

Figure 3.4 WhitemanAir Force Base 1980-Present.

26


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4.0 METHODOLOGY

The methodology for the reconnaissance inventory of Whiteman AFB was developed to help ACCmeets its requirements under Section 110 of the NHP A, namely, to ensure that resources which arepotentially eligible for inclusion in the NRHP are identified. To this end, the reconnaissanceinventory consisted of two major tasks: an overall inventory and an evaluation of importantresources.

4.1 INVENTORY

The first major task was an overall inventory of base material culture resources that typify the baseand the base's mission as it relates to the Cold War era. The purpose of this inventory is to recordthe range of resources extant on the base, regardless of age, function, or importance. The resourceswere catalogued in an inventory log, identified on a base layout map, and documented with black-and-white 35 mm photographs.

The DoD Legacy Program outlines three general categories under which Cold War resources maybe included: real property, personal property, and records/documents (USAF 1993:3-4). Thesecategories divide the extant resources for ease in management. Real property includes buildings,structures, sites, and landscapes. Objects has been added as a fifth type of real property resource toaccommodate USAF owned items that do not fall under the other categories. Personal propertymay include such items as relics of battle or other military activity, weapons, clothing, flags, orother moveable objects. Records/documents pertains to documents and objects that may provide arecord of the past but are not necessarily associated with real property. Specifically, these mayinclude photographs, .videotapes.manuscripts, books, rSlports,_llew~paper~,..maps, oralhistories,grarchitectural drawings (DoD 1993:13).

This organizational scheme is used in defining the inventoried resources and is present throughoutthe remainder of this report to help understand the resources and for use in management.


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4.2 EVALUATION OF IMPORTANT RESOURCES

As part of the reconnaissance inventory of Whiteman AFB, certain inventoried resources wereselected for:documentation and evaluation. Selection was based on the importance of the resourceto the base and the base's role in the Cold War, and the importance of the resource within thenational context of the Cold War. The basis for selection and the standards for evaluation arediscussed in detail in the historic context and methodology designed for this project (Lewis et al.1995). Resource selection procedures are detailed in the field guide designed to standardize theprocedures used in the field (Lewis and Higgins 1994). The evaluations focus on determining theimportance of the selected resources, both within the context of the Cold War and in regard toNRHP criteria, and the integrity of the selected resources. These three values are necessary toestablish the significance of a resource and for examining its potential eligibility to the NRHP (seeSection9.0).

4.2.1 Documentation

The evaluated resources at Whiteman AFB were documented using a recording form designedspecifically for the ACC Cold War study. A PropertyManagement Form was completed for eachevaluated resource, detailing information regarding resource identification, description, integrity,location, reference information, property type group and subgroup, association with the base's ColdWar context, evaluation of importance, and management recommendations.

4.2.2 Evaluation of Importance

4.2.2.1 ColdWarContext.

Evaluation of a resource within that resource's historic context ensures an understanding of its roleand helps inmaking comparisons among similar resources. However, evaluating the importance ofresources within the ColdWar era is hindered by two issues: (1) a lack of historical perspective due


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to the recent origin of the resources; and (2) an absence of data for comparative evaluation due tothe lackof completed ColdWar studies. Tools currently available to guide evaluation of Cold Warresources include standard federal legislative stipulations, as well as guidance provided by theLegacy Program, the National Park Service (NPS) Interagency Resources Division, and theAdvisoryCouncil on Historic Preservation (ACHP).

Generally, resources are considered for their importance to American history, architecture,archaeology,engineering, or culture. To be considered important within the historic context of theCold War, resources must possess value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the Cold Warheritage of the United States. A resource must be associated with critical aspects or persons of theCold War, corresponding to the four temporal phases established in the historic context. Theseaspects include policy and strategy, technology, architectural and engineering design, and socialimpacts. The importance of the resources within one or more of these aspects is addressed in theevaluations.

4.2.2.2 NRHP Criteria

The historical importance of the resources is also presented in relation to four NRHP criteria.The criteria are very similar to the four aspects of the Cold War listed above. These criteria,adapted by the USAF Interim Guidance (USAF 1993) to meet the needs of Cold War studies, areas follows:

a) portray a direct association with events that have made a significant contribution to, aredirectly identified with, or outstandingly represent the broad national pattern of U.S.history and aid in understanding that pattern;

.b) p()rtrayadiiect andiinpoftiini associationwitli the lives of persofisnatioiiallysignificant"inU.S. ColdWar history;c) embody the characteristics of an architectural, engineering, technological, or scientifictype specimen valuable for understanding a component of U.S. Cold War history orrepresenting some great idea or ideal ofD.S. citizenry embodying the ColdWar;


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d) have yielded or be likely to yield information of importance to United States Cold Warhistory.

4.2.2.3 Exceptional hnportance

The evaluation of importance for Cold War resources is more complex than the evaluation processfor older resources. Generally, resources must be 50 years of age or older in order to be consideredeligible for NRHP listing. This age criterion, although arbitrary, was established to ensure that thepassage of time has been of a significant duration to allow an adequate perspective for evaluatingthe true historical importance of a resource. This ensures that the NRHP is truly a listing ofhistorically significant resources, riot those that are simply trendy or of fleeting importance (NPS1990).

However, when the requirements for NRHP eligibility were developed, exceptions were made forresources that are not yet 50 years old. Listing of recently significant properties is allowed if theyare of exceptional importance.

(NPS 1990).

A number of tools are useful in determining exceptional importance. For this study, a historiccontext of the Cold War was developed for determining exceptional importance (Lewis et al.1995). The historic context refers to all of those historic circumstances and factors surroundingthe Cold War, and the effect of the Cold War on the USAF and its properties. Evaluation of aresource within this historic context ensures an understanding of its role and helps in makingcomparisons among similar resources. A fmal consideration is that the more recently a propertyhas achieved importance, generally the more difficult it is to demonstrate exceptional importance

4.2.3 Evaluation of Integritv

Integrity is defmed as retaining enough physical presence to enable a resource to communicate itsimportance. Authenticity of a resource's .historical identity, evidenced by the survival of physical


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characteristics that existed during the resource's historical period, is critical to integrity. If aproperty retains the physical characteristics it possessed in the past, then it has the capacity toconvey the association that makes it important (NPS 1991:44).

In terms of historic resources, there are seven attributes of integrity that are important: location,\

design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Survival of these attributesenables a property to maintain a direct link with the past and convey the relationship making ithistorically important (ACHP 1991). However, if an attribute does not directly affect thecharacteristics making the resource important, the lack of integrity in that attribute may not precludeintact integrity for the resource as a whole. It is therefore necessary to decide what characteristicsof a resource contribute to its importance, not only to establish its level of integrity, but also to aidindecisions about what alterations would damage that integrity.

4.2.4 Priority Matrix

As part of the documentation and evaluation process, a priority matrix was completed for eachevaluated resource. This matrix calculates the urgency for further attention recommended for aresource. The higher the priority matrix score, the higher the priority for management attention tothat resource. These judgements regarding resource priority should be viewed as a managementtool rather than a ranking of importance.

The matrix calculation is a combination of the importance of the resource within the Cold Warcontext, the integrity of the resource, and any threats posed to the resource. There are six topicsunder which an evaluated resource is ranked. The first is the strength of the relationship between- the resource .and. the role the base played in JheColdWax. The second topic r~t11ks_he _relationship of the resource to the four aspects of the Cold War: policy and strategy, technology,architectural and engineering design, and social impacts. The third ranking is the relationshipbetween the resource and the four temporal phases. The fourth topic figures the level ofcontextual importance of the resource. The fifth is the percentage of remaining historic fabric, or


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integrity, of the resource. Finally, the sixth topic ranks the severity of existing threats to theresource.

4.2.5 Resource Organization

The USAF Interim Guidance (USAF 1993) refers to resources as property types and suggests fiveproperty type groups, with associated subgroups, that may adequately characterize extant Cold Warresources. These groupings are based on functional descriptions and are another way of organizingthe resources. This grouping scheme was adapted by Mariah for use in this study. It is applied tothe evaluated resources for use in management and is used throughout the remainder of this reportto organize the evaluated resources.

4.3 BASE SPECIFIC METHODS

Between August 22 and 26, 1994, Mariah investigators Patience E. Patterson and David P. Staleyconducted a reconnaissance inventory at Whiteman AFB. Upon arrival, the field team met with thepoint of contact, Mr. Don Meuschke, the CulturallNatural Resources Officer within the 509th CES.The team advised him of its schedule and the objectives and needs for accomplishing theinventory.

Mr. Meuschke and SSgt Vickie Shirkey provided a base tour to familiarize the field team with thebase layout and the types of facilities present and a preliminary assessment of which facilities mightbe significant in the context of the study. An in-brief meeting, attended by commanders and staffof the 351st MW and the 509th CBS, was conducted prior to the base tour on the field team's first

.. day. at WhitemanAFB.. The meeting.provided an opportunity for the CBS staff topresentthe ..WhitemanAFB mission and plans for future development and also afforded the Mariah field teaman opportunity to explain the project.


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Mr. Meuschke introduced the team to Ms. Sara Kelchner of the Real Property Office, and the teamdiscussed the need for copies of the Real Property Change List, earlier planning documents, oldproperty inventories, and other pertinent documents the office might have in its files. Access toolder files containing the Property Change Cards was also requested by the field team. The teamwas introduced to Mr. David Duffer of the CBS Drafting Office and made arrangements to acquirecomputer disk copies and print-outs of base maps. An inventory of this office included a review ofold project files containing architectural drawings, maps, and aerial photographs. Copies of base

imaps from several decades were also gathered to assist in the assessment of base development andland use.

On August 24, the team inventoried the combined History Offices of the 509th BW and the 351stMW. The team briefed Sgt Rice of the 351st MW on the project and the research needs,TSgt Roger Hooker of the 509th BW was on temporary reassignment. However, the team was ableto access his document collection. The team's investigation in this office included a cursoryinventory of the files, photograph collections, and awards and the gathering of copies of histories,fact sheets, and other pertinent documents. The field team also visited the, 509th Public AffairsOffice to gather current mission statements and inquire as to any historical documents that officemight contain. At the Base Planner's Office, on August 25, Mr. Robert Steinkuckler providedcopies of portions of the Comprehensive Base Plan and other planning documents identifyingproposed developments and demolition.

Over the course of the base visit, the team was provided special tours of on-base and off-basemissile facilities by Mr. Meuschke (509th CBS), SSgt Shirkey (509th BW), Major RobertRochester (351st MW), and Mr. James Boling (Real Property Office). The on-base missilefacilities included the Oscar-I. LCFandthe T-12_LF_maintenance trainer. The team alsoJ91lfed a_sample of off-base facilities in various stages of decommissioning, including Echo-l LCF andmissile LF sites Echo-8, 1ndia-2, 1ndia-3, 1ndia-4, and Oscar-8. Throughout the base visit, aphotographic inventory of resources on base was conducted by the team between scheduled toursand appointments.


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On August 26, an out-brief meeting was conducted to discuss the field team's findings and todiscuss any ramifications of the study. A detailed and extensive discussion of the Section 106,NHP A review process was beneficial in relieving institutional anxieties at the base.


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5.0 RECONNAISSANCE INVENTORY RESULTS

During the reconnaissance inventory of Whiteman AFB, 115 resources were inventoried.Appendix A lists the inventoried resources and Appendix B shows their location on the base.Photographs of inventoriedresources are presented in Appendix C.


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. 6.0 EVALUATION RESULTS

Five resources were evaluated at Whiteman AFB,tillee of them falling under the DoD category ofreal property and two under records/documents. Each resource is discussed below in terms of itshistory, integrity, and importance. The narratives are organized by USAF property type group andsubgroup. The prioritization of the evaluated resources is presented in Table 6.1, organized byproperty type group and subgroup, and in Table 6.2, organized in order of priority. The detaileddocumentation for eachof the evaluated resources is presented inAppendix D. Due to the nature ofthe base and its resources, and the missions associated with these resources, access to some of theevaluated buildings could not be secured. ill those instances, documentation describing anychanges to the buildings was consulted to provide insight into the integrity of the buildings'interiors.

6.1 OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT INSTALLATIONS

6.1.1 Documentation

6.1.1.1 Documentary Collection (Resource No. 13056,Located inReal PropertyNo. 705)

This documentary collection, located in the Site Development Office of the 509th CES, containsarchitectural drawings, plans, maps, and photographs pertaining to construction, maintenance, andmodifications to WhitemanAFB facilities. The drawings and plans are on linen, vellum, or mylar,and most pertain to individualbuildings dating from the 1950s to the present. Additional drawingsin the collection pertain to more general systems such as roads, parking lots, lighting, and various

--comprehensiveplanning graphics.. Drawings of special note include plans dating .to.the 1240s .and__the original base construction, and a small subset of drawings pertaining to the Minuteman ICBMmission at the base. The collection also includes base layout maps and a set of aerial photographsof the base. A more in-depth inventory of the collection is presented in Appendix E. This


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RealProperty No. Property Type

Vo lume 1 I- 27 : W hitem an A ir F orce B ase 37

T able 6 .1 Ev alua te d Re sou rc e P ri or it iz at ion by Air F orce G ro up and Subgroup.Real Priority

Resource Property DoD Resource MatrixAir Force GrouE and SubS!ouE Property Type No. No. Categ0!X Score'"Operations and Support Installations

Documentation Documentary 13056 None RecDoc/Obj 17Collection

Documentation Documentary 13116 None RecDoc/Obj 18Collection

Combat Weapons and Support SystemsAlert Facilities Bomber Alert 13055 6 Real/Bldg 22

FacilityMissiles Missile Launch 13054 1230 Real/Bldg 19Control Facility

Training FacilitiesMissile Training Missile Launch 13008 1100 Real/Struc 19Fac il it y T rain er

...Scale ranges-from 1 to 24

T ab le 6 .2 E va lu ate d R es ou rc e P rio ritiza tio n by Prio r it y Rank.

Total Scorefor Priority ResourceMatrix No.

22 1305519 1300819 1305418 1311617 13056

c'

6 Bomber Alert Facility1100 Missile Launch Facility Trainer1230 Mis_sileLauncl1:Co_Il~()l~a~ility

Documentary CollectionDocumentary CollectionNoneNone


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collection provides detailed information on the historical development of the base and is a source ofinformation about individual facilities.

This collection is in disarray and the contents have not been inventoried. The maps and drawingsare an actively used resource, and, as such, are pulled and refiled and are subject to continuouswear.

6.1.1.2 Documentary Collection (Resource No. 13116, Located in Real Property No. 1000)

This large collection includes materials from both the 509th BW and the 351st MW. The collectionincludes wing histories, reports, files, newspaper clippings, trophies, slides, photographs, videos,and newsreels of the history of the base and the major wings at the base. Although generally notfocused on buildings, the collection contains unique materials pertinent to people and events at thebase. Notable are the records related to the Minuteman development and operations at the base.These are particularly significant as that mission is gradually being phased out of existence atWhiteman AFB. Minuteman-related documents may be useful in any interpretive efforts conductedat the base. Many of the other elements of the collection would provide .a variety of interestingobjects and documents that would contribute to displays of base history. A more in-depth inventory

\of the collection is presented in Appendix E. At present, the collection is located in one office andis subject to chaotic filing and storage conditions.

6.2 COMBAT WEAPONS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS

6.2.1 Alert Facilities

6.2.1.1 Bomber Alert Facility (Resource No. 13055, Real Property No. 6)

This Bomber Alert Facility is a semisubterranean building, constructed of reinforced concrete andconcrete block, with 33,586 fe of space. Like other alert buildings, the ground floor of this facility


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is partiallyunderground with an earthen berm surrounding the building. Ramped tunnels rise fromthe ground floors, and open, descending ramps emerge from the top floor. The building is locatedat the northern end of the base along the western side of the instrument runway.

The facility was constructed in 1960 and housed alert crews of B-47 aircraft until 1963. Thebuilding was redesignated as an academic classroom in 1966. In 1968, klaxons and alert lightswere installed and the building was redesignated as an alert facility in preparation for B-58 crewswho assumed alert duty at the location for six months during 1969. It is hypothesized that acontingentofKC-135A tankers used this building for alert duty from 1970 until 1976. This facilityis currentlybeing used as offices and classrooms for Reserve Forces Operational Training.The facilityretains much of its external integrity. The interior of the facility was not inspected.However, the facility has only been used as an alert facility or for classrooms and offices, and thereal property card for the building indicates no major renovations. Therefore the building'S interiorintegrityis determined to be intact.

The Bomber Alert Facility is extremely important to Whiteman AFB's Cold War context and toCold War history at the national level. It exemplifies the concept of deterrence and the need torespond immediately to any Soviet attack threat. This facility was constructed and operated indirect response to the Killian Report, meeting the needs of deterrence through a survivable forceand the dispersion of bombers across the country (Lewis et al. j995).

The "molehole" configuration of this alert facility, with its earthen berm and ramps, isrepresentativeof the nation's overall alert posture taken during the Cold War. This alert facility isnotable in that.it supported B-47 and~B-58aircraft, in contrast to 1].10stomberalertfacilities whichwere associatedwith the B-52. This facility allowed for maximum readiness and rapid deploymentin response to enemy aggression, and thereby embodied the SAC strategy of deterrence. Thisfacilitywas used for this purpose during Phases II and ill ofthe Cold War era, and meets NRHPcriteria(a) and (c).


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6.2.2 Missiles

6.2.2.1 Missile Launch Control Facility (Resource No. 13054, Real Property No. 1230)

The Oscar-I LCF includes above-ground wood-framed support buildings, hardened undergroundcommunication silos, and an underground elevator that leads to two underground capsules. Bothcapsules are constructed of reinforced concrete and are steel-lined. An 8 ton blast door separatesthe 50-100 ft vertical access shaft from the capsules. One capsule is the launch control equipmentcapsule, which contains stand-by generators and other life-support and environmental systems. Onthe other side of the tunnel junction and behind another 8-ton blast door lies the LCC capsule. Thealert crew and all essential equipment in this capsule are positioned on a shock-insulated floorsuspended from the blast proof outer shell by four liquid-spring shock isolators. A 21 ft longescape tube, filled with loose sand, extends toward the ground surface. All of these features addressthe importance of survivability. Oscar-I is surrounded by relatively open spaces in the southerncentral area of the base. The facility is bounded by open lots and playing fields to the north andsouth, the small-arms training range and buildings to the east, and a recreational greenbelt to thewest.

Oscar-I was built in 1964 to be used with the Minuteman I"B" missile. Retrofitting of thesemissile complexes to the Minuteman II began at Whiteman AFB in 1966. The Minuteman missilesystem underwent almost constant upgrades and modifications. This missile LCF was used as suchbetween 1964 and 1991.

This facility currently houses the Whiteman Heritage Center. Although the interior of the above-ground buildinghas been modified slightly for use as offices and-an- interpretive center.rthevast -majority of the facility has been left intact. Several of the electronic face-plates or panels within theLCC capsule have been removed; however, plans have been made to substitute copies or mock-uppanels as replacements. Current plans are for the facility to become the permanent home of theHeritage Center with additional interpretive displays and tours of the facility. Some of the more


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recent interior modifications, including ceiling and wall coverings, are planned to be replaced withmore authentic materials and colors. This resource exhibits a high degree of both exterior andinterior integrity.

Oscar-l is exceptionally significant to the base and national Cold War contexts for a number ofreasons. This LCF is unique in that it is the only such facility located within the confines of a base.Because of its proximity to base facilities, the associated above-ground structures are smaller thanother LCFs. The Whiteman AFB Minuteman facilities as a group are also distinctive because allutilities are in an underground capsule rather than in an above ground building. However, perhapsthe most significant aspect of Oscar-I 's function was that it was one of the five LCFs in the 510thSMS that was part of the ERCS. This redundant command, control, and communications systemreplaced the Blue Scout Junior system, its predecessor, 'in 1967. The system was capable ofsending force execution messages via UHF recorders after launch. The transmitters were emplacedwithin 10 of the possible 50 Minuteman silos controlled by the 510th SMS. This system wasdeveloped in response to the Kennedy administration's concern for survivable command, control,and communication (Lewis et al. 1995). This facility was used for this purpose during Phases illand IV of the Cold War era, and meets NRHP criteria (a) and (c).

6.3 MATERIEL DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES

None were evaluated atWhiteman AFB.


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6.4 TRAINING FACILITIES

6.4.1 Missile Training

6.4.1.1 Missile Launch Facility Trainer (Resource N~. 13008, Real Property No. 1100)

This facility is more specifically called the T-12 Missile LF Trainer. The trainer was constructed in1967 to be used as a training facility for Minuteman missile maintenance crews, and is located justwest of the southern end of the flight line mission buildings and northeast of the Oscar- I LCF.Although the trainer is not an actual LF, it was built to replicate all aspects of an actual one.However, this structure includes specialized architectural elements specific to the trainer and itsrequirements for greater access by personnel. Like an actual LF, this trainer consists of a blast-resistant underground silo made of reinforced. concrete with a steel plate liner. The trainer has alaunch tube that holds a missile and is approximately 80 ft deep. Beneath the ground, the launchtube is surrounded by a two-level annular equipment room with suspended platforms that affordaccess for missile service. The launch tube is sealed by a 100 ton door or launcher closure. Asingle hatch provides access to the normal launch tube and maintenance decks. Unique to thelaunch trainer is an above-ground concrete building with a staircase that leads down to the two-level equipment room.

The trainer has functioned as a LF trainer since its construction. Because the facility continues tobe used, all aspects of its integrity have been retained. Given the active development at the base,the open space surrounding the launch trainer is likely to be needed for construction or parking inthe future. This development could have a possible effect on this resource.

The significance of the trainer stems from its direct association with the Minuteman ICBMsystem. This missile system was a major advance in the development of the nation's deterrencecapability because of its cheaper one LCF to 10 LFs configuration, which allowed a greaterproliferation of missiles. Also, this system used solid fuel that was stored in the missile rather


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than the liquid fuel which had to be loaded into Titan missiles just before firing. This reductionin time between receiving the order to launch and the actual launching made this missile moresurvivable, thus fulfilling the nation's need for greater deterrent capability. This facility was usedfor this purpose during Phases illand IV of the Cold War era, and meets NRHP criteria (a)and (c).

6.5 INTELLIGENCE FACILITIES

None were evaluated at Whiteman AFB.


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7.0 UNDOCUMENTED RESOURCES

The purpose of the reconnaissance inventory was to provide initial information on the kinds of ColdWar resources extant on Whiteman AFB. During the fieldwork at the base, the field team could notinventory all the resources available to them due to time limitations. As a result, some resourceswere noted as existing but were not inventoried. Because of security, access to buildings along theflight line or within the weapons storage area was not secured. As a result, several buildings werenoted as existing but were not evaluated. However, the recent construction dates and the functionallabels for a majority of these buildings suggest they are not significant within the Cold War context.Nevertheless, these resources may contain potentially significant information pertaining to thebase's Cold War context in general or to specific properties or activities at Whiteman AFB. In thefuture, these resources should be investigated further in more comprehensive analyses.

The USAF Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB, .Alabama, is the repository for all AirForce historical documents. A computerized search for materials related to Whiteman AFBrevealed approximately 100 citations. Most of these are unit histories and special collections.More specific topics include the histories of 'Minuteman construction, peace demonstrators, andwomen missile crews. The vast majority of these documents are available on microfilm. Futurestudies of Cold War history at Whiteman AFB should allot time to researching these documents.

Finally, as part of the inventory process, various people at the base were contacted to help identifyresources important to the base's Cold War history. A list of these contacts, plus a list of informalinterviews conducted by the field teamat the base, are presented in Appendix F.


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8.0 FUTURE THREATS TO RESOURCES

Whiteman AFB is currently undergoing extensive development and construction related to theestablishmentof the B-2 bomber at the base. Meanwhile, the Minuteman mission of WhitemanAFB is being eliminated, the missiles are being removed from their silos, and nearly all of the LFsandLCFs are being destroyed as per START. In addition to all this construction and demolition,severalhistoricpreservation studies are simultaneouslyunderway.

Architectural and construction plans are currently being developed for extensive remodeling of theBomberAlert Facility (Real Property No.6). These plans include the removal of the characteristictunnels and expansion of the top floor of the building. These developments will adversely effectthe external integrity of this facility, which has been recommended in this report as eligible to:theNRHP.

Both the Oscar-l Missile LCF (Real Property No. 1230) and the T-12 Missile LF Trainer (RealProperty No. 1100) are located within areas of relatively open space. Demands for building andparking spacemay eventually compress this space. Fortunately, both resources are included-within>existingpreservation plans for ,thebase. The Missile LCF will become the home of the WhitemanHeritage Center's offices and exhibits, and will provide interpretive tours of this LCF and theMissile LF Trainer. Short term plans call for the removal of all hazardous materials from theseresourcesand minor safetymodifications within the facilities for effective public exhibition.


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Volume //-27: Whiteman Air Force Base 46

9.0 PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS

Cultural resources are defmed as physical manifestations of past human activity, occupation, or use.This defmition includes historic sites and objects. According to the NHP A, a historic property is acultural resource that either is listed on the NRHP or has been evaluated and determined eligible forlisting. For example, a Cold War maintenance hangar at Whiteman AFB is a cultural resource, butit mayor may not be a historic property according to NHP A terminology. A determination ofeligibility is a decision of whether a resource meets certain requirements. If the resource meets therequirements, it is eligible for nomination to the NRHP.

A comprehensive national evaluation will be completed at the conclusion of the individual baseinventories. This evaluation will provide comprehensive management recommendations for -theresources recommended in the base reports as eligible, potentially eligible, or eligible in the future.In the comprehensive evaluation, selected eligible resources will be recommended for actualnomination to the NRHP.

9.1 NRHP ELIGIBILITY

9.1.1 Evaluation and Determination ofNRHP Eligibility

Under the NHP A, cultural resources must meet certain requirements to be eligible for nominationto the NRHP, and these requirements apply to Cold War resources. First, a resource must bedetermined to be important within its historic context. Itmust also meet at least one of the NRHPcriteria of importance, as described in Section 4.2.2.2. The eligibility of a resource for inclusion inthe NRHP also lies in the resource's age. Generally, a resource must be at least 50 years old to beconsidered eligible. However, if a resource is found to be of exceptional importance within itshistoric context and in regard to the NRHP criteria, then the 50 year threshold is waived. This isespecially important for this study, as the resources that were evaluated achieved importance duringthe Cold War era, thus are currently less than 50 years old. Finally, resources must possess integrity


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of at least two of the following: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, andassociation, as appropriate.Recommendations in this report regardingNRHP eligibility are preliminary. It is the responsibilityof the federal agency tomake the determination of eligibility in consultation with the State HistoricPreservation Officer (SHPO). If they cannot agree on a determination, a formal determination ofeligibility is then required from the Keeper of the NRHP, who acts on behalf of the Secretary of theInterior in these matters. For this current study at Whiteman AFB, the Command CulturalResources Manager for ACC is the responsible party acting in the role of the federal agency. It isthrough the Command Cultural Resources Manager, in consultation with the base commander, therespective SHPO, and USAF Headquarters, that a determination of eligibility will be made for the.evaluated resources. Processing of NRHP nominations is conducted through the chain. ofcommand, from the base through the major command to the Air Force Federal Preservation Officer,with the fmal decision made by the Keeper of the NRHP.

As stated above, if a resource is determined to be eligible for nomination to the NRHP, or is listedon the NRHP, the resource is considered as a historic property. Resources that have not beencompletely evaluated for NRHP eligibility, and thus cannot be subject to a determination ofeligibility, are considered to be potentially eligible resources. This includes resources that are.unidentified or unknown. Because of this potential, these resources must be treated as though theyare eligible and managed accordingly until complete evaluation and determination of eligibility canbe made. In general, resources are considered as eligible, and treated as such, until determinedotherwise. Within the scope of the current Cold War study, only those resources that haveimportance within the ColdWar context have been evaluated for their eligibility. This means thatmost of the resources onWhiteman AFB have not been evaluated, and thus must be considered andtreated as eligible until an evaluation and determination of eligibility are made.

Once a historic property has been listed on the NRHP, its determination of eligibility is basicallyfmal, although there are processes for removing properties from the -list. In some cases, historic


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properties, though evaluated and determined eligible, are not nominated to the list. Theseproperties, though not on the list, are treated the same as those properties listed. However, adetermination of eligibility of an unlisted historic property is not the [mal determination for thatresource. As time passes, a resource previously determined ineligible may become eligible whenre-evaluated, or a historic property may lose a pre-determined eligibility. Therefore, it is necessaryto re-evaluateunlisted historic properties periodically.

9.1.2 Implications of NRHP Eligibility

Under NHPA,'federal agencies have responsibilities toward the management of historic properties,both those that have been identified and those that are unknown. There are many provisions in thislaw which must be adhered to by federal agencies. Two sections of the NHPA apply directly toresourceprotection, Section 110 and Section 106.

Section 110of the NHPA requires federal agencies to assume responsibility for the preservation ofhistoricproperties that are owned or controlledby the agency. The first step to this responsibility isto identify,inventory, evaluate, and nominate all resources under the agency's ownership or controlthat appear to qualify for listing on the NRHP. The current study is a means to meeting this step.The agency must ensure that any resource that might qualify for listing is not inadvertentlytransferred, sold, demolished, substantially altered, or allowed to deteriorate significantly. If it isdeemednecessary to proceed with a project that will adversely affect a historic property, the agencymust document the property for future use and reference, and deposit such records in a designatedrepository.

Section 106 outlines a review process whereby the effect of a proposed project on historicproperties is considered prior to proceeding with that project. The review process is warranted forall federal undertakings (federally conducted, licensed, permitted, or assisted actions), and isintended to. help balance agency goals and preservation goals.. and to lead to creative conflictresolution rather than to block or inhibit proposed undertakings. Thus it is a process that is


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designed to take place during the planning stages of a project when changes can be made to achievethis balance. Entities involved in the review process can include th

Whiteman AFB Cold War Study

Documents

Transcript of Whiteman AFB Cold War Study