HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS EIGHTY-THIRD CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SUBCOMMITTEE ON CIVIL FUNCTIONS AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION GLENN R. DAVIS, T. MILLET HAND, New Jersey Wisconsin, Chairman CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri FRANK SANDERS, Executive Secretary to Subcommittee 43961 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations UNITED STATES WASHINGTON 1954 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS JOHN TABER, New York, Chairman RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts H. CARL ANDERSEN, Minnesota IVOR D. FENTON, Pennsylvania JOHN PHILLIPS, California ERRETT P. SCRIVNER, Kansas FREDERIC R. COUDERT, JR., New York NORRIS COTTON, New Hampshire BENJAMIN F. JAMES, Pennsylvania CHARLES R. JONAS, North Carolina OTTO KRUEGER, North Dakota SAM COON, Oregon MELVIN R. LAIRD, Wisconsin ELFORD A. CEDERBERG, Michigan CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri J. VAUGHAN GARY, Virginia JOHN E. FOGARTY, Rhode Island ANTONIO M. FERNANDEZ, New Mexico OTTO E. PASSMAN, Louisiana ALFRED D. SIEMINSKI, New Jersey GEORGE Y. HARVEY, Clerk KENNETH SPRANKLE, Assistant Clerk (II) MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, 1954 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1954. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WITNESSES BRIG. GEN. S. T. WRAY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INSTALLATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, OPERATIONS COL. WILLIAM M. KRICKER, CHIEF, CONSTRUCTION BRANCH, DIRECTORATE OF BUDGET; MILITARY REQUIREMENTS AND CONSTRUCTION DIVISION; DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, COMP. TROLLER L. B. McCLOUD, DEPUTY CHIEF, CONSTRUCTION DIVISION, DIRECTORATE OF INSTALLATIONS, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, OPERATIONS Mr. DAVIS. The committee has before it this morning a request for a number of items which have been submitted to the committee by separate letters. Some of them are for items which have previously been considered by the committee, and have been deferred for one reason or another. There are other items that do not fall into that category. I refer, first, to a letter dated February 4, 1954, signed by General Asensio, Director of the Budget for the Air Force, in which he requests that the committee give consideration for funding of a number of line items at different locations within the continental United States. NORTON AIR FORCE BASE, CALIF. The first of the locations is at the Norton Air Force Base, where there are three items before us, including widening of the primary runway, $625,000; approach lighting, $21,000; and an addition to the engineering shop in the amount of $196,000. We have General Wray of the Air Force present, along with others, who may be able to assist him in furnishing information to the committee. We will ask you, General Wray, first of all, to tell us how these items at the Norton Air Force Base happen to be before the committee at this time. General WRAY. In your letter of November 25, sir, you returned certain items to us because of lack of sufficient advance planning and design, and others because of lack of suitable award dates. On these particular items we have improved the award date, and we would like the committee to reconsider them so that we can let the contracts. (1) Mr. DAVIS. What do you mean by your statement that you have improved the award date? Does that mean you have advanced them from what you had previously intended? General WRAY. Yes, sir. Well, we have not advanced them; it just means that in the field they have now completed the design to a state sufficient that they know we can advertise an award on this schedule. Mr. DAVIS. Are you satisfied that these are firm dates? These dates are furnished to us by the Corps of Engineers in that area. Mr. DAVIS. Each of these three items are now scheduled to be awarded in May if proper clearance is provided by the necessary committees; is that correct? General WRAY. Yes, sir; that is correct. Mr. McCLOUD. Mr. Davis, it so happens that all three of these items were under the design by the Corps of Engineers and we contacted them and by stepping up the work they are able to give us an award date for May, as compared to July, when we appeared before you in November. Mr. DAVIS. I believe that the basic information with respect to these items was furnished to the committee in November? General WRAY. Yes, sir; it was. (Discussion off the record.) Mr. RILEY. All of these seem to be operational facilities. LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, ARK. Mr. DAVIS. We will turn, then, to the Little Rock Air Force Base, where there are two line items: one a type B communications building in the amount of $73,000, which appears to be of about the standard type, and a type E officers' mess in the amount of $141,000. Are those identical to the items that were presented to the committee earlier? General WRAY. Yes, sir; they are. Mr. DAVIS. What was the previous date which you gave us in regard to the awards of the contracts? General WRAY. Originally it was August 1954, for both items, and it has now been improved to June 1954. Mr. DAVIS. Which brings them into the current fiscal year? Mr. McCLOUD. That does not completely clear Little Rock, Mr. Davis. You deleted 5 items, 3 of which we were unable to improve the dates on. Mr. DAVIS. When you speak of improving the date, that means you have a firm commitment from the Corps of Engineers as to your ability to let the contract? Mr. McCLOUD. Yes, sir. WARNER-ROBBINS AIR FORCE BASE Mr. DAVIS. At the Warner-Robbins Air Force Base there is an item for rehabilitation of a reciprocal engine test cell in the amount of $162,000. What was the information with respect to the probable date for letting the contract which you gave us when you were here in November? General WRAY. It was August 1954, and that has been improved to June 1954. Mr. DAVIS. I believe you testified in November that the purpose of this rehabilitation was to eliminate certain safety hazards. Mr. McCLOUD. I believe that is correct, sir. General WRAY. It is the same as those at Kelley Field. In the past we have had a history of two very disastrous explosions: one at Allison, and the other at Hill. Mr. DAVIS. So, you have to improve the safety factors substantially? General WRAY. Yes, sir. At Hill, I believe there was 1 person killed, and at Indianapolis there were 8 people killed, and the Allison Engine people lost 8 cells, which involved an amount of about $7.5 million. PLATTSBURG AIR FORCE BASE, N. Y. Mr. DAVIS. At Plattsburg, the action of the committee in November was to provide funds for the resettlement charges, but to defer further funding at that time, primarily on the basis of a large, unobligated balance. General Asensio's letter indicates that you are requesting $7,150,000 for additional funding at that station. Was that the amount of your request before the committee in November? Mr. McCLOUD. At that time it may have been, Mr. Davis. Of the original total of $7,915,000 we have reduced the size of the officers' mess; we have deleted the bulk of jet fuel, and that brings the total down to $7.031 million. Mr. DAVIS. The total is $7.031 million? Mr. McCLOUD. Yes, sir; it would be $7,031,000. That does not include the $400,000 resettlement charge which you approved. It would be $7,431,000. Mr. DAVIS. But the new funding then is in the amount of $7,031,000 instead of $7,150,000? Mr. McCLOUD. Yes, sir; the additional funding would be $7,031,000. That may not check exactly with the figure which we discussed in November, because since that time we have had a complete reevaluation of our jet-fuel storage throughout the Air Force and it has resulted in a deletion of certain items at this particular base. Mr. DAVIS. What are the line items? Mr. MCCLOUD. The program as it now stands includes an item for excess cut and fill, on which we can make an immediate award; it involves a hangar access apron; operational apron, and apron transit and base flight; extension of the primary taxiway; hydrant refueling; additional airmen's dormitory and mess, with various utilities; and electric substation; a switching station; a water tank; a sewage pumping station; railroad trackage with roads and an AIO warehouse. The design on all of these items is complete, or practically complete. They were designed along with the items that are presently under contract, which contract we let on the 22d of January, and they can be immediately advertised. In fact, I think some of these items have bids taken already, but the award just has not been made. We can |