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WHEELER AIR FORCE BASE, HAWAII

Senator CANNON. What is the next page?

Colonel FENLON. The last page in the volume is page 226. It is Wheeler Air Force Base, located 1 mile south of Wahiawa, Hawaii. Its planned mission is support of flying activities, administrative functions of headquarters PACAF personnel support.

The program requested for this base amounts to $396,000, and provides for the construction-excuse me, a repetitive item of a 300-seat base chapel with annex.

General CURTIN. The existing facility is to be demolished.

Senator CANNON. All right, I think we will end there today, gentlemen. We will stand in recess until 10:30 tomorrow morning.

(Whereupon, at 4:15 p.m., a recess was taken until 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 29, 1965.)

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION, FISCAL

YEAR 1966

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1965

U.S. SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES,

AND SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,

Washington, D.C.

The Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Military Construction of the Committee on Appropriations met jointly, pursuant to recess, at 10:40 a.m. in room 212, Old Senate Office Building.

Present: Senators Stennis (presiding), Ellender, Mansfield, Yarborough, Cannon, Inouye, and Smith.

Of the staff of the Committee on Armed Services: Gordon A. Nease, professional staff member and Charles B. Kirbow, chief clerk.

Of the staff of the Committee on Appropriations: Vorley M. Rexroad and Joseph Borda, professional staff members.

Senator STENNIS. The committee will come to order. We will continue this morning with General Curtin and his excellent staff on Air Force items. We completed the presentation of the repetitive items yesterday. We will continue until about 12:30, and we will not have an afternoon session, gentlemen. We have other matters that require our attention.

If this room proves adequate room, we will continue to meet here. There are plenty of seats for those representing the Air Force and for others who might want to come in.

General, you may proceed with your presentation.

STATEMENT OF MAJ. GEN. R. H. CURTIN, ACCOMPANIED BY COL. JAMES W. FENLON-Resumed

STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OKLA.

Colonel FENLON. We had finished volume 2.

The first item is on page 3, Mr. Chairman, volume 3, Altus Air Force Base, Okla., located approximately 3 miles northeast of Altus, Okla.

Senator STENNIS. Proceed.

Colonel FENLON. This is for a Strategic Air Command heavy bomber and refueling mission.

The program requested for Altus totals $46,000 and consists of an item for constructing a vehicle fueling station to replace the World War II quartermaster station.

Senator STENNIS. That is an item that is so relatively small I suggest that we would approve that without objection.

Will you proceed to the next one, page 5?

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, LA.

Colonel FENLON. Page 5, sir; the next base is Barksdale Air Force Base located 3 miles east of Shreveport, La. The 2d Air Force Headquarters is located at Barksdale. Other major missions operating from this base are two heavy bomber squadrons, two heavy air refueling squadrons, and a Reserve troop carrier group. The total program being requested is $3,015,000 and consists of eight items.

The first item provides for the construction of 1,620 feet of blast deflectors required for parking 15 additional B-52 aircraft which are programed to be assigned to this base.

The second item is a repetitive item for the construction of a ready crew building for alert crew members.

The third item provides for the alteration of two hangars for squadron operations facilities in support of the added mission. This facility serves as a main control for all unit flights and flying training tasks in addition to providing space for the planning, briefing, administration, and critique of combat crews.

The fourth item is a repetitive item, an addition to the maintenance shop.

The fifth item is a reptitive item, a refueling vehicle shop.

The sixth item provides additional storage of demineralized water for the added mission at this base. The existing storage capacity of 595 barrels is insufficient to support the 30 additional jet aircraft of the added mission.

The seventh and eighth items are repetitive items for additional dormitory and officer quarters spaces.

Senator STENNIS. I believe these are required due to base closings elsewhere, is that right?

Colonel FENLON. That is correct, Mr. Chairman.

Senator STENNIS. You are going to give us a special list on such

items, as you know.

General CURTIN. Yes, we will, Mr. Chairman.

Senator STENNIS. All right.

Colonel FENLON. Our next base, page 14.

Senator STENNIS. Any question about this at Barksdale?

[No response.]

Senator STENNIS. All right, page 14.

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CALIF.

Colonel FENLON. Beale Air Force Base located 45 miles north of Sacramento, Calif. The use of this base is for a Strategic Air Command heavy bomber and refueling mission, a strategic aerospace division and wing, and a reconnaissance wing.

The total program requested is $1,839,000. It includes the following four items:

The first is a repetitive item for an addition and alteration to a composite medical facility.

The second item is a repetitive item for the construction of a base chapel with annex.

The third item is also a repetitive item for an addition to the NCO open mess.

The fourth item is for utilities and provides for modifications and expansion of these facilities to support the increased missions at this base.

Senator STENNIS. That is an electrical distribution system.

Colonel FENLON. Yes, sir.

Senator STENNLS. I would consider that a must.

Senator CANNON. Mr. Chairman.

Senator STENNIS. All right, Senator.

Senator CANNON. Is there an ATLAS unit scheduled to phase out of Beale?

General CURTIN. TITAN I.

Senator CANNON. This will say in?

Colonel REILLY. No, sir; the TITAN I's will be phased out.

Senator CANNON. How Soon?

Colonel LUSCHEN. They are phasing out this spring. In fact the last missile has already been removed at Beale.

Senator CANNON. The missiles are actually out.

Colonel LUSCHEN. The missile unit is out.

Senator CANNON. And none of this relates to support of the TITAN unit that was in there.

General CURTIN. No, sir. This relates to the increased mission that has gone in there.

Senator CANNON. This is by reason of putting in additional B-52's, or what?

Colonel LUSCHEN. The SR-71 strategic reconnaissance unit.

Senator CANNON. That will operate out of there in addition to the B-52's and the refueling unit you have there.

General CURTIN. That is correct.

Senator CANNON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Senator STENNIS. I wish you would follow up on that line of questioning on other bases.

BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE, ARK.

Colonel FENLON. Our next base, Mr. Chairman, is on page 19, Blytheville Air Force Base located 4 miles northwest of Blytheville,

Ark.

The planned use of this base is for a Strategic Air Command heavy bomber and refueling mission. The program requested for Blytheville totals $1,574,000.

The first item provides blast deflectors for two additional aircraft parking spaces and blast pads to control soil erosion. The deflectors and stabilization requested will control erosion, eliminate the blowing of dust and gravel into other activities, and limit the fire hazard of burning grass.

The second item is a repetitive item for an addition to the base communications building.

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