Senator STENNIS. I know Clark is an important airbase. Will these items complete this base? Will you have about all you need there for the foreseeable future when you get these items? General CURTIN. There is another $13.5 million programed in the next 5 years, Mr. Chairman. Senator STENNIS. What is it for generally? Is it similar to this? General CURTIN. Yes, sir; it would consist largely of personnel projects. Even with the housing for the officers and airmen in this program, there is a considerable deficiency that still will have to be faced up to. Senator STENNIS. That does not contemplate any new or additional missions on the base? General CURTIN. No, sir. Senator STENNIS. Anything new or any additional requirements that would require an addition to the $13.5 million? General CURTIN. That is correct. Senator STENNIS. So you want $25 million there for construction for this year and the next 3 years? General CURTIN. Four additional years. Senator STENNIS. That is pretty stiff. Any other questions? If not, we will pass on. I do think you ought to give us a written statement analyzing the situation about the hospital needs, and why you have to ask for $2.28 million in the same calendar year that you just finished this brandnew hospital. General CURTIN. We will furnish that, Mr. Chairman. (The statement referred to follows:) Why is the $2.8 million addition needed for the Clark Air base composite medical facility? 1. The 200-bed composite medical facility (CMF) at Clark Air base was planned in 1960. It was sized to provide for the medical needs of the then projected 6,238 active duty military and 5,600 dependents. 2. Before this CMF was occupied in February of 1964, the medical workload had increased in size. Accordingly, the Air Force programed an addition as a part of the fiscal year 1965 military construction program. The Department of Defense in its annual budget review of the fiscal year 1965 medical construction program deleted this item and suggested that the Air Force study this project in relation to what was permanent and long range in nature and what portion of the requirement was temporarily generated by military actions in southeast Asia. During this same time period the Air Force was carefully examining its oversea bases in relation to the balance of foreign currency exchange. Many adjustments in oversea base utilization were made in an effort to reduce outflow of American dollars in the international market. As a result, Clark Air base gained increasing importance in long-range planning as a permanent bastion of defense in the Pacific. 3. As a result of the above, it was determined that the number of persons for whom medical support would be required on a long-range basis would be almost double that for which the medical facility was originally constructed. In addition, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Medical) sent his civilian medical professional consultant to Clark Airbase to study the long-range medical requirement. Upon his return, he advised that there was a definite requirement, on a long-range basis, to enlarge the size of the permanent medical facility at Clark Airbase. 4. Based upon the findings of these studies, the Air Force has programed a composite medical facility addition at a cost of $2,800,000 as a part of this fiscal year 1966 military construction program. This addition provides for only the permanent long-range projected medical requirement. The temporary requirement for troops rotating into and out of southeast Asia is being met through the utilization of old World War II buildings. Senator STENNIS. You have a problem there with air conditioning, too. You do not have any air conditioning down here, do you? Have you started on that project for air conditioning? General CURTIN. Which project are you referring to? Senator STENNIS. Any of them. Colonel FENLON. Sir, the dormitories and OQ's that we talked about are being air conditioned. Senator STENNIS. That means you will have to air-condition all the rest of them. The next item please, sir. KADENA AIRBASE, OKINAWA Colonel FENLON. The next base is page 31, Kadena Air Force Base ocated 10 miles north of Naha on Okinawa. The primary missions of this base are outlined on page 31 in volume 4. The first item is a repetitive item for a two-position power check pad required to permit ground checking of Century series aircraft after maintenance on the aircraft. The existing substandard single runup pad will remain in use but the additional pad is needed to prevent delays in workload schedules. It also includes two sound suppressors. The second item, sir, is a classified item which we would cover in volume 5. Senator STENNIS. Which item is that? Colonel FENLON. The bulk storage liquid fuel, sir. Senator STENNIS. All right. Colonel FENLON. The third item is for 11,110 square feet for a base supply administrative office required to provide the needed space to house base supply personnel and the supply computer. It will replace the existing building which is beyond economical repair and is to be removed. The fourth item is a repetitive item providing for 8,225 square feet for an administrative wing maintenance control facility which is in support of the tactical fighter wing at Kadena. Senator STENNIS. All right, the theater. Colonel FENLON. The last item, sir, is a repetitive item for a new 1,000-seat base theater to replace two Butler-type buildings built n 1951. Senator STENNIS. Does anyone on the committee wish to give a brief statement here on this Ŏkinawa situation? We review that here every once in a while. I would like to hear some of you who are versed on it, I am speaking to the committee members now. Senator Inouye, have you looked into this situation lately? You asked a question a minute ago. Did we complete a treaty with them? Senator INOUYE. Mr. Chairman, as far as I recall, we are in Okinawa as a result of a treaty entered into with Japan. Senator STENNIS. I know, but is there any new development that you know of in the last few years? Senator INOUYE. No, sir. Senator STENNIS. Senator, did you not make an inquiry about this this last year? Senator THURMOND. We have agreed for them to fly the flag down there at the schools and on certain holidays, indicating that we are acknowledging somewhat the residual interest that Japan has in it. I was very much surprised when that was done. I believe it was done about 1961, it could have been 1962, because we have rights to stay there as long as we please. At any rate, that was done. Senator STENNIS. Is there anything from the Air Force on this matter? It is an issue in every election they have there, as I have heard it. Colonel FENLON. Sir, the information I have here just substantiates what Senator Thurmond just said. Senator STENNIS. Of course, it is a very important setup from the standpoint of all the military, including the Air Force; is that not right? General CURTIN. That is correct, sir, and one observation I would pass on to the committee: I was through there just before Christmas. Despite the fact that we have put substantial sums into Kadena, particularly since the typhoons of 1948, in building this up, that numberwise about half of the buildings on this base are still quonsets or metal prefabricated buildings. We have another $20 or $22 million worth of replacement program over the next 5 years to face up to here. Senator STENNIS. We will take up $4 million item later. Senator THURMOND. Mr. Chairman, may I ask one question? Senator THURMOND. Steps are being taken to bring about a resettlement of some Okinawan people down in South America. Are any of you familiar with just how far that has progressed? General CURTIN. I do not believe so, Senator. Senator THURMOND. That is the most crowded place in the world, I guess, unless it is in Japan itself. Senator INOUYE. Mr. Chairman, I believe Okinawans are now going to Brazil as part of this program. I do not know what numbers are going. KUNSAN AIR FORCE BASE, KOREA Senator STENNIS. All right, if that is all on that, gentlemen, we will pass to page 37. It is a refueling shop for vehicles. I imagine that is small and we can pass that one without any further discussion, which brings us to page 39, Japan, a small amount, but give us the justification for it. MISAWA AIR FORCE BASE, JAPAN Colonel FENLON. Yes, sir. This is Misawa Air Force Base located 350 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan. The missions at this base are covered on page 39 in volume 4. The first item, for alteration work to an existing field maintenance hangar is to provide 9,166 square feet of space required to support the programed conversion of the tactical reconnaisance squadron at this base. Senator STENNIS. I should think that is enough on that. That is a small shop. The next item is covered. Suppose you tell us about the test cell. Colonel FENLON. The third item is for alteration work to the existing jet test cell so that we can provide sound suppression controls for ground testing of jet-type aircraft engines in support of the assigned mission. Noise from the existing engine test stand is of very high decibels and it is causing interference with the rest of the personnel assigned on the base as well as in the work areas. Senator STENNIS. How many hours a week does this testing noise go on? Colonel WOOD. Mr. Chairman, this testing goes on 7 days a week wherever we have these modern jet fighter aircraft. As far as the actual operation of the engine when the engine is actually running, of course there are other operations going on, putting an engine in and taking it out and so forth, I would estimate some 5 hours a day during the 5 days a week and maybe 1 or 2 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday would be the normal time when there would be an engine actually running in the test cell. Senator STENNIS. So you have 5 hours of noise on the average on a workday? Colonel WOOD. Yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. All right, Senator Cannon. Senator CANNON. You do have facilities there that you are using for this purpose at the present time. This is just an attempt to improve it? Colonel WOOD. Yes, sir; that is essentially it. This is to modernize it for the new J-79 engines on the RF-4C aircraft going in there and to provide sound suppression for some time. Senator CANNON. You have been using the jet engines with the present test facilities you have there? Colonel WOOD. Yes, sir; the present test facilities will take care of the J-57's and the F-100's and F-102's, but they are converting to F-4's. Senator STENNIS. This is a $484,000 muffler? Colonel WOOD. Essentially that is true; yes, sir. Senator STENNIS. Maybe you ought to get a Midas muffler. That is what the radio says. Colonel FENLON. The last item, Mr. Chairman, requested for this program is for an addition of 5,310 square feet to the existing armament and electronic shop. This is page 43, to support the newly assigned tactical aircraft mission. An adequate maintenance calibration and repair capability under proper environmental controls is essential for this mission accomplisment. Senator STENNIS. That is for your superaircraft? Colonel FENLON. That is for the F-4C's. Senator STENNIS. The next item, page 44. NAHA AIRBASE, OKINAWA Colonel FENLON. Page 44 is Naha Airbase, located 2 miles west of Naha, Okinawa. The missions at this base are listed on page 44 in volume 4. The first item, an aircraft general purpose shop of 5,700 square feet, is for the maintenance of MATS air rescue aircraft and, when completed, will replace an existing substandard facility. It is required to provide shop and supply issue space for these aircraft under controlled environmental conditions. 47-232-65——17 Senator STENNIS. Is this for MATS alone? Why cannot MATS use one of the shops you already have? Colonel WOOD. Sir, all the existing space is being used by the other units on the base, the troop carrier unit and the fighter unit, and there is no space for MATS to use except for the substandard space they are now utilizing there. Senator STENNIS. I get the idea that each one of you has to have a separate shop. I see some reason for that, but you ought to have common use whenever you can. General CURTIN. I would say that this has been done here, Mr. Chairman. Again when I was at Naha last time I was most impressed with the organization of their maintenance and their flight line facilities. Of all of the bases we have, I think the commander there is making maximum utilization of all his facilities. Senator STENNIS. That sounds good. Officers' quarters is a repetitive item. Let's go on to page 47. OSAN AIRBASE, KOREA Colonel FENLON. On page 47 is Osan Airbase, located 35 miles south of Seoul, Korea. The missions for this base are listed on page 47. The first item for construction of a 27,822-square-foot division headquarters will replace a complex of 71 existing deteriorated wood frame and quonset buildings joined together as a temporary shelter built in 1953. The proposed building is required for command effectiveness, morale, and operating control of the Air Force in Korea. The last item is a repetitive item for 96-man officers' quarters required to replace temporary type BOQ buildings needed to provide adequate officer housing at this isolated duty station in Korea. Senator STENNIS. I went over a good part of Korea and our installations there about 1959, and I thought I found the place where everything was really austere. I was very impressed. You made the money go a long way. Those Koreans could make theirs go further. But I hear reports from fellow Senators that you are getting rather swank over there. This headquarters division is a replacement of what? What does that mean? Colonel FENLON. Sir, this is the headquarters of the 314th Air Division, which is in command of the U.S. Air Forces in Korea at Osan and at Kunsan as well as in the Seoul area. Senator STENNIS. Where are these officers' quarters located? Colonel FENLON. At Osan, which is about 35 miles south of Seoul, Korea. General CURTIN. I also visited this one recently, Mr. Chairman. The present officers' quarters are largely in small huts. Going back to your comment on the plush construction, I am sure that this was not directed at Osan. We had some construction to upgrade facilities largely for the airmen, in terms of a gymnasium that was partially complete, and a service club that was being started. These are rather conventional construction. Senator STENNIS. I did not see any plush construction of any kind, but I have heard such a report. Our subcommittee is really criticizing using so much money on plush construction of bases. I have not heard anybody else conclude it is very plush though. |