SPRING 2014 - Volume 61, Number 1 the Air Force Historical Foundation Founded on May 27, 1953 by Gen Carl A
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SPRING 2014 - Volume 61, Number 1 WWW.AFHISTORICALFOUNDATION.ORG The Air Force Historical Foundation Founded on May 27, 1953 by Gen Carl A. “Tooey” Spaatz MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS and other air power pioneers, the Air Force Historical All members receive our exciting and informative Foundation (AFHF) is a nonprofi t tax exempt organization. Air Power History Journal, either electronically or It is dedicated to the preservation, perpetuation and on paper, covering: all aspects of aerospace history appropriate publication of the history and traditions of American aviation, with emphasis on the U.S. Air Force, its • Chronicles the great campaigns and predecessor organizations, and the men and women whose the great leaders lives and dreams were devoted to fl ight. The Foundation • Eyewitness accounts and historical articles serves all components of the United States Air Force— Active, Reserve and Air National Guard. • In depth resources to museums and activities, to keep members connected to the latest and AFHF strives to make available to the public and greatest events. today’s government planners and decision makers information that is relevant and informative about Preserve the legacy, stay connected: all aspects of air and space power. By doing so, the • Membership helps preserve the legacy of current Foundation hopes to assure the nation profi ts from past and future US air force personnel. experiences as it helps keep the U.S. Air Force the most modern and effective military force in the world. • Provides reliable and accurate accounts of historical events. The Foundation’s four primary activities include a quarterly journal Air Power History, a book program, a • Establish connections between generations. biennial symposium, and an awards program. Spring 2014 -Volume 61, Number 1 WWW.AFHISTORICALFOUNDATION.ORG Features “Ten Seconds to Impact”: The B–52 Air Strike at Bagram, Nov. 12, 2001 Forrest L. Marion 6 Reconnaissance on a Global Scale: SAC Reconnaissance of the 1950s William Cahill 14 A German Aircraft Downed by Archie Charles H. Bogart 30 Flying Training: The American Advantage in the Battle for Air Superiority against the Luftwaffe Kenneth P. Werrell 34 Book Reviews Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country By Andrew J. Bacevich Review by John Cirafici 48 Normandy: From D-Day to the Breakout, June 6-July 31, 1944 By Dominique François Review by Joe McCue 48 Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific January 1942-April 1943 By Bruce Gamble Review by Al Mongeon 48 History of Rocketry and Astro nautics: Proceedings of the 42d His tory Symposium of the International Academy of Astronautics, Glasgow, United Kingdon, 2008 By John Harlow, ed. Review by Richard P. Hallion 49 Berlin on the Brink: The Blockade, the Airlift, and the Early Cold War By Daniel F. Harrington Review by Sebastian H. Lukasik 49 Distant Thunder: A Helicopter Pilot’s Odyssey from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan By Don Harward Review by Sebastian H. Lukasik 50 Bomber Command By Max Hastings Review by Golda Eldridge 51 The Battle of Midway: The Naval Institute Guide to the U.S. Navy’s Greatest Victory By Thomas C. Hone, ed. Review by Steven Agoratus 52 The Development of Propulsion Technology for U.S. Space-Launch Vehicles, 1926-1991 By J. D. Hunley Review by Richard P. Hallion 52 Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy By Frank Leith Jones Review by Steven D. Ellis 52 Pacific Blitzkrieg, World War II in the Central Pacific By Sharon Tosi Lacey Review by Al Mongeon 53 Cold Days in Hell: American POWs in Korea By William Clark Latham, Jr. Review by Joe McCue 54 Evolution of the Secretary of Defense in the Era of Massive Retaliation, Special Study 3 By Erin Mahan & Jeffrey A. Larsen, eds. Review by Richard P. Hallion 54 Churchill and his Airmen: Relationships, Intrigue, and Policy Making 1914-1945 By Vincent Orange Review by Richard P. Hallion 54 Meeting the Challenge: The Hexagon KH-9 Reconnaissance Satellite By Phil Pressel Review by Rick W. Sturdevant 55 Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, 1963-1972 By David West Reynolds Review by Golda Eldridge 56 Hero of the Angry Sky: The World War I Diary & Letters of David S. Ingalls, America’s First Naval Ace By Geoffrey L. Rossanno, ed. Review by Steven D. Ellis 56 On Alert: An Operational History of the U.S. Air Force ICBM Program, 1945-2011 By David M. Spires Review by John F. O’Connell 57 Airship: Design, Development, and Disaster By John Swinfield Review by Paul D. Stone 57 World War II London Blitz Diary By Ruby S. Thompson, ed. by Victoria A. Washuk Review by Golda Eldridge 57 A Chronology of Aviation: A Day-by-Day History of a Century of Powered Flight By Jim Winchester Review by Scott A. Willey 58 Float Planes & Flying Boats, The U.S. Coast Guard and Early Naval Aviation By Robert B. Workman Review by Al Mongeon 58 Departments Books Received 59 Upcoming Events and Reunions 60 Letters, Editor’s Note, In Memoriam, and History Mystery 62 COVER: It’s our 60th Anniversary. See the President’s Message on page 5 The Air Force Historical Foundation The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation Spring 2014 Volume 61 Number 1 Editor Jacob Neufeld Asst. Editor, Layout and Design Richard I. Wolf Air Force Historical Foundation Technical Editor Robert F. Dorr P.O. Box 790 Clinton, MD 20735-0790 Book Review Editor (301) 736-1959 Scott A. Willey Advertising E-mail: [email protected] Jim Vertenten On the Web at http://www.afhistoricalfoundation.org Circulation Officers, 2014 Board of Directors, 2014 Angela J. Bear President/Chairman of the Board and Col Kenneth J. Alnwick, USAF (Ret) Chair, Executive Committee Col William J. Dalecky, USAF (Ret) Maj Gen Dale W. Meyerrose, USAF (Ret) Lt Gen Russell C. Davis, USAF (Ret) Air Power History (ISSN 1044-016X) is pro- Chair, Development Committee Ms. Jonna Doolittle Hoppes duced for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter by Maj Gen Kenneth M. DeCuir, USAF (Ret) Lt Gen Charles L. Johnson, USAF (Ret) the Air Force Historical Foun dation. Treasurer and Chair, Lt Gen Timothy A. Kinnan, USAF (Ret) Finance Committee Mr John F. Kreis Prospective contributors should consult the GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS at Lt Col Lawrence Spinetta, USAF CMSgt John R. McCauslin, USAF (Ret) the back of this journal. Unsolicited manu- Chair, Services Committee scripts will be returned only on specific Maj Willard Strandberg, Jr., USAF (Ret) request. The Editor cannot accept responsibil- Secretary and Executive Director ity for any damage to or loss of the manu- Lt Col Jim Vertenten, USAF (Ret) Benefactor script. The Editor reserves the right to edit Editor manuscripts and letters. Jacob Neufeld Col Wray Johnson, USAF (Ret) Address LETTERS TO THE EDITOR to: Patron Members, 2014 President’s Circle Air Power History Mr. Lawrence R. Benson 11908 Gainsborough Rd. Col Dennis M. Drew, USAF (Ret) Col William J. Dalecky, USAF (Ret) Potomac, MD 20854 Maj Gen Charles J. Dunlap, Jr., USAF (Ret) e-mail: [email protected] Dr Rebecca Grant Correspondence regarding missed issues or Dr Jerome V. Martin CORPORATE SPONSORS, 2014 changes of address should be addressed to Lt Gen George D. Miller, USAF (Ret) the CIRCULATION OFFICE: Col J Calvin Shahbaz Gold Level ($10,000 or more) Lt Col Raymond C. Tagge, USAF (Ret) Lockheed Martin Corporation Air Power History P.O. Box 790 Clinton, MD 20735-0790 (301) 736-1959 e-mail: [email protected] ADVERTISING Jim Vertenten P.O. Box 790 Clinton, MD 20735-0790 (301) 736-1959 e-mail: [email protected] Copyright © 2014 by the Air Force Historical Foundation. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Clinton, MD 20735 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send change of address to the Circulation Office. 2 AIR POWER History / SPRING 2014 From the Editor You must have noticed that this is the sixtieth year of publication of Air Power History. Accordingly, in this issue our feature articles run the gamut from World War I, to World War II, to Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001. Forrest Marion leads off with “Ten Seconds to Impact: The B–52 air strike at Bagram, on November 12, 2001.” This event was followed by the retreat of the Taliban and the capture of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. In the second article, Bill Cahill examines “Reconnaissance on a Global Scale: SAC Reconnaissance of the 1950s.” At the end of World War II, the Strategic Air Command pos- sessed a small fleet of aged bombers to use in the reconnaissance role, which was employed to map the periphery of the Soviet Union. At the outbreak of the Korean War, in June 1950, SAC was forced to conduct a realistic test of its reconnaissance doctrine and capabilities. General LeMay found SAC,s reconnaissance capabilities lacking. However, by 1956, the Central intelligence Agency’s high-altitude U–2 filled the void. Learn of the events and tech- nology that allowed SAC to resume its primary mission. In “A German Aircraft Downed by Archie,” Charles Bogart recounts the story of how an American machine-gun crew of the 6th Balloon Company shot down the German World War I ace, Unterofficier Hans Marwedefater; after he had torched an American balloon. As Marwe - defater crashed behind American lines, he began strafing American troops. Did he get out alive? Ken Werrell, a prolific historian examines the reasons why the Luftwaffe lost air superi- ority to the United States in World War II. One reason, he concludes, was superior pilot train- ing. Another was the waiver for pilot cadets to complete two years of college. There are nearly two dozen book reviews in this issue and several books received, Please note that we have relocated the President’s Message to page 5.