Introduction
The cover photo is a shot of i radar
shack at an abandoned missile site north
west of Davcy, Neb. It represents another
aspect of pastoral Nebraska, the side which
has participated In the nation's military
efforts.
"The state provided strong support for
the Vietnam War and the Nixon admini
stration and currently shows little interest
in amnesty for draft evaders according to
"Nebraska's Other Tradition' an article by
William C. Pratt, associate professor of
history at the University of Nebraska at
Omaha. '
But, Pratt continues, a survey of history
books shows that this wasn't always the
case.
Pratt said there is an anti-military tradit
ion and it is evident by the state's choice of
early leaders.
Senators William Jennings Bryan and
George Norris both spoke against military
growth.
"War brings prosperity to the stock
gamblers on Wall Street ... I feel we are
about to put the dollar sign on the Ameri
can flag. The only reason America is enter
ing this war (World War I) is to preserve the
commercial right of American citizens to
deliver munitions of war to belligerent
nations," Norris said, as he voted against
U.S. entry into the war.
Talking about the Idea of preparedness,
Bryan said, "If individual pistol toting is a
menace to the peace of the community,
pistol toting by nations In logic must be
a menace to the peace of the world."
But World War II brought a change and
Nebraska started making a substantial con
tribution to military activity.
Pratt questions the Increasing role of
Nebraska in military roles-rhe asks whether
it Is due to World War 11, the tensions of
the Cold War or the development of the
defense industry as an important compon
ent of the state's economy, or a combinat
ion of all three.
In his story, Mike Sweeney explores
the defense industry in Nebraska. Alice
Hrnicek gives the background of the
Strategic Air Command which has its head
quarters in Bellevue.
Kim Wilt talked to SAC personnel about
the military procedure in case of a national
emergency, while Kathy Chenault talked to
civil defense officials about the civilian pro-
cedures. ... ,
Brenda Moskovits Interviewed Lincoln
attorney Richard Vestecka about the
shelter he has built In his basement.
MaryAnne Golon and Cindy Coelianese,
tell the story, through pictures and words, ,
of the university's ROTC program. In other
military matters affecting university stu
dents, Lynn Mongar researched the history
of the G.I. Bill, and Betsie Amnions talked
to Rep. John Cavanaugh about his new
draft proposal.
Stan Gillespie found the Air National
Guard, housed at Lincoln Municipal Air
port, and talked to guardsmen about their
manuevers.
The main controversy today between
military circles and others seems to revolve
around the issue of nuclear power. Shelley
Smith did some research about the peace
ful uses of nuclear energy.
In addition, in this issue, we are
announcing photography, poetry and
Action contest sponsored by Fathom.
The details are on page 8.
Magazine editor: Deb Shanahan. Lay
out editor: John Mlnnlck. Editor in chief:
Pete Mason. Advertising manager: Denise
Jordan .'Photography chief: Ted Kirk. Pro
duction manager: Kitty Policky. Business
manager: Jerri Haussler.
Fathom is a magazine published and
distributed tri-weekly on Fridays by the
Daily Nebraskan.
Unless covered by another copyright,
material may be reprinted without permis
sion if attributed -to Fathom, magazine of
the Daily Nebraskan.
Cover photo by Jerry McBride.
Nebraska houses world's 'most influential military force-major
By Alice Hrnicek
Housed in a building with seven stories,
three above ground, a basement and three
underground, rests the "most influential
military force operating on a global basis."
The headquarters of the Strategic Air Com
mand, located at Offutt Air Force'Base in
Bellevue just south of Omaha, controls 47
SAC posts scattered worldwide.
Of the 12,000 military personnel
employed at Offutt AFB, 7,000 are involv
ed with SAC. Across the globe, a total of
120,000 people work at the strategically
located bases.
That Nebraska can claim such a power
ful force results simply because Offutt was
available as a central location with room
for growth in 1948 when SAC needed to
relocate from Andrews AFB .in Maryland,
according to Major Harry Sunderland, a
SAC public information officer;
SAC'S MISSION IS to deter war, parti
cularly "nuclear war, by supplying strategic
offensive forces capable of defending
against a spectrum of threats to the
security of the United States, Sunderland
said. He added that SAC functions as the
United States Air Force long-range strike
force of combat aircraft and intercontinen
tal ballistic missiles.
General Richard H. Ellis, commander in
chief, ranks above all management posit
ions in operations, finance, legal, personal
intelligence, logistics, plans, administration,
historian, surgeon and information depart
ments, Sunderland said.
The force of SAC, composed of manned
bombers, aerial tankers and intercontinen
tal ballistic missiles, has proved especially
important during the Korean War, the Cold
War of the 1960's, the Cuban Missile Crisis
and the Vietnam Conflict, Sunderland said.
DURING THE Korean War, SAC con
fronted its first real test of combat readi
ness by dropping 167,000 tons of conven
tional bombs and destroyers on strategic
industrial targets in North Korea in three
months, the major said. SAC represented
the strength and power to preserve peace
throughout the world during the Cold War,
he added.
Playing an even more crucial role in the
Cuban Missile Crisis, SAC was ready to
support Kennedy, should the need have
arisen, with the B47, B-52 and ICBM alert
force, Sunderland said.
"The command formed for the presi
dent an umbrella which enabled American
diplomacy to resolve the tenseness.'
In 1972, the bombing of Hanoi helped
bring to a close the Vietnam Conflict.
"After 1 1 days of bombing, they were
brought to the peace table," Sunderland
said.
Created by the Department of Defense
to perpetuate the strategic bombing super
iority that helped bring an allied victory in
World War II, Sunderland said, SAC was
born in 1946. Two years later, the com
mand was moved from Andrews AFB to
Offutt.
THE HEADQUARTERS building was
completed in 1947 at a cost of $8.5
million. Only one addition has been made.
Much more significiant growth of SAC
can be seen in the advanced techniques in
aircraft and bomber systems introduced in
its 33 year history. When General George
C. Kinney was appointed commander in
1946, he started with 100,000 men and
1,300 aircraft, according to information
published by SAC.
The force included two types of air
craft. In 1948, two new aircraft were
delivered and General Curtis E. Lemay
took command.
A major breakthrough at this time was
the introduction of inflight refueling,
giving SAC's bombers true intercontinental
range,
By the time General LeMay was re
assigned in 1957, SAC's force included the
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B-52 and KC-125, and the non-stop around
the world "Power Flite" of three B-52's
had demonstrated the command's world
wide capability, the publication said.
CLASSIFIED AS THE heavyweight
among SAC's bomber force, the Boeing
B-S2 Stratofortress Is designed as both a
nuclear and conventional bomber. In three
models, D, G and H, the B-52s proved
flexible In Southeast Asia.
Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers play a
special fold by transferring fuel to bomber,
fighter and cargo aircraft while In the air.
Sunderland said that SAC Is the Air Force's
single manager for such operations as well
as the manager for every major air com
mand that possesses ait refuelable aircraft.
SAC'S third corrimahder, General
Thomas S. Power, supervised the intro
duction of intercontinental ballistic mis
siles in the force from 1957 to 1964. A
Solid-fueled ICBM, the Minuteman, has
been on alert since 1962 and currently is at
a level of 1 ,000 missiles. The Minutemen II
has a large engine which provides long
range and heavy change ;
THE MINUTEMAN III has a larger
engine and has more power and flexibility
in delivering its charge. Changes in this re
entry system increase its chances of surviv
ing enemy attacks. .
Since 1963, the Titan II missile has been
the largest and most powerful of the
ICBMs. Unlike earlier missiles, the Titan
H's propellants are stored inside and do not
need to be added immediately prior to
launch, saving minutes in their reaction
time. -
Sunderland said that the Offutt location
has had a major impact on the economy in
the area. In 1978, the total SAC outline
payroll was $207 million. Expenditures
from civilian pay, services, supplies, equip
ment and family housing totaled $33
million in fiscal year 1978 and $39 million
in 1979.
With 2,680 housing units on the base,
the population at Offutt includes 35,600
officers, airmen, dvdian&snd dependents.
ffrMsY. fnsrch 23,1979
