Whiteman AFB is the home of the 509th Bomb Wing, which operates and maintains the Air Force’s premier weapon’s system, the B-2 Stealth Bomber, the AF Reserve 442nd Fighter Wing, the Missouri Army National Guard 1st Battalion 135th Aviation Unit and the US Navy Reserve Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 114.
In 1942, the Army Air Corps chose the site of Sedalia Army Airfield for its glider program. The field trained glider pilots and paratroopers during World War II, one of just a handful of facilities doing so at the time, and later transformed into a bomber base in time for the Cold War. It was the first installation to receive the B-47 Stratojet in 1951.
By 1955, the airfield was renamed for 2nd Lt. George A. Whiteman, a local Missourian killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Whiteman AFB spent most of the next few decades as a strategic missile and bomber base.
.JPG)
B-2A Spirit 393rd Bomb Squadron, 509th Bomb Wing
Whiteman Air Force Base, WAFB, Missouri
In 1942, the Army Air Corps chose the site of Sedalia Army Airfield for its glider program. The field trained glider pilots and paratroopers during World War II, one of just a handful of facilities doing so at the time, and later transformed into a bomber base in time for the Cold War. It was the first installation to receive the B-47 Stratojet in 1951.
By 1955, the airfield was renamed for 2nd Lt. George A. Whiteman, a local Missourian killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Whiteman AFB spent most of the next few decades as a strategic missile and bomber base.
.JPG)
B-2A Spirit 393rd Bomb Squadron, 509th Bomb Wing
Whiteman Air Force Base, WAFB, Missouri
SEDALIA ARMY AIR FIELD
The proud heritage of Whiteman Air Force Base dates back to 1942 when US Army Air Corp officials selected the site of the present-day base to be the home of Sedalia Army Air Field and a training base for WACO glider pilots.
In the spring of 1942, the massive buildup for World War II prompted the U.S. Army to search for a site near Sedalia, Missouri, as a glider training base. Among those areas were the state fairgrounds at the southeast extremity of Sedalia and near neighboring Dresden, Missouri. Both sites were rejected due to lack of room for expansion. As the Army was preparing to pack up and seek a location outside the area, Mr. A.G. Taubert, Mayor of Warrensburg, met a Colonel Cox who was in charge of the survey and told him of a location ideal for an air base. Upon arrival at Knob Noster, the colonel became irate as he still had not seen a place remotely resembling a potential airfield site. Mr. Taubert drove up the next hill. Upon spying the large open field before him, Taubert stopped the car and Colonel Cox climbed out on top of the brand new Chevy to survey the land. Satisfied, the colonel returned to his base selection board and recommended purchasing the area.
In May 1942, construction workers descended upon an area known to locals as the "Blue Flats" because of the color of the soil and began building a railroad spur for the new air base. The new railroad line, laid by the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, was only the beginning. The first building on base, an H-shaped administrative building also rose from the dusty Missouri farm land. The runways, the main impetus for the base, required 27,800 square yards of concrete. The entire runway was poured in 18 hours during a driving Midwestern rainstorm. The base reached a major milestone on 6 August 1942 when the Army declared the field officially open.
Life for the pioneers of the field was not easy. One soldier remembered "There were dogs and cats all about and snakes crawling around in the lazy fall days. It rained so much that everything was grizzly gray and muddy yellow. There were no dayrooms, no theater, and no chapel. All you could do in the evening was write letters while you sat on the edge of your bunk." An officer recalled "The cars stuck in mud all over the field and you usually drove a vehicle as far as you could, then hike the rest of the way. The boys drank milk and pop out of barrels. Every officer had about 67 additional duties." However, the citizens of the local communities pitched in to help the new arrivals. Sedalia and Warrensburg quickly set up USOs with reading and writing rooms. Chaperons brought young women to and from dances. To ease the pain of homesickness during the Yuletide season, the USOs sent a gift to every man on base at Christmas 1942.
During the fall of 1942 base clerks faced a perplexing problem: the Army could not decide what to call the base. The first change came on 23 September 1942 when the "Sedalia" was dropped from the original address, leaving the base to be known only as Army Air Base, Warrensburg, Missouri. The second change followed shortly. The address was changed to read Army Air Base, Knob Noster, Missouri. This, too, did not last long. On 12 November 1942, the new name, one which the base clerks fervently hoped would be the last, was Sedalia Army Air Field, Warrensburg, Missouri.
Sedalia Glider Base became one of the eight bases in the United States dedicated to training glider pilots for combat missions performed by the Troop Carrier Command. Pilots flew C-46 or C-47 transports and several types of cargo and personnel gliders, usually the Waco CG-4A. The forest green, fabric-covered gliders could carry 15 fully equipped men or a quarter-ton truck plus a smaller crew. They were towed in either single or double tow behind the transport aircraft and could land on fields not equipped for larger aircraft.
In the opening months of 1945 Sedalia AAFld began converting from C-47s to C-46s. By July and August 1945, the base had assumed the function of providing central instructor training for all combat crew training bases throughout the I Troop Carrier Command. This program provided skills and teaching methods in all aspects of troop carrier flying. However, World War II finally ended on 14 August 1945. The base newspaper headline for that historic day declared "The Damn Thing's Over: Officially Ends 6 P.M."
Following the war, the airfield remained in service as an operational location for Army Air Corp C-46 and C-47 transports. In December 1947, the base was inactivated but with the birth of the US Air Force as a separate, independent service, and the subsequent formation of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the site was renamed and took on a new mission.
SEDALIA AIR FORCE BASE
In August 1951, SAC selected Sedalia AFB to be one of its new bombardment wings, with the first all-jet bomber, the B-47 Stratojet, and the KC-97 aerial refueling tanker assigned to the unit. Construction of facilities was conducted by the 4224th Air Base Squadron until October 20, 1952, when the base was turned over to the 340th Bombardment Wing. The first B-47 arrived on March 25, 1954 and six months later the first KC-97 arrived.
Aside from bomber operations, Sedalia AFB continued changing and growing. Further construction was approved and new facilities were opened. An expanded Base Exchange, post office, and officers' and noncommissioned officers' clubs opened in 1954. Work also began on recreational facilities for personnel in September 1954. Facilities included in this program were a gymnasium, swimming pool, baseball diamonds, tennis and basketball courts, and a football field.
The proud heritage of Whiteman Air Force Base dates back to 1942 when US Army Air Corp officials selected the site of the present-day base to be the home of Sedalia Army Air Field and a training base for WACO glider pilots.
In the spring of 1942, the massive buildup for World War II prompted the U.S. Army to search for a site near Sedalia, Missouri, as a glider training base. Among those areas were the state fairgrounds at the southeast extremity of Sedalia and near neighboring Dresden, Missouri. Both sites were rejected due to lack of room for expansion. As the Army was preparing to pack up and seek a location outside the area, Mr. A.G. Taubert, Mayor of Warrensburg, met a Colonel Cox who was in charge of the survey and told him of a location ideal for an air base. Upon arrival at Knob Noster, the colonel became irate as he still had not seen a place remotely resembling a potential airfield site. Mr. Taubert drove up the next hill. Upon spying the large open field before him, Taubert stopped the car and Colonel Cox climbed out on top of the brand new Chevy to survey the land. Satisfied, the colonel returned to his base selection board and recommended purchasing the area.
In May 1942, construction workers descended upon an area known to locals as the "Blue Flats" because of the color of the soil and began building a railroad spur for the new air base. The new railroad line, laid by the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, was only the beginning. The first building on base, an H-shaped administrative building also rose from the dusty Missouri farm land. The runways, the main impetus for the base, required 27,800 square yards of concrete. The entire runway was poured in 18 hours during a driving Midwestern rainstorm. The base reached a major milestone on 6 August 1942 when the Army declared the field officially open.
Life for the pioneers of the field was not easy. One soldier remembered "There were dogs and cats all about and snakes crawling around in the lazy fall days. It rained so much that everything was grizzly gray and muddy yellow. There were no dayrooms, no theater, and no chapel. All you could do in the evening was write letters while you sat on the edge of your bunk." An officer recalled "The cars stuck in mud all over the field and you usually drove a vehicle as far as you could, then hike the rest of the way. The boys drank milk and pop out of barrels. Every officer had about 67 additional duties." However, the citizens of the local communities pitched in to help the new arrivals. Sedalia and Warrensburg quickly set up USOs with reading and writing rooms. Chaperons brought young women to and from dances. To ease the pain of homesickness during the Yuletide season, the USOs sent a gift to every man on base at Christmas 1942.
During the fall of 1942 base clerks faced a perplexing problem: the Army could not decide what to call the base. The first change came on 23 September 1942 when the "Sedalia" was dropped from the original address, leaving the base to be known only as Army Air Base, Warrensburg, Missouri. The second change followed shortly. The address was changed to read Army Air Base, Knob Noster, Missouri. This, too, did not last long. On 12 November 1942, the new name, one which the base clerks fervently hoped would be the last, was Sedalia Army Air Field, Warrensburg, Missouri.
Sedalia Glider Base became one of the eight bases in the United States dedicated to training glider pilots for combat missions performed by the Troop Carrier Command. Pilots flew C-46 or C-47 transports and several types of cargo and personnel gliders, usually the Waco CG-4A. The forest green, fabric-covered gliders could carry 15 fully equipped men or a quarter-ton truck plus a smaller crew. They were towed in either single or double tow behind the transport aircraft and could land on fields not equipped for larger aircraft.
In the opening months of 1945 Sedalia AAFld began converting from C-47s to C-46s. By July and August 1945, the base had assumed the function of providing central instructor training for all combat crew training bases throughout the I Troop Carrier Command. This program provided skills and teaching methods in all aspects of troop carrier flying. However, World War II finally ended on 14 August 1945. The base newspaper headline for that historic day declared "The Damn Thing's Over: Officially Ends 6 P.M."
Following the war, the airfield remained in service as an operational location for Army Air Corp C-46 and C-47 transports. In December 1947, the base was inactivated but with the birth of the US Air Force as a separate, independent service, and the subsequent formation of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the site was renamed and took on a new mission.
SEDALIA AIR FORCE BASE
In August 1951, SAC selected Sedalia AFB to be one of its new bombardment wings, with the first all-jet bomber, the B-47 Stratojet, and the KC-97 aerial refueling tanker assigned to the unit. Construction of facilities was conducted by the 4224th Air Base Squadron until October 20, 1952, when the base was turned over to the 340th Bombardment Wing. The first B-47 arrived on March 25, 1954 and six months later the first KC-97 arrived.
Aside from bomber operations, Sedalia AFB continued changing and growing. Further construction was approved and new facilities were opened. An expanded Base Exchange, post office, and officers' and noncommissioned officers' clubs opened in 1954. Work also began on recreational facilities for personnel in September 1954. Facilities included in this program were a gymnasium, swimming pool, baseball diamonds, tennis and basketball courts, and a football field.
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
One of the major events affecting the base began in 1954 when the Air Force initiated a program renaming bases to recognize airmen who had performed in an exceptional manner. Nominations were accepted from the surrounding communities to give the air base a new name. A board of officers was appointed to select three choices from a listing of six deceased Air Force heroes. The list included: General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Lt. Charles A. Petty (Warrensburg), Lt. Eugene T. Tipton (Warrensburg), Lt. George A. Whiteman (Sedalia), Lt. Horace G. Roop and Lt. James D. Spore (Clinton).
On August 24, 1955 the US Air Force informed Mrs. Earlie Whiteman of Sedalia that the recently reopened Sedalia Air Force Base would be renamed Whiteman Air Force Base in tribute to her son, 2nd Lt. George A. Whiteman. The dedication and renaming ceremony took place on December 3, 1955.
As the base continued to mature in 1956, more buildings appeared on the skyline. With an increase in married personnel being assigned, housing became more critical. As a result, 400 housing units were requested. Bids were opened on and a $6.6 million contract for on-base housing construction was awarded. Whiteman had within its five short years become a showplace as many federal and foreign government leaders continually visited the base for a look at a typical SAC flying unit.
It was during this period that two Air Force legends crossed paths for the first time. In July 1958, the 509th Bombardment Wing was moving its aircraft from Walker AFB, New Mexico, to Pease AFB, New Hampshire, when bad weather forced the 509th’s airborne aircraft to Whiteman. The 509th’s B-47s remained for the night before proceeding to Pease. As a result of this chance meeting, the first recorded contact between the 509th and Whiteman had been made.
Despite the amount of work done on Whiteman to improve life in general, more changes were at hand. The reliable B-47 aircraft was being phased out of the Air Force's inventory for the newer and more advanced B-52 Stratofortress. Even though Whiteman had served well as a B-47 base, there were no plans to continue the tradition with B-52s. SAC had other plans for Whiteman.
351 STRATEGIC MISSILE WING
The story of the 351 Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) at Whiteman began in April 1961 when test borings made in the area around the base determined the geological make-up would support a land-based ICBM system. Three months later the DOD announced plans to base the Minuteman I ICMB system at Whiteman. Groundbreaking ceremonies with a host of dignitaries in attendance were held in April 1962 at the site now called Oscar-01.
The project called for the excavation of 867,000 cubic yards of earth and rock. Contractors used 168,000 yards of concrete, 25,355 tons of reinforcing steel and 15,120 tons of structural steel, and the installation of a vast underground intersite network with enough cable to run from Whiteman AFB to 100 miles beyond Los Angeles. Amazingly, the construction and equipping of the 150 missile sites and 15 launch control centers took only two years, two months, and two weeks to complete. On June 29, 1964, the 351st went on full operational alert.
During the period May 1965 to October 1967 the Minuteman I was upgraded to the Minuteman II. Other modernization programs in the following decades improved the system and increased the survivability of the missile. In the mid-1980s the Minuteman Integrated Life Extension (Rivet MILE) program improved the safety, maintainability, and reliability of the missile facilities.
On 26 June 1976, wing personnel banded together to dedicate the Bicentennial Peace Park. The new park contained a Minuteman I missile, a B-47 bomber, and a UH-1H helicopter. Placed inside the missile and the bomber were time capsules containing artifacts from 1976. The boxes are to be opened when Whiteman is placed on inactive status or the year 2076, whichever occurs first.
On 11 June 1982, the base experienced a tragedy when a helicopter belonging to Whiteman's Detachment 9, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, went down. The accident took the lives of the two pilots and four security policemen on board.
On July 31, 1991, President George H.W. Bush and Premier Mikhail Gorbachev signed the historic Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which called for dismantling and destruction of the Minuteman II ICBMs. President Bush ordered a stand-down of all Minuteman II missiles from alert well before the requirements of START called for such action. Less than 24 hours later, the 351st reported to SAC that its missile were off alert.
Two years later the wing’s first launch control center, India-01, shut down operations. On May 7, 1993, the last reentry vehicle was removed from Golf-02, and on December 8, 1993 the wing imploded its first silo, India-02. On May 18, 1995, the last Minuteman II missile, located at Juliet-03, was removed from its site. The 351st SMW was officially inactivated on July 31, 1995.
509 BOMB WING
In 1988, as part of a rapid evolution which pushed technology to its limits, Congressman Ike Skelton announced the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber would be based at Whiteman. The 509 Bomb Wing traces its historical roots to its World War II ancestor, the 509 Composite Group, which was formed with one mission in mind: to drop the atomic bomb. The Group made history on August 6, 1945, when the B-29 "Enola Gay," piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. On August 9, 1945, the “Bockscar,” piloted by Major Charles Sweeney visited the Japanese mainland and unleashed the atomic inferno upon Nagasaki.
On September 30, 1990, the 509th Bomb Wing was transferred to Whiteman AFB and in July 1993, accepted host responsibilities for the base. On 20 July 1993, Whiteman received its first permanently assigned aircraft in almost 30 years. Piloted by General Ronald A. Marcotte, T-38 #62-609, complete with a B-2-like paint scheme, touched down on the Whiteman runway at approximately 1000 hours.
On December 17, 1993, the ninetieth anniversary of Orville Wright’s historic first successful, controlled, heavier than air powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the world’s most sophisticated and advanced aircraft, the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber arrived at Whiteman Air Force Base. At approximately 1400 hours local, a low whine was heard and the gathered throng looked skyward to see a dark bat-shaped aircraft fly over. The Spirit of Missouri circled the field once and then landed. After taxing to the appointed spot, the engines stopped, the crew hatch opened and General John Michael Loh, ACC Commander, stepped off the plane, and into Air Force history.
Operation ALLIED FORCE
The B-2 first saw combat on March 23, 1999, during NATO operations in Serbia and Kosovo, the first sustained offensive combat air offensive conducted solely from US soil. Over a period of two months, the 509 generated 49 B-2 sorties flown directly from Missouri to Europe and return. Although the B-2s accounted for only 1 percent of all NATO sorties, the aircraft’s all-weather, precision capability allowed it to deliver 11 percent of the munitions used in the air campaign. The missions lasted an average of 29 hours, demonstrating the global reach of the B-2.
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
Following the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001, the 509 quickly transitioned to a wartime mode by joining forces with the 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock, AR, and the Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, MO, to send Missouri Task Force-1 to assist rescue efforts at the World Trade Center.
In October 2001 the B-2 bombers led America’s strike force in Afghanistan, hitting the first targets in the country to “kick down the door” for the air campaign which followed. The bombers again flew from Missouri to their targets before landing at a forward location in the Indian Ocean to exchange crews which the engines continued to run. The combat missions lasted more than 40 hours, with the aircraft operating continuously for more than 70 hours without incident before returning to Whiteman.
After twice proving its ability to fly combat missions from Missouri, the wing stepped up efforts to deploy the B-2 from forward locations. By late 2002, the AF had completed special shelters for the aircraft at an overseas operating location. The shelters provided a controlled climate similar to the facilities at Whiteman for specialized work on the aircraft skin in order to maintain its stealth characteristics. This ability to sustain operations from a forward location added a new dimension of flexibility to potential air campaigns.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
The new shelters were put to use when the B-2 bombers again led a coalition air strike against the regime of Saddam Hussein, beginning on March 21, 2003. The famous “shock and awe” campaign saw unprecedented use of precision-guided munitions by the B-2 in an effort to minimize collateral damage and destroy key targets. The campaign also marked another milestone for the 509 BW, as B-2s flew combat missions from both Whiteman AFB and a forward deployed location simultaneously.
On December 17, 2003, the world celebrated the centennial of the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers. At the same time, the 509 Bomb Wing celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Spirit of Missouri’s arrival at Whiteman. Only a decade after delivery, the B-2 was now a proven weapon system, a veteran of three campaigns and first-ever forward deployment. In recognition of the maturity of the system and the unit, the Air Force declared the B-2 Fully Operational Capable.
Since that day in 2003, the B-2’s forward presence has become a reality and proved that it can deliver combat airpower, any time and any place. The deployment to Guam, which began in February 2005, provided a continuous bomber presence in the Asia Pacific region and augmented Pacific Command’s establishment of a deterrent force. The 80-day tour, the longest in the bomber’s 13-year history, also marked the first B-2 deployment since the aircraft was declared fully operational.
THE FUTURE AND WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
Whiteman Air Force Base is also home of the Air Force Reserve's 442nd Fighter Wing, flying A-10 Thunderbolt IIs; the Army National Guard's 1-135th Attack Battalion, flying the AH-64 Apache; and the Navy Reserve's Maritime Expeditionary Security Division 13, which provides light, mobile, short-duration, point defense Anti-Terrorism Force Protection forces for USN ships and aircraft and other high value assets in locations where U.S. or host-nation security infrastructure is either inadequate or non-existent.
In October 2008, the 131st Bomb Wing was activated at Whiteman AFB. As an Air National Guard “Classic Associate Unit” of the 509 Bomb Wing, the 131st BW retains a separate organizational structure and chain of command while its personnel are functionally integrated within the 509 BW, which maintains principal responsibility for the aircraft. This association enables both units to train and deploy personnel in support of the USAF B-2 mission.
The most powerful weapon at Whiteman is the Airmen. Airmen from all units have recently deployed in support of global combat operations. These warriors were also on the front lines of disaster bringing relief to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in September 2005. Whether serving at home or in forward locations, Whiteman Airmen exemplify the phrase, “Service before Self.”
One of the major events affecting the base began in 1954 when the Air Force initiated a program renaming bases to recognize airmen who had performed in an exceptional manner. Nominations were accepted from the surrounding communities to give the air base a new name. A board of officers was appointed to select three choices from a listing of six deceased Air Force heroes. The list included: General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Lt. Charles A. Petty (Warrensburg), Lt. Eugene T. Tipton (Warrensburg), Lt. George A. Whiteman (Sedalia), Lt. Horace G. Roop and Lt. James D. Spore (Clinton).
On August 24, 1955 the US Air Force informed Mrs. Earlie Whiteman of Sedalia that the recently reopened Sedalia Air Force Base would be renamed Whiteman Air Force Base in tribute to her son, 2nd Lt. George A. Whiteman. The dedication and renaming ceremony took place on December 3, 1955.
As the base continued to mature in 1956, more buildings appeared on the skyline. With an increase in married personnel being assigned, housing became more critical. As a result, 400 housing units were requested. Bids were opened on and a $6.6 million contract for on-base housing construction was awarded. Whiteman had within its five short years become a showplace as many federal and foreign government leaders continually visited the base for a look at a typical SAC flying unit.
It was during this period that two Air Force legends crossed paths for the first time. In July 1958, the 509th Bombardment Wing was moving its aircraft from Walker AFB, New Mexico, to Pease AFB, New Hampshire, when bad weather forced the 509th’s airborne aircraft to Whiteman. The 509th’s B-47s remained for the night before proceeding to Pease. As a result of this chance meeting, the first recorded contact between the 509th and Whiteman had been made.
Despite the amount of work done on Whiteman to improve life in general, more changes were at hand. The reliable B-47 aircraft was being phased out of the Air Force's inventory for the newer and more advanced B-52 Stratofortress. Even though Whiteman had served well as a B-47 base, there were no plans to continue the tradition with B-52s. SAC had other plans for Whiteman.
351 STRATEGIC MISSILE WING
The story of the 351 Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) at Whiteman began in April 1961 when test borings made in the area around the base determined the geological make-up would support a land-based ICBM system. Three months later the DOD announced plans to base the Minuteman I ICMB system at Whiteman. Groundbreaking ceremonies with a host of dignitaries in attendance were held in April 1962 at the site now called Oscar-01.
The project called for the excavation of 867,000 cubic yards of earth and rock. Contractors used 168,000 yards of concrete, 25,355 tons of reinforcing steel and 15,120 tons of structural steel, and the installation of a vast underground intersite network with enough cable to run from Whiteman AFB to 100 miles beyond Los Angeles. Amazingly, the construction and equipping of the 150 missile sites and 15 launch control centers took only two years, two months, and two weeks to complete. On June 29, 1964, the 351st went on full operational alert.
During the period May 1965 to October 1967 the Minuteman I was upgraded to the Minuteman II. Other modernization programs in the following decades improved the system and increased the survivability of the missile. In the mid-1980s the Minuteman Integrated Life Extension (Rivet MILE) program improved the safety, maintainability, and reliability of the missile facilities.
On 26 June 1976, wing personnel banded together to dedicate the Bicentennial Peace Park. The new park contained a Minuteman I missile, a B-47 bomber, and a UH-1H helicopter. Placed inside the missile and the bomber were time capsules containing artifacts from 1976. The boxes are to be opened when Whiteman is placed on inactive status or the year 2076, whichever occurs first.
On 11 June 1982, the base experienced a tragedy when a helicopter belonging to Whiteman's Detachment 9, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, went down. The accident took the lives of the two pilots and four security policemen on board.
On July 31, 1991, President George H.W. Bush and Premier Mikhail Gorbachev signed the historic Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which called for dismantling and destruction of the Minuteman II ICBMs. President Bush ordered a stand-down of all Minuteman II missiles from alert well before the requirements of START called for such action. Less than 24 hours later, the 351st reported to SAC that its missile were off alert.
Two years later the wing’s first launch control center, India-01, shut down operations. On May 7, 1993, the last reentry vehicle was removed from Golf-02, and on December 8, 1993 the wing imploded its first silo, India-02. On May 18, 1995, the last Minuteman II missile, located at Juliet-03, was removed from its site. The 351st SMW was officially inactivated on July 31, 1995.
509 BOMB WING
In 1988, as part of a rapid evolution which pushed technology to its limits, Congressman Ike Skelton announced the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber would be based at Whiteman. The 509 Bomb Wing traces its historical roots to its World War II ancestor, the 509 Composite Group, which was formed with one mission in mind: to drop the atomic bomb. The Group made history on August 6, 1945, when the B-29 "Enola Gay," piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. On August 9, 1945, the “Bockscar,” piloted by Major Charles Sweeney visited the Japanese mainland and unleashed the atomic inferno upon Nagasaki.
On September 30, 1990, the 509th Bomb Wing was transferred to Whiteman AFB and in July 1993, accepted host responsibilities for the base. On 20 July 1993, Whiteman received its first permanently assigned aircraft in almost 30 years. Piloted by General Ronald A. Marcotte, T-38 #62-609, complete with a B-2-like paint scheme, touched down on the Whiteman runway at approximately 1000 hours.
On December 17, 1993, the ninetieth anniversary of Orville Wright’s historic first successful, controlled, heavier than air powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the world’s most sophisticated and advanced aircraft, the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber arrived at Whiteman Air Force Base. At approximately 1400 hours local, a low whine was heard and the gathered throng looked skyward to see a dark bat-shaped aircraft fly over. The Spirit of Missouri circled the field once and then landed. After taxing to the appointed spot, the engines stopped, the crew hatch opened and General John Michael Loh, ACC Commander, stepped off the plane, and into Air Force history.
Operation ALLIED FORCE
The B-2 first saw combat on March 23, 1999, during NATO operations in Serbia and Kosovo, the first sustained offensive combat air offensive conducted solely from US soil. Over a period of two months, the 509 generated 49 B-2 sorties flown directly from Missouri to Europe and return. Although the B-2s accounted for only 1 percent of all NATO sorties, the aircraft’s all-weather, precision capability allowed it to deliver 11 percent of the munitions used in the air campaign. The missions lasted an average of 29 hours, demonstrating the global reach of the B-2.
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
Following the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001, the 509 quickly transitioned to a wartime mode by joining forces with the 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock, AR, and the Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, MO, to send Missouri Task Force-1 to assist rescue efforts at the World Trade Center.
In October 2001 the B-2 bombers led America’s strike force in Afghanistan, hitting the first targets in the country to “kick down the door” for the air campaign which followed. The bombers again flew from Missouri to their targets before landing at a forward location in the Indian Ocean to exchange crews which the engines continued to run. The combat missions lasted more than 40 hours, with the aircraft operating continuously for more than 70 hours without incident before returning to Whiteman.
After twice proving its ability to fly combat missions from Missouri, the wing stepped up efforts to deploy the B-2 from forward locations. By late 2002, the AF had completed special shelters for the aircraft at an overseas operating location. The shelters provided a controlled climate similar to the facilities at Whiteman for specialized work on the aircraft skin in order to maintain its stealth characteristics. This ability to sustain operations from a forward location added a new dimension of flexibility to potential air campaigns.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
The new shelters were put to use when the B-2 bombers again led a coalition air strike against the regime of Saddam Hussein, beginning on March 21, 2003. The famous “shock and awe” campaign saw unprecedented use of precision-guided munitions by the B-2 in an effort to minimize collateral damage and destroy key targets. The campaign also marked another milestone for the 509 BW, as B-2s flew combat missions from both Whiteman AFB and a forward deployed location simultaneously.
On December 17, 2003, the world celebrated the centennial of the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers. At the same time, the 509 Bomb Wing celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Spirit of Missouri’s arrival at Whiteman. Only a decade after delivery, the B-2 was now a proven weapon system, a veteran of three campaigns and first-ever forward deployment. In recognition of the maturity of the system and the unit, the Air Force declared the B-2 Fully Operational Capable.
Since that day in 2003, the B-2’s forward presence has become a reality and proved that it can deliver combat airpower, any time and any place. The deployment to Guam, which began in February 2005, provided a continuous bomber presence in the Asia Pacific region and augmented Pacific Command’s establishment of a deterrent force. The 80-day tour, the longest in the bomber’s 13-year history, also marked the first B-2 deployment since the aircraft was declared fully operational.
THE FUTURE AND WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
Whiteman Air Force Base is also home of the Air Force Reserve's 442nd Fighter Wing, flying A-10 Thunderbolt IIs; the Army National Guard's 1-135th Attack Battalion, flying the AH-64 Apache; and the Navy Reserve's Maritime Expeditionary Security Division 13, which provides light, mobile, short-duration, point defense Anti-Terrorism Force Protection forces for USN ships and aircraft and other high value assets in locations where U.S. or host-nation security infrastructure is either inadequate or non-existent.
In October 2008, the 131st Bomb Wing was activated at Whiteman AFB. As an Air National Guard “Classic Associate Unit” of the 509 Bomb Wing, the 131st BW retains a separate organizational structure and chain of command while its personnel are functionally integrated within the 509 BW, which maintains principal responsibility for the aircraft. This association enables both units to train and deploy personnel in support of the USAF B-2 mission.
The most powerful weapon at Whiteman is the Airmen. Airmen from all units have recently deployed in support of global combat operations. These warriors were also on the front lines of disaster bringing relief to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in September 2005. Whether serving at home or in forward locations, Whiteman Airmen exemplify the phrase, “Service before Self.”
In the opening months of 1945 Sedalia AAFld began converting from C-47s to C-46s. By July and August 1945, the base had assumed the function of providing central instructor training for all combat crew training bases throughout the I Troop Carrier Command. This program provided skills and teaching methods in all aspects of troop carrier flying. However, World War II finally ended on 14 August 1945. The base newspaper headline for that historic day declared "The Damn Thing's Over: Officially Ends 6 P.M."
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| Sedalia Army Air Field Class A Pass Squadron A 322nd AAF Base Unit |
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| Sedalia Army Airfield, Whiteman Air Force Base, POW CAMP |
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| WACO CG4A Glider, Used at Sedalia Army Airfield, Johnson County, MO |
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Skytrains in Train
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| Serial 316101, ship 20, in the lead, is a C-47A. |
The back of the photo on the left is marked "Photographic Section, Sedalia Army Air Field, Warrensburg Missouri" (the back of the second print isn't marked at all). Sedalia was established in November 1942 as a training base for WACO glider pilots, so these two C-47s likely were primarily used as glider tow planes. During the early months of 1945, the base's C-47s were replaced by Curtiss C-46 Commandos, so that plus the tail numbers of these planes place the date the photos were shot somewhere between late 1943 and early 1945.
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| Ship 26 is either serial 316140 or 316149, the image just isn't clear enough to be certain, either way, it is a C-47 |
Following the war, the airfield remained in service as an operational location for Army Air Corp C-46 and C-47 transports. In December 1947, the base was inactivated but with the birth of the US Air Force as a separate, independent service, and the subsequent formation of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the site was renamed and took on a new mission.
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| Barracks at Whiteman Air Force Base |
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Company A 880th Airborne Engineers Aviation Battalion 1944 Army Whiteman Air Force Base |
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Ralph Foster was a WWII pilot, and a famed midget race car driver. In his later years he used his piloting skills to combat forest fires, make archaelogical expeditions to South America, and helped to map much of
the Orange County & Los Angeles County regions in aerial shots.
Ralph flew C-47s and the like and towed gliders like this Waco CG-4A. He took his training at Laurinburg- Maxton Army Air Base. He served in the 12th Troop Carrier Command at Sedalia Army Air Field in Missouri until about 1946 ~ when he was transfered to Hawaii to fly fighter aircraft for the 81st.
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| WWII photographs, Photographed &/or developed by Ralph Foster when he was stationed at Sedalia Army Air Field in (Warrensburg/Knob Noster)Missouri. Lieutenant Foster was a pilot flying C-46 and towing Waco Gliders and the like for the Troop Carrier Command. We see Bob Hope with Vera Vague & Jerry Colonna. We see an air show where parachutists line up to board an aircraft ~ and then two pics of them as they descend from the sky out of C-46 Commandos. We see nurse cadets with Col. J.B. McCauley /the injured being evacuated from a plane / and a dog that's become a flying mascot for a group of soldiers - possibly parachutists as well. |
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WWII photographs, Photographed &/or developed by Ralph Foster when he was stationed at Sedalia Army Air Field in (Warrensburg/Knob Noster)Missouri. Lieutenant Foster was a pilot flying C-46 and towing Waco Gliders and the like for the Troop Carrier Command. We see Bob Hope with Vera Vague & Jerry Colonna. We see an air show where parachutists line up to board an aircraft ~ and then two pics of them as they descend from the sky out of C-46 Commandos. We see nurse cadets with Col. J.B. McCauley /the injured being evacuated from a plane / and a dog that's become a flying mascot for a group of soldiers - possibly parachutists as well.
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WWII photographs, Photographed &/or developed by Ralph Foster when he was stationed at Sedalia Army Air Field in (Warrensburg/Knob Noster)Missouri. Lieutenant Foster was a pilot flying C-46 and towing Waco Gliders and the like for the Troop Carrier Command. We see Bob Hope with Vera Vague & Jerry Colonna. We see an air show where parachutists line up to board an aircraft ~ and then two pics of them as they descend from the sky out of C-46 Commandos. We see nurse cadets with Col. J.B. McCauley /the injured being evacuated from a plane / and a dog that's become a flying mascot for a group of soldiers - possibly parachutists as well.
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WWII photographs, Photographed &/or developed by Ralph Foster when he was stationed at Sedalia Army Air Field in (Warrensburg/Knob Noster)Missouri. Lieutenant Foster was a pilot flying C-46 and towing Waco Gliders and the like for the Troop Carrier Command. We see Bob Hope with Vera Vague & Jerry Colonna. We see an air show where parachutists line up to board an aircraft ~ and then two pics of them as they descend from the sky out of C-46 Commandos. We see nurse cadets with Col. J.B. McCauley /the injured being evacuated from a plane / and a dog that's become a flying mascot for a group of soldiers - possibly parachutists as well.
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Crashes at Sedalia Army Airfield Status: | |
| Date: | Sunday 5 September 1943 |
| Time: | 23:27 |
| Type: |  Douglas C-53D-DO Skytrooper |
| Operator: | United States Army Air Force - USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-68841 |
| C/n / msn: | 11768 |
| First flight: | |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 |
| Airplane damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 16 km (10 mls) S of Sedalia, MO ( United States of America) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | ? |
| ? |
The C-53 broke up when encoutering an area of severe winds at 6000 ft altitude.
| Saturday 10 July 1943 | |
| Type: | Douglas C-47A-35-DL |
| Operator: | United States Army Air Force - USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-23801 |
| C/n / msn: | 9663 |
| First flight: | |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 15 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 19 |
| Airplane damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Sedalia Army Air Field, MO (SZL) ( United States of America)  |
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Alliance AAF, NE (AIA/KAIA), United States of America |
| Sedalia Army Air Field, MO (SZL/KSZL), United States of America |
While attempting to land on runway 31 the left wing fell off to the left from a height of about 50 ft. The C-47 cartwheeled and burst into flames.
| Status: | |
| Date: | Monday 10 May 1965 |
| Time: | 06:01 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-6A |
| Operator: | Aaxico Airlines |
| Registration: | N6579C |
| C/n / msn: | 45480/980 |
| First flight: | 1958 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 20557 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Airplane damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | near Knobnoster-Whiteman AFB, MO ( United States of America) |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Oklahoma City-Tinker AFB, OK (TIK/KTIK), United States of America |
| Warrensburg-Whiteman AFB, MO (SZL/KSZL), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 1416B |
The DC-6 departed Tinker AFB on an IFR flight plan to Whiteman AFB. The crew soon cancelled IFR and continued VFR. The flight was cleared for a straight-in visual approach to runway 36. At that time a line of thunderstorms was located west of the field with portions moving across the approach path. The approach was continued with the flight encountering heavy rain and an area of reduced visibility. The DC-6 struck trees 4204 feet short of the runway threshold and 740 feet right of the extended centreline. The plane broke up and slid 1200 feet before coming to rest. A fire started near the left inboard fuel tanks.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An improperly executed landing approach into an area of adverse weather, during which the aircraft was allowed to descend to an altitude too low to avoid striking trees."
Sedalia Army Air Field, Accidents, Fatalities, Missouri "Airplane Crash" Whiteman Air Force Base today
Last updated: 5 November 2013
Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri
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| date | type | registration | operator | fat. | location | pic | cat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50-0086 | USAF | 0 | Warrensburg-... | | A1 | |||
| 44-77557 | USAAF | 2 | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | |||
| 44-77962 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 41-18557 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24321 | USAAF | 2 | near Warrensburg-... | | A1 | |||
| 42-24317 | USAAF | 2 | near Warrensburg-... | | A1 | |||
| 42-23777 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 43-48011 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-32838 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-23769 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 43-15269 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 41-38604 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24075 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 43-30688 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24320 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24029 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-23312 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-100490 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24126 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-23915 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24125 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-23385 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-23801 | USAAF | 6 | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | |||
| 42-23777 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-23784 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 |
| date | type | registration | operator | fat. | location | pic | cat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44-77557 | USAAF | 2 | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | |||
| 44-77706 | USAAF | 11 | near Claude, TX | | A1 | |||
| 43-47184 | USAAF | 2 | near Slater, MO | | A1 | |||
| 44-77320 | USAAF | 2 | near Slater, MO | | A1 |
| date | type | registration | operator | fat. | location | pic | cat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44-77557 | USAAF | 2 | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | |||
| 43-47184 | USAAF | 2 | near Slater, MO | | A1 | |||
| 44-77320 | USAAF | 2 | near Slater, MO | | A1 | |||
| 44-77962 | USAAF | Sedalia Army... | | A1 | ||||
| 42-24321 | USAAF | 2 | near Warrensburg-... | | A1 | |||
| 42-24317 | USAAF | 2 | near Warrensburg-... | | A1 | |||
| 42-23801 | USAAF | 6 | Sedalia Army... | | A1 |
SEDALIA AIR FORCE BASE
In August 1951, SAC selected Sedalia AFB to be one of its new bombardment wings, with the first all-jet bomber, the B-47 Stratojet, and the KC-97 aerial refueling tanker assigned to the unit. Construction of facilities was conducted by the 4224th Air Base Squadron until October 20, 1952, when the base was turned over to the 340th Bombardment Wing. The first B-47 arrived on March 25, 1954 and six months later the first KC-97 arrived.
Aside from bomber operations, Sedalia AFB continued changing and growing. Further construction was approved and new facilities were opened. An expanded Base Exchange, post office, and officers' and noncommissioned officers' clubs opened in 1954. Work also began on recreational facilities for personnel in September 1954. Facilities included in this program were a gymnasium, swimming pool, baseball diamonds, tennis and basketball courts, and a football field.
Main Gate Whiteman Air Force Base, c. 1955
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| B-47 Whiteman Air Force Base |
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| B-47 |
Flightline WAFB MO
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| Press photo from 1965 featuring In Special Ceremonies At Whiteman Monday Posthumous Decorations Were Awarded Capt. Richard D. Goss, Air Force officer killed in Viet Nam. Receiving the medals and citations from Brig. Gen. Richard N. Ellis, commander, 17th Strategic Missile Division, were (left to right) the captain's widow, Karen; his son, Gregory, 8, of Knob Noster and his mother, Mrs. Cecil Goss of McMinnville, Oreg. |
RICHARD DEAN GOSS
is honored on Panel 1E, Row 63 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Richard Dean Goss
| ON THE WALL: | Panel 1E Line 63 |
| PERSONAL DATA: | |
| Home of Record | Seattle, WA |
| Date of birth: | 10/12/1932 |
| This page Copyright© 1997-2013 www.VirtualWall.org | |
| MILITARY DATA: | |
| Service: | United States Air Force |
| Grade at loss: | O3 |
| Rank/Rate: | Captain |
| ID No: | 3039058 |
| MOS/RATING: | 1115:Pilot, Tactical Aircraft |
| Length Service: | 12 |
| Unit: | 1ST AIR COMMANDO SQDN, 34TH TAC GROUP, 13TH AF |
| CASUALTY DATA: | |
| Start Tour: | Not Recorded |
| Incident Date: | 08/29/1964 |
| Casualty Date: | 08/29/1964 |
| Age at Loss: | 31 |
| Location: | Bien Hoa Province, South Vietnam |
| Remains: | Body recovered |
| Casualty Type: | Hostile, died outright |
| Casualty Reason: | Fixed Wing - Crew |
| Casualty | Air loss or crash over land |
| URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dg/GossRD01a.htm | |
| Link to Tributes | |
THE VIRTUAL WALL ® www.VirtualWall.org
USAF fixed-wing losses in Viet Nam
A-1 Skyraider --191 total, 150 in combat- First loss A-1E 52-132465 (1st Air Commando Squadron, 34th TG) shot down during the night of 28-29 August 1964 near Bien Hoa, SVN Bien_Hoa
Combat and Operations History
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
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One of the major events affecting the base began in 1954 when the Air Force initiated a program renaming bases to recognize airmen who had performed in an exceptional manner. Nominations were accepted from the surrounding communities to give the air base a new name. A board of officers was appointed to select three choices from a listing of six deceased Air Force heroes. The list included: General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Lt. Charles A. Petty (Warrensburg), Lt. Eugene T. Tipton (Warrensburg), Lt. George A. Whiteman (Sedalia), Lt. Horace G. Roop and Lt. James D. Spore (Clinton).
On August 24, 1955 the US Air Force informed Mrs. Earlie Whiteman of Sedalia that the recently reopened Sedalia Air Force Base would be renamed Whiteman Air Force Base in tribute to her son, 2nd Lt. George A. Whiteman. The dedication and renaming ceremony took place on December 3, 1955.
As the base continued to mature in 1956, more buildings appeared on the skyline. With an increase in married personnel being assigned, housing became more critical. As a result, 400 housing units were requested. Bids were opened on and a $6.6 million contract for on-base housing construction was awarded. Whiteman had within its five short years become a showplace as many federal and foreign government leaders continually visited the base for a look at a typical SAC flying unit.
It was during this period that two Air Force legends crossed paths for the first time. In July 1958, the 509th Bombardment Wing was moving its aircraft from Walker AFB, New Mexico, to Pease AFB, New Hampshire, when bad weather forced the 509th’s airborne aircraft to Whiteman. The 509th’s B-47s remained for the night before proceeding to Pease. As a result of this chance meeting, the first recorded contact between the 509th and Whiteman had been made.
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| B-47 |
Despite the amount of work done on Whiteman to improve life in general, more changes were at hand. The reliable B-47 aircraft was being phased out of the Air Force's inventory for the newer and more advanced B-52 Stratofortress. Even though Whiteman had served well as a B-47 base, there were no plans to continue the tradition with B-52s. SAC had other plans for Whiteman.
351 STRATEGIC MISSILE WING
The story of the 351 Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) at Whiteman began in April 1961 when test borings made in the area around the base determined the geological make-up would support a land-based ICBM system. Three months later the DOD announced plans to base the Minuteman I ICMB system at Whiteman. Groundbreaking ceremonies with a host of dignitaries in attendance were held in April 1962 at the site now called Oscar-01.
The project called for the excavation of 867,000 cubic yards of earth and rock. Contractors used 168,000 yards of concrete, 25,355 tons of reinforcing steel and 15,120 tons of structural steel, and the installation of a vast underground intersite network with enough cable to run from Whiteman AFB to 100 miles beyond Los Angeles. Amazingly, the construction and equipping of the 150 missile sites and 15 launch control centers took only two years, two months, and two weeks to complete. On June 29, 1964, the 351st went on full operational alert.
During the period May 1965 to October 1967 the Minuteman I was upgraded to the Minuteman II. Other modernization programs in the following decades improved the system and increased the survivability of the missile. In the mid-1980s the Minuteman Integrated Life Extension (Rivet MILE) program improved the safety, maintainability, and reliability of the missile facilities.
On 26 June 1976, wing personnel banded together to dedicate the Bicentennial Peace Park. The new park contained a Minuteman I missile, a B-47 bomber, and a UH-1H helicopter. Placed inside the missile and the bomber were time capsules containing artifacts from 1976. The boxes are to be opened when Whiteman is placed on inactive status or the year 2076, whichever occurs first.
On 11 June 1982, the base experienced a tragedy when a helicopter belonging to Whiteman's Detachment 9, 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, went down. The accident took the lives of the two pilots and four security policemen on board.
On July 31, 1991, President George H.W. Bush and Premier Mikhail Gorbachev signed the historic Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which called for dismantling and destruction of the Minuteman II ICBMs. President Bush ordered a stand-down of all Minuteman II missiles from alert well before the requirements of START called for such action. Less than 24 hours later, the 351st reported to SAC that its missile were off alert.
Two years later the wing’s first launch control center, India-01, shut down operations. On May 7, 1993, the last reentry vehicle was removed from Golf-02, and on December 8, 1993 the wing imploded its first silo, India-02. On May 18, 1995, the last Minuteman II missile, located at Juliet-03, was removed from its site. The 351st SMW was officially inactivated on July 31, 1995.
In 1988, as part of a rapid evolution which pushed technology to its limits, Congressman Ike Skelton announced the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber would be based at Whiteman. The 509 Bomb Wing traces its historical roots to its World War II ancestor, the 509 Composite Group, which was formed with one mission in mind: to drop the atomic bomb. The Group made history on August 6, 1945, when the B-29 "Enola Gay," piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. On August 9, 1945, the “Bockscar,” piloted by Major Charles Sweeney visited the Japanese mainland and unleashed the atomic inferno upon Nagasaki.
On September 30, 1990, the 509th Bomb Wing was transferred to Whiteman AFB and in July 1993, accepted host responsibilities for the base. On 20 July 1993, Whiteman received its first permanently assigned aircraft in almost 30 years. Piloted by General Ronald A. Marcotte, T-38 #62-609, complete with a B-2-like paint scheme, touched down on the Whiteman runway at approximately 1000 hours.
On December 17, 1993, the ninetieth anniversary of Orville Wright’s historic first successful, controlled, heavier than air powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the world’s most sophisticated and advanced aircraft, the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber arrived at Whiteman Air Force Base. At approximately 1400 hours local, a low whine was heard and the gathered throng looked skyward to see a dark bat-shaped aircraft fly over. The Spirit of Missouri circled the field once and then landed. After taxing to the appointed spot, the engines stopped, the crew hatch opened and General John Michael Loh, ACC Commander, stepped off the plane, and into Air Force history.
Operation ALLIED FORCE
The B-2 first saw combat on March 23, 1999, during NATO operations in Serbia and Kosovo, the first sustained offensive combat air offensive conducted solely from US soil. Over a period of two months, the 509 generated 49 B-2 sorties flown directly from Missouri to Europe and return. Although the B-2s accounted for only 1 percent of all NATO sorties, the aircraft’s all-weather, precision capability allowed it to deliver 11 percent of the munitions used in the air campaign. The missions lasted an average of 29 hours, demonstrating the global reach of the B-2.
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
Following the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001, the 509 quickly transitioned to a wartime mode by joining forces with the 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock, AR, and the Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, MO, to send Missouri Task Force-1 to assist rescue efforts at the World Trade Center.
In October 2001 the B-2 bombers led America’s strike force in Afghanistan, hitting the first targets in the country to “kick down the door” for the air campaign which followed. The bombers again flew from Missouri to their targets before landing at a forward location in the Indian Ocean to exchange crews which the engines continued to run. The combat missions lasted more than 40 hours, with the aircraft operating continuously for more than 70 hours without incident before returning to Whiteman.
After twice proving its ability to fly combat missions from Missouri, the wing stepped up efforts to deploy the B-2 from forward locations. By late 2002, the AF had completed special shelters for the aircraft at an overseas operating location. The shelters provided a controlled climate similar to the facilities at Whiteman for specialized work on the aircraft skin in order to maintain its stealth characteristics. This ability to sustain operations from a forward location added a new dimension of flexibility to potential air campaigns.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
The new shelters were put to use when the B-2 bombers again led a coalition air strike against the regime of Saddam Hussein, beginning on March 21, 2003. The famous “shock and awe” campaign saw unprecedented use of precision-guided munitions by the B-2 in an effort to minimize collateral damage and destroy key targets. The campaign also marked another milestone for the 509 BW, as B-2s flew combat missions from both Whiteman AFB and a forward deployed location simultaneously.
On December 17, 2003, the world celebrated the centennial of the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers. At the same time, the 509 Bomb Wing celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Spirit of Missouri’s arrival at Whiteman. Only a decade after delivery, the B-2 was now a proven weapon system, a veteran of three campaigns and first-ever forward deployment. In recognition of the maturity of the system and the unit, the Air Force declared the B-2 Fully Operational Capable.
Since that day in 2003, the B-2’s forward presence has become a reality and proved that it can deliver combat airpower, any time and any place. The deployment to Guam, which began in February 2005, provided a continuous bomber presence in the Asia Pacific region and augmented Pacific Command’s establishment of a deterrent force. The 80-day tour, the longest in the bomber’s 13-year history, also marked the first B-2 deployment since the aircraft was declared fully operational.
THE FUTURE AND WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
Whiteman Air Force Base is also home of the Air Force Reserve's 442nd Fighter Wing, flying A-10 Thunderbolt IIs; the Army National Guard's 1-135th Attack Battalion, flying the AH-64 Apache; and the Navy Reserve's Maritime Expeditionary Security Division 13, which provides light, mobile, short-duration, point defense Anti-Terrorism Force Protection forces for USN ships and aircraft and other high value assets in locations where U.S. or host-nation security infrastructure is either inadequate or non-existent.
In October 2008, the 131st Bomb Wing was activated at Whiteman AFB. As an Air National Guard “Classic Associate Unit” of the 509 Bomb Wing, the 131st BW retains a separate organizational structure and chain of command while its personnel are functionally integrated within the 509 BW, which maintains principal responsibility for the aircraft. This association enables both units to train and deploy personnel in support of the USAF B-2 mission.
The most powerful weapon at Whiteman is the Airmen. Airmen from all units have recently deployed in support of global combat operations. These warriors were also on the front lines of disaster bringing relief to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in September 2005. Whether serving at home or in forward locations, Whiteman Airmen exemplify the phrase, “Service before Self.”
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Narrative:
Crashed at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, USA at approx 38°43′49″N, 093°32′53″W.
Pilot was part of the first group of Harrier pilots who, following their US Navy course were passed into the hands of McDonnell Douglas for conversion training.
Pilot Lt. Trujillo, 8a Escuadrilla, ejected safely following loss of control during take-off
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Brett, Chen, Leonard visit Whiteman Air Force Base
jan 13, 2012
This series of reports investigates charges of frequent mishandling of nuclear weapons at Whiteman Air Force Base. It is based on interviews conducted by The Daily Star-Journal during the past three months in collaboration with WDAF-TV, Channel 4, in Kansas City. The television station's series, "Failsafe," is being broadcast this week during its 10 p.m. newscast.
By Kenneth Amos
Star-Journal News Editor(Second of a serles)
Name: Essex, Eugene R.
Rank: Captain
Serial Number: 554-52-XXXX
Assignment: 351st Missile Security Squadron (SAC)
Base: Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
Age: 40 years old
Past duties: Vietnam veteran, career intelligence officer, missile-launch officer, and executive-support officer.
Present: Working for the deputy commander of the WAFB Combat Support Group.
Future: ??????????
The past two years have been "a living hell" for Capt. Essex and his family: albeit a self-made hell.
The 16-year veteran of the United States Air Force contends he has experienced a number of violations "of A-l sorts since I was 17 years old and came on active duty." Capt. Essex, who spent three years early in his career at Strategic Air Command headquarters in Omaha, Neb. as an intelligence officer specializing in Soviet electronic warfare and Soviet radar, has been stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base for the past four years. He and his wife, Laurel, and four children live at 314 Grover St.
The captain claims the violations he has witnessed range from persons simply ripping off a pen that belongs to the government, to stealing "tens of thousands of dollars of material airplanes, or whatever."
Although the latter contention seems far from trivial, there are problems much more serious in nature which, he maintains, occur with regularity at WAFB. This has prompted Capt. Essex to speak out. Those problems deal with nuclear safety and the possible compromise of national security. His allegations, brought to light in re cent months, triggered an investigation by Missouri Fourth District Congressman Ike Skelton, who yesterday received a report from the Air Force Inspector General Howard Leaf acknowledging problems related to weapons handling exist at WAFB.
Violations Reported
Adhering to Air Force regulations, Capt. Essex reported what he believed to be serious nuclear-safety violations to his commanding officers. Instead of receiving a commendation, or even something as simple as a pat on the back, Capt. Essex contends he was locked up in a "hard-core" mental institution threatened with injections of drugs, and has been the subject of continual harassment at the hands of his superiors at Whiteman.
The Air Force was asked for its response as to whether or not Capt. Essex is or has been a trusted officer, and to assess his character and career. The response it gave was a general description of duties and positions he has held throughout his career. Going by the book has changed the course of the unassuming life Capt. Essex once led. Instead of looking forward to retirement in a little more than three years, possibly as a major, and then working as the civilian counterpart of an intelligence officer thereafter, Essex now faces the unknown.
By his quest for the truth, he candidly admits his career has been jeopardized and he has been left to wonder about his future every day. "They've essentially ruined me as a professional in anything."
He contends the Air Force is now trying to force him out the door, and estimates it has cost them more than $100,000 to perpetrate a coverup regarding the seriousness of his charges.
His plight began approximately two years ago as a member of a two-man team that goes underground into a missile-launch facility. In the facility are the controls responsible for launching nuclear weapons.
Each of five capsules in a strategic missile squadron is in charge of 10 missiles that are connected with 40 others, for a total of 50 missiles. The five capsules are "tied together" to control the 50 missiles. There are three strategic missile squadrons — the 508th, 509th and 510th—controlling a total of 150 missiles.
In this complex network, two officers are "in the hole" at all times, for a total of 30 officers online.
Problems Begin
On occasion, Capt. Essex, the commander, was crewed with a then-27-year-old lieutenant—who he claims was a self admitted heavy drinker and drug user with a history of passing out while on duty.
Capt. Essex said the lieutenant, to him, admitted hallucinating, seeing such things as a woman who appears up out of a bush, and being worried about hearing voices. Capt. Essex dutifully reported to his super visor the lieutenant was "incompetent and unable to do his job." His reports contained allegations that while crewed together underground the lieutenant went berserk, not once, but several times.
One winter day Capt. Essex and the lieutenant were snowed in "November capsule," located approximately 45 minutes from WAFB, beyond regular-duty hours. They faced the possibility of being underground for two days instead of the normal 24 hours. Capt. Essex said he observed the lieutenant in an agitated state, worsening with each passing hour beyond the normal changeover time. At the 30-hour mark a ringing telephone, according to Capt. Essex, set the lieutenant off.
"I answered the phone. This individual ... screamed, yelled an obscenity and leaped toward me with the phone in his hand," so as to do bodily harm.
When the incident was reported, Capt. Essex said his supervisor said, "Yeah, Gene, we know this guy. We know he gets upset. We know he gets a little bit crazy. But all you have to do is tell him to shut up and sit down and you can control him."
According to Air Force regulations, if a person demonstrates emotional in stability (about anything from marriage problems to financial troubles) ... he must be removed from control of nuclear weapons until the particular problem is resolved.
Removal from duty is done in accordance with the Personnel Reliability Program (PRP). The program establishes the requirements and responsibilities for screening, selecting and continuously evaluating all personnel who control, handle, have access to, control the launch of, or control entry to Minuteman weapons on weapons systems. It also provides for the selection and retention of personnel who are emotionally stable and have demonstrated good judgement and pro fessional competence. It provides guidance for the removal of all individuals of questionable reliability.
The process of removing persons from this type of duty is known as "pulling their PRP." Assignment of a person to and removal from a personnel reliability position, according to the Air Force, is purely an administrative action and not a form of reward or punishment. Removal of a person from such a position requires reassignment to other duties, either temporarily or permanently.
Capt. Essex requested to never again be crewed with the individual and said he was told he would not be.
What happened?
A few months later "they crewed me with him permanently," Capt. Essex said laughing in disbelief.
But it was not a laughing matter to Capt. Essex at the time, as he again asked his immediate supervisor and his commander not to be crewed with the lieutenant. He said, "If you think he's competent, then I'm telling you that together as a crew we're not competent. And you're putting two people down there in the hole, an incompetent crew controlling nuclear weapons." The captain was told if he could not control the individual, he was not a fit commander.
"I couldn't believe it." Capt. Essex said. The veteran officer pondered the situation and concluded he may have possibly been wrong about the lieutenant. The two-man team had eight more alerts together, each further confirming Capt. Essex's earlier evaluation of the man. "What I felt was that the person needed professional counseling, which I couldn't give him."
It Happened Again The next major incident involving the pair occurred during Global Shield exercises in 1979.
Global Shield is an annual large-scale, no-notice, 20-day training exercise designed to test the command's capability to carry out Emergency War Orders which support the U.S. policy if deterrence fails, and to realistically measure SAC's response to a set of pre-planned events leading up to a simulated attack on the U.S.
Again, the lieutenant exhibited behavior considered by his commander undesirable for a missile-launch officer.
According to Capt. Essex, the crew's operations officer threatened them with a bad rating for changing over (turning control of the missile-launch facility over to another crew) too early during a learning exercise, even though records indicate they were not instructed when to do so.
At this indictment, the lieutenant "became very agitated" and argued with the major about the point for about one-half hour on the telephone, according to Capt. Essex, during a self explanatory sequence known as "communications minimize." The captain claims for the next 12 hours the lieutenant was walking around, "smashing his fists together. He was angry. He would leap up and start cussing." The crew that eventually succeeded Capt. Essex and the lieutenant later testified he was still in this state "when we were changed over."
"This is especially unacceptable because we were controlilng live Minutemen weapons," Capt. Essex said.
Once again, the captain reported the unusual behavior to his major, who proceeded, in front of a witness to threaten Capt. Essex with the establishment of an Unfavorable Information File (UIF), which according to Capt. Essex means death to the career of that officer.
The rub, Capt. Essex said, was that the man he had been reporting turned out to be the son of a retired colonel, who was the friend of a general, who just happened to be the commander of the he Strategic Air Command. The Air Force, however, maintains Capt. Essex's charges of influence are unfounded. Its response indicated that no time had there been any outside influence on anyone in the wing to affect the outcome of (the) investigation into Capt. Essex's allegations.
Investigation Takes Place Capt. Essex said a "token" investigation labeled him as being the problem, marking the beginning of his miseries.
At this juncture, Capt. Essex began contacting congressmen and attempted to secure information regarding the investigation through the Freedom of Information Act. He had not been allowed to know the findings of the investigation, but when he pieced most of it together he said he was shocked to find the results.
"They made accusations. They said I was incompetent when records that were available proved that I was not in competent."
He referred to an independent psychiatric examination con ducted by an Army flight surgeon and reservist in Kansas City.
"Senior officers, I can name at least four, lied in the investigation," Capt. Essex said pointedly.
As a result, Capt. Essex was removed from his duties, lost his security clearance, and was assigned to the Security Police Group. He also claimed his records have been falsified.
"Anybody who can read or write English, or can understand English, can read one statement by a colonel and read another statement where he denies what he said." From there, "I was locked up. I was put in the mental institute for 21 days. I was placed under house arrest illegally and escorted off base illegally. I've had two efficiency reports written on me which are just totally wrong ... provably so."
The mental hospital, located at Wilford-Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Tex., was the captain's next step into a seemingly unending nightmare.
By Kenneth Amos
Star-Journal News Editor(Second of a serles)
Name: Essex, Eugene R.
Rank: Captain
Serial Number: 554-52-XXXX
Assignment: 351st Missile Security Squadron (SAC)
Base: Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
Age: 40 years old
Past duties: Vietnam veteran, career intelligence officer, missile-launch officer, and executive-support officer.
Present: Working for the deputy commander of the WAFB Combat Support Group.
Future: ??????????
The past two years have been "a living hell" for Capt. Essex and his family: albeit a self-made hell.
The 16-year veteran of the United States Air Force contends he has experienced a number of violations "of A-l sorts since I was 17 years old and came on active duty." Capt. Essex, who spent three years early in his career at Strategic Air Command headquarters in Omaha, Neb. as an intelligence officer specializing in Soviet electronic warfare and Soviet radar, has been stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base for the past four years. He and his wife, Laurel, and four children live at 314 Grover St.
The captain claims the violations he has witnessed range from persons simply ripping off a pen that belongs to the government, to stealing "tens of thousands of dollars of material airplanes, or whatever."
Although the latter contention seems far from trivial, there are problems much more serious in nature which, he maintains, occur with regularity at WAFB. This has prompted Capt. Essex to speak out. Those problems deal with nuclear safety and the possible compromise of national security. His allegations, brought to light in re cent months, triggered an investigation by Missouri Fourth District Congressman Ike Skelton, who yesterday received a report from the Air Force Inspector General Howard Leaf acknowledging problems related to weapons handling exist at WAFB.
Violations Reported
Adhering to Air Force regulations, Capt. Essex reported what he believed to be serious nuclear-safety violations to his commanding officers. Instead of receiving a commendation, or even something as simple as a pat on the back, Capt. Essex contends he was locked up in a "hard-core" mental institution threatened with injections of drugs, and has been the subject of continual harassment at the hands of his superiors at Whiteman.
The Air Force was asked for its response as to whether or not Capt. Essex is or has been a trusted officer, and to assess his character and career. The response it gave was a general description of duties and positions he has held throughout his career. Going by the book has changed the course of the unassuming life Capt. Essex once led. Instead of looking forward to retirement in a little more than three years, possibly as a major, and then working as the civilian counterpart of an intelligence officer thereafter, Essex now faces the unknown.
By his quest for the truth, he candidly admits his career has been jeopardized and he has been left to wonder about his future every day. "They've essentially ruined me as a professional in anything."
He contends the Air Force is now trying to force him out the door, and estimates it has cost them more than $100,000 to perpetrate a coverup regarding the seriousness of his charges.
His plight began approximately two years ago as a member of a two-man team that goes underground into a missile-launch facility. In the facility are the controls responsible for launching nuclear weapons.
Each of five capsules in a strategic missile squadron is in charge of 10 missiles that are connected with 40 others, for a total of 50 missiles. The five capsules are "tied together" to control the 50 missiles. There are three strategic missile squadrons — the 508th, 509th and 510th—controlling a total of 150 missiles.
In this complex network, two officers are "in the hole" at all times, for a total of 30 officers online.
Problems Begin
On occasion, Capt. Essex, the commander, was crewed with a then-27-year-old lieutenant—who he claims was a self admitted heavy drinker and drug user with a history of passing out while on duty.
Capt. Essex said the lieutenant, to him, admitted hallucinating, seeing such things as a woman who appears up out of a bush, and being worried about hearing voices. Capt. Essex dutifully reported to his super visor the lieutenant was "incompetent and unable to do his job." His reports contained allegations that while crewed together underground the lieutenant went berserk, not once, but several times.
One winter day Capt. Essex and the lieutenant were snowed in "November capsule," located approximately 45 minutes from WAFB, beyond regular-duty hours. They faced the possibility of being underground for two days instead of the normal 24 hours. Capt. Essex said he observed the lieutenant in an agitated state, worsening with each passing hour beyond the normal changeover time. At the 30-hour mark a ringing telephone, according to Capt. Essex, set the lieutenant off.
"I answered the phone. This individual ... screamed, yelled an obscenity and leaped toward me with the phone in his hand," so as to do bodily harm.
When the incident was reported, Capt. Essex said his supervisor said, "Yeah, Gene, we know this guy. We know he gets upset. We know he gets a little bit crazy. But all you have to do is tell him to shut up and sit down and you can control him."
According to Air Force regulations, if a person demonstrates emotional in stability (about anything from marriage problems to financial troubles) ... he must be removed from control of nuclear weapons until the particular problem is resolved.
Removal from duty is done in accordance with the Personnel Reliability Program (PRP). The program establishes the requirements and responsibilities for screening, selecting and continuously evaluating all personnel who control, handle, have access to, control the launch of, or control entry to Minuteman weapons on weapons systems. It also provides for the selection and retention of personnel who are emotionally stable and have demonstrated good judgement and pro fessional competence. It provides guidance for the removal of all individuals of questionable reliability.
The process of removing persons from this type of duty is known as "pulling their PRP." Assignment of a person to and removal from a personnel reliability position, according to the Air Force, is purely an administrative action and not a form of reward or punishment. Removal of a person from such a position requires reassignment to other duties, either temporarily or permanently.
Capt. Essex requested to never again be crewed with the individual and said he was told he would not be.
What happened?
A few months later "they crewed me with him permanently," Capt. Essex said laughing in disbelief.
But it was not a laughing matter to Capt. Essex at the time, as he again asked his immediate supervisor and his commander not to be crewed with the lieutenant. He said, "If you think he's competent, then I'm telling you that together as a crew we're not competent. And you're putting two people down there in the hole, an incompetent crew controlling nuclear weapons." The captain was told if he could not control the individual, he was not a fit commander.
"I couldn't believe it." Capt. Essex said. The veteran officer pondered the situation and concluded he may have possibly been wrong about the lieutenant. The two-man team had eight more alerts together, each further confirming Capt. Essex's earlier evaluation of the man. "What I felt was that the person needed professional counseling, which I couldn't give him."
It Happened Again The next major incident involving the pair occurred during Global Shield exercises in 1979.
Global Shield is an annual large-scale, no-notice, 20-day training exercise designed to test the command's capability to carry out Emergency War Orders which support the U.S. policy if deterrence fails, and to realistically measure SAC's response to a set of pre-planned events leading up to a simulated attack on the U.S.
Again, the lieutenant exhibited behavior considered by his commander undesirable for a missile-launch officer.
According to Capt. Essex, the crew's operations officer threatened them with a bad rating for changing over (turning control of the missile-launch facility over to another crew) too early during a learning exercise, even though records indicate they were not instructed when to do so.
At this indictment, the lieutenant "became very agitated" and argued with the major about the point for about one-half hour on the telephone, according to Capt. Essex, during a self explanatory sequence known as "communications minimize." The captain claims for the next 12 hours the lieutenant was walking around, "smashing his fists together. He was angry. He would leap up and start cussing." The crew that eventually succeeded Capt. Essex and the lieutenant later testified he was still in this state "when we were changed over."
"This is especially unacceptable because we were controlilng live Minutemen weapons," Capt. Essex said.
Once again, the captain reported the unusual behavior to his major, who proceeded, in front of a witness to threaten Capt. Essex with the establishment of an Unfavorable Information File (UIF), which according to Capt. Essex means death to the career of that officer.
The rub, Capt. Essex said, was that the man he had been reporting turned out to be the son of a retired colonel, who was the friend of a general, who just happened to be the commander of the he Strategic Air Command. The Air Force, however, maintains Capt. Essex's charges of influence are unfounded. Its response indicated that no time had there been any outside influence on anyone in the wing to affect the outcome of (the) investigation into Capt. Essex's allegations.
Investigation Takes Place Capt. Essex said a "token" investigation labeled him as being the problem, marking the beginning of his miseries.
At this juncture, Capt. Essex began contacting congressmen and attempted to secure information regarding the investigation through the Freedom of Information Act. He had not been allowed to know the findings of the investigation, but when he pieced most of it together he said he was shocked to find the results.
"They made accusations. They said I was incompetent when records that were available proved that I was not in competent."
He referred to an independent psychiatric examination con ducted by an Army flight surgeon and reservist in Kansas City.
"Senior officers, I can name at least four, lied in the investigation," Capt. Essex said pointedly.
As a result, Capt. Essex was removed from his duties, lost his security clearance, and was assigned to the Security Police Group. He also claimed his records have been falsified.
"Anybody who can read or write English, or can understand English, can read one statement by a colonel and read another statement where he denies what he said." From there, "I was locked up. I was put in the mental institute for 21 days. I was placed under house arrest illegally and escorted off base illegally. I've had two efficiency reports written on me which are just totally wrong ... provably so."
The mental hospital, located at Wilford-Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Tex., was the captain's next step into a seemingly unending nightmare.
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| Whiteman H19B used to Shuttle Parts and Personnel Between Minuteman Missile Pads |
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Whiteman Air Force Base, Oscar O-1 Minuteman Missile Alert Facility, Southeast corner of Twelfth & Vendenberg Avenues, Knob Noster, Johnson County, MO |
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29. Launch Control Center, view looking in, alert crew mannequin at end of Launch Control Center. Lyon - Whiteman Air Force Base, Oscar O-1 Minuteman Missile Alert Facility, Southeast corner of Twelfth & Vendenberg Avenues, Knob Noster, Johnson County, MO |
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| Minuteman Missile Silo Whiteman Air Force Base |
- Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted.(http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html)
- Call Number: HAER MO-87
- Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
- Notes:
- Significance: During the Cold War years, the Nation's nuclear arsenal included 1,000 Minuteman missiles. The Oscar-01 Missile Alert Facility (MAF) at Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB) was an integral part of that system. Oscar-01 was in the 510th Strategic Missile Squadron (SMS) of the 351st Strategic Missile Wing (SMW), which encompassed 150 Minuteman missile silos. Oscar-01 was the only MAF in the Nation that was built within the confines of an air force base; other MAFs were constructed in rural areas surrounding bases. Oscar-01 was also the first MAF to schedule all-female, mixed-gender, and all-Black crews. In addition, Oscar-01, which was the designated Squadron Command Post (SCP) for the 510th Strategic Missile Squadron, is significant for its association with the Emergency Rocket Communications System (ERCS). As part of ERCS, ten Minuteman missiles of the 510th SMS carried Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) transmitters in their nose cones, in lieu of warheads. In the event of war, the President of the United States would direct missile combat crews to record emergency action messages on the ERCS system.
- Once launched, the missiles' ERCS messages would then be transmitted, over and over again, to SAC forces worldwide.
- Survey number: HAER MO-87
- Building/structure dates: 1946 Initial Construction
- Place:
- Latitude/Longitude: 38.76667, -93.55833
- Collections:
- Part of: Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress
Robert John Morris, Jr
Captain
716TH BOMB SQDN, 307TH STRAT WING, SAC United States Air Force St Charles, Missouri July 24, 1945 to December 26, 1972 ROBERT J MORRIS Jr is on the Wall at Panel W1, Line 105 See the full profile or name rubbing for Robert Morris |
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Attached are four photos to post on The Virtual Wall:
- - K. Haberstroh, 02-26-2013
Captain Robert John Morris, Jr. wedding photograph from August 5, 1967
From dedication of a B-52 Bomber at Whiteman AF Base July 24, 2009. Captain Robert John Morris, Jr. was the only pilot killed in action from Missouri. A B-52 static display was dedicated to Captain Morris and the crew of Ebony-02 who flew during Operation Linebacker II during the Vietnam War. See full news article and slide show of dedication ceremonies on the Whiteman Air Force Baseweb site.
Captain Robert John Morris, Jr. article from the Sedalia Democrat Newspaper for the July 24, 2009 B-52 dedication of the Ebony-02 at Whiteman AF Base, Sedalia, Missouri.
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Frustrated by problems in negotiating a peace settlement, and pressured by a Congress and public wanting an immediate end to American involvement in Vietnam, President Nixon ordered the most concentrated air offensive of the war - known as Linebacker II - in December 1972.
The bombings were not conducted without exceedingly high loss of aircraft and personnel. During the month of December 1972, 62 crewmembers of B52 aircraft were shot down and captured or went missing. Of these 62, 33 men were released in 1973. The others remained missing at the end of the war. Over half of these had survived to eject safely. One B52D aircraft flown by Captain Robert J. Morris, Jr. was shot down near Hanoi on December 26, 1972. The crew onboard included Captain Michael H. LaBeau; Captain Nutter J. Wimbrow III; First Lieutenant Robert M. Hudson; First Lieutenant Duane P. Vavroch; and Sergeant James R. Cook. The pilot gave the bail-out order and the crew of the aircraft parachuted to safety. LaBeau, Vavroch, Hudson and Cook were captured by the North Vietnamese almost immediately. Cook had been badly injured. These four spent the next six weeks as "guests" in the Hanoi prison system. Ultimately, they were released in Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973. At the time of the incident, General Robert T. Herres, (then Colonel), was the flying unit commander of the 449th Bomb Wing out of Kincheloe AFB, stationed in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan, when he learned that one of his crews, E-21, had been shot down. The North Vietnamese had shot 68 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) that night, resulting in two downed B-52s. Surprisingly, there were not more losses considering there were 120 bombers and 113 support aircraft in a very small piece of the sky that night. Immediately after finding out about the incident, Colonel Herres and his wife Shirley went to visit each of the crewmember's spouses and shared information and prayers with them. For almost 5 years, the families of Captains Morris and Wimbrow awaited news of the fate of their loved one. Hanoi denied any knowledge of the pilot or his crew member until, in late September 1977, the Vietnamese "discovered" the remains of Morris and Wimbrow and returned them to U.S. control. Disturbing testimony was given to Congress in 1980 that the Vietnamese held the remains of Americans to return at politically advantageous times. Perhaps this was the case for Morris and Wimbrow. | |||||
Captain Robert John Morris, Jr. was buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis Missouri. In addition, he has an "In Memory of" marker in the memorial section of Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
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| Contact Us | © Copyright 1997-2013 www.VirtualWall.org, Ltd ®(TM) | Last update 09/12/2013 |
| Date: | 11-JUN-1976 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Hawker Siddeley EAV-8A Harrier |
| Owner/operator: | 8a Escuadrilla, Spanish Navy |
| Registration: | VA.1-1/008-2 |
| C/n / msn: | 712185/99 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Whiteman AFB, Missouri - United States of America |
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Whiteman AFB, Missouri (SZL/KSZL) |
Crashed at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, USA at approx 38°43′49″N, 093°32′53″W.
Pilot was part of the first group of Harrier pilots who, following their US Navy course were passed into the hands of McDonnell Douglas for conversion training.
Pilot Lt. Trujillo, 8a Escuadrilla, ejected safely following loss of control during take-off
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U S AIR FORCE
A-10 THUNDERBOLT (WARTHOG)
Two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 442nd Fighter Wing, fly formation off the wing of a KC-135 Stratotanker during the wing's Employer Appreciation Day, Nov. 3. Civilian employers of wing reservists were treated to a ride in two of the aerial tankers during the event. The 442nd FW is an Air Force Reserve unit at Whiteman AFB, Mo.
(U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tom Talbert)
2009
Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri B-2's on the Tarmac
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Whiteman Air Force Base 1954-64
Thanks Joe Tybor
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