must be able to operate in accordance with established priorities in the event of communication failures and lack of direction from command.

"EOD is their business"

Our operating organization in the United States and for the North American Continent is the 2701st EOD Squadron, a unit of the 2705th Airmunitions Wing, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Together with its strategically dispersed detachments, the squadron is capable of rapid response to accidents occurring anywhere in the United States, Alaska, and Canada, responsibility being assigned by geographic area. The squadron headquarters as well as each detachment is able to further deploy two fully equipped six-man teams and still maintain an EOD element capability at its host base. This team concept results in a capability to act on 20 off-base situations at any one time. Each EOD detachment is located within a 500-mile radius of the air bases it supports and can respond by either air or ground transportation. During the Cuban crisis of fall 1962 the squadron's capability to cope with emergency requirements was recognized. The squadron augmented the EOD capability of some of the tactical operating commands' bases, was prepared to effectively support the accident potential resulting from greatly expanded Air Force operations, and could have provided a temporary capability at non-EOD-manned dispersal bases.

Although primarily organized for wartime or war-posture operations, the EOD Squadron effectively utilizes its resources in peacetime. Peacetime functions include response to munition accidents or potential accidents, standby for munition movements, disposal of unserviceable and hazardous munitions, maintenance of equipment, range decontamination, training, and support for USAF operations such as "Full Scope," "Silk Hat," and other projects utilizing munitions. On a yearly average, squadron personnel act on about 500 requests for assistance in which some type of explosive hazard is involved. Approximately 33 per cent of these incidents results in operations off-base, such as explosive recovery in the vicinity of aircraft crashes, monitoring aircraft suspected of being contaminated with radioactive matter, investigating home

made bombs and rendering them safe, removal of explosive material from public and private prop erty, and rendering other technical assistance to local law enforcement agencies.

Other disaster control functions such as radiation detection and monitoring for large-scale operations and emergency procedures surrounding nuclear reactor accidents are an added responsibility of EOD Squadrons in the United States and Europe and the EOD mobile teams in the Pacific.3 Since these organizations are in the command alerting channels for accident or disaster type situations, the additional functions can be effectively absorbed within existing resources, ensuring an Air Force capability to cope with the unexpected.

The range decontamination program ensures that bombing and gunnery ranges in excess of operational and training requirements are returned to public domain, or other agencies, in a safe and explosive-free condition. This becomes a formidable program in light of the advanced techniques in bomb drop scoring, increased use of overwater ranges, and other means of weapondrop training, all of which require less ground space and consequently release Air Force real estate for other uses or other owners. The land must be searched and all explosive hazards removed prior to Air Force relinquishment. Over the past nine years the EOD Squadron has cleared approximately three million acres of such land. Future range-decontamination programs envision a workload of approximately a quarter of a million

acres a year.

The squadron has to be expertly proficient in all aircraft munition systems and ground-launched missile systems. Training therefore is of utmost importance and consideration in the daily routine of the squadron and its detachments. Superimposed on the training schedule is the Unit Proficiency Evaluation Program (UPEP), a combination training and testing program held at Hill Afb, which emphasizes unit or team operations rather than individual knowledge. This continuing program is designed to increase the proficiency of EOD detachments by giving additional practice in and standardization of procedures employed in nuclear weapon accident situations. It further provides a means of evaluating the operational capabilities of each squadron detachment on a semiannual

basis. The program encompasses much physical work with all the training weapons-tearing them down and putting them together-identifying components and their hazards, some theory, and many practical exercises. Sometime during the weeklong course the team must react to a "Broken Arrow" problem simulating a nuclear weapon accident complete with damaged weapon, simulated radiation and explosive hazards, and the questioning attitude of evaluators posing as officials in charge. To all concerned, it's no game and is treated seriously, for all know that the next call may be the real thing. The detachment works with its own equipment and is in a fully alert and operational status during the entire training period. The critique of the exercise reveals any deficiencies

in the EOD team and brings to light any deficiencies in the procedures, techniques, and equipment that the man in the field has to use on a practical basis.

European Theater. Most USAF installations in the European area are a direct responsibility of Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). In line with this centralized jurisdiction, EOD is organized to provide complete EOD Service for the entire area from within the resources of one organization, the 7410th EOD Squadron. The squadron operates from 5 main locations throughout Europe and maintains an in-place capability at 34 bases. At each main location a numbered detachment is responsible for geographical area support and controls the operations, training, and replacement of personnel within its subordinate

numbered detachments. These subordinate detachments are responsible for base EOD functions. The squadron and its detachments also perform monthly airmunitions and explosives surveillance surveys of USAFE facilities.

Pacific Theater. Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) retains overall responsibility for direction and control of the EOD mission in the Pacific theater. EOD capability is maintained at 20 bases, and additional support is provided by two mobile EOD teams. The mobile teams have a builtin cadre factor to deploy to newly activated bases and to support forces involved in areas of military

unrest.

The equipment authorization of an EOD team is slightly expanded over that of a base element in order to enable self-sufficiency in off-base operations and to consolidate and minimize equipment resources that are required only in support of disaster control or emergency operations. Since the EOD team may be involved in any type of munitions incident, its equipage is established on the basis of having the necessary wherewithal

Responsibility for the consolidation of all facets of the USAF EOD program has been delegated to the 2705th Airmunitions Wing of the Ogden Air Materiel Area, Hill AFB, Utah. The program is managed by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Branch, Explosives Safety Division. In this capacity the branch develops management guidance, coordinates Air Force requirements, maintains liaison with the other services, ensures the EOD portion of logistic support for all weapon systems, and in general serves as the staff agency to provide complete technical support for and evaluation of the USAF explosive ordnance disposal mission. Thus the efforts of a single Air Force manager can resolve the diverse EOD problems of the different aerospace programs.

THE AIR FORCE explosive ordnance disposal program, then, is manned by well-trained and dedicated volunteer personnel who find this work both challenging and stimulating. It is operationally organized to respond promptly and effectively with the necessary resources to nullify any latent ex

for detecting and determining the extent of radioactive contamination resulting from nuclear weapon or reactor device accidents or incidents than does a base element. Its equipment is packaged, marked, prepositioned, and planned for movement by either air or ground transportation.

numerous situations on a widespread scale, supporting all weapon and space concepts. It is managed as an Air Force entity in relation to and coordinated with the programs of the other services. Finally, it will operate effectively under peace, internal-tension, limited-war, or generalwar conditions without significant change.

2705th Airmunitions Wing

Notes

1. A Joint-Service agreement in regulation form: AFR 136-8, AR 755-1300-6, OPNAVINST 8027.1A, NAVMC 2513. 2. JTS 46131/71; AF UTS 110-27; OJT Package 46131/

71; AFTO's 11A-1-100-(X) AML's 136-4-(X) and 136-11(X).

3. AFR 355-7, Response to Accidents Involving Nuclear Weapons and Materials.

SQUADRON Leader F. L. McMahon of the

Royal Australian Air Force sends the following information about Base Butterworth in Malaya and also comments on the cooperation of our allies in overseas military operations.

I am a Royal Australian Air Force officer serving on exchange duty at Kelly AFB, Texas. I have read your November-December 1963 issue and would like to comment on one small section of General Milton's article "Air Power: Equalizer in Southeast Asia."

On page 6, General Milton states, and I quote, "The Far East Air Forces of the RAF have two splendid air bases, Butterworth in Malaya and Tengah in Singapore..." I would like to point out that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), not the Royal Air Force (RAF), occupies the base at Butterworth, and an RAAF Airfield Construction Squadron built the airstrip. The RAAF has fighter and bomber squadrons at Butterworth, and no permanent RAF units are based there. RAAF Base

Butterworth is commanded by an RAAF air commodore, and, except for local purchase items, the base is supplied from Australia by RAAF C-130 aircraft and sea transport. Thus it is an Aussie base in every sense of the word.

You may be interested to know also that the RAAF has a squadron of F-86's at Ubon in Thailand. As your SEATO partner, we moved into Thailand almost immediately after you did early in 1962. In addition, along with the United States, Australia sent army personnel into South Viet Nam about December 1961 to act as advisers and instructors to the Vietnamese Army. As far as I know, they are still there.

Whilst many of your allies, like Australia, are small, their contributions to the various mutual security pacts are nevertheless important. Perhaps they deserve a little recognition now and then in publications such as yours if for no other reason than to make your readers aware of the contributions being made in the defense of freedom by smaller nations.

AAF SHOULDER PATCH

H

UNDREDS of thousands of men and women have proudly worn the Air Force shoulder emblem, but relatively few know the story of its design.

In 1942 Lieutenant General H. H. Arnold wanted a distinctive shoulder patch for members of the Army Air Forces. He assigned the task of

designing the insignia to Mr. James T. Rawls, artist and member of his staff. Rawls chose the motifs for the insignia-a pair of wings and the Air Force identification star-and combined them in every conceivable arrangement. But General Arnold promptly refused each design as it was presented. Apparently the general had no firm

APPROVED APRIL 1942

ARMY AIR FORCES
SHOULDER PATCH DESIGNED
BY JAMES T. RAWLS
ART CHIEF AAF

Nemold

Lrgen- usa. Col. Horace W. Shelmine liste Metin Emi.

idea of what he wanted, but he was sure of what he did not want. This is the more interesting in view of the fact that it was General Arnold's design, submitted in 1917 when he was a major, that was selected for the first Air Force pilot wings. Incidentally, General Arnold did not realize that it was his design that had been picked for the Silver Wings until 1943, when he was asked by Robert D. Erwin, heraldic consultant, AAF, to review an article, "Silver Wings," that Erwin had written for the National Geographic Magazine.

Eventually Rawls felt that he had exhausted every possibility. Then one morning a fellow worker, Mr. Oliver Townsend, noted a photograph of Prime Minister Churchill giving his famous "V for Victory" sign. He turned to Rawls and said, "Jim, why don't you put the wings this way?" This was the one design that Rawls had not tried on General Arnold, so he immediately made a sketch. When he presented it, General Arnold said at once, "That's just what I wanted."

Thus the AAF shoulder emblem was born.
Lieutenant Colonel Harmon H. Harper

NEW RADAR ANTENNA

THE

THE Office of Aerospace Research has announced the development of a radar antenna design that when operative will be 100 times more sensitive than the world's largest and most powerful radio telescope at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. It will be 10,000 times more sensitive than the 84-foot

radio/radar telescopes now widely used in radio astronomy research. This multiplate antenna, designed by Dr. Allan Schell of OAR'S Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, will be used as a space surveillance and tracking radar system and as an extremely powerful radio telescope.