AIA in the 1940s
1948: 20 Oct-The United States
Air Force Security Service
(USAFSS) established at
Arlington Hall Va
On 24 May 1948, Headquarters,
United States Air Force (HQ
USAF) informally activated the
Air Force Security Group (AFSG)
in the Office of the
Intelligence Requirements
Division, Directorate of
Intelligence, Headquarters USAF,
in the Pentagon and designated
Major Idris J. Jones, an Air
Force officer, to head the
Group. The AFSG was formally
established in the Directorate
of Intelligence, HQ USAF, on 23
June 1948, with a cadre of
eleven officers and some
clerical enlisted personnel on
loan from the Army Security
Agency. On 20 October 1948, the
United States Air Force Security
Service (USAFSS), the forerunner
of the Air Intelligence Agency,
was established at Arlington
Hall Station, Va., as a major
air command to perform
cryptologic and communications
security missions for the Air
Force. Colonel Roy H. Lynn was
assigned as the first USAFSS
Commander effective 20 October
1948.
1949 -The United States Air
Force Security Service received
its first subordinate units on 1
February 1949, when the 1st
Radio Squadron, Mobile in Japan,
the 2d Radio Squadron, Mobile in
Germany, the 8th Radio Squadron,
Mobile at Vint Hill Farms, Va.,
and the 136th Radio Security
Detachment in upper New York
state, along with assigned
personnel, were transferred to
the command from the Army
Security Agency. In March 1949,
on authority of a signed
agreement with the U.S. Army, HQ
USAF assigned Capt David D.
Morris, an Air Force officer, to
the Army Special Security Office
at HQ United States Air Forces
in Europe (USAFE). About two and
one-half months later, in June
1949, HQ USAFSS assigned Capt
Campbell Y. Jackson to HQ USAFE
as a Security Service Liaison
Officer. Those assignments
represented the first use of Air
Force personnel in the
previously all-Army Special
Security Office system. The
transfer of HQ USAFSS from
Arlington Hall Station, Va., to
Brooks Air Force Base, Texas,
was effective with transfer of
the morning reports on 18 April
1949. On 29 May 1949, Secretary
of Defense Louis Johnson issued
a Memo to the Joint Chiefs of
Staff announcing the
establishment of a unified
cryptologic organization -- the
Armed Forces Security Agency --
(which later became the National
Security Agency (NSA) in October
1952) for the conduct of
Intelligence and communications
security COMSEC) activities
within the National Military
Establishment. The USAFSS
Photography Laboratory had its
beginning in July 1949 with the
assignment of a master sergeant
and a corporal. On 7 October
1949, a photo officer was
assigned. By 30 June 1950,
Colonel Roy H. Lynn was USAFSS'
first commander. USAFSS
direction finding operators
worked with equipment such as
this during the early years.
This DF position was located at
Vint Hill Farms Station, in
1949.
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AIA
in the 1950s
1950 - The USAFSS concept and
plan for production of tactical
area intelligence was approved
by the Office of the Secretary
of Defense and the Vice Chief of
Staff, USAF, in April 1950.
Sergeant Christena Ogle, the
first Women's Air Force (WAF) to
join USAFSS, was assigned to the
Command on 2 April 1950 for duty
in the Directorate of Security.
Major Corinne E. Edwards became
the Command's first WAF officer
on 1 May 1950 and was assigned
as the Assistant Adjutant
General. In May 1950, USAFSS
attempted to get the Director of
Intelligence at HQ USAF to
support the publication of an
Air Force regulation which would
specify that USAFSS was
responsible for the production
of Intelligence of interest to
the Air Force and that the
USAFSS units would be attached
to the air commanders to meet
tactical intelligence
requirements. (Such a regulation
was never published.) In June
1950, the Airways and Air
Communications Service (later
the Air Force Communications
Command) transferred to USAFSS
the responsibility for service
testing USAF cryptological
equipment, systems, and devices.
Airways and Air Communications
Service also transferred the
personnel and spaces authorized
to perform this function. The
USAFSS Flight Section was
organized on 1 September 1950
with the assignment of three
administrative aircraft -- two
C-47s and one B-25 -- and nine
personnel. In November 1950,
USAFSS established a detachment
at Pyongyang, Korea (Detachment
C, 1st Radio Squadron, Mobile),
to provide support to USAF
organizations engaged in the
Korean War.
Personnel of the Headquarters
USAFSS Operations Production
Division, Brooks AFB, prepare a
map depicting the Eurasian
landmass, 1950. 1951 - USAFSS
gained its first units above
squadron level with the
activation of the 6910th
Security Group at Brooks Air
Force Base, Texas, on 23 May
1951 and the 6920th Security
Group at Johnson AB, Japan, on 1
September 1951. The 6910th
Security Group was moved to
Germany in July 1951 with the
Group Headquarters going to
Wiesbaden and Group Operations
going to Darmstadt. Brigadier
General (later Lieutenant
General) Roy H. Lynn, who served
as the first USAFSS Commander,
returned as the organization's
third commander effective 22
February 1951. There were two
incidents in 1951 in which
support provided by USAFSS units
in Korea resulted in major U.S.
air victories. The most
significant of the two occurred
on 29 November 1951 when a small
USAFSS detachment provided 5th
Air Force with tactical support
concerning the North Korean Air
Force which contributed directly
to the largest single U.S. air
victory of the war up to that
point. In a single air-to-air
engagement, F-86s from the USAF
fighter wing at Inchon shot down
eleven North Korean aircraft and
damaged four more. The U.S.
sustained only one slightly
damaged F-86. These incidents
were aptly termed "turkey
shoots" by U.S. pilots.
USAFSS senior commanders pose
with world renowed cyrptologist
William Friedman (in suit, third
from left) at Landsberg Air
Base, Germany, 23 November 1951.
(Photo courtesy of Brig. Gen.
Hetherington, Ret.) USAFSS
provided Intelligence support at
the Kaesong truce meetings which
began on 10 July 1951 and
dragged on for more than two
years until a truce was signed
on 27 July 1953. During those
two years, intelligence was
provided to Vice Admiral C.
Turner Joy, who headed the U. S.
delegation to the conference.
The first Annual USAFSS
Commanders' Conference was held
at USAFSS headquarters from
12-16 November 1951. 1952 - On
24 October 1952, National
Security Council Directive No. 9
was revised. It redesignated the
Armed Forces Security Agency
(AFSA) as the National Security
Agency (NSA), delegated control
of resources of the Department
of Defense (DoD) to the Director
of NSA (DIRNSA), designated DoD
as the executive agent of the
Government for SIGINT
information, and authorized
DIRNSA to delegate control for
close support purposes.
Intelligence operators of the
37th Radio Squadron Mobile, RAF
Station, Kirknewton, Scotland In
March 1952, HQ USAF consolidated
the Security Service Liaison
Office and the major command (MAJCOM)
Special Security Office
activities into an Air Force
Special Security Office system.
The responsibility for the
development and operation of the
Air Force Special Security
Office System was delegated to
USAFSS in April 1952. At the
time, the consolidated system
consisted of nineteen authorized
offices worldwide. The USAFSS
emblem was approved in August
1952 after a command-wide
contest to select a winning
entry. It was designed by Airman
Second Class William Rogers. The
motto, Freedom Through
Vigilance, was adopted in
January 1964. The United States
Air Force Security Service flew
its first Airborne
Reconnaissance Program test
mission in the Pacific on 18
April 1952 using a converted
B-29 aircraft. The aircraft was
later sent to Europe for
additional testing before
commencing regular operational
missions in the Pacific in March
1954. The United States Air
Force Security Service
reorganized to operate with the
procedural functions,
authorities, and
responsibilities of a major Air
Force command, which it had been
since its activation on 20
October 1948, but within policy
constraints required by
tri-service relationships.
1953 - Brigadier General (later
Major General) Harold H. Bassett
replaced Major General Roy H.
Lynn as Commander effective 14
February 1953. On 1 July 1953,
the 6901st Special
Communications Center was
activated at Brooks Air Force
Base, Texas, to perform the
operational functions previously
handled by the Analysis and
Disseminations Divisions, Deputy
Chief of Staff/ Operations, HQ
USAFSS. Simultaneous with
establishment of the 6901st
Special Communications Center on
1 July 1953, the Air Force
Communications Security Center
was established to take over the
communications security
operational functions of DCS/Operations.
Two USAFSS airmen -- Staff
Sergeant Donald G. Hill and Air
Second Class Earl W. Radlein,
Jr. -- were presumed killed on
29 July 1953 when the RB-50G-2
aircraft of the 343d Strategic
Reconnaissance Squadron on which
they were serving was shot down
off the Soviet coast near
Vladivostok. This marked the
first loss of USAFSS airborne
operators as a result of hostile
action. Headquarters USAFSS
closed out operations at Brooks
Air Force Base, Texas, effective
31 July 1953 and began
operations from its new
headquarters building at Kelly
Air Force Base, Texas. A C-47
"Bluesky" Aircraft.
Manned by USAFSS crews the
platform began experimental
collection operations over Korea
in early 1953.
The move into the newly
constructed Headquarters
building at Kelly Air Force Base
was accomplished during the
first week in August 1953. On 8
August 1953, the 6901st Special
Communications Center was moved
from Brooks Air Force Base,
Texas, to "Security
Hill" at Kelly Air Force
Base, Texas, and renamed the Air
Force Special Communications
Center. Initially, the mission
of the Air Force Special
Communications Center was: (1)
producing and disseminating
long-term intelligence data; (2)
operating the USAFSS School for
training intelligence
specialists; (3) providing
technical guidance and
operational assistance to USAFSS
field units; (4) assisting the
USAFSS Deputy Chief of
Staff/Operations to develop and
test operational procedures and
techniques for implementing the
USAFSS program for providin
intelligence support for the Air
Force; and (5) directing and
monitoring operation of the
Special Security Office system.
The 6900th Security Wing was
activated at Landsberg Air Base,
Germany, on 1 August 1953 as an
intermediate Headquarters
(numbered Air Force equivalent)
to plan, coordinate, and direct
the activities of all USAFSS
units in Europe. The 6920th
Security Group at Johnson Air
Base, Japan, provided the same
support to USAFSS units in the
Pacific. The USAFSS School was
activated at Kelly Air Force
Base, Texas, on 1 August 1953
and placed under the operational
control of the Air Force Special
Communications Center. One of
the major functions of the
school was to train personnel in
intelligence duties.
1954 - In March 1954, USAFSS
initiated a new concept in
reconnaissance collection by
implementing its Airborne
Reconnaissance Program effort.
One RB-29 began flying missions
in the Far East in April 1954.
This was the only aircraft,
Airmen assigned to the 6920th
Security Group, Johnson, Air
Base, Japan repair radios--1953.
which USAFSS already had
jurisdiction over, engaged in
the Airborne Reconnaissance
Program effort at that time;
however, USAFSS had personnel
serving as operators aboard 343d
Strategic Reconnaissance
Squadron RB-50G ECM aircraft. In
March 1954, the USAFSS Commander
submitted tentative plans for
expansion of processing
activities at the squadron level
and for direct reporting to the
using commands. In June 1954,
the point of analysis and
reporting concept was
implemented on a test basis at
the 6901st Special
Communications Center in Europe
(Germany) and the 6902d Special
Communications Center in the
Pacific (Japan). In late August
1954, the point of intercept
analysis and reporting concept
was approved. The objective was
to facilitate a direct and
timely response to the
requirements of military
commands and other organizations
receiving intelligence support.
By the end of 1954, the
technical training function and
oversight of the Special
Security Office system had been
transferred from the Air Force
Special Communications Center to
HQ USAFSS.
1955 - USAFSS deployed the
6926th Radio Squadron, Mobile,
to Japan to participate in
Project GRAYBACK.
1956 - The USAFSS developed a
new concept of mobile operations
to satisfy increased tasking for
tactical support during
contingencies. The first
deployment came in January 1957
in response to the unstable
situation in the Middle-East in
late 1956 and early 1957. The
Air Force Communications
Security Center was deactivated
on 1 July 1956 and its personnel
and communications security
monitoring, reporting and
management mission became a part
of the Air Force Special
Communications Center. This
change reflected an effort to
decrease management overhead.
1957 - RB-50 aircraft were
assigned to the Airborne
Reconnaissance Program. There
were five RB-50s in Europe and
five in the Pacific. Major
General (later Lieutenant
General) Gordon A. Blake
replaced Major General H. H.
Bassett as Commander effective 4
January 1957. The USAFSS School
was moved from Kelly Air Force
Base, Texas, to March Air Force
Base, California, on 1 July
1957.
1958 - A major milestone in the
history of USAFSS occurred on 1
July 1958 when the command
assumed control of several bases
throughout the world where its
units had previously been
tenants. Included were: Misawa
Air Base, Japan; San Vito Air
Station (AS), Italy; Iraklion
AS, Crete; Royal Air Force (RAF)
Station Chicksands, United
Kingdom; Karamursel AS, Turkey,
Wakkanai AS, Japan; and Shu Lin
Kou AS, Taiwan. Later that year,
Goodfellow Air Force Base,
Texas, was added to the list.
Through coordination with
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) in
early 1958, USAFSS increased its
airborne capability in Korea by
adding three more C-47s to the
Blue Sky effort, for a total of
four platforms. Each C-47 staged
from Osan AB, Korea. They flew
an average of 60 hours each
month. During 1960, the project
name was changed from Blue Sky
to Rose Bowl. This
"primitive," but
effective, Airborne
Reconnaissance Program operation
continued into 1962 when the
C-130s staging from Yokota AB,
Japan, were able to provide the
necessary support of Korea and
the C-47s were phased out.
C-130s were sent to Europe to
replace the RB-50s in the
Airborne Reconnaissance Program
effort. The first two arrived in
Germany during July 1958. The
USAFSS School was moved from
March Air Force Base,
California, to Goodfellow Air
Force Base, Texas, on 15 October
1958. The 6920th Security Wing
(later redesignated HQ Pacific
Air Forces Security Region) was
moved from Shiroi Air Base,
Japan, to Wheeler Air Force
Base, Hawaii, on 1 November
1958. On 26 August 1958, USAFSS
sent a unit to Taiwan to augment
the 6987th Radio Squadron,
Mobile located at Shu Lin Kou
Air Station, Taiwan, due to the
increased tension in the Taiwan
Straits created by the Chinese
shelling of Quemoy. Soviet
fighters shot down a C-130
Airborne Reconnaissance Program
aircraft on 2 September 1958
when it strayed off-course over
Soviet Armenia. All crew members
were assumed killed, including
11 USAFSS personnel. A B-50
Superfortress, also used by
USAFSS as a reconnaissance
platform.
1959 - The replacement of RB-50s
in Europe was completed in July
1959 with arrival of the eighth
C-130. The European RB-50s were
moved to the Pacific, giving
that area nine RB-50 Airborne
Reconnaissance Program aircraft.
The transfer of bases to USAFSS
under the "Integrated
Command Concept" was
completed on 1 July 1959 with
the transfer of Wakkanai Air
Station, Japan, and Shu Lin Kou
Air Station, Taiwan.
The United States Air Force
Security Service first became
involved in the war in Southeast
Asia in August 1959 when
national intelligence
authorities tasked the command
to make maximum effort to
provide intelligence relating to
North Vietnamese or Laotian
rebel movements. Existing USAFSS
units were not in the most
favorable geographical locations
to obtain such information;
therefore, in the spring of
1960, USAFSS sent a small team
to Bangkok, Thailand.
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AIA
in the 1960s
Major General Millard Lewis
assumed command of USAFSS
effective 21 September 1959,
replacing Major General Gordon
A. Blake who was reassigned to
HQ Pacific Air Forces as Chief
of Staff effective 5 August
1959. 1960. The 6917th Radio
Squadron, Mobile, became the
first USAFSS unit in Italy when
it was activated at San Vito on
1 November 1960.
1961 - As the tempo of the
Vietnam War increased, USAFSS
became involved in a program
which eventually became known as
the Airborne Radio Direction
Finding program. That year,
General Curtis E. LeMay, Air
Force Chief of Staff, ordered
several experimental aircraft,
equipped with radio homing
equipment, into Southeast Asia.
1962 - In December 1961, PACAF
asked USAFSS to send an
Emergency Reaction Unit to Da
Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, to
support a Tactical Air Control
System that was being set up
there. USAFSS deployed the unit
in early 1962. Intelligence
processed by the USAFSS Airborne
Reconnaissance Program provided
the first significant
intelligence data concerning the
extent of Soviet involvement in
Cuba. The United States Air
Force Security Service deployed
an Emergency Reaction Unit (ERU)
to Key West, Florida, to provide
tactical support. Also, the
command increased its Cuban
Airborne Reconnaissance Program
coverage from one to three
aircraft. Strategic Air Command
operated RC-135 aircraft began
flying reconnaissance missions
in the Arctic. Major General
(later Lieutenant General)
Richard P. Klocko assumed
command of USAFSS effective 1
September 1962, replacing Major
General Millard Lewis who
retired from active duty.
1963 - USAFSS activated three
Emergency Reaction Units, the
6948th Security Squadron,
Mobile, at Goodfellow Air Force
Base, Texas; the 6926th Security
Squadron, Mobile, at Clark AB,
the Philippines; and the 6911th
Security Squadron, Mobile, at
Darmstadt, Germany. The
following USAFSS communications
functions were transferred to
AFCS: (1) operation and
maintenance of the Critical
Communications relay stations;
(2) operation and maintenance of
terminal station technical
control; and (3) terminal
station maintenance. In response
to the Air Force problem of how
to reduce or eliminate
intermediate echelons and
separate units, USAFSS initiated
the "Operational Wing
Concept." Under this
concept, the mission unit was
discontinued and a support
squadron was organized. The
functions of the mission unit
were absorbed into the wing
structure. The concept was
implemented in Europe late in
1963 and in the Pacific in 1964.
1964 - The motto "Freedom
Through Vigilance" was
adopted in January 1964.
The Operational Wing Concept was
implemented in the Pacific. In
early 1964, the USAFSS
commander, Major General Richard
P. Klocko, asked the Air Staff
and the Strategic Air Command to
support the addition of six
RC-135s to the airborne effort.
1965 - In June 1965, after many
months of intense negotiations,
the Office of the Secretary of
Defense approved the addition of
six RC-135s to the airborne
effort. But even then, a debate
arose over where to base the
RC-135s, and it took 18 more
months of negotiations before a
base of operations was finally
selected. With the air war in
Vietnam heating up, Japan,
Thailand, and the Philippines,
as well as Da Nang, South
Vietnam, and Kadena, Okinawa,
were all considered. On 26 March
1965, USAF headquarters issued
instructions to USAFSS to
transfer all Air Force Special
Security Officer functions to
the using commands effective 1
July 1965. This resulted in the
transfer of 811 USAFSS personnel
at some 50 locations around the
world to the consumer commands.
The Gold Flow problem, an Air
Force-wide program to reduce
overseas manning, resulted in
the reduction of 302 USAFSS
personnel overseas. The loss of
an RB-57 over the Black Sea on
15 December 1965 resulted in a
Government of Turkey ban on
Airborne Reconnaissance Program
flights from their country. The
RB-57 was one of two aircraft in
the Little Cloud project which
were manned and maintained by
the Pakistan Air Force at
Peshawar. United States Air
Force Security Service Airborne
Reconnaissance Program missions
in Southeast Asia increased from
one to two daily, using four
RC-130s instead of two. The
first AN/FLR-9 systems became
operational -- at Misawa Air
Base, Japan, in March 1965 and
Clark Air Base, the Philippines,
in April 1965.
United States Air Force Security
Service Airborne Reconnaissance
Program aircraft (C-130s) began
participating in tactical
operations in Southeast Asia,
supporting both USAF and Navy
strike forces by providing alert
warnings. This was the first
time the command became involved
in a regular program of
providing tactical support to
combat operations. The USAFSS
Airborne Reconnaissance Program
unit in the Pacific area
performed the command's first
airborne transmission security
monitoring mission on a test
basis. On 28 September 1965, the
Air Force Chief of Staff
approved the release of
communication security
violators' names in transmission
security reports. This was a
first in transmissions security
reporting. The approval granted
release of names down to
division level. Major General
Louis E. Coira assumed command
of USAFSS effective 16 October
1965, replacing Major General
Richard P. Klocko who was
reassigned as commander of the
Air Force Communications
Service.
1966 - The USAF Airborne Radio
Direction Finding Program was
nicknamed Phyllis Ann. The first
Phyllis Ann EC- 47 Airborne
Radio Direction Finding Program
aircraft arrived at Tan Son Nhut,
Air Base, Vietnam, in April 1966
for use by the newly activated
6994th Security Squadron. The
first AN/FLR-12 antenna system
became operational. In 1966,
Office of the Secretary of
Defense requested USAF to
provide an objective evaluation
of its electronic warfare system
effectiveness. Later that year,
the Chief of Staff, USAF,
directed the establishment of an
Electronic Warfare evaluation
function in USAFSS. CSAF
assigned this task to USAFSS
because: (1) USAFSS was a
disinterested command -- it
neither built nor operated
electronic warfare systems; (2)
USAFSS had the necessary core
skills; (3) it had access to the
critically needed intelligence
data; and (4) it had a close
working relationship with NSA as
the Air Force component of the
service's cryptologic system.
The task was to assess the
effectiveness of protective
electronic countermeasures
employed by U.S. aircraft during
air strikes against North
Vietnam.
United States Air Force Security
Service Airborne Reconnaissance
Program units began performing
airborne transmissions security
monitoring on a time available,
non-interfering basis. In
consonance with a USAF program
to increase the use of women in
the Air Force, USAFSS assigned
women to its units in Karamursel,
Turkey; Iraklion, Crete;
Chicksands, United Kingdom;
Misawa, Japan; and Shu Lin Kou,
Taiwan; as well as at Goodfellow
Air Force Base, Texas, and Kelly
Air Force Base, Texas. This was
the first time enlisted women
were assigned to USAFSS
operational sites overseas. On
16 January 1967 the Air Force
Special Communications Center
established a 24-hour/7-day per
week function to provide direct
support to any agency needing
information. This data base was
the culmination of several years
of developmental effort by the
Center. It proved increasingly
valuable in permitting rapid
response to complex queries for
technical and intelligence data.
The 6990th Security Squadron was
organized at Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa, to receive the six
RC-135 aircraft assigned to the
Pacific Airborne Reconnaissance
Program effort. The first RC-135
Airborne Reconnaissance Program
mission, named Combat Apple, was
flown on 12 September 1967. The
Iron Horse system was put into
operation at Da Nang AB (6924th
Security Squadron) and Monkey
Mountain, South Vietnam.
In 1967, USAFSS assigned its new
electronic warfare evaluation
mission to the Air Force Special
Communications Center (later AF
Information Warfare Center) at
Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. The
USAFSS assigned the mission to
the Air Force Special
Communications Center because
the Center had a cadre of
experienced analysts. In
addition, the Center's analytic
task was phasing down which made
the necessary office space
available. This new mission was
the first major change in the
command's mission in many years.
The initial evaluations were
disseminated electrically in
Comfy Coat reports. Later, the
effort was expanded to cover
evaluation of Navy and ground
electronic warfare, and Army,
Navy, and Marine personnel were
assigned to the Air Force
Special Communications Center.
As the years passed, general
usage of the term Comfy Coat
came to mean all operational
electronic warfare effectiveness
evaluations being conducted by
the Air Force Special
Communications Center.
1968 - The Government of
Pakistan refused to renew the
lease for the USAFSS site at
Peshawar (6937th Communications
Group). The unit closed by the
end of 1969. The 6990th Security
Squadron at Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa, won the Travis Trophy
for its highly significant
contributions toward the
fulfillment of both national and
tactical cryptologic objectives.
1969 - The Department of Defense
decided to reduce forces in
Turkey and realign the
intelligence posture there. This
realignment caused the
subsequent closure of the USAFSS
sites at Trabzon and Samsun and
the establishment of a USAFSS
squadron (6934th Security
Squadron) at Sinop. Operations
site of the 6924th Security
Squadron, Da Nang, South Vietnam
in 1966.
The 6994th Security Squadron,
Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam,
received the Travis Trophy for
outstanding contributions to the
cryptologic efforts of the U.S.
Major General Carl W. Stapleton
replaced Major General Louis E.
Coira as commander effective 19
July 1969.
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AIA
in the 1970s
The 6994th Security Squadron,
Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam,
received the Travis Trophy for
outstanding contributions to the
cryptologic efforts of the U.S.
Major General Carl W. Stapleton
replaced Major General Louis E.
Coira as commander effective 19
July 1969.
1970 - The pilot class of the
USAFSS Senior Officers
Orientation Course was conducted
at Goodfellow Air Force Base,
Texas. The results were
"unfavorable," so the
course subsequently went through
an 18-month period of revision
and refinement. A small ceremony
attended by representatives of
the U.S. and Pakistani Air
Forces closed out the tenure of
the USAFSS "Communications
Unit" (6937th
Communications Group) at
Peshawar, Pakistan, on 7 January
1970, thereby ending 15 years of
valuable intelligence support at
the site. The year 1970 saw the
operational wing concept fall by
the wayside as USAFSS
reorganized its subordinate unit
posture to strengthen the role
of the Regions under this
concept. All USAFSS overseas
wings were redesignated as
groups and their subordinate
units placed under the direct
control of the two Regions. In
1970, the increasing hostile
threat against Airborne
Reconnaissance Program aircraft
focused national level emphasis
on reducing manned
reconnaissance flights in high
threat areas. Consequently, USAF
deployed a series of unmanned
drone vehicles and piloted
airframes. The first of these
systems to be deployed was
Combat Dawn, an unmanned drone
staged and operated from Korea.
1971 - United States Air Force
Security Service acquired its
first medical facility on 1 July
1971 when the USAF Hospital at
Goodfellow Air Force Base,
Texas, was transferred from the
Air Training Command (ATC) to
USAFSS.
Primarily because of the
command's contributions during
the Southeast Asia war, USAFSS
units earned 46 Air Force
Outstanding Unit Awards, two
Presidential Unit Citations, the
Navy Meritorious Unit
Commendation Award, and two
special awards for outstanding
contributions to the National
Cryptologic Effort during
1967-1971. Prior to 1967
(1948-66), command units had
garnered only 33 such awards.
The C-130 fleet from Japan
replaced the aging C-130 fleet
in Europe. The 6908th Security
Squadron was activated at Nakhon
Phanom Airport, Thailand, to
operate Senior Book and Compass
Flag programs, as well as
process and report the intercept
collected from both platforms.
The 6300th Support Squadron
(later redesignated 6300th
Aerospace Support Squadron) was
activated at Ko Kha, Thailand,
on 1 July 1971 to support Cobra
Talon. Hof AS, Germany, was
turned over to the United States
Air Forces in Europe and the
6915th Security Squadron was
inactivated.
1972 - The first class of the
Revised Senior Officers
Orientation Course was conducted
at HQ USAFSS with favorable
results. The USAFSS School at
Goodfellow Air Force Base,
Texas, was accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools. The USAFSS School
was the first one in the Air
Force to receive this
recognition. President Nixon
announced a major reorganization
of U.S. intelligence agencies
and activities on 5 November
1971, causing a flurry of
reorganization planning
activities during the remainder
of Fiscal Year 1972. One of the
principal objectives of the
reorganization was to establish
a more coherent structure for
manning the U.S. cryptologic
effort to include the creation
of a "National Cryptologic
Command." A significant
milestone in achieving this
objective was reached on 14
April 1972 when the Secretary of
Defense approved for
implementation the National
Security Agency/Central Security
Service (NSACSS) organizational
plan. The United States Air
Force Security Service organized
the Air Force Communications
Security Center on Kelly Air
Force Base, Texas, on 1 July
1972 to execute Air Force COMSEC
missions assigned to USAFSS. It
also had overseas units assigned
to assist Air Force theater
activities with various COMSEC
services.
In Japan, DOD Program Budget
Decisions resulted in a complete
realignment of the cryptologic
structure, forcing the closure
of Wakkanai AS (6986th Security
Group) and inactivation of the
6918th Security Squadron at
Hakata AS and the 6988th
Security Squadron, the command's
airborne unit at Yokota AB.
Concurrently, projects
associated with the 6988th
Security Squadron, such as Bench
Royal and Rivet Gym manning for
College Eye, were discontinued,
and the remaining Combat Dawn
mission was transferred to the
6903d Security Squadron at Osan
Air Base, Korea. Host base
activities at Misawa Air Base,
Japan (6921st Security Wing)
were transferred from Pacific
Air Forces (PACAF) to USAFSS on
1 July 1972. The 6910th Security
Group was moved from Darmstadt,
Germany, to Augsburg, Germany.
As a part of the reorganization
of U.S. Intelligence Agencies
and Activities, both HQ European
Security Region and HQ Pacific
Security Region were
deactivated, on 30 June and 31
December 1972, respectively,
eliminating the intermediate
headquarters between USAFSS and
its field units in Europe and
the Pacific. The TEABALL/WCC
concept was implemented. This
concept provided for the
relaying of intelligence data to
USAF weapons controllers located
in the 6908th Security Squadron
operations area at Nakhon Phanom
Airport, Thailand. The weapons
controllers used the data to
enhance positive control of USAF
aircrews over North Vietnam for
both offensive and defense
purposes.
1973 - On 24 February 1973,
Major General (later Lieutenant
General) Walter T. Galligan
replaced Major General Stapleton
as commander of USAFSS. Shortly
thereafter, General Galligan
directed a comprehensive,
command-wide manpower and
organization review of the
USAFSS organizational structure
which, on 1 July 1974, resulted
in a major reorganization of the
command. Program Budget Decision
138C, dated 22 December 1972,
cut four RC-130 Airborne
Reconnaissance Program aircraft
from the European Airborne
Reconnaissance Program fleet,
effective in early 1973. The
TEMPEST (compromising
emanations) function was
transferred from the Air Force
Cryptologic Depot to the AF
Special Communications Center,
effective 20 April 1973. The
command's European Airborne
Reconnaissance Program unit (the
6916th Security Squadron) moved
from Rhein Main Air Base,
Germany, to Athens, Greece, on
30 June 1973.
Beginning on 2 October 1973, HQ
USAFSS, its European units, and
the AF Special Communications
Center became actively engaged
in providing intelligence and
electronic warfare support to
U.S. forces/agencies observing
the Arab/ Israeli War.
1974 - United States Air Force
Security Service implemented the
Main Operating Base/Forward
Operating Base concept on 1
January 1974. Under this
USAFSS/SAC concept, 12 Rivet
Joint ASRP RC-135 aircraft and
crews were based at the Main
Operating Base (Offutt Air Force
Base, Nebraska) where they
received the bulk of their
support, but flew many of their
missions from the Forward
Operating Base (Eielson Air
Force Base, Alaska, and RAF
Mildenhall, United Kingdom)
where they received only mission
essential support.
A major reorganization of USAFSS
resulted in the restructuring of
most USAFSS units. Significant
actions included: (1) a major
reorganization of six USAFSS
host units overseas; (2) a
restructuring of USAFSS units
engaged in airborne operations,
including activation of the
6944th Security Wing at Offutt
Air Force Base, Nebraska; (3)
activation of the 6955th
Security Group at Kelly Air
Force Base, Texas, and the
resubordination of five USAFSS
squadrons (including the
emergency reactions units) under
the newly formed group; and (4)
the downgrading from groups to
squadrons of three USAFSS tenant
units. On 21 May 1974, Major
General H. P. Smith assumed
command of USAFSS, replacing
Major General (later Lieutenant
General) Walter T. Galligan who
was reassigned as commander of
5th Air Force at Fuchu Air
Station, Japan. General Smith
came to USAFSS from the Defense
Intelligence Agency (DIA) where
he served as Deputy Director for
Intelligence. In the face of
constant reductions, the only
solution for USAFSS was to find
ways to do the job better. The
Command's Rivet Joint
modernization proposal, which
the Secretary of Defense
approved on 29 July 1974,
represented one approach toward
improved operations. It was
aimed at replacing the obsolete
equipment in the 12-aircraft
Rivet Joint fleet. When the last
C-47 Airborne Radio Direction
Finding aircraft returned to its
base at 1545 hours on 15 May
1974, it marked an end to a
relatively brief but proud era
in USAFSS airborne operations.
For eight years, the Airborne
Radio Direction Finding program
had provided valuable support to
U.S. and friendly tactical
commanders throughout Southeast
Asia. Yet another era in USAFSS
mission operations ended on 30
June 1974 when the 6910th
Security Group at Augsburg,
Germany, and the 6994th Security
Squadron at Ubon, Air Force
Station, Thailand, were
inactivated. The 6910th Security
Group had been a mainstay of
USAFSS operations in Europe
since December 1953, while the
6994th Security Squadron served
as the Command's unit in Vietnam
during the war. At one time, the
6994th Security Squadron and its
detachments operated the mission
equipment aboard some 48 EC-47
aircraft in South Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia, and Thailand. On 1
July 1974, the Consolidated
Security Operations Center, a
joint USAFSS and Army Security
Agency was activated in San
Antonio, Texas, at Lackland Air
Force Base Annex (formerly
Medina Base). The United States
Air Force Security Service
deployed a 114-man emergency
reaction unit to San Vito,
Italy, for 60 days resulting
from the Cypriot/Cretan Crisis.
On 16 August 1974, Greek
protesters penetrated the base
perimeter at Iraklion AS, Crete
(6931st Security Group)
inflicting considerable damage
to U.S. property located near
the station's perimeter fence.
United States Air Force Security
Service Commander, Major General
H. P. Smith, established a
Crisis Management Team
(consisting of operations
specialists having an intimate
knowledge of unit operations,
posture, and functions) to be
available to the USAFSS Battle
Staff for consultation during
future crisis situations.
Colonel (later Major General)
Norma E. Brown became the first
woman to command an Air Force
wing when she assumed command of
the 6940th Security Wing,
Goodfellow Air Force Base,
Texas, on 1 December 1974.
1975 - For nearly eight years,
Combat Apple played a key role
in Southeast Asia operations.
Then, on 30 April 1975, after
the emergency evacuation of U.S.
and South Vietnamese personnel
from Saigon, the last Combat
Apple mission was flown. The Air
Force Special Communications
Center (AFSCC) was redesignated
the Air Force Electronic Warfare
Center (AFEWC), effective 1 July
1975, to reflect more accurately
the Center's EW mission and give
it greater visibility throughout
the Defense Department. Early in
1974, General John Vogt,
Commander in Chief, United
States Air Forces in Europe, (CINCUSAFE),
based on his experience with
intelligence support during the
Vietnam War, established a
requirement for timely
intelligence support.
Headquarters USAF decided USAFSS
could best provide this support
through its 6911th Security
Squadron (M) which would become
a direct support unit. But first
the unit had to undergo a
significant expansion of
personnel, equipment, and real
estate and be moved from Rhein
Main, Germany, to Hahn Air Base,
Germany. That happened on 25
July 1975 when it was converted
to a Direct Support Unit (DSU)
immediately responsive to
requests from European
consumers, mainly USAFE, for
intelligence support of a
primarily tactical nature.
United States Air Force Security
Service ended an era on 24 June
1975 when it turned in all of
its administrative aircraft --
two O-2s and three C-118s --
ending 24 years of airlift
support to the command
headquarters. The Kelly Air
Force Base, Texas-based USAFSS
Flight Operations Section closed
out operations with an
unblemished flying safety record
(zero accident rate) for those
24 years, averaging 2,200 flying
hours per year. On 25 July 1975,
the Turkish government ordered
all U.S. operations at
Karamursel Air Station shutdown
immediately, due to an arms
embargo imposed against Turkey
by the U.S. Congress. Major
General Kenneth D. Burns
replaced Major General H. P.
Smith as USAFSS Commander
effective 11 August 1975.
1976 - In June 1975, termination
of the high altitude
reconnaissance drone, nicknamed
Combat Dawn, created an
intelligence void that was only
partially offset by introduction
of the Burning Candy RC-135.
Approval of an operation to fill
that void was stalled until a
flurry of activity in early
January 1976 pointed toward
imminent activation of a U-2
operation from Osan Air Base,
Korea. When the dust settled,
USAFSS was charged with manning
the system, nicknamed Olympic
Game, and the 6903d Security
Squadron at Osan AB was assigned
the Olympic Game mission. The
AFEWC learned that it had been
awarded the Air Force
Organizational Excellence Award
for the period 1 January 1974-1
January 1976 in recognition of
its ". . . comprehensive
operational electronic warfare
support to the Department of
Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff,
and all of the military services
. . ." The 6924th Security
Squadron, Ramasun Station,
Thailand, which had been
stationed at Da Nang AB, South
Vietnam, during the war in
Southeast Asia, was deactivated
on 15 May 1976.
1977 - A longtime USAFSS unit,
the 6987th Security Squadron at
Shu Lin Kou Air Station, Taiwan,
was discontinued on 1 April
1977. After two years of
unsuccessful negotiations
between the U.S. and Turkey to
reopen operations at Karamursel,
the 6933d Security Group was
discontinued on 1 October 1977.
The impact of the Thailand,
Taiwan, and Turkey reductions
was partially offset by
reallocation of tasks and
resources to other USAFSS bases.
USAFSS transferred its
cryptologic school at Goodfellow
Air Force Base, Texas, to the
Air Training Command (ATC) on 1
July 1978. Three months later,
on 1 October, USAFSS ended 20
years of base management,
transferring its last four bases
-- San Vito Air Station, Italy;
Iraklion Air Station, Crete; RAF
Chicksands, United Kingdom; and
Misawa Air Base, Japan -- to the
theater commands. The net result
was the transfer to other Air
Force commands of 17 USAFSS
units, a cryptologic training
mission, 5 host bases, and about
4,000 USAFSS personnel. Although
the outflow of personnel from
the command sometimes seemed
like a flood, there occasionally
was a trickle of spaces back
into the command. The Command
headquarters building (Bldg.
2000) was named Ardisana Hall on
14 July 1978 in memory of
Brigadier General Bernard
Ardisana, a longtime member of
the command and a former vice
commander who died on active
duty while assigned to NSA. The
first operational application of
C3CM by ESC occurred during
exercise Blue Flag 79-1, 1-10
December 1978, at Hurlburt
Field, FL.
1979 - Major General Doyle E.
Larson replaced Major General
Kenneth D. Burns as USAFSS
Commander effective 19 January
1979. General Larson was the
last USAFSS Commander and the
first ESC Commander. On 1
February 1979, USAFSS
transferred operation and
maintenance of its
Telecommunications Center to Air
Force Communications Service
(now Air Force Communications
Command). On 17 July 1979, Major
General Larson officially opened
the Command Alert Center.
Headquarters USAFSS was
redesignated the Headquarters
Electronic Security Command
(ESC), effective 1 August 1979,
because of its broader
electronic warfare (EW)
responsibilities. The units
assigned to USAFSS were
automatically transferred to
ESC.
Return to the
top
AIA
in the 1980s
1980 - The ESC Comfy Olympics
program was officially created 1
January 1980 to identify and
recognize ESC's most talented
individual enlisted technicians.
Modeled after the Strategic Air
Command's annual missile,
bombing and munitions
competitions, the objectives of
the program were to improve
technical performance and
proficiency and recognize and
reward technical excellence
command-wide. The Air Force
Cryptologic Depot (AFCD) was
redesignated the Air Force
Cryptologic Support Center (AFCSC)
effective 1 February 1980.
Construction of a Document
Destruction System (DDS) as an
addition to Ardisana Hall, Kelly
Air Force Base, Texas, was
completed on 19 March 1980 at a
cost of $74,200. DIRNSA assigned
the Ladylove mission to ESC
effective 31 March 1980.
Headquarters USAF established
the Directorate of
Electromagnetic Combat (AF/XOE),
DCS/Operations, Plans, and
Readiness, in support of the ESC
mission on 30 April 1979. The
Joint Electronic Warfare Center
(JEWC) was activated at Kelly
Air Force Base, Texas, on 1
October 1980 and functioned
under the direction of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff through the
Director of Operations, Joint
Staff. Major General Doyle E.
Larson, also assigned as ESC
Commander, was assigned as
Director of the JEWC. The ESC
emblem was approved on 12
February 1980 and became
official 1 March 1980. There was
no motto selected at that time.
The command did not have a motto
until the old USAFSS motto,
Freedom Through Vigilance, was
selected in 1987. Transfer of
the SCI adjudication function
and spaces from ESC to AFIS/INS
was completed during July 1980.
The first modernized Rivet Joint
Block III aircraft was
delivered.
The Air Staff tasked ESC on 30
September 1980 to take the lead
in getting a Red Force Team
(Constant Spur) underway to
employ adversary C3CM actions
against friendly operators
(combat crews, weapons
controllers, communications) and
C3 facilities in order to train
them in a degraded C3
environment, and stress friendly
C3 systems. On 3 November 1980,
Headquarters USAF directed ESC
to combine the Red Force
(Constant Spur) and Blue Force
(Electronic Support Team)
programs. The combined program
was designated Comfy Challenge
and the interim program was
designated Comfy Sword II.
1981 - Navy Lieutenant Cmdr G.
Guy Thomas received the Air
Force Officer Aircrew Member
Badge on 5 January 1981,
becoming the first member of the
Department of the Navy to be
awarded the Air Force wings. The
operational deployment of the
first modernized Rivet Joint
aircraft to the 6988 ESS, RAF
Mildenhall, United Kingdom, took
place on 9 January 1981.
Completion of the modernization
of the second aircraft and its
subsequent deployment to the
6985 ESS, Eielson Air Force
Base, Alaska, occurred in
February 1981. Successful Block
III operations at these two
units, and mixed fleet
operations at Offutt Air Force
Base, Nebraska, continued
throughout the year despite
frequent surge tasking and
increased sortie rates.
Introduction of the third,
fourth, and fifth modernized
aircraft into the fleet followed
in March, August, and December
1981. Cobra Ball II was
destroyed in an accident at
Shemya Air Force Station,
Alaska, on 15 March 1981. ESC
began its own daily reveille and
retreat ceremonies on 1 June
1981. The HQ ESC DCS/Operations
(DO) and DCS/National Programs
(NP) merged on 1 July 1981 with
NP becoming a part of DO. The HQ
6910th Electronic Security Wing
was activated at Lindsey Air
Station, Germany, effective 1
July 1981, to perform in-theater
planning with USAFE and other
service staffs on ESC's C3CM and
tactical intelligence support
missions. This included
performing peacetime, exercise,
contingency and wartime planning
for intelligence and C3CM
programs/projects. The 8075th
Electronic Security Squadron (USAFR),
ESC's first Air Force Reserve
unit, was established at Brooks
Air Force Base, Texas, on 1
October 1981 to provide
Communications Security support
for the Air Force and other DoD
organizations. The first Coronet
Guard Comfy Levi mission was
flown out of Howard Air Force
Base, Panama, in an attempt to
expand U.S. capabilities in the
Central American area. These
missions lasted from 8 October
to 18 December 1981. The
USAFSS/ESC Alumni Association
was formally organized on 26
October 1981. The group was
established to foster continued
awareness of the mission and
accomplishments of the U.S. Air
Force and ESC, and to provide
its members a forum for
desirable social, educational,
and humanitarian services.
1982 - The 6952 ESS, which
provided maintenance support for
the TR-1 aircraft, was activated
at RAF Alconbury, United
Kingdom, and assigned to the
6910 ESW, effective 1 January
1982, to ensure all ESC critical
support requirements would be in
place prior to the Strategic Air
Command's TR-1 beddown at
Alconbury in early 1983. On 16
February 1982, HQ USAF tasked
ESC to provide integrated, all
source Operations Security (OPSEC)
support to MAJCOMs, DRUs and
SOAs. Support included threat
assessment and vulnerability
analysis. In August 1982, the
ESC Commander directed the
merger of the Office of
Assistant Chief of Staff for
Total Force Augmentation (CF)
and the Reserve Affairs Office (DPB).
This was accomplished on 17
December 1982. Rationale for the
merger was that it would
increase mission effectiveness
by establishing management of
the entire ESC Individual
Mobilization Augmentation (IMA)
Program under one function,
reporting directly to the Deputy
Chief of Staff, Personnel (DP).
On 1 October 1982, Special Agent
Pat Martin, the first Air Force
Office of Special Investigations
(AFOSI) Counterintelligence
representative, was assigned to
HQ ESC reporting directly to the
ESC Chief of Staff. The
objective was to establish
enhanced AFOSI
investigative/operational
support to HQ ESC by increasing
AFOSI's visibility/accessibility
through direct, continuing
interface with HQ ESC staff
elements. Detachment 2,
Electronic Security Combat
Operations Staff (ESCOS) was
activated at HQ Military Airlift
Command (MAC), Scott Air Force
Base, IL, on 1 December 1982,
and assigned as an integrated
directorate, responsible to the
MAC Deputy Chief of Staff,
Operations. Lieutenant Colonel
(Colonel selectee) Wesley Brown
was assigned as Detachment
Commander in July 1983. In
December 1982, the 6924 ESS,
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Michael S. Cassidy, was rated
outstanding by the ESC IG, the
first outstanding IG rating in
the history of the Command. The
first new Comfy Sword IA system
was delivered to the 6981 ESS on
17 December 1982 for initial
deployment in support of
exercise Brim Frost 83. The
remaining eleven Comfy Sword IA
systems were scheduled for
completion during 1983.
1983 - The first TR-1 airframe
was deployed to RAF Alconbury,
United Kingdom, on 10 February
1983, and the 6952 ESS entered
the era of providing direct
support to intelligence
operations in Europe. Concurrent
with the arrival of the TR-1,
U-2R operations in the Central
European theater ceased and ESC
U-2R maintenance personnel
assigned to the 6988 ESS at RAF
Mildenhall, United Kingdom, were
transferred to the 6952 ESS. In
February 1983, the 6960th
Security Police Squadron's cadre
was reestablished as the
"Special Security
Guard," replacing the
familiar "Elite
Guard." The ESC Hall of
Honor, located in Ardisana Hall
was formally dedicated on 9
April 1983 in conjunction with
HQ ESC National Prisoner of War
(POW)/Missing in Action (MIA)
observance. Major General Doyle
E. Larson delivered the
welcoming remarks and former
USAFSS Commander, Major General
(Ret) Carl W. Stapleton,
presented the keynote address.
Major General John B. Marks
became ESC Commander on 29 July
1983, replacing Major General
Doyle E. Larson. The
Headquarters, Electronic
Security, Alaska (HQ ESA) was
activated at Elmendorf Air Force
Base, Alaska, effective 1
October 1983. The activation of
HQ ESA strengthened the
organizational structure of
ESC's Alaskan units -- the 6981
ESS at Elmendorf Air Force Base,
assigned to HQ ESP at Hickam Air
Force Base, Hawaii, and the 6985
ESS at Eielson Air Force Base,
Alaska, assigned to HQ ESS at
Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. --
by assigning both of them to a
headquarters in Alaska.
The 8078th ESS (AFRES) was
activated at Offutt Air Force
Base, Nebraska, on 1 October
1983. AFRES Prime Beef teams
from Indiana, Washington, and
Wisconsin constructed the
squadron's 4,000 square foot
building. The unit's mission was
to train for and conduct
communications surveillance
activities in support of HQ SAC.
Peacetime control of the 8078
ESS was through the Fourteenth
Air Force. ESC would gain the
unit upon mobilization.
1984 - Olympic Game U-2
aircraft, crashed at Osan Air
Base, Korea, on 21 May 1984
totally destroying all airborne
systems on board. In a formal
ceremony on 29 June 1984, Mrs.
Betty Leftwich, wife of TSgt
Raymond F. Leftwich, helped
Major General Marks unveil a
plaque memorializing a dormitory
on Security Hill in her late
husband's name. Technical
Sergeant Leftwich, a USAFSS
radio operator, was killed in
March 1967 when the EC-47
aircraft he was flying in from
Nha Trang Air Base, Vietnam, was
shot down by enemy fire. He
headed a crew of three USAFSS
operators assigned to Detachment
1, 6994th Security Squadron,
when his aircraft was shot down
and all crew members were
killed. A second Olympic Game
U-2 aircraft, crashed at Osan
Air Base on 8 October 1984,
destroying the airborne system
and data link system. On 29
October 1984, ground was broken
for the 74,000 square foot
addition to Ardisana Hall
(Building 2000) at a contract
cost of $5,216,958.
1985 - On 1 April 1985, DCS/Space
Activities (SX) was created from
resources previously assigned to
the discontinued Directorate of
Space Activities (DOZ), DCS/Operations.
The 8085th Security Police
Flight (AFRES) was activated on
10 April 1985 to augment the
6960th Security Police Squadron
during wartime. It was the first
unit of its kind to be assigned
a wartime mission at HQ ESC.
Brigadier General (later Major
General) Paul H. Martin assumed
command of ESC on 17 April 1985,
replacing Major General Marks
who retired. On 29 April 1985,
AFMPC advised ESC that the
Secretary of the Air Force had
approved a new policy that
permitted Air Force women to
perform airborne duty aboard
Tactical Air Force EC-130
Compass Call aircraft. This
assignment was a unique
opportunity for female crypto
linguists, who in the past had
limited opportunity, to serve as
aircrew members. Effective 8 May
1985, all people scheduled for
assignment to NSA or related
field activities were required
to undergo a polygraph
examination prior to departing
their losing base. This
screening included certain ESC
positions. The nearest AFOSI
scheduled the examination which
had to be completed prior to
issuance of permanent change of
station (PCS) orders. Only
espionage questions were asked.
ESC assumed the Computer
Security (COMPUSEC) mission for
the Air Force on 17 May 1985
with the transfer of the Air
Force Computer Security Office
from Gunter Air Force Base, AL,
to AFCSC.
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air
Force (Retired) Richard D.
Kisling, a former USAFSS Senior
Enlisted Advisor and third Chief
Master Sergeant of the Air
Force, died and was buried in
Arlington National Cemetery on 7
November 1985. Phase I of the
integration of HQ ESC
Communications and Data
Automation functions was
implemented on 1 May 1985 with
establishment of the DCS/Information
Systems (SI). Because of
terrorist activities in Greece,
the Secretary of Defense imposed
travel restrictions on U.S.
military personnel. These
restrictions required passengers
to use MAC airlift to the
maximum extent possible. In June
1985, HQ USAF advised Air Force
personnel that PCS/TDY
(temporary duty) travel from and
to the CONUS would be by MAC
contract and military organic
flights, routed through Rhein
Main AB, Germany, with travel to
and from Greece via military
organic flights. These
restrictions affected personnel
movements because of the time
required to complete travel -- a
minimum of three days, more if
assigned to Iraklion; and an
overnight stay in Athens if
traveling to Iraklion and
Frankfurt. The addition of a
direct flight from Rhein Main
AB, Germany, to Hellenikon AB,
Greece, helped some travelers,
but not all. During 1985, a new
era in intelligence training
began at Goodfellow Air Force
Base, Texas, with the transfer
of the Electronics Intelligence
Operations Specialist Course
from Keesler Air Force Base,
Miss. This transfer represented
the first in a series of moves
designed to consolidate
intelligence training at the
Goodfellow Technical Training
Center.
1986 - In March 1986, the U.S.
Air Forces, Europe (USAFE) Vice
Commander (CV) reviewed the
draft Compass Call organization
structure which had been
prepared by the ESC and USAFE
staffs in October 1985. On 28
March 1986, Major General Martin
approved 6919 ESS as the
designator for the new ESC
Compass Call squadron, and on
the same day, USAFE transferred
109 manpower billets to ESC
effective 1 October 1986. USAFE
agreed to provide ESC all
facilities and equipment
required to support the USAFE
Compass Call mission. The 6919
ESS was activated at Sembach AB,
Germany, on 1 October 1986. In
early 1983, the idea of
establishing an ESC-gained Air
National Guard (ANG) Electronic
Security Squadron (ESS) was
born. The large number of
languagequalified people and
excellent ANG support available
in the Salt Lake City, Utah,
area made that city a most
attractive location for an ESC
Reserve Force airborne unit to
support wartime and contingency
operations. The idea was to fill
ESC shortages of airborne crypto
linguists while saving Air Force
training funds by recruiting
individuals already proficient
in a language. On 5 February
1986, organization of the unit
was announced publicly. Then, a
Department of the Air Force (DAF)
letter officially announced the
constitution of the unit
effective 9 April 1986, stating
the unit would be allotted to
the ANG on/about 8 October 1986,
with ESC as the gaining command.
On 14 April 1986, U.S. Air Force
and U.S. Navy aircraft conducted
a nighttime air strike against
the Libyan SA-5 complex at Surte,
the Al-Azziziyah Barracks in
Tripoli, the Benghazi military
barracks, the Benina military
airfield, the military side of
Tripoli airport, and terrorist
training facilities in the port
of Sidi Bilal. Between 13-18
April, ESC units in Europe were
tasked to provide intelligence
support to U.S. activities
against Libya. This support
involved special tasking for the
6917 ESG, 6931 ESS, 6950 ESG,
and RC-135/Rivet Joint crews
from the 6916 ESS. HQ ESE was
the in-theater ESC executive
agent for this effort. The RC-
135 provided intelligence
support to Sixth Fleet elements
during the central Mediterranean
operations and later Search and
Rescue (SAR) assistance during
the search for a downed F-111.
In 1984, then ESC Commander,
Major General John B. Marks,
directed a concerted staff
effort to investigate various
strategies which would serve to
reposture and/or realign the
command's tactical assets to
better support exercise and
wartime tasking. An outgrowth of
this tasking was a proposal to
consolidate the mobile ESC
assets located at the 6913 ESS,
Flak Kaserne, Augsburg, Germany,
with those of the 6918 ESS,
Sembach AB, Germany, at the
Mehlingen annex of Sembach Air
Base. On 15 April 1985, ESC/CC
formally proposed this
initiative to USAFE/CV who
accepted and approved it on 19
July 1985. This combined unit
was to be called the 6914 ESS.
On 1 October 1986, the 6918 ESS
vacated its Sembach AB location
and set up at Mehlingen Annex
and was renamed the 6914 ESS.
The move of the 6913 ESS
(mobile) from Augsburg to
Mehlingen annex was slated for
April 1987. On 21 April 1986,
the ESC Command Innovation
Center (IC) was created as a
special office reporting
directly to the ESC Vice
Commander. Its purpose was to
institute a conscious,
purposeful search for innovative
opportunities throughout ESC.
This innovation strategy was
established as an integral part
of ESC's long-range planning
process. The Center's first
director was Lieutenant Colonel
John A. Lewis. In August 1986,
the 6990 ESG moved its
operations function from the
Army facility at Torii Station
to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and
began operations in its new
facility on 1 September 1986.
This move brought the unit's
operations and logistics
functions together at one
central location on Kadena Air
Base with the 961 AWACS and 376
SW. The completion of this
relocation project, which began
in February 1985, brought to a
close more than sixteen years of
Army service and support to the
6990 ESG. On 8 September 1986,
the ESC Office of Innovation was
established. This was to
increase the emphasis and move
on with ESC's corporate strategy
for innovation. Colonel Rolf
Smith headed the office,
reporting directly to the ESC
Chief of Staff. On 1 October
1986, the following ESC units
were redesignated as ESC
Divisions: . Headquarters
Electronic Security Europe
(ESE), Ramstein Air Base,
Germany, was redesignated HQ
European Electronic Security
Division (EESD). . Headquarters
Electronic Security Pacific
(ESP), Hickam Air Force Base,
Hawaii, was redesignated HQ
Pacific Electronic Security
Division (PESD). . Headquarters
6960th Electronic Security Wing
(ESW), Kelly Air Force Base,
Texas, was redesignated HQ
Continental Electronic Security
Division (CESD). Also effective
1 October 1986 was activation of
HQ Space Electronic Security
Division (SESD) at Peterson AFB,
Colo., and the inactivation of
OL ES, HQ Electronic Security
Combat Operations Staff,
Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. A
contract award of $5,2l6,958 was
made on 2 October 1984 for a
74,100 square-foot addition to
the HQ ESC building.
Construction was completed, and
the new building (2007) was
accepted in June 1986. The Air
Force Communications Command (AFCC)
took charge of the addition for
communication installation which
was completed in November 1986.
The furniture move was
completed, and the building
occupied before the end of
December 1986.
In 1986, after nearly seven
years of planning, the 6903 ESG
and other U.S. and Republic of
Korea Air Force (ROKAF)
intelligence functions moved
into the Korean Combat
Operations Intelligence Center (KCOIC).
Despite several significant
problems with the KCOIC
construction project, the
relocation of 6903 ESG mission
assets from Hill 170 to the
KCOIC began, as scheduled, on 1
October 1986. By 1 November
1986, all mission equipment and
support functions were fully
operational, well before the 10
December 1986 IOC date
previously planned.
1987 - Staff Sergeant Renata
Gross, 6990 ESG, became the
command's first woman to fly on
an operational RC-135. The
auditorium of Headquarters
Electronic Security Command
(ESC), building 2007 (originally
known as building 2025), was
designated Bernard A. Larger
Auditorium, effective 1 January
1987 in honor of Colonel Bernard
A. Larger (deceased). The
rationale was that the current
Larger Auditorium (in building
2000) would eventually be
modified into office space and a
small briefing room, and the new
conference area was more in
keeping with the honor to be
accorded Colonel Larger. Colonel
Leonard W. Johnson, Jr., Command
Surgeon, was killed when the
single engine plane he was
flying crashed during a
thunderstorm five miles south of
Kokomo, Ind. He served as
Command Surgeon from 16 August
1984 until his untimely death on
1 August l987. When USAFSS was
redesignated ESC in August 1979,
the command motto, Freedom
Through Vigilance, was retired
and was not replaced. So,
beginning on 23 December 1986,
HQ ESC conducted a contest to
select a motto. The contest
ended on 3 June 1987, with the
announcement that, once again,
"Freedom Through
Vigilance," a motto that
had a proud heritage and special
meaning for the Command, would
be the command motto.
ESC's first and only Air
National Guard unit, the 169 ESS,
Hill Air Force Base, UT,
received its Federal Recognition
on 27 April 1987 and was
activated on 19 September 1987.
On 8 December 1987, Major
General Martin approved a
Command reorganization which
would posture the Command for
the future and ensure
consistency with Air Force
guidelines. In 1987, Congress
deleted funding for additional
Rivet Joint aircraft. Torii
Station home of the 6990th ESG's
operations and logistics
functions until 1986.
1988 - On 25 January 1988, the
new Security Service Federal
Credit Union building on
Security Hill, Kelly Air Force
Base, Texas, opened for
business. The ground breaking
was held on 1 June 1987, and the
construction was completed on 22
January 1988. The Credit Union
funded this building at the cost
of $460,000. On 1 April 1988
ESC, USAFE, EUCOM, and USAEUR
signed Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) for TREDS/ TRIGS
management. The MOA established
the TREDS/ TRIGS Director in
charge of the effort to combine
the two intelligence disciplines
into a coordinated effort. It
formed a Mission Development and
Control Element (MDCE) composed
of the operations officers of
the 7451st Tactical Intelligence
Squadron (TIS); the 6911 ESS;
and Det Hahn, 66th Military
Intelligence Brigade. In support
of the Department of Defense (DoD)
aggressive antismoking campaign
to improve health and readiness
of DoD personnel, on 1 April
1988, the ESC no-smoking policy
went into effect for Buildings
2000, 2007, and AFCSC-- smoking
permitted only in the Belvedere
Picnic Area. On 15 April 1988
Major General Martin approved
the HQ ESC reorganization
recommendations and forwarded
the accreditation package to HQ
USAF/PR for approval-- HQ USAF
approved the overall Command
reorganization. HQ USAF
authority to constitute the 690
ESW, 693 ESW, and 694 ESW was
dated 21 June 1988; and approval
for 695 ESW was dated 20
September 1988. On 18 May 1988
the Chief of Staff, USAF,
approved a new mission for the
AFEWC, and the first tasking to
AFEWC began in June. The mission
was in support of EC testing and
acquisition. On 1 June 1988 the
HQ ESC reorganization became
effective. The structure of HQ
ESC was refocused to concentrate
on planning and programming for
the mission needs of ESC's four
divisions, two centers, and six
operational, Air
Force-controlled wings in terms
of manpower, training, and
equipment. The basic idea was
for HQ ESC to function as a
headquarters. On 1 June 1988 the
ESC reorganization dissolved the
Constant Web Program Office, but
program management activities
remained in ESC -- Constant Web
data base production
responsibilities were moved to
AFEWC/CW and responsibility for
Constant Web hardware and
software acquisition was
transferred to HQ ESC/SC. In
July 1988 Air Force Secretary
Aldridge announced a change to
the combat exclusion policy for
women in the Air Force. The
revised policy opened
assignments of women to Red
Horse and mobile aerial port
squadrons effective 8 June 1988.
Additionally, the following
aircraft were opened for
assignment of women effective 1
July 1988: TR-1, U-2, TU-2, C-29
(flight check), and all EC-130
missions. At HQ USAF, Major
General Martin accepted the 1987
Air Force Productivity
Enhancement Award for
professional excellence on 7
November 1988. The ESC success
story was attributed to creative
promotion schemes, program
integration at all levels, and
outstanding Air Force support of
key initiatives. On 15 December
1988, the Deputy Secretary of
Defense signed DoD Directive
implementing the Civilian
Intelligence Personnel
Management System. This system
was to enhance the Services'
flexibility of managing the
recruitment, retention, and
compensation of civilian
employees working in
intelligence functions.
1989 - In March 1989 , ESC
flight-tested the U-2R SENIOR
SPAN system. In May 1989, HQ
USAF approved the Gordon W.
Sommers Outstanding Civilian of
the Year award. On 26 May 1989,
SENIOR SCOUT, a tactical
airborne intelligence system
designed to replace COMFY LEVI,
made its first test flight. The
first Flowing Pen (Comfy Levi)
mission (CF916) was flown on 9
June 1989. On 12 June 1989,
Major General (retired) Carl W.
Stapleton, Commander of USAFSS
from August 1969 until his
retirement in February 1973,
died. In August 1989, the ESC
commander approved renaming the
Security Hill picnic area in
honor of General Stapleton.
Conversion of ESC and JEWC
civilian employees from
competitive to the excepted
service under the new Civilian
Intelligence Personnel
Management System (CIPMS) took
place on 1 July 1989. Later, on
15 October 1989, the General
Manager (GM) force converted to
the General Schedule (GS)
system. On 16 August 1989 Major
General Gary W. O'Shaughnessy
assumed command of ESC,
replacing Major General Paul H.
Martin who retired.
In October/November 1989 ESC
demonstrated Tactical
Information Broadcast Service
(COMFY HARVEST). In November
1989 Brigadier General Paul L.
Roberson presented the first ESC
display to the USAF Museum--an
AN/MSR-1 Communications Security
monitoring van. The AN/MSR-1
system had been replaced by
COMFY SABRE. The end of 1989 saw
ESC play an active, on-the-scene
role in Operation JUST CAUSE.
The 6933 ESS was involved from
beginning to end, and performed
very successfully. Other ESC
involvement included Electronic
Warfare planning in the AFEWC,
mission support by other ESC
units, and staff support at HQ
ESC. In terms of planning and
execution, DoD officials
proclaimed Operation JUST CAUSE
the most successful military
operation since World War II,
and ESC people played a big part
in that success. In December
1989, CSAF opened additional
aircraft to women--the C-141,
C-130, C-17, and the U-2/TR-1.
Also in December 1989, the third
U-2 was deployed to Osan AB,
Republic of Korea. Under the
A-76 Commercial Activities
Program, the ESC Base Supply
function would convert from a
military/civilian operation to a
civil service operation during
1989. However, implementation of
the Most Efficient Organization
for base supply support had to
be extended to 1 April 1990.
Return to the
top
AIA
in the 1990s
1990 - On 15 March 1990, the
SENIOR SCOUT system was handed
over to ESC. Then at 0737 hours
on 16 March 1990, a new era of
ESC airborne operations began
when SENIOR SCOUT departed for
Panama on its first operational
deployment. On 17 May 1990, the
Civilian Drug Testing Program
officially started in ESC with
the testing of five volunteers.
On 25 May 1990, the 6903 ESG and
Detachment 2, 9th Strategic
Reconnaissance Wing, flew U-2R
Olympic Game mission sortie
number 5,000. On 1 July 1990,
Mr. Dennis B. Richburg replaced
Mr. Gordon W. Sommers as the
advisor to the ESC commander. He
later became the organization's
Technical Director. Iraq invaded
Kuwait on 2 August 1990 and
President George Bush mobilized
U.S. military forces for
deployment to the Persian Gulf
under Operation DESERT SHIELD.
On 9 August 1990, the 6916 ESS
arrived in Saudi Arabia with two
RIVET JOINT aircraft and two
backend crews to participate in
Operation DESERT SHIELD.
On 11 August 1990, Colonel
William C. Bender arrived in
Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, to serve
as ESC's first Task Force
Director for DESERT SHIELD. On
11 August 1990, the 6948 ESS
arrived in Riyadh, Saudia
Arabia, to participate in
Operation DESERT SHIELD. On 1
October 1990, the Headquarters
2100th Communications Group (CG)
was relieved from assignment to
the Air Force Communications
Command (AFCC) and assigned to
ESC as a result of the transfer
of Critical Intelligence
Communication (CRITICOMM)
operations and maintenance
(O&M) from AFCC to ESC.
The U-2 operations against Cuba
from the 6947 ESS, Key West NAS,
Fla, and OL BA, 6947 ESS,
Patrick Air Force Base, Fla,
ended on 1 November 1990, with
the last mission flown on 31
October 1990. On 10 November
1990, the 6975th Electronic
Security Squadron, Provisional,
was designated, activated, and
organized at Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. On 13 March 1991, the
command ended over 17 years of
operations at Augsburg, Germany,
with the inactivation of the
6913 ESS. During its history,
the unit provided rapid radio
relay, secure communications and
command, control and
communications countermeasures
support to U.S. and allied
forces. On 31 March 1991, the
6913 ESS at Augsburg Germany,
was inactivated. On 25 April
1991, the 6919 ESS flew its last
operational mission, closing out
another chapter in the proud
history of ESC airborne
operations. The 6919 ESS was
inactivated on 21 May 1991 at
Sembach AB, Germany.
The last COMFY LEVI system was
decommissioned on 1 July 1991.
Major Generals James R. Clapper,
Jr., AF/IN, and Gary W.
O'Shaughnessy, ESC/CC, briefed
Secretary of the Air Force
Donald Rice on 16 July 1991
concerning the proposed Air
Force Intelligence Command
(AFIC) structure and
implementation plans/time lines.
The Secretary was pleased with
the planning actions and
structure and gave his approval
to go-ahead with the formation
of AFIC with a 1 October 1991
effective date. On 23 August
1991, ESC accepted the SENIOR
TROUPE system as an operational
asset and assigned it to the
6948 ESS for operation and
support. On 19 September 1991, a
formal retreat and closure
ceremony was conducted at
Berlin's Marienfelde, Germany,
site, and keys to the site were
turned over to the host air base
group commander. The formal
closure of Marienfelde came
after 26 years of existence as
one of the premier operations of
the Command. Electronic Security
Command was redesignated the Air
Force Intelligence Command on 1
October 1991. On 1 October 1991
the Deputy Chief of Staff/
Operations, Collection
Operations Division established
a counter-drug operation
function. The function was
responsible for policy
execution, and oversight A proud
chapter in USAFSS and ESC
history was closed out 13
November 1990 with the
deactivation of the 6916 ESS at
Hellikon AB, Greece. For almost
34 years, the men and women of
the 6916 ESS flew in the Baltic
and Black Seas, the deserts of
Sudan and Egypt, the
Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas,
and the Persian Gulf. Operations
from this location provided
support during every momentous
turn of history in the volatile
Mediterranean--the 1967 and 1973
Arab- Israeli wars, Beirut, Gulf
of Sidra, TWA Flight 847
hijacking, Achille Lauro,
ELDORADO CANYON-and it was the
first ESC unit in Saudia Arabia.
1991 1991 In February 1991, ESC
became the first command in the
Air Force, and within the
intelligence community, to
implement a standard set of
computer security application
programs designed specifically
for the Computer Security
Officer (CSO). On 1 March 1991,
the Mediterranean RC-135
missions, historically flown
from Hellenikon AB, began flying
from NAS Souda Bay, Greece. ESC
activated OL-RS, 6931 ESS at
Souda Bay for this purpose. On
13 March 1991, a chapter of ESC
history was closed with the
inactivation of OL RH, 6988 ESS,
thus ending the USAF Security
Service/ ESC presence at
Hellenikon AB, Greece, which
began on 1 December 1968, and
marking an end to ESC airborne
activities in that country.
August 1990--members of the
6948th ESS deploy to Saudi
Arabia in support of Desert
Shield. Mr. Dennis B. Richburg
became advisor to the ESC
commander on 1 July 1990. On 18
June, the 6949th Electronic
Security Squadron accepted
operational control of the COBRA
BALL and COBRA EYE programs. On
1 July, Headquarters, 690th
Electronic Security Group was
inactivated at Templelhof
Central Airport, Germany. On 1
August, the 6917th Electronic
Security Group at San Vito,
Italy, was inactivated. On 17
August, AFIC supported TASKFORCE
Russia, a Department of the Army
effort in support of a
U.S./Russian Joint Commission on
POW/MIAs. On 27 August, the
600th Electronic Security
Squadron was activated at
Langley Air Force Base,
Virginia, to support the
Contingency Airborne
Reconnaissance System (CARS).
1993 1993 On 26 January, the
Communications, Computer Systems
Requirements Processing Working
Group was renamed Command,
Control, Communications and
Computer (C4) Group. On 22
February, the AFIC commander
announced the end to compliance
- oriented IG inspections and
introduced Quality Force
Assessment. On 15 March, the
Secretary of Defense directed
the Services to consolidate
their intelligence commands/
agencies into a single
intelligence element within each
service. On 17 May, General
Merrill A. McPeak officiated as
Major General Kenneth A. Minihan
assumed command of AFIC.
management of collection
activities associated with the
"war on drugs." On 15
December 1991, the 6922
Electronic Security Squadron at
Clark Air Base, Republic of the
Philippines, was inactivated. On
24 January, General Merrill
McPeak, Air Force Chief of
Staff, announced the final phase
in implementing the objective
wing organization structure. On
20 February, Major General
O'Shaughnessy selected
"PRISM" to replace
"COMFY" as the first
word of the Command's nickname.
On 13 April, AFIC held its first
Communications Computer
Architecture Workshop.
Representatives from across the
Air Force attended. On 20 April,
the Secretary of the Air Force
delegated AFIC the authority to
disclose information on the
characteristics and performance
of key Russian and Chinese
aerodynamic weapons and related
systems. On 1 June, AFIC created
the Architecture and Integration
Division to develop a
communications-computer systems
architecture for the command. On
8 June, AFIC inactivated the
6985 ESS after more than 30
years of providing critical
intelligence support to tactical
and national customers. The unit
stood on the leading edge of new
roles in intelligence through
the BURNING WIND, COBRA BALL,
and COBRA EYE missions and they
left a legacy of advancing
technology as a means to
accomplish the AFIC mission.
According to Major General
O'Shaughnessy, "The end of
the cold war is a victory in
which every military member can
take pride, but the men and
women of the 6985 ESS should
take a special pride in the key
role they played in achieving
this victory." Major
General Gary W. O'Shaughnessy
accepts the new Air Force
Intelligence Command guidon from
Air Force chief of staff General
Merrill A. McPeak during
activation ceremonies at Kelly,
Air Force Base, Texas on 17
October 1991. Then Major General
Kenneth A. Minihan served as the
first commander of the Air
Intelligence Agency. On 1 June,
Major General Gary W.
O'Shaughnessy retired from the
Air Force. 1 August 1993, AIA
formed the Tactical Information
Broadcast Service (TIBS) Special
Management office with
management responsibility for
all DoD. On 10 September 1993,
HQ Air Force Electronic Warfare
Center was redesignated HQ Air
Force Information Warfare
Center. On 1 October 1993 AFIC
was redesignated the Air
Intelligence Agency, a field
operating agency, under the Air
Force Assistant Chief of Staff,
Intelligence. On 1 October 1993,
Major General Kenneth A. Minihan
became the first AIA Commander.
On 1 October 1993, The 67th
Intelligence Wing was activated
at Kelly Air Force, Texas. On 20
December 1993, the Operations
Support Central, AIA's single
point of contact for time
sensitive intelligence,
officially opened. ESC personnel
from several units began
supporting Desert Shield
Operations in early August 1990.
An RC-135 RIVET JOINT refuels
over Saudi Arabia. ESC provided
invaluable support on the ground
and in the air during Operation
Desert Storm. 1994 1994 On 1
April, Headquarters 696th
Intelligence Group inactivated
at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
On 1 June, Headquarters Air
Intelligence Agency accepted
responsibility for COBRA DANE
from the Air Force Space
Command. On 30 June,
Headquarters 26th Intelligence
Wing inactivated at Ramstein Air
Base, Germany. On 1 July, The
Air Force Cryptologic Office (AFCO)
stood up at Fort George G.
Meade, Md. On 1 September, the
Air Intelligence Agency's
Information Services Flight and
Management Engineering Flight
and the Intelligence Combat
Operations Staff inactivated at
Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. On
15 September, the Joint
Electronic Warfare Center was
redesignated as the Joint
Command and Control Warfare
Center. On 30 September 1994,
Vigilance Memorial Park, in
front of HQ AIA, featuring a
static EC-47 aircraft was
dedicated. On 10 October 1994,
the Air Force Cryptologic
Support Center inactivated at
Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. On
3 October 1994, Brigadier
General John P. Casciano assumed
command of AIA from Major
General Kenneth A. Minihan. On
15 November 1994, the 39th
Intelligence Squadron activated
at Nellis Air Force Base, Calif.
On 30 November, 1994, the 48th
Intelligence Squadron activated
at Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
Members of AFIC's 6990th ESS,
Kadena, Air Base, Japan, pose
with an RC-135 Rivet Joint
Aircraft--summer 1992. 1995 1995
On 23 February 1995, the 68th
Intelligence Squadron at Brooks
Air Force Base celebrated its
46th anniversary. It is the
oldest unit at Brooks and one of
the original four units in the
Air Intelligence Agency. On 23
February 1995, members of the
6975th Intelligence Squadron
completed their 1000th Rivet
Joint mission in 54 months in
support of Operations Desert
Shield/Storm and Southern Watch.
On 30 Mar 1995 after
approximately 18 months of
operation, the 67th Intelligence
Wing quickly became the first
and only truly worldwide Air
Force intelligence organization.
On 27 April 1995, Staff Sergeant
Beth Yandow became the first
female RC-135 Rivet Joint crew
member to qualify as an airborne
mission supervisor. On 23 June
1995, Brigadier General John
Casciano was promoted to Major
General in ceremonies at HQ AIA.
On 30 August 1995, the 315th
Training Squadron at Goodfellow
Air Force Base, Texas, announced
major alterations in
intelligence officer training
courses. More unit specific
training and officer/enlisted
interaction formed key elements
in the change. Secretary of the
Air Force, Dr. Sheila Widnall
visited the Air Intelligence
Agency and the Information
Warfare Center on 22-23
September 1995 for mission
briefings and current overview
of the Agency's mission. She
stressed the importance of
exploiting the information
domain. On 29 September 1995,
the Air Intelligence Agency held
a special remembrance ceremony
on Security Hill to pay tribute
to those who gave their lives in
carrying out their unit's
missions. On 11 October 1995,
elements of the Contingency
Airborne Reconnaissance System
completed their first year of
support to Joint Task Force
Southwest Asia. 1996 1996 Major
General John P. Casciano
relinquished command of the Air
Intelligence Agency on 5 January
1996 to become the Air Force's
Assistant Chief of Staff for
Intelligence. On 5 January 1996,
Brigadier General Michael V.
Hayden assumed command of the
Air Intelligence Agency. On 28
March 1996, Brigadier General
Hayden pinned on his second star
in ceremonies at Headquarters
Air Intelligence Agency. In
March 1996, Headquarters Air
Intelligence Agency learned it
had earned its fourth Air Force
Organizational Excellence Award
for exceptionally meritorious
service from 1 October 1993 to
30 September 1995 for
orchestrating the largest
restructure of Air Force
intelligence since 1947. Ground
breaking ceremonies were held on
25 June 1996 for the new 67th
Intelligence Wing Headquarters
building. The estimated
completion date for the
structure is 1998. On 30 June
1996, the 23rd Intelligence
Squadron inactivated at Key West
Naval Air Station, Fla. Major
General John P. Casciano assumed
command of AIA on 3 October,
1994. The Contingency Airborne
Reconnaissance System of AIA's
10th Intelligence Squadron
beside a U-2 on the Langley Air
Base flightline-- 1995. The 33rd
Intelligence Squadron, Howard
Air Force Base, Panama
inactivated on 30 June 1996. The
average age of the enlisted is
31.4 years and 39.8 years for
the officer force. As of 30
September 1996, the annual
economic impact of the Air
Intelligence Agency in the San
Antonio area exceeded $224
million. During exercise Blue
Flag 91-1 held at the USAF
Battlestaff Training School at
Hurlburt, Field, Florida, in
December 1996, more than 800
people participated including 50
technicians from AIA. They
comprised the information
warfare support team and
introduced for the first time
Measurement and Signatures
Intelligence to the exercise.
1997 1997 On 2 January 1997 AIA
commander Major General Michael
V. Hayden announced the
implementation of "Global
Engagement," the new
direction for Air Force
operations introduced earlier by
Secretary of the Air Force Dr.
Sheila Widnall. Under this
program the Air Force would
pursue six core competencies.
AIA would be responsible for the
information superiority core
competency. On 15 January, Major
General Hayden described the
vision of his command becoming
the air force leader in
integrating and conducting
information operations. In this
vision AIA will be a full
service agency focused on the
complete gamut of informations
operations, (gain, exploit,
attack and defend (GEDA)). More
than 50 AIA personnel supported
Coalition/Green Flag 97-3
conducted during February and
March 1997 at Nellis AFB, Nev.
AIA supported RC-135 Rivet Joint
and EC-130 Compass Call
operations, conducted an
Electronic Systems Security
Assessment and performed other
vital information operations
functions. AIA participation
tested successfully the Agency's
ability to embed with the air
campaign planning element and
function as part of an
integrated team at the
operational level of war.
Secretary of Defense William S.
Cohen visited AIA Headquarters
on 27 February 1997, to receive
briefings and orientation on
information warfare and the new
Information Warfare Battlelab.
On 10 March 1999, Lieutenant
Colonel Gerry Riley, AIA's chief
of Plans and Requirements,
announced that AIA was
revitalizing its organizational
structures to meet the needs the
Agency would face in 2010.
Colonel Alan Thomas, in
ceremonies at Lackland Air Force
Base's Medina Annex, activated
the 543rd Intelligence Major
General (later Lieutenant
General) Michael V. Hayden took
over as AIA commander on 5
January 1996. AIA personnel work
closely with Air Force Speical
Operations Command serving as
Direct Support Operators aboard
several aircraft, including the
MH-53J Pave Low III.
Intelligence collection
operators at work at the Medina
Regional SIGINT Operations
Center (MRSOC), hosted by AIA's
93rd Intelligence Squadron.
Group on 14 March 1997. The new
group would provide command and
control and computer and
logistics support for the MRSOC.
Colonel Thomas noted the
activation of the 543rd was a
significant step toward the
creation of America's first
Information Operations Wing. Air
Force Chief of Staff General
Ronald Fogleman opened the Air
Force's Information Warfare
Battlelab on Security Hill at
Kelly AFB on 17 March 1997, thus
christening the beginning of a
new era in IW operations. On 31
March 1997, Major General Hayden
explained that AIA was rapidly
becoming the Air Force leader in
integrating and conducting
information operations and would
be embedding AIA personnel into
the organizations of operations
customers such as Air Mobility
Command, Air Force Material
Command, Air Combat Command's
12th Air Force and others.
Airman 2nd Class Archie Bourg,
killed more than 38 years
earlier, was laid to rest in
Arlington National Cemetery on 2
April 1997. Bourg was one of 17
US crew members who lost their
lives when their C-130
reconnaissance aircraft was shot
down by Soviet MiG-17 jet
fighters over Armenia on
September 2, 1958. On 28-29
April 1997, Air Force commanders
from the United States and 13
North Atlantic Treaty
Organization countries visited
the Air Intelligence Agency in
San Antonio. They learned about
information superiority during
their stay at AIA. On 17 June
1997, the 22nd Intelligence
Squadron, Fort Meade, Md., with
service dating back to the
United States Air Service of
World War I celebrated its 80th
anniversary in ceremonies
conducted in part by retired
Lieutenant General James R.
Clapper, former Director of the
Defense Intelligence Agency.
Colonel Gary Harvey assumed
command of the 67th Intelligence
Wing at Kelly Air Force Base on
26 August 1997. During 4-6
September 1997, the 390th
Intelligence Squadron Kadena Air
Base, Japan, commemorated 30
years of airborne combat
intelligence operations in the
Pacific Theater. The unit's
first mission focused on direct
support of RC-135 Combat Apple
operations in Southeast Asia
during the Vietnam War. By the
mid-1990s, Communications
Security Monitoring gaveway to
full-fledged multi-mode
Electronic Security Systems
Assessments (ESSA) operations. A
member of AIA's 68th
Intelligence Squadron, Brooks,
AFB, TX conducts ESSA
operations--circa 1994.from Al
Kharj Air Base, and receive all
communications support from
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On 30
January 1998, Brig. Gen. James
Miller explained that as a
result of AIA's participation in
Blue Flag 98-1, tactics
analysis, previously only
evident in after action reports,
took place during the course of
the exercise. Blue Flag 98-1
proved the value of information
operations to air operations. In
this exercise AIA arranged to
bring in live Tactical
Information Broadcast Service
feeds and associated analysts.
Participants expressed amazement
at the amount of information
available from TIBS. The effort
to embed AIA information
operators in numbered air forces
was proved during Blue Flag
98-1. On 31 January 1998, the
first SENSOR GUARD prototype was
shipped from AIA to the Air
Force Material Command's
Electronic Systems Center (ESC)
at Hanscom, AFB Mass. The 68th
Intelligence Squadron at Brooks
AFB, Texas, recently became an
Electronic Systems Security
Analysis Central, Continental
United States. The purpose of
the initiative was to streamline
operations and help leverage
personnel reductions with
technological advances. On 28
February 1998, Brigadier General
Regner C. Rider, AIA vice
commander explained that the
Agency's participation in Global
Engagement 97 involved an
exercise aimed to AIA personnel
also support airborne operations
on the ground. Here a member of
the 488th IS, RAF Mildenhall,
England, transcribes information
gathered during a RIVET JOINT
mission. On 5 September 1997,
Major General Michael V. Hayden
departed AIA to become the
Deputy Chief of Staff for the
United Nations Command and US
Forces Korea. On 5 September
1997, Brigadier General James E.
Miller Jr., assumed command of
the Air Intelligence
Agency/Joint Command and Control
Warfare Center during ceremonies
at Headquarters Air Intelligence
Agency. On 10 October 1997, the
US Government signed an
agreement with the Republic of
Moldova, a former Soviet
republic, to purchase 21 MiG-29
Fulcrum fighter aircraft and
associated air-to-air weapons
equipment. The Moldovan MiGs
soon called the National Air and
Space Intelligence Center home,
after a trip from Markulesht,
Air Base, Moldova to Wright-
Patterson AFB Ohio by C-17.
Colonel Gary Davis assumed
command of the 690th Information
Operations Group the Air Force's
first such organization on 20
October 1997 at Kelly AFB,
Texas. On 22 December 1997,
Brig. Gen. James E. Miller Jr.,
called for the establishment of
an information operations
training program for USAF
personnel to be taught at
Hurlburt Field, Fla. General
Miller explained, "our
strategic goals related to gain,
exploit, defend and attack
operations mandate an
aggressive, Agency-wide approach
to designing, developing and
delivering AIA-unique
training." 1998 1998 By
connecting an AT&T modem to
a message system and another to
a DSN line at the Medina
Regional SIGINT Operations
Center, Mr. Bill Band, TSgt
Morgan Perkins and TSgt Tim
Sheppard enabled the Air Force
and the Department of Defense to
save about $2.5 million a year
in unnecessary charges. Because
of this new communications link,
brought on line in January 1998,
the 4416th Intelligence Squadron
was able to fly RC-135 RIVET
JOINT sorties Brigadier General
James E. Miller Jr., assumed
command of AIA on 5 September
1997. Artist's concept of the
new 67th Intelligence Wing
Headquarters Building on
Security Hill at Kelly AFB. The
structure was scheduled for
completion in 1998. the future.
AIA's objective was to conduct
warfare using anticipated
technological advances that
might exist in the year 2012.
Sponsored by the USAF Chief of
Staff, Global Engagement 97 was
designed to highlight the
contributions of air and space
power in joint military
operations in the 21st century.
The exercise employed the
concept of Information
Conditions (INFOCONs.) On 17
March 1998, after one year of
operation, the 820th Security
Forces Group (SFG) claimed a
busy first year. Its first
real-world action came in
support of Bright Star and Air
Expeditionary Force V at Sheikh
Isa Air Base, Bahrain. Embedded
AIA assets in the 820 SFG
provided threat assessments and
aided in the development of the
Force Protection Plan. The 316th
Training Squadron at Goodfellow
AFB, Texas graduated 12 students
from its first Serbo-Croatian
language course on 1 April 1998.
The 80-day course taught common
core knowledge and skills
cryptologic linguists require.
Also in April 1998, at the 123rd
Intelligence Squadron at Little
Rock AFB, Arkansas one of two
Air National Guard in AIA,
helped significantly in
America's drug war. The unit
processed nearly 90 percent of
all C-26 aerial photographs in
the US for the identification of
drug fields. On 1 April 1998,
Det 4, 67 Intelligence Group,
moved to Headquarters Air
Mobility Command, Scott AFB,
Ill. The detachment became the
newest weapon in the Air Force
information operations arsenal.
Since activation in August 1997,
the detachment has used
information operations to
exploit the vulnerabilities of
adversaries while building a
protective wall around AMC
communications and information
systems. The Contingency
Airborne Reconnaissance System
Deployable Ground Station-2
recently completed supporting
its 400th CREEK TORCH mission.
Comprised of Air Combat
Command's 13th Intelligence
Squadron and AIA's 48th IS,
DGS-2 supports the European
Commands' intelligence
collection requirements, and
protects NATO Stabilization
Forces in the Balkans. Colonel
Harold Beatty assumed command of
the Air Force Technical
Applications Center, an
administratively supported unit
of AIA, in ceremonies at Patrick
AFB, Florida on 15 July 1998. On
15 July 1998, Major General John
Casciano, Director of
Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance on the Air Staff,
joined Colonel Craig Koziol,
17th Training Group Commander,
in dedicating a MiG-29 Fulcrum
Static Display Aircraft at
Goodfellow AFB, Texas. The
United States purchased the
MiG-29 from Moldova. The group
also received a MiG-23 Flogger
G, an SA-4 surface-to-air
missile launcher with two
missiles and other assorted
equipment. The USAF Chief of
Staff approved the first
information operations doctrine
AFDD. The doctrine, released on
5 August 1998, defines
information operations as
consisting of two pillars:
information in warfare and
information warfare. IIW
encompasses all intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance,
weather, precision navigation
and dissemination activities. IW
encompasses the offensive and
defensive aspects of
psychological operations,
electronic warfare, deception,
destruction, and information
defend and attack activities.
Major General John R. Baker
served as AIA commander from 17
August 1998-31 January 2000. On
17 August 1998, Brigadier
General John R. Baker assumed
command of the Air Intelligence
Agency and Joint Command and
Control Warfare Center in
ceremonies at Kelly AFB. After
relinquishing command of the
Agency, Brig. Gen. James E.
Miller retired from the Air
Force after more than 29 years
of service. On 17 August 1998,
command responsibility for the
Joint Command and Control
Warfare Center transitioned to
the United States Atlantic
Command, Norfolk, Virginia. The
JC2WC provides direct command
and control warfare support to
operational commanders around
the world. Effective 2 October
1998, Mr. Dennis B. Richburg,
AIA Technical Director, retired
after a civilian and military
career that spanned nearly four
decades. During the month of
November 1998, AIA commander
Brig. Gen. John R. Baker and his
wife Judy, received the General
and Mrs. Jerome F. O'Malley
award for their work Inside the
Agency's Information Operations
Central (IOC), at Kelly AFB, TX.
on-base and in the community
during General Baker 's tenure
as commander of PACAF's 18th
Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
Mr. Dennis H. Alvey assumed
duties as Executive Director of
AIA in January 1999, replacing
Mr. Dennis B. Richburg who
retired in 1998. An Air Force
Special Operations Command
EC-130E Commando Solo aircraft
visited Kelly AFB, and
highlighted the Agency's
Psychological Operations
mission. After almost 50 years
of service the Technical
Operations Division at McClellan
AFB, Cailfornia closed its doors
and inactivated effective 9
April 1999. The division, part
of AIA's Administratively
supported unit, under the Air
Force Technical Applications
Center, had been that
organizations largest unit. Mr.
Robert P. Egger ended half a
century of service to the United
States when he retired as AIA's
Chief of Security on 10
September 1999. Mr. Dennis H.
Alvey became AIA Executive
Director in January 1999. On 17
September 1999, Maj. Gen. John
R. Baker presided over
ceremonies at AIA on national
POW/MIA Recognition Day in honor
of POW/MIAs whose contributions
were honored and highlighted.
Maj. Gen. John Baker, AIA
commander, opened the AIA
Heritage Center on 24 September
1999. The Heritage Center, which
featured several different
displays portraying the history
of intelligence and the legacy
of AIA, was the only facility of
its type in the Air Force
dedicated to the memory of Air
Intelligence. In December 1999,
Headquarters AIA's Psychological
Operations Division completed
its second year of operations
with an enlarged staff of nine,
augmented by Air Force Reserve
Officers and the designation as
the Air Force PSYOP Center of
Excellence. Major General Bruce
A. Wright took over as AIA
commander on 31 January 2000. He
was promoted to Major General on
21 April 2000.
AIA
in the 2000s
2000 - On 14 January 2000,
ceremonies were held in front of
building 2000 dedicating two
Vietnam era aircraft, an O-2
Skymaster Psychological
Operations Aircraft and an AQM-
34L Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV)
Reconnaissance Drone. Chief
Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Frederick J. Finch joined AIA
commander Maj. Gen. John Baker
in the dedication ceremonies. On
31 January 2000, Brigadier
General Bruce A. Wright formerly
the deputy director for
information operations on the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, assumed
command of AIA from Maj. Gen.
John R. Baker. On 21 April 2000,
Brigadier General Bruce A.
Wright pinned on his second star
in ceremonies at Headquarters
Air Intelligence Agency.
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