page_title: Howze Board
section_title: Formation and organization
hierarchical_section_title: Howze Board / Formation and organization
caption_attribution_description: English: Portrait of Lt. Hen. Hamilton Howze
context_page_description: The Howze Board was the informal name of the Tactical Mobility Requirements Board created at the direct request of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to review and test new concepts integrating helicopters into the United States Army. What became known as airmobility within the United States Army was a direct result of the Howze Board's findings. It was named after its chairman, Hamilton H. Howze.
context_section_description: The board was created by a letter from General Herbert B. Powell, Commanding General, United States Continental Army Command, dated 3 May 1962, although as noted above the board was already functioning by this date. Its eventual membership consisted of 240 military personnel and 53 civilians, not counting those assigned to troop tests, operational analysis, and war gaming. The Board consisted of a governing board, a review committee, an advisory panel, and a secretariat. An additional steering committee was formed from the board president (Howze), the review committee, and the secretariat. All but one of the men mentioned in McNamara's original memo were included on the board, either on the review committee or the secretariat. The bulk of the work was done by working committees and groups (seven committees between 5 May and 21 June, and eight groups from 22 June and July 31).
  Notable members:
  General Hamiliton H. Howze, President
  Brigadier General Joseph B. Starker
  Brigadier General Charles Billingslea
  Lieutenant General James H. Merryman
  Major General George S. Beatty, Jr.
  Major General Ben Harrell
  Major General William B. Rosson
  Major General Clifton F. von Kann°
  Major General Norman H. Vissering°
  Brigadier General Frederic W. Boye, Jr.°
  Brigadier General Walter B. Richardson°
  Brigadier General John J. Lane
  Brigadier General Edward L. Rowny°
  Brigadier General Delk M. Oden
  Brigadier General Robert R. Williams
  Colonel William M. Lynn, Jr.°
  Dr. Jacob A. Stockfisch
  Dr. Edwin W. Paxson
  Eugene L. Vidal
  Fred Wolcott
  Frank A. Parker°
  Edward H. Heinemann
  °Indicates that the member was also a working committee chief.
  The board also created and supervised the working groups and committees previously mentioned. The seven committees were: Reconnaissance, Security, and Target Acquisition; Tactical Mobility; Fire Power; Logistics Operations and Logistics Support; Operations Research; Field Tests; and Programs, Policy and Budget. The eight working groups (formed after the committees finished their work) were: Counterinsurgency; Combat Forces; Logistics Forces; Long Range; Strategic Area; Operations Research; Field Tests; and Programs, Policy and Budget. These groups were formed around areas specifically mentioned in McNamama's memo, and were given a great deal of latitude when it came to their actual work.
caption: General Hamilton Howze, the president of the board
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