Evening star., 1950-06-13
Third of q Series.J
BY Wythe Williams
North American Newspaper AiIianee

Our youngest armed service, the
Air Force, not so long ago was
considered an upstart group of
brash young men. thriving on
thrills and playing odds on the
probability of sudden death.
Science and industry gradually
changed this picture - but not
completely, until the Royal Air
Force of Great Britain in World
War II proved that it alone held
the enemy in check until ground
forces could be modified, and our
own Air Force expanded into
readiness for action.
Today a mere child compared
with our Army and Navy, it is our
initial arm Of defense in case of
war.
After zero hour strikes, and pro-
viding we still survive, our Army
may take a year for full mobili-
zation and proper concentration.
The Air Force, now and always
alert at battle stations, will have
less than one minute-one minute
against year.
Preceding articles have shown
that the Defense Department has
succeeded in making Air Force,
Army and Navy together as a har-
monious team. 1t therefore be-
comes important to indicate what
our actual power is.
Seeks More Funds.
The Air Force. in full under
standing of its own Importance, is |
justly proud; but it's optimism atI
present, rather than soaring. re-
mains rather closely grounded.
1t is natural that in the finan-
cial ALLEGATIONS to the Defense De-
partment each service wants alll
that it can get. Air, be it said. in |
its knowledge that it must be the
first in action, wants still more.
Air has a great champion in its
new secretary, Thomas Finletter.
who was the initial sponsor for
70 air groups, as against the 48I
that now exist, and it is unlikely
that he will change his opinion.
AT present. he is not talking toI
anyone outside the department.
and has refused all speech
making, even on patriotic occa-
Sions.
Just say that I haven't as yet
got my feet solidly under my
desk" was his explanatory re-
mark.
Vandenberg Describes Needs.
Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg, chief of
staff for the Air Force and young
est of the joint chiefs. is rigidly,
coldly calculating in his appraisal
of our air power, and emphatic
on what he needs and still lacks.
Following is his line of converse
tion:
"Air has no frontiers, and our
Air Force today constitutes wings
Of defense over most of the world
with three immediate basic
problems in case of war:
"Q) Defense of the United
States.
"(2) Strategic offense, as or
dered by the joint chiefs Of staff.
"(3) Support of and co-opera-
ton with land and sea forces.
''The problem of time enters in,
and the ever-changing quasibel-
ligerent front.
"As for the point raised in your
queStionnaire-'Is our overall
strength strong enough, big
enough. balanced enough'-the
answer is 'no'-and that is the
opinion of the joint chiefs.
"Air Defense is an exceedingly
tough problem, and it has not yet
been solved. We are not acting as
rapidly as we should. Let us not
deceive ourselves, Russia has
achieved the atomic explosion, and
is building planes which could de-
liver bombs on targets inside the
United States.
Aim Is to Save u. S.
"Our chief aim is not to destroy
an aggressor, but to save the
United States. This is strategic
defense to insure our survival, and
to give us the supremacy of the
air.
"The Air Force will be the first
to go into action. Just as in the
last war, we carried war to the
enemy for months before our
bases were safe and before large
surface operations could be
launched. Military men like to
use the term calculated risk and
often give a false impression that
the calculation reduces the risk.
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