Evening star., 1951-06-17
Air Force Expansion
will Be Orderly
FinIetter Asserts
By John A. Giles

The Air Force build-up will be in
"orderly fashion" co-ordinated
with the whole defense program,
Air Secretary Thomas K. Finlet-
ter asserted yesterday upon his
return from an eight-day Far East
inspection trip.
Mr.. Finletter told reporters on
arrival at National airport that
he had nothing but praise" for
the airmen-Navy and Marines as
well as Air Force-f1ghting in the
Korean war, over whose front
lines he few in a two-place jet
plane.
"I am pround to be associated
in a modest way with the Air
Force and the military forces in
Korea" he said. "My main i'm
preston is the seriousness and
fine morale of their effort"
No Runaway Campaigns.
The secretary made it clear that
he favored a larger Air Force, but
that he would not tolerate any
runaway campaign to build the
air feet up out of proportion to
the Army and Navy. Nor would
he allow fight by the air arm
on Capitol Hill such as that waged
!. several years ago at variance with
administration policy.
He was asked about a speech
Friday in which Air Force Under
secretary John A. McCone said at
Montgomery, Ala, he considered
the 95-group force, toward which
the United States is now building.
as only an interim step and added
that American airpower should be
Increased substantially and soon.
Mr.. Finletter's answer to this
question was:
"The point I want to empha-
size is that the build-up will bel
in orderly fashion through the
JOINT Chiefs of Staff and the
Budget Bureau unified pro-
gram that looks to detectives Of
the whole military establishment. :"
Strategic Air Vital.
He agreed with Mr.. McCone
that strategic air is the must
for immediate action" and that
it was the greatest deterrent to
World War III.
But he said that the build-up
isn't just a question of the three
military services just going out"
to get what they can. Their ef-
forts must be co-ordinated. he
said.
The Air Force now has about
81 groups. The 95 groups, Mr.
McCone said, will be fully organ
lied by June, 1852. All will not
have the newest type aircraft.
however.
Mr.. McCone and other Air Force
officials have not made public the
size to which the Air Force event.
ually may be built, although there
has been speculation that it might
go to $50 groups.
Mr.. Finletter also said that the
Air Forces Korean rotation plan
would go into effect in August or
September.
Denies Marines Superior.
He said that 1t. Gen. James A.
Van Fleet, 9th Army commander
in Korea, spoke very well of the
close support" being given his
ground forces by the Air Force
and he denied that close support
given by Marine Corps aviation
was superior. He visited a Marine
Corps base in Korea and Navy
aircraft carrier off Japan In a.
helicopter.
The secretary reported that 1t.
Gen. George Startemeyer, Far East
Air Force commander who recent
lv suffered a heart attack. looked
well when he visited him in a hos
pital and would return to this
co"ntrv soon.
The secretary brought back to
tho United States with him a let
f4"hter pilot who has Just COM
p'eted his tour of duty in Korea-
1t. Col. William J. Hovde Of 1919
Parkway Terrace Sc. He has been
executive officer of the Fourth
FIGHTER Group.
Also accompanying him on the
trip were 1t. Gen. Richard E..
Nugent, deputy chief of staff for
personnel; Maj. Gen. Morris e.
Nelson, director of requirements:
Brig. Gen. Colby M. Myers, deputy
director Of installations. and Nils
Lennardston, special assistant.