Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1955-02-08
How Serious Is
The Red Threa at?
BY: Everett Milstead
PUBLIC INFORMATION
OFFICE

Wright-P Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio
There is probably no one who
can say definitely how serious is
the threat of the Russian Air
Force. You might think that sure
ly the Russian Air Force Com
mand knows the answer, but there
is room for doubt in that assump-
ton. An air force is not a serious
threat until its rulers are ready
TO order it into action. It's per-
formance potentianities, though,
are somthing which must be con-
sidered at all times.
A late report indicates that the
Russian Air Force has more than
10000 combat operational air.
craft. They have medium bombers,
copies of our B-29, capable of fly
ing one-way missions to any part
of the United States. There is evil
dence also that they are develop
ing and probably producing,
heavy, turbo-prop bomber COM
parable in range and performance
to our B-36. Just about every
point in Europe is vulnerable to
attack by their light, jet bombers
based i'll Western Europe just be-
hind their operational borders.
Here, also, are thousands of MIG
Is jet fighters ready to bid for
control of the air.
This powerful Russian Air
Force is capable of an immediate
attack on any point in Europe or
in the United States. The serious
ness of their threat is reduced by
the knowledge of the Russian rul-
ers that the United States Air
Force, and the Air Forces of our
allies, is not to be lightly dismiss
ed. They don't know how many
planes we have, but they do know
we have many of them; and they
know our planes possess tremen-
douS powers of destruction. It is
this knowledge that has held them
in check, thus far.
Our Strategic Air Command,
Air Defense Command, and Tact
ical Air Command are key ele-
mentS of United States defense.
AS a deterrent factor, their readi-
ness for instant action continues
to be basic element in our mill
tary policy. AS long as aggression
can be deferred, American COM
munities and those of the free
world can remain secure.
Sir Winston Churchill said, in
Il949, that Europe would have been
Icommunized and London would
Ihave been under attack even then
swere it not for the US. strategic
air power armed with atomic
weapons.
AS long as our Air Forces are
maintained in instant readiness"
to launch fullscale retaliation, the
threat Of Russian Air Forces can
be held in check. The day we per-
NIT our Air Forces to lapse into
a state Of unpreparedness could
be the last day of peace before an
outbreak of war.
To maintain our Air Force on a
ready" basis, We must continue
to build better aircraft and con-
tinue to have a steady flow of
young men Nolunt.ering for train
ing in techn!ques of flying, fight
ing, and maintaining those planes.
Our Air Force is not composed of
men who were born in military
service; it is made up of patriotic
civilians who now wear the Air
Force Uniform. America is your
responsibility, whether you wear a
business suit or a military uni
form. After all, "A us. military
Uniform is the business clothes of
Americas defenders.
We read and hear about push
button warfare. Such warfare is
not yet in the foreseeable future,
hut when it arrives the Air Force
must still have properly trained
men to push the buttons; the right
button at the right time.
In any future war no one can
assure Il "let. GeoTCc-do-it" atti-
tude. George will be too busy. AS
far as defense is concerned, every
bOdy viii have 10 choir Georoa