Smyrna times., 1956-04-05
CIVIL DEFENSE
REPORT GIVEN
Air Force Intelligence Report
Given From Headquarters
In Colorado Springs, Colo.
NEED FOR OBSERVERS

NEED FOR OBSERVERS
'aThe threat of an air attack,
which was grave in 1852, has
seriously increased since that
time"
That is the latest Air Force in
telligence reported to H. Kirk
Schminkey, during recent two
day conference at the Continental
Air Defense Command headquar-
ters in Colorado Springs, Colo.
He outlined the results of the
conference in a letter sent to all
post supervisors.
Though much of the informa-
ton he received was classified as
secret, he is permitted to report,
he said, that the danger of an air
attack is more serious now than
during World War II, the Korean
War or even six months ago. This
is because Russia is constantly in
creasing its attack potential.
''I learned" he wrote, that it
is now generally accepted that the
Soviet has more than enough A
bombs to paralyze those bombs"
'You and I have been doing a
pretty fair job," he told his SUI
pervisors, "but it isn't good
enough. :. Every observation post
in the state needs more people"
He pointed out that General
Earl e. Partridge, Continental Air
Defense Chief stressed again at
the close of the two-day confer
ence that the ground. observers
are "still vitally needed as an in
tegral part of the Air Defense
system"
This is true, Mr.. Schminkey
wrote, despite progress daily in
new defense weapons, including
radar, guns, planes and guided
missiles.
One post may not mean much,
he said, but $4,000 of them
throughout the nation provide a
network which can track plane
flight with almost pinpoint accur-
acy.
This visual defense network is
an essential backstop, he en-
phasized, to the nations radar de-
fenses, which cannot detect low
flying aircraft and which could,
during an air attack, be blocked
out by enemy jamming.
Because of the Russian build-up,
Mr.. Schmenkey said, we've got
to increase our potential, too, or
fall behind to a point where we
might invite attack"
AS a consequence of the in
creased Russian threat, the Air
Force. is intensifying all phases of
its defense program, including the
GOC. More filter centers and
posts have opened and more Air
Force personnel have been assign
ed to GOC. Spotter communica-
tions alone cost the defense COM
mand over five million dollars a
year. Capital investments in the
GOC total nearly six million and
the Air Force spends more than
100000 year in rental costs.
''This is all the Air Force can
afford to commit right now to the
GOC," Mr.. Schminkey said, "but
it is proof that the Air Force re-
CARDS the GOC as an important
element in the defense picture"
"1The additional effort that is
needed to make the GOC effective
must come from patriotic citi-
zens," he said.
'T think our program in Della
ware has been more successful
than in most states" he wrote,
'fbut we must and cna do more. I.
We have to get our posts up to
strength and stand the 24-hour
watch requested by the Air
Force"
He urged every post supervisor
to conduct an active recruiting
campaign, urging the cooperation
of our community leaders, organ
izations and residents.
Lets make Delaware the first
state again." he concluded, "this
time the first to have its GOO one
hundred per cent organized and
operating "a hours day."