Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-27
Kennedy Sends We'll Done After Trip
To Cuba Standby Forces in South
By GARRETT d. HORNER
star staff writer

By GARRETT ID. HORNER
star staff Writer
President Kennedy is heart
ened and encouraged" after
seeing for himself some Of the
land, air and sea power that
backed up his diplomacy during
the dangerous days" Of the
crisis.
The President signaled a
well done" to all ranks last
night at the end of an all-day
flying inspection tour Of South
ern bases that played key roles
in the rapid concentration Of
battle-ready American forces
last month to meet the chal-
lenge Of the Soviet nuclear
power buildup in Cuba.
His l2-hour, 2,400-mile jet
plane and helicopter trip took
the President to Hunter Air
Force Base and Fort Stewart
in Georgia and Homestead Air
Force Base and the Key West
Naval Base in Florida.
Air Units Commended
At the Florida bases, the
President picked out for special
commentator four aerial re-
connaisance units which
brought back from Cuba the
pictures that proved the build
up OF Soviet ballistic missile
and Jet bomber strength there.
He inspected the list Ar
mored Division at Fort Stewart,
where he declared that I'VE
will continue to live in crisis
and danger certainly through
this decade"
At Key West, the President
described the days Of the Cuban
crisis as among the most
dangerous since the end of the
Second World War"
Despite the prospect Of more
dangerous days in the future,
he said it gave him "the great
est satisfaction" to see the
Army, Navy, Marines and Air
Force working together.
AS the President spoke at the
Boca Chica Naval Air Station
in Key West, all around him
were Air Force and Navy and.
Marine interceptor and attack
planes with pilots sitting in
them ready to take off 10 battle
any enemy on a few seconds
notice.
Planes In Air
And somewhere in the skies
above him were more planes.
part Of the airborne alert
started at Boca Chica with the
Cuban crisis and still keeping
some planes in the air "a hours
q day, seven days a week.
The President ended his day
long inspection tour with a visit
to a destroyer and talks with
the officers Of q couple Of sub
marines at the Key West Naval
Station, Just 90 miles from
Cuba.
At the Homestead Air Force
Base, he visited the Cuban
crisis advance command post
Of the Army and Air Force.
He also got there a briefing
from one Of the Air Forces
31st Fighter Wing pilots. who
early in the Cuban crisis
dubbed themselves "The Dis
mantlers."
The President spoke at Holm
stead to the 40S0th Strategic
Reconnaissance Wing of the
Strategic Air Command, whose
planes include high-flying U-2s
and the 363d Tactical Recon-
naissance Wing Of the Tactical
Air Command.
With a smile. he remarked.
81 may say, gentlemen, that
you take excellent pictures. and
I have seen q good many Of
them"
Visits Boca Chica
At Boca Chica, the President
commended Navy and Marine
Photographic sQuadrons.
AS the President flew back
10 Washington last night. aides
released q statement saying:
After q day Of inspection,
the President and al the mem
bers Of his party are heartened
and encouraged by the high
caliber Of the officers and men,
the state of their alert and the
effective cooperation between
the services during the recent
crisis.
THE President extends q
well done to all personnel con-
cerned."
At Fort Stewart, after in
specting tanks, armored per-
sonnet carriers and conven-
tional and atomic cannon Of the
First Armored Division, the
President watched some Of the
men Of the division 60 through
the obstacle course used for
training.
One Of the men he stopped
to shake hands with there was
Robe Roger Mckinney, 20,
whose home is at 9506 Riley
road, Silver Spring, Md. He
had Just finished climbing q
50-foot rope.