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281 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
In June 1907, what event began the story of today's Air Force?
Cpl Edward Ward and Pvt Joseph Barrett of the US Army Signal Corps were directed
to learn to inflate and repair balloons at Fort Wood on Bedloes Island (now called
Liberty Island) in New York Harbor.
The US military's air arm developed from the Aeronautical Division, US Army Signal
Corps (1907-1914) to the US Air Force (1947 to today). List the steps in between.
1) Aviation Section, US Army Signal Corps (1914-1918); 2) Division of Military
Aeronautics, Secretary of War (1918); 3) Army Air Service (1918-1926); 4) Army Air
Corps (1926-1947) - General HQ Air Force (1935-1939); and 5) US Army Air Forces
(1941-1947).
When did the US Army first use balloon detachments?
During the Civil War.
Name the freelance civilian who made the first useful balloon reconnaissance mission
for the Army in 1861.
John La Mountain.
What did Thaddeus Lowe demonstrate that a balloon could do?
Effectively direct artillery fire by telegraph.
Whose balloon, Santiago, was used by the Signal Corps during the Spanish-American
War?
William Ivy Baldwin. (His wife helped build the 14,000 cubic foot balloon.)
Where and when did the Wright brothers first fly their heavier-than-air craft?
At Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903. (This stimulated public enthusiasm for aeronautics.)
Where did the War Department send Ward and Barrett, the first two enlisted men
assigned to the Signal Corps' small Aeronautical Division, on 2 July 1907?
They reported to the Leo Stevens balloon factory to be schooled in fabric handling,
manufacturing buoyant gases, and the inflation and control of balloons.
The enlisted crews of the Signal Corps' Aeronautical Division never numbered more
than a few hundred. In the decade before World War I (WWI), what entirely new skills
did they learn?
The skills of airplane "mechanician" that kept the flimsy new airplanes flying.
From the beginning, most pilots were officers. T/F
True. (Although a few enlisted men learned to fly despite official and semi-official
prejudice for officer pilots.)
Who headed the new three-person-strong Aeronautical Division of the US Army Signal
Corps in 1907?
Capt Charles Chandler (assisted by Cpl Edward Ward and Pvt Joseph Barrett).
Who became the Army's first enlisted pilot in 1912?
PFC Vernon Burge.
In August 1908, the Wright brothers arrived at Fort Myers with the US Army's first
airplane, Aeroplane No. 1. Why was this more than four years after the Wright
brothers' first successful flight?
Because the government refused to accept that man had flown in a heavier-than-air
machine.
What was the name of the Army's first dirigible?
Dirigible No. 1.
Who died while testing Aeroplane No. 1 at Fort Myers in September 1908?
Lt Thomas E. Selfridge. (Further testing was suspended until the summer of 1909.
The Signal Corps formally accepted Aeroplane No. 1 on 2 August 1909.)
Who was in charge of Aeroplane No. 1 when part of the Aeronautical Division of the
US Army Signal Corps arrived at Ft Sam Houston, Texas in 1910?
Lt Benjamin D. Foulois. (He taught himself to fly.)
At Ft Sam Houston, what did Pvts Glenn Madole and Vernon Burge, along with a
civilian mechanic, build to improve the first fragile aircraft?
A wheeled landing system.
By 1912, the Aeronautical Division had 11 aircraft, 14 flying officers and 39 enlisted
mechanics. Name the mechanic who was the first enlisted person to die in a military
aircraft accident.
Cpl Frank Scott. (Scott AFB, IL is named in his honor.)
Name the oldest Air Force squadron, activated on 5 March 1913.
The 1st Aero Squadron (Provisional).
When Congress authorized the aviation section of the Signal Corps on 18 July 1914,
how many officers and enlisted men were authorized?
60 officers and 260 enlisted men.
What military rating did Congress create when it authorized the aviation section of the
Signal Corps?
"Aviation mechanician." (It gave a 50% pay increase for enlisted men "instructed in
the art of flying" while on flying status, limited such personnel to 40 and specified that
no more than 12 enlisted men could train as aviators.)
In March 1916, what did President Woodrow Wilson order the 1st Aero Squadron to
do?
Help protect the border with Mexico and apprehend the rebel Pancho Villa.
What type of missions did the 1st Aero Squadron fly their eight Curtiss JN-3 "Jennies"
on while protecting the border with Mexico?
They flew reconnaissance flights and delivered mail and dispatches.
The fruitless campaign against Pancho Villa (the Punitive Expedition) was recalled
after 11 months. Was this first demonstration of US air power impressive?
No. (Although the 1st Aero Squadron's performance was admirable, this
demonstration of air power was deeply disappointing.)
The hunt for Pancho Villa was unsuccessful; however, what valuable aviation lessons
were learned?
Lessons about aviation under field conditions, including the need for adequate
maintenance and plenty of backup aircraft to rotate into service.
Whose efforts, along with the passage of the National Defense Act of 3 June 1916,
gave the Signal Corps authority to train more enlisted pilots?
Gen Billy Mitchell.
By WWI, how many nonofficers were pilots?
No more than a dozen.
When WWI began in Europe in August 1914, the 1st Aero Squadron mustered 12
officers, 54 enlisted men and six aircraft. How many did it have by the end of 1915?
44 officers, 224 enlisted men and 23 airplanes.
By 1916, a second aero squadron was added for duty in the Philippines. How many
total squadrons of 12 aircraft were planned?
24 squadrons - seven with the regular army, 12 with the National Guard and five for
coastal defense. (Also balloon units for the field and coast artillery.)
How many squadrons were fully equipped, manned and organized when the US
declared war on Germany on 6 April 1917?
Only one, the 1st Aero Squadron.
Traditionally, commissioned officers served as pilots before WWI. What types of
auxiliary capacities did trained enlisted personnel fill?
Supply, construction, photo reconnaissance, radio, mechanics, armament specialists,
welders, riggers, sail makers, etc. (Mechanics were needed most.)
At first, service factories were used as training sites. By the end of 1917, the Aviation
Section trained mechanics and others at special schools and technical institutions.
Where were the two largest located?
In St. Paul, MN and at Kelly Field, TX.
Most enlisted pilots received commissions after the US formally declared war in 1917.
T/F
True. (Including Sgt Vernon Burge, the first enlisted pilot.)
Name the sergeant known as the "Father of Blind Flight" who was commissioned as a
pilot, commanded a flight school and selected the site that became Bolling Field,
Washington, D.C.
Sgt William C. Ocker.
Which two countries did Americans fly with as early as 1915 in the European war?
Great Britain and France.
The American-manned Lafayette Escadrille of France included one of the very few
enlisted Americans, and the only black man of any nationality, to serve as a pilot.
Who was he?
Cpl Eugene Bullard. (He was the son of a former slave from Georgia.)
Despite his record of daring and dedication, Bullard was denied the officer's
commission accorded other escadrille aviators when they were incorporated into the
American _____ _____.
American Expeditionary Force (AEF).
Enlisted men flew before, during and after WWI, although their status remained vague
and the enlisted aviator grade did not officially exist. T/F
True.
Some 3,000 enlisted personnel flew between the wars and into the early months of
World War II (WWII) without official flying status, until Congress enacted what law in
1941?
Public Law 99 (providing for the Staff Sergeant Pilot Program).
Late in 1942, Congress passed the Flight Officer Act (Public Law 658). What did it do?
It automatically promoted sergeant pilots to flight officers and reserved the cockpit for
the commissioned.
WWI airmen were not combat soldiers as such, but enlisted men who stood guard
and operated base defense. While bases were seldom overrun by ground troops, in
what manner were they attacked?
Air attacks using aerial bombardment and strafing techniques.
Sgt Fred C. Graveline was one of the enlisted personnel who served as observers for
both the aircraft and balloon corps during WWI. How was he honored?
An observer and aerial gunner, he was one of only four enlisted personnel to receive
the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Which President transferred Army aviation from Signal Corps control to the Secretary
of War in 1918?
President Woodrow Wilson.
What did the Army Reorganization Act of 1920 do?
It made the Air Service an official combat arm of the Army.
When the armistice ending WWI was signed, more than 190,000 men were in the Air
Service. On that same day, the Air Service began dissolving its forces and helped
discharged enlisted men find jobs. What was that date?
11 November 1918.
Gen Mitchell successfully proved that airplanes could sink battleships beginning in
1921. Name the bombardier who distinguished himself in 1923 with innovative tactics
to score direct hits.
Sgt Ulysses "Sam" Nero.
What 1920 act established an air arm of 16,000 enlisted men as well as the basic
grade structure the Air Force uses today?
The National Defense Act of 1920. (But it would take almost two decades to reach
that number of troops.)
From 1919 through the mid-1920s, what did the relatively limited air activities focus on?
Establishing records, testing equipment and garnering headlines.
Enlisted pilots took part in air shows through the mid-1920s, including a trio of flying
sergeants who put together an act in 1923. Describe their act.
They flew in a tight "V" formation while their planes were tied together with cords.
Airshows lessened after 1926, when the separate air corps was established. Why
were they banned in 1932?
Because of scarce funding during the Great Depression.
In 1923, the _____ Board recommended creating bombardment and pursuit units to
carry out independent missions in time of war under command of an Army general
headquarters.
Lassiter Board.
In December 1925, the House _____ Committee proposed an independent, unified air
force, plus a department of defense to coordinate the three armed services.
House Lampert Committee.
Who submitted a report two weeks earlier than the House Lampert Committee,
rejecting the department of defense and separate department of air and recommending
renaming the air arm the Air Corps instead?
The Morrow Board. (It also recommended giving the Air Corps special representation
on the General Staff and appointing an assistant secretary of war for air affairs.)
What did the Air Corps Act of 1926 create?
The Air Corps in the Army. (It also created an additional assistant secretary of war to
help foster military aeronautics and established an air section in each division of the
General Staff for three years.)
Why didn't the Air Corps meet the 5-year expansion plan provided in the Air Corps
Act?
Because adequate funds were never appropriated.
The 20 years between World Wars was a period of rapid transition for enlisted airmen.
T/F
False. (It was a long, slow transition as the size and sophistication of the enlisted air
service grew.)
Selection and training for specialized roles became more sophisticated and enlisted
men assumed more responsibility between World Wars. What most affected their
roles in this period?
The evolution of military aviation technology.
The air branch moved to modern, multi-engine heavy _____ by 1939.
Bombers.
Between World Wars, enlisted men participated in a range of experimental work.
What was Sgt Ralph Bottriell the first person to test?
The first backpack-style freefall parachute in 1919. (He earned the Distinguished
Flying Cross in 1933 for service as an experimental parachute tester.)
Between the World Wars, most enlisted pilots were NCOs holding commissions in
the _____.
Reserves. (Some couldn't qualify for Regular Army commissions because they lacked
the required education; others took enlisted status to fly because there were few
officer slots in the peacetime air service.)
Why did Air Corps commanders halt enlisted pilot training in 1933?
They thought it was too expensive and blamed a shortage of funds during the Great
Depression.
Why did the Army Air Forces revitalize the flying sergeants and launch a massive
program of enlisted pilot training?
Because the threat of WWII made General Headquarters (GHQ) Air Force view
enlisted pilots more positively.
Who was the last of about 2,500 men to graduate from enlisted pilot training and the
last enlisted pilot to serve (retiring in 1957)?
MSgt George Holmes.
Name the 1930s aerobatics team that predated today's Air Force Thunderbirds and
consisted of sergeant pilots William McDonald, John Williamson and Ray Clifton.
"Three Men on a Flying Trapeze."
In 1935, what reorganization created a confusing half-step toward an independent air
force?
A GHQ Air Force. (It set up a tactical air force under direct control of Army GHQ, but
left the day-to-day organization of the Air Corps mostly intact.)
Which bomber, along with the threat of global war before WWII, brought greater
expenditure, manpower and specialized and sophisticated training?
The B-17.
Before WWII, GHQ Air Force once again sent demonstration teams to fairs and
expositions. T/F
True. (They also expanded the scope and scale of publicity flights.)
Throughout the interwar years, what training did air commanders emphasize rather
than military skills and basic training?
Technical training and specialization.
What was the key to technical school success during the interwar years?
The air service system of trade testing. (It combined the Army Alpha Test, aptitude
tests and counseling.)
GHQ Air Force waited until WWII began before starting a massive expansion program.
T/F
False. (The expansion program began even before WWII broke out.)
In 1938, the total force included fewer than 20,000 enlisted airmen. By March 1944, air
force manpower reached its high point (2,104,405 enlisted men and women). What
law did Congress pass in 1940?
The first peacetime conscription law in US history.
Expansion pressures brought about changes in the air forces. In practice, the air
forces operated as a virtually independent branch of the armed services during WWII.
T/F
True.
Who became the Chief of Air Corps in 1938, then the new Army Deputy Chief of Staff
for Air in 1941?
Gen H. H. "Hap" Arnold.
What was created in June 1941 with Gen "Hap" Arnold as chief?
The Army Air Forces.
Even though training centers expanded and multiplied from 1939 to 1941, what helped
meet the demand for training?
Private schools.
Who became a popular hero as a gunner in both the Pacific and Europe during WWII
and was decorated eight times for heroism, including personal recognition by
Generals MacArthur, Eisenhower and Doolittle?
Cpl John D. Foley, nicknamed "Johnny Zero."
What was the estimated ratio of support personnel to planes during WWII?
70 men to one plane.
Women served in the Army Air Force during WWII through what program?
The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), created in May 1942 and later renamed
the Women's Army Corps (WAC).
What was the top priority for assignment of WAACs during WWII?
Serving at aircraft warning service stations. (They served in many capacities and
demand for them soon far exceeded the numbers available.)
Sgt Sandy Sanchez was one of the enlisted force's most decorated airmen of WWII.
What was his position?
Gunner. (Killed during a raid against the last operational Nazi oil refinery on 15 March
1945 after flying 44 missions, his honors included the Silver Star, Soldier's Medal and
Distinguished Flying Cross.)
The 25th Liaison Squadron was one of the more celebrated liaison units. Which of its
members earned the Air Medal and Silver Star for separate Pacific rescue exploits in
early 1944?
The 25th Liaison Squadron was one of the more celebrated liaison units. Which of its
members earned the Air Medal and Silver Star for separate Pacific rescue exploits in
early 1944?
Name the technical sergeant who was liberated as a POW in Germany during WWII
and later became the first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) in 1967
TSgt Paul Airey. (He received the first Air Force POW medal in 1988.)
When did the air wing of the Army accept blacks in the service?
1942. (They only accepted blacks when forced by Congress and wartime emergency,
admitting them on a strictly segregated basis.)
Training and service for black enlisted airmen and officers were mostly confined to a
single, separate base at _____, AL.
Tuskegee, AL. (All-black combat fighter units formed the famous "Tuskegee Airmen.")
What led to integration of the Air Force?
On 11 May 1949, Air Force Letter 35.3 mandated that black airmen be screened for
reassignment to formerly all-white units according to their qualifications. (Within a
year, the entire Air Force was integrated, almost without incident.)
When did the Third Reich surrender?
In May 1945 (once Germany was destroyed by the Allied ground forces' grinding
advance toward Berlin).
By spring 1945, what did Japan's continued resistance during WWII make US
commanders realize was the only way to force its unconditional surrender?
An American invasion of the home islands and the subjugation of the entire Japanese
population.
Enola Gay dropped the first nuclear bomb on what Japanese city?
Hiroshima (6 August 1945).
Three days after Hiroshima, _____ _____ dropped the second nuclear bomb on
Nagasaki, Japan.
Bock's Car.
How many enlisted members have been awarded the Medal of Honor, America's
highest military decoration?
Six.
List the four enlisted members who received the Medal of Honor during WWII.
Maynard Harrison "Snuffy" Smith (1943);

Forrest Lee Vosler(1943)

Archibald Mathies(1944)

Henry Eugene "Red" Erwin (1945).
Name the two enlisted members who received the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam
Conflict.
William H. Pitsenbarger (1966) and John Levitow (1969).
Who earned the first Medal of Honor awarded to an enlisted man for actions on his
very first mission, when his aircraft was attacked over France?
Sgt Maynard H. "Snuffy" Smith. (He put out intense flames, administered first aid and
manned guns to ward off enemy fighter attacks.)
Who earned a Medal of Honor as a radio operator when, despite multiple wounds, he
took over as tail gunner and repaired a radio by touch to send a distress signal over
Germany?
TSgt Forrest L. Vosler.
Which engineer and ball turret gunner earned a Medal of Honor posthumously for
flying a severely damaged aircraft from Germany back to England after the pilot was
wounded and the copilot killed?
SSgt Archibald Mathies. (He was killed trying to land the plane rather than
parachuting to safety and abandoning the injured pilot.)
Who earned the USAAF enlisted corps' final Medal of Honor as a radio operator
aboard a B-29 attacking Koriyama, Japan?
SSgt Henry E. Erwin. (He cradled a flare and hurled it through the copilot's window,
badly burning himself, to save the plane.)
The massive WWII USAAF demobilized in only a few months after the end of WWII,
returning almost _____ men to civilian life.
Two million. (From a high of more than 2.2 million in 1945 to only 33,000 in 1947.)
Between 1945 and 1947, the War Department reorganized the USAAF into what three
basic commands?
1) Strategic Air Command (SAC); 2) Air Defense Command (ADC); and 3) Tactical Air
Command (TAC).
What was SAC's mission?
To deliver air power to distant lands. (It became the focus of most attention.)
What was ADC's mission?
To defend the US homeland.
How many planes and operational units did TAC first have?
No planes or operational units, only a staff.
What act established the Department of the Air Force and the United States Air Force
on 26 July 1947?
The National Security Act (NSA).
Name the first Chief of Staff for the US Air Force.
Gen Carl A. Spaatz.
Who was the first Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) under the newly organized DoD?
W. Stuart Symington.
Name the first Secretary of Defense (SecDef).
James V. Forrestal.
Creation of an independent Air Force immediately impacted the lives of enlisted
personnel, causing deep changes throughout the system. T/F
False. (Immediate change was scarcely noticeable; even the blue uniforms were only
introduced after large stocks of Army clothing were used up.)
The rank system for the new Air Force changed in 1950 when corporal was removed
from NCO status. How did the lower four ranks change in 1952?
They changed from private, private first class, corporal and sergeant to airman basic,
airman third class, airman second class and airman first class, respectively.
The separate Air Force and hardware sophistication emphasized _____ rated as staff
sergeants or technical sergeants.
Specialists. (Promotion and specialization went hand-in-hand with training.)
In the new Air Force, what were established as standard designations for functional
and technical specialties?
Air Force specialty codes (AFSCs). (An advanced AFSC became part of the criteria
for promotion.)
During the late 1940s, what program did the Air Force begin, hoping to encourage
long-term careers for enlisted specialists?
An Airman Career Program.
Name the "first woman in the Air Force."
Esther Blake. (She enlisted on the first minute of the first hour of the first day regular
Air Force duty was authorized for women on 8 July 1948.)
The Soviet Union fought Hitler with the Western allies. Why didn't this alliance survive
after the war?
Because of ideological differences between capitalist democracies and Communism.
Who were the Big Three who met in 1945 to discuss the postwar division of Europe?
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Soviet Premier Josef Stalin and US
President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
What did the meeting of the Big Three in 1945 lay the foundation for?
The United Nations (UN).
What UN plan did the Soviet Union veto in 1946, leading to almost five decades of cold
war between the atomic superpowers?
The plan to eliminate nuclear weapons, using inspectors to ensure no country made
atomic bombs and supervise the dismantling of existing weapons.
How did the allies respond when the Soviet Union closed off all surface access to
Berlin, Germany in June 1948?
How did the allies respond when the Soviet Union closed off all surface access to
Berlin, Germany in June 1948?
What was air power's most decisive contribution to the cold war?
The Berlin airlift.
Who led the 15-month Berlin airlift, flying in more than 2.33 million tons of supplies on
277,569 flights?
MajGen William Tunner. (He'd led the Hump airlift over the Himalayan mountains to
supply China during WWII.)
Of all the enlisted functions, which was perhaps most critical to the success of the
Berlin airlift?
Maintenance.
The Soviets capitulated and dismantled the surface blockade of Berlin without a bomb
being dropped. What did this victory lay the foundation for?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The Korean War lasted from 1950 to _____.
1953.
How did the Korean War begin?
With a surprise invasion of South Korea by North Korea on 25 June 1950.
Why wasn't the US Air Force prepared to deal with a remote, conventional war when
the Korean War broke out?
Because its limited resources were prepared for a short global conflict and its
hardware had changed from prop planes and close-combat support techniques to fast
jet fighters and long-range bombers.
By 1950, where was most US ground and air strength in the Pacific located?
In Japan. (But they didn't have the range to intercede in Korea from Japan.)
Where did the first aerial combat between the US and North Korea take place on 27
June 1950?
Over Kimpo.
Enlisted personnel served as gunners aboard the B-26 and B-29 aircraft during the
Korean War. Name the NCO who shot down a North Korean YaK-3, the first such
victory recorded during the war
SSgt Nyle S. Mickley.
By mid-September 1950, UN forces had fought the North Koreans to a standstill. T/F
True. (It required the combined air, land and sea forces of several nations.)
What turned a stalled North Korean offensive into a disorganized retreat back to the
north in September 1950?
US forces landed in South Korea and pursued the beaten army north of the 38th
parallel.
Give three examples of missions performed by B-29s that hadn't been considered
before the Korean War.
1) Interdiction; 2) battlefield support; and 3) air superiority (counter-airfield).
On 9 November 1950, Cpl Harry LaVene (a gunner) scored the first B-29 victory over a
jet by downing a(n) _____.
MiG-15. (The first of 27 MiGs shot down by B-29 gunners during the Korean War.)
Name the NCO who shot down two MiGs on 12 April 1951, a feat unmatched by any
other gunner.
Sgt Billie Beach.
What types of crucial roles (some entirely new) did enlisted airmen play during the
Korean War?
Aerial gunners, flight engineers, radio operators on B-29s and B-26s, radio operators
on front lines as tactical air control, ground crews, servicing jets and prop fighters, and
fabricating new devices on the spot to fill needs.
The _____ became an important aircraft during the Korean War, particularly in rescue
squadrons.
Helicopter.
What was the most decorated unit of the Korean War?
The 3d Air Rescue Squadron.
What event abruptly ended the US-led counteroffensive in Korea in late November
1950?
The full-scale entrance of China into the war and its advance far into the south. (By
February 1951, US, UN and South Korean forces were back near the 38th parallel.)
After two years of truce negotiations, the Korean War ended on 27 July 1953. Name
two ways the Korean War represented change in US participation in war.
1) The realities of the cold war redefined the term "victory"; and 2) the war was fought
in the midst of a technological evolution.
"Containment" of Communism, the US-stated position of the cold war since 1947,
became reality with the Korean War. T/F
True.
Why did MSgt LeRoy Henderson earn the Legion of Merit during the Korean War?
For inventing a new way to replace hinge pins on the F-84 aircraft, turning a 2-man,
20-hour job into a 1-man, 2-hour job.
In 1956, enlisted radio and electronic countermeasures operators staffed the 99th
Bomb Wing until commissioned _____ replacements became available in late 1964.
EWO (electronic warfare officer).
In 1959, Fidel Castro overthrew the dictator in _____ and instituted a socialist
dictatorship.
Cuba. (Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, many to the US.)
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) planned the 1961 invasion of Cuba at the Bay of
Pigs in hopes that the Cuban people would overthrow Castro. Who were used as
troops?
Cuban exiles. (They suffered a crushing defeat.)
In 1962, the Soviet Union began to build what in Cuba?
Intermediate- and medium-range ballistic missile complexes (which would be able to
employ nuclear-armed missiles with a range of up to 5,000 miles).
How was Soviet construction of missile complexes in Cuba confirmed?
Through Air Force reconnaissance flights (first with high-altitude U-2 aircraft, followed
by low-level RF-101s and RB-66s).
While SAC and TAC geared up for a possible invasion of Cuba and war, what did
President Kennedy do to deal with the Cuban Missile Crisis?
He imposed a naval blockade to prevent any more materiel from reaching Cuba and
negotiated with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to remove the missiles.
When Cuban air defenses shot down a U-2 piloted by Maj Rudolf Anderson, what did
the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) recommend?
An immediate air strike against Cuba. (But President Kennedy decided to wait.)
The US agreed not to invade Cuba in exchange for removal of Soviet missiles from the
island. What did the US also secretly agree to do?
Remove US missiles from Turkey.
The Cuban missile crisis brought the world dangerously close to nuclear war, but the
strategic and tactical power of the US Air Force (coupled with the will and ability to
use it) helped deter it. T/F
True.
What were the three stages of the Vietnam conflict?
1) The early years (1950-1964); 2) the air war expands (1965-1968); and 3)
Vietnamization and withdrawal (1969-1973).
In the 1950s, US involvement in Vietnam began as what kind of operation?
A cold war operation to contain Communism.
Which country threatened to leave Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh and Communism in 1950 if
the US didn't help?
France.
What US President first authorized American intervention in Vietnam?
President Harry S. Truman in 1950.
What economic and military aid did the US first give to Vietnam between 1950 to
1953?
$75 million, eight C-47 transports, the US Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG)
and enlisted technicians to handle supply and aircraft maintenance.
Which US President felt Vietnam was the first of a row of dominoes that would fall to
Communism without US intervention?
President Eisenhower.
What 1953 Viet Minh action (under Ho Chi Minh's direction) led President Eisenhower
to send C-119 transports and additional cargo planes to Vietnam?
The Viet Minh major offensive advanced into Laos and menaced Thailand. (In 1954,
300 airmen were sent to service aircraft.)
The Air Force escalated its presence in Vietnam in the early 1960s. What did
Operation Ranch Hand do in 1962?
Sprayed herbicides to kill foliage and deny cover to the enemy.
Who was the first Air Force enlisted member to die in South Vietnam?
SSgt Milo B. Coghill. (A flight engineer on a C-123 that crashed during a training flight
for Operation Ranch Hand on 2 February 1962.)
What was the first sustained bombing campaign of the war against North Vietnam?
Rolling Thunder from 1965 to 1968. (The earlier Operation Flaming Dart was a series
of strikes.)
Airmen performed a variety of duties as the war in Vietnam expanded, ranging from
support to combat to rescue. Prime BEEF personnel built revetments and facilities.
What did Red Horse teams provide?
Long-range civil engineer services.
Gunners flew aboard gunships, B-57s and B-52s. Name the B-52 tail gunner who shot
down an enemy MiG, the first of only two confirmed shoot downs by enlisted airmen
during the Vietnam War.
SSgt Samuel Turner. (The fifth overall MiG-21 kill during Linebacker II went to A1C
Albert E. Moore.)
How did SSgt Parnell Fisher, a loadmaster, earn the Silver Star during the Vietnam
War in 1966?
He saved the crew and AC-47 gunship when a flare exploded prematurely, deploying
its parachute in the aircraft. Fisher threw the flare out and, when the parachute caught
under the cargo door, cut the lines while leaning outside the aircraft.
What loadmaster earned the Medal of Honor when, after suffering 40 shrapnel wounds,
he fell on an armed flare, dragged it to the cargo door and heaved it out after his plane
was hit over Vietnam in 1969?
A1C John Levitow.
As guerilla attacks continued, air base defense in Vietnam became a monumental
undertaking performed almost exclusively by Air Force _____ _____ squadrons.
Security police.
Name the SSgt of the 3d Security Police Squadron who earned a Silver Star for
heroics while helping defend Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam during the North
Vietnamese Tet Offensive of 1968.
SSgt William Piazza.
List three ways the Air Force used helicopters in Vietnam.
1) Personnel and supply transport; 2) infiltration and exfiltration of special operations
troops; and 3) search and rescue.
Pararescue personnel were among the most decorated individuals in the Vietnam
conflict. T/F
True. (Of the 19 Air Force Cross recipients from the Vietnam War, 10 were
pararescuemen.)
Name the pararescue crewmember who distinguished himself with extreme valor while
responding to a call for evacuation of casualties in an ongoing firefight in Vietnam,
posthumously earning an Air Force Cross that was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in
2001.
A1C William Pitsenbarger.
Name the sergeant who was credited with 51 combat rescues - the most in Air Force
history.
Sgt Steve Northern. (He earned the Air Force Cross, two Silver Stars and a Purple
Heart.)
Name the CMSgt whose fierce defense of a radar site in Laos in 1968 earned him a
posthumous Air Force Cross, although the case remained classified for 17 years.
CMSgt Richard Etchberger.
American presidents wanted the Vietnam conflict to be fought and resolved by the
Vietnamese with the US in a(n) "_____" role only.
"Advisory."
American responsibility in the Vietnam conflict became primarily for combat
operations after what incident, followed by the Senate resolution in 1964?
The Gulf of Tonkin incident.
In 1969, President Nixon announced that ending US combat in Southeast Asia was a
major goal. What did he charge the SecDef with as a top priority?
The Vietnamization of the war.
Enlisted airmen trained South Vietnamese operational and training crews as
Vietnam's air force grew to become the _____ largest in the world.
Fourth.
In 1972, Communist forces crossed the demilitarized zone (DMZ), taking advantage of
reduced US ground presence. How did President Nixon respond?
He ordered the harbors mined. (Peace talks broke down completely.)
What air operation convinced the North Vietnamese to finally agree to a cease-fire?
Operation Linebacker II - 11 days of intensive bombing of Vietnamese cities by B-52s.
When was a cease-fire agreement hammered out with the North Vietnamese?
By 28 January 1973.
Although there was no victory and no end to fighting, the US withdrew from Vietnam.
When did the last US troop leave the country?
29 March 1973. (The military draft ended on 27 January 1973.)
How long after the first cease-fire were North and South Vietnam officially unified under
a Communist regime?
After only three years (2 July 1976).
Who was the last US serviceman to engage Communist forces in ground combat in
Southeast Asia as he helped rescue the crew of the USS Mayaquez (captured in May
1975) in the famed Son Tay POW camp raid?
CMSgt Wayne Fisk.
One of the first known uses of aircraft to render assistance was dropping food to
_____ _____ flood victims in 1919.
Rio Grande. (Many early domestic humanitarian flights were flown in response to
winter emergencies.)
Name two humanitarian missions to foreign nations flown by Army aircraft before the
independent Air Force was established.
Any two of the following: 1) delivering medical supplies to earthquake victims in Chile
in 1939; 2) dropping diphtheria vaccine to prevent a shipboard epidemic on a British
aircraft carrier in 1943; 3) dropping food to starving French citizens in 1944; and 4)
delivering food to the Netherlands in Operation Chowhound in 1945.
What operations in 1956 and 1957 airlifted more than 10,000 Hungarian refugees to
the US for asylum after Soviet forces invaded?
Operations Safe Haven I and II.
What month-long airlift delivered more than 1,000 tons of material to Chile in 1960
following earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, avalanches and tidal waves?
The Amigos Airlift.
What 1975 event triggered the largest aerial evacuation in history?
The fall of Cambodia and South Vietnam to Communist forces. (During Operations
Babylift, New Life, Frequent Wind and New Arrivals, more than 50,000 refugees were
airlifted to the US and units moved 5,000 relief workers and more than 8,500 tons of
supplies.)
What 1991 humanitarian airlift provided blankets, tents and food to displaced Kurds in
northern Iraq following the Persian Gulf War?
Operation Provide Comfort.
What 1991 humanitarian airlift followed a typhoon in Bangladesh?
Operation Sea Angel.
What humanitarian airlift in 1992 and 1993 provided food, medicine and cargo to the
republics of the former Soviet Union?
Operation Provide Hope.
A 1994 humanitarian airlift carried 3,600 tons of relief supplies to refugees in what
country in war-torn central Africa?
Rwanda.
What 1983 operation rescued hundreds of US citizens attending medical school in
Grenada after a coup?
Operation Urgent Fury.
During Operation Urgent Fury, which aircraft proved their worth repeatedly, showing
more versatility and accuracy than naval bombardment and land artillery?
AC-130 gunships.
Several Air Force enlisted personnel received special praise for their efforts in
Operation Urgent Fury. What was Sgt Charles H. Tisby noted for?
He was a loadmaster who saved the life of a paratrooper in his aircraft by hauling the
paratrooper back into the plane after his static line fouled.
By the mid-1980s, what country (led by Muammar Qadhafi) was a leading sponsor of
worldwide terrorism, financing terrorist training camps and supplying funds, weapons,
logistical support and safe havens for many terrorist groups?
Libya. (It also used subversion or direct military intervention against other African
nations and ordered global assassinations.)
What 1984 directive established in principle a US policy of preemptive and retaliatory
strikes against terrorists?
National Security Decision Directive 138
What 1986 terrorist event led President Reagan to authorize a retaliatory air strike (El
Dorado Canyon) against Libya?
The bombing of a Berlin discotheque popular with US service members.
Why was the Air Force's round-trip flight during El Dorado Canyon almost 6,000 miles
long?
It was launched from British bases, but France and Spain denied permission to fly
over their countries.
El Dorado Canyon remains a prime example of the most successful US air strike
operations. T/F
False. (It had a high abort rate, collateral damage and loss of innocent lives. However,
it did successfully bomb three targets seen beforehand only in photographs - after a
flight of more than six hours, with strong enemy opposition.)
What did the operation in Libya spur Western European governments to do, although
America's European allies almost universally condemned the operation for fear it
would spawn more violence?
Increase their defenses against terrorism and share information among intelligence
agencies.
The 1989 invasion of Panama to bring Manuel Noriega to the US to face
drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges is known as what?
Operation Just Cause. (Noriega had attacked the US Embassy in 1987 and intensified
harassment of Americans and his own people.)
All four branches of the US Armed Forces played a role in Operation Just Cause. Its
first night was the largest nighttime airborne operation since WWII. T/F
True. (On the first night, 84 aircraft dropped nearly 5,000 troops.)
What equipment was first used during a contingency by Air Force personnel in
Operation Just Cause's nighttime airdrop?
Night vision goggles.
How long did it take US forces to eliminate organized resistance during Operation Just
Cause?
Just six days. (It was the largest and most complex air operation since Vietnam.)
What country did Iraq's Saddam Hussein invade and attempt to annex on 2 August
1990?
The small, oil-rich nation of Kuwait.
In 1990, Iraq (with the fourth largest army in the world and a program to develop
nuclear weapons) was poised at what country's doorstep?
Saudi Arabia. (If the Saudis also fell, Iraq would control 50% of the world's oil.)
The US sought and received a UN sanction to act against Iraq. How many nations
joined us in Operation Desert Shield?
27.
What was Operation Desert Shield's aim?
The massive military buildup in Saudi Arabia near Iraq's border aimed to deter Saddam
Hussein's aggression against the Saudis and prepare for a counterinvasion, if
necessary.
The defensive deployment for Operation Desert Shield was impressive. A month into
the crisis, how many Allied aircraft were in theater and combat ready?
1,220.
When did Operation Desert Storm begin?
15 January 1991. (After Saddam Hussein missed the final deadline to withdraw from
Kuwait.)
Within the first week of Desert Storm, the air war was essentially won. T/F
False. (It was won within the first 24 hours.)
During Desert Storm, coalition air forces pounded entrenched ground forces into
surrender. What did they do during the final stages of the air war?
They "tank plinked," destroying Iraqi tanks on the ground one at a time.
From suppliers to the line crews, coalition maintainers enabled a constant surge
during Desert Storm. T/F
True. (Maintenance was a key to the success of the air campaign.)
Name two lesser known high-tech jobs taken on by enlisted personnel during Desert
Storm?
1) Collection and analysis of electronic emissions undertaken with EWOs; and 2)
airborne intelligence technicians.
How long did it take for Iraq to surrender once the air war ended and the land invasion
began during Desert Storm?
Scarcely 48 hours. (Iraq surrendered on 28 February 1991.)
In the 43-day Desert Storm war with Iraq, the Air Force was the equal partner of land
and sea power for the first time in modern combat. T/F
True.
The Air Force went into Desert Storm talking in cold war terms about air superiority
and sustainable casualties. What did it come out trumpeting?
Air supremacy and minimal or no casualties.
On 27 September 1991, the cold war was officially over. What event signaled the end?
Strategic bomber crews were ordered to stand down from their decades-long
round-the-clock readiness for nuclear war. (It was a new world and the enlisted
airman's role changed, too.)
When Iraqi troops defeated a Kurdish rebellion in northern Iraq in April 1991, more
than a million Kurds fled to Iran and Turkey to avoid massacres. What operation was a
UN Security Council authorized humanitarian relief effort?
Operation Provide Comfort. (The US organized a combined task force.)
Operation Provide Comfort evolved into a larger phased operation for US ground
troops. T/F
True.
What did Operations Quick Transit I, II and III do in 1996?
Airlifted displaced Kurds to safe areas in Turkey after Kurdish factions' struggle for
power led one faction to accept Iraqi backing to drive another from the city of Irbil.
(7,000 refugees proceeded on to Guam for settlement in the US in Operation Pacific
Haven.)
What operation replaced Operation Provide Comfort in January 1997?
Operation Northern Watch.
What operation established a no-fly zone in southern Iraq in 1992 to discourage
renewed Iraqi military activity near Kuwait?
Operation Southern Watch. (It officially ended 26 August 2003.)
Operation Southern Watch supported UN Security Council Resolution 688, which
required what two things?
1) Protecting Shiite Muslims under aerial attack by Saddam Hussein after Operation
Desert Storm; and 2) enforcing other UN sanctions against Iraq.
Why did the US launch cruise missile strikes against the Iraqi Intelligence Service
Headquarters in Baghdad in June 1993?
In retaliation for the planned assassination of former President George Bush during an
April 1993 visit to Kuwait.
Operation Vigilant Warrior brought thousands of additional US Armed Forces
personnel into the Iraqi theater in response to what Iraqi action?
Iraqi troops massing at the Kuwaiti border in October 1994.
Operation Southern Watch proved the _____ concept was sound when a composite
unit arrived fully armed and began flying within 12 hours of landing.
AEF. (Additional AEFs were deployed since to support Operation Southern Watch.)
When President Clinton expanded the Southern Watch no-fly zone to the 33d parallel
just south of Baghdad in 1997, it meant most of Iraqi airspace fell into no-fly zones. T/F
True. (President Clinton acted in response to Iraqi aggression against Kurdish rebels
in northern Iraq.)
How did the Air Force react to the 1996 bombing of Khobar Towers, Dhahran AB?
It reorganized existing security police units into new security forces groups and
squadrons trained and specialized in all aspects of force protection, including terrorist
activity and deployed force security.
List the four operations the US initiated in Somalia between 1992 and 1994.
1) Operation Provide Relief; 2) Operation Impressive Lift; 3) Operation Restore Hope;
and 4) Operation Restore Hope II.
What 1992 operation relieved the suffering of refugees from the famine in Somalia?
Operation Provide Relief.
What prevented much of the relief supplies from reaching the refugees during
Operation Provide Relief?
Continued civil war and clan fighting within Somalia.
In September 1992, Operation Impressive Lift airlifted hundreds of _____ forces to
Somalia to increase security for relief efforts.
UN. (Pakistani soldiers under the UN banner.)
What operation did President George H.W. Bush authorize to establish order in
Somalia with US troops in December 1992 so food could reach those in need?
Operation Restore Hope. (The UN assumed control of the mission in March 1993 and
it ended in May 1993.)
In October 1993, a US UH-60 helicopter was downed in the streets of Mogadishu,
Somalia. Name the TSgt who earned the Air Force Cross for treating and evacuating
casualties.
TSgt Timothy A. Wilkinson.
To date, how many enlisted members have been awarded the Air Force Cross?
23.
Who were the first two enlisted members to be awarded the Air Force Cross? Who
were the two most recent?
William A. Robinson and Arthur N. Black in 1965. Jason D. Cunningham and John A.
Chapman in 2002.
What operation was prompted by US losses in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1993?
Operation Restore Hope II. (It airlifted US troops and cargo to stabilize Mogadishu and
ended in March 1994.)
When the last US forces exited Somalia without further casualties, the country was
stable and the threat of famine had ended. T/F
False. (Anarchy ruled in Somalia and the threat of famine remained.)
When the US decided to intervene in Haiti in 1994, how many plans did the US
Atlantic Command develop for Operation Uphold Democracy?
Two (one forcible-entry, the other passive-entry).
What unexpectedly changed Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994 from a military
invasion to an insertion of a multinational peacekeeping force?
At the last minute, former President Jimmy Carter persuaded the military leader of
Haiti to relinquish control.
The successful adaptation to the last-minute change in mission in Haiti showed the
_____ air power offers US military and political leaders to fulfill foreign policy
objectives.
Flexibility.
Which UN airlift operation to Sarajevo in Bosnia lasted from 1992 to 1996?
Operation Provide Promise.
What factors led Yugoslavia to break into independent ethnic states?
The collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe coupled with the disintegration of the
Soviet Union itself.
Which religions were prominent in the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992?
Roman Catholicism (in Slovenia and Croatia), Eastern Orthodoxy (in Serbia) and Islam
(in Bosnia).
Serbs within Bosnia grew fearful because of their minority status to the Muslims.
What action did they take?
They armed themselves and began forming their own ethnic state by seizing territory
and besieging the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.
At least 15 countries airlifted supplies to Sarajevo. Over the course of Operation
Provide Promise, Air Force Reserve (AFR), Air National Guard (ANG) and active duty
units rotated from the US on _____-week deployments.
3-week.
Why did President Clinton significantly expand Operation Provide Promise?
In response to continued attacks by Bosnian Serbs on Sarajevo and on the relief
aircraft themselves.
What secondary mission dropped 50 tons of toys and children's clothes and shoes
over Sarajevo in December 1993?
Operation Provide Santa.
Where did warring Bosnian factions sign peace accords in December 1995?
At Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.
What NATO operation (1993-1995) attempted to impose a no-fly zone over Bosnia in
an effort to limit the war?
Operation Deny Flight.
When did NATO score the first aerial combat victories in its 45-year history?
When two US F-16s intercepted six Bosnian Serb jets and shot down four in February
1994 during Operation Deny Flight.
Operation Deny Flight stopped the Bosnian Serb attacks and effectively limited the
war. T/F
False.
What 1995 operation held Bosnian Serbs accountable for attacks against UN forces
and Sarajevo with an incessant air campaign, striking targets throughout the country?
Operation Deliberate Force.
Operation Deliberate Force marked the first campaign in aerial warfare where _____
munitions outweighed conventional bombs.
Precision. (The Serbs agreed to NATO terms and the bombing stopped. Deliberate
Force officially ended 21 September 1995.)
After the warring Bosnian parties signed peace accords in Paris in December 1995,
what operation replaced Operation Deny Flight in 1996?
Operation Joint Endeavor. (Its mission was to implement the agreements.)
The Serbian government's oppression of the ethnic Albanian population in Kosovo
turned to violence and mass killings, led by President _____.
President Slobodan Milosevic.
What NATO operation began in March 1999 to force Serbia to accept NATO terms for
ending the conflict and avoid the ethnic cleansing that took place in Bosnia?
Operation Allied Force.
NATO hoped Milosevic would capitulate after just a few days of air strikes, but it took
_____ days and more than 38,000 sorties in the air war over Serbia.
78 days.
Why were NATO's unity and determination fundamental in resolving the conflict with
Milosevic?
The precision and persistence of the air campaign convinced Milosevic that he couldn't
outwait NATO.
The Air Force responded quickly to the four unprecedented acts of violence in New
York City, western Pennsylvania and Washington, DC on _____ 2001.
11 September 2001.
When did fighter aircraft begin to fly combat air patrols over US skies in support of
Operation Noble Eagle?
11 September 2001, the same day as the terrorist attacks.
What percentage of pilots flying Noble Eagle missions belonged to the ANG?
More than 80%.
After 11 September 2001, what operation took the fight to the nation's enemies
overseas, most notably in Afghanistan?
Operation Enduring Freedom.
What was the twofold mission of Operation Enduring Freedom?
To 1) provide humanitarian airlift to the people of Afghanistan; and 2) conduct military
action to root out terrorists and their supporters.
The government of Afghanistan, the _____, refused demands to hand over suspected
terrorists and close terrorist training camps after 11 September 2001.
Taliban.
Aircraft from which three countries began a sustained campaign against terrorist
targets during Operation Enduring Freedom?
The US, Great Britain and France.
Along with US special operations and Afghan opposition forces, what weapons did air
power employ to break the Taliban's will and capacity to resist in Operation Enduring
Freedom?
Precision weapons.
Set in southeastern Afghanistan on 4 March 2002, the Pentagon called it Operation
Anaconda. What did the men who fought there call it?
The Battle of Robert's Ridge. (The press called it the Battle at Shah-I-Kot Mountain.)
Operation Anaconda was one of the most intense small-unit firefights of the war
against terrorism. US forces distinguished themselves with conspicuous bravery.
Which forces secured the mountaintop and inflicted serious losses on al-Qaeda?
Air Force, Army and Navy special operators. (Seven US servicemen were killed.)
What medic was awarded the Air Force Cross after he lost his life while saving 10
lives during Operation Anaconda?
SrA Jason D. Cunningham. (He made it possible for seven others who were killed to
come home, despite being mortally wounded himself.)
Why was TSgt John A. Chapman awarded the Air Force Cross (posthumously) for
actions during the 17-hour battle of Operation Anaconda?
For saving the lives of his entire rescue team by engaging and destroying the first
enemy position and advancing to the second.
On 17 March 2003, what ultimatum did President George W. Bush give Saddam
Hussein and his sons?
Leave Iraq within 48 hours or face conflict. (It was rejected.)
What operation officially began on 20 March 2003 and ended on 1 May 2003?
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
How many troops deployed to the Gulf region for Operation Iraqi Freedom, forming a
coalition of multinational troops?
More than 300,000.
More cruise missiles were fired on the first day of Operation Iraqi Freedom than during
the entire first Gulf War. T/F
True. (Between 300 and 400 cruise missiles were fired. The second day called for
launching as many again.)
What concept was the battle plan for Operation Iraqi Freedom based on?
What concept was the battle plan for Operation Iraqi Freedom based on?
What slowed the coalition's advance during Operation Iraqi Freedom?
Heavy sand storms. (But soldiers came within 50 miles of Baghdad by 24 March and
US tanks rumbled through downtown Baghdad on 7 April.)
Who was the first airman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom?
SSgt Scott Sather, a combat controller. (He earned seven medals, including the
Bronze Star, during his career.)
What town did British forces take, the key to delivering humanitarian aid during
Operation Iraqi Freedom?
Bashra.
When did US commanders declare that Saddam's regime no longer controlled
Baghdad?
9 April 2003.
Who was the first person on the 55 most wanted leaders list issued by the coalition
during Operation Iraqi Freedom to surrender?
Iraq's science advisor.
President Bush announced victory in Iraq on 2 May 2003 in a speech aboard the
aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Whose assessment did he base this
announcement on?
Gen Tommy Franks, the top US military commander in the Gulf.
Who assessed the performance of US combat air forces during Operation Iraqi
Freedom in a speech to the Command Chief Master Sergeant Conference on 25 April
2003, saying that coalition forces liberated an oppressed people and began the
process of rebuilding a very different tribal and political climate?
SECAF James G. Roche
After nearly 100 years, air power has evolved and its applications and effectiveness
have increased with each conflict. In WWI air power played a minor role. What role did
it play in Kosovo?
The only role.