Strategic Air Command: A Cold War Plan

 Strategic Air Command in Nebraska grew up out of the idea that by having the command in the middle of the United States there would be more time to react to ay nuclear attack before they were hit.  This was part of the concept of mutually assured destruction.  Initially the plan was to fly all planes to Texas where they would be armed with nuclear weapons, then to England to refuel, and then to deliver their weapons.  Over time, with in-air refueling and larger planes, The went fron B-29s to B-47 Strato jets.  SAC also became the control point for other weapon systems, including rockets and Navy weapons.  After 1992, with the end of the cold war, it was no longer needed.

Atomic bomb

B47

B29

Kingman Radar Hill

 Kingman took its place in the Cold War as an Air Force station was here on Radar Hill; a prominent hill in the middle of town.  The base opened in 1955 as part of the air defense program CONAD.  It was a radar manned by 17 officers and just under 100 airmen.  It lasted only three years as it closed in 1958 due to its proximity to other radar systems in Nevada and Arizona.  

When the radar was in place they offered tours to the local population.  However the spot is now used for cell towers and is not open to the public.  I remember touring a similar place in Othello as a youth.  It looked like a big golf ball with radar equipment inside.  

Chapter Review: The Spy Who Turned to a Pumpkin: Alger Hiss and the Liberal Establishment That Defended a Traitor

from the book Dreamers and Deceivers: True Stories of the Heroes and Villains Who Made America by Glenn Beck with Kevin Balfe, Theshold Editions, New York, 2014.

Alger Hiss was a rising star in the Democrat Party.  He accompanied President Franklin Roosevelt to Malta for Roosevelt's last visit with Churchill and Stalin before the end of WWII.  At this meeting, the Allies basically gave up the Easter European countries to the Soviet Union, including Poland.  Alger Hiss was identified as a spy by Whitaker Chambers.  Hiss had left the State Department, and was no at the Carnegie Foundation.  He approached this information by facing the House Un-American Activities Committee.  He denied ever knowing Chambers.  One of them was lying.  
His challenged Chambers, saying he would sue him if he made his accusations public.  When they were made public, then Chambers turned over to the government evidence of Hiss' spying activities.  Papers that Chambers had matched the typewriter that Hiss kept under his bed.  He was tried and convicted of perjury.  The Democratic controlled justice department did not try him for espionage.  
Hiss maintained his innocence.  In fact after the Soviet bloc fell, a Soviet leader said he had never seen evidence Hiss was a spy.  However he later admitted he only had access to a small percentage of documents. However Hiss became the first person to be restored to the Massachusetts Bar after having been removed.   Later a note about Hiss recruiting another spy was found among Hungarian documents.  Further damning evidence was found by the State Department who apparently forced him out because of his ties with espionage.  The government knew all along about Hiss' spying but chose to look the other way.  

Othello Radar Station

The Othello Radar Station was established in 1952.  This would have been shortly  before my family move there.  Wikipedia explains the reason for the station.  "Othello Air Force Station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network. Prompted by the start of the Korean War, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the permanent network."  I found this quote from the Othello Outlook 2012, "Sixty years ago July 25, 1952: Othello was able this week to take her place at the head of the list, as far as public spirit is concerned, as “Operation Skywatch” was put into action and the first week of observation completed without missing a single shift.  Long-range bombers have shrunk the world to the point that any place on earth is susceptible to an attack.  The air observers’ part is to locate low-flying aircraft that might be hostile.  Though the local post is manned on a 24-hour basis and is considered 100 percent staffed, another 10 volunteers are needed to place a double watch on at all times."  Operation Skywatch was a program to keep watch on the skies.  The radar company did this through the use of several different radar  as well as watching the sky, and using volunteers.  At the ten year mark, there was a presentation to the community, also reported in the Outlook:
Feb 8, 1962 p 8 The film “Operation Skywatch” sponsored jointly by the Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company and the 637th AC&W Radar Airbase played to a capacity house last Tuesday night. 
   The evening go off to a nice start when Robert Hill introduced Major McElroy who after welcoming the audience expressed his appreciation that the 637th was the site chosen for the Operation Skywatch.  After his brief speech, the Major introduced Ed Williams of Pacific Northwest Bell who demonstrated microwave, satellite transistors, solar cells, and radio waves to a highly appreciative audience.
   Col. Klem F. Kalberer acted in behalf of Col. Atkinson, both of Larson Air Base.  Col. Atkinson was unable to attend because of the illness of his wife.  Col. Kalberer accepted presentation of the film on the behalf of the Air force.  A call was placed to the Air Defense Headquarters in Colorado Springs and a picture of what planes were in the air within a certain range at the time the phone call was made was projected to the audience, over the loud speaker.
   Major MeElroy presented a copy of the film to Major Med Faudree for the city of Othello.
   The local Parent-Teacher Association, headed by Mrs. Howard Beitz and Mrs. Roger Hardan, served coffee and cookies to the more than 1,000 people who attended Operation Skywatch and stayed to enjoy the evening’s entertainment even if there was standing room only.
I think it is unusual that a community of 2000, would have over half the community at an event like this.