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*Det 6 – [[Bay Shore, Michigan|Bay Shore]], Michigan,
*Det 6 – [[Bay Shore, Michigan|Bay Shore]], Michigan,
*Det 7 – Ashland Strategic Training Range, Ashland, Maine
*Det 7 – Ashland Strategic Training Range, Ashland, Maine
⚫
OLA-7 BusySkyspot. [[Matagorda Island Air Force Base]]<ref>{{cite web

⚫
BusySkyspot. [[Matagorda Island Air Force Base]]<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://combat-skyspot.tripod.com/BusySkyspot.htm
|url= http://combat-skyspot.tripod.com/BusySkyspot.htm
|title= Skyspot Training
|title= Skyspot Training

Revision as of 15:39, 30 June 2011

1st Combat Evaluation Group
1st Combat Evaluation Group emblem
Active1961–1993?
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnited States
BranchStrategic Air Command
TypeEvaluation
RoleMilitary simulation, Covert operations
Part ofSAC Hq Group
Garrison/HQBarksdale Air Force Base
EngagementsBattle of Lima Site 85

The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (1CEVG), Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, was the military simulation evaluation and standardization unit of the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC).

History

The 1st Combat Evaluation Group was activated on 1 August 1961 at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. The 1CEVG brought under one commander the functions of two former SAC units, the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group and the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group. From its inception, the group's mission was to provide command level standardization/evaluation of SAC aircrews, radar scoring of simulated strategic bombing of cities by SAC B-52 aircraft, and any contingency combat support tasked by Headquarters Strategic Air Command and Headquarters United States Air Force. In 1986, the 1CEVG acquired an additional mission to help address the command's need to emphasize tactical employment of SAC aircraft. The group continued to meet the changing needs of SAC aircrews through standardization/evaluation, radar bomb scoring, and tactics development/employment. The 1CEVG conducted worldwide operations using numerous detachments and operating locations, and three Radar Bomb Scoring Trains over the years.

Official history

Source: About us

RADAR BOMB SCORING HISTORICAL SUMMARY

RBS comes of age

During World War II, allied bomber crews soon discovered that radar was an indispensable aid for strategic bombing. The British employed their bomber forces primarily at night. Thus a means of sighting independent of visibility was required. The American forces also required such a system even though they bombed in daylight. The weather in Europe was so consistently bad during the winter months that strategic bombing could only be accomplished with a radar system. The British were the pioneers in developing such systems while the industrial complex of the U.S. refined and improved their initial efforts.

When victory in Europe seemed assured, military efforts focused in the Pacific. Here it became clear that training procedures for radar bombing were in their infant stages and severely lacking. To correct this, staff work began to develop a training system which would improve crew proficiency in radar bombing through better scoring techniques. Under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Force Tactical Center, an experimental station was established in Jacksonville, Florida to test the training system. These tests proved the value of radar bomb scoring as a means of improving bombing training. Soon thereafter, the Second Air Force took actions to establish a radar bomb scoring station at Kansas City, Missouri, and later, a scoring detachment at Fort Worth, Texas. HQ Second Air Force originally had jurisdiction over this operation but as it grew in size and scope, it became clear that a formal organization was needed to control and manage the new training detachment. This need gave birth to the organization of which you are part now.

On 6 June 1945, the 206th Army Air Force Base Unit (RBS) ( 206th AAFBU), was activated at Colorado Springs, Colorado under the command of Colonel Robert W. Burns. He assumed operational control of the two SCR-584 radar detachments located at Kansas City and Fort Worth, Texas. New detachments were also established at Denver, Chicago, Omaha, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles. On 24 July 1945, the 206th was redesignated the 63rd AAFBU (RBS) and three weeks later was moved to Mitchel Field, New York, and placed under the command of the Continental Air Command. On 5 March 1946, the organization moved back to Colorado Springs and on 8 March of the same year was re-designated the 263rd AAFBU.

With the activation of the 8th Air Force the demand for radar bomb scoring training increased greatly. The 263rd was relieved from assignment to 15th Air Force and assigned directly to Headquarters Strategic Air Command. The increase in RBS activity could be seen in the statistics for RBS runs over the years. During 1947 a total of 2,499 runs were scored as compared to 880 runs scored in 1946. During 1948, 12,084 runs were scored. This number increased to 28,049, a tremendous gain over previous years and became a real measure of the effectiveness and popularity of this type training.

On 21 July 1948, the 263rd was redesiganted the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron with an effective date of 1 August 1948. On 19 January 1951, this squadron was re-designated the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Group. At this point the Group commanded 12 detachments reporting to three Radar Bomb Scoring Squadrons, the 3922nd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron (Redesignated the 10th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron 10 Aug 1954), Based at Carswell AFB, TX; 3933rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron (Redesignated the 11th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron 10 Aug 1954), Based at March AFB, CA; and the 3944th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron (Redesignated the 12th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron 10 Aug 1954), Based at Turner AFB, GA .

Korean War

During the Korean War RBS Detachments provided a service unique in military annals. Three detachments from the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron were used for tactical air support of USAF aircraft in direct action against enemy forces. These detachment provided radar controlled ground direction to aircraft engaged in bombing targets at critical locations. Mobile vans and specially trained crews directed B-26, C47, B-29, P-80, and F-84 aircraft on all-weather missions against enemy airfields, troop concentrations, key buildings, and other difficult targets.

These units also worked closely with ground forces in Korea from their arrival the last week in August 1950 to their departure in early October 1951. During the next three years the Group underwent various organizational shuffles, but none to match the activities on 10 August 1954.

A new name, same mission

On 10 August 1945, the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Group, its three squadrons, and all detachments were discontinued. Simultaneously, the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group was activated. This new organization absorbed all personnel and equipment of the 3903rd. By March 1956 the Group consisted of 28 detachments. The numbers of missions scored increased as the size of the organization grew. For example, in 1956 the Group recordeed 140,919 attacks against sites. Of these some 127,070 were successfully scored.

The next several years brought few organizational or other changes to the Group. The personnel assigned continued to provide the Command sophisticated and effective radar bomb scoring training.

On 1 August 1961, a major organizational change came to fruition when the Department of the Air Force activated the 1st Combat Evaluation Group at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. With this action the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group and the 3908th Strategic Evaluation Group were merged into one organization. This new organization then had the dual mission of providing radar bomb scoring services as well as standardization and evaluation services.

RBS "Express"

The AN/MSQ-35 Radar Bomb Scoring Central was developed for SAC to free aircraft crews from artificial conditions of a live bombing range, and to provide a more realistic evaluation of aircraft bombing and navigational procedures. Since an actual bomb release is not required, real tactical and strategic targets may be used to solve problems such as navigation, target identification, and unfamiliar terrain. This provides the bomber crews with the realistic training necessary to maintain a high degree of combat readiness.[1] 1CEVG deployed three sets of these from Barksdale Air Force Base on board military railroad cars to score simulation of the aerial bombing of cities in the CONUS.

The trains were 21 cars long, 17 support and 4 radar cars. The radar cars were basically flat cars with the radar vans and equipment mounted on them. The other 17 consisted of a generator car, two box cars (one for radar equipment maintenance, and one for support maintenance). A dining car, two day-room cars, supply cars, admin car, and 4 Pullman sleepers.... The Commander had the very last room on the tail of the train.... The trains would go to some area in the U.S. which was selected for that period by a regular contracted locomotive which then just parked us there and left, usually pulled onto a siding.

—Mobile Military Radar web site[2]

The luck of the draw had placed a huddled group of airmen inside a converted railroad boxcar, operating a Radar Bomb Scoring site. Their car full of sophisticated gadgetry had been trundled out to a windblown siding by some passing freight train in the night, and left rusting to the tracks for months on end. The RBS technicians cranked and tuned their black boxes and radar dish, to track and score the theoretical point of impact for the bomber crew's electronic thermonuclear weapon. When all of the B-52s black boxes accomplished the preset magic the designers intended, there were no targets anyplace on planet earth that could not be obliterated with unerring accuracy....

—Maier[3]

Vietnam and Combat SkySpot

Further information: Operation Commando Hunt and Operation Menu

The original name for Combat SkySpot was simply SkySpot in 1965. In October of that year the name was changed to Combat Proof. In January 1967 Combat Proof was changed to its final designation, Combat SkySpot which continued until August 1973.

In 1965 with the advent of B-52 Stratofortress aerial bombing in Southeast Asia, it soon became apparent that a requisite number of suitable offset aiming points were not available. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara is quoted as having stated:

We are faced with very, very heavy jungle in certain portions of South Vietnam, jungle so heavily that is impossible to find a good aiming point in it. We know some of these jungles are used by the Vietcong for base camps and for storage areas…. You can imagine that without an ability to find an aiming point, there is only one way of bombing it and that is with a random pattern…. With the force we had (B-52s) trained as it was in pattern bombing…the military commanders felt – and I believe this was a proper use of the weapons – that these strikes would destroy certain of the Viet Cong base areas, and, as a matter of fact, they did…. There is no other way of doing it. We propose to continue.

In October 1965 the Air Force began further modification of its B-52 force to increase the internal loading from 27 to 84 of the 500- or 750-pound bombs. In March 1966 the modified bombers went into operation. Concurrent with the deployment of the modified B-52, the Air Force installed Combat SkySpot; a ground directed bombing system in South Vietnam. The system employed existing 1CEVG AN/MSQ-77 mobile ground radar control units. These permitted Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) considerably more latitude because the selection of targets would no longer depend on nearby, prominent geographical features; they had only to be within range of Combat SkySpot equipment sited at known geographical coordinates. On 5 June 1966 near Dong Ha Marine Combat Base near the DMZ, six 1CEVG airmen were killed while conducting a preliminary site location survey[4] (for OL-24.)

1CEVG airmen directed bombers along a designated route to a bomb drop point, providing en-route corrected headings and speed as needed. Then, at the proper moment, the bombardier received a signal to release his bombs. Combat SkySpot not only provided flexibility in targeting, but its accuracy soon surpassed that of the previously used radar synchronous bombing. For combat operations, it had a 175-mile range, which had to be in line of sight to the target; this made high ground preferable for its installation. In time, practically all combat areas of Southeast Asia were within range of one or more of the growing number of Combat SkySpot facilities.

Combat SkySpot sites also guided MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft on COMMANDO VAULT missions for clearing landing zones, and sometimes against other targets in support of ground forces. Combat SkySpot sites furthermore provided navigation fixes for a variety of aircraft, and aided search and rescue missions.

During the 90-month period of service in Southeast Asia, Combat SkySpot airmen directed 75 percent of the B-52 strikes in that conflict, controlling over 300,000 USAF, Navy and Marine sorties, and more than 150,000 tactical air strikes. On 15 August 1973, with the cessation of bombing in Southeast Asia, the last Combat SkySpot sortie was flown. In the seven years and six months of Combat SkySpot operations, 1CEVG personnel manned ground radar sites on a 24-hour per day basis in such locations as Bien Hoa, Binh Thuy, Pleiku, Thuy, Da Lat, Huế, Phu Bai, Son Tray, Da Nang, Quảng Trị, and Dong Ha South Vietnam. In Thailand, the locations included, Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani, and Ubon Ratchathani.

In August 1966, the 3d Air Division gave the 1st Combat Evaluation Group its Top Three Award for their outstanding contribution to the war effort through the Combat SkySpot program. The Combat SkySpot Memorial is co-located with the Arc Light Memorial at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.[5]

Laos

Further information: Laotian Civil War and Battle of Lima Site 85

In 1967, a U.S. Air Force clandestine operation code named "HEAVY GREEN" was undertaken to airlift 150 tons of equipment by helicopters to landing site 85 (abbreviated LS-85 and called LIMA SITE-85) atop Phou Pha Thi, a mountain in Viengxay District, Houaphanh Province, Laos. The equipment was to upgrade the original TACAN navigation equipment with an air-transportable version of the AN/MSQ-77, the AN/TSQ-81.[6] This enabled American aircraft to bomb North Vietnam and Laos at night and in all types of weather, an operation code-named COMMANDO CLUB. PONY EXPRESS was the code name for weekly supply flights to the 700-foot strip (landing site L.S. 85) in the valley below, brought by Air Commandos from Udorn RTAFB in Thailand. The site was destroyed in March 1968 in the Battle of Lima Site 85. Four airmen were airlifted out by helicopter, but one, CMSgt "Dick" Etchberger died en route. (In 2010, Etchberger was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.[7]) Eleven airmen left behind were initially listed as MIA/Laos, later changed to KIA.[8] [9]

Cold War

The Cold War years saw few dramatic changes within the Group. The focus of the Group turned to the development and acquisition of the new and improved radar bomb scoring equipment. In 1977, for example, the Multiple Threat Emitter System (MUTES) prototype underwent initial operational evaluation. Efforts to improve TLQ-11 jamming capabilities were underway the following year. In October 1978 the MUTES was officially welcomed into the SAC training program.

Into 1979 Group members continued to work on new equipment with the completion of a prototype study and the advent of conceptual tests for a new radar receiver, the Threat Reaction Analysis Indicator System (TRAINS). This new radar receiver would analyze how the crews and their equipment reacted to ground-based threats such as air-to-air missile systems. The development of SEEK SCORE, an improved radar scoring system, was also underway.

Into the 1980s the personnel of the 1st Combat Evaluation Group continued to provide the best radar bomb scoring services in existence. This, combined with the development and acquisition of new and sophisticated equipment, plays a major role in the readiness of the Strategic Air Command and the security of the United States.

The end

1 CEVG became known as the 99th Electronic Combat Range Group (99 ECRG) around 1990 – which was subsequently disbanded in 1995.

Major command

Air Division

None – reported directly to the Deputy Commander for Operations (DCO,) SAC Hq., Offutt AFB, Neb.

Re-designations

  • Radar Calibration Det (218 NY) Myitkyina, Burma World War II
  • Fighter Control Squadron Philippines World War II
  • Radar Bomb Scoring Group (SAC) Carswell AFB, Texas 10 August 1954 – 21 July 1961; CO: Lt Col (then Colonel) Otis Parks [1]
  • 1st Combat Evaluation Group (1 August 1961–????)
  • 99 Electronic Combat Range Group (99ECRG) around 1990 – which was subsequently disbanded in 1995 [2]

Subordinate units

Det = Detachment (military); OL = Operating Location
  • Det 1 – La Junta, Colorado
  • Det 2, 2nd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron. Holbrook Air Force Station, Holbrook, Arizona[10]
  • Det 3 – Statesboro, Georgia
  • Det 4 – Harrison, Arkansas
  • Det 5 – Wilder, Idaho
  • Det 6 – Bay Shore, Michigan,
  • Det 7 – Ashland Strategic Training Range, Ashland, Maine

OLA-7 BusySkyspot. Matagorda Island Air Force Base[11]

Locations

See also

Operation Menu

References

  1. ^ REEVES INSTRUMENT CO GARDEN CITY NY (1965). AN/MSQ-35 RADAR BOMB SCORING CENTRAL. Defense Technical Information Center. p. 229.
  2. ^ "In regards to the SAC radar bomb scoring squadron mounted on railroad cars" (PDF). Mobile Military Radar web site. 22 February 2007. pp. 12K. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  3. ^ Maier, Lothar Nick (©2002.). B*U*F*F : (big, ugly, fat, f*****) : a novel from the B-52 Vietnam bombing operations. Plano, Texas: Lambis Ltd. Press. Co-published by Trafford Publishing. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-55395-049-3. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ 1CEVG member. "Combat SkySpot". unit history. Tripod. Retrieved 24 September 2010. Six men ...killed on 5 June 1966:
    Guerin, SSgt John P.
    James, A1C Rufus L.
    Mansfield, TSgt Bruce E.
    Marks, TSgt Antone P.
    Olds, SSgt Jerry
    Vasquez, SSgt Ephraim {{cite web}}: line feed character in |quote= at position 44 (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ 1CEVG member. "The COMBAT SKYSPOT memorial at Andersen AFB Guam, September, 1999". unit history. limasite85.us. Retrieved 23 September 2010. The memorial consists of an AN/MSQ-77 (AN/TSQ-81) parabolic antenna poised at 45 degrees elevation. It is situated directly behind the ARC LIGHT Memorial, a B52D Stratofortress which flew dozens of missions over North Vietnam. The aircraft and the radar are facing the Vietnam theater, in solemn tribute to the men who flew the weapons and the men who directed them over targets of opportunity.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Member (2002). "Installation of the TSQ-81 at Phou Pha Thi". unit history. limasite85.us. Retrieved 26 September 2010. In April of 1967 the Air Force issued a contract to The Reeves Instrument Corporation based in New York to develop a mobile, light weight, air transportable version of the AN/MSQ-77 Radar Bombing Control System to be called the AN/TSQ-81.
  7. ^ Air Force Retiree News Service (8 September 2010). "Airman receiving Medal of Honor for 1968 actions". Air Force Retiree Services AFPC/DPSIAR. Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4713. Retrieved 10 September 2010. President Obama approved the Medal of Honor, which will be presented in a White House ceremony 21 Sept.. The following day, an induction ceremony of Chief Etchberger into The Hall of Heroes will take place in the Pentagon. (Courtesy of Air Force News Service)
  8. ^ Castle, Timothy N (1999). One Day Too Long : Top Secret Site 85 and the Bombing of North Vietnam. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. xvi, 371. ISBN 0-231-10316-6. KIA:
    Blanton, Lt Col Clarence F.
    Calfee, TSgt James H.
    Etchberger, CMSgt Richard L.
    Gish, SSgt Henry G.
    Hall, SSgt Willis R.
    Holland, TSgt Melvin A.
    Kirk, SSgt Herbert A.
    Price, SSgt David S.
    Shannon, TSgt Patrick L.
    Springsteadah, TSgt Donald K.
    Worley, SSgt Don F. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); line feed character in |quote= at position 5 (help)
  9. ^ Prepared by CAPT EDWARD VALLENTINY (9 AUGUST 1968). "THE FALL OF SITE 85". Directorate, Tactical Evaluation CHECO Division, Project CHECO (C-ontemporary H-istorical E-xamination of C-urrent O-perations) Report. HQ PACAF. Managed by Hq PACAF, with elements at Hq 7AD and 7AF/13AF, Project CHECO provides a scholarly, "on-going" historical examination, documentation, and reporting on the overall documentation and examination which is being accomplished. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ former member. "Detachment 2 Holbrook, AZ". unit history. 1CEVGA. Retrieved 23 September 2010. CEVG/DET 2 was moved from Wall, SD to Holbrook, AZ in 1968. (Holbrook Aerial View:) We were up and running around the middle of April. The site remained in Holbrook until 1990 when we became 99 ECRG/DET 2
  11. ^ member. "Skyspot Training". unit history. Combat SkySpot. Retrieved 23 September 2010. The Skyspot training program was called BUSY SKYSPOT.... The initial training was accomplished at Detachment 7, on Matagorda Island.
  12. ^ member. "OL-23, Udorn Royal Thai Air Base". unit history. Combat SkySpot. Retrieved 23 September 2010. OL-23 (call sign LID) was very involved with the war in Laos, and ran many Arc Light strikes against targets in northern Laos.
  13. ^ "Andersen AFB "Arc Light Memorial" and the "Combat Skyspot Memorial"". unit history. Hawkins Web Sites. Retrieved 23 September 2010. The COMBAT SKYSPOT memorial at Andersen AFB Guam, September, 1999. The memorial consists of an AN/MSQ-77 (AN/TSQ-81) parabolic antenna poised at 45 degrees elevation.
  14. ^ member. "OL-26, 1st Combat Evaluation Group, Binh Thuy AB, RVN mid-1970". unit history. Combat SkySpot. Retrieved 23 September 2010. OL-26 (call sign GAP) was deeply involved with the secret bombing in Cambodia...
  • Strategic Air Command. (1988) SAC Unit Mission and History Summaries. Omaha, Nebraska: HQ SAC.
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