Question: Nuclear Missions

[KC-10 Driver]

A great biography of Gen Lemay is "Iron Eagle".

Even though he finished his Air Force career as Vice Chief of Staff, he will be forever remembered as CinC SAC.

 

[talondriver]

A great biography of Gen Lemay is "Iron Eagle".

Even though he finished his Air Force career as Vice Chief of Staff, he will be forever remembered as CinC SAC.

I had the honor of meeting Gen Lemay. He was the guest of the SAC ORI team when they paid us a "visit". I never comlained about alert after the General told us how alert was in the "good ol' days".

 

[SelectZoneFive]

Tell more....

Just out of general curiosity what kind of things would you get up to in your day to day sac ops?

I don't know a great deal about it, but I do remember a freind of mines father, telling some stories. Things like sitting in a bunker and waiting for the siren to go off and then they would all scramble to get going.

SZF.

 

[Bubba Dog]

Flew EC and KC-135's for SAC 1983-1989. Very professional group of people and proud to have served. One week on,two weeks off. In the two weeks off alert you would fly your training missions and ground training was done. For every day on alert you got half a day off. usually came on wed.,off next wed. had Thur-sun. off. While on alert you had the finance committe meetings that would sometimes go to 1 AM,pool,foos ball,library,had your own chow hall with mid night chow if you wanted.. Checked out the women in the BX and bowling alley daily and don't forget the sunday brunch at the o club.Nothing like responding to your aircraft in your Dodge 6 pack from somewhere on the base ,a licence to speed and act crazy,after that you get to start 4 jet engines with powder charges,what a rush,decode the message and see if it is the real thing or not,and then play chicken with the guy in front of you in the christmas tree.The elephant walks were always fun if you were the first one out,if the last ,you were the last back to parking and supper or lunch might be cold.Had the run of the Gym after hours,racquetball,basketball,etc. The movies would start the night before you got off alert. Fore-play after seven days of alert is when you are in the house and the bags have officially hit the floor. Up to eight crews living ,eating ,sleeping together for seven days at a time,what a life!! Good memories,I didn't realize it at the time though.Also we were the rent a crowd for any function the staff needed us for. SAC was good to their people and families and that is what made it tolerable.