King Salmon Combat Alert Center

NORAD: "ALL UNITS ... THIS IS A MISSILE ATTACK WARNING."

"We have an indication that

Russia has launched ICBMs towards the U.S. ..."

September AND AGAIN, in December, 1979

Introduction:

A Combat Alert Center (hereafter referred to as the CAC), part of the old Air Defense Command and NORAD, is

the local facility at any given location that has a number of aircraft that are on alert, to intercept and/or destroy

enemy aircraft that penetrate the air corridors of the United States. The Combat Alert Center itself is in a security

envelope, where only authorized personnel are allowed to enter. Depending on the mission of each CAC, the

controllers (persons assigned to the CAC) may or may not wear sidearms, to ensure a safe secure environment,

where no body but them can initiate a launch of the alert aircraft.

* While stationed at Randolph AFB, near San Antonio, Texas, I received an assignment to King Salmon Air Base,

in Alaska. The year was 1979. My duty was to be the Non-commissioned Officer In Charge of the Combat Alert Center, and to

* My first stop was at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, to receive cold weather survival training, and how to survive in the frigid waters of Alaska, in

case our aircraft crashed or was forced down, enroute to King Salmon (something pleasant to think about). I was then flown to King Salmon

in a small civilian airliner. Thiis was the only way in or out ... by air. Or, you could catch a supply or fishing boat out in the bay.

* King Salmon was a collection of interconnected WW ll era buildings, that had long hallways running the whole length. They were heated

very well, because in the cold season, one could not afford to get stuck outside. I can remember 50 degrees below zero one day! I spit on

the ground, to see how cold it really was, and before I could step on it - it was frozen! There were also two or three 2-story dormitory type

buildings that were living quarters. In the cold season, ice formed on the inside of the glass.

* I was supposed to have a two week training period, with the person I was replacing. After four days, he was shipped back to the states!

Great ... here I was, charged with supervising the CAC, and performing a multitude of duties I had never done before. I was the custodian

and responsible person for a ton of classified war plans, and cryptographic authenticators. I knew I was going to sink with the ship if

I didn't do something fast. I reported directly to the CAC at Elmendorf AFB, and didn't have to answer to anyone at King Salmon. That

didn't sit well with the Lt. Colonel that was my base commander. I was part of his Staff, but he had no control over me or the CAC. He was

later put under house arrest and relieved of his command, and sent back to Elmendorf AFB, where his family was, in disgrace. But,

that's another story ... high ranking officers should never stalk young enlisted girls, and be seen sneaking in and out of their rooms at

all hours of the night! It was sad, in a way - he was well-off, and had his own private airplane to fly back and forth to see his family.

* For my first week or so, I stayed in the CAC for about 16 hours or so each day, reading the War Plans, and learning the classified

authenticators, and procedures. This was the only way to communicate with NORAD in the event of an incident, or attack. Most everything was

given in code, and had to be decoded by the controller immediately. The working area of the CAC was a small cab that was attached

just below the roof line, to the side of the main building (hangar) that housed two F-4E Phantom jet fighters (interceptors). There were

large tinted windows on the front, and on each side ... similar to control towers at any airport. On the main console was a bank of telephones,

UHF aircraft radios, and two speaker boxes - one of them, having three colored lights below it. These speaker boxes could activate at any

moment, and command us to launch our two aircraft. The largest speaker was activated at NORAD (Cheyene Mountain, in Colorado Springs,

Co.). When it activated, a voice came alive, and gave a coded message (or in the clear - uncoded) that was being received by EVERY

Air Defense Command and NORAD facility in the United States, at one time! At the end of the message, NORAD would conduct a roll-

call of each facility, to ensure the message was received. The smaller speaker box (with the colored lights) was activated in the same

manner, but was sent from HQ. Alaskan Air Command, at Elmendorf AFB, to each of about four CACs in Alaska. We could be directed

to launch the aircraft by voice command OR from one of the colored lights coming on. Each light had a different meaning, requiring a certain

action. We frequently had faulty indications on the lights, and had to verify the validity on each light activation. The type of Russian aircraft

we were most likely to intercept in the event of an active air defense scramble, was the "Bear 'D'." It somewhat resembled the U.S. B-52

bomber, except it had twin counter-rotating props (four engines). The props turned at a supersonic speed, and many pilots complained

Late one night, in September (1979), The speaker from NORAD activated, and announced that NORAD had an indication that Russia

had launched multiple ICBMs (intercontinental ballastic missiles) towards the U.S., and was issuing a Missile Attack Warning! All CACs

were directed to scramble all aircraft to the end of the runway, and HOLD! That means don't take off until further instructions are

received. Atleast the aircraft wouldn't be sitting in the hangar, with the pilots asleep ... they'd be ready to take-off ASAP.

The security police sent a vehicle to pick me up at the dormitory, and by the time I got to the CAC, the aircraft were just about to the

end of the runway. I was brought up to speed on what happened, and we just sat and waited ... for the next message, or a missile to hit

the base. After about thirty minutes, the next message said to abort, and return the aircraft to alert status (back to the hangars).

The next morning, a General from Alaskan Air Command called me on the phone and wanted to know why we didn't tell our aircraft to

take-off. Not knowing what else to say, I told him the truth - we followed the orders that were given to us! "Well," he said, "you were

one of only two or three units that didn't launch their aircraft! I just wanted to know why you didn't launch." He was pleased with what

I told him, and hung up. I have the feeling that a lot of heads rolled that day, for launching contrary to NORAD orders. Not only did

some of the fighters launch, but some of the SAC aircraft (air refueling aircraft, etc.) launched as well. I made sure that my controller was well

recognized for doing a fine and correct job. You just didn't know what's going to happen from one moment to the next, during the Cold War.

Well, almost the same thing happened three months later, in December. I was back in Texas, on leave, and missed that one.

Like I said at the top, this was one of my best assignments during my 21 year career in the A.F. Adjoining the CAC, was a lounge and

recreation area for the four pilots, that were there for 7-day alerts. Both the aircraft and the pilots came to King Salmon from Elmendorf AFB,

for their alert tour. I was also a babysitter. One of my extra duties was making sure they had plenty of movies

to watch. I picked up full size reels from the base theater, and projected them. Of course, I was instrumental in running the poker and

blackjack table in the lounge also. There was an adjoining dining hall for all of us, and the cook always had food and snacks for us,

any time of the day or night. Other activities, were the pilots chasing one another around the lounge and dining hall, trying to stuff popcorn

into the shorts of another pilot. All in all, it was a great year out of my life, and gave me a lot of experience. The only drawback was that it