1st Combat Evaluation Group | |
---|---|
Active | 1961–1989 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | standardization & evaluation |
Part of | Strategic Air Command HQ |
Engagements | Battle of Lima Site 85 |
Commanders | |
Current commander |
Col Joseph D. White 1 Aug 1961 - 20 May
1964 |
The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit formed 1 August 1961 to merge the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group for SAC aircrew evaluation with the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group that had originated from the 263rd Army Air Force Base Unit which transferred from 15th AF to directly under Strategic Air Command c. 1946.[2] The 1CEVG formed after SAC switched to low-level tactics to counter Soviet surface-to-air missiles ("Oil Burner" training routes in 1959)[3] and SAC had "developed a Radar Bomb Scoring field kit for use in NIKE Systems" in early 1960 for scoring SAC training missions against US Hercules SAM sites.[4] The 1CEVG headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base included an Office of History[2] and a "standardization and evaluation school" for command examiners.[5]
Standardization and Evaluation[]
The 1CEVG deputy commander for standardization and evaluation[6] was responsible for performance assessment of SAC bomber crews. 1CEVG also "evaluated the RC-135 units at Eielson, Kadena, and Offutt [and handled] the flight crew standardization of the U-2, the DC-130 reconnaissance drone program, CH-3 helicopter drone recovery program, [and] the SR-71 program at Beale AFB."[7]
Fairchild Trophy[]
The Fairchild Trophy was "Strategic Air Command's Top Bombardment Award" which for which "1 Combat Evaluation Group administered flight checks and evaluated standardization and training activities".[8]
Divisions[]
1CEVG included a Command Instrument Flight Division[9] and an RBS Division with 3 squadrons, which as a group in 1959 had 29 AUTOTRACK sites[10] (1CEVG temporary duty personnel at Nike Defense Areas also scored mock SAC raids tracked by the Army.) The RBS squadrons were inactivated in 1966 after the number of 1CEVG detachments decreased following deployments to the Vietnam War.
Detachments 7 & 50[]
Detachment 7, 1CEVG was a Matagorda Island Air Force Base[11][verification needed] radar site for the "Busy Skyspot" training program for automatic tracking radar crews to use the Reeves AN/MSQ-77 Bomb Directing Central before transferring to Vietnam War operating locations. A CONUS AN/MSQ-77 had initially been used at the mountainous Nellis Air Force Range before being moved to the Gulf Coast of the United States, then the detachment moved to Bergstrom Air Force Base and was redesignated Det 50 for long range tracking of bombers[11] on 2 Matagorda Island Air Force Range routes (low- and high-level).[12] On February 29, 1968, on the low-level Matagorda route a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.[12]
Detachment 15[]
Detachment 15, 1CEVG at the Vietnam War's Tan Son Nhut Air Base served as an "administrative link between [the operating locations] and Headquarters 1st Combat Evaluation Group"[13] after Reeves AN/MSQ-77 Bomb Directing Centrals were produced and deployed in 1965 for Combat Skyspot bomber operations by the Tactical Fighter, B-52 units, and other organizations (e.g., Seventh Air Force). On 5 June 1966 near Dong Ha Marine Combat Base close to the DMZ, six 1CEVG technicians were killed while conducting a preliminary site location survey.[14]
Lineage[]
- Constituted as the 3903d Radar Bomb Scoring Group from the 3903d RBS Squadron (at Carswell AFB beginning 24 Feb 48)[15] and predecessor 263rd AAF Base Unit[16]
- Redesignated 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group on 10 August 1954
- Merged with the 3958 Opl Evaluation & Tng Gp for the B-58 on 15 Mar 60[15]
- Redesignated 1st Combat Evaluation Group at Carswell AFB prior to 21 July 1961 for the merger of the Barksdale AFB 3908th Strategic Standardization Group[15] and 1st RBS Group[17]
- Redesignated 1st Electronic Combat Range Group on 1 July 1989[17] from the assets and personnel of the Radar Bomb Scoring Division, 1CEVG
Squadrons[]
- 10th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – 19 September 1966
- 11th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – 22 August 1966, March AFB, California
- 12th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – 25 July 1966, Turner AFB, Georgia
- 13th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, 10 August 1954 – unknown[citation needed]
References[]
- ↑ https://archive.is/20130816095423/groups.yahoo.com/group/combatevaluationgroup/message/854?threaded=1&var=1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 tbd (9 November 1983) (MobileRadar.org transcription). Historical Summary: Radar Bomb Scoring, 1945–1983 (Report). Office of History, 1st Combat Evaluation Group. http://www.mobileradar.org/Documents/hist_sum_rad_bom_scrg.pdf. Retrieved 2012-05-21. "'"
- ↑ http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth150424/m1/7/zoom/
http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/galkie/jetplanes.html - ↑ http://ed-thelen.org/WesternElectricNikeHerculesBrown.pdf
- ↑ http://www.af.mil/INFORMATION/BIOS/BIO.ASP?BIOID=5185
- ↑ http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=7640
- ↑ http://55wa.org/CORP_HQ/Newsletters/200611newsletter.pdf
- ↑ (abstract at Air Force History Index.org) 4137 Strategic Wing: Management Control Data (Report). 1961, declassified 12-15-1961. http://airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/461/029.xml. Retrieved 2013-08-30. "Wing experienced first missile incident (GAM-77-2123) on 17 May 61. By end of reporting period [10-31-1961], wing possessed 32 guided air missiles (GAM)-72's and 12 GAM-77's."
- ↑ "Tome H. Walters, Jr." (biography). http://www.google.com/#q=%22Command+Instrument+Flight+Division%22. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
- ↑ Alexander, Sigmund. "Bombing With the Beam". http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Documents/2006/June%202006/0606bombing.pdf. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Skyspot Training". Combat-SkySpot.tripod.com. [when?]. http://combat-skyspot.tripod.com/BusySkyspot.htm. Retrieved 23 Sep 2010. "The Skyspot training program was called BUSY SKYSPOT… The initial training was accomplished at Detachment 7, on Matagorda Island."
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "title tbd". http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/aircraft_by_type/b52_stratofortress.htm. Retrieved 2013-08-26. "A few pieces of foam and Frank Salavaria's summer flight jacket washed up on the beach near Corpus"
- ↑ "Smith, Lowell Vetter, TSgt" (biography webpage). TogetherWeServed.com. http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=81556. Retrieved 2013-08-26. "He served with the 1st Combat Evaluations Group, 7th Air Force, Vietnam." [sic][Clarification needed] NOTE: Bio includes testamonial with "I was serving as NCOIC, Detachment 15, at the time of the incident, and was wounded in the same attack. We also had three additional personnel wounded. Another SAC unit (SACADVON) had 5 personnel billeted with us. One of them, SSgt Johnny Rose, was killed and at least two others wounded. According to some records I've seen, SSgt Norman E. Thomas was also killed in this attack, although I do not remember him as being one of the troops billeted with us."
- ↑ 1CEVG member ([when?]). "Combat SkySpot". unit history. Tripod. Archived from the original on 2010-11-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20101101231201/http://combat-skyspot.tripod.com/CSS.htm. 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;"
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Mueller (1982). Air Force Bases as of 1982 (Report).
- ↑ 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Group (retrieved unknown)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 MacDonald, Ray (29 January 2002). "Detachment 2 Holbrook, AZ" (history anecdote). 1 CEVG/DET 2 History (A fluid Document). 1CEVGA.com. http://1cevga.com/det2.htm. Retrieved 2013-01-20. ""1 CEVG/Det. 2 was moved from Wall, SD to Holbrook, AZ in 1968. We were up and running around the middle of April. …1990 when we became 99 ECRG/DET 2 . The last RBS/ECM sortie was on or about September 13, 1993. The last ECM-only sortie was on or about September 30, 1993. A B1-B from Dyes (not positive) flew the last RBS/ECM mission. A C-130 from Hulburt Field flew the last ECM mission. The period of time between October 1, 1993 and Christmas was used for decommissioning the systems""
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