Leading The Way: The History of Air Force Civil Engineers, 1907-2012 - Airfields, Red Horse, World War I and II, Special Projects, DEW Line, BMEWS, ICBM, Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, Air Force Academy

Professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction, this unique book provides a comprehensive history of U.S. Air Force civil engineers from 1907 through 2012. In 1941, Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold said "Air bases are a determining factor in the success of air operations. The two-legged stool of men and planes would topple over without this equally important third leg." His prescient insight has not changed over the years. But bases don't just appear out of thin air, they have to be planned, built, operated, maintained, recovered and divested. That is the mission of Air Force Civil Engineers, who contribute to airpower by working behind the scenes to provide that "equally important third leg." From dirt airstrips to sophisticated cyberspace facilities, bases have transformed over time to reflect changing technology and threats. Air Force Civil Engineers have also changed their tools, equipment, vehicles, materials, and organizational framework to adapt over time. What has always been unwavering is the commitment of Engineers to the mission, hard work and excellence.

This year we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Prime BEEF program, the cornerstone of Air Force Civil Engineers' wartime mission since 1964. Next year, in 2015, we will also celebrate RED HORSE's golden anniversary. Over the past half century, the Prime BEEF bull and the RED HORSE have become widely recognized symbols of excellence in agile combat support around the world. From Vietnam to Afghanistan, Air Force Civil Engineers have proudly worn these patches that represent the tradition of service built by their predecessors.

CHAPTER 1 * BUILDING THE FOUNDATION, 1907-1947 * The Army Takes Wing * Support for the Training Mission * Early Airfield Sites * Facilities for the First Operational Units * Establishing Infrastructure for World War I * The United States Enters the War * Oversight of the Construction Program * Construction on the Home Front * The Role of Military Engineers * Engineers "Over There" * Spin-Offs of the War * Dreams Versus Reality * Army Reorganization Act of 1920 * Air Installations in the Early 1920s * Support to Civil Aviation * The Air Corps Act of 1926 * The Air Corps Expansion Program * Heart of the Depression * General Headquarters Air Force Emphasis on National Defense * The Life of a Post Engineer with the Air Corps * Building for War * Stateside Training Bases * Aviation Engineers in World War II * Alaska * Panama * Atlantic and Caribbean Bases * Hawaii and the Pacific * England * North Africa * Sicily, Italy, and Southern France * Normandy to V-E Day * Pearl Harbor and the Early War in the Pacific * North Pacific * Australia * South Pacific * Southwest Pacific * Central Pacific * Philippines * China-Burma-India * Iwo Jima and Okinawa * The War's End * Occupation Forces * Lessons Learned from World War II * CHAPTER 2 * ESTABLISHING INDEPENDENCE, 1947-1959 * Introduction * The New Air Force * Air Staff Organization 1945-1947 * Establishment of an Independent Air Force, 1947-1951 * Directorate of Installations at Air Force Headquarters * Programming * Beginnings of a Professional Development Program * Building the Permanent Bases * Air Force Installations Representatives * Construction Programs * Special Projects * Wherry and Capehart Family Housing Programs * Radar and Communications Facilities * Aircraft Control and Warning (AC&W) Sites * Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line * DYE Stations * Texas Towers * Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) * Into the Missile Age * BOMARC * Intercontinental Ballistic Missile and Intermediate Range Missile Programs * Construction of Missile Testing Facilities * Thor * Atlas and Titan * Minuteman * Construction of the U.S. Air Force Academy * Overseas Construction