THE B-36 DECADE
by George Savage
The B-36 decade began at Carswell Air Force Base (now known as: Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Joint Reserve Base, Carswell Field) on 26 June 1948 when B-36A #44-92004 was delivered to the 492nd Bomb Squadron, 7th Bomb Group. It ended on 30 May 1958 when the last B-36 left Carswell AFB.
Two Bombardment units were assigned to Carswell, the 7th Bomb Group with the 9th, 436th and 492nd Bomb Squadrons and the 11th Bomb Group with the 26th, 42nd and the 98th Bomb Squadrons. The 1lth was inactive at the time of the first B-36 delivery but was activated on 1 December 1948. It received its first B-36, a B-36A transferred from the 7th Bomb Group, on 17 January 1949. In February 1951, both unit designations were changed from "Group" to "Wing" and the earlier term was retired.
Carswell did not consist of Bombardment units only. Other units on the base, without which their achievements would not have been possible, ably supported the Bombardment units. These units, covering all elements of activity, included the Air Police, Food Service, Communications, Supply, Motor Vehicle, Service, Medical and other base activities.
The Strategic Air Command (SAC) had begun an annual competition to recognize the best Bombardment Units in SAC. Spirited competition between Bombardment units was the result. In 1949 the 7th and 11th entered their first competition with the 7th placing 4th and the 11th placing 13th (out of 13 participating units, 3 B-36, 8 B-29 and 2 B-50 units). By 1954 the Carswell units were recognized as the best in SAC. Of 23 Bombardment units (6 B-36, 15 B-47 and 2 B-50 wings), the 1lth and 7th finished first and second respectively for the Fairchild Trophy "Best Bomb Wing in SAC". In addition to the Fairchild Trophy, the 1lth won "Best B-36 Wing", "Best Overall Crew", and "Best B-36 Crew". The 7th Wing took "Best Bombing Crew". 11th crews were: 42nd Bomb Sq. - AC Mai John P. McKinnon, RN Maj. George P. Knobel and NAV Maj. John P. Farrell (winners of Best Overall and Best B-36 Crew); 98th Bomb Sq. - AC Maj James H. Seely, RN Maj P. 'Ben' Raja, NAV Capt John P. Powell. 7th Bomb Wing crews were led by Lt Col Robert Barouch 436th Bomb Sq. and Maj Truxton S. Whitney 492ndth Bomb Sq. Maj. Whitney's crew, with RN Lt Col Hunter H. Harrell and NAV Maj Al Leferink, won "Best Bombing Crew."
In the 1955 SAC Bombing Competition, 7th Wing crews led by Capt. Jones 9th Bomb Sq. and Maj Whitney 492nd Bomb Sq. placed 4th overall. Lt Col Seely's crew, 98th Bomb Sq., 11th Bomb Wing, was judged "Best B-36 Crew" in SAC.
In 1956 the 11th Bomb Wing again won the Fairchild Trophy and the 7th Bomb Wing placed in the top 10. The 11th winning crews were: AC Lt Col James Seely, RN Maj 'Ben' Raia and NAV Maj John Powell, 98th Bomb Sq and AC Capt Pat O'Malley, RN Maj Frank Detroy and NAV Capt Bob James. Lt Col Seely's crew also won "Best B-36 Crew in SAC" for the second year in a row.
In 1957, 47 Wings participated; 28 B-47, 5 RB-47, 5 B-36, 5 B-52 and 4 RAF wings. The 11th, represented by AC Robert D. Peterson, RN Maj. Jeff Simpson and NAV Maj. Dean Hyatt 26 Bomb Sq. and AC Maj. Jim Lindsey, RN Maj. Frank Fucich and NAV Maj. John Lonsdale, 42nd Bomb Sq., won "Best B-36 Wing", "Best Overall Crew", and "Best Wing Navigation". The 7thWing, represented by Lt Col Clifford Schoeffier 9th Bomb Sq and Maj. Lawrence Berneburg 436th Bomb Sq., placed in the top 20.
The B-36 never fired a shot in anger nor dropped a bomb on an enemy position. When the Korean War began, the B-36 was instead a potent weapon in the effort to prevent expansion of that war. It was indeed a "Peacemaker", the official Air Force name for the B-36.
The B-36 program did not end with departure of the last B-36 from Carswell. Because SAC took great effort to maintain its B-36 capability, many Carswell personnel were not subject to a transfer every two years or so. Many were stationed for over five years and some over 10 years. Many of those adopted Ft. Worth as a "Home-Away-From-Home" and fell in love with the area and its natives. And when it came time to retire from the Air Force, they chose to retire in the Ft. Worth area resulting in the Ft Worth/Dallas Metroplex having the second largest population of Air Force retirees.
But the B-36 story lives on. In 1981 a group of retirees that had been stationed on Carswell during the B-36 era, 1948 - 1958, got together and formed the "7th Bomb Wing B-36 Association". Its membership was open to everyone stationed on Carswell during the B-36 era and as of this date, there are almost 900 members from all organizations. They include aircrews, ground crews and admin personnel from the Bomb Wings and personnel from all supporting units such as Medics, Air Police, Base Supply, etc. All personnel who flew, maintained and supported the B-36 program or were stationed at Carswell during that period are welcome. But the real welcome comes once every two years when the Association has its reunion at a convenient location in Ft. Worth. The next reunion will be April 19-22, 2001.
The feelings of those in the B-36 program can best be described by the program summary as it appears in "PEACEMAKER, History of the B-36 at Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, Texas" published under the auspices of the 7th Bomb Wing B-36 Association:
According to the US Navy, the B-36 program was a terrible waste of aluminum that could have been put to better use making pots and pans. But how was the Navy to know that a bunch of guys would be assigned to Carswell AFB who didn't know that if they worked as hard as it took to support, maintain and fly the B-36, that they would all die in a month?
Since they didn't know anything, they didn't die -- and the B-36 became the premier nuclear deterrent of the 50's, much to the chagrin of the US Navy. Besides, their wives wouldn't let them hang around the house.
As most members remember, the "B" model did have some of the characteristics derided by the Navy. It took off at 150, cruised at 150 and landed at 150. But that was the "B' model. "B" for "Before Jets"!
When the jets were hung on that bird, it became a Goin' Jessie. At its effective altitude it could fly farther, faster and higher that any other warbird. It also carried more and bigger bombs than anything else -- before or since.
Declassified military secrets now reveal after all these years, as all crewmembers knew, there wasn't a single target in the USSR that B-36 crewmembers couldn't and wouldn't destroy.
But all the things the B-36 would do only became possible because of the blood, sweat and fears of the people who supported, maintained and operated that big bird. That's FEARS, not TEARS. They were too tough to cry but they did have fears. They were afraid to fail and did anything and everything required to get the job done, even if it was impossible. Those dummies didn't know it was impossible so they did it anyway!
Don't think the Air Force types did it all by themselves. For many, it was the distaff side that took up the slack that made it work. It should be noted that, in all honesty, those AF types did not arrange to be TDY when the kids got the flu. Nor did they arrange to fly or work for 20 hours every time the car got a flat tire. They were just lucky?
So, here they are, with their own little Association and "Mutual Admiration Society". And for those who might think that their egos may be a bit large, in the words of the immortal bard, "IT AIN'T BRAGGIN' IF YOU REALLY DONE IT!"