Date

Dec 21, 1962

Description

The United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) did not play a central role in the missile crisis, but it undertook preparatory measures if a worsening situation led to threats to West Berlin. Weeks before the crisis broke, however, USAFE was being pulled into Cuban contingency planning with a request on 6 October to have assigned C-130s “be earmarked for commitment to these plans.” USAFE commanders had no idea what the plans were or that the Joint Chiefs were actively reviewing invasion plans.[17] On 22 October, CINCUSAFE General Truman Landon and his staff learned about the discovery of the Soviet missiles; the next day, he ordered a “discreet increase in the overall combat capability of his forces, which was to be carried out in a gradual and unobtrusive fashion to avoid exacerbating tensions in Europe.” To increase readiness, training operations were cut back among other measures excised from this chronology. Consequently, the number of USAFE fighter interceptors on “short alert” was doubled. On 24 November, USAFE returned to its normal readiness posture.

Source

MDR request to U.S. Air Force

Document published in following posting(s):

Crises, Alerts, and DEFCONS, 1961-1976 – Part II

Apr 8, 2021

Headquarters, United States Air Forces in Europe, Office of Information, United States Air Forces in Europe Chronology of the Cuban Crisis USAFE for the Period 6 October thru 24 November 1962, 21 December 1962, Top Secret (with correspondence and memos attached), Top Secret, excised copy