HISTORY - Page 74
orientation course. On the 13th of January, these plans
were further refined, and the actual training of USAF
personnel did not begin until March
102
.
According to the Army-Air Force agreement, ABMA
would provide individual training to the degree that a
man became proficient in performing a particular task
associated with the handling and operation of the
JUPITER. The Strategic Air Command (SAC) was
responsible for conducting crew or integrated weapon
system training (IWST) at Cooke* Air Force Base,
California. The Army's portion comprised 20 courses:
16 being conducted at OGMS; three at the Army
Engineer School, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia; and a special
weapons course at Lowry AFB, Colorado
103
.
In July 1958, the Air Force scrapped its plans to conduct
IWST at Cooke. Instead, this training was conducted at
Redstone. This action pressed the installation to
prepare the site and secure the necessary training
equipment. A strike by construction workers further
complicated the problem. It was September before a
settlement was effected, and November before the
IWST area was available. The December deployment
date was close at hand, but agreements had not been
signed with the host country. So it was realized that
the training portion would not be too pressed
104
.
_____________________________
102. MFR, 9 Jan 58, subj: Opnl Planning Conf for Utilization of the JUP Msl Wpn Sys; SACOP 1-
58, 4 Mar 58, subj: SM-78 (JUP) Opnl Plan, Hist Off files. Appendix 12 contains a resume of
JUPITER Individual training courses.
* Later renamed Vandenberg.
103. SACOP 1-58, 4 Mar 58, subj: SM-78 (JUP) Opnl Plan; Hist of the JUP Tng Pro, p. 28
104. JUP Prog Rpt for Jul 58, 8 Aug 58; JUP Prog Rpt for Sep 58, 8 0ct 58, Hist Off files.