In 1949, the Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson cut back radically the
Armed Forces' programs for weapons and support systems. The
Korean War, in which the Soviet Union and Communist China openly
supported and militarily joined North Korea against the United Nations,
was launched the following year.
In the early '50s, Hqs AFMC had Command jurisdiction of 8 major
industrial depots and at least an equal number of sub-depots and special
activities throughout the continental U S and in foreign countries
(Europe, Philippines, Japan, Middle East, North Africa, etc.)
For several years following the end of WW2 and creation of the
autonomous Air Force the logistical missions, organizations, and
personnel policies for active duty military and civil service personnel
experienced important changes in their management, location, and
performance of functions. The changes were reflected in chain of
command, consolidation and/or wholesale reassignment of materiel
property classes, Hqs components and field organizations, transferring
or eliminating low priority workloads and assuming new missions and
industrial workloads. Concurrently, the worldwide Cold War and its
effects steadily increased in scope and intensity throughout Europe,
Africa, and the Far East. Extensive and ongoing reductions-in-force
among military and civil service personnel accompanied a nationwide
conversion from war to civilian economies.
In 1950, shortly before US military action in Korea (see June 30, 1950
in Time Line), I was assigned to supervise several supply technicians.
The primary function of my group was to determine USAF worldwide
requirements and distribution for emergency survival equipment which
included parachutes, aircrew emergency life preservers, emergency
survival kits and their components, and other aircrew personal
emergency gear for USAF-worldwide.
Parachutes then in the possession of USAF field commands and in
back-up supply warehouses throughout the world had been procured for
WW2, which had ended 5 years previously. An unknown quantity of
parachutes in warehouse storage at USAF installations had been
declared excess to requirements or were close to their maximum
authorized 'years in service since dates of manufacture' (the date of
manufacture was stamped on the canopy). At the 'maximum' age of 7
years, personnel parachutes were, by USAF regulation, to be removed
from further service for aircrew emergency bailout, although they could
be used for cargo drops.
Computing quantities of serviceable parachutes and spare parts to be on
hand Computing quantities of serviceable parachutes and spare parts to
be on hand for the USAF active and programmed aircraft inventory was
made by type of parachute, e.g., seat, back or chest, as applicable to
aircraft type. Parachute type depended on crewmember or passenger
stations; space available in cockpit and cabin; access to and through
emergency exits; and the aircrew member's weight, e.g., aircrew or
passengers above a certain total weight (body weight plus flight clothing,
emergency kit, flotation gear plus the parachute) were entitled to a
parachute having a larger diameter canopy.) Based on aircraft type and
aircrew stations (or special circumstances) the harness of a 'quick
attachable chest' chute (QAC) might also be worn in flight and the pack
hooked to it before bailout.
Requirements computations for parachutes took into account quantities
in service by type (back, seat, chest), in the pipeline, and in back-up
warehouse storage (serviceable and repairable). Information on quantity
and condition of parachutes in storage was not reliable in the years
immediately following the end of WW2.
Translating a requirement into acquisition called for justifying funds,
ensuring that procurement and manufacturing specifications and tech
data were current, and initiating and monitoring acquisition documents.
New production parachutes from a commercial source received an
acceptance inspection before being shipped to a USAF regional or
property class depot or directly to the base supply activity where the
requirement existed. There, the parachutes was scheduled to the base
parachute shop (part of the Maintenance function) where it received an
Air Force directed technical inspection, aired, pre-pack re-inspection,
packed for service, post-pack inspection a supervisor or certified
inspector and returned to 'Supply' for further processing to complete the
requisitioning transaction.
USAF parachutes procured from a commercial contractor
(manufacturer) are normally shipped unpacked (that is, with the canopy
rolled up loosely in the canopy container (pack) and the 4 webbing
harness risers permanently connected to the canopy suspension lines by
4 stainless steel links; six suspension (shroud) lines tied and
permanently stitched to each link. When suspension lines and harness
webbing are so stitched, undoing the stitches weakens reliability at vital
points; damaged suspension lines and harnesses must be replaced.
The servicing and packing log, which is marked with the same USAF
serial number as the parachute pack and canopy, is signed by the rigger
and inserted in a pocket on the pack assembly During WW2 and on
into the '50s USAF certified military and civil service parachute riggers
prepared parachutes for service.