SAC Elite Guard Association

The Strategic Air Command (SAC) came into existence 21 March 1946 as General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz, Commanding General of the Army Air Force gave SAC a permanent mission to become combat ready for immediate operations either as a stand alone unit or with other forces against enemies of the United States.  General George Kenney became first commander of SAC which was headquartered at Boling Field, Washington, D.C.  In late 1946 SAC Hq moved to Andrews Field, Maryland.  After two years of post war downsizing and the establishment of an independent Air Force, Lt. General Curtis LeMay in Oct 1948 was given command of SAC.  General LeMay went on to build the most potent military force on earth.  General LeMay oversaw its relocation to Offutt Air Force Base, where he built the headquarters base and it’s command center from the ground up.  Construction on the headquarters began in April of 1955 and completed in 1956 at a cost of $65 million (in 1996 dollars).  SAC is now known as the United States Strategic Command. 

Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt AFB, formerly known as Fort Crook, was for many years the home of the 22nd U.S. Infantry. Construction of the original fort was completed in 1896. In 1924, Fort Crook was renamed “Offutt Field” in honor of 1st Lt Jarvis J. Offutt, who lost his life in 1918 while flying with the Royal Air Force in France. He was Omaha’s first casualty of World War 1.
Early Photos of Offutt Field, Ft Crook, Nebraska	Jarvis J. Offutt

 

During WW2, principal activities of the base were the operation of a Martin bomber plant and  prisoner of war camp for captured Italians.

In March 1948, SAC moved to its new headquarters at Offutt AFB.

The total area of the base is 1887 acres.  This is exclusive of the Capehart housing area, which covers 465 acres.  The latest population figures for Offutt AFB (1965) including SAC headquarters, lists 2,094 officers, 7,743 airmen and 1296 civilian employees.  The 21,708 dependents residing in Wherry and Capehart housing push the total figure to 33,341, making it one of the largest communities in the state of Nebraska.**(source Directorate of Information, Headquarters SAC, Offutt AFB, Nebraska circa 1965.)