Page:Legislative History of the AAF and USAF.djvu/113

 �This Page Declassified lAW EO12958 106 t U,.AF [STOR[CAt S'TES For fiscal year 1949 new obligational au- thority granted directly to the Ar Force tatsled $,,941,911,000. In addition appro- mately $2,040,000,000 was provided under Army appropriations for the Air Force. This total of $4,981,911,000 represented approm- mately 37 per cent o/the total approprmted for the Army, Navy, and the Ar Force.* These ratios point up the growth of the importance of the Ar Force in the defense of the United States."" The big battle over Air Force approprm- tiens came during Congressional debates over the military budget for fiscal year 1950. In its 1948-49 Air Force authoriza- tions and appropriations, Congress had fol- lowed the recommendation of the Finlet- ter Commissiont and the Congressional Aviation Policy Board: $2,806,982,571 in cash and contract authority for fiscal year 1949, plus $1,749,314,570 brought forward from previous years, was made available for expanding the Air Force to the 70-Group level. By December 1948 the Air Force had a total of 59 groups, and it planned to reach authorized strength early m fiscal year 1950. z But the administration became economy-minded. Carl Vinson, Chairman oœ the House MLlitary Aftmrs Committee, demanded a 70-group Ar Force, and the House succeeded, by taking funds from Army and Navy appropriations, m passing a measure granting funds suffiment to re- alize Vinson's demands. The lenate con- curred despite strong oppositmn from the economy bloc. President Truman effectively countered ths move by impoundLug the extra funds, some $82.,000,000, after Con- gross had adjourned. Louis A. Johnson, who was appointed Secretary of Defene when Forrestal's resignation was an- nounced on 3 arch 1949, igorousty en- forced the administration's economy policy. Evidently 22 Air Force groups were part of the fat which Secretary Johnson ad he would pare from the Natmnai Military ES- .cash appropriations ad new e011gational ntltlterity pro- vided for the Army In Escal year 1V45 came to $,21,101,025, he Navy's share of the national defense bude or fiscal I49 cme to $4,4,60,$60 ee Department el I)elene, Second Reer/ of the ecreSary of Defelse for the Fiscal ear PJ4V, p $3 fin 1947 the Pros[den[ had Vt)ointed an r Policy Cora. mitten. nder the chairmanht of Thorass Finletter, to make a ct¾lliau review of the hole cuesrich of aviation policy. tablishment,/or instead of expanding to 70 groups the Air Force was forced to contract to 48.  Although the Ar Force was cut back in 1949 to its lowest level rance the panic of the 1946 demobilization, this state o/ fairs dd not last long. On 25 /tune 1950, ust before the end of the fiseal year, the North Korean Communists invaded the public of Korea and soon the United tates was engaged m a shooting war to stop Rus- siaminspired Communist aggression. This action resulted in the abandonment of the strangling economy program. By the end of the fiscal year 1950, Air Force appropria tiens in cash and contract authority had risen to $7,285,975,70. The ncreasing em- phasis on air power as a major factor in the natzonal defense was indicated by the fact that dunng the fiscal year 1950 Air Force appropriations again exceeded those granted to ether of the other two services. Army appropriations for this period totaled $4,461,007,998 and the total for 1950 Navy appropriations was $5,977,468,546.  Soon the Ai Force was authorized, by a series of decisions occurring July 1950 and January 1951, to expand by not later than 30 June 195- to a total of 95 wngs and 061,000 nulitary personnel. From 48 regu- lar wings and an authorized personnel strength of 416,314, the Air Force had reached a strength of 87 wings and 788,381 persenneI by the end of the fiscal year 1951.0 To finance the great increases in per.on- nel, planes, and bases necsary for this new expansion program Congress granted direct appropriations and contract authoization to the Air Force to the amount of $18,231,- 439,7?0 for fical year 195I.$$ This plus the unexpended balance from the prmr year and certain transfers maple the sum of $19,. 635,536,270 avafiable to the Air Force for the fiscal year 19512  In ubmitting the Air Force budget esti- mates for the fiscal year 1952 to the sub- committee of the Senate Appropriations The Air Fence nplroDriatlns fr fi,eal ear 19I srealy exceeded the $I2,5496,6 granted to the Navy and did o fail far or of he $19,318,293,934 tn ea nd ctrc att- orLty aned to e my See D, mtannal epav 0f the Seerelary e[ Defense, January 1 to ne 0, 191, pp 139, 192, 250 THIS PAGE Declassified lAW EO12958