Page:Legislative History of the AAF and USAF.djvu/72

 �This Page Declassified lAW EO12958 Iutionary, improvemen should be made as experience is gained." Acting on the basxs of Ins experience as Secretary of De- fense, Lovett made a formidable list of recommendations for the improvement of the military establishment---recommenda- tions which, if acted upon, will necessitate extensive amendments of the National Se- curity Act. 44 ARMY AND AIR FORCE AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1949 The National Security Act gave the Air Force equal status with the Army and Navy, setting it up aS a separate and coordinate military service wth its own departmental orgamzation and secretary and its own cluef of staff. It was evident, however, that this legislation was insuffiment to meet the operational and organi2ational needs of the newly constituted USAF. For nearly three years after the passage of the la- tmnal Security Act the USAF had no statu- tory authorization for carrying on its oper- ations other than that stemming from various laws pertaining to the Army, except for the Act of June 24, 1948 which author- /zed the Secretary of the Air Force (as well as the other two service secretaries) to es- tablish and fix the compensatmn for 13 po- sitions in his department to be used for the purpose of carrying on research and development functions. 4 By the enactnmnt of the Army and Air Force Authorization Act of 1949, Public Law 640, 81 Cong., 2 Sess., wkich actually became Iaw on 10 July 1950, Congress took action to clarHy the legal situatton of the Air Force, and at the same time to revise certain outmoded statutes pertaining to the Army.4 This measure, which was designed to create a legal framework for the Army and the Air Force as regarding their mili- tary strength, their compositmn, their pro- curement authority, their research and development authority, and theix appropri- ation authority, was passed by the House on 22 March 1949 as H.R. 1437. On 22 Au- gust 1949 the Senate passed H.R. 1437, but with numerous amendments. The final en- actment of H.R. 1437 into law was delayed until the differences between the House and the Senate versions could be ironed out in conference committe and a compromise measure framed winch would be acceptable to both houses.  As enacted Into law in the summer of I950, Title II of the Army and Air Force Authorization Act of 1949, which dealt en- tirely with the Air Force, estabhshed the composition of the Air Force of the United States as consisting of the Regular Air Force (the USAF), the .r National Guard of the Urnted States, the Ah- Nahonal Guard while in the service of the United States, and the United States An- Force Reserve. The Air Force of the United Staes was to include all personnel inducted, en- hsted, or appointed into the Ar Force of the Urnted States, and all those Air Force units and organizat/ons and all Air Force personnel necessary to form the basis for a complete and immediate mobilization in ime of national emergency. The strength of the Air Force of the United States was se at not more than 70 USAF groups plus such squadrons, reserve groups, and sup- porting and auxiliary USAF and reserve umts as might be necessaryJ s This legislation authorized for the USAF an active-duty personnel strength of 502,- 000 officers, warrant olcers, and enlisted men. This did not include one-year en- listees, officer candidates, aviation cadets, and personnel of the Air National Guard and the USAF Reserve. A persoret strength of 150,000 officers, warrant offi- cers, and enhsted men was authorized for the Air National Guard and the Air Na- fiGhal Guard of the United States, ecud- ing those on active duty in the Air Force of the United States; and a personnel strength of 500,000 officers, warrant offi- cers and enlisted men for the USAF Re- serve, scZumg those Reerwsts on ac- tive duty with the Air Force of the United States J" Section 203 of Ttle IT of the Act of 194 authorized the Air Force of the United States to have 24,000 serwceable aircraft or 225,000 areframe tons aggregate of service- able alteraft. Guided missiles were not to be included within the number of arcraft THIS PAGE Declassified lAW EO12958