Page:Legislative History of the AAF and USAF.djvu/74

�This Page Declassified lAW EO12958 only supervision of the Air Force, while the Senate bfil gave him command of the A?r Force. The conference report provided that the Chief of Staff should, under the chrec- tion of the Secretary of the Air Force, exer- cise command over the Air Defense Com- mand, the Strategic A?r Command, and the Tactical A?r Command, and such other major commands as might be estabhshed by the Secretary of the A?r Force during a period of war or national emergency de- clared by the President or Congress. He was to have supervismn over all other portions of the Air Force. '?s The House bfiI had provided for three ma?or commands (ADC, SAC, and TAC) and such other commands, forces, and or- ganizatlons as the Secretary of the A?r Force might from time to t?me provide; ?t also made proviaion for the estabhshment of new major commands or the disconhn~ uance or consolidation of the three above- named major a?r commands lot the dura- tion of any war or national emergency declared by Congress. The Senate amend- ment would have deleted all this from the House bill. As finally agreed on in confer- ence, the bill provided that the Air Force should consist of the three afore-mentmned major commands, and such other com- mands and organizations as might be estab- lished by the Secretary of the Air Force in the interest of economy anct effimency. These were not to be major commands, however. New major commands were to be established or ex/sting major commands consolidated or abolished only for the dura~ tion of any national emergency or war declared by the l?resident or Congress. The Senate bill contained a provision for the appointment of an officer charged w?th Air Reserve functions. The conference re- port retained that provision. There were other changes made in the original House bill but they were minor u? nature. ? The conference report was accepted by both houses and the enrolled bfil, HR. 1726, embodying the provisions agreed upon in conference committee, was signed in both Houses on 18 September 1951. ?0 On the next day, 19 September 1951, this measure, officially cited as the Air Force Organiza- tion Act of 1951, was signed by the President.? Section one of the act gave ?ts short title and section two consrated of deftrations of Air Force terms. The terms "United States A?r Force" and "Air Force" weze stated to be synonymous and to mean the United States Air Force as established by the Na- ttuna! Security Act of 1947, mcluding all ?ts components and personnel. The terms "members of the Air Force," "officers of the Air Force," and "airmen" were defined. The term "Air Force Establishment" was de- fined to mean all the commands, organi- zations, forces, agencies, installations, and act?wtms, /ncluding the Department of the Air Force, all members of the Air Force,* an the property, and all mviiian personnel, whtch were under the control or supervis/on of the Secretary oi the A?r Force. The term "Department of the A?r Force" was defined to mean the executive part of the Air l?orce Establishment at the seat oœ government. ?e The remainder of the ac? was broken down into four t?tles. Title i, pertaining to the Secretary and his principal civilian as- sistants, made the Secretary responsible for all Air Force affairs and gave him the authority commensurate w?th that respon- sibility. He was also author/zed to delegate powers and duties to his assistants. H?s principal assistants, as designated by the act, were the Under Secretary of the Air Force and two Assistant Secretaries. These officials were to be appointed by the Presi- dent, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provision was made for the succession to the post of Secretary in case of the incumbent's death, resignation, re- moral, absence, or disability. In such case his duties were to be taken over (until the President could make a new appointment) Lu the following order, by: 1) the Under Secreta?-y; 2) the Assetant Secretarie? in the order fixed by their length of service as such; and 3) the Chief of Staff. es Title II dealt wi?h the Chief of Staff and the Air Staff. It provided iora staff organi- zation to be known as the A?r Staff, and consisting of the Chief of Staff (USAF), a Force THIS PAGE Declassflied lAW EO12958