Editing Curtis LeMay (section)

===The "Airpower Battle"===

====USAF airpower development and LeMay's style====
[[File:General Curtis LeMay greeted by Secretary of the Air Force James H. Douglas and Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff General Nathan F. Twining at Washington National Airport.jpg|thumb|[[Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|Air Force Vice Chief of Staff]] General Curtis LeMay greeted by [[United States Secretary of the Air Force|Secretary of the Air Force]] [[James H. Douglas Jr.]] and [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff]] General [[Nathan F. Twining]] at [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Washington National Airport]], upon LeMay's return from [[Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker|Boeing KC-135 StratoTanker]] non-stop flight from [[Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires, Argentina]] in November 15, 1957]]

LeMay was instrumental in SAC's acquisition of a large fleet of new [[strategic bomber]]s, establishment of a vast [[aerial refueling]] system, the formation of many new units and bases, development of a strategic [[ballistic missile]] force, and establishment of a strict [[command and control]] system with an unprecedented readiness capability. All of this was protected by a greatly enhanced and modernized security force, the [[Strategic Air Command Elite Guard]]. LeMay insisted on rigorous training and very high standards of performance for all SAC personnel, be they officers, enlisted men, aircrews, mechanics, or administrative staff, and reportedly commented, "I have neither the time nor the inclination to differentiate between the incompetent and the merely unfortunate."<ref>''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'', June 14, 1954, p. 136</ref> 

''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine reported that LeMay once took the co-pilot's seat of a SAC bomber to observe the mission, complete with lit cigar.<ref name="Havemann, p. 136">Havemann, p. 136</ref> When asked by the pilot to put out the cigar, LeMay asked why. When the pilot explained that fumes inside the fuselage could explode, LeMay growled, "It wouldn't dare".<ref name="Havemann, p. 136"/> The incident was used as the basis for a fictional scene in the 1955 film ''[[Strategic Air Command (film)|Strategic Air Command]]''. In his controversial and factually disputed<ref>Puttré, Michael, ''[http://www.mputtre.com/id45.html Nagasaki Revisited] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610152653/http://www.mputtre.com/id45.html |date=June 10, 2011 }}'', retrieved April 8, 2011</ref><ref>Coster-Mullen, John, ''Atom Bombs: The Top Secret Inside Story of Little Boy and Fat Man'', publ. J. Coster-Mullen, End Notes (2004): Gen. [[Paul Tibbets]], Major [[Dutch Van Kirk]] (Enola Gay's navigator), and other surviving members of the 509th Composite Group were reportedly outraged at many of the assertions by Sweeney in ''War's End''.</ref> memoir ''War's End'', Major General [[Charles Sweeney]] related an alleged 1944 incident that may have been the basis for the "It wouldn't dare" comment.<ref>Sweeney, Charles (Maj. Gen., ret.), Antonucci, James A., and Antonucci, Marion K., ''War's End: an Eyewitness Account of America's Last Atomic Mission'', New York: Avon Books, {{ISBN|0-380-97349-9}} (1997), p. 75:</ref> Sweeney stated that a similar incident occurred in 1944 when a B-29 crew chief reminded General LeMay of his lit cigar while LeMay was undergoing B-29 familiarization with (then-Colonel) [[Paul Tibbets]]' [[509th Composite Group]].

Despite his uncompromising attitude regarding performance of duty, LeMay was also known for his concern for the physical well-being and comfort of his men.<ref>Watson, George M., ''Secretaries and Chiefs of Staff of the United States Air Force'', Washington, DC: Air Force History and Museums Program, USAF (2001) p. 132.</ref> LeMay found ways to encourage morale, individual performance, and the reenlistment rate through a number of means: encouraging off-duty group recreational activities,<ref>"Sport: Red for Ferrari", ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', April 20, 1953.</ref><ref>"Judo in SAC Air Force", ''[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]]'', April 1962, pp. 37–38: These ranged from basketball courts and pool tables to judo tournaments and even assembling and tuning engines in SAC workshops for sports car races on SAC air bases.</ref> instituting spot promotions based on performance, and authorizing special uniforms, training, equipment, and allowances for ground personnel<ref>"Armed Forces: The Finish Flag", ''Time'', August 2, 1954: This included new innerspring mattresses, fans, pool tables, and TV sets for enlisted men's quarters.</ref> as well as flight crews.

On LeMay's departure, SAC was composed of 224,000 airmen, close to 2,000 heavy bombers, and nearly 800 tanker aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |title=LeMay and the "Airpower Battle" |url=http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2008/October%202008/1008keeperfile.aspx |website=Air Force Magazine |publisher=Air Force Association |access-date=July 14, 2018 |date=October 1, 2008 |quote=LeMay led SAC from 1948 through 1957, the longest tenure of any US military commander in nearly a century. When he left, SAC had grown to a force of 224,000 airmen, nearly 2,000 heavy bombers, and some 800 tankers.}}</ref>

LeMay was appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force in July 1957, serving until 1961.