�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
