President Got It Wrong
(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) OMAHA (Nebraska), September 30. President Johnson yesterday picked up the red telephone that could send American nuclear bombers scrambling all over the earth and put missile launchers on a moment’s alert “This is the President —can you hear me?” Mr Johnson asked. “If you can, give me verification.” Nothing happened. Air Force officers at the Strategic Air Com-
mand underground control centre at Offutt Air Force base quickly explained to the President that he had sent the wrong message. What he was supposed to have said instead of asking for verification was: “All stations acknowledge at the count of five—one, two, three, four, five.” Major Sanford L. Graves did that to show the President how quickly the 86 S.A.C. unit command posts in the United States and abroad would respond.
Major Graves picked up the telephone and, prefacing his message with the word that this was a maintenance test, said: “Skybird, this is Dropkick. Stand by for a short message from the President of the United States.” The 86 lights which had been lit on a console all went out at the count of five. ■ President Johnson was accompanied to the centre by the new N.A.T.O. Secretary-Gen-eral, Mr Manlio Brosio.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 17
Word Count
207President Got It Wrong Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 17
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