Ground Observer Corps volunteers support Air Force command in protection from Soviet air attacks

After the close of World War II, world power relations shifted. A global clash with USSR had Americans uneasy, particularly after the Soviets developed nuclear weaponry in 1949. In response to global Soviet aggression, Congress approved measures to strengthen civil defense programs like the Ground Observer Corps (GOC). The GOC not only watched the skies, but they also served as public relations for the Air Force and Cold War policies in general. Spokane’s eagerness to participate in civil defense activities no doubt related to its proximity to a number of Air Force bases, Hanford’s nuclear development facility, and its historical military heritage. 

Two groups of civil defense volunteers comprised the GOC: observation posts and information centers. “Spotters” staffed 160 observation posts in shifts. All hours of the day and night spotters watched, noted, and reported aircraft activity. Spotters telephoned the information centers when they spotted and identified aircraft.

A second group of volunteers worked inwhat were called filter centers.  They marked the trajectories of aircraft on large maps then relayed this information to Air Force jet squadrons. Spotters, plotters and Air Force officers monitoring them, provided critical information to the Air Force before radar technology developed to surpass human ability to detect air traffic. 

The 4770 Ground Observer Corps Squadron led by Captain Raymond L. Cawood, hosted a grand re-opening of the filter center on Tuesday, January 8th, 1952. The filter center at 610 W. Sprague served as an extension of the McChord Air Force Base out of Tacoma, Washington. The GOC arm of civil defense operated nationally until 1959 when radar technology replaced volunteers. 

Where this GOC filter center once buzzed of aircraft activity and rumblings of the Cold War, the Spokane Transit Authority’s Downtown Plaza now houses the hub for city buses and its patrons. 

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The worst week in the history of Fairchild Air Force Base ended in a tragic, fiery explosion.

The week of June 19, 1994 was a dark time in the history of Fairchild Air Force Base. On June 20, 4 people were killed and 22 wounded in a murderous rampage carried out by a disturbed shooter. Just four days later, a B-52H Stratofortress, piloted by Lt Col Arthur "Bud" Holland, stalled, crashed into the ground, and erupted in a ball of flame and smoke. All four men aboard the plane were killed.

June 24, 1994, started out as any other ordinary summer day in Airway Heights, WA. It was partly sunny, with a predicted high of 75 degrees. A nice day for a flight. At 1:58 pm a B-52H, callsign Czar 52, took off at Fairchild Air Force Base with the purpose of practicing maneuvers for an airshow. Piloting the aircraft was Holland, and his copilot Lt Col Mark McGeehan. Rounding out the crew of four were radar navigator Lt Col Ken Huston and safety observer Col Robert Wolff.

Holland was a skilled pilot. However, he had a long history of pushing aircraft past their limits. It was ultimately determined that he was responsible for the crash, but his superiors were aware of his prior behavior. Lt Col McGeehan had complained about Holland’s reckless behavior and wanted him grounded, but he was unsuccessful. Holland only ever received verbal reprimands despite multiple occasions of reckless aviation. Official flight plans for bombers never included acrobatics or strenuous maneuverers, yet Holland frequently tested the aircrafts limits.

Czar 52 was flying along with a KC-135, which was also practicing maneuvers. After the KC-135 landed, Czar 52 was instructed to fly a missed approach. At an altitude of 250 feet, Holland banked left into a 360 degree turn around Fairchild’s control tower. The maneuver was too much for the aircraft and the results were devastating. Czar 52 went past 90 degrees, denying all airflow over the wings, and stalled. The low altitude made any attempt to recover impossible. Czar 52 crashed and was engulfed in a horrific fireball. It was 2:16 pm Pacific time. Four lives were lost.

An on base memorial, known as Memorial Grove, was established on August 2, 1994. Located in a park with red leaf maple and cherry trees, amongst others, the memorial is dedicated to the victims of both the shooting and the B-52 crash.

For more (including 3 images), view the original article.

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