Sacking SAC's Boss

Strategic Air Commander Thomas S. Power was chatting with the Omaha World-Herald's military reporter, Howard Silber. Power praised the reconnaissance capability of his B-58s ("they can go anywhere and do anything"), touted SAC's present strength, but insisted that a new manned bomber is still needed. Asked about rumors that he might soon quit, Power replied matter-of-factly: "I'm not quitting. They are asking me to leave."

General Power is, in fact, being eased out by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, and will be replaced in November. Technically, Power's retirement will be required at that time because he will have completed 35 years of service. This rule, however, is often waived for officers in key commands. And Power, at 58, is two years short of the rigidly followed mandatory retirement age.

A man who always speaks his mind, Power antagonized McNamara by the bluntness of his congressional testimony last August against the nuclear test ban treaty. At that time the Joint Chiefs, including Air Force Chief of Staff Curt LeMay, favored the treaty--at least publicly. Like LeMay, Power has expressed concern about overreliance on missiles, and urged the development of a new bomber--issues that Senator Barry Goldwater has raised politically and that McNamara has tried to refute.

Power revealed that he plans to live in a house he is building in Palm Springs, seek a job in business, and publish a book called Design for Survival, which he wrote in 1959. Its publication was banned by the Eisenhower Administration at that time on grounds that an officer should not benefit financially from a book related to his official duties. Except that it urged "complete unification" of the armed forces and raised questions about some aspects of U.S. defenses, little has been disclosed about the book. Rated most likely to succeed Power is General Walter Campbell Sweeney Jr., 54, a former SAC officer and present head of the Tactical Air Command.

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