Air Force·Mission eliminated·In Memoriam
Looking Glass Airborne Command Post Crew
EC-135C
Served: 1961–1998
24/7 airborne nuclear command-and-control. The 24-person battle staff included an Airborne Emergency Action Officer (a general) and an Airborne Launch Control Officer who could launch Minuteman missiles from the air if every ground LCC was destroyed.
The Story
From 3 February 1961 to 24 July 1990, *one Looking Glass was always airborne.* For 29 years and 5 months straight. The longest continuously airborne military mission in human history.
Epitaph
“29 years airborne without a break. Buried by a Navy aircraft.”
Sources
- Wikipedia — Looking Glassen.wikipedia.org