The Cold War
Gallery 5

Selection of Soviet enlisted rank insignia. The base color identified the wearer's branch of service, while the Cyrillic letters "CA" stand for Soviet Army: Black: Strategic Rocket Forces, Engineers, Tank and Artillery units; Red: Combined Arms units; Blue: Air Force and Airborne units. (Left to right) Private, Private, Junior Sergeant, Sergeant. (Donated by Dan Faulkner, LTC, USAF (Retired).

Selection of Soviet officer rank insignia, with branch of service identified by colored stripes (Left to right): Junior Lieutenant, Colonel. (Donated by Dan Faulkner, LTC, USAF (Retired).

The Combat Readiness Medal was established by Secretary of the Air Force Eugene M. Zuckert on March 9, 1964 and is awarded to military service members after August 1, 1960, for sustained individual combat or mission readiness or preparedness for direct weapon system employment. Specifically, a service member must meet the following criteria: Be a member of a unit subject to combat readiness as specified in appropriate directives; Be individually certified as combat or mission ready; and complete 24 months of sustained combat or mission readiness with no more than a 120 calendar day break. The medal was commonly awarded to Air Force crews manning Intercontenental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silos; the 704th Strategic Missile Wing (Atlas) was activated on July 1st, 1957 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, with the first Atlas ICBM becoming operational in October 1958. Throughout the Cold War years, Strategic Air Command missile crews stood alert with several different weapons systems, from the Atlas in the 1950’s, to the Titans in the 1960’s, and the Minuteman II and III in the 1970's and 80's.

This is the official portrait photograph of Major (then Captain) Everett Merrill Eichmann, taken for his personnel records. Major Eichmann was a Master Navigator, who initially served in World War II as a bombadier. He later flew more than 34 missions with the 307th Bombardment Group in Korea, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals. During the Cold War, Major Eichmann served as a navigator in several weather squadrons flying a modified B-29 Superfortress, the WB-50. Major Eichmann passed away on 28 December 2004, and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery on 01 August, 2005. (Donated by Karina Eichmann)

(Then) Captain Eichmann is seen here on the day he was awarded his Master Navigators wings, no small feat for a Captain. (Donated by Karina Eichmann)

Major Eichmann wore this flight suit and cap while serving in the 56th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The photograph at inset is taken from the 19 October 1960 edition of The Air Force Times and shows the Major wearing the same flightsuit while discussing a mission with another navigator. (Donated by Karina Eichmann)

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