21 June 2003
20th anniversary of Peacekeeper and protests
Missile mission marked
By Janene Scully
Santa Maria Times

June 17, 1983, marked the inaugural flight test for the Peacekeeper missile system, considered symbolic of the Reagan Administration's policy of "mutually assured destruction," or nuclear deterrence.

A four-stage weapon, the Peacekeeper missile can carry up to 10 warheads to different targets more than 6,000 miles away.

"We knew it was important. (President) Reagan told us it was important and people told us it was important," said Yorba Linda resident Ed Venanzi. "So we went off and played it that way."

Sitting in Waller Park Thursday evening, the men reflected with pride on their role in the nation's defense.

"We helped bring the Cold War to an end," said Tom Binder from Lake Havasu City, Ariz. "Plus we held a potential enemy at bay for 20 years."

"I think we stopped it from ever going beyond the Cold War," said Joe Shephard from Las Cruces, N.M.

"In my opinion it was one of the straws that broke the camel's back as far as the USSR was concerned," said retired Air Force Col. Dennis Beebe of Solvang. "It was a major factor in the end of the Soviet Union."

The weapon was first named MX, for Missile X. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan dubbed the system Peacekeeper, removing its sterile MX moniker.

"We were beyond that," said Venanzi. "We had a system, a great system. Reagan said I think this is what this going to do."

Rather than a formal association, those gathered represented a loose-knit group of mostly men who worked for various contractors and the Air Force.

"It was real team," said Beebe. "The Peacekeeper weapon system is probably one of the most successful development program ever."

They boast that their program met goals for cost, schedule and performance. The program logged 18 successes among 18 developmental flight tests.

"You can't do better than that," Beebe added.

The group, toured Vandenberg Air Force Base Thursday and golfed on Friday before a banquet that included speeches by retired Maj. Gen. Jack Watkins and retired Lt. Gen. Al Casey.

It's also where a letter from Peter Teets, undersecretary of the Air Force, was read.

"It is probably not an understatement to say that the Peacekeeer was the most politically charged program in the 1980s," Teets wrote. "Several sessions of Congress, two Presidents, numerous Ambassadors and innumerable pundits all had their strongly held views on the program."

Funding fights and protest demonstrations marked the program.

"But despite world-class distractions, the missile design continued and the launch preparation teams kept on track for the first flight," Teets wrote. "And it was a splendid test flight that laid the foundation for the next 17 successes; clearly the most remarkable missile flight program ever!"

The first-launch's 20th anniversary comes as crews have started removing 50 Peacekeeper missiles from alert at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. Work began in October and is estimated to take three years.

Peacekeeper fans believe the pieces of the weapon system will find life after the Cold War.

"It's just too good a system to do away with," said Venanzi.

Staff writer Janene Scully can be reached at 739-2214 or by e-mail at janscully@pulitzer.net .