National Emergency Command Post Afloat
Encyclopedia
The National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA) was part of the United States
government's continuity of government
plans during the 1960s. It was one third of a triad composing of airborne, ground and sea-based assets.
converted the cruiser
in March 1962, and the light carrier in 1963 for NECPA duties. The United States Navy
began alternating the ships in mid-1964, to keep one at sea and the other in port at any time. The Northampton was marginally upgraded for NECPA duties, since it was due for replacement; however, the Wright was modified to the utmost efficiency to hold the National Command Authorities for indefinite periods.
), served as the primary communications link between the separate command posts (NMCC, ANMCC, NEACP, NECPA). Three ground communications vans were located at Otis AFB, MA
, Greenville, SC
, and Homestead AFB, FL
to cover commonly used routes of Presidential aircraft. After President John F. Kennedy
’s assassination, vans were moved to Jackson, MS
and Austin, TX
, to cover President Lyndon B. Johnson
’s travel routes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government's continuity of government
Continuity of government
Continuity of government is the principle of establishing defined procedures that allow a government to continue its essential operations in case of nuclear war or other catastrophic event....
plans during the 1960s. It was one third of a triad composing of airborne, ground and sea-based assets.
History
In Oct 1961, the JCS approved the NEACP plan, directing initial operating capability (IOC) by 1 March 1962. United States Atlantic CommandUnited States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United States Joint Forces Command.-History:USLANTCOM was active from the 1947 to 1993 as a primarily U.S...
converted the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
in March 1962, and the light carrier in 1963 for NECPA duties. The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
began alternating the ships in mid-1964, to keep one at sea and the other in port at any time. The Northampton was marginally upgraded for NECPA duties, since it was due for replacement; however, the Wright was modified to the utmost efficiency to hold the National Command Authorities for indefinite periods.
Communications
A permanent UHF ground station (located in Waldorf, MarylandWaldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is south-southeast of Washington, D.C. The population of the census-designated area only was 67,752 at the 2010 census...
), served as the primary communications link between the separate command posts (NMCC, ANMCC, NEACP, NECPA). Three ground communications vans were located at Otis AFB, MA
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Greenville, SC
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, and Homestead AFB, FL
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to cover commonly used routes of Presidential aircraft. After President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
’s assassination, vans were moved to Jackson, MS
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
and Austin, TX
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, to cover President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
’s travel routes.
See also
- Post Attack Command and Control SystemPost Attack Command and Control SystemThe Post Attack Command and Control System was a network of communication sites for use before, during and after a nuclear attack on the United States. PACCS was designed to ensure that National Command Authority would retain sole, exclusive, and complete control over US nuclear weapons...
(PACCS) - Worldwide Military Command and Control SystemWorldwide Military Command and Control SystemThe Worldwide Military Command and Control System was a military command and control system implemented for the command and control of the United States military. It was created in the days following the Cuban Missile Crisis...
(WWMCCS) - National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP)
- National Military Command CenterNational Military Command CenterLocated in the Pentagon, the National Military Command Center houses the logistical and communications center for the National Command Authority of the United States of America. The facility, which is composed of several war rooms, is the principal command and control center of the Department of...
(NMCC) - Alternate National Military Command Center (ANMCC)
External links
- "Ghosts of the East Coast: Doomsday Ships" by Karl C. Priest - Cold War MuseumCold War MuseumThe Cold War Museum is a planned history museum in the United States focused on Cold War history.Founded in 1996 by Francis Gary Powers Jr. and John C...