Air Force One Radio Call Signs/Code Key

Radio Call Sign Code Identification Keys
(In the order of their use on the AF One Radio Tapes)

Zulu – Greenwich Mean Time – (Military 24 hour time)
AP - Associated Press (aka “the ticker”)
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.
On the block – Time of plane arrival at destination.

SAM 26000 - Two Six Thousand - The Presidential aircraft, when the President is not aboard.

Air Force One – AF1 - The Presidential aircraft, when the President is aboard.
Capt. James Swindal, pilot (AKA Tiger)
Master Sgt. John C Trimble and Joseph Ayres, radio operators.

SAM 86972 – (AKA 972) The State Department aircraft carrying the Press Secretary Salinger (Wayside), Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Agriculture Orville Freeman and other Cabinet members and Administration officials. When the assassination occurred, this aircraft was enroute from Hawaii to Japan; subsequent to the assassination, the aircraft returned to Hawaii to refuel, and then flew directly from Hickam AFB in Hawaii to Andrews AFB near Washington DC.

Andrews - Andrews Air Force Base (Md/DC). Airman Gilmore answers for Andrews AFB throughout the tape and appears to be the central player attempting to facilitate all patches.

Tanker - Major Michael Cook - Also at Andrews
Air Force Command Post – Sgt. Phillips. Major Benson
SAM Command Post - Special Air Mission, SAC Offut AFB, Omaha, Nebraska Col. Hornbuckle.
National Military Command Post – Pentagon, Washington DC
Crown – White House (aka Front Office)
Situation Room (Basement at Crown) – Oliver Hallett, USN/NSA McGeorge Bundy
Carswell – Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, Texas.
Dallas – (Love Field, Dallas, Texas)
Hic Cup – Hickam Field, Hawaii.
CINCPAC – Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command HQ.
Tokyo – Destination of Cabinet Plane (86972)
Valley – The Elms, LBJ DC Residence.
Liberty – Sideband Radio Relay Station – Collins Radio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Wayside – Pierre Salinger, aboard 86970
Dagger – Rufus Youngblood, USSS
Digest – Roy Kellerman, USSS (Aboard AF1)
Duplex – Jerry Behn
Wing - Gen. McHugh. President's personal physician.
Watchman – Gen. Chester Clifton (Aboard AF1)
Slugger – Capt. Cecil Stoughton
Stranger – Major H. R. Patterson (White House Communications Agency WHCA)
Tanker – Air Force Major Michael Cook (Andrews)
Tiger – Col. Swindal, pilot, AF1.
Warrior – Malcolm Kilduff
Winner – Andrew Hatcher. Aka Andy. At Crown.
Witness – Capt. Tazewell Shepard (USN)
Volunteer – LBJ
Victoria – Lady Bird
Lancer - JFK
Charcoal - Present location of the President
Castle - Presiden't Naval Aid Taz Shephard
Lace – Mrs. Jackie Kennedy
Race - Unidentified
Tillerman - Unidentified
Sing Sing – Unidentified
Dean Rusk – Secretary of State (aboard 86972)
George Ball – Undersecretry of State
McGeorge Bundy – National Security Advisor to the President
Bromley Smith – Executive Secretary, National Security Council
Murray Jackson – State Department
Malcolm Kilduff – Assistant Press Secretary
Dr. John Walsh - D.C. Jackie Kennedy’s physician.
Vigilant - Walter Jenkins – LBJ’s Deputy (in DC)
Colonel Toomey – AF1
Col. Holland - AF1
Admiral Burkley – JFK’s private physician (Aboard AF1)
General Leonard Dudley Heaton – Surgeon General US Army (in DC)
Mrs. Rose Kennedy (JFK's mother in Massachusetts)
Mrs. J. B. Connally (Dallas)
Governor John Connally – (Parkland Hospital)
Scott - Radio Operator
Airman Stanz - Radio Operator
Newport Jerry – Radio Operator
Roy - Radio Operator
Weather Officer (at AF Command Post)

Additional Radio Communication Codes

Grandson - AF Gen. Curtis LeMay

LOCATIONS

Andrews AFB - Acrobat aka Andrews.
Auchincloss Estate - Hamlet
Camp David - Cactus
Command Post - SAM Special Air Mission CP - Offut AFB, Nebraska
Site R- Ft. Ritchie - Cosmic
Glen-Ora - Chateau (JFK's rural Va. residence)
Hic Cup - Hickam Field, Hawaii
High Point - Crystal
Liberty - Radio Relay Station, Collins Radio HQ, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Net Control – WHCA - Crown - White House
Olmstead AFB - Astro
Washington Field Office - Hedge
VP EOB - Valdosta
VP Capitol Office - Vendor
VP Senate Office - Valentine
VP Residence (Elms) - Valley LBJ's Home.
White House - Crown

CARS

Pres. Follow-up -Halfback
VP Follow-up -Varsity
Bomb Disposal -Hammer
Bomb Patrol -Halo

AIRCRAFT

Presidential - Angel SAM 26000 aka Air Force One when President on board
Vice Presidential - Angel Two

HELICOPTERS

Army-Davidson Field - Pat
Army-Anacostia - Alpha
Marine-Anacostia - Nighthawk
Air Force - Botany

FIRST FAMILY

President -Lancer
Mrs. Kennedy -Lace
Caroline -Lyric
John Jr. -Lark

VICE PRESIDENT’S FAMILY

Vice President -Volunteer
Mrs. Johnson -Victoria
Lynda Johnson -Velvet
Lucy Johnson -Venus

STAFF & AIDES

Kenneth O’Donnell -Wand
Pierre Salinger -Wayside
Andrew Hacker -Winner
Malcolm Kilduff -Warrior
Evelyn Lincoln -Willow
Dr. George Burkley -Market
Secretary Dean Rusk -Freedom
General Chester Clifton -Watchman
Capt. Tazewell Shepard -Witness
Gen. Godfrey McHugh -Wing
Walter Jenkins -Vigilant

CHIEF’S OFFICE

Chief Rowley -Domino
Deputy Chief Paterni -Diamond
Asst. Chief Wildy -Debate

WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE

SAIC Geiglein -Diesel
ASAIC Dahlquist -Driftwood

WHITE HOUSE DETAIL

SAIC Behn -Duplex
ASAIC Boring -Deacon
ASAIC Kellerman -Digest
ATSAIC Stout -Dipole
ATSAIC Roberts -Dusty
ATSAIC Godfrey -Dangle
ATSAIC Rodham -Dogwood
SA Clint Hill -Dazzle
SA Paul Landis -Debut
SA Lynn Meredith -Drummer
SA Mugsy O’Leary -Dapper

VICE PRESIDENT’S DETAIL

SAIC Stuart Knight -Dividend
ASAIC Rufus Youngblood -Dagger
SA Paul Rundle -Dixie
SA Jerry Kivett -Daylight
SA Lemuel Johns -Dandy
SA Glen Weaver -Derby

BOATS

Crashboat PT 109 -Novice
Honey Fitz -Nomad
Patrick J -Neptune
Marlin -Marlin
Presidential chase -Horsewhip
Jet boats -Guardian 1 & 2
86’ Coat Guard -Waterwagon
33’ Navy -Rockfish
Vice President -Vanguard
VP Chase -Village

ABBREVIATIONS

AP - Associated Press (aka “the ticker”)
AFAUSSS -Association of Former Agents of the USSS
ASAIC -Assistant Special Agent in Charge
ATSAIC -Assistant to the SAIC
BOSSI -Bureau of Special Services and Investigations
EOB -Executive Office Building
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.
SAIC -Special Agent in Charge
PRS -Protective Research Section
WHCA -White House Communications Agency

[Some of these are from the Appendix of The Kennedy Detail – JFK’s Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence by Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin (Gallery, Simon & Schuster, 2010).]