Once REFORGER starts and it is not started as an exercise, all US dependents would be evacuated CONUS. If REFORGER is in progress, and units are pulling out the POMCUS equipment, then the US Theatre Commander, JCS, and NCA all are in agreement that there is a very REAL threat of imminent hostilies in Europe. The Civil Reserve Air Fleet would definately be activated, and the US State Dept would be trying to fill those seats not occupied by returning dependents on REFORGER aircraft returning to North America, with US Nationals & tourists. IMO it would be very likely that a State Dept. travel advisory would go out for most Europe advising US Nationals not to travel, or to return to the US, at a minimum registration at consolates and embassaies.
I believe the UK has/had a similiar provision for bringing civil airliners into government service had the balloon ever gone up.
as far as defending FRG airspace. During the Coldwar this was the primary responsibility for USAFE. the Luftwaffe, was mainly equipt with strike aircraft, although it did have a number of F-4's, the several hundred USAFE F-16's, and F-15's were there under NATO command in AAFCENT and AAFNORTH, and were primarily responsible in peacetime to prevent WP aircraft intrusion across the IGB, in short they were responsible for the air defense of the FRG. Additionally, there was significant comingling of assets on the runways, which is why I don't think it would be practical for the WP to attack Luftwaffe bases in the FRG without serious risk of drawing other NATO powers into the conflict.
I for one didn't mean to suggest that the USAFE aircraft would come into combat with the WP airforces over western Germany, quite the contray, I meant to argue that the WP would stay out of West Germany. They have substantial numerical advantage, and if they stay out of the DDR, the FRG effort is doomed, if they enter the DDR, they fly into a hornets nest.
Since GDW's original material, has the Bundeswehr fighting the WP on it's own from October 6th, through December 6th, given the correlation of forces, the only way I can reasonably explain the continued existance of FRG troops on DDR soil, and although decimated the continued existance of the Luftwaffe. IMHO the Luftwaffe must be operating from sheltered bases behind a "Neutral" NATO airsuperiority umbrella. This allows for a relatively, uncomplicated evacuation of US, UK, and Canadian dependants, out of the FRG.
Additionally, the FRG had to have help from at least the US. They couldn't have repositioned 3 Corps to there jump off points to enter the DDR, without all of NATO being aware of their movements. Additionally, RDF Sourcebook states that the CIA chick (Alley Kurtz???) was sent to the Middle East after she became aware of talks between the West & East German militaries. Seems to me someone in the US didn't want it to get out, or already knew. Also, Sat imagery, and other intel was probably shared with the Bundeswehr through the period leading up to intervention.
NATO is at war sometime in November though, but not in Germany, in Norway. The Soviets seemed to have invaded Norway sometime in Mid-November, prior to the US forces crossing the IGB. US, UK, Canadian troops have deployed there since November in line with prewar plans, along with the ACE Mobile force which opens up other issues, because the ACE had assigned Italian Alpini, and French troops.
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