[mpipes]

Barksdale AFB is actually in Bossier City. While it is possible to get overpressure effects over Barksdale AFB with a megaton range weapon hitting Shreveport, I've always assumed the hit was further west in the city's industrial area including the auto plant. I've always assumed the hit on Shreveport was from an errant missile targeting 8th Air Force and the weapons storage area.

Also, by 1997, and especially after nukes had been flying for at least month, all the B-52s would have been flushed to dispersal airfields, mostly civilian airports, and the base essentially stripped of all B-52s. Most of the airmen would be gone as well. However, 8th Air Force would likely have still been located at the base. Very few, if any, B-52s would be at their assigned base; probably limited to the alert force. That makes the most likely target of the Shreveport nuke was 8th Air Force, but a hit in west Shreveport would not have destroyed the 8th Air Force building. The weapon storage area would likely have been be untouched except for maybe the thermal pulse. However, generally a .25mt (250kt) weapon hitting Shreveport can't effect the base.

As far as alert B-52 and tankers, the aircrews were trained to get airborne within 15 minutes of a launch order, taking off at about 15 second intervals. A SAC unit could get the alert force, about 8 bombers and 8 tankers, airborne in as little as 10 minutes.

Some Soviet missiles possibly used .25mt MIRV warheads. The SS-N-18 for example carried MIRV warheads estimated at .2mt. The SS-N-20 warheads have about the same estimated yield.