Col Marion "Hack" Mixson

After a series of incidents which potentially breached security, Colonel Hack Mixson assumed command of Detachment "A" located at Giebelstadt West Germany in July of 1957. Col Mixson had previously served as Director of Operations at Project HQ in the United States. He continued as the Unit Commander in Giebelstadt until November 1957 when Detachment "A" was closed down.

Overflights were not new to Mixson. He had been assigned to a special SAC detachment in Sculthorpe England in May 1951 and was involved with this group during the RAF overflights of April 1952 and April 1954.