In what's being called a favorably "drastic action," the U.S Air Force's (USAF) highest ranking officials — military and civilian — have been forced to resign over last summer's nuclear blunder. 

In August of 2007, an Air Force crew flew a B-52 bomber across the country — totally unaware that it was transporting six, nuclear-tipped missiles. The incident led to a report revealing that the USAF's handling of nuclear weapons was in drastic need of oversight and review.

An earlier blunder which also contributed to today's shake up — called "The Taiwan Incident" — involved the USAF mistakenly shipping four, ballistic missile warhead fuses to Taiwan. The order was supposed to be for helicopter batteries.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates takes responsibility for the historic move which was announced today at the Pentagon.

Gates said an internal investigation found a common theme in the B-52 and Taiwan incidents: "a decline in the Air Force's nuclear mission focus and performance" and a failure by Air Force leaders to respond effectively.

(Photo: Air Force Chief of Staff General Michael Moseley, left, and Secretary Michael Wynne.)

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