CAMDEN COUNTY ' The United States Air Force has launched an investigation and hope to provide residents who heard a series of loud booms Monday with an answer to clear up any confusion.

Military officials at Whiteman Air Force Base at Knob Noster, Mo., assured the Camden County Sheriff's Department that their staff would do everything they could to determine what caused all the commotion Monday afternoon. Air Force personnel were not aware of any missions or training exercises in the area at that time that would have caused the booms that were accompanied by shaking in some areas. The staff at Whiteman informed the sheriff's department Wednesday that they will go through the necessary channels to determine if the mysterious sounds were caused by aircraft.

Residents from one end of the county to the other reported hearing loud, sonic-type boom sounds beginning around 2:15 p.m. The sounds and shaking that accompanied the booms shook windows, rattled dishes and may have caused some damage to walls where the sheet rock cracked.

The sheriff's department had contacted Whiteman, the St. Louis Earthquake Center and other agencies to find out what caused the noise.