A Dangerous Business: Forward Air Control in Southeast Asia
DAYTON, Ohio - (top left) Patch worn by the FACs assigned to Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) 22 in support of South Vietnamese forces. Two USAF FACs, Maj. Larry Pritchett and Capt. Phil Jones, asked the famous cartoonist Al Capp to help them design a patch, and the result shows the cartoon character, “Evil Eye Fleagle” from Capp’s popular Li’l Abner comic strip. Fleagle could shoot destructive rays from his eyes, and the “Double Whammy” used in the patch could knock down a skyscraper. This patch was donated by Lt. Col. John F. Welch, who commanded all USAF air liaison officers (ALO) and FACs assigned to the 22nd Infantry Division of the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam (ARVN) from August 1966 to July 1967. (bottom right) This patch used by the 23rd TASS shows the Disney cartoon character “Jiminy Cricket” using his Walkie-talkie/umbrella as a parachute. This squadron had flown airborne reconnaissance and interdiction missions in support of an operation along the Ho Chi Minh Trail called OPERATION CRICKET, and they picked up the nickname of “Crickets.” (bottom left) patch worn by FACs of the 19th TASS who supported the ARVN's 18th Infantry Division. (top right) Patch from the 19th TASS flying OA-10s with the call sign Rash in support of the 1st Air Calvary at Tay Ninh, Vietnam, in 1969. The Rash FACs seldom wore these patches because the Army told them that they were defacing a very famous Army icon. The patches are on display in the A Dangerous Business: Forward Air Control exhibit in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)