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  • FAC in SEA: The Legacy

    During the Southeast Asia War, propeller-driven FACs participated in every major military action against the enemy-flying with the first military advisors and supporting the last combat action in the SS Mayaguez recovery-with the possible exception of the strategic bombing campaign against North

  • FAC in SEA: Fast FACs

    Reacting to the increasing threat to their supply lines from air power, the communists gradually improved their antiaircraft defenses down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In addition to heavy-caliber antiaircraft artillery (AAA), the communists deployed SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missiles (SAMs)

  • FAC in SEA: The “Other War” - “Out-of-Country”

    The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Vietnam initially prevented the North Vietnamese from sending troops and military supplies directly to communist forces in South Vietnam. So in 1959, they began building a secret road system through neutral Laos and Cambodia. Named the Truong Son

  • FAC in SEA: Forward Air Control Aircraft

    Although easy to maintain, highly maneuverable, and capable of operating from small airstrips, the O-1 Bird Dog first flown by the FACs had many shortcomings. Its slow speed left it vulnerable to enemy small arms fire, its small size limited the amount of ordnance and radios it could carry, and it

  • FAC in SEA: South Vietnam - “In-Country”

    After the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the United States committed large numbers of ground forces in South Vietnam, or "in-country." To support these growing numbers, USAF FACs began flying missions in direct support of the U.S. units.To supplement the 19th TASS, the USAF activated the 20th TASS at Da

  • FAC in SEA: The Advisory Years

    In the early 1960s, the United States provided South Vietnam with increased military assistance and counterinsurgency training to resist the communist forces. At first, the USAF trained the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) to use older, propeller-driven aircraft for CAS missions. Although they were

  • A Dangerous Business: Forward Air Control in Southeast Asia

    During World War II, air power provided valuable support to American ground troops. However, air attacks against nearby enemy ground forces, or close air support (CAS), required detailed coordination with the ground commanders to avoid hitting friendly forces. At first, the U.S. Army Air Forces

  • AN/MSR-1 (“Misery”) Communications Intercept Van

    During the Southeast Asia War, the Department of Defense sought to limit the amount of information having possible intelligence value that could be gathered by enemy intercept teams. Long range HF (high frequency) radio communications were known to have been monitored and short range VHF (very high

  • Mobile and Dependable: Prime BEEF and RED HORSE in Southeast Asia

    Responding to worldwide emergencies, the U.S. Air Force deploys teams of civil engineers to support its mission. For emergency civil engineer support, Prime BEEF (Base Engineer Emergency Force) teams can respond within hours. When operations require support above the normal base civil engineer

  • OPERATION NIAGARA: A Waterfall of Bombs at Khe Sanh

     "From the beginning until the 60th day [the 60th day of the siege at Khe Sanh] B-52 bombers continually dropped their bombs in this area with ever growing intensity and at any moment of the day. If someone came to visit this place, he might say that this was a storm of bombs and ammunition which