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Early FAC
History
- (2007 will mark 145
years of "Forward Air
Control")
- Balloon Observers were
employed by both sides in the US Civil War, and
in the Aviation Service of the US Army Signal
Corps during WW1. Balloons, filled with
flammable hydrogen gas, and their ground support
parties were attractive targets for enemy fire.
But the balloon allowed observation and
direction of fire and movement, solving the
age-old problem of how to see what the enemy was
doing behind the next hill.
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- In 1862 President Lincoln
appointed Professor Thaddeus Lowe as the first
Chief of the Air Service with the stated
objective of providing aerial visual and
photographic intelligence to battlefield
commanders. This mission was later changed,
after devising aerial telegraphy, to include
directing and controlling Artillery
fire.
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- Wire Telegraphy could be
used from tethered balloons, and later Radio
Telegraphy was used from free flying aircraft.
The use of radio allowed the Observer to send
and receive information in real time. Prior to
the development of airborne radio sets, the
aerial observer had to fly over "friendly" lines
and drop message containers.
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- [Charlie
Pocock]
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Though the balloon's
vulnerability required that it be placed well
behind the front lines, use of the airplane in WW1
allowed routine observation and fire control from
over or even ahead of the line of
battle.
In WW2, fighter-bombers began
a new direct support role, operating with the
assistance of radio-equipped Forward Air
Controllers (FACs). The light aircraft of the
Allied forces, airborne over the beachheads of
Normandy, were the first to operate as airborne
FACs. These light aircraft directed fire from naval
vessels off-shore, and then artillery fire once the
regiments were established on land. These Artillery
Spotter aircraft sometimes directing the
fighter-bombers as well.
As the battle moved inland,
the fighter bombers were on call from orbiting
points close to the forward edge of the battle
area. From these the FACs could very quickly call
on air support for any targets of opportunity or
threats to the troops in their area. These FACs
were both RAF, Army, and US personnel, specially
trained to identify targets to the pilots and
direct thier fire.
<http://www.raf.mod.uk/dday/timeline_june.html>
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Korea
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Perhaps the most important
element of Air Force close air support was the
extensive use of airborne forward air controllers
who flew 'low and slow' to search and mark targets
for other aircraft to attack. Under the call sign
"Mosquito," the airmen and T-6s of the 6147th
Tactical Control Group provided forward air control
for the duration of the war.
The Air Force continuously
improved its methods of directing close air support
in Korea. Advances in radar, communications,
vehicles, aircraft and tactics all helped airmen to
protect troops on the ground. The airmen of the Air
Force, along with Navy and Marine aircrews,
provided more air support to ground forces than
ever before.
To meet an urgent need for
close air support of ground forces in the Korean
Conflict, North American manufactured LT-6s flew
"Mosquito" missions spotting enemy troops and guns
and marking them with smoke rockets for attack by
fighter-bombers.
The 6147th Tactical Control
Group, was comprised of three squadrons.
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The 6148th and 6149th TCS
flew FAC missions, while the 6150th operated
three-man Tactical Air Control Parties on the
ground, using radio equipped Jeeps. These TACPs
consisted of a Mosquito pilot, a radio technician,
and a Jeep mechanic. New Mosquito FACs were
required to serve 60 days with a TACP. TCG aircraft
included C-47's as Airborne Command & Control
Centers.
FAC T-6 "Texans" were LT-6G
models, of which 97 were built. These differed from
the trainer version in having additional radio
equipment and four to six underwing racks for
rocket launchers. Each rack held three 2.5" smoke
rockets, or one 5" rocket.Two .30 caliber machine
guns could be carried in pods under the wings, but
these were generally not installed in order to
improve performance, and because Senior Officers
discouraged FACs from engaging targets
themselves.
The "Mosquitoes" lost 33 men
and 42 aircraft in Korean operations, flying 4,902
sorties.
[Squadron/Signal
Publications, NMUSAF]
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- "MOSQUITO"
AT-6D AND RADIO JEEP JOIN USAF
MUSEUM
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The U.S. Air Force Museum
added another piece of history when the North
American T-6D "Mosquito" and tactical air control
party Jeep went on display, broadening the museum
collection of more than 300 display aircraft and
missiles.
Air Force veteran, former T-6
pilot and Mosquito Association member Orville Long
spoke about his own combat missions in the
highlighted aircraft.
"The 6147th Tactical Control
Group was the first and only Air Force unit to take
the T-6 into combat and give the airplane its
baptism of fire," Long said. "The T-6 proved its
worth and the fact it could sustain considerable
damage from ground fire, and still fly," he
said.
Originally known as the
Texan, the T-6 was the sole single-engine advanced
trainer for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World
War II. The T-6D Mosquito on display flew with the
6147th Tactical Air Control Group during the first
two years of the Korean War. It was converted to a
mosquito-spraying aircraft in 1952, and two years
later transferred to Korea's Air Force. After
retiring the aircraft, the Korean air force placed
it on display outside for several years. The U.S.
Air Force Museum acquired it for restoration in
1995. Museum staff finished restoring the aircraft
in June, 2001.
"We are pleased and excited
about the T-6s successful restoration, said retired
Maj. Gen. Charles Metcalf, director of the Air
Force Museum.
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"It is a great honor to
showcase such a rare and instrumental Korean War
aircraft, which tell an unknown story of bravery,"
he said.
In addition to the Mosquito,
a tactical air control party radio Jeep is part of
the exhibit. Mosquito Association members restored,
fitted with radio equipment and donated the Jeep on
display to the museum.
"Mosquito Association members
did a fantastic job of restoring the Jeep to its
original condition" said Metcalf. "We are grateful
for the time dedicated to creating a final product
of which and veterans can be proud," he
said.
The TACP's original mission
was to directly control air strikes at the front
line, but they developed a new and important
mission as the Korean War progressed. TACPs became
communication links between ground commanders,
airborne Mosquito forward air controllers and
strike aircraft.
"In order to tell the
complete story of the 61478th Operation in orea, it
was necessary to have a radio jeep for display
along with the T-6," Long said. "Gen. Metcalf and
the museum staff have paid the Mosquito Association
members and Korean War veterans an honor and
special recognition by having the roll-out of the
T-6 and presentation of the World War II Willy's
TACP Jeep."
[NMUSAF]
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Southeast
Asia
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"Jet Aircraft (B-57s TDY from
Clark AB, PI) were introduced in Vietnam in
February 1965. Previously the predominant strike
aircraft were Air Commando and VNAF A-1s,
unmodified B-26s and AT-28s.
"On 30 December 1961,
Thirteenth AF Operations Plan 226-61 established a
Tactical Air Control system in Vietnam. The plan
called for an Air Operations Center, two Air
Support Operations Centers, Air Liaison Officers,
and Forward Air Controllers. The Air Support
Operations Centers [later the Direct Air
Support Centers (DASC)] were responsible for
the execution of the daily Air Operations Order.
They also had the authority and responsibility to
reorder priorities as tactical situations
changed.
- "An Air Operations
Control Center (AOCC) at Tan Son Nhut became
operational on 14 January, manned jointly by
USAF and VNAF personnel.
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Air Support Operations
Centers (ASOC) were established at Da Nang for I
Corps and at Pleiku for II Corps in January. Air
Support Operations Centers for III and IV Corps
were established in March (I think at Tan Son Nuht
and Binh Thuy).
- "On March 9th 1965, the
US Marine Third Amphibious Force made and
amphibious landing at Da Nang in the I Corps
Tactical Zone. They were un-opposed by the
enemy, but were met on the beach by MACV
advisors and Vietnamese ladies serving punch.
Closely following the Marines were elements of
the 1st Air Cavalry Division and 101st Airborne
Division arriving in the II Corps area and
elements of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the
III Corps area at Bien Hoa Air Base. The first
elements of the 1st Infantry Division arrived
slightly later, maybe in the fall of 1965 but
they were at Phouc Vinh when I arrived in
January 1966."
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- [Charlie
Pocock]
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 - 505th
TCG
/19th
TASS
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The airborne Forward Air
Controller became a necessity during the
Southeast Asian conflict. By maintaining
constant aerial surveillance over a specific
geographic area, the FAC was on-the-spot when
needed. Should enemy activity require an air
strike response, the FAC called in
fighter-bombers.
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Upon their arrival, he
marked the target with smoke or white
phosphorous rockets, for them to strafe, bomb,
or attack with high explosive rockets. After the
attack, the FAC flew low over the target to
determine if it had been destroyed.
[NMUSAF]
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.
Cessna
O-1
[photo - Joe
Sowa]
- In Vietnam, O-1s were
used by forward air controllers for
reconnaissance. A "FAC", often an experienced
fighter pilot, was assigned to a specific
geographical area, so that he could readily
identify enemy activity. If a FAC observed enemy
ground targets, he marked them with smoke
rockets so they could be easily attacked by
fighter-bombers. The FAC remained on the scene
to report bombing results. The USAF ordered more
than 3,200 "Bird Dogs," most of which were built
as L-19As between 1950 and 1959. The O-1G on
display was transferred to the Museum in 1971.
(USAFA)
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- The O-1 is a two-place
observation and liaison aircraft that was widely
used by the Air Force in Vietnam for forward air
control duties. It was developed from the Cessna
commercial Model 170 for a joint Army and Air
Force competition in 1950, although the Air
Force did not buy any planes at that time.
Originally designated L-19, the Bird Dog was
redesignated O-1 when the observation category
was revived in 1962. All of the Air Force's O-1s
were originally transferred from the Army.
Before pilots deployed to Vietnam, they trained
at Holly Field, Fla., and then underwent special
in-country training at Hue, South Vietnam, at
what was called FAC University or, irreverently,
"FAC U."
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- The first dedicated Air
Force FAC unit to be assigned to Vietnam was the
19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, which was
activated at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, in July
1963; three other squadrons were added later. In
the high-threat environment, the slow and
unarmed O-1s were eventually replaced by the O-2
in the Air Force and the OV-10 in the Marine
Corps; most of the O-1s were given to the South
Vietnamese Air Force. On February 24, 1967, Air
Force Capt. Hilliard A. Wilbanks, a FAC,
resorted to firing an M16 out of the side window
of his O-1 in order to cover the retreat of a
South Vietnamese Ranger battalion caught in an
ambush near Dalat. Severely wounded by gunfire,
Captain Wilbanks crashed in the battle area but
was rescued by the Rangers. He soon died of his
injuries and was posthumously awarded the Medal
of Honor.
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- The FACs became quite
knowledgeable about the area where they worked
and could spot even subtle changes that could
indicate the presence of Viet Cong. On April 30,
1975, Vietnamese Air Force Maj. Buong Ly avoided
capture by flying himself and his family on an
O-1 out to the South China Sea and successfully
landing on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. This
airplane is now on display at the National
Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Fla.
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Contractors: Cessna
Aircraft Co.
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Locations Built:
Wichita, KS
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Number Built: (USAF)
3,431
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First Flown: 8 DEC
1950
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Company Model:
305A
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First Flight @:
Wichita, KS
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First Flight Pilot:
Hank Waring
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Models/Variants:
O-1D, F, G
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Powerplant: (1)
Continental O-470-11 213 hp
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Armament: Four
underwing hardpoints for smoke
rockets
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Wingspan: 36 ft 0
in.
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Accommodation:
Pilot, Observer/other
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Length: 25 ft 10
in.
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Max. Speed: 151
mph
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Height: 7 ft 3-1/2
in.
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Range: 530
mi.
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Weight: 2,800 lb
gross
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Cost:
$11,000
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Ceiling: 18,500
ft.
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Cessna
O-2
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The O-2 is a military version
of the Cessna Model 337 Super Skymaster.
Distinguished by twin tail booms and tandem-mounted
engines, it features a tractor-pusher propeller
arrangement. In late 1966, the USAF designated the
O-2, to supplement the O-1 Bird Dog forward air
controller (FAC) aircraft then operating in
Southeast Asia. 532 O-2s were built for the USAF.
[NMUSAF]
As of 31 Aug 01, there were
26 O-2A's at AMARC (Davis-Monthan AFB "Boneyard")
storage facility.
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North American
OV-10
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- [photo
provided by Dale Hill]
- The OV-10A is a
twin-turboprop short takeoff and landing
aircraft conceived by the Marine Corps and
developed under an Air Force, Navy, and Marine
Corps tri-service program. The USAF acquired the
Bronco primarily as a forward air control (FAC)
aircraft. The first USAF OV-10As destined for
combat arrived in Vietnam on July 31, 1968. A
total of 157 OV-10As were delivered to the USAF
before production ended in April
1969.
[NMUSAF]
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- "The US Air Force first
deployed combat elements to the Republic of
Vietnam on November 16, 1961. It was Detachment
2 Alpha (Code named Jungle Jim). It brought 17
aircraft (4 SC-47s, 9 T-28s and 4 B-26s) for
training VNAF personnel in offensive operations,
including FAC tactics and
techniques.
- (USAF FAC
Operations in Southeast Asia, 1961-1965, Office
of AF History)
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