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MILNET: Air Force Special Operations Command
A Historical Summary
Today's Structure
Equipment Command Locations
Air Commandos
Notable AFSOC Web
Site!
The C-130: New Life As Special
Ops Bird Special Operations Aircraft
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Today's Structure
Equipment Command Locations
Air Commandos
Notable AFSOC Web
Site!
The C-130: New Life As Special
Ops Bird Special Operations Aircraft
Known by various names over the years, Air Force Special Operations have been fairly non-glamorized for much of their history. Recently a researcher, Orr Kelly, decided to tell their story in his book, From A Dark Sky 1. Orr tells us that Air Force Special Operations has been nicknamed, Air Commandos. Here is a synopsis of the history presented in Kelly's book (A MUST READ, there is simply no way we can do the book any justice in this forum):
3/5/44: Air Commandos: C-47 (twin prop engine cargo aircraft) launches gliders Operation Thursday delivering three brigades of British and Colonial troops into Burma, far behind Japanese lines. Continued operations through April, using various clandestine landing fields to ferry in supplies and troops as well as ferry out prisoners, escapees or wounded.
3/9/44: Carpetbaggers South: B-17s and B-25s operating from Algiers into France, operations continued until the German pullback. Also ran goods into Yugoslavia (Balkan Air Transport) and northern Italy.
8/50: Mosquitos in North Korea doing essentially the same jobs as Carpetbaggers but in the Korean War. Also dropped spotters who would use smoke from the ground to indicate whether the enemy had passed (responding to radio request from Air Commando aircraft flying overhead). Also harried trucks and troops with machine gun fire.
2/23/51: 580th ARC (Air Resupply/Communications) Wing formed, mission to drop propoganda and agents into Korea. First missions began on 12/27/52.
1958: Operation Haik: CIA run air unit using Air Commando assets and personnel who were sheep-dipped (taken out of service, made into civilians) and run into Indonesia to support rebels fighting the Indonesian government.
Late 1950s: Detachment 2, 1045th Observation, Evaluation and Training Group at Kadena AFB in Okinawa supported Tibetian resitance to the Chinese government. Actual operations staged from Takhli, Thailand (operation called Mill Pond). This group also gave aid to Vang Pao, a charismatic Hmong tribesman in Laos who later was a major asset during the Vietnam War. Operations ceased in Ausust of 1960.
4/61: Air Commando personnel instrumental in preparing and training cuban refugees for Bay of Pigs air operations using sheep-dipped B-26s from CIA inventory.
4/61: Jungle Jim, 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron, created to build an "anywhere in the world Carpetbagger capabilty to provide close air support and clandestine supplies for American and allied forces as well as help friendly nations fight guerilla uprisings.
9/61: Detachment 1 of the 4400th Squadron out of Eglin AFB, Fla sent to Mali, West Africa.
11/61: Detachment 2 sent to Vietnam and assumed the code name Farmgate, providing Forward Air Controllers, drops of supplies and agents, propoganda leaflet drops, and the occasional pickup of prisoners or wounded as necessary and feasible. Armed Farmgate aircraft harried truck and troop convoys thoroughout the war. In July 1963, the squadron became the 1st Air Commando Squadron. Also assumed defoliation spraying missions. Even delivered fresh, alive livestock to remote outposts, and moved artillery onto mountain tops that could only be reached by air.
3/64: Water Pump - Udorn, Thailand - A clandestine base taking supplies and agents into help Vang Pao, the Hmong tribesman fight in Laos. At one point the operation featured some 70 or more planes. Operations continued with combat controllers (called "Butterflies") in early 1966. Other codenames were "Project 404" or "Palace Dog". Typical FAC duties as well as well armed T-28 harassment of trucks, troops, etc. "Ravens" were also part of this cadre flying 0-1s and A-28s.
9/64: First combat Gunship mission using a C-47 (redesignated to AC-47) with a wing mounted gunsight and an electrically operated gatling gun shooting 7.62mm NATO rounds at 6,000 rounds per minute. First night mission 12/64. Aircraft were later designate "Spooky" or "Puff The Magic Dragon" or simply "Puff".
Early 1966: Combat gunships began to pound the Ho Chi Minh trail which curved its way from North Vietnam into South Vietnam along the Laos border. Aircraft used at first was the AC-47 but later replaced with the AC-26Ks which were rebuilt B-26s. Became known as the "Nimrods", flying out of Nakom Phanom, Thailand.
Early 1967: Commando Club - A Lima Site 85, a radar site on a mountain in Laos, became a bombing accuracy system based upon a training system used in the States and manned by sheep-dipped Air Commando technicians.
9/21/67: AC-130 Gunship II in combat with four 7.62mm miniguns and four 20mm cannons (2500 HE rounds per minute). Later a pair of 40mm BOFORS antiaircraft gun were mounted as well (called "Surprise Package").
3/27/68: AC-130A gunships begin operations out of Ubon, Thailand against the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
11/20/70: Rescue attempt at Son Tay, involved some 6 helicopters, one which was to be intentionally crashed upon the prisoner building as a diversion, and also involved air support, refueling aircraft, and a huge diversionary attack by other forces from another direction against Haiphong Harbor. While no prisoners were found, the actual mission was later regraded by most spec ops operators as a classic, well planned and executed spec-ops mission.
February 1971: AC-130E Spectre added, with a one of the 40mm guns replaced with a 105mm howitzer artillery piece was added, with crews hand loading at about 3 rounds a minute indefinitely.
May 1975: Tang Island, Cambodia and the U.S.S. Mayaquez: Disastorous mission to rescue the crew resulted in major changes in the Special Ops community, changes which, unfortunately took many years to coalesce into a better fighting unit. Forces consisted of 11 helocopters and a contingent of Marines. Results were 15 killed, fifty wounded, and 3 missing, and loss of all but a few aircraft.
4/24/80: Operation Rice Bowl - Iranian Hostage Rescue Attempt, which was the second disastrous event to cause more critical changes to special forces operations and highlighted the severe downgraded ability of Air Force Special Operations and Special OPerations in generel operating without this unique function.
October 1983: Invasion of Grenada - Much better results as many elements of several services special forces combined with "regular" fighting forces to overtake this small island. Outlined the need for better deployment of Pavel Low helicopters, and dedicated rescue and medically trained Air Commando landing field personnel.
April 1987: US Special Operations Command begins operation.
12/19/89: Operation Just Cause in Panama to wrest power from Noriega and take him prisoner. The battle of gunhips versus antiaircraft fire, dramatically showed the effectiveness of gunship capability as well as ineffectiveness of too complex communications protocols and two many channels. A lack of interservice communication, both intentional and non-intentional (too many channels, no radio discipline, etc.) cost lives unnecessarily, further aiding the refinement of special operations post invasion.
1990: US Air Force Special Operations Command setup as a separate command under USSOCOM.
Late 1990: Schwartzkopf rejects insertion of Special Forces personnel to take out key radar sites leading into Baghdad. However, a later plan to use AFSOC Pave Low helicopters as pathfinders to guide Apache Gunship Helicopters is approved and proves to be an effective mix of forces. Points out the possible additional training needed in the strategic and tactical planning levels of the U.S. military.
During combatant operations, AFSOC will be chopped (along with other USSOCOM units) to the Theatre Commander for operational authority and missions.
The official mission for AFSOC as stated in Air Force Magazine 2 is:
The manning and equipment for AFSOC as of May, 1997 is as follows:
Commander:
Major General James L. Hobson, Jr.
Forces (12,577):