Brothers in Berets The Evolution of Air Force Special Tactics, 1953-2003 Forrest L. Marion, PhD Air Force History and Museums Program In Conjunction With Air Force Special Operations Command Air University Press Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama Project Editors Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Belinda Bazinet and Dr. Ernest Allan Rockwell Names: Marion, Forrest L., author. | Air University (U.S.). Press, publisher. | Curtis E. LeMay Center for Copy Editor Doctrine Development and Education, issuing body. Tammi Dacus Title: Brothers in berets : the evolution of Air Force Cover Art and Book Design Special Tactics, 1953-2003 / Forrest L. Marion Daniel Armstrong Description: First edition. | Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama : Air University Press, Curtis E. LeMay Cen- Composition and Prepress Production Michele D. Harrell ter for Doctrine Development and Education, [2018]. | At head of title: Air University, Curtis E. LeMay Center Print Preparation and Distribution for Doctrine Development and Education. | Includes Diane Clark bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2017059577| ISBN 9781585662784 | ISBN 158566278X Subjects: LCSH: United States. Air Force—Combat controllers—History. | United States. Air Force— Commando troops—History. | Special forces (Military science)—United States—History. | United States. Air Force Special Operations Command. Classification: LCC UG633 .M3144 2018 | DDC AIR UNIVERSITY PRESS 358.4131—dc23 | SUDOC D 301.26/6:T 11 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017059577 Acting Director and Publisher Dr. Ernest Allan Rockwell Published by Air University Press in January 2018 Air University Press 600 Chennault Circle, Bldg 1405 Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6026 http://www.airuniversity.af.mil/AUPress/ Disclaimer Facebook: Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed https://www.facebook.com/AirUnivPress or implied within are solely those of the authors and do and not necessarily represent the official policy or position of Twitter: https://twitter.com/aupress the organizations with which they are associated or the views of the LeMay Center, Air University, United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or any other US gov- ernment agency. This publication is cleared for public release and unlimited distribution. Air University Press Contents List of Illustrations v Foreword ix Preface xi 1 From Pathfinders to Combat Controllers, 1943–1954 1 2 Combat Control, 1955–1964 37 3 The Conflict in Southeast Asia, 1961–1975 61 4 Combat Control and US National Counterterrorism, 1976–1981 123 5 From Grenada to Special Tactics, 1981–1987 161 6 First Fight: Special Tactics in Panama, 1989 203 7 Special Tactics Evolves and Deploys to Southwest Asia, 1986–1992 229 8 The Battle of Mogadishu: Special Tactics in Somalia, 1993 271 9 Special Tactics, 1993–1999: At Home and in the Balkans 299 10 Beginning the Long War: Special Tactics at Home and Abroad, 1999–May 2003 335 iii CONTENTS 11 Epilogue, 2003–2007 383 Appendix A: Combat Control’s Father–Son Combinations 393 Appendix B: Accomplishment of the Pathfinder Mission Memo (Joint Airborne Troop Board) 397 Appendix C: Accomplishment of the Pathfinder Mission Memo (Eighteenth Air Force) 399 Appendix D: Combat Control and Pararescue Interrelationships 401 Appendix E: Significant Events Chronology 403 Select Bibliography 407 Index 415 iv List of Illustrations Table 2.1 Proposed unit manning for Dyess AFB CCT, 1960–61 50 3.1 “Butterfly” forward air controllers (FAC), May 1966–May 1967 83 7.1 CCT/PJ Physical Training Requirements, Indoctrination Course, ca. 1990 230 7.2 Organization of 1720th Special Tactics Group, 31 December 1987 238 7.3 Organization of 1720th Special Tactics Group, 15 October 1991 243 9.1 Number of assigned/functionally managed enlisted (“enl”) officer (“off”) personnel, by squadron,720th STG, 1991–1999 304 9.2 10th CWS detachments/personnel, 31 December 1996 309 9.3 Special Tactics Personnel, “Vega-31” F-117 Rescue, 27–28 March 1999 326 9.4 Special Tactics Personnel, “Hammer-34” F-16 Rescue, 2-3 May 1999 328 10.1 Air Force combat controller (1962–67) and Special Tactics (2002–15) fatalities in contingency operations 369 v ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1.1 Members of the first USAF Combat Control Team (1953) with Maj Gen Robert W. Douglass 21 1.2 SMSgt Alcide “Bull” Benini 25 2.1 Combat control team (CCT) maneuvers with Piasecki H-21 Shawnee helicopter at Sewart AFB, Tennessee, 1955 38 2.2 Paratroopers jumping from C-119s, 1955 40 2.3 James A. Howell suits up for the “human subject” test of the F–106B ejection seat, 6 June 1961 55 2.4 High altitude record holders 55 2.5 TSgt James A. Howell immediately after a test jump from 25,000 feet, 30 July 1962 56 3.1 On 14 October 1965 at Bong Son Special Forces Camp, Republic of Vietnam, TSgt Stan Williams (in radio vehicle)and TSgt Gene Adcock provide air traffic control for a stream of C-123s delivering troops and equipment in the highlands north of Saigon 64 3.2 England AFB, Louisiana, Air Commando CCT (1966) 65 3.3 CCT members at NKP AB, Thailand, May 1967 71 3.4 In May 1966 an air commando team prepares to board a helicopter and head to their home base in Thailand 72 3.5 Map of Laos used by “Butterfly” CCT Jim Stanford, May to October 1966 81 3.6 England AFB, Louisiana, Air Commando CCT (1968) 84 3.7 LS-20A or “Alternate,” in northern Laos, mid-1960s to early 1970s 87 vi ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 3.8 SSgt James D. “JD” Burch, SSgt Guy T. “Tom” Fagan, and SSgt John E Lebold 103 3.9 SSgt John Lebold, SSgt Tom Fagan, MSgt Lew Brabham, and SSgt James D. Burch 103 4.1 John Koren and Dick West preparing for a HALO jump in the Philippines 129 4.2 An early Brand X physical training session, 1977 131 4.3 CMSgt James A. “Jim” Howell in an ejection seat, 7 May 1977 132 4.4 CCT members, Operation Eagle Claw (aka Desert One) 138 4.5 British personnel at Masirah, Oman, wrote this inscription on a case of beer and delivered it to the Americans just after the attempt to rescue the hostages in Iran (April 1980) 146 5.1 CCT in Grenada 169 5.2 Grenada CCT 174 5.3 CCT at Sigonella, Sicily, the morning after the Egypt Airlines aircraft (background) carrying the Achille Lauro hijacker was forced to land 183 6.1 CCT/PJ members who made the combat jump into Torrijos-Tocumen International Airport 210 6.2 CCT/PJ members who made the combat jump into Rio Hato 214 7.1 Downed Navy F–14 pilot Lt Devon Jones, running toward the MH-53, with PJ Sgt Ben Pennington, ready to assist him on board 250 8.1 Jeff Bray in the field 277 vii ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 8.2 Scott Fales in Mogadishu, 1993 278 8.3 MSgt Timothy A. Wilkinson 278 8.4 Jeff Bray in Air Force blues 292 9.1 Air Force STARS team freefall in line with Mt. Rainier in the background 312 9.2 Chris Larkin lands in the Citrus Bowl game with the US flag 314 9.3 Vega-31 rescue, MH-53M ST members and aircrew, March 1999 324 9.4 Nine ST members, Hammer-34 rescue, May 1999 326 10.1 Map of Bagram, 2001 350 10.2 The 1000th Mk-82 bomb loaded by Scotty Briscoe’s unit since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom 351 A.1 CCT 50th Anniversary Reunion (2003) 396 viii Foreword In the late 1990s, my predecessor, Gen Mike Ryan, initiated the US Air Force’s transition to a largely “expeditionary” air force. The horrific attacks of 11 September 2001—during my first staff meeting as the new chief of staff of the US Air Force—validated that foundational decision. During my tenure, our Air Force’s response to the attacks furthered that transition. Under the leadership of a visionary secretary of the Air Force, Dr. Jim Roche, our service adopted a new term befit- ting its expeditionary warriors who, in an evolving post-9/11 conflict environment, had to be prepared to carry the fight to the enemy not necessarily in the air, but on the ground. That term evolved into Battle- field Airmen. While the Battlefield Airmen concept encompassed sev- eral specialties under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and others found in conventional units, this book narrates the evolution and contributions of the former; hence, the title, Brothers in Berets: The Evolution of Air Force Special Tactics, 1953–2003, refers to the Battlefield Airmen assigned to special tactics units. This work originated at the Combat Control Association reunion in 2002. While attending the event, I asked legendary combat con- troller Charlie Jones if there was anything I could do for the associa- tion. He replied that the history of combat control teams (CCT) had not been written and suggested a 50-year anniversary volume (1953– 2003). This work is the result of Charlie’s request, though, sadly, he passed away in 2006—just one week after being interviewed. The AFSOC special tactics community—a small brotherhood of highly-trained and equally-dedicated warriors, consisting of special tac- tics officers and combat controllers, combat rescue officers and parares- cuemen, and officer and enlisted special operations weathermen—has proven itself as a force multiplier time and time again throughout its history in places like Somalia, Serbia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Their story deserves telling within the US Air Force and to the general public. I am pleased to endorse this comprehensive and well- researched work as one step in that direction. I expect Charlie would be proud. Gen John P.