Apollo’sApollo’s WarriorsWarriors US Air Force Special Operations during the Cold War Michael E. Haas, Col, USAF, Retired Air University Press Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 1997 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Haas, Michael E., 1944- Apollo’s Warriors : US Air Force Special Operations during the Cold War / Michael E. Haas. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. United States. Air Force–Commando Troops–History. 2. Special Forces (Military Science)–United States–History. 3. Cold War. I. Title. UG633.H32 1997 358.4–dc21 97-23931 CIP ISBN 1-58566-035-3 First Printing July 2000 Disclaimer Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author and do not necessarily repre- sent the views of Air University, the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency. Cleared for public release: distribution unlimited. For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents US Government Printing Office Washington, DC 20402 ii Apollo the archer, the lord who strikes from afar, sends lone warriors clothed in the mist, or comes on the wind as the night comes down, beguiles and strikes, unknown but knowing. —The Odyssey Contents DISCLAIMER . .ii FOREWORD . vii ABOUT THE AUTHOR . ix PREFACE . xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . xiii PRELUDE: BEFORE THE BEGINNING . 1 Special Operations in Europe . 3 The Air Commandos . 6 Korea THE RETURN TO WAR . 10 Notes . 13 THE SHADOW WAR . 14 The War: Center Stage . 16 The War behind the Curtain . 16 Aviary and Unit 4 in Action . 22 Notes . 29 SPECIAL AIR MISSIONS . 30 Notes . 39 FIREFLY, LEAFLET, AND PICKUP OPERATIONS . 40 Notes . 51 NICHOLS’S “ONE-MAN WAR” . 52 Notes . 65 SPECIAL OPERATIONS BY USAF “SAILORS” . 66 Notes . 75 USAF’S SECRET PSYWAR WEAPON . 76 Organizations and Missions . 79 Tales of the 581st . .82 Notes . 93 Covert War THE AIR RESUPPLY AND COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE . 94 A Chilling Fear . .96 An “Agency outside DOD” Makes a Request . 98 Going Too Fast . 100 Psywarriors from Georgetown University to Fort Benning . 104 The Air Resupply and Communications Service Balloon Program . 105 iv Operation Think . 107 Notes . 109 THE “COLD ARCS” AND THE IRON CURTAIN . 110 Blue Suits, Green Berets, Hidden Faces . 113 The SA-16s’ “Silent Success” . 119 From H&B to AMA . 122 The Last of the Breed . 124 Notes . 127 THE GUARD GETS THE NOD . 128 “BANDITS” ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD . 136 Notes . 145 “THEY HAD NO AIR SUPPORT” . 146 Operation Pluto . 148 Aftermath . 159 Notes . 161 The Second Indochina War LAOS 1961: THE KEY DOMINO . 162 A Blue Major in the Black World . 167 No Faces, No Serial Numbers . 170 A Primer in “Cold War 101” . 172 Notes . 173 LAOS 1964: THE BRUISED DOMINO . 174 A Wilderness of Mirrors . 179 Teaching the “ABCs” of the Secret War . 180 Notes . 189 LAOS 1966: THE BLOODY DOMINO . 190 Snake Country . 193 Tigers and Eagles Go Snake Hunting . 195 The Nimrods . 198 Zorro! . 201 The Skyraiders . ..