Tactical Airlift Operations

Tactical airlift has been playing an ever-increasing role in the United States’ effort in Vietnam, since the first C-123s of the 315th Air Division arrived during January 1962. CHECO report, “Assault Airlift Operations”, published on 23 February 1967, reviewed this tactical airlift effort through the last half of 1966. “Tactical Airlift in Vietnam” describes the conduct of tactical airlift operations since that time, discusses some of the problems which have arisen within the system, and sets forth solutions attempted, the extent to which they have succeeded or failed. The tactical airlift organization has been involved in many activities which have had little or nothing to do with airlift in the strictest sense of the word. Such activities include the conduct of flare FAC missions, the dispensing of herbicide on jungle cover or crops, the flying of Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center missions, the clearing of helipads by means of dropping bombs from C-130s, area denial missions through the dropping of contaminated petroleum in drums from C-130s, and the conduct of psychological warfare operations from C-130s. This is a recently declassified study, reprinted from the original typescript manuscript. All text is legible but not the same as modern lithograph quality. Originally published in 1969. 182 pages. ill.