Page 4 - DFCS NEWS MAGAZINE 2020-1

NEWS MAGAZINE
Volume 20, Issue 1
Summer 2020
Contents:
USAF Air Commandos 4 Editor’s Corner 5 President’s Message 6 Chairman’s Message 7 The Society 8 Early Beginnings 11 Chapter News 14 100 Years 22 DFC Memorial 28 Head Shots 32 Air Commandos 34 Cleared in Hot! 42 Record Rescue 48 Linebacker II 52 Ace of Aces 58 Member Citations 64 DFC Store 86 Taps-Final Flight 91 The DFC 104 Preflight 105 Becoming a Member 106
Cover Photo: Lockheed P-38
USAF Air Commandos in Vietnam
First to Fight in 1961 Flying T-28s, B-26s and C-47s
for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.”
North American T-28D Trojan
USAF Air Commandos first deployed covertly to Vietnam in 1961 as Detachment 2A,
4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS). Nicknamed “Jungle Jim”, their mission was to train indigenous air forces in counterinsurgency operations and provide combat air support for Army Special Forces. 4400th Air Crews adopted the Australian-type green fatigue slouch hat of Jungle Jim fame and wore sanitized flight suits with no patches or name tags. The aircraft were painted in Vietnamese Air Force markings and the 4400th was the first USAF unit to conduct combat operations in Vietnam.
hbey Lew Jennings
General Curtis LeMay directed the creation of the 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS) in early 1961 at Hurlburt Field, Florida to provide close air support to Army Special Forces and train friendly foreign air forces in counter insurgency-operations. The 4400th CCTS began with 124 Officers, 238 Airmen, 16 C-47 Transports, eight B-26 Attack Bombers and eight T-28 Trainers. The squadron was an all-volunteer unit and the first one dedicated to counter- insurgency operations.
The squadron deployed nearly half its assets to Vietnam in November 1961, code named “Farmgate”, and became the first USAF unit to conduct combat operations and provide close air support with their T-28s and B-26s. Within a few months the squadron quickly grew to Group status with a complement of 1,800 personnel and, in April 1962 was absorbed into the new USAF Special Air Warfare Center. The 4400th CCTS became the 1st Air Commando Squadron in 1963. More aircraft were provided including A-1, 0-1, 0-2, C-46, C-119, and C-123s. By 1966, USAF Special Operations assets increased to over 5,000 personnel and 500 aircraft in 19 Squadrons world-wide. (Story continues on Page 34).
4 / DFCS News Magazine / SUMMER 2020
“...for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.”