The FACs would be essential participants in close air support in South Vietnam, interdiction efforts against the Ho Chi Minh Trail, supporting a guerrilla war on the Plain of Jars in Laos, and probing home defenses in North Vietnam.Īs the war came to center on the Trail in 1969, the FAC role began to be marginalized. For the early years of the war USAF manning levels were at about 70% of need they finally reached 100% in December 1969. Air Force (USAF) would swell its FAC complement to as many as 668 FACs in Vietnam by 1968 there were also FACs from the U.S. Present as advisors under Farm Gate, FACs grew even more important as American troops poured into Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. The FAC's expertise as an air strike controller also made him an intelligence source, munitions expert, communication specialist, and above all, the on-scene commander of the strike forces and the start of any subsequent combat search and rescue if necessary. Using makeshift propeller-driven aircraft and inadequate radio nets, they became so essential to air operations that the overall need for FACs would not be completely satisfied until 1969. Largely relegated to airborne duty by the constraints of jungled terrain, FACs began operations as early as 1962. Air Force North American OV-10A-30-NH Bronco in flight with two North American F-100C Super Sabres of the 136th Tactical Fighter Squadronįorward air controllers (FACs) played a significant part in the Vietnam War from the very start.
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