1 - The Black Vault

COMBAT SPEAR
were provided to SOG by the DCSO, with Seventh
AF an information addressee on all message
traffic. 67
The OPORD also outlined the following responsibilities
of SOG.
1. Establish mission priorities for air support furnished
by USAF assets.
2. Provide direct tasking to the 14th SOW/DCSO for
air support furnished by 15th SOS.
3. Provide adequate, secure office space for Combat
Spear operations at Nha Trang.
4. Designate MACSOG 32 as the agency responsible
for the execution and flight monitoring of scheduled
Combat Spear missions. This responsibility included:
a. Reviewing the scheduled mission profile,
weather, route, and times as a basis for rendering
the go/no go decision.
b. Passing mission execution or cancellation decisions
to the 15th SOS.
c. Monitoring mission launch times, flight follow -
ing of missions, and mission down times.
d. Keeping abreast of all Seventh AF/MACSOG
activities and maintaining timely coordination
with Seventh AF/DOCO on all matters concerning
the fragging and preplanned changes
to Combat Spear missions and with Seventh
AF TACC/DOCC on the execution of these missions.
68
The general instructions of the OPORD stated
that the 15th SOS would not be used to support
operations other than unconventional warfare
missions without the specific approval of the commander
in chief, Pacific Air Forces. The commander,
Seventh AF, was given ultimate command
of the 15th SOS Combat Talon assets while
they were operating in his area of responsibility. 69
The OPORD also identified force requirements
needed to support the Combat Talon mission. The
unit equipment for the 15th SOS was listed as
four C-130E(I) aircraft. All aircraft were to be
Combat Spear configured. Monthly flying time allocated
for each aircraft was 75 hours, and the
aircraft were manned with a crew ratio of 1.5 to
1. 70 OPORD 460-70 finally satisfied Seventh AF
by detailing command and control relationships
between its headquarters and SOG.
With the bombing halt of the previous October
still in effect, Combat Talon unconventional warfare
activities outside of South Vietnam remained
limited during 1969. 71 Two additional
live surface-to-air recovery demonstrations were
flown on 20 January and 26 February at Cubi
Point NAS, Philippines. SOG canceled one other
demonstration because of a conflict with a higherpriority
mission. 72 For February, as in each month
of 1969, SOG was allocated 300 hours of flyin g time
for the four-assigned 15th SOS Combat Talons. Due
to heavy combat support mission requirements,
the squadron overflew this allocation by 138.5
hours during the month. At the same time experienced
14th SOW maintenance personnel were rotating
back to the United States and being replaced
by three-level technicians. Aircraft parts
also became more difficult to source and transport
to Nha Trang AB. Available maintenance personnel
were required to work 70 hours per week during
this period. As a result of all these factors, the
operational-ready rates plummeted during the
month of March. 73
By May the summer rotation schedule was in
full swing. Three of the six assigned crews rotated
back to the United States by 1 July. For a brief
period the unit dropped below authorized manning
in certain crew positions; however, the reduced
manning did not prevent the 15th SOS
from completing its assigned mission. 74 On 21 July
the 15th SOS commander was picked up at Nha
Trang AB utilizing the Fulton STARS by Lt Col
John F. Newell, the squadron operations officer. 75
In June planning was begun for the reintegration
of field maintenance specialists back into the
15th SOS. This planning was necessitated by the
decision to move the 14th SOW from Nha Trang
AB to Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam. With President
Richard M. Nixon’s Vietnamization policy
coming to fruition, the majority of Nha Trang AB
was scheduled to be turned over to the South Vietnamese
Air Force. The 15th SOS and its sister
unit, 1st Flight Detachment, remained at Nha
Trang AB as the only two operational USAF units
there. 76
On 5 August Colonel Newell assumed command
of the 15th SOS from Colonel Kummer.
Later in the month one Combat Talon aircraft
was returned to the United States for modifica -
tions that would take approximately five months
to complete. Three aircraft remained at Nha
Trang AB throughout the fall. On 8 September
the 15th SOS performed a live surface-to-air recovery
at Koke Kathiem, Thailand, for the king and
queen of Thailand. 77
Fourth quarter 1969 was marked by the move
of the 14th SOW from Nha Trang AB to Phan
Rang AB. Although major portions of Nha Trang
AB were turned over to the Vietnamese Air Force,
barracks were retained for remaining US personnel
stationed there, along with the base officers’
club. All AF personnel living off base were directed
to move to base quarters. Until 20 September
15th SOS officers and civilian technical representatives
continued to live downtown in the Anh
107