1 - The Black Vault

PRAETORIAN STARSHIP
and on 23 July the aircraft redeployed to
Hurlburt Field. The test was resumed the follow -
ing month when aircraft 64-0568 deployed to the
Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona. From 22 August
to 2 September, 51.8 hours were flown during
36 scheduled sorties. Ninety airdrops were
completed, of which 78 were successful. Although
experiencing some inconsistency, the test determined
that either the 22- or the 28-foot ring-slot
parachute should be used with the HSLLADS.
The mission commander, Maj John M. Logan, recommended
that the test be extended and that approximately
25 additional drops be accomplished
using only new parachutes. 57 A third deployment
was accomplished from 8 to 17 November to Pope
AFB, and the project was successfully completed,
resulting in US Army certification of the
HSLLADS. The certification cleared the way for
Combat Talon units worldwide to use the system
when supporting US Army parachute operations.
The squadron finished out the year under the
command of Lt Col Hugh L. Hunter.
1978: Combat Arrow Wins the
USAFE Commander in Chief Trophy
One of the challenges for the Combat Talon
community was to remain engaged throughout its
area of operations so that, when tasked to execute
a mission on short notice, the unit could deploy
without undue attention. Nowhere was it more
difficult to maintain theater familiarity than in
the Pacific. Huge distances created a challenge
that was not easily overcome. The 1st SOS was
stationed on the island of Okinawa and regularly
exercised in Korea and in the Philippines. The
squadron had little experience in other countries
of the area.
1st SOS Begins the Pacific
Area Trainer Program
In January 1978 the 1st SOS began a program
known as the Pacific Area Trainer (PAT); it was
designed to expose the Combat Talon to areas
that might be needed during a deployment for a
crisis. The first PAT was flown from 23 to 27
January 1978. The main objectives of the PAT
were to operate the MC-130E aircraft outside the
normal operations/training areas and to build a
presence for future PACOM-tasked operations; to
build aircrew experience and familiarization of
PACOM areas that could be used for possible future
deployments; to gather data on facilities and
locations for possible future use; to accomplish
MCM 51-130 flying training requirements; to collect
electronic intelligence along the route of flight
within the capabilities of Combat Talon equipment;
and to analyze the 1st SOS HF command
and control radio network. 58
A second PAT was flown from 20 to 30 May; it
transited Agana NAS, Guam; Whenuapai Royal
New Zealand AFB, New Zealand; Ohakea Royal
New Zealand AFB, New Zealand; Brisbane International
Airport, Australia; Port Moresby International
Airport, Papua, New Guinea; and Cubi
Point NAS, Philippines. During the 48.3-hour deployment,
the crew executed a long-range in-flight
refueling leg utilizing its in-flight refueling capa -
bility and a USAF KC-135 tanker. It was the second
time that a 1st SOS crew had performed a
long-range refueling mission. 59
In conjunction with the PAT 002 deployment,
1st SOS personnel attended the preliminary planning
conference for Exercise Gonfalon . Designed
as a joint/combined unconventional warfare exercise,
Gonfalon was hosted by the Royal New Zea -
land Special Air Services (RNZSAS) and was
scheduled for the following September. Participants
included the RNZSAS, the Australian Special
Air Service, the British Special Air Service,
the Royal Marine Small Boat Squadron, US Army
Special Forces, US Navy SEALs, and the 1st SOS.
From 18 September to 21 October, one Combat
Talon deployed to New Zealand in support of Gonfalon.
The first aircraft departed Kadena AB on
13 September, with a second one departing on 27
September. The exercise was the first attempt by
members of the Australia, New Zealand, and US
Treaty to exercise their special operations forces
in an exercise designed around an unconventional
warfare scenario. The general consensus expressed
by participating commanders at the conclusion
of the exercise was that it was too long
and too rigid in its training cycles, which resulted
in groups being locked into one phase of training
and not being able to participate or observe others.
Recommendations resulting from the exercise
included holding the exercise every other year,
with a symposium in the off year to discuss techniques
and advancements in each country’s special
operations program. The 1st SOS was welcomed
by all participants and received quality
training throughout the exercise. Weather was a
factor, however, and resulted in the cancellation
of the scheduled HALO school and the CRRC airdrops.
Including deployment and redeployment,
166.2 hours were flown during 59 sorties over the
33-day exercise. 60
170