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system, the following three chapters cover the first 10 years of Combat Talon, from 1965 to 1974. During this period the Combat Talon community grew into three distinct units—Combat Knife in the continental United States, Combat Spear in the Pacific, and Combat Arrow in Europe. Chapter 3 tells the story of the Combat Talon unit (Combat Knife) established at Pope AFB, North Carolina. The Combat Knife unit was attached to the 779th Troop Carrier Squadron and was tasked with the initial organization and training of aircrews to man the complex weapons system. The Combat Knife unit later became the 318th Special Operations Squadron, and it moved to Hurlburt Field, Florida, in 1974 as the 8th SOS. Chapter 4 documents the early years of Combat Spear. In the fall of 1966, four aircraft and six crews deployed from Pope AFB to SEA as Combat Spear and were assigned to the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Ching Chang Kuang (CCK) AB, Taiwan. The final beddown location of the Combat Spear unit was Nha Trang AB, Vietnam, where it was colocated with its sister squadron, Heavy Hook. By the end of the year, Combat Spear aircraft were flying SOG-tasked missions into North Vietnam. Low-level infiltration and resupply drops, along with high-altitude leaflet drops, made up the majority of the combat missions flown. The legacy of the World War II Carpetbaggers and the ARCWs of the early 1950s was revived. During 1967 Combat Spear lost two of its assigned aircraft, one over North Vietnam and a second on the ground during a mortar attack. In 1968 the unit’s name changed to the 15th Special Operations Squadron, and it continued to support SOG requirements until 1972 when it relocated to Kadena AB, Okinawa, as the 90th SOS. Six months later the squadron’s name again changed to the 1st SOS. The third Combat Talon unit, also made up of four aircraft and six crews and identified as Combat Arrow, deployed to Ramstein AB, Germany, in 1968 and became part of the 7th SOS. Chapter 5 traces the early years of the 7th SOS as it transitioned from C-123, C-47, and UH-1 helicopters to the new Combat Arrow. September 1968 marked the beginning of a long and successful exercise series in Europe when the 7th SOS participated in Flintlock I. The exercise series continued over the next 22 years during some of the most tense periods of the cold war. In March 1973 the 7th SOS moved from Ramstein AB to Rhein Main AB, Germany, where it remained for the next 19 years. Chapter 6 presents a detailed account of the Son Tay prisoner-of-war (POW) raid as told through the eyes of the Combat Talon crews that participated in the heroic event. Mission preparation and rehearsal in the Florida Panhandle before deployment to SEA is covered in detail. Because of limited numbers of Combat Talon aircraft and crews worldwide, one crew and aircraft were sourced from the 318th SOS, one crew from the 7th SOS, and one aircraft from the 15th SOS. By spreading the tasking throughout the Talon community, no one unit was adversely affected, and the Top Secret operation could be better protected from compromise. The mis - sion was a team effort from the start, with Combat Talon providing lead pathfinder duties for both rotary-wing and fixed-wing formations. Although the POWs were moved from Son Tay Prison before the raid, the planning and execution of the mission were almost flawless. Had the POWs been there, the rescue force would have undoubtedly been successful. By the mid-1970s the United States had departed Vietnam, and a period of military drawdown and consolidation had begun. Chapter 7 covers the period from 1974 to 1979. During this period USAF conventional and unconventional warfare forces were reduced significantly. For Combat Talon the 14-aircraft fleet was main - tained, but funding for spare parts and base infrastructure to support them was xxxi
greatly reduced. By the end of 1975, the entire Air Force SOF capability had been cut to one undermanned wing (the 1st SOW) at Hurlburt Field, Florida, with three squadrons assigned (the 8th, 16th, and 20th SOSs), and two Talon squadrons stationed overseas (the 1st and 7th SOSs). Barely 3,000 personnel remained in SOF during the late 1970s. The watershed event for modern special operations—the Iranian rescue mission — occurred in 1980 and is covered in detail in chapter 8. After a brief discussion of the events leading up to the taking of the US Embassy in Tehran, the author traces the development of special tactics and unique equipment to allow the Combat Talon to do its tasked mission. In a manner similar to chapter 6, this chapter emphasizes Air Force preparations and rehearsals leading up to the actual mission. When the mission failed at Desert One, the Combat Talon community only paused briefly before it resumed preparations to return to Iran. The next chapter, chapter 9, documents post–Desert One developments under the Honey Badger program. Advancements in equipment and technology are discussed. By late summer 1980 a companion program, separate from Honey Badger, was begun. Known as Credible Sport the objective of the developmental program was to create a C-130 aircraft capable of landing and taking off in a 100-yard distance. From the beginning of planning for the rescue of the hostages, the most difficult task (from an Air Force standpoint) was getting rotary-wing aircraft into and out of the embassy area safely. Across the street from the American embassy was a soccer stadium. If the United States could develop a C-130 aircraft that could land, onload its precious cargo, and then take off in the distance of the soccer field, the entire rotary-wing problem could be eliminated. Early requirements for the Credible Sport aircraft included the capability to land on an aircraft carrier with the aid of an arresting hook. The carrier-landing requirement originated from the need to quickly move potentially critically wounded personnel to a trauma center for medical care. From concept to partial modification of the first aircraft, Credible Sport was flying three weeks after the program began. Within 60 days a fully modified aircraft had been delivered to the test crews. During a test mission on 29 October 1980, the aircraft crashed and was destroyed during a maximum effort short-field landing test. Shortly afterwards a new president was elected, and talks with the Iranians accelerated. The crisis was resolved in January 1981 when the hostages were released immediately after President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. The hostage release brought to an end the initial Credible Sport program, but Honey Badger continued on into 1981. The tactics and equipment developed under Honey Badger formed the foundation for modern-day SOF. Fallout from Desert One resulted in the relocation of the 1st SOS from Okinawa to Clark AB, Philippines, in early 1981. After the Desert One mission, the Holloway Commission was formed by the Department of Defense to investigate why the mission failed. The commission found that the mission was well planned and that it would have probably succeeded except for circumstances beyond the control of the participants. It made several recommendations, many of which were incorporated into the Department of Defense structure. Chapter 10 discusses the period after the release of the hostages, including the initial requirement for the Combat Talon II weapons system. The Combat Talon II program first utilized the remaining Credible Sport aircraft, and the effort was identified as Credible Sport II. The Credible Sport II program validated many of the advancements incorporated into the Combat Talon II, but the extensive horsal, dorsal, and retro-rocket modifications developed for the unique Credible Sport mission were not included in the production aircraft. In 1983 all Air Force special operations aircraft were transferred from Tactical Air Command to the Military Airlift Command (MAC), including the two overseas Combat Talon squadrons. The xxxii
Page 2 and 3: i\1 -■-'^^.■■--y^lEil^peD
Page 4 and 5: The Praetorian STARShip The Untold
Page 6 and 7: This book is dedicated to all Speci
Page 8 and 9: Contents Chapter Page DISCLAIMER .
Page 10 and 11: Figure Page 13 Template Shift Due t
Page 12 and 13: Page Col Don Britton, First Command
Page 14 and 15: Page Aircraft 74-1683 Crashes onto
Page 16 and 17: Foreword As a young lieutenant flyi
Page 18 and 19: About the Author USAF Photo Col Jer
Page 20 and 21: The third factor driving approval o
Page 22 and 23: A Word from the Commander We in Air
Page 24 and 25: was changed forever. The US Army Wa
Page 26 and 27: Introduction Welcome to the world o
Page 30 and 31: move was partially driven by the Ai
Page 32 and 33: Chapter 1 Establishment of Combat T
Page 34 and 35: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON coloc
Page 36 and 37: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON Two d
Page 38 and 39: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON immed
Page 40 and 41: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON Life
Page 42 and 43: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON condu
Page 44 and 45: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON Precu
Page 46 and 47: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON were
Page 48 and 49: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT TALON SOG h
Page 50 and 51: Chapter 2 The Combat Talon Weapons
Page 52 and 53: although the early Fulton modificat
Page 54 and 55: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM tri
Page 56 and 57: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM Lt
Page 58 and 59: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM as
Page 60 and 61: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM mis
Page 62 and 63: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM F^C
Page 64 and 65: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM The
Page 66 and 67: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM ./
Page 68 and 69: ■ ■-:'■-:;■ ■■..kFTn \
Page 70 and 71: equipment malfunctioned, the more t
Page 72 and 73: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM top
Page 74 and 75: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM it
Page 76 and 77: THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM TEP
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THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM CRu
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Yank aircraft operating in the Paci
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THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM Fig
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THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM ly
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TYPICAl TANKER ORBIT PATTERN THE CO
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THE COMBAT TALON WEAPONS SYSTEM Not
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Once the Stray
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP 1968: The Estab
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP ridgeline. John
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP that it was a t
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP terrain followi
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP to intercept th
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP assigned to the
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP making multiple
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Chapter 4 Combat Spear (The Vietnam
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COMBAT SPEAR quarters and were prov
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COMBAT SPEAR f -fpadc khi ai b6 phr
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COMBAT SPEAR The study cited the fo
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COMBAT SPEAR rn nilMirif Piti.r,,!
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COMBAT SPEAR proper crew rest could
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COMBAT SPEAR proper people. Moreove
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COMBAT SPEAR we never intended to e
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COMBAT SPEAR Christmas spirit and j
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COMBAT SPEAR ■ IBDCITI |«'4llH^
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COMBAT SPEAR with good radar target
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COMBAT SPEAR two loadmasters, and t
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COMBAT SPEAR was given up. The crew
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COMBAT SPEAR killed, and 187 were w
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COMBAT SPEAR volunteers shortly aft
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COMBAT SPEAR were provided to SOG b
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COMBAT SPEAR early as January 1970.
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COMBAT SPEAR r esources resulted. A
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COMBAT SPEAR live surface-to-air pi
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served as the squadron’s administ
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COMBAT SPEAR Korean government. 139
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COMBAT SPEAR marked the beginning o
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COMBAT SPEAR 76. History, 14th Spec
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Sembach AB to R
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Combat Talon de
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP June also saw t
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP prisoners of wa
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP and presenting
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP 1973: Combat Ta
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP experienced wit
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Chapter 6 The Son Tay Prisoner of W
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID On
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID cr
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID Tr
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID al
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID th
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID RT
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID se
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID ob
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THE SON TAY PRISONER OF WAR RAID se
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Chapter 7 Between the Wars (1975-79
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BETWEEN THE WARS Tentatively, the p
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BETWEEN THE WARS be undertaken in M
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BETWEEN THE WARS was established as
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BETWEEN THE WARS From 28 March to 1
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BETWEEN THE WARS The 7575th OG exer
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BETWEEN THE WARS The last half of t
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BETWEEN THE WARS during 1978 the sq
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BETWEEN THE WARS Italy for the firs
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BETWEEN THE WARS SOW CCT member lin
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Chapter 8 The Iranian Rescue Missio
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION shah had
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION were oth
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The 1st SOW maintained the four gun
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION Crew 1 C
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION large ru
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION helicopt
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION or barra
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION Since th
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executing the mission. Kyle had jus
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION addition
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION where he
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION the resc
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equired eight and one-half hours of
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The prototype Benson tank was opera
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NVG landings. Because of the short
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION the 1st
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION of the C
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION transmis
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION Photo co
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION Photo co
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION Fleming
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION had land
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION outside
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION ^f5
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION vertical
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION a decisi
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THE IRANIAN RESCUE MISSION Notes 1.
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Chapter 9 Project Honey Badger and
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PROJECT HONEY BADGER AND CREDIBLE S
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adar system similar to the Combat T
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0428 local, made its tactical landi
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Chapter 10 From Desert One to Point
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Talon community. 8 The IFR modifica
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES an
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES sq
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exercise aircraft on the ground wer
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standard operating procedures for c
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES un
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to MAC’s newly formed Twenty-Thir
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES se
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES an
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plan, Colonel Hudspeth arrived in t
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES At
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES MA
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for five Combat Talons, Hobson and
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES US
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES de
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES as
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il-u Grenada Firlih Hunlfe^ Fiuil
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES th
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FROM DESERT ONE TO POINT SALINES 10
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP five-light syst
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP the total force
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP interest the co
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP operations exer
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP forces in being
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP 1986: The Goldw
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP With rumors swi
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Photo courtesy
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP all on-aircraft
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Dur ing the fol
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP the ORI overwhe
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP H ■ BB a FT-
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP 28. History, 2d
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP ranks to become
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP continued to ve
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP process. Events
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP launch. By 1730
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP USAF Photo Crew
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP spacing between
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP vegetation grow
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Task Force Blac
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP JTF-South force
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP 21. Ibid. 22. I
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Cope Thunder Wi
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP the first night
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Within days of
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP SOW forces lean
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP was “not bad.
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP --7^*—1^, ■
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP ready for testi
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP start of the ai
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Orrell had depl
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP 16 January the
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP Saudi Arabia. H
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PRAETORIAN STARSHIP experts destroy
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Chapter 14 Mount Pinatubo to Operat
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MOUNT PINATUBO TO OPERATION JOINT E
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major eruption occurred. Seismograp
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headquarters. For AFSOC McPeak’s
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culmination of years of hard work b
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flew a SOCEUR assessment team into
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Early in the spring of 1993, all th
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Chapter 15 Operation Assured Respon
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OPERATION ASSURED RESPONSE TO THE N
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fuel available at the new location
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Epilogue 2000 and Beyond: A Combat
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surface will be covered by layers o
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Live Fulton STARS Made by Combat Ta
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Person Date Location Recovery Pilot
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Partial Summary of Upgrades, MOD-90
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—X Band Receiver/Transmitter: On
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Glossary AAA AAF ABCCC ABW ACS AD A
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CTJTF CTMR CTW CV DCS DCSO DIA DMZ
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MATS MC MCAS MCM MEU MFF MFP MIA MO
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SKE SLOG SMM SOAR SOCCENT SOCCT SOC
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Index Aircraft B-17: 2-4, 15, 17, 2
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Far East Command (FECOM): 5-8 Fulto
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