Tactical Air Command
| Tactical Air Command | |
|---|---|
| File:Tactical Air Command.JPG Tactical Air Command | |
| Active | 1946 - 1992 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces (1946-1947) United States Air Force (1947 - 1948) (1950 - 1992) |
| Type | Major Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Langley Air Force Base |
Tactical Air Command (TAC) (1946 - 1992) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) charged with battlefield-level (tactical) air combat, including light bombardment, close air support of ground troops, interdiction of enemy forces, and air transport of ground troops. TAC was also responsible for tactical ballistic missiles.
History
World War II showed the effectiveness of tactical air power in supporting army ground forces. However, the rapid demobilization in late 1945 meant that the huge air armada that had brought Germany to her knees and victory in Europe had been downsized to a shadow of its former self.
Headquarters United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) had little money and most of the wartime personnel had returned to civilian life. Many of it's aircraft were being sent to storage or the scrapyards, although the increasing tension with the Soviet Union meant that combat military forces were was still needed. The big questions were how much and what kind of forces.
A major realignment of the USAAF was undertaken in early 1946. As part of the realignment. three major command divisions within the Continental United States (CONUS) were formed. Each was given a specific responsibility, using assets prescribed to accomplish the assigned mission.
Origns
Tactical Air Command (TAC) was activated on 21 March 1946. The other major divisions were Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Air Defence Command (ADC).
The mission of Tactical Air Command was to command, organize, equip, train and administer assigned or attached forces. It was to plan for and participate in tactics for light bombardment and other airplanes. These included tactical fighters, tactical bombers, tactical missiles, troop carriers, assault, reconnaissance and support units. TAC also planned for and developed the capability to deploy tactical striking forces anywhere in the world.
During it's existence, Tactical Air Command deployed personnel, material and/or aircraft to Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Australia in support of it's prescribed mission.
The first headquarters for TAC was established at MacDill Army Airfield, near Tampa Florida on 21 March 1946, however, on 26 May the headquarters was moved to Langley Army Airfield Virginia, in an attempt to bring the command closer to Washington, D.C..
TAC's original authorization was 25,500 officers and enlisted men. Aircraft assets available consisted of propeller-driven North American P-51 Mustangs, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and a handful of the new jet-powered Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars. TAC was also given control of the Third Air Force, Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force.
Berlin Airlift
On 18 September 1947 the United States Air Force was established as a separate military force, with TAC as one of it's major commands. Just a few months later, in March 1948 the first test of the United States' resolve began with the blockade of Berlin by the Soviet Union, and the need for tactical air power in Europe to underscore the airlift mission was necessary.
At the time there was only one USAFE tactical air unit available in Europe, the 86th Composite Group at Neubiberg Air Base near Munich, flying P-47Ds. TAC was called upon to send additional units and aircraft to Europe to reinforce the 86th FG. The 36th Fighter Group was transferred from Howard AAF in the Canal Zone to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base flying Lockheed F-80B "Shooting Stars"
Continental Air Command
With the end of the 1940s TAC's assets were changed, transferred or retired. On 1 December 1948, Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command were brought together to form Continental Air Command. (CONAC). HQ TAC was reduced to the status of an operational headquarters under CONAC.
When organized Continental Air Command assumed jurisdiction of all Air Force units to be used in either air defense or tactical operations. Two years later, on 1 December 1950, the Air Force reestablished Tactical Air Command as a major command and removed it from assignment to CONAC in large part due to the need to deploy personnel and aircraft to Japan and South Korea due to the Korean War.
Korean War
On the morning of 25 June 1950, the peace in South Korea was shattered by the clanking of tanks. The North Korean army had crossed the 38th parallel and were driving south towards the South Korean capital of Seoul. At the time, there were very few United States Air Force tactical air assets in the area. There were three North American F-82 Twin Mustang squadrons and the F-80As of the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing based at Itazuke Air Field, Japan to support the United Nations resolution to aid the South Koreans.
First blood was drawn on 28 June when F-82s from the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron downed three Yakovlev Yak-9s. That same day, four Ilyushin Il-10s were shot down by F-80s from the 35th FBS. The 3rd Bomb Group from Johnson AFB. Japan began operations on 28 June in support of the retreating ground forces. The group's Douglas B-26 Invaders hit bridges near Seoul in an attempt to cut usable roadways for the advancing North Korean tanks.
Air bases in the United States went on mobility alert to prepare for overseas movement in response to the Korean Emergency. Units from SAC and CONAC were deployed to Japan and South Korea. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units were called up to active duty and placed under Federal Service in case they were needed. What started out as a Emergency turned into a "Police Action", which was, in reality, a bona-fide war.
By the end of August 1950, the the initial North Korean onslaught was reversed and Seoul was retaken. As the United Nations forces advanced into North Korea, forces from the Communist China stepped in to help their North Korean allies. The UN advance ground to a halt in December, then retreated south in early 1951, tactical aircraft continued to support of United Nations forces. Eventually the line stablized along the 38th Paralell, where a stalemate ensued for the next two years.
Known Tactial Air Command units deployed to Korea were:
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First Jet Warfare
- See also: MiG Alley
Early in the conflict a sleek swept wing fighter appeared from she North. USAF planners were taken by complete surprise by the Soviet built MiG-15. THe USAF had no idea that such an aircraft existed, and had nothing in the area that could battle the MiG on equal terns. As a result, the United States rushed the North American F-86A to Korea to take on the MiG menace. The early F-86As were not as good as the MiG, but in the hands of a skilled pilot it could hold its own. Later models of the F-86E, with upgrades derived from the combat in Korea later arrived, along with better trained pilots and pilots from WWII activated for combat duty. The tide in the air turned.
While F-86s battled for air supremacy over MiG Alley, other TAC air assets supported the ground war. Lessons that had been hard learned in WWII were painfully relearned in Korea. After three years of bloody fighting the final peace agreement was signed on 27 June 1953. Korea remained divided along the 38th parallel. which was roughly where it was divided before the war began.
One of the major lessons learned in the Korean War was that the U.S. Air Force was not ready to fight another conflict. There were changes in command structure. mission. and aircraft. Tactical Air Command units returned back to CONUS after Korea to regroup. Reserve and Air Guard units returned to their former control agencies. More pilots would have to be trained to replace losses and retirements.
Composite Air Strike Force
In aftermath of the Korean War, TAC developed the Composite Air Strike Force (CASF) concept, a mobile rapid-deployment strike concept designed to respond to "brush fire" conflicts around the world. A CASF included fighter bomber aircraft for both conventional and nuclear attack missions, as well as transport, tanker, and tactical reconnaissance assets. TAC composite air strike forces were intended to augment existing combat units already in place as part of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), or the Alaskan Air Command (AAC).
In addtion, the new Century Series of TAC fighters were making their first fights, designed from the lessons learned in the air over Korea. As these new fighters and new transport aircraft cane online there were problems with each one. TAC pilots risked life and limb to iron out the problems and make these aircraft fully operational.
Also, with the development of air refueling, TAC could now flex its muscles and demonstrate true global mobility. Deployments to Europe and the Far East because a way of life for TAC units.
The first deployment of the Composite Air Strike Force took place in July 1958 in response to an imminent coup d'etat in Lebanon. TAC scrambled forces across the Atlantic to Turkey, where their presence was intended to force an end to the crisis. A similar CASF was deployed in response to conflicts between China and Taiwan in 1958.
When Strategic Air Command abandoned its fighter escort force in 1957, those aircraft were transferred to TAC, further augmenting its strength. By 1959, TAC had gone from a meager postwar force to a force capable of putting the right amount of assets in the right place when they were needed.
Cold War
With the Kennedy Administration, there was the onset of "bush fire" wars, and wars of insurgency. New methods of fighting these types of wars became part of TAC. Soon Air Commando units became part of the command.
The Cold War took on a frightening phase in October 1962. Routine photo reconnance fights over Cuba revealed that the Soviet Union was in the process or placing nuclear missies on that island. In response the United States let it be known that any use of those missies against any country in the hemisphere would be considered an attack on the United States and a full nuclear response would be the result. The United States and the Soviet Union stood eyeball to eyeball at the brink of nuclear exchange.
During this period of unprecidened saber rattling and secret deplomacy the military climbed the defense ladder to DEFCON two step away from all out nuclear war. Tactical Air Command units were deployed to Florida within hours of the call to prepare for movement. TAC recon aircraft were over Cuba on a daily basis to keep an eye on what was going on. In some cases the films were flown directly to Washington and on the President's desk within hours of being taken.
The United States and Soviet Union stepped back from the brink, and the crisis was resolved without armed conflict. Never in the history of the Cold War had we come so very close to mutual nuclear destruction.
On 22 November 1963 the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas brought a new administration to the White House. With the Johnson administration came a new challege to Tactical Air command.
Vietnam War
During 1963, the situation in South Vietnam was heating up on a daily basis. More and more "advisors" were being sent to that small country in Southeast Asia. In response to what has become known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, Tactical Air Command pilots and support personnel found themselves deployed to places like Da Nang, Takhli, Korat and Phan Rang.
For the next decade, TAC would be consumed by operations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. On a daily basis, flight crews would hurl themselves and their planes at targets across the area of operations. Over the skies of North Vietnam, TAC flight crews continued to fly against some of the heaviest air defenses on earth. Their heroic service in the skies over Southeast Asia will he remembered, not because they brought about ultimate victory, but because they did what they were ordered to do, and did it to the best of their ability.
By 1968 the United States was fed up with the war. Protestors ruled university campuses across the nation. Antiwar riots were a nightly portion of the news. In spite of what was going on back in the United States. missions were flown on a daily basis and men continued to be lost.
In 1970 the war was winding down as the conflict the was being Vietnantized. Units from the South Vietnamese Air Force took on more and more combat to defend their nation. USAF tactical air strength was being reduced as several air bases were turned over to the SVNAF.
Bombing of North Vietnam (Operation Rolling Thunder) had ended in 1968, and as a result North Vietnamese forces had built up their air defenses and continued to pour men and equipment into the South via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. By the beginning of 1972 there were only about 235 USAF tactical combat aircraft in Southease Asia.
On 30 March 1972 forces from the North Vietnamese Army launched an all out invasion of South Vietnam with over 13 divisions, pushing South Vietnamese units aside with little difficulty. President Nixon stepped up air strikes to turn back the invasion, or at least to slow it down.
In response, by May, the United States had recommitted TAC air assets to Southeast Asia almost doubling the number of conthtu aircraft available since March. For the first time, Tactical Air Command fighter-bombers were turned loose on targets in North Viet Nam under the operational code "LINEBACKER." Targets selected would deny resupply of the North Vietnamese Army in south by hitting the sources in the North supplying them. Tactical Air Forces flew strikes against POL, supply debots, railroads. bridges, maintence sites. airfields, and Surfact To Air Missle siets.
North Vietnameese MIG-21 interceptors were a real threat and were engaged by F-4Es whenever they appeared. On 10 May 1972, eleven MiG-21 aircraft were shot down by Thailand-based USAF F-4s. After that incident, many of North Vietnam's MiGs were withdrawn to bases in southern China. Operations continued with increased ferocity through the summer. Give and take on both sides became the watch words as the North continued invading the South under the increasing threat of death from above.
By October 1972 the effect of the air campaign was being felt in North Vietnam. North Vietnamese delegates returned to the barganing table in Paris to engage in peace talks in a serious manner. Besides the pressure from USAF Tactical Air Fighter-Bombers, the political climate in Moscow and Beijing had changed to encourage the North Vietnamese to agree to a settlement.
However, on 13 December, the North Vietnamese delegation again walked out of the peace talks. President Nixon made the decission to bring them back one way or another. Operation Linebacker II began on 18 December with attacks by SAC B-52s and massive waves of Tactical Air Command fighter-bombers attacking targets in and around Hanoi and Haiphong. During the next eleven days aircrews faced the toughest air de-lenses of the war, however these air defenses were slowly attacked and taken down. The full effect of aerial bombing started to be felt by the North Vietnaemse.
The all out air campaign crippled the North Vietnamese war machine. They expended or lost nearly 2.000 SAMs defending against the aerial strike forces. During Linebacker II, Tactical fighter-bombers flew thousands of strike sorties. Seven aircraft were lost. Most of North Vietnam was left without without fuel and electricity. The effect of this wave of attacks brought North Vietnamese representatives back to the barganing table in Paris, and the peace talks resumed.
On 23 January 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed with an effective date of 28 January 1973. For TAC the war in SEA was almost over. With the official end of hostilities came the long awaited release of American Prisoners of War from inside North Viet Nam. The last USAF aircraft left South Vietnam at the end of January 1973, and the final group of Americans were released from North Vietnam on 29 March 1973.
Hostilities in Cambodia continued until 15 August 1973 when the Congressionally-mandated end of USAF air operations took effect. The last shot fired in anger in Southeast Asia was by at Tactical Air command A-7D of the '354th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base over the suburbs of Phnom Penh. By the end of 1975 all Tactical Air units were withdrawn from Southease Asia.
Post-Vietam Era
Hard lessons had been learned during the Southeast Asia war. New methods of projecting global air power had been perfected. and several new types of aircraft were developed as a result of some of the lessons and shortcomings that had been learned in the skies over Hanoi. The first F-15A was delivered to TAC's 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Langley AFB Virginia in November 1974. Training on the new type began at once. The close air support tank busting A-10 began arriving in March 1977 to Myrtle Beach AFB South Carolina, equipping the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. The first F-16A were assigned to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB Utah in January 1979.
In 1978, the unrest in Iran over the Shah's autocratic rule boiled over into a revolution. In January 1979, the Shah fled the country to Egypt and Iran was turned into an "Islamic Republic". In October 1979 the Shah was allowed to travel to the United States for medical treatment, and in response, the American Embassy in Tehran was taken over with the entire staff became hostages. While the situation was trying to be resoled through diplomatic means no real ground was gained for the release of the hostages. In a bold plan, U.S. military forces were instructed to come up with a plan to go into Iran and get the hostages by force of arms.
In April 1980, TAC air assets were deployed to areas close to Iran to he ready if and when the "go" was given by Washington. Operation Eagle Claw got underway on 24 April 1980 when Special Operations Hercules aircraft deployed to a desert landing zone with Marines. From the start it appeared that the operation was running into problems. Sand storms plagued the Marine helicopters making them late. Several aircraft aborted. The landing zone was dicovered by a hits loaded with Iranians. The mission was aboned. During take off a Marine helicopter collided with an EC-130 (Serial 62-18091), destroying both aircraft and killing several of the crew.
As part of realignment of military assets. the Aerospace Defense Command was deactivated in the summer of 1979. The air assets of ADC were assigned to TAC. With this move many Air National Guard units that had an air defense mission also came under the control of TAC. In essence, Tactical Air Command became the old Continental Air Command. With this new mission, TAC continued to train for any conflict that might arise in the unsteady world situation. Tactical Fighter Aggressor Squadrons at Nellis AFB Nevada were giving regular units some of the most intense training ever achieved through the Red Flag program that had begun during the 1970s.
In January 1982 a devastating accident during a training flight claimed the lives of four pilots front the Air Force Demonstration Team, better known as the Thunderbirds . The airshow season for that year was canceled. It was also decided to equip the group with the F-16 and start over during the next year. The Thunderbirds had been part of TAC since they moved to Nellis AFB in the mid-1950s.
The early 1980s were a transisition era for most TAC fighter wings, replacing their Vietnam-Era aircraft for newer F-15s and F-16s. The Close Air Support A-10 was taking the place of the A-7D Corsair II ground attack aircraft at Davis-Monthan and England AFB (Myrtle Beach AFB had transisioned to the A-10 in 1977). The 23d Fighter Wing at England AFB began painting "sharkmouths" on their first A-10 on September 23, 1980 as part of their World War II "Flying Tiger" heritage.
By the late 1980s Air National Guard units also began trading in their Vietnam Era aircraft for newer and more sophisticated weapons systems with F-16A/Bs were now being allocated to Guard units as active-duty Air Force units upgraded to the F-16C/Ds. First generation F-15A/B models where also being upgraded to the newer F-15C/D models as well.
A new version of the F-15, the F-15E "Strike Eagle" was developed to fill a fighter-bomber role in TAC's arsenal in the 1980s, the first models being sent to the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base North Carolina on 29 December 1988.
In 1984 the upgraded version of the the F-111 began equipping TAC units. This version was known as the EF-111A Raven. Loaded with electronic jamming units, the sole purpose of this aircraft was to fly into enemy airspace and confuse enemy radar so that the strike package could follow and get the mission accomplished, replacing the venerable RB/EB-66 of the 1950s and 1960s that served in the Vietnam War.
Across the Nevada desert skies there were reports of strange lights in the night skies. Most of these reports were explained as possible UFOs. Most of these reports seem to come from the area around Tonopah, and an area identified on maps as Area 51. The UFO story seemed to hold water, as the radars at Nellis and Los Vegas could not see any aircraft in the area of question.
The strange lights over the Nevada desert were officially recognized in November 1988 when the Department of Defense unveiled the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter. It is interesting to note that this was a well kept secret. The first production aircraft had first flown in 1982. One had crashed in June 1984 in the Nevada desert. It took another crash of this aircraft in California in 1988 to finally lift the veil of secrecy.
One of the effects of this massive buildup of American military might was pressure inside of the Soviet Union to match the United States. However internal pressures inside the Soviet Union for increased freedoms, along with econmic pressures led to the loosening of their control in Eastern Europe. In 1989, one by one of these nations began to rebel against their Communist governments, leading to the opening of the Berlin Wall in November. The mighty Warsaw Pact as well as the Soviet Union was crumbling from within.
In 1990, it was clear that the threat the western democracies faced in Europe was coming to an end as the Soviet Union imploded from within. The Cold War was at an end.
Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
In 1990 without its former enemy to worry about, the United States began a quick period of downsizing the military. Bases were marked for closing and units were deactivated. Some units became what were called "Super Wings" comprising more than one unit and aircraft type, along with several different missions. With all of the cutbacks it seemed that any type of major armed conflict was a thing of the past.
Without warning, ground forces of Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990. President George Bush proclaimed that the situation was not tolerable. With that he drew a "line in the sand." The United States took their case to the United Nations. The United Nations in turn condemned the actions or Iraq and proclaimed that they must withdraws. Iraq refused to withdraw from the small cotmtry. The United States. now backed by United Nations mandates again told Iraq to withdraw or suffer the results of continued aggression.
In response to the invasion, the largest military build up since the Vietnam War got underway. By 15 August the 1st TFW had deployed F-15s in a fifteen hour non stop flight from Langley AFB to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. They were standing alert within hours of their arrival. Operaton Desert Shield was underway.
By January 1991 almost 50% of Tactical Air Command U.S. combat squadrons had been deployed as part of Desert Shield. Diplomacy had failed to resolve the situation. Iraq had been given the ulliutatum, "get out of Kuwait or suffer the wrath of the United Nations Coalition". Leaders from Iraq rattled their salters and proclaimed that if the UN forces crossed into Iraqi territory they would surfer the "Mother or all wars." As the deadline canto and passed. there was no movement of Iraqi forces that indicated a pullback.
In the early morning hours of 17 January 1991 anti-aircraft batteries in Baghdad eruopted as the first strikes by F-117A Nighthawks hit critical command and control targets in the Iraqui capital. Operation Desert Storm had begin.
During the next few hours, tactical air assets pounded command and control facilities_ bridges, and other lines of communication. Wild Weasel F-4Gs went after SAM sites like they had in Vietnam. A-10s hunted Iraqi tanks and troops. In the first three days of the air war, eleven Iraqi aircraft were shot down by F-15s.
During the six week air war any and all Iraqi military assets were fair game to Coalition attack aircraft. The Iraqis responded by launching SCUD missies. With no accurate guidance system these missies were very similar to the German V2 when it came to hitting a specific target. The SCUD went up and returned to earth with it chance of hitting something in the general area that it was pointed at. Classified as a terror weapon. the SCUDs became a top priority for Tactical Air Command aircraft to find the mobile launching sites and destroy them.
The ground war began in late Feburary and lasted 100 hours. Tactical Air Command close air support A-10 aircraft supported the ground forces as they had trained in the United States for well over a decade. Military planter's and Washington Officials were correct when they proclaimed that the war in the desert would "not he another Viet Nam," Desert Storm would go into the history hooks as one of Tactical Air Command's most shining moments.
Inactivation
Desert Storm was also the Swan Song for Tactical Air Command. The performance of the men and women of TAC was nothing less than outstanding. The planning and execution of the mission was the result of 45 years of TAC being honed into one of the most effective military organizations in history.
Following the 1991 Gulf War and the end of the Cold War, U.S. military planners perceived a serious blurring between the responsibilities of TAC and SAC. General John M. Loh, who served as USAF Vice Chief of Staff before becoming TAC commander on 26 March 1991, was heavily involved in the restructuring decisions.
As a result, in the of spring 1992 the decision was made to merge most SAC and TAC resources, while simultaneously reorganizing the Military Airlift Command (MAC). On 1 June 1992 Tactical Air Command, Strategic Air Command and Military Airlift command were inactivated, being replaced by two new major commands, Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command.
From escorting C-54s into Templehof Air base during the Berlin Blockade; the cold of Korea; the steaming jungles of Southeast Asia, and to the heat of the desert, the legacy of Tactical Air Command was turned into history.
Aircraft of Tactical Air Command
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See Also
- Ninth Air Force
- Twelfth Air Force
- Eighteenth Air Force
- Nineteenth Air Force
- List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force
- Air Combat Command