AIR SUPPORT

MACV-SOG was assigned about 2,000 Americans, mostly U.S. Special Forces, and over 8,009 highly trained indigenous troops. MACSOG had assigned air assets to include the 20th SOS was the "Green Hornet" Huey guns assigned to support the CCS operations out of Ban Me Thuot. The C130s and C123s were part of the 1st Flt Detachment out of CCK Taiwan, the 314th Troop Carrier Wing, (http://hometown.aol.com/SamC130/mc130.html) is a website regarding their history) as well as the South Vietnamese 219th H-34 helicopter squadron.

In addition the 56th Special Operations Wing based at NKP RTAFB, which was on a daily frag from 7th Air Force to support the SOG operations. They, along with the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS) provided MLT 3 with the following:

21st Special Operations Squadron

Call sign KNIFE #

3 H3s or later, H53s

23rd TASS

Call sign NAIL #

2 O2s, later OV10s

A1 Squadrons (provided 4 AC daily. Support was rotated usually on a daily basis)

1^st SOS – HOBOs

2^nd SOS - ZORROs

602nd SOS – FIREFLYs

(NOTE: These Squadrons rotated the SAR mission among them. When the aircraft flew SAR support, the were called SANDYs.)