Vietnam II: A War Novel Episode 3 (V2) Read Free Page A

see was black clouds and rain.  The setting sun was diffracted through the storm.  It looked like a big red eye watching us from the clouds.
    It was spooky.
    As rough as its been we’ve all been hoping the storm would quit so that we could get down to business.  Every hour that passed after the deadline that we didn’t do anything the more credibility we would lose.

Lieutenant Colonel Carol Madison
    Air Force Intelligence Officer
    Pacific Command Operations Center
     
    Storm or not we were moving forward.  Every air asset was being positioned for combat.
    As early as 7 August the year before air power began flowing into the Pacific.  Fixed wing Navy and USAF combat aircraft were on scene the first day, and their number grew at a steady rate, reaching a level of about 700 fighter and bomber aircraft by the end of the first month.  The aircraft carriers provided over 100 fighter and attack aircraft in addition to airborne early-warning, electronic warfare and surveillance aircraft. 
    The carriers were only hours ahead of two Air Force F-l5C squadrons flight-ferried by air refueling tankers from the U.S. directly to Okinawa.  The Air Force fighters operated out of Kadena, Clark, Andersen and later Thailand once the rights to use bases there were secured. 
    The carrier aircraft were stocked and ready for sustained combat operations on arrival into the AOR.  Every battle group carried a full combat load of ordinance and avgas for their aircraft, plus a complete aircraft maintenance facility with all of its associated spare parts, test equipment and maintenance personnel. 
    Then there was trouble
    The Air Force had to depend on fuel and maintenance assets already in theater.  For further operations ordinance, spare parts and support personnel would have to be airlifted from the states.  Everything else would be shipped in by sea.
    Marine and Army attack helicopters for close air support and anti-armor missions were moved into theater.
    More land-based fixed wing aircraft began arriving by 9 August.  Save for a maintenance issues all fixed-wing aircraft deployed to the Gulf within the first month were capable of forward deploying and operating within the first few days.  The actual deployment times depended on the availability of aerial refueling and the establishment of a support infrastructure for sustained combat operations.  This would include ground support equipment and personnel, maintenance equipment and personnel, spare parts, ordnance, ordnance storage and handling equipment, and general base operating support.
    There were standing preparations for all the services to provide support for forward deployment.  Still it took time for the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps to move the equipment, supplies and personnel for combat operations.  For example airplanes could fly themselves to the conflict zone, but the large stocks of ordnance required for an air campaign must generally come by sea.  The first maritime supply ships with Navy and Marine ordinance arrived in the conflict zone on 14 August, only seven days after the deployment order.  The first Air Force munitions arrived three days later.  The embargo bought time for American forces to deploy in the numbers and with the necessary equipment to accomplish the mission.
    The Jungle Storm planning called for a new aviation deployment concept.  The Navy and Marine Corps served their role of quick deployment, bringing combat ready, sustainable airpower to the conflict at short notice.  The majority of fixed wing aircraft would still be provided by the Air Force who arrived later.  Unlike earlier conflicts the Navy and Marine airpower would be folded into the overall joint airpower scheme.  The Air Force was limited by the flying distances from their nearest bases and the rented airfields in Thailand could only hold so many planes.  In the end the three aircraft carriers on scene accounted for 20% of the total combat airpower.
    Much to the surprise