| Date: 9 May 1965 |
| Aircraft type: O-1F Bird Dog |
| Serial Number: 57-2896 |
| Military Unit: 19 TASS, 34 TG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Bien Hoa |
| Name(s): |
| Capt L L Reed (Survived) |
| Capt J A Hodges (Survived) |
| During a dusk FAC sortie in South Vietnam Capt Reed’s Bird Dog was hit in the engine by small arms fire. Capt Reed made a forced landing that resulted in the destruction of the aircraft but the crew walked away with minor injuries and was quickly rescued. During May three more USAF tactical air support squadrons were deployed to South Vietnam to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for forward air control. The 20th TASS formed at Da Nang; the 21st at Pleiku; and the 22nd at Binh Thuy. Each squadron was equipped with about 30 Bird Dogs and by the end of the year the four FAC squadrons were operating detachments from 65 locations throughout South Vietnam. Although largely unsung, the FACs were the crucial element of the air support system in South Vietnam as no targets could be attacked unless under the control of an FAC. |
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