| NKP Commandos |
Mountains of Laos
| Organizational Information |
| Detachment 2, 37th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron- This unit's mission was emergency medical treatment to save lives, search and rescue operations, recovery of downed air crews, and special tactics in support of Inter-service Special Operations. During the Vietnam war, the para-rescue personnel were credited with over 2000 combat rescues. www.pararescue.com |
| 6994th Security Squadron- This unit was under the United States Air Force Security Service and their primary mission was radio intercept. This was accomplished utilizing EC-47 aircraft and a method of intercept defined as Airborne Radio Direction Finding (ARDF). The crews flew extremely dangerous missions over Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. They were credited with providing very accurate intelligence information used in over 90 percent of the bombing missions performed by the B-52 bombers in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. www.6994th.com |
| Detachment 5, 621st. Tactical Control Squadron (Invert)- This highly decorated unit operated as one of a small constellation of Tactical Air Control radar units, and contributed to an overlapping radar control network for Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Invert monitored a 500 nautical mile-diameter hemisphere of airspace. They watched everyone who ever took off, flew and landed. Invert also participated in a the highly classified Igloo White Program under Task Force Alpha. www.squawk-flash.org |
| Task Force Alpha- A U.S. Government entity staffed by approximately 400 personnel. The personnel oversaw a project called "Igloo White". Igloo White consisted of over 20,000 electronic sensors that were dropped and placed on the Ho Chi Minh Trail to monitor truck and human traffic on the trail. Of course the HCM trail was used to transport ammunition, food and other war supplies to the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers fighting the United States in South Vietnam. The senors were monitored by aircraft flying overhead and the signals were broadcast to the Infiltration Surveillance Center at NKP. In turn, aircraft were dispatched to eliminate the trucks and supplies flowing down the trail. Thousands of trucks were destroyed annually and from that standpoint the project was a success. This was a highly classified project. www.afa.org/magazine/Nov2004/1104igloo.asp |
| Mobile Launch Team (MLT) 3, Military Assistance Command-Vietnam, Studies and Operations Group (MACV-SOG)- This group consisted of U.S. Army Green Berets positioned at NKP to launch/recover ground reconnaissance personnel who were on extremely dangerous missions in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. MLT-3, also called "Heavy Hook", utilized various resources from the 56th Special Operations Wing to carry out their missions. Since they were entering Laos from Thailand, instead of Vietnam, NKP was referred to as the back door. MLT-3 personnel carried out some of the most dangerous missions of the war and were the best of the best in the world of Special Operations. http://aircommandoman.tripod.com |
| 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron- Conducted close air support missions in the Laos Panhandle (Ho Chi Minh Trail) area. This part of Laos was referred to as "Steel Tiger". The unit was called "Operation Cricket". They flew low and slow in the O-1 Bird Dog (Cessna) supporting ground troops and calling in air strikes to disrupt activity on the Trail. The O-1 was subsequently replaced with the faster, more maneuverable OV-10. http://www.squawk-flash.org |
| 1st. Special Operations Squadron (Hobos)- The hobos flew the venerable Douglas A1 Skyraider and conducted missions involving air cover, close air support, direct air strike, armed reconnaissance and search and rescue. The missions were flown in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. http://skyraider.org/skyassn.htm |
| 21st. Special Operations Squadron (Dust Devils)- The 21st. was initially tasked to support Task Force Alpha on the Igloo White program to place sensors along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Later the squadron supported MACV-SOG by inserting and extracting special operations teams in Laos. They also supported the CIA counter insurgency operations in Laos. Back home at NKP the unit supported civic action programs, local area reconnaissance and logistical support. http://aircommandoman.tripod.com |
| 22nd. Special Operations Squadron (Zorro)- This unit was operational from 1968 to 1970 and flew close air support and direct air support missions in Laos in support of the U.S. Elements operating in Laos. The venerable A1 Skyraider was used for the missions.http://skyraider.org |
| 602nd Special Operations Squadron (Fire Fly)- This unit flew the same types of missions as did the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron and the 22nd. Special Operations Squadron. The three units rotated between U.S. Elements operating in Laos. Missions consisted of close air support, direct air strikes and search and rescue. The A1 Douglas Skyraider was used for these missions. http://skyraider.org |
| 606th Special Operations Squadron (Candlestick)- This unit flew the C-123 Provider aircraft similar to the photo on the right. The primary mission of the 606th was to fly over the Ho Chi Minh trail at night and identify movement of equipment and people down the trail. After identifying the targets, they would call for the fighters, mark the target location(s) with illuminating flares and then vector away a safe distance and watch the fighters do their job. This unit also dropped flares if required to illuminate areas where U.S. Elements were conducting operations on the ground. Also, they could be used for other cargo/people hauling needs as required. |
| The American Forces Thailand Network (AFTN)- AFTN was an affiliate of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). AFTN operated a complete television and radio station at NKP. They provided radio programs 24 hours a day and television to bring hometown sights and sounds to the troops.http://bobwertzcm.tripod.com |
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