Unsung Heroes of the Vietnam War – The Bird Dogs

– Vietnam War Bird Dogs –

That unusual title should kindle some interest if you are not acquainted with this critical aspect of the Vietnam War. “Bird Dog” was the nickname given to the Cessna L-19 / 0-1A fixed wing aircraft employed for spotter plane duty from 1962 to 1975 in South Vietnam. That appropriate name was chosen because Bird Dog’s role consisted of locating the enemy and hovering overhead to coordinate forward air control (FAC). The object was to direct artillery or close air support (CAS) attacks on enemy targets while avoiding friendly fire and collateral damage.

Flying at low altitude and airspeed, these pilots were always at great risk of being shot down. The two-seat Cessna 0-1 had a pilot in front, an observer (spotter) in back, both with nerves of steel, facing dangerous enemy exposure day in, day out.  Actually, 172 planes and crew were lost in combat operations during the long war. They deservedly earned the appellation, “the toughest dog in the fight.” Heroes in the strictest definition of the word, they served in a role that is a little known aspect of the war except to those engaged in combat.

Without being too technical, some background is necessary to understand the procedure. Half of our population was not born in the 1960’s, so they have no idea of the complexity of this operation. And, I doubt even many of those who were alive in the sixties have any remote notion of how the tactical operation worked. Let me explain with an excerpt from my recently published historical narrative, RECALL.

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In 1965, GPS coordinates were not the primary navaids. The USAF/GPS project began in 1974, utilizing twenty- four global satellites, not becoming fully operational until 1995. So, for combat operations in Vietnam, pilots flying close air support used forward air control (FAC) rather than GPS coordinates to mark or direct the fighter planes to the enemy targets’ location. To ensure the safety of friendly forces in close proximity during the battle, no drops were authorized until obtaining FAC clearance. There were no smart bombs, and no laser guidance at that time. FAC cleared each and every drop to avoid friendly fire. That required the pilot to attack using his fixed gun sight to track the target until the pipper was on the target at precisely the correct drop altitude, airspeed, and dive angle. Flying close air support in the Vietnam era required exceptional pilot skill and coordination with FAC, and a special breed of men who could multitask under duress.

In a typical close combat support situation, FAC—flying in low, slow, fixed- wing aircraft—would communicate with ground troops on Fox Mike (VHF/FM radio) to assess the situation, then relay the critical target vector information to the fighter pilots on the AN/ARC- 34 airborne UHF channel, known as “uniform” in brevity code. Spotter recon aircraft— “Bird Dogs,” like an O- 1E Cessna—then released a marker rocket on the target and gave the okay for the fighter pilots to release ordinance on the target, by then clearly identified by smoke. Flyers called this white phosphorous smoke “Willey Pete.” in military phonetic parlance.

Communication was critical and a bit complex. The pilot had five radio control heads and could listen to the two FAC channels simultaneously, but could talk only on one at a time. The emergency Guard Channel (243.0), intercom, and squadron communication channels operated on UHF. They added to the pilot’s tasks while engaged in battle, avoiding anti- aircraft fire, and attacking the target flying at three to four hundred knots.

This rundown gives you an appreciation of the skill set required to fly close air support.

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With this background in mind, I’ll show you how this combat action plays out in an actual close air support operation that I dramatize later in my novel. This second excerpt from my book should give you a close idea of how these CAS operations were conducted. This is “top gun” stuff with call signs and pilot chatter. These guys were really good and sometimes colorful fighter jocks with cojones.

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As Colonel Ruey’s A- 4 squadron approached Pleiku the conflagration of the firefight came into his cockpit’s view. Less than a minute later his VHF- Uniform channel blared. FAC’s Cessna O- 1s spotted them and promptly checked in using their squadron call signs. Strict policy dictated coordination of close air support with forward air control who remained in close contact with the ground troops on Fox Mike. Avoiding friendly fire required precise management and skill. No attacks were initiated without FAC clearance. These spotters, also known as “Bird Dogs”, were the unsung heroes in Vietnam taking big risks flying at low altitude and slow airspeed to locate enemy targets. They often took heavy ground fire, but at other times the enemy was reluctant to give away its position by firing on the spotters.

The colonel’s VHF- Uniform channel squawked again, relaying FAC’s instructions for the attack plan.

“Checkertail, Bird Dog One. Condition hot. Willey Pete’s will vector two primary targets in about five. Standby. Follow the puff and light ’em up.”

“Read you, Bird Dog. Guarantee no friendlies in strike zone?”

“Affirmative. You are cleared in hot. Follow the smoke. Fire away and await our next FAC clearance.”

“Roger that. Out,” Ruey replied and switched to another channel.

He issued orders to his squadron on his UHF channel, using their individual call signs: ‘Hotshot,’ his wing man Neelson, and ‘Sandy,’ Alex, a third pilot.

“This is ‘Shoreman’ actual. FAC has cleared us. Willey Pete’s will vector two primary targets in five. Hotshot, take your two wings and peel off to attack target two. Sandy, you and your three Checkertails, follow me to eliminate target one.”

“Roger, Shoreman,” Neelson replied, not hiding his enthusiasm to lead the attack on the second target.

Sandy followed, “Will be hot and heavy on your tail, Shoreman.”

“Adjust airspeed to three hundred knots and set attack angle. Allow plenty of space to pull out after dropping your ordinance. Don’t want anyone fragging themselves.”

“We got it, Shoreman,” Hotshot chirped.

“Okay, here we go, guys. Happy hunting.” Ruey smiled as he peeled off and started to dive, leading VMA- 211 Skyhawk squadron into close air support of the besieged base. They vectored in on the spotter planes’ white phosphorous rockets’ puff identifying their targets.

The intensity of firepower took a quantum leap at that point. The explosions were almost deafening following the Marine squadron’s bombing. The earth shook. Large plumes of smoke and fire shot a mile up into the air. Two other A- 4s strafed the adjacent jungle, disrupting the VC plans for another attack. The Skyhawks expended half of their 8,500 pounds of ordinance on the first two targets highlighted by the “Willey Pete’s”, the military phonetic nickname for the white phosphorous markers released on targets by the fixed wing spotter planes referred to as “Bird Dogs.”

The A4s pulled up and out, and reassembled in squadron formation. They circled over the targets behind Ruey awaiting the next FAC target clearance.

Secondary explosions from the enemy’s ammo dump in the rain forest lit up the dawn sky like the four of July.

“This is fucking awesome, Shoreman!” Hotshot exclaimed over the UHF intercom.

Colonel Ruey chuckled in his O2 mask. “This is what we do, Hotshot. Standby for the finale.”

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I hope you will find this information enlightening, even exciting, and that you’ll read my novel RECALL which is full of stories like this. Written as a fictional narrative, much of story is true – my imagination is not that great. I could not make all of this up, believe me. The Vietnam story needs to be told and understood by all generations.

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Photo courtesy of James Emery