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USAF 1965 - 1969
608th OMS Charleston AFB 1966
618th OMS Charleston AFB 1966
20th Tactical Air Support Squadron Danang AB 1966 - 1968
1st Air Commando Squadron (1st Special Operations Squadron after August 1968) 1968 - 1969

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Portraits :

Portraits

Updated: Sep 07, 2012 9:42am PST

MACV Advisory Team 4 (redesignated Team 19, August 1968) Quang Tri Province, RVN. : MACV Advisory Team 4 provided advice and assistance to the 1st Regiment, 1st ARVN Division, elements of the ARVN 7th Cavalry, Regional and Local Forces and other Vietnamese military elements in Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam. The Team with attached elements included US Army, US Navy, US Marine, US Air Force, and Australian Army personnel. Included in the MACV Team 4 structure was a forward operating unit of the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron (20th TASS) headquartered at Danang AB. The detachment flew 0-1 Bird Dogs out of La Vang airfield, about 4 kilometers south of Quang Tri City. (All photos by David Andrew Sciacchitano unless otherwise noted.) Silver Star Award of Sgt. Edward A. McKim Quang Tri City was a major objective of the North Vietnamese in the Tet Offensive of 1968. The city was overrun, with the exception of the two MACV compounds, and several strong points held by VN Police, the handful of ARVN 1st Division troops within the City and Citadel and ARVN Airborne elements north of the city. Losses at MACV included Marine Sgt. Edward Alton McKim, NCOIC of the MACV Team 4 Marine Security Detachment at Kilroy Compound, and a number of other killed and wounded. Sgt. McKim was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his actions during the attack. Following is Sgt. McKim's Silver Star citation. McKIM, EDWARD A. (KIA) Citation: The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Edward A. McKim (2058209), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company D, Third Military Police Battalion, Force Logistic Command, THIRD Marine Amphibious Force, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. During early morning hours of 31 January 1968, a military compound in Quang Tri City suddenly came under heavy mortar, recoilless rifle, small arms, and automatic weapons fire from two battalions of North Vietnamese Army regulars. As the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the compound's Marine Security Detachment, Sergeant McKim responded immediately and completely disregarded his own safety as he exposed himself to intense hostile fire to direct and adjust accurate 81-mm. mortar fire against enemy positions approximately 100 meters from the compound. During the attack he was wounded by hostile mortar fragments but continued to direct return fire against the North Vietnamese. Upon hearing cries for assistance from the injured, he ignored the enemy fire around him and unhesitatingly moved to the side of the casualties where he assisted in evacuating them from the hazardous area. Anticipating the possibility of a ground assault by the North Vietnamese Army force, he directed his mortar crews to continue their fire and maneuvered across the hazardous terrain to the sector of the perimeter which had suffered the most casualties. Displaying exceptional leadership and calm composure under fire, he reorganized the defensive positions and moved among his men, encouraging them and ensuring that adequate ammunition was available. Subsequently, he was mortally wounded when a North Vietnamese mortar round exploded within five meters of his position. By his courageous leadership, bold initiative, and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Sergeant McKim inspired all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. Home Town: Dallas, Texas

MACV Advisory Team 4 (redesignated Team 19, August 1968) Quang Tri Province, RVN.

MACV Advisory Team 4 provided advice and assistance to the 1st Regimen ...

Updated: Oct 11, 2010 8:36pm PST

20th TASS at Hue : The 20th TASS Detachment at Hue were attached to MACV Advisory Team 3, and worked and flew a mix of 0-1 Bird Dogs and 0-2 Skymasters out of the airfield located in the Hue Citadel. All photos by David Sciacchitano unless otherwise noted.

20th TASS at Hue

The 20th TASS Detachment at Hue were attached to MACV Advisory Team 3, ...

Updated: Oct 09, 2010 10:49pm PST

20th TASS at Tam Ky : All photos by David Sciacchitano unless otherwise noted.

20th TASS at Tam Ky

All photos by David Sciacchitano unless otherwise noted.

Updated: Oct 09, 2010 9:54pm PST

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Children

Updated: Jul 03, 2008 5:31pm PST

20th Tactical Air Support Squadron - 20th TASS - Danang AB : Photos of the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron (20th TASS), taken between November 1966 and June 1968 by David Sciacchitano, at Danang Air Base and several forward operating bases. The 20th TASS was activated in November, 1965 at Danang Air Base, RVN as part of the 505th Tactical Control Group, and was later attached to the 6250th Tactical Air Support Group. The first aircraft flown by the squadron were 0-1 Bird Dogs (L-19s transferred from the Army to the Air Force). Later the unit added a number of 0-2 aircraft and later still more modern aircraft such as the OV-10. Over time, the 20th TASS established a number of forward operating sites, including detachments at Dong Ha, Quang Tri City (La Vang airfield), Khe Sanh, Kham Duc, Hue, Tam Ky, Pleiku, and others. The 20th flew in-country missions within I Corps, and also covered an area of Laos adjacent to I Corps and the very southern part of North Vietnam along the DMZ. All photos by David Andrew Sciacchitano unless otherwise noted.

20th Tactical Air Support Squadron - 20th TASS - Danang AB

Photos of the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron (20th TASS), taken be ...

Updated: Jun 07, 2008 4:50pm PST

Miscellaneous Military and Civilian : Random photos from my early career.

Miscellaneous Military and Civilian

Random photos from my early career.

Updated: May 31, 2008 3:01pm PST

1st Air Commando Squadron/1st Special Operations Squadron Hobos, Nakhon Phanom (NKP) Royal Thai Airbase : The 1st Air Commando Squadron (ACS)/1st Special Operations Squadron (SOS) began combat operations in 1964, first flying out of BienHoa Air Base, and later out of Pleiku. The A-1 Skyraider was the primary aircraft flown during this period. In December 1967, the squadron began to shift its operations to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP) in Northeastern Thailand along the Mekong River border with Laos. At NKP the 1st ACS was part of the 56th Air Commando Wing/56th SOW. It flew its last combat missions in November of 1972, the last U.S. squadron to fly A-1s in combat. Squadron awards between 1964 and 1972: Five Presidential Unit Citations; Two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V"; Two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards; and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. USAF Congressional Medal of Honor winner Bernard F. Fisher earned his country’s highest decoration for bravery in 1966 while flying with the 1st ACS out of Pleiku Vietnam.

1st Air Commando Squadron/1st Special Operations Squadron Hobos, Nakhon Phanom (NKP) Royal Thai Airbase

The 1st Air Commando Squadron (ACS)/1st Special Operations Squadron (S ...

Updated: May 10, 2008 7:18pm PST