A sign outside the 16th SOS Headquarters proclaims brazenly, "Home of-those fabulous four engine fighters." They share the Wolfpack Den With smaller but faster F-4 Phantoms. Big is Best, the Spectremen say.
The 16th SOS is a one of a kind squadron, unique only to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Their aerial platform is a specially configured C-130 Hercules. The unit is commanded by Col. Harry W. Williamson Jr.
"Our mission, is multi-faceted." Colonel Williamson said "We fly close air support missions for beleaguered friendly forces, escort truck and boat convoys carrying badly needed supplies, provide forward air controlling capability to F-4 Phantoms, carry out armed reconnaissance looking for targets of opportunity and even have the capability of assisting tactical aircraft to place guided bombs on target. We are especially effective at interdicting trucks and boats, hauling supplies."
To accomplish their mission the largest combat crew in the Air Force for a single aircraft assembles nightly for operations; it takes a number of highly-trained specialists to conduct a single Spectre mission.
The men wear their uniqueness like a badge of distinction, Colonel Williamson says, "We have more talent in this outfit than any I have served with in my 21 years of military service. These are men who don't have to wait to know the results of their flying endeavors. They hear the radio conversations between the aircraft and the Cambodian ground Commandos."
"Thank Spectre, you shoot good! I'm going to tell my commander to put you in for a medal."
Or,
"You did it, Spec. You turned them back. Please come back tomorrow."
Sometimes they hear,
"Sierra Hotel shooting Spectre. We'll send you a souvenir, you saved up tonight."
"With this kind of acknowledgment, our men know exactly what they are accomplishing," the Colonel continued.
"We fly two models of the C-130 aircraft -- the A and E. The A models are the older and original gunships while the E models are a little more sophisticated, have larger engines and a few more refinements. They both do the job equally well," he stressed.
What is a Spectre crew? An aircraft might have a pilot named Bert McMillen, a 27 year-old captain with some 2,400 flying hours in the C-130. He quickly disclaims his role as being the most important. "The main thing is teamwork. The guys on the aircraft are professionals and each does his job to make the mission successful. I rely heavily on each man to assist me in getting the aircraft safely to and from the target."
Captain McMillen might have an illuminator operator (IO) named MSgt. Robert Dexter.
"We got the name IO from way back because of these huge powerful spotlights," Sergeant Dexter related. "We only use them now for special circumstances because those lights make us an excellent target." Dexter has been a target many times during his repeated tours here since 1968. In fact, he hangs his head out of the back of the aircraft to watch for enemy ground fire. He knows the quick, sporadic white flashes of small arms fire, and the single ring of smoke followed by an orange fire burst denoting 37 MM anti-aircraft fire. He learned by experience.
Dexter is also one of the best dressed men on a mission. He wears a basic ensemble consisting of thermal underwear over regular long johns. He tops this with a flight suit, a sweat shirt and a winter thermal flying suit. Enough? "Well it gets pretty cold up there so I also wear a pair of heavy gloves and a face protector to cut down the wind blast." He is not too bundled up to function, however, and when he calls out ground fire, the crew listens. He also triggers flares used when the gunship is acting as a forward air controller.
There is another scanner working off the right side of the aircraft, his position is not as precarious as the rear IO, but as important.
A story is told about an IO who, caught up in the turbulence or negative gravity pull, fell out of the back of the aircraft. He was saved by the safety cable all IO's wear, but the guy was pretty cool about the whole thing, flying along over enemy territory, the pilot heard the plaintive plea, "Request permission to come aboard, Sir." Fortunately, he was not seriously hurt.
Another key position aboard the gunship is that of the flight engineer. It could be MSgt. Holley V. Keel, a man who has more experience with C-130s that most airmen have in the Air Force. He is the liaison between the gunners and the pilot. He reads the many gauges, dials, and meters to insure the aircraft is functioning properly. Human eyes supplement electronic eyes used by the men in "Booth."
The gunners aboard Spectre aircraft are so efficient at their jobs that they have a system akin to Braille. "We don't have light to work by," says TSgt. Jerry W. Olsen, now serving his third tour with the 16th. "But those guns have got to be operable. We load them, baby them and give them plenty of tender loving care."
The gunners bring the ammunition aboard their aircraft from a holding area on the flight line. Each gun is inspected meticulously prior to each flight. Malfunctions are cleared in total darkness. On occasion, when one of the systems loses its remote capability, the gunners' actually fire the guns, loving every second of it.
Inside the "Booth", an enclosed area in the aircraft, sit the men who operate electronic equipment that would make Buck Rogers' fans quiver with delight. There would be a sensor operator with his equipment he can detect threats to the aircraft by enemy AAA, SAMS and MIGS. He can also identify friendly forces on the ground to insure they don't come under fire.
Also in the booth is a TV operator whose optical system can bring exacting definition from the murky darkness far below the gunship. The fire control officer, who is the pivotal point for electronic activity conducted in the booth, would be seated nearby, monitoring his infrared scope. Anything that produces heat will be detected, like truck engines, boat motors, camp fires, or even people show up.
The fire control officer will coordinate all information picked up through the sensor systems and relay pertinent information to the pilot. The onus is on the FCO to hit the target. There is not doubt they will find the target with The equipment they have.
The "table" navigator rounds out the crew. Seasoned and professional, he typifies the entire crew that takes the war to the enemy He handles all communications with command and control and is the one who insures correct target identification. Once this is accomplished, the word is flashed "Cleared to fire." The rest is history because the phenomenal truck and boat kill record established by 16th can never equaled. Fire mission include bullets during times when friendlies are actually engaged in enemy contact.
The table navigator insures exact position at all times using long range navigation radar.
The commonality of a Spectre crew is like a corporate image. They all agree there is pure satisfaction in hearing oriental accented voices telling them Spectre has saved their lives. They thrill to the multi-colored explosions of gas or ammunition laded trucks or boats because those supplies cannot be used against friendlies. They share the hopelessness of a ground commando telling them of family losses to my soldiers, and identify deeply with the cause of freedom and the right to pursue it.
They are different, these Spectremen, because they are one a kind. But mostly they are men with a mission and nothing succeeds like success. Gen. John W. Vogt, Jr., Commander of U.S. Support Activities Group and Seventh Air Force, is only one of many who have recognized the contributions of the 16th. In a recent message he said. "During the period 25 Feb. through 16 April, the AC-130 Spectre gunships flew 98 per cent of the missions fragged. This represents maximum utilization of available assets during an extremely critical period."
"This outstanding accomplishment clearly demonstrates the results of professionalism, dedication and teamwork in achieving a common goal. Please extend my personal congratulations for a clearly superior effort. The air crews, maintenance and support personnel responsible should be justifiably proud of their achievement. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated."
And there are thousands more who have often raised their eyes toward the skies and whispered a silent prayer to their God and to the men of Spectre for giving them one more day.