Southeast Asia Continental Air Command

an air force reserve c-124 crew of 349th military airlift wing, hamilton afb, california, awaits clearance @ hickam afb, hawaii, continue cargo mission southeast asia in 1967.

by time john f. kennedy took office in january 1961, united states had become involved in southeast asia. in south vietnam , laos, united states had tried stabilize existing governments , train military forces subdue internal guerrilla activity communist forces fighting overthrow , replace them.

the united states did not mobilize reservists use in southeast asia before 1968, , mobilized relatively few, because lyndon b. johnson, president of united states, did not wish so. reasons not mobilizing reserve forces many. primarily, did not believe war in vietnam, in united states merely sought stabilize political division of north , south vietnam had existed in 1962, justified dramatic act of mobilizing reserve forces. accepted need fight war, wanted prosecute quietly possible, not attracting attention @ home , risk jeopardizing domestic programs. wanted avoid drawing communist chinese war. moreover, recalling reservists’ complaints of inactivity following berlin mobilization of 1961, reluctant recall reservists without assurance employment affect course of war, assurance no official in administration provide.

by end of 1964, united states military forces in southeast asia had increased 23,000 personnel. number of united states combat forces in southeast asia increased, did logistics requirements, , drew in air force reserve c-124 units. before january 1965, reservists had not gone beyond japan on transport missions mats, in month called upon go farther. late in afternoon of 23 january 1965, mats asked if air force reserve c-124 force provide urgently needed airlift south vietnam. determined reserve units perform thirteen trips tan son nhut air base, near saigon. twenty days later c-124 of 935th troop carrier group en route tan son nhut ab richards-gebaur afb, missouri, initiating air force reserve’s southeast asia commitment.

the thirteen trips flown in february , march. in mid-april 1965 mats again requested assistance, time c-124s air force reserve offer, , reserve crews flew thirty more flights tan son nhut ab end of june 1965. although not seeming much, provision of thirty flights in 2 months considerable because combined strength of 5 air force reserve c-124 groups involved mere twenty aircraft.

during first 6 months of fiscal year 1965, mats need reserve augmentation continued, air force reserve c-124 groups flew forty-one missions tachikawa ab , tan son nhut ab, tan son nhut ab. thereafter, january 1966 through november 1972, when last c-124 left reserve inventory, air force reserve c-124 crews on inactive duty flew 1,252 missions southeast asia military air transport service , military airlift command (mac), command re-designated in january 1966. these airlift missions mats/mac not have otherwise conducted; therefore comprised significant air force reserve contribution air force mission.

lacking sufficient intelligence specialists, in may 1966 air force used reservists on extended active or inactive duty tours augment intelligence function @ national military intelligence center , mac indications , warning center on continuing basis.