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19th Tactical Air Support Sq.
Bien Hoa AB, RVN

  

Pictures & Patches


  Click on the Bird Dog to see the 19th TASS photo album

Names in the left column: Jeff Geagley, WALT 22, Pilot; Karl Gustkie, WALT 21, Pilot; Phil Phillips, WALT 23, Pilot (WIA x 2); Mike Leonard, WALT 22A (WALT 70), Pilot; Robert (Sonny) Liston, Sgt Radio Operator; John P. Sacco, Sgt Intel. Names in the right column: Al Robinson, SS

The aircraft (799) was assigned to the 21st TASS and we were flying for MACV Advisory Team 32. The picture was taken at Gia Nghia, Quang Duc Province around Dec '69/Jan '70. I made the photo and had the guys sign it when I left to go back to Pleiku sometime around the beginning of 1970.

Submitted by Clay Peacock, callsign: Carbon Outlaw"   clay.peacock@redstone.army.mil

WALT 20 Takes a Hit

To hear audio of George Lattin experience when he was shot down near Bu Prang Special Forces camp, click here.

We are sad to report that George passed away on October 22, 2006.  Obituary

Click here to go to the USAF Museum website.  Click on the logo to see AF Museum page on FAC's

USAF UNIT LINEAGE AND HONORS HISTORY

19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light)

  • Constituted 19th observation Squadron (Light) on 5 Feb 1942.
  • Activated on 2 Mar 1942.
  • Re-designated: 19th observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942;
  • 19th Liaison Squadron on 2 Apr 1943.
  • Inactivated on 1 Dec 1945.
  • Redesignated 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light), and activated, on 17 Jun 1963.
  • Organized on 8 Jul 1963.
  • Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8' Aug 1964.
  • Activated on 16 Oct 1964.
  • Organized on 21 Oct. 1964.
  • Inactivated on 1 Oct. 1993.

Click here to see Awards and Decorations to the 19th TASS

Click on the AF Outstanding Unit Citation ribbon for the
Awards & Decorations awarded to the 19th TASS.

Assignments

  •  Air Force Combat Command,2 Mar 1942;

  •  Army Air Forces, 9 Mar 1942;

  •  66th Observation (later, 66th Reconnaissance) Group, 29 Mar 1942;

  •  I Air Support Command (later, I Tactical Air Division),11 Aug 1943;

  •  U.S. Army Forces, China-Burma-India, Apr 1944;

  •  Fourteenth Air Force, 29 May 1944 (attached to Y Force, 29 May 1944-);

  •  69th Composite Wing, 10 Jun 1944 (remained attached to Y Force to 8 Aug 1944) ; Tenth Air Force, 1 Aug-1 Dec 1945.

  •  Pacific Air Forces, 17 Jun 1963;

  •  34th Tactical Group, 8 Jul 1963-8 Aug 1964.

  •  Pacific Air Forces, 16 Oct 1964;

  •  34th Tactical Group, 21 Oct 1964;

  •  6251st Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Jul 1965 (attached to 6250th Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 1 Aug - 8 Nov 1965);

  •  505th Tactical Control Group, 8 Nov 1965 (attached to Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 6250, 1-9 Sep 1966;

  • attached to Tactical Air Support Group, Provisional, 6253, 9 Sep-8 Dec 1966);

  •  504th Tactical Air Support Group, 8 Dec 1966;

  •  314th Air Division, 15 Jan 1972; 51st Composite Wing (Tactical) , 30 Sep 1974;

  •  5th Tactical Air Control Group, 8 Jan 1980; 51st Fighter Group, 1 Oct 1993. 

Detachment

  •   Detachment 1, 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light) (Camp Casey, South Korea): 15 Apr 1976-8 Jan 1980.

Stations

  •   Miami Municipal Airport, Florida, 2 Mar 1942;
  •   Jacksonville Municipal Airport, Florida, 7 Mar 1942;
  •   Pope Field, NC, 11 May 1942;
  •   Morris Field, NC, 19 Oct 1942;
  •   Camp Campbell (later, Campbell Army Airfield), Kentucky, 3 Apr 1943;
  •   Aiken Army Airfield, SC, 22 Jun 1941;
  •   Camp Anza, Calif, 28 Mar 1944;
  •   Bombay, India, 9 Apr 1944;
  •   Kanchrapara, India, c. 15 Apr 1944;
  •   Ondal, India, 29 Apr 1944;
  •   Chabua, India, 17 May 1944;
  •   Kunming, China, 29 May 1944;
  •   Chengkung, China, 28 Mar 1945;
  •   Nanning, China, 18 Aug 1945;
  •   Calcutta, India, c. Oct 7 - Nov 1945;
  •   Fort Lewis, Wash, 30 Nov -1 Dec 1945.
  •   Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 8 Jul 1963 - 8 Aug 1964.
  •   Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 21 Oct 1964;
  •   Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 1 Aug 1971;
  •   Osan AB, South Korea, 15 Jan 1972;
  •   Suwon AB, South Korea, 1 Aug 1989;
  •   Osan AB, South Korea, 1 Oct 1990 – 1 Oct. 1993. 

Commanders

  •   Maj. Lorick L Stephenson Jr, 2 Mar 1942;
  •   Capt (later, Maj.) George W Ribble, 15 Mar 1942;
  •   lst Lt. Forrest J Jourder, 27 Sep 1942;
  •   Capt Woodrow Herring, 28 Sep 1942;
  •   Capt Horace B Wetherwell, 8 Oct 1942;
  •   Capt (later, Maj.) Richard D Day, 26 Apr 1943;
  •   Capt Edward W Gamard, Sep 1944;
  •   1st Lt. Dominic V DiVincenzo, Dec 1944;
  •   Maj. William E Surginer, Jan 1945-unkn 1945.
  •   Unknown, 8-9 Jul 1963;
  •   Maj. David W Shoup, 10 Jul 1963;
  •   Lt. Col. John J Wilfong, 19 Jul 1963;
  •   Lt. Col. Fredrick J McAnally, 9 Mar 1964;
  •   Lt. Col. Andrew J Chapman, 14 Jul-8 Aug 1964.
  •   Maj. (later, Lt. Col.) Vincent J Mankowski, 21 Oct 1964;
  •   Lt. Col. Daniel J Miller, 1 May 1965;
  •   Lt. Col. Alfred N King, (by Jun) 1966;
  •   Lt. Col. John J Jones Jr, 10 Feb 1967;
  •   Lt. Col. Paul D Jones, 2 Sep 1967;
  •   Lt. Col. James T Patrick, 13 Mar 1968;
  •   Lt. Col. John D Ward, 4 Dec 1968;
  •   Lt. Col. William G Reitz, 3 Jun 1969;
  •   Maj. Thomas A Shircliff, 16 Sep 1969 (acting);
  •   Lt. Col. William G Reitz, 13 Oct 1969;
  •   Lt. Col. William G Morton, 6 Apr 1970;
  •   Lt. Col. Andrew G Martin Jr, 19 Jan 1971;
  •   Lt. Col. Irl R Hollingsworth, 15 Jul-30 Sep 1971;
  •   none (not manned), 1 Oct 1971-14 Jan 1972;
  •   Col. William R Peters, 15 Jan 1972;
  •   Lt. Col. Reginald H Shepherd, 25 Jul 1972;
  •   Col. Ross W Watt Jr, 8 Aug 1972;
  •   Col. Charles C Carr, 13 Aug 1973;
  •   Col. Elford L Carwile, Aug 1974;
  •   Lt. Col. Robert J Watson, 21 Sep 1974;
  •   Lt. Col. Ralph F Wetzel, 23 Jul 1975;
  •   Lt. Col. Glenn A Griffith, 22 Jan 1976;
  •   Lt. Col. Felix L Sambogna, 1 Sep 1977;
  •   Lt. Col. Donald C Wheeler Jr, 17 Oct 1977;
  •   Mai Thomas E Cleland, 24 Jul 1979 (temporary);
  •   Lt. Col. Ralph D Barclay, 25 Aug 1979;
  •   Lt. Col. Frederick C Bosse, 23 Sep 1980;
  •   Lt. Col. Morris R Taffet, 1 Jul 1982;
  •   Lt. Col. Robert W Gaskin, c. 15 Jun 1984;
  •   Lt. Col. William E Townsley, 12 Jun 1985-unkn.

AIRCRAFT 

  •   A-20, 1942-1943;
  •   B-25, 1942-1943;
  •   DB-7, 1942-1943;
  •   L-1, 1942-1943, 1944-1945;
  •   L-4, 1942-1943, 1943-1944;
  •   0-46, 19421943;
  •   0-52, 1942;
  •   P-39, 1942-1943;
  •   P-43, 1942-1943;
  •   L-2, 1943, 1943-1944;
  •   L-3, 1943;
  •   L-5, 1943, 1943-1945;
  •   L-6, 1943, 1943-1944;
  •   P-51, 1943.
  •   0-1, 1963-1964.
  •   0-1, 1964-1970, 1971;
  •   0-2, 19681971, 1972-1975;
  •   OV-10, 1968-1971, 1975-1983, 1985-;
  •   OA-37, 1983-1985.

Operations

The 19th observation (later, Liaison) Squadron activated on 2Mar 1942. Flew anti-submarine missions while undergoing observation training at various bases in the southeastern U.S. Shipped to the west coast and departed the U.S. on 9 Mar 1944. Arrived in India in April, and after several weeks of further training, moved to China in May 1944 to begin observation missions in support of Chinese ground forces. At various times, the 19th was based at or operated detachments from Kunming, Chengkung, Nanning, Poashan, Wenshan, Yunnanyi, Chihkiang, Kweiyang, and Liuchow. After Mar 1945, the squadron carried mail and passengers to American liaison personnel in South China, and 19 TASS flew re-supply missions to resistance forces operating behind enemy lines in French Indochina. Shortly after the Japanese surrendered, the 19th returned via India to the U.S., where it inactivated on 1 Dec 1945.

The 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron organized in Jul 1963 South Vietnam, where it flew missions for the Vietnamese Air Force and trained Vietnamese pilots and observers in the 0-1 aircraft. Operations including forward air support, combat support liaison, visual reconnaissance, forward air control of fighters, artillery adjustment, and escort for convoys, trains, and helicopters. Also flew psychological warfare, radio relay, and re-supply missions. Briefly inactivated between Aug and Oct 1964, the 19th TASS renewed its support of combat operations on 21 Oct. Primarily it provided visual and photographic reconnaissance and airborne forward air control for fighter aircraft. Also trained USAF and Vietnamese pilots and observers in 0-1 and, from 1968, 0-2 and OV-10 operations. Then, on 30 Sep 1971, another unit absorbed the 19th's resources. The squadron remained unmanned and unequipped until transferred to Osan AB, South Korea, on 15 Jan 1972. Taking over the 0-2 aircraft of another squadron, the 19th TASS supported the Eighth U.S. Army and Republic of Korea (ROK) ground forces, providing close air and aerial reconnaissance support. In 1973, trained the ROK Air Force to operate a Direct Air Support Center. In 1975, converted to the OV-10A "Bronco" aircraft.

Operated from 1975 until 1980 a tactical air control system from three forward locations, and maintained a detachment from 15 Apr 1976 to 8 Jan 1980 at Camp Casey, one of the three forward locations. Since 1980, the 19th has operated the forward air control mission within the Korean tactical air control system. Operated from Suwon AB, Sep-Nov 1983, while runway repair went on at Osan AB. Converted in 1983 to the OA-37B "Dragonfly" twin-jet aircraft, only to switch back to the OV-10 two years later. Periodically deployed personnel and aircraft at Clark AB, Philippines, for Cope Thunder exercises, supporting close air support tactical fighter aircraft in coordination with tactical air control systems. While assigned to the 5th Tactical Air Control Group during the 1980s, provided battalion liaison officers to the 2nd Infantry Division and OV-10 forward air controllers to the Seventh Air Force commander in support of the Korean Tactical Air Control System. Moved from osan AB to Suwon AB, South Korea, in August 1989, but returned to Osan on 1 Oct 1990, when it was assigned to the 51st Fighter Group.
 

EMBLEM

Description: on a white disc, border black, piped white, a gremlin proper, wearing a blue suit trimmed with collar, cuffs, and three buttons, all red, red shoes and cap, diving through the air, peering forward under the cupped right hand while holding brown briefcase in the left hand; binoculars strung about the neck by black straps and flowing to rear. Significance: The insignia typifies the function of the squadron, speedy courier service, observation, reconnaissance, and liaison. Approved on 11 Oct 1943. Photographic Negative Numbers: 26595 AC (black and white); K2842 (Color).
 

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