My grandfather c/o '48 was a career Air Force pilot. He retired in '70 and I recently requested his records from the national archives. The only thing I knew for sure about his career is he would talk about the planes he flew. F84, F86, F100 and he would go on to fly the SR71 while stationed in Okinawa at kadena/Naha.

Oh his list of schools there are a couple of them I can't figure out and will list them as they appear on the form.

PIS(Fly) Basic, Jun 50/FTR BMR esc & ABN wpns, Feb 54/Air Controller School, 104100, Apr 51/tech Instr Crse, Apr 63/ USAF specl Ops School COIN crse Dec 68/ Squadron officer School, June '55

I copied the courses down as they appear off the form and I think I corrected everything that copied incorrectly.

What is usaf specl ops school coin crse? I was army and not really up to date on anything Air Force related today or from 50 years ago.

Thanks for any information or suggestions on where to look.

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PIS(Fly) Basic

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No sure what the PIS acronym stands for, but is likely the 1950's version of UPT (Undergraduate Pilot Training).

The Training of Military Pilots: Men, Machines, and Methods

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

USA*** said:

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USAF specl Ops School COIN crse Dec 68

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USAF Special Operations School Counter Insurgency Couse Dec 68

Vietnam War: Special Operation Forces and Warfare Training

Course for air support to counter insurgency operations

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Interesting. I do know he was at monkey mountain somewhere around da'nang.

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Jun 50/FTR BMR esc & ABN wpns

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Again, the specific acronym escapes me at this point, but this is likely the 1950's version of BFM (Basic Fighter Maneuvers) and airborne (vice ground attack) weapons employment.

This would appear to be a logical transition from PIS (undergrad) to learning to fight and employ his assigned platform.

EDIT: this is not what I first thought it's: Fighter Bomber Escort and Airborne Weapons Course

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Feb 54/Air Controller School

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This a very likely training to be a Forward Air Controller (airborne) and ties in with him going to COIN training after.

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Apr 51/tech Instr Crse

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This is the Technical Instructor Course which qualified him to be an instructor of some type....pilot? Air Controller? Can't tell w/o knowing career history.

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Squadron officer School, June '55

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This is a Professional Military Education (PME) school for Capts (or Capt selects).

SOS

Generally followed by:

Air Command and Staff College (ACSC)
Air War College (AWC)



Hope this all helps with trying to understand the training background. Some guessing is required because of the many changes to courses and course names since 1950-1960.

Thanks for all of that, it's interesting to learn more about him. He never went into great detail about any of it, just that it was the most meaningful thing he ever did outside of raising a family.

At some point in the mid 60's, I'm not sure of the year, he was training on the sr71 and after landing they were on a bus ride back to their meeting room and he blacked out. He came to about thirty seconds later but he was forever grounded after that and he said that was a pretty tough thing to accept.

Yep...that would have been a tough blow for him to take...

If you got his paper records there should be some OER's in there, go thru them and match the dates up with those initials you listed. Sometimes the narrative gives more of a clue as to what he was doing.

I'm kind of looking backwards through his career and below (from what I can tell) are his assignments after being grounded.

Chief, ADCC, 51st Ftr intcp
Wg, Naha AB, Okinawa (PACAF)

Chief, Combat Operations Division,
51 ftr Intcp Wg, Naha Okinawa (PACAF)

Weapons Director Staff Officer, 620 TCS, DaNang AB, RVIN (PACAF)

Not entirely sure what all that means. Is there way to request records from a unit like the 620th tcs or 51st fighter intercept wing to see day to day operations or notes from specific dates?

51st Fighter Wing is now located at Osan, RoK.

620th Tactical Control Squadron

51st
620th

OldArmyCT said:

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If you got his paper records there should be some OER's in there, go thru them and match the dates up with those initials you listed. Sometimes the narrative gives more of a clue as to what he was doing.

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Yep, reviewing his annual performance reports would answer most all questions. RECORDS

Chief, ADCC, 51st Ftr intcp
Wg, Naha AB, Okinawa (PACAF)

ADCC is likely Air Defense Control Center. Probably an old version of our AOC (Air Operations Center) or related to our Air Defense Sectors

Chief, Combat Operations Division,
51 ftr Intcp Wg, Naha Okinawa (PACAF)

Combat Operations Division would be a function within the ADCC along with Combat Plans, Intelligence, etc...

Weapons Director Staff Officer, 620 TCS, DaNang AB, RVIN (PACAF)

TCS is Tactical Control Squadron. They are now known as ACS, Air Control Squadrons.

Sq staff member of an GCI (Ground Control Intercept) squadron, but not a Weapons Director (today they are know as weapons controllers or Air Battle Managers - ABM) which is its own, separately trained, career field

Thanks. Once I'm at the computer again, I'll ask about a few more things. Thanks for all of your help.

A few more things that are listed. The assignment listed for Seattle, Washington was actually carried out as a remote tour in Alaska. Just not sure what ac&w does, if that's a job role and not describing something else.

What is the role of flight commander and wing mobility officer? Is TAC tactical air command? If so, what was the difference between that and sac?

The little I know about these things is the 429th is who he was with in Korea. I have his coffee mug with the unit insignia and plane he flew while there. Is it possible to request records of their time in Korea to see daily logs, rosters, notes?

Operations Officer, 708th AC&W SQ, APO 348; Seattle, Washington (AAC)

Fighter Pilot - 429th FB SQ, 474th ABGRU, APO 901 (FEAF)

Flight Commander, 429th FB SQ, 474th ABGru, APO 901 (FEAF)

Wing Mobility Off, HQ, Sq 312th FBWG, Clovis AFB, N.M. (TAC)

Instr, Crs OBR 1741B, Comp&Con Sys Dept, 3395 Sch
SQ, Keesler AFB, Miss (ATC)


Thanks again for everything.

The 708th was at Indian Mountain AFS. I have been there several times (back in the 80s). Our C-130 squadron, based out of Elmendorf AFB, would resupply the remote radar sites.

http://www.alsap.org/IndianMountain/IndianMountain.htm

AAC is Alaskan Air Command
FEAF is Far East Air Force (had to look that one up) Its present day equivalent is PACAF.
TAC was Tactical Air Command (mostly all the fighter aircraft units, some tactical airlift unit,etc)
SAC was Strategic Air Command (Bombers, ICBMs)
ATC was Air Training Command - today it's called Air Education and Training Command

BTW, there is a list of names at the 620th link I posted. Do you see your grandfather's name by any chance?

Operations Officer, 708th AC&W SQ, APO 348; Seattle, Washington (AAC)

AC&W is Aircraft Control and Warning. Not sure what specifically the title Ops Officer meant back in the day, but today, that would probably make him a DO (Director of Operations),,,second in command of a squadron

Fighter Pilot - 429th FB SQ, 474th ABGRU, APO 901 (FEAF)

Pretty straight forward 429 Fighter Bomber Sq, 474 Tactical Fighter Group. I could find no reference to identify what ABGRU is for

Flight Commander, 429th FB SQ, 474th ABGru, APO 901 (FEAF)

A flight commander in the USAF would be analogous to a platoon leader in the Army if used only in the staff sense. But as a flier, particularly as a fighter pilot, it could also mean he was the flight lead when airborne. Usually the lead of a four ship element. Non flying squadrons/units also have various flight commanders.

Wing Mobility Off, HQ, Sq 312th FBWG, Clovis AFB, N.M. (TAC)

Again, pretty straight forward. In charge of keeping the unit deployment ready and then getting the unit outta' town when ordered. Worked in the HQ of the 312 Fighter Bomber Wing in that garden spot, Clovis NM

Instr, Crs OBR 1741B, Comp&Con Sys Dept, 3395 Sch
SQ, Keesler AFB, Miss (ATC)

Instructor course for Weapons Controllers...1741A/B/C/D would be the old AFSC for what are now 13BXX Air Battle Managers. The letters would indicate what system you were trained on (Strat Air Defense, Mobile TACS, AWACS, etc). Not sure what the "Comp & Con Sys Dept" is....Computer and Control Systems?

So, it appears that you Grandfather was a pilot and weapons controller (probably became one when he lost his flight status?)

Hey Nav said:

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The 708th was at Indian Mountain AFS. I have been there several times (back in the 80s). Our C-130 squadron, based out of Elmendorf AFB, would resupply the remote radar sites.

http://www.alsap.org/IndianMountain/IndianMountain.htm

AAC is Alaskan Air Command
FEAF is Far East Air Force (had to look that one up) Its present day equivalent is PACAF.
TAC was Tactical Air Command (mostly all the fighter aircraft units, some tactical airlift unit,etc)
SAC was Strategic Air Command (Bombers, ICBMs)
ATC was Air Training Command - today it's called Air Education and Training Command

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And oddly enough, they are spending over a million dollars to change the name again to "Airmen Development Command (ADC)" SMH

708th would have been part of the DEW line...Distant Early Warning Line. A number of units spread out across the top of the world to spot the Russians if they ever came....

DEW Line

45-70Ag said:

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USA*** said:

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USAF specl Ops School COIN crse Dec 68

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USAF Special Operations School Counter Insurgency Couse Dec 68

Vietnam War: Special Operation Forces and Warfare Training

Course for air support to counter insurgency operations

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Interesting. I do know he was at monkey mountain somewhere around da'nang.

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And oddly enough, they are spending over a million dollars to change the name again to "Airmen Development Command (ADC)" SMH

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I'm so offended by the term "Airmen". When will that be changed?

Hey Nav said:

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And oddly enough, they are spending over a million dollars to change the name again to "Airmen Development Command (ADC)" SMH

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I'm so offended by the term "Airmen". When will that be changed?

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lol......Airhuman Enrichment Command

The Air Force probably had better personnel management than my Army years.
As a 2LT assigned to a Military Intelligence battalion at Ft Hood I was sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground to complete a battalion level Chemical-Biological-Radiological defense course. 18 months later I was sent to Eglin AFB to complete an Air Liaison course (Army side of the TACAIR support deal then).
Some genius looked at the two courses and decided to award me a Nuclear Targeting Officer MOS.

A little off topic but what book recommendations would you make on the Air Force on Vietnam in the timeframe of 1965-1968, if there is one? Also, for the Air Force in Korea?

Once I get to a computer tonight I'll have a few more questions on some assignments he had and what some of the medals/badges are that are listed on the dd214.

Thanks again for all the information and answering my questions.

The last assignment I'm not sure about.
Intercept Contr, 770th ACWRON, Palermo AF Sta,
Instructor Dir, Ocean City, N J (ADC)

For medals, these are the medals and possibly badges I couldn't figure out. Just based on abbreviation I'm assuming some are related to Korea/vietnam and commendation.

AFOUA w/1OLC, SO GB-453, DAF, 1967 AFCM w/1OLC, SOF-663, 7AF, 1970;
UNSM, KSM, NDSM W/1BSS, AFLSA w/4OLC, VSM w/IBSS, AFRESM, CRM, RVCM, AFM 900-3.

Intercept Contr, 770th ACWRON, Palermo AF Sta, Instructor Dir, Ocean City, N J (ADC)
Weapons Director Instructor for the 770th AC&W Sq. Worked in the training shop. (ADC = Air Defense Command. precursor to NORAD)

USAF AC&W Sqs

AFOUA w/1OLC, SO GB-453, DAF, 1967
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Spec Ops (Unit)?, Dept of the Air Force, 1967

AFCM w/1OLC, SOF-663, 7AF, 1970
Air Force Commendation Medal, Supervisor of Flying ? Spec Ops? not sure, 7th Air Force, 1970

UNSM
United Nations Service Medal

KSM
Korean Service Medal

NDSM W/1BSS
National Defense Service Medal with one device

AFLSA w/4OLC
Air Force Longevity Service Award (Ribbon) with 4 devices

VSM w/IBSS
Vietnam Service Medal with one device

AFRESM
Air Force Reserve Medal

CRM
Combat Readiness Medal

RVCM, AFM 900-3
Republic of Vietnam Commendation Campaign Medal, AFM-900-3 (probably the AF manual authorizing wear of the award)

EDIT: AFM 900-3 is the Armed Forces Service Medal also known as the Vietnam Campaign Medal

Thanks. I know my questions are probably elementary but I'd like to be able to explain things to my dad accurately.

45-70Ag said:

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Thanks. I know my questions are probably elementary but I'd like to be able to explain things to my dad accurately.

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Glad to help. It's important.

BTW, the Air Force Commendation Medal with ten one oak leaf clusters means he received that performance recognition eleven times twice.

A description is underneath each: AWARDS

EDIT: My "brain" read 1OLC as 10 OLC for some reason. <headshake>

I think it's AFCM w/1 OLC. I misread it at first, too.