311th Air Commando Squadron, Da Nang Air Base 1965
The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron was redesignated 311th Air Commando Squadron on March 8, 1965. The squadron flew C-123B cargo aircraft and was assigned to the 315th Air Commando Group.
The C-123B Provider, although already obsolete at the time, was found to be useful in Vietnam because of its short takeoff and landing capabilities. It was used extensively to resupply remote Special Forces camps, which often had short and primitive airstrips. These missions were dangerous because the camps were located in areas with strong Vietcong forces.
One of its members, Lt Col Joe Jackson, won a Medal of Honor after rescuing a Combat Control Team at Kham Duc Airfield under intense enemy fire on May 12, 1968.
This photo series showsthe crew of a C-123 preparing a mission. They wear a mixture of grey K-2B flight suits (including the early design with a nylon strip on the chest designed to hold an oxygen mask), OG-107 utility shirts, and 1st pattern jungle jackets. Two of them wear the cowboy or bush hats which became the trademark of Air Commandos during the Vietnam War.
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