Reprinted from the Air Force Times
May 1965 - Osan AB, South Korea

2 Flights Forming
at Osan AB Korea

Osan AB -  Two new U.S. Air Force units which will improve close air support to the Army in Korea are being formed here.

The units, the 2nd and 4th Direct Air Support Flights (DASF), are two of several units being organized in the Pacific Air Forces area.

Acting commander is Capt. Norman F. Conant Jr.

Once the flights go into full operation they will be able to direct United Nations Aircraft to their strike points within minutes by way of MRC-108 Radio equipment.

The units' radios are completely mobile, allowing them to travel with the Army to the front lines.

Once the need for air support is established, DASF personnel on the front lines send a request direct to an Air Force operating unit. This transmission in monitored by intermediate headquarters along the line who either approve or revise the request immediately.

If the request is approved the alerted aircraft are scrambled and directed to their strike targets by the forward air controllers. The aircraft will be able to be over the targets within minutes after the request for support is received.

The flights are tenant units at Osan AB South Korea under the operational control of the 314th. Air Division, PACAF.

Below is additional information concerning the 2nd and 4th DASF as supplied by the USAF Archives Department.

The history of the 4th Direct Air Support Flight (DASF) contains no rosters of either deployed personnel or personnel in the organization at Osan.  The history does mention that personnel were deployed to Vietnam up to 120 days, that during the first half of 1966 the 4th DASF was authorized and assigned 29 personnel.

The history also lists a number of exercises with the U.S. Army , FROKA, ROK Marines and the ROKAF during the first half of 1966 including Nightmare Oscar, Nightmare Tango and the weekly and bi-weekly Rock Wall and Kooni Range but again no rosters or names are provided.

The 4th Direct Air Support Flight was simply inactivated, 16 August 1968 (DAF OMO Letter 961n, 16 August 1968).  The mission seems to have been taken up in Vietnam by the 504th Tactical Air Support Group and its subordinate units.

The 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It was first activated in 1966 for service during the Vietnam War, and was reactivated in 2009 for service in Afghanistan.

In Vietnam the group provided combat ready aircraft and crews in support of air and ground operations in Southeast Asia (SEA); conducted visual reconnaissance and convoy escort; trained Air Liaison Officers (ALO) and Forward Air Controllers (FAC), 1966–1972. On reactivation in 2009 it began to provide air support, air liaison, and weather support for ground operations, 30 Mar 2009 to present.

From 2009 in Afghanistan the three squadrons of the group performed separate roles:

717th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron – coordinates with NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan to provide air support throughout the region.

817th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron – primarily embeds tactical air control parties with Army units.

19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron – creates weather forecasts for the Army.

Operational Components in Vietnam
19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 8 Dec 1966 – 15 Jan 1972
20th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 8 Dec 1966 – 15 Mar 1972
21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, 8 Dec 1966 – 15 Mar 1972
22d Tactical Air Support Squadron, 8 Dec 1966 – 15 May 1971
23d Tactical Air Support Squadron, 8 Dec 1966 – 15 Mar 1972

Stations
Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam, 8 Dec 1966
Cam Ranh Bay AB, Vietnam, 30 Apr 1970
Phan Rang AB, Vietnam, 1 Oct 1971 – 15 Jan 1972
Bagram Air Base 30 March 2009 – 30 March 2010.
Kabul International Airport 1 Apr 2010 - present.

Commanders
Col Carl E. Taylor, 8 Dec 1966
Col Clyde W. Strain, 6 Mar 1967
Col James M. Fogle, 23 Nov 1967
Col Robert L. Herman, 8 Mar 1968
Col William I. Williams, 4 May 1968
Col Andrew J. Chapman, 27 Mar 1969
Col Guy E. Hairston Jr., 12 Feb 1970
Col Andrew P. Iosue, 15 Oct 1970
Col Fleetwood Pride Jr., 24 Feb 1971
Col Patrick G. Long, 11 Jun 1971-c. 15 Mar 1972
Col James Thomas 1 April 2009 – 1 April 2010
Col Richard Gannon 1 Apr 2010 - 1 Jul 2011
Col Thomas L. Woods 1 Jul 2011 - present

Aircraft
O-1, 1967–1971
O-2, 1967–1972
OV-10, 1968–1972.

STATES THAT 2 DIRECT AIR SUPPORT FLIGHT AND 4 DIRECT AIR SUPPORT FLIGHT WERE ESTABLISHED AT OSAN AIR BASE, ROK, TO IMPROVE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT. SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY PACIFIC AIR FORCES (PACAF) MANPOWER TEAM TO DETERMINE MINIMUM ESSENTIAL MANNING REQUIREMENTS TO ACCOMPLISH AIR FORCES, KOREA, MISSION.

MISSION OF 2 AND 4 DIRECT AIR SUPPORT FLIGHTS (DASF) TO MAINTAIN DIRECT AIR SUPPORT CENTER AND TACTICAL AIR CONTROL PARTY PERSONNEL AT HIGH LEVEL OF COMBAT READINESS. 314 AD INVOLVED IN EXERCISES TIGER TAIL, NIGHTMARE GOLF, CROSS EAGLE, WHITE BEAR, FLYING TACKLE, HOT SABRE, STRONG SHIELD, AND COUNTERBLOW.

This brass plate was designed by Capt. Burt Blatter
for each of the original 29 members of the 4th DASF.

Each of the 29 original members received a plate
upon departure from this unit.

If you are one of the original 29 members of the 4th DASF flight
please make sure to let me know so that I can indicate so.
You should have received a brass plate like this one above.

All member's of this unit, please fill out the
Database Form found on the main page.

Rank and Names of members of the 4th are added as received

Men of the 4th DASF

Men of the original 29 members in RED
Later arrivals to the flight in BLACK
Notify me if there are corrections to be made.

4th DASF Officers (FAC)

Capt. Conant, Norman F. - Acting Commander at startup - FAC
Capt. Blatter, Burt - FAC   -  Personal Web Page
Capt. Graves, Jack - FAC
Capt. Nicholson, John R. - FAC - TDY to Vietnam, 1 Oct 1965 - 30 Jan 1966.
Capt. Swensen, Bill - FAC
Capt. Robinson, Robie - FAC
Capt. Sellick - FAC

Capt. Bartell - FAC
Capt. Bernstein - FAC
Capt. Britton - FAC - TDY to Vietnam 1 Oct 1965 - 30 Feb 1966.
Capt. Dickinson, David - FAC
LCol. Cyr, Joe - FAC - Later Commander
Capt. Kennedy - FAC
Capt. Nashland - FAC
LCol. McCarthy - FAC
Capt. Robinson, L. D. - FAC

4th DASF Airmen (ROMAD)

Senior Master Sgt. De Vore  -  First Sergeant.
S/Sgt Adams - Motorpool
A1/c James - ROMAD
A3/c Graf - ROMAD 
A2/c Mullaney, John - ROMAD - TDY to Vietnam 1 Oct 1965 - 3 Jan 1966
A2/c Michael, Robin - ROMAD - 1 May 1965 to 5 June 1966 -
         TDY to Vietnam 1 Oct 1965 - 18 Feb 1966. 
         Tour in Korea from 1 May 1965 - 30 Sept 1965
         and 18 Feb 1966 - 5 June 1966.   -  Personal Web Page
A2/c Othello - ROMAD
          McPherson - ROMAD
A1/c Garbrecht - Orderly Room Clerk

S/Sgt Armstrong - Mntnc
A2/c Hyter, Harry - ROMAD - June 1967 to July 1968.
A1/c Kristol, Tony - ROMAD
A1/c McDonald - Supply
?          Leonard Sterns - ROMAD (TX)
A1/c   Bert Strickland - ROMAD
A2/c   Ken Dover- ROMAD
A2/c   Larry Kelly - ROMAD
A2/c   Jerry Newsome - ROMAD
?          Roger Aune - ROMAD (MN)
A2/c Elizondo - ROMAD
A2/c Smith, Gerald L. - ROMAD (Died 2006)
A2/c Durden, Larry - ROMAD
A2/c Vosk, Stuart - ROMAD  -  Personal Web Picture
S/Sgt Donaldson, James P - Radio Maint.
A2/c Ludy ? 
         

We are still missing some men.

Known FAC / ROMAD Teams

Capt. Nicholson  /  A2/c Michael - Korea and Vietnam
Capt. Britton???  /  A2/c Malaney - Vietnam
Capt. Blatter / A1/c Kristol - Early on
Capt. Dickinson / A1/c Kristol - Later on
Capt. Nashlund / Smith, G. L. - Later on
Capt. Graves / Smith, G. L. - Early on

Reference  Ssgt Bumphus Comments:

A comment: Just read the new post by Ssgt Bumphus and he either has a great memory or has some paperwork in from of him because all the names he mentioned I do remember.

Funny story concerning him, when he first showed up in Korea, I remember addressing him as Sgt Bumpus. He said "the name is Bumphus...Bumphus". Well, you know what happened after that night. Every time I addressed him I said "Sgt Bumphus...Bumphus". He acted like he was mad when I said it but there was always a little smirk on his face! Though he tried to act like a hard-ass, he was truly a very nice guy and a pleasure to serve with.