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Back in Action A
warplane used extensively during the Vietnam War has been brought out of retirement to help in the
fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East. Beginning in spring 2015, two OV-10
Bronco turboprop aircraft flew 134 sorties, including 120 combat missions, against ISIL targets as part of a program to deter- mine whether the vintage aircraft could help with counterinsurgency operations in the region, U.S. Central Command con- firmed in March. The planes were flown by a Navy aviator and Navy flight officer. The military decided to reactivate
the OV-10 Bronco to see how the aircraft would function in support of ground troops engaged in counterinsurgency missions. Its slower cruising speed and three-hour loitering time allow it to more effectively watch over ground operations, military officials say. It also costs much less to fly compared to more modern planes.
Designed in the 1960s, the OV-10
Bronco was used extensively by the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. It proved especially use- ful in supporting operations from for- ward bases, which took advantage of the plane’s ability to perform short takeoffs and landings and its relatively easy main- tenance. It also proved useful carrying different types of cargo. The OV-10 Bronco isn’t the only vin- tage plane still in use. The Boeing B-52,
PHOTO: USN E
Jouett of the Vir- ginia militia made a similar midnight dash that likely saved future presi- dent Thomas Jef- ferson and other notable patriots from capture. On the evening
of June 3, 1781, Jouett was asleep on the lawn of the Cuckoo Tavern in Louisa County, Va., when he was awakened by approaching British cavalry. Jouett realized the soldiers were headed to Charlottesville, some 40 miles away, where the Virginia General Assembly was convening. Jouett quickly mounted his horse and took to the Virginia backwoods, arriving at Jefferson’s residence just ahead of the British. After warning Jefferson of the ap- proaching danger, he sped on to Charlot- tesville to spread the alarm.
MO
— Don Vaughan, a North Carolina-based free- lance writer, authors this monthly column.
For information on the history of the OV-10 Bronco and to see it in action in Vietnam, visit
http://bit.ly/1qLSkTL. JUNE 2016 MILITARY OFFICER 77
History Lesson On June 4, 1944, the Ital- ian capital city of Rome fell to U.S. troops and became the first European capital to be liberated by Allied forces during World War II.
The military recently reactivated two Vietnam War-era aircraft in order to assist with modern counterinsurgency operations against militants in the Middle East.
introduced in 1954, is expected to remain viable for many years to come.
The Other Midnight Ride very schoolchild knows of Paul Revere’s famous ride in 1775. But 235 years ago this month, Capt. Jack
A U.S. Navy OV-10 Bronco fires a rocket at a target over the Mekong Delta in Vietnam in June 1969.
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