Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) and Vietnam

TACP Communications Jeep

By Chelsey Moore

In the Vietnam War,  helicopters became vital to the American military effort. Between transporting cargo and soldiers, helicopters in Vietnam were heavily relied on by personnel.This lead commentators to refer to the conflict as The Helicopter War.” In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered Operation Rolling Thunder. This  became America’s longest sustained aerial bombing campaign and fully pulled the U.S. into Vietnam. The Marine Corps created the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) in 1961 to manage the military’s increasing need for airpower. 

Helicopters flew at low altitudes while carrying heavy weaponry such as machine guns and missiles. This made air  strikes easier. Helicopters enabled pilots to land in small spaces to establish Medevac Units. These units evacuated killed or wounded soldiers while dropping off new soldiers into the area of operations.  They utilized Bell UH-1 helicopters or  “Hueys.” The unit’s specialists coordinated air to ground strikes and additionally guided Hueys to drop cargo or execute Medevac operations.

In his 2022 interview, Marine Veteran William “Bill” White described his involvement in TACP during his deployment to Vietnam (1967-1968). He explained, “Our job was basically to guide in helicopters. You would have helicopters flying into areas that had very little clearance and you had to make sure that the helicopter has clearance to land.” He continued to talk about the high pressure of his job with TACP stating that he needed “to make sure that the rotors didn’t touch the tree limbs and everything that would tear the rotors up.” White also talked about his job when the helicopter reached the ground. “Then when they got to the ground, our job was to unload the chopper and then we had it fueled or whatever… load back up again.” He described what happened if someone took fire while airborne. “If the door gunner had gotten wounded or killed during the transition from air to ground or vice- versa, it was our job to take his place. You’re moving fast. You only have seconds to load, land the chopper, unload, and load the chopper back up with casualties". 

Aircraft played a vital role in the American effort in Vietnam. TACP served to guide helicopters into the jungles of Vietnam while carrying cargo, fire power, and personnel. Through the efforts of soldiers such as William White, the Tactical Air Control Party became a very important piece of the American military force in Vietnam.