Direct Air Support Center
The Direct Air Support Center (DASC) is the principal
Role
The DASC is responsible for processing immediate air support requests; coordinates aircraft employment with other supporting arms; manages terminal control assets supporting GCE and combat service support element forces; and controls assigned aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and itinerant aircraft transiting through DASC controlled airspace. The DASC controls and directs air support activities that effect the GCE commander's focus on close operations and those air missions requiring integration with the ground combat forces (close air support [CAS], assault support and designated air reconnaissance). The DASC does not normally control aircraft conducting deep air support (DAS) missions as detailed coordination of DAS missions is not required with ground forces. However, the DASC provides battle damage assessments (BDAs) and mission reports (MISREPs) from DAS missions to the GCE's senior fire support coordination center (FSCC) and TACC when required.
Capabilities
The DASC's equipment and capabilities are enhanced by the agency's ability to task organize based on the tactical situation. The MASS possesses numerous high-powered communications assets that cover the entire spectrum of single channel radio frequencies. Amongst command and control agencies, the DASC is notable for its high degree of mobility and ability to keep pace with supported ground units. In the most austere scenarios, the basic functions of coordinating and controlling aircraft and processing requests for air support can be accomplished by foot mobile Marines with man-portable radios.
History
World War II
As World War II progressed, the Marine Corps gained hard fought experience in the application of close air support during amphibious landings. Marine Aviation's primary role was supposed to be supporting the Marines on the ground however by mid-1944 this had not been the case because of earlier decisions made by Marine Corps aviation leadership in the Pacific. In late 1942, then
On 21 October 1944 the Marine Corps stood up a new unit titled the Provisional Air Support Command (PASC) at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii under the command of Colonel Vernon E. Megee. This new unit was tasked with allowing the landing force commander to exercise full control of supporting aircraft during amphibious operations. The PASC was composed of a headquarters element and four Landing Force Air Support Control Units (LFASCU) with leadership being provided by some of the best and brightest Marine Aviators as they rotated back to the Pacific from supporting establishment billets. The LFASCUs were 87 man units commanded by a colonel.[5] By the end of November 1944 the personnel and equipment for LFASCU-1 were appropriately formed and they commenced training in air support problems at MCAS Ewa. PASC leadership also experimented with radar controlled bombing in December 1944 when they coordinated to use an SCR-584 radar from the 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion on Kauai to direct simulated bombing missions with SB2C and SBD dive bombers. Early results from these tests were positive.[6] By early January 1945, LFASCU-1 reported to the V Amphibious Corps in preparation for the assault on Iwo Jima. LFASCU #1 departed Hawaii on 1 February 1945 whilst LFASCUs 2-4 remained in the vicinity of MCAS Ewa training for future operations.
LFASCU-1 went ashore at Iwo Jima on 24 February 1945 establishing their position a half a mile from the base of Mount Suribachi. On 1 March 1945 at 1000 LFASCU-1 assumed control of close air support missions. This marked the first time that the United States Navy had officially delegated this authority ashore during an amphibious operation. LFASCU-1 operated on Iwo Jima until 11 March 1945 when they were pulled out in order to begin preparations for follow on operations.
LFASCU-2 departed Hawaii on 17 February 1945 on board the USS Achernar (AKA-53) and LFASCU-3 left six days later on board USS Cepheus (AKA-18). All three of these units were tasked with providing support for the upcoming invasion of Okinawa which was scheduled for 1 April 1945. All three LFASCUs came ashore on the first day of the invasion and established their agencies. LFASCU 1 in support of the V Amphibious Corps, while LFASCU-2 supported the Army's XXIV Corps and LFASCU-3 coordinated close air support for the higher headquarters of the Tenth United States Army.[7] During the course of the battle the three LFASCUs handled a total of 10, 506 close air support sorties.[8]
1945 - 1950
At the end of World War II the LFASCUs were disbanded as they rotated back to the United States. The air support functionality remained as part of the Headquarters Squadron of the Marine Air Control Group until 1 July 1947 when Marine Tactical Air Control Squadrons 1 and 2 were formed. The original mission of the Marine Tactical Air Control Squadrons was to provide the facilities required for centralized control of air operations in support of Fleet Marine Force operations. This meant they supported both the establishment of the Marine Tactical Air Control Center and the coordination of close air support for the ground combat element. Their mission was accomplished via the accomplishment of four tasks:
- (1) Supervise the deployment and sighting of assigned Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadrons (MGCIS);
- (2) Install, operate and maintain a Tactical Air Control Center (TACC) or Tactical Air Direction Center (TADC);
- (3) Receive and correlate requests for close air support (CAS);
- (4) Operate and maintain facilities for electronic control of CAS operations.
Korean War
Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2 (MTACS-2), the precursor to today's MASS-2, operated an Air Support section and conducted operations during the Korean War at the
, the East Central Front, and the Western Front.At the outbreak of the Korean War, MTACS-2 was severely understrength. Additional Marines were joined from other squadrons within Marine Air Control Group 2 to fill out the squadron's ranks prior to deployment.[9]
After arriving in Pohang on 4 August, the Air Support Section assumed control of all
After the successful breakout of the Chosin Reservoir, the Air Support section was transported to Masan, on the southern coast of Korea. In August 1951, the Marine Air Support Radar Team 1 arrived from CONUS and was attached to MTACS-2. In March 1952, the Air Support section moved with the 1st Marine Division to the western front near Panmunjum. The Air Defense section continued to operate the TACC of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from its location at
Vietnam
In April 1965, MASS-2 deployed to
The 1980s and the Gulf War
In the early 1980s, the AN/TPQ-10 was replaced by the more sophisticated AN/TPB-1D, which, after extensive service in
Operation Iraqi Freedom
For the
The Marine Corps' concept for air support control proved to be very successful during OIF 1. DASC crews were able to clear targets much quicker than the Air Support Operations Center that was working in support of V Corps. The DASC had four unique traits that streamlined the processing of air support requests for I MEF:
- 1) Controlled both fixed wing and rotary wing air which provided additional aircraft for assignment and easier deconfliction;
- 2) Had organic Marine Aviation in direct support;
- 3) Crewed by professional aviation command and control Marines whose primary job is the coordination of close air support
- 4) The agency was assigned at the division level vice corps level[14]
MASS-3 returned to Iraq with the 1st Marine Division to provide air support in January 2004. They were based out of
Tasks
- Receive the Air Tasking Order(ATO) from the TACC (Marine or Navy) and coordinate planned direct air support.
- Receive, process and coordinate requests for immediate direct air support.
- Adjust planned schedules, divert airborne assets, and launch aircraft as necessary when delegated authority by the aviation combat element (ACE) commander and in coordination with the Marine Air Ground Task Forcefires coordination center (FFCC) or GCE senior FSCC.
- Coordinate the execution of direct air support missions with other supporting arms through the appropriate FFCC/FSCC and, as required, with the appropriate MACCS agencies.
- Receive and disseminate pertinent tactical information reported by aircraft performing direct air support missions.
- Provide aircraft and air control agencies with advisory and threat information to assist in the safe conduct of flight.
- Monitor, record and display information on direct air support missions.
- Maintain friendly and enemy ground situation displays necessary to coordinate direct air support missions.
- Provide direct air support aircraft and other MACCS agencies with information concerning the friendly and enemy situation.
- Refer unresolved conflicts in supporting arms to the FFCC/FSCC fire support coordinator (FSC).[15]
Current Units
Squadron Name | Insignia | Nickname | Date Commissioned | Senior Command | Station |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MASS-1 | Atlantic Nomads | 25 June 1943[16] | MACG-28, 2nd MAW | MCAS Cherry Point, NC
| |
MASS-2 | Pacific Vagabonds | 1 January 1943 [17] | MACG-18, 1st MAW | Okinawa, Japan
| |
MASS-3 | Blacklist | 3 August 1950[18] | MACG-38, 3rd MAW | MCAS Camp Pendleton, CA
| |
MASS-6 | Lighthouse | 15 May 1947[19] | MACG-48, 4th MAW | Westover ARB, Chicopee, MA | |
MASS-6 Det A | Pacific Penguins | MACG-48, 4th MAW | MCAS Miramar, CA
|
Decommissioned air support units
Squadron Name | Date Activated | Date Deactivated |
---|---|---|
Marine Air Support Control Unit | 21 October 1944 | |
Landing Force Air Support Control Unit 1 | November 1944 | 10 September 1945 |
Landing Force Air Support Control Unit 2 | January 1945 | 11 September 1945 |
Landing Force Air Support Control Unit 3 | January 1945 | 6 March 1946[20] |
Landing Force Air Support Control Unit 4 | February 1945 | 19 November 1945[20] |
Marine Air Support Squadron 4 | 1 July 1962 | 28 February 1989 |
Marine Air Support Squadron 5 | 1 August 1966[21] | 28 November 1969[22] |
Citations
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- ^ Lawing, Rhett B. (18 December 2006). "American Armed Forces' Service Culture Impact on Close Air Support". Air & Space Power Journal. Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
- ^ Sherrod (1952), p.325.
- ^ Sherrod (1952), p.327.
- ^ Mersky (1983), p.98.
- ^ Rottman 2004, pp. 24.
- ^ War Diary, 1 - 31 December 1944 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. 3 January 1945. p. 3.
- ^ Megee 2011, pp. 148.
- ^ Wolf 1999, pp. 88.
- ^ Hammes 2010, pp. 114–115.
- ^ Hammes 2010, pp. 127–128.
- ^ Hammel 1981, pp. 154.
- ^ Krulak (1984), p.113-119.
- ^ United States Marine Corps (1986) Controlling Air Support - US Marines in Vietnam, 1970-1971: Vietnamization and Redeployment. Chapter 15.
- ^ Grant, Rebecca (1 June 2004). "Marine Air in the Mainstream". www.airforcemag.com. United States Air Force. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Direct Air Support Center Handbook" (PDF). Headquarters Marine Corps. 15 November 2001. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ 3d MAW General Order 11-1943 Commissioning HqSq, 1st MAWG on 1 July 1943
- ^ "Lineage and Honors of MASS-2" (PDF). Retrieved 10 June 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Lineage and Honors of Marine Air Support Squadron 3" (PDF). www.usmcu.edu. United States Marine Corps History Division. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Lineage and Honors of Marine Air Support Squadron 6" (PDF). www.usmcu.edu. United States Marine Corps History Division. 7 February 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ a b Rottman 2002, pp. 451.
- ^ MASS-5 Activated Monday – 19 August 1966 – Marine Corps Air Station El Toro Flight Jacket
- ^ MASS-5 Deactivation – 5 December 1969 – Marine Corps Air Station El Toro Flight Jacket
References
- Bibliography
- Hammel, Eric (1981). Chosin - Heroic Ordeal of the Korean War. Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-378-2.
- Hammes, T. X. (2010). Forgotten Warriors: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, The Corps Ethos, And The Korean War. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas.
- ISBN 0-87021-785-2.
- Megee, Vernon (2011). Memoirs of a Marine: Old Corps - New Corps 1919 to 1959. Atriad Press. ISBN 978-1933177281.
- Mersky, Peter B. (1983). U.S. Marine Corps Aviation - 1912 to the Present. Nautical and Aviation Publishing Company of America. ISBN 0-933852-39-8.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle – Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War. ISBN 0313319065.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2004). US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operationss 1944-45. Osprey Press. ISBN 1841766593.
- OCLC 1261876.
- Wolf, William (1999). Death Rattlers: Marine Squadron VMF-323 Over Okinawa. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 0764309536.