1045th Operations Training and Evaluation Group

[SamMcGowan]

I checked Conboy and Morrison's "The CIA's Secret War in Tibet." It sheds quite a bit of light on the arrangements between the Air Force and the CIA with the C-130s commonly known today as "E Flight." Originally, Air Force airplanes were provided for CIA use by the Air Resupply and Communications Squadrons that were set up at various locations around the world, mostly using B-29s but also a mixture of other airplanes and helicopters. During the French Indo-China War the main base of operations was at Clark, but in 1954 it moved to Kadena. When the ARC wings were deactivated, the 322nd Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (Special), activated to assume the covert role of supporting CIA covert activities. The squadron retained the mixture of B-29s, C-54s, helicopters and seaplanes but, based on recollections of 21st TCS veterans, also used USAF-supplied C-119s and other transports from the 21st, which at the time was based at Tachikawa. 483rd TCW C-119 veterans have revealed that they started using the term "E Flight" as a code for when they were sent on classified missions. One of the 322nd TCS missions was to support CIA operations with anti-communist indigenous forces in Tibet (and also in another region in that same part of the world.) A special detachment known as Detachment 1 was set up within the 322nd TCS for it's most sensitive missions, using two C-54s and a single C-118 that was a combination of several airframes.

Because of the C-118's limited performance the CIA wanted to have use of C-130s when they first came out, but since they focused on "plausible deniability" it wasn't until 1957 that they decided the increase in cability was worth the risk. Ten C-130s were authorized for CIA use in the Pacific, and the 21st TCS was scheduled to move to Okinawa to operate them. Before the move, Billie Mills was sent to Peterson Field to develop procedures and check out the Civil Air Transport pilots on the C-130 (although he had no idea what he was to do until he got there.)

In the early sixties the CIA and the Air Force set up the 1045th Operations Training and Evaluation Group at Bolling AFB, DC as the single-manager for joint operations. The Kadena office was redesignated as Det 2 of the 1045th. Heinie Aderholt arrived at Kadena in 1960 as commander. The C-130 operations had begun the previous year while he was on a stateside-assignment. Aderholt improved the operation and was in charge of it until 1962.

There were other Air Force units set up to work with the CIA, including the 1198th Operations Training and Evaluation Squadron at Norton, more commonly known as HEAVY CHAIN.

[SamMcGowan]

There was evidently an E-model based in DC that was used by the 1045th. Back in the early eighties I ran into a friend of mine I had met in Memphis when we enlisted and who was with me all the way through Basic, Jet-mech training at Amarillo and on to Pope. I lost touch with him when I cross-trained. He got out and got his pilot license and was flying for a South Carolina company. He told me went from Pope to Andrews with an E-model that was used for a classified mission. I've since learned that there was an airplane based there that was used for courier missions.

Another friend of mine was at Norton later on and he filled me in on what the silver airplanes with blue markings were used for, which was basically the same as the Andrews airplane.

[SamMcGowan]

There was also a squadron based in Europe but it didn't get C-130s until the mid-seventies. It was probably the 7405th Support Squadron, but I'm not certain. They operated a menagarie of airplanes including some C-97s and flew a number of covert missions in Europe. Heinie Aderholt mentioned that was a mission similar to E Flight in Europe and I assume this is the one he was talking about. The 7th Air Commando Squadron was at Sembach but this one was different. I got a clue about what they were doing when I was in Citation training with a guy who had been a C-97 crew chief in Germany in the mid-sixties. He told me how that he went on a mission where they dumped a load of cargo at a remote airstrip in the Congo and how they were taking ground fire from the bushes. He said their airplanes would leave spanky clean and come back covered with mud. The 7405th operated in and out of the Berlin Corridor and referred to themselves as the "Berlin for Lunch Bunch" but they apparently were also involved in gun-running for the Agency as well.

[xzoomie32065]

Sam,

I was in the 05th from Jan 69 until Dec 72 and was the Chief LM FE for about 3.5 years. Never heard of the type of operation in the Congo.

Here is a website http://7499thgroupreunions.com/default.aspx

[gmat]

I've seen pictures of a C-97 taken in Congo and it was one of those that was based in Germany. It was taken in the early 60s, when the CIA supported the local govt. They flew B-26Ks in the green and white scheme. They had a large black radome between the main wheels so it is kind of hard to see. I don't think that they flew any cargo. If you read about Brave Bull, a C-97 that went to SEA early in the war, you might know more.

Best wishes,

Grant

Edited March 9, 2009 by gmat
additional info