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MAGTFs particularly well suited for deployment in times of cri-
515.

e.   Conclusions.  MAGTFs provide the nation with highly capable
combined arms teams that may be task organized to conduct a wide
array of military operations.   Their high state of readiness, the
speed with which they may be dispatched to an area of operations,
and their ability to "loiter on station" make the MAGTF a highly
favorable option for U.S. policy and decision makers.

3005.   CLOSE AIR SU~PORT

a.   Background.

   (1)  The marine Corps has been involved in aviation since 1912
when Lt. Alfred A. Cunningham earned his pilot's wings as Naval
Aviator No.  3.  Initially Marines flew in England on anitsubma-
rine patrol missions.   Later, Marines flew in France in support
of Marine ground units.   In Nicaragua in 1927 deployed Marine
aviators and ground officers experimented with a new concept of
combined arms--close air support.   This concept was first
employed when five Marine aircraft conducted a dive bomb attack
in support of ground troops.   The attack was directed from the
ground and occurred near Octal, Nicaragua.

   (2)  The concept of close air support continued to evolve
throughout World War II although the invasion of Okinawa near the
end of the war was the first modern Marine air-ground task force
type operation.   Approximately 20 per cent of the sorties flown
in the Okinawa campaign were close air support missions--most
other sorties were directed to kamikaze defense.

   (3)  In the Korean War close air support became an integral
part of Marine air-ground task force operations.   For most of the
war Marine air was diverted to interdiction missions and close
air support sorties were limited by daily quotas.   A subsequent
change in strategy late in the War increased close air support
sorties and resulted in Marine close air support missions being
flown in support of Marines as well as 16 other Army and Allied
divisions.   The introduction of ground-controlled radar bombing
and suppression of enemy air defenses were two key concepts which
greatly enhanced the effectiveness of close air suppport in
Korea.

   (4)  The introduction of the A-6 Intruder attack aircraft and a
radar beacon in the mid 1960's finally provided Marine ground
units with true night and/or adverse weather close air support.
These   systems were used very effectively to support Marine
ground units during Vietnam operations.   More recently, Navy A-6s
supported Marine operations in Lebanon with radar beacon and
laser designated missions.


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