Historical Documents

The Warner Robbins Air Materiel Area (WRAMA), now the Warner Robbins Air Logistics Center, was the USAF organization responsible for the development and oversight of the EC-47 program, beginning with project HAWK EYE in 1962. Located a few miles south of Macon, Georgia, Warner Robbins remains one of the largest facilities of its type in the country. 

The WRAMA history of the EC-47 describes in detail the challenges, technical and otherwise, faced in converting the WWII Goony Bird into an electronic warfare platform. It is not an operational history. Nonetheless, some of the modifications are interesting—for example, the HAWK EYE aircraft was originally intended to be equipped with a camera, the idea apparently being to photograph the ARDF fix location for further study. 

Chapter three, “Project Red Chief”, relates to a separate program, possibly under the aegis of the CIA, in which a small transmitter (or transponder) could be clandestinely placed on or in an object, presumably a vehicle, thus enabling tracking by the specially equipped C-47. Strictly speaking, Red Chief was not part of the EC-47 ARDF project, but we’ve left the story as a bit of historical trivia. 

Click here to view the history. To reduce the pdf file size, footnotes have been removed from this on-line version.

Article posted 17 June 2020

DISCLAIMER

We make no claim for the completeness or accuracy of the contents herein, nor can we advise as to an individual veteran's entitlement to the ribbons accompanying these unit awards or how to obtain such information.

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Both the TEWS (front end) and 6994th Security Squadron (back end) units received multiple awards and citations during their service in Southeast Asia. The 6994th and its detachments laid claim to being the most decorated unit in USAFSS history. The tables below were extracted from Air Force Pamphlet AFP 36-2801, vol. 2 (corrected as of 30 Jan 1989) superseding AFP 900-2, which listed most of the Vietnam War awards. We'll update if/when better info comes to hand.

How to interpret the tables: 

1. The numbers in parentheses indicate the campaigns in which the unit participated. (See chart above.) In the case of the 6994th, the original campaign streamers are in the custody of the 94th Intellignce Squadron, Ft. Meade, Maryland. However, the Herritage Chapter (San Angelo, TX) of the Freedom Through Vigilance Association (FTVA) purchased exact replicas to be used at squadron reunions or other functions.

2. PUC = Presidential Unit Citation; AFOUA = AF Outstanding Unit Award; W/V = with V device (Valor); RVN GC W/P = RVN Gallantry Cross with palm leaf.

3. Inclusive dates for which the award was made.

4. DAFSO = Dept. of the Air Force Special Order. GB - XXX/YY = Special Order number/year issued.

 The write-in for the 361st is for the PUC, 1 Sep 72 - 22 Feb 73, S.O. GN-46, no year noted.

Click HERE for the orders we currently possess relating to the 6994th Security Squadron. There may be discrepancies between the listing above and the orders themselves. Again, we'll update/correct if additional info comes to light.  

Article updated 10 March 2020

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Uploaded 19 April 2019

    Our thanks to mediajaw web design and hosting

The SIGINT community is notoriously loath to completely declassify it's historical materials, even documents over a half-century old. But thanks to an FOIA request submitted in 2015 by Dr. Christine Lamberson of the Angelo State University History Department, we have now received copies of almost all the 6994th Security Squadron histories, including those of the detachments. Beginning in January, 1966, these classified, limited distribution histories were compiled and published twice yearly, representing the periods 1 January-30 June and 1 July-31 December.

The format of the histories, which varied somewhat over the years, appears to have been dictated by USAFSS Headquarters in San Antonio. The first chapter was generally titled “Mission and Organization”, followed by “Tasking and Collection”, then one or two more chapters dealing with “Processing and Reporting” and occasionally one-time topics such as “Special Projects” or “Hostile Activities.” For the years 1966 through 1968, the detachment histories are embedded within the main 6994th histories, along with the histories for the ARDF Coordination Center (ACC) when those histories were included.

The quantity and quality of operational details—that is, mission objectives and results—vary greatly. For instance, the early histories contain a fair amount of data relating to supported ground operations which, when viewed side-by-side with contemporary After Action Reports and “official” war histories written years later, make it possible to “connect the dots” and understand the impact our EC-47 crews and their support functions made on the conduct of the war. Some histories contain fewer operational details but shed light on the technical, tactical, and political considerations which influenced EC-47 operations.

The supporting documents appended to most of the histories represent the documentary foundation around which the histories were written. Unfortunately, much of this material remains redacted due, apparently, to the various intelligence "equities" involved, each of which must separately agree to release "their" material—a process that would add years to the already interminable delays encountered in receiving answers to an FOIA request. Regardless, these unit histories probably represent the nearest thing to an ongoing account of the SIGINT aspects of EC-47 operations—written more or less as the events occurred—that still exists.

By the fall of 1971 the drawdown of U.S. forces in Vietnam was well underway. The 460th Tac Recon Wing stood down on 31 August; the TEWS were subordinated to the 483d Tactical Airlift Wing, presumably to consolidate units flying prop-driven aircraft. When the 483d in turn went away, the remaining EC-47 squadrons were assigned to separate 7th Air Force wings. Det 1 of the 6994th (Phu Cat) was inactivated on 31 October, its personnel absorbed by Det 2 at Da Nang. Det 3 continued to operate out of NKP.

The histories from 1966 through 1971 are linked below. Histories not received are so indicated. Whether these were never written, have been lost, or simply not yet declassified, we don't know. The post-1968 histories are larger files. As a matter of convenience and to shorten download times the detachment histories have been extracted and processed as separate files. (Beginning with 1970, Det histories were received separately.) To reduce file size, some supporting documents have been extracted as well. 

NOTE: These files may be viewed in your web browser. However, the histories have been booked-marked for easy access to the various sections. For optimum viewing, right-click on the link then "Save link as ... " to a location on your hard drive.  

At the end of November, 1972, operations at Tan Son Nhut ceased. The 6994th moved to NKP, while Det 2 hung on at Da Nang until the end of February when it was inactivated. By that time, all USAF EC-47 operations had moved to NKP. Listed are the histories for that timeframe:

6994th History, January-June, 1972
6994th History, July-December, 1972 (Not Received. Unit moved to NKP 1 Dec 1972)
Det 2 History, January-June, 1972 * 
Det 2 History, July-December, 1972 (Inactivated 28 Feb 1973)
Det 3 History,  January-June, 1972
Det 3 History, July-December, 1972 (Not Received)
6994th History, January-June, 1973
6994th History, July-December, 1973 (Not Received)
6994th/Det 3 History, July 1973-January 1974
 ? ? ? January-May, 1974 ? ? ?

In January, 1974, operations moved from NKP to Ubon Royal Thai AFB. The last USAF EC-47 missions flew from Ubon on 15 May 1974. In 1971, the South Vietnamese began training to take over 33 Electric Goons and by late 1972 the lone VNAF EC-47 squadron was operational. When Saigon fell on 30 April 1975, those EC-47s still flyable took off for Thailand, just ahead of onrushing NVA troops.

If you can elaborate on some aspect of these histories, or if you have a comment or question, by all means let us know! 

Historical Resume
USAF Airborne Radio Direction Finding
Its Development and Use
April 1962 – 31 May 1968
 

This document represents one of the few USAFSS‐generated studies which has made its way into the public domain essentially as it was written. It is one of several background documents used in the writing of the 1968 project CHECO report, The EC‐47 in Southeast Asia, which is linked elsewhere on the site.

Although the original classification markings were never lined out, the document is now UNCLASSIFIED.

The narrative ends rather abruptly (chapters 3 and 4 are missing) but includes 40 or so pages of ARDF feedback data provided to the 6994th and/or the TEWS. The files linked below are scans of second or third generation photostatic copies in the archives of the USAF Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Many of the pages are of such poor quality that reading is difficult. Even under magnification a few words remain illegible.

• Click HERE to view the narrative portion of the document as scanned.
• Click HERE to view a transcript, produced in typescript font to preserve a sense of the orginal document's appearance.

Probably the most interesting and historically valuable portions of this short paper are feedback reports from supported ground units, dating from 1967-68, which were inserted towards the end of the narrative. Some pages are practically illegible, but others tell of specific actions taken by ground units in response to ARDF fixes taken by EC-47 crews. In some instances, crew members are named. In the feedback for March, 1968, for example, we find that

A fix obtained by the crew of Podonsky, Weggers, Hawkins, Veal, McDullough, O’Neill, Jordan, Valdez and Borselino that fell within the operation area of the VC 5th Light Infantry Division was hit with a B-52 strike, one day after their fix on the 25th. A FAC [forward air controller] conducted BDA [bomb damage assessment] after the strike and found all ordnance on target with 7 tunnels uncovered, 2 large trench complexes uncoverd and numerous fighting positions uncovered.

Click on the links below to view these feedback reports, scanned from hard copy made at AFHRA almost twenty years ago. (Note: These are PDF files ranging in size from 1 to approximagtely 2.5 kb and may be slow to load.)

#1 Feedback, May-July 1967, based on Army after action reports
#2 Two feedback reports, September & November 1967
#3 Feedback from December 1967 and January 1968 (Contains some crew names)
#4 After Action Report from Operation Shenandoah II (Poor legibility)
#5 Fragmented report from the 25th Infantry Division
#6 Feedback from January 1968 (Contains some crew names)
#7 Feedback from February 1968
#8 Feedback from March 1968 (Contains some crew names)
#9 More feedback from March 1968 (Contains some crew names)

Almost 50 years after the events, these reports may well represent the most detailed accounts still surviving of the impact made by the Electric Goon on the ground war in South Vietnam.

Introduction

In 2014, the Heritage Chapter (San Angelo, TX) of the Freedom Through Vigilance Association (FTVA), in association with Angelo State University and ec47.com, approached the history office of what was at that time the USAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance agency in an effort to make public at least some of the historical record as it was written at the time.

The "Top 10" Questions

Since declassification of eight years’ worth of records in any sort of reasonable timeframe seemed an unlikely prospect, it was suggested that a list of ten specific questions be drawn up, for which answers would be provided. Without knowledge of what the squadron histories might contain, the selection of ten events or situations from eight years of operational history was obviously a hit-or-miss proposition. Nonetheless, a “Top 10” list of questions—in no particular order or priority—was drawn up and submitted via our FTVA contact.

Those responses received in the form of extracts from the squadron histories or other contemporary USAFSS documents may be viewed by opening the links below. Received material from other sources (Wikipedia articles and CHECO reports already on hand) has not been reproduced. 

(Note: These are 3-5 mb PDF files and may be slow to download.)

#1. What role did ARDF play in predicting, or failing to predict, the Tet offensive of 1968? Were EC-47 assets specifically tasked to support the defense of Khe Sanh (Operation Niagara, etc.?) Did ARDF contribute significantly to the defense of Khe Sanh? Did USAFSS address these sorts of questions and document the findings?

#2. ARDF played a large role in the planning and execution of the “incursion” into Cambodia in the spring and summer of 1970. The other notable allied ground offensive during this timeframe was Operation Lam Son 719; the ill-fated ARVN thrust along highway 9 into Laos in an attempt to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Tchepone. More information on the specific role of the EC-47 in both these critical operations is needed. 

#3. The EC-47 during the “Easter Offensive” of 1972. Turning back this massive NVA assault is as near a vindication of airpower as can be found in the entire war. The EC-47 must have played a part, but at present we have almost no relative information.

#4. More details are needed on the ARDF contributions specific to the EC-47/6994th, particularly as these details relate to major ground operations such as Cedar Falls/Junction City and the early attempts to disable COSVN.

#5. Along with sensors and other recon assets, ARDF played at least some role in the planning and execution of the annual Commando Hunt truck-busting campaigns in Laos. More detail on the 6994th's relationship with Igloo White/Task Force Alpha is needed. The response noted that "The detachment [Det. 2] participated in a hearability test with Task Force Alpha to check aircraft flying in MACV Area One, Two, and Three." However, nothing from the 6994th histories was received.

#6. Concerning the Cambodian incursion, project Blue Beetle, in which ARDF fixes were passed from EC-47s to "Rustic" (and possibly other) FACs for investigation, is of particular interest from the 6994th standpoint. More specific information on Blue Beetle and an associated project named Contrail is needed to flesh out the story. This response was combined with #2.

#7. ASA's 509th Radio Research Group (RRG) became the focal point for ARDF support of MACV. We do know that the 6994th was a key stakeholder in the ARDF Coordinating Committee (ACC), which was an ad hoc organization set up early on to oversee ASA-USAFSS ARDF operations. The USAFSS perspective on control of ARDF assets (vs. the army and/or NSA) would be most useful.

#8. The 6994th began operations out of NKP in 1969 under project/operation Commando Forge. Evidently considerable diplomatic wrangling was required to convince the Thai government to allow more "spooks" in country. Information relative to the thinking behind the establishment of the NKP detachment is needed.

#9. Of special interest is project Brown Beaver, which was part of a larger Targeting Test Program involving EC-47/FAC cooperation. (Brown Beaver was connected with the now- famous "Raven" FACs.) The response included no material from USAFSS sources but did reference a CHECO report (already on hand but not reproduced here) which does provide useful information.

#10. USAF vs. Army ARDF. One of the more interesting EC-47 sidebars involves a USAFSS/ASA "fly-off" conducted under NSA auspices in Puerto Rico in 1967. Dave Eddy, before his untimely death, provided a good bit of info on this project, but some "official" results would be a most interesting addition.

Summary

The impact of ARDF in the conduct of the Vietnam War has been acknowledged for some time now, although only in very general terms. These snippets from contemporary histories, while totaling less than 70 pages and pertaining to diverse and unconnected topics, nonetheless represent an important breakthrough in that, for the first time, certain operational details and specific contributions made by our EC-47 crews are at last coming to light. Efforts to have more of the classified histories released are ongoing. 

Table Headings Explanations

S/N: The original U.S. Army Air Forces serial number.* The first two digits indicate the fiscal year in which the order for the aircraft was placed. The numbers following the dash represent the numerical sequence of aircraft ordered in that fiscal year. For example, 45-0925, the original HAWK EYE aircraft, was the 925th aircraft to be ordered in fiscal year 1945.

Last 3: The last 3 digits of the S/N. An aid to identification of the complete S/N when only the last 3 digits are known.

Model: The model number of the aircraft after conversion to EC-47. (The aircraft were originally redesignated RC-47, the R standing for Reconnaissance. The designation was later changed to EC-47, the E standing for Special Electronic Mission.) EC-47N models rolled off the WWII assembly line as A models; EC-47Ps were originally B models. (O is not used to avoid confusion with zero.) EC-47Q models were earlier models retrofitted with more powerful R-2000 engines. (Click here for further explanation of EC-47 model designations.)

Mission Configuration: Mission equipment installed as of August, 1969. Aircraft carrying only the X (ARDF) and Y (collection/support) positions were generally referred to as “straight birds” while those fitted with Z1 and Z2 positions were called “Z birds”. The five aircraft fitted with the QRC-346 electronic warfare suite were informally tagged as “Q birds”. These should NOT be confused with the EC-47Q model noted above, although at times these were also called Q Birds. The QRC-346-equipped "jammers" were in fact all EC-47N airframes.

Built as: C-47 was the basic designation of the aircraft, the C indicating that this was the forty-seventh “C” (cargo, or transport) design to be accepted by the Army Air Corps. The initial model designation of USAAC/USAAF aircraft did not include an alpha suffix. Thus the C-47A was actually the second model to be produced. Fairly significant design changes resulted in the B model. Following the model designator is the “block number”. Each block number represented relatively minor variations from the previous block, but not significant enough to warrant a model change. The last two letters represent the manufacturer and plant location. DL indicated Douglas Long Beach, CA, while DK indicated Douglas Oklahoma City, OK.

Delivery date: The approximate date of delivery or acceptance by the USAAF in World War II. (The two events might be separated by a few days.) 

NOTE: This listing will be gradually updated to include links to photographs and additional information.

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     * The term was in fact Air Forces, plural. The AAF (20 June 1941) did not replace the old Air Corps, which remained as an administrative and training arm. Air Force Combat Command (AFCC) would control the war fighting units. The AAF as a whole remained subordinate to the U.S. Army/War Department until the establishmenet of the USAF (singular) under the Department of Defense in 1947.

Project CHECO, originally standing for Contemporary Historical Evaluation of Combat Operations (the meaning of the "C" was later changed to "current") was implemented by Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) as a vehcicle to capture details of USAF operations in Southeast Asia while events were still fresh. In all, more than 200 CHECO monographs were written, covering a wide variety of subjects.

Two  CHECO  reports  dealt  with  the  EC-47.   Together, these reports provide a concise background and summary of
EC-47 operations through mid-1970. Click on the links below to view full-text versions of these reports in pdf format. Individual chapters are bookmarked and can be accessed directly by clicking on the icon on the left side of the viewer window.

Note: These are large files and may load slowly. 

• The EC-47 in Southeast Asia (1968) 

• The EC-47 in SEA, April 1968 - July 1970

Until August, 1971, the EC-47 fleet in Southeast Asia was operated by three Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadrons (TEWS), all subordinate to the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) headquartered at Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut airbase. Aircraft based at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, were operated by a detachment of the 360th TEWS. 

Squadron histories were compiled “on the spot” by a designated historian and submitted quarterly to the parent wing. The declassified 460th TRW histories are held by the U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. In addition to narrative descriptions, these documents  contain mission statistics and occasional “sanitized” feedback from the 6994th Security Squadron concerning ARDF results. Unfortunately, most of the 6994th history remains classified. Thus the quarterly TEWS histories, brief as they sometimes are, represent the best available contemporary record of day-to-day EC-47 operations and achievements. 

The pdf files are scans of paper copies. The earliest histories were photocopied at AFHRA, page by laborious page, nearly 20 years ago. Due to time constraints, some pages unrelated to operations were not copied. At some point, we hope to retrieve these histories in their entirety. 

(Note: These emblems were strictly unofficial and often varied in appearance and format.)

360th TEWS	361st TEWS	362nd TEWS

Click on the links below to open individual histories in pdf format.