An A-1 Skyraider cruises over the jungle of Southeast Asia, photographed from the cockpit of its wingman past a wing heavy with ordnance. In the foreground hang two general-purpose bombs fitted with long M904 nose fuze extenders - 'daisy cutters' that burst the weapon above the ground for maximum effect against troops in the open - alongside a cylindrical dispenser or rocket pod. Slow, rugged and able to loiter for hours with an enormous bomb load, the propeller-driven Skyraider was prized in Vietnam for close air support and for the combat search and rescue mission, where 'Sandy' Skyraiders shepherded rescue helicopters into hostile territory. This image comes from the collection of a pilot of the Da Nang Skyraider detachment, Operating Location Alpha Alpha of the 56th Special Operations Wing, which flew nearly half its missions in support of MACV-SOG reconnaissance teams. Project: 219050