The Tennessee Museum of Aviation recently played host to a powerful reunion, bringing together Army Special Forces operators and the aviators who risked everything to support them during the Vietnam War’s clandestine operations across enemy lines. The focus of this gathering, captured in “Episode 1 – Operation Tailwind Presentation” on the “Military Tales” YouTube channel, was Operation Tailwind, a daring mission deep inside Laos during the so-called “secret war”.
The presentation, moderated by Mel Swanson, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and commander of a Skyraider outfit, featured firsthand accounts from Gene McCarley, the Army Special Forces captain who led the ground team, and insights from numerous aviators who flew in support. This wasn’t just a historical recounting; it was a visceral reminder of the bravery, coordination, and sheer grit involved in these highly dangerous missions.
As Gene McCarley explained, the Geneva Accords technically prohibited American combat troops in Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam. However, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) flagrantly disregarded these agreements, amassing significant forces and logistical caches within these supposedly neutral territories. This led to the formation of the Studies and Observations Group (SOG), a highly classified unit operating under the guise of a Navy budget to conduct reconnaissance and special operations.
In September 1970, a critical situation unfolded in Cambodia, where a CIA operation faced being overrun by approximately 5,000 NVA troops. In a desperate move, the CIA turned to SOG, who in turn tasked Captain McCarley’s B Company with a unique mission: to create a diversion in Laos, drawing enemy attention and forces away from the beleaguered CIA operatives.
Operation Tailwind stood out for its audacious reach. The target area was 20 kilometers beyond the normal operating area for Prairie Fire missions in Laos, pushing the limits of available resources and significantly increasing the risks. McCarley’s team consisted of 16 American Special Forces soldiers and around 120 friendly indigenous Montagnard people. Their strategy, born from hard-won experience, was to “go in raise hell and keep moving,” avoiding static positions that could be easily overrun by the numerically superior enemy.
What followed was a grueling 72 hours of constant combat. From the moment their Marine CH-53 helicopters crossed the Vietnamese border, they encountered ground fire. The team pressed on, engaging in skirmishes, destroying enemy supply caches filled with rockets, small arms ammunition, and even vehicles. They faced resistance ranging from squad-sized encounters to multi-company assaults, constantly under fire from all directions.
The survival of McCarley’s team hinged on the unwavering support of a diverse array of aircraft and their courageous crews.
Amidst the relentless fighting, the heroism of Medic Gary “Mike” Rose stood out. Despite suffering serious wounds himself from an RPG attack early in the mission, including injuries to his foot and hand, Rose tirelessly treated the numerous wounded American and Montagnard soldiers. Gene McCarley described how Rose used his CAR-15 rifle as a crutch due to his injured foot, only using it as a weapon when absolutely necessary. Even after being ejected from the crashing CH-53 during extraction, Rose’s immediate concern was for the other men still inside. His extraordinary actions earned him a Distinguished Service Cross, and there is an ongoing effort to award him the Medal of Honor.
The presentation powerfully illustrated the deep bond forged between the Special Forces operators on the ground and the aircrews who repeatedly risked their lives to support them. The aviators, while sometimes viewing their support as “just another day” in the intense Prairie Fire AO, displayed incredible skill and courage. The ground operators expressed profound gratitude for the pilots and crews who repeatedly “pulled their bacon out of the fire”.
The story of Operation Tailwind, as recounted by the men who were there, is a testament to the dedication, resilience, and inter-service cooperation that defined these secret missions. The presentation at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation served as a poignant reminder of a little-known but incredibly significant chapter of the Vietnam War, honoring the bravery of those who went deep behind enemy lines and those who soared above to bring them home.
This blog article is based on the transcript of the YouTube video “Episode 1 – Operation Tailwind Presentation.”