Episode 63 of Military Tales features Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Thomas A. Dwell, who flew close air support (CAS) missions in the Skyraider (A-1E) during the Vietnam War. Serving from February 1965 to February 1966, he completed 270 missions, often scrambled off night alert to support troops in contact facing dire situations where, as he puts it, they “were going to die” without immediate help. Dwell recounts the intensity of these missions, using tactics like flying with lights on to draw enemy fire, and highlights the exceptionally high Skyraider losses during this period due to the nature of staying until the enemy was defeated. He also touches on the dangers of Search and Rescue (SAR) missions and shares a challenging rescue story. Upon returning, Dwell debriefed senior military leaders, advocating for critical needs like improved SAR systems and the need for more Skyraiders, and was sent to the RAND Corporation where he was instrumental in defining the requirements for the new CAS aircraft that would eventually become the iconic A-10 Warthog, ensuring it had a big gun and good armor plating for the pilot.
In a truly captivating episode of Military Tales, we were joined by Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Thomas A. Dwell, a veteran who provided crucial close air support from the cockpit of a Skyraider during the Vietnam War. Born in 1937, Dwell trained at Hurlburt Field in 1964 and arrived in Vietnam in February 1965 as a First Lieutenant, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in the summer of 1982.
Dwell’s primary role was providing close air support (CAS), which he defines simply as “troops in contact”. He recalls being scrambled off alert numerous times, especially during night attacks or in bad weather when F-100 attack aircraft wouldn’t fly night alert. Dwell highlights the critical nature of these missions, stating that troops in a village, Special Forces fort, or Firebase under attack were “going to die” if they didn’t receive help. Their job was to go in and save them, and, as Dwell puts it, “we were good at it”.
He recounted a particularly intense night battle near Qui Nhon, supporting the 25th Infantry Division who were ambushed while spread out along a dike. Their vehicles were hit by RPGs at both ends, trapping the soldiers. Flying in a flight of two with his close friend John Larrison, Dwell describes observing the scene from above, including a burning vehicle and two mortar pits. With no flare ship available, they relied on their observations and communication with the Army captain on the ground. Dwell decided to make runs parallel to the friendly forces, dropping a white phosphorus (Willie Pete) bomb near the enemy positions, followed by Larrison dropping a stick of frag bombs. As the enemy positions were identified as being very close to the dike where the friendlies were hiding, they switched to alternating head-on passes, dropping bombs closer and closer to the friendly positions as directed by the ground troops. Dwell recounts a moment when he dropped a frag bomb incredibly close, hearing the ground commander exclaim, “Jesus Christ that’s close enough!” over the radio.
After expending their bombs, they switched to strafing with their four 20mm guns, each carrying 800 rounds. Dwell described a tactic, not briefed but necessary in the heat of the moment, where he would fly in with his lights on to draw enemy fire, allowing Larrison to identify targets. This was “extremely dangerous” but effective, as evidenced by an RPG or rocket narrowly missing Dwell’s aircraft. They continued this “daisy chaining” until they were out of ammunition.
Dwell flew 270 missions in Vietnam during his year-long tour from February 1965 to February 1966. He notes that the Skyraider losses were exceptionally high during this period, particularly in 1965 and 1966. Of the 100 A-1E aircraft they had, they lost 39 in the year he was there. This high loss rate was attributed to the nature of close air support missions, where pilots stayed until they were out of ammunition or the enemy was defeated (“Last one to die wins”). Dwell felt sorry for drafted soldiers but emphasized that he and others who trained early on were volunteers who “wanted to be there” because it was their job and “where the action was”.
While CAS was often described as “a lot of fun” despite the danger, he notes that flying Search and Rescue (SAR) missions, particularly up north, was “no damn fun at all” due to the significant risk of being lured into flak traps and shot down. He recalls missions where Skyraiders and Jolly Green helicopters were lost.
Dwell shared a specific SAR story where he had to rescue his own flight leader, Dwayne Rice, who bailed out over the water. After guiding a helicopter to the location, Dwayne couldn’t get in due to the swells and ended up hanging onto the strut. The helicopter landed on an overgrown World War II Japanese airstrip, leaving Dwayne standing alone. Despite being low on fuel and operating a tailwheel aircraft on a short, rough strip, Dwell felt he had to land to pick him up. He executed a challenging landing, ground-looping the aircraft at the end of the runway to stop quickly, then turned around to pick up the visibly shaken Dwayne. He then took off with Dwayne aboard, navigating the challenges of having someone in the empty right seat and successfully returning to Qui Nhon. Dwayne, suffering from a nervous breakdown, was never seen by Dwell again and later died after a tennis game.
Upon returning from Vietnam in 1966, Dwell provided debriefings to senior military leaders, highlighting issues like the bomb shortage and the need to control artillery when flying CAS. Crucially, he advocated for a more robust and organized search and rescue system, outlining requirements for radar and ground-air sites. He also strongly argued for the need for more Skyraiders and suggested putting them back into production, a suggestion dismissed by an official who believed the war would be over within a year. Dwell famously disagreed, predicting, correctly, that “a year from now we’re going to be in the damnest war we’ve ever seen”.
Following these debriefings, Dwell was sent to the RAND Corporation to help define the requirements for a new close air support aircraft, which would eventually become the A-10 Warthog. He insisted on three key features: a big gun, good armor plating for the pilot, and fold-up wings. While the fold-up wings were met with laughter and not included, he was instrumental in advocating for the powerful 30mm gun and the significant armor protection that became hallmarks of the A-10. He sees getting the gun and armor plating as “two out of three ain’t bad”.
Beyond his military service, Dwell has had a long and fascinating life. He grew up in the petroleum industry, with his grandfather founding Beacon Oil Company in 1931. He later became the general manager of a family-run energy business, Flyers Energy, which now grosses over $2 billion annually. The family is deeply involved in air racing, with Dwell racing a Hawker Sea Fury and his family participating in various classes at Reno for 23 years. He still flies regularly despite a past accident.
Dwell is also dedicated to preserving history, having taken numerous photos and film during his time in Vietnam, including unique footage from a specially built camera pod. He is working on restoring and narrating this film, as well as digitizing family films stretching back decades.
Reflecting on his favorite aircraft, Dwell had a strong love for the F-106, calling it his favorite, but the big old Skyraider holds a special place, describing it as a “wonderful experience”. He feels proud to have served and to have contributed to improving search and rescue efforts and the development of the A-10. At 82 years old at the time of the recording, Lieutenant Colonel Dwell’s story is a remarkable account of courage, skill, and lasting impact on military aviation.