Evening star., 1951-09-03
By Don Whitehead
Assoeioted Press Stoff Writer

a growing dispute over Lne con-
troll and use of tactical air power
is rumbling behind the gray stone
walls of the Pentagon and the
ouside world is beginning to hear
the echoes.
The Army is reaching out for
more control over the tactical
air used in close support Of its
ground troops.
The Air Force is determined to
give up none of the controls and
doctrines it now has under
temporary joint agreement with
the Army.
And the Navy is caught in the
currents between the two.
Tactical aircraft are the fighter
bombers used to give frontline
support for infantry, to intercept
Ienemy aircraft, to attack enemy
tanks, troops and guns behind
the lines, etc.
Members of Congress are be-
ginning to take notice OF the
sounds in the back room OF uni
Ification. Chairman Vinson OF the
House Armed Services Committee
has asked the three services for
an explanation of what all the
shouting is about.
Can't Be Brushed Of.
The disagreement can't be
brushed off as just another incl
dent of inter-service jealouSies
and rivalries. At the bottom OF
1t are honest differences between
men who are convinced they have
the answer to the best way to
fight and defeat an enemy.
The dispute isn't new. It's been
going on since World War II. But
the Korean war has fed fuel to
the flames and the recent Army
Air Force maneuvers in North
Carolina put a spotlight on 1t.
This is what happened:
During the planning of the war
games, the Army and Air Force
invited Navy and Marine eirmen
to take part. The Navy top COM
mand was agreeable. /
For some time, some members OF
Congress and some military people
have wanted to see the United
States Tactical Air Force lily side
by-side with the Navy anc Ma
rine flyers in a test OF operat-
ing procedures and techniques.
The Marine fliers, particularly,
are highly trained for close sup
port tactics - that is, bringing
their planes in close to the tox
holes to hit at enemy targets.
In Korea, these tactics were
cheered by the Army people. And
the Army gained supporters in the
view that more tactical air power
should be use as the Marines
use it.
Navy Agreed to Participate.
Topside, the Navy agreed to
take part in the games with
belief the Navy and Marine air
men would use their own special
techniques and operating proce-
dureS.
It was the Navy understanding
that the Air Force and Army
wanted a test in which they could
pick up any ideas that might
prove useful in their operations.
But the Navy later learned its
fliers would be expected to follow
Air Force techniques under the
Joint direction of the Army and
Air Force which we're in command
of the games.
The Navy felt such set-up
wouldn't add anything to the ef- /
ficiency of Navy and Marine fliers 4
or prove anything in the games. |;
So the Navy withdrew.
In this situation, the Air Force /
takes the position that the war
games were not set up in a man
ner to provide any realistic test
between Air Force and the Navy I
and Marine f1iers.
An Air Force spokesman said |;
the Navy and Marine tactical air
doctrine is to deliver maximum
fire power for a shallow penetra-
tion on a narrow front in an
amphibious assault operation.
Land-War Situation.
"These war games were set up
as a land-war situation such as
the 9th Army faced in Korea last
summer.
You can't take an assault sit
uation in which the Marines and |
Navy specialize and test. it in a
land battle situation The two
are entirely different. The mis-
sions of tactical aircraft in each /
situation are different"
He argued the Navy and Ma
rines are specialists in amphibi-
Gus operations-while the Air
Force has broader mission to i
perform in supporting an Army
and keeping the enemy off its
neck
He added:
1--WE do use the Navy-Marine
doctrine of close support, but It
is only a part of our tactical mis-
Sion.'
What should be the Air Forces
tactical support mission? The
Army has its own ideas and they
conflict with those of the Air
Force. i
The Army's argument runs like
this: 4
The weight of the tactical air
power should be used in the 'front.'
line zone to support the doughboy
in the foxhole. Operational con-
troll OF these aircraft should be in
the hands of the Army comhI,
mander or at a lower level. *