page_title: Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army
section_title: Close Air Support
hierarchical_section_title: Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army / History / Okinawa / Close Air Support
caption_attribution_description: English: 157. "Corsair fighter looses its load of rocket projectiles on a run against a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa. In the lower background is the smoke of battle as Marine units move in to follow up with a Sunday punch." Lt. David D. Duncan, ca. June 1945. 127-GR-97-126420. (ww2_157.jpg)
context_page_description: The Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army was a joint aviation command of the Tenth United States Army that was responsible for commanding all land-based aviation and aviation command and control units during the Battle of Okinawa. The TAF's headquarters was provided by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and it was the largest joint aviation unit under Marine Corps command during World War II. During the battle, the TAF was commanded by Major General Francis P. Mulcahy until ill-health forced him to be relieved by MajGen Louis E. Woods. According to United States sources, TAF aircraft were responsible for shooting down 637 Japanese aircraft during the battle.
context_section_description: The original plan for the Battle of Okinawa had called for a significant portion of assigned aviation assets to conduct close air support (CAS).  This did not come to fruition during the battle because of the kamikaze threat, difficult terrain and the nature of Japanese cave defenses. The nature of the kamikaze threat also meant that the defense of Okinawa from attack by the air became their primary mission.  Because of the focus on air defense, approximately 60% of the close air support sorties during the battle were provided by Marine and Navy aircraft flying from Task Force 58's escort carriers.  In fact, the first CAS sorties by TAF aircraft did not occur until April 13th and for the month of April only 20% of available sorties were tasked with conducting CAS.
  A newly established command and control agency was utilized to coordinate and direct close air support missions during the battle.  Three Landing Force Air Support Control Units (LFASCU), under the command of Colonel Vernon E. Megee, came ashore on the first day of the invasion and established their agencies ashore. LFASCU 1 was in support of the V Amphibious Corps, while LFASCU-2 supported the Army's XXIV Corps and LFASCU-3 coordinated close air support for the higher headquarters of the Tenth Army.
caption: A Marine Corps F4U Corsair fires its rockets at a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa.
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