Help From Above: Air Force Close Air Support of the Army 1946-1973

Dust jacket in a clear protective sleeve, a little loss to edges, closed tear. Original cloth boards with bright gilt titling on spine and decorations. No ownership marks. Photographs / Illustrations. xvi, 455 pages clean and tight. In Help from Above, John Schlight discusses the evolution of the system the U.S. Air Force developed to provide close air support for the U.S. Army. The story covers the period 1946 to 1973, beginning just after World War II, and the use of propeller-driven aircraft, to nearly the end of the Vietnam conflict, and the use of jet aircraft for close air support. As the tale unfolds, he uncovers a conflict within the military establishment over who shall provide close air support, who will control it, and how it will be carried out. Contrasting viewpoints led to bitter skirmishes between the Air Force and Army, both in the Pentagon, and on Capitol Hill. Much of the problem stemmed from the fight over resources: money, manpower, and equipment. In the post-World War II period, these skirmishes often seemed a fight for survival. As the newest military service, the Air Force struggled to maintain its independence. Often lost in the bureaucratic infighting were the legitimate questions of how the Army planned to fight the next war, and how the Air Force could best support it. Questions seemingly answered in the cauldron of World War II were revisited over and over again in an effort to reach a middle ground that both services could endorse. Ultimately, the Air Force came to embrace the close air support mission, and fought to keep it. Size: 4to.…