[pfflier]

If the USAF brass had had their way, the close-air support of the A-4 holdover from WW2/Korea would not have been available for VietNam .

You probably meant the AD-4 Skyraider which was redesignated the A-1E. The A-4 was another plane, the Navy's Skyhawk.

The Navy specified the Skyraider and deployed the airplane from 1946 through Korea then Vietnam. It arrived too late for WWII.

It was never in the USAF inventory until Vietnam when they realized they had nothing that was good for extended loiter time at a rescue site. A bonus was that the A-1E was a flying dumptruck. It could carry huge amounts of ordnance compared to the fast movers.

(RIP Jerry Valentine, Col, USAF a SH Sandy driver from NKP)

[T-Bird45]

Thanks for that clarification on the nomenclature - much appreciated!! FRegards!