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MATS airdrop capabilities were greatly enhanced with the
addition of the new
C-141 StarLifter in late 1964. Two years later
the Military Air Transport Service was redesignated the
Military Airlift Command (MAC). By 1969 airlift
requirements to
Vietnam had declined to the level that allowed
renewing an airdrop competition. Declining theater
requirements coincided with the clear need for C-141 airdrop
training. So, MAC held a Combat Airlift Competition from 12
– 20 July 1969 at
Charleston AFB, SC for C-141 wings. The
60th (Travis),
62d (McChord), 63d (Norton),
436th (Dover),
437th (Charleston), and 438th (McGuire) Military
Airlift Wings each sent two aircrews, one maintenance crew,
and one C-141 to participate.
The competition involved using
CARP procedures delivering both personnel and equipment
during both day and night flying utilizing drop zones at
Fort Bragg,
North Carolina and Strategic Air Command’s Radar
Bomb Scoring Site at
Richmond, Kentucky. For the first time the
maintenance team received an evaluation and each team
participated participated in an Engine Running Offload
(ERO).
The second Combat Airlift Competition was held at Travis AFB
from 20 –
24 July
1970. This competition was the first to include
Reserve associate aircrews. The number of
participating wings grew to eight, however, each wing only
sent one aircrew in addition to a single aircraft and
maintenance team. Additionally, the two MAC
numbered air forces, the
21st Air Force and the
22nd Air Force, each dispatched a Combat Control
Team and an Aerial Delivery Team to compete.
The 1970
competition was the first to include competitive events for
the combat controllers including a physical fitness test,
marksmanship, and a four-mile (6 km)
orienteering course. Also, airdrops were
conducted at four different drop zones:
Mountain Home Air Force Base,
Idaho,
Wendover Auxiliary Field,
Utah,
Naval Air Station Fallon,
Nevada, and
Camp Roberts, California. The Combat Airlift Competition was held at Charleston Air
Force Base in 1971 and at Travis Air Force Base in 1972.
Throughout these competitions MAC leadership noted that the
increased emphasis on airdrop training had led to greater
accuracy. The Circular Error Average (CEA) had been over
200 yards (180 m) during the first CARP Rodeo in 1962. By
1971 it was down to 77 yards (70 m) and in 1972 the CEA for
the Combat Airlift Competition was only 24.33 yards
(22.25 m). As the Vietnam War ended the U.S. military began to
restructure. In MAC part of that restructuring including
cutting back on airdrop training, and in 1973 airdrop
training was halted at Dover, McChord,
McGuire, and Travis AFB's and reduced its total
air drop crew force to 40 active duty and eight associate
reserve crews. Additionally, due to budgetary constraints
MAC discontinued Combat Airlift Competitions.
Over the next two years tactical airlift units were
transferred from Tactical Air Command to Military Airlift
Command. These units were primarily comprised of
C-7 Caribou,
C-123 Provider, and C-130 aircraft. Following
this transfer the MAC commander, General
Paul K. Carlton established the USAF Airlift
Center at
Pope Air Force Base to conduct testing of
tactical airlift procedures and equipment.
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