This book examines the historical record and primary source of conflict between the armed services over the issue of the effective employment of close air support during the Korean War. The study considers the impact of the single air asset manager on CAS employment during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The disagreement examined and explained in this study is the distinction and desire between the Navy-Marines control system and the Army-Air Force control system. The author evaluates the development of service and joint doctrine and the arguments over centralized and decentralized command...

With the down-sizing of our current military force structure, military and civilian leaders are searching for ways to ensure unity of effort during military operations. For air operations, the USAF claims that a Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) is the best concept to ensure this unity of effort. One man they frequently cite as the prototypical JFACC is General George C. Kenney in his role as General MacArthur's air commander in the Southwest Pacific during World War II. Most of these discussions centers around Kenney's initial actions in 1942 and 1943. This book discusses Kenney's...

This study analyses the inherent dangers of relying too heavily, or solely, on one panacea technology to prosecute war strategy at the expense of other, essential capabilities. The historically sound pillars of military success (the sword, the shield, and the support) have given victory to those who have used all three in a balanced, synergistic manner. When, due to over-reliance on a single technology, one of these pillars is relegated to a lesser status, or when one is marginalized, the pendulum of the advantage may swing to the enemy, or the enemy may successfully force a pendulum swing to...