Forward Air Controllers in Vietnam: From the Archive

Forward Air Controllers in Vietnam: From the Archive

January 29, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

This episode features Forward Air Controllers William Platt and Bill Townsley sharing their experiences in Vietnam.

Forward Air Controllers or FACs choreographed this skies over the battlefield in Vietnam. They courageously flew low, slow and unarmed over enemy territory in small, propeller driven aircraft like the Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog and 0-2 Skymaster. The FACs were experts at spotting an evasive, well camouflaged enemy and they often braved a battery of enemy ground fire to target the opposing force. In this episode, FACs William Platt and Bill Townsley tell their dramatic stories, In Their Own Words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Guests: William Platt, Bill Townsley

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Evergreen Podcasts, The Honor Project

Products: Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog, 0-2 Skymaster

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