Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller

Major Neubauer flew 372 combat missions during his tour of duty in Vietnam performing one of the most dangerous aviation roles of the war as a USAF Forward Air Controller.   His mission was to fly low and slow (often skimming the treetops) while seeking out the enemy in only a lightly armed and highly vulnerable prop plane,(Cessna “O-1 Birddog “ 1950’s vintage, single engine tail dragger), trolling along and sometimes having to use himself as bait to reveal the location of the enemy.  At Lt. Col Robert Neubauer, USAF (Ret), we are dedicated to providing top-notch services and support to our veterans. Our mission is to help veterans transition back into civilian life as smoothly as possible.

 Major Neubauer personally directed air strikes in hundreds of sorties, having to coordinate the fuel loads and ordinance of each fighter aircraft while relaying striking orders for each bombing run.  At times he managed as many as one dozen or more fighter aircraft orbiting above, waiting for instructions on each sortie.  Neubauer directed fighters onto hot enemy targets, often within only yards of the friendly troops who most likely were being overrun by the VC on the ground.