Pipe Creek Township in Grissom Air Force Base in Miami County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Cessna O-2A

68-6871

— Grissom Air Museum —

Cessna O-2A Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, September 5, 2026

1. Cessna O-2A Marker

Inscription. Specifications:
Manufacture: Cessna
Designation: O-2A
Serial Number: 68-6871
Official name: Skymaster
Nickname: Oscar Deuce, The Duck, Snoopy, Mixmaster, Push-Pull, Cessna Suck-Blow, The B.S. Bomber (Nick- name for O-2B psychological warfare variant).
Function: Forward air control mis- sions, features underwing ordnance hard points to hold rockets, gun pods or flares.
Crew: 2-Pilot and Observer
Wingspan: 38.17 ft
Length: 29.75 ft
Height: 9.17 ft
Power plant: 2x Continental 10-360C six-cylinder flat engines, 210 hp each
Empty weight: 2,848 lb
Max T/O weight: 5,400 lb
Service ceiling: 18,000 ft
Range: 1,325 mi
Armament: Guns: SUU-11/A Minigun Pod
Hardpoints: Four MAU-3A bomb racks
Rockets: LAU-59/A Rocket Launcher, MA-2/A Rocket Launcher
Bombs: SUU-14/A Bomblet Dispenser
Number Built: 532
Year built: Our O-2A, 1968
Year retired: The O-2A was retired by the USAF in the 1980's, but continued to be used by the US Army until 2010.

Mission:
The Cessna 0-2 Skymaster is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, used for forward air control (FAC) and psychological operations (PSYOPS) by the US

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military between 1967 and 2010. The USAF took delivery of the O-2 Skymaster in March 1967 and the O-2A also entered the U.S. Army's inventory during 1967, from USAF stock. By 1970, a total of 532 O-2s had been built, in two variants, for the USAF. During the Vietnam War, the O-2A was introduced as a replacement for the O-1 Bird Dog, in the forward air control (FAC) role with the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron. FACS typically flew dangerously low and slow so they could locate enemy ground forces, usually along the notorious Ho Chi Minh Trail. White phosphorous marking rockets were fired into the location before the FAC directed ground attack aircraft into combat. FACs also proved valuable in the rescue of downed airmen.The O-2B was equipped with loudspeakers and a leaflet dispenser for use in the psychological operations (PSYOPS) role. A total of 178 USAF O-2 Skymasters were lost in the Vietnam War, to all causes. Following the Vietnam War, the O-2 continued to operate with both U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard units into the late 1980s.

Our Aircraft:
Following service during the Vietnam War, this aircraft was disassembled

Cessna O-2A and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, September 5, 2026

2. Cessna O-2A and Marker

and shipped to the USAF storage facility at Davis-Monthan AFB in crates. Then in 1974 the California Division of Forestry acquired her and nineteen other Oscar Duece on loan for their fire bomber program. This airplane was placed into firefighting service in 1976 and flew for a decade before returning to military service with the Michigan Air National Guard.

This exhibit is the property of the US Air Force and maintained through your participation in the Grissom Air Museum donor program.

Erected by Grissom Air Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • War, Vietnam. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1967.

Location. 40° 40.119′ N, 86° 7.783′ W. Marker is in Grissom Air Force Base, Indiana, in Miami County. It is in Pipe Creek Township. It is at the intersection of West Hoosier Boulevard and U.S. 31, on the right when traveling west on West Hoosier Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 W Hoosier Boulevard, Peru IN 46970, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana.

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is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: EC-135L (here, next to this marker); Boeing EC-135L (here, next to this marker); Bell Aircraft Corporation UH-1H-BF (a few steps from this marker); Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Lockheed T-33A (a few steps from this marker); Cessna T-37B (a few steps from this marker); Safe Ramp Tower (a few steps from this marker); Douglas TA-4J (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grissom Air Force Base.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 16, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 16, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.