This time , the area of concern was Southeast Asia , beginning in 1964 with the Gulf of Tonkin Crisis . Fifth Air Force furnished aircraft , aircrews , Support personnel , and supplies throughout the eight years of combat operations in South Vietnam and Laos . Since 1972 , the Pacific has seen relative calm , but that does n't mean Fifth Air Force has n't been active in other roles . The command has played active or supporting roles in a variety of issues ranging from being first on the scene at the Korean Air Lines Flight 007 shoot down in 1983 to deploying personnel and supplies for the Persian Gulf War in 1990
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Fifth Air Force