However, one also hears some heart warming stories. A story from Larry Caseria tugs at your heart strings. "I had a little black and white dog that was left behind by an Australian crew who landed at Kunsan to refuel. They let the dog out for some exercise and it vanished. It reappeared shortly after the Australians had to leave. I adopted the dog and named him "Malfunction" Everyone on the flight line knew him because he had a habit of chasing "dust devils' that were caused by the rotating props. He was just short enough to run under the rotating blades without being hit although many people averted their eyes so they wouldn't have to see him slaughtered. He was never injured. My oldest brother "Tony" arrived shortly before I left.so I left "Mal" with him. My last image of Kunsan was my brother with my little dog over his shoulder walking away from me with his head down and my dog watching me over his shoulder as I climbed into the C-47. It nearly broke my heart."

Houseboys or house "adjemas" (ladies) were provided to keep the huts clean; wash one's clothes; and polish one's shoes. Average cost was around $5.00 a month. Not much is written about them, but periodically one sees notices in various military websites from these former "houseboys" seeking lost GI buddies who befriended them during the war.

James F. Farr of Farmington, Connecticut wrote in a humorous tongue-in-cheek tone, "During my visit to the home of the Midnight Invader, I was privileged to have several of my quiet restful evenings interrupted by a fellow called "Bed Check Charlie," and the artillery putting on a display of fireworks. I also remember the fantastic weather and the walks to our 1st-class restaurant and on our return back to our hotel having to jump into the shower to remove several layers of dust or mud. I further recall one day as myself and other travelers were enjoying our fantastic repast at our 1st-class restaurant, suddenly the earth shook and several loud explosions caused most of us travelers to dive under tables. Most of the time I spent at K8 was uneventful and I did enjoy what I was doing. I was an Electrician before entering into the U.S.A.F. and did continue that trade during my 4 years."

Houseboy in Barracks area (1953)
(Courtesy Harold Locke)

Latrine facilities were primitive by today's standards with the water being very intermittent. The water was supposed to be on twice daily for a two-hour period because pumping and piping facilities were at a minimum. But sometimes, it was days before it was turned on. Thus showers were a hit-or-miss proposition -- and flushing the communal toilets also intermittent as well. As Marv Wiedner of Narrows, Virginia remembers: "Don't remember much about the water except we never knew when it was turned on. Cold showers were available whenever it was turned on. Word spread like wildfire thru the area when it was turned on and you stood in line with 50 or more guys waiting to get wet. Commodes only flushed when water was available. Smell got a little heavy when the water was off for a few days."

Harold Locke in front of Barracks.
Note the duck walk leading to the door. (1953)
(Courtesy Harold Locke)

Slit Trench Bomb Shelter. (1953)
(Courtesy Harold Locke)

After the Korean War, the conditions on the base slowly deteriorated until even the old Korean War Jamesway buildings started to deteriorate and fall apart. By 1959, things were pretty well on the way down hill. The fence around the base perimeter was all gone. There was a Main Gate that controlled traffic in and out, but if you wanted to get out, you simply walked around the Main Gate -- there was no fence.

During the mid-1960s, new permanent party barracks were built for the 6175th ABG in the same location as the present day 1x1 barracks. The barracks were two-story cinder-block construction with showers on the end. However, for TDY/Deployed units, the old Korean War billets were still maintained. After the Pueblo Incident in 1968, there was a massive buildup at Kunsan and construction of prefab barracks (Airmen Barracks in 1100 area) along with modular barracks (NCO Barracks in 700 area). Most of the prefab barracks had to be condemned in the 1980s due to dry rot. In the late-1980s construction of the three-story barracks in the 600 area was started and the NCO barracks in the 700 area was demolished.

Nowadays, most barracks of the older barracks are three story buildings with two or three men to a room for Airman and single rooms for the Senior NCO quarters. For most ranks there is no wait for a room, but the advice to "E-5s" (Staff Sergeant) are to not bring too much luggage as they will be sharing space with a roomie. All of the barracks are currently being upgraded -- both interior and exterior. Cable television is available in all barracks.

However, with the latest drive to move all unmarried airman on-base to save money, there have been complaints of over-crowding as people double up. The new 1X1 barracks have greatly alleviated much of the overcrowding that occurred before with some ranks doubling up. Kunsan ain't stateside... A favorite complaint heard from the lower ranks is that the American standard for space allotted for the humane treatment for pigs on pig farms is larger than the space allotted to airmen in Kunsan's barracks.

But this overcrowding will soon be eliminated upon completion of the multi-story dormitories now under construction in the 1954 Airmen Billets area. The first two units of the "1x1" rooms have been completed. Upon completion, the new facilities will feature separate rooms with a shared kitchen/bathroom space. The completion will enable the Commander to effectively move all of the unmarried troops on base without doubling them up in cramped spaces. A frequent complaint in the past has been that federal laws mandated more space for pigs than they allowed for airmen at Kunsan. In May 2000, the first two units were opened. The other two units were to be completed by the end of 2000.

With their opening the commanders will finally have a way to control their personnel by having them all on base. The catchphrase is "fostering group integrity." This has been a problem since 1958 when Col (later Maj. Gen.) John Moench took command of the 6175th Air Base Group at Kunsan. He related in his book "Taking Command" how one-fifth of his personnel (about 100 men) were downtown at night and inaccessible in case of an emergency.

Dispensary: The Base Clinic has remained in the same area since the Korean War days. The buildings were the typical plywood construction as in the Airmen billets. The pre-fabricated plywood construction had slats on the exterior and corrugated iron roofing that had to be weighted down to prevent them from blowing off. There were "duck walks" between the buildings though much of the ground appeared to be denuded of grass.

The facility included a dental clinic, dispensary, surgical ward, operating room, x-ray room, a medical ward, and mess hall. The first three buildings to the west (dental, dispensary and surgical ward) ran in a north-south direction. The surgical ward was connected to two buildings running east-west (Surgery and Xray). The last two buildings (Medical ward and Mess Hall) ran north-south.

The dispensary was staffed by two doctors and had a pharmacy. There was a storage building behind the messhall. Dave added a note that "There was a small house too, but I can't recall which side of the lot it was on. Behind the chapel, I think." One of the old hospital structures remained in use until 2000 as a storage facility until it was demolished.

Hospital through pines (looking north) (Video courtesy of David Smith)
Click on photo to enlarge

Though not impressive by modern standards, it was a very modern military medical facility given the wartime conditions. The reason that the medical facilities were above average for Korea was not simply because of the flying commitment at the base. The reason appears to be that the FEAF was afraid that the forward positions of Seoul could be overrun again by the Chinese in 1952. Thus the base had a first-rate medical facility as a contingency base. Though there was a surgical ward, the seriously injured were stabilized and then immediately medivac'd to Japan.

3rd Hospital Map (Courtesy David Smith)
Click on photo to enlarge

The current Base Clinic has a dedicated staff of doctors and medical personnel who handle the daily needs of the base populace. Because of the Army Patriot missles stationed here, the clinic is staffed with a combination of Air Force and Army personnel. However, the base is staffed for base personnel only -- not dependents. Any specialized health needs or dependent care is normally referred to Osan or 8th Army in Yongsan. Most medical treatments requiring specialized surgery are aerovaced out of country. (Go to 3rd Medical Group for more details.)

The dentist at Kunsan provides for basic dental care, but dental surgery is referred to Osan or Yongsan. The dental treatment for the military nowadays is a far cry from the treatment of in the early days of the Korean War in 1951. Paul T. Ono of Gardena, California remembers the primitive dental services. "I also remember that few of the troops, including myself, got trench mouth and I had to go to the dentist. I had a hard time finding the dentist, but finally found his tent on a small rise. Outside the tent there was a bicycle rigged up with the rear tire removed and connected by a belt to drive the dentist's drill. The dentist said that the trench mouth was due to the rinse water not being hot enough. Following the visit to the dentist, the GI cans used to rinse our mess kits were fired up to keep the water boiling during the mess hours."

Ambulance at Crash Crew building -- (Video courtesy of David Smith)
Click on photo to enlarge

All civilian medical and dental clinics are off-limits to American servicemen -- unless referred by the U.S. medical treatment facilities. At present, the military doctors at Kunsan will NEVER refer you to a civilian doctor or dentist in town. It has to do with accreditation. There is one medical treatment center in Kunsan for foreigners, but is primarily for emergency treatment only. Currently, the new Kunsan Hospital -- operated by Won-gwan University -- is being built on the south side of Kunsan (close to Kunsan AB) and will be equipped with modern surgical and treatment facilities. Perhaps things will change.

In Korea, medicine is divided into Western medicine and Oriental medicine -- with pharmacists being quasi-doctors prescribing some medicines over the counter. As a retiree relying solely on Korean medical services, I have found that Korean doctors are just like in America. There are good ones, bad ones, and ones I'm certain they got their degrees from a crackerjack box. One doctor relied on a computer to tell him what was wrong with me. I guess it's ok, but I can type in my symptoms into a computer myself. I would rather have a doctor diagnose me and THEN verify it on the computer. I never went back to this one.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I went to a doctor -- the father of one of my pupils -- because of stomach problems. He prescribed some medication that cured the problem immediately. However, I was surprised that he also diagnosed an abherent heart rhythm by just using a stethoscope. I had learned about this two years earlier after it was discovered DURING surgery in San Diego -- and NOT by all the military doctors I had seen in 24 years of service...including all the military doctors who saw me prior to going to San Diego. (Not a good feeling about military doctors.) I was very impressed with this doctor -- a former chief surgeon of Kunsan Hospital.

Acupuncture and oriental medicine doctors are also off-limits to American military. However, unlike in America where many "quacks" practice, here in Korea the oriental medicine doctors have a oriental medicine degree, undergo strict internship and are licensed. Most Koreans swear by their services. My personal experiences with oriental medicine treatment has been very positive.

A major problem for American military and dependents in Korea is the Korea drugstore (yak). Though off-limits to military personnel, many kinds of prescription drugs are available without a doctor's prescription. In fact, some school-age dependents in Seoul are noted for buying perscription drugs (cold medicines) from the drugstore to get "high." The problem is that in Korea, there used to be a scarcity of doctors. The pharmacists stepped in to fill the void and started to prescribe drugs for the common ailments -- headache or indigestion.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the druggists treatments delayed the patient's visit to the doctor until the condition was too-late to treat. Also in some cases, the pharmacy operations are also suspect. In A-town in about 1995, the pharmacy was licensed to a pharmacist who worked at his shop in downtown Kunsan, while his wife operated the A-town pharmacy. She dispensed prescription-only drugs freely to anyone -- an illegal practice. In fact, it was widely known that many GIs would seek treatment for venereal disease through the pharmacy, rather than have it posted on their medical records on base. Because of the illegal activity, the police was called in and the pharmacy closed its doors.

MPC - Five Cents (1951)

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Currency: MPCs (Military Payment Certificates) went the way of the dinosaurs -- last seen in Vietnam. Also gone is the exchange rate of "180 hwan (sic) to the $1.00". In mid-2001, the rate was hovering around 1300 won to a dollar. Thus living on the economy has become increasingly expensive for married personnel and Cost-of-Living-Allowances (COLA) do not make up the deficits. (NOTE: Remember that 1954 was the days of the 100 won paper NOTE...not the aluminum-alloy COIN of today. The won went a whole lot further in 1954.)

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Off-Limits: Gone are the days when personnel were "permitted to leave the base only on official business." Times have changed dramatically with personnel transiting freely from base to downtown for shopping, recreation or to their off-base residences. People from Kunsan Air Base are seen everywhere in Kunsan on their mountain bikes or strolling down streets with their purchases under their arms. (Go to Kunsan City: 1995-Present to view the photos of sites in the Kunsan area.)

However, off-limits areas in Kunsan still exist. Though not readily apparent -- and rather ridiculous in the present day -- the three-mile exclusionary zone is off-limits to military personnel at ALL times unless transiting the area. The area extends southeast from Ongnyo Bong (a reclaimed island area where Koreans of all ages go to dig for clams) to the northern point of the Okku Reservoir around the north and east edges of the reservoir and south to the Mangkyong River. This includes ALL homes, villages, public estabishments and roads -- though recreational bicyclists and joggers are authorized in the area during daylight hours.

Of course, this precludes American servicemen from eating at some fine seafood restaurants at Haje adjaject to the base (mouth of the Mangkyong River) and the specialty seafood/chicken restaurants on the banks of the Okku reservoir (route 26); visiting the fresh fish market at Ongnyo Bong (controlled by the RoK Army); clam-digging in the area; and seeing some refreshing views of the seascape in the reclaimed areas.

The primary off-limits areas at night are limited to the Inner Port bar areas. This is a very rough bar area (at night) frequented by sailors and a very low-class of clientele. This red-light district dates back to the Japanese occupation days -- and frequented by the U.S. servicemen up to the 1970s. This area is mentioned in Maj.Gen. John Moench's book, Taking Command, where most of his troops disappeared to at night in 1959...creating a horrific control problem. After A-town opened in the 1970s and this area became permanently off-limits at night.

However, now Kunsan is an international port so there are a lot of sailors in town. The Korean bars are "anything-goes" types with sex performed openly. This is a dangerous area for unsuspecting servicemen. Violence is not uncommon here at night. The area is filled with run-down Korean style shanties. If you keep your eyes open for "painted ladies" while walking around the area in the daylight, you can pick out the Korean whore houses. (NOTE: During the day, this area is perfectly safe and is NOT off-limits. A trip to the open market is recommended for every visiting servicemen.)

Along with these types of establishments, one finds organized gangs operating. Kunsan is noted for having some of the toughest gangs in Korea. Organized with a boss over 300 and sub-lieutenants, these gangs are disciplined and very dangerous if provoked.

The off-limits areas after dark include the areas around the Kunsan train station, the Open Market and the areas adjacent to the Open Market. The following areas are off limits to military personnel during the hours of darkness: The Kunsan City Train Station (except for persons arriving or departing on a scheduled train); the waterfront area locally known as the "Foreigner's Supermarket"; the Open Market and areas adjacent to it known as "P-vile" and "Makkoli Alley"; and "Small Makkoli Alley" in Gaebok-dong.

Up to the 1980s, Yahwa-dong in downtown Kunsan used to be a American shopping area and "up-scale" American bar row. However as affluence came to Korea, this area slowly transitioned into a Korean bar/restaurant area.

America Town (1978)

The "American bar row" is now limited to "American Town," a rather rough bar area. This "bar row" is located just outside the three-mile exclusionary zone surrounding the base. The area was built in the mid-1970s specifically for the GI trade. In recent years there has been increasing tension between Koreans and GIs in this area and the bars are frequently placed off-limits. In order to offset the loss in income, some bar owners allow Koreans to enter. Though illegal as "tourist clubs," lower-class Koreans (fishermen, construction workers, etc.) frequent the clubs as the drinks are cheaper -- and thus there is always the threat of violence between GIs and Koreans. In recent years, the bar area has attempted to upgrade its appearance. The streets between the bars have now been macadamized -- instead of the pot-holed concrete surface from before. Most bars have attempted to upgrade their interiors as well.

Though the Korean martial law restricting movement between 12:00-5:00 a.m. was lifted in the 1980s, a curfew for military personnel at Kunsan still remains in effect. Personnel residing on Kunsan AB must be on the base between 12:30-5:00 a.m. (Sunday-Thursday) and 2:30-5:00 a.m. (Friday, Saturday and holidays.) After curfew, all military personnel must be off the streets of A-town.

Though a few small shops have started to appear outside the Kunsan Main Gate, most GIs shop at the on-base Arcade or go to Osan Airbase to shop in the large shopping mall in Songtan City.

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Ration Control: Ration control cards (credit-card sized ID) are a fact of life for servicemen in Korea. The ration control system is a result of the SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) that the U.S. promises to prevent the illegal resale of goods imported for American servicemen. There are two types of controls on duty-free goods: monetary limits and quantity limits. This applies to all items purchased through commissaries, exchanges, and non-appropriated activities. Beverages with more than 20 percent alcohol content are limited to an established monthly quantity, while other items are controlled through daily or weekly shelf limits based on existing stock levels and demands. Controlled items are non-consumable, special interest, or high value items, such as TVs, VCRs, cameras, compact discs, jewelry, and appliances.

However, as the Korean economy has shifted to western-style goods, most of the goods can be purchased downtown at comparable prices. When one considers that there is almost no "after-sales service" from the BX for its goods, Korean goods are very attractive. Most durable goods come with FULL after-sales service downtown. Whether electronic goods (computers, televisions, stereos) or durable goods (refrigerators, gas stoves), more and more Americans are seen shopping downtown in the discount stores.

Though the ration control programs are in effect, one wonders about the effectiveness of the programs when some Korean workers on base openly brag about their possessing certain controlled liquor items -- not realizing that some Americans listening nearby understand Korean. These abuses are especially prevalent around major Korean holidays such as Chusok (Korean Thanksgiving) or Sol Nal (Lunar New Year). However, in recent months some employees have been discharged due to excessive "irregularities" in charges.

However, besides liquor, most goods are comparable to off-base prices. American items are becoming readily available in Korea -- a major change from the protectionist markets of only a few years ago. As rationed goods such as cigarettes started appearing on the local market shelves, the commissary and BX simply marked up the prices to match the cost of the items downtown. (Currently many American brands of cigarettes are cheaper downtown than in the Commissary or BX.) In effect, the ration control was being replaced by price controls to make black marketing of such items unprofitable.

Many smokers who live downtown smoke imported American cigarettes bought off-base. It's cheaper. In some cases, a good case could be built for charges of American tobacco companies "dumping" in Korea -- though they claim that they are trying to "break into" the Korean market and capture market share. However, as Korean politicians get wise to the lucrative "sin taxes," they now are using at cigarette taxes for supporting education, etc. As about 75 percent of all adult males are addicted to the cigarette habit, there are grumbles but the people keep buying cigarettes. The prices of ALL cigarettes are rising rapidly.

As a result a new twist appeared on base as Korean cigarettes are about half the price as downtown. Possibly cigarettes intended for the Korean military (tax free), they are sold in the Korean establishments on base.

Most goods (foods and BX items) are marked up significantly as compared to Osan AB prices -- a disparity that most Kunsan personnel are well aware of. As to food items, Kunsan people have questioned this markup practice at the commissary for years. However, the answer from wing commanders (published in the Base Newspaper over the past ten years) was that Kunsan was NOT authorized a commissary as a remote location. Basically, most people interpreted this to be a threat to shut up -- or lose the commissary. Regardless of the markup, any family living on the economy is thankful for the commissary's existence as it saves the family a group of money over making purchases on the Korean economy -- especially in meat costs. Even though the selection would be considered "marginal" when compared to a medium-sized supermarket stateside, it is adequate for a base populace with limited food storage space in their barracks. Another change in 2000 was the cutting of the hours of retirees working in the commissary to a point that they no longer qualified for SOFA benefits. It was viewed as a cost-cutting move. Curiously, it was the same time the Commissary employees from stateside started appearing. But they soon disappeared because they cost too much for this remote location. Immediately all the cashiers switched to "local nationals"...and the retirees hours increased again in 2001.

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Telecommunications: Telecommunications has come a long way since the 1950s when they ran the cable on the ground. By the Korean War, the lines were strung up on the poles and it was handled by the 3rd Communications Squadron switchboard on base. However, off-base communications to Kunsan City consisted only of a line to the 14th Trans Port Company at Kunsan Harbor. The Korean telephone system was basically defunct during the war. After the war, the telephone lines remained very expensive. Very few people had private phones until the "explosion" of Korea's economy in the 1980s.

However, even as late as ten years ago, the Korean telephone lines in Kunsan were considered "dirty" and unsuitable for computer service. However, the telecommunications service improved significantly about eight years ago. The Koreans entered the international arena with their telecommunications products and with a protectionist market, they saturated the market. It became common (even fashionable) for middle-school students and above to have a beeper. Now just about every Korean carries a palm-sized cellular phone.

The traditional micro-wave links for the military were eliminated in the early 1990s as the Korean phone system improved dramatically. Improvements in satellite and mobile communications have also changed how the base operates. On base, internet service is offered and all USAF facilities are hooked up to the internet. However, the military system is strictly for official business only.

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Water: Even though the water quality in Korea has improved dramatically in recent years, the water off-base is still suspect due to environmental pollution from the water sources. As a result, most modern homes have a filtration system for their water either attached to the tap or in the water cooler. Most restaurants still boil their water into "barley tea". The BX and Commissary stock the shelves with distilled bottled water. Despite assurances by base officials of the water purity on base, there are still periodic complaints of the water tasting like dirt...especially in the summer months. In some places (like the BX), the answer was simply to remove the water cooler and replace it with a vending machine with bottled water. This is a fact!!! In the summer months, the distilled water is often rationed in the Commissary. In addition, local companies are now offering water coolers (with bottled water) for rent on base.

However, consider the quality of water now to 1954 and there are no gripes. As Marv Wiedner of Narrows, Virginia remembers about 1953: "Don't remember much about the water except we never knew when it was turned on. Cold showers were available whenever it was turned on. Word spread like wildfire thru the area when it was turned on and you stood in line with 50 or more guys waiting to get wet. Commodes only flushed when water was available. Smell got a little heavy when the water was off for a few days. We had a 100 gal Lister bag set up in the Maint. shack for drinking water. Got pretty stale between fillings. At least it was wet. Ice cold in winter and hot in summer. The only hot water was at the mess tent where you dunked our mess kits and silverware to clean them. Clean clothes-- yea right." Marv also remembers that the pond used for emergency fire-fighting water doubled as the swimming pool...when it had water.

During the occupation years, the base water was pumped from a pond (filled with polluted water from the rice paddies) behind the present day K-9 kennels. In 1952, the base received its water from the Okku Reservoir just outside the base. The water lines today follow the same basic route. The lines run from the pump station above ground along the dike portion (facing the base) down to the main road. It follows the main road to the main gate and then turns left up to the water settling tank that is still used today. This is Bldg 101 at the water treatment plant and fits the description of Kunsan's system being a "1940s water treatment system". James F. Farr of Farmington, Connecticut wrote about the water pumping to base, "I was at the point about 3 weeks, we had 2 old leaky gas operated pumps that we ran 24 hrs a day pumping to the water filtration station that was not to far from the base hospital. Water was full time and I think that in September of 1953 a pump burst into flame and took out the pumping station completely." This would explain Marv Wiedner's comments above in 1953.