Jack Tickle and kid at the fishing village of Haje (CourtesyJack Tickle) (Click on photo to enlarge)

Mud flats at Haje fishing village at low tide (Courtesy Jack Tickle) (Click on photo to enlarge)

Al commented on the above photo, "Dec 57 -- On the road to Kunsan. From left, Tom Martin and Harry Conner. Note the pipeline used to pump fuel to the base. It was light "invasion pipe" and caused some problems. The Koreans would try to tap into it and on one occasion the pipe ruptured when the pumping started spraying fuel into a hut where a woman was cooking with an open flame. Three children and a pregnant woman died in that tragic accident." The photo taken looking towards the base with the village of Okku at the base of the hill in the background. Notice the reservoir to the left which the base got its water. (13)

Al wrote, "Tom Martin with children. At Christmas the base gave the orphanage some bags of rice we bought on a flight to Japan. Mr. Lee, Air Police Interpreter, told me this was a nice gesture on our part, but we should realize that Japanese rice did not equal the nutritional value of Korean rice."

Al Schmitz would add about the photo above, "Family threshing rice at the north perimeter of the base. The F-100 crash mentioned by Dick Seeley (Nov. 57) occurred later just to the left of the picture." (Go to 1958: 8th TFW TDY for details.) Notice the use of the traditional A-frame (choge) used to carry heavy loads on one's back.

1958

By 1958, the U.N. Truce Inspectors had left and the northern portion of the base had been partially returned to the ROKAF. In February 1958, North Korean agents hijacked a South Korean airliner to Pyongyang that had been en route from Pusan to Seoul; 1 American pilot, 1 American passenger, 2 West German passengers, and 24 other passengers were released in early March, but 8 other passengers remained in the North. (1e)

Though there was a ROKAF detachment at Kunsan starting from 1953, they were primarily Air Traffic Control and Weather Service trainees under the command of a Captain Kim Chong-yul. They were assigned to the 3rd Airfield Installation Operation (AIO) to learn how to maintain the base and to the 1973rd AACS (Aircraft and Airways Communications Service) to learn Ground Control Approach (GCA) methods and the use of the all-weather radar and navigational aids. The ROKAF airmen were eager to learn English from the permanent party personnel. (1a)

The ROKAF controlled the north end of the base -- including the North Gate of K-8. Some of the BOQ quarters were turned over to the ROKAF for their officers. There are still two examples of these old units (though modified now with the end chimneys removed) next to the ROKAF training field. They were used by ROKAF NCO families up to the late 1980s but are presently abandoned. The ROKAF enlisted personnel were housed in quonset huts near the ROKAF flightline. (1c)


BOQ billets during Korean War (1952)
This type of house was given to ROKAF. The ROKAF F-86Fs did not arrive until 1959. In 1959, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) assigned a squadron of F-86 fighters to the base. This ROKAF unit was the only permanently assigned flying contingent at Kunsan until after the Pueblo Incident in 1968 -- besides the C-47 and L-20As of the 6175th Air Base Squadron. (1d) (For an expanded writeup of the early days of the ROKAF at Kunsan go to ROKAF.)

The original ROKAF area was built with one large quonset-style hangar.

The Haje village area outside the fence on the south end of base was still a small fishing village. The fishing boat harbor that exists today had not been developed as yet. From the photos of the time, the fishing boats were beached on the shores of the mudflats during low tide. The Kunsan area was still an area of subsistence farming and fishing -- it was a poor country town. The hills surrounding Kunsan AB were denuded of trees and Kunsan City would not have been called a pretty town. The "honey" wagons still were in use to fertilize the fields surrounding the base. (For pictures of Kunsan City in the 1960s go to Welcome to Kunsan City.)

It also appears that much of the background information of government buildings prior to 1957 was lost -- if it ever existed. In fact, there were no real property records for Korea until 1955-1957. Thus in many cases, the information of the buildings construction date was on the "best guess" basis. For example, the BOQ quarters built by the 3d Battalion, 63rd Infantry Regiment for their dependents in 1947 at Camp Hillenmeyer (pre-decessor of Kunsan AB) was identified as being of Japanese construction. Perhaps the fact that the materials were part of Japanese war reparations might have added to the confusion. However, the fact remains that after the Korean War, there were no real property records.

No one seemed to care about the existence of Kunsan from HQ PACAF on down. Prior to coming to Kunsan in 1959, Col Moench, base commander in 1959, searched for information on the base at HQ PACAF and could find little or none. From budget information to manning, there was nothing. This lack of documentation in fact, this was a command-wide problem for Korea. (2) The problem stretches back to the end of the Korean War when all the U.S. military could think of was how to get out of the country. There were no real property records in Korea until the 1957-1959 time frame. There are unit histories recorded, but there was a lack of meaningful data available.)

But against this backdrop of neglect in Korea, we have to remember that the Cold War dominated international politics...it was a real threat then -- not theoretical. The building up of Kunsan as a contingency base with a 9,000 foot runway (to handle heavy bombers and larger cargo aircraft if needed) was a logical choice given the lessons learned from the initial days of the Korean War. (See841st Engineering Aviation Battalion for the story of the building of the new north-south runway in 1954. The 802d Engineering Co. used this quarry in 1958-1959 for runway repair work.) Kunsan would remain a contingency base until the first operational units returned in 1968.

(SITE NOTE: The 8th FW History states the runway was extended to 9,000 feet between 1957 and 1958 which we feel is in error. We feel the runway was "repaired" -- NOT extended. According to the 8th FW History Appendix J: "In 1957 and 1958, the 6170th Air Base Group began to upgrade base facilities, increasing the runway from 5,000 to 9,000 feet and building new dormitories." However, the 6175th ABG history (1957) states the Company C, 804th Engineering Battalion was sent to repair buckling of the runway at the expansion joints by direction of 5th AF. The North-South runway started by the 808th EAB in 1953 and completed by the 841st EAB in 1954 was 9,000 feet. Besides, one COMPANY of engineers doing what it took a BATTALION of engineers a year to do is not logical. (See 808th EAB/841st EAB))

Until the late 1960's , though, Kunsan remained relatively dormant, hosting temporary deployments of flying units and serving as a safe haven base for aircraft evacuated from Okinawa and Guam during typhoons. (Note: Though the typhoons regularly hit Okinawa and sweep up through the Japan Sea (East Sea) between Pusan, Korea and Japan, Kunsan has very seldom had any threat from a typhoon -- besides some heavy rains. It is an ideal safe haven for typhoon alerts. (3)

Al Schmitz wrote about an officer he recognized from his time at Kunsan. He ran across his biography on the AF Biographies site. Major General Frank G. Barnes was a Major at Kunsan when Al knew him. Al wrote, "I didn't recall his duties but apparently he arrived in preparation to making improvements to the base. "General Barnes was assigned as operations officer with the Civil Engineering Group at Reese Air Force Base, Texas in July 1956. He was transferred to Korea in January 1958 as base installations officer at Kunsan Air Base and later was installations engineer at Osan Air Base." Most folks with talent or "connections" usually ended up at Osan as that was the base where the focus was on to make the center of air operations in Korea at the time. The challenges of inadequate funding, indifference on the part of the overhead echelons and general disregard for Kunsan had its impact on the lack of improvements to the base infrastructure. However, he may have been sent to Kunsan to lay the ground work for the nuclear alerts that would be starting in 1958 with the 3rd BW from Misawa. New igloos were under construction for the nuclear alert force in 1959 under the contract of the Army Corps of Engineers (Far East).

Dick Seely, then a Lt. with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, remembered his experiences with the wing at USAF Memories.(4) By October 1957, the 8th TFW had just converted to the F-100D, but allotted flying hours were low. However, soon the cold war heated up, Sputnik had been launched and flying hours increased. However, the F-100 had some mechanical problems. He stated, "Like all new aircraft the F-100 had its problems. The biggest one I recall was the CSD (constant speed drive) which provided the electrical power for the aircraft. The CSD would fail, causing the loss of all engine oil resulting in engine seizure. A bad way to end a flight. The F-100 was a poor glider." During his four years of peacetime service they lost 30 aircraft and 15 pilots.

2Lt. Dick Seeley - 1957
(Courtesy Dick Seeley)

He remembered one that happened at Kunsan. He stated, "It occurred around November of 1957 at Kunsan, AB Korea. Captain Jim Sharp was testing an aircraft, following maintenance, and crashed on the Air Base runway. The second or third accident involved a dear friend, Leslie (Ed) McDonald. We both attended advanced flight training at Luke AFB, Arizona from March to July 1957 and went on to Nellis AFB, Nevada to upgrade in the F-100. Ed loved flying, but he didn't like flying over water, vowing never to eject until he reached dry land. His engine seized during a practice bombing run on a water range. He tried to stretch the glide to land, ejecting too low. Ed hit the shore still strapped in his ejection seat." (5)

H.K. White - Be Happy
(Courtesy Dick Seeley)

On another page, he stated, "The 8th Wing maintained a detachment of aircraft at Kunsan AB, Korea. Our mission at Kunsan was primarily to maintain a presence and to 'show the flag.' Each squadron rotated crews to Kunsan on a scheduled basis and my first TDY to Korea was in February 1958. Conditions were somewhat austere. We were assigned quarters in a house that looked like it belonged on a Ma & Pa Kettle movie set. There were about 4 crews to a house with one bath. As I recall our bathroom had a hole in the floor with a clear view of the ground below."

Kunsan flightline (Feb 58)
(Courtesy Dick Seeley)

He went on, "The Officers Club at Kunsan would have made a great set for a 'MASH' episode. There was a nightly poker game in the bar area which would be interrupted by the occasional sighting of a rat. Everyone joined in the chase and the unfortunate animal would almost always meet an untimely end." (NOTE: The O-club was called the "Bottom of the Mark" and was a leftover from the Korean War. The original structure has been modified many times over and now is the West Wind Golf Course Club. Al Schmitz said, "There was no golf course or driving range that I know of at Kunsan AB in 1957-58. I have no recollection of anyone even having clubs." The 9-hole golf course was built around 1961.)

4 Huns on Kunsan Runway
(Courtesy Dick Seeley)

He continued, "Flight operations consisted primarily of flying training missions, occasionally we would fly an operational mission along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). DMZ missions were for the benefit of the North Koreans. We would climb to altitude, to make sure they could see us on radar, and fly supersonic dashes parallel to the DMZ. I don't know who was impressed the most, us or them." He added, "On one of my missions, during this first TDY, both nose gear tires blew during a formation takeoff. My first declared emergency in the F100 ended without incident." (NOTE: Though the unit mission at Kunsan was to only "show the flag", they kept proficient in LABS bombing practice for nuclear weapons using the Kooni Range.)

F-100D with 80th TFS tail flash
(Courtesy Dick Seeley)

Later he stated, "Sometime in 1958 the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing designation was changed to 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Fighter pilots were not happy with the word bomber in the unit designation and this was cause for celebration." He went on, "I believe Colonel Robert P. Montgomery was replaced by Colonel Chesley G. Peterson sometime in 1958. Colonel Peterson had a distinguished career as a fighter pilot during World War II and we were fortunate to have him assigned as the commander of the 8th Wing. (Col Chesley G. Peterson was the youngest full colonel in the U.S. Army Air Forces at the age of 23 in WWII and would later attain the rank of Maj. General.) Later in the year we moved our detachment operations to Osan AB, Korea and we took on a more serious mission." (7) (NOTE: The "more serious mission" was the standing of a nuclear alert. Though Osan AB was much more "civilized" than Kunsan, it had no real alert facilities. Later the 8th TFW would move their alert operations to Kadena, but in 1960 would move the alert back to Osan AB after the alert facilities were built.)

Kiyo Noriye, SMSgt USAF (Ret) sent the following photos taken in 1958 soon after the 8th FBW transitioned to F-100Ds at Kunsan for LABS training at Kooni Range. While at Itazuke, its primary mission was the air defense of Japan and it performed "alert" duty at Osan AB, Korea on a rotational basis. In truth, the wing was pulling "nuclear alerts" in Korea as their could be no nuclear weapons stationed in Japan. During the Korean War starting in April 1953, the F-84Gs from the 9th TFS (formerly of the 49th FBG at Taegu AB, Korea) pulled nuclear alerts in Misawa, Japan. The 3rd Bomb Wing in Misawa, Japan also added the nuclear tasking to their mission after it converted to B-57s. However, after the Korean War, it soon became a political issue due to the horrors of the Hiroshima being memorialized in Japan. World wide was focused on Japan with the plight of the "Hiroshima maidens" -- women disfigured by the nuclear blast who were flown to America for reconstructive surgery. No nuclear weapons were stationed in Japan starting in 1958 and they were "forward positioned" in Korea at FOLs (Forward Operating Locations) in Korea.

The two locations for the FOLs supporting the nuclear missions was Osan AB and Kunsan AB. As one pundit put it, they stood "Victor Alerts with a 15-minute scramble to the start of World War III." At that time, there was no permanent facility for any of the alert aircraft. The aircraft simply stood the alerts out in the open in their own designated areas with the "silver bullet" stored in the ammo dump. From 1958-1964, the nuclear commitment at Kunsan was handled by the 3rd Bomb Wing's B-57s and TDY's with F-100Ds from the 14th TFW at Kadena AB. The units were "self-contained" in the C-pad area and provided their own security for the nuclear weapons as well as all maintenance support from home station. These deployments were on a monthly rotational basis.

The 8th FBG did NOT have any nuclear alert at Kunsan. From 1958, the nuclear alerts by the 8th FBG was at Osan AB. Kiyo Norime wrote, "When we started going into Kunsan, it was on training and bombing; ie, Tactical sorties. Our sister outfit at Itazuki with F-84Gs which at that time was part of the 49th Fighter Group, however had the capability to carry it When we got the F-100D/Fs the only thing we did at Kunsan was training exercise ie : LABs/ Tactical bombing. We set up alert duties in Osan in 1958 I can't remember the exact date but it was on D diamond and that is the only place that I know of that we had special weapons."

Kiyo Noriye's aircraft F-100D 564 taxing down the way for takeoff. Notice the "black hangar" (ROKAF) in the background.

F-100D 349 taxing by C-pad.

F-100D 575 taxing out from C-pad.
The aircraft in the revetments
are those of the 18th TFW out of Kadena.
Possibly 44th TFS.

Photos taken in 1958. (Photos courtesy Kiyo Noriye)
Click on photos to enlarge

Since nuclear weapons could not be stationed in Japan, in August of 1958, the 3rd BG set up a rotation of crews to stand nuclear alert at Kunsan (K-8) air base in Korea. This rotation continued until April of 1964, when the 3rd BG returned to Yokota to begin the process of inactivation. (6)

On the Aerospace Publishing Ltd site, it states, "Within the USAF, one bombardment unit that did prevail long after the others ceased to exist was the 3rd Bomb Wing in Japan. It continued with its important mission during those unsettled years by maintaining quick-strike capability against targets on the mainland of China, North Korea and the USSR. A squadron-strength detachment was always on 15-minute quick-strike alert at Kunsan, Korea as the primary mission of the 3rd Bomb Wing."

---

1959

According to the 8th Fighter Wing History, the 6170th Air Base Squadron was redesignated as the 6175th Air Base Group on 25 March 1959 and remained in command of the base until 1 Aug 1968. (1a) However, there is some confusion over this as the base was still the 6175th Air Base SQUADRON when Col. John Moench arrived to take over as base commander in July 1959. The designator became the 6175th Air Base Group AFTER Col Moench left. From this we surmise that the designation change was retroactive -- thus causing confusion as to the dates.

There was a 6175th Air Base Squadron in August 1958 (1b) but on 25 March 1959, the 6175th Air Base Group was organized. (1c) In early 1958, a letter was submitted by the 314th Air Division to 5th Air Force to upgrade the 6134th Air Base Group - the parent organization of the 6175th Air Base Squadron -- to a WING. This upgrade to a Wing apparently took place after Dec 1958 -- possibly in early 1959. In Oct 58, justification was requested by 314th Air Division for upgrading the 6170th Air Base Squadron to the 6170th Air Base Group. This slipped through the crack. Instead, the 6170th Air Base Squadron was redesignated the 6175th Air Base Squadron – instead of concurrent rise to Group level when the parent unit (6134th ABW) became a wing. (1d) It appears that the change to 6175th ABG was made retroactive to correct the oversight.

Comments on Taking Command Col. John O. Moench (later Major General) took command of K-8 in July 1959 as base commander, 6175th Air Base Group, Kunsan Air Base. Col. Moench was in command of Kunsan AB for a short time and then took over as director, Plans and Programs, 314th Air Division, Osan Air Base. When at Osan his "personal interface included the Commander of UNC, USFK, Fifth Air Force and even ROK President Syngman Rhee." (55) In June 1960 he was transferred to Pacific Air Forces headquarters at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. (2a) Taking Command, John O. Moench, (1996) -- a "faction" -- covers the period John served as the base commander at K-8.

While this novel is a "faction" -- part fact, part fiction -- much of the coverage herein of the 6175th Air Base Squadron/Air Base Group and related subjects was derived from Taking Command (1996) and later associated discussion (2004) with the author, Major General John O. Moench, USAF. The book documents the early period of K-8 after the Korean War. Though John stated that the book was "on the par of 95% fact," he also stated that the book was intentionally written to be vague on certain high-profile areas and eliminated the names of individuals whose families might be affected. John did not intend the book to be a foot-noted historical reference, but as a "historical novel" in which certain events were loosely interpreted or eliminated for brevity. (2b)

In John's own words, "As I noted, the writing of Taking Command was tempered to be partially faction -- without telling the reader (other than in the names) what was not fact. One reason for that was that I did not want to place individuals "on report." Note the eyes covered in one photo. But there was more, e.g. I did not wish to set forth words that could cause family problems. Thus, some name changes, etc. Also, at the time of the writing, I was unaware of the degree to which the use of the base for nuclear operations could be openly discussed by a retired senior officer. There is much behind that concern that I cannot reveal -- even at this late date." (2b) (SITE NOTE: In this site we describe the C-pad and the unit's ground operations, but we do not describe the tactical aspects of the nuclear operations. Facts contained here have in the most part been disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOA) and assembled by various groups concerned with nuclear proliferation. (2c))

Rumors and Myths in Taking Command We have discussed these items with John Moench and he explained that when he was researching his book, there was a scarcity of material in existence on Kunsan. (2) At times he had to rely on the materials or recollections of others. The reason we mention these here is that they have persisted as rumors and myths amongst those who serve at Kunsan.

One of the myths that the book perpetuates has plagued Kunsan's history for over fifty years. The officer's billets are referred to as "Japanese built base billets" in more than one place. In speaking of his quarters, it stated, "These are Japanese buildings. From the Koreans, I understand that they were built some time before the end of World War Two. We think the Japanese occupying Korea built them for their officers -- possibly as family quarters although they don't have conventional kitchens." In actuality, they were built by the 3rd Btn, 63rd Inf Reg for Camp Hillenmeyer's dependents in 1947. (2d) (See 63rd Inf Reg: Officer's family for more photos of these structures.) The problem was that there was no real property records in Korea until 1957 and when an inventory of buildings was done, much of it was on a "best guess" basis. This is the story of the BOQ housing at Kunsan as it was built for the Occupation forces dependents using Japanese war reparations materials and local carpenters trained in Japanese techniques (under the supervision of the 508th Utility Company). In effect, they were Japanese...but NOT built by the Japanese forces. Most people didn't remember that the Occupation forces' Camp Hillenmeyer was actually the predecessor of Kunsan AB (K-8).

There is an interesting, but erroneous rumor in the book that has persisted until present times. It is another variation of the American soldier massacre at the Kunsan that the 8th FW Historian has tried to eradicate as well. "...in the Korean War, when the air base was evacuated as the North Koreans came south, the last bug out element of security from the base was ambushed and slaughtered in that tunnel. Allegedly, people from the village next to the entrance did the job. It's called The North Korean Village." (2e) This rumor is talking about the Wolmyong Park Tunnel (Kaebong Tunnel). The story is ridiculous and has been around Kunsan AB for ages. First, the "village" was not there in the early 1951 shots of the tunnel (taken by 3rd BW personnel), but was built AFTER the North Korean refugees flooded the city DURING the war. Second, there were no Americans in Kunsan to "bug out" as the base was turned over to the Korean Constabulary in March 1949. Third, according to local Korean historians, the "massacre" was of dissident Korean farmers in 1940 and attributed to the Japanese who set up machine guns to execute the dissidents. (SITE NOTE: The "North Korean Village" that once scarred the hillside of Wolmyong Mountain was cleared in 1992 and has now been replanted with cherry blossom trees. Their have been variations of this rumor that airmen were trapped at the start of the war and hung up on hooks in the ROKAF hangar by the North Koreans. The only problem is that there were NO airmen or soldiers in Kunsan as the base was turned over to the Korean Constabulary (forerunner to the ROK Army on March 1948. This rumor was even commented in the Kunsan AB History to attempt to dispel it.)

Also in the book, there is a persistent rumor that major massacres occurred in Kunsan when the North Koreans took over. There is a photo labeled a "North Korean execution pit" on Kunsan Air Base without any further comment in the text. The photos appear to be simply a 1951 excavated gravesite where the disinterred body in an accompanying photo came from. (2f) This execution theme has been a popular rumor with the sight of forgotten burial mounds surrounding the base. Actually, there were few -- if any -- executions in Kunsan as the North Koreans were first engaged in fierce fighting with ROK Marines over in Changhang across the Kumgang River of Kunsan to impede their progress. When the ROK Marines withdrew, the North Korean soldiers continued south with great speed to capture Yeosu as part of a pincer movement on Pusan. The constabulary and local officials had all fled south well before the communists consolidated its hold on Kunsan. As far as we know, there were no executions on Kunsan Air Base or Kunsan City. (SITE NOTE: The Korean tradition is to bury their dead on propitious spots on hills. When Kunsan was constructing its new roads in the 1990s, mass relocations of graves were accomplished. In 2003, the base started relocating some graves that were on the base property near the Ammo Dump to make way for expansion. On the north end of the base, there are still the forgotten gravesites mentioned in George Rabe's narratives in the 1959 section.)

Jim Gehlin wrote Oct 2004, "Stationed there in 59 and left May 29th 1960. Spent a lot of time on Pad C and a little time on town Patrol. Sorry, but after 44 yrs, the memory banks kinda shut down on names of that period. Remember the bone chilling cold and the heat with no air conditioning. No heat because of the shortage of heating oil and the hot stoves when we had it. Powdered eggs and the milk with inside of the cartons peeling off." (2g) Pad C duties included freezing in winter or sweating in summer (along with being eaten alive by mosquitoes) as a sentry for the aircraft on the nuclear aircraft of the pad. The town patrol duties was mainly to keep the GIs out of the off-limits brothels and to stop any brawls in the bars that John Moench mentioned. But to be truthful, the town was wide-open.

Colonel Moench's Arrival at Kunsan When John arrived in 1959, he was not happy as he was a "full-bird" colonel assigned to a "Squadron Commander" position that is normally filled by a Lt. Col. at the highest. After protesting personally to the 6314th Wing Commander at Osan, the designation from Squadron to Group may have been made retroactive -- which would create a lot