HOW IT WAS! KUNSAN AIRBASE Deployed/Assigned Units & Nuclear Alert (1964-1971)

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557th CES (HR) (Apr 1968 - Oct 1969)
Red Horse

(From Red Horse Country)

557th CES (HR) "Red Horse": The 557th CES (HR) Red Horse had a detachment at Kunsan from April 1968 to October 1969. According to Red Horse History, "While the war was continuing in Vietnam, another contingency situation developed in Korea. In January 1968, a US Navy ship, the Pueblo, was captured by the North Koreans. The US responded with a buildup of forces in South Korea during Operation Combat Fox. Initially, Prime BEEF teams were deployed to various bases in Korea to build tent cities and repair utility systems in preparation for a Korean buildup. But a more viable in-house construction effort was needed. The 557th CES (HR) was formed and deployed to Korea in April 1968."

"The 557th was based at Osan AB, but had active detachments at Kwang-ju, Taegu, Kunsan, Suwon, and Kimpo. During its 18-month stay in Korea, it was involved in constructing aircraft shelters, modular facilities, revetments, and other mission essential facilities to support the additional USAF flying units in the country."

The 557th Red Horse Squadron relocated to Eglin AFB, Florida in 1969. The unit was inactivated 1972 at Eglin AFB, Florida.

Revetments: During this time period, revetments were brought into Kwangju and stored there. There are two types in use in Korea. The bolt-together versions came up from Utapao in 1975, while the pin-type was stored at Kwangju. They would be brought to Kunsan as required.

When Ralph Brown was a buck sergeant with the 6175th Supply Squadron POL section at Kunsan between 1968-1969. He was asked about the presence of any other shelters other than the "Tree Area" he responded, "I'm not sure what you mean about "arches" and the taxi ways. When I was there, you had the " tree area" at the south end of the runway. You had "pad-c" where Red-Horse and Prime Beef built bunkers to store the F-4 and later the F-100 the Air (National) Guard."

His statements verify that there were no Whiskey area arches (North-South Loop) at the time. These were built AFTER the arrival of the 557th CES (HR) detachment arrived. It also verifies that the 557th CES built the original revetments on Charlie Pad capable of accomodating two squadrons of aircraft. The F-4s he speaks of were the 4th TFW aircraft. The F-100s belonged to the two ANG F-100 units which assumed active F-100 operations after the 4th TFW departed -- 127th FIS, Kansas ANG (5 Jul 1968-10 Jun 1969) and 166th FIS, Ohio ANG (5 Jul 1968-10 Jun 1969).

The photo of a SR-71 was taken from the old Air Traffic Control tower looking south down on the revetments in the Charlie-Pad area. These would be examples of the revetments constructed by the 557th CES (HR). (NOTE: The flow-through Integrated Combat Turn revetments would be erected later by the 554th CES (HR) in 1975.)

These same revetment materials were used to construct the blast deflectors behind each of the arches. When an aircraft was ready to takeoff, the backdoors of the arches were opened and the F-4 jet exhaust blast would be dissipated by the deflector.

The 557th CES (HR) priority was first erecting the facilities and protecting the aircraft. The revetments on Charlie-pad were the work of the 557th CES (HR) and Prime Beef personnel. Judging from the revetment materials with bolts used around the buildings, it is believed the 554th CES (HR) -- who came to Kunsan in 1975 -- erected most of the revetments to protect key facilities in the late 1970s.

By the time the 557th had arrived in April 1968, the nuclear alert force had relocated to the Christmas Tree area as the bunkers at the south end of the runway were complete. Bruce Charles, an F-4C pilot wrote, "From (about) January, 1968 to May, 1970, when I left, The 475th Wing from Misawa AFB, Japan pulled nuke alert at Kunsan. South end of runway ... Alert "Christmas Tree"... big fences, no beer, lots of unhappy fellows with guns, etc. I think this started (or restarted) as a result of the USS Pueblo ... or that is what we were told was the reason we were diverted from other sunny SEA duty." The movement of the nuclear commitment away from the Charlie-Pad allowed the 557th CES (HR) room to build the Charlie-Pad revetments.

Kunsan Food Run (1978)
(Courtesy Kenneth Wisz) Click on Photos to enlarge

Pre-fab Barracks: More research is required in this area. The immediate concern would be the housing of the troops to get them out of the temporary tent cities.

In the picture above, an example of the barracks structures are the buildings across the street. The two-story barracks in the picture were the typical prefab barracks structures hastily erected in the buildup after 1969. The second story would be "stacked" on top of the first floor. The interior walls were later modified to add additional insulation against the severe winters. Steam heat was available in the area and electrical power was already routed underground.

These type buildings were condemned between 1985-1987 because of the dry-rot in all the plywood floorings and walls. They were torn down and replaced with cinderblock construction barracks. The last barracks was next to the Recreation Center -- in what is now the soccer field.

These barracks could have been set up by the 557th CES -- but could also have been set up later. We are not certain as to the exact date they were constructed. However, we are certain that there was a desperate need for more barracks. There were seven two-story barracks on the main base in 1969 across from the NCO Club -- now the Mini-mall in the location of the new 1x1 barracks. There were not enough room in these barracks and newcomers had to sleep in the Tent City set up what is now the 8th CES area.

Modular facilities: The modular structures were nothing more than I-beam main supports with small L-beam supports along the sides to affix the varigated metal siding. Rectangular in shape, they could be combined to form larger units either side-by-side (docks and maintenance shops), end-to-end (warehouses) or a combination of both. Most of the modular facilities that the 557th CES (HR) erected are still in use at Kunsan -- though most have been dry-vitted (stucco-coated) in the 1990s to add to their insulation.

The large central Supply building was erected. The front end of the building -- nearest the street -- was the supply offices. The rear section of the building was the indoor warehouse. In addition to the modular Supply building, the Red Horse erected the open storage shelters in the fenced-off areas surrounding Base Supply. The high pilferage items were kept close to the main supply building.

In the flightline area, a large supply warehouse was erected for the forward-location of frequently needed aircraft parts. At this time in the 1970s, the PACAF was going to the TAC Combat Oriented Supply Organization(COSO) which placed the frequently needed parts close to the flightline in Forward Supply Points (FSP). This concept was in use in Vietnam.

However, due to this problem of lack of adequate indoor storage space, some of the arches that were newly constructed were converted to supply warehouses. When the 3rd TFW arrived in 1971, Herman Aki pointed out that some of the arches were in use for storage. He stated, "...some of the lower arches that had curtains were used as storage." (NOTE: These arches were still in use in 1987 for bulk storage by Base Supply.) The LOX-plant (Liquid Oxygen Generator Plant) was in a modular building near the Aircraft Maintenance unit.

On the south end of base, the modular buildings were erected to house the maintenance functions. The Munitions Maintenance Squadron (Bomb Dump), Supply POL, Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS), tank farm and portions of Avionics Maintenance Squadron (AMS) received these modular buildings. All of the maintenance structures' interiors were not upgraded. Basically the shops were nothing more than empty shells with metal walls. Upgrading the interiors were done mainly by self-help.

The open shop areas, such as for structural repair, were unheated. Small offices for the personnel were constructed -- usually by self-help and heated with electrical or kerosene heaters. Some AMS sections had trailers which were jerry-rigged to attach to the modular buildings. (NOTE: All of the avionics sections mockups to repair the electronics were in rollaway kits. These bench setups were on wheels with all cabling in place. These could be rolled into the structures and be in operation as soon as 220v power was hooked up.)

Headhunters Sign

The Operations Flying Squadrons (35th and 80th TFS) received modular buildings as well. Within these building shells, sections were made to create offices. These buildings were typical of those modular buildings constructed as offices.

Reassigning Existing Structures: Wherever possible, the older buildings were recycled as office space became critical on base. For example, the buildings at the railhead near the main gate that were storage warehouses before, became supply section offices for personal equipment and other supply functions.

On the main base, the Occupation-era BOQ units were retained, along with the K-8 officers club. Any building still standing was reused leading to many personnel functions being scattered around the base wherever they could find space. The units on the main base such as the Central Base Personnel Office (CBPO), Base Finance and Security Police would not receive new modular buildings until the 554th CES (HR) arrived in 1975. Though some functions did get smaller buildings, on the whole main base units simply recycled the older buildings space. No improvements were made to these buildings and used as is. Some of these 1950s buildings were still in use into the 1990s when they were condemned and torn down.

Trailers: In some areas, trailers were also used as temporary shelters until the modular structures were complete. Herman Aki wrote that in 1971, "...our flt offices were trailers until they built the complex across from the LOX plant." Later these flightline trailers would be "recycled" and turned into dining facilities during exercises and the Organizational Maintenance Squadron (OMS) headquarters section. In the Avionics units, some trailers were "attached" to the modular buildings later on to expand the space.

The OMS would not receive their new homes along side the FSP until after 1975 when the 554th CES (HR) arrived.

Arches: More research is required in this area. The arches that were constructed would be simple arch design with a blast deflector at the rear. The arches were open to the elements. From the picture below in 1978, one notices that there are no doors on the arches. The motorized-doors -- which would be a major headache for repair -- were added in the 1980s.

Arch Area (1978)

We know of an Army National Guard unit stationed at Fort Shafter, Hawaii which specializes in arch and bunker construction. The last time they were deployed to Korea in 1999, they erected two arches in less than two weeks -- including the laying of the slab foundations.

Ralph Brown, a buck sergeant with the 6175th Supply Squadron POL section, stated, "The whiskey area you're talking about with the arch bunkers didn't get started until March of 69. When I left to go stateside in May 69 they had the roads tore up with 3 arches already up. They were just starting to get into full swing with that project." From this we can infer that they were putting up between one-two arches a month. Given that they left in November of 1969, it appears that someone else may have completed the project. At the rate of two arches a month, they would have only completed 15 arches by November 1969.

Along the sides of the arches, electric lights were installed, but the lighting was still inadequate to work on the aircraft. The overhead lights were too far up to provide adequate illumination for maintenance. Instead they acted as major bug-magnets during the summer months. Most crewchiefs preferred to keep the arch lights off at night and if light was needed, they would work with a Light-All unit or a light-extension cord. In addition, the arches were not well-ventilated in the sense that breezes could flow through. Therefore, the arches were very unbearably hot due to the high humidity of Kunsan in the summer. Most maintenance was done outside of the arches if possible.

Whiskey Arches (1978)

Problem of Unstable Ground for Taxiways and Aircraft Parking spots: More research is required in this area. The biggest problem faced by the 557th CES (HR) with the selection of sites was the water-table. If one checks out the Whiskey Arch area history, the water-table has created some major problems in the area -- in fact, actually causing the 808th EAB to tear up its original runway and start over. Building roadways on this area would be like building on jello.

They would face the same problem that was seen by the 808th Engineering Aviation Battalion (EAB) (SCARWAF) in 1951. According to The U.S. Air Force in Korea by Robert Futrell (p395), "Construction troops at Kunsan Airfield encountered Korea's worst drainage problems. The site was only a little way inland from the mud flats bordering the Yellow Sea, and the local soil was a grayish-blue clay which had long been inundated for rice culture."

However, though there was expertise from years in Vietnam with low water-table areas, the difference was that the area they were working in was from a tidal mudflat reclamation of the Fuji Company of Japan in 1932. (Kunsan Aerodrome was not established until 1938.)

The solution was to avoid the area BETWEEN the two islands. Though the old runway -- then a taxiway and emergency landing strip -- could be reused, all other construction in this area would have to be avoided. It would be like building on jello. The ground was unstable.

K-8 Map (1952-1953)

By comparing the layout of the arches, with old photos from the Korean War, we can see how the 557th CES (HR) got around the "jello problem" by building upon what was there before. They built the Northern Loop on the maintenance area of the 3rd Bomb Wing stretching from the 90th Bomb Squadron ramp up to Base Operations. The North Loop continued up and curved back down to the old taxiway. The North Loop connected to the South Loop by using the route of the old bomb dump road. The South Loop was constructed in the old bomb dump area which was on stable ground.

Much of the area was already built-up for aircraft use from years past. These areas would have easily been identified by the PSP matting that was probably still in place. They simply followed the PSP matting trail and laid slabs where they were located. This area was stable and had been used by the 3rd Bomb Wing for aircraft repair during the Korean War.

To build all 43 arches in 18 months AND the taxiway -- plus build up the POL and Bomb Dump areas -- plus construct all the Prefab barracks and modular buildings -- was a phenomenal feat if done single-handedly. We suspect there was additional help in the form of Army Corps of Engineers contractors performing some of the specialized electrical/carpentry/building modification tasks, as well as contractors providing concrete trucks to support the pouring operations for the construction of the North and South Loops. In addition, we suspect that there was a large group of unskilled contracted Korean labor for unskilled tasks associated with the pouring operations. However, until more information is received, we are giving full credit to the 557th CES (HR) for this outstanding feat.

However, there appears to have been "Prime Beef" team which was also on station during the same time in 1968. "Prime Beef" is a Civil Engineering team deployed to set up base infrastructures. They could also have been instrumental in putting up the prefab buildings and modular buildings. However, we are not certain of their role at this time.

Some of the areas in the flightline was left untouched. The areas that had been used by the B-26s of the 3rd Bomb Wing and the 474th Fighter Bomber Wing F-84s were left alone. No improvements were made to this area. The War Readiness Materiel (WRM) yard -- previously used to support fuel tanks for the F-100s from Misawa prior to 1968 -- was left untouched. It occupied the 3rd Bomb Wing area. The ROKAF was on fairly stable ground that was the old 474th Fighter Bomber Wing (1952-1953) area. It had occupied their area with their F-86Fs since 1959. The ROKAF Headquarters buildings were built on portions of what was the old 90th Bomb Squadron (L-NI) (1952-1953) ramp. There were low spots in the area, but were the ROKAF responsibility.

North Loop More research is required in this area. The North Loop extends from the maintenance area near the large open hangar down past the old Base Ops area (present day tank farm) and around to where the VMF(N)-513 were sited until 1953. By comparing the North Loop to old photos, it is apparent that the 15 arches in the North Loop followed the old Korean War parking areas used by the 3rd Bomb Wing. The original ground preparation work was previously done by the 808th Engineering Aviation Battalion. The majority of the 3rd Bomb Wing parking area was PSP and identifying the stable area would have been fairly easy.

By comparing old photos, it appears that the 15 parking spots were former parking pads leading up to the old Korean War Base Ops area or extending around to the area formerly used by the Marine VMF(N)-513. These parking pads were concrete with an underlayer of rock and concrete to stabilize the pads to support the aircraft weight. The taxiway to these pads were PSP covered with macadam in 1953. However, any plane that slipped off these pads would sink down into the mud and have to be winched out with cranes.

However, the arch areas extend behind these parking spots would have been unstable. We are assuming that they had to dig down and fill with rock and concrete to stabilize the area. The rock quarries were still open to the north of the base for a ready supply of aggragate. What construction technique they used is unknown.

Taxiway to Whiskey Area They reused the old PSP taxiway and the old concrete taxiway (Kunsan's original southeast-northwest runway). The old PSP taxiway was covered with macadam in 1953. The ground was previously stabilized by the 808th EAB. No major excavation was needed in this area.

Taxiway Charlie (642) was concrete and classified as an emergency landing strip. It was the original south-east/north-west runway built in 1951. After the new runway was built in 1953, it became an emergency landing strip. During the Pueblo Crisis, this taxiway was used for all the spillover F-4Ds and other aircraft that were hastily attached to the 4th TFW deployed to Kunsan. Thus we know that the taxiway was in good shape and probably only needed minor work, if any.

South Loop More research is required in this area. We are simply guessing in this area. The old Bomb Dump is the area used to construct the South Loop. This area is on rising ground of an old island -- versus in the reclaimed tidal mudflats near the taxiways -- so it is stable. The old Japanese stone wall along the drainage ditch shows the slanting contours of the land towards the low area of the taxiway.

The 28 arches in this area appear to have been built on the old Korean War bomb dump. In the photo above, you can see the Bomb Dump area to the right above (south) of the then runway along with the connecting road. The route connecting the South Loop to the North Loop seems to follow the old bomb road that is shown in Korean War aerial photos.

Until 1968, this area was the conventional bomb dump area, but there was not any ordnance stockpiled as the 6175th ABG had no aircraft. Deployments to Kunsan brought with them their own ammunition/bombs. There had been a nuclear commitment at Kunsan since 1958, but the nuke storage with its igloos were closer to the C-pad -- where the Bomb Dump is now located. Upon construction of the South Loop, the conventional bomb dump was relocated south of the nuke storage igloos. No major excavation was needed in this area.

FURTHER RESEARCH REQUIRED IN THIS AREA. It is readily apparent that we have insufficient data to make any concrete determinations on what existed at this time. We are hoping that some vets from the 557th CES (HR) will contact us to set us straight.

• Caretaker Period (1954-1971)
  • 1954 -- 6170th ABG; Christmas Menu; Czech/Polish UN Inspectors cause protests at Main Gate
  • 1955 -- 8th FBG Deployment
  • 1957 -- Name change to 6175th Air Base Group (1957-1965)
  • 1958 -- 8th FBG Deployment
  • 1959 -- 6175th Air Base Group (1957-1959) -- A base that has gone to seed; Commentary of John Moench's book
  • 1960 -- AFRTS Kunsan (1960-1961); New dorms and dining hall 6175th ABG; 6175th Security Police; panoramic photos of Kunsan City; Fall of Syngman Rhee's First Republic
  • 1961 -- ROC Missions from Kunsan; ROK Military Coup and fall of Second Republic
  • 1962 -- Cuban Missile Crisis tensions world-wide
  • 1963 -- Park Chung-Hee sets up "civilian" government
  • 1964 -- ROC Missions from Kunsan (U-2 missions over China); 6175th Security Police (1964-1965)
  • 1965 -- 6175th Civil Engineer Squadron (1965-1966) On-base facilities; SOFA established
  • 1966 -- Off-base conditions; Train guard duty
  • 1967 -- "Field Days" illustrating conditions prior to Pueblo Incident
  • 1968 -- Pueblo Incident: 4th TFW arrives; Tent City; Off-base pipeline; 47th ARRS (Pedro); ROKAF Helicopter Support; Flightline; Facilities and Housing; C-pad and Christmas Tree Area; On-base POL operations; Road to Kunsan; Off-base bars
  • 1969 -- Construction of Arches started
    • 557th CES (HR) Red Horse (Apr 68 - Nov 69)
  • 1970 -- Building of America-town (A-town)
    
    
  • ROK Air Force Detachment (1953-1957)
    38th Tactical Fighter Group/111th TFS (1958-Present)
    
    • Early ROKAF - Original ROKAF Aircraft - Training Problems
      
    • ROKAF at Kunsan in 1960s - F-86F Specifications
      
    • ROKAF at Kunsan in 1970s & 1980s - Transition to F-4D/E - F-5A/B & F-5E Tiger II
      
    • ROKAF into the new Millenium - 38th Fighter Group - Differences in Defense/Offensive Strategies
      
    • Changes - North Korea - Nuclear Weapons - Changes in "Little Brother" Attitude - New Programs
      
    
    
    
    
  

• Pueblo Crisis (Jan 1968 - Jul 1968)
  • 475th Tactical Fighter Wing (Jan 68 - Feb 68: Pueblo Crisis)
    
  • 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Jan 68 - Jul 68) -- Buildup at Kunsan and Kwangju
    
    
    
    
  • 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Jul 68 - Jun 70) -- F-100 ANG units and Interim Deployed Units
    
  • 54th Tactical Fighter Wing (Jul 70 - Oct 70)
    
  

• Nuclear Alert
  • 3rd Bomb Group (Aug 58 - Apr 64) (Yokota AB, Japan)
    
    
    
  • 39th Air Division (Apr 60- Jul 64) (416th TFS/531st TFS: Misawa AB, Japan)
    
  • Misawa Deployments/Detachments (Jun 64- Mar 71)
    
    • 27th TFW Squadrons (Deployed to Misawa) (Jun 1964 - Jun 1965) (523 TFS/524th TFS: Cannon AFB, New Mexico)
      
    • 356th TFS (39th Air Division, Misawa) (Mar 1965 - Jan 1968)
      
    • 3rd TFW Squadrons (Deployed to Misawa) (Feb 1965 - Jun 1966) (90 TFS/416th TFS: England AFB, Florida)
      
    • 401st TFW Squadrons (Misawa Deployment) (May 1966 - Sep 1966) (612th TFS/614th TFS/615th TFS)
      
    • Det 1 347th TFW (Dec 67 - Jan 68)
      
  • Detachment 1, 475th Tactical Fighter Wing (Jan 1968 - Mar 1971) - (67th TFS/356th TFS/391st TFS) Special thanks toBruce Charles for his narrative account of the Det 1 475th TFW.
    
  • 347th Tactical Fighter Wing (Feb 1971-Mar 1971) -- (35th TFS/36th TFS/80th TFS)
    
    

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