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HOW IT WAS!KUNSAN AIRBASEVMF(N)-513 "FLYING NIGHTMARES"
(1951-1954) Page 9 of 9 |
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of Excellence: Waves |  Grey Eagle's Award of Excellence:
Miigwetch, Ottawa, Canada |
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 HOW IT WAS:
KUNSAN AIRBASE
(1951-1954) |
Marine Squadron VMF(N)-513 (1952-1953):
"The Flying Nightmares"Click on to enlargeAcknowledgment: Special thanks to Ron Stout of Burien, Washington for his narratives and invaluable technical information. Special thanks to Paul Noel of Oak Harbor, Washington for his invaluable assistance in providing information, proofing the text, providing guidance in assembling the materials and contributing his narratives. Special thanks to Jack Kio of Oswego, New York for his narratives, photos, and invaluable technical information. Thanks to Jim Curzon for his narratives and photos of Kunsan. Thanks to Eugene "Mule" Holmberg for the patches of the VMF(N)-513. Thanks also to Ken Gates for his research materials and photos. Thanks to Ron Harribson for his narratives. Thanks to Bill Brennen for his narratives and photos. Special thanks to Robert Frankovich for his narrative of a 22d CRBS rescue attempt. Also thanks to Ray Bourgholtzer; Gil Garcia; and Ray Harvey for their contributions. Thanks to Joseph S. Rychetnik of Point Richmond, California for his narratives and technical information. Primary Source Material: The Flying Nightmares: A History and Assessment of VMF(N)-513 at War in Korea 1950 - 1953 by Benjamin Huston Kristy, History Thesis, Kansas State University, 1995; U.S.Marine Corps Aviation: 1912 to Present by Peter B. Mersky); Air Power, January 1986; Naval Fighters Number Four Douglas F3D Skyknight, by Steve Ginter. 
319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron 319th FIS Patch
"We Get Ours at Night"The 319th Fight Interceptor Squadron was assigned to ADC in May 1949 after it
moved from the Canal Zone to McChord AFB. It received F-82 aircraft and in
September 1949 moved to Larson AFB.In the fall of 1950 the squadron transitioned into F-94As and in February 1952
moved to Suwon Air Base, Korea, under the Far East Air Force.In November 1955 the squadron returned to CONUS and ADC at Bunker Hill AFB and
in March 1956 received F-94Cs The squadron transitioned into F-89Js in the fall
of 1957 and in February 1960 into F-106As. In March 1963 h moved to Homestead
AFB where it flew F-104As. In December 1969 it was deactivated ADC's last F-104
unit. In July 1971 the squadron was reactivated at Malmstrom AFB, replacing the
71st FIS with F-l06s. Shortly thereafter on 30 April 1972, the squadron was
deactivated. The unit designation was reactivated as 319th FITS at Tyndall AFB,
FL in June 1975. More then two years later the unit was again inactivated on 1
Nov 1977. (Excerpted from319th FIS Association Homepage.)
Lockheed F-94 Starfire:The following information is fromJ. Baugher site.  F-94A: Two TF-80Cs (48-356 and 48-373) were modified as prototypes for the F-94 all
weather fighter. They were designated ETF-80C, which was later changed to
ET-33A when the TF-80C became T-33A. They were unofficially known as YF-94.
They initially lacked the radar, the weapons, and most of the operational
equipment that was to be fitted to production aircraft. They had the
distinctive upturned nose that was to characterize the future F-94A/B, and they
featured a frameless T-33-type canopy. Teardrop fuel tanks were mounted
underneath the wingtips. The maiden flight took place from the Van Nuys airport
on April 16, 1949, with Tony LeVier and Glenn Fulkerson at the controls. Initial flight tests proved that the handling characteristics were generally
satisfactory, but lots of problems cropped up with the afterburner. At that
time, afterburners were a relatively new innovation, and there were lots of
bugs that had to be ironed out. The engine of the YF-94 suffered from frequent
flameouts, often with very difficult relights. These problems were eventually
solved by Allison and Lockheed engineers working together to develop a new
flame-holder system for the afterburner. The solution to the afterburner
problems resulted in the F-94 being cleared for full production and service. The first production version was the F-94A. One hundred and nine examples had
been ordered in January of 1949. Despite reduction of the Air Force budget that
occurred as a result of the FY 1949 budgetary crisis, the F-94 procurement
quickly rose to 288. The Soviet detonation of an atomic bomb in August 1949
resulted in yet another increase in F-94 procurement to 368 aircraft. The F-94A was generally similar to the YF-94s, but carried full operational
equipment. The seventeen F-94A-1-LOs were practically hand-built models
constructed from T-33 airframes taken over from the production line, but the
remainder were started on the production line as F-94As. The nose of the F-94A
housed four 0/5-inch machine guns with 300 rounds each. The belted ammunition
was carried in boxes mounted just head of the cockpit firewall and just behind
the avionics boxes. The Hughes E1 fire control system consisted of an A-1C
gunsight and an AN/APG-33 air intercept radar. The machine gun armament could
be supplemented by a pair of 1000-pound bombs for night bombing missions. A 165
US-gallon teardrop-shaped droptank could be carried underneath each wingtip. The first F-94A was accepted by the USAF in December of 1949. A total of 109
were built before production switched to the more reliable F-94B model. The
F-94A was the first production fighter to be equipped with an afterburner as
standard equipment, and it was the first jet-powered all-weather interceptor to
serve with the USAF.The F-94A began replacing the North American F-82 Twin Mustangs of the 317th
Fighter Interceptor Squadron at McChord AFB in Washington and the 319th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron at Moses Lake AFB in Washington in May of 1950. However, the F-94As proved to be rather troublesome in service, being fraught
with engine and electronics problems. The afterburning Allison J-33 engine
suffered from frequent turbine blade failures and the fuel system was quite
unreliable. The aircraft was unstable and hard to maneuver at high altitude.
The pilot and radar operator found that the cockpit was too narrow for them to
be able to get in and out of the cockpit quickly during alerts and scrambles.
The clearance for the ejection seats was too small, resulting in several tragic
accidents during emergency ejections. The fire control radar was quite quirky
and unreliable, and the crew members could never be sure if even if their
system was working at the beginning of a flight that it would still be
functional at the end. During service, the early one-piece canopy of the F-94A was replaced by a
canopy with a bow frame in the center between the two crew members. This
feature was eventually adopted for all subsequent F-94 models as well as on the
T-33 trainer. The original under-wing tip tanks were replaced in service by
Fletcher centerline tip tanks with a capacity of 230 US gallons each. Some
F-94As were fitted with a pod mounted on the leading edge of each wing which
carried a pair of 0.50-inch machine guns, bringing the total forward-firing
armament to eight machine guns. F-94B:
The next production version of the F-94 series was the F-94B. The F-94B was
outwardly virtually identical to the F-94A, differing primarily in having
improved internal equipment and systems.
The nineteenth F-94A airframe (49-2497) was modified during production as a
testbed for these new and improved systems, the aircraft being redesignated
YF-94B. These items included a Sperry Zero Reader which could be coupled to the
ILS indicator to give the pilot an in-cockpit reading of his glide slope for
bad-weather landings, an improved hydraulic system, and a high-pressure oxygen
system. The pilot was provided with a more roomy cockpit. The Fletcher
center-line wingtip tanks were adopted as standard. The YF-94B flew for the first time on September 28, 1950. The first F-94B-1-LO
was delivered to the USAF in January of 1951. The F-94B-5-LO differed by being
equipped for Arctic service.
The first F-94B reached service in April of 1951 with the 61st Fighter
Interceptor Squadron based at Selfridge AFB in Michigan. A total of 356 F-94Bs
were built. The F-94B cured most of the engine and electronics reliability
problems experienced by the F-94A, and proved in service to be a thoroughly
reliable aircraft with relatively few vices and shortcomings. Service use of the F-94A/B was primarily with the Continental Air Command,
which had been set up in December of 1948 as an overall command structure to
cover the Air Defense Command, the Tactical Air Command, plus some fighter
squadrons that had previously been assigned to the Strategic Air Command. The
F-94A/B also flew with the Alaskan Air Command, protecting the USA from Soviet
bombers flying in from Siberia. For three years between 1950 and 1953, the
F-94A/B played a vital role in the defense of the continental United States
from attack by nuclear-armed Soviet Tu 4 bombers. It was the only jet-powered
all-weather interceptor available in quantity at that time, and filled in a
vital gap until more advanced equipment could be provided.After wringing out
some initial bugs, the F-94A/B interceptors proved to be quite reliable and
relatively easy to maintain in the field. However, the F-94A/B lacked
sufficient range and adequate climbing speed to make it a really good
interceptor, and its armament did not pack sufficient punch to be considered
really effective against bombers. Although in retrospect the Soviet long-range bomber threat of the early 1950s
was greatly exaggerated, this does not take anything away from the F-94A/B,
which was able to serve with distinction when nothing else was available. The F-94B was the first *American* jet-powered all-weather fighter to enter
combat (the radar-equipped Messerschmitt Me 262B of the German Luftwaffe was
actually the first jet-powered night fighter to participate in combat, taking
part in the last-ditch defense of Berlin in March of 1945).The first F-94As to reach the Far East Air Force (FEAF) arrived at Itazuke AFB
in Japan in March of 1951, equipping the 68th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.
They were deployed to Japan primarily to guard US bases in Japan against attack
by Soviet bombers. By the end of 1951, this squadron began posting two F-94s on
strip alert at Suwon AFB in Korea. They were to be scrambled in case any enemy
night intruders came South. During the Korean War, similar duty was carried out
by the 339th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, which converted from F-82Gs to
F-94Bs in 1951 at Chitose. The 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron began
operating F-94Bs from Suwon on March 22, 1952. Initially, the F-94s operating in Korea were there only to protect their bases
from night-flying enemy intruders. They were forbidden to operate over enemy
territory, lest their sensitive radar fire control systems fall into enemy
hands. However, mounting losses of B-29 bombers following the Chinese and North
Korean development of night interception tactics finally led to the lifting of
this restriction in January of 1953. In that month, the F-94s of the 319th
Fighter Interceptor Squadron began flying defensive patrols in advance of the
night-flying bombers. On the night of January 30, 1953, an F-94B flown by Capt
B. L. Fithian as pilot and Lieut S. R. Lyons as radar operator shot down an
unseen Lavochkin La-9 piston-engined fighter, scoring first blood for the
F-94B. The Korean-based F-94Bs destroyed three more enemy aircraft during the
next six months, but one F-94B was destroyed on the night of June 12 when it
collided with a Polikarpov Po-2 biplane.  F-94B at K-8.
(Courtesy Jack Kio)
(Click on photo to enlarge)F-94B-5-LO serial number 51-5502 was modified to test the radar and guidance
system of the F-99 (later IM-99) Bomarc missile. The radar and armament in the
nose were deleted and replaced by the needle-shaped nose of the Bomarc, making
the nose aout 17 feet longer. The longer nose required that additional
equipment and ballast be added to the rear of the aircraft. The aircraft was
redesignated NF-94B. Two F-94Bs (51-5500/5501) were modified to become aerodynamic test prototupes
for the proposed F-94D ground attack version, and were redesignated YF-94D. Three Air National Guard units, the 121st FIS (DC ANG), the 142nd FIS (Maine
ANG) and the 148th FIS (Pennsylvania ANG), operated the F-94A/B while they
served on active duty during the Korean War call-up. However, these F-94s were
retained by the USAF when these ANG squadrons returned to State control on
October 31, 1951. The A and B versions of the F-94 were phased out of USAF squadrons by mid-1954
as more advanced interceptors such as the Northrop F-89C/D Scorpion and the
North American F-86D Sabre became available in quantity. As they left USAF
service, they were passed along to Air National Guard units. F-94A/Bs reentered
ANG service in June of 1953 when they replaced F-51H Mustangs in the 137th FIS
of the New York ANG. Before being transferred to the ANG, the F-94A/Bs had
their cockpits widened to improve the chance of a successful ejection in the
event of trouble. The original narrow cockpit had resulted in several
unfortunate accidents during emergency ejections.
In ANG service, a number of F-94As were fitted with a twin-gun pod on each wing
leading edge. Each pod carried a pair of forward-firing Browning M3 0/50-inch
machine guns. This brought the total number of forward-firing 0.50-inch machine
guns to eight. The mid-wing pods created very little additional drag and
increased the loaded weight only slightly. The F-94A/B served with the following ANG squadrons: 101, 102, 103, 109, 114,
116, 118, 123, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 139, 175, 178, 179, 180, and
190. The last F-94A/Bs left ANG service in 1959. A design study for a two-seat radar combat trainer based on the F-94B was
initiated under the company designation L-199, but it never got past the
drawing board. Specifications of the F-94B: One Allison J33-A-33 or -33A turbojet rated at 4400 lb.st. dry and 6000 lb.st
with afterburning. Wingspan 37 feet 6 inches (38 feet 11 inches with wingtip
tanks), length 40 feet 1 inches, height 12 feet 8 inches, wing area 234.8
square feet. Weights: 10,064 pounds empty, 13,474 pounds loaded, 16,844 pound
maximum. Maximum speed 606 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate 6850 feet per
minute. Service ceiling 48,0-00 feet. Normal range 665 miles, maximum range 905
miles. Armed with four 0.50-inch M-3 machine guns in the nose.
B-29 Superfortress B-29 Superfortress
Click on photo to enlargeExcerpted fromCarl Pettypiece site.
The arrival of VJ-Day in September of 1945 resulted in the cancellation of
orders for 5092 B-29s. However, a limited number of B-29s still on the
production lines at the end of the war were allowed to be completed. The last
of 3627 B-29s was delivered on June 10, 1946.
At the end of the Second World War, vast numbers of B-29s were placed in
storage. Unlike the B-17 and B-25, B-29s were not declared surplus and released
to the commercial market. This is the primary reason why so few B-29s survive
today.
The B-29s that remained flying after the end of World War 2 formed part of the
Strategic Air Command (SAC). By 1947, as a result of postwar reductions, only
six B-29 bomb groups remained in service with SAC, with only the 509th Group
being equipped for the delivery of nuclear bombs.
By 1950, the B-29s had been reclassified as "medium" bombers, their long-range
strategic mission having been taken over by the B-36 and B-50. At that time,
the USAF inventory included 1787 B-29 bombers and 162 RB-29 reconnaissance
aircraft, either in storage or in service with eight bombardment groups and
with one strategic reconnaissance group.
However, the B-29s were soon to be in action again. On June 25, 1950, the armed
forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) invaded South
Korea. On June 27, the UN Security Council voted to assist the South Koreans in
resisting the invasion. President Harry Truman authorized General Douglas
MacArthur (commander of the US occupying forces in Japan) to commit units to
the battle. MacArthur ordered General George E. Stratemeyer, CIC of the Far
Eastern Air Force (FEAF) to attack attacking North Korean forces between the
front lines and the 38th parallel. At that time, the 22 B-29s of the 19th Bomb
Group stationed at Anderson Field on Guam were the only aircraft capable of
hitting the Korean peninsula, and this unit was ordered to move to Kadena air
base on Okinawa and begin attacks on North Korea. These raids began on June 28.
On June 29, clearance was given for B-29 attacks on airfields in North Korea.
The B-29s were frequently diverted into tactical attacks against advancing
North Korean troops.
On July 8, a special FEAF Bomber Command was set up under the command of Major
General Emmett O'Donnell. On July 13, the FEAF Bomber Command took over command
of the 19th Bombardment Group and of the 22nd and 92nd Bombardment Groups which
had been transferred from SAC bases in the USA. They continued to be used in
tactical attacks which were not very successful. In late July, MacArthur agreed
to divert the B-29s to interdiction raids against North Korean targets nearer
the 38th Parallel in an attempt to interrupt supplies being delivered to North
Korean troops in the south.
Later in July, the 98th and 307th Bombardment Groups were sent to Japan to join
the FEAF. The 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Group completed the team. The 92nd
and 98th BGs and the 31st SRG operated from bases in Japan, whereas the 19th,
22nd, and 307th BGs were based in Okinawa.
Most of the early B-29 attacks were against tactical targets such as tank
concentrations, troops, truck traffic, arsenals, and supply dumps. There was
little flak or air opposition, but the raids were not very effective since the
B-29 was not well-suited for the tactical role. On August 4, approval was given
for B-29 attacks against strategic targets in North Korea. Between August 4 and
10, the B-29s hit railroad marshaling yards in North Korea in an attempt to
disrupt supplies, but the results were poor. 47 aircraft hit the Cho-Sen
Nitrogen Explosives Plant at Konan, and 39 B-29s attacked the Bogun Chemical
Plant. Between August 12 and 20, a series of strategic road and rail bridges
were attacked and destroyed. The B-29s had to adopt new combat techniques
during these raids. The B-29s of the 22nd and 92nd Bombardment Wings could only
carry 500-pound bombs, which were not really big enough to do the job against
strongly-constructed bridges. However, the 19th BG's B-29s could carry
1000-pound bombs. One particular bridge had to be hit every day for three weeks
before it was destroyed. By the end of August, 37 of the 44 bridges targeted
had been destroyed, with the remaining seven being so badly damaged that they
were unusable.
In the meantime, plans were made for B-29s to carry out a full strategic
bombing role in Korea. Two more SAC Bomb Wings (the 98th and 307th) were
ordered to Japan in mid-July to add to the strength of the FEAF. Five major
industrial centers in North Korea were earmarked for attack. This sort of
mission is what the B-29 had been designed for, and by early September, all
known industrial facilities in North Korea had been destroyed except for some
oil storage facilities at Rashin, which was considered too close to the Soviet
border to risk an attack.
By late September, all 18 strategic targets in North Korea had been destroyed,
and O'Donnell now turned to secondary targets. The first such raid took place
on September 26 against the Fusen hydroelectric plant.
On September 14, a daring amphibious landing took place at Inchon and the North
Korean attack was rapidly pushed back. On September 27, General MacArthur was
given approval to advance into North Korea. UN forces crossed the 38th Parallel
on October 1, and Pyongyang fell on October 19. UN forces continued to advance
northward toward the Yalu River. During this period, many of the B-29s were
diverted to tactical strikes, since strategic bombing was no longer necessary
because most of North Korea was now in UN hands. The UN forces were now so
confident of victory that FEAF Bomber Command was disbanded on October 27, and
the 22nd and 92nd Bombardment Wings were returned to SAC duties in the USA.
However, the war in Korea was soon to take a different and far more dangerous
turn. China had repeatedly warned MacArthur against crossing the 38th Parallel,
and in October, Chinese forces had begun to enter North Korea in response to
the advancing UN forces. On November 1, Chinese MiG-15s appeared in battle for
the first time, and Chinese forces were encountered in ground fighting in and
around the Yalu. This forced FEAF Bomber Command to be hastily reactivated to
face the new threat. Because of political considerations, B-29 attacks against
strategic targets in China were forbidden, and B-29 raids had to be restricted
to tactical targets on the Korean peninsula. Between November 8 and 25, B-29s
hit the southern approaches to bridges across the Yalu (since attacks on the
northern spans would have been an attack on Chinese territory). However, many
of the broken spans were quickly replaced by pontoons which were only used at
night. The bombs used in attacking these spans were too small to do the
necessary damage, and the Chinese buildup of supplies and troops continued
unchecked.
On November 25, Chinese troops intervened massively in the war, rapidly pushing
the UN forces back below the 38th Parallel. Any chance for the forced
reunification of Korea had been lost. The B-29s flew close support missions in
an attempt to slow the Chinese advance. It was not until the end of December
that the line stabilized. However, this time daylight bombing flights, which
had previously been unopposed, now began to experience flak and air opposition.
Lavochkin La-7 and La-9 and Yakovlev Yak-9P fighters began to appear, later
supplemented by large numbers of MiG-15 jet fighters.
In February 1951, a series of interdiction raids began against Chinese supply
lines in the northwest of Korea. Up to early 1951, in the absence of organized
defenses, B-29s had been able to make bombing runs at altitudes as low as
10,000 feet without any danger. However, on February 25, four B-29s on a raid
against Sunchon were attacked by eight MiG-15s. Unescorted raids at low
altitudes now became extremely dangerous. Consequently, the missions were now
flown at 20,000 feet, defensive formations were used, and fighter escort was
provided by F-80C and F-84E aircraft. These fighters were ineffective against
the MiG-15, and coordination between the bombers and fighters was often poor.
On February 25, four B-29s on a raid against Sunchon were attacked by eight
MiG-15s. On March 1, a Superfortress formation was jumped by nine MiGs On April
12, a force of 48 B-29s attacking the railroad bridge linking Korea with
Antung, Manchuria were attacked by dozens of MiGs, and three B-29s were shot
down and seven were damaged. Because of these losses, General Stratemeyer
called off these raids on April 12, and diverted the B-29s to close-support
raids against Chinese targets further south around the 38th Parallel.
Radio-controlled bombs known as "Razons" were tried out from B-29s against
bridges in late 1950 and early 1951. They were released from the bomb bay and
then guided onto the target by remote control from the bombardier. They were
named "Razon" because the controller could alter RAnge and AZimuth ONly once
they left the aircraft. They were moderately effective, but had the
disadvantage of weighing only 1000 pounds. Their successors were known as
"Tarzons", and weighed 12,000 pounds each. Tarzons were able to achieve a CEP
of 273 feet, and were able to destroy the railroad bridge at Oesichondong.
However, the Tarzon was so big and unwieldy that two-thirds of the weapon
protruded outside the bomb bay of the B-29, and often proved more dangerous to
the bomber crew than it was to the enemy. The Tarzons were full of unstable RDX
explosive left over from the end of World War Two. 30 Tarzons were dropped over
Korea, but only six bridges were destroyed. At least two B-29s were destroyed
trying to ditch their bombs into the sea. The Tarzons were withdrawn from
service in late April 1951.
In October of 1951, USAF planners decided to concentrate on the destruction of
Chinese air power in northern Korea before trying a more vigorous bombing
policy. The B-29s were to launch attacks on Chinese air bases in North Korea.
They were acting as bait, hoping to lure MiG-15s into battle, where they could
be destroyed by F-86 fighters. However, the MiG squadrons had been widely
dispersed, making it difficult for USAF intelligence to find them, and B-29
losses were heavy. By October 27, five B-29s had been lost and 20 more heavily
damaged.
These raids were suspended and replaced by night attacks using B-29s equipped
with SHORAN (SHOrt RANge) navigation radar. This radar was able to pinpoint
small targets with great accuracy. The 98th Wing was the first to be equipped
with SHORAN, followed by the 19th and 307th.The first SHORAN-equipped nighttime raids began in November of 1952, and
continued throughout the remainder of the Korean War. However, night fighters
and radar-controlled defenses did cause some losses.For example, on June 10, 1952, four SHORAN-equipped B-29s suddenly found
themselves illuminated by radar-guided searchlights over Sinuiju. Night
fighters were directed in to attack, and two bombers were shot down.
In August and September of 1951, a decision was made to concentrate attacks on
North Korean rail lines, with B-29s hitting bridges at Pyongyang, Sonchon,
Sunchon, Sinanju, and Huichon. However, the damage was often quickly repaired
or bypassed, and little disruption of the supply lines was achieved. For 44
days beginning on January 26, 1952, B-29s along with other aircraft attacked
the village of Wadong where a potential choke-point was located.
In April of 1952, approval was given for raids against hydroelectricity
facilities at Sui-Ho, Fusen, Chosin, and Kyosen. SHORAN-equipped B-29s were to
attack during the night, and USAF and Navy fighter-bombers were to attack
during the day. These attacks began on June 24. By the 27th, it was estimated
that 90 percent of North Korean power supplies had been destroyed.
Negotiations for an armistice had been going on for nearly eighteen months. It
was thought that if a series of military targets could be located and then
destroyed, the Communist side could be persuaded to agree to an armistice. The
first of these raids took place on July 11 against 30 different targets in
Pyongyang. Similar strikes took place against Sungho-Ri, Chosin, Sindok, and
Sinuiju. The nighttime bombing techniques of the B-29 crews improved, and on
September 30, 45 B-29s wiped out the chemical plant at Namsan-Ri. Enemy
defenses continued to take a significant toll. Between November 1952 and
January 1953, five B-29s were lost to enemy night fighters. Marine Corps F3D-2
Skyknight night fighters were deployed as a countermeasure.
 B-29 at K-8 for engine change.
(Courtesy Jack Kio)
By late spring of 1953, the emphasis was again on Chinese airfields and bridges
in the north. The objective was to keep these fields unserviceable since
tentative truce terms had allowed for a 12 hour free period between the signing
of the truce agreement and the time it became effective, which could have given
the Communist side enough time to move in massive numbers of aircraft to the
ten major North Korean airfields.
When the Korean War ended on July 27, 1953, the B-29s had flown over 21,000
sorties, nearly 167,000 tons of bombs had been dropped, and 34 B-29s had been
lost in combat (16 to fighters, four to flak, and fourteen to other causes).
B-29 gunners had accounted for 34 communist fighters (16 of these being
MiG-15s) probably destroyed another 17 (all MiG-15s) and damaged 11 (all
MiG-15s). Losses were less than 1 per 1000 sorties.
For comments or inputs, contact Kalani O'Sullivan NOTICE/DISCLAIMER: The content of this page is unofficial and the views and
opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of anyone associated with
this page or any of those linked from this site. All opinions are those of the
writer and are intended for entertainment purposes only. Links to other web
pages are provided for convenience and do not, in any way, constitute an
endorsement of the linked pages or any commercial or private issues or products
presented there. None of this site has been endorsed by the DOD, the Air Force,
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OFFICIAL DOD materials, this website opts to lend credence to the people who
were there.
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