Reunion

Comments: To all orginal members that are still with us, try and make 67th Reunion in Nashville in April 25-28. E-mail Ed Rice at mildred03@juno.com for all information. It is our second reunion and we had a blast at the last one in Dayton, Ohio,and at Wright- Patt. Don Eliason Sgt. Camera Repair Section

Keywords: From Itazuki, Komaki, and Then In Dec 50 to K-2 and on to K-14 in sumer of 51

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Comments: I wasin the 67th Maintenance Sqdrn. at Kimpo frm July,1952 to July,1953.I was in the sheet metal shop attached to the round top Butler hanger.My tent was The Blue Room, across from the Dayroom. I had a tent mate Dudley Kruhm , that Iwould like to here from. I live at 37603 Hywy.59 Yuma,Colo.80759.

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Bert A Vaut, Jr.

Comments: I just found this web site and thought that I would let you know that my father, Bert A Vaut, Jr., Lt. Col. USAF ret., passed away in November 1997. He was with the 45th TacRecon Sq in Korea from Oct. 1950 to Sept. 1951.

Would love to hear from any former buddies.

Greg Vaut

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RF-101 Enlisted WSOs??

Comments: Some of us at the Enlisted Heritage Hall heard rumors that at one time there were enlisted WSOs for the RF-101. Does anyone out there know anything about that and could you confirm it as fact. We would like to contact those who served and capture their stories.

Any help you could give us would be appreciated.

CMSgt Tim H. Foreman USAF Enlisted Heritage Hall Maxwell AFB - Gunter Annex (334) 416-3202 DSN 596-3202 timothy.foreman@maxwell.af.mil

Keywords: RF-101 WSOs

45th TAC Recon Squadron 1954-1955

Comments: Looking for my old Buddies.. Like Jerry Madera who was from Florida. I was in the Orderly Room.

Keywords: LC Durbeck. Major Murphy

FATHER IS FORMER 45TH MEMBER

Comments: MY FATHER CONRAD "MARTY" MARTINEZ, THEN A 1ST LT FLEW THE RF-84F, A/C #366. AM THRILLED TO FIND YOUR SITE. ANYY REPLY WOULD BE GREATLY WELCOME THANKS!

Keywords: "POLKA DOTS" MISAWA JAPAN, 1955-56

Richard Combs - 45th TacRecon

Comments: Looking for friends who were attached to the 45th Tac Recon Sqrn between Feb53 to Feb 54

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weapons mechanic ncoic 1952 1953

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Guys, let's have a 50th in 2002

Comments: 2002 would be a great year to get together. I'M in Waco, Texas. Is there someone from our group who thinks their town would be a better place? I'll help with preparations, etc. We've got to do something big while we still can (yuk).What do you think fellow putty tats?

Jim Skinner

Keywords: Dog 3

Searching for Family or Friends of MIAs

Comments: I would like to make contact with any family or friends of the following MIA’s that were assigned to the 45th TRS: Capt. Charles J. Brown, Charleston, WV, 1st lt. Grant W. Madsen, Salt Lake, UT, 1st Lt. Eugene L. Ruiz, Louisville, KY, 1st Lt. Frank R. Salazar, Reno, NV, 1st Lt. Willis W. Thatcher, Columbus, OH. If you have any information on any of these men, please e-mail me at the address provided. Thank you very much. Ray Sestak

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DOMALESKI ROBERT PAUL SGT MIA 3/29/51

Comments: We are looking for kin of Sgt. Domaleski who was MIA on March 29 1951 and presumed dead on December 18 1951. We understand that his remains were never recovered. Said to be from Scranton, PA. Would like to put kin in contact with USAF missing persons office at 1 800 531 5501. Anyone knowing whether Sgt. Domaleski had a spouse, children, siblings, etc. are requested to contact the undersigned. Kenneth E Page, Director, NENY Ch. KWVA, Inc., Troy, NY

Keywords: 45 Tac Recon Sq 67 Tac Recon Wg.

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Picture of the 45th 1951?????

Comments: How can I submit pictures that my father had???

Keywords: 45th Tactical Recon. Sq.

45TH TAC RECON K-2,K-14 &KOMAKI

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Memory of my father

Comments: Among many others, he received DFC for getting his bomber back to South Korea after being hit in the north...I've never met him, he passed in 1974 at age 55 but I have just located my paternal family and want to get to know Lloyd through others.

Keywords: None...looking for someone who remembers my father...Maj. Lloyd Willard Simpson...Flew in WWII, Berlin Airlift and Korean War.

1st Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Group

Comments: i am seeking personal recounts of anyone involved in the distribution of combat leaflets, especially in North Korea or any information you have regarding this....i am working on a documentary and i would like to have some personal insights rather than just facts from an encyclopedia...

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Frank Trimmier 1951

Comments: My father in law is Frank Trimmier. He was in the 45th Tac Recon Sqdn 67th Tac Recon Wing in 1951 I am searching info on buddies, info for him

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Tour After The War

Comments: I arrived at Kimpo in January, 1954 and spent the next year there. Was aircraft electrical mechanic, mainly on the RF-80's - we had given all the 51's to the ROC then. It was an interesting time for me - a growing up time - to see all the Korean orphans and disruption of families caused by the war. I have only had contact with one of my buddies while there - Bob King - but have would like to hear from anyone interested. Ken Watson - k238watson@hotmail.com

Keywords: Kimpo, Jakes Jerk Joint

67th Reunion @ Wright Pat

Comments: All you Puddy Cats and Polka-Dots I'm looking forward to seeing you at Wright Pattersonon April 26,2001 for the Reunion of the 67th Rec Wing. The reunion goes from April 26-29 2001. Place Crowne Plaza, Dayton Ohio. Hotel price$76 Registration $135. Contact Joe Krakovsky Phone (847) 223-2907, e-mail joesrene@juno.com for greater details. It will be a great time to remember old times and reunite good buddies. Hope to see you there, bring all pictures and memorabilia. Don Eliason

Keywords: Don Eliason- Camera Repair- Komaki,Jp.-K-2, K14

Polka Dots

Comments: I can only remember three names so far: Jim Rice, Harley Aylor, and Capt John Rhoads, who was the last airman killed in the Korean war. I am thankful that a friend told me about this web site because I've been wanting to talk to someone-anyone-about the polka dot scaves and sylvester the cat.

Jim Skinner Dog 3

Keywords: Dog 3 555 The Joker Chal Ju RF-80

Operation Big Switch

Comments: 45TH TACH. RECON. SQDN.

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45th TacRecon Sq.

Comments: I arrived at the 45th TacRecon Sq. in June l95l andd rotated back to the states in July 1952. My first assignment was at Taigu Air Base in Korea. The squadron was in the process of relocating to Kimpo Air Base. When I arrived at Kimpo only a portion of the squadron had arrived, tents were under construction and things were a mess. For a couple of weeks we roughed it until the rest of the unit arrived; however, the food was good (cooked on outside portable stoves) and plenty of it. I was a clerk in the orderly room. Some of the guys I worked with were Sgt. Crooks, Cpl. Cardinal (Red), Cpl. Gracey. The Adjutant was Capt. Sellers, Exec. Off. Mears, Sq. Commander Hudson. My tour of duty in Korea, Mostly Kimpo, was from around the lst of July 195l to July 1952. Would like to hear from anyone who was there and recognizes my name during that period.

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Comments: 6147 & 45 TAC RECON GROUPS

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Update

Comments: I was one of first camera repairman in 45th. We were asigned in Oct. 1950, at Komaki. When RF51's came to us,we checked out K-22's and made ready for our eventual deployment to K-2 in Dec. 1950. Our Sqd. Comander was a great guy Maj. Paul A Pettigrew, our Camera repair officer was Capt Norris Maxey, another great officer. Wehad some terrific pilots, some who never made. it back,like Lt. James Dolan, Capt. C. Brown and others,including our Wing Comander Col. Karl Polifka.We had a great club ,thanks to Cpt. Melbourn, untill 5th A F made us close it. Oh what a party we had for a couple of days. We also were visited a number times by Charlie and his 40 lb fragment bombs. We had a gret squadron and terrific bunch of guys. I rotated back to the states with a number of others from the sqd. in Feb.1952on the Gen Walker. Would enjoy hearing from any of the guys again. Harry Pratt and I tried to get a reunion started back in 1970,but had only a few respones, of which Col Pettigrew was one.I recently heard from Henry Shamblin one of the radio repairmen. I'll be looking to hear from other "Puddycats". Don

Keywords: Duck, Sgt. Camera Repair

Dad was RF-51 Crew Chief

Comments: My father, Taylor B. "Sonny Boy" Williamson arrived in Korea Christmas day 1952. He worked as crew chief on photo recon p-51's out of Kimpo. He also worked as a bartender in the Officer's club. I have a photo of him on guard duty in front of "The Peon's Club" wearing fleece-lined leather pilot clothes carrying an M-1. He has not met or contacted but one of his comrades-in-arms from those days. He's got no e-mail address, but I am sure that if any of you remember him, he would love to hear form you.

e-mail me and I'll get you the necessary info. thanks,

Mark

Keywords: "Peon's Club", 5th air force, Kimpo

Comments: 45TH TACTICAL RECON SQUADRON

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At Kimpo 1/12/52 to 12/19/52

Comments: Comments: I arrived at the 45th Tac. Recon. squadron in January 1952 and this Texas boy had never been so cold in his life. I spent my first couple of months working in supply, ordering and picking up parts for the RF51s, it wasn't a bad job but I was trained in Radar repair and wanted work in the Communications shop. I was offered and jumped at the first opening available in the Radio shop.

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Thanks

Comments: Just wanted to say thank you for your recollections of Kimpo Air Base during the Korean War.

My late father, M/Sgt, Robert D. Perkins, served with HQ., 67th TRW, in the personnel office, from 1951-1952. He oftened described the conditions there as sometimes brutal. Reading these excerpts has reminded me of that fact. I know if he were alive he would enjoy reading these excerpts as much as I have, and would probably have his own recollections to contribute.

Again, thank you!

Ed Perkins

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Listen In

Comments: Would like to hear from those who were at K-14.Form Feb 53 to July 53.I flew 100 & went home in July.

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Remembering Kimpo

Comments: Remembering Kimpo

I was assigned to the 45th TAC RECON Sqdn from June '52 - July '53. Following are some of my memories not mentioned by others so far: Sharing tent 1469 at different times were Ed Ray (Indiana), Chet Cutshall (Ohio), ____ Thomas (Alabama), Tony Amarillo (Massachusetts?), M/Sgt. Hirsch (N. or S. Dakota), among others whose names I can't recall. There was also a Clyde Radloff (Wisconsin, I think) and Ed Simmons (N.C.) in another tent.

I also remember a Lt. Col. Beamer (Texas, I believe) and a Lt. Follis (who we called "Fearless Follis"). Both, of course, were pilots. Also, in the past year, through Chet Cutshall, another pilot, Harold Prichard, was contacted.

Another friend, Dudley Kruhm (Maryland) was reassigned with Ed Ray and me to Lockbourne AFB, Ohio after our stint in Korea.

I remember being called out on an alert early one morning. We donned backpacks, got issued carbines and went out into the boonies to defend KIMPO. It must have been a practice alert. When we returned it was morning chow time and we got the only good breakfast I can remeber there. It was gravy with hamburger chunks on a nice big biscuit. The rusty, bent carpet tack I almost swallowed didn't detract one iota from my enjoyment. (Being raised in North Carolina on gravy and busicuits made this breakfast doubly enjoybable.) Chow wasn't that great, but it was sustenance, and we were certainly better off than the GI's on the line. Each morning after breakfast, freshly made doughnuts were placed outside the kitchen and these, along with coffee, more than made up for not-so-good breakfasts.

"Hot" showers were another matter. If we were lucky we had hot water for showers at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Also, to have clean socks, clean fatigues, and clean underwear at the same time was a real luxury!

I was in line camera, so won't repeat what Lloyd Wooley said in a previous recollections about the P-51's and F-80 Shooting Stars.

I don't remember this, but one of my buddies (Dudley Kruhmn) remembered that someone had to lie under the 51's right before they took off, to wipe the window in the belly clean so no mud or dirt would interfere with the photographs.

Another recollection is visits by "Bed Check Charley." On his first visit after I arrived at KIMPO the sky was filled with tracers, and I was unable to tell if they were incoming or outgoing. I learned the real meaning of "hugging the ground" that night! I have been in touch with Dudley, Ed, and "Cutch" in the past four years and have visited with Dudley and Juli and they with us a few times. It's a strange feeling getting together after forty-some years. The strangeness is that you feel like you were apart for only a short time, such as a 30-day leave or a TDY. Eerie, but most enjoybable.

I look forward to seeing remembrances from others. Incidentally, Cutch wrote me in North Carolina to tell me that Capt. John Rhoads was KIA.

Keywords: Andy,Cutch,Ray, Dud. Camera Repair.

Memories of 45th Tac Recon Sq.-Kimpo '52-'53

Comments: I served from Oct.'52 to Aug '53 at Kimpo & was a ground-crew chief of RF-80 #FT-260, nose name "My Miss Carole B". I left for the states 2 weeks after the war ended and celebrated my 2lst birthday coming home on the troop ship USS Menard. The ship was half full of Airmen and half U.S. Marines from the lst Division. Your letters above have brought back many memories that we shared together 48 years ago. I remember how cold that winter was--"minus 19 degrees". The 50 gallon drums of fuel for our tent heaters would refuse to flow (by gravity) and somebody would have to go out in the middle of the night and shake the drum. We younger guys would fake sleep, even though we were freezing, and an older sargeant in our tent would always be the "shaker". He would then complain the next day about the need to take turns. Did any of you witness the following incident which took place in the spring of l953? A small jet landed with one gear up and one gear down. He skidded onto our (the 45th) taxi strip and started to burn, trapping the pilot in his cockpit. Before the emergency crews could get there, Tech. Sgt. Edmund Smith grabbed a large fire extinguisher, ran right up to the burning plane and foamed an area for the pilot to escape. The irony of this story is that Smith was a WWII veteran who had crashed and burned during the famous raid on the Ploesti oil refineries in Romania on August 1, 1943. You might remember him because of his many burn scars. He was a genuine hero in my eyes, but never received any formal recognition for his deed. About 2 years after my discharge in l955, I cut an article out of a magazine claiming that our (the 45th) operation's officer, CAPTAIN JOHN KYLER RHOADS was the "LAST MAN SHOT DOWN IN THE KOREAN WAR." I never saw any formal confirmation of this fact, but I have recently been in contact with one of our pilots, ex lst Lt. Harold Prichard. He had flown previous missions with Rhodes and says this is absolutely true. I have made the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, aware of this sad distinction for the POLKA DOTS and hope they can authenticate it for thier 50th anniversary exhibit of the war (the exhibit starts June 24th). "Tent life" at Kimpo is something I will never forget. Each tent was a little world of its own. Nine guys, 8 around the walls and the newest arrival in the middle. That guy never had any shelf space or pegs to hang his hat, coat, helmet, etc. This little population was always changing with the rotation of its members in and out of the squadron. The bonds of friendship made under those conditions were long-lasting. Three years ago one of my tent mates, Jim Anderson, a camera repairman for the 45th found me on the "internet" and also found another tent mate, Ed Ray, a camera repairman too. What a genuine thrill it was for me to hear their voices and laughter again after 44 years of wondering, "whatever happened to ......" Now as grandfathers we relive those events of '52 and '53. Thanks for the memories. History may call it the "FORGOTTEN WAR" but we who were there will never forget it! Chet Cutshall

Keywords: My nickname "Cutch", A&E Mechanic on P51 and F80, Personal friends: Jim Anderson, Ed Ray, Harold Prichard

Polka Dot Squadron

Comments: I was camera repairman and was assigned to changing the magazines, for the recon flights, by the RF-51 Mustangs. What a great little war-bird that was. I can still hear the whine of their mighty engine. I arrived at Seoul Air Port, on the 6th of June, 1952. It was at night and was taken by six-by to Kimpo. As we were going down the road, I remember some 55 gallon drums in the middle of the roadway. Later to find out that it was to prevent the drivers of the vehicles from driving into the bomb craters.

Wow, what a night. After getting my bed clothing and being assigned to a tent, I was ready for some sack time. It had been a long time since I had slept on an army cot. Back home in Oklahoma, as kids, my brothers and I would sleep out under the stars in the summer time.

One night, there was a yellow alert. Seems Bed Check Charlie had sneaked in under the 4th Fighter Wing radar screen and had dropped an anti- personell bomb on the 67th Wing Flying Operations quonset hut and left a large crater in the ground. It was big enough to drive a 4-by into. We lost our communications, because the lines were on poles, next to where the bomb blast was.

Another night, in December 1952, we had a yellow alert while Eisenhower was over there and all of our planes were grounded. They had a stand-down so that anything in the air would be detected by the radar units, would be determined to be bogies. Well, a flock of geese showed up on their screens and all hell broke out. Evry Ack-Ack unit on our base opened fire on them and the light from the tracer bullets, lit up the sky so bright, you could read a newspaper by it. As their tracers were going out, it looked like they were coming in, and everyone that wasn't in a trench, got to jump in on the ones that were already there. Some broken collerbones were had that night. (all over a bunch of geese)

Around the end of 1952, we switched over to RF-80s. What a dream machine it was. The hood of that thing opened up like a car, and held so many cameras, a person would have to guess which ones were needing their magazines changed. One in the nose, looking oblique, three k-27s looking horizon to horizon. Also, a k-38 looking straight down. It also had a Sonne Camera, that produced a strip of film, that was syncronized with the ground speed of the aircraft. I only worked on those a few days and was transferred to the HQ Squadron. I was put in charge of the repair unit, and took care of all of the developing equipment. The photo interperters did a bang-up job of letting the G-2 people know where the activity was and how much damage had been done by the B-29 bombers from Okinawa. One had to crash land at our base, with it's IFF out and it was a scary night. We didn't know if it was one of ours or not. another yellow and red alert that night.

While standing guard duties one night, Bed-Check Charlie came over, and dropped some leaflets. One hit me on the head and my neck was sore for a week from trying to pull my head in like a turtle. After regaining my senses, I called for the Sgt. of the guard. He came up shortly and told me that Charlie had came over. I was so relieved that it was just leaflets. We spent about 15 minutes picking them up.

Being that I was a photographer by secondary AFSC. I took many photographs of the downtown area of Seoul. There was utter devistation there and I have many photos of it. I remember Witch's Tit Mountain too. It was situated just west of our base, and I saw many a pretty sunsets over it.

One incident is stuck in my mind, about the RF-51. One morning, while pre-flighting our cameras, the armament pre-flighter was checking the quad fiftys and he pulled the sear to charge one of them. It slipped out of his hands and started firing. The tracers were going over the 4th fighter Interceptor squadron control tower and It must have scared the pee-waddling out of them. I know it would have me. I forgot the name of the airman but I will never forget the look on his face when it started firing. He grabbed the sear and burned his hand in the process. It could have been a disaster but was kind of comical in a way. I am so glad no one was hurt in the accident.

We had a lot of USO shows come over and they were appreciated. Hank Snow and his band, along with Ernest Tubb and his band. Poop-Deck Pappy was with them also. At the close of their show, they sang the song, "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You". You should have seen the tears showing up in our eyes. I remember the korean village people looking through the wire fence, and they were entertained too. Of course we passed along some Hershey's chocolate bars.

I turned 21 years old on the 29th of Dec. and had one heck of a party. The Airman's Club was a rockin' that night. Actually, I don't remember arriving back at my tent that night. I'm sure someone had to show me the way.

I had three R&Rs to Japan. What a fun thing that was. Seven days and nights of paradise, each time.

After my tour of duty was over, I rotated back to the States on June 6th, 1953, about 2 months before the cease fire was held.

I'm sure there are others out there that have any good memories of the war, but to the ones that suffered the combat conditions, I take my hat off to them. I lost my twin brother just the other day, on the 21st. of February, 2000. He was my twin and I got to meet him three times while over there. He was with the 45th Infantry Division,and was the only one of my family of 9 vets to be wounded by hostile fire. May he rest in peace.

He will be interred with another brother that was in the second world war, one that survived the War but not an accident in an auto. The VFWs of Okmulgee and Henryetta, Oklahoma will do the Military Honors for him on the 1st. of March, 2000, at he Veteran's Circle in Okmulgee Cemetery.

Lloyd Wooley I have a web page at: http://www.geocities.com/wooleywa , that is dedicated to my Family of Veterans. thanks in advance for taking a look.

Keywords: "First and Last Over the Target" Camera Repairman in the 45th. Reconnaisance Squadron.

45TH TAC RECON SQDN (FIREFLIES)

Comments: I was assigned to the fireflies when I first got to Korea in December of 1952.

The Fireflies used c-47 aircraft painted black to drop flares in support of night interdiction missions by the Navy, Marines and Air force fighter bombers. We would fly over North Korea dropping flares to light up trains, troop concentations, bridges and any other target that 3rd Air force needed to be detroyed. Very little is known about the fireflies.. I flew 76 missions over North Korea with them.

Keywords: Fireflies

At Kimpo 1/12/52 to 12/19/52

Comments: I arrived at the 45th Tac. Recon. squadron in January 1952 and spent my first couple of months working in supply, ordering and picking up parts for the RF51s, it wasn't a bad job but I was trained in Radar repair and wanted work in the Communications shop. I was offered and jumped at the first opening available in the Radio shop.

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Mustangs Over Korea

Comments: I was engaged in a little research on the web regarding my father's experience in Korea and came across your posting for any information, pictures, stories etc.

I came across a book out this year titled "Mustangs Over Korea" by David R. McLaren.

I was pleased that the final chapter was devoted to the 45th and stunned when I came to the last page and there was a picture of my father, then Lt. Walter H. Flint.

I contacted the author and he advised me that he had the picture used in the book of my father on the flight line plus a number of others including him playing horse shoes ( funny, I can' t picture dad playing horse shoes, but then again I have a hard time with the low level recon flights named "Circle Tens" as described in the book.

My favorite story refers to a pair of fighters working in unison, one working high cover loiter with ordinance to conserve fuel with the second at low level to identify and light-up with 50's.

A great idea but they loaded all six mounts with all tracer ammo rather than the normal two mounts with one in four being tracer.

This proved to give a great light show but blind the issuing pilot.

PS. My father went on to be the Range Officer at Canaveral for the Apollo missions, a few years at the Pentagon and finally Curator for Space wing of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.

He passed away a few years ago and is now with my mother now at Arlington.

One question: the picture notes my father wearing a patch that is not the "Sylvestor" but appears to be a 51 with pilot/camera and a quote "Search and Destroy". Any information on this ?

The caption states this was not santioned by the Air Force.

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EVERY MAN A 'PUDDY CAT'

Comments: I am looking for any member of my unit in during my term. I am the Commander of Chapt.3 KWVA of Delaware. Looking for any memorabilia,photos,or anyone that remembers our war that rest of the world seams to have forgotten.I need this for the Dover AFB Museum for the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War.

Don "Duck" Eliason

Keywords: Dec 1950 Thru Feb 1952/ Camera repair section/ Paul A Peddegrew"Pappy"/Maj Stone / Harry E Pratt/Shanahan/ Ect...(or anyone that remembers @ K2,or K14

Kimpo AFB Korea 1952

Comments: Kimpo AFB Korea 1952

45th TRS 67th TRW Recollections

The following is a summation of my recollections of the Korean War while stationed at Kimpo Air Force Base. I was assigned as a radio man to the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron a photo reconnaissance squadron. The squadron flew the World War II P-51’s which were actually designated RF-51 (Reconnaissance Fighter) but we always referred to them as P-51’s or Mustangs. I arrived 1 January 1952 and in May of 1952 was reassigned to Seoul City Air Force Base and the Fireflys, “The Old Lamplighters Of The Korean Hills” as we were called. We dropped flares at night for the troops fighting on the ground.

The War

Unlike World War II there was not a great deal of enthusiasm or support for the Korean war. It was often referred to as Harry Truman’s war and with good reason. After WW II Harry Truman miscalculated our military needs and decimated the strength of our military. He then made the mistake of informing the world that we would not come to the aid of any country west of Japan, that included South Korea. Then after the war was underway he refused to fight to win. Of the 1,319,000 Americans who served 142,000 were killed wounded or captured. The death rate was nearly three times that of the Vietnam War. The POW death count was the highest of any conflict in this nations history. There were also 5,178 MIA’s never accounted for and 2,730 POW’s that were known to be alive but never repatriated.

The Base

Kimpo is just north west of the city of Seoul. When the war broke out on Sunday June 25, 1950 Kimpo was used as the main evacuation point for diplomats living in Seoul. For the next two days air transports of all types were landing and taking off with evacuees. This was not done without hazards however, North Korean fighter aircraft were a constant threat and they were determined to shoot the transports down. On the 27th of June for example North Korean airmen in eight fighters attempted an attack on the transports but four were shot down by US jets and the remaining aircraft returned to the north. Later that day Kimpo fell to the advancing North Korean forces. The Inchon invasion took place on 15 September 1950 and two days later on the 17th Kimpo was back in US hands. But it once again fell to the enemy on 4 Jan 1951 as the fighting again moved south. Then on 10 Feb Kimpo was, for the final time, captured by US forces. Being captured and being secure however were two different things. It was still not unusual to be shot at or to come under attack by infiltrators. Let me describe several of my experiences. One evening one of the men in our tent went out to the latrine. When he did not return we went looking for him and found him between the tents stabbed. One morning there was much commotion several tents away. During the night infiltrators had slit the side of the tent open, entered and silently killed several men. At this time both officers and enlisted men were quartered in tents but in separate areas. One morning as I was walking past the base commanders quarters South Korean military police were dragging a man out to their truck, they shot him in the head just before tossing him in the back. Seems he had gained entrance to the commanders quarters and attacked him with a knife. The commander was successful in fighting off the attacker. And then there was “Bed Check Charlie” as we called him. This was a light all wood and canvas aircraft flown by North Koreans just after dark and was used to harass us. He would fly over toss out small bombs hoping to hit a tent, aircraft or something else of importance. I found these night time extravaganza’s rather exciting. The sirens would go off, big search lights would come on to try to find him and anti-aircraft batteries would begin firing with tracers which would light up the sky better than any Fourth of July that I had ever seen, and all the time we in trenches were shooting our rifles in all directions. Bed Check Charlie was very elusive and only one was ever brought down. Because Charlie flew so slow it was decided in late 1951 to bring in a navy F4U Corsair fighter aircraft. The F4U was noted for its ability to land on aircraft carriers at very slow speeds. So one evening when Charlie arrived the F4U took off and got behind him, the pilot of the F4U was still flying to fast so he dropped his flaps and even his wheels but still to fast and before the F4U pilot could maneuver further he hit Charlie and both fell in flames. It was wise to be armed and alert at all times, I wore a pistol 24 hours a day and often had it in my hand at night. This pistol was purchased by my grandfather when he was a circus performer in the 1880’s. It was a 32 center fire, very accurate, easy to conceal and use. I was not alone in sleeping with a pistol and occasionally some one would end up either shooting themselves or someone else. Then in February 1952 our Commanding Officer of the 45th, Lt. Col. Thomas A Hudson Jr. called us all together. He stood in the back of a large truck using it as a platform and told us that the Chinese were intent on retaking the base and were seen just a few miles north in great numbers. He said that it was expected we could hold out for three days before being overrun and that a detachment of Marines were expected to arrive and relieve us in five days. He went on to say that we were short of ammunition and that if we ran out we were to use our bayonets, there would be no retreat. Fortunately for me on the second day aircraft radios began to fail and they needed me back at the base to repair them. As I worked in a Quonset Hut I could hear bullets hitting the roof. At one point I went out to an aircraft and a mechanic next to me was shot in the leg. What saved us was the P-51s flying with napalm. The enemy was so close that the P-51s would take off and never retract their wheels, drop their napalm and return to load up again.

The Mission

In the front of Squadron Headquarters was a sign which said “First Over The Target - Last To Leave”. The job of photo reconnaissance was to take pictures of a target area before a bombing raid, then to stay until the raid was over and then take a second set of photos. This involved lots of low flying which meant lots of ground fire and sometimes even avoiding cables that were strung between hills in an attempt to snag aircraft. Photo reconnaissance was a very dangerous profession. I knew one pilot who was shot down four times in three days. Indeed it was extremely stressful for the pilots. It was the pilots who were being wounded or killed sometimes daily, they were the hero's in our squadron.

The Aircraft

The P-51 was not well suited for the job as a photo reconnaissance aircraft because it was far to susceptible to ground fire. The Russians during World War II had a reconnaissance aircraft that was virtually immune to ground fire because it had heavy armor plating, the P-51 had no such armor. Some of the pilots had their crew chiefs install armor steel plating under and in back of the seat to protect them but they did not have the facilities to add further armor. It was rather exciting working around the P-51s. Every time one would land we would have to put cages around the tires because the tires would be so hot from landing they would sometimes explode. And then the machine guns were often so hot that after the aircraft had parked the guns would go off. But it was a beautiful aircraft, I still get excited when I hear the sound of a Mustang. The crew chiefs knew their aircraft so well that they could hear their individual aircraft returning long before any of the rest of us and they could also tell if the engine was running smoothly. Almost daily there were terrible crashes but not always with our squadron. Kimpo was the main base for many squadrons. There were also many Australians as well as the South Korean Air Force. Working on the flight line I would see them come in on fire, sometimes with the wheels up, they would often loose hydraulics which would mean no flaps for landing and no brakes. It was obvious when this happened because they would go off the end of the runway with no decrease in speed and often burst into flames. Pilots that were hurt real bad would sometimes land in the taxi way and crash into our working area, so it was always important to keep an eye open for what was happening around us.

Living Conditions

Only the base commander lived in a Quonset Hut, everyone else lived in tents. The tents had wooden floors and doors. With temperatures often in the -20 degree range heating was a problem. Each tent had two oil stoves but oil was in short supply. As oil tanks would get low we would have after dark raiding parties to find tanks full with oil and then steal them. But often this effort was for not because another raiding party would then steal our tank. We had house boys that would make our beds and clean. They had a fascination with our loaded guns which were everywhere and they would often shoot themselves or someone else. We also could never be sure that they were not North Korean sympathizers. Our clothing was not adequate for the arctic like weather. We had the standard military issue of clothing exactly the same as personnel stationed in the tropics. We also had the standard issue of very light weight sleeping bags which we used on top of military cots. It was often difficult to sleep because we were so cold but we were much better off than the troops 20 miles to the north who slept on the ground each night, sometimes in deep snow. The food, ah the food. I was never much on eating but the food we were served was atrocious. C-Rations were much better and every chance we had to eat C-Rations we did. We ate from a field kitchen in which one would walk down a line outside in the open with mess gear in hand and be served whatever. For breakfast we would have cereal with powdered milk. The milk tasted and looked like chalk water and contained grainy little bits of something. Eggs were also served but were powdered and had similar characteristics to that of the milk. Pancakes were just about impossible to chew so they were not a popular item. My eating routine went something like this. I found my canteen cup to be the best all around food container and used it in preference to field mess gear which was clumsy to use and carry. I would start the day with a canteen cup of coffee and after that I would get some corn flakes in the same cup add water and that was breakfast. At other meals I would just fill the cup with whatever and with a spoon have my feast. I became very enamored with my canteen cup and thought it the ideal food implement so when it came time to return home I brought it back with me. Now almost 50 years later I start the day with my same canteen cup of coffee then I have my corn flakes but now with milk. There was an open air shower but with no hot water so even in the summer there were few takers. It was often said that it was time to change your socks if when you took them off in the evening they stuck as you tossed them against the side of the tent. It was always fun when new replacements would arr

Keywords: Kimpo AFB, 45th TRS 67th TRW, 1952