3903d Radar Bomb Scoring Group - 502nd Tactical Control Group
RE: TADPOLES
On Mon, 7 Jul 1997
Victor Isenberg vgolfsuk@aol.com wrote:
322 Waverly
Corpus Christi, Tx 78412
datein: Jan.7,1951 dateout: Dec.20, 1953
Am unsure of my outfit. Entered Korea,July 1951. Joined outfit that
possibly was 3903d Radar Bomb Scoring Group. Beleive they became 502
Tactical Control Group. Was a semi-mobile bomb direction unit with some
25 men. W were guarded by combat infantry pulled off Heartbreak Ridge.
They also fed us. Were called "tadpoles"?? YANGU was area in both Heart
break and Punchbowl area above Chunchon. Would like to learn unit
designation.
Have some names and pictures to share.Thanks.
More:
From: Lenwood Franklin
lfrankli@mail.win.org
To: Fred fredair@dns1.famvid.com
Subject: Re: Tadpole unit
Date: Wednesday, October 08, 1997 10:34 AM
Fred: I sent Vic an email and he responded. He and I were both in the
3903rd RBS Sq. only he came in as I was leaving to go back to the 606th.
Tadpole was one of the names given to these small operations like the
3903rd.
The 3903rd reported directly to SAC Hq at Carswell AFB Texas and
later was taken in by the 502nd. Vic seems to remember being under the
protection of the 25th Division.
He is going to write me and share pictures, etc.
More later Len
3903rd RBSG
On Fri, 21 Aug 1998
Duane Email address wrote:
Hi Ted,
I was in Det 5, 3903d Radar Bomb Scoring Group, Which was assigned to
the 502d Tactical Control Group. We were then attached to any Army or
Marine outfit that could utilize are services, which were many, as we
conducted close support bombing missions.
We carried an old world war II ground laying radar 524 and assisted in
night bombing. Actually we reversed what we did in the states. We
would get the coordinates of dug in troops or ammunition dumps or
anything else worth bombing, by dropping someone behind the lines or
other various ways.
Then would set them (COORDINATES) in our plotter van, then lock on B29s
or B26s or what ever we could get, and actually guide them on there
bomb run and tell them when to drop there bombs. It was proven 90%
effective.
We had 17 men in the detachment . We traveled by day and set up and
bombed at night, always as close as we could get to the front lines,
because of short radar range
Anyway, thanks for your support.
Duane
