HISTORY

as illegal according to Resolution S/1501 and

called for an immediate ceasefire. Nevertheless, North Korean forces advanced quickly, resulting in the UN’s declaration of North Korea as

the aggressor state and subsequently issuing

Resolution No.83, calling on member states to

offer military aid to the nation attacked. Direct

military support was offered by sixteen nations,

and four air forces. Three of these committed

Mustangs to the fight – the United States, Australia and South Africa.

The FEAF: Too far away

The Far East segment of the USAF was labeled

as the FEAF (Far East Air Force) and its nearest

assets suitable for the war in Korea were located in Japan and on Okinawa. The term

FEAF Commander, Lt. General George E. Stratemeyer was on vacation in Nagoya with his

family at the time of the attack. His deputy,

Major General Earle E. Partridge (CO of the

5th AF and at the time holding the temporary

rank of Lieutenant General) on learning of the

attack, immediately called for the initiation of

Preparatory Operational Plan No. 4, calling

for the evacuation of American citizens from

Korea. The first aircraft that would see service directly associated with the war were C-54

Skymasters and C-47 Skytrains of the 374th

TCW (Troop Carrier Wing) out of Itazuke. In the

afternoon hours of June 25, 8th FBW CO Col.

John M. Price, under whose jurisdiction the

374th TCW fell, proclaimed that his units were

ready and able to fulfill all tasks assigned to it

It didn’t take long for the Mustang

to earn some respect. General Timberlake

remarked that one Mustang from

Taegu was, for him, worth four F-80s

from Japan.

“nearest”, though, needs some qualification.

For example, the base at Itazuke, which housed

the 8th FBG, was some 700 km (almost 450 miles), giving a round trip of 1,400 km (900 miles).

For American Shooting Stars, this was not just

around the corner. This distance was achievable, but would only allow an average of some

four minutes over the target.

as of the following morning. But the following

morning held out hope that the South Koreans

might be able to stall the North Korean advance. As a result, the plan for a rapid evacuation

by air from Seoul was replaced by one transporting the evacuees to leave on a Norwegian

merchant ship. Strictly in the name of caution,

68th and 399th F(AW)S (all-weather squad-

FEAF Composition at the Beginning of the War

5th AIR FORCE

Itazuke, Kyushu

8th Fighter-Bomber Wing

8th Fighter-Bomber Group (F-80)

35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

36th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

Johnson AB, Honshu

3rd Bombardment Wing (L)

3rd Bombardment Group (B-26)

8th Bombardment Squadron

13th Bombardment Squadron

Nagoya AB, Honshu

347th Fighter AW Wing

347th Fighter AW Group

Tachikawa AB, Honshu

347th Troop Carrier Wing

347th Troop Carrier Group (C-54)

6th Troop Carrier Squadron

22nd Troop Carrier Squadron

Yokota AB, Honshu

35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing

35th Fighter-Interceptor Group (F-80)

39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

339 Fighter AW Squadron (F-82)

8th Tactical Reconnaisance Squadron, photo (RF-80)

Misawa AB, Honshu

49th Fighter-Bomber Wing

49th Fighter-Bomber Group (F-80)

7th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

8th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

12th AIR FORCE

Naha AB, Okinawa

51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing

51st Fighter-Interceptor Group (F-80)

16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

26th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

4th Fighter AW Squadron (F-82)

Kadena AB, Okinawa

31st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, VLR (RB-29)

Anderson AFB, Guam

19th Bombardment Wing (M)

19th Bombardment Group (B-29)

28th Bombardment Squadron

30th Bombardment Squadron

93rd Bombardment Squadron

13th AIR FORCE

Clark AFB, Luzon

18th Fighter-Bomber Wing

18th Fighter-Bomber Group (F-80)

12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

44th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

21st Troop Carrier Squadron (C-54)

6204th Photo Mapping Flight (RB-17)

photo: U.S. Air Force

Note: As of May 31, 1950, FEAF possessed 1,172 aircraft, as follows:

Living conditions on Korean bases were far

from comfortable…

July 2022

73

27

47

504

42

179

48

252

B-26

B-29

F-51

F-80 (of which 423 were F-80C)

F-82

Transport Aircraft

Reconnaissance Aircraft

Others

INFO Eduard

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