Rudolph
04-25-2008, 03:15 AM
The Korean War (1950 - 1953) (http://www.korean-war.com/soafrica.html)
Just a year after the SAAF's notable contribution towards beating the blockade of West Berlin, the SAAF's services were once again called upon to assist the Western and UN powers. This time the scene of operations was Asia, where North Korean forces had invaded the Republic of South Korea in 25 June 1950.
The United Nations acceded to the request of the United States to intervene militarily on the side of South Korea. The Union Government offered the services of the SAAF's 2 Sqn to the UN forces. The offer was gratefully accepted, and on 26 September 49 officers and 157 other ranks of 2 Sqn, all volunteers, left for Johnson Base in Tokyo prior to their deployment in Korea. The first flight of four F-51D Mustangs departed for Korea on 16 November and the first operational sortie was flown three days later.
2 Sqn had a long and distinguished record of service in Korea flying F-51D Mustangs and later F-86F Sabres. Their role was mainly flying ground attack and interdiction missions as one of the squadrons making up the USAF's 18th Fighter Bomber Wing.
The first operational sortie was flown at a stage when the United Nations forces were retreating in front of the advancing enemy. In freezing cold and poor weather, the aircraft had to continue operating and be maintained and armed in the open, moving from K-24 (P'yongyang East Air Field) to K-13 (Suwon Airbase), K-10 (Chinhae Airbase) and finally K-55 Airbase at Osan in January 1953, Here the squadron immediately started to convert to the F-86F Sabre jet fighter. On 11 March 1953 the squadron flew it first operational sortie with the F-86F Sabre.
During the Korean conflict the squadron flew a grand total of 12 067 sorties for a loss of 34 pilots and two other ranks. Aircraft losses amounted to 74 out of 97 Mustangs and four out of 22 Sabres. Pilots and men of the squadron received a total of 797 medals including 2 Silver Stars - the highest award to non-American nationals - 3 Legions of Merit, 55 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 40 Bronze Stars. 8 pilots became POW's
Casualties: 20 KIA / 16 WIA
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South Africans in the Korean War (http://cgi.stanford.edu/group/wais/cgi-bin/index.php?p=862)
I asked why South Africans were serving in the Korean War..Jim Tent replies: When the Korean War erupted on June 25, 1950 with the North Korean invasion of the South, the United States immediately called for a UN-sanctioned intervention. In one of his major missteps, Stalin had recalled his delegation. Therefore, with the Soviets not present and unable to cast a veto, the resolution passed. Various nations joined the United States in sending forces although the U.S. produced by far the largest contingent. Great Britain and the most of the Commonwealth nations gave some support. The South Africans were part of the Commonwealth (until the declaration of the Republic of South Africa in 1952, which unfortunately also saw the advent of Apartheid). The South African Air Force had fought extremely effectively in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations during WWII, using British equipment. That experience and tradition helps explain why not just one pilot but an entire squadron, the 2nd Fighter Squadron (known as the “Cheetahs”) were serving with the U.S. 18th Fighter Group. By 1953, they would have been flying the F-86 Sabre Jet, which was the only aircraft capable of matching the Soviet MIG-15 on approximately equal terms.
Having captured a significant number of German aeronautical engineers and scientists as well as plant, equipment, and advanced designs in Dessau, Germany at the end of WWII, Soviet design teams made extremely rapid progress in jet design between 1945 and 1950. They also used a nearly identical copy of the Rolls Royce Neme jet engine to power their new fighter (Britain had supplied the Soviets an example as a gesture of goodwill before the Cold War had fully set in). The MIG-15 could climb faster than any U.S. British, French or other interceptor in its day. It was also more maneuverable, and its 23mm cannon meant that it carried a lethal sting. Fortunately for its opponents, the relatively stubby fuselage and high vertical fin of the MIG meant that it was not as stable a gun platform as the longer, sleeker F-86. However, the latter was armed only with six .50 calibre machine guns which meant that its firepower was stuck back in vintage WWII mode, i.e. it had a lighter sting and much shorter effective range than the Soviet cannon. The USAF trained its pilots better, giving them a significant advantage in tactics and experience during the aerial duels of the Korean War. As noted, the South Africans used the same equipment and tactics. RH: South African participation in the Korean War has received virtually no publicity, and Jim ties it in neatly with South African politics.
Ronald Hilton, 2005
http://wais.stanford.edu (http://wais.stanford.edu/)
Just a year after the SAAF's notable contribution towards beating the blockade of West Berlin, the SAAF's services were once again called upon to assist the Western and UN powers. This time the scene of operations was Asia, where North Korean forces had invaded the Republic of South Korea in 25 June 1950.
The United Nations acceded to the request of the United States to intervene militarily on the side of South Korea. The Union Government offered the services of the SAAF's 2 Sqn to the UN forces. The offer was gratefully accepted, and on 26 September 49 officers and 157 other ranks of 2 Sqn, all volunteers, left for Johnson Base in Tokyo prior to their deployment in Korea. The first flight of four F-51D Mustangs departed for Korea on 16 November and the first operational sortie was flown three days later.
2 Sqn had a long and distinguished record of service in Korea flying F-51D Mustangs and later F-86F Sabres. Their role was mainly flying ground attack and interdiction missions as one of the squadrons making up the USAF's 18th Fighter Bomber Wing.
The first operational sortie was flown at a stage when the United Nations forces were retreating in front of the advancing enemy. In freezing cold and poor weather, the aircraft had to continue operating and be maintained and armed in the open, moving from K-24 (P'yongyang East Air Field) to K-13 (Suwon Airbase), K-10 (Chinhae Airbase) and finally K-55 Airbase at Osan in January 1953, Here the squadron immediately started to convert to the F-86F Sabre jet fighter. On 11 March 1953 the squadron flew it first operational sortie with the F-86F Sabre.
During the Korean conflict the squadron flew a grand total of 12 067 sorties for a loss of 34 pilots and two other ranks. Aircraft losses amounted to 74 out of 97 Mustangs and four out of 22 Sabres. Pilots and men of the squadron received a total of 797 medals including 2 Silver Stars - the highest award to non-American nationals - 3 Legions of Merit, 55 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 40 Bronze Stars. 8 pilots became POW's
Casualties: 20 KIA / 16 WIA
---
South Africans in the Korean War (http://cgi.stanford.edu/group/wais/cgi-bin/index.php?p=862)
I asked why South Africans were serving in the Korean War..Jim Tent replies: When the Korean War erupted on June 25, 1950 with the North Korean invasion of the South, the United States immediately called for a UN-sanctioned intervention. In one of his major missteps, Stalin had recalled his delegation. Therefore, with the Soviets not present and unable to cast a veto, the resolution passed. Various nations joined the United States in sending forces although the U.S. produced by far the largest contingent. Great Britain and the most of the Commonwealth nations gave some support. The South Africans were part of the Commonwealth (until the declaration of the Republic of South Africa in 1952, which unfortunately also saw the advent of Apartheid). The South African Air Force had fought extremely effectively in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations during WWII, using British equipment. That experience and tradition helps explain why not just one pilot but an entire squadron, the 2nd Fighter Squadron (known as the “Cheetahs”) were serving with the U.S. 18th Fighter Group. By 1953, they would have been flying the F-86 Sabre Jet, which was the only aircraft capable of matching the Soviet MIG-15 on approximately equal terms.
Having captured a significant number of German aeronautical engineers and scientists as well as plant, equipment, and advanced designs in Dessau, Germany at the end of WWII, Soviet design teams made extremely rapid progress in jet design between 1945 and 1950. They also used a nearly identical copy of the Rolls Royce Neme jet engine to power their new fighter (Britain had supplied the Soviets an example as a gesture of goodwill before the Cold War had fully set in). The MIG-15 could climb faster than any U.S. British, French or other interceptor in its day. It was also more maneuverable, and its 23mm cannon meant that it carried a lethal sting. Fortunately for its opponents, the relatively stubby fuselage and high vertical fin of the MIG meant that it was not as stable a gun platform as the longer, sleeker F-86. However, the latter was armed only with six .50 calibre machine guns which meant that its firepower was stuck back in vintage WWII mode, i.e. it had a lighter sting and much shorter effective range than the Soviet cannon. The USAF trained its pilots better, giving them a significant advantage in tactics and experience during the aerial duels of the Korean War. As noted, the South Africans used the same equipment and tactics. RH: South African participation in the Korean War has received virtually no publicity, and Jim ties it in neatly with South African politics.
Ronald Hilton, 2005
http://wais.stanford.edu (http://wais.stanford.edu/)