They were common, everyday items back then. Keepsakes From ... Docu… · fighter aircraft to more...
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2000 32 They were common, everyday items back then. Now they bring back memories of an uncommon time. Pieces of Korean War history run the gamut from entire fighter aircraft to more modest sized memorabilia like this elaborately painted cap. It belonged to 2nd Lt. Clifford Allison Jr., who flew 100 missions in an F-84E with the 154th Fighter–Bomber Squad- ron (Arkansas Air National Guard), from July 1951 to March 1952. This colorful jacket belonged to SSgt. Norman Fix. He was a radio operator on B-29s with the 345th Bomb Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan, during the Korean War. Even today, such embroidered jackets are de rigueur with troops in the Far East. Photography by Paul Kennedy Keepsakes From Korea Keepsakes From Korea
Transcript of They were common, everyday items back then. Keepsakes From ... Docu… · fighter aircraft to more...
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 200032
They were common, everyday items back then.Now they bring back memories of an uncommon time.
Pieces of Korean War historyrun the gamut from entirefighter aircraft to more modestsized memorabilia like thiselaborately painted cap. Itbelonged to 2nd Lt. CliffordAllison Jr., who flew 100missions in an F-84E with the154th Fighter–Bomber Squad-ron (Arkansas Air NationalGuard), from July 1951 to March1952.
This colorful jacket belonged toSSgt. Norman Fix. He was a radiooperator on B-29s with the 345thBomb Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan,during the Korean War. Even today,such embroidered jackets are derigueur with troops in the Far East.
Photography by Paul Kennedy
Keepsakes From KoreaKeepsakes From Korea
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2000 33
The name on this flight suit says it all.With a total of 34.5 victories, Col.Francis S. Gabreski heads the list ofAAF and USAF aces with victories inboth World War II and the Korean War.Gabby posed for this photo with hisF-86 in September 1951. He had justshot down his second MiG-15.
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 200034
Painting on leather jackets was anart form that carried over from WorldWar II into the jet age. However,many pilots put away their leathersin favor of newer, warmer garmentslike the short N-2A flying jacket onthe far left.
Probably the most recognizableaircraft from the Korean War, theNorth American F-86 Sabre wasUSAF’s first swept-wing jet fighter.Pilots flying the F-86 shot down 792MiGs during the war, with only 76losses. This one is on display at theUS Air Force Museum at Wright–Patterson AFB, Ohio. It bears 4thFighter Group markings, as flown byLt. Col. Bruce Hinton on Dec. 17,1950, the day he became the first F-86pilot to down a MiG.
Pride in a new separate service isevident in the artwork on the “springup” cap above. At left, the “Ike”jacket shows up in its new Air Forceblue.
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2000 35
A new display at the museum depictsa pilot and crew chief walking backfrom a flight line in Korea. It bringsto mind the famous photo (inset) oftwo 4th Fighter–Interceptor Wingpilots passing beneath a torii-stylegateway at Kimpo AB as they headfor combat in MiG Alley.
The equipment list for flight crews inthe Korean War included everythingfrom hard hats, G suits, and sidearms to navigation and first-aid kits.In the photo below is a radio carriervest with a bright yellow life pre-server vest in front.
An array of survival equipmentincludes a direction-finding radio,signal mirror, and “blood chit”bearing a US flag. Blood chitspromised a reward for assisting adowned American pilot.
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 200036
First appearing during the KoreanWar in November 1950, MiG-15s wereformidable opponents, and US FarEast Command offered $100,000 forthe first one delivered intact. Noenemy pilot took up the offer untilafter the war. In September 1953,North Korean Senior Lt. No Kum Sokdefected to South Korea, landing aMiG-15 at Kimpo AB. It was disas-sembled and airlifted to Wright–Patterson AFB in December 1953,then reassembled and flight-tested.It was transferred to the museum in1957.
The Cold War affected folks on thehome front, too, with duck-and-coverdrills and buildings marked withbomb shelter signs like the one atthe far right. In 1951, the Air ForceAssociation sponsored and HarveyPublications published the comicbook shown here. The children whopicked it up might well have built theF-86 model pictured, too.
At left is a flight helmet with a UnitedNations emblem. Fifteen othernations joined the US and SouthKorea in providing combat forces forUN Command in Korea. Noncomba-tant nations provided medicalsupport.
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AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2000 37
The museum display of hurry-up-and-wait (at right) signals the end ofthe Korean War. When it was over,the five POWs shown in the photoinset were among those headedhome. Released in August 1955 after31 months as POWs were (l–r) Capt.John Buck, Maj. William Baumer,A2C Daniel Schmidt, TSgt. HowardBrown, and A1C Steve Kiba.
It is a T-17 carbon granule micro-phone with push-to-talk switch andfive-foot-long rubberized cord. ForKorean War veterans, though, itmight evoke memories of calling inan airstrike or calling out an alert forMiGs or maybe even calling homevia radio.
A pile-lined field cap is a reminder ofthe bone-chilling winters in Korea—and, in turn, the muddy, unpavedstreets in spring. Even humble itemslike this one have the power to bringback such recollections of the“Forgotten War”—now remembered50 years later.
We wish to thank private collectorMike Keefe for providing many of thecaps and jackets pictured here, aswell as the US Air Force Museum forenabling access to its displays andcollections. ■
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