The Korean Episode Historical Anecdotes 77 Squadron RAAF In Korea 1950-1953 Col King The Korean Episode Historical Anecdotes 77 Squadron RAAF In Korea 1950-1953 COLIN G KING — "Meteor" Acknowledgements I acknowledge with gratitude the many people who have contributed to this book in one way or another. I must give special thanks to my daughter Lynette and my sister Wendy for their unflagging support and valuable check-reading of material. Deserving of special mention is my nephew Robert Sandland, a highly proficient computer expert whose enormous support and many hours of tuition, proof-reading and ensuring technical correctness of the ePub presentation has enabled this publication to become a reality. Without his forensic research and technical assistance I would have been in trouble, especially at the start of this project.. Some use has been made of the excellent research material provided by Wikipedia, and occasional quotations from this source have been incorporated. A number of ex-aircrew have provided their gripping stories of wartime experiences while also assisting with technical accuracy. The list is a long one and my memory is not equal to the task. However, prominent among the many contributors I wish to mention the following: Ron Guthrie, Gordon Harvey, Don Pinkstone, Ken Godfrey, Wal Rivers, Jim Kichenside, Cec Sly, Keith Meggs, John Parker, Pat Melican and so many others. Many of these servicemen received promotions and decorations for their service during The Korean episode and World War II. I salute them! No doubt there are many others who served but have been inadvertently omitted from these records. I regret this and ask for their understanding. Below: Tiger Moth cockpits — Where it All Started Bibliography Lion Over Korea David Wilson The Forgotten Few Doug Hurst Luck is no Accident Col King Escape From North Korea Col King and Ron Guthrie Wikipedia Some Extracts Copyright © Copyright remains the property of the author and apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. All enquiries should be made to the author Col King at either of the following email addresses: [email protected] ISBN: List Of Figures Martin Baker Ejection Seat Promises! Places Of Horror Typical RAF Mk-8 Meteor Fighter: RAAF Base Point Cook (Circa 1950) Tiger Moth Elementary Trainer Barry's First Solo Our Course Marching Through Melbourne Korean Peninsula at Night "The Land of The Morning Calm" Border Between North and South Korea The United Nations to the Rescue Seoul Railway Bridge Bombed Mustang Maintenance Mustang P-51D Fighter Japanese Soldier Employed to Guard Our Camp 77 Squadron Mustangs at Iwakuni Wing Commander Lou Spence — DFC and Bar Squadron Leader Dick Cresswell North Korean Russian T-34 Tanks US Army Prepares To Evacuate Taejon RAAF Mustang Flak Damage The Precarious Pusan Perimeter — 1950 Saddle Ridge, Taegu — Pusan North Perimeter Territory American Tank Near Naktong River UN Troops Guarding Naktong Valley UN Troops Unload At Pusan South Korean Troops At Pohang Two North Korean T-34 Tanks Destroyed HMAS Sydney At Anchor In Korean Waters HMAS Sydney with Fireflies Off Korean Coast US Troops Carrying Casualty UN Aircraft Rocketing Enemy Train USAF Douglas B-26 Bombers In Action Over Korean Targets Korea 1950. (Green, Pusan Perimeter). (Blue Arrow, Incheon) US Army General Douglas MacArthur US Marines Land At Incheon The Highly Successful Incheon Landing General MacArthur Approaching Incheon Landing 1950 Battle Map P'ohang 77 Squadron Mustangs Escorting B-29 Bombers Chinese 'Volunteers' Assembling Chinese 'Volunteers' In Action Chosin Reservoir Chosin medical evacuation Curtis C-46 Commando Transport Desperate Winter Retreat North Korean Civilians Escape to the South USS Begor Observes Demolition of Hungnam Port Gordon Harvey Attends Briefing (Gordon is in Center) Mustang Cockpit Emblem Of USAF Air Rescue Service Sikorsky s-51 Rescue Helicopter "Texan" Spotter Aircraft Cec Sly in cockpit RAAF Mustangs In Japan Two North American F-86 Sabres Meteor M k-8 Fighters Martin Baker Ejection-seat Hiroshima Devastation (Viewed July 1946) The Horror of Hiroshima Same View of Hiroshima Today Cockpit Of Meteor Mk-8 Fighter Iwakuni and Famous Kintai Bridge, Today Wes Guy (L) and Eric Ramsay Rolls Royce Nene Cut-away Cockpit of a MiG-15 MiG-15 Russian High-altitude Jet Fighter Wirraway Trainer Navigation Flight Briefing, L-R, Outhwaite, Kichenside, Law, Cowper, King, McPhan, Robinson, and Instructor Pat Gallagher Navy Trainee Forgot To Lock Flaps Author Boarding Wirraway Trophy Winners. L-R: Ian Cranston (Sport); [KIA Korea]. Ken Smith (Total Aggregate); [KIA Korea]. Col King (Most Proficient Pilot) Max Holsworth briefs, L-R, Dick Robinson (killed - Korea), Ian Cranston (killed - Korea), Ken Smith (Killed - Korea), Max Outhwaite (survived Korea) PILOT GRADUATES, 5 COURSE, L-R: (Back) Leon Gordon, Dick Glassey, Jim Codd, Jack Evans, Gordon Brown, Alan Wall, Stan Hyland, Col Roffe. (Center) Dick Robinson, Col King, Ken McPhan, Ken Smith, S/Lt Gus Gray (RAN), Russ Law, Barry Ellis, Jim Kichenside, Tom Mansell. (Front) Ian Cranston, John Parker, Max Outhwaite, Ray Knight, Andy Stapleton Archerfield, (L-R) Kichenside, Smith, King, Outhwaite Author Celebrating Mustang Solo Harry Brown-Gaylord's Prang Merlin Cylinder Head after Glycol Loss RAAF Canberra (circa,1950) Adjusting Mustang Gyroscopic Gunsight Mustang Fitters at work Vampire. Early Model Ice Protection of Meteor Tailplane Kapyong Valley — South Korea Australians Guard Kapyong Prisoners S/Ldr Dick Cresswell Briefs Pilots The MiGs' Happy Hunting Ground Ron Guthrie Sets Out in his Unfortunate Meteor Russian MiG-15 Fighter Ron Guthrie as a Squadron Leader Many Years After the War Russian MiG Pilot Kramarenko The Squadron Which the Russians "Completely Shot Down" Bruce Gogerly, First Squadron MiG Killer Demise of a Russian MiG-15 Fighter Vampire Jet Fighter Cockpit Vampire Jet Fighter Vampire Crash Landing Vampire Parachute Landing Old Korean Man North Korean Bridge under Repair B-29 Super-fortress Bombing Yalu Bridge Russian Pilots At Antung -- Ace Pilot Circled Children at Play Yakovlev-9 Russian Fighter Douglas B-26 Bomber Cockpit Underwater Bridge constructed by the Enemy Haystack on an A-Frame Jack Henderson Receives the Bronze Star Medal Captain Farrar-Hockley, MC Colonel Tom Harrison and Ron in America Escape From Interrogation Center Kindly Korean Couple Korean Bay Boat Escape Route Escape Route (4,5 ,6,7) and The Long March Typical Korean Oxcart Lice Inspection B-26 Bomber in Action The Long March — North Korea 1951 Rugged Korean Countryside Phil Zupp's Canopy Phil Zupp Dick Robinson — First 5 Course Death Ayako-San, and Mickey-San (sitting) Street Scene Iwakuni Mk 7 Meteor Two-seater Meteor Trainer (Note Elongated Canopy) Meteor Mk-8 Fighter Iwakuni Castle Meteor at Kimpo Wing Commander Susans Briefing Tent Lines, 77 Squadron Kimpo Pointie-Talkie Carried on Missions Groundcrew Sheathing Tailplane Groundcrew Sweeping Wing Pat Melican, Diligent Groundcrew Corporal Karl Marx — Communist Inspiration Vance Drummond Colonel Carne Carves Cross (Re-enactment) Crew Jeep in the Morning Meteor Pairs Take-off L-R: Smithy, Pete Middleton, Bluey Philp Air attack on a North Korean Supply Train Meteor Rocketing Target Controller at Air Traffic Radar Screen Bob Strawbridge Po-2 Being Readied For Flight Russian Yak-18 Trainer Meteor Ventral Tank. L — R, Zupp, Evans, King Bill Bennet and his "Littlest Angel" Han River at Seoul Damaged Han River Bridge Wes Guy Typical Anti-aircraft Gun Eric Ramsay (R) and Airman Phil Hamilton-Foster Lionel Cowper (R) with Smithy South Korea And Japan Room Girls Afford a Welcome Jim Kichenside — Our Youngest Pilot USAF Crash Tender Armorers Prepare Rockets in Dismal Conditions Meteor Armed For Rocket Attack L to R, Drummond, Blight, Oborn Ken Murray Wal Rivers — DFC and Bar; US DFC; US Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters James Townsend's Douglas Invader L to R, Bill Simmonds, John Surman L to R, Bill Simmonds, Don Robertson, Tony Armstrong, Geoff Lushey Magnificent Kawana Leave Resort Smithy and Caddies at Kawana One of the Spectacular Kawana Golf links Ray Fox (L) and Clive Marshall Ken Smith in his Meteor Tony Armstrong L-R, Bill Bennet ( A Flight Cmdr), Ron Susans (77Sqn C/O), Wal Rivers (B Flight Cmdr) L to R, John Parker, Jack Evans, "Scotty" Caddan Prisoners' Winter Clothing. (Ron Guthrie Center in Both Pictures) Captain John "Rotorhead" Thornton Pyoktong: Picturesque but Infinitely Evil Turkish Commander Gen.Tahsin Yazici Receives Silver Star From US General Walker Chinese Generals Leading People's Volunteer Army British Lieut. Colonel J.P. Carne, VC, DSO, DSC (US) Drummond (Left) And Thompson In Prison Garments L-R: Jack Evans, John Parker, Bill Simmonds, Col King, Bruce Gogerly Supply Dump Attack Oelof Bergh Receives RAF Squadron Trophy Ken Godfrey Ken Godfrey — Engine Shot Out F-80s — American Early Type Jet Fighters, Over Korea George Hale Col Roffe — 5 Course Transport Pilot Douglas C-47 Transport Cockpit C-47 Douglas B-26 Invader — Dropped Leaflets North Korean Officers Observing Freedom Village Freedom Village Ambulances Awaiting Freed Prisoners De-Militarized-Zone Seen From The North Ron is Welcomed Back, L-R, Bob MacIntosh and Jack Gorman S/Ldr Neville McNamara Greets Five Returned POWs At Panmunjom. Back: L-R, Ron Guthrie, Oelof Bergh, Butch Hannon, Neville McNamara. Front: L-R, Vance Drummond,