thedrifter
02-08-03, 10:27 AM
Aerial 'gypsies' in C-47s of a bygone war earned their angel's wings flying supplies in and wounded soldiers out of Korea's dirt strips while bullets whizzed past.
By Timothy J. Kutta
A Douglas C-47 Skytrain roared low over the long column of U.S. Marines, but few of the men took notice of the transport. Numb from combat and the frozen Korean winter, they slogged slowly and methodically away from the Chinese entrapment at the Chosin Reservoir.
Suddenly, the lumbering transport turned back over the column. The pilot tossed something from the cockpit while wagging his plane's wings. One of the Marine riflemen retrieved a canteen with a note attached and rushed it to his commanding officer.
The column of war-weary Marines halted and then, on orders from the commander, moved off in a different direction. The transport had spotted Chinese troops ahead, lying in ambush. The warning note had saved many lives; it was the first time a transport aircraft had acted as a scout for a Marine unit. The pilot, a member of the 374th Troop Carrier Wing, had added another chapter to the history of the remarkable unit known as the "Kyushu Gypsies."
Opening Of The War
North Korea had launched a massive invasion of the Republic of South Korea on June 25, 1950. Caught by surprise, the small and ill-trained South Korean army fell back in disarray. The United States, which had pledged to protect the country, was caught off-guard by the invasion. The U.S. government realized it must immediately dispatch arms, supplies and reinforcements to prevent the complete collapse of the South Korean government. The demands of the new war could only be met by starting a massive airlift between American bases in Japan and the few remaining airstrips still open in South Korea.
The sole transport aircraft in the theater were those of the 374th Troop Carrier Wing, commanded by Colonel Troy Crawford. The unit consisted of a headquarters and the 6th, 21st and 22nd Troop Carrier squadrons. The 6th and 22nd squadrons were stationed at Tachikawa Air Base in Japan, while the 21st Squadron was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines. All three squadrons were equipped with Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport aircraft.
Crawford ordered his two squadrons in Japan to begin operations at once, while the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron was ordered to airlift itself from the Philippines to Japan. Within a few days, the entire group was assembled at Tachikawa.
Early Difficulties
The first days of the war were difficult for the men of the 374th. They flew unarmed and heavily loaded transports into an uncertain, dangerous combat situation. Pilots often took off from Japan for friendly airfields in Korea but arrived to find the airstrips they were headed for under fire or destroyed by the enemy. One of the wing's C-54s was strafed and destroyed on the ground at Suwon, South Korea, by enemy fighters on the first day of the war. It was the first American airplane destroyed during the conflict, but others would soon follow.
Many transports were damaged while trying to land on unimproved or cratered airstrips. Heavy aircraft losses, maintenance problems and a lack of spare parts among the 6th and 22nd Troop Carrier squadrons forced Crawford to take drastic measures. To make good the losses his group had suffered, he ordered the 21st Squadron to divide its C-54s between the other two squadrons. The infusion of aircraft allowed the other two squadrons to resume normal operations. However, the colonel now had one squadron without airplanes.
The situation in Korea was still desperate, and Crawford could not afford to have a squadron sit idle. Without hesitation, he ordered the 21st Squadron re-equipped with the old Douglas C-47 Skytrains. The C-47 was a World War II-vintage transport that had been relegated to second-line duty, flying into unimproved airfields or serving as liaison aircraft. To assemble enough aircraft for the squadron, transports were taken from Air Force units across the Far East.
Preparing For Their Mission
Colonel Phil Cage, commander of the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, was not thrilled about receiving the old aircraft. He was even more upset, however, when many of his top crews were transferred to the 6th and 22nd Troop Carrier squadrons and he was assigned pilots who had been filling staff and other non-flying positions. Many of them were rusty after long periods on the ground and needed training to hone their flying skills. Still, there was a war to be fought, and the troops on the ground needed all the supplies and reinforcements they could get.
Cage and his staff went to work. First, the squadron assembled 50 flyable C-47 Skytrains plus enough crews and mechanics to operate them. Then the training began in earnest. Pilots went through checkout and familiarization in the cockpit. The ground crews were fortunate -- many noncommissioned officers were available who were experienced with the C-47. Working round-the-clock, Cage and his men performed miracles. Within a matter of days, the ad hoc unit formed into an effective and efficient combat-ready transport squadron.
Gypsy Strategy
Bringing the C-47 into the war was a brilliant move. The heavy C-54 required large, modern airfields to operate effectively. By mid-July, the North Koreans had captured many of the big airfields, and the poor condition of the smaller ones drastically reduced the operations of the C-54s. The C-47 had no such restrictions and could fly from even the most primitive airfields. The operations people of the wing quickly worked out an equitable division of labor. The C-54s would stage troops and equipment at Ashiya Air Base, one of the forward airfields in Japan, while the C-47s, which had been moved to Ashiya, would fly the men and materiel from Japan into the most forward airfields in Korea. On the return trip they would be loaded with wounded troops who would then be flown to military hospitals in Japan.
The plan worked well for a few weeks until the forward air base at Ashiya became crowded with fighter planes, an air rescue unit and several big transport planes under repair. To relieve the crowding, the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, by then nicknamed the "Kyushu Gypsies" because of their frequent moves, relocated to Brady Field, Japan, in August. The new field was only 10 minutes' flying time from Ashiya.
Antiquated Navigation
The crowded sky over Japan did not concern the Kyushu Gypsies as much as the deadly sky over Korea. The pilots of the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron found flying into Korea extremely dangerous. In addition to avoiding prowling enemy fighters, the pilots had to fly by dead reckoning because all navigation beacons had been destroyed. On a routine mission to the Pusan Perimeter, they flew out over the Sea of Japan and dropped to low altitude as they approached Korea. Once the pilots had located the coast, they flew toward Pusan until they spotted the discolored sea water of the river near the city. They flew along the river until they found the railroad tracks that led to Taegu, the most forward airstrip of the Pusan Perimeter, and then followed the tracks into the city.
This system worked during daylight when the weather was good, but finding the airfield at night or in poor weather required outstanding flying and more than a little luck. Despite the difficulties, the pilots managed to keep a steady stream of men and supplies flowing into Pusan and always brought wounded soldiers out on the return trip.
Things did not improve for the transport airplanes once on the ground. All the forward airstrips were under sniper, mortar or artillery fire. Shell holes, shrapnel and battle debris littered the airfields. Almost all the transports received bullet holes or shrapnel damage. When the forward airfield at Pohang was attacked by North Koreans, the Kyushu Gypsies flew through a hail of small-arms fire to evacuate the support personnel of an American fighter squadron stationed on the field. Many of the flights were carried out at night, with the airfield marked only by the headlights of a few jeeps. The pilots who landed at night during the evacuation were often uncertain which side controlled the airfield
http://www.military.com/pics/c47berlin.jpg
C-47 "Skytrains" line up during off-loading at Tempelhof, Berlin. More than 100 of these aircraft were flying during the first three months of the Berlin Airlift. (USAF Photo)
http://www.military.com/pics/ah0398GYPSIESf3.jpg
When this C-47 was crippled during an unsuccessful attempt to take off from Taejon airfield, its crew set it on fire rather than let it fall into the hands of advancing North Koreans. (U.S. Air Force)
As the situation on the ground worsened, transport pilots were called upon to make low-level deliveries -- parachute drops to resupply surrounded units of the American 24th Infantry Division. The 24th had been the first American combat unit committed to Korea, and it suffered the brunt of the North Korean attack. During June, July and August, 20 major airdrops were conducted in support of the division. The 50 planes of the Kyushu Gypsies flew day and night, and by the end of August they had dropped more than 200 tons of supplies to trapped units.
continued......
By Timothy J. Kutta
A Douglas C-47 Skytrain roared low over the long column of U.S. Marines, but few of the men took notice of the transport. Numb from combat and the frozen Korean winter, they slogged slowly and methodically away from the Chinese entrapment at the Chosin Reservoir.
Suddenly, the lumbering transport turned back over the column. The pilot tossed something from the cockpit while wagging his plane's wings. One of the Marine riflemen retrieved a canteen with a note attached and rushed it to his commanding officer.
The column of war-weary Marines halted and then, on orders from the commander, moved off in a different direction. The transport had spotted Chinese troops ahead, lying in ambush. The warning note had saved many lives; it was the first time a transport aircraft had acted as a scout for a Marine unit. The pilot, a member of the 374th Troop Carrier Wing, had added another chapter to the history of the remarkable unit known as the "Kyushu Gypsies."
Opening Of The War
North Korea had launched a massive invasion of the Republic of South Korea on June 25, 1950. Caught by surprise, the small and ill-trained South Korean army fell back in disarray. The United States, which had pledged to protect the country, was caught off-guard by the invasion. The U.S. government realized it must immediately dispatch arms, supplies and reinforcements to prevent the complete collapse of the South Korean government. The demands of the new war could only be met by starting a massive airlift between American bases in Japan and the few remaining airstrips still open in South Korea.
The sole transport aircraft in the theater were those of the 374th Troop Carrier Wing, commanded by Colonel Troy Crawford. The unit consisted of a headquarters and the 6th, 21st and 22nd Troop Carrier squadrons. The 6th and 22nd squadrons were stationed at Tachikawa Air Base in Japan, while the 21st Squadron was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines. All three squadrons were equipped with Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport aircraft.
Crawford ordered his two squadrons in Japan to begin operations at once, while the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron was ordered to airlift itself from the Philippines to Japan. Within a few days, the entire group was assembled at Tachikawa.
Early Difficulties
The first days of the war were difficult for the men of the 374th. They flew unarmed and heavily loaded transports into an uncertain, dangerous combat situation. Pilots often took off from Japan for friendly airfields in Korea but arrived to find the airstrips they were headed for under fire or destroyed by the enemy. One of the wing's C-54s was strafed and destroyed on the ground at Suwon, South Korea, by enemy fighters on the first day of the war. It was the first American airplane destroyed during the conflict, but others would soon follow.
Many transports were damaged while trying to land on unimproved or cratered airstrips. Heavy aircraft losses, maintenance problems and a lack of spare parts among the 6th and 22nd Troop Carrier squadrons forced Crawford to take drastic measures. To make good the losses his group had suffered, he ordered the 21st Squadron to divide its C-54s between the other two squadrons. The infusion of aircraft allowed the other two squadrons to resume normal operations. However, the colonel now had one squadron without airplanes.
The situation in Korea was still desperate, and Crawford could not afford to have a squadron sit idle. Without hesitation, he ordered the 21st Squadron re-equipped with the old Douglas C-47 Skytrains. The C-47 was a World War II-vintage transport that had been relegated to second-line duty, flying into unimproved airfields or serving as liaison aircraft. To assemble enough aircraft for the squadron, transports were taken from Air Force units across the Far East.
Preparing For Their Mission
Colonel Phil Cage, commander of the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, was not thrilled about receiving the old aircraft. He was even more upset, however, when many of his top crews were transferred to the 6th and 22nd Troop Carrier squadrons and he was assigned pilots who had been filling staff and other non-flying positions. Many of them were rusty after long periods on the ground and needed training to hone their flying skills. Still, there was a war to be fought, and the troops on the ground needed all the supplies and reinforcements they could get.
Cage and his staff went to work. First, the squadron assembled 50 flyable C-47 Skytrains plus enough crews and mechanics to operate them. Then the training began in earnest. Pilots went through checkout and familiarization in the cockpit. The ground crews were fortunate -- many noncommissioned officers were available who were experienced with the C-47. Working round-the-clock, Cage and his men performed miracles. Within a matter of days, the ad hoc unit formed into an effective and efficient combat-ready transport squadron.
Gypsy Strategy
Bringing the C-47 into the war was a brilliant move. The heavy C-54 required large, modern airfields to operate effectively. By mid-July, the North Koreans had captured many of the big airfields, and the poor condition of the smaller ones drastically reduced the operations of the C-54s. The C-47 had no such restrictions and could fly from even the most primitive airfields. The operations people of the wing quickly worked out an equitable division of labor. The C-54s would stage troops and equipment at Ashiya Air Base, one of the forward airfields in Japan, while the C-47s, which had been moved to Ashiya, would fly the men and materiel from Japan into the most forward airfields in Korea. On the return trip they would be loaded with wounded troops who would then be flown to military hospitals in Japan.
The plan worked well for a few weeks until the forward air base at Ashiya became crowded with fighter planes, an air rescue unit and several big transport planes under repair. To relieve the crowding, the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, by then nicknamed the "Kyushu Gypsies" because of their frequent moves, relocated to Brady Field, Japan, in August. The new field was only 10 minutes' flying time from Ashiya.
Antiquated Navigation
The crowded sky over Japan did not concern the Kyushu Gypsies as much as the deadly sky over Korea. The pilots of the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron found flying into Korea extremely dangerous. In addition to avoiding prowling enemy fighters, the pilots had to fly by dead reckoning because all navigation beacons had been destroyed. On a routine mission to the Pusan Perimeter, they flew out over the Sea of Japan and dropped to low altitude as they approached Korea. Once the pilots had located the coast, they flew toward Pusan until they spotted the discolored sea water of the river near the city. They flew along the river until they found the railroad tracks that led to Taegu, the most forward airstrip of the Pusan Perimeter, and then followed the tracks into the city.
This system worked during daylight when the weather was good, but finding the airfield at night or in poor weather required outstanding flying and more than a little luck. Despite the difficulties, the pilots managed to keep a steady stream of men and supplies flowing into Pusan and always brought wounded soldiers out on the return trip.
Things did not improve for the transport airplanes once on the ground. All the forward airstrips were under sniper, mortar or artillery fire. Shell holes, shrapnel and battle debris littered the airfields. Almost all the transports received bullet holes or shrapnel damage. When the forward airfield at Pohang was attacked by North Koreans, the Kyushu Gypsies flew through a hail of small-arms fire to evacuate the support personnel of an American fighter squadron stationed on the field. Many of the flights were carried out at night, with the airfield marked only by the headlights of a few jeeps. The pilots who landed at night during the evacuation were often uncertain which side controlled the airfield
http://www.military.com/pics/c47berlin.jpg
C-47 "Skytrains" line up during off-loading at Tempelhof, Berlin. More than 100 of these aircraft were flying during the first three months of the Berlin Airlift. (USAF Photo)
http://www.military.com/pics/ah0398GYPSIESf3.jpg
When this C-47 was crippled during an unsuccessful attempt to take off from Taejon airfield, its crew set it on fire rather than let it fall into the hands of advancing North Koreans. (U.S. Air Force)
As the situation on the ground worsened, transport pilots were called upon to make low-level deliveries -- parachute drops to resupply surrounded units of the American 24th Infantry Division. The 24th had been the first American combat unit committed to Korea, and it suffered the brunt of the North Korean attack. During June, July and August, 20 major airdrops were conducted in support of the division. The 50 planes of the Kyushu Gypsies flew day and night, and by the end of August they had dropped more than 200 tons of supplies to trapped units.
continued......