Invader

PART 2 THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO CERTAINLY DID NOT MEAN AN END FOR THE INVADER'S FRONT-LINE SERVlCE .

By mid-1950, the United States had allowed its Far East Air Force to run down to the point where it was a mere shadow of its strength at the end of World War Two. The only new aircraft were Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars that were starting to replace NAA F-51 Mustangs. The remainder of FEAF aircraft were distinctly WWII and the FEAF's Bomber Command was equipped with very limited assets - the 3rd Bomb Wing with B-26 Invaders and a group of B-29 Superfortresses in Okinawa at Kadena AB. The 3rd BW was under strength with just two assigned squadrons and their aircraft amounted to just 26 flyable B-26s.

Much must be said about the lack of American intelligence in Korea for when North Korean communist forces poured across the 38th Parallel on 25 June 1950, the massive event came as a complete surprise. The enemy knew that American forces had greatly declined and knew their invasion had to be quick and decisive - they needed to completely capture South Korea before the sluggish American war machine could swing into action and reinforce the FEAF. However, they did not take into account that the vintage warplanes of the FEAF would lash their spectacular advances with bombs, bullets, and napalm. Huge enemy losses increased with the entry of the United Nations into the action.

Invaders were in action from the start, carrying on a variety of missions from strafing to night interdiction. North Korean airpower was quickly destroyed and American and UN aircraft could prowl the skies with little threat of interception. Operating from Iwakuni Air Base in Japan (which allowed fully-loaded B-26s to hit most enemy targets), the 3rd Bomb Wing launched its first major mission on 29 June when a maximum effort launched 18 aircraft against Pyongyank Mar Airfield to destroy facilities and aircraft of the North Korean Peoples' Air Force. The raid was timed to hit the field at dusk for maximum surprise and it worked with facilities and 25 aircraft being destroyed. One fighter managed to get off the ground but Invader gunners fended off its half-hearted attack.

During the early days of the war, it did not take the North Koreans long to realize that they would have to move forces and supplies at night since the Americans were blasting anything they saw during the day. The only aircraft capable of these daring and dangerous night attacks was the Invader and the 3rd BW was soon operating 24 hours per day with crews often flying three missions (refueling and re-arming at Taegu) per day before returning to Japan.

Parts, extra aircraft, and supplies were needed for the 3rd and the USAF Reserve unit at Long Beach, California, was part of the answer. The 452nd Bomb Wing (728th, 729th, 730th, and 731st BSs) was called up. Since the 3rd had only two squadrons, the 731st BS was assigned to fill the blank spot. On 15 October 1950, the 731st left California for the epic flight to Japan. Flying in units of four and guided by a B-29, all aircraft made it safely to Japan where they were painted black for their new nocturnal mission.

By October, retreating North Koreans had been pushed into a small area near Manchuria and all the enemy's strategic targets around the Yalu River had been blasted by B-29s. It appeared that the war would be over by Christmas but, on 2 November, Chinese forces swarmed across the border to attack the UN forces and the war entered a new and deadly phase.

The Invader bomb units would not number more than six squadrons for the remainder of the war but they were aided by the RB-26C recon aircraft of the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photo) whose dedicated mission was to keep all enemy installations under surveillance.

The introduction of the MiG 15 also spelled a very serious problem but the Chinese took a lesson from the North Koreans and soon had their supply train running efficiently at night through the country's mountainous terrain. Night-flying Invaders had to go into these canyons and valleys to attack the enemy - who often strung heavy steel cables across the canyons to snare Invaders. With the area lit by flares dropped from C-47s, the Invaders managed to extract a terrible toll. As the situation stabilized, Invaders moved to bases in South Korea.

By spring 1951, China had realized massive troop attacks would not drive out UN forces and they changed to night attacks, camouflaging themselves during the day so they could not easily be spotted from the air. The new tactic would be to try to move the UN forces south a few miles at a time during the night attacks. The Invaders of the 452nd and 3rd BWs were in constant action under a new offensive named Operation STRANGLE - attacks on the road targets traveling on the seven main supply routes that flowed to the enemy's frontline. Working individually, Invaders were assigned specific areas that resulted in having a B-26 over an area for the entire night, thus greatly slowing or stopping the flow of supplies.