SAC 1950 Korean War Period

Resources

Personnel
85,473 (10,600 officers, 66,600 airmen, 8,273 civilians)

Tactical Aircraft
962 (38 B-36, 286 B-29, 196 B-50, 126 KB-29, 20 RB-36, 19 RB-50, 46 RB-29, 27 RB-45, 4 C-82, 14 C-97, 19 C-124, 167 F-84)

Aircraft Units
Two Heavy Bomb Groups (18 UE) with B-36s
Two Heavy Reconnaissance Groups, one (18 UE) with RB-36s, and one (22 UE) converting from B-29s to RB-36s
12 Medium Bomb Groups, (45 UE), four with B-50s, seven with B-29s, and one with B-29s and B-50s
Two Medium Strategic Reconnaissance Groups, one (36 UE) with RB-45s and one (45 UE), with RB-29s, RB-50s, and C-82s
One RB-29 Reconnaissance Squadron (12 UE) on temporary duty with Far East Air Forces
Three Fighter Groups (75 UE), two fully equipped with F-84s and one partially equipped with F-84s
Three Strategic Support Squadrons (12 UE), one with C-97s, one with C-124s, and one partially equipped with C-124s
12 Medium Air Refueling Squadrons (eight 20 UE and four 12 UE), four fully equipped with KB-29s, five in process of equipping with KB-29s, and three with no aircraft assigned

Active Bases
19 CONUS bases and one overseas (Puerto Rico)

Organization

In early 1950, SAC’s three numbered air forces differed significantly: The Eighth was primarily medium and heavy bombers, the Fifteenth concentrated on medium bombers, and the Second was devoted almost exclusively to reconnaissance activities. Expansion and the integration of B-36s and B-50s into the command created the need for a more balanced organization.

Geographic factors also prompted the need for reorganization. Headquarters Second Air Force, located in Louisiana, controlled units at Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base, California, while Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force, located in California, controlled units at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

On 1 April, SAC forces were realigned: Each numbered air force was assigned both bomber and reconnaissance aircraft and was assigned units and bases in rather specific geographical regions of the United States—the Second in the Eastern part, the Eighth in the Central region, and the Fifteenth in the Western area.

Operations

Korean War. The invasion of South Korea by North Korea on 25 June brought part of the SAC force into combat for the first time. On 3 July, General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USAF Chief of Staff, ordered the 22d and 92d Bomb Groups to deploy their B-29s to the Far East to carry out conventional bombing operations north of the 38th parallel. The 22d went to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and the 92d deployed to Yokota Air Base, Japan. Upon arrival at these bases, the two groups joined the 19th Bomb Group, another B-29 unit that was assigned to the Far East Air Forces (FEAF), to form the FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional). Organized on 8 July 1950 by Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer, FEAF Commander, the Bomber Command was manned largely by SAC personnel. Its first commander was Major General Emmett “Rosie” O’Donnell, Jr., who was temporarily pulled out of his job as commander of the Fifteenth Air Force to direct the bombing effort in Korea. SAC’s 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (RB-29s) was on temporary duty at Kadena when the Korean conflict began. It was also attached to the FEAF bomber Command.

FEAF Bomber Command’s first strike was on 13 July, when fifty B-29s of the 19th, 22d, and 92d Bomb Groups hit Wonsan, an important North Korean port.

Three B-29 groups soon proved to be insufficient to carry out strategic bombing and provide the more immediate tactical support to ground troops. In early August, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander Allied Powers, accepted a Joint Chiefs of Staff offer of two more SAC B-29 groups, the 98th and 307th. The 98th flew its first combat mission from Yokota on 7 August, five days after leaving Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington; and the 307th launched its first strike from Kadena on 8 August, one week after leaving MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

By late September, the strategic bombardment offensive was finished. The FEAF Bomber Command had destroyed all significant strategic targets and enemy airfields in North Korea, and General MacArthur allowed the 22d and 92d Bomb Groups to return home. The 98th and 307th remained in the Far East under the operational control of FEAF.

Effective 16 November, the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron moved without personnel and equipment from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, to Yokota Air Base, Japan. The 91st absorbed personnel and aircraft of the 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, which returned to Travis Air Force Base, California.

27th Fighter Wing in Korean War, first F-84E. On 8 November, the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing was directed to deploy to the Far East. Movement of the 27th’s 75 F-84Es (the first F-84E was delivered in early 1950) was accomplished by aircraft carriers. It took approximately two weeks to make the trip from San Diego Naval Air Station, California, to Yokosuka, Japan. Upon arrival in Japan, Colonel Ashley B. Packard, the wing commander, established a rear echelon at Itazuke and took his fighters to Taegu Air Field in South Korea. The first F-84 mission was launched from Taegu on 6 December. The F-84s were used primarily for reconnaissance and close support missions. The 27th was still in the Far East at the end of the year.

Fox Able Three and the second Mackay Trophy. In September and October, the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing flew 180 F-84E fighters from Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, to Furstenfeldbruck, Germany. Nicknamed Fox Able Three, this gigantic ferry mission was divided into two almost equal flights. The first contingent of 90 aircraft left Bergstrom on 15 September. One aircraft aborted the flight before the first leg was completed, but the other 89 fighters continued the mission, stopping five times en route for fuel. On 18 September, 84 fighters landed at Furstenfeldbruck, having covered approximately 5,858 miles in 16 hours and three minutes, actual flying time. The other five fighters, held up for mechanical troubles at Keflavik, Iceland, landed in Germany on 19 September.

Airlifted back to Bergstrom by Military Air Transport Service aircraft, the 27th’s crews began getting ready for the second phase of Fox Able Three. On 15 October, 92 F-84s took off from Bergstrom, following the same route as the first flight. Bad weather hampered this phase of the flight, and it was not until 28 October that 91 fighters (one aircraft had trouble on the first leg and landed at Memphis, Tennessee) finally landed in Germany. Colonel Cy Wilson, the 27th commander, directed the two flights as task force commander, flying in the lead aircraft.

For this flight, the 27th Wing received the Mackay Trophy for 1950. General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USAF Chief of Staff, made the presentation to Colonel Raymond F. Rudell, the wing commander, at Bergstrom on 11 December 1951.

First KB-29P. On 1 September, the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Biggs Air Force Base, Texas, received the first KB-29P tanker (serial number 44-86427). Prior to delivery of this aircraft, all SAC tankers were KB-29Ms, equipped with British-developed hose refueling equipment. The British system involved trailing a hose from the tanker to the receiver and transferring fuel by means of gravity. In the flying boom system, as developed by the Boeing Airplane Company, a telescopic pipe was lowered from the tanker, connected to a socket in the receiver aircraft, and the fuel transfer was made with the aid of a pump.

First RB-45. On 26 August, SAC’s first RB-45, a “C” model, four-engine jet reconnaissance aircraft was delivered to the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

SAC 1951 Korean War Period

Resources

Personnel
144,525 (19,747 officers, 113,224 airmen, 11,554 civilians)

Tactical Aircraft
1,186 (340 B-29, 219 B-50, 98 B-36, 12 B-47, 187 KB-29, 21 KC-97, 38 B/RB-45, 65 RB-36, 40 RB-50, 30 RB-29, 4 C-82, 36 C-124, and 96 F-84)

Tactical Units
Three Heavy Bomb Wings (30 UE), two with B-36s and one in process of converting from B-29s to B-36s
19 Medium Bomb Wings (45 UE), 12 with or equipping with B-29s (including two TOY with FEAF), four with B-50s, one with both B-29s and B-50s, one with B-47s and one converting from B-29s to B-47s
Two Heavy Reconnaissance Wings (30 UE) with RB-36s
Four Medium Reconnaissance Wings, one (45 UE) with RB-50s, RB-29s, and C-82s, one (45 UE) with B/RB-45s, and two (36 UE) with or equipping with RB-29s
One RB-29 Reconnaissance Squadron (12 UE) TDY with FEAF
Three Fighter Escort Wings (75 UE) being equipped with F-84Gs
16 Medium Air Refueling Squadrons (13 20 UE and three 12 UE), ten with KB-29s, two partially equipped with KC-97s, and four without aircraft assigned
Three Strategic Support Squadrons (12 UE) with C-124s

Active Bases
22 in CONUS and 11 overseas (North Africa, Puerto Rico, and United Kingdom)

Organization

In January, Headquarters USAF approved General LeMay’s proposal to reorganize SAC’s combat forces at base level. Prior to this reorganization, each combat wing consisted of a wing headquarters, a combat group of tactical squadrons, a maintenance and supply group, an air base group (air base groups had replaced airdrome groups in 1948), and a medical group. This standard structure existed in most combat wings, including those on both single and double-wing bases. On two-wing bases (these were becoming more prevalent with the tremendous expansion brought about by the Korean conflict) the senior wing commander exercised control over the junior wing commander.

Under the new system which was effected in February, each wing was reorganized to consist of a wing headquarters; a combat group of tactical squadrons and, where applicable, air refueling and aviation squadrons; three maintenance squadrons; and an air base group of housekeeping squadrons, a supply squadron, and a medical squadron. Medical and maintenance and supply groups were discontinued. The combat group headquarters was not discontinued at this time but continued to exist in name only. The wing commander served as the combat group commander. Gradually, the term “group” was falling into disuse and the term “wing” was becoming more popular.

Air divisions assigned. In conjunction with this reorganization, SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to organize air division headquarters on double-wing bases and to operate only one air base group on these installations. Composed of approximately 17 people, representing the functions of command, operations, materiel, and administration, the air division headquarters served as an intermediate echelon of command between the combat wings and the numbered air force headquarters. The air division commander exercised direct control over the two wing commanders and the air base group commander. The first five air divisions were organized on 10 February at the indicated bases: 4th, Barksdale; 6th, MacDill; 12th, March; 14th, Travis; and 47th, Walker.

5th Air Division established in French Morocco. Effective 14 January, Headquarters 5th Air Division was activated at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, with Major General Archie J. Old, Jr., being named commander. General Old began forming a new staff and making preparations to move to French Morocco in June. Instead of going directly to French Morocco as planned, General Old and his staff were sent to England in late April to open Headquarters 7th Air Division, the staff of which had been lost in a plane crash.

In late May, with a new 7th Air Division commander in place and another staff being formed, General Old and his staff moved on to Rabat, French Morocco, where Headquarters 5th Air Division was opened on 14 June. The primary mission of the new air division headquarters was to conclude negotiations for use of bases in French Morocco, to monitor construction of these facilities, and to supervise training of SAC units at these bases.

7th Air Division established in England. After the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, the U.S. and Great Britain decided jointly to build a number of bases in England to accommodate USAF aircraft. Pending completion of these bases, other airfields were earmarked for use by SAC. These included several bases that had been supporting SAC rotational units since 1948. In early 1951, Headquarters USAF approved General LeMay’s proposal to establish an air division headquarters in England to monitor the base development program and to supervise SAC units rotating there. Effective 20 March, Headquarters 7th Air Division was activated at South Ruislip, London, England. On the same day, at Headquarters SAC, a briefing was held for Brigadier General Paul T. Cullen, who had been selected to command the new air division.

General Cullen and about 50 members of his new staff left for England on 23 March, but they were lost en route when their C-124 crashed somewhere in the Atlantic. On 26 April, Major General Archie J. Old, Jr. assumed temporary command of the 7th Air Division and opened the new headquarters. General Old remained in this position until 24 May, at which time Major General John P. McConnell assumed command and began forming a new staff. General Old and his people moved on to French Morocco.

Operations

Korean War. Throughout 1951, the 98th and 307th Bomb Wings remained in the Far East under the operational control of the FEAF Bomber Command. Their B-29s were engaged primarily in attacking bridges, marshalling yards, supply and troop camps, and various other targets. The 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron also remained in the Far East and supported the FEAF Bomber Command effort with photographic and surveillance missions. In June, the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing began training its replacements from other major air commands and by the end of August it had returned to Berg-strom, leaving its F-84Es in the Far East. Upon returning to Bergstrom, the 27th began making preparations to receive the F-84G Thunderjet fighters (first aircraft delivered on 23 September), which were equipped for inflight refueling. No additional SAC fighter wings were called upon to serve in Korea.

First B-47. Committed to production in 1949, the B-47 medium bomber first made its appearance in the 306th Bomb Wing on 23 October. On that day, Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, Wing Commander, flew the first operational B-47 (serial number 50-008) from the Boeing Airplane Company plant at Wichita, Kansas, to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. On 19 November, in a ceremony at MacDill, this B-47 was named “The Real McCoy.” The B-47 was a revolutionary aircraft. It was powered by six jet engines, strut-mounted under the wings, and was categorized as a 600-mph bomber. The authorized complement was 45 for each wing.

First KC-97. The 306th Air Refueling Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, was the first unit to begin equipping with the KC-97 tanker. Its first aircraft, a KC-97E, was delivered on 14 July. Outfitted with a flying boom and loaded with fuel tanks, the four-engine, propeller-driven KC-97 could fly fast enough to match the minimum speed of the B-47. It transformed the B-47 into an intercontinental bomber. Each KC-97 squadron was authorized 20 aircraft. Serial number of first KC-97 was 51-183.

Rotational training. Seven medium bombardment groups, two strategic reconnaissance groups, and selected squadrons deployed to overseas locations, with most of the units going to the United Kingdom. However, rotations were also made to Japan, Guam, and Tripoli.

First B-36 flight to England. On 16 January, the first B-36s arrived in England. Six B-36Ds of the 7th Bomb Wing, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, landed at Lakenheath RAF Station, England, having staged through Limestone Air Force Base, Maine. The flight returned to Carswell on 20 January.

First B-36 flight to French Morocco. On 3 December 1951, the first B-36s arrived in French Morocco. Six B-36s of the llth Bomb Wing landed at Sidi Slimane, French Morocco, having flown nonstop from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas. The flight returned on 6 December.

The Daedalian Trophy. For its flying safety record in 1951, the Strategic Air Command received the Daedalian Trophy. First awarded for calendar year 1950, this trophy was established by the Order of the Daedalians, an organization of World War I pilots. It was administered by Headquarters USAF and awarded to the major air command with the lowest aircraft accident rate.

Bombing Competition

Third competition. With abatement of the threat of World War II developing out of the Korean conflict, the bombing competition was resumed and expanded. To stress the importance of celestial navigation and to enable reconnaissance wings to compete, navigation was included as a separate phase of the meet. MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, served as the competition headquarters as well as the staging base for medium aircraft, while Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, was the staging base for heavy aircraft. Held from 13 through 18 August, the third meet was attended by 45 SAC crews representing 12 bomb wings and three reconnaissance wings and flying B/RB-36, B/RB-29, and B-50 aircraft.

Two Royal Air Force crews using standard B-29s also participated. Bombing requirements included three visual releases and four radar runs, and the navigation phase included three night celestial navigation legs.

Fairchild Trophy awarded. In addition to numerous trophies for separate fields of bombing and navigation, the Fairchild Trophy was presented for the first time to the outstanding bomb unit in the combined fields of navigation and bombing. Named in honor of General Muir S. Fairchild, a former USAF vice chief of staff, this trophy bore the inscription: “In honor of General Muir S. Fairchild and to promote national security, this trophy is presented to the Strategic Air Command by the Hughes Aircraft Company.” The first recipient of this trophy was the 97th Bomb Wing, a B-50 unit of the Eighth Air Force.

SAC 1952 Korean War Period

Resources

Personnel
166,021 (20,282 officers, 134,072 airmen, 11,667 civilians)

Tactical Aircraft
1,638 (154 B-36, 114 RB-36, 62 B-47, 224 B-50, 39 RB-50, 230 F-84, 417 B-29, 18 RB-29, 36 C-124, 22 RB-45, 4 C-82, 179 KB-29, 139 KC-97)

Tactical Units
Five Heavy Bomb Wings (30 UE), three with B-36s, one being equipped with B-36s, and one without aircraft
Four Heavy Strategic Reconnaissance Wings (30 UE), two with RB-36s and two in process of being equipped with RB-36s
21 Medium Bomb Wings, eleven (45 UE); five with B-50s, two with B-29s, and four equipping with B-47s, and ten (30 UE), nine with and one equipping with B-29s (includes two TDY with FEAF)
Five Medium Strategic Reconnaissance Wings, three (45 UE), one with RB-50s and C-82s, one with RB-45s, and one to be equipped with RB-47s, and two (30 UE) with B/RB-29s
One squadron (10 UE) of RB-29s TDY with FEAF
Four Strategic Fighter Wings (75 UE) with F-84s
Three Strategic Support Squadrons (12 UE) with C-124s
19 Medium Air Refueling Squadrons (20 UE), ten with KB-29s, six with KC-97s, and three in process of equipping with KC-97s

Active Bases
26 in CONUS and 10 overseas (Puerto Rico, North Africa, and United Kingdom)

Organization

Combat groups inactivated. Effective 16 June, all bombardment, fighter, and reconnaissance groups were inactivated. Simultaneously, the combat squadrons were assigned to the wings. For all practical purposes, the combat groups had ceased to exist in 1951 when the wings were reorganized and the group headquarters were left unmanned.

Medical groups activated. Effective 14 February, medical squadrons were redesignated medical groups and assigned to wings.

SAC insignia approved. On 4 January, Headquarters USAF approved an insignia for the Strategic Air Command. The design for the insignia evolved out of a contest conducted in late 1951. With a $100 U.S. Defense Bond as the prize, the contest drew entries from 60 military and civilian personnel scattered throughout the command. The judges, Generals LeMay, Power, and Kissner, selected the design submitted by Staff Sergeant R. T. Barnes, who was assigned to the 92d Bomb Wing, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. The significance of the insignia:

The blue sky is representative of the Air Force operations. The arm and armor is a symbol of strength, power and loyalty and represents the science and art of employing far-reaching advantages in securing the objectives of war. The olive branch, a symbol of peace, and the lightning flashes, symbols of speed and power, are qualities underlying the mission of the Strategic Air Command.

Operations

Korean War. B-29s of the 98th and 307th Bomb Wings and RB-29s of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron continued to support the UN efforts in Korea.

RB-45 flight Alaska to Japan and third Mackay Trophy. On 29 July, a 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing RB-45C (serial number 48-042), commanded by Major Louis H. Carrington, made the first nonstop, transpacific flight from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, to Yokota Air Base, Japan. This flight, which was made possible by two KB-29 inflight refuelings, earned Major Carrington and his two-man crew the Mackay Trophy for 1952.

Fox Peter One and Fox Peter Two. The use of inflight refueling as a means of speeding up mass flights of fighters was tested during two significant deployments to Japan.

In early July, Colonel David C. Schilling led 58 F-84Gs of the 31st Fighter-Escort Wing from Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, to Misawa and Chitose Air Bases, Japan. This flight, nicknamed Fox Peter One, was the first mass fighter deployment to be supported by inflight refueling. KB-29 tankers of the 2d and 91st Air Refueling Squadrons refueled the fighters on the first leg of the flight from Turner to Travis Air Force Base, California. The second refueling, conducted by tankers of the 2d, 91st, and 93d Air Refueling Squadrons, was carried out on the Travis to Hawaii leg of the flight. From Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, the fighters island-hopped to Japan, with en route stops at Midway, Wake, Eniwetok, Guam, and Two Jima.

It took approximately ten days to complete that portion of the flight from California to Japan. In late 1950, it had taken over two weeks to move the 27th Wing’s F-84Es by aircraft carriers from California to Japan, and it took several more days to uncrate the fighters and get them ready for combat. For this 10,919-mile flight, the 31st Wing was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in early 1954. The 31st was the first unit to receive this USAF award. The 27th Fighter-Escort Wing was selected to replace the 31st Wing in Japan under the 90-day rotational training program. Nicknamed Fox Peter Two, this deployment involved 75 F-84Gs under the command of Colonel Donal J. M. Blakeslee. The 7,800-mile flight, much shorter than Fox Peter One, began at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, on 3 October and terminated at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on 14 October. En route stops were made at Travis, Hickam, and Midway, and inflight refuelings were accomplished on the Travis to Hickam and the Midway to Misawa legs. Aircraft were grounded one day at Hickam and held over another day at Midway because of bad weather.

The Daedalian Trophy. For the second consecutive year, the Strategic Air Command had the lowest aircraft accident rate in USAF. It received the Daedalian Trophy.

Bombing Competition

Held from 13 through 18 October, the fourth Bombing Competition involved ten B-29, five B-50, and four B-36 wings. Medium bombers staged out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and the heavy bombers operated out of Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Royal Air Force entered the meet with four crews, two flying Washington (B-29) medium bombers and two flying Lincoln heavy bombers. Ground rules were altered somewhat for this meet. Each SAC wing sent only two crews instead of three as in previous years. Eighth Air Force’s 97th Bomb Wing and Fifteenth’s 93d Bomb Wing, both flying B-50Ds, tied for the Fairchild Trophy, and Major General Thomas S. Power, Vice Commander of SAC, flipped a coin to decide which would gain possession of the trophy for the first half of the ensuing year. The 93d won this privilege.

Reconnaissance Competition

Planned as an annual event, the initial SAC Reconnaissance, Photo, and Navigation Competition was held between 23 October and 1 November. Twelve crews representing four wings, two RB-36, one RB-50, and one RB-45, participated. The RB-45s and RB-50s staged out of Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, while the RB-36s flew from Rapid City Air Force Base, South Dakota. The 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, an RB-36 unit of the Eighth Air Force, had the highest score in the combined areas of photo-reconnaissance and navigation and won the P. T. Cullen Award. This impressive sterling silver trophy was named in honor of Brigadier General Paul T. Cullen. Prior to his death in a C-124 crash on 23 March 1951, General Cullen had been one of the leading photo-reconnaissance authorities in the United States.

1953

Resources

Personnel 170,982
(19,944 officers, 138,782 airmen, 12,256 civilians)

Tactical Aircraft
1,830 (185 B-36, 137 RB-36, 329 B-47, 138 B-50, 38 RB-50, 235 F-84, 110 B-29, 8 RB-29, 49 C-124, 143 KB-29, 359 KC-97, 88 YRB-47, 11 RB-47)

Tactical Units
Six Heavy Bomb Wings (30 UE) with B-36s
Four Heavy Strategic Reconnaissance Wings (30 UE) with RB-36s
22 Medium Bomb Wings, 17 45 UE, seven with and six in process of equipping with B-47s, three equipped with B-50s, and one with B-29s, and five 30 UE with B-29s (includes two TDY with FEAF)
Five Medium Strategic Reconnaissance Wings, four 45 UE, one equipped with RB-50s, two partially equipped with YRB-47s, and one partially equipped with RB-47s, and one (30 UE) partially equipped with RB-29s
One RB-29 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (10 UE) TDY with FEAF
Six Strategic Fighter Wings (75 UE), five with F-84s and one with no aircraft
28 Medium Air Refueling Squadrons (20 UE), 20 equipped or equipping with KC-97s and eight equipped or equipping with KB-29s
Four Strategic Support Squadrons (12 UE) with C-124s

Active Bases
29 CONUS bases and 10 overseas (North Africa, Puerto Rico, and United Kingdom)

Organization

Although SAC continued to grow throughout 1953, this growth was tempered somewhat by the USAF wing program being reduced slightly from a goal of 143 to 120 combat wings.

Strategic fighter wings. Effective 20 January, SAC’s four fighter-escort wings (12th, 27th, 31st, and 508th) were redesignated strategic fighter wings in recognition of their developing an atomic bombing capability. Two additional F-84 strategic fighter wings were activated in 1953.

Korean War. The 98th and 307th Bomb Wings and the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron continued to serve in a combat capacity with the FEAF Bomber Command until the fighting ended on 27 July. With exception of FEAF’s own 19th Bomb Wing, the FEAF Bomber Command was composed entirely of SAC units and was commanded by SAC personnel. Through the three-year conflict, the Bomber Command’s B-29s flew 21,328 effective combat sorties, including 1,995 reconnaissance sorties and 797 psychological warfare sorties. The B-29s dropped 167,100 tons of bombs on various targets ranging from front line enemy troop emplacements to airfields on the banks of the Yalu River. The 98th and 307th Bomb Wings and the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron were included in the South Korean Presidential Unit Citation that was bestowed upon the FEAF Bomber Command, Provisional. These units remained in the Far East throughout 1953.

Operations

Operation Longstride and fourth Mackay Trophy. The deployment of F-84Gs across the Atlantic became equally important to SAC operations, particularly since the F-84 had been converted to a fighter-bomber with a nuclear bombing capability. Nicknamed Operation Longstride, the first mass nonstop fighter flight over the Atlantic was a dual mission conducted by the 31st and 508th Strategic Fighter Wings, located at Turner Air Force Base, Georgia. These wings were assigned to the 40th Air Division.

The first phase of Operation Longstride began at 0743, ZULU time, on 20 August, when Colonel David C. Schilling, 31st Wing Commander, led a flight of nine F-84s off the runway at Turner Air Force Base. One Thunderjet spare accompanied the flight as far as Savannah, Georgia, and then returned home, while the main flight of eight continued on its way to North Africa. Three inflight refuelings by KC-97 aircraft were required to get the fighters across the Atlantic.

Operating out of Kindley Air Force Base, Bermuda, KC-97s of the 305th Air Refueling Squadron furnished the first two refuelings, while KC-97s of the 26th Air Refueling Squadron positioned at Lajes Air Force Base, Azores, provided the third refueling. The formation of eight landed at Nouasseur Air Base, French Morocco, approximately 10 hours and 20 minutes after leaving Turner. After spending a few days at Lakenheath RAF Station, England, the flight returned to Turner on 2 September.

Within a few minutes after Colonel Schilling’s flight was on its way to North Africa, the second phase of Operation Longstride began. This flight of 20 Thunderjets was led by Colonel Thayer S. Olds, 40th Air Division Commander, and Colonel Cy Wilson, 508th Wing Commander. Using the North Atlantic route, the 508th’s fighters were also refueled three times, once over Boston by KB-29 tankers of the 100th Air Refueling Squadron, once near Labrador by KC-97s of the 26th Air Refueling Squadron, and once near Iceland by KC-97s of the 306th Air Refueling Squadron, which was TDY to England. The main flight of 17 landed at Lakenheath RAF Station, England, approximately 11 hours and 20 minutes after leaving Turner. Three Thunder-jets were held over one day at Keflavik before completing the flight. The flight returned to Turner on 12 September.

The 40th Air Division received the Mackay Trophy for Operation Long-stride.

First B-47 wing deployment. From 22 January through 20 February, the 306th Bomb Wing, the first B-47 wing, was subjected to an exhaustive exercise, Sky Try, in which the B-47 was tested under simulated combat conditions.

Shortly after completion of Sky Try, SAC decided the 306th was ready for a 90-day rotational training mission to England. B-29 and B-50 wings had been rotating there since 1948. The 306th’s deployment originated at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and involved equal flights of 15 B-47s on 3, 4, and 5 June. The B-47s staged through Limestone Air Force Base, Maine, where they remained overnight before going on the next day. They landed at Fair-ford RAF Station on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of June. The B-47 record of five hours and 38 minutes over the 3,120 mile route from Limestone to Fairford, established by Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, 306th Wing Commander, on a 6 April indoctrination flight was broken nine times before the deployment was over. The best time was recorded by the last B-47 to land on 6 June. It completed the trip in five hours and 22 minutes, averaging about 575 miles per hour. The 306th Air Refueling Squadron’s KC-97s, crammed with support personnel and equipment, deployed on the same dates as the B-47s. They stopped overnight at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, and then flew on to Mildenhall RAF Station.

When the 90-day rotation was over, the 305th Bomb Wing, SAC’s second B-47 wing, was ready to begin rotational training. As the 305th arrived in England—the bombers went to Brize Norton and the tankers to Mildenhall— the 306th began returning home. The return flight was nonstop, with the 306th Air Refueling Squadron’s tankers providing one inflight refueling for the bombers shortly after leaving England. By the time the 305th’s tour was over the 22d Wing had completed the transition to B-47s and was ready to rotate. The policy of maintaining at least one B-47 wing in England at all times would continue until early 1958.

RB-45s to FEAF. On 1 December, SAC’s last four RB-45s, which had been assigned to a detachment of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, were transferred to FEAF.

Operation Big Stick. In August and September, the 92d Bomb Wing made the first mass B-36 flight to the Far East, visiting bases in Japan, Okinawa, and Guam. Nicknamed Operation Big Stick this 30-day exercise came shortly after the termination of hostilities in Korea and demonstrated the U.S. determination to use every means possible to maintain peace in the Far East.

Bombing Competition

Seventeen bomb wings sent two crews each to the Fifth Bombing Competition, which was held between 25 and 31 October. For the first time in the competition’s history spare aircraft were prohibited. This placed emphasis upon high quality maintenance. The B-47 made its first appearance in the competition, with seven participating wings staging out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico, was the staging base for ten wings, four B-36, four B-50, and two B-29.

Maintenance was extremely good as there was only one ground abort. Results of the competition for the Fairchild Trophy were extremely close, with the winner not being decided until the last mission was flown. The 92d Bomb Wing, a B-36 unit of the Fifteenth Air Force, won the trophy with 1,687 points, edging out its nearest competitor, a B-50D wing, by 20 points. The B-50D wings fared extremely well in the meet, with the other three units taking third, fourth, and fifth places. The B-47 fell below expectations in several aspects, particularly navigation, and of the seven wings competing, one placed ninth, one tenth, and the other five brought up the rear.

Reconnaissance Competition

Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, was the staging base for this second competition, which was held from 18 through 27 October. The fourteen competing crews represented seven wings (four RB-36, one RB-50, one RB-29, and one YRB-47). The 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, an RB-36 unit of the Fifteenth Air Force, won the P. T. Cullen Award.