Naval Aviation in the Korean War: Aircraft, Ships, and Men

304 Pages·2012·13.01 MB·English

by  Thompson

This book is dedicated to all the naval aviators and crewmen that served in
the Korean War. Also to my mother, Mary J. Thompson, who was born
in 1911, the year that marked the birth of US naval aviation.
The USS Valley Forge (CV 45) steams toward the North Korean coast just days
after the Korean War started. Its Air Group-5 flew the first strikes deep info
enemy territory on 3 and 4 July. The Panthers shown on the deck were from VF-
51 and VF-52. (US Navy)

First published in Great Britain in 2012 by
Pen & Sword Aviation
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2AS
Copyright © Warren E. Thompson 2012
9781783031481
The right of Warren E. Thompson to be identified as Author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library.

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recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission
from the Publisher in writing.

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Table of Contents
Dedication
Title Page
Copyright Page
Author’s Note
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE - Slowing the North Korean Juggernaut
CHAPTER TWO - Total Rout of the North Korean Army
CHAPTER THREE - Enter the Dragon
CHAPTER FOUR - Endless Interdiction and Close Air Support
CHAPTER FIVE - Naval Air’s Top Aircraft in the Korean War
APPENDIX I - US Navy Carrier Deployments in the Korean War
APPENDIX II - US Navy Aircraft Lost in the Korean War
APPENDIX III - Aircraft Shot Down by Navy Pilots in the Korean War
Author’s Note
This book is about US Navy aircraft in the Korean War. Although the US
Marine Corps were considered part of this air arm, they also did such an
outstanding job in Korea that they deserve a separate book, which will possibly
come later. It would be next to impossible to go into details on every strike and
operation that naval aircraft flew in Korea, so the author has tried to touch on as
many as possible with the emphasis placed on personal comments and
recollections from the pilots that flew the missions and their support personnel.
Naval aviation contributed heavily to saving South Korea from communism,
which allowed it to develop into the great country it is today.
Each aircraft carrier involved in combat operations off the coast of Korea had a
detachment of the HO3S-1 helicopters, which were airborne when the air group
launched aircraft and when they recovered them in case one of the pilots had to
be pulled out of the water. This photograph was taken on the deck of the USS
Antietam (CV 36) in 1952. (National Archives)
About the Author
Warren Thompson has been an avid military aviation historian for over forty
years. He has written numerous books and magazine articles on subjects ranging
from pre-World War II all the way to the present, including Operation Iraqi
Freedom and the war in Afghanistan. Most of his efforts have been focused on
the American night fighters in World War II and all aspects of the Korean War.
He resides with his wife in Germantown, Tennessee.
The USS Oriskany (CVA 34) carried out one combat cruise that started in the
autumn of 1952 and lasted until mid-May 1953. They had Detachment-G of VC-
11 on board at that time. This specialized version of the Skyraider was known as
the AD-3W. Only thirty-one of this model were built for the Navy. This one was
part of Air Group-102. (Dan Keough)