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Ed,
I think we are getting closer - the ROK AF
Home Page gives a brief history.
It bought 10 AT-6s with private funds in
1949. These were outfitted for combat and, in fact, they flew combat
missions in the war. Whether AT-6s were designed for training or not
is a mute point. The fact of the matter is that these planes were equipped
with live armament and hence, they were combat planes.
Young
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 7:42
AM
Subject: Re: ROKA - add
>YS,
> >>South Korean sources claim that
the fighter-bombers were bought via a
> 'private' channel with money
donated by the citizens because Amercica
> refused to give Rhee any
'modern' war planes. <<
This was answered in previous
post.
> >>However, some American sources claim that Gen.
Chenault recommended 25
> F-51s for Rhee's air force. Gen.
MacArthur rejected this recommendation
> at first but then
'reluctantly' approved it on Rhee's "I gotta have them'
> insistance,
and the transfer began in 1949. <<
The part about Chennault
RECOMMENDING that ROKAF be equipped with F-51's is
correct but as noted,
rejected at first. The 1949 date for delivery of
F-51s is
incorrect. The first F-51s weren't turned over to ROKAF until
late
1950 and after the pilots training in the U.S. had been taught to fly
high-performance aircraft.
> >>The official line is that
the transfer began after the war started and
> Col. Hess (Rock
Hudson) was there to prove it. <<
>Official line
is correct and U.S. aircraft records back it up.
Ed
Ed Evanhoe,
PO Box 916, Antlers, OK, 74523
Author: DARKMOON: Eighth Army Special
Operations in the Korean War
Life Member: Special Forces &
Special Operations Associations
Co-List owner: KOREAN-WAR-L Web Site:
http://www.korean-war.com
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