The South African Air Force in Korea: an evaluation of 2 Squadron's first combat engagement, 19 November until 2 December 1950

Antonio Garcia

doi:10.17159/2309-8392/2021/v66n2a2

Abstract

South African participation in the Korean War (1950-1953) in direct support of an international military offensive led by the United States of America demonstrated the National Party administration's commitment to opposing Communism. This article details how the deployment of South African Air Force 2 Squadron achieved the strategic objectives of the South African government in supporting the anti-communist United States-led United Nations coalition in the Korean War. It evaluates the performance of South Africa's Air Force in their first operational test since the Second World War. The combat operations discussed under the scope of this article include the first tactical engagement of 2 Squadron in support of the initial advance (19 November to 21 December) 1950 and then later, the retreat of the United Nations force.

Highlights

In 1973, the eminent military historian, Sir Michael Howard, put forward the hypothesis that existing military doctrine and training would, very quickly, prove challenging or out of date during the initial combat of a new war
Two propositions regarding general military doctrine are discussed: “... first, in times of peace, armed forces imperfectly prepare for their conflict. The ability of these military forces to make adjustments to overcome this shortcoming is critical to their combat success.”1 The difficulty in applying the first principle is that the Korean War was led by the forces of the United States of America (USA) under the banner of the United Nations (UN), and the doctrine belonged to the Americans
The article shows that South African forces operated within an American doctrinal framework and details 2 Squadron’s ability to make adjustments in the theatre of operations

Summary

Introduction

In 1973, the eminent military historian, Sir Michael Howard, put forward the hypothesis that existing military doctrine and training would, very quickly, prove challenging or out of date during the initial combat of a new war. This article details and evaluates the performance of South African Airforce (SAAF)’s 2 Squadron, in its first tactical encounter in Korea, which took place between 19 November and 2 December 1950, and was able to integrate fully and operate effectively with an international military force during a war which lasted until 1953. Defence Force, and the South African National Defence Force, and transferred many of its doctrinal and administrative structures and processes, one of which was the war diary This important source allows researchers to re-create 2 Squadron’s first combat experience in Korea. Beyond the Edge of the Sky: Stories from the Life of Lt. This article fills a gap in recreating the first combat experience of 2 Squadron through an analysis of its performance and its ability to integrate into an international military force, in Korea in 1950

Background

27 Jul 1953

Squadron’s first tactical encounter

Conclusion