543d Tactical Support Group
Encyclopedia
The 543d Tactical Support Group was a United States Air Force
unit that fought in the Korean War
. The unit was attached to Far East Air Forces Fifth Air Force
Operational Units:
At the outset of the Korean War, the only tactical reconnaissance squadron (TRS) available in the Far East, the 8th TRS began flying RF-80 daylight reconnaissance missions over Korea. A few days before the Inchon landings in September 1950, it provided photography for the U.S. Navy to show high- and low-tide heights of the sea walls and to orient landing crews. Meanwhile, the 162nd TRS, flying RB-26s, and the photo-processing 363rd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron (RTS) moved from Langley AFB Virginia
to Japan and began operations in August. Requests for photo reconnaissance were so extensive that in September Far East Air Forces activated a temporary unit, the 543d Tactical Support Group (TSG) to control the reconnaissance squadrons already engaged and to form a visual reconnaissance squadron. Except for the 45th TRS, the group's headquarters and tactical squadrons moved to Korea in early October. It encountered difficulties in command arrangements, physical separation from the supporting 363rd RTS, and other problems. Then, the Chinese intervention required temporary withdrawal to Japan in December of all but advanced echelons. In late December the 45th TRS began operations with T-6s and F-51s.
Stations:
Aircraft Flown:
Aircraft Flown:
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit that fought in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The unit was attached to Far East Air Forces Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
Operational Units:
- 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic8th Flying Training SquadronThe 8th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 71st Flying Training Wing based at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the T-6A Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.-History:...
- 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron45th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 45th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 55th Operations Group and stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.-Overview:...
- 162nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic
- 6166th Air Weather Reconnaissance Flight
At the outset of the Korean War, the only tactical reconnaissance squadron (TRS) available in the Far East, the 8th TRS began flying RF-80 daylight reconnaissance missions over Korea. A few days before the Inchon landings in September 1950, it provided photography for the U.S. Navy to show high- and low-tide heights of the sea walls and to orient landing crews. Meanwhile, the 162nd TRS, flying RB-26s, and the photo-processing 363rd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron (RTS) moved from Langley AFB Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
to Japan and began operations in August. Requests for photo reconnaissance were so extensive that in September Far East Air Forces activated a temporary unit, the 543d Tactical Support Group (TSG) to control the reconnaissance squadrons already engaged and to form a visual reconnaissance squadron. Except for the 45th TRS, the group's headquarters and tactical squadrons moved to Korea in early October. It encountered difficulties in command arrangements, physical separation from the supporting 363rd RTS, and other problems. Then, the Chinese intervention required temporary withdrawal to Japan in December of all but advanced echelons. In late December the 45th TRS began operations with T-6s and F-51s.
Stations:
- Itazuke AB, Japan, (September – October 1950)
- Taegu AB, South Korea (K-37), (October 1950 – January 1951)
- Komaki AB, Japan, (January – February 1951)
Aircraft Flown:
- Douglas RB-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
- Lockheed RF-80A Shooting StarP-80 Shooting StarThe Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...
- North American RF-51D Mustang
- North American T-6 TexanT-6 TexanThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
Aircraft Flown:
- Republic F-84G ThunderjetF-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...