Attack on the Sui-ho Dam
Encyclopedia
The attack on the Sui-ho Dam was the collective name for a large series of air attacks by United Nations Command
air forces on thirteen hydroelectric generating facilities that took place June 23 and June 24, 1952, during the Korean War
. Primarily targeting the hydroelectric complex associated with the Sui-ho Dam in North Korea
, the attacks were intended to apply political pressure at the stalled truce negotiations at Panmunjeom
.
The attacks were conducted jointly by fighters and fighter-bombers of the United States Air Force
, United States Navy
, United States Marine Corps
, and South African Air Force
, the first time in 21 months that the separate air arms had worked together on a massive scale. It was followed seventeen days later by another series of large-scale joint attacks on the capital city of Pyongyang
.
The attacks succeeded in permanently destroying 90% of the facilities struck and completely knocked out power in North Korea for two weeks, as well as reducing available power to northeast China
by 23%. North Korea, however, built new facilities but did not restore its previous capacity until after the armistice in 1953. Their effect on the truce talks was also nil, as highly-publicized repercussions in both the UK
and the United States Congress
undermined their impact.
Four attacks on a much more limited scale occurred between September 12, 1952, and June 7, 1953, causing only minor damage and little impact on the outcome of the truce talks. UN forces also exerted pressure on the North Korean infrastructure by attacking the smaller power-generating plants of the North Korean power grid during the summer of 1952 to prevent them from filling the void in power generation.
(40°28′N 124°58′E), at the time the fourth largest in the world, had been constructed in 1941 by Japan
. The concrete dam was 2,800 feet (853 m) in length, 300 feet (97 m) thick at the base, 60 feet (18 m) wide at the crest, and 525 feet (160 m) in height. Its reservoir
storage capacity was more than 20 billion cubic meters, and the Japanese had built six turbine generators
each with a capacity of 100,000 kilowatts. The dam's generating facilities provided power for much of western North Korea and for the Port Arthur
and Dairen
regions of northeast China.
Three of the five other hydroelectric systems were located in proximity to each other in South Hamgyong Province north of Hungnam
. Each consisted of four plants 5–10 miles (8–16 km) apart along a thirty mile (50 km) stretch of river, numbered by planners 1 through 4, with plant 1 closest to its respective reservoir. The northernmost, the Kyosen (P'ungsan
) system, was on the Namdae Ch'on with its terminus at Tanch'on. The Fusen (Pujǒn
) system was due north of Hungnam on the Songch'on-gang, with its four plants close together but in mountain gorges
. The Choshin (Changjin
) ran south and then east in the mountain canyons from the Chosin Reservoir
and connected with the Songch'on-gang south of Fusen Plant No. 4.
(JCS). B-29 Superfortress
es of the United States Air Force had begun bombing industrial targets in North Korea soon after the invasion of the South
in the summer of 1950 but had not attacked any part of the power transmission grid. As early as August 23, 1950, while UN forces were still struggling to hold the Pusan Perimeter and well before the UN landing at Inchon
, planners of the FEAF had asked if the hydroelectric system should be attacked, no decision had yet been made as to whether North Korea was to be occupied.
On September 21, 1950, FEAF attacked a plant of the Fusen system near Hungnam, completely destroying its transformers, and recommended that all the plants be destroyed. General Douglas MacArthur
directed the attacks to proceed, but before that happened the JCS authorized MacArthur to enter North Korea and advised that targets of "long-term importance" including the hydroelectric plants should not be destroyed. A ban on bombing the Sui-ho (Sup'ung) Dam was put in place on November 6, 1950, at the direction of the U.S. State Department, to avoid providing a provocation for entry in the war by China
. Even after China's massive intervention in the following month the ban was never rescinded, and it was reiterated by the UN Command when the truce talks began in July 1951.
On March 3, 1952, when the peace talks appeared to be near stalemate, Air Force General Otto P. Weyland
, commanding Far East Air Forces, recommended to UN commander General
Matthew Ridgway
that the hydroelectric plants be attacked to "create psychological and political effects to our advantage." Ridgway rejected the plan and also informed the JCS that he was unwilling to use force except as the last resort.
On April 28, President Harry Truman announced that Ridgway was being replaced as commander in Korea by General Mark Clark
, and UN negotiators at Panmunjom made a compromise proposal on the stalemated issues. The next day the JCS asked Weyland to provide target information and recommendations in the event of complete stalemate, and he repeated his recommendation to bomb the hydroelectric plants. Ridgway objected to the JCS on May 1, stating that no attack should be made except on his recommendation, to which the JCS agreed. The next day the communists totally rejected the UN proposal, and while the talks continued, the UN took the stance that their position was irrevocable.
Clark took command on May 12, the first of a series of key changes in the military command in Korea. On May 19 Vice Admiral
Joseph J. Clark
became commander of the 7th Fleet, on May 30 Lt.Gen.
Glenn O. Barcus took over the Fifth Air Force
, and on June 4 VAdm. Robert P. Briscoe
became commander of Naval Forces Far East. All brought a new aggressiveness to their commands and were desirous of attacking the hydroelectric plants. Briscoe made the recommendation to Clark on June 6, followed by Weyland the next day.
At Clark's direction, FEAF prepared two attack plans on the system, one of which included bombing the Sui-ho Dam while the other did not. The three systems in South Hamgyong were targeted, while two smaller systems—one near the border with the Soviet Union
and the other immediately behind the battleline—were excluded. The plans, submitted to Clark on June 11, included both FEAF and Task Force 77 units, and Clark approved the lesser plan on June 17, naming Weyland as "coordinating agent". However in reviewing the plans, the JCS recommended to Truman that the Sui-ho Dam also be attacked and he approved. The JCS authorized the attack on June 19, and the alternate plan was put into effect with a tentative date of June 23 or June 24, which would allow Admiral Briscoe to use four aircraft carriers in the operation. The operations plan was finalized when Admiral Clark proposed to Weyland that naval aircraft, originally slated only for the eastern complexes, be added to the attack on Sui-ho.
The following air combat units were assigned to the attacks on the North Korean hydroelectric plants:
order of battle on June 23, 1952, was two fighter aviation divisions (USAF wing-equivalent
), totalling five regiments or from 150 MiG 15s. Per the second source, the Soviet fighter aviation regiment was the equivalent of an over-sized USAF squadron
or an under-sized USAF group
(24-36 aircraft).
Another fighter division was based in rear areas at Mukden and Anshan, with four additional regiments and approximately 90 MiG-15s. These units were primarily in training and were not operational until July 12.The Soviet rear area units were the 133rd IAD, 147th GIAP, 415th IAP, 726th IAP, and 578th IAP TOF (Tiho Okeanskogo Flota, i.e. "Pacific Ocean Fleet") (pilots only). The 37-mm guns of the PVO 87th ZAD (Antiaircraft Artillery Division) were responsible to provide local anti-aircraft artillery defense to Sui-ho, Choshin, Fusen and Kyosen.
SOURCE: The United States Air Force in Korea, p. 487
SOURCE: Carrier and Air Group Action Reports
Task Force 77 had four aircraft carriers available for the attacks. The was already on the line during the planning process, joined by the on June 2 and the on June 9. Rear Admiral Apollo Soucek was aboard Boxer and took operational command of Task Force 77. When Weyland approved Navy participation in the Sui-ho strike, the sailed from Yokosuka, Japan
, on June 21 to provide the added force needed, arriving early on June 23.
The mission was to be launched at 08:00 June 23 (all times local time zone), with strikes beginning at 09:30 at all targets. However weather reconnaissance aircraft reported unbroken clouds over the Yalu River
, and Weyland postponed the attack at 07:40. As the morning passed, however, the weather system moved south, and Weyland immediately reversed himself and at 13:00 ordered the attacks to proceed, using the heavy clouds as concealment for the attackers en route to their targets, with a new attack time of 16:00.
Aircraft from all three services were a mixture of propeller
-driven and jet aircraft
, and in general the propeller aircraft launched up to an hour earlier than the jets to coordinate their arrival over the target together. The carriers launched their propeller aircraft at 14:00 and their jets at 15:00. Air Force fighter-bombers, having the longest distance to fly, took off at 14:30. Because the Sui-ho Dam was located less than forty miles (65 km) from the MiG 15 fighter base complex at Antung/Tai Ton Chao/Phen Chen
in China, where 150 MiGs had been counted by the weather reconnaissance, a coordinated simultaneous arrival over the targets was crucial to limiting the effectiveness of any defensive reaction.
The carrier aircraft of TF77 crossed the Korean coast at Mayang-do northeast of Hungnam and flew low over the mountains at 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to mask their radar signature
. The propeller and jet divisions rendezvoused approximately 50 miles (80 km) east of Suiho shortly before 16:00 and climbed to the attack altitude of 10,000 feet (3,000 m) for a high-speed run-in.
Eighty-four F-86 Sabre
s of the 4th
and 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wings
were the first to arrive in the Sui-ho target area, to provide cover against MiG attack and, according to one participant, with part of the force ordered to keep MiGs from taking off by flying low over their bases, even though officially UN aircraft were not allowed to cross the Yalu except in hot pursuit
. According to US sources, 160 MiGs that took off before the arrival of the covering force flew deeper into China, possibly fearing the airfields were the targets, and none attempted to intercept the strike force.
Incursions into Manchuria by pilots of the 51st FIW to surprise MiGs over their own airfields had resulted in heavy losses for the 64th IAK during the previous months, with at least half of the MiGs destroyed in April and May 1952 shot down during take-offs or landings.The "sanctuary attacks" were allegedly conducted under an unofficial policy nicknamed Maple Special to establish contrived conditions for hot pursuit. (Dorr, Lake, and Thompson, p.41) The Soviets developed a counter-tactic to cover takeoffs from Antung with combat air patrol
s launched from Mukden and Anshan, but on June 23, despite good weather over Antung, inclement conditions prevented covering MiGs from taking off. In turn, this prevented Soviet fighters based at Antung from countering the strike to avoid pointless losses during takeoffs.
At 16:00, 35 Navy F9F Panther
s began runs to suppress the anti-aircraft fire
from 44 heavy caliber gun and 37 automatic weapons emplacements reported around the dam. Twelve AD Skyraiders of VA-65 off the Boxer then began their dive-bomb
ing runs on the Sui-ho generating stations, followed by 23 Skyraiders off the Princeton and Philippine Sea, releasing 81 tons of bombs in little more than two minutes.
Between 16:10 and 17:00, U.S. Air Force jets added 145 tons of bombs on the Sui-ho generating plant with 79 sorties by F-84 Thunderjet
s of the 49th and 136 Fighter-Bomber Groups (49th and 136th Fighter-Bomber Wings) and 45 by F-80 Shooting Star
s of the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group (8th Fighter-Bomber Wing).
At almost the same time, 52 F-51 Mustangs
of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group (18th Fighter-Bomber Wing
) and the South African 2 Squadron
struck Fusen plants 3 and 4, west of Hungnam, while 40 Marine Skyraiders and Corsairs
of MAG-12 bombed Choshin No. 4, and 38 Panthers of MAG-33 hit Choshin No. 3. The lower Fusen plants and the Kyosen complex were bombed by 102 Corsairs, 18 Skyraiders, and 18 Panthers off the carriers. In all on June 23, Task Force 77 flew 208 strike sorties and FEAF 202.Field claims 230 sorties, but the figure "208" is specifically cited in the action report of Boxer, CTF-77's flagship
. At 19:00, two RF-80 photo-recon aircraft of the 67th Reconnaissance Wing, escorted by six flights of F-86s, returned to Sui-ho, while Marine F2H-2P Banshee
photo-recon planes of VMJ-1 and Navy F9F-2P Panthers of VC-61 overflew the eastern systems to assess damage.
Two F-80Cs of the 8th FBW were battle-damaged by flak over Sui-ho, and written off after crash landings in Taegu. An F4U-4 flown by the squadron commander of VF-63 (from Boxer) was heavily damaged over Kyosen No. 4 and made a water-landing in which the pilot was rescued, the only naval plane lost. A VA-115 Skyraider (from Philippine Sea) had its hydraulic system damaged by flak over Sui-ho and diverted to K-14 airfield at Kimpo, South Korea, for a wheels-up landing, and another from VA-75 was severely damaged when it was struck by debris from a bomb explosion but recovered aboard Bon Homme Richard. The only other battle damage reported by the attacking units was by Carrier Air Group 11 off the Philippine Sea: a Corsair hit in an accessory compartment over Kyosen No. 3, and a Skyraider at Sui-ho struck by small arms
fire.
In the morning missions, Air Force F-84s and Navy Skyraiders attacked Sui-ho, judging it totally destroyed, with one Skyraider suffering minor damage. Princeton aircraft bombed Fusen, Mustangs of the 18th FBG hit the unscathed Choshin plants 1 and 2,The USAF official history notes that the targets had been "reserved" for attack by B-29s that night to mark the 2nd anniversary of the start of the war but that the Mustangs over-zealously struck them. and planes off Boxer and Philippine Sea struck the remainder of the Kyosen plants.
In the afternoon Princeton completed the destruction of Kyosen No. 3, but incurred the loss of a Corsair of VF-192 in the process, although the pilot was rescued at sea. Soviet records claimed that the loss of an F-86E of the 335th FIS, written off after its return to Kimpo, was the result of a MiG attack by a Soviet pilot.
Aircraft from the other three carriers struck transformer stations along the power grid at Chungdae-ri, Naemǒkpang, and Man'gyo-ri, in the vicinity of Kojǒ (Kangwon Province), and at Yuchǒn, Haeju, Chaeryong, Kaishu, and Chang-yôn in North Hwanghae Province. Choshin and Fusen were bombed by smaller numbers of Air Force fighters on June 25–27 to complete the attacks. Total bombing sorties were 730 by Air Force and Marine fighter-bombers and 546 by Navy aircraft. F-86 Sabres flew an additional 238 counter-air sorties to protect the force from MiGs.
Approximately 90% of North Korea's power-production capacity was destroyed in the attacks, with 11 of the 13 generating plants put totally out of operation and the remaining two doubtful of operating. China suffered an estimated loss of 23% of its electric requirements for northeast China, and other intelligence estimates stated that industrial output in 60% of its key industries in the Dairen region failed to meet production quota
s. For two weeks North Korea endured a total power blackout.
Both China and the Soviet Union immediately sent technicians into North Korea to repair or re-build loss generators. For much of the summer of 1952 only approximately 10% of former energy production was restored, primarily by its thermoelectric plants.
. In the Parliament of the United Kingdom
, Labour Party
leaders Clement Attlee
and Aneurin Bevan
attacked the operation as risking World War III
, even though there were no allegations of territorial violations or objections that the plants were non-military targets.
The Labour Party saw an opportunity to cripple the ruling Conservative
s and immediately called for a vote in the House of Commons
to censure the Churchill
government, but based on the British government's "failure to secure effective consultation" from the U.S. beforehand (The Minister of Defence, Lord Harold Alexander, had been in Korea when Clark first approved the FEAF plan but had left Korea before the JCS input). The government barely survived the vote after U.S. Secretary of State
Dean Acheson
publicly took the blame, stating the U.S. was at fault for not consulting the British "as a courtesy", although the price for this stance was undercutting General Clark and the Panmunjom negotiators. Field commented that cooperation between the services was much smoother than between the allies.
While conferring with Lord Alexander, General Clark had already agreed in principle to British requests for a representative of the UN staff, and Churchill's designee was appointed as a deputy chief of staff on July 31, 1952.
The other factor crippling the political effect of the strikes occurred in the United States and was just the opposite of that in Britain. Critics of the Truman administration in Congress
quickly seized on the military success of the strikes to question why the attacks had taken almost two years to be approved. General Clark, who agreed, so advised the JCS. Secretary of Defense Robert A. Lovett
, to whom the inquiries were made, cited seven factors, but some were long obsolete by the time of the attacks and others clearly badly estimated.
Despite the lack of political effect on the truce talks, and the widely-publicized negative reactions on both sides, the campaign against the hydroelectric system had become an accepted tactic of UN forces.
Task Force 77 renewed its attacks on July 3 by attacks of Navy aircraft from the carriers Philippine Sea, Bon Homme Richard, and Boxer. Both Kyosen power plants were targeted, as were three power plants at Puryŏng-ŭp (Funei). The latter, previously unstruck, had been scheduled to be bombed on June 29 but the mission had been cancelled by fog in the target area. Bon Homme Richards Air Group Seven further damaged Kyosen No.1, but smoke obscured Kyosen No.2, and it was restruck on July 8, destroying its powerhouse and penstocks (piping that delivers water to the turbines). USAF F-84s of the 49th FBW attacked the Choshin plants on July 8, striking the generators, transformer yards, and penstocks in 41 sorties.
On July 19, Air Group Seven's aircraft bombed Choshin No. 3, scoring five hits on its transformer yard, while Air Group Nineteen aboard Princeton bombed Choshin No. 1, and again on July 20, noting a significant increase in AAA defenses. On July 23, the thermo-electric plant at Wonsan
was attacked for the first time, by aircraft from Bon Homme Richard, which reported it completely destroyed. On the nights of July 19–20, and July 21–22, 44 B-29 sorties were flown against Choshin No. 2.
Air Group Seven attacked Puryŏng-ŭp No. 3 on July 26, the Kojǒ No. 3 transformer yard on July 31, Choshin No. 1 on August 1, Kyosen No. 2 on August 3, and Kyosen No. 1 on September 21. A newly activated air group, Air Task Group Two (ATG-2), aboard the USS Essex
, also attacked Kyosen No. 2 on August 3, then struck Choshin No. 1 and Kyosen No. 1 on August 5. In the fifteen attacks by the Navy, no carrier aircraft were lost. Further B-29 sorties were directed against Choshin No.1, sixteen on the night of August 29, and fifty on the night of September 1.
force of four specially-modified B-29 Superfortresses to jam Soviet AAA radars and communications, and a bombing force of 25 B-29s of the 19th
and 307th Bomb Groups using SHORAN navigation aids to locate the target.
After the take off at 19:00 hrs, the bomber force suffered its first setback when an unexpected cold front caused icing in the upper surfaces of wings and fuselage of some B-29s. One of the bombers stalled and crashed 19 miles (30 kilometers) north of Kangnung, killing all but one of its crew. The flak suppression forces was able to locate and attack only eight searchlights, and flak shot down an F4U-4 of VF-193.
The B-29 force arrived at Sui-ho at 23:55 hrs, but in spite of the jamming by the ECM aircraft encountered a dense flak barrage. A B-29 of the 307th BG was shot down by a MiG-15, with only one crew member surviving as a POW, and another of the 19th BG was damaged. Two others were hit by flak, making emergency landings at Taegu AB, South Korea. The intensity of AAA fire and MiG attacks dispersed the bomber formation with a consequential loss of accuracy. The Soviet after-action report stated:
Despite initial USAF estimates claiming five hits on the main powerhouse and three on the transformer yards, photo reconnaissance on October 12 reported that the complex was still in limited operation, indicated by the flow of tailrace
water from two turbines.
claimed an F-86 shot down, with its own MiG-15 pilot subsequently shot down killed. However, 4th FIW pilots claimed two MiGs shot down with no losses that date.The F-86 shown as written off on 10 May 1953 was reported by USAF as a loss due to accident.
A private source alleges that in connection with this mission, F-86s of the 4th FIW entered deep into Manchuria to ambush the Soviet MiGs while they were taking off, shooting down two MiGs of the 535th IAP, and that part of the 535th IAP evaded the blockading Sabres to engage the escort, damaging an F-86E of the 51st FIW beyond economic repair. The 781st IAP TOF claimed an F-86F of the 67th FBS as destroyed by MiG-15s when it was written off after return to base. USAF records, however, claim that the aircraft was a total loss after a tire failed during landing, and that its fighters shot down five MiGs.
The purpose of the strikes was to remind the communists that the UN intended to make continuation of the war as expensive as possible for them. Sui-ho's No. 6 and 7 generators, and that of Choshin No. 1, were back in operation at the time of the armistice.
United Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
air forces on thirteen hydroelectric generating facilities that took place June 23 and June 24, 1952, during 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...
. Primarily targeting the hydroelectric complex associated with the Sui-ho Dam in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, the attacks were intended to apply political pressure at the stalled truce negotiations at Panmunjeom
Panmunjeom
Panmunjom, located in Gyeonggi Province, is a village on the de facto border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War was signed. The building where the armistice was signed still stands, though it is on the northern side of the Military...
.
The attacks were conducted jointly by fighters and fighter-bombers of the United States Air Force
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...
, United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, and South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
, the first time in 21 months that the separate air arms had worked together on a massive scale. It was followed seventeen days later by another series of large-scale joint attacks on the capital city of Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
.
The attacks succeeded in permanently destroying 90% of the facilities struck and completely knocked out power in North Korea for two weeks, as well as reducing available power to northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
by 23%. North Korea, however, built new facilities but did not restore its previous capacity until after the armistice in 1953. Their effect on the truce talks was also nil, as highly-publicized repercussions in both the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
undermined their impact.
Four attacks on a much more limited scale occurred between September 12, 1952, and June 7, 1953, causing only minor damage and little impact on the outcome of the truce talks. UN forces also exerted pressure on the North Korean infrastructure by attacking the smaller power-generating plants of the North Korean power grid during the summer of 1952 to prevent them from filling the void in power generation.
North Korea's power systems
The Sui-ho Dam (now Supung Dam or sometimes Shuifeng Dam) on the Yalu RiverYalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
(40°28′N 124°58′E), at the time the fourth largest in the world, had been constructed in 1941 by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The concrete dam was 2,800 feet (853 m) in length, 300 feet (97 m) thick at the base, 60 feet (18 m) wide at the crest, and 525 feet (160 m) in height. Its reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
storage capacity was more than 20 billion cubic meters, and the Japanese had built six turbine generators
Water turbine
A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water.Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now they are mostly used for electric power generation. They harness a clean and renewable energy...
each with a capacity of 100,000 kilowatts. The dam's generating facilities provided power for much of western North Korea and for the Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
and Dairen
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
regions of northeast China.
Three of the five other hydroelectric systems were located in proximity to each other in South Hamgyong Province north of Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
. Each consisted of four plants 5–10 miles (8–16 km) apart along a thirty mile (50 km) stretch of river, numbered by planners 1 through 4, with plant 1 closest to its respective reservoir. The northernmost, the Kyosen (P'ungsan
Kimhyonggwon
Kimhyŏnggwŏn is a kun, or county, in southeastern Ryanggang province, North Korea. It borders South Hamgyong to the south. Previously known as Pungsan, it was renamed by Kim Il Sung in 1990. He named it after his uncle, Kim Hyong Kwon...
) system, was on the Namdae Ch'on with its terminus at Tanch'on. The Fusen (Pujǒn
Pujon
Pujŏn is a city in northern South Hamgyong province, North Korea.In historical contexts, Pujŏn is sometimes known as Fusen, according to its Japanese pronunciation.-External links:...
) system was due north of Hungnam on the Songch'on-gang, with its four plants close together but in mountain gorges
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
. The Choshin (Changjin
Changjin
Changjin is a mountainous county in South Hamgyong province, North Korea.Changjin lies on the Rangrim and Pujonryong ranges, and most of the county sits atop the Kaema Plateau. Due to this location, Changjin has a particularly cold climate. The highest point is Ryonhwasan . The chief stream is...
) ran south and then east in the mountain canyons from the Chosin Reservoir
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign ,Official Chinese sources refer to this battle as the Second Phase Campaign Eastern Sector . The Western Sector is the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. was a decisive battle in the Korean War...
and connected with the Songch'on-gang south of Fusen Plant No. 4.
Planning history
North Korea had six hydroelectric systems and six small thermoelectric plants at the outbreak of the war, and all were on the list of strategically important targets compiled by the Joint Chiefs of StaffJoint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
(JCS). B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es of the United States Air Force had begun bombing industrial targets in North Korea soon after the invasion of the South
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in the summer of 1950 but had not attacked any part of the power transmission grid. As early as August 23, 1950, while UN forces were still struggling to hold the Pusan Perimeter and well before the UN landing at Inchon
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
, planners of the FEAF had asked if the hydroelectric system should be attacked, no decision had yet been made as to whether North Korea was to be occupied.
On September 21, 1950, FEAF attacked a plant of the Fusen system near Hungnam, completely destroying its transformers, and recommended that all the plants be destroyed. General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
directed the attacks to proceed, but before that happened the JCS authorized MacArthur to enter North Korea and advised that targets of "long-term importance" including the hydroelectric plants should not be destroyed. A ban on bombing the Sui-ho (Sup'ung) Dam was put in place on November 6, 1950, at the direction of the U.S. State Department, to avoid providing a provocation for entry in the war by China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Even after China's massive intervention in the following month the ban was never rescinded, and it was reiterated by the UN Command when the truce talks began in July 1951.
On March 3, 1952, when the peace talks appeared to be near stalemate, Air Force General Otto P. Weyland
Otto P. Weyland
Otto Paul Weyland was an Air Force General, and the post-World War II Commander of Far East Air Forces during the Korean War and of Tactical Air Command.-Early life:...
, commanding Far East Air Forces, recommended to UN commander General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
that the hydroelectric plants be attacked to "create psychological and political effects to our advantage." Ridgway rejected the plan and also informed the JCS that he was unwilling to use force except as the last resort.
On April 28, President Harry Truman announced that Ridgway was being replaced as commander in Korea by General Mark Clark
Mark Wayne Clark
Mark Wayne Clark was an American general during World War II and the Korean War and was the youngest lieutenant general in the U.S. Army...
, and UN negotiators at Panmunjom made a compromise proposal on the stalemated issues. The next day the JCS asked Weyland to provide target information and recommendations in the event of complete stalemate, and he repeated his recommendation to bomb the hydroelectric plants. Ridgway objected to the JCS on May 1, stating that no attack should be made except on his recommendation, to which the JCS agreed. The next day the communists totally rejected the UN proposal, and while the talks continued, the UN took the stance that their position was irrevocable.
Clark took command on May 12, the first of a series of key changes in the military command in Korea. On May 19 Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Joseph J. Clark
Joseph J. Clark
Admiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. A native of Oklahoma, Clark was a member of the Cherokee tribe...
became commander of the 7th Fleet, on May 30 Lt.Gen.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Glenn O. Barcus took over the 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....
, and on June 4 VAdm. Robert P. Briscoe
Robert P. Briscoe
Robert Pearce Briscoe was an Admiral of the United States Navy. He commanded two ships, a destroyer squadron, and an amphibious group during World War II. He later served as Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe, from 1956 to 1959...
became commander of Naval Forces Far East. All brought a new aggressiveness to their commands and were desirous of attacking the hydroelectric plants. Briscoe made the recommendation to Clark on June 6, followed by Weyland the next day.
At Clark's direction, FEAF prepared two attack plans on the system, one of which included bombing the Sui-ho Dam while the other did not. The three systems in South Hamgyong were targeted, while two smaller systems—one near the border with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the other immediately behind the battleline—were excluded. The plans, submitted to Clark on June 11, included both FEAF and Task Force 77 units, and Clark approved the lesser plan on June 17, naming Weyland as "coordinating agent". However in reviewing the plans, the JCS recommended to Truman that the Sui-ho Dam also be attacked and he approved. The JCS authorized the attack on June 19, and the alternate plan was put into effect with a tentative date of June 23 or June 24, which would allow Admiral Briscoe to use four aircraft carriers in the operation. The operations plan was finalized when Admiral Clark proposed to Weyland that naval aircraft, originally slated only for the eastern complexes, be added to the attack on Sui-ho.
UN air order of battle, June 1952
SOURCES: USAF Historical Study No. 127 and History of US Naval Operations, Korea- Far East Air ForcesUnited States Far East Air ForceThe Far East Air Force was the military aviation arm of the United States Army in the Philippines just prior to and at the beginning of World War II. Formed on 16 November 1941, FEAF was the predecessor of the Fifth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air...
- Lt.Gen. Otto P. Weyland- Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe 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....
- Lt.Gen. Glenn O. Barcus- 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group4th Operations GroupThe 4th Operations Group is the flying component of the 4th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina...
- Col. Royal N. Baker- 334th FIS, 335th FIS335th Fighter SquadronThe 335th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
, 336th FIS336th Fighter SquadronThe 336th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
- 334th FIS, 335th FIS
- 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group51st Operations GroupThe 51st Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 51st Fighter Wing, stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea....
- Lt.Col. Albert S. Kelly- 16th FIS, 25th FIS, 39th FIS
- 8th Fighter-Bomber Group8th Operations GroupThe 8th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, and is a part of Pacific Air Forces ....
- Col. Levi R. Chase- 35th FBS, 36th FBS, 80th FBS80th Fighter SquadronThe 80th Fighter Squadron is an F-16 fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 8th Operations Group of the 8th Fighter Wing, and stationed at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.The 80th has served in combat operations in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam...
- 35th FBS, 36th FBS, 80th FBS
- 18th Fighter-Bomber Group18th Operations GroupThe 18th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 18th Wing, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan....
- Col. Sheldon S. Brinson- 12th FBS, 67th FBS, 2 Sqd SAAF2 Squadron SAAF-Background:2 Squadron is currently the premier squadron in the South African Air Force, and has a long history, having been involved in every single combat action in which the SAAF has taken part...
- 12th FBS, 67th FBS, 2 Sqd SAAF
- 49th Fighter-Bomber Group49th Operations GroupThe 49th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 49th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is a part of Air Combat Command ....
- Lt.Col. Gordon F. Blood- 7th FBS, 8th FBS, 9th FBS
- 136th Fighter-Bomber Group136th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 136th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The wing operates the Lockheed C-130H cargo/transport aircraft and is the parent unit of the 181st Airlift Squadron.-Mission:...
-Lt.Col. Donald F. Sharp- 111th FBS111th Fighter SquadronThe 111th Reconnaissance Squadron is an MQ-1 flying squadron attached to the 147th Operations Group, 147th Reconnaissance Wing based at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, Texas, and part of the Texas Air National Guard & 1st Air Force...
, 154th FBS, 182nd FBS
- 111th FBS
- 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group
- 1st Marine Aircraft Wing1st Marine Aircraft WingThe 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan...
- Maj.Gen. Clayton C. Jerome- Marine Aircraft Group 12Marine Aircraft Group 12Marine Aircraft Group 12 is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing , itself an integral part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and based at MCAS Iwakuni in Japan.-Mission:The...
(MAG-12)- VMA-121, VMA-212VMFA-212Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 212 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron, which is currently in a cadre status. Most recently known as the "Lancers", the squadron was last based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan and fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 12 and...
, VMA-323VMFA-323Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing but deploys with Carrier Air Wing 14.-World...
- VMA-121, VMA-212
- Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33)
- VMF-115VMFA-115Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Officially nicknamed the "Silver Eagles" and on occasion Joe's Jokers after their first commanding officer Major Joe Foss, the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls...
, VMF-311
- VMF-115
- Marine Aircraft Group 12
- Fifth Air Force
- Naval Forces Far East - VADM Robert P. BriscoeRobert P. BriscoeRobert Pearce Briscoe was an Admiral of the United States Navy. He commanded two ships, a destroyer squadron, and an amphibious group during World War II. He later served as Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe, from 1956 to 1959...
- Seventh Fleet - VADM Joseph J. ClarkJoseph J. ClarkAdmiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. A native of Oklahoma, Clark was a member of the Cherokee tribe...
- Task Force 77Task Force 77Task Force 77 has been the aircraft carrier battle/strike force of the Seventh Fleet in the United States Navy since the Seventh Fleet was formed....
- RADM Apollo SoucekApollo SoucekApollo Soucek was a vice admiral in the United States Navy, who was a record-breaking test pilot during 1929-1930, served in World War II, and was commander of Carrier Division Three during the Korean War, ending his career as Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics.-Biography:Soucek was born in... - Carrier Division One - RADM Herbert E. Regan
- Carrier Air Group Seven (CVG-7), embarked on - CDR G. B. Brown
- VF-71, VF-72, VF-74VF-74VF-74, Fighter Squadron 74, Be-Devilers was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1944 to 1994.-History:VF-74 was established on 16 April 1945 as VBF-20 flying the F4U-1 Corsair from NAS Wildwood in New Jersey. After six months they transitioned to the F6F Hellcat but soon...
, VA-75
- VF-71, VF-72, VF-74
- Carrier Air Group Eleven (CVG-11), embarked on - CDR J.W. Onstott
- VF-112, VF-113VFA-113Strike Fighter Squadron 113 Stingers is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California....
, VF-114VF-114Fighter Squadron 114 was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy that was active from 1945 through 1993. Nicknamed the "Aardvarks", it was based out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The squadron flew combat missions during the Korean War and Vietnam War...
, VA-115VFA-115Strike Fighter Squadron 115 , also known as the "Eagles", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi...
- VF-112, VF-113
- Carrier Air Group Seven (CVG-7), embarked on - CDR G. B. Brown
- Carrier Division Three - RADM Soucek
- Carrier Air Group TwoCarrier Air Wing TwoCarrier Air Wing Two is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln .-Mission:...
(CVG-2), embarked on - CDR A.L. Downing- VF-24VF-24VF-24 Fighter Squadron 24, called the Fighting Renegades was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy.-Background:Fighter Squadron 24 was originally commissioned as Fighter Squadron 211 in June 1955 at NAS Moffett Field. The unit flew the FJ-3 Fury aboard the . The squadron transitioned to the...
, VF-63, VF-64, VA-65
- VF-24
- Carrier Air Group Nineteen (CVG-19), embarked on - CDR William Denton, Jr.
- VF-191, VF-192VFA-192Strike Fighter Squadron 192 , also known as the "World Famous Golden Dragons", are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore...
, VF-193, VA-195VFA-195Strike Fighter Squadron 195 , also known as the "Dambusters", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi...
- VF-191, VF-192
- Carrier Air Group Two
- Task Force 77
- Seventh Fleet - VADM Joseph J. Clark
Soviet air order of battle, June 1952
The Soviet Air ForceSoviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
order of battle on June 23, 1952, was two fighter aviation divisions (USAF wing-equivalent
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
), totalling five regiments or from 150 MiG 15s. Per the second source, the Soviet fighter aviation regiment was the equivalent of an over-sized USAF squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
or an under-sized USAF group
Group (air force unit)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
(24-36 aircraft).
- 97th IAD (Fighter Aviation Division) PVOSoviet Anti-Air DefenseThe Soviet Air Defence Forces was the air defense branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. It continued being a service branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from 1991 to 1998. Unlike Western air defense forces, V-PVO was a branch of the military unto itself, separate from the Soviet...
- 16th IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment)
- 148th GIAP (Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment)
- 190th IAD (Fighter Aviation Division) PVOSoviet Anti-Air DefenseThe Soviet Air Defence Forces was the air defense branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. It continued being a service branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from 1991 to 1998. Unlike Western air defense forces, V-PVO was a branch of the military unto itself, separate from the Soviet...
- 256th IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment)
- 494th IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment)
- 821st IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment)
- 351st IAP (Independent Fighter Aviation Regiment) VVS351st IAP was a nightfighter unit equipped with MiG-15 and Lavochkin La-11Lavochkin La-11-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Gordon, Yefim. Lavochkin's Piston-Engined Fighters . Earl Shilton, Leicester, UK: Midland Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-85780-151-2....
.
Another fighter division was based in rear areas at Mukden and Anshan, with four additional regiments and approximately 90 MiG-15s. These units were primarily in training and were not operational until July 12.The Soviet rear area units were the 133rd IAD, 147th GIAP, 415th IAP, 726th IAP, and 578th IAP TOF (Tiho Okeanskogo Flota, i.e. "Pacific Ocean Fleet") (pilots only). The 37-mm guns of the PVO 87th ZAD (Antiaircraft Artillery Division) were responsible to provide local anti-aircraft artillery defense to Sui-ho, Choshin, Fusen and Kyosen.
Target assignments
| Far East Air Forces hydroelectric targets | |||||
| Unit | Base | Aircraft | Mission role | June 23 target | June 24 target |
| 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group | K-14, Kimpo, South Korea | F-86E | MiG Protection | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam |
| 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group | K-13, Suwon Suwon Suwon is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety".... , South Korea |
F-86E | MiG Protection | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam |
| 8th Fighter-Bomber Group | K-13 Suwon, South Korea | F-80C P-80 Shooting Star The 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... |
Strike | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam |
| 18th Fighter-Bomber Group | K-46 Hoengsong, South Korea | P-51K P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts... |
Strike | Fusen No. 3 and 4 | Choshin No. 1 and 2 |
| 49th Fighter-Bomber Group | K-2 Taegu, South Korea | F-84G | Strike | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam |
| 136th Fighter-Bomber Group | K-2 Taegu, South Korea | F-84G | Strike | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam |
| Marine Aircraft Group 12 | K-6 Pyongtaek, South Korea | F4U-4 F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and... AD-4 |
Strike | Choshin No. 4 | |
| Marine Aircraft Group 33 | K-3 Pohang Pohang Pohang is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, and a main seaport in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The built-up area of Pohang is located on the alluvium of the mouth of the Hyeongsan River... , South Korea |
F9F-2 F9F Panther |-Popular culture:The Panther played a prominent role in the 1954 movie Men of the Fighting Lady . The F9F was featured in the flying sequences in the 1954 movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although in the 1953 James A... |
Strike | Choshin No. 3 | |
SOURCE: The United States Air Force in Korea, p. 487
| Task Force 77 hydroelectric targets | ||||||
| Group | Squadron | Aircraft | Mission role | June 23 target | June 24 a.m. mission | June 24 p.m. mission |
| CVG-2 | VF-63 VF-64 |
F4U-4 F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and... |
Strike | Kyosen No. 4 | Kyosen No. 4 | transformers |
| VA-65 | AD-4 | Strike | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam | transformers | |
| VF-24 | F9F-2 F9F Panther |-Popular culture:The Panther played a prominent role in the 1954 movie Men of the Fighting Lady . The F9F was featured in the flying sequences in the 1954 movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although in the 1953 James A... |
flak suppression | Sui-ho Dam | Sui-ho Dam | ||
| CVG-7 | VF-71 VF-72 |
F9F-2 | flak suppression/strike | Kyosen No. 2 & Fusen No. 2 | MiG protection | |
| VF-74 | F4U-4 | Strike | Kyosen No. 2 & Fusen No. 2 | Kyosen No. 4 | transformers | |
| VA-75 | AD-4 | Strike | Kyosen No. 2 & Fusen No. 2 | Kyosen No. 4 | transformers | |
| CVG-11 | VF-112 VF-113 |
F9F-2 F4U-4 |
Strike | Fusen No. 1 | Kyosen No. 3 | transformers |
| VF-114 | F9F-2 | flak suppression | Sui-ho Dam | MiG protection | ||
| VA-115 | AD-4 | Strike | Sui-ho Dam | Kyosen No. 3 | transformers | |
| CVG-19 | VF-192 VF-193 |
F4U-4 | strike | Kyosen No. 3 | Fusen No. 1, 2, & 3 | Kyosen No. 3 |
| VF-191 | F9F-2 | flak suppression | Suiho Dam | Fusen No. 1, 2, & 3 | ||
| VA-195 | AD-4 | Strike | Sui-ho Dam | Fusen No. 1, 2, & 3 | Kyosen No. 3 | |
SOURCE: Carrier and Air Group Action Reports
First day missions
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, on June 21 to provide the added force needed, arriving early on June 23.
The mission was to be launched at 08:00 June 23 (all times local time zone), with strikes beginning at 09:30 at all targets. However weather reconnaissance aircraft reported unbroken clouds over the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
, and Weyland postponed the attack at 07:40. As the morning passed, however, the weather system moved south, and Weyland immediately reversed himself and at 13:00 ordered the attacks to proceed, using the heavy clouds as concealment for the attackers en route to their targets, with a new attack time of 16:00.
Aircraft from all three services were a mixture of propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
-driven and jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
, and in general the propeller aircraft launched up to an hour earlier than the jets to coordinate their arrival over the target together. The carriers launched their propeller aircraft at 14:00 and their jets at 15:00. Air Force fighter-bombers, having the longest distance to fly, took off at 14:30. Because the Sui-ho Dam was located less than forty miles (65 km) from the MiG 15 fighter base complex at Antung/Tai Ton Chao/Phen Chen
Dandong
Dandong , previously known as Andong and Antung, is a city in Liaoning Province, Northeast China. It lies on the border between China and North Korea, which is marked by the Yalu River, and is the largest border city in China. Also, to the southwest of the city, the river flows into Korea Bay...
in China, where 150 MiGs had been counted by the weather reconnaissance, a coordinated simultaneous arrival over the targets was crucial to limiting the effectiveness of any defensive reaction.
The carrier aircraft of TF77 crossed the Korean coast at Mayang-do northeast of Hungnam and flew low over the mountains at 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to mask their radar signature
Radar cross section
Radar cross section is a measure of how detectable an object is with a radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected.An object reflects a limited amount of radar energy...
. The propeller and jet divisions rendezvoused approximately 50 miles (80 km) east of Suiho shortly before 16:00 and climbed to the attack altitude of 10,000 feet (3,000 m) for a high-speed run-in.
Eighty-four F-86 Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
s of the 4th
4th Fighter Wing
The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit....
and 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wings
51st Fighter Wing
The 51st Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Osan Air Base, South Korea.The 51st Fighter Wing is under Pacific Air Forces' Seventh Air Force...
were the first to arrive in the Sui-ho target area, to provide cover against MiG attack and, according to one participant, with part of the force ordered to keep MiGs from taking off by flying low over their bases, even though officially UN aircraft were not allowed to cross the Yalu except in hot pursuit
Hot pursuit
In law enforcement and international law, hot pursuit can refer to:*An immediate pursuit by the police such as a car chase.*In international treaty law, laws of federal states, or other legal rules governing cross-border police operations when law enforcement officers and agents of one...
. According to US sources, 160 MiGs that took off before the arrival of the covering force flew deeper into China, possibly fearing the airfields were the targets, and none attempted to intercept the strike force.
Incursions into Manchuria by pilots of the 51st FIW to surprise MiGs over their own airfields had resulted in heavy losses for the 64th IAK during the previous months, with at least half of the MiGs destroyed in April and May 1952 shot down during take-offs or landings.The "sanctuary attacks" were allegedly conducted under an unofficial policy nicknamed Maple Special to establish contrived conditions for hot pursuit. (Dorr, Lake, and Thompson, p.41) The Soviets developed a counter-tactic to cover takeoffs from Antung with combat air patrol
Combat air patrol
Combat air patrol is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft.A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile...
s launched from Mukden and Anshan, but on June 23, despite good weather over Antung, inclement conditions prevented covering MiGs from taking off. In turn, this prevented Soviet fighters based at Antung from countering the strike to avoid pointless losses during takeoffs.
F9F Panther
|-Popular culture:The Panther played a prominent role in the 1954 movie Men of the Fighting Lady . The F9F was featured in the flying sequences in the 1954 movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although in the 1953 James A...
s began runs to suppress the anti-aircraft fire
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
from 44 heavy caliber gun and 37 automatic weapons emplacements reported around the dam. Twelve AD Skyraiders of VA-65 off the Boxer then began their dive-bomb
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
ing runs on the Sui-ho generating stations, followed by 23 Skyraiders off the Princeton and Philippine Sea, releasing 81 tons of bombs in little more than two minutes.
Between 16:10 and 17:00, U.S. Air Force jets added 145 tons of bombs on the Sui-ho generating plant with 79 sorties by F-84 Thunderjet
F-84 Thunderjet
The 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...
s of the 49th and 136 Fighter-Bomber Groups (49th and 136th Fighter-Bomber Wings) and 45 by F-80 Shooting Star
P-80 Shooting Star
The 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...
s of the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group (8th Fighter-Bomber Wing).
At almost the same time, 52 F-51 Mustangs
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group (18th Fighter-Bomber Wing
18th Wing
The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force’s largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force....
) and the South African 2 Squadron
2 Squadron SAAF
-Background:2 Squadron is currently the premier squadron in the South African Air Force, and has a long history, having been involved in every single combat action in which the SAAF has taken part...
struck Fusen plants 3 and 4, west of Hungnam, while 40 Marine Skyraiders and Corsairs
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
of MAG-12 bombed Choshin No. 4, and 38 Panthers of MAG-33 hit Choshin No. 3. The lower Fusen plants and the Kyosen complex were bombed by 102 Corsairs, 18 Skyraiders, and 18 Panthers off the carriers. In all on June 23, Task Force 77 flew 208 strike sorties and FEAF 202.Field claims 230 sorties, but the figure "208" is specifically cited in the action report of Boxer, CTF-77's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
. At 19:00, two RF-80 photo-recon aircraft of the 67th Reconnaissance Wing, escorted by six flights of F-86s, returned to Sui-ho, while Marine F2H-2P Banshee
F2H Banshee
The McDonnell F2H Banshee was a single-seat carrier-based jet fighter aircraft deployed by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps from 1948 to 1961. It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War and was the only jet-powered fighter ever deployed by the Royal...
photo-recon planes of VMJ-1 and Navy F9F-2P Panthers of VC-61 overflew the eastern systems to assess damage.
Two F-80Cs of the 8th FBW were battle-damaged by flak over Sui-ho, and written off after crash landings in Taegu. An F4U-4 flown by the squadron commander of VF-63 (from Boxer) was heavily damaged over Kyosen No. 4 and made a water-landing in which the pilot was rescued, the only naval plane lost. A VA-115 Skyraider (from Philippine Sea) had its hydraulic system damaged by flak over Sui-ho and diverted to K-14 airfield at Kimpo, South Korea, for a wheels-up landing, and another from VA-75 was severely damaged when it was struck by debris from a bomb explosion but recovered aboard Bon Homme Richard. The only other battle damage reported by the attacking units was by Carrier Air Group 11 off the Philippine Sea: a Corsair hit in an accessory compartment over Kyosen No. 3, and a Skyraider at Sui-ho struck by small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
fire.
Followup missions and damage results
Although interpretation of reconnaissance photos and assessments by returning pilots indicated heavy damage to the Sui-ho, Choshin, Fusen, and Kyosen No. 1 and 2 plants, most of the targets were re-struck the next day, June 24, in both morning and afternoon missions.In the morning missions, Air Force F-84s and Navy Skyraiders attacked Sui-ho, judging it totally destroyed, with one Skyraider suffering minor damage. Princeton aircraft bombed Fusen, Mustangs of the 18th FBG hit the unscathed Choshin plants 1 and 2,The USAF official history notes that the targets had been "reserved" for attack by B-29s that night to mark the 2nd anniversary of the start of the war but that the Mustangs over-zealously struck them. and planes off Boxer and Philippine Sea struck the remainder of the Kyosen plants.
In the afternoon Princeton completed the destruction of Kyosen No. 3, but incurred the loss of a Corsair of VF-192 in the process, although the pilot was rescued at sea. Soviet records claimed that the loss of an F-86E of the 335th FIS, written off after its return to Kimpo, was the result of a MiG attack by a Soviet pilot.
Aircraft from the other three carriers struck transformer stations along the power grid at Chungdae-ri, Naemǒkpang, and Man'gyo-ri, in the vicinity of Kojǒ (Kangwon Province), and at Yuchǒn, Haeju, Chaeryong, Kaishu, and Chang-yôn in North Hwanghae Province. Choshin and Fusen were bombed by smaller numbers of Air Force fighters on June 25–27 to complete the attacks. Total bombing sorties were 730 by Air Force and Marine fighter-bombers and 546 by Navy aircraft. F-86 Sabres flew an additional 238 counter-air sorties to protect the force from MiGs.
Approximately 90% of North Korea's power-production capacity was destroyed in the attacks, with 11 of the 13 generating plants put totally out of operation and the remaining two doubtful of operating. China suffered an estimated loss of 23% of its electric requirements for northeast China, and other intelligence estimates stated that industrial output in 60% of its key industries in the Dairen region failed to meet production quota
Production quota
A production quota is a goal for the production of a good. It is typically set by a government or an organization, and can be applied to an individual worker, firm, industry or country. Quotas can be set high to encourage production, or can be used to limit production to control the supply of goods...
s. For two weeks North Korea endured a total power blackout.
Both China and the Soviet Union immediately sent technicians into North Korea to repair or re-build loss generators. For much of the summer of 1952 only approximately 10% of former energy production was restored, primarily by its thermoelectric plants.
Political effects of June attacks
What effect if any the attacks had on the communist hierarchy and its representatives at the truce talks was immediately negated by reaction of the left wing in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
leaders Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
and Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
attacked the operation as risking World War III
World War III
World War III denotes a successor to World War II that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would be likely nuclear and devastating in nature....
, even though there were no allegations of territorial violations or objections that the plants were non-military targets.
The Labour Party saw an opportunity to cripple the ruling Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
s and immediately called for a vote in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
to censure the Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
government, but based on the British government's "failure to secure effective consultation" from the U.S. beforehand (The Minister of Defence, Lord Harold Alexander, had been in Korea when Clark first approved the FEAF plan but had left Korea before the JCS input). The government barely survived the vote after U.S. Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
Dean Acheson
Dean Acheson
Dean Gooderham Acheson was an American statesman and lawyer. As United States Secretary of State in the administration of President Harry S. Truman from 1949 to 1953, he played a central role in defining American foreign policy during the Cold War...
publicly took the blame, stating the U.S. was at fault for not consulting the British "as a courtesy", although the price for this stance was undercutting General Clark and the Panmunjom negotiators. Field commented that cooperation between the services was much smoother than between the allies.
While conferring with Lord Alexander, General Clark had already agreed in principle to British requests for a representative of the UN staff, and Churchill's designee was appointed as a deputy chief of staff on July 31, 1952.
The other factor crippling the political effect of the strikes occurred in the United States and was just the opposite of that in Britain. Critics of the Truman administration in Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
quickly seized on the military success of the strikes to question why the attacks had taken almost two years to be approved. General Clark, who agreed, so advised the JCS. Secretary of Defense Robert A. Lovett
Robert A. Lovett
Robert Abercrombie Lovett was the fourth United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the cabinet of President Harry S. Truman from 1951 to 1953 and in this capacity, directed the Korean War. Promoted to the position from deputy secretary of defense Domhoff described Lovett as a "Cold War...
, to whom the inquiries were made, cited seven factors, but some were long obsolete by the time of the attacks and others clearly badly estimated.
Despite the lack of political effect on the truce talks, and the widely-publicized negative reactions on both sides, the campaign against the hydroelectric system had become an accepted tactic of UN forces.
Summer 1952 power grid campaign
Within ten days of the strikes, UN air forces renewed attacks to keep the power grid out of service, although the Sui-ho Dam and its environs were not among the targets.Task Force 77 renewed its attacks on July 3 by attacks of Navy aircraft from the carriers Philippine Sea, Bon Homme Richard, and Boxer. Both Kyosen power plants were targeted, as were three power plants at Puryŏng-ŭp (Funei). The latter, previously unstruck, had been scheduled to be bombed on June 29 but the mission had been cancelled by fog in the target area. Bon Homme Richards Air Group Seven further damaged Kyosen No.1, but smoke obscured Kyosen No.2, and it was restruck on July 8, destroying its powerhouse and penstocks (piping that delivers water to the turbines). USAF F-84s of the 49th FBW attacked the Choshin plants on July 8, striking the generators, transformer yards, and penstocks in 41 sorties.
On July 19, Air Group Seven's aircraft bombed Choshin No. 3, scoring five hits on its transformer yard, while Air Group Nineteen aboard Princeton bombed Choshin No. 1, and again on July 20, noting a significant increase in AAA defenses. On July 23, the thermo-electric plant at Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
was attacked for the first time, by aircraft from Bon Homme Richard, which reported it completely destroyed. On the nights of July 19–20, and July 21–22, 44 B-29 sorties were flown against Choshin No. 2.
Air Group Seven attacked Puryŏng-ŭp No. 3 on July 26, the Kojǒ No. 3 transformer yard on July 31, Choshin No. 1 on August 1, Kyosen No. 2 on August 3, and Kyosen No. 1 on September 21. A newly activated air group, Air Task Group Two (ATG-2), aboard the USS Essex
USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Essex was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of the 24-ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the...
, also attacked Kyosen No. 2 on August 3, then struck Choshin No. 1 and Kyosen No. 1 on August 5. In the fifteen attacks by the Navy, no carrier aircraft were lost. Further B-29 sorties were directed against Choshin No.1, sixteen on the night of August 29, and fifty on the night of September 1.
September 12, 1952
The United Nations renewed its attacks on the Sui-ho hydroelectric complex with a night attack on September 12, 1952, organized into three forces: a flak/searchlight suppression force of B-26 Invaders and naval aircraft of the USS Princeton, an electronic counter-measuresElectronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
force of four specially-modified B-29 Superfortresses to jam Soviet AAA radars and communications, and a bombing force of 25 B-29s of the 19th
19th Air Refueling Group
The 19th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas...
and 307th Bomb Groups using SHORAN navigation aids to locate the target.
After the take off at 19:00 hrs, the bomber force suffered its first setback when an unexpected cold front caused icing in the upper surfaces of wings and fuselage of some B-29s. One of the bombers stalled and crashed 19 miles (30 kilometers) north of Kangnung, killing all but one of its crew. The flak suppression forces was able to locate and attack only eight searchlights, and flak shot down an F4U-4 of VF-193.
The B-29 force arrived at Sui-ho at 23:55 hrs, but in spite of the jamming by the ECM aircraft encountered a dense flak barrage. A B-29 of the 307th BG was shot down by a MiG-15, with only one crew member surviving as a POW, and another of the 19th BG was damaged. Two others were hit by flak, making emergency landings at Taegu AB, South Korea. The intensity of AAA fire and MiG attacks dispersed the bomber formation with a consequential loss of accuracy. The Soviet after-action report stated:
Up to 500 bombs weighting 250/450/1000 kgs were dropped on the target. Three bombs hit the upper part of the dam, one hit the part of the turbine room which had been already destroyed, and up to 50 hit the previously destroyed transformer facility. The remaining bombs missed the target by 1-2 km to the southeast. In addition to high-explosive bombs, the enemy used incendiary and napalm bombs. The dam, the working turbines, the generators and the transformers were not damaged. The shock waves destroyed a high-voltage overhead cable and six peasant huts. The warehouse storing the POW’s food burned down. One local man was killed and two were wounded.
Despite initial USAF estimates claiming five hits on the main powerhouse and three on the transformer yards, photo reconnaissance on October 12 reported that the complex was still in limited operation, indicated by the flow of tailrace
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
water from two turbines.
February 15, 1953
Reconnaissance photographs of tailrace activity continued to indicate that two generators of the Sui-ho hydroelectric complex remained in operation. A low-level attack by 24 F-84s of the 49th FBG on February 15, 1953, carrying two 1000-pound bombs each and escorted by 82 F-86s, struck the complex without loss. However, the escorts were attacked by 30 MiG-15s, and in the ensuing combat the Soviet 913th IAP claimed two F-86s shot down, and admitted the loss of one MiG. Escorting F-86s, however, claimed four MiGs shot down and reported no losses.May 10, 1953
Eight F-84s of the 474th FBG attacked Sui-ho again on May 10 without loss, placing three delayed-action bombs in the power house. In air combat among the escorts and interceptors, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air ForcePeople's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
claimed an F-86 shot down, with its own MiG-15 pilot subsequently shot down killed. However, 4th FIW pilots claimed two MiGs shot down with no losses that date.The F-86 shown as written off on 10 May 1953 was reported by USAF as a loss due to accident.
June 7, 1953
The final attack of the Korean War on the Sui-ho hydroelectric complex was made on June 7, 1953. A force of eight F-86F fighter-bombers from the 8th FBW, in "integral flight formation" with twelve of the 51st FIW to disguise its mission, flew as part of the Yalu River patrol by 66 other F-86s. The fighter-bomber formation reached the Sui-ho Reservoir, a common F-86 checkpoint, then rolled into its bomb run, surprising the defenders. Although several hits were reported, tailrace activity observed several days later indicated two generators were probably operating, and further attacks were discontinued for lack of intelligence of their location within the vast powerhouse.A private source alleges that in connection with this mission, F-86s of the 4th FIW entered deep into Manchuria to ambush the Soviet MiGs while they were taking off, shooting down two MiGs of the 535th IAP, and that part of the 535th IAP evaded the blockading Sabres to engage the escort, damaging an F-86E of the 51st FIW beyond economic repair. The 781st IAP TOF claimed an F-86F of the 67th FBS as destroyed by MiG-15s when it was written off after return to base. USAF records, however, claim that the aircraft was a total loss after a tire failed during landing, and that its fighters shot down five MiGs.
The purpose of the strikes was to remind the communists that the UN intended to make continuation of the war as expensive as possible for them. Sui-ho's No. 6 and 7 generators, and that of Choshin No. 1, were back in operation at the time of the armistice.
External links
- Satellite image of Sui-ho/Supung Dam
- Chronology USN Operations 1950-1953
- Carrier Action reports Mission assignments and data, commanders
- Carrier Air Group Action reports Mission assignments and data