Museum Audio Tour 21: Modern Flight Gallery: Korean War Airlift

DAYTON, OH, UNITED STATES

12.31.1969

Audio by NMUSAF PA 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

At the outbreak of the Korean War, U.S. Air Force airlift capability in the Far East suffered from a lack of numbers and central direction. In August 1950, the situation improved considerably with the arrival of additional airlift units and Maj. Gen. William H. Tunner, who had recent experience running the successful Berlin Airlift. Tunner created Combat Cargo Command to perform all intra-theater airlift duties, including landing and dropping supplies, troop transport, dropping paratroopers, psychological operations, medical evacuation and air rescue. Airlift provided quick response in both offensive and defensive circumstances. After the Inchon landing, Combat Cargo supplied the Eighth Army by air after it rapidly outpaced its ground supply. This allowed the Army to continue pursuing and pressuring the North Koreans. During the first Chinese offensive in November 1950, aerial resupply often meant the difference between survival and destruction. Combat Cargo conducted the largest airdrops in history up to that time in support of retreating UN ground forces. During the second Chinese offensive in the spring of 1951, Combat Cargo again supported UN troops on the ground, delivering an average of 1,100 tons of supplies, including about 600 tons of artillery shells daily, during peak periods. The final tally for Combat Cargo was impressive. With an average of 140 operational transports, it flew 210,343 missions, brought in 391,763 tons of materiel, airdropped 18,000 tons of supplies and carried 2,605,591 passengers. U.S. Air Force Combat Cargo Command illustrated both the critical importance of a unified theater airlift command and the combat flexibility airlift provided to commanders on the ground.

• Date Taken: 12.31.1969
• Date Posted: 09.02.2015 12:11
• Category: Newscasts
• Audio ID: 41924
• Filename: 1509/DOD_102704180.mp3
• Length: 00:02:17
• Album: Museum Audio Tour
• Track #: 21
• Location: DAYTON, OH, US