Case Studies in the Achievement of Air Superiority - Air Force ...

KOREA
The elegant North American F-86 Sabre handily mastered the MiG-15 in
fierce fighting over the Yalu.
Phase I of the Air War: June 25-November 25,1950
When North Korean forces invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, the
FEAF did not have official permission to shoot down North Korean aircraft
that attacked South Korean airfields. On June 27, FEAF was ordered
to gain control of South Korean airspace in order to protect the evacuation
of U.S. nationals from that country.6 On June 29, during an inspection trip
to Suwon airfield, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, commanding first U.S. and
then U.N. forces in Korea, granted the request of Lt. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer,
FEAF Commander, for permission to strike North Korean air
bases.7 With that, the first phase of the air superiority campaign was on. It
would end approximately two months later with the destruction of the
North Korean Air Force.
The strength of the North Korean Air Force when the war began was
as follows: 62 11-10 ground attack aircraft, 70 Yak-3 and Yak-7B fighters,
and 22 Yak-16 transports.* Its opponents were the units of the Fifth Air
Force, assigned the duty of defending Japan, and aircraft from 1 British and
1 USN aircraft carrier. The organization of the Far East Air Forces is portrayed
in Table 9-1. The Thirteenth Air Force was based in the Philippines;
the Rventieth was quartered in Okinawa and was also responsible for covering
the Marianas. For immediate duty in Korea, General Stratemeyer
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