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...Kunsan Air Base -- How It Was...

NOTE: WE MOVED AWAY FROM KUNSAN IN NOV 2004 TO SONGTAN. WE WILL NO LONGER COVER KUNSAN AB EVENTS.

Currently researching the development in the Songtan area -- focusing on the relationship between Osan AB and the surrounding community. This section is at Songtan-Osan AB History. The chronological history meshes the on-base development, with the growth of Songtan off-base. Graphic intensive with long load times because of photos. Disclaimer: The views presented are strictly those of the author and NOT associated with USFK or military in any form.

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4 March 2007

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Since 1 January 2002

The History Pages (Kunsan AB and Osan AB) passed 1 million hits on 25 Aug 2006. Mahalo!!!

Japanese Army Advanced Aviation Training Base
(1938-1945)

Occupation Forces: 3d Battalion,
63d Infantry Regiment,
6th Infantry Division

Korean Constabulary (1948-1950)

3rd Bombardment Wing (1951-1954)

8th Bombardment Squadron
(1951-1954)

13th Bombardment Squadron
(1951-1954)

90th Bombardment Squadron
(1951-1954)

474th Fighter Bomber Wing
(1952-1953)

428th Fighter Bomber Squadron
(1952-1953)

429th Fighter Bomber Squadron
(1952-1953)

430th Fighter Bomber Squadron
(1952-1953)

VMF(N)-513
"Flying Nightmares"
(1952-1953)

14th-21st Trans Port Co.
(1951-1955)

808th-809th-841st Engineering Aviation Battalion
(1951-1955)

Marine MCGIS-1 & MACS-1
(1951-1955)

ROKAF Detachment - 38th Fighter Group
(1953-Present)

6170th/6175th Combat Support Group
(1954-1968)

Det 1, 475th TFW
(Jan 68-Mar 71)

354th Tactical Fighter Wing
(1968-1971)

3rd Tactical Fighter Wing
(1971-1974)

8th Fighter Wing
(1974-Present)

35th Fighter Squadron
(1971-Present)

80th Fighter Squadron
(1971-Present)

1-43ADA
Patriot
Echo/Fox Btry
(1994-Present)

To view time period's index, click on the links below.

Kunsan Aerodrome (1938-1945): Japanese - -- Base built as part of tidal flats reclamation project of the Fuji Company in 1932. First developed to support the Manchurian drive. Munitions stockpiled at Kunsan. 2,800' sod runway. Became Advanced Pilot training base. Approximately 600 military assigned with officers billets near Gunsmoke Hill and enlisted area next to hangars on main base.
Camp Hillenmeyer (1945-1949): Occupation Forces - -- 3rd Btn 63rd Inf Rgt assumes control of Camp Kunsan. Massive explosion at bomb dump killing 2 officers and three enlisted in Nov 50. Camp renamed for one of the killed officers -- Camp Hillenmeyer. Covers the operations of Kunsan Harbor as well as Kunsan AB. These were the forgotten people who were without clothing replacement or proper sanitary conditions. Descriptions of an Officer's Tour and a Soldier's Story. Base turned over to the ROK Constabulary in March 1948. In 1950, the base was captured by the invading NKPA. Details of the invasion and subsequent allied breakout in the Cholla area are documented in detail. Kunsan recaptured in Oct 1950.

Korean War Period (1951-1954) - -- Coverage of the building of the runway and establishing the infrastructure for the base through the phase down of the base and departure of the 3rd Bomb Wing for Johnson AB, Japan. 3rd Bomb Wing (L-NI) with the 8th/13th/90th BS, 474th Fighter Bomber Group, Marine Squadron VMF(N)-513, Marine MCGIS-1/MACS-1, 76th/30th AAA, 14th/21st Trans Port Co., 22nd Crash Rescue Boat Squadron, 27th Air Installation Squadron, 808th/809th/841st EAB (SCARWAF), 3rd AIO, 3rd Comm Squadron, and other units at K-8 and Kunsan Harbor.

Caretaker Period (1954-1971) - -- 6170th & 6175th ABG keeps base open as a "contingency" base. By 1959 the base had fallen into a state of disrepair. The first new permanent barracks built between 1961-1963, but the base was primarily Korean War structures until 1969 when Red Horse and Prime Beef teams undertook massive construction projects at Kunsan.
Pueblo Crisis (Jan 1968 - Jul 1968) - -- 475th TFW and 4th TFW deploy to Kunsan. 354th TFW becomes cover group for ANG F-100s. Coverage of the units, on-base living conditions as well as off-base areas.
Nuclear Alert (1958-1974) - -- "Hot" nuclear alerts due to the SIOP tasking started with the 3rd Bomb Group B-57s (1958-1964) and was later assumed up by 39th Air Division F-100s. TDY F-100 units from Misawa and Okinawa also handled the Kunsan alert. Det 1 475th TFW picks up nuclear alert 1968-1971 and hands it off to 3rd TFW in 1971. SIOP downgraded in 1974 when 8th TFW arrives, but nuclear weapons remained at Kunsan until 1992.

3rd Tactical Fighter Wing (Mar 71 - Sep 74) - -- Prefab buildings erected and Arches complete. Set up a full-wing operation at the base, but the wing was a "paper" wing in 1971 with the 35th TFS deployed to Vietnam and the 80th TFS transferring 18 F-4Ds to the ROKAF.

8th Fighter Wing (Sep 74-Present) - -- History of the unit from origins through WWII; Peacetime Japan Occupation duty; Korean War; Back to Japan; Ubon RTAFB. After 1974, chronological history by year up until the present. Current Kunsan AB information. Tenant units: 1982d Comm Sq (1969-1993); Det 1, 554th CES (Red Horse) (1975-1985); Hawk Missile B-Batt/1st/44ADA (1962-1977); Patriot Missile 143ADA/6th Cav (1994-Present) and others.
ROKAF - 38th Fighter Group (Jun 53-Present) - -- Coverage of the ROKAF from origin to present. Coverage of Kunsan AB from the first detachment in 1953 to the F-86F operational squadrons through the current F-5Es.