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For additional history and lineage, see 51st Operations Group In 1948, assumed air defense of Ryukyu Islands.
Korean War With the outbreak of the
Korean War in 1950, elements of the 51st FIW were dispatched first to
Japan, then to
South Korea. Korean War operational squadrons were: • 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: duration (F-80C, F-86F) • 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: duration (F-80C, F-8) • 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: attached 1 June 1952– (F-80C, F-86F) • 68th Fighter-All Weather Squadron: attached 25 September – 9 October 1950 (F-82F/G) • 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron: attached 25 September – 20 December 1950 (F-80C) It entered combat service flying the
F-80C Shooting Star on 22 September of that year, when it moved to Itazuke AB, Japan, to support the breakout of the
Eighth U.S. Army from the
Pusan Perimeter. For nearly 4 years thereafter, the 51st FIW played a key role in the defense of South Korea despite moving to four different locations within a year and operating under austere conditions. The wing moved to South Korea in October only to return to Japan in December, leaving combat elements behind. In May 1951, the 51st FIW moved to
Suwon Air Base, southwest of
Seoul, but retained maintenance and supply elements at Tsuiki AB, Japan, to provide rear echelon support. In November 1951 the 51st FIW transitioned to the
F-86 Sabre with two squadrons (16th, 25th), adding a third squadron (39th) the following May. The group operated a detachment at Suwon AB, Korea, beginning in May 1951, and relocated there in October 1951, with maintenance and supply elements remaining in Japan until August 1954. The wing ceased combat on 27 July 1953. The 51 FIW's war record was impressive. Wing pilots flew more than 45,000 sorties and shot down 312
MiG-15s; this produced 14 air aces including the top ace of the war, Captain
Joseph C. McConnell. The ratio of aerial victories to losses was 10 to 1. Unfortunately, the wing lost 32 pilots to enemy action; however, nine that became prisoners of war were repatriated later.
Korean War Aces Cold War On 1 August 1954, the 51 FIW returned to
Naha Air Base to resume air defense coverage of the
Ryukyu Islands. Operational squadrons were: •
16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (F-86D, 1954–59), (F102, 1959–1964) •
25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (F-86D, 1954–1960) •
26th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (F-86D, 1954–59) At the same time, the wing demonstrated its mobility readiness in response to three regional crises. From August 1958 to January 1959, the 51 FIW deployed eight
F-86Ds to
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taiwan to fly combat air support missions for
Nationalist Chinese forces after mainland
Communist Chinese forces shelled the Nationalist-held islands of
Quemoy and
Matsu. Six years later, the wing deployed 12
F-102s to the
Philippines and
South Vietnam from August to October 1964 for air defense against possible Communist
North Vietnamese air attacks. During the
Vietnam War, crews of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing provided air defense of Naha AB, Okinawa, with F-102s of the 82nd FIS which was assigned to the 51st FIW from Travis AFB in January 1966. During the
1968 Pueblo crisis, the wing deployed 12 of is 33 aircraft to Suwon AB. On 31 May 1971, the 51st FIW was inactivated, ending almost 17 years of service in the Pacific from Naha when it was inactivated as the Air Force began scaling down its activities in
Southeast Asia. In 1975 Naha Air Base closed. The 51st was inactive for only five months. On 1 November 1971, the wing was redesignated the
51st Air Base Wing and activated at
Osan Air Base, South Korea. At Osan, the 51st assumed the host responsibilities of the inactivated 6314th Support Wing to include the Koon-ni range and a variety of remote sites. Operational squadrons of the 51st at Osan have been: Fighter Squadrons •
25th Fighter Squadron (1992–present A-10, OA-10) •
36th Fighter Squadron (F-4E 1974–88), (F-16C/D 1988–present) •
497th Fighter Squadron (F-4E) (1982–84) On 1 October 1993, after a half-dozen name changes, the wing returned to its original and current designation as the
51st Fighter Wing. Since then, the 51st has continued operating as a fighter/ground attack wing and continues to be tasked to receive and integrate follow-on reinforcing forces to Korea in the event of crisis. ==Lineage==