Korean War

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On 26 June, one day after 90,000 North Korean troops, armed with Soviet weapons, crossed the 38th parallel to invade South Korea, President Harry Truman directed U.S. military forces to assist South Korea. This began the Korean War, which came at a time when America was becoming more and more fearful of Communism. The fact that Communist China and the Soviet Union were backing the North Koreans added to American fears of a "Communist Takeover" of the world. Led by General Douglas MacArthur, American troops spent three years fighting in Korea. The war ended in stalemate in 1953 with the North Koreans north of the 38th parallel, a border that still separates North and South Korea. When North Korea invaded South Korea , the U.S. Air Force was less than three years old from its prior designation as the U.S. Army Air Forces, which ended on 30 September 1947. Thus the Korean War was its first conflict as an independent service. The Korean War was also the first war in which a world organization, the United Nations, played a military role. The Korean War marked the first battles between jet aircraft. Early in the conflict, Allied bombers and fighter planes based in Japan, Okinawa, and South Korea roared over North Korea unopposed. They supported Allied troops, killed enemy troops, and damaged Communist bases. The Soviet Union soon began to supply North Korea with MIG-15 Fagot jets, and dogfights became an important part of the war. As many as 150 to 200 U.S. F-86 Sabrejet, F-84 Thunderjet, F-80 Shooting Stars rose to meet MIG-15s flying from their fields in Manchuria. All the dogfights occurred over North Korea because Allied planes were ‘not permitted’ to cross the Yalu River, and the MIG-15's ‘never’ flew south of the 38th parallel. Most of the battles took place in "MIG Alley," an area between the Yalu and Pyongyang. The Allies used helicopters to carry wounded soldiers from battle zones to hospitals. Helicopter pilots made daring rescues of Allied fliers who had been shot down. For the first time, helicopters carried troops into combat. The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps lost more than 2,000 planes during the war. Most of them were shot down by Communist antiaircraft guns. Allied fliers destroyed more than 1,000 Communist planes. Navy and Marine fliers killed about 100,000 Communist troops, and Air Force fliers killed about 184,800 ...

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...fight North Koreans for the first time north of Osan. U.S. forces retreat with heavy casualties. The 34th Infantry Regiment moved north from Pusan. This Week In Korean War History July 5-August 10 - United Nations Forces fight delaying actions across South Korea. July 7, 1950 -- President Truman authorizes the Department of Defense to draft young men in the nation's build-up for the Korean War. July 7 - United Nations creates United Nations Command, under General Douglas Mac Arthur, who is appointed by the U.S. July 8-12, 1950 -- Airstrips are built in South Korea, enabling short-range F-80 Shooting Star jet fighters to support American soldiers. On July 10 U.S. and Australian aircraft fly 300 missions. July 9-18 - Arrival of 25th Infantry Division in Korea. July 10 - Fifth Air Force destroys large contingent of North Korean tanks and troops stalled at Pyongtaek. July 10 to 12 - U.S. Forces retreat down the Seoul-Taejon road. July 13 - Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker appointed to command the ground forces in Korea. July 13 to 16 - Assault of North Koreans begins against the U.S. troops on the Kum River ending with the crossing of the Kum River and withdrawal of U.S. troops.

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