forward-deployed in the Paciic theater
of operations, moving among bases in
Japan with a primary responsibility of
alert commitments. Four more years
on, it transitioned to the jet age and the
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star in 1949.Korea and Vietnam
Having forged a fearsome reputation
and carved out an impressive history, the
‘Fiends’ solidiied the unit’s exemplary
service in becoming one of the irst
units to respond to the crisis on the
Korean peninsula. On June 25, 1950, the
now 36th Fighter-Bomber Squadron
was alerted for possible combat duty
following the invasion by communist
forces and their push south. The next day,
the squadron lew protective cover nearKimpo Air Base, while US personnel were
being evacuated by transport aircraft.
Days after their initial notiication, the
‘Fiends’ lew their F-80s into combat and
attacked advancing North Korean forces,
striking tanks, trucks, artillery and troops.
On June 30, history was made again when
Lts John Thomas and Edwin Johnson each
destroyed an enemy aircraft near their
base at Suwon, claiming the squadron’s
irst enemy aircraft kills of the conlict.
The period between June 25, 1950 and
July 27, 1953 was laden with milestones.
The unit lew three diferent aircraft types
in as many years. The F-80 was swapped
back to the venerable F-51 Mustang,
and ultimately the ‘Fiends’ inished out
the Korean War in the North American
F-86 Sabre. In the span of a few years, thesquadron moved bases 12 times, including
a period operating out of Pyongyang (the
current capital of North Korea).
Its pilots destroyed hundreds of North
Korean ground targets and scored six
air-to-air kills even though their mounts
were often weighed down with air-to-
ground munitions. The ‘Fiends’ even set a
record for the most combat sorties in one
day, with 121. Sadly, the squadron also
paid a very heavy price for its gallantry,
losing 44 pilots during the conlict.
Barely a decade after the end of the
Korean War, the ‘Fiends’ deployed to
Korat, Thailand, in response to the Gulf of
Tonkin crisis. Equipped with the Republic
F-105 Thunderchief, the 36th Tactical
Fighter Squadron lew escort for combat
search and rescue aircraft, and developed
competency in the suppression of enemy
air defenses (SEAD) role. In the three
months from August to October 1965,
four ‘Fiends’ were listed as missing in
action — one pilot, Maj Dean Pogreba,
was awarded the Air Force Cross.
The squadron converted to the
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in
December 1967, stationed at Yokota Air
Base in Japan, with regular deployments
to Kunsan AB in South Korea, beginning
in March 1971. It moved to Kunsan in May
1971, establishing a forward operating
location at Osan AB shortly after. The
squadron moved permanently to Osan,
being assigned to the 51st Composite
Wing (Tactical) in September 1974.
Current F-16C pilot Capt ‘Astro’ relected
on the unit’s esteemed past. ‘The ‘Fiends’
are aware of their unit history and
understand that they are a living part
of that legacy. The path towards aerialAbove: The 36th
FS centenary
flagship totes a
bunker-busting
GBU-24
Paveway III.
Below:
Maintainers
load an inert
GBU-31 JDAM for
a mission from
Eielson.FEATURE ARTICLE // 36TH FIGHTER SQUADRON
56 December 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net