Osan Air Base


Osan Air Base is a United States Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force base located near Songtan station in the city of Pyeongtaek, South Korea, south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is to the north. The base is the home of the headquarters for Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant units. The base is also the headquarters of the Republic of Korea Air Force Operations Command. Osan Air Base is also the departure and arrival point for U.S. government-contracted "Patriot Express" flights bringing service members and their family members to South Korea from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the U.S. state of Washington, Misawa Air Base and Yokota Air Base in Japan.
As the most forward deployed permanently based wing in the Air Force, and equipped with A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons, the 51st Fighter Wing is charged with executing combat operations, receiving follow-on forces and defending the base from attack. As the air component to United States Forces Korea and Combined Forces Command, 7th Air Force provides the command and control structures and personnel necessary to deliver precise, persistent, combined air and space power in defense of the Republic of Korea.
Osan Air Base is one of two major U.S. Air Force installations operated by U.S. Forces Korea, the other being Kunsan Air Base.

History

Korean War

Osan Air Base is one of two major airfields operated by the USAF in the Republic of Korea and the only base on the peninsula entirely planned and built from scratch by Aviation Engineers units attached to the USAF during the Korean War.
In the spring of 1951, the Korean People's Army and Chinese People's Volunteer Army were driven back north of the 38th parallel, and resulted in the return of Fifth Air Force tactical fighter units to peninsula. Aviation engineers, meanwhile, surveyed locations in South Korea to build an air base capable of supporting jet fighters. They decided upon the area southwest of Osan-Ni. Established in November 1951, the base originally was named Osan-Ni AB. The name "Osan-Ni" was chosen for practical reasons – it was the only village shown on most military maps of the time, and it was easy to pronounce.
The 839th Aviation Engineer Battalion began construction of base support facilities and infrastructure early in 1952. On July 9, 1952, the 839th, joined by the 840th and 841st Engineer battalions, all part of the 934th Engineer Aviation Group, started work to lay the airfield's runway, taxiway and parking ramps. Monsoon rains, though, impeded initial efforts to fill the rice paddies and begin airfield construction. The delay forced engineers to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week beginning in August. They completed laying a, concrete runway in months. With the taxiway also completed, and parking ramps nearing completion, the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing and one of its F-51 Mustang combat squadrons arrived on December 26, 1952. With the wing's other two squadrons arriving shortly thereafter, the wing converted to the F-86F Sabre.
In February 1953, the 18th FBW began flying air superiority missions from Osan-Ni AB which continued through the remainder of the Korean War.

Cold War

With the Korean Armistice Agreement signed on July 27, 1953, the 18th FBW remained at Osan-Ni AB for defensive purposes until November 1954. Meanwhile, plans called for HQ Fifth Air Force to move from Seoul National University to Yongsan Garrison in Seoul. This plan was changed, and in January 1954, the headquarters relocated to Osan-Ni AB, and established the base as the major hub of operations for U.S. air power in South Korea.
As the Armistice took hold, the USAF redeployed all but one tactical fighter wing from the peninsula, and in November 1954, after Fifth Air Force relocated to Tokyo, the 314th Air Division replaced its former advanced headquarters at Osan-Ni AB. The 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing moved from Daegu AB to Osan-Ni AB in March 1955, and became the only permanently assigned tactical fighter wing in South Korea. On September 18, 1956, the base was redesignated Osan AB, its current name.
In July 1958, the U.S. Air Force inactivated the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing. At this time, the Eisenhower Administration promulgated a nuclear deterrence strategy. Osan AB thus became the main base of operations for air-to-ground Matador tactical missiles when the 310th Tactical Missile Squadron and 58th Support Squadron were activated under the 58th Tactical Missile Group.
Concurrently, Fifth Air Force complemented this strategy by instituting rotational deployments of fighter aircraft units to Osan and Kunsan ABs from its Far East bases and the U.S. to bolster the defense of the South Korea as it steadily trained and equipped the ROKAF. Although the Matador missiles were relocated in 1962, fighter deployments continued throughout the 1960s.
Other than a major reconstruction of the runway in 1959, the base still retained its Korean War-vintage facilities and infrastructure. There was no money spent on improving the facilities. The U.S. focused on Cuba due to the Cuban Missile Crisis and on Europe as the most important part of the Cold War. Korea was forgotten. On base the barracks were still the corrugated iron barracks of the Korean War and the base simply stagnated with the 6314th Air Base Wing in charge of not only Osan, but also Kunsan as well. This condition changed modestly beginning in 1968.
Starting in September 1964, Osan AB was home to Det 4, 36th Air Rescue Squadron of the Military Air Transport Service. The unit flew the HH-43B Huskies. Two HH-43Bs were assigned to Osan AB as of September 1964 under the Air Rescue Service based in the Pacific Air Force region. Det 4, 36 ARS became Det 9, Provisional Air Rescue Component on 25 July 1965 and remained with this designator until 8 January 1966.
MATS was redesignated as the Military Airlift Command in 1969 and in December 1969, the designator changed to Det 4, PARRC
. The unit designator of Det 9, 41st Air Rescue and Recovery Wing was also maintained from February 1969 through June 1970.

''Pueblo'' crisis

The North Korean seizure of the USS Pueblo on January 23, 1968, precipitated deployment of 1,000 Air Force personnel, on temporary duty status, to Osan AB in support of Operation Combat Fox. Airmen stationed at bases in the US, and Asia began arriving on January 25, within 48 hours of the attack. Many found that they would have temporary quarters in Korean War vintage tents in below zero weather conditions without cold weather clothing. The developing crisis underscored the importance of the installation at Osan, and led to the infusion of funds for improving existing facilities and the construction of new structures including aircraft shelters and control tower. Security was upgraded in support of the increased tactical operations at the base. From January to March, over 6,500,000 pounds of cargo was shipped by rail to Osan. Conventional munitions transported in converted coal cars, arrived 24 hours a day.
On 22 March the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron deployed to Osan AB from McChord AFB, Washington. This marked the first time in history that Aerospace Defense Command F-106 fighter interceptors had flown to a critical overseas area, using in-flight refueling along with tactical air units.
Although the Pueblo crisis subsided with the crew's release on December 23, 1968, fighter unit deployments occurred on a regular basis. On April 15, 1969, the North Koreans again triggered a period of tension when it shot down a U.S. Navy EC-121 Warning Star flying in international airspace over the Sea of Japan. F-106s from the 95th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, deployed to Osan AB from 15 November 1969 – 1 May 1970. Attached to Fifth Air Force ADVON, 15 November 1969 – 1 May 1970.
The response by the U.S. resulted in another increase of fighter forces on the peninsula, and eventually set the stage for return of permanently assigned fighter units to South Korea.

Vietnam War

Throughout this period, the U.S. Air Force was deeply committed to the Vietnam War.
At Osan, the major USAF units were 6145th Air Force Advisory Group acting as a training/logistical support unit to the ROKAF; the 314th Air Division; and the 6314th Support Wing. The 611th Military Airlift Command Support Squadron at Kimpo Air Base would later move to Osan.
However, as the U.S. withdrew incrementally from South Vietnam and Thailand, Pacific Air Forces repositioned its force structure which led to substantial changes for the USAF in South Korea. On March 15, 1971, the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing was activated at Kunsan AB. At Osan AB, PACAF activated the 51st Air Base Wing to assume host-unit responsibilities at Osan AB on November 1, 1971. Two weeks later, on November 13, 1971, the 3rd TFW's 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron moved to Osan AB.
Total withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Vietnam by March 1973 resulted in another important change for Osan AB. On September 30, 1974, the 51st ABW was redesignated as the 51st Composite Wing, and assigned the 36th TFS with its F-4D/E Phantom IIs and the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron with its OV-10As.

1970s/1980s

With Osan AB serving as the nucleus for more than 20 USAF activities in South Korea, it experienced a period of facility and infrastructure changes during the 1970s. Although many of the Korean War vintage structures remained, new dormitories were built, and a new headquarters complex completed in 1974 for the 314th AD and 51st CW replaced 71 Quonset huts that were destroyed by fire three years earlier. In 1979 and 1980, construction of on-base family housing and additional community-support facilities gave the base a sign of stability.
Establishment of the Combined Forces Command in 1978 further set the future of Osan AB. The evolving role of USAF's CFC mission in South Korea led to activation of Headquarters Seventh Air Force on September 8, 1986. It replaced the 314th AD as the U.S. Air Force component command.
Construction on Osan AB during the 1980s was dictated largely by mission changes and enhancements, and the threat from North Korea. Introduction of the F-16 Fighting Falcon in 1988 led to construction of hardened aircraft shelters, a new on-base munitions storage area, and upgrades to unaccompanied personnel housing.
The presence of U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was classified until 1978, though the planes could be seen at takeoff and landing.