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In the spring of 1967, North Vietnam put a bounty of $25,000 on Col. Olds' head, payable to any pilot who could shoot down and hopefully cause the high-visibility capture of the North's "most-wanted" enemy. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), An official website of the United States government, SLIDESHOW | 0 images | BSC: Looking after the Wolf Pack, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. This was the first of over 200 victories ever since. As mentioned, its first combat base was in New Guinea, after which it moved through Borneo and the Celebes Islands. The 8th Fighter Wing renders a salute during the 8th FW change of command at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, June 1, 2021. It is one of two The airmen, nicknamed the Badgers, have frequently been active in the region since 2004. For training purpose with the 80th FW, multiple of their F-16s were present at Kunsan Air Base during my visit here. It was during this period that a new 5,000ft runway was built. The Squadrons first active combat mission was flown from Port Moresby, New Guinea, on July of the same year. Kunsan Air Base, located in the Republic of Korea, is home to the 8th Fighter Wing, known as the Wolf Pack. Such language is typical in North Korean propaganda because the country claims US-South Korean drills are preparation for invasion. Aforementioned 3rd Bombardment Wing returned to Japan at the end of the Korean Conflict. Air Force Chief of Staff, General John P. McConnell, ordered him to shave off his mustache before starting his new job as Commandant at the Air Force Academy in order to be a proper influence on cadets. WebKunsan Air Base is home to the 8th Fighter Wing which is known as the Wolf Pack, a nickname given during the command of Colonel Robin Olds back in 1966. One photograph in particular showed his youngest daughter, Susan, playfully mimicking her father's mustache with a strand of long hair above her upper lip. The 8th Medical Group is tasked with managing the medical clinic, offering flight & general medicine, dentistry and military public health services. We enjoy friendships at a personal level while providing for the collective defense of the peninsula and the region. Their major goal: Making the 8th FW & 7th AF commanders feel that they were a viable asset and of great support to the active duty squadrons. 25 1951 We go together! 38 70 . WebBy the end of the war, the 8th TFW led the USAF wings in SEA with a total of 38.5 MiGs destroyed. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), Capt. The aircrews' initial scepticism quickly turned to respect for the "old guy's" leadership style and obvious proficiency in the F-4. During the early morning BOLO briefing on January 2nd, 1967, Robin Olds, inspired by his WWII group commander, Col. Hub Zemke and his notorious 56th FG Wolf Pack, urged his 8th Wing pilots with a rallying cry, "Go get 'em Wolf Pack!". The Kunsan physical therapy office treats musculoskeletal conditions to include sports injuries, chronic issues and postoperative rehabilitation. Generations of U.S. Air Force members have aspired to become members of the Wolf Pack (8th Fighter Wing), to be stationed at Kunsan and for the opportunity to get after the mission with our ROK brothers and sisters. MiG pilots avoided engaging the powerful, heavily armed and more maneuverable F-4s. https://www.airforcemag.com/article/1198sweep/), NMUSAF PR Video: Robin speaking of his love for his ground crews. By Senior Airman Shannon Braaten, 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea -- Members of the Wolf Pack bid farewell to Col. John Wolf 2 Caldwell, 8th Fighter Wing vice commander after completing his fini-flight at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, April 25, 2023. From this time forward, the 8th Fighter Wing became known as the Wolf Pack. The 8th Fighter Wing consists of four groups, each carrying the responsibility for the wings operations, maintenance, support & medical functions. (Operation BOLO) Wolf Pack( ) . (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), Dr. (Maj.) Joshua Dalzell (left), 8th Healthcare Operations Squadron (HCOS) pharmacist, assists Staff Sgt. It scored the final American aerial victories of the war on the 14th of August, 1945. The Wolf Pack is the most tight-knit, lethal unit in the US Air Force, and the Airmen of the Wolf Pack are extremely skilled at their craft.- Col. David G. Shoemaker. Post war, the squadron moved to Itazuke AB, Japan. Its mission is to be prepared to execute immediate air combat operations against any aggressors threatening the United States or the Republic of Korea. Less than a year later, on 1 July 1958, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. During its tenure at Itazuke, the wing flew several different aircraft, including the North American F-86 Sabre, North American F-100 Super Sabre, Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, and Republic F-105 Thunderchief . Block 40 F-16s were received in 2000, these aircraft carried Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pods, enabling the Wolf Pack to take the fight into the night. It was mainly tasked with escorting light to medium bombers and ground support attacks. Apart from the 2,750 Air Force members stationed at Kunsan Air Base, it also employs 158 Army soldiers, 28 U.S. civilians and more than 420 local national appropriated and non-appropriated employees. To quote the 176th EFS Commander: In order to provide you with the best possible experience on our website, we use cookies. When U.S. forces left Korea in 1949, the base was turned over to the Republic of Korea Air Force. Flying the P-39, it scored its first victory within a month when it engaged and destroyed six enemy aircraft. 8 (Wolf) . Feel free to contact us using the form below: Late October, its around 70F and slightly foggy. (Henry Jeffress) 70 . It stands ready to conduct counter-air, air interdiction and close air support in both day and night conditions. December of 2017 saw their biggest cooperated air exercise so far. the capability of the ROKAF/USAF has improved exponentially. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), Dr. (Maj.) Tanviben Patel, 8th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron public health flight commander, inspects food at the dining facility on Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 24, 2023. (Click to play). About the presence of U.S. forces at Kunsan, the 8th FW Commander Col. David. The meeting with President Lyndon Johnson was tense, as the combat weary colonel said, "Sir, with all due respect to you as my Commander-in-Chief, get us the hell out of this god-damned war!" Built in 1938 by the Japanese as a fighter-interceptor base, Kunsan AB became the home of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group at the end of WWII. In the period leading up to the Vietnam Conflict, the 80th was one of the first units to send pilots and planes to Thailand where they would fly missions against North Vietnam. Its mission is to deliver lethal airpower when and where directed, including interdiction, close air support, counter air, air superiority and suppression of enemy air defenses. We hone our craft and ensure our readiness to deter attack. The deployment became a great teaching opportunity, seeing that the guard had a lot of knowledge due to most of the crew having up to 20 years of experience. (Eagle). G. Shoemaker once mentioned: , Post war, the squadron moved to Itazuke AB, Japan. Washington quickly ordered him not to lead any more missions over North Vietnam and Robin, in turn, did not want to be sent home to endure the hoopla of getting his fifth MiG and becoming an "Ace". Olds had flown 152 missions, 105 of them over North Vietnam. OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFNS) -- After receiving the first phase of one of the largest modernization efforts in U.S. Air Force F-16 program history, an upgraded Forces in May of 2017. Contents of this website may not be used without prior written permission. (For detailed description of Operation Bolo, see: MiG Sweep by Walter Boyne, November 1, 1998, Aces & Aerial Victories, US Air Force in Southeast Asia 1965-. His love for military aviation began in 1980. During the early morning BOLO briefing on January 2nd, 1967, Robin Olds, inspired by his WWII group commander, Col. Hub Zemke and his notorious 56th FG Wolf Pack, urged his 8th Wing pilots with a rallying cry, "Go get 'em Wolf Pack!". In the spring and summer of 1966, before the arrival of Col. Robin Olds, the 555th and the 476th Tactical Fighter Squadrons joined the 8th TFW. The Trojan Horse ruse of Operation BOLO succeeded in downing seven MiG -21s in a fierce aerial battle lasting twelve minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), 1st Lt. Makayla Arcara, 8th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron officer in charge of bioenvironmental engineering officer in charge, takes an air sample at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 25, 2023. The lab at the 8th MDG is uniquely trained in lifesaving emergency blood procedures and detection of bioterrorism agents in support of wartime operations. We can produce forecasts all day, but if nobody uses them, that's kind of pointless, Verleur finished. All military members live on base in dormitories. The 80th was stationed at various bases during the battle for Korea, where it remained in continuous combat during the entire conflict. 8 . To quote the 176th EFS Commander: The TSP is part of the Air Forces long-term initiatives to provide extra security in places where we need it.. The squadron performs a wide variety of activities such as air-and-space control, counter air, strategic attack, interdiction and close-air support missions. Entering combat in 1942 in the Pacific during WWII, another wide variety of aircraft were flown. TWS is the largest online Peter has written books about NAS Fallon, Red Flag and the Japanese Airforce. Olds had flown 152 missions, 105 of them over North Vietnam. It was in September 1974 that the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing was assigned to Kunsan Air Base. It was, upon its return to the United States, demobilized during the American disarmament. Established in Japan shortly after WWII, the 8th Fighter Wing went through varying operations as fighter-interceptor and fighter-bomber wings, first providing air defense for the islands and then flying combat missions during the Korean War. Other associate units that operate from the Air Base, amongst others, are the American Red Cross, Army Contracting Command Korea, American Forces Network-Korea, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 613 and the U.S. Army 25th Transportation Battalion. The unit was, among others, based in Australia and New Guinea. 1966 . The cumulative losses forced the North Vietnamese Air Force to ground their remaining aircraft, reassess tactics and retrain crews for four full months. Public health officers manage programs that focus on the following: food safety and public facility sanitation, disease surveillance and prevention, force health management and medical readiness, vector surveillance and entomology, and occupational and environmental health. The 80th continues to support the United States in Korea with the same pride and excellence instilled in the squadron from the Headhunters of the past. After receiving the first phase of one of the largest modernization efforts in U.S. Air Force F-16 program history, an upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon rejoined the 8th The 8th Fighter Wing serves as the bases host unit and falls under the Seventh Air Force at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/change-of-command-49712/. While touring SEA bases with his USO troupe, comedian Bob Hope characterized the 8th TFW as "the largest distributor of MiG parts in all of Southeast Asia." 021 returned to 8th FW operations after about seven weeks away for maintenance, where the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers Post Block Integration Team project, provided the aircraft with the first wave of 22 modifications designed to improve F-16 lethality to meet the needs of current and future operations. All 8th TFW squadrons flew F-4Cs until F-4Ds replaced the older aircraft in 1967. The Squadron flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon out of Kunsan Air Base and is assigned to the Wolf Pack (8th Fighter Wing). The 80th Fighter Squadrons vision is to lead the combat air forces as the most lethal fighter squadron of motivated, expertly trained warriors focused on the defense of the Republic of Korea, in order to maintain regional stability in the Pacific. 70 . They were joined by 79 Squadron of Royal Australian Air Force, flying top cover for the Wing in F-86s. It was in 1972 when the 35th moved to Kunsan Air Base to fly the F-4 Phantom. If you continue to browse we will assume your permission to use cookies. The 35th changed base multiple times throughout Korea, including Pyongyang, flying the F-80 Shooting Star (and later the F-86 Sabre). The Armys 2nd Battalion, the 1st Air Defense Artillery, consists of the Charlie and Delta missile batteries. 8th OSS forecasting the fight. The 80th Fighter Squadron was activated during WWII, in 1942, as the 80th Pursuit Squadron at Mitchell Field, NY. It was here that the squadron converted from the P-51 to the F-80. December also began the planning for Operation BOLO, a tactic to disguise flights of F-4s as F-105s, which were flying bombing missions so routine (as ordered by Washington) that North Vietnamese MiGs and SAM missles easily shot them out of the sky. The legend of All rights reserved. (Capt.) Defend the base, accept follow-on forces, take the flight north. Its not like any other base that Ive visited, less relaxed maybe. Special thanks to Kunsan AFB Public Affairs for making this visit possible. Pictured here are revetments and F-4s of the 8th TFW at Ubon, Copyright 2012-2023 Aviation Photography Digest. So, he obeyed orders in his own fashion, by choosing to fly within a flight of F-4s, not leading as #1, and he passed off MiGs he spotted for his flight members to down. . After receiving the first phase of one of the largest modernization efforts in U.S. Air Force F-16 program history, an upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon rejoined the 8th But if called upon to defend our neighbors and allies, may God have mercy on the Wolf Packs prey.- Col. David G. Shoemaker. By the end of the war, the 8th TFW led the USAF wings in SEA with a total of 38.5 MiGs destroyed. Air Force maintainers from the 8th Fighter Wing maneuver an F-16 Fighting Falcon into a hardened aircraft shelter during the Fiscal Year 2023 More 8FWPA Images Weve developed our ability to train and fight together through RED FLAGs and our Peninsula-wide exercises MAX THUNDER and VIGILANT ACE. The first assigned aircraft wing at Kunsan was the 3rd Bombardment Wing, on August 22, 1951. As the family left together in an Air Force staff car, Robin was informed he had to report immediately to his boss in the Pentagon, followed by a visit to the White House. In December, Robin brought over his former Director of Operations from the 81st FW at RAF Bentwaters, Col. Daniel "Chappie" James, to be his DO, and later, vice-wing commander at Ubon. Hundreds of aircraft including two dozen stealth jets began training as the United States and South Korea launched a massive combined air force exercise. The war games came a week after North Korea test-fired its most powerful missile ever, an ICBM that may be able to target the eastern seaboard of the United States. From this time forward, the 8th Fighter Wing became known as the Wolf Pack. The F-100s were eventually replaced by F-105 Thunderchiefs in 1963 and the squadron moved to Yokota Air Base, Japan. Sofia Shank, 8th Healthcare Operations Squadron lab and ambulance services flight commander, handles blood samples at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 25, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), Maj. Brock McNabb (left), 8th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (OMRS) mental health flight commander, laughs with Tech. The 35th Fighter Squadrons mission is to provide combat-ready F-16 C/D fighter aircraft to conduct air operations throughout the Pacific. Theres not much going on, which is fairly unusual for an Air Force Base at 8 a.m. Only a few vehicles arrive and depart, some of them being thoroughly checked. In October 1969, 7th Air Force chose the 8th TFW for a night Fast FAC assignment flying interdiction against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Flying under the call sign "Night Owl", the FACs dropped flares to illuminate air strikes against chokepoints along the Trail. Conversion was completed in 2001. The 35. Robin Olds, leading the first of three flights of F-4s, scored the first MiG of his tour. The squadron moved to Okinawa in August 1944, where it saw immediate action, flying missions against the Japanese mainland. Just win it!" When the 80, In the period leading up to the Vietnam Conflict, the 80th was one of the first units to send pilots and planes to Thailand where they would fly missions against North Vietnam. North Koreas state media said that the drill pushes the Korean Peninsula to the brink of nuclear war. It is tasked with conducting air-to-ground and air-to-air missions with the 45 F-16s that are assigned to the wing. December also began the planning for Operation BOLO, a tactic to disguise flights of F-4s as F-105s, which were flying bombing missions so routine (as ordered by Washington) that North Vietnamese MiGs and SAM missles easily shot them out of the sky. This iconic mustache became the visible symbol of the fighting spirit of the Wolf Pack and its renegade leader. WebThe Official Website of the 908th Airlift Wing. The 35th flew the P-12, PB-2, A-17 and P-36 out of Langley Field, Virginia. It was April 1951 that the 27th Air Base Group became the first Air Force unit assigned to the base. Wolf Pack tail no. Kunsan Air Base, located in the Republic of Korea, is home to the 8th Fighter Wing, known as the Wolf Pack. Examples of the services provided by the physical therapy clinic include posture and gait analysis, strengthening, stretching, joint manipulation, pre- and post-surgical orthopedic rehabilitation, and health and fitness information. The squadron accounted for 225 enemy aircraft destroyed during the course of the war, receiving 10 battle honors and three Distinguished Unit Citations. The 8th TFW pilots (mostly in their early to mid-twenties) looked with distrust at this "old" guy who hadn't flown combat since WWII. The U.S. Army recaptured the base, together with Kunsan City, two months later. The 35th Fighter Squadron, one of two fighter squadrons assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing, the Wolf Pack. The Wing remained in Japan through the Cold War, briefly relocated to George AFB, CA in 1964, and then moved to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand in December, 1965. The base also houses the U.S. Armys 2nd Batallion, 1st Air Defense Artillery. Kunsan AFB and its 8th FW is home to more than 2,800 active-duty personnel, mostly U.S. Air Force (2750) but also U.S. Army (185), U.S. DoD civilians (28), Korean nationals (450) and family members (50-100). This ensures the bases protection against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. This ranged from striking the enemys front line to missions deep behind the lines to hit supply routes, bridges, build-ups and heavy troop concentrations. The Robin Olds Factor; Air Force magazine June 1, 2008. https://www.airforcemag.com/article/1198sweep/, https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001329821/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-010.pdf, https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0608olds/. On April 8, 2022, the 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, said goodbye to its aging C-130H aircraft. Now the wing is working to transition to providing MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter training, bringing together Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Global Strike Command and Air Force Reserve Command for the first time. In his first pilot briefing, Olds ordered them sternly to teach him well because he'd be leading them over North Vietnam within two weeks. Re-designated the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, it entered combat as the Korean War began. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), Dr. Here at Kunsan Air Base, we train with the 38th Fighter Group of the ROKAF. WebThe United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing (8 FW) is the host unit at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea and is assigned to Seventh Air Force. (Capt.) LeAnne Mullinax (right), 8th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron mental health element chief, engages with maintainers from the 80th Fighter Generation Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 26, 2023. Assignment to the installation at Kunsan Air Base is typically a one-year unaccompanied tour, meaning members are assigned to the installation without their families. The mental health clinic is made up of both officers and enlisted personnel, who can teach and treat patients under their commissioned counterparts licenses. Air Force Reserve Takes 75th Anniversary Celebration to Talladega This is a special day not only for the 70,000-plus Citizen "The Bad Boy Commander of Operation Bolo" by Don Hollway, https://www.historynet.com/bad-boy-commander-operation-bolo/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_vietnammag&fbclid=IwAR17gJAgwiaEG6Phyc-gDIMcVFSYYapttd8Z3f7OF8JIrf64prMQ_SKMusA, Today in Aviation History: Operation Bolo, https://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-articles/today-in-aviation-history-operation-bolo.html, Aces & Aerial Victories, US Air Force in Southeast Asia 1965-1973:https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001329821/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-010.pdf, The Robin Olds Factor; Air Force magazine June 1, 2008.https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0608olds/. Deployment to Kunsan of over 180 airmen from the 115th FW, 176th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, was realized in early August of 2017. It was the start of the most impactful and far-reaching assignment of his 30-year USAF career. Sgt. The 8th Mission Support Group is tasked with supporting the base with civil engineering, communications, base defense, services, logistic readiness and overall mission support. WebThe 8th Fighter Wing is responsible for conducting air-to-ground and air-to-air missions in the 45 F-16s assigned to the wing. The 80th flew its final combat mission of WWII in August of 1945, during which the squadron commander was shot down. They oversaw the bases reconstruction. MiG pilots avoided engaging the powerful, heavily armed and more maneuverable F-4s. In mid-January 1967, increasingly frustrated by missions planned and ordered by the White House and Pentagon brass back in Washington, Robin decided to grow a mustache deliberately out of limits, knowing it would inflame his bosses and inspire his crews. This battalion is equipped with Patriot Advanced Capability, or PAC-3, missiles. Together they formed a legendary team known as "Blackman and Robin". Chris Drager (left), 8th Healthcare Operations Squadron physical therapist, guides a patient lifting weights at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 25, 2023. Published April 6, 2023 By Senior Airman Shannon Braaten, 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs KUNSAN AIR BASE, REPUBLIC OF KOREA The Wolf Pack welcomed Pacific Air Forces Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Mr. Anthony Cruz Unoz at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, April 5-6, 2023. Original material featuring air forces from around the world, High quality photographs tell the visual story. Something which is extremely important in hostile times like these. I am standing in front of Kunsan Air Base, waiting for the Public Affairs Officer. This was done from Itazuke Air Base, Japan. Rotational Deployment in Korea of the U.S. Air Force Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing was completed on November 8, 2017. Four F-16s take to the South Korean skies with afterburners. When the president asked how he proposed he should do that, Robin replied, "It's simple! Martina Shannon-Young, 8th OMRS mental health technician, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 25, 2023. The 8th Fighter Wing wears its heritage proudly: the famed Wolf Pack of Robin Olds. The first operational squadrons in place at Ubon in the early months of 1966 were the 433rd and the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. Different deployments of the United States Air Force frequently visit South-Korea. Approximately 250 Airmen and 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 120th Fighter Squadron from Colorado Air National Guard Base were stationed here. . Peter van den Berg is from Coevorden, Netherlands. Our goal is the same: peace on the peninsula. Seventh Air Force falls under The 8th Maintenance Group is tasked with the daily flying and maintenance operations. This was of great help to the eager and willing to learn Airmen of the 8th FW. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by 1st Lt. Cameron Silver), Capt. The mental health clinic at Kunsan has implemented a frontline care strategy to be more accessible to base personnel by meeting them where they work. The first airbase where he photographed was Soesterberg, Netherlands where the 32 TFS was stationed with the F-15. Vincent Antwi, 8th HCOS pharmacy technician, in taking inventory at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 25, 2023. New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, Special Purpose Military Aircraft Gallery, Kunsan Air Base: The Den of the Wolf Pack, About the presence of U.S. forces at Kunsan, the 8th FW Commander Col. David.