The historiography of Korea's aerial war.

This is the gripping story of Task Force 77, the US Navy carrier commitment to the Korean War that was vital to the success of the UN forces battling the Chinese and North Koreans. Naval and air power were crucial to the United Nations' success in the Korean War, as it sought to negate the overwhelming Chinese advantage in manpower. In what became known as the 'long hard slog', naval aviators sought to slow and cut off communist forces and support troops on the ground. USS Leyte (CV-32) operated off Korea in the Sea of Japan for a record 93 continuous days to support the Marines in their epic retreat out of North Korea, and was crucial in the battles of the spring and summer of 1951 in which the UN forces again battled to the 38th Parallel. All of this was accomplished with a force that was in the midst of change, as jet aircraft altered the entire nature of naval aviation. Holding the Line chronicles the carrier war in Korea from the first day of the war to the last, focusing on front-line combat, while also describing the technical development of aircraft and shipboard operations, and how these all affected the broader strategic situation on the Korean Peninsula.

United States Navy and the Korean War. Fourth in the series. Focuses on naval aviation in the Korean War. Describes the prewar political climate in Washington. Covers: rules of engagement, bombing techniques, close air support missions, on board recovery, and air-to-air combat.

Americans think of the Korean War as death and hardship in the bitter hills of Korea. It was certainly this, and for those who fought this is what they generally saw. Yet every foot of the struggles forward, every step of the retreats, the overwhelming victories, the withdrawals and last ditch stands had their seagoing support and overtones. The spectacular ones depended wholly on amphibious power -- the capability of the twentieth century scientific Navy to overwhelm land-bound forces at the point of contact. Yet the all pervading influence of the sea was present even when no major landing or retirement or reinforcement highlighted its effect. When navies clash in gigantic battle or hurl troops ashore under irresistible concentration of ship-borne guns and planes, nations understand that sea power is working. It is not so easy to understand that this tremendous force may effect its will silently, steadily, irresistibly even though no battles occur. No clearer example exists of this truth in wars dark record than in Korea. Communist-controlled North Korea had slight power at sea except for Soviet mines. So beyond this strong underwater phase the United States Navy and allies had little opposition on the water. It is, therefore, easy to fail to recognize the decisive role navies played in this war fought without large naval battles.

A history of the conflict in Korea with an emphasis on the crucial role of aviation. This in-depth history covers the role of US aircraft carriers and aircraft in stopping the North Korean initial push to the south; their role in the famous Inchon Landing and Pusan Perimeter break out; naval operations during the Marines’ Chosin Reservoir march to the sea in December 1950; and the stabilization of the front lines after the Chinese entered the war during 1951. At this time, the emphasis for naval air operations was centered on interdiction behind the lines. The focus was on trying to stop road and rail traffic from resupplying the communist troops and allowing them to build up to a major offensive. Also described is the entry of the F2H Banshee into carrier operations, which gave the US four major types of aircraft with which to wage the war. During 1952, most carrier air groups spent their time off the coast of North Korea while hitting targets up along the Yalu River, putting them well within the range of MiG-15s. Navy F9F Panthers were used as top cover, while the Corsairs and Skyraiders went after major targets such as the dam complexes upriver and marshaling yards north of Pyongyang. During 1953, naval air operations were stepped up in an effort to get the communists back to the truce talks. The number of MiG-15s had grown to a figure many times that of the UN for overhead protection; the deep missions were more dangerous than ever; and the Chinese brought in state-of-the-art antiaircraft automatic weapons. This comprehensive book brings you into the action as the stakes get higher and higher before the conflict eventually draws to a close.

This remarkable collection of works by some of the most authoritative naval historians in the United States draws on many formerly classified sources to shed new light on the U.S. Navy's role in the three-year struggle to preserve the independence of the Republic of Korea. Several of the essays concentrate on fleet operations during the first critical year of the war and later years when United Nations forces fought a "static war." Others focus on the leadership of Admirals Forrest P. Sherman, C. Turner Joy, James H. Doyle, and Arleigh A. Burke and on carrier-based and ground-based naval air operations as well as the contributions of African American Sailors. >As a whole, this book documents how the Navy's domination of the seas around Korea enabled Allied forces to project combat power ashore the length and breadth of the Korean peninsula. It also shows how the powerful presence of U.S. and Allied naval forces discouraged China and the Soviet Union from launching other military adventures in the Far East, thus keeping the first "limited war" of the Cold War era confined to Korea. But far from being an aberration unlikely to be replicated, the Korean War proved to be only the first in a long line of twentieth-century and early twenty-first century conflicts involving U.S. naval forces confronting Communist and nontraditional adversaries, and a full understanding of the Korean War experience, as provided in this book, helps define the role of sea power in today's world.

This monograph, the 4th in the Naval Historical Center's series commemorating the Korean War, focuses on naval aviation. The Korean War not only reaffirmed naval aviation's role as an essential element of forward projection but also coincided with the introduction of new technologies to the fleet. Brings together the elements of air power in Korea & integrates them with stories of the courageous pilots who flew the missions. Describes the prewar political climate in Washington, when carrier aviation was fighting for its place in our nation's defense, & highlights the versatility of naval aviation. Rules of engagement, bombing techniques, close air support missions, harrowing examples of on board recovery, & air-to-air combat are all covered. Illus.