As June 25th 2010 approaches, 60 years after the outbreak of the Korean Police Action, I am reminded of the events that happened to me on 25 June 1950.
I had gone swimming on that Sunday morning at Medical Lake, near Spokane, Washington. A short time later, the Washington State Police located me on the lake shore and directed me to accompany them. They would not tell me anything except that they were ordered to return me to Spokane AFB.
As we arrived at the base, they took me to the 345th Squadron Operation and directed me to report to the Operations Officer . If memory serves me correctly, he was Capt. Underwood. When I reported to him, still in my swimming shorts, he informed me that an armed conflict had broken out in Korea AND the 98th Bomb Group was sending SIX (6) B-29s and that I had TWO hours to pack and be back at operations.
When I returned to Ops about ONE hour and 15 minutes later, I was told the orders had been changed and the whole 92nd Bomb Group was going. I was ordered to report to the “Captain of the Guard” in the big hangar. There I was issued a carbine and ammunition and posted on a B-29 as a guard. My instructions was to allow NO ONE on the airplane without proper authority. Never asking OR being told what “proper authority” was, I took my post. This began a most boring night with ONE EXCEPTION. Sometime later a STAFF CAR, emblazoned with STARS and FLAGS approached my post. I challenged the driver to “Halt and Identify himself. I asked “What is your authority to approach this post”? He pointed to the back seat. Suddently the rear window was lowered and an ID Card was thrust at me. I almost fainted as I read Curtis LeMay, General USAF on the card. I asked if his intention was to enter the B-29, if so “What is your Authority?” he replyed . ” I am checking the security of the base. I have no need to enter the airplan or your post”. I saluted and he ordered his driver to proceed on up the ramp. Nothing was ever mentioned about this, so I assume “no news is good news”.
The next day, all 98th along with 92nd ground support personnel moved the 98th B-29s OUT of the hangars and 92nd B-29s IN. We worked together doing perodic maintenance on the 92nd aircraft untill all the 92nd departed about a week later. The 98th began departing about the 1st of August. The 98th flew their first combat against the North Koreans on the 7th of August 1950.
Herb Harper