Korean war heroes For much of his tour of duty in the Korean War, Richard C. Smith flew in an air transport unit that primarily shuttled supplies to troops scattered across the region.
take stage in
weeklong air
power forum
Veterans will share their
combat stories in a
rare oral historyBy B.J. Reyes
breyes@starbulletin.comBut that was in the latter part of his tour. His first two months were spent transporting a much more important cargo.
"Air transportation was mainly hauling supplies, ammunition, food, with the exception of the Chosin Reservoir, where we hauled people out," Smith said. "It was a round-the-clock operation -- one airplane after another.
"We had a lot of people to get out."
Smith will share his stories with hundreds of others this week as part of the Pacific Air Forces Korean War Air Power Symposium.
The symposium, which runs today through Friday, features events at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hickam Air Force Base.
The symposium, focusing on the role of air power in the war, includes eight panel discussions with historians and veterans of several countries who fought in Korea.
Smith, 75, will take part in a panel on air transport.
"The main thing we did was help evacuate the Marines and Army out of the Chosin Reservoir in November and December of 1950," the retired Air Force major said.
The battle at the Chosin Reservoir began Thanksgiving 1950, when Chinese forces struck Marines along a mountainous route in subarctic conditions.
Over the following four weeks, the Marines engaged in some of the fiercest fighting of the Korean War.
Smith is a member of the "Chosin Few," a fraternal organization whose members include survivors of the battle.
People like Smith will be the focus of the event. Organizers say the first-of-its kind symposium will not be an academic forum, but rather an informal, wide-ranging discussion among those who fought and studied the war.
"When we do these things, from a military historical perspective, we're inclined to emphasize tanks and jet fighters. We're trying to emphasize people," said Timothy Keck, command historian of the Pacific Air Forces, based at Hickam.
"It's about trying to peel back five decades of time and allow these folks to relive the experiences they had," Keck added. "It's very much just a huge exercise in oral history."
In addition to the panel discussions at the Hilton, there will be a formal event in Hickam's Hangar 7 that will include the unveiling of restored Korean War-era aircraft, a MASH tent, radio Jeep and other period displays.
Keck called the restored aircraft, an F-86 Saber jet and a Russian MiG 15, one of the highlights of the hangar event.
"Those two aircraft kind of became symbols of the Korean War in terms of air power," Keck said.
Organizers also plan to document the proceedings of the panel discussions and interview panelists for inclusion in a book on the Korean War scheduled for publication next year, Keck said.
One somber note surrounding the symposium will be the absence of retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Winton W. "Bones" Marshall.
Marshall, among those who spearheaded the symposium project, has been hospitalized since being beaten and robbed June 7 at Ala Moana Center. Police say Marshall suffered facial cuts, a skull fracture and "bruising of the brain," which apparently has resulted in some memory loss.
"He's going to be sorely missed," Keck said. "He's a fighter ace. ... He would've added a great deal to our symposium, and he's been very supportive of the idea from the beginning."
Pacific Air Forces symposium
The first Pacific Air Forces Korean War Air Power Symposium is scheduled for today through Friday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hickam Air Force Base.The symposium will include eight panel discussions:
>> "The Korean War: A 50-Year Retrospective"
>> "The Joint and Combined Air War: Theory and Practice"
>> "Air-to-Ground Operations: The Sky Above, the Mud Below"
>> "Assessing the Bombing Campaign"
>> "The F-86 Story: A Jet-Age Breakthrough"
>> "The Air-to-Air War: Stories from MiG Alley"
>> "Vital Air Operations: Pickup, Delivery and Deception"
>> "The People Dimension: More than Bombs and Bullets"
The symposium also features a formal event in Hickam's Hangar 7 that will include the unveiling of restored Korean War-era aircraft, a MASH tent, radio Jeep and other period displays. A golf tournament and historical tour will round out the week's events.
The symposium registration fee is $110 plus $55 per dependent or guest. Panel discussions at the Hilton Hawaiian Village are free and open to the public.
A complete schedule and registration information are available online at www2.hickam.af.mil/news/2001/KWS/ KWSymposium.cfm or by calling the Pacific Air Forces history office at (808) 449-3936 or (808) 449-3925.