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581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing
581st Wing B-29 Superfortress camouflaged for night operations
Active	1943–1944; 1951–1953
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Special Operations
Motto(s)	Libertas Per Veritatem (Latin for 'Liberty Through Truth')
Insignia
Patch showing 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing emblem

The 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing was a United States Air Force special operations wing, last assigned to Thirteenth Air Force at Clark Air Base, Philippines, from 1951-53.

The wing was inactivated in 1953. In 1985, it was consolidated on paper with the 471st Bombardment Group, a World War II heavy bombardment replacement training unit, last assigned to the First Air Force at Westover Field, Massachusetts, and the two units together redesignated as the 471st Special Operations Wing. However, the new wing was not activated.

History

World War II

The 471st Bombardment Group was activated at Alexandria Army Air Base, Louisiana in the spring of 1943 with the 805th, 806th, 807th, and 808th Bombardment Squadrons assigned. The group operated as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator replacement training unit. Replacement training units were oversized units which trained aircrews prior to their deployment to combat theaters. In January 1944, Second Air Force began to concentrate on Boeing B-29 Superfortress training. The 471st was reassigned to First Air Force and moved to Westover Field, Massachusetts. Training at Westover included long range overwater formation flights.

However, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit. This resulted in the 471st, along with other units at Westover, being disbanded in the spring of 1944 and being replaced by the 112th AAF Base Unit (Bombardment (Heavy)), which assumed the group's mission, personnel, and equipment.

Cold War

In 1951, the USAF created the 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The wing consisted of an operational group assigned four units. The 581st Air Resupply & Communications Squadron (ARCS), the 581st Airborne Materials Assembly Squadron, the 581st Holding and Briefing Squadron, and the 581st Reproduction Squadron. The mission of the 581st ARS was the infiltration, resupply, and exfiltration of guerrilla-type personnel, and the aerial delivery of psychological warfare (PSYWAR) material (leaflets and other similar materials). The wing was also assigned two support groups a communications squadron and a maintenance squadron.

In early 1952, the 581st received orders to forward deploy to Clark AB, Philippines, and to be assigned to Thirteenth Air Force. The first air resupply and communications wing to deploy overseas, the composite wing arrived at Clark AB, stripped of its support groups and communications squadron, in July 1952. It retained four squadrons specifically tailored to perform the special operations mission and a maintenance squadron. Shortly before deploying, the 581st Air Resupply and Communications Group was reduced to a paper organization and its squadrons were attached to the wing. Of the five squadrons assigned or attached to the wing, the 581st ARCS was the lone squadron devoted to flying operations.

Korean War

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The 581st Wing proved to be flexible, and its initial theater deployment plan, outlined in Far East Command Operations Plan (OPLAN) 3–52, capitalized on this flexibility. The OPLAN established a concept of covert operations for theater forward deployment of assigned 581st ARCW assets. A key function of the wing was to maintain the capability to introduce special agents and guerrilla units into Communist countries and Communist-held areas, to supply them by and guerrilla units operating there, and to keep in contact with them by radio for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The mission to introduce and extract special agents into Communist countries operated under the cover of psychological warfare, providing cover against inquiries into their clandestine purpose. Four of the wing's twelve Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, and associated support personnel were placed on a 60-day rotation schedule to Yokota Air Base, Japan, where they were co-located with the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, which also flew the B-29. The wing's B-29s were retrofitted to allow cargo or human "drops" and were stripped of armament, with the exception of the tail gun, and countermeasures in order to lighten their load and increase altitude and range. One crew member was trained as a CIA contact, known as the jumpmaster. The identities of these jumpmasters were kept secret, even from the wing commander who did not know of their CIA connection. However, the wing had a senior officer serving as a liaison with the CIA. This was Lt. Colonel George Pittman, whose identity was also kept secret from those who did not have a need to know.

The four Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar and support personnel were placed on a 90-day rotation schedule. The commander, 315th Air Division determined where the aircraft would be deployed. Two Grumman SA-16 Albatrosses were sent to K-16 (Seoul Airport) in South Korea to augment B Flight of the 6167th Air Base Group. The four Sikorsky H-19A "Chickasaw" helicopters were also deployed to K-16 to support the 2157th Air Rescue Squadron (in fact, they were co-located with the 2157th but actually supported B Flight, as did the two SA-16s). "34 CCRAK," (probably an entity associated with Combined Command Reconnaissance Activities, Korea) maintained Operational Control (OPCON) of these forces and employed them on incursions into North Korea, along with B Flight and Special Air Missions detachment aircraft.

The wing's planes were painted solid black after their arrival at Clark AFB, and they flew long-range leaflet drop missions over North Korea. PSYWAR "leaflet bombs" were loaded with various forms of PSYWAR materiel and then airdropped from high altitudes. An altitude-sensitive fuse opened the container at a predetermined set altitude, dependent on pre-mission forecast winds and desired dispersal patterns.

One of the most sensational missions of the 581st in Korea occurred on 12 January 1953, when a 581st B-29 (tail number 44-62217, call sign "Stardust Four Zero") on its first leaflet drop mission with the Wing Commander, Col. John Arnold (as well as the commander of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Major William (Bill) Baumer) on board, was shot down on their last leaflet target just south of the Yalu River in far northern Korea near the Chinese town of Antung. At the time, Russian fighter squadrons, some equipped for night flying, were providing the Chinese with airpower. Twelve Russian MiG-15s from the 351st (and perhaps the 535th) Fighter Air Regiments intercepted the lone Superfortress south of the Yalu River, about 15 miles from the Chinese border. The MiGs were scrambled and vectored to the bomber's location by Russian radar-controlled searchlight units stationed near Antung, China. The searchlights illuminated the unarmed Superfortress and several MiGs engaged the bomber. Russian MiG pilot Senior Lt. Khabiev of the 351st regiment was credited with the intercept and downing of the B-29.

According to Soviet sources:

"...Senior Lieutenant Khabiev was to distinguish himself once again: that night, the Commander of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron – Major William Baumer – decided to take a look at the situation in North Korea for himself and joined the crew of an RB-29 that was about to set off on a so-called ‘paper flight’ to drop leaflets. This would appear to be an amusing mission for a strategic reconnaissance aircraft; a great deal of attention, however, was paid to psychological warfare – and the ‘flight’ that Baumer chose was a truly dangerous one. The Superfortress would need to ‘drop its bombs’ along the banks of the Yalu River in ‘MiG Alley’ itself.

At 2221, the corps’ radar system detected an aircraft that, while it was over Yangdok, was heading for Uiju. Half an hour later (at 2251), Senior Lieutenant Khabiev took off to intercept this aircraft. Khabiev was guided onto the tail of the bomber using the remote indicator screen on the ‘Periscope’ radar: … Two minutes passed in the first impulse to find this bomber, and the pilot saw two intersecting searchlights ahead and to the left of him. He made a left-hand turn and noticed an RB-29 caught in the searchlights. Approaching the enemy aircraft’s aft hemisphere at an altitude of 7,000 m at 2210 Snr Lieutenant Khabiev closed to a distance of 600 m and positioned himself below and to the right of the aircraft, attacking at an aspect angle ranging from 0/4–1/4 and a climb angle of 5–10° with one long burst of fire aimed at the starboard engine, and the enemy aircraft caught fire. Despite the fact that he had reduced the engine rpm, Khabiev turned away to the right to avert a collision owing to the difference in speed, breaking off combat underneath and to the right of the enemy aircraft. He decided to attack the enemy aircraft a second time and began to assume an initial position from which to attack. He turned to the left and as he approached the burning aircraft’s tail from behind, he closed to a distance of 500–300 m, attacking once again at an aspect angle ranging from 0/4–1/4 with three long bursts of fire. The enemy aircraft, engulfed in flames, dived steeply towards the ground."

Although US sources believe the B-29 was flying in North Korean airspace at the time of its mayday call, a belief that is strongly disputed by the Chinese and Russian authorities, crew members who bailed out believe they landed in North Korean territory. Upon capture, the crew was rounded up, blindfolded and put aboard trucks, subsequently transported into China and later charged as CIA spies (the Chinese subsequently learned of the CIA connection with the air resupply units). During the highly publicized Chinese trial in Beijing in October 1954, the surviving crew members, along with captured CIA agents Fecteau and Downey, who were imprisoned two years earlier after they had been shot down while attempting to pick up their Chinese double agent, were given prison sentences ranging from 5 years to life. Not until 4 August 1955, two years after the Korean War Armistice, were the surviving Stardust Four Zero crew members released from Chinese prison. These crew members were the longest-held POW USAF captives of the war.

First Indochina War

Beginning in 1953, however, the wing's C-119s began to be employed in Southeast Asia in support of French operations in Indochina. Supplies, including ammunition, vehicles, and barbed wire, were delivered to Haiphong Airport in ever increasing quantities. As this operation was underway, the wing was inactivated and its 581st Air Resupply Group, which received the wing's remaining assets, was transferred to control of Thirteenth Air Force.

Lineage

Components

Groups

• 581st Air Base Group: 23 July 1951 – 26 June 1952
• 581st Air Resupply and Communications Group, 23 July 1951 – 8 September 1953 (not operational after 17 April 1952)
• 581st Medical Group: 23 July 1951 – 26 June 1952

Squadrons

Assignments

• II Bomber Command, 1 May 1943
• I Bomber Command, 28 January-10 April 1944
• Air Resupply And Communications Service, 23 July 1951
• Thirteenth Air Force, 12 July 1952 – 8 September 1953

Stations

Aircraft

See also

• Air Force Special Operations Command
• 313th Air Division

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. The aircraft is Boeing B-29A-40-BN Superfortress, serial 44-61669. This plane flew combat missions from Guam during World War II with various nicknames. After the war, it served with Strategic Air Command until assigned to the 581st. It was modified as a TB-29A, then on 18 March 1956 transferred to the Naby for use as a target at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station. In 1981, it was restored for display at the March Field Air Museum. Baugher, Joe (10 June 2023). "1944 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
2. Approved 12 June 1952. Description: On a shield azure, a torch, base argent, flame or, flame moving toward the dexter, over the flame a quill argent bend sinister, all between three links of a chain sable, the center link couped with one and one-half link on each side of the torch, on a chief gules two branches, of olive surmounted by a sword in fess, hilt and pommel to the dexter, all or.
3. Aircraft is Grumman SA-16A Albatross, serial 51-017. This plane was later transferred to the Navy as BuNo 149836. Baugher, Joe (19 July 2023). "1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
4. The Helicopter Flight and SA-16 Flight of the 581st Air Resupply Squadron received the Korean Service Steamer for their actions in Korea, but the rest of the wing did not.

Citations

1. ^ Ravenstein< p. 289
2. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 345
3. Craven & Cate, Introduction, p. xxxvi
4. "Abstract, History 804 Bombardment Squadron Jan–Feb 1944". Air Force History Index. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
5. Goss, p. 75
6. ^ Mueller, p. 432
7. Krylov and Tepsurkaev, pg 279
8. ^ Fletcher, p. 27
9. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 782

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48-3657.

  Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF" (PDF). In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

• Fletcher, Harry R (1993). Air Force Bases , Vol. II, Air Bases Outside the United States of America (PDF). Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Krylov, Leonid and Yuriy Tepsurkaev (2016). The Last War of the Superfortresses: MiG-15 vs B-29 over Korea. Warwick, UK: Helion and Company. ISBN 1910777854.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

Further reading

• Brown, Wallace L. (1961). The Endless Hours. The Vail-Ballou Press, WW Horton & Co. Inc., NY, NY.
• Baumer, William H. (1999). The Extended Mission of Stardust Four Zero, Closson Press. ISBN 0-9704359-1-6.
• Haas, Michael E. (2000). In The Devil's Shadow-U.N. Special Operations During The Korean War. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland.
• Haas, Michael, E. (1997). Apollo's Warriors US Air Force Special Operations During The Korean War. Air University Press, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
• Krylov, Leonid and Yuriy Tepsurkaev (2016). The Last War of the Superfortresses: MiG-15 vs B-29 over Korea. Helion and Company, Warwick, UK. ISBN 1910777854.
• Price, Alfred (1989). The History of US Electronic Warfare, The Renaissance Years, 1946–1964. The Association of Old Crows.

External links

• Air Resupply Communications Association
• Air Resupply and Communications Association
• March Field Museum Boeing B-29A Superfortress 44-61669 from the 581st ARW
• The Col. Arnold Story. Burns, Robert. (1998). Archived 12 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
• Clark Air Base - Philippines

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USAF units and aircraft of the Korean War

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Airfields	First Air Force Group Training Stations First Air Force Replacement Training Stations First Air Force Tactical Airfields Freeman Army Airfield Godman Army Airfield Selfridge Field
Units	Commands I Bomber Command I Fighter Command I Ground Air Support Command Wings 25th Antisubmarine 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier Boston Fighter New York Fighter Norfolk Fighter Philadelphia Fighter Groups Bombardment 2d Bombardment 13th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 34th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 45th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302d Bombardment 400th Bombardment 402d Bombardment 455th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 471st Bombardment Combat Cargo 1st Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo 4th Combat Cargo Fighter 8th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 56th Fighter 57th Fighter 58th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 83d Fighter 87th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 326th Fighter 327th Fighter 332d Fighter 348th Fighter 352d Fighter 353d Fighter 355th Fighter 356th Fighter 358th Fighter 359th Fighter 361st Fighter 362d Fighter 365th Fighter 366th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 402d Fighter 413th Fighter 476th Fighter Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 73d Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 10th Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 63d Troop Carrier 89th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 403d Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier Other 1st Search Attack 477th Composite Incidents Freeman Field Mutiny
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

v t e USAAF Second Air Force in World War II
Airfields	Airfields
Units	Commands II Air Support Command II Bomber Command II Fighter Command IV Air Support Command XX Bomber Command XXI Bomber Command XXII Bomber Command Wings 5th Bombardment 15th Bombardment Training 16th Bombardment Operational Training 17th Bombardment Training 18th Replacement 21st Bombardment 46th Bombardment Operational Training 58th Bombardment 73rd Bombardment 315th Bombardment 316th Bombardment Groups Bombardment 2nd Bombardment 6th Bombardment 7th Bombardment 9th Bombardment 12th Bombardment 16th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 25th Bombardment 29th Bombardment 34th Bombardment 39th Bombardment 40th Bombardment 42nd Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 48th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 96th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302nd Bombardment 303rd Bombardment 304th Bombardment 305th Bombardment 306th Bombardment 307th Bombardment 308th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 330th Bombardment 331st Bombardment 333rd Bombardment 346th Bombardment 351st Bombardment 376th Bombardment 379th Bombardment 381st Bombardment 382nd Bombardment 383rd Bombardment 384th Bombardment 385th Bombardment 388th Bombardment 390th Bombardment 393rd Bombardment 395th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 398th Bombardment 399th Bombardment 400th Bombardment 401st Bombardment 407th Bombardment 415th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 444th Bombardment 445th Bombardment 446th Bombardment 447th Bombardment 448th Bombardment 449th Bombardment 450th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 452nd Bombardment 453rd Bombardment 454th Bombardment 455th Bombardment 456th Bombardment 457th Bombardment 458th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 461st Bombardment 462nd Bombardment 464th Bombardment 467th Bombardment 468th Bombardment 469th Bombardment 470th Bombardment 471st Bombardment 472nd Bombardment 484th Bombardment 485th Bombardment 486th Bombardment 487th Bombardment 488th Bombardment 489th Bombardment 490th Bombardment 491st Bombardment 493rd Bombardment 494th Bombardment 497th Bombardment 498th Bombardment 499th Bombardment 500th Bombardment 501st Bombardment 502nd Bombardment 504th Bombardment 505th Bombardment 509th Composite Fighter 20th Fighter 54th Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 507th Fighter 508th Fighter Reconnaissance 2nd Reconnaissance 3rd Reconnaissance 4th Reconnaissance 5th Reconnaissance 6th Reconnaissance 7th Reconnaissance 8th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 443nd Troop Carrier
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

• Air resupply and communications wings of the United States Air Force
• 1951 establishments in Idaho
• Military units and formations established in 1951
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1956