Korean War F-82 Twin Mustang Aircraft Losses

    At the outbreak of the Korean War, the Fifth Air Force relied on three squadrons of F-82Gs assigned to the 347th Fighter (All Weather) Group to operate effectively over evacuation centers. The F-80C Shooting Stars were also based nearby but had limited time over target areas.

    The mission of the F-82 aircrews was to “Seek out and destroy the North Korean Air Force,” and they later flew long-range interdiction missions against North Korean tanks and trucks. The F-82G also played a role in intercepting North Korean PO-2 biplanes during the “Bedcheck Charlie” raids.

    Destroyed F-82G on the ground at Suwon on 28 June 1950
    Destroyed F-82G on the ground at Suwon on 28 June 1950. (U.S. Air Force photo via Larry Davis)

    The three Twin Mustang squadrons flew a total of 1,868 sorties during the Korean War, scoring twenty-four victories, four air-to-air, and twenty ground victories before being replaced by Lockheed F-94B jet interceptors in 1952.

    However, it also came at a cost…

    F-82 Twing Mustang losses in the Korean War (Partial list)

    DateSerial NoUnitPersonnel CasualtiesCircumstances
    1950-06-2846-358339th F(AW)SLindvig, Vernon A., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    Sayre, Derrell B., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    Crashed during an attempted landing at Iwakuni.
    1950-06-2846-36468th F(AW)SNo casualtiesNorth Korean Yaks strafed Suwon Airfield, destroying one B-26 and one F-82.
    1950-07-0646-40268th F(AW)SFiebelkorn, Ernest C., Captain (KIA)
    Higgins, John J., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    Possibly crashed near Chongmong-ni.
    1950-08-0746-35568th F(AW)SMeyer, Francis J., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    Moran, Charles B., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    Went missing in the southwest area of Chinju-Sunchon.
    1950-09-2845-37668th F(AW)SStanton, Billy D., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    McDonald, Robert., Captain (KIA)
    Collided mid-air with an F-80 from the 16th FS.
    1950-11-0746-3594th F(AW)STymowicz, Adam P., Major (Non-battle death)The aircraft crashed into Naha Bay in Okinawa.
    1950-12-0746-40068th F(AW)SHarding, Warren., Captain (KIA)
    Pratt, Clifford., First Lieutenant (KIA)
    During a night weather reconnaissance mission, the aircraft crashed 18 miles away from the base due to icing and power loss.
    1951-01-2746-39968th F(AW)SAnctil, Laurence A., Captain (MIA)
    Greer, Robert L., First Lieutenant (MIA)
    Went missing during a combat patrol mission between Pyongyang and Kangdong.
    1951-02-1246-37368th F(AW)SBoughton, George Jr., First Lieutenant (Non-battle death)Crashed during a test flight northwest of Brady Air Force Base, Japan.
    1951-03-1446-39468th F(AW)SFluhr, Julius C Jr., Captain (MIA)
    Milhaupt, Frederick Jr., Second Lieutenant (MIA)
    Failed to return from a combat mission.
    1951-05-2646-35768th F(AW)SMulhallen, Ralph D., Captain (MIA)
    Nielsen, Arlid C., Captain (MIA)
    Failed to return from a combat mission near Chorwon, North Korea
    1951-07-0346-37868th F(AW)SJohnston, James E., Captain (Rescued)
    Doll, Roderick S., First Lieutenant (Rescued)
    Hit by anti-aircraft artillery and crashed into the sea.

    Sidenote: This is a partial list.

    Further reading

    Bibliography and source

    • Twin Mustang The North American F-82 at War by Alan C. Carey
    • F-82 Twin Mustang (Mini in Action No. 1608) by Larry Davis
    Javier is the editor @ Nuclear Companion and loves to investigate and write about the cold war.

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