WGCDR J.R. Kinninmont, CO. 77 Sqn. Dec 52   FLT LT Jim Rowlans (later Governor of NSW)
                                                                                        carried out trials with 500 pound bombs fitted
                                                                                              to Meteor aircraft
 
77 Sqn living quarters at KIMPO, Sth Korea.       School of Mechanics.  SGT Bill Hogarth
Rocket cases were used as walk ways.               explains wheel maintenance on Mustang
 
NO 77 Interceptor Fighter Sqadron  
 
Dakota also known as DC3 or Goony Bird

A squadron pilot poses with Korean child
beside a Meteor aircraft



 

    


    

 Meteors take-off over a nearby village.  
Squadron personnel in foregroundhoping to get
that good shot.
The sounds of war were never far away from
the Korean people

    


    

 77 Squadron aircraft lined up.
(Wakuni, Japan)



 

    


    

A good example of the Korean winter.

Above 3 photo's supplied courtesy of Mr & Mrs Pat Ryan

Hi.

    I was privileged to be the American aircraft controller that guided a
goodly number of 77th squadron RAAF pilots and their Gloster Meteors around
1951 and 52.  Also ran some flights of Australian pilots in P51s, which were
excellent for hunting the Russian Polikarpov PO2 "Bed Check Charlie" when
these aircraft attempted to damage our hill or Kimpo Airdrome.  This was a
photo I took of the Meteors buzzing our facility after a successful mission.
It is old and I apologize for its lack of quality.  The lower photo is of
the back of a pilots head in the two seat trainer.  We were very low,
buzzing enemy territory evaluating the results of the previous day's mission
which I had controlled.  Unfortunately, the pilot, a red haired very gutsy
gentleman was killed in a sorty the next day on his fourth tour trying to
take out an anti aircraft gun that had damaged his aircraft while under my
control. He was ordered to return to Kimpo, given his heading and was
heading back when he decided that he was going to take that gun position
out.  He reversed course though ordered not to and dove on it but never
pulled out. 

    The third photo is of Meteor 134 with some rockets nearby ready to be
loaded.  This aircraft I believe was lost in combat the day after the photo
was taken.

    These Meteor pilots did a hell of a good job during this part of the war
in Korea and performed their missions bravely in a very strong aircraft.  It
was great to work with these men but a sad loss of those who did not
survive.

     If any are alive they may remember me from my call sign, Dentist.

                                    Fred Wassermann, 606 AC&W Squadron,
							h2oman@san.rr.com

		These images are of the presidential medal for service in Korea. Click on the images for larger versions. WARNING: Some of them are Large! Images supplied by Fred Wassermann