6167th Air Base Group

The 6167th Air Base Group (6167th ABG) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last duty assignment was at K-16 (Seoul Airport), South Korea during the Korean War.

History

Formed from the 6167th Air Base Unit in October 1950 to operate flare aircraft, psychological operations, and behind-the-lines agent insertions and resupply drops during the war. Its designation served as a cover for its actual special operations activities.

Its 6167th Operations Squadron was augmented by aircrews from the Clark AB, Philippines-based 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing (581st ARCW), a cover designation for a special operations unit. Aircraft operated were the B-26 Invader, C-46 Commando, and C-47s.

Two SA-16 Albatrosses were sent to K-16 (Seoul Airport) in South Korea by the 581st ARCW to augment B Flight of the 6167th Air Base Group. In addition, four Sikorsky H-19A helicopters were also forward deployed to K-16 in support of the 2157th Air Rescue Squadron (in fact, they were colocated with the 2157th but actually supported B Flight, as did the two SA-16s).

Combined Command Reconnaissance Activities, Korea (CCRAK) maintained Operational Control of these forces and employed them into North Korea along with B Flight and Special Air Missions detachment aircraft.

The 6167th Operations Squadron operated C-47s and B-26s, equipped for both leaflet drops and psychological warfare voice missions. In 1952-1953, almost all flying operations were nighttime missions and included occasional drops of very young teenaged Korean nationals whose parents were well paid to allow their children to parachute into North Korea. Their assignments were to visually obtain strategic intelligence on production facilities, transportation, troop placement, and other specifics. They were to walk back to the battle lines and, using passwords, pass through to deliver the intelligence gathered to the proper US military authorities.

See also

• Air Force Special Operations Command

References

United States Air Force In South Korea United States Forces Korea Pacific Air Forces Bases (current) Kunsan Osan Units (current) Command Seventh Air Force Wings 8th Fighter Wing 51st Fighter Wing Units (wartime) Command Fifth Air Force 314th Air Division 315th Air Division Far East Air Forces Bomber Command Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command Far East Air Forces Materiel Command Fighter 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing 27th Fighter-Escort Wing 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing 116th Fighter-Bomber Wing (ANG) 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing (ANG) 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Bomber 3rd Bombardment Wing 17th Bombardment Wing 19th Bombardment Wing 22d Bombardment Group 92d Bombardment Wing 98th Bombardment Wing 307th Bombardment Wing 452d Bombardment Wing Recon 31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 56th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 512th Reconnaissance Squadron 543d Tactical Support Group Transport 1st Troop Carrier Group (Provisional) 61st Troop Carrier Group 314th Troop Carrier Group 315th Troop Carrier Wing 374th Troop Carrier Wing 403d Troop Carrier Wing 437th Troop Carrier Wing 483rd Troop Carrier Wing TACC 502nd Tactical Control Group 6147th Tactical Control Group Other 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing 6167th Air Base Group USAF units and aircraft of the Korean War