KIMPO AFB, KOREA
Copyright © 1996-2010 by Lanty H. Wylie, Jr. All Rights Reserved.
Korea in the winter of 1951-52 was not a good place to be. The 4th Fighter Wing was giving the MIG's a case of run-for-the-Yalu River and the safety of China. Our organization Airways and Air Communications Service (AACS) supported the base with Tower, GCA, Nav Aids, TTY, Radio, Air Traffic Control, Weather and Crypto. We also operated the base communications center.
Our radio beacon was the KO homer located about 6 to 8 miles (the line shifted back and forth) from the front. Aircraft would pass over KO homer at a certain altitude, start their let-down for Kimpo. If the weather was bad, our Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) would pick them up and put them on the runway.
Things were pretty much work all the time and catch a drink at the club (a tent) if you can get in.
Then one day:
The USO established a unit at Kimpo to entertain us. They had a Korean band come in from Seoul and play about once a month. Someone had an idea that it would be nice to have a dance at the club with girls from the bars in Seoul. Everyone was waiting and as night fell on Kimpo, three army trucks came through the gate with the Korean girls from Seoul. There was laughing and giggling from the trucks and comments from the GI's as they passed by. The Base Commander had told us that there would be no fornicating with the dance girls.
The band got situated and struck up a tune. It sure is different seeing a Korean band play and sing American music. Anyway, the girls could not dance, as we know dancing. We were all in combat boots and fatigue clothing, the girls in traditional Korean dress, weapons stacked in the corner. Beer was flowing as if it came from the rafters of the building.
Suddenly, the base sirens started screaming, a Red Alert was on. Bed Check Charley was back to drop those nasty little bombs on Kimpo.
Every light on the base went out. It was as dark as the bottom of a well. You could hear the thump, thump of combat boots running in the night, a scream, a cry, a giggle. I thought about how I used to hunt rabbits on our farm in Louisiana. At this point I was more interested in my safety than anything else. I made my way back to my foxhole beside the tent. At daylight, Army trucks were loaded with Korean dancing girls then they headed back to Seoul.
Wild stories floated around for weeks after this, I believed every one of them. This was our last experiment with dance girls at Kimpo. -------
Another view of Kimpo: