The supremacy of the Fifth Air
Force in the skies over Korea forced the North
Koreans in the first month of the war to resort
to night movement of supplies to the battle area.
To counter this, General Stratemeyer ordered
nightly visual reconnaissance of the enemy supply
routes, beginning on 6 August. On the 8th,
Stratemeyer ordered Partridge to increase the night
sorties to fifty; by 24 August, Fifth Air Force
B-26's alone averaged thirty-five sorties
nightly. Late in August the Air Force began flare
missions over North Korea. B29's would release parachute
flares at 10,000 feet that ignited at 6,000 feet,
whereupon co-operating B-26 bombers attacked any
enemy movement discovered in the illuminated area.
These M-26 parachute flares from World War II stock
functioned poorly, many of them proving to be
duds.
Causes of the Korean Tragedy ... Failure of Leadership, Intelligence and Preparation
The Foundations of Freedom are the Courage of Ordinary People and Quality of our Arms
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