US/UN AIR VICTORIES
During the Korean War, Far East Air Forces (FEAF) claimed the destruction of 976 enemy aircraft. Some claims made by persons or units assigned or attached to FEAF were not confirmed when they were evaluated against available evidence (e. g. gun-camera film or eyewitness reports). Sufficient evidence has been found, however, to support awards of official USAF credits to 470 persons for the destruction of 935 enemy aircraft. Of these 935 credits, 895. 5 have been bestowed upon members of the USAF and the remaining 39. 5 upon members of other services--US Navy, US Marine Corps, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal Canadian Air Force- -who served in combat with FEAF, the superior USAF command in the theater. The credits are for aircraft destroyed in the air (893) and on the ground (42). Most of them (907) were won by fighter pilots; some (27) went to gunners on bomber and reconnaissance aircraft; one was given to the pilot of a light bomber.
In no case was a credit divided among more than two persons, but if two men participated in the destruction of one enemy plane, each received one-half of one credit.
Awards of "official credit for destruction of enemy aircraft" were made by means of general (later special) orders published by Headquarters FEAF (later redesignated Headquarters Pacific Air Forces). FEAF, however, did not begin to award credits until nearly 10 months after the first enemy plane was destroyed; consequently, it is possible that some of the early victories were not recorded. In fact, credits for the first three victories, which were won on 27 June 1950, were not awarded until 13 February 1962. Additional credits may be bestowed if in the future sufficient evidence is found to justify such action. The list which follows covers the Korean credits awarded through 1 June 1963.
* For a list of enemy aircraft destroyed by personnel of the US Navy and US Marine Corps, including those destroyed by Navy and Marine pilots attached to FEAF units, see Malcolm W. Cagel and Frank A. Mans on, The Sea War in Korea (Annapolis: US Naval Institute, 1957), pp 526-527. The pilot of the light bomber, a B-26, was Capt Richard M. Heyman of the 8th Bombardment Sq, 3d Bombardment Gp. For a brief account of the action in which Heyman destroyed a P0-2, see Futrell, The USAF in Korea, 1950-19 53, p 282.