pilots made daring rescues of Allied fliers who had been shot down. For the first time, helicopters carried troops into combat. The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps lost more than 2,000 planes during the war. Most of them were shot down by Communist antiaircraft guns. Allied fliers destroyed more than 1,000 Communist planes. Navy and Marine fliers killed about 100,000 Communist troops, and Air Force fliers killed about 184,800 troops. An armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, and the fighting ended. A buffer zone, called the Demilitarized Zone, divided the two sides. It was 21/2 miles (4 kilometers) wide along the final battle line. South Korea gained about 1,500 square miles (3,880 square kilometers) of territory. Both sides agreed not to increase their military strength. “The Forgotten War.” “Police Action.” The Korean War has endured many names over time. However, it was more importantly recognized as the first major conflict between the East and West, and an important milestone in the initial years of the Cold War. But this war had a most devastating toll. The Korean War was one of the bloodiest wars in history. Over a million South Korean civilians were killed and several million were made homeless. Approximately 580,000 UN and South Korean troops and approximately 1,600,000 Communist troops were killed, wounded or reported missing. For US Forces, over 33,600 dead and almost 100,000 wounded and missing in action, with US Air Force totals at 1,841 killed, wounded or missing in action. It’s important to note that no one service claim victory over another, but all made immeasurable contributions to the Korean War effort, with the Air Force no exception. Once again we must take this time to remember that Freedom is Not Free and to honor our fallen heroes.Time Line up to 14 JulyJune 25 - Early morning - North Korean People's Army under General Chai Ung Jun, invades South Korea wi...
