RAAF Losses Over Korea

[Jim Oxley]

77 Squadron RAAF served throughout the Korean War, primarily utilised in the ground attack role. First with P-51 Mustangs, and then Gloster Meteors.

By war's end it had amassed a stellar record. The squadron flew 18,872 sorties, including 3,872 in Mustangs and 15,000 in Meteors. It was credited with shooting down five MiG-15's and destroying 3,700 buildings, 1,408 vehicles, ninety-eight railway engines and carriages, and sixteen bridges.

In return, the Squadron suffered heavy losses. The squadron's casualty rate in Korea was twenty-five percent killed or captured. Forty-one pilots died, thirty-five from the RAAF and six on exchange from the Royal Air Force. A further seven pilots became prisoners of war. Aircraft losses totalled almost sixty, including over forty Meteors, mostly to ground fire.

Would be interested to know what equivalent USAF Squadron losses were, for those units also involved primarily in the ground attack role. Assuming a similar progression of aircraft equipment ie first with P-51's and then progressing to either F-80 Shooting Stars or F-84 Thunderjet.