Forward Air Control in Korea. Looks at role of air support in Korea. A-10, F-4, Cobras . TACP, Army involved in joint operations. Linebacker II B-52 bombing of Vietnam. Air Force Drug Testing Laboratory informational.
This 1980s U.S. Air Force news film features several segments including the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea, Operation Linebacker II, and the U.S. Air Force Drug Testing Laboratory, First, the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea, along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea. The film features images of the DMZ with its heavily fortified positions, border guards, and propaganda village (1:50). In 1984, a firefight broke out along the DMZ when a Russian citizen attempted to defect, as the film recounts at the 2:30 mark.
The film shows various U.S. forces in Korea including USAF close attack aircraft, the A-10 Warthog, F-4 Phantoms, and helicopters including Cobra gunships. Live fire exercises are shown.
At the 6:49 mark, the Paris Peace Talks to end the Vietnam War are shown, and the 1972 operation known as Linebacker II, where B-52s flew against North Vietnamese targets. Operation Linebacker II was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was conducted from 18–29 December 1972, leading to several of informal names such as “The December Raids” and “The Christmas Bombings”. Unlike the Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker interdiction operations, Linebacker II, would be a “maximum effort” bombing campaign to “destroy major target complexes in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas which could only be accomplished by B-52s.” It saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the US Air Force since the end of World War II. Linebacker II was a modified extension of the Operation Linebacker bombings conducted from May to October, with the emphasis of the new campaign shifted to attacks by B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers rather than smaller tactical fighter aircraft. At 9:45, USAF prisoners are shown being released by the North Vietnamese.
The final segment of the film shows the USAF drug testing laboratory, where state of the art tests are used to detect drugs through urinalysis.
The 2nd Infantry Division is a formation of the United States Army. Its current primary mission is the defense of South Korea in the initial stages of an invasion from North Korea until other American units can arrive. There are approximately 17,000 soldiers in the 2nd Infantry Division, with 10,000 of them stationed in South Korea, accounting for about 35% of the United States Forces Korea personnel.
The 2nd Infantry Division, unlike any other division in the Army, is made up partially of Korean soldiers, called KATUSAs (Korean Augmentation to US Army). This program began in 1950 by agreement with South Korean President Syngman Rhee. Some 27,000 KATUSAs served with the US forces at the end of the Korean War. As of May 2006, approximately 1,100 KATUSA soldiers serve with 2ID. There were also more than 3,000 Dutch soldiers assigned to the division between 1950 and 1954.
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