Pusan East (K-9) Air Base
{{Short description|Decommissioned air base in Busan, South Korea (1950–1990)}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name=Pusan East (K-9) Air Base
|partof =
|location=
|coordinates={{Coord|35|10|10|N|129|07|54|E|type:airport_region:KR|display=inline,title}}
|image=Pusan East (K-9) Air Base.jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=Pusan East (K-9) Air Base in June 1953
|type=Military airfield
|code=
|built=1950
|builder=
|r1-number= 14/32
|r1-length= unknown dimensions,
|r1-length-m=
|r1-surface=hard
|materials=
|height=
|used= 1950-1990
|demolished=
|condition=
|ownership=
|controlledby=United States Air Force
|garrison=
|commanders=
|occupants=
|battles=
|events=
}}
Pusan East (K-9) Air Base(동부산공군기지) was a United States Air Force (USAF) and Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) air base adjacent to the Suyeong River in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea. It was redeveloped in the 1990s as Centum City, a commercial and residential area.
History
=Korean War=
By the end of July 1950, UN forces had been pushed back into the Pusan Perimeter, which contained three airfields all in poor condition. Engineers urgently improved the former Japanese military airfield at K-9 to allow heavy transport aircraft such as C-54s to land there.{{cite book|last=Leary|first=William|title=Anything, Anywhere, Anytime: Combat Cargo in the Korean War |publisher=DIANE Publishing|year=2008|isbn=9781428990555|page=2}}
On 8 September 1950 the 18th Fighter Wing arrived at K-9 from Ashiya Air Field before moving to Pyongyang East Air Base (K-24) in November 1950.
On 5 March 1951 a USAF C-54 #42-72663 was damaged beyond repair at K-9.{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19510305-0|title=ASN Aircraft Accident Douglas C54D-10-DC 42-72663|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|accessdate=22 May 2013}}
On 23 May 1951 the 452d Bombardment Wing operating the Douglas A-26 Invader was deployed to K-9. On 10 May 1952 the 17th Bombardment Wing was activated at K-9 to replace the 452d.
=Post Korean War=
K-9 was transferred to the South Korean military in 1956 and remained in use until the early 1990s.
Busan Suyeong Airport opened in August 1958 and renamed as Busan International Airport in September 1963. In August 1976 the airport was moved to its current location in Gimhae.
In the late 1990s the area was redeveloped as Centum City.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{US Air Force}}
External links
- [http://www.wfo.org/BurstoneArticle.aspx Photos and video taken on and around K-9 in 1952]
- [http://lostgallery.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/air-base.html Aerial photos of K-9 taken in 1952/3]
{{authority control}}
Category:Installations of the United States Air Force in South Korea