During and just after the Korean War, Kimpo Air Force Base (K-14) was home to the 11th, 12th, and 6166th TAC Reconnaissance squadrons. The squadron airplanes were RB- and WB-26C Invaders, painted black and stripped of all armor and weapons. "Lonesome Lil", "Triple Nickel", "No Sweat", and "Snooper" were some of the names chosen for the aircraft.

The missions were taking reconnaissance photographs, recording weather patterns, and tracking enemy radars. The flights were flown in all conditions, the worst of weather, and the middle of the night. For most of the squadron members, however, the most memorable thing was the cold of the Korean winter, a cold which easily penetrated the canvas tents that served as home.

We were all younger men then. Today, 42 years later, we are a bit older. Some of us are even wiser. Many of us are retired. A few of us have never gone camping since, a result of living a year in a tent.

In late April 1997, in the Washington DC area, we will hold our fourth K-14 Tac Recon reunion. If you were a member of one of these units during the period of 1950 to 1960, we would like to see you there. If you know of someone who was with us then, but has not heard of the reunion, please show them this site. If you are simply a visitor here, we welcome you and invite you to take a moment and review our stories and photographs and to think about what it was like 40-plus years ago, halfway around the world.

As you read the stories and glance through
our photos, just remember, as Lt. Hal Walder said
when referring to tales told over beer at the K-14 club:

The next liar never had a chance.