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September 23, 1950

Telegram, Vasilevsky to Stalin

to Cde. STALIN

 

[Translator’s note: the following two paragraphs were highlighted in the left margin] I report about the measures we are taking to transfer a fighter aviation regiment of La-9 aircraft to protect the city of Pyongyang.

 

1. We have planned for 40 La-9 aircraft of the 304th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 32nd Fighter Division to be transferred from the Maritime Territory [Primor’ye] to protect the city of Pyongyang.

 

The regiment will be transferred through Chinese territory during 1 and 2 October via the route Spassk, Dongning, Yanji, Tonghua, Angdun [Dandong], and Pyongyang.  

 

The transfer plan and especially in the Dandong-Pyongyang sector will be carefully developed by us and studied by personnel of the regiment.

 

2. The information we have received from Korea says that airfields in the region of Pyongyang are suitable for operation.

 

There are no maintenance personnel at these airfields at the present time since they were sent to airfields south of Seoul, and there is also no fuel or ammunition for aircraft in the area of Pyongyang.

 

[Translator’s note: the following paragraph was highlighted in the left margin] Therefore [the following] will be transferred by rail from the Maritime Territory through Dandong during the period of 25 through 30 September:

 

a team for the technical maintenance of the regiment with the minimum necessary airfield equipment;

a team of radio mechanics with four radars to detect enemy aircraft and vector our aircraft to them;

an anti-aircraft artillery battalion of three 85 mm gun batteries, one 37 mm battery, and a total of 16 guns to protect the airfield;

15 fuellings and 15 ammunition loads.

 

[Translator’s note: the following paragraph was highlighted in the left margin]  

 

3. On 24 September to receive the regiment and organize its operational work we are sending Colonel Noga, the commander of the aviation corps, from the Maritime Territory to Pyongyang by vehicle; he will meet the regiment in Dandong and oversee its transfer to Pyongyang.

 

4. The regiment will begin to perform its combat mission to protect Pyongyang on 3 October.

 

[Translator’s note: the following paragraph was highlighted in the left margin]  

 

5. At the same time I consider it necessary to report that the work of our pilots over Pyongyang will unavoidably be detected by the Americans after the very first air battle since all the battle management in the air will be conducted by pilots by radio in Russian.

 

[signature]

VASILEVSKY

 

23 September 1950

 

Vasilevsky reports on the deployment of a battalion of fighter pilots to Korea via China and the planned deployment of battalions, technicians, artillery, fuel, and other necessities.


Document Information

Source

APRF, fond 3, opis 65, delo 827, listy 81-82. Translated by Gary Goldberg.

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2011-11-20

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