The increasing numbers of MiG-15s based just north of the Yalu River in the fall of 1950 caused great concern with the Far East Air Forces (FEAF), and when these sweptwing fighters started coming south of the river in November 1950, air superiority and safety of UN ground troops were threatened. The call was made to bring the new F-86 Sabres to Korea to counter the Soviet-built MiGs. The 4th Fighter Wing was the first to respond, but that is not the end of the story. At the same time, there was also a need to bring in a newer fighter-bomber that could easily range to the Yalu and also take care of itself in a fight. The F-80Cs were doing a good job in this, but if the MiGs came south of the river in large numbers, the current USAF bombers—the F-51 Mustang and F-80 Shooting Star—could be in for a much tougher job of bombing targets and getting back home unscathed. Also, the Mustangs were getting old, and heavy maintenance was required to keep the in-service rate up.
The Strategic Air Command (SAC) had a highly trained F-84 wing at Bergstrom AFB in Texas, manned by some of the most combat-experienced fighter pilots from the World War II era. This was the 27th Fighter Escort Wing, and up until this time, their main task was to fly escort for SAC’s bombers, if World War III started. The unit had transitioned from the F-82E Twin Mustang to the F-84E and was able to get proficient in the new jet before the orders were cut sending the wing to Japan. Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg approved the request to send one wing of F-86s and one wing of
