Attack From The Sky: Naval Air Operations In The Korean War

The U.S Navy and the Korean War #4

by Richard C. Knott

United States Navy and the Korean War. 
Fourth in the series. Focuses on naval aviation in the Korean War. Describes the prewar political climate in Washington. rules of engagement, bombing techniques, close air support missions, on board recovery, and air-to-air combat.

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Capt. Richard K. Knott (Ret.) is a recipient of the Admiral Arthur W. Radford Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation History and Literature and the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement.

Reviews

[Laurent Reinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published by the US Naval Historical Center, this provides a compelling narrative on the key role US naval aviation played in the Korean War. There was considerable debate over the future role of the US Navy after World War II, especially as regards naval aviation and aircraft carriers, culminating in the 1949 "Revolt of the Admirals." The Korean War, however, highlighted the limitations of relying solely on the US Air Force, as Navy and Marine aviation proved indispensable in support of amphibious and ground operations, search and rescue, and attacking enemy infrastructure. The latter is depicted in James Michener's novel and the subsequent film The Bridges at Toko-ri. This is covered in one of seven sidebars that nicely supplement the main narrative.

Knott, a Naval Aviator who served in 1960s Korea and was involved in negotiations with the DPRK over the release of the USS Pueblo, is well qualified in his subject matter. A generous selection of photos from US Navy archives makes the history all the more vivid and meaningful. Highly recommended for those seeking to learn more about an underappreciated aspect of an often overlooked war.