<text id=00he1413><title>Defeating the MiGs</title>
<history>US Air Force: Events History</history>
<article><hdr>Defeating the MiGs</hdr><body>
<p>The increased air pressure was felt by the Chinese and, on 4 February 1953, Chou En-lai made it known that his country was ready to consider a ceasefire. Fifth AF, while perfectly willing to accept truce talks, knew the real-world situation and was determined to maintain its hold on the air. The aim was to get the MiGs to come up to fight and to be defeated.
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<p>The campaign started with leaflet drops made by B-29s over Chinese ground forces in North Korea, asking where the Communist Air Force was. It had been conspicuous by its absence there, and captured troops had been bitter about the lack of friendly air support covering their movements. That bit of psychological warfare was countered by Radio Pyongyang in a propaganda campaign of its own, accusing the Fifth AF pilots of being gangsters who killed innocent women and children and bombed hospitals. Lieutenant General Glenn O. Barcus, one of the more colorful characters the war produced, warned the radio station a week in advance that he would attack it on May Day, the biggest Communist Party event and holiday.
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<p>Four wings of Sabres took off and headed northwest toward Pyongyang, trying to look like a fighter sweep flying to 'MiG Alley'. They roared over Pyongyang and then, without preliminaries, rolled over to dive-bomb, strafe and generally ruin Radio Pyongyang. With the debris still settling, Barcus broadcast in the clear from his own F-86 his personal 'greetings' to the Communists: "These attacks ... are our response to your insulting lies ... This is all now, but we shall be back every time you broadcast filthy lies about the Fifth Air Force." He signed off with rank and name. It was one of the better moments of the sideshow psywar conducted in Korea.
