Sergei Kramarenko - The Korean War (1950-53)

The Korean War (1950-53)

In early October 1950 the 176th GIAP were called to a meeting in the Officers' Club at Teplyy Stan by General Redkin, the Executive Officer of the Air Defense of Moscow, with Vasily Stalin (son of Joseph Stalin) also attending. Redkin detailed the critical situation in North Korea, with American B-29 heavy bombers bombing the poorly defended North Korean cities. The Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Korea had officially requested Soviet assistance. When asked for volunteers all pilots, including Kramarenko, raised their hands. The unit was soon deployed to Korea. Soviet involvement would be a secret until well after the end of the Cold War.

Travelling across Siberia, Kozhedub's 324th IAD (made up of the 176th GIAP and 196th IAP) arrived in the city of Dunfyn, where they were given Chinese uniforms to wear. The Soviet fliers received their first salary in Chinese currency which they spent at local markets, buying civilian clothing to replace the Chinese uniforms. An intense period of air-to-air training in the MiG-15 followed. The Russians trained alongside Chinese pilots in the nearby airbase of Mukden. Kozhedub brought Kramarenko with him and personally checked the training of their Chinese and Korean apprentices. Kramarenko remembered the poor training of the Chinese students who could barely perform even basic training flights. Both he and Kozhedub also realized the meager diet of rice they received was a problem. As soon as the Chinese rations were replaced by meat and other high-calorie food the situation improved.