First Korean War tour

The F-84 Thunderjet, a fighter-bomber aircraft. Overton flew the F-84 during his first tour in Korea.

In February 1952, Overton joined the 8th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing. As many of the other pilots deploying with Overton were from the Air National Guard, Overton was the most experienced jet aircraft pilot among them. Because of this, he was made a flight leader and the assistant Operations Officer of the squadron.^[5] The unit flew out of Taegu (K-2) and its missions consisted primarily of close air support and interdiction missions in support of United Nations ground forces. In this time, Overton also took assignments as a forward air controller and directed air support missions to troops on the front lines. Overton spent some of this time on the USS Valley Forge (CV-45) to assist US Navy pilots with their own close air support doctrine.^[3]

On 15 June 1952, Overton led a bombing raid over Pyongyang to destroy a series of targets near the Pyongyang Air Base. The targets had been unsuccessfully bombed earlier by a similar strike force, but Overton's group was successful in destroying almost all of the targets while none of his aircraft took major damage from the 48 antiaircraft and 100 automatic weapons, and without harming the many nearby UN prisoner of war concentrations.^[1]

On 28 June 1952, the squadron was ordered to attack a convoy of Chinese vehicles. Overton, leading a group of 24 F-84s, directed attacks on the convoy despite taking intense anti-aircraft fire himself, and the aircraft destroyed 150 vehicles. Though the circumstances in the event were lost in subsequent actions, Overton would later be decorated for this achievement.^[6]

On 4 July, Overton was on a mission near Sakchu, leading a group of 37 F-84s on an attack mission against the North Korean Military Academy when they were attacked by almost 200 MiG-15s in the largest engagement of the war. In spite of the intense fire, Overton's group took no losses, and the results of the engagement, as well as Overton's heroism were cause for subsequent decoration.^[1] With this unit, Overton flew 102 combat missions over the course of a 6-month tour. It concluded in August 1952.^[5][7]

Second Korean War tour

At the end of his first tour, Overton volunteered for a second tour in Korea in a fighter unit. For this tour, Overton joined the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Suwon Air Base.^[3] For the first several weeks in this assignment, Overton saw little action. He flew 40 missions into MiG alley without making contact with any Soviet, Chinese or North Korean pilots.^[5] He flew an F-86 Sabre, tail number 50-631,^[8] nicknamed Dolph's Devil and Angel in Disguise.^[9]

During this time, Overton was known to sit in his bases' chapel in silence for extended periods of time, not praying, to calm his nerves.^[5] He also began to grow a mustache, though he professes not to be superstitious.^[5] Overton would continue to grow this mustache until immediately before his final flight, when he shaved it off. He also believed any number with a three in it, including the number 13, was lucky.^[5]

Overton was described by fellow pilots as being a "smart and serious professional."^[5] He visited a radar site in his spare time to memorize the flight patterns of the Soviet and Chinese fliers. By the end of January 1953, Overton had learned the MiG patrol and landing patterns. He had made contact with MiGs several times but had not been successful at shooting any down.^[5] This changed on 21 January when Overton began successfully downing aircraft north of the Yalu River.^[10] Over the course of four days and four missions, he downed five Soviet aircraft;^[5] two on 21 January and one each on 22 and 23 January.^[4] Overton himself expressed surprise at how successful his strategy was, noting he was never discovered until it was too late, and he considered the victories relatively easy. He downed his fifth and final Soviet pilot on 24 January 1953, his 49th mission of the tour.^[11] This meant he attained ace status in the shortest time of any pilot in the war.^[12][13] He became an ace on the same day as Harold E. Fischer, and the two were the 24th and 25th US aces in the war. Overton's streak was briefly billed as the "hottest streak in jet fighting history," and for a few days he was characterized as a hero by Stars and Stripes.^[14]

During a mission which occurred on a disputed date, either 23 January^[15] or 25 January,^[10] Overton and his squadron commander, ace Edwin L. Heller flew north of the Yalu River in search of MiG formations. Heller and Overton both shot down aircraft, some sources say this was one of Overton's first five victories,^[15] while others say they were his sixth and seventh, for which he never received credit,^[10] but Heller was struck by a MiG and crashed.^[15] He was either 60 or 150 miles north of the Yalu River line, so a rescue attempt was not made. This was later seen as one of the reasons Overton was singled out for reprimand for crossing the Yalu River.^[16] Most sources attribute Overton with only five victories.^[17](Heller became a POW;^[18] with Harold Fischer and two other POW Pilots he was repatriated in May 1955).

Reprimand and resignation

The next morning, 25 January, Overton was summoned to the office of his wing commander, Colonel John W. Mitchell. There, Colonel David C. Jones of the Fifth Air Force command staff determined he had crossed the Yalu river into China for each of his five victories. Violating Chinese airspace was officially prohibited.^[10] The next day Mitchell told him he was being grounded and sent home, and "made clear that he was not going home a hero."^[11] The 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was grounded for 10 days.^[11]

Overton was told he would not be given the decorations he had earned in Korea, including the awards from his previous tour which had not yet been written up. Overton had twice been pinned with a Distinguished Flying Cross personally by Fifth Air Force commander Lieutenant General Glenn O. Barcus, and he had been considered for several Silver Star Medals. Overton was also given a bad efficiency report which characterized him as insubordinate. Overton lost his temporary rank of captain. The military delayed official recognition of his credits and ace status until December 1953.^[11] He became one of 40 US aces during the war.^[19] Overton resigned his commission before the war ended.^[11]

Subsequent analysis has indicated Overton may have been treated unfairly for these actions, becoming a scapegoat for the actions of many other pilots in the war. No new policies had been released warning about crossing the Chinese border, and no pilots before Overton had been punished for doing so. Overton himself expressed frustration at the move, as he had been the rearmost pilot in the formation that crossed the Yalu River on 24 January, and Mitchell himself had been known to cross the border and condoned the action.^[11] Fellow ace and unit member Francis Gabreski challenged the move, claiming that US pilots were outnumbered and it was the only way to maintain air superiority.^[11] It was later revealed that Swiss observers to the peace talks at Panmunjon were traveling through Manchuria on foot when they spotted a UN-Soviet dogfight and lodged a complaint, prompting an investigation which eventually indicted Overton.^[10][16]

The move was seen as an effort by the US military to prevent an international incident by not acknowledging that US pilots had violated Chinese airspace.^[10] Debate remains as to whether or not these airspace violations were a necessity, as US pilots were able to maintain air superiority despite being outnumbered in the war, and Chinese and Soviet pilots, who could have launched similar strikes on UN ships at sea and on targets in Japan did not do so.^[16] Still, many missions into Chinese airspace were authorized during the war.^[20] Informally, it was known that US pilots regularly violated the rule in a rush to down MiGs.^[10]

Distinguished Service Cross citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to (then) First Lieutenant Dolphin D. Overton, III, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States as Group Leader of twenty-two F-84 type Aircraft, 49th Bomber Wing, FIFTH Air Force, on 28 June 1952. On that date, Lieutenant Overton's group was diverted against a target of truck convoys discovered by a previous recce flight. Working in and through an overcast, Lieutenant Overton planned and executed a very difficult attack, sequencing his aircraft in such a manner as to provide maximum coverage of the target with minimum risk from heavy ground fire. With disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Overton remained in enemy fire under the overcast so that he could visually direct the attacks and withdrawals. So successful was Lieutenant Overton's direction of the attack, that one hundred fifty trucks were destroyed and confirmed by photograph, making it one of the largest such strikes of the war. Lieutenant Overton's command of this strike in such adverse conditions and with such devastating results highlights his superb flying skill and extraordinary heroism in the face of fierce enemy opposition. Lieutenant Overton's actions reflect great credit upon himself, the FAR EAST Air Force, the United States Air Force, and the United Nations Command.^[1]

Notes

Citations

Sources

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.