On the morning of 25 June 1950, ten divisions of the North Korean People's Army launched a full-scale invasion of the nation's neighbor to the south, the Republic of Korea.

The force of 89,000 men moved in six columns, catching the Republic of Korea Army by surprise, resulting in a rout.

The smaller South Korean army suffered from widespread lack of organization and equipment, and was unprepared for war.

[2] To prevent South Korea's collapse, the United Nations Security Council voted to send military forces.

[5] The United States Air Force had 1,172 aircraft in the Pacific region at the time of the outbreak of the Korean War, including hundreds of F-80 Shooting Stars as well as numerous F-82 Twin Mustangs, B-26 Invaders, B-29 Superfortresses, among others.

[7] The aircraft could fulfill a variety of missions and were well equipped, well armed and out of reach of North Korean attack, with many bases safely in Japan.

The North Korean People's Air Force (KPAF) consisted of 132 aircraft and 2,000 personnel, of whom only 80 were pilots and most poorly trained.

The 8th Fighter Wing, which was attempting to defend Suwon to allow evacuation of US civilians, encountered repeated harassing attacks from the North Koreans operating out of Heijo Airfield in Pyongyang.

Heijo was the KPAF's main base, but in the first few days in the war the US pilots only had authorization to defend themselves if attacked; they could not conduct offensive operations into North Korea.

Leaders including MacArthur and Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer personally witnessed the final sortie of the day, in which four North Korean aircraft attacked four P-51 Mustangs over the town.

There they found a substantial number of aircraft from North Korea's 1st Air Division parked on the tarmac, caught completely by surprise.

In the confusion, the North Koreans were only able to get one aircraft off the ground to oppose the flight, a Yak-3 which was quickly shot down by Staff Sergeant Nyle S. Mickley, a gunner aboard one of the bombers.

By the end of the raid, the US destroyed an estimated 25 North Korean aircraft on the ground and one in the air while suffering no losses.

[19] When they returned to the fight a week later, the North Koreans employed guerrilla tactics with their aircraft, some continuing to use ROKAF markings and timing their strikes when UN patrols were out of the skies refueling.

The North Koreans strafed ground positions and also dropped propaganda leaflets signed by US prisoners of war.

By this point the North Korean Air Force was considered to have been destroyed, losing 110 aircraft and only possessing 35, with only 18 operable.

Meanwhile, the 3rd Bombardment Group bombed targets around Seoul, seeking to slow the North Korean advance southward from the recently captured city.

[24] From this point on, bombers mounted strategic bombing missions against military targets of all types supporting the North Korean ground troops, including ports, armor concentrations and supply stockpiles.

[29][30] In spite of the unsuccessful UN ground action from 25 June to 4 August, the air battle for South Korea was considered a crucial success for the UN forces.

North Korean troops were confined to night attacks to avoid UN aircraft, and much of its limited navy was also destroyed.