Korean War Sensitivities

[megan]

On November 18, 1952, then-Lieutenant Williams shot down four Soviet MiG-15s before landing his stricken F9F-5 Panther aboard the USS Oriskany (CVA-34) stationed in the Sea of Japan off the coast of North Korea. Because of the sensitivity of the incident, U.S. Navy and NSA officials concocted a fictional narrative and awarded Williams a Silver Star for a confirmed kill of one MiG and possible kill of another, both of unspecified national origin. Further, two other members of Williams' squadron were given false credit for MiGs that Williams shot down. Williams was told to keep the truth a secret, and he did so for 40 years. The truth was revealed by the Russians at the end of the Cold War when they revealed the identities of the Red Air Force pilots Williams shot down. However, the U.S. Navy refused to change their records on the grounds that there were no other living witnesses beyond Williams.

Question I ask is why the sensitivity and allocating kills to chaps that never pulled a trigger?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tqHWH1bYb0&t=632s

[RogerGliding]

Check the Wikipedia entry for the F9F:-
"This combat is little-known due to the involvement of the US (NSA) – the existence of which was then top secret – in planning the mission; the MiGs were intercepted as a result of intelligence provided by the NSA. After losing contact with his wingman, Williams was alone in a dogfight with six MiG-15s; after landing on Oriskany, his Panther had 263 hits by cannon shells or fragments, and was beyond repair."

[Load Toad]

Thank you for the link - interesting. I don't know though why having two pilots share 3 kills and a probable is any less sensitive than 1 pilot having all of them when it comes to an issue of diplomacy; or am I missing something obvious?

[megan]

Answer found.

https://docplayer.net/40508090-Four-down-the-korean-combat-the-u-s-tried-to-forget-by-thomas-mckelvey-cleaver-42-flightjournal-com.html

[Davef68]

Thank you for the link - interesting. I don't know though why having two pilots share 3 kills and a probable is any less sensitive than 1 pilot having all of them when it comes to an issue of diplomacy; or am I missing something obvious?

One pilot shooting down four aircraft is going to get a lot of publicity. then you have to explain these weren't Chinese or North Korean aircraft flown by Russians (which was hidden enough at the time) but actual Russian Air Force aircraft.

Much easier to say hide them as 'just another kill'