The very first U.S. response to the Korean crisis was a decision to provide additional weapons and supplies to the South Koreans. Though swiftly overtaken by events, this represented the start of what became a huge effort to bring across the broad Pacific Ocean the men, equipment and abundance of other items needed to sustain mid-Twentieth Century warfare.
In the first month of the war, when the surging North Korean offensive had to be countered with the limited forces already in the theatre, transportation needs almost always exceeded supply. Every available means of conveyance was pressed into service. The aircraft carrier Boxer (CV-21), awaiting overhaul after a deployment, was loaded with urgently required Air Force and Navy planes and rushed to sea. Her trans-Pacific voyage, from 14 to 22 July 1950, set a speed record for that route.
Another very important achievement was the transportation of the First Provisional Marine Brigade, the only ready ground forces available in the U.S. and the first to leave for Korea. Using Navy amphibious shipping and escort carriers, the Brigade and its supporting Air Group started across the ocean in mid-July. In the first days of August, the Marines and their planes were in combat in the Pusan Perimeter.
This page features images of the transportation of personnel, equipment and supplies from the U.S. to Korea during 1950.
For photographs of life and work on board a Navy transport ship en route from the United States to the Korean War Zone in late 1950, see: USNS Fred C. Ainsworth -- Views On Board during a Late-1950 Trans-Pacific Voyage.
For other views of the Korean War trans-Pacific logistics effort, see: Korean War -- Trans-Pacific Logistics.
For links to more pictures of the first months of the Korean
War, see:
For links to more pictures of Korean War logistic efforts,
see:
For a precis of our Korean War images, and links to more
comprehensive pictorial coverage of other aspects of that conflict,
see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions. |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
For photographs of life and work on board a Navy transport ship en route from the United States to the Korean War Zone in late 1950, see: USNS Fred C. Ainsworth -- Views On Board during a Late-1950 Trans-Pacific Voyage.
For other views of the Korean War trans-Pacific logistics effort, see: Korean War -- Trans-Pacific Logistics.
For links to more pictures of the first months of the Korean
War, see:
For links to more pictures of Korean War logistic efforts,
see:
For a precis of our Korean War images, and links to more
comprehensive pictorial coverage of other aspects of that conflict,
see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions. |
Text & links revised 14 August 2000
New images added 28 February 2007