Thousands of miles from home, Greek airmen flew into the dangers of the Korean War to bring wounded soldiers to safety. Their transport planes did not fight enemy aircraft. Instead, they carried the injured from the battlefield, delivered vital supplies, and helped keep United Nations forces moving. Their story remains one of the lesser-known chapters of Greece’s role in the Korean War.
The journey from Greece to Korea
On November 11, 1950, seven Greek C-47 Dakota transport aircraft took off from Elefsina, near Athens, carrying 67 airmen and support personnel. Their destination was East Asia, where the Korean War had created an urgent need for transport and medical evacuation.
The journey was a major undertaking for the Royal Hellenic Air Force. The crews crossed long distances and made multiple stops for refueling before reaching Japan. From there, they joined the United Nations effort in Korea.
The Greek unit became known as the 13th Hellenic Air Force Flight. It operated alongside the United States Air Force, supporting troops with transport flights, supply deliveries and medical evacuations.
The Greek crews did not fly fighter aircraft. Instead, they carried out missions that kept troops supplied and helped wounded soldiers reach medical care.
Nearly 3,000 missions under dangerous conditions
The 13th Flight operated in Korea from late 1950 until 1955, continuing its work even after the 1953 armistice.
According to the United Nations Command, the unit completed nearly 3,000 missions and logged close to 14,000 flight hours. Its crews evacuated more than 9,000 wounded personnel and transported supplies and passengers across the theater of operations.
These missions often involved difficult weather, challenging landing conditions and airfields close to the front lines. The crews had to transport personnel and equipment while supporting military units operating in a rapidly changing battlefield.
Their work extended beyond medical evacuation. The Greek airmen also delivered supplies to troops, carried personnel and conducted intelligence-gathering flights.
The rescue mission at Chosin Reservoir
One of the unit’s most notable achievements came during the fighting around the Chosin Reservoir in December 1950.
United Nations Command records credit the Greek flight with evacuating approximately 1,000 wounded U.S. Marines during the operation. The fighting and retreat in the area took place in severe winter conditions, placing enormous pressure on the forces trying to move wounded personnel to safety.
The Greek crews’ role in this evacuation earned the unit the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation, one of the highest distinctions awarded to military units for exceptional performance in combat. The unit also received a Presidential Unit Citation from the Republic of Korea.
The operation remains one of the best-known episodes in the history of Greece’s air contribution to the Korean War.
A lasting legacy
The Greek airmen continued their missions for several years, helping transport troops, supplies and wounded personnel. Their work formed an important part of Greece’s contribution to the international force supporting South Korea.
The unit’s record of nearly 3,000 missions and more than 9,000 medical evacuations highlights a role in the war that receives less attention than frontline combat.
The story of the 13th Hellenic Air Force Flight is a reminder that military service during wartime involves more than fighting. Transport crews and medical evacuation teams also faced danger as they worked to keep troops supplied and bring the wounded to safety.
The Greek airmen who served in Korea left behind a record of endurance, skill and service during one of the most difficult conflicts of the early Cold War.
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