ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 85123
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| Date: | Saturday 10 November 1951 |
| Time: | 12:08 LT |
| Type: |  Republic F-84E Thunderjet |
| Owner/operator: | 9th FBS, 49th FBG, USAF |
| Registration: | 51-549 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Tŏkhŭng-ni, Koksan, Hwanghae-bukto, 30 miles SW of Pyongyang -
 North Korea
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | K-2 Taeugu Airfield, Daegu, South Korea (RKTN) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Republic F-84E-25-RE Thunderjet 51-549, 9th FBS, 49th FBG, USAF: Written off (destroyed) November 10 1951 when lost on combat operations over North Korea. 12 F-84s attacked by 24 to 30 MiG-15s near Tŏkhŭng-ni in Koksan, Hwanghae-bukto, 30 miles South West of Pyongyang at 12:08 LT. According to a rough translation from Russian into English of a Russian published source (see link #6 for the original Russian text):
"November 10, 1951 F-84E 51-549 (49th FBG, 9th FBS) attacked and shot down by MiG of the 176 GIAP (Pavel S. Milaushkin) 30 miles South West of Pyongyang, pilot 1st Lt Michael Rebo MIA/KIA. SAR effort negative."
According to the official USAF biography of the pilot (see link #7):
"First Lieutenant Michael Gordon Rebo, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Pennsylvania, served with the 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter-Bomber Group. On November 10, 1951, he was the pilot of an F-84E Thunderjet (tail number 51-549, call sign "Mercury Red 4") as the fourth position in a flight of four on a six-flight interdiction operation targeting enemy rail lines north of Sukchon, North Korea.
After bombing the targets without incident, the group rendezvous over the coast. As the group began their return to base, they were attacked by a larger number of enemy MiG-15 fighters. Just after passing Tokhung-ni, 1st Lt Rebo radioed his flight leader that he had lost sight of the flight and had been hit by enemy fire. The flight leader told 1st Lt Rebo to head for the coast and this was the last contact made with 1st Lt Rebo. After the MiGs broke their attack, 1st Lt Rebo's group searched for him until their fuel ran low and they needed to return to base.
The 3rd Air Rescue Squadron searched the coastal area but also failed to locate any signs of the wreckage or the missing pilot. No returning POWs mentioned having contact with 1st Lt Rebo, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, First Lieutenant Rebo is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific."
The whole Valley community rallied around his Russian immigrant parents while awaiting word from the Air Force, but was later (December 31, 1953) officially presumed dead on November 10, 1951.
His wife, Mona J. Woodring Rebo of Medix Run, posthumously received the Air Medal and Purple Heart for his meritorious action in battle from General Rogers at Luke AFB Arizona. Lt. Rebo was also awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Korean War Service Medal, plus his flight unit was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.
Sources:
1. http://forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/F-84.html
2. https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1951.html
3. https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/dbSearchAF55.asp
4. http://www.accident-report.com/Yearly/1951/5111.html
5. http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/korea/reports/air/
6. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archive/index.php?t-22379.html
7. https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000Bpz1sEAB
8. https://imodeler.com/2021/11/70-years-ago-today-1st-lt-michael-rebo-shot-down-over-north-korea-mia-for-many-years-and-a-childhood-friend-of-my-dad/
9. https://militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=301197
10. https://veterans.mtzionhistoricalsociety.org/veterans-list/michael-g-rebo/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongsul_Li_Airport
Revision history:
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