United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Europe received a higher priority of air power than Korea by the Truman Administration and the Department of Defense. In September 1950, the NATO Military Committee called for an ambitious buildup of conventional forces to meet the Soviets, subsequently reaffirming this position at the February 1952 meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Lisbon. This meeting established a goal of ultimately fielding 96 divisions in the event of a conventional war in 1954. As part of this buildup USAFE was intended to expand from 16 wings totaling 2,100 aircraft, to 28 wings, 22 of them in the Allied Forces Central
Air Battle of South Korea Ground forces also downed a North Korean aircraft during a subsequent attack. MacArthur subsequently authorized Stratemeyer to launch strikes into North Korea to destroy North Korean airfields and establish air superiority for the US forces. As soon as MacArthur cleared US aircraft to enter North Korea, the 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron sent aircraft to scout all of North Korea's airfields. By the afternoon, the aircraft had not completed their scouting missions but a bombing mission was nonetheless ordered against Heijo Airfield. At 16:15, 18 B-26 Invaders of the 3rd Bombardment Group took off from airbases in Japan for strikes against