Taegu Air Base
35? 54'N, 128? 39'E
Taegu stopped being an active base in 1989. In 1992 the US government changed the status of three US air bases in Korea. Kwang Ju Air Base, Suwon Air Base and Taegu Air Base -- previously announced as ending operations -- would instead operate at reduced levels. There is a small BX/Shoppette, snack bar, gym and other typical amenities available. The commissary is at Camp Walker (8 miles and 30 minutes drive across town). There is no dining facility and all personnel receive BAS. Along with the Korean Air Force (ROKAF), there are 110-120 army personnel stationed here.

The units occupy the base?s fenced-off U.S. compound, also known as K-2, a South Korean Air Force installation that shares space with commercial Taegu Airport. In wartime, K-2 would "balloon" into a full-scale combat air base that would house a U.S. Air Force fighter wing. Besides combat aircraft, planeload after planeload would touch down at K-2 and disgorge the Air Force troops and equipment needed to set up and staff that wing. Pilots, medics and mechanics, the full spectrum of air wing personnel slots, would arrive.

The 51st Fighter Wing, headquartered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, maintains and administers US operations at Osan and five collocated operating bases -- Taegu, Suwon, Kwang Ju, Kimhae and Cheong Ju ? for reception and beddown of follow-on forces. The Wing's 51st Logistics Support Squadron plans, programs and initiates actions for the rapid reception and beddown of US forces deploying to the Republic of Korea during contingencies or wartime by maintaining five collocated operating bases and seven munitions storage sites.

The 607th Support Squadron was set up in the summer of 2001 to provide airfield-support services to the Army?s elite Company E, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) helicopter unit, which ferries special-operations troops into combat on covert, long-distance missions, even at night and in bad weather. The 607th provides daily support of the Army?s Company E, and its high-tech MH-47E Chinook heavy assault helicopters. The 607th guards and refuels the Chinooks and provides medical services and crash-and-fire rescue crews. It also maintains the phone, computer and other communications systems Echo uses each day and operates the dining hall, dorms, recreation center and 170 buildings inside K-2.

The 607th also warehouses war-reserve materiel for a full-scale U.S. Air Force fighter wing in wartime. The squadron has about 100 active-duty Air Force personnel and about 350 civilians, most of them contractors. The 607th warehouses the rations, tents, fuel and vehicles, flight-line equipment and a "laundry list" of other items. It also keeps war-reserve materiel at Kimhae Air Base near Pusan and stations 11 of its airmen there.

Since its inception, the 607th focused on setting up house ? to the tune of $60 million. The U.S. Air Force closed operations at K-2 more than a decade ago and mothballed the compound. Now, the "ghost town" is once again a thriving, if small, military enclave. Barracks were upgraded, a dining hall renovated, hangars and other structures built, phone and computer systems installed ? in all, some 50 construction projects have been completed.

The 607 MMS is the "caretaker" unit for Taegu Air Base. Approx. 25 people of different AFSC's are assigned here. All personnel reside in former Air Force Officer dorms which are basically small apartments. Thirty Air Force logisticians of Detachment 1 of the 607th Material Maintenance Squadron at Osan Air Base work and live at Taegu Air Base, maintaining facilities and war reserve material at the co-located operation base where deployed units take up residence and operate on a moment's notice. The 30 Air Force members function as quality assurance evaluators, each working in one-deep positions in various specialties -- supply, fuels, transportation, aircraft systems; weapons, munitions and armament; aerospace ground equipment, logistics, civil engineering, information management and personnel. There are two Koreans that work with the group, the fire chief and an interpreter. The QAEs monitor more than 100 Korean contractors that work at Taegu, ensuring everything's maintained to US Air Force standards Most of the contractors are prior service or retired members of the Republic of Korea Air Force, so they already have experience doing these jobs. The QAEs also maintain dormitories occupied by Army troops that commute to nearby Camp Walker. The base doesn't have an active dining facility, but it does have a small base exchange and snack bar. Like the contingency dorms, the dining facility can be brought on line, if needed, for an influx of temporary duty personnel.

Taegu, elevation of 115 feet (35 meters) is located within a river valley between two major mountain chains. Other major cities located around Taegu are Yongchon 15 miles (28 km) to the east-northeast, Kumi 17 miles (32 km) to the northwest, and Kyong Gu 27 miles (50 km) to the east. Hills and mountains cover about 75 percent of the Korean peninsula, with the remainder covered by scattered lowlands. Most of the rivers are short, swift, and shallow due to topography, narrowness, and sand deposits within the river. The Taebaik Mountain range is a north-south oriented range located to the east of Taegu, with elevations of less than 3,940 feet (1,201 meters). The Sobaek Mountain range dominates the southern mountain and valley region, which extend southwestward from the southern end of the Taebaek Mountains. The Sobaek Mountains form an interior divide, separating the northwest area and Seoul from the southeast area and Pusan. They have a general elevation of 3,527 feet (1,075 meters), presenting a real obstacle against movement across the southern part of the peninsula. The Naktong River, located 9 miles (17 km) west of Taegu, is 283 miles (524 km) in length and enters the Korea Strait through a multi-channeled delta that is subject to flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The Kumho River flows through Taegu, emptying into the Naktong River. There is a series of small tributaries that flow through and around Taegu. Vast rice patty fields are located throughout the river valley that are connected by a series of small irrigation ditches.