Founding Father of Republic of Korea Air Force, Lieutenant General Yong-duk Choi <최용덕 중장>
1898-1969
<Resoultion of Air Force>
Written by Choi Yong-duk
We are the proud must-wining Air Force. Be clean and vigorous under strict discipline, help each other and unite to complete responsibility, and we must win when we go out for fight.
Lyrics Written by Choi Yong-duk
Behold our dream running through the sky, Trust our power keeping out the sky
Even if I die and die again, For the sake of our nation
Scattered blood within this sky is, What prove we’ve been on guard over Sky is our workplace and battlefield, Sky is our home and also grave
Even if I live twice and again, For the sake of justice and liberty
Our spirit will keep this sky eternally, Even we live and die
<Air Force Anthem>
<Brief Profile>
- Name: Yong-duk Choi, 최용덕
- Family: Choi clan of Gyeongju.
- Occupation: Independence Activist, Fighter Pilot, Military General
- Birth and Death:
Day of Birth: Sep. 19, 1898
Day of Death: Aug. 15, 1969
- Academic Career:
* Republic of China Army Officer School (Graduated)
* Republic of China Baoding Aviation School (Graduated)
* Republic of China Air Officer School (Graduated)
* Republic of China Army Staff School (Graudated)
* Republic of Korea Army Infantry School (Graduated)
* Korea Military Academy Class 3 (Graduated)
* Korea National Defense University (Graduated)
(Profile Photo of Gen. Choi here)
- Military Service Career:
* Republic of China Army
* Republic of China Air Force
* Korea Independent Army
* Republic of Korea Army
* Republic of Korea Air Force
- Final Rank: Lieutenant General (ROKAF)
- Major Career Posts:
* 3rd Superintendent of ROKAF Academy
* 2nd Chief of Staff of ROKAF
* 1st Vice Minister of National Defense
* 10th Minister of Postal Service
* 5th Ambassador to Taiwan
- Distinguished Career:
* Independence Medal, Order of Merit for National Foundation
* Eulji and Chungmu Medal, Order of Military Merit
- Grave Location: 1st Generals’ Segment, #29, Seoul National Cemetary.
- Born in: Sep. 19, 1898, Hanseong (modern Seoul, South Korea).
- His father’s Career: Served as Medical Officer 2nd Class at Imperial Korean Armed Forces.
- 1910: Total Korean peninsula was illegally annexed by Imperial Japan with the deprivation of Korean sovereignty and fallen to the Japanese colony untill 1945, Choi defected to China at the age of early teenager.
- In China: Choi admitted, graduated Chinese Army Officer School, and commissioned as officer of Chinese Army, started his long military career.
- 1920: Choi admitted the Baoding Aviation School with the patronage of Seo Walbo (서왈보), same independence fighter and senior aviator. Choi graduated, gained pilot license, started the career of aviationindependence fighter.
- His first-belonged aviation unit was under the warlord out of the control of central government of Republic of China, but the warlord force he belonged to is annexed by central government, Choi was also naturally incorporated to Republic of China Air Force.
<Early Times>
Background Knowledge 1
- Japanese Colonial Era (일제강점기): The era when whole Korean peninsula illegally occupied by Imperial Japan, and Koreans lost their own sovereignty from Aug. 29, 1910 to Aug. 15, 1945. During this time, Koreans' fundamental rights and dignity except few pro-Jap quislings was dreadfully infringed, oppressed, and threatened by awfully violent and oppressive Japanese colonial governance. With the exception of 'very few' who have 'seriously doubtable' mental state, almost all Koreans do not deny that this was the worst ordeal period in modern and contemporary Korean history along with the Korean War period. Present Korean Government commemorates the independence fighters with the awarding medals for both survived and deceased fighters during the independence movement, execution of various commemorating projects, and using their names at ROK Navy's submarine name: Ex)
SS-083 Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, SS-077 Yun Bong-gil, etc.
- China’s Political Movement at 20th Century: During 1946 and 1949, China experienced Civil War between Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party. Although the civil war between Kuomintang and CCP was lasted from early 1920s, but stopped due to smashing disobeident warlords to Nanjing and all-out Japanese invasion toward China (1937-1945), and retriggered with the arbitration by U.S. ended with failure. As a result of Chinese Civil War, Kuomintang regime was expelled to Taiwan and the continent China has been seized by CCP in 1949. Hence, the Chinese Army/Air Force in this text are the predecessors of Taiwanese Army/Air Force.
<Independence Fight Career>
- 1922: Choi moved to Manchuria, and joined the anarchist-orienting, clandestine independence fighting organization named ‘Heroic Corps (의 열단, Captain: Won-bong Kim).
- During the times at 'Heroic Corps', he made heavy credits at the 'Heroic Corps''s activitiy. He tasked the acquisition and procurement of bombs used to Kim Sang-ok(김상옥)'s bombardment against Jongno Police Station, and Hwang Ok(황옥)'s bombardment attempt against Government-General of Korea (조선총독부).
Choi was a 'man in blacklist' of Japanese intelligence's documents because tasking the acquisition and procurement of bombs used 2 impacting bombardment attempts, aimed the core of tyrannical colonial governance based on the terror.
Manchuria: The northeastern corner of present Chinese territory. Frequently involved in international disputes because of its high value as geopolitical hub.
Hwang Ok’s bombardment attempt (1923): The joint operation of Heroic Corps members and Hwang Ok, a Coloinal Police officer to ‘smuggle’ the bomb into ‘Keijo-modern Seoul-’. Unfortunately the attempt was failed and involvements were punished. Controversy about Hwang’s identity as ‘double agent’ is still fierce in academia. The current theory is ‘Hwang is espionge of Japan’.
- After the times at Heroic Corps, Choi returned to Chinese Air Force and fought against Japanese invasion forces as fighter pilot.
- 1940: Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Chongqing founded own armed force named as ‘Korean Independent Army’ (한국 광복군), Choi transferred to Provisional Government after the discharge from Chinese Air Force. His rank when discharge from CAF was Lietenant Colonel, but then Lietenant Colonel at Air Force was equivalent with Major General of Army.
- During the times of Independent Army, he assigned to key posts such as superintendent of General Affairs Office and Staffs Office.
Background Knowledge 2
- Government-General of Korea (조선총독부): The highest governing body established by Japan for the purpose of colonizing whole Korean peninsula. Successor of Resident-General of Korea (1905-1910), founded in 1910, and disbanded after the liberation in 1945. The Governer-General of Korea was appointed only among active general/ admiral of Japanese Army/Navy, and the authority was so enonrmous or somehow despotic, because the all legislative, administrative, judicial, military, and police authorities are all monopolized by only one Governener-General. Also, even the imperial parliament had no effective means to brake the govener of Korea except the budget accounting authority. The building was remained 50 years longer after the Korean liberation, and was demolished in 1995 as a part of 'Adjusting History' policy, conducted by (14th) then-President Kim Young-sam.
The debris of Government-General of Korea in Independence Hall at Cheonan (Chungnam). Few debris was remained at open area of western end.
- Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 임시정부):
The provisional government of ROK established at French concession at Shanghai, in April 11, 1919. The P.G. ROK conducted anti-Japanese struggle in solidarity with Chiang Kai-shek regime of ROC. As the Japanese invasion of China became worse from mid-late 1930s, P.G. left Shanghai and terminally settled at Chongqing in 1940, via Hangzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Fuzhou etc.
The P.G. had a K.I.A. as their own armed troops, although it failed terminally, planned the operation deploying small special operators to Seoul, trigger the confusion among foes-Japan, and extract Japan from Korean peninsula with the support of American OSS-predecessor of CIA. The current 10th Consitution of ROK stipulates in the preface that the origin of ROK is at the March 1st Movement in 1919, and that the current government of ROK is the successor of P.G.
P.G.-ROK established at Shanghai in 1919, but it moved very freqeuntly to avoid worsened Japanese invasion against Chinese continent via various regions, and finally settled at Chongqing in 1940.
- Heroic Corps (의열단): The anarchist-oriented, clandestine independence fighting organization founded by Won-bong Kim in 1919, at Manchuria. The Corps believed that the Korean people have to fight agisnt Japan with 'violence' because Japanese oppressed Koreans with violence preemptively, and in the 'Chosun Revolution Manifesto', The Corps defined their style of action is 'terrorism-in a classical context', and their purpose of violence is to 'oust' Japanese oppressors and their agents from Korean Peninsula.
Kim Sang-ok, Na Seok-ju, and Yi Yuk-sa are the people of merit for independence belonged to The Corps. Kim conducted bombardment to Jongno Police Station, and Na bombed Oriental Development Company separately. Especially, Kim who bombed Jongno Police Station, he ran accross the Keijo, avoiding multiple-hundreds of Colonial Police chasing him. He armed with only 2 pistols, and killed 15 cops during his escape. When his ammo depleted, he intuitively felt his fate and killed himself with the final shot, and final word of 'Heil Korean Independence'.
Kim Sang-ok, The Man Bombed Jongno Police Station, Combated with Colonial Police at Inferiority in Number, and Self-detrimined at the End.
Na Seok-ju, The Man Bombed Oriental Development Company.
Heroic Corps, The Corps of Patriots Denied Despotistic Imperalism and Persued Liberal and Ideal Society.
- During his term as K.I.A.’s General Affairs Office Superintendent, he conducted attempts to ‘training of pilots’ and ‘aircraft acquisition’.
- 1943: Choi assigned to the sub-commissioner of ‘Air Force Design Comittee’, drafted the plan to establish air force with the cooperation with U.S. and China. This plan was unfortunately failed because of the failure of leasing aircraft.
But it was not vain attempt because it was the first significant attempt toward possession of ‘independent air power’.
<Air Force Founding>
Kwon Ki-ok, The First Korean Aviatrix and Aviation-Independence Fighter similar with Choi. She was nominated to the pilot when the P.G. founds aviation unit with Choi, but it was cancelled due to the failure of founding own aviation unit.
- 1945: Korean Peninsula has been liberated, and Choi returned to South Korea.
- Choi made ‘Korea Aviation Founding Association’ with other 6 aviators who had a same will to ‘founding air force’.
- However, USAMGIK (미군정) was not favorable at Koreans having their own air power. The evidence was the USAMGIK's arbitrary crushing of Japanese residual fighters and surplus American bombers/attackers which were reserved to the own Air Force.
USAMGIK demanded 7 aviators (including Choi) to restart from the junior officer course on condition of establishing air force.
6 aviators protested saying it's ridiculous, but Choi, who was most senior among the 7 persuaded 6 aviators, admitted and graduated ROK Army Infantry School/Korea Military Academy, restarted his military career as ROK Army's Second Lieutenant.
- When he promoted to Captain, he assigned to 2nd Air Garrison Station Commander, and the air garrison station located at Yeouido Base (Currently closed and demolished, the Yeouido Park in Seoul is the site of then Yeouido Air Base) became the today's 1st Fighter Wing (Gwangju) of ROKAF with the independence from Army.
- 1948: Choi assigned to the 1st Vice Minister of National Defense with temporary leave from military, and tried to separate ‘air corps’ under the Army to ‘independent’ Air Force, despite the Army did not wanted to the separation and independence of Air Force. At the enacting of ACT ON ORGANIZATION OF NATIOANL ARMED FORCES (국군조직법), Choi made legal basis of separating Air Force from Army with the Article 23 stipulated ‘Airmen belonged to Army shall be organized as an independent Air Force when it is necessary’, his effort and long-cherished desire to getting independent air force paid off with the establishment of Republic of Korea Air Force on October 1, 1949.
- 1950: Choi discharged from Vice Minister of N.D., returned to ROKAF and assigned to 3rd Superintendent of Air Force Academy at May, with the rank of Brigadier General.
* The independence of ROKAF from Army was also supported by the Vice Admiral Son Won-yil, the 1st Chief of Naval Operations of ROK Navy. Vice Admiral Son accepted the 7 Aviators’ persuasion about the need of independent Air Force, and sponsored the independence of ROKAF from Army, despite the Army did not wanted the independence of ROKAF.
Background Knowledge 3
- USAMGIK (US Army Military Government in Korea, 재조선미합중국육
군사령부 군정청): The temporary military government established by US Army occupied Korean Peninsula south of 38th Parallel following prior agreement between US and Soviet Union. It was disbanned when the establishment of Korean government on Liberation Day of 1948. Commander of MG was Lt. Gen. John R. Hodge, and took office as Commander of XXIV Corps.
But, the USAMGIK was not widely popular at Korean public for making too much mistakes-failure to controlling rice price rise, etc.- and no-purge of pro-Jap collaboration-suspects drove Koreans to be infuriated.
USAMGIK Emblem. It was not universally supported among Koreans due to a number of mistakes, including land reform failure and failure of rice price control.
<Times at ROKAF & Korean War>
- 1950 June: North Korea attempted the sudden southward invasion to S. Korea, Korean War broke out (June 25, 04:00 AM).
- Choi at 3rd Superintendent of ROKAF Academy, improvised the unit Gimpo District Guard Command (김포지구경비사령부), served as commander himself, directed Gimpo Airport Defense against N. Korean invaders, supported other air force units and personnel's safe evacuation to the rear.
- After the fall of Gimpo Airport (then Gimpo Air Base), Choi himself and Academy also evacuated to rear including Daejeon, Daegu, Jinhae, Jeju, and he did not negelct to training junior air officers.
- Dec 1, 1952, he moved to 2nd Air Force Chief of Staff with the promotion to rank of Lieutenant General, commanded all big and small air operations of ROKAF untill the Armistice (Jul. 27, 1953). The representative achievement of ROKAF during Korean War, including his predecessor’s term and his term are Air Strike to Railway Bridge at Seungho-ri (1952. 1. 12-15), Air Support Operation to Battle of Hill 351 at eastern front (1953. 3. 26).
- Separate with his operational commanding of ROKAF, Choi wrote lyrics of military songs of ROKAF-Air Force Anthem (공군가), Anthem of ROKAF Academy (공군사관학교가) for the purpose of promoting identity establishment as ROKAF and solidarity among the mens. In particular, Air Force Anthem's lyric has never been revised since the Choi initially wrote, and it has such a high status that its singing is never miss at every official events organized by ROKAF.
Background
Knowledge 4
- Gimpo International Airport (김포국제공항): Opened as Japanese Air Base in 1939. After the fall of Imperial Japan, US occupied and used it as an air base with ROKAF. During the Korean War, Communist Forces seized here twice-sudden invasion at June 1950, Retreat of January 4 in 1951 as a consequence of CCP Force’s intervention and offensive-. In 1958, the 11th Fighter Wing of ROKAF (stationing at Daegu Air Base and equipping 59 F-15K Slam Eagle currently) established from here, and the Yeouido Airport’s function as civilian airport has been transferred, started the operation as gateway airport in South Korea, untill March 2001. In 2001, as the opening of Incheon International Airport, all international services were suspended and only domestic services operated for 2 years, but short international services to Tokyo/Osaka, Beijing/Shanghai has been revived sequentially since late 2003. The reason why its name is still ‘Gimpo’ although its real location is Seoul is, the site of it in 1958, when the function as air base suspended was belonged to Gimpo-gun, Gyeonggi-do, but the site was transferred to Seoul due to adminstrative district adjustment in 1963.
- Seungho-ri Railway Bridge: The railway bridge located at near Pyongyang, and acted as a core logistics line to send troops, weapons, and supplies to the Communist Forces at eastern front during the war. The 5th Air Force attempted air strike to this bridge to shut down Communist’s logistics, and succeeded. But, Communists made a detour bridge 200 meters distant from the original bridge, enhanced defense with deploying multiple anti-aircraft guns. Knowing this, 5AF reattempted multiple air strikes, but failed to destroy detour due to the threat from AA guns, and transferred the mission of blasting bridge to ROKAF. 10th Fighter Group (pres. 10th Fighter Wing), ROKAF attempted strike twice, and at the second attempt with low-altitude strike, the bridge was destroyed, mission was accomplished.
- Battle of Hill 351: The battle fought between ROKA 15ID and North Korean VII Corps, surrounding the occupying Hill 351 at easternmost tip of Eastern Front, when the Armistice was imminent. The Hill 351 was an important outpost to monitoring and checking enemy actions at Eastern coast and East Sea. Hence, North Korea deployed their VII Corps to retake this hill, and 15th Divison of ROKA defended North Korean offensive toward this hill. However, the offensive did not weakended, 15ID called an air support to ROKAF, and ROKAF deployed 10th Fighter Wing (Gangneung) to support 15ID’s hill defense, with the cooperation of U.S. TACP (Tactical Air Controlling Party) and artilleries of 15ID (53.3.26). Although the hill was lost at the end, but air support from ROKAF delayed the enemy offensive, and eventually prevented further southward loss on the eastern sector of front-MDL.
Gimpo International Airport: Ex-Air Base, Korea’s national air gateway during late 20th century, and Seoul Metropolitan’s air gateway since 21st century.
Seungho-ri Bridge Bombing: ROKAF sabotaged enemy logistics line successfully with only twice attempts, and it is still mentioned as a major victory of ROKAF during Korean War.
Air Support to Hill 351: Although the hill was taken at the end, but the enemy offensive was considerably delayed due to the air support from ROKAF, and eventually prevented the MDL from being drawn further south than now.
<Later Days, Death, and Later Stories>
- 1955: Choi left the military terminally with the rank of Lieutenant General of ROKAF, his long military career from 1920s has been finished terminally.
- As a merit for active participation and making significant credits for independence movement, Choi received 1 Order of Merit for National Foundation (Independence Medal, Class 3), and 2 Order of Military Merit for the credit as ‘supreme commander’ of ROKAF during overall period of Korean War (Eulji and Chungmoo Medal, Class 2 and 3 at each).
- Early 1960s: Choi assigned to 10th Minister of Postal Service (far predecessor of present Minister of Science and ICT of the Rep. Korea) and 5th Rep. Korea Ambassador to Taiwan.
- Death: Choi died at National Liberation Day of 1969, due to chronic disease ‘high blood pressure’ at his home in Seoul. He was 71 years old. Now, he is enshrined at #29 of 1st Generals’ Segment, Seoul National Cemetary.
- Later Stories:
* The Monument of Lt. Gen. Choi is newly established in the ROKAF Academy (Cheongju, Chungbuk) as a celebration of 70th Anniversary of ROKAF in November 2019, and similar monument is also estblished in the Air Force Training and Education Command (공군교육사령부, Jinju, Gyeongnam).
* Choi attempted the design and manufacturing of Korean-own aircraft even during the ordeal of Korean War, succeeded, and named it as ‘Resurrection (부활호)’ in 1954. The ‘Resurrection’ has been missing for a long timego, but rediscovered and restored in 2004, and even carried commemorative flight in 2011.
What-if the Choi’s statue established in GMU Campus?
The revival flight of ‘Resurrection’ after the restoration in 2011.
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