230831-F-AU145-1007

Enlisted exhibit captions Enlisted Maintainers exhibit in the Korean War Gallery of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. With the arrival of the jet age after World War II, the Air Force began purchasing equipment and using technical data for troubleshooting. However, when the Korean War began, the newly independent Air Force struggled to provide enough trained personnel. Maintainers served twelve-month tours in Korea. When they gained proficiency with their aircraft, they returned to the United States and an inexperienced maintainer took over. Inadequate maintenance, combined with challenges such as rough runways, cold weather, and supply shortages, caused aircraft to deteriorate faster than expected. In response, the USAF used better-equipped facilities in nearby Japan for Rear Echelon Combined Maintenance Operation (RECMO), which proved successful. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)