November 1, 1950  On November 1, 1950, an ominous event took place which indicated that the Chinese Communists were planning to intervene in the Korean Conflict--six Russian-built MiG-15 jet-propelled, swept-wing fighters attacked a flight of F-51s near the Yalu River. Seven days later the first all-jet air battle in history took place when a USAF F-80, although outclassed in performance, shot down a MiG-15. Lt Russell J. Brown, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, was credited with this historic aerial victory.

Late in the month, hordes of Chinese troops (having crossed the Yalu River) attacked U.N. units, forcing them to retreat. Withdrawing in the bitter cold, U.N. troops would have been at the mercy of the Chinese had it not been for the airpower which supplied them with food, ammunition, and medicines while protecting them from air attack by the enemy. During December, more modern F-84s and F-86s arrived from the U.S., the former to attack ground targets and the latter to meet the MiG threat.