Hwacheon Dam

 dam, interesting place

Hwachon Dam. Constructed during Japanese occupation of Korea. Completed 1944. 108 Megawatt Capacity.

Scene of the last use of aerial torpedoes during wartime by the US Navy, May 1951. At the time, the dam and surrounding countryside was being held by North Korean forces.By manipulating floodgates and spillways they could flood the areas downstream at will, disrupting efforts of UN forces to advance northwards. A land assault by US Army Ranger units to take the dam failed. USAF efforts to disable the floodgates by aerial bombardment from B-29’s likewise failed.

At length, the US Navy determined that a torpedo attack might do the trick. It so happened that USS Princeton (CV-37) operating with TF 77 off the Korean coast had a supply of torpedoes on board. However, only eight pilots had any type of experience with aerial torpedoes. At least one of those was fresh out of flight school. Undeterred, eight AD-1 Skyraiders from VA-195 and VC-35, escorted by eight F4U-4 Corsairs from VF-193 made their way to the dam the morning of May 1, 1951. While the Corsairs flew flak suppression, the Skyraiders threaded their way at low level through the valley surrounding the lake, approaching the dam from the south. All eight successfully dropped their “fish.” Six scored hits on the sluice gates, disabling them totally. Two other torpedoes malfunctioned and detonated prematurely. All aircraft successfully returned to Princeton. VA-195 subsequently adopted the squadron nickname “Dambusters.”

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