South African Air Force Korean War
 

Here is a 3 medal bar to a South African Airman who had served in the Korean War 1950-1953. The note that accompanied the medals mention him serving with the 2nd Sqd SAAF... the "Flying Cheetahs"..

The South African Volunteers Medal and the UN Korean Medal are both named to him... E23014 J.H. Venter. the Korean issued medal on the end is not named

The Flying Cheetahs had started the war flying F-51D Mustangs. By late war they had converted to F-86 Sabre Jets to better compete with the MIG's that had entered the conflict....By war's end the the Cheetahs had flown 12,067 sorties... 34 SAAF pilots had made the ultimate sacrifice as well 2 ground crew.

This trio of medals popped up at an estate sale not far from my home. The individual had a number of United Nations items and was a quiet collector not really knowing him even living as close as I did..

Any additional information and input on the medals is welcomed
Jack


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Cracking group Jack - great find!

Paul

Thanks Paul.

Great group, well done. There were only 800 SA Korea medals awarded so it is considered a fairly rare and sought after medal In case you don't know, the medal is mounted back to front, with the reverse showing. Probably either worn like that in error or perhaps the recipient emigrated and wanted to show the EiiR cypher?
Cheers,
Alex

A nice group.
I have a SAAF uniform, with Navigators wings, no medals unfortunately.

I'm told that it looks as though Commandant Fourie retired in the 1980s:, the side cap being introduced during the early 1980's and the SADF Good Service Medal ribbons being of pre-1986 pattern.

The ribbons:

Korea Medal

Pro Patria Medal (it doesn't have a Cunene Clasp rosette for service in Angola, but as that was introduced in 1986, he may have served there)

SADF Good Service Medal Gold (30 years)

SADF Good Service Medal Silver (20 years)

Permanent Force Good Service Medal (18 years)

Chief of the SADF Commendation Medal
(renamed 'Military Merit Medal', with post-nominal letters MMM, and given precedence over campaign medals in 1993)

UN Service Medal for Korea

South Korea War Medal

Alex, thank you for that information.

Nice uniform Leigh. Do not believe I had seen a SAAF uniform complete as you show.

It came with a complete mess dress uniform but infuriatingly rodents ruined that though shirts, gloves, belts etc still survive.
A major failure of responsibility on my part.

Well don’t be too hard on yourself it can happen. Have a few horror stories of my own.

Hi Jack

Christmas came early! In the rugby squad Venter is the one with the ball in the middle of the front row.

Enjoy, nice group.

Brian

Jack

You can get Venters War records records via a researcher in Johannesburg, great guy by the name of Dewald (pronounced Dewalt) Nel.

dewald@nelantiques.co.za

Regards
Brian

It's always great to get a photo to go with medals, paperwork, uniforms and the like.

Brian, Wow... That is fantastic.... where on earth did you find the photos.? And to find them with names is incredible. Thank you very much Jack

Hi Jack

I have an album with about one third of the SA Korean contingent of 800 odd. You got lucky with Venter. They are nice groups, there is a SA EX Pat in Aussie that collects these groups, has around 30 odd. I have two Korean SA groups one with a US Bronze Star.

Always nice to get a picture of your guy, I know how you feel.... we need to brighten up 2020 a tad.

I was promised another similar SA Korean photo album a few years ago, but that lead has gone cold sadly.

Regards
Brian

Jack just a quick one, his name is pronounced "Fenter" Venter being Afrikaans.

Brian