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Chapter One

Beating to Quarters

Ensign Ronald Eaton, the downed Navy pilot whose rescue was the objective for Mission 1890

Just before daybreak at sea off the Korean coast, June 25, 1952, the second anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, Navy fighter pilot Ensign Ron Eaton, is jolted out of a sound sleep by the claxon of the General Alarm aboard his aircraft carrier. The USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) is about to begin another day of combat air operations against targets in North Korea. Today will be Eaton’s third combat mission. It will also be his last.

Ensign Ronald “Ron” Dow Eaton was jolted awake at 0426 by the bugle call for “General Quarters.”

There was no sleeping through that piercing series of four-note intervals played by a member of the ship’s band over the general announcing system—called the “1 MC.”

USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) turns into the wind to launch aircraft, followed by its plane guard destroyer. Baited Trap, the Ambush of Mission 1890, is the story of the Korean War's deadliest helicopter rescue mission. Written as a helicopter rescue tribute to Korean War Veterans, Baited Trap uses Korean War records, Korean War photographs, Korean War images and Korean War video to establish Air Force and Korean War history of the aviators who flew air combat rescue missions into heavily defended enemy territory in North Korea to save downed pilots. Baited Trap offers unique insights into the korean conflict, korean history, the korean war, korean war battles, korean war history by including many korean war photos, korean war pictures, and Korean war videos as a tribute to korean war veterans of the forgotten war. It also provides important new Korean War history of U.S. Navy operations, VF-74 and USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31). Never before has one book included in-depth history of Korean War air combat operations by the P-51 or F-51 Mustang fighter-bomber, the F4U Corsair fighter-bomber, the H-5 and H-19 air rescue helicopters, the 18th Wing, 67th Squadron, Third Air Rescue Squdron or 3ARS, and the Fifth Air Force.
USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) turns into the wind to launch aircraft, followed by its plane guard destroyer.

A few seconds later, as Dow and everyone else on the USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31)—known affectionately to her crew as “The Bonny Dick”—were rolling out of their racks, the Boatswain’s Mate of the Watch on the bridge keyed his microphone and barked “General Quarters, General Quarters for dawn alert.”

Most of the ship’s company headed to their GQ stations just in case the ship’s silhouette was a target for a possible enemy submarine as the relative safety of darkness vanished when the sun came up from the direction of Japan. After a few minutes the ship secured from General Quarters and set the normal steaming watches. The ship was not under attack, but was stirring itself to life as it prepared for another long day of launching and recovering aircraft during combat operations off the coast of North Korea.

Easing out of his bunk, Eaton winced slightly as he momentarily forgot his ankle injury and put too much weight on his foot. He grabbed the bunk rail to steady himself.

Several weeks earlier his plane—an F4U Corsair fighter-bomber—had been accidentally pushed off the flight deck at night while the flight deck crew was respotting the deck. After falling nearly fifty feet from the flight deck into the sea, with remarkable presence of mind, Eaton had managed to free himself from the rapidly sinking aircraft and despite his seriously injured ankle, swim to the surface, pop the CO2 cartridges of his Mae West life preserver and hope for rescue. After an anxious hour of floating and swimming in the shark-infested waters off Hawaii, a rescue destroyer had found and recovered the grateful young pilot.

In the weeks since then, the ankle had healed—almost. However, it was still very tender. Eaton had finally convinced the flight surgeon that he was ready to be returned to “flying status.”

He had completed his first two combat missions on Monday and Tuesday—working over North Korean power plants. He was anxious to add to his mission total. Today would be the third combat mission for the eager young pilot from Wilmington, Massachusetts.

The ship had reached the combat zone on Sunday.

Early on Monday morning, June 23rd, Eaton and his fellow pilots from VF-74 had flown their first combat missions over North Korea.

“We were to take part in the joint Air Force-Navy strike against the as yet untouched North Korea hydro-electric plants,” CDR Charles D. Fonvielle, Jr., the “Be-Deviler” Commander later reported.

Although the operations on Monday were delayed until the afternoon, the Navy aircraft were able to get in one good, effective strike that afternoon that “practically destroyed all the targets assigned.” Task Force 77 had planned carefully and had four aircraft carriers operating in the area, including: USS Princeton, USS Boxer and USS Philippine Sea, in addition to the USS Bon Homme Richard.

It was the first time since World War II that four aircraft carriers had conducted joint combat operations. The operation “went off efficiently and without mishap,” Fonvielle noted.

Eaton’s flight conducted both flak suppression and dive bombing attacks on the major targets. The sixteen aircraft of VF-74 struck Kyosen station Two and Fusen Station Two on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday afternoon, they went back for “finishing off” strikes against Kyosen Station Four. Another late afternoon mission on Tuesday was called by Fifth Air Force against troop and supply concentrations near the front lines.

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