Air Force wives in 1971 South Korea?

August 22, 2022 6:21 AM

Here's a very specific question that I am failing to answer by Googling: If a married Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force were transferred to Osan Air Base in South Korea in 1971, would his wife be able to accompany him? From what I can tell, children weren't permitted, but I can't find a clear answer about spouses.
posted by Pater Aletheias to Grab Bag (3 answers total)

Best answer: I can't answer definitively, but if children were not allowed, my guess is that spouses would not be allowed either. My father was in the Air Force through the 1960s and 1970s. My memory is that there were two types of "tours" -- "remote" and "accompanied". Either you were allowed to be accompanied by dependents, or you weren't.
posted by NotLost at 6:41 AM on August 22, 2022 [1 favorite]

I can't speak for the Air Force. But I have read that soldiers assigned to 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea served unaccompanied tours with warzone-level pay. You might adjust your Google searches by exploring what kind of facilities Osan Air Base had. Family housing. Schools. That kind of thing. Or look up alumni groups. If people lived on base, there is probably a reunion community out there somewhere.
posted by Stuka at 10:07 AM on August 22, 2022

Sorry this is just an oblique answer again, but yes, tours are either accompanied or unaccompanied. So if kids can't come, usually spouses can't as well. If it is an unaccompanied location the servicemembers will probably be living communally in a dorm type situation or on a ship whatever, so there isn't room for anyone else.

Occasionally, depending on the location, a spouse might elect to come unsponsored and live "out in town". This is very difficult and costly and occasionally illegal depending on the location and visa issues.
posted by stormygrey at 3:59 PM on August 22, 2022