Auster VF561 Mk 6 - Reconnaissance - 1952-08-13 to 1952-08-13
Squadron: 1903 (AOP) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1952-08-13
Completion Date: 1952-08-13
Mission: Reconnaissance
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: Airstrip AE111, Pusan, South Korea
Take Off Time:
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Korea
Crash Specifics: unspecified
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: flak
Flak Battery: unspecified
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable

Captain Joseph Michael Liston CD RCA (Royal Canadian Artillery), was flying one of his very first missions in Korea with 1903 Independent Air Observation Post Squadron RAF when his Auster AOP6 aircraft VF 561 was struck by Chinese Artillery. Captain Liston baled from his aircraft and was captured by Chinese troops. During his 13 months in Communist captivity as a Prisoner of War Captain Liston was held largely in solitary confinement and was the highest-ranking Canadian officer captured in Korea. After he was released in 1953 he stayed in the RCAF, later being promoted to Major and retired from the military in 1969

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Canada's Flying Gunners, A History of the Air Observation Post of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery by Lieutensnt Colonel D. L. Fromow CD, pages 63,74,81,84,85,87,88,91,95-98

Unvetted Source Distinguished%20Flying%20Cross%20since%20WWI, Last Flight With Dates

Unvetted Source Aircrew Remembered Korean War Database

Unvetted Source LestWeForgetEnglish25May2022.pdf

Unvetted Source The Korean War I The Army Flying Museum

General RAF Commands