The 71st FIS deployed to Osan AB Korea in Dec 1968, joining the 48th FIS currently there, and remained until 9 Jun 1969. They performed alert duty due to tensions of the USS Pueblo incident of 23 Jan 1968, and the shoot-down of an EC-121 Constellation on 15 Apr 1969 by North Korea. Several F-106 Delta Dart FIS units had the distinction of flying across the Pacific ocean for this deployments to Osan AB, South Korea as part of the Korean buildup stemming from those two incidents. These Sixes flew air defense over the country and shotgun for EC-121 Constellation's still flying.

The first F-106's were deployed from the 318th FIS McChord AFB in Feb 1968, officially arriving for deployment on 22 Mar 1968. During the flight they conducted the first in-flight refueling of an F-106 as they were en-route to Korea. The 318th remained until Dec 1968, when the personnel were swapped out with personnel from the 48th FIS, Langley VA, but the 318th aircraft remained. The 48th did not bring aircraft or equipment, rather took over 318th assets. Joining the 48th FIS was the 71st FIS out of Malmstrom AFB MT, arriving in Dec 1968, to assist the 48th FIS who remained. The 71st FIS brought their Sixes making this a joint 2-unit effort all part of the on-going plan to swap F-106 assets as part of the Korean buildup. The 48th with their 318th aircraft, and the 71st equipment, personnel and their aircraft remained at Osan AB until Jun 1969 when they were replaced by the 94th FIS and their F-106's. The 94th remained until being relieved by the 95th FIS and their aircraft on 15 Nov 1969. The 95th was the last F-106 unit to serve in Korea, remaining until May 1970.