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AUSTRALIA IN THE KOREAN WAR

KOREAN WAR 1950 - 1953

The crisis in Korea originated in the closing phases of the Second World War, when control of the Korean peninsula, formerly occupied by Japan, was entrusted to the Allies, and the United States and the Soviet Union divided responsibility for the country between them at the 38th parallel. Over the course of the next few years, the Soviet Union fostered a strong communist regime in the north, while the US supported the government in the south; by mid-1950, tensions between the two zones, each under a different regime, had escalated to the point where two hostile armies were building up along the border. On 25 June a North Korean army finally crossed into the southern zone and advanced towards the capital, Seoul. The city fell in less than a week, and North Korean forces continued their southward drive towards the strategically important port of Pusan.

Within two days, the US had offered air and sea support to South Korea, and the United Nations Security Council asked all its members to assist in repelling the North Korean attack. Twenty-one nations responded by providing troops, ships, aircraft and medical teams. Australia’s contribution included 77 Squadron of the RAAF and the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), both of which were stationed in Japan at the time as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.

When 3 RAR arrived in Pusan on 28 September, the North Korean advance had been halted and their army was in full retreat. The Supreme Commander of the UN forces, General Douglas MacArthur, was given permission to pursue them into North Korea, despite warnings from the Chinese government that it would not countenance any UN troops crossing the border. 3 RAR moved north as part of the invasion force and fought their first major action near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. As the UN forces continued their advance towards the Yalu river on the border between North Korea and Manchuria, a series of successes led many to believe that the UN forces would soon bring the war to an end.

At the same time, unbeknown to the UN commanders, the Chinese government had made good its threat and moved 18 divisions into North Korea. They struck with overwhelming force against US troops on 1 November and sent them into retreat. By mid-November, despite the continuing Chinese attacks in the harsh winter weather, MacArthur prepared a massive advance to the Yalu River to defeat the North Korean and Chinese forces once and for all. But only one day after the attack commenced the Chinese struck back, inflicting successive defeats on the UN forces and forcing them into retreat towards the 38th parallel.

The Chinese halted their offensive in January 1951, Seoul once again having fallen to the invading forces. At the UN headquarters in New York, efforts were made to conclude a ceasefire with the communist coalition, but negotiations broke down before any progress had been made. By the end of February, Chinese resistance collapsed south of the Han River near Seoul, and the city was recaptured by UN forces in mid-March. UN commanders were then faced with the question of whether to cross the 38th parallel once again. Opinions were divided between those who favoured a cease-fire along the border and those, including MacArthur, who wished to renew the northward advance. On 11 April 1951 MacArthur was dismissed from his command, as it was feared in Washington that his intemperance was likely to escalate the war.

Australian troops participated in two major battles in 1951. On the evening of 22 April, Chinese forces attacked the Kapyong valley and forced South Korean and New Zealand troops into retreat; other UN troops, including Australians, were ordered to halt the attack. After a night of fierce fighting, during which their positions were overrun, the Australians recaptured their postions and stalled the Chinese advance, at a cost of only 32 men killed and 53 wounded. For their contribution to this action, 3 RAR was awarded a US Presidential Citation.

The second major battle for the Australians was Operation Commando, an attack against a Chinese-held salient in a bend of the Imjin, a river running north-south that crosses the 38th parallel just above Seoul. Here the Commonwealth Division, including the Australians, had two key objectives: Hills 355 and 317. The attack began on 3 October, and after five days of heavy fighting the Chinese withdrew. Twenty Australians were killed in the battle and 89 were wounded.

From 1951 on, both sides found thems

ITALY

Although not a member of the United Nations in 1950 when the Korean War began, Italy sent its Itallian Red Cross Hospital 68 (Croce Russa Italiana Ospedale 68) to Korea. The hospital arrived in November 1951 and served both military and civilians until January 1955.

Italy became a full member of the United Nations in 1955.

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LUXEMBOURG FORCES

 

Although having a very small military, Luxembourg sent a 44-man volunteer infantry platoon to Korea in November 1950. This unit severed as part of the Belgium Battalions who were assigned to the U.S. 3^rd Infantry Division throughout the war. The platoon returned home in late 1953.

Casualties                         7 KIA                 21 WIA

DUTCH PARTICIPATION IN THE KOREAN WAR

Arriving from fighting in Malaysia and commonly known as the "Netherlands Battalion," the advance party of the Dutch contingent arrived in Korea on 24 October 1950, but the remainder of the unit’s men did not arrive until early December 1950.

ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY

During the conflict the following naval forces were employed:

• Hr.Ms. destroyer " Evertsen" 07-07-1950 / 18-04- 1951
• Hr.Ms. destroyer "Van Galen" till 21-01-1952
• Hr.Ms. destroyer "Piet Heim" till 18-01-1953
• Hr.Ms. Frigate " Johan Maurits van Nassau) till 05—11—1953
• Hr.Ms. Frigate "Dubois " till 10-09—1954
• Hr.Ms. Frigate "van Zijll " till 24—01—1955

The first four vessels were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation of the Republic of Korea as part of the US 7th Fleet.

Hr.Ms "Evertsen" and "Van Galen" were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation of the Republic of Korea for a second time as part of "Task Force 95 ".

A total of 1360 men of the navy served in the Korean waters.

Two of them died when serving.

Activities of the Dutch naval forces:

• escorting aircraft carriers
• anti-infiltration patrols
• destroying enemy costal guns, transport and bunkers
• supporting ground troops with artillery fire

Hr.Ms. "Piet Heim" became a member of the "Train-Busters Club" after destroying an enemy train.

1950 Chinnamp’o, Inchon
1951 Wonsan, Inchon, Sak-to, Chingpo Sangjin, Chongsin and Hungnam
1952 Sak-do, Cho-do, Sangjin, Wonsan Taechong, P’yong-Do
1953 Sak-to, Taejong and P’yong Do

III. THE NETHERLANDS DETACHMENT UNITED NATIONS (NDVN)

The NDVN was established on October 15th 1950 by Royal Degree number 27, dated 27-09—1950.

Out of a total number of 16.225 volunteers only 3.418 men were accepted and sent to Korea. Because 516 men volunteered twice and 38 men three times a total of 3.972 men served in Korea. 2.980 of those participated in the actual war, as the units that arrived after the armistice (July 27th 1953) did not participate in any fighting.

The 3.972 men mentioned before formed 26 detachments, who left for Korea on different dates.

The 1st Detachment (636 men) left the Netherlands on October 26th; the 26th (and last) Detachment (143 men) left on July 1954. The last units returned to the Netherlands at the end of 1954.

Casualties

116 men; 115 are buried at the Tanggok UN War cemetery near Pusan (Korea) 1 man could not be recovered after being KIA

Missing in Action 3

POW 1 (died in prison camp.)

One seriously wounded man died right after arriving in the Netherlands, one had died in an accident in Korea and one died on the way back and was buried in Singapore.

381 men were wounded in action, 26 during training, 5 and 56 men in accidents.

A total of 91 men are permanently disabled.

The NDVN was always considerably below official battalion strength and therefore the 8th Army allotted a number of Korean soldiers of the Korean Augmentation to US Army (KATUSA)to the NDVN. Of this group 20 men were KIA.

In memory of these Korean soldiers a remembrance plaque in both the Korean and the Dutch language is attached on the Korean War Memorial in the "Oranje barrack at Schaarsbergen near Arnhem, The Netherlands.

Twenty members of the other Korean support units CTC/KSC, assigned to the NDVN, were also KIA.

The total losses of the NDVN and assigned units amounts to 163 men. By this the NDVN suffered the heaviest loses of any battalion in the Dutch Army ever.

Assignments

After arriving in Korea the NDVN was assigned to the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment "Rock of the Maine". This was one of the regiments of the 2nd (Indianhead) US Infantry Division.

Combat activities

The most important combat activities of the NDVN were :

• 1951 Hoengseong, Wonju, Hill 325, Hwachon reservoir, Inje, Taeusan, Mundung-ni, Iron Triangle
• 1952 Silver Star Hill, Star Hill, Sagimak, Chungmoksil. Koje-do, Old Baldy, Arsenal, Iron Triangle(2nd time)
• 1953 Samichon valley,

Nice reply Bigfella to the display of ignorance of AdamB

The war cost the lives of 94,000 French Union soldiers - about the same as US losses in Korea & Vietnam combined, and considerably more than any postwar UK losses. This, combined with the need to conscript soldiers for the war mafde it increasingly unpopular in France.

 Indochine war like Korea was entirely fought with volonteers.

And I think amazing we found such number of volonteers  (half a million)in difficult and long wars like Vietnam and Korea and after WW2 for a country of 40 million people.

Second USA did not pay 90% of french equipment but 70% for Vietnam war only.

I remember that Vietnam idnepedance was granted in 1946 and Vietnam war was a war agaisnt communism and not a colonial war stricto sensu

In short, France was hardly in a position where a large contribution of forces could be expected.

BTW check our losses in Korea and you will see they are greater on many countries becuase French did a difficult job here and French bataillon of Korea was the Korea war most decorated unit with  five French Citations to the Order of the Army; the French Fourragère in the colors of the Military Medal; two Korean Presidential Citations; and three American Distinguished Unit Citations making it the most US decorated foreign unit ever.

 

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND FORCES

KAYFORCE

After some debate, on 26 July 1950, the New Zealand Government announced it would raise a volunteer military force to serve with UN forces in Korea. Known as KAYFORCE, a total of 1044 men were selected from among volunteers.

Consisting of HQ Kayforce, the 16^th Field Regiment RNZA, two signal troops, a light aid detachment, a transport platoon and small reinforcement training unit, Kayforce sailed for Korea on 10 December 1950 aboard the "Ormande." Kayforce arrived at Pusan, Korea, on 31 December 1950. Initially attached to the 27^th Commonwealth Brigade, gunners from the 16^th Field Regiment went into action on 29 January 1951. In July 1951, Kayforce became part of the newly formed Commonwealth Division. While gradual reductions in Kayforce were made, beginning shortly after the ceasefire was signed in 1953, with the exception of 10 Transport Company, Kayforce returned to New Zealand in 1955. 10 Transport Company was returned home in 1957.

Kayforce consisted of the following units:

NAVAL FORCES

Prior to the arrival of KAYFORCE, New Zealand had committed six RN LOCH-class frigates to supporting UN naval operations. These were:

• HMNZS PUKAKI
• HMNZS TUTIRA
• HMNZS ROTOITI
• HMNZS HAWEA
• HMNZS TAUPO
• HMNZS KANIERE

The HMNZS PUKAKI and HMNZS TUTIRA operated in the USN screening force for the Inchon Invasion, performing shore raids and inland bombardment. The sole Royal New Zealand Navy casualty during the Korean War was a sailor killed during one of the shore raids.

Casualties                         31 KIA                 78 WIA

More information about New Zealand, British and Commonwealth forces can be found at:

http://www.du.edu/~tomills/military/

NORMASH

(1^st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital)

When North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, TRYGVE HALDDAN LIE, a Norwegian, was Secretary General of the United Nations so it followed that when the United Nations asked its member states to assist South Korea Norway would help. This help came in the form of the 1^st (Norwegian) Army Surgical Hospital, known as NORMASH.

Norway's parliament officially authorized NORMASH's dispatch to South Korea on February 2,1951 with the unit opening for business near the front lines on July 19, 1951. It was first was stationed at Uijongbu, then moved to Tonduchon and finally to Habongam-ri.

NORMASH stayed in Korea until November 10, 1954. It had a hospital staff of 59 and administrative staff of 47. Most members of these staffs rotated every two months so during its stay in Korea 623 Norwegians served with the unit. During its stay the medical staff performed over 9000 operations and treated approximately 90,000 personnel.

PHILIPPINE FORCES

 

The Philippine Islands was among the first UN countries to send its forces to fight in Korea.

Throughout the war it contributed five 1,500-man Battalion Combat Teams (BCTs), which together constituted the Regimental Combat Team promised by the Philippine government to the United Nations in August 1950. Collectively known as the "Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea or PEFTOK," these BCTs served in Korea from September 1950 to May 1955.

These BCTs, which were reinforced infantry battalions, generally consisted of three rifle companies backed by an artillery battery.  The exception was the 10th BCT (Motorized), whose Reconnaissance Company was equipped with M24 Chaffee light tanks.   The PEFTOK battalions were mainly attached to American divisions such as the US 25th Infantry, 3rd Infantry, 45th Infantry and the 1st Cavalry Division.

10^th Battalion Combat Team (Motorized) Sep 50-Sep 51

20^th Battalion Combat Team Apr 51-Apr 52

19^th Battalion Combat Team Apr 52-Mar 53

14^th Battalion Combat Team Mar 53-Apr 54

2^nd Battalion Combat Team Apr 54-May 55

Casualties                         92 KIA                 356 WIA

Five BCTs served in Korea.  Only the 10th was designated a Motorized battalion.  The Americans promised, but did not deliver, its Sherman tanks.   Instead, its Recon Company received the Chaffees.

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SOUTH AFRICA IN THE KOREAN WAR

The Korean War (1950 - 1953)

Just a year after the SAAF's notable contribution towards beating the blockade of West Berlin, the SAAF's services were once again called upon to assist the Western and UN powers. This time the scene of operations was Asia, where North Korean forces had invaded the Republic of South Korea in 25 June 1950.

The United Nations acceded to the request of the United States to intervene militarily on the side of South Korea. The Union Government offered the services of the SAAF's 2 Sqn to the UN forces. The offer was gratefully accepted, and on 26 September 49 officers and 157 other ranks of 2 Sqn, all volunteers, left for Johnson Base in Tokyo prior to their deployment in Korea. The first flight of four F-51D Mustangs departed for Korea on 16 November and the first operational sortie was flown three days later.

2 Sqn had a long and distinguished record of service in Korea flying F-51D Mustangs and later F-86F Sabres. Their role was mainly flying ground attack and interdiction missions as one of the squadrons making up the USAF's 18th Fighter Bomber Wing.

The first operational sortie was flown at a stage when the United Nations forces were retreating in front of the advancing enemy. In freezing cold and poor weather, the aircraft had to continue operating and be maintained and armed in the open, moving from K-24 (P'yongyang East Air Field) to K-13 (Suwon Airbase), K-10 (Chinhae Airbase) and finally K-55 Airbase at Osan in January 1953, Here the squadron immediately started to convert to the F-86F Sabre jet fighter. On 11 March 1953 the squadron flew it first operational sortie with the F-86F Sabre.

During the Korean conflict the squadron flew a grand total of 12 067 sorties for a loss of 34 pilots and two other ranks. Aircraft losses amounted to 74 out of 97 Mustangs and four out of 22 Sabres. Pilots and men of the squadron received a total of 797 medals including 2 Silver Stars - the highest award to non-American nationals - 3 Legions of Merit, 55 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 40 Bronze Stars. 8 pilots became POW's

Casualties                         20 KIA                 16 WIA

A complete history of the South Africa Air Force can be found at:

http://www.mil.za/SANDF/AirForce/History/history_of_the_saaf.htm

SWEDISH FIELD HOSPITAL FOR KOREA

Two days after North Korea invaded South Korea, June 25, 1950, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution asking all U.N. member states to support South Korea. The Swedish government responded on July 14, 1950 by authorizing the dispatch of a 200-bed mobile field hospital. This hospital unit consisted of 174 doctors, nurses, medical specialists and support personnel. All were volunteers.

The first group left Stockholm, Sweden on August 26, 1950, arriving at Pusan, Korea on September 23^rd, where it set up in the Pusan Commercial Middle School compound. It received its first patients on September 25^th.

A few days earlier U.S. Tenth Corps landed at Inch'on and advanced toward Seoul while other UN forces broke out of the Pusan Perimeter, the 60 by 70-mile southeast corner of Korea where they retreated while building up their own forces. Because of the tactical situation the UN Command decided the Swedish hospital would be of more value as 400-bed evacuation hospital at Pusan than a 200-bed mobile field hospital, thus Pusan became the base for the hospital throughout the war. Bed space was later increased to 600 beds. Between September 25, 1950 and December 31, 1953, the hospital treated 19,100 United Nations personnel and 2,400 Korean personnel. After the ceasefire the hospital remained at Pusan, operating more-or-less as civilian hospital until April 1957. Even after closing, a small group stayed on until the autumn of 1958 supporting the Korean National Red Cross.

During the war a total of 1,124 Swedish men and women served at the hospital in Pusan.