Korea 1950-1953

v.1.0 May 6, 2001

This historical orbat is by Dr. Graham Watson. It is a preliminary to a more detailed version.

United Nations Forces

After the invasion of South Korea by the North Koreans in June 1950, an international force was formed, under American leadership, in response to the resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations. Although dominated by the United States, many nations provided combat troops, medical personnel, naval and air forces for the UN force. This Order of Battle provides a broad outline of the ground combat forces which fought in Korea.

In many cases the contributing nations followed the practice of the US Army which sent a specific number of units to Korea and then rotated personnel in and out of those units. Countries of the British Commonwealth followed the British practice of rotating whole units in and out of Korea-usually for a year at a time.

UNITED STATES ARMY

HQ 8^th Army, June 1950-July 1953

HQ I Corps from September 1950

HQ IX Corps from September 1950

HQ X Corps from September 1950

24^th Infantry Division, from Japan, June 1950 until January 1952

[19^th, 21^st, 34^th Infantry Regiments]

1^st Cavalry Division, from Japan, June 1950 until December 1951

[5^th, 7^th, 8^th Cavalry Regiments]

25^th Infantry Division, from Japan, June 1950 until end of war

[24^th, 27^th, 35^th Infantry Regiemnts-14^th Infantry replaced 24^th in August 1951]

2^nd Infantry Division, from USA, August 1950 –still in South Korea

[9^th, 23^rd, 38^th Infantry Regiments]

7^th Infantry Division, from Japan, September 1950 –remained after armistice in 1953

[17^th. 31^st, 32^nd Infantry Regiments]

3^rd Infantry Division, ex USA, October 1950 until end of war

[7^th, 15^th, 30^th Infantry Regiments –30^th Infantry replaced by 65^th in April 1951]

45^th National Guard Infantry Division, from December 1951 until end of war

[179^th 180^th, 279^th Infantry Regiments]

40^th National Guard Infantry Division, from January 1952 until end of war

[160^th, 223^rd, 224^th Infantry Regiments]

29^th Infantry Regiment from July until September 1950 when disbanded to form

27^th and 25^th Infantry Regiments

5^th Regimental Combat Team from August 1950

187^th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, from November 1950

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

1^st Marine Division, from September 1950 until end of war

[1^st, 5^th, 7^th Marines; 1^st Marine Air Wing]

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

27^th Infantry Brigade, formed in August 1950 from two British battalions in Hong Kong, and one Australian battalion, and one New Zealand artillery regiment. Replaced from September 1950 by-

The Commonwealth Division, which remained until 1954

• 25^th Canadian Infantry Brigade
• 28^th Commonwealth Brigade [mixed British and Australian]
• 29^th Infantry Brigade [British]
• divisional troops included a New Zealand artillery regiment

EUROPEAN FORCES

• 1^st Turkish Infantry Brigade, from October 1950-

-September 1951 replaced by 2^nd Turkish Brigade

-July 1952 replaced by 3^rd Turkish Brigade

-September 1953 replaced by 4^th Turkish Brigade

• French Battalion, from November 1950 until October 1953

• Battalion of Regiment Van Heutz, Dutch Army, from November 1950 until September 1954

• Greek Battalion, from December 1950

-Hellenic Regiment, from 1954 until 1955

• 1^st Belgian Battalion, from January 1951 until June 1955

[included a rifle company from Luxemburg]

• Medical units from Denmark, Italy, Norway and Sweden

AFRICAN FORCES

1^st Kagnew Battalion, Ethiopia, from May 1951 until January 1955

ASIAN FORCES

21^st Thai Infantry Regiment, from September 1950 until 1955

Philippine Battalion-dates not known

Philippine tank company-dates not known

Field hospital from India

LATIN AMERICAN FORCES

1^ST Colombian Battalion, from June 1951 until October 1954

NAVAL FORCES came from United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Netherlands, and Thailand.

AIR FORCES came from United States, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Greece, South Africa, and Thailand

The SOUTH KOREAN ARMY deployed 19 divisions. They were the 1^st-12^th, 15^th, 20^th-22^nd and 25^th-27^th Divisions.

Back to Main