French Battalion in the Korean War
Encyclopedia
The French Battalion in the Korean War was a battalion
of volunteers made up of active and reserve French
military personnel sent to the Korean Peninsula
as part of the UN
force fighting in the Korean War
.
and a hero of World War II
, supported Chief of Staff of the French Army General Blanc's decision to form a volunteer force and agreed to command the new unit. The French Battalion arrived in Pusan
(modern day South Korea
) on November 29, 1950 and was placed under the operational control of the 23rd
U.S.
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (United States). The battalion carried out several successful early actions and earned the respect of General Ridgway
, commander of the U.S. Eighth Army
.
From January 7–12, 1951, the French Battalion participated in the First and Second Battle of Wonju where, thanks to a decisive bayonet
attack, it stopped the North Korea advance. That episode was echoed around the world by American war correspondents reporting from the theater. It was followed by the Battle of the Twin Tunnels
(February 1–2, 1951) and of Chipyong-ni
(February 3–16, 1951). These combats, during which the battalion resisted the attacks of four Chinese divisions for three days, allowed the 8th Army to score a victorious counter-offensive. Three weeks later, the battalion was engaged in combat for Hill #1037 (about 50 miles east of Seoul
) and lost 40 dead and 200 wounded while attacking and capturing the hill.
In the spring of 1951, the battalion crossed the 38th parallel
into the Hwachon region. The destruction of an engineering platoon led to a partial rout of the French Battalion. However it allowed U.S forces to stop the new Chinese offensive. In the fall of 1951, the French volunteers took part in the battle of Heartbreak Ridge
where they won fame again during a night attack. In the course of these combats which lasted a month, 60 French soldiers were killed and 200 were wounded. In the fall of 1952, after a lethal war of positions, similar to Verdun
during World War I, the battalion put a halt in Chongwon
, South Korea, to a Chinese offensive toward Seoul. This resistance resulted in 47 dead and 144 wounded. The total Chinese losses against the French battalion were estimated at 2000 men. In the winter and the spring of 1953, the battalion took part in combats which kept the North Korean and Chinese forces from reaching Seoul
.
After the signing of the s:Korean Armistice Agreement in July 1953, the French Battalion left Korea 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. It was one of the most famous units of the United Nations
forces in Korea. In an address to a joint session of the United States Congress
in May 1952, General Ridgway said the following:
One member of the French Battalion, Louis Misseri, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
by the United States for his actions. His citation reads:
, the unit (under its new title of Le Regiment de Corée) would participate in the brutal battle for Mang Yang Pass
along Route coloniale 19 in June and July 1954, where it would suffer heavy casualties. Between its arrival in Indochina and the cease-fire on July 20, 1954, the 1st battalion suffered 238 killed or wounded, and the second battalion suffered 202 killed or wounded. In addition, 34 Indochinese assigned to the battalion were killed in action. On September 1, 1954, the Regiment de Corée was disbanded and reduced back to battalion size. The battalion remained in Indochina until July 17, 1955 whereupon it embarked from Saigon to Algeria
to participate in the suppression of the ongoing insurrection.
On August 10, 1955, the battalion landed in Algiers
and began a series of garrison and search and destroy operations in the Constantine region of Algeria. On September 1, 1960, the battalion was amalgamated with the 156th infantry regiment and received the designation of 156e Regiment d'Infanterie- Regiment de Corée. All told, the regiment suffered 48 killed in action in Algeria. The regiment was repatriated to France following the Évian Accords
and disbanded upon its return to France in 1962.
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of volunteers made up of active and reserve French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
military personnel sent to the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
as part of the UN
United Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
force fighting in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Korea
Lieutenant General Monclar, Inspector of the Foreign LegionFrench Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
and a hero of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, supported Chief of Staff of the French Army General Blanc's decision to form a volunteer force and agreed to command the new unit. The French Battalion arrived in Pusan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
(modern day South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) on November 29, 1950 and was placed under the operational control of the 23rd
23rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 23rd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army originally formed on June 26th 1812. The 23rd saw action in 14 battles during the War of 1812...
U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (United States). The battalion carried out several successful early actions and earned the respect of General Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
, commander of the U.S. Eighth Army
U.S. Eighth Army
The Eighth United States Army – often unofficially abbreviated EUSA – is the commanding formation of all US Army troops in South Korea.-World War II:...
.
From January 7–12, 1951, the French Battalion participated in the First and Second Battle of Wonju where, thanks to a decisive bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
attack, it stopped the North Korea advance. That episode was echoed around the world by American war correspondents reporting from the theater. It was followed by the Battle of the Twin Tunnels
Battle of the Twin Tunnels
The Battle of the Twin Tunnels took place during the Korean War. In which the 1st Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment 3rd Brigade Combat Team 2nd Infantry Division and elements of the 21st Infantry Regiment 24th Infantry Division inflicted heavy casualties for the People's Volunteer Army.The "Twin...
(February 1–2, 1951) and of Chipyong-ni
Battle of Chipyong-ni
The Battle of Chipyong-ni , also known as the Battle of Dipingli , was a decisive battle of the Korean War, and it took place from 13–15 February 1951 between members of the 23rd Infantry Regiment and various units of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army . It took place in the village of...
(February 3–16, 1951). These combats, during which the battalion resisted the attacks of four Chinese divisions for three days, allowed the 8th Army to score a victorious counter-offensive. Three weeks later, the battalion was engaged in combat for Hill #1037 (about 50 miles east of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
) and lost 40 dead and 200 wounded while attacking and capturing the hill.
In the spring of 1951, the battalion crossed the 38th parallel
38th parallel north
The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean...
into the Hwachon region. The destruction of an engineering platoon led to a partial rout of the French Battalion. However it allowed U.S forces to stop the new Chinese offensive. In the fall of 1951, the French volunteers took part in the battle of Heartbreak Ridge
Battle of Heartbreak Ridge
The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge , also known as the Battle of Wendengli , was a month-long battle in the Korean War fought between September 13 and October 15, 1951...
where they won fame again during a night attack. In the course of these combats which lasted a month, 60 French soldiers were killed and 200 were wounded. In the fall of 1952, after a lethal war of positions, similar to Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
during World War I, the battalion put a halt in Chongwon
Cheongwon County
Cheongwon County is a county in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea.-External links:*...
, South Korea, to a Chinese offensive toward Seoul. This resistance resulted in 47 dead and 144 wounded. The total Chinese losses against the French battalion were estimated at 2000 men. In the winter and the spring of 1953, the battalion took part in combats which kept the North Korean and Chinese forces from reaching Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
.
After the signing of the s:Korean Armistice Agreement in July 1953, the French Battalion left Korea 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. It was one of the most famous units of the United Nations
United Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
forces in Korea. In an address to a joint session of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in May 1952, General Ridgway said the following:
One member of the French Battalion, Louis Misseri, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
by the United States for his actions. His citation reads:
Post Korea
On October 22, 1953, the French battalion embarked on the SS General Blake and headed for Indochina where it would be expanded into a two-battalion regiment and form the nucleus of the French Groupement mobile 100. During their service in IndochinaFirst Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, the unit (under its new title of Le Regiment de Corée) would participate in the brutal battle for Mang Yang Pass
Battle of Mang Yang Pass
The Battle of Mang Yang Pass was the last official battle of the First Indochina War. It was one of the bloodiest defeats of the French Union together with the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and the battle of Cao Bang in 1950.-Background:Groupement Mobile No. 100 The Battle of Mang Yang Pass...
along Route coloniale 19 in June and July 1954, where it would suffer heavy casualties. Between its arrival in Indochina and the cease-fire on July 20, 1954, the 1st battalion suffered 238 killed or wounded, and the second battalion suffered 202 killed or wounded. In addition, 34 Indochinese assigned to the battalion were killed in action. On September 1, 1954, the Regiment de Corée was disbanded and reduced back to battalion size. The battalion remained in Indochina until July 17, 1955 whereupon it embarked from Saigon to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
to participate in the suppression of the ongoing insurrection.
On August 10, 1955, the battalion landed in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
and began a series of garrison and search and destroy operations in the Constantine region of Algeria. On September 1, 1960, the battalion was amalgamated with the 156th infantry regiment and received the designation of 156e Regiment d'Infanterie- Regiment de Corée. All told, the regiment suffered 48 killed in action in Algeria. The regiment was repatriated to France following the Évian Accords
Évian Accords
The Évian Accords comprise a treaty which was signed in 1962 in Évian-les-Bains, France by France and the F.L.N. . The Accords put an end to the Algerian War with a formal cease-fire proclaimed for March 19, and formalized the idea of cooperative exchange between the two countries...
and disbanded upon its return to France in 1962.
See also
- Military history of FranceMilitary history of FranceThe military history of France encompasses an immense panorama of conflicts and struggles extending for more than 2,000 years across areas including modern France, greater Europe, and European territorial possessions overseas....
French participation in the Korean War Forces françaises dans la guerre de Corée