Read on Twitter
Today, we’re going to take a brief look at America’s longest ongoing conflict: Korea. Yes, we said it - Afghanistan is not our longest conflict.
The Korean War kicked off June 25, 1950. A cease fire agreement was reached three years later, but the fighting wasn’t over. Some might call the period that followed a low-intensity conflict.
The agreement required the establishment of a military demarcation line (MDL) and for both sides to withdraw forces 1km from the line. This area became the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and no more than 1,000 troops from each side could be in their side of the DMZ at any given time.
Shortly after the signing of the ceasefire agreement, North Korean forces began looking for weaknesses in the UN’s defenses. Most of the line was held by Republic of Korea forces. Western portions of the DMZ were held by U.S. forces. There was no barrier between them.
nK forces conducted most of their probing in ROK sectors. In some situations, fighting erupted between sides, but none were deadly for U.S. troops, as many fights between U.S. and nK troops were fist fights.
The situation changed on Oct 3 1962 when Pfc. Richard J. Rimer became the first U.S. Soldier killed during a period that became known as the “DMZ War.” In the months following his death, more U.S. Soldiers would be killed near the DMZ while protecting the people of the ROK.
Troops at the JSA during this time found themselves on particularly difficult duty because nK troops would try to provoke fights. At one point, a brawl between sides resulted in two U.S. troops getting captured by 20 nK troops.
“We were jumped by about 20 NKs, and taken to a room in the guard house. It took about 3-4 hours before we were released. They beat the hell out of us.” -SP4 James Howk on his capture by nK forces at the JSA in June 1961.
The situation slightly improved for U.S. troops when a fence was erected to slow down nK infiltrators, but duty along the DMZ remained deadly. Receiving orders to Korea for a one-year tour of duty became known as getting a “hardship tour.”
With both sides periodically exchanging gunfire, one might think it would be easy to earn a Combat Infantryman’s Badge. However, the rules at the time made it difficult for troops along the Korean DMZ to earn the badge. 2ID and 7ID each came up with their own badges instead.
For 2ID troops, the badge one could earn for service near the DMZ was called the Imjin Scout Badge. Those awarded the badge typically wore it on the right breast pocket of their uniform. These badges were highly regarded among troops.
Things seemed to be cooling down for a brief moment in the early 1970s, and the awarding of combat patches, hostile fire pay, and CIBs ended for U.S. troops. Then, nK soldiers ganged up on one of our own in an uneven fight that would become known as the Major Henderson incident.
Just a year later, Cpt Bonifas and Lt Bondsteel were killed while leading a group of civilian workers trying to cut down a tree at the Joint Security Area. History remembers this event as the Ax Murder Incident. This photo was captured from a U.S. observation point.
nK backed off when the U.S. responded with Operation Paul Bunyan. To put it mildly, nK didn’t want to mess with our overwhelming firepower.
The U.S. continued to hold its assigned DMZ sectors until 1991, when the ROK assumed responsibility for patrolling the entire southern side of the DMZ, except for the area around the JSA.
In 2004, the ROK assumed control of the JSA. Only a small number of US troops remain stationed there today, standing In Front of Them All.
Most of the U.S. Army’s Soldiers in Korea today call USAG-Humphreys home, ready to respond within a moment’s notice to help the people of the Republic of Korea.
