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|
DEFENSE SERVICE COMBAT
CHRONOLOGY 1954 TO 1991
"A Combat Zone is Where
the Enemy Chooses to Kill You."
Service in the
Republic of Korea is in direct support of the Armistice of 1953 and the Mutual Security Agreement of
1954 with the Republic of Korea resulting from a very
"Hot" and unfinished war. From the date of the Armistice to the present date, a
state-of-war continues to exist. This "State-of-War" has never
gone away! There has been no surrender by either side and no permanent peace treaty has ever been signed by either country. The Cold War ended in 1991; Korea deployment
continues with approximately 40,000 U.S. Containment troops in place on
"Cease-fire" duty. The 107th Congress of the United States has
recognized this truth and has caused the KOREA DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL to be
awarded. Any
incident on the Korean Peninsula is as much a threat to U.S. Armed Forces as incidents in the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, or Latin America
respectively. Armed combat has taken place on the Peninsula every year
between either the North Koreans and South Koreans, or the North Koreans and
U.S. units, or both. There have been over 40,400 breaches1 to the Armistice
by North Korea and at least 1,2002 U.S. Military personnel have lost their lives,
hundreds wounded and nearly 90 captured and held prisoner. The R.O.K. has
sustained many casualties both among military personnel and civilians. A service medal is now awarded
to U.S. Armed Forces for duty in the R.O.K., and the combat recognition double-standard
for Korea service no longer exists as Army regulations have been rewritten and
made retroactive to 27 July 1954.
1 VFW Magazine, April 1999
2 Public Law 107-314
This first table does not cover
all incidents in the DMZ or areas south of the DMZ.*
Many are not officially recorded. It also
does not cover the normal duty and training accidents, sickness and disease,
criminal or fratricide incidents causing death and
injury to U.S. Forces in support of the cease-fire. It does not cover DMZ incidents incurred
in the R.O.K. sectors or incidents on and around the Peninsula involving
R.O.K. Forces. See second table below for R.O.K. only incidents.
U.S. Forces Incidents
1954
Sep 4 |
Sea of
Japan:
Soviets shoot down a P2V-5. 1 KIA |
1954
Nov 7 |
Sea of Japan:
Soviets shoot down a RB-29. 1 KIA |
1955
Jan 19 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot at and hit an Army L-20 Beaver. 2 KIA |
1955
Feb 5 |
Yellow Sea
off Korea:
RB-45 is attacked by 12 Chinese MiGs. Eight escorting F-86s engage
in Dogfight. 2 MiGs shot down. |
1955
Aug 18 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot down a U.S. T-6 Trainer. Capt. Charles Brown KIA |
1955
Feb/Mar |
Svc
Co., 31st Inf, 7th ID: Shots fired into billets from the
surrounding hillside. |
1956
Feb ? |
24th
ID HQ perimeter: Assault on electronic listening post.
Casualties certain - KIA / WIA count unknown |
1956
Sep 10 |
Sea of Japan:
During recon mission RB-50 lost. Unconfirmed shoot down by Soviet
Fighters. 16 Killed |
1958
Mar 6 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot down F-86. Pilot bails out and is returned. |
1961
Apr 20 |
DMZ:
USAF plane attacked by NKs and crashes near Seoul. 1 KIA |
1962
Oct 3 |
DMZ
- Hyang Yang: PFC Richard Rimer KIA while on guard duty. |
1962
Nov 23 |
DMZ -
Outpost Susan:
Army soldier KIA on patrol. |
1963
May 17 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot down OH-23 helicopter. 2 pilots held prisoner for 1
year. |
1963
Jul 29 |
DMZ:
NKs ambush U.S. patrol. 3 KIA |
1963
Aug 4 |
DMZ:
U.S. patrol engages in 2 hour Firefight with NKs. |
1965
Nov 18 |
DMZ:
NK Ambush. 1 NK KIA |
1966
Nov 2 |
DMZ -
U.S. patrol ambushed.
6 U.S. KIA, 1 KATUSA
KIA. 1 U.S.
WIA. This initiated 3 years of
skirmishing in the "Z". |
1967
Jul 16 |
DMZ:
NK ambush. 3 KIA |
1967
Aug 10 |
DMZ:
NK ambush. 3 KIA and 16 WIA |
1967
Aug 29 |
DMZ:
NK mines 3 KIA, 2 WIA
U.S. soldiers on patrol. |
1968
Jan 23 |
Korean Coast:
U.S.S. Pueblo captured by NK. 1 KIA and 81 captured and held for
11 months. |
1968
Apr 2 |
DMZ:
Hostile Fire pay authorized for U.S. Forces stationed above the Imjin. |
1968
Apr 14 |
DMZ:
NK infiltrators ambushed a UNC JSA security guard truck
enroute to JSA. 2 U.S.
KIA, 2 R.O.K. KIA |
1968
Jul 30 |
DMZ - C,3/23,2ID
Firefight: 1 U.S. KIA, 3 WIA, 4 NK possible
casualties |
1968
Jul 30 |
DMZ - B,1/38,2ID
Firefight: 1 U.S. WIA, 1 NK KIA |
1968
Aug 01 |
DMZ
- A,1/32,7ID NK ambush: 2
U.S. KIA, 2 Hostile WIA |
1968
Aug 05 |
DMZ -
A,1/38,2ID: 3 U.S. KIA, 2 U.S.
WIA, 1 NK KIA |
1968
Aug 18 |
DMZ - A,1/32
Ambush: 2 U.S. KIA, 2 NK
WIA |
1968
Aug 30 |
DMZ- HHC &
A,1/38,2ID: NK ambush: 1
U.S. KIA, 2 KATUSA
KIA, 2 U.S. WIA, 2 Hostile KIA |
1968
Sep 7-8 |
DMZ - C,1/31,2ID
2 U.S. KIA from grenade
fragments |
1968
Sep 10 |
DMZ
- A,1/9,2ID: 1 Unidentified individual killed south of the Barrier fence |
1968
Oct 01 |
DMZ
- B,2/38,2ID NK ambush: 1 U.S.
KIA, 5 U.S. WIA
1 Hostile possible casualty |
1969
Mar 15 |
DMZ:
4 hour firefight. 1 KIA, 2
WIA. Helicopter evacuating
wounded crashes and the 2 WIA plus 5 man crew die. |
1969
Apr 15 |
Sea of Japan
- Off North Korea: NK
MiG-15s shoot down Navy EC-121. 31
KIA. Worst single KIA
of "Cold War" |
1969
Aug 17 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot down U.S. helicopter. 3 WIA
and held captive for 108
days. |
1969
Oct 18 |
DMZ:
NK ambush. 4 KIA. |
1974
Nov 20 |
DMZ:
Booby-trap in tunnel kills 1 USN Officer. |
1975
Jun 30 |
DMZ:
NK guards attacked Maj. Henderson, acting commander of UNC Joint
Security Force in JSA. 1 KIA |
1976
Aug 18 |
DMZ:
U.S. Army officers murdered in the "Tree-trimming" incident.
2
U.S. KIA, 4 U.S. WIA, 4 R.O.K.
WIA, 5 NK WIA |
1977
Jul 14 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot down helicopter.
3 KIA, 1 WIA |
1979
Dec 6 |
DMZ:
1 U.S. soldier KIA in minefield. |
1980
May 13 |
DMZ:
OP Ouillette - NK infiltrators engaged in firefight. 1 NK
possible WIA |
1983
Sep 23 |
Taegu:
Bomb explosion downtown at American Cultural Center.
One
ROK killed and three wounded. No U.S. dead. |
1984
Nov 23 |
DMZ-Panmunjom:
NK guards fired on Soviet defector and UNC JSA guards.
1 U.S. KIA,
1 ROK KIA, 3 NK KIA, 1 NK WIA |
1994
Dec 17 |
DMZ:
NKs shoot down Army helicopter.
1
KIA, 1 captured and held POW 13
days |
|
|
|
"2008"
|
"Freedom
is Still Not Free"
|
|
The Forgotten
War Continues
|
| * Based on mail to the KDVA, and posted messages on other Veteran
sites, there are many more incidents that are unreported. The actual
counts will probably never be known. |
UNCMAC
R.O.K. DMZ and Other
Peninsula Incidents**
| 1967
Jan 19 |
NK
East Coast: NK shore batteries fired on and sank ROK
PCE-56. 39 KIA, 15 WIA |
1967
May 22 |
U.S.
2nd Inf Div Sector: NK infiltrators exploded demolition
charges in barracks. 2 U.S. KIA, 17 U.S. WIA, 2 ROK WIA |
| 1967
Aug 28 |
UNCMAC
Advance Camp:
NK armed attack on 76th Engineers. 1 U.S. KIA, 2 ROK KIA, 12 U.S.
WIA, 9 ROK WIA |
1968
Aug 20 |
Cheju
Island: NK agent boat intercepted. 12 NK KIA, 2
NK WIA |
| 1968
Nov 30 |
Samchok,
R.O.K.: NK land approximately 120 commandos. 107
NK KIA, 2 NK WIA |
1969
Mar 15 |
DMZ:
NK fired upon a UNC work party that finished replacing marker
0654. 2 ROK KIA, 1 ROK WIA |
| 1974
Feb 15 |
International
Waters: NK Naval vessels attacked R.O.K. fishing
boats. 12 KIA |
1974
Jun 28 |
Eastern
Sea near MDL-Extended: Three NK gun-boats attacked and
sank a ROK Police craft. 26 KIA, 2 WIA |
| 1977
May 3 |
DMZ:
NK infiltrators attacked R.O.K. Army personnel in the central
sector. 1 KIA, 1 WIA |
1978
Apr 28 |
Coastline:
NK agent boat attacked ROK National Police patrol boat. 1 ROK KIA,
1 NK KIA, 4 ROK WIA |
| 1978
Jul 21 |
Coastline:
NK agent boat attacked ROK National Police patrol boat 2 ROK KIA,
6 NK KIA, 1 ROK WIA |
1980
Mar 23 |
Han
River Estuary: 3 NK infiltrators were KIA by ROK
defenders. |
| 1980
Mar 27 |
DMZ-Central
sector: NK infiltrators fire on ROK patrol. 1 ROK KIA, 1 ROK
WIA, 1 NK KIA, 1 NK WIA |
1980
Jun 21 |
Coastline:
NK agent boat attacked ROK Navy patrol boat. 2 ROK KIA, 9 NK KIA,
1 NK WIA |
| 1980 Nov
3-6 |
Hoenggan
Island: NK agents landed
killing 1 ROK civilian and wounding 5 others. Agents were caught. |
1980 Dec
1-6 |
Namhae
Island: NK agents
land. 3 ROK KIA, 3 ROK WIA, 3 NK KIA |
| 1981 Jul 4 |
DMZ:
NK agent infiltrated. 2 ROK KIA, 1 NK KIA |
1983 May
15 |
East
Coast: NK agents
landed. 1 NK KIA |
| 1983 Jun
19 |
Munsan:
NK agents discovered in the western corridor. 3 NK KIA |
1983 Aug 5 |
Kampo:
NK agents attempted to land on the SE coast. 5 NK KIA |
| 1983 Aug
13 |
Ullung
Island: NK agent boat
sunk in East Sea. 5 NK KIA |
1983 Dec 3 |
Tadaepo
Beach: NK agents landed
near Pusan. 3 NK KIA, 2 NK captured |
| 1985 Oct
20 |
Pusan
Coastline: NK agents
boat sunk. 2 NK KIA |
1986 Apr
24 |
East
Sea: NK armed vessel
failed to stop after crossing the MDL-extension line. NK vessel
sunk after firefight. 2 NK KIA, 4 NK WIA |
| 1987 Nov
21 |
DMZ
Central sector: NK guard
fired on ROK post. 1 ROK KIA |
1992 May
22 |
DMZ-Central
sector: NK infiltrators
intercepted. UNC called 460th MAC meeting, but NK rejected the
meeting. 3 NK KIA, 2 ROK KIA |
| 1995 Oct
17 |
South of
DMZ near Imjin River:
One infiltrator killed and one believed returned to NK |
1996 Apr 9-11 |
DMZ: Hundreds
of NK soldiers conducted military exercises in the DMZ which included
hauling morters and machineguns and pointing them southward. This
after the NK regime stated they would no longer observe the rules of
the Armistice agreement of 1953. |
| 1996 Sep 18 |
South Korea Northeast coast
line: N.K. submarine went aground. The hunt for
occupants involved killing 24 N.K.s and capturing 1 |
1997 Jul 16 |
DMZ:
N.K. soldiers
cross the Demarcation line and receive warning by R.O.K.s. N.K.s
respond by firing at least 10 mortar rounds at two R.O.K. guard
posts. |
| 1997 Sep 9 |
DMZ: North
Korean soldier shot and killed near R.O.K. guard post on southern side
of the Demarcation line. |
"2008" |
"The
War Continues, Just Different Strategies"
|
Incidents in Areas Other
than the R.O.K.
1983
Oct 9 |
Myanmar:
North Korea attempted to assassinate R.O.K. President Chun Doo-hwan
while he was visiting Myanmar. North Korean terrorists planted
time bombs at the Aungsan Mausoleum where a R.O.K. delegation was
waiting for the arrival of the president. The bombing killed 17
Korean Officials including several cabinet ministers, and wounded 14
others. It was revealed that three North Korean terrorists
(1 NK Army Major and 2 Army Sr. Lts.) had been involved and they were
acting under the direct order of Kim jong-il. One terorist was captured. Upon concluding the investigation on 4
Nov. 1983, Myanmar severed relations with North Korea and expelled NK
diplomats from Rangoon. The NK terrorist was sentenced to death on
9 Dec. 1983.
Costa Rica, Comoro and
Western Samoa also severed relations with North Korea. The
United States, Japan and 69 other countries issued special statements
criticizing North Korea. |
KOREA
SERVICE DEATHS POST 27 JULY 1953
They do not represent the
number of cease-fire breaches (incidents) that have occurred involving
exchanges of fire with North Korean forces, nor do they reflect wounds
inflicted or U.S. Armed Forces members captured and held prisoner.
KOREA
HOSTILE FIRE DEATHS
|
YEAR
|
KDVA
|
GOVTa
|
CHANGEb
|
TOTAL
|
|
1953
|
0
|
1
|
+1
|
1
|
|
1954
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
1955
|
3
|
1
|
+2
|
3
|
|
1956
|
161
|
1
|
+1
|
17
|
|
1957
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1958
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1959
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1960
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1961
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
1962
|
2
|
4
|
+2
|
4
|
|
1963
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
1964
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1965
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1966
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
|
1967
|
12
|
17
|
+5
|
17
|
|
1968
|
3
|
16
|
+13
|
16
|
|
1969
|
36
|
11
|
+25
|
36
|
|
1970
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1971
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1972
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1973
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1974
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
1975
|
1
|
0
|
+1
|
1
|
|
1976
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
1977
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
1978
|
0
|
1
|
+1
|
1
|
|
1979
|
1
|
0
|
+1
|
1
|
|
1980
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1981
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1982
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1983
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1984
|
1
|
0
|
+1
|
1
|
|
1985
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1986
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1987
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1988
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1989
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1990
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1991
|
|
