8th Infantry Division (South Korea)

8th Infantry Division
8th Division insignia
Founded June 20, 1949 (1949-06-20)
Country  South Korea
Branch Republic of Korea Army
Type Infantry (Mechanized)
Role Zone defense
Garrison/HQ Pocheon, Gyeonggi
Nickname(s) "Roly Poly"
Engagements Korean War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Lt. Col. Park Shi Ch'ang

The 8th Mechanized Infantry Division is a military formation of the South Korean army.

History

The unit initially comprised the 10th, 16th and 21st Regiments.[1] The 16th Infantry Regiment was originally activated as the 16th Regiment on October 28, 1948, at Masan and was first commanded by Lt. Col. Park Shi Ch'ang (Korean: 박시창).[2]

Korean War

It became part of I Corps after the first fall of Seoul. Was part of the defensive line to slow the North Korean advance from Seoul to Taejon. Fought in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter.[3]

Supporting the Eighth United States Army advance towards China, the 24th Division and the attached British 27th Brigade positioned on the left, proceeded to the Chongchon; the ROK II Corps, with the ROK 1st Division, advanced on the right. To the east the 8th Division reached Tokchon, forty miles north of Pyongyang, during the night of October 23, and then turned north and arrived at Kujang-dong on the Chongchon River, about ten miles from Tokchon, two days later. After the Chinese intervention in the war, Chinese troops broke the defences of its 16th Regiment during the battle on October 31, 1950.[4]

After the Chinese intervention and attacks in November 1950, the division was among five allied formations (including the ROK 6th, 7th, and 8th Divisions) that the U.S. Army judged 'were shattered units that would need extensive rest and refitting to recover combat effectiveness.'[5]

Current disposition

December 1, 2011, 8th Infantry Division has finished the switch to mechanized infantry; and is currently part of the U.S. and South Korean combined division with its wartime command being the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division.

  • Headquarters:
    • Anti-Tank Company
    • DMZ Patrol Company
    • Armor Battalion
    • Signal Battalion
    • Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Engineer Battalion
    • Support Battalion
    • Medical Battalion
    • Chemical Battalion
  • 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade (former 10th Infantry Regiment)
  • 16th Mechanized Infantry Brigade (former 16th Infantry Regiment)
  • 21st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (former 21st Infantry Regiment)
  • Artillery Brigade

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pike, John. "8th Infantry Division". www.globalsecurity.org.
  2. ↑ Pike, John. "16th Infantry Regiment". www.globalsecurity.org.
  3. ↑ "The Korean War: The Outbreak". www.army.mil.
  4. ↑ The Korean War: The UN Offensive. United States Army Center of Military History. 1986 [1953]. CMH Pub 104-4. Archived from the original on 2010-06-12.
  5. ↑ "The Korean War: The Chinese Intervention". www.army.mil.
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