Post by brigadepiron on Jan 28, 2012 15:19:22 GMT -5
History:
The 1st Kagnew ‘Conquerors’ Infantry Battalion was formed in August 1950 with three rifle companies (1st, 2nd and 4th Cos.) drawn from the Emperors elite Imperial Guard and it arrived in Korea on 7th May 1951. Before embarking for Korea this force was specially reviewed by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Haile Selassie I.
On arrival in Pusan they joined the US 32nd Infantry Regiment (7th Division) on ‘Line Kansas’ and from 16th to 22nd September they were engaged in furious hand-to-hand fighting at Sam-Hyon. The 3rd Kagnew Battalion drove off at bayonet-point a Chinese attack at Tokan-ni on 20th May 1953 for which the 3rd Company was awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation. This Unit was fighting on Pork Chop Hill at the time of the Armistice. In all 3,518 Ethiopian combat personnel served with the first three battalions during the war. The Ethiopian battalions never lost an inch of ground, nor was a single Ethiopian soldier captured by the enemy. They were well respected by the Americans and received many awards for action including the American Presidential Citation.
On arrival in Pusan they joined the US 32nd Infantry Regiment (7th Division) on ‘Line Kansas’ and from 16th to 22nd September they were engaged in furious hand-to-hand fighting at Sam-Hyon. The 3rd Kagnew Battalion drove off at bayonet-point a Chinese attack at Tokan-ni on 20th May 1953 for which the 3rd Company was awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation. This Unit was fighting on Pork Chop Hill at the time of the Armistice. In all 3,518 Ethiopian combat personnel served with the first three battalions during the war. The Ethiopian battalions never lost an inch of ground, nor was a single Ethiopian soldier captured by the enemy. They were well respected by the Americans and received many awards for action including the American Presidential Citation.
(from korean-war-medals.com/ethiopa/general.shtm
More history:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagnew_Battalion
www.bob-west.com/ETH.html
Uniforms:
(Both from the Korean War Memorial in Seoul)
Most pictures seem to show the Ethiopians in British 37 Pattern battledress with ETHIOPIA shoulder titles and Kagnew formation patches in the early period or as barracks dress.
In period photos:
In the field, the Ethiopians adopted American uniforms and equipment, including flack vests.
Links:
www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/lmak27455/Ethiopian_Korean_War_Veterans/action.html&date=2009-10-26+01:54:21
www.ethiopianreview.com/content/28328
...TO BE CONTINUED!