Combat formation of the Republic of Korea Army
Military unit
The
9th Infantry Division
(
Korean
:
第9步兵師團
,
Hanja
: 第九步兵師團), also known as
White Horse Division
(
Korean
:
白馬部隊
;
hanja
:白馬師團) after the victory of
Battle of White Horse Hill
, is an infantry division of the
Republic of Korea Army
. The unit is composed of the 28th, 29th, 30th infantry brigades, and an artillery brigade.
History
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]
Korean War
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The 9th Division was hastily created in late 1950 during the
Korean War
and operated in the mountainous terrain of
Seorak
and
Odae
in the northeast, not far from the 38th parallel. The North Korean II Corps cut it off in late 1950 and the Division suffered heavy casualties.
During October 1952, all three 9th Division regiments, the 28th, 29th and 30th (12,000 men) held Hill 395, northwest of
Cheorwon
,
South Korea
, known as
White Horse Hill
. The Division prepared for a Chinese assault. A captured North Korean officer who knew of the impending attack and did not want to be in the fight betrayed his comrades and told the ROKs about it. Many support units helped the 9th Division, but at the end of the day, it was the 9th Division pitted squarely against the Chinese
38th Army
. The 9th Division was renamed after the
Battle of White Horse Hill
and is known as the White Horse Division.
Three 9th Division men received the US
Distinguished Service Cross
(DSC) for their service in the Battle of White Horse Mountain, near
Chatkol
. The DSC is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in combat with an armed enemy force. The ROK recipients were
Major General
Kim Chon O
, 9th Division;
2nd Lt.
Chung Nak Koo, 11th Co., 28th Regiment; and
Sergeant
Kim Man Su, 9th Co., 29th Regiment.
[1]
Vietnam War
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The 9th Division arrived in Vietnam between 5 September and 8 October 1966 and was positioned in the
Ninh Hoa District
at the junction of
Route 1
and
Route 21
. The 28th Regiment was stationed in the
Tuy Hoa
area, the 29th Regiment at the division headquarters at
Ninh Hoa Base
and the 30th Regiment on the mainland side to protect
Cam Ranh Bay
. With these three areas under control, the 9th Division could control Route 1 and the population along that main road all the way from Tuy Hoa down to
Phan Rang
, from Tuy Hoa north to
Qui Nh?n
, and as far north of that city as the foothills of the mountains in southern
Binh đ?nh Province
.
[2]
Significant operations and actions involving the Division include:
Commanders during Vietnam War
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Maj. Gen. Yi So-dong
Maj. Gen.Cho Chun-sung
Order of battle during Vietnam War
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9th Infantry Division
- Armored Company
- Direct Control Company
- Reconnaissance Company
- Engineering Battalion
- 30th Field Artillery Battalion
- 51st Field Artillery Battalion
- 52nd Field Artillery Battalion
- 966th Field Artillery Battalion
- 28th Infantry Regiment
- 29th Infantry Regiment (Commanded by future
ROK
President
Chun Doo-hwan
, 1970-71.)
- 30th Infantry Regiment
Unit statistics for the Vietnam War
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Start Date
|
End Date
|
Deployed
|
Combat
|
KIA
|
WIA
|
Officer
|
Non-officer
|
Total
|
Large
|
Small
|
Total
|
Officer
|
Non-officer
|
Total
|
Officer
|
Non-officer
|
Total
|
September 22, 1966
|
March 11, 1973
|
6,445
|
98,891
|
105,336
|
478
|
211,236
|
211,714
|
78
|
1,250
|
1,328
|
160
|
2,250
|
2,410
|
Coup d'etat of December Twelfth
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In 1979, the 9th Division was involved in the
Coup d'etat of December Twelfth
, when its commander, Major General
Roh Tae-Woo
led the unit to
Seoul
without orders, away from its normal position near the
DMZ
, and supported the take-over of the South Korean government by Lt. General
Chun Doo Hwan
.
Current order of battle
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Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Division during combat training.
- Headquarters:
[7]
[8]
- Headquarters Company
- Intelligence Company
- Air Defense Company
- Reconnaissance Battalion
- Engineer Battalion
- Armored Battalion
- Signal Battalion
- Support Battalion
- Military Police Battalion
- Medical Battalion
- Chemical Battalion
- 28th Infantry Brigade (equipped with
K808
APCs)
- 29th Infantry Brigade (equipped with
K808
APCs)
- 30th Infantry Brigade (equipped with
K808
APCs)
- Artillery Brigade (equipped with
K9
SPHs)
See also
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References
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