1st Special Forces Brigade (South Korea)

The 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) (Korean제1공수특전여단; Hanja第一空輸特戰旅團), also known as Eagle (독수리), is a one of six special forces brigade (airborne) unit of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command (ROK-SWC), which specialized in air assault and airborne operations, clandestine operation, commando style raids, counterterrorism, CQB/CQC in urban areas, hostage rescue, irregular warfare, long-range penetration, special operations, and special reconnaissance.

1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne)
Active1 April 1958 – present
Country South Korea
TypeSpecial forces
SizeBrigade
Part ofRepublic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command
Garrison/HQGimpo International Airport
Gangseo District, Seoul
Nickname(s)Docksuri (Eagle)
EngagementsMay 16 coup
Vietnam War
Operation Paul Bunyan
Coup d'état of December Twelfth
2024 South Korean martial law

History

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On 1 April 1958, 1st Combat Group was founded and most members were from the 8240th Army Unit.[1][2]

On 1 October 1958, reorganized as the 1st Special Forces Group.[citation needed]

On 15 September 1972, reorganized into as the 1st Special Forces Brigade.[citation needed]

Vietnam War

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1,172 of 1st Special Forces Group participated in the Vietnam War.[3]

They were attached to Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and 9th Infantry Division.[citation needed]

They conducted the special operations including commando style raids in enemy held areas, hit-and-run tactics, irregular warfare, long-range reconnaissance, tracking targets to gather military intelligence or destroy the enemy, and so on.[4]

Operation Paul Bunyan

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64 of 1st Special Forces Brigade participated in the Operation Paul Bunyan in 1976.[5][6]

Criticism

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1st Special Forces Brigade was involved in three military coup d'états - May 16 coup (1961), Coup d'état of December Twelfth (1979),[7] and 2024 South Korean martial law.[8]

On 21 May 1964, some of its members broke into a courtroom and the house of a judge [ko] to demand an arrest warrant.[9]

Notable former members

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "History - Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command".[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "空輸團(공수단)창설 십주년". NAVER Newslibrary (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  3. ^ "Vietnam War - Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command".[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "베트남전쟁시 한국군의 해·공군 및 특수작전" (in Korean). 2018-03-08. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  5. ^ "판문점 도끼 만행사건 추모비를 회상하며". 16 September 2021.
  6. ^ "북한의 판문점 '도끼 살해' 만행 … 박정희 "미친 개엔 몽둥이" 분노". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 2009-08-24. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  7. ^ 12.12 쿠데타의 분수령 "9공수여단의 回軍"
  8. ^ 4.12 비상계엄 ‘서울의 밤’…최정예 1공수여단, 국회 들어갔다"
  9. ^ "1964년 무장공수단 난입사건 - open archives 사진 아카이브즈" (in Korean). 2015-10-31. Archived from the original on 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  10. ^ "[Special feature] Who is Moon Jae-in?". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
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