1st Special Forces Brigade (South Korea)
The 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) (Korean: 제1공수특전여단; 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) | |
---|---|
Active | 1 April 1958 – present |
Country | South Korea |
Type | Special forces |
Size | Brigade |
Part of | Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command |
Garrison/HQ | Gimpo International Airport Gangseo District, Seoul |
Nickname(s) | Docksuri (Eagle) |
Engagements | May 16 coup Vietnam War Operation Paul Bunyan Coup d'état of December Twelfth 2024 South Korean martial law |
History
editOn 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
edit1,172 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
edit64 of 1st Special Forces Brigade participated in the Operation Paul Bunyan in 1976.[5][6]
Criticism
edit1st 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 to demand an arrest warrant.[9]
Notable former members
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "History - Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command".[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "空輸團(공수단)창설 십주년". NAVER Newslibrary (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ "Vietnam War - Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command".[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "베트남전쟁시 한국군의 해·공군 및 특수작전" (in Korean). 2018-03-08. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ "판문점 도끼 만행사건 추모비를 회상하며". 16 September 2021.
- ^ "북한의 판문점 '도끼 살해' 만행 … 박정희 "미친 개엔 몽둥이" 분노". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 2009-08-24. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ 12.12 쿠데타의 분수령 "9공수여단의 回軍"
- ^ 4.12 비상계엄 ‘서울의 밤’…최정예 1공수여단, 국회 들어갔다"
- ^ "1964년 무장공수단 난입사건 - open archives 사진 아카이브즈" (in Korean). 2015-10-31. Archived from the original on 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ "[Special feature] Who is Moon Jae-in?". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 2023-06-26.