III Corps (South Korea)

The III Corps was a corps of the Republic of Korea Army that was formed on October 16, 1950.[1] It was Command by Major General Yu Jae Hung.

III Corps
Active16 October 1950 - Present
Country South Korea
BranchRepublic of Korea Army
RoleOffensive force
Part ofGround Operations Command
EngagementsKorean War

Korean War

When the Corps was formed it initially consisted of the 5th and 11th Infantry Division. Its responsibility was to mop up any enemy stragglers bypass after the break out of The Pusan Perimeter.[2]

Battle for Wonju

Before General Walker's death in an automobile accident, he had attempted to strengthen the UN defense of the 38th parallel. The ROK III Corps defended the 38th parallel north of Gapyeong (Kapyong) and Chuncheon, the II Corps was placed in the center, and the I Corps was deployed on the east coast. By January 1, 1951 they had been broken down by constant guerrilla attacks and all out infantry assaults. They were sent into full retreat. Their sector was handed over to US X Corps.

Second Spring Offensive

During The Second Spring Offensive they took heavy casualties at Namjon on May 16, 1951. The People's Volunteer Army of China with three field armies and over 700,000 men heavily outnumbered the defending III Corps. The attack was initially successful but was halted by May 20, 1951. At the time of the offensive the Corp consisted of the 3rd and 9th Infantry Division which withdrew leaving behind their heavy equipment, they scatter and fled south on foot through the Pangdae Mountain. On May 25, 1951 III Corps was disbanded by order of General Van Fleet and reassigned 3rd and 9th Infantry Division to The ROK I Corp and the US X Corp respectively.[3]

Armistice

On May 1953 III Corps was reformed under Major General Kang Mun Bong and deployed to Kwandae to be trained under US X Corps. In October 1953 when X Corps withdrew, III Corps assumed the responsibility of defending along the east and central front from Pukhan River to the Punchbowl.[4]

References
  1. Paik Sun Yup, Sŏn-yŏp Paek (2000). From Pusan to Panmunjom. Brassey's. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-57488-202-5.
  2. Roy E. Appleman (2012). The U.S. Army and the Korean War: South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu. US Army Center of Military History. p. 618. ISBN 9781782660804.
  3. Paik Sun Yup, Sŏn-yŏp Paek (2000). From Pusan to Panmunjom. Brassey's. p. 156. ISBN 9781574882025.
  4. Paik Sun Yup, Sŏn-yŏp Paek (2000). From Pusan to Panmunjom. Brassey's. p. 247. ISBN 9781574882025.
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