{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/10947/photo/zoom_HOBJ2087_2_.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/7282/photo/zoom_HMAS_Sydney_Korea_1_.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/44143/photo/zoom_HMAS_Sydney_Korea.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/484780/photo/zoom_Korean_War__Australian_Medlas__P01813.658.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/484781/photo/zoom_3_RAR_Disembarking_in_Korea.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/484782/photo/zoom_Korea-5-Australians.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eKorean War\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003eKorean War (25 June 1950 - 27 July 1953)\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAdministrative Note for VWMA Users.  The Korean War was defined by three separate phases:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eActive Service\u003c/strong\u003e  - 25 June 1950 - 27 July 1953 - persons who served Army - one day on the Korean Peninsula.  RAAF an operational sortie over the Peninsula, RAN ship on station in the Korean war zone.  Eligible of the Commonwealth Korea Medal and the UN Medal (see below).\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArmistice Supervision\u003c/strong\u003e - 28 July 1953 - 27 July 1954.  Persons who served for 30 days in Korea or on a ship on station around Korea.  Eligible for the award of the United Nations Medal (Korea) and the more recently issued Operational Service Medal Korea.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePost 28 Jul 1954\u003c/strong\u003e - 19 April 1956.  30 Days service.  The operation to which these regulations applies is participation in Australian naval, military or air force operations in South Korea, including any location within 161 kilometres seaward from the coast of South Korea, in the period starting on 28 July 1953 and ending at the end of 19 April 1956. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe War in Korea was the first major test of the newly formed United Nations.  See this link for background to the commencment of the conflict. \u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"/admin/conflicts/4/DVA%20History%20of%20the%20Korean%20War%20https:/nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/koreanWar#History\"\u003ehttps://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/koreanWar#History \u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/admin/conflicts/4/DVA%20History%20of%20the%20Korean%20War%20https:/nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/koreanWar#History)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen Communist North Korea invaded the democratic South in June 1950, the so-called 'Cold War' had split wide open.  Australia was quickly drawn in as a foundation member of the United Nations.  With RAAF, RAN and Army elements already in Japan as part of the BCOF, Australia was pre-positioned for imminent engagement in yet another conflict.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the end of WW 2, the Korean Peninsula had split in to two zones; a northern zone controlled by the Soviet Union, and the southern zone controlled by the USA. These zones became two separate and ideologically polarised sovereign nations, North and South Korea.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhen North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, the 'Cold War' went hot.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWithin two days, the US offered air and sea support to South Korea.  The United Nations Security Council asked all its members to assist in repelling the North Korean attack. Twenty-one nations responded by providing troops, ships, aircraft and medical teams.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAustralia was the next nation after the USA, to contribute force elements from all three services.  On 28 June Prime Minister Robert Menzies committed Australia’s RAN assets to the Korean War, followed several days later by No. 77 Squadron, RAAF. 3 RAR was committed to ground operations in Korea in late July. With its commitment to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, Australia had two readily deployable RAN vessels, HMAS \u003cem\u003eShoalhaven\u003c/em\u003e and HMAS \u003cem\u003eBataan\u003c/em\u003e.  In addition  No. 77 Squadron, RAAF based at Iwakuni in Japan, and equipped with CAC P51 Mustang fighters, was made available.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe 3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) was also based in Japan but was at that time understrength and inadequately prepared for a combat deployment, and needed to be reinforced quickly.  In Australia,  3 RAR was rapidly reinforced with a special call for volunteers.  A surge of men answered the call, a great many of whom were expereinced soldiers with WW2 service, becoming part of what was known as 'K' or 'Kanga' Force.  The response saw 3 RAR more than double in strength very quickly.  The influx of WW2 veterans required only minimal 'refresher' training.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile, the North Korean attack moved quickly as they were equipped with plenty of artillery and tanks to which the Allies at that stage had no answer.  They dislocated the South Korean and US forces ranged against them. However the North Koreans were eventually halted near Pusan at the bottom of the Korean Peninsula.  In September, General Douglas McArthur (US) in command of all UN forces, executed one of the master strokes of modern conventional warfare (and certainly his personal best after a string of marginal precursor campaigns  in the SW Pacific in WW2),  via a massed amphibious landing near Inchon which outflanked the North Koreans and cut their supply lines forcing them into wholesale retreat.  The UN Forces then began a pursuit of the North Koreans, to the Yalu river.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e3RAR landed at Pusan on 27 September 1950, nearly one thousand men strong.  Its arrival doubled the size of its parent Commonwealth Brigade's combat forces.  They took part in a succession of advance and pursuit operation until early in the New Year of 1951, as part of the 27th and later the 28th Commonwealth Brigade, and quickly established  themselves as a high order combat element.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIt fought a series of actions from 22-30 October including 'the Apple Orchard', 'Broken Bridge' and Chongju.  It was at this time that 3RAR lost their Commanding Officer LTCOL Charlie Green, killed by random shelling while in a rest area.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe UN Forces crossed the Yalu River. This precipitated the entry of China into the conflict.  General McArthur was sacked by President Truman, and once again the UN Forces found themselves in retreat. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe tables were indeed turned with the UN forces being forced back and the Southern capital Seoul once again falling into the hands of its invaders.  The Chinese advance was eventually halted and 3RAR and the Commonwelath Division played a pivotal role in denying the Chinese the opportunity to outflank the rest of the UN Forces.  At the Battle of Kapyong on the 24 April 1951 along with the 22nd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, a NZ artillery battery and 'A' company of the US 72nd Tank Battalion, participating units were awarded the coveted US Presidentail Unit Citation.  Britsih units fought a desperate action on the Imjin River\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe war progressed through a series of phases.  Losses had been particularly heavy for the North Koreans and later the Chinese.  Both sides began extending feelers to explore the opportunities to arrive at a ceasefire in mid 1951.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eA war of attrition ensued. for the following two years until an Armistice was signed on 27 July 1953.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Australian troops deployed to Korea were arguably the best prepared, most experienced expeditionary force Australia has ever put in the field.  Many WW 2 veterans rejoined the colours in order to reinforce 3RAR and go to Korea, bringing a wealth of combat experience and the seasoned toughness and confidence that marks veteran campaigners. Most of the combat leaders had previous battlefield experience.  The exploits of the Royal Australian Regiment, the RAAF and RAN elements deployed as Australia's fledgling professional standing armed forces after WW 2, often against daunting odds, in unforgiving terrain and weather, in all phases of war, set a peerless example for the generations of service men and women who followed them.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Royal Australian Navy\u003c/strong\u003e (RAN) contributed warships to the Korean War from the very early days until the signing of the armistice, and beyond after the armistice came into effect.  Its contribution included the Aircraft Carrier HMAS \u003cem\u003eSydney\u003c/em\u003e and its three squadrons of ground attack aircraft on two separate rotations.  Destroyers and frigates were also deployed many providing naval gunfire support to land forces.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)\u003c/strong\u003e began its involvement in the Korean War just one week after the invasion of South Korea. On 2 July 1950, No. 77 (Fighter) Squadron RAAF, based in Iwakuni, Japan, as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force, flew its Mustang fighters into combat for the first time as a unit of the United Nations Command.  No. 77 Squadron was the only RAAF combat squadron committed to Korea by the Australian Government, and it remained on active service there until the end of the war. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a campaign that warrants a much greater understanding by the wider population and indeed current Defence Force personnel than has been evident in the years since the conflict.  It was a stellar exemplar of the ANZAC spirit, professionalism and dedication to task of experienced, well trained and well led people.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e(c) VWMA / Steve Larkins 2012  (updated 2026)\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}