DVIDS – News – At 72 years previous, KATUSA program continues to strengthen ROK-U.S. alliance

August 15 is acknowledged because the birthday of the KATUSA. The Korean Augmentation to america Army Soldier program was born solely weeks after the Korean Struggle ignited, and to this present day KATUSAs proceed to serve side-by-side with Eighth Army Troopers offering priceless assist and friendship.

The Korean Struggle started June 25, 1950. Roughly three weeks later the KATUSA program was initiated July 15 by a casual settlement between the Honorable Syngman Rhee, president of the Republic of Korea, and Normal of the Army Douglas MacArthur, commander in chief, United Nations Command.

Throughout the first two months of the battle, the Republic of Korea Army had been destroyed as a combating drive and the U.S. Army was considerably understrength and had been “compressed” into the Pusan perimeter by North Korean forces, as described in an official Army report. Replacements and combating males have been in determined want.

The idea of the KATUSA program was to enhance the U.S. forces. At first most KATUSAs have been recruited immediately off the streets of Pusan (now spelled Busan). After a primary coaching interval, KATUSA Troopers have been despatched to fight items serving as squaddies. The primary KATUSAs reached U.S. Army items by mid-August 1950. They have been issued U.S. provides, however have been paid by and remained administered below the Republic of Korea Army. All through the Korean Struggle, as much as a most of 23,000 KATUSAs served at anybody time, in line with the Army.

After the 1953 armistice, KATUSA Troopers remained with U.S. Army items to obtain coaching not available within the ROKA and to reinforce U.S. Army in Korea’s mission functionality.

Since 1950, the KATUSA Soldier Program has been ongoing with solely periodic energy changes dictated by necessities. Initially, KATUSA Troopers have been returned to the ROKA after serving with the U.S. Army. Since 1968, nonetheless, KATUSA Troopers stay with Eighth Army till their service commitments are accomplished.

The ROKA Assist Group was established Could 11, 1965 on the request of the Eighth Army commander to manage the KATUSA Soldier program.

As we speak, younger South Korean males planning to conduct their necessary army service obligation can apply to grow to be a KATUSA if they’ve a command of the English language and if positions can be found.

Eighth Army has said the KATUSA program will increase the ROK-U.S. mixed protection functionality on the Korean peninsula. This system can be vital not solely due to the army manpower and financial financial savings that it gives to the U.S. Army, but additionally as a result of it places a face on the ironclad ROK-U.S. alliance and the mixed dedication to discourage battle.

The KATUSA program is the very essence of 1 Eighth Army’s favourite phrases, “katchi kapshida,” – “we go collectively.”

Data for this text supplied by Eighth Army and these sources:

“Integration of ROK Troopers into US Army Units (KATUSA)” (U.S. Army)

https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/assortment/p4013coll11/id/1552/

“The KATUSA Experiment” by David Curtis Skaggs (excerpt)

https://www.jstor.org/steady/1987235