Korean Service Corps

The formation was made necessary by the need to support the American troops during the Korean War. The Eighth Army commander Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker, faced by a severe shortage of fighting strength along the Busan perimeter, decided to request a backup of the Korean manpower. The manpower was specifically aimed at providing support in the distribution of suppliers. This would relieve the soldiers of such duties and allow them to concentrate on fighting. [2]

When caller made this request the president of Korea by then Syngman Rhee, signed an emergency decree as a response to that request. The order was signed on July 25 1950 and gave explicit directions to the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) to avail civilians to act as carriers for the Eighth Army. The carriers were required to carry suppliers to the soldiers in the frontline. Initially the created entity was referred to as the Civilian Transportation Corps, before it was renamed to be Korean Service Corps. The formation of the KSC would be a significant aspect in the unique relationship between Korea and the American people, notably the Eighth Army. The KSC was nicknamed by the US soldiers as “A-frame Army”, because of the wooden backpacks they carried. [3]

The KSC has metamorphosed to the KSC Battalion and continues to be part of the US Army and is nowadays commanded by a lieutenant colonel of the US Army.[4] It has 18 companies, which continue to operate in the Korean peninsula in between Panmunjom and Busan It is the largest battalion in the US Army, with over 2178 soldiers and paramilitary. [5]

This battalion has continued to ensure that it is prepared and ready for war through training events and mandatory Army Warrior Training (AWT) that happens yearly. This allows the battalion to maintain the same readiness exhibited by soldiers. The AWT ensures that the battalion is able to maintain their preparedness and maintain proficiency in aspects such as weapons familiarisation, first aid, and map reading. At the same time maintain their ability to defend themselves from the chemical, biological and nuclear attacks. The battalion, just like during the Korean War, is well aware of the vital role they perform in supporting the war effort more so to the eighth army. Since their support will contribute to the success of the war effort by providing essential and critical needs to the soldiers in the battlefront, they need always to be sure of their preparedness and readiness. Through the conduction of the mobilisation exercises, the battalion continues to gauge that ability and preparation. The battalion continues to test their ability to mobilise and test their preparedness by conducting a full-scale operation at least once every year. [6]

So many mobilisation drills have been done with a recent one being held in the Turner Fitness Center Camp Humphreys on October 17, 2019. The exercise was conducted with the aim of ensuring that the staff of the battalion understands what the operation entails so as to gauge their ability to execute the mission successfully. The drill was attended by the senior leaders in the Korean ministry of defence and the Korean army. It also had senior leaders of the eighth army.[7]

The Korean Service Corps shall support the United States Armed Forces by transporting ammunition and supplies, evacuating the sick and wounded, constructing field fortifications, building and maintaining roads, operating supply points and, performing other functions in connection with the mission of the United States Armed Forces. The mobility and flexibility of the Korean Service Corps, which are essential for United States-Republic of Korea mutual defense purposes and required by the nature of KSC missions and operations, will be maintained.

The primary role of the KSC was to support the Eighth Army in performing supply distribution duties so that the soldiers would concentrate on fighting the opponent. Their duties therefore involved getting these supplies to the soldiers engaging the enemy in the frontlines. They supplied mainly ammunition, food, and fortification materials. The importance of their role is seen in the conditions on which they operated. Faced by harsh weather and unsafe environment due to being exposed to the frontline, their contribution to this war was massive. They served in areas like the Pork Chop Hill, Old Baldy, Carson, Las Vegas, among other locations that experienced intense fights. Their roles, however, also went beyond just delivering supplies to the soldiers. They also took up some duties in the frontline, such as the digging and building of bunkers and the evacuation of fallen soldiers. [8]

The role of the KSC battalion has changed over the years as they now focus on different tasks after the Korean War ended. However, just like it was evident 60 years ago, the KSC has continued to play an essential role in advancing the realisation of various needs in the Korean peninsula. It continues to support the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and Eighth Army.

The KSC battalion is one of the largest battalions in the US Army with over 2,100 soldiers and paramilitary whose main aim is to help in the transportation of the heavy equipment. It is organized in 17 companies stationed in various parts of the Korean peninsula. The battalion continues to undertake the role of transportation and offers other kinds of support.[9] Apart from transporting heavy equipment, they also provide fire support, engage in traffic control, offer water survival training, provide medical evacuations and offer linguistic support to the Eighth Army. The mission for this battalion also includes providing mission command to the HET Company, the 7th KSC Company (HET) which engages in transport mission across the Korean peninsula. This company has made 1651 missions tallying to some 72,460 miles and most of them associated to the risk of moving at night.[10]

The KSC battalion is involved in so many other activities apart from the ones already mentioned. Through the Incheon Reception Centre, it supports the military personnel and their dependents and other members of the defense department. The centre facilitates their reception and onward transportation. The centre also provides linguistic support to every member of the eight army and the USFK. It ensures that the battalion has access to the linguist with proven ability to translate English to Korean and vice versa.[11]

The influence of KSC can be seen in the formation of the KSC battalion. When the Korean War started, logistics were handled by the soldiers. However, as the fighting continued, there was a need to relive the soldiers of such logistical duties and allow them to concentrate in combat. Years later, after the war ended, the KSC metamorphosed to KSC Battalion a logistical force based on the peninsula and continues to provide logistical support to the soldiers based in that region.[12] The KSC, therefore, had an influence in the design of war effort and expanded the role played by civilians in case war breaks out. This role is a relief to soldiers now as it was during the Korean War, and while it continues to grow and become more sophisticated, the more people realise how important it is. It is critical to making life easy for the soldiers, thereby influencing the way that modern war is organized. [13]

The Korean War was initially considered disorganized, and the creation of the KSC was a big step in improving the efficiency of the ongoing war. Initially, American soldiers were required to carry their supply even though these soldiers were in the battle to help repel the North Korean soldiers who had invaded the South Koreans. Requesting the help of the South Koreans to take up such duties was one way of ensuring that the American soldiers got a reprieve from these exhausting tasks. It therefore contributed to the success of the war effort. [14]

The creation of the KSC was also a significant contribution to the massive number of civilian deaths. The KSC were exposed to the frontline, and as the war waged on, they died in their numbers. There was a lot of reported deaths of its conscripts.[15] The position of the KSC and its massive role in the Korean War can never be overlooked. To cement this role and to appreciate the members of KSC especially those who died during the war, a monument was unveiled in 1985 in Camp Kim. However, the Camp was closed in 2018 and converted into a learning centre. To maintain the legacy of the KSC and to ensure that its role doesn’t disappear into oblivion, another monument was unveiled and dedicated to the fallen KSC members in June 2019. The monuments were as a result of the need to document the importance of the KSC in the Korean history, especially following their role in the Korean War. It was also a reminder of what the battalion stand for, which is sacrifice. The monuments are seen as a reminder to the current members of what their role is and how much the Korean nation and the eighth army appreciates their service and what they do to help advance the war effort. [16]

The KSC battalion has played an essential role in fostering the relationship between the Korean people and the American army. Through the good neighbor program, the battalion has come out to support the host-nation communities. The events organized by the program has received sponsorship from the battalion. The program also has continued to paint the force positively by providing school scholarships, textbooks, food donations, supporting the elderly and any other necessary support. By reaching to these communities, the battalion responds to the need for keeping their relevance in those communities alive, making it easy to get their help in times of need.

• Labor Officer, G4, Eighth United States Army (15 July 1951 ~ 14 April 1954)

• The Korean Service Corps Control Detachment (Mar 1955 ~ July 1994)

• The Korean Service Corps Battalion (16 July 1994 ~ Present)

The KSC battalion ensures that anyone that signs with it has enough skills. They are taken through 40 hours of mandatory Army warrior training (AWT) each year. They have to ensure that they have proficiency in areas such as first aid, weapons familiarisation, map reading, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense. Each member of the battalion that can end up in a war situation is provided with Army combat uniforms, personal protective equipment, and a full set of organisational clothing and individual equipment. Each KSC is also issued a complete set of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear gear such as M50 protective mask. [17]