INCHEON, South Korea - A ceremony was held for Korean volunteers from Japan who fought in the Korean War at the Japanese-Korean Korean War Veterans Memorial in Incheon Sept. 29.
The ceremony was hosted by the Association of Student Volunteers from Japan to recognize KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army) veterans and strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance.
Eighth Army Deputy Commanding General Brig. Gen. David J. Conboy, Vice Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Woo Mu-seok, Secretary to the president for Society Consolidation Park In-joo and Chairman of the Korean-Japanese Student Volunteers Soldiers Veterans Association Kim Byung-ik participated in the event.
During the ceremony, Conboy thanked the brave student soldiers for their service.
"Living abroad when the war broke out in 1950, they did what they did not have to do and what others chose not to do … these men remained faithful to their nation and voluntarily returned to Korea to help in the fight against North Korean invaders and to support their fellow countrymen," said Conboy. "The selfless sacrifices of these patriots will never be forgotten and we are forever grateful for their service."
Following the ceremony, the attendees took part in a ROK-U.S. Alliance Friendship Luncheon, hosted by the Association of Student Volunteers from Japan.
In 1950, after the outbreak of the Korean War, about 1,000 Korean-Japanese students volunteered to join the U.S. Army and were trained in the U.S. Eighth Army Replacement Depot at Camp Drake in Asaka City near Tokyo on Sept. 8, 1950.
After receiving basic military training, they were dispatched into the war without any ranks or military security numbers given. They were the first overseas Korean citizens to join war.
Attached to U.S. and ROK Army Divisions, they fought against North Korean forces.
Upon the approval of 3rd Supply Base Commander Gen. George Stewart, they established an independent battalion. However, it was deactivated on Nov. 27, 1950, after the Chinese Communist Army's entrance into the war.
Afterwards, 265 of the volunteers returned to Japan but some of the soldiers who remained in Korea and became ROK Army noncommissioned officers and officers.
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