1st Special Forces Brigade (South Korea)

{{short description|Unit of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne)

|image= File:제1공수특전여단.png

|caption=

|dates= 1 April 1958 – present

|country= {{flag|South Korea}}

|allegiance=

|branch=

|type= Airborne Special Forces

|role=

|size= Brigade

|command_structure= Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command

|current_commander=

|garrison= Gimpo International Airport
Gangseo District, Seoul

|ceremonial_chief=

|nickname= Docksuri (Eagle)

|patron=

|motto=

|colors=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles= May 16 coup
Vietnam War
Operation Paul Bunyan
Coup d'état of December Twelfth
2024 South Korean martial law

|notable_commanders=

|anniversaries=

|decorations=

}}

The 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) ({{Korean|hangul=제1공수특전여단|hanja=第一空輸特戰旅團}}), also known as Eagle ({{langx|ko|독수리|label=none}}), is an Airborne Special Forces unit of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command.

History

On 1 April 1958, 1st Combat Group was founded and most members were from the 8240th Army Unit.{{cite web |url=https://www.swc.mil.kr:444/swc/998/subview.do |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815181719/https://www.swc.mil.kr:444/swc/998/subview.do |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 15, 2024 |title=History - Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command |trans-title= }}{{Cite news |title=空輸團(공수단)창설 십주년 |trans-title= |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1968040400209207021&editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1968-04-04&officeId=00020&pageNo=7&printNo=14299&publishType=00020 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=NAVER Newslibrary|language=ko}}

On 1 October 1958, reorganized as the 1st Special Forces Group.{{Cn|date=July 2023}}

On 15 September 1972, reorganized into as the 1st Special Forces Brigade.{{Cn|date=July 2023}}

=Vietnam War=

1,172 of 1st Special Forces Group participated in the Vietnam War.{{cite web |url=https://www.swc.mil.kr:444/swc/1045/subview.do |title=Vietnam War - Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command |trans-title= }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

They were attached to Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and 9th Infantry Division.{{Cn|date=July 2023}}

They conducted the special operations including long-range reconnaissance patrol, surprise attacks by hit-and-run tactics and so on.{{Cite web|date=2018-03-08|title=베트남전쟁시 한국군의 해·공군 및 특수작전|url=https://kookbang.dema.mil.kr/newsWeb/20110308/1/BBSMSTR_000000010259/view.do|trans-title=|language=ko|access-date=2023-06-26|archive-date=2022-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127142310/https://kookbang.dema.mil.kr/newsWeb/20110308/1/BBSMSTR_000000010259/view.do|url-status=dead}}

=Operation Paul Bunyan=

{{Main article|Operation Paul Bunyan}}

64 of 1st Special Forces Brigade participated in the Operation Paul Bunyan in 1976.{{cite web|url=https://www.kafs.or.kr/file/?idx=8000330&bmode=view |title=판문점 도끼 만행사건 추모비를 회상하며|date=16 September 2021 |trans-title= }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3740358 |date=2009-08-24 |title= 북한의 판문점 '도끼 살해' 만행 … 박정희 "미친 개엔 몽둥이" 분노 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=JoongAng Ilbo |language=ko}}

Criticism

1st Special Forces Brigade was involved in three military coup d'états - May 16 coup (1961), Coup d'état of December Twelfth (1979),[https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/1085769 12.12 쿠데타의 분수령 "9공수여단의 回軍"] and 2024 South Korean martial law.[https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/politics/2024/12/04/20241204500103 4.12 비상계엄 ‘서울의 밤’…최정예 1공수여단, 국회 들어갔다"]https://www.reuters.com/graphics/SOUTHKOREA-POLITICS/GRAPHICS/lgpdjajkbpo/

On 21 May 1964, some of its members {{Ill|Korean Special Forces Break-in Scandal|lt=broke into a courtroom and the house of a judge|ko|무장군인 법원 난입 사건}} to demand an arrest warrant.{{Cite web |date=2015-10-31 |title=1964년 무장공수단 난입사건 - open archives 사진 아카이브즈 |url=http://archives.kdemo.or.kr/PhotoView?pPhotoId=00756368 |access-date=2023-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031025914/http://archives.kdemo.or.kr/PhotoView?pPhotoId=00756368 |archive-date=2015-10-31 |trans-title= |language=ko}}

Notable former members

  • Moon Jae-in{{Cite web |title=[Special feature] Who is Moon Jae-in? |url=https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/526284.html |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=The Hankyoreh}}

See also

References

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