The Eighth Army is a U.S.
field army
A field army (or numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, air armies are equivalent formation within some air forces, and with ...
["Enter the Dragon: Eighth Army unveils new emblem" (15 April 2013)]
Task Force Smith, July 1950, Battle of Osan, memorialized
/ref> which is the commanding formation of all United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
forces in South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. It commands U.S. and South Korean units[ and is headquartered at the ]Camp Humphreys
Camp Humphreys ( ko, 캠프 험프리스), also known as United States Army Garrison-Humphreys (USAG-H), is a United States Army garrison located near Anjeong-ri and Pyeongtaek metropolitan areas in South Korea. Camp Humphreys is home to Des ...
,[Yongsan garrison move pushed back to 2019]
in the Anjeong-ri
Anjeong-ri is a community located in Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is located on the perimeter of Camp Humphreys, a United States Army garrison undergoing rapid expansion.
History
In 1919, during the Korea un ...
of Pyeongtaek, South Korea. It is the only field army
A field army (or numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, air armies are equivalent formation within some air forces, and with ...
in the U.S. Army.
History
World War II
The unit first activated on 10 June 1944 in the United States, under the command of Lieutenant General Robert Eichelberger
Robert Lawrence Eichelberger (9 March 1886 – 26 September 1961) was a general officer in the United States Army who commanded the Eighth United States Army in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II.
A 1909 graduate of the United ...
. The Eighth Army took part in many of the amphibious landing
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted ...
s in the Southwest Pacific Theater
The South West Pacific theatre, during World War II, was a major theatre of the war between the Allies and the Axis. It included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (except for Sumatra), Borneo, Australia and its mandate Territory of ...
of World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, eventually participating in no less than sixty of them. The first mission of the Eighth Army, in September 1944, was to take over from the U.S. Sixth Army
Sixth Army is a theater army of the United States Army. The Army service component command of United States Southern Command, its area of responsibility includes 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and ...
in New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu
Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea).
It is a simplified version of ...
, New Britain
New Britain ( tpi, Niu Briten) is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi the Dam ...
, the Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.
These rainforest-co ...
and on Morotai
Morotai Island ( id, Pulau Morotai) is an island in the Halmahera group of eastern Indonesia's Maluku Islands (Moluccas). It is one of Indonesia's northernmost islands.
Morotai is a rugged, forested island lying to the north of Halmahera. It ha ...
, in order to free up the Sixth Army to engage in the Philippines Campaign (1944–45) Philippines campaign may refer to various military campaigns that have been fought in the Philippine Islands, including:
Spanish colonial period (1565–1898)
*Numerous revolts against Spain during the Spanish colonial period; see Philippine revol ...
.
The Eighth Army again followed in the wake of the Sixth Army in December 1944, when it took over control of operations on Leyte Island
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
on 26 December. In January, the Eighth Army entered combat on Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, landing the XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to:
* 11th Army Corps (France)
* XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army
* ...
on 29 January near San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
and the 11th Airborne Division
The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army airborne formation, first activated on 25 February 1943, during World War II. Consisting of one parachute and two glider infantry regiments, with supporting troops, the div ...
on the other side of Manila Bay
Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phili ...
two days later. Combining with I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
and XIV Corps 14 Corps, 14th Corps, Fourteenth Corps, or XIV Corps may refer to:
* XIV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XIV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World ...
of Sixth Army, the forces of Eighth Army next enveloped Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
in a great double-pincer movement
The pincer movement, or double envelopment, is a military maneuver in which forces simultaneously attack both flanks (sides) of an enemy formation. This classic maneuver holds an important foothold throughout the history of warfare.
The pin ...
. Eighth Army's final operation of the Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...
was that of clearing out the southern Philippines of the Japanese Army
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...
, including on the major island of Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
, an effort that occupied the soldiers of the Eighth Army for the rest of the war.
Occupation of Japan
Eighth Army was to have participated in Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, th ...
, the invasion of Japan. It would have taken part in Operation Coronet During World War II, two operations in the Pacific theater were called Operation Coronet.
* An early planning name for Operation Chronicle, which was executed in June 1943
* Part of Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan in March 1946, ...
, the second phase of the invasion, which would have seen the invasion of the Kantō Plain
The is the largest plain in Japan, and is located in the Kantō region of central Honshū. The total area of 17,000 km2 covers more than half of the region extending over Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, ...
on eastern Honshū
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...
. However, the Japanese surrender cancelled the invasion, and the Eighth Army found itself in charge of occupying it peacefully. Occupation forces
Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the
Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States wi ...
landed on 30 August 1945, with its headquarters in Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
, then the HQ moved to the Dai-Ichi
(第一) is a compound modifier phrase of Japanese origin, meaning '' number one'', or ''first''. In kanji, "dai" ("number") is 第Nakao, Seigo''Random House Japanese-English English-Japanese Dictionary'' via Google Books, p. 39. Retrieved 2011- ...
building in Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. At the beginning of 1946, Eighth Army assumed responsibility for occupying all of Japan. Four quiet years then followed, during which the Eighth Army gradually deteriorated from a combat-ready fighting force into a somewhat soft, minimally-trained constabulary. Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker took command in September 1948, and he tried to re-invigorate the Army's training, with mixed success.
Korean War
At the end of World War II in 1945, Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
was divided into North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
and South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
with North Korea (assisted by the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
), becoming a communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
government after 1946, known as the Democratic People's Republic, followed by South Korea becoming the Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
.[National Archives](_blank)
''US Enters the Korean Conflict'' China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
became the communist People's Republic of China in 1949. In 1950, the Soviet Union backed North Korea while the United States backed South Korea, and China allied with the Soviet Union in what was to become the first military action of the Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
.
The peace of occupied Japan was shattered in June 1950 when 75,000 North Korean troops with Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
made tanks invaded South Korea, igniting the Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. U.S. naval and air forces quickly became involved in combat operations, and it was soon clear that U.S. ground forces would have to be committed. To stem the North Korean advance, the occupation forces in Japan were thus shipped off to South Korea as quickly as possible, but their lack of training and equipment was telling, as some of the initial U.S. units were destroyed by the North Koreans. However, the stage was eventually reached as enough units of Eighth Army arrived in Korea to make a firm front. The North Koreans threw themselves against that front, the Pusan Perimeter
The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...
, and failed to break it. In the meantime, Eighth Army had reorganized, since it had too many divisions under its command for it to exercise effective control directly. The I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
and the IX Corps 9 Corps, 9th Corps, Ninth Corps, or IX Corps may refer to:
France
* 9th Army Corps (France)
* IX Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
Germany
* IX Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial Germ ...
were reactivated in the United States and then shipped to Korea to assume command of Eighth Army's subordinate divisions.
The stalemate was broken by the Inchon landings
The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved s ...
of the X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to:
France
* 10th Army Corps (France)
* X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
Germany
* X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army
* ...
(tenth corps, consisting of soldiers and Marines). The North Korean forces, when confronted with this threat to their rear areas, combined with a breakout operation at Pusan, broke away and hastily retired north.
Both South and North Korea were almost entirely occupied by United Nations forces. However, once U.S. units neared the Yalu River
The Yalu River, known by Koreans as the Amrok River or Amnok River, is a river on the border between North Korea and China. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border between ...
and the frontier between North Korea and China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, the Chinese intervened and drastically changed the character of the war. Eighth Army was decisively defeated at the Battle of the Chongchon River
The Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River (), also known as the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on, was a decisive battle in the Korean War, and it took place from November 25 to December 2, 1950, along the Ch'ongch'on River Valley in the northwestern part of N ...
and forced to retreat all the way back to South Korea. The defeat of the U.S. Eighth Army resulted in the longest retreat of any U.S. military unit in history. General Walker was killed in a jeep accident on 23 December 1950, and replaced by Lieutenant General Matthew Ridgway
General Matthew Bunker Ridgway (March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Altho ...
. The overstretched Eighth Army suffered heavily with the Chinese offensive, who were able to benefit from shorter lines of communication and with rather casually deployed enemy forces. The Chinese broke through the U.S. defenses despite U.S. air supremacy
Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of com ...
and the Eighth Army and U.N. forces retreated hastily to avoid encirclement. The Chinese offensive continued pressing U.S. forces, which lost Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
, the South Korean capital. Eighth Army's morale and ''esprit de corps'' hit rock bottom, to where it was widely regarded as a broken, defeated rabble.
General Ridgway forcefully restored Eighth Army to combat effectiveness over several months. Eighth Army slowed and ultimately halted the Chinese advance at the battles of Chipyong-ni
Jipyeong-ri is a village in Jije-myeon, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
History
Jipyeong-ri was the site of the Battle of Chipyong-ni during the Korean War, February 1951. A memorial has been erected at the site, which is spli ...
and Wonju
Wonju () is the most populous city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city is located approximately east of Seoul. Wonju was the site of three crucial battles during the Korean War.
Geography
Wonju sits at the southwestern corner of Gangw ...
. It then counter-attacked the Chinese, re-took Seoul, and drove to the 38th parallel, where the front stabilized.
When General Ridgway replaced General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
as the overall U.N. commander, Lieutenant General James Van Fleet
General James Alward Van Fleet (March 19, 1892 – September 23, 1992) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised in Florida and gradu ...
assumed command of Eighth Army. After the war of movement during the first stages, the fighting in Korea settled down to a war of attrition. Ceasefire negotiations were begun at the village of Panmunjom
Panmunjom, also known as Panmunjeom, now located in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea or Kaesong, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, was a village just north of the ''de facto'' border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 Korean A ...
in the summer of 1951, and they dragged on for two years. During the final combat operation of the war, Lieutenant General Maxwell D. Taylor (promoted to general 23 June 1953) commanded the Eighth Army. When the Military Demarcation Line
The Military Demarcation Line (MDL), sometimes referred to as the Armistice Line, is the land border or demarcation line between North Korea and South Korea. On either side of the line is the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The MDL and DMZ wer ...
was finally agreed to by the Korean Armistice Agreement
The Korean Armistice Agreement ( ko, 한국정전협정 / 조선정전협정; zh, t=韓國停戰協定 / 朝鮮停戰協定) is an armistice that brought about a complete cessation of hostilities of the Korean War. It was signed by United Sta ...
, South Korea and North Korea continued on as separate states.
Guarding Korea
During the aftermath of the Korean War
The aftermath of the Korean War set the tone for Cold War tension between all the superpowers. The Korean War was important in the development of the Cold War, as it showed that the two superpowers, United States and Soviet Union, could fight a " ...
, the Eighth Army remained in South Korea. By the 1960s, I Corps, consisting of the 7th Infantry Division and the 2nd Infantry Division, remained as part of the Eighth Army. Then, in 1971, the 7th Infantry Division was withdrawn, along with the command units of I Corps, which were moved across the Pacific Ocean to Fort Lewis, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. Later, in March 1977, a memo from President Jimmy Carter said "...American forces will be withdrawn. Air cover will be continued." Bureaucratic resistance from the Executive Branch, with support in Congress, eventually saw the proposal watered down. Eventually one combat battalion and about 2,600 non-combat troops were withdrawn.
This left the 2nd Infantry Division at the Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Korean: ; Hanbando Bimujang Jidae) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in ha ...
to assist the South Korean Army
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
. Besides forming a trip-wire against another North Korean invasion, the 2nd Infantry Division remained there as the only Army unit in South Korea armed with tactical nuclear weapon
A tactical nuclear weapon (TNW) or non-strategic nuclear weapon (NSNW) is a nuclear weapon that is designed to be used on a battlefield in military situations, mostly with friendly forces in proximity and perhaps even on contested friendly territo ...
s. (Otherwise, there is only the U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
in South Korea and on Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
.) All nuclear weapons were taken from the Army to be under Air Force control. Later, in 1991, all U.S. nuclear weapons were removed from South Korea.
Organization 1989
At the end of the Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
Eighth Army consisted of the following units:
*
Eighth Army, Yongsan Garrison
Yongsan Garrison ( ko, 용산기지; Hanja: ), meaning "dragon hill garrison," is an area located in the Yongsan District of central Seoul, South Korea. The site served as the headquarters for U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea, known ...
, South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
**
2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey
**
17th Aviation Brigade, Camp Coiner
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 4th Battalion, 58th Aviation (Air Traffic Control), Camp Coiner
*** 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation (Assault), Camp Coiner ( UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters)
*** 2nd Battalion, 501st Aviation (Medium Lift), Camp Coiner (CH-47D Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Ch ...
helicopters)
*** 4th Battalion, 501st Aviation (Attack), Camp Page
Camp Page also known as K-47 Air Base was a former US Army base located near Chuncheon, South Korea which was closed on 1 April 2005. It enclosed 157.2 acres in North Central South Korea, near Chuncheon City, 48 miles north of Seoul, in the Gangwo ...
( AH-1F Cobra & OH-58C Kiowa helicopters)
*** 5th Battalion, 501st Aviation (Attack), Camp Coiner (AH-1F Cobra & OH-58C Kiowa helicopters)
**
1st Signal Brigade, Camp Humphreys
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 36th Signal Battalion
*** 41st Signal Battalion
*** 304th Signal Battalion, Camp Colbern Camp Colbern, in Hanam-shi near Seoul, Republic of Korea, was a U.S. Army installation and the home of the 304th Signal Battalion. It closed in late 2005, with the move of the 304th to Camp Stanley
Camp Stanley is a former U.S. Army military camp ...
*** 307th Signal Battalion
*** 257th Signal Company, Camp Humphreys
**
8th Military Police Brigade (Provisional), Camp Coiner
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company
*** 94th Military Police Battalion
*** 728th Military Police Battalion
The 728th Military Police Battalion performs Military Police operations to allow for United States forces to move freely through an assigned area. The Battalion also provides law and order to all installations within United States Army Garrison ...
**
501st Military Intelligence Brigade (Provisional), Yongsan Garrison
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment
*** 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation), Camp Humphreys
*** 524th Military Intelligence Battalion (Human Intelligence)
*** 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Intelligence & Electronic Warfare)
*** 751st Military Intelligence Battalion (Counterintelligence), Camp Humphreys
**
18th Medical Command, Seoul (the following peacetime listing is incomplete)
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment
*** 52nd Medical Battalion
*** 121st Combat Support Hospital, Camp Humphreys
**
19th Support Command, Daegu
Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea.
It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
(the following peacetime listing is incomplete)
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** Special Troops Battalion
*** 20th Area Support Group, Camp Henry
Camp Henry ( ko, 캠프 헨리) is a U.S. military base in Daegu, South Korea. ''Camp Henry'' was named in 1960 after First Lieutenant Frederick F. Henry, who served with F Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Camp Henry is ...
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** 23rd Area Support Group, Camp Humphreys
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
**** 194th Maintenance Battalion
**** 227th Maintenance Battalion
**** Company A, 3rd Battalion 501st Aviation (Aviation Intermediate Maintenance), Camp Humphreys
**** Company A, 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation (Aviation Intermediate Maintenance), Camp Humphreys
*** 25th Transportation Center (Movement Control), Yongsan Garrison
**** 21st Transportation Company (Command Transport), Yongsan Garrison
**** 46th Transportation Company, Camp Carroll
*** 34th Area Support Group, Seoul
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** 501st Corps Support Group, Camp Red Cloud
Camp Red Cloud (CRC, ko, 캠프 레드 클라우드) was a United States Army camp located in the city of Uijeongbu, between Seoul and the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). CRC is being returned to the South Korean government. The installation w ...
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
** 8th Personnel Command
*** 516th Personnel Service Company
** 175th Finance Center
*** 176th Finance Support Unit
*** 177th Finance Support Unit
** 23rd Chemical Battalion
** 44th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Heavy), Camp Mercer
Camp may refer to:
Outdoor accommodation and recreation
* Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site
* a temporary settlement for nomads
* Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
** 8th Army Band
Recent times
In 2003, plans were announced to move the 2nd Infantry Division southward. As of 2015, it appears that one brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division will remain at Camp Casey, near Dongducheon
Dongducheon () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
The city, to the north of Seoul, is strategically important for the defense of the Korean capital. The main camps of the United States Second Infantry Division are in the city, and the d ...
.
The headquarters of the Eighth Army was Yongsan Garrison
Yongsan Garrison ( ko, 용산기지; Hanja: ), meaning "dragon hill garrison," is an area located in the Yongsan District of central Seoul, South Korea. The site served as the headquarters for U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea, known ...
, but moved southward to Camp Humphreys
Camp Humphreys ( ko, 캠프 험프리스), also known as United States Army Garrison-Humphreys (USAG-H), is a United States Army garrison located near Anjeong-ri and Pyeongtaek metropolitan areas in South Korea. Camp Humphreys is home to Des ...
by 2019.[ In April 2017 the Eighth Army headquarters began its move from Yongsan to Camp Humphreys and held a ceremony to relocate a statue of General Walton Walker.
]
Current organization
*
Eighth Army, USAG Humphreys
Camp Humphreys ( ko, 캠프 험프리스), also known as United States Army Garrison-Humphreys (USAG-H), is a United States Army military base, garrison located near Anjeong-ri and Pyeongtaek metropolitan areas in South Korea. Camp Humphreys ...
** Eighth Army Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion
** 2d Infantry Division
The 2nd Infantry Division (2ID, 2nd ID) ("Indianhead") is a formation of the United States Army. Its current primary mission is the pre-emptive defense of South Korea in the event of an invasion from North Korea. There are approximately 17,000 s ...
(Joint United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and South Korean Army
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
)
*** 2d Infantry Division Combined Division Staff (Joint United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and South Korean Army
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
)
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion
*** Rotational Stryker Brigade Combat Team
The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its assigned support and fire units. A brigade is normally commanded by a ...
*** 210th Field Artillery Brigade
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
**** 210th Field Artillery Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
**** 1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment
The 38th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.
History
On August 17, 1918, the 38th Field Artillery was organized as a regiment at Camp Lewis, Washington. It trained at that station until February 10 ...
**** 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment
**** Rotational M270 MLRS
The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS) is an American-developed armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher.
The U.S. Army variant of the MLRS vehicle is based on the chassis of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The first M270s wer ...
Field Artillery Battalion
**** 70th Brigade Support Battalion
*** Combat Aviation Brigade, 2d Infantry Division
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
**** 2d Battalion (Assault), 2d Aviation Regiment
**** 3d Battalion (General Support), 2d Aviation Regiment
**** 4th Battalion (Attack), 2d Aviation Regiment
**** 5th Squadron (Attack/Reconnaissance), 17th Cavalry Regiment
The 17th Cavalry Regiment is a historical organization within the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry after the Pancho Villa Expedition. The unit was constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 17th Cavalry at Fort ...
**** Company E, 2d Aviation Regiment (MQ-1C Gray Eagle
The General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle (previously the Warrior; also called Sky Warrior and ERMP or Extended-Range Multi-Purpose) is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS). It was developed by General Atomics Aero ...
)
**** 602d Aviation Support Battalion
*** 2nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade
**** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
**** Special Troops Battalion
**** 194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
** 1st Signal Brigade, subordinate to 311th Signal Command / US Army Pacific
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** United States Army Communications Information Systems Activity, Pacific
*** 41st Signal Battalion
*** 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion
** 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** 94th Military Police Battalion
*** Materiel Support Command Korea
**** 6th Ordnance Battalion
**** 25th Transportation Battalion
**** 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
**** Korean Service Corps
** 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (ADAB) is an Air Defense Artillery unit of the United States Army subordinate to the Eighth United States Army, located at Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea. 35th ADAB has integrated the Terminal High A ...
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
*** 2d Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment (Patriot
A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism.
Patriot may also refer to:
Political and military groups United States
* Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American Revolution
* Patriot m ...
)
*** 6th Battalion, 52d Air Defense Artillery Regiment (Patriot)
*** Battery D, 2d Air Defense Artillery Regiment (THAAD
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their termina ...
)
** 65th Medical Brigade
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** 549th Hospital Center
*** 168th Medical Battalion (Multifunctional)
*** 618th Dental Company
*** 106th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Specialist Services)
*** U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center – Korea
** 501st Military Intelligence Brigade
The 501st Military Intelligence Brigade is a United States Army unit, assigned to the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) under the operational control of United States Forces Korea (USFK) located in South Korea. The 501s ...
*** Headquarters and Headquarters Company
*** 3d Military Intelligence Battalion
*** 368th Military Intelligence Battalion (US Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020, ...
), at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (PRFTA), commonly known as Camp Parks, is a United States Army base located in Dublin, California, that is currently an active military and training center for U.S. Army Reserve personnel to be used in case o ...
, California
*** 524th Military Intelligence Battalion
*** 532d Military Intelligence Battalion
*** 719th Military Intelligence Battalion
** United Nations C Security Battalion, Joint Security Area
** Korean Field Office
** Army Special Operations Forces Liaison Element, Korea
** Joint United States Military Affairs Group, Korea
** Eighth Army Non-Commissioned Officers
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
Academy
** Training Support Activity, Korea
** 11th Engineer Battalion, subordinate to 130th Engineer Brigade / US Army Pacific
** 23rd Chemical Battalion
** 4th Airfield Operations Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment
** 2501st Digital Liaison Detachment
** 2502d Digital Liaison Detachment
** 3d Battlefield Coordination Detachment
** United States Army Corps of Engineers, Far East District
** Eighth Army Band
Other army units based in South Korea:
* 403rd Army Field Support Brigade, Camp Henry
Camp Henry ( ko, 캠프 헨리) is a U.S. military base in Daegu, South Korea. ''Camp Henry'' was named in 1960 after First Lieutenant Frederick F. Henry, who served with F Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Camp Henry is ...
, part of Army Sustainment Command
** Army Field Support Battalion - Korea
** Army Field Support Battalion - Northeast Asia
* 837th Transportation Battalion, part of 599th Transportation Brigade / Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) is the Army Service Component Command of the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and is a major subordinate command to Army Materiel Command (AMC). This relationship links USTRANSC ...
Specific units
8th Army Band
The 8th Army Band is the official musical unit of the HQ 8th Army and supports United States Forces Korea
United States Forces Korea (USFK) is a Unified Combatant Command#Subordinate Unified Command, sub-unified command of United States Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). USFK is the joint headquarters for U.S. combat-re ...
and the United Nations Command
United Nations Command (UNC or UN Command) is the multinational military force established to support the South Korea, Republic of Korea (South Korea) during and after the Korean War. It was the first international unified command in history, an ...
. The 62 member band was founded in 1916 as the Band of the 35th Infantry Regiment. During World War II, the band, then known as the 25th Infantry Division Band based out of Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, served in the Pacific Theater
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, being a participant in Central Pacific and Guadalcanal campaigns. It was reorganized in November 1950 and reassigned to the newly formed ROK, the same year the Korean War began. Awards and honors the band has received include the Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation () is a military unit award of the government of South Korea that may be presented to South Korean military units, and foreign military units for outstanding performance in defense of the Republic o ...
s. Nicknamed ''Freedom's Ambassadors'' due to its area of responsibility
Area of responsibility (AOR) is a pre-defined geographic region assigned to Combatant commanders of the Unified Command Plan (UCP), that are used to define an area with specific geographic boundaries where they have the authority to plan and cond ...
, it has performed at events such as the Wonju
Wonju () is the most populous city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city is located approximately east of Seoul. Wonju was the site of three crucial battles during the Korean War.
Geography
Wonju sits at the southwestern corner of Gangw ...
Tattoo, the Gangwon
Gangwon or Kangwŏn may refer to:
* Gangwon Province (historical), the Goryeo, Joseon Dynasty and the Japanese Korean province
* Gangwon Province (South Korea), a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Kore ...
International Tattoo as well as Korean War memorial ceremonies in the country. The Alliance Brass, an ensemble in the 8th Army Band, celebrated its 99th anniversary in Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
in June 2015 with a concert on Sükhbaatar Square
Sükhbaatar Square ( mn, Сүхбаатарын талбай, pronounced ''Sükhbaatariin Talbai'') is the central square of Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar. The square was named for Mongolian's revolutionary hero Damdin Sükhbaatar after his death ...
.
Korean Service Corps
The Korean Service Corps The Korean Service Corps Battalion (KSCB), also simply known as the Korean Service Corps (KSC), and formerly the Civilian Transportation Corps (CTC), is a flagged battalion of the United States Army, commanded by a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. The ...
was a reserve force composed of South Korean volunteers who were augmented to the 8th Army. They provided labourers who were used to carry ammunition and supplies, and support the overall logistic elements of the army. It is today, a paramilitary
A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...
civilian formation that is battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
-sized. Continuing is role as a combat service support
The term combat service support (or CSS) is utilized by numerous military organizations throughout the world to describe entities that provide direct and indirect sustainment services to the groups that engage (or are potentially to be engaged) ...
unit, it is capable of being expanded and mobilized during a wartime situation.
List of commanders
References
*
*
External links
Eighth Army – Official Homepage
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eighth Army (United States)
008 Army
Military units of the United States Army in South Korea
Military units and formations established in 1944
USFldArmy0008