5th Division (North Korea)
5th Infantry Division | |
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Active | July 1949 - ? |
Country | North Korea |
Allegiance | Korean People's Army |
Branch | Korean People's Army Ground Force |
Type | Infantry division |
Engagements | Korean War |
The 5th Infantry Division was a military formation of the
History
China
164th Division (1948–49) | |
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Active | 1948.11 - 1949.6 |
Country | People's Republic of China |
Branch | People's Liberation Army |
Type | Division |
Role | Infantry |
Part of | Fourth Field Army |
Engagements | Chinese Civil War |
The 164th Division (Chinese: 第164师) was created in November 1948 under the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948,[3] basing on the 11th Independent Division, PLA Northeastern Field Army. The 164th Division was a Korean unit, composing of basically Korean soldiers.
The division was under direct control of PLA Fourth Field Army. Under the flag of 164th division it took part in the Chinese Civil War, especially in the Siege of Changchun. In July 1949, the division was disbanded, and its 10821 Korean soldiers moved to North Korea, where it was re-organized as 5th Division of the Korean People's Army. Its Chinese soldiers stayed and later re-organized as 6th Artillery Division along with other units.
As of its disbandment the division was composed of:
- 490th Regiment;
- 491st Regiment;
- 492nd Regiment.
North Korea
Around mid-February 1950 the division began to receive new recruits, numbering approximately 1,000 men between the ages of 18 and 26 years, until it got up to full strength.
On June 19, 1950, leading elements of the division were said to have departed Nanam by rail for
At approximately 0500 hours on June 25, 1950, the 5th Division lunged across the 38th Parallel in an offensive down the main road that parallels Korea's rugged east coast. The division's drive was allegedly supported by the 766th Independent Infantry Regiment, an organization with a strength of 1,500 men which appears to have been part of a larger amphibious force under the direct control of the North Korean Army's General headquarters in Pyongyang.
The 5th Division in two weeks of heavy battles forged its way toward
For the next few days the division remained in Yongdok to reorganize and receive replacements. Approximately 1,200 new men were reportedly assigned to the three infantry regiments, bringing them up to about 50% of strength. These replacements were all North Koreans with about three weeks training who had been marching for fully 15 days before joining the division.
By August 12, the 5th Division had pressed to
On September 3, the division resumed its attack with the objective of taking Pohang-dong and the Yonil Airfield south of the town. By the following day the 5th Division succeeded in breaking through the outer defenses of UN forces and fought ferociously through a hail of artillery and small-arms fire. They finally entered the town on September 6, but before they could consolidate their gains the UN forces counterattacked and once again forced the division to withdraw and take up defensive positions just north of the town. For several days they fought an artillery duel and sent out combat patrols. Late in the evening of the September 11, the division advanced toward the southwest, skirting the outer fringes of the UN defenses, and deployed along the high ground overlooking Pohang-dong for another assault on the town. The 11th and 12th Regiments were poised foro an attack from the west, while the 10th Regiment occupied assault positions approximately 2.5 miles southwest of Pohang-dong. During the night large amounts of ammunition were carried to gun positions and last-minute preparations were made. On September 12, 1950, UN forces began laying a heavy artillery concentration on positions held by the 10th Regiment and later in the day the 11th and 12th Regiments were likewise engaged by artillery. Soon after, all three regiments were attacked heavily by UN aircraft which wrought considerable damage and disrupted all plans for the attack.
Beginning on September 14, 1950, the division was ordered to withdraw from their heavily shelled positions and to regroup in the vicinity of Chongha. When the last elements had withdrawn to the assembly area by September 16, the division was deployed along the Tosong-Dong-Chongha road in well dug-in positions designed primarily to afford protection against the dreaded air attacks which only the day before had blown up the entire ammunition dump of the division artillery. Since the division had been reduced to approximately 50% of its original strength by this time, it remained in this locality, reorganizing and receiving replacements totalling about 1,200 men. On September 21, 1950, the 5th Division was hit by the full weight of the all-out UN offensive launched in coordination with the successful amphibious operation at Inchon.
After the UN breakout from the Pusan Perimeter, fierce battles were fought in the harbor village of
On October 26, three battalions of the 5th Division had silently crept close to the hill positions of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, guarding a supply dump near Kojo. They attacked so swiftly at one platoon position that fifteen marines were killed there - seven in their sleeping bags. Before noon of the 28th, the 5th Division moved off west into the hills and the fight was over. The marines recovered their dead and counted their losses - 27 killed, 39 wounded and 3 missing.[6]
The division arrived in Cheongpyeong on November 8, 1950, and after joining forces with remnants of the 2nd Division, appears to have proceeded, through Hamhung where it swung inland, finally proceeding north along a road that parallels the Tabdong River. On November 18, elements of the greatly diminished 5th Division, with a remaining strength of only 500 troops were seen passing through Sachang-ni moving in a northerly direction.
Composition
The 5th Infantry Division was composed of the 10th Infantry Regiment, 11th Infantry Regiment, 12th Infantry Regiment, 5th Artillery Regiment and various unidentified support units.[7]
References
- ^ Korean People's Army - 5th Infantry Division
- ^ Appleman, Roy E. (1992) [1961]. "Armed Forces of North and South Korea, Chapter II". South to Naktong, North to the Yalu. United States Army in the Korean War. United States Army Center of Military History. p. 9. CMH Pub 20-2-1. Archived from the original on 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
- ^ 《中央军委关于统一全军组织及部队番号的规定》, http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_7254c7350100xb56.html
- ^ The Korean War: The Outbreak. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 19-6. Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
- ^ The Korean War: The UN Offensive. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 19-7. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ Appleman, Roy E. (1992) [1961]. "Chapter XXXVII: Guerrilla Warfare Behind the Front". South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu. United States Army in Korea. CMH Pub 20-2-1. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
- ^ North Korea Invades Archived 2006-12-29 at the Wayback Machine
- 中国人民解放军各步兵师沿革,http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_a3f74a990101cp1q.html