Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Awarded by South Korea
Type	Unit award
Eligibility	Military units of South Korea, as well as all military units who participated as part of the U.N. forces during the Korean War
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation streamer

Please see "Presidential Unit Citation (disambiguation)" for other nations' versions of this award

The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (Hangul: 대한민국 대통령 부대 표창; Hanja: 大韓民國大統領 部隊表彰) is a military unit award presented by the government of South Korea to both South Korean and foreign military units. The award is currently given primarily to South Korean military units, but it may still be awarded to foreign military units. By order of the South Korean government, the award was retroactively authorized to every unit of the United States Army that had deployed to the Korean Peninsula between 1950 and 1954.

Appearance

When the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation is worn on the uniform it is as a ribbon 1 ³⁄₈ inches (35 mm) wide surrounded by a gold frame. The ribbon is white, with a ¹⁵⁄₆₄ inch (6 mm) red above blue Taeguk in the center. At the edge of the ribbon, on each side, are the following stripes: ¹³⁄₆₄ inch (5 mm) Hunter Green; ¹⁄₆₄ inch (0.4 mm) White; ¹⁄₆₄ inch (0.4 mm) Old Glory Red; ¹⁄₆₄ inch (0.4 mm) white; ¹⁄₆₄ inch (0.4 mm) Old Glory Red; ¹⁄₆₄ inch (0.4 mm) white; ¹⁄₆₄ inch (0.4 mm) Hunter Green.^[1]

Recipients

• Awarded to the First Marine Division, Reinforced for operations from 15 September to 11 October 1950, including the Inchon landing and the battle for Seoul.

• Awarded to the 7th Infantry Division three times. The first was for service at Inchon, the second for service during the period of 1950-1953, and finally for deployment to the Korean Peninsula from 1945-1948 and 1953-1971.^[2]

• One Italian unit, the "Ospedale da Campo n° 68" (Field Hospital no. 68) of "Corpo Militare della Croce Rossa Italiana" (Military Corp of Italian Red Cross), was awarded this battle honour twelve: October 6, 1952 and December 30, 1954.

• One Turkish unit, Turkish Brigade, which repulsed a Chinese force three times its size during the battle of Kumyangjang-Ni (25–26 January) of the Korean War, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation from the President of Korea on July 11, 1951.

• One unit of the Puerto Rico National Guard, the 65th Infantry Regiment was awarded this battle honor twice during the Korean War. The first was for service in the Uijongbu Corridor in June 1951. The second was for service in the Iron Triangle at Hill 717 in July 1951.^[3]

• One South African unit, the 2 Squadron SAAF was also awarded this battle honour. It was presented on November 1, 1951. It reads "This unit was dispatched form South Africa in support of the United Nations Forces in Korea. It was equipped with P51 aircraft and has functioned continually in support of operations of the Eighth Army. Through all gallantry and devotion to duty of its personnel it has earned high praise and its losses in pilots have been heavy. It continued to meet cheerfully all tasks allotted to it, and gives a higher performance than is normally expected."^[4]

• Awarded to 16 Field Regiment of the Royal New Zealand Artillery.

• February 1951 a Dutch battalion (Van Heutsz) embedded into the US 2nd Infantry Division was awarded the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation for the capture oh Hill 325, north of Manjong Station. The under-strength A Company, reinforced by personnel from B and heavy weapons companies, was ordered to recapture Hill 325 on the 15th of February 1951. At 0230 hrs the next morning, the Dutch were beaten back by heavy machinegun fire; at 0345 hrs they tried again and this time advanced to within 300 metres of the crest before again being repulsed. Just before dawn the exhausted Dutch, their ammunition almost expended, fixed bayonets and, shouting their battle cry, gained their objective. For these actions the Van Heutsz received its first U.S. Presidential Unit Citation. This came at a cost, however, as the battalion had suffered over a hundred casualties.

• The award was awarded to Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea for service between 9 December 1999 to 24 April 2002.

• In 2011, the 2nd Infantry Division was recognized for their support of South Korea over the preceding 60 years.^[5]

• October 2013, Seventh Air Force was recognized for longstanding achievements in operational readiness and force employment in South Korea.^[6]

See also

• Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
• Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation
• Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

• Army Regulation 600-8-22 Military Awards
• Navy & Marine Corps Awards Criteria
• Air Force Personnel Center Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation