Korean People's Army, Part 6 - Independent Infantry Brigades

["Joseph S. Bermudez Jr." <joseph_bermudez@compuserve.com>]

Korean People's Army Independent Infantry Brigades, June 1950 - January 1956

Copyright (C) 2000, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.

Latest Revision: March 4, 2000


24th Infantry Brigade

The 24th Naval Infantry Brigade (a.k.a., 249th) was organized at Wonsan in
August 1950, simultaneously with the organization of the 23rd Naval Infantry
Brigade at Chinnamp'o. At this time elements of units subordinate to the
Naval Headquarters (a.k.a., 599th Unit) at Wonsan, including the 945th
Regiment (which had participated in the KPA amphibious landings on the east
coast), were integrated into this newly constituted unit.
 
The mission of the brigade was to defend the Wonsan area. The brigade,
however, was quickly dispersed upon the arrival of elements of the I ROK
Corps in the area in early October 1950. The brigade then withdrew northward
with elements being scattered in two directions. The majority of the brigade
elements withdrew due north from Hamhung towards Kanggye, while the
remainder withdrew to the north east up the coast towards Nanam and also to
Hyesanjin. Following the evacuation of UNC units from northeastern Korea the
brigade was able to consolidate its forces with stragglers and remnants of
other units and was redesignated as the 24th Division under the IV Corps. It
now moved towards the Hungnam Perimeter. Following the UNC evacuation of the
Hungnam area the division proceeded to the Wonsan area where it again took
up coastal defense positions. In February 1951 the division was placed under
VII Corps which had then arrived in the area.
 
During 1951 the 24th Division under the command of Major General Chae Mun
Chol remained in the Wonsan area. Here it was deployed from the vicinity of
Kojo north to Hodo Peninsula; and while receiving additional equipment and
personnel, prepared defenses against possible UNC amphibious landings. In
June 1951 the 24th Division added a tank battalion from the 105th Tank
Division to its three infantry regiments. Then in October 1951, the 24th
Division was again reorganized as a brigade and redesignated as the 24th
Mechanized Artillery Brigade. It remained, however, a coastal defense unit
with the only mechanized unit of the brigade being the tank battalion. By
mid-1952 the brigade was organized with six motorized artillery battalions
and two battalions of infantry.

During January 1956 the brigade, under the command of Senior Colonel Kim
Song Kuk, continued to defend the coast in the Wonsan area, from Songjon-ni
- Kowon, with its headquarters at Wonsan. At this time it was attached to II
Corps/III Army Group which had displaced VII Corps.

It is one of the forerunners of the present day mechanized corps.



25th Infantry Brigade

The origins of this brigade are obscure since there are no reports emanating
directly from the unit. A 25th Coastal Defense Brigade, however, was
activated at Chinnamp'o in July 1950 and was subsequently organized in the
Ch¹orwon area during August and September 1950. The brigade was initially
committed in the Seoul area during September but was forced to withdraw
before the UNC advance. The brigade was last in contact with UNC forces in
October 1950 in the Northeast sector of the DPRK. After which the brigade
was believed to have been inactivated. In 1952, however, reliable reports
placed the brigade in the area formerly occupied by the 63rd (507th) Brigade
from Hodo Peninsula on the east coast, north to the vicinity of Hungnam. It
was reorganized as a mechanized artillery brigade in October 1951, similarly
to the 24th and 26th Mechanized Artillery Brigades. In August 1953 the
brigade was attached to the V Corps and under the command of Kim Yo Man. It
was deployed in the area south of Hungnam and around Yonp'o in the coastal
defense mission.

As of January 1956 the brigade, under the command of Major General Chang
Pom, continued to defend the coast in the Hamhung area. It was now, however,
attached to the II Corps/III Army Group which had replaced VII Corps and was
responsible for the extremely long coastline from Kown - Songjin.



26th Infantry Brigade

The 26th Brigade was organized during August 1950 at Namch'onjom. In
September 1950 the brigade moved south but was met by superior UNC forces
and was forced to withdraw to the Yalu River border region. Here remnants of
the brigade and the 571st Regiment were combined with other replacement
troops in order to reconstitute the brigade. In early December 1950 the
brigade departed from the Manpojin area and proceeded south behind the
advancing Chinese Communist Forces. By the end of December 1950 the brigade
had reached the P'yongyang area and began to take up coastal defense
positions west and southwest of P'yongyang. By mid-January 1951 the brigade
was subordinated to IV Corps and its headquarters was located in the
vicinity of P'yongyang.
 
In October 1951 the brigade was reorganized as the 26th Mechanized Artillery
Brigade together with the 24th and 25th Mechanized Artillery Brigades. The
brigade¹s mission remained coastal defense and it was responsible for the
area from Chinnamp'o north to Hanch¹on. The brigade, under the command of
Song In Sop, continued to hold these positions until at least August 1953.
By January 1956, however, the brigade was moved south displacing the 23rd
Brigade and became responsible for the defense of the area from Changyon -
Sinch'on - Chaeryong (west of the Chaeryong River). Its commander during
this period was Senior Colonel Ho.


Endnotes

1   Field Jr., James A. History of United States Naval Operations: Korea,
GPO, 1962, pp. 423-426, & 432.