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Thanks, Ed -
I couldn't have explained any
better.
ysk
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 11:12 AM
Subject: Parisans
Don,
> >>Please tell us what it was
like to be a partisan fighter in North Korea
> so we can compare "how
good the American GIs had it."
<<
They had it pretty tough -- hiding or running most of the
time, living on
what friendlies could give them and, if caught, torture
and execution.
Almost no medical support if wounded.
>
>>I'm confused with your use of the word "partisan." Where you a
South
> Korean who enlisted/joined to be a "partisan" in North Korea,
or were you
> a North Korean who joined an "anti-Communist" partisan
group in North
> Korea? If you were a South Korean, did the US recruit
you?<<
Partisans were North Koreans fighting the communist
government INSIDE North
Korea.
Prior to the war, the partisans
generally operated in very small groups
close to their home areas and
received limited support from South Korea
intelligence. They cam out
of the hills and took over their towns from
communist-appointed
administrators during the UN advance into North Korea.
Then fled to
offshore islands after UN forces were driven from North Korea,
leaving
behind agents and small groups who served as "anchor" points during
later
operations. When they first arrived on the offshore islands, they
still were under the loose control of ROK intelligence but in Feb 1951,
command & control passed to 8th Army G3 Miscellaneous Group, 8086th
AU. Command & Control passed to Guerrilla Division, United
Nations
Partisan Force, Korea, 8240th AU on 10 Dec 1951. The 8240th
AU was the
administrative cover for Combined Command Reconnaissance
Activities, Korea
(CCRAK,) thus were part of US forces in Korea,
albeit never recognized as
such despite being supplied, fed, armed and
paid by the U.S. Army. Command
and Control of the partisans
transferred to the ROK after the cease-fire,
who quickly drafted most able
bodied men into the ROK Army.
The "recognition" thing comes about
because ROK does not recognize
partisans as having served during the
Korean War, thus they are not
eligible for any of the veterans benefits
accorded Korean veterans by their
government. This includes former
partisans drafted when the partisans were
disbanded after the cease-fire.
For these men, their service begins the day
they were drafted.
To
make the cheese binding for these guys is ROK says any benefits or
compensation should come from the U.S. since they fought under U.S.
command
and control during the war. The U.S. says it is ROK
responsibility since
ROK took command and control from the U.S. In
other words, a reall "Catch
22," for these guys.
Ed
Ed Evanhoe,
PO Box 916, Antlers, OK, 74523-0916
Author: DARKMOON: Eighth Army Special
Operations in the Korean War
Life Member: Special Forces & Special
Operations Associations
Web site: http://www.korean-war.com
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