Re: North Korean Naval OOB

["Joseph S. Bermudez Jr." <jbermudez@qwest.net>]

Title: Re: North Korean Naval OOB

Keith,

> Does anyone--don't laugh--know where I might obtain a reasonable OOB of the North Korean Navy during the war? Apart from references to the four torpedo boats (reportedly) that engaged in the war's only real surface action on 2 July 1950, I have seen no specifics on the composition of the North Korean Navy.  Even the "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995"  is not much help in this case. 

While I don’t have access to all my files at the moment one declassified document (dated 6 October 1949) that I located describes the KPN as being organized with Northern, Eastern, and Western Sea Commands, a Naval Academy, and three regiments of “marines” (more correctly naval infantry). It had an estimated total strength of 8,658 (three 1,800-man “marine” regiments, an 880-man Northern Sea Command, an 880-man Eastern Sea Command, a 930-man Western Sea Command, and Naval Academy of 568 personnel). There were an additional 950 KPA troops present for duty with naval detachments at Cho Do and Pi Do.

The fleet consisted of 29 vessels (one 750-ton ship; two 300-ton ships; twenty 30-50 ton patrol boats; three 50-ton tugs; two former South Korean Navy motor mine sweeper; and one former Imperial Japanese Navy motor mine sweeper).

There were a number of changes to this organization before June 1950. One was the addition of a small number of ex-Soviet Navy P4 torpedo boats.

I hope that this helps.

Best regards,
Joe B.

Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.