Tag: Ethiopia

Short Profile of Ethiopian Soldiers During the Korean War

A ROK Drop favorite, Robert Neff has an article published over in the Korea Times about Ethiopian soldiers that served during the Korean War:

Kagnew Battalion’s chaplain in Gapyeong, May 5, 1952. Robert Neff Collection

One of the least-known participants in the Korean War was Ethiopia. 

The first battalion of Ethiopian soldiers arrived in Busan in May 1951. Known as the Kagnew (“to bring order out of chaos”) Battalion, it was viewed with a degree of skepticism by American officers.

Many felt the Ethiopians should be placed in rear areas instead of the front line, but the Ethiopians insisted on being in the heat of battle with their American counterparts. So they were assigned to the American Seventh Division. (………….)

The Ethiopian soldiers soon gained a reputation. The Chinese feared them. The Kagnew Battalion never left a man behind ― wounded or dead ― and none of their soldiers were ever captured by the North Koreans or Chinese. It was like they were ghosts. Perhaps even more alarming were the rumors of cannibalism by the Ethiopians. Of course, these were false, but they only made the Kagnew Battalion even more terrifying to the enemy.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Foreign Minister Remembers Sacrifices of Ethiopian Korean War Veterans

Ethiopia is not a name you hear much of when it comes to the Korean War, but 122 Ethiopian soldiers died in the defense of Korea:

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se says the sacrifices made by Ethiopian war veterans contributed greatly to the democratization and economic advancement of South Korea.

Minister Yun, who is in Addis Ababa to attend the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development, made the remark while visiting the Korean War veterans memorial park at the Ethiopian capital.

In front of Korean War veterans on Monday, Yun expressed thanks for the deployment of elite troops to the conflict such as members of the Imperial Guard at the time.

The minister also participated in the burning of incense and a moment of silence for 122 fallen soldiers of the war.  [KBS World Radio]