Greek Expeditionary Force (Korea)

Greek Expeditionary Force in Korea
Εκστρατευτικόν Σώμα Ελλάδος στην Κορέα
Shoulder patch of the GEF
ActiveNovember 1950 – May 1958
Country Kingdom of Greece
Allegiance United Nations
Branch Hellenic Army
 Hellenic Air Force
TypeReinforced Infantry battalion, later regiment
Transport aircraft flight
Part of15th Infantry Regiment
US 1st Cavalry Division
US 3rd Infantry Division
EngagementsKorean War
Decorations Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour
2 x Presidential Unit Citation (US)
Presidential Unit Citation (ROK)
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Brig. Gen. Ioannis Dascalopoulos[2]
Lt. Col. Dionysios Arbouzis[3]
Lt. Col. Georgios Koumanakos
Sq.Ldr. Georgios Pleionis

The Greek Expeditionary Force (GEF) in Korea (Greek: Εκστρατευτικόν Σώμα Ελλάδος; romanized: Ekstrateftikon Soma Ellados, abbreviated ΕΚΣΕ) was formed in response to the United Nations appeal for assistance in the Korean War. It comprised a reinforced Hellenic Army (HA) infantry battalion and the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF) 13th flight of seven transport planes (C-47). Greece originally intended to send a brigade to Korea; upon consultation with the US, however, the expeditionary force was downgraded to a battalion attached to the US 1st Cavalry Division. The 13th Flight supported the US marine division and played an important role of evacuating the dead and the wounded. After the armistice, the RHAF unit withdrew in May 1955 and the HA unit in December 1955. Greece was the fifth largest troop contributor to U.N. Forces in Korea.[4]

The Greek forces brought valuable combat experience from their war against communist guerrillas in Greece (see Greek Civil War) and they were also skilled in using American weapons. Because of the mountainous terrain in their homeland, they easily acclimated to the Korean topography.[5] Their experience in their mountainous homeland made fighting in the Korean terrain less difficult for the Greeks than it was for the other troops, the UN command was especially impressed by how quickly the Greek troops were able to move.[6]

A total of 10,255 Greek personnel were sent to Korea.[7] 186 or 187 were killed in action and 617 wounded in action.[7] The bodies of all Greek soldiers killed in the war have been returned to Greece.

The trip of the Greek forces to Korea. The black line is the route of the Greek Airforce and the red line the route of the Greek transport ship with the ground forces.
  1. ^ United Nations Command-Greece
  2. ^ "Korean War Educator: Topics - National Archives Records - RIP 103".
  3. ^ Edwards, Paul M. (2006). Korean War almanac (1. ed.). New York: Facts On File. p. 517. ISBN 978-0-8160-6037-5.
  4. ^ Βασιλόπουλος (Vasilopoulos), Χρήστος (Christos) (2007). "Οι Έλληνες στον πόλεμο της Κορέας" [Greeks in Korean War]. Η Μηχανή Του Χρόνου (The Time Machine) (in Greek and English). Greece. Event occurs at 6:47. Alpha TV.
  5. ^ Stanley Sandler (1995). The Korean War: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 125. ISBN 978-0824044459.
  6. ^ Paul M. Edwards (2013). United Nations Participants in the Korean War: The Contributions of 45 Member Countries. McFarland. p. 91. ISBN 978-0786474578.
  7. ^ a b Info from the War Memorial of Korea at South Korea