India in the Korean War

2023-07-18T16:22:37Z

59.8.130.175:

India was involved in the [[Korean War]]. India provided the [[Field ambulance|medical unit]] 60th Parachute Field Ambulance and Custodian Force for [[Operation Big Switch|POW exchange]].

==60th Parachute Field Ambulance==
[[File:IndiansoldiersKorea1953.jpg|thumb|Indian troops on the [[USS Point Cruz]] get ready to be flown by helicopter to the neutral buffer zone in Korea, 7 September 1953.]]
[[File:1951koreaindiaunemblem500won.jpg|thumb|[[South Korea]]n 500 won stamp issued in 1951 commemorating the role of the Indian 60PFA during the [[Korean War]] 1950–1953.]]

After outbreak of [[Korean War]] on 25 June 1950, India decided to provide a [[Field ambulance|medical unit]].

The 60th Parachute Field Ambulance (60th PFA) arrived on 20 November 1950 and began to operate on 6 December 1950 at [[Pyongyang]] front, Commander was Lieutenant Colonel [[A. G. Rangaraj]]

Main unit was attached to [[27th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|British 27th Infantry Brigade]] and [[1st Commonwealth Division]] and provided medical support in the battle front, the detachment was served in the hospital at rear front [[Daegu]].<ref>[https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/023/0003771141?sid=103 6·25 부상병 20만 명 치료한 인도軍 군의관]</ref>

60th PFA was providing medical support to the [[United Nations Forces in the Korean War|UN Forces]] as well as the [[ROK Army|South Korean Army]] and Korean civilians.

They treated about 20,000<ref>Some news outlets announced that 60th PFA treated about 200,000 wounded solders and civilians, But total wounded soldiers of [[United Nations Forces in the Korean War|16 United Nations Forces]] were about 100,000~110,000. According to South Korean Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History statistics, 60th PFA treated about 20,000 wounded solders and civilians</ref><ref>[https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn2/625_15/index.html The Statistics of the Korean War, 391 Page - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (E-BOOK)] {{in lang|ko}}</ref><ref>[https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_201408070704130850.pdf The Statistics of the Korean War, 391 Page - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}</ref> soldiers and civilians from November 1950 to February 1954.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kumar |first1=Sanjay |title=Exhibition showcases Indian chapter in Korean War |url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220307000928 |access-date=2 April 2022 |publisher=The Korea Herald }}</ref>

60th PFA displayed such outstanding performance during [[Operation Tomahawk]] on 21 March 1951. They attached to [[187th Infantry Regiment (United States)|187 Airborne Regimental Combat Team]]

After [[Operation Tomahawk]], two membes were awarded [[Maha Vir Chakra]]s, 60th PFA was awarded the President's Trophy on 10 March 1955.

On July 27 1953, [[Korean Armistice Agreement|Korean Armistice Agreement]] signed, In August 1953, personnel of 60th Parachute Field Ambulance joined Indian Custodian Force for [[Operation Big Switch|POW exchange]].

===Award and commendations===
* [[Meritorious Unit Commendation|United States Meritorious Unit Commendation]]: (date unknown)
**Citation: "The 60th Parachute Field Ambulance displayed such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions."
* [[Maha Vir Chakra|India Maha Vir Chakra]]
** [[A. G. Rangaraj]] - Lieutenant Colonel (1951-03-24)
** N. B. Banerjee - Major (1951-03-??)

* [[Order of Military Merit (South Korea)|Republic of Korea Order of Military Merit (Chungmu)]]<ref>[https://www.sanghun.go.kr/nation/participation/sangopen/sangInfoOpen.do Official Database of Awards - Republic of Korea Ministry of the Interior and Safety]</ref>
** [[A. G. Rangaraj]] - Lieutenant Colonel (1951-08-02, 1951-11-30)
** N. B. Banerjee - Major (1951-08-21, 1951-11-30)
** K. C. Chopra - Captain (1951-08-21, 1951-11-30)
** H. S. Parmar - Captain (1951-08-21, 1951-11-30)

=== Summary ===
* Arrival: 22 November 1950
* Departure: 23 February 1954
* Hospital / Unit operations: 4 December 1950 – August 1953 (In September, joined Indian Custodian Force for POW)
* Based in: [[Pyongyang]], [[Munsan]], [[Gapyeong]], [[Daegu]] - Main unit was attached to [[27th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|British 27th Infantry Brigade]] and [[1st Commonwealth Division]], the detachment was served in the hospital at [[Daegu]].<ref>[https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/023/0003771141?sid=103 6·25 부상병 20만 명 치료한 인도軍 군의관]</ref>
* Personnel: 333~346 (quota) / 627 (total)
* Killed: 3, Wounded: 23

==Custodian Force==
After [[Korean Armistice Agreement]] on 27 July 1953, India provided Custodian Force for [[Operation Big Switch|POW exchange]].

Indian Custodian Force conducted POW exchange and returned to India on 23 February 1954.

==Casualties ==
Casualties of 60th Parachute Field Ambulance
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Killed
! Wounded
! MIA
! POW
! Total
|-
| 3
| N/a
| N/A
| 26
| 29
|}

According to [[Ministry of National Defense (South Korea)|South Korean Ministry of National Defense]] source,<ref>[https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn2/625_15/index.html The Statistics of the Korean War, 392 Page - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (E-BOOK)] {{in lang|ko}}</ref><ref>[https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_201408070704130850.pdf The Statistics of the Korean War, 392 Page - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}</ref>

The 60th Parachute Field Ambulance had 3 fallen soldiers but Indian Government didn't recognize 3 fallen soldiers.<ref>[https://www.busan.com/print/index.php?code=20160826000084 유엔기념공원에 인도군 전사자 빠졌다]</ref>

There was one fallen Indian Army officer.

After the outbreak of Korean War on 25 June 1950, [[United Nations|United Nations Korea Committee]] visited South Korea and one of members was the Indian officer Colonel 'M. K..Unni Nayar'<ref>[https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/001/0004536992?sid=102 잊혀진 한 인도군 장교의 죽음]</ref>

He was killed by mine accident near [[Waegwan]] on 12 August 1950.<ref>[https://www.kukinews.com/newsView/kuk201806270293 68년 만에 6·25전쟁 전사자 명비에 오르는 인도인 장교]</ref><ref>[https://www.busan.com/print/index.php?code=20160826000084 유엔기념공원에 인도군 전사자 빠졌다]</ref>

Due to difficulty of transport body, he buried in [[Daegu]] In 2012, his wife was buried in the same grave<ref>[https://ncms.nculture.org/korean-war/story/4125 6·25전쟁의 격전지와 기념시설물 - 6·25전쟁 UN참전 기념시설물유엔한국위원단 인도 대표 나야 대령 기념비]</ref>

==Memorials==
On 20 September 1976, Memorial for 5 countries which provided medical support: [[Sweden]], [[India]], [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], [[Italy]] was unveiled in [[Yeongdo District]], [[Busan]].<ref>[http://www.unpm.or.kr/un2022/sub.php?&MenuID=126&bCode=X8&cate=&st=sisul&ss=%EF%BF%BD%EB%B8%A3%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD&gotoPage=1&mode=view&bo_no=61 의료지원단 참전기념비]</ref><ref>[https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.naverisHttpsRedirect=true&blogId=ilovemofat&logNo=140112000342 인도 의료지원부대 한국전 참전용사회]</ref>

There is a memorial of Colonel 'M. K..Unni Nayar' in [[Suseong District]], [[Daegu]] which unveiled on 7 December 1950.<ref>[https://blog.naver.com/suseongblog/223126801603 제68회 현충일 나야 대령 기념비 참배식]</ref><ref>[https://www.suseong.kr/tour/index.do?menu_id=00030851 나야대령 기념비]</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Medical support in the Korean War]]
* [[United Nations Forces in the Korean War]]
* [[Parachute Regiment (India)]]

==Further reading==
* [https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/hisofunforces02/index.html The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-2 (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, United Kingdom) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1981 (E-BOOK)]
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202211020924598030.pdf The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-2 (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, United Kingdom) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1981 (PDF)]
* [https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/hisofunforces06/index.html The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-6 (Summary) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1977 (E-BOOK)]
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202211020922227920.pdf The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-6 (Summary) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1977 (PDF)]

* [https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/625nun/index.html The Korean War and the UN Forces - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2015 (E-BOOK)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202301161009297680.pdf The Korean War and the UN Forces - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2015 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn2/625_15/index.html The Statistics of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (E-BOOK)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_201408070704130850.pdf The Statistics of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/un/index.html The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1998 (E-BOOK)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202304020257196620.pdf The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1998 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_201306250608524620.pdf The Summary of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1986 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://new.mnd.go.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn2/history_of_war_in_korea11/index.html The History of the Korean War-11: The UN Forces (New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Denmark, India, Italy, Norway, Sweden) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1980 (E-BOOK)] {{in lang|ko}}
* [https://www.imhc.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_201306250725274860.pdf The History of the Korean War-11: The UN Forces (New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Denmark, India, Italy, Norway, Sweden) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1980 (PDF)] {{in lang|ko}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGPvTX6cR3s Korean War: When India Played Peacemaker | Flashback with Palki Sharma]

{{Korean War}}

[[Category:Medical support in the Korean War]]
[[Category:Korean War by country]]
[[Category:Wars involving India|Korean War]]

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India in the Korean War