USAFIK
John Patton aka Kiaiokalewa
 

On August 13, 1945 the 45-year long suppressive Japanese occupation in the Korean Peninsula came to an official end. The region’s future was then shared by both the United States and Russia.
Washington’s policy makers and military planners agreed that Seoul, the capital of Korea, was of importance since it was the industrial hub of the country. However, the geographical point for division of Korea was a contentious issue during the planning stages. During the Cairo Convention of November and December of 1943, Korea’s future was determined to be a free and independent nation. This declaration was to be carried out by a multi-national trusteeship of the Allies (Americans, British and Chinese) when the Japanese were defeated. Still in agreement, Russia became involved and endorsed the Cairo Declaration at the Potsdam Conference in July of 1945. However, the U.S. was suspicious of the Soviet’s intentions with Japanese-occupied territories after it declared war with Japan on August 8, 1945. This had U.S. planners desperately reviewing their policy over Korea again. A full Russian occupation of the peninsula before the U.S. could get its foot in was considered unacceptable. The common consensus amongst the policy makers was that a Stalinist governing system would surely ensue along with a Soviet occupation. Since Russia was already invading Korea from the North, the earlier originally determined boundaries for the Allied warships in the Sea of Japan were considered; the meridian of which the naval boundary intersected Korea was at the 38th Parallel. Both forces agreed upon this division point where they could work from separately. The U.S. desired reunification of the two Koreas but the Russians controlled all aspects of its occupational area by preventing inter-zonal commerce and communications with the southern half. A full militarized road block system on the 38th Parallel was the ultimate attempt to stop the flow of North Korean refugees to the South. By the summer of 1946 hopes of unifying Korea was rapidly slipping from the grasp of U.S. policy makers.
 

An early 1949 image of the outdoor dance pavilion at the Junior Officers Quarter is Seoul, Korea. Here a group of Koreans are painting the band stand area with the USAFIK Bo Shin Kak Jong (bell) design. ( Courtesy Col. George A. Rasula)

On August 15, 1945, prior to the end of Japanese rule, USAFIK (United States Armed Forces in Korea ) was formally activated under Lt. General John R. Hodges, who arrived that August 27, 1945. . His primary objective was to establish order by developing a Korean Police Force to deal with internal affairs, and, at the same time, disarm and repatriate the Japanese back to their home land. A small team representing USAFIK landed at Kimp’o Airfield as a preliminary show of force on September 4, 1945. Five days later, the U.S 6th, 7th & 40th Infantry Divisions of the XXIV Corps landed. Inchon’s 3rd Medium Port was used for the influx of troops, equipment, and supplies for the arriving XXIV Corps Units. Pusan’s Pier One Port, in the southern tip of Korea, dealt with the processing and disembarkation of the Japanese. The 40th Infantry Division (California National Guard), was responsible for that procedure.
In Seoul, all civil affair issues were handled by the U.S. Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGK) while the USAFIK worked on building Korean Constabulary forces as part of the Korean defense plan. This ultimately became the nucleus of the Korean Army. Eight Constabulary Posts were formed by April of 1946 in Ch’ongju, Ch’unch’on, Iri, Kwangju, Pusan, Seoul, Taegu and Taejon. In November of 1946 another Constabulary garrison was established on the Island of Cheju-do at the southern tip of the Korean peninsula. Most of the men who joined these forces were Korean veterans of the Japanese Army, Chinese Nationalist Army or the Korean Liberation Army. The Japanese Army veterans were considered better disciplined, better trained and more professional to work with than the others.

Lt. George A. Rasula above is shown wearing a bullion USAFIK patch. Tasked with the assignment of out loading equipment and supplies for the XXIV Corps (6th and 7th Infantry Divisions), Lt Rasula’s first duty station in Korea was with the 3rd Medium Port, Inchon from August 11-December 2, 1948. In Seoul, he reported to the HQ, 32nd Infantry Regiment (IR) following his Inchon Port assignment. Lt. Rasula’s new assignment was Assistant S-3 (Operations and Training Officer) from December 2-December 20, 1948. Reassigned, he then assisted the S-2 (Intelligence Officer) of the HQ, 32nd IR from December 21 until the XXIV Corps pulled out of Korea on January 1, 1949. The 5th Regimental Combat Team (RCT) reactivated and took its place. The 32nd IR and three other units were ordered to remain in Korea to man the 5th RCT. Lt. Rasula was assigned to assist the S-3 of the 5th RCT HQ until June 17, 1949. This photo was taken in Toyko after the withdrawal of all USAFIK in late June of 1949.

Emerging problems with the development of a democratic Korea started with Washington having no clear policy on the Korean occupation. The effects hampered USAFIK’s ability to build a practical Korean defense force while U.S. weapons, supplies, training aids, communications and logistic barriers challenged efforts even further in creating an effective Constabulary Force. The idea was to have a Constabulary strength of 2,200 men in each of the nine Provinces mentioned above. This task was to support the Korean Police Force by aiding in suppressing domestic uprisings. Problems festered between the two forces, mostly over the Police being better equipped with U.S. arms in consistent with the captured Japanese weapons issued to the Constabulary troops. The jurisdiction and enforcement disputes frustrated both sides and made it difficult to stay focused on task. In order to control the reoccurring problems, USAFIK troops found themselves constantly getting involved. This placed the USAMGK in an awkward position especially since the idea was to let the Koreans settle their own domestic affairs. Some of the unpopular decisions made by the USAMGK administration agitated the local population which led to criticism of the U.S. roles. A short time later, the occupying troops were being viewed as foreign rulers.
The problem was compounded by dealing with the uniquely diversified and often controversial Koreans. Obviously, not all Koreans were anti-American, however one common goal shared by all was the desire to have an independent and free nation. Working steadily with the Korean Police and Constabulary members, the USAFIK forged its way into the training of what became the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA). In the process of cultivating the Constabulary Forces, the Russians argued that building a National Defense Force was the creation of an economically and politically dependent state contrary to what was originally agreed. Sponsorship of a Korean National Defense program was officially and quickly denounced by Washington, however it continued to support the nine organized Korean Constabulary regiments.
The 40th Infantry Division on the Pusan assignment was deactivated by the end of 1946 and returned to California. Washington’s policy by spring of 1947 was to withdraw all U.S. forces since Korea was becoming a complicated burden and a military liability. The desire to get out of the occupational business was greatly in favor by most policy makers, however the moral obligations to the South Koreans extended the process. The expansion of the Korean Constabulary grew again in October of 1947 after the United Nations (UN) supported the resolutions of supervised free elections on both sides of the Korean border. The United Nations’ involvement was completely rejected by the Russians who insisted that the UN immediately withdraw both occupying forces from the country before a unified Korean Government could be considered. This proposal was flatly rejected by the UN, resulting in Russia’s refusal to participate in any joint UN functions. In May of 1948 the elections were held in Korea although North Korea still refused to participate. The U.S. recognized the Republic of Korea (ROK) as the sole government of all Korea on August 15, 1948. On September 9, 1948 the Soviet sponsored North Korea announced the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the ruling party of Korea. The Russians officially withdrew all of their occupying forces from North Korea by December 26, 1948. These developing actions discouraged the originally planned withdrawal of all USAFIK by the ending of 1948. Prior reconnaissance probes of the North revealed massive interlocking fortifications along its southern border and a substantial build up of Russian trained Constabulary Forces to man these defensive systems. This prompted the build up of 6 additional Constabulary Regiments in the south. The USAMGK ended its official administration by transferring over authority and civil functions to the ROK Government on August 15, 1948. USAFIK remained until July 1, 1949.

The Bo Shin Kak Jong (bell) was used in the patch above to symbolize the Occupation in Korea. The U.S. Forces is represented by the red, white, and blue colors and tab; the white spread eagle represents the process of freedom.

The turmoil that U.S. forces had to endure during their final 10 months was very frustrating. Inspired communist rebellions, infiltrations, staged executions and sabotage attempts in the southern half of Korea were constant growing concerns for both the USAFIK and the new ROK Government. “Green arm bandits,” North Korean infiltrators, posed a serious problem in the coastal town of Yosu, south west of Kwangju. Greedy bureaucrats from the conservative factions exploited the local peasants by blocking the redistribution of lands back to them from the former colonial rulings. Officers from the 14th Constabulary Regiment were communist sympathizers trying to instigate a widespread rebellion in the southern half of Korea and took advantage of the dissension. Originally the Regiment was assigned to subdue the Cheju-do Island uprising but in route the troops were also upset with the southern land policies and revolted on October 19, 1948. Their efforts were minimized and subdued in a little over a week, which resulted in guerrilla based activities from this group throughout the remainder of the USAFIK’s involvement.

Above the “WE’VE HAD IT” design created into a beautifully hand crafted patch made by the local artisans in Seoul, Korea during the summer of 1949. The construction, materials and appearance suggests a Japanese made patch but in this case we have first hand knowledge stating it to be otherwise. Officially, only the Japanese language and the Shinto Religion were recognized in Korea during the Japanese Occupation of 1905-1945. It is likely that the influence of the Japanese handicrafts were also introduced during that period of time. The Korean Artisan making these patches must have developed this Japanese style of handiwork since most of the Japanese Nationals were repatriated back to their homeland in 1946. The “WE’VE HAD IT” design relates to the drawdown of the American Forces in Korea and the vulnerability of those (KMAG) who remained. The monkey wrench in the gears represents things are really screwed up and someone is messing up the works (in G.I. slang things are f*!#% up badly). The “honey bucket” with long handled ladle represents the bucket for carrying human waste to the fields and the ladle for spreading it as fertilize to the growing vegetation. Honey buckets carried the waste to the field where it was often dumped into honey pits, then from there taken to the fields for spreading. Honey wagons were pulled by, oxen and usually when a wagon or sled went by, the odor told you what it was carrying. During the war some soldiers accidentally fell into honey pits, or broke through the ice covering a pit. That separated him from his comrades very quickly. The use of the honey bucket and the color brown in the design of the patch represented our view of Korea at the time; very backwards. The WE’VE HAD IT” design, was silk screened by the training aids shop, by the time the 5th RCT left Korea”, as quoted by Lt. Rasula. “It was not an official insignia of the U.S. Army or any other U.S. Agency.”

The Joints Chief of Staff (JSC) originally decided on the withdrawal of the 6th and 7th Infantry Divisions to begin September 15, 1948 but radical uprisings and the Russia’s decision to leave North Korea at the end of 1948 influenced U.S. policy makers to re-evaluate the effects that the USAFIK had in deterring an invasion from the North. It was decided by the JCS to place a regimental combat team (RCT) of 7,500 men in place of the departing infantry divisions. All advisory personnel from the two units were assigned to the Provisional Military Advisory Group (PMAG) to assist in the training of the ROKA. Personnel from the 32nd Infantry Regiment, 48th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Cavalry Recon Troop plus an engineer company remained to form the reactivated 5th RCT.

The 7th Infantry Division had a unique Military Police presentation group called the Palace Guards from 1947-1948. During the Joint US/USSR Commission talks the Palace Guards would stand at attention while diplomats and military officials would ascend up the stairs to the great halls of the Duk Soo Palace in Seoul. The Palace Guard sign was in front of the HQ building at the Duk Soo Palace court. The Palace Guard patch is another great example of a USAFIK insignia that was likely made in downtown Seoul. It appears that the influence of the USAFIK Eagle is evident in the Palace Guard patch. The overall design is different from the HQ sign above and similar designs were painted on helmets less the title scroll.

Increased border clashes resulted as the USAFIK withdrew a bulk of its troops and at the same time, the ROKA troops started to take full responsibilities of patrolling its own borders. Patrols in platoon size from the 5th RCT rotated duties along the 38th Parallel. ROKA troops dug out defensive positions along the border which often sparked bloody skirmishes between both opposing groups. “Tracers went off once in a while, but there were no casualties or fighting,” stated Hank Snopeko of Company L, 5th RCT. “Those platoons were at a few key positions along the Parallel,” according to then Lt. George A. Rasula, “as a show of force but it was more like a show than force.” L-5 observer aircraft of the USAFIK aviation section were used to monitor the activities along the hostile 150 mile border. “It was a fair weather day for recon when Major French and I were on another of the continuing missions of keeping a birds-eye watch on the 38th Parallel. Flying these missions as an observer was becoming routine, or was it?”, recalled Lt. Rasula. “From Seoul we flew north over Uijonbu to the 38th Parallel and began our recon in an easterly direction along the parallel. I used my binoculars to scan the ground to the north in search of NK positions. As usual there wasn’t much to be seen because the NKs were becoming masters at camouflage. Then suddenly came what we knew could happen yet hoped never would - a loud boom sounded off the left wing while almost instantaneously Major French dropped the right wing and powered the flimsy aircraft into a dive, heading for the nearest valley to the south. We discussed the possible location of the enemy weapon and marked our maps. Having been shot at along the parallel convinced me the NK’s would cross the border very soon and drive right through the SK’s.”

Finally the JCS came to the conclusion that it was time for the remainder of the occupying forces to return home and to leave behind a small advisory group to assist the developing ROKA. In the closing months before the 5th RCT’s departure around spring of 1949 “the USAFIK troops were able, before their departure, to help train ROK soldiers in tactics and in the use of the weapons and equipment that they were turning over to the new Army. The 5th RCT prepared and staged demonstrations during its closing days in Korea to shoe the tactics employed by the squad, platoon, and company in both offense and defense. In addition, Battalion demonstrations were mounted for the benefit of ROK Officers and NCOs”, according to General William L. Roberts (Chief of PMAG and Commander of USAFIK between January 15th – July 1st, 1949). Continuance of military assistance was approved in Washington, as the remaining USAFIK’s departed on June 29th, 1949. The Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea (KMAG) with strength of 472 Officers and Enlisted Personnel was the only representation that the U.S. had remaining in the ROK.

The bell-shaped insignia was approved September 20, 1946 which the USAFIK, KMAG and JUSMAG-K personnel wore or continued wearing today can be tracked back to an Ancient Korean Bell that was cast in bronze over five centuries ago. This bell, called “BO SHIN KAK” was made in the year 1468 and is the very bell that influenced the bell shaped insignia design. The artistic development of Korean Bell making is ranked among the greatest cultural achievements of the Yi Dynasty. It symbolizes safety, security and a continued assurance of a growing nation. This bell is now enshrined near the Capital Building in Seoul.

I would like to thank the people who made this article possible: Bob Chatt, Dave and Steve Johnson collector of insignia. A very special thanks to Col. George A. Rasula (Ret.) for sharing information about the insignia he had designed including his experiences in Korea and for allowing the use of images from his personal collection (pavilion, poster, sitting Lt.). A special thanks to my incredibly patient and loving wife Pammi for editing this article for me.
 

REFERENCES:
A Handbook of Korea sixth edition1987 by Korean Overseas Information Service, Seoul Publishing House.
America’s Parallel by Michael C. Sandusky, Old Dominion Press Virginia 1983.
Captain James Hausman, US Army Military Advisor to Korea, 1946-48: The Intelligent Man on the Spot by Peter Clemens, Frank Cass, London, The Journal of Strategic Studies, Vol. 25, No.1 March 2002.
Changjin Journal by col. George A. Rasula, USA Ret., can be found on www.nymas.com
Coalition Combat Supporting South Korean Forces, JFQ Spring/Summer 2001 by William A. Donnelly.
Korea before the War, 1945-1949 by Richard K. Kolb, VFW April 2000.
Korean War Almanac by Harry G. Summers, Facts of File, Inc. NY 1990.
Military Advisors in Korea: KMAG in Peace and War by Major Robert K. Sawyer, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1962.
North Korea a county study fourth edition, first printing 1994 by the Federal Research Division, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1994.
The History of the United Nations Forces in the Korean War by The Ministry of National Defense The Republic of Korea 1972.
The Making of Modern Korea by Dr. Yushin Yoo, The Golden Pond Press, New York 1990.
The Question of American Responsibility for the Suppression of the Chejudo Uprising by Prof. Brush Cumings, University of Chicago 1998.
The United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea 1945-1955 by KMAG Public Information Office, Daito Art Printing Co. Ltd.1955.


 

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