Korean War 25th Infantry Division (United States)

gun crew of 64th field artillery battalion, 25th infantry division, fire 105mm howitzer on north korean positions near uirson, south korea, 27 august 1950.

open warfare once again flared in asia, division s primary area of concern, on 25 june 1950. north korean military crossed 38th parallel on day in attack on south korea. acting under united nations orders, tropic lightning division moved base in japan korea between 5–18 july 1950. division, under command of major general william b. kean, completed first mission blocking approaches port city pusan. action, tropic lightning received first republic of korea presidential unit citation. other battles later in conflict further enhanced division s reputation exceptional combat effectiveness. division participated in break-out pusan perimeter , successful drive north korea in october 1950. task force dolvin, 89th tank battalion under ltc dolvin on 24 november , these units drove enemy yalu river. in sudden , unexpected reversal, however, overwhelming number of chinese communist troops crossed yalu , pushed united nations forces along front. division forced carry out systematic withdrawal , ordered take defensive positions on south bank of chongchon river 30 november 1950. eventually, these lines failed. however, after series of short withdrawals permanent battle line established south of osan.

after month , half of planning , reorganization, new offensive launched 15 january 1951, , completed 10 february recapture of inchon , kimpo air base. first of several successful assaults on chinese/north korean force, helped turn tide in united nations favor. division next participated in operation ripper, during drove enemy across han river. success continued operation dauntless, detonate , piledriver in spring of 1951. these offensives secured part of famous iron triangle enhanced united nations bargaining platform. leaders of 4 nations @ negotiating tables in summer of 1951, division activity slowed patrol , defensive actions maintain line of resistance. type of action continued winter of 1952. when negotiations stalled, division assumed responsibility of guarding approaches of seoul on 5 may 1953. 23 days later, heavy chinese assault hurled @ it. division held ground , assault repulsed; brunt of attack absorbed 14th infantry regiment ( golden dragons ). defending seoul continued attack may july 1953, division earned second republic of korea presidential unit citation. again negotiators moved toward peace. in july, division again moved reserve status @ camp casey remained through signing of armistice 27 july 1953. fourteen division soldiers awarded medals of honor during korean war, making division 1 of decorated army divisions of war.

the division s 14th infantry regiment had 3 recipients of medal of honor, donn f. porter, ernest e. west , bryant e. womack. 24th infantry regiment had 2 recipients, cornelius h. charlton , william thompson. 35th infantry regiment had 3 recipients, william r. jecelin, billie g. kanell , donald r. moyer. finally, 27th infantry regiment had 5 recipients, john w. collier, reginald b. desiderio, benito martinez, lewis l. millett , jerome a. sudut. divisions patch referred electric strawberry .

the division remained in korea until 1954 , returned hawaii september through october of year. after 12-year absence, 25th infantry division had returned home.

on 1 february 1957, division reorganized pentomic division. division’s 3 infantry regiments (the 14th, 27th , 35th) inactivated, elements reorganized 5 infantry battle groups (the 1-14 in, 1-27 in, 1-35 in, 2-19 in , 2-21 in).

in august 1963, division reorganized reorganization objective army division (road). 3 brigade headquarters activated , infantry units reorganized battalions.