A Profile of USFK Camps In Dongducheon, South Korea
The 2nd Infantry Divison, USFK lone combat unit in Korea is composed of two main hubs. The first hub are the camps located in the Uijongbu area just north of Seoul. Uijongbu is home to logistical, communications, and command & control units while the city of Dongducheon located 20 kilometers north of Uijongbu on Highway 3, is home to the division’s combat arms units. The division’s infantry, armor, engineer, and artillery units are all located in the Dongducheon area:
Camp Kwangsa-ri
The first camp in the Casey area is called Camp Kwangsa-ri, which is located halfway between Dongducheon and Uijongbu. The camp serves as a ammunition storage facility for the 2ID and is only staffed with a handful ordinance soldiers, a few American civilian workers, many Korean workers, and a ROK Army unit. I have been to Camp Kwangsa-ri more times than I care to remember handling ammunition issues, but the biggest story to ever come out of this camp was when a corruption scandal was uncovered on the camp in 2005 involving a Korean worker named Mr. Kim who was stealing expended ammunistion brass from the camp to resell to a private company. Mr. Kim made $300,000 from the scam and is still at large to this day.
Dongducheon
Just of the road from Camp Kwangsa-ri is the city of Dongducheon. Dongducheon by Korean standards is considered a backwater city even though it has a population of nearly 80,000 people. The city also has long had a seedy reputation due to being home to a large number of US military camps over the years:
The city and especially Camp Casey and Hovey are ringed with steep mountains including the popular local mountain Soyosan that makes up the northern boundary of Camp Casey. A river runs through the center of the city and is known to flood from time to time. In 1997 the entire Dongducheon “ville” area was underwater during the worst flood in recent memory.
Most people in the city either directly or indirectly are dependent on the USFK presence for their livelihood. However, factories staffed with third world laborers continue to sprout up in the area to contribute to the local economy as well. The mixture of Koreans, third world laborers, and US soldiers does give the city a vibe very different from everywhere else in Korea.
Camp Casey
The biggest camp by far in Dongducheon is Camp Casey:
The camp was named in 1952 after Major Hugh Casey who was an engineer officer that was awared the Distinguished Service Cross for combat actions during the evacuation of Hungnam, North Korea. Casey would later die in December 1951 when the light observer plane he was flying in was shot down by ground fire and crashed on a small hill in the middle of present day Camp Casey. This hill to this day is marked by a large white cross that can be seen from just about anywhere on Camp Casey.
Camp Casey is a large sprawling base located farther north than any other major US military camp in Korea. The camp is only 15 miles straight line distance from the DMZ that separates the two Koreas. Camp Casey is so close to the DMZ you would think it would be quite a spartan installation. That is not the case, as the camp has every facility any other US Army installation has:
It has numerous eating establishments both fast food and sit down restaurants. There are two different Burger King locations, a Popeye’s Chicken, Dunkin Donuts, Anthony’s Pizza, and a Taco Bell. The Primo’s restaurant has a really good lunch buffet that is worth checking out as well.
The largest PX in 2ID can be found here to buy all the latest products and a decent commissary that includes most the foods you would find in the states. The camp also has a nice bookstore and sports shop. The PX also has a number of Korean stores where you can buy typical Korean products, but they are quite expensive compared to buying the same items off post.
Camp Casey is filled with athletic facilities. There are gyms and weight rooms are spread out all over the camp plus numerous football and softball fields are available as well. Throughout the year there are numerous athletics leagues running that encompasses every major sport played in the US. The competition in these leagues is usually very competitive because most soldiers are in Korea away from their families for a year and thus focus much on sports to keep them busy.
The camp also has plenty of entertainment options. There are multiple bars on the camp and a dance club located in Primo’s. Near the PX there is also a nice bowling alley for the bowlers out there. The golf course is quite popular and usually filled unsurprisingly with Korean golfers.
Some of the major units on Camp Casey include Taskforce 1-72 Armor, 2-9 Infantry, 302nd Brigade Support Battalion, 1-38 Field Artillery, & 6-37 Field Artillery.
Golsandong
An unusual fact about Camp Casey is that it actually contains its own Korean village called Golsandong:
The village is actually spread out among the hills to the east of Camp Casey and contains 48 homes with 116 residents:
These homes can only be reached by driving through Camp Casey. So if you are stationed on Camp Casey and see some Koreans driving farming equipment on post, now you know why.
Camp Hovey
Located adjacent to Camp Casey is the medium sized installation of Camp Hovey.
The camp is named after Master Sergeant Howard Hovey who ended up being one of the last Americans to die during the Korean War during the battle of Pork Chop Hill in July 1953. For his heroic actions defending the hill from the massive Chinese offensive he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
MSG Howard Hovey
Camp Hovey has plenty of facilities to include a restaurant and club, a video store, gymnasium, and sports field. One minus about Camp Hovey is the distance from the PX and commissary on Camp Casey. It is about a 20 minute bus ride from Hovey to reach the PX.
The front gate of the camp is bordered by the sleazy and run down ville of Toko-ri:
You can read more about Teokgeo-ri at the below link:
Some of the major units on Camp Hovey includes 1-15 Field Artillery, 4-7 US Cavalry, & 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion.
Camp Mobile
Located right across Highway 3 from Camp Casey is small installation Camp Mobile:
Camp Mobile was known for decades by 2ID soldiers as the “Turtle Farm” because it was the location of the 2ID Replacement Company. The new soldiers that arrived at Camp Mobile were known as “turtles” because they had so long to go before their tour in Korea would be complete. Since the Replacement Company was on the camp the Central Issue Facility (CIF) was established on Camp Mobile to field gear to all the new soldiers.
I remember my first time pulling into Camp Mobile. I had been on a bus from Kimpo Airport and pulled into this camp that reminded me more of a concentration camp than a military installation due to the drab buildings, quonset huts, and barbed wire. This place was not a welcoming site to anyone pulling into 2ID for the first time. Fortunately the Replacement Company was moved to the much more hospitable Camp Stanley in Uijongbu. The company is now known as the Warrior Readiness Company.
Camp Mobile also has an air strip on it that is used for helicopter landings as well as UAV operations. The only thing I remember more than arriving to the “turtle farm” for the first time was waiting in the freezing cold of February for four hours on the air strip to do an air assault training operation with the 1-503 Infantry. We absolutely froze waiting for the helicopters that would never seen to show up. Finally we were told it was to cold and the visibility to poor for the helicopters to come. There was some seriously pissed off infantrymen that day.
Camp Nimble
Just down the road from both Camp Casey and Camp Mobile is the now vacated Camp Nimble:
Camp Nimble before closing, was home to two companies from the 702nd MSB. These two companies contained the military semi-trucks used to transport cargo and equipment for the division. This may be why it was named Camp Nimble:
I’m sure the camp had its good points, but to me Camp Nimble never seemed like a good place to be stationed and the roads leading from the camp were quite narrow and definitely a traffic hazard for military vehicles trying to drive through there. Fortunately this camp has finally been closed down.
Camp Castle
Just north of Camp Casey is the small installation of Camp Castle. Camp Castle for decades was home to the engineers units thus the reason for the name of Camp Castle. The engineers moved off the camp in 2004 and has been occupied by the 702nd Brigade Support Battalion since:
Something unusual about this camp is that the motorpool is located on the opposite side of Highway 3 from the rest of the camp. The motorpool is accessed by a pedestrian overpass.
Camp Castle is further divided with a small warehouse located just north of Camp Castle’s main post which is known as Camp Castle North:
The warehouse on Camp Castle North is used by the division to turn in old equipment to the support battalion unit that operates the warehouse. This is another place I have spent way to much time at before.
Overall, the Camp Casey area is not a bad posting considering how close to freedom’s frontier one is stationed. Combined the camps have just about every facility you could expect on any other US military installation and transportation to and from the post continues to improve, especially with the opening of the new subway station in Dongducheon. So if you get stationed in the Camp Casey area it is not the end of the world and it is not that bad of a place. Like most things in Korea, it is all what you make of it.
Note: You can read more from the ROK Drop featured series “A Profile of USFK Bases” at the below link:
I was stationed @ camp castle 2id back in 76-77 and i read with great interest that the 2nd engineers left this post in 2004 any idea where they are now? Are they still in existence?
I remember the flood. It was in August of 1998. The reason I remember it so clearly is because it happened the night before I was scheduled to fly back to the States after my ETS. All of TDC was underwater. I couldn’t get out of Gate 1 so I had the staff duty driver take me to Gate 2, where I managed to get a cab to Kimpo. That ride cost me $100 but it was worth it. The cab driver spoke no English and I spoke no Korean. He knew where I wanted to go and, after a trip north around to floodwaters, got me to the airport with time to spare.
Redleg,
I love success stories!
Kevin, 2nd Eng Bn is now at FT Bliss, assigned to 3BDE, 1st ID.
In 77 our barracks for the 1/9th was the modular type with the latrine in the middle with 6 to 8 4 men rooms on each side, a deep concrete spillway ditch ran close within feet of that barracks I know during heavy rains that the water would roar down it full to the top was wondering if that barracks was still there during that bad flood in the late 90,s that I had read about and also saw where that a lot of those camps was closing down or moving is Hovey still going strong?
Frankie, those type are long gone. Hovey was sent to close and had all units off. That was until they figure out it was really hard to get tanks, apc’s, etc from Humphreys to MPRC for gunnery and moved most of the maneuver units back to Casey/Hovey. Still a sad and depressing place made more so now that these units are rotational and sucking down 9 months in Korea. (210 Fires BDE is on Casey as well…)
It was stupid to get rid of the whole Western Corridor in the first place.
I was assigned to 3td Bde (2nd Med then 296 FSB) I enjoyed my assignment there, had a real mission. Hood not so much, REMF unit with a Cold War mission that was unneeded.
If it was there in the 90,s no doubt the bad flood washed it away, we even wondered about it at times was actually glad to stay in the quonset hut more on the hill when they had made repairs on it, how is todays units set up? Rotating in and out at 9 months, before I left Germany in 84 the new Army over there was going to be regimental 85. Was the majority of the troops trained together from basic then AIT and send to where ever as one unit?, Back in the day every other week or so several rotated out and news ones came in the company, started off as the F!!!!!! turtle , Gilbert, Smith, Jones you,re on shit burning detail in the morning while just getting there in 77 going straight to the DMZ, how is it set up today? When the wall came down in W Germany they closed down about every kaserne, my old kaserne out of the 3rd AD was leveled and now one of the largest trucking companies around sits on it with several acre size buildings. Still think that the U.S. screwed up there. Was at camp Humphreys twice on the Thunder Bolt mission looks like its still booming, I suppose that it and Casey are the big boys in the area. I really enjoy reading you guys post so many of us in the different era,s about the only things that remains the same it seems is the mountains.
Thank you Frankie. For your service and this message.
No I thank all of you that was there before and after my bunch and especially the ones serving now..
I will confirm what Redleg said. The flood was August of 1998. We (HHC 1/9 Inf) were just barely moved into the new barracks when the monsoon hit. We didn’t have power or running water for a week. Playing Spades by chemlight proved to be fun. PT was cancelled during the major clean up efforts. TDC area was still a mess by the time I emergencied PCS back stateside Christmas Day ’98.
KUTF
To expand on Turtle Farm, it got that name because it took you 365 days to go the 6 foot distance between the In and Out Processing doors.
I don’t remember the Turtle Farm, but I do remember the Turtle Ditches! I’ve seen quite a few soldiers passed out in them from the night before. Had to be the SOJU. Lol. Camp Mobile 2nd S&T, 1988-1989.
I was there 87-88 & 90 1/72 armor & 702 main. Bat
Kevin – Yes, the 2nd Engr Bn is located at Fort Bliss as the 3rd Bde, 1st AD BEB. For awhile after leaving Korea, they were located at White Sands, NM. I was the HHC, 2nd Engr Bn CO, 77-78.
Was in 503rd at Hovey ’87-’88 and my good friend Richard Carman had been there I think ’84-’86 and he said they had a real bad flood in ’84 or ’85. If you’ve seen Ricard Carman, let me know. Last time I saw him was ’96-heard he worked MWR at Camp Hialeah.
Camp Hialeah is long gone….
Some of the information on this is wrong. The famous monsoon happened in August of 1998. Some of these articles say 1997.