Short Profile of Ethiopian Soldiers During the Korean War

A ROK Drop favorite, Robert Neff has an article published over in the Korea Times about Ethiopian soldiers that served during the Korean War:

Kagnew Battalion’s chaplain in Gapyeong, May 5, 1952. Robert Neff Collection

One of the least-known participants in the Korean War was Ethiopia. 

The first battalion of Ethiopian soldiers arrived in Busan in May 1951. Known as the Kagnew (“to bring order out of chaos”) Battalion, it was viewed with a degree of skepticism by American officers.

Many felt the Ethiopians should be placed in rear areas instead of the front line, but the Ethiopians insisted on being in the heat of battle with their American counterparts. So they were assigned to the American Seventh Division. (………….)

The Ethiopian soldiers soon gained a reputation. The Chinese feared them. The Kagnew Battalion never left a man behind ― wounded or dead ― and none of their soldiers were ever captured by the North Koreans or Chinese. It was like they were ghosts. Perhaps even more alarming were the rumors of cannibalism by the Ethiopians. Of course, these were false, but they only made the Kagnew Battalion even more terrifying to the enemy.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ChickenHead
ChickenHead
4 years ago

“SHORT PROFILE OF ETHIOPIAN SOLDIERS DURING THE KOREAN WAR”

I expected they had a skinny profile but I didn’t know they had a short profile as well.

J6Junkie
J6Junkie
4 years ago

Never captured or surrendered to the Commies. Impressive.

setnaffa
setnaffa
4 years ago

Pretty impressive record. Even our Marines left behind dead and wounded at times.

myyellowbike
myyellowbike
4 years ago

Great article, “Today 5 May, 1952, is the twelfth anniversary of our independence. A day in which our Emperor, Haile Selassie, first freed his people, and all of Ethiopia from the foreign aggressor.” So, Ethiopia became free in 1940 from the Italian occupiers, Cinco de Mayo too, I did not know this. Hey, Dukem Restaurant Bar is a place to go in DC if ever given a chance and if these restaurants ever open up beyond take out.

4
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x