Tag: Camp Casey

The community that surrounds the USFK installation Camp Casey in South Korea is the city of Dongducheon. The city has roughly 87,000 people living in it, but for most U.S. Soldiers the only part of the city they really see is what is located immediately outside of Gate #1. This area for many decades was called the “TDC Ville” or just the “ville” for short. TDC stood for Tongducheon in reference to how the city’s name was spelled back then. The TDC Ville twenty years ago was also very seedy and packed with juicy girls.

As the U.S. military began to actively crackdown on prostitution and human trafficking, the ville tried to clean up its act in the 2010’s and rebranded itself as the Bosan-dong Special Tour District. During this timeframe the juicy girls were still there, but greatly scaled down compared to decades prior.

Now during my most recent visit to Dongducheon the ville has once again rebranded itself as Camp Bosan in English even though in Korean it is still being called the Bosan Special Tour District. Here is the large sign near Camp Casey calling the ville now Camp Bosan:

Another large Camp Bosan sign has been installed on the opposite far end of the ville as well:

For my most recent visit to Dongducheon I got off at the Bosan Subway Station and immediately began walking along the interior street adjacent to the subway line:

Here is a view looking down the street adjacent to the subway line:

As I walked near the subway line I could see that Konglish is still a thing in Dongducheon:

Here is something we did not have to worry about back in the day because we were not allowed to drive cars in Korea:

Along the strip adjacent to the subway line I could see that the King Club after decades in business is still open:

I also spotted this huge and impressive mural of a Korean woman in a hanbok on the Eagles Club:

I then turned down a side street further into the ville where I spotted another long time club called the New World. Right above the New World was the Friday Club:

It was here near the New World Club 25 years ago when I saw one of the funniest fights I had ever seen:

Ville Memories: Juicy Girls and Snowballs

I then walked to the far end of the ville where I saw this unique structure that appears to be a little cafe:

I then walked through the main walking path through the center of the ville where I spotted a bar called the Torque Bike Club:

As I continued into the ville I noticed this newer establishment named Miami Club:

Here is a view looking further down the main path that runs through the ville:

As I continued to walk through the ville I saw the Top Club with a karaoke place right next to it:

Here is a club that has been around for awhile, Cowboys:

The Yolo Club is an establishment that seems fairly new in the ville. I did think it was clever of them to have a cash machine right at the entrance of their club:

Down a side street from the Yolo Club is the Spot Club:

Here is a restaurant named the Mommy Store:

Here is a view looking up the street towards the Mommny Store and Club Miami:

I also walked by a Board Game Cafe:

The ville still has plenty of custom tailor shops that I saw as I walked around:

The Star Custom Tailor is one that has been around a long time:

The ville also had plenty of places to get your favorite sports jerseys made:

There is of course a pawn shop for Soldiers to sell off there goods to in exchange for cash to give to girls in the ville:

Here is another newer club the Super Moon:

Here is the New York Club and the DD214 Club:

Here is a wider angle view of the intersection where the New York Club, the New World Club, and Miami Club can all be seen:

Here is a street view of the Loto Club and the Pentagon Bar:

Here is a closer look at the Loto Club:

Here is a closer look at the Pentagon Bar:

I next saw what is probably the oldest club in the entire ville, Club Rendezvous. The Rendezvous had actually been renovated since the last time I had saw it:

According to a sign near its entrance the Rendezvous has been open since 1970. That is a very impressive 55 years of operations in the ville:

The Rendezvous used to be the club I used to hang out at frequently when I was stationed at Camp Casey way back in the day. Then the club was operated by a local gangster named Mr. Han. Here is a story I previously shared about Mr. Han:

Ville Memories: The Rendezvous Club

Here is the Hurricane Club which is right next to the Rendezvous:

Next was the Players Club and the Bridge Club:

In a side alley I saw the Beat Club:

This location used to be where a popular latin club called the Pan Korea used to be at:

Some more clubs I saw was the Seoul Club:

There was also the Crown Club that is one that has been in operation for quite some time:

The Silver Star Club is another one that has been around for decades:

The Las Vegas Club likewise has been around for decades:

Same with the Sky Club:

Further down the street I then saw the Sclub Club. I have no idea what a Sclub is:

I next saw a colorfully painted Popeye Sandwich shop:

Here is the Ace Tattoo, the Link Up Lounge, and Camp One:

As I looked down the street I could see on the right all the food stands that have been added in the ville over the past few years:

This area is where an ajumma used to sell chicken on a stick from a little shack at back in the day. I used to get chicken there all the time until I found out where she got the sticks from:

Ville Memories: Why I Don't Eat Chicken On A Stick

Further down the street I saw a mink blacket store. Getting a mink blanket in Korea seems like a right of passage for GIs to get.

Next I saw the Ace Club:

Then I saw the Empire Club which is another one of the clubs that has been in operations for many decades:

I then came to the area where a large stage has been installed in recent years in a courtyard park:

Near this park is the Sun Club, which used to be located in a different area of the ville, but has apparently relocated in recent years:

The building housing the Sky Club had some pretty impressive grafitti:

Here are some more businesses located adjacent to the park:

Here is a panorama I took of the park:

Here is a closer look at the Wing 212 business:

I then walked into a side alley from the park where I saw the Poory Chop Store. Above this building is where the infamous 1992 murder of the Korean female Kum-I Yun by USFK servicemember Kenneth Markle happened:

Just down the alley from the Poory Chop Store I could see Club Peace:

Here is a closer look at Club Peace which is also one of the older clubs in the ville:

Some other clubs in the alley were the Olive Club and D Club:

There was also the Phoenix Club which has been around for a while:

Here is a look at a few other business located in this alley before it exits where Camp Mobile is located:

Here is a sign at the end of the alley promoting Camp Bosan and the Do Dream Music Center:

Across the street I could see Camp Mobile which back in the day was called the Turtle Farm. This is because the CIF used to be located there and Soldiers had to carry all their gear on their back to Camp Casey looking like a bunch of green turtles:

I then walked over to MSR-3 that passes through Dongducheon and right by Camp Casey. It is where many more businesses are located:

While walking along this section of the ville I spotted a coin and trophy shop:

I also walked by the first vape shop I saw in the ville:

Here are a waffle and kebab restaurants:

I then walked across a crosswalk then began walking towards Camp Casey’s Gate #1:

Here is the view looking back across the street:

Here is a picture of more businesses along MSR-3:

There was also more restaurants and a massage parlor that could be seen:

I also spotted a barber shop:

Here is the last few businesses I spotted before reaching Gate #1 at Camp Casey:

Overall though I am kind of surprised how many clubs and businesses are holding on in the TDC Ville. There has been a large reduction of Soldiers on Camp Casey and the adjacent Camp Hovey to just 4,000 personnel due to the relocation of the 2nd Infantry Division to Camp Humphreys. To make matters even more challenging for the business owners is that the subway station makes it much easier for the Soldiers to go to Seoul which means they spend less money in the ville as well.

Because of the change in the business environment it is very clear that much effort over the past decade plus has been put into cleaning up the TDC Ville. It does look better than I remember it, but the place is still old and rundown. An analogy I like to use is that you can put make up on Songtan Sally, but it is still Songtan Sally.

It really should be systematically torn down and redeveloped, but instead of redevelopment, the city of Dongducheon is leaning in to promoting the ville as a “retro” area in Korea. I don’t think this appeal is going get Korean tourists to visit a rundown neighborhood catering to U.S. Soldiers. Regardless a visit to the TDC Ville was a nice trip down memory lane to see how much has and has not changed in Dongducheon. However, whenever this place is enevitablly torn down one day to be redeveloped, I don’t think I will really miss it.

Note: If you have stories to share about any of the clubs listed in this posting feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below.

2ID veterans at the Korea Defense Veterans Association reunion in Washington DC this week include CPT Sarah Casey, the great niece of MAJ Hugh Casey, the camp's namesake. Sarah served in the 6-37 FA as an MLRS platoon leader at Camp Casey, Korea a few years ago. pic.twitter.com/GIjSNls3HL

— 2id.assn (@2idAssn) July 28, 2022

Thunderous Tank Thursday – M60A3s from either 1st or 2nd Tank, 72nd Armor, 2nd Infantry Division, crossing the river that runs through Camp Casey, Korea in 1989. #tanks #armor #ilovetanks #m60a3 #thunderoustankthursday #2id #casey #patton pic.twitter.com/ufKDZSQwfy

— Korean DMZ Vets (@Korean_DMZ_Vets) April 21, 2022

Soldiers on Camp Casey are currently barred from going outside the gates to neighboring Dongducheon:

An uptick in coronavirus cases near a U.S. base in South Korea prompted the commander to impose a travel ban Wednesday between the base and the neighboring city.

Dongducheon city is off-limits to anyone associated with Camp Casey, except for “approved mission essential travel,” according to a U.S. Forces Korea news release. Dining in off-post restaurants is also restricted.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but apparently an uptick in coronavirus cases in Gyeongi province this week from 111 to 135 cases is what led to the travel ban.

Whenever an alert drill happens there are procedures each unit runs through. Each unit likely did not get very far in their alert procedures before the all clear was given as a false alarm. This is much to do about nothing other than making sure it is harder for someone to make a user error mistake like this again:

A U.S. Army base in South Korea accidentally sounded an emergency siren Thursday night, sending some soldiers into a frenzy amid threats of an unwanted “Christmas gift” from North Korea, news reports said.

The incident occurred at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul, the closest U.S. Army base to the North Korean border.

The Washington Post reported that the siren went off around 10 p.m. instead of taps, the bugle call played at military funerals and on military bases to mark the end of the day.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

US soldiers stationed at Camp Casey, South Korea conducted their annual clean up of the Shincheon River that flows through Dongducheon:

Soldiers stationed near the North Korean border helped fill more than 80 trash bags with debris Thursday as they worked with local organizations to clean up the Shincheon River in their host city of Dongducheon.
Dongducheon Mayor Choi Yong-deok and Lt. Col. Shane Doolan, the 210th Field Artillery Brigade deputy commanding officer, offered opening words of appreciation to the local residents and approximately 100 Camp Casey soldiers who were participating.
“We cannot meet spring with garbage from last winter,” Choi said before the annual event.
The volunteers began by throwing into the river biodegradable balls containing microorganisms aimed at preventing the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

This is an interesting story about the relative of the namesake of Camp Casey serving at the 2nd ID installation:

Second Lt. Sarah Casey shares a name with her duty station, a small artillery outpost near the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

The artillery platoon leader from Collierville, Tenn., played along with the ribbing when folks greeted her with comments like, “Casey at Casey!” after glancing at her name tape. Until last month, when she revealed her secret. The camp was named in honor of her great-uncle, Maj. Hugh B. Casey, a World War II veteran killed in the Korean War who was awarded two Silver Stars during the liberation of the Philippines.

“I’m not here to say, ‘Hi, I’m Sarah Casey at Camp Casey,’ ” she said. “I think it’s important to remember the sacrifices of all those who came before us; that’s what the real story is to me.”

Sarah Casey was 26 when she arrived in South Korea — the same age her great-uncle was when he lost his life.  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link and learn more about Camp Casey at this link.

With the recent passing of Muhammad Ali I figured it was as good as time as any to remember the Champ’s visit to South Korea back almost exactly 40 years after ago in 1976.  Ali visited South Korea after participating in a celebrity wrestling match with famed Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki.  Incredibly Ali threw six punches in the wrestling match and earned $6 million for it.

Pacific Stars & Stripes, June 26, 1976

Ali landed in Korea at Gimpo Airport and a motorcade took him on a tour of downtown Seoul where an incredible one million people it was estimated greeted him.  Here is what Ali had to say about the welcome he received in Seoul:

“When I go back to America and throughout my tours I will tell people of the world how nice Korea is,” Ali said.

Pacific Stars & Stripes, June 29 1976

Ali also had good things to say about US troops stationed in South Korea:

“I’ve many American brothers over here, black and white who fight for the freedom of the world and are doing a job we can’t pay them for,” he said.  “I am a fighter myself and I realize how lonely it is when you’re in combat-how lonely you are in training.”

After the motorcade tour of Seoul, Ali was next driven north to Camp Casey where he boxed and entertained 2nd Infantry Division soldiers:

Ali fought exhibitions for the U. S. 2nd Infantry Division after receiving a hero’s welcome in downtown Seoul from hundreds of thousands of Koreans.

“One million dollars a punch,” Ali said of his 15-round draw Saturday with professional Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki, who spent most of the bout on his back trying to kick Ali down.

“And you are going to see hundreds of punches for nothing,” he told more than 2,500 American soldiers at the Shoonover Bowl outdoor theater 12 miles below the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea.  [Stars & Stripes, June 29, 1976]

So for soldiers stationed on Camp Casey the next time you are at Shooner Bowl remember that decades ago Muhammad Ali once entertained US soldiers there.  Here is a cool story from the visit:

“All right, fellows. Do you have any boxers out here?” Ali asked.

Specialist Fourth Class Gerald Noble, 28, stepped out. The 202-pound soldier was a Michigan State heavyweight champion in 1967.

They agreed to a five-minute round, in which Noble tried hard but was no match for Ali. The champion danced in and away and landed scores of accurate but soft punches on the soldier-boxer.

After the fight, in which Ali patted Noble on the seat of the pants with his right fist after forcing him into a corner, the champ declared the soldier one of the best men he has fought.

The soldiers booed, and a 149-pounder volunteered to “put up a better fight, if not knock you out.”

The challenger was Private First Class Larry D. Rice, 20.

Ali faked being knocked down twice in a five-minute round with the welterweight, drawing big cheers from the crowd. In the end, however, it was Rice who became exhausted and gave up.

“Ali is a great fighter but today he turned out to be a greater entertainer, too. We love him in this remote area. He must be second to none in every sense,” an enlisted man said. “Second to None” is the slogan of the division.

What an awesome story Gerald Noble and Larry Rice were able to tell for the rest of their lives of boxing Muhammad Ali.  It is such an incredible story they probably had a hard time getting people to believe them.  I am sure the Koreans and GIs that saw Ali back in 1976 will never forget his visit much like many people in the world will not forget the legacy Muhammad Ali left before his passing.

It is slowly happening, but it looks like the bulk of 2ID will eventually be on Camp Humphreys after all these years of delays:

The 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment will move from an area near North Korea this summer, becoming “the vanguard” for a massive relocation of U.S. forces to regional hubs south of Seoul, an Army spokesman said Tuesday.

The announcement is part of a flurry of activity as U.S. Forces Korea readies to finally shift the bulk of its operation to Camp Humphreys in the South Korean port city of Pyongtaek and other areas. The effort has been frequently delayed due to funding and construction problems. The move was originally scheduled to take place in 2008 but was delayed until 2012, then 2016 and most recently, 2017.

The Fort Hood, Texas-based battalion is slated to move from its base at Camp Hovey, which is near the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas, to Humphreys in July, said Lt. Col. Richard Hyde, a spokesman for the 2nd Infantry Division.  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link.

For old 2ID personnel like myself, it still seems weird to hear about an elementary school on Camp Casey.  After only six years of operation the school is closing this summer:

Camp Casey’s elementary school and child development center will close this summer as U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula relocate to Camp Humphreys.

An Installation Management Command memo, dated Jan. 28 and addressed to the parents of children stationed at U.S. facilities north of Seoul, says Camp Casey Elementary School will close in June and Child and Youth Services will end at the base July 1.

“In accordance with the 2002 Land Partnership Plan (amended in 2004), Area I is reducing in U.S. population and bases,” Col. Jack Haefner, U.S. Army Garrison Camp Red Cloud and Area I commander, said in the memo.

Camp Casey’s Department of Defense Education Activity school opened in 2010 with an enrollment of about 250 as part of U.S. Forces Korea’s plan to increase the number of command-sponsored slots on the peninsula. A new wing opened in 2011, nearly doubling the K-8 school’s capacity. However, enrollment has declined over the past year. [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link.