Greek Expeditionary Force (Korea)

The Greek Expeditionary Force (GEF) in Korea (Greek: Εκστρατευτικόν Σώμα Ελλάδος; romanized: Ekstrateftikon Soma Ellados, abbreviated ΕΚΣΕ) was formed in response to the United Nations appeal for assistance in the Korean War. It comprised a reinforced Hellenic Army (HA) infantry battalion and the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF) 13th flight of seven transport planes (C-47). Greece originally intended to send a brigade to Korea; upon consultation with the US, however, the expeditionary force was downgraded to a battalion attached to the US 1st Cavalry Division. The 13th Flight supported the US marine division and played an important role of evacuating the dead and the wounded. After the armistice, the RHAF unit withdrew in May 1955 and the HA unit in December 1955. Greece was the fifth largest troop contributor to U.N. Forces in Korea.
The Greek forces brought valuable combat experience from their war against communist guerrillas in Greece (see Greek Civil War) and they were also skilled in using American weapons. Because of the mountainous terrain in their homeland, they easily acclimated to the Korean topography. Their experience in their mountainous homeland made fighting in the Korean terrain less difficult for the Greeks than it was for the other troops, the UN command was especially impressed by how quickly the Greek troops were able to move.
A total of 10,255 Greek personnel were sent to Korea. 186 or 187 were killed in action and 617 wounded in action. The bodies of all Greek soldiers killed in the war have been returned to Greece.
The seven C-47s of 13th Flight, with 67 Air Force officers and personnel, departed from Elefsis air base at 08:30 on November 11, 1950. They belonged to the 355 Transport Squadron, known for its participation in the recent civil war. The majority of the officers and NCOs of this first mission were experienced airmen, being veterans of the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre of World War II and the Greek Civil War.
On December 1, 1950, they arrived in Japan and immediately attached to the 21st Troop Carrier Sqn. (later renamed 6461 TC Sqn.) of the 374th Wing, United States Air Force, based initially at Daegu, helping at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
From May 14, 1951, the flight was based at Kimpo air base where it remained until May 23, 1955. During its time in Korea, the Greek Flight carried out 2,916 missions, comprising air evacuations, the transport of personnel and prisoners, drops of supplies and ammunition, the replenishment of allied bases and the collection of operational information. In total, its planes carried 70,568 passengers, including 9,243 wounded. It logged 13,777 flight hours. Losses included 12 officers and NCOs and two C-47s.
The Greek government originally intended to send a brigade to Korea, but with quick UN victories in the autumn of 1950, the expeditionary force was downgraded to a reinforced infantry battalion. Later, the Greeks offered to send more troops, but Douglas MacArthur declined the offer since the UN forces were winning and thought that the war would be over soon. The army unit, called the Sparta Battalion, arrived in Busan on December 9, 1950, after a long voyage under Spartan Lieutenant Colonel Georgios Koumanakos, was composed of 849 men and six vehicles in an HQ company and three rifle companies; with one machine gun/mortar platoon and three rifle platoons in each. The men were all volunteers from the 1st, 8th and 9th Infantry Divisions. The unit's officers were selected based on their fluency in English.
From August 23, 1951, the component was expanded to 1,063 men, at which strength it remained until the December 1953 armistice. It was subsequently increased to the level of 2,163 men until April 1955. After the anti-Greek Istanbul Pogrom, in September 1955, relations with Greece's NATO ally, Turkey, deteriorated and Athens decided to recall its units stationed in Korea. As a result, only 191 men were still in the country by December 1955. A representative section of one officer and nine men remained until May 1958.
The 13th Flight received a US Presidential Unit Citation for its participation in the evacuation of US Marines at Hagaru-ri in December 1950. The GEF Spartan battalion received its first US Presidential Unit Citation in February 1952 for the capture of Scotch Hill.
The Greek infantry company involved in the defense of Outpost Harry received the following Presidential Unit Citation:
"DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Washington D. C., 10 March 1955 GENERAL ORDERS 18
DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION Company P Greek Expeditionary Forces Battalion (Second Award) is cited for extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against an armed enemy in the vicinity of Surang-Ni, Korea during the period June 17 to June 18, 1953. Assigned the defense of a vital outpost position (Harry), the company encountered a major enemy assault on the evening of June 17. After an intense concentration of enemy mortar and artillery fire, the hostile forces, which had taken up an attack position on the northeast and northwest side of the outpost, moved rapidly through their own and friendly artillery fire to gain a foothold on the northern slope of the position. Refusing to withdraw, Company P closed in and met the attackers in a furious hand-to-hand struggle in which many of the enemy were driven off. The aggressors regrouped, quickly attacked a second time, and again gained the friendly trenches. Immediately, the Greek Forces launched a series of counterattacks, simultaneously dispatching a diversionary force to the east of the outpost which successfully channeled the enemy thrusts. After two hours of close-in fighting, the aggressors were again routed and the friendly positions restored. The outstanding conduct and exemplary courage exhibited by members of Company P, Greek Expeditionary Forces Battalion, reflects great credit on themselves and are in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and the Kingdom of Greece."
Individual Greeks received six U.S. Distinguished Service Crosses, 32 Silver Stars, 110 Bronze Stars. 19 members of 13th Flight received the US Air Force Air Medal for the Hagaru-ri evacuation operation in December 1950. The Greek battalion's war flag also received the highest Greek military decoration, the Commander's Cross of the Cross of Valour, in 1954.
The Greeks were very interested in the wellbeing of the civilians and considered it as a high priority. Of all the forces, they were possibly the most protective. They especially treated Korean children with great kindness including the feeding, clothing and sheltering of Korean orphans, possibly because of the kidnapping of Greek children by Communists during the Greek civil war.
Greek military chaplains played a prime role in the preservation of the Korean Orthodox Church during the Korean War. This small religious body, founded by Russian Orthodox missionaries during the czarist era, had suffered persecution due to a series of historical developments -- the Japanese colonization of Korea, the rise of communism in Russia, World War II and the division of the Korean Peninsula. The Korean War added to the devastation. When Greek chaplains became aware of the Korean church, its flock had been scattered and its clergy were dead or presumed dead. The Greeks helped arrange ordination of new Korean clergy and eventually helped the church affiliate with an Orthodox bishop overseas. Today, the church has its own resident bishop and has thousands of members in South Korea.
The American feature film The Glory Brigade deals with the mission of the Greek military and its joint operations with U.S. forces in the Korean War. The movie was shot in Hollywood and on location in rural Missouri in late 1952, and it was released in spring 1953, shortly before the end of the war. Film star Victor Mature plays a U.S. officer of Greek descent in the movie. Alexander Scourby, an American actor of Greek heritage, plays a Greek officer.