page_title: Parachute Regiment (India)
section_title: 60 Parachute Field Ambulance and the Korean War
hierarchical_section_title: Parachute Regiment (India) / History / 60 Parachute Field Ambulance and the Korean War
caption_attribution_description: English: Postage stamp of South Korea, The countries participating in the Korean war series, India, 500 won, 1951, scott#153 Русский: Почтовая марка Южной Кореи. Серия: государства, принявшие участие в Корейской войне, Индия, 500 вон, 1951, Скотт#153
context_page_description: The Parachute Regiment is an airborne forces and special forces regiment of the Indian Army.
context_section_description: With the North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950, the UN sent out a call to the free world for assistance. India decided not to get involved militarily but contributed a medical unit, the 60 Parachute Field Ambulance (60 PFA) which served in Korea for a total of four years. 60 PFA was involved in providing medical cover to the forces of the UN Command as well as the ROK Army and local civilians, and earned the title, "The Maroon Angels". The unit also looked after the North Korean POWs.
  The highlight of the tenure undoubtedly was when the unit provided their services during Operation Tomahawk on 21 March 1951 to the US Army's 187 Airborne Regimental Combat Team for which the unit was awarded two Maha Vir Chakras, one bar to Vir Chakra and six Vir Chakras, and a host of other Indian and international individual and unit decorations. These included the unit citations from the US and South Korean Army chiefs, commendations from the 1st Commonwealth Division, and British commanders. There was a special mention of the unit in the House of Lords in the British Parliament. The 12 members of the unit who participated in the airborne operation were also awarded the American Parachutist Badge. On their return to India, the unit was awarded the President's Trophy by the first President of the Republic of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad on 10 March 1955 at Agra, the first one of its kind and the only one to date. The troops of the unit were also awarded 25 Mentioned-in-Despatches.
caption: South Korean 500 won stamp issued in 1951 commemorating the role of the Indian 60PFA during the Korean War 1950–1953.
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