38th Army (People's Republic of China)

History

The 38th Army was a military formation of the People's Volunteer Army (Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) or Chinese Communist Forces (CCF)) XIII Army Group, during the Korean War. It was composed of the 112th, 113th, and 114th Divisions. [ [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/korea/20-2-1/sn39.htm Appleman, Roy E. "South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu", pg 768] ] The 38th, the 40th and the 42nd Armies (the finest of the IV Army Group) along with the 27th and the 39th Divisions from South China were placed at Peng Dehuai's disposal for the initial Chinese intervention in Korea. [ [http://www.kimsoft.com/2000/peng.htm Who was Peng Dehuai?] ]

The 38th Army and the 42nd Army were pouring through the broken South Korean lines to Eighth Army’s east and threatening to envelop the entire force. [ [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/brochures/kw-chinter/chinter.htm The Korean War: The Chinese Intervention, pg 12] ]

Opposed the U.S. 45th Division during the Battle of Old Baldy.

October 6 to 15, 1952, fought in the battle for Baengma-goji, a 395-meter hill near the "Iron Triangle". During the course of the battle, the hill changed hands 24 times after repeated attacks and counterattackss for its possession. It was the most intense position-grasping battle for a small hill during the course of the Korean War. The 112th and 114th Divisions under the command of General Gang Ong-hwi were selected as the main force to capture Baengma-goji, and the 113th Division was to replenish the losses of the main force. The 38th Army committed seven regiments out of its total of nine regiments and sustained a total of 14,332 casualties (8,234 identified deaths, 5,097 presumed deaths, 1,001 wounded, and 57 prisoners, while the 9th Division of South Korea suffered a total of 3,422 casualties (505 dead, 2,562 injured and 391 missing), plus over 400 more casualties in the 1st Battalion of the 30th Regiment. The American Fifth Air Force made a total of 745 sorties and poured more than 2,700 bombs of various kinds, together with over 358 napalm bombs, onto the hill. Chinese forces rained no less than 55,000 shells during the nine-day battle period, and the South Korean forces fired over 185,000 bombs. The 38th Army, after having been replaced by the 23rd Army, had to withdraw to the rear. [ [http://www.korea-dmz.com/en/h/bw/hbw100_en.asp Baengma-goji Battle] ]

Current

The formation is still active as the 38th Group Army in the Beijing Military Region. [ [http://www.sinodefence.com/organisation/groundforces/default.asp PLA Ground Forces] ] In 1989 during the students' protest, its' loyalty was reportedly doubted. It is one of the most well equipped and trained group army formations in China today, and is given the task to guard the national capital of Beijing. It also serves as a testbed for the latest equipments and doctrines developed by the PLA.

References