Posted on Nov 6, 2015
Do Any of You Have Stories of ROK Soldiers In Vietnam?
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I was told the ROK Army was pretty vicious in the Vietnam War. I don't know if this is true or not. I read about a story but can't prove the veracity of it. The VC captured and killed a couple of S Korean soldiers. The S Koreans retaliated by skinning alive a VC and tying him up in a tree. Super spooky if true.
I have read that the US was paying the S Korean military, and their soldiers were making really good money.
I have read that the US was paying the S Korean military, and their soldiers were making really good money.
Edited 2 mo ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 44
MAJ Ken Landgren
I can't vouch for the authenticity. The ROK soldiers skinned VC alive and hung them in the trees for revenge. That is pretty chilling.
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SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D
I fought with the Korean Special Forces and ROK's during the Tet and flew them in and out of some death defying situations laying down some super firepower to cover them from my chopper to the time they dissapeared in jungle cover. I must admit that when you fight with them, you become one of them who would defend you with their life, and would expect you to do the same for them which I did. Spent months with them on mission after mission and we all became so close that we would shoot peacocks for them from my chopper and they would somehow come up with the Saki for all of us to enjoy with their favorite delicacy. Going into a hot LZ they were fearless, ruthless and professional soldiers who fought as if they were invincible. Tough as nails! One mission during monsoon season we were flying into a small clearing they made for us to pick them up and one soldier forgot to ignite a smoke canister for us to fly into the wind. As we came into the small LZ, I saw an officer strike the apparent soldier responsible for our smoke right across the face with a swagger stick and the soldier never flinched. When my time came to depart from supporting those ROK soldiers they awarded me with a Tokabi (Devil Fighter) medal. What an honor and heart breaking experience to leave my brothers, but never the memories of the toughest guys I have ever had the honor of serving with in combat.
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Served with soldiers of the ROK Army at the MACV Recondo School located in Nha Trang in 1969. They were good soldiers and tough in everyway. I have seen the Korean officers slap their enlisted soldiers if they got out of line. I also served with them again in Korea while commanding HHC, 2nd Infantry Division in 1978. Discipline was strict.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
I am reading that they used a scorched earth policy and killed everything in the villages suspected of hiding the VC.
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SGT Thomas Lucken
The ROK NCOs are tough also. Send a KATUSA off to the ROK Army for retraining!!!! Done it back in the 80s, SGT Shin was his name. When he came back, he told me: "SGT Lucken, I never will fuck up again!" He was tired, sore, and wore out when I picked him up for Squadron HQ!
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