The over-all cost of the partisan warfare is estimated to be about $100 million. The average cost of a partisan was about $300 per month.
Line-crossers: line-crossers walk through friendly lines, booby traps, mine fields, live ammos to reach enemy lines. Once safely on the other side, line crossers have to pass through the enemy lines without getting detected or shot at. They would then spend as much time as possible observing military targets and mingling with enemy troops for several days. The return home is the most dangerous task for the line crossers. The enemy has his own line-crossers, perhaps several times more than ours and the American troops were quick to shoot at anything suspicious - the general practice being - Shoot first and the ask questions.
Line crossing was relatively safe in 1951 when the front-lines were fluid and tens of thousands refugees moved in both directions. Both armies were tolerant of the refugees and line-crossers mingled easily with the refugees.
Once the front-lines stabilized, the refugee flow halted. Line-crossers had to stand on their own. Most line-crossers were young teens, old men or young women with babies. Both armies were reluctant to shoot children, old men or women with crying babies. However, line crossing became too dangerous and ineffective in 1953 when both armies were dug in along static front lines and civilians on both sides were evacuated to the rear areas.
The 8th Army reverted to the use of TLO (Tactical Liaison Officers) in charge of specially trained agents dressed in NKPA uniforms. A typical TL team had one officer, 2 GI's and 25 Koreans. Each US Infantry Division had a TL team attached.
Line crossers were mostly N Koreans and they were not liked by ROKA who viewed all o Koreans working for the Americans as draft dodgers. Line crossers were often shot by ROKA intentionally.
March 2 CIA sends Vanderpool (later to become the Guerrilla Division 8240th Army Unit Commander) on a fact-finding mission to resolve a dispute over the NKPA capability - is it 36,000 men as claimed by the British intelligence or 136,000 as claimed by MacArthur's FEC G-2? Vanderpool reports the British figure to the CIA at about the same time the NKPA (140,000 strong) invades S Korea
July 2 Col. John McGee heads the FEC G-3 Miscellaneous Division. He is ordered to form guerrilla operations in Korea ASAP. McGee forms the 8th Army Ranger Company (8213th Company)
September 1 Operation Trudy Jackson: Lt. Clark, Royal Marines and South Korean National Police land on Yonghung-do and Taemu-do. Two weeks earlier, a ROKA unit cleared the islands for Clark's arrival.
September 8 Clark, Royal Marines and local irregulars retake Taemuui-do on the north side of Flying Fish (Inch'on Approach) Channel.
September 15 Miryang Guerrilla Battalion (comprised of North Korean defectors) lands at Changsa-dong on South Korea's east coast. The mission is to: (a) Interdict supplies to North Korean troops in fighting in P'ohang area and (b) Diversion for Inch'on landing by US X Corps. The landing is a failure and the guerrilla battalion is withdrawn on September 17 under fire by ships from Task Force 77.
September 24 Clark (Promoted to Lt. Cmdr.) returns to Korea with orders to liberate major islands south of Thirty-eighth parallel. His guerrillas augmented ROKM battalion and ROKN LST.
September 29 General MacArthur receives tentative permission to carry fight into North Korea.
September 30 ROK Army begins crossing Thirty-eighth parallel. First crossing on east coast.
October 1 Gen. MacArthur receives specific permission for advance into North Korea.
October 2 Clark's mission expanded to include `liberating' Yellow Sea islands north of 38th parallel.
October 14 Clark's mission concluded. Guerrilla forces returned to home islands and disbanded.
October 15 Advance elements of two Chinese Communist field armies begin crossing into North Korea.
November 1 Eighth Army intelligence identifies elements of CCF division fighting alongside North Koreans.
November 6 Eighth Army intelligence confirms presence of eleven additional CCF divisions.
November 25 CCF attacks in force. UN units begin retreating on all fronts.
December 8 Two agents air-dropped near Hwanju, 25 miles south of Pyongyang.
December UN Forces continue withdrawal from North Korea. Meanwhile exodus of North Koreans friendly with UN begins. Small self-defense units formed to protect refugees fleeing south. Small units begin consolidating into larger units. Several battles between communist units and newly formed partisan units take place as withdrawal continues.
January 14 ROK Navy vessels withdraw refugees from Upcho-ri on Hwanghae Province's southwest coast while partisans fight a delaying action to cover the withdrawal. Meanwhile North Korean troops are closing in on a second partisan group defending refugees in Hwanghae's northwestern quadrant.
January 15 Col. McGee forms the Attrition (Partisan) Section under Miscellaneous Division, Eighth Army G-3. Its main mission is to direct N Korean partisans.
February 15 Maj. William Burke is assigned to command TASK FORCE WILLIAM ABLE (later LEOPARD BASE) based Paengnyong-do with a mission to direct partisan operations in North Korea's western provinces.
February 15 McGee creates BAKER Section at Kijang near Pusan to airborne-train partisans for behind-the-lines operations in North Korea. Recruiting for the first behind-the-lines operation begins at the US 4th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne.)
February 22 One agent air dropped near Yonan and another near Chinnampo.
March 1 Task Force William Able is instructed to initiate partisan operations as soon as possible to support Eighth Army's Operation Killer. Able partisans are organized into Donkey xx units. Donkey-1 is led by Chang Jae Hwa, a merchant from Choryon; Donkey-4 led by Chang Sok Lin, a S Korean intelligence agent, later assassinated and replaced by Pak Chull; Donkey-11 led by Lee Jung Hok, a teacher fom Onjin area; Donkey-13, led by Kim Chang Song, a fruit farmer from Sinchon; Donkey-15, led by Kim Ung Soo, a banker from Sinuiju;
March 4 Donkey 4 ("baek-ho" - White Tigers) launches Operation "Shining Moon"
March 5 Four US Rangers arrive at Baker Section's K3 detachment for participation in "Operation Virginia One".
March 15 Virginia One, three Americans, one Briton, and 20 Korean agents, launched near Hyong-ni near Wonsan on an interdiction mission. Only five members survive.
March 25 British naval units (CTE 95.1) agree to support partisan operations with air strikes and naval gunfire.
March 30 Virginia One reestablishes contact via 7th Div FAC aircraft. Perry flies to location and establishes direct contact.
March 31 Three Virginia One Rangers exfiltrated by Naval helicopter from a hot LZ. All others killed or captured.
April 25 G-3 Miscellaneous assumes control of east coast irregular elements formerly under ROK control. Task Force Kirkland is formed at P'ohang-dong and prepares for a move to Samch'ok for training.
April 30 Kirkland moves to Samch'ok.
May 5 G-3 Miscellaneous Division Attrition Section becomes an authorized TD unit, G-3 Miscellaneous Group, 8086th Army Unit. It takes over the partisan operation on Han River Estuary islands from US First Corps.
May 15 Task Force Kirkland Rear is established as support headquarters at Chumunjin, a small port city seven miles south of 38th Parallel. Advance elements of Task Force Kirkland Forward depart for Nam-do, an island on the 39th Parallel ten miles off North Korea's coast.
May 19 Kirkland Forward main body arrives on Nam-do.
May 23 Major Burke, Leopard CO, sends Captain Robert Channon to Han River islands to settle internecine war between ROK Army led irregulars and partisans from mainland Hwanghae Province.
May 24 Kirkland establishes coast-watchers on Song-do, an island a short distance off the North Korean coast.
May 25 Channon arrives on Kanghwa-do.
June 3 Kirkland launches its first raid against North Korean mainland. This is to "bloody" Kirkland partisans, gather intelligence material and make the enemy use troops needed at the front to guard its coast.
June 4 Kirkland withdraws from Kojo after successful operation.
June 5 Channon leaves Han River Islands after settling dispute.
June 18 A 5-men (one Briton, 2 Americans, and 2 Koreans) advance party for Operation Spitfire, parachutes into North Korea. The main mission is to set up a partisan base in the Kumgang Mountain area.
June 21 Task Force Perry arrives at Kyodong-do to establish command and control of Donkeys along Hwanghae Province's southern coast, including Han River Estuary Islands. This is a semi-independent sub-command of Leopard.
June 26 Spitfire augmentation team, 9 Koreans, 1 American and 1 Briton, dropped.
July 5 Aircraft making re-supply drop to Spitfire can not find DZ. Loiters until dawn and then makes drop directly over hideout.
July 6 Spitfire Advance scouts run into enemy ambush at dawn. Sgt. Miles and 3rd Lt. (cadet) Ho fight delaying action to allow others to escape. Only 8 of the 16-member team escapes. The mission fails. No Baker mission for seven months after Spitfire disaster.
July 10 Truce talks start - "Die for tie" campaigns demoralize partisans. Col. McGee is replaced by Col. Jay Vanderpool (formerly with CIA).
July 12 Task Force Perry moves its headquarters from Kyodong-do to Kanghwa-do for better control of Han River island partisans.
July 17 Donkey (tang-na-gui) Eight partisans launch raid on mainland. Boats stranded by outgoing tide. Naval gunfire and air support saves partisans but casualties heavy.
August 1 Aviary Section, Combined Command Reconnaissance Activities, Korea (CCRAK), 8240th AU, established at K-16 (Seoul City Airport.). Its official designation: Far East Command Liaison Detachment, Korea, 8240th Army Unit [FEC/LD(K)}.
August 9 LTC Samuel Koster takes command of Miscellaneous Group.
September 1 Plans for Mustang II (POW rescue mission including General Dean) approved by Far East Command Headquarters. This is an updated version of Mustang I that was shelved in July.
September 6 Yuk-do and Yongui-do attacked by North Korean troops. Yuk-do successful defended but Yongui-do falls. Captain David Maus KIA on Yongui-do.
September 17 B-26 carrying Baker Section officers on recon of Mustang II mission site (Ha-ri, NK) shot down. Accompanying B-26 reports two parachutes opening at very low level. September 21 Mustang II canceled due to possible compromise.
October 8 Donkey 15 captures sister islands of Tan-do and T'an-do near mouth of Yalu River. Requests permission to capture Sunmi-do with UN naval support.
October 10 Permission for Sunmi-do invasion approved. Planning begins. Dept of Army issues Field Manual 31-21, "Organization and Conduct of Guerrilla Warfare".
October 14 Donkey 15, supported by HMS Cossack, lands on Sunmi-do but island has been recently reinforced. Landing fails with heavy Donkey 15 casualties.
November 6 Chinese launch attack against Donkey 13 on Tan-do. Tan-do falls. Survivors retreat to T'an-do.
November 8 Chinese invade and take T'an-do.
November 11 CCRAK deploys its first Tactical Liaison Office (TLO) team to US infantry division. Mission - dispatching and retrieving agents through front line positions. Later TLOs will conduct long range patrols behind enemy lines.
November 15 Chinese take Ae-do.
November 24 Chinese take Sohwa-do
November 30 Chinese land on Taehwa-do. Vicious fighting between Donkey 15, supported with naval gunfire from HMS Cossack, fails to stop landing.
December 1 Taehwa-do, last partisan base along northwestern North Korean coast, falls. Three British (one SAS, two man naval gunfire team) and one US captured. One US officer flees in get-away boat leaving others.
December 10 Eighth Army G3 Miscellaneous Group is re-assigned to Far East Command Liaison Detachment, Korea, 8240th Army Unit (Intelligence). New Designation, United Nations Partisan Forces, Korea, 8240th Army Unit Combined Command Reconnaissance Activities, Korea, 8240th AU, assumes responsibility for all behind-the-lines activities (intelligence and special operations) in Korea. Both UNPFK and CCRAK under FEC/LD(K), 8240th AU, forward HQ for Far East Command Liaison Group, 8240th AU, Tokyo.
January 10 Donkey-4 commander Chang Sok Lin is assassinated by his own men for being corrupt and dictatorial. Pak Choll takes over the command.
January 22 Baker Section launches Mustang III, a 19-member Korean partisan operation. Mustang III is intended to contact an existing Donkey 15 partisan group operating in far northwest North Korea. It is to provide Donkey 15 with radio contact with Leopard and to train the Donkeys in sabotage methods. The second phase includes contacting prisoners in non-Korean PW camps and establishing E&E routes from these camps. Jump successful but radio contact fails a few days after insertion.
January 30 Big Boy informs Kirkland Forward on Nam-do that it has rescued a shot-down US Navy pilot and requests helicopter evacuation.
February 5 Attempt made but Navy helicopter hit by groundfire and returns to its ship where it crashes on landing. Kirkland CO slightly injured in crash.
February 7 Second attempt. Helicopter reaches EZ but runs into ambush on landing. Crashes on takeoff. Chopper Pilot, downed pilot and Kirkland XO captured.
February 19 CCRAK-Aviary mission downed 12 kilometers west of Wonsan when an agent flips a primed grenade back into C-46 as he jumps. Plane crashes but most crew able to jump. Pilot and one CCRAK EM KIA. One AF noncom DOW shortly after jump. One Aviary noncom captured and one noncom MIA. Information indicates possibility this MIA noncom taken to Russia.
March 1 Kirkland again marginally operational. Chief role infiltration of teams to establish inland partisan groups. Secondary role spotting targets for naval gunfire and small coast road interdiction raids. Leopard and Wolfpack increasing activity with improving weather.
March 16 Mustang IV, a 16-men Korean team, is dropped in the vicinity of Sinuiju. Contact is lost after six days.
April 18 Severe storm lashes western Korean coast. High winds and heavy seas sink or destroy several Leopard boats.
April 22 Vanderpool issues Partisan Operations Outline.
May 1 Two US officers and 40 Donkey 15 partisans begin junk-borne reconnaissance of northwestern islands. Simultaneously US-led full scale raiding resumes along coastline in Leopard and Wolfpack areas of operation.
May 14 Mustang V and VI launched but in different locations. Mission sabotage and establishing E&E routes from PW camps. No contact established with either party after drop.
May 21 Donkey 15 returns in force to Taehwa-do and Sohwa-do. Improved communications allow direct contact with both Navy and Air Force.
June 1 Wolfpack 8 noncom leads inland recon. Finds several previously unknown enemy concentrations. Calls in and directs airstrikes with good results. Make successful withdrawal night of June 4.
June 9 Kirkland mounts raid on railroad tunnels north of Kojo. (Same tunnels attacked by ROK Marines prior to Virginia One.)
June 15 Wolfpack 8 noncom leads second inland recon. Excellent results.
June 19 Leopard launches American-led reconnaissance-in-force in area across channel from Ch'o-do. Finds few enemy in this area.
June 25 Kirkland lands Daniel Boone on east coast. Unit infiltrates to interior and establishes a partisan base in Diamond Mountain area south of Wonsan.
July 1 Wolfpack, Leopard and Kirkland mount numerous small raids along both coasts.
July 13 Donkey-4 mounts a raid on a NKPA coastal gun emplacement. A complete success at loss of 6 killed and 7 wounded.
July 15 Tropical storm hits west coast. Several Leopard and Wolfpack boats swamped. Operations halted for cleanup.
August 3 Second typhoon hits west coast. More boats damaged. Lack of transportation plus cleanup slows Leopard and Wolfpack operations.
August 11 Kirkland makes raid against AA positions south of Wonsan.
August 22 Leopard's Donkey 2 makes raid near Chinamp'o.
August 30 Leopard and Wolfpack operations suspended due to third approaching typhoon.
September 2 Typhoon hits Wolfpack islands. Severe damage.
September 3 Wolfpack reports losing 3 motorized and 10 sail junks to typhoon.
September 27 Orders received to expand UNPFK to 20,000 partisans by 15 March 1953. Task Force Scannon formed on east coast. Kirkland becomes Kirkland Regiment.
September 28 Wolfpacks makes reconnaissance-in-force landing. Party consists of four Americans and 475 partisans. Some objectives obtained but sheer size precludes quick movement.
September 30 Reconnaissance party withdraws under fire. Heavy casualties.
October 5 CCRAK redesignated 8242nd AU and assumes operational control of Far East Command Liaison Detachment, Korea. This includes the partisans.
October 31 Mustang VII (5 men) and VIII ( men) dropped in vicinity of POW camps in far northern North Korea. Initial success but again radio contact lost after a few days.
November 11 Partisan forces are redesignated as United Nations Partisan Infantry, Korea, 8240th AU [UNPIK]. Leopard, Wolfpack and Task Force Scannon are redesignated as Partisan Infantry Regiments (PIR). Baker Section is redesignated as 1st Partisan Airborne Infantry Regiment (1st PAIR).
November 13 Leopard partisans use silenced weapons (British Sten Guns) on raid for first time.
November 24 Wolfpack partisans use flame-throwers on raid for first time.
November 31 November best month ever for partisan operations. 408 separate actions conducted. 6,785 enemy casualties claimed.
December 10 3rd PIR (formerly Task Force Scannon) is assigned to a larger operational area. Three battalions, Storm, Avonlee and Torchlight join the Kirkland Regiment (battalion) as part of the 3rd PIR.
December 15 3rd PIR reports numerous desertions and other morale problems after a buildup from 275 men in August to a strength of 1,589 as of December 15th. Most new UNPIK men are South Koreans and have enlisted in UNPIK to escape Korean Army service.
December 20 Jesse James I (10 men) is dropped near Kaesung. Team captured upon landing.
December 28 Jesse James II and III, 10 men each, are dropped north of Kaesung. No radio contact.
January 25 Green Dragon (97 men and 1,500 pounds of supplies) is dropped from three C-119s in an area 40 miles east of Pyongyang (the same Drop Zone used by Spitfire) as a "stay-behind" mission. Its primary mission is to form the nucleus of a popular uprising against Kim Il Sung. After two months of silence, a Green Dragon radio reports that its strength is down to 31 men due to desertions and enemy actions.
February 7 CIA launches Boxer I and II, 12 men each, on east coast (NE of Hungnam.) to run raids along the coast in conjunction with naval missions. No radio contact and no survivor.
February 9 Boxer III (12 men) dropped. No contact.
February 11 Boxer IV (12 men) dropped. No contact.
February 21 Internecine war with ROK authorities are getting critical. All partisan commands are ordered to avoid friction with ROK military and civilian authorities. Friction is due to expansion plans and ROK fears of partisan forces turning on Rhee Syngman.
March 31 Hurricane (5-men radio team for inland Donkey) dropped. First Special Forces troops arrive.
April 1 5th PIR created from western area of 2nd PIR (Wolfpack) and becomes operational. Rabbit I (sleeper mission) dropped.
April 5 New commanders assigned to CCRAK, Liaison Detachment and UNPIK as chair-warmers move in to qualify for CIB and other combat awards.
April 6 6th PIR created from north area of 1st PIR (Leopard) becomes operational. Rabbit II dropped.
April 16 Orders issued to cease recruiting and to cut partisan strength to 20,000 men by 15 July 1953.
April 20 Two Americans and 20 partisans (Seadragon) make a junk survey of Yalu River Estuary slands.
April 22 Green Dragon reports rescuing five US pilots. US officers establish voice contacts with the pilots and drops a 27-men augmentation team for Green Dragon to aid in the rescue. A special equipment to snatch the pilots from a low flying aircraft is dropped.
May 17 2nd PIR (Wolfpack East) lands 410-man partisan force. Three Americans lead.
May 19 Additional 30 agents dropped for Green Dragon for the 5 pilots waiting to be rescued. The rescue plane is ambushed and Green Dragon is officially written off as an enemy operation.
May 22 Partisan strength now at 22,000 men.
June 12 All partisans and Americans withdrawn from islands north of 38th Parallel with exception of "stay-behinds"; and small reconnaissance patrols to keep tabs on enemy movements. Operations continue from islands south of the 38th and north of Sokcho-ri.
July 27 Cease-fire. All operations but stay-behind missions cease.
September 1 Disbanding commences.