THE 34TH REGIMENT IN KOREA

 

When General MacArthur ordered United States ground troops to Korea after the invasion of South Korea by the Communists in June 1950, the 34th was one of the first units to strike back against the aggressors.  The regiment arrived at Pusan on July 2d, and three days later was engaged in combat against the North Korean 4th Division.  The 34th Regiment assisted Task Force Smith (Lt Col Charles B. Smith), consisting of elements of the 24th Division, in their withdrawal from Osan, where the first ground action between United States and Communist troops took place.  On the 7th of July the 34th and other elements of the 24th Division were forced to withdraw from the Pyongtaek and Ansong area.  By the 11th, the 34th had fought its way back to the Kum River, three miles north of Kongju, where the 3d Battalion, which had suffered a large number of casualties, was reorganized as a single company. 

The 34th Infantry participated in the bitter fighting around Taejon for five days and was finally forced to withdraw to the vicinity of Kunwi, on July 23, 1950. 

During the next week the 34th fought in the withdrawal to the Naktong River where the NK 4th Division established a bridgehead on the 6th of August.  From the 6th to the 19th of August the 34th suffered heavy losses participating in the many actions to reduce the enemy bridgehead.  In a coordinated attack with the 19th RCT and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, the 34th was instrumental in the final reduction of the bridgehead on August 19th. 

Due to the large number of casualties in the 34th, the regiment was reduced to zero strength on August 31, 1950, and its personnel were transferred to the 19th and 21st RCTs

The regiment, less personnel and equipment, was transferred to Japan where it was reorganized in December of 1950, and participated in intensive training exercises for the next two years, training many replacements for units in Korea. 

In June and July of 1953 the 34th Infantry again returned to Korea where it was assigned to the Korean Communications Zone to participate in the Prisoner of War operations resulting from the mass breakout of PWs in June 1953. 

Rejoining the 24th Division, which had also been returned to Korea in July 1953, after an eighteen-month period in Japan, the 34th Infantry remained in Korea until November 1954, when the Department of the Army announced that the 24th Division would begin to return to Japan.  The first elements of the 34th Infantry arrived in Japan in mid-November 1954 and began preparations to receive the remainder of the unit upon its transfer from Korea. 

 

 


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DECORATIONS

Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered DEFENSE OF KOREA (DA GO 45, 1950)

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1950 (DA GO 47, 1950)

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation embroidered PYONGTAEK (DA GO 35, 1951)

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation embroidered REBUILDING KOREA (DA GO 24, 1954)

All companies, 3d Battalion: Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered CORREGIDOR (WD GO 53, 1945)

Company A, Service Company; 3d Platoon, Cannon Company; and 3d Platoon, Antitank Company: Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered CORREGIDOR (WD Go 53, 1945)

 

 Korean Operations

United Nations Defensive

United Nations Summer-Fall Offensive

Korea Summer-Fall 1953

 

 

DECORATIONS

Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered DEFENSE OF KOREA (DA GO 45, 1950)

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1950 (DA GO 47, 1950)

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation embroidered PYONGTAEK (DA GO 35, 1951)

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation embroidered REBUILDING KOREA (DA GO 24, 1954)

All companies, 3d Battalion: Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered CORREGIDOR (WD GO 53, 1945)

Company A, Service Company; 3d Platoon, Cannon Company; and 3d Platoon, Antitank Company: Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered CORREGIDOR (WD Go 53, 1945)

 

COAT OF ARMS

34inf.jpg (4385 bytes)

The coat of arms consists of a shield of blue with gold crosses (of Lorraine) and a canton in the upper left corner with a cross patee on a background representing a brick or stone wall. 

 

THE REGIMENTAL CREST

 

34inf coa.jpg (6573 bytes)

The crest consists of a gold and blue wreath with a green cactus.  The motto is Toujours en Avant (Always Forward).

In World War I the regiment was in the 7th Division overseas and served in that part of Lorraine which was anciently the Barony of Commercy whose arms were blue scattered with golden crosses crosslet sharpened at the foot, as taken by the 34th to represent this service.  The masoned wall represents the 7th Infantry and the white Maltese cross (patee) represents the 20th and 23rd Infantry.  When the 34th was organized personnel were taken from the arms of the three regiments  The cactus commemorates Texas, the birthplace of the regiment. 

 

DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA

    The shield of the coat of arms is the insignia of the regiment.