South Korea – France – Wonju
Paying Tribute
Memorial Site
This memorial located in Wonju is dedicated to the French 23rd Regimental Combat Team that defended the Wonju line. Taking place in February 1951, the Third Battle of Wonju was one of the most definitive engagements that took place during the war.
Held principally by the 23rd Regimental Combat Team (23rd Infantry, French Battalion, 1st Ranger Company, 37th FAB, and later supported by the British 27th Brigade and Task Force Crombez), the French were attacked by four regiments from four different Chinese divisions.
The defense of the Wonju Line was a turning point in the campaign. The Battle of Chipyong-ni, along with the Third Battle of Wonju, has been called “the Gettysburg of the Korean War,” representing the “high-water mark” of the Chinese incursion into Korea.
Over the course of the war, France deployed 3,421 soldiers and suffered 1,289 casualties. There were 262 killed in action, 1,008 wounded in action, 7 missing in action, and 12 captured.
