On the east side, facing from the main Korean War Monument toward the U.S. Forces memorial.

Stylized parachute cupola forms the rounded top of a granite monument. Inscription includes 187^th Airborne Infantry Regiment insignia and shoulder patch, above text in English and Korean languages.

 Memorial remembers the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, which was reactivated in June 1950 with the outbreak of the Korean War. Under the command of Colonel Frank S. Bowen, the 187th was paired up with the 674th Field Artillery Battalion and supporting units to form the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (RCT).

The RCT left Camp Stoneman, California, on 6 September 1950 and arrived in Japan on 20 September. Four days later, it was airlifted to Kimpo Airfield near Seoul, where it successfully supported clearing the Kimpo Peninsula.

From Kimpo, the 187th made an airborne assault at Sunchon-Sukchon during the Battle of Yongyu, 30 miles north of Pyongyang, to cut off an estimated 30,000 retreating North Korean soldiers and rescue U.S. POWs believed to be with those forces. The drop included a number of firsts, including the first combat drop from C-119s and the first successful heavy drop of 105mm howitzers, jeeps, and other equipment. During the U.S. Eighth Armys retreat after the Chinese intervened, the 187th and the British Commonwealth Brigade served as the Eighth Armys rearguard.

Throughout the rest of the Korean War, the 187th saw heavy fighting, particularly at Wonju in February 1951. In March 1951, the RCT made another airborne assault at Munsan-ni (Operation Tomahawk). In 1952, the 187th was withdrawn to Japan as part of the U.S. Far East Command reserve. For its service in Korea, the Rakkasans were awarded four unit citations, and three soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor. In total, the 187th suffered 2,115 casualties in Korea, including 442 killed in action.

Source of information: armyhistory.org/187th-infantry-regiment

RAKKASANS

187th AIRBORNE

REGIMENTAL

COMBAT TEAM

U.S. ARMY FORCES

SERVICE

22 SEPTEMBER 1950 - 3 OCTOBER 1953

COMBAT JUMPS

[US Airborne Wings with 2 combat jump stars]