Kagnew Battalion
The Kagnew Battalions (Amharic: ቃኘው) were a number of military units from the Imperial Ethiopian Army which fought as part of United Nations Command in the Korean War (1950–53). The battalions rotated yearly, with the First Kagnew Battalion arriving at the front in 1951. The Third Kagnew Battalion which arrived in 1953, stayed through the signing of the armistice into 1954. Over the next two years more Ethiopians guarded the stalemate in Korea as part of the Fourth Kagnew Battalion and the Fifth Kagnew Company. Even though some publications indicate Ethiopians remained in Korea until 1965, in fact they remained a part of the United Nations Command until 1975. Members of Kagnew Battalion were, with few exceptions, drawn from the Ethiopian Imperial Bodyguard Division.
| 1st, 2nd and 3rd Kagnew Battalions | |
|---|---|
Ethiopian soldiers with the Kagnew Battalion, 7th Inf. Div. in Korea, 1953 | |
| Active | 1951–1965 |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Allegiance | United Nations |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry Battalion |
| Size | 6,037 soldiers in total |
| Part of | US 7th Infantry Division |
| Patron | Emperor Haile Selassie I |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | US Presidential Unit Citation |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Col. Kebbede Guebre Capt Mamo Habtewold |
Altogether, 3,158 Ethiopians served in Kagnew Battalions during the war.