Front Line Doctors - Norway, Italy and Germany

Learn about the devotion of Norway, Italy and Germany, the medical support countries during the Korean War

A surgeon performing an operation in the German Red Cross HospitalUnited Nations Peace Memorial

With a sharp rise in civilian damages along with the massive number of  military casualties, the UN Security Council resolved to provide “relief to the Korean civilian population.” 

A Norwegian field hospital tentUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Medical support countries provided not only helped with military medical operations but also contributed greatly to aid war victims and post-war restoration.

The sign of the Norwegian Mobile Surgical HospitalUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Norway

Norway planned to send a medical support unit upon the United Nations’ request and selected its personnel, who arrived in South Korea on June 22, 1951, as the Spring Offensive by the communist Chinese army reached its peak.

People volunteering to serve in the Korean War, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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Norwegian medical personnel dispatching to South Korea, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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A Norwegian hospital ambulance standing byUnited Nations Peace Memorial

The first place where the Norwegian medical support unit settled and set up a tent was the apple tree orchard in Uijeongbu, which was nicknamed “Apple Tree Garden.” 

The preparation for withdrawing the NORMASHUnited Nations Peace Memorial

As the war situation changed, they moved to Dongducheon in September 1951 to open an outpatient clinic. 

A Norwegian soldier guarding the checkpointUnited Nations Peace Memorial

After receiving additional support from US forces and recruiting its own medical personnel, the clinic began using the official name, the Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (NORMASH).

The sign of the Norwegian Mobile Surgical Hospital, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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A line of Norwegian hospital tents, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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The Norwegian Mobile Surgical Hospital in Uijeongbu, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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A Norwegian nursing officerUnited Nations Peace Memorial

The period of the NORMASH’s medical support is known to have been three years and three months, from July 19, 1951, to October 18, 1954...

during which they focused on treating wounded soldiers, which was their original mission as a field hospital, as well as providing medical care to civilians.

King Haakon VII of Norway visiting the NORMASHUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Committing 623 people, the Norwegian medical support unit treated more than 90,000 injured soldiers, looked after civilians, and carried out over 9,600 surgeries.

Medical personnel tending to children in front of a Norwegian hospital tentUnited Nations Peace Memorial

The Norwegian government continued to pay attention to South Korea’s medical environment even after the signing of the armistice agreement and the withdrawal of the NORMASH.

The overview of Ushin Elementary School, Seoul, where the Italian 68th Red Cross Hospital conducted medical activitiesUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Italy

Despite not being a UN member at the outbreak of the Korean War and having economic and political difficulties, Italy decided to dispatch a medical support unit following the International Federation of Red Cross’s worldwide appeal in August 1950.

The overview of Ushin Elementary School, Seoul, where the Italian 68th Red Cross Hospital conducted medical activitiesUnited Nations Peace Memorial

The Italian Red Cross organized the 68th Red Cross Hospital by selecting medical personnel to be sent, obtaining medical equipment and supplies...

... conducting training, and so forth. It left Italia on October 16, 1951, and entered the Busan Port on November 16. 

Italian medical personnelUnited Nations Peace Memorial

From its establishment on December 6, 1951, to when it returned to its country on January 2, 1955, 128 people worked in the 68th Red Cross Hospital...

... performing 3,297 surgical operations, treating 7,250 inpatients and 222,885 outpatients, and examining 1,115 patients in  dentistry, 8,444 in pathology, 17,115 in radiography, and more.

Italian medical personnel treating a childUnited Nations Peace Memorial

The Italian medical personnel’s dedicated medical support and relief effort were praised not just by South Korea but by countries all over the world. 

“The Pohang landing” appearing in the Italian weekly newspaper La Domenica del Corriere, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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The overview of Ushin Elementary School, Seoul, where the Italian 68th Red Cross Hospital conducted medical activities, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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The flag of the Italian Red Cross Hospital, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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Medical Support Country - Italy

Nurses of the German Red Cross HospitalUnited Nations Peace Memorial

Germany

The dispatch of the West German medical team was officially proposed by Chancellor Konra Adenauer on April 7, 1953, while he was visiting US President Eisenhower.

People waiting to be treated in front of the German Red Cross HospitalUnited Nations Peace Memorial

The UN forces-affiliated West German Red Cross Hospital was mainly responsible for treating wounded soldiers and aiding civilians. 

Its advance team came to Seoul in January 1954, followed by 48 doctors and nurses, who arrived in February and prepared for the opening of the West German hospital in Busan.  

The German Red Cross Hospital, setting up in Busan (Busan Girls’ High School in Seodaeshin-dong, Busan), From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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Flags on the German Red Cross Hospital building, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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The ward in the German Red Cross HospitalUnited Nations Peace Memorial

From May 1954 through March 1959, 250 hospital beds were operated at the West German Red Cross Hospital. With departments for surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, dentistry, radiology, pharmacies.

A surgeon performing an operation in the German Red Cross Hospital, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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Elise and Elli Voss, nurses, carrying babies born in the German Red Cross Hospital, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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A German Red Cross Hospital employee tending to a patient in the wardUnited Nations Peace Memorial

It also carried out a project to train Korean medical technicians, in which 41 Korean doctors were trained, and ran a free nursing school, helping 60 people acquire nursing qualifications.

The nurse in charge of training is teaching Korean students in the nursing school, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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The first Korean nurses, who passed the exam, From the collection of: United Nations Peace Memorial
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Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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