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69-815: It is located approximately 1.2 kilometres ( 3 ⁄ 4  mi) northwest of the Joint Security Area (JSA), in the northern half of the Demilitarized Zone . The building is all that remains of the former village, and since the mid-1950s, references to Panmunjom actually refer to the Joint Security Area itself. It is about 1.9 kilometres ( 1 + 3 ⁄ 16  mi) northeast of Kijong-dong , often referred to as Propaganda Village . The weapons used to kill U.S. Army Captain Arthur Bonifas and Lieutenant Mark Barrett in

138-561: A North Korean guard truck crossed the bridge and approximately 20 more North Korean guards disembarked carrying crowbars and clubs. Pak again demanded that the pruning cease. When Bonifas again turned his back on him, Pak removed his watch, carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief, placed it in his pocket, and shouted, "Kill the bastards!" Using axes dropped by the tree pruners, the Korean People's Army (KPA) forces attacked both US soldiers, Bonifas and Barrett, and wounded all but one of

207-472: A South Korean reconnaissance company, a South Korean Special Forces company that had infiltrated the river area by the bridge the night before, and members of a reinforced composite rifle company from the 9th Infantry Regiment . In addition to this force, every UNC force in the rest of South Korea was on battle alert. The engineers in the convoy (two teams from B Company and C Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion, led by First Lieutenant Patrick Ono, who had conducted

276-669: A battalion staff. The three platoons were led by the U.S. officer with the ROK officer as the executive officer, and U.S. Army platoon sergeants. The platoons consisted of three squads, with equal numbers of U.S. and KATUSA soldiers. Sometime after 1979, another (fourth) platoon was added to the JSF to allow time for training during platoon work rotations. In July 1987 the four platoons of the Joint Security Force (JSF) company were reorganized to mix KATUSA and US soldiers at all levels. At

345-631: A cease-fire in the Korean War, was establishment of the Military Armistice Commission (MAC), an agency to supervise implementation of the truce terms. Meetings of MAC representatives from the United Nations Command (UNC) and the Korean People's Army / Chinese People's Volunteers (KPA/CPV) were held at the Joint Security Area, an 800-meter (2600 ft) wide enclave, roughly circular in shape, bisected by

414-463: A further 25,000 KPA soldiers held in ROKA camps (mostly southerners impressed into service for the north) into South Korea in an attempt to wreck the armistice negotiations. The Armistice Agreement provided that a nonbelligerent nation would provide security forces to hold any prisoner of war who refused repatriation. India provided 6,413 soldiers for this purpose. After landing at the port of Inchon ,

483-515: A group of five Korean Service Corps (KSC) personnel escorted by a UNC security team consisting of Captain Arthur Bonifas, his South Korean army counterpart, Captain Kim, the platoon leader of the current platoon in the area, First Lieutenant Mark Barrett, and 11 enlisted personnel, both American and South Korean, went into the JSA to prune the tree. The two captains did not wear sidearms , as members of

552-641: A history of confrontations. Pak and his subordinates appeared to observe the pruning without concern for approximately 15 minutes. Then, he abruptly told the UNC to cease the activity and stated that the tree could not be pruned. Captain Bonifas ordered the detail to continue and turned his back on the North Koreans. After being ignored by Bonifas, Pak sent a runner across the Bridge of No Return. Within minutes,

621-666: A hospital in Seoul via an aid station at Camp Greaves; he died on the journey. Captain Shirron (Bonifas's replacement), Captain Shaddix, the joint duty officer's driver, the joint duty officer, and the OP No. 5 guard witnessed the attack from OP No. 5 and recorded the incident with a black-and-white film camera, which ran out of film, and Shaddix's 35 mm camera with a telephoto lens. The UNC guard at CP No. 3 (Bridge of No Return) recorded

690-664: A larger area than the current complex of the JSA, and consisted mostly of farms. It was destroyed during the war, and all that now remains on the site of the village is the building constructed for the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement , now the North Korea Peace Museum . The JSA is administered by the United Nations Command . Among the provisions of the Korean Armistice Agreement signed July 27, 1953, to bring

759-399: A reconnaissance of the tree disguised as a Korean corporal two days earlier) left their vehicles once the convoy arrived and immediately started cutting down the tree while standing on the roof of their truck. The 2nd Platoon truck was positioned to block the Bridge of No Return. The remainder of the task force dispersed to their assigned areas around the tree and assumed their roles of guarding

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828-434: A tourist attraction. On November 6, 2018, it was announced that the UNC would transfer primary guard duties of the now demilitarized Joint Security Area to both North and South Korea. The Joint Security Area is located about 800 meters ( 1 ⁄ 2 mile) south of the original village of Panmunjom . It is because of this proximity that the terms JSA and Panmunjom are often used interchangeably. The village encompassed

897-469: Is marked by blocks of concrete. South Korean guards in this area were armed with pistols and they stood in a modified taekwondo stance with stolid facial expressions, clenched fists and sunglasses, which was meant to intimidate the North Korean guards. The South Korean guards had to be at least 170 cm (5'7") tall and have a black belt in taekwondo or judo . Since October 25, 2018, guards in

966-669: Is now Checkpoint (CP) #3, while what used to be called CP#3 (and sometimes called "The Loneliest Outpost in the World" ) was the UNC checkpoint at the southern end of the Bridge of No Return. After the enforcement of the MDL, the North no longer had a road leading into the JSA, and within three days they built what is now known as the "72-Hour Bridge" or "Bridge of 72 Hours". The United Nations Command Security Battalion - Joint Security Area (UNCSB-JSA) , simply United Nations Command Security Battalion

1035-599: Is our consistent stand." While not going far enough to satisfy a previously-discussed "acceptable" Northern response, the US administration decided to emphasize it as a step in the right direction, as it was the first time since the Korean War armistice in 1953 that the North had accepted responsibility for violence along the DMZ. The Joint Security Area's advance camp (Camp Kitty Hawk) was later renamed " Camp Bonifas " in honor of

1104-494: The Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating South and North Korea, and created as a neutral area, where there was free movement of both sides anywhere within the JSA boundaries. Military Police of both sides provide security for the JSA with guard forces of no more than 35 security personnel on duty at any given time. The administrative facilities for both guard forces are located within the JSA. While

1173-602: The Panmunjom axe atrocity incident ( 판문점 도끼 만행 사건 ), was the killing of two United Nations Command officers, Captain Arthur Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark Barrett, by North Korean soldiers on August 18, 1976, in the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The officers, from the United States Army, had been part of a work party cutting down a poplar tree in

1242-503: The Truce Village or Panmunjom ) is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where North and South Korean forces stand face-to-face. The JSA is used by the two Koreas for diplomatic engagements and, until March 1991, was also the site of military negotiations between North Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC). The JSA has been the site of numerous events and incidents since its establishment in 1953,

1311-598: The axe murder incident of 1976 are housed within the museum. There is a symbol of a dove above the door. At the time of the signing of the armistice, a copy of Pablo Picasso 's Dove was hanging inside the building. Because Picasso was a communist , the Americans considered it a symbol of communism , and it was covered up. 37°57′40″N 126°39′52″E  /  37.96107°N 126.66447°E  / 37.96107; 126.66447 Joint Security Area The Joint Security Area ( JSA , often referred to as

1380-439: The Bridge of No Return), was no longer used after the mid-1980s when concrete-filled bollards were placed in the road to make vehicle passage impossible. The incident also prompted the separation of personnel from the two sides within the JSA as a way to avoid further incidents. An axe and an axe handle that were supposedly used in the incident are on display in the North Korea Peace Museum . General William J. Livsey , who

1449-669: The Bridge of No Return, they started throwing out the sandbags that lined the truck bottoms and handing out M16 rifles and M79 grenade launchers that had been concealed below them. Several of the commandos also had M18 Claymore mines strapped to their chests with the firing mechanism in their hands, and were shouting at the North Koreans to cross the bridge. A US infantry company in 20 utility helicopters and seven Cobra attack helicopters circled behind them. Behind these helicopters, B-52 Stratofortresses came from Guam escorted by US F-4 Phantom IIs from Kunsan Air Base and South Korean F-5 and F-86 fighters were visible flying across

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1518-515: The Conference of Non-Aligned Nations in Colombo , Sri Lanka, and presented a prepared document describing the incident as an unprovoked attack on North Korean guards that had been led by American officers. He then introduced a resolution asking the conference to condemn that day's grave US provocation, and he called on participants to endorse both the withdrawal of US forces from South Korea and

1587-410: The JSA. Three days later, US and South Korean forces launched Operation Paul Bunyan , an operation that cut down the tree with a show of force to intimidate North Korea into backing down, which it did. North Korea then accepted responsibility for the earlier killings. The incident is also known alternatively as the hatchet incident , the poplar tree incident , and the tree trimming incident . In

1656-439: The Joint Security Area were limited to five armed officers and 30 armed enlisted personnel at a time. However, there were mattocks in the back of the 2 1 ⁄ 2 -ton truck . The KSC workers had the axes that they brought to prune the tree branches. After the pruning began, about 15 North Korean soldiers appeared, commanded by Senior Lieutenant Pak Cheol (박철), whom the UNC soldiers had nicknamed "Lieutenant Bulldog" because of

1725-473: The Joint Security Area, near the Bridge of No Return (through which the Military Demarcation Line runs), a 30-metre (98 ft) poplar tree blocked the line of sight between a United Nations Command (UNC) checkpoint and an observation post. On one occasion before the incident, North Korean soldiers had held a group of US troops at gunpoint. Joint Security Force (JSF) company commander Captain Arthur Bonifas

1794-513: The Joint Security area no longer have pistols. They are also required to maintain a capacity no larger than 35 people and must be unarmed. Freedom of movement across the border must also be enforced for visitors and tourists at some point as well. On November 6, 2018, both Koreas and the UNC established new rules which called for, among other things, the transfer of guard duty command to both Koreas for each of their respective sides of

1863-591: The North Korea tactical radio net, the accumulation of force "blew their fucking minds." Although the operation was carried out peacefully, there was concern that it could spark a wider conflict. The incident led to increased tensions along the Korean Demilitarized Zone but did not develop into full-scale war. Some shots were fired at the US helicopter that carried Major General Morris Brady. It circled Panmunjom later that day, but no one

1932-517: The South Korean side of Panmunjom on October 16, 2018, it was agreed the JSA disarmament is complete, civilian and foreign tourists will be allowed to visit the border area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. without restrictions about what they can wear. It was agreed that at this point, the MDL which runs through the JSA will be open to local and foreign tourists so they can reenact Kim and Moon's crossing which occurred on April 27, 2018. This withdrawal

2001-461: The South Korean troops vandalized two North Korean guard posts. The tree stump, around 6 m (20 ft) tall, was deliberately left standing. Five minutes into the operation, the UNC notified its North Korean counterparts at the JSA that a UN work party had entered the JSA "in order to peacefully finish the work left unfinished" on August 18. The attempt at intimidation was apparently successful, and according to an intelligence analyst monitoring

2070-682: The UNC Commander's desire to minimize the USFK presence near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The commander of the ROKA JSA Battalion serves as the UNCSB-JSA Deputy Commander. The UNCSB-JSA Commander's principal responsibility now lies in his operational control of selected ROKA formations during both Armistice and wartime periods. Both sides placed guards between the blue meeting houses, where the demarcation line

2139-508: The UNC flag only has two tiers, but each of the tiers on the UNC base is taller than any of the tiers on the KPA flag. Being at the center of one of the world's most tense military and political fault lines, the Joint Security Area has been the site of numerous interactions between North and South, including over 750 overt acts of violence. The UNC has documented most of the violent incidents with reports and photographs, which have been reported in

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2208-420: The UNC force dispersed the North Korean guards and placed Bonifas's body in their truck. There was no sign of Barrett, and the two UNC guards at OP No. 5 could not see him. The UNC force observed the North Korean guards at KPA No. 8 along the UNC emergency egress road exhibiting strange behavior in that one guard would take an axe and go down into the depression for a couple of minutes and then come back and hand

2277-404: The UNC guards. Bonifas was knocked to the ground by Pak and then bludgeoned to death by at least five North Koreans, and Barrett jumped over a low wall that led past a 4.5-metre (15 ft) deep tree-filled depression just across the road from the tree. The depression was not visible from the road because of the dense grass and small trees. The entire fight lasted for only 20 to 30 seconds before

2346-830: The UNCMAC Support Group (Provisional) moved all personnel to the Demilitarized Zone by helicopter in a single day without incident. Approximately 23,000 KPA and CPV soldiers held in UNC prisoner of war camps refused to return to Communist control. Twenty-two UNC soldiers ( 21 Americans, one Briton ) also refused repatriation. Under the provisions of the Armistice, these soldiers were held for a further six months and interviewed by neutral observers to ensure they had not been coerced into refusing repatriation. Most KPA expatriates remained in South Korea, while

2415-569: The United States Army Support Group) drove into the JSA without any warning to the North Koreans, who had one observation post staffed at that hour. In the vehicles were two eight-man teams of military engineers (from the 2nd Engineer Battalion , 2nd Infantry Division) equipped with chainsaws to cut down the tree. The teams were accompanied by two 30-man security platoons from the Joint Security Force, who were armed with pistols and axe handles. The 1st Platoon secured

2484-457: The area. During one of the initial negotiations of the armistice, agents of the KPA/CPV side went into the truce tents one night and sawed down the chair legs of the UNC delegation. The next day, when the UNC delegates arrived, they were forced to sit lower than their KPA/CPV counterparts and lost face, so they quickly left the meeting. At a later meeting, the UNC delegation brought a flag into

2553-416: The axe to another guard, who would repeat the action. That went on for approximately 90 minutes until the UNC guards at OP No. 5 were informed that Barrett was missing, when they informed their superiors about the KPA activity in the depression. A search-and-rescue squad was quickly dispatched and found that Barrett had been attacked with the axe by the North Koreans. Barrett was recovered and transported to

2622-405: The boundary has remained the same over the years, the buildings themselves have changed. Some have been removed, including all of the KPA checkpoints on the southern half of the JSA. New buildings have been constructed, whilst some existing buildings have been expanded or simply renovated. The only boundary change of the Joint Security Area was the enforcement of the dividing line within the JSA after

2691-475: The course of MAC meetings. Countless fistfights, shouting matches, exchanges of rude gestures, and other provocations have occurred since 1953. There have also been several prisoner exchanges and other interactions. This operation was a test case for prisoner repatriation, one of the four main issues of contention during two years of negotiation. 605 sick, wounded, and/or injured UNC prisoners were exchanged for 6,030 sick or injured Communist prisoners. Based on

2760-558: The dissolution of the UNC, which was seconded by Cuba . The members of the conference passed the resolution. The CIA considered the attack to have been planned by the North Korean government. A variety of responses were evaluated. Readiness levels for American forces in South Korea were increased to DEFCON 3 early on August 19. Rocket and artillery attacks in the area were considered but discounted because of an unfavorable 4:1 ratio of artillery pieces, and South Korean President Park Chung Hee did not want military action. In response to

2829-481: The edges of the DMZ, many more heavily-armed US and South Korean infantry , artillery including the Second Battalion, 71st Air Defense Regiment armed with Improved Hawk missiles , and armor were waiting to back up the special operations team. Bases near the DMZ were prepared for demolition in the case of a military response. The defense condition ( DEFCON ) was elevated on order of General Stilwell, as

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2898-481: The engineers. North Korea quickly responded with about 150 to 200 troops, who were armed with machine guns and assault rifles . The North Korean troops arrived mostly in buses but did not leave them at first and watched the events unfold. Upon seeing their arrival, Lieutenant Colonel Vierra relayed a radio communication, and the helicopters and Air Force jets became visible over the horizon. Yokota Air Base in Japan

2967-428: The first of which was the repatriation of prisoners of war (POWs) after the cessation of hostilities, across the Bridge of No Return . In 2018, North and South Korean officials agreed to clear the JSA of all landmines, weapons and guard posts. This withdrawal was complete on October 25, 2018, and the JSA now just contains 35 unarmed security guards. It was further agreed that henceforth, the area will serve mainly as

3036-400: The flags within the meeting building have stayed about the same since then, with only minor changes. The KPA flag is wider than the UNC flag, but the UNC flag is longer. The KPA flag has thicker fringe around the edges of the flag, but the UNC's trim is longer. The truck at the top of the KPA flagpole is taller than the UNC truck, but the UNC's is wider. The KPA flag has a three tiered base while

3105-433: The incident with a movie camera. Shortly after the incident, the North Korean media began airing reports of the fight. The North Korean version stated: Around 10:45 a.m. today, the Americans sent in 14 soldiers with axes into the Joint Security Area to cut down the trees on their own accord, although such a work should be mutually consented beforehand. Four persons from our side went to the spot to warn them not to continue

3174-499: The incident, the UNC determined that instead of trimming the branches that obscured visibility, they would cut down the tree with the aid of overwhelming force. The parameters of the operation were decided in the White House , where US President Gerald Ford had held crisis talks. Ford and his advisors were concerned about making a show of strength to chasten North Korea without causing further escalation. The operation, named after

3243-416: The murders of two American officers in 1976 . Prior to this, the entire area was neutral, where members of either side possessed the freedom of movement within the JSA. Since the enforcement of the MDL within the JSA, several UNC checkpoint buildings have also been rebuilt and/or renamed as well. Examples of this are what was called Observation Post (OP) No. 5 on the hill overlooking the Bridge of No Return ,

3312-556: The mythical lumberjack of the same name , was conceived as a show of force by the US and South Korea and was carefully managed to prevent further escalation. It was planned over two days by General Richard G. Stilwell and his staff at the UNC headquarters in Seoul. Operation Paul Bunyan was carried out on August 21 at 07:00, three days after the killings. A convoy of 23 American and South Korean vehicles ("Task Force Vierra," named after Lieutenant Colonel Victor S. Vierra, commander of

3381-520: The northern entrance to the JSA via the Bridge of No Return, while the 2nd Platoon secured the southern edge of the area. Concurrently, a team from B Company, commanded by Captain Walter Seifried, had activated the detonation systems for the charges on Freedom Bridge and had the 165mm main gun of the M728 combat engineer vehicle aimed mid-span to ensure that the bridge would fall if the order

3450-553: The number of soldiers assigned to the unit declined as well. For the next 50 years, the unit underwent several organizational and name changes, although the original mission to secure the Joint Security Area remains the same today as it was in 1952. On June 11, 1979, the name was changed from US Army Support Group (Joint Security Area) to United Nations Command Support Group—Joint Security Area, and further changed to United Nations Command Security Force—Joint Security Area on December 23, 1985. On October 15, 1994, UNC Commander directed that

3519-657: The overwhelming majority of CPV expatriates traveled to Taiwan to join the Nationalists . During this operation the UNCMACSG(P) oversaw the repatriation of displaced persons, expellees, and refugees from North Korea to South Korea across the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom. The JSA currently has around 100,000 tourists visit each year through several tourism companies and the USO (through

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3588-536: The platoon level, two platoons were led by U.S. Army lieutenants and ROKA platoon sergeants, and two were led by ROKA lieutenants and US Army platoon sergeants. In November 1987 the unit received a ROK Army major as its first deputy commander. On April 25, 1992, the JSF company became a KATUSA-pure formation. Captain Yin Sung-hwan became the first ROK commander assisted by a U.S. Army lieutenant as his executive officer. The number of U.S. Army personnel assigned to

3657-510: The senior UNC MAC member (Rear Admiral Mark Frudden): "It was a good thing that no big incident occurred at Panmunjom for a long period. However, it is regretful that an incident occurred in the Joint Security Area, Panmunjom this time. An effort must be made so that such incidents may not recur in the future. For this purpose both sides should make efforts. We urge your side to prevent the provocation. Our side will never provoke first, but take self-defensive measures only when provocation occurs. This

3726-470: The sky at high altitude. F-4Es from Osan AB and Taegu Air Base , South Korea, F-111 bombers of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing out of Mountain Home Air Force Base , were stationed, and F-4C and F-4D Phantoms from the 18th TFW Kadena Air Base and Clark Air Base were also deployed. The aircraft carrier USS  Midway task force had also been moved to a station just offshore. Near

3795-445: The slain company commander . The Barrett Readiness Facility, located inside the JSA and housing the battalion's north mission platoon, was named for Barrett. The site of the tree, the stump of which was cut down in 1987, became the location of a stone monument with a brass plate inscribed in the memory of both men. The UNC has held commemorative ceremonies at the monument on anniversaries. The nearby UNC checkpoint (CP No. 3, next to

3864-666: The success of the repatriations undertaken earlier, a general exchange of prisoners began in late April. During Operation Big Switch, prisoners were brought to Panmunjom, on the banks of the Sachong River . Each prisoner was then asked if he wished to cross the river and return to his countrymen or remain with his captors. Once the choice was made there was no turning back—hence the name Bridge of No Return . During this time 13,444 UNC prisoners returned to UNC countries, and 89,493 KPA and CPV prisoners returned to their Communist countries. In June 1953, ROK president Syngman Rhee released

3933-410: The truce tent and set it up on the meeting table. The KPA/CPV delegation left after losing face, but showed up at the next meeting with a flag that was larger than the UNC flag. At the following meeting, the UNC delegation brought in a slightly larger flag. This kept up until a special meeting was called just to discuss the size of the flags, as they had grown too large to fit within the tents. The size of

4002-514: The unit be known by its present designation, the United Nations Command Security Battalion - Joint Security Area. Originally a purely U.S. Army organization, the unit also included ROK soldiers ( KATUSAs ). In addition, ROK Army officers served as liaison officers. In the mid-1970s the JSA consisted of the JSF company with three platoons of one U.S. and one ROKA officer, and thirty enlisted men, supported by

4071-464: The unit fell below 200 for the first time since 1952. American forces assigned to the JSA assumed mainly administrative and support roles. On October 31, 2004, a ROK Army battalion assumed sole responsibility for the Joint Security Area. This modified light infantry battalion consisted of a battalion headquarters, a headquarters company, two security companies, and a civil affairs company. The number of U.S. personnel assigned decreased further, reflecting

4140-617: The various U.S. military commands in Korea). Before being allowed to enter the DMZ, if visiting from the South, tourists are given a briefing during which they must sign a document which states, in part, "The visit to the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom will entail entry into a hostile area and possibility of injury or death as a direct result of enemy action." During a meeting held between the UN command and military officers from North and South Korea on

4209-448: The work without our consent. Against our persuasion, they attacked our guards en masse and committed a serious provocative act of beating our men, wielding murderous weapons and depending on the fact that they outnumbered us. Our guards could not but resort to self-defense measures under the circumstances of this reckless provocation. Within four hours of the attack, Kim Jong Il , the son of the North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung , addressed

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4278-501: Was complete on October 25, though tourism has been delayed. No date was set for the resumption of JSA tourism when rules were established for the transfer of guard duty command on November 6, 2018, as well. 37°57′21″N 126°40′36″E  /  37.95583°N 126.67667°E  / 37.95583; 126.67667 Axe murder incident The Korean axe murder incident ( Korean :  판문점 도끼살인사건 ; lit.  Panmunjom axe murder incident), also known domestically as

4347-498: Was constituted on May 5, 1952, as Army Unit 8020, United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission Support Group (Provisional). Originally authorized five officers and ten enlisted soldiers, the unit grew to over 1,400 officers and men supporting almost 32,000 soldiers, civilians, and diplomats involved in negotiating and then enforcing the Armistice Agreement. By the end of February 1954 the scope of work declined and

4416-524: Was given for its destruction. Also, B Company, supporting E Company (bridge), were building M4T6 rafts on the Imjin River in case the situation required emergency evacuation by that route. In addition, a 64-man task force of the ROK Army 1st Special Forces Brigade accompanied them, armed with clubs and trained in taekwondo , supposedly without firearms. However, once they parked their trucks near

4485-470: Was injured. The United Nations Command had demanded that the North Koreans "punish those involved and make adequate reparations to the families of those killed and injured." Later, on the day of Operation Paul Bunyan, it received a message from Kim Il Sung expressing regret at the incident. The message was relayed by the senior member of the North Korean MAC team (Major General Han Ju-kyong) to

4554-556: Was later recounted in Colonel De LaTeur's research paper. In addition, 12,000 additional troops were ordered to Korea, including 1,800 Marines from Okinawa. During the operation, nuclear-capable strategic bombers circled over the JSA. Altogether, Task Force Vierra consisted of 813 men: almost all of the men of the United States Army Support Group of which the Joint Security Force was a part,

4623-425: Was on alert. The flight-line runway was "nose to tail" with a dozen C-130s ready to provide backup. The North Koreans quickly got out of their buses and began setting up two-man machine gun positions, where they watched in silence as the tree was felled in 42 minutes (three minutes less than Stilwell's estimate), which avoided a violent confrontation. Two road barriers, installed by the North Koreans, were removed, and

4692-464: Was the commanding general of the Eighth US Army in South Korea from 1984 to 1987, publicly carried a swagger stick that was carved from wood collected from the tree at the center of the incident. The swagger stick was ceremoniously passed on to General Louis C. Menetrey when Livsey retired from his command. Moon Jae-in , who would later become the 12th president of South Korea, was part of

4761-442: Was then sent to force the North Koreans to stand down and to bring the Americans back to safety, and he did so successfully. Bonifas was later one of the soldiers killed in the axe murders. Wayne Kirkbride, an officer at the DMZ at the time, recalled hearing that North Korean soldiers had told members of a work force sent to cut the tree that they could not, as it had been planted by their leader, Kim Il Sung . On August 18, 1976,

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