NORMASH
Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (NORMASH) was the Norwegian field hospital in Korea from 1951 to 1954, participating in the UN operation in Korea.
History
On December 29th, 1950 the Norwegian Red Cross received a request for a hospital to help in Korea. During the first days of 1951 a plan was drafted for a field hospital based on the American Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) with 60 beds and a staff of 83.
On March 2nd, 1951 the Norwegian Parliament approved the plan for a Norwegian field hospital.
The first group of personell left Norway on the May 16th, 1951, the next group left on May 23rd. The trip was a long one both in time and distance, and took the men and women of NORMASH from Stavanger to Tokyo via. München, Nice, Naples, Beirut, Cairo, Karachi, Calcutta, Bangkok and Hongkong. From Tokyo the personell were transported to Seoul by military transport aircraft.
NORMASH was first established at Uijongbu, aproximately 12 miles North of Seoul. The hospital consisted of both Nissen huts and tents and had a surgery with 4 operating tables. The hospital was later moved to Tongduchon about 40 miles North of Seoul, and was moved a third time to it's final location a few miles further north.
In the first 40 days NORMASH treated 1048 patients, of which 23 were civilians. All told NORMASH treated 90 000 patients, of which the largest groups were the US (36%), South Korea (33%) and the various British and Commonwealth troops (27%). The unit also treated 172 North Korean and Chinese POW's.
NORMASH performed on average 8 surgerys per day, with variations ranging from 1 to 64, and Doctors could spend 24 hours or more performing surgery on a continual stream of wounded arriving from the front.
In the fall of 1951 it was decided to increase the personell from 83 to 105, and on October 26th 1951 the decission was made to maintain the hospital for the duration of the UN operation in Korea.
The hospital was also changed from a Red Cross hospital to a regular army hospital, and the personell changed their Red cross uniforms for regular US army uniforms and ranks. This also included Norwegian army personell for close protection of the hospital.
With the ceasefire on July 27th, 1953, the hospital stopped receiving wounded soldiers, but a substantial amount of civilian Koreans were now treated. Though a ceasefire was in effect, the stability of it was questionable, and the hospital was kept at the ready in case of a breaking of the ceasefire.
In the fall of 1953 NORMASH was the only hospital for 4 Divisions in the 1st Army Corps. The hospital was kept awaiting the establishment of a Scandinavian training hospital in Seoul[1], and it was not untill Octorber 17th, 1954 that the hospital received orders to return to Norway. 4 days later the last patient was released, and on November 10th all equipment was returned to the US Army.
Personell
In total 623 men and women served in NORMASH over 7 contingents, 5 of which were before the cease fire agreement. The hospital lost 2 members killed, Driver Arne Christiansen was shot and killed in 1952 and Laboratory Technician Brit Reisæther was killed in a car accident in 1954.
Awards and Commendations
NORMASH twice received the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Korean Presidential Citation. All personell also received the Norwegian Korea Medal.
Though the most cherished and appreciated "award" is probably the visit by Marilyn Monroe which Major Enebakk reports "made the boys go wild".
External Links and Sources
- Norway - the official site in Korea
- NORMASH - Korea - Norsk Veterannettverk in Norwegian
- Koreakrigen og det norske feltsykehuset Norwegian Military Journal article by Major (retired) Magnar H. Enebakk in Norwegian