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80th Division (People's Republic of China)

80th Division (1949-52)
80th Infantry Division (1952-60)
80th Army Division (1960-85)
80th Motorized Infantry Division (1985-98)
80th Motorized Infantry Brigade (1998-)
Active 1949.2 - present
Country People's Republic of China
Branch Army
Type Infantry
Size Brigade
Part of 27th Army
Garrison/HQ Luquan, Hebei
Engagements Chinese Civil War, Korean War, Sino-Vietnamese War

The 80th Motorized Infantry Brigade, former 80th Division, is a military formation of the People's Liberation Army.It's now a maneuver part of PLA 27th Army.

80th Division(Chinese: 第80师) was created in February 1949 under the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948, basing on the 26th Division, 9th Column of Huadong Field Army. Its history could be traced to 4th Security Brigade of Jiaodong Military District, formed in August 1945.

The division was a part of 27th Corps, under the flag of 80th the division took part in major battles during the Chinese Civil War.

In November 1950 the division entered Korea as a part of People's Volunteer Army.

On November 28, 1950, the 80th Division hit the dispersed U.S. units of Task Force Faith (RCT 31) with waves of infantry. Despite the presence of tracked antiaircraft weapons, the sub-zero cold and the constant Chinese attacks began to take their toll. The fighting was often hand to hand and convinced the (initial) U.S. Task Force commander, Colonel MacLean, to order a pullback to form a more consolidated defense. However, during the withdrawal operations his troops came under renewed enemy attack, and in the confusion MacLean was captured by the Chinese. Elements of the 80th Division also killed about 300 men from Task Force Faith. Almost all the men were wounded, who had been packed like sardines into trucks or trailers. Abandoned by the rear guard during the RCT's precipitous dash for safety with the Marines at Hagaru-ri, the wounded were trapped at a fire block. They were mostly killed by thermite grenades, thrown into the halted vehicles.

The Task Force Faith page also states that the 81st Division participated in the attack, and that though they were possibly reinforced, comprised 15,000+ troops. The 80th Division suffered such severe casualties virtually wiping out Task Force Faith, that they did not reappear on the battlefield until March, 1951.


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