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KOJE-DO POW CAMP

KOJE-DO

Summary of Koje-do Riots

Koje Village

This is Compound 76, where Brigadier General Francis Dodd was held as a hostage by Communist Prisoners of War at Koje Island. The prisoners in the Koje compounds were nominally in the charge of United Nations guards but, by order of General Ridgway, UN control stopped at the wire.

"...These compounds are well organized and effective control cannot be exercised within them without use of such great degree of force as might verge on the brutal and result in killing and wounding quite a number of inmates. While I can exercise such forced screening, I believe that the risk of violence and violence involved, both to U.N.C. personnel and to the inmates themselves, would not warrant this course of action..."

It was the result of this humanitarian but misguided order that permitted the capture of General Dodd.

Craig and Colson

Colonel Craig and General Colson outside compound 76



UN forces around the compound were strengthened

Koje Prisoners

Prisoners in Koje-do POW camp compound 76

But the prisoners remained intransigent. In June, General Boatner used infantrymen supported by tanks to regain control of the Koje-do compounds. 31 prisoners were killed and scores wounded, but order was finally restored.



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