The tree that was the object of the 1976 Axe Murder Incident (Photo 1984). Deliberately left standing after Operation Paul Bunyan, the stump was later replaced by a monument in 1987.

The Axe Murder Incident was the killing of two United States Army officers by North Korean soldiers on August 18, 1976 in the Joint Security Area (JSA) located in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which forms the de facto border between North and South Korea. The killings and the response (Operation Paul Bunyan) heightened tensions between North Korea and the United States of America / South Korea. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2850x1910, 1640 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Axe Murder Incident ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2850x1910, 1640 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Axe Murder Incident ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia... August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... This article is about the actual Joint Security Area. ... Map of the Korean DMZ. The DMZ is given in red. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia...

The incident is also known as the Hatchet Incident and the Poplar Tree Incident.

Background

In the JSA, near the Bridge of No Return, a 100 ft (30 m) poplar tree blocked the line of sight between two United Nations Command (UNC) checkpoints. The northernmost checkpoint, CP#3, was only visible from the other checkpoint, CP#5, situated next to the Bridge of No Return. Running across the middle of the bridge was the Military Demarcation Line between North Korean and South Korean territories, and the Korean People's Army (KPA) had made numerous attempts to grab the UNC personnel from CP#3 and drag them across the bridge. Bridge of No Return Located in the Joint Security Area, the so-called Bridge of No Return crosses the Military Demarcation Line between North Korea and South Korea. ... A foot (plural: feet) is any of several old units of distance or length, measuring around a quarter to a third of a meter. ... The metre, or meter (US), is a measure of length. ... This article is about woody plants of the genus Populus. ... The United Nations Command (Korea) is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea (South Korea or ROK) during and after the Korean War. ... The Military Demarcation Line is the border between North and South Korea. ... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia... Motto: (Broadly bring benefit to humanity, ) Anthem: Aegukga Capital Seoul Largest city Seoul Official language(s) Korean Government Republic  - President Roh Moo-hyun  - Prime Minister Han Myung-sook Establishment    - Gojoseon October 3, 2333 BC (legendary)   - Declaration of Republic March 1, 1919 (de jure)   - Liberation August 15, 1945   - First Republic August... The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, more commonly known as North Korea, is technically still at war with the Republic of Korea and according to western estimates now has the fifth-largest military in the world albeit because it has the largest percentage of citizens in the world who...

Axe Murder Incident

On August 18, 1976, a group of five Korean Service Corps (KSC) personnel escorted by a UNC team including two United States soldiers and one South Korean soldier was sent out into the JSA to trim the tree. Under JSA rules, none of the troops were armed, but the tree-trimming detail had mattocks and axes. August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Motto: (Broadly bring benefit to humanity, ) Anthem: Aegukga Capital Seoul Largest city Seoul Official language(s) Korean Government Republic  - President Roh Moo-hyun  - Prime Minister Han Myung-sook Establishment    - Gojoseon October 3, 2333 BC (legendary)   - Declaration of Republic March 1, 1919 (de jure)   - Liberation August 15, 1945   - First Republic August... A mattock is an agricultural tool similar to a mining pick. ... The axe or ax is an ancient and ubiquitous tool that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, harvest timber, as a weapon and a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. ...

After trimming began, thirty KPA soldiers appeared commanded by Senior Lt. Pak Chul, whom the UNC soldiers had nicknamed "Bulldog" for his history of confrontations.[1] Pak and his subordinates appeared to observe the trimming without concern, until Pak abruptly told the UNC to cease their activity. The commanding officer, Captain Arthur Bonifas, ordered the detail to continue their work, and turned his back to the North Koreans. The KPA had chased away a previous attempt to cut the tree, but Bonifas had returned with more men, and had even dismissed his regular driver and bodyguard for the event. Pak then ordered his unit to attack the work detail, shouting, "Kill the aggressors!" Using axes seized from the tree-trimmers, the KPA killed two U.S. soldiers, Bonifas and 1st Lt. Mark Barrett, and severely wounded several of the South Koreans. A South Korean soldier scattered the North Koreans by driving his truck over the prone body of Bonifas, straddling him to provide cover, but he died before receiving medical treatment. A helicopter on a training mission was quickly dispatched to the location (its crew issued yellow armbands and .45 automatics) and used for a medevac, but neither American survived. Please see Captain for other uses of the term Captain is a military rank used in nearly every army and navy of the world. ... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ... Airbus A310 MRT MedEvac of the German Airforce. ...

A Corporal saw the attack from his observation tower and recorded the murders with a movie camera.

According to some sources, Senior Lt. Pak had stated that the tree had been planted by Kim Il Sung himself.

Operation Paul Bunyan

In response to the Axe Murder Incident, the UN Command determined to cut down the tree using an overwhelming force. The operation was conceived as a US/South Korean show of force, but was also carefully managed to prevent further escalation. Show of force is a military term for an operation intended to warn or intimidate an opponent and to showcase ones own capability or will to act if provoked. ...

Operation Paul Bunyan was carried out on August 21 at 7 a.m., just 3 days after the killings. A convoy of 23 American and South Korean vehicles ('Task Force Vierra') drove into the JSA without any warning to the North Koreans, who only had one observation post manned at the early hour. In the vehicles was a 16 man U.S. engineering team with axes and chainsaws who immediately started cutting down the tree, while one of the trucks was positioned to block the Bridge of No Return. The engineering team was accompanied by a 30 man security platoon armed with pistols and axe handles. In addition, a 64 man ROK special forces team accompanied them, armed with clubs and trained in Tae Kwon Do. Paul and Babe in Bemidji, Minnesota Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack in tall tales. ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean: Daehan Minguk (Hangul: 대한 민국; Hanja: 大韓民國)), is a country in East Asia, covering the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. ... Taekwondo is the Korean national sport and martial art, and is also one of the worlds most commonly practiced sports. ...

A U.S. infantry company in 20 utility helicopters and 7 Cobra attack helicopters circled behind them. Behind these helicopters B-52 bombers, escorted by U.S. F-4 fighters and R.O.K F-5 fighters were visible flying across the sky at high altitude. At Osan Air Base, F-111 fighters had been armed and fueled, ready to take off at short notice. The Midway aircraft carrier task force had also been moved to be stationed just off-shore. In addition, near the edges of the DMZ, many more heavily armed U.S. and ROK infantry, artillery, and armor were waiting to back up the special operations team. The bases near the DMZ were prepared for demolition in the case of a military response. The Bell AH-1 Cobra, called the Huey Cobra, Cobra, Sea Cobra, Super Cobra, or Snake (depending on the model), is an attack helicopter, designed by Bell Helicopter Textron. ... The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range eight-engined strategic bomber flown by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1954, replacing the Convair B-36 and the Boeing B-47. ... The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II[2] was a two-seat supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber produced for the United States military by McDonnell Douglas. ... The F-5 Freedom Fighter (or Tiger II) was a low cost entry level supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, beginning in 1962. ... Osan Air Base, a base of the United States Air Force, is located 4. ... A U.S. Air Force F-111 The General Dynamics F-111 was a long-range strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and tactical strike aircraft. ... USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41) was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class, and the first to be commissioned after the end of World War II. Active in the Vietnam War and in Operation Desert Storm, as of 2006 she is a... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... A 155 mm artillery shell fired by a United States 11th Marine regiment M-198 howitzer Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ...

North Korea mobilized about 150 troops armed with assault rifles who watched in silence as the tree was felled in 42 minutes, and a violent confrontation was avoided. Also removed were two road barriers illegally installed by the North Koreans, while the South Korean troops also overzealously vandalized two North Korean watch posts. The stump of the tree was left as a deliberate reminder. The AK is the worlds most common assault rifle. ...

Aftermath

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 a US helicopter circling Panmunjon later that day, but nobody was injured. Map of the Korean DMZ. The DMZ is given in red. ...

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, they received a message from Kim Il-sung expressing regret at the incident without accepting responsibility. While not going far enough to satisfy a previously discussed 'acceptable' Northern response, the US administration decided to emphasize this as a step in the right direction, clearly not intent on further escalation. The United Nations Command (Korea) is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea (South Korea or ROK) during and after the Korean War. ... Kim Il-sung (15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of North Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death, when he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il. ...

The forward operating base closest to Panmunjom was later renamed Camp Bonifas in honor of the slain officer.[2] The site of the tree, whose stump was cut down in 1987, became the location of a stone monument with a brass plate inscribed in the memory of both men. The UN command has held commemorative ceremonies at the monument on anniversaries.[3][4]

Gallery

Image File history File links Axe_Murder_Monument_1. ... Image File history File links Axe_Murder_Monument_2. ... Image File history File links Axe_Murder_Monument_Plaque. ...

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• Paul Bunyan, mythical lumberjack, namesake of the operation

This is a list of Wikipedia articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. ... Paul and Babe in Bemidji, Minnesota Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack in tall tales. ...

External links

• "Military marks date of DMZ incident in which two Army officers were slain", Stars and Stripes, 2001-08-18. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.
• The "Axe Murder Incident" and Operation Paul Bunyan, a Veterans of Foreign Wars organization website
• Murder at Panmunjon: The role of the theatre commander in crisis resolution, Department of State, Foreign Service Institute, Colonel Conrad DeLateur (PDF)