laststandonzombieisland

After the outbreak of the Korean War on 25 June 1950, 22 countries responded by sending contingents to preserve South Korea. This included the 16 that sent combat elements (including such diverse nations as Ethiopia, New Zealand, and Thailand) while six 6 other nations provided medical or non-combat support.

This included the Danes, who sent a 356-bed hospital ship, the converted East Asiatic Company’s cargo liner MS Jutlandia, which made a difference in the lives of thousands of wounded GIs, Marines, and allied troops and non-combatants.

Completed by Nakskov as a 69-passenger 461-foot, 13,164-ton vessel in 1934, Jutlandia was a WWII survivor that arrived in Pusan some 75 years ago this month just as an American-led offensive (Operation Ripper) was underway to retake Seoul, with the South Korean capital changing hands for the fourth and final time during the war.

Commanded by the 56-year-old Danish Red Cross president, Kai Hammerich— who was a reserve Danish Naval captain that served on a TB in the Great War and as head of the country’s exiled Naval Transport services and chairman of the Ships Selection board during WWII– she had a EAC-provided (government-paid) crew of 105 volunteers and carried a medical staff of 93 people (15 doctors, 40 nurses, 20 orderlies plus administrative staff) the latter drawn from across Denmark from more than 2,000 applicants.

Reserve Capt. Hammerich was a career officer who joined the Royal Danish Navy as a 17-year-old cadet in 1911 and, after WWI service, was severely wounded in 1923 when a smoke screen generator exploded on board the cruiser Gejser. He was under medical treatment in both Denmark and England for several years thereafter, transferred to the country’s lighthouse service in 1933, and helped lead the Naval Transport Service during WWII. One of his sons, Kai Ole Hammerich, was killed during the war at age 19, shot by the Germans as part of the Danish Resistance.

Due to her extensive surgical facilities and highly experienced specialists, many of the worst head and spine injuries were routed to Jutlandia during her three tours in Korea.

Jutlandia returned to Copenhagen after her second Korean tour on 8 June 1952, after an absence of 503 days, during which 2,918 patients of 20 nationalities were treated by her medical personnel, and 406 wounded were transported back to Europe. Refit to include a tiny (45x45ft vs the 60×60 seen on U.S. ships) helicopter deck for American Bell 47/H-13 Sioux “MASH” choppers, she arrived back in Pusan on 20 November 1952, even treating captured wounded POWs.

Serving for 999 days during the Korean War, Jutlandia arrived home for good on 16 October 1953, having cared for 4,981 wounded soldiers from 24 different nations, as well as over 6,000 Korean civilians. A crowd of 20,000 rightfully proud Danes welcomed her back to Langelinie.

Post-Korea, the good Capt. Hammerich became the chairman of the board for Landforeningen for Ordblindesagen i Danmark (The National Association for Dyslexic Cause in Denmark), as well as taking on other humanitarian efforts, while going on to pen several books. He died in 1963, in Copenhagen, at the age of 68, survived by his five remaining children.

As for Jutlandia, she returned to transatlantic service as a combined passenger ship and freighter, served briefly as a royal yacht, and was sold in 1964 to a Spanish ship breaker, wrapping a 30-year career.

When it comes to Danish troops in Korea, Denmark has sent officers to work in the UNC Military Armistice Commission-Secretariat since April 2009 and in the UNC HQ since February 2019, and continues to contribute personnel in support of the UNC mission there.