64th Army
The 64th Army was a People's Liberation Army formation that served from its creation in 1949 until its disbandment in 1998.
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Overview
The 64th Army was a formation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army whose lineage ran from wartime regional forces created during the Chinese Civil War through the 64th Corps and, after a 1985 reorganization, the 64th Army or 64th Group Army. It was established in January 1949 from the 4th Column of the Jinchaji Military Region under the Central Military Commission's program for redesignating army organizations. Its institutional ancestry also reached back to the Jizhong Column, formed in 1945. At formation, the unit comprised the 190th, 191st, and 192nd divisions and operated within the 19th Army Group. The formation fought in the Pingjin Campaign during the final phase of the Chinese Civil War. It subsequently became one of the People's Volunteer Army formations sent to Korea in February 1951. During the Korean War it participated in the Fifth Phase Offensive and the fighting around the Imjin River, where it incurred heavy losses from indirect fire while making territorial gains against United Nations forces. In November 1951, elements of its 190th and 191st divisions participated in the Chinese assault on Hill 355, known to United Nations troops as Little Gibraltar, during the First Battle of Maryang San. The operation displaced defending American forces from the hill, although subsequent fighting continued around the position. After leaving Korea in 1953, the formation was based in Liaoning, first at Fengcheng and later at Andong. In 1955 it moved into the Port Arthur area as Soviet forces withdrew, receiving equipment and facilities associated with departing Soviet formations. The corps underwent several changes in subordinate divisions and artillery, air-defense, armored, and security units. In 1960 it was formally redesignated the 64th Army Corps and moved to Benxi in 1963. During the Vietnam War, anti-aircraft artillery detachments from the formation deployed to North Vietnam from January through August 1968. Chinese accounts attributed several aircraft shoot-downs and damage claims to these detachments, but the cited account notes that the claims could not be independently confirmed using United States sources. From late 1968 to 1970, reconnaissance and recoilless-rifle elements also deployed to Zhenbao Island in anticipation of conflict with the Soviet Union, although they did not take part in direct combat there. A major structural transformation occurred in September 1985, when the 64th Army Corps became the 64th Army. The reorganization created or consolidated tank, artillery, air-defense, engineer, and communications formations and classified its three infantry divisions under different readiness and mobility categories. The 190th Infantry Division became a northern motorized infantry division, while the 191st and 192nd became northern infantry divisions. In 1989, the 190th Infantry Division participated in the enforcement of martial law and the suppression of protests in Beijing, according to the referenced account. The formation was disbanded in 1998. Its remaining components were redistributed: the 190th Motorized Infantry Division went to the 39th Army, the 191st Infantry Division was reduced to brigade strength and transferred to the Liaoning Provincial Military District, and the 192nd Infantry Division became a reserve formation. Other garrison, coastal-defense, armored, and support units were either transferred or dissolved. As a result, the 64th Army is a historical military formation rather than an operating commercial brand or current military command.
History
The 64th Army's lineage developed from anti-Japanese and civil-war formations in northern China. The Jizhong Column, formed in 1945, provided part of the historical ancestry, while the immediate predecessor was the 4th Column of the Jinchaji Military Region. Under the Central Military Commission's November 1948 redesignation regulations, the 64th Corps was created in January 1949. Its initial order of battle included the 190th, 191st, and 192nd divisions, and it was assigned to the 19th Army Group. The corps fought in the Pingjin Campaign as the Chinese Civil War approached its conclusion. In February 1951, the corps and all three subordinate divisions entered Korea as part of the People's Volunteer Army. It fought during the Fifth Phase Offensive and around the Imjin River, suffering substantial losses from indirect fire while making advances against United Nations positions. During the First Battle of Maryang San in November 1951, Chinese troops from the 190th and 191st divisions attacked Hill 355, a commanding feature held by United Nations forces. The Chinese assault captured the hill and continued toward nearby positions, although the wider battle involved repeated counterattacks and relief operations. The corps withdrew from Korea in August 1953 and was stationed in Liaoning. In 1955, as Soviet forces left the Port Arthur area, the corps entered the region and received Soviet equipment. Its divisions and attached formations were repeatedly reorganized during this period. The 190th Division changed status and numbering more than once, while artillery, anti-aircraft, tank, public-security, and railway-security formations were attached, detached, or renamed. In April 1960 the formation became the 64th Army Corps. It moved to Benxi in June 1963. The formation also undertook Cold War deployments. Anti-aircraft artillery units served in North Vietnam from January to August 1968. The referenced historical account records Chinese claims that these detachments shot down several American aircraft, but also notes that the claims were not corroborated by United States sources cited there. Between November 1968 and May 1970, reconnaissance companies from the 190th and 191st divisions and a recoilless-rifle company deployed to Zhenbao Island during preparations for possible border conflict with the Soviet Union. They did not participate in a direct engagement. The army corps expanded and changed its support structure during the 1970s and early 1980s. A tank regiment joined in 1976, and the 62nd Artillery Division and 82nd Pontoon Bridge Regiment were attached in 1983. The September 1985 reforms renamed the formation the 64th Army and reorganized its divisional and brigade structure. The 62nd Artillery Division and pontoon-bridge regiment were initially detached, while tank, artillery, air-defense, engineer, and communications formations were established or reconstituted. The 190th Division received a northern motorized infantry classification; the 191st and 192nd retained northern infantry classifications. In 1989, the 190th Infantry Division participated in the enforcement of martial law and the suppression of protests in Beijing. In 1992, several formations, including an anti-aircraft artillery brigade, the 82nd Pontoon Bridge Regiment, and an engineer unit, were attached or reattached, while other support structures were dissolved. Garrison and coastal-defense formations were also brought under the army's organization for a period. The 64th Army was disbanded in 1998. Its 190th Motorized Infantry Division transferred to the 39th Army; the 191st Infantry Division was reduced to brigade status and transferred to the Liaoning Provincial Military District; and the 192nd Infantry Division was inactivated and converted into a reserve formation. The Outer Changshan Garrison District and a coastal-defense regiment were likewise transferred to provincial military control, while the army's tank brigade and other formations were dissolved.
- 1998
Disbandment
[1]The 64th Army was disbanded and its remaining divisions, garrison units, and support formations were transferred, converted, or dissolved.
- 1989
Deployment to Beijing
[1]The 190th Infantry Division participated in the enforcement of martial law and the suppression of protests in Beijing.
- 1985
Reorganized as the 64th Army
[1]The September 1985 reforms renamed the corps and reorganized its infantry, armored, artillery, air-defense, engineer, and communications elements.
- 1968
Anti-aircraft deployment to North Vietnam
[1]Anti-aircraft artillery detachments deployed to North Vietnam from January through August during the Vietnam War.
- 1963
Move to Benxi
[1]The army corps relocated to Benxi, Liaoning.
- 1960
Redesignated 64th Army Corps
[1]The formation was renamed the 64th Army Corps in April.
- 1955
Deployment to Port Arthur
[1]The corps moved into the Port Arthur area after the withdrawal of Soviet forces and received military equipment left by them.
- 1953
Withdrawal from Korea
[1]The corps left Korea in August and was stationed in Liaoning.
- 1951
Deployment to Korea
[1]The corps entered Korea in February as part of the People's Volunteer Army and fought in the Fifth Phase Offensive and subsequent positional battles.
- 1949
64th Corps established
[1]The 64th Corps was created in January from the 4th Column of the Jinchaji Military Region, with the 190th, 191st, and 192nd divisions.
Products and positioning
Historical People's Liberation Army ground-force formation; not a commercial brand.
Marketing campaigns
- 1989Beijing martial-law deployment
China
The 190th Infantry Division took part in enforcing martial law and suppressing protests in Beijing.
- 1968North Vietnam anti-aircraft deployment
Vietnam
Anti-aircraft units from the formation deployed to North Vietnam. Chinese claims of aircraft engagements are recorded, but were not independently confirmed by the cited United States sources.
- 1951Korean War operations
Korean Peninsula
The corps entered Korea as part of the People's Volunteer Army, participating in the Fifth Phase Offensive and later positional fighting.
- 1951First Battle of Maryang San
Korean Peninsula
Elements of the 190th and 191st divisions attacked Hill 355, a strategically important height held by United Nations forces.
- 1949Pingjin Campaign
China
The newly established 64th Corps took part in the Pingjin Campaign during the final stage of the Chinese Civil War.
Brand decisions
1998
Disbandment and redistributionOtherBackground
The formation was dissolved during a later round of PLA force restructuring.
Action taken
The 190th Division transferred to the 39th Army, the 191st Division was reduced and transferred to provincial military control, and the 192nd Division became a reserve formation. Other units were transferred or disbanded.
Aftermath
The 64th Army ceased to exist as an active formation.
1985
1985 force-structure reorganizationStrategyBackground
A broad People's Liberation Army reorganization changed the formation's designation and reorganized its combat and support components.
Action taken
The 64th Army Corps became the 64th Army; infantry divisions were reclassified, and tank, artillery, air-defense, engineer, and communications formations were established or reshaped.
Aftermath
The army continued as a reorganized Liaoning-based formation until its disbandment in 1998.
Sources1 sources
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