52nd Mountain Motorized Infantry Brigade (People's Republic of China)

The 149th Division, then the 52nd Army Division, the 52nd Mountain Motorized Infantry Brigade and the 52nd Mountain Combined Arms Brigade is an infantry formation of the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China. It's now a mountain unit facing India.

149th Division (1949-60)
149th Army Division (1960-69)
52nd Army Division (1969-85)
52nd Mountain Motorized Infantry Brigade (1985-2017)
52nd Mountain Combined Arms Brigade (2017-)
Active1949.1 - Present
CountryPeople's Republic of China
BranchPeople's Liberation Army Ground Force
People's Volunteer Army (1950-1955)
TypeCombined Arms, Mountain Infantry
SizeBrigade
Part ofTibet Military District
Garrison/HQShigatse, Tibet since 1969
EngagementsChinese Civil War, Korean War

The 149th division (Chinese: 第149师) was formed in January 1949 under the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948,[1] basing on 21st Temporary Division, 60th Corps of the Republic of China Army defected during Liaoshen Campaign. Under the flag of 149th it took part in the further battles of the Chinese civil war.

From 1950 it became part of the People's Volunteer Army (Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) or Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) during the Korean War with a standard strength of approximately 10,000 men. It was a component of the 50th Corps, consisting of the 445th, 446th, and 447th Regiments.[2]

During the Fourth Phase Campaign of Korean War, the division, with the Corps, persisted on the battlefields along the Han River near Seoul for 50 days and inflicted heavy losses on the United Nations. In March 1951 it pulled out from Korea for R&R. By July the division entered Korea for the second time.

In April 1955 the 148th Division pulled out from Korea and stationed in Shenyang Military District. The division was then composed of:

  • 445th Infantry Regiment;
  • 446th Infantry Regiment;
  • 447th Infantry Regiment;
  • 529th Artillery Regiment.

In 1960 it renamed as the 149th Army Division (Chinese: 陆军第149师).

In May 1967 the division moved to Sichuan province with the Corps HQ, converting to a "southern" unit.

In 1969 it swapped its designations and positions with 52nd Army Division from the Tibet Military District, and became the 52nd Army Division (Chinese: 陆军第52师) (3rd Formation). All its regiments were re-designated as 154th, 155th and 156th Infantry Regiments. Its 529th Artillery Regiment was renamed as Artillery Regiment, 52nd Army Division.

From September 28th 1975 the division maintained as a Catalogue B Division. From August 16th 1978 the division maintained as a Catalogue A Division. In September 1985 the division was reduced and re-organized as the 52nd Mountain Motorized Infantry Brigade (Chinese: 山地摩托化步兵第52旅), as a Motorized Infantry Brigade of High Altitude.

In 2017 the brigade was re-organized as the 52nd Mountain Combined Arms Brigade (Chinese: 山地合成第52旅).

Notes
  1. 《中央军委关于统一全军组织及部队番号的规定》, http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_7254c7350100xb56.html
  2. Appleman, Roy E. "South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu", pg 768
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