After the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the United Nations asked the Belgian government for military assistance. Belgium, conscious of the vast cost and logistical difficulties of sending large numbers of men or equipment across the world, elected to put an elite unit under UN command. Since the Belgian constitution forbade sending anyone but volunteers on overseas deployments in peacetime, it was not possible to send an existing battalion, so the Belgian United Nations Command was created. BUNC also incorporated a platoon of volunteer from Luxembourg. BUNC soldiers wore Brown Berets with a new cap badge to distinguish them from other Belgian units. BUNC fought in several of the key engagements of the Korean War from 1951, including the Battle of the Imjin River, the Battle of Haktang-ni and the Battle of Chatkol. BUNC won Presidential Unit Citation and Presidential Unit Citation for its heroism and citations for these battles are included on the Regimental Standard. Of the 3,000 Belgian soldiers who served in Korea, over 100 were killed in action between the battalion's arrival in 1951 and the 1953 armistice. The last Belgian forces left Korea in 1955.
Organization
The 3rd Staff and Services Company is responsible for administration, logistics, reinforcement and support for the other company's, with: Alpha Staff Platoon, Bravo Supply Platoon, Charlie Maintenance Platoon, Delta Logistics Platoon, Echo Transmissions Platoon. Another three support units are under the command of the battalion's commander: Foxtrot Reconnaissance Platoon, Golf 4"2 Mortar Fire Platoon, and a Sniper Detachment. The three paratroopers companies consist of: Alpha Staff Platoon, two to three Bravo, Charlie or/and Delta platoons, with a task force organization: or/a rifle platoons, or/a infantry platoons and or/a anti-tank platoons.
In December 1992, 1st Parachute Battalion deployed to Somalia as part of US-led United Nations mission Operation Restore Hope. Their role involved protecting UN aid distribution, as well as searching out militants. The 3rd Parachute Battalion was later also deployed to the country. In 1993, two soldiers of the 3rd Parachute Battalion were arrested, after a photo apparently showing two soldiers holding a Somali boy above a fire appeared in Belgian newspapers. Two soldiers were put on trial in Belgium, but both were acquitted by a military tribunal through lack of evidence.
Soldiers from 3rd Parachute Battalion have been deployed to peace-keep in Lebanon as part of the United Nations UNIFIL mission. The Belgian force, known as BELUBAT.
Composition
The battalion was bilingual from its creation until 1982, but is now Dutch speaking only. The 3rd Paratrooper Battalion and the 2nd Commando Battalion personnel are all trained identically, and are designated as a Paracommando on completion of their training, Personnel allocated to the 3rd Paratrooper Battalion are awarded the Paratroopers Maroon Beret, and wear the Parachute Qualification Brevet above the right side chest Pocket along with Belgian "Commando Dagger" brevet on the upper right sleeve
