K-6 AIR BASE
The history of Camp Humphreys dates back to the beginning of the 20th century when, in 1919, the Japanese military built the Pyeongtaek Airfield. Later, during the Korean War, Pyeongtaek Airfield was named K-6 after being repaired and enhanced by the U.S. Air Force to accommodate U.S. Marine Corps' Air Group 12 and the U.S. Air Force's 6147th Tactical Control Group.
CAMP HUMPHREYS
In 1962, the base was renamed Camp Humphreys, in honor of Chief Warrant Officer-2 Benjamin K. Humphreys, a pilot assigned to the 6th Transportation Company, who died in a helicopter accident.
In 1964, Humphreys District Command (later re-designated as the 23rd Direct Support Group) was activated as a separate installation command of the Eighth U.S. Army, providing all direct support, supply and maintenance, as well as housing the Eighth U.S. Army Milk Plant and storing all conventional ammunition in Korea, the Adjutant General publications and training aids.
In 1974, with the activation of the 19th Support Brigade, Camp Humphreys was re-designated as U.S. Army Garrison-Camp Humphreys. USAG-Camp Humphreys was still responsible for all affairs affecting personnel stationed at Camp Humphreys, but the 19th Support Brigade was responsible for all support activities vital to the Eighth U.S. Army and its subordinate units. Only the basic functions remained with USAG-Camp Humphreys and units reported to the 19th Support Brigade in Daegu, later re-designated to 19th Theater Army Area Command.
On Jun. 17, 1996, the United States Army Support Activity Area III (USASA Area III) was established and made responsible for the peacetime support mission for Camp Humphreys, Camp Long, Camp Eagle and U.S. Army units assigned to Suwon Air Base.
U.S. ARMY GARRISON HUMPHREYS
Under a 2004 land-swap agreement, the U.S. promised to gradually return a combined 170 square kilometers of land, housing 42 military bases and related facilities, to South Korea and move U.S. military forces from garrisons in and north of Seoul to Pyeongtaek.
With the creation of the Installation Management Command on Oct. 24, 2006, U.S. Army Support Activity Area III was re-designated as U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and Area III.
On Nov. 13, 2007, USFK and South Korean officials conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of USAG Humphreys. Under that plan, the 28,500 U.S. troop presence in South Korea is to be consolidated into two regional hubs in Pyeongtaek and Daegu.
Camps Eagle and Long were closed on Jun. 4, 2010, and installation support activities were consolidated to USAG Humphreys.
In 2010, the U.S. Army announced that a tour normalization policy would gradually be introduced. Single soldiers would typically serve a two-year tour, and troops who brought families would stay for three years. Previously, most troops served one-year unaccompanied tours in Korea. With this new policy, additional infrastructure has been built to accommodate more families.
As of 2017, the U.S. Army called Humphreys "the largest power projection platform in the Pacific." With the final stage of base expansion nearing completion, Humphreys has tripled in size to nearly 3,500 acres, making it the largest U.S. overseas military base.
Korean War photos courtesy of J.R. Boyer, a Marine who served at K-6 Air Base during the war.