Camp Howze was a United States Army post in Bongilchon, South Korea, until it was deactivated and turned over to the South Korean Army in 2005.
At the time of its deactivation, it was the home of the 44th Engineer Battalion and Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Engineer Brigade, Second Infantry Division, although the 44th had taken part in the historic deployment of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Second Infantry Division, in August 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and redeployed to Fort Carson, Colorado, without ever returning to South Korea.
Camp Howze was featured prominently in Larry Bond's Red Phoenix, a techno thriller
Camp Howze was located on 149 acres a few miles outside the town of Kumchon. Camp Howze was prominently featured in Larry Bond's novel "Red Phoenix." This techno thriller was a military/political suspense fiction about the second Korean war. The primary purpose of the facility was to house the Engineer Brigade Headquarters and the 44th Engineer Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division. The population of the camp was approximately 700, with 450 of that being US Military personnel and the remaining 250 being civilians employed by the Department of the Army.
Camp Howze was also located approximately 30 minutes from the Peace Village of Panmunjom where the Armistice was signed on 27 July 1953 to stop the fighting of the Korean War. Camp Howze was near the city of Pyokche, established by the Spanish Ambassador in 1900. It also had an active Hispanic Cultural center. Outside the city was a site of Korean royal tombs. Its climate features included, on average, summers between 85 and 90 oF, winters between 26 and 45 oF, and 40-48" of rain during a rainy season between July and August.
After being called a Headquarters compound for many years, Camp Howze was named on 25 March 1960 in honor of Major General Robert L. Howze, Medal of Honor recipient and the 1st commander of the 1st Cavalry division from 1921-25. Special guest was Major General Hamilton Howze, then Chief of the US Army Advisory Group in Korea, son of Robert Howze.