The Korean War: An Exhaustive Chronology (3 Vol. Set)

1 The Korean War

ALSO

BY

BUD HANNINGS

Forts of the United States: An Historical Dictionary, 16th through 19th Centuries (McFarland, 2006)

The Korean War An Exhaustive Chronolog y BUD HANNINGS Foreword by General P. X. Kelley, 28th Commandant, USMC (Ret.)

Volume 1 (foreword; preface; prologue; acronyms and abbreviations; January 5, 1950–September 22, 1950)

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London

Volume 1 LIBRARY

OF

CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Hannings, Bud. The Korean war : an exhaustive chronology / Bud Hannings ; foreword by General P.X. Kelley, 28th Commandant, USMC (Ret.). p. cm. Includes index. 3 volume set— ISBN-13: 978-0-7864-2814-4 illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper 1. Korean War, 1950–1953 — Chronology. 2. Korean War, 1950–1953. 3. Korean War, 1950–1953 — United States — Chronology. 4. United Nations — Armed Forces — Korea — Chronology. I. Title. DS918.H336 2007 951.904'20202 — dc22 2007010570 British Library cataloguing data are available ©2007 Bud Hannings. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. On the cover: Situation Map of Korea, November 25, 1950; Elements of Eighth Army retire from Sunch’on and move south towards P’yongyang, December 2, 1950 Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com

Contents • Volume 1 • Foreword, by General P. X. Kelley, 28th Commandant, USMC (Ret.) 1 Preface

3

Prologue: The Prelude to War

7

Acronyms and Abbreviations

15

Chronology: January 5, 1950– September 22, 1950 23

• Volume 2 • Chronology: September 23, 1950– November 12, 1951 403

• Volume 3 • Chronology: November 13, 1951– September 6, 1953 803 Appendices 1. Eighth Army, Order of Battle 2. Major Combat Events

975

981

3. United Nations Command, Senior Military Commanders 4. U.S. Air Force Commanders

985

5. Medal of Honor Recipients

988

v

983

Contents

vi 6. Major U.S. Air Force Units

994

7. U.S. Marine Units

997

8. U.S. Naval Vessels

999

9. U.S. Naval Air Units

1002

10. Carrier-Based and Non–Carrier-Based Squadrons 11. U.S. Naval Vessels Sunk or Damaged in Action 12. Numbers of U.S. Navy and Corps Personnel Killed and Wounded Marine 13. U.S. Aces of the Korean War 14. U.S. Army Command Strength 15. U.S. Army Battle Casualties 16. Foreign Nation Forces Bibliography

1021

General Index

1025

Military Units Index

1016

1018

1069

1009

1013

1014 1017

1003

Foreword by General P. X. Kelley, 28th Commandant, USMC (Ret.) A desperate withdrawal quickly followed the initial invasion as the friendly forces pulled back from the 38th Parallel towards Pusan. The U.S. Marines arrived there during early August to bolster the U.S. Eighth Army as it battled for survival. Soon after, during September, as part of the strategic plan to conduct an amphibious assault against Inchon, the U.S. Eighth Army initiated its breakout from the Pusan Perimeter. The book chronicles the perilous landing of the U.S. Marines at Inchon on 15 September, the subsequent drive to recapture Seoul, and the simultaneous advance of the U.S. Eighth Army as it moved to join the U.S. X Corps. From there, the book chronicles the U.S. X Corps as the cruel Korean winter set in, as if synchronized with the crossing of the Yalu River by the Chinese armies. Of particular significance is the fierce and difficult combat under the worst possible weather conditions after the U.S. Marines became surrounded by hordes of Chinese at the Chosin Reservoir. During their movement to Hungnam, the reader is reminded of Admiral Chester Nimitz’s famous comment during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima, “Uncommon valor was a common virtue.” Throughout this spectacular three-volume work, the reader will encounter the setbacks, the triumphs, and the agonies of the fighting men on the ground, moving from foxhole to

Bud Hannings has done a masterful job in providing current and future generations with what can accurately be called the most complete and authoritative chronology ever compiled about the Korean War. All who read it will understand and fully comprehend why those who endured this most difficult confiict chafe when the war is referred to as a “Police Action.” The Korean War: An Exhaustive Chronolog y is a superbly and skillfully written compendium of the often-called “Forgotten War.” It tells of the extreme hardships and privations suffered by the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines on the ground, in the air and at sea as they struggle to stem the tide of a seemingly unstoppable enemy. This is not a book on grand strategy. Rather, its primary focus is on the extraordinary achievements of small units and individuals. The confiict began on June 25, 1950, when without warning tens of thousands of North Koreans surged over the border into South Korea and only one American soldier stood in their way as they attacked towards Seoul. This chronology begins when a scant American Task Force is sent to Korea from nearby Japan to become the first U.S. unit to engage the enemy. It then chronicles the other units that follow from Japan and the United States, as well as from other countries that participated under the fiag of the United Nations.

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Foreword by General P. X. Kelley foxhole, rice paddy to rice paddy and hill to hill. Readers may better understand the thrill of being in the cockpit of a Corsair being catapulted from the deck of a U.S. Navy carrier or the clamor in the turret of a naval gun. They can also crawl alongside a dirty infantryman, the “Queen of Battle,” during a tortuous advance against an enemy machine gun or invincible tank. Eventually, readers will join in the negotiations at Panmunjom during the final days of the confiict when the repatriated United Nations forces arrive at Freedom Village. Readers can then close the cover with the knowledge that those who served in Korea upheld the highest traditions of the American fighting men, while accomplishing a dual set

2 of noble achievements — the containment of Communism and the sharing of one of their most cherished possessions: freedom. No one who reads this book will ever think of the Korean War as the “Forgotten War.” And no one will ever forget the sacrifices that were borne by Americans and their counterparts from the United Nations. The Americans who served in the Korean War, like those who came before them and those that followed, all have additional bonds: the instinctive nature of their privilege to defend their country and their fiag and their determination to share their valor in the defense of others seeking freedom from tyranny.

Preface ingly never-ending clashes that ranged from direct assaults to ambushes. It is possible to follow an infantry division or regiment on a daily basis (with regard to combat) from the early days of the confiict until the final shots were fired on 27 July 1953. All activity initiated by Eighth Army, X Corps, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade (later 1st Marine Division) and the ROKs Corps is depicted. Although the primary coverage points to the U.S. forces, the book simultaneously tracks the entire U.N. ground force. Fifty-three nations joined the struggle against the Communist aggression in Korea, but the heaviest burden was carried by the Americans. Fifteen additional nations committed combat troops; of those, Turkey and Great Britain were the only countries to field more than one battalion. South Korean forces included sixteen infantry divisions. In contrast, the Chinese Communists funneled thousands of troops into Korea to swell the ranks of the North Korean forces. Later, toward the end of 1950, several hundred thousand Chinese troops unexpectedly and openly joined the fight. In the meantime, although it was not made public, Soviet pilots were often the opponents of American aviators during the frequent clashes in the skies over Korea. The book does not confine itself to the infantry troops. All units are detailed, including accompanying artillery, armor and other support contingents, including airborne forces. The book also concentrates on the smaller

The purpose of this book is to provide a detailed account of the combat actions of the Korean War for serious students of history and for those with an interest in the U.S. military. The book aims to provide an accurate and factual depiction of the everyday occurrences from the minor engagements to the major battles that were fought by ground, air and naval forces. Prior to the beginning of the chronology is a prologue, “The Prelude to War,” a brief overview of the situation in the Pacific with regard to Korea and Japan at the termination of World War II. This section displays the early intent of the Kremlin to dominate in Asia by first gaining control of Korea. At the same time, it summarizes the ongoing crisis in Europe and the Mideast during the same time period, to give the reader a wide view of the Kremlin’s intentions. In Europe the Soviets boldly made their moves, but in the Pacific, their operations remained clandestine. Showing the buildup to the war, the chronology begins in January 1950. From the invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, it covers the activities of the U.S. Army and the United States Marines on a daily basis. It documents the formidable efforts of the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy to hold the line while the American ground forces were preparing to react to the massive invasion across the 38th Parallel by the Communists against the newly created Republic of South Korea. The book provides an easily accessible route to both the major battles and the seem-

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Preface contingents and the actions of individual soldiers, sailors and Marines. One hundred and thirty-one men who served during the war in Korea received the Medal of Honor. Of those, ninety-four made the ultimate sacrifice. The actions of those individuals, with rare exception, are detailed in the book on the date of the action. One of the recipients, Tibor Rubin, whose period of eligibility for the award encompassed 1950–1953 did not receive his award until 23 September 2005, when it was presented by President George W. Bush. The book also closely follows the naval blockade of Korea and the air war against enemy targets in North Korea, as well as the close-air support missions. In conjunction with the comprehensive coverage, an overview of the war summarizes the confiict, highlights the various engagements and follows the see-saw battles that dominated the first six months of the war and the bloody months of combat that followed. Within the summary, the dates of the respective actions are listed, which provides the researcher or reader with a direct route to the identical action in the book, where the incident or action is covered in more detail. Hardships and dangers the ground troops faced can be found in almost every paragraph. The constant warfare raged from the east coast to the west coast and from Pusan to the south by the sea to the Yalu River in the north at the border with Manchuria. There was no easy ground in Korea, nor did the troops get to enjoy many fair skies. U.S. troops spent three Christmases in Korea and usually they were fighting in torrential heat during the monsoon season, when the roads became fiooded and the bridges were washed out. Or, they were heavily engaged along icy slopes and primitive frozen mountain roads in weather that dropped way below zero. The enemy, a formidable foe, faced the same elements, but they more easily adapted to it. Some of the names of major battles that were seared into the minds of those who served are Oman, Kum River, Naktong Bulge, In-

4 chon, Chosin Reservoir, Koto-ri, Hamhung and Bloody Ridge. Others included Heartbreak Ridge, the Punch Bowl, Bunker Hill, Vegas Cities, the Hook and Pork Chop Hill. Each was a colossal confiagration that can never be fully described by a single pen or by a thousand. Nonetheless, whether it was a major battle or a minor skirmish in Korea, it was most probably under grueling circumstances. During 1951, the strategy on winning the war changed dramatically. Eighth Army received orders to cancel all offensives and take a defensive posture. The orders arrived in conjunction with the decision not to fight for complete victory. Nonetheless, permission was still granted to conduct strong patrols. While the confiict changed to a contest for the hills, and later towards the end of the year, descended into stalemate, the confrontations did not become less ruthless. The book continues with comprehensive coverage of the respective units until the culmination of the war. The text does not place any emphasis on the political elements of the war, but it does contain information regarding the strategy in Washington and the differences between General MacArthur and the president as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Nor does the book provide an in-depth study of the strategies mapped out by the High Command, but it does provide an overview of the U.N. strategy as well as that of the Communists. Researching the facts contained herein was challenging because of the enormous depth and breadth of the confiict. However, thanks to the meticulous records of the armed forces, including the official volumes done by the respective services and the individual military historical centers, Leatherneck magazine and Infantry magazine, as well as other distinguished works on the Korean War (listed in the bibliography), the endeavor was not tedious. The author was not faced with the problem of discerning fact from fiction and for that I am sincerely grateful to all of our armed forces. All photographs are from the United

5 States Air Force, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, Department of Defense and the National Archives. It should be noted that the records of the Communist forces — including the Chinese, North Koreans and Soviets — were unavailable. Consequently, the references to their activity and casualties were accumulated from the records of the U.S. armed forces. The most difficult part of the prolonged project was how to capture the full picture of the war and condense

Preface it. With that in mind, the project was undertaken and completed to the best of my ability. I hope that the book will be considered a fair and accurate portrayal of the war. The book was purposely written in the present tense to give an immediate feel for the tribulations endured by the troops on the battlefields of the harsh Korean terrain for a period of three years, two months and two days. When the confiict ended on 27 July 1953, the troops knew they were not going to spend their fourth straight Christmas on a Korean field of battle.

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Prologue: The Prelude to War them, but to no avail. It remained a Japanese possession and it was kept as a police state. During 1943 at the Cairo Conference, the Allies, including the Russians, proclaimed that Korea would become a free nation at the appropriate time. On 16 August 1945, Josef Stalin demanded that the Soviets be permitted to deploy occupational troops in Japanese territory in the northern sector of Hokkaido; however, President Truman immediately refused the request. While the Russians continued to circumvent the U.S. to find a way into Japan, American armed forces began to occupy the country. A vanguard arrived in Japan on 28 August. On 7 September 1945, British, French, Soviet and U.S. forces paraded in Berlin in honor of V-J Day. The grand parade was nearly cancelled due to the obstinacy of the Russians, who demanded to be first in the parade line. Nevertheless, it became the final combined parade. Soon after, the Communists began to openly attempt to instigate trouble, not only in Germany and Europe, but in other countries, including Greece, Iran, Turkey, the Philippines and Korea. On 8 September, the U.S. 24th Corps (6th, 7th and 40th Infantry Divisions), commanded by Major General John R. Hodge, was ordered to Korea. Hodge became the commander of U.S. Army forces in Korea. He discovered upon his arrival that the Russians

Korea, known as the Hermit Kingdom, played no major part in the confiagration known as World War II; however, it was to become the foundation of the Communists’ plan to bring Asia under the total domination of Moscow. While the Allies confronted the postwar situation in Europe, Stalin — in addition to complicating matters at every turn in Europe — devoted much time to launching longterm plans to test the mettle of the free world in Korea. During mid–July 1945, President Harry Truman arrived in Berlin to attend the Potsdam Conference. At the time, Russia had not yet declared war against Japan and the conference did not focus on Asia. On 12 August 1945, shortly after the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, the Soviets declared war on Japan. Russian troops were immediately dispatched from Manchuria into Korea, initiating the first signal of Russian intentions. The Russians portended that the presence of their troops was to facilitate the surrender of Japanese troops, but there had been no official agreement between Russia and the U.S. to bisect Korea. Korea, until the 20th century, had been an independent nation, nestled between China, Russia and Japan. During 1910, the Japanese annexed it for future colonization and as a catapult for entry into Asia. After the conclusion of World War I, the Korean people had thought the great nations would find compassion for

7

Prologue had halted at the 38th Parallel as agreed, alleviating the tension for the occupation force. The U.S. troops began to accept the surrender of Japanese troops below the 38th Parallel. On 9 September 1945, the Japanese at Seoul officially relinquished their control over Korea to the U.S. 7th Division. By mid–November 1945, it was determined that the anticipated 25,000-man Korean police force should be bolstered by a Korean national defense force. The Korean Air Force was to amount to one transport squadron and two fighter squadrons. In addition, the combined strength of the Korean Navy and Coast Guard would stand at 4,500 troops. The findings were sent to Washington. Later during a meeting in Moscow (between the U.S. and the Soviets), it was agreed to form a provisional government for all of Korea. In the meantime, the U.S. continued to shrink its armed forces in the Pacific and in Europe, while the Soviets continued to build their strength. The Soviets maintained a relatively low profile with regard to Korea, but not Europe, nor the Mideast. Russia tested the U.S. in Berlin during March of 1946 by moving into the U.S. zone and removing railroad tracks. Meanwhile, the Soviets still resisted removing their troops from Iran. It was during that same period that Winston Churchill, speaking at a college conference in the U.S., described the situation in Eastern Europe and coined the phrase “Iron Curtain.” By May of 1946, the joint United States– USSR Commission, which had been authorized during the Moscow Conference of the Foreign Ministers of the U.S. and the Soviet Union for the purpose of bringing about a unified Korea, made no progress. During 1947, the commission returned to the table, but still no progress was made. Consequently, the U.S. took the question of Korean independence and unification to the United Nations, rather than waste more time with the Russians. The U.N. discussed the issue in September 1947. In March 1947, the conference of Foreign

8 Ministers convened in Moscow. During the same month, President Truman, concerned with the spread of Communism, proclaimed what became known as the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine made it emphatically clear that the U.S. would oppose Communism and its expansion plans, wherever it became necessary. Truman later stated that his speech was “America’s answer to the surge of Communist tyranny.” By spring of 1947, the situation in Korea remained fiuid, the tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union had not lessened, and still there was no progress on unification. Meanwhile, the Soviets raised the stakes in Europe by seizing control of Hungary. By summer, the Soviets attempted to gain power in Greece. The city of Berlin became a powder keg. In September 1947 the Korean people received a disturbing bit of news when it became known that the Joint Chiefs of Staff sent a letter concerning Korea to Secretary of State Dean Acheson, informing him that there was little U.S. strategic interest there. The letter also offered the opinion that there was no need to continue maintaining the “present troops and bases in Korea.” The United Nations in October 1947 adopted in principle a resolution drafted by the U.S. that called for the establishment of a temporary commission to oversee elections in Korea. However, the Soviet Union refused to cooperate. The Russians barred U.N. representatives from entering its controlled portion of Korea. Nonetheless, during February 1948, it was decided that the elections would be held in May. General Douglas MacArthur informed the Joint Chiefs of Staff that in his opinion, a South Korean army was not feasible. He said the U.S. forces in Korea were unable to provide sufficient protection. He suggested that the Constabulary be increased to 50,000 men. Meanwhile, the North Koreans made an aggressive move. On 8 February 1948, the communists announced that the North Korean provisional

9 government had established the Korean People’s Army. The Russians initiated their withdrawal from Korea during February 1948; however, many advisors remained behind. In addition, the Russians left tanks and aircraft behind. By spring of 1948, the condition of the U.S. armed forces was quite poor. The Soviets, aware of the deterioration of the American military, had been steadily raising the stakes in Europe, while continuing their meddling in Asia. During April 1948, Truman again reiterated his displeasure with the Russians and with the French. The French had been unable to sustain their zone in Berlin by themselves and concluded that they would join with the Americans and British. Truman was aware of Soviet intentions in Korea and Japan, but the priority had become Europe. Subsequent to the problems in Berlin, Truman stated: “For the first year after the war, the British and Americans made every effort to make a joint control succeed. The Russians, however, with a good assist from the French, defeated these efforts.” On 10 May 1948, free elections were held in Korea, but the citizens of North Korea were forbidden from participating. About 95 percent of the eligible populace in South Korea voted and elected a National Assembly. Soon after, on the 31st, the newly elected representatives gathered in Seoul and elected Syngman Rhee, a staunch anticommunist, as president for a fouryear term. The election process worked well, despite the Communists’ attempts to disrupt the historical event. By that time, the South Koreans were nearly on their own. By mid–1949, the only U.S. troops in the country were advisors and their numbers barely reached 500 men. To make the situation more tenuous, by the end of the summer the U.S. eliminated Korea as a defense responsibility for General MacArthur. The troops in Korea at that time were placed under the jurisdiction of John J. Muccio, the U.S. ambassador to Korea, as part of the U.S. plan for a total pull-out, leaving a supposedly solid country to govern itself.

Prologue During the summer of 1948 there were no outward signs of violence by the Communists in Asia, but Europe continued to reach the brink of disaster. The Russians, prevented from landing troops in Japan and unable to totally halt the spread of democracy in Korea, tightened the noose in Berlin by initiating a blockade during June 1948. The U.S. and Britain stood determined to thwart the Russians by starting an airlift. The French, although part of the Allied force in Berlin, had no transport planes and played no part in the operation. By 25 June, C47s began to arrive in Berlin with food and supplies. The planes continued the operation nonstop, 24 hours a day to maintain the city and prevent the people from starving until the Russians finally relented and lifted the blockade. On 15 August 1948, Syngman Rhee was inaugurated president of South Korea. His inauguration brought about the end of U.S. occupation in Korea. The U.S. began to transfer its authority to the new government. The South Koreans began to call the Constabulary the National Defense Army, but the term was not acknowledged by the United States. During the transitional period, the U.S. agreed to maintain the training of the Constabulary forces and the Korean Coast Guard. The American advisors were to be reassigned to the Overstrength Detachment, Headquarters, USAFIK, to be reorganized as a Provisional Military Advisory Group (PMAG). On 26 August, John J. Muccio, recently appointed special assistant to Korea by President Truman, established a U.S. diplomatic mission in the capital. Muccio also retained the rank of ambassador, with authorization by the president to negotiate the impending withdrawal of U.S. troops from Korea. The phase-out began on 15 September. By October 1948, more trouble began to brew. Members of the Constabulary ignited an insurrection. On 19 October, the S.K. 14th Regiment, under orders to quash the turmoil, received U.S. rifies; however, the unit contained some Communist NCOs. The unit had been

Prologue ordered to the island of Chej-do to assist forces already there. The unit was ordered to move out before the rifies were distributed to prevent the Communists from getting them. The Communist NCOs instigated mutiny. The rebels seized Yosu and imprisoned some loyalists. The progress of the insurrection was halted by the 21st and by the 25th it was eliminated. The newly created Republic of South Korea was officially recognized by the U.S. on 1 January 1949. Shortly thereafter, on 15 January, the U.S. 24th Corps left Korea for Japan, where it would disband. The remaining units were to depart during March. During that same month, the Soviets agreed to supply and arm six North Korean infantry divisions and three mechanized contingents. In addition, the Soviets committed to equip eight battalions of Constabulary troops who were to operate near the 38th Parallel and they committed to deliver 100 Soviet fighter planes, thirty light and medium bombers and twenty reconnaissance planes. As the Russians equipped and trained the North Koreans, the activity was relatively quiet. Although the U.S. was in the process of withdrawing its troops from Korea and had signed an agreement with the South Koreans, the U.N. Security Council decided during March 1949, that the U.S.— rather than the U.N.— should pay the expenses of arming the present force of 65,000 men. At the time, sufficient equipment to arm 50,000 troops had been, or was about to be, transferred from the Americans to the South Koreans. The U.N. also decided that the U.S. should supply some ships and equipment, valued at about one million dollars, to the Korean Coast Guard. And the U.N., not the U.S. Congress, also decided that legislative action should be forthcoming to get permanent financial aid for Korea from a U.S. assistance program for free nations. That legislation emerged and was signed into law by President Truman in October 1949. Despite the obvious Soviet build-up in Europe and the intelligence that indicated So-

10 viet intent to dominate Asia, too, the U.S. continued to thin its fighting forces. Towards the latter part of March, President Truman appointed Louis A. Johnson, a lawyer, as secretary of defense. Johnson was conspicuously no friend of the U.S. armed forces and he was an obvious adversary to the Marine Corps and Navy. Johnson intended to help eliminate both branches of the service. Johnson believed that amphibious invasions were extinct following the close of World War II and he was convinced the Air Force could replace the U.S. Navy. Back in the States, the armed forces were not faring too well with the politicians. On 23 April 1949, the U.S. Navy received a startling surprise as Secretary of Defense Johnson aborted a $188 million project that cost the Navy its anticipated super-carrier, the USS United States. Johnson’s action severely hindered the Navy’s postwar aviation plans and he nearly killed off Marine aviation with the same blow. Although there were many concerns about Soviet expansion, there were no thoughts of how the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps would be the last chance to keep the U.S. from being driven from Korea the following year. Only intervention by Congressman Carl Vinson saved Marine Corps aviation. Inter-service rivalry by that time had reached a dangerous level. Meanwhile, the Kremlin continued to maintain the blockade of West Berlin, but the city continued to receive food and supplies by air delivery without interruption. The Russians also ignited activity in North Korea to incite trouble in Asia. On 3 May 1949, North Korean Communist troops launched a raid in the vicinity of Kaesong in the Republic of South Korea. This clash was followed by hundreds of similar skirmishes during the next six months. Many of the exchanges were minor, but both sides sustained high casualties. The Communists also initiated guerrilla activity in South Korea. While the tension continued to build in Korea, the Soviets began to lessen tension in Berlin. On 4 May, the Russians agreed to lift the blockade, ending the futile attempt to starve the West

11 Berliners. The blockade officially terminated on 12 May 1949. By June 1949, more evidence emerged regarding the Kremlin’s activities in Korea and the entry of the Communist Chinese. A clandestine operation run by General MacArthur’s headquarters in Japan discovered information about Chinese fiying into Pyongyang under the pretense of being war refugees. Other intelligence verified that the North Koreans and the Chinese Communists were controlled by the Kremlin. About 2,000 reports fiowed into headquarters in Tokyo and from there they were forwarded to the States. The intelligence also validated the inability of Syngman Rhee to meet a Communist attack, primarily because of the lack of planes and tanks. The South Koreans’ armor consisted of some half-tracks and scout cars and their air force encompassed only a few planes. On 1 July 1949, the Provisional Advisory Group, earlier organized to assist the South Korean Armed Forces, became the official connection between the U.S. and Korea following the departure of USAFIK. It became the U.S. military advisory group to the Republic of Korea, known as KMAG. The members of KMAG, coming under the American Diplomatic Mission, received diplomatic immunity. The newly formed South Korean units had to contend with the numerous actions initiated by the North Korean regular forces and with the evergrowing guerrilla units. The KMAG advisors also supported the S.K. Coast Guard, which had about ninety vessels, of which only forty were seaworthy. Consequently, the S.K. Coast guard was outclassed by the smugglers and pirates who maintained their exploits with little interruption. The North Korean Communists opened a strong attack against the South Korean Ongjin Peninsula during August 1949. The incursion began strongly and brought severe fighting, but the South Koreans were able to prevail. The Communists were driven back beyond the 38th Parallel. Later, on 1 September, intelligence reports forwarded from Far East

Prologue Command to Washington indicated that since the previous June, one Chinese division had trickled into North Korea from Antung, Manchuria. In conjunction, the Chinese on 21 September announced the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, with the capital in Beijing (a name restored from the Chinese Nationalists’ Peiping), under the wing of the Soviets. The Communist republic was first led by Mao Tse-tung. During February of 1950, the Chinese and Soviets fastened the bond further by signing a friendship pact in Moscow. Soon after, on the 23rd, President Truman announced to the nation that the Soviet Union had detonated an atomic bomb. Back in Washington, D.C., the House Armed Services Committee held hearings on 19 October that focused on the possibility of the extinction of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. One witness, General Omar Bradley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, read his statement, which unraveled like a tirade rather than an objective viewpoint. Bradley concluded his statement with a prophecy: “I also predict that large scale amphibious operations will never occur again.” On 27 October, Admiral Louis E. Denfeld (chief of naval operations), who had appeared as a witness during the House hearings to defend the role of the Navy, was fired by Defense Secretary Johnson. On 8 December, General Headquarters Intelligence in Japan received a report from its agents in Korea. The information included the number of North Korean divisions, which stood between four and eight, bolstered by separate brigades. Their aircraft were documented as Soviet-made and included 60 to 70 planes. They also had about 35 to 40 Soviet T-34 tanks. Headquarters was also informed that the winter would prevent any hostilities, but that during April and May of 1950, Communist action was very possible. The situation in Asia at the beginning of 1950 remained poor. The occupation troops still based in Japan had fallen far from their effectiveness during World War II. On 5 January

Prologue 1950, President Truman proclaimed that the United States would not initiate, either directly or indirectly, any military action to intercede on behalf of the Nationalist Chinese under Chiang Kai-shek on Formosa. Within a week, the situation in the Far East became more confusing. Korea was placed on the chopping block when the secretary of state proclaimed that the U.S. would act to defend Japan, the Philippines and Okinawa. Korea was eliminated from the protection of U.S. forces, which in turn signaled to the Russians that Korea was an easy target for Communist expansion. On the 20th, more alarming information reached Far East Command from the operatives in Korea. The intelligence suggested a Communist invasion of South Korea would be launched during either March or April of 1950. The report, which was forwarded to Washington, detailed the movement of the North Korean forces and of the continual arrivals of new Chinese units. Nonetheless, the signs of imminent danger failed to push the U.S. towards defending South Korea. By 1 March 1950, the House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee issued a report that publicized its 1949 investigations. It recommended that important air warfare roles should be given to the Navy and Marine Corps and it urged increased combined training. The demise of the Navy and Marine Corps was shelved. During April, in response to a request from General MacArthur for instructors (U.S. Navy and Marine Corps) to train the U.S. Army troops in amphibious warfare, the Marine Corps was eager to accommodate MacArthur, particularly because of the recent stinging remarks by General Bradley. In the meantime, the clouds of war were stirring in Korea. By mid–April, the Communists ordered all North Koreans living within three miles of the 38th Parallel to abandon their homes. Soon after, North Korean troops and guerrillas occupied the empty living quarters. The activity was picked up by MacArthur’s op-

12 erators in Korea, turned in to headquarters and from there forwarded to Washington. By May of 1950, it became even clearer that the reaches of Communism had been causing havoc around the globe. Secretary of State Dean Acheson, while in Paris, announced that the U.S. was going to provide military aid to Cambodia, France, Laos and Vietnam to bolster the respective struggles against the rebels in French Indochina, who had been described as Communists. There was no mention of aid for South Korea, which left the message that Korea was on its own. The Communists essentially signaled their intentions on 8 June, when the newspapers in Pyongyang, North Korea, published a manifesto claiming that a parliament would be elected during August and that a meeting was scheduled to convene in Seoul on the 15th of August. On 15 June, the KMAG announced the grim circumstances and stated that because of a lack of equipment the South Korean armed forces could withstand an enemy invasion no longer than fifteen days. By the 23rd, following an upsurge in incursions, one KMAG advisor, Lt. Colonel Thomas McPhail, became convinced that an attack was imminent. He based his conclusions on intelligence gathered while engaging guerrillas. McPhail’s intelligence had discovered fresh infantry units, camoufiaged tanks and antiaircraft batteries, all deployed within striking distance of the South Korean positions below the 38th Parallel. Lt. Colonel McPhail convinced General Kim, the S.K. 6th Division commander, to cancel all weekend leaves and to ensure that all defensive fortifications were fully manned at their positions that guarded the approaches to Chunchon. McPhail forwarded the intelligence to headquarters, but still, the information did not sound any alarms. Things remained quiet along the 38th Parallel on 24 June. The tranquility provided the enemy with additional opportunities to finalize preparations for the invasion scheduled to commence on the following day. The South Koreans had four divisions and one regiment

13 positioned to react to hostilities if they developed, but of those, only four regiments and one battalion were deployed near the front below the 38th Parallel. The bulk of the forces were

Prologue based to the rear. To add to the crisis, many of the troops and KMAG advisors were on weekend liberty on the morning of the 25th when the colossal offensive began.

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Acronyms and Abbreviations This list is not all-inclusive, but it includes the military terms most commonly used during the Korean War period, as well as other standard abbreviations and acronyms.

ADCOM— Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command (see also, ADC) ADM— Admiral Admin— Administration AdmO— Administration Order Adv Tn— Advanced Trainer ADVON— Advanced Echelon AE— Ammunition Ship AE— Aviation Electrician’s Mate (USN) AEF— American Expeditionary Force AEMS— Armament and Electronics Maintenance Squadron AerialDel Plat— Aerial Delivery Platoon AETC— Air Education and Training Command AEW— Airborne Early Warning AF— Aviation Photographer’s Mate (USN) AF— Air Force AF— Store Ship AFA— Armored Field Artillery AFB— Air Force Base AFFE— Army Forces Far East AFCON— Air Force–controlled AFHRA— Air Force Historical Research Agency AFLC— Air Force Logistics Command Afid— Airfield AFMC— Air Force Materiel Command AFOUA—Air Force Outstanding Unit Award AFRC— Air Force Reserve Command AFRES— Air Force Reserve AFRTC— Air Force Reserve Training Center AFS— Air Force Station AFSC— Air Force Systems Command AFSOC—Air Force Special Operations Command

AA— Airman Apprentice (USN) AAA— Antiaircraft artillery AAB— Army Air Base AAC— Alaskan Air Command AAF— Army Air Forces AAFld— Army Air Field AB— Air Base AB–Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (USN) ABCCC— Airborne Battlefield Command Control and Communication ABG— Air Base Group Abn— Airborne AbnRCT— Airborne Regimental Combat Team ABW— Air Base Wing AC— Air Controlman AC— Symbol following some photo negative numbers, denoting a black and white negative AC&CS— Airborne Command and Control Squadron ACC— Air Combat Command ACE— Accelerated Co-Pilot Enrichment Program AcofS— Assistant Chief of Staff ACW— Air Control Wing AD— Aviation Machinist Mate (USN) AD— Douglas “Skyraider”: single-engine attack plane (USA) AD— Destroyer Tender ADC— Air Defense Command (see also ADCOM) ADC— Assistant Division Commander ADCOM— Advance Command and Liaison Group

15

Acronyms and Abbreviations AFSPC— Air Force Space Command AG— Aerographer’s Mate (USN) AGC— Amphibious Command Ship (Amphibious Force Flagship) AGO— Office of the Adjutant General AH— Hospital Ship AIA— Air Intelligence Agency Air DelPlat— Air Delivery Platoon AirO— Air Officer AirSptSec— Air Support Section AK— Aviation Storekeeper (USN) AK— Cargo Ship AKA— Assault (Attack) Cargo Ship AKL— Light Cargo Ship AKS— Stores Issue Ship AL— Aviation Electronic (USN) ALCE— Airlift Control Element ALCM— Air Launched Cruise Missile ALCS— Airborne Launch Control System AM— Aviation Structural Mechanic (USN) AM— Minesweeper AMC— Air Mobility Command AMIK— American Mission in Korea AMS— Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper or Minesweeper, Small AMPH Trac Bn— Amphibious Tractor Battalion AMPH TrkBn— Truck Battalion AMW— Air Mobility Wing AN— Airman (USN) ANG— Air National Guard ANGB— Air National Guard Base ANGLICO— Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company AO— Aviation Ordnance Man (USN) AO— Oiler AOG— Gasoline Tanker AP— Transport APA— Attack Transport APD— High Speed Transport Aprt— Airport ARADCOM— Army Air Defense Command ARB— Air Reserve Base ARFC— Air Reserve Flying Center ARG— Repair Ship-Internal Combustion Engine ARH— Repair Ship-Heavy Hull Damage ARL— Repair Ship–Landing Craft ARMDAmphBn— Armored Amphibious Battalion ARS— Salvage Vessel ART— Air Reserve Technician ARW— Air Refueling Wing

16 AS— Air Station ASCOM— Army Service Command ASP— Ammunition Supply Point Asst— Assistant AT— Antitank AT— Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) ATAR— Anti-tank Aircraft Rockets ATC— Air Training Command [1946–1993] (later, AETC); Air Transport Command [1942–1948] ATF— Ocean Tug–Fleet ATIS— Allied Translator and Interpreter Section ATTF— Alaska Tanker Task Force AU— Attack Model of Vought F4U “Corsair” Aux— Auxiliary AV— Seaplane Tender AVP— Seaplane Tender, Small AW— Automatic Weapons AW— Airlift Wing AWADS— Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System B-26— Douglas “Invader”: twin-engine light bomber (USA) B-29— Boeing “Superfortress”: four-engine bomber (USA) BAR— Browning Automatic Rifie BB— Battleship Bchmstr Unit— Beachmaster Unit BCT— Battalion Combat Team BIRD DOG— Search and Rescue BLT— Battalion Landing Team BM— Boatswain’s Mate (USN) BMEWS— Ballistic Missile Early Warning System Bn— Battalion BomCom— Bomber Command Brig— Brigade Brig— Brigadier Brig Gen— Brigadier General BRIGGEN— Brigadier General BT— Boilerman (USN) Btry— Battery BuMed— Bureau of Medicine BW— Bombardment/Bomb Wing C-47/R4D— Douglas “Skytrain”: twin-engine transport plane CA— Heavy Cruiser CAP— Combat Air Patrol CAS— Close-Air Support Capt— Captain CBI— China-Burma-India Theater

17 CCF— Chinese Communist Forces (Korean War) CCTS— Combat Crew Training Squadron CCTW— Combat Crew Training Wing CDR— Commander CENTAF— Central Air Force CG— Commanding General CIC— Counter-Intelligence Corps (USA) CINCFE— Commander-in-Chief, Far East CINCLANT— Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic CINCPAC— Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Command CINCPACAF— Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Air Forces CINCPACFLT— Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet CINCSAC— Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Air Command CINCUNC— Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command CINCUSAFE— Commander-in-Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe CL— Light Cruiser CLAA— Light Antiaircraft Cruiser CMC— Commandant of the Marine Corps CNO— Chief of Naval Operations CO— Commanding Officer CO— Company COB— Collocated Operating Base Col— Colonel COMAirSupGrp— Commander Air Support Group ComCarCom— Combat Cargo Command COMCARDIV— Commander, Carrier Division Comd— Command COMFAIRJAP— Commander, Fleet Air Wing Japan ComFltAir Wing— Commander Fleet Air Wing COMNAGFE— Commander Naval Air Group Far East COMNAVFE— Commander, Naval Forces Far East COMNAVMARIANAS— Commander, Naval Forces Marianas COMO— Commodore ComPacFlt— Commander Pacific Fleet COMPHIBGRUONE— Commander Amphibious Group One COMPHIBPAC— Commander, Amphibious Forces Pacific COMSEVENTHFLT— Commander, Seventh Fleet

Acronyms and Abbreviations COMUNBLOCKANDCORTFOR— Commander, United Nations Blockading and Escort Force CONAD— Continental Air Defense Command CONLUS— Continental United States CONUS— Continental United States COS— Combined Operations Section CP— Command Post CPV— Chinese People’s Volunteers CPX— Command Post Exchange CR— Command Report C/S— Chief of Staff CS— Commissaryman (USN) CSG— Combat Service Group CSG— Combat Support Group CSUSA— Chief of Staff, U.S. Army CT— Communication Technician (USN) CTC— Civil Transport Corps CTE— Commander Task Element CTF— Commander Task Force CTG— Commander Task Group CTS— Combat Training Squadron CV— Aircraft Carrier CVA— Attack Aircraft Carrier CVE— Aircraft Carrier Escort CVG— Carrier Air Group CVL— Aircraft Carrier Light CZ— Canal Zone (in Panama) DAF— Department of the Air Force DC— Damage Controlman (USN) DD— Destroyer DDE— Destroyer Escort DDER— Radar Picket Destroyer Escort DDR— Radar Picket Destroyer DESDIV— Destroyer Division Det— Detachment DEW— Distant Early Warning DF— Disposition Form DFSC— Symbol denoting color photographic number DIS— Daily Intelligence Summary Div— Division DMS–Destroyer Minesweeper DMZ— Demilitarized Zone DOD— Department of Defense DOW— Died of Wounds DPRK— Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) DRU— Direct Reporting Unit DT— Dental Technician (USN) DUC— Distinguished Unit Citation

Acronyms and Abbreviations DUKW— Amphibious Truck dy— Duty EAME— European-African-Middle Eastern ECIDE (U)— East Coast Island Defense Element (Unit) ECM— Electronic Countermeasures EM— Electrician’s Mate (USN) EMB Off— Embarkation Officer EngrBn— Engineer Battalion EngrPortConst Co— Engineer Port Construction Company (USA) EngrSpecBrig— Engineer Special Brigade (USA) ENS— Ensign Electronic Technician (USN) ETO— European Theater of Operations ETTF— European Tanker Task Force EUSAK— Eighth U.S. Army in Korea ERC— Enlisted Reserve Corps F2H— McDonnell “Banshee”: single-engine jet fighter (US) F2H-2P— Douglas “Skyknight”: twin-engine jet fighter (US) F3D— Douglas “Skyknight”: single-engine jet fighter (US) F3D-2— Douglas “Skyknight”: two-engine jet fighter (US) F4U— Chance Vought “Corsair”: single-engine fighter (US) F4U-5N— Chance Vought “Corsair” single engine night fighter F-51— North American “Mustang”: singleengine fighter (US) F7F-3N— Grumman “Tigercat” twin-engine night fighter F9F— Grumman “Panther”: single-engine jet fighter (US) F-80— Lockheed “Shooting Star”: single-engine jet fighter (US) F-86— North American “Sabre”: single-engine jet fighter (US) FA— Field artillery FA— Fireman (USN) FABn— Field Artillery Battalion FAC— Forward Air Control (controller) FBG— Fighter Bomber Group FAF— Fifth Air Force (later named PACAF) FAFIK— Fifth Air Force in Korea FASRon— Fleet Air Service Squadron FBHL— Force Beachhead Line FC— Fire Controlman FEAF— Far Eastern Air Forces FEAM Com— Far East Materiel Command

18 FEC— Far East Command FECOM— Far East Command FES— Far Eastern Squadron FICON— Fighter-Interceptor Carrier, Reconnaissance FL— Flight Leader Fld— Field FMF— Fleet Marine Force FMFLant— Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic FMFPac— Fleet Marine Force, Pacific FMS— Field Maintenance Squadron FN— Fireman (USN) FO— Forward Observer (artillery) FOA— Field Operating Agency FS— Fighter Squadron FSA— Fire Support Arms FSA— Fire Support Area FSCC— Fire Support Coordination Center Ft— Fort FT— Fire Control Technician FTW— Flying Training Wing Fum & BathPlat— Fumigation and Bath Platoon FW— Fighter Wing G-1— Personnel section of divisional or higher staff G-2— Intelligence section of divisional or higher staff G-3— Operations and training section of divisional or higher staff G-4— Logistics section of divisional or higher staff GCI— Ground Control Intercept Gen— General GHQ— General Headquarters GHQAF— General Headquarters Air Force GHQFEC— General Headquarters, Far East Command GLCM— Ground Launched Cruise Missile GM— Gunner’s Mate (USN) GO— General Order HA— Hospitalman Apprentice H&d— Harassing and Interdiction HE— High Explosive Hedron— Headquarters Squadrn HF— High Frequency Radio HM— Hospital Corpsman (USN) HMS— Her Majesty’s Ship HMAS— Her Majesty’s Australian Ship HMCS— Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship HMNZS— Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ship

19 HMR— Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron HN— Hospitalman (USN) HO3S-1— Sikorsky Helicopter HQ— Headquarters HqBn— Headquarters Battalion HqCo— Headquarters Company HQMC— Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps HqSq— Headquarters Squadron HRS-1— Sikorsky Single Engine Helicopter H & S Co— Headquarters and Service Company HTL-4— Bell Two-Place Helicopter I&R— Intelligence and Reconnaissance IBC— Iceland Base Command ICBM— Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ICM— Intercontinental Missile (i.e. the Snark) Inf Div— Infantry Division Intl— International IRBM— Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile IW— Intelligence Wing JANIS— Joint Army-Navy Intelligence Service (Studies) JCS— Joint Chiefs of Staff JIC— Joint Intelligence Committee JLC— Japan Logistical Command JML— Small Minesweeper, ex–Japanese JMS— Japanese Minesweeper Jnl— Journal JOC— Joint Operations Center JOG— Joint Operations Center JSPOG— Joint Strategic Plans and Operations Group JSSC— Joint Strategic Survey Committee JTF— Joint Task Force KATUSA— Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army KCOMC— Korean Communication Zone (Also KComZ) KIA— Killed in Action K/KE— Symbols denoting photo color negative number KMAG— U.S. Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea KMC— Korean Marine Corps KMCRCT— Korean Marine Corps Regimental Combat Regiment KPR— Kimpo Provisional Regiment KTACS—Korean Tactical Air Control System KVA— Korean Volunteer Army LANTIRN— Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared System for Night LCDR— Lieutenant Commander

Acronyms and Abbreviations LCM— Landing Craft, Mechanized LCOL (also Lt. Col)–Lieutenant Colonel LCVP— Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel LG— Landing Ground LGB— Laser Guided Bomb Ln— Liaison LSD— Land Ship, Dock LSI(L)— Landing Ship, Infantry (Large) LSM— Landing Ship Medium LSMR— Landing Ship, Medium Rocket LST— Landing Ship, Tank LSTH— Landing Ship, Tank Casualty Evacuation LSU— Landing Ship, Utility 1LT— First Lieutenant 2LT— Second Lieutenant Lt— Lieutenant Lt Col (also LCOL)— Lieutenant Colonel LTGen— Lieutenant General LTJG— Lieutenant ( Junior Grade) LVT— Landing Vehicle, Tracked LVT(A)— Landing Vehicle, Tracked (Armored) M4A3E8— Flame Tank, Medium M45— Medium Tank MAC— Military Airlift Command (earlier called MATS) MAC— Military Armistice Commission MAG— Marine Aircraft Group Maj— Major Maj Gen— Major General MAJCOM— Major Command MAJCON— Major Command Controlled Mar— Marine (s) MASH— Mobile Army Surgical Hospital MASRT— Marine Air Support Radar Team MATS— Military Air Transport Service (later called MAC) MAW— Marine Air Wing MAW— Military Airlift Wing MBP— Main Battle Position MDL— Military Demarcation Line MDW— Medical Wing ME— Metalsmith (USN) MedAmb— CoMedical Ambulance Company, USA MedBn— Medical Battalion Memo— Memorandum MGCIS— Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron MIA— Missing in Action MiG— Soviet Fighter Aircraft

Acronyms and Abbreviations MILSTAR— Military Strategic and Tactical Relay MISD— Military Intelligence Service Detachment (USA) MLR— Main Line of Resistance MM— Machinist’s Mate (USN) MMS— Munitions Maintenance Squadron MN— Mineman (USN) MOH— Medal of Honor MOS— Military Occupational Speciality Mosquito— North American AT-6 “Texan” Trainer, Single Engine Plane used as Airborne FAC and Target Spotting MP— Military Police MPCo— Military Police Company MPQ— Ground Radar Controlled Bombing MS— Manuscript Msg— Message MSR— Main supply route MSTS— Military Sea Transport Service MT— Motor Transport MTACS— Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron MTBn— Motor Transport Battalion MTO— Mediterranean Theater of Operations MUC— Meritorious Unit Commendation Muni— Municipal MW— Missile Wing NAF— Numbered Air Force NAS— Naval Air Station NASA— National Aeronautics and Space Administration NATO— North Atlantic Treaty Organization NavBchGru— Naval Beach Group NAVFE— Naval Forces, Far East NAVSTAR— Navigational Satellite Timing and Ranging NCAS— Night Close-Air Support NCO— Noncommissioned officer NEACP— National Emergency Airborne Command Post NGF— Naval Gun Fire NK— North Korea (n) NKA— North Korean Army NKPA— North Korean People’s Army NORAD— North American Air Defense Command NOTS— Naval Ordnance Test Station NPRJ— National Police Reserve of Japan NSC— National Security Council NUC— Navy Unit Commendation OCAC— Office of the Chief of the Air Corps

20 OCAFF— Office, Chief of Army Field Forces OCMH— Office, Chief of Military History OE-1— Cessna Single-Engine Light Observation Plane Off— Officer OG— Operations Group OL— Operating Location OMS— Organizational Maintenance Squadron ONI— Office of Naval Intelligence OOB— Order of Battle OP— Observation Post OPLR— Outpost Line of Resistance Opn— Operation Opno— Operation Order OpnPlan— Operation Plan ORC— Organized Reserve Corps ORDAmmCo— Ordnance Ammunition Company (USA) OrdBn— Ordnance Battalion OSA— Office of the Secretary of the Army OSI— Office of Strategic Intelligence OY— Consolidated Vultee Light Observation Plane PACAF— Pacific Air Forces (earlier called FEAF) PACCS— Post-attack Command and Control System PB4Y— Consolidated “Privateer”: four-engine patrol plane (USA) PBM— Martin “Mariner”: twin-engine fiying boat (USA) PC— Submarine Chaser PCE— Escort Amphibious Control Vessel PF— Frigate PH— Photographer’s Mate (USN) PhibGru— Amphibious Group PhibTraPacTraining— Command Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet PHILCOM— Philippines Command PLA— People’s Liberation Army Plat— Platoon PMAG— Provisional Military Advisory Group PO-2— Polikarpov: light night bomber biplane (Soviet) POW— Prisoner of War PR— Parachute Rigger (USN) Prov— Provisional PUC— Presidential Unit Citation QM— Quartermaster R4D— Douglass Transport (Navy and Marine designation of C-47) R5D— Douglas Four-Engine Transport (Navy and Marine designation of C-54)

21 RAAF— Royal Australian Air Force Rad— Radio RADM— Rear Admiral RAF— Royal Air Force (of Great Britain) R & D— Research and Development RB-26— Douglas “Invader”: twin-engine reconnaissance plane (USA) RCM— Electronic-countermeasure reconnaissance RcnCo— Reconnaissance Company RCT— Regimental Combat Team RD— Radarman (USN) Recon— Reconnaissance Reinf— Reinforced RESCAP— Rescue Combat Air Patrol RktBn— Rocket Battalion RM— Radioman RM— Royal Marines ROK— Republic of Korea (South Korea) ROKA— Republic of Korea Army ROKN— Republic of Korea Navy ROPE— Code name for aircraft decoy system Rpt— Report RQW— Rescue Wing RS— Reconnaissance Squadron RTAFB— Royal Thai(land) Air Force Base RTNAfid— Royal Thai(land) Navy Airfield RTU— Replacement Training Unit RW— Reconnaissance Wing RYCOM— Ryukyus Command SA— Seaman Apprentice SAC— Strategic Air Command SAC— Supporting Arms Center SAGE— Semi-automatic Ground Environment SANACC— State-Army-Navy-Air Force Coordinating Committee SAR— Special Action Report SCAB— Ship Control of Aircraft Bombing SCAJAP— Supreme Commander Allied Powers, Japan SCAP— Supreme Commander, Allied Powers SD— Steward (USN) SEA— Southeast Asia Sec— Section SecDef— Secretary of Defense SecNav— Secretary of the Navy ServBn— Service Battalion SFCP— Spotting Fire Command Post Sgd— Signed SGS— Secretary of the General Staff Sh— Ship’s Serviceman

Acronyms and Abbreviations SigBn— Signal Battalion SigRepCo— Signal Repair Company SK— Storekeeper (USN) SMS— Strategic Missile Squadron SMW— Strategic Missile Wing SMSMarine— Supply Squadron SN— Seaman SO— Sonarman (USN) SOA— Separate Operating Agency SOP— Standard Operating Procedure SOS— Special Operations Squadron SOW— Special Operations Wing SP— Shore Party SPBn— Shore Party Battalion SpOpnsCo— Special Operations Company (USA) SPTW— Support Wing SPW— Space Wing (prior to 1994 [see also SW]) SRAM— Short Range Attack Missile SRS— Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron SRW— Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Sta— Station SW— Strategic Wing prior to 1994; afterwards Space Wing SWA— Southwest Asia T/D— Table of Distribution T/O— Table of Organization TAC— Tactical Air Command TAC— Tactical Air Coordinator TacAir— Tactical Air TACC— Tactical Air Control Center TACP— Tactical Air Control Party TACRON— Tactical Air Control Squadron TAD— Tactical Air Direction TADC— Tactical Air Direction Center TAO— Tactical Air Observer T-AP— Transport Operated by MSTS TAR— Tactical Air Request TARCAP— Tactical Air Reconaissance Combat Air Patrol TAS— Tactical Airlift Squadron TASS— Tactical Air Support Squadron TAW— Tactical Airlift Wing TBM— General Motors “Avenger” Torpedo Bomber TCG— Troop Carrier Group TCVE— Military Sea Transportation Service Aircraft Ferry TCW— Troop Carrier Wing TE— Task Element TEWS— Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron

Acronyms and Abbreviations TF— Task Force TFS— Tactical Fighter Squadron TFTG— Tactical Fighter Training Group TFTS— Tactical Fighter Training Squadron TFTW— Tactical Fighter Training Wing TFW— Tactical Fighter Wing TG— Task Group TH— Territory of Hawaii TkBn— Tank Battalion TM— Torpedoman’s Mate (USN) TMW— Tactical Missile Wing Tng— Training T/O— Table of Organization TO & E— Table of Organization and Equipment TOT— Time on Target TRK— Truck TRS— Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron TRW— Tactical Reconnaissance Wing prior to 1992; Training Wing after 1993 TTS— Tactical Training Squadron TU— Task Unit TUSLOG— The United States Logistics Group TW— Test Wing UDT— Underwater Demolition Team UF— Unit of Fire UN— United Nations UNC— United Nations Command UNCOK— United Nations Commission in Korea UNCURK— United Nations Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea unkn— unknown US— United States (of America) USA— United States Army USAF— United States Air Force USAFA— United States Air Force Academy USAFE— United States Air Forces in Europe USAFIK— United States Army Forces in Korea USAMGIK— United States Army Military Government in Korea

22 USAR— U.S. Army Reserve USARPAC— United States Army, Pacific USCG— U.S. Coast Guard USMC— United States Marine Corps USMCR— United States Marine Corps Reserve USMILAT— U.S. Military Attaché USMA— U.S. Military Academy (West Point) USN— United States Navy USNAS— United States Naval Air Station USSTAF— United States Strategic Air Forces USSR— Union of Soviet Socialist Republics VA— Navy Attack Squadron VA— Veterans Administration VADM— Vice Admiral VFNavy— Fighter Squadron VHB— Very Heavy Bombardment VIP— Very Important Person(s) VNAF— Vietnamese Air Force (Republic of Vietnam or South Vietnam) VMF— Marine Fighter Squadron VMF(N)— Marine Night Fighter Squadron VMO— Marine Observation Type Aircraft (Squadron) VMR— Marine Transport Type Aircraft VMJ— Marine Photographic Squadron VT— Shell Equipped with Proximity Fuse WD— War Department WD— War Diary WG— Wing WESPAC— Western Pacific WIA— Wounded in Action WP— White Phosphorus Shell Yak-9— Yakovlev “Frank”: single-engine fighter (Soviet) Yak-18— Yakovlev: single-engine trainer (Soviet) YMS— Motor Minesweeper YN— Yeoman YTB— Harbor Tug, Big YW— District Barge ZI— Zone of Interior

THE CHRONOLOGY

1950 January 1950

An association known as IPR (Institute of Pacific Relations), since as early as the mid–1930s, according to the Internal Security Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate, has been dominated by pro–Communist and pro–Soviet sympathies. Also, the Reece committee, called to investigate tax-exempt foundations, notes: “Nor does the point need to be labored that the loss of China to the Communists may have been the most tragic event in our [U.S.] history, and one to which the foundation-supported Institute of Pacific Relations heavily contributed.” IPR is a private organization, branched in ten separate countries and composed of ten separate national councils, with its main Headquarters in New York. Wall Street plays a principal part in the success of IPR: its primary contributors include the Carnegie and Rockefeller foundations, funded by the Morgans and the Rockefellers. Also, Chase National Bank, National City Bank, Standard Oil, International Telephone and Telegraph and International General Electric contribute; contributions poured heavily into IPR, apparently due to the connection between them and the banking interests of the Rockefellers and the Morgans. As the U.S. nears entrance into the Korean Conflict, the Rhodes Conspiracy theory again surfaces (secret society to spread British upper-class lifestyle); the Round Table Groups extend their organization; in New York, according to Professor Carroll Quigley, the front for the organization is the Council on Foreign Relations, which in turn is a front for J.P. Morgan and Company. Quigley, later (1960s) acknowledges the conspiracy, stating: “There is a conspiracy, and I should know because I am closely connected to it.” Quigley, in his book proclaims: “This network which we may identify as round table groups has no aversion to cooperating with the Communists, or any other groups, and frequently does so.”

Negotiations between the South Korean Army and the National Police, brokered by KMAG (U.S. military advisory group to the Republic of Korea) advisors, have brought about a plan to train about 10,000 policemen for combat. The blueprint calls for twenty-two police battalions, each composed of 112 men. Initially, more than 100 police officers are sent to the Korean Army Infantry School to become familiarized with tactics and subsequently become military officers. The plan never really gets off the ground due to the lack of funding. By May, only one battalion is genuinely mustered for the field. Colonel Harold Krohn, KMAG advisor to the National Police, in a report dated June 15, states that no combat police battalions had been placed in the field prior to that month. The Army has great difficulty getting its units to receive training, as the Communists guerrillas maintain their activity, keeping the Army busy.

January 5 In the United States: President Truman proclaims that the United States will not initiate, either directly or indirectly, any Military action to intercede on behalf of the Nationalist Chinese under Chiang Kai-shek on Formosa. Chiang Kai-shek and his top aides fled from the mainland to Formosa during December, along with many of the nationalist troops. A Chinese Communist attack against the island stronghold is anticipated. Within a week, the situation in the Far East becomes more confusing when the secretary of state proclaims that the U.S. would act to defend Japan, the Philippines and Okinawa, eliminating Korea from the protection of U.S. forces. Nevertheless, the KMAG advisors continue to train the South Koreans. — In Guam: The Fleet Marine Force is removed from Guam. It returns to California. The final elements depart on 25 April. — In Japan: An intelligence report comes into Gen23

March 10, 1950 eral Headquarters indicating that the Communists in North Korea will launch an invasion of South Korea during March or April; it further defines the movement of the 3rd North Korean Division into the western sector of the 38th Parallel, the deployment of the 2nd North Korean Division to the south and continued arrivals of Chinese troops. These facts and the increasing size of the border Constabulary force point to military action. The reports are forwarded to Washington by the Far East Command, but the U.S. has shown little interest in defending Korea.

March 10

In Japan: Another intelligence report from Korea predicts a North Korean invasion as early as spring but undoubtedly by the fall, then pins it down: “Latest reports received that the North Korean P.A. [People’s Army] will invade South Korea in June.” MacArthur, again forwards the information to Washington. Korea is not under the responsibility of MacArthur, rather the State Department, and the few troops (500 advisors) still in Korea report to the American ambassador. The training of police combat battalions remains well behind schedule. About mid–March, the South Korean Army puts out a second memo intended to get all contingents through a thirteen-week training schedule (battalion) by June 1 and the regimental phase by the end of June.

March 15 In the United States: Congress approves a request for additional $10,970,000 in aid to Korea in response to a request from General William Roberts and Ambassador Muccio made in December 1949. Because of a priority position assigned to Korea by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the bulk of requested equipment is not available in the war-reserve stocks and must be procured from commercial sources, which delays delivery. By June 25, the day the Communists invade South Korea, about $1,000 worth of supplies have been delivered and about $300,000 in Signal Corps equipment and spare parts are in transit. According to testimony given later during Congressional hearings, one KMAG officer stated that prior to the outbreak of hostilities, only about $250 worth of wire had been received in Korea. These developments greatly concern the KMAG advisors. April 1950

In Japan: In response to a recent request from General MacArthur for the Navy and Marine Corps to provide amphibious training for the Army troops in Japan, a Marine instruction team commanded by Col. Edward Forney arrives. The Marines jump at the opportunity to accommodate General MacArthur, especially considering General Bradley’s predicted demise of the corps. Subsequently, a small amphibious force and support elements, including aviation personnel, join the instructors in Japan.

April 5

The Seventh Fleet, commanded by Admiral Struble and based in the Philippines, is off the shores of Korea. Planes attached to Air Group 5 (top jettrained unit in the Pacific), zoom from the Valley Forge

24 and fly a parade formation over Inchon and Seoul, then several days later the jets repeat the ceremonial flight over Hong Kong. The Seventh Fleet comes under the jurisdiction of Admiral Radford, not General MacArthur.

April 15

In Japan: General Headquarters receives another of its intelligence documents; this one verifies that the Communists directed the evacuation of all civilians living within three miles of the 38th Parallel. Soon after evacuation, the memo advises, North Korean troops and guerrillas took over the empty living quarters. This information is dispatched to Washington.

May 9

In China: The Communist Chinese government announces it will release two American aviators that it has held since 19 October 1948, when their plane was forced down in Manchuria. The two men, Master Sergeant Elmer C. Bender, U.S. Marine Corps, and William C. Smith, U.S. Navy (electrician’s mate), state upon their release that they had to admit to espionage to get their release.

May 25 In Japan: Activity in North Korea is accelerating, according to an intelligence dispatch from operatives in Korea. The message discloses recent inspection of all Army units and it identifies seven different divisions. The message also reiterates its previously dispatched information concerning the infusion of Chinese troops. General Headquarters is informed about the compulsory service in the North Korean Armed Forces, confirming that between 100,000 and 150,000 youths have been inducted. General MacArthur and the Far East Command still have no authority over Korea or Formosa, as they have been the wards of the State Department. Nonetheless, MacArthur’s G-2 instinctively had formed a small and inconspicuous intelligence unit; Korean Liaison Office (KLO). Seemingly, the information contained in the nearly 2,000 messages forwarded to Washington had been disregarded. Within one month, a heavy price will be paid for the inattention. The South Korean Armed Forces are composed of ten divisions; however in direct opposition to MacArthur, the Koreans had been trained for Constabulary duty, not front line combat. In contrast, the North Koreans were well trained and their guns were pointed toward South Korea. Kaesong, which had been attacked by Communists in August 1949, is again raided during May 1950. Late May In the U.S. Far East Command: Extensive fleet exercises occur in the waters between the Philippine Islands and Korea, including warships of the Seventh Fleet and many of Vice Admiral Charles Turner Joy’s command (General MacArthur’s Naval commander). The operation takes place as ships are turning over, affording extra vessels. The Seventh Fleet, upon completion of the maneuvers, is scheduled to arrive back in Manila by the 4th of July, pay a subsequent visit to Hong Kong and stop in Japan during the summer.

25

June 1950

In the United States: U.S. Army strength is officially listed at 591,000, although its authorized strength is capped at 630,000. It is composed of ten combat divisions, nine separate regimental combat teams and the postwar Constabulary (Germany), which is approximate to one division. Of these, four divisions are deployed in Japan: the 7th (Honshu — northern sector), 24th (Kyushu), 25th (Honshu—southern sector) and the 1st Cavalry (Infantry), deployed in the Kanto Plain within the central sector of Honshu. Only the 1st Cavalry (Infantry) is at full strength. Although the division in Europe comprises a full complement, the remaining combat units are below full strength, including the battalion composition standing at two per regiment, rather than three. Artillery units are similarly reduced in size and equipment; firing batteries are depleted from three to two. Other exceptions are the 24th Regiment, 25th Division, which has a full complement of three battalions, and the 159th Field Artillery Battalion, which is composed of three firing batteries. In essence, American combat units stand at about 70 percent of full strength. To add to the concern, the tank units are using the light M24 tank. Available equipment for the U.S. Army qualifies as near archaic and has been exposed to extensive use during World War II. These figures contrast sharply to the 89 divisions that comprised the U.S. Army during 1945. During June, the U.S. Navy, comprised of 377,000 troops and 670 vessels (active), has nearly one-third of its vessels in the Pacific under the command of Admiral Arthur W. Radford, with 20 percent of this force stationed in the Far East at Tokyo, under the command of Vice Admiral Charles Turner Joy. Joy’s staff is composed of 29 officers. In addition, the U.S. Navy has about 4,300 operational aircraft of all types. The warships operating close to Japan are: Amphibious Force, under Rear Admiral J.H. Doyle—USS Arikara (ATT 98), USS Cavalier (APA 37), USS Mt. McKinley (AGC 7), USS Union (AKA 106) and the LST 611; Support Force, under Rear Admiral J. M. Higgins — Cruiser USS Juneau, Destroyers USS Colett, Dehaven, Mansfield and Swenson; and Auxiliary Motor Minesweepers — USS Chatterer, Kite, Mocking Bird, Osprey, Partridge and the Red Head. Since the initial days of occupation, their principal activity has been to patrol the waters of the Tsushima Strait to prevent smugglers from operating between Korea and Japan, and to patrol the waters off the Ryukyus to eliminate the Chinese pirate vessels (in southwest Japan, between Taiwan and Japan). The island chain, composed of Amami Islands (part of Kagoshima prefecture), the Okinawa Islands, and the Sakishima Islands, separates the East China Sea from the Philippine Sea. Other duties include displaying the U.S. colors at Japanese ports and maintaining training exercises to keep the fleet ready while holding vigil. Also, the Seventh Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Stru-

June 15, 1950 ble, is dispersed between Hong Kong, Sangley Point and Subic Bay (Philippines); it is composed of two carriers and eight destroyers and has fundamentally practiced its peacetime mission, spending a great amount of time displaying the U.S. flag in the various ports of the Orient. Seventh Fleet vessels are: the Carriers USS Rochester (CA) and USS Valley Forge (CV), the Destroyers USS Brush, USS Eversole, USS Fletcher, USS Maddox, USS S.N. Moore, USS Radford, USS Shelton and the USS Taussig. The Marine Corps’ is basically domiciled in the United States, with its 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton (West Coast) and the 2nd Marine Division stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, except for one battalion, which is in the Mediterranean with the fleet. Neither Marine division is at full strength. The journey by sea from the U.S. West Coast to Pusan, Korea, varies in time. Personnel make the trip in about sixteen days; however, travel time is much greater for the ships transporting heavy equipment and supplies. Also, at the beginning of June, the U.S. Air Force is composed of 48 Groups (Air Wings). Far East Air Forces (FEAF), the biggest contingent outside the continental U.S., is commanded by General George Stratemeyer and is composed of nine groups, outfitted with approximately 350 operational planes. Air Force fighter strength stands at 18 squadrons and troop strength stands at about 33,625 (officers and enlisted), although its authorized strength is 39,975. Total aircraft for FEAF is listed at 1,172, but the figure includes many in storage or being salvaged. The Military Air Transport Service, Pacific Division, operating between the U.S. and the Far East, is composed of about 60 four-engine transports, supplemented by MATS C-74s and C-97s. The planes shuttle between the States and Hawaii. This force will quadruple after the outbreak of war in Korea. The U.S. Reserve Forces total more than two and one-half million men, with the majority of the troops being in the National Guard and Organized Reserve Corps. The National Guard is composed of 325,000 troops and twenty-seven divisions, none at full strength. The Organized Reserve Corps stands at 186,000 troops, most of whom serve with combat support units and service contingents. In addition, the ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) is composed of 219,000 students enrolled either in high school or college.

June 2

In the United States: The Naval Academy graduating class at Annapolis is composed of 690 midshipmen; forty-eight of these accept commissions in the Marine Corps.

June 15 The ongoing program to combat-train the South Korean police battalions and army units remains behind schedule. The bulk of the contingents have not completed the courses, but by this time, all Korean troops have fired their rifles for qualification. In conjunction, some police battalions replace S.K. Army units to handle internal security, which permits army

June 18, 1950 battalions to return to their bases to receive training. Schedules for the completion of training are again raised, and pushed back from June to July 31 for battalion courses and the end of October for regimental training. All the while, Korean leadership qualities have been below standard and slow coming. In related activity, KMAG reports that the Korean Coast Guard stands at only about 70 percent of capacity. It contains 105 vessels, but only 58 are serviceable and the number includes fishing vessels. There has been movement toward detaching the Coast Guard advisors and reassigning them under the State Department as a cost-cutting plan. KMAG stipulates that regardless of which department controls the expenses, the advisors are still quite necessary. In addition, the U.S. is in the process of reducing U.S. Army operations in Korea during fiscal 1951. The Korean Air Force contains ten Harvard trainers and consists of twelve operable liaison planes. KMAG makes it known that because of the current situation, including the condition of the armed forces and lack of operational equipment and supplies, the South Koreans will be able to mount only a defensive operation. If hostilities occur it is thought the South Koreans can hold no longer than fifteen days. KMAG also makes it clear that “Korea is threatened with the same disaster that befell China.” Simply put, KMAG sounds the alarm that the Communists could overrun Korea if they choose to ignite hostilities. The North Koreans have been on an escalating warfooting, supported by the Russians who have bolstered the North’s capabilities since the close of World War II. Several thousand North Koreans have received training in the Soviet Union and the Soviets have contributed large numbers of advisors and training instructors to assist the build-up. In addition, the North Koreans have received from the Russians great numbers of equipment, including artillery, fighter planes and tanks. In other activity, General William Roberts departs Korea. Colonel Sterling Wright, the chief of staff, assumes command of KMAG until Major Frank Keating arrives from the States. However, Keating chooses to retire rather than move to Korea. In the interim, Colonel Wright is instructed to remain until another replacement for Keating arrives. Lt. Colonel Carl Sturies has temporary control of the advisory group. Colonel Wright is scheduled to depart Korea to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in the United States. — In the United States: At Quantico, Va., combat demonstrations are exhibited for President Truman to show him why the Marine Corps should receive a larger share of the budget. The Marines showcase an assault landing launched from carrier-based helicopters to spotlight the speed with which troops and their supplies can be ferried from the sea to targets behind enemy lines. The president expresses no desire to pass the buck and, in a touch of sarcasm, places his hand on a howitzer, implying that he puts his confidence in it.

26

June 18 In the Philippines: Admiral Struble, having been in the Philippines several days to confer with Louis Johnson, secretary of defense, and General Bradley, chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, departs Manila for Pearl Harbor to speak with Admiral Arthur Radford. The discussions in Manila focus primarily on the potential dangers that could prompt trouble in Japan, Indochina and even Formosa. Another topic is the cauldron simmering in the Philippines with the Huks, but Korea is not discussed, although it comes under the umbrella of the Seventh Fleet. General Bradley and Louis Johnson, during their stay in the Far East, also visit Japan. From Hawaii, Struble heads for the States for a conference with Admiral Forrest Sherman before attending his daughter’s wedding. In his absence, Rear Admiral J. M. Hoskins, commanding officer of Carrier Division 3, assumes temporary command of Seventh Fleet. June 23

Lt. Colonel Thomas McPhail, KMAG advisor to the Republic of Korea (ROK) 6th Division, has become concerned about possible enemy incursions. McPhail bases his conclusions on various missions his intelligence units have executed. Recent reconnaissance missions have uncovered new enemy infantry units, camouflaged tanks and antiaircraft batteries, all within striking distance of the South Korean positions below the 38th Parallel. Lt. Colonel McPhail convinces General Kim, the S.K. 6th Division commander, to cancel all weekend leaves and to ensure that all defensive fortifications are totally manned. The 6th S.K. Division guards the approaches to Chunchon, which during the past several weeks, has received its baptism under fire, while engaging enemy guerrillas who had crossed the border between Chunchon and Kangnung. The intelligence has been forwarded by McPhail to his superior officers, but there is still no thought of an enemy invasion. Meanwhile, other S.K. units, on either flank of the 6th Division, are unprepared and less trained as the weekend of the 23rd approaches.

June 24

There is no suspicion of an invasion by North Korea. Four South Korean divisions and one regiment are deployed defensively to react to hostilities, but only four regiments and one battalion are posted near the front lines below the 38th Parallel. The remainder are stationed to the rear. Many of the South Koreans and the KMAG advisors are on weekend liberty when the invasion occurs.

June 25–June 28

THE INVASION OF SOUTH KOREA At 0400 on June 25, the sudden roar of artillery and mortars, accompanied by the shriek of bugles and clanging armor, jolts the South Koreans and their American advisors into a hellish war. Blackened skies are illuminated by crimson streaks of unrelenting fire along the 38th Parallel, across the entire peninsula. The North Korean I Corps strikes southward with feverish pitch. It pounds against the Ongjin peninsula and the other border areas on the east, as they press toward Chunchon. After the initial

27 shock, South Korean units of the 17th Regiment return fire, but it is insufficient to halt the attack. Units of the N.K. II Corps stream across the border, ravaging everything in their path as they pounce on South Korean positions near Chunchon and Hongch’on, farther east. The blistering attack is not totally synchronized. Some of the staggered fire commences as late as 0500. Nonetheless, much of the potent firepower far outdistances anything in the South Korean arsenal. The flying terror creates a great deal of panic and confusion south of the border. North Korea, which has become an armed fortress through the support of the Kremlin, has quietly placed about seven infantry divisions and one armored division close to the 38th Parallel. Slightly to the rear are thousands of reinforcements. Subsequent to the invasion, the North Koreans will claim that they had reacted to a South Korean incursion and had ordered a counterattack, but on June 8, more than two weeks prior to the opening of hostilities, newspapers in Pyongyang (North Korea) proclaimed through a manifesto that a parliament would be elected during early August. In conjunction, a meeting is scheduled to convene in Seoul on August 15, making it clear that the Communists anticipated total control of Korea by mid–August. The postwar strategy of the Soviets (Bolsheviks) to gain power by cunning use of its satellites and fellow travelers has been unfolding according to plan. While the strategic eyes of the U.S. are focused on Europe, a tranquil and rainy Sunday morning is transformed into a cauldron of horror as about 90,000 crack North Korean troops, many trained in the Soviet Union, burst across the 38th Parallel, spearheaded by Soviet-made tanks. Swarms of screaming troops, foliage sprouting from their uniforms and helmets, attack and scorch the earth. The advance is effortless at many of the selected targets, as the South Koreans lack planes, tanks, and antitank weapons, which compels many of them to retreat in disarray. Synchronized unopposed air attacks also occur. Seoul, the embattled capital of South Korea, and Kimpo Airfield are struck by several air raids before day’s end. The ugly combination of air, ground and armor attacks wreaks havoc on soldiers and civilians alike. Crushed and burning buildings are commonplace. Throngs of bewildered civilians flee in absolute fright under the echo of guns. Trembling children are scattered about the line of retreat. Some children are dead, others are huddled in fear, adding to the gloom. The initial fighting during the contest is lopsided. Later, one South Korean who was there described the defense and likened it to “throwing eggs at a rock.” Observations after the fact reveal many South Korean dead who are piled in irregular layers and others, merely tossed in singular lines, lying prone in unnatural positions, their hands tied behind their backs.

June 25, 1950 Meanwhile, the American advisors, meager in number (fewer than 500), are unable to provide any genuine assistance. No U.S. combat troops are in Korea. Few aircraft remain and none of those are available to the South Koreans. The dilemma of the Americans is seriously compounded because few of the South Korean troops speak English. Once the North Koreans infiltrate, it is impossible to distinguish friend from foe. It becomes increasingly apparent that the United States is ill-prepared to immediately halt the Sovietbacked North Korean invaders and unprepared to neutralize Communist aggression in the Far East. However, at the moment, word of the invasion has not yet reached Washington. Incursions along the border have been frequently occurring for many months; therefore, the U.S. Embassy initially assumes it is just another pesky provocation. This conclusion is shattered at 1100, when North Korean Premier Kim Il Sung proclaims over the radio that a full-scale invasion had been launched. As the juggernaut begins moving west to east, the isolated Ongjin peninsula, bound on three sides by water and on the north by the 38th Parallel, is struck solidly by the N.K. I Corps. At about 0400, Ongjin, which covers about 26 air miles of mountainous terrain along the 38th Parallel, is pounded by artillery of the 14th Regiment, 6th North Korean Division and the Constabulary troops of the 3rd Brigade. These fierce artillery attacks are followed about onehalf hour later by ground forces. Swiftly, the beleaguered undermanned 17th Regiment (ROK), commanded by Colonel Paik. In Yup, and its five American advisors are imperiled. One battered battalion is wiped out. The remainder of the regiment is compelled to withdraw toward the sea. There is one ferry crossing, located on the eastern side of the peninsula, from where the boats travel across Haeju Bay to the mainland. Emergency calls from Ongjin are picked up in Seoul at 0600. By 0900, another desperate plea filters into headquarters. The message urgently requests air evacuation. Two American pilots flying L-5 planes depart Seoul and extricate the American advisors. Meanwhile, previously laid-out evacuation plans are set in motion to salvage the battered regiment. Three LSTs (landing ship tanks) answer the call and rescue the survivors on the following day. Farther east, across the water from the Ongjin peninsula, lies Kaesong. It is about two miles south of the 38th Parallel. The town is defended by two battalions of the 12th Regiment, 1st S.K. Division, which are deployed slightly north of the town. Another battalion is strung out about 20 miles to the west at Yonan. Meanwhile, the 13th Regiment holds positions east of Kaesong, near the Imjin River at Korangp’o-ri. Also, the 11th Regiment (reserve) and headquarters are deployed further south at Suisak, slightly north of Seoul. At approximately 0500, the 13th and 15th Regiments, N.K. 6th Division, crash

June 25, 1950

28

A Douglas C-54 military transport plane hit during a raid on Kimpo Airfield by North Korean planes on 28 June. across the border in a two-pronged move. Many troops spring from Songaksan (Hill 475), which spreads along the 38th Parallel above Kaesong. Another contingent, about regimental strength, arrives by train, using tracks that had been secretly re-laid north of the 38th Parallel just prior to the invasion. The sole American advisor at the 38th Parallel at the onset of the invasion is Captain Joseph R. Darrigo, who is awakened by the sounds of guns. Immediately he rushes into Kaesong, where he spots the enemy troops as they bounce from the rail cars. There is little time to react when the one-sided fight erupts. By 0930, Kaesong falls along with Yonan. The defenders are decimated. Only two companies of the S.K. 12th Regiment escape death or capture. Darrigo makes it safely to Munsan-ni. In conjunction, at daybreak in Seoul, Colonel Rockwell, USA, is contacted by S.K. Colonel Paik, who informs him of the invasion. Paik then phones headquarters at Suisak and orders the 11th Regiment and other contingents to rush to Munsan-ni-Korangp’o-ri and reinforce the 13th Regiment at the Imjin River Bridge, the predetermined spot to form a strong defense line. With great rapidity, the 13th Regiment reaches its destination and becomes engaged in fierce fighting for several days against elements of the N.K. 1st Division and its supporting tanks. Lacking antitank equipment, courageous yet reckless volunteers of the 13th Regiment affix explosives to themselves and individually charge the enemy

armor. Others board the tanks and attempt to drop grenades down the hatch. These and other types of suicidal actions near the Imjin Bridge knock out several tanks, but after the quick loss of about ninety men, few others volunteer. The Imjin River bridge at Munsan-ni is to be blown as soon as the 12th Regiment is safely across, but with the enemy on the heels of the regiment, the plan fails, and the bridge is seized intact. Enemy control of the key bridge creates additional problems for the weary defenders; however, despite the overwhelming enemy superiority, the S.K. 1st Division holds the line at Korangp’o-ri nearly three days before it withdraws to the Han River to escape envelopment and slaughter by the enemy units in the Uijongbu Corridor. Adding to the dreary plight of the S.K. 1st Division, American planes inadvertently attack them on the 28th. The aircraft, under orders to destroy enemy columns and decimate “organized troops north of the Han River,” strike the retreating unit with rockets and machine gun fire, causing heavy casualties. In a most unusual display of morale boosting, Colonel Paik, speaking to his men after the accidental raid, states: “You did not think the Americans would help us. Now you know better.” While the multi-pronged assault unwinds, the eye of the blistering attack moves full-throttle down the Uijongbu Corridor. Units of the N.K. 105th Armored Brigade smash into contingents of the S.K. 7th Division, commanded by Brigadier General Yu

29 Jai Hyung. The 1st Regiment, which is deployed along the 38th Parallel, feels the sting. During the initial fighting, which erupts about 0530, the 1st Regiment takes severe losses. Tanks of the N.K. 105th Armored Brigade support the 3rd and 4th N.K. Divisions as they penetrate toward Seoul. About 40 tanks of the 107th Tank Regiment, followed by the N.K. 4th Division, spring from positions near Yonch’on. They advance along the western road and drive toward Tongduch’on-ni and hammer the S.K. 3rd Regiment. One enemy unit, the 16th N.K. Regiment, sustains heavy losses before the South Koreans lose the town toward the end of the day. Synchronized with the 4th Division, the N.K. 3rd Division, bolstered by about 40 tanks of the 109th Tank Regiment, smash their way down the eastern route. They grind along the P’och’on Road (Kumhwa-Uijongbu-Seoul Road), which is defended by the S.K. 9th Regiment. As the enemy rumbles down the two separate highways which join at Uijongbu, the overmatched South Koreans take high casualties, prompting an ROK officer to send an emergency call to Seoul for reinforcements as early as 0830. He states that all available forces had been committed. The dual dagger of the enemy pushes forward. The N.K. 3rd Division reaches the steps of P’och’on, but pulls back during the night. On the morning of the 26th, the town is taken without opposition, which permits the 3rd Division to immediately drive toward Uijongbu. The S.K. Army High Command in Seoul reacts shortly after 0930 on the 25th. It sends reserve forces north to launch a counterattack in the Uijongbu Corridor. The first troops to begin rushing north are contingents of the 2nd S.K. Division at Taejon, commanded by General Lee Hyung Koon. At 1430, some American advisors, elements of the 5th Regiment and Division Headquarters move by rail from Taejon toward Seoul. Other KMAG advisors with the S.K. 2nd Division are scattered at other locations, such as Anjung-ni, Ch’ongju and Yongju. These advisors also rush to Seoul. At about darkness, contingents of the S.K. 5th Division depart Kwangju in southwest Korea heading north, and troops of the S.K. 3rd Division advance from Taegu, ninety miles below Seoul. Initially, the S.K. 3rd Division has little knowledge of the unfolding invasion. Its Commander, Colonel Yu Sung Yul, and the senior KMAG advisor, Lt. Colonel Rollins Emmerich, are in Chinju, attending a conference. They learn of the attack during their return to Taegu. By the time Emmerich arrives back at Taegu, at about 1800, elements of the S.K. 3rd Division and three KMAG advisors are en route to Seoul. Like the other American advisors, those in Taegu are unsure of what their role has become with the opening of hostilities. Meanwhile, back in the United States, during a specially called session of the U.N. General Assembly on the 25th, the North Koreans are directed to halt their aggression and return across the 38th Par-

June 25, 1950 allel, but the directive is ignored. Two days later, on the 27th, President Truman commits air and naval forces to aid the South Koreans. Soon after, at the request of General MacArthur, U.S. ground troops are on their way to Korea. Ironically, many in the U.S. thought the infantry and the amphibious forces had been rendered obsolete by the creation of the atomic bomb. But it is the infantry which gets the call to arms as the U.S. goes to war under the auspices of the United Nations. This is called a “police action.” Across the 38th Parallel, The N.K. 2nd Division (II Corps) moves from H’wachon, just above the border, to replace Constabulary troops, then attack Chunchon, a primary road junction near the border along the Pukhan River. The division anticipates an effortless early morning victory. The N.K. 7th Division advances from Inje toward Hongch’on, several miles farther south. To their surprise, the ROK 6th Division stands ready for the fight. No weekend passes had been handed out, and the unit is at full strength. The N.K. 2nd Division’s 6th Regiment winds down the river road, and the 4th Regiment moves over Peacock Mountain, both expecting to converge for victory at Chunchon. But determined resistance greets the advance. Heavily fortified concrete pillboxes scattered atop the crest of a towering hill just north of the town foil the plot. The 2nd Division’s incessant accurate fire delays the enemy timetable and scores well against the N.K. 6th Regiment. South Korean resistance is resolute, which forces the North Koreans to change strategy. On the 25th, the N.K. 7th Division en route to Hongch’on is ordered to pivot and reinforce the 2nd Division on the 25th. The farthest point of battle from the Ongjin peninsula is the east coast, where the remaining North Korean troops are staged in the vicinity of the Taebaek Mountains, near Inje. Their mission is to secure the eastern mountains. The N.K. 5th Division and the 766th Independent Unit, bolstered by guerrilla contingents, are perched for the border crossing. Facing the enemy is the S.K. 8th Division, which is deployed in a near vertical line. Its 10th Regiment guards the border. Headquarters stands at Kangnung, about 15 miles south of the border. The 21st Regiment is garrisoned 25 miles further south at Samch’ok, but when the invasion commences at about 0500, most of its troops are scattered throughout the Taebaek Mountains eradicating Communist guerrillas. Six KMAG advisors, including Major Gerald E. Larsen, the chief advisor, are at headquarters in Kangnung with the 10th Regiment when the invasion begins. Major George Kessler is at Scamch’ok. The 10th Regiment becomes heavily engaged with elements of the N.K. 5th Division and the 766th Independent Unit. Enemy guerrillas execute amphibious landings above and below Samch’ok, defended by the S.K. 21st Regiment. In concert, two battalions of the N.K. 766th Independent Unit debark near

June 25, 1950 Kangnung. Again, overpowering Communist force makes the South Korean positions untenable. Fighting remains heavy throughout the day, but previously prepared withdrawal plans are being quickly activated. Elements of the 21st Regiment rush antitank guns to the water’s edge near Samch’ok and commence fire against some offshore vessels. The South Koreans sink two vessels; the remainder departs the area. Up to this point, Major Kessler and the advisors at Samch’ok remain unaware that the incursion is part of a full-scale invasion. On the following day, the S.K. 10th Regiment continues buying priceless time at the border, while the remainder of the 8th Division prepares to evacuate Kangnung and head south for Pusan. Fighting across the peninsula on the 26th remains ferocious, but enemy tanks ensure continued success. South Koreans, having only antipersonnel mines in their arsenal, remain disadvantaged. The diverted N.K. 7th Division reaches Chunchon during the evening of the 26th, adding its tanks to the battle, but the S.K. 6th Division still inflicts punishment upon the enemy. The bitter combat rages continually into the 27th, but relentless enemy pressure finally collapses both flanks of the defenders. At this crucial point, orders arrive that instruct the beleaguered S.K. 6th Division to withdraw farther south. Subsequent to a South Korean pull-back on the 28th, the 2nd and 7th N.K. Divisions, led by nine tanks, enter a charred Chunchon. Nonetheless, for this prize, the North Koreans have paid a high price. Their 2nd Division sustains about 40 percent casualties and the 6th Regiment incurs more than 50 percent casualties. The N.K. 7th Division sustains moderate casualties. In addition, the North Koreans lose about 16 self-propelled guns (SU 76-mm) and other assorted weapons. The seizure of Chunchon opens the way for the 7th Division to resume its trek toward Hongch’on. In conjunction, the N.K. 2nd Division marches directly toward Seoul. On the 26th, in the S.K. 7th Division sector north of Uijongbu, General Yu Jai Hyung launches a solid counterattack against the N.K. 4th Division, but the inflicted losses are not severe enough to halt the advance. Inaccurate battle reports claim the destruction of 58 enemy tanks and the capture of 1,580 North Korean troops, greatly confusing South Korean strategy. In conjunction, General Lee fails to order two available battalions of the S.K. 2nd Division to attack. Consequently, the South Korean counterattack is weakened. General Lee, convinced an attack would be futile, keeps his command in defensive positions along the P’och’on Road, about two miles northeast of Uijongbu. At 0800 (26th), North Koreans encroach their positions. Initially they are met with artillery and small arms fire. The accompanying tanks take the hits, but the shells bounce off harmlessly. Subsequent to a short pause, the armor blows through the South Korean defenses and rolls into Uijongbu. In the

30 wake, the N.K. 7th Regiment barges into the two battalions of the S.K. 2nd Division, and shreds its ranks. Faced with total envelopment, the survivors make it to the nearby hills. The collapse of the S.K. 2nd Division forces the S.K. 7th Division to abort its attack, which had been advancing up the western road. The 7th retires to more tenable positions below Uijongbu. As the invaders deepen their penetration, the South Koreans’ plight deteriorates drastically. In retrospect, the decision by General Chae, S.K. chief of staff, to delegate responsibility to the 2nd Division to hold the P’och’on Road proves to be a mortal wound. The 2nd Division had been unable to field a full division for the task. The night of the 26th causes more apprehension for the South Koreans, whose forces are being pounded at every point. In Seoul, the government considers evacuation, but a heated debate in the General Assembly concludes with a decision to remain in the capital. Nonetheless, without informing the American advisors (KMAG), S.K. Army Headquarters departs the beleaguered city on the morning of the 27th, heading for Yongdungp’o, about five miles farther south. Also, at about 0900, Ambassador Muccio and his staff move to Suwon. Colonel Wright and KMAG move to Sihung-ni and persuade General Chae to return to Seoul. Chae’s headquarters arrives back in Seoul about 1800, but by this time, the original confidence of those in the capital has vanished, being replaced by an aura of bewilderment. Colonel Wright had received several messages from General MacArthur, urging him to “repair to your former locations. Momentous decisions are in the offing. Be of good cheer.” Another message from MacArthur informs Wright that MacArthur will be placed in command of all troops in Korea. Meanwhile, the surviving South Korean units are still being wracked by the relentless enemy advances. The S.K. 1st Division is endangered at Korangp’o-ri, as the 3rd and 4th N.K. Divisions, moving from Uijongbu, close on it in coordination with the N.K. 1st Division, which is driving from their immediate eastern flank. Also, the remaining operational units of the 2nd, 5th and Capital (Palace Guard) Divisions and the 7th S.K. Division are engaged in separate and uncoordinated delaying actions. Combined, they are still unable to forestall the tenacious enemy advance toward Seoul. As the North Koreans gallop south, President Syngman Rhee continues to plead for help from the United Nations. Some of the South Korean units fight bravely, but most have been trained only for Constabulary duty. Many of them retreat in disorganized fashion to escape the surging Soviet-made T34 tanks, the ring of automatic weapons and the menacing sting of the burp guns. As the Republic of Korea forces hurriedly retire, huge, irregular columns of civilians, most transporting colossal loads upon their backs, flee south from their homes near

31 the 38th Parallel. This unanticipated activity clogs the paths and roads, which are now under constant strafing by Soviet-made aircraft. In addition, great numbers of ROK forces have abandoned the military and changed into peasant clothes to blend into the panicstricken civilian flight. But there is no sanctuary in Seoul. The government prepares for evacuation to forestall total defeat. By the 27th, it becomes inevitable that the ROK forces cannot hold the capital. The Communists, taking advantage of the expanding confusion, dispatch planes, which deposit leaflets to entice the populace to surrender. This is in coordination with a radio broadcast by N.K. Field Marshal Choe Yong Gun, who also requests surrender. The pleas for capitulation are ignored; however, most of the precautionary plans to meet any pending threat are never implemented. Roadblocks are fabricated, but left unguarded. The bridges are not blown and, with few exceptions, the fabricated obstacles are not covered by defensive fire. Consequently, the rampaging North Koreans face an unobstructed path to Seoul. One small contingent from the ROK Engineering School, led by Lt. Colonel Oum Hung Sup, strikes four approaching enemy tanks at the Uijongbu-Seoul Road at a mined bridge. But by nightfall, at about 1930, the N.K. 9th Regiment, 3rd Division, reaches the outskirts of the embattled city. This penetration is beaten back, but later, at 2300, an infantry platoon, bolstered by one tank, cranks into the northeast section of the city. It enters the Secret Gardens at Chang-Duk Palace. This infiltration too, is met and destroyed as Korean police eliminate or chase off the troops and decimate the tank. Nevertheless, the real onslaught is close behind. By midnight, the American advisors and the North Korean officers are discussing the Han River bridge. General Chae states that he has not ordered the bridge destroyed. It is determined that no order will be given until the enemy tanks are directly on the street of ROK Army Headquarters. Soon after midnight (27th–28th), General Chae is apparently placed in a jeep and driven over the bridge out of the city, leaving dissension behind. Major George Sedberry (KMAG) attempts to convince the ROK deputy chief of staff, General Kim Paik II, to refrain from blowing the bridge until troops and equipment can be evacuated. In addition, the vice minister of defense, according to General Kim, directed the bridge be blown at 0130, further complicating the crisis. Immediately upon being informed of the impending demolition, General Lee Hyung Koon, commanding officer, 2nd S.K. Division, urges General Chang Kuk to halt the order until he can extricate his command. Reluctantly, the general agrees, but the roads are jammed, slowing his motorcade. As Chang reaches a point about 150 yards from the span at 0215, he is greeted with a thunderous roar and a gargantuan blast of fire and debris. The two spans of the Han River bridge and

June 25, 1950 three companion railroad bridges are simultaneously detonated. The consequences are grave; many military personnel and civilians are obliterated in the horrific explosion. Several KMAG officers had safely crossed the span, beating the catastrophe by about five minutes. Still on the north side of the span, only a few feet from the blown portion, several American war correspondents — Keys Beech, Burton Crane and Frank Gibney — stare through their shattered windshield at a truck directly in front of them that had been lost with all its troops on board. Subsequently, a board of inquiry meets to place the blame for the incident. It results in a military court martial for the ROK senior engineer, who is summarily executed. The verdict remains under debate today. Some believe the order had been given by General Chae and others set blame on the vice minister of defense, neither of whom had been charged. Stronger arguments support the case against the latter. In the capital, the early morning hours of the 28th are gloomy. Remaining KMAG officers successfully seek exit routes and cross the Han River at 0600, but the majority of the South Korean Army contingents and their equipment remain trapped. Some scattered units attempt to hold the enemy back, while the others cross the river, without most of their heavy equipment and transports. The N.K. 3rd Division attempts to enter the city, but it hits fierce resistance offered by a small, heroic contingent of South Koreans who hold until about noon. Eventually, elements of the N.K. 16th Regiment, 4th Division, break into the capital. Another band of ROK troops holds a Spartan line on South Mountain, within the city. These gallant men resist throughout the day until the last man is wiped out. However, Communist control of the city occurs by midday, and the conquering troops are received by a tumultuous welcome by fifth columnists and exuberant college-age students. Meanwhile, surviving ROK troops attempt to reform on the south side of the Han River. At the time of invasion, the South Korean defenders numbered about 98,000 troops. Now, four days later, the South Koreans assess the situation and assume they have depleted their force by about 75 percent. Commanding officers can account for only about 22,000 troops (south of the Han River) by the end of the month. Later, more stragglers limp into headquarters and favorable reports filter in concerning the 6th and 8th S.K. Divisions. The news pumps the numbers back to about 54,000. Incredibly, 44,000 troops are killed, wounded or missing in the first week of combat. Many of these losses are directly attributed to the premature destruction of the Han River Bridge. Before, during and subsequent to the entry of Seoul, the North Koreans exhibit a barbaric nature that greatly overshadows the atrocities of the Japanese during World War II. U.S. Congressional clamoring to demobilize the

June 25, 1950 military has been progressing since the close of World War II. This movement has jeopardized America’s ability to defend itself or those nations it has promised to defend. But when President Truman is informed of the disaster, about seven hours after the ignition of the conflict, he moves quickly. President Truman returns to the Blair House, his temporary house in D.C., from his home in Independence, Missouri. He urges the United Nations to take immediate action. Now, as South Korea’s defenses are collapsing under the Iron Canopy of the North Koreans, Washington must reverse its position and remobilize. At present, the U.S. Armed Forces are in wretched fighting condition unbecoming a superpower. Of the ten active U.S. Army Divisions, only the 1st Division stands at full strength, and it is in Europe staring down the Soviets. There are four weakened Eighth Army Divisions in Japan; however, none are battle-tried and most of the men are inexperienced. The Marine Corps has been deflated from nearly 500,000 at the conclusion of World War II to a dangerous level of fewer than 75,000 men. In conjunction, the Air Force and Navy, both under-strength, will be called upon to fill the gap while the ground forces begin to mobilize. It is the Air Force which forestalls total defeat. Ironically, the U.S. Navy will need the services of a tremendous number of Japanese seamen to meet the threat. A predetermined evacuation plan (Operation CRULLER) begins to extricate endangered Americans and some personnel from other nations. The evacuees board the Reinholt and embark for Japan on the 27th. Others are airlifted from Kimpo Airfield on the 26th by Fifth Air Force planes, which dispatch C-46s, C47s and C-54s to handle the emergency. Meanwhile, after the fall of Seoul, General MacArthur is flown to the front on the 29th. MacArthur gets a first-hand observation of the nightmare. As MacArthur focuses on the chaos, he devises a plan to reverse the impending rout, an amphibious landing at Inchon. MacArthur, not surprisingly, remains resolute as he peers through the grueling action near the destroyed Han River bridge, and witnesses the muddled masses of retreating South Korean troops. The first U.S. ground troops to arrive in Korea will be composed of elements of the 24th Division, commanded by Major General William Dean, the previous military governor of South Korea. Ironically, General Dean had been readying his return to the United States and bidding goodbye to friends as he departed church services in Japan on the 25th. It was then that he received the news that he was not yet going home. The post duty officer informed him of the invasion. General Dean realizes that his weakened division is deployed all across Japan and begins to reel them in for deployment in Korea, less than 150 miles away. On June 30, General Dean informs Colonel Charles (Brad) Smith that he will command the first

32 troops in Korea and that Dean will follow soon after. Colonel Smith is to lead Task Force Smith into Pusan and drive north to delay the North Koreans until the balance of the 24th Division and other reinforcements can be rushed to support them. Task Force Smith will fly to Pusan, then by convoy advance to Taejon and attempt to hold. Colonel Smith is becoming adapted to being suddenly awakened with orders. On December 7, 1941, the colonel was awakened and directed to command an infantry contingent at Oahu, Hawaii. Task Force Smith, composed of about 400 infantry troops and an artillery unit, reaches positions near Osan on July 5. Smith’s task force becomes the first contingent of U.S. troops to clash with the Communists in North Korea. The engagement is a costly one for the young Americans who expect to quickly extinguish the fighting. They barely escape total slaughter. Their carbines and obsolete antitank weapons are way overmatched. Some troops break under the pressure, but more stand and fight, making the ultimate sacrifice to buy time for MacArthur’s warriors. Many of the young men of Task Force Smith are captured and butchered by the North Koreans. General MacArthur is chosen to command the United Nations forces on July 8. He will confer with other military leaders and be informed that the 1st Marine Division is available. The Marines (seasoned veterans) begin to arrive from Camp Pendleton at Pusan during early August. The swaggering entrance of 5,000 Marines perks up the besieged defenders to the point of angering some of the beleaguered Army troops. Nonetheless, their self-confidence becomes contagious. and inspires the others to break the siege. Meanwhile, General Walton Walker’s command must hold the line at the Pusan Perimeter or be driven into the sea. His forces meet the challenge, and the Communists realize that their quest for easy victory has been snatched from them by the strengthened forces. For the duration of the conflict, Communist aircraft of both the Chinese and Russians receive sanctuary in China, which prevents American and other Allied pilots from destroying them. Initially, back in America, the citizens have no knowledge that about seventy-five percent of the Communists’ air missions are clandestinely flown by Russian pilots. The government knows this; however, due to fear that the American people would demand retaliation against the Soviet Union, which could provoke another war in Europe, it is not discussed publicly. Nevertheless, the American pilots in Korea are aware of their principal foe. While the opposing ground forces continue to battle for the won-again lost-again barren bloodsoaked hills, the casualties continue to climb. Fiftythree nations join the struggle against the Communist aggression, but it is the American fighting men who assume the brunt of the task. Only fifteen ad-

33 ditional nations commit combat troops. Turkey and Great Britain are the only nations to field more than the strength of a battalion. South Korean forces compose sixteen infantry divisions. In contrast, the Chinese Communists funnel thousands of troops into the ranks of the North Koreans, and toward the end of 1950, several hundred thousand Chinese troops openly join the fight. The protracted struggle contains all the elements of man’s inhumanity to man and enunciates the equally powerful hope of men to remain free, regardless of the sacrifices.

June 25

North Korean armed forces invade South Korea. Since the beginning of June, the North Koreans have offered two suggestions for the unification of Korea, but neither is acceptable to the South Korean Government. In addition, the U.S. has been in the process of diminishing its aid to the new republic, and repeatedly, the U.S. has publicly stated that Korea is not within its protective zone. Actually, the U.S. has laid out clear instructions on what the policy is for KMAG advisors, with one exception. The U.S. has not issued instructions on what they should do once hostilities begin. KMAG now faces a dilemma and the ambassador has no specific instructions. Ambassador Muccio suggests that the entire mission, including the advisors, could converge on the embassy in Seoul if the Communists take the city and diplomatic immunity could be claimed, but KMAG declines the suggestion. South Korean President Rhee and his government are preparing to evacuate Seoul by mid-day, although the U.S. ambassador suggests that they stay to forestall panic. Rhee then explains during the late-night meeting at the Ducksoo Palace that if the Communists seize the city and the government officials, the cause will be lost and all resistance will collapse. Seoul is overrun by Communists on the 28th. After a series of communications between Syngman Rhee and U.S. officials, Washington authorizes General MacArthur to rush military supplies to South Korea. The shipments moving to Korea by sea sail by several routes: from Yokohama the distance is 900 miles, but this route can be shortened by about 235 miles if passage is through the Bungo-Suido Strait; from Sasebo, 130 miles; from Moji, 123 miles; from Kobe, 361 miles; and the distance by sea from Fukuoka to Pusan is about 110 miles. The port of Pusan is the jewel of Korea, and it is capable of handling the heavy tonnage expected to begin arriving to support the U.N. cause. More than 24 deepwater vessels can simultaneously be docked with about 14 LSTs side-by-side unloading their cargoes on the beach. Unloading becomes the easiest of the tasks; most transportation in Korea along the 22,000 miles of primitive roads has been by oxcart. In contrast, the railroad system had been well built by the Japanese, and these rails carry the heaviest burden for the United Nations forces. Once it is determined that the invasion is full-scale, the KMAG advisors suggest that the South Koreans immediately initiate the previously fabricated defense

June 25, 1950 plan, which calls for the evacuation of the Ongjin Peninsula and the redeployment of all units west of the Imjin River to the south bank of the river. In addition the plan directs that all reserve divisions posted in the south prepare to attack north upon orders. Major General Chae Byong Duk, South Korean chief of staff, concurs with the advice of KMAG, and he directs that all Divisions be informed. In related activity, Ambassador Muccio dispatches Commander John Seifert, Naval attaché to Inchon, to find a suitable vessel to transport the American civilians to Japan; he chooses the best of the lot, a Norwegian ship, the Reinholt. After unloading its cargo of fertilizer, the ship is prepared to receive the evacuees. Early on the 26th, Muccio activates Operation CRULLER to execute the rescue of U.S. civilians. A South Korean patrol boat (PC 701) encounters and engages a North Korean vessel, which is armed and transporting about 600 Communist troops off Pusan. The North Korean steamer is destroyed in what becomes the first naval surface action of the conflict. In Air Force activity, apparently, the North Koreans feel confident that there will be no intervention by the U.S. to save South Korea. Communist aircraft strike several times without opposition, and damage facilities at the Kimpo Airfield. A U.S. C-54 transport plane on the ground is also damaged. A contingent of U.S. fighter planes (8th Fighter Group) operating off the coast of South Korea is fired upon at about 1700, by a North Korean naval contingent. Also, the North Korean Air Force, according to U.S. estimates prior to the invasion, stands at 21 IL bombers and 33 Yak fighters. The enemy aircraft are domiciled at four bases: Pyongyang, Sinanju, Sinuiju and Wonsan. —In the United States: Warren Austin, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announces the North Korean Communist invasion of the Republic of South Korea: “At 4 o’clock in the morning Sunday, June 25th, Korean time (1926, June 24th, Washington time), armed forces from North Korea commenced an unprovoked assault against the territory of the Republic of Korea.... This wholly illegal and unprovoked attack by the Korean north forces ... constitutes a breach of the peace and an act of aggression.... It would appear from the nature of the attack and the manner in which it was launched that it constitutes an all-out offensive against the Republic of Korea.” In response, a U.N. resolution emerges from a special session: “Noting with grave concern the armed attack upon the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea, the Security Council determines that this action constitutes a breach of the peace.” The U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, John J. Muccio, had informed the U.S. of the invasion. At the time, it was still June 24, U.S. time. The U.N. response calls for an immediate withdrawal by the North Koreans to the 38th Parallel in synchronization with an immediate halt to the hostile actions. The resolution also calls on all members “to render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution and to refrain from giving

June 26, 1950 assistance to the North Korean authorities.” The primary antagonist, the Soviet Union, is absent from the meeting, having boycotted the sessions since January 10, 1950, in protest of Red China being denied a seat as the bona fide representative of China. This Soviet miscalculation eliminates the Communist veto and permits the U.N. to take action. The resolution receives an abstention from the representative from Yugoslavia, another Communist-dominated nation, but nine yes votes are cast. The nations voting yes are China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Great Britain, India, Norway and the United States. There are no U.S. combat troops in Korea. Also, the total inundation of Soviet propaganda had prevented the U.S. government from properly equipping the South Korean Armed Forces to defend themselves. In addition to the U.S. Army and U.S. Naval strength at dangerously low levels, there are no Marine Corps forces of any consequences in the Far East. In fact, due to the Truman Administration’s postwar policy, there are few active duty Marines in the United States. Later, when Truman’s attempts to disband the Marine Corps subside as the call goes out for Marines to be sent to Korea, the Marines’ actions in Korea put the idea of disbanding the corps to rest. — In Japan: Official word of the North Korean invasion of South Korea is dispatched from Korea at 0925 by the U.S. Embassy, but neither General MacArthur nor his general headquarters receive orders concerning the crisis at the 38th Parallel. Instructions, however, do arrive to evacuate the Americans from Korea. By about midnight, Brigadier General Edwin K. Wright has instructed all units necessary to initiate the evacuation to stand ready. The operation gets underway at 0100 on the 26th. A plan of action for such an occurrence had been distributed on July 1, 1949. Also, Colonel William H.S. Wright receives permission from Ambassador Muccio to evacuate KMAG personnel from Korea, except for 33 men who are to remain with ROK headquarters. Soon after, President Truman informs MacArthur that he will be in command of the operation in Korea. Amphibious Group 1, commanded by Admiral Doyle, is en route from Tokyo to Chigasaki Beach to execute a practice amphibious landing. Navy and Marine specialists will oversee a landing by the 35th Regiment on the following day. In other activity, subsequent to emergency talks between Ambassador Muccio and Syngman Rhee, the former requests that MacArthur supply additional ammunition to ensure that the South Koreans are able to meet the crisis. — In the U.S. Far East Command: Major General Earle E. Partridge, commander, Fifth Air Force, directs his wing commanders to make preparations to evacuate U.S. citizens from South Korea. Also, the Twentieth Air Force orders two squadrons of 51 Fighter Interceptor Wings to go on air defense alert in Japan.

June 26

The U.S. Air Force begins to airlift American civilians from Korea. It initiates flights between

34 Kimpo Airfield outside of Seoul and Itazuke Airfield in Kyushu, Japan. The Air Force utilizes SB-17 planes to provide cover during the rescue operation. American dependents are also transported from Seoul to Inchon for evacuation to Japan. Slightly after midnight (25th– 26th), Ambassador Muccio activates the evacuation plans. Armed Forces Radio station WVTP, which has been broadcasting constant updates, instructs all women and children to speed to Camp Sobinggo to receive transportation to Inchon, where they will board the vessel Reinholt. By about 1800, on the 26th, more than 700 passengers are aboard the ship, which usually carries no more than twelve passengers. The Reinholt is escorted to Japan by the USS Mansfield (DD 728) and USS Dehaven (DD 727). Other Americans at Taegu and Taejon join those in Pusan and depart aboard the vessel Pioneer Dale. Air Force planes based in Japan fly continual escort and surveillance flights throughout the day to ensure safety. Additional flights transport ammunition and supplies from Japan to the embattled South Koreans. In related activity, Colonel Wright returns to KMAG headquarters from Japan. He is briefed on the deteriorating circumstances and as the situation becomes more grave, he prepares orders that direct KMAG personnel to move farther south to positions between Seoul and Pusan, from where they can be quickly evacuated if the situation warrants. Clear instructions dictating further action by KMAG are not forthcoming from Washington, but the U.S. is definitely reversing its position concerning its intent to defend Korea. Word arrives from the secretary of state through the Far East Command that all KMAG advisors are to stay with their respective Korean units as long as it remains feasible and the units are operating in a combat mode. By the latter part of the 26th, Ambassador Muccio requests military planes from Japan to evacuate non-essential personnel from the mission. Soon after, following strong suggestions from his staff, Colonel Wright directs all nonessential KMAG personnel to depart by truck for Suwon, from where they will be airlifted to Japan. Colonel Wright retains thirty-three officers and enlisted men to remain with him to assist the South Koreans. Wright further orders that if the KMAG face imminent capture, they are to break for the embassy and seek diplomatic immunity with Muccio’s party. — In the U.S. Far East Command: With the unexpected outbreak of hostilities ongoing in Korea, the logistical problems are monumental. The Pacific Coast will serve as origin point for the Military Air Transport Service en route to Tokyo. Three separate routes will be utilized. The first is Great Circle, with flights originating at McChord Air Force Base, Tacoma, Washington, with Tokyo its destination, via Anchorage, Alaska, and Shemya, Aleutian Islands, covering a distance of about 5,688 miles and 30 to 33 flying hours. A second route originates at Travis Air Force Base, near San Francisco, by way of Honolulu and Wake Island, a distance of about 6,718 miles to Tokyo and 34 flying hours. The third route is by way of Southern California via Hon-

35 olulu, Johnston, Kwajalein and Guam, requiring 40 hours of flying time to cover the distance of 8,000 miles. Throughout the month of July, an accelerating number of flights transport more than 100 tons of supplies per day. Subsequent to the delivery of supplies to Japan, they are forwarded to Korea, basically from Ashiya Airbase, supplemented by the airfields at Brady and Itazuke. At present, due to U.S. government sentiment that there had been no danger of trouble in Korea, there are no C-Rations there and almost none in Japan. Those rations initially arriving in Korea, including the C-Rations and B-Rations, are the ultimate in leftovers, having been around since the close of World War II. Age doesn’t affect the taste, and the ground troops who consume them seemingly never forget them. Also, in Washington, a scheduled policy meeting is canceled, which prompts the commandant of the Marine Corps, Clifford B. Cates, to make an extemporaneous entry on his wall calendar: “SecNav’s policy meeting called off. Nuts.” General Cates is anxious to commit his Marines to the war. In other activity, President Truman and his advisors meet in the Blair House to assess the situation in Korea, but intelligence is still minimal. Talk of committing U.S. ground troops is considered, but the ramifications are great and it will take more time; therefore, word is sent to MacArthur that the use of ground troops is not authorized. In conjunction, the U.S. does not have many ground troops prepared for mobilization in the Far East. Nevertheless, the consensus seems to be that Infantry will be required soon. In Naval activity, the 7th Fleet departs the Philippines heading north to Korea. — In Japan: President Truman authorizes General MacArthur to dispatch a military survey group to Korea to assess the situation. On the following day, Brigadier General John H. Church and twelve other staff officers

June 27, 1950 and enlisted men depart for Korea. Amphibious Group 1 conducts the 35th Regiment’s practice landing as scheduled at Chigasaki Bay. Another landing is scheduled for the following day. It gets underway, but the hostilities in Korea cause its premature cancellation. Orders come in recalling the air support, and shortly thereafter, the destroyers are directed to withdraw. Also, Far East Air Forces receive C-47s from various points in the Far East in exchange for C-54s. The C-47s provide the Air Force with the ability to land on smaller airstrips. June 27–September 15, 1950 FIRST DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: THE U.N. DEFENSIVE

June 27

In response to orders from President Truman (see In the United States, this entry), General MacArthur, from his headquarters in Tokyo, speeds a contingent of technical specialists to Korea where he establishes General Headquarters Advanced Command and Liaison Group (ADCOM), commanded by General John H. Church. General Church departs Haneda Airfield and arrives at Itazuke at 0600. Church expects to depart for Seoul, but new instructions arrive that direct him to reroute to Suwon, because of the deteriorating situation in the capital. Church’s entourage arrives at Suwon by air at about 1900. Headquarters is established in Suwon at the Experimental Agriculture Building. MacArthur arrives on the 29th to survey the battle area. In other activity, the government officials of the Republic evacuate Seoul as the North Koreans sweep south, and reach Taejon, but soon after, the South Koreans are forced to jump back farther to Taegu and from there, to the last stop, Pusan. U.S. Embassy officials

Troops loading supplies and ammunition aboard planes in Japan for use by the ROK forces in Korea.

June 27, 1950 also begin to exit in haste, slightly after 0900. Muccio, just prior to his evacuation, reports to MacArthur that the Armed Forces Radio Station is being destroyed to prevent use by the enemy. South Korean Army officials also depart without informing KMAG. When informed, Colonel Sterling Wright and his staff rush to Sihung to intercept the ROKs and convince them to

President Harry S Truman, after making the decision to support the Republic of South Korea.

36 return to the capital. During the trip, Wright receives a radio message from MacArthur which informs him that the Joint Chiefs of Staff has ordered MacArthur to assume control of all U.S. troops in Korea, including KMAG. While conferring with the South Koreans in Sihung, another radio message from MacArthur is received by Wright. It instructs him “to be of good cheer.” MacArthur also tells Colonel Wright that big decisions by the U.S. are about to unfold. This news persuades the South Korean headquarters personnel, including the chief of staff, to return, but the stay is short-lived. The South Koreans again evacuate on the following morning, without notifying the Americans. Finally, the exhausting efforts of Wright conclude. He attempts to halt the evacuation of the remaining KMAG personnel at Suwon, previously scheduled to depart for Japan, and succeeds in stopping about thirty men. They are ordered to return to Seoul. Meanwhile, the swarming hordes of North Koreans allow little time to dispose of critical records in the U.S. Embassy, which causes severe complications. Some secret documents are burned on the roof; however, unclassified personnel records will be seized and subsequent purges held. In addition, when the North Koreans enter the city on the following day, they bring cases of documents containing the names of scores of South Koreans considered anticommunist. People, tied together, are led into the streets, and after a quick kangaroo trial, by what is known as People’s Court, many innocent victims are executed. When an accusation is made and the sentence given, the onlookers are asked if anyone wants to speak on their behalf. None do, aware that they would then be shot, too. According to CIA reports, more than half of the students in Seoul support the North Koreans and great numbers of them have voluntarily joined the Communist Army. Also, many who remain in Seoul greet the invaders with enthusiasm. But many more reject the aggressors and wait in hopes of MacArthur and the U.S. arriving to save them. The U.S. fleet moves to blockade North Korea, but President Truman also intends to ensure that the Nationalist Chinese under Chiang Kai-shek on Formosa are unable to initiate raids against the Chinese mainland and possibly provoke China to enter the conflict. In Air Force activity, Americans and some other foreign nationals continue to be evacuated from Kimpo and Suwon Airfields, but the pace is accelerated as the danger increases. During the activity at the airfields, three North Korean planes attack four American escort fighter planes. The three enemy planes are blown from the sky. Four additional enemy aircraft are destroyed in dog fights later in the day. The first shot by the Air Force in the war is fired by Major James W. Little, commander, 339th FAWS. In addition, Lt. William G. Hudson, 68th FAWS, with Lieutenant Carl Fraser as his radar observer, emerge as the victors in the first aerial victory of the war. The seven enemy planes shot down had been achieved by six pilots. Another of the pilots to score a victory is Lieutenant Robert H. Dewald, 35th

37

June 27, 1950

Top: U.S. destroyers in mothballs at San Diego following the termination of World War II. The Korean War brings some of the ships back to activate service. Bottom: KMAG advisors during the withdrawal from Seoul on 27 June. The American advisors are en route to Kimpo airfield about eighteen miles distant.

June 27, 1950

38

Top: A patient in a litter arrives in Japan from Korea aboard the SS Reinholt during the withdrawal of Americans from Korea. Bottom: Two soldiers chat with one of the younger Americans being evacuated from Korea. Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group. Also, B-26s, operating from Japan, execute a night attack against enemy targets; however, the raids are not successful, due to inclement weather. In other activity, the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) establishes a composite unit of U.S. Air Force

and South Korean airmen at Taegu Airfield. The pilots will fly F-51D Mustangs. The air evacuation safely transports 718 Americans to Japan, and another 809 Americans are transported by sea ( June 26–29). In all, 2,001 people are evacuated. Word arrives in Taegu from Ambassador Muccio that the KMAG advisors are to separate from the S.K. 3rd Division and move south

39 to Pusan; the families of the advisors had been evacuated earlier. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral Hoskins orders the Seventh Fleet to leave Hong Kong and Subic Bay for Sasebo, but en route, orders arrive from Admiral Joy that divert the fleet to Okinawa, which will place it in close proximity to Korea and Formosa, yet a safer distance from the Chinese and Soviet Air Forces. Meanwhile, the USS Juneau and the Destroyer USS DeHaven are directed to sweep the coastal waters south of the 38th Parallel and intercept any hostile landings. The USS Sergeant Keathley departs Yokohama with a capacity load of ammunition and supplies, including twelve 105-mm howitzers; the ship is escorted by the USS Juneau and DeHaven to Pusan. — In the United States: President Truman sends word to the United Nations, reference their resolution of the 25th, that the Northern aggressors have not heeded the order to halt hostilities, but rather have chosen to press the attack. The president notes the Security Council’s plea for all members to aid the U.N.’s effort to mandate compliance, then clearly emphasizes America’s intent: “I have ordered United States air and sea forces to give the Korean government troops cover and air support. The attack upon Korea makes it plain beyond all doubt that Communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war.” Also, President Truman directs the U.S. Seventh Fleet to ensure the safety of Formosa by deploying in such fashion to forbid a Communist invasion. In addition, U.N. Ambassador Warren Austin presents a letter to the Security Council that underscores the North Korean intent to “completely disregard and flout the decision of the security council....” The United Nations Security Council goes into another special session, which results in a second resolution: “The Security Council recommends that the members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea (South) as may be necessary, to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area.” (On the 26th, Washington time, a teleconference between Washington and Tokyo had transpired, and resulted in the issuance of orders to evacuate civilians and dependents from Korea. In a separate message, the Pacific Fleet is directed to prepare additional ships to move to the Western Pacific.) The Soviets again are absent from the U.N. session, continuing their protest pattern since the beginning of January. In their absence, they are unable to veto the resolution. Although the United Nations falls short of declaring war, the intent is clear and the action is called “Police Action.” The nation of Yugoslavia votes no. Egypt and India abstain, but the latter joins the action two days later. The precedent-setting resolution passes with the votes of China, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Great Britain, Norway and the United States.

June 28 At about 0100, KMAG personnel attempt to inform Colonel William H.S. Wright that the South Korean Army Headquarters is again evacuating Seoul,

June 28, 1950 but he is inaccessible, as the past few days have left him sleepless and his aide refuses to wake him. A second trip to headquarters by Lt. Colonel Lewis Vieman proves fruitful, but as the two men are about to confer, conversation becomes almost unnecessary as the Han River bridge blows, and their focus centers on the immensity of the situation. The bridge was not to be destroyed until the enemy secured the capital and all South Korean troops had been evacuated to the south bank of the Han. This disaster cripples the evacuation process, needlessly kills hundreds of people on the bridge and traps S.K. units in the city. Panic and confusion run rampant. Colonel William Wright attempts to move the Americans out of Seoul by convoy; however, the alternate bridges are also blown. Eventually, Lt. Colonel Lee Chi Yep offers to assist the Americans. He commandeers a ferry by shooting one boatman through his clothing. The startled riverman quickly moves his huge raft to shore. Most Americans cross safely at about 0800, but the original fifty vehicles are left behind. From the south bank of the Han, the main contingent walks fifteen exhausting miles along a primitive trail to Anyang-ni, where they are greeted by an advance party. Colonel Lee Chi Yep, the enterprising South Korean who procured the raft, accompanies the Americans during the long walk. En route, Colonel Chi Yep commandeers a jeep and speeds ahead and procures vehicles to transport the party to Suwon. In the meantime, Colonel Wright, two officers and three enlisted men remain on the north bank in Seoul to locate a safe crossing for the command jeep, which contains the radio, their only means of communicating with Japan. Before dawn, the small party is able to board another raft, which also accommodates the jeep. Wright’s party makes it to Suwon to join the main group there. Also, the capital falls; North Korean tanks, followed by Infantry, enter Seoul. North Korean Colonel Han Se Gon later relates that one of his gunners had run up the flag of the People’s Republic of Korea, and they watched it flutter bravely. In Air Force activity, fighting in the region remains extremely heavy on the ground. At Suwon, Communist planes bomb the airfield. One plane, a C-54, is destroyed on the ground. Also, General Church, subsequent to his initial observations while at Suwon, informs General MacArthur that only by an infusion of U.S. ground troops can the original boundary in Korea be restored. First reports that filter into headquarters during the invasion cause grave concern about the plight of some Americans (KMAG), but by the end of the month, all are accounted for and only three casualties have struck their ranks, all minor wounds. In other activity, C-54s and C-47s evacuate the last of 851 U.S. citizens who are flown out of Korea. Also, U.S. planes bomb enemy positions in Seoul. In Pusan, the situation remains confusing, too. The KMAG Advisors to the S.K. 3rd Division arrive from Taegu after a tedious journey begun on the previous day. The small column nudges southward through endless rows of frantic South Korean civilians and then en-

June 28, 1950

40

Situation in Korea, June 28, 1950.

41 counters a nasty rainstorm which stalls the group. The Americans abandon their mud-trapped vehicles outside Pusan and walk the remainder of the route. Once in Pusan, Colonel Emmerich’s party spots South Koreans who are raiding the American compound to steal food, equipment, furniture and about anything else they can get. The newly arrived Americans begin firing over the heads of the Koreans and the pirating ceases. Colonel Emmerich is informed by Captain Gerald Putnam, advisor to the S.K. 23rd Regiment, that the American dependents had departed Pusan on the previous day aboard the Pioneer Dale. He is also told that another vessel, the Letitia Lykes, remains in port with members of the American Mission and some KMAG advisors. The KMAG advisors are sent for and ordered to return to Emmerich’s Headquarters. Later, Emmerich makes radio contact with the Far East Command in Japan and speaks with Brigadier General George Back to get instructions. Unfortunately, Headquarters in Japan, like Emmerich, has little knowledge of the crisis; General Back inquires if Emmerich has any first hand information about the situation in Seoul. Emmerich is instructed to wait for orders. Meanwhile, Headquarters in Japan will maintain constant contact with Pusan to try and keep abreast of the crisis. Colonel Emmerich, totally unaware of KMAG’s predicament in Seoul, establishes a Provisional Military Advisory Group, Headquarters, Pusan, Korea, and as the senior officer, he creates a small staff and designates himself commanding officer. In Naval activity, the USS Juneau (CLAA 119), off the east coast of Korea, bombards enemy targets in the vicinity of Samchock, in what becomes the initial major naval surface fire support operation of the conflict. — In the United States: The commandant of the Marine Corps, General Cates, meets with Admiral Forest P. Sherman, chief of Naval Operations, and recommends that the Fleet Marine Force be committed to Korea. Soon after, on the 30th, General Cates attends the secretary of the navy’s conference. The discussions include the possibility and probability of committing Marines to Korea. —In Japan: In Air Force activity, at 0600, a C-54 takes off from Tachikawa Airfield near Tokyo, transporting 105-mm ammunition to Suwon to supplement the ammunition transported the previous day from Japan by ship. By mid-afternoon, additional aircraft depart with nearly 120 additional tons of ammunition. The planes that run supplies and B-26 light bombers are provided protection by F-80s based at Itazuke. An Air Force reconnaissance plane (RF-80-A), piloted by Lieutenant Lt. Bryce Poe II, initiates a mission to acquire photographs of the vanguard of the North Korean invasion forces. Poe flies the initial reconnaissance mission by a jet. Also, the 3rd Bombardment Group dispatches more than 20 B-26s, which launch the Air Force’s first air strikes of the conflict. The planes attack the rails at Munsan and other rail traffic in the sector between Seoul and the border with North Korea. One of the planes is hit and damaged by anti-aircraft fire. It

June 29, 1950 crashes while returning to Japan and all aboard are killed. In other activity, other planes, B-29s attached to the 19th Bombardment Group, depart their base on Okinawa and attack targets that include rail bridges and vehicles in the initial medium bomber attacks of the conflict. Bad weather over Japan limits Fifth Air Force sorties, but eighteen fighters execute close air support and interdiction missions. In Naval activity, the vessel Cardinal O’Connell, her hulls crammed with ammunition from the Ikego Ammunition Depot, departs Japan for Korea, escorted by the destroyers Collett and Mansfield, to further augment the South Korean cause. Also, British Admiral Sir Patrick Brind informs Admiral Joy that the Royal Navy will commit Task Group 96.8 (British Rear Admiral W.G. Andrewes), which includes the carrier HMS Triumph, cruiser HMS Belfast and the destroyers HMS Consort and Cossock. The British warships enjoin the Seventh Fleet at Buckner Bay, Okinawa. The other British vessels, which include the frigates HMS Alacrity, HMS Black Swan and HMS Hart, as well as the cruiser HMS Jamaica, swell the ranks of the blockade force. In addition, Australia and New Zealand commit warships, which also join the naval blockade of North Korea. On the following day, the Allied Naval Force is transferred to the operational control of General MacArthur. In other naval activity, the U.S. Navy forms an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) patrol off Sasebo. It operates only until 1 July 1950.

June 29

General MacArthur and fourteen additional staff members depart Japan at 0610 for Suwon aboard the Bataan, an unarmed aircraft. The Bataan, after a hazardous flight that includes a close encounter with a Russian Yak fighter, lands safely on a dwarfed airstrip amidst a wrecked C-54. American fighters close in and quickly drive the Communist plane away. At about 0800, while in flight, MacArthur has a message dispatched to Lt. General George Stratemeyer’s second in command. The message to General Partridge, dictated by Stratemeyer: “Stratemeyer to Partridge: Take out North Korean airfield immediately. No publicity. Macarthur approves.” Communist planes are bombing the retreating South Koreans and have also plastered the airfield at Suwon, just prior to MacArthur’s arrival. Once aground, the Bataan is flown back to Tokyo out of harm’s way, but Lt. Colonel Anthony Story, MacArthur’s pilot, returns to Suwon at 1715 to pick up the general. While in Korea, MacArthur moves right to the front to assess the ongoing tragedy. His jeep drives past the mystified and bewildered civilians as they flee for safety, and he passes the South Koreans that are in retreat. At the Han River, MacArthur clearly perceives the disaster at hand when he observes a routed South Korean Army in disorganized retreat. Some other officers see things differently, observing that many units had retired with discipline. One demoralized Korean officer remarks to a friend: “We can’t fight them without equipment,” giving credence to their inability to hold

June 29, 1950 the line. Many of the South Koreans have fought bravely, but the match is one-sided. General MacArthur, standing in the midst of the death and destruction and under enemy fire, scrutinizes the final rear guard actions at the Han River, while simultaneously collecting even incidental information to assist him in what would have to be a miraculous extrication from defeat. First impressions of the MacArthur party convince them that only the contingents of the South Korean 1st and 7th Divisions contain enough men and equipment to resist effectively. Nevertheless, units of the S.K. 5th Division hold in Yongdungp’o, and to the west, Inchon is held by the Capital Division. Additional S.K. troops of the 2nd Division regroup at the junction of the Han and Pukhan Rivers. Meanwhile, the S.K. 6th Division, following its gallant three-day stand, continues its retreat toward Wonju in the center of the peninsula. The ROK 8th Division also retreats. The 23rd Regiment, 3rd S.K. Division, moves north from Pusan toward Ulchin, about sixty-five miles above Pohang-dong, to intercept an anticipated North Korean drive down the east coastal highway. MacArthur thinks not with despair, but of victory, and in less than thirty minutes he conceives his plan. Although his sparse occupation troops are overwhelmingly outnumbered, MacArthur has devised a strategy to use them to give the impression of strength to buy time and receive reinforcements. He will direct an orderly retreat to gain more tentative positions and permit the disillusioned ROK troops to regain their confidence. Meanwhile, the swiftness of the North Korean advance forces the South Koreans to continue to make many mistakes, one of which included the premature demolition of the Han River bridge. During this brief period at the river, MacArthur realizes that the power of the North Korean thrust might propel them to the last stop, Pusan. He devises a plan to launch an amphibious invasion behind the enemy lines at Inchon, from which point he can recapture Seoul and isolate the Communists troops between there and Pusan. The plan will be poorly received by Washington, but his persistence will prevail. Later in the day — subsequent to meeting with President Rhee, Ambassador John Muccio and General John Church — General MacArthur returns to Tokyo to mobilize his forces. MacArthur’s concludes about the future of Korea, during his initial visit to the front, that “air and naval action alone could not be decisive, and that nothing short of the intervention of U.S. ground forces could give assurance of stopping the Communists and of later regaining the ground.” The first U.S. ground troops arrive in Korea at Suwon. Detachment X, composed of less than thirtyfive men, has also brought four M55 machine guns of the 507th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. Slightly after 1600, the unit engages four attacking enemy planes. One is destroyed and another is thought to have been destroyed. Another air raid occurs about 2000. As the day progresses, contingents of the N.K. 6th Division,

42 which had breached the Han River west of Seoul on the previous day, seize control of Kimpo Airfield. In addition, the N.K. 3rd and 4th Divisions in Seoul prepare to bolt the river in force, following the cessation of a heavy artillery bombardment of South Korean positions. The N.K. 1st Division trails the 3rd and 4th Divisions, but later it pivots and moves toward Ichon and Umsong on the first primary road east of the SeoulPusan highway. In the meantime, Colonel Emmerich continues to maintain contact with headquarters in Japan. Members of Emmerich’s staff forward weather reports to the Air Force at Itazuke to aid the success of its missions. Meanwhile, additional KMAG advisors who were with the S.K. 6th and 8th Divisions at Wonju arrive at Pusan bringing the KMAG forces there to twenty-two officers and 34 enlisted men. Two missionaries and six civilians of the ECA are also with Emmerich. The newly established Provisional KMAG becomes active. It dispatches one team composed of six men to Taejon and another detachment of two officers is sent to rejoin the S.K. 3rd Division at Taegu. Emmerich’s command also dispatches some communications personnel to the Coast Guard Base at Chinhae. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force executes 172 sorties in support of the S.K. forces. This level of support is maintained during the coming days. On this day, B-26s attack bridges, and Fifth Air Force F-80s patrol above the Han River, while F-82s, attached to the 86th FAWS, initiate the first napalm air strike of the conflict. In the skies, Air Force planes of the 35th and 80th Fighter Bomber Squadrons (FBS) operating near Suwon encounter and engage North Korean aircraft that are attacking Suwon’s airfield. Five enemy planes are eliminated from the North Korean Air Force. One of the enemy planes is destroyed by Lieutenant Richard J. Burns (35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group). Burns, piloting an F-51 Mustang, downs an IL-10. In addition, other aircraft, 8 B-29s attached to the 19th Bomber Group, pound Kimpo airfield, which had been seized by the Communists. The B-29s also hit the rail depot at Seoul. Subsequent to completing the mission, the B-29s head back to Okinawa, but en route, enemy aircraft intercept the group. Another pilot, Lieutenant Roy W. Marsh, 80th Fighter Bomber Squadron (8th Fighter Bomber Group), flying an F-80C, knocks out an IL-10 which closes on Seoul at an elevation of 1,200 feet. Marsh engages the plane near Uijongbu. The bombers return safely; however, one of the attacking planes is shot down by the gunners to rack up the initial kill of an enemy plane by a B-29 gunner. In yet other activity, subsequent to authorization by MacArthur to select targets in North Korea, 18 planes (3rd Bomber Group B-26s) attached to Fifth Air Force, strike Heijo Airfield on the outskirts of Pyongyang, and report the destruction of about 25 planes on the field. In other activity, a pack of three enemy planes close against Lieutenant Harry T. Sandlin (80th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group) near

43 Suwon. Sandlin outmaneuvers the trio and places his F51 Mustang to the rear of an LA-7, dispenses about 800 rounds of machine gun fire and downs the enemy aircraft. In Naval activity, the cruiser USS Juneau commences the first U.S. Naval surface vessel bombardment of the conflict. Operating off the east coast of Korea, it bombards suspected enemy positions in the vicinity of Kangnung–Samch’ok, where N.K. guerrillas and the elements of the Communist 766th Independent Unit had landed on the 25th. — In the United States: Major General L.L. Lemnitzer pens a memorandum to the secretary of defense that contains a consensus of the thoughts of the military leaders at the time of the invasion. It states that there had been knowledge of the North Korean ability to attack South Korea. But he emphasizes that every other country bordering the Soviet Union possesses the same capabilities and that no intelligence agency had considered Korea as “a point of attack.” In other activity, Secretary of State Dean Acheson is informed by the Australian ambassador that two Australian warships and the 77th Royal Australian Fighter Squadron (all presently based in Japan) will join the U.S. forces. Additional naval forces are committed by Canada, Netherlands and New Zealand. Also, the only nation to offer ground troops is Nationalist China, but their proposal to dispatch 33,000 troops is shortcircuited by MacArthur on the following day. MacArthur claims that the Nationalist contingent is untrained and lacks motor transport and artillery. There is speculation that Washington prefers to keep the Nationalist Chinese out of the conflict to avoid the possibility of inciting the Communist Chinese. In other activity, General Eisenhower visits the Pentagon ( June 28, Washington time) to meet with General Omar Bradley, but Bradley is confined to bed, suffering from a stomach virus. Eisenhower speaks with Generals Matt Ridgway, Joseph Collins and Wade Haislip. Apparently Eisenhower is stunned to discover the unpreparedness of the U.S. Army and the nonchalant attitudes concerning the Korean crisis. Eisenhower strongly urges initial mobilization of sufficient force to meet the threat, including the bolstering of the forces in Europe and the use of the atom bomb, if necessary. Eisenhower is in town for a scheduled physical examination, but he seemingly writes a few prescriptions for the Army while there. Ike also makes note that he would prefer a younger General in command, an obvious referral to MacArthur. Nonetheless, showing empathy towards MacArthur’s plight, Eisenhower also states that the restrictions that confine MacArthur’s responsive actions to the area below the 38th Parallel should be lifted. — In Japan: By today, the U.S. Air Force has transferred many of its aircraft from distant bases to Ashiya and Itazuke Airbases to ensure they are capable of striking the battle sectors in Korea. Also, the 19th Bombardment Group, Twentieth Air Force, relocates from Guam to Kadena Airfield on Okinawa. And, the 8th

June 30, 1950 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS), based at Yokota, initiates photographic reconnaissance missions with its RB-29 aircraft to gain intelligence regarding airfields in North Korea. In other activity, the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS) arrives at Tachikawa Air Force Base from Clark AFB in the Philippines to begin operations from Japan.

June 30

Using the umbrella coverage of artillery and tank fire, the 8th Regiment, 3rd N.K. Division, moves from Seoul to the south bank of the Han River. Many troops cross on foot while others swim. Others are ferried across on wooden boats, which are also utilized to transport trucks. The advance, once across the river, stalls as the regiment reforms. The pause prevents a quick move against Yongdungp’o, the conduit for the primary rail and road routes heading south. In response to the enemy penetration, General Church directs S.K. Chief of Staff General Chae to mount a counterattack and strike the enemy at the riverbank. But the interdicting North Korean fire frustrates the effort. With continuing reports expressing the deterioration of the South Korean resistance, Lt. General Chung II Kwon arrives in Korea from Japan to relieve General Chae. At about 1600, General Church, using the radio, hurries another urgent message to Tokyo, relating more grim details of the lopsided struggle. Soon after, he dashes twelve miles south to Osan, from where he can speak to Tokyo directly by telephone. While speaking to MacArthur’s chief of staff, General Edward Almond, General Church is informed that U.S. ground troops have been committed to the cause, which gives him some temporary hope. Church is instructed to hold Suwon’s airstrip for another day to receive the reinforcements, and he responds in the affirmative that it will be held. However, in Church’s short absence, more confusion has compounded the dilemma. False information, relayed by a U.S. plane, that a North Korean column moving from the east was nearing Suwon, is given to S.K. Generals Chung and Chae. The erroneous information causes bedlam when they return to Suwon from the Han River with the distressing news. Following this event, an unexplained glaring red flare shoots into the air from a point near the railroad station, located about 500 yards from a command post. KMAG personnel at the post react with contrasting opinions, and neither General Church nor Colonel William Wright is on location. Discussion on the unfolding activity reaches no concrete conclusion; however, initially it is decided by an on-site ADCOM officer to evacuate the town and form a perimeter around the airfield. In turn, the decision and ongoing undisciplined activity have confounded the Korean officers. During the ensuing moments, some ADCOM people, assuming Suwon is being surrounded, begin destroying their equipment with thermite grenades. Meanwhile, at the airfield, a defensive perimeter is about to be established, but lacking direction, the officers abort the plan and prepare to retire south to Taejon. An astonished General Church, having re-

June 30, 1950 turned from Osan, encounters the convoy while it sits to await the call to move out toward Taejon. Church immediately orders the convoy to return to Suwon. General Church, already fuming over the disruption at the airfield, sees his patience pushed to the brink when he returns to town and finds his headquarters and most of the valuable signal equipment destroyed. Realizing that holding the airfield is no longer feasible, General Church, drenched from the torrential rain and apparently fatigued from the overtaxing day, orders the convoy to withdraw to Osan, where he can reopen communications with Tokyo. Following a brief conversation between Church and General Almond, it is agreed that the ADCOM personnel would head for Taejon. In conjunction, S.K. Army Headquarters remains in Suwon. The expected reinforcements are diverted to Pusan. In the meantime, other N.K. units prepare to launch a strong crossing of the Han on the following day. In other activity, an advance group of U.S. officers, led by Lt. Colonel Lewis A. Hunt, arrives in Korea to begin organizing the logistical operations in Pusan. In Air Force activity, The 77th Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Squadron arrives in Korea. Later, the Australian squadron will be attached to Fifth Air Force. While evacuations are ongoing at Suwon, the Air Force initiates modifications at another field, Kumhae Airfield, located slightly more than ten miles northwest of Pusan. Also, near Suwon, Lieutenant John B. Thomas, 36th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group, engages an enemy Yak-9 type aircraft. Thomas, flying an F-80, prevails and the Yak plummets in flames to the ground. Also, Fifth Air Force tactical air control contingents arrive at Suwon. In other activity, planes (B-26s), attached to the 3rd Bombing Group, attack enemy positions in the vicinity of Seoul, while B-29s also pound enemy targets near Seoul, at locations north of the Han River. — In the United States: General Lawton Collins (Army chief of staff ) receives a message from MacArthur (near midnight June 29, Washington time); he informs Frank Pace, Secretary of the Army, of MacArthur’s request for a regimental combat team to be committed near the Han River, far from Pusan. MacArthur’s request enunciates the necessity of American troops to stem the tide and retake the surrendered terrain. He states, “To continue to utilize the forces of our air and navy without an effective ground element cannot be decisive.” Following an early morning conversation with Pace, President Truman authorizes the use of the combat team, and later in the day, the president informs officials of the State and Defense departments that he is authorizing the dispatch of two divisions from Japan. He also states that he has ordered the implementation of a naval blockade of North Korea. Truman makes the U.S. position public during the afternoon. During this talk with the press the president emphasizes that the U.S. is not at war; the conflict is dubbed a “police action.” General Collins calls the other chiefs of staff at about 0530 and informs them of the decision to send ground

44 troops to Korea. They are miffed, but no formal protest is ever made. U.N. Ambassador Warren Austin speaks to the Security Council of the General Assembly, informing them of the U.S. initiatives (in response to U.N. resolutions of June 25 and 27) to curtail the hostilities in Korea. The strength of the U.S. Marine Corps stands at 74,279 men. The 1st Marine Division (reinforced), stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, contains 641 officers and 7,148 enlisted men. Due to the intolerable situation in Korea, the 1st Provisional Brigade will drain the weakened division further; however, by September 15, 26,000 Marines will bulge the 1st Marine Division, as calls go out and Marines (active and reserve) converge on Pendleton from points all across the country. More Marines will be drawn from the Mediterranean Fleet. It is a feat unparalleled in military history. The 1st Marine Division will have no time allotted for a rehearsal landing prior to the invasion of Inchon. — In Japan: General MacArthur is informed by Washington (directive 6-29-50) that he is to deploy U.S. Army forces in South Korea to keep communications and other important functions operating properly, to deploy additional troops to maintain control of a port and airfield in the vicinity of Pusan-Chinhae, and to commit air and naval forces against North Korean military targets, without encroaching against the Soviet Union or Manchuria (Communist China). The instructions from the president also stipulate that a dual blockade is to be initiated, whereby the Communists are prevented from attacking Formosa and the Formosans are similarly restrained from opening hostilities against the mainland. MacArthur is also informed that he is receiving operational control of the U.S. 7th Fleet. However, the directive, approved by the president, stipulates that MacArthur is not to retaliate against the Soviet Union if they directly intervene in the aggression, which places the American forces at a great disadvantage and possible jeopardy if they are fired upon and are forbidden to retaliate. MacArthur directs General Walton Walker to move the 24th Division to Korea. In turn, General Walker briefs General William F. Dean, commanding officer, 24th Division, on his orders. General Dean, according to the instructions, will command all U.S. Army forces in Korea. Dean is to transport his Division Headquarters and one infantry regiment to Pusan by air. The heavy equipment, including artillery, tanks, ammunition and food, are to be shipped to Korea by sea. Ultimately, the plans filter down to the man who will lead the task force, Lt. Colonel Charles B. Smith, who is awakened from his sleep and ordered to speed to the command post. Smith is ordered to take his battalion (minus Companies A and B) to Itazuke Air Base, where he will meet General Kean and receive further instructions. By 0300 on the 1st, the task force is on the highway on a 75 mile journey during a driving rain. The convoy reaches its destination slightly after 0800. In other activity, General Stratemeyer, convinced of the need for more air power, requests additional planes

45 to supplement his force. The appeal calls for twentythree B-29s, 164 F-80Cs, sixty-four F-51s, twentyone C-54s and twenty-one F-82s. The Air Force’s downsizing after World War II creates problems that will continue for the duration of the war. The Air Force responds but no F-80s are available for Far East Air Forces. Substitutes are instead sent, 150 F-51 Mustangs. Also, Stratemeyer pulls 50 dusty F-51s out of his storage bin for added punch. The F-51 proves better suited for the rugged conditions of the Korean airfields and it covers more range than the F-80s.

July 1 The North Koreans continue their southward drive. From Seoul, the N.K. 5th Regiment, 4th Division, held in reserve since the invasion began, pushes its 3rd Battalion across the Han River at 0400. The remainder of the division follows and ignites a fierce contest for Yongdungp’o that lasts until July 3. The South Koreans raise solid resistance and inflict heavy casualties upon the attackers. Nevertheless, by 0800 on July 3, the North Koreans seize control of the town and force the South Koreans to retreat. The enemy sustains 227 dead, 1,822 wounded and 107 men missing, while capturing the prize. As the hotly contested battle ensues, the N.K. 3rd Division also fords the Han. In other activity, the ADCOM convoy reaches Taejon. General Church establishes a new command post. Colonel Wright dispatches five of his KMAG officers to Suwon to assist the South Koreans there. The Eighth Army Operation Order calls for an initial delaying force, comprised of two rifle companies, reinforced by two platoons of 4.2 inch mortars and one platoon of 75mm recoilless rifles. The remainder of the 24th Division follows by sea. From Pusan, trains will transport the task force to P’yongt’aek, and from there, the troops advance to Osan, where they encounter overpowering resistance on July 5. The task force is composed of mostly green troops, but they are full of confidence and expect to quickly terminate the hostilities. In the central corridor of Korea, the South Korean 6th Division continues to fight effective delaying actions against the N.K. 7th Division, which has sustained about 400 casualties and several destroyed T-34 tanks, between Chunch’on and Hongch’on. The enemy advances slowly, marching from Hongch’on, through the mountainous terrain toward Wonju, a strategic rail and highway center. Here, too, elements of the S.K. 6th Division forge stiff resistance to further frustrate the N.K. commanding officer, Maj. Gen. Chon U. The sluggish advance apparently handicaps the time schedule of the North Korean main command, which replaces Chon U, on about the 4th of July, one day before the capitulation of Wonju. In conjunction, the N.K. 7th Division becomes the 12th N.K. Division to differentiate it from a new division that is activated and designated the 7th N.K. Division. Also, during the early part of July, MacArthur focuses on his plan to launch an amphibious landing behind the enemy lines, at Inchon. He will direct Admiral James T. Doyle to

July 1, 1950 make the proper preparations and study all the complexities of initiating the invasion. Doyle diligently executes his orders and subsequently informs MacArthur on the findings of his staff: “Our research listed every known geographical and naval handicap—Inchon had ’em all.” — In Okinawa: Vice Admiral A. D. Struble’s Striking Force (TF-77) departs Buckner Bay and steams toward Korea’s west coast. The naval force is composed of three components: a Screening Group, TG77.2, commanded by Captain C. W. Parker, USN, consisting of eight U.S. and two British destroyers; a Support Force, TG77.1, commanded by British Rear Admiral W.G. Andrewes, consisting of the Cruisers USS Rochester and HMS Belfast; and the Carrier Group TG77.4, commanded by Rear Admiral J. M. Hoskins, USN, composed of the USS Valley Forge and the HMS Triumph. While the convoy moves north, conditions on the Korean peninsula continue to deteriorate, prompting several dispatches to reach the fleet, essentially informing it to maintain the attack beyond the first day. The orders also specify that particular attention should be given to the railroads near Kumchon, Sariwon and Sinanju to disrupt the enemy’s supply line. — In the United States: There are no outward signs, but the White House and the military are concerned about the United States’ capability to handle a major Soviet threat. — In Japan: Task Force Smith, with 406 of its 440man strength, departs Japan for Korea. The task force is not designated TF Smith until several months later. Some elements had arrived at Pusan on the previous day. The unit is composed of the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, Rifle Companies B and C, both at less than full strength but each with six 2.36-inch bazooka teams and four 60-mm mortars; a recoilless rifle platoon (composite), less two of its four guns; one-half of a headquarters company; and four 4.2 inch mortars, two of which have not been airlifted. Six transport planes, attached to the 374th TCW, move the troops to Pusan from Korea. The first plane lifts off at 0845, but upon arrival at Pusan, it and the second plane, which is transporting Colonel C.B. Smith, are both compelled to return to Japan because of a thick fog that hovers over the runway. At about 1100, the Pusan airstrip receives the first of many flights. Colonel Charles B. Smith arrives on the tenth flight. Transport vehicles wait at the runway to carry the force seventeen miles to Pusan, where crowds anxiously await their arrival. Once there, the people greet the troops with a tumultuous welcome that includes banners and huge smiles. When the troop trains depart for Taejon at 2000, a South Korean band plays a spirited send-off. In other activity, the 34th Regiment begins boarding a ship during the night. It will embark Pusan on the night of the 2nd. The remainder of the 21st Regiment, except Companies A and D, embarks from Sasebo on July 3. Companies A and D travel separately by ship from Moji. In yet other activity, the Far East Command instructs the Eighth Army to take responsibility for total logis-

July 2, 1950

46

A contingent of Task Force Smith boards a C-54 transport in Japan on 1 July. The troops are the first U.S. combat troops to arrive in Korea. tical support of the U.S. and all other Allied forces operating in Korea, including the South Korean forces. The logistical responsibilities are assumed by Eighth Army Rear, which remains in Yokohama. This responsibility is transferred to Japan Logistical Command during August 1950. — In Hawaii: General Lemuel Shepherd, USMC, Commanding General FMF Pacific, arrives at Hawaii from the United States. General Shepherd is en route to the Far East, anticipating the arrival of Marines. Coincidentally, today General MacArthur requests a Marine Brigade to assist Eighth Army in Korea. Also, the U.S. Navy forms Task Force Yoke, which is composed of vessels that assemble on the West Coast and at Pearl Harbor. The naval task force is to be commanded by Rear Admiral Walter F. Boone.

July 2 Task Force Smith’s train pulls into Taejon at 0800. Soon after, Colonel Charles B. Smith is escorted by Colonel LeRoy Lutes to General Church’s headquarters where a meeting is ongoing between the general and several other U.S. and South Korean officers. General Church welcomes Colonel C.B. Smith and gives him a quick update that details where the task force is needed by referring to the spot on the map. General Church, as is the case with most of the American command, remains convinced that the invasion will be rebuffed. He tells Smith: “We have a little action up here. All we need is some men up here [pointing to the spot] who won’t run when they see tanks.” Colonel Smith reflects no apprehension. He has much

confidence in his officers, one-third of whom have seen combat in either the Atlantic or Pacific during World War II. Smith feels equally confident about his troops, although many are green; however, he is totally unaware of the enemy’s strength and the supporting tanks. Task Force Smith moves to the rest area, but Colonel Smith and several officers move out and travel north about eighty miles along harsh roads to Osan. Smith’s entourage passes innumerable Republic of Korea troops and civilians as they move south. The uncomfortable trip appears profitable, as Lt. Colonel Smith discovers what he believes is a perfect defensive position about three miles north of Osan. The selected site, a ragged ridge of hills that run north, intersects the road at right angles. Its point reaches a height of 300 feet and affords an excellent view of approaching traffic. In addition, the task force positions will control both the railroad and highway. During the reconnaissance mission, enemy planes pass over without detecting the Americans. Smith and his party return to Taejon after dark. Orders arrive that instruct Smith to move his force by rail to Ansong and P’yongt’aek, the former 20 miles southeast of Osan and the latter 15 miles south of the town. Again the troop train rolls north. Colonel Smith remains at P’yongt’aek, separated by about twelve miles from the other half of his force. He establishes headquarters along the main road. In other activity, General Dean reaches Korea by plane, but due to the darkness, his pilot is unable to locate the airstrip at Taejon. They return to Japan. On the following day, General Dean hitches a ride with

47 Captain Ben Tufts, the recently appointed liaison officer between the press and the army. Tuft’s pilot is familiar with Taejon and despite a dense fog, he lands at about 1030. While at General Church’s headquarters, General Dean receives word that he will command all U.S. Army troops in Korea, effective 0001 July 4. These Americans will face more than human enemies; the other foes, the weather and terrain, are equally severe. The Korean battlefields in summer frequently experience temperatures of more than 100 degrees, and the land is inundated with precipitous hills that bear sparse foliage. When the sun is not blazing, it is usually raining heavily. The elements extract nearly as many casualties due to exhaustion as those inflicted by the enemy during the early days of the war. Salt tablets are a necessity and heat exhaustion is commonplace. Central Mountain area: The S.K. 6th Division engages the N.K. 7th Division near Wonju. The stiff resistance hinders the enemy’s advance. In Air Force activity, at Pusan, the tremendous weight of the Air Force C-54s takes a heavy toll on the airfield. The Air Force is forced to cancel the flights of the C-54s until reinforcing steel plates arrive to support the runways. In the meantime, the Air Force uses C-47s to transport the troops and equipment; the smaller planes handle a maximum of eighteen troops. In Naval activity, the official U.N. blockade doesn’t begin until July 4. Nevertheless, at daybreak, a few naval guardians appear to scatter four N.K. torpedo boats that are escorting ten converted trawlers to Chumunjin. As the USS Juneau and two accompanying Royal Navy vessels alter course to attack the flotilla, the enemy PT boats move to strike first. This hostile en-

July 2, 1950 counter, which becomes the first naval engagement of the conflict, is brief and deadly. The PT boats receive the volley. Two PTs immediately sink, and the remaining two speed out of harm’s way. Soon after, additional salvos arc toward the flotilla. Seven enemy trawlers sink and the remaining two escape behind a breakwater. Also, an American LST delivers more reinforcements from Japan to Korea. Elements of the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Miller O. Perry, debark at Pusan. On the following day, this contingent moves north by train to augment Task Force Smith. In addition, contingents of the 34th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Jay Lovless, starts to arrive by sea at Pusan. On the following day, two LSTs arrive, transporting supplies and equipment. In other Naval activity, the Sergeant Keathley, an ammunition vessel, arrives at Pusan from Japan. The KMAG personnel, which had earlier evacuated Suwon and Pusan, debark. Upon arrival, they join with KMAG in Pusan under Colonel Emmerich. Later, most move by train to Taejon. A critical shortage of all types of vehicles exists within KMAG since the evacuation of Seoul; 48 vehicles, including jeeps, ambulances and trucks, are loaded aboard flatcars and forwarded under guard to Taegu. —In Hawaii: General Lemuel Shepherd arrives at Pearl Harbor to assume his new position as commander, Fleet Marine Force Pacific. Soon after his arrival in Honolulu, Shepherd receives a waiting message from the commandant that alerts him of the probability of Marines going to Korea. Before noon, General Shepherd meets with Admiral Radford. — In Japan: U.S. Ambassador William Sebald con-

Elements of the U.S. 24th Division board a ship in Japan on 2 July. The troops are en route to Korea.

July 3, 1950 fers with General Almond and subsequently with General MacArthur,\ to discuss a message received from the Chinese Nationalist Mission in Tokyo. Chiang Kaishek offers to commit three combat divisions to fight with the other U.N. troops. The offer is forwarded to Washington, where it is rejected. There is tremendous concern that Nationalist Chinese participation would precipitate the entry of Communist China and additionally, the Chinese lack armor, artillery, vehicles and sufficient ammunition. However, subsequent ground units that are committed by other countries arrive in the theater without arms and some even without uniforms. Most of the arms the Chinese Nationalists had received from the U.S. were confiscated by the Communists when Chiang Kai-shek’s forces were driven to Formosa. In other activity, General MacArthur dispatches a message to Washington that accepts the commitment of Marines to the Korean Theater. He requests that they be dispatched immediately. Back in the States, Admiral Sherman, subsequent to authorization by President Truman and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, directs Admiral Radford to transport the Marine units to the Far East. There are presently no Marine units of any consequence in the Far East. The 1st Marine Provisional Brigade will be the first American contingent to depart the U.S. to participate in the Korean conflict. In concert with the massive endeavor to reel in the manpower, the logistics of gathering sufficient equipment for the Marine Brigade presents a Herculean task: an enormous time constraint coupled with finding dependable operational vehicles and weapons. The veteran vehicles of the Pacific Campaign, referred to as antiques by many, are recalled from their sanctuary at the colossal USMC supply depot in the vast desert area at Barstow, California. Once the “mothballs” are swept off, the regalvanized iron chariots move to Camp Pendleton and El Toro. Amphibian tractors, DUKWs, trucks and jeeps, most still brandishing the scars of the Pacific Campaign, roll toward the coast along the highways and rails to meet the deadline. At the conclusion of World War II, much of the U.S. equipment was abandoned, never to be returned to the States. However, the Marines salvaged everything they could, even if it might have belonged to another branch of the armed services. It has been said that a lot of the equipment that arrived at California received new paint because some appeared more gray than green. The Marines do receive some new equipment, such as their allotment of the new 3.5 rocket launchers and some vehicles. Nonetheless, the veteran vehicles overwhelmingly surpass the number of veterans designated to drive them.

July 3 Specialists in air-to-ground communications arrive in Taejon. These two Fifth Air Force Tactical Air Control contingents greatly enhance the U.N. support of ground troops. In the process, much of the inadvertent bombing and strafing of South Korean forces during these first days of the war ceases. Today, four Royal Australian Air Force Mustangs mistakenly

48 bomb and strafe a nine-boxcar ammunition train that has paused in P’yongt’aek, to await orders to head north. The Australian pilots make six passes and devastate the train, the station and a large section of the town; many civilian casualties are sustained. Additionally, the ammunition continues to explode throughout the night. Also, thirty trucks are destroyed and about 200 ROK troops are killed. In another tragic incident, the town of Suwon and a passing South Korean convoy are each accidentally struck by friendly aircraft fire. Return fire knocks out one of the planes. The pilot makes an emergency landing at Suwon Airfield and to his surprise, is captured by the friendly KMAG and ROK forces there. General Church contacts FEAF and pleads that the Air Force confine their strikes to positions north of the Han River bridge. In other activity, the U.S. 52nd Artillery Battalion arrives in Taejon. General Church orders it to move by train to P’yongt’aek to join Task Force Smith, but due to the accidental damage at the railroad station, the reinforcements move to Songhwan-ni, and from there they drive six miles to arrive at P’yongt’aek before daybreak on the 4th. At Wonju, vicious fighting continues between contingents of the S.K. 6th Division and the N.K. 7th Division. In other activity, Yongdungp’o falls to the North Korean 4th Division. During the morning, the first enemy tanks cross the Han River via a repaired railroad bridge to join the infantry. In conjunction, the N.K. 6th Division continues to advance; elements nudge against Inchon. After dark, six tanks, trailed by an infantry battalion, roll into the strategic port city. In Naval activity, the carriers of the 7th Fleet, supported by British carriers, initiate operations off the west coast of North Korea in conjunction with orders issued by the commander of Naval Forces Far East on 30 June. The carriers USS Valley Forge and the HMS Triumph launch planes against enemy airfields on the west coast in the vicinity of Pyongyang-Chinnamp’o. These aircraft, attached to Admiral Struble’s 7th Fleet carriers, initiate their first air attack of the war. At 0600, sixteen F4U Corsairs (VF-54), commanded by Lt. Commander D.K. English, and twelve AD Skyraiders (VA-55), commanded by Lt. Commander N.D. Hodson, shoot from the decks of the Valley Forge; the former each carry eight 5-inch rockets, and the latter each carry six 100-pound and two 500-pound bombs. Both groups close on the airfield at Pyongyang. Subsequently, the F9F2 Panther jets, also aboard the Valley Forge, catapult into the sky and quickly climb higher before overtaking the slower propeller craft. The jets zap the target before the enemy planes can get off the ground, initiating the U.S. Navy’s first jet combat attack. Although the weather is poor, the skies are clear on the first pass and three aircraft are destroyed. On the second pass, the Panthers decimate two more enemy aircraft. Meanwhile, ammunition storage areas are ablaze when the Corsairs and Skyraiders that follow the jets converge on the target. Their dives account for a direct

49

July 3, 1950

Panther jets prepare to take off from a carrier to strike enemy targets in Korea. hit on the fuel storage area, the total annihilation of the three hangars and complete destruction of the runways. North Korean return fire is totally inadequate. No hits are sustained by any of the attacking aircraft. Later in the day, the planes strike again. The air strikes pummel the rail center in Pyongyang and the

bridges that span the Taedong River. Fifteen locomotives are devastated, ten others sustain damage and large numbers of boxcars are decimated; however, the bridge remains intact. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff meet in Washington, D.C., to discuss strategy. One of

July 3, 1950 the topics is the possible commitment of Marines to Korea. General Cates, commandant, Marine Corps, is permitted to attend only this part of the meeting. The joint chiefs are: General Bradley, chairman; General Lawton Collins, Army chief of staff; Admiral Sherman, chief of Naval Operations; and General Hoyt Vandenberg, Air Force chief of staff. The commandant of the Marine Corps jots down a note of historical importance on his wall calendar: “Attended JCS [Joint Chiefs of Staff ] meeting. Orders for employment of FMF approved.” The apparent movement of the corps had already been in the works. On July 1st, Admiral Forest Sherman inquired of Admiral Radford the time involved to transport either a Marine Battalion Landing Team or a Marine Regimental Combat Team (RCT) from the West Coast to Korea. On the 2nd, Radford responds, informing Sherman that a landing team could be loaded in four days and embarked in six days. He also states that an RCT could be loaded in six days and be prepared to sail in ten days. Admiral C. Turner Joy makes it known that a Marine RCT could be dispatched to the Pacific if General MacArthur would want it. MacArthur had accepted the offer immediately and so stated in his message on July 2nd, which

50 requested the immediate presence of the Marine RCT and its supporting aircraft. Nonetheless, there is still much reluctance on the part of the joint chiefs to commit the Marines, and there are additional efforts by General Vandenberg to cancel out Marine aviation units, but to no avail. In other activity, Major Vincent J. Gottschalk, USMC, is appointed commanding officer, VMO-6, the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade’s Air Observation Squadron. The squadron will be composed of eight fixed wing aircraft (light observation planes) and seven rotary wing aircraft (helicopters), the latter being brought in from Quantico, Virginia. Gottschalk is directed to have his outfit ready to embark on the 11th. It becomes an extraordinary challenge that requires an immense effort and some ingenuity, peculiar to the corps, to accomplish the mission. The helicopters and accompanying personnel will not arrive at El Toro until two days before shipping out. The fixed wing aircraft personnel number eight pilots and thirty-three enlisted Marines. — In Japan: General MacArthur dispatches a message to Washington just after midnight ( July 2–3), with regard to his instructions to implement a naval blockade of North Korea. He lays out a pragmatic plan that

An AD Skyraider takes off from a carrier to support ground troops. The plane is carrying more than 4,000 pounds of bombs and rockets.

51

July 3, 1950

Top: Planes aboard the USS Valley Forge prepare for launch to strike enemy targets in North Korea. Bottom: U.S. bombers strike the railroad bridges at Seoul. Two of three are hit. The third is destroyed by TNT.

July 4, 1950 he considers mandatory to effectively enforce the blockade. Geographically, the alignment of warships must isolate the eastern ports of Ch’ongjin, Najin and Wonsan, while simultaneously they cap the sea lanes off the west coast ports of Anju, Chinnamp’o, Inchon and Sonch’on. Due to presidential restrictions, which explicitly forbid action or reaction to the Soviet Union, Najin, Ch’ongjin and Sonch’on are left unmolested. This non-action keeps U.N. warships a safe distance from the Soviet Union and Manchuria. However, it grants the Communists several lanes that are guaranteed safe passage. MacArthur notifies Washington that all available ships will be at their assigned stations on the 4th. Also, General MacArthur, aware that available ammunition is useless against tanks, requests that the newly perfected 3.5 rocket launcher be sped to Korea. Production of this weapon’s ammunition had begun about fifteen days before the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. The initial shipment of 3.5 rocket launchers is flown from Travis Air Base, California, on July 8 and it arrives on the 10th. By July 12, the rocket launchers reach Taejon. Immediately thereafter, particular men of the 24th Division are indoctrinated on the proper use of this weapon. This new antitank weapon is constructed of aluminum, weighs 15 pounds, and stretches five feet in length. The rocket launcher is has a smooth bore and an open tube that is capable of launching an eight and one-half pound, 23 inch long shell. The U.S. Eighth Army is in dire need of a weapon that can penetrate the armor of the Russian-built tanks. This new shell is expected to destroy any tank encountered. In other activity, the Far East Air Force establishes a Joint Operations Center on Kyushu at Itazuke Air Base to better control the fighter planes that operate over Korea.

July 4

Twenty-two additional officers are named general and special staff officers of USAFIK. The officer selections are basically drawn from ADCOM, but some KMAG officers are chosen. Most KMAG officers who had returned to Japan after the Communist invasion arrived back in Korea aboard the Sergeant Keathley on July 2. Also, Brigadier General Crump Garvin and some of his staff arrive in Pusan to establish Pusan Base Command, which is activated this day. On the 13th of July, it will be renamed Pusan Logistical Command. The U.N. Naval blockade of portions of North Korea becomes effective this day. In other activity, the North Korean 3rd and 4th Divisions, with Yongdungp’o under their belt and tanks by their side, reinitiate their southern drive. The columns move down the major rail-highway route. At about 0600, the 5th Regiment, N.K. 4th Division, takes the point. It drives feverishly down Suwon Road and covers half the distance between Yongdungp’o and Suwon by 1200. Infantry, augmented by eleven tanks, move into Anyang-ni. Meanwhile, South Koreans who are fleeing on foot and in trucks from Suwon to P’yongt’aek cause the route to become heavily clogged.

52 The traffic jams last throughout the night. During the day, enemy tanks overpower a delaying force attached to the S.K. 5th Regiment, 2nd Division, operating between Anyang-ni and Suwon. The Republic of Korea unit, lacking much equipment, is crushed by the armor, then overrun by infantry. During the daylong skirmishes, U.S. and Australian Air Force planes attempt to aid the ROK forces near Osan, but on several occasions they mistakenly strike ROK troops and inflict more casualties. The South Koreans, unable to neutralize the enemy advance, pull out of Suwon before dark, and by midnight, the town is taken by the N.K. 4th Division. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Brad Smith pulls his separated command into P’yongt’aek. It is bolstered by a contingent of the 52nd Artillery Battalion, which had come in from Japan by sea. The unit is composed of one-half section of headquarters and service batteries and the complete complement of Battery A, comprised of 108 men and 73 vehicles. In other activity, Colonel Brad Smith and a small party, including Colonel Miller O. Perry, return to the Osan vicinity and decide on definite positions for the U.S. artillery. As they travel, they pass ROK troops setting the bridges for possible detonation. Also, in Taejon, Generals Dean and Church confer with General Barth, acting commanding general of the 24th Division Artillery. Brigadier General Henry J.D. Meyer, the divisional artillery commander, is en route back from the States. General Dean sends General Barth to P’yongt’aek, with orders for Colonel Brad Smith to deploy at “those good positions near Osan you told General Church about.” Just after midnight, Task Force Smith moves out of P’yongt’aek, after working out some unexpected problems with transportation. A scarcity of North Korean drivers suddenly develops when word arrives that the convoy will move north. Without hesitation and unwilling to listen to persuasion, the North Koreans vanish into the darkness as fast as their GI boots can carry them. Unperturbed, the Americans jump into the drivers’ seats and head north, only to encounter more difficulty. Driving under blackout conditions, they encounter several unexpected obstacles, primarily ROK forces and North Korean civilians heading south. As the task force continues along the clogged road, the Americans attempt to convince the South Korean demolition troops who are setting charges on the bridges to stop because the Americans require use of the spans. One particular group of South Koreans, apparently unimpressed with the American request, refuses to discontinue their operation. General Barth picks up the crates of dynamite and heaves them into the river to terminate the problem. Meanwhile, the efforts of the South Korean 6th Division to hold Wonju and fend off the N.K. 7th Division begins to falter, due to overpowering enemy strength. Wonju is abandoned by the following day. At Pusan, the 34th Regiment, which had arrived on July 2, moves north by rail. The 1st Battalion departs at about daylight and arrives at P’yongt’aek about 0500 ( July 5). The remainder of the regiment follows later. Colonel Ayres arrives with the 1st Battalion.

53 In other activity, Colonel Emmerich departs Pusan for Taegu to join the other KMAG personnel there and establish a small base of operations. In the East Coast sector, the North Korean 5th Division continues to advance along the coastal road without opposition. Its 11th Regiment, which temporarily has been on a separate trek, has been traveling for eight days along an inland route, which passes through P’yongch’ang and Yongwol. On or about this day, the N.K. 11th Regiment encounters a contingent of the S.K. 8th Division at Ch’unyang. The South Koreans are attempting to withdraw inland to help defend the Tanyang area. After the hard-fought skirmish, the N.K. 11th Regiment swings east to join the division at Ulchin, on or near the 10th of July. The N.K. 5th Division incurs about 1,800 casualties during this journey through the nasty mountain terrain. In Naval activity, Corsairs from the Valley Forge destroy ten locomotives and one bridge, while the Skyraiders eliminate some small vessels in a nearby river. Enemy fire damages four Skyraiders, but all planes return to the Valley Forge. One plane attempts a crash landing and destroys three planes and damages six others in the process. The two days of raids destroy eleven enemy planes and inflict damage to one other. — In the United States: Lt. General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., commanding officer, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, and Colonel Victor Krulak (later commandant), a G-3 staff officer, receive orders to proceed from Pearl Harbor to Japan to meet with General MacArthur. General Shepherd, prior to his departure, requests that the 5th Marines’ rifle companies each receive a third platoon before shipping out to Korea, and on the fol-

July 4, 1950 lowing day, Admiral Sherman approves the request. The additional firepower is welcome, but unfortunately there is insufficient time to add a third company to each of the battalions, which are operating with only two companies per peacetime requirements. The 1st Marine Brigade, scheduled to embark in one week, initiates round-the-clock activity at Camp Pendleton and its neighboring base, El Toro, which domiciles the air components of the brigade. Telegrams are sizzling the wires, informing Marines stationed at posts scattered throughout the nation to report to Pendleton and El Toro. Included in this gathering of warriors are the first helicopter pilots of the U.S. Armed Forces to be established as a unit, destined for overseas combat duty. — In Japan: Far East Command holds another meeting. Representatives of the Army, Navy and Air Force attend, with General Almond presiding. Brigadier General William S. Fellers, USMC, commanding general, Troop Training Unit (TTU), Amphibious Training Command, Pacific Fleet, and Colonel Edward Forney, USMC, commanding officer, Mobile Training Team Able, are summoned to the meeting. Forney has been in Japan since Spring to instruct U.S. Army troops on amphibious warfare. Admiral Doyle and his staff, aboard the USS McKinley, have also been instructed to fly to Tokyo to attend this meeting. Doyle is under temporary orders to assist in the formulation of plans for a 1st Cavalry Division amphibious landing “somewhere in Korea,” possibly Kunsan, but MacArthur seems intent on the target being Inchon. General MacArthur informs his chief of staff, General Almond, to prepare for an amphibious invasion behind enemy

U.S. and British planes strike enemy targets at Pyongyang on 4 July.

July 4, 1950

54

Top: A contingent of U.S. soldiers tries to grab a little rest along a road during early July. Bottom: U.S. troops pause along a road in the vicinity of Suwon. An M1 rifle leans against a radio (SCR 300) on the left forefront. Two .30-caliber Browning machine guns can be seen next to the soldier in the forefront. lines in Korea; but, due to a drastic shortage of trained amphibious assault troops, an absolute decision cannot be reached. The Joint Strategic Plans and Operations Group, led by Brigadier General Edwin K. Wright, is presently

working on a plan that calls for one Marine Regimental Combat Team and a U.S. Army assault force to land at Inchon in coordination with a frontal attack by the 24th and 25th Divisions. MacArthur suggests that the 1st Cavalry Division, commanded by General Hobart

55 H. Gay, comprise the Army assault force. In conjunction, PhibGru One, Admiral Doyle’s amphibious group, and Training Team Able, led by Colonel Edward Forney, are given responsibility for training the force. Forney, on the following day (5th), becomes the G-5 (plans) specialist assigned to assist the cavalry with the operation, dubbed BLUE HEARTS, which is tentatively scheduled for July 22. In other activity, General William Dean assumes command of all U.S. Army forces in Japan. He appoints General Church his deputy commander. Also, General MacArthur orders that a base command be established in Pusan. It will be commanded by Brigadier General Crump Garvin. — In Okinawa: The 29th Regiment, composed of only two under-strength battalions, receives about 400 draftees from the United States.

July 5 THE BATTLE OF OSAN Task Force Smith, composed of 540 men, is a blend of seasoned veterans who had seen duty in either the Atlantic or Pacific theaters during World War II, and a heftier proportion of untried troops from the post-war era. Colonel Brad Smith’s force moves confidently to intercept and halt the advancing hordes of Communist North Koreans. Task Force Smith, the first American contingent to face Communist troops in the Korean conflict (war), completes the last miles of its trek to plug the dike. After the tedious journey from P’yongt’aek, Smith’s convoy reaches its designated positions north of Osan at about 0300. The troops debark and immediately begin to deploy and plant the artillery to meet the anticipated enemy thrust. Despite an annoying and incessant penetrating downpour, the operation, designed to foil the enemy and ensure its failure, unfolds methodically, according to the planned strategy of Colonel Smith. Task Force Smith expects to firmly hold the line and extinguish the threat. Two platoons of Company B spread out in positions that force them to squat uncomfortably in the irritable dampness to fortify their line of defense east of the long, winding Osan-Suwon Road. The remaining platoon digs in along the west side of the road, atop an elevated knob. Nearby, a 75mm recoilless rifle with its barrel pointing north is perched on the eastern fringe of the highway. In addition, 4.2 inch mortars are deployed on the south (reverse) slope of the rugged ridge, several hundred yards away and directly to the rear of Company B. Slightly behind B Company stand three agile platoons of Company C. One platoon stretches solidly along a slim ridge that trails south on the west side of the railroad tracks. It provides a refused right flank. The other two platoons hold their positions east of the tracks, and another 75-mm recoilless rifle peers north from its location just west of the tracks. The infantry gets some additional muscle when four 2.36 bazookas and four .50-caliber machine guns are dispersed among the lines, manned by volunteer crews from headquarters and service batteries personnel. Four 105-mm howitzers are planted about 2,000

July 5, 1950 yards to the rear of the infantry. Each howitzer has been towed individually by two jeeps, the only vehicles capable of maneuvering the primitive, slim dirt path. The big guns are neatly scattered amidst a cluster of houses that stand between saturated rice paddies to the front and shallow hills to the rear. A fifth howitzer is improvised for use as an antitank weapon. It is plugged in about halfway between the infantry line and the main battery site. The artillery contingents have about 1,200 rounds of ammunition on site and several additional truckloads are concealed in the houses. However, HEAT ammo, that which will be required to neutralize the Russian-made tanks, incredibly, is missing, except for a mere six rounds. When the ammunition was loaded in Japan, only 18 rounds of HEAT ammo were on hand, six of which were allotted to A Company. The ability of the less potent HE ammunition becomes the primary unknown factor. The weapons have been test fired and stand ready, but there is no way of knowing if they can kill the tanks. However, as the first glimpse of daylight arrives on this dreary rain-drenched terrain, the defenders sense that the answer to this and numerous other questions would soon be obvious. But for now, the 540 Americans, acting as vanguard for the U.N., bide their time, awaiting the inevitable approach of the enemy whose strength and numbers remain a mystery. The Americans lack tanks, and due to the inclement weather, there will also be no aircraft to bolster the positions. And all the South Korean troops in the area had by this time retreated south. From his position atop the ridge, Colonel Smith stares toward Suwon, which is surprisingly visible despite being eight miles to the north. Shortly after 0700, Smith spots activity on the highway just outside of the town, but it is not quite identifiable. By 0730, the movement proves to be an advancing column of enemy tanks, trailed by infantry. The Communists, unaware of the Americans, are marching toward Osan, situated between Seoul and Chonan, to crush the South Korean troops. Meanwhile, General Barth returns to the artillery sector, but he has no knowledge yet of the imminent encounter with the North Koreans. A forward artillery observer tracks the advancing T34 tanks. At about 0800, he requests artillery fire. At approximately 0816, the U.S. Army fires its first artillery salvo of the war. Initially, Gun 2 launches two shells, and follows with a string of fire from the adjoining pieces. The shells arc toward the enemy armor, which is closing from 4,000 yards, but within two thousand yards of the vulnerable infantry. While the howitzers search for more precise fire, the observer, by use of his phone, helps stabilize their accuracy by fixing the range. An avalanche of shells pounds the approaching tanks, but to the amazement of the onlooking U.S. infantry, the tanks continue to advance, unharmed by the storm of artillery fire. The howitzers maintain their fire, but the tanks continue to advance unharmed. The infantry become temporarily mesmerized while they watch shells that strike tanks and seem unable to even dent the paint.

July 5, 1950 It is a startling revelation to the stunned Americans, who believed they could easily overmatch the advancing enemy. Some expected to be back in Japan to attend an upcoming weekend regimental party. Now, these seemingly invincible tanks encroach the infantry-held ridges. Many other tanks trail the vanguard. It becomes increasingly apparent that the lack of antitank mines means that Task Force Smith faces imminent disaster. Meanwhile, the menacing armor roll forward, unimpeded by obstacles and U.S. presence. The eight tanks advance in challenging fashion. In single file, the armor drives directly down the road closing toward a range of 700 yards. Meanwhile, Colonel Smith has prudently ordered his recoilless rifle teams to resist firing until the tanks breach the 700-yard mark. Suddenly, in unison, the two 75-mm guns, deployed on opposite sides of the highway, commence firing. The raging storm of fire descends precisely on the column and scores ferocious direct hits that inflict no damage. The tanks push forward and scoff at the incessant barrage of incoming shells. The T-34s commence a blistering enfilade. Menacing 85-mm cannon and 7.62mm machine gun shells lambaste the saddle of the ridge. The violent bombardment squeezes the positions of the infantry and rips the ground asunder with a myriad of relentless fire. The attack implants instant apprehension in their hearts. The odds against the men of U.S. Task Force Smith increase greatly as their positions become more perilous. Some might consider them a modern modified version of the men who participated in the legendary Charge of the Light Brigade. Most certainly, they find themselves greatly outnumbered near a valley of death in a far-away land. But it is the propensity of the individual G.I. to excel under pressure that will forestall annihilation. The first wave of muddy tanks prepares to roll through the infantry. They stand close enough for an American to peer down the turrets when the bazookas spring into action. One adventurous 2nd Lieutenant, Ollie D. Connor, waits anxiously as the point tanks pass his personal rut along the east side of the road. Then he bolts from his prone position and snaps off 22 consecutive rockets to strike the rear of the armor, its most fragile location. Apparently, the shells inflict no damage; rather they glance off the rear to the astonishment of the onlookers. Unmolested, the unflappable tanks resume their drive through the pass. It is possible that some bazooka fire has scored damage, but the tanks maintain their advance. Within minutes, two lead tanks clear the pass and are quickly met by fire from the howitzer, which had been out front with the infantry and in possession of the six rounds of HEAT ammunition. Both tanks sustain damage, which forces them to pull off the road to permit the trailing tanks to pass. Two North Koreans flee their burning tank by jumping out with their hands in the air. Soon after, another tanker emerges from the inferno, but he comes out fighting. The enemy soldier fires his burp gun toward a nearby machine gun position and kills the unidentified assistant gunner, whom

56 history will record as the first American fighting man to die during the Korean War. U.S. return fire kills the three North Koreans. In the meantime, the remaining tanks resume the attack, but the Americans have expended their effective HEAT ammunition, all six rounds. This assures the galloping T-34s a free pass to Osan. In the meantime, General Barth returns to P’yongt’aek to forewarn the reinforcements of the 34th Regiment that the enemy tanks are likely to break through the first line of defense and most probably will strike their positions. While the remaining six lead tanks crash forward, the remainder advance in intervals of four to a group, adding the raw firepower of 24 additional tanks. It is an awesome sight to the dug-in infantry, but surprisingly, the tanks ignore the foot soldiers and plow forward. The armor leaves the fate of Task Force Smith to the approaching N.K. 4th Division. The final tank passes the infantry at about 0900. About 20 men of Task Force Smith have been killed or wounded. The infantry had earlier predicted that the tanks would not pass and gave the artillerymen the assurance: “Don’t worry....” Now, there is little time for worry. It is time to fight for survival, or surely Task Force Smith and the artillerymen face annihilation. To make the critical situation even more grave, the first of the roving steel monsters chew up the telephone wire that had been strung along the road to keep communications open between the advance infantry and the laid-back artillery units. This bad luck is further compounded by the incessant, dismal cloudburst that seriously interferes with radio transmissions. The radio operators struggle to keep their superior officers informed of the conditions on the battlefield. All radio communication ceases at about 1100, when the saturated radios completely fail. By this time, the artillery contingents require neither radios nor phones to inform them of the location of the enemy tanks. The turrets are nearly down their throats. Suddenly, the clanking armor roars into action and commences firing into suspected U.S. positions, but the enemy misses the mark. The concealed positions of the artillery remain unscathed. Nevertheless, if the turrets were elephant trunks, the Americans could toss peanuts to them. The tanks continue to press forward. Artillery shells pound the approaching armor, again to no avail, except that the fire extracts wariness from the enemy. They surge forward but with a touch of caution. Upon reaching a point about 500 yards from the firing battery, the tanks pause, as if to seek refuge, but then in an instant, as if recoiled, they spring forward. Throwing the momentary caution to the wind in an effort to evade a direct hit, the armor, with their hatches closed and their guns firing, run the gauntlet in record time. All the while, the enemy has been unable to discover the exact positions of the artillery, which gives the Americans a slight reprieve. The tank fire still inflicts no harm. Meanwhile, U.S. guns, bolstered by three accompanying bazooka teams, commence fire. From a distance of

57 150 to 300 yards, the gunners score repeated hits but inflict no serious damage. Two other bazooka teams, led by Colonel M. Perry and Sergeant Edwin Eversole, rush to support the artillerymen as soon as they learn of the breakthrough. Both men reach the artillery positions just before the tanks arrive. But Perry and Eversole get snagged in a rice paddy between the howitzers and the tanks. The lead tank fires and severs a telephone pole, which topples toward Eversole. He reacts in time and rolls into a drainage ditch to barely escape death. During the skirmish, bazooka fire strikes the third tank in the column and damages its tracks. Exerting little effort, the remaining armor passes the stalled tank and continues the advance. The four overworked and undernourished howitzers remain in operational condition. Colonel Perry and an interpreter move toward the paralyzed tank to persuade its crew to surrender, but no response is forthcoming. Perry decides to violently evict the tenants. He orders the howitzers to fire. Three quick pumps from the guns and two North Koreans pop out of the hatch and run to a culvert for cover. A squad moves out and an exchange occurs. The two North Koreans perish. Colonel Perry becomes wounded by small arms fire during the action. Despite a leg wound, and aware of the imminent arrival of more tanks, he refuses evacuation and continues to command. Shortly thereafter, the deadly parade appears. A long chain of tanks noisily clanks down the road. Moving turret-to-tail like a band of mechanical elephants, they probe and penetrate deeply. No intervals appear in the line of defiant armor as the ordeal begins to accelerate to a more dangerous plateau. For Task Force Smith, despite the lopsided odds, discipline has been the order

July 5, 1950 of the day, but the enemy’s overwhelming superiority soon changes the tempo. The armor crashes forward and provokes disorganization, confusion and with some, the lack of a will to return fire. Unquestionably, some troops run for the rear; however, most stand firmly and fight. As the second wave of tanks comes into range, troops are spotted aboard them. By this point, the anxiety of the defenders dissipates and is replaced by a shrill fear that causes some over-stressed artillerymen to abandon their weapons and begin to “take off.” One of the remaining troops described these men as “shy about helping.” The test of leadership stands naked along a small, charred parcel of barren earth that has already reclaimed a few proud Americans. No bland gray monuments mark the spot in their honor. But it can never be erased from the minds of the men who are there, for they surely received more than their fair share of hell in the boondocks. Instinctively, the officers revert to dragging the ammunition to the guns and shoving the shells irreverently into the barrels. The senior NCOs (noncommissioned officers) then resume the fire in an attempt to halt the onslaught. The new gunners hardly miss a beat during the unexpected interruption. The sterling example of the officers, such as Colonel Perry and Lieutenant Dwain L. Scott, beams with magnetism and soon thereafter, the men begin to return to their duty stations. Both Perry and Scott receive the Silver Star for their heroism and leadership. Amazingly, the tanks are content to continue their advance and expend very little ammunition against the artillery positions. However, the enemy fire does set one building ablaze and it detonates a small supply

An enemy self-propelled gun after being destroyed by U.S. fire.

July 5, 1950 depot that contains about 300 artillery shells. The tanks whiz by and the artillery continues to pound it with streams of fire. Despite the heavy barrage, only one tank sustains damage. Its tracks are severed when it passes directly in front of an artillery piece. Although the tanks escape much harm, the troops riding on them do not fare so well. The ring of shells that harmlessly bounce around and off the tanks rakes the enemy infantrymen, who brave the fire by riding on the outside of the scrambling vehicles. Most are blown off the armor by the sizzling cannon fire, but some remain aboard. As the tanks scramble down the road, some still transport dead infantrymen that are either sprawled in unnatural suspension or slung over the sides. Many others, catapulted from the speeding armor, lie dead along the highway. It is a shocking and gruesome sight even for the troops of Task Force Smith. The final tank passes through the artillery positions at about 1015. The column closes against Osan, but it has four fewer tanks to commit and another three T-34s are hindered by damages. The enemy has inflicted about twenty casualties to the U.S. infantry, and the latest exchange has caused three artillery casualties, including Colonel Perry. In addition, the North Koreans have destroyed one howitzer and inflicted damage to one other. Back on the ridges, while the tanks rumble toward Osan, the worst is not over. For the stunned infantrymen that are fastened to the ridges, it is just a mysterious lull, prior to another drastic ordeal. Silence descends upon the ridges soon after the final tank crashes through their positions. In the wake of the enemy armor, the survivors peer across the bloodied perimeter to see the bodies of men who only moments ago had been their friends. The grisly scene escalates the aura of gloom. Other than an occasional pounding of a spade or the crackle of an ammunition-can being checked, there is little unnecessary noise. Raindrops break the utter silence and seemingly fall in cadence with the racing hearts of the sentinels who prepare for the next waves of the enemy. Despite the momentary lull of the conspicuous sounds of battle, the tension rings resoundingly. The tanks, which had easily broken through the artillery, had stunned the defenders, but the officers retained confidence in the ability of the infantrymen in the hills and expected them to halt the attack. Nevertheless, they also have a new and stark understanding of the enemy they face. Before embarkation from Japan, the message conveyed to Task Force Smith was that they would be participating in a police action. Now they are praying that they have enough police. The first signal of the imminence of more combat appears about one hour after the encounter with the tanks, when Colonel Smith discovers another huge flurry of motion occurring just outside of Suwon. The soggy Suwon-Osan Road begins to swell with large amounts of troops and vehicles that are heading south. Task Force Smith, called “an arrogant display of

58 strength” by General MacArthur, was intended to display American resolve and deter further aggression by the North Koreans. The task force had accepted the responsibility honorably, and up to now it had been able to retain its confidence. But as the enemy movement comes into clearer focus, it becomes evident that the positions are untenable. Smith’s artillery is of little value. Most of the guns lack proper ammunition. And there is no available air support. The enemy column is spearheaded by three tanks. The file flows like boiling lava and moves in an irregular uninterrupted line. The massive convoy is composed of countless trucks and an incalculable number of troops who march with indifference to a saturating rain. Colonel Smith ponders the awesome sight and prepares to react. The colossal column takes about one hour to close within 1,000 yards of Smith’s defenses. He estimates it to be six miles long. Undeterred by the overwhelming odds, Task Force Smith digs in at the pass to meet and engage the enemy. The surviving artillery commences firing once the column reaches a point about 1,000 yards from the perimeter, but soon after, communications again cease, complicating what is already a Herculean task. Initially, the tanks advance unmolested, but soon encounter heavy opposition. Mortars and machine guns plaster the iron monsters and score much higher success rates than the previous encounter against with the first wave of tanks. Direct hits strike the lead trucks and ignite tumultuous explosions. The gunners then increase their rate of fire and yet more trucks are set afire; still, the tanks press forward. Meanwhile, the truckers flee from their splattered vehicles and dive for the trenches. Farther back, other troops jump from their unharmed vehicles and spread out. Some scurry from their trucks to less hazardous positions and await orders to attack. Other enemy infantrymen advance toward the finger ridge. They deploy in concert with some contingents that maneuver to execute a double envelopment, designed to trap and annihilate the isolated Americans. Meanwhile, the U.S. maintains a solid wall of fire that forbids frontal advance. Temporarily, the North Koreans project no desire to strike the nimble flanks. By 1230, heavy numbers of enemy troops control a hill on the west side of the highway, which provides them with a tremendous advantage over a Company B, platoon, deployed on a nearby knob. The endangered unit is quickly ordered to withdraw to the east side of the highway. A feverish exchange of fire erupts as the Americans attempt to hold the fragile line. Task Force Smith also must contend with overpowering enemy forces that dominate the hills above its right flank. In the midst of this marathon of death, while enemy machine guns on the right flank pummel the perimeter, the task force attempts to distribute additional ammunition among the troops. During this vicious exchange, communication between the artillery and infantry remains inoperable. Adding to the dire circumstances, weather becomes nastier. The elements eradicate any

59 possibility of potent air strikes. Rapidly, the situation deteriorates further and few options remain. The enemy closes the noose tightly. Contingents drive against both flanks in synchronization with another powerful force that hammers against the rear door of the beleaguered Americans. By 1430, Colonel Smith orders a disciplined withdrawal that is destined to be extremely risky. The troops pull back in “leap-frog” motion. This is a difficult procedure under normal battle conditions, but Task Force Smith is saddled with an extraordinary amount of disadvantages, including a rapidly depleting ammunition supply that nears total exhaustion. Because of severed communications, Colonel Perry and the artillery units remain stranded about one mile to the rear. The choices are few: retreat or die. Still, they must move back without becoming reacquainted with the enemy tanks that also lurk in the rear. The task force withdraws, reluctantly leaving its dead and some wounded behind. Between twenty-five to thirty severely wounded troops are left at the ridge to the compassion of the new and yet unknown enemy. Those with lesser wounds retire with the various units, but along the dogged retreat, intense enemy fire causes separations. Consequently more wounded fall behind, unable to complete the horrid trip. During the harsh retreat, the survivors are forced to abandon the recoilless rifles, mortars and machine guns. Along the routes of escape, the enemy pours tenacious fire into the ranks. At times, quarters are so close that machine gun and burp gun fire strike them from point-blank range. Initially, when orders to retreat spread through the ranks, one platoon of Company B does receive the word to fall back. Company C leads, trailed by the medics and battalion headquarters. Company B provides cover fire for the pull-back and it is the last to evacuate the hills. In concert with B Company’s withdrawal, Colonel Smith darts through the rice paddies and heads west to hook up with Perry and inform him of the withdrawal. Once Smith encounters Perry, the artillerymen quickly initiate their retreat, but before they move back, the troops disarm the five remaining operable howitzers and carry the breech locks and aiming circles with them. After a harrowing march though unfamiliar terrain, the artillerymen reach the fringes of Osan without incident. Surprisingly, the trucks remain in place, exactly where they had been parked. The vehicles have sustained several machine gun bullet holes, but they are operable. Without hesitation, the convoy moves toward Ansong by way of an alternate route that shadows the southern tip of Osan. The contingent expects this route to be free of enemy armor. The convoy barely escapes disaster when it nears a suspicious bend in the road. The lead jeep, transporting Colonels Smith and Perry, wisely takes the curve cautiously. To their amazement, three enemy tanks have paused in their path. The crews of the tanks are relaxed during an apparent cigarette break. Had the tankers been non-smokers, it might have been quite hazardous to the health of the tattered survivors.

July 5, 1950 The bad omen of more enemy tanks prompts quick reflexes and pulsating hearts. The truck drivers make an instant U-turn and head toward the northern portion of Osan to search for a less volatile route. The small but conspicuous convoy still proudly bears U.S. insignias as it rolls along the northern edge of town and swerves onto a dirt path that leads east, on a gamble that it will feed into a road to Ansong. Along the circuitous route, the convoy spots some ragged infantry stragglers and hoists them aboard. About 100 troops hitch a ride and happily enter Ansong after sunset. There have been fiercer battles, bigger wars and more gruesome casualties throughout the history of the U.S. Army than the battle fought on this day by a relatively small band of men. But these warriors exhibited great valor and courage against an overwhelming enemy force. On the following morning ( July 6), Colonel Smith and his survivors move to Ch’onan. After an accurate count, it is determined that his contingent now amounts to only 185 men. Soon after, Company C arrives. Captain Dashmer accounts for 65 men in his party. Other survivors filter back to safety at Ch’onan, Taejon and P’yongt’aek during the next few days. It is later determined that the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment losses (missing) amount to five officers and 148 enlisted men, including 65 men in Company B, which sustains the highest casualties, and 34 troops of C Company. The artillery contingent’s losses as of July 7 are 26 enlisted men and five officers. The North Korean 4th Division losses are placed at 42 killed and about 85 wounded, including some slight casualties at P’yongt’aek on the 6th. More American reinforcements are en route to Korea, but a dilemma remains. The first blow-out had been lopsided and the Americans paid an expensive price for the hours it bought. The aftermath of the battle proves the efficiency of the enemy and the deficiencies of the weaponry of the Americans, who nearly became cannon fodder. In contrast, the North Koreans are well-trained and better equipped than the Americans. In Japan, the U.S. 24th Division has 17 obsolete M-24 tanks, but only twelve are operational. Also, the medium Pershing tank is capable of equalizing the Russian-made tanks, but the 92 Pershings are in Japan, held in storage and supposedly not serviceable. The Eighth Army Ordnance section jumps into action and saves the endangered Pershings from the scrap heap by putting them in usable condition in a Herculean salvage operation. The immediate challenge for the U.S. is to reverse its ongoing dismemberment of the U.S. military, and to move rapidly to properly equip and support the troops that must follow Task Force Smith’s beleaguered survivors. Many of the men of Task Force Smith who had been captured during the first day of combat had been immediately executed. Subsequently, North Korean Lieutenant Pak Huyunk (later brigadier general) describes, without remorse, a segment of the barbaric activity:

July 5, 1950 “When we charged the Americans they were too frightened to resist. They threw down their guns, held up their hands and begged for mercy. We didn’t shoot those who were begging for their lives, but we ruthlessly shot those who were resisting. After the battle we rested and had a meal. Dead Americans were lying all over the place with their mouths open. There was a man in our Ninth Squad, a real joker, who said ‘look the Americans are still hungry, even though they are dead. Here have some earth.’ He then shoved a handful of dirt into each mouth. Everyone was amused.” One can only wonder how many of the “hungry dead” were the wounded who couldn’t finish the journey. In other activity, Colonel Lovless, commanding officer, 34th Regiment, meets with General Dean in Taejon. Dean suggests that Lovless deploy his 3rd Battalion (commanded by Colonel David H. Smith) at Ansong, about 12 miles east of P’yongt’aek, if it is feasible. Dean also instructs Lovless to establish regimental headquarters at Songhwan-ni, about six miles south of P’yongt’aek. Lovless becomes disturbed by what he considers a dangerous and unnecessary division of his command. He requests permission to commit his regiment as one solid unit. Nevertheless, Lovless loses the spirited debate with General Dean, and both requests are carried out. Headquarters is established this day. Ansong and P’yongt’aek, separated by about eleven miles, are vital positions along the two main highways, which head south between the Yellow Sea and the West Central Mountains. These towns must be held to ensure that the western sector of Korea is not easily overrun, but Lovless encounters additional problems. The regiment’s radios are unable to communicate from point to point. The 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment (commanded by Colonel Ayres), is without battle experience and it lacks tanks. Artillery and antitank weaponry are too few in number and too ill-equipped to realistically deter a strong advance for a prolonged period of time. The 1st Battalion, nonetheless, deploys at P’yongt’aek, slightly south of TF Smith at Osan. However, there are no communications between Ayres’ command and that of Colonel Brad Smith (TF Smith). Subsequently, Colonel Ayres, in an interview with Lacy Barnett, states that General Dean had suggested that he “go as far north as possible, preferably to P’yongt’aek.” Ayres further states that “General Dean did not inform him that the P’yongt’aek position was an important one to hold.” Colonel Ayres then relates that “as far as he was concerned on 5 and 6 July, Asan Bay was a tourist attraction.” Dean had spoken to Ayres in Taejon, prior to the arrival of Lovless. Also, the recently arrived 63rd FABn, commanded by Colonel Robert Dawson, is under orders to head north to bolster the 34th Regiment, but it encounters difficulty while unloading equipment. The project becomes delayed and in addition, there is no transportation immediately available. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, and the regimental commander, Colonel Richard W. Stephens, remain in Pusan in search of northbound transportation. In other activity, General Barth returns to P’y-

60 ongt’aek and anticipates reinforcements from the 34th Regiment. Upon his arrival, Barth locates Colonel Ayres, recently appointed commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment. After conferring with Ayres, Barth requests that bazooka squads be sent north to intercept the advancing tanks. Shortly thereafter, a detachment (I and R Platoon) led by Lieutenant Charles Payne and an infantry contingent led by Lieutenant William Caldwell III hustle north. The contingent sights tank tracks near Sojong. Not long after, a horseriding South Korean trooper pulls alongside and warns the Americans about approaching tanks. He suggests that they withdraw, but the convoy intends to intercept, rather than evade, the enemy. It moves north cautiously and after advancing about one mile, the tank is located. It is halted near the railroad tracks outside of Sojong-ni, which is about five miles south of Osan. At 1600, a bellicose encounter erupts when the GIs open fire, but inflict no damage to the tank. Enemy machine gun fire pounds the Americans and kills Private Kenneth Shadrick. The positions soon become untenable and the bazooka teams retreat, but they bring Shadrick’s body out with them. Upon the group’s return to P’yongt’aek, the distressing news is reported to both Colonel Harold Ayres and General Barth. After sunset, General Dean arrives at P’yongt’aek and he, too, is briefed, but there is still no information on Task Force Smith’s fate. Dean returns to Taejon possessing no obvious solution with which to halt the attack. And, similarly to those at Osan, no air cover is available. Subsequent to Dean’s departure, several of Smith’s survivors stumble into P’yongt’aek. The stories are so overstated that it appears as if Task Force Smith has been annihilated. Colonel Perry arrives early on the 6th, and he provides more accurate information. Nonetheless, preparations are made to withdraw from P’yongt’aek. Actually, Colonel Smith had arrived safely at Ansong and then he had stopped at Colonel Lovless’ command post at Songhwan, prior to departing for Chonan, but General Dean never checks with Colonel Lovless. Meanwhile, the 1st North Korean Division continues to trail the N.K. 2nd Division south toward Umsong. At Ichon, situated south of Seoul and west of the Han River, an enemy regiment (2nd N.K. Division) engages South Korean troops and hits unexpected stiff resistance. The North Korean unit sustains heavy casualties and becomes isolated. Nearby, to the northwest along the Yongin Road, another enemy regiment sustains high casualties after it encounters rigid resistance by South Korean forces. Following these difficult actions, the N.K. 1st Division swivels southeast and heads toward Ch’ungju. The N.K. 2nd Division continues to press south toward Ch’unch’on and Ch’onju. The 2nd N.K. Division pays heavily during this advance. It is to join the N.K. 3rd and 4th Divisions for a probable massive attack against Taejon. Meanwhile, in the central mountainous area, the N.K. 7th Division, re-designated the N.K. 12th Division, seizes Wonju. Following its capture, the division

61

July 5, 1950

Top: A U.S. Army soldier operates a switchboard in the field. Bottom: At Pusan, a touch of innocence in a war-torn nation. This group of South Korean Boy Scouts had their picture taken by a U.S. Navy photographer who paused with the boys while en route to the front.

July 6, 1950 divides its force, dispatching some contingents south toward Ch’ungju and others southeast toward Chech’on. In reaction, the weary S.K. 6th Division maintains its delaying tactics, and attempts to forestall the loss of the Ch’ungju corridor. The S.K. 8th Division is en route from the east coast to form a perimeter line in the Tanyang corridor. By the 12th, despite the vigorous attempts to hold, both Chech’on and Ch’ungju are seized by the surging N.K. 12th Division, which then tightens its grip around Tanyang. Also, the Far East Air Forces Joint Operations Center transfers from Japan to Taejon. Circumstances compel the center to relocate to Taegu on July 14. In Naval activity, The U.S. navy establishes Service Squadron 3, to become the primary logistics unit of the 7th Fleet effective 7 July. Also, the U.S. Navy initiates President Truman’s directive to establish a blockade of the Korean coasts. In Marine activity, Fleet Marine Force Pacific at Hawaii directs the 1st Marine Division to establish the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. The brigade is formed by Marines from the East and West Coasts. — In the United States: The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, commanded by Brigadier General Thomas J. Cushman, is formed at El Toro, California. It will bolster the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade. — In Okinawa: The 1st and 3rd Battalions, 29th Regiment, receive word to prepare to ship out to Korea; neither unit is trained for battle, but they are informed that training will be provided upon arrival in Japan. Both battalions embark for Japan on July 21.

July 6 The North Korean Army continues to advance. General Barth departs P’yongt’aek at 0130. He reaches Songhwan-ni about six miles farther south about 0230. Once there, Barth instructs Colonel Ayres to hold until the positions become untenable. The 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, blows the bridge just north of P’yongt’aek at 0300. Prior to dawn, General Barth moves to Ch’onan. He locates reinforcements from Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry, and contingents of Companies A and D, which had not embarked on 1 July with Task Force Smith. Immediately, Barth deploys the contingents defensively about two miles south of Ch’onan. Soon after, Barth moves to Songhwan-ni to inspect the defenses there. Meanwhile, back at the river, a saturating rain intertwined with a miserable fog taunts the troops as daylight arrives. The men of the 1st Battalion squat in their waterlogged foxholes, and they attempt to consume their cold, bland C-rations while they await the imminent arrival of the enemy. Shortly thereafter, an unusual gurgling noise is heard. A quick glance across the river causes instant deliberation as the silhouette of tanks and some enemy infantry comes into view as they encroach the battered bridge. Some troops become prematurely heartened, convinced that remnants of Task Force Smith are approaching; however, others vividly recall that the Americans had no tanks. The speculation ends. Thirteen tanks, followed by in-

62 fantry, prepare to bolt the river. A brisk exchange of fire erupts. One enemy truck is destroyed, but the bazooka fire is inadequate. Captain Osburn receives orders from Colonel Ayres to withdraw Company A from the western side of the road. Osburn is directed to retain one platoon to the rear to afford cover fire during the pull-back. Soon after, Company B is ordered to abandon the east side of the highway. In the meantime, enemy infantry begins fording the river as it moves to envelop the Americans. Making matters worse, enemy fire had previously knocked out the mortar observer. Having no guidance, the mortars are ineffective. Back at Songhwan-ni, where Colonel Smith and about 86 men had already passed through, General Barth arrives to confer with Colonel Lovless. Barth informs Ayres of the orders from Dean, instructing Barth to give orders to the regiment. Lovless is not especially overjoyed with the situation. Barth discusses the deployment of the 1st Battalion and then he directs Colonel Ayres to regroup the regiment near Ch’onan. In addition, Barth instructs Ayres to direct his 3rd Battalion (minus L Company) to abandon Ansong and move to Ch’onan. Company L (regimental reserve), which is outside of P’yongt’aek, is ordered to provide rear cover fire for the 1st Battalion while it pulls out of its river positions. The orders are not carried out; Company L moves directly to Ch’onan. Due to the distance between Ansong, P’yongt’aek and Songhwan-ni, there is no radio communication. The radios cannot hold the range, and the land wires, which had been laid between the latter two towns, have been ripped out and cut by retreating South Korean civilians and troops who use the wire to fasten their packs. Messages between P’yongt’aek, Songhwan-ni and Ansong are transferred by messengers, but these runners are outdistanced by the emerging events, and they arrive at their destinations with outdated news. The embattled 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, is forced to begin its retreat before noon. The first contingents to depart the river positions arrive at Ch’onan during the afternoon. The remaining units of the battalion pull into Ch’onan during the evening and deploy defensively, near the newly arrived contingents of the 21st Regiment. Much equipment and clothing is abandoned along the route and left for the North Koreans. Near Ch’onan and Osan, the South Koreans’ situation is similar. The ROKs are crammed aboard southbound trains. At Taejon, General Dean is consistently updated by telephone on the unraveling sequence of events at P’yongt’aek. Dean arrives at Ch’onan after dark. He convenes a heated meeting with Colonel Lovless and other officers to determine who authorized a withdrawal. Colonel Ayres, without referring to his orders from General Barth (who stands by in stony silence), takes responsibility. An infuriated Dean considers his option of sending the regiment back, then countermands himself, due to the threat of a night ambush. However, Dean orders the 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, to move a company north at daybreak.

63 — In Air Force activity, B-29s launch the initial strategic air attacks of the war when 9 bombers attack the Rising Sun oil refinery at Wonsan and another target, a chemical plant at Hungnam. Meanwhile, other planes (B-26s) pound advancing enemy columns. After-action reports indicate the destruction of 6 to 10 tanks by the B-26s. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff instruct General MacArthur to provide his estimate of the necessary amount of personnel needed to sweep the North Korean troops out of South Korea. On the following day, MacArthur responds, stating that between four to four and one-half complete infantry divisions, one regimental combat team composed of airborne troops, and three tank battalions bolstered by support artillery would be required. Additionally, MacArthur claims he will require 40,000 reinforcements to execute the operation without placing Japan in peril. In other activity, Major General Hobart R. Gay is informed by MacArthur that his 1st Cavalry Division is to be the battering ram that will storm Inchon. The cavalry landing is expected to trap the enemy between it and the Eighth Army and ROK troops. But much of the initial information on the progress of the ROK Army has been erroneous and highly exaggerated. And the battle-readiness of Eighth Army is terribly poor, making the situation graver than anticipated. In conjunction, the U.S. has been totally surprised by the skillfulness of the advancing North Korean People’s Army. Additionally, large numbers of the 1st Cavalry’s proficient noncoms (about 750) have been pulled from its ranks to round out the anemic 24th and 25th Divisions. Ultimately, this meeting between MacArthur and General Gay becomes irrelevant. The bad conditions in Korea continue to deteriorate, which mandates that the 1st Cavalry must be committed to Pusan to prop up the perimeter. — In Japan: By today, it becomes common knowledge that General MacArthur intends to deploy the U.S. Eighth Army in Korea, with General Walker assuming operational control of the campaign. In conjunction, General Walker calls Colonel William Collier in Kobe, and requests that he come to Yokohama on the following day to discuss the crisis in Korea.

July 7

General Walton Walker arrives from Japan to confer with General Dean. General Barth departs Ch’onan for Taejon. In other activity, at 0810, Company L, 34th Regiment, moves north from deserted Ch’onan to intercept the advancing North Korean 4th Division. General Dean also orders a battalion to head north. At about 1030, the 3rd Battalion moves north to bolster Company L. General Dean’s order: “To CO 34th Inf. Move one Bn. fwd with minimum transportation. Gain contact and be prepared to fight delaying action back to recent position. PD air reports no enemy armor south of river.” As the 3rd Battalion advances, a steady flood of civilians is moving south. Some are walking and others are on horseback. Colonel Lovless notices heavy

July 7, 1950 military movement in the hills to the west. Lovless, who inquires of his interpreter whether they are North or South Koreans, is told that they are South Koreans on the run. At about 1300, while the intelligence and reconnaissance platoon is at the point, the enemy is spotted in the heights, but they vanish from sight. The advance continues, but with caution, because sporadically, the enemy reappears. Along the route, an artillery officer informs Colonel Lovless and an accompanying officer, Colonel Robert Martin, that he has only one gun. It is deployed about three miles from Ch’onan, from where it can shell the area to the front of Company L. In the meantime, about five miles north of Ch’onan, with the small force more or less sucked in, a moderate dose of enemy small-arms fire and mortars strike positions near the point platoon, barring advance. Within a short while (1600), a liaison plane arrives overhead to bring the contingent up to date and make the earlier intelligence obsolete. The plane drops this message: “To CO 34th Infantry, 1600 7 July. Proceed with greatest caution. Large number of troops on your east and west flanks. Near Ansong, lots of tanks (40–50) and trucks. Myang-Myon large concentration of troops. Songhwan-ni large concentration of troops trying to flank your unit; signed Dean.” The alarming, but not totally unexpected, news prompts Colonels Lovless and Martin to head for the 1st Battalion’s Command Post to inform Colonel Ayres. At the CP, they encounter General Church and General Pearson Menoher (assistant division commander, 24th Division). Church delivers an order from Dean to Lovless, which relieves him of command and instructs him to turn his 34th Regiment over to Colonel Martin. The change of command occurs at 1800. General Dean had previously requested that Colonel Martin, an old and trusted friend, be transferred to his command. Dean and Martin served together with the 44th Division during World War II. In turn, Colonel Lovless had been in command of the 34th for a very short period of time and the unit, not known for being a crack outfit, had not turned around soon enough to suit the high command. In the meantime, Major Dunn arrives at the Command Post and informs Colonel Lovless that Lt. Colonel David Smith’s 1st Battalion is pulling back from its excellent defensive positions. Lovless quickly explains that he has been relieved and tells Dunn to speak with Colonel Martin. Dunn is ordered by Martin to return and restore order within the 3rd Battalion. Meanwhile, the ground troops are becoming more endangered. Major Dunn (34th Infantry S-3) moves from 1st Battalion command post to the forward positions of the 3rd Battalion. He arrives in time to observe the unit digging in defensively north of Ch’onan. While in conversation with Lt. Colonel David H. Smith, 1st Battalion Commander, the I and R platoon leader drives up in a dilapidated jeep. As he jumps from the vehicle, the bullet holes in his clothing and canteen tell the story before he can open his mouth. His platoon had been ambushed by a force of 40 enemy troops at a tiny

July 7, 1950

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U.S. artillery (camouflaged 105-mm howitzer M2A1) deployed near Ch’onan on 7 July. village about one mile from headquarters. Three men had been left behind. Major Dunn takes a rifle company detachment to rescue the isolated troops, but soon after, Major Boone Seegars (Battalion S-3) arrives from the vicinity of the ambush. He informs Dunn that the men have been reunited. Major Dunn aborts the rescue attempt and orders a defensive posture.

Enemy fire from the west bank commences against Dunn’s unit. The Americans return fire, but the enemy is too distant. In a flash, the situation deteriorates. While Dunn attempts to calm the nearby troops, friendly fire strikes near their positions and causes pandemonium. Dunn reacts to quell the fire, but when he reaches the 3rd Battalion positions, the men are abandoning their designated areas. Dunn is placed in com-

Opposite top: A camouflaged U.S. Army truck at Ch’onan on 7 July. A .50-caliber M2 HB Browning machine gun is mounted on the vehicle, but barely visible due to the rice straw. Opposite bottom: A closer view of the two soldiers manning the Browning machine gun (M2 HB) atop the camouflaged truck at Ch’onan on 7 July.

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July 7, 1950

July 7, 1950 mand and he pushes the men northward. Two jeeps transporting Majors Dunn and Seegars and two company commanders push forward. At a point about one mile from where Dunn wants the 3rd Battalion to reoccupy the terrain, the North Koreans spring another ambush. Point-blank range fire pounds the vehicles. Dunn and Seegars both are seriously wounded. One unarmed officer runs to the rear as he explains he is going for help. Meanwhile, an artery in Dunn’s head bleeds profusely. Major Seegars succumbs during the night; his body is recovered sometime in November. At the first sounds of fire, the trailing rifle company hits the ground and returns fire; however, the unit makes no attempt to rescue the wounded, nor is an advance ordered by any officers on scene. Moments later, an officer repeatedly yells “fall back,” leaving the men in the two advance jeeps to an unknown fate. The 3rd Battalion’s withdrawal in the face of combat against a much lesser force and its abandonment of wounded men on the field is subsequently described by Major Dunn, who remains a prisoner of war for 38 months, as “nauseating.” In addition, Dunn notes that the

66

enemy force of about 40 men was alone. The main body had been about two hours outside the village. The 3rd Battalion, in its haste to retreat, also abandons equipment, including mortars. Upon arrival at Ch’onan the unit is badly disorganized. Colonel Martin takes a headquarters company north to reclaim the lost equipment, while Lt. Colonel David H. Smith, positioned south of Ch’onan, is directed to move into Ch’onan and defend it. The redeployment of the disoriented 3rd Battalion at Ch’onan is complete by about 1700, with contingents stretched along the railroad tracks west of town and others dispersed along the northern fringes of Ch’onan. The first encounter with the Communists occurs on the western side of town during the first part of evening. Shortly thereafter, a column of tanks and infantry approaches the eastern defenses. The latter is met by fire from a contingent of the 63rd Field Artillery Battalion, which had recently been deployed south of Ch’onan to bolster the 34th Regiment. Two tanks are reported destroyed by the combination of white phosphorous and HE ammunition. Still, this contingent penetrates the town before midnight, and entraps about 80 men, including Colonel Martin. The fighting dangerously depletes the U.S. ammunition. Word reaches General Dean about the critical lack of supplies and of the precarious situation of Martin and the other isolated men. Skirmishing continues throughout the night as the N.K. 16th and 18th Regiments, supported by tanks of the 105th Armored Division, increase the pressure. Before noon on this day, a train transporting Colonel Stephens and elements of his 21st Regiment arrives in Taejon. Within one hour, the unit heads north to Choch’iwon to bolster the 34th Regiment and to keep the supply route clear. Meanwhile, discipline at Choch’iwon is loose. The supplies for the various units have become mixed up and another problem has emerged. Guards must ride the locomotives because many South Korean engineers are frightened. At the slightest hint of trouble the engineers attempt to move south with the trains and supplies they have yet to unload. Colonel Stephens deploys the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, six miles north of Choch’iwon. Another contingent, composed of Companies A and D, 1st Battalion, returns from Chonan and deploys about one mile farther north at Chonui, along a ridge just east of town. These positions are about three miles below the fork where the Kongju Road splits from the principal highway and about twelve miles from Ch’onan. — In the United States: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, commanded by A U.S. soldier checks the fuse on a mine in the vicinity of Brigadier General Edward A. Craig, is Ch’onan. activated at Camp Pendleton; the unit is

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July 7, 1950

Top: U.S. troops prepare powder charges in vicinity of Ch’onan. Bottom: U.S. troops load ammunition into a 105-mm howitzer in vicinity of Ch’onan. composed of the 5th Marines, the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines and Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33). The latter includes three squadrons and is commanded by Brigadier General Thomas H. Cushman. The brigade begins boarding the warships on the 12th. On

the 14th, the convoy sails for Korea. The three squadrons of MAG 33 are: VMF-214, 29 officers, 157 enlisted men and 24 F4U4B planes; VMF-323, 29 officers, 157 enlisted men and 24 F4U4B planes; and VMF(N)-513, 15 officers, 98 enlisted men and 12

July 8, 1950 F4U5N planes. The helicopter contingent, VMO-6, commanded by Major Vincent Gottschalk, will be composed of 15 officers, 63 enlisted men, eight light observation planes and four HO3S-1 Sikorsky 2-place helicopters. Seven pilots, 30 enlisted men and the four Sikorsky helicopters will be detached from HMX-1 (Quantico) on July 8, from where they will proceed to El Toro, California, to join the brigade. Also, Company A, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, is activated for service with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. The unit, acutely familiar with the M4A3 medium tank, equipped with the 75-mm gun or a 105mm howitzer, will be supplied with Pershing M-26 tanks, which are equipped with 90-mm guns. The tankers receive scant time to acquaint themselves with the Pershings. Captain Gearl M. English, the commanding officer, finagles in order to get his Marines one day of practice in the field. Each gunner and loader is restricted to a meager two rounds. The tanks’ 90mm guns are then silenced until the tanks engage the enemy in Korea. Support battalions of the brigade are also scaled down. Company A, 1st Motor Transport Battalion, is composed of six officers and 107 enlisted men. Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion (reinforced), is composed of eight officers and 209 enlisted men. — In the United Nations Security Council: The United Nations Security Council passes its third resolution concerning Communist aggression in the Republic of Korea, recommending that “all members providing military forces and other assistance make such forces ... available to a unified command ... and requests the United States to designate the commander of such forces.” The resolution also directs the unified command to fly the United Nations flag “concurrently with the flags of the various nations participating.” President Truman desires a requisite for victory and by the following day, his choice of commander is given to the United Nations. — In Hawaii: General Lemuel Shepherd, USMC, and his G-3, Colonel Victor H. Krulak, subsequent to the activation of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, depart Hawaii by air for Japan. — In Japan: General MacArthur orders General Dean (in Korea) to provide protection for the 35th Fighter Group, USAF, commanded by Colonel Robert Witty at Yonil, where an airbase is being established. MacArthur is aware that the N.K. 5th Division is moving down the coast road toward Pohang-dong, five miles north of Yonil. Dean dispatches the 3rd Battalion, 19th Regiment, from Taegu and some additional force from other locations to fill the gap. In other activity, Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker directs Colonel William Collier to proceed to Korea as soon as possible and establish Eighth Army headquarters there. Walker explains that he is flying to Korea on this day, but he will return on the 8th. Also, General MacArthur is diligently formulating plans to ensure that the Communists are unable to cause disruptions in Japan. With the encouragement of MacArthur, the Japanese government decreases the activities of the Communists,

68 which diminishes the possibility of massive disruptions within the country. The Japanese, who favor the actions of the U.S. and the U.N. against the North Koreans, contribute much unheralded support.

July 8 Colonel Collier arrives by plane at Ashiya Airbase in Pusan. Then, after a short flight to Taejon, he locates General Dean near the front lines. After some discussion, Taejon is ruled out as a location for Eighth Army Headquarters. Collier, familiar with Korea, selects less crowded Taegu. At Taejon, General Dean receives word at about 0220 that Colonel Martin has escaped from Ch’onan, raising his spirits; however, sometime before daybreak, Martin returns to the besieged town. During the ongoing fighting, the supply line had been reopened. One ammunition truck moves back to the village and spots a column of about five tanks and some infantry driving from the northwest, along a previously mined dirt road. The enemy passes without incident. Enemy penetration occurs about 0600 and intense exchanges of fire erupt. One man, Private Leotis Heater, lobs five grenades at a tank, setting it ablaze. During the vicious fighting, two rifle companies become isolated. Colonel Martin continues to rally his men. He commandeers a bazooka. Assisted by Sergeant Jerry Christenson, he prepares to blast an approaching tank, but it swirls its turret toward the bazooka team. The opposing weapons fire at approximately the same time and the tank fire severs Martin’s body in half. The power of the explosion also pops one of Christenson’s eyes from its socket. Amazingly, he is able to replace his eye in the socket. Christenson, who succumbs in December 1950, becomes a POW with Major Dunn at P’yongyang. Colonel Martin’s actions under fire earn him the first Distinguished Service Cross of the conflict; however, it is a posthumous award. An aidman in the medical collections station, Corporal (later Major) Lacy Barnett, attests that there were no remains of Colonel Martin to be returned to Graves Registration, but according to Barnett, “Colonel Martin’s watch and billfold were recovered.” Also, Barnett states that Colonel Martin’s daughter does have the “blood-soaked order signed by General Dean, appointing him as CO, 34th Infantry on July 7th.” As more enemy troops and tanks enter Ch’onan, the fate of the 3rd Battalion becomes grim. Between 0800 and 1000, the survivors depart. Later in the day it is determined that 175 men escape. Many officers of regimental headquarters had been unable to escape. The ill-fated battalion loses nearly all its mortars, machine guns and rifles prior to moving south. Before the day is out, North Korean radio proclaims the capture of sixty men. The commanding officer, 3rd Battalion, Lt. Colonel David Smith, is exhausted and is transferred out within a couple of days on the 9th. The artillery units head farther south, but the 1st Battalion still holds south of Ch’onan.

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July 8, 1950

U.S. troops depart a hillside position in the vicinity of Ch’onan on 8 July. In other activity, General Walker arrives in Taejon during the morning to confer with General Dean to find a solution and buy more time until Walker can transfer the Eighth Army from Japan. Both Dean and Walker, observing from a nearby hill, watch the 3rd Battalion in action at Ch’onan.

Upon being informed of Colonel Martin’s death, General Dean places Colonel Wadlington in command of the 34th Regiment and orders him to pull back toward the Kum River. In conjunction, Lt. Colonel Ayres’ 1st Battalion is deployed near Ch’onan, but after consulting with Generals Dean and Walker, Ayres is also

July 8, 1950 ordered to pull back toward the Kum River. The complexities of the withdrawal are many. Slightly south of Ch’onan, the road divides and later converges on Taejon, making the defense of both routes mandatory. The 21st Infantry is to move along the main Choch’iwon Road and execute a delaying action while it retires parallel to the rail line. The 34th Regiment is to follow the Kongju Road due south toward the Kum River. The 24th Regiment heads south during the late afternoon. Meanwhile, contingents of the North Korean 3rd Division begin to arrive at Ch’onan to augment the N.K. 4th Division. These enemy components deploy east of the town. Throughout the day, Dean’s orders emphasize the necessity of fighting delaying actions to support the withdrawal. Later, he issues an operational order that reaffirms his earlier demands: “Hold Kum River Line at all costs. Maximum repeat maximum delay will be effected.” One battery of 155-mm howitzers (11th Field Artillery Bn.) and a contingent of M24 light tanks (78th Heavy Tank Battalion) advance to Choch’iwon to support the 21st Regiment. Also, the 3rd Engineering Combat Battalion bolsters the 34th Regiment. It establishes roadblocks in front of Kongju and contingents wire the Kum River bridges for possible demolition. The 21st gets a hefty order from General Dean. It is directed to hold Choch’iwon and simultaneously guard the left flank of Ch’ongju to afford the South Korean forces time to withdraw. The task will be difficult because no reinforcements will be available for at least four days. The 21st and 34th Regiments are directed to hold the river line until totally untenable, and only then they are to cross to the south bank of the Kum to make the final stand. The fate of Taejon lies in the balance. Meanwhile, the South Koreans activate Headquarters I Corps at Ch’ongju. It is composed of the Capital and the 1st Divisions. KMAG documents also show the S.K. 2nd Division operating under I Corps during July, but other records will reveal that the 2nd Division had been rendered unsuited for combat during the first week of the war. During November 1950, a new ROK 2nd Division is established. Nearly all early South Korean records fail to survive the conflict. In other activity, General Dean dispatches a critical message to General MacArthur in Japan that informs him of the inadequacy of the 2.36 rocket launchers, which have proven to be totally ineffective against enemy tanks. Dean’s urgent request also includes antitank mines. He presses MacArthur to have these items rushed to Korea from the States. Central Mountain area: Below Wonju, planes detect long columns of enemy armor, vehicles and infantry that are driving south in an apparent effort to expand the envelopment of ROK troops and sever the primary north-south communication line in the Taejon area. Eastern Coastal area: The 3rd Battalion, 19th Regiment, arrives at Pohang-dong from Taegu. It is to hold the line against the N.K. 5th Division. An antiaircraft

70 unit will arrive on the following day, and heavy engineering equipment is en route via LSTs to speed the work at Yonil Airfield. In other activity, General Kean arrives from Japan at Taejon to meet with General Dean. Kean’s 25th Division will begin arriving in two days. In Air Force activity, Two airmen, Lieutenant Oliver Duerksen and Lieutenant Frank Chermak, operating in radio-equipped jeeps and acting as forward air controllers, direct the initial direct air to ground attacks during the Korean War. In Naval activity, Commander Michael J.L. Luosey assumes command of the diminutive South Korean (ROK) Navy. — In the United States: General MacArthur is chosen by President Truman to command the United Nations troops in South Korea. The general’s task is to be blocked with obstacles. Primarily, the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East are deeply under-strength and untrained for such an undertaking. The U.S. has been undergoing a continuous depletion of men and equipment, and the training of troops in Japan has been poor at best. Weaponry is also dangerously low, due to the inauspicious practice of mass demobilization after the war. Also, the plan to land the 1st Cavalry Division at Inchon is canceled on this day, due to the continuing deterioration of the situation in Korea. Meanwhile, the Soviets have been steadily fortifying their war machinery, including stockpiling all Japanese equipment captured by them during their previous several-day war against a beaten Japan during August 1945. MacArthur faces some other critical problems. As commander of the United Nation Forces, he is compelled to report his plans and actions to the United Nations. Coincidentally, the Soviet Union representative in the U.N. receives all this information. Also, U.S. planes are forbidden from crossing the Yalu River in pursuit of enemy aircraft. This practice permits enemy planes to strike U.N. positions, then retire across the Yalu River to the sanctuary of Manchuria. During America’s War Between the States, General Robert E. Lee would tell his commanders to read the northern newspapers to become informed about what the Union forces intended to do. In this case, the North Koreans need simply to read their copies of the United Nations’ secret memos, smuggled to them by the Soviets. MacArthur learns this lesson quickly and eliminates some of the problem. In other activity, General MacArthur authorizes Japan, through its prime minister, Shigeru Yoshida, to establish a national police reserve of 75,000 men. He also authorizes the Maritime Safety Board to increase its force to 8,000 men. With the draining of U.S. troops from Japan for the Korean crisis, more strength is required to safeguard the welfare of Japan against aggressors from outside nations and from a potential Communist threat from within Japan. Ambassador Sebald later notes that the Japanese forces looked genuinely G.I. from their uniforms to

71 their equipment. He relates his experience while visiting a training camp: “Only when I saw the soldiers eating with chop sticks did I fully realize that these were indeed, soldiers of another Japanese generation....” Also, Far East Air Forces establishes a Provisional Bomber Command, based at Yokota, Japan. Major General Emmett O’Donnell, Jr., is appointed as commander.

July 9, 1950

July 9

Effective 1300, Eighth Army Headquarters Korea is established at Taegu. Chonan and vicinity have been abandoned by the fatigued U.S. troops who are pulling back toward Taejon, under heavy Communist pressure. The enemy tanks keep rolling south. In the midst of the chaotic fighting, the bewildered civilians are fleeing in absolute panic, often under the guns of

U.S. Army engineers prepare to blow a bridge to slow the North Korean advance toward Taejon and Taegu.

July 9, 1950

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Top: U.S. troops deployed with a 4.2-inch chemical mortar (M2). Bottom: South Korean troops (ROKs) man an 81-mm mortar (M1).

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July 9, 1950

Eighth Army 105-mm howitzers are positioned south of Ch’onan, firing at enemy positions. North Korean planes. However, a combination of U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Marines and Australian Air Force planes has been clearing the skies. By the following day, the Russian Yak fighters, flown by the North Koreans, will have been thoroughly thrashed, giving the Allies total air supremacy. It is the air forces that contain the enemy and buy precious time for the Americans to regroup and reinforce as they are being shoved back to Pusan and the sea. At Choch’iwon, the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Carl Jensen, is dug in north of the town. And a composite battalion is deployed south and east of Chonui, along a low ridge about 500 yards east of the town and a steep hill about 800 yards south of the town. At Chonui, engineers detonate the approach bridges. Eleven tanks, supplemented by about 200 to 300 infantry, close against Chonui by midafternoon. Planes and artillery intercept the column and inflict damage and casualties. Reports indicate five tanks ablaze. As the infantry penetrates Chonui, bazookas and artillery fire greet them to slow the progress of the enemy, which is moving house-tohouse. East of Chonui, planes pound another advancing convoy composed of about 200 vehicles. Reports from the air indicate about 100 vehicles destroyed. The night passes slowly as the beleaguered defenders, using the illumination from the aging fires in Chonui, keep a cautious vigil. Enemy patrols nudge against their positions.

At Chinch’on, the South Korean Capital Division and some police spring an effective ambush against one battalion of the N.K. 2nd Division. The South Koreans capture four artillery pieces and 27 vehicles. The stunned North Koreans then launch a strong counterattack that ignites several days of bitter fighting. The ROK force, subsequent to the fall of Ch’onan and Chonui on their west flank, abandons its positions on the 11th, permitting the N.K. 2nd Division to enter Chinch’on. In other activity, Lt. Colonel David Smith is evacuated for two or three days of rest. The exhaustion is totally physical, due to lack of sleep, but things get messed up in Taejon. The medical report specifies that Smith should not be placed under the psychiatric department. Nevertheless, the medical personnel in Taejon place Smith on a plane to Tokyo and when he arrives there, someone discovers “exhaustion” on his record and sends him to the psychiatric hospital in Tokyo. The error becomes embarrassing, and Colonel D. Smith is quickly discharged and sent to Camp Drake to await a new assignment. Smith eventually retires after thirty years of honorable service in the Army. — In the United States: According to reports, the ground troops of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, which is preparing to embark for Korea, stands at 266 officers and 4,503 enlisted men: the two largest contingents are the 5th Marines and the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. The 5th Marines comprises 113 officers and 2,068 enlisted men. The 1st Battalion (reinforced) 11th

July 10, 1950 Marines is composed of 37 officers and 455 enlisted men. In addition, the air component comprises 192 officers and 1,358 enlisted men, which swells the brigade to a total of 458 officers and 5,861 enlisted men, for a total of 6,319 troops. Nonetheless, with the arrival of the additional rifle companies (requested by General Shepherd) and some extra support personnel, the brigade’s final number as it departs will be 6,534 troops. — In Japan: General MacArthur updates the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the situation in South Korea. The dispatch from MacArthur informs them of the fighting efficiency of the enemy ground troops and of the superior quality of their equipment: “This force more and more assumes the aspect of a combination of Soviet leadership and technical guidance with Chinese Communist ground elements. While it serves under the flag of North Korea, it can no longer be considered as an indigenous N.K. military effort.” MacArthur commits part of his B-29 Superfortress contingent to the war effort. In other activity, General Shepherd, commanding officer Fleet Marine Force Pacific, and Colonel Krulak, USMC, arrive in Tokyo from Pearl Harbor.

July 10

Colonel Stephens, having spent the night at the forward positions (21st Regiment) near Chonui, is on hand for the anticipated arrival of the enemy. The composite battalion, 21st Infantry, is composed of a combination of about 500 personnel drawn from Companies A and D, and Companies B and C. These units that arrived at Pusan too late to move out with Task Force Smith hold the ground that overlooks the highway and railroad. There is another hill to the west on the left flank, but due to the unavailability of troops, the left flank remains undefended. East of Chonui, pea soup fog keeps the troops deployed on the ridge from seeing the road. Despite no visible signs of the enemy, it becomes apparent at about 0555 that they are close. Nearby, Korean voices flow in from the left. Soon after, an enemy soldier whistles a signal that triggers random American fire. Colonel Stephens orders the men to cease firing blindly. By 0700, enemy mortars pour fire upon the ridge, preceding an attack, which places most of its strength against the far left portion of the ridge against Company A, commanded by Lieutenant Ray Bixler. U.S. mortar fire is called upon to strike the valley between the two American positions to hold the enemy at bay. In the meantime, a large contingent of North Koreans circumvents the battalion’s right flank and drives against the mortar positions. This attack is synchronized with tanks, which had advanced unobserved from Chonui under the dense fog cover. The tanks rumble past the infantry, which can hear but not see them. At about 0800, the fog lifts, and four enemy tanks are fully visible as they penetrate the village. Others had made it to the Americans’ rear to enjoin enemy infantry, which had breached the right flank. The tank fire originating in the rear causes more concern. In the midst of the

74 combat, all communication between Colonel Stephens and the mortarmen is severed. The mortars fall silent, leaving only artillery to assist. There is some American tank participation near Chonui during the morning, but this, the initiation of U.S. tank action in Korea, is unimpressive. Meanwhile, at about 0900, additional enemy infantrymen bolt toward the Americans, but artillery fire repels the attack and inflicts heavy casualties. Although the infantry is turned back, tanks batter the American positions with machine gun fire. Then at about 1100, the left portion of the hill, held by Bixler’s men, is struck by intense small arms fire. Lieutenant Bixler, aware the North Koreans are closing fast, contacts Colonel Stephens at 1125. The next seven minutes move at a furious pace. After explaining that his unit has taken severe casualties, Bixler requests permission to withdraw before he is overrun. He receives a response instructing him to hold on. “Relief is on the way.” Within minutes, thanks to the lifting fog, two jet planes stream overhead. The tanks are attacked, but no damage is sustained. The enemy infantry on Bixler’s immediate left is stung hard with strafing, keeping the enemy ground troops harnessed and grasping for cover. Meanwhile, the survivors of the mortar and recoilless rifle units make it back to the ridge to support the beleaguered infantry. The planes expend their ammunition and are forced to depart, leaving the infantry vulnerable. During this contest, some men holding the right sector of the ridge begin to desert their positions, and more follow suit later. In addition, U.S. communications become increasingly poor, as the tanks again have ripped the strung land wires. The forward artillery observer’s radio goes dead, and the silence gives the artillerymen the impression that the 21st Regiment has been overrun. Friendly fire commences at 1132. It strikes the ridge feverishly, but it is still being held by the dwindling American force on the left sector of the ridge. Colonel Stephens dashes 100 yards to his jeep, grabs the radio and calls for the regimental artillery to cease fire, but to no avail. Stephens receives a report from Bixler at 1135, informing him that most of his unit have become casualties, and more desperately, Bixler states that his command is surrounded. No further reports are forthcoming. Bixler’s positions are overrun and most of those remaining alive are killed in their foxholes. As the fateful news about Bixler’s command spreads, the right flank begins to collapse. One man screams: “Everybody on the right flank is taking off.” It is not an exaggeration. Colonel Stephens glances to the right flank and sees the stampede to the rear. He attempts to halt the retreat. One man, Corporal Richard Okada, a Nisei from Hawaii, corrals a few men, but the attempt is futile. Those few surviving men who refuse to abandon their positions and choose to stand and fight become terribly imperiled. Colonel Stephens orders a withdrawal at 1205. The pull-back is near fatal, because two more jets appear and mistake the Americans for North Koreans. The aircraft inadvertently strafe the Americans as they cross a rice paddy. Luckily, there are

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An enemy tank, captured during the fighting on 10 July. no casualties, and Stephens gets the troops back to the American lines. U.S. casualties at this action near Chonui: A Company sustains 27 wounded and 30 missing; D Company sustains three killed and eight wounded. The Heavy Mortar Company sustains fourteen casualties and six of

these men are discovered later in the day, when the ridge is recaptured. Each man has his hands tied behind his back and a bullet hole in the back of his head. One of the men, a jeep driver, escapes while the other six surrender. The 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, commanded by

July 10, 1950 Colonel Delbert Pryor, is ordered to counterattack toward Chonui, but the assault does not commence. Pryor is relieved of command and replaced by Colonel Carl Jensen. Subsequent to Colonel Stephens’ return to friendly lines, he orders Colonel Jensen’s 3rd Battalion to mount a counterattack and regain the lost terrain at Chonui. The aggressive attack, supported by several tanks, regains the ridge and reclaims the bodies of the massacred Americans. However, the tanks are less than battle-ready. Lacking the proper lubricating oil, the guns had not yet been fired. Two of the U.S. tanks are lost when the guns fire and the turrets are blown off. One enemy tank is damaged during the confrontation. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion lacks the strength to reclaim the hill defended by Bixler and his men. Ten troops of A and D Companies who chose not to pull back during the friendly artillery fire are rescued at their post. At about 2045, General Dean contacts Colonel Stephens and gives him an option: “If you consider it necessary, withdraw to your next delaying position prior to dawn.” General Dean reiterates the importance of holding Choch’iwon to forestall the collapse of the South Korean main supply route. By 2200, General Dean contacts a regimental officer and authorizes a pull-back to positions four miles to the rear and two miles north of Choch’iwon, with the stipulation “hold in your new position and fight like hell. I expect you to hold it all day tomorrow.” Colonel Jensen and his exhausted 3rd Battalion pull back toward their original positions just before midnight, bringing out most of the equipment that had been abandoned earlier. The troops have to do some housecleaning before they can get some sleep. In their absence, North Korean troops have become squatters, occupying some of the foxholes. After one hour of unexpected combat, the Communists are driven out. The troops attempt to rest; however, daybreak approaches and with it, more enemy tanks and troops. In conjunction, Major Heritage, the 24th Division’s surgeon, notes in the division historical report that Captain Duerk, the 21st Regiment’s surgeon (at 1605, 10 July), “requests 1,500 units of benzedrine or hexedrine because of the fact that an entire unit has slept through an enemy attack. There wasn’t any on hand so Captain Duerk was notified of this fact.” Also, Task Force Smith, with its new replacements, is en route from Taejon to rejoin the 21st Regiment. Central Mountain area: Several N.K. Divisions continue to drive toward Taegu. The S.K. 8th Division, previously unable to penetrate enemy resistance, has been rerouted from scattered positions in Pohangdong, Yongch’on and Taegu vicinity to Tanyang by rail. The unit debarks the train near the upper south bank of the Han River and deploys to defend the YongjuAndong corridor. Also, elements of the 25th Infantry Division begin landing in Korea when the 27th Regiment (Wolf hound) debarks at Pusan. It is commanded by Lt. Colonel John H. “Mike” Michaelis. Initially, the 27th Regiment is dispatched to the vicinity of Uisong,

76 about 35 miles north of Taegu. After a short stay there, it is redeployed in Andong. Eastern Coastal area: the N.K. 11th Regiment, having moved along its inland route for over a week, rejoins its parent 5th Division at Ulchin. In the meantime, a huge number of specially trained North Korean civilians have been transported by sea to Ulchin for the purpose of establishing a Communist civil government within this eastern province. In addition, the 766th Independent Infantry, upon its arrival at Ulchin, is detached from the N.K. 5th Division. Its mission, according to information from POWs, is to subdivide into small groups, move west into the mountains and then sweep south to disrupt South Korean communications between Taegu and Pusan. Meanwhile, since the S.K. 8th Division moved inland, the only unit remaining to block the enemy advance along the coastal road is the 23rd Regiment, 3rd S.K. Division. The regiment, commanded by Colonel “Tiger Kim” Chong Won, has been skirmishing with guerrillas since early July in the vicinity of P’yonghaeri and Ulchin. Today the N.K. 5th Division approaches P’yonghae-ri and is met with heavy resistance, igniting a string of bloody battles along the coastal road. The Communists press to capture Yongdok and gain domination of the northern approaches to Pohang-dong. Colonel Kim Chong Won requests reinforcements, and Colonel Emmerich (KMAG 3rd S.K. Division) concurs. He presses the Republic of Korea Army to dispatch the required manpower. The 1st Separate Battalion and the Yongdungp’o Separate Battalion move by railcars to join the ROK 23rd Regiment. Both units, numbering about 1,500 men, are equipped with Japanese rifles and carbines. At the S.K. 3rd Division’s positions, about 50 miles farther south at Pohang-dong, some ROK troops are spotted moving toward the rear. Colonel Emmerich and South Korean officers order the contingents back to Yongdok. It is the strategy of the South Koreans and the U.S. military to defend this portion of Korea, by holding the Mun’gyong and Tanyang passes of the Han-Naktong watershed. In other activity, a plane arrives at Taejon from Travis Air Force Base, California. It delivers instructors to train and familiarize the troops with the new 3.5 rocket launcher. The first delivery of the rocket launchers arrives two days later. In yet other activity, elements of the 25th Infantry Division, commanded by Major General William B. Kean, begin to arrive in Korea on this day. The 27th Regiment debarks at Pusan. Initially, the 27th Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel John H. Michaelis, will be dispatched thirty-five miles north of Taegu in the vicinity of Uisong. Also, the North Korean II Corps Commander, Major General Kim Kwang Hyop, is demoted to corps chief of staff. He is replaced by Lt. General Kim Mu Chong, who is expected to get the II Corps to move more quickly. In Air Force Activity, F-80 aircraft, sweeping the area for targets, swoop down through the heavy skies about

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Slaughtered GIs. U.S. troops captured by the Communists are recovered by the Americans. Each man has his hands tied behind his back and had been shot. This is not an uncommon practice of the North Koreans. 25 miles north of P’yongt’aek. Visibility is sufficient to give them an eagle’s view of a huge column of vehicles that have stalled at a blown bridge. The pilots inform headquarters, and within minutes of the transmission, every available plane of the U.S. Fifth Air Force speeds toward the bonanza. The giant-sized air strike, comprising B-26s, F-80s and F-82s, plasters the column and inflicts heavy damage. Aerial observers report the decimation of huge numbers of enemy troops and the destruction of 38 tanks, 117 trucks and seven half-tracs. The figure is considered exaggerated. However, the inflated figures are nonetheless, unintentional, caused by the circumstances under which the planes are operating. This raid and the one unleashed against the enemy on the afteroon of the 9th near Chonui are considered to have caused the most destruction to enemy armor of any individual engagement of the war. The longterm effects of the raid become apparent immediately.

Following these attacks, the North Koreans halt daylight movement of their vehicles, choosing to camouflage them until darkness. The enemy troops also remain inconspicuous until after dark. The North Koreans then advance along secondary roads when possible and hide many supplies in railroad tunnels, out of harm’s way. In conjunction, Fifth Air Force on this day initiates the use of T-6 trainer aircraft to handle forward air control missions, because liaison airplanes lack the speed to evade enemy aircraft. In Naval activity, the ongoing naval blockade of North Korean ports is expanded to include Wonsan and Chinnampo. In yet other activity, the commander of the Pacific Fleet is directed to embark Task Force Yoke as soon as it is fully prepared. — In the United States: The Department of the Army informs General MacArthur in Japan that the U.S. is preparing to expedite the delivery of three

July 11, 1950 medium tank battalions to Korea to neutralize the Russian T-34 tanks in the service of the North Korean Armed Forces. The 6th (M-46), 70th (M-26 and M4A3) and the 73rd (M-26) Tank Battalions embark from San Francisco on July 23 and arrive by sea in Korea on 7 August. Other armor reinforcements will follow. General Ridgway, handling the hectic day-to-day operations in the Pentagon (during the absence of Collins), places all pertinent units on alert for imminent deployment in the Far East. The outfits include an airborne RCT, 11th Airborne, several tank battalions, additional artillery units and combat engineers. The U.S. Armed Forces are too few in number to properly handle the crisis, but the political climate mandates opposition to activating the reserves. Meanwhile, the General Reserve is being depleted, and if a large-scale confrontation erupts in some other part of the world, such as Europe, the U.S. is unprepared to properly react. Ironically, it is thought that the reserves would require much training to prepare for combat, but the available regular forces have not been overtrained. In other activity, at the urging of President Truman, Generals Joseph Collins and Hoyt Vandenberg, Army and Air Force chiefs of staff respectively, depart for Japan and subsequently to Korea to gather first-hand reports on the situation. — In Japan: General MacArthur is informed that the 2nd Infantry Division (Ft. Lewis, Tacoma, Washington) and some other supporting units (antiaircraft artillery and armor) are about to embark for Korea. MacArthur sends word to Washington that he would prefer the 2nd Division be at full strength. He also puts emphasis on speeding the other troops he had previously requested. In other activity, Admiral Richard Ruble, commanding officer, Carrier Division 15, and his staff arrive in Tokyo by air. Ruble reports to Admiral Joy. Ruble had been stationed in San Diego, and his assigned task up to the outbreak of hostilities had been antisubmarine warfare (hunter-killer) operations, but on the 12th of July he officially receives additional responsibilities. Another conference is held at MacArthur’s Headquarters. Admiral Doyle’s suggestion of a troop landing at Pohang-dong is accepted by members of General MacArthur’s and Admiral Joy’s respective staffs. Initially, the proposed landing site had been on the west coast at Inchon, but the swift disintegration of the South Korean forces during the early days of the hostilities cancels this option. By the following day, a special reconnaissance team is airlifted to Pohang to reconnoiter the area. Presently, Pohang-dong, about seventy miles north of Pusan, is in no immediate danger, despite the dynamic advance of the enemy. The Spartan actions of the slim forces of the 24th Division and supporting air and sea forces, including the sure-pointed naval surface fire of the cruisers and destroyers under the command of Rear Admiral John M. Higgins, have forestalled even greater successes of the enemy.

78 The proposed amphibious invasion of Korea (BLUEis aborted due to the failure of the U.S. and South Korean troops to repulse the southern attack of the enemy. However, planning for a similar type operation continues, headed by General Edwin K. Wright, MacArthur’s assistant chief of staff (G-3). The responsibility falls to Wright’s Joint Strategic Plans and Operations Group. A deputy, Colonel Donald H. Galloway, is in direct command of the JSPOG. A blueprint of the amphibious strategy will be offered on July 23. During the conference, a casual conversation between General MacArthur and General Shepherd instigates a momentous historical event. MacArthur begins discussing the accomplishments of the 1st Marine Division when it was under his authority during the New Britain campaign in 1943–44. Continuing, MacArthur says that if he had the 1st Marine Division in Japan he would employ it as his landing force for the Inchon operation. The tone moves from casual exchange to a more serious discussion between MacArthur and Shepherd, who had been the assistant divisional commander of the 1st Marine Division during the New Britain operation. Shepherd suggests that MacArthur request that the 1st Marine Division be assigned to him. MacArthur, with a genuine excitement, asks if it could be ready to launch an invasion by the 15th of September. Shepherd responds in the affirmative, then bolsters his enthusiastic boast by noting that the division is under his command and he would take personal responsibility to ensure its readiness, minus the infantry regiment and other Marines of the brigade. Of course, General Shepherd does not give General MacArthur the full story. Thanks to the gutting of the armed forces and the activation of the Marine brigade, the 1st Marine Division presently contains fewer troops than one regimental combat team, giving the Marines a full scale nightmare to bring the division to full strength and have it ready for an assault in 67 days. MacArthur requests the 1st Marine Division on this day. MacArthur, with regard to the Inchon invasion, is on record stating that the invasion will succeed, and he adds, “But I must have the Marines.” Shepherd prepares to call out the Marines, including the reserves, but first, Congress and President Truman must authorize the rebuilding of what they dismantled. MacArthur’s request for the 1st Marine Division is expeditiously dispatched to Washington. HEARTS)

July 11 The men of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, having hardly closed their eyes following the previous day’s furious fighting, are back in combat-ready positions, and they face another dense fog. At 0630, again the clanking noise of tanks can be heard. The rumble of armor approaches from the opposite side of a minefield. Meanwhile, Task Force Smith (B and C Companies) has arrived from Taejon with 205 replacements. It rejoins the 21st Regiment about two miles north of Choch’iwon and will be in place by 0730. In conjunction, Companies B and C have re-supplied at

79 Choch’iwon. This hook-up of the four companies places Lt. Colonel Brad Smith’s 1st Battalion together for the first time since the task force was initially formed. At the 3rd Battalion’s positions, four enemy tanks breach the minefield just after 0630 with a massive thrust. As the menacing tanks burst toward the battalion, enemy mortars commence fire. The shells strike the perimeter with pinpoint accuracy. The communications center is wiped out and the ammunition depot sustains a deadly blow. Apparently, the enemy had mapped out the entire 3rd Battalion area while it temporarily occupied the ground on the previous day. While the tanks and mortars inflict severe casualties on the 3rd Battalion, the enemy infantry (3rd N.K. Division) strikes against both flanks with 1,000 troops. The American defenders, having lost their command post, their ammunition and communications as well as their deployment position intelligence, are gravely threatened. The North Koreans have also established roadblocks behind 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment’s lines, which prevents any chance of getting more ammunition. Desperate fighting continues for several hours against insurmountable odds. Nevertheless, the 3rd Battalion resists tenaciously. Heavy machine gun fire rips viciously into K Company’s command post. In this instance, return fire is anemic, but sufficient. Private Paul R. Spear single-

July 11, 1950 handedly charges the enemy position with his entire arsenal, his pistol. Spear lunges into the position, but his weapon is empty. He improvises and uses his pistol as a short pipe. The free-swinging infantryman drives the enemy from the position; however, Spear becomes severely wounded by enemy fire. The hectic morning phases out with another North Korean rout. The 3rd Battalion, which sustains 60 percent casualties, is overrun. Those who are able begin to withdraw toward Choch’iwon to avoid annihilation. About ninety percent of these are weaponless. The attack had been so thoroughly organized and swift that many of the survivors are also shoeless and without canteens. Helmets are considered a luxury. Escape is again an arduous task. During the retreat, Colonel Jensen and his S-2 officer, Lieutenant Leon J. Jacques, are cut down while trying to wade across a creek to the rear of their former command post. Other officers, including Captain O’Dean T. Cox, commanding officer, Company L, are missing in action. Some men are unwilling to continue the march due to exhaustion from their two days of incessant fighting. They choose to remain along the road. The eight officers and 142 troops avoid death or capture and reform as a provisional company, comprising three rifle platoons and a heavy weapons company. Statistics for the battalion improve slightly by July 15 when more

A General Chaffee light tank (M24) in action during mid–July.

July 12, 1950 stragglers enter U.S. lines, bringing total strength to 322 men. On July 10, the first day of this battle, the unit strength had been 667 men. The 3rd Battalion had also lost supplies, equivalent of that required to supply two rifle battalions with weapons and clothing for nearly 1,000 men. By nightfall, the grim reports of the fate of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, reach General Dean. Using his limited resources, he continues to find a solution to halt the onslaught in front of Choch’iwon and save the South Korean Main Supply Route. Another Spartan outfit, Company A, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, is rushed into extra duty. The men are ordered to establish every imaginable type of obstacle they can create to hold the sagging line. These engineers must also prepare to afford cover-fire if the 21st Regiment is compelled to withdraw. Earlier in the day, Dean had ordered the 13th Field Artillery Battalion and the 19th Infantry Regiment to speed from Pohang-dong and Taegu, respectively, to bolster the line at Taejon. While the N.K. 3rd Division pounds the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, its 1st Battalion, about two miles away in front of Choch’iwon, has mysteriously remained unmolested. Nonetheless, the 1st Battalion realizes its positions are in jeopardy. Its lack of combat accelerates the anxiety as the troops await the imminent enemy arrival, expected prior to dawn on the 12th. Also, along the Konju Road, the 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, which is deployed to cover the withdrawal of the 34th Regiment, engages contingents of the N.K. 4th Division. Four Light M-24 tanks, attached to the 78th Tank Battalion, support the fight; however, enemy firepower quickly neutralizes the fly-weight tanks. During an impromptu rescue operation, one tank speeds to save survivors from a jeep that had been ambushed by infiltrators. En route the tank is destroyed by infantry close-range fire. Two other tanks are decimated by enemy artillery fire. Nonetheless, the effective rearguard actions of Ayres’ 1st Battalion and some supporting artillery help the regiment reach the Kum River with only a few additional casualties. The 3rd Battalion, commanded by Major Newton Lantron, reaches Taejon. The survivors are regrouped as a composite company and moved to Konju. The remainder of the regiment crosses the Kum River on the following day. Meanwhile, during the night, a contingent of the 34th Regiment’s I&R Platoon captures a scout from the N.K. 16th Regiment, 4th Division. The prisoner, seized north of the Kum River, opposite Konju, reveals that his regiment’s objective is Konju. At Chinch’on, the S.K. Capital Division and its supporting police contingent are forced to pull out. Facing envelopment due to the collapse of their western flank by the enemy seizure of Ch’onan and Chonui, the troops of the Capital Division evacuate their positions. The bloodied N.K. 2nd Division takes the town. Its commanding officer disregards the high casualties and exhausted condition of his troops. The division, without pause, drives toward the headquarters of the South Korean I Corps at Ch’ongju. It is met there by heavy artillery fire from

80 the guns of some determined South Koreans. The effective barrage halts the N.K. 2nd Division at the steps of the town. The division sustains about 800 additional casualties. The artillery continues to plaster the enemy until the following day. On the 12th, Choch’iwon, about 12 miles west of Ch’ongju, is relinquished by contingents of the U.S. 24th Division. This forces the South Koreans at Ch’ongju to withdraw. The town is abandoned to the N.K. 2nd Division. Also, the 24th Regiment, 25th Division, commanded by Colonel Horton V. White, arrives in Korea. It is the only regiment is the U.S. Eighth Army that contains three battalions. Meanwhile, the 27th Regiment transfers from Usiong to Andong. Eastern Coastal area: The 23rd S.K. Regiment reacts to enormous enemy pressure from the N.K. 5th Division. Its command post is moved back into Yongdok. The S.K. 3rd Division has orders to hold it. In other activity, the North Koreans initiate the use of prisoners of war (POWs) for their propaganda strategy. In Seoul, Captain Ambrose H. Nugent, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, under Communist duress, speaks in English over the radio. Nugent reads from a prepared text composed of about 1,000 words. Although most Koreans cannot understand a word he is saying, the North Koreans get good mileage from the incident. A Communist interpreter translates for the Koreans. In other activity, Captain Vincent Robinson, USMC, Lt. Commander Jack Lowentrout and Lt. JG George Atcheson III, attached to Amphibious Group One, and selected members of the First Cavalry’s Division’s staff arrive in Pohang-dong from Tokyo. They gather intelligence during their two-day stay to assure a safe landing and to seek an area to deploy the cavalry. Also, the N.K. 6th Division, trailing the N.K. 3rd and 4th Divisions south after the seizure of Seoul, reacts to recent new orders from the N.K. Army headquarters. It departs the Ch’onan area, and advances toward the west coast from where it will thrust a sturdy spear into the side of Eighth Army. The N.K. Sixth Division, subsequent to shifting off the main highway, conceals its positions. U.S. intelligence is unable to discover its location for about two weeks. In the United States: President Truman authorizes the Marine Corps to expand to two wartime strength divisions. The corps had been drastically reduced following the close of World War II. Each division will consist of about 23,000 men. The chief of naval operations authorizes the activation of ships from the reserve fleet.

July 12 By this date, the Communists occupy about one-half of South Korea. Four U.S. battalions have withdrawn across the Kum River, which had been the primary line of defense above Taejon. As dawn arrives at Choch’iwon, the uneasy men of the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, are afforded little time to ponder the weather or gripe about terrible cold chow. They are disinterested in everything except survival. The 21st Regimental War Diary notes that four tanks join the 1st

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U.S. Marines (1st Provisional Brigade) board an attack transport in San Diego. A convoy transporting the Marines to Korea embarks on 12 July. Battalion at 0730, but the unit is unspecified. In conjunction, the War Diary of the 24th Division notes that Company A, 71st Heavy Tank Battalion (1st Cavalry), arrives at Taejon on this day. It deploys at the airstrip, with orders to execute reconnaissance missions “south of the Kum River between Kongju and Taepyong-ni.” The unit’s eighteen tanks are assigned to the 24th Division. Meanwhile, the North Korean 3rd Division, which passes the N.K. 4th Division, will spring the attack. The 4th Division will retrace its steps from Chonui and plunge down the Konju Road to chase the retreating 34th Regiment. A quick glance from the positions of C Company, 21st Regiment, detects an enemy patrol while it probes near the perimeter. Additional and heavier concentrations of enemy forces are then discovered by others who sight hostile troops operating on both flanks of the battalion. Soon after, at 0930, enemy artillery commences a hefty bombardment. Sheets of enemy artillery shells, synchronized with a powerful attack by a battalion strength unit, pound the American positions. The infantry contingent, composed of about 2,000 troops, propels a crushing blow into the fragile left flank. Colonel Stephens, aware that his force is primarily com-

posed of green and untried replacements, attempts to repel the attack, but again lacking air cover, sufficient men and weapons, the battle is futile. By noon, for the third day in a row, nearly dubbing the hour as the witching hour, overpowering enemy force is again able to execute envelopment tactics destined to wipe out an American force. General Dean receives another message in a long string of grim reports. Stephens enunciates the desperation of the regiment in his report: “Am surrounded. 1st battalion left giving way. Having nothing left to establish intermediate delaying position am forced to withdraw to river line. I have issued instructions to withdraw.” Colonel Smith, having become accustomed to extricating his survivors from the North Korean hordes since the disaster at Osan on the 5th, again exudes confidence to retain the discipline and morale of his strained troops (1st Battalion). Enemy pressure continues to press forward as the withdrawal is initiated. The embattled infantry companies begin their move to the rear one company at a time in an effort to reach the trucks. All the while, artillery shells ring the area; one barrage strikes against the regimental command post on the fringe of Choch’iwon. Nonetheless, the mandated retreat to more tenable positions on the south

July 12, 1950

82

Top: During the night of the 12th-13th, engineers blow the bridges across the Kum River at Konju and Taep’yong-ni. Bottom: A view of the bridge across the Kum River at Konju and Taep’yong-ni after the smoke clears.

83 bank of the Kum River, under the circumstances, is totally organized. The 1st Battalion redeploys by about 1550 near a highway bridge which spans the river at Taep’yong-ni. All units reach the new defensive line by about 1600, although some isolated small groups are still filtering into the lines at 2100. The prognosis for the regiment is hazy at best. About 325 men, including able and walking wounded troops of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, persist in defying the odds by remaining at another soon to be besieged post to buy more precious time while the South Korean troops continue to flee. While the ROKs abscond, 64 men of the 3rd Battalion and about 261 troops of the 1st Battalion attempt to hold. These survivors of 21st Regiment have fought a valiant three-day delaying action between Chonui and Choch’iwon against two crack North Korean divisions. While the massive enemy blows are being launched against the 21st Regiment, the 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, holds positions on the Konju Road to protect the regiment’s retreat. Engagements are fought at the road against elements of the N.K. 4th Division, which had diverted from the main road and taken the right fork to drive toward Kongju. The survivors of the 34th Regiment and the 63rd Field Artillery Battalion ford the Kum River with the final contingents of infantry and Colonel Ayres, 1st Battalion commander. The crossing is completed by dusk. Orders from General Dean are delivered to Colonel Ayres, who is directed to maintain a small outpost on the north bank of the river, then “blow the main bridge, only when the enemy starts to cross.” In conjunction, Colonel Wadlington directs Company L to hold the bridge and secure the area for 600 yards to the front. During the night of the 12th–13th, engineers blow the bridges across the Kum River at Konju and Taep’yong-ni. The railroad span at Sinch’on will be blown on the 15th. During this same period, the 24th Reconnaissance Company guts all flat-bottomed boats it can locate for a distance that stretches 16 miles below Konju. In concert, General Menoher, assistant commander, 24th Division, orders identical action to be taken against all similar boats between Konju and the railroad station east of the town along the arc of the river. With the ongoing thrashing of the 24th Division, General Walker requests immediate help. He instructs his chief of staff, Colonel Landrum, to contact General Almond in Tokyo in an attempt to get the two battalions in Okinawa. On the following day, General MacArthur instructs the Okinawa Command to embark the particular battalions to Korea. In other activity, the 19th Regiment reaches the south bank of the Kum River. It relieves the 21st Infantry on the following day. Central Mountain area: The N. K. 12th Division (previously 7th Division) drives through the eastern (second) mountain corridor closing from north of Tanyang. It encroaches the S.K. 8th Division, which has just withdrawn from its east coast positions to es-

July 12, 1950 tablish a new line. Advance contingents of the N.K. 12th Division cross the Han River. Earlier, the S.K 8th Division, upon hitting the stiff resistance, failed to break through, prompting the unit to take a prolonged circuitous route to its designated area. In addition, the N.K. 15th Division (advancing through the first mountain corridor), which had followed the 7th Division to Wonju, departs there. It heads west through Yoju, then it pivots southward where it had previously engaged South Korean troops at Changhowon-ni. On this day the division moves into Koesan, about 18 miles northwest of Mun’gyong. Meanwhile, the 1st N.K. Division (moving through the 1st mountain corridor), which had diverted from its northwest advance, moves south from Ch’ungju and butts against contingents of the S.K. 6th Division just north of Mun’gyong. Vicious battles continue to ensue between these opponents for domination of the Mun’gyong pass and plateau. General Dean orders General Kean, commanding officer, 25th Division, to deploy his force where it can halt the enemy advance below Ch’ungju; however, Kean is to keep one battalion at Yonil Airfield to defend it. General Kean is also to mandate one regiment (24th) to remain at Kumch’on in reserve, poised to speed to Taejon or Ch’ungju, whichever requires the support first. Eastern Coastal area: Heavy fighting continues near P’yonghae-ri, as the S.K. 23rd Regiment continues to engage the N.K. 5th Division. On or about the following day, North Korean troops seize P’yonghae-ri and prepare to move against Yongdok. Subsequent to entering the town, the 10th Regiment, 5th N.K. Division will peel off and head west into the mountains to seize Chinbo. From there, the 10th Regiment will be poised to strike Yongdok from the rear, thus setting the stage for the imminent and first major combat on the east coast. In other activity, the 24th Regiment, 25th Division, arrives in Pusan. On the following day, the 35th Regiment, 25th Division, begins coming ashore at Pusan. By the 15th, the entire division is ashore. General Kean establishes his command post at Yongch’on, about halfway between Taegu and Pohangdong. In Air Force Activity, the 92nd Bomber Group launches its initial mission from its airbase in Japan to strike enemy marshaling yards at enemy-held Seoul. Communist fighter planes are able to down two of the bombers, one B-29 and one B-26, and one other craft, an L-4. The losses provide the enemy with their first victory in the skies. — In the United States: On the West Coast, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade begins boarding ships that will transport them to Korea via Japan; it will be the final publicized embarkation of troops for the duration of the war in Korea. Between today and the 14th, Task Group 53.7 embarks San Diego for Korea; it travels under strict radio silence. The vessels transporting the ground troops are the LSDs USS Fort Marion, USS Gunston Hall, the

July 13, 1950 AKAs USS Alshain and Whiteside and the APAs USS Clymer, USS Henrico and USS Pickaway. The vessels Fort Marion and Gunston Hall (designated Task Unit 53.7.3) also depart today. Marine Aircraft Group 33 is ordered to embark on the transports USS Acherenar, Anderson and the carrier USS Badoeng Strait. Due to the chronic shortage of ships, the Marine Brigade departs lacking about one-third of its motor transport. In other activity, Lt. Colonel Welborn G. Dolvin, USA, receives verbal orders that he is to depart for Korea to command the 89th Medium Tank Battalion, which is hurriedly being established. Dolvin and more than 150 troops of the 2nd Armored Division embark for Japan from the West Coast on the 17th. — In Japan: At Yokohama, elements of the 1st Cavalry Division begin boarding ships, but the initial strategy to launch an amphibious landing at Inchon has been scrapped because of the ongoing fast-paced enemy advance. It has already swept south of the Han River, bulldozing the U.S. 24th Division as it advanced. The cavalry continues the boarding process until the 14th. On the 15th, the command ship (Task Force 90) USS Mount McKinley and the remaining vessels embark for the east coast of Korea. In other activity, Admiral Ruble is temporarily appointed commander, Naval Air Japan. Ruble will be responsible for providing logistical support to all naval aircraft and every Marine air squadron in the Korean Theater. Four Military Air Transport Service planes, transporting 58 3.5-inch rocket launchers (bazookas) and shaped charges arrive in Japan from the United States to the jubilation of the military, which remains in dire need of the latest weapon designed to destroy enemy tanks.

July 13 Lt. General Walton H. Walker, commanding officer, Eighth Army, assumes control of all ground forces in Korea effective 0001. He establishes headquarters in Taegu. In conjunction, the ROK transfers its headquarters from Taejon to Taegu. To Walker’s dismay, he has too few troops and he lacks the necessary equipment to stop the North Korean hordes at the steps of Taejon. The beleaguered 24th Division will be forced to retreat further. General Walker immediately initiates priority tactical objectives. The 24th Division, stretched along the south bank of the Kum River, must defend the Kongju-Taejon vicinity and hold the line there. The 25th Division is ordered to bolster the South Koreans’ effort in the central mountains. The 25th is also directed to deploy contingents to defend Yonil Airfield and the port town of Pohang-dong. At the 24th Division line along the Kum River, intelligence has placed the opposition at about two enemy divisions, supported by about 50 tanks. The advancing ground force is composed of contingents of the N.K. 3rd and 4th Divisions. Each division moves to envelop Taejon. The 24th Division, scattered along the south bank of the Kum River, is expected to halt the advance. The

84 34th and 19th Regiments form a shallow crescent on the left and right respectively and to the far left, the 24th Reconnaissance Company is deployed in several groups to guard the key river crossings below Konju. Also, the 21st Regiment, subsequent to being relieved by the 19th Regiment, deploys defensively in reserve southeast of Taejon. The battered 24th Division, composed of about only 7,400 troops, including artillery personnel, holds the perimeter. At 0440, the steel-supported bridge in the forefront of Kongju is blown, which forms a moat that separates the 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, from the enemy. Slightly after daybreak, a squad of North Koreans establishes a machine gun position on the opposing bank. During the early afternoon, the enemy machine gun positions initiate sporadic firing. The in-place communications of the endangered regiment remains consistent; it is less than poor, and again, the only sure way to transmit information is by messenger. The regiment’s 3rd Battalion, supported by the 63rd Field Artillery Battalion, holds staggered positions on the high ground overlooking the Kongju-Nonsan Road. The enemy launches no major attacks during this day prior to dusk, but still, the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Wadlington, incurs severe problems as its S-2 and S-3 officers come down with battle fatigue. Both officers are evacuated. Later, after dark, K Company, composed of about 40 men, is rendered unsuitable for combat due to mental and physical ailments. It is evacuated to Taejon for further disposition. Subsequent to the non-battle loss of K Company, responsibility for holding the Kum River line to the front of Kongju is relegated to two weakened rifle units, Company I and Company L, on the right and left respectively. No friendly troops are deployed to their left and there is about a two-mile gap between them and the 19th Regiment to their right. In other activity, the 35th Regiment, 25th Division, commanded by Colonel Henry G. Fisher, begins to arrive in Korea. Some contingents debark at Pusan during the next several days. Also, the 27th Division, at Uisong, is directed by Eighth Army to move out and redeploy at Andong. It is to form a defensive line behind the defending South Korean troops. Also, the N.K. 6th Division, which has been moving inconspicuously toward the west coast, pivots at Yesan, then moves south across the lower Kum River in two separate columns against Kunsan. East Coast sector: At Yongdok, Colonel Rollins Emmerich’s unit (KMAG), attached to the S.K. 3rd Division, dispatches a detonation plan to Eighth Army. It specifies the details for blowing the bridges and the coastal road at Yongdok. In contrast, the enemy has plans to demolish a strategic bridge near An’gang’ni (between Taegu and Pohang-dong) and the plan incorporates the detonation of both ends of the Ch’ongdo railroad tunnel (between Taegu and Pusan). These combined actions would clearly devastate the supply

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July 13 , 1950

U.S. troops en route to positions in the hills south of the Kum River. routes of the U.S.–South Korean front-line troops. Two platoons of ROK troops and two U.S. officers rush to the tunnel to forestall its destruction. In other activity, General Church and his staff (ADCOM) are instructed by Tokyo to return to Japan; however, communication and intelligence personnel remain with Eighth Army while their services are still required. Also, the small reconnaissance team departs Pohang-dong for Japan, having successfully concluded that it contains a suitable landing site for the 1st Cavalry Division. In its favor is a one-track railway line that stretches west into Taegu, and from there it leads northwest into Taejon. The cavalry will have access to quick movement by rail of combat troops into the battle zone (Central front). In Air Force activity, Wonsan, a key port city along the east coast of North Korea, is the first recipient of a heavy strategic bombing mission by the Far East Air Force. The city is also a strategic communication center that acts as a conduit during the initial portion of the war. The bulk of equipment supplied to the North Koreans by the Russians moves through the city. The port there is linked by train with Vladivostok, Siberia. In other activity, Air Force planes attached to the 92nd Bombardment Group at Yokota, Japan, and the 22nd Bombardment Group at Kadena, Okinawa, drop 400 tons of bombs on Wonsan. — In the Pacific Ocean: The USS Fort Marion, one of the two advance vessels that departed California on the previous day, suffers an accident. The vessel, which is transporting Company A, 1st Marine Tank Battal-

ion, and the 1st Marine Amphibious Tractor Company, is beset by an accidental flooding of the deck well, which causes five feet of water to rise amidst the new Pershing M-26 tanks. Fourteen tanks are damaged before the pumps can flush out the water. The accidental flood also destroys 300 90-mm projectiles (already in short supply) and 5,000 rounds of .30-caliber ammunition. Urgent dispatches are sent back to Marine headquarters to inform staff of the brigade’s misfortune. Quick action is taken. Captain English, commanding officer, Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, is reassured that replacement tanks would be requisitioned at once and forwarded as soon as possible. English is ordered to discard the damaged ammunition. In the meantime, while preparations are being made to transport the new armor, it is determined that twelve of the tanks can be repaired at sea. The remaining two tanks, with the acquisition of parts, can be fixed upon arrival at Japan. The Marines consider the tanks paramount for their anticipated success against the menacing Russian T-34 tanks. The replacement ammunition is loaded aboard one of the other vessels in the main convoy and four additional tanks are to be included in the first resupply convoy. — In Japan: General MacArthur orders General Stratemeyer to commit the Far East Air Force’s B-26s and B-29s in a copious effort to halt the North Korean advance. In other activity, Generals Joseph Collins and Hoyt Vandenberg arrive in Tokyo to confer with General

July 13, 1950

86

Top: A group of U.S. infantry makes use of a captured North Korean jeep. Bottom: U.S. troops examine a captured armored car. MacArthur and other general officers, including Generals Walker and Almond, and Admiral Radford, commander, Pacific Fleet. MacArthur presses for maximum support to defeat the North Koreans, but the JCS mirror the opinions of the Truman Administration and it becomes apparent that no blank check is being drawn.

Subsequent to the meeting in Tokyo, General Collins and General Vandenberg travel by air with General Walker to Taegu, Korea, to confer with General Dean regarding the deteriorating situation in his 25th Division zone. Collins and Vandenberg return to Japan after the meeting.

87

July 14 The sober darkness combines with another nasty rainfall along the entire U.S. perimeter at the Kum River Line. These conditions temporarily eclipse the approach of the enemy, but soon after dawn, the grumble of rolling tanks echoes across the river. At about 0600, Company I, 34th Regiment, feels the sting of hostile fire. Shells, probably attributed to tank fire, pound its area, while other synchronized fire is hurled toward the positions of L Company. However, the shells near L Company explode prematurely and high in the sky, inflicting no damage. Subsequent to the enemy barrage, L Company scouts discover an enemy contingent composed of about thirty men that are crossing the Kum River about two miles below their positions. Within a couple of hours, about 500 North Koreans ford the river to threaten the south bank positions of the American force. A liaison plane attached to the 63rd Field Artillery Battalion is sent aloft. It, too, spots enemy movement, which apparently is the same two barges spotted by L Company. Although the information is dispatched to an artillery unit, a decision is made to permit the barges free passage in hopes of catching more lucrative targets. East of Kongju, one platoon of the 11th Field Artillery Battalion commences firing at the advancing enemy ground troops. At about the same time, enemy fighter planes appear and chase the liaison plane. The artillery fire then ceases. In conjunction, a third battery is attached to the 11th Field Artillery Battalion to become the first artillery battalion in Korea to contain a full complement of three batteries. Meanwhile, the North Koreans continue to thump Company L (34th Regiment, 3rd Battalion), with effective artillery and mortar fire. Lieutenant Stith, commander, Company L, attempts to locate his supporting mortar and machine gun units, but the effort is futile. Stith, convinced his company’s positions are untenable, orders a pull-back without requesting permission. Company L abandons its positions in the heights above the south bank of the Kum River. Lieutenant Stith then moves to locate 3rd Battalion headquarters. After a sustained effort, Stith encounters headquarters outside of Nonsan. When the battalion commander is informed of the withdrawal of Company L, Lt. Stith is immediately relieved of command and informed by the battalion commander (Major Lantron) that he might be receiving a court martial. Colonel Wadlington had been ordered to move his 34th Regiment south to the vicinity of Nonsan, but later, during the afternoon, General Dean orders Wadlington to pull the 34th Regiment from the Kum River Line before daylight on the 15th. The withdrawal begins, pursuant to orders, at 0100. In the meantime, the North Koreans have begun fording the Kum River. They intentionally bypass the two rifle companies (prior to retreat of L Company) and quietly drive toward the rear artillery positions. Seemingly, the North Koreans have complete knowledge of the location of the 63rd Field Artillery Battalion,

July 14, 1950 commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Dawson, which is deployed about three miles south of the Kum River outside of Samyo. Due to poor communications, the U.S. artillerymen are unaware of the withdrawal of Company L, but some communications have been active between the artillerymen and the 34th Regimental Headquarters. Following another dreary night of rain, the weather had brightened during daylight. At about 1330, a forward position of the artillery discovers an approaching enemy force and instantly reports the activity. Orders arrive directing the men “not to fire unless fired upon.” The hesitation is deadly. The troops manning the machine gun position are quickly overrun, and the North Koreans use the captured gun to slice into the ranks of Headquarters Battery. In concert, enemy mortar fire hits Headquarters Battery with pinpoint accuracy, which verifies that enemy intelligence had advance knowledge of the location of the guns. Decimating fire crushes the command post and inflicts injuries to medical personnel. The barrage simultaneously bludgeons the communications truck, which severs radio communications. The startling attack also strikes an ammunition truck, which adds to the dilemma of Headquarters Battery. As the enemy closes the noose tighter, a ring of fire whacks the Fire Direction Center, making escape from the building extremely dangerous. Both doors, front and rear, are plastered viciously. Nonetheless, the troops inside escape and make their way to the positions of Battery B, which has not yet come under attack. During this hasty retreat, Major William E. Dressler (battalion commander), who had replaced Lt. Colonel Dawson (evacuated due to illness) on the 13th, and Corporal Edward L. McCall are not among the escapees. About two and one-half years later, American troops discover their bodies in a single foxhole. While this vicious attack is underway, Battery A also faces a ground assault, which appears to be synchronized with the attack against Headquarters Battery. The defenders of Battery A hold a fragile line about 250 yards north of Headquarters Battery. They come under assault when a contingent of about 100 screaming North Koreans (16th Regiment) sprints from a hill located west of the outpost. The artillerymen pound the attackers with small arms fire and halt the attack. The enemy troops charge back up the hill, but the reprieve is short lasting. The enemy had only changed direction, and soon after, they charge down yet another hill and reach the road. Battery A comes under fire from a range of about 150 yards. Supporting mortar fire also blasts Battery A, and causes the majority of the men to abandon their positions. The evacuation again leaves a few Americans remaining under horrendous fire while they attempt to halt the horde of attackers. One man, Corporal Lawrence A. Ray, supported by several other steadfast soldiers, pours fire into the enemy. Lawrence becomes twice wounded while overtaxing his BAR. While some Americans stand rigidly under fire, the

July 14, 1950 others head for safer quarters. Lawrence, still firing his weapon, is struck by a mortar fragment that knocks him into temporary unconsciousness. When he wakes up, his options are few. He struggles to a nearby ditch and stumbles into fifteen men of his unit, all of whom are weaponless. Corporal Lawrence and the others in the ditch escape south, but unfortunately, many who stood and fought are lost. Along the line of retreat they locate the body of Captain Lundel M. Sutherland, Battery A commander. Meanwhile, with the destruction of Headquarters Battery and Battery A, which loses its five operational guns, another powerful thrust is unfolding against Battery B. Again, the enemy, about 400 strong, has emerged behind the battery lines from where they deploy machine guns. At about 1415, a wild and confusing exchange occurs as the North Korean guns rake the area. Two U.S. machine guns, positioned outside the defense area but now within enemy lines, answer the fire. Enemy mortar shells join the battle pounding Battery B, which loses a communications jeep and two 105mm howitzers. Suddenly, a contingent of South Korean cavalry gallops past Battery B and charges toward the North Koreans, but the action fails to halt the enemy fire. The results of the charge go unknown due the confusion of the day’s events. By 1500, orders are issued to move back, but the road is permeated with enemy fire, which compels the artillerymen to desert their guns, but before abandoning the weapons, the firing locks and sights are removed to render the guns useless. This thunderous assault lasts less than two hours, but the 63rd Artillery Battalion loses ten 105-mm howitzers, about 60 to 80 vehicles and much of their ammunition. The survivors make their way back to Service Headquarters, the sole unit to escape attack. As word spreads about the disastrous encounter, Service Battery prepares to retreat. A few straggling survivors hitch rides in their trucks for the fifteen-mile trip south to Nonsan. Others file into Nonsan during the night and into the following day. A total of 125 enlisted men and 11 officers are reported missing in action subsequent to the deadly encounter. At about 1500, word of the fate of the artillery battalion reaches Colonel Wadlington, acting regimental commander, 34th Infantry, at his headquarters. Acting on previous orders from General Dean, Wadlington orders the 1st Battalion under Colonel Ayres to execute an attack to extricate the besieged battalion. Then it is to push the enemy west to forestall an attack against Taejon. Slightly after 1700, the 1st Battalion advances on an uneventful three-mile march. Suddenly, machine gun fire rakes their ranks as they approach the previously held artillery positions. Carbine fire joins the machine guns and the advance stalls. As dusk settles over the area, the 1st Battalion, ordered to retire if the mission could not be completed by darkness, returns to Nonsan. The Communists, having successfully forged the Kum River, drive toward Taejon. The shallow river per-

88 mits the tanks to easily cross. The swiftness of the advance nearly totally envelops the 24th Division’s positions at Taejon, a strategic town that contains a primary communications center. Taejon also stands at the point of a highway that winds through the mountain passes toward Pusan. The city also contains a double track railroad line that follows a parallel route to the harbor at Pusan. With this latest enemy success, the 19th Regiment, with its left flank now naked, stands against the enemy. In conjunction, I Company, 34th Infantry, had come under shelling attacks during the day, but no enemy ground attacks are launched. However, the unit becomes isolated. At about 2130, Lieutenant Hicks moves Company I over the mountains east and southeast of Kongju to rejoin its parent 34th Regiment. Before daybreak on the following day, the threatened 34th Regiment redeploys slightly east of Nonsan and braces for an attack. General Dean orders Colonel Stephens to prepare the 21st Regiment, poised east of Taejon, to move to support the 34th Regiment. Back in the 19th Regimental area, eight miles north of Taejon, the regiment, commanded by Colonel Meloy, extends from its positions east of the railroad. The perimeter follows the serpentine river line west and halts about three miles outside of Kongju. The irregular river line zig-zags, forcing the two battalion units to defend about 30 land miles. The primary defensive line is concentrated along the Seoul-Pusan Road, where it crosses the Kum River (200–300 yards wide) at Taep’yong-ni. First Battalion headquarters (Lt. Col. Otho T. Winstead) is located in the village of Palsan, about two miles south of the Kum. Company E, 1st Battalion, is deployed on the high ground overlooking the Kum River railroad crossing at Sinch’on. The railroad crossing is actually in the area of ROK responsibility. Heading west from this high ground, there is about a two-mile gap that separates Company E, 1st Battalion, from Company C; the latter is deployed about three miles east of Taep’yong-ni along three northern finger ridges of Hill 200. Another gap (1,000 yards) in the line exists between C Company and Company A, which is strung out along the Kum, downstream and to the rear of a huge dike west of the highway. Joining Company A at the dike is a platoon of Company B, 1st Battalion, but the remainder of the company is sprinkled along the high ground, which nudges down toward the river. Responsibility for the regiment continues west for another five air-miles, but there simply are not sufficient troops to adequately handle the task. A small outpost, about two miles west, is manned by one platoon of Company G, 2nd Battalion, but there are few other defenses. The final three miles of the regimental perimeter are held by about 70 men of the I&R Platoon, an artillery battery, and one platoon of engineers. The 2nd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Thomas McGrail, with two of its rifle companies, is held in reserve behind the 1st Battalion. The 1st Battalion is bolstered by two batteries of the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, com-

89 manded by Lt. Colonel Miller Perry. These guns are deployed at Tumanni, three miles south of the river. Four other batteries are deployed farther south to augment the 19th Regiment. Two pieces are from the 11th Field Artillery Battalion and two are from the 13th Field Artillery Battalion (commanded by Lt. Colonel Charles W. Stratton). Enemy fire begins to strike the 19th Regiment at 1300. Despite air strikes during the day, the enemy remains well positioned, opposite the 19th Infantry, and it is poised to make a solid assault. However, the line holds throughout the day and no major crossings to the south bank occur. And those of lesser strength are repulsed. The news is not necessarily good, as information filters into headquarters concerning the defeat of the 34th Regiment at Konju. This distressing information seems to coincide with the disintegration of the left flank. The imperiled 19th Regiment prepares for the worst. Apparently, there is much misunderstanding among units. Although the rumors are widely spread that the 34th Regiment collapsed, according to the 24th Infantry War Diary, a collapse of the 34th Regiment did not occur. The diary (132400K July to 142400K July) states, “It is believed that this enemy force infiltrated across the Kum River to the west during the night and remained hidden in the hills until a force of 600 to 800 men, with plenty of mortars and machine guns, had assembled. The force then debouched from the hills and struck the 63rd FABn without warning. With most of its artillery lost and a large enemy force building up to even greater size to its rear, the 34th RCT was given permission to withdraw to the south under cover of darkness, commencing after midnight.” Central Mountain area: the N.K. 12th Division seizes a Han River crossing at Tanyang and afterwards, it institutes a fight to capture Tanyang Pass from the S.K. 8th Division. As the battles unfold, the S.K. 8th Division is compelled to abandon its positions. By the middle of July, the North Korean forces are breaching the Taebaek Mountain passes heading into the upper Naktong River Valley. East Coast area: the N.K. 5th Division, which had crossed the 38th Parallel on the 25th of June, has driven south over the mountains. It has moved without opposition and now encroaches Yongdok. As the enemy advances, the ROK forces begin to fold, offering little opposition. Two tunnels, two bridges and two passes, all located between Yonghae and Yongdok and each greatly needed by the enemy, are blown to slow their progress. Powerful surface guns of the U.S. Navy are committed. The huge ships move close, then blast the cliffs that overlook the coastal highway. The thunderous bombardment creates instant landslides that add more obstacles along the enemy’s path. At Yongdok, S.K. Brigadier General Lee Chu Sik, commanding general, 3rd ROK Division, proclaims that he wants to redeploy his forces south of Yongdok. He also intends to transfer his division command post to Pohang-dong, but Colonel Emmerich immediately nixes this idea. Emmerich forcefully contends that the

July 14, 1950 east coast road must be held at all costs. Although the S.K. 3rd Division is isolated from the remainder of the operational S.K. Army, replenishment of supplies and ammunition has continued by shuttling bulky fishing boats between there and Pusan. Also, it is anticipated that supplies soon will be rolling in from Pohang-dong on rail cars. The operation at Yongdok is also augmented by the South Koreans’ harsh methods of acquiring recruits and supply-bearers. The latter are used to lug immense loads (A-frames) on their backs to move supplies over the mountains. Within two days, elements of the N.K. 5th Division are poised to strike and seize Yongdok. In other activity, the South Korean Army activates its II Corps, composed of the S.K. 3rd, 6th and 8th Divisions and the 23rd Regiment; headquarters will be in Hamch’ang. The II Corps assumes responsibility for South Korean operations in the eastern mountain area and when possible, the coastal sector, defended by the S. K. 23rd Regiment. At Taegu, the South Korean Army establishes the 1st Replacement Training Center, which is to accept and train replacement troops within a ten-day schedule, passing 1,000 troops through each class. In Air Force activity, the 35th Fighter Interceptor Group (FIG) arrives at Pohang from Japan. The 35th becomes the initial U.S. Air Force fighter group to deploy in South Korea. It will operate from K-3, a recently completed airfield. Also, the 6132nd Tactical Air Control Squadron is activated at Taegu. Colonel Joseph D. Lee, USAF, is appointed commanding officer. The unit is to provide forward, ground-based air control for aircraft flying close-air missions in support of ground forces. In addition, a Fifth Air Force–Eighth Army Joint Operations Center is activated at Taegu. —In the United States: The final elements of the convoy assigned to transport the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to Korea depart San Diego. This is the final troop deployment from the United States to be publicized for the duration of the war in Korea. Ironically, it is also the first measurable contingent of U.S. troops to depart the States and enter combat in Korea. The Marine commandant, Clifton B. Cates, stands proudly near the docks, as he has done for the past three days, to bid farewell to his Marines. Although it is apparent to the commandant that the majority of the privates and PFCs are much too young to have served during World War II, it is equally obvious to his trained eye that the majority of the company commanders, platoon leaders and the NCOs are molded from the “old breed,” from Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian, Tarawa, Pelelieu, Iwo and Okinawa. The “old breed” that had battled the Japanese will ensure that the new breed upholds the traditions of the corps. General Cates snaps off a mighty salute as the troops pass. During the final send off, he speaks to his Marines: “You boys clean this thing up in a couple of months, or I’ll be over to see you.”

July 15, 1950 Soon after its departure, the transport USS Henrico becomes crippled. It is inflicted with a major mechanical malfunction while passing San Clemente Island. Temporarily, the vessel is rendered unfit to sail. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Landing Team, and the regimental commander, Lt. Colonel Murray, and his staff are aboard. Colonel Murray and his staff transfer to the USS Pickaway, but the 1st Battalion, comprising about one-third of the brigade’s combat troops, returns to port aboard the limping vessel. No other ships are available to transport the Marines. They are compelled to wait impatiently for the repairs to be completed. The Marines are confined to the vessel, except for some training on the docks, to prevent any possible security leaks. The unfortunate gutting of the U.S. Armed Forces, subsequent to the close of World War II, has become even more obvious. The Pickaway makes two attempts to embark, but on both occasions the vessel is forced to return for additional repairs. Finally, on its third attempt, the ship sails west, moving under the Golden Gate Bridge on its solo cruise toward Japan. In other activity, General Cates directs the activation of the First Replacement Draft (800 officers and enlisted men). Their departure is scheduled for August 10. This augments General Edward Craig’s mission in the event that the hostilities in Korea mandate a premature entrance of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. —In Japan: General MacArthur, recently appointed commander-in-chief of the United Nations Forces, is given a U.N. flag by U.S. Army chief of staff General J. Lawton Collins during a historic ceremony atop the Dai Ichi building. This is the first United Nations command. General headquarters convenes daily ( July through mid–September) to keep abreast of the Korean hostilities during these first perplexing months. Those who attend include Major General Willoughby (Intelligence G-2), Brigadier General H.E. Eastwood (Logistics), Brigadier General E.K. Wright (Operations) and representatives of the Air Force and Navy. Ambassador Sebald frequently attends these meetings. In other activity, at Yokohama, the 1st Cavalry Division begins its loading operations for the landing at Pohang-dong. The cavalry expects to arrive in time to forestall its loss to the enemy. Preparations during the previous week have been hectic, due to the acute shortage of amphibious shipping. Nevertheless, the U.S. Navy comes through with two AKAs, six LSUs, two MSTS transports and sixteen LSTs. In addition, LCMs and LCVPs are on hand. Also, Admiral Joy, the commander of Naval Forces Far East authorizes attacks against any unidentified submarines if the action is in self-defense or if it is evident that the unidentified vessel is preparing to take action against U.S. forces. In other activity, Fifth Air Force establishes an advance headquarters at Itazuke Air Force Base.

July 15

At 0600, the remnant 21st Regiment, 24th Division, departs the Taejon airstrip. It moves east to-

90 ward Okch’on to establish a defensive position in the heights to protect the rear of the 24th Division. General Dean has expressed concern that the North Koreans might romp through the South Korean lines east of Taejon, which also prompts him to redeploy the 21st Regiment. The total regimental strength, including a provisional group of 466 men, stands at about 1,100 troops. The 1st Battalion is composed of 517 men and the 3rd Battalion stands at a mere 132 troops. Upon completion of the eight-mile march, the 21st Regiment spreads out. Its command post remains in Okch’on. The line then extends to dominate the road that leads from the Kum River ferry to the Seoul-Pusan Highway. Also, a battery of the 11th Field Artillery Battalion accompanies the 21st Regiment. Engineers wire the nearby railroad and highway tunnels for demolition. Meanwhile, at about 0700 along the Kum River Line, the North Koreans begin to ford the river near the 19th Regiment’s far left positions. The I&R Platoon streams a steady flow of machine gun fire into the ranks and planes arrive to offer assistance. The combination turns the enemy back. However, farther down the river in the 34th Regimental sector, another enemy crossing takes place. Slight skirmishing occurs when the I&R Platoon probes to establish contact with the 34th Regiment. Most of the 19th Regiment’s reserve (about 65 percent) is pushed up to help support the deficient left flank. It, too, is thinly manned by only one machine gun platoon from G Company and a contingent of 81mm mortars attached to H Company. The left flank is further bolstered by two Quad-50s attached to the 26th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion and two light tanks. These reserve troops are commanded by Lt. Colonel Thomas McGrail, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment. Still in reserve is Company F. While General Dean continues to search for solutions to hold back the advancing enemy, the North Korean 3rd Division makes plans to launch a powerful thrust. Before the sun sets, an N.K. T-34 tank swings around a bend in the road on the opposite side of the river. Quick communication between a member of Company B and the company commander sounds the alarm, but during the conversation, eight more tanks are spotted. The tanks commence firing, but without accuracy. Two friendly planes arrive to assist the 3rd Platoon. Several tanks that had begun the barrage seek refuge in the woods. The sole tank that remains on the road is set afire by the aircraft. The planes remain overhead until dark, but after their departure, the North Koreans roll trucks crammed with troops up to the bank of the river. Soon after, new air strikes and formidable mortar and artillery barrages strike the enemy positions on the north flank of the river. Many of the huts are set afire, giving the black sky a crimson glow. The North Koreans attempt to cross in small groups and they sustain heavy casualties, but some troops make it to the south bank by swimming under cover fire afforded by their tanks. Farther up the Kum River, at Hill 200, Company C

91 repels the enemy three separate times, but friendly fire inadvertently knocks out two of its 60-mm mortars and cripples its other one. Corporal Tabor modifies a mortar, then while holding the tube in his hand, he cranks out over 300 rounds. This type of adamant resistance by the 19th Regiment forbids all crossing attempts. Undeterred, the enemy still prepares for a massive assault. East Coast area: The North Korean 5th Division continues prodding toward Yongdok. In Air Force activity, at Taegu, the 51st Fighter Squadron (Provisional) initiates its initial combat mission for F-51 Mustangs in Korea. In other activity, Fifth Air Force issues an operation order that assigns “Mosquito” call signs to airborne controllers using T-6 planes. The T-6 aircraft become known as Mosquito planes. — In the United States: General Shepherd instructs General Harry Liversedge, acting commanding general, 1st Marine Division, to increase the training and workday for the troops of the division. Coincidentally, General MacArthur places his second request for a warstrength Marine division for his plan to invade Inchon, Korea. In other activity, Generals Collins and Vandenberg arrive back in the States (14th Washington time) from the Far East; President Truman, the other JCS and Louis Johnson are brought up to date. — In Japan: A U.S. Army band gives the Navy a

July 15, 1950 proper send-off, enthusiastically playing “Anchors Aweigh” as the warships of Task Force 90, commanded by Rear Admiral Doyle, embark for Korea. Doyle is aboard the USS McKinley, which will transport the 1st Cavalry Division to Pohang-dong. Thanks to the postwar actions of Congress, the gutted Navy is unable to easily carry out the mission. Two previous military sea transportation vessels, the USS Oglethorpe (AKA-100) and the USS Titania, have been hurried to Yokosuka, Japan, to be altered for handling boat skids. Other urgently needed but unavailable equipment is quickly manufactured. Even with the zealous effort to outfit the fleet, there has been another and more desperate crisis. The U.S. Navy lacks sufficient personnel to man the ships and has been forced to commandeer personnel from the amphibious base at Coronado, California. The improvised fleet had been fabricated by reactivating six former Japanese LSUs to augment the AKAs, which have also been given a hurried transfusion and face-lift to ensure a method of landing the troops. The fleet departs to rendezvous with the Tractor Group, but it is still unclear whether General Hobart Gay’s 1st Cavalry will land unopposed. It reaches Pohang on the 18th. In conjunction, naval aircraft of Admiral John M. Hoskins’ Carrier Group are on call to provide air support if necessary. In other activity, the Far East Command notifies Major Tony Raibl (executive officer, 3rd Bn., 29th Infantry Regiment) that the regiment, based on Okinawa,

U.S. armorers load .50-caliber machine gun ammunition belts into the wing of an F-51 Mustang.

July 15, 1950

92

Top: A ground crew loads an F-51 Mustang with fragmentation bombs. Bottom: A U.S. Gun Motor Carriage (M15A1) moves to positions along the Kum River on July 15. It carries one 37-mm gun (M1A2) and two .50-caliber (M2 HB) flexible machine guns. should prepare for embarkment to Korea. Recent plans for the 29th Regiment included about six weeks of combat training, but the deteriorating situation in Korea scraps the preparation. The 29th Regiment, as is the case with most others in Korea, will be composed of just two battalions. Headquarters remains on Okinawa to form a base for another regiment, which will be formed to assume responsibility for the defense of the island. The 1st and 3rd Battalions, 29th Regiment, are

the first of the eleven infantry battalions initially requested by MacArthur to bolster the effort to turn back the Communists in Korea. In other activity, General MacArthur, in an effort to decrease the huge numbers of airlifts from Korea to Japan, suggests supplementing the effort by use of the Japanese railroads and sea ferries. MacArthur’s headquarters contacts Eighth Army, suggesting the implementation of daily ferry service. They originate in the

93 Hakata-Moji area of Japan and move to Pusan, fed by a conveyor belt of rails that funnel express trains from the Tokyo-Yokohama vicinity, which essentially is a modified version of the famed World War II Red Ball express. The first train will depart Yokohama on July 23.

July 16 (See also, BATTLE OF THE KUM RIVER, this entry.) In the Kum River area, the 24th Division sector, 21st Regimental zone, a message arrives at 0500 from Division G-3. It directs the 21st Regiment to dispatch one platoon of tanks from Company A, 71st Tank Battalion, to the positions of the 19th Regiment north of Taejon, but the tanks do not advance. In conjunction, the G-3 Periodic Operations Report Number 11, 24th Infantry Division notes that Company A, 71st Tank Battalion (1st Cavalry Division), is attached to the 19th Regiment. The report also stipulates that there is no change with Company A, 78th Tank Battalion (24th Division), on July 16; the 71st Bn. tanks bolster the 24th Division tanks. East Coast area: The North Koreans begin flooding into the area near Yongdok, but rather than offer serious opposition, the South Korean 23rd Regiment, which holds positions in front of the imperiled town, gives way and begins rushing south. The KMAG advisors become perplexed as they become aware that the critical situation that confronts them may become insurmountable. A message of inquiry from Eighth Army Headquarters is received by Colonel Emmerich, who dispatches a stark response, informing headquarters that about 75 percent of the S.K. 23rd Regiment has absconded, fleeing south. The message says: “Advisors threatening and shooting in the air trying to get them [23rd S.K. Regiment] assembled. Commanding general (lee chu sik) forming a straggler line. If straggler line is successful we may be able to reorganize and reestablish the line. If this fails I am afraid that the whole thing will develop in complete disintegration.” In other activity, thirty B-29s attached to Far East Air Force attack the enemy railroad yards at Seoul. During the raid the railroad bridge that spans the Han River, which has survived several previous air raids, is finally destroyed. Also, the 40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (35th Group), USAF, transfers from its base at Ashiya, Japan, to Yonil Airfield, located in the eastern corridor below the Naktong River. A contingent of U.S. planes detects a column of enemy armor in the vicinity of Choch’iwon and takes it under attack. One plane, flown by Lieutenant Donald B. Russell, is hit and severely damaged by antiaircraft fire during the first strafing run. His plane loses its left wing tip and the tip tank and his plane’s flaps also become damaged. Nevertheless, Russell, at great risk to his life, continues the attack and knocks out one tank with a rocket and on successive passes, he damages one other tank and destroys several vehicles. Afterwards, he nurses the plane back to the base and is compelled to make an emergency landing without flaps in total darkness. Russell receives a Silver Star for his tremendous heroism on this flight.

July 16, 1950 BATTLE OF THE KUM RIVER In the 19th Regiment, 24th Division sector along the Kum River, the enemy strikes early. During the predawn hours, at about 0300, a flash of brilliance bursts in the air as a flare is shot from a passing North Korean plane. This brief illumination signals the attack. The north bank of the Kum roars with violent sounds of artillery, and in cadence, swarms of North Koreans initiate the crossing using many methods, including rafting and swimming. The massive assault is met by blistering fire; however, again the Americans are too under-strength and their communications become confusing. As the 1st Battalion attempts to dilute enemy strength with return fire, signals get crossed. At the main crossing site, a contingent of the 11th Field Artillery Battalion pivots the guns toward the wrong location and the requested flares do not appear. The mistake is deadly. The 1st Battalion’s 1st Platoon, C Company, commanded by Lt. Thomas Maher, feels the first heavy thud. Enemy troops that have penetrated a large hole between C and E Companies at about 0400 initiate a furious attack. During the brutal combat, Lieutenant Maher is called by Lieutenant Henry McGill and asked to check on the situation; Maher responds: “We’re doing fine.” And then, in less than a minute, a shot from a burp gun slays Maher. It is the beginning of the end. C Company, which has thrown back several attacks during the night, is unable to repulse this fourth thrust. Their positions are quickly overrun, and only about thirteen men escape. They don’t retreat, but rather hold steady on the middle finger of Hill 200. Meanwhile, the North Koreans have begun to deeply pierce the lines to initiate envelopment of the 1st Battalion. They launch a series of attacks coordinated with heavy infiltration to the rear. Company B, deployed to the right, also comes under attack. An enemy force composed of 300 to 400 men has crossed the river prior to daybreak. By first light of day, additional separate groups, composed of about 30 men each, are spotted as they bolt across the river, wading through shoulderhigh water with their weapons extended over their heads. It becomes apparent to Captain Monroe Anderson that once across the river, most of the North Koreans, their uniforms adorned with bushes and shrubs, conceal themselves in the hills, while others bypass Company B. Soon after, North Koreans are crossing all along the regimental front, imperiling the entire line. By 0630, unyielding enemy pressure forces the 1st Battalion to begin pulling back. Artillery and mortar fire fails to break up the attack, and the expected air cover is absent. Colonel Winstead, 1st Battalion Commander, informs Colonel Meloy of his predicament. Winstead’s command post and the positions of the Heavy Mortar Company sustain severe fire, but the enemy surge jeopardizes the entire battalion. The Communists overrun a Company B platoon, which is deployed behind the dike. About 15 survivors of the decimated platoon make it to safety. In conjunction, a portion of Company A is also leveled as the North Koreans plow

July 16, 1950 through the rice paddies and advance to capture the heights at Kadong-ni. Colonels Meloy and Winstead attempt to mount a counterattack with their remaining force. One tank, one Quad-50 antiaircraft artillery half-trac and an array of troops that includes cooks and clerks mount a desperate but successful counterattack. By 0900 the Americans drive the enemy from the high ground at Kadongni. During the bloody struggle, the 1st Battalion Executive Officer, Major John Cook, the Battalion S1, Captain Alan Hackett and the Battalion S-3, Wayne B. Macomber, are killed. Despite the lack of air support, the 19th Regiment prevails; General Dean is informed that as he requested, it can retain its positions until dark. However, another unexpected entity enters the battlefield strategy. Although the 19th Regiment is confident it can hold the line, it becomes evident that Colonel Meloy has no troops to defend his infiltrated rear against the North Koreans who had earlier bypassed Company B and Company F at the Kum. By now, these Communists have established formidable roadblocks at a sharp turn along the primary road about three miles behind the lines near Tuman-Ni. Urgent calls are placed for the airstrikes that had been promised on the previous day. The enemy takes great advantage of the battered 19th Regiment. A small American force attempts to procure additional ammunition for the weary 1st Battalion, but it is halted by the obstacle. Lieutenant Robert Nash, leading the contingent, is instructed by Colonel Meloy to head back and direct Colonel McGrail to commit Company G and Company H, 2nd Battalion, to attack and demolish the roadblock. En route, enemy fire destroys Nash’s jeep. Undaunted, he eventually walks into the 13th Field Artillery Battalion positions, gets another jeep and then speeds to Sangwang-ni to give Colonel McGrail his new orders. While this unexpected setback is unraveling, additional enemy troops begin to pummel the 19th Regiment’s artillery, which increases the urgency of reinforcements. Horrendous stress pushes the beleaguered 1st Battalion to the brink of endurance. Colonel Perry, commanding officer of the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, peers westward from his command post that stands outside of Tuman-ni. He detects a prolonged line of enemy troops, clothed in white and about two miles distant in the mountains. These enemy troops scamper over one ridge, then disappear over another ridge to the south. Colonel Perry orders Battery A to commence firing on the moving column. Simultaneously, he informs the 13th Field Artillery Battalion, which is deployed below his positions, that North Koreans are encroaching his lines. Events begin to rapidly change. While the 13th Field Artillery Battalion prepares for the attack, a portion of the enemy force tails off and advances against Company B, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion. The morning lingers like a plague, and the necessary airpower and additional ammunition are unavailable. Since dawn,

94 only six friendly aircraft have sortied over the front. More urgent pleas for airstrikes go unanswered. However, one platoon of tanks (Company A, 71st Tank Battalion) is en route from the 21st Regiment’s positions to bolster the beleaguered 19th Regiment and the 52nd FABn. A furious exchange, beginning with American artillery fire, erupts between Company B, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion and the North Koreans. During the first enemy salvo, the battery commander and his first sergeant are both slain; and about five other top people are badly wounded. The executive officer, Lieutenant William Steele, assumes command. He continues to direct the fire while he regroups his command. In conjunction with this skirmish, another improvised group of soldiers that includes medical personnel is mobilized to initiate a counterattack in synchronization with artillery fire of Company B to crush the enemy’s flank. The combined effort succeeds and this enemy attack is thwarted. The North Koreans retire southward and head toward the hills. However, the situation continues to become more grave for the 19th Regiment. Its only escape route from the battlefield is blocked. As the hours pass, the enemy continues to fortify the roadblock and the nearby hills to gain domination of the entire area. In addition to the imperiled 19th Regiment, the positions of the 11th and 13th Field Artillery Battalions (both deployed farther south) are barraged from inaccurate long range small arms fire, signaling yet another alarm. The vehicles that had been halted at the roadblock are increasing in numbers. Colonel Meloy arrives there with Major Edward Logan (Regimental S-3), only to discover chaos and a definite lack of discipline. The Americans return fire, but the enemy positions remain concealed, causing the fire to be wasted. Meloy attempts to rally the men and initiate an attack to secure the hills, but he becomes wounded. Command of the Kum River Line is then assumed by Colonel Winstead (1st Battalion Commander). Time flashes by at a furious pace, and the battle-weary troops must contend with yet another enemy, the temperature, which surges to more than 100 degrees. By about 1300, General Dean is informed of the ongoing crisis, including the wounding of Colonel Meloy. Dean informs Major Logan that reinforcements will arrive to destroy the roadblock. However, Dean specifies that Logan must hold until about 1530, the estimated time of arrival of the fresh troops. Following the conversation between Dean and Logan, enemy fire destroys the communications vehicle, ceasing all communications. Soon after, Colonel Winstead directs Logan to form an assault group at the roadblock and attempt to reduce it. Logan is ordered to dispatch a messenger to establish contact with the advancing reinforcements. Colonel Winstead then begins to move back to the positions of the 1st Battalion at the river. By about 1330, he orders it to pull back. During his return to the Kum

95 River, Winstead is slain. The withdrawal is overtaxing, as the men of the 19th Regiment are not accustomed to the steep hills, the high humidity and the summer sun over Korea. Many of the men from Company C are reluctant to move from their foxholes on Hill 200 because of an ongoing ferocious enemy artillery attack that has the company pinned down. One soldier, Corporal Jack Arawaka, becomes seriously wounded when his machine gun blows up in his face, costing him most of his sight and all of his hearing. Arawaka, undaunted by his horrendous wounds, clasps a BAR and fiercely resists the enemy advance. Corporal Arawaka never leaves the hill. During the withdrawal, Company C discovers dead enemy soldiers scattered along a rice paddy ditch. The bodies are partially covered with water. One corpse still firmly clutches a grenade as Lt. Augustus Orr is passing. Suddenly, Orr spots an air bubble, then he sees the corpse open his eyes. Orr quickly liquidates the bornagain soldier. The Americans ensure that the rest of the North Koreans in the paddy are truly deceased, and then they resume their desperate journey. When Company C reaches the road, it encounters a contingent of enemy troops, but the Communists turn and head back toward the bridge rather than initiate a skirmish. Companies A and B, also heading south, are barely visible in the forward distance as C Company also moves south along the highway. Along the way, about six enemy machine guns, manned on the hill east of Palsan-ni, commence firing on Company C. The enfilade disrupts the disciplined withdrawal. The blistering fire stuns the unit and causes the troops to disperse haphazardly. The survivors break south, some forming small groups and others moving individually. The wounded have trouble escaping, but as usual brave corpsmen remain behind, rendering aid and sacrificing their own safety. Company B moves along the west side of the highway as it pulls back under the protection of F Company, but while providing this cover, Company F is struck at its left rear and left flank. In the meantime, the crisis at the roadblock heightens as more vehicles arrive to lengthen the line of stalled trucks. All the while, the enemy fire from the overlooking heights becomes more incessant. Some officers mount attacks to destroy the enemy positions containing automatic weapons, but all fail miserably. The two available light tanks at the roadblock are unable to locate the exact positions of the enemy guns because they are using smokeless powder. Nevertheless, the tanks commence fire in hopes of striking the concealed positions, but to no avail. While attempts are in progress to silence the guns in the high ground, four F-51s appear overhead. The planes pound the hill and create a new problem for the attacking American troops. During one of the assaults by a 50-man contingent, the leader, Lieutenant Lloyd Smith, and one other officer suddenly find themselves alone after advancing about three hundred feet. Lacking the remainder of the assault unit, the two officers move back down the hill toward their positions at the

July 16, 1950 roadblock. In the meantime, heavy enemy fire continues to pulverize the area near the U.S. vehicles. Most of the soldiers remain in the ditches to avoid being shot. As the dreadful day continues, other means of penetrating the roadblock continue, all scoring little success. Repeated attempts are made to move the crippled vehicles, but this only results in more casualties. Consequently, each time the vehicles begin to move, the enemy fire rains upon them. Supporting air strikes also fail to terminate the enemy machine gun fire. Orders go out to Company F, which has been held in reserve, to attack and break through the roadblock; however, its circumstances are also bleak since it is under siege and totally surrounded. By 1430, Major Logan places Captain Edgar Fenstermacher in command of the troops at the roadblock while he leads about twenty men east, then south to find a circuitous route around the blockage. After a harrowing two-hour trek, the contingent encounters the 13th Field Artillery Battalion, which has already begun moving farther south. Shortly thereafter, Major Logan confers with General Dean. Meanwhile, 2nd Lt. Robert Nash completes his eventful journey to Colonel McGrail’s command and from there, he speeds to Taejon airstrip to receive permission from General Menoher, assistant division commander, to commandeer vehicles to transport Companies G and H to support the 19th Regiment at the Kum River. During the swiftly changing events, General Dean instructs Major Logan to continue moving south to establish a new line of defense west of the Taejon airstrip and he also orders Colonel McGrail to lead the reinforcements to help stall the attacking North Koreans at the Kum. In the meantime, five jeeps, each containing wounded men that had breached the roadblock, race through the perimeter of the 13th Field Artillery. While running the gauntlet under sheets of fire, the wounded are each wounded again at least one time. The convoy, led by Lt. Colonel Homer Chandler, who sustains a leg wound, continues racing south, while Colonel McGrail moves forward with the relief force, bolstered by two light tanks and four antiaircraft vehicles, each crammed with troops. The advance is short-lived. After traveling about one mile, the reinforcements round a sharp curve that places the relief convoy about 300 to 400 yards from the final curve prior to reaching the roadblock. Without warning, enemy fire, seemingly from all directions, pounds the vehicles and inflicts a startling and crushing blow. The U.S. antiaircraft vehicles return fire to no avail. All four vehicles are destroyed. The majority of the infantry bolts from the vehicles to seek refuge in nearby ditches. The two surviving light tanks commence firing and blast the suspected enemy positions. By 1600, having expended all their ammunition, both tanks head south. The casualty rate becomes extremely high: personnel in the vehicles either wounded or killed stand at 90 percent. Back behind the roadblock, the entrapped survivors remain unaware of the rescue attempts. Undaunted,

July 16, 1950 they continue to search for a way to break through. Finally, at about 1800, amidst the burning debris, several officers decide to ram the barricade with a tank to get Colonel Meloy (wounded) to safety where he can receive medical help. Subsequent to four attempts, the charging tank plows the burning vehicles and other incinerated obstacles out of the center of the road to create sufficient space to break out. The roaring tank, trailed by about twenty trucks, darts through the enfilade just before another hurricane of enemy fire again forbids passage. During the hurried trip south, the tank that permitted the breakthrough stalls and it is transporting Colonel Meloy. All the other vehicles refuse to stop and give assistance. These retreating vehicles express no concern for their fellow troops nor their wounded commanding officer, nor the tankers that made the breakthrough possible. However, a contingent of Captain Michael Barszcz’s troops provide protection for Meloy and soon after, the 2nd Battalion gets him to safety. About one hour later, at 1900, the 500 entrapped men receive orders from Captain Fenstermacher to prepare to walk out. They are directed to head east subsequent to destroying all 100 vehicles. During this activity, Fenstermacher is slain when he sustains a shot in the neck. Not all the defending troops have regrouped at the roadblock; rather, many have scattered individually and in small groups, retreating east toward Taejon. Meanwhile, as the ambush of the relief force under McGrail is taking place, Company H is rushing to the scene. Company G, near Kongju, is still halted, awaiting transportation to the roadblock. At the same time, the I&R Platoon is diligently destroying the road at Kongju to create obstacles in the path of the expected enemy advance. Soon after, at Yusong, Company G, commanded by Capt. Barszcz, arrives and receives instructions from General Menoher to fall out and deploy on the river bank to resist some expected tanks, but this order is changed and G Company is directed to head for the roadblock. While rushing to the front, a retreating truck transporting a military policeman on the front fender causes a false alarm as the policeman screams, “Tanks! Tanks!” The truck keeps racing south, but Capt. Barszcz places his jeep across the road to block it, then he deploys his men to attack the tanks. However, the alarm had been false. After the unnecessary waste of time, Company G advances on foot and after a short walk, the unit encounters General Dean. He instructs Barszcz to advance and establish contact with the enemy, then launch an attack to demolish the roadblock. The advance continues, however, without results, just additional casualties. G Company reaches a point about two miles south of Tuman-ni and six miles north of Yusong, still about one-half mile from the enemy positions, when it comes under long range fire. The unit drives forward and ascends a hill to approach the enemy to their left. The troops reach the summit at sundown and establish fortified positions, but soon af-

96 terward orders reach them instructing them to withdraw. This withdrawal terminates the effort to break the roadblock and rescue the trapped contingents. While Company G pulls back toward Yusong, it comes upon the stalled tank, Colonel Meloy and some other wounded men. An officer returns with a vehicle. The wounded, including Meloy, who had been abandoned earlier by the others in their convoy, are sped to Yusong. As the enduring day comes to a close, the battered survivors cling to hope, but again the valiant efforts of the majority are shortchanged by the callous actions of a minority. About one hour before midnight, the final survivors at the roadblock are heading east toward the hills. The ascent is tough, and many of the wounded (about 30 men) are being carried on litters by able-bodied troops. During the climb many of the litter bearers vanish, abandoning the wounded. And those who reach the crest with the seriously wounded maintain that the injured can be carried no farther. Captain Linton J. Buttrey, medical officer, and the regimental chaplain, Herman G. Felhoelter, decide to remain with the wounded from this group. Chaplain Felhoelter then advises Captain Buttrey to escape as the two men realize that the enemy is extremely close to their defenseless positions. Buttrey departs and sustains a serious wound as he gets away. Soon after, the North Koreans pounce on the wounded men. Sergeant James W. Haskins, Headquarters Company, observes the slaughter though his binoculars. While the chaplain is praying over the wounded, the enemy massacres him and all of the wounded Americans. By the following day, survivors of the 19th Regiment begin to reach Taejon and Yusong. The grueling contest has cost the regiment heavily, but Companies G and E remain operable. Company E, deployed at the railroad bridge on the east flank, has not yet come under attack. Of the regiment’s 900 men at the beginning of the battle, only 434 are reported on the roster in Taejon on the 17th. Company C sustains 122 casualties out of 171 men. The Regimental Headquarters Company suffers 57 casualties out of a strength of 191 men. The 1st Battalion, composed of 785 men, sustains a 43 percent casualty rate (338 men). The 2nd Battalion sustains lesser casualties, 86 troops out of 777 men. Also, the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, composed of 393 men, sustains 53 casualties. The 19th Regiment in its entirety, including artillery components, suffers 19 percent casualties (650 men). During the afternoon of the 17th, following its devastating defeat, the 19th Regiment moves to Yongdong to be reequipped and await replacement troops. The North Korean 3rd Division had failed repeatedly to permanently penetrate the frontal positions of the 19th Regiment during the day, except for the positions of Company C on Hill 200; the defenders successfully repelled the attacks or drove them back by counterattack. Nonetheless, the enemy’s attack again over-

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Yongdong, located southeast of Taejon. U.S. contingents prepare for action against the enemy that controls the hills there. The town is abandoned on 26 July. whelmed the American units by penetration and envelopment, although no enemy tanks had been committed south of the Kum River during this engagement. By now, the N.K. 3rd and 4th Divisions have crossed the Kum River, and they are closing on Taejon. In conjunction, the N.K. 2nd Division, which had been hitting stiff ROK resistance, is unable to join the other divisions in time for the fight for Taejon. The Americans continue to withdraw to their next designated delaying positions, much closer to Taejon. Shortly after sunset, the 34th Regiment pulls back from its positions near Nonsan. It moves south about twenty miles, where it redeploys several miles west of Taejon with responsibility for the immediate area north and west of the city. However, the 34th Infantry, like the other two regiments of the 24th Division, has been seriously weakened and is able to muster only about one battalion to defend its perimeter. Responsibility for the area was to have been shared with the 19th Infantry, but the 19th is now rendered ineffective for battle. Colonel Charles Beauchamp arrives from Japan to

assume command of the 34th Regiment, replacing Colonel Martin (killed on July 8). Also, all 24th Division artillery units, except the 105-mm howitzers of the 11th Field Artillery Battalion, are merged into a composite battalion and ordered to spread out to defend the Taejon airfield. Colonel Meloy and Colonel Chandler both receive medical attention in a hospital. —In the United States: The Advance Echelon of the 1st Marine Air Wing departs the West Coast by air for Japan. Brigadier Generals Edward A. Craig, commanding officer, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and Thomas J. Cushman, his chief of staff, and several staff members are aboard the transport plane. The entourage stops at Pearl Harbor to confer with General Shepherd, USMC, and subsequently Admiral Radford, prior to pushing to the Far East. During the brief meetings in Hawaii, General Craig reiterates his sharp concerns about inadequate amounts of equipment and a crucial shortage of replacement troops for the Marine ranks, which already are dangerously thin. Following the conferences, the plane departs, arriving in Japan on the 19th.

July 17, 1950

July 17

General Walton H. Walker, subsequent to instructions from General MacArthur, assumes command of all Republic of Korea ground troops. South Korean President Syngman Rhee has requested this action, but there is nothing in writing to this effect. As the conflict progresses, U.N. command of ROK forces occasionally becomes a strained endeavor. Later in the day, General Walker is presented a United Nations flag from a representative of the U.N. The flag is hung at Eighth Army Headquarters. At Taejon, General Dean concentrates on trying to establish a solid line in front of the town. Dean and two other officers remain at Taejon, but the remainder of Headquarters, 24th Division, departs by rail to Yongdong. By mid-afternoon, the 34th Regiment is in place in front of Taejon, but the other two regiments expected to share responsibility are unavailable. Again, the defenses are implemented for the purpose of slowing the enemy, not halting the attack. The key to success depends on the arrival of sufficient numbers of reinforcements. In other activity, the 24th Division Operations Instructions No. 7 at Taejon (0900) dictates changes with attached tanks: “Company A, 71st Tank Battalion, 1st platoon relieved from attachment 19th RCT and reverts to company control.” It is attached to 21st Regiment. Also, the instructions order the 24th Division tanks, Company A, 78th Tank Battalion, to move to Yongdong by rail. East Coast area: the North Koreans easily seize Yongdok as the undisciplined S.K. 23rd Regiment collapses. Eighth Army, stunned by the lightning quick capture of the town, reacts immediately. The 159th Field Artillery Battalion, the first artillery unit brought into the area to support the South Koreans, initiates its mission during the afternoon by pounding enemy positions. In conjunction, the South Koreans regroup and prepare to mount a counterattack on the following day to regain the lost terrain. The contest for control of Yongdok bounces back and forth until finally on the 2nd of August, the South Koreans terminate the battle and gain control of the town. In other activity, forty-seven B-29s attack Hungnam along the northeast coast of North Korea; the primary target is the Chosin Nitrogen Plant there. A group of 3 B-29s accidentally bomb friendly civilians in Andong.

July 18

A shipment of 3,000 antitank mines arrives in Pusan from Japan; Japanese factories have been manufacturing these mines since the beginning of July to aid the U.N. cause. Also, the fleet transporting the 1st Cavalry Division arrives off Pohang-dong on the southeast coast of Korea at 0558. The flotilla moves without incident into Yongil Bay and the landing occurs without opposition. With the good news at hand, Admiral Doyle informs the Seventh Fleet planes that their services would not be required to cover the ground troops. Admiral Struble then orders the Seventh Fleet to proceed north into the Sea of Japan to implement the

98 air strikes that have been scheduled subsequent to covering the landing. Carrier based planes attack and devastate North Korean airfields, railroads, factories and an oil refinery at Wonsan. And, the planes strike targets at Hamhung, Hungnam and Numpyong. The raids continue into the following day. One naval plane is lost (on the 19th) during the missions. It is the initial naval plane that is lost during the conflict. Meanwhile, the fleet’s (CTF 90) signal is raised: “Land the Landing Force.” The administrative (Plan B — unopposed) landing gets a rousing approval from Commander Noel, Admiral Doyle’s planning officer, as the beaches are not considered suitable against opposition, and especially because now a sinister typhoon, dubbed “Helene,” is arriving. The first contingent of troops (8th Cavalry Regiment) debark slightly after 0600 and are greeted by Lt. General Walton H. Walker. At 0630, the smiling general welcomes the 5th Cavalry. Soon after, the landing is temporarily aborted, thanks to Helene (“Grace” in Marine records), the rampaging typhoon. The 7th Cavalry Regiment and the 82nd Field Artillery Battalion become temporary sailors, a tedious task for ground troops untrained for conquering seasickness. Despite the nasty storm, by midnight the LSTs unload about 60 percent of their cargoes; the Mount McKinley, Oglethorpe, Titania and the Union are totally unloaded. A total of 10,027 troops debark and 2,022 vehicles plus 2,729 tons of supplies are unloaded. The inclement weather also suspends the unloading of supplies at Pusan, which dangerously depletes Eighth Army’s rations. Meanwhile, back at Pohang-dong, trains stand ready to shuttle the cavalrymen north to the battle zone. Some armored units of the 1st Cavalry Division flow ashore within the first twenty-four hours. Before one week passes, they engage Communist forces on the Taegu-Pusan Highway. At Taejon, General Dean prepares to abandon the city on the following day. In conjunction, Colonel Stephens’ 21st Regiment is at Okch’on. Engineers with the regiment work east of Taejon, wiring the tunnels for demolition. However, General Walker, following a stop at General Gay’s positions at Pohang, arrives at Taejon Airstrip during the morning and plans change. By day’s end, evacuation plans are aborted. Walker, having acquired a detailed report of all available troops and of those reinforcements en route, decides to hold Taejon with the 24th Division and ROK troops, bolstered by the 1st Cavalry, which deploys around Okch’on and south of Taejon along the Kumsan Road. Walker’s strategy calls for halting the North Koreans between Taejon and Taegu. General Walker is convinced that if the North Koreans compel a withdrawal beyond the Naktong River, the U.S.–ROK troops can hold there until a bolstered Eighth Army can initiate an offensive. Ultimately, Dean is informed by General Walker that the 24th Division must hold Taejon for 48 hours. Consequently, this extends Dean’s plan by 24 hours. In accordance with Walker’s wishes, Dean readjusts his strategy. He goes to

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A U.S. Army contingent loads into a landing craft July 18 off Pohang-dong on the Korean east coast. the 24th Division command post at Yongdong and orders the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, to return from there to Taejon. In conjunction, Battery B, 13th Field Artillery Battalion, is directed to depart its positions at Okch’on and redeploy at the Taejon airstrip. Also, the Reconnaissance Company (attached to the division) at Kumsan is transferred to control of the 34th Regiment

to afford the regiment more immediate information concerning its southern flank. However on the 19th, the new regimental commander, Colonel Beauchamp, orders it to move to Taejon. When the reconnaissance company abandons Kumsan, the southern flank becomes defenseless and without eyes, giving the enemy great advantage.

July 18, 1950

100

Top: Landing craft head for the beach in vicinity of Pohang-dong. LSTs are on the left. Bottom: A U.S. infantry contingent (1st Cavalry Division) lands at Pohang-dong. General Dean, unaware of the movement of the Reconnaissance Company, confers with Colonel Stephens and informs him that the 21st Regiment should remain along the Taejon-Okch’on Road and in the hills northwest of Taejon, between it and Okch’on to keep the enemy from breaking through ROK lines. The 21st Infantry, however, is directed to dispatch frequent patrols

into Taejon. In conjunction, the combination of tanks, including the 24th Division’s Company A, 78th Tank Battalion, and those of the 1st Cavalry, Company A, 71st Tank Battalion, gives the 24th Division added strength; the latter includes six officers and 122 enlisted men. In other activity, the N.K. 2nd Division departs

101 Ch’ongju to hook up with the N.K. 3rd and 4th Divisions to bolster the attack to seize Taejon. The 2nd Division has sustained severe casualties along its march and is unable to reach the objective on time. In still other activity, General John H. Church is promoted to major general. East Coast area: Elements of the South Korean 3rd Division form to attack and regain Yongdok. U.S. planes converge over enemy positions at Yongdok at 0545 and deposit enormous amounts of menacing firepower on the North Koreans. This blow is followed by a huge barrage launched by the naval surface guns of the fleet. The enemy receives no interlude. At 0600, the light cruiser Juneau blasts two star shells into the sky to signal the attack. The South Koreans, their numbers swelled by reinforcements, race forward under the umbrella coverage of the massive naval guns. The exhaustive sprint carries them to positions from where their small-arms weapons become effective. Other naval guns, firing in concert with the ground troops’ support fire, pound the enemy’s rear. The combined thrust compels the North Koreans to evacuate and regroup about three miles north of the town. Although the South Koreans take the objective, it is lost again on the following day. Contingents of the N.K. 5th Division counterattack and push the South Koreans back out of the Yongdok. Determined to revenge their loss, the South Koreans open another attack on the 21st, which opens a new segment of the roller coaster ride for domination of the area. The bulk of the ground fighting is at close quarters, causing gruesome results. In the meantime, more warships arrive and the tenacity of the naval vessel’s surface guns accelerates in concert with the aircraft. The planes and naval vessels give a repeat performance over Yongdok and deliver an early wake-up call to the occupants. The destroyers USS Higbee, DeHaven, Mansfield, and Swenson and the HMS Belfast, a British cruiser, are offshore. The incessant barrage, when enjoined by artillery and mortar fire, peels the skin from the earth and ignites raging fires that torch the arid battle zone. Fierce combat propels the South Koreans back into the coveted town; however, the enemy, despite the enfilade of U.N. air and naval support, takes advantage of its own artillery support and retakes the lost ground by dusk. By day’s end, the entire area, including the hills, stands stark naked. The terrain stretching from Kanggu-dong through Yongdok and several miles beyond is denuded of vegetation. The landscape is cluttered with clusters of mangled corpses. Every tiny village in the vicinity has been decimated. Although the North Koreans recapture Yongdok, the naval armada remains offshore to keep them under check for a while. Aircraft continue to dominate the skies. From dawn to dusk, planes deliver a steady stream of ravaging fire to restrict the enemy’s movement. On occasion, contingents emerge from the burning rubble of Yongdok and attempt to maneuver through the mountains to circle

July 18, 1950 the ROK forces, but they become conspicuous targets and sustain heavy losses. Today, it is estimated that effective fire, initiating solely from the Juneau (according to observers), accounts for the deaths of about 400 North Korean troops. Several days later, on the 24th, according to information from captured prisoners, about 800 North Koreans are killed after getting snagged, immobilized and annihilated by the combined power of planes attacking from the west in synchronization with the naval surface guns that lambaste the grid area from the east. The struggle for control of the town decreases slightly while the N.K. 5th Division regroups and the South Koreans receive reinforcements. But several more fiercely contested battles occur. The reformed S.K. 22nd Regiment and contingents of the ROK Naval Combat Team arrive to bolster the assault force. Also, U.S. forces have been deployed to the rear of the S.K. 23rd Regiment, near Pohang-dong. On the 23rd, the U.S. 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, deployed behind the S.K. 23rd Regiment and restricted by orders to support the ROK forces with “fire only,” discovers a problem; the men of Company C, deployed on Hill 181 (Round Top), stare spellbound as the North Koreans and South Koreans badger each other on the southern fringes of Yongdok. The Americans must refrain from giving assistance. The directed passiveness pays no dividends as the North Koreans await darkness and surround Hill 181, but no enemy attack is mounted during the night. In another instance on the 23rd, an 81-mm mortar platoon attached to Company D becomes encircled by North Korean troops, but they are driven back. On the 24th, the S.K. 23rd Regiment again recaptures Yongdok; using a preconceived strategy it takes the objective, then pulls out to form a strong night perimeter. During the action, the U.S. 21st Regiment relieves the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, and takes responsibility for guarding the rear of the ROK forces at Yongdok. Later, the N.K. 5th Division moves into Yongdok and is greeted by more overpowering air strikes and naval surface vessel bombardments. Despite the gargantuan strikes that inflict heavy casualties, the enemy retains its tenacity. Nonetheless, the S.K. 3rd Division is determined to gain absolute victory, although initially the commanding general, Lee Chu Sik, had only reluctantly agreed to renew the attack. The big push, scheduled for July 27, commences on time. At 0830, the artillery in cadence with the navy’s long guns announces the attack and initiate a thunderous bombardment. Swarms of aircraft join the attack and enunciate the intentions of the South Koreans. The ROKs fearlessly attack and hammer the North Koreans. In turn, the Communists batter the South Koreans, dealing out equal punishment. The slugfest ensues nearly without pause. The fate of Yongdok is finally decided on the 2nd of August, when a victorious S.K. 3rd Division routs the enemy and chases them north. This victory culminates the first effective holding

July 19, 1950 action against the enemy since the outbreak of hostilities. Victory had been tilted to the South Koreans because of the tremendously effective methods and firepower of the aircraft and ships. Also, the terrain did not permit the Communists to unfold their usual envelopment tactics. West Coast area: The unopposed N.K. 6th Division continues to move south along the west coast; it encroaches Kunsan, which possesses a port. In Naval activity, seven planes (VF-51), led by Commander A.D. Pollock from the Valley Forge, take off during the morning and swoop up the northeast coast beyond Wonsan, where they locate an operable oil refinery that has survived three previous bombing raids. During the latter part of the afternoon (1700), twentyone aircraft are launched from the Valley Forge. Ten F4U Corsairs, equipped with two rockets each and ample supplies of 20-mm ammunition, led by Lt. Commander W.R. Pittman (VF-53), and eleven AD Skyraiders, each carrying two rockets (high velocity) and one 500 pound bomb, augmented by one 1,000 pound bomb, led by Lt. Commander N.D. Hodson (VA-55), execute the mission. The thunderous chain of explosions, columns of swirling flames and mountains of smoke attest to its success. The refinery is reduced to ruins, but when the planes are 60 miles away, returning to the Valley Forge, the smoke-filled sky remains in view. The Chosin Oil Refinery, capable of producing 1,700,000 barrels of oil a year, is rendered useless. Ironically, according to the Key West Agreement (1948), the Chosin Refinery should have come under “strategic warfare,” a target for the Air Force rather than the Navy. (See also East Coast area, this date.) — In the United States: Major General Oliver P. Smith, USMC, who had been commissioned a second lieutenant during World War I and later served in the Pacific during World War II, departs Washington, D.C., to assume command of the 1st Marine Division; Brigadier General Harry B. Liversedge is temporary commanding officer of the division. General Smith succeeds Major General Graves B. Erskine, who is assigned to the State Department for a secret mission in Southeast Asia. July 19–20 1950 THE BATTLE OF TAEJON At 0730, the North Koreans attack to topple the city, which is defended by about 4,000 men of the U.S. 24th Division. Six enemy planes strike the positions of the 21st Regiment. The airstrike damages a railroad slightly northwest of Okch’on, but before noon, engineers (3rd Platoon, Company B) repair it to permit resumption of two-way traffic. Taejon airstrip is also struck. During the attack, the planes drop statements that had been coerced from several captured American officers and three noncommissioned officers. Outside of Taejon, near Yusong, at least two enemy Yaks are blown from the sky by troops of Battery A, 26th Antiaircraft Battalion. The ground attack is launched by elements of the N.K. 4th Divi-

102 sion. Its 16th and 18th Regiments, lacking both tanks and artillery, drive from the south and west. The stunning maneuver envelops the city and simultaneously permits the North Koreans to erect a formidable roadblock east of Taejon, along the Okch’on Road. The exact routes of the enemy’s movement are not available, but speculation attributes the enemy descent upon Taejon as having come through the mountains from the Nonsan-Taejon Road and by forced march from Nonsan along the highway from Kumsan. Later, other evidence provides proof that at least a portion of the envelopment force had moved through Kumsan. Although no T-34 tanks accompany the 16th and 18th N.K. Regiments, some tanks (107th Tank Regiment, 105th N.K. Armored Division) attached to the 4th N.K. Division since the initial invasion across the 38th Parallel break into the city during the morning. Later, during the afternoon, additional tanks (203rd Tank Regiment) attached to the N.K. 3rd Division penetrate the city limits. Meanwhile, U.S. Air Force planes scour the skies in search of enemy positions near the Kum River. The aircraft plaster suspected locations west and southwest of Taejon, but again, the North Koreans are undeterred. They unleash their assault. In the meantime, General Dean is heading for Yongdong. En route, at about 1000, while pausing at Okch’on, he decides to return to Taejon to recheck the defending positions of the 34th Regiment at the front entrance of the city. At about the same time, the 24th Reconnaissance Battalion arrives at Taejon and it is immediately directed to dispatch one platoon, composed of 39 men, southwest along the Nonsan Road. At 1030, when the unit reaches a point about three miles west of the Kap-ch’on River, near the positions of L Company, 34th Regiment, the enemy springs an ugly ambush. The platoon gets snagged in a deadly cross-fire by elements of the N.K. 4th Division (probably contingents of the N.K. 5th Regiment). The platoon pivots quickly, then sprints to the east bank of the river to join a contingent of L Company. Soon after, the balance of L Company arrives to support a roadblock on the Nonsan Road. The enemy buildup for the attack has been huge. During the morning, Taejon airstrip is pounded by artillery that has escaped harm by U.S. air strikes. The rain of fire against the airstrip and the perimeter of the 34th Regiment originates from the north and northwest and remains incessant throughout the day. It reaches proportions that rival bombardments of World War II. By the time General Dean arrives back at Taejon, the enemy attack is operating at full throttle. He rushes to the roadblock to direct the battle. By 1300, Colonel McGrail’s 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, arrives in Taejon; it too speeds directly to the L Company roadblock, which nears collapse due

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Top: U.S. soldiers in action on 20 July in the vicinity of Taejon. The weapon is a 3.5-inch rocket launcher (super bazooka). It is capable of destroying the previously invincible T-34 tank. Bottom: A 3.5-inch rocket launcher (M20) team in action during the fighting at Taejon. The weapon weighs 15 pounds and is composed of two parts for easy handling and transporting. to enormous enemy pressure. Meanwhile, General Dean coordinates the fire of two U.S. tanks to forestall disaster until McGrail arrives. Contingents of the N.K. 3rd Division bolster the N.K. 5th Regiment (4th Division) and provide a heavy punch to bolster the frontal assault. The vicious sting of the

enemy also pounds the 19th Regiment, particularly Company F, deployed on the left perimeter of Taejon. During the afternoon, it becomes more evident that the enemy is poised to launch a major ground attack against the beleaguered and slimly numbered

July 19, 1950 group of Americans. Colonels Ayres and Beauchamp discuss a night withdrawal. Beauchamp tells Ayres that Taejon can be held for an additional 24 hours, and he has so informed General Dean. The Communists maintain momentum throughout the day, but the roadblock holds. As the tedious ordeal continues, darkness, accompanied by sporadic rainfall, settles over the battlefield. The rain, a byproduct caused by a typhoon that had spared the immediate area, eradicates the choking dust that has been swirling around all day. Enemy infiltrators use the elements to their advantage. They discover a large hole separating the 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, and the 19th Infantry’s Company F (2nd Battalion) and penetrate with impunity. The darkness and temporary tranquility do little to reassure the defenders, and the utter silence raises the edginess of most of the troops that are scattered in front of Taejon. All anticipate a major night assault. Nearly all of the 1st Battalion’s vehicles have been moved into the city to prevent capture if the forward positions are overrun. The artillery, which had been deployed at the airstrip to bolster the 34th Regiment, has been pulled back and redeployed on the southern fringes of the city. Not surprisingly, at about 2200, the peculiar silence is crushed when the clanking noise of approaching tanks is detected along the right flank of the 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment. The roar of the T-34s signals imminent battle. A patrol dispatched to probe the strength of the enemy movement vanishes without trace. Colonel Ayres confers with Colonel Beauchamp and again suggests a pull-back, but no withdrawal plans are implemented. Intertwined with the mysterious loss of the patrol, more foreboding sounds are picked up along the Kumsan Road, about six miles south of Taejon. This discovery clearly indicates more enemy infiltration. Again, the information is transmitted to the 34th Regimental Command Post. A nine-man patrol, composed of troops of the 24th Reconnaissance Company, led by Lieutenant George Kristanoff, is dispatched to probe the strength of the enemy. The patrol moves cautiously down the Kumsan Highway and encounters an impassable roadblock. In an instant, the enemy commences firing and inflicts yet another disaster on the Americans. All four jeeps in the convoy are decimated and the bodies of the troops are scattered along the roadway. A report regarding the ambush reaches Taejon at about 0200 (20 July). The news that the jeep had been ambushed is considered only an isolated incident, rather than a major enemy infiltration. Dean is not informed of the roadblock. At about 0300, a security patrol, composed of one platoon, ventures down the road to inspect its defenses. It, too, halts abruptly at the roadblock. Shortly thereafter, the enemy increases the pressure. The North Koreans quickly destroy the advance observation post of the 1st Battalion, 34th Reg-

104 iment; then by use of the usual envelopment tactics, they plow through key battalion defenses. Simultaneously, enemy armor and infantry strike a powerful blow against the right flank. Other units spring from the north and they also hammer the right flank. The defenders’ positions are becoming untenable, and to make matters worse, the enemy armor is closing fast. The 1st Battalion command post comes under severe attack by 0400. Colonel Ayres is unable to raise communications with his front-line troops as enemy tanks begin to bang against the door. Infantry bazooka teams, deployed to guard the road approaches, initiate an abandonment of their positions, and the rifle companies expend only sparse amounts of ammunition before they pull back. Having few remaining options, Colonel Ayres orders the command post to pull back. Before the first light of dawn, about 200 troops led by Major Leland Dunham begin to march out of the Yudung valley heading south. Ayres follows shortly thereafter. Later, about three miles south of Taejon, Major Dunham is mortally wounded near the Kumsan Road. Several others in his party are less seriously wounded. Those who are able head west toward Masuri. Meanwhile, Taejon jumps with activity as additional information arrives from the front lines. Then, suddenly, communications are severed between Colonel Beauchamp and the 1st Battalion. Patrols are sent to inspect the wire and make repairs, but the troops are unable to complete the task because the enemy has gained control of the road, nearly to the airfield. Colonel Beauchamp, still unconvinced of the enemy’s deep penetration, ventures forward in a jeep to verify the reports. He reaches the junction of the Seoul Highway and Nonsan Road, about onehalf mile outside the town. Here, he receives firsthand verification when his jeep encounters an enemy tank that pummels his vehicle with machine gun fire. The jeep is set afire, but Beauchamp sustains only a superficial wound. Undaunted and apparently greatly aggravated, he crawls several hundred yards, locates a bazooka team and prepares to take on the tank. The imminent encounter holds a surprise for the mighty T-34 tanks. New ammunition, recently perfected after about five years of experimentation, has arrived in Korea and it is about to confront the near impenetrable enemy armor. Beauchamp disregards his wound and returns to the road junction with the bazooka team and high hopes that the initial test of the weapon will be a huge success. Soon after, the bazooka fires upon the tank and the results are immediately known, to the jubilation of the Americans. The T-34 is quickly reduced to burning scrap and its startled crew is captured. Two additional enemy tanks arrive on scene and they, too, are introduced to the new bazookas. Both are blown away. Nonetheless, the destruction of the three tanks is not enough to halt the ground attacks. Back at Taejon,

105 word of the destruction of the tanks fails to reach the commanders. Meanwhile, due to the fear of being enveloped, the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry, moves into the mountains instead of heading for Taejon. With the seizure of more ground, the enemy is able to direct more confusion; using a captured jeep radio, the North Koreans plant false information concerning the condition of the 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment. In conjunction, the gap between the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, begins to dangerously widen. The 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, mounts an attack to seal the hole. Company K and a contingent of M Company advances; however, an enemy battalion and six T34 tanks disperse the attackers. During these blazing contests, SFC Robert E. Dare attempts to get the besieged troops of the advance platoon to safety. Despite the nasty opposition, the U.S. 3rd Battalion (34th Regiment) troops make it back to their starting point, but SFC Dare sacrifices his life to ensure the safety of his buddies. For his gallantry under fire, Dare receives the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. Earlier, at 0131, an entry is posted in the 21st Regiment War Diary that about 200 guerrillas had infiltrated behind the lines of the 34th Regiment, but it is not known if this information had been passed on to General Dean or Colonel Beauchamp. Within the city, General Dean is awakened by small-arms fire at 0530. Slightly thereafter, an enemy tank rolls by the 34th Regimental Headquarters. Dean, supported by two bazooka teams, chases the tank as it heads out of town. The hunting trip is unsuccessful, but when the tank reenters the city, it is destroyed by a howitzer. Dean and his group miss two other tanks; however, by 0900, four of the five tanks that penetrate Taejon are decimated by American fire. Later, at about 1400, Dean’s contingent finally bags a tank. Dean, a squad of the 3rd Engineering Combat Battalion, and Lieutenant Arthur Clarke take credit for the kill. Clarke relates: “I remained by the corner of the building in front of the tank to use my Molotov cocktail on it if it began to move. The first round (fired from second story) hit the tank and the occupants began to scream and moan. The second round quieted most of the screaming and the third made it all quiet.” General Dean, attempting to inspire his troops to become tank killers, remarks: “I got me a tank.” Meanwhile, east of the airstrip, the 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, commanded by Major Lantron, remains unmolested throughout the morning, except for sporadic artillery and mortar fire. At about 0930, Major Lantron, without explanation, departs the command post and vanishes. In his absence, Colonel Wadlington orders Captain Jack E. Smith to assume command of the 3rd Battalion (34th Regiment). Subsequently, it is determined that Major Lantron had been captured by the North Koreans.

July 19, 1950 In the 19th Regimental sector, the 2nd Battalion has sustained penetration along the Nonsan Road throughout the night, but some reports on the deteriorating situation there have been erroneous. The battalion has not been overrun. Company F buckles under the enormous pressure and pulls back by about dawn, but Company E stands firmly at the bridge. Major Dunham guides the 1st Battalion (34th Regiment) and the 34th Infantry Headquarters Group south by maneuvering behind the lines of Company F, 19th Regiment. A smaller contingent led by Colonel Ayres trails the larger group. Slightly after daybreak, while Dunham and Ayres are retiring, fierce fighting continues between Company F and the enemy, but F Company is compelled to abandon the hill to the west. Dunham’s contingent heads south toward the hills. Colonel Ayres’ unit encounters heavy enemy fire at the bridge over the Yudung River, but it avoids getting trapped and joins Dunham in the heights south of Taejon. By about noon, Ayres turns over command of his 150-man 1st Battalion to Major Dunham and instructs him to redeploy three miles south of Taejon along the Kumsan Road to guard the rear of the city. Ayres and a small group depart separately and are soon struck by enemy fire. Only four men, including Ayres, escape. Wilson Fielder, a Time magazine correspondent, is killed and his body is discovered several months later. Ayres and the three other survivors evade nearby enemy contingents until nightfall, then escape to safety. Meanwhile, Second Lieutenant Robert L. Herbert (G Company, 19th Regiment), upon orders from Colonel McGrail, leads his 2nd Platoon toward Taejon to clear the road. En route he encounters and commandeers a rifle company (B Company, 34th Regiment) and a bazooka team. Soon after, the contingent meets up with Lieutenant Little and a reinforced squad that is protecting the fork in the road. During this enduring morning of confusion, enemy pressure forces more miscalculations. Colonel McGrail, at his 2nd Battalion, 34th Regiment command post east of the Yudung bridge, had dispatched Lieutenant Herbert to Taejon. By then, more distressing reports filter into headquarters. Word reaches McGrail his Company F has been forced to withdraw. McGrail also learns that the 1st Battalion has been shoved back. Captain Montesclaros volunteers to go to regimental headquarters in Taejon and he is soon surprised to find the road open when he meets Lieutenant Herbert at the roadblock. Montesclaros enters headquarters and informs General Dean about the positions of the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, and he requests orders to carry back to Colonel McGrail. Dean tells him, while patting him on the back, “My boy, I am not running the show, Beauchamp is.” Dean then instructs him to go to Colonel Beauchamp, commanding officer, 34th Regiment. Beauchamp dispatches Montesclaros with orders that direct McGrail to bring

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Top: U.S. soldiers man a machine gun (.30-caliber Browning light M1919A6) position in the vicinity of Taejon. Bottom: U.S. troops are deployed in the vicinity of Taejon with a .50-caliber Browning machine gun (M2 HB). the 2nd Battalion back to the city, but upon his return to battalion headquarters, Montesclaros discovers it abandoned. McGrail had attempted to relocate his command post on a hill south of the road, but even that fails. McGrail orders E Company to pull back, but then his radio becomes inoperable and enemy troops converge on his positions.

In the meantime, McGrail’s force heads for the mountains instead of Taejon, unaware of the orders instructing him to head for the city. Unable to locate McGrail, despite a one-hour search, Montesclaros returns toward Taejon. He encounters Company E, which reports it had been overrun and forced to climb the hills. Montesclaros then looks north and

107 spots a large enemy contingent that is less than two miles from Taejon. He chooses to join Company E, rather than return to Taejon. As noon approaches, no units of the 19th Regiment are in place west of Taejon. The last unit positioned close to the besieged city, Company G, pulls out by 1300. Its 3rd Platoon protects the rear and is scheduled to depart after the weapons section, but the latter requests that it be the final unit to withdraw. The mortar men choose to fight first and expend their mortars before moving back. This command, composed of eighteen enlisted men and the one officer, is lost to the enemy. The situation in the city continues to deteriorate. Persistent enemy penetration causes more complications as the day drags out. Snipers ring shots in all directions. At the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regimental compound, enemy tanks commence firing. The barrage kills some troops and detonates an ammunition vehicle. Following this, the tanks speed away and begin blasting other targets. Subsequent to the departure of the enemy armor, bazookas are located. The bazooka fire attempts to eliminate the snipers, but during the operation, the fire ignites many of the poorly constructed dwellings. Within a short time, much of the city is in flames. Meanwhile, enemy tanks return on scene and commence incessant fire. Point-blank fire knocks out two jeeps at the medical company’s headquarters; both vehicles are crammed with troops and all but two men are killed. The two survivors are wounded, and one of these lies in the street, unable to move. The crew of one of the Communist tanks spots the wounded man. Soon after, the tank advances and drives right over the soldier, crushing him. Eventually, two of the three tanks are destroyed and the third one takes a wicked hit that severs its turret, but it escapes. During its first day of use, the new 3.5 rocket launcher destroys a total of eight T-34 tanks. Two others are destroyed by artillery fire. In addition, the U.S. Fifth Air Force destroys at least five tanks. Finally, the T-34 meets a formidable adversary. These 3.5 rocket launchers prevent the enemy tanks from causing panic in the city of Taejon. Back at the roadblock with Lieutenant Herbert, the enemy is closing fast from the northwest. Herbert requests that the howitzers be repositioned to meet the threat, but the artillery officer refuses to redirect the fire without authorization. Herbert contacts the battalion operations officer, but his request is denied. The artillery is pointed in three different directions, but not toward the attacking enemy. In contrast, unrestrained enemy mortars and artillery begin to bellow. The barrages kill several defenders at the roadblock. New orders arrive instructing Herbert to hold the line until reinforcements arrive to evacuate the artillery. About fifty men led by Lieutenant William Wygal rush to the scene to bolster Herbert’s

July 19, 1950 cause. Eventually, Herbert is ordered to join the evacuation. In conjunction, the artillerymen abandon their howitzers. A counterattack is ordered to retrieve them. Nonetheless, it becomes apparent that Taejon will fall. General Dean and Colonel Beauchamp, still unaware that their lines of defense outside the city have been uprooted, discuss evacuation plans during lunch (C-Rations). At about 1400, in an effort to save the vehicles, Dean advises a daylight abandonment of the city. By 1500, the 34th Regiment’s 3rd Battalion heads the march, trailed by the artillery, the medical company, 34th Regimental Command Group and the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment. The 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, holds the rear. However, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 34th and 19th Regiments respectively, never receive the word because the runners cannot locate their positions. Apparently, General Dean and Colonel Beauchamp have no knowledge that the word to evacuate does not reach the two battalions. When the convoy initiates its departure, Colonel Beauchamp takes a jeep and moves to the southeastern fringes of the city where he discovers four U.S. light tanks (24th Reconnaissance Company). Immediately, he directs them to defend the Okch’on Road exit and the southeastern tip of the city. As Beauchamp moves back into the city, he notices that the tanks are abandoning their positions. Beauchamp makes an abrupt U-turn and catches them, but simultaneously he comes under small-arms fire. Beauchamp bolts from the jeep and takes two of the tanks to form a temporary line of defense. The armor moves to a strategic pass about three miles south of Taejon to permit a safe withdrawal. Several anti-aircraft half-tracs join the barricade. From his vantage point at the pass, Beauchamp spots an incoming locomotive that is being held up at an approach tunnel by enemy fire. The train, originating in Iwon’ni, is attempting to retrieve a ten-car ammunition train that was previously abandoned by a Korean crew. Beauchamp contacts 21st Regimental headquarters to report the incident, and he is told by General Menoher to come to Okch’on to give a “detailed report” on the situation; Beauchamp also informs General Menoher and Colonel Stephens of the unfolding disaster east of the city. Meanwhile, the 21st Regiment has not been dispatched to support the 34th and 19th Regiments at Taejon, because until now, Stephens claims that he had no prior knowledge of the disaster in Taejon. At this time, the 21st Regiment remains in the heights at Okch’on and it cannot arrive in time to reinforce the city. Menoher and Stephens are informed about the deadly roadblock at Taejon, and this, too, had been unknown by the patrols that had been dispatched from headquarters to probe the highway. In the meantime, Captain Hatfield, who had dispatched the earlier train from Taejon, continues to hold at the station to protect the ammunition train,

July 19, 1950 but the anticipated locomotive never arrives with the armed train to evacuate the ammunition. Hatfield steadfastly guards the ammunition until he is slain at the rail yard. The train is blown by U.S. aircraft on the following day to prevent its capture. At about 1700, General Dean, during the unexplained absence of Colonel Beauchamp at Okch’on, orders Col. Wadlington to depart with the convoy. The lead portion of the 34th Regimental convoy, the 3rd Battalion and some artillery safely pass through the tunnel, but then the trap-door closes as the enemy severs the escape route from the city and isolates the remainder of the 34th RCT. Meanwhile, heavy skirmishing occurs near the rail yards. North Korean infantry overrun an artillery battery. In response, Dean orders a counterattack. Elements of the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Major McDaniel and supported by the guns of Company L, recapture the lost equipment. In the meantime, Captain Jack Smith, upon orders from Major William McDaniel, deploys a contingent of Company L, 3rd Battalion, to cover the withdrawal, while the remainder of the battalion joins the convoy. Due to the serious shortage of tractor drivers, some of the recaptured guns are left behind, but they are inoperable. Other guns are towed to safety. At an undetermined time during the battle for Taejon, Major McDaniel is captured and summarily executed by his captors. The stalled convoy adds to the dilemma in Taejon. Dean takes measures to clear the destroyed vehicles to reopen the passage. He places an urgent call to the 24th Division headquarters to request armor to clear the eastern exit from Taejon. All the while, enemy troops continue to converge on the city. The stand of L Company gains more importance as throngs of North Koreans stampede out of the airfield. Dean tells Captain Jack Smith that he must hold for forty-five minutes to provide just enough time for the convoy to escape. Immediately thereafter, Smith and L Company are to pull back with great haste. During the evacuation, the city becomes totally engulfed in flames. Shells burst in the staging areas, boosting casualties. Meanwhile, more snipers have infiltrated the city to further hinder the evacuation. Nevertheless, by about 1800, the principal convoy takes off. Subsequent to its departure, Captain Jack Smith and L Company (34th Regiment) make a hasty and disciplined withdrawal. They travel out of Taejon in trucks and come under tenacious fire as they move. Smith attempts to follow the route of the convoy via the Okch’on Road, but complications develop. Colonel Wadlington expects to lead the convoy, but in an effort to get to the point of the column, his jeep takes a circuitous route. The journey is hair-raising and includes several harrowing and life threatening experiences. The ride unexpectedly terminates with the intentional destruction of the jeep, which gets caught on a dead-end street and

108 under heavy enemy fire. Wadlington’s group then initiates a long climb up the mountain. In the meantime, as expected, the convoy rolls out under a rain of sniper fire. One vehicle goes out of control and plows into a building, nearly trapping the rest of the column from passing. More confusion occurs. A segment of the beginning of the convoy takes a wrong turn and terminates its journey on the same dead end that netted Wadlington. About fifty vehicles are abandoned and about 150 troops, led by several officers, make for the hills on foot. As the night progresses, this group becomes scattered and many lose their bearings. Some of the troops reach U.S. lines on the following morning and others straggle into the perimeter on the 22nd. However, many of the troops vanish. During the anguishing withdrawal, the remainder of the convoy continues to move in the right direction, but the city becomes even more of an inferno. There is scarce breathing room between the vehicles and the burning buildings that consume both sides of the streets. General Dean rushes to the front of the convoy and barely misses the turn for the Okch’on Road. Raging fires prevent Dean’s jeep and an accompanying vehicle from reversing direction. Both vehicles must take the Kumsan Road. Along the road, Dean and his party halt to pick up several wounded Americans. The two vehicles then continue, but shortly thereafter, they encounter an enemy roadblock and become the recipients of a storm of fire. Lieutenant Clark is wounded during the ambush. The Americans avoid a calamity by reaching the bank of the Taejon River, where they conceal themselves until darkness. Later, they cross to the west bank and disappear into the hills near Nangwol. General Dean moves back down the mountain at about midnight to fetch water for the wounded; however, he never rejoins the group and word of his whereabouts remains unknown for several years. (See also, July 21, 1950.) Meanwhile, the main convoy continues down the Okch’on Road until it is hammered by enemy mortar fire that pulverizes the lead vehicle to create an impassable blockage. Instantly, an armored vehicle pushes the disabled vehicle to the side, but another salvo of blistering fire takes out the Amtrac and kills the driver. This is followed by deadly machine gun fire that rakes the line of stalled vehicles. Instinctively, the troops bolt from the endangered vehicles, only to find themselves in equally devastating circumstances. Lurking North Korean soldiers rise from the nearby rice paddies and unleash another firestorm. Burp guns rip through the ranks. As the mortar fire strikes the column, one soldier, SFC Joseph Szito, grabs a 60-mm mortar and begins pounding an enemy position just slightly up a hill south of the Okch’on Road. Next Szito commandeers an 81-mm mortar; he fires about thirty smoke shells to afford the Americans an opportunity to push the disabled burning Amtrac off the road.

109 Few volunteers venture out on the road to remove the obstacle, increasing the severity of the ordeal. At about this time, the enemy inundates the shattered column with another thunderclap of fire, which quickly ignites several more vehicles at the front of the convoy. With sparse recourse available, the survivors torch the remaining vehicles, then begin to head on foot into the mountains. Soon after, the next section of the convoy reaches the stalled convoy. Bedlam occurs as these men are

July 19, 1950 also forced to abandon their vehicles under sheets of withering fire. They scatter for safety and in one particular area encompassing about fifty square yards, about 250 soldiers are crammed together, most praying for the sun to set. Soon after darkness, 2nd Lieutenant Ralph Boyd and a few men attempt to clear the road and search for some operable vehicles. After a Herculean effort and thanks to the assistance of an artillery prime mover, a passage is cleared. The small contingent of troops and its six vehicles resume the

In the Eighth Army rear area near Taejon, troops stand by for orders to move up to the front. One soldier grabs a catnap in a shelter half. His M1 rifle is leaning against a tree.

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U.S. troops maintain a forward command post. The soldier using a field telephone has a modified M1 (sniper’s rifle, .30-caliber MIC) close by against his left shoulder. retreat. They are ordered to remain silent and they receive explicit instructions not to return enemy fire. The convoy soon gets attacked. A sudden burst of enemy machine gun fire slices into their thinning ranks. Lieutenant Boyd sustains a superficial wound, but he loses consciousness when he is thrown from

the vehicle. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that he has been left behind; despite his wound, he sprints two and one-half miles and reaches the lines of the 21st Regiment. Back at Okch’on, Colonel Beauchamp had arrived from the pass and informed General Menoher about

111 the North Korean roadblock. It is unclear why the patrols of the 21st Regiment have not informed Menoher or Colonel Stephens. Beauchamp, under orders from Menoher, leads five light tanks (released from 21st Regiment) from Okch’on en route to the roadblock. He collects a contingent of about sixty men attached to I Company, 34th Regiment. At about darkness, the rescue team advances to positions just short of the pass and at that point one of the tanks strikes a mine. At about the same time, a well-camouflaged enemy soldier, using an electrical switch, detonates a whole pattern of strung mines. The reinforcements are then struck by more blistering fire. Undeterred, the riflemen advance toward the blocked pass and the highway tunnel. Several troops actually reach the tunnel; however, within two hours, they expend their ammunition and are compelled to return to Okch’on without seizing the objective. About 500 enemy troops are deployed on each flank along the evacuation route. Estimates of enemy troop strength to the immediate front of the 34th Regiment stand at about 2,500 to 3,000 North Koreans. The losses at Taejon are extremely heavy. Colonel Beauchamp gazes at the devastation near the tunnel and easily spots the scattered corpses of the heroic engineers. Beauchamp had earlier ordered them to defend the pass. Some of the engineers had escaped. The two tanks and the antiaircraft vehicles are evacuated. Nonetheless, the extensive roadblock, which extends from about two miles east of Taejon along the Okch’on Road outside of the village of Chojon and stretches from there to the first highway and rail tunnels east of Taejon, remains a gauntlet of devastating fire throughout the night. Company L, 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, which had fought the rear-action to cover the withdrawal, moves at a furious pace, but it, too, misses the turn at the Okch’on Road and heads directly down the Kumsan Road. The column passes a steady line of abandoned and burning vehicles as Captain Jack Smith attempts to lead his contingent through several enemy roadblocks. Using the services of about 150 men, including approximately fifty wounded, Smith breaks through several minor blockages and then overcomes a final obstacle just before dusk. Eventually, Smith reaches Chinju, not far from the southern tip of Korea. A hospital train rushes to Chinju from Pusan. Captain Smith leaves the wounded at Pusan, then he departs for Taegu to rejoin the 3rd Battalion survivors who had made it out of Taejon. While the incessant combat ensues east of Taejon, the 21st Regiment, deployed a mere three to four miles away, remains unscathed. The positions held by the 21st Regiment at Okch’on and the official statements by Colonel Stephens concerning the activity of the 21st Regiment during the day (20th) seem to add confusion to the unfolding events. Colonel Stephens makes it clear that he had dispatched motorized patrols, pursuant to earlier orders from Gen-

July 19, 1950 eral Dean, along the highway between Okch’on and Taejon to keep the highway open for evacuation. Stephens states that the patrols operated until dusk (20th). Ironically, the North Korean roadblock had been established during the afternoon, closing the road and making it unlikely that the patrols could have reached Taejon without encountering the roadblock. In addition, at this time of the year, darkness rolls in about 2100. Colonel Stephens states that it was subsequent to darkness when he first discovered that the enemy had established the roadblock at Taejon and it was at that time that he was informed that the troops in Taejon were being thrashed. The available medical supplies of the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, save the lives of many of the wounded survivors as they wander into the 21st Regimental perimeter and receive assistance at the first aid center near Okch’on. The wounded are so numerous that all medical supplies are expended. Stragglers continue moving through the hills and mountains for several days. Many survivors eventually filter into the 24th Division positions about 20 miles farther east, near Yongdong on the 22nd and 23rd of July; Colonel Wadlington reaches there on the 22nd. Several instances of extraordinary bravery occur during the abandonment of Taejon. In one instance, as the engineers of Company C, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, attempt to extricate themselves from the besieged city, Pvt. Charles Zimmerman exhibits extraordinary valor. Despite being wounded eleven times, including one wound from a mortar fragment, he escapes death when his jeep is destroyed by enemy fire and then he wipes out five enemy soldiers and destroys two machine guns to preserve the lives of the other members of his contingent. Zimmerman receives the Silver Star for his gallantry under fire. Another example of selfless courage is that of Sergeant George Libby, Company C, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion. When the truck that is transporting him crashes through an enemy barricade, enemy fire strikes it and kills or wounds everyone except him; Libby halts an M-5 artillery tractor as it moves to crash through the roadblock. He carries the nearby wounded and places them on the vehicle and then rides on the outside of it to return fire. The tractor continues through the menacing fire and makes frequent stops along the route to pick up additional wounded. Sergeant Libby becomes seriously wounded, but he continues to hold his position on the vehicle. Upon reaching a second roadblock, he is again struck by enemy fire. The wounds are mortal, and Libby fades into unconsciousness before bleeding to death. But Libby’s heroism saves the lives of the others; they reach friendly lines. Sergeant Libby is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Darkness finally blankets the area, but the bloodshed continues as the survivors still attempt to escape the fiery meat-grinder. Meanwhile, back at the positions of the 21st Regiment, Colonel Stephens and General Menoher realize that the North Koreans

July 19, 1950 are preparing to overrun their positions. Stephens requests permission to pull back from Okch’on and establish a delaying action; he believes that if they stay in Okch’on, the unit might be annihilated. By midnight (20th–21st), General Menoher departs for Yongdong, and Colonel Stephens makes preparations to evacuate. Before dawn (21st), engineers blow the tunnels north of Okch’on, but the detonations only partially seal the tunnels and only slow the enemy.

112 At daybreak (21 July), it becomes evident that the North Koreans have funneled through the tunnel and are unfolding an envelopment tactic destined to isolate the 21st Regiment. Heavy exchanges of fire occur on the 21st Regiment’s west flank, which prompts Stephens to order the withdrawal of his regiment and the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion from their positions at Okch’on. In an effort to buy some time for the South Korean forces, which are deployed east of the Kum River, engineers detonate the final

U.S. soldiers (Eighth Army) are in position near the Kum River in the vicinity of Taejon. The two troops are manning a heavy machine gun (M1917A1).

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July 19, 1950

A U.S. soldier shares a defensive position with an ROK soldier at Taejon. The American is using a .30caliber Browning automatic rifle (M1919A2). bridge across the Kum at about 1100. The Americans successfully pull back twenty miles to their prearranged positions, less than five miles northwest of Yongdong. Here, along a highway that stretches southwest to Kumsan, they establish and fortify a new line of defense that includes a roadblock. In addition to the capture of Taejon, the North Korean forces also seize Iris and Nonsan. Once again, the 24th Division has purchased precious time for the U.N. cause; however, the price is exorbitant. When the survivors of the 24th Division finally regroup during the next several days, it is determined that the division has sustained a 30 percent casualty rate. Of nearly 4,000 troops engaged against the enemy, 1,150 casualties are sustained. Two hundred and twenty-eight are wounded, 48 are slain and 874 troops are listed as missing in action; the majority of the latter are presumed dead. Company L (34th Regiment) sustains 107 casualties from their force of 155 men while fighting a delaying action at Taejon. Also, the equipment losses at Taejon are extremely high. Only 35 regimental vehicles escape the wrath of the enemy. Of 34 trucks assigned to the 24th Quartermaster Company, four remain unscathed.

July 19 President Syngman Rhee, despite the dire circumstances, remains confident. He proclaims that his South Korean forces would unify all of Korea by

advancing to the Manchurian border. Presently, the U.S. and other U.N. forces are simultaneously concerned with keeping from being pushed back to Pusan, while attempting to shove the Communists back across the 38th Parallel. In other activity, contingents of the 1st Cavalry Division, ashore since the previous day, move to the front; the 5th Cavalry heads toward the Taejon vicinity. On the following day, the 8th Cavalry moves by vehicle and by rail to Yongdong; both regiments will be under the command of the division artillery commander, Brigadier General Charles D. Palmer. The Eighth Army War Diary, G-3 section, July 19, states: “1st Cavalry Division ordered to concentrate in Taegu-YongdongKumchon area.” The day’s diary also stipulates that effective July 20, Company A, 71st Heavy Tank Battalion, is to be detached from the 24th Division, reverting to control of the 1st Cavalry Division, its parent division. Also, there is some confusion as to the exact destination of the 1st Cavalry and its schedule to relieve the 24th Division. Much has been written stating that the 1st Cavalry is to relieve the 24th Division at Taejon; but the Eighth Army War Diary, G-3 section, for today states that the 1st Cavalry is “ordered to concentrate in Taegu-Yongdong-Kumchon area.” The diary further stipulates that the 1st Cavalry should be “prepared to relieve the 24th Division on Army Order.” East Coast area: A contingent (one of the two

July 19, 1950 advancing columns) of the N.K. 6th Division seizes Kunsan without incident. Soon after, both enemy columns converge on Ch’onju, about thirty miles southeast of the prize. Effortlessly, they eliminate the defending contingent of S.K. Police. On the 20th (approximate departure date), the N.K. 6th Division drives east toward the fragile left flank of Eighth Army. On the 23rd, the N. K. 6th Division splits its three regiments at Kwangju, but all converge on Sunch’on about the 25th. In Air Force activity, a contingent of Fifth Air Force F-80s engage and destroy three enemy Yaks in the skies over Taegon. In other activity, a contingent of 7 F-80s attached to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group (FBG), led by Lt. Colonel William T. Samways, attacks an enemy airstrip near Pyongyang and destroys 15 planes that are parked on the field. Lieutenant Ralph A. Ellis (36th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group), piloting an F-80, attacks the airfield at Pyongyang and destroys two parked fighters, both single-engine planes, type unknown. Lieutenant Roy W. Marsh receives credit for destroying two of the aircraft. Also, a patrol attached to the 36th Fighter Bomber Squadron (8th Fighter Bomber Group) led by Lieutenant Robert D. McKee intercepts a Communist force of Yaks in the vicinity of Taejon. McKee downs one of the four planes at about 0800. Also, Lieutenant Robert A. Walsh (80th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group), flying an F-80, spots concealed aircraft

114 at Pomgyang. He strafes the airfield and destroys two planes at about 1500. — In the United States: President Truman, reacting to the expanding crisis in Korea, requests that Congress appropriate ten billion dollars for the purpose of rearming the U.S. Armed Forces, which had rapidly been disarmed at the conclusion of World War II. Truman, upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also activates the Organized Marine Corps Reserve. In turn, General Clifton B. Cates, Marine commandant, informs the Marine Reserve of its impending call to active duty. Beginning on the following day and continuing until the 4th of August, in response to the Korean crisis, the entire complement of 47,000 men and women of the Marine Ground Force Reserve is called up and placed on active duty. Marine aviators are not included in the activation process. — In the Pacific Ocean: The USS Henrico (subsequent to repairs) trails the main convoy, sailing alone from the States toward Japan. The vessel encounters some unexpected danger during its second night at sea. Radar detects two “unidentified Submarines” that are closing toward the ship. This prompts the sound of general quarters and the trailing noise of sailors rushing to their posts. With battle stations ready, the pitchdark sea is scanned for possible enemy contact, but according to American intelligence, no North Korean warships remain afloat. Following about one hour of uneasiness, the alleged hostile bleeps on the radar screen

U.S. sailor Hospitalman Philip A. Barome, USN, shares C rations with Korean child.

115 vanish, releasing the tension. Subsequent to the strange encounter, the Henrico continues toward the Far East without further incident. — In Japan: The Forward Echelon 1st MAW lands at Haneda airport, near Tokyo; General Craig heads directly for Admiral Joy’s (Craig’s Naval superior officer) headquarters. Following this meeting, Craig and his staff confer with Army Generals Edward Almond and Edwin Wright to give them the details concerning the particulars on the Marine brigade’s air-ground team. Also, Generals Craig and Cushman are escorted into MacArthur’s office for a cordial and candid meeting. MacArthur takes great pains to alleviate any pressure. He quickly jokes about what he calls “unfounded rumors” that he had been prejudiced against the Marines during World War II and proclaims that he “had always held the greatest admiration for the Corps.” MacArthur is completely briefed on the Marine brigade and its capabilities, despite its frail numbers. MacArthur is stunned to learn that the brigade is at peacetime strength with only two rifle platoons per company and only four guns to each battery as opposed to six guns. The revelation that each Marine company contains 50 fewer men than specified in the Marine war tables had been a complete surprise to MacArthur. Nonetheless, MacArthur is delighted to know the Marines are en route to lessen this burden. Subsequently, General MacArthur requests that the Marine brigade be immediately upgraded to wartime strength, and again he requests that the Joint Chiefs of Staff authorize and provide one complete war strength Marine division, including its normal contingent of air support, for duty in Korea. The Marine generals are jubilant to learn from MacArthur that the brigade is to remain in Japan under the operational control of Admiral Joy, rather than Eighth Army. The stipulation guarantees the Marines the freedom to make ready for the anticipated amphibious invasion. In other activity, Lt. Colonel Tom Dolvin, commanding officer of the newly created 89th Medium Tank Battalion, arrives in Tokyo. Seventy additional troops join the unit to increase its strength to about 225 men. The 89th Medium Tank Battalion embarks to Korea by sea on July 24.

July 20

(See also July 19–20 THE BATTLE OF TAEThe North Koreans overrun Taejon and push the 24th Division back. North Korean tanks lead the infantry through the defenses. During the withdrawal, General Dean remains behind with the rear echelon troops to reassure them and instill confidence. These under-strength units fight bravely, but their weapons, carbines and obsolete bazookas, are outclassed against tanks. General Dean becomes listed as missing in action. Because of his heroic actions and superlative leadership at Taejon, Dean becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Later, his name turns up on a POW list. At Okch’on, General Menoher and Colonel Stephens JON)

July 20, 1950 review the various details of the day’s events. The conversation results in Stephens believing that his 21st Regiment, 24th Division is in danger of being isolated by the North Koreans. Stephens requests authority to fight a delaying action while withdrawing, rather than attempting to stand and fight. Menoher replies affirmatively and informs Stephens that it is up to his discretion as to the time to pull back and how to accomplish the withdrawal successfully. At about midnight (20th–21st), General Menoher departs for Yongdong. Meanwhile, additional American reinforcements continue to arrive in Korea. The fall of Taejon opens a giant hole on the U.N.’s west flank. Communist units are quick to exploit the inefficiencies and follow their victory with another offensive. They commence a four-pronged attack toward Pusan. Also, the 1st Cavalry Division (Infantry), commanded by Major General Hobart R. Gray, advances to deploy on the U.N. right flank and replace ROK forces there. The 25th Division, commanded by General William B. Kean, drives toward a point about 50 miles northeast of Taejon to hold the line, regroup the ROK troops and block the Communists before they reach Taegu. In conjunction with the buildup, contingents of the 29th Regimental Combat Team move into Korea from Okinawa about a week after the 1st Cavalry. The combat team lands on the west shores, then moves to positions near Chinju about 50 miles outside of Pusan. These reinforcements, which are fully in place by the end of July, forge a greater line of defense for General Walton Walker to forestall defeat or annihilation. During the last two weeks in July, Communist troops seize the entire area between Mokp’o and Sunchon, and then they swivel eastward to obliterate everything between them and Pusan. But, MacArthur’s men have other plans. The orders of the day from General Walker become “Stand and fight or die.” General Dean describes the war effort with apparent reference to the limitless numbers of enemy troops: “Trying to stop the Gooks is like trying to stop rainwater with a fish net.” Also, Advance Headquarters, Fifth Air Force, becomes operational in Taegu. In conjunction, forward contingents cooperate with the ground troops. These teams consist of a forward air controller, radio operator and radio repairman; the latter doubles as a jeep driver. Six of these forward groups combine with the 24th Division during the first days of the conflict. The Fifth Air Force uses trainer aircraft (T-6s) to locate enemy targets; they often remain behind their lines until the arrival of fighter planes; these planes are dubbed Mosquitos. Each Mosquito plane carries a Very High Frequency (VHF) radio that enables the crew to communicate with Tactical Air Control Teams on the ground and simultaneously with the fighters in the sky. In addition, the Mosquitos also carry an SCR-300 radio which gives them contact with the ground troops. During the observation flights, advancing enemy contingents are discovered south of the Kum River

July 20, 1950 moving toward the west coast, but when the information is forwarded to Intelligence, the units are considered to be components of the N.K. 4th Division. Subsequent reports flowing from Far East Command to Washington attribute these recently detected N.K. 6th Division units to the N.K. 4th Division. General MacArthur interprets this misinformation as a sign that North Korean Headquarters is assuming that the U.N. forces are corralled in the area northeast of the Kum River. Central Mountain area: The ROK I Corps, which had defended the right flank of the U.S. 24th Division during the early part of July, is now under strength due to a high rate of casualties and deserters. Combined efforts by U.S. and South Korean officers to reorganize and make the unit battle-ready have proceeded haphazardly. Subsequent to the engagements east of the Seoul-Taejon Highway, the S.K. 1st, 2nd and Capital Divisions are now each composed of between 3,000 and 3,500 troops and possess a total of eleven guns, split between the three remaining artillery batteries. The I Corps also possesses about thirty 81-mm mortars, none of which have sights. The dilemma will be acted upon on the 24th, when the South Korean Army reorganizes. General Walker, concerned about the ability of the ROK forces to repulse the advancing enemy forces at the Mun’gyong Plateau, has issued instructions to the U.S. 25th Division to focus on Sanju to back up the ROK forces defending the Mun’gyong Plateau; Walker expects this action to safeguard the central mountain corridors. At Sangju, conditions are atrocious, as panicstricken refugees are flooding into and through the town. The roads become jammed and compound the problem, but even more critically, the streams of retreating ROK troops further complicate the predicament. Contingents of the 24th Regiment, 25th Division, the first Negro regiment to arrive in Korea, ventures into the vicinity of Yech’on. Elements of the 3rd Battalion unsuccessfully attack an enemy-held ridge on the fringe of the town. In the meantime, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, led by Lieutenant Jasper Johnson, advances, apparently without incident and enters the town during the day. The failed attempt to capture the ridge prompts Lieutenant Johnson to request permission to pull out of Yech’on before nightfall. He receives an affirmative response. By the following morning, Colonel Henry G. Fisher, commanding officer of the 35th Regiment, is informed that the North Koreans have driven the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, from Yech’on. Instinctively, Fisher races from Hamch’ang toward Yech’on to evaluate the situation. He locates the 3rd Battalion west of the town and it is unharmed. Colonel Fisher attempts to get a reasonable explanation and clarification from the battalion commander, but none is forthcoming. Colonel Fisher and his anxious entourage race five miles and enter an uninhabited Yech’on, which is consumed by flames ignited by U.S. Artillery fire. It is undetermined whether North Korean troops occupied Yech’on on the 20th.

116 A well-recognized journalist, Tom Lambert, accompanies Colonel Fisher on the trip to Yech’on. Subsequently he has a two-page article titled “Battle of Yech’on” published in a magazine, but the story which suggests a great victory by the Negro regiment prompts a pointed response from Colonel Fisher: “If his [Lambert’s] are the facts, then I wasn’t there.” In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force planes support the fighting in Taejon, but they are unable to halt the enemy from seizing the city. In related activity, a contingent of FOs engages enemy aircraft and two enemy planes are downed. — In the United States: The commandant of the Marine Corps (General Cates) assumes that the JCS will eventually authorize the expansion of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade and agree to upgrade the 1st Marine Division to wartime strength. He phones Admiral Sherman, CNO, and offers plans ABLE and BAKER, two recently created procedures that detail the blueprint for the buildup of the two units. At present the entire corps is comprised of a mere 74,279 officers and enlisted men: operating forces, 40,364; supporting establishment (administrative and supply personnel), 24,592; special assignment, 3,871; non-available hospitalized personnel, confined personnel or personnel en route, 5,492. However, Cates’ emergency request to activate the Marine aviation units is refused by the JCS. In the meantime, MacArthur has already agreed that Marine air squadrons will cover the infantry. The press in the U.S. begins to cover the perceived intentional slight of the Marine Corps. In other activity, General Collins and Admiral Sherman depart the U.S. by plane to meet with General MacArthur in Japan. — In Japan: Marine Generals Edward Craig and Thomas Cushman, domiciled at General Headquarters Tokyo, meet with General Stratemeyer, USAF. They discuss the Marine brigade and clarify General MacArthur’s decision to keep the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade unaltered; Marine air dominates the discussion and by the conclusion of the meeting, Stratemeyer makes it emphatically clear that MAG 33 will remain available to support the Marine ground troops for the duration. In other activity, General MacArthur decides on Inchon as the site for the amphibious invasion, but he deliberates for a long time with Generals Almond and Wright on the alternatives. The blueprint for the operation, dubbed Operation CHROMITE, will be distributed to General Headquarters on the 23rd. — In Okinawa: The USS Walker arrives at Naha, Okinawa, transporting about 400 replacement troops; the recruits disembark quickly and are permitted to carry with them only their toilet articles. Without realizing what is occurring, they are hustled to the battalion sectors and given instant assignments to companies prior to receiving their field equipment and weapons. Nearly without pause, the troops are shuttled back to the dock area from where they will

117 embark to Korea on the following day. It is not a harassment drill. Along with the remainder of the 29th Regiment, the unseasoned troops are scheduled to move to the front lines in Korea. However, the regiment is supposed to receive training near Pusan before being thrown into the fighting.

July 21

Troops of the 21st Regiment, 24th Division, spot an enemy contingent on their west flank. The threatening force, listed as battalion-sized, closes from a distance of two miles. Colonel Stephens orders the 21st Regiment to abandon its positions east of Taejon and at Okch’on. At about 1100, the 21st and the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion move toward the southern edge of Korea. After traveling about twenty miles along the highway that heads southwest, between Yongdong to Kumsan, the 21st Regiment establishes a roadblock about four miles northwest of Yongdong. On the previous night, during the retreat from Taejon, General Dean had gone back down a mountain to fetch water for the wounded in his party. He never returned to the group, due to a fall that rendered him unconscious. The remainder of the party, after a prolonged wait for Dean, moves on toward Yongdong. Meanwhile, General Dean regains consciousness only to find that he has a severe head wound and a broken shoulder. Although it is thought that General Dean had been killed or captured, there is no news of his fate. He roves around the mountains concealed from the enemy for thirty-six days while trying to reach American lines. It is a futile attempt. The laborious trek drains his strength and he loses about sixty pounds. Finally, on the 25th of August, he is captured about 35 miles south of Taejon. Central Mountain area: The S.K. 8th Division attempts to retain control of the area encompassing An-

July 21, 1950 dong and the upper Naktong River crossing there. It engages the approaching N.K. 12th Division, which is supported by about thirty Soviet T-34 tanks. The elite N.K. 12th Division is composed of seasoned troops, most of whom have served during the Chinese wars. The enemy had earlier crossed the upper Han River at Tanyang en route to Andong. The S.K. forces launch the attack and plow into the enemy at a point between Yongju and Andong. This ignites a vicious string of severe actions which last until the end of the month. The N.K. 12th Division, at about this time, receives new orders from N.K. II Corps instructing it “to capture Pohang-dong by 26 July.” Even without the stiff opposition offered by the ROK, the task is difficult, if not insurmountable. The objective is about 75 air-miles away, and to reach it by foot, the North Koreans must trudge over the beastly mountains beyond Andong. The routes of passage are primitive paths, unaccessible except by foot or oxcart. The N.K. 12th Division reinitiates daylight movement, which exposes its troops to air attack. In other activity, the S.K. 18th Regiment, Capital Division, assumes responsibility for the defense of Yech’on. It relieves the 3rd Battalion, U.S. 24th Regiment. The Capital Division will engage the N.K. 8th Division in a series of skirmishes that last until the end of July. Meanwhile, the 25th Division concentrates on holding Sangju. To guarantee its safety, General Kean’s force must hold the strategic road that runs across the Mun’gyong plateau, then through Hamch’ang into Sangju. The 25th Division also must hold the other primary road, which leans farther west as it moves over the plateau, then over the mountains converging on Sangju from the east. The enemy attacks the 25th Division on the following day. The inclement weather prevents aerial observance flights that would otherwise

The Communist offensive continues to pressure Eighth Army. This is the scene of a burning village between Yech’on and Andong on 21 July.

July 22, 1950 chart the progress of the advancing N.K. 6th Division, which is being mistaken as elements of the N.K. 4th Division. General Walker’s command is aware of the enemy movement toward southwestern Korea. Intelligence attempts to dispatch an armored reconnaissance patrol to probe the area, but there are no available personnel. Fairer skies return to the area on July 23. — In Japan: Initially, when General MacArthur had accepted the commitment of Marines for duty in Korea, it had been proposed to base the ground forces in Sasebo and the air units at Kobe Air Field, separating the units by about 400 miles. General Craig, USMC, aware of the impending burden, has recently requested that the troops be garrisoned together near Kobe in order to continue training. He is so confident that the request will be affirmed that he directs Generals Craig and Cushman to depart Tokyo and inspect the areas. The two generals and their accompanying staff return to Tokyo on the 23rd. —In Okinawa: The 1st and 3rd Battalions, 29th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Wesley C. Wilson and Lt. Colonel Harold W. Mott, respectively, embark for Korea during a torrential rainstorm aboard the vessels Fentriss and Takasago Maru. The ships arrive at Pusan on the 24th. Due to circumstances, the scheduled training in Japan is canceled and soon after their arrival in Korea, the units ship out for the front lines.

July 22

More 24th Division stragglers from the battle of Taejon reach Yongdong. Its relief, the 1st Cavalry Division, is less than full strength, despite picking up more than 1,400 replacements (including about 100 men who had been residing in the stockade) prior to departing Japan. Each regiment is composed of two battalions rather than the necessary three, and each artillery battalion is composed of only two batteries. Also, only one tank company, composed of light M24s, is with the division. At 1200, the 1st Cavalry Division assumes responsibility for the front line positions of the Yongdong perimeter (Taejon-Taegu corridor), relieving the battered 24th Division. Following seventeen days of vicious combat against two seasoned North Korean divisions, the strength of the 24th Division has been reduced to 8,660 troops. At Yongdong, the 8th Cavalry Regiment replaces the 21st Regiment, 24th Division. With the whereabouts of General Dean still unknown, since his disappearance during the evacuation of Taejon, General John H. Church is directed by Eighth Army to take command of the 24th Division. The 24th Division had been plagued by enormous disadvantages during the initial combat against the enemy, including but not limited to the total lack of coherent communications, atrocious lack of proper equipment and ammunition, obsolete maps and improper discipline, all fueled by erroneous and ludicrous rumors. The troops had also been ill-trained for the extraordinary ordeal which had been thrust upon them. At Taegu, General Walker emphatically cautions General Gay that Yongdong must be held. Walker also

118 reminds Gay that no friendly troops bolster his rear, but that the cavalry must keep the highway open to ensure replenishment of ammunition. According to Walker, the ammunition will be the substance of life for the cavalry, taking priority even over food. After the short meeting with General Walker, General Gay departs for Yongdong, where he becomes involved in a controversial meeting with a representative of Eighth Army, Colonel Allan D. MacLean (G-3 Section). Colonel MacLean had instructed General Palmer to split the 8th Cavalry, deploying its two battalions on opposing sides of the Kum River. The 1st Battalion is to be posted about two miles southwest of Yongdong to protect a key position, the Taejon-Taegu Road, and the 2nd Battalion is to deploy south of the river and about four miles northwest of the town to guard the Chosan-ni-Muju-Kumsan Road. The strategy seems suicidal to General Palmer and to General Gay; to them it is obvious that the divided force will resemble the 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn. Gay, astonished by MacLean’s order, flatly tells him that he will not comply with the order until Eighth Army instructs him by telephone to do so. After a short interlude, Eighth Army is on the phone with General Gay and subsequent to confirmation, the orders issued by the colonel stand. Reluctantly, the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, moves northwest and the 2nd Battalion heads southwest. Both units realize that once the battle commences, neither can support the other. The 5th Cavalry Regiment is placed east of Yongdong in the heights. Palmer’s plan, with which Gay concurs, had been to spread the 1st Cavalry on a string of hills east of Yongdong, whereby the units would be able to support each other. In addition, the withdrawing 24th Division could retire through a strong line of cover. Also today, Major Raibl arrives at Taegu, intent on arranging suitable combat training for the 29th Regiment. A curt conversation between Raibl and the Eighth Army Asst. G-3, Colonel Allan D. MacLean, proves fruitless, as the latter appears preoccupied, unconcerned about the unpreparedness of the anticipated arrivals. In fairness, Raibl is not yet aware of the crucial situation of the entire Eighth Army’s precarious position. Subsequently, an empathetic General Walker listens attentively to Raibl, but ultimately, the conclusion remains the same. There is no time to spare. Raibl departs Taegu with the impression that the 29th will get about a three-day reprieve at Pusan to procure equipment and test their weapons prior to facing the enemy. In other activity, while it prepares to cross the Kum River to join the fight, the N.K. 2nd Division receives word that Taejon has fallen. The 2nd Division has been lagging behind the other enemy divisions that fought at Taejon. With news of the victory, the N.K. 2nd Division bypasses Taejon and advances southeast toward Poun. Also, the N. K. 3rd Division marches out of Taejon, driving toward Taegu. Central mountain area: Northwest of Sangju, an ROK battalion holds positions on the north side of an

119 over-swollen stream. An arbitrary decision by Brigadier General Vennard Wilson, Asst. 25th Division Commander, has placed Company F, 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, in a precarious spot at the core of the ROK battalion, ostensibly to furnish the South Koreans some added confidence. But F Company is untested and the move is vehemently contested by Colonel Fisher and the battalion commander, Lt. Colonel John Wilkins. Behind the ROK troops, but on the north side of the stream, stands the remainder of the U.S. 35th Regiment’s 2nd Battalion. It is bolstered by a contingent of tanks from the 79th Tank Battalion and by Battery A, 90th Field Artillery, which stands ready at a formidable obstacle along the primary road near the town. But, as usual, events do not unfold according to expectations. The weather is nasty and the ongoing deluge has bulged the stream, transforming it into an unyielding and rampaging foe. The water’s current is so strong that huge rocks and assorted debris tumble down the channel. From their positions south of the stream, the troops of the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, are dispersed along a hill, situated south of Mun’gyong and northwest of Hamch’ang. They keep vigil in case of an enemy breakthrough. Back on the south side of the stream, Company F, deployed with the South Koreans, receives its baptism under fire as it becomes the center of attention. The North Koreans launch an attack against the ROK lines, but the ROK troops retreat, surely exposing the untried Americans. In a swift motion, the enemy begins to envelop the isolated company. Its positions are bombarded from the rear and the sides, creating pandemonium. The casualty list soars. An unsophisticated but deliberate attempt to evacuate the walking wounded is mounted. Three men, two officers and a noncom, execute an impetuous, but nonetheless heroic, mission to stave off disaster. Each man wraps himself with two twisted coils of telephone wire, then attempts to reach the opposing bank and tie down a line. The efforts are futile against the wild currents. The volunteers are haphazardly bashed about and tossed downstream until finally, they get back to the identical bank from which they started, about 100 yards away. The enemy continues to pound away, but aid is en route to the imperiled command. The turrets of a platoon of U.S. tanks (A Company, 79th Tank Bn.), positioned on the north bank, begin to bellow. Their roar instills hope for the trapped command. Swirling shells land amidst the prancing enemy. The gunners exhibit excellent marksmanship that forestalls disaster and prevents encirclement. The protective umbrella of cover fire continues to hold the enemy at bay. Essentially it suspends their resiliency and brings the attack to a screeching halt. The prodigious efforts of the tanks enable the survivors of Company F to extricate themselves. Company losses total 6 men killed, 10 wounded and 21 missing in action. Without incident, the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment remains in the heights overlooking the north bank throughout the day. Later, on the 23rd, Company F receives new orders.

July 22, 1950 In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, U.S. 24th Regiment, operating with contingents of the S.K. 17th Regiment in an area about 20 miles northwest of Sangju, encounters unexpected opposition. While ascending into the mountains, Company E is at the point on a primitive road that leads through an ominous canyon with huge and steep climbing mountain walls. The 24th Regiment, which sustained a difficult time under fire during its entry into combat, is again stunned when several enemy automatic weapons and a couple of mortars commence firing. Company E hits the dirt quickly and the troops spread out on both sides of the road, disregarding, for one reason or another, a South Korean officer’s advice to spread out to the left and right in an effort to evade the enemy fire and regroup to envelop the resistance. The pinned-down troops become targets for enemy riflemen, who enjoin the action, but there is little or no return fire as both Company E and Company F mount an irregular retreat out of the gorge. Word of the ambush reaches the regimental commander, Colonel Horton White. He immediately speeds toward the gorge to end the panic and restore discipline. But along the way White encounters the bewildered 2nd Battalion, still moving in the opposite direction. After a while, Horton is able to restore order within the ranks, but there is no movement to terminate the resistance. On the 23rd, South Korean troops move in to engage the enemy positions. By this day, the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, again rerouted, arrives at Hwanggan and receives the task to relieve the battle-weary retreating ROK troops along the Poun road. In Naval activity, planes from the USS Valley Forge strike Haeju and damage a bridge used for both vehicular and rail traffic. Additionally, the raids destroy six enemy locomotives. More than half of the railcars in a 33-car train are blown up. — In the United States: The JCS have been deliberating over General MacArthur’s request for a wartime strength Marine division for use in Korea, without results. Initially, MacArthur had received a response informing him that his request could not be fulfilled any earlier than late fall “without unacceptable weakening [of ] the Fleet Marine Force Atlantic.” The message ignites an immediate and more urgent response from MacArthur: “There can be no demand for its [Marine division’s] Potential use elsewhere that can equal the urgency of the immediate battle mission contemplated for it.” This day, having read MacArthur’s most recent request, the JCS inform MacArthur that they are reexamining the possibility of providing the Marine division, and they request confirmation of the status of the Marine brigade (until Sept. 10th), which is en route. MacArthur responds by informing the JCS that the Marine brigade will remain in Japan under Admiral Joy for participation in the anticipated invasion unless the ongoing operations in Korea deteriorate. MacArthur also states that a definitive date for the

July 23, 1950 amphibious invasion cannot be ascertained at present. He implies that it must not be delayed or the advantage will be lost and the alternative will be a frontal attack.

July 23

A group of survivors from Taejon, which had initially included General Dean and was led by Lieutenant Arthur M. Clarke, reaches the friendly lines of the 1st Cavalry at Yongdong. The Cavalry is also greeted by some unwelcome visitors, as advance contingents of the N.K. 3rd Division close toward the perimeter. The 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, initiates its use of the 3.5 rocket launcher. Soon after, it reports that three approaching T-34 tanks had been met, engaged and terminated northwest of the town. Meanwhile, as the 1st Battalion repels a direct frontal assault, contingents of the N.K. 7th and 9th Regiments drive to positions southwest of Yongdong and establish a roadblock to the rear of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, essentially isolating it. On the following day, attempts are made to demolish the roadblock. In other activity, with the arrival of good weather, General Walker requests that the Fifth Air Force order armed reconnaissance sorties over the Kwangju-Nonsan area in southwest Korea to verify a fresh intelligence report of enemy movement. The flights uncover an ongoing drive toward the rear of the west (left) flank of Eighth Army. In conjunction, the Intelligence (G-2) predicts the arrival of the estimated division at the area near Anui-Chinju line in the Chiri Mountains by July 25. Air reconnaissance reports concur and the information proves accurate. In other activity, the N.K. 4th Division, having rested and acquired about 1,000 untested replacements, departs Taejon, heading south along the Kumsan Road to join the N.K. 6th Division in its effort to collapse the Eighth Army’s left flank. It will pause in Kumsan to acquire another 1,000 replacement troops (who have received several days’ training), departing there on about the 25th. Also, the Second and Third Echelons of the fleet, subsequent to delay due to weather, begin unloading their cargoes at Pohang-dong; the former is composed of three APs, six LSTs and four Japanese freighters and the latter is composed of six LSTs. The debarkation of the 1st Cavalry and its equipment is completed by the 29th. In conjunction, on the 30th, CTF 90 reports that ComPhibGru One has completed the operation and no ships remain at the objective. The landing at Pohang-dong receives scant coverage in the U.S. newspapers, because it was unopposed; however, it has actually been a tremendous accomplishment, combining Navy-Marine tactics and Army enthusiasm at a crucial period. General Gay’s 1st Cavalry Division is desperately required to halt the enemy, especially since the beleaguered 24th Division had relinquished Taejon on the 20th. Central Mountain area: Five enemy tanks ford a river and close toward Hamch’ang, by way of the primary road. The N.K. armor has a luckless day as it

120 comes into range of the guns of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion, commanded by James V. Sanden. The artillery is part of the force supporting the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment. Four of the advancing tanks are decimated, but the sole surviving tank evades destruction by returning to the opposite bank. Soon after, it too is destroyed by roving U.S. planes. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, is ordered to pull back from the heights and redeploy about five miles north of Sangju. Later, circumstances dictate that the 2nd Battalion again move. It relocates to a new position about two miles from Sangju, and then on the 30th, the wandering battalion is directed to redeploy south of the town. In the sector northwest of Sangju, where the ROKs and 24th U.S. Regiment had been ambushed on the previous day, contingents of the S.K. 17th Regiment climb the mountain walls and overpower the North Koreans who had sprung the ambush. About thirty enemy troops, apparently guerrillas, are captured along with one mortar and two light machine guns. The South Korean 17th Regiment remains in the hills for about two additional days and gains slight progress against the enemy, but then it withdraws and returns to Sangju. With the absence of the ROK 17th Regiment, the U.S. 24th Regiment is the sole unit that remains to protect the western approach to Sangju against the N.K. 15th Division. The western front becomes anything but quiet as the regiment remains prone to hysteria during the majority of its missions west of Sangju. According to the testimony of battalion and regimental officers, the abandonment of weapons and positions is a frequent occurrence for the duration of the month. At times, more equipment is left behind than that which is brought back; in one instance, a contested hill is deserted, but when the enemy occupies it, they discover fifteen machine guns (three .50-caliber and twelve .30-caliber), eleven mortars (eight 60-mm and three 81-mm), 102 rifles and four 3.5 rocket launchers. The 24th is plagued with men heading for the rear, whereby they unnecessarily place the lives of the men who remain at their duty posts in great risk. While occupying one mountain, Company L initiates the operation with four officers and 105 enlisted men and sustains some casualties, but including these and those evacuated for different reasons (1 officer and 17 enlisted), the unit becomes skeletonized as troops mysteriously vanish. Within a few days, a relief column moves up the mountain. And, the 24th Regiment, all seventeen men still in their foxholes, begin the descent. Surprisingly, when the gallant seventeen reach the base of the mountain, their numbers have increased by one officer and thirty-five enlisted men. L Company begins the descent with 88 troops unaccounted for; now the number of missing personnel stands at 52. Also, the 27th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Michaelis, enters the fray. The 1st Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Gilbert J. Check, departs Hwanggan and moves to establish a roadblock to halt the N.K. 2nd

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A U.S. 2 1/2-ton truck with a machine gun mounted upon it engages the enemy. Nearby infantry troops remain under protective cover behind a fence during the exchange. Division. At 1700, the unit takes responsibility for the sector, subsequent to the ROK force passing through its lines. During the evening, the unit digs in defensively outside of Sangyong-ni, but south of Poun. After an unsuccessful talk with some South Korean troops in an attempt to determine the strength and location of the enemy, a 30-man contingent from Company A, 27th Regiment led by Lieutenant John Buckley, ventures off in the darkness to reconnoiter. The detachment encounters an enemy column that is advancing south. Promptly, Buckley’s troops peel off and take positions in the hills on both sides of the road. As the enemy column (probably a spearhead of a larger force) moves into close range, the patrol commences firing and the column halts and then returns to Poun. The patrol, having sustained six men missing, returns to regimental lines at 0400 (24th). West Coast area: The N.K. 6th Division continues its advance against minimal opposition raised by some S.K. Police, several hundred scattered survivors of the S.K. 7th Division and a small amount of S.K. Marines. The North Koreans are heading toward the anemic left flank of Eighth Army, which is being pressed toward Pusan. From Kwangju, the 14th N.K. Regiment drives south to Posong, while the 13th N.K. Regiment moves southwest to the coastal town of Mokp’o. In conjunction, the 15th N.K. Regiment moves southeast through Sunch’on to the southern coastal town of Yosu. Lack of stiff opposition greatly aids the under-equipped enemy division, which is forced to subsist on meager rations due to its atrocious supply system. In Air Force activity, the 6132d Tactical Air Control Group (Provisional) establishes a Tactical Air Control Center adjacent to the Joint Operations Center at Taegu, South Korea.

— In the United States: General Cates receives authorization to mobilize the Marine Aviation Reserve. The Marine Organized Aviation Reserve, composed of 30 VMF Squadrons and 12 GCI Squadrons, is directed to order six VMF Squadrons and three GCI (Ground Control Intercept) Squadrons to report to El Toro, California, to bolster the 1st Marine Air Wing and bring it up to war strength. MAG-33 of 1st MAW has been dispatched to the Far East, prompting the action. — In Hawaii: The 5th Regimental Combat Team, commanded by Colonel Godwin Ordway, embarks Hawaii by sea for Korea. Many of the troops are Hawaiians and there are some men who served during World War II in the American-Japanese (Nisei) units. The unit arrives at Pusan on July 31. Also, 14 M-26 Pershing tanks and the 555th Field Artillery Battalion, nicknamed the Triple Nickel Battalion, accompany the combat team. — In Japan: General MacArthur makes it known that the U.N. forces, while prosecuting the war, will embrace the provisions of the Geneva Prisoner of War Convention. In conjunction, Syngman Rhee, the president of South Korea, accepts the same provisions for the Republic of Korea. At 1730, a meeting concerning the Inchon operation convenes at MacArthur’s headquarters. Representatives of the Army and Navy are in attendance, including Generals Collins (Army chief of staff ), Almond, Hickey and Wright, and Admirals Sherman, Doyle, Joy and Struble. Admiral Doyle, speaking on behalf of the Navy, references the selection of Inchon: “The operation is not impossible, but I do not recommend it.” Following the naval presentation, MacArthur, who had remained silent except for a few select questions, reverts to his persuasiveness. Through the process of elimination, he

July 23, 1950

122

A U.S. Navy Corsair (creating vapor circles) takes off of the USS Boxer. Part of a rescue helicopter can be seen at top right. Helicopters remain in the air during operations in the event a rescue becomes necessary. knocks out Kunsan, the site favored by Sherman and Collins. Eventually, after speaking for about forty-five minutes, MacArthur, hell-bent on an Inchon landing, closes with his usual flair, noting: “The Navy has never turned me down yet, and I know it will not now.” MacArthur prevails, although additional attempts to sway him continue. In conjunction, an alternate landing site at Posung-myon, opposite Osan and thirty miles south of Inchon, is suggested by Doyle. On the following day, General Lemuel Shepherd, Jr., USMC, reiterates the suggestion of Admiral Doyle, nonetheless unsuccessfully. The blueprint for Operation CHROMITE is made available to General Headquarters.

The ambitious plan offers alternative landing sites for the invasion of Korea: (1) Plan 100-B, Inchon (west coast); (2) Plan 100-C, Kunsan (west coast); (3) Plan 100-D, vicinity of Chumunjin (east coast). The featured plan is B, in synchronization with an Eighth Army attack. MacArthur apprises the Department of the Army that he has scheduled an amphibious landing, composed of the 5th Marines and the 2nd Infantry Division, for mid–September to be sprung against the enemy behind his lines. However, enemy successes will alter these plans. In other activity, the USS Boxer arrives off Japan, transporting 145 urgently needed F-51 Mustangs (procured

123 from National Guard air squadrons) to bolster the Far Eastern Air Force’s efforts in Korea. The Boxer has completed the voyage from Alameda in eight days and about seven hours. Air Force records, differing from Navy records, show the Boxer arriving on 22 July. In other activity, the initial Red Ball Express train departs Yokohama for Sasebo at 1330 and arrives at its destination with priority cargo in slightly more than thirty hours; from there, the cargo is forwarded to Pusan by ferry, completing the total mission in about 50 hours. Shortly thereafter, on the 25th, the trains depart on a daily basis; they pull out of Yokohama at 2330 with tentative arrival at Sasebo scheduled for 0542, two days later. The final part of the journey, following the cargo’s transfer from the railcars to the ferry, is scheduled to depart for Pusan at 1330 (on a daily basis) for arrival at Pusan at 0400 on the following day. Also, the Marine entourage that had gone to Itami airfield to examine the area returns to Tokyo and proposes a blueprint for the deployment of the 1st Brigade and the 1st Marine Division near there; MacArthur’s staff concurs. Two days later, the Marine officers again return to Itaki.

July 24 The North Koreans capture Chinan, Kwangju, Mokp’o and Yonju. The naval base at Mokp’o on the southwestern coast is seized by elements of the N.K. Sixth Division, who had fooled both the U.S. and South Koreans by marching south only during the darkened hours; it had been thought that only small guerrilla units had been involved. During the day, U.S. Naval Air Reconnaissance flights had spotted huge unidentified troop movements throughout southwestern Korea and immediately passed the crucial information on to their mother ships. With the unexpected arrival of yet another North Korean Division, the fate of the already threatened Eighth Army becomes more questionable. The bad news reaches General Walker at Eighth Army Headquarters, and it becomes apparent that the enemy is only about 150 miles from Pusan, advancing against minimal opposition. Without hesitation, Walker contacts Tokyo, requesting immediate close-air support to impede the advance and forestall encirclement of the U.N. forces. This urgent plea re-illuminates the difference in thinking between the Air Force’s definition of close-air support and the contrasting concept that had been perfected between the Navy and Marines during World War II. The method devised by the Air Force is not yet prepared for implementation; however, the Navy is ready to move into action. General Jarred Crabb, USAF, contacts Rear Admiral A.K. Morehouse, Admiral Joy’s chief of staff, requesting the Navy’s assistance. Morehouse, despite his reluctance to act because of the lack of sufficiently skilled ground-to-air control parties on the front lines, realizes that the Navy must act. The answer comes forth from Admiral Struble within 58 minutes: affirmative. Struble informs Eighth Army that the planes will be airborne as soon as their ammunition is replenished and

July 24, 1950 the ongoing refueling operation is completed. Admiral Joy communicates with Admiral Struble concerning the urgency of the situation and the dangers involved: “The calculated risk of damage to friendly forces must be accepted. The ground situation is so critical that commencement of operations on 25th is highly desirable.” General Walker also orders the 24th Division to speed south to intercept the enveloping force. At noon, General Church, commanding the 24th in the absence of General Dean, is called to Walker’s headquarters to discuss the critical development emerging near the undefended left flank of Eighth Army. The 24th Division, Walker explains, must cover the protracted area stretching between Chinju to positions close to Kumch’on; this is no simple task, considering that the two specified locations stand about 65 air-miles apart on opposite sides of the rugged Chiri Mountains. The order comes down following just one day of the division being placed on the reserve roster to permit resupply of equipment and replacement of its many casualties. The beleaguered 24th Division lacks about 60 to 70 percent of the equipment necessary to operate, and its three regiments each remain composed of only two weakened battalions, rather than the normal full strength of three battalions. Nonetheless, just prior to midnight (24th–25th), the 19th Regiment departs for Chinju from Kumch’on. By the following day, reports of enemy movement in southwest Korea flood headquarters, giving the Eighth Army the impression that the N.K. 4th Division is scattered across nearly 3,500 square miles of the southwestern portion of Korea. In other activity, the South Korean (ROK) Army reorganizes, forming two corps (I and II) and five divisions; the battered S.K. 2nd Division is dismantled and its remaining troops are transferred to the S.K. 1st Division; the I Corps, operating in the Taebaek Mountain area, is composed of the Capital and 8th S.K. Divisions; II Corps is composed of the 1st and 6th S.K. Divisions. The other S.K. division, the 3rd, will be directly controlled by South Korean Army due to its remote and virtually isolated positions on the east coast, too distant for effective I Corps control. The South Korean forces (II Corps) adjoin the U.S. troops to the west and stretch east through the central mountains, linking with the I Corps at Andong (until August 1), then Sangju to the east coast, which is defended by the S.K. 3rd Division. Also, the advance group of the Air Force is designated Fifth Air Force in Korea. Central Mountain area: Elements of the S.K. 6th Division engage the N.K. 1st Division in a vicious battle in the mountains over Hamch’ang, resulting in the destruction of seven Soviet T-34 tanks. Also, the U.S. 25th Division, as of today, assumes responsibility for the area stretching west from Sangju to the Seoul-Taegu Road; this releases the ROK 1st and 2nd Division components to swivel from Sangju and head north and east respectively to the Hamch’ang front. Near the village of Sangyong-ni, the 27th U.S.

July 24, 1950 Regiment braces for an enemy attack. A patrol that had gone out the previous night returns at 0400; it had detected an imminent enemy approach. The weather remains unkind to the defenders. Slightly after dawn, a thick fog permeates the area, giving added advantage to the N.K. 2nd Division, which launches its assault at 0630 and moves swiftly under the mist. At the forward point, two rifle companies are entrenched along shallow ridges on both sides of the road, but the enemy nudges too close before it is discovered. But then the

124 barrels roar and the accompanying T-34s score. The tank fire rips into the riflemen whose return fire is sufficient to only halt the infantry. The tanks remain unscathed and press forward toward battalion headquarters, with their machine guns and cannon blazing. Action is heavy throughout the area. While the riflemen stall the enemy infantry, additional tanks swerve around the bend, plow over the observation post of Company B on the right side of the road, and then drive toward the 1st Battalion lines. The 1st contingent

Eighth Army engineers set explosives on a bridge to prepare it for demolition if the North Koreans threaten the positions.

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July 24, 1950

A U.S. tank (Chaffee M24) pauses in a South Korean village in the vicinity of Yech’on on 24 July. of armor effortlessly penetrates the perimeter and commences firing on the battalion command post, which lies behind Company B’s positions. During the shoot out, several U.S. vehicles are destroyed and the medical officer is killed. Return fire is quickly mounted. The commanding officer of Company A Captain Weston commandeers a bazooka, and from extremely close range, he kills an attacking tank; however, the tank fire from close range costs Weston the loss of his hearing and one nearby soldier is killed. Weston refuses to leave the battle area, but later he is ordered to the rear by Colonel Check to receive aid. In reaction to the five additional tanks that have entered the action, Colonel Check requests air strikes and

through some fortuitous luck, three F-80 jets appear overhead. In an instant, following rapid dives, three of the tanks are wiped out by the planes’ rockets. The fast-paced battle lasts throughout the day with the hills being lost and regained repeatedly. By day’s end, two more T-34 tanks are destroyed, leaving only two others. The heights have changed occupants three times, but the Americans, fearful of envelopment during the night, prepare to pull back. The 1st Battalion breaks off the fighting and moves back, passing through the 2nd Battalion lines, apparently unnoticed by the North Koreans. The North Koreans launch a large assault against the abandoned positions on the following morning.

July 25, 1950 In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, near Yongdong, the North Korean forces, following another extremely successful infiltration operation (enhanced by posing as refugees), squeeze the noose tighter around the cavalry. The enemy uses some cunning methods to fool the unsuspecting Americans, including using women who appear pregnant, but in fact are simply bulging because of concealed radios that are being used to report U.S. positions. On this day, one woman is scrutinized closely and her phony pregnancy is aborted as a soldier removes the radio. Meanwhile, southwest of Yongdong, U.S. tanks repeatedly rush the strangling roadblock to displace it. Four separate attacks fail to budge it and the 8th Cavalry remains isolated. During one of the attacks, the 2nd Battalion commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Eugene Field, is wounded. Another spirited attack to clear the rear of the besieged 2nd Battalion is launched by the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, supported by the 16th Reconnaissance Company, but it too falters. By now both the 1st and 2nd Battalions (8th Cavalry) are in great jeopardy and the support units as well. The massive enemy infiltration threatens both the 99th and the 61st Field Artillery Battalions, which have combined their resources to bolster the 2nd Battalion. Both units come under equally severe attacks, which threaten their ability to provide full-powered support fire. In synchronization with the ongoing assaults against the 2nd Battalion, southwest of Yongdong, the 1st Battalion, precariously perched northwest of the town, sustains ferocious attacks. But with unbridled support fire from Battery A, 92nd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, and the 77th Field Artillery Battalion, the North Koreans are repelled temporarily. East Coast area: The 1st and 3rd Battalions, 29th Regiment, arrive at Pusan and upon debarkation, they receive their waiting orders: proceed immediately to Chinju to become attached to the 19th Regiment, 24th Division. This obviously eliminates any training for the green troops. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force moves its advanced headquarters from Japan to Taegu in an effort to smooth communications between it and Eighth Army. The headquarters is established close to the headquarters of Eighth Army. — In Japan: Today, General Almond, who has been chief of staff of the Far East Command since February 18, 1949, subsequent to his position as deputy chief of staff to General MacArthur (Nov. ’46–Feb. ’49), is also appointed chief of staff, U.N. Command. In other activity, Escort Element (CTE 96.50), commanded by British Captain A.D.H. Jay and composed of the HMS Black Swan (PF), HMS Hart (PF), and the HMS Shoalhaven (PF), is established by Naval Forces Far East.

July 25

Starting at midnight (24th–25th), warships of the Seventh Fleet swing out from the west coast of Korea, heading toward the east coast to provide

126 close-air support for the endangered Eighth Army and ROK ground troops. By 0800, the thunderous roar of the planes’ engines breaks the morning silence as the aircraft spring from the deck of the Valley Forge. Within about twenty minutes, the naval aviators soar directly above the battleground and fly hoops over Taeju to announce their presence to the JOC ( Joint Army–Air Force Center). Operating within the bounds of over-stressed communication channels and the deficient numbers of “Mosquito” plane controllers, the pilots join the fight. Due to the difficulty in pronouncing the names of the Korean towns and villages, the navy has its work cut out for the day. Adding to the Herculean operation, while the carrier aircraft attempts to communicate with the L-5 liaison plane (spotter-observation), other planes arrive. F-80 jets, based in Japan, speed overhead searching for targets. The naval Corsairs and Skyraiders, subsequent to attempting to open communications with the ground, move farther west without the availability of accurate maps. Nevertheless, the planes scour the area for enemy movement. Several pilots dump their bombs in the sea just prior to returning to the carrier. During the initial mission, the British carrier Triumph picks up the slack by running the bulk of combat air patrols in their absence, essentially freeing every available plane on the Valley Forge for the mission. Later in the day, Admiral Struble reports by dispatch on the first close-air support mission over Korea: “The results of the morning sweeps and strikes were very minor due to a dearth of targets. No Rolling stock seen, only a few donkey carts plus men in rice paddies.... Seven trucks strafed did not burn. Four trucks strafed and burned. Will continue afternoon strikes, but under above conditions, the prospects appear poor. Consider it mandatory that proper communications be arranged....” At Kumsan, the N.K. 4th Division reinitiates its southward march to join the N.K. 6th Division. The tank regiment, which had accompanied it since the first day of the invasion, lags behind at Kumsan and remains in place awaiting the N.K. 4th Division to cross the Naktong River. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, at Yongdong, the 1st Cavalry’s divided positions have become untenable. The overwhelming results of the enemy infiltration force a withdrawal. The 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, still isolated southwest of Yongdong, has had little if any sleep overnight as it works tirelessly to forestall defeat. During the early morning hours, hair-raising friendly artillery nearly singes the ears of the men of the 2nd Battalion as shells zoom over the heads of the defenders into the enemy positions. Several men are wounded. In concert with the blazing guns of the artillery, at 0430, the desperate 2nd Battalion launches a breakout assault, which cracks a slim hole in the roadblock. A continuing surge of unconscious energy from the exhausted troops shoves the lead contingents through the gap, but unrelenting enemy fire plugs the leak before the

127 entire battalion can extricate itself. Seven of the eleven tanks fail to break out, and although most of the imperiled battalion escapes, the rear of the column anchored by the tanks, Company F, 8th Cavalry, and the 16th Reconnaissance Company are trapped. During the breakout attempt, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, joins the fight to help save the besieged 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry; but one of its contingents, Company F, 5th Cavalry, inadvertently moves to the wrong hill and walks into a totally unexpected storm of enemy fire which decimates the company. Only 26 men escape. Meanwhile, the men still trapped behind the roadblock discount any possibility of rescue. They abandon their equipment, including the tanks, and disperse into the hills. After a two-day jaunt through the heights, 219 men (composed primarily of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry) reach friendly lines (total casualties 1st Cavalry Division today — 275). The North Korean pressure against the 1st Battalion northwest of Yongdong is less destructive. The two batteries of the 77th Field Artillery Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel William A. Harris, and the heavy mortar company lay an elaborate field of cover fire, and Lt. Colonel Robert Kane’s 1st Battalion executes a disciplined withdrawal. Nonetheless, the enemy is slowed, but not halted, by the sheets of fire. The advance continues and closes against the heavy mortar company. As the North Koreans inch too close to the mortarmen, they dispose of their mortars and escape by transforming themselves into infantrymen and fighting their way out. By nightfall, Yongdong is on the plate for the North Koreans. The first enemy contingents enter at about 2000. In yet another instance, the combined ploy of frontal attack in synchronization with infiltration and a rear envelopment attack gains the North Koreans another stepping stone toward Pusan. Expecting a night counterattack against the eastern side of Yongdong to be launched by the 1st Cavalry Division, the N.K. 3rd Division establishes a defensive posture. The capture of Yongdong, according to information obtained from prisoners, has cost the N.K. 3rd Division about 2,000 casualties, brought about primarily by artillery fire. This leaves the enemy 3rd Division with a strength of approximately 5,000 troops, the equivalent of half its original strength. In the 27th Regiment sector, bright and early, as suspected by Colonels Check and Michaelis, the North Koreans execute another splendid envelopment tactic. Two unleashed battalions drive to swarm upon and destroy the 1st Battalion. The assault, executed flawlessly, unfolds a superb double envelopment, but much to their surprise, the North Koreans have surrounded thin air, and they now stand directly to the front of the guns of the waiting 2nd Battalion, commanded by Major Gordon E. Murch. A heavy concentration of killing fire is laid down, slicing in to the enemy ranks. The combination of tanks, mortars and various other weapons of the 2nd Battalion hand the two enemy bat-

July 25, 1950 talions a grievous thrashing. These stunned North Koreans mount a hasty and disoriented retreat, but as usual more troops advance, and by mid-afternoon the 27th Regiment is being set up for envelopment. About an hour before midnight, amid the ongoing heavy fighting, Colonel Michaelis orders the regiment to move toward Hwanggan and deploy on higher ground. By midnight, the troops begin to move out, despite brutal fighting on the right flank. The eight tanks of Company A, 79th Tank Bn., and Company F cover the withdrawal. The tanks, upon direction by Major Murch, converge on line and peer north. From their positions, the tankers pummel enemy ground troops that are spotted moving down the road. By the following day, some reinforcements arrive to augment the 27th Regiment. Meanwhile, the 7th Cavalry Regiment’s Headquarters and its 2nd Battalion, which had moved from Pohang-dong to positions west of Kumch’on during the fighting at Yongdong, have been apprehensive since their arrival. The staff lacks experience and the troops are green. Following the skirmishes of the nearby 27th Regiment, unsubstantiated information arrives and adds to the foreboding mood of the men of the 7th Cavalry. But most of the news that flows into their area concerning North Korean progress has been through the rumor tunnels several times over, so it reaches them with tremendous magnification. Nonetheless, the 7th Cavalry contingents believe a report that flies in slightly after midnight. Alarming news arrives relating that the North Koreans had punched a big hole through the 27th Regiment lines along the Poun Road and they are advancing swiftly. Almost without hesitation 7th Cavalry Headquarters signals all personnel to withdraw. During the pandemonium, the 2nd Battalion impetuously departs, leaving enormous amounts of equipment and ammunition at their abandoned positions. The “bug out,” as these charges to the rear are dubbed, causes many cavalrymen of the 2nd Battalion to vanish. Subsequent to daybreak, some poised platoon sergeants and an entourage of truck drivers and their vehicles trace their steps back and recover an abundance of weaponry, including fourteen machine guns, six 60mm mortars, seven BARs, and 120 M1 rifles. In addition, nine radios are recovered. Later, 119 men of the 2nd Battalion are still unaccounted for at the end of the day (26th). In the West Coast sector, the commanding officer, Colonel Ned D. Moore, 19th Regiment, 24th Division, arrives at Chinju about 0600, followed later by the 2nd Battalion and Headquarters, which arrive at about 1500. The 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, trails the leading elements, but deploys to their rear along the Kumchon Road, north of Chinju. Company A spreads out defensively at Anui to guard a road approach from the west, while the remainder of 1st Battalion moves farther south to positions slightly east of Hamyang at Umyong-ni (on some antiquated maps it is referred to as Sanggam and on others Hwasan).

July 25, 1950 By now, Eighth Army at Taegu has been informed by intelligence reports that the enemy has troops in Mokp’o, at least ten tanks and about 500 men. Other reports detail the presence of about 800 infantry and some tanks at Kurye. About 500 enemy infantry engage S.K. Police at Hadong. Meanwhile, during the afternoon, the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 29th Regiment, arrive at Chinju; their weapons, including rifles (not zeroed), mortars and machine guns have not been fired. Later, after dark, Colonel Ned Moore (commanding officer, 19th Regiment) directs Colonel Mott to lead his 3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment to capture Hadong, thirty-five miles southwest of Chinju, where S.K. police attempt to hold a strategic road intersection that protects the western approach to Chinju. South Korean Major General Chae Byong Duk offers and receives permission to accompany Colonel Mott in an advisory capacity as well as interpreter during the mission. The unit is told to be prepared to depart at 2230, but the departure takes place about 0030; the unit expects to reach Hadong prior to dawn on the 26th. In Taegu, Eighth Army continues to absorb the enormous pressure of the advancing enemy. The Americans and the South Koreans are each being pushed back, endangering headquarters. In other activity, Brigadier General Francis W. Farrell is appointed chief of KMAG. Initially he had arrived in Korea to command an artillery unit. Farrell succeeds Colonel W.H. Sterling Wright, who departs for the U.S. on August 4 to attend a special school. Wright’s participation with KMAG began during August 1948. Wright had been scheduled to leave earlier, but the unexpected invasion postponed his departure. In Air Force activity, Lieutenant Upell, an Airborne Fighter Controller, flying a T-6 to coordinate air power, observes enemy and armor on the move in the vicinity of Yongdong. Upell calls for F-80s, but upon their arrival, Upell is informed that the pilots cannot differentiate between friend and foe on the ground due to

128 the darkness. In a dangerous maneuver, Upell and his observer (Lieutenant Franklyn C. Winters) decide to turn on their lights to guide the F-80s to the targets. Suddenly in the pitch darkness, the T-6s lights start to beam and Upell’s radio blares a message to follow his plane. Upell dives low to an elevation of only several hundred feet and cruises above and through a strom of fire from rifles, machine guns and mortars. The F-80s follow the beam and dot the T’s. Afterwards, Upell remains overhead and directs the friendly ground fire. All planes return to their respective bases without harm. — In the United States: The JCS has apparently digested the repeated requests of General MacArthur for a war-time strength Marine division for use in Korea; the Pentagon orders the Marine Corps to expand the 1st Marine Division to war strength (Plan BAKER). Major General Oliver P. Smith assumes command of the 1st Marine Division; he receives instructions from the commandant to bring the division to war strength, minus one regiment, and be prepared to embark for Korea between the 10th and 15th of August. Much easier said than done. Smith has a mere two weeks to round up the troops, many of whom are scattered around the country. In addition, an entire regiment, the 7th Marines, is to be added, which makes the procurement of equipment and supplies a colossal task. On August 10, the Joint Chiefs of Staff will authorize the third regiment for the 1st Marine Division, calling for the activation of the 7th Marines at that time. In conjunction, the chief of naval operations authorizes the reduction of the stateside Marine security forces by fifty percent, thereby permitting an additional 3,630 regular Marines to join the 1st Marine Division. — In Japan: Marine Generals Craig and Cushman (and some staff ) depart Tokyo for Itami Airfield, expecting to re-inspect the area due to the imminent arrival of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. Meanwhile, a massive enemy threat continues to build against Pusan. The North Korean offensive, poised to strike toward Pusan from the north, gains the southwestern

A U.S. Army contingent engages an advancing enemy force. The jeep is delivering ammunition to the line.

129

July 26, 1950

phones Tokyo and speaks to General Almond, requesting authority to relocate Eighth Army Headquarters from Taegu to Pusan to ensure the survival of the Army communication equipment, a prerequisite for continuing the struggle against the enemy. Almond, offering his opinion, informs Walker that the intended move would carry bad ramifications for the morale of the various U.S. and ROK units; however, he does agree to inform MacArthur of the request. Following the conversation with Walker, General Almond confers with MacArthur, passing on the information and suggesting that MacArthur go to Korea on the following day to give the crucial matter personal attention. MacArthur, after deliberating for some time, advises General Almond to have his plane, the Bataan, readied for departure. In other activity, Marine Generals A U.S. soldier, using a Radio SCR 300, communicates with a for- Craig and Cushman arrive by air at ward mortar position. Taegu from Japan at 1400 and quickly grasp the criticalness of the situation. The airstrip at Taegu is portion of the peninsula and gives the Communists rough at best and there are few defending troops as well more advantage, as they are now positioned to strike as a minimum amount of planes there when the genfrom two separate directions, evoking a new crisis along erals arrive. General Craig reports to General Walker. the perimeter. General Headquarters dispatches an Soon after, a briefing is given by Colonel Landrum to emergency message recalling Craig’s transport plane, all Marine officers, updating them on the situation as which is about twenty minutes from Tokyo, stressing best as possible. The defensive line is deteriorating so that it is imperative. quickly that headquarters is not thoroughly positive Soon after his return, General Craig is briefed at about much of the ongoing fighting. The Marines are headquarters. General Edwin K. Wright (Far East informed that there is no specific sector assigned to Command G-3) informs Craig that all available troops them because of the uncertainty of the situation as the will be required to confront the advancing enemy and outnumbered American troops are being slowly pushed that General MacArthur has authorized the commitback. Nonetheless, the instructions are explicit in that ment of the Marine brigade. Colonel Edward W. the Marines are expected to be ready to move to any Snedeker, USMC, chief of staff of the brigade, is inpoint subsequent to debarkation and on instant notice. structed by dispatch to move the brigade to Korea. Aboard the convoy, it is common conversation In conjunction, the convoy transporting the 1st Proamong the Marines that they might not arrive in Korea visional Marine Brigade receives new orders directing in time to go on the offense. There is concern that they it to immediately change course for Korea. The convoy will debark only in time to flank and protect a general arrives off Korea on August 2. The Marines go ashore evacuation. Also, General Walker provides his plane to at Pusan on the following day. However, the vessels permit General Craig, Colonel Joseph Stewart (Brigade transporting MAG-33 continue toward Japan. Later, at G-3) and Lt. Colonel Arthur A. Chidester (Brigade G1700, Generals Craig and Cushman depart for Korea, 4) to inspect the combat zone, presently considered all making a stop at Itami to make some alternative adground still controlled by U.N. troops. During the exjustments. On the following day, the Marine generals cursion, Pusan and its harbor are inspected and while fly to Fukuoka, where they transfer to a smaller plane there, Craig confers with Brigadier General Crump that is adaptable to the primitive airfields of Korea. Garvin concerning the imminent arrival of the Marine brigade. July 26 Eighth Army, still expecting to take the Subsequent to departing Pusan, the Marine team, offensive, issues an operational directive signifying that through aerial observation, determines that it would Army will deploy at predetermined positions to intermeet the requirements of an acceptable base for VMOcept and engage the enemy while it simultaneously ma6 and the Marine Air Support Control unit if it beneuvers to secure its front lines and prepares to launch comes essential. Before closing the busy day, General an offensive (date to be set later). General Walker tele-

July 26, 1950 Walker’s pilot, possessing an astute knowledge of the area, swings farther west and gives General Craig and his entourage a pointed look at Masan, Chinju and the Naktong River, any of which might become the mission of the Marine brigade. Central Mountain area: Contingents of the N.K. 15th Division, having conquered the mountain passes, move from the west along a secondary road toward Sangju, which is defended by the U.S. 24th Regiment. The regiment has its entire complement of three battalions deployed near the road about ten miles outside of Sangju, and it is supported by the guns of the 64th and 159th Field Artillery Battalions and one additional battery of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion. In the Hwanggan area, the 27th Regiment, U.S. 25th Division, holds at its new positions in the heights outside of the village. The 27th Regiment had been forced back from the vicinity of Sangyong-ni by pressure from the N.K. 2nd Division. Some relief of the extraordinary pressure occurs as the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, arrives to cover positions on the right flank, but a gap still exists on the left flank between the 27th Regiment’s most distant unit stretching west, Company C, 1st Battalion. Its nearest friendly force is the 1st Cavalry Division’s 7th Cavalry Regiment. The enemy exploits the hole on the following day. At Yongdong, a contingent of N.K. 3rd Division troops, with a vanguard of four T-34 tanks, launches a night attack against the 5th Cavalry Regiment, which is deployed east of the town. The enemy, anticipating a heavy concentration of mines in their path, uses a modified cold-hearted tactic, one that had frequently been implemented by the Soviets during World War II. The North Koreans forcefully push human mine detectors (civilian refugees) ahead of the attack force to open a clear path for the tanks and the troops. Nonetheless, prior to daybreak, the cavalrymen repel the assaults. However, the larger part of the enemy’s plan unfolds southwest of the town. The N.K. 3rd Division’s 7th Regiment moves out of the town, heading southwest along the Muju Road. It intends to execute a wide flanking movement against Kumchon by swinging through Chirye. Attentive patrols of the 5th Cavalry detect the wily envelopment as it winds around the regimental left flank. The discovery creates two additional problems for General Gay — the depth of the tenacity of his troops on the left flank and the amount of strength remaining in the weary 27th Regiment on his right flank. Fortunately, the left flank holds firmly, terminating the enemy attacks prior to daybreak. Secondly, the 27th Regiment also holds, thereby purchasing more desperate time. General Gay, however, decides that to remain in place, his 5th Cavalry would be encircled and isolated from Taegu; therefore, Gay plans to pull back to positions near Kumchon, where he is confident the ground is extremely suitable for a strong defense. The withdrawal is initiated on July 29, subsequent to the pull-back of the 27th Regiment through its perimeter, and it is well timed. In conjunction, Eighth

130 Army, concerned about the strength of the enemy flanking movement, adds reinforcements to the cavalry, attaching the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry (24th Division). East Coast area: The North Koreans and ROK forces are still engaged for control of Yongdok. The South Koreans are preparing for a major counterattack on the 27th to seize the town. On this day, after dark, roving squads of South Koreans capture seventeen enemy machine guns, but only eight prisoners are netted. Also, Colonel Chong Won “Tiger” Kim, commander of the S.K. 23rd Regiment, is causing additional strain on the KMAG advisors due to his methods of disciplining his troops; today, he has one of his officers (a first lieutenant) executed with a single shot to the head because the officer’s unit had been encircled by enemy troops for a few days. This and other similar tactics of “Tiger” Kim cause the KMAG advisers to have him relieved; he will be replaced by the commanding officer, ROK 1st Separate Battalion. The USS Valley Forge launches planes to destroy enemy targets, but again the results are poor, according to Navy standards. Some aircraft locate targets, but most of the heavy loads of bombs are dropped to permit the planes to return to their carriers. A contingent of ten F4Us, led by Lt. Commander Pittman, nets five trucks, and another group, composed of seven F4Us (VF-53), knocks out two trucks. Also, a contingent of four Skyraiders snags one truck, while also inflicting damage to a railroad bridge and strafing an enemyinfiltrated village. The aircraft return to the carrier, but inclement weather moves into the area, prompting the fleet to return to the west coast of Korea. Meanwhile, both the Army and Air Force attempt to coordinate with the Navy to eliminate the poor communications. The Navy also prioritizes solutions on its own; Admiral Hoskins, staff members of the Valley Forge and of the British warship the Triumph meet, resulting in the British offering to commit a radio jeep and two officers, both trained in ground-to-air communications. But, on the 29th, the HMS Triumph is detached from the U.S. task force and reassigned to the British task group, preventing the offer from being implemented. Also, with reference to the naval operation (closeair support), Admiral Joy communicates with Admiral Sherman, informing him that the operation was disappointing. Joy attaches a contingent of an ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company) to his command to help expedite the training of Army–Air Force personnel. Joy also contacts Generals MacArthur and Stratemeyer, offering the expertise of these specialists to train Army–Air Force personnel immediately. In other activity, Hadong and Yosu fall to the North Koreans. Also, the combined strength of the South Korean Army (ROK), including the infusion of new recruits, stands at 85,871 men; its total assigned strength is 94,570 men. West Coast area: General Church establishes his

131 headquarters at Hyopch’on, which is construed to be a point central to the huge area to be defended by the 24th Division; it lies approximately 25 miles north of Chinju and 15 miles southeast of Koch’ang, where the 34th Regiment, commanded by Col. Charles Beauchamp, will deploy. The 34th Regiment departs its positions north of Taegu in the Kunwi-Uisong vicinity and moves to Koch’ang. The 29th Regiment’s 3rd Battalion (attached to the 19th Regiment), which had departed Chinju slightly after midnight (25th–26th), heads south down the highway through Konyang, accompanied by South Korean guides. At Konyang the battalion swings north, taking a secondary road to bypass an impassable stream. It is a tedious trek, as the Battalion devotes most of the night navigating the slim road, while constantly pulling vehicles out of the adjacent rice paddies. By daylight, the force is moving north toward Hadong when it encounters a speeding southbound truck that is transporting 15 to 20 seriously wounded South Koreans. The Koreans inform Colonel Mott that they are the sole survivors of a group of about 400 militiamen who had fought at Hadong the night of the 25th. The 3rd Battalion (29th Regiment) continues to Wonjon via the primary road, then halts to establish a security line. Lacking radio communications with the 19th Regiment Headquarters at Chinju, Major Raibl heads back there by jeep to inform Colonel Moore of the tale of the South Koreans and to request permission to draw a line north of Chinju to guard the Hadong Road, west of Chinju. However, Moore instructs him to inform Colonel Mott to continue the mission to seize Hadong. After lunch, Raibl, still convinced that the 3rd Battalion cannot succeed, returns to Wonjon with the orders to proceed. The 3rd Battalion halts its advance at dusk upon reaching Hoenghch’on, near a sharp mountain road curve about three miles from the objective. A desperately needed radio jeep arrives with an Air Force captain and a tactical air control party; however, en route, the radio becomes inoperable, preventing the team from communicating with Chinju to guide the air strikes that are anticipated for the following morning. — In the United States: The SS Luxembourg Victory leaves San Francisco for Korea; among its cargo are eighty medium tanks to bolster Eighth Army. Additional tanks are also being rushed to the Korean battlefront. In other activity, a messenger from Washington arrives at Camp Pendleton informing General Oliver Smith that his 1st Marine Division will be composed of four classes of personnel: (1) Brigade units to be united with the division in the Far East; (2) Elements of the 2nd Marine Division (East Coast); (3) Regular personnel from various posts and stations; and (4) Troops from the Marine Corps Reserve who meet minimum combat experience requirements, to meet final deficiencies. — In Japan: The 7th Infantry Division is relieved of all occupation duties, and it receives orders from

July 27, 1950 FEC to prepare for embarkation to Korea; however, the division is drastically short of personnel. During July, 140 officers and 1,500 NCOs and enlisted men have been transferred to the 24th and 25th Divisions to bolster their strength. As of the following day, 27 July, the 7th Division remains more than 9,000 men short, lacking 290 officers, 126 warrant officers and 8,701 enlisted men.

July 27

At about 1000, General MacArthur and a small entourage of officers, including his chief of staff, Major General Edward Almond, arrive at Taegu from Haneda airfield in Japan. Having been informed of the arrival the previous night by General Almond, General Walker and several officers are waiting at the runway. Following the ride to Eighth Army Headquarters, General MacArthur and General Walker (with only General Almond in attendance) confer for about ninety minutes, during which time Walker’s request to transfer his headquarters to Pusan is never mentioned. However, MacArthur enunciates the importance of Eighth Army holding its ground, in such fashion that the tone in no way reprimands Walker, but he still gets his point across that there can be no more withdrawals. Later, following lunch, MacArthur states to some of the members of Army staff that Korea would not be evacuated and that there would be no Korean Dunkerque (Dunkirk). In other activity, subsequent to a TBS (talk between ships) conversation between Vice Admiral Struble, commander 7th Fleet, and Rear Admiral Hoskins (USS Valley Forge), the latter sends a personal representative to the Joint Operations Center in Korea, intending to throw more Navy assistance into the defense of the Pusan perimeter; Lt. Commander C.H. Gates (CAG5) departs the Valley Forge, arriving in Korea to initiate direct communications between JOC and the fleet. Gates is able to illustrate the differences in the maps used by the Navy and those used by the Army and Air Force. The maps employed by the Navy (World Aeronautical Charts) impede progress as no specific target can be detected, but rather only general areas. The Air Force is utilizing grid-coded maps. The pilot of the Mosquito aircraft must locate the target on the grid map and then convert the information by use of latitude and longitude before passing the information on to the carrier pilots, permitting the Navy to complete the mission. Central Mountain area: The North Korean forces (primarily N.K. 1st Division), having complete control of the entire Mun’gyong divide, funnel contingents into the upper Naktong Valley onto the main road near Hamch’ang; from here, at the southern base of the plateau, the attack will originate from north of Sangju. In conjunction, another North Korean force is thumping along the secondary road and will be poised to strike from the west. Also, the S.K. 1st Division reports the decimation of four Soviet T-34 tanks and the seizure of one operational tank on the Hamch’ang front, where the unit deployed, subsequent to being relieved from their

July 27, 1950 positions northwest of Sangju by the U.S. 24th Regiment, 25th Division. In other activity, the N.K. 2nd Division applies more pressure against the beleaguered 27th Regiment, U.S. 25th Division. With ravaging speed they attack, penetrating deeply through the existing gap on the left flank of the 1st Battalion. Gruesome fighting erupts, causing heavy casualties. Company C struggles immensely to retain control of the crest of a hill, losing it then regaining it three separate times. Company C sustains more than 60 casualties, dangerously draining its manpower to about 60 exhausted men. Nearby, Company B sustains about fifteen casualties. However, the enemy fails to rout the regiment. Overwhelming pressure on the following day will compel a withdrawal. West Coast area: At about 0845 the 3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment, advances from Hoengch’on-ni to assault Hadong. The vanguard, composed of L Company and a heavy weapons platoon, reaches positions about 1,000 yards from the crest of the Hadong Pass when a small contingent of enemy troops is detected moving down the pass toward the U.S. force. The heavy weapons platoon commences fire from both its 75-mm recoilless rifles, but the enemy is unharmed as the shells pass way over their line of advance. The enemy dashes back through the pass, and in turn, Captain Sharra dispatches L Company to seize the pass. By 0930, Sharra receives instructions to dig in and await the impending air strike against Hadong, which is to commence at 0945. The balance of the command moves to the pass; Company L deploys two platoons on the left side of the pass and one platoon on the right. K Company is ascending to higher ground slightly north of L Company. Soon after, a column of unidentified troops is spotted advancing toward the pass, apparently unaware of the Americans’ presence. Meanwhile, the U.S. troops hold their fire to allow time for identification. When they reach a distance of about 100 yards, General Chae Byong Duk yells in Korean, requesting them to identify themselves, but the response never comes as the troops dive for the sides of the road. As U.S. machine guns commence firing, enemy fire, seemingly well registered for the pass, lays a thundering blast, knocking out vehicles and the tactical air control jeep. Mortars pound the vehicle area while enemy machine guns and various small arms, originating in the heights to the north, rake the pass with additional killing fire, devastating the 3rd Battalion staff. The first volley of machine gun fire slays S.K. General Chae instantly when he is struck in the head. Major Raibl is also hit, but he tumbles down an incline, evading further wounds. The battalion commander, Colonel Mott, is also hit. Meanwhile, two pairs of planes pass over the area, but apparently unable to contact the air control party, the planes depart without making a strike, leaving the 3rd Battalion to defend itself. Major Raibl receives another wound and Colonel Mott, having sustained a mild wound, attempts to help unload an ammunition truck,

132 but a heavy box accidentally falls on Mott’s foot, breaking it. He finds refuge in a foxhole dug by another soldier and for a while, his whereabouts are unknown. In the meantime, heavy fighting occurs at the positions of L Company, which comes under blistering fire from enemy guns above it. The 1st Platoon, led by 2nd Lt. J. Morrissey, is attacked by a contingent of enemy troops that had wedged between L Company and K Company. Close combat occurs and L Company beats back an attack against its foxholes, but two men in the foxholes are bayoneted. Support fire by the 2nd Platoon, led by Captain Sharra, pours in from the south side of the pass, lending tremendous assistance to Company L, which holds firm on both sides of the road against the enemy. It is estimated that the North Koreans sustained heavy casualties themselves while attacking through open ground. Captain John R. Flynn, at the initiation of the fight, had moved back to accelerate the advance of contingents still moving up. Upon encountering K Company and elements of the heavy weapons company, Flynn orders a platoon of K Company to attack toward the crest of the hill. Afterwards, Flynn locates I Company and orders Lieutenant Makarounis to lead it forward to close the gap between L Company and K Company. Captain Flynn also has the available wounded placed on trucks, which speed them to Chinju; Major Raibl, among the returning wounded, informs Colonel Moore upon his return that the fighting at Hadong is going well for the Americans and the troops should win the battle. At about noon, 2nd Lieutenant Ernest Philips (L Company) informs Captain Sharra, commanding officer, L Company, that Colonel Mott has been located. Soon after, Colonel Mott instructs Sharra to assume command of the 3rd Battalion and extricate it. Sharra dispatches messengers to inform the three platoons of L Company to converge on the road at the base of the pass. Word never reaches the 1st Platoon led by Lt. Morrissey on the north side of the pass. By mid-afternoon, trucks loaded with the troops of L Company are returning to Chinju. En route they encounter advancing reinforcements, Battery B, 13th Field Artillery Battalion, which turns around and heads for Chinju, abandoning four trucks and one 105-mm howitzer that had been stranded in rice paddies. Eventually, despite the poor communications, Colonel Mott gets a radio message through to Captain Flynn, who had returned to the pass, instructing him to order Lieutenant Morrissey to retire. Flynn moves to a higher point and yells the instructions to Morrissey, who is still standing his ground to the right of the pass with a mere twelve men, including two wounded (Morrissey and one other man). After descending the hill, Morrissey gets them into a truck and it departs for Chinju. Unfortunately, when Flynn jumps into his jeep, it doesn’t start, prompting him to begin walking. He soon locates many men from I Company in a rice paddy. Right behind them is a strong enemy force closing against them. Suddenly a burst of machine gun fire

133 befalls the group as they flee toward a stream. The crossing is precarious and many men drown in the 20foot-deep water. Captain Flynn is among those who succeed in crossing the stream. After reaching a valley less than two miles away, he encounters another group of American soldiers, numbering about 60 to 70. During a short pause, enemy fire again rains on them, scattering the men in all directions. Flynn and his small entourage of about ten men enter friendly lines of the 19th Regiment on the following day. Another group composed of 97 men, led by Sergeant Applegate (I Company), escape by heading south to the coast, where they are picked up by a Korean fishing boat about five miles south of Hadong. The fishing boat transfers them to an S.K. patrol boat, which transports them to Pusan. Among those killed during this action are Captain Joseph K. Donahue, CO, K Company, and Captain Hugh P. Milleson, CO, M Company. Lieutenant Makarounis, who led I Co. into the gap at the pass, is captured, but later, during October of this year, he escapes. The unidentified U.S. Air Force captain with the air control team who had fought bravely all day as a rifleman in action at the pass with Lieutenant Morrissey is either killed or missing. Back at Chinju, during the morning, Captain Barszcz, leading G Company, 19th Infantry, moves out on a motorized patrol (78 men) probing fourteen miles northeast of Hadong without incident. The convoy returns to the Hadong-Chinju Road outside the village of Sigum, about twelve miles east of Hadong, and encounters one officer with about 50 battered troops, most of whom were clothed only in their shorts and boots. The only weapons with the stragglers are an unfired M1 rifle and one .45-caliber pistol. The troops justify their appearance and lack of weapons by stating that they had been forced to move through rice paddies and swim a river. Captain Barszcz relieves them of their arsenal and has two trucks take them to Chinju. In the event that additional stragglers might approach, G Company establishes a protective roadblock along the road and keeps it manned until 0400 on the 28th, when a staff officer of the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, Captain Montesclaros, arrives with withdrawal orders and a convoy of trucks to transport G Company to a new position about four miles from Chinju in some nearby hills. General Church receives the bad news about Hadong later, during the night, overriding earlier reports that the 3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment had been doing well. A count of able-bodied men of the 3rd Battalion, including some with slight wounds, amounts to 354 officers and men. Subsequent to the return of additional stragglers, the unofficial casualty count becomes two killed, 52 wounded and 349 missing. The 3rd Battalion also loses its entire complement of crew-served weapons (rocket launchers, machine guns and grenade launchers), its communications equipment, about thirty vehicles and nearly all its rifles and other small arms. During the latter part of September, when the Amer-

July 27, 1950 icans regain the terrain at Hadong, they discover the corpses of 313 American soldiers; most are located in the rice paddies and along the river. On the 28th, the 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, reorganizes. All surviving personnel are attached to K and L Companies, both to be reassigned on the 29th of July. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment (attached to 19th Regiment), commanded by Colonel Wesley Wilson, is ordered by Colonel Ned Moore to depart Chinju and advance north to relieve Colonel Rhea’s 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, near Anui. Colonel Wilson is also directed to instruct Rhea to return to Chinju. During the first part of the afternoon, the relief occurs at Umyong-ni; however, Wilson’s command has no armor, artillery or air support, and a mortar platoon of 4.2 mortars is equipped with only two rounds of white phosphorous shells. To make matters worse, Colonel Wilson has no communications with Colonel Moore’s Regimental Command Post at Chinju, 35 miles away, compelling Wilson to dispatch messengers. First Lieutenant John C. Hughes, B Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, accompanied by Colonel Rhea, moves toward Anui to relieve A Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, discovering it in heated combat with the enemy. Rhea, expecting the engagement to terminate in short order, departs for Umyong-ni to rejoin the balance of the regiment. He leaves directions for Company A to report there as soon as possible. Company A is unable to return as the enemy severs the road; reconnaissance teams inform Rhea of the news and he departs for Chinju at dusk. Meanwhile, Colonel Wilson speeds two separate teams to contact nearby units. Two jeeps, with 2nd Lieutenant Frank Iwanczyk in the first, roll north toward Koch’ang to reach the 34th Regiment, while 1st Lieutenant Sam Holliday heads for Hamyang to establish a link with the S.K. troops there. Along the route to Koch’ang, Lt. Iwanczyk’s jeep is far in front of the second vehicle due to the overwhelming dust. About one mile north of the intersection, a concealed enemy machine gun ambushes the lead jeep, killing all four occupants and hurling them from the vehicle. The trailing jeep halts abruptly and its occupants dive for cover, without returning fire. Suddenly enemy troops are moving closer, having passed the bodies and the first jeep; then the shouting begins and the North Koreans charge toward the Americans. One man, Private Sidney Talley, bolts from the dirt and begins firing at the advancing enemy, killing two and inspiring his buddies to do likewise or die. The others commence firing and the North Koreans turn back. Unhesitatingly, the survivors turn the jeep around and inform the men at battalion headquarters of the roadblock. While the ambush is in progress, Lieutenant Holliday returns to Umyong from Hamyang, where he made contact with the South Korean force of less than 600 ROK 7th Division troops and about 150 S.K. Marines. Holliday then departs Umyong-ni with three additional men heading toward Anui, but the enemy also

July 28, 1950 ambushes his vehicle less than three miles from the town. One man is wounded and the jeep is demolished, but Lieutenant Holliday is able to provide cover fire with a BAR, and the three men withdraw with Holliday trailing close behind. At about 1600, A Company, 19th Regiment, is finally relieved. It departs for Chinju, but within about one mile from Anui, Company A encounters a skirmish between South Koreans and Communists. Enemy fire destroys six of the Company A vehicles. Rather than rejoining the 29th Regiment that had relieved it, it destroys the balance of its vehicles and abandons its heavy equipment before marching through the hills, reaching the 34th Regiment at Koch’ang on the following day (64 Americans and 60 South Koreans arrive). Back at Anui, the North Koreans (elements of the N.K. 4th Division) begin pounding Company B, 29th Regiment subsequent to its relief of Company A, 19th Regiment. The enemy attempts to envelop Lieutenant John C. Hughes’ command and by dark, attacks are coming from three sides, compelling Hughes to withdraw into Anui, from where he intends to get his unit across the upper Nam and redeployed in the heights east of the town. The bolt across the river ends soon after it begins; eighteen men, including two officers, make it across, but incessant enemy fire halts the escape. Heavy fighting develops within Anui, lasting until about midnight as the isolated men of Company B fight for their survival, then break it off to attempt escape through the hills. Those who make it straggle into the lines of the 34th Regiment. Meanwhile, the balance of the 1st Battalion, with Colonel Wilson at Umyong-ni, know that the contingent at Anui is under attack; but Wilson, lacking communications, is unaware of the plight of isolated B Company. Twice attempts are made to bolster B Company, but both attempts fail due to the roadblocks. Also, a patrol of the 34th Regiment, dispatched from Koch’ang by Colonel Beauchamp, stretches to positions from where the fighting at Anui is observed. Upon receiving the report, Colonel Beauchamp braces for an anticipated assault against Koch’ang. In Naval activity, CTF 90 is ordered to initiate raids against selected targets on the east coast of North Korea. The naval action is to include specialized ground troops (underwater demolition teams and Marine reconnaissance troops). In conjunction, the ground troops land at Pohang on 30 July to conduct the raids. — In the United States: Congress passes legislation authorizing President Truman to extend by one year the enlistments of all troops in the U.S. Armed Forces, whose enlistments are to expire before July 9, 1951. The legislation covers regulars and reserves. — In Japan: The FEAF blueprint to intercept and impede the constant flow of enemy troops and supplies pouring into South Korea by rail is ready today. The strategy is to eliminate rail connections with North Korea by taking out the railroad bridges in North Korea at P’yongyang, which is slightly northeast of Chin-

134 nampo, along the east coast. The marshaling yard at Pyongyang and those at Hamhung and Wonsan, also on the east coast, are targeted. The rail bridges over the Han River in the vicinity of enemy-held Seoul will further cut the bloodline of the enemy. By the following day, Far East Air Forces transmits a compilation of specific rail targets to Far East Bomber Command. Soon after, on the 31st, bomber command receives a list of the selected highways included in the interdiction operation. On August 3 the Navy and the Fifth Air Force each receive their priority list of specified targets; they will coordinate the attacks that occur south of the 38th Parallel, using the Han River as the dividing line between Fifth Air Force and the FEAF bombers.

July 28

The commanding officer of the N.K. 3rd Division, General Lee Yong Ho, issues an order signed by the North Korean commander-in-chief, Kim Chaek, and the commanding officer of general staff, Kang Kon, which calls for an end to the killing of soldiers who can be captured. The order stipulates that troops who surrender will be treated as POWs and that specialists (Cultural Section) will be responsible for carrying out the orders. Nonetheless, the enemy at times pays little attention to the command, and atrocities continue to occur by certain commands. Meanwhile, at Sunchon, Major General Pang, the commanding officer, N.K. 6th Division, issues a statement of purpose and inspiration to his troops: “Comrades, the enemy is demoralized. The task given to us is the liberation of Masan and Chinju and the annihilation of the remnants of the enemy. We have liberated Mokpu, Kwangju and Yosu and have thereby accelerated the liberation of all Korea. However, the liberation of Chinju and Masan means the final battle to cut off the windpipe of the enemy. Comrades, this glorious task has fallen to our division! Men of the 6th division, let us annihilate the enemy and distinguish ourselves.” The N.K. 83rd Motorcycle Regiment, part of the 105th Armored Division until it became a separate unit in June 1950, has been attached to the N.K. 6th Division to augment the attack toward Pusan. Central Mountain area: The key confrontation that determines the fate of Andong begins as the ROK 8th Division, augmented by contingents of the Capital Division, engages elements of the N.K. 12th Division. There has been heavy fighting between the two opposing forces since the 21st, and each has sustained heavy losses. The North Koreans have been constantly wracked by air attacks that have drained their strength considerably, but not sufficiently to halt the advance. Nonetheless, with their tank force dwindling, the North Koreans advance relentlessly against the badly bruised ROK troops. Savage fighting remains incessant until finally on August 1, the South Koreans are forced to withdraw, giving the enemy control of Andong. In the area near Hwanggan, the 27th Regiment lines are penetrated by elements of the N.K. 2nd Division, placing the regiment in untenable positions, perfectly poised for envelopment. Company C pulls back from

135 the western edge of the perimeter, while Colonel Michaelis speeds into Hwanggan to request permission to lead his command through the lines of the 1st Cavalry. While conferring with General Gay, Michaelis waits as Gay phones Eighth Army and relays the information to Colonel Landrum (chief of staff ). Interjecting, Gay then asks Landrum whether the 1st Cavalry should attack to break the enemy pressure or would headquarters prefer that the 27th retire through his lines. Soon after, General Gay receives an answer. Colonel

July 28, 1950 Landrum calls back, instructing Gay to inform Colonel Michaelis to pull out and move through the 1st Cavalry lines to Kumch’on. The 27th Regiment, 25th Division, departs before dawn the next day and then reverts to Army Reserve at Waegwan, but only for one day, as the regiment is rushed from there to bolster the 19th Regiment under Colonel Rhea at Chinju Pass. Also, the Communists seize Chirye, Hamch’ang and Koch’ang. West Coast area: The contingents of the North

An Eighth Army contingent on the advance.

July 28, 1950 Korean 4th Division swing south from Anui to strike the U.N. positions at Hamyang and Umyong-ni, defended by ROK forces and U.S. forces respectively. East of the Nam River, the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, under Colonel Wilson contains the enemy throughout the day, repulsing the approaching enemy with mortar fire; however, the enemy easily succeeds in an envelopment movement, using side trails to come in from behind. Wilson, upon receiving information that his command at Umyong-ni is nearly trapped, begins a chain of disciplined withdrawals after dark, which places the 1st Battalion near Sanch’on by the 30th. Meanwhile, at Hamyang, west of the Nam River, the remaining fragments of the ROK 7th Division and an accompaniment of green S.K. Marines come under severe attack. Pressure from the enemy pushes the ROK troops toward collapse, but a tenacious counterattack by the South Korean Marines plows through the enemy, reaching its flank and saving the day. The North Koreans retreat north. Prisoners are seized, and information extracted from them gives Colonel Wilson the first indication of the defeat of Company B on the previous day at Anui. In conjunction with the withdrawal of Wilson’s command, the South Koreans move back through the lines of the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, and head for Chinju. At Koch’ang, the 34th Regiment is expecting a heavy assault against it. At a forward roadblock along the Kumch’on Road, about four miles north of the town, a reinforced platoon of I Company holds the line, with the heavy mortar company standing slightly behind it at the northern tip of the town. The western approach to Kumch’on is guarded by the 3rd Battalion, which is deployed about two miles outside the town in the high ground overlooking the Anui Road and the eastern approach. The Hyopch’on Road is blocked by the 1st Battalion, which is also deployed about two miles from the entrance. About two miles southeast of Kumch’on, five 105-mm howitzers of Battery A, 13th Field Artillery, stand ready. Advance spotters discover a huge enemy column backing up west of the town along the Anui Road, where the 34th had blocked the road. Upon receiving instructions, the 105s commence firing, bearing down on the stalled enemy until the sun sets. At nightfall, Beauchamp closes his taut arc, pulling in both battalions to form a more compact defense. Soon after, Beauchamp reports to General Church at 24th Division headquarters at Hyopch’on. He informs Church of the imminent enemy attack and explains that the 3rd Battalion will pull back to previously designated positions about three miles southeast of Kumch’on, but Church insists that the town be held. Beauchamp telephones his headquarters, halting the withdrawal, and subsequently returns there, arriving about 0300 (29th), finding the area silent. But not for long: within one hour, a strong two-pronged assault hits the 34th with devastating effect. One force quietly circles the town on the north, then thrusts south across the Hyopch’on Road, east of Koch’ang, plowing

136 into the 1st Battalion positions there. The 1st Battalion repels the attack, but it withdraws without explanation or orders toward the alternate positions, three miles east of the town. Colonel Beauchamp intercepts the troops and halts the unauthorized retreat. Meanwhile, the other enemy force, attacking from the north, envelops Company I, isolating it at the forward roadblock north of Kumch’on, because the 3rd Battalion, also without orders, abandons its positions in the high ground. The 3rd Battalion, using the early morning darkness as cover, rushes into Koch’ang. The enemy fire is fierce but due to darkness mainly misdirected, causing the 3rd Battalion nominal casualties; however, the abandoned Company I is essentially wiped out, its members either killed or captured. Bedlam also occurs at the artillery positions southeast of the town. Some enemy small arms fire originates from a ridge east of the artillery (Battery A, 13th Field Artillery), but the troops react as if under a regimental assault. An astounded battalion executive officer, Major Cheek, is awakened by the fire, but by the time he sprints to the road, he is met by the battery executive officer, who exclaims: “The enemy has overrun the artillery.” Continuing excitedly, he proclaims that the troops “had taken off ” despite his orders to man the foxholes. He then tells Major Cheek that at the first sounds of the enemy fire, a screaming soldier was proclaiming, “run for your life,” initiating the confusion which prompted the artillerymen and the two supporting infantry squads to run away. A composed Major Cheek takes measures to terminate the uncontrolled firing of the nearby troops and to bring about order. Cheek demands that all the prime movers be driven back to the howitzers; the drivers and twelve artillerymen return. Three riflemen and a BAR man provide cover fire, while the prime movers take the howitzers in tow. The four-man detachment streams shells into the obstinate ridge and neutralizes the enemy fire which had caused the panic. Major Cheek and his twelve-man contingent rescue the five howitzers and ammunition and withdraw east, having escaped harm by the attackers, which had numbered about six or seven enemy troops from the N.K. 4th Division (probably attached to the N.K. 18th Regiment). Meanwhile, the defenders of Chinju are expecting an enemy assault. Air reconnaissance flights verify heavy enemy movement, including tanks in and near Hadong. Additional surveillance missions will occur on the following day. Also, Colonel Rhea arrives at Chinju with the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, subsequent to its withdrawal from Anui. In conjunction, Company A had not escaped. The 1st Battalion (19th Regiment), composed of about 200 riflemen, is then directed to take up positions along the coast from Hadong and establish a blocking position at a secondary road leading from there to Chinju. Also during the morning, the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment (Colonel McGrail) establishes its line slightly west of the Nam River in the heights overlooking the

137 Chinju-Hadong Road. Various contingents of South Korean troops are within and around Chinju as well as the survivors of the 3rd Battalion, U.S. 29th Regiment (from Hadong).

July 29

General MacArthur, constantly appraising the situation of the raging battlelines, is still intent on using the Chinese Oriental psychology of reversing the obvious to his advantage. He maintains his desire to convince his superiors that an amphibious landing behind the enemy lines would break the back of the invaders; his motto of “meeting force with maximun counter-force” is presently impossible, despite the infusion of reinforcements, including small contingents of U.S. tanks. It is the U.S. Air Force that is applying its maximum effort available to stave off total defeat of the outnumbered U.S. and ROK Infantry contingents. B-29 Superfortresses, attached to the Far East Command (Major General Emmett O’Donnell), have been pounding enemy strategic targets above the 38th Parallel and have begun to include heavy bombing raids to sweep the enemy-infested ridges and mountains from which enemy ground units are blasting the Americans. In conjunction, Air Force and Navy Fighters as well as the Australian Air Force continue their sorties to buy more time for the struggling ground forces. The Air Force, Naval and Marine pilots hold the key to success. Without air support, the ground forces will be decimated. The aircraft in Korea are the modern version of the Old West cavalry, arriving in the nick of time, but they no longer carry sabres, they fly them.

July 29, 1950 In other activity, General Walker goes to the 1st Cavalry command post at Kumch’on, where he confers with General Gay and enunciates his dissatisfaction with the recent actions of 1st Cavalry in combat against the enemy. Walker further states that he expects no more withdrawals. In turn, General Gay explains to Walker that, although he could not attest to the absolute necessity of the pull-backs, his primary concern was losing communications and apparently risking isolation. Also, General Walker, apparently eliminating the earlier withdrawal plans of Eighth Army (on the 26th), issues his new instructions to Eight Army, shortened by the press to “stand or die.” Of course, there is much more substance in his talk to the men at the command post of the 25th Division at Sangju. Walker, making this speech subsequent to his meeting two days previous with General MacArthur, at which time MacArthur pressed for a rigid stand, mentions the impending arrival of Army and Marine Corps reinforcements. He also proclaims that the U.S. must mount counterattacks to jolt the enemy off balance, while emphasizing that there is “no line behind us to which we can retreat.” Continuing, Walker, using words similar to those spoken by MacArthur, states that there will be no Dunkirk nor Bataan, claiming that a withdrawal to Pusan would be “one of the greatest butcheries in history. We must fight until the end.... We will fight as a team. If some of us must die, we will die fighting together. I want everybody to understand that we are going to hold this line. We are going to win.”

A B-29 Superfortress on the runway in Japan gets prepared for a raid against enemy positions in Korea.

July 29, 1950

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A USAF flight engineer aboard a B-29. This order on the surface makes it clear that the forces will stand in front of the Naktong River. However, during early August, Eighth Army is compelled to pull back again, clouding the issue of Walker’s widespread and controversial order. General Walker gives similar talks to the other divisional commanders under his command. (The quotes of Walker are from written notes taken during the talk to officers of the 25th Division.) On the 31st, the 25th Division pulls back to a new line (withdrawal) about three miles east of Sangju and in a separate incident, troops of the 1st Cavalry will also pull back. General Walker is also concerned with the enemy movements coming from the west. He informs General Church (24th Division) that the ROK 17th Regiment, composed of 2,000 men (presently considered the elite of the South Korean forces), is to bolster the 24th at the Naktong River. Walker also tells Church that the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, has been transferred from its positions in the vicinity of Pohangdong–Yongdok to Hyopch’on to shore up the rear of the 34th Regiment. The 21st Regiment deploys west of the town and the ROK contingent (17th Regiment) will arrive early on the 30th. Central Mountain area: The N.K. 15th Division

continues closing from the west toward Sangju, engaging contingents of the 24th U.S. Regiment as it plods forward. Today, the luckless 24th Regiment receives severe incoming mortar fire, which inflicts 60 casualties on the 1st Battalion and apparently causes a delayed anxiety attack on the remainder of the men of the 1st Battalion. Colonel Horton White directs the unit to establish a night perimeter, which seemingly creates a night fight that had apparently been festering since the mortar attacks. The 1st Battalion, still jittery, begins executing the order, then suddenly and without explanation, the battalion vacates its positions, leaving Colonel Horton White in an embarrassing, but more importantly, a very dangerous, position. The flimsy front lines, subsequent to the frenzied massive disappearance of the troops, reduces the 1st Battalion complement to one man: Colonel White. White retains his composure and takes solace in the fact that the artillerymen (Battery of 159th Field Artillery Bn.) and the men of the 77th Combat Engineering Bn. remain at their positions at the front. Meanwhile, the North Koreans continue to advance and are engaged by the supporting artillery. Colonel White is compelled to regroup his lost battalion, while the guns expend about 3,000 rounds of ammunition. The exhausted artillerymen succeed, preventing the North Koreans from overrunning the one-man battalion. Understandably, an irritated regimental adjutant (S-3), Major John R. Woodridge, has established a roadblock one-half mile west of Sangju during these waning days of July, but its purpose is not to defend the town. Woodridge has ordered that every vehicle rolling east be stopped and searched to snag any stray troops. The peculiar operation evolves as a prosperous sting operation by the time it is terminated on July 31. In the area near Hwanggan, the 27th Regiment has withdrawn to positions near Kumch’on, but during the afternoon, Colonel Mike Michaelis receives new instructions ordering him to relocate his regiment to positions closer to Taegu. He is to head for Waegwan on the Naktong River to become Army Reserve, rather than returning to the 25th Division. During its five days ( July 24–28) of engaging the N.K. 2nd Division along the road from Poun to Hwanggan, the 27th Regiment sustains 53 men killed, 221 wounded and 49 missing. Estimated losses for the opposing North Korean 2nd Division and its support fire, during the same period of combat against the 7th, range as high as 3,000 casualties. After the withdrawal of the 27th Regiment (through the lines of the 1st Cavalry Division), the 1st Cavalry Division moves to its predetermined positions near

139 Kumch’on, about thirty air miles northwest of Taegu. The 7th Cavalry stays at its lines near Hwanggan until the 5th and 8th Cavalry Regiments move back. At the new positions, the 5th Cavalry deploys on a new line southwest of Chirye to block the road there. The 8th Cavalry redeploys north of Chirye, along the Sangju Road and upon its arrival, the 7th Cavalry digs in along the Kumch’on Road about six miles northwest of Kumchon. Another roadblock is established on the Chirye Road, near Hawan-ni, about ten miles southwest of Kumch’on, by the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment (recently attached to 1st Cavalry Division). In the meantime, the N.K. 7th Regiment, 3rd Division, is moving from Yongdong toward Chirye, guaranteeing a confrontation. Sometime after daybreak, a platoon-sized patrol (16th Reconnaissance Company) moves southwest through Chirye, but before noon, a detachment of Korean police, operating near the town, informs Lt. Lester Lauer (leader of an earlier patrol) that they have discovered enemy troops within Chirye. Lauer, now strung out in front of Chirye and possibly cut off, forwards the intelligence to his company headquarters. The commanding officer, Captain Charles Harvey, leading another platoon and fourteen South Korean police, rushes to help ensure Lauer’s safety. The platoon encounters several inattentive N.K. soldiers on the fringes of Chirye and they are quickly eliminated. Meanwhile, only sporadic small arms fire harasses the advance platoon, permitting a quick hook-up by noon. But as the combined detachments return toward Kumch’on, moving through the northern sector of Chirye, they encounter a roadblock from which enemy fire rakes their ranks. The platoon’s point, a trusty M39 vehicle, plows into the debris, gouging a hole, but as quickly as the second vehicle, a jeep, can breech the gap, enemy machine gun fire destroys the next trailing vehicle, sealing the road and with it the sole exit heading north out of Chirye. Americans race to the southern tip of town, escaping the clutches of a closing force of about three hundred North Koreans, maneuvering to circle the platoons. From their new positions, three mortars thrust their shells into the lines of the advancing enemy, only to be outgunned by heavier enemy return fire. Captain Harvey receives a wound to his hand, orders his men to pull out, and then gets a fatal wound to his jugular vein. One mortarman, Corporal Harry D. Mitchell, despite four separate wounds, refuses to abandon his weapon. Although losing blood rapidly, Mitchell remains with his blazing mortar until it runs out of ammunition. The survivors, three officers and 41 enlisted men, discard their equipment and bolt for the hills, where they endure a sleepless night-long march, reaching the sanctuary of the 1st Cavalry lines on the 30th, culminating a 35-mile trek. Casualties for the 16th Reconnaissance patrol at Chirye amount to two men killed, three men wounded and eleven men missing. West Coast area: Advance contingents of the N.K. 4th Division move south from Anui to strike against

July 29, 1950 Colonel Wilson’s 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, and supporting ROK troops at Umyong-ni and Hamyang respectively. In other activity, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry, is attached to the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, 24th Division, at Chinju. In conjunction, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment, is attached to the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, stationed about two miles south of Chinju. At Koch’ang, the N.K. 4th Division maintains its pressure against the 34th Regiment (24th Division), which is retreating east, but it retains its artillery at Koch’ang because of the destroyed bridges along the route to the Naktong River. As the withdrawal continues, U.S. engineers and infantrymen detonate all bridges as they move along the Hyopch’on Road. In addition, from a point about three miles southeast of Koch’ang, they scatter explosives throughout the adjacent cliffs (for a distance of about ten miles), creating landslides to further hinder the North Korean pursuers. At Chinju, an enemy column led by three motorcycles encroaches the positions of Company F, 2nd Battalion, the advance unit of the battalion, which is blocking the Chinju-Hadong Road about six miles southwest of Chinju. Some inaccurate artillery fire is thrown at the advancing enemy, but without causing any pause. For unexplained reasons an available automatic weapon remains unfired as the company contingent heads back toward the battalion positions about four miles from Chinju and to the west of the Nam River. Meanwhile, planes move in and attack the column, bringing it to a momentary halt. On the following day, the North Koreans mount a flanking movement that maneuvers north of the 2nd Battalion (19th Regiment) and severs the road heading northwest from Chinju to the lines of the 1st Battalion (19th Regiment). —In the United States: An Air Force plane is loaded with 200 newly developed 5-inch “shaped charge” rockets at the Navy’s California Ordnance Test Station in Inyokern, California, and it then departs for the Far East. These are the first of this type rocket delivered to the Navy for its fighter planes in Korea. — In Japan: The continuing success of the enemy in Korea interrupts General MacArthur’s plans for an amphibious invasion (CHROMITE) at Inchon. MacArthur sends a reluctant dispatch to the chiefs of staff in Washington: “In Korea, the hopes that I had entertained to hold out the 1st Marine Division (Brigade) and the 2nd Infantry Division for the enveloping counter blow have not been fulfilled and it will be necessary to commit these units to Korea on the south line rather than ... their subsequent commitment along a separate axis in mid September.... I now plan to commit my sole reserve in Japan, the 7th infantry Division, as soon as it can be brought to an approximate combat strength.” In other activity, the French contingent of the U.N. Naval Force arrives at Sasebo; the La Grandière, an elderly frigate, enters port to participate with what is transforming into a giant-sized fleet. The French ship will depart Sasebo on September 6, escorting the slower moving vessels toward Inchon.

July 30, 1950

July 30

General Walker, in an attempt to loosen the slack on his statement perceived as “stand or die,” places a more positive and less fatal addendum on the situation. He exudes an air of confidence, stating that the United States forces presently in Korea would hold “until reinforcements arrive,” then underscores his remarks by stating that “ultimate victory will be ours.” Walker then reiterates that the fighting in Korea “had reached a critical point,” having given a similar response to a question posed by a New York Times reporter several days earlier. The South Korean government has established fiftyeight camps for refugees, most in the Pusan-Taegu vicinity. Estimates place the number of refugees moving into ROK territory between the June 25 invasion and July 15 at 380,000. From then to today, about 25,000 more arrive per day. These refugees and the untold numbers of infiltrating enemy troops among them cause severe problems for the American forces and the U.N. command. In other activity, including the aircraft that arrived on the USS Boxer on July 23, the Far East Air Force is composed of 626 F-80s and 264 F-51s. Of the combined total of 890 planes, only 525 are assigned to units and prepared for battle. Also, Fifth Air Force B-29s begin bombing the Hungnam area, which contains a huge array of chemical facilities. The missions continue until September 30 and deposit more than 1,700 tons of bombs there against targets that include Najin, situated about seventeen miles below the Siberian border. The port of Najin is used as an unloading point for military equipment, supplies and ammunition dispatched into North Korea from the Russians out of the port of Vladivostok, a little more than 100 air miles away. In other activity, the N.K. 7th Division, which had been activated on July 3 and is composed of about 4,000 troops of the 7th Border Constabulary Brigade and 2,000 recruits, receives additional men. Towards the latter part of July the 7th Division receives an artillery regiment and on this day, 2,000 South Koreans (pressed into service) join the division. On August 1, the division, about 10,000 strong, departs Seoul for southwestern Korea. Also, General Craig, having been informed by Eighth Army on the previous day that the U.N. left flank is folding, confers with General Walker and Air Force General Partridge to finalize the initial mission of the Marines. Walker informs Craig that the Marines will be immediately sent to the southwest perimeter and that their movement will not be encumbered by Eighth Army. In addition, General Partridge informs Craig that if the Marine planes are initially unavailable, Air Force aircraft will provide support for the brigade. After this final meeting with Walker and Partridge, the Marine contingent departs Taegu by jeep for Pusan to await the arrival of the brigade. In Taegu, Eighth Army Headquarters is desperately seeking to buy some precious time. Later during the evening in Pusan, Marine staff officers discuss the possibilities of MAG-33

140 arriving in time to provide air cover for the imminent action of the Marine brigade. Colonel Joseph Stewart, surprisingly, is able to make contact by phone with Colonel Weir (Gen. Cushman’s chief of staff ) at Itami Air Base in Japan. He requests that Weir deliver the helicopters and air support contingents via LSTs to Pusan as soon as they unload in Japan. General Craig is informed that the Marine brigade’s replacement troops, rather than being transported directly to Pusan, would be delayed, as the Marines would be formed at Camp Pendleton and subsequently moved to Korea with the 1st Marine Division. Craig, aware of the dire necessity of replacement troops, relentlessly presses the issue and demands that the replacements and the third rifle companies be sent directly to Pusan. Central Mountain area: The U.S. 35th Regiment, 25th Division, receives new orders directing it to pull back and draw a new line of defense about eight miles south of Sangju in a cluster of hills that overlook the Kumch’on Road. Continual redeployment of the 35th Regiment has been mandated by the instability of the area and the string of collapses on the battlefront around it. In total, the regiment — upon orders, not by enemy immediate pressure — has withdrawn about 30 miles in less than twelve days. Meanwhile, Sangju is becoming more imperiled as the advancing N.K. 15th Division, although slowed by incessant artillery bombardments, continues to advance against the U.S. 24th Division, which is deployed west of the town, but near collapse. The 34th Regiment, having been pushed from Koch’ang, is spread out defensively along the road to Hyopch’on, near Sanje-ri on the Naktong River. The 21st Regiment (minus Company C and the 3rd Battalion), 24th Division, fords the Naktong River and deploys to the rear of the 34th Regiment. In conjunction, ROK troops (17th Regiment) filter into the area and deploy to the right (north) of the 34th in the heights. By today, although there have been no major battles fought between the 24th Regiment and the enemy, the regiment has pulled back to within three miles of Sangju and deploys on the sole remaining high ground in front of Sangju. Its battle readiness is under serious question. In a desperate effort to shore up the western approach to Sangju, General Kean orders the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, to speed to the western approach of the town and establish an additional line of defense, directly to the rear of the 24th Regiment to ensure some insulation if the 24th Regiment collapses again. The North Koreans strike the 24th Infantry on the following day. Central Mountain–West Coast area: In the 1st Cavalry sector, General Gay, keenly apprised of the enveloping move by the N.K. 3rd Division against his command, directs a considerable force to Chirye to neutralize the enemy. The 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment (minus Company C, still at Yongdok on the east coast) attached to 1st Cavalry Division, the 5th Cavalry Regiment and the 99th Field Artillery Battalion speed to the town, but the enemy is already dispersed about the

141 nearby hills. This places the Americans under the enemy artillery units in the heights. At Chinju, the situation is deteriorating and in fact, the refugees here pose a special problem as they express hostility toward the Americans and appear quite benevolent to the enemy cause. The enemy initiates a predawn flanking move, working around the north (right) flank of the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment. It succeeds in blocking the road leading from the town to the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment. From the positions of G Company (29th Regiment), west of Chinju across the Nam River, Captain Barszcz observes a strong enemy force estimated at 800 troops passing his front line. G Company attempts to halt the advance, but its fire is insufficient. Calls for air reconnaissance are placed, but the weather is not good. One plane arrives overhead, but the enemy troops lie prone in their camouflage (uniforms speckled with brush), blending into the terrain and undetectable from the air. A short burst of artillery fire commences, but it too lacks a punch, due to grave shortages. About twenty rounds are fired. Inclement weather continues, preventing any further air observation flights over the lines. The 19th Regiment’s Companies E and F during the afternoon move back across the Nam River, establishing a new perimeter about two miles west of Chinju. This movement is followed by G Company (29th Regiment), which pulls back to the east bank of the Nam River slightly before dark and holds a defensive line there to intercept any enemy infiltrators and prevent them from entering the town by moving between the river and the road. According to the regimental report for June 30, the 19th Regiment is composed of only 1,895 troops, including 300 men in the 1st Battalion and 290 troops in the 2nd Battalion; Colonel Ned Moore relates that the 19th Regiment, including new replacements, consists of 1,544 men. About 600 replacements arrive on this day to augment the 19th Regiment and the 13th Field Artillery Battalion, the latter receiving 100 troops. Nonetheless, the defense of Chinju remains in serious doubt as the enemy closes. In addition to the 19th Regiment, the endangered town is defended by Task Force Min (remaining men of the S.K. 7th Division, redesignated TF Min), which arrives from Hamyang with its complement of about 1,249 troops today to bolster the recently arrived 3rd Battalion (396 troops), 29th Regiment, which is attached to the 19th Regiment. At about 1600, the replacement troops begin departing the regimental command post in Chinju to their designated units on the front lines, which are already engaged with the enemy. It is a dangerous mission, against the better judgment of several of the officers, despite their dire need for added strength. Of the 500 men assigned to the 19th Regiment, about 300 equally divided between the 1st and 2nd Battalions are assigned to the rifle companies, and as predicted, deaths occur prior to the men being logged on the roster. Sunset brings added problems to the area as well as the fresh troops. The North Koreans kill about five men

July 30, 1950 (out of the 60 troops) as they advance toward Company G, stationed along the east bank of the Nam. The enemy continues to creep closer, preparing to launch a night attack. At dusk from 1st Battalion positions in the heights south of Chinju, Colonel Rhea observes the enemy blatantly advancing across open ground. But he is barred from commencing fire due to an anticipated South Korean Marine attack, planned to swing right across their front. The attack never occurs. Consequently, the enemy gains several hours of uncontested movement to strangle the 1st Battalion. But when the N.K. 15th Regiment, supported by mortars and selfpropelled weapons, pound against the 1st Battalion along the Sach’on-Chinju Road near the intersecting road leading east to Masan, it is handily repelled. Unable to penetrate, the enemy retires, apparently heading northwest. Also, infiltrators penetrate G Company lines, but those spotted are killed. Lacking communication lines with regimental headquarters, Captain Barszcz is unable to inform them of the situation, including the friendly artillery that is falling too close for comfort. In the meantime, enemy forces have sliced the road, preventing Company G from moving to join the other rifle companies in the heights west of Chinju. By about midnight, Barszcz gets his command across the road, but they conceal themselves in the brush to avoid capture. While waiting to depart the area, G Company sits dangerously close to several enemy tanks accompanied by infantry moving toward Chinju, ensuring another long night. Prior to dawn, radio contact is made with headquarters and Company G is ordered to Chinju to join the 19th Regiment there. At 0215 (31st), enemy artillery breaks the silence, pulverizing the American positions. After a sustained bombardment of 45 minutes, shrill whistles signal the infantry to charge. Company F, 19th Regiment, is the first to feel the sting of battle as hordes of infantry assault its positions. With little regard for the incoming fire, the North Koreans press forward. Company F begins to topple, then total collapse occurs at about 0500. The men of F Company evacuate their hill positions, with one platoon heading down the slopes toward their supporting heavy weapons company and another racing toward Company E, but the enemy is on their heels. Some of the guns of a heavy weapons platoon commence firing into the intertwined ranks of the Americans and North Koreans as they descend the slope, but the guns silence and the elemenets of the heavy weapons company withdraw back into Chinju. The North Koreans keep advancing. By dawn (31st), the elements of Companies E and F, still operational as fighting units, also withdraw toward Chinju. Meanwhile, Captain Barszcz, Company G, 19th Regiment, is taking a circuitous route to rejoin Colonel Moore at Chinju, which is near capitulation. The unit moves north then east, scooping up stragglers and wounded men from Companies E, F and H as it moves. By break of day, Company G, which had sustained 40 casualties while manning its isolated positions, brings

July 31, 1950 out half of them, including ten men on litters, and it is about three miles northeast east of Chinju. The 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, which had fought off strong attacks below the Nam River south of Chinju, acting upon orders from Colonel Ned Moore, departs the area heading down the Masan Road toward Chinju Pass. Colonel Rhea is directed to make the tenmile trek and establish a roadblock at the pass. The 1st Battalion arrives at the pass before dark (31st) without incident and immediately establishes a defensive line. In other activity, Colonel Michaelis, commanding officer, 27th Regiment at Waegwan, receives instructions from Eighth Army to immediately head for Changnyong, the new 24th Division command post (relocated from Hyopch’on), and report to General Church. Michaelis, accompanied by his operations and training officer, Captain Earl Buchanan, departs after directing his executive officer, Major Arthur Farthing, to assemble the regiment and follow. Michaelson arrives at Changnyong on the following day.

July 31

General Walker, while preparing to move his forces to the Pusan perimeter, continues to focus on the U.S. troops’ apparent lackadaisical attitude toward his orders to maintain contact with the enemy. Walker reiterates the instructions and on the 2nd of August, the situation then compels him to enunciate it again, more pointedly, to his divisional officers. In other activity, Chinju falls to North Korean Communists, placing them about 50 miles from the beleaguered bastion of Pusan. A battalion of the 29th Regimental Combat Team had pushed toward the embattled town, but it is ambushed several miles outside of Hadong. Fierce and heroic combat ensues, but the outnumbered unit is severely thrashed, taking extremely heavy casualties. Desperate decisions must be made to prevent the fall of Pusan. Circumstances are grave. General Walker, keenly aware of the condition of the exhausted 24th Division under General John H. Church, orders it to hold in place near Chinju. The 34th Regiment pulls out of its positions and redeploys behind the 21st Regiment. General Church directs Colonel Stephens to assume command of both regiments. Also, Stephens redeploys the ROK 17th Regiment, placing one battalion on each flank of the U.S. troops and the third is kept in reserve. In other activity, General Craig, USMC, and Lt. Colonel Joseph Stewart (G-3) take a jeep and drive southwest to reconnoiter the ground, previously observed from the air, to which the Marine brigade is likely to be committed. Upon his return, Craig is informed by Eighth Army that the 5th Regimental Combat Team, recently arrived from Hawaii, is to be attached to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, giving Craig two regiments. Elements (Company A) of the 89th Medium Tank Battalion arrive from Japan by sea at Pusan. The commanding officer, Colonel Dolvin, arrives by air and meets the troops on the dock. From Pusan, Dolvin’s contingent departs for Masan and joins the U.S. troops there on the following day.

142 Central Mountain area: Near Sangju, the North Koreans surge forward, unleashing probing strikes against the 24th Regiment, prompting the folding of a forward outpost. First Lt. Leon A. Gilbert, A Company commander, and about fifteen other defenders make a hurried retreat to the regiment and upon their return, Colonel H. White and several more officers of high rank order Gilbert to return to his post, but he declines, responding that he “is scared.” In his place, a noncommissioned officer leads the men back to their positions. The regiment holds its line throughout the day. After dark, the 24th Regiment makes a disciplined withdrawal, moving through Sangju, covered by the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment (25th Division), which had just recently arrived to shore up the rear. In other activity, Major Woolridge’s unorthodox roadblock is lifted today; on each day during its operation, about 75 men attempting to smuggle themselves into Sangju are snagged, and on the final day of the sting (30th), 150 men are rejoined with their outfits. Following eleven days on the line against the advancing enemy, primarily the N.K. 15th Division, the 24th Regiment has sustained a total of 27 men killed, 293 wounded and 3 men missing. In contrast, the North Korean 15th Division, according to information acquired from captured enemy troops, sustained severe losses from a combination of the air strikes. The incessant artillery bombardments and mortars as the enemy drives against the ROK and U.S. 24th Regiment allegedly deplete their strength by about half (5,000 men) by July 31. The N.K. 13th Division, which had bypassed Hamch’ang, encounters only a few minor skirmishes with elements of the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, and various ROK contingents, resulting in extremely light casualties. Also, the balance of the 25th Division is ordered to initiate an immediate forced march to bolster the 24th Division and ensure that the Communists don’t penetrate any farther. On the following day the 25th Division, deployed near Sangju, receives new orders. In addition, the 1st Cavalry Division must contain the enemy on both the central and northwestern fronts. The cavalry becomes engaged in bloody combat around Kumch’on, but again the overwhelming numbers of enemy troops push them back. By daybreak, a detachment of enemy troops infiltrates the 8th Engineer Combat Battalion’s command post, slaying four troops, including the battalion executive officer. In conjunction, 6 others are wounded. Close by, about 1,000 yards away, lies the command post of the 1st Cavalry Division. The enemy launches an attack against the positions of the 7th Cavalry, northwest of Kumch’on, but it is interrupted by intense fire originating from U.S. ground forces and planes. The combination inflicts great punishment, including the immediate destruction of thirteen enemy tanks caught crossing open space and a slower death for six additional tanks put to flames. Nearby at Chirye, the N.K. 8th Regiment, 3rd N.K. Division, arrives to augment the N.K. 7th Regiment. Enemy artillery perched in the heights overlooking the town unleashes

143 heavy shelling, making the American positions untenable, thereby prodding them to evacuate quickly. It had originally been estimated that between 90,000 and 130,000 crack North Korean troops had invaded South Korea, and today, General MacArthur announces that the estimated number of Communist casualties stands at more than 30,000. In the N.K. 3rd Division, which has been engaged in heavy combat with the 1st Cavalry Division, numbers have dwindled from about 7,000 men to 5,000 during the ten days it has been pushing the 1st Cavalry from Yongdong. During the same period of time, the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division sustains 78 killed, 419 wounded and 419 missing. In the West Coast Sector, east of Chinju, the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, remains at the Chinju Pass. Artillery support will arrive later in the day. At Chinju, Colonel Moore prepares to evacuate just after daybreak; the enemy strikes aggressively against the western fringes of the town and hostile small arms fire is clattering at a rapid pace. Six enemy armored vehicles pierce the thin shield, entering the town. The armor begins plastering U.S. positions while trailing infantry, including snipers, quickly add to the dilemma, but the troops under Colonel Moore retain their composure. The withdrawal of the 19th Regiment remains orderly. The U.S. heavy equipment—the 13th Field Artillery Battalion (minus Battery A) and Battery B, 11th Field Artillery Battalion — begin heading east by 0640. In conjunction, trains heading east have been salvaging the 19th Regiment’s supplies (25 rail cars total). The last of five such rail convoys departs at 0745, sent off by Major Jack Emery (S-4). The command post staff departs at 0800, moving to new positions at Chiryongni, about one mile beyond the Much’on-ni–Masan Road fork and about twelve air miles east of Chinju. The journey is hampered by obstacles, including the destruction of the primary bridge span over the Nam River at the southern tip of Chinju and the alternate routes clogged with refugees. Although the greater part of the 19th Regiment has departed Chinju and ROK sources account for the capture of Chinju at 0900, one defiant U.S. contingent remains — three M-26 Pershing tanks, led by Lieutenant Sam Fowler. The tanks, not committed to the defense of Chinju, had been waiting for new fan belts to solve an ongoing problem. Fowler is under orders to destroy the tanks, but he and his twelve crewmen are holding tight, hoping for a train with flatcars, which never shows. The engine passes through Masan, but is unable to depart Chungam-ni. Slightly after noon, a South Korean soldier passes the rail yard, noting that the town contains only several S.K. troops. He suggests to the Americans that they move out. Soon after, an AP correspondent, William Moore, urges Lieutenant Fowler to glance north at an approaching unidentified column moving along the tracks. After a South Korean trooper calls for identification, an interpreter is no longer necessary. The contingent is North Korean. The tankers commence firing, spreading a steady stream of machine gun shells

July 31, 1950 into the enemy ranks, thinning the platoon. But a burst of return rifle fire wounds Fowler. Still determined to keep the Pershings, the troops place Fowler in a tank and drive east toward Masan. About two miles down the highway, they encounter a destroyed bridge and are forced to abandon the tanks. As the tanks are being destroyed, a concealed enemy contingent posted near the bridge suddenly commences firing. One man, Master Sergeant Shrader, having reached an operable tank, unleashes its .30-caliber machine gun to cut the odds. The enemy ambush has devastated the small contingent of Americans. Shrader ceases firing his machine gun and nudges the tank close to one of the others, quickly picking up six men and then heading back toward Chinju. Along the way, the surviving tank overheats (bad fanbelt) at a bridge over the Nam River. The seven occupants dart through the nearby bamboo, eventually reaching the sanctuary of the 25th Division lines west of Masan. Some of the original contingent had been killed at the bridge and others are killed or captured attempting to flee to safety. One captured soldier later relates that he saw several bodies floating in the water. He recognized one as Lieutenant Fowler and another as William Moore, the Associated Press correspondent. The first three Pershing tanks (M-26 Medium) to enter Korea and the first three to go down in combat leave a valiant legacy from the courage of their crews at Chinju. Early estimates of the enemy troops that seize control of the town are 2,000, but a subsequent report that arrives from a Korean source toward the end of the night numbers the force at approximately 4,000. As the evacuation is unfolding, 24th Division Headquarters is buzzing. Air strikes throughout the day torch Chinju, igniting ravaging fires. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion (19th Regiment) heads along the road north of the Nam, regrouping at Uiryong during the night, while the 3rd Battalion (29th Regiment) and the artillery evacuate north of the Nam River and cross to the south bank at Uiryong, then reorganize at Komamni (Saga). After a short while, an aircraft dispatched by General Church passes overhead and drops a succinct order to the artillery: return to the Chinju vicinity. Colonel Rhea’s 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, holding the pass, is pleased to see the eight 155-mm howitzers (11th Field Artillery, Battery B) and Battery (13th Field Artillery) five 105mm howitzers roll up to the pass from the east. East of Chinju Pass lies the village of Much’on, where the Masan Road forks, churning around Sobuk-san, a steep mountain mass. One route swings south through Kogan-ni and Chindong-ni and the other veers north, twisting through Chungam-ni and Komam-ni, entering Masan from the south and north respectively. The northern spur is selected by Colonel Moore as the location for his regimental command post, which is established about one mile east of Muchon-ni. At Sanch’ong, the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, remains unaware of the fate of Chinju, other than the trucks transporting food on the previous day had not

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yet returned. As the morning begins to fade, the townspeople begin to vanish, sending a visual message of urgency to Colonel Wesley Wilson. He rushes south to a 1st Battalion roadblock at Tansong, about ten air miles from Chinju. Lieutenant Griffin, a platoon commander, informs Colonel Wilson that about 700 refugees have passed the roadblock, relating that enemy troops are soon to follow, ending his suspicions about Chinju. Wilson orders that drivers move the heavy vehicles at Sanch’ong to Tansong, then move east through a primitive mountain road toward Uiryong. The trip becomes another arduous adventure, as the route is large enough to handle jeeps but not huge vehicles. With some swift improvisation by Wilson’s troops and by South Koreans, every vehicle, except one that collapsed crossing a fabricated bridge and had to be abandoned, reaches Chungam-ni. At about 1800, about one hour into the march from Sanch’on, an observation plane passes the column, depositing a startling message: “Yesterday, you were ordered to report to the concentration area of Haman.” The message continues: “What are you doing here?” Haman lies about thirty air miles away, but Wilson’s route is via primitive mountain roads, and he, of course, never received word on the previous day to move out. Nonetheless, still en route to Tamsong, a South Korean naval lieutenant, moving with the flood of refugees, presents himself to Colonel Wilson. He shows Wilson a map detailing the approximate location of the pursuing enemy, stating: “The Reds are just seven miles behind us and will get here tonight.”

Convinced of the accuracy of the information and the imminence of the danger, Wilson, after a discussion with his staff, decides to move across the mountains to reach Haman. The several wounded members of the battalion are placed in the jeeps between the mass of mortars, machine guns and radios. All personal effects of the troops are disposed of before heading into the mountains. By about 0200 (Aug. 1), the column reaches Masan-ni at the final north-south road by which the Communist forces from Chinju could intercept the 1st Battalion, bringing a sigh of relief for the weary troops. A well-needed pause is taken. Soon after, the troops and the large numbers of refugees who have joined the Americans prepare to move out. The march resumes at 0600 (August 1), but it does not last long. Soon after crossing a stream, the exhausted troops continue moving east and are greeted by Major Arnold, who had taken the 1st Battalion vehicles to safety on the previous day. The 1st Battalion boards the vehicles and gets chauffeured to Haman. In other activity, Colonel Michaelis arrives at the 24th Division positions in Changnyong, but General Church, to whom he is to report, has gone to Chungni. General Menoher, assistant division commander, directs Michaelis to proceed and meet General Church at the village of Changnyong, which lies about four miles northeast of Masan. In the meantime, the 27th Regiment is on the march, moving toward Chinju Pass. Colonel Michaelis meets with General Church and they are joined by Colonel Moore (19th Regiment), who is transported to the railroad station meeting place from his

A U.S. Chaffee light tank pauses to replenish its ammunition.

145 command post near Chinju Pass by a divisional courier. Moore arrives prior to midnight ( July 31-Aug. 1). Circumstances of the time preclude a clear accounting of the precise orders received by Michaelis and Moore from General Church, as no written notes are taken. Apparently, Colonel Michaelis is to deploy his 27th Regiment at the Chinju Pass along the northern spur of the Masan Road, a few miles west of Chungamni, and Colonel Moore is to retain his 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, led by Colonel Rhea, in place at Chinju Pass. Subsequent to the conference, Colonel Michaelis remains in Chung-ni until his rain-drenched regiment arrives at about 0300. Then after ordering the regiment to continue to Chungam-ni where it is to fortify the high ground, Michaelis and several officers head for another pass, located southwest of Chungam-ni, arriving there just after dawn. Meanwhile, Colonel Moore departs for Much’on-ni. In other activity, the 5th Regimental Combat Team, with a full complement of three battalions, arrives at Pusan to bolster Eighth Army, bringing with it the 555th Field Artillery Battalion and a contingent of Pershing M-26 tanks. Upon arrival at Pusan, the 5th RCT is ordered to move to Masan on the southwest flank of the Eighth Army. Advance contingents arrive the following night and the remainder of the regiment arrives by August 2. The 5th RCT, initially, was to be attached to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, but it is to be attached to the 25th Division and reverts to Eighth Army reserve. In addition, the 9th Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, arrives in Pusan. Its 2nd Battalion, the first contingent of U.S. troops to embark for Korea from the States, left Tacoma, Washington, on July 17. The 9th Regiment, commanded by Colonel John G. Hill, is supported by the 15th Field Artillery Battalion. It departs for Kyongsan about ten miles south of Taegu and upon arrival reverts to Army reserve. Pusan: Since the 2nd of July, more than 300,000 tons of equipment and supplies have been unloaded from vessels at Pusan harbor. During the latter half of July, 230 ships have arrived and 214 have re-embarked. In conjunction, the ports of Ulsan and Surong are utilized for the unloading of items requiring special precautions such as ammunition and petroleum products, which are transferred from ships to barges, tankers and LCMs. This tremendous infusion of seaborne supplies alleviates somewhat the burden on the Air Force, which has been hard pressed to maintain incessant priority flights between the States and Japan and Korea. However, some items, such as the recently developed 3.5inch rockets, continue to be airlifted to Korea at a rate of about 900 units per day during August. July has not been a good month for the South Korean rail system. On July 2, slightly more than 1,400 miles of rails came under domination of U.N. troops, but the numbers deplete rapidly toward the end of the month. At this time, the U.N. forces control about 431 miles of tracks, as the North Koreans aggressively move south toward Pusan.

July 31, 1950 Nonetheless, the U.S. soldiers of Eighth Army transportation work tirelessly during July to untangle the chaotic rail system, attempting to move troops and supplies north while simultaneously evacuating troops and guiding the precious hospital trains, bearing the wounded, to safety. Two thousand five hundred and eighty-one wounded troops are evacuated from the battlefront on

A tank commander, out of uniform, peers upward from his camouflaged position in search of enemy movement.

July 31, 1950 38 trains. During the same period, 71 trains transport troops to the battlefront. As of the beginning of August, the northbound trains would not proceed beyond Pohang-dong and Taegu, but in reaction to the enemy threat against the Eighth Army west flank, trains are sped daily to bolster the troops in the vicinity of Masan. The battle casualties for the U.S. Army from arrival in Korea through July 31 stand at 1,884 killed, 2,695 wounded, 523 missing and 901 assumed captured. More than half of the total losses are incurred by the 24th Division (first to enter Korea); about 80 percent of these casualties occur during the last half of July. The South Korean casualty figures are not totally known. Genuine estimates place them at about 70,000, including killed, wounded and missing. Although many of the South Korean units had retreated in a disoriented fashion, many others were inflicting great punishment on the enemy in the mountains. North Korean casualties, according to estimates by the Intelligence Section of MacArthur’s Headquarters, are placed at about 31,000. The Department of the Army lists enemy casualties for the same time period at 37,500. Both estimates are based on information from captured prisoners and seized documents, but the more accurate number is probably closer to 58,000; the low estimates by the Americans are due partly to their underestimation of the ROK operations against the North Koreans. These figures on enemy battle casualties are considered more accurate than those compiled by the U.N. representatives. — In Japan: General MacArthur’s first report on the Korean situation is filed with the State Department. His message states that the beginning phase of the campaign has concluded. He further states that although the undermanned South Korean (ROK) positions had been initially “shattered,” the swift deployment of Eighth Army units had stemmed the tide, denying the North Koreans victory. General MacArthur pays high praise to the fighting men under him, giving them full credit for the superlative effort to derail the North Korean onslaught. MacArthur includes American and U.N. intentions: “Over a broad front involving continuous local struggles, there are bound to be ups and downs, losses as well as successes. Our casualties despite overwhelming odds have been relatively light. Our strength will continually increase ... we are now in Korea in force, and with God’s help we are here to stay until the constitutional authority of the republic is fully restored.” There is concern in the U.S. that the Russians might use the Korean diversion by their puppet forces to attempt to seize Japan or to enlarge the ongoing problems in Europe. U.S. strategy does not alter easily. As with World War II, Europe remains the priority and the Pacific is again a remote stepchild. Ambassador Sebald subsequently notes that during the end of July, a member of his diplomatic staff returned from Korea and reported that the morale of the U.S. troops at Taegu was very low. He claimed, “The men failed to understand why they were involved in such a dirty war and

146 usually considered it better tactics to withdraw, rather than stand and fight.” The term usually used for the action of these particular troops who would not fight is called “bugging out.” In many instances the troops stood with obsolete weapons against hordes of enemy troops until it was no longer possible to halt the enemy. This general statement is unfair to the great majority of U.S. troops who withstood the odds with a genuine shield of valor while shedding their blood, and many other courageous troops who sacrificed their lives to buy time for the U.S. to bring in reinforcements and turn the tide. The frequent retreating by American troops is about to cease. Pusan will be defended with fervor, pitting guts and glory against overwhelming odds. In other activity, Marine reservists are reporting to Camp Pendleton and other contingents are departing Camp Lejeune for Pendleton; the 13th Infantry Company (Los Angeles), 12th Amphibian Tractor Company (San Francisco) and the 3rd Engineer Company (Phoenix) arrive today, and for the immediate future, Marines will be reporting 24 hours a day. From today until March 31, 1951, the Volunteer Reserve will provide 51,942 of the 84,821 reservists on active duty. Of these 99 percent of the officers and 77.5 percent of the enlisted men are veterans of World War II. The JCS order the chief of naval operations to bring the 2nd Marine Division up to war strength (easier said than done) and to add two Marine tactical air squadrons, bringing the strength to eighteen squadrons. The tireless efforts of General Cates, combined with the persistence of MacArthur and the unwavering vocal support of the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Vinson, have won out, gaining the employment of the Marine aviators for Korea. In other activity, General MacArthur, based on information given him by staff during mid–July, informs the Department of the Army that South Korea is able to mount no more than four divisions and that he will equip the Korean forces based on that number. MacArthur does stipulate that some heavy equipment will be withheld. In contrast, General Walker and Ambassador Muccio both believe that the U.S. should arm many more South Koreans. In a rare about-face, by the following week MacArthur changes his stance and informs Walker that he should increase the figure of armed Koreans to a point. The carrier USS Badoeng Strait, commanded by Captain Arnold McKechnie, arrives at Kobe, bringing with it 70 F4Us, six HO3S helicopters and eight light observation planes. In conjunction, the carrier Sicily stops at Guam en route to disembark Antisubmarine Squadron 21 at Agana Airfield, but it then joins the Badoeng Strait at Koebe. Its commanding officer, Captain John Thach, is designated commanding officer CTE 96.23, composed of the Sicily, USS Kyes (DD-787) and Doyle (DMS-34). Captain Thach is ordered to rush to the support of the Pusan Perimeter and by the following day, the Sicily is steaming toward Korea. As of this day, the Far East Air Forces have flown a

147 total of 8,600 sorties in support of the conflict in Korea: 57 during the two strategic bombing missions; 1,600 combined cargo and reconnaissance; 2,550 close interdiction and 4,300 sorties in close support (ground forces) missions. In other activity, the portion of Task Group 53.7 transporting the forward echelon of the 1st Marine Air Wing arrives at Kobe during the afternoon. Within about three hours, the troops have completely debarked and an LST is standing by to transport the Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron Two and the ground troops of VMO-6. The LST embarks for Pusan on the following day, arriving on the 4th. In the meantime, the unloading process continues and the troops assemble the helicopters and the light observation planes of VMO6, and to the astonishment of the observing Japanese, the aircraft take off from the streets and move to Itami to receive their pre-combat inspections prior to being ferried to Korea. — In Formosa: General MacArthur arrives on Formosa to meet with Chiang Kai-shek in Taipei. The meeting occurs without sanction from Washington and causes discontent in the State Department and the White House. MacArthur gives some details of the conference through a statement: “My visit to Formosa has been primarily for the purpose of making a short reconnaissance of the potential of its defense against possible attack....” Speculation emerges after the meeting concerning why MacArthur had not taken Ambassador Sebald along for the conference. Soon after, Secretary of State Dean Acheson contacts Ambassador Sebald and directs him to request more details, but the response is not one the State Department likes. MacArthur essentially cloaks the talks under the term “military” and says that his military conversations were no concern of the State Department.

August 1

The N.K. 7th Division departs Seoul, but its artillery remains in the area; the force crosses the Han River moving through Taejon and arrives at Chinju about August 15. Central Mountain area: The ROK 8th Division loses the battle for Andong to the N.K. 12th Division. During the brutal fighting for the strategic river town, the North Koreans claim 1,500 ROK troops killed and 1,500 captured (proclaimed on a radio broadcast August 3 that is transmitted to Japan and heard there), and many vehicles. North Korean casualties are also extremely high and include the divisional commander, General Kim Mu Chong. Captured N.K. prisoners relate that one outfit, the 31st N.K. Regiment, sustained 600 troops killed and it is also reported that the air attacks wiped out about 600 enemy troops. In addition, eleven of the initial thirty enemy tanks have been destroyed. Also, a battalion of the N.K. 12th Division’s artillery had expended its entire supply of ammunition, compelling it to turn back and head for Tanyang. In other activity, by dawn the 25th Division is relocating to new positions south of Sangju; however, it receives new instructions at about 1300. Eighth Army

August 1, 1950 orders the 25th Division to prepare to move to Samnangjin, along the Naktong River, from where it can intercept the enemy as it drives east, while simultaneously planning to attack westward. However, this depletion of U.S. troops from the Central Front adds to the burden of Eighth Army there. The expanding enemy pressure, coupled with the redeployment of the 25th Division, mandates that Eighth Army pull back across the Naktong River. West Coast area: The 27th Regiment, 25th Division, prepares to dig in at the Notch, southwest of Chungam-ni, based on information gathered while reconnoitering the area. But following a conversation with the acting regimental S-3, Captain Elliott Cutler (after daybreak), Colonel Michaelis senses that the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, is about to withdraw from its positions in the pass, thereby exposing the Much’on-ni Road at its fork, giving the North Koreans easy access to the southern route to Masan. The North Koreans keep pressing and overpower the 19th Regiment. A flurry of activity occurs. Michaelis heads for the command post of the 13th Field Artillery west of Chungam-ni, from where he contacts Colonel Moore by phone at his command post, east of Much’on-ni. According to Colonel Michaelis, later attested to by Major Jack J. Kron (executive officer of 13th Field Artillery), Moore informs Michaelis that the Masan Road fork positions are untenable. Continuing, according to Michaelis, Colonel Moore relates that the 19th Regiment is withdrawing to the Notch. Concerned, Michaelis then tells Colonel Moore that the 19th should, upon falling back, prepare to defend the northern route to Masan at the Notch (Chungam-ni). This is to allow the 27th Regiment to move through Masan and guard the southern route at Chindong-ni, lest the North Korean forces advance unchallenged along the southern road through Masan, enabling the enemy to strike a killing blow against the Eighth Army. Colonel Moore, according to Colonel Michaelis, agrees with the strategy; however, later, Colonel Moore cannot recall the phone conversation. Major Kron attests to Michaelis’ story concerning the phone conversation. By noon, having unsuccessfully tried to contact division and Eighth Army, the 27th Regiment reverses direction and moves to Chindong-ni. En route, while passing through Masan, Colonel Michaelis encounters the new command post of the 25th Division. After another unsuccessful attempt to contact General Church by phone, Michaelis gets through to Eighth Army Headquarters, informing Colonel Landrum of the situation; Landrum agrees with Michaelis and authorizes the move to block the south road to Masan. In turn, Landrum notifies General Walker when he arrives back at headquarters and General Church is then informed. Church soon arrives at Michaelis’ positions and meets with him in front of the village, instructing Michaelis to deploy one battalion in the hills near the low pass, exactly where they are speaking. The 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Murch, gets the task. Company E deploys in front of

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Korea situation 1 August 1950.

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August 1, 1950

An Eighth Army unit at port prepares to move out. The lead vehicle in the convoy is a 3/4 ton 4 by 4 weapons carrier. Other vehicles on the right are 2 1/2-ton trucks. Pongam-ni, taking the point about ten miles west of Chindong-ni, and the remainder of the battalion stands about seven miles west of the town. The 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Check, which is assigned to attack on the following morning, bivouacs to the rear of the 2nd Battalion for the night. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, on the northern road, upon orders from Colonel Moore, has pulled back non-stop from its positions at the pass to the Notch, arriving there about 1400. Colonel Rhea, the commanding officer, remains at the pass with an armored car (M-20), offering protection for the with-

drawal. During the delay, enemy troops approach in a U.S. jeep, but its two occupants expire after a short burst of small arms fire and the jeep is repossessed, joining the rear guard when it departs for the Notch. Without an opportunity for rest, Colonel Rhea is directed to reconnoiter the heights below the Notch, prior to deploying the 1st Battalion. During the evening, his troops deploy on the Notch, assuming responsibility for it and the heights to the northwest (right). The 1st Battalion’s deployment permits the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, commanded by Colonel McGrail, which had already arrived at the Notch,

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Top: Marine reinforcements prepare to depart by plane for Korea. Bottom: The USS Philippine Sea, which had only arrived back in the U.S. on 10 June, embarks for Korea. While sailors jam her decks, one navy wife watches as the vessel leaves port. The carrier arrives off Korea on 1 August.

151 subsequent to its withdrawal from Chinju, to move to the northern base of the pass, becoming regimental reserve. Also, during the latter part of the afternoon, the 29th Infantry’s 1st Battalion, commanded by Colonel Wilson, approaches Chungam-ni. The 29th will receive orders at 2000 directing it to join the reconnaissance attack on the following day. In conjunction, South Korean troops (TF Min) are entrusted responsibility for the high ground southeast (left) of the Notch, but Colonel Min’s force deploys too far to the east, creating a devastating gap of more than one mile between it and the 19th Regiment at the Notch, which remains undiscovered until it is too late. Prior to departing the area, General Church schedules a heavy reconnaissance mission for the following day that will involve elements of the 27th and 19th Regiments; each is to advance west from their positions and then converge at the Masan Road fork at Much’onni. During the evening, the troops of the 19th and 27th Regiments at Chungam-ni and Chindong-ni respectively exude jubilation when a platoon of medium Sherman tanks (Company A, 89th Medium Tank Battalion) arrive at each location in time to join the scheduled attack on the following morning. In other activity, the North Koreans strike at the flanks of Colonel Stephens’ force (21st and 34th Regiments, 24th Division). The ROK troops under S.K. Colonel Kim, deployed on both flanks, effectively repel the assaults. North Korea: On or about this day, the Soviets convince the North Koreans to lay minefields at various locations (east and west coasts) in North and South Korea to hinder any possible U.N. amphibious invasions, but the operation never rolls full steam. Pusan Perimeter: The South Korean National Police are by now given total responsibility for guarding all the railroad tunnels and bridges; contingents of varying sizes are posted at each remaining bridge and tunnel. In other activity, at Taegu, four South Korean officers and 133 S.K. policemen volunteer to operate with the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Clainos. These policemen will participate with the cavalry in the fighting at Triangulation Hill, beginning on August 10. Later, more South Korean troops will enjoin U.S. divisions. Also, the 2nd Infantry Division lands at Pusan. In Air Force activity, the 6147th Tactical Control Squadron, Airborne, is established at Taegu. Also, 46 B-29s attached to the 22d and 92d Bombardment Groups attack the Chosin Nitrogen Fertilizer Factory at Hungnam. In Naval activity, The USS Philippine Sea, commanded by Captain W.K. Goodney, which had arrived in San Diego, California, subsequent to duty as an Atlantic Fleet Carrier on June 10, 1950, arrives off Korea. Following the unexpected outbreak of hostilities, the Philippine Sea, expected to relieve the Valley Forge during October 1950, had been rushed to the area ( July

August 2, 1950 5) to augment the U.S. air power. In conjunction, CAG-11, commanded by Commander R.C. Vogel, USN, had been ordered to depart prior to the ship’s embarkment. The air contingent takes a crash course in Hawaii, becoming more familiar with its jet planes before moving on to Korea. In other activity, Eighth Army issues an operational directive confirming the various verbal orders previously circulated among the units concerning the planned withdrawal across the Naktong River. The directive clarifies the points of redeployment along the primary defensive lines of the Pusan Perimeter. Also, the USS Badoeng Strait, unable to unload its aircraft at Kobe, which lacks proper harbor facilities, remains offshore, but forty-four of its Marine planes take off and head for Itami Airfield, where they receive a pre-combat check. On the following day, the remaining twenty-six planes arrive at Itami from the carrier. Also, Naval Forces Far East directs the USS Sicily (CVE 118) and the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE 116) and its accompanying vessels to provide close-air support to the U.N. troops on the ground in Korea. Guam: Guam, claimed by the U.S. during 1898, then lost during the initial portion of World War II and recaptured in 1944, comes under civil rule; it will be overseen by the Department of the Interior.

August 2 Western-Central area: From their positions on Masan Road forks, the U.S. 19th and 27th Regiments prepare to launch their respective reconnaissance attacks toward Chinju along their designated spurs of the Masan Road to locate the enemy (N.K. 6th Division) and converge at Much’on-ni where the Masan Road forks. The 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Gilbert Check, and its supporting artillery, Battery A, 8th Field Artillery Battalion, shove off early. Spearheaded by four Sherman tanks, each transporting a portion of one platoon of infantry, the column moves out of Chingong-ni at 0400, probing west along the southern fork of the Masan Road, advancing toward Much’on-ni. The 19th Regiment, in coordination with the 27th Regiment, launches its arm of the attack from Chungam-ni, committing the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment (attached to the 19th Regiment), commanded by Lt. Colonel Wesley Wilson. Wilson’s command heads west along the northern fork slightly after daybreak at 0615. Five Sherman tanks take the point, trailed by four M-4 armored cars, each transporting five men of C Company. A convoy of 22 trucks transporting the infantry and a complement of several jeeps rolls out smoothly, trailing the armor. However, the two separate attacking units encounter totally different levels of opposition subsequent to departure. During the previous night, an unintentional wide gap had opened on the left flank of the 19th Regiment, between it and the ROK forces, which have strayed too far to the left, permitting enemy infiltrators to ease undetected through the lines east of the Notch. These

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troops, primarily snipers, creep in to the rear of some American troops, eliminating five soldiers by shooting them in the back of the head. Another contingent of enemy infiltrators had silently penetrated through the lines west of the Notch during the previous night and afterwards they establish positions to spring an ambush. Company B, 19th Infantry, following an exhausting several days, ascends the western hill of the Notch during the night of August 1, but pauses before reaching the top, bivouacking there. During the pre-dawn hours, while the men of Company B are still asleep, other enemy intruders strike against them swiftly and silently, stabbing several men, including the company commander, with bayonets, and afterward force the remainder of the unit from the hill. These incidents unsettle the area early and occur without the knowledge of the two attack groups. At the north fork, the first column to move out, the 1st Battalion 27th Regiment under Colonel Check, advances effortlessly before meeting the enemy, but that is not the case with the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, when it moves out on the southern fork. Along the northern fork, the 27th Regiment contingent moves without incident for several miles until scouts at the point, in advance of the lead platoon, stumble upon a slumbering platoon of enemy troops, apparently in a deep sleep that prevents them from hearing even the rumble of the approaching tanks. The startled North Koreans leap to their feet, toss their blankets and expeditiously begin to sprint to safety. In unison, the U.S.

infantrymen and the tanks commence firing. The enemy platoon is wiped out, except for two soldiers who are quickly captured. The column resumes its advance against some emerging resistance confined to snipers and an occasional enemy patrol. Around noon it reaches the Much’on-ni fork, where it surprises another contingent of enemy troops, including a recently arrived truck convoy laden with equipment, ammunition and various supplies including food and medicine. The startled truck drivers are able to get some of the vehicles turned, and they speed back toward Chinju, abandoning about ten of the vehicles during the hasty evacuation. A group of F-81 planes swarming nearby spots the enemy convoy as it is reversing direction on the summit of the pass. The pilots attack and subsequently report that Colonel Check’s unannounced appearance at the fork provided the planes with an abundance of good targets, as many other enemy vehicles in the area got caught in the open after heading back to Chinju. Nonetheless, more enemy resistance is building as Check’s column moves beyond the fork, still anticipating a hook-up with Wilson’s column. At this time, Colonel Check has no way of knowing that the bulk of the enemy, for which these supplies have arrived, has moved parallel to the south fork toward Masan. But Check decides to return his trucks, other than those required for his artillery, to headquarters, rather than risk losing them. It is becoming obvious that the resistance is building and Colonel Check is convinced that if he encounters stiff opposition, his group can more easily fight

Pohang-dong, South Korea, August 1950.

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Marines aboard the USS Pickaway arrive in Korea. its way out without the encumbrance of extra vehicles. The advance continues, with the infantry trailing the tanks, toward the base of the Chinju Pass. Meanwhile, Colonel Wilson’s 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, which began moving at 0615, is not making much progress. The tip of the column advances to its point of departure, the Notch, at about 0715, passing through the defensive positions of the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment. Soon after, the regiment enters an unexpected hornets’ nest. Colonel Rhea’s battalion, dispersed defensively throughout the hills at the Notch, is engaged in an ongoing battle with the enemy. The complex situation becomes compounded as the convoy rolls by, totally unexpected by Colonel Rhea. The reconnaissance platoon, moving along the south fork below the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, need not probe further. It inadvertently rams into the enemy attack as it unfolds. Enemy fire brings the armor to a temporary halt soon after it passes the crest of the Notch and begins descending the south slope, but most of the convoy has yet to ascend the incline to the summit. Nonetheless, Colonel Wilson, upon hearing the gunfire, bolts from his jeep, which is toward the latter part of the column, and sprints toward the peak of the hill where he meets Colonel Rhea, who offers some advice to Wilson: “You better be careful — that ground down by the pond is enemy territory. My men were fighting with them when your tanks came by.” While Colonel Wilson is still in the high ground, the tanks resume the advance prudently and encounter enemy infantrymen who are creeping up the gully adjacent to the road about 100 yards down the south slope. The Shermans swivel their turrets and respond with rapid machine gun fire, while continuing to advance cautiously. The effort prompts some of the enemy troops to scatter for the thicket, but several menacing

machine guns and mortar crews remain unscathed. The tank at the point, advancing more than 400 yards down the slope without closing its hatch, sustains a murderous blow from a single mortar round which kills the entire crew. By this time about thirteen vehicles have begun the descent. Immediately following the loss of the lead tank, a shell from an antitank weapon strikes one of the trailing trucks, setting it ablaze and bringing the stunned column to yet another halt. Immediately, the troops begin jumping from the stalled vehicles, but three enemy heavy machine guns, entrenched about 200 yards down the south slope, are streaming shells into their ranks, especially the 1st Platoon of Company C. As the other soldiers in the stalled vehicles bolt to expected safety in the gullies, they instead encounter waiting enemy troops, igniting close-quartered fighting. Those Americans captured during these first moments of battle are used as human shields. The North Koreans prod the Americans up the slope like lambs for slaughter after first roping their hands together. Colonel Wilson, still in the heights slightly southwest of the Notch, observes the debacle, again caused by poor communications; Colonel Rhea, defending the Notch with his battalion, had no previous knowledge of the reconnaissance attack until the tanks passed into his lines. A written order from the previous day detailing the attack never reached him. Colonel Wilson, intent on salvaging the battle, remains conspicuously in harm’s way while restoring calm and regrouping his troops west of the Notch. He orders the 62-man contingent of Company B, 29th Regiment, to deploy alongside the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment. As the enemy fire continues to rain on the U.S. troops, now scattered all about, the locations of the enemy machine guns are discovered. Recoilless rifle teams get a focused

August 2, 1950 bead on them and terminate their fire by either destroying the guns or forcing the gunners to escape the heat of fire. However, the recoilless rifle team, positioned west of the Notch, sustains a deadly incoming round that kills three crewmen. The lone survivor, Sergeant Evert E. “Moose” Hoffman, refuses to relent. Despite the tragic loss of his three buddies, he remains tenaciously at his gun, spewing shells toward the enemy throughout the remainder of the day. Other similar individual acts of courage also emerge during the melee as the fighting extends from the road up both slopes. Meanwhile, Colonel Ned Moore, at the initial stage of the engagement, moves to the west side of the Notch, remaining at the 1st Battalion 19th Regiment Command Post there to control the defensive operations. The elements of the 1st Battalion (Company B, 29th Infantry), directed by Col. Wilson to spread out within the positions of the 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry, on the west side of the Notch, become entwined and their positions are precariously perched. The infiltrators, which had earlier driven Company B from the west slope, enjoy uninhibited maneuverability to lay down numerous crossfires, slicing into several units. This savage enfilade, striking from the rear and flank, inflicts near paralysis on the west slope; Company C, 29th Regiment, still staggered by the death of many of the men of its 1st Platoon, lost when the convoy stalled, manages to advance to a spur from where it springs a powerful attack, terminating the deadly enemy fire by driving the North Koreans from the hill. Twelve men of Company C lose their lives during the attack, but it appears possible, according to Colonel Wilson, that erroneous friendly fire from the American positions cost as many as six of the deaths. The grim fighting on the west side of the Notch tails off toward the afternoon, while the North Koreans disengage their frontal assault to set the stage for their preferred killing blow, envelopment from the flanks. Later during the lull, Company A, 19th Infantry, ventures down the road toward the immobilized vehicles, exterminating several enemy troops who had remained in the vicinity. The contingent advances about 100 yards past the destroyed lead tank and establishes a roadblock, in coordination with other troops that scour the area, salvaging vehicles and recovering the dead and wounded. The remaining troops of Company A, 29th Regiment, move out to comb the forward ridge abutting the pass to purge the enemy. In the meantime, tenacious fighting continues on the east side of the Notch. Back near Much’on-ni, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, which has passed the road fork junction, continues heading west, but it begins encountering more enemy strength as it pushes toward the Chinju Pass. On the east side of Notch, the Americans receive an equal share of fierce enemy fire and fare no better than their counterparts on the west side. The existing gap between the ROK troops and the 19th Regiment increases the danger and fuels the confusion as fierce com-

154 bat ensues in the high ground throughout the day. During the afternoon, enemy mortar barrages score hard, inflicting additional casualties. At one point, the ROK troops are hit by enemy and friendly fire, pushing them from their positions. Hastily, they move east through the valley toward Chungam-ni to preserve their unit from decimation. Colonel Moore, observing the area from his vantage point at the battalion command post, spots an unidentified group of troops moving east along the railroad tracks. He directs Captain Elliott Cutler (Regimental S-3) to order elements of the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment (reserve force), to speed through the valley and intercept the force. The column is intercepted, but it is Colonel Min’s troops (Task Force Min) attempting to escape from untenable positions. The 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry (attached to 19th Regiment) had been deployed near the ROK troops and later, Company B, 29th Infantry (attached to 19th Regiment) advanced to the hills to help stem the rising enemy tide. Soon after, Communist forces spring from a railroad tunnel to the immediate front of Company B. It holds the line rigidly, and in the process receives rapid support from Company F, 19th Regiment, which commences a rousing counterattack, bashing into the advancing enemy and hurling them back in retreat. At Chinju Pass, the enemy is positioned strongly with elements of the N.K. 6th Division. At the base, infantry, including snipers, are scattered strategically amidst the shallow hills to forestall any advance elements that might approach. These contingents are braced by antitank weapons, anticipating a lucrative afternoon. Colonel Check’s column encroaches the entrance to the pass, his tanks transporting infantry at the point. Abruptly, the tanks come under a volley of fire. Snipers to the north of the column deliver a series of shots that nearly singe the ears of the infantry. The troops atop the tanks unhesitatingly jump toward the rear of the armor to afford themselves cover from where they can return fire. Additional incoming fire originating from antitank weapons takes out the second tank in line, killing its gunner. To the immediate rear of the knocked out tank, Lieutenant Herman Norrell, the tank platoon leader, witnesses the devastating blow and simultaneously spots the positions of the perpetrators: three antitank guns, entrenched about 75 yards away to the right of the column. Before Norrell can retaliate, additional shells from the same point of the initial fire pummel his tank, striking it three times and setting it afire. As Norrell leaps from the burning inferno, raking machine gun fire and shrapnel inflict wounds upon him. Spontaneously, the Americans are returning fire and in quick time, the artillerymen face off with the 76mm antitank weapons. After a short engagement, the enemy guns become mute. Meanwhile, the infantry lunges from its positions and seizes the enemy guns. A large gathering of dead N.K. troops is also sprawled about the area, and there are some others who give a poor performance of feigning death.

155 Colonel Check, having no contact with battalion headquarters since his departure, had previously sent messengers back to Colonel Michaelis to inform him of the situation; however, the Communists had sealed the road in the rear. The messengers never reach Chindong-ni. Colonel Check remains out of communication with headquarters, but his command is still energized, ready to fight its way forward. During the blazing burst of initial fire, seven additional tankers had been wounded. Check requests volunteers to operate the two bruised tanks. Obligingly, bulldozer operators receive a dynamic crash course on driving a tank, and several volunteer riflemen assume their temporary duty as tank machine gunners. Soon after, the advance resumes with its full complement of four tanks. Steadily but slowly, they gain several hundred tough yards. Then at about 1700 or shortly thereafter, a friendly aircraft appears overhead, depositing an uninspiring update for Colonel Check from Col. Michaelis. The note is short but obviously to the point. “Return Road Cut behind you.... Lead with tanks if possible. Will give you artillery support when within range.” The 1st Battalion breaks off its ongoing fight with the enemy and initiates a return trek toward its friendly artillery. The two damaged tanks will not start. After being towed by the two fully operational tanks, the two contentious ones move out, leading the column, and the others hold the rear, trailing the artillery and mortar vehicles. The column receives an air umbrella for added insulation. Planes follow overhead until dusk. However, the endeavor does not begin smoothly, as enemy gunners bring the column under fire as it moves out. The U.S. infantry, walking astride the vehicles but nudging the ridges along the road, returns fire vociferously. The column, still beyond the Much’on-ni Road fork as the sun begins setting, prompts Colonel Check to collect his troops and board them on the vehicles to preclude disaster. The column continues fighting as it moves and there is some apprehension about the enemy strength at the fork. The crammed vehicles, resembling overcrowded armored ferries, race through what might become a sea of fire, but sporadically they pause momentarily, enabling the infantry to spring from the vehicles when necessary to eliminate enemy machine guns posted along the route. Eventually, the weary troops reach the protective fire of the 8th Field Artillery Battalion’s 155-mm howitzers, which rivet both sides of the road with their version of an iron picket fence. At about midnight (Aug. 2-3), subsequent to spending a protracted day with elements of the N.K. 6th Division, Colonel Check’s battalion reaches Chindongni, having sustained thirty casualties during the arduous mission; but it has extracted a high toll from its opponent while avoiding checkmate. Also, during the day, while the 1st Battalion is slugging along the south fork of the Masan Road, an enemy contingent estimated at about one battalion moves in behind the column and attacks Company E’s positions at Pongam-ni. The company had remained behind to

August 2, 1950 defend the departure line. The 2nd Battalion rushes reinforcements to the scene to support E Company. The reinforcements arrive on a timely basis and support besieged Company E while it successfully fights its way back to Kogan-ni, three miles to the east. In the meantime, another enemy contingent pounces on one Platoon of Company A, 65th Engineer Combat Battalion, which is posted along the Kosong-Sachon Road, south of Chindong-ni. The overwhelmed unit sustains tremendous losses, and the bulk of its equipment is decimated. Yet other enemy contingents encroach the positions of the 8th Field Artillery at Chindong-ni during the afternoon bringing it under fire. The 1st Battalion is noticeably absent, apparently giving the North Koreans the impression that the 27th regimental headquarters, lacking infantry, will be an easy seizure. An attack to overrun the village is launched on the following morning. In other activity, an advance contingent of the 25th Division departs Poksong-dong for Samnangjin, but en route, all elements of the division are rerouted to Masan, subsequent to a conference between General Walker and General Kean at Taegu. The diverted 25th Division moves along the primary supply route, maneuvering through a steady stream of opposing traffic heading north to the central front, giving Army G-3 operations officers a nightmare. The logistics of keeping the unbroken chain of supplies moving north while trying to maintain an efficient path weaving south requires every available G-3 officer to ensure success. During the entire journey, officers are posted at every suspected point of gridlock congestion, and others must ensure that the expected trains are on location at Waegwan, from where the division is to be transported by rail to Masan. The advance elements of the 25th Division command post arrive by convoy at Masan at 2115, concluding a day-long drive. Meanwhile, the equipment of the 25th Division is loaded aboard railcars throughout the night (Aug. 2–3). The troops begin to depart at about 0600, trailed by the equipment trains. General Walker, aware that he has dangerously trimmed his central front defenses, expects to get away with the gamble and ensure the southwest front in the process. Southwestern sector: The 34th and 21st Regiments, 24th Division, receive orders from Eighth Army to cross the Naktong River. Soon after the orders are received, Colonel Stephens dispatches the 34th Regiment to the vicinity of Yongsan. Meanwhile, the 21st Regiment and the accompanying South Korean troops hold their positions on the opposite side of the bank, holding the enemy at bay. During the evening, engineers destroy the Naktong River bridge that links Ch’ogye with Changnyong, the location of 24th Division headquarters. The 21st Regiment departs during the night with its final elements moving across the other bridge (Koryong-Taegu), twenty air miles north, at about 0045 on the 3rd, trailed by the 14th Engineering Combat Battalion within a couple of hours later.

August 2, 1950 Colonel Stephens remains behind with the S.K. 17th Regiment during its rear guard duty, departing with it at about 0630 (Aug. 3). At its positions above the 24th Division, the 1st Cavalry also receives orders from Eighth Army to move to the east side of the Naktong River. The cavalry, deployed in the Chirye-Kumch’on vicinity, begins withdrawing to Waegwan, completing

156 the operation by dusk on August 3. The 5th Cavalry Regiment, last of the main contingents to cross the river, encounters a stiff skirmish with the enemy. One battalion is nearly wiped out. In other activity, to the north and east of Waegwan, the South Koreans are initiating movement in concert with the U.S., withdrawing across the Naktong,

Top: Shortly after debarking at Pusan on 2 August, the U.S. Marines hold in place at a railway station awaiting orders to move northward. Bottom: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade arrives in Pusan on 2 August.

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U.S. troops examine Pershing medium tanks that have been loaded on rail flatcars to make them secure for transit. encountering some severe opposition. The N.K. 12th Division engages the S.K. 8th Division around Andong, and the S.K. 1st Division encounters fierce resistance north of the Naktong River. Pusan: The USS Henrico, having completed the voyage across the Pacific alone, finally makes visual contact with the convoy in the Tsushima Straits during the morning hours. The convoy transporting the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade arrives off Pusan during the evening, with the leading vessel entering the harbor slightly after 1700. Soon after, as the ship creeps toward the dock, the Marines on deck are serenaded with a “tinny and tonedeaf ” version of the “Marine Hymn,” played by a South Korean band. Some of the U.S. Army troops along the dock and the Marines aboard ship trade their usual sardonic salutations, with some of the seasoned antagonists (on both sides) visibly pleased that the encounter verifies the continuance of the tradition. As dusk arrives, the dock area becomes over-animated as man and machine begin a flurry of bustling activity lasting

throughout the night, guaranteeing little or no sleep. Amidst the clanking of the cranes and the roaring of the engines, some giant searchlights focus on supply areas, while the Marine brigade’s troops debark and attempt to receive their equipment, food and ammunition. Combined, 9,400 tons of brigade supplies are unloaded, the greatest portion thereof relinquished to the Army Quartermaster section in Pusan and absorbed into the general pool. Four officers and 100 enlisted men of the Combat Service Detachment, under Major Thomas J. O’Mahoney, USMC, are designated rear echelon and will be based in Pusan to handle administrative and logistical duties. Meanwhile, General Craig orders a briefing at 2100 aboard the USS Clymer, for brigade staff, Lt. Colonel Raymond Murray, commanding officer, 5th Marines, battalion commanders and personnel from supporting units. At present, the Marines know they are heading west, but the specific mission is still unknown. Eventually, at 2325, General Craig is informed by Colonel Landrum that the Marine Brigade, as ordered by

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An Eighth Army artillery unit fortifies a position for a 105-mm howitzer. General Walker, would proceed to Changwon and revert to Eighth Army reserve. Early on the following morning, the Marines return to their ships to receive a hot and hearty breakfast prior to moving out. Also, elements of the 5th Regimental Combat Team debark at Pusan; the 2nd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel John Throckmorton, moves to Chindong-ni and spreads out on a spine of high ground descending from Sobuk-san, less than two miles west of the town. Hill 342 (Yaban-san and Fox Hill), the highest point of elevation occupied by the 2nd Battalion, is covered by one platoon of Company G. At this point, the 2nd Battalion is poised to support the 27th Regiment. Posted to its (5th RCT) immediate front at Kogan-ni is the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry. The ridge on which Throckmorton’s command is deployed stretches northwest to even higher ground for a distance of about three miles until it terminates at Sobuk-san (Hill 738), thought to be occupied by elements of the N.K. 6th Division. In Air Force activity, the 374 Troop Carrier Group (TCG), in response to urgent requests from Eighth Army, undertakes a massive operation to transport supplies and equipment from Ashiya to Korea. About 300,000 pounds are moved by air in a 24-hour period, a record setting operation. — In the United States: At Fort Bragg, history repeats itself. The I Corps is activated, with General Coulter as its commanding officer. Ironically, the I Corps and the IX Corps had both been essential parts of Eighth Army in Japan until the Truman Administra-

tion and Congress’ military cutbacks reduced the ranks of the armed services. A small group of staff officers and General Coulter will embark by air for Korea on August 13. The remainder of the staff will arrive in Korea on September 6. The IX Corps will be activated on August 10. The I Corps previously had its headquarters in Kyoto (24th and 25th Divisions). The IX Corps had its headquarters in Sendai (1st Cavalry and 7th Infantry Divisions). — In Japan: Four helicopters and four light observation planes (VMO-6) depart Itami for Pusan, Korea. The additional four light observation planes of VMO6 remain in Japan to be used for parts when necessary. Two of the helicopters, the remainder of VMO-6 and Air Support Section move to Chinhae to operate from its airfield. The additional two helicopters fly to Changwon to support the ground operations there. In conjunction, the Air Support Section (MTACS-2) begins establishing communications with the carriers USS Sicily and Badoeng Strait. By August 5, the air-ground operation is prepared.

August 3 General Walker, having earlier in the day repeated his previous orders to “maintain contact with the enemy,” places more emphasis on his intent during the afternoon with yet another directive: “Daily counterattacks will be made by all units.... Commanders will take immediate action to insure that these and previous instructions to this effect are carried out without delay.” Continuing, Walker directs: “Counterattack is a decisive ELM (element) of the defense.”

159 Western Coastal area: In the 25th Division sector, the 27th Regiment’s headquarters remains at Chindong-ni, a small town sitting along the south coastal road (dirt) where mountain tributaries extending from the north converge on the Korean Strait. Although elements of the

August 3, 1950 regiment had been strongly tested on the previous day, the area has enjoyed a fairly quiet night — maybe too calm. The tranquil mood is short lasting. Unbeknownst to the sleeping men of the 27th Regiment, one battalion of the ever-cunning enemy is closing toward their

A tank crew loads 76-mm shells into a Sherman medium tank M4A3 at a depot at the rear. The tank had been there for repair before returning to the front.

August 3, 1950 positions with the intent of establishing a roadblock. With a hushed motion, the enemy unit moves east of the north-south road along a rough ridge that ends abruptly at a towering cliff that extends high atop the indented command post, a schoolhouse which is precariously tucked under the jagged ridge. From here, the coiled elements of the 14th Regiment, N.K. 6th Division, prepare to spring into action. The operations of the mission are controlled from Sobuk-san, north of the objective. The regiment’s other two battalions had swung away from the unit farther east to assume positions and establish additional roadblocks nearer to Masan. In the schoolyard, adjacent to the command post, lay the restful howitzers of Company A (11th Field Artillery Bn.); in close proximity, the weapons of the 8th Field Artillery Battalion stand ready. It had been the 8th Artillery Bn. that had provided a powerful and protracted iron umbrella to guide the 1st Battalion as it sprinted home along the south fork road on the previous night. Dispersed in the same area is the exhausted 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, under Colonel Check, which had sprawled out near the command post immediately upon returning from its adventurous reconnaissance patrol. Guards have been posted around the perimeter throughout the night to ensure against intruders. But ostensibly, some of the guards had become derelict, endangering the command by sleeping at their post. In addition, several sentinels at other outposts assume that the troops observed in the shadows are friendly ROK soldiers, known to be posted nearby. The conduct of some of the troops on the graveyard watch thrusts the regiment into a gruesome contest for survival. While the officers of the 35th Regimental staff are just completing breakfast in the command post, the surprise attack is launched. Enemy small arms fire, intended to signal the attack, concentrates on the command post. Synchronized with the initial fire, the enemy charges from their positions on the east ridge, but the first troops to descend from the heights are U.S. soldiers, some of whom complete the trek without their boots. Unquestionably, the suddenness of the attack causes disorganization; however, Colonels Michaelis and Check, bolstered by no-nonsense NCOs, set about transforming the turmoil into a disciplined defense. During this endeavor, some troops are jerked from their prone positions under some stationary jeeps and trucks and propped into fighting positions. The fighting on the east hill ensues heavily until around 1300. During the remainder of the day, the North Koreans utilize regular civilian telephones, affording the U.S. signalmen (and S.K. interpreters) the opportunity to continually intercept and eavesdrop on the conversations as they are diverted through the regimental switchboard. The North Koreans are themselves startled subsequent to commencing the attack, as they quickly encounter infantry they had not anticipated. Company

160 A, 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment convincingly bolts toward the enemy-occupied hill east of the command post, driving confidently up the slope. Two enemy machine gun crews, manning positions on the summit, assert their tenacity, pouring fire toward advancing Company A. The ascending troops advance undaunted, seizing more tenable terrain from where their sharpshooters, using M1 rifles, wipe out both machine gun crews, terminating the enemy machine gun fire. The commanding officer of A Company, Captain Logan Weston, who led the attack, receives a wound in the leg. Weston declines evacuation and instead gets some treatment by a medic before he resumes his participation in the slugfest. Afterwards, Weston becomes wounded two more times while leading his command to seize the high ground. Once the crest is taken, the supporting guns of the recoilless rifles and the mortars begin sending some heavy metal into the positions of the North Koreans. The new occupants of the summit easily locate some of the enemy positions. The coordinates are given to the artillerymen and after some range adjustments, the North Koreans are serenaded by the howitzers with salvos of white phosphorus shells. The 1st Battalion handily repulses the attack. The commanding officer of the North Koreans, determined to take Chindong-ni, commits a new force to overcome the defenders by diverting one of the other battalions, scheduled to operate closer to Masan. A contingent estimated to be at minimum battalion strength races south from the direction of Haman. As the convoy reaches a point about 1,000 yards away, it comes to a halt to unload the reinforcements. The activity is spotted by Lt. Colonel August Terry Jr., who coincidentally is the commanding officer of the 8th Field Artillery Battalion, self-designated chairman of the welcoming committee. In cadence with the quick step of the troops as they excitedly exit the vehicles, the howitzers roar, accelerating the pace. Rather than attack, the enemy reinforcements advance hurriedly toward the hills. The threat evaporates. Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, which had been exhausted, somehow reaches down for a powerful second wind to beat back the attack and retain the regimental perimeter intact. The successful defense of Chindong-ni, attributed in great part to the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment’s surprise appearance, creates additional problems for the North Koreans. Of the additional two battalions that had broken away from the force committed against Chindong-ni, one had to be reattached to reinforce the failed attack. Also, the 15th Regiment, N.K. 6th Division, poised for an attack against Masan, cancels the assault because of the unsuccessful attack at Chindongni. Nevertheless, its troops penetrate the heights southwest of Masan. Since the inception of fighting against American troops on July 27 at Hadong, the N.K. 6th Division, which has moved at a swift pace, has sustained massive casualties, depleting its strength by about one-half. Subsequent to the intensely fought

161 battles around the Notch, the enemy pauses to prepare for the next step toward seizing Masan. Meanwhile, the U.N. forces prepare to further fortify their defenses along the left flank of Eighth Army, which is forming the new defensive line, the Pusan Perimeter. In the 5th Regimental Combat Team’s sector, at Hill 342 (Fox Hill) behind the positions of the 27th Regiment, an enemy contingent attacks during the morning, dislodging the platoon, which had been occupying the crest. Later during the night, Company F mounts a fierce counterattack that regains the ground. Company F holds the hill until relieved by the 5th Marines. However, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, again comes under assault on the night of the 6th, the eve of the scheduled start of the U.S. offensive. In other activity, the 25th Division completes its move from Waegwan to Masan in an unprecedented time of 36 hours. General Walker relates that the 150-mile “history breaking maneuver” was responsible for the successful defense of Pusan. However, he also noted that it could not have happened if the North Koreans had launched a full attack against the Kumch’on front while the 25th Division was navigating the lone highway through Kumch’on. In other activity, General Craig, USMC, and Lt. Colonel Stewart, USMC, arrive from Pusan at Masan by helicopter to confer with Generals Walker, Kean and Barth in response to a request of Craig. General Walker agrees to provide the Marine brigade with South Korean Army recruits to be utilized as scouts, interpreters and rear guards. General Walker orders General Craig to have the brigade ready for combat subsequent to the evening of the 5th. In the 24th Division sector, following the successful overnight crossing of the Naktong by the 21st and 34th Regiments and the ROK troops (17th Regiment), elements of the 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion attempt to detonate the Koryong-Taegu bridge at 0715, but it remains standing. It is successfully blown later during the night. Also, west of Masan, at the Chungam-ni Notch, the 35th Regiment, 25th Division, relieves the 19th Regiment, 24th Division. The 19th Regiment departs heading northeast toward Changnyong to divisional headquarters, arriving there on the 4th. The 19th Regiment, which has been in Korea for less than 25 days, is experiencing severe supply problems, including massive shortages of hand grenades and mortar shells, but in addition there is a near total absence of uniforms. In addition, the regiment has lost about onethird of its 2 1/2-ton trucks and one-half of its 3/4-ton trucks; it still possesses a mere 20 percent of its 1/4-ton trucks. Also, the 1st Cavalry Division relocates to the east side of the Naktong River. The rear guard of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, which had been manning positions southwest of the Waegwan Bridges along the Songju Road to hinder the enemy advance, is to advance across the bridge just prior to its demolition, but

August 3, 1950 it becomes impossible to halt the unending line of refugees attempting to cross with the cavalry. General Gay, who had retained sole responsibility for ordering the destruction of the Waegwan Road and railroad bridges, is faced with a dilemma. Each time the cavalry contingent moves onto the span, the refugees are there, preventing its destruction. Finally after several unsuccessful attempts to clear the bridge, the cavalry is told to head back to the west side and block the refugees and then upon signal to dash across to the east bank. This tactic also fails, as the civilians also begin running. Ultimately, at about sundown, General Gay, convinced that he has no more alternatives, orders the bridges blown. The reluctant decision costs the lives of several hundred refugees who are on the bridge when it collapses. Pusan: At 0600, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade heads by truck and rail for Masan, where it is placed in Eighth Army reserve. Thanks to the cooperation between the Army and Marine General Chidester, fifty additional trucks and accompanying Army drivers transport elements of the Marine Brigade. The tanks, heavy equipment and vehicles over 2 1/2-ton capacity are moved by flat cars. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel George Newton, arrives at the Changwon area at about 1400 and deploys defensively about one mile outside (west) of town, along the Changwon-Masan Road, to afford protection for the remainder of the Marine Brigade. The vanguard is the first to experience the memorable trip along the slim and primitive serpentine roads, which provide the Marines incessant bumps and jolts combined with the constant gush of dust launched to the rear by the rolling tires of the trucks. The Marines, plastered with the grayish grime of dust, arrive at their destination resembling galloping gray ghosts. The Marines traveling by rail in antiquated trains containing tiny and uncomfortable wooden seats encounter an equally unusual ride, as the train is constantly stopping suddenly without cause. The trip is further punctuated by the agonizing scent emerging from the rice paddies that have been inundated with fertilizer. Craig had received orders to establish positions in Changwon, but heavy enemy activity about six miles away west of Masan convinces him to establish positions outside of the town. By 1600, all combat and support contingents except one platoon of tanks arrive in the vicinity of Changwon; the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, establishes positions in the heights to the left of the Changwon-Masan Road, relieving the 1st Battalion, which then extends its line deeper along the high ridge on the right flank. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold Roise, deploys on a strategic hill amidst a large rice paddy (south of the MSR) extending between the town and the 3rd Battalion. General Craig establishes his command post in a small hollow sheltered by some small hills on the fringes of Changwon. The command post is defended by the engineer company and headquarters components; tank platoons and the

August 3, 1950 artillery of Colonel Ransom Wood’s artillery battalion are also scattered within the perimeter. At about 2200 there is some premature activity — a rifle shot is fired against an invisible enemy, creating nervousness among many of the untried troops who believe the command post is under assault. The clanging of rifle shot increases as the triggers are pulled in reaction to the swaying of bushes in the darkness, which are mistaken as enemy figures. By about midnight two machine guns join the wasteful duel near the command post; however, the nervousness has spread to the positions of the 5th Marines, causing more problems. One man in the 2nd Battalion is shot and in the 1st Battalion sector, two casualties occur, one in a mixup during a challenge and another when a weapon fires accidentally. Eventually, by about 0300, following some colorful expletives by the irritated NCOs, the green troops are persuaded that they have been firing at thin air. At dawn on the 4th, General Craig, subsequent to a restless night, calls in the particular leaders from where the majority of firing occurred and lays down the law, proclaiming that such activity will not be tolerated; it doesn’t reoccur. Following the peculiar but predictable incident near the command post on the night of the 3rd, the remaining time at Changwon is tranquil except for one incident concerning some enemy encroachment on the 4th; seven unidentified people (using radios) are detected on the crest of a mountain, spotting the positions of the Marines. One platoon speeds toward its location to eliminate the problem, but the enemy troops escape. Nonetheless, it is another learning process for the Marines. The steep climb in the Korean heat causes casualties. Marine helicopters move to the crest, setting a combat precedent by delivering water and rations to the troops there; then the choppers evacuate those troops suffering with the most severe cases of heat prostration, initiating the first air evacuation of Marine casualties in Korea. The Marine Brigade is attached to the U.S. 25th Division on August 6. Initially, there is some animosity between those soldiers already in Korea and the new

162 Marine arrivals for several reasons, including the belief by some that the Marines always receive too much press coverage. Another cause of the discontent is the manner in which the Marines have come ashore with their usual haughtiness and conspicuously brash “esprit de corps.” The Marine Brigade is enduring the same hardships as its counterparts in the Army, including grave shortages of manpower; the 1st Provisional Brigade’s three battalions of the 5th Marines are composed of just two rifle companies each, rather than the necessary three; one heavy weapons company is also attached. However, the bulk of its officers and about 65 percent of the noncommissioned officers enter Korea having gained their combat experience in the Pacific, against the Japanese. This painfully gathered expertise will pay grand dividends at the front lines. The inter-service dispute between the troops in the field will dissipate once the Marines enter the fight and prove their mettle. The perceived condescending attitude of the Marines by the soldiers is transformed to respect, and the “attitude” of the Marines gradually becomes contagious as the two services galvanize to thwart the foe. When the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade departs Pusan, the troops carry their weapons, ammunition, pack and rations, enabling extra mobility. In Air Force activity, the 18th FBG establishes headquarters in Taegu to enlarge the F-51 operations In addition, SA-16 amphibious rescue planes initiate operations off the coast of Korea this day. The SA-16 planes have the capacity to discover and retrieve downed U.S. pilots. In Naval activity, Navy and Marine commanders have determined that VMF 214 and VMF 323 will be operating off carriers to ensure maximum operating ability. Today, subsequent to one day of brush-up flights, VMF 214, commanded by Lt. Colonel Walter Lischeid, arrives from Japan on the USS Sicily. At 1630, the carrier is armed and refueled and the first Marine offensive action of the conflict is initiated as fighter planes ascend from the carrier and strike Chinju and Sinban-ni, first with rockets and incendiary-bombs, followed by strafing runs, introducing the corps to the enemy.

Two U.S. Sherman M-26 tanks hold positions in front of a destroyed South Korean village.

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A Sherman medium tank (M4A1) with a dozer attachment. Meanwhile, two other planes depart the carrier Sicily for Taegu to afford the aviators a briefing on the overall situation in Korea. Admiral Ruble is aboard the Badoeng Strait, having been relieved as commander, Naval Air Japan. His Task Group 96.8, Carrier Division 15,

is reunited about one month after leaving San Diego. The Badoeng Strait is escorted by the USS Endicott (DMS-35), commanded by Commander John C. Jolly, and the USS Taussig (DD-746), commanded by Commander William C. Meyer; the Sicily is escorted by the

August 4, 1950 USS Kyes (DD-787), commanded by Commander Fran M. Christiansen, and the USS Doyle (DMS-34), commanded by Commander Charles H. Momsen, Jr. — In the United States: The final nine GCI squadrons of the Marine Organized Aviation Reserve receive orders to report to El Toro to bolster the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, commanded by Major General Field Harris. Also, Fleet Marine Force Pacific orders the 1st Marine Division to dispatch ten officers and 290 enlisted men, by airlift, to join the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in the Far East. The contingent is to depart Camp Pendleton on the 9th by MATS planes. However, the departure occurs on the 14th, when the troops depart by rail for San Francisco and are transported by aircraft from there. —In Japan: A meeting convenes in Tokyo, bringing together staff officers of Far Eastern Air Forces (FEAF) and Commander, Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) in an effort to enhance the Navy’s close air support operation in support of the ground troops in Korea. The gathering occurs while the fleet is moored at Sasebo, but Admiral Struble is absent due to a separate meeting with General MacArthur in Formosa. An understanding is reached whereby the Seventh Fleet’s first priority will be close-air support, but carrier actions come under control of Fifth Air Force and will be provided only when requested by Fifth Air Force in Korea (FAFIK) and following the subsequent approval of COMNAVFE. Under other circumstances, the carriers are unrestrained and will operate in other areas of Korea to destroy selected targets of their choosing. Second priority targets will be those selected south of the 38th Parallel, and the third priority will be those of the B29 long-range bombers. Admiral Joy, who had not agreed with the informal agreement, invalidates parts thereof on August 24. Subsequent to his return from Formosa, Admiral Struble orders Seventh Fleet Base of Operations to embark from Okinawa to Sasebo, Japan, bringing it closer to Korea, thereby providing the carriers more time to strike the enemy before moving out to replenish ammunition and supplies.

August 4

Pusan Perimeter: General Walker’s Eighth Army and the ROK forces, having been convincingly pushed back across the Naktong River by the North Koreans, draw the final line, which forms southwest of Masan and moves north to pass in front of Miryang. From there, it arcs around Taegu and curves east to the front of Yongchon, then beyond to the sea. The perimeter encompasses an area of about 100 miles north to south and about 50 miles east to west, with a rectangular contour. The defensive line is also referred to as the Naktong Line. The U.N. forces holding the line from east to west are U.S. 25th Division (Masan), U.S. 24th Division (Miryang) and the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division (Taegu). Each division holds responsibility for a line that extends between 20 and 40 miles. Also, the ROK forces that link with the 1st Cavalry northeast of Taegu ex-

164 tend northeast through the mountainous terrain. These units are the S.K. 1st, 6th, 8th, Capital and 3rd Divisions. For the first time since their arrival in Korea, the U.S. troops have established a solid line in conjunction with the South Korean troops. This gives the U.S. the luxury of having friendly troops on either side and some reinforcements to the rear. The Pusan Perimeter is ostensibly permanent and its defenders seem prepared to hold. In other activity, General Church, 24th Division commander, issues an order to his troops that is similar to that given by the other commanders: “Defensive and alternate positions must be prepared, routes reconnoitered, intensive patrolling at night, communications perfected and each individual know his job. There will be no withdrawal nor need there be any if each and every one contributes his share to the preparation and, if attacked, has the will to fight it out here. Every soldier will under all circumstances retain his weapon, ammunition, and his entrenching tool. Without these he ceases to be a soldier capable of defending himself. Many of our losses have been occasioned by failure to dig a foxhole when the time permitted.” A Herculean effort that includes some ingenious mechanical transplant operations in Japan on the battered relic tanks of the Pacific Island campaigns bears fruit. The 8072nd Medium Tank Battalion (minus Company A, already in Korea) arrives in Pusan on the 7th. The Provisional Tank Battalion is attached to the 89th Medium Tank Battalion. In other activity, General Walker and his staff continue to discuss a series of two offensives to be launched by Eighth Army. The first attack, scheduled to begin between August 5 and August 10, will drive toward Masan-Chinju. It is to be followed by a more powerful thrust on or about the 15th that will retrace the steps of the N.K. 6th Division and drive west to Yosu, then swerve north toward the Kum River. However, there is concern that there are too few troops available for such a large undertaking; therefore it is decided that Eighth Army reserves will launch a counterattack toward Chinju to release some pressure from the Taegu vicinity. Following the meeting, Walker requests that Fifth Air Force commit its primary strength to isolate the battlefront and decimate the suspected enemy troop locations on the southwest flank, between the Nam River and Masan. He also requests that the air attacks occur from the night of the 5th through the 6th. In conjunction, FEAF initiates the bombing of strategic bridges in North Korea. On the west side of the Naktong at Hyopch’on, the N.K. 4th Division, commanded by Major General Lee Kwon Mu, prepares to cross the river and strike the 34th Regiment, which holds the southern sector of the 24th Division perimeter. Farther north, other enemy elements ford the river to assault the 21st Regiment. General Church has ordered all civilians to evacuate the area that stretches five miles east behind the 24th Division lines. Church, thoroughly convinced that the Communist infiltrators

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A vehicular bridge (left) and rail bridge near Waegwan span the Naktong River. Both are destroyed by the Americans after they cross it during Eighth Army withdrawal in early August. are indistinguishable from the South Koreans, makes it clear that civilians spotted behind the American lines might be shot on sight. Church enunciates: “If we are going to hold here, we cannot have any enemy behind us.” In the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade zone, helicopters attached to VMO-6 commanded by Major Vincent J. Gottschalk initiate the first air evacuation of wounded Marines in the conflict. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 1st Cavalry Division, similarly to the 24th Division, bears responsibility for a huge front along the perimeter. It links with the 24th Division to the south. Throughout the night (4th-5th), elements of the N.K. 13th Division cross the Naktong River. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Force initiates Interdiction Campaign No. 1. A group of B-29 bombers strikes bridges in Communist North Korea at points above the 38th Parallel. In Naval activity, Marine planes (VMF214) from the carrier USS Sicily fly twentyone sorties in the vicinity of Chinju and Sachon to alleviate pressure against the southern flank of Eighth Army. The key targets are railroads and bridges. — In the United States: W. Averell Harriman, White House national security advisor,

Two U.S. soldiers work on a communications line at forward outpost in vicinity of Naktong River on 4 August.

August 5, 1950 departs the U.S. for Tokyo to confer with General MacArthur on behalf of President Truman. The JCS dispatch General Matthew Ridgway and General Lauris Norstad, Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, to accompany Harriman. — In Japan: General MacArthur issues a formal report to the Department of the Army that places total U.N. troop strength in Korea (as of this day) at 141,808; and of this number, ROK forces stand at about 82,570. The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade and the Far East Air Force personnel stand at 4,713 and 4,051 respectively; 107 miscellaneous personnel are included. These figures do not include the U.S. Navy personnel or the Marine Corps aviation personnel stationed on the carriers. The combined 92,000 U.N. combat forces in South Korea appear to outnumber the enemy combat troops, estimated to be 70,000. In other activity, General MacArthur relieves KMAG of its charge to advise the S.K. Coast Guard. He delegates the responsibility to U.S. Commander Naval Forces, FEC.

August 5 The carriers USS Valley Forge and the USS Philippine Sea converge on Korean waters within striking range of the battle areas, but the divergence of communication systems continues to plague the operation. Each vessel dispatches liaison pilots to Taegu to coordinate ground-to-air communications. These pilots bolster the Mosquito planes, but one pilot from each carrier must return to his nest each day to update the ground situation. Initially, the pilots are obliged to control only naval attacks, but it immediately becomes imperative that the carrier controller planes must manage everything in their respective areas; the front lines are partitioned into four sectors. Five dive bombers (AD Skyraiders) from the Valley Forge inflict heavy casualties on the enemy near Korysong. On the 6th, Lt. Commander Hodson again leads his squadron and repeats the success, and in addition, the strike decimates an enemy supply depot. Four other Skyraiders, led by Lieutenant B.G. Jackson, also from the Valley Forge, destroy several vehicles near Kumch’on. Complications develop during the missions when F80 aircraft, dispatched from Japan, take preference because of their flight distance and fuel capacity, which restricts them to about five minutes over the target. This necessitates that the carrier planes, transporting heavy bomb loads, waste time and fuel by circling the area for naught while the F-51s from Japan drop their loads on the predetermined naval targets. During one particular raid, planes attached to 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron Group strike concealed enemy positions near Hamchang. Return fire strikes Major Louis Sebille’s aircraft, but despite the heavy damage he refuses to abandon his plane. He maintains the attack and dives directly into the enemy fire and crashes upon the enemy batteries. Sebille posthumously receives the Medal of Honor, the first awarded to a member of the U.S. Air Force.

166 In other Air Force activity, an Air Force rescue plane (SA-16) succeeds during its initial mission to save a downed naval pilot who crashed off the coast of Korea. The mission had been led by Captain Charles E. Shroder, USAF. In Naval activity, the carrier USS Sicily races into the Yellow Sea and catapults its Marine planes (VMF-214) to strike Inchon, Seoul and Mokp’o. The raids pound the airfields, harbor areas, bridges, railroads, factories and warehouses. Also, VMF-323, commanded by Major Arnold Lund, USMC, departs Itami for the carrier Badoeng Strait. The other Marine squadron, VMF(N)-513, assigned to Fifth Air Force, will fly at night and operate from a land base at Itazuke. Meanwhile, on the ground in Korea, Eighth Army moves closer to extinction. On the 8th, MacArthur directs all air units to concentrate on close-air support for the ground troops to forestall disaster. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: The 24th Division holds positions designed to guard the lower Naktong. It is deployed at the convergence of the Nam and Naktong Rivers and stretches north along the latter for about thirty-four miles (16 air miles). The 34th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Beauchamp, holds the southern portion west of Yongsan, about six miles east of the river. The 21st Regiment is deployed along the northern perimeter west of Changnyong and it is bolstered by elements of the S.K. 17th Regiment. General Church expects the attack to strike his most fortified point, the northern portion of his perimeter, when they cross the Naktong, because of the area’s lack of good roads. Instead, the Communists launch their initial assault crossing of the Naktong west of the Andong Mountains against the southern perimeter to seize Yongsan. Suddenly, at midnight (5th-6th), the skies above the Naktong River in the southern portion of the 24th Division sector become brilliantly illuminated as multicolor flares catapult from the N.K. 4th Division positions on the west bank. On the signal, the 3rd Battalion, 16th Regiment, and possibly contingents of the 1st Battalion cross at about the same time. The North Koreans have studied the American perimeter and they pick a secure crossing site to leisurely ford the river, west of Yongsan and slightly more than three miles south of Pugong-ni at the Ohang Ferry, where the water is about neck high. Some troops remove their uniforms and carry them atop their heads to keep them dry. Others transport their weapons and clothing on scanty rafts. Upon reaching the east bank of the river at the northern fringe of the bulge, the troops dress, then ignite the attack toward Yongsan. The assault troops move through an existing two-mile wide hole that separates Companies I and L, 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment. In synchronization, another enemy contingent bolts across the river in the sector defended by the 21st Regiment; however, it becomes entangled in a mine field. The North Koreans attempt to extricate themselves with a prudent advance, until they receive a

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August 5, 1950

A Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star takes off from Japan en route to Korea. The plane passes over farmers working in a rice paddy. combined barrage of U.S. artillery and machine gun fire that forces them to retreat across the river in total disarray. The 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Gines Perez, defends a front line that extends about 15,000 yards (nine miles), which exceeds by 5,000 yards the amount of terrain that was expected to be covered by an entire U.S. division during World War II. The front, interrupted by two valleys that each point to giant hill masses, is blanketed with ragged hills that at some points from the banks of the river reach elevations of 600 feet. One valley entrance is at the Ohang Ferry, and the other lies about four miles farther south

at the bottom of the bulge. It is here that the 3rd Battalion is strung out along the high ground above the river; 4.2-inch mortars are positioned about one mile to its rear in the gulch between the hills east of the ferry crossing. This perimeter, too, has deficiencies. In addition to the colossal gap that exists between Companies I and L, another undefended area that stretches west for about three miles separates Company L and Company K; the latter is deployed at the pinnacle of the bulge where the river dramatically curves. Rather than strike the two rifle companies, the enemy chooses to drive southeast directly through the gap to attack Yongsan. Colonel Perez, unable to contact

August 5, 1950

168

Top: An F-80 Shooting Star damaged in action makes a safe landing at a base in Korea. Bottom: Following the emergency landing, the pilot of the F-80 walks away uninjured. by radio either Colonel Beauchamp or Colonel Ayres, the 1st Battalion commander, dispatches messengers to sound the alarm. But they fail to reach headquarters to deliver the messages. Meanwhile, the North Koreans press forward and run over the mortar positions in the valley, but in the interim, the battalion command post at nearby Soesil is alerted to the danger. Most of these troops pull back safely. Colonel Perez, 3rd Battalion commander, heads for the reserve 1st Battalion positions about three miles farther back along the Yongsan Road to inform Ayres of the severity of the attack. By now the division is fully cognizant of the enemy penetration, but the exact strength is still being calculated. The available resources to thwart it are spread thinly. And with the departure of headquarters, 3rd Battalion, the positions of Battery B, 13th Field Artillery Battalion along the northwestern base of Obong-ni Ridge, become imperiled. At 0520, the 34th Regimental commander, Colonel Beauchamp, informs General Church that the enemy has penetrated his center and that the darkness hinders a clear evaluation of the impending peril. Beauchamp

also tells Church that the reserve 1st Battalion under Colonel Ayres is being committed to the battle. By 0830, on the 6th, Battery B hears nearby smallarms fire, indicating the imminent presence of North Koreans. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion attempts to launch a counterattack to throw the enemy back; however, enemy fire against Battery B intensifies. At 1030, the besieged battery withdraws, but it brings one howitzer, four 2-ton trucks and three smaller vehicles out with it; four howitzers and nine vehicles are abandoned. In addition, Battery B sustains two men killed, six wounded and six more missing. After the sun rises, U.S. planes and ground artillery flex their muscles. They strike enemy crossing sites at the Naktong and forbid the enemy reinforcements from crossing until dusk. In addition to the planes, twentynine Howitzers bolster the 24th Division; twelve 155mm and seventeen 105s spread their fire along more than thirty miles of the divisional front at the Naktong. The 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, launches its attack during the bombardments, but initially, only one company encounters the enemy. A jeep transporting

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August 5, 1950

F-80 Shooting Stars attack an enemy village. Rising smoke can be seen following direct hits on vehicles. Colonel Ayres and two staff officers moves to the point to gather intelligence to improve the execution of the attack, while trucks transporting Company C also rush to the front. Companies A and B and the weapons company trail on foot. Ayres’ jeep reaches the 3rd Battalion command post, which appears unmolested. The three officers look over the terrain to find the most suitable

positions, but there is little time to prepare. Just as the forward elements arrive, a storm of enemy fire descends from the hills that overlook the abandoned command post. The troops of Company C bolt from the vehicles and immediately attack to seize the heights. Captain Clyde Akridge, the commanding officer, leads the

August 5, 1950

170

Two U.S. soldiers with a North Korean POW pose for a picture (5 August). assault, but he is repeatedly wounded by the withering fire. Following his third wound he is evacuated. During the bitter fighting, Colonel Ayres joins some mortarmen in a gully slightly to the rear and from there he directs return fire against the enemy positions. But here,

too, disaster strikes when incessant fire pummels the area. The mortarmen react heroically and remain at their posts until they exhaust their supply of 60-mm shells. During this fierce exchange, the mortar sergeant

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August 5, 1950

Top: U.S. Eighth Army troops erect a bunker to hold a communications switchboard. Bottom: A twoman team in a vehicle maintains coordinated radio contact for artillery units. stands boldly in full view of the enemy while he directs the fire, until a barrage of machine gun fire nearly slices him in half. Colonel Ayres decides to attempt to reach Companies A and B to direct their actions and salvage the battle. Ayres and several men from his staff run the

gauntlet, and they, too, come under fierce fire as they race through a rice paddy. Two men in the party become wounded, but all reach the slanting hills of Obong-ni Ridge, which has not yet been gained by the enemy. They maneuver around the rear of the recently abandoned

August 5, 1950 positions of Battery B 13th Field Artillery Battalion to discover that Companies A and B have not yet arrived. In the meantime, the positions of Company C become untenable. The enemy accelerates its fire and begins to shred the ranks of the beleaguered company. The dry creek bed from which they are returning fire becomes filled with American blood. Most of the men are either dead or grievously wounded. During these brief but deadly moments, two other officers attempt to break across the rice paddy. Shortly thereafter, more men follow and attempt to reach a grist mill that lies south of the road. The survivors take refuge in the mill, from where they thwart repeated enemy attempts to overrun their positions; enemy troops advance close, but none penetrate the building. Nevertheless, these besieged survivors continue to come under a seething small-arms attack. The enemy fire remains so tenacious and of such magnitude that they are compelled to pile the bodies of their dead buddies against the fragile walls to absorb the shells while they await rescue. Here, too, disaster strikes. Companies A and B, the latter in the lead, advance prudently. The troops at the point discover an enemy contingent that is attempting to pull back. Ten of the contingent are eliminated. Following the encounter, the two units reinitiate the advance against some opposition. Company A moves along the left side of the road and Company B, along the right side. The columns are bolstered by two antiaircraft vehicles. Enemy fire originating on Cloverleaf Hill (Hill 165) hammers Company B and knocks out the trailing antitank vehicle and its four machine guns, stalling the advance. Company A, which receives less severe fire, pushes ahead. It passes the vacated artillery positions and reaches the previous positions of Company C, but it is unaware that Americans hold the grist mill. An accompanying tank commences close-range fire to support attacking elements of Company A. The men of the assault unit storm the building and to their great surprise, they discover the Company C’s survivors rather than the enemy. The inadvertent friendly fire inflicts casualties; one man is killed and several others are wounded. Captain Alfonso, commanding officer, Company A, orders his men to place the wounded aboard the vehicles that had earlier been used by Company C to attempt evacuation, and he directs his men to bring out the dead. The convoy, accompanied by a lead tank, comes under fire as it withdraws, but most vehicles make it back to battalion lines. One man, Lieutenant Payne, is thought to be dead; however, he had only been knocked unconscious by the concussion of the friendly tank fire. Later when he regains consciousness, he tells of the incident that occurred. During the rescue, he hears one of the rescuers saying, as they place him in the truck: “Payne is dead as a mackerel.” Payne then slips back into unconsciousness, but en route to safety, the vehicle transporting him comes under enemy fire, which forced it into a gully. Payne is revived by the shock of the crash and somehow, he manages to walk and crawl to safety. Once the trucks

172 depart with the wounded, Company A reinitiates its attack. Companies K and L, 3rd Battalion, remain in place, while the 1st Battalion attacks, but other 3rd Battalion units that hold the right flank begin to evacuate their defenses. These units are not under any attack, yet without orders, they retreat. Company I, deployed on the hill atop the Naktong, moves northeast toward the 21st Regiment’s lines. Soon after, they are followed by the heavy weapons company. Then, Company A, 26th Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion, and a mortar platoon also abandon their positions. General Church is informed of these pull-backs by men of the 21st Regiment. Immediately, he orders Colonel Beauchamp, 34th Regimental commander, to intercept these troops and relieve the company commanders. Colonel Beauchamp dispatches his executive officer, Colonel Wadlington, to halt the retreat. He catches the withdrawing units and redirects them to the west, but he marches with them to ensure they resume their prior positions by the river. In conjunction, General Church dispatches the 24th Division Reconnaissance Company to the positions that had been abandoned by Company I. Church instructs the unit to block the Naktong River–Changnyong Road. Later, the Reconnaissance Company and I Company attack an enemy-held hill outside the village of Pugong-ni, but it fails. Heavy enemy fire from the heights inflicts serious casualties on the attacking units. During the morning (6th), General Church concludes that the majority of North Koreans that infiltrated east of the river have been confined to the bulge of the Naktong area. He had previously believed that the enemy would strike the northern sector of his lines. Church orders the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, to attack west to cover the northern flank of the 34th Regiment. The risk proves fruitful, as the regiment converges on an enemy group composed of about 300 troops and catches them off guard in a village near Ohang Hill about one mile east of the river. The 19th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Ned Moore, takes the advantage and swiftly swings into action to terminate the threat. The regiment wipes out nearly the entire North Korean contingent. Meanwhile, Company A, 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, resumes its advance to the river. Company B, earlier stalled by enemy fire, establishes positions on Cloverleaf Hill. Although the North Koreans had occupied portions of Cloverleaf Hill as they moved east, it becomes evident that they have not yet maneuvered south of the Yongsan-Naktong Road. Consequently, the high ground at Obong-ni Ridge still remains free of the enemy. Company A reaches a contingent of Company L at its original positions along the Naktong River at about 2000, but the combined force amounts to less than 100 men. After establishing night positions, Company A makes use of a forward artillery spotter’s radio to reestablish contact with the 1st Battalion. At daybreak on the 7th, Captain Alfonso discovers that enemy troops have secured the ridge to the right

173 of his positions. He requests artillery fire to eliminate the threat. Alfonso dispatches a squad to investigate the effects of the artillery, but enemy fire drives it back. After dusk on the first day of battle for the bulge, the enemy gets more reinforcements across the river to make it clear that their positions will not easily be eliminated. The fighting fails to terminate with the setting sun; however, the enemy encounters tough opposition. Although some units have been thumped and several others have abandoned their positions, most stand steadfastly, thus preventing acute panic from spreading through the lines. Before dawn on the 7th, the S.K. 17th Regiment, scheduled to move out and reform with the ROK Army, is repeatedly struck as the enemy attempts to cross the river on the right flank. Nevertheless, the South Koreans repel each attack, prior to their relief by Task Force Hyzer on the morning of the 7th. Meanwhile, during the night of the 6th, General Church makes preparations to maintain the momentum. He orders the 19th and 34th Regiments to reinitiate the counterattack on the 7th. In the 25th Division sector, Marine officers General Craig and Lt. Colonel Stewart arrive in Masan to attend a final conference with Generals Walker and Kean to discuss the imminent U.N. offensive. Walker enunciates his disappointment about the inability of Eighth Army to halt the enemy up to now. He states with equal passion that no more ground is to be surrendered, and he reiterates his “stand or die” policy. Following the meeting, Craig and Stewart hop back into the helicopter, piloted by Lieutenant Gustave Lueddeke, and within several minutes, Craig joins Colonel Murray at his 5th Marines’ command post to brief him on the plan of attack against Sachon and Chinju. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The N.K. 3rd Division and the S.K. 5th Division have been heavily engaged around Yongdok, with domination of the area swinging back and forth. On this day, the North Koreans launch a tenacious assault and push the defenders from the town. They are driven south to Hill 181. Eighth Army reacts quickly; the KMAG advisor to the S.K. 3rd Division, Lt. Colonel Rollins Emmerich, receives a private dispatch from General Walker that emphasizes the imperativeness of regaining the lost ground. A counterattack is being scheduled for the following day, but in the meantime, the enemy maintains great pressure on the South Korean positions on Hill 181. In the S.K. 1st Division sector, the N.K. 13th Division continues to ferry its troops across the Naktong River at a point about forty air-miles northwest of Taegu at Naktong-ni. Elements of the 21st N.K. Regiment are spotted. Aircraft arrive to strafe the troops while they are still in the water. South Korean artillery and mortars also plaster the crossing site. The combined artillery barrages and air strikes continue to hammer the enemy after they reach the south bank of the river. Later, during the night, the N.K. 19th Regiment moves across the river in the same spot. The unit is able to wade across, but its vehicles and heavy weapons are left behind. Also, the N.K. 15th Division, advancing

August 6, 1950 south of the N.K. 13th Division, receives about 1,500 replacement troops while in Kumch’on, which lifts its strength to about 6,500 troops. In other activity, the U.S. 23rd Regiment arrives in Korea from the United States; it departs for Taegu.

August 6

Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: (See also August 5, 1950) The 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, mounts a counterattack in the Naktong River area to assist the 3rd Battalion contingents that have been under attack since midnight of the 5th-6th. The 1st Battalion is composed of twenty officers and 471 enlisted men. The U.S. forces hold most of their ground. Their supply route that moves up from Yongsan has not been cut by the enemy and the road beyond the village remains open, which permits reinforcements to arrive from Miryang if necessary. Also, General Church forms Task Force Hyzer, which is composed of the 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion (minus Company A), the 78th Tank Battalion (minus its tanks) and the Reconnaissance Company (24th Division). The task force is needed to fill a gap created by Eighth Army orders that call for the release of the ROK 17th Regiment (TF Min) from the 24th Division, which reverts back to the South Korean Army. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment, 2nd Division, arrives at Changnyong and is soon after attached to the 24th Division. Heavy fighting continues in this sector until the 19th of August, while U.S. troops engage the N.K. 4th Division. Much of the gruesome combat centers around the strategic positions of Cloverleaf (Hill 165) and Obong-ni Ridge. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Eighth Army issues the operational order to launch the offensive toward Chinju at 0630 on the following day (August 7). Major General William Kean, 25th Division commander, will lead the contingent, designated Task Force Kean. In conjunction, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade is attached to the 25th Division. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Robert Taplett, and the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines (Artillery), depart Changwon at 1040 and arrive at Chindong-ni before 1230. The 2nd Platoon, 75-mm recoilless gun, and the 3rd Platoon and company engineers accompany the infantry. The other units arrive later in the day. By about 1600, Taplett orders the artillery and mortar units to fire for registration on the northern approaches to Chindong-ni. Initially, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, comes under the jurisdiction of Colonel Michaelis, 27th Regiment, USA, but upon arrival of a second Marine battalion, command passes to General Craig, USMC. The main assault force, Task Force Kean, is composed of the 25th Division (minus the 27th Regiment and the 8th Field Artillery Bn., both of which are relieved today at the front and placed in Army reserve), the 5th Regimental Combat Team and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, relieves the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment on and in the vicinity of Hill 255, situated about one

August 6, 1950

174

Top: U.S. troops are deployed with a 105-mm howitzer near Naktong River on 6 August. Bottom: A bunker holding a 4.2-inch M2 chemical mortar and crew, photographed August 5. The bunker, constructed with logs, rice straw and other items, is near the Naktong River. and one-half miles outside of Chindong-ni on the west side of the north-south road. The 3rd Battalion 5th Marines command post is established on the first step of the hill, slightly above on the second rise. Company H, commanded by Captain Joseph Fegan, facing north, deploys defensively. Soon after, Fegan requests permission to move to higher ground, about 500

yards from the closest battalion unit, but the request is denied. Taplett wishes to keep the battalion closely tied to ensure blockage of the main supply route (MSR) approaches. The 2nd Platoon, Company H, spreads out beyond Chindong-ni in the heights east of the MSR to intercept any infiltrators that encroach from the mountains southeast of the road or from the sea.

175 Company G, 5th Marines commanded by Lieutenant Robert Bohn, deploys its 2nd and 3rd Platoons on nearby Hill 99, located on the opposite side of the valley and slightly west of Hill 255. The 1st Platoon, Company G, led by 2nd Lieutenant John Cahill, deploys about 600 yards from Chindong-ni at the base of Hill 255 to guard the Haman Road. The 1st Platoon is reinforced by the Recoilless Gun Platoon. Toward evening, the 27th Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, stand along the front west of Chindong-ni, with the former close to the road and the latter spread amid the heights to the north. Later, the remainder of the 5th Regimental Combat Team assumes the positions of the forward 27th Regimental troops in conjunction with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, which relieves the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, and assumes its reserve positions. Also, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, is set to relieve the 2nd Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, on the high ground north of the highway on the 7th. Eighth Army Intelligence estimates the opposing force (N.K. 6th Division) to be about 7,500 troops, but it actually stands at approximately 6,000 men. However, unbeknownst to the U.S., the 83rd N.K. Motorized Regiment had joined the division, making the troop estimate accurate. In other activity, elements of the N.K. 6th Division attack the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, about three miles west of Chungam-ni. The assault drives one company from its lines, but a strong counterattack regains the lost terrain. The 35th Regiment had been preparing to attack on the following day. The N.K. 6th Division has occupied a series of tunnels and mine shafts that permeate the western slopes of Sobuk-san. The enemy troops utilize the concealed positions for underground quarters and supply depots. These cavernous areas aid the North Koreans during their month-long (August) siege against Masan. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Col. Robert Taplett, continues to fortify its positions on Hill 255, while other Marine units continue to arrive in the sector. Just after midnight (6th-7th), Taplett receives an urgent call from Colonel Michaelis, who relays orders from General Kean. The order from Kean directs the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, to speed one reinforced platoon to support a beleaguered contingent of the 5th Regimental Combat Team, Company F, which is under attack on the slope of Hill 342. An enemy contingent has pushed out one platoon, which had been deployed on a small ridge under the crest. The enemy gain places them on excellent ground from where they can effortlessly observe activity at the command posts of both the 5th Regimental Combat Team and the 5th Marines, causing complications for the imminent U.S. offensive. Taplett explains that he cannot spare one platoon, having only six, but Michaelis informs him that General Kean says that Hill 342 (Yaban-san) must be held at all hazards. Fifty-two Marines from Company G’s 1st Platoon are assigned the task. The platoon is reinforced

August 6, 1950 with a machine gun squad and an SCR-300 operator. Lieutenant Cahill leads the contingent to Colonel Michaelis’ CP, south of Hill 99, near a bridge and from there to the command post of the 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, located slightly north of the road on the eastern fringe of Hill 342. Cahill’s Platoon, ordered to relieve Company F, 5th RCT, departs the CP with a guide. Due to the pitchblack darkness, the guide takes the wrong route and causes a delay. Still in friendly terrain, the Marine platoon is then beset by more misfortune as it advances toward the end of the valley that lies between the two elongated spurs of Hill 342. At about 0500, after gaining only three miles, rifle fire suddenly strikes the column. Two Marines become wounded. The guide, puzzled by the fire from within friendly lines, suggests that the column await dawn before ascending the slope. Soon after, it is determined that the incoming fire had originated from troops of the 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, who had been unaware of the Marines’ presence in the sector. The troops that had opened fire erroneously assumed the Marines had been an advancing enemy force. The mission to take the hill resumes on the 7th. Meanwhile, to the left of the 35th Regiment, the 24th Regiment undertakes the task of securing the area of mountain mass that separates the paths of the 35th Regiment and the 5th Regimental Combat Team, both of which will participate in the upcoming offensive. The 24th Regiment incurs problems at its positions near Haman. West of the town, a contingent of North Koreans springs an ambush upon Company L, but the attack also disperses Company I and creates bedlam as troops flee haphazardly. During the unruly retreat, one officer alleges that his own command bowled him over three separate times as they sprinted to the rear. Nonetheless, the entire line doesn’t concede its ground. One soldier, PFC William Thompson, attached to the Heavy Weapons Company, chooses to stand and fight. Thompson places a machine gun in position and delivers sheets of fire against the charging enemy. He holds without relinquishing even one yard, despite being pummeled by enemy fire and grenades. Thompson’s relentless actions temporarily contain the attacking force, as its fire concentrates on him. Thompson becomes wounded by grenade fragments and then by small arms fire, but still he refuses to abandon his weapon. Finally, an enemy grenade strikes a mortal blow. PFC Thompson, Company M, 24th Regiment, receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his uncompromising courage in the face of the enemy. Also, Colonel Horton White is relieved as commander of the 24th Regiment, subsequent to today’s actions by the regiment. White is replaced by Colonel Arthur Champney. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 1st Cavalry Division is spread over a wide area; from its farthest point, Waegwan, the 5th, 8th and 7th Cavalry Regiments are strung (north to south). The cavalry links with the 24th Division positions along the Naktong Bulge to the south and with the S.K. 1st Division

August 6, 1950 to the north. The 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments each protect a 10,000-yard area, but the 5th Cavalry’s zone comprises 14,000 yards at Waegwan. The cavalry’s artillery positions are about 7,000 yards to the rear and spaced at about 6,000 to 7,000 yards apart, which weakens the batteries’ positions because of the enor-

176 mous distance between them. Nevertheless, two batteries are able to combine their power. Today, north of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 5th Cavalry positions at Waegwan, the N.K. 1st Division initiates its crossing of the Naktong in a sector defended by the S.K. 6th Division. The Communists complete

A gun crew aboard a carrier observes a Corsair (Vought F4U), which is armed with rockets as it takes off.

177 the crossing by August 8. About 2,500 replacement troops join the enemy division, some at Hamch’ang and the balance later. In other activity, the third and final regiment of the N.K. 13th Division, the 23rd, fords the Naktong during the night of the 6th-7th using rafts. Two artillery battalions also cross with the 23rd Regiment. The N.K. 13th Division operation has been unfolding in a distant and thinly defended area of the S.K. 1st Division. Nonetheless, South Korean pressure keeps the enemy somewhat subdued and compels the Communist forces to seek positions in the mountains. Once it regroups in the mountains east of the Naktong, a night attack is launched that breaks through the South Korean lines. Within a week, the enemy division reaches the area about fifteen miles north of Taegu, where it converges with the N.K. 1st Division. Meanwhile, south of the N.K. 13th Division, the N.K. 15th Division begins to advance toward the Naktong. Its 45th Regiment heads northeast. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: South of Yongdok, intense close-quartered fighting continues to ensue on Hill 181. Each side lies within grenade range of the other. The congested battlefield remains under observation from the S.K. 3rd Division command post while the night attack plan is being worked out. To regain Yongdok, the South Koreans must first rid Hill 181 of the enemy. The South Koreans prepare to jump from

August 6, 1950 their positions on Hill 181 at about 1900. At 1930, U.S. planes attack the enemy positions. The aircraft launch rockets and deliver both napalm and bombs for a fifteen-minute duration to soften resistance. Immediately following the cessation of the air strikes, naval surface vessel guns combine with artillery units to further pound the enemy. Then at 2000, the 22nd and 23rd S.K. Regiments advance. Both drive straight toward the heights and following a tenacious exchange, they secure the hill. Throughout the night, the North Koreans unsuccessfully attempt to reconquer the hill. While the two sides pound each other, one enemy mortar shell lands in close proximity to the S.K. Command Post. Colonel Emmerich sends a runner to inspect the area and evaluate the damage. He discovers several dead soldiers near the command post, but there is no indication of the whereabouts of General Chu Sik Lee, the commanding general, nor any of his staff. KMAG advisors Colonel Emmerich and Major Harold Slater begin a search, but even with the assistance of flashlights, they too are unable to find the general. South Korean troops join in the search, and eventually General Lee is found, safely tucked in a hillside bunker. Colonel Emmerich directs the general to gather his staff and head back to the command post. On the following day, Emmerich arranges for the general’s relief of command. The contest for the hill resumes on the following

The Australian destroyer Bataan (foreground) screens the carrier USS Bataan.

August 7, 1950 day. Also, the S.K. 1st Separate Battalion and the Yongdungp’o Battalion are dissolved and absorbed into the 22nd and 23rd Regiments. In Naval activity, Naval Forces Far East establishes Fleet Air Wing 6, which assumes operational control of the U.S. and British patrol squadrons based in Japan. Also, planes from the Sicily again strike the areas around Inchon, Seoul and Mokp’o, to pound enemy facilities and troop concentrations. Also, Marine planes (VMF323), armed with 20-mm cannon, five-inch rockets and 500 pound bombs, catapult from the USS Badoeng Strait to fly support missions for Eighth Army. The F4U Corsairs fly thirty sorties. The planes, led by Major Arnold A. Lund and Major Roger F. Steinkraus, hit targets along the Namgang River at points west of Chinju. The missions are the first sorties flown in combat in Korea from the Badoeng Strait. — In Japan: Major General Clark L. Ruffner arrives in Japan from the United States. Ruffner begins working with the plans for the amphibious invasion of Korea by the 8th. Subsequently, he is appointed X Corps chief of staff upon its activation. In other activity, W. Averell Harriman and his entourage, including Generals Lauris (Larry) Norstad and Matthew Ridgway, arrive in Tokyo to meet with General MacArthur. Harriman’s party attends the morning briefing of the GHQ and then has lunch with the MacArthurs at the U.S. Embassy. Later, during the afternoon, while Harriman is again conferring with MacArthur, Generals Ridgway and Norstad meet with General Almond and other GHQ staff members. Much of the conversation between Harriman and MacArthur focuses on the two Chinas, Communist and Formosa. Also, General Stratemeyer begins to counter the enemy’s new tactic of transporting its supplies only by night. He orders reconnaissance flights to intercept these convoys. Before the end of August, the planes augment their missions by dropping flares. B-29s drop M-26 parachute flares (World War II leftovers) over suspected enemy routes from altitudes of about 10,000 feet. Trailing B-26s observe the flares as they burst at about 6,000 feet, then strike any discovered targets. However, many of these aged flares fail to operate.

August 7–August 15 1950

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the U.N.’s first offensive (BLOODY GULCH), Task Force Kean launches its offensive, but the N.K. 6th Division initiates its attack almost simultaneously, which guarantees a donnybrook. Anticipated U.S. air strikes are canceled due to a dense fog that carpets the coastal area in the vicinity of Chindong-ni. Nonetheless, lacking air support, the assault goes off. At 0700 U.S. artillery commences a powerful barrage to signal the advance. Once the guns become silent, from right to left, the 35th Regiment jumps off from its positions at the Notch to drive from the northeast. In synchronization, the 5th Regimental Combat Team pushes up the center. It heads due west along the secondary inland road. Soon

178 after, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, on the left flank, grinds along the south coastal road. The artillery ceases fire at 0720. The 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, poised about three miles west of Chungami at the Notch, jumps off and immediately runs into stiff opposition mounted by about 500 North Korean troops supported by self-propelled guns. Fierce fighting ensues there for about five hours. Meanwhile, on the right flank, slightly west of Chindong-ni, the 1st Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, pushes out. It encounters no opposition as it proceeds to the road junction, but once there, it commits a costly error. Rather than pursuing its straight course due west, the contingent veers left at the junction, thereby leaving one of its objectives, the strategic hill that sits northwest of the intersection, unmanned. The remainder of the 5th Regimental Combat Team and the 5th Marine Regiment, each trailing the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, continue their advance, expecting cover fire from the 1st Battalion on the dominating hill. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, advances about three miles along the wrong route and reaches a hill mass south of the road fork; this places its line of advance on the road previously designated to the 5th Marines. Heavy opposition greatly hinders the advancement of the 5th RCT for about two days. Back with Lt. Colonel John Wilkins’ 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, at the center of the advance, the combat continues at a furious pace as both sides hammer each other. The Americas receive some welcome air support toward the latter part of the fivehour battle, which propels them to victory and gives them possession of the pass and the heights to the north. With the ground secured, the 35th Regiment continues west, less encumbered by the enemy. It reaches positions near the Much’on-ni road fork by dark. Near Pansong, the 35th overruns an enemy command post and seizes Russian-made radios (large capacity) and other headquarters supplies and reports. The advance also captures four trucks, each loaded with ammunition and weapons. The 35th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Fisher, also slays about 350 enemy troops and destroys two tanks, five anti-tank guns and one self-propelled gun. The 35th Regiment then holds in place through the night. On the following morning, it advances to the heights just to the front of the road fork. In the meantime, to the rear of the departure point of the 35th Regiment, in the sector expected to be swept by the 24th Regiment, the situation remains poor, caused by the rout of the contingents of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, on the previous day. The 3rd Battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Samuel Pierce, and another officer locate the battalion in Haman, about four miles to the rear. The inability of the 24th Regiment to secure Sobuk-san keeps the Americans in the dark concerning enemy troop

179

August 7, 1950

Top: U.S. Navy helicopter (Sikorsky R-5) departs a carrier off the coast of Korea to be prepared to rescue a pilot if necessary. Helicopter crews remain airborne during carrier plane missions. Bottom: A U.S. Navy maintenance crew on the flight deck of a carrier examines a Panther jet prior to a mission. strength in the area behind TF Kean. This failure also enables the Communist forces to get behind American lines and disrupt the supply convoys, attempting to reach the front. On the left flank, some contingents of the 5th Marines have been heavily engaged since the previ-

ous night, supporting the 5th RCT commanded by Colonel Ordway on Hill 342. As dawn breaks on the 7th, the Marine platoon from Company G (3rd Battalion, 5th Marines), led by 2nd Lieutenant John Cahill, resumes its ascent up the rugged hill, advancing toward the crest. The troops pause while

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180

Top: A U.S. soldier attaches a battery to a sniperscope M2. The weapon, a carbine rifle (.30-caliber), is for use during night fighting. Bottom: U.S. aircraft carriers (Essex Class) at anchor in Japan. The carrier on the left shows F-80 Sabre jets on its deck. A landing craft is in the foreground.

181 Lieutenant Cahill and Sergeant Lee Buettner move to the crest under enemy fire as they attempt to locate the isolated soldiers. This emerges as the first action between the enemy and the Marines. Thirty-seven Marines reach the peak, but eight Marines are wounded and three are killed. While the Marines are regrouping on the reverse slope, the North Koreans pound the area with a massive amount of fire, which prompts some soldiers to abandon the perimeter; but quick and decisive actions by an Eighth Army lieutenant halts the stampede. The troops then re-inhabit their foxholes. Soon after, Cahill’s Marines are dispersed around the perimeter to share positions with the soldiers in the foxholes. The unusual mix produces excellent results, as the assorted Army and Marine infantrymen are each determined to exemplify the high standards of their units. Two additional Marines are instantly killed while being led to their positions on the crest. More reinforcements are rushed to the hill. At 1100, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, led by Lt. Colonel Harold Roise (subsequent to the departure of the attacking 1st Battalion, 5th RCT USMC), advances to relieve Colonel Throckmorton’s beleaguered 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, on the ridge, but it encounters an immediate obstacle. North Korean troops who had infiltrated the ridge during the night have wedged themselves between the Marines and the 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT. In the meantime, the enemy places a curtain of troops around Hill 342, further endangering the small command at the top of it. At 1200, the Marines and soldiers on the summit are unexpectedly pummeled with a devastating, unending string of enemy rifle and machine gun fire that slams across the confined perimeter. Terrorizing mortar fire joins the ensemble of flying death. In coordination with the blazing enemy fire, the approach slope is permeated with huge numbers of creeping enemy troops who are attempting to remain concealed. No one on the summit moves from his position while the enemy horde approaches; rather, the isolated troops commence firing with equal tenacity, determined to halt the attack and retain the crest. However, the defenders are rapidly diminishing their ammunition. Cahill uses his SCR-300 radio to contact Army artillery units to help neutralize the enemy mortars. Following the urgent request for assistance, the guns of the artillery fire effectively on suspected enemy mortar outposts. Nonetheless, the mortars are not silenced. Cahill’s Marine platoon and the elements of the 5th RCT maintain control of the summit, but the ammunition level reaches a critical point, and the Army’s water supply is rapidly vanishing. Cahill calls for an air drop to rectify the problem. A large Air Force R4D transport plane passes over and drops supplies and ammunition, but only one package is recovered. The remainder falls into enemy held terrain. The sole retrieved package contains only carbine shells and is of no value to the cause.

August 7, 1950 Two additional attempts are made by the more maneuverable OY-2s from Marine Squadron VMO6. The VMO-6 squadron confiscates every available water can in the unit to donate to the desperate troops on the crest. The third attempt succeeds and pinpoints the mark to deliver the supplies, but again misfortune strikes. Each of the water cans explodes upon impact. The additional Marine reinforcements (2nd Battalion, 5th Marines) advance, but en route, they encounter the enemy that had infiltrated during the previous night. A vicious battle ignites. The Marines, still unadjusted to the scorching heat of Korea, move in to slug it out with the enemy in close-quarters as the temperature soars to about 112 degrees. The draining weather and accompanying enemy fire halt the progress of the Marines, who sustain more casualties (about thirty Marines) to the elements than to the opposition. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines establishes contact with the isolated command on the following day, but first, it re-initiates more ferocious fighting along the slopes. Slightly before daybreak on the 8th, the North Koreans storm Hill 342, but it holds. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, drives to the summit to relieve the Army contingent and Cahill’s platoon from Company G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Cahill’s platoon and the army elements evacuate the crest. Six Marines under Cahill have been killed and twelve wounded. Meanwhile, Company D is struck with a storm of fire; 2nd Lt. Wallace Reid is killed and Captain John Finn, while attempting to retrieve Reid’s body, receives two serious wounds. First Lieutenant Robert Hanifin, Jr., assumes command as the North Koreans mount another attack to seize the crest. Hanifin falters as heat exhaustion causes him to collapse. But in his place, Master Sergeant Harold Reeves and Second Lieutenant Leroy Wirth take over the unit and the attack is repelled. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, holds the hill. It sustains eight Marines killed and twenty-eight wounded. On the 9th of August, the summit of Hill 342 is given to the 24th Regiment, USA. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, which had begun relieving the 27th Regiment, USA, on the previous night, completes the exercise at 1120. At this time, General Edward Craig, USMC, commanding officer of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, assumes command over all troops on the Chindong-ni front. The action occurs due to orders issued by General Kean, who has become especially irritated by the ongoing confusion on the field. To add to the dilemma, friendly tanks inadvertently sever Army communications when their treads rip through telephone lines that are stretched openly on the ground. Upon relief by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, on Hill 342 (Fox Hill), Colonel Throckmorton’s weakened 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, proceeds toward

August 7, 1950 the dominant hill northwest of Chindong-ni to secure it. The 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, had accidentally bypassed it on the previous day. The 2nd Battalion contains only two effective companies following its week-long duty on Hill 342. The assault to seize the hill fails, due partially to ineffective supporting artillery fire. Later in the afternoon, a fuming General Kean arrives at the 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, positions. Kean makes his point by ignoring Colonel Ordway (regimental commander, 5th RCT), while speaking to Colonel Throckmorton, who is standing close by: “I want that hill tonight.” After the encounter with General Kean, three tanks are rolled into position to provide cover fire in concert with the deployment of 4.2-inch and 81-mm mortars. Companies E and G, despite their weariness, launch a successful but strenuous night attack to seize the hill. The troops are victorious; however, by dusk on the 8th, they are also on the brink of total exhaustion. Since the commencement of the U.S. westward offensive on the 7th, the din of battle has not been confined to the area west of Chindong-ni. During the night of the 6th-7th, North Korean contingents move eastward and nudge around the fringes of Chindong-ni. They occupy Hill 255, which controls the road from there to Masan, essentially endangering the supply route. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines and contingents of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, bolstered by air strikes, batter the newly enemy-occupied hill, but without success. The Marines and soldiers also commit tanks, mortars and ample dosages of artillery shells, but still, the entrenched North Koreans hold Hill 255 with resolute determination. The 159th Field Artillery Battalion’s Companies B and C jointly propel about 1,600 shells into the roadblock, and additional fire power is also called upon. The 555th Artillery Battalion, at the request of the 5th Marines on site, pours its fire upon the enemy obstruction. Captain Joseph Fegan, commander of H Company, commits the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant John Williams. The platoon advances until halted by a storm of machine gun fire and an abundance of thrown grenades originating about thirty yards away. Williams is ordered to pull his unit back and the 3rd Platoon is directed to charge the positions, but the 3rd Platoon, apparently stunned by the thrashing received by the 1st Platoon, fails to advance into the ring of fire. Captain Fegan bolts into action. He leads the attack; two Marines, Tech Sergeant Ray Morgan and PFC Donald Terrio, hit the enemy’s right flank with tenacious swiftness and knock out two enemy machine guns. Another team hits the left flank and rakes it with BAR fire. Corporal Melvin James, leading the assault against the left flank, extricates six Marines who had been wounded during the fierce action. The attack is bloody, but the 3rd Platoon an-

182 nihilates the defenders. Sgt. Edward Barrett, wounded twice, is taken to safety by Captain Fegan. The enemy withstands the brutal punishment for two days, but by the morning of the 9th, the combined thrust of contingents of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and two battalions of the 24th Regiment, causes the enemy to falter. Temperatures soaring well over 100 degrees further aggravates the situation. Undaunted, the Marines and the soldiers apply more pressure. The battle for Hill 255 ends successfully for the Americans. Company H, 5th Marines, advances during the morning of the 8th and dislodges the enemy from the high ground. Elements of the 24th Regiment hook up with the Marines on Hill 255, and shortly after 1200, the roadblock is eliminated. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines receives the heaviest opposition. It sustains about 70 casualties during the final day; however, again, about one-half are caused by heat exhaustion. In contrast, the Americans count 120 enemy dead and estimate total enemy casualties at 600. Task Force Kean had initiated its offensive early on the 7th with expectations of stunning the enemy, but instead had itself been startled as it rammed into the unexpected enemy attack. Unlike U.S. Intelligence during World War II, the U.S. operations in Korea have no OSS-type units behind the lines to feed information and confound the enemy. Lacking critical information and strategic tactics, major gaps remain constant concerning details on enemy intentions and troop movements. Despite incessant pleas for operations of this type, Washington never authorizes them, keeping the U.N. troops at a disadvantage. And it is assumed that all U.N. information forwarded to the United Nations is discreetly being forwarded instantaneously to the Soviet Union. Despite the poor intelligence and the seemingly perpetual confusion, by the 9th, TF Kean bulldozes through the maze of the initial enemy opposition and prepares to jump-start the center and southern spears of the attack. The 5th Marines moves to the positions of the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, at the hill along the coastal road. Upon relief, the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, retraces its steps to the road junction west of Chindong-ni and begins to advance along the proper road to rejoin the regiment. The 5th Marines initiates a fast paced advance down the coastal road. On the 9th, subsequent to the seizure of Hill 255, the 5th Marines quickens its pace as it moves under the wings of eagles: the carriers USS Badoeng Strait and Sicily each have their eagles soaring overhead to scour the area in front of the advancing troops. Targets are located and in the blink of an eye, Corsairs attached to the 1st Marine Air Wing descend rapidly to deliver stunning overdoses of close-air support that eradicate the threats. Usually, weather permitting, about 6 Corsairs remain in close proximity to the Marine ground troops

183 during daylight hours. The Marine pilots mother General Craig’s ground troops as they drive forward. In the lead, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Newton, takes Hill 308 and secures the strategic road junction at Tosan. Then, the 2nd Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Harold Roise, sprints to the point to spearhead the advance toward Kosong. En route the 2nd Battalion encounters an enemy ambush at Taedabok Pass, less than ten miles from Kosong. To ensure progress, the 3rd Battalion, led by Lieutenant Robert Taplett, pivots to take a calculated shortcut to bounce ahead of the 2nd Battalion. However, a probing patrol led by Major Morgan McNeely ventures too far out front and vanishes around a bend. The Communists spring an ambush that shreds the jeep and nearly decimates the six-man patrol. Company G then rounds the bend and spots the destroyed jeep and the six Marines who are helplessly sprawled on the ground. Three of the Marines are dead and the other three are grievously wounded. Colonel McNeely (mortally wounded) is dragged to safety by Lieutenant Westerman, but he, too, becomes wounded in the process. The remainder of the advance patrol cannot be extricated until the following day (10th). The Marines continue to eliminate the opposition along the coastal road. By the 11th, the resistance in the high ground at the constricted Taedabok Pass is totally silenced. Two Sherman tanks take the point, trailed by Company H. The column starts a nine-mile march to Kosong. It encounters enemy opposition in the high ground along the approach, but the resistance is rooted out and the advance resumes. As the leading 3rd Battalion encroaches the objective, supporting artillery of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, begins to plaster the area near a road junction west of the town to adjust its fire. Through some good fortune, some of the artillery shells fall among concealed enemy vehicles. Thanks to the reaction of the North Koreans, a bonanza results. Believing their positions have been zeroed in, the enemy force (83rd Motorized Regiment, 105th N.K. Division) hurriedly boards the vehicles to evacuate the area and rush toward Sachon to escape what they think is grid fire. The ensuing clouds of dust bring a clear focus to a band of four Marine Corsairs from the carrier Badoeng Strait that arrive over the Marine column. The planes catch the enemy column as it flees. The four Corsairs dive and attack the convoy from extremely low altitude. They zoom over the column of nearly 200 exposed vehicles and strafe the entire line, creating instant disorientation. A huge multiple vehicle accident occurs. While some trucks crash into one another, others attempt to get off the road to evade the incoming fire. Consequently, troops bolt for cover, but the motorcyclists that are dispersed between the vehicles get trapped in the massive pile up.

August 7, 1950 Meanwhile, the airborne quartet swings around to unleash another attack. During the planes’ second low-level pass, enemy ground troops return fire and hit two of the aircraft. One plane, piloted by Captain Vivian Moses, crashes in a nearby rice paddy. Captain Moses, knocked unconscious upon impact, drowns. The other crippled plane makes an emergency landing. By this time, about forty vehicles have been destroyed, and the surprised enemy motorized regiment is going to get stung by another attack. A few more Marines in Corsairs arrive overhead, and they are joined by a group of swarming Air Force F-51s. The heat gets turned up considerably. The aircraft easily follow the path of the crunched convoy and dose out more deadly fire to the blistering attack. Wild explosions occur as the Corsairs strike ammunition trucks, causing more panic. The vehicles that survive the ordeal hobble toward Sachon. Later, during the afternoon, the 5th Marines reaches the rubble of the convoy; 24 jeeps, 31 trucks and 45 motorcycles lie wasted. The estimate of enemy casualties is 200. The Marines push past the smoldering convoy and reach a point about four miles west of Kosong, where they rest for the night. In concert, the 5th Marines sweeps along the coastal road, and the 5th Regimental Combat Team has renewed its advance up the center, moving toward Much’on-ni. On the 10th, the Army’s 5th Regimental Combat Team approaches Pongam-ni, a dingy village of about twenty primitive mud huts with thatched roofs, situated east of the pass near a junction of the primary east-west road. Another tiny village, Taejong-ni, also east of the pass, sits several hundred yards away. Enemy fortifications north of the town, including Tundok, have been attacked by naval planes, but the area in front of Pongam-ni holds concentrations of enemy troops that had not been discovered by the air observation sorties. The enemy lurks in the heights on the north side of the road that will be used by the 1st Battalion, RCT5, as it attacks on the right. The 2nd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Throckmorton, operating on the left, drives along the south side of the highway. The 1st Battalion, under Lt. Col. John P. Jones, comes under fire by the enemy in the northern heights, but the unit reaches Pongam-ni and establishes its command post there. The 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT, also advances west, and on the following day (11th), it pushes forward to the Much’on-ni Road fork to hook up with the awaiting 35th Regiment to launch a scheduled combined thrust toward Chinju Pass. The 3rd Battalion’s departure from Pongam-ni strips the Headquarters 5th RCT and Battery C, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, positions (east of the village) of all infantry support. Beyond the village road junction, about 400 yards to the northeast and on the northern side of the eastwest road, lies an ominous hill that lacks foliage. It

August 7, 1950 is the western terminus of a protracted enemyoccupied ridge that straddles the highway. Companies B and C, 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, occupy the eastern sector of this ridge, but the enemy controls the remainder and it intends to dominate the pass. West of the road junction, two additional ridges that shadow a 300-yard-wide valley converge about 1,000

184 yards from the villages. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team deploys on the southern sector of both of these ridges; Company E remains in Pongam-ni. The east-west road leads out of the western edge of Pongam-ni and hugs the base of the southern ridge as it ascends radically from the valley. The

U.S. troops pass a destroyed enemy tank. One of the soldiers carries a flamethrower (M2–2), which is capable of using liquid fuel or thickened fuel.

185 highway then threads the pass at the point where the northern and more elevated ridge adjoins the southern ridge. And another valley lies north of Pongamni. A dirt path from the northern exit of the town moves through the valley to Sobuk-san, from where a stream flows south and enters an eastward flowing stream at the western edge of Pongam-ni. In support of the mission, the artillerymen disperse in and around the villages of Pongam-ni and Taejong-ni, north of the east-west road; Battery C, 555th Artillery Battalion, places its guns near the rear eastern positions of the Headquarters, 5th Regimental Combat Team. Battery A, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, deploys under a peculiar (to the area) concrete bridge that spans the southern flowing stream near its convergence with the eastern flowing stream; Battery B establishes positions at the tip of the village, astride the stream and Headquarters Battery deploys within the village. In conjunction, at Pongam-ni, on the opposite (west) side of the southern flowing stream, the 90th Field Artillery Battalion (minus one battery) establishes its positions. After dark on the 10th, the North Koreans mount vicious attacks against the Americans. The artillery units and 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, remain embattled throughout the night, and they continue the battle straight through the daylight hours of the 11th. The command post of the 2nd Battalion, west of Pongam-ni, is also besieged, but Colonel Throckmorton speeds word to the village calling for support from Company E. With the help of the reinforcements, the positions are held and the enemy is driven back. During the unwieldy fighting, communication is lost between Battery A and its parent unit, the 555th Field Artillery Battalion. The battalion commander, Lt. Colonel John Daly, and Colonel John P. Jones, 1st Battalion commander, accompanied by infantry troops, attempt to reach the embattled positions, but both Daly and Jones become wounded. Colonel Jones’ wound is debilitating. Colonel Daly assumes temporary command of the 1st Battalion. In concert with the attacks at Pongam-ni, the units east of the village receive fierce attacks, but despite the lack of infantry, Headquarters 5th RCT and Battery C, 555th Field Artillery, hold the enemy at bay. During the morning of the 11th, planes arrive to throw their weight into the battle. The North Koreans are driven back into the high ground. Throughout the day, enemy snipers and an array of small enemy detachments maintain pressure on the main supply route out of Chindong-ni, but these are neutralized by several tanks and an assault gun that ride shotgun with the supply convoys as they move to the forward positions of the 5th RCT. By afternoon (11th), the 5th RCT, commanded by Colonel Godwin Ordway, is prepared to push through the pass west of the village and continue the advance toward Chinju. But Colonel Ordway is convinced that the convoy, including the artillery, must

August 7, 1950 move after dark to ensure success. Later, General Kean instructs Colonel Ordway to push the force west as soon as possible, and he also informs Ordway that one battalion of the 24th Regiment is rushing to Pongam-ni to cover his right flank. Colonel Ordway senses a potential disaster. He protests the daylight movement. Following a prolonged telephone conversation between Kean and Ordway, Kean relents and grants permission for the regimental combat team to move after dusk. In conjunction, but unbeknownst to Colonel Ordway, General Kean had received instructions from Eighth Army to prepare to release the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade and the 5th Regimental Combat Team upon orders from Army. Kean, who has also been directed by Army to seize and defend the Chinju Pass, has been instructed to dispatch Task Force Min to Taegu, from where it can be transferred to the South Korean Army. At Pongam-ni, the evacuation of Colonel Jones is arranged. At 1400, Lt. Colonel T.B. Roelofs (former battalion commander), the Regimental S-2, arrives to assume command of the 1st Battalion. Roelofs is directed to seize control of the ridge west of Pongamni. The objective controls the pass through which the combat team must advance. Company B moves from its positions on the ridge to the valley in preparation for the assault. Toward evening, the 1st Battalion, supported by artillery units of the 2nd Battalion, mounts its attack to clear the objective. Company C drives west along the north ridge to hook up with B Company, which is assigned the primary task of assaulting the hill on the right, which dominates the terrain north of the pass. Company B secures the ground north of the pass before dark. However, during the morning hours the enemy strikes back ferociously. Subsequent to the seizure of the ground north of the pass, the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, establishes a command post about 300 yards west of Pongam-ni. While the 5th Regimental Combat Team prepares its advance, one platoon of Company A, 1st Battalion, supported by a contingent of tanks, remains in place north of the village along the Tundok Road. The balance of Company A relieves the 2nd Battalion, which is to spearhead the advance. The 2nd Battalion, under Colonel Throckmorton, Battery C, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, and the vehicles begin to form on the road at about 2100. But countermanding orders arrive for Colonel Ordway, creating a dilemma. Despite the earlier agreement between Ordway and General Kean to move out after dark, the new orders (from General Kean) call for the immediate movement of the 2nd Battalion and one battery of artillery. In addition, to the dismay of Ordway, the remainder of the unit is to remain in place until daylight. Colonel Ordway, still convinced that a daylight move could mean slaughter, attempts but fails to make contact with General Kean at division headquarters.

August 7, 1950 Assuming that Army and the divisional commanders have information that he lacks, Ordway carries out the order and cancels movement of the balance of the combat team. In the meantime, Battery C, Headquarters Battery and the 2nd Battalion are heading west, and they have already moved beyond the top of the pass. Ordway attempts to reach the vanguard by radio, but once it moved over the top of the pass, radio contact was impossible. The 2nd Battalion encounters and overcomes some opposition before it completes a five-mile westward advance to Taejong-ni, where it bivouacs until morning and expects the main body to join it. Meanwhile, back at Pongam-ni, another tortuous night unfolds at midnight (11th-12th). The departure of the 2nd Battalion and artillery elements weakens the 5th Regimental Combat Team, but it is not expecting an immediate attack. Nonetheless, the enemy expresses no empathy as it prepares a night assault. The 1st Battalion remains north of the road, and the remaining elements of the 555th Field Artillery Battalion are to its rear, dispersed within the two villages. Slightly east, beyond the villages, the regimental headquarters and the 159th Field Artillery Battalion are dispersed. The tranquility of the new day is shattered abruptly slightly after 0100 on the 12th. Company C, 1st Battalion, which had earlier supported the assault to clear the northern ridge, comes under a tenacious attack. The besieged unit loses communications with battalion, but the thunderous sounds of the guns alert the 1st Battalion to the danger. Frantic attempts are made to establish radio contact, but without results. A chain of reactions begins to emerge as the 13th Regiment, N.K. 6th Division, unleashes its power. Meanwhile a U.S. contingent is dispatched to lay new communication wire, and messengers are sped to the troubled area to establish contact and report on the situation. Colonel Roelofs, the 1st Battalion commander, contacts Colonel Ordway and details the ensuing fight. Roelofs further explains the gravity of the situation on the northern ridge. Colonel Ordway, feeling obliged to obey the divisional orders, declines Roelofs’ plea to extricate the artillery and vehicles by pushing them through the pass to safety. Once the conversation ends, Colonel Roelofs departs his command post, bolts to his jeep and, accompanied by two staff officers, races east toward Pongam-ni. The party passes elements of the regiment that are forming the convoy along the road, while apparently awaiting orders to roll west. When Roelofs reaches the bridge that spans the south-flowing stream at the western edge of Pongam-ni, he encounters officers of the 555th Artillery Battalion, who also appear ready for orders to evacuate. After passing by, Roelofs’ entourage turns north to take the Tundok Road, a dirt path. Soon after, they come upon Company A, 1st Battalion, and several tanks that are posted nearby to guard the

186 crossroads and the rear artillery. The troops of Company A inform Roelofs that the sounds of small arms fire and grenades have been heard in the vicinity of Company C, but that no other enemy activity is apparent. Actually, Company C is being overpowered by the enemy and fighting for its survival as it is ruggedly shoved off the ridge. The ordeal becomes hellish. The 2nd Battalion, unaware of the unfolding tragedy, advances. Meanwhile, the promised 24th Regiment is nowhere in sight. Colonel Roelofs rushes back to the command post, but his hopes of receiving good news about the fate of C Company are quickly dashed. The runners have returned, but they were unable to locate the stranded company. To make matters worse, the troops that had been dispatched to lay new wires between the command post and Company C have vanished. In addition, during Roelofs’ absence, observers had noticed enemy flares shooting up from C Company’s location. The dawn of August 12 is getting closer, but the arrival of sunlight is not expected to make the situation any better. The artillerymen still lack infantry protection. The infantrymen north of the village are also imperiled and no reinforcements have reached the beleaguered command. During these final but nonetheless perplexing predawn hours, Colonel Roelofs again persists in getting Colonel Ordway to get the combat team on the road before the enemy closes the noose and traps the command in the valley. After repeated failed attempts to receive permission from General Kean to move out before daylight, Colonel Ordway remains convinced that the enemy is taking the high ground above Pongam-ni. He issues the order to abandon the area. At about 0400 the convoy rolls west. The supply trucks take the lead, trailed by the artillery. The convoy is under the protection of the 1st Battalion, which brings up the rear. If all goes well, the supply trains should clear the pass in less than one-half hour, with time to spare before the sun rises. But, immediately, a quagmire develops along the road. The traffic creeps forward by less than quantum leaps, gaining only several feet between stops. As the sluggish column passes the 1st Battalion command post, a contingent of medical vehicles attempts to merge with the column. One ambulance becomes bogged down in a gully and paralyzes the entire column, as the darkness is slipping away to dawn. The ambulance is towed from the ditch and the column then begins to move at a slightly quicker pace, but the sun begins to rise. The enemy that holds the high ground begins to pop shells into the column. Colonel Ordway’s vehicle proceeds over the top of the pass just after daybreak and attempts to speed up the column, but to no avail. He then attempts to clear the road to permit the artillery to extricate itself from the valley, but no shoulder space is available. As Col. Ordway clears the top of the pass, another

187 snafu develops. The platoon from Company A and its contingent of tanks that had been ordered to guard the northern approach of Pongam-ni and the artillery there is spotted moving toward the tip of the pass. Colonel Roelofs stops the unit and inquires as to why it had deserted its positions; one officer claims that he was ordered to pull out. The validity of the explanation is never determined, but nonetheless, the artillery now stands naked in the village. Attempts to return the unit to its positions are initiated, but the idea is scrapped because it is thought that the reversal will probably cause another and larger traffic jam. While he attempts to keep the vehicles rolling at a steady pace through the pass, Roelofs observes the unfolding disaster back at Pongam-ni. Horrendous firing commences and North Koreans plow into the valley to strike the artillery positions from three separate directions. Enemy armor delivers massive blows against the vehicular traffic and the village, causing pandemonium. One truck is blown to oblivion as it crosses the bridge that spans the south stream. The huge explosion propels a wall of fire that snarls bridge traffic. The troops with the convoy dive for protection, but the merciless attack continues at closequarters. The tanks and self-propelled guns bellow from nearly point blank range. The exposed howitzers of the 555th Field Artillery Battalion attempt to engage the armor, but the effort is futile and the guns of the 90th Field Artillery fare poorly because the armor penetrates under the range of the guns. Despite maximum effort, the 155s cannot be lowered sufficiently to hit the encroaching armor. However, the artillerymen choose not to capitulate, but rather to improvise and assume the role of infantry to supplement the few guns that remain operational. Farther west, the forward elements of the column complete a five-mile trek and reach the 2nd Battalion positions at Taejong-ni, but the rear elements are undergoing a ruthless ordeal. The platoon’s abandonment of its positions at the roadblock north of the village permits enemy armor to move in without meeting any resistance. These enemy gains grant them positions from which they can strike with total surprise from extremely close range at a time of their choosing. At Taejong-ni, Colonel Ordway arrives at the positions of the 2nd Battalion; 5th RCT, where he meets with the forward elements of the convoy and directs them to continue moving until they find a suitable assembly area. Ordway expects this to help keep the road open for the remainder of the convoy. Additional troops reach the area and one of the officers informs Ordway of the ongoing slaughter of the artillerymen at Pongam-ni. Ordway then heads back to the beleaguered village. En route he encounters Colonel Roelofs’ weary 1st Battalion, which is moving west. Colonel Ordway, in an attempt to salvage the command, directs the 2nd Battalion to rush

August 7, 1950 back toward Pongam-ni to establish a rear-guard action to protect the balance of the regiment. The valley is quickly becoming known as “Bloody Gulch” as the savagery of the enemy power is reaching full throttle. The swiftness of the enemy infantry is in cadence with the repeated direct hits of the armor. The artillery positions of the 555th are pummeled, but three of the 105s continue to return fire until about 0900. The 90th Field Artillery Battalion (stationed west of the south-flowing stream) had earlier sustained two direct hits on its 155-mm howitzers and remains under constant small-arms fire that pours in from the ridge just north of the besieged road. The effectiveness of the enemy fire is overwhelming, and the lopsided struggle approaches total massacre. Once the sun comes up, Corsairs from the carriers arrive. Undaunted by lack of communication with the embattled ground troops, the Marine pilots modify their low level attack by following the arc of the tracer shells toward the enemy positions. Even this powerful strafing and rocket barrage fail to halt the North Koreans. The crewmen of the 4.2inch mortar contingent are struck with blistering fire that inflicts serious casualties. The mortarmen must halt the return fire to seek temporary refuge. Other segments of the remnants of the artillery command are being squeezed between the proverbial rocks. Unequivocally, it is the individual courage of the beleaguered troops that forestalls total disaster. Some additional help arrives in the form of Air Force F-51s, which effectively strafe the enemy positions to bolster the perimeter. The 5th RCT Team’s contingent of heavy machine guns is dug in strongly and not easily dislodged. Menacing return fire impedes the enemy on the ridge, while the remnant convoy elements continue their desperate attempt to clear the pass. Meanwhile, an enemy machine gun, positioned to the rear and slightly south of the road, begins firing for range, but some quick action by a U.S. truck driver takes out and kills the machine gunner before he scores any damage. The pressure of the enemy fire is becoming unbearable in the valley. Individual acts of courage continue to hold back the onslaught. West of the southern stream at the positions of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion, the predawn assault had also arrived with a thunderous roar. Two of the howitzers are blown up and the fires ignite some ammunition trucks of Company A. Nonetheless, the transformed artillerymen refuse to budge. Making good use of their foxholes, the newly christened infantrymen of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion handle the machine guns and rifles as if they were sharpshooters, to convincingly repulse the North Korean attack against their perimeter. One resilient soldier, PFC William Baumgartner, commandeers a machine gun mounted on a truck. Singlehandedly he pours fire upon the advancing enemy until an incoming round scores a direct hit

August 7, 1950 that destroys his weapon. Baumgartner escapes death, but he loses consciousness and drops from the vehicle. When he revives, Baumgartner assumes the position of rifleman and rejoins the fight to hold the perimeter. This, too, is futile, as no reinforcements are yet on scene. By 0900 on the 12th, it becomes apparent that the artillery positions of the 90th Field Artillery are doomed. Slightly east, the enemy has also plowed into the lines of Battery B, 159th Field Artillery Battalion, but this predawn strike consists of less velocity and tails off at about 0800. Nonetheless, its bite is deadly. Several trucks laden with gasoline and ammunition are blown and still others remain nearby to jeopardize the unit. Several fearless drivers bolt to the surviving trucks and recklessly speed the rolling ammunition and gasoline vehicles from the area. Few vehicles in the sector east of the bridge at Pongamni survive the enemy barrages. Back at the pass, Colonel Roelofs continues his dogged attempt to extricate the survivors from the nightmarish gulch, which is becoming an amphitheater of death and destruction. Roelofs has no way of communicating with the survivors at Pongam-ni. He relies solely on information from the men who are moving along the road toward the top of the ill-fated pass. By now, some reinforcements are en route, but it is too late. The melee becomes even more gruesome as the enemy draws the noose tightly. Planes continue to strafe the attackers, while the able survivors of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion band together. Some provide cover fire while others place the wounded on the few vehicles still able to escape from the valley. The 90th Field Artillery Battalion sustains ten dead, 60 wounded and about thirty men missing. The 555th Field Artillery, which had been swamped by the enemy at about 0900, is ravaged; it loses eight 105-mm howitzers, and on the following day (13th), eighty percent of its troops are absent from duty. The infantry ranks have also been decimated. By this time, most of those able to escape the horror of the gulch have done so. Colonel Roelofs is briefed on the debacle at the village by an artillery officer who is moving west with several other stragglers. The officer informs Roelofs that the survivors are escaping by whatever means possible, but he relates that all remaining vehicles are destroyed. Roelofs decides to make one last effort before writing off the trapped men. He leads a small contingent back toward the village. Meanwhile, the final elements of the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, accompanied by three tanks approach the tip of the pass. Roelofs, who had been unaware of any armor being in the village, is surprised to see the armor. One of the tanks is directed to pull over and wait in place, while the others continue moving west through the pass. Company A still has elements at the pass and Company B remains engaged in the hills north of it. Company C, which had been struck

188 by the initial thrust of the attack, is now composed of only twenty-three troops, who will straggle into the 1st Battalion positions while Roelofs is en route to the village. The 4.2-inch mortar platoon and the heavy machine gun platoon, which had peppered the enemyheld ridge to the north, are each ordered to move west. Meanwhile, Colonel Roelofs moves closer to the village and he encounters the final vehicle moving west, a jeep driven by Chaplain Francis A. Kapica. The chaplain informs Colonel Roelofs that he has recovered every wounded man he could locate, convincing Roelofs that his probe into the village is useless. Both vehicles then return to the pass, where Roelofs boards the waiting tank as it begins to head west. The remnants of the 5th Regimental Combat Team move over the rim with Company A at the point, trailed by the survivors of Company C, which had originally comprised 180 troops. Company B disengages from battle on the ridge and withdraws by platoon under cover of fire supplied by the three tanks, which form the rear of the column behind Company B. This, the final contingent, departs at about 1000. There has been much activity in conjunction with the tragedy at Pongam-ni and the surrounding area, but no action taken had brought any relief to the men at the village. The 2nd Battalion is in motion and will arrive at the pass during the morning. However, the battle has subsided and only a few stragglers move into the battalion positions near the pass. No troops reach 2nd Battalion positions subsequent to noon. Colonel Throckmorton, believing that the North Koreans are maneuvering to attack the regimental command post at Pongam-ni, requests and receives permission to return there at 1500. His return is timely, as an enemy attack will occur on the following day. Other reinforcements are also to be rushed to the area. General Barth, after an unsuccessful attempt to reach the embattled troops at the pass, informs General Kean of the crisis. General Kean immediately orders the 24th Regiment to dispatch its 3rd Battalion, with instructions to attack through the hills and get to Pongam-ni; Kean also contacts General Craig, USMC, and orders him to send a contingent of reinforcements (5th Marines) to reopen the middle road to the rear of the 5th RCT (USA). In the meantime, the 5th Marines, having bivouacked about four miles west of Kosong during the night of the 11th-12th, gets an early start on the 12th. The 1st Battalion moves in front of the 3rd Battalion, then pushes forward toward Chinju. It advances about eleven miles without incident and reaches a point less than five miles short of Sach’on by 1200. At about this time, word reaches the 5th Marines instructing Lt. Colonel George Newton to send the 3rd Battalion to aid the artillerymen of the 5th RCT at Pongam-ni. By about 1300, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, is speeding toward Pongam-ni.

189 The Marines are presently involved with the enemy near Kosong, but the 3rd Battalion detaches itself, reverses direction and arrives within three miles of Pongam-ni by 1400. While the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, rushes to support the 5th RCT, the other Marine units continue to move toward the sounds of the guns. Advance elements of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, reach Changchon (Changallon) at about 1300, not quite expecting an ambush, but the hills are infested with the enemy and the coiled trap is about to be sprung. Concealed at the village are units of the 2nd Battalion, N.K. 6th Division, and contingents of the 83rd N.K. Motorized Regiment. The enemy, which felt the deadly sting of the Marines and their accompanying aircraft on the previous day, is apparently too anxious to waste the Marines. In haste, they commence fire on the lead jeeps of Company B’s reconnaissance platoon, which alerts the entire command. Additional enemy fire also strikes the main body of Company B, igniting heavy fighting. The Marines react instinctively. Pershing tanks rush to the front. Captain Tobin, B Company commander, speeds the 3rd Platoon forward to take out the enemy, entrenched on the hills that had fired upon the reconnaissance jeeps. In synchronization, Company A attacks a hill to the right. Marine pilots that are overhead to cover the advance immediately dive their Corsairs toward the hills and unleash tenacious fire that riddles the enemy machine gun emplacements. And then in a flash, the planes spot an enemy convoy that is scurrying from the area and streaming hurriedly toward Sach’on. The aircraft pounce upon the convoy. Meanwhile, Company A attacks to the right while Company B peels off to the left and charges the enemy entrenched in the hills there. At a frenzied pace, the Marines charge the hills and take the fight to the North Koreans. On the hill to the north, the 3rd Platoon enjoys initial success and secures the hill, but the enemy regroups on the reverse slope and mounts a stiff counterattack that begins to shove the Marines back off the ridge. The 3rd Platoon gives ground, but then after losing about half the hill, it holds firmly. The hill to the left is seized by Company B and to the right Hill 202 falls to Company A, at 1700 and 2000 respectively. Exhausted after the day-long fighting, the Marines, lacking food and water, sack out to get some rest. The Marines sustain three killed and 13 wounded. The North Koreans prepare to ignite another donnybrook while the Marines are sleeping. Back at Pongam-ni, the 24th Regiment, which had been promised by General Kean on the previous day (11th), never arrives. On this day the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, moves toward Pongam-ni, but en route it encounters an enemy force composed of about two companies. The 24th Regiment’s two attacking companies, composed of a combined strength of more than two hundred troops, receive

August 7, 1950 some sparse incoming mortar fire, but it apparently mortifies the troops. The two companies are soon reduced to about fifty percent of strength. The situation deteriorates rapidly. By day’s end the 3rd Battalion sustains a total of ten casualties and three of these are officers. Lt. Colonel John Corley, who assumed command August 9, is an exceptional commanding officer with much experience during World War II. Corley’s regiment continues the attack toward the besieged 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, but on the following day (13th), each of the two attacking companies are composed of less than platoon strength, consisting of 20 and 35 troops. The disappearance of these troops is not related to casualties, but rather massive dereliction of duty. Ultimately, the 24th Regimental attack comes to a halt less than three miles from the lost positions of the artillery. Other attempts to get reinforcements to the area on the 12th also fall short. A platoon of the 72nd Engineer Combat Battalion sets out to secure the blocked road, but it too is ambushed. The mission fails. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, reaches Kogan-ni by about 1600. To the dismay of the enemy, the Corsairs from the carriers, which have been adeptly covering the Marine advance, are also back on the scene. Marine artillery units deliver large quantities of potent howitzer shells into the enemy positions. The massive barrage, combined with the low-level attacks of the Corsairs, proclaims the arrival of the 5th Marines, which launches a dogged attack. By dusk, the heights east of Pongam-ni and north of the road are tucked under the wings of the 5th Marines. On the morning of the 13th, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, launches another strong attack to attempt rescue of any remaining survivors of the Triple Nickel (555th) Field Artillery Battalion. The attack gains another ridge by 1000, and still the Marines have incurred no casualties, but before the attack is completed, new orders arrive, aborting the mission prematurely. At this point, the Marines are virtually operating on two separate fronts; their regimental components are separated by about twenty-five rough miles. The practical introduction of a new war machine, the multi-use helicopter, greatly eases the command problems. General Craig utilizes the new craft to swing back and forth quickly to issue orders and maintain strict control of his divided command. At about midnight (12th-13th), Lt. Colonel Newton is ordered to depart Changchon and return the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Marines, to Chindong-ni, in an apparent response to another trouble spot along the Pusan Perimeter. The Marines who first encountered the Communists on August 7 have now driven the North Korean 6th Division back about 22 miles. However, the withdrawal is more complicated than the Marines would prefer, partly because of an apparent deadly mistake on Hill 202. At Changchon on the 13th, the North Koreans

August 7, 1950 commence a predawn attack against Company B’s positions on Hill 202, catching some of the Marines off guard. The two-pronged assault strikes the flank and the front of the night-perimeter at 0445. Evidently, some of the sentries on the left flank had fallen asleep, permitting the charging North Koreans to startle the unsuspecting defenders and seize two machine guns in the process. Gruesome fighting occurs as the 3rd Platoon attempts to neutralize the attack, which now includes fire from their own guns. Lt. Colonel Newton instructs the 3rd Platoon to hold on, as he proclaims that help is on the way. Artillery fire is thrown against the attackers with tremendous effectiveness. The Marines unleash some 3.5 rocket launchers and at dawn and the two captured guns are silenced. While the 3rd Platoon survivors hold their flank, Newton reels in the 1st and 2nd Platoons to form one rigid line. Incessant fighting continues for about one hour, but the combined tenacity and effective return fire offered by the Marines finally drive the enemy back to the bottom of the hill. Subsequent to the withdrawal of the North Koreans, Newton is ordered to pull out immediately and converge on the road for the trip back to Chindongni. Twelve Marines are killed, eighteen are wounded and eight men are missing. Captain John Tobin, USMC, requests permission to send a detachment to bring out the bodies of the eight missing Marines, but the request is denied on the grounds that the regiment is behind schedule and must speed to Chindong-ni. The Marines are shattered by the unexpected decision to leave their dead

190 buddies behind. Nonetheless, the painful march proceeds as the 1st and 2nd Battalions move out. Tanks and engineers cover the rear. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, having gained the heights overlooking the seized positions of the artillery on the previous day, commences an attack on the 13th to attempt rescue of any surviving men of the 555th FAB who might still be near the bridge over the southern stream at Pongam-ni. A helicopter transporting Colonel Murray attempts to convey word that help is on the way, but enemy fire prevents him from getting close. The assaulting Marines advance to the hill overtop the objective, but the only troops they observe are enemy. The 3rd Battalion sets up for the attack. In the meantime, orders arrive that bar further movement and instruct the battalion to move to Masan and rejoin the regiment. It is never determined whether troops of the artillery battalion had been at the bridge. Farther west, at Much’on-ni, the 35th Regiment and 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT, advance from the road fork to Chinju Pass, and except for several patrols, the force halts there. During the afternoon (13th), the contingent begins to move east to return to U.S. lines. The troops are exhausted. Along the return route, military police are scheduled to guide the column to particular areas of assembly, but confusion abounds and during the night, the contingent winds up in a dry streambed near Chindong-ni. Finally, as daylight arrives on the 14th, the various troops that are scattered about are able to identify one another. At Taejong-ni, the 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, under Colonel Throckmorton, intercepts and beats back

A Pershing M26 medium tank is in position at Naktong River to thwart enemy crossing.

191 an enemy attack during the morning. After the encounter it boards trucks, moves to the road fork and from there heads east to Masan. By the following day, Task Force Kean is back at its starting point. The Chinju Pass had not been seized as expected. But, Eighth Army does achieve some success. The western offensive puts a large indentation in the N.K. 6th Division, preventing it from overrunning the western flank, and the support provided by the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade is a boost to U.S. forces. Troops of Eighth Army begin to hold the line during the crucial days to follow. Later, General Matthew Ridgway, USA, pays eloquent tribute to the Marines and their tanks, noting that their armor was up to the task against the enemy T-34s: “This force saved the day in the South and stopped the enemy column in its tracks.” Ridgway also notes that the U.S. planes could not stop the advance because of the enemy resorting to night marches. Task Force Kean will be disbanded on August 16; it has inflicted serious casualties upon the enemy, but the operation also costs heavy U.S. casualties. Subsequent to the week’s fighting and the dissolution of Task Force Kean, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade departs Chindong-ni on August 15 and moves north by trains to Miryang to come under the jurisdiction of General Church’s 24th Division. The brigade is scheduled to participate in the Battle of the Naktong, the final natural barrier in front of the Pusan Perimeter. In conjunction, the 5th Regimental Combat Team, the 24th Regiment and the 35th Regiment will deploy along the 25th Division’s line on the southwest perimeter. The N.K. 6th Division deploys defensively in the mountains west of Masan and faces the 25th Division. — In the United States: Eighty thousand volunteer Marine Corps reservists (every reservist in the country) receive word of imminent activation. The increase will bring the corps up to a strength of 200,000. About 50,000 will be on active duty by October 31.

August 7

Three medium tank battalions arrive from the U.S. at Pusan and on the following day, they debark. The 6th Medium Tank Battalion reverts to Eighth Army reserve near Taegu and the 7th Tank Battalion enjoins the 1st Cavalry Division. The 73rd Tank Battalion will be dispersed among various sectors of the Pusan Perimeter. Company A will deploy at Ulsan to protect the primary eastern supply road; Company B is assigned as support for Task Force Bradley at Kirye and Kyongju. In addition, the 27th Regiment will be augmented by Company C to bolster its efforts north of Taegu. Also, Generals Ridgway and Norstad and Averell Harriman fly into Taegu from Japan to confer with General Walker. General Ridgway is not impressed with the condition of Eighth Army, its staff or its commanding general; Ridgway turns in a stinging report to the JCS. In other activity at Taegu, the 822d Engi-

August 7, 1950 neer Aviation Battalion, USAF, completes the initial phase of construction on a new runway, designed to increase Air Force operations there. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: (See also, August 7–August 15, 1950) In the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines sector near Chindong-ni, the area around Colonel Taplett’s command post near Hill 255 is struck by some enemy shelling between 0100 and 0300, but otherwise the night is fairly quiet. At about 0600, Taplett receives word from Lieutenant Cahill’s platoon informing him of the situation and of the casualties incurred while attempting to reach the crest of Hill 342. At dawn, the reinforced platoon, Company G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, resumes its climb; it ascends the high ground that hooks Hill 342 with its eastern knob. Afterward, the platoon swings over slightly to enable an advance against the summit from the southeast. The burning sun and ghastly heat drain the Marines’ stamina. Water discipline vanishes in an attempt to quench an intolerable thirst. At times, an advance of only a few feet is lost again as the men stumble back down the slope. Following the exhaustion of the meager water supply, some Marines slip into unconsciousness. Others are consumed with excruciating, buckling pain. Nonetheless, despite the irregular formation of the advancing platoon, the NCOs encourage the advance. Cahill and Sergeant Lee Buettner bolt ahead of the pack to contact the besieged army unit. As they reach a point about seventy-five yards from the crest, enemy fire rips into the two-man detachment. This is the initial enemy fire upon the Marines in Korea. Cahill orders Buettner to lay back and lead the platoon up a draw while he sprints through the daunting fire to reach the crest. At 0830, Cahill meets the company commander. Both men scrutinize the perimeter and the three hard-hit platoons. The company commander explains that the mortars had been sent down to the base of the hill, because they attracted excessive enemy fire that rendered them ineffective. Meanwhile, Marine reinforcements arrive at the peak, having sustained 1 man killed and six wounded, including Sergeant Robert Robinson, the platoon sergeant, and Sergeant Thomas Blackmon, the platoon guide. Blackmon has sustained a mortal wound, but he insists upon reaching the crest to join Cahill. Some additional Marines that have sustained heat prostration and one that suffers a nervous condition remain farther down the slope. Meanwhile, at 0200, the large convoy transporting the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold Roise, moves from Changwon to Chindong-ni and arrives there at about 0500. The vehicular traffic initially becomes congested and soon after, it totally bogs down near Hill 255 as vehicles attempt to turn around in a school yard. Enemy mortars and artillery fire begin shelling the area while the Marines are debarking the trucks. Colonel Murray (CO, 5th Marines), his own vehicle among those halted north of Chindong-ni along the MSR, instructs Roise

August 7, 1950

192

rick’s 3rd Platoon, Company A engineers finish setting the initial Marine minefield. It stretches across Haman Road one-half mile in front of Chindong-ni. Also, General Craig arrives by helicopter at Chindong-ni slightly after 0700 during an enemy bombardment of the area. Craig immediately establishes phone contact with the 5th RCT to maintain communications with the unit’s progress at Tosan, which has a direct connection with the Marine brigade’s scheduled assault. Craig receives command of all troops in the area of Chindong-ni. At 1120, he moves to the front to see firsthand the progress of the 5th RCT. It becomes clear that enemy resistance is nominal, but progress is stymied because the MSR that extends from Sangnyong at the foundation of Hill 342’s spurs to the strategic junction at Tosan is crammed with equipment, troops and vehicles. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, which has just begun the ascent to occupy Hill 255, receives new orders. The Marines had been ordered to dispatch a battalion to advance to Hill 342, relieve Cahill’s 1st Platoon, 3rd Battalion, and the 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, then capture the balance of the hill. A ground crew loads .50-caliber ammunition aboard an F-80 Shoot- The task is given to Roise’s 2nd ing Star jet. Battalion. The 2nd Battalion, having slept none during the night, sets out toward Hill 342. At the to keep the trucks moving despite the shelling. Roise replies that excessive mud in the schoolyard is stalling road junction, where the Eighth Army guide had met the convoy, not the enemy shelling. Lieutenant Cahill during the previous night, Roise Eventually, when the convoy enters Chindong-ni, splits his command. He sends Company D, comColonel Murray directs the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, manded by Captain John Finn, up the north fork to to deploy on a stretch of Hill 255 above Company H’s seize the eastern spur and the hill; Company E, now (3rd Bn.) positions. Murray also directs the 1st Battalled by Lieutenant William Sweeney, is ordered to move ion, 5th Marines, to relieve Company G, 3rd Battalion, around the rear of Sangnyong and capture the western on Hill 99, which releases it to augment Colonel Taspur of Hill 342. plett’s perimeter on the lower portion of Hill 255. SubMajor Morgan McNeely, 2nd Battalion S-3, and sequent to relief, Bohn’s contingent redeploys on the Captain Finn move ahead by jeep to Taepyong at the eastern base of the hill. Finn is informed that Comopposite side of the valley along the lower slopes of Hill 255 to face Haman Road. Enemy snipers spend the pany D is to relieve a unit of the 5th RCT in the heights night ringing the perimeter with shells. above some thatched huts, and he is told that the ascent would be uncontested by organized resistance. In the Colonel Taplett’s 3rd Battalion area in Chindongni remains relatively quiet after dawn. However, Capmeantime, the torrid heat of mid-afternoon begins to tain Fegan (Company H) and Lieutenant Bohn (Comseriously affect the overtired troops of Company D. pany G), positioned on Hills 255 and 99 respectively, When the column arrives at the base of the hill, it is do on occasion call in artillery fire to intercept enemy immediately greeted with heavy enemy rifle and mamovement along the northern approaches to Chindongchine gun fire that originates in the village of Tokkongni. In related activity, 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Herni on the opposite side of the valley and from the

193 heights above the road. This unexpected fire quickly dissipates the notion of an easy ascent. Simultaneously, Captain Finn orders his Marines to disperse into the rice paddies just off the road while he calls for his platoon leaders. Finn directs that the enemy fire from the village be disregarded in order to concentrate on seizing the hill. The 1st Platoon, led by 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Oakley, drives to take the right flank and advances up the southern slope of Hill 342, while the 2nd Platoon, led by 2nd Lieutenant Wallace Reid, passes through Taepyong-ni and ascends the hill at its linkage with the spur. On the left flank, the 3rd Platoon, under 2nd Lt. Edward Emmelman, advances directly toward the crest of the spur. Company D, against sporadic resistance, reaches the spur, but five casualties are inflicted by enemy fire. Nonetheless, a more powerful enemy, the excruciating heat, takes a severe toll. Twelve Marines fall totally unconscious and the remainder hangs on the brink of complete exhaustion. Finn establishes his command post in the heights above the village of Taepyong-ni, along with the accompanying mortars. During the early evening and without rest, Finn leads the three rifle platoons toward the summit to reach Cahill’s platoon and the 5th RCT. The platoons reach positions several hundred yards from the crest, and then Finn contacts Colonel Roise to report on the condition of his men. During the pause, Lieutenant Arthur Oakley, 1st Platoon, moves forward and greets the defenders on the crest. Cahill and the Army company commander descend the slope with Oakley to confer with Captain Finn. The Army officer urges Finn to suspend the climb until dawn. He assures Finn that his soldiers and Cahill’s Marines can undoubtedly hold the summit until then. Captain Finn informs Colonel Roise of the meeting and Roise then permits Company D to hold in place and relieve the troops on the summit at dawn. The mission of Company E goes off with less enemy resistance, but equally nasty weather, as it advances. Along the route to take the western spur of Hill 342, the enemy strikes with futile long-range machine gun fire. The column reaches the halfway point on the ridge at dusk, and then concentrates on establishing a night perimeter. In the 1st Bn. (reinforced), 11th Marines sector around Chindong-ni, Lt. Colonel Ransom Wood’s batteries had exchanged shells with the enemy on the previous night; they expended 87 rounds in support of the 5th Marines. By this day, the enemy fire has registered on the artillery positions. During the pre-dawn hours (7th), one Marine battery receives a direct hit from an enemy 102mm shell that destroys one 105-mm howitzer and kills two Marines; eight others are wounded. The incident becomes another lesson for the Marines. Subsequent to this tragedy, the Marine artillerymen require no prodding to dig ammunition pits, foxholes and gun pits. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: During darkness (6th-7th), elements of the N.K. 4th Division continue to cross the Naktong River in the 24th Division sector

August 7, 1950 to bolster the other forces that have already penetrated east of the river. During the morning of the 7th, the 19th Regiment and Company B, 1st Battalion, 34th Regiment, re-initiate the attack to eliminate the enemy threat. The supply road that leads to the front remains open, but still the units face a critical shortage of rations and water as they advance against tenacious resistance. Air strikes are requested, but when the planes arrive to bolster the attack, they inadvertently pummel the 19th Regiment, which exasperates the ground troops. The combination of lack of food and water and the scorching heat promises little success. The mistaken air strikes guarantee failure. Meanwhile, Company B drives forward and contacts troops of the heavy mortar company who had earlier disappeared from their positions near Obong-ni Ridge during the morning of the 6th. Soon after the recovery of these troops, B Company pulls back. The enemy maintains its pressure and gains a tight hold on Obongni Ridge, and on Cloverleaf Hill, slightly north of the pass. Cloverleaf Hill received its name because it resembles a four leaf clover, but it has not yet proved to be a good luck charm for the Americans. From these two vantage points, the enemy is able to easily observe the Americans’ main supply route, which runs from Yongsan about five miles down the road. Obong-ni Ridge, slightly lower than Cloverleaf, lies south of the pass. It extends mildly southeast for about one and one-half miles, but is saddled with a chain of knobs that ascend 300 to 500 feet over the rice paddies that are along its foundation. In Company A’s (34th Regiment) sector above the Naktong, the enemy still holds positions that threaten to dislodge Colonel Alfonso’s command. Planes attempt to drop food and supplies during the afternoon, but nearly half of the shipment misses the mark and afterwards, the contingent sustains casualties from enemy fire while gathering the supplies. Nonetheless, the company holds its ground. During the night of the 7th, more North Koreans move across the river to fortify the high ground at the pass to further ensure control of the east-west road. It is estimated that about two additional Communist battalions arrive. In other activity, General Walker orders the 9th Regiment, 2nd Division, recently attached to the 24th Division, to report to General Church. Colonel Hill’s 9th RCT will arrive at division headquarters at 0830 on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The N.K. 15th Division’s 45th Regiment moves through Sonsan, then crosses the Naktong southeast of it. Aircraft strike the moving column. Once across the river, the enemy regiment advances into the mountains and drives toward Taegu. Initially, it encounters no resistance. After dark during the night of the 7th-8th, the N.K. 48th and 50th Regiments cross the river at two separate ferry crossings, both located north of Waegwan, between it and Indong. About two battalions cross at the upper ferry site about six miles north of Waegwan under the cover fire of tanks posted on the western bank. The

August 8, 1950 vehicles and armor also make their crossing here by using an underwater bridge. Hill 201 and Hill 306, both on the east bank of the river, opposite the upper ferry site, are secured by elements of the enemy 15th Division, prior to its units moving into the hills to initiate a seven-mile eastward advance to Tabu-dong. Meanwhile, the ROK troops attempt to forestall the enemy advance. Eighth Army works at a feverish pace to bolster the South Koreans if the enemy makes a solid breakthrough toward Taegu. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: In the area near Yongdok, heavy skirmishing continues between the S.K. 3rd Division and the N.K. 5th Division. Colonel Emmerich, KMAG advisor to the S.K. 3rd Division, receives another urgent message from General Walker. The dispatch underscores the strategic value of the 520-foot bridge that spans the Osip-ch’on River south of Yong-dok, at Kanggu-dong. Walker explicitly orders the bridge held without fail. A squad of engineers from the 24th Division has been overseeing the demolitions there, but it is recalled to Taegu. Korean troops receive the responsibility. The South Koreans are ordered to hold the bridge; with orders that it is to be destroyed only upon specific orders from KMAG advisor Major Britton. In Air Force activity, U.S. Air Force B-29s attack P’yongyang. The raids inflict heavy damage to the rail yards, and an arsenal is nearly totally decimated. Planes also strike the Chosin Petroleum facility at the port town of Wonsan. The complex produces more than ninety percent of the N.K. petroleum products. New air raids occur on the 9th and 10th that completely destroy it. The raids are carried out by the 98th Bomber Group, its first raids since its recent arrival in Japan. In other activity, the 39th Fighter Squadron, USAF, arrives at Yonil Airfield.

August 8

Southwestern Pusan Perimeter: (See also, August 7-15, 1950.) General Craig, USMC, holds temporary command of all units in the vicinity of the Masan-Chinju axis, including the Army operations along the front and those to the rear of TF Kean. Craig orders the 5th RCT to maintain its drive to seize Tosan to permit the Marine units to advance on the road to Sach’on. In the 5th RCT zone, the regiment resumes its push toward the objective, against even stronger resistance than it had encountered on the previous day. The 5th RCT makes some progress from its departure point near Singi, but it is hindered by the narrowness of the main supply route and the huge traffic jams along it. In addition, the advance is further slowed due to tenacious fighting above it on Hills 255 and 342. In the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines zone, the 1st Battalion lacks a definitive objective, but it is to drive down the south fork of the Tosan junction, in accordance with the attack strategy of TF Kean. Newton’s 1st Battalion descends from its positions on Hill 99 on schedule at 0600, but the unit gets bogged down due to the giant traffic jam on the bridges along the main supply

194 route directly under Hill 99. The immobilized army vehicles clog the road and Eighth Army ground troops overwhelm the area, compelling the Marines to remain in place. General Craig orders Colonel Newton to suspend the advance until the snafu is cleared. Meanwhile, Company B, 1st Battalion, commanded by Captain Tobin, is ordered to return to the heights from where it had come while the 1st Battalion awaits (three miles from its departure point) orders to move. Eventually, the crammed road is opened and word arrives for the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, to begin its drive. Colonel Newton, walking in advance of the column, arrives at the command post of the 5th RCT, about one and one-half miles ahead, perched on a small slope between the villages of Singi and Oryong. He is informed by the Army regimental commander, Colonel Godwin Ordway, that troops of the 5th RCT have been dispersed into the heights that surround Tosan. Newton is also informed that the rice paddies separating the command post (CP) from the hill are inundated with enemy troops, which in effect have isolated the companies in the high ground. As Newton and Ordway confer, the leading contingents of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, catch up with Newton, but again the battalion stalls. At about the same time, a soggy and disgruntled Army staff sergeant reaches the area and confirms the news. He informs the officers that the troops south of the road junction near Hill 308 are engaged in a severe fire fight. The sergeant adds that he crawled almost the entire distance back to headquarters to evade the ferocious enemy machine gun fire covering the huge rice paddy between the CP and the hill. Meanwhile, General Kean spots Lt. Colonel Murray, CO, 5th Marines, as his vehicle passes while en route from Chindong-ni to the front; Kean halts Murray and orders him to execute relief of the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, withdraws to the fringes of Sangnyong to an assembly area under the western spur of Hill 342. While at the assembly area, Colonel Murray receives instructions to relieve the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, at its positions southwest of Tosan at midnight August 8, and then the Marines are to terminate the resistance. The orders specify that the relief force is to be at the 5th RCT CP by 2300, where it will be joined by guides who will lead the contingent to Hill 308. The Marine relief force arrives at the command post at 2200, but no guides are there. And the Marines find that the Army troops (1st, Bn. 5th RCT) are prematurely withdrawing from the hill. Nonetheless, the Marines move through Singi and continue heading west until they halt at the main supply route, about one-half mile southwest of Tosan, where they encounter soldiers heading down a small path leading from the hill to the supply route. Colonel Newton is informed that his Marines should use the identical trail to reach the hill, but they must pause until the soldiers pass, which slows the march. Just after midnight, the Marine column reinitiates

195 its advance with two South Korean civilian guides who had arrived belatedly. The Marines are unfamiliar with the terrain; they apply caution as they plod along the grimy dike, hoping to avoid a misstep that would catapult them into the stench and filth of the rice paddy. The anxious trek along the slim and slippery 1,200yard trail is arduous. The column advances in single file without incident until it reaches Hill 308. The rear elements of the battalion finally arrive on the hill at dawn on the 9th. At Hill 342, the soldiers (5th RCT) and Marines (3rd Bn., 5th Marines) are struck slightly before dawn with a flurry of short-range rifle and machine gun fire. The fire is delivered from close-range by a contingent of enemy troops who have silently crept through the darkness to reach positions near the crest. The Marines and soldiers aggressively return fire, and they further liven things up by tossing grenades down the slopes. The sting of the attack is blunted, but one group encroaches near enough to spring an attack against the northeastern edge of the triangular defense. The penetration ignites immediate heated hand-tohand combat. The North Koreans make no headway; rather they are harshly pushed back down the ragged slope. One Marine and several soldiers are wounded and one Marine is slain by a combination of bayonet and gunshot wounds. At sunrise, Company D, under Captain Finn, departs its positions under the crest. The three platoons move side by side and ascend the southern slope against minimal resistance, but once they reach the peak, they come under fierce fire. North Koreans, holding positions on the northern half of the hill, saturate the summit with fire. Nevertheless, Company D executes the relief and takes responsibility for the crest. Cahill’s Platoon and the remnants of the 5th RCT contingent descend the crest, battered but victorious. The North Korean units operating against Hill 342 are contingents of the 13th and 15th Regiments, N.K. 6th Division (according to documents recovered from bodies of dead enemy troops). The estimated strength against Hill 342 (Yaban-san) is between 500 and 600 men. Lieutenant Cahill’s 1st Platoon (Company G), 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, sustains six men killed and twelve wounded during the battle. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, attempts to tighten the positions on the crest of Hill 342, but the Communist troops that remain clustered on the upper slopes maintain a steady stream of fire. During the final climb and the fight, which continues to ensue beyond the relief operation, Company D sustains casualties, including the deaths of Lieutenants Oakley and Reid. Captain Finn braves the fire to recover Reid’s body by crawling forward, but enemy rounds also strike him to inflict a severe head wound and a wound to the shoulder. Finn, temporarily nearly blind and approaching unconsciousness, crawls back to the lines to receive medical aid. Later, while he is being taken down the hill for more medical attention, Finn encounters Lieutenant Hanifin, who is moving

August 8, 1950 up the slope. Captain Finn tells Hanifin that he is now in command of D Company. Once at the crest, Hanifin quickly regroups his new command, with little time to spare. The North Koreans afford the exhausted Marines no rest; rather they launch another assault to seize the summit, but it is repulsed and the enemy sustains heavy casualties. Company D sustains 6 men killed and twenty-five wounded. At about 1130, while the struggle for the crest (Hill 342) subsides, Lieutenant Hanifin receives a call from Colonel Roise. As the conversation begins, Roise gets a quick picture: Hanifin collapses from heat exhaustion. The problem of command is quickly rectified. Master Sergeant Harold Reeves (nearly 30 years service) assumes temporary command of Company D’s three rifle platoons, and 2nd Lieutenant Leroy Wirth, a forward observer for the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, assumes temporary command of the supporting units, including the planes of MAG-33 that circle above the positions. Soon after, Captain Andrew Zimmer (regimental asst. S-3) is appointed new commanding officer of Company D. This is the final major threat against Hill 342, but Zimmer’s unit incurs some additional casualties, most occurring while attempts are made to reel in supplies that miss the mark when airdropped. While the contest continues on Hill 342, Major Walter Gall, CO, 2nd Battalion Weapons Company, dispatches a small patrol to destroy the machine gun positions in Tokkong-ni, which initially had been ignored by Company D. The patrol sustains three casualties, but it does not quiet the guns. First Lieutenant Ira T. Carr then turns the 81-mm guns toward the village and commences a powerful barrage, which terminates the guns of Tokkong-ni. In related activity, the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, USA, is scheduled to relieve the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, at Hill 342, but it is held up near Chindongni. Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, operating on the western spur of Hill 342, advances several hundred yards and establishes positions there. Meanwhile, at 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines zone, troops of Company G deployed on Hill 255 have been harassed by snipers throughout the night, but at dawn, four enemy troops are spotted within 100 yards of the Marines’ positions. All four troops die suddenly. Also, slightly after dawn on Hill 255, Marines of Company H peer down the Haman Road and observe a column of troops that are casually ascending the slope and moving toward a high peak beyond the plateau. Initially, the Marines believe that the troops are ROKs and take no action. Captain Fegan observes the troops positioning themselves and he orders his troops to stand ready, and with no time to spare. The unidentified troops commence firing, ending the mystery. It is enemy fire. The attack is part of the major enemy offensive and it interferes with TF Kean’s jump-off. By seizing the high ground there, the enemy is able to sever the Masan-Chindong-ni portion of the main supply route,

August 8, 1950 which hinders the ground troops from receiving supplies and reinforcements. In related activity, word of the plight of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, north of Chindong-ni reaches Colonel Taplett. Once informed of the enemy on the peak, he directs Captain Fegan to commit Company H, 5th Marines, to exterminate the enemy position. Artillery preparatory fire and coordinated air strikes fail to dislodge the enemy. While the troops are safely huddled within the natural protective shield of the rocky crag, Second Lieutenant John O. Williams’ 1st Platoon moves toward the peak under cover fire of the remainder of the company. Williams’ platoon reaches a point within thirty yards of the objective, but heavy machine gun fire grids the area and a huge amount of grenades are tossed down the slope, halting progress. An attempt is made to shift the attack toward the enemy’s left flank. One fire team advances to positions just under the enemy, but it is repulsed. Lieutenant Williams is ordered to pull back to regroup. In the meantime, the 3rd Platoon is ordered by Fegan to move through the positions of the 1st Platoon and continue the assault, but it ignores the order and fails to advance. Sensing that the 3rd Platoon had merely been stunned by the failure of the 1st Platoon, he moves quickly to restore confidence by taking personal command of the 3rd Platoon and of the attack. With Fegan in command, the 3rd Platoon advances in wedge formation, maneuvering while under continuous heavy fire. Staff Sgt. John Wheatley, Sergeant Edward Barrett and several others become wounded; Barrett, debilitated by two wounds and lying in open ground, is carried to safety by Fegan. Meanwhile, the platoon gnaws forward and then, with a sudden thrust, the Marines lunge onto the peak. One contingent, led by Corporal Melvin James, strikes from the left flank, while another attack, stimulated by the spirited actions of Tech. Sergeant Ray Morgan and PFC Donald Terrio, plow into the enemy’s right flank. Morgan and Terrio had each destroyed a separate enemy machine gun and its crews. At this point, the contest becomes bloodier as the Marines encounter an enemy force that desires a fight to the death. The Marines oblige and move from foxhole to foxhole until the crest falls and the annihilation is complete. Company H then moves north about 200 yards where the heights terminate with a perpendicular drop. The three platoons pause there and gaze across the chasm toward Hill 255, awaiting orders. In the meantime, the North Koreans continue to lay artillery and mortar fire on the captured positions. Company H sustains 6 men killed and 32 wounded during the attack. Colonel Taplett directs Company H to hold in place for the night. Marine artillery and planes from MAG-33 support Company H during its bivouac. The mortar platoon of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, and the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, keep their mortars firing throughout the night of August 8-9. The

196 shells carpet the entire battalion front with an iron belt to keep the enemy sedated. In related activity, during Company H’s attack, Company G on Hill 255 observes enemy reinforcements as they travel along Haman Road, north of Hill 99. The column traces the steps of the contingent that had attempted to strike earlier at dawn. Bolstered by its supporting units that provide effective interdiction fire, the enemy column halts abruptly and its surviving troops disperse hurriedly as they sprint back toward their original positions. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: The 9th RCT (2nd Division, attached to 24th Division), having departed Changnyong at 0130, arrives at 24th Division headquarters at 0830. Its commanding officer, Colonel John Hill, reports to General Church and he receives orders to begin an immediate attack. Initially, it is to commence no later than 1500, but the two men agree to delay it for one hour. The 9th RCT is exhausted from its night march from Pusan. Some elements of the 9th Regiment relieve Company B at its positions on Cloverleaf Hill (Hill 165) and others relieve the contingent of the heavy mortar company, which is improvising as riflemen at positions south of the road near Obong-ni Ridge. At 1645, the 9th Regiment, supported by the guns of the 15th FABn, attacks. The 2nd Battalion, led by Colonel John Londahl, strikes against Cloverleaf to the right, while the 1st Battalion, commanded by Colonel Fred Harrison, drives against Obong-ni Ridge on the left. Both contingents make some progress to gain ground before dark, but neither secures its entire objective. The devilish heat combined with inexperience of the attacking units adds to the frustration of the attack. At day’s end, the Naktong River remains out of reach. In the meantime, the North Koreans regroup and retake the ground on Obong-ni Ridge during the night. The 9th Regiment’s 2nd Battalion incurs heavy casualties among its officers, and on the following day, officer casualties again rise. While the 9th Regiment attempts to destroy the enemy in the bulge, Colonel John Hill is informed that the North Koreans are toiling at night to complete a bridge across the river. Its surface will lie about one foot under water, obscuring its view from the air. Meanwhile, farther south, other enemy forces are slashing through the positions of the 34th Regiment, which anchor the division’s left flank. Nevertheless, in the 34th Regimental sector, Company A, still jeopardized by enemy forces controlling the heights to its right, continues to hold its ground. At dawn, six boats transporting reinforcements across the river are spotted from the positions of Company A. The enemy contingent, composed of about 60 to 65 troops, causes some alarm, prompting the placing of a call requesting air strikes. In the meantime, the enemy reaches positions about 1,000 yards from the Americans. The North Koreans are greeted with fire from a heavy machine gun that prompts them to scatter along the banks of the

197 Naktong. At about the same time, the planes arrive to strafe the enemy as they scatter. The North Koreans, however, still continue to press Company A throughout the day, and their tactics include preliminary mortar fire to adjust their range. Company A is convinced that the short bursts of mortar fire are merely a prelude to a night attack. Company A and the supporting elements of Company L discover enemy troops who appear to be moving toward their positions. The units report the situation to headquarters and by 2300, they receive permission to pull off the hill. The evacuation occurs just in the nick of time. A powerful enemy barrage is unleashed against the positions just as the troops withdraw to safety, but again, in the heat and confusion of the battle, costly errors are made. One platoon fails to follow the road leading south to U.S. lines. It heads north toward the enemy-held positions at the northern end of Obong-ni Ridge. The platoon incurs severe casualties. The balance of the contingent, including the elements of Company L, eventually arrives at the 1st Battalion perimeter east of Obong-ni during the daylight hours of the 9th. The commitment of Colonel Hill’s troops (9th RCT) prevents any strong reinforcement of the 34th Regiment. During the night (8th-9th), General Church remains determined to regain the center ground at the Naktong. The 9th RCT is ordered to reinitiate the attack, but all the while, the enemy gathers momentum on the left against the 34th Regiment. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The N.K. 1st Division, which began crossing the Naktong between Hamch’ang and Sangju on the 6th, completes its crossing. It advances toward Kunwi against stiff opposition raised by the S.K. 6th Division. The enemy division has received additional replacement troops, but many lack weapons. The N.K. 15th Division, operating south of the N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions, had secured Hills 201 and 346 on the previous day. On this day, the S.K. 1st Division launches attacks and clears both hills, but the enemy is not forced back across the Naktong. Rather, it vanishes deeper into the mountains that lead east. These crossings have already caused serious concern in Taegu, but more critical decisions must be made. Two more enemy divisions, the 3rd and 10th, are both prepared to bolt the river and strike against the 1st Cavalry Division. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The North Koreans continue to drive south against the eastern flank of the Pusan Perimeter, which is defended by the South Koreans. Three enemy divisions and one independent regiment are closing. The N.K. 12th Division maneuvers through the mountains southeast of Andong en route to Pohang-dong, while the N.K. 8th Division advances down the Uisong Road toward Yongch’on. The N.K. 5th Division moves down the coastal road. Some infantry contingents of the N.K. 5th Division have been circumventing the S.K. 3rd Division by infiltrating through the mountains. In addition, another unit, the 766th Independent Regiment,

August 8, 1950 has swung off the coastal road to drive southwest toward the villages of Kigye and An’gang-ni. At Yong-dok, fighting continues between the N.K. 5th Division and the S.K. 3rd Division. Today, the 6131st Fighter Wing is established at Pohang. Contrasting events begin to occur as the enemy steps up its southern drive. As the Air Force is adding strength, the aviation engineers receive orders to have their heavy equipment moved out of the base and transferred to a more stable area, to avoid possible destruction by enemy fire. In Air Force activity, the USAF 18th FBG abandons its base at Taegu and relocates at Ashiya, Japan, due to the enemy threat against the area. In other activty, the 307th Bomber Group, recently arrived in Okinawa, executes its initial mission of the war. — In the United States: The vessels that will transport the 1st Marine Division to the Far East begin to load today in San Diego. The operation is completed by the 22nd. Ninety stevedore crews are requested for the huge task, but only fifty-four crews are raised. The following vessels will handle the principal body of the 1st Marine Division: LSM 419; LST 845; USS Noble and USS President Jackson (assault transports); USS General Buckner, USS General Weigel, USS Marine Phoenix, USS General Meigs and USS General Butner (transports); and the cargo vessels SS African Patriot, SS Alma Victory, SS American Press, SS American Victory, SS Belgian Victory, SS Dolly Thurman, SS Green Bay Victory, SS Noonday, SS South Wind, and the SS Twin Falls Victory. — In Japan: General MacArthur orders all available air support, including Seventh Fleet carriers, to focus their efforts on interdiction and close-air support missions until the 17th. The intent is to shore up Eighth Army while maintaining incessant pressure against the North Korean advance toward Pusan. Also, Lt. General Stratemeyer directs Major General Partridge to increase the amount of night flights to fifty per night to increase the odds of spotting enemy columns that might be moving supplies. In other activity, General MacArthur again meets with Averell Harriman and Generals Ridgway and Norstad. MacArthur exudes confidence concerning victory over the Communists in Korea, and he gives Harriman’s entourage the specifics on what he requires to bring forth a successful conclusion of the conflict. Included in the necessities are the infusion of troops from other Allied nations and the speedy arrival of the U.S. 3rd Division in Japan to afford protection, if the Russians should decide to attack there. The Korean crisis has required the commitment of the 7th Division (Inchon), thereby stripping Japan of its U.S. defensive force. Harriman and his entourage return to the States today convinced that MacArthur’s plan to invade Inchon will succeed. MacArthur has apparently convinced them that the Chinese will not invade Formosa; however, he adds his caveat that if the Communists do attack Formosa, he will take command there and deliver

August 9, 1950 them a “crushing defeat.” Also, the trip has created some quiet concerns about the leadership ability of General Walker. En route back to the States, Harriman and Norstad confer and they decide that General Ridgway should replace Walker. Ridgway believes that Walker should be replaced subsequent to his holding the line at the Pusan Perimeter, but Ridgway makes it clear that he is not seeking the job.

198

which encounters only sniper fire during the climb. The summit is secured at 1200. The weary battalion sustains many victims from the heat. About one-half of Companies A and B become sick. Troops are sent to find water to help alleviate the problem. In the meantime, new orders arrive from Colonel Murray that direct the weary contingent to descend the hill and reinitiate the attack by driving toward Paedun-ni. Colonel Newton instructs Companies A August 9 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 1st and B to temporarily remain on the crest while he orBattalion, 5th Marines zone, dawn arrives just as the ganizes the advance column using headquarters and trailing contingents of the battalion complete the nightweapons troops. long journey from the 5th RCT command post near Newton, reaching the low ground northwest of the Singi. Colonel Murray orders the 1st Battalion to conhill, inspects his Japanese map and it displays only one tinue the attack and secure Hill 308. The tired Marines of the two roads that lead to Paedun-ni from Oso-ri, a move out advancing southwest, ascending 1,000 feet village about 600 yards south of Tosan. However, from the base and 2,000 yards south. Company B, Colonel Murray’s map depicts the two roads; the southcommanded by Captain Tobin, spearheads the attack, ern road is ragged and the western road is smooth, but Murray’s map wrongly identifies the rough route as improved. He instructs Newton to use the supposed improved road. The column proceeds beyond Taesil and then it encounters mines scattered about the road. Company A engineers rush to the area from Chindong-ni and remove the obstacles, which are found to be U.S. antitank mines that probably fell off an army vehicle. At about the same time, Colonel Murray arrives on the scene, and still using his mis-marked map, he informs Newton that his column is on the wrong road. Newton is told to turn the column on the narrow road and return to the intersection, compounding the errors. The vehicles and baffled troops reach the intersection back at Oso-ri, but the column stalls. General Craig arrives and he becomes extremely unhappy with the confusion. Eventually, the column begins advancing on the southern route, which curves around the base of Hill 308, and by this time it is joined by Companies A and B. About one mile out, the advance elements encounter a lone enemy machine gun position entrenched in a hut about mid-point on A soldier enjoys lunch on 9 August, while another seems to be taking a nap. the curve. The position is

199 destroyed by ground troops, accompanied by a rocket launcher. The column reinitiates its advance, and without incident, it reaches a 400-feet pass leading between Hills 308 and 190. As dusk approaches, the battalion is ordered to establish defensive night positions at a point about two miles south of the Tosan departure point. Meanwhile, General Craig prepares a night attack for the brigade, based in part on his assumption that the

August 9, 1950 lack of opposition against the advance of the 1st Battalion is a signal that the enemy is not expecting a fight. Craig orders the 5th Marines to seize Paedun-ni prior to dawn on the 10th. In the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines sector, the Communists have sustained severe casualties while unsuccessfully attempting to seize Hill 342 from Company D. The area is now tranquil except for some ineffectual

An Army field kitchen is in a sea of mud.

August 9, 1950 long-range machine gun and antitank fire during the morning hours. The bulk of the enemy force is retiring northward. Company D, having sustained eight men killed and twenty-eight wounded during the contest for the hill, is relieved during the afternoon by the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. Estimates vary as to the number of enemy dead, purported to be troops of the N.K. 13th and 15th Regiments, N.K. 6th Division, according to papers discovered among the bodies. Lieutenant Cahill, Company D, estimates 150 enemy killed, and he notes on his report that the figure is “conservative.” The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, establishes the number of enemy killed at 400 subsequent to its battle. The actual count of enemy dead, inflicted by Army and Marine troops and supporting units, according to Marine records, “probably lies somewhere between the two figures.” In other activity, at 0825, Marine artillery and planes lambaste North Korean positions on Hill 255 to loosen resistance for Company H, 3rd Battalion. The Marine aircraft deliver the first close-support dosage of napalm during the conflict. The supporting artillery fire and the powerful strike by the Marine planes bring huge dividends. Less than five minutes before Captain Fegan’s troops throw the final punch to knock out the enemy positions, word is received from an airborne tactical air coordinator that the preparatory strikes have rendered the objective benign. Fegan’s troops sprint the remaining distance to the peak against inconsequential resistance and discover only the remains of two decimated machine guns and a few enemy dead. The strategy introduced to terminate the enemy threat to the main supply route had included a Marine drive along Hill 255 to grid line 1350 and a coordinated attack north of the borderline by Army units pushing from Masan. At 1125, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, makes visual contact with approaching elements of the 24th Regiment. The Marine 3rd Battalion sustains 16 killed and 36 wounded while clearing the MSR, and the majority of casualties occur in Fegan’s Company H, reducing its effectiveness by 25 percent. In other activity, General Craig, USMC, relinquishes his control of all troops in the area at 1700. The road junction is secure, permitting both the Army and Marine units to resume progress toward the objective. The 2nd Battalion, subsequent to its relief on Hill 342 by the 24th Regiment, moves from Sangnyong-ni to Hill 308, arriving there at 2100. At 0010 on August 10, the battalion heads south toward the new MSR to participate in the night assault against Paedun-ni. Fifteen minutes later, it moves through the lines of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, at a pass between Hills 190 and 308. The 3rd Battalion remains in its sector to execute some security details until relieved by U.S. Army units. Afterwards, the 3rd Battalion joins the brigade on the following morning. Also, the three batteries (four guns each) of the 1st Bn. (reinforced), 5th Marines, which had relieved the 8th Field Artillery Battalion at Chindong-ni on August 6, has played a vital support

200 role for much of the ground fighting between the 7th and 9th. In addition, the observation planes of VMO6 have enhanced the artillery’s success by their effective target spotting with emphasis on enemy mortar positions. The crews of the batteries of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, quickly adjust to the perplexing combat around Chindong-ni. The batteries form an arc to intercept any threat, singular or plural and regardless of the direction it comes from. Usually, one battery peers north while two others face east and west. Later, Colonel Wood, referring to the experience gained, offers his opinion: “I think that this is one of the most important lessons we learned in fighting infiltrating troops. Artillery must be able and always prepared to fire in any direction on a moment’s notice.” Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: In the 9th Regimental sector, strong fire fights ensue as the contest for Cloverleaf and Obong-ni continues, but neither side gains the advantage and both sides sustain heavy casualties. Heavy fighting also rages along the Naktong in the 24th Division sector as the N.K. 4th Division pounds against the perimeter. The forward observation post of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, posted at the southern tip of battalion positions, is overrun, but the remainder of the perimeter is firmly held. The outnumbered troops receive orders to remain in place and give no ground. In the meantime, Company A, 1st Battalion, and elements of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, arrive at the 1st Battalion lines. Company L will be reformed on the following day and rushed back to reinforce K Company. The North Korean gains compel the 24th Division to evacuate its command post at Changnyong and reestablish it at Kyungyo, nearly fifteen miles to the rear. An irritated General Walker arrives by air. He exchanges some heated words with General Church, who is already under great stress. Church then orders a divisional attack to commence at about 1700. The three participating regiments are held together by Band-Aids and rubber bands, too overextended and too exhausted to mount a fierce assault. The attack receives support from aircraft and artillery (11th, 13th and 15th FABns) when it commences, but the 9th RCT is burdened with the weight of the assault. The weakened 19th and 34th Regiments are unable to advance. The commander of the 2nd Battalion, 9th RCT, Colonel Fred Harrison, loses one leg during the day’s action and he is evacuated; Colonel Joseph A. Walker, the battalion executive officer, assumes command. The opposing sides will each launch attacks on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions continue their advance toward Taegu. The N.K. 15th Division continues to move through the mountains east of Hills 201 and 346 heading for Tabu-dong, about fifteen miles north of Taegu. The three enemy divisions are each operating against South Korean defenses located west of the cavalry positions at Waegwan. And on this day, additional enemy

201 units cross the river near the 1st Cavalry defenses. At about 0300, the 7th Regiment, 3rd N.K. Division, walks across the Naktong at a point near Noch’on, two miles south of the Waegwan Bridge. Some 5th Cavalrymen spot the enemy movement and inform artillery, which has preset its guns for the crossing site. The N.K. 7th Regiment is greeted with bursting flares that expose it, but most troops safely make it to the hills. Enemy soldier Choe Song Hwan’s diary, extracted after his capture on the 12th, denotes the early morning’s activities: “Gradually advanced toward the river. Enemy shelling is fierce. Arrived at the river. The terrible enemy (U.S.) has sent up flares ... the noise is ringing in my ears. Have already crossed the river. Occupied a hill....” About 45 minutes before daylight, it becomes apparent that Hill 268 has been occupied when a reconnaissance detachment of the 5th Cavalry observes the penetration. The trailing 8th and 9th Regiments attempt to cross the river farther south, but by now, all the guns and the mortars of the 5th Cavalry Regiment are poised to fire. Suddenly, star shells and brightly illuminated flares burst overhead, giving the water an iridescent glow. The encompassing enfilade inflicts heavy casualties on the stunned regiments, which are helplessly strung out in the water. Very few men of the N.K. 8th and 9th Regiments safely execute the crossing. They are forced to return to the east bank and suspend their Naktong crossing until the following night. At dawn, ambiguous reports of the enemy crossings in the 5th Cavalry zone reach General Gay at his headquarters in Taegu. Unwilling to act impulsively, Gay attempts to acquire more detailed specifics on the breakthrough. In the meantime, he orders the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry (reserve), commanded by Lt. Colonel Peter D. Clainos, to go on imminent alert, and he summons 1st Lieutenant Harry A. Buckley, acting S-2, 5th Cavalry, who is supposed to have on-scene information concerning the penetration. Shortly thereafter, Buckley arrives at divisional headquarters and he clears up all doubts. Buckley’s report states: “Approximately 45 minutes before daylight, I observed enemy forces moving up the ridge line just northwest of Hill 268. The enemy were moving in dog trot in groups of four. Every fourth man carried an automatic weapon, either a light machine gun or a burp gun.... In my opinion and I counted them carefully, the enemy was in strength of a reinforced battalion, approximately 750 men.” Lt. Buckley says to General Gay: “General, I am not a very excitable person and I know what I saw, when I saw it, where I was when I saw it and where the enemy was going.” General Walker arrives to question Gay on how he intends to handle the newest crisis. Gay and Walker agree that the crossing in the 5th Cavalry area might be a feint to cover a larger crossing farther to the left. General Gay makes preparations to clear Hill 268 (Triangulation Hill) of the enemy. The guns of the 61st FAB begin to plaster the strategic objective, which dominates both a segment of the key Korean north-south

August 9, 1950 highway and the double-track railroad line (PusanSeoul-Harbin, Manchuria), which glides around its base. The north-south road has been utilized since ancient times, and Hill 268, ten air-miles northwest of Taegu and three miles from Waegwan, is vital for U.S. lines of communications in the area. The 1st Battalion gets its marching orders at 0930. It departs Taegu supported by five tanks of Company A, 71st Heavy Tank Battalion, and advances to the objective, Hill 268. The hill is inundated with high dense brush and a scattering of trees that attain a height of eight to ten feet, affording the enemy natural camouflage positions. The artillery launches a pre-attack barrage at 1200. Upon its cessation, the 1st Battalion attacks, but coordination between the artillerymen and the infantry is less than smooth, further complicating the arduous attack, which rages under blazing heat. Many of the soldiers fall prey to heat prostration. Consequently, the assault falters. Another attempt to dislodge the N.K. 3rd Division occurs on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The S.K. 8th Division catches the advancing N.K. 8th Division by surprise on the Uisong-Yongch’on Road near Uisong and inflicts heavy casualties (about 700) on the enemy’s 3rd Regiment. During the heated exchange, some South Koreans are deployed in a shallow valley near a bridge to protect an antitank minefield. As an enemy column approaches the bridge, one tank strikes a mine. Almost instantaneously a second tank detonates a mine. And then the guns begin blazing. Three additional enemy tanks and one self propelled 76-mm gun reach the road blockage. Drivers attempt to reverse their vehicles. At about the same time, a group of F-51 fighters arrive overhead and begin to dive for the kill. The pilots deposit napalm and rockets, which decimate all six vehicles. Meanwhile, the N.K. 2nd Regiment rushes to aid the beleaguered 3rd Regiment, but it, too, incurs severe casualties before it finally regains the ground previously lost to the ROK forces. The valiant stand by the South Koreans hurts the enemy badly, forcing the N.K. 8th Division to suspend its march against Yongch’on for one week. Farther east, the N.K. 12th Division, which carries the honorary title “Andong Division,” continues its march through the mountains southeast of Andong en route to seize Pohang-dong. The 12th Division has diminished its strength by returning its 2nd Battalion’s (artillery regiment) full complement of artillery pieces to Tanyang, due to lack of ammunition. Sporadic reports filter into Eighth Army headquarters during August concerning the guerrilla units that have been moving through the mountains in the S.K. 3rd Division sector, but today, it receives information detailing the presence of a large enemy regular army force that has been detected northwest of Pohang-dong. The columns are moving toward the U.S. Air Force Base at Yonil Airfield, jeopardizing it and the coastal road. The S.K. 3rd Division is deployed along the coastal road about twenty miles in front of Pohang-dong; however,

August 10, 1950 the enemy moves freely through the mountains as there are no units forming a line of defense there. Elements of the S.K. 25th Regiment arrive in Kigye from Taegu, and at once, they are committed. The 1st and 2nd Battalions drive north from the village to hook up with the 3rd S.K. Division forces located south of Yongdok. The two battalions advance less than three miles when they are struck by a counterattack and shoved back beyond the starting point to an area about southeast of the village. Meanwhile, in the S.K. 3rd Division sector, the commanding officer, S.K. 22nd Regiment, directs the troops at the Kanggu-dong bridge to destroy it. Despite no orders from the KMAG advisor, Major Britton, the bridge collapses into the river at 0530, and the action isolates about 350 troops north of the Osipch’on. Again, premature anxiety increases the burden of the S.K. forces and gives the enemy the advantage. The S.K. 3rd Division is compelled to withdraw the divisional command post to Changsadong during the afternoon, negating two weeks of gallant fighting against the enemy. The stranded troops attempt to cross the Osip-ch’on, an inlet of the Sea of Japan, but many perish in its deep waters. The division chief of staff, incensed by the destruction of the bridge, informs the S.K. Army that the officer in question must be relieved immediately or he would be summoned to a court martial and be executed by a firing squad. The officer is relieved of duty at once. However, the action does little to aid the beleaguered S.K. 3rd Division. The North Koreans press the attack and increase the infiltration of the lines. By the following day, the 3rd Division will be encircled. — In the United States: The 1st Marine Division issues Operation Order No. 1-50, which authorizes the embarkation of the division (minus the brigade and one RCT) to the Far East, with orders to report to the CinCFE upon arrival. By today, Camp Pendleton contains 17,162 Marines who have arrived from across the country, and they are eligible for transfer to the 1st Marine Division.

August 10 Planes from the USS Philippine Sea attack enemy targets. During one raid, an enemy barracks is damaged. The USS Valley Forge also catapults its planes to strike enemy targets. One contingent, composed of four F4Us commanded by Lieutenant Clarence E. Smith, coordinates with a Mosquito plane near Chinju and successfully blows a bridge near the village. Following further instructions from the Mosquito plane, the aircraft head north of the village and locate concealed vehicles and an oil depot. Lightning fast passes and accurate rocket and machine gun fire decimate the area. In other activity, General Partridge, commander, Far East Air Forces, gripes that his planes are being underutilized by Eighth Army concerning the transfer of supplies from Japan to Korea. In reaction, Eighth Army decreases its Red Ball Express cargo and expands its airlift operation. The Red Ball Express, initiated on July

202 23, is operating well and is much less expensive. Nonetheless, by August 15, the land-sea mode is sharply reduced to a schedule of operating twice a week. Equipment transfers will be augmented by the Air Force. Regardless of the method of transporting the equipment from Japan, once in Korea, Eighth Army expedites the supplies to the specified areas. Since about the beginning of August, the Army has been using Korean civilians (carrying A-frames) to transport supplies into the mountains to the front lines. The civilian transporters are less expensive for the Army than using pack animals. Through the cooperation of the ROK Army, the civilians are allotted to the U.S. units. About 500 unskilled men, including laborers and transporters, are hired per division. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, the brigade had been released from its mop-up operations in the area around Chindong-ni at 1600 on the previous night, making the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, available for the proposed night attack against Paedun-ni. At 0115, the 2nd Battalion advances through the positions of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. The overtired contingent treks through the darkness supported by spearheading tanks, and it arrives near the objective without incident at about 0500. But a mishap occurs as the point tank of Lieutenant William Pomeroy’s platoon inadvertently smashes into a concrete bridge and becomes jammed, forbidding passage. Unable to extricate the M-26, the trailing tank attempts to take a circuitous route adjacent to the bridge, but mid-stream, it loses a track and stalls the column for two more hours. In the meantime, South Korean laborers build a makeshift bypass to provide passage for the lighter vehicles that are attached to the attack group. Heavy equipment is brought up to fabricate a crossing for the remainder of the tanks and the other heavy vehicles. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, arrives at Paedon-ni at 0800 and discovers it unoccupied. By 0930, the column is back on the road heading toward Kosong, but many of the heavier vehicles still struggle for progress at the stream. The hold-up impedes Murray’s plan to ferry the troops by truck. The column advances, lacking air and artillery support, but it expects only minimal resistance. During the eight-mile march, General Craig arrives overhead in his helicopter. After it sets down, Craig expresses his displeasure with the tardiness of the advance. He orders Murray to speed up the march. Four jeeps and five 2 1/2 ton trucks are procured. They roar to the head of the column to load the advance troops: the 1st and 2nd Platoons, Company D, an assault squad, the 60-mm mortars and one machine gun section, which become the vanguard. The advance unit is to occupy the town and establish a defense strategy while it awaits the arrival of the main body. Still lacking air cover and artillery support, the forward elements advance along the road, heading toward the unfamiliar and elevated narrow 1,000 foot Taedabok Pass, two and one-half miles southwest of Paedun-ni. From the pass, the column must still

203 venture around a dangerously tight curve near the village of Pugok. It veers left as it nudges the base of a huge hill that dominates the entire pass. The convoy moves through the pass without incident, providing some added confidence that the final leg of the journey might remain uncontested. Then suddenly, at 1500, the first jeep of the reconnaissance unit pulls into position nearly parallel to the village of Pugok. At about the same time, it is struck by an ambush. Concealed machine guns unleash a swift hurricane of fire that catapults down from the ominous hill to riddle the troops of Company D. The Marines scurry for cover, but as they bolt from the vehicles, a shell from an antitank gun swoops down with a thunderous roar and scores a direct hit on one of the lead jeeps. The small detachment then moves back to join the remainder of the company. Captain Zimmer considers his options, then he directs his 1st Platoon to maneuver to the right side of the road, then climb to positions about half way through the pass to secure the high ground there. Zimmer hopes the action will help neutralize the enemy fire until the full strength of the battalion arrives. The ground troops move swiftly and reach the assigned positions without resistance. They immediately establish positions and return fire. By this time, Company B has eliminated several small groups of the enemy posted on both sides of the road at the entrance to the pass and arrives to join the fire fight. In the meantime, Zimmer discovers the position of the menacing antitank gun. Mortar fire then pulverizes it, but in the process, the mortar ammunition becomes exhausted. Zimmer postpones any further advance until the brigade’s heavy guns arrive. At 1630, two tanks pull up. They promptly return fire and the powerful blasts of their 90-mm shells pummel the enemy positions. Marine aircraft also arrive to further augment the battalion. The combined strength apparently convinces the North Koreans to scatter. With the elimination of the enemy’s advance positions, the drive resumes, but other enemy troops lurk nearby. During the interruption, the 3rd Battalion, led by Colonel Taplett, arrives at Paedun-ni from Chindongni and joins the column. Colonel Murray directs Taplett to prepare to run his 3rd Battalion through the 2nd Battalion positions and maintain the attack. The 3rd Battalion advances to the pass to reach positions just behind the 2nd Battalion, which had moved by foot. Colonel Murray and Colonel Taplett, unable to locate Colonel Roise (2nd Battalion commander), move to the high ground to scrutinize the terrain and attempt to locate the enemy positions. Kosong, about five miles distant, is clearly visible from their vantage point, but the precise positions of the enemy cannot be determined. Nonetheless, the 3rd Battalion launches the attack; some elements (Company G) have already crossed the departure line and are poised to strike at the hill, precisely at the bend in the road. However, the uncertainty of the location of the entrenched enemy continues to raise concern; Major McNeely (S-3) and a small

August 10, 1950 detachment volunteer to advance in a jeep to gain the needed intelligence. At 1730, the party jumps off, but almost immediately, Colonel Taplett, from his observation post in the heights on the left side of the road, spots danger awaiting the patrol. Urgently he radios word to Lieutenant Bohn, instructing him to halt the jeep, but it is too late. The speeding vehicle takes the curve and as the patrol disappears around the bend, the foreboding sounds of heavy enemy small-arms and machine gun fire reverberate alarmingly, signaling the probability of fateful news. Company G bolts forward to reach the beleaguered patrol. Westerman’s platoon takes the point with Lieutenant Duncan’s platoon trailing, but the fierce ring of fire halts progress. Desperately trying to reach McNeeley’s detachment, Lieutenant Bohn orders Duncan’s platoon to sweep wide to the right, then open the throttle. Despite heavy incoming fire, the gutsy envelopment succeeds. Duncan’s command swoops onto the summit and violently evicts the enemy occupants. Westerman’s platoon follows shortly thereafter. Once on the summit, Westerman glances down; he discovers the grim sight of McNeeley’s ravaged jeep. Close by, the five Marines lay utterly still, under and to the immediate rear of the decimated jeep. He disregards furious fire, sprints to the ambushed detachment and drags McNeely, who is mortally wounded, back to the lines. Two killed and two severely wounded men remain near the jeep. Intense enemy fire becomes impenetrable and bars additional rescue attempts. Meanwhile, Company G resumes its attack and immediately comes under a wall of relentless fire that originates from two concealed enemy machine guns at the remote end of the curve. Company H bolsters the attack force; it pushes on the left side of the road and captures the hill opposite Bohn’s Company G. Nonetheless, the enemy machine guns continue their deadly fire until finally, just before dark, they are permanently silenced. Colonel Murray, at 2015, orders the 3rd Battalion to establish night defenses to ensure the retention of the two captured hills. An anguishing decision is reached concerning the fate of the two surviving men. Convinced that the enemy has planned a night ambush, the mission is postponed until dawn. With the exception of some sporadic rifle fire along the 700-yard front of the 3rd Battalion, the night of the 9th-10th remains peaceful. In accordance with the orders of General Craig, the attack is to be reinitiated at dawn on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: The Americans still hold some strong positions along the Naktong in the 24th Division sector, but the North Koreans have secured much strategic ground, including the establishment of a roadblock below the town of Yongsan, which severs the division’s MSR from the south. The positions of Companies K and L, 34th Regiment, above the Naktong are becoming isolated, but they continue to hold. Today, the Communists launch another vicious assault to destroy the 9th RCT, but in turn the

August 10, 1950 men of Colonel Hill’s RCT commence an attack that leads to a colossal head-on collision. The 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, lacks many officers due to the severe heat and ongoing brutalizing combat. Colonel Rhea, the commanding officer, had been evacuated due to heat exhaustion on the previous day. Company F is the sole 9th RCT rifle company that still has more than one officer. This engagement takes another heavy toll on the regiment and it is forced to give ground. The North Koreans reclaim all the terrain that it had previously lost on Cloverleaf (Hill 165). But to the north, the 19th Regiment’s 2nd Battalion fights an equally fierce but more successful battle in the rugged slopes. Stiff opposition is overcome and the 2nd Battalion seizes a few hills, including the strategic Ohang Hill; however, the losses are grave and the battalion completes the day’s combat with only about 100 able riflemen remaining. Although the Americans take Ohang Hill, the enemy holds positions to the south of it, and the 19th Regiment is unable to make further progress. The battle at the Naktong Bulge takes on a different light as the Americans gradually become adapted to the extreme weather, and the boys, most of whom arrived green, are standing firm during their baptisms under fire, refusing to retreat under pressure. General Church makes more adjustments in his battle plans. He places all units in the bulge area under the command of Colonel John G. Hill (9th RCT) and he directs Hill to launch another attack on the 11th. The varied units under Hill’s command are designated Task Force Hill, composed of the 24th Division’s 19th and 34th Regiments, the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, and the 9th Regiment (minus 3rd Battalion), 2nd Division. In addition, all supporting units, including artillery, come under the command of Colonel Hill. The casualty list has hugely diminished the strength of the combined units. The 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment’s three rifle companies combined contain fewer than 100 men. Company F stands at 25, Company E, 30 troops and Company D, the strongest of the three, stands at about 40 men. While the officers design the strategy for the attack scheduled for the following morning, the enemy continues to get reinforcements across the Naktong. An underwater bridge the enemy has been constructing is completed during the darkened hours of the 10th, and prior to dawn on the following day, by use of the bridge and rafts, the enemy also crosses about twelve pieces of artillery, some mortars and vehicles. The 1st Battalion (less Company C), 21st Regiment, commanded by Colonel Charles Smith, is committed, because the enemy has yet to threaten the 25th Division’s northern (right) sector guarded by Stephens’ 21st Regiment. General Church is also bargaining heavily to have General Walker release the 27th Regiment under Colonel Michaelis to join the imminent battle. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: At Hill 268 (Triangulation Hill), the enemy still retains a firm hold at dawn, but the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Reg-

204 iment, prepares to renew its attack to seize the hill. U.S. artillery launches resounding blows against the slopes, and it is also struck by aircraft to dent the resistance and create some panic among the defenders. However, during the morning, the North Koreans maintain their own destructive firing, and they find time to establish ambush sites along the road. Three officers, including the assistant division commander and a few military police, run into an ambush along the Waegwan Road at Hill 268. Most of the party becomes wounded. Later in the day, General Gay and an aide are engrossed in conversation with the 1st Battalion executive officers and several other troops along the same road in the same vicinity. During the gathering, effective mortar fire rings the area, and one direct hit wounds or kills everyone in the group except General Gay and his aide. An infuriated General Gay speeds five tanks forward to positions along the road from which they can pour their concentrated fire upon the reverse slope. The tanks proceed without delay, and soon after, the turrets bellow and strike a jackpot. The enemy had bolted to the reverse slope to evade the murderous artillery fire. The tanks pour incessant fire into the hill and the enemy is caught in the frying pan as they jump from their positions. To return to the opposing slope, they face the artillery, and to remain on the reverse slope, they face annihilation by tank fire. In the meantime, in coordination with the artillery, the ground troops of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, assault the summit. They claim total domination of the hill by 1600. The seizure permits the artillery to change gears and swivel its guns westward to again catch the fleeing enemy. The air sizzles with the hissing of artillery shells that pound the route of retreat. In one instance, during the enfilade, the 61st FAB commences a white phosphorous barrage that saturates a village that conceals a great many fleeing troops. Later, when U.S. soldiers enter the village, they discover about 200 enemy troops, all deceased. By nightfall on the 10th, the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, reverts back to Eighth Army reserve. Elements of the 5th Cavalry Regiment move into the area to reduce the remnant resistance on Hill 268 and the immediate area. About 300 enemy troops of the 7th N.K. Regiment escape and re-cross the Naktong, but about 700 of their comrades have been killed, wounded, or captured. The once powerful N.K. 3rd Division, which had entered Seoul triumphantly, has been humbled. The N.K. 3rd Division had also whipped the 19th Regiment at Taejon, and in cooperation with the N.K. 4th Division, it had pushed the 1st Cavalry from Yongdong. The remnants of the regiment rejoin their battered parent division on about the 12th of August, but with its strength zapped to about 2,500 troops, the N.K. 3rd Division is placed in reserve until replacements can be added. Once again, as prisoners are questioned, it is determined that the majority of casualties had been inflicted by the artillery. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: In the S.K. 3rd Division sector in Changsa-dong, the situation has

205 deteriorated tremendously during the last 24 hours. The N.K. 5th Division has swept around the South Koreans and severed the coastal highway below Hunghae, about five miles above Pohang-dong. Eighth Army establishes Task Force Pohang to counteract the new and rapidly developing threat in the eastern corridor. The components comprise the tested S.K. 17th Regiment and several untried units, including the S.K. 25th Regiment, the S.K. 1st Anti-guerrilla Battalion, the S.K. Pohang Marine Battalion and Battery C, U.S. 18th FAB. Also, the S.K. 26th Regiment, activated on the 11th, will speed east to An’gang-ni to join the task force. General Walker, in an attempt to forestall panic and hold the discipline of the S.K. 3rd Division, orders Colonel Emmerich to come to Yonil Airfield; Emmerich contacts the cruiser USS Helena and requests a helicopter for the trip. General Walker confers with Emmerich, General Partridge and Brigadier General Francis Farrell, the chief of KMAG. During the meeting, Colonel Emmerich is directed to instruct the S.K. 3rd Division to hold its perimeter at Changsa-dong and to

August 10, 1950 intercept and repel any N.K. advance. Emmerich is further informed that if the stance falters, enemy artillery and tanks could continue down the coastal road to threaten Yonil Airfield. After the conference, Emmerich returns to the S.K. lines and gives the new commanding officer, Brigadier General Kim Suk Won, the orders. No American troops are dispatched to support the stand, as there is still poor intelligence. Eighth Army remains unaware of the heavy numbers of enemy troops that have infiltrated through the mountains. While Emmerich is returning to his area, General Walker departs for Taegu and at 1735 he dispatches a messenger to Kyong-san with orders for Major General Lawrence Keiser, commanding officer, 2nd Division. Keiser is directed to speed the remainder of the 9th Regiment to Yonil Airfield. The Command Group and the 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment (minus Company K), moves out after dusk for Yonil and Pohang-dong. The column moves along the primary road through Kyongju, and it arrives at the airfield just before midnight. Company K moves separately, but it does not enjoy an uneventful journey. At

An American tank is halted in a hole in the road. Troops work to bring it back into the operation. A helicopter in the background prepares to take off.

August 10, 1950

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A Sherman medium tank fires upon targets near a North Korean–held village. about 0120 on the 11th, the convoy transporting Company K and four vehicles of Battery C, 15th FAB, reaches a point about ten miles north of Kyongju and one mile east of An’gang-ni. It is here that the highway bends abruptly while passing through the Hyongsan-gang Valley toward Pohangdong. The lead vehicle vanishes around the curve, while the other vehicles trail. A waiting enemy ambush team, thought to be composed of elements of the 766th Independent Regiment, commences fire on the point vehicle and strikes the driver. The truck swerves out of control and creates an impassable blockage across the slim road, which is carved between a river and the base of a precipitous mountain. The unexpected ambush and the instant quagmire along the road breed confusion. The troops that are able attempt to return to Kyongju. Two officers and 120 enlisted men escape and make it back to the village. Word of the disaster reaches General Joseph Bradley, the commanding officer of TF Bradley. He dispatches Company I to rescue the trapped convoy. The reinforcements speed from Yonil back toward An’gang-ni, but the enemy also springs an ambush on it at a point west of Pohang-dong. A second team of reinforcements, composed of two M-16 vehicles, each transporting four .50-caliber machine guns, roars to the site. The majority of Company I manages to return to Yonil during the day (11th), but 25 troops fail to return. Company K sustains 7 dead and 40 wounded, and its accompanying Battery C, 15th FAB, loses about 25 men. In addition, during the day’s heated activities, four U.S. fighters from Yonil are shot down by enemy machine gun and small-arms fire.

In Air Force activity, the Air Force launches 46 B29s, attached to the 22d, 92d, and 98th Bomber Groups to strike targets in North Korea, including rails and an oil refinery at Wonsan. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff authorize a third regiment for the 1st Marine Division; the 7th Marines are activated with orders to sail for the Far East by September 3. The Marine Corps orders a battalion serving in the Mediterranean with the Sixth Fleet to join the 1st Marine Division in the Far East. Also on this day the 1st Marine Division leaves San Diego for Korea. The operation is completed by 19 August. About one-third of the ships required to transport the amphibious force to Korea will be Japanese vessels manned by Japanese sailors, due to the lack of American vessels. Previously, many of the Japanese vessels were U.S. ships. Some are permeated with an atrocious smell due to hauling fish. The odor causes many of the troops to become sick during the journey. In other activity, the IX Corps, commanded by Major General Frank W. Milburn, is activated by the U.S. Army at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. The IX Corps has no troops assigned to it other than staff. General Milburn and a small entourage of officers will depart the U.S. for Korea on September 5. — In Japan: General MacArthur issues a statement to respond to the speculative news stories streaming out of Tokyo concerning Ambassador Sebald being left out of a recent meeting with Chiang Kai-shek. MacArthur reiterates that the meeting was of a military nature, which did not require the ambassador. MacArthur also reprimands what he calls the anonymous sources that he claims are “10,000 miles away

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Top: U.S. Army troops erect barbed wire obstacles to slow an enemy advance. Bottom: An oil refinery at Wonsan is struck by U.S. planes on 10 August. from the actual events.” He states, “This visit has been maliciously misrepresented to the public by those who invariably in the past have propagandized a policy of defeatism and appeasement in the Pacific....”

In other activity, General MacArthur, having received authorization from the Department of the Army, directs General Walker to enlarge the South Korean Army to a realistic number.

August 11, 1950

August 11

As an added precaution to ensure the safety of Pusan, General Walker has recently received instructions from General MacArthur concerning a particular second line of defense to be drawn closer to Pusan. MacArthur wants it established in the event that the enemy is not halted at the Naktong. On this day, General Walker directs Brigadier General Garrison Davidson to draw plans. Davidson, an engineer, studies the selected terrain and suggests that the line be drawn tighter to Pusan, because of more tenable defensive ground. Rather than modify MacArthur’s plan, the original lines are drawn. Brigadier General Crump Garvin and the 2nd Logistical Command at Pusan, begin work on what becomes the Davidson Line. It originates eight miles north of Ulsan on the east coast at Sodong-ni and spreads west through the heights to a spot northeast of Miryang. Continuing, the line sweeps down a ridge east of Muan-ni and then it swerves south crossing the Naktong and terminates in the heights northeast of Masan. The complications of forming a defensive line vary from location to location, and this one is no different. Davidson prefers to strip the front area of houses to give the defenders a finer line of fire against the approaching enemy, but the idea is discarded by General Walker. On September 1, General Davidson reports to the divisional headquarters of the 24th Division to assume the position of assistant division commander, but work on the line continues in his absence. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, during the early morning hours a thick fog creeps into the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines’ perimeter while Company G prepares to attack. It will advance from its recently captured positions in the high ground beyond Pugok to strike Kosong. In the meantime, at the first glimpse of dawn, amidst the thick fog, a Communist contingent composed of about one platoon strikes against Company G. The attempt to evict the Marines and retake the crest ignites a wild close-in struggle, but the Marines resort to their bayonets and bare knuckles to eliminate the threat. The donnybrook intensifies as the enemy troops lunge toward the outpost of Lieutenant Bohn, which stands midway along the line. The Marines tighten the defense and sharpen their throwing arms, then they toss grenades into the midst of the attackers while fending off enemy grenades. Suddenly, one of the enemy grenades explodes and wounds Bohn, but it is not debilitating. He retains control of the troops. Meanwhile, Sergeant Charles Kurtz, standing next to Bohn, ignores incoming grenades and the whizzing burst of burp gun fire while he communicates with the support units to get some assistance. Instantly, mortar fire arrives to squelch the attack. The timely arrival of 60-mm mortars sedates the enemy. Then the ground troops charge and culminate the thirty minutes of fury by shoving the surviving enemy troops down the slope. The men of Company G also reach and rescue the two surviving members of Major McNeeley’s patrol.

208 Following the skirmish, the brigade re-initiates its attack toward Kosong. The 3rd Battalion acts as vanguard. The column advances quickly, with the 3rd Platoon (Lt. John Counselman), Company G, at the point, but it comes to a screeching halt about one mile out when the terrain to its front appears peculiar. The forward elements of the 3rd Platoon (led by Corporal Raymond Giaquinto) are accompanied by flank guards that lurk astride the halted vehicles. Instinctively, the guards sprint forward on their respective sides of the MSR and form a lethal loop around the suspicious ground, which harbors a machine gun and five enemy troops. Corporal Giaquinto’s contingent creates a threepronged terminator force, which springs a vicious and swift charge. The fleeting strike eliminates five defenders, and the perched machine gun never gets off a round. Soon after, the forward elements eliminate another trio of enemy obstacles by combining direct assaults and envelopment tactics. By 1000, the lead components of the brigade arrive at a bridge north of the objective. Prior to crashing into Kosong, the 3rd Battalion enlists the guns of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, by requesting a preparatory bombardment to soften the resistance. Slightly before noon, the 105s roar. Streams of arcing shells initiate a demolition derby. The barrage blows some buildings into instantaneous debris and splinters, much of which swirls into the sky. The bombardment inspires the occupying forces of the N.K. 83rd Motorcycle Regiment to evacuate. While the 105s maintain a steady string of deadly fire, about 100 enemy vehicles begin their escape, but the retreating regiment receives no reprieve. The illfated convoy scoots through the flying dust and rubble, escaping the town only to encounter more firepower. TACP had requested air support, and as the convoy exits the town, four Marine aircraft appear in the skies directly above it. The planes had just catapulted from the USS Badoeng Strait in response to a call for a searchand-destroy mission beyond the town. The imminent bonanza is totally unanticipated by the brigade, but nonetheless greatly appreciated. The VMF-323 planes, led by Major Lund, are a terrifying omen for the contingents of the motorcycle regiment. The Corsairs swoop down to their usual dangerously low level, and then trigger a relentless strafing run that rivets the entire column. The convoy, without choice, screeches to a halt, causing a chain reaction pileup and a chaotic situation. The vehicles either smash into each other or careen wildly into the gutters astride the road. The enemy troops bolt for cover away from the burning vehicles. The ravaging Corsairs of Major Arnold Lund continue to spew fire into the enemy. The planes pummel specific targets with rockets and 20-mm shells, to the consternation of the beleaguered enemy. However, the North Koreans resist as best they can. Return small-arms fire damages two of the aircraft, which compels the distressed pilots to attempt emergency landings. Captain Vivian Moses, who had been shot down and

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An enemy captive grabs a cigarette break while two troops stand guard over him. rescued unharmed by a helicopter from behind the enemy’s lines on the previous day, is again shot down. He attempts to land his disabled plane in enemy territory. Upon impact, Moses is thrown from the cockpit and he loses consciousness. He drowns in the rice paddy within minutes, before a rescuing helicopter arrives to save him. Captain Moses becomes the first fatality of VMF-323 and the first Marine Corps aviator to be killed during the Korean War. Moses was the nephew of Major General Emile P. Moses. The other downed pilot, Lieutenant Doyle Cole, ditches his plane in the sea. Luckily, General Craig passes over in his helicopter to inspect the area; Craig operates the helicopter’s hoist and pulls Cole to safety. Meanwhile, additional planes from VMF-323 arrive to relieve the initial attack force. This second wave of Marine Corsairs is bolstered by Air Force F-51s that join the hunt dubbed “the Kosong Turkey Shoot.” Following the decimation of the enemy convoy, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines attacks Kosong; Company H leaps through Company G’s positions along the MSR and enters Kosong against light opposition. Captain Fegan neutralizes the defenders with one rifle platoon and two supporting tanks. Fegan then pivots to the right and drives south toward Sachon while his other two platoons maintain their southern movement toward a hill in front of Sunam-dong. In the meantime, Lieutenant Bohn’s Company G, 3rd Battalion, passes through the area just west of the Kosong to assault Hill 88, defended by about 100 Communist troops. Along the route of advance, Company G encounters an obstinate enemy pocket. The obsta-

cle is eliminated, but several casualties are sustained. Company H, awaiting orders, is poised to strike Hill 88; while standing by, the ground troops see planes from MAG-33 soar overhead and rock the summit with a blazing attack in coordination with the guns of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. Upon cessation of the air and artillery strikes, Company H advances, and to its surprise, against an enemy that has vanished. The hill is secured at 1330. While Companies G and H clear their respective areas of responsibility, General Craig arrives in Kosong. He witnesses a brief duel; a small detachment of enemy snipers is perched in and about the school house adjoining the school yard where Colonel Taplett is establishing his battalion command post. Unexpectedly, some threatening but ineffective shots ring out. In spontaneous response, sniper teams of Taplett’s 3rd Battalion snap into action. Following the resounding crackle of shells fired by sharpshooters, the enemy snipers suddenly expire. The 3rd Battalion is ordered by General Craig to abort any additional action around Kosong and at once to turn its attention toward Sachon. Company G descends Hill 88, which affords a reprieve for any North Korean troops that remain in the heights above Sunam-dong. Company H assembles on the western fringe of the town and prepares to spearhead the attack. Meanwhile, an ambulance speeds toward the area where the casualties from the earlier skirmish at Hill 88 are waiting, but after it cruises through the positions of Company H, it misses a southward turn. Inadvertently the medics continue toward Sachon. The

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U.S. Sherman tanks pause while infantry moves around a bend along a serpentine road. ambulance races directly into the sights of two enemy antitank guns entrenched on the blind side of a curve in the road. The medical jeep, conspicuously marked, is decimated when it rounds the bend. The driver, Corpsman William Anderson, is killed by the barrage and two other troops are catapulted from the wreckage. Captain Fegan, Company H, moves to the curve, bringing two M-26 tanks with him. Sergeant Johnnie Cottrel swivels the turret of his tank toward the obsta-

cles, then he unleashes three 90-mm rounds that obliterate the final enemy blocking position and clear the route to Sachon. Along the way, the ground troops acquire a special attitude toward VMF-323 and the Air Force F-51s that have cluttered the road with smoldering enemy vehicles, left in the wake of the retreat from Kosong. Momentarily, the Marines pause and stand in awe of the massive damage inflicted by the aircraft. The

211 abandoned enemy vehicles have become bizarre contortions of scrap metal. However, some of the enemy vehicles, including jeeps and motorcycles with sidecars, remain unscathed and in mint condition. A quick inspection determines that Lend-Lease to the Russians during World War II is again haunting American troops. The captured Communist jeeps are manufactured in Russia and their Ford-type engines are quite familiar to the Marines. The normally stern NCOs crack a smile and allow troop discipline to dissipate while they fool around, as if in an amusement park back in the States. The Marines drive the smacking new motorcycles and the equally fresh Russian jeeps around VMF323’s recently created obstacle course. The savored moments are quickly over, and the brigade resumes the attack. The 3rd Battalion remains out front, trailed by the 2nd Battalion, but the entire column retains the umbrella support of VMF-323 and the much-appreciated light observation planes that sprout off optimistic reports on the enemy’s movement. The reports indicate a rapid retirement toward Sachon, with the Marines on their heels. By 1800, after advancing several miles, the lead M-26 tanks and elements of Company H approach a concealed enemy machine gun nest that lurks lazily in a valley to the left. Unexpectedly, the machine gun fire rakes the advance troops and wounds three Marines. The tanks move up to extinguish the threat. They uncork their .50-caliber machine guns and destroy the nest and its crew. At this time, the column halts for the night. Colonel Taplett’s 3rd Battalion spreads out and occupies two hills, both slightly north of the road. Because an amphibious operation had been considered possible during the advance that followed the capture of Kosong, the LST QO119 is nearby. It is operated by Team No. 1, Company A, 1st Shore Party Battalion, and it has been shadowing the column. The vessel is anchored off the fishing village of Tanghong-ni. The LST also doubles as a hospital vessel for the brigade. Under the circumstances, which include extreme heat as well as battle casualties, Company C, 1st Medical Battalion, receives little rest. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: The N.K. 4th Division, which had begun crossing the Naktong on August 5, has now supplemented its arsenal by transporting artillery and possibly some tanks across the river during the previous night. The artillery is deployed near Kogong-ni, about one mile behind the enemy positions on the ridge and Cloverleaf, from where it can shell Yongsan. The steady flow of reinforcements has enabled the North Koreans to infiltrate further and to begin to circumvent the U.S. positions at Cloverleaf and Obongni Ridge; a formidable force stands to the rear of the U.S. lines. Task Force Hill launches its attack, but it hits strong opposition. The 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, is dislodged by enemy contingents of the N.K. 4th Division before it steps off. And the 9th RCT and the 19th Regiment both fail to progress beyond their jump-off points. The enemy’s infusion of artillery

August 11, 1950 makes the situation worse. By afternoon, orders arrive directing TF Hill to abort the assault, dig in defensively and hold the line. Reinforcements rush to the 24th Division sector to bolster Task Force Hill against the superior numbered force. As of the night of the 11th, the entire N.K. 4th Division will have crossed to the east side of the Naktong. Meanwhile, as the main battle ensues without restraint, other enemy contingents slither toward a detachment of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, which is deployed at a bridge along the southern portion of the perimeter. The North Koreans take the squad by complete surprise and eliminate it. The enemy also secures the strategic bridge at Namji-ri. The seizure of this Naktong River bridge severs the Yongsan-Masan Road and prevents any further movement of vehicles between the lines of the 24th and 25th Divisions. Future trips must be by circuitous routes. A contingent of the 24th Division reconnaissance company encounters an enemy force south of Yongsan and its patrol is aborted. East of Yongsan, the enemy infiltration hinders the flow of traffic between Miryang and Yongsan. Concealed snipers are deployed along the route, and as the day unfolds, the North Koreans also establish a roadblock. Prior to dawn on the 12th, the blockage is stretched to within three miles of the town. All the while, feverish combat continues for domination of Cloverleaf and Obong-ni Ridge to the front of Yongsan. The 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment (reserve status), is at Masan on the southwest portion of the Pusan Perimeter. General Walker orders it to drive north and bolt the Naktong at Namji-ri, where the North Koreans have seized the bridge. Immediately thereafter, the battalion springs northward, zig-zagging through the onslaught of refugees who are fleeing south along the crammed highway. Along the route, a refugee cart gets knocked over, and its cargo is discovered to be concealed weapons for North Koreans. The infiltrators number about twelve troops. They attempt to run away, but instant reaction by Colonel Gordon Murch’s troops cuts eight of them down as they speed through a rice paddy. After the interruption, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, continues its northward march and encounters about two hundred Communist troops near Iryuongni, about two miles short of the objective. Brisk fighting develops and the enemy scatters, thanks in part to the guns of Lt. Colonel August Terry’s 8th FABn. Following the skirmish, the 2nd Battalion advances to the bridge and crosses to the north side. By midnight (11th-12th) it establishes defensive positions. Due to the dogged resistance encountered by the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, General Walker directs Colonel Stephens to commit the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel George DeChow. In other activity, General Church orders the 14th Engineer Combat Battalion to head for Yongsan to bolster the defenses there. Suddenly, although the signs have been visible for some time, General Church focuses

August 11, 1950 his attention to the rear rather than the offensive actions at the Naktong. The North Koreans have permeated the rear and the consequences are devastating to the 24th Division, which is gasping for breath. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 1st Cavalry Division continues to mop up around Hill 268. In contrast, the N.K. 3rd Division attempts to put the pieces together, since the molestation of its 7th Regiment and the repulse of the 8th and 9th Regiments at the Naktong on the night of the August 9. Both engagements cost the enemy heavily. In other activity, the N.K. 10th Division received orders on the previous day to attack across the Naktong, near Tuksong-dong. The units congregate in the area near Koryyong preparing to move across the river after dark. Once across, the division is to swing east to sever the primary Taegu-Pusan supply road. However, the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, in anticipation of such a move, has taken some precautions. Riflemen and machine gunners are scattered in excellent defensive positions in the hills near the damaged bridge. In addition, the artillerymen and mortar teams have preregistered the crossing site to assure effective fire. Eighth Army strategy intentionally leaves a damaged bridge, sturdy enough to handle only infantry, to lure the enemy into the trap. The N.K. 3rd Division was expected to join the untested N.K. 10th Division, but the 3rd’s surprising defeat makes the combined attack impossible. On the night of the 10th, the commanding officer of the N.K. 25th Regiment still expects support from the mighty 3rd Division “to destroy the enemy [U.S.] in Taegu City in coordination with the 3rd Infantry Division [N.K.].” Nonetheless, the N.K. 10th Division begins its night excursion late on the 11th. The N.K. 25th Regiment advances on the north flank near the battered bridge. The N.K. 29th Regiment crosses farther south, about three to five miles west of Hyongp’ung, and the 2nd Battalion crosses uneventfully at three separate ferry crossings. The 2nd Battalion deploys on Hill 265, a spur of Hill 409. The 1st and 3rd Battalions follow and occupy Hill 409. During the crossing, the 1st Battalion sustains about 20 to 30 lost to drowning in a rapid current. During the morning of the 12th, it is a contingent of this regiment that ambushes a 21st U.S. Regiment patrol during the Battle of Naktong Bulge. On the north flank, the N.K. 25th Division will initiate its crossing at 0300 on August 12. Also, on the 11th, at 0515, a North Korean guerrilla contingent (about 100 men) that has infiltrated the Pusan Perimeter springs a surprise attack against a radio relay station located on Hill 915, less than 10 miles south of Taegu. Seventy S.K. police defending the VHF station and its American operators are driven off. The Americans sustain two killed, two wounded and three men missing. During the day, S.K. police move back to the area, but the enemy has vanished. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The N.K.

212 766th Independent Regiment, which earlier split away from the N.K. 5th Division near Yongdok, has moved discreetly through the mountains to emerge behind Pohang-dong, but a detachment remains at the site of the Company K, 9th Regiment, ambush. On this day, the enemy contingent is caught at the site of the ambush by aerial observance. While plans are in the making to eliminate the threat, a tank company with the 9th Regiment is intercepted as it pauses at Kyongju to await the completion of repairs on a damaged bridge; Walker directs the tanks to advance to Yonil Airfield. Other orders are received by the S.K. 17th Regiment releasing it from TF Pohang and ordering it to move from An’gang-ni to Yonil. A KMAG advisor to the S.K. Regiment, Captain Darrigo, leads an armored patrol from An’gang-ni to Pohang-dong and the Yonil Airfield; Darrigo rides in the lead tank to guide the patrol to the scene of the ambush near Tongnam-ni. Meanwhile, TF Pohang launches a morning attack that drives north from An’gang-ni, but it encounters stiff opposition just after jump-off. The resistance, thought to be forward contingents of the N.K. 12th Division, pushes the task force back. The Capital Division also is compelled to give ground. Fighter pilots from Yonil fly desperate missions to neutralize the threat, but the enemy pressure remains strong. During one heated and lopsided firefight, two entire Companies of the S.K. 25th Regiment are wiped out. One pilot relates the circumstances of the agonizing day: “I barely had my wheels up before I started my strafing runs.” Some enemy patrols reach positions only three miles south of Pohang-dong; the initial troops may have entered the town on the 10th. About 300 troops of the N.K. 766th Independent Regiment and the N.K. 5th Division move into the town on this day and temporarily seize the railroad station. Planes and naval surface vessels pummel the positions and drive the Communists back into the hills, relegating the empty town to a no man’s land. Both sides send patrols into it during the darkened hours, but neither holds a trump card to claim it as a prize. Meanwhile, the armored patrol, led by Captain Darrigo, continues its mission and reaches the curve in the road where Company K, 9th Regiment, had been ambushed. The enemy waits to spring yet another surprise. The tanks roll closer, expecting to avenge the ambush, but before the armor begins to pump its iron, four screeching F-51 fighters swing overhead and begin to spread their killing power amidst the concealed enemy positions. The enfilade from the sky prompts the enemy to abandon their holes to search for sanctuary; however, Darrigo’s armored platoon catches the troops as they reveal their positions. The enemy is sprayed with incessant machine gun fire that inflicts heavy casualties. In one instance, a group of about seventy enemy troops are snagged on bare terrain. With the expiration of the roadblock, the armored patrol advances and arrives at Yonil Airfield about 2030. Captain Darrigo, the guide, is especially pleased with the success of the mission. He had been the sole

213 American officer on the 38th Parallel when the North Koreans began their invasion. The patrol delivers the first tanks to the airfield. The treaded battlewagons deploy to stiffen the perimeter. Throughout the night, the enemy in the heights south and west of the field catapult fire toward the airstrip. The barrages disrupt sleep, but the long-range guns continually miss the mark. As a precaution, all aircraft have departed Yonil for the night, but they return on the morning of the 12th. In related activity, S.K. Colonel Kim Hi Chun’s S.K. 17th Regiment will drive to Yonil from An’gang-ni on the 12th to further bolster the airfield. In Air Force activity, on this day the Air Force begins transporting trucks in C-19 Flying Boxcars from Tachikawa Air Base to Taegu. In Naval activity, the HMS Warrior (CVL) and HMS Ocean (CVL) arrive to join with the U.S. and British naval forces already operating in Korean waters. — In the United States: President Truman authorizes the transfer of the 3rd Infantry Division from general reserve to the Far East, but he stipulates that it is to be deployed only in Japan to replace the 7th Division and he emphasizes that it is not to be committed in Korea. In conjunction, the much-depleted U.S. 3rd Division is in terrible shape. — In Japan: General MacArthur instructs General Walker (in Korea) to bolster the 7th Division by using South Korean troops. More than 8,600 South Korean civilians will arrive in Japan from Korea to join the division before it begins the Inchon operation. Most of the Koreans are unable to converse in English, giving the NCOs additional problems. The South Korean recruits are dispersed among the rifle companies and the artillery batteries, which necessitates the implementation of the buddy system. Back in the States, the Army races to meet the leadership challenge. Fortunately, by the time of the Inchon Invasion, sufficient numbers of skilled and seasoned NCOs and officers from Fort Benning’s Infantry and Artillery Schools arrive to raise the caliber of the 7th Division to a higher degree of readiness than initially expected.

August 12 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade area, General Craig establishes his command post at Kosong at 0800. At 1130, General Kean, commanding general, 25th Division, contacts Craig by phone and instructs him to rush a reinforced battalion to the rear to support the 24th Regiment at Chindong-ni, where the enemy has severed the MSR and captured artillery pieces. Craig dispatches the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, by 1300. By 1400, he ponders the risk, considering that his brigade is down to two battalions and Sachon must still be taken. Meanwhile, at 0630, there is a change of the guard as the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel George Newton, eases through the positions of the 3rd Battalion to attack and secure Sachon. The column is spearheaded by a 15-man contingent of the reconnaissance company. It is an unsettling march

August 12, 1950 through an eerie tranquilness that exhibits no visible signs of the enemy. The circumstances raise some grave concern for the seasoned veterans, who recall similar experiences from World War II. The advance continues uncontested for more than four hours. Nevertheless, the tension continues to increase. The vanguard gains eleven miles and approaches Sachon, but still, the mysterious and somber bone-chilling silence signals imminent danger. The recon point men, led by Captain Kenneth Houghton, approach a suspicious curve about four miles from the objective at about noon. Company B, 1st Battalion, trails closely behind; its 1st Platoon is on the point, nosing just ahead of two tanks. The 2nd and 3rd platoons follow, trailed by a caboose of three additional tanks and the remainder of the battalion. At about 1200, the restless vanguard swings around the foreboding curve that leads into Changchon, an innocent-looking village of thatched huts. In a flash, the uncanny aura is penetrated and the queer silence ends. The Marines spot two enemy soldiers and take them under fire to ignite a huge powder keg. The hills on both sides of the road are infested with enemy troops, poised to snarl the entire column by permitting it to move within range before snapping the lethal trap. But the early detection of the enemy prematurely trips the wire. The hills become electrified as clanging machine guns lay down an enfilade that sprays the Marines from both flanks and from the front. The reconnaissance troops return fire, while awaiting reinforcements. Meanwhile, the artillery contingents begin to establish positions, but their immediate help is unavailable. Captain Tobin speeds the 1st Platoon to bolster the recon troops. Three Marines become casualties in the process. Then some heavier persuaders advance. Three tanks move out, trailed by the 2nd Platoon to further augment the point troops. The tanks confine their movement to the road to avoid becoming bogged down in the soggy ground, but still they provide additional shields of formidable armor for the infantry. Nonetheless, the enemy fire increases. The 3rd Platoon and headquarters troops, still to the rear, also come under severe fire from Hill 250 on the right side of the road. Colonel Newton calls in air support to deliver some killing power on Hill 250. Corsairs arrive and oblige by pounding the slope. Following cessation of the air strike, Lieutenant Cowling leads his 3rd Platoon to seize the heights. Company A rushes a rifle company and one machine gun section to assist Company B’s 3rd Platoon. Colonel Newton directs the reinforcements from Able Company to secure Hill 301, which also lies to the right of the road. While the 1st Battalion engages the enemy, the 2nd Battalion deploys to protect the remainder of the brigade’s column. In the meantime, the Corsairs expend much of their fuel, and Colonel Newton is informed that two of the planes will be available for only five additional minutes. Newton suggests that the Corsairs sweep the road between Sachon and Changchon

August 12, 1950 in search of prey. The planes zoom above the road and catch another enemy convoy. The five remaining minutes of fuel is sufficient to kill some of the enemy. Following the deadly strafing runs, the small enemy convoy resembles a scale-model replica of the iron rubble outside of Kosong, complete with swirling smoke and twisted metal. While the planes, artillery and mortar units plaster Hill 301, the advancing 3rd Platoon, Company B, gets caught in a cross-fire by surviving enemy machine guns and small-arms fire. It is compelled to withdraw. One man is killed and two are wounded. Nearby, reinforcements from Company A seize Hill 301 without incident, but other hellish fighting continues without pause. The 3rd Platoon, Company B, moves to Hill 301 and Captain Stephens leads the balance of his Company A to take the heights on the right side of the road. However, heavy enemy resistance remains on Hill 250. Marine artillerymen begin pumping iron, catapulting 113 rounds into it. And the stubborn hill is further saturated by another air strike by Marine Corsairs. The hostile machine gun fire on Hill 250 is terminated, and Company B’s right flank is secured. Still, the left flank of B Company is ripe with vicious fire, as the 1st and 2nd Platoons maintain their positions in the gutters along the road. The platoons return fire while awaiting relief by the big guns. The Marine artillery flexes its muscle in synchronization with the free-swinging Corsairs, which deliver three additional strikes. The incessant pounding eliminates the enemy positions one at a time. The 1st and 2nd Platoons bolt from the gutters and join the attack. The ground troops dart across a rice paddy to complete the destruction of the enemy on the hill. Nearby, Lieutenant Taylor detects an enemy contingent of thirty-nine troops as they advance along the reverse slope toward the summit of Hill 202. Sergeant F.J. Lischeski rushes forward with a squad to ensure that the enemy receives a warm greeting. The troops disperse along the rim of the ridge, and Lischeski then cautions them to hold their fire until they get close. The Marines stare impatiently as the enemy climbs the rugged hill. When they reach a point about 75 yards from the crest, the Marine riflemen fire in unison. The entire enemy unit is wiped out, except for one officer who succumbs en route to the command post. Dusk then settles over the area and Company B is able to complete its movement to the heights on the left side of the highway to establish a night perimeter. Marine losses during the skirmishing are 3 killed and 13 wounded. The 1st Battalion expects to resume the attack to take Sachon on the 13th, but new orders arrive at midnight (12th-13th) that direct the battalion to form for movement to reinforce Eighth Army units in another area. The decision does not sit well with the Marines, who are anxious to finish the job, having been convinced that their swift advance has broken the back of the enemy opposition in the vicinity of Sachon. The brigade withdrawal order reads, “Following brigade rapid advance from Chindong-ni to Sachon-ni in

214 which the brigade attacked, overcame and pursued the enemy, the 25th Infantry Division has directed the withdrawal of this brigade in order to hold a defensive position and mop up enemy resistance in the zone of action of elements of the 25th Division.” Subsequently, it becomes known that the decision to pull back the Marines was based on the enemy’s penetration of the Naktong. This had compelled Eighth Army to redeploy the Marines to prepare to launch a counterattack. Meanwhile, in the 24th Regiment sector, shortly after 1330, Lt. Colonel Stewart and Lt. Colonel Taplett arrive by helicopter to meet a liaison officer at a bridge specified by General Kean; however, the army jeep scheduled to meet them is not in the area. While landing, the Marines spot a camouflaged army tank and inquire of the crew about the jeep, but they have no knowledge. The two Marine officers check out the area where the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, will be arriving. Eventually, they find a line and reach the 25th Division CP by phone, whereby they are instructed to determine how to eliminate the enemy in the area. Taplett and Stewart are also directed to establish security for the remaining artillery unit (one Battery 159th FAB, attached to 25th Division). Colonels Stewart and Taplett also survey the terrain from the helicopter, and then they make a quick sweep over the MSR to locate the advancing 3rd Battalion. After returning, Stewart and Taplett meet Colonel John Daly, CO, 555th FAB, who informs them that on the previous night, Battery C of his outfit and two additional batteries of the 90th FAB had been overwhelmed by the enemy, rendering them destroyed as fighting units. Colonel Daly gives the Marine officers the approximate positions of the enemy, and in fact, he enhances their strategy by relaying the criticalness of the defenses. It is decided to seize two dominant ridges lying along the MSR. But the full picture remains unclear as the day unfolds. The Marines, engaged in an attack at Changchon, had been ordered to move 25 miles to the rear to seize a ridge that was supposed to be secure. At about the time the objectives are selected, the 3rd Battalion arrives by vehicle. Colonel Taplett is supposed to report to General Barth, ADC, 25th Division, upon his arrival, but the general is still en route. Taplett decides to immediately launch the attack. He concludes that if he waits for the general, it would be too dark to initiate an attack. Without orders, Colonel Daly provides the attacking Marines with a fifteen-minute preparatory artillery barrage, and Taplett procures a squad of Corsairs that carry partial bomb loads, including napalm. Army intelligence estimates place the number of enemy troops in the area between 2,000 and 2,500. Following the artillery bombardment and the air strikes, Company H leads the attack. It encounters only minimal resistance, and the ridge falls without any casualties. Only one enemy casualty is discovered; he had apparently succumbed while fighting a rear-action during the withdrawal. General Barth arrives at 1900 to assume overall command; he asks Taplett when his

215 Marines would be prepared to launch the attack. Taplett responds that the first objective had already been secured. General Barth congratulates Colonel Taplett on his quick action and he concurs with the rest of the attack plan, which calls for the seizure of the next ridge on the following morning. Later, Battery C, 11th Marines, arrives to bolster the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and General Barth further strengthens the unit by committing three army tanks and several M-44 armored personnel carriers to the assault. Colonel Taplett and his Marines are pleased with the cooperation of the Army and particularly with General Barth. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: East of Yongsan, the enemy again ambushes conspicuously marked U.S. ambulances. Before daylight, Colonel Hill is informed that a few ambulances and several trucks had been attacked. Despite the shortages of manpower at Cloverleaf, Colonel Hill orders Company F, 9th Regiment, to move from there and destroy the road blockage. The unit is accompanied by a mortar platoon and the mission is supplemented as guns of the 15th Field Artillery Battalion are adjusted and fired toward the trouble spot along the road. Nevertheless, the roadblock remains operational into the following day, and the enemy continues to increase the pressure to strangle Yongsan, which is close to being encircled. General Walker again arrives by air. He confers with General Church, CO, 24th Division, and he discovers no change for the better. But the three battered regiments their respective sectors maintain their attempt to forestall a massive breakthrough. Walker is well aware that the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, is en route from the south, but its two attacking battalions are hindered by throngs of civilians who clog the route of advance and stall the rescue operation. Walker, in yet another desperate maneuver, orders General Keiser (2nd Division) to dispatch one battalion of the 23rd Regiment to augment the 24th Division. Colonel Paul Freeman, commander of the 23rd Regiment, directs his 1st Battalion, commanded by Colonel Claire Hutchin, to execute the mission beginning August 13. Also, during the effort to subdue the enemy’s eastward advance and to preserve Yongsan, the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, is attached to Church’s 24th Division. A conglomeration of U.S. Army troops ranging from cooks and clerks to reconnaissance troops is fabricated into a 135-man outfit and placed under the command of Captain George Hafemen, headquarters company commander. The improvised unit speeds from Miryang to plug the passage along the Yongsan-Miryang Road, just outside Simgong-ni at the pass. The modified riflemen accompanied by two tanks reach the destination and soon become engaged in a bitter skirmish. Hafemen’s team repels repeated enemy attacks, thanks in part to the support of armored cars that shuttle water, food and ammunition from Miryang. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, which had re-secured the bridge over the Naktong at

August 12, 1950 Namji-ri, is back on the assault. It advances north and engages heavily fortified enemy troops who are armed with mortars and machine guns as well as the usual small arms. The 2nd Battalion attacks and a day-long struggle ensues. Aided by the added punch of supporting aircraft, the 2nd Battalion convincingly pushes the enemy from their positions. About 100 enemy troops are killed, but the number of wounded is indeterminable. In addition, twelve machine guns and several antitank “Buffalo Rifles” are included with the cache of abandoned equipment. On the following day, the 2nd Battalion, under Colonel Murch, resumes its northward drive to clear the sector south of Yongsan. The ongoing fighting remains heavy and neither side receives the advantage. The North Koreans have not been thrown back across the Naktong, and in turn, they have been unable to take Yongsan. Meanwhile, the publicized prediction by the North Korean leader that all of Korea would be united under their Communist banner by August 15 seems much less probable now. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the N.K. 10th Division had begun crossing the Naktong on the previous night. At 0300 this day, its 25th Regiment starts to cross the river about fourteen miles southwest of Taegu, near the damaged bridge. The area is defended by the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Gilman A. Huff. In addition, the battalion is bolstered by the preregistered guns of the 77th Field Artillery Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel William A. Harris. The artillery guards the crossing site and the Koryong-Taegu Road. About 300 to 400 enemy troops cross and advance to the village of Wich’on-dong by about dawn. The contingent is apparently en route to secure the heights east of Yongp’o, from where it can provide cover fire for the main body of the division, which is scheduled to follow. At the village, Company H, 7th Cavalry, intercepts the advance guard and a grueling battle erupts. The Communists and Company H become locked in a tight-fisted, close-quartered struggle. The enemy unleashes a tenacious attack that includes automatic weapons and grenades. The initial enemy thrust blows a hole into the advance positions of the cavalry. The situation at first appears grave, as the enemy lunges farther and shreds the mortar positions and the heavy machine gun emplacements. However, the gargantuan guns of the artillery accelerate their powerful barrage, and at about the same time, planes arrive to deliver more destructive fire. The combined deadly fire quickly diminishes the strength of the attack and gives the cavalry new momentum. By 0900, the 2nd Battalion has halted the advance in its tracks and it has revoked the enemy’s progress. With the blazing artillery at their backs and the attacking planes overhead, the 2nd Battalion shoves the enemy backward and chases them through Yongp’o. The remnant enemy survivors scatter and attempt to retrace their steps back to the bridge and beyond to the safety of their lines.

August 13, 1950 Although the cavalry has turned back the initial attack, it realizes that it must still brace for the primary attack, which will begin during the morning hours of the 14. In other activity, a group of sailors (Underwater Demolition Team) and Marines (Amphibious Scouts, Reconnaissance Company, 1st Marine Division) debark the USS Horace A. Bass south of Inchon to execute a special operation. The troops, without sustaining any casualties, launch several raids between this day and the 16th. The team wrecks three tunnels and destroys two bridges. Following the mission, the unit is retrieved by the Navy. In Air Force activity, a large group of B-29s bomb the port of Rashin in the northeastern sector of North Korea in the vicinity of the border with the Soviet Union. — In the Mediterranean: The contingent of the 6th Marines, FMFLant, serving with the Sixth Fleet, is ordered to Korea. The command post aboard the USS Yellowstone receives urgent special orders from the chief of naval operations that direct the 6th Marines to embark for the Far East. Additional contingents will embark from San Diego. The orders circumvent the commandant Marine Corps and Sixth Fleet, due to the compelling circumstances in Korea; however, the commandant, General Cates, is with Admiral Sherman while the orders are being drawn. The 6th Marines embark on the USS Bexar, which will arrive in Suda Bay on the evening of August 14. The unit will mold the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, due to be activated on August 17. Neither the men nor the officers are aware of the still secret plans to invade Inchon; they believe the unit will be committed as an amphibious assault team of a U.S. task force. — In Japan: General MacArthur issues CINCFE Operation Plan 100-B. The plan lists the Inchon-Seoul vicinity as the target for the amphibious invasion force. In three days, MacArthur will establish headquarters for the operation.

August 13

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, acting upon orders from the 25th Division, prepares to withdraw from the vicinity of Changchon and Sachon. The individual units are informed of the departure at 0400 (OP Order 1050). Stretched left to right along Hill 202 are the 3rd, 1st and 2nd Platoons, Company B, 1st Battalion. The formation is tight and the men remain alert. Meanwhile, silently, the enemy has crept forward to infiltrate and assume concealed positions, poised for a pre-dawn assault. At 0450, enemy machine gun fire breaks the calm. With instant response, Marine 60mm mortar illuminating shells streak skyward and expose an enemy concentration on the right flank, near the 2nd Platoon, but this incursion is a ruse to take the focus off the primary assault. It commences at 0455, when three enemy flares are propelled into the sky, two red and one green. They ignite a furious night attack

216 against the left flank. The enemy hurls a powerful assault against the 3rd Platoon and the machine gun section; the latter is annihilated, except for two Marines. With the absence of communications, confusion emerges. The radios had been destroyed earlier while the men were crossing rice paddies and trudging through the mud. Now their phones are inoperable, probably due to severed wires. In the midst of the feverish battle, two runners attempt to reach the besieged contingents, but both are cut down by enemy fire. The fighting continues to intensify and at close quarters. Shots and grenades are rapidly exchanged during the battle, and the enemy captures two machine guns and turns its fire on the Marines. In the meantime, a third messenger breaches the fire and reaches the left flank. He directs the survivors to pull back and reform with the 1st Platoon, but the captured machine guns hinder this action. The gruesome exchange draws more blood and without reprieve, but the survivors hold. Finally, with a hint of daylight, the 3.5" rocket launchers destroy the two captured machine guns. But the situation doesn’t automatically get better. Enemy fire in turn knocks out the radio of the artillery’s forward observer, and then the mortars on the left flank expend their ammunition. At this point the enemy pivots to divide and conquer. They drive a sharp wedge between the 1st and 2nd Platoons, but raking return fire inflicts severe casualties. At 0630, Company B is ordered to disengage and descend to the command post to join the battalion. Meanwhile, Captain Tobin tries using the radios of Company A to get support from artillery and mortar fire to buy time while he reforms for attack. The 1st and 3rd Platoons are ordered to converge on the 2nd Platoon positions on the right flank. At about the same time, the enemy withdraws toward the lower sections of the contested hill. In the interim, the enemy small-arms fire subsides, but mortars continue to sprinkle the area. By 0815, using stiff discipline, the individual units have descended the hill. Almost in cadence, a group of soaring Corsairs arrives; the planes deliver a mighty blow that culminates the action and effectively tranquilizes the enemy fire. The struggle on Hill 202 takes the lives of 12 Marines and wounds 18 others. Also, 8 Marines are missing in action. Prior to the descent, Captain Tobin had requested permission to launch a final attack to regain the missing troops, but his request is denied on the basis that the withdrawal is behind schedule. Tobin had been convinced that a final attack would regain the lost ground in about one hour and they could reclaim their dead. The denial of permission to retrieve their dead buddies is not well received by the Marines. The brigade moves out, with its engineers and armor protecting the rear. When the ground is retaken during September, the bodies of seven Marines are discovered. Much later, during November of 1953, the final missing Marine on Hill 202 is declared dead. The engineers are ordered to lay mines and demolish some bridges and culverts. In one instance, the

217 engineers of the 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Engineer Bn., lay a minefield on a road that leads from Samchonpo toward the right flank of the brigade. The mission is accomplished. However, Lieutenant Nicholas Canzonna, the platoon leader, discovers to his embarrassment that about one-half of the mines had contained the wrong type fuses, which renders them impotent. Apparently, it didn’t matter, as the enemy chose not to approach them. In the 25th Division sector, 24th Regiment zone, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, reinitiates its attack to seize the ridges that dominate the MSR, and it encounters only slight resistance. By 1000, the two attacking rifle companies own the real estate on both ridgelines and the price is right. No casualties are incurred. However, no enemy casualties are inflicted, which adds more mystery to the episode of returning 25 miles to attack the ridge. Nonetheless, the mission of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, affords the 25th Division an opportunity to extricate survivors of the trapped artillery units that had previously been overrun. The cunning enemy still permeates the area. Lt. Colonel Murray, CO, 5th Marines, arrives over a trapped contingent of survivors from the 555th FAB and he attempts to deliver a message, but his helicopter nearly falls prey to a waiting ambush. The helicopter escapes damage or worse by a thin line and by the excellent skill of the pilot. In related activity, Colonel Taplett prepares to launch another assault to finish his mission by recapturing the lost artillery pieces, but the brigade receives new orders to withdraw and the mission is left undone. The artillery pieces are not regained; rather, air strikes are called in to demolish them, subsequent to the relief of the Marine Brigade. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: In the 24th Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, continues its northward drive, but this day, the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel DeChow, enters the battle to add extra thrust to the mission. Meanwhile, more U.S. reinforcements rush from Miryang to the Naktong area. The 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, commanded by Colonel Paul Freeman, arrives at Miryang. One battalion immediately races west toward Yongsan to bolster the attack at the bulge. The untried 1st Battalion, led by executive officer Colonel Cesidio Barberis, attacks and falls prey to the beastly elements. It sustains more punishment from the weather than from the enemy. Eight casualties are incurred due to heat exhaustion, and one casualty is inflicted by the enemy during the trek to Yongsan. At about noon, a plane is dispatched to transport Colonel Hill (commander, 9th RCT and TF Hill) back to 24th Division headquarters to meet with General Walker at the command post. During the afternoon conference, Colonel Hill responds affirmatively to a question by General Walker. Hill states that his task force is capable of the mission and that it will destroy the North Korean roadblock on the Yongsan-Masan Road before dusk.

August 13, 1950 To the south, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 27th Regiment, under Colonels Murch and DeChow respectively, advance doggedly. Both units disregard the harsh heat and converge on the high ground east and north of Yongsan. The 2nd Battalion encounters the friendly faces of the men with Task Force Hill. By nightfall, the threat by the North Korean forces that had breached U.S. lines and penetrated east and south of Yongsan is eradicated. In addition, the 27th Regiment recaptures two U.S. 105-mm howitzers and two enemy guns. Nevertheless, ferocious fighting continues to ensue at Cloverleaf, Obong-ni Ridge and the area north of the pass. Task Force Hill, despite its battle-weariness and under-strength numbers, prepares to strike these enemy strong points on the 14th. Colonel Hill anticipates air and artillery support. In related activity, some U.S. units, such as Company K and Company L, 3rd Battalion, 34th Regiment, still hold risky positions in the far southern section of the 24th Division perimeter, but Colonel John Hill recalls these isolated units. At 0200 on the 14th, word arrives and these units descend from the heights over the Naktong; they revert to reserve and deploy to the rear of the 1st Battalion. In other activity, the enemy has gotten additional elements across the Naktong in the 1st Cavalry area just north of the 24th Division sector. In response, General Walker expands the 24th Divisional zone to handle the threat. The 24th Division receives easier road access to the affected area. Apparently, two enemy battalions have occupied a mountain (Hill 409) just outside Hyongp’ung, and additional enemy troops continue to arrive. Later, information describes these troops as elements of the N.K. 29th Regiment, 10th Division. During the night of the 13th, General Church directs Colonel John Hill to mount a full-scale attack against Hill 409 on the 14th. Colonels Beauchamp (34th Regiment), Colonel Ned Moore (19th Regiment) and Colonel Brad Smith (1st Battalion, 21st Regiment) meet with Hill to discuss strategy. The individual commanders and each of their units are exhausted and battleweary, but the assault will go off on schedule. The stress begins to show more vividly when Colonel Hill, during a separate conversation, orders Col. Barberis of the hearty 900-man 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, to form for the battle. Barberis declines, informing Hill that he is under the control of General Church. The direct intervention of Church settles the disagreement; Barberis is directed to hold his positions on the main road and await new orders. Subsequently, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment is ordered north to bolster Stephens’ 21st Regiment and Task Force Hyzer. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: At Hill 268, elements of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, comb the area and discover the severity of the loss it had inflicted upon the N.K. 7th Regiment when troops confiscate documents, questions prisoners and counts the enemy dead, which numbers between 300 and 400 troops. According to information received from prisoners of the battered regiment, about 700 of

August 13, 1950 the 1,000-man contingent had become casualties. In contrast, the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, sustained fourteen troops killed and 48 men wounded during the battle of August 9-10 south of Waegwan. The North Korean 10th Division makes preparations to launch another attack across the Naktong, following the failure of its attempt to gain ground on the previous day. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: Above Yonil Airfield, the S.K. 3rd Division, isolated since the 10th near Pohang-dong, continues to forestall annihilation, but the N.K. 5th Division increases the intensity of the battle. The South Koreans desperately pull in their lines to brace for final charge. The cruiser USS Helena and 3 U.S. destroyers remain offshore. Two helicopters from the Helena shuttle medical supplies for the wounded. Using the strategic eyes of the tactical air control party and the artillery spotters, Fifth Air Force aircraft fly valuable support missions, and the long reaching naval guns also provide some robust insulation. Effective fire flows into the crucial areas in front of the diminishing perimeter, whenever and wherever it is required, giving hope to the besieged division. However, the enemy does not relent. The S.K. 3rd Division command post is pushed about four miles south from Changsa-dong to the village of Toksong-ni, along the Sea of Japan. Also, the South Koreans transfer 313 wounded troops to an LST at Changsa-dong, but when it attempts to

218 move into Toksong-ni, the vessel hits some rocks that tear a gash in its hull. The wounded must be removed and placed aboard another LST, but the operation is precarious because of choppy high seas. Eighty-six of the most wounded are placed in amphibious vehicles (DUKWs) and taken to an offshore South Korean hospital ship. Following the mishap, the LST embarks for Pusan. By the 15th, the 3rd S.K. Division will be ordered to evacuate. At Yonil, U.S. infantry and some armor remain at the airfield; however, without consultation with Eighth Army, the FEAF evacuates its planes. Belatedly, at about 1600, General MacArthur receives a United Press report (filed at 1320) that details the abandonment. The wire report states that a representative of the U.S. Air Force had announced that the Pohang airstrip was being abandoned, and it mentions that the enemy is placing fire upon it. Apparently, Colonel Robert Witty, commanding officer of Air Force units at Yonil, suggested the evacuation of planes, and General Partridge, commanding officer, Fifth Air Force, concurred. The telephone lines between Tokyo and Korea begin to hum. MacArthur’s headquarters telephones Eighth Army to question the validity of the report, and it is quickly confirmed by subordinate officers that there was no discussion concerning the evacuation between the Army and the Air Force at Yonil. Furthermore, Eighth Army states that the airfield had not been under

The oil refinery at Wonsan subsequent to its attack by U.S. planes (B-29s). The strategic facility burned for several days.

219 any mortar fire. In addition, MacArthur’s headquarters is told that the reports concerning enemy machine gun fire were “greatly exaggerated.” The telephone conversation between General Roderick R. Allen, deputy chief of staff, ROK Army, and Colonel William A. Collier, which occurred at 1600, also verifies that Army units still hold the airfield and that no “effective enemy fire” had struck the field. As the F-51s take off, the airstrip is free even of potholes. The incident does little to create harmony between the two services. MacArthur, more than slightly perturbed, sends word to FEAF that the planes should not return to Japan. He makes it emphatically clear that the airfield will be held. Nonetheless, the 45 Fighters (two squadrons) land at Tsuiki Air Base on Kyushu. In conjunction, the heavy equipment that was ordered evacuated from Yonil on the 8th is transported to the sea and transferred to LSTs. The Fifth Air Force personnel will also pull out, departing on the following day. The North Koreans proclaim the total liberation of Pohang-dong as great numbers of the N.K. 12th Division, which have advanced from Kigye, occupy the town. Actually, some troops entered the town as early as the 10th or 11th. U.S. planes and naval surface vessels heavily bombard the town, prompting the 1st Regiment to evacuate quickly. The entire N.K. 12th Division moves out and redeploys in the hills to the west and southwest of the town. The 2nd Regiment places its 2nd and 3rd Battalions in the high ground six miles to the southwest, within striking range of Yonil. The N.K. 5th Division arrives in the hills north of Pohang-dong. This day, the S.K. 17th Regiment is attached to the Capital Division; backed by U.S. tanks and artillery of Task Force Bradley. The 17th Regiment advances against the enemy that holds the hills north of Pohangdong. Also, Task Force Pohang drives from An’gang-ni to clear the enemy between it and Kigye. Both sides sustain heavy casualties during the heated contests.

August 14

Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: Task Force Hill reinitiates the attack against Cloverleaf and Obong-ni Ridge, following after the previous day’s fighting to successfully terminate the enemy threat east and north of Yongsan. During the predawn hours, a storm system arrives to deliver a drenching rain and ominous clouds. The inclement weather cancels the preliminary air strikes, but the remaining 24th Division artillery lays down a short burst of fire. Most of the guns are posted west of Yongsan under the command of Lieutenant Charles Stratton, commanding officer, 13th FAB. Following a ten-minute barrage, two battalions of the 9th RCT assault the objective, but each battalion lacks about one-third of its strength. The attack advances north of the road and then up the hills of Cloverleaf. In conjunction, Company B, 34th Regiment, strikes south of the road against the N.K. 16th Regiment on Obong-ni Ridge to execute a holding action. The slopes of Cloverleaf, also held by elements of the N.K. 16th and 18th Regiments, begin to transform into a ghastly

August 14, 1950 garden of death. The 2nd and 1st Battalions, 9th RCT on the left and right respectively, become locked in a close-quarter duel. The battle swings from attack to defense as the enemy lunges forward to dislodge the Americans from the heights, and then the Americans mount counterattacks. The wild, free-swinging struggle for the slopes inflicts heavy casualties on both sides. By the end of the first hour of combat, the 1st Battalion (599 troops), under Colonel Londahl, sustains 60 men killed or wounded in the quest to gain the four-leafed hill, with its stem leading north. To the north, the attacking 19th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Ned Moore, meets rigid resistance by the N.K. 5th Regiment, which prevents any progress. Meanwhile, at Obong-ni, the holding action gains prosperous ground and nearly seizes the crest; however, fierce enemy resistance builds. Company B, 34th Regiment, is compelled to withdraw by about 0800. Back on Cloverleaf, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 9th RCT, claw their way toward the summit and claim ground, but at dusk the dogged effort is still unable to gain domination. With impunity, the North Koreans use the darkness to infiltrate the perimeter. The intrusion incites more close-quartered combat. Throughout the night, the two sides exchange grenades, and much hand-to-hand fighting also ensues. During the night of the 14th, the North Koreans also suddenly strike against the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, which is bivouacked south of Obong-ni. The night raid inflicts serious casualties, but it also envelops the command, compelling Colonel Hill, at 0300 (15th), to direct Colonel Charles B. Smith to fight his way out. Prior to dawn, Smith’s beleaguered regiment plows through the trap, and it reestablishes defensive positions along the southern tip of the main line of battle. In other activity, the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, is detached from the 24th Division subsequent to its duty in the southern portion of the Naktong Bulge. Eighth Army, on the following day, orders the 27th Regiment, led by Colonel Michaelis, to move to Kyongsan. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, at about dawn, the enemy 10th Division launches its second and major attempt to cross the Naktong. Contingents ford the river between Tuksong-dong and Yongp’o. They advance toward Yongp’o, the farthest point reached on the previous day, before being routed. Troops in the advance outposts acknowledge problems at about 0520, when the silence in the rice paddies and pea pods ends. Muffled noises emerge as the terrain begins to rustle with the shrill voices of the enemy. Word is quickly passed back to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry and to division headquarters, setting the stage for another donnybrook. The main enemy assault is augmented by tank fire and artillery barrages that originate on the west side of the river. In the meantime, General Gay instructs the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry (reserve unit), to prepare to move

August 14, 1950 out. The North Koreans push about 500 troops to Yongp’o, and in about fifteen minutes, the force stands about one mile east of the crossing site at the partially damaged bridge. This places the enemy precariously close to the 2nd Battalion’s perimeter near Wich’ondong. Heavy skirmishing erupts, but the cavalry is not caught off guard. The battle takes on a grim tone as the bitter, close-quartered fighting is bloody and relentless. The attacking soldiers are apparently operating on extra adrenaline, having received a message from their leader, Kim Il Sung. He attempts to inspire his troops by informing them that their crossing of the Naktong will carry them to victory. He closes his message: “Young men! Let us protect our glorious pride by completely annihilating the enemy!” Nonetheless, the 7th Cavalry, having previously had its pride dented near Yongdong, is ready for revenge. By 0800, the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, which had fought on Hill 268 on August 9-10, is already crammed on its vehicles when it receives orders to roll to Yongp’o to bolster the 2nd Battalion. Meanwhile, as both sides hammer each other, more enemy reinforcements gather on the west side of the Naktong. While they prepare to bolt across the river at Panjang and at Tuksong-dong, planes arrive overhead. They bomb and strafe the troop concentrations to interrupt the jump-off. The air strike is bolstered by the 77th Field Artillery Battalion, which arcs nearly 1,900 rounds so quickly that the overworked guns become damaged. While the aircraft and artillery plaster the enemy, the cavalry pours its fire into the battle. The enemy troops, which participate in the second crossing and make it to the east bank, advance about one and one-half miles beyond the damaged bridge. But here, the enemy comes to an abrupt halt at the village of Samuni-dong, when they encounter impenetrable fire. The combined power of all the available infantry weapons and the supporting artillery jolts the enemy. Some troops spin around and attempt to evade destruction by retiring to the river. The spine of the enemy bridgehead at Yongp’o begins to crumble, and the 7th Cavalry senses the kill. Huge numbers of enemy troops attempt to get back to the west side of the Naktong by noon, and their pace quickens as the heat rises on their tails. The 7th Cavalry pursues with relentless tenacity. Artillery spotters with a propensity to devour enemy ranks adjust the range for the guns, and a repeat performance unfolds. The withdrawing enemy to the front of the cavalry positions is then raked with more mortar and artillery fire that ravages 25th and 27th N.K. Regiments, which are caught in the patches and paddies respectively. By dark, the dauntless efforts of the 7th Cavalry cause the enemy bridgehead at Yongp’o to vanish. Of the 1,700 participating enemy troops of the 25th and 27th N.K. Regiments, 7th Cavalry estimates that 1,500 had been slain. Company G, 2nd Battalion, which sustains 2 killed and 4 wounded, counts the bodies of 125

220 enemy troops in its zone. Another unit, Company H, 2nd Battalion, reports (two days later) that the number of dead to its front in the paddies had not been totaled, but that 267 dead enemy troops discovered behind its lines had already been buried. The N.K. 10th Division, after only two days of initiation into combat, has been devastated, according to information ascertained from prisoners. The division sustained about 2,500 total casualties in its futile attempt to dislodge the cavalry and move against Taegu. In the 1st Calvary sector, farther north at the extreme tip, another battle develops near Waegwan at Hill 303, where the cavalry’s perimeter edges against the S.K. 1st Division, which has its base at the northern fringe of Waegwan, near the roads that run southeast into Taegu and northeast toward Tabu-dong. The hill mass stretches southeast to northeast to form an oval configuration slightly more than two miles in length, with its west slope slipping into the east bank of the river. The position affords its defenders a perfect vantage point to observe the town and the network of roads running through it. In addition, Hill 303 dominates the main Seoul-Pusan Railroad and vehicular bridges there. The hill, considered the bulwark of the 1st Cavalry’s right flank, is manned by only one company: Company G, 5th Cavalry, supported by mortarmen of Company H. It has become known that for several days, the enemy has been massing on the west bank of the river about six miles north of Waegwan, opposite the lines of the S.K. 1st Division. During the early morning hours, an enemy force of regimental strength fords the river by use of a second underwater bridge, but upon crossing, it moves south rather than dispersing to the mountains. One contingent drives toward Hill 303 and brings Company G under small-arms fire by the end of morning. The North Koreans make no massive attack to seize the hill this day, but the area bursts with skirmishes on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The evacuation of Yonil by Fifth Air Force continues; however, the airfield is still not under attack. Meanwhile, Eighth Army remains at the field with some tanks posted along the perimeter. Fifth Air Force personnel depart on LSTs. The Air Force leaves large supplies of petroleum products and aviation fuel, but by this day, even the bombs have been removed. The 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel D.M. McMains, garrisons the base until September 14, when it is relieved by the S.K. 3rd Division. In the meantime, planes land to refuel and the airstrip remains accessible for disabled aircraft so that they might avoid chancing a long flight or be forced to ditch. In other activity, acting upon orders from Eighth Army, the S.K. Capital Division moves from its positions near Andong to the vicinity of An’gang-ni–Kigye; it deploys east of the S.K. 8th Division. Also, the S.K. I Corps establishes headquarters at the town of Yongch’on. In the 1st Marine Brigade zone, Brigadier General Edward A. Craig is directed to move expeditiously to

221 Miryang from the vicinity of Chinju. The Marines are ordered to halt the Communists at the Naktong to preserve the line. — In Japan: Tensions continue to build between Washington and Tokyo. MacArthur receives a succinct directive from Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall, which mandates that no authorization of a Nationalist Chinese attack against the mainland be given. Marshall states no action should be taken by the Allies that might precipitate World War III. The terse message from General Marshall receives a quick response from MacArthur. Marshall is told that MacArthur completely understands President Truman’s decision of June 27 “to protect the Chinese Communist mainland.” In other activity, General MacArthur calls General Stratemeyer to his headquarters in Tokyo to discuss missions for the Far East Air Forces. MacArthur wants him to use the Air Force to saturate the North Korean positions that threaten the perimeter of Pusan. Stratemeyer and Major General Emmett O’Donnell, commanding officer, Far East Bomber Command, discuss the possibilities. General O’Donnell informs Stratemeyer that the Air Force could carpet a three by five mile area. MacArthur’s personnel decide on an area north of Waegwan and west of the Naktong. The decision discounts General Gay’s requests to also strike northeast of the town. Gay’s request is denied because it is thought that casualties could occur within the ranks of the cavalry and the S.K. 1st Division. The date scheduled for the attack is August 16, and the estimated enemy strength in the selected target area includes four divisions and several armored regiments totaling about 40,000 enemy troops.

August 15

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: General Walker orders the U.S. 25th Division, subsequent to the detachment of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade from Task Force Kean, to deploy west of Masan along the southern flank of the perimeter. The redeployment places it east of Chinju in the most defensible terrain below Chinju Pass. The terrain west of Chindong-ni, the left flank of the division, is guarded by Throckmorton’s 5th Regimental Combat Team. It spreads out northward in front of the Chindong-ni coastal road to Fox Hill (Yaban-san), but from there, a dangerous hole exists between it and the 24th Regiment, which holds the division’s central zone. This gap causes General Kean distress. Colonel Throckmorton dispatches a contingent of about 100 South Korean troops and several U.S. officers to plug the hole. When the troops reach the designated objective, Sobuk-san, they find that the 2,000-foot ridge is already occupied by an enemy force that had arrived during the first week of August. Sobuk-san is one of two strategic ridges that dominate this area west of Masan and it affords an excellent set of vantage points to guard the Komam-ni (Saga)-Haman-Chindong-ni Road. The enemy on Sobuk-san forbids any advance

August 15, 1950 and forces the South Koreans to withdraw. General Kean then directs the 5th RCT to seize the ridge; however, the initial delay in occupying the ridge makes this mission unfeasible. In the 25th Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, begins to redeploy west of Masan. It disengages with the enemy at Obong-san and moves slightly west to Battle Mountain (Hill 665). The 2nd Battalion spreads out there and on a ridge west of Haman; later it is bolstered by the 3rd Battalion. Battle Mountain (Hill 665) assumes several descriptive aliases, including some printable ones: Old Baldy, Bloody Knob and Napalm Hill. Between Battle Mountain and P’il-bong, the ridge line slims down to mold a stony ridge dubbed Rocky Crags, and north of Battle Mountain, there is more infamous ground that abruptly declines and forms two extended subsidiary ridges of the Sobuk-san mountain mass. The eastern ridge is nicknamed Green Peak. The 24th Regiment deploys on the east side of Battle Mountain, opposite the enemy-held western slope. Meanwhile, the 35th Regiment, led by Colonel Fisher, takes the northern extension of the 25th Division’s perimeter. The defense line links with the 24th Division sector. It covers the Sibidang–Komam-ni vicinity and stretches north for about 26,000 yards to the bank of the Nam River, and from there, it leads east along the water to its confluence with the Naktong River. The sector immediately west of Komam-ni is manned by the 1st Battalion under Lt. Colonel Bernard Teeter. The 2nd Battalion, led by Major Robert Woolfolk, disperses along the Nam. The 3rd Battalion stands in reserve at Chirwon, along the Masan-Chinju Road, from where it can be propelled to a trouble spot in either battalion zone. The MasanChinju Highway, the Nam River corridor, and the railroad lines fall within the zone of the 35th Regiment. The 25th Division completes its deployment by this day. In contrast, the N.K. 6th Division is establishing defensive positions west of Masan, while it forms for an attack to crush the U.N. southwest perimeter. Strung from south to north, the N.K. 14th, 15th and 13th Regiments face the U.S. 25th Division. The Communists have been pressing South Koreans into their ranks to fill out their regiments, but these recent conscriptors, having been scooped up in the vicinity of Seoul, are mostly reluctant warriors. By today, about 2,000 of these replacement troops are funneled into the N.K. 6th Division. At Chinju, the untried recruits are issued grenades, but they receive no weapons. Rather, they are instructed to procure their weapons and ammunition by initiating scavenger hunts on the battlefield to retrieve weapons from their dead and wounded comrades. By the 21st, the N.K. 6th Division receives about 2,500 additional South Korean replacement troops, expanding its strength to about 8,500 troops. In other activity, Communist reinforcements arrive in southwestern Korea from Seoul to bolster the N.K. 6th Division. Elements of the N.K. 7th Division (1st

August 15, 1950 and 3rd Regiments) arrive at Chinju and the port town of Yosu is occupied by the 2nd Regiment. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: The weather hovering over the lower Naktong remains terrible, and the cloud-filled skies cancel all air support for the troops of Task Force Hill. Nevertheless, it attacks to rid Cloverleaf and the Obong-ni Ridge vicinity of resistance. Task Force Hill advances, but obstinate resistance holds it at bay. Both sides sustain more heavy casualties. In one raucous engagement on Obong-ni, elements of the 34th Regiment attack the enemy on a small knoll. One platoon from A Company, composed of 35 men, dashes across a slim saddle and encroaches the enemy positions on the reverse slope to ignite a ferocious battle. Grenades are tossed from close range and rifle fire is rapidly exchanged from distances of 25 to 30 feet. The two sides bloody each other terribly, and within one hour, 25 men of the original platoon are wounded or killed. As the survivors, including eleven able troops, begin to withdraw from the brutal firefight, PFC Edward O. Cleaborn apparently becomes angered by the tenacious enemy fire. He lags behind, hoping to get off another round, but before he pulls the trigger, an enemy shell kills him. The ten surviving troops move back, transporting nine wounded men with them. Before the wounded can be treated by Medics, three of them die. The situation remains grave. Not only has the enemy rebuffed Task Force Hill, but TF Hill is extremely hard pressed to hold its lines. Its strength is diminished and it lacks reinforcements. A decision made jointly by General Church and Colonel Hill changes the tone of battle from offense to defense to preserve the remaining ground. However, Eighth Army, which up to now has been unwilling to believe that the entire N.K. 4th Division had crossed the Naktong, is finally convinced. Eighth Army agrees to throw more weight into the battle to achieve victory. Before noon, General Walker arrives at General Church’s headquarters with a conspicuous belligerent attitude and tells General Church: “I am going to give you the Marine Brigade. I want this situation cleaned up and quick.” At about noon, Walker returns to Taegu to firm up his plan to reinforce the 24th Division. Within one hour, Walker dispatches Colonel William Collier to Miryang to inform General Craig of the plan. The 1st Marine Provisional Brigade had been in Masan subsequent to its recently concluded participation with Task Force Kean along the southwestern perimeter, and it is just setting up its bivouac. Nevertheless, the Marines break camp and move to Yongsan, having at least enjoyed their first hot meal since arriving in Korea. The 1st Marine Provisional Brigade is attached to the 24th Division. General Church, CO, 24th Division and General Craig, Marine brigade commander, confer on strategy. It is decided that the entire 24th Division (reinforced) will launch a counterattack against the enemy bridgehead at 0800 on August 17. The

222 attached 1st Provisional Marine Brigade will attack the North Korean positions east of the Naktong. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, 5th Cavalry zone near Hill 303, about fifty enemy troops supported by two tanks advance south, trailed by another contingent. The predawn movement is observed by Company G. Soon after, nearby Company F comes under attack. Fearing encirclement, Company F withdraws south. By 0830, the area around Hill 303 becomes untenable; Company G and its supporting mortar platoon from Company H are surrounded. The commanding officer of Company G informs the mortar platoon leader by phone that a contingent of about sixty South Korean troops are rushing to assist. Soon after, just after breakfast, elements of a Korean unit are observed moving up the slope. The mortarmen, thinking it is the reinforcements, send out a patrol. It is greeted with automatic weapons fire. Despite the fire, the platoon leader remains convinced that the approaching troops are friendly. He gives no order to fire. Suddenly, it is too late, as the Communists are on both sides of their foxholes and at arms length. While burp guns are jabbed into the sides of the Americans, they are plucked from their foxholes and seized. U.S. reinforcements, unaware of the capitulation, rush to their aid, but enemy fire halts the column, composed of Company B, 5th Cavalry, and some supporting tanks. In the meantime, Company G manages to hold the hill throughout the day against a force estimated to be building to a battalion, comprising about 700 troops. As the struggle for Hill 303 continues, confusion builds within portions of the 5th Cavalry, but both the 1st and 2nd Battalions still prepare to rescue isolated G Company and its supporting mortarmen from Company H. The captured men of Company H, however, are taken from the hill and placed in a nearby orchard where they are tied and bound by contingents of the 4th Company, 2nd Battalion, 206th Regiment, N.K. 105th Armored Division, and some elements of the N.K. 3rd Division. On the following day, the U.S. prisoners are transferred to several different places, but the Americans remain unaware of their fate. In other activity, twenty-one T-34 replacement tanks arrive to strengthen the enemy attack against Taegu. The armor is parceled out to the various divisions. Also, the South Korean Army establishes another training center, the Ground General School, located at Tongnae in the vicinity of Pusan. It will accept its first class on August 23, and its primary function is to train replacement first lieutenants for the S.K. Infantry at a rate of about 250 men per week. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The North Koreans maintain a ruthless attack against the S.K. 3rd Division, and its perimeter at Toksong-ni is becoming untenable. Eighth Army orders its evacuation by sea to Kuryongp’o-ni, farther south in the Yonil Bay. It will then relieve contingents of the Capital Division at their lines south of Pohang-dong. In other activity, the S.K. Capital Division and Task

223 Force Pohang heavily engage the enemy in the vicinity of An’gang-ni–Kigye for several days. — In the United States: Every male Marine Corps reservist with the rank of private to sergeant is ordered to active duty. — In Japan: General MacArthur, alarmed by high casualty rates in the U.S. divisions operating in Korea, directs General Walker to initiate the merging of South Korean soldiers into U.S. units. The instructions dictate that each U.S. company and battery be augmented by 100 South Korean troops. This transfer of troops will affect each of the four U.S. divisions already in Korea and the U.S. 7th Division, which is still in Japan. The South Koreans are to remain under the jurisdiction of the South Korean Army and receive their pay from it, but the troops will be accommodated with U.S. rations. The projected amount of South Korean troops to be integrated into the U.S. units is about 30,000 to 40,000 men. Some U.S. contingents have already included South Koreans within their ranks on an unofficial basis. In other activity, headquarters is established by MacArthur for the impending amphibious operation; to retain secrecy, the group is selected from GHQ FEC staff and it will be designated Special Planning Staff, GHQ.

August 16

The USS Philippine Sea launches planes that pummel nine separate enemy held villages and several groves. The raids, carried out by eight Skyraiders and eight F4Us, also damage a pair of enemy trucks. Additional planes attached to the USS Valley Forge raid other enemy concentrations. Five AD Skyraiders hit one village inflicting damage, and they also destroy nine vehicles and damage three additional trucks. Another group, composed of four F4Us, attacks four villages in the vicinity of Taegu and strikes a supply depot and gasoline dump, setting both afire. In other activity, the 72nd Tank Battalion, an organic unit of the 2nd Infantry Division, arrives at Pusan from the United States. The arrival of the newest tanks further bolsters the division’s armor, which already comprises two regimental tank companies (6th Medium Tank Bn.). Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, a group of S.K. police sent by General Kean arrives at the 24th Regiment positions; Colonel Champney, the regimental commander, orders it to deploy in an existing gap at P’il-bong, between the 5th RCT and the lines of the 24th Regiment. On the 18th, the Communists launch an attack against the 24th Regiment. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: At Obong-ni and Cloverleaf, the close-quartered fighting continues to rage. The exhausted men of Task Force Hill eagerly await reinforcements. The enemy makes progress in the 9th RCT zone on Cloverleaf, killing some of the defenders in their foxholes, then setting up positions in the captured ground. At Ohang Hill, vicious combat erupts. The enemy uses its usual envelopment tactics to surround the 19th and 34th Regiments, but

August 16, 1950 through some tough resistance and persistence, the two endangered regiments evade encirclement. In the newly expanded 24th Division area at Hill 409 near Hyongp’ung, orders for the division arrive slightly after midnight (15th-16th) to mount an attack. The enemy could have moved from the hill and caused tremendous damage at the already strained American positions at the bulge, but the N.K. Regiment remains fixed. To thwart any attempt by the Communists to drive south from the hill, reinforcements (1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment) arrive to fortify the 24th Division. Also, the carriers Badoeng Strait and Sicily move to positions from which their planes can support the attack. General Church intends to launch a coordinated assault, committing the Marines against Obong-ni Ridge and the 9th RCT against Cloverleaf. General Craig, using his helicopter, scouts the battlefield. Later, Craig drops in at the 9th RCT command post to meet with Colonel John Hill. Colonel Murray also arrives at the front to discuss the attack strategy with Hill. While there, Murray notes the thinning lines of the battle-weary troops on both Hill 125 and Observation Hill, following their five days of tough fighting. Murray also trains his eyes on the terrain that will become his battleground, and then he focuses on the low ground that could entrap both his 5th Marines and the 9th RCT if they are simultaneously caught in the open. Murray concludes that only one unit should jump off first, and he reasons that his objective, Obong-ni, is the closest. Murray suggests that if agreeable, the Marines would attack at 0800, under cover fire from the 9th RCT. Then according to the plan, the 9th will advance with Marine cover fire. Colonel Hill concurs. Meanwhile, complications are developing on the eve of the attack. General Church had assured General Craig that 145 Eighth Army vehicles would be available to facilitate the movement of the brigade. The trucks should enable Murray to speed one battalion to Observation Hill while the remaining two battalions set to attack. However, only forty-three trucks are available at Miryang. This upsets the schedule and wastes valuable energy and time, as many of the troops must now walk. At 1900, the 3rd Battalion boards the trucks and moves to the 5th Marines command post about 3,000 yards behind the front lines. From there, they march to Cloverleaf and relieve the 34th Regiment. Responsibility for the area south of the MSR passes to Colonel Taplett at 0445 on August 17. The 2nd Battalion advances the old fashioned way, by foot, and reaches positions near Cloverleaf at 0130. The lack of trucks also makes the 3rd Battalion’s trek to the front run way behind schedule, causing it to arrive at the assembly area later than expected. One thing remains certain; there is little sleep for the Marines prior to the scheduled assault. As usual, there is scant intelligence on the opposing forces, but it is assumed that Obong-ni Ridge is strongly defended and that the next objective, Hill 207, will be difficult to seize. Furthermore, giant Hill 311, the third objective, is also deemed potent.

August 16, 1950 At this point General Craig is unaware of the agreement between Colonel Hill and Colonel Murray concerning the method of attack, but conversations just prior to the assault clarify the situation. Craig asks Murray to explain his tactical plan and he is informed that the 5th Marines will attack in columns of battalions. The 2nd Battalion will seize Obong-ni, and be followed by the 1st Battalion, which will pass through the 2nd and secure Hill 207. The 3rd Battalion will seize the third and final objective, Hill 311. General Craig concurs with Murray’s plan. Also, the N.K. 2nd Division reminds its troops of the order that forbids the shooting of POWs. A memo issued through its Cultural Section says: “Some of us are still slaughtering enemy troops that come to surrender. Therefore, the responsibility of teaching the soldiers to take prisoners of war and to treat them kindly rests on the political section of each unit.” Another massacre unfolds at the Central Front on Hill 303 as the reminder is issued. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front , Taegu: In Air Force activity, 98 B-29 Superfortresses attempt to annihilate about 40,000 enemy troops suspected of staging north of Waegwan. The planes pulverize the area north of Taegu. At 1158, the first squadrons of the five bombing groups, based in Okinawa and Japan, arrive over the designated areas. By the time the final run is completed, the 19th, 22nd, 92nd, 98th and 307th Bomber Groups unleash nearly 1,000 tons of 500–1000 pound bombs on the target sites.

224 General O’Donnell, who remains airborne for more than two hours, witnesses the colossal air strikes. He reports that during the strikes, no enemy activity could be detected from the air. Subsequent patrols from the 1st Cavalry sector also are unable to gather any intelligence on the success of the raids. One patrol is halted at the Naktong River by enemy fire. Another crosses the river, but additional strong enemy fire pushes it back. Intelligence later received from prisoners alleges that the enemy units suspected of being in the area had already crossed the river before the initiation of the air strikes. The results of the Air Force’s heavy strike remains unavailable. But following the massive bombing mission, the enemy artillery that had been firing from that area slacks off dramatically. In other Air Force activity, the advanced Fifth Air Force headquarters relocates from Taegu to Pusan. On the following day, the North Koreans initiate a heavy assault along the Taegu Front. In other activity, during the past twenty-four hours, the enemy has seized ground on Hill 303, but Company G, 5th Cavalry, still maintains its isolated positions there. The condition of the supporting mortarmen remains questionable, but critical at best. The tanks support Company B, which mounts another attack to relieve the besieged command on the hill, but again the enemy repulses it, despite additional support fire from the guns of the 61st FAB and several howitzers of Battery B, 82nd FAB. Waegwan, sitting amidst the blazing combat, becomes a no man’s land.

U.S. Army bivouac area on 16 August 1950. There are 3.5-inch and 2.36-inch rocket launchers on right and a 4.2-inch M2 chemical mortar on left.

225 The 5th Cavalry’s commander, Colonel Marcel Crombez, becomes infuriated with the 2nd Battalion commander’s progress. The officer has apparently allowed control of the units to slip away from him to the point that he is unaware of their locations. Crombez relieves the officer of command. Another officer assumes command and then he resumes the attack. Nonetheless, the enemy repels all forward movement. After dark, Company G eludes capture and destruction. It escapes through the enemy lines to safety, but the mortarmen of Company H remain in place, unable to break out. On the following day, a new attack is launched to seize the obstinate hill. In the meantime, while the enemy attempts to break through the cavalry, it also launches persistent assaults against the adjoining S.K. 1st Division, commanded by Major General Paik Sun Yup, in the rugged mountains northeast of the cavalry. The S.K. 1st Division’s 13th Regiment is strung along the river. Its 11th and 12th Regiments, deployed deeper in the mountains, engage the enemy east of the Naktong at Suam-san and Yuhak-san, west and northwest of Tabu-dong respectively. The North Koreans, despite coming under heavy artillery fire that includes direct hits, maintains an underwater bridge near Hills 201 and 346, about six miles north of Waegwan. The combined enemy pressure within the zones of the cavalry and the ROK 1st Division places Taegu in a more precarious position. Two enemy tanks penetrate the S.K. 1st Division lines during the day at Tabu-dong, but their progress is quickly halted by ROK bazooka teams, which eliminate both. In an effort to bolster the tottering city, which is bulging with ever-increasing numbers of refugees, causing its population to soar from 300,000 to 700,000, a contingent of 750 S.K. police is posted along its fringes. The refugee population still conceals countless numbers of North Korean enemy troops, regular and irregular, and they remain indistinguishable from the South Koreans. In other activity, the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, arrives at Kyongsan and reverts to Army reserve. But Colonel Michaelis is immediately ordered to dispatch reconnaissance patrols north, northwest and west of the town. Meanwhile, Michaelis is to remain prepared to move out if the enemy is detected. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: At Toksongni during the night of the 16th-17th, the drastically shrinking perimeter of the S.K. 3rd Division becomes electrified. The 3rd Division has ably held off the enemy along the coastal road, permitting other inland contingents to pull back, but now, it is forced to begin backing toward the sea. Meanwhile, the heavy guns of the naval surface vessels of Rear Admiral Hartman’s TG 96.51 rivet an iron picket fence to the immediate front of the division, preventing hordes of Communists from overrunning their point of departure. While the U.S. Navy attempts to confine the enemy to prone positions with accompanying lack of sleep, the troops of the S.K. 22nd and 23rd

August 16, 1950 Regiments and the attached contingent of National Police begin boarding LSTs, taking all their equipment and weapons with them. The evacuation is totally successful, and at 0700 the final vessel embarks, moving out with the remaining troops and equipment, none of which is lost to the enemy. After daylight on the 17th, planes of the Fifth Air Force carpet the beach area to the immediate front of the evacuees with a monstrous blanket of impenetrable fire, forbidding advance to the water by the enemy. In the meantime, the floating convoy, formidably escorted by the USS Helena and a few destroyers (Destroyer Squadron 11), arrives at Kuryongp’o-ni at 1030. The ground troops debark immediately. Orders await the S.K. 3rd Division instructing it to advance on the following day to the positions of the Capital Division, south of Pohang-dong. Meanwhile, the S.K. Capital Division and Task Force Pohang each maintain pressure against the enemy. By the following day, the North Koreans are shoved from the vicinity of the Kyongju corridor near An’gang-ni and pushed north of the Taegu-Pohang Road. In other activity, the 23rd Regiment, 2nd U.S. Division, is en route to Kyongju to bolster the forces there. Also, South Korean troops leave Pusan for Japan to be attached to the badly diminished U.S. 7th Division, which had been heavily stripped of its ranks to fill the 1st Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry Divisions. The contingent comprising 313 South Korean recruits arrives in Japan on August 18. —In the Mediterranean: A battalion of Marines departs Crete for the Far East. The vessels USS Bexar and Montague, transporting the troops and cargo respectively, sail from Suda Bay and then through the Suez Canal. The Marine contingent arrives at Pusan to join the 7th Marines as its 3rd Battalion on September 9. The sea movement remains under stiff security and makes only one stop en route, at Celon for six hours, to take on fuel. Other contingents of the 6th Marines are being prepared to join the 7th Marines, although the official activation of the 7th Marines does not occur until the 17th. The scheduled departure date for the U.S. contingent is September 3, but the unit will ship out on September 1. — In the United States: The advance group of the 1st Marine Division departs the West Coast at 1400 by air for Japan. The contingent includes 12 officers and 6 enlisted men who are to initiate planning for the invasion of Inchon. General Smith remains at Camp Pendleton for two additional days. In other activity, the remaining elements of the 1st Marine Air Wing at El Toro receive orders to move to the Far East. One unit is Wing Headquarters Squadron 1. The other is MAG-12, composed of Headquarters Squadron 12, Service Squadron 12, VMF-212, VMF 312, VMF(N)-542 and the rear echelon of VMF(N)-5113. Embarkation by sea begins on August 24.

August 17, 1950

August 17

MacArthur’s directive calling for extensive air support for the U.N. ground troops terminates this day. The carriers that have been alternating two days in action and one day off for replenishing their supplies will continue to make air strikes. Subsequent to the activities of the carriers during this operation and during the fleet’s return to Sasebo, Admiral Struble remarks: “A temporary lull in the ground fighting had been reached.” The results of the carrier close-air support had been disappointing because the power of strength at hand could not be fully utilized. Rear Admiral E.C. Ewen, commanding officer of Task Force 77, remarks: “A continuation of the present method of providing close-air support is both wasteful and ineffective.” Admiral Hoskins comments: “The simple fact was that there were too few trained control parties on the ground, too few ‘Mosquito’ planes in the air, and too little equipment to handle the numbers of aircraft over the battline [battleline].” Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Some contingents of the N.K. 7th Division, which arrived at Chinju about August 15, push to T’ongyong, dislodge the South Korean police and occupy the town, giving the enemy positions at the southern point of Korea. Soon after on the 19th, U.S. naval vessels move offshore and bombard the town in conjunction with an amphibious landing by ROK Marines. The infusion of the N.K. 7th Division into the area has taken place to bolster the N.K. 6th Division and to protect its rear against invasion by U.S. forces. By this day, the North Koreans have nudged closer to the U.S. 25th Division’s perimeter, giving them the opportunity to initiate attacks to test the mettle of the American lines. The Communists continue these actions persistently until the end of August, but they confine the majority of these heavy patrols, ranging to strengths of up to one battalion, to the high ground in the mountains west of Haman. The combat points are concentrated around Battle Mountain and the two ridges, P’il-bong and Sobuk-san, the area comprising the northernmost sector defended by the 35th Regiment and the central zone manned by the 24th Regiment. The enemy jumps off early today. At 0300, North Korean artillery commences a barrage that strikes the 35th Regiment’s 1st Battalion Command Post at Komam-ni. Within one hour, the enemy ground troops charge the perimeter to initiate a five-day battle for control of the terrain two miles west of the town on the southern spurs of Sibidang. The contested ground is held by Colonel Teeter’s 1st Battalion. The attack is met by some flares and by illuminated mortar and artillery shells; however, the supply of these illuminating shells is becoming scarce. Before dawn, Company A is forced to give ground. A mortar position is overwhelmed and two platoons are driven back, but soon after dawn, Company B launches a counterattack and recaptures the lost ground. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: FIRST BATTLE OF THE NAKTONG BULGE During the predawn hours

226 (0130), the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold Roise, completes its march from Miryang and moves to its assembly area near Cloverleaf. While the Marines of the 2nd Battalion await the signal to attack, they are able to fix their eyes on six ominous knobs (Hills 102, 109, 117, 143, 147 and 153) protruding from the jagged ridge. At one particular spot, conspicuous by its crimson color, the ridge is parted at about its mid-point by a huge gash created by a previous landslide. The cut is the marker that forms the boundary separating Company D and Company E, which operate on the right and left respectively. At 0725, under clear skies, the artillery commences firing for range, but the shells fall ineffectively, due either to poor registration fire on the previous day or because of mistakes by the observers. A scheduled coordinating air strike is delayed. Eighteen Marine Corsairs arrive to slam the ridge, but not until 0740, fifteen minutes late, cutting their striking time in half, thereby permitting only one pass before the ground troops jump off. At 0800, the four rifle companies of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, begin the advance simultaneously. They cross the valley moving toward what is to be called No Name Ridge. Soon after, the tanks of Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, move to positions from where they can support the attack throughout the day by plastering enemy positions with their 90-mm shells and machine gun fire. Company D operates on the right and Company E operates on the left. Company D, led by Captain Zimmer, traveling on the right, traverses the road-cut below the spur and moves onto the exposed ground between Observation Hill and Hill 125. The 2nd Platoon, led by Sergeant Sidney Dickerson, deploys as reserve near the southern spur of Hill 125. Captain Zimmer establishes his command post there. The 3rd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Michael Shinka, nudges into the foul scented rice paddy, trailed by the 1st Platoon and a rocket launcher section. The rocket launcher detachment tails off and establishes positions near the road to guard the main supply route. Then about halfway through the paddy, the 1st Platoon, led by Sergeant T. Albert Crowson, increases the pace and swings over to the right, all the while receiving no resistance. The 1st Platoon catches up with the 3rd and then both units advance abreast. To the left of Company D, Company E, commanded by Lieutenant Sweeney, attacks simultaneously. The 1st and 2nd Platoons plod into the rice paddy with its near-indelible stink, moving from their positions on the southern parcel of Observation Hill. Disregarding the official boundary separating his company from Company D, the attacking contingents of Sweeney’s command concentrate their drive toward the village of Obong-ni, which sits immediately beneath Hills 143 and 147. Similarly to the advance of Company D, the resistance against Company B is limited to a few harmless shots. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is spooky and a transparent veil of danger appears to be suspended unnaturally above the battalion, waiting to drop its

227 virulent storm. However, once the company reaches the base of the slope, the situation changes. The prolonged silence is shattered and the agonizing apprehension dissipates during a rapid-paced series of events that suddenly unfold, beginning with a burst of fire against the 2nd Platoon, Company D, held in reserve on Hill 125. In the meantime, the four attacking platoons of Companies D and E maintain their cautious advances toward the objective, anticipating a cloudburst of enemy fire with each and every dogged step. While Company D’s 1st Platoon moves up the draw to the right of the spur of Hill 102, the 3rd Platoon, advancing on the left, drives through a gully advancing toward the first objective. And then, enemy fire changes the tone of the attack. The 2nd Platoon, Company D, providing cover fire for the attacking units from its positions on Hill 125, is struck by long-range machine gun fire, much of which is incoming from Obong-ni and originating simultaneously from the area of Hills 117 and 143. This fierce fire inflicts the first two casualties on Company D. The echo of the fire encroaches the 2nd Battalion attack force like a distant storm and the rifle companies realize that beyond the thunder lurks the deadly lightning. Meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd Platoons have ascended nearly halfway up the slope, on the right side of the reddish gash. Then without warning, incessant bolts of enemy fire descend upon the slope. About twelve machine guns of the N.K. 18th Regiment unleash interdiction fire upon the advancing troops, and this massive display is joined by enemy mortar fire. The gushing thrust of unending streams of shells impedes but does not halt the ascent. The 1st and 3rd Platoons gnaw forward, exhibiting contempt toward the enemy fire. Meanwhile, the North Koreans also express resolute determination. They increase the pressure by pouring more punishing fire upon the Marines, which delays the 3rd Platoon’s exiting from the gully. At about the same time, enemy machine guns focus on the 1st Platoon and inflict severe casualties against it, bringing the advance to a standstill. The layers of fire become impenetrable. Undaunted, the casualty-weakened 3rd Platoon, Company D, led by Lieutenant Michael Shinka, reinitiates its ascent to seize the summit of Hill 109 at 1000, but the advance is precarious, as the men are forced to move entirely on naked ground. At the onset, the Marines are beset with a whirlwind of automatic weapons fire supplemented with an avalanche of grenades. Nevertheless, twenty troops reach the crest, but they are intercepted by a North Korean surge. Enemy troops emerge from their foxholes, located just over the reverse slope. Then, more enemy grenades are launched toward the Marines. During the heated contest, five more Marines become casualties, bringing Shinka’s strength down to fifteen men. The 3rd Platoon is then compelled to descend the slope, shadowed by the pounding of the enemy fire from the crest and by the ever-increasing

August 17, 1950 machine gun and mortar fire originating on the still unmolested enemy positions on Hills 117 and 143. The platoon is struck by more menacing fire, originating at enemy positions in the areas north and south of Hills 102 and 109. Meanwhile, the beleaguered 1st Platoon remains stalled and under heavy fire at its positions on the right. Captain Zimmer resorts to committing his slim reserve, the 2nd Platoon, led by Sergeant Dickerson. Zimmer quickly decides that passing the 2nd Platoon through the gully used by the 3rd Platoon would be fruitless and expensive. He directs Dickerson to attack through the draw, where the 1st Platoon remains stuck. Initially, Dickerson traces the route of the 3rd Platoon, sloshing through the rice paddy while inhaling the raunchy stench and absorbing the human fertilizer that clings to the fatigues, to the further consternation of the troops. Soon after, the 2nd Platoon arrives at the draw and encounters the 3rd Platoon, which is regrouping, following its futile attack toward the crest of Hill 109. At that point, Dickerson’s platoon sprints over the spur of Hill 102. Instantaneously, both of his flanks are saturated with rings of heavy fire. Shells arc into the right from the heights north of Tugok, in cadence with more intense fire streaming in from Hills 117 and 143, each on the left side of the MSR. All the while, Captain Zimmer scans the battlefield. He notices the enemy positions beyond Tugok, then he deduces the reasons for the severe casualties being incurred by the 1st Platoon, which is trapped along the northern approaches to the objective, No Name Ridge. To Zimmer, it becomes apparent that the enemy is striking its rear and flank from entrenched positions within the zone of the 9th RCT. Zimmer takes measures intended to terminate the withering, slaughtering fire. He calls for the 2nd Battalion to redirect its guns and commence an artillery barrage, but the request receives no response. The task is then given to the artillery of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. Immediately, the guns roar, but they then suddenly quiet as the fire rings too close to the 9th RCT. Captain Zimmer then directs his 60-mm mortars to try taking out the enemy positions, but that too fails; the shells fall way short. To meet the non-stop initiative of Shinka’s 3rd Platoon, the North Koreans attempt to shove a heavy machine gun into place on a saddle between the two northernmost peaks. Marine fire forces it back. The process is repeated, but again effective Marine fire turns the enemy gunners back. Tenaciously, the enemy pulls the machine gun back into a position a third time, but it has little effect on who will control the hill. Captain Zimmer has procured the services of a 75-mm recoilless rifle. While the enemy crew is placing the machine gun on the saddle, a lone shot is fired by the 75-mm gun. It scores, and instantly the machine gun and its crew are eliminated. By this time, Company E emerges from the rice paddy, filthy but unscathed, while its counterpart, Company D, remains embattled on the right. Company E’s

August 17, 1950 rifle components continue moving toward the village of Obong-ni, encountering bitter fire. Lieutenant Sweeney’s 1st and 2nd Platoons drive directly toward the inferno. The 2nd Platoon begins lagging, then it loses its forward thrust and becomes spiritless. Meanwhile, the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Nickolas Arkadis, presses forward. Disregarding the menacing flying steel, the troops zoom into the village, and without pause, they zip through it and exit in front of the nameless slope. The 1st Platoon then is greeted by new and more concentrated fire. Enemy machine gun crews, entrenched on Hills 147 and 153, pound the flanks with jackhammer speed. Lieutenant Sweeney has the operation under observation from his command post and attempts to supply artillery support to aid his beleaguered troops. The attempt fails, as the forward observer is unable to communicate with the artillery. Sweeney then tries to contact the mortar section, but this, too, is unsuccessful. Sweeney becomes desperate and chances severe improvisation. He commits his reserve to tackle the sinister obstacles. The 2nd Platoon, Company E, races to the spur to the left of the village and grinds forward, moving toward positions from which fire can be established to lessen the pressure on the attacking platoons. The gamble pays off. Lieutenant Rodger Eddy’s platoon lays effective fire on Hills 147 and 153. At about the same time, more enemy fire begins pouring into Company E from enemy positions south of Obong-ni on the lower slopes of the ridge. Instinctively, Sweeney utilizes the scant remainder of his reserves to forestall any threat against his positions. The mortar section and Sweeney’s headquarters troops are directed to deploy in the valley to intercept the enemy at a point where they can block the southern approach through a rice paddy. Leaving his executive officer, Lieutenant Paul Uffelman, to lead the troops covering the flank, Sweeney speeds to the positions of the 1st and 2nd Platoons and discovers the latter’s situation chaotic and leaderless. But Sweeney’s 1st Platoon, bolstered by strong support fire from the 81-mm mortars of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, has gained ground and advanced nearly to the summit. Then the attack stalls, as friendly artillery fire falls short of target and blisters their skirmish line with white phosphorous. Soon after the friendly bombardment ceases, elements of Company E again surge toward the summit, but as they begin to converge upon it, new orders arrive directing the unit to pull back to safer positions due to an imminent air strike. The order is instantly obeyed; however, the Corsairs arrive so swiftly that some Company E troops are still within twentyfive yards of the peak. At about 1100, the planes from the carriers arrive on the scene, but an acute shortage of fuel tanks prevents the aircraft from carrying napalm. The enemy positions are plastered with another cogent air strike. Nevertheless, some enemy troops withstand the assault by hugging the ground in their foxholes on the reverse slope.

228 After the air strikes, the Marines, holding positions about midway on the slope, reinitiate their assault. Company D, to the right of the gash, and Company E, to the left, advance. During the aerial bombardment, the 3rd Platoon, Company E, which had moved forward to provide cover fire and neutralize the enemy fire coming from Hills 147 and 153, withdraws about 100 yards, but this permits the enemy to reinitiate its fire. Heavy machine gun fire from both peaks hammers the riflemen of Company E at their positions on the slope, thereby preventing the resumption of its attack to gain the crest. The 3rd Platoon (Company D), fifteen men strong, musters the stamina to re-climb the slope, and despite the raging fire, it overwhelms the defenders and gains the crest. An enemy contingent composed of about one squad counterattacks from its positions on the reverse slope, only to be slain by Marine riflemen. The crest of Hill 109 now belongs to the Marines, all nine of them. And their ammunition is nearly depleted, with no resupply in sight. From their vantage points above Hill 109, on Hill 143, the enemy increases the fire on the left flank of Lieutenant Shinka’s small contingent. Hill 207 to their front is also enemy-controlled and it rains shells on the crest, subjecting the beleaguered contingent to ruthless punishing fire. Shinka contacts Captain Zimmer, briefs him on the casualties and explains the stark consequences of the biting enemy fire. Soon after, Corsairs from MAG-33 reappear and deliver some white phosphorous shells upon Hill 143, lessening but not eliminating the enemy fire. The newly won positions appear untenable, prompting Shinka to order his men off the crest, with orders bring out the wounded and the weapons. The remnants of Company D’s 3rd Platoon abandon the crest and redeploy about halfway down the slope, but Shinka’s force has been reduced to six able bodied men. Soon after, Shinka, unable to shake his concern, decides to return to the crest in case any wounded have been inadvertently abandoned. Reaching the scorched summit, he creeps over the evacuated positions and then discovers PFC George Hric, who is still alive and lying prone between two dead Marines. A dangerous rescue then unfolds. As Shinka later relates the incident: “As I grabbed him under the arms and pulled him from the foxhole, a bullet shattered my chin. Blood ran into my throat and I couldn’t breathe. I tossed a grenade at a gook crawling up the slope, didn’t wait for it to explode, turned and reached under the Marine’s arms and dragged him as far as the military crest.” At that point, Shinka again is struck; a bullet spears into his right arm and the momentum violently spins him around, causing him to tip over and flip down the hill. Remarkably, Lieutenant Shinka recovers and makes it back to his lines. By noon, the combined casualties of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, rise to 23 dead and 119 wounded, nearly all attributed to Companies D and E during the savage fighting for the hill. And it is becoming increasingly apparent

229 that the lack of a third rifle company in the battalion is hindering the progress of the operation and unnecessarily increasing the casualties. Yet, the persistent attacks have obviously cut deeply into the enemy defenders, exhibited by the numerous scattered bodies of the N.K. 4th Division and its demolished equipment. Nonetheless, the 2nd Battalion, like nearly every other unit in Korea, is under-strength and unable to propel reserves into the battle. Its six bloodied rifle companies are too depleted to complete the conquest of the ridge. Subsequent to its grueling seven-hour battle for the ridge, the 2nd Battalion’s able-bodied riflemen stand at fewer than 100, mandating the commitment of Colonel Newton’s 1st Battalion. Meanwhile, General Craig becomes troubled by the noticeable inactivity within the zone of the 9th RCT, which has permitted the enemy from their position at Tugok to maintain heavy pressure against the right flank of his Marine Brigade. Upon inquiring why there has been no timely assault, Craig is informed of the previous agreement reached between Colonel Murray (CO, 5th Marines) and Colonel Hill (CO, 9th RCT), whereby the 9th RCT would postpone its attack and afford cover fire until the Marines seize the first objective. Craig then orders Tugok to be bombarded. Colonel Murray becomes apprehensive because up to this point, no cover fire has come forth. He attempts to contact Colonel Hill and request that the 9th RCT begin its attack, but there is a delay in getting the message through, prompting Murray to concentrate on his dilemma. With few alternatives remaining, at about 1300, Murray directs Colonel Newton to pass his 1st Battalion through the lines of the 2nd Battalion and resume the attack to vanquish the enemy on Obong-ni Ridge. While the 1st Battalion moves toward its assembly point, additional planes from MAG-33 again streak overhead to revisit the over-baked ridge. While the Corsairs carpet the enemy positions, the guns of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, and some Able Company tanks join the fight. In the midst of transferring responsibility for the attack, Colonel Murray, commanding officer, 5th Marines, is speaking on the radio with Captain Zimmer, Company D, 2nd Battalion. While Zimmer is briefing Murray on the situation in his area, heavy enemy machine gun fire pours into Zimmer’s outpost. Zimmer is hit and severely wounded, as are several other nearby Marines. Zimmer struggles, but by painful crawling, he reaches his company command post on the opposite slope of the spur and places Lieutenant R.T. Hanifin in command. Zimmer heads back to battalion lines for medical treatment while Company D prepares to withdraw to Observation Hill, its portion of the battle ended for now. The 1st Battalion sets up its command post right next to that of the 2nd Battalion, to the rear of the road cut. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines weapons company, deploys behind the CP. Also, Colonel Newton establishes the 1st Battalion outpost close to Colonel Roise’s 2nd Battalion outpost on Observation Hill. In con-

August 17, 1950 junction, Colonel Hill’s 9th RCT will simultaneously launch its attack against Cloverleaf. At 1600, following a towering artillery barrage that includes time-on-target air bursts that wreak havoc over the entire slope of Cloverleaf, the 9th RCT commences its attack. And in synchronization, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, presses forward to complete the destruction of the enemy on Obong-ni Ridge. The effective artillery shelling of Cloverleaf demoralizes the enemy defenders, enabling the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, to charge aggressively. This forces the surviving North Koreans to hurriedly flee down the reverse slope. Implementing quick action, the 2nd Battalion, 9th RCT, secures Cloverleaf and prepares to use its weaponry to augment the advance against Obong-ni, where the Marines experience resolute resistance. While the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, presses its attack, Marine artillery pounds enemy positions on the forward and reverse slopes of Obong-ni Ridge. Marine aircraft deliver equally stunning blows against it. Meanwhile, a detachment of tanks moves forward and pours its 90-mm shells and machine gun fire into the target areas to support the ground Marines. But still the enemy continues to exhibit enormous resiliency. During the tedious day-long fighting, the tanks eliminate a minimum of twelve enemy antitank guns and some automatic weapons. Enemy return fire pounds the four U.S. tanks and scores twenty-three hits. One tank is struck by three direct hits. Surprisingly, the damage is minimal and only one crewman is wounded, superficially. In the meantime, Captain Tobin’s Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, passes through the lines of the 2nd Battalion. Its 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Schryver, pushes toward Hill 102, while the 2nd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Taylor, makes exceptional progress as it plows up the gully, driving toward the saddle between Hill 102 and Hill 109. Still in reserve, the 3rd Platoon and some machine guns deploy on Observation Hill. The machine guns spread out along the forward slopes to bolster the attack. Tobin, also on Observation Hill, notes the platoons’ headway while he confers with his executive officer, Captain Fenton. At that time, enemy machine gun fire rakes the area, wounding Tobin. Subsequent to getting Captain Tobin evacuated for medical aid, Fenton assumes command of Company B and speeds to the ridge where, by now, the 1st and 2nd Platoons are stalled by heavy fire. The 1st Platoon is way up the slope and the 2nd is positioned well below the mid-point. The 2nd Platoon is struck by enfilade fire and its ranks are being shredded from fire originating on Hills 109, 117, and 143. Lieutenant Taylor sustains a mortal wound. Captain Fenton is with the 2nd Platoon and aware that both units are stalled. Fenton orders the 3rd Platoon into the fight. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Schryver concludes that the nemesis of his 1st Platoon’s advance is the menacing fire coming from Tugok. He requests and receives assistance from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Weapons Company.

August 17, 1950

230

Top: A U.S. Army tractor (earth moving crawler) clears ground for an airstrip to handle light aircraft. Bottom: A U.S. Army Motor Carriage M19 with twin 40-mm guns operates near Yongsan during August. Soon after, the village becomes the recipient of incessant 81-mm mortar shells. While the deadly Marine fire descends upon the village, the 1st Platoon eases to the western spur overlooking the MSR, and from there, it outflanks the enemy and strikes viciously. The 1st Platoon converges on Hill 102 and secures it at 1710. In the meantime, while the 1st Platoon drives from the south, some blazing machine gun fire of Company B continues to drill the summits of Hills 117 and 143. This

surge permits the 2nd Platoon to shoot the draw, and within fifteen minutes it secures Hill 109 (at 1725). At 1500, while Company B, 1st Battalion, launches its attack through the lines of Company D, 2nd Battalion, the 1st Battalion’s Company A attacks through the positions of Sweeney’s Company E, 2nd Battalion. Company A scampers through the rank rice paddy and moves beyond to the near incinerated slopes. The 1st and 2nd Platoons, each accompanied by a machine gun

231 section, advance, while battle-weary and drawn Company E, 2nd Battalion, moves back to Observation Hill. At first, the advance meets only nominal opposition, permitting the 1st and 2nd Platoons to easily pass the midway point, sustaining little more than sporadic sniper fire from the forward slopes and from the summit of Obong-ni Ridge. But then, the North Koreans spring to action, and in an instant, the seemingly benign summit is transformed into a multi-tongued serpent. Seething streams of fire permeate the paths of advance and slice ruthlessly into the ranks of the 1st and 2nd Platoons. The 1st Platoon gets snagged between Hills 109 and 117, and the 2nd Platoon becomes snarled between Hills 117 and 143. Both platoons are dangerously strung out and the intensity of the fire staggers the grueling advance. Marines on Observation Hill watch in anguish as their buddies become imperiled, despite the copious bombardment that has pulverized enemy positions on Hills 117 and 143. Lieutenant Robert Sebilan, leading the 1st Platoon through the gully, disregards the wall of fire. He pushes his platoon forward. Sebilan, soon after, receives a debilitating blow when his leg is shattered. Sergeant Orval McMullen assumes command and the platoon again drives forward, reaching the saddle above the gully about the same time Company B gains Hill 109. However, there is no advance to the south toward Hill 117. Another wall of enemy fire bars progress. The 2nd Platoon, Company A, led by Lieutenant Thomas Johnston, is also paralyzed by withering enemy fire as it advances to the left of the 1st Platoon. Johnston, incensed by the machine gun fire that is cutting his platoon to pieces, defiantly jumps up and bolts forward, singlehandedly charging the enemy positions, but he is felled when he reaches the base of the summit. Sergeant Frank Lawson assumes command and he attempts to lead the dwindling 2nd Platoon forward against more aggravating fire. The platoon is quickly reduced to about one squad. The recently committed 3rd Platoon moves forward from its positions on Observation Hill. Led by Lieutenant George Fox, it moves through the rice paddy. An enemy mortar barrage strikes the advancing platoon before it can emerge from the rice paddy, killing one man. Nevertheless, the platoon advances, reaches Obong-ni Ridge and then begins to climb, collecting some remnants of the 1st and 2nd Platoons as it grinds toward the crest. As with the previous assaults, the unit passes the mid-point before hitting impenetrable fire. Two attempts to break through are stymied by the vicious fire. Meanwhile, Captain Stevens arrives at the foundation of the ridge, where he is able to spot the 1st and 2nd Platoons, but not the 3rd. There is no radio communication between Stevens and the troops on the slope. And at dusk, Hills 117 and 143 still belong to the enemy. In addition to the attacks by the 9th RCT and the 5th Marines, other attacks by the 19th and 34th Regiments, operating on the 24th Division right, begin during late

August 17, 1950 afternoon after numerous holdups. These attacks prove costly, particularly to L Company, 34th Regiment, which sustains heavy casualties, many caused by enemy fire striking from the rear. But with persistence the two regiments seize their objectives to the north, and by darkness, Ohang Hill is taken by the 19th Regiment. The 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, to the southeast, maintains its blocking position without challenge. Also, the 9th RCT has cleared Tugok and Finger Ridge against nominal resistance. On the following day, Marines will uncover the maimed bodies of thirty U.S. soldiers at a medical station that had been overrun during the previous week; the troops show conspicuous signs of torture that occurred prior to their execution. In the meantime, the Marines begin to establish night positions on Hills 102 and 109, but apparently the enemy isn’t ready to pause. At 2000, troops of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, on Hill 102 glance to the west and spot four T-34 tanks rumbling down the MSR. Trailed by infantry, the armor heads for the pass between Obong-ni and Cloverleaf. From their vantage points on Hill 102, the Marines appear intrigued by the arrogant T-34s as they encroach the pass. The enemy tanks have yet to encounter the Marine Pershings, which have been supporting the ground attacks throughout the day, but the encounter is imminent. A radioman with B Company grabs a radio and informs battalion headquarters of the approaching intruders. Within a short time, the M-26 Pershings refuel and get equipped with 90-mm armor-piercing shells, then race to the pass. At about the same time, several soaring Corsairs detect the enemy armor. The planes immediately attack the column, destroy the trailing tank and scatter the enemy infantry. The remaining three tanks continue the advance and pass beyond Finger and Obong-ni Ridges to encroach the curve near Hill 125. The Marines on Hill 125 rush two 3.5-inch rocket launcher teams to positions near the curve on the MSR to await the enemy armor. They are accompanied by the 1st 75-mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon, which is deployed on nearby Observation Hill. The three Pershing tanks (M-26s) continue to race forward, transporting some heavier fireworks. The T-34s announce their presence by the clouds of dust that ascend from the road as they crank forward. The Marines wait for the armor to round the bend. When the lead tank is sighted, a bazooka is prepared for fire. When it reaches a point about 100 yards away, a shot rings out and it clips the tank’s treads. The crippled T-34 continues to advance with its guns blazing. In an instant, the tank is struck by a second scorching blow from the bazooka. At about the same time, it sustains a massive hit from a recoilless rifle; the shell blows a hole in the tank’s hull. But still, the tank refuses to die. Its movement becomes erratic as it haphazardly swings around the curve, firing blindly as it rumbles along, unaware of new lurking danger. Standing in the path is Sergeant Cecil R. Fuller’s Pershing tank, which

August 17, 1950 quickly fires two shots that kill the T-34. One enemy soldier survives the explosion and he escapes the blazing tank, but he is immediately cut down by Marine riflemen. By now, the second T-34 takes the deadly curve and it is instantly hit by an assault squad from Company A. It, too, manages to hobble forward, but one track is dragging. The handicap is soon eliminated. Before it gets too far it is clobbered by a rocket, fired by a detachment of the 1st Battalion, and then it is pounded by recoilless rifles. The mugged tank limps to a halt directly behind the first dead tank, but its 85-mm gun continues to fire wildly into the wind. In the meantime, another Pershing tank arrives to keep Sergeant Fuller company on the skimpy firing line, giving the impression that the tanks are metallic Siamese twins. By now, the third Russian-made T-34 swings around the bend and into the sights of the waiting Marine tanks. Both Pershings commence firing and pump out six 90-mm shells that stagger the T-34. The decimated tank maintains its ability to fire, which prompts both Pershings to increase the dosage. The T34 sustains seven additional hits. And in the meantime, a white phosphorous shell launched by a 1st Battalion rocket team scores a peculiar direct hit with a bank shot. One of the enemy crewmen attempts to escape the iron coffin. He opens the hatch while the phosphorous shell is en route and as it opens, the shell hits it and bounces down into the turret, igniting an inferno just before the Pershings’ seven rounds arrive to blow through the turret and create a violent explosion. The legend of the sterling invincibility of the Russian tanks is evolving as a myth. The final T-34 charges around the bend, only to greeted by the rubble of the two that preceded it. After an abrupt halt, the lone operational enemy tank is quickly transformed into burning scrap metal. The combined power of the two Pershings, the rocket launchers and the grizzly recoilless rifles unleashes an onslaught of decimating fire that concludes the lop-sided encounter. The rattled T-34 trembles under the shock, then explodes. In the first encounter between the Marines’ Pershings and the Russian-made T-34s, the Pershings eliminate the foe in less than ten minutes. With the threat of the tanks terminated, the Marines resume establishing their night perimeter, including the ample distribution of trip-flares in preparation for an anticipated night attack. At the same time, artillery units maintain fire along suspected enemy approach routes leading toward Cloverleaf and Obong-ni, to hinder the advance of any reinforcements. While the battlefield activity subsides on the slope, the medics and ambulances, overworked for the entire day, become more animated in the race to save lives. During the incessant contest, casualties continue to be carried non-stop from the slopes, ensuring that Lieutenants Bentley Nelson and Chester Klein (battalion medical officers) and their corpsmen receive no rest. So taxing is the crisis that all ambulances in the rear, including sixteen Eighth Army vehicles, are comman-

232 deered to transport the wounded. Also, the light observation planes of VMO-6 transfer the more seriously wounded to the ships offshore. Soon after the tank encounter, at about 2030, Captain Stevens, commanding officer, Company A, 1st Battalion, makes contact with his 1st Platoon, which is straddled between Hills 109 and 117 and next to Company B. Stevens is informed that a 100-yard gap separates it from the 2nd and 3rd Platoons. Stevens meets with the platoon leaders at the base of the ridge and they discuss continuing the assault; however, with the imminence of darkness and the diminished supply of ammunition, food and water, the platoon leaders contend that their exhausted troops should not attack. Stevens and the platoon leaders agree that a large enemy attack might be following right behind the destroyed armor, and their attack should be postponed. Captain Stevens informs Colonel Newton, the 1st Battalion commander, of the situation and Newton then instructs Stevens to discontinue the attack and bind together with Fenton’s Company B to hold the perimeter for the night. Fenton’s Company B, composed of 195 troops, tightens up as its 1st and 2nd Platoons dig in defensively on the forward slopes of Hills 102 and 109, while its machine guns on the summits exchange fire with the North Koreans on Hill 117. The 3rd Platoon reverts to reserve. Also, Company A, composed of 185 men, shifts farther right from its positions below Hills 117 and 143 to link more closely with Company B. The 1st Platoon is the furthermost unit on the left of Company A’s front, which extends left from the southern part of Hill 109. The 1st Platoon extends right to the middle of the saddle toward Hill 117. From there the 2nd Platoon’s perimeter line curves downward to the spur underneath enemy controlled Hill 117, where it enjoins what is virtually the perpendicular line of the 3rd Platoon (left flank) that extends up and down the spur of Hill 117. Theoretically, the brigade’s line is completed by the 1st Battalion’s Headquarters Company, which is to stretch across the rice paddy extending from Observation Hill to Company A, but the severe casualties incurred by Headquarters Company prevent the hook up, leaving the 3rd Platoon strung out precariously. Nevertheless, Colonel Murray, 5th Marines, upon arriving back at his command post near Yongsan, remains confident despite the tactical problems. He realizes his forces are powerfully concentrated within their restricted area and that the reserve 2nd and 3rd Battalions on Observation and Cloverleaf, respectively, can easily mount a strong support attack if the enemy strikes during the night. Most of the Marines attempt to get some rest, but about 25 percent remain on guard and at the ready. Although the units prepare for an anticipated enemy night assault, elements of the 24th Division have intercepted an enemy radio message that details chronic shortages of ammunition in the area of the Naktong Bulge, and they have also intercepted a related request that would authorize the North Koreans to withdraw back across the river.

233 Meanwhile, on Obong-ni Ridge just before 2200, the screaming rattle of incoming mortar fire and its violent explosions are heard, followed by a devastating direct hit inflicted by four white phosphorus shells that land dead center within the entrenched positions of Company A. Eighteen men, nearly the entire contin-

August 17, 1950 gent in the gully, become casualties and its 60-mm mortars are destroyed. On the fringe of the impacting shells, several men of the 3rd Platoon are also wounded, including Captain George C. Fox, platoon leader. Subsequent to the contest and the capture of enemy equipment, it is determined that the enemy had

U.S. troops advance past a destroyed enemy tank. Some carry 3.5-inch rocket launchers. The soldier on the right in the foreground carries rockets. Two South Korean laborers transport a casualty to rear to receive medical attention.

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Supplies are dropped to isolated troops. The drop marks are located in a rice paddy. possession of a captured U.S. Army radio (SCR-300) and its frequency setting was that used by the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, giving the enemy an added advantage during this battle. The next several hours pass with unnatural tranquility, except for some sporadic fire originating from enemy positions south of the Marine perimeter. An at-

tack by the 1st Battalion is scheduled for 0700, but in the interim, the enemy night attack is still expected. And at 0230 it arrives — with a bang. As expected, the Communists launch their attack, hoping to catch the Marines on Obong-ni off guard. Initially, the Marines on Hill 117 detect enemy movement and in synchronization, North Korean machine

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Crew of M15A prepares to move out in the vicinity of Yongsan. The M15A, like the M19, was designed as an antiaircraft weapon. guns on the summit commence firing into Company A’s positions. A luminous green flare consumes the night sky as the North Koreans charge from their concealed positions on Hill 117 against the positions of Company A, commanded by Captain John Stevens. Simultaneously, an assault strikes Company B at its positions on Hill 109. Two enemy platoons driving west head up the gully against Fenton’s main defenses, while a diversionary attack is launched by one squad attacking from the gully west of the saddle between Hills 102 and 109. Company B remains solid and the attack falters. However, some enemy troops penetrate by evading Marines in foxholes and striking the command post on Hill 109. They are met by mortarmen, rocket launcher crewmen and clerks who encounter and annihilate the infiltrators. Meanwhile, brilliant artificial daylight is created by the burst of 81-mm illuminating mortar shells that expose the enemy attack and offer the Americans a panoramic view and a lesson on the enemy tactics. The North Koreans bolt noisily from the ground, lobbing grenades as they sprint forward, firing their automatic weapons toward the flank and to the front. It is noted that the attacking units travel only short distances, then they drop prone to the ground to permit trailing squads to leap forward and repeat the process, continuing the strategy for the duration of the attack. The killing grounds appear more gruesome because of the colossal flares. The enemy pressure succeeds in isolating the remnant 2nd Platoon of Company A, but

the greatly outnumbered platoon resists tenaciously for about one-half hour of deadly close-quartered fighting. Tech Sergeant Lawson, who had replaced Lieutenant Johnston as 2nd Platoon leader earlier in the day, is wounded three times during the struggle, but he refuses evacuation, choosing instead to lead and inspire his troops to fight on. Finally, the 2nd Platoon is overwhelmed, but the enemy misses the opportunity of gushing through the gap in large numbers. Nonetheless, the North Koreans splinter the two companies as they press toward the command post of Stevens’ Company A, to the immediate rear of the overwhelmed 2nd Platoon. The attackers, bolstered by heavy submachine gun fire and grenades, shove Stevens and his headquarters down the gully, toward the saddle south of Hill 109. This in turn opens the left flank of his 1st Platoon, compelling it to pull back toward the southern face of Hill 109. Captain Fenton, informed of the enemy seizure of the saddle south of Hill 109, begins to further tighten his left flank by pulling it in tightly toward his 3rd Platoon, which is deployed on the reverse slope. This maneuver forms a configuration similar to that of a football at this portion of the defenses, and it enables Company B to fend off enemy pressure that is driving from the south. Following about one hour of furious battle, the enemy is driven back. Marine artillery fire lends support to the riflemen of Company A in their effort to hold off the enemy thrust.

August 17, 1950 The 3rd Platoon, deployed on the left along the spur below Hill 117, remains unscathed, except for some brief exchanges with enemy infantry during the attack. Lieutenant Fox reforms his 3rd Platoon and stretches its perimeter to afford more protection, utilizing some few surviving troops of the 2nd Platoon. By 0400, Captain Stevens is momentarily out of touch with his company; however, the situation is not critical. Stevens balances his center near the bottom of the draw. One Company A officer, Lieutenant Fred Eubanks, singlehandedly charges up the gully against the enemy. Soon after, he is joined by another officer, Lieutenant Francis Muetzel, who was assumed dead during the initial enemy penetration against the 2nd Platoon. The machine gun officer had only been knocked out. His timely recovery is a welcome addition for Eubanks. Both then advance together, hacking their way through the enemy lines to safely reach the Marine zones. During the struggle, Tech. Sergeant Paul Hodge, disregarding his wounds, enables Stevens to make contact with Lieutenant Fox (3rd Platoon) prior to dawn and the loose ends are tied, setting up the attack. In the meantime, Colonel Newton’s request to have the artillery barrage the enemy positions has been answered so powerfully that the 11th Marines are asked to hold back a few rounds to support the brigade attack, still scheduled to jump off in several hours, at 0700. Newton retorts that if the battalion does not continue to receive maximum artillery support, the brigade would be attacking for the purpose of regaining Objective One at 0700. The incessant bombardment continues and it is bolstered by the 2nd Battalion’s total complement of 81-mm mortar ammunition, which greatly increases the killing power of Newton’s mortarmen. The bitter night attack had started with both Marine companies being numerically weak, and at its conclusion, the 1st Battalion is victorious but further drained. At dawn, while the surviving remnants of the enemy are retiring back to their lines, machine guns still entrenched on Hill 117 rattle off some shots at the Marines. Company A is down to 90 able men and Company B has incurred 85 casualties, thinning its ranks to 110 troops, but B Company still commands Hills 102 and 109. With the arrival of daylight, the 5th Marines, having repelled the North Korean onslaught, prepare to mount the scheduled attack to clear Hill 117, where the enemy had withdrawn after being rebuffed by the Marines. The 1st Battalion reorganizes and Company A prepares to conclude yesterday’s task by taking the hill. At 0700, after conferring with Colonel Newton, Stevens orders the 3rd Platoon to strike. The skies remain clear on the 18th, giving the Marines the added power of close-air support as well as artillery support. The Marines (1st Bn., 5th Marines) drive south toward the hill, crossing the saddle effortlessly, but as the troops begin to ascend the slope, enemy machine guns string a ghastly wall of fire across the line of advance. One Marine BARman, PFC Harold Twedt, eliminates two of the machine guns, but enemy fire kills him.

236 About fifty yards farther up the slope, another machine gun position stalls the advance by laying sheets of fire. The Marines are hung high on the slope. An urgent call for an air strike is dispatched and soon afterward the tactical air coordinator, Lt. Colonel Norman Anderson, obliges with Corsairs overhead. Anderson fires a colorful smoke rocket to identify the location of the target and Major Arnold Lund (VMF-323) directs his section leader, Captain John P. Kelley, to destroy the menacing obstacle. Kelley’s Corsair zooms overhead, then dives toward a belly-scraping level, nearly shaving the heads of the troops of the 3rd Platoon, before unleashing his 500-pound parcel of that destroys all four machine guns. The impact jolts the Marines on the ground, and one BARman is inadvertently killed by the blast. At about the point of detonation, while the smoke and debris are still hovering above the charred earth, the Marines charge from their positions and secure the hill. Upon reaching the enemy gun emplacement it becomes evident that Captain Kelley had hit the bull’s-eye with his bomb, scoring a massive direct hit. Within five minutes of the appearance of the Corsair, the Marines sprint to the summit, claiming Hill 117, and soon after, they are joined by Orval McMullen’s 1st Platoon, which has driven from Hill 109, prompting the enemy to flee from the crest and the reverse slope under heavy fire from the new occupants. With the crest of Hill 117 in their pocket, the men of Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, swing toward the south to sweep the crest. Twenty Marines attack and seize Hill 143 against light resistance. Immediately, Stevens requests permission from Newton to continue the attack and he receives this response: “Affirmative.” Soon after, the 3rd Platoon, Company A, attacks and overruns Hill 147. Many of the enemy defenders flee their positions. Some choose to stand and fight for the crest, and they are annihilated. The victors scour the summit and detect a disciplined enemy column composed of about 150 troops descending the western slope and about halfway to the base. Suddenly, Marine fire commences from the crest and the neatly moving columns-of-four begin to unravel. The jewel of Obong-ni, Hill 153, with its towering peak, still remains to be taken, and it is expected that the North Koreans will resist tenaciously. Company A’s 3rd Platoon drives expeditiously to the crest, encountering discarded equipment and weapons and some enemy corpses. The Marines search the area and the slopes for the vanishing enemy, and they discover an unusual sight on the reverse slope when the spot some scrub pines that harbor hostile tree-huggers. The Marines observe the bushes unnaturally moving down the hill and react. Some of the enemy are slain, but their pace is so quick that many of the fleeing bushes escape. While the 1st and 2nd Platoons, Company A, concentrate on the middle peaks, the 3rd Platoon sweeps the southern stretches below Hill 153, encountering no

237 opposition. The 1st Platoon’s engineers sweep through the swamps south of Hill 153, securing it and the left flank of the 3rd Platoon by establishing a solid minefield that stretches from the southern summit downward to the valley and eastward from there across the swamp. In the meantime, Colonel Taplett’s 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, which had received warning orders at midnight (17th-18th) to continue its attack, is preparing to jump from its assembly area. Artillery fire and mortars converge on the objective and air strikes plaster the hill to loosen resistance. Colonel Taplett establishes his observation post on the northern portion of Obong-ni. Companies G and H, with support fire from the 9th Regiment, USA, on Cloverleaf, jump off from the northern edge of Obong-ni and drive toward Hill 207. (In some U.S. Army references this hill is noted as 206). At about 1000, Fenton’s Company H contingent breaks from the main supply route and moves onto some open ground between Obong-ni and Finger Ridges. From there, it drives up the eastern spur, while the trailing Company G, under Bohn, pivots to the right and from the opposite side of a deep gully charges up the western spur. While the attacking troops ascend the slopes, watchful tanks of the 3rd Platoon, Company A, spot an enemy platoon working the flank. The M-26s open fire from a range of 300 yards, shattering the attack, killing many and scattering the remainder. The tanks maintain their cover fire to the front and flanks, enabling the ground troops to continue the climb. As Company H’s 1st Platoon encroaches the summit, a few of the defenders rise from their foxholes and toss grenades at the attacking Marines. Instinctively, everyone hits the deck and remains prone until the grenades detonate. Then with a sudden burst, the final lap is run, catching the defenders off guard. Most defenders head down the reverse slope, but some remain to resist; all are quickly killed. Meanwhile, Company G, driving on the right, swings in over the western portion of the objective and quickly eradicates the few remaining enemy troops, culminating the conquest of Hill 207 (Objective Two) at 1237. The N.K. 4th Division begins to crumble. Contingents are speeding from the slopes of Hill 207. Some bee-line for Hill 311 on the opposite side of the MSR, and others flee toward the Naktong River. The disciplined enemy division is in disorganized flight, lacking its usual cover of darkness. The exposed North Koreans offer an abundance of killing opportunities for the artillerymen and the Marine Corsairs. Planes of MAG-33 obliterate the assumed position of the command post of the N.K. 18th Regiment on a crest south of Hill 207. The attack delivers thunderous bolts of flaming steel and short circuits the enemy communications. In the meantime, other Corsairs alternate as they spray the banks of the Naktong and assault the hundreds of fleeing enemy troops with more steel.

August 17, 1950 The murderous thunderclap increases its intensity. At about 1200, when information concerning the enemy retreat across the Naktong is transmitted, the artillery hones in on the Naktong River crossings, in concert with aircraft that strafe the roads and paths on the western slopes, slicing the enemy ranks there. The enemy troops become caught on naked ground as they try to reach the river. While the enemy is being shredded on the banks by the Corsairs, the artillery is adjusted to place interdiction fire on each of the river crossings, greatly increasing the fatalities and casualties on the beleaguered Communist Division. The guns of the artillery are adjusted for effectiveness on target and modified by supplementing the barrage with “adjusted air bursts” and “quick fuse” shells to ensure a greater killing area. The time-delayed shells spring deadly surprises on the enemy troops who attempt escape by swimming under water. When they come up for air they are greeted with clusters of exploding shell fragments overhead. Colonel Taplett, not to be outdone, concentrates his supporting tanks, mortars and machine guns on the enemy, including those caught in the valley and upon Hills 207 and 311. Taplett requests permission to continue the assault, but he is directed to hold in place while the brigade completes the annihilation operation at the river. Following the seizure of Hill 206 at 1530, Companies G and H begin departing the summit, meeting at the base the 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Tank Bn., commanded by Lieutenant Pomeroy. From there, with the security of the tanks, the 3rd Battalion slants slightly northwest and crosses the valley toward the final ridge in front of the Naktong, Hill 311 (Objective Three). Meanwhile, the North Koreans are receiving a thorough thrashing, and most are attempting to withdraw across the Naktong. Nevertheless, those enemy troops still remaining on Hill 311 are pounded by a heavy preparatory bombardment. MAG-33 aircraft coat the peak with napalm, while the big guns of the artillery, 74-mm recoilless rifles and mortars whack the high slopes with thundering blasts. The massive fire power obstructs free flight by the enemy, while the assault at the Naktong remains in progress. The once resolute resistance of the N.K. 4th Division has been shattered by the Marines and its remnants are scattering under the overwhelming pressure. The planes hammer from the sky in conjunction with the blazing action of the ground troops. The enemy hunters become the prey, but at some points, the North Koreans still mount formidable opposition. In conjunction with the Marine assault, the 19th and 34th Regiments, operating on the right flank of the 24th Division, continue their advance into the bulge. Before dusk, Hill 223 is seized by the 19th Regiment and Hill 240 is secured by the 34th Regiment. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Companies G and H, drive up parallel spurs and close on the summit. Enemy fire rips into Company H when it climbs to within about 200 yards shy of the crest. The

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U.S. soldiers fire a 60-mm mortar M2 at the enemy in the vicinity of the Naktong River during late August. stiff resistance is raised by a lone platoon, but the attack stalls and the machine guns are of no value due to thick brush. Company G overpowers light resistance and advances to the southern tip of the crest at 1730. Soon after, it pivots and drives north, only to stall as it encounters fierce fire from the identical enemy platoon that has stymied Company H. Lieutenant Bohn dis-

patches the 1st Platoon, Company G, under Cahill to the west to envelop the enemy to the left. The maneuver works and the obstacle is eliminated, but then the North Koreans on the forward slopes raise heavy resistance and close-quartered fighting ensues between them and Company H. During the pitched battle on the slopes, Captain

239 Fegan becomes wounded, totally halting the progress of Company H. In conjunction, due to imminent darkness, Lieutenant Bohn recalls his over-extended 1st Platoon and receives a report from its leader, Lieutenant Cahill, himself wounded, that the platoon’s casualties amount to two killed and eight wounded. Subsequent to the day’s fierce combat, which culminates with the capture of the majority of Hill 311, Colonel Taplett orders his 3rd Battalion to establish a night perimeter. The remnant resistance on the crest is scheduled for destruction on the following morning (19th). Sunset on the 18th sets a somber note for the N.K. 4th Division, which has been decisively defeated, giving the North Korean Army its first major setback since the outbreak of hostilities. The 81-mm mortars of the 3rd Battalion bellow at 0610, signaling the demise of Hill 311, the third and final objective of the Marine brigade. Company H, seemingly moving on the tailwinds of the mortar fire, advances rapidly, popping over abandoned enemy entrenchments to reach the northern portion of the hill without interruption. Objective Three is Marine terrain by 0645, culminating the mission of the brigade. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, holds Obong-ni Ridge, the 2nd controls Hill 207, where it deployed on the previous day, and now the 3rd Battalion holds the commanding heights in the Naktong Bulge. The Marine price: 66 dead, 278 wounded and one missing in action. On the morning of the 19th, elements of the 34th Regiment and contingents of the 5th Marines converge on the Naktong, essentially terminating the battle of the Naktong Bulge. Patrols scout the river area during the afternoon and discover no enemy troops. Subsequent information extracted from prisoners verifies that most survivors of the initial attacking force had withdrawn across the Naktong during the night (18th19th). Although no contact is made with the enemy and its exact losses are unknown, it is increasingly clear that the enemy had sustained grave casualties. The 24th Division buries more than 1,200 Communist troops. Additional information gained from prisoners claims that the remnant force of the decimated 4th N.K. Division had been reduced to 3,500 men. Coincidentally, the defeated division receives word from North Korean Army Headquarters today that it has been designated (by army order) a “Guard Division,” for recognition of its excellent achievements during the battle of Taejon in July. The North Koreans lose face with the destruction of the supposed crack 4th Division. In an attempt to regain the momentum to capture Pusan and throw the Americans back into the sea, the North Koreans remove the 2nd and 9th Divisions from the Taegu front to succeed the battered 4th N.K. Division. Simultaneously, the Communists build up the N.K. 6th Division, which has also taken a beating at Chinju. The unexpected redeployment of the N.K. 2nd and 9th Divisions is a blessing for General Walker’s Eighth Army, as the strategy inadvertently bolsters Walker’s diminishing force at Taegu. Following the battle at Obong-ni, detachments from

August 17, 1950 Marine ordnance units begin collecting the enemy’s abandoned and destroyed heavy weapons. Detachments scoop up 34 artillery pieces, more than half of them positioned adjacent to the Yongsan–Naktong River Road. Other weapons captured (including destroyed and abandoned) include eight antitank rifles, 25 light machine guns, eighteen heavy machine guns and 63 submachine guns; countries of origin for these weapons are Russia and the USA. The U.S. forces also confiscate large quantities of grenades and ammunition as they mop up along the Naktong. With the victorious conclusion of the fighting in the bulge, Eighth Army releases the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade from the 24th Division. The Marines move to an assembly area outside of Changwon, east of Masan, reverting to Eighth Army reserve until its services are again needed during early September. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: Enemyheld Hill 303 comes under attack during the predawn hours, as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Cavalry Regiment, supported by tanks and artillery, charge the enemy positions. The Americans encounter resolute resistance, including intense mortar fire that halts the advance at the fringe of Waegwan, the base of the southern slope. The artillery units catapult steady streams of fire into the enemy positions without success, prompting the 5th Cavalry to request some heavier assistance from division. First Cavalry Division headquarters informs 5th Cavalry that the Air Force is scheduled to carpet the hill at 1400. The 5th Cavalry is not disappointed. At precisely 1400, the planes arrive overhead and begin whacking the hill, charring it with napalm and rockets. Simultaneously, large pockets of open ground are created by the thunderous shuddering impact of the descending layers of bombs, intertwined with the arcing artillery shells that have joined the fire of the aircraft to further frazzle the nerves of the surviving defenders on the sizzling slopes. By 1530, the combined air strikes and the artillery barrages have cut a steady path for the infantry by clearing the hill of all living members of the defenders. The U.S. infantry charges up the hill expecting a tenacious fight, but it encounters no opposition and easily regains complete control by about 1630, when sixty troops from Companies E and F take the summit. About 200 enemy dead are noticed as the ground troops pass by en route to the summit, and it is estimated that about 500 additional enemy troops had been wounded on the hill by the artillery air strikes. But the enemy dead are not the sole corpses on the ravaged battlefield. The fate of the mortarmen of Company H is no longer a mystery. Twenty-six U.S. troops, each with his hands fastened by rope or wire behind his back, lay dead. The twenty-six American soldiers lie prone, riddled with bloody holes from rampant burp gun fire. Later information discloses that while the U.S. attack is underway this day, the captives, taken during the predawn hours of the 15th, are ordered slaughtered by a North Korean officer.

August 18, 1950 During the afternoon nightmarish news hits the regiment. Scouts bring in one of the few survivors, Private Roy Manring, who had wounds in both legs and one arm but dragged himself down the hill into the line of advance by the reinforcements. Lieutenant Paul Kelly leads the I&R Platoon to the site and captures two North Korean troops who had been involved with the slaughter. Several mortarmen, including Corporal James Rudd (three wounds), who had been captured and scheduled for execution, evade death by absorbing their wounds, then seeking insulation by crawling under the bodies of the dead. Fighting continues near the hill for the remainder of the day. Later, during some night fighting, enemy antitank weapons knock out two tanks of the 70th Tank Battalion. On the following day when U.S. troops arrive at the scene, they discover six bodies, and each of the deceased tankers had been captured before being summarily executed. In other activity, a short but devastating enemy artillery barrage strikes Taegu, raising the level of anxiety with just seven shells. The harassing fire destroys one railroad engine, damages the roundhouse at the railroad station and kills one civilian. Eight other civilians are wounded. The incident promotes exaggerated reaction, as later in the day, the Korean Provincial Government orders the city evacuated. The president of the Republic of Korea, Syngman Rhee, hurriedly transfers his floating capital to Pusan. The new unfolding chain of events is creating more difficulties for hard-pressed Eighth Army. Military traffic could become totally paralyzed by the swarming refugees, and the morale of the defending troops is plummeting as the newest confusion begins to compound the crisis. Eighth Army (coordinator for protection of lines of communications) halts the evacuation. The enemy will shell the town twice more between today and the 20th. Near Taegu, the 27th Regimental Headquarters moves out of Kyongsan with a reinforced battalion to relocate at a point across the Kumho River along the Tabudong–Sanju Road, about three miles north of Taegu. The battalion dispatched by the 27th Regiment is to intercept any enemy movement heading south along the road. Information has been received from the South Koreans that an enemy regiment accompanied by six tanks has moved into Kumhwa, a little village two miles north of Tabu-dong. The 1st Battalion advances with a heavy mortar company platoon and the 8th FAB (minus Battery B). By dark, the entire regiment will be north of Taegu (along Tabu-dong road), supported by Company C, 73rd Tank Battalion. On the following day, the 37th FAB, minus its Battery A, arrives to further augment the 27th Regiment’s supporting artillery. Meanwhile, the S.K. 1st Division remains embroiled with elements of the N.K. 13th Division in the high ground around Yuhak-san for about one week, attempting to prevent the Communists from breaching the Tabu-dong corridor and reaching Taegu. But this day, despite the severe casualties it has incurred during the week’s fighting (about 1,500 casualties), the North

240 Koreans penetrate and by the following day they encroach Tabu-dong. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The South Koreans progress well against heavy opposition in the vicinity of An’gang-ni–Kigye, and they convincingly force the North Koreans to surrender ground. By dawn, the 23rd Regiment, U.S. 2nd Division, arrives at Kyongju to bolster the lines there. Intense fighting continues throughout the day, and by nightfall, the N.K. 766th Independent Regiment, fearful of total encirclement, withdraws into the mountains north of Kigye. The N.K. 12th Division receives a thrashing as well, coming under thunderous bombardment from the U.S. naval surface vessels and by lightning-quick strikes from the support planes while they attempt to fend off the aggressiveness of the South Korean ground troops. At about 2000, the N.K. 12th Division issues orders for all its contingents to pull back to Top’yong-dong. While en route, heavy casualties are incurred, forcing the 12th Division to reorganize on the 19th. Subsequent reports from POWs indicate that the average enemy battalion is composed of no more that 250 men as of August 17. — In North Korea: North Korean Premier Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song-ju) had earlier predicted the ouster of the U.S. and the unification of Korea, subsequent to the destruction of the South Korean resistance by August 15. But now Kim Il Sung is compelled to modify his schedule. He proclaims a new order by radio broadcast, again calling for the eviction of the Americans and the destruction of South Korea by the end of August. Kim Il Sung further states that his Communist forces should “destroy the South Korean and United States [troops] to the last man.” — In the United States: The 7th Marines, pursuant to authority by the JCS, is activated at Camp Pendleton, California. Colonel Homer L. Litzenberg is appointed commander of the regiment. The catalyst of the regiment is the 6th Marines (less two battalions), which had arrived at Pendleton from Camp Lejeune on the previous day. The 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, is stationed in the Mediterranean, but it receives orders to proceed to Japan to join the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Other units utilized to form the 7th Marines include 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines; Company D, 1st Tank Bn.; Company D, 1st Engineer Bn.; Company C, 1st Shore Party Bn. (including two Shore Party Communications Teams attached to Signal Company, Signal Bn.); Company D, 1st Motor Transport Bn.; and Company E, 1st Medical Bn.

August 18 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Elements of the N.K. 6th Division launch another morning assault against Colonel Fisher’s 35th Regiment, 25th Division, at Sibidang, again pushing Company A from its sector, but the lost ground is then regained by a counterattack. Two companies of S.K. Police arrive to bolster the right flank of Company A, and the artillery of the 64th Field Artillery Battalion,

241 commanded by Lt. Colonel Arthur Logan, and its attached Battery C, 90th Field Artillery Battalion, also give support to Companies A and B during these skirmishes. To the south of the 35th’s positions, the North Koreans initiate a morning assault against the 24th Regiment. The attack strikes strongly against Company E, 2nd Battalion, posted on the northern spinal ridge of Battle Mountain. The enemy gains some ground, dislodging portions of the company and killing its commanding officer. During the day’s skirmishing on Battle Mountain, Lt. Colonel George R. Cole, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, is replaced by Lt. Colonel Paul F. Roberts. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade area, patrols from each battalion scrutinize their areas of responsibility to eliminate any snipers or lagging enemy stragglers. One mop up patrol discovers three concealed 122-mm howitzers deployed in a column and positioned whereby they could fire over one another from their camouflaged area in the brush on a hill near the Naktong River. The find is a bonanza of intelligence, as the Marines have never before encountered enemy guns deployed in this fashion. General Craig believes that these undisturbed howitzers are the guns that had been striking the Marine positions until the final bell of the battle. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 37th Field Artillery Battalion elements arrive from Kyongju–Pohang-dong at the 27th Regiment’s lines along the Tabu-dong road, above Taegu. The N.K. 13th Division, which had forced its way into the Tabu-dong corridor, reaches positions slightly north of Tabu-dong. West of this activity, at Yuhak-san, the N.K. 15th Division is also engaging contingents of the S.K. 1st Division, but up to this point, the combat has been confined to minor skirmishes. The North Korean Army Command, determined to take Taegu, redirects its 15th Division from the area northwest of Tabu-dong to positions eastward along the Yongch’on front, where the N.K. 8th Division has been repelled near the lateral Taegu corridor. The division departs for its newly designated area on about the 20th. Also, the N.K. 1st Division operating east (left) of the N.K. 13th Division is directed to advance to positions that parallel the 13th Division to form for a combined assault against Taegu through the Tabu-dong corridor. In the meantime, Eighth Army orders Colonel Michaelis to attack to help regroup the S.K. lines at Sokchok about four miles north of Tabu-dong; the 27th Regiment, supported by M-26 tanks of Company C, 73rd Tank Battalion, and the artillery of the 37th FAB, is to drive north along the Sangju-Taegu Road in conjunction with the S.K. 1st Division, which is to simultaneously assault the enemy positions in the hills on both sides of the highway. During the afternoon, the convoy, spearheaded by tanks, roars out of Tabu-dong moving north. The advancing troops are able to observe the ensuing fighting in the hills between the South Koreans and the enemy

August 18, 1950 as they roll toward the line of departure. At a designated spot, the vehicles halt, and the ground troops jump to the road. The 1st and 2nd Battalions deploy on the left and right of the highway. At 1300, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, led by Colonels Check and Murch respectively, cross the line of departure and advance into the ongoing fighting by sweeping the lower hills against nominal opposition. This permits them to keep pace with the tanks, which are purposely advancing at a sluggish pace to afford the infantry an abundance of cover fire. The tankers deliver a steady line of fire toward the high ground, drilling the slopes with steel. The sounds of the impacting shells reverberate like percussion instruments in a deep well, with the echoes bouncing back and forth through the valley below. While the 27th Regiment continues its advance, the S.K. 1st Division contingents in the higher ground are encountering stiff resistance, forcing the attack to be suspended. The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 27th Regiment, establish a perimeter slightly north of Soi-ri, a tiny village dwarfed even more by the huge slopes that abut it. The S.K. units retain their positions in the heights above both sides of the road. The U.S. perimeter is spiked to the front of the Infantry with two tanks in the stream and two more on the road. The line is further bolstered by six bazooka teams dispersed in the same vicinity. The perimeter is anchored in the rear by artillery and six additional tanks, which are held in reserve to provide some extra comfort for the 27th Regiment, which is anticipating yet another unenchanted evening with the enemy. In the 1st Battalion sector on the left, Company C takes the point in the high ground with Company A to its rear. Company B, straddled to the right, stretches out in front of A Company and extends across a streambed and the valley to the road. To the right of the road, the 2nd Battalion’s Company E deploys along and to the east of the road, aligned with Company F to its right. In conjunction, Company G deploys on a hill to the rear of Company F, completing the regiment’s night perimeter. All units await an attack to emerge in the hills and along the valley road. Soon after dark, the 27th Regiment is serenaded with mortar and artillery barrages, followed by the usual enemy flares, signaling the enemy night assault that transforms the valley into a combustion chamber. Enemy armor leads the attack. The armor had apparently remained concealed during the day at Sinjumak, a dinky village slightly more than one mile to the front of the 27th’s lines beyond a fork of the Sangju and Kunwi Roads. The village of Sinjumak, nestled behind the hills on the left (Sangju road) fork, is protected from artillery by the hills. Nonetheless, the two enemy tanks and a self-propelled gun venture from their sanctuary into the range of the U.S. guns, trailed by infantry, some moving by truck and others by foot. As the roving enemy armor probes for the American positions, the second tank and the self-propelled gun shatter the night silence, blasting shells toward Company F’s sector, but the firing is inaccurate.

August 18, 1950 The lead tank moves innocently, its guns still silent as if searching for a target. The armor continues its advance and closes prudently but confidently until the waiting guns of the Americans begin to bellow. The 8th Field Artillery begins limbering up in cadence with the bazookas from Company F. Their combined performance makes the enemy jittery. The lead tank is swiftly struck by two bazooka shells, but neither detonate. Nonetheless, the duds convince the crew to abandon the tank. At about the same time, the second tank is decimated by bazooka fire. The ensuing interdictory barrage from the 8th Field Artillery, directed by an astute artillery observer, Lieutenant Lewis Millett, knocks out the self-propelled gun and two enemy trucks. The endeavor kills or wounds an estimated 100 enemy troops. Iron-nerved Millet conducted his artillery orchestra while the enemy tank reached a position fifty yards from his foxhole. Several additional tanks advance to the area, but upon observing the decimation to their front, they each quickly reverse direction and retire. Lacking armor, the enemy infantry assault evaporates rather quickly. By 0030 (19th), the valley becomes tranquil for a while. The persistent North Koreans launch a milder attack at about 0230, but it, too, sizzles as the guns of the 8th Field Artillery, supplemented by mortar fire, soon prompt the enemy to disengage and disperse. The 27th Regiment is a quick-study unit and it notices that the North Koreans always introduce green flares to pinpoint their primary area of attack. An abundant supply of green flares is procured post-haste by the 27th Regiment, adding new dimensions to the future night attacks. The Americans also ring the valley road with mines,

242 which slow the tanks. When the enemy infantry arrives to dislodge the land mines, the skies are instantly illuminated with brilliant bursting flares that provide added guidance to the preregistered mortars and artillery shells, which strike up a deadly chorus for the stalled enemy. The North Koreans mount six more successive night attacks in what becomes “The Battle of the Bowling Alley.” In other activity, General Walker, acting upon the recent direction from General MacArthur, requests permission to activate five new South Korean divisions, all to be fully equipped and each composed of 10,500 troops. Walker wants to activate one new division per month beginning in September. General MacArthur agrees with the new force, but due to the critical shortages of equipment, he holds back Walker’s authority. MacArthur insists that the new S.K. divisions have only equipment arriving from the U.S. The present strength of the South Korean Army is approximately 84,800 troops. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The North Korean 12th Division and the 766th Independent Regiment continue to recoil in the hills in the vicinity of Top’yong-dong and Pohang-dong, following hard and bitter fighting with the South Korean forces. The North Korean force has lacked adequate supplies since about August 12. One captured North Korean officer details the 12th Division’s frustration, claiming it is due to moving beyond Andong and through the mountains there without artillery to support them in Pohangdong. The captive officer also cites critical shortages of food. Another captured prisoner, a sergeant with the N.K. 1st Regiment’s 2nd Battalion, informs his interrogators that his battalion, composed of 630 troops,

U.S. tanks (medium M4A3 in foreground and medium M-26 in background) fire at enemy targets in the vicinity of Yongsan on 18 August.

243 contained only twenty troops as of August 18. It appears as if the North Koreans have been thwarted along the eastern perimeter, but the calm remains temporary. By early September, the North Koreans are poised for more powerful attacks against the entire Pusan Perimeter. —In the United States: The second echelon of planners (1st Marine Division) leaves Camp Pendleton for Japan; General O.P. Smith departs with the entourage. In conjunction, the 1st Marine Division command post at Pendleton is closed in coordination with the departure of the commanding general; however, a few thousand Marines (rear echelon) remain there under the command of General Alfred H. Noble. In other activity, the Marine Corps lowers the term of enlistment to three years from its norm of four years. — In Japan: The first contingent of South Korean troops who are to be filtered into the U.S. 7th Division arrive in Japan. The final contingent arrives by the 24th, giving the U.S. 7th Division a total of 8,625 Korean troops, including officers and men. It is a complicated set up that doesn’t work out too well due to many things, including a language barrier, insufficient training and a much different culture and set of loyalties. Some of the troops who arrive are particularly young and still carrying their schoolbooks; many of these new recruits have been scooped up in Taegu and Pusan.

August 19 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: U.S. Naval Forces bombard the enemy positions at recently seized T’ongyong in support of an ROK amphibious invasion; with the support of the U.S. Navy fire, the S.K. Marines take the town. The North Koreans lose about 350 troops during this action, splitting their force by about 50 percent. The survivors withdraw to Chinju. In the U.S. 25th Division sector, the North Koreans continue to slim the ranks of the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, but Lt. Colonel Bernard Teeter’s men hold firmly with the support of artillery, which cranks out about 200 rounds an hour during the night of the 19th20th. To reinforce Company A, the South Korean police on the flank and Company B reinforcements rush to the scene. Company C, 35th Regiment, and Company A, 29th Regiment, speed to positions along the Komam-ni Road on the morning of the 20th. In the 24th Regiment sector at Battle Mountain, the enemy again mounts a morning attack. Company C, 1st Battalion, quickly dislodges itself and hurriedly descends the slope. In the confusion of the battle, many of the newly arrived South Korean police on P’il-bong also desert their positions in the face of the enemy attack. About forty troops of Company C, 1st Battalion, are collected by officers and ordered back to their positions. The enemy takes its usual advantage, and by day’s end, an indeterminable number of N.K. troops infiltrate the hole, which now extends about one mile north from P’il-bong. This enables them to get traction for the next assault. The deserting troops who seem to vanish on the slope have no easy task to get to the base of the moun-

August 19, 1950 tain. It takes several tedious hours to descend the precipitous eastern slope, which has only foot paths at best, and at certain points the climbing or descending is normally accomplished with the help of ropes, carefully extended along the side of the path. With each new penetration, the enemy expends more time severing the communication lines of the 24th Regiment, causing the wire repairmen to work tirelessly to fix the breaks. Alternate ways of communicating with the commands on the mountain are strenuous. An average trip by messenger from the base of the mountain to the defenders and back consumes nearly eight hours. The 25th Division, in addition to being heavily involved with the enemy, is hampered by its efforts to help the South Korean police scrutinize the legions of refugees, who have been flooding the area between the Nam River and Chindong-ni. Since about August 12, more than 50,000 refugees have been moved out of the sector. This is not an isolated incident. The 25th Division, since August 1, has moved about 120,000 refugees from its zone. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, General Craig, USMC, moves by helicopter to meet with General Church at 24th Division Headquarters. While there, Craig is informed that the Marine Brigade is released from the 24th Division and it will revert to Eighth Army reserve. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: Subsequent to the attacks by the North Koreans against the lines of the 27th Regiment during the previous night into the early morning hours, the S.K. 1st Division launches counterattacks against the enemy in the higher ground between Tabu-dong and the village of Ch’ong’yong-dong at the fork of the Sangju and Kunwi Roads. The S.K. 11th and 13th Regiments mount the attacks and make some progress. In the meantime, General Walker orders the S.K. 10th Regiment (reserve) to move to the Taegu front to fortify a weakened hole between the S.K. 1st and 6th Divisions. The U.S. 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, is ordered to advance to bolster the positions of the 8th and 37th Field Artillery positions about eight miles north of Taegu. Also, the “Rock of the Marne” Regiment, the 38th Infantry, commanded by Colonel George Peploe, arrives at Pusan. It will proceed to Miryang to join its parent 2nd Division. Inchon vicinity: the South Korean Navy has recently initiated some small-scale raids against enemy territory in coordination with the ongoing evacuation of isolated South Korean troops. Today, the South Korean vessel PC-703 debarks troops on Yonghung-do, but the enemy has not yet arrived there and the civilians are loyal South Koreans. A small contingent of troops is deployed on the island, which is less than fifteen miles south of Inchon. The PC-703 then departs and forwards the intelligence to Tokyo. Soon after, a reconnaissance detachment, led by Lieutenant Clark, USN, arrives to take advantage of the strategic island. In Air Force activity, the enemy continues its free movement across the Han River at Seoul. The two

August 19, 1950

244

U.S. Army positions on a hillside near the Naktong River (background) on 19 August. The troops use camouflage shelter halves atop the foxholes. pontoon bridges constructed after the Communist seizure of the city are intact. In addition, the railroad bridge west of Seoul remains operational and one additional railroad bridge is under construction. Air Force planes have bombed the bridge west of the city for nearly one month without bringing about its demise. On this day, the obstinate steel span is again struck.

Nine B-29s of the 19th Bomber Group deposit more than fifty tons of 1,000-pound bombs on the bridge without destroying it. Soon afterward, carrier-based planes attack the bridge and score eight direct hits that finally collapse the span. However, the pontoon bridges remain active, and the North Koreans continue to repair them at night until late August.

245

August 19, 1950

An American patrol moves from its hill positions toward another hill near Naktong River about 18–19 August. In other Air Force activity, General Partridge transfers the Joint Operations Center to Pusan after concluding that Taegu is being threatened by the Communists. In Naval activity, the USS Philippine Sea again launches planes to hit enemy targets in support of the

ground troops. Ten F4Us and eight AD Skyraiders, assisted by a Mosquito aircraft, attack various enemy troop concentrations and supply depots along the Naktong River in the area between the front lines and Hypoch’on. The effective use of incendiary bombs ignites many explosions and fires that prompt the enemy

August 20, 1950 troops to bolt from their positions. They flee onto open fields, giving the pilots productive strafing runs. During the attacks, at least two enemy trucks are destroyed and several additional vehicles sustain damage. Estimates of enemy casualties stand at about 30 killed and an equal number wounded. Two enemy command cars race to the sanctuary of a warehouse and gain a temporary reprieve. Soon after, direct hits strike the building and the warehouse and its occupants are transformed into burning timbers. — In Japan: General MacArthur, in an effort to strengthen the ground forces in Korea, requests that Washington provide sufficient troops to form two corps headquarters, and he further asks that the corps be designated I and IX Corps. In other activity, Eighth Army Rear takes action to find replacement troops for the Korean Theater where the U.S. units have sustained heavy casualties since entering the fight against the Communists in early July. Operation FLUSHOUT is initiated; it mandates that every unit in Japan must contribute troops to help fill the ranks, and by September 6, the Eighth Army in Korea will receive an additional 229 officers and 2,201 enlisted men.

August 20

The 1st Marine Provisional Brigade and the U.S. 24th Division, by this date, eradicate a Communist bridgehead across the Naktong in the vicinity of Changnyoung southwest of Taegu. Also, the South Korean Army (through a dispatch) states that its forces, since August 17, have killed 3,800 North Koreans and captured 181 men. The memorandum also states that 20 artillery pieces, eleven light mortars, twenty-one 82-mm mortars and 160 machine guns have been seized, and more than 550 U.S. M1 rifles and nearly 400 Japanese rifles have also been captured. Apparently, during the end of July, after the enemy had captured more American weapons from ROK units, the troops of the N.K. 12th Division began exchanging their Japanese 99 rifles for U.S. M1s and carbines. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Skirmishing continues between elements of the N.K. 6th Division and the 35th Regiment at Sibidang; a sizable contingent of North Korean troops, en route to attack the positions of the 35th Regiment, is observed by Colonel Fisher, who quickly requests artillery fire and air attacks to subdue the force. Planes arrive to complement the artillery and the combined firepower inflicts heavy casualties on the attacking force, slicing it from about 700 to 350 men. In the 24th Regiment sector, the North Koreans attack the apparently fragile perimeter of the 24th Regiment, instigating more panic as the troops again react poorly and desert their positions. One platoon of Company E, except eight troops who stay at their posts, runs from the enemy. At Company C’s lines, many more flee, jeopardizing the lives of the commanding officer and about twenty-five courageous troops who choose to do their duty and remain in their foxholes. Com-

246 pany C’s small force holds the crest of Battle Mountain, but the deserters cause more harm than the enemy. When their fleeting descent is complete, rumors, transmitted as fact, paint a dreary picture as a rationalization for the hasty abandonment of the mountain. It is falsely reported that the positions of Company C had been overrun, and that its commanding officer had been killed. Assuming the information received by the deserters to be true, the supporting artillery of the 159th Field Artillery Battalion and some mortar fire are called upon to saturate the enemy. To augment this firepower, air strikes are requested. Soon after, a bewildered Company C commander and the 25 troops still holding the grim summit are lambasteed by a cyclone of friendly fire, including 38 sorties flown by fighter bombers that coat the crest with crimson napalm, rockets, fragmentation bombs and the usual punishment by strafing. After holding the contested peak for twenty gruesome hours, the remainder of C Company is driven from the summit by friendly fire, prompted by the loose tongues of those who had run away. Meanwhile, on the left flank, ROK troops capture a regimental commander (N.K. 15th Regiment) during the skirmishing there, and through some fortuitous luck, he is carrying some valuable documents on his person. It is impossible to question him because several minutes after capture, he attempts to flee and is felled by fire. The enemy also drives the S.K. police from their positions at P’il-bong on the regiment’s left flank during the day’s combat, adding stress to the 24th Division at Sobuk-san. Colonel Throckmorton receives orders from General Kean to form an attack force from his 5th RCT for an assault against Sobuk-san on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The front keeps a quiet profile during daylight hours; however, U.S. planes fly repeated sorties to strike the enemy positions and at times, the pilots create some emotional minutes. The planes’ machine gun fire skims the perimeter and sometimes creases the individual unit identification banners. Some friendly but unwelcome expended .50-caliber shell cartridges fall into the foxholes. Then, at 1700, the North Koreans commence a barrage of 120-mm mortar fire that strikes in the vicinity of the heavy weapons company perimeter. Subsequent to the shelling, enemy tanks, flanked by infantry, initiate another night attack. The brightly shining moon contributes nicely to the U.S. cause. It exposes silhouettes of the enemy armor as the tanks plow down the shadowy valley, attempting to continue the advance despite the U.S. artillery and mortar fire pounding the route. The 27th Regiment restrains its riflemen and machine gunners until the enemy advances to within 150 yards of the night perimeter. At that point, with little fanfare, the waiting ground troops fire in unison, frying the area of advance. The combined thrust of the firepower halts the attack.

247 The 27th Regiment attempts to get some rest, and on the morning of the 21st, a strong patrol composed of two infantry platoons advances to analyze the results of the night’s action. The patrol, seeing several white flags to their front, move out with caution. It encounters some isolated resistance and it receives some incoming artillery, but still, it proceeds about one mile up the road. Along the route, five crippled enemy tanks, each destroyed by thermite grenades, adorn the highway. Farther up the highway, the troops stumble upon another destroyed enemy tank that had been abandoned in a schoolyard. In addition, the patrol discovers many dead enemy troops, two destroyed self-propelled guns and a decimated 120-mm mortar. In other activity, enemy artillery shells Taegu for the final time. General Walker arrives at the Taegu front and he seems pleased with the situation, claiming that the enemy fire has diminished greatly and that Taegu “is saved.” But the city remains jeopardized, as the enemy still has not been completely stopped at the Naktong. Six battalions of South Korean police are brought into the area to bolster the 750 men already there. The police are dispersed to guard the strategic tunnels within the Pusan Perimeter that carry the rail and vehicular traffic maintaining the city’s bloodline. In other activity, a Communist using the name Seoul City Sue has been taking to the airwaves to broadcast propaganda. Members of the 588th Military Police had reported hearing her as early as August 10. Also, at Pusan, the South Korean Army establishes the 2nd Replacement Training Center, which will train replacement troops during a ten-day class. The continuing process eventually graduates about 500 troops each day. The U.S. divisions begin receiving S.K. recruits on this day. The infusion continues daily until the latter part of August, when it drops down to about twice a week, concluding with each division scheduled to receive about 8,300 S.K. troops, most of whom receive a total of five days’ training. The “buddy system” is employed, encouraging an American soldier to bear responsibility for training his counterpart, but this doesn’t work too well. Two regiments of the 25th Division implement the practice, but the other regiment maintains separate platoons led by U.S. officers and NCOs. The 24th Division places the South Koreans in separate platoons commanded by Korean officers and NCOs, with the units being attached to U.S. units. Eventually, it appears that the best utilization of the South Koreans is for them to be banded as a unit with U.S. officers. The South Koreans will be engaged in scouting, patrolling and security missions. Also, as U.S. replacements become available, the U.S. units begin to filter out the South Koreans. By winter (1950–1951), the buddy system vanishes without fanfare. Also on this day, Eighth Army directs that the 24th Division be relieved at its positions along the Naktong by the U.S. 2nd Division. The relief will be completed by August 24. At North Korean Front Headquarters in Kumchon, the

August 21, 1950 operational order calling for a major attack by the N.K. I Corps is issued and the scheduled day for the assault is August 31. The N.K. II Corps is scheduled to launch its attack against the perimeter on September 2. — In Great Britain: The British War Office proclaims that Great Britain is immediately dispatching two complete infantry battalions, presently in Hong Kong, to the Korean Theater. The contingents embark for Korea on August 25. — In Japan: Admiral Joy, with the authorization of General MacArthur, issues orders establishing Joint Task Force 7, which will execute the invasion of Inchon. The task force commander is Admiral Struble (commander of Seventh Fleet). Basically, it is the Seventh Fleet, modified to extend its authority over all the armed services. The fleet is composed of six primary task forces. Other countries’ Navies participate; they are Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and some merchant vessels. This unorthodox move to establish a joint task force places a Naval commander (Struble) over Air Force activity or inactivity, thereby ensuring that the Marine and Naval planes will conduct the operation as they did during World War II, rather than using the Air Force’s air-ground support system. The Naval and Marine planes will be unable to handle the Pusan Perimeter due to the Inchon operations. This responsibility will be handled by the U.S. Air Force.

August 21

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Contingents of the N.K. 6th Division maintain their attempt to collapse the positions of the 35th Regiment, 25th Division, at Sibidang. An attack will be launched during the early morning hours of the following day. In the 24th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT (minus Company A), supported by artillery, launches an attack to secure Sobuk-san and after overcoming some nominal resistance, the objective is seized by noon. With the elements of the 5th RCT holding the summit of Sobuk-san, the enemy reverts to a punishing barrage of menacing mortar fire. Following its loss of the terrain, the enemy lunges forward with a night counterattack, which drives the 1st Battalion back from the mountain. Conversely, the irritated 1st Battalion regroups and re-initiate its attack on the following day. In the 24th Division zone, north of the 25th Division sector, an attack is launched to retake Battle Mountain, which Company C had been forced to relinquish on the previous day. In another series of madhat incidents, artillery fire and air strikes precede the assault of the 24th Regiment contingents. Despite the excruciating heat and the obstinate steep slopes, the challenge is met. Company L conquers the summit of Battle Mountain by about noon. Nonetheless, the elastic enemy is undaunted and begins to pound the positions with mortar fire throughout the afternoon. While Company L is unsuccessfully trying to galvanize its hold on the summit, some unexpected North Koreans emerge from their bunkers on the west slope of Battle Mountain and slip into the perimeter.

August 21, 1950 Without warning, the enemy opens fire and a deadly grenade is tossed into the foxhole of a platoon leader, causing pandemonium. The startling sound of the gunfire ignites yet another inglorious charge down the slopes, as the other two platoons self-evict and begin a descent posthaste, followed soon after by contingents of E Company. Strong efforts are taken to regroup Companies L and I on the precarious east slopes of Battle Mountain. The guns of the enemy have reclaimed the crest with minimal effort. The 2nd Battalion executive officer, Major Horace Donaho, later attests to the strenuous regrouping effort. A counterattack is then mounted. With the heavy support of air strikes combined with the firepower of tanks, artillery and mortar fire, the flip side of the mountain again erupts in a storm of thunderous fire. Companies L and I ascend toward the peak, nudging forward with some progress, but the assault is brought to a halt at midnight to await dawn. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, at 1300, General Craig arrives at the Marine brigade’s new quarters outside of Masan, dubbed the “Bean Patch.” Following the establishment of his command post, Craig reports to General Kean, 25th Division commanding officer, who has responsibility for the area. The conversation between the two generals includes enemy penetration. General Kean informs Craig that the Marines might be required to lend support if the enemy makes additional gains. The conquest of Obong-ni has drained the already slim numbers of the ground troops. While General Craig has repeatedly requested reinforcement and replacement troops, they have not yet arrived from the States. While at the Bean Patch, Craig requests volunteers from other Marine units to fill the gap. Headquarters personnel, engineers, shore party troops and others — all having had experience with a rifle — swarm to the call. More men volunteer than the number required. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 27th Regiment, anticipating another enemy night attack, awaits darkness, then places conspicuous rows of mines about 250 yards in front of the perimeter. The mines, strewn sloppily and in excellent view of an advancing enemy, lay atop the earth. But closer to the lines, the regiment diligently establishes strings of trip flares about 100 yards back and 150 yards to its front, dangling the flares irregularly across the road and the stream bed to provide the enemy some illumination. The troops also trim the area near the trip flares with an abundance of neatly buried anti-personnel and antitank mines. The troops of Company C hold forward positions on the left side of the road while they await the North Korean armor. As the night winds down, the show is about to begin. Company C detects the sounds of the clanking armor, and then informs headquarters and the artillery sections. While this enemy column drives along the road, other troops attached to the 1st Regiment, N.K. 1st Division, avoid the engagement and infiltrate through the heights, skirting around the left flank of the 27th Regiment.

248 The Communist unit reaches positions about nine miles outside of Taegu and six miles behind the 27th Regiment. Within seconds after the enemy column is detected, a friendly artillery gun catapults an illuminating shell that brightens the sky and underscores the precise positions and numbers of the armor. A quick tally by the company commander of Company C identifies 19 advancing vehicles, including nine T-34 tanks and several self-propelled guns. Accompanying infantry drives along both sides of the highway in conjunction with other enemy contingents that are prowling higher in the hills to strike against the S.K. units there. As the enemy continues its advance, U.S. artillery and mortars pound the route of advance. Of the artillery and mortar participants, Company F expends nearly 400 mortar rounds, while Battery B, 8th Field Artillery Battalion, propels 1,661 105-mm shells during the five-hour duel in the darkness. In the meantime, the ground troops sheepishly hold their fire and the Pershing tanks linger menacingly in the murky shadows to guarantee no interlude during the wild shoot-out. The enemy tiptoes through the first minefield, and effortlessly continues the advance until the hidden minefield is encountered. Suddenly, as enemy troops try to dislodge themselves from the death grid along the road, the regimental machine guns begin to roar. The devastating enfilade strikes deeply into the North Korean ranks. Meanwhile, enemy tanks continue driving forward, moving boldly toward the 27th Regiment. The enemy tank fire soars through the valley, but most shells land harmlessly behind the U.S. infantry positions. The sounds of the incessant firing on the slopes and in the diminutive valley create an eerie aura on the battlefield, but the enemy armor continues its advance. Then, as the clanking armor gets too close for comfort, the stalwart Pershings bead in on the enemy tanks and unleash their harnessed power. The sudden burst further stuns the enemy. The lead tank is destroyed when it reaches a point about 125 yards in front of the Pershings, and then an agile bazooka team from Company F quickly takes out the third vehicle in the column, a self-propelled gun, tossing the column out of kilter. The second vehicle, itself paralyzed by bazooka fire, is deserted by its crew. The enfilade continues as the American tanks and artillerymen pound the enemy. The blazing combat transforms the valley into a shooting gallery. Seven additional enemy tanks are blown away, as well as three more self-propelled guns, an array of personnel carriers and some trucks. In the meantime, while the 27th Regiment is repelling the enemy along the road, the S.K. 1st Division units fare well on the slopes, but the enemy pressure continues to build against the battle-weary ROKs. Nonetheless, their fierce resistance is a major contribution to the success of the U.S. 27th Regiment, for without the South Koreans protecting the heights, the battle might have ended differently. As the din of battle subsides, it becomes apparent

249

August 21, 1950

Top: U.S. Amy chow line, August 1950. Bottom: A Pershing M-26 provides a ride to ground troops near the Naktong River. that the enemy has sustained severe losses. New patrols, mounted at daylight on the 22nd, confirm the colossal punishment inflicted upon the N.K. 13th Division elements and the accompanying armor that had entered the valley. One patrol strolls past the shredded metal and

counts the legions of enemy dead, concluding that they had sustained about 1,300 total casualties and losing the entire column of vehicles. The patrol also seizes eleven prisoners, including N.K. Major Kim Song Jun, commanding officer, 19th

August 22, 1950 N.K. Regiment. The captured officer informs the Americans that about seventy-five percent of their force had been lost and he places some of the blame for the losses on the N.K. 19th Regiment, accusing it of incompetence. Other information gained from the officer centers around the failure of the 19th Regiment to coordinate its actions with the balance of the division during the fight. The commanding general of the 13th Division, refusing to accept any blame on his part, also jumps all over the commanding officer of the supporting artillery regiment. The officer, Lt. Col. Chong Pong Uk, doesn’t take kindly to the criticism and on the following morning, he detaches himself from the Communist Army and walks into the perimeter of the S.K. 1st Division, brandishing a prominent white flag. The men of the U.S. 27th Regiment’s Company F, mesmerized at times by the unfolding scenes of battle, had compared the shells zooming down the valley to bowling balls streaming down an alley, giving birth to the name Battle of the Bowling Alley. In Naval activity, the Valley Forge (CV 45) and Philippine Sea (CV 47), carriers of Task Force 77, launch raids against Pyongyang. The planes establish a new one-day record after executing 202 sorties. — In Japan: General MacArthur requests authorization from the Department of the Army (by radio) for permission to activate Headquarters X Corps; subsequent to approval, MacArthur activates it on August 26.

August 22 With the initiation of U.S. forces against the Communist forces, Eighth Army as of this day has sustained the loss of 20 medium tanks to enemy fire. But the U.S. has greatly increased the number of tanks in the Korean Theater. Six medium tank battalions, averaging about 69 tanks each, have debarked at Korea during August. They join four regimental tank companies, plus about thirty light tanks in the field, giving the U.S. a large armored advantage over the enemy by September. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Prior to dawn, and lacking artillery and mortar preparatory fire, the North Koreans launch a large attack against the perimeter of the 25th Division. The enemy troops sever the barbed wire and penetrate the 35th Regiment’s 1st Battalion zone to ignite a grueling close-quartered fight. The assault dislodges some elements of the 1st Battalion, but subsequent to several hours of bitter combat, at 0700, Company A counterattacks, and it drives the enemy back and re-secures the area. On the following day, the North Koreans, who have sustained heavy casualties during the futile attempt to overrun the 35th Regiment, retire from the area. In the 24th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, which had won and then lost control of Subok-san on the previous day, mounts an attack at noon to retake the mountain. After a vicious five-hour contest, Company B gains the summit, prompting General Kean to recreate the boundary line separating the 24th Regi-

250 ment and the 5th RCT. Kean gives responsibility for the captured crest to the 24th Regiment. Afterward, the 5th RCT attempts to regroup, but the enemy mounts repetitive night attacks and catapults mortar fire against its positions, preventing Companies A and B from linking together to form a galvanized perimeter. Also, with the enemy deeply entrenched in the rocky crags that flow from Sobuk-san northward toward P’ilbong, the adjacent contingents of the 24th Regiment are barred from advancing to link up with the 5th RCT’s Company B, 1st Battalion. Meanwhile, the up-again-down-again struggle on Battle Mountain is reinitiated at dawn by elements of the 24th Regiment. Advancing under the cover fire of Company I, Company L moves out, heading toward the crest of Old Baldy (Battle Mountain). The attacking unit makes sluggish progress despite minimal resistance. One contingent, led by Lieutenant Gerald Alexander, inches ahead only two hundred yards in one hour, although no enemy fire interferes with the climb. According to Alexander, when his group finally reaches its target area, several enemy grenades are lobbed into its midst, inflicting six casualties and prompting the balance of the contingent to head back down the slope. At a point about 100 yards to the rear, Alexander orders the troops to return to their positions, but his orders are brashly disregarded. Not one trooper obeys the order. Lieutenant Alexander and one BARman ascend by themselves, and they discover that Battle Mountain’s crest is unoccupied. Soon after, the balance of the command arrives. Nonetheless, life at the top is short lasting. Within several hours, the enemy, which has recoiled on the west slope, sends a small force around the right flank to probe the strength on the summit. The maneuver succeeds and gains more than expected as Company L abandons the summit and withdraws to the lines of Company I at the base of the mountain. The struggle for the mountain resumes again on August 23. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, is ordered to Chindong-ni to bolster the 25th Division. The brigade receives orders from Eighth Army to be prepared to launch a counterattack in support of the 25th Division; however, this proves unnecessary. The Marines, while adjusting to their new environs, dispatch patrols to the rear of the 25th Division to root out infiltrators. These patrols receive hot meals compliments of the helicopters of VMO-6. Also, the Marines’ bivouac area lacks tents, providing the brigade an opportunity to sleep in the open with an unobstructed view of the stars, when it isn’t raining. In other activity, the brigade receives a message from the Commandant, General Clifton B. Cates: “I am very proud of the performance of your air-ground team. Keep on hitting them, front flanks, rear and topside! Well done!” Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: Following another hard night of fighting, the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, sends out patrols and prepares for

251 another expected assault. Meanwhile, the North Korean contingents that had previously infiltrated the 27th’s lines take up positions about nine miles north of Taegu. They begin to harass the main supply route from there to a point stretching five miles farther north. The enemy penetration causes some friction between the 27th Regiment and the South Korean 1st Division, as Colonel Michaelis informs Eighth Army that his left flank, manned by the South Koreans, had folded and that the South Koreans were not fighting. The report infuriates S.K. General Paik, who challenges the American commander’s statement. Eighth Army dispatches KMAG officers to verify Michaelis’ insinuations, but upon inspection, all ROK contingents are in their designated areas. This is subsequently confirmed by Brigadier General William C. Bullock, Asst. G-3, Eighth Army. General Paik suggests that his troops cover the valley with all the supporting artillery and tanks and that the 27th Regiment exchanges places with his troops and takes over the high ground to fight the North Koreans there. During this particular struggle in the valley and mountains, the South Koreans had come down from their positions during the day to acquire food or to bathe in the stream, but all made the return trip to their positions, aided by U.S. artillery as they fought their way back. At about 1000, Colonel Chong Pong Uk, commanding officer of the N.K. 13th Division Artillery Regiment, strolls into the lines of the S.K. 1st Division and surrenders. Chong, the highest ranking officer to become a captive of the U.S., aids the Americans by pinpointing the location and number of his old outfit’s concealed artillery (seven 122-mm howitzers and thirteen 76-mm guns). The identified area, an orchard in a shallow valley less than five miles north of Taegu, is struck by aircraft and artillery fire. In other activity, different units of the same group of North Korean troops who had penetrated the 27th Regiment lines during the previous night now strike the positions of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, which had deployed to defend the supporting artillery of the 27th Regiment. North Korean infantry lodge themselves between the positions of the 23rd and 27th Regiments, while other contingents circumvent the east flank of the 23rd Regiment’s forward unit, the 2nd Battalion. At 1605, the enemy commences a heavy bombardment that strikes the 8th Artillery Battalion’s positions near headquarters. Less than one-half hour later, the enemy guns score two direct hits on the Fire Direction Center, wiping out the center and killing four officers and two noncoms. Lacking further direction from headquarters, the battalion’s individual batteries control their own fire. The enemy fire also strikes the 37th Field Artillery Battalion. At 1640, the 23rd’s regimental commander, Colonel Paul Freeman, notifies Eighth Army of the situation. Consequently, U.S. Air Force and Navy planes, bolstered by Australian aircraft, swoop in and pound the enemy-held ridge east of the highway and other suspected enemy positions in a nearby valley beyond the ridge.

August 22, 1950 After dusk, General Walker detaches the 23rd Regiment (minus 1st Battalion) from the 1st Cavalry Division, then orders it to destroy the North Koreans in the hills above the main highway and along the road. Still obsessed with gaining a victory, the enemy mounts another night assault, but the attempt is feeble. It is easily repulsed by the 27th Regiment. In addition, during the night, the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, throws back several enemy counterattacks. The activity interrupts preparations for an attack on the morning of the 23rd, but the 2nd Battalion still moves out at daybreak. Inchon vicinity: A contingent of sailors and Marines, UDT and Marine Amphibious Scouts of the 1st Reconnaissance Company, 1st Marine Division, secretly lands in the vicinity of Posung-Myon, about twenty miles south of Inchon. It collects valuable intelligence on the landing areas. The reconnaissance team remains there until the 25th, then returns to the USS Horace A. Bass (APD-124), which takes the troops back to friendly lines. The gathered intelligence is handed over to top brass on August 25. General Shepherd uses the findings to take one last shot at convincing MacArthur to permit the landing to occur at Posung-Myon. MacArthur declines the suggestion, holding firm with Inchon. In Air Force activity, Chinese antiaircraft gunners across the Yalu River in Manchuria take planes (RB29s) on a photographic reconnaissance mission under fire. The planes are unharmed. It is the first time U.S. planes come under fire from the Chinese Communists. — In the United States: The operation to load the 1st Marine Division’s vessels destined for the Far East, which had begun on August 8, is completed today. — In Japan: General Oliver P. Smith, 23 officers, and 12 enlisted men of the 1st Marine Division arrive at Haneda Airfield; they are met by Admiral Doyle. Later, Smith is driven to the USS Mount McKinley, which is docked at Tokyo harbor; the Marines establish an advance command post on it. General Smith is advised of the tentative date and hour of the invasion of Inchon. Up to now, Smith had been unaware of the details. The entire Inchon operation plan and its execution are concluded in a record breaking twenty-three days, a feat that may stand for the rest of time. Actually, fewer than 23 days remain, as many of the warships must embark port by September 10. Also, at 1730, General O.P. Smith meets General Almond for the first time, and the encounter is educational for both. The two men emulate mutual respect, but there is a definite clash between personalities that will linger for the duration. Subsequent to his conference with Almond, Smith meets with General MacArthur in a relaxed atmosphere. MacArthur lights his pipe and reassures Smith that despite the hazards, the war could be won at Inchon within thirty days. MacArthur proclaims that the Marines will prevail at Inchon and in so doing, they could win the war. Also, the 1st Marine Division troops and the staff of the 7th Marines begin arriving on August 28 and complete the debarkation by September 6.

August 23, 1950

August 23 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: At the mountain of many names—Battle Mountain, Hill 665, Old Baldy, Bloody Knob and Napalm Hill — the day begins with plans to retake the hill. It is an arduous trek to the summit and the reverse course is equally awkward, especially for the wounded. In order to get a wounded trooper back from the slope to the base, it requires six men to bear the stretcher, a medic to administer assistance along the way, and frequently, riflemen become necessary to cover the evacuation and fend off snipers. Even then, the hours it takes to reach the base of the mountain causes some of the wounded to succumb before they can get to medical areas. Today, the 24th Regiment receives some heavy assistance as the 81-mm mortars and 4.2-inch mortars hone in on the enemy-held western slopes of the mountain. Meanwhile, Companies L and I launch an attack that is bolstered by the arrival of South Korean police reinforcements. The assault succeeds and the combined force recaptures the crest. Company L gives a report of its strength on the mountaintop. The report informs battalion headquarters that Company L now has only seventeen men in foxholes. Subsequent to its relief, L Company descends the mountain and about halfway down the slope, it becomes infused with thirty-one additional troops. By morning of the 24th, Company L’s strength bounces back to more than 100 troops. Later, the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, Colonel John T. Corley, gives his testimony concerning the action on Battle Mountain: “Companies of my battalion dwindle to platoon size when engaged with the enemy. My chain of command stops at the company level. If this unit is to continue to fight as a battalion, it is recommended that the T/O

252 (Tables of Organization) of officers be doubled. One officer must lead and the other must drive.” In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, General Craig meets with General J. Lawton Collins, chief of staff, USA, and General Kean, CO, 25th Division. General Collins requests that Craig prepare a memorandum to detail the Marine strategy used to destroy the North Korean T-34 (Russian made) tanks. In other activity, the Marines are treated to an evening of entertainment, provided by South Korean girls playing Korean instruments and singing Western songs with the help of some English speaking refugees from Seoul University. Following the show, General Craig speaks to his Marines to relay his great thanks for their efforts on the battlefield. He notes that POWs of the N.K. 4th Division had informed G-2 interrogators that they preferred “to steer clear of the Americans in the yellow leggings.” Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: At dawn, acting on orders received from General Walker on the previous night, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, commence their attacks against the enemy positions. The 2nd Battalion secures the heights above the road and the 3rd Battalion combs the hills east of the road, scouring a three-mile area. The activity cleanses the terrain on the flanks and to the rear of Michaelis’ 27th Regiment, 25th Division. But by about 1335, Eighth Army is informed by Colonel Michaelis that the enemy had shattered the highway to his front and they had laid mines to delay the U.S. 27th Regiment’s advance while the N.K. 13th Division pulls back from the area. Nonetheless, many enemy stragglers remain behind the U.S. lines, ensuring a heavy mop up operation.

General O.P. Smith, commanding officer, 1st Marine Division, confers with Admiral Doyle (Amphibious Group 1) aboard the USS Rochester.

253 While the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, had been on the offensive, about 100 undiscovered North Korean troops spring up like weeds behind the forward perimeter of the 27th Regiment, igniting a fierce skirmish slightly before noon. The enemy at first startles the defenders from Company K, 27th Regiment, and the 1st Platoon of Company C, 65th Engineer Combat Battalion. Initially, some contingents are pushed back; however, the troops exhibit resiliency and bounce back with fervor to deliver a jackhammer punch. The enemy scatters, but it sustains fifty killed during the failed attack. In other activity, the Fifth Air Force has continued to increase its numbers of Mosquito T-6 aircraft and by this day, twenty-nine aircraft are operating as coordinators in conjunction with the air strikes. In other activity, Russian T-34 tanks arrive at P’yongyang on or about this day to fill the needs of the 16th and 17th N.K. Armored Brigades; the former receives forty-three new tanks and the latter, forty. The enemy brigades depart the town by rail during the night to join the other elements facing the Pusan Perimeter. These tanks have been manufactured in Russia and shipped into Korea by way of Manchuria. These newly arriving tanks are instantly manned by experienced crews. Each brigade is divided into two battalions, with each battalion being subdivided into four separate tank companies. In Air Force activity, planes attached to the 19th Bomber Group, using antiquated equipment (Razon), attack enemy positions west of P’yongyang, but for the most part, the equipment fails to properly guide the bombs. However, one of the bombs does strike the target, a railroad bridge. — In the United States: Replacement Marines, composed of ten officers and 300 enlisted men, bound for the 1st Provisional Brigade in Korea, depart bases in Hawaii and Guam by airlift. These Marines are replaced by identical numbers of non-combat Marines whom are flown from Camp Pendleton. In conjunction, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, on two separate occasions, repeats the process and airlifts additional Marines (20 officers and 590 enlisted men) to Korea as replacements for the Marine Brigade and to form third companies of the 5th Marines’ Battalions. — In Japan: The Far East Command, endeavoring to bring the 7th Division up to strength for commitment to Korea, begins attaching all arriving infantry replacement troops (for FEC duty) to the division. This practice continues until September 3. In addition, from this day until September 8, all replacement artillery troops are also attached to the 7th Division. Similarly, General MacArthur uses the identical strategy to acquire troops for X Corps. MacArthur siphons arriving Eighth Army replacement troops and places them in X Corps to further augment the Inchon Operation. In other activity, Major General Clark L. Ruffner, USA, conducts a staff meeting in Tokyo. Ruffner, chief of staff of the upcoming X Corps, mentions during the meeting that subsequent to the capture of Inchon, the 1st Marine Division is to ford the Han River and seize

August 24, 1950 Seoul. General Smith, USMC, is in attendance and he is surprised to hear the information, considering that the X Corps lacks the necessary equipment and material to bridge the Han River. Later at another meeting with General MacArthur and other top ranking U.S. officers, it becomes obvious that MacArthur will prevail and Inchon will remain the objective. Nevertheless, Admiral Doyle makes a final attempt to emphasize all the dangers involved with Inchon. His presentation consumes about one and one-half hours, and he concludes his remarks by addressing MacArthur with this: “The best I can say is that Inchon is not impossible.” MacArthur, having listened to all the reasons for choosing an alternate to Inchon, begins to dominate the meeting. He speaks for about forty-five minutes and explains why the target must be Inchon. On occasion, he pauses to enjoy his pipe. MacArthur concludes his presentation with a profound sentence that summarizes his vision: “We shall land at Inchon and I shall crush them.” The final sentence of the last meeting concerning the invasion of Inchon is intended to be a prophecy. Now it is up to the Marines. Generals Almond, Collins, Stratemeyer, Hickey and Edwin Wright are in attendance. Also, Admirals Doyle, Joy, Radford, and Struble and Marine Generals Lemuel Shepherd and O.P. Smith attend the briefing.

August 24

Major General Pang Ho San, commanding general, N.K. 6th Division, issues a directive intended to further accelerate the morale of his troops. He proclaims that the division’s mission is to “liberate Masan and Pusan within a few days.” He then emphasizes the battle lessons learned, particularly from the Chinju fighting. He also makes it clear that all attacks should be commenced after dark, with daylight hours being utilized for preparation. Pang also states that prior to dawn, the troops should fight only at close quarters to ensure that at dawn the U.S. aircraft could not distinguish friend from foe, thereby preventing excessive North Korean casualties. The N.K. 6th Division will participate in the major offensive scheduled to begin in September. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: The U.S. 2nd Division, commanded by Major General Lawrence Keiser, concludes its relief of General Church’s 24th Division. Keiser assumes responsibility for the area at 1800. The weary 24th Division has been zapped of a great deal of its strength, which now stands at about 10,500 troops. It will requires about 8,000 replacement troops to bring about a genuine war-time strength for the 24th Division. Also, the 24th Division’s 19th Regiment and the 11th Field Artillery Battalion are enjoined with the 2nd Division for use as a reserve unit. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The front remains basically quiet throughout the day as the N.K. 13th Division recoils. However, the American and South Korean troops maintain an aggressive defense posture and continue to clean out the enemy from their concealed positions behind the lines. The Americans suffer casualties as an Eighth Army tank recovery team advances to an area that had been mined, in an effort

August 25, 1950 to recover a deserted but operational enemy T-34 tank. The coveted tank stalls at the beginning of the minefield. As the U.S. tank tows the T-34 forward, a sudden and unexpected explosion occurs. The T-34 had been stopped over an area where mines had been tossed under some lightly packed dirt. When the tank is pulled forward, a mine detonates, wounding twelve troops who are standing in the immediate area and heavily damaging the tank. In other activity, the N.K. 13th Division and the 1st Regiment, N.K. 1st Division, each sustain severe losses, the latter having been reduced to about 400 troops during the fighting. General Walker is convinced that the area north of Taegu has been wrested from the enemy, thus preserving the city. Consequently, the 27th Regiment receives orders to depart the valley and redeploy at Masan (once relieved by the S.K. 1st Division) with its parent 25th Division to bolster Eighth Army’s southwestern flank. — In the United States: Marine Air Squadron VMF-312 and the rear echelon of VMF(N)-542 embark aboard the USS Sitkoh Bay. The Marines and their planes sail from the West Coast for the Far East. Other units of the 1st Marine Air Wing based at El Toro depart on August 27, and the final contingents depart on September 1. — In Japan: Admiral Joy dispatches a memorandum to General MacArthur in an attempt to alter the priority of the carriers at sea and have their power concentrated where it can be most constructive: “North Korea contains a multiplicity of very lucrative and profitable targets which are well suited for carrier strikes, whereas, in [South Korea], targets are few and well hidden. After 25 August, I strongly recommend that Task Force 77 be employed north of the 38th parallel.” Nevertheless, on the following day, another urgent call for naval assistance is requested by Fifth Air Force to strike south of the boundary. In other activity, Japan Logistical Command ( JLC) is established by General MacArthur. It will relieve Eighth Army Rear of its responsibilities with regard to camps, posts and stations. The new organization will also bear responsibility for the logistical support of the ground forces operating in Korea. Some specific units, such as the Marines, will be exempted from this command.

August 25 Intelligence determines that the North Koreans are preparing to launch a major offensive to cross the Naktong River and crush the Naktong defense perimeter. Fifth Air Force flashes an imperative request calling for additional U. S. Navy close air strikes to disrupt the enemy’s timetable. General Dean, who had been separated from his command during the battle at Taejon during the previous month, is captured on this day while in a house with about fifteen Koreans. The North Koreans maintain secrecy with Dean’s imprisonment and he is not transferred even to the Chinese. At one point during the war, Dean is the only American held by the North Koreans, all others having been handed over to Chinese.

254 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: Task Force Baker — commanded by Lt. Colonel George R. Cole and composed of Company C, one platoon of Company E, 24th Regiment, 25th Division, and a contingent of South Korean police—continues to hold Battle Mountain since its recapture on the 23rd. Beginning today and continuing to August 26, the enemy mounts several unsuccessful attacks to dislodge the defenders, who receive some steady support from planes. In one instance, an exposed enemy contingent comprising about 100 troops is spotted as it advances along a spinal ridge of Battle Mountain that stretches from Tundok on the western slope area. A detachment of Air Force planes attack the column and deliver a deluge of fire, including napalm bombs. The criss-cross strafing decimates the enemy force, permitting very few to escape the fury. While Task Force Baker assumes responsibility for Battle Mountain, the 3rd Battalion (minus Company C), 24th Regiment, relieves the 1st Battalion at its positions in the Battle Mountain–P’il-bong vicinity. Meanwhile, the battle remains heated in the zone of the 5th RCT. Company C is struck by a determined force just before midnight (25th-26th). Sergeant Melvin Handrich moves from his entrenched position and takes a defensive position way out front to direct the mortar and artillery fire. Handrich, despite lack of sleep, remains at this dangerous post for eight hours to attempt to halt the enemy force, composed of about 150 troops. The North Koreans reinitiate the attack on the morning of the 26th, and again they encounter the indomitable Sergeant Handrich, who refuses to budge. During the pinnacle of the attack, Handrich is suddenly standing in full view of the enemy while he fires his weapon and simultaneously directs the artillery and mortars. While glancing back toward his company, he notices some men of Company C giving the appearance of abandoning their positions. Instinctively, Handrich dashes through the storm of enemy fire and prevents a stampede; however, while he is leading his men and inspiring them to continue the fight, enemy fire rips into him and inflicts a serious wound. Undaunted, he disregards medical attention, restores calm within the unit, and moves back to the point to resume his oneman forward outpost position. Handrich’s position is later overrun and he becomes mortally wounded. When the ground is later re-secured, about seventy enemy dead are discovered in the vicinity of Handrich’s post. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy. In the 2nd Division sector, north of the 25th Division, Colonel John G. Hill, commanding officer 9th Regiment, decides to launch a combat patrol based on intelligence gathered from recent forays to the west side of the Naktong River. The operation, undertaken by one company, is coded Operation MANCHU. Its purpose is to destroy the command post of the N.K. 9th Division, which is located about two miles west of the Naktong. Actually, Task Force Manchu has come about by Eighth Army’s directives to all units to begin active

255 patrolling. The operation will commence on August 31. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The persistent North Koreans let midnight (24th-25th) pass quietly, but soon afterward, the Bowling Alley again comes alive with its usual enemy night attack. The somber valley becomes consumed with unfurled fury. Several tanks, acting as vanguard, roll forward, flanked by about two companies of infantry, but the small column and the accompanying ground troops lack the power to penetrate the 27th Regiment’s defenses. The supporting U.S. artillery, upon orders, commences firing along with the 27th Regiment. The ravaging barrage is ill-received by the advancing enemy. The attack is stopped in its tracks and the North Koreans lose two more T-34s, bringing their total tank losses during the fighting in the valley (18th-25th) to thirteen. For the enemy, the Bowling Alley is a harrowing experience that also costs them five self-propelled guns and eighteen trucks. At 1800, the 27th Regiment’s relief by the S.K. 1st Division begins, and by 0345 on the following morning, the operation is complete. The 27th Regiment departs the vicinity of Taegu at 0800 on the 26th. Some contingents move by train and others are transported overland by vehicles. Nonetheless, the relief of the 27th Regiment is not totally uneventful. As the operation begins, enemy fire kills the 2nd Battalion’s S-3 officer and a South Korean battalion commander. When Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion and Colonel Murch’s 2nd Battalion arrive at Masan, it becomes clear that their reputation for being tenacious fighters in the Bowling Alley has preceded them. The final contingents arrive by 2030, on August 31. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the U.S. 23rd Regiment remain at the Bowling Alley north of Taegu to augment the S.K. 1st Division. In its entirety, the battle for the Bowling Alley had been a well-coordinated affair. The S.K. 1st Division fought courageously and successfully defended the high ground, tilting the advantage to the U.S. troops in the valley. The Air Force also contributed some stupendous performances and kept the enemy tightly fastened to the earth during the daylight hours. And after dark, the awesome tanks, the snorting guns of the artillery and the heavy breathing mortars had supported the 23rd and 27th Regiments, which had steadily held the lanes in the giant Bowling Alley in the valley. — In the United States: Two transport vessels, carrying the 65th Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, embarks from Puerto Rico for Korea. The convoy will arrive off Korea on September 22 and the troops will debark on the 23rd. The other two regiments, the 7th and the 15th, will embark from the States beginning on August 30. — In Hong Kong: The British 27th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, the 1st Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment, and the 1st Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, commanded by British Brigadier Basil A. Coad, board ship to the music of

August 26, 1950 their traditional bagpipes, then depart for Korea aboard five vessels, including the carrier HMS Unicorn. The convoy arrives at Pusan on 29 August. — In Japan: Admiral Struble, commanding officer, Joint Task Force Seven, has been at sea during the various conferences in Tokyo, but he returns to Sasebo this day to learn that he will command the Inchon invasion. Struble quickly gathers some of his staff from the USS Rochester, and then they depart by plane for Tokyo to oversee the final planning for the invasion.

August 26 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 5th RCT zone, south of P’il-bong, fighting remains heavy. In other activity, the U.S. 24th Division makes some further adjustments after a meeting between Generals Walker and Church. The troops of the 34th Regiment and their equipment are divided between the 19th and 21st Regiments, the former having already been attached to the 2nd Division. The 34th Regiment remains on the 2nd Division roster, but only on paper, and the status of the 63rd FAB becomes identical, as its complement is transferred and infused into the newly established Batteries C of the 11th, 13th and 52nd Field Artillery Battalions. The artillery transfers occur effective this day, while the infantry transfer becomes effective August 31. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division receives three battalions (from the U.S.), bringing each regiment to three battalions and all at full strength. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Devens, Mass.), becomes the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold K. Johnson. The 2nd Battalion, 30th Regiment, 3rd Division (Fort Benning, Georgia), is transformed into the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, commanded by Lt. Colonel James H. Lynch. An additional battalion, raised from the 14th Regiment (Camp Carson, Colorado), becomes the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, commanded by Lt. Colonel Edgar Treacy. In addition, three provisional artillery batteries arrive to provide a third battery for each artillery battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division. — In Japan: General MacArthur, chief of the United Nations Command, makes some additional changes within his military organizations. The U.S. Far East Air Forces and the U.S. Naval Forces Far East are officially attached to the United Nations Command. In other activity, MacArthur issues GHC FEC General Order 24, officially activating X Corps (Eighth Army). In conjunction, all units presently in Japan and those en route, including the 1st Marine Division, are designated X Corps reserve. MacArthur, having previously selected General Almond (apparently during mid–August) to command X Corps, makes it official on this day. General Almond also is to retain his position as chief of staff (FEC), primarily because MacArthur anticipates a startling quick victory subsequent to the invasion of Inchon, and he foresees a speedy return by Almond to his previous position.

August 27, 1950 The Joint Chiefs of Staff do not share MacArthur’s enthusiasm nor his confidence concerning the Inchon operation. The designated X Corps’ chief of staff is Major General Clark L. Ruffner, who during World War II was chief of staff, U.S. Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas, headquartered in Hawaii. The primary components (ground troops) of the X Corps are the 1st Marine Division and the U.S. 7th Infantry Division, the former en route and the latter being brought to wartime strength in Japan. Almond expresses surprise with MacArthur’s selection. In Air Force activity, the 47th and 48th Troop Carrier Squadrons (Provisional) are established by Fifth Air Force. The planes (C-46s) are pulled into Japan from all across the Far East. From the base at Tachikawa, the aircraft will focus on airlifts for the upcoming offensive in Korea. Also, Far East Air Forces forms the 1st Troop Carrier Task Force (Provisional), which becomes a primary part of the recently established Combat Cargo Command (Provisional). The task force will operate from the base at Ashiya and it will be commanded by Major General William H. Tunner, USAF, who brings an enormous amount of experience to the outfit; in World War II he was known as the designer of the airlift over the “Hump” and afterwards, the Berlin Airlift during the early days of the Cold War (1948–1949).

August 27

In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces, determined to discover a solution to the ongoing problem of knocking out the two pontoon bridges over the Han River at Seoul, deploy a new and successful tactic. Orders are given to Bombing Command to drop delayed action bombs at the spans to cause sudden and unexpected havoc when they detonate after dark, while the enemy troops are busily engaged in repairing the bridges. The effectiveness of these raids is evident and they apparently cause casualties among the repair teams to soar. When the city of Seoul is recaptured during September, the two spans are still uncompleted. In other activity, two pilots flying USAF Mustangs execute a mission to attack an airstrip near Sinuiju; however, the planes inadvertently stray into China and strike an airfield there. In yet other activity, 24 B-29s bomb an enemy iron and steel facility in the vicinity of Kyomipo. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Corley, completes its relief of the 1st Battalion at P’il-bong on Battle Mountain. In the meantime, Task Force Baker maintains the security of the crest of Battle Mountain. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector near Masan, the Marines receive no liberty while at the Bean Patch, but their morale remains very good. Their spirits are raised by mail from home and from some beer rations that arrive from Pusan. A generous offer of breweries in the States to supply free beer to the troops in Korea erupts into a sea of controversy between groups with opposing views on the subject, none of whom are

256 fighting in Korea. Nonetheless, the free beer soon ceases. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The boundary line between the 1st Cavalry and ROK units is being shifted by General Walker, who is convinced that the present line in the vicinity of the Sangju-Taegu Road is militarily unsound. The new line tilts southeast beginning at a point two miles southeast of Ka-san and extending below and east of Taegu. The revamping of the boundary line gives the 1st Cavalry Division responsibility for the Sangju-Taegu Road and the previous positions of the S.K. 1st Division. In conjunction, the eastward movement of the 1st Cavalry is compensated by the U.S. 2nd Division, which now extends north to the 1st Cavalry sector. In other activity, the North Korean II Corps makes preparations to spring its attack on September 2, but the N.K. 12th Division, still mending from the mauling it took in the vicinity of Pohang-dong and Kigye, launches an attack against the ROK Capital Division, ending speculation that the enemy had been subdued in its area. At 0400, the S.K. 17th Regiment, deployed north of Kigye, is hit unexpectedly and hard, forcing one company to fall back. The enemy thrust then forces the entire 17th Regiment to give ground. The 18th Regiment, to the right, loses the protection on its flank and also pulls back. The 17th Regiment relinquishes Kigye to the enemy, and the Capital Division is then compelled to retire to positions about three miles south of the Kigye Valley. The unfolding development in the Capital Division zone creates major problems for Eighth Army, and the rapidity of the surrender of ground imperils the entire Pusan Perimeter. General Walker orders the 24th Division to rush a regiment to the trouble zone and he also directs Major General John B. Coulter (recently arrived in Korea) to head for the area to collect accurate information. Coulter and his chief of staff, Colonel Andrew Tychsen, immediately depart by air for Kyongju. In the meantime, Walker appoints Coulter as deputy commander, Eighth Army, and instructs him to assume command of the S.K. I Corps, the U.S. 21st Regiment, the 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment and the 73rd Medium Tank Battalion (minus Company C). These various units under General Coulter become Task Force Jackson. Under Coulter’s command, there will be no interlude. A flurry of activity begins during the anxious morning of the 27th. The 21st Regiment under Colonel Stephens is stopped en route to positions north of Taegu, and it is ordered by General Walker to reverse directions and speed to Kyongju. Stephens turns the regiment and it departs Taegu by 1000, and arrives at its destination during the afternoon. The 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, is immediately ordered to move north to An’gang-ni and deploy to the rear of the S.K. Capital Division. The 2nd Battalion will arrive on August 31 and be placed in TF reserve at An’gang-ni.

257 General Coulter plans to launch an attack on the following day. In the meantime, the North Koreans dislodge the S.K. 17th Regiment from its positions on a ridge north of the curve of the Kigye Valley during a successful night attack. The South Koreans retake the ground on the following afternoon (28th), only to lose it again after dark. Simultaneously, the N.K. 5th Division infiltrates the lines of the S.K. 3rd Division southwest of Pohang-dong. A contingent of twelve Marines arrives in Saigon, South Vietnam, from Seoul, Korea, to protect the American legation there and other American interests. — In the United States: The USS Cape Esperance leaves the West Coast and steams toward the Far East, transporting units of the 1st Marine Air Wing, VMF212 and VMF(N)-542.

August 28 Fifth Air Force B-29s lambaste Songjin, an industrial area of metal working factories in North Korea. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, 24th Regiment zone, a North Korean contingent composed of about two companies launches an early morning attack that penetrates between the positions of Company C, posted on Old Baldy, and Company I, 3rd Battalion, at its positions on Battle Mountain. Then, after dusk, the enemy begins popping mortar fire into the perimeter of C Company, some of it apparently well-aimed toward the command post to fray some nerves. A detachment of enemy troops maneuvers to the rear of the company and attacks at 0245 (29th), overwhelming the defenders and seizing the command post of Company C on Old Baldy. Some of the troops desert their positions, igniting another crisis for the defenders who remain to fight. During the unfolding skirmish, the enemy sends some of its troops toward Company E’s positions, dislodging some of these defenders; however, the Air Force arrives after daybreak and lends some strong assistance to the beleaguered troops who attempt to forestall defeat of their diminished command. On the enemy side (west) of the Naktong, N.K. General Pak Kyo Sam, commanding officer, N.K. 9th Division, issues an operational order to his troops that pertains to their participation in the upcoming general offensive. It directs them “to outflank and destroy the enemy by capturing the Miryang and Samnangjin in areas, thereby cutting off his [Eighth Army] route of withdrawal between Taegu and Pusan.” The attack of the N.K. 9th Division, scheduled to commence the night of August 31–September 1, is expected to strike the U.S. 24th Division, but apparently the enemy fails to discover that on the eve of the offensive, the 24th Division is relieved at the Naktong by the U.S. 2nd Division. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The previous floods of enemy units banging against Eighth Army positions along the Pusan Perimeter have often forced the splintering of divisional contingents. Now the desperate rushing of key units to plug gaps or re-

August 28, 1950 inforce beleaguered elements of other divisions happens less often. This permits Eighth Army to attempt retrieval of the scattered units to reattach them with their parent units. On this day, the 23rd Regiment is directed to depart the Taegu vicinity and head back to Miryang along the southwestern perimeter to rejoin its parent 2nd Division. Two days later, on August 30, the 27th Regiment is directed to return to Masan to rejoin its 25th Division. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments, 1st Cavalry Division, are directed by General Gay to deploy north of Taegu in the mountains in the sector that has been guarded by the S.K. 1st Division. The 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments deploy in the west and east sectors respectively. The redeployment of the involved units will be concluded by August 30. In the Pohang-dong–Kigye area, General Coulter, with headquarters at Kyongju, is forced to postpone the attack of Task Force Jackson against the N.K. 12th Division because the South Korean contingent is unprepared. The ROK commander of the S.K. I Corps informs Coulter that his troops cannot launch their part of the attack due to “too many enemy, too many casualties, troops too tired.” Meanwhile, Colonel Emmerich, KMAG advisor, aware that the N.K. 5th Division is encroaching the positions of the S.K. 3rd Division at Pohang-dong, informs General Kim Suk Won that he should order his S.K. 3rd Division to commence a counterattack, but General Kim rejects the idea. — In Japan: General MacArthur receives a dispatch from the Joint Chiefs of Staff concerning the invasion of Inchon. The message gives their approval, with restrictions, such as mentioning an amphibious invasion either at Inchon, assuming the defenses are weak there, or at another beach south of Inchon if one can be found. The message continues, using Kunsan as a possible landing area. Nevertheless, MacArthur remains intent on striking Inchon. The joint chiefs expect a response from MacArthur, but it is not forthcoming. They send another dispatch September 5 that presses him for a reply. In other activity, X Corps Intelligence section calculates that Seoul is defended by about 5,000 troops and Inchon by about 1,000. In addition, the estimate of enemy troops at Kimpo Airfield is about 500. During the first week of September, intelligence estimates of enemy troops in the Seoul-Inchon area remain similar, except that soldiers are swung from Seoul to Inchon, building the forces there and reducing the strength at Seoul. Subsequent information, gathered by X Corps G-2, keeps the estimates of enemy defenders at the same levels right up to D-Day. X Corps deduces that the enemy’s ability to quickly reinforce the target area is minimum; however, several other factors enter the equation. Enemy movement traveling south from Manchuria has been detected from the air, but the surveillance has not determined whether it is supplies or reinforcements. It has been documented

August 29, 1950

258

Chow line on the front lines, 28 August. One soldier intends to eat in the shade. that the Chinese Communists have bolstered their troops along the Manchurian border; however, there is no proof that the Chinese have begun to move across it. Another concern of Far East Command is the possibility that the forces mounted against the Pusan Perimeter might be diverted and thrown into the Inchon area. One thing favoring the landing at Inchon is the fact that the North Korean Navy is essentially extinct, except for five divisions of patrol vessels, four of which

are corralled on the east coast at Wonsan and the final unit at Chinnamp’o on the west coast, which also is penned up tightly. The North Korean Air Force, estimated to contain about nineteen antiquated Russian planes, also poses no threat to the massive fleet. And, between this day and D-Day, the Allied aircraft continue to pound suspected N.K. airfields.

August 29

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector at Battle Mountain, isolated

259 Company C receives some strong artillery fire support that pounds the enemy positions and keeps reinforcements from reaching the crest and overrunning the beleaguered contingent on Old Baldy. In addition, while the artillery delivers sheets of fire to keep the enemy advance stalled, planes dispense immense amounts of fire to help thwart the North Koreans. The planes also deliver ammunition and supplies to C Company. The North Korean contingents, which had seized the positions of Company E during the night of the 28th-29th, are hit by incessant barrages throughout the day. After dark, Company E commences a counterattack that recaptures the ground it had surrendered earlier. However, the enemy is not ready to quit. At about 2300, the North Koreans mount a night counterattack against Company C, 24th Regiment which easily penetrates the left flank. Troops manning the flank bolt from their foxholes and begin to sprint, yelling as they run: “They have broken through.” Only seventeen troops, including several wounded, remain at the command post with Captain Corcoran, but they lack the strength and numbers to retake the crest, which the North Koreans have again reclaimed. After sunrise on the 30th, the Air Force is back on the scene to once again inundate Battle Mountain with fire. The charred crest is also blitzed by a steady stream of artillery, mortar and tank fire, and the powerful combination apparently does the trick. A wounded trooper makes his way down the mountain and informs headquarters that the bulk of the enemy has evacuated the crest and taken refuge west of the summit on some wooded ridges to better conceal themselves. Soon after, at 1100, another counterattack is mounted by Company B, which jumps off under cover fire. The attack is brisk and the crest is retaken within two hours. Later Captain Corcoran gives testimony that fire discipline in his command was very poor. Corcoran adds that his troops “would fire at targets out of range until they had exhausted their ammunition and at night would fire when there were no targets.” Within his entire Company C, Corcoran counted twenty-five as soldiers and said that those twenty-five carried the remainder of the company. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, eightyseven Marines receive Purple Hearts at a ceremony attended by S.K. President Syngman Rhee. After the ceremony, Rhee speaks to the troops, offering his thanks and congratulations for their actions. Also, Rhee informs General Craig that he would like to present an award to every man in the Marine brigade. Later, the brigade receives an S.K. Presidential Unit citation. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 1st Cavalry Division takes responsibility for the S.K. 1st Division zone north of Taegu. The I&R Platoon is dispatched to the crest of Hill 902, known as Ka-san, a walled city; however, the fortress is not really walled. The I&R Platoon reaches the top and encounters 156 S.K. troops. General Gay has attempted to get the area released from his authority, claiming that the 1st Cavalry is al-

August 29, 1950 ready too extended across a 35-mile front. The question concerning responsibility will become moot in several days, after the enemy seizes the hill. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, moves into the southern zone of the 1st Cavalry Division, relieving the 7th Cavalry, which then relieves the S.K. 13th Regiment and some elements of the S.K. 12th Regiment at their positions east of the Sangju-Taegu Road. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, which Eighth Army attaches to the 1st Cavalry Division, assumes responsibility for the vacated positions of the 7th Cavalry. A plan to push the U.S. 2nd Division farther to the north is scrapped because of the difficulty of bringing in supplies, thereby keeping the boundary between it and the 1st Cavalry Division at its present location. In other activity, S.K. General Kim Suk Won, because of the approaching N.K. 5th Division, informs Colonel Emmerich that he is moving the headquarters of the S.K. 3rd Division out of Pohang-dong, only to be told by Emmerich that the KMAG advisors will remain. General Kim Suk Won then counteracts his order and the general also remains. In related activity, General Coulter had ordered Colonel Stephens to commit a contingent of his 21st Regiment to intercept and destroy the enemy force that had infiltrated the S.K. 3rd Division area. Stephens dispatches Company B, 21st Regiment, and one platoon of tanks (73rd Medium Tank Battalion). The tanks and infantry bolt from the southwest fringe of Pohangdong and drive northwest, advancing about one and one-half miles. Trailing South Korean troops occupy the gained ground, and the U.S. contingent returns to the town. Later, during the night, the South Koreans retire, compelling the Americans to again advance on the 30th. In other activity, the S.K. Capital Division, augmented by U.S. artillery fire and American tanks, attacks and seizes Kigye, then repulses several counterattacks to hold control of the town until the morning of the 30th, when the enemy initiates another attack and retakes it. The U.S. escalates its air attacks in the vicinity of Kigye, and U.S. naval surface vessels pound enemy positions near Hunghae. One cruiser and two destroyers sling a steady stream of fire into the area about five miles north of Pohang-dong, where the N.K. 5th Division is forming for its attack. The naval surface fire, in support of the S.K. 3rd Division, propels about 1,500 5-inch shells toward Hunghae between this day and August 30. In other activity, in response to a request from General MacArthur, KMAG is detached from the Department of the Army and attached to Far East Command. — In the United States: In response to a recent suggestion by Congressman Gordon L. McDonough that the commandant of the Marine Corps be appointed as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Truman fires back a letter stating that the Marines are only “the Navy’s police force.” Truman tosses another zinger: “They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal

August 30, 1950 to Stalin’s.” Within a week, the nasty sentiments become public and an embarrassed President Truman apologizes. — In Japan: General MacArthur, unable to attend the National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars due to what has presently been termed “a police action,” sends a message to the attending members: “I am happy to report [to his fellow troops during former wars] that their successors now engaging the enemy along our battle lines in Korea are exemplifying that same high standard of high devotion, fortitude and valor, which characterized their own march to victory when they themselves engaged in combat in the field ... toward victory, however difficult the road, they are giving an account of themselves which should make every American heart beat with pride and infinite satisfaction.” MacArthur also frames some choice words to convince the VFW members to hold the torch to ensure that defeatism at home cannot overcome the valor of the cause, thereby endangering the United States: “To pursue any other course would be to turn over the fruits of our Pacific victory to a potential enemy. It would shift any future battle area 5,000 miles eastward to the coasts of the American continent, our own home coast. It would completely expose ourselves and our homes and friends to the lustful thrusts of those who stand for slavery against liberty, for atheism as against God.” In other activity, the 1st Marine Division begins landing at Kobe and completes the debarkation on September 3. Sleeping quarters are crammed, but two transport vessels are used as floating barracks. This provides a lucrative labor force of Marines to handle the cargo.

August 30

In Air Force activity, eight Air Force Fighter Squadrons are flying support missions over Korea, about the maximum number that can be supported by the airbases in Kyushu, Japan. The divisions, operating along the Pusan Perimeter during the month of August, each receive equal proportions of planes, about forty sorties per day. One distinctive and distinguished airman, Major Dean E. Hess, seemingly spends more time in the air than on the ground. Hess has the unique position of being an instructor for South Korean pilots and he acquires the reputation of being “the one man air force of the South Korean Army,” but he is officially grounded by the end of August, subsequent to flying 95 combat missions during July and August. B-29s execute a mission designed to illuminate the area over the Han River to attempt to reveal a pontoon bridge and pave the way for B-26s to eliminate it; however, the flares fail to locate the bridge. The planes, instead, attack the regular bridge there. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: The 24th Division’s 34th Regiment, which began its arrival into Korea on the 3rd of July with a complement of about 2,000 troops, has been transformed into a paper regiment. Of the original contingent, only 184 troops remain.

260 The remainder have either been killed, wounded or are missing in action. The casualty figures for the 34th Regiment for the period July 3 through August 23 is 98 killed, 569 wounded, 773 missing in action and 274 casualties from non-battle circumstances. As per orders of the 26th, the troops of the 34th Regiment are officially integrated with the division’s 19th and 21st Regiments on this day. Its 1st Battalion becomes the 3rd Battalion, 19th Regiment, and the 3rd Battalion becomes the 2nd Battalion, 21st Regiment. Colonel Beauchamp, the 34th Regiment’s commanding officer, is transferred back to his previous regiment, the 32nd Infantry, 7th Division. With these actions, General Walker transfers the 5th Regimental Combat Team, composed of about 3,500 troops, to the 24th Division to bolster it as a third regiment. The 6th Medium Tank Battalion, composed of about 650 troops, will also augment the 24th Division, but another 4,000 troops will be required to bring the division to full strength. In other activity, the 25th Division is manning a front extending nearly thirty miles, with its command post at Masan. From the Namji-ri bridge at the Naktong, the line extends west along the heights south of the Naktong, to the river’s junction with the Nam River, and from there, the line turns southwest to the Sobuk-san mountain mass at the point where the mountain slims down at the extreme northernmost point. The serpentine line then winds south to Sibidang-san (Hill 276) and across the Chinju-Masan Road to the coastal road at Chindong-ni. Colonel Throckmorton’s 5th Regiment holds the southern part of the line, which runs north from the coastal road at Chindong-ni to the southern spur of Sobuk-san, with the command post at Chindong-ni. South Korean Marines stretch south from Chindongni to the coast. Adjoining the 5th Regiment, the 24th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Champney, forms the line northward through the high ground west of Haman and south of the Chinju-Masan Road, and it includes P’il-bong (Hill 743) and Battle Mountain (Hill 665). The northern portion of the 25th Divisional line, stretching from the north side of the highway to the Namji-ri bridge, is held by Colonel Fisher’s 35th Regiment. The steel bridge span is guarded by the 1st platoon of Company F, and it is located in a part of the perimeter along the Naktong that includes a huge three-mile hole that separates the 1st Platoon on the east from the remainder of the company on the west. The command post of the 35th Regiment is located between the towns of Chirwon and Chungni, east of the main road. North of the 25th Division, the 2nd Division replaces the 24th Division, and then it prepares to meet a North Korean attack. The enemy is unaware that the 2nd has relieved the 24th Division. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 714th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion arrives in Korea this day, and it begins taking responsibility for

261 shuttling supplies along the 500 miles of the remaining rail lines within the friendly lines. The runs originate in Pusan and fan out to various divisional rail depots, from where items can be transported by trucks to the regimental front lines. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The recently arrived 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, assumes responsibility for the zone (encompassing 14,000 yards) guarded by the 8th Cavalry Regiment. The 8th Cavalry then moves out to relieve the remaining elements of the S.K. 12th Regiment and the entire S.K. 13th Regiment, 1st S.K. Division. With the addition of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, and the new area of responsibility, the 5th Cavalry perimeter stretches its front to a length of 32,000 yards. By 1300, the redeployment of the 1st Cavalry Division, ordered by General Walker on the 28th, is complete. — In the United States: Two regiments of the 3rd Infantry Division, the 7th and 15th, leave San Francisco en route to Japan. From there they will move to Korea to join the 65th Regiment. The 3rd Division will join the X Corps. The convoy will arrive at Moji, Japan, and the final contingent will debark by September 16. — In Japan: A dispatch from General Oliver P. Smith, commanding officer, 1st Marine Division, is received by X Corps, the recently activated tactical organization formed specifically for the Inchon operation. The message stipulates the need for the brigade to be released from Eighth Army on September 1 to enable it to participate with the 1st Marine Division’s invasion of Inchon. Eighth Army is reluctant to release the Marine Brigade; however, General Smith eventually prevails, and pursuant to orders by General MacArthur, the brigade is to be released to the 1st Marine Division on September 4. General Walker, speaking with General Almond, makes it perfectly clear that he requires the 5th Marines: “If I lose the 5th Marine Regiment, I will not be responsible for the safety of the front.” General Almond, commanding officer of the X Corps, is convinced that the corps can accomplish its mission without the 5th Marines and he supports Walker. In the meantime, the enemy launches a fierce attack on September 1 and MacArthur countermands his order to release the 5th Marines. Further deliberations in Tokyo on September 3 terminate the debate on the fate of the Marines. Admiral C. Turner Joy, commander, Naval Forces Far East, issues Operation Plan 108-50 delegating the seizure of Inchon by amphibious assault to JTF-7. X Corps is part of JTF-7. Also, X Corps’ Operation Order No. 1 (dated August 28) is received by the 1st Marine Division this day. Admirals Struble and Doyle and Marine General O.P. Smith have been holding meetings for several days. On this day, Struble holds a conference on Inchon with Admirals Andrewes, Higgins and Ruble and Captain Austin.

August 31

The North Koreans diligently prepare to launch another powerful attack against the Pusan

August 31, 1950 Perimeter by striking it at all points, from the west to the east coasts, in an effort to destroy all the resistance. Thirteen enemy infantry divisions, one armored division and two armored brigades have been assembled to decimate the Pusan Perimeter. The North Korean Front Headquarters at Kumch’on has been directing the attacks against the perimeter. General Kim Chaek has been commanding headquarters and he continues to do so through September. N.K. Lt. General Kang Kon is Kim Chaek’s chief of staff. The N.K. I Corps, commanded by Lt. General Kim Ung, is responsible for the western portion of the enemy perimeter, which stretches south from Waegwan to the Korea Strait. The N.K. II Corps, with headquarters at Mun’gyong, bears responsibility for the eastern half of the enemy perimeter, which stretches from positions north of Taegu to the east coast. The N.K. I Corps units, deployed south to north, are the 6th, 7th, 9th, 4th, 2nd and 10th N.K. Infantry Divisions, and these are augmented by contingents of the N.K. 105th Armored Division. The newest arrival, the 16th Armored Brigade with its contingent of new T-34 tanks, also bolsters the force. The 7th N.K. Division has not yet been committed to battle, except for a skirmish by two battalions against S.K. Marines at T’ong-yong. The N.K. 9th Infantry Division is also being committed to its initial battles. The N.K. II Corps units, strung from west to east (northwest of Taegu are: 3rd, 13th, 1st, 8th, 15th, 12th and 5th Infantry Divisions, bolstered by the 17th Armored Brigade and contingents of the 105th N.K. Armored Division. Only the 17th Armored Brigade is a new arrival with the corps. The North Koreans have amassed about 98,000 troops for the scheduled massive assault, but approximately one third of this force is totally untested. Many of these untested troops have been scooped up in the vicinity of Seoul after its capture and reluctantly pressed into service for the Communist cause. The N.K. I Corps is scheduled to attack at 2330 on August 31 and the N.K. II Corps is to commence its attacks on September 2 at 1800. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: The North Koreans have not been able to crush the defenses of the U.S. 25th Division in the vicinity of Sobuk-san at Battle Mountain and P’il-bong. Nevertheless, the U.S. and supporting South Korean troops have been unable to claim victory, and both sides sustained heavy casualties. Reports vary on the number of times Old Baldy had been won and lost. On some days between the 15th and this day, the summit exchanged occupants between the 24th Regiment and the North Koreans three times within twenty-four hours. One sergeant’s tally has the objective changing hands nineteen times. In the area of Sobuk-san, south of Battle Mountain and P’il-bong, the 5th RCT has also faced consistent combat, especially during the final week in August, and although the enemy is prevented from making a breakthrough, the fighting here remains a stalemate. In the 25th Division sector, at its left center, the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, under Lt. Colonel Paul

August 31, 1950 Roberts, is holding the summit of the second ridge west of Haman, from where it can observe a secondary road that runs east from enemy-held Chungam-ni (enemy held). From there, the ridge swings through the 2nd Battalion zone about one mile west of Masan in a pass. During the afternoon, Company G, 24th Regiment, discovers a large enemy troop contingent moving toward the ridge from about one mile to its front. The information is passed on and later, at about dusk, two separate air strikes pound the area. Despite the air attacks, the enemy continues to advance and slightly before midnight (Aug. 31-Sept. 1), the North Koreans commence an attack that strikes Company F along the Chungam-ni–Haman Road on the north side of the pass. The South Korean troops holding positions in the pass pull up stakes and withdraw to the south side of the pass to the positions of Company G. The struggle continues throughout the night, and the North Koreans capture a 75-mm recoilless rifle as they enter the pass. The gun is whipped into action against both the Americans and the South Koreans. Two U.S. tanks are destroyed by the captured weapon. In addition, the enemy overwhelms an 81-mm mortar position at the east end of the pass, further diminishing the firepower of the defenders. Company E, 24th Regiment, posted farther up the hill, is also hit by the enemy at midnight and more complications then rapidly develop. The commanding officer, Lieutenant Charles Ellis, rushes to the left flank to find the 3rd Platoon making a hurried evacuation. Attempting to pull the outfit together, Ellis warns the platoon leader that he might be shot if he doesn’t return to his position, and Ellis enunciates the threat by firing a shell between his legs for effect. Then, Ellis is forced to speed to the right flank, as the platoon deployed there is also beginning to pull out. Eventually, as the night progresses and the men vanish, Company E is whittled down to twelve men, including Ellis. Some of the troops who flee to avoid facing the enemy are killed when they run through the minefield they had previously laid. Lieutenant Charles Ellis and the remnants of Company E remain at their positions. In the 35th Regimental sector, along the Nam River, north of the 24th Regiment, the North Koreans initiate a powerful campaign to crush the regimental line there and further shatter the 25th Division’s defenses. The enemy begins pumping fire into the positions of Company G, 2nd Battalion, at about 2330. The first catapulted shells arrive from a self-propelled gun from its position across the river. These are soon followed by artillery fire, which initially strikes the positions near the Namji River and then expands westward to ring the entire perimeter of the 35th Regiment for one-half hour. While the 35th Regiment is reckoning with the shelling, its Companies F and G, 2nd Battalion (Lt. Colonel John L. Wilkins), come under a severe attack. A reinforced regiment, N.K. 7th Division, uses the artillery as an umbrella to ford the Nam and whack the

262 two companies. In synchronization with this assault, more enemy troops cross the river north of Komam-ni near the point that separates the 2nd Battalion’s river line from the 1st Battalion’s lines in the hills, which extend from the Nam to Sibidang and beyond to the ChinjuMasan Road. The area of the alternate crossing is defended by about 300 South Korean police who are straddled in the lowlands between the 1st and 2nd Battalions. The police are to hold the line until reinforcements can be rushed to their aid. However, the enemy surge quickly topples the South Koreans, who disperse at the first sounds of battle, allowing the enemy easy access for infiltration. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion is being held in reserve to the rear of Komam-ni, enabling Colonel Fisher to commit it wherever it is needed. By 0030 (September 1), the enemy attackers breach the low ground and fan out. Some contingents move left to strangle Company G, while other contingents pivot to the right to take out Company C, which is deployed west of the Komam-ni Road; however, rather than attack toward the Komam-ni Road fork, the North Koreans swing east and infiltrate the hills to the rear of the 2nd Battalion. In the 1st Battalion perimeter, Company B, holding Sibidang-san, 1,200 feet above the Masan Road about two miles west of Masan, feels the lethal sting of the enemy shelling, which strikes its positions about 2330 and lasts until midnight. Like the 2nd Battalion, it attempts to prepare for an attack while still coping with the menacing barrage. Meanwhile, two battalions of the N.K. 13th Regiment, 6th Division, pound against the door and reach positions within 150 yards of Company B’s defenses. The first assault fizzles as the attackers get snarled in a minefield. Below Sibidang, enemy armor and antitank guns advance along the road toward Koman-ni, ensuring more gruesome combat. While the terrific fire is being exchanged on the summit, slightly after midnight (Aug. 31–Sept. 1), a U.S. tank posted on the road below roars into action and knocks out an approaching T-34 tank, while a nearby bazooka team devastates several 45-mm antitank guns and one self-propelled gun. Meanwhile, back on the summit at Sibidang-san, Company B holds firmly and gives no ground as it maintains a steady stream of fire into the attackers, repelling the repeated assaults. Improvisation becomes the order of the day to retain the line. Company C, 1st Battalion, sprints up the slope in about forty-five record setting minutes to replenish the ammunition for beleaguered but confident Company B, which has been compelled to strip its machine guns’ ammunition belts to keep the rifles firing. As darkness fades and the frenzied pace of the enemy attack recedes, the view from the top of Sibidang-san is breathtaking for Company B, which has held with resolute tenacity. The entire area is consumed with abandoned enemy weapons, including three heavy machine guns and thirty light machine guns. The enemy, although rebuffed all along the line, has

263 been able to dislodge the advance platoon of Company G, and during the night-long fighting, about 3,000 enemy troops have infiltrated to positions behind the 35th Regiment. The farthest point of advance to the east reaches terrain slightly south of Chirwon in the heights above the north-south highway. Meanwhile, with the arrival of dawn, Colonel Fisher’s 35th Regiment wastes no time. Headquarters troops of Company C, bolstered by tanks, rush to secure the road to Sibidang-san and replenish the ammunition of Company B’s 2nd Platoon. The effort proves extremely valuable. The exhausted platoon, with the influx of fresh ammo, absorbs the shock of the final attack and it returns incessant withering fire that shreds the attackers, killing seventy-seven while capturing twenty-one. The commanding officer of the N.K. 13th Regiment had been killed during one of the earlier attacks against the crest. In the U.S. 2nd Division sector, the North Koreans breach the Naktong in force, and by the following day, the force succeeds in dividing the American units. The 9th Regiment holds the southern portion of the zone, which is on the right flank of the 35th Regiment (25th Division). The 23rd Regiment holds the line to the right of the 9th Regiment. Farther north, the 38th Infantry is deployed. The enemy has made some progress with infiltration through the 20,000-yard perimeter of the 9th Regiment recently, but the forward detachments accept these incursions as ordinary patrol activity. The rifle companies of the 9th Regiment, assigned to manning the forward river line positions, control only the strategic peaks and hills, since Eighth Army has scaled down the manpower in the bulge area, where heavy fighting had occurred during early August. Each of these positions contains large frontages between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. These observation points are only to monitor enemy activity. Company A stands on a fortified finger ridge just above the confluence of the Nam and Naktong Rivers. The ridge ends on Hill 94 at the Kihang Ferry crossing, and it also overlooks the river road that runs west from Namji-ri, adjacent to the Naktong and across the southern edge of the ridge where it crosses to the western bank of the river, near the ferry crossing. Company B is deployed on the summit of Hill 209. Elements of Company A, bolstered by two tanks (Company A, 72nd Tank Bn.), and two antitank vehicles (Battery D, 82nd FAB), establish a roadblock close to the tiny village of Agok at the base of Hill 94. During the night, orders arrive calling for Company A to pull up from its ridge positions and reform along the river below the ridge line, but as the exchange of positions is occurring, an eerie fog is overtaking the area, adding extra edginess to the situation by 2000. Company C is deployed to the right of Company A. By 2200, the enemy commences some mortar firing, but within fifteen minutes, the positions of Company A receive stiff incoming fire from heavy mortars. The enemy activity continues to accelerate and by 2230, as the dreary fog suddenly lifts, enemy contingents of the

August 31, 1950 N.K. 9th Division are spotted as they attempt to complete the laying of a bridge to cross the river. An astute tanker, Sergeant Ernest Kouma, anchored about forty yards from the ferry, bolts to his .50-caliber machine gun after instructing his gunner to use the .90-mm cannon to sever the bridge. In conjunction, the other tank and the two antitank vehicles begin to pour fire toward the bridge and the span falls. The U.S. firing continues and most of the supporting pontoon barges, which have broken loose, are also destroyed. But, even this ferocious activity does not permanently halt the Communists. Within one-half hour another short burst of fire reheats the contest. The North Koreans, having crossed the Naktong in strength, charge with the accompaniment of blaring whistles and bright green flares. The firefight ensuing north of the tanks quickly subsides; however, more recent orders come into the roadblock by field phone instructing the two Company A rifle squads to rejoin the company, which is returning to its original positions on the finger ridge. The Company A commander, Lieutenant Adam Rodriguez, has decided that he must move his command post due to the severity of the attack. In the meantime, while enemy contingents are striking the 1st Platoon of Company A, the 2nd Platoon, also near Agok but slightly north, does not come under assault. Yet, Company C, to the right of the 2nd Platoon, Company A, is struck hard and overrun. The men of Company C offer some resistance, but of short duration, before the troops break for safety. Two soldiers from Company C arrive at the defenses of the 2nd Platoon and inform its commander, Lieutenant Fern, of the fate of their unit. The 2nd Platoon encounters some enemy resistance as it climbs the ridge, but it is nominal. The platoon completes the trek and establishes a night perimeter. Meanwhile, as the roadblock at Agok is being dismantled, an infantryman at the outpost yells, “We are moving out tankers.” Immediately following the departure of the infantry, Sergeant Kouma observes seven troops donning American uniforms with the “Indianhead” insignia of the 2nd Division. They are racing from the recently abandoned command post at the roadblock and heading toward his tank. Kouma initially assumes they are South Koreans, attached to the 9th Regiment. Three of these troops board his tank, then excitedly and in good English, they inform him that Company A has been overrun. Continuing, these troops inform Kouma that most of the troops have been either killed or captured. As the conversation continues, Kouma remains on top of the tank rechecking his gun while listening. And then, in a flash, the troops expose themselves as the enemy. On cue, the three enemy troops pull the pins from their grenades and bolt from the tank. While they toss grenades upon the tank, other enemy fire, originating in some high ground about 150 yards to the right of the tankers, begins to hammer the area. Instinctively, Kouma dives into the tank and with a record setting closing of the hatch, the Americans pump out some re-

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A 105-mm howitzer crew prepares to fire upon enemy positions. turn fire. Nonetheless, the enemy retains their cunningness as the tenacious firefight develops. Instantly, more enemy troops move against the tanks. The detachment that encroaches the Quad-50 is well versed on the password, permitting the enemy to effortlessly overrun it. One crewman escapes, but the others are killed. The other antitank vehicle sustains some wounded, but it safely pulls away, leaving the two tanks to fight

it out alone, and fight they do. Sergeant Kouma, wounded twice, refuses to relent. Both tanks pivot and tear out from beneath the cliffs, searching for open ground to level the playing field. They find positions giving them a killing field of 200 yards, revolving on a 360-degree angle. The enemy attacks repeatedly, but the side-by-side stance of the tanks slices the enemy and repulses all attacks. However, as the night stretches out

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South Korean troops (ROKs) hold in place in a rice paddy. further, the tank led by SFC Berry develops engine trouble. At 0130, Berry informs Kouma that his engine is overheating badly and that he is going to withdraw. He makes it to a point about one mile to the rear, but the engine becomes engulfed in flames, forcing him to abandon his tank. Meanwhile, Kouma remains in place and confounds the attackers, who are unable to take him out. Finally, at daybreak, the enemy ceases its attacks, and by 0730, Sergeant Kouma rolls toward friendly lines, but not uneventfully. His tank fires toward the enemy positions along the route as the tank speeds home. In conjunction, the 2nd Division will report on September 2 that 110 troops of Company C, which had scattered after being overrun, have returned to the divisional lines. The 2nd Division area is further consumed with fighting and the enemy crossings have inadvertently crossed up an expected attack. The 9th Regiment’s Task Force Manchu, composed of Company E (regiment reserve) and one light machine gun section from Company H, is scheduled to cross the Naktong at the Paekchin Ferry. The task force is to execute a surprise attack against the N.K. 9th Division’s command post, which stands about two miles from the west bank. Companies D and H are designated as support units, and each will supply one section of heavy machine guns, one section of 75-mm recoilless rifles, one section of 81-mm mortars and one platoon of 4.2-inch mortars. The proposed attack, planned on August 25, begins to unfold at sundown when the various compo-

nents begin the preparations, but unexpected developments occur. The 1st Platoon, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, which is to transport the task force across the river in assault boats, and Company E (TF Manchu) remain near Yongsan. Meanwhile, the support troops of Companies D and H, led by Lieutenants Charles Caldwell and Edward Schmitt respectively, move to the base of Hill 209 within the perimeter of Company B, 9th Regiment, to establish their positions and deploy the weapons. From these positions, the Paekchin Ferry is easily observed. There are great expectations for the success of this night assault and Colonel Hill, the commanding officer, 9th Regiment, and his S-3 accompany the mortar platoon. By 2100, Lieutenants Schmitt and Caldwell have taken their section leaders to the positions on the hill where they want the weapons deployed. While the supporting units of Task Force Manchu are readying for the crossing, elements of Company B, holding the crest, begin to hear unusual noises coming from the water just below their positions. Visibility is not too good, and the dimming twilight hours do little to enhance vision. Nonetheless, an exerted effort with their field glasses reaveals the faint signs of a huge enemy force fording the river. The troops spotted are part of the enemy’s general offensive and will surely cause bedlam. Actually, elements of the N.K. 9th Division had begun crossing the river at about 2130 to reach positions from which an attack will be launched following the cessation of the artillery bombardment. While the support troops of Company D and H are

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Artillery is moved through mud en route to firing positions in vicinity of Taegu. involved with establishing their positions, the enemy makes it across the river and strikes a stunning blow, killing or capturing nearly all. Colonel Hill and several other troops escape from harm just before midnight and make it to friendly lines. Meanwhile, the first heavy weapons bearers detachment, already en route to the crest, makes it safely and remains there without incident throughout the night. At 2355, Operation MANCHU is terminated without ever getting started. Along the remainder of the perimeter, the North Koreans pour into the area of the 9th Regiment. Company B, holding the summit of Hill 209, will be attacked early on September 1. In the 23rd Regimental zone, north of the 9th Regiment, the situation is also serious. Its 3rd Battalion has been attached to the 1st Cavalry Division, and the perimeter stretches across a 16,000-yard front of unfamiliar ground along the Naktong, which includes two roads leading from the river to Changnyong. The 23rd Regiment, commanded by Colonel Paul Freeman — which has just relieved the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, a few days prior — sparingly deploys its 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Claire Hutchin, Jr., in the hills. The 2nd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel James Edwards, spreads out eight miles to the rear, guarding both roads. During the afternoon, the enemy presence is conspicuous on the opposite side of the Naktong, north of Pugong-ni. Enemy troops in large numbers move freely about the rice paddies. The 42 defenders of Company B’s 2nd Platoon, scattered on seven different hills, observe the activity with great curiosity. Toward dusk, the activity becomes more brisk. The sun is in the last

stages of fading beyond the horizon when Lieutenant Glasgow and the men in the 1st Squad spot huge numbers of torch-carrying men moving toward the river. Soon after, a forward artillery observer who estimates the number at 2,000 sends word back to regimental headquarters. Consequently, an artillery bombardment begins, but despite some torches being quickly extinguished, the undeterred enemy troops keep advancing toward the river. The enemy initiates its artillery barrage at 2100, in synchronization with the troops who ford the Naktong and then silently advance up the slopes. After the enemy barrage subsides at 2300, the sky becomes illuminated with a green flare. This signals the attack, which strikes all along the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment’s outposts on the various hills. Shortly after the flare diminishes, enemy grenades are tossed into Lieutenant Glasgow’s positions (with the 1st Squad, 2nd Platoon). At about the same time, hard close-quartered fighting begins; however, the slimly numbered Americans are unable to hold for long. The enemy drives them from the hill, but the fighting continues into the morning of September 1. In the 38th Regimental zone: West of Hyongp’ung, a heavy concentration of the N.K. 10th Division is deployed on Hill 409. The remainder of the division is dispersed as the northernmost extremity of the N.K. I Corps and it is expected to support the enemy thrust to destroy the American–South Korean lines along the Naktong River. After dark, large numbers of the enemy descend Hill 409 and press toward the far right flank of the U.S. 2nd Division to strike against the 23rd Regiment’s positions. Hyongp’ung is defended by C Company.

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Top: A destroyed enemy tank in the vicinity of Waegwan during late August. Bottom: Radar equipment in tow by tractors (13-ton high-speed M5s) arrive at rendezvous site in a river bed.

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U.S. soldiers posted in the vicinity of Yongsan with a .30-caliber machine gun observe a wounded trooper being brought back for medical aid during late August. The fighting around Hyongp’ung and Hill 409 continues for weeks, but strangely, the N.K. 10th Division fails to genuinely bolster the I Corps’ attacks by supporting the N.K. 2nd Division efforts, inadvertently aiding Eighth Army’s cause. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: Kigye, recaptured by the North Koreans at dawn on the 30th, comes under heavy air attack by U.S. naval planes. South Korean troops later report the discovery of large numbers

of dead enemy troops, apparently killed by the air strike delivered by thirty-eight planes. Also at Pusan, the Joint (Army–Air Force) Operation Center sends out another urgent request for naval close-air support, reacting to the initiation of a massive enemy offensive against the Naktong defense perimeter. In other activity, although it is ahead of schedule and not in synchronization with the plans of General Walker, the South Korean Army has reactivated the

269 ROK 7th Division, which is to be composed of a minimum of one battalion per regiment (3rd, 5th and 8th Regiments). Task Force Min is vanishing as an S.K. unit. It will be transformed into the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Regiment, S.K. 7th Division. Also, battle casualties during August within the four U.S. Divisions fighting in Korea thus far have been severe. The 1st Cavalry Division sustains 1,503 casualties, the 24th Division 1,941, the 25th Division 1,800 and the 2nd Division’s 9th RCT suffers 827 casualties. All divisions share an equally high rate of non-battle casualties, especially from heat prostration. The South Korean Army suffers many more battle casualties than the American units. At present, Walker has three U.S. regiments in reserve. The 25th Regiment arrives at Masan this day and is scheduled to relieve the 5th RCT, which will rejoin its parent 24th Division at Taegu. The 19th Regiment, 24th Division, is at Kyongsan southeast of Taegu. The 5th Marines, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, is at Changwon, about six miles northeast of Masan. Eighth Army also has the British 27th Infantry Brigade, composed of two battalions; however, it is still not totally equipped. In Air Force activity, B-29s of Fifth Air Force strike a heavy blow against Chinnamp’o, an industrial area in North Korea with aluminum and magnesium factories. With August closing out, the combined Naval–Air Force air strikes have impaired, but not halted, the movement of enemy supply lines. The North Koreans manage to continue moving supply trains and trucks, but at a reduced rate. Also, the movement of enemy artillery has diminished greatly during August, but tanks and heavy weapons remain a crucial priority, along with fuel, and they continue to flow. In contrast, food becomes a lesser priority and by this day, the majority of North Korean units on the front lines receive the ramifications. Lack of rations impedes their ability to fight with vitality. In Naval activity, in response to an urgent request from the Joint (Army–Air Force) Operation Center at Pusan, Admiral Ewen, commander Task Force 77, recalls every airborne aircraft engaged in bombing runs over the Seoul-Inchon area. While the planes are returning to their carriers, the fleet changes course on the run and steams southeast to intercept the enemy and provide close-air support along the Naktong Perimeter. The aircraft already on board are speedily refitted with proper armaments and those returning to ships will be altered upon their return. The crucial message received by the fleet at 1101 is answered while the fleet is en route to the battle area: “The fleet’s close air support will start at 1430. First strike will be 12 Skyraiders each with three 1000-pound bombs. Also, 16 Corsairs, each with one 1,000-pound bomb plus four rockets and full cannon ammo. Second similar flight follows at 1530.” The message continues: “More coming.” And it does, on the following day. Also, U.S. naval surface vessels continue to bombard Hunghae to disable the N.K. 5th Division, which is forming there to attack the Pusan Perimeter.

September 1, 1950 — In Japan: The carrier USS Badoeng Strait, commanded by Captain Arnold McKechnie, arrives at Kobe, bringing with it 70 F4Us, 6 HO3S helicopters and eight light observation planes. The carrier USS Sicily had stopped at Guam en route to disembark Antisubmarine Squadron 21 at Agana Airfield; however, it joins the Badoeng Strait at Kobe. Its commanding officer, Captain John Thach, USN, is designated CTE 96.23, composed of the USS Sicily, USS Kyes (DD787) and USS Doyle (DMS-34). Captain Thach is ordered to rush to the support of the Pusan Perimeter and by the following day, the Sicily is steaming toward Korea.

September 1 The U.S. Navy continues its preparations for the invasion of Inchon. Discreetly, Lieutenant Eugene Clark, USN, a member of MacArthur’s JSPOG staff, is being sent to reconnoiter Yonghungdo, a tiny strategic island perched at the mouth of the channel, about fifteen sea miles southwest of Inchon. The clandestine mission is dubbed Operation TRUDY JACKSON. The HMS Charity, having transported Clark from Sasebo on the previous night, rendezvous with the South Korean patrol vessel PC-703. Clark, two interpreters and a small entourage of several other men, apparently U.S. Army Intelligence, transfer to the Korean vessel. U.S. Marines and British Marines accompany Clark aboard the Charity on the voyage from Sasebo. Once debarked, Clark, who brings ample ammunition, 30 cases of C-Rations and 200 pounds of rice, is quickly able to befriend the native Koreans (about 300–400 friendly Koreans). Clark organizes about 150 of them between the ages of 14 and 18 as his personal OSS unit. He dispatches them repeatedly into Inchon to measure the depth of the water and spy on the enemy, counting their numbers and identifying their positions. Clark also utilizes the Koreans to organize a defense of Yonghung-do, which is close to enemy-held Taebu-do, from which the enemy can walk during low tide. The mission is extremely successful and includes a naval victory of sorts. During the dangerous mission, the inevitable occurs as North Koreans move toward Yonghung-do in boats protected by a sampan gunship. Clark and a crew of three Koreans engages the unusual flotilla with a slow chugging sampan, outfitted with a .50-caliber machine gun. The sea joust erupts on September 8, when the enemy sampan gunboat fires its attached 37-mm tank gun, expending several rounds and showcasing poor marksmanship. Clark’s crew commences firing and their machine gun fire decimates the enemy sampan, sinking it. Clark continues firing and sinks one of the accompanying boats. Three of the eighteen enemy occupants are captured. Clark reports the incident, and on the following day (9th), the destroyer USS Hanson and some aircraft arrive to bombard Taebu-do. Meanwhile, Clark continues the primary mission of gaining intelligence and transmitting it to friendly

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A U.S. infantry contingent moving in search of enemy troops. vessels operating off Korea. In addition, during one of the nights on the island, Clark rows a boat straight into Inchon to test the density of the muck, and when the tide rolls out, he walks into the mud up to his waist. Concluding that landing troops would be futile, he dispatches the following message: “Inchon not suitable for landing either troops or vehicles across the mud.” Despite his daily reports of intelligence and a growing danger to his life, Clark refuses continuous efforts to evacuate him. Cognizant of his fate if caught, he carries one grenade to ensure the North Koreans don’t capture him. During this unsung heroic action, Clark also manages to repair a light beacon on Palmi Island, which the enemy had previously put out of operation without destroying it. Undaunted, the daily reports from Clark continue to flow, but finally he is compelled to evacuate hastily on the 14th, when a large contingent of enemy troops storm Yonghung-do. Clark escapes harm and flees to the temporary sanctuary of the repaired beacon light (Palmi-do), but the North Koreans slaughter about fifty Korean men and women on Yonghungdo. At about midnight (14th-15th), Clark abandons the island and is retrieved by the Navy. Other sources of information also contribute to the intelligence gathering of the U.S. forces, including Warrant Officer W.R. Miller, USA (Second Transportation Medium, Yokohama). Miller is temporarily assigned commander of Amphibious Group One because of his experience with Inchon’s tides and the unloading problems at the port. In addition, an Air Force officer, Colonel Richard W. Philbrick, and two civilians, Donald Graves and Amron Katz, have been dispatched from the States. They measure the varying height of the In-

chon seawalls, subsequent to inspection of aerial photographs taken by RF-80 jet aircraft from a distance of 200 feet during various stages of the tides. In other activity, Eighth Army realizes early that the enemy attacks on the previous day had been the forerunner of the tremendous enemy offensive unfolding in the southern part of the perimeter. In reaction, General Walker keeps a feverish pace, beginning with requesting Air Force assistance at 0900. He calls for massive strikes to corner off the battleground by bombing slightly in front of the 2nd Division boundary, which stretches along the Naktong from Toksong-dong southward. He also requests simultaneous raids to be launched as deeply as 10 to 15 miles west of the Naktong. Upon receiving Eighth Army’s urgent request, the Air Force Far East Command seeks some additional power from the Navy. NAVFE contacts the Seventh Fleet, which is striking the area near Inchon and Seoul, and directs it to disengage and speed its aircraft south to hit new targets. Meanwhile, General Walker, holding limited reserves (three under-strength regiments), ponders which units to juggle to reinforce the stand. The available units are the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, and the 5th Marines. Each contingent receives orders to stand by and be prepared to move out at any minute. At 1045, Eighth Army informs the 25th Division that the 27th Regiment is to prepare for possible movement to the 2nd Division sector farther north. Even the possibility of losing the regiment is considered grave news for the beleaguered 25th Division.

271 At 1100, Walker, having decided that the most critical area is the Naktong Bulge (2nd Division sector), orders the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to dispatch the 5th Marines to the bulge in order to halt the North Koreans outside of Miryang. The 5th Marines receive the warning order at 1109 and confirmation orders arrive at 1215, instructing the regiment to move forward at 1330. The Marines advance from Changwon about six miles northeast of Masan. In conjunction, the Marines had received an alert at 0810 to prepare for movement, but the destination at that time was not forthcoming. By 1800, General Craig has his command post established at Miryang and advance units are there to assist the Marine brigade. The 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, released from the 25th Division, is among the advance units. Craig’s Marine brigade will come under the operational control of the 2nd Division. Before day’s end, at 2230, General Craig is informed by Eighth Army that the brigade is to move out at dawn and deploy to the rear of the 9th Infantry, 2nd Division, south of Yongsan. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: During the last week in August and the first week in September, the North Korean 6th Division receives another 3,000 conscripted South Koreans, which increases its strength to more than 11,000 troops. Since mid–August, the Communists have pressed about 7,500 South Koreans into the N.K. 6th Division. In other activity, Eighth Army Intelligence Section estimates (on the 30th of August) that the combined strength of the twelve N.K. Infantry Divisions, known to be operating against Eighth Army, hold a combined effective strength of about 82,500 troops, but the U.S. and South Korean forces have been steadily increased during August, and now the enemy is outnumbered. In addition, the North Korean replacement troops are frequently pressed into service without weapons. The numerical advantage and the welcome addition of additional U.S. tanks and artillery further swell the strength of the Pusan Perimeter. With the line now extending from the southwest coast to the east coast, the enemy is stripped of one of its most deadly tactics, the envelopment, forcing them to win ground the old-fashioned way: direct frontal assault. Eighth Army believes it can withstand the attacks and hold the Pusan Perimeter, while awaiting even more reinforcements. In the 25th Division sector, at Masan, it becomes apparent that the enemy thrust is threatening the 25th Division perimeter, prompting General Walker to fly to Masan to confer with General Kean. While discussing the criticalness of the situation, Kean requests authority to commit the balance of the 27th Regiment, which arrived at Masan the night of August 31. But Walker, who has already granted permission for the use of the 1st Battalion of the 27th, denies the request. In conjunction, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Colonel Check, which had been advised of its mission early in the morning, moves out of Masan and arrives at the command post of the 24th Division in Haman

September 1, 1950 at 1000. The 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment reinforced, is supported by the 27th Regiment’s 1st Platoon, Heavy Mortar Company, Battery A, 8th FAB, and one platoon of tanks, Company B, 89th Tank Battalion. Upon its arrival, Colonel Check’s command is attached to the 24th Division. Slightly later, despite General Walker’s denial of permission to commit another battalion, Kean intuitively senses the need for the additional firepower. He orders Colonel Murch to lead his 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, in support of the 35th Regiment and the divisional artillery that are under attack. When the details are provided to General Walker concerning General Kean’s decision to commit the 2nd Battalion, he concurs with the strategy. West of Haman, fighting that had begun the previous night continues to ensue, but the enemy (N.K. 6th and 7th Divisions) does not strike against the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, posted north of the 2nd Battalion, nor against the 5th Regiment, except for some light probing skirmishes, seemingly used as a diversion. The enemy also implements sporadic application of artillery and mortar fire. Contingents of the N.K. 6th Division make rapid progress against the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, by romping through the lines, killing and wounding large numbers of troops and overrunning the battalion command post in the process. During the early morning hours, the North Koreans close against Haman and have it nearly surrounded. Colonel Roberts directs an officer to take a detachment of the dwindling battalion to establish a roadblock on the southern fringe of the town. The lieutenant following his orders directs a hefty amount of nearby troops to move out and hold the blockade, but a mere eight troops obey the order, eliminating the 2nd Battalion as an effective unit to help stem the rising tide. With the sudden and unexpected enemy gains, Colonel Champney attempts to restore the Regimental line; he orders the 1st Battalion, deployed several miles south of Haman, to launch a counterattack, scheduled to commence at 0730. By 0400, the situation at Haman becomes more grievous. The town is consumed by a collage of fireballs. Colonel Champney shifts the command post to a spot two miles northeast of the town, seeking safer terrain along the new engineer road in a shallow valley. North of Haman, another enemy contingent strikes the positions of Battery C, 159th Field Artillery Battalion, about one mile outside of town. Two tanks of the 89th Tank Battalion throw their hefty weight into the battle and buy enough time for the artillerymen to put the howitzers under tow and get them heading east through Haman to safety. West of Haman, as daylight emerges, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, south of the pass, resembles little more than a squad. Lieutenant Houston McMurray discovers that only eight men from his platoon and seven South Koreans remain with him out of 69 troops who had been on second ridge west of Haman the previous night. The shortage of defenders doesn’t affect the enemy.

September 1, 1950 They attack at daybreak by punching through a barbed wire barricade that had been protected by BARmen who had abandoned the position, thereby permitting easy passage. The remaining small defending force is quickly overwhelmed after a shower of grenades and a barrage of vicious burp gun fire. Also, the eleven troops of Company E who chose to remain on the ridge with Lieutenant Ellis find themselves encircled by a deadly ring of fire. Several troops attempt to break out; however, enemy guns quickly kill them. Ellis and the remaining troops hold their ground tightly, then defiantly and successfully withstand further vicious attacks for two days. Following the daring stand, the beleaguered detachment moves south and farther up the mountain to join the 3rd Battalion. During the dangerous escape, Ellis spots a wounded trooper lying helplessly in a minefield and he successfully extricates the soldier. Some forward troops of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, manning an outpost in the high ground on the right flank, had observed more than 500 N.K. troops moving toward Haman. By dawn on September 1, it is apparent that about eight hundred Communist troops are flowing into the town. As ordered earlier by Colonel Champney, the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Roberts, advances from its positions along the Chindong-ni Road. Roberts has infused the 1st Battalion with the available stragglers of the 2nd Battalion (40 troops). The slightly reinforced 1st Battalion drives toward the enemy, but the engagement is brief, as the 1st Battalion breaks under fire. It disperses into the heights about two miles east of Haman, causing more problems. The failure to hold and fight collapses the line there and permits nearly two enemy regiments to effortlessly gallop through the three-mile-wide Haman gap. The commander of Company F, 24th Regiment, claims that his company held fast on the battalion’s right sector, with two platoons on the line and one in reserve. Company F holds through the night but takes high casualties, and on the following day it makes a disciplined northward march to the lines of the 35th Regiment to inform the officers there that their left flank is exposed. Company F then moves to Haman to deploy defensively and await the reorganization of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. At 1000, Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, arrives at Colonel Champney’s headquarters near Haman amidst a sea of confusion and chaos, which includes a total lack of discipline within the ranks of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. Haphazardly, the troops of the 24th Regiment attempt to move to the rear, but the effort creates a quagmire on the roads that impedes the ability of the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, to react to the enemy breakthrough. The fiasco actually prevents any action by the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, for about six hours. Vehicles of every description are moving to the rear, and many additional troops are departing by foot, their pace frequently accelerated by the

272 nearby thuds of exploding enemy mortar shells, which otherwise score no damage. Colonel Check takes notice of the fact that the desperate attempts of Colonel Champney to restore order among the retreating troops of the 24th Regiment and of the equally fast-paced retiring South Korean troops fall on deaf ears. None of the units are reorganized as fighting units. Sergeant Jack Riley, 25th MP Company, attempts to clear the road while troops—some without boots, many without rifles and yet others without helmets — are bolting from the mountain. Riley attempts to halt the stream of deserters, stopping a few. At that point, he orders all officers and noncoms to halt their flight, but none heed the call, prompting Riley to forcibly stop one man, a first sergeant. Irritated by the actions of the retreating troops, Riley, his carbine still cocked, asks those he has stopped why they are reluctant to stand and fight with the battalion. Amidst their sarcastic laughter he is told: “We didn’t see any MPs on the hill.” The 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, continues its “bug out” until it reaches the rear of the newly arrived 27th Regiment. The disoriented battalion then begins to reform at about 1600, but its force has diminished to between 150 and 200 troops. In the meantime, Colonel Champney receives orders from General Kean at 1445 directing him to initiate an immediate counterattack to re-establish the lines of the 24th Regiment. In conjunction, planes, including squadrons from the carriers Philippine Sea and the Valley Forge, augment the attack while their mother ships race toward the area from their positions 200 miles distant. In addition to inflicting damage, the air strikes confine and harass the enemy, keeping the Communists off balance throughout the day. The aircraft prevent the North Koreans from regrouping to capitalize on their gains. Fourteen Corsairs from the Valley Forge arrive to give aid, but there are no targets for their large bomb loads. The planes circle for 45 minutes, awaiting a target for their 1,000-pound bombs. Meanwhile, the controller calls in F-51s to strafe the area. Eventually, the Corsairs receive orders to hit five separate villages near Kaepyodong and each target is struck and destroyed, along with a supply depot. Soon after, additional planes strike Haman in support of the ground troops, while others level a ridge just west of the town, while still other planes strike Chugam-ni. Sixteen jets also join the fight. Eight are launched at 1615 to augment the ground troops with close-air support and another eight are launched at 1745, striking targets along the Naktong. At the same time, the Philippine Sea launches its planes and the skies become more crowded. Eight F4Us and six ADs arrive on the scene, but they cannot locate an air controller to coordinate with them, forcing the pilots to discover their own targets. Some enemy troop concentrations are struck and the raids partially destroy a bridge. A second strike force is catapulted from the Philippine Sea at 1430, but again, there is no coordination

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Three soldiers in the field get some hot food. with an air controller. Following these attacks, two additional contingents of jets arrive, but again, there is no contact between the pilots and air controllers. Consequently, neither group fires any shots. At 1630, Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment — after air strikes lasting thirty minutes and a fifteen minute artillery bombardment against Haman and the nearby enemy dominated ridges — begins to drive west to regain the ground earlier abandoned by the 24th Regiment without a fight. The welcome addition of one platoon of tanks from Company A, 79th Tank Battalion, supplements the punching power of Check’s

attack. Eight tanks (transporting infantry) lead the charge. The vanguard comes under fierce enemy fire, originating from the ridge on the western part of Haman, but despite the raging streams of green tracer fire, the attack remains relentless and presses forward. The infantry sustains heavy casualties, and the enemy also knocks out one of the tanks. Undaunted, Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion gnaws forward toward the enemy-infested ridge, gaining ground one yard at a time. By 1825, the first obstinate ridge, lying about 500 yards west of Haman, falls to the Americans. Without

September 1, 1950 pause, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, inches further, exterminating more of the enemy. In less than two hours it regains about one-half of the prior battle lines on the higher elevated ridge beyond its assigned objective. To get a breather, Check’s 1st Battalion digs in defensively for the night at its newly won positions, two hundred yards below the summit of the balance of the enemy-held ridge, about one mile west of Haman. Uncharacteristically, the North Koreans fail to launch a night assault against Check’s perimeter and the Americans get some sleep. In addition, strangely, the North Koreans illuminate the skies above their entrenched positions with flares. In other activity, the 24th Regiment has not participated in the fight to regain the ground it surrendered, but nonetheless, the North Koreans bombard its rear positions with mortar fire throughout the night, forcing Colonel Champney to move his command post even farther to the rear. Also in the 25th Division sector, south of the 2nd Division, the 35th Regiment is deployed north of Haman on the divisional right flank. Prior to dawn, contingents of the N.K. 7th Division ford the Nam River, then pivot left to establish a bridgehead on the Nam and dislodge the Americans in the heights overlooking the river. Company G, 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, entrenched on the northern part of the gap, is struck initially; however, other enemy units bypass Company G to hammer Company F to the north at the Namji-ri bridge and some units head south to destroy Company E, positioned about two miles downstream of Company G. By 0300, the 3rd Platoon, Heavy Mortar Company, is pushed from its hill. The mortarmen move quickly to Hill 179 and enjoin Company G’s 2nd Platoon there. By daylight, the 25th Division has retained all its terrain on the right flank, except the low ground stretching between the Nam River and Komam-ni, which had been evacuated by two companies of ROK police at midnight. After dawn, Company K, supported by tanks, counterattacks and regains some of the terrain previously lost by the ROK police. In the meantime, the North Koreans have infiltrated heavily during the night, reaching positions behind the lines of the 35th Regiment, extending as far as six miles east of Komam-ni near Chirwon-ni and Chung-ni. The N.K. 6th Division, meanwhile, is to drive east along the primary Chinju–Komam-ni highway to destroy the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment. The N.K. 7th Division is to concentrate its force on the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry’s positions by advancing south to sever the Chirwon Road, which leads directly to the Namji-ri bridge. From there, the N.K. 7th Division is to press through Chirwon and advance toward the primary Masan highway. The North Koreans mount savage attacks against the 1st Battalion on Sibidang-san, but the contingent holds tight, surrendering no ground. Bolstered within its small perimeter with additional supporting weaponry and further augmented by total encirclement by barbed wire, trip flares and some con-

274 cealed booby-traps, the besieged 1st Battalion maintains command of the terrain. In conjunction, the 1st Battalion has the luxury of having all the approach routes to its positions gridded, permitting the troops to call in deadly effective support fire. Meanwhile, in the 2nd Battalion area, engineers launch a drive up the Chirwon Road (alternate route), but by the afternoon, enemy resistance halts its progress way short of Chirwon. In the meantime, additional enemy contingents continue to cross the Nam River during the daylight hours. These units, while crossing, are easily detected from the air. The 64th Field Artillery Battalion receives the exact positions of the force, which equals about four companies. The artillerymen bombard the area with proximity (VT) fuze fire and inflict severe casualties, estimated to be about 75 percent of the Communist force. Soon after, soaring aircraft spot the stragglers and begin effective strafing runs, inflicting further devastation. Later in the day, another huge group of enemy troops is spotted from the air. The artillery again commences firing and inflicts about 200 additional casualties. Back at the right flank, Company F holds resolutely at the Namji-ri bridge, and by the following day, about one enemy battalion will be lost in the futile attempt to take the bridge. Colonel Fisher’s 35th Regiment becomes surrounded as the day progresses, but he remains undaunted and intends to hold the perimeter. During the day’s earlier fighting, Company G had taken the brunt of the attack. While the mortarmen are being evicted from their positions and forced to combine with the 2nd Platoon, the 3rd Platoon, Company G, also nears extinction. The enemy encroaches its positions along the Nam River, about four miles from its confluence with the Naktong River. The exchange of fire is vicious and brisk as the enemy knot tightens. Captain LeRoy Majeske orders identification banners to be laid out to distinguish Company G’s positions, and he daringly requests air strikes to blast the North Koreans to the front; however, the arrival of the aircraft is belated and the enemy, by 1145, is nearly at hand’s length from the defenders on the crest. Slightly after the attackers reach the identification banners, Captain Majeskie is slain. Despite the close proximity of the enemy, Lieutenant George Roach, having assumed command after Majeskie’s death, again requests the nail-splitting air strikes. Meanwhile, the North Koreans bolt to the crest and commandeer foxholes within the positions of the besieged company. Finally, the planes arrive and pummel the opposite slope, which is controlled by the enemy, terminating the attack, but not the infiltrators. Closequartered fighting ensues and grenades and bayonets become the arbitrators of the struggle. The defenders of Company G fight valiantly, but their numbers decrease rapidly. The bloody contest continues during the afternoon. One of the flying grenades costs Lieutenant Roach his life. SFC Junius Poovey assumes command. But, despite the iron-resistance and the incessant

275 heroism, including the actions of men like Corporal Hideo Hashimoto, the overwhelming enemy strength takes its toll. Hashimoto disregards the enemy fire and crawls to within ten feet of the enemy-held foxholes to lob grenades. As the heated contests drags on, the platoon’s slim positions become totally untenable. By 1800, twenty-nine troops remain alive, but seventeen are wounded, leaving Sergeant Poovey only twelve able-bodied troops to forestall disaster. Nearly out of ammunition, he requests and receives permission to withdraw. Using cover of darkness and the synchronized arrival of U.S. tanks, the survivors (including three men on stretchers) evacuate their positions and reach the main perimeter on Hill 179 about 2330. In the 2nd Division sector, the tenacious fighting of the previous night continues with more brutal intensity, including fierce combat in the hills on each side of Company B, 9th Regiment (Hill 209). An equally ferocious battle continues on Hill 211, situated about one and one-half miles to the rear of the river. In one incident during the feverish struggle near Yongsan, the enemy overruns the advance elements of Company E, 9th Regiment. Because of the superior enemy numbers, orders come in to withdraw from the high ground, but some units are surrounded and unable to move. From close-range, a grenade is tossed into the mortar section of Company E before it can extricate itself. PFC David M. Smith yells frantic warnings to the other five endangered men with him, and then he blankets the grenade with his body to spare the others. Smith receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless sacrifice. Meanwhile, Company B still holds the summit of Hill 209. Although unscathed during the initial enemy crossing of the Naktong, Company B now becomes seriously threatened and the crest of Hill 209 is at great risk. At 0200, contingents of the N.K. 9th Division, which had inflicted severe casualties to other contingents of the 9th Regiment on the previous night, arrive tumultuously at the base of the hill. Following the blare of a shrill whistle, the enemy advances up the hill and proceeds to inflict heavy casualties upon Company B and drive it from its fortifications. The regimental chaplain, Captain Lewis Sheen, is able to lead some of the troops to safety. They arrive at friendly lines on September 4. An isolated contingent of TF Manchu (Companies D and H, and Heavy Weapons Platoon personnel), which had been on the slope under Company B, is not discovered by the enemy and remains on the hill throughout the night (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) without incident. Upon daylight, the isolated advance contingent of TF Manchu faces a perilous predicament due to the unanticipated loss of Hill 209 by Company B. From its positions on a southern knoll, it becomes evident that the advance unit is surrounded. Communications with the 9th Regiment’s 1st Battalion had been established on the night of August 31 by Lieutenant Schmitt. At the time, Schmitt, had been informed that help

September 1, 1950 would arrive on September 1. Nonetheless, it is easier said than to actually get the reinforcements to the isolated contingent. The enemy contingents holding ground above and below the remnants of the disbanded task force discover the trapped Americans. They launch an attack at 1400; however, the small band raises tenacious resistance and repels the assault. After sunset, more attacks are launched, but again the Americans under Schmitt hold steadfastly. They repulse the enemy and retain the small knob. Afterwards, the troops prepare to fend off even more attacks, anticipated on the following day. Meanwhile, Company A, 9th Regiment, which was driven from Agok on the previous night, observes the enemy from its precarious positions on the ridge line. It becomes apparent that Company A, led by Lt. Rodriguez, is also facing certain encirclement. Lieutenant Fern, 2nd Platoon Leader, dispatches a patrol into Agok to reclaim some abandoned supplies. A brief firefight erupts that costs two casualties, but the patrol obtains the supplies and it eliminates 3 enemy troops. Closer to noon, Rodriguez orders a squad equipped with a light machine gun crew to deploy on the southern edge of the ridge to engage some enemy troops that have crossed the Naktong. En route to the position, the squad encounters ten dead enemy troops, and nearby lays a badly wounded Negro soldier who had taken them out. The wounded soldier is rushed to the rear for medical aid, but he succumbs later in the day. Continuing on the mission, the squad reaches its destination and discovers a group of North Korean troops who have taken positions in a house. Without delay, the information is rushed to Lieutenant Fern. Soon after, through the direction of a forward artillery observer, the area is pummeled with proximity fuze fire. The enemy contingent also receives steady doses of machine gun fire from the squad and by one other machine gun, which is posted on the opposite side of the Naktong in the 25th Division sector. The startled occupants dash from the house and sprint toward the river, inundated with crashing shells. The fierce barrage kills or wounds about 300 of the enemy. Company A becomes the recipient of some of the airdropped supplies, but much of it is never secured. During the day, beleaguered Company A stops several banzai assaults. During this brash fighting, PFC Luther H. Story commandeers a machine gun from a wounded gunner and pours effective fire into a large enemy force that is crossing the river. Story’s actions kill or wound about 100 enemy troops, but more keep coming and the imperiled unit is now nearly surrounded. By dark, Rodriguez is ordered to withdraw eastward by moving along the summit of the ridge. Luther Story, although wounded, insists on covering the withdrawal. When an enemy vehicle approaches, he bolts to the road and begins tossing grenades until all are expended. Undaunted, he continues gathering more grenades from his buddies and maintains his bulwark stance. Story, well aware of his debilitating wounds,

September 1, 1950 refuses to depart with the company. When last seen, Story was still firing incessantly at the approaching hordes of North Koreans. He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism and leadership under fire. An enemy force of about 400 troops is encountered by the spearheading 2nd Platoon as it descends toward the base of the eastern tip. This compels Lieutenant Rodriguez (Company A, 9th Regiment) to reverse direction and head back up the slopes, using Fern’s 2nd Platoon to protect the wounded and cover the rear. But again, disaster looms in the darkness. Enemy troops commence firing on Company A just about the time the lagging 2nd Platoon reaches the base of the ridge. The severe fire also halts any further advance by Fern’s 2nd Platoon, which becomes pinned down. Fern directs a ten-man detachment under Sergeant Herbert Freeman to take the wounded back into the ravine. A few remnants of the advanced contingent of Company A arrive and they detail the fighting and explain to Fern that a large enemy force had intercepted Rodriguez. Lieutenant Rodriguez and nearly all the troops with him are killed. In the 23rd Regiment zone, Company C, 1st Battalion, commanded by Captain Cyril Bartholdi, holds precarious positions along the primary Pugongni–Changnyong Road, but the previous night’s (Aug. 30) fighting had not affected it. However, at 0300 this day, the North Koreans pulverize the unit, nearly annihilating it. Captain Bartholdi and most of the company are wiped out. Initially, only seven soldiers appear to have survived, but several days later, when the other remnants appear, the Company C survivors amount to nineteen troops. The unrelenting thrust of the enemy endangers the entire 1st Battalion. Except for bludgeoned Company C, Lt. Colonel Hutchins is able to gather most of the battalion and successfully make it to his command post near the northern road that leads to Changnyong on the northern outskirts of Lake U-p’o. Colonel Freeman, immediately upon being informed of the dilemma of his 1st Battalion, secures Companies F and G from 2nd Division reserve and he commits both. Company F moves on the southern road toward Pugong-ni, but it is unable to reach Company C. Major Lloyd Jensen (executive officer, 2nd Battalion), moving with Company F, gathers some C Company stragglers and soon after, Company F captures some ground in the heights outside of Ponch’o-ri above Lake Sanorho. The unit digs in there to form a defensive line. This captured terrain becomes the main defense line of the 23rd Regiment. In the meantime, the enemy also ignites more fighting to increase the pressure against the 2nd Division. At the strategic pass between Cloverleaf and Obongni, the scene of the first fighting of the Naktong Bulge, skirmishing develops at 0230 when a tank attached to Company A, 72nd Tank Battalion, destroys an N.K. Soviet made T-34 tank at the village of Tugok (Morisil). At 0300, Company E, originally intended to be the at-

276 tack force of TF Manchu until the enemy offensive of the previous night forced cancellation of the attack, is called upon to form a desperate blocking line about six miles in front of Yongsan at the strategic pass. Company E is the sole reserve unit of the 9th Regiment. The efforts of Company E to halt the enemy are futile. It rushes west, but east of the pass, the enemy springs a deadly ambush that inflicts severe casualties and prevents any chance of the unit preserving the pass. The commanding officer of Company B is among those killed. The North Koreans take control of much of Cloverleaf and Obong-ni Ridge before daylight on September 1, giving them the strategic high ground between the Naktong River and Yongsan. The 2nd Division is then forced to defend the town on poor ground to the immediate front in the shallow hills there. At Muan-ni, along the Miryang Road, about seven air-miles from Yongsan, activity at 2nd Division headquarters is vigorous. At 0810, General Keiser calls Eighth Army informing General Walker of the gravity of the situation, explaining that the most severe enemy infiltration has occurred in the U.S. 9th Regiment’s zone. As the morning wears on tediously, the enemy (N.K. 2nd and 9th Divisions) pressure presents a grim outlook. Units holding the various front lines become separated, lose communications and are in danger of expending their supplies and ammunition. Light aircraft, operating with divisional artillery, make fourteen frantic air drops to resupply the imperiled front line troops, but the 9th and 23rd Regiments are undisciplined, with some companies unaccounted for in their entirety. Meanwhile, the enemy cracks a massive gap that extends about six miles wide and eight miles deep directly through the center of the 2nd Division lines. The progress of the enemy in the 2nd Division sector is easily measurable before noon. Grave decisions must be made. General Keiser, aware that the North Koreans have advanced to the north-south ChangnyongYongsan Road and splintered the division positions by the massive breakthrough, forms two separate commands. The southern section command, composed of the 9th Regiment, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, the greatest part of the 72nd Tank Battalion and some miscellaneous units, becomes Task Force Bradley, commanded by Brigadier General Joseph S. Bradley, the assistant 2nd Division commander. The northern force, composed of the 23rd and 38th Regiments and nearly all of the division’s artillery (37th FABn, Battery C, 503rd FAB, Batteries A, B, and C, 82nd AAA AW Bn SP), becomes Task Force Haynes, commanded by Brigadier General Loyal M. Haynes. Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the N.K. 9th Division pour across the Naktong, the former on the north and the latter on the south. Elements begin closing on Yongsan and forward contingents move into the hills west of the town by afternoon. Although the 3rd Regiment of the N.K. 9th Division remains in Inchon, there is other support, including two tank battalions, one antiaircraft battalion of the 16th Armored

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A U.S. Marine posted outside a demolished building fires his sniper’s rifle (M1903A4 .30-caliber). A destroyed bridge is in the background. Brigade, one battalion of the N.K. 4th Division artillery and one N.K. I Corps 76-mm artillery battalion. In addition, the untried N.K. 4th Division, composed mainly of green and weaponless troops, fords the river behind the 9th Division units. It is cause for great alarm, as Yongsan is slimly defended by some sparse ground troops, engineers and a scattering of artillery.

At Yongsan, General Keiser attaches the 2nd Engineer Combat Bn. to the 9th Regiment to bolster the remnants of Company E, 9th Regiment. In addition, the 2nd Division Reconnaissance Company and the 72nd Tank Bn. are also in close proximity, south of the town. Company A, 2nd Engineer Bn., commanded by Captain Frank M. Reed, heads west toward the southern

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U.S. troops are accompanied by tanks on the advance as they pass a damaged bridge, September 1950. side of the Yongsan-Naktong River Road to complement Company D, 2nd Engineer Bn., which is deployed along the north side of the road, giving the engineers positions amidst the low hills northwest of Yongsan. Meanwhile, the North Koreans continue to press forward. About 300 enemy troops engage Company A, 2nd Engineering Battalion, at a point about two miles west of Yongsan, setting off a grueling three-hour duel. The 82nd Field Artillery Bn. bolsters this action. Company D, 2nd Engineer Battalion, concerned about its questionable positions, receives permission from Brigadier General Bradley to redeploy south of the town on a hill with the dual advantages of dominating the town and the exit highway leading to Miryang. Subsequent to the heavy skirmishing with the enemy, Company A, 2nd Engineer Combat Bn., withdraws and takes positions along the road to the rear of Company D and opposite Company C, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion. Other enemy contingents advancing from the south strike toward Yongsan, igniting more heavy combat. A contingent of tanks attached to the 72nd Tank Battalion and the 2nd Division Reconnaissance Company meet this threat. Severe mortar fire begins ripping into the reconnaissance troops in synchronization with incessant enemy machine gun fire. One soldier, Sergeant Charles Turner, guides his section into a firm defensive position to thwart the huge assault, but he then notices the brunt of the attack is moving against the tanks, about 100 yards distant. Turner recklessly sprints from his entrenched position to commandeer an exposed machine gun on top of one of the tanks, from which he initiates a one-man assault force.

Despite a hurricane of overwhelming enemy fire, Turner continues to trade shots without flinching. While the fearless sergeant dishes out 75-mm machine gun shells, he becomes seriously wounded, but still, Turner refuses to vacate his exposed position, choosing to carry the fight and inspire his men. The enemy fire continues to pummel the area. Turner’s gun mount is struck three times, while the tank is constantly rung with fire that inflicts more than fifty hits. Turner maintains a steady rain of devastating fire upon the enemy positions, until finally a burst of fire slays him at the gun. Turner obliterates seven enemy machine gun nests before he succumbs and in addition, his unit is able to regroup and mount a successful counterattack. Sergeant Turner receives the Medal of Honor posthumously, for his extraordinary heroism under fire. During the night, enemy contingents composed of about one battalion, bolstered by some tanks, skirt over the low land to move around the town and enter Yongsan from the south. Once there, the enemy prepares to move against Miryang. In the 23rd Regimental sector, north of the 9th Regiment, enemy progress continues through the night. By daylight this day, the 1st Battalion has been shoved three miles west of its original positions along the Naktong, and the unit is now isolated. Things begin to deteriorate further. About 400 enemy troops overwhelm the 1st Battalion command post, forcing Colonel Freeman to reestablish it about 600 yards farther back. At this newest line, about five miles northwest of Changnyong, regimental staff officers, various other units of the 23rd Regiment, the 23rd Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company engage the

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An adventurous journey by truck carries troops across a damaged bridge held up by sandbags. enemy there with enormous fervor. For three bristling hours the opponents exchange vicious blows, but the 23rd Regiment beats the North Koreans back, due in great part to the outstanding leadership of Captain Niles McIntyre (Headquarters Company). The 2nd Battalion, 38th Regiment, is ordered to drive south, hook up with the 23rd Regiment and bolster its defensive position west of Changnyong, but the enemy is already holding much of the ground on the ridges overlooking the road. Actually, North Korean units have reached Hill 284, immediately above the 38th Regimental command post. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, receives orders to withdraw, but Colonel Hutchin’s battalion faces the enemy to its rear. At 1400, Hutchin speeds a patrol to determine if the road to the rear is clear. He is soon informed that about one enemy battalion is deployed at the nearby mountain pass, making a successful withdrawal improbable. During the evening, Hutchin requests and receives permission to stand and fight. The 1st Battalion is subsidized by air drops delivered by C-47s, which permit the isolated contingent to maintain its perimeter for three grueling days. During the morning, the 2nd Division commits the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, ordering it to attack west from positions near Mosan-ni at the command post of the 23rd Regiment and to secure the road from there to the isolated 1st Battalion. Also, elements of Company F, 2nd Battalion, deployed on a strategic ridge near Am-dong, come under a fierce attack that includes artillery and mortar fire. The platoon leader, 1st Lieutenant Frederick F. Henry, moves to steady the stunned platoon members. He moves from his foxhole to restore order and after directing his troops to maintain fire against the attackers, he moves out farther to try to stem the tide. As the ammunition depletes, Henry orders the pla-

toon to withdraw, but he remains alone to cover the pull back. Lieutenant Henry’s action saves the platoon from further harm; however, his singlehanded stand lasts only until his ammunition is expended. The main body is by this time prepared to throw back the assault, but Henry’s position is overrun, subsequent to his destruction of about 50 enemy troops. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his tremendous leadership in the face of the enemy and his selfless sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: The 1st Cavalry Division receives orders from General Walker to launch an attack with the option of driving north or northwest to draw attention and to siphon some of the large enemy force that has congregated to the south. Initially, the attack is supposed to head north, but General Gay confers with his staff and they decide to attack northwestwardly against Hill 518. The hill, which has recently come into the 1st Cavalry sector, will be struck by the 7th Cavalry Regiment, augmented by two rifle companies of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry. The attack is set to begin the next day. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: U.S. observation planes spot large numbers of enemy troops advancing southward through the mountains in the vicinity of Pohang-dong and Kigye. In the mountainous area straddled between the east sector and the Taegu sector to the west, the S.K. 6th and 8th Divisions are deployed defensively to halt any enemy force attempting to advance south. This day, as part of the unfolding general assault, the N.K. 8th Division is poised to strike toward Hayang by running over the S.K. 6th Division. Farther east, the N.K. 15th Division is mounting an assault to overrun the S.K. 8th Division and seize Yongch’on. The primary objective of the two-pronged assault is to cut the Taegu–Pohang-dong corridor road, while also gaining Hayang, twelve air miles from Taegu

September 2, 1950 and Yongju, the latter, about 20 air miles from Taegu. The contest between the enemy and the ROK troops remains heavy for nearly two weeks. — In the United States: Congress passes the Defense Production Act authorizing President Truman to control wages and prices, as well as control distribution of scarce commodities and ration items that are in short supply. President Truman, in a radio address, announces he is increasing the U.S. Armed Forces from one and one-half million to about three million. In other activity, El Toro becomes quieter as the final elements of the 1st Marine Air Wing embark for the Far East aboard the USS General Morton; Major General Field Harris, commanding officer 1st MAW, had departed El Toro by air on the previous day. — In Japan: In response to the enemy offensive launched this day in Korea, General MacArthur cancels his previous order releasing the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to the 1st Marine Division. MacArthur wants to permit its use to neutralize the attack. Most brigade equipment is already at Pusan waiting to be shipped to Japan. In conjunction, Colonel Edward Forney, USMC, the newly appointed deputy chief of staff, X Corps, suggests to General Oliver Smith, USMC, that he accept the 32nd Regiment, USA, in place of the 5th Marines. Smith declines because the 32nd Regiment is untrained in amphibious invasions. General Smith remains adamant concerning the return of the 5th Marines. A meeting will be held on September 3 to reach a solution. In other activity, the docks in Kobe, Sasebo and Yokohama are highly active as naval personnel scurry to complete the final phase of preparations for the Inchon invasion. The Gunfire Support Group, comprising the majority of the escort vessels and the command ships, are at Sasebo. The 1st Marine Division, minus the 5th Marines (embarking from Pusan), will board its vessels at Kobe, and the 7th Infantry Division will embark from Yokohama. The assault troops have been debarking in Japan since the closing days of August, and there is little time before the big shove-off. To remain on schedule and reach Inchon on the 15th, the LSTs must depart Kobe on September 10, and the transports and cargo vessels have to embark Yokohama by the 12th. — In the Mediterranean: The 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, embarks for the Far East to supplement the Marine forces in Korea.

September 2 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 35th Regiment maintains its grasp, north of Haman. On Hill 179, Company G, 2nd Battalion, repulses the enemy’s heated attempts to annihilate it. In accordance with General Kean’s order of the previous day, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Murch, launches an attack at 1700. The battalion springs forward from the vicinity of Chung-ni to bolster the 35th Regiment. The trek over the mountainous terrain (Kuhe-ri Ferry Road) under a pitch black sky is arduous, but combined with

280 ferocious enemy resistance, the unit is compelled to advance more slowly. It is unable to reach the embattled 35th Regiment near Hill 179 until the following afternoon. Subsequent to the departure of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, the command post of the 24th Regiment, 25th Division, is attacked by a contingent of North Koreans who had penetrated behind the lines. In reaction, General Kean orders the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, to move out and eliminate the enemy infiltrators. The 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel George H. DeChow, is actually the 3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment, until September 10, when it becomes the former. DeChow’s command will initiate its assault on the following day. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Check, had initiated a counterattack on the previous day to reclaim the ground surrendered by the 24th Regiment. It has spent the night on the seized ground upon a ridge about one mile west of Haman. At daybreak the North Koreans lunge against the 1st Battalion, using a soupy fog to obscure their advance, but the Americans steadily pour fire into the attackers. Aircraft arrive and deliver lethal dosages of napalm, incinerating large numbers of the North Koreans and increasing the odds for the 1st Battalion. Finally, at about noon, the struggle ends victoriously for Check’s 1st Battalion; it has recovered all of all ground previously lost by the 24th Regiment. The 1st Battalion also recaptures the 24th’s intact crew-operated weapons. The warriors of the 27th Regiment move into the foxholes that had been abruptly vacated two nights earlier by the 24th Regiment. Check’s troops get a short breather and prepare for the next enemy attack. In related activity, enemy contingents penetrate the positions of the 159th Field Artillery near the Nam River (northernmost sector of the 25th Division), but the artillerymen handily repulse the assault. Also, the day-long support of aircraft has inflicted enormous punishment on the enemy. The 25th Division sector is the recipient of 135 sorties, which account for many enemy casualties, the decimation of several enemy tanks, some artillery pieces and the violent destruction of three villages, each concealing ammunition depots. In the 2nd Division sector near Agok, the 2nd Platoon, Company A, 9th Regiment (surviving unit of Company A) attempts to break for friendly lines before daybreak. Lieutenant Fern dispatches a messenger to the rear to inform Sergeant Herbert Freeman to bring up the wounded and rejoin the platoon, but Freeman’s contingent cannot be located. Fern moves out under the umbrella of a dense fog and heads toward Yongsan. The 2nd Platoon arrives above the town at about noon, while a fierce battle is in progress, and moves into the lines of the 72nd Tank Battalion, just outside Yongsan. Meanwhile, the lost detachment of Sergeant Freeman remains behind enemy lines for five days, but the entire detachment, including the wounded, re-enters U.S. lines. The small band had re-climbed the crest on the night of August 31 to escape harm. However, the

281 remnant troops of TF Manchu are still stranded on a southern knoll on Hill 209, having withstood severe attacks against its small, but rigid, perimeter since the previous day. At dawn, the beleaguered command, led by Lieutenant Schmitt, easily spots large numbers of dead enemy troops to the front of the perimeter; however, ammunition and supplies, especially grenades, are becoming scarce. At 0900, a keen eyed sergeant, Travis Watkins, detects two enemy troops about fifty yards from the perimeter. Watkins takes quick action and eliminates both, and then he bolts from the line to confiscate their weapons and grenades. During this dangerous advance, three other enemy troops who are concealed about twenty yards away open fire on Watkins, who returns fire, killing all. The resilient sergeant returns to the perimeter with the weapons and ammo of the five enemy troops. In the process, he also takes the time to bring back the insignia from the uniforms. Soon after, six more enemy soldiers venture very close to the perimeter and firmly entrench themselves, then lob grenades toward a machine gun position 25 yards away. Once again, Watkins, now suffering from a head wound, springs into action with his rifle. Standing conspicuously, Watkins ferociously engages the enemy. While he is singlehandedly engaging the Communists with his rifle, the enemy has opened fire on him with a deadly machine gun. Shells rip into his left side, snapping his back and causing instant paralysis from the waist down. Despite the menacing wounds and incalculable pain, Watkins takes out all six enemy troops before collapsing back into his foxhole. The sergeant’s maneuverability has been severed, but there is no lack of courage. Confidently, Watkins assumes the role of cheerleader and he inspires the desperate command to continue the fight. Watkins refuses his share of the remaining rations, claiming that he doesn’t deserve food because he is no longer able to engage the enemy. Meanwhile, no reinforcements arrive to rescue the men on the desolate Hill

September 2, 1950 209. Later in the day, a liaison plane attempts to drop supplies into the cramped perimeter, but threading the needle in this case is too difficult, and the supplies hit the slopes within the lines of the North Koreans. Undaunted, another attempt is made to drop supplies during the evening, but it, too, misses the mark. Nevertheless, Lt. Schmitt and several troops recover some rations, ammunition and grenades, and then they spot a small bonanza consisting of twenty-one airdelivered cans of beer. In the meantime, the enemy coerces an American prisoner to march up the hill and deliver an ultimatum: “You have one hour to surrender or be blown to pieces.” Schmitt scorns the warning and his troops tighten the line. In less than one hour, enemy machine guns deployed atop the embattled contingent commence firing. A heavy dose of antitank fire, followed shortly thereafter by mortar fire originating on a higher ridge to the east, strikes Schmitt’s positions on Hill 209. The command, however, holds. As the enemy guns silence in cadence with the setting sun, the dwindling number of determined defenders prepare for the suspected night attacks. And they come on schedule. During these pressing hours, more heroics occur. PFC Joseph Ouellette, Company H, 9th Regiment, braves the fire to retrieve ammunition and weapons from the nearby enemy dead. He also attempts to retrieve some air-dropped water cans. Ouellette makes it to the water cans, but all have been cracked open and are empty. His subsequent trip to retrieve ammunition is successful, but not until he encounters and kills an enemy soldier in close-quartered fighting. On the following day (September 3), when the enemy repeatedly attacks the perimeter, Ouellette comes under constant grenade bombardment, chasing him from his foxhole six times. He jumps from the foxhole and returns fire while standing totally exposed. His extraordinary courage under fire costs Ouellette his life. OuelletteHe receives the Medal of Honor posthumously. As this day fades, the fighting on Hill 209 closes in

U.S. tank and infantry in action against enemy during September.

September 2, 1950 fury, but despite the Americans’ numbers having been cut in half, they defy the heavy odds and retain the hill. Nonetheless, the situation for the following day remains grave. No reinforcements arrive and there is no water, and nearly all the ammunition has been expended. In addition, the list of wounded climbs steadily, but only one medic, with the scantiest of supplies, is with the detachment. Lieutenant Schmitt is wounded but able to continue in command. Meanwhile, the area around Yongsan is becoming an inferno due to the infusion of enemy troops that moved into the town on the previous night. At about 0300, sentries (Company D, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion) detect a long column of people donned in white clothing moving through Yonsan toward the blockage east of the town. Word of the unidentified crowd is immediately passed on to Company A, which prepares for any eventuality. Requests for identification are answered by a barrage of fire, terminating the early morning mystery. The engineers react promptly, and another day of vicious fighting is underway. With the arrival of dawn, the North Koreans attempt to commit reinforcements into the blazing battle, but Lieutenant Lee Beahler’s Company D, which had taken positions on the dominating hill above Yongsan on the previous day, retains its hold and unleashes a relentless blanket of fire. Without pause, the engineers and their supporting tanks manifest resolute resistance, despite the lack of artillery and mortar support fire. Company D improvises, combining the firepower of its nine older 2.36-inch rocket launchers and nine recently arrived 3.5-inch new model bazookas to shred the advancing enemy infantry. Intertwined with the menacing bazooka fire, eight machine guns and tank fire further decimate the attackers. Many North Koreans who escape this enfilade and the avenging tanks are cut to pieces by the effective fire of the riflemen. Those who advance even closer are greeted by a savage barrage of grenades. By about 1100, the blood-bath fighting on the fringes of Yongsan and on the slope of the hill south of it subsides. Temporarily, the enemy’s attempt to burst forward and drive east toward Miryang is thwarted, and their ranks are now greatly diminished. Enormous amounts of enemy dead are splattered over the landscape, in and near large quantities of destroyed enemy equipment. The tankmen of Companies A and B, 72nd Tank Battalion, the combat engineers and the 2nd Division Reconnaissance Company have bought some additional time for Eighth Army, but at a terrific price. Company A, 2nd Engineer Battalion, sustains 12 troops killed and 18 wounded. Lieutenant Beahler is the only officer of Company D who is neither wounded nor killed. In the meantime, Colonel Hill, commanding officer, 9th Regiment, begins regrouping about 800 troops of the 9th Regiment who have withdrawn east from their river line perimeter. The troops include Companies E and F, which had been bypassed by the primary enemy advance across the Naktong. During the afternoon, the

282 reorganized 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, and some supporting tanks advance through the positions of Company A, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, then commence a counterattack. The inclusion of the 2nd Battalion tilts the scales and by 1500, Yongsan is resecured. However, some enemy tanks remain in the area. Two bazooka teams (Company A, 2nd Engineer Bn.) join the battle and eliminate three T-34s, located and engaged slightly west of Yongsan. Additional enemy tanks are decimated by other ground units and by arriving planes. In essence, the North Koreans have been intercepted, engaged and routed at Yongsan. By dusk, the enemy is moving west heading into the hills. Following the retirement of the enemy, the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, and Company A, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, spread out about one mile beyond Yonsan, the former to the northwest and the latter to the west. General Walker arrives at the 2nd Division front at about noon and he makes his position clear: he demands a “stand or die defense.” At 1315, Walker attaches the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to the 2nd Division. In conjunction, Walker orders every available unit of the 2nd Division, including the recently arrived Marines, to destroy the enemy east of the Naktong and retake the river line. Also, Eighth Army directs the 24th Division Headquarters and the 19th Regiment to pick up and head for Susanni, situated about 15 miles east of the junction of the Nam and Naktong Rivers and about eight air miles south of Miryang. From those positions, the units can be sped into the 2nd or 25th Division sector, depending upon the need. In the 23rd Regimental sector, at Changnyong, the villagers begin evacuating the town about 1300, sending a clear message that the enemy is close by. Shortly afterward, Major Jack Young and Captain Harry H. White, holding positions with their small force of about 300 South Korean police, decide to evacuate when they detect two separate enemy contingents approaching from the northwest and southwest respectively. The contingent retires eastward to fade into the hills there. Later, during the night, the enemy troops occupy Changnyong. Meanwhile, communications have ceased between the northern force (TF Haynes) and the more southern units, the 9th Regiment and the 2nd Division Headquarters, prompting General Haynes to dispatch three tanks to Yongsan in an effort to reopen the communications. However, the task is difficult and costly for Company C, 72nd Tank Battalion. Two tanks are lost while fighting their way along the Yongsan Road. Nonetheless, Captain Manes R. Dew’s tank completes the trek and appraises General Joseph Bradley of the situation in TF Haynes zone. In the 38th Regiment sector, north of the 23rd Regiment, the enemy retains its grasp on Hill 284, threatening the regiment’s command post. Colonel Peploe’s command is dispersed widely. The 2nd Battalion moves south to join elements of the 23rd Regiment and the 3rd Battalion advances along the Yongsan Road to rescue the

283 isolated 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, near Changnyong. The extreme right flank of the 38th Regimental zone is held by the 1st Battalion. During the night of the 2nd-3rd, enemy attacks force Company C, 1st Battalion, to evacuate Hyongp’ung. For the following two weeks, the town is under domination of the enemy or falls into the “no man’s land” category. The area north and east of the town and Hill 409 is mountainous terrain that also is classified as “no man’s land” for the first weeks of September, due basically to the fact that no genuine U.N. defenses are entrenched there. Farther north, about four miles distant, the Yongp’o bridge that spans the Naktong and serves as the dividing point between the 1st Cavalry and the 2nd Division is guarded by the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment (attached 1st Cavalry Division). The cavalry battalion will be relieved by a British contingent in several days. The 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment which had departed on the previous day, reaches the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, having successfully overcome the enemy obstacles. Major Everett Stewart, battalion executive officer and acting commander, gets some forward contingents to Colonel Hutchins by 1700. During the night, the North Koreans attack the 3rd Battalion’s positions on Hill 209 north of the road and directly across from Hutchin’s positions at the pass. One company is dislodged, but otherwise the line holds. In other activity, a crucial meeting is held at the 2nd Division command post during the afternoon to consider strategy for an attack. Colonel William A. Collier, Eighth Army deputy chief of staff, and General Keiser, commanding officer, 2nd Division, attend. Brigadier General Edward Craig and Major Frank R. Stewart, both of the Marine Corps, are also there. A decision is made that an attack will be launched on the following day. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, arrives at its blocking positions on the highway heading into Yongsan at 0630, with the balance of the brigade moving to its assembly areas throughout the day. General Craig arrives at 2nd Division headquarters at 0830 to discuss the brigade’s commitment. Following the meeting, Craig surveys the area by helicopter. At 1430, Craig returns to 2nd Division headquarters and is briefed by General Keiser on the deteriorating circumstances. Keiser urges Craig to initiate a large-scale assault during the afternoon, but Craig, pointing out the variables that prevent such an attack: the late hour, lack of air cover due to nasty weather and, most importantly, too many of his troops are still en route to their assembly sectors. General Craig requests that rather than launching a wide frontal attack, Keiser specify particular objectives for the brigade. General Keiser concurs. At 1900, Colonel Hill, upon his return to the 9th Regimental command post east of Yongsan, confers with Colonel Murray, 5th Marines, and informs him that the Marine departure line for the impending attack is secure. The various attack units begin to prepare and take their positions.

September 2, 1950 Company A, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, encounters strong enemy resistance during the night and it is prevented from reaching the high ground that is scheduled to be part of the departure line for the Marines. In conjunction, when the Marines launch their attack at 0800 on September 3 driving west, the 9th Regiment, USA, and its supporting units will attack northwest to establish contact with the 23rd Regiment. The 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion and some other supporting units will attack south of the Marines in support of their left flank, to re-establish contact with the 25th Division. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: North Korean Major Kim Song Jun, the operations and training officer of the N.K. 19th Regiment, 13th Division, surrenders. Kim Song Jun tells his captors that the North Koreans will launch a major offensive against the Pusan Perimeter at sunset. In other activity, the scheduled attack against Hill 518 (Suam-san) by the 1st Cavalry commences slightly after 1000, subsequent to preparatory artillery bombardment and a savage thirty-seven minute air strike against it and another target, Hill 346. The 7th Cavalry attack is supported by the 77th FABn, Battery A, 61st FABn, and Batteries B and C, 9th FABn. Additional support comes from a contingent of Battery B, 82nd FABn. The air strikes and the artillery are insufficient to diminish the resistance of the enemy and the ground attack quickly falters. In conjunction, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, guards the left flank of the attacking 1st Battalion, and the untested 3rd Battalion holds ground to the rear of the 2nd Battalion in an existing hole between the 2nd Battalion and Hill 518. The terrain along which the attack advances is tight, forcing the 1st Battalion to spoon its troops forward directly into the range of the unmolested machine guns and mortars still deeply entrenched on the slopes of Hill 518. Unable to spread out, the attacking contingents become condensed from regimental capacity to about the size of a squad, severely diluting their offensive power. Enemy fire originating from the northeast on nearby Hill 490 is also pouring into the slim ranks of the advance troops, preventing them from reaching the summit. During this afternoon, the 1st Battalion aborts the attack, descends the hill and then advances against Hill 490. The North Koreans also retain this hill throughout the day. In the 8th Cavalry sector at the Bowling Alley, north of Taegu, the N.K. 13th Division launches a lightning-quick raid during the night, striking the regiment that is deployed to defend the Sanju Road. The 2nd Battalion, positioned on Hill 448 two miles north of Tabu-dong and west of the Bowling Alley, takes the brunt of the assault. The battalion is overwhelmed and easily pushed back. To the right, along the perimeter, Company E is unmolested, but nonetheless the unit becomes isolated and is forced to escape by a circuitous route. This unit will be committed to support a contingent of engineers when an attack is launched against Hill 755 on September 4.

September 3, 1950 Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion establishes blocking positions, but here, too, the enemy penetrates. At about 0200 (Sept. 3), enemy infantry, bolstered by two tanks, pound against Company I, which is dug in along the road just north of Tabu-dong. The beleaguered company of the 3rd Battalion holds off the enemy attack, but it sustains heavy casualties in the process. The mauled 2nd Battalion moves back through the positions of the 3rd Battalion, which has reformed slightly south of Tabu-dong. The vicious fighting continues through the following day. In the mountainous area between the eastern sector and the Taegu sector, the N.K. 8th Division (II Corps) commences its attack toward Hayang, but progress is not forthcoming. The S.K. 6th Division mounts rigid and resolute resistance. Operating on the next road to the east, the N.K. 15th Division, considerably drained of its strength and operating with three regiments totaling only about 3,500 troops, launches its attack and drives against the S.K. 8th Division. The enemy division advances to Yongch’on by the 5th. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: At Hill 99, located to the front of the S.K. 23rd Regiment, 3rd Division, north of Pohang-dong, enemy reinforcements from the N.K. 5th Division (N.K. II Corps) continue to move in and reinforce the contingents already there. Attempts by the S.K. 3rd Division to reduce the opposition have failed repeatedly, despite assistance by U.S. artillery, naval surface vessel fire and additional support from air strikes. The South Koreans sustain heavy casualties. This day, the U.S. 21st Regiment launches its attack to bolster the South Korean attempt to seize Hill 99. Departing from Pohang-dong, the 21st Regiment drives northwest, making slight progress at best, and in some places, no advancement is accomplished despite the accompaniment of one platoon of tanks (6th Tank Battalion), which shepherds the attack along the valley road between Hunghae and Pohang-dong. The hill, designated for capture by Company K, is retained by the enemy. The vicious fighting for control of the hill takes a high toll. By 1525, Company K stands at about thirtyfive men, due in part to the deluge of grenades thrust upon the attacking company. In addition, the tank platoon loses two tanks, one getting snagged in a minefield and the other lost after losing a track. By dark, the North Koreans are able to infiltrate and drive a wedge about three miles east of Kigye between the S.K. Capital and S.K. 3rd Divisions. In other activity, it is determined that the enemy is grouping for an attack, to be launched from the areas north and northwest of Kigye. An estimated 2,500 North Koreans have infiltrated between the S.K. Capital Division’s 17th and 18th Regiments. In Air Force activity, during an encounter with MiGs on this day, Captain Ralph D. Gibson, 335th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, acquires two kills. Both MiGs go down near Sinanju, Korea, about 1245. Gibson later becomes an ace. Also,

284 Captain Richard S. Johns, 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, knocks down a MiG during an encounter near Anju. — In Japan: At about 0935, Major General Doyle Hickey (deputy chief of staff, Far East Command) receives a telephone call from General Walker informing him about the situation along the perimeter. Walker specifies that the most severe threat is occurring in the terrain between the U.S. 2nd and 25th Divisions in the southwestern sector. Walker, who has already dispatched the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade toward Yongsan, wants to make sure MacArthur approves of its use before he commits it, and he is reassured by Hickey that General MacArthur has consented. This news relieves Walker, who had told General Hickey that he was of the opinion the line could not be restored at Yongsan unless he commited the Marines. In other activity, the fleet at Kobe, composed of about fifty vessels and the 1st Marine Division, receives some bad news concerning the imminent arrival of an unwelcome guest, Typhoon Jane. The storm is due to whack the port on the following day. All loading operations are suspended for thirty-six hours.

September 3

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, still controls a confined perimeter on Sibidang, the extreme western position of the U.N. forces; however, the enemy has gained control of the terrain to its rear, including the primary supply road. On this day, at 0100, the North Koreans strike tenaciously at the defenses on Sibidang-ni, but the 1st Battalion and its supporting artillery units again deal out punishing blows. During the fierce contest, about fifty enemy troops penetrate the lines of Battery A, 64th Field Artillery Battalion, commanded by Captain Andrew Anderson. The enemy assault runs over two protective machine gun positions of the artillery, reaching the guns at 0300, but the artillerymen react rapidly, engaging the attackers in gruesome close-quartered hand-to-hand combat. Nearby, Battery C, 90th Field Artillery Battalion, throws its weight into the battle, providing an iron shield for the besieged Battery A, which forbids the entry of enemy reinforcements and permits Captain Andrew Anderson’s troops to continue the fight. Several guns are temporarily seized by the enemy, but they are soon regained. When the battle subsides at about sunrise, the enemy has been repelled and at great loss; 143 enemy dead are counted in the immediate front of the positions, and from this figure the 1st Battalion estimates total enemy casualties at about 500 troops. In conjunction, Battery A sustains 7 troops killed and 12 men wounded. During these first days of September, the guns (105s) of five batteries of the 64th and 159th FABns and Battery C, 90th FABn, supplement the 25th Division with 36 guns. The artillerymen claim the loss of more than 1,800 enemy troops in defense of the Nam River lines of the 25th Division sector. The striking power of the U.S. Air Force has played

285 a key role, as reported by General Kean, speaking on September 3: “The close air support rendered by Fifth Air Force again saved this division [25th] as they have many times before.” In November, General Walker says of the Air Force assistance: “I will gladly lay my cards on the table and state that if it had not been for the air support that we received from the Fifth Air Force we would not have been able to stay in Korea.” In other activity, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, maintains its hold on Hill 179. The 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, which had commenced its attack to support the 35th Regiment on the previous day, fights to within 1,000 yards of the initial defensive positions of Company G, 35th Regiment. The point is reached at about 1300. Subsequently, the infantry, augmented by air strikes, armor and artillery fire, gnaws ahead and drives a lethal wedge into the enemy positions. By 1800, the front line perimeter is restored and in the process, large quantities of previously abandoned Company G equipment is reclaimed. Colonel Murch’s 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, retains control of the recaptured ground throughout the night of September 3–4, but on the following day, the battalion is directed to launch an attack to the rear to secure the western tip of the battalion zone, thereby opening the alternate supply route. The huge enemy penetration to the rear of the 25th Division lines has unquestionably tested the mettle of the division and its individual units, many of which are coerced into operating as self-sustaining contingents, relying on air drops and sporadic arrivals of armor while the elements of the 27th Regiment are advancing to their aid. The various isolated battalions, companies and platoons meet the test; however, more than 3,000 North Koreans (behind the lines) push them to the brink. During the horrendous skirmishes, evacuation of the wounded remains a grueling task. Attempts to resupply the beleaguered division exemplify courage and heroism. Nonetheless, the enemy manages to create much confusion while masterminding more abominable atrocities. In one instance, tanks spearheading a column of vehicles transporting hot food toward stranded Company G, 35th Regiment, encounter fierce resistance less than two miles from the objective. The tanks roar forward, sustaining no losses. But the enemy fire compels the majority of the mess vehicles to turn back. One segment of the column braves the fire and speeds forward to rejoin the tanks. Some of these troops are captured and tortured. One trooper remains concealed in a haystack, but another, his buddy, is not so lucky, and as the survivor relates, the anguished soldier proclaims: “You might as well kill me now.” The Communists execute him. Later, the body of the tortured American is discovered. His captors had severed his fingers and inflicted him with castration. Other dead Americans are also recovered when the enemy is driven from the 25th Division area. The enemy, prior to executing them, tied their hands and amputated their feet. Others had their tongues cut out of their mouths.

September 3, 1950 In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment (3rd Bn. 29th Reg.), operating west of the “Horseshoe,” encounters several hundred enemy troops near the positions of the artillery and engages them during the morning hours. The battalion launches its attack at 1500. Colonel DeChow’s troops drive forward to reinforce the rear of the 24th Regiment by seizing control of the high ground, which overlooks the Horseshoe portion of the Masan Road, less than five miles east of Komam-ni. The advance, supported with only one piece of artillery, becomes arduous and soon after jumpoff, the force is intercepted by an enemy contingent comprised of more than 1,000 troops. The 3rd Battalion is struck hard by a fierce counterattack that inflicts heavy casualties, including thirteen officers. Planes bolster the attack by hindering the enemy thrust and more tanks arrive to lessen the brunt of the enemy counterattack. During one of the skirmishes, Lieutenant Elwood F. James, Company K commander, is killed while leading an assault. With the arrival of the air power and the reinforcing tanks, the 3rd Battalion overcomes the tenacious resistance and seizes the objective, and from these heights, the attack toward the 24th Regimental command post is scheduled to resume on the morning of the 4th. However, on the following morning, Colonel DeChow receives new orders of attack. At Masan, the situation is also critical, as the Communists have successfully nurtured a network of sympathizers and agents, enabling the North Koreans to easily receive reports on conditions within the town. While the fighting ensues, some enemy units are being engaged within a few miles from Masan. About four miles from Masan, at Changwon, an enemy contingent composed of about fifty guerrillas executes a surprise night raid, capturing a diminutive detachment of five Americans and two South Koreans at a radio relay station. Their tent on the crest of a hill is overtaken swiftly. The guerrillas confiscate the weapons and the various documents in the tent. The lone woman in the enemy unit, brandishing a Tommy gun, assumes the role of assassin and riddles the seven U.N. captives with shells, but two of the Americans survive. At the recovered positions of the 24th Regiment, several miles west of Haman, Colonel Check’s victorious 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, is severely tested during the early morning hours. The North Koreans descend on the perimeter with great fervor, intending to dislodge the Americans, but the battalion is perched for the anticipated assault and unleashes some hefty firepower of its own. Some of the enemy troops strike at the battalion’s rear, but after a few improvisations the rear is blanketed with a ring of fire. Tanks are thrown into the battle and for some extra kick, mortars and artillery fire are catapulted toward the enemy, thinning their ranks considerably. Some precision coordination between the battalion command post and soaring aircraft provides a killing blow with meticulous timing that shatters the force of the assault. The pinpointed air strike assures victory for Check’s troops on

September 3, 1950 the ridge and delivers excruciating pain to the North Koreans. According to information acquired from a captured North Korean, four battalions had engaged Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion during the two-day contest (2nd3rd) and of these, about 1,000 enemy troops had been lost. The 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, will be relieved on the following day. In the 2nd Division sector, 23rd Regiment zone, on Hill 209, it has been another abominable night for the remnant troops of TF Manchu, with no signs of improvement. Although daylight brings relief from infantry assaults, the devastating machine gun fire and mortars continue to ring the area, increasing the number of dead and wounded. The limp, bloodied bodies of expired Americans consume the hellish perimeter and the rapidly rising temperatures increase the stench as the third day progresses toward the fourth night. Still no reinforcements are en route to rescue the battleweary contingent and the repeated requests for air strikes and artillery support by Lieutenant Schmitt have gone unanswered, leaving the surrounded troops to fend for themselves. The enemy machine gun fire becomes more effective and upon the sighting of any American movement, grid-fire consumes the perimeter. Meanwhile, the devastating fire has mauled and destroyed the radio equipment, severing all communications with the other units. However, there is no lack of spirit, nor is there any slacking off of the galvanized heroism. Sergeant Watkins, paralyzed during the previous day’s gruesome fighting, continues to inspire the others to fight hard. Lieutenant Schmitt, also badly wounded, retains his boldness throughout the ordeal, until one of the deadly mortar shells scores a direct hit, killing him. Another of the conspicuous heroes, Sergeant Ouellette, makes the ultimate sacrifice while dodging grenades and attempting to fight off the enemy at extremely close range. Lieutenant Raymond McDoniel (platoon leader, Company D) assumes command after the death of Lieutenant Schmitt, and he provides equally proficient leadership that enables the forgotten command to forestall total annihilation. According to later accounts by participants, about twenty stiff attacks are thrown back. Some comfort is delivered during the night of September 3 when the usually pesky rain arrives, prompting immediate reaction. McDoniel plops two blankets in the open to absorb the falling water, and the remainder of the defenders shed their crusty uniforms to simulate McDoniel’s activity. The blankets collect enough water to swell a five-gallon water can and the uniforms provide water for the individual canteens. As darkness permeates the hill, the ill-equipped and greatly outnumbered remnants of TF Manchu continue to repel the enemy while attempting to evade the flying steel, exhibiting resolute determination. By the following morning (Sept. 4), the besieged troops have taken extremely heavy casualties (about fifty percent), including the loss of three of their five officers: Lt. Schmitt (Company H), Lt. Paul Kremser

286 (Company H) and Lt. Edmund Lilly, III (Company B). Meanwhile, at 0300, the 38th Regimental command post is besieged by about 400 enemy troops who spring an assault from their positions on Hill 284. Colonel Peploe utilizes all his available officers and every enlisted man in the vicinity to make up for his shortage of combat troops. Peploe also involves the artillerymen, mortarmen and tankers to forestall disaster. The grueling struggle continues until the 5th of September. Peploe’s repeated requests for planes to bomb the attacking enemy are refused, because the enemy and U.S. positions are too closely intertwined. However, some planes arrive to launch rockets and strafe the enemy positions with machine gun fire. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry, led by Major Stewart, having repulsed attacks on the previous night, remains at Hill 209, along with the nearby 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, which had been totally isolated until the arrival of Major Stewart’s command. Pusan Perimeter, Naktong Bulge: SECOND BATTLE OF NAKTONG BULGE Word has it that the Marines will again be facing the N.K. 4th Division, which had been decimated by the brigade during August. Its survivors and new recruits are moving behind the N.K. 9th Division. The 5th Marines begins to move forward at 0300 to form for its attack, but enemy resistance hinders the operation. At 0450, the 2nd Battalion’s trucks halt at a point about 800 yards from Yongsan to unload the troops. Soon after, the column marches into the town, encountering sniper fire. The battalion silences the resistance and moves through the town, reaching the road junction at its western end by 0630. Still, about 1,000 yards from its line of departure, the 2nd Battalion, under Colonel Roise, again comes under fire, originating from its right front. Roise advances an additional 500 yards and to his amazement, he discovers that the lines of the supporting 9th Infantry there had folded. To the left of the road, Roise spots a U.S. Army tank contingent posted to the rear of the small hill he has reached. To the front, Roise spots four tanks, two demolished and two abandoned. Beyond them lie two decimated enemy T-34s. To the right of the highway, there is also a distressing view. An earlier attack launched by the North Korean 9th Division at dawn has pushed back the Eighth Army contingents posted at the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, departure line. Meanwhile, General Craig and an accompanying officer land to the rear of Yongsan. They move by jeep to reach the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines CP, and discover that the battalion is somewhat off line. The 1st Battalion realigns itself as much as possible in the darkness. Eventually, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Marines, are in their respective assembly area, which is a long north-south ridgeline directly south of Myongni and about one thousand yards west of Yongsan, the 1st Bn. south of Yongsan and the 2nd Bn. north of it. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, deploys southwest of

287 Yongsan to guard the approaches from that direction. In conjunction, the 2nd Platoon, Company A, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Winter, will push down the MSR from its positions about 500 yards west of Yongsan. Meanwhile, guarding the line of departure, Eighth Army contingents are deployed in the hills just west of Yongsan. Company G, 9th Regiment, is spread north of the highway leading west through Kogan-ni to the Naktong River. Company A, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, is dispersed southward across the road and Company F, 9th Regiment, holds the ground to the rear of the engineers. One unit, Company A, 2nd Engineer Battalion, has not reached its destination due to heavy enemy resistance on the previous night. At dawn, Company A, 2nd Engineers, led by Captain Frank Reed, commences an assault to seize the heights designated as part of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines’ line of departure. Braving fierce enemy fire, the company ascends to within 100 yards of the crest. Captain Reed nears the top, but he is greeted by an enemy grenade. He snatches it and tosses it away from his troops, but he is wounded in the process. Meanwhile, the enemy continues to resist feverishly. Marine tank fire joins the fight to supplement the power of the ground troops and they seize the hill. However, enemy penetration is driving the 9th Regiment, USA, back. At 0645, Colonel Roise directs Marine tanks to speed forward and cover the 9th Regiment withdrawal from the heights in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, zone. In addition, Marine tanks (2nd Platoon) led by Lieutenant Robert Winter move to positions adjacent to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines’ command post and from there, they begin pouring support fire to aid the 9th Regiment. At 0700, the 2nd Battalion’s Companies D and E strike along the Yongsan–Myong-ni Road to clear the brigades’ right flank. In synchronization, while the final troops of the 9th RCT pull back from the 1st Battalion’s departure line, Colonel Roise orders artillery, mortars, machine guns, tanks and air strikes to pound the vacated ridgeline to the left front. Despite the huge bombardment, enemy fire still rings down on Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, as it secures some hills below Myong-ni. On the previous day, these hills had been selected as the departure line for the 2nd Battalion, but they are now incorporated as part of Objective Number One. At 0800, Captain Samuel Jaskilka reports to Colonel Roise, confirming that Company E’s mission has concluded successfully. Roise then directs Company D to drive through Myong-ni and secure the hill slightly northwest of the village. By now the Eighth Army’s armor, posted at the southern part of the hill near the MSR, joins the Marine tanks. The 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion, also comes on scene, resulting in a massive display of firepower that instantly halts the progress of the N.K. 9th Division, but not its return fire. General Craig’s command post comes under wild fire, which wounds several men, including Lieu-

September 3, 1950 tenant Winter, who receives a neck wound. Another Marine who offers first aid to Winter is also wounded. Winter, wounded but not without his priorities and sense of humor, offers General Craig a bottle of whiskey that had somehow found its way into Winter’s tank. Two Navy chaplains, Lt. Commander Otto Sporrer and Lieutenant Bernard Hickey, approach the hill to comfort the wounded and they, too, are greeted by enemy machine gun fire, which thankfully misses all parties. Chaplain Sporrer quips: “Its lucky they’re poor shots.” At 0855, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, initiates its attack from below Chukchon-ni, but the formation to the south is off course. Companies A and B quickly adjust by swinging northwest, with the former under Captain Stevens on the right and the latter under Captain Fenton advancing on the left. Each drives toward the enemy-held heights, about 1,000 yards distant. As the 1st Battalion advances through the rice paddy, enemy fire from the ridge strikes from long distance, causing some casualties. But U.S. return fire, including artillery and mortars, pounds the enemy positions. In addition, an Eighth Army tank destroyer posted on the hill south of Chukchon-ni bolsters Company A with its heavy reaching arm. The attack also receives support from planes and at one point, enemy resistance originating in a village at the base of the objective is terminated by the combined firepower of the tank destroyer and Marine recoilless rifles. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion is operating to the south. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Platoons are spread out from right to left, the 3rd Platoon trailing slightly to guard the exposed left flank. While the Marines advance, they encounter stragglers from Eighth Army units, some of whom have been separated for as much as three days. Nearly all are wounded and none have weapons. While the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, moves to secure its objective, the 2nd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Roise, secures the 1st Battalion’s right flank, when its Company D secures Myong-ni, terminating the resistance there and then eliminating the resistance on the hill northwest of the village. But the enemy on Hill 117 situated to the immediate front of the 2nd Battalion, north of the main supply route and about 500 yards west of Myong-ni, brings Company D under machine gun and mortar fire. Colonel Roise is informed of the situation and actions to rectify the problem will be initiated just after noon in coordination with the 1st Battalion’s activity on the opposite side of the MSR. At 1100, Colonel Newton (CO 1st Bn.) is in contact with Captains Stevens and Fenton, Companies A and B, respectively, and both officers inform the battalion commander that the units are prepared to assault the ridge. At about that time, Newton orders the ridge bombarded by 81-mm mortars to neutralize the North Korean machine guns. In the meantime, the 2nd Platoon under Lieutenant Muetzel is stalled at a steep rise that leads to the crest. The 1st Platoon swings over to the right while the

September 3, 1950 3rd Platoon forms to the left. Upon cessation of the preparatory fire, Muetzel bolts to the front of his men, from where he yells the order “Attack!” Company A leaps forward, apparently screaming with enough volume to startle the enemy defenders and convince them to abandon their positions on the forward slope and speed toward the summit. This gives the Marines a needed pause. The riflemen and BARmen almost leisurely set up and begin popping shells into the enemy as they flee, killing most. When the remnants vanish over the peak, the Marines reinitiate their climb, securing the hill (first objective) within several minutes at about 1200. After seizing the first objective, the 1st Battalion begins evacuating its wounded and getting re-supplied while it prepares to move against its next objective. In the meantime, some unwelcome enemy fire from the reverse slope strikes the summit, wounding several men. Colonel Newton calls in air support and soon after, Corsairs arrive, plundering the enemy positions and prompting a post haste abandonment of the north slope. The North Koreans break for Hill 117, across the MSR, but Newton calls in artillery fire that catches the fleeing enemy in stride, effectively thinning their ranks as the slope and road become inundated with enemy dead and abandoned or destroyed equipment. However, many more escape to bolster Hill 117. As the two Marine infantry battalions engage their respective enemy contingents, the 2nd Platoon of tanks is still advancing down the road, encountering fierce resistance. At one point, enemy antitank weapons take the armor under fire and the unit incurs casualties as Marines open their hatches to scan the ground for concealed positions. Lieutenant Winter becomes wounded and Lieutenant John S. Carson takes command, but he is immediately struck by instantly fatal enemy machine gun fire. As the nasty morning fighting continues, the tanks rumble forward and unexpectedly stumble upon several T-34 tanks, igniting a concise but decisive duel. All three enemy tanks are demolished by 90-mm shells. Following the quick demise of the T-34s, the Marine tanks concentrate on a newfound abundance of targets, including antitank weapons and machine guns, as well as fast approaching reinforcements and rapidly retreating advance troops. The 3rd Platoon of tanks, led by Lieutenant Sweet, arrives at about noon to expedite the rout. The combined firepower of the M-26 tanks ensures more destruction for the Communists. One tank from the 2nd Platoon pokes its turret toward a suspected position of a concealed antitank weapon and commences firing, blowing another T-34 into oblivion. As the afternoon begins to unfold, another T-34 becomes a lucrative target. Its crew abandons the tank just prior to its destruction as it stands idle on the left side of the MSR. In the meantime, Lieutenant H.J. Smith, the recently appointed commanding officer, Company D, 2nd Battalion, remains in contact with Colonel Roise, updating him on the situation on the ridge northwest of

288 Myong-ni. When Roise is informed of the ongoing rout of the enemy on the ridge across the MSR and the flight of its defenders, he directs Lieutenant Smith to spring from the captured ridge and drive southwest to intercept the retreating enemy before they reach Hill 117. Driving from the north, Company D advances through the rice paddy and encircles the objective. In conjunction, Company E, 2nd Battalion, commanded by Captain Jaskilka, is unable to advance from the positions it gained during the morning due to the continuing enemy fire from the high ridge in the 1st Battalion (Company B) zone. Nonetheless, Company E supports the attack of Company D by pouring cover fire into Hill 117, in coordination with a platoon of 75mm recoilless rifles that deploy to the right of Company E. Return fire from the Communists emerges from a camouflaged T-34 tank, resulting in the death of two Marines of the recoilless rifle platoon and the wounding of seven others. Company D, 2nd Battalion, advances against nominal resistance, securing a hold on a spur of Hill 117, then it pivots south and moves toward the crest. Meanwhile, the throngs of enemy troops who abandoned the slope in the 1st Battalion sector greatly increase the numbers on Hill 117, placing Lieutenant Smith’s company in serious trouble. The isolated unit is strung out about 500 yards beyond the nearest contingent of the 2nd Battalion and it comes under severe fire, including mortars, automatic weapons and artillery. Resistance on Hill 117, now defended by about two enemy battalions, staggers Company D and places the newly won ground of the battalion in doubt as casualties soar. The afternoon brings with it a shift in the grueling combat. As the enemy resistance subsides in the 1st Battalion zone, it accelerates in the 2nd Battalion sector. At the 1st Battalion’s positions on Objective One and following its resupply, Colonel Newton orders it to seize Objective Two. Company A’s objective is Hill 91, which is linked to its present positions on the right by an extremely slim and dangerously jagged ridge, guaranteeing a laborious advance. The objective lies to the front, beyond a 200 yard valley. Company B’s portion of the objective is the connecting ridgeline of its earlier gained ground. The ridge runs parallel with the MSR for about 1,000 yards and contains four prominent peaks. Prior to launching the attack, the troops of both companies peer toward their respective objectives in awe of the crushing preparatory fire, which includes the massive guns of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, and the circling aircraft of MAG-33. The devastating bombardment further fractures the enemy resistance in the 1st Battalion zone, prompting additional throngs of Communist troops to flee their positions. The good news for the 1st Battalion is not necessarily terrific tidings for the 2nd Battalion. The retreating enemy troops dart to the area under attack by Roise’s 2nd Battalion, compounding the problem there. During the afternoon, the 9th Regiment, USA, drives forward, clearing the area north of the 5th Marines’ attack zone.

289 At 1510, the 1st Battalion jumps off, gaining the momentum at once. Fenton’s Company B sweeps across the ridge during its 1,000-yard jaunt, and it advances speedily. Fenton contacts Colonel Roise (2nd Battalion), telling him to expect an influx of enemy troops who are hastily sprinting toward his lines. Company B’s objective, a peak lying directly across the road from Hill 117, falls within about one hour. Simultaneously, Company A, led by Captain Stevens, moves to seize its objective, using its machine guns and 1st Platoon to provide cover fire. The 2nd Platoon launches a frontal assault, but only as a ruse. While the enemy anticipates being struck by Lieutenant Muetzel’s platoon, the 3rd Platoon, under Captain Fox, has worked its way south to strike the main blow against Hill 91 by assaulting the enemy’s right flank. But several strategy flaws develop during the tedious march. The 3rd Platoon’s envelopment maneuver remains undiscovered by the enemy while it nudges toward the right flank by keeping close to the banks of a rice paddy. However, Captain Fox, unaware of when the artillery barrage will cease, holds his squads back from the assault line to ensure additional safety. Upon cessation of the bombardment, the stunned enemy springs back into position, and Fox’s caution allows the enemy sufficient time to prepare for the attack. The 3rd Platoon advances too far up the slope as it emerges from the draw and finds itself an easy target of enemy grenades and machine gun fire. The three squads of the 3rd Platoon are split by an iron seam. Two squads remain pinned on the left side of the draw and the other is totally stymied on the right. By now, the North Koreans pour fire upon the stalled platoon, inflicting casualties, including a debilitating wound incurred by Captain Fox. Sergeant George Bolkow assumes command of the platoon and moves it forward. Extemporaneously, Corporal Virgil Henderson stimulates the 3rd Platoon. He defiantly leads his 3rd squad toward the rear of one obstinate machine gun, and with sudden swiftness, the menacing obstacle is demolished. During the attack, an enemy bullet wickedly whips into Henderson’s jaw. In the meantime, Corporal Raymond Stevens’s squad, stalled on the right, maneuvers around the enemy’s left flank to add pressure to the lethal vise. Meanwhile, the 2nd Platoon receives word over its SCR radio that Fox has been wounded, prompting instinctive action on its part. Lieutenant Muetzel, erroneously convinced that the 3rd Platoon has been permanently stalled, requests and receives permission to initiate a frontal assault against Hill 91. Its original diversionary ruse has it strung on the slopes and under enemy mortar fire, making the option of attack safer in the long run. With the infusion of the 2nd Platoon grinding against the front, the enemy on Hill 91 begins to hear the shrill sirens of death closing from three sides. Muetzel’s 2nd Platoon fiercely lunges from the east, while Corporal Stevens and Sergeant Bolkow tighten the clamp when their platoons bang against it from the

September 3, 1950 north and south respectively. At 1630, Hill 91 belongs to the Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. The 5th Marines then establish night perimeters, and both the 1st and 2nd Battalions are confronted with very large areas of responsibility. The 1st Battalion front extends nearly one mile long and its Companies A and B are each secluded on opposite sides of the 200 yard valley. Adding to the danger, about 1,000 yards of the right flank remain completely exposed along the MSR. On the left flank, the brigade’s reconnaissance company is deployed well into the heights, but with the many enemy approach routes from the south, the strength of the recon unit is inadequate. Roise’s 2nd Battalion has an equally difficult perimeter to defend. The contour of the front takes the shape of a right angle and stretches about 2,000 yards, including a 500-yard hole that separates isolated Company D (northern edge of Hill 117) and Company E, which is deployed below Myong-ni. In the 1st Battalion zone, at 1000, Colonel Newton orders engineers to bolster the defenses by depositing assorted enemy repellents around the area to help insulate Companies A and B. The 1st Platoon, Company A, Engineers, takes a cue from the mythical Johnny Appleseed, except that they spread deadly steel apples; one detachment permeates both the front and right flank of Company B with trip-line hand grenades, antipersonnel mines and specially packed crates of TNT decorated with 60-penny spikes. Company A’s perimeter is also infused with an enormous amount of lurking death. In addition, at midnight (3rd-4th), the 2nd squad moves forward about 1,000 yards and deposits an antitank minefield across the MSR, close to the southern tip of Hill 117. While fabricating the tank obstacles, the Marines stumble upon an enemy antitank minefield (Russian mines), which has been methodically placed upon the highway. Although this is the first Marine encounter with Russian wooden-box mines, previous intelligence and training give the squad an edge. All enemy mines are defused and extricated, nearly without incident. During the arduous procedure of disarming the enemy mines, a distinctive and unsettling sound is detected as hostile and seemingly too close. Sergeant Saweren J. Dennis suspends the operation momentarily and quickly searches for the source. Soon after, Dennis startles an enemy soldier in a ditch alongside the road, futilely engaged with loading his submachine gun with a fresh magazine, but it is too late. Sergeant Dennis terminates the threat and the operation continues without further incident. And all for naught. Before the engineers return to the 1st Battalion perimeter, another foe, Mother Nature, enters the battlefield. A horrendous brow-beating rainstorm takes center stage until it is interrupted by frigid icy winds, most unusual weather for early September in Korea. Nonetheless, the gripping weather mandates an otherwise tranquil night for the Marines and the enemy. The day’s combat costs the 5th Marines 34 killed and 77 wounded and of this figure, the 2nd

September 3, 1950 Battalion’s casualties rise to 18 killed and 77 wounded, the largest percentage sustained by Company D. Just after dawn on the 4th, the minefield, laid the previous night, is dismantled by engineers, clearing the way for the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines’ assault. At 0750, the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines’ artillery begins pounding the enemy positions. One contingent of enemy troops on a summit to the front of Company B is stunned by the barrage. The North Koreans abandon their weapons and flee west. Marine riflemen holding nearby positions take aim and methodically trim the enemy’s ranks by cluttering the escape route with enemy dead. At 0800, Companies A and B resume the attack and make tremendous progress in the heights south of the MSR. During the fast-paced advance, increasing numbers of Communist troops begin darting for safety in small units, but the massive amount of air support, artillery and armor further diminishes the retreating enemy numbers. By 1505, the 1st Battalion reaches Kang-ni (Objective One), more than 3,000 yards from its starting point. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, jumps off slightly after 0800, taking over for the 2nd Battalion. Companies G and H move out, departing from the lines of 1st Battalion’s Company E and D, respectively. Driving south of the MSR, Company G crosses the rice paddy heading toward Hill 117, then it sprints over a small hill, discovering unoccupied enemy entrenchments, except some Communist dead. Continuing on, Company G reaches and secures the southern slope of the objective. Surprisingly, only fifteen enemy troops are eliminated along the way. Company H maneuvers to the right, making a deep curve around the northern fringes of Hill 117 and it makes splendid progress against minimum resistance as it links with Company G. By 0840, Hill 117, which had been the nemesis of the 5th Marines on the previous day, fades with a hardly a whimper. Colonel Taplett begins relocating his headquarters to the MSR. Although engineers had removed enemy mines on the main highway, the connecting road from Myong-ni had not been cleared, causing a serious problem. While en route, the lead vehicle strikes a mine, injuring ten Marines, all with communication units. Engineers scour the road and discover additional Russian-made mines, but by 1200, the secondary road east of Hill 117 is wide open. Subsequent to the capture of Hill 117, the 3rd Battalion resumes the attack. Side by side, Companies G and H drive west across the heights north of the MSR. They are flanked on the left by the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, and on the right by the 9th Regiment, USA; however, along the route, visual contact with the 9th Regiment is lost. While Lieutenant Bohn leads Company G toward the objective, it is struck by enemy machine gun fire originating from the hill north of Kangni, the target of the 3rd Battalion. Colonel Taplett places an urgent call to the heavier enforcers, MAG33 and the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines Artillery.

290 The combination results in yet another bloody thrashing of the enemy. Without pause, streams shells trounce the defenders, knocking them into a period of bewilderment. After about one hour of relentless punishment, the North Koreans abandon the hill, but their path becomes a death funnel. While maintaining the pressure on Hill 117, some of the guns make minor adjustments, and then the gunners begin to catapult blazing steel spears into the retreating North Koreans. In concert, the Corsairs begin spitting fire into the retreating enemy, leaving the ridges, slopes and highway blanketed with additional scores of dead North Koreans. Following the pulverizing of the objective, Lieutenant Robert Bohn initiates the last rung of Company G’s attack; almost effortlessly, it secures Hill 117 at 1515. Soon after setting up occupancy, the Marines spot a retiring T-34 tank and some accompanying enemy infantry, all scooting toward the lines of the 9th Infantry Regiment; Company G machine gunners commence firing and rake the enemy column, scattering it. Meanwhile, Communist reinforcements are driving along the MSR to the North Korean lines; however, between Hill 117 and Kang-ni, a deluge of fire from the sky brings the advance to a succinct halt. The column is virtually decimated after being struck by a massive fusillade delivered by diving Corsairs and artillery shells. The entire area resembles a giant scrap yard. Enemy antitank guns, vehicles, machine guns, mortars and tanks litter the landscape. Some of the armor is burning and some is operable, but all is unmanned. The Marine attack has also regained an enormous amount of previously captured Eighth Army equipment, including artillery pieces, mortars, vehicles, and tanks, as well as ammunition and small arms. These and some recaptured supply depots are transferred to the 2nd Division. An apparent enemy command post is seized and among the prizes are large quantities of documents and maps that are subsequently scrutinized by Army and Marine intelligence personnel. With Hill 117 secure, the brigade prepares for the next part of the operation. In conjunction, the 9th Regiment, USA, advances to the heights northeast of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, culminating the first part of the 2nd Division’s counterattack plan. With all coordinating units at Phase Line One, General Craig receives orders from General Keiser to drive toward Phase Line Two, drawn through Hill 125 and Observation Hill. The Marine Brigade’s western boundary line beyond Kang-ni is the MSR, restricting the 3rd Battalion from driving west from its positions; therefore, Newton’s 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, is ordered to seize the next objective: Cloverleaf. It lies about 1,000 yards distant, slightly south of the MSR at Hwayong-ni. The Marines are greeted with the well-known repugnant scent of a rice paddy when Companies A and B spring forward, the former on the left and the latter slightly below the MSR. Company B, under Captain Fenton, encounters resistance immediately. Enemy machine gun posted in the high ground north of

291 Hwayong-ni pour fire upon the advancing unit. The normal operating procedure during this ongoing mission is quickly set in motion. Colonel Newton again requests air support to neutralize the enemy-held ridge, and like a magician pulling rabbits out of a hat, Corsairs reappear and terminate the machine gun fire. Company B leaps forward, and at 1800, Cloverleaf is secure. Colonel Murray directs the 1st and 3rd Battalions, both at the front, to establish their respective night perimeters. Both units are instructed to be ready to reinitiate the advance at 0800 on the 5th. The Marine Brigade stretches out in configurations nearly identical to those of the night before. The 1st Battalion’s positions are to the left front about 1,000 yards out. Companies A and B string a precarious line nearly one mile in length with a totally exposed left flank. But again, throughout the night, the perimeter receives no genuine threats from enemy ground troops. Nevertheless, the night does not pass without incident. The North Koreans spend the evening and early morning hours bombarding the perimeter. Taplett’s 3rd Battalion receives little rest due to the shelling. The 1st Battalion, under Newton, is also subjected to the harassing barrages. Newton’s command post sustains several direct hits that cause casualties. One Marine is killed and two are wounded. One artillery officer, Lieutenant Joris Snyder, is poised only several feet from the impact of a 120-mm shell. The explosion knocks him into deep unconsciousness, but otherwise he escapes unscathed and recovers in about three hours. At about 0230 on the 5th, Major Joseph Reinburg’s night-fighters (VMF(N)-513) arrive from their base in Japan and effectively strike the most blatant enemy mortar position, successfully terminating most of the shelling. Then the aircraft deliver some well-placed bombs (including fragmentation type) on detected enemy vehicles and troop locations. Prior to dawn, the enemy attempts to execute a probing mission against the lines of the 3rd Battalion, but Companies G and H are both alert and prepared. Sentries quickly detect the movement to their front. In a flash, 81-mm illuminating shells are catapulted skyward and when they burst, a few small contingents of enemy troops are showcased. In response, the enemy pops off some ineffective rounds, but there is no determined attempt to launch an attack. However, one detachment seemingly inadvertently blunders badly and finds itself at the 3rd Battalion command post. Some eager weapons company personnel, manning a listening post, extend an iron hand. One N.K. officer is killed and the others flee. The duration of the night remains quiet until dawn, when the North Koreans launch a bold attack against the nearby 9th Regiment, USA. Meanwhile, General Walker reluctantly releases the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade from the operational control of the 2nd Division, effective September 5 at midnight. Walker has relented, but he remains convinced that he must maintain the Marine brigade to ensure the safety of the perimeter. In contrast, the

September 3, 1950 build-up for the imminent amphibious invasion of South Korea mandates the participation of the Marine Brigade. On the 5th, with the repulse of the enemy attack against the 9th Infantry completed, Colonel Newton orders Companies A and B to jump off at 0800. While the Marines on Cloverleaf assemble for the assault against Obong-ni, two U.S. Air Force planes, lacking air-ground controllers, inadvertently strafe Companies A and B while they are attacking enemy positions on the high ground north of Hwayong-ni. The aircraft spring the stinging raid by honing in from the north to zap the ridge from there southward. As the planes begin their ascent from the dive, the Marines come under a storm of fire. One Marine is wounded by the friendly fire. After the air strike, at 0820, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, advances westward, moving through a thick fog and a penetrating rain to secure its segment of Phase Line Two, Hill 125 and Observation Hill, the two remaining obstacles between the Marines and bloodied Obong-ni Ridge, the final objective in front of the Naktong River. Air support is hindered throughout the day by inclement weather. Companies A and B trudge through the rice paddy below the MSR and make swift progress to a point where the road makes a sharp right angle turn, leading south for about 1,000 yards before it reverts back to its western direction. At the re-initiation of the western route, Company B, led by Captain Fenton, swivels toward the base of the heights. Meanwhile, Company A, led by Captain Stevens, drives toward the summit of Observation Hill. The MSR separates the two attacking units. Company A begins the tedious climb up the eastern slopes of Observation Hill, while Company B seizes the eastern wing of Hill 125. At 0935, the Communists on Obong-ni Ridge deliver mortars and artillery shells to the advancing Companies A and B of the 3rd Battalion; however, the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, steps in with its artillery. Combined with the mortars of the 3rd Battalion, the Marines return an even more resounding proclamation to the North Koreans. Companies A and B maintain the advance and seize Hill 125 and Observation Hill by 1100. Colonel Murray then orders the 1st Battalion to suspend its advance, pausing at Phase Line Two, until the 9th Regiment moves up to positions on Company B’s right. In the meantime, intermittent automatic weapons fire from Obong-ni harasses both companies. Meanwhile, at 1000, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, had begun to swing around the rear of Cloverleaf, maneuvering southward to deploy on the 5th Marines’ left as part of a two-battalion assault against Obong-ni. Company G moves swiftly through the rice paddy south of Cloverleaf, bolstered by the artillery and 75mm recoilless rifles that pummel suspected enemy emplacements. Soon after, Lieutenant Robert Bohn and his command reach the base of the high ground of Hill 91, a southern extension of the Obong-ni. Bohn immediately requests cessation of the support guns’ fire,

September 3, 1950 including that of the accompanying tanks. Company G then bolts toward the summit. Immediately, it receives some aid from a 75-mm recoilless rifle, which decimates a machine gun and its crew just as the position is being set up on the crest. With the advance still in its infancy and merely a few yards up the slope, unexpected orders arrive. The Marines are directed to abort the assault. Company H, moving between Hill 91 and Observation Hill en route to the eastern approaches of Obong-ni, also receives orders to halt its advance. Both companies are directed to disengage and return to Observation Hill, where the regimental commander, Colonel Murray, is redeploying the 5th Marines along the MSR. The reason for the suddenly aborted attack soon becomes clear. On the crest of Hill 125, where Company B, 1st Battalion, had been halted earlier, the Marines are deployed in their recently dug foxholes that now resemble mud holes. The battalion’s supporting tanks (1st Platoon) are poised in the road cut behind the sharp curve that swings around the forward slopes of the hill. The view from the crest is less than breathtaking, with the village of Tugok and Finger Ridge to the east and west, respectively, and to the southwest, Obong-ni, which has just received a reprieve. The men wait and watch, but it is daylight, making an enemy attack unlikely. The troops still come under some intermittent fire, but the only noted symbol of enemy presence is three dead T-34 tanks that have been in the road since an engagement with the brigade two weeks prior. And then, at 1420, conditions begin to change. The haunting fog still hovers above the battlefield and the dismal rainstorm continues to saturate the troops, but nonetheless the aura is shifting. The infrequent clang of the enemy weapons heats up from a simmer to a boil and beyond, until it reaches the equivalency of a fullscale preparatory fire. Within minutes, Company B is besieged with enfilade fire, which is poured upon its lines from machine gun positions on the northern fringe of Obong-ni. Slightly after this thunderstorm of fire commences, the enemy’s camouflaged positions at Tugok open fire, and this action is joined by fierce fire originating on the northern foundation of Observation Hill. These guns pummel the crest with more automatic weapons fire. Adding more fury to the thrust, an antitank gun bellows from its position on Finger Ridge. All the while, enemy tanks and infantry advance under a ghoulish drab fog, in synchronization with the incessant support fire. The Communists, spearheaded by T-34s, drive down the MSR, unbeknownst to the Marines’ 1st Platoon of tanks. The situation further worsens due to a colossal equipment failure. While Captain Fenton is informing Colonel Newton about the enemy attack, his radio dies. Almost instantaneously every other radio in Company B goes dead, slain by the constant rain and mud. Consequently, there is no possibility of warning the tanks of the imminent approach of the T-34s. Lieutenant Pomeroy, oblivious to the encroaching enemy armor

292 and lacking contact with Fenton, quickly orders his tanks to move forward and take positions on the other side of the curve to strike at the enemy machine gun positions on Obong-ni Ridge to relieve the pressure on Company B. Meanwhile, as the opposing contingents of tanks are both converging on the curve, the accompanying enemy infantry swings onto the slopes of Hill 125 and begins a dash toward the summit. In concert, another enemy detachment emerges from a draw in the vicinity of Tugok. Insulated by heavy supporting fire, the contingent strikes against Company B’s right flank. Fenton, having no realistic alternatives, is compelled to hold the crest. He staggers his troops in exposed positions around the peak. Then, to protect his left flank, he deploys his assault squad on the slopes just below his positions. From these restricted positions, Fenton expects to intercept the threat on the MSR and beat back the assault, or face annihilation. During these rapidly passing moments of desperate action, the opposing tanks continue their movement and become separated only by seconds. They are nearly nose to nose. Still unaware of the presence of enemy armor, the lead M-26, its turret pointing toward the left front, takes the curve. Unexpectedly, it is struck with a vicious close-range hit before it can swivel its turret into proper positioning. Several more 85-mm shells plow into the Pershing and destroy it. This is the first loss of a Marine tank to the enemy. The trailing M26 plows forward and attempts to maneuver on the slim, serpentine curve, which is now partially blocked by the lead tank. The narrowness of the easement hinders movement and the 2nd tank also falls prey to the enemy armor. The double loss blocks the entire passage, causing the remaining tanks to halt and leave responsibility for final victory to the ground Marines. Despite the loss of the two tanks, the crews safely escape their disabled armor. Engineers accompanying the tanks rush to aid the wounded crewmen. Fenton’s deployment of the assault platoon on the slopes becomes a welcome hand of trump cards. The infantry starts with a bang: using 3.5 rockets. The Marines destroy the first enemy T-34 and soon after, the rockets decimate the second tank. The third and final enemy armored vehicle advances, and yet another perfectly aimed rocket destroys the personnel carrier. In the meantime, the Marines of Company B retain control of the crest of Hill 125, but they remain under siege and their ammunition supply is rapidly diminishing. The 60-mm mortars are totally expended and Company B’s casualty list soars under the roar of the enemy fire. Nonetheless, the Marines continue to thwart the North Koreans by tossing grenades as if the supply were infinite. Without pause, the Marines also ignore the deluge of murderous enemy automatic weapons fire criss-crossing the crest. They maintain strict discipline and snap off incessant small arms fire to keep the Communists at bay. By 1500, the situation on Hill 125 appears grim. The ammunition is scarce, but the Marines do not contemplate

293 surrender of the ridge. Fenton, still lacking communications, speeds a messenger to Colonel Newton to arrange a resupply. All the while, the enemy keeps the pressure high. At about 1530, Fenton spots Hill’s 9th Regiment, USA, as it deploys in the heights north of his besieged positions. He believes he has discovered a solution to terminating the attack. Immediately, Fenton dispatches another runner to brave the fire and reach Colonel Hill’s command to request immediate support fire from the 9th Regiment and to urgently request that it be delivered to the immediate front of Company B, 5th Marines. While Company B awaits help and continues to hold its positions, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, begins relieving Company A at its positions on Observation Hill. Company A is ordered to depart without its grenades and extra ammunition and to fall back to the rear, but during the transfer of responsibility, Company A receives new orders directing it to speed to Hill 125 and bolster Company B. After some quick reshuffling to retrieve its ammunition, the unit shoves off to aid Fenton’s command. In the meantime, the second runner reaches Colonel Hill (9th RCT). Soon after, the guns of the 9th Regiment plaster the forward slopes in front of Fenton. The commotion gets the delayed attention of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines’ mortar section. The combined firepower launches legions of scorching shells that irrigate the forward slopes and exterminate more of the enemy. Fenton’s intuition has paid off. His Marines still control the hill, and reinforcements are close at hand. Subsequent to relief by the 3rd Battalion, Captain Stevens dispatches the 1st Platoon, Company A, to Hill 125. Without delay, upon arrival into the inferno on the crest, the troops of Company A plop into the lines and commence firing in unison with the troops of Company B, all of whom are entrenched at the forward wall. The reinforcements and the additional grenades and weapons are as welcome as Santa Claus on Christmas. Despite the prolonged enemy hell-fire catapulted upon Hill 125, Company B sustains only two dead during the siege. Twenty-three other Marines are wounded. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, on Observation Hill sustains twenty-four casualties inflicted by artillery and mortar fire, until it is relieved by a unit of the 23rd Regiment, USA, slightly after midnight (5th-6th). The successful contribution of the artillery and the trailing mortars crack the enemy attack against Fenton’s B Company. Now, with further support of the mortars of Company A, the power becomes focused on Obong-ni and Finger Ridges. The relentless pounding of the enemy-held positions terminates the attack with finality. The North Koreans who remain alive retire to the village of Tugok. But the battle for Obong-ni is not quite over, and the Marines are being pulled out before they can eliminate the foe. Obong-ni Ridge still contains some of the beleaguered N.K. 9th Division and some green troops of the N.K. 4th Division; however, both units have re-

September 3, 1950 ceived a severe thrashing since the U.S. offensive began on September 3. Following the collision with the Marine Brigade, neither enemy division is capable of taking the offensive. During the afternoon, Colonel Murray informs his battalion commanders about General Craig’s final field directive concerning the brigade’s activity within the Pusan Perimeter. The order says, in part: “This my OPN Order 22–50 x Commencing at 2400 5 Sept Brig moves by rail and motor to staging area Pusan for further operation against the enemy x Prior to commencement of movement 5th Mars will stand relieved by elms of 2nd Inf Div commencing at darkness.... Conceal from the enemy activities connected with your withdrawal.” Just after midnight (5th-6th), at 0015, the 5th Marines depart from their positions at Obong-ni Ridge and begin the trek to Pusan to join the Seventh Fleet and the 1st Marine Division. The 5th Marines’ battle casualties stand at 35 killed, 91 wounded and none missing in action. After relief by the 2nd Infantry Division, the 5th Marines, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, joins the 1st Marine Division to participate in the imminent Invasion of Inchon. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, receives its initiation into battle at 1200 when it resumes the attack against Hill 518, which the 1st Battalion had not been able to seize on the previous day. Identically to the attack by the 1st Battalion, the 3rd Battalion advances as a regiment, but due to the space constraints, when the advance troops funnel through the South Korean lines in the high ground, they are squeezed into the size of about one squad, placing the attackers at a severe disadvantage as they struggle up the slope against more withering fire. Hill 518 withstands the feeble assault, turning it back easily. In the 8th Cavalry sector, Tabu-dong is taken by contingents of the N.K. 1st Division, subsequent to the pull-back of the regiment. And in the afternoon, the slim force composing the I&R Platoon and a contingent of South Korean police are forced from Ka-san, the summit of Hill 902, less than five miles east of Tabudong and a mere ten miles outside Taegu. With Hill 902 in possession of the enemy, the positions of the 90th Field Artillery Battalion become precarious. Enemy artillery originating from the summit is able to hit the area and it does so intermittently, inflicting some damage. However, to the good fortune of the Americans, the enemy lacks sufficient ammunition to cause major harm. The entire perimeter comes under attack. In this sector, General Walker and Eighth Army react by rushing in a battalion of S.K. troops to fortify the rear of the 8th Cavalry. Meanwhile, Task Force Allen, commanded by Brigadier General Frank Allen, Jr., is established by the 1st Cavalry Division. T.F. Allen is composed of two provisional battalions selected from division headquarters, technical service troops, the replacement company

September 3, 1950 and various other troops, including the 1st Cavalry Division band. All of the contingents are committed to be thrown into combat in the event the enemy penetrates the fringe area of Taegu. In the meantime, Eighth Army attempts to fend off the enemy thrust by ordering the 1st Cavalry to initiate a counterattack to re-secure Hill 902, which at present gives the North Koreans a keen observation post, permitting them to watch Eighth Army contingents south of the hill and within Taegu itself. Colonel Ernest Holmes, 1st Cavalry chief of staff in General Gay’s absence from headquarters, receives a telephone call from Eighth Army informing General Gay that 1st Cavalry has responsibility for Ka-san, a point that Gay has been stating was too far to extend

294 his troops. But now the point is moot. Holmes informs Army G-3 that he would tell General Gay and that troops would be dispatched to Ka-san. Soon after, Gay and Holmes confer and Gay concurs, stating that if Eighth Army has ordered the responsibility, “it had to be complied with.” Colonel Palmer, commanding officer, 8th Cavalry Regiment, details the plan of attack to Lt. Colonel William C. Holley, C.O., 8th Engineering Battalion, Lieutenant John T. Kennedy, Company D, 8th Engineering Battalion, and the commanding officer of Company E, 8th Cavalry. Company D will launch the attack, trailed by Company E. Company E had been designated as the point company, but the commanding officer had been unwilling

Tanks (M45 medium) during an Eighth Army breakout at Pusan beachhead.

295 to lead the attack. Consequently, he is relieved of command. The troops move out to the assembly area to await orders to advance, but the orders don’t arrive, prompting the companies to return to their perimeter. The attack is launched on the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: Soon after midnight (2nd-3rd), the N.K. 12th Division launches its portion of the II Corps attack (0145), driving forcefully into the S.K. Capital Division at several separate points, causing the South Koreans to begin faltering quickly. The S.K. 17th Regiment, defending the area around Hill 445, and the 18th Regiment to the left, near Hills 334 and 448, each give ground hurriedly during the initial hours of attack. By sunrise, the enemy pushes forward about five miles and reaches the primary east-west corridor highway, about three miles east of An’gang-ni. The advance punishes the S.K. Capital Division and hammers it nearly to total disintegration. General Coulter immediately orders the 21st Regiment, which had recently deployed north of Pohang-dong, to pick up and redeploy near Kyongju. The 2nd Battalion will arrive from An’gang-ni and spread out, forming a horseshoe-shaped defense with some contingents dispersed in the high ground about two miles east of the town that dominates the Kyongju–Pohang-dong Road. The balance of the regiment moves to an assembly area just north of Kyongju. In conjunctive and simultaneous action with the orders of General Coulter, the recently activated S.K. 7th Division is ordered by General Walker to speed toward the An’gang-ni area to intercept and halt the enemy penetration there. During the afternoon, the first contingent of the S.K. 7th Division arrives in the designated area and the 5th Regiment reaches Yongch’on. Later, the 3rd Regiment (less 1st Battalion) pulls into Kyongju. General Walker attempts to give General Coulter more firepower, authorizing him to utilize the 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment, the 15th Field Artillery Battalion and the 9th Infantry Regimental Tank Battalion, all of which are posted at Yonil Airfield. The departure of the 21st Infantry Regiment from Pohang-dong and the other unfolding events there apparently place the commanding officer of the S.K. 3rd Division on edge. Colonel Emmerich alerts General Coulter that the S.K. 3rd Division is making preparations to abandon Pohang-dong. Coulter persuades the S.K. I Corps commander to issue orders forbidding the evacuation. Coulter personally reinvestigates the situation about every half-hour to ensure the troops remain in place. Still, the situation in the S.K. I Corps deteriorates throughout the day. Following darkness, the enemy pressure accelerates and the attacks liquidate the entire S.K. I Corps line. A battery of S.K. artillery is routed by the enemy prior to the dislodging of two battalions of the S.K. 5th Regiment, 7th S.K. Division. By 0220, on the morning of the 4th, following an artillery bombardment, the enemy plows into An’gang-ni. Within another hour, the S.K. Capital Division abandons its command post

September 3, 1950 there. This move is carried out without informing Company G, 21st U.S. Regiment. Adding to the dilemma, the supporting fire of the U.S. tanks is terminated at 0400, as the remaining South Koreans and the enemy forces become totally blended, frustrating the tankers, who cannot distinguish the South Koreans from the enemy troops. — In Japan: Typhoon Jane sweeps by with her roaring 110-mile-an-hour winds at just about noon, wreaking terrible havoc for more than three and onehalf hours. The powerful winds create forty-foot waves that overwhelm the dock area and imperil both man and machine, pushing both to the brink. Despite the precautions taken upon advance notice of the typhoon, nature prevails. One huge 200-ton crane is sheared from its base, as if it had been torn from cardboard. Port troops and Marines work tirelessly to forestall catastrophe, but they must struggle against unruly breakers that engulf the piers. During the desperate effort, even the massive warships are mismatched. Seven vessels are sprung from their moorings when heavy-duty steel lines, with diameters of two and one-half inches, snap like twisted paper clips. The calamity exposes the overmatched ships to the raging surf. However, the wild storm that had zoomed in from the east begins to subside by about 1530, permitting the troops to rebound and get a better grip on the situation. Fortunately, no major damage is sustained, and by 1630, the wildcat storm has passed over Kobe and begins whipping over the churning sea. The trailing tranquility is appreciated, but there is hardly time to relax, as it is time for a mandated field day. The cleanup crew is everyone and sufficient toil remains in the wake. Several ships are flooded, causing damage to the cargo. Some other vessels are put into drydock to receive emergency repairs. The cargo aboard the transport Marine Phoenix had shifted drastically during the storm causing a sharp list, but it is quickly adjusted and righted. General Field Harris, USMC, commanding general 1st MAW, and his staff arrive in Tokyo. Many of his staff move to Itami Airfield; however, General Field and several others remain in Tokyo to attend the conferences concerning Inchon. In Tokyo, Marine, Navy and Army officers meet to decide the fate of the 5th Marines and its place with regard to Inchon. General Almond, USA, former chief of staff, General Headquarters Far East Command, and now commander of X Corps, states that the 5th Marines will remain in Korea with Eighth Army and that the 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, will replace it for the invasion of Inchon. General Oliver Smith and Admirals Doyle, Joy and Struble reiterate his position concerning the 32nd Regiment’s unpreparedness for an amphibious invasion, and then Smith emphatically restates the preeminence of the 5th Marines’ presence for the Inchon invasion. Shortly thereafter, General Almond excuses himself and departs to confer with MacArthur, explaining the stalemate to him and advising MacArthur that the Navy and General Smith are not willing to strike Inchon

September 4, 1950 without the 5th Marines. MacArthur informs Almond: “Tell Walker he will have to give up the 5th Marine Regiment.” Admiral Struble offers a compromise, committing the 5th Marines to the counterattack, while the 32nd Regiment or equivalent unit from the 7th Division embarks for Korea from Japan to replace it when the fires are extinguished. The latter solution is finally accepted. On the following day, MacArthur sends General Wright to Taegu, Korea, to update General Walker and inform him of the situation. In other activity, Admiral Struble issues JTF Seven Operational Plan 9–50 (Inchon Invasion). The Task Force components are: TF-90, Attack Force, commanded by Rear Admiral Doyle; TF-92, X Corps, commanded by Major General Edward Almond; TF99, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, commanded by Rear Admiral G.R. Henderson; 4TF-91, Blockade and Covering Force, commanded by Rear Admiral W.G. Andrews (Royal Navy); TF-77, Fast Carrier Force, commanded by Rear Admiral E.C. Ewen; Logistic Support Force, commanded by Captain B.L. Austin, USN; and TF-70.1, Flagship Group, commanded by Captain E.L. Woodyard, USN. Air support operating within the Naval Force includes naval aircraft from the USS Boxer, Marine aircraft from their two accompanying escort carriers and British aircraft from a light British carrier. All aircraft missions will be controlled from the USS Mount McKinley, the flagship of the amphibious force. The planes and surface vessels are restricted, the former forbidden from operating within twenty miles of Chinese or Soviet territory and the latter under orders to remain outside the twelve-mile limit of the same countries. While the carriers of the 7th Fleet are getting resupplied this day, the operation is protected by Marine carrier-based planes operating from Ashiya Air Force Base.

September 4

Reports concerning the involvement of the Chinese in the Korean conflict have been coming into U.S. Intelligence for some time, and these observations have alleged that Chinese troops have been heading north and deploying in large numbers along the Chinese side of the Yalu River, poised for action in Korea. There is also much speculation that the Soviets are intertwined in the hostilities, by virtue of directing Chinese and North Korean activities. While various American military leaders in the U.S. and Japan are piecing together the fragments of information to determine the seriousness of the situation, some conclusive evidence is gathered this day. (See also, In Naval activity, this day.) Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, receives orders to attack to the rear to secure the alternate route (Chirwon Road). Colonel Murch’s command initiates the assault. The force drives along the road between the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 35th Regiment, leaving Company G, 35th Regiment, to hold Hill 179. Soon

296 after launching the attack, Murch is informed that Company G has been dislodged from the hill. This compels Murch to reverse direction and assist the beleaguered unit. By about noon, the mission is accomplished, and Company G is again given responsibility for the area, while Murch’s 2nd Battalion resumes the attack to clear the supply lines, expending much of its ammunition in the process. Adding to the complexity of the clearing attack against large numbers of enemy troops, the area is besieged by a tumultuous rainstorm that impedes the vision of the attacking troops. Meanwhile, the enemy continues to pour more troops into the area behind the 35th Regiment. Lacking sufficient ammunition, Colonel Murch pulls back his battalion and the men to dig in while awaiting resupply, which will not occur until the following day. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment (3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment), led by Colonel DeChow, cancels its attack toward the 24th Regiment command post. New orders direct it to drive toward Komam-ni to intercept an enemy force attacking the positions of the artillery there. At 0900, despite heavy resistance, including intense small arms fire, the 3rd Battalion plows straight ahead and drives toward the heights above the Komam-ni crossroads. The fighting remains nasty throughout the afternoon and conditions on the field worsen as torrential rains pound the area. With the help of air support, the determined effort makes progress, but the casualties continue to mount, diminishing the battalion’s strength. By day’s end, Companies I and K seize the objective and retain the heights throughout the night. On the following day, Colonel DeChow, diverted from his initial task of attacking to relieve the pressure on the 24th Regiment’s command post, will resume that mission. General Kean, aware that the strength of DeChow’s 3rd Battalion has been terribly zapped by the gruesome contest near the Komam-ni crossroads, orders Company C, 65th Engineer Combat Battalion, to be attached to the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment. Meanwhile, west of Haman, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, under Colonel Check retains control of the regained positions of the 24th Regiment. At dusk, the 1st Battalion relinquishes the ridge to the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment, and Company F, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. Consequently, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, moves out and establishes a defensive perimeter on the other side of Haman, about one and one-half miles east of the town. Colonel Champney reestablishes his 24th Regimental command post at the foundation of a hill about 300 yards west of the center of Haman. Undeterred by the savage losses inflicted upon them by the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, the enemy mounts another night attack against Haman and it is a lesson in persistence. A component of the enemy assault force, composed of about two companies, encroaches the positions of Company H, which is designated as security for the regimental command post. The command

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September 4, 1950

A solitary tree and one onlooker above the docks and rail yards at Pusan. center is on a hill along the western fringes of town. About one-half of the enemy contingent lacks weapons, but the security force departs the area without taking notice or offering even minimal resistance. Not one single shot is fired by the troops of Company H, which permits the enemy to casually pick up two abandoned machine guns and make a stealth advance toward the command post. The enemy presence becomes explicitly evident when the two captured machine guns open fire on the troops at the CP. The puny enemy detachment moves to within about 100 yards of the command post, but at that point, the North Koreans are intercepted by troops of the I&R Platoon. Following a brief exchange of grenades, the North Koreans scurry away; however, one enemy grenade lands in an ammunition vehicle and creates an illusion that a major battle is occurring within Haman. Later, three tanks enter the skirmish and the enemy is driven from the town. Meanwhile, about twenty of the nocturnal enemy marauders move discreetly and creep close to the positions of the command post of the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment, creating yet another instant stir. The North Koreans flick a few grenades and pop off some burp gun fire, which certainly stimulates the troops at the command post. Approximately forty-five regimental troops and about twenty South Korean recruits are positioned there when the fireworks begin. By sunrise, the small enemy force is beaten back, but an astonished battalion executive officer, Major Eugene J. Carson, discovers that many of his defending troops have mys-

teriously vanished. Seven wounded troops and 23 able bodied men remain with him on the hill for the conclusion of the skirmish. As Carson glances down the slope, he detects movement in the rice paddies below his command. About forty friendly troops are extricating themselves from the soggy paddies and moving toward a friendly tank, which is holding a roadblock. The stragglers offer greatly exaggerated reports of being overrun by the enemy and being driven from their positions on the hill. While this debacle is unfolding, another contingent of the 24th Regiment posted west of Haman also deserts its positions, leaving a roadblock totally unattended. One officer and about 35 to 40 troops flee toward the positions of Colonel Check’s 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, reaching there about 0500 on the morning of the 5th, with additional unfounded tales of gloom and doom. In the 2nd Division area, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector (See also, SECOND BATTLE OF THE NAKTONG BULGE, September 3, 1950), Hill 209 remains in the hands of the Spartan force of TF Manchu remnants, but the overwhelming enemy pressure has not subsided, and the menacing enemy fire continues to rake the confined perimeter. Some troops react irrationally and jump from their foxholes in a state of bewilderment, nearly guaranteeing themselves instant death. Again, no planes arrive to provide support fire, and the artillery remains silent. Undaunted, the defenders hold the line and relentlessly return fire. The

September 4, 1950 gallant stand is successful, but the men are unaware that their stalwart defense on Hill 209 has severely punished the attackers. Toward darkness, Lieutenant McDoniel decides that he must abandon the hill to save his command. He is cognizant that his remaining effective troops are each down to about one clip of ammunition and that they have expended nearly all their grenades during the quest to retain the position. But, after sundown and prior to withdrawal, the enemy signals yet another attack. It then becomes obvious that the stalwart defense had been effective. Their fortitude on the beleaguered hill pays dividends. Several enemy grenades fall into the perimeter to signal the attack; however, none of the infantry advance, despite the repeated order, “Manzai.” Finally, at 2200, after sustaining themselves for five nights and four days, Lieutenants McDoniel and Charles Caldwell (Company D), the other surviving officer begin the dangerous withdrawal. The two officers and 27 surviving troops split into small groups and head for safe territory. Sergeant Watkins, who had contributed so much to retain the hill, remains paralyzed and refuses to impede the withdrawal. According to later testimony by survivors, Watkins asks that his carbine be loaded, then placed upon his chest with the barrel directly under his chin, and it is further reported that a broad smile remained on his face as he wished them good luck on their journey. Sergeant Travis Watkins receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his unrelenting courage and leadership during the five-night four-day battle for Hill 209. Of the twenty-nine troops who move off Hill 209, twenty-two reach friendly lines. Lieutenant Caldwell is captured on the 6th, but his two North Koreans captors fail to murder him. After pounding him in the head with a rock, the enemy tosses him over a cliff into the Naktong River, but he survives and feigns death. Then after dark, Caldwell continues his escape and he eventually reaches the lines of the 72nd Tank Battalion on September 10. Nonetheless, the heroic stance on Hill 209 further adds to the laurels of the U.S. Army, as the survivors bring out important intelligence concerning the activity of the enemy in the area near the Paekchin Ferry. In about three weeks, when the Americans return to the scene of the fighting on Hill 209, the sight is ghastly. The approximate number of U.S. dead is thirty, but many of the bodies have been obliterated, and it is impossible at times to determine whether two or three Americans are in a foxhole. Fifteen of the corpses are identifiable. In other activity, General Haynes adjusts the boundary between the 23rd and 38th Regiments, relinquishing the northern sector of the 23rd Regiment to the 38th Regiment, thereby permitting the 23rd to shore up its defenses along the Pugong-ni–Changnyong Road. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, which had sped to rescue Hutchin’s 1st Battalion, remains near Hill 209. Hutchins’ 1st Battalion, 23rd

298 Regiment, departs the area and heads south to fortify the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, which is defending the southern route into Changnyong. Subsequent to its tenacious three-day stand, Hutchin’s 1st Battalion has sustained about 500 casualties, drastically draining its original strength of 1,100 troops. Nonetheless, Hutchin’s battered battalion will deploy on the left flank of the 2nd Battalion. The 23rd Regimental command post is transplanted to the rear of the 1st Battalion. Severe fighting continues in the 23rd Regiment’s sector and frequently, while fending off North Korean assaults from the front, concentrated efforts are required to eliminate constant and nagging enemy penetrations to the rear, which hinder the supply route. In conjunction, the enemy launches an especially heavy assault against the 23rd’s perimeter on September 8. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: General Wright arrives in Taegu from MacArthur’s headquarters in Japan to meet with General Walker and to inform him that General MacArthur has ordered that the Marine Brigade must be released from Eighth Army by the night of the 5th-6th. Wright also explains that the 17th Regiment, 7th Division, will be sailing from Japan on the 6th to be placed in Eighth Army floating reserve. MacArthur also sends word that the 65th Regiment, 3rd Division, due in Japan about September 18, will also be sent to Korea to further augment Eighth Army. In related activity, General Walker requests through General Wright that Eighth Army be granted permission to withhold its scheduled attack on the 15th in conjunction with X Corps until the 16th, giving Eighth Army a one day reprieve. Wright concurs with Walker on the timing of Eighth Army’s involvement, and soon after, MacArthur also approves. In other activity, General Walker directs the 24th Division to relinquish its reserve positions outside Taegu. On the following day, the 24th Division is to move to the 2nd Division sector at the Naktong Bulge to relieve the Marines who are preparing to move out and join the Inchon Invasion force. The 24th Division had endured a dreary trek, which culminated on the banks of the Naktong outside Susan’ni, where it has spent the night in a torrential downpour. Nonetheless, the relief of the Marines is canceled before execution begins. The 24th Division receives more recent orders directing it to again pick up and move to Kyongju to bolster General Coulter and TF Jackson. In the 1st Cavalry sector, the enemy (N.K. 3rd Division) continues to repel attacks by contingents of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. Based on information from a captured North Korean soldier, Hill 518 is apparently defended by about 1,200 well-supplied North Koreans. In other activity, Hill 303 is seized by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment. Fighting is prevalent throughout the 5th and 7th Cavalry zones north of Taegu. While the U.S. assaults are underway, the N.K. 3rd Division has been unfolding its own attacks, and simultaneously it pushes large numbers of troops to positions behind the U.S. lines. An overwhelming

299 contingent of North Koreans moves toward the 7th Cavalry, passing through a break between the 3rd Battalion’s positions on Hill 518 (southern slope) and the 2nd Battalion posted slightly west. At the 3rd Battalion command post on Hill 518, it seems as if the enemy is preparing to swing east to attack it, but rather, the enemy turns westward, then solidly occupies Hill 464, giving the 3rd Battalion a temporary reprieve. However, enemy-occupied Hill 464, located on the southern side of the Waegwan–Tabu-dong Road, creates new threats as the 7th Cavalry Regiment becomes sandwiched between two enemy-held hills, 464 to its rear and 518 to its front. With the severing of the Waegwan–Tabu-dong Road, the 7th Cavalry Regiment’s communications become limited to those units to the west. The recent developments within the 7th Cavalry sector compel the regiment to pull back on Hill 518. Later, on the following day, more dramatic withdrawals occur. Meanwhile, the enemy’s hopes of victory have not dwindled. Additional forces continue to penetrate the cavalry defenses and render the perimeter nearly untenable. The 1st Cavalry Division’s ammunition supply depot in Taegu also is considered possibly endangered. The rail cars are soon crammed with ammunition and prepared to roll farther south to safer positions. In conjunction, opposing rail traffic north of Samnangjin on the primary rail line ceases. The eastern rail line handling rail traffic east of Kyongju also halts. In the 8th Cavalry sector, Company D, 8th Engineer Combat Battalion, lacking rations, moves to re-secure Ka-san (Hill 902) with Company E, 8th Cavalry Regiment, transporting food, water and supplies, trailing. Company D comes under sniper fire as it prepares to lunge forward from the base of the hill to recapture it from what is supposed to be a defending force of about seventy-five enemy soldiers. However, the hill had been reinforced on the previous day, and it is now fortified by the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st N.K. Division. At about noon, the attack commences and soon after, it comes under a hail of enemy machine gun fire that slows the assault. Eventually, while the force advances cautiously, BAR fire from the 3rd Platoon eliminates the gun. Farther along the route, more enemy fire again halts progress, but artillery fire is called upon and the gun is destroyed. Company E, 8th Cavalry Regiment, trailing attacking Company D, makes little progress. The company commander is relieved when he states that he cannot advance because of the enemy mortar fire. The new commanding officer of Company E somehow breaks his glasses on some rocks, and he informs Colonel Holley, the CO of the 8th Engineering Battalion, that he, too, cannot advance. The second officer is told to get on the phone with Colonel Palmer, who is moving with Company D. Palmer orders him to attack without his glasses. Within a short while, this officer becomes wounded in the leg. Meanwhile, the attacking column of engineers

September 4, 1950 swings off the path when it ends abruptly at a ravine. The column then resumes the climb amidst more enemy fire, which continues to inflict casualties. The 8th Cavalry Regimental commander, Colonel Palmer, and his S-2, Captain Rene Guiraud, without the knowledge of General Gay, are with the attack force. During the ascent, the leader of the 2nd Platoon becomes disabled and the platoon leadership is passed to Sergeant James Vandygriff, who leads his command forward, and at about 1700, it is the first to emerge from a tunnel that passes under a ridge and the stone wall. The 2nd Platoon then pushes to the summit of Hill 755, which is the southern limb of Ka-san (Hill 902). Colonel Palmer, although only about fifty yards from the crest, is ordered by General Gay to immediately descend. Company D, comprising ninety men, establishes its command post in the tunnel to the rear of the 2nd Platoon. The platoons spread out in a semi-circle, from west to northeast, with the 1st Platoon holding the anchor on a wooded mound in the center and flanked left to right by the 2nd in the vicinity of the stone wall. The three platoons all are within the wall, but the positions of the 3rd Platoon are where the wall has fallen apart and been covered with brush. While the troops are establishing the perimeter on the summit, enemy mortar fire, originating from a ridge to the east, begins to strike the crest. The platoons, however, apparently make no request for counter-artillery fire to silence the enemy guns. Within about one-half hour, after its ascent to the crest, Company D comes under a severe attack, but most of the 3rd Platoon is unaware, because two squads have gone out toward enemy mortar positions. The enemy force, composed of about one battalion, has advanced from Hill 902. It hammers against Company D, pitting the brunt of the strike against the 2nd Platoon. The two entrenched machine guns and the made-toorder 15-foot wall add some insulation to the besieged company and Sergeant Vandygriff ’s 2nd Platoon. The assault is beaten back. Just before the attack, Lieutenant Thomas T. Jones, leading the 3rd Platoon, which had initially discovered the location of the enemy mortars, returns from a meeting with the company commander to find that his platoon sergeant had advanced with two squads toward the enemy mortars. Lieutenant Kennedy, Company D commander, is unaware of the actions of the 3rd Platoon. In the meantime, more than ten enemy troops, brandishing weapons and one machine gun, are encroaching the remaining squad of the 3rd Platoon, which remains at the fringe of the woods. Jones ventures forward to retrieve the two roving squads to bolster the line, but he departs without his radio, thinking the mission will be short. Jones locates one squad, but the other is too far out, prompting him to dispatch a runner. Lieutenant Jones is also unable to return to the 3rd squad, which remains with the company on the crest of Hill 755. In the meantime, the enemy launches an attack against the summit, and Jones’ contingent believes the North Koreans have severed the return route.

September 4, 1950 The only voices heard by the isolated troops with Jones are those of the enemy. Jones attempts to contact the 3rd Platoon. He sends out a patrol, but it returns stating that rocket launchers and two light machine guns were in place, but no troops could be found. In the meantime, the 3rd squad had rejoined Company D. Back at the command post, at 2000, Company E, 8th Cavalry, with its third commanding officer (on the same day) resumes its advance from the base of the hill to join the engineers of Company D. The unit climbs to within fifty yards of the crest by dawn of the following day, but it is stopped there by fierce enemy fire. Nonetheless, Company D retains possession of the hill throughout the night, withstanding the incessant nerve-wracking rains and several probing attacks. Lieutenant Jones (3rd Platoon), while attempting to reach the two forward squads, had heard the main attack. He becomes convinced the route back to the 3rd squad and the remainder of the company had been cut by the enemy. Lacking his radio and thinking the hill had been lost, he and his eight-man contingent attempt to make it back to friendly lines. They are captured by the enemy on September 10. Some others from forward squads of the 3rd Platoon do succeed in reaching friendly lines. In conjunction, troops of the S.K. 1st Division capture a North Korean soldier, who relates that about 800 North Korean troops occupy Ka-san, and he claims that three more battalions are approaching it from the north. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: At dawn, in An’gang-ni, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 21st Regiment, discovers that the enemy nearly has them surrounded. The South Korean troops have abandoned their positions, creating the emergency. The besieged troops hold their positions until 1810, then they scoot to safety, reaching positions near the remainder of the battalion east of the town near the bridge that spans the Hyongsan. Colonel Perez receives orders from Colonel Stephens directing him to withdraw his battalion from the area and rejoin the regiment at its positions above Kyongju. Perez leads his troops through an enemy roadblock along the Kyongju–An’gang-ni Highway on the eastern side of the river, less than five miles from An’gang-ni, but soon after, he discovers that Company G is not with the battalion. Perez is directed by Stephens to return and extricate Company G, giving the 2nd Battalion another eventful trip. The 2nd Battalion returns to the river and recovers Company G. Then, spearheaded by tanks, the battalion, as a full unit again, fights its way to safety. The tanks blast the road and the adjacent hills with fire to smooth the way. North Korean return fire knocks out three tanks by damaging their treads, but still, the 2nd Battalion successfully reaches Kyongju at about noon on the 5th. The three damaged tanks are destroyed by U.S. artillery to prevent capture by the enemy. Meanwhile, the Communists keep the pressure on the U.S. and South Korean troops. Three separate

300 North Korean roadblocks have been established within a few miles of Kyongju. In the vicinity of Pohang-dong, the S.K. 3rd Division and the Capital Division boundary lines contain a hole, comprising about two miles of undefended ground. To further exasperate the crisis, another and much greater gap exists in the mountains northwest of Kyongju. Eight miles separate the S.K. 8th Division, operating to the west, from the Capital Division. In an effort to solve the problem or at least minimize the odds, General Coulter orders the 21st U.S. Regiment to deploy in the high ground northwest of Kyongju and in the valley to intercept any North Korean advance emerging from that area. Meanwhile, the South Koreans begin to get edgy, and they are contemplating evacuating Kyongju based on their information that the North Koreans are encroaching from positions about three miles north. The S.K. I Corps commander informs General Coulter, the commanding officer of Task Force Jackson, of his intentions to abscond. Coulter instructs the South Korean commander that his corps command post would remain stationary. He installs four mobile support posts around the structure, four tanks, their barrels nosed close to the exits. Kyongju is held, but not by repulsing the enemy. The anticipated assault is never launched. Instead, the North Koreans pivot and drive east toward Yonil Airfield. General Coulter is described by some of the officers who served with him, including Colonel John Greco (G-2), as being hard to please and irritable, but Coulter is also known as an officer who refused sleep in order to preserve Kyongju. In the mountainous region between the eastern Perimeter and the Taegu Perimeter, the N.K. 15th Division advances to positions near the lateral corridor at Yongch’on. In Air Force activity, Captain Robert E. Wayne, USAF, is shot down behind enemy lines near Hanggan, but in the first rescue of a pilot by H-5 helicopter, Wayne is retrieved by Lieutenant Paul W. Van Boven. In other activity, several squadrons of C-119 Flying Boxcars arrive in Japan at Ashiya Air Base. The planes will support the operations in Korea. In Naval activity, offshore in the Yellow Sea, near the west coast of Korea, a bomber brandishing a Red Star on its wing soars over a naval screening vessel near the 38th Parallel, en route toward a group of U.S. naval warships. The enemy aircraft encounters a fighter patrol and commences firing. Instant return fire destroys the enemy plane and subsequently, crewmen of one of the destroyers in the area retrieve the corpse of one member of the aircraft. He is identified as an officer of the Soviet Union’s armed forces. On the following day, the New York Times prints the State Department press release concerning the incident. On September 7, the Times publishes the Russian version of the incident and the article includes the request by Russia for compensation for the shooting down of one of its bombers. It has not been determined if the

301

September 5, 1950

Panther jets (F9F Grumman) take off from a carrier for a mission against targets in North Korea. downed plane is one given to the Russians through Lend-Lease during World War II. In any event, the U.S. declines to acknowledge the Russian claim. In other activity, aircraft begin raids in preparation for the invasion of Inchon. These missions continue until the landing occurs. Air Force, Navy, Marine and other U.N. aircraft participate. — In Japan: The 1st Marine Division issues Operation Order 2–50, the landing force plan for Inchon. Although the reports from an agent (Lt. Clark, USN) have not yet been accumulated, the plan requires little modification when his radio reports eventually arrive from the island of Yonghung-do. The USS Mount McKinley sails from Tokyo, arriving at Kobe on the following day. The Marines will have some personnel problems — on the following day the secretary of the Navy will direct that all Marines involved with the Inchon operation who have not reached the age of eighteen must be given non-combat assignments. In other activity, Naval Forces Far East orders the fleet base at Buckner Bay to be transferred to Sasebo.

September 5

A Soviet twin-engine bomber that maneuvers in the vicinity of TF-77 is downed by car-

rier aircraft. The incident is reported to the U.N. Also, this day’s battle casualties are heavy along the entire Pusan Perimeter, totaling 1,245 troops. Army casualties stand at 102 killed, 430 wounded and 587 missing in action. The North Korean 9th and 4th Divisions have virtually succumbed to the ongoing frailties of the N.K. Army, which is now over-extended, lacking good communications and burdened by an equally poor logistics system. The two N.K. divisions have been unable to take advantage of their early successes. Nor are they able to overcome the potent power of U.S. artillery fire, air strikes and the neutralization of the T-34 tanks. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Murch, receives its needed supplies, especially ammunition (requested on the previous day) when eight planes soar overhead during the morning and deposit them on the mark, permitting the battalion to resume its attack to the rear. The advancing 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, which had initially departed the Chung-ni vicinity on September 2, pushes forward throughout the day. By nightfall it has cleared the rear supply route and has eliminated the enemy resistance in the immediate

September 5, 1950 area for a distance of about eight thousand yards from the forward perimeter of Company G, 35th Regiment. However, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, receives little rest. Colonel Murch is ordered to halt his battalion and prepare to drive northeast from there to establish contact with the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, near Haman. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment (3rd Bn., 29th Regiment), commanded by Colonel DeChow, departs its positions at the recently captured heights atop the Komam-ni crossroads and reinitiates its attack toward Haman to bolster the 24th Regiment. In other activity, there is still some trouble at Haman, caused by a small band of enemy troops, but the problem is eliminated by daybreak. At 0500, the 24th Regiment, which had abandoned its roadblock west of Haman during the night, arrives at the command post of the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment. Colonel Check is informed by the accompanying officer that an enemy force, composed of about 2,000 troops, had overrun his position at a roadblock west of Haman. Check is also told that additional 24th Regimental units had also succumbed to the enemy surge. Colonel Check immediately informs General Kean of the alleged disaster. Soon after, Check speeds one platoon of tanks and one infantry platoon to determine the criticalness of the situation in Haman. In the meantime, about 220 additional troops of the 24th Regiment are hastily proceeding to the rear, until they are abruptly halted by officers of the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment. These soldiers are ordered by Colonel Check to halt their retreat and to join the advance to Haman. Some do so immediately, yet others exhibit arrogant reluctance. Check’s troops use the ultimate persuasion, threatening the dissidents with pointed weapons, which instantly becomes an effective tactic. All the fainthearted troops then volunteer and return toward Haman for the anticipated duel with the enemy. But when the troops arrive, there is no fight. Much to the surprise of Colonel Check, the tanks roar into Haman without incident, and there is no enemy to be found. Haman is tranquil and the 24th Regimental command post, although scantily defended, is unmolested. In the 2nd Division sector, slightly before dawn, while the U.S. troops prepare to launch yet another counterattack to exterminate the remaining enemy still positioned east of the Naktong, the short-lived silence is shattered north of the 5th Marines’ perimeter in the vicinity of the east-west road. In the midst of a driving rain, the enemy springs a vicious attack against the 9th Regiment, USA, hammering Company G with the brunt of the strike. Nearby, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, perched in the adjacent heights, has a bird’s eye view and it attempts to support the 9th Regiment. Companies G, H, and Headquarters (3/5th Marines) activate their machine guns and begin slicing into the ranks of the company-strong N.K. contingent, forcing it back. Nearby at a 9th Regiment outpost, SFC Loren Kaufman, Company G, attempts to rush his detachment to

302 the aid of his besieged company, but en route, the group runs into an enemy force that is attempting to surround the command. Unhesitatingly, Kaufman begins running toward the enemy, and with a quick slash, he bayonets the lead enemy scout, killing him. As he continues forward along the ridge, Kaufman’s rifle rips shells into the enemy, while he simultaneously launches grenades. His one-man attack seemingly bewilders the enemy and prompts them to turn back. Soon after, Kaufman’s platoon arrives to bolster the remainder of Company G, but in the meantime, the enemy seizes the dominating ground and paralyzes the company in a draw. Again, Kaufman is off and running, disregarding severe enemy fire. During his daring attempt to dislodge the enemy, Kaufman’s venture carries him toward two additional enemy troops, both of whom are killed by his bayonet. Continuing further, Kaufman commandeers a dormant machine gun, with which he further rakes the enemy positions and purchases some breathing room for the immobile company. After a quick regrouping, Company G takes the offensive with Kaufman leading the attack. Upon ascending to the crest of the ridge, Kaufman decimates an enemy machine gun position, and he drives the remaining enemy from the crest. During the brief jaunt, he kills two more of the enemy with his bayonet and then he encounters a mortar position. It, too, is destroyed and its crew eliminated. But Kaufman notes that some of the enemy have escaped and are holed up in a nearby village. He gathers a patrol and moves it against the fleeing prey, quickly dispersing the stragglers by torching the village. For his extraordinary heroism and courage in the face of the enemy, SFC Kaufman receives the Medal of Honor. Meanwhile, U.S. artillery continues to catapult incessant fire to the 9th Regiment’s front, permitting the unit to repulse the enemy assaults throughout the day. In other activity, Colonel John Hill, commanding officer, 9th Regiment, is relieved of command. He is succeeded by Colonel Charles Sloane, Jr. The 9th Regiment under Sloane undergoes some changes. Lt. Colonel Barberis (23rd Regiment) replaces Lt. Colonel Joseph Walker as CO, 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, but Lt. Colonel John Londahl remains in command of the 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade area, the 1st Provisional Brigade moves from front lines to Pusan, from where the Marines will embark for the Inchon operation. (See also, SECOND BATTLE OF THE NAKTONG BULGE, September 3, 1950.) Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: Eighth Army is becoming increasingly alarmed as the North Korean offensive continues to unfold against the still thinly held perimeter. The decision to withdraw the entire perimeter to the secondary line (Davidson Line) is being considered by General Walker. But it is questionable whether Eighth Army and the South Korean troops can withstand the enemy thrust, which is striking across the entire perimeter and making gains in various areas.

303 One concern of General Walker is what the N.K. 15th Division will do now that it has gotten troops through the defenses of the S.K. 8th Division and into Yongch’on. If the N.K. 15th decides to pivot west and drive toward Taegu, it might be in position to strike the 1st Cavalry and Eighth Army from the rear. Another major concern for Walker is Task Force Jackson. If the N.K. 15th swings to the east or southeast, the task force stands in harm’s way, from either the rear or the flank. Neither option is favorable for Eighth Army. And Walker has the same serious concerns about the 1st Cavalry sector. General Gay, commanding officer, 1st Cavalry Division, subsequent to conferring with General Walker, orders the division to execute a general withdrawal during the night of the 5th-6th. At this time, Waegwan on the Divisional right is controlled by the North Koreans. The 7th Cavalry at Hill 518 is unable to utilize the lateral supply road to its rear, and it is close to being totally encircled. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, still in control of Hill 303, is delegated to provide cover fire during the withdrawal. But the 2nd Battalion is also ordered to seize Hill 464 subsequent to the withdrawal. The action requires the 2nd Battalion to disengage with the enemy to its front and initiate an attack to its rear. In the Eighth Cavalry sector, Company D, 8th Engineering Battalion, led by Lieutenant John T. Kennedy, comes under another strong attack on Hill 755 just after daylight. Kennedy’s force has nearly exhausted its ammunition and rations for the previous day have yet to arrive. Nevertheless, again, the fighting engineers repulse the enemy, but as usual, it is not an easy task. The 2nd Platoon’s radio is destroyed by enemy fire and Sergeant Vandygriff reverts to sending runners between his platoon and the company command post, while he continues to rally his troops. At one spot, while Vandygriff pauses with PFC Melvin L. Brown (3rd Squad), he notices five dead enemy troops lying next to a wall near Brown’s little piece of earth. Brown had the situation under control with the help of his BAR. In the meantime, attempts to resupply the beleaguered platoon continue. Attempts are made to airdrop supplies, but the cunning enemy matches the color code of the panel laid out by the besieged engineers. The tricked pilots inadvertently deposit the supplies over enemy positions and they mistakenly bomb and strafe the Americans. Miraculously, one dropped napalm bomb is a dud and the other causes no harm. The troops also avoid casualties during the accidental strafing runs. All the while, the enemy continues to pour fire upon the crest, and during this vicious exchange of fire, Lieutenant Kennedy becomes wounded in the leg. Meanwhile, between 1000 and 1100, Company E, 8th Cavalry, makes it to the crest, but it lacks mortars. The company commander assumes command of both units. The reinforcements deploy to the right of Sergeant Vandygriff ’s 2nd Platoon to bolster the effort to hold the hill. Lieutenant Kennedy and twelve other wounded troops then begin the descent. Meanwhile,

September 5, 1950 the enemy launches a fresh assault, but the quick action and improvisation by Vandygriff stems the rising tide. Lacking mortars, the tireless sergeant fires a 3.5 rocket launcher, and it accomplishes the desired effect. The enemy disengages. Vandygriff then directs his troops to move about the enemy dead and confiscate as many weapons and as much ammunition as possible. The dangerous scavenger hunt concludes with the acquisition of more than forty enemy rifles, an array of grenades and five burp guns. At the extreme tip of the 2nd Platoon’s zone, PFC Melvin Brown still holds his ground, but more enemy dead have begun to crowd him. Brown’s BAR has expended all its ammo, and he also has exhausted his supply of grenades, including many tossed to him from other nearby troops. Vandygriff inquires about the enemy dead near his position, which now numbers nearly twenty, and Brown responds with simplicity, explaining: “Every time they came up, I knocked them off the wall.” After running out of ammunition, Brown kept his spade cocked and he smacked the enemy’s heads to finish them off. Although the hill has been held, General Gay orders the Eighth Cavalry contingents to relinquish it at 1330. Gay is fearful that the force is insufficient to retain possession. However, communications with the defenders on the hill is poor and it is not known if word ever reaches the troops on the crest. In any event, a pouring rainstorm and a dismal fog settle over the area and the Communists take advantage. They launch another and more serious assault. The attack ignites confusion as the enemy seemingly strikes the perimeter from every direction. Vandygriff directs one badly wounded man to report to the command post in the tunnel, but he returns in about one-half hour informing Vandygriff that the command post is gone, and that the only troops there are enemy dead. The remaining troops of Company D (Engineers) and the reinforcing troops of Company E, 8th Cavalry, attempt to extricate themselves from the peak and get down the mountain. Casualties have been obviously heavy, and when Company D reassembles, it finds that fifty percent of the unit had become casualties. Eighteen men are wounded and thirty remain missing in action. PFC Melvin Brown, who had remained at his post despite his wounds, is discovered dead at his post. PFC Brown is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his tremendous courage under fire and his selfless sarifice for his fellow soldiers. One officer (Company D, 8th Eng. Bn.), wounded by machine gun fire, requests that he remain in a house to await a jeep rather than be withdrawn with the others. Soon after, his desperate screams are heard by the retiring troops. Two weeks later, when the terrain is recaptured, the officer is located in the house. The sequence of events is not known. However, the North Koreans apparently had raised the body of the wounded American officer, whose hands and feet were bound, and built a fire under him. The North Koreans, in addition to burning portions of his

September 5, 1950 body, also tore off one of his thumbs and gouged out both his eyes. By nightfall, about five battalions of North Koreans hold Ka-san and its forward slope. With the Walled City in their possession, the N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions prepare to lunge from the mountain to seize Taegu. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, attached to the 1st Cavalry Division, relinquishes its line of defense at the Yongp’o bridge at the boundary separating the 2nd Division from the 1st Cavalry Division. The unit is relieved at 0410 by the British 27th Infantry Brigade, thus initiating British participation in the ground war in Korea. In the meantime, the North Korean 10th Division continues its excursions from positions on Hill 409. Enemy units tramp through the mountainous terrain northeast of Hyongp’ung and penetrate through a hole between the British brigade and the U.S. 2nd Division. In other activity, Eighth Army draws up plans for withdrawal, subject to issuance of an order by General Walker, but no order is forthcoming. However, although Eighth Army will hold, as a precaution Eighth Army Headquarters relocates to the old fisheries college located north of Pusan, near Tongnae. In conjunction, the ROK Army Headquarters transfers to Pusan. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: At Pohangdong along the coast, the enemy ground troops and their accompanying armor steadily advance against the slim defensive line. General Coulter had concentrated on bolstering the Kyongju corridor, which could pose a serious threat to the rail and road traffic, using the respective routes to Pusan. The 19th Regiment and some other 24th Division troops who had just arrived at the Naktong on the previous day depart and head for Kyongju. The remainder of the division follows. Nearly all of the first contingent reach the town by midnight. The entire division arrives by 0700 on the following day. General Davidson, the assistant commanding officer, arrives on the night of the 5th. General Church, the commanding officer, arrives on the afternoon of the 6th. The 24th Division relocates to help check the N.K. 15th Division, which is driving toward Kongju from the lateral Taegu corridor. The S.K. 3rd Division commander, at Pohang-dong, ponders evacuation. North of the town, the enemy positions are struck by U.S. Air Force planes, which focus on a triangular area comprising the Kigye–Kyongju–Pohang-dong vicinity. Colonel Emmerich departs Pohang-dong at 0200 for Yonil Air Base to meet with Lt. Col. McMains, the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry, which is protecting the airfield. Emmerich, subsequent to the informational briefing concerning the unfolding chain of events near Pohang-dong, returns, bringing one platoon of tanks with him to fortify the town and neutralize the enemy armor. Without delay, the tanks are posted at strategic spots to await the enemy. It doesn’t take too long. By 0530, word is received by Emmerich, KMAG advisor, that

304 the 22nd S.K. Regiment had been dispersed by the North Korean attack. Consequently, the enemy receives an easy gap to funnel through. By 1100, the enemy has inched closer and begins firing, using machine guns against the tanks at Pohang-dong. In concert, five enemy self-propelled guns approach and begin to shell the American armor. From close range, the tanks prepare to fire. When the enemy reaches a point of about one block away, the tanks initiate effective fire, which destroys the point gun and ignites a furious exchange. The fiercely contested battle culminates with the speedy departure of the enemy guns. However, the enemy’s escape is not uneventful. Emmerich calls in artillery fire and air support. The combination decimates the other four guns. Although the enemy is temporarily halted, the overall situation at Yonil remains jeopardized. And the personnel at the air base are ordered (at 1435) to move all substantive equipment and supplies to a safer location. During the night (5th-6th) at midnight, Pohangdong becomes the recipient of a short burst of enemy artillery or mortar shells, but the ten rounds score enough on the shock barometer to disrupt the S.K. 3rd Division command post, convincing it to relocate. Unfortunately, the South Koreans are apparently under close observation by the enemy, and as the command moves out, it is trailed by effective enemy fire from which a byproduct develops. The commanding officer and his G-2 and G-3 officers “get sick.” Ultimately, the South Koreans abandon Pohang-dong. On the 6th, the enemy takes control of it. In conjunction, ROK Army relieves the ROK I Corps’ commanding officer and General Kim Suk Won, the commanding officer of the 3rd S.K. Division. Colonel Emmerich had called for the relief of Kim Suk Won on August 28. In the meantime, the S.K. 3rd Regiment drives from positions west of An’gang-ni and heads toward Yongch’on to plug the critical hole between the Capital and 8th S.K. Divisions. In other activity, control of the S.K. 8th Division is unmanageable for its parent I Corps, due to the distance between it and the S.K. Capital Division. At 1030, S.K. Army places the 8th Division under the control of the I Corps and it attaches the unit to the S.K. 5th Regiment (S.K. 7th Division). At about the same time that the 8th Division is being absorbed by the I Corps, the North Koreans are punching holes in its lines at Yongch’on and elements of the N.K. 15th Division push into Yongch’on. In Naval activity, the USS Badoeng Strait and the HMS Triumph accelerate their attacks against various enemy targets on the east and west coasts of Korea to attempt to keep the enemy guessing about U.N. intentions. The two carriers are supplemented on the 8th, when the USS Sicily joins the mission. The roving carrier aircraft stake out rolling trains, power stations and various enemy supply roads. These diversionary air sorties make frequent visits to Haeju, Kaesong, Kumchon, Pyongyang and Seoul, but Inchon and Wolmi-do also receive some attention. The raids cease on the 10th. In

305 conjunction, the carrier planes of Task Force 77 pound other robust enemy targets, too. The Panther jets of the U.S. Navy penetrate farther north to slam the North Korean airfields. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff are still simmering because of no response from MacArthur to their dispatch of August 28 regarding the impending Inchon operation. They send another dispatch, igniting a series of communications. MacArthur responds on the following day, explaining that his initial plans remain identical. The joint chiefs then speed yet another message to MacArthur on September 7, urging a rethinking of the entire question and directing him to dispatch an estimate of the chances of a favorable outcome. The continuing success of the enemy has caused a good deal of doubt to linger in the minds of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They are doubtful of the ability of Eighth Army to revert to an offensive, and they remain equally doubtful about the X Corps’ ability to overwhelm the enemy in the Inchon-Seoul area. MacArthur responds on September 8. In other activity, the demeaning remarks by President Truman about the Marine Corps are publicized during the Marine Corps League’s annual convention in Washington, D.C., raising a storm of protest. On the following day, President Truman appears before the Marine conventioneers and makes a humble and genuine apology, which is accepted.

September 5–September 13 1950 Admiral Doyle’s attack force begins to move toward Inchon. The Pontoon Movement Group, composed of two ATFs, three LSUs, one YTB and one YMW, depart Yokohama on the fifth. Two other vessels embark Sasebo on the 11th and join the other ships at sea. Three LSMRs will sail from Yokohama on the 9th. Tractor Element A, composed of one LSM, one AMS, one AM, one ARS, two LSDs and 36 LSTs, will depart Kobe on the 10th. Tractor Element B, composed of one ARL, one PF, one PCEC and twelve LSTs, departs Kobe on the 10th. Transport Movement Group, composed of five APAs, eight AKS, one AP and two PFs, scheduled to depart Kobe on the 12th, sails on the 11th due to impending inclement weather. The Advance Attack Group (Wolmi-do), composed of one LSD and three APDs, sails from Pusan on the 13th to join the Fleet at sea.

September 6

Eighth Army publishes its breakout attack plan, and on the following day it is sent to Tokyo for tentative approval. Subsequently, Eighth Army revises the plan (11th). By the 16th, it becomes an operations directive. In conjunction, General Walker concludes that he will place the key breakout troops under the recently reactivated I Corps. Walker begins to decide upon the I Corps commanding officer. On the 11th of September, he chooses General Frank W. Milburn, the IX Corps’ commander. In other activity, most of the remaining I Corps staff arrives in Korea by air from Fort Bragg.

September 6, 1950 Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, some of the enemy pressure subsides, due in great part to the relentless efforts of the division, and in particular the 35th Regiment. However, despite severe casualties, the enemy continues to mount new attacks against various units. Today, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Check, departs the Haman area, heading north to enjoin the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, to bolster the effort to mop up the area to the rear of the 35th Regiment, which is deployed in the heights along the Nam River. The 1st Battalion tightens the vise on the remnant enemy contingents below the Nam by condensing its area of activity while pressing forward toward the 35th Regiment. According to reports, sixteen separate enemy detachments (N.K. 7th Division) are encountered and scattered, and each enemy unit sustains severe casualties. In other activity, the 24th Regiment’s sector at Haman remains relatively quiet, but while Colonel Champney is touring his front line positions, a sniper’s bullet inflicts a severe wound upon him. Champney is immediately evacuated for medical treatment. Command of the regiment is assumed by Colonel John Corley, the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment. Corley receives a battlefield promotion that makes him a full colonel. In conjunction, the 24th Regiment undergoes more changes. Lt. Colonel Paul Roberts, temporary commander 2nd Battalion, returns to the position of regimental executive officer. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions receive temporary commanders for a few weeks until permanent commanders are appointed. Colonel Corley appoints Lt. Colonel Joseph Missal to his staff and within a short while, Lt. Colonels George A. Clayton and Melvin R. Blair will become permanent commanders of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions respectively. In the 2nd Division sector, the British 27th Infantry Brigade encounters some difficulty on its first day of action on the front. On the previous day, the British had replaced the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, at the Yongp’o bridge over the Naktong, where the boundary separates the 2nd Division from the 1st Cavalry Division. A combat patrol led by Captain Neil A. Buchanan meets heavy opposition from enemy elements that have swung down from Hill 409. The skirmishing becomes a deadly baptism under fire. Captain Buchanan and one other British soldier become seriously wounded. The casualties hinder an escape effort. Buchanan orders the balance of the patrol to break for safety. Neither Buchanan nor the other wounded soldier is ever heard from again. Enemy pressure in the area of Hill 409 is tough on the British, and the closest unit atop the hill becomes so tightly sealed off that even acquiring water is extremely dangerous. Planes deliver blocks of ice to keep the troops from attempting to carry water cans up the slopes. In other activity, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, by dawn, is departing the 2nd Division sector heading for Pusan, from where it will embark to join the 1st

September 6, 1950 Marine Division. The entire brigade will reach Pusan by the following day. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: At 1600, Eighth Army opens its headquarters at the fisheries college located between Tongnae and Pusan. General Walker and several staff officers stay in Taegu to remain closer to the front lines and to technically act as a tactical headquarters. General Walker continues his daily movement around the perimeter, using the options of his armored jeep (which doesn’t seem to have a low gear) or his liaison plane, which frequently flies at treetop levels, giving Walker an opportunity to shout orders to the troops below. The primary reason for uprooting the headquarters from Taegu is to preserve the Signal Corps communications equipment, which if lost to the enemy could not be replaced. An example would be the Marc 2, a four-van unit used for teletype and a 1,200 line switchboard, of which only one is in Korea and one is in Japan. The ROK Army headquarters, which also transferred from Taegu on the previous day, opens in Pusan at 0800. At Pusan, Brigadier General Crump Garvin instructs the service troops in the 2nd Logistical Command to be prepared to establish defensive positions around the city limits and in the nearby hills if the necessity arises. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, completes its withdrawal without incident during a driving rain. The 3rd Battalion heads west and as it moves, several separate contingents of enemy troops mistake the Americans for their own and inadvertently join the retreating column, only to become prisoners. After daybreak, the 3rd Battalion is struck by enemy tanks and mortar fire when it approaches Waegwan; about eighteen troops become casualties. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, which has provided cover fire for the withdrawal, disengages and begins to pull back at 0300, but the North Koreans notice the withdrawal and launch an attack. During the firefights, Major Omar Hitchner, the temporary battalion commander, and Captain James Milam (S-3) are among the killed. Company G moves to assault Hill 464, while the balance of the 2nd Battalion drives to capture Hill 380. But, at about daybreak, the attacking 2nd Battalion becomes caught between the enemy. Colonel Cecil Nist, the commanding officer, 7th Cavalry, believes the entire 2nd Battalion will be destroyed. Nonetheless, the assaults go as planned. Company G, isolated from its friendly units and composed of about eighty troops, nears the summit of Hill 464 at 0800. It gains some surprise and slays three enemy troops. Success ends at that point, as the North Koreans open fire and halt further progress. By afternoon, orders arrive by radio message to withdraw from the hill after dark. During the descent on the steep slope, a pounding rain adds difficulty to the pullback. The wounded are brought down on improvised stretchers, but the bodies of six slain men cannot be brought out. In addition, friendly artillery fire strikes the company as it withdraws, killing one NCO. The

306 company commander, Captain Herman West, receives a severe wound to the back when an artillery shell explodes. Although the company disperses rapidly, Captain West reforms it quickly; then the company moves with quiet discipline under explicit orders not to fire in hopes of giving the illusion that the company is an enemy unit. The ruse works and G Company redeploys defensively on the eastern base of Hill 464. During the night (6th-7th), the Weapons Platoon becomes separated. It is an uncanny evening for the Weapons Platoon, which on three separate occasions stumbles upon enemy troops moving along the same trail. Each side continues moving, but no shots are exchanged. At about dawn on the 7th, the platoon creeps up on several enemy-held foxholes on a knoll, and then it quickly takes out thirteen troops and captures three others. Nearby, the remainder of the 2nd Battalion is short on supplies, and encircled at the eastern base of Hill 380. South Korean carriers attempt to transport supplies to the beleaguered contingent, but they are unable to locate the positions. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry (Lt. Colonel Paul Clifford), holding Hill 303 on the division left, is struck by a ferocious enemy attack, prompting the battalion to request permission to withdraw. The request is temporarily denied by the regimental commander (Crombez), because he claims no withdrawal can occur until the 7th Cavalry completes clearing the withdrawal road. Hill 303 is abandoned later in the day, but not before the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, incurs severe casualties. In the 8th Cavalry zone, the North Koreans occupy Hill 570, about two miles southwest of Ka-san. They establish a roadblock along the Taegu Road about three miles below Tabu-dong, and deploy in the hills on the east side of the road and in the rice paddies on the opposite side. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: General Coulter orders the 21st Regiment, 24th Division to prepare to attack on the 7th. The regiment is to drive from Kyongju into the valley and hills northwest of the town and through the mountain mass leading toward Yongch’on. In the mountainous region between the Eastern Perimeter and the Taegu Perimeter, the N.K. 8th Division continues to struggle with its quest to reach Hayang. It advances against heavy opposition that originates in the heights above the road, where the South Koreans who hold dominating positions in the high ground are raising the tempo. The area is within a huge mountain mass that includes overwhelming Hill 928, which reaches a height of 3,000 feet, and some slightly smaller peaks on the west side of the road that extend to 2,000 feet. The combination of artillery and other weapons takes a heavy toll on the North Koreans and their advance stalls, preventing them from moving beyond the mountains to Hwajong-dong. In other activity, the N.K. 15th Division pushes contingents into Yongch’on, and it gets other troops into positions south of the town. But the town is not held.

307 Rather, the North Koreans occupy the heights south and southwest of it, giving the enemy positions atop the Taegu-Kyongju-Pusan road. In Air Force activity, in conjunction with the withdrawal of Eighth Army headquarters from Taegu, Colonel Aaron Tyler, USAF, initiates the relocation of the remaining planes of the 6147th Tactical Control Squadron to Pusan. — In the United States: President Truman, who has recently made some disparaging remarks about the Marine Corps, apologizes in a letter to General Cates. Truman also reaffirms his confidence in the Marine Corps and compliments the Corps on its heroism. — In Japan: Itami Airbase is designated the base of operations for the 1st Marine Air Wing. In other activity, a conference concerning Inchon is held aboard the USS Mount McKinley at Kobe and the opinions of General Almond and General O.P. Smith, USMC, differ when the subject of a commando raid against Kimpo Airfield is placed on the table. Almond favors it and Smith is opposed, due to his belief that the delegated Army troops have not been sufficiently trained. Smith also believes the troops could interfere with the U.S. guns. General Almond’s plan calls for recently established X Corps’ Special Operations Company, composed of 124 Army troops, commanded by Colonel Louis Ely, USA, to embark on September 10 to attack Kimpo. Almond expects the company to be reinforced by Marines. But Smith raises the objection of casualties already incurred by the Marine Brigade, and he cites another problem concerning the 500 Marines under 18 years old who were cut from the invasion, claiming the troops are not available. In addition, Smith contends that the rubber boats cannot withstand the threemile row against the tide. Concluding the effort would be futile, he opposes placing the troops in harm’s way. There is no agreement during the meeting, but subsequently General Shepherd supports General Smith, and the Marines are not attached to the mission. Also, Colonel Homer L. Litzenberg, USMC, commanding officer of the 7th Marines, arrives at Itami Airfield from Camp Pendleton in advance of his regiment. The 7th Marines, 3rd rifle regiment of the division, is scheduled to arrive in Japan on September 17.

September 7

U.S. warships detect an enemy mine off the west coast, near Chinnampo. It is the first hostile mine detected. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, maintains its attack toward the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, operating to the rear of the 35th Regiment. The ongoing operation continues to wreak havoc on the trapped enemy contingents of the N.K. 7th Division (which had apparently been responsible for the recent atrocities of captured troops of the 35th Regiment). The enemy exhibits no discretion as it breaks hastily, attempting to get across the Nam River to safety, but many troops are unable to complete the return trip

September 7, 1950 across the river. Excluding the large numbers of North Korean dead to the front of its perimeter, the burial detachments of the 25th Division are overactive. From September 1 until today, more than 2,000 enemy troops who penetrated the rear of the division are buried, and the battleground will soon be littered with more enemy dead. In the 24th Regimental zone, west of Masan at Battle Mountain, the North Koreans mount an attack and drive the Americans and South Koreans off the mountain. General Kean orders Colonel DeChow to recapture the objective with his 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment. DeChow’s command has just driven to the Haman area to reinforce the rear of the 24th Regiment. The 3rd Battalion initiates its attack against Battle Mountain, which is defended by about two companies on the summit and an additional two companies protecting the flank. The enduring struggle for control of the mountain continues for three days. In conjunction, Companies B and K, 24th Regiment, are to trail the 3rd Battalion and assume control of the summit once it is taken. In other activity, General Walker, convinced that the critical period has passed for the 25th Division, directs General Kean to release the attached 5th RCT by September 9. After sunset, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 27th Regiment, will depart from their positions near the Nam River, heading for Masan to relieve the 5th RCT. Also, Admiral Struble has ordered a diversionary landing at Kunsan as part of the strategy to keep the enemy off guard while the U.S. finalizes the invasion of Inchon. The landing is executed by U.S. Army commandos and Royal Marines who are transported by the HMS Whitesand Bay, a British frigate. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry sector, Company G is on the alert as the sun begins to rise. Four barely visible soldiers are spotted as they slowly walk toward the perimeter and it becomes apparent that the troops are unfriendly. Several shots are fired and the four are quickly eliminated, but other nearby enemy troops commence firing, and this is followed by yet more fire originating from another area. Captain West, upon hearing the secondary fire, correctly determines that it is the sound of U.S. weaponry. He leads his command toward the sound of the guns and the company is eventually reunited. The reunification also brings some fortuitous information; Company G captures a briefcase containing significant documents from a dead North Korean. The information discloses that Hill 464 is an assembly point for portions of the N.K. 3rd Division as it moves from Hill 518 toward Taegu. Later today, Captain Melbourne Chandler, acting commander 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry (since recent death of Major Omar Hitchner), receives orders to withdraw as quickly as possible from the desperate positions at the eastern base of Hill 380. In the meantime, an observation plane locates isolated Company G, and it forwards the information to

September 8, 1950 Chandler, who dispatches a patrol that retrieves the stranded company. The 2nd Battalion then moves toward the positions of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, but along the way, it nearly stumbles upon an ambush. Fortunately, the North Koreans, although dressed in U.S. uniforms, still do not resemble Americans. When they swing their helmets and yell with an accent, “Hey, this way, G.I.,” the trick becomes obvious and the battalion evades the trap by pivoting. The situation in the 1st Battalion’s area, east of the 2nd Battalion, is no better. Enemy pressure pounds the 1st Battalion, and during the heated skirmishing, the North Koreans overwhelm the battalion aid station, wounding 7 troops and killing 4. By day’s end, Division attaches the 1st Battalion to the 5th Cavalry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion and the remainder of the 7th Cavalry Regiment relocate to a point near Taegu, where it is placed in division reserve. In other activity, the 5th Cavalry Regiment is ordered to pull back farther and establish a new defensive perimeter along the primary Seoul-Taegu Road below Waegwan. Meanwhile, the North Koreans continue to push additional troops across the Naktong River. Contingents of the 3rd N.K. Division and some artillery pieces are observed as fifteen barges transport them across the river at a point about two miles north of Waegwan, during the night of the 7th. In the 8th Cavalry sector, near Ka-san, an attack is ordered by General Gay to reduce the roadblock on the Taegu Road. Five tanks of the 16th Reconnaissance Company speed into the rice paddies west of the road, and the enemy retreats expeditiously; however, the entrenched enemy troops in the hills east of the road are even more obstinate. Nevertheless, the reconnaissance troops clear the hills within several hours. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold K. Johnson, pulls back from its positions, but on the following day, the unit attacks enemy-held Hill 570. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The 21st Regiment, 24th Division departs Kyongju and drives through the valley and across the heights to reach Yongch’on, but no resistance is encountered. In other activity, General Church replaces General Coulter on the eastern front. Task Force Jackson is renamed Task Force Church at 1230. In conjunction, General Coulter leaves Kyongju for Taegu pursuant to orders from General Walker to continue working on his duties as a planner. Subsequent to his relief of Coulter, General Church recalls the 21st Regiment from its attack, deciding that it is an unnecessary use of manpower. Church is convinced that the regiment should be held closer to Kyongju. In the mountainous area between the Eastern Perimeter and the Taegu Perimeter, a contingent of the N.K. 15th Division establishes a roadblock along the TaeguKyongju-Pusan Road slightly more than three miles southeast of Yongch’on. Meanwhile, additional troops strike South Korean positions about one mile south of the town. And, the S.K. 5th Regiment, 7th Division,

308 attacks along the lateral corridor. It secures Yongch’on, and then it spreads out defensively north of the town. This successful attack by the South Koreans rings especially well for General Walker. The enemy is prevented from advancing to positions from which they might plow into the rear or flank of Task Force Jackson. At Pusan: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade completes its trek from the Naktong Front to Pusan. General Craig’s headquarters is based on the university campus. For the next week it becomes over-active. The Marines are shipping out in less than one week, preventing any practice for the upcoming amphibious invasion of Inchon. The brigade will be further burdened because it must train a recently attached S.K. Marine Brigade, comprised of 3,000 troops, in the use of weapons. These South Koreans (1st Korean Marine Regiment) are able to strip an M-1 Rifle with speed and precision, but none have ever fired a weapon. More than a few excited U.S. Marine NCOs are thrilled when the first exercise with the M-1s is completed. Each South Korean fires eight rounds and no accidental casualties occur, except among the trainees who literally take it on the cheek when they feel the recoil of their rifle. As the S.K. Marines become familiar with their new rifles, the swollen cheeks vanish. In Air Force activity, twenty-four B-29s (Far East Air Forces) attached to the 22nd Bomber Group strike a target in the northeastern sector of North Korea at Chongjin in an attempt to destroy the iron works complex facility there. — In Japan: Admiral Struble travels by plane from Tokyo to Sasebo to hold meetings and discuss the Inchon invasion plans with Admirals Andrewes, Ewen and Higgins and Captain Austin. After the discussions, Struble moves to Kobe to confer with General Almond, USA, and General O.P. Smith, USMC. These rapidpaced meetings, which have been ongoing since late August, have established the objectives and the execution plans. Initially, Wolmi-do, an island linked to Inchon, will be swept clean by one attacking battalion of Marines during the early morning tide (0630). During the later tide (1700), the main invasion (1st Marine Division, minus one RCT) will seize a beachhead at Inchon, landing on “Red,” “Yellow” and “Blue” beaches. The establishment of the beachhead will be followed by the seizure of Kimpo Airfield and positions on the Han River line (west of Seoul). Also, the plan calls for administrative landings by the U.S. 7th Division (reinforced) and X Corps troops, during second and third echelon landings at the city of Inchon at a time designated by General Almond, commanding officer, X Corps. The plan also incorporates the fast carriers, escort carriers and naval surface vessels for bombardment and troop cover, in close cooperation with the entire operation.

September 8 The 1st Marine Brigade at Pusan begins to embark for the invasion of Inchon. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, west of Masan at Battle Mountain, the 3rd

309 Battalion, 27th Regiment, continues its counterattack to regain the mountain’s summit, but fierce resistance hinders progress. In the 2nd Division sector, at 0230, elements of the N.K. 2nd Division, supported by heavy artillery fire, commence a vicious assault against the 23rd Regiment, intending to pierce the line to drive east. Initially, the attack pushes Company F from its positions, and in the process, all the officers become casualties. The sudden surge endangers the complete regimental perimeter, and the inclement weather provides little solace. Lieutenant Ralph Robinson, 2nd Battalion adjutant, bolts into action and takes command of the besieged company, and he then attempts to restore order. Meanwhile, the enemy is moving through the perimeter and forming a deadly circle. Robinson disregards the danger and dashes 500 yards through a penetrating rain and the grim darkness to safely reach the positions of Company A. Then he returns, bringing a reserve platoon (Co. A) with him to reform the staggered line. By daybreak, the enemy is repelled. The crushing pressure subsides until dusk, but then more strong attacks are launched to disintegrate the line. However, again, the North Koreans are repeatedly repulsed throughout the night and into the following morning. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, elements of the N.K. 3rd Division strike the left flank about three miles east of Waegwan and dislodge the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry. The attack forces the battalion into gruesome struggles on both Hill 203 and Hill 174. The battle for control of the two hills swings back and forth, with each side exchanging occupancy during the bloody fighting. The attached 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, prior to rejoining its regiment, takes Hill 174, subsequent to launching four strong attacks. In the 8th Cavalry sector near Ka-san, enemy artillery pounds the positions of the 9th and 90th FABns, compelling two batteries to fall back. In other activity, General Walker orders the 1st Cavalry Division and the S.K. 1st Division to launch a combined attack to recapture Ka-san and Hill 902. The 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold K. Johnson, launches an assault to seize Hill 570, about eight air miles from Taegu and held by about 1,000 Communist troops. The three peaks of the mountain are below clouds, eliminating air, artillery and mortar support. Colonel Johnson sends his three rifle companies toward the crests of the three peaks. One peak falls without resistance and another is taken subsequent to the Americans surprising some sleeping enemy troops. But the defenders of the third and highest peak raise rigid resistance, repelling the attack by Company L. A strong counterattack by the enemy recaptures the peak where the sleeping enemy troops had been surprised and overrun. The 1st Cavalry Division prepares to send the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, commanded by Lt. Colonel James Lynch, to take another shot at Hill 570, but in the meantime, the North Koreans strike south at Hill

September 8, 1950 314, and also against Hill 660, east of Hill 570. The enemy surge postpones the cavalry’s assault. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: General Church relocates the command post of Task Force Church from Kyongju to a point four miles farther south, outside Choyang-ni, on the assumption that the post could more easily fend off an attack in the open ground than in a congested village. Meanwhile, the South Korean Capital Division and the North Koreans continue heavy skirmishing in the hills bordering the valley, between An’gang-ni and Kyongju. Just after midnight (8th-9th), the recently arrived 3rd Battalion, 19th Regiment, feels the sting of the enemy. Company K, deployed on Hill 300 about midway between An’gang’ni and Kyongju, is unable to repulse the attack and is pushed from the hill. Attempts to regain the ground on the following day are repelled by the enemy. Fighting will continue for the ground, and on the 11th, a contingent of the S.K. 3rd Division recaptures the hill. In the mountainous area between the Eastern Corridor and the Taegu Perimeter, the N.K. 8th Division continues to take a shellacking from the S.K. 6th Division in the vicinity of Hwajong-dong. The enemy division is near annihilation. In one battalion sector of the 83rd Regiment, 8th N.K. Division, the captured diary of a soldier, Pak Han Pin, relates: “We suffered miserably [since Sept. 2nd]. Heavy casualties from fierce enemy air, artillery and heavy machine gun attacks. Only 20 remain alive out of our entire battalion.” However, the enemy division continues the fight, refusing to relent despite the enormous casualties being racked up. In other activity, the North Korean 15th Division contingents, positioned near Yongch’on, receive reinforcements who arrive and recapture the town. Meanwhile, additional South Korean troops are driving from the Taegu Front. The 11th Regiment, 1st S.K. Division, arrives during the afternoon and launches an immediate counter-attack, which re-secures most of Yongch’on. But some enemy contingents deployed southeast of the town retain control of the railroad station and others are scattered along the road leading toward Kyongch’on. At Pusan: The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade continues to prepare for embarkation to a point unknown. The imminent invasion of Inchon remains secret, but rumors of all sorts persist. At one point before the brigade departs, there is a large formation near the docks and a long litany is read aloud explaining the specifics of the waters off Kunsan. Legions of enemy spies are in Pusan and it is hoped that the information is absorbed and dispatched to the North Korean military. The Marine scuttlebutt continues, but Kunsan is now definitely stricken from their list of targets. Nonetheless, Kunsan continues to be struck by air and naval surface vessels. Also, the Marine Brigade commander, General Craig, receives some encouraging words from General O.P. Smith: “I appreciate the beating you are taking in coming out of action and mounting out. Only Marines could do what you are doing....

September 8, 1950

310

Map of Inchon Invasion September 1950.

311 The Brigade has done a splendid job in South Korea and we are all proud of you.” In Air Force activity, the 18th Fighter Bomber Group (formerly 18th Fighter Group) that had been pulled from Korea during the previous month returns and is reestablished for operations from the Pusan area at Tongnae. —In Japan: General MacArthur, responding to several messages from the Joint Chiefs of Staff concerning the Inchon operation, dispatches his answer, weaving the sentences with his usual effectiveness and nearly guaranteeing the persuasion of the recipients: “There is no question in my mind as to the feasibility of the operation and I regard its chance of success as excellent. I go further and believe that it represents the only hope of wresting the initiative from the enemy and thereby presenting an opportunity for a decisive blow. To do otherwise is to commit us to a war of indefinite duration, of gradual attrition and of doubtful results.... There is no slightest possibility ... of our force being ejected from the Pusan Beachhead. The envelopment from the north will instantly relieve the pressure on the south perimeter and, indeed, is the only way that this can be accomplished.... The success of the envelopment movement from the north does not depend upon the rapid juncture of the X Corps and the Eighth Army. The seizure of the heart of the enemy distributing system in the Seoul area will completely dislocate the logistical supply of his forces now operating in South Korea and therefore will ultimately result in their disintegration. This indeed, is the primary purpose of the movement. Caught between our northern and southern forces, both of which are completely selfsustaining because of our absolute air and naval supremacy, the enemy cannot fail to be ultimately shattered through disruption of his logistical support and our combined combat activities....” MacArthur closes the message, exclaiming that the reasons stated are why the operation is unfolding as planned. On the following day (9th in Japan and 8th in Washington), the MacArthur charm again has its way. The Joint Chiefs respond: “We approve your plan and President has been so informed.” In other activity, Tactical Air Command X Corps is activated today; its components will arrive in Japan this same day. In conjunction, Brigadier General Thomas Cushman, USMC, is appointed TAC X Corps commander.

September 9

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the 35th and 27th Regiments continue mopping up along the perimeter, despite incessant rains that had begun on the previous day. The inclement weather has swollen the Naktong by about two feet, preventing enemy forces from crossing it in large numbers. Meanwhile, Colonel Fisher, commanding officer, 35th Regiment, moves about the rear areas that had been consumed with tenacious fighting. He is seemingly mystified by the colossal numbers of enemy dead still splattered throughout the battlefield. Recall-

September 9, 1950 ing the scene later, Fisher remarks: “The area of Trun in the Falaise Gap in Europe couldn’t match it.” The conspicuous and sickly sight of armies of flies feeding on the enemy dead prompts Colonel Fisher to relate further: “Flies were so thick on some areas it limited vision.” In other activity, the Namji-ri bridge over the Naktong, defended by the 1st Platoon, Company F, 35th Regiment, is inadvertently bombed by the Air Force. One 500-pound bomb destroys the bridge, which the enemy has been unable to seize since the offensive began. The heroic stance by Company F’s 1st Platoon had been sterling and the bridge that had connected the 25th Division with the 2nd Division had been dubbed “Vickery’s Bridge” in honor of Lieutenant Vickery and his bulwark platoon. The 35th Regiment has become fond of many of its individual weapons and has given them nicknames, such as “The Little Professor,” dubbed by Colonel Fisher. It became notorious as the 155 howitzer that fired effectively from Komam-ni into the N.K. 6th Division supply line, which moved across the notch. Not to be outdone, the 1st Platoon, Company F, 35th Regiment, which has guarded the bridge with the support of one tank and one 105-mm howitzer, dubs its sole gun “Peg O’ My Heart.” Lieutenant Vickery and his small band have repelled nightly assaults against the Namji-ri bridge, apparently playing a much larger part in the battle to halt the enemy offensive than realized by the platoon. According to the thoughts of some of the commanding officers, the North Korean forces could possibly have pushed without obstruction to Pusan had the bridge been bypassed. In the 27th Regiment’s zone, west of Masan at Battle Mountain, the 3rd Battalion again resumes its counterattack to recapture the summit. Company I, led by Captain William Mitchell, streaks to the crest, and close-quartered fighting ensues to dislodge the wellentrenched enemy. Trailing right behind, Company L ascends to the top, but even the combined force is insufficient to take the summit. Both units are pushed down the slope. Later, during the afternoon, the attacking force disengages and pulls back to positions about 1,000 yards east of the mountain (the heights it had captured on the first day [7th] of the counterattack). Soon after, the 25th Division directs the 3rd Battalion to redeploy near Masan. Subsequent to the withdrawal of the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, U.S. artillery, mortars and air strikes continue to hammer Battle Mountain. During the evening of the 9th, Colonel Corley, the recently appointed commander of the 24th Regiment, aborts the mission of retaking Battle Mountain. Corley’s strategy is to redeploy Company K, 24th Regiment, and Company C, 65th Engineer Battalion, on the lower elevated hill just east of Battle Mountain and to fortify the command by encircling it with barbed wire and minefields. Corley also concentrates on all approaches to the command, giving the artillery and mortars zeroed positions to fire upon in case of attack.

September 9, 1950 The North Koreans initiate repeated assaults during the coming days, but each is driven back by Company K and the engineers. In essence, the North Koreans control the strategic heights of Battle Mountain, but the initiative of the 24th Division elements and their supporting artillery fire prevent any enemy exploitation from there. Nonetheless, the North Koreans set the stage to seize P’il-bong, situated about one air-mile southeast of Battle Mountain. P’il-bong, elevated about 250 feet more than Battle Mountain, will be struck during the early morning hours of the 14th. In other activity, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 27th Regiment, arrive at Masan from their Nam River front line positions, relieving the 5th RCT. Colonel John “Mike” Michaelis assumes command of the area at 1500, and his “Wolf hounds” take to defending the zone. The 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, disengages at Battle Mountain as previously mentioned and moves to Masan to join the balance of the regiment there on September 11. Also, the 5th RCT will depart on the following day and upon arrival at Samnangjin, it will transfer to Eighth Army reserve. In other activity, General Kean, distressed by the performance of the 24th Regiment since its initiation into battle during August, suggests that the 24th Regiment be relieved of combat and that it be disbanded and its troops placed into separate units as replacements. Kean remarks: “It is my considered opinion that the 24th Infantry Regiment has demonstrated in combat that it is untrustworthy and incapable of carrying out missions expected of an infantry regiment.” Most of 24th regimental officers and large numbers of the Negro NCOs and enlisted personnel also agreed with Kean’s conclusions. Many of the Negro troops of the 24th Regiment stood tall and held their positions despite the odds during the crucial battles involving the regiment, and their bravery and performance had been excellent. On the other side of the discussion, some placed the blame on what they considered the poor quality of the white officers and the equally poor training the Negro troops received, but according to the Army, it placed officers of “unusually high caliber” with the 24th Regiment to provide strong leadership. Nonetheless, the battlefield performance of the regiment remains poor. General Walker takes no action on General Kean’s request, ostensibly because so many variables are present in Korea at present, making the changes infeasible. Subsequently, the 24th Regiment maintains its status as a Negro regiment for another year, and after that its members will be utilized as replacements and transferred to other Eighth Army infantry outfits. In the 2nd Division sector, the N.K. 2nd Division’s attempt to destroy the lines of the 23rd Regiment continues and the ranks of the regiment are rapidly thinning from the violent struggle. Continuous lines of wounded are brought to the medics, who work frantically to save the troops. In conjunction, the Air Force rushes its support, plastering the fringes of the imperiled perimeter to buy some additional time. Every avail-

312 able man, including those from Headquarters Company, is thrown into the battle. At one point during the desperate crisis, the number of reserve troops dwindles to six men. Nonetheless, by noon, an exhausted and depleted 23rd Regiment derails the attack and guts the offensive capability of the N.K. 2nd Division in the process. The 23rd Regiment has lost more than sixty percent of its combat efficiency. In contrast, the N.K. 2nd Division, although still able to launch harassing raids behind the lines near Changnyong, has been thoroughly thrashed during the initial two weeks of fighting in September. According to information given by Lieutenant Lee Kwan Hyon, medical officer of the N.K. 17th Regiment, 2nd Division (captured several days later), the unit has sustained 1,300 killed and 2,500 wounded during the battles west of Changnyong, and an average number of casualties transported to a hospital in Pugong-ni has been about three hundred per night. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: The area is still covered by heavy clouds and horrid rain storms, preventing nearly all air support for ground actions, but nonetheless, the heavy fighting continues. To the left of the valley north of Hill 300, where the North Koreans are maintaining control, the S.K. 17th Regiment, supported by artillery fire (13th Field Artillery Bn.) attacks and captures Hill 285, then holds it against subsequent enemy counterattacks throughout the 9th. The S.K. 18th Regiment makes some gains during its drive on the eastern side of the valley. In other activity, the North Koreans have continued penetrating the area in large numbers. Contingents of the N.K. 5th Division begin to put a noose around Pohang-dong, wedging troops south, southwest and west of the town. Southwest of Yonil Airfield, more than 1,500 enemy troops reach Hill 482 and Hill 510, giving the enemy positions less than five miles from the airfield and in close proximity to the two S.K. Regiments, which posted south of the Yonil Airfield along the west side of the valley. By dusk, General Church establishes TF Davidson, composed of the 19th Regiment (minus 3rd Battalion), the 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment, and the 13th FABn. The force is further augmented by Battery C, 15th FABn, Company A, 3rd Engineer Battalion, two antiaircraft automatic weapons batteries, some other miscellaneous units and the 9th Regimental Tank Battalion. Task Force Davidson, designed to ensure the life expectancy of Yonil Airfield, departs from the Kyongju area on the following day; however, heavy enemy penetration has choked off most routes from the town to Yonil, compelling the task force to maneuver southward to complete the journey. In the mountainous area between the Eastern Perimeter and the Taegu Perimeter, the N.K. 15th Division disregards its severe losses and apparently miscalculates the South Korean resistance, as it continues its drive toward Yongch’on. In the meantime the beleaguered S.K. 8th Division has been bolstered by two new regiments. The N.K. artillery is at the front of the drive,

313 but lacks infantry support. The surrounding hills are consumed with South Korean firepower, including the recently arrived 5th and 11th S.K. Regiments, 7th S.K. Division. Massive exchanges of artillery fire occur between the two sides. The enemy artillery units expend their supply of shells; the return fire decimates the North Korean artillery and the barrages slay the commanding officer. The South Korean regiments, using a familiar North Korean tactic, begin encircling the disorganized enemy forces in this area and by the following day, the N.K. 15th Division is destroyed along the Kyongju Road, southeast of Yongch’on. Inchon vicinity: Lieutenant Clark, USN, maintains his operation on Yonghung. On the previous day, Clark’s small force had won a small victory at sea against an attacking enemy force that had been moving from Taebu in Sampans. On this day, the destroyer USS Hanson and aircraft from the USS Badoeng Strait lambast enemy-held Taebu. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces Bomber Command initiates an interdiction operation to impede the enemy advances against Taegu by striking marshalling yards and other selected targets along the enemy-controlled rails. In Marine Corps activity, Captain Leslie E. Brown, attached to an Air Force fighter bomber squadron, participates in a combat mission on this day to become the first Marine jet pilot to fly against an enemy force. — In Japan: General MacArthur, aware of the desperate situation in Korea concerning the dangerous level of remaining ammunition, dispatches an urgent request to two transports carrying ammunition to Yokohama, Japan, and Pusan, Korea. The message urges the vessels to speed as fast as possible, but not to endanger the vessels’ safety, to deliver the supplies earlier than the anticipated arrival date of September 11. The ongoing Communist attacks against the entire Pusan Perimeter are seriously draining the ammunition stock, especially the howitzer shells. In other activity, General Smith, CO, 1st Marine Division, receives a recommendation from General Almond calling for one battalion of the 32nd Infantry Regiment to land on Wolmi-do Island late on the 15th, and from there it is to speed across the causeway to capture the high ground south of Seoul. Smith is requested to provide five Marine tanks to cover the 32nd’s 20-mile inland advance. General Smith is disinterested in the plan, convinced that it is logistically infeasible, especially since Marine artillery battalions will be landing there as scheduled. In conjunction, when the invasion unfolds, X Corps lands the 32nd Regiment on the 18th.

September 10

Eighth Army further reduces the ration of howitzer shells per unit from fifty per day to twenty-five. The order has apparently taken on a sense of humor, as it stipulates “except in cases of emergency.” The 17th Field Artillery Battalion, is unaffected by the order. It is the first artillery unit requiring 8-inch shells

September 10, 1950 to arrive in Korea; however, the unit totally lacks ammunition for its guns. Inchon vicinity: U.S. aircraft strike Inchon and Wolmi-do Island, the latter receiving napalm deliveries by Marine planes. Sixty-five sorties are flown against Inchon. The Marine pilots of TF-95.5 deliver the napalm to destroy trees on Wolmi-do that are hiding the enemy artillery. Initially, eight planes (VMF-214) and six aircraft (VMF-323) are launched from their carriers at 0600. Shortly thereafter, the eastern portion of Wolmo-di becomes an inferno. The smoke is so thick that the second contingent of fourteen planes is compelled to circle the area momentarily while the smoke dissipates, before they can strike their target area. The second attack group is met by some anti-aircraft fire. A third contingent composed of fourteen planes departs the carriers slightly before noon and following their devastating attack, the entire island of Wolmo-di resembles one huge barbecue. The island is permeated with smoke and fire. On the following day, the carriers, USS Badoeng Strait and the USS Sicily return to Sasebo, Japan, to get re-supplied; however, other Navy pilots (TF-77) will resume the attacks during the interim. In other activity, the South Korean Vessel PC-703, commanded by Lt. Commander Lee, encounters a North Korean ship of sail in Haeju Bay and his crew places a well-aimed shell into it. Surprisingly, the sailboat is loaded with mines (manufactured in Russia) and it explodes. The intrepid South Korean PC-703 maintains its aggressive actions to aid the cause, seeking out and destroying enemy sampans. Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector at Masan, an operation to evacuate civilians is underway. General Kean, aware of the infiltration of enemy agents, had ordered the civilian evacuation of Masan, with some limitations. Police, required laborers and their families, railroad employees, utility workers and public officials are permitted to remain in the town. On the following day, about 12,000 people depart Masan by LSTs. Enemy sympathizers include the leader of the guards at the local prison, known to be the leader of a Communist cell. Another noteworthy Communist is Han Gum Jo, the manager of the Korean Press Association in Masan. Also the chief of the South Korean Labor Party, Han Gum Jo admits to feeding intelligence information to the enemy forces. In other activity, the 25th Division issues G.O. 134, directing that the 3rd Battalion, 29th Regiment, become operational as the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, and that the 1st Battalion, 29th Regiment, become the 3rd Battalion, 35th Regiment, effective this day. The changes had initially been authorized on September 2nd by EUSAK G.O. 49. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the bulk of its combat units are deployed to defend the right flank north of Taegu. The 5th Cavalry is posted about eight air-miles northeast of Taegu, dispersed among the hills overlooking the Waegwan Road. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry (attached

September 11, 1950 to 8th Cavalry) is deployed on Hills 181 and 182, along the Tabu-dong Road (six air miles from Taegu) to the rear of the 8th Cavalry. The 8th Engineer Battalion, still operating as an infantry unit, is posted on the left of the 5th Cavalry. The 8th Engineer Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel William C. Holley, is delegated to guard a strategic bridge east of Taegu that spans the Kumho River near its confluence with the Naktong River. Near Ka-san, Lieutenant Thomas T. Jones, 3rd Platoon, Company D, 8th Engineering Bn., and eight other troops who had been with him since the fighting on Hill 755 on September 4-5, are captured by the North Koreans. Jones and the other captives are taken to the crest of Ka-san. Subsequently and without explanation, Lieutenant Jones and three other captured troops will be released near Ch’unch’on. The four men make it to the perimeter of the S.K. 6th Division. An American observation plane soars overhead, but the 400–500 enemy troops on the crest are not discovered, because no air strikes follow. In the ROK 1st Division sector on the right flank of the 1st Cavalry Division, the N.K. 1st Division attempts to infiltrate its 2nd Regiment, but the South Koreans are prepared. The enemy contingent, composed of about 1,200 troops, departs its positions near Ka-san, reaching the crest of P’algong-san Mountain at about dawn. Soon after, the attack is launched. The attacking troops, primarily new replacement troops, are cajoled to charge by sinister methods. Active burp guns to their rear ignite an unruly charge that is met head-on and repelled by deadly accurate South Korean fire, which mauls the assault force and kills or wounds nearly 800 of the enemy. In other activity, contingents of the 1st Cavalry Division attack to gain a hill near Kasan. Severe enemy machine gun fire stops the advance. Corporal Gordon M. Craig, reconnaissance company, and four other cavalrymen advance to eliminate the nest, but soon after, an enemy grenade is thrown toward the Americans. Craig dives on the grenade to save the others, taking the full blast. Inspired, the four survivors bolt forward and decimate the enemy crewmen and the gun. Corporal Craig is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless heroism. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: At Yonil Airfield, the personnel anticipate the arrival of reinforcements. TF Davidson arrives at Yongdok-tong about one mile south of the airfield at 1900. Colonel Emmerich and General Davidson, whose plane had landed on the highway at Yongdok-tong earlier in the day, are both on scene to meet the task force. Davidson’s flight from Kyongju observed no enemy presence along the route, but he is informed by Colonel Emmerich that the enemy has seized Hill 131, located on the southern side of the boundary line separating the two S.K. Regiments posted in front of Yonil in defensive positions. After a brief meeting, Emmerich and Davidson decide that the South Koreans must commence a night

314 attack to retake the ground to afford cover fire on the following day, when the task force drives through the S.K. positions to seize Hill 482, the primary enemyheld hill. After dusk, the South Koreans mount a successful assault and recapture Hill 131. In support of the assault, Captain Walter Hutchins (KMAG) leads the 3rd S.K. Engineer Battalion, which fights as infantrymen, adding some extra muscle to the fight. Also, by this day, each of the six operational South Korean Divisions has been bolstered by one U.S. howitzer (105s) battalions. In the mountainous area between the Eastern Perimeter and the Taegu Perimeter, elements of the 5th and 7th Regiments, 7th S.K. Division, and elements of the S.K. 8th Division successfully conclude the battle with the N.K. 15th Division, rendering it finished as a fighting unit. The enemy division loses many high ranking officers. During this day’s fighting, the S.K. 8th Division, rejuvenated by the arrival of reinforcements and the strenuous actions of KMAG officers to corral stragglers and stray troops to refill the ranks, moves along the Yongch’on–Kyongju Road, clearing it of the enemy. During the operation, much equipment is captured, including six howitzers, two tanks, some antitank guns and one self-propelled gun. In addition, the S.K. 5th Regiment, 7th S.K. Division, and other contingents of the S.K. 8th Division drive north beyond Yongch’on in pursuit of the fleeing remnants of the N.K. 15th Division. The pursuit encounters minimal opposition. — In Japan: Between this day and the 11th, sixty vessels transporting cargo for the Inchon invasion force embark Kobe. In other activity, a plan conceived by General Almond to launch a surprise attack against Kimpo Airfield near Inchon is executed on schedule. Special Operations Company (X Corps), commanded by Colonel Louis Ely, embarks Kobe on a British frigate to rendezvous with a South Korean picket boat off Korea. On D-day (September 15), the soldiers are to be taken to a point from which they must row several miles to shore and attack the airfield in concert with the main invasion of Inchon. Ely’s command embarks on schedule and makes the approach, but in the final moments, a decision is reached to abort the mission due to the rowing distance involved with rubber boats.

September 11 General Walker transfers General Frank Milburn (IX Corps commander) to I Corps, which he will command. Milburn assumes responsibility for I Corps on this day at Taegu, replacing General Coulter. Coulter will assume command of IX Corps on the 12th at Miryang. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry sector, north of Taegu, the fighting is ferocious, but nonetheless perplexing. Company E, 5th Cavalry, operating on the divisional left and composed of only three officers and sixty-three men, attacks Hill 203, while the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry stabs futilely at Hill 570. In the meantime, the North Koreans capture

315

September 11, 1950

The USS Boxer en route to Japan. The carrier is transporting 96 F-51s and 14 other planes. the crest of Hill 314, adjacent to Hill 570, changing the dimension of the confusion. While the enemy drives the 16th Reconnaissance Company from Hill 314, the recently arrived S.K. 5th Training Battalion manages to forestall total disaster by maintaining a hold on the reverse slope. In addition, the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, disengages on Hill 570 and speeds to nearby Hill 314 to attempt to recapture it. The South Koreans launch two successive assaults, reaching the summit on both occasions. But being unable to retain possession, the ROKs pull back and deploy on the lower southern slopes. On the following day, the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, which is presently deployed in a blocking position, will attempt to seize Hill 314. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: During the previous night, the South Koreans recaptured Hill 131, giving it positions from which cover fire can be laid out for Task Force Davidson. TF Davidson commences its attack to reduce the enemy resistance on Hill 482. The 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, takes the point by moving out and passing through the South Korean positions, slightly south of Hill 131. The 1st Battalion makes expeditious progress by advancing two miles and taking control of the first hill mass west of the jumpoff line without incident by 0930.

In leap-frog motion, the 2nd Battalion jumps ahead of the 1st Battalion and attacks toward the objective, Hill 482 (Unje-san). The contrast is stark. The 2nd Battalion is driving west, but the objective is at the opposite side of a one-mile gorge with sheer slopes and menacing enemy machine guns that are well fortified. The attack is repelled for the balance of the day because the battalion is unable to dislodge the machine guns. But, on the following day, four Australian planes arrive and loosen the resistance by depositing napalm. After cessation of the air strike, artillery commences a powerful bombardment. By noon on the 12th, the 2nd Battalion scales the steep slopes and seizes Hill 482. Soon after capturing the objective, the task force is relieved by South Korean troops, who assume responsibility of the area. Task Force Davidson, subsequent to its relief, descends to the valley. In other activity, Hill 300, located north of Kyongju and about midway between it and An’gang-ni, is seized by one regiment of the S.K. 3rd Division, culminating about one week of combat. The 3rd Battalion, 19th Regiment, which had been involved with the struggle for Hill 300, moves up and relieves the South Koreans. It was Company K, 3rd Battalion, that had been driven from the hill during the night of the 8th-9th. The 3rd

September 12, 1950 Battalion, 19th Regiment, pays an expensive price for their participation. It sustains the loss of 29 enlisted men and 8 lieutenants. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion, 19th Regiment, is attached to the 21st Regiment during this period of fighting. Subsequent to clearing Hill 300 of the North Koreans, the victors encounter an abundance of weapons, other equipment and supplies (some U.S. made). In addition, the bodies of 257 enemy troops are left on the slopes. By this day, the North Korean endeavor to conquer the territory in the eastern Pusan Perimeter seemingly has become tepid and is approaching termination. The N.K. 12th Division has sustained huge losses, rendering it totally ineffective, and its survivors are being hotly pursued by the S.K. Capital Division. Pursuit is guided by observation aircraft, which discover many enemy groups moving both north and east. Meanwhile, the S.K. 3rd Division chases the retreating N.K. 5th Division, which is making an effort to regroup its forces near Pohangdong. In Naval activity, as a precaution against enemy mines, Admiral Joy orders the U.N. Blocking and Escort Force (primarily U.S. ships) to remain outside the 100-fathom line along the east coast of Korea to avoid unnecessary contact with enemy mines. — In Japan: The 1st Marine Division departs Kobe by sea for Inchon, while the 7th Infantry Division, USA, leaves Yokohama. The warships sail just ahead of another approaching typhoon: Kezia, which is expected to swoop in from the southwest and strike the Korea Straits on September 12-13. Admiral Doyle and General O.P. Smith depart Kobe at 1030 aboard the USS Mount McKinley. The voyage is extremely rough due to the storm. Meanwhile, the USS Boxer is closing on Japan, transporting its complement of 96 planes and an additional fourteen aircraft. Typhoon Kezia forces the Boxer to launch the extra fourteen planes, dispatching them to Okinawa. In conjunction, the 5th Marines will sail from Pusan, Korea, on the 13th and join the fleet at sea. Also, the massive suction of ground forces from Japan makes that country extremely vulnerable to attack, should the Soviets or China choose to retaliate because of the Inchon operation.

September 12 U.S. fighting men have had more than a fair share of bad days since their arrival in Korea, and this day is definitely not one of their favorites. While the various units have been tramping through the mud and rain and tracking the enemy, there has been a bitter controversy concerning them and some of their rations. There had been no apparent furor over the poor weapons, the lack of proper equipment and ammunition, nor has there been any investigations to determine why so many American units have been gutted and unprepared for battle, but word has reached the States that the fighting men have been receiving occasional free beer through rations, similarly to the way they receive cigarettes and candy. The argument

316 is raised by various organizations and at one point, it is discussed on the floor of the U.S. Congress. Acquiescing to the pressure, the Army directs the Far East Command to designate September 12 as the final day for free beer. Beginning on the following day, the troops will be required to pay for beer, and it remains available at the PXs. There are not many post exchanges within short distances from the front lines. A Congressman who defended the beer rations expresses his thoughts: “Water in Korea is worse than the bullets.” And the stereotyped response of the foot soldier is: “We are doing the fighting over here and it gets pretty bad. One can of beer never hurt nobody.” Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry sector, contingents of the N.K. 3rd Division launch fierce but unsuccessful attacks against the 5th Cavalry Regiment on Hill 203, but early on the following day, the enemy retakes the hill. In the 7th Cavalry zone, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, moves to Hill 660 and relieves elements of the S.K. 1st Division there. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, prepares to attack Hill 314, west of Hill 660, but first, it is compelled to eliminate enemy troops who have penetrated its perimeter. Then, it will initiate an unusual siege. The enemy defenders on the hill, many of whom are equipped with American rifles and carbines, are clothed in U.S. uniforms, including G.I. boots and helmets. The 3rd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel James H. Lynch, is forced to attack without supporting artillery fire due to the shortage of ammunition. The troops jump off at 1100, following an air strike against the enemy positions on Hill 314. Company I, commanded by Lieutenant Joseph A. Fields, and Company L, commanded by Captain Robert W. Walker, from the lines of the 8th Cavalry, bolt forward from the lower slope of the hill amidst a storm of enemy mortar fire. Undaunted, the troops advance, encountering some machine gun and small arms fire for about 500 yards. However, beyond this point, the intensity of the fire greatly accelerates. The combination of preregistered enemy artillery fire and the infusion of more heavy rifle fire draws an impenetrable line across the slope, halting the advance and gluing the attackers close to the ground. Meanwhile, the enemy attempts to counterattack Company L, but the conspicuous positioning of the North Koreans sounds the alarm and enables the Americans to properly prepare. Air strikes are requested, but the available planes are in the process of refueling on the ground, which prevents their arrival until midafternoon. Nonetheless, the infantry garnishes a second wind and repulses the counterattack, despite the rain of mortar fire that pounds their positions. During this feverish encounter on Hill 314, the men of the two attacking companies are pulled tightly together, becoming intertwined, but still, the casualties continue to mount and seriously drain the ranks of the officers. A portion of Company L is overrun, but the ground is soon shored up tightly. Lieutenant Marvin Haynes

317 leads a scanty but determined detachment that drives the enemy out. Haynes gives his life during the brief decisive action. Company I is deluged with devastating mortar fire and its casualties reach twenty-five percent. Lieutenant Fields, disregarding his personal safety, moves about the ringing fire and regroups his command, but he becomes wounded in the process. The NCOs are not spared the grueling punishment. Master Sergeant Roy McCullom, seemingly a glutton for punishment, transforms his weapons platoon into a rifle platoon, then he leads a charge. McCullom becomes wounded and then twice more he sustains wounds, but still he leads the attack. Finally a fourth wound, which strikes him in the head, takes him out of action. The hill, meanwhile, becomes consumed with blood and no end is in sight. The decimating mortar fire remains unrelenting. Another diligent officer, Lieutenant Marshall Engle, also inspires the troops of the battalion as he exudes fearlessness while leading Company I. Although wounded by a fragment from mortar fire, Engle twice refuses evacuation, instructing the litter bearers to forget him and move forward to retrieve the more seriously wounded. Well into the night, after lying on the field for about twelve hours and receiving yet another wound, Fields is finally evacuated for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion refuses to give ground. It exhibits an extraordinary thirst for nothing short of victory. The heated pitch of battle is interrupted only by the enfilade of mortar fire, which temporarily pins down the battalion and postpones the advance. The tempo of the raging contest rises to an even more horrid pace as friendly planes arrive at 1400. Within about fifteen minutes after the cessation of the first of several afternoon air strikes that carpet the summit and blaze the north slope, the cavalrymen reinitiate the quest for the peak. Unhesitatingly, the troops drive forward, despite sustaining more punishment as they advance. The attackers’ gain brings them nose-to-nose with the enemy and then all hell breaks loose as the North Koreans, wearing oversized American uniforms, emerge from their holes and charge into the 3rd Battalion to ignite a donnybrook. Some of the Americans breach the crest, only to be driven back by incessant machine gun and mortar fire, but the withdrawal is temporary. A determined second thrust propels the 3rd Battalion back upon the summit, but again, fierce enemy fire shoves the attackers back. Meanwhile, the battalion sustains more casualties. But, despite the alarm over casualties, the troops sense victory and sheer determination galvanizes the battalion. More planes swoop into the area and deposit more devastating killing power on the enemy-held crest. Captain Walker (CO, Company L), one of the few remaining unwounded officers, combines troops from both of the hard hit companies and surges toward the top of the hill. Walker, upon reaching the crest, glances down to the balance of the advancing troops and bel-

September 12, 1950 lows a pointed and confident message: “Come up here where you can see them! There are lots of them and you can kill them.” In an obliging manner, the cavalrymen dart up the remaining 150 yards in dynamic fashion and accommodate Walker’s order, firing their weapons rapidly while overrunning the obstinate enemy positions. The hill falls by 1530. But with the victory comes anguish, as each company sustains heavy casualties, and domination of the hill also exposes more atrocities committed by the enemy. One American officer (earlier reported missing) is located, but his body had been burned after the enemy set him afire with gasoline. Two days later, four additional soldiers are discovered, each having been bayoneted and shot subsequent to being tied and bound. The struggle for Hill 314 costs the 3rd Battalion 229 casualties (most by mortar fire), including 38 Americans killed and 167 wounded. Sixty-two South Koreans attached to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, are also killed or wounded. Company I has lost all its officers to the casualty rolls and retains an effective force of about forty troops. Company L’s strength is less than forty troops. Considering the high number of casualties among the officers, it becomes obvious that the individual soldier on Hill 314 has held strictly to the honor of the regiment. In addition, the nightmarish encounter has only clasped five men with the terror of battle shock, something that is especially difficult to describe with words. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, with the seizure of Hill 314, decreases the pressure against Taegu. The 3rd Battalion maintains possession of Hill 314 until the 18th. Also, the enemy force on Hill 314, composed of about 700 troops of the N.K. 13th Division, sustain high casualties. About 200 dead are counted on the field, and based on information gathered from prisoners, most of the additional 500 defenders reported to be there have been wounded or are missing. Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: Hill 482 is captured by Task Force Davidson. In the mountainous area between the Eastern Perimeter and the Taegu Perimeter, the N.K. 8th Division, subsequent to an enduring contest with the S.K. 6th Division that began on September 2, takes Hwajong-dong about twelve air-miles northwest of Yongch’on, but the division has been devastated in the process. The 17th Armored Brigade’s twenty-one new tanks that supported the attack sustain great losses, with most of them destroyed. In other activity, to the east, contingents of the S.K. 8th Division and the S.K. 5th Regiment, 7th S.K. Division, maintain their northern pursuit, reaching positions about eight miles beyond Yongch’on. The operation again captures much abandoned equipment, including nine trucks, four artillery pieces, four 120mm mortars and four antitank guns. While the pursuit of the surviving troops of the N.K. 15th Division continues, some South Korean contingents begin driving north from Kyongju, while others push east from Yongch’on to tighten up the existing holes in the sector.

September 13, 1950 Also, the frigate HMS Whitesand Bay debarks a contingent of Americans (Special Operations Company) commanded by Colonel Ely, and British Royal Marines led by Lieutenant E.G. Pounds, at Kunsan to maintain the illusion of a major attack against it. The waterfront landing ignites a disoriented firefight in the darkness. Several Americans are killed during the confrontation. — In Japan: Admiral Struble, commanding officer, 7th Fleet and JTF 7, sails from Sasebo aboard his flagship, the USS Rochester. In other activity, General MacArthur and other officers, including Army Generals Almond, Edwin Wright, Alonzo Fox, Courtney Whitney and Marine General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., move by air from Tokyo to Itazuke Air Base. From the airfield, the entourage is driven to Sasebo, from where it will board the USS Mount McKinley. Initially, the party was to have departed on the vessel from Kokura, but typhoon Kezia has shifted directions, prompting an earlier boarding to ensure a timely departure. The McKinley, en route to Sasebo from Kobe, arrives at midnight on September 12-13, but it remains only a short while. The vessel embarks within about thirty minutes.

September 13

Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: I Corps, commanded by General Milburn, becomes operational at 1200. It is composed of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 5th RCT and the S.K. 1st Division attached. By September 16th, I Corps will be increased by the acquisition of the U.S. 24th Division, the British 27th Infantry Brigade and other supporting troops. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, northwest of Taegu, the North Koreans initiate heavy counterattacks against the 5th Cavalry Regiment. The attacks at some points begin at about midnight (12th-13th) and continue until about 0400. Hellish fighting occurs at Hills 174, 188 and 203. Company E loses Hill 203. Company L is driven from Hill 174, and the enemy also seizes Hill 188 by dislodging Companies B and F. The 5th Cavalry mounts strong counterattacks during the afternoon, but enemy resistance is fierce. The attacks are repelled at Hills 174 and 203. However, the 5th Cavalry recaptures Hill 188, located on the southern side of the road. Still, the agonizing contest rages and it continues to zap the strength of both sides. No clear victor emerges. In the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade sector, at 0001, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade is deactivated. In conjunction, the individual units automatically revert to their previous unit designations within the 1st Marine Division. Subsequent to deactivation, the Marines leave Pusan to join the division at sea following 67 days of operations. The Brigade Air-Ground Team, operating with only two-thirds of its supporting transportation vehicles and those supplemented by the U.S. Army, has covered 380 miles while engaging the enemy, and has participated in three separate Eighth Army offensives. The brigade sustains 148 Marines killed and an

318 additional fifteen who succumb from their wounds. Another 730 are wounded during the operations. Most conspicuous of the figures is that only nine are missing in action. Of these, seven men are subsequently identified as killed (when their bodies are later recovered), giving the brigade two men unaccounted for during the fighting. Enemy losses are estimated to be 9,900 killed and wounded. The troops of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, dubbed the “Firemen of the Pusan Perimeter,” seem eager to depart Korea and the “Bean Patch,” but the Marines know they will return soon. It is only a question of where. The Corsairs, which had been at the Marine brigade’s beck and call, remain perched on the carriers until their services are again needed (in two days). During the operations, the Marine squadrons constantly soared through the skies. The helicopters of VMO-6 performed with equal brilliance during their precedent-setting missions. Colonel Paul L. Freeman, 23rd Regiment, USA, said: “The Marines on our left were a sight to behold. Not only was their equipment superior or equal to ours, but they had squadrons of air in direct support. They used it like artillery. It was ‘Hey Joe — this is Schmitty — knock the left of that ridge in front of Item company.’ They had it [air support] day and night....” The air squadrons had received little rest. VMF-214 flew 670 sorties, VMF-323 flew 498 sorties and VMF(N)-513, from its base in Japan, executed 343 sorties between August 3 and September 14. An analysis by a Marine Corps study board spells out the effectiveness of their recently completed mission: “A careful examination of any of these operations, in which Marines engaged, discloses that a single failure would have a profound effect upon the entire U.N. effort....” On 3 separate occasions the brigade was attached to the defending U.N. forces at points of dangerous enemy penetrations and 3 times Marine units spearheaded the counterattacking elements and effectively stopped the enemy’s efforts, seizing the initiative from him, inflicting serious losses upon him and forcing the abandonment of immediate attempts at decisive penetration.” Inchon vicinity: Admiral Higgins’ Gunfire Support Group, given the responsibility of silencing the enemy batteries on Wolmi-do Island to ensure safe passage through the inner harbor of Inchon, sets to its task. Six U.S. destroyers, two heavy cruisers, the Rochester and Toledo, and two British light cruisers, the Kenya and Jamaica, pass into the approaches to Inchon Harbor at 1010. At 1145, thanks to the low tide, observers spot four enemy mines in Flying Fish Channel and the vessels take extra precautions. The cruisers tail off to provide support, and the six destroyers advance to destroy the mines with 40-mm shells. The USS Gurke eliminates the first mine at 1146. Shortly thereafter, at about 1220, the cruisers drop anchor, positioning themselves between seven and ten miles from the island, but five of the destroyers maintain their speed, riding the flooding tide and moving under the cover fire of supporting

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September 13, 1950

aircraft from Fast Carrier Task Force 77 to positions The destroyers pull back at 1347 under fire. The closer to the target. Mansfield narrowly escapes harm. In the meantime, the The destroyer USS Henderson is ordered by Captain lagging cruisers pick up the slack. From their positions, Halle C. Allan, commanding officer, Destroyer too far out to be harmed by enemy shore batteries, the Squadron Nine, to lay back and continue seeking and cruisers unleash their guns at 1352, and relentlessly destroying enemy mines near Palmi-do. The remaining pound the island for one and one-half hours before takdestroyers take some unusual precautions. Due to the ing a pause. But the enemy receives no reprieve as conditions of the channel and the remote possibility of planes (TF-77) move in immediately and lambaste the enemy troops crossing the mud flats to attack a crippled island with a scathing attack. destroyer, Admiral Higgins orders the crews to be armed Upon the conclusion of the air strikes, the cruisers rewith grenades and Tommy guns, in case of being called sume firing at 1610 and hammer the enemy with sixupon to repel boarders. Allan utilizes an order used freinch and eight-inch shells for thirty minutes. At 1645, quently during the days of John Paul Jones, John Barry the warships move back out of the channel to prepare and Commodore Perry: “Prepare to repel boarders.” for a return engagement on the following day. Eight At 1230, the destroyers Collett, DeHaven, Gurke, additional mines are discovered as the warships retire Mansfield and Swenson drop anchors, with the Gurke at and all are destroyed. The enemy fire inflicts only slight the point about 800 yards from shore. The crew on the overall damage to the destroyers. The warships move out DeHaven creates a ruse, stuffing uniforms with straw of sight, hoping to convince the enemy it is merely a and rags to draw enemy fire. The destroyers are posinaval strike.Admiral Struble orders a conference aboard tioned to face the incoming tide, which permits all guns the Rochester, as he is not satisfied with the accuracy of to stroke the shoreline, while providing themselves a the cruiser fire. Struble concentrates on improving airquick line of exit if the return fire becomes too severe. spotting for the following day, to improve the cruisers’ With a giant roar, the shells soar into the suspected enemy positions just prior to 1300, igniting a furious slugfest. Rear Admiral J.M. Higgins’ Gunfire Support Group’s ploy to force the enemy to reveal the positions of their guns is successful. The DeHaven initiates the attack, followed by the Collett. The first enemy shots are focused upon the Gurke, Collett and Swenson, the vessels closest to shore, but the shells pass over and a trailing barrage falls short of the warships. But then, at about 1306, enemy fire strikes the Collett. By 1330, she sustains three more hits, one of which is a 75-mm armorpiercing shell, which shatters. One piece drills the engine room and another fragment enters the plot room, wounding five crewmen. Meanwhile, the Gurke takes three hits, but she receives only slight damage. The DeHaven and Mansfield remain unscathed during the contest between ship and shore; however, the Swenson loses one man killed when the vessel receives a near miss. The slain sailor is Lieutenant David H. Swenson, the sole American to die during bombardment. Another man, Ensign John Noonan, is Refugees at Masan await evacuation by boat on September 13. wounded.

September 14, 1950

320

Marines move aboard ship for the invasion of Inchon. accuracy of fire. Also, the naval aircraft of Task Force 77 continue to strike Wolmi-do and Inchon vicinity this day, while the carriers of TG-95.5 get re-supplied. — In Japan: Typhoon Kezia gains power as it whips over the southern tip of Kyushu and slaps part of the invasion fleet with some hefty blows, including sixtymile per hour winds and smashing waves that crack across the ships’ bows. The storm causes cargo to shift and causes many of the troops aboard to become sick. The nasty early morning storm then begins to shift towards the northeast, transforming the wild seas to more tranquil waters by about noon. One ship, the carrier USS Boxer, still racing from the States, gets muscled by the storm as it approaches Japan and its crew is forced to fight the unruly seas throughout the night. However, it does reach port safely. At dark on the 14th, the Boxer streams out of Sasebo, full steam ahead, moving toward Inchon, with its complement of 110 planes.

September 14

Southwest Pusan Perimeter: In the 25th Division sector, the North Koreans launch a pre-dawn assault to seize P’il-bong from the 24th Regiment. The defending contingents, Companies I and L, 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, engage the enemy with ferocity and throw back several assaults. During the bitter skirmishing for the peak, again the regiment is plagued by desertion. Company L is suddenly reduced from about 100 troops to 40. The new battalion commander, Major Melvin Blair, regroups his sparse contingent and the attacking force numbering between 400 and 500 troops fails to overrun L Company. Blair

then attempts to get his diminutive company to the crest of P’il-bong to join with Company I. The withdrawal is successful, but when Company L reaches the crest, it is unattended. In the meantime, Company I, having been struck by a nominal attack, abandons the crest without informing Company L. While on P’il-bong, Major Blair receives a serious leg wound from a sniper’s bullet, but he refuses evacuation for medical aid. However, the few effective troops that refused to abandon their posts are inadequate against the superior numbered enemy, causing P’il-bong to fall to the Communists Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry sector, neither side relents as the heavy fighting in the hills northwest of Taegu continues to rage. Hill 174, which repelled an assault by the 5th Cavalry on the previous day, is again attacked. Company I lunges forcefully against the dug-in enemy, but when the charging company reaches its objective, its ranks have been heavily reduced, having sustained 82 casualties. One platoon, which had begun the attack with 27 Americans and 15 South Koreans, ends the battle with five South Koreans and eleven Americans. Also, the attack only secures one side of the hill, giving the troops little solace. More casualties occur when the two sides begin exchanging hand grenades from close range. And still no victor emerges. In the 8th Cavalry zone, the 2nd Battalion, with its new CO, Lt. Colonel William Walton, supported by artillery fire originating on recently captured Hill 314, attacks and secures portions of Hill 570, which is

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Map 14–15 September 1950.

September 14, 1950

September 15, 1950 defended by elements of the N.K. 19th Regiment, 13th Division. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, is detached from the 1st Cavalry Division and returned to the operational control of its parent division. Also, the 5th Regimental Combat Team is attached to the 1st Cavalry Division. It assembles in an area west of Taegu, about six miles below Waegwan, along the east bank of the Naktong. To the right of the cavalry, the S.K. 1st Division maintains its attack and pushes contingents to the fringes of the Walled City. Forward units of the S.K. 15th Regiment advance to the stone bulwark of the Walled City in synchronization with the S.K. 11th Regiment’s capture of Hill 755 at about dusk. Heavy fighting between the enemy and the South Koreans continues through the night. Fierce exchanges occur near the Walled City, defended by about 3,000 troops within the perimeter and an additional 1,500 to 2,000 troops outside the city on the summit. Other skirmishes also break out to the southeast at various places between the Walled City, Hills 755, 783 and beyond to P’algong-san. Inchon vicinity: The warships of Rear Admiral J.M. Higgins’ Gunfire Support Group move back into the channel to resume the bombardment of Wolmi-do. The ships receive only some meek sporadic return fire, giving evidence of the devastation poured upon the island on the previous day. The enemy-held island is first struck by planes from the carriers of TG-99.5, as the Marines have been re-supplied and are back on the scene. The aircraft of VMF-214 and VMF-323 spot targets for the cruisers and deliver more punishing dosages of napalm, prior to and subsequent to the naval surface vessels’ bombardment. The planes arrive slightly before 1100 to deliver their deadly fire. The long guns of the cruisers bellow at 1116, but this day, the cruisers incorporate additional targets and pound Inchon during the bombardment. Waiting destroyers, their flags at half-mast, bide their time, and at about 1215, they advance to the positions they had held on the previous day and reinitiate the bombardment. In the meantime, the guns on the cruisers temporarily fall silent, just as more planes soar overhead and pour more devastating fire upon the island. Upon cessation of the air attack, the destroyers resume their in-close firing at 1255, ensuring no placidity on Wolmi-do and much anxiety in Inchon. The five participating destroyers launch 1,732 5inch shells into Wolmi-do and Inchon, within one hour and fifteen minutes. The damaged Collett is detached. Subsequent to the combined attacks of the warships and planes, the withdrawal from the channel is totally uneventful. The batteries on Wolmi-do have been permanently silenced. In related activity, the Inchon Invasion Force, composed of 70,000 troops, is fast approaching the objective. Despite the inclement weather, all ships in the task force have arrived at the rendezvous points, and they are preparing to strike. Only one vessel had be-

322 come disabled during the journey, an LST (the 1048) transporting Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. The vessel begins hobbling on the 12th after blowing an engine, but a nearby ocean tug boat, the Conserver, tows the LST at eight knots, getting her to the debarkation point on schedule. The vessels move across the Yellow Sea heading toward the final rendezvous point, dubbed “California,” off the coast of Korea. Meanwhile, British Admiral Andrewes’ Blockade and Covering Force warships screen the advance. Also, the Advance Attack Group, including Admiral Higgins’ Gunfire Support Group, the rocket ships (LSMRs) and the Battalion Landing Team (3rd Battalion, 5th Marines and one platoon of nine M-26 tanks (Company A, 1st Tank Bn.) begin the approach to Inchon at 0200 on the 15th. Wolmi-do is the preliminary target, and its landing area is dubbed Green Beach. South Korean East Coast: A South Korean LST attempts to land about 800 Korean guerrillas at Samchok. The operation is directed by Eighth Army; however, no one notifies the U.S. Navy. The Navy later learns of the incident and its help is required to cover the premature withdrawal. Warships throw their weight into the effort to execute a safe withdrawal. In other activity, the USS Missouri (BB-63) arrives from the Atlantic area and joins with TF-95.2 on the 15th. A helicopter guides the guns of Big Mo and the area at Samchok is the first to become a recipient of its 16-inch guns. In conjunction, the evacuation operation continues for five days. — In the United States: President Truman announces that the State Department has been authorized to initiate talks with Japan and Allied members of the Far Eastern Commission to determine the acceptability of the proposed peace treaty and the attached U.S.–Japan security agreement. This announcement sends a clear message that the U.S. is prepared to consummate the treaty with or without the Russians’ participation.

September 15

Nearly 33 percent of the naval vessels carrying the X Corps troops toward Inchon are manned by Japanese, and about twenty minesweepers, also manned by Japanese, sweep both coasts of Korea to clear the seas. Subsequent to the invasion by X Corps, large numbers of Japanese longshoremen are transported to Hungnam, Inchon and Wonsan to facilitate movement of supplies. The Russians mount strong opposition to the Japanese involvement during a subsequent meeting of the Allied Council, but it doesn’t faze the Allies. In other activity, the number of U.S. casualties since the beginning of hostilities through September 15 are: total casualties, 19,165 troops; 4,280 killed in action; 12,377 wounded, including 319 who succumb from wounds; 401 men reported captured; and 2,107 missing in action. The 3rd Division, minus its 65th Regiment, stands at 7,494 men and will need large numbers of South

323 Korean troops to bring it up to full strength. The two regiments, the 7th and 15th, that recently embarked from San Francisco are now debarking ship at Moji, Japan. By October 1, the South Koreans will begin to join the division. Also, the N.K. 25th Brigade (formed during August) begins departing Ch’orwon (northeast of Yongchon) by train, heading for Seoul. The brigade is composed of 2,500 troops and comprises two infantry battalions, one 76-mm artillery battalion, one engineer battalion, four heavy machine gun battalions and one 120-mm mortar battalion. Additional support troops also bolster the force. Eighth Army estimates of enemy strength facing the Pusan Perimeter place about 104,417 enemy troops in the path of the advance that is to begin on the following day. The N.K. I Corps is alleged to contain six infantry divisions, bolstered by armor, deployed on the southern half of the front. The N.K. II Corps, stretched across the northern and eastern half of the front, is estimated to compose seven infantry divisions augmented by armor. Eighth Army estimates the enemy divisions to be at about 75 percent strength, affording it the flexibility to divert three divisions to the vicinity of Seoul without endangering its ability to establish formidable resistance against Eighth Army’s offensive. It is later determined that Eighth Army estimates are high. These conclusions are determined after the capture of enemy documents and from other information gained from enemy POWs. A more accurate estimate of enemy strength at the perimeter is about 70,000 troops, and enemy equipment is scaled down to about fifty percent of its original strength. Also, only about thirty percent of the original troops remain in the units, as the Americans have inflicted severe casualties. The veteran enemy troops have begun a new practice since

September 15, 1950 the North Korean morale has been slipping. They shoot any troops that attempt to desert or exhibit a reluctance to advance. General Walker’s combined forces, including the British brigade and the South Korean troops along the perimeter, stand at about 140,000 troops. And Air Force personnel in Korea stands at 4,726 men. Total U.N. strength in Korea, including about 103,000 Koreans, is 221,469 men. In other activity, Task Force Haynes, established by the 2nd Division on September 1, is disbanded. Pusan Perimeter, Central Front, Taegu: In the 1st Cavalry zone, fighting continues north of Taegu. The 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, remains heavily engaged on Hill 570 east of the Tabu-dong Road, and on the west side, enemy contingents infiltrate an existing hole between the 5th and 8th Cavalry Regiments at Hill 401. The 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, assaults the hill to clear it of the enemy. Vicious combat ensues on Hill 401 throughout the day and into the night. During one heated encounter, Sergeant Earl L. Baxter holds the rear while his platoon is being dislodged from the hill. Baxter kills about ten enemy troops, but an enemy grenade then slays him. To the right of the cavalry, the South Koreans are still encountering heavy resistance from the enemy near the Walled City at Hills 755 and 783 and in the vicinity of P’algong-san. But it is becoming evident that the North Koreans are initiating movement to the north. The N.K. 1st Division appears to be pushing some elements northward from the Walled City, and the N.K. 13th Division is also withdrawing north. Nonetheless, Eighth Army is not becoming complacent concerning the defense of Taegu. General Walker further bolsters the city by spreading fourteen battalions of Korean police around its perimeter.

U.S. Marines in amtracs head for a beach at Inchon, September 15.

September 15, 1950 Pusan Perimeter, Eastern Corridor: Task Force Church is disbanded at 1200. Subsequent to its disbanding, the ROK I Corps reverts to control of the South Korean Army. In other activity, General Walker orders the 24th Division, under General Church, to depart the Kyongju area and head for Kyongsan for a regrouping effort. However, the 19th Regiment is to remain at Kyongju on temporary assignment as Eighth Army reserve. The 21st Regiment, 24th Division, had departed for Kyongsan, southeast of Taegu, on the previous day. Although there has been American participation in the fighting within the eastern sector of the perimeter during the first half of September, the majority of the ground action has been undertaken by South Korean troops, bolstered heavily by U.S. armor, artillery, air strikes and ground forces. In contrast, the enemy has been forced to endure more serious resupply problems; their supply lines have become overextended, causing the North Koreans in this sector to experience what could be termed a logistical nightmare. Also, the 5th Regimental Combat Team begins moving to the Taegu vicinity and assembles west of the town. In addition, the USS Boxer (CV 21) arrives in time to join with TF-77 and participate in the Inchon invasion. THE INVASION OF INCHON Prior to the entrance of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, there had been another confrontation between Marines and Koreans. Seventy-nine years ago, in May 1871, the Koreans had massacred an American survey team. Following the Koreans’ refusal to apologize, the U.S. fleet landed Marines and sailors to seek swift reprisals. Three days of ferocious attacks followed, culminating with the destruction of three forts, including the well-fortified citadel. Nine sailors and six Marines received the Medal of Honor for their extraordinary gallantry.

324 Now, a much larger and more powerful fleet, Joint Task Force Seven, including some Royal Navy vessels, encroaches the shores of Korea. The French contribute the nearly antique frigate La Grandière, whose maximum speed of about twelve knots relegates her to escorting the tardy vessels such as the tugs and minesweepers. The fleet, under Vice Admiral Arthur Struble, is undergoing a dazzling last minute operation to check the minute details of the various attack and support components. Amphibious Group One, commanded by Rear Admiral James H. Doyle, is dusting the cobwebs from the amphibious landing craft, as the 1st Marine Division, led by General O.P. Smith, prepares to launch the invasion. Meanwhile, the thunderous guns of the advance warships have been pummeling the objectives in concert with marauding aircraft. Initially, Wolmi-do, thought to be a well-fortified stronghold, must be seized to prevent its use by the enemy to strike against the flank of the invasion force. Wolmi-do must be held by the Marines until late afternoon when the tides again change, to permit the main invasion force to enter the channel to storm Inchon. Wolmi-do, by evening of the 14th, after five days of incessant bombardment, resembles an over-charred, smoking prime rib. While the enemy is pondering what might occur next, the Yellow Sea is bristling with activity. The early morning skies are as dark as the armada draws closer to the target, mindful of all the bleak disadvantages and profound questions still facing the operation. Is the fleet steaming across the blackened sea and through the grim darkness toward dawn and victory? Or is it stumbling into a watery abyss that could doom the fleet and consume the warriors before they brandish their shields and armor? The weighty answers will be forthcoming at dawn. Marines will launch a two-pronged landing on the

Marines aboard an amtrac at Inchon, September 1950.

September 15, 1950 west coast at Wolmi-do and Inchon, the latter a pernicious nemesis for naval vessels and amphibious troops situated on the estuary of the Yom-ha River. The vessels must conquer one of the world’s most treacherous tides (33 feet at maximum, with an average spring tide of 23 feet). Twenty-nine feet of water is the minimum requirement for the warships and this occurs only on several days a month. If the invasion is forced to abort, the next available dates will be October 11 or November 3, neither being in the best interests of Eighth Army. Moreover, the slim passage is easily blocked. If one ship gets hung up, all preceding vessels in the channel will be stranded, unable to reverse course, and those to the rear will be unable to assist. As described later by General Oliver P. Smith, “Half of the problem was in getting to Inchon at all.” The U.S. Navy is undertaking this unique challenge in stride. The remaining part of the equation is close at hand, and the Marines are convinced that they hold the solution. A flawless rendezvous occurs after midnight, and the warships of TF 90.1 initiate the invasion just before 0300. The destroyer USS Mansfield, commanded by Commodore Halle Allan, takes the point and cautiously slips into the combustible cauldron of Flying Fish

326 Channel with its notorious tides and ill-scented odor. Eighteen additional warships closely shadow the Mansfield, each exercising prudence. Success depends on two factors, the skill of the ships’ radar operators and a generous sprinkling of good luck, to gain safe passage through the foreboding and unfamiliar dark waters. Politicians and a majority of ranking U.S. military leaders are highly skeptical of achieving success with the dangerous mission. Nonetheless, they have acquiesced to the dynamic and peerless persuasiveness of General Douglas MacArthur, who has remained steadfast in his belief that the bold and unexpected amphibious assault will smash the enemy and bring a quick termination to the hostilities. However, he is equally cognizant of the disastrous consequences if the Marines falter. The vessels reach the halfway point in the channel without any mishaps, but the final lap remains full of lurking dangers, with the potential to become a chamber of death. The intrepid actions of Lieutenant Eugene Clark, USN, while in the area in advance of the invasion have already paid great dividends of intelligence, and now the invasion force becomes the recipient of a spectacular bonus. As the vanguard creeps through the murky night air, sometimes unable to

Above: Old Glory unfurled on Wolmi-do Island, September 15. Opposite: 15 September 1950 map.

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The Marines arrive at Inchon and bolt over the seawall at Red Beach. distinguish the sky from the sea and seemingly drifting toward a wall of ink, a brilliant flash of light comes into view, followed by additional time-delayed flashes. The Mansfield discovers that it is the mariner’s beacon on Palmi-do. The mood aboard ship swings from one of somberness to jubilation. The mariner’s beacon light, which Lieutenant Clark had repaired, is beaming a welcome to the sailors and Marines. Under the guiding light of the antiquated French lamp, the warships safely pass through the remainder of the critical danger points in the channel, and the troops breathe a hefty sigh of relief. The vessels shoot forward as if gliding along jet satin. Meanwhile, the carriers, which have passed the night

with relative calm, become a churning whirlwind of activity. The pilots have been thoroughly briefed and the crews have the planes primed. The resonant roar of their engines reverberates across the decks, signaling that the attack is imminent. The ebony sky and the inky black seas enunciate the serious tone of the task at hand, as the eager pilots await the signal to launch their planes. The cockpit becomes a very lonely place just prior to takeoff, especially on a starless night when the runway is the swaying deck of a carrier being manipulated by rough seas. Suddenly, the Marine Corsairs (VMF-214 and VMF-323) bolt from the decks of the Sicily and the Badoeng Strait, leaving short-lived fiery tails in their

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The view of Inchon at dawn, September 15, from the deck of the USS Mount McKinley.

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as the HMS Jamaica and the HMS Kenya are in their specified battle positions, their colossal guns staring toward Inchon. Nearby, north of the target area, three little mighty-mites, the LSMRs 401, 403 and 404, sway meekly, concealing their compact killing power while they bob in the water. The vessels are equipped with nasty rockets and those on board are determined to hit the mark. L-Hour is fast approaching. The murky darkness begins relinquishing its post to approaching daylight. The control ship, USS Mount McKinley, glides forward with quiet confidence, entering the narrows a few blinks ahead of dawn, where it straddles amidst the gleaming steel warriors and slings its anchor at 0508. Meanwhile, on Wolmi-do, the survivors of the earlier bombardments are awakening to the whirling sounds of aircraft. Since the aircraft do not possess the quaint sounds of “Washing Machine Charlie,” the most prominent nickname for the enemy aircraft with their sputtering sounds, it becomes apparent that the skies are filling with unfriendly planes. The main event is scheduled for later in the day, but there will be no evening performance unless the initial attack succeeds with absolute perfection. And so it begins. General MacArthur observes the landing at Inchon. To his rear, left At 0520, Admiral Doyle, aboard to right, are Vice Admiral Struble (partially visible), Brigadier Gen- the Mount McKinley, incites the eral Wright and Major General Almond. battle with the expected signal: “Land the landing force.” As the message is flung to the yardarm, wake as they stream toward Inchon. Farther west, the the boats are lowered into the water, and soon after, carriers Boxer, Philippine Sea and the Valley Forge launch the Marines begin the downward climb to board the their aircraft. The planes form above the carriers, then wobbly craft and initiate the monotonous circling masoar eastward toward the objective, arriving over the neuver about one mile off “Green Beach” while formtarget areas at 0454. ing for the attack. All the while, the wave commandShortly afterward, the floating fortresses of Captain ers focus on the control vessel. Sears’ Advance Attack Group 90.1 glide into the narrows Suddenly, the four gargantuan cruisers bellow. In west of Wolmi-do: three APDs, and one LSD. Expediunison, unending banners of burnt orange fire are tiously, the vessels move to their assigned battle posistreaming toward Inchon. The first burst strikes thuntions. The sleek but deadly destroyers glide just ahead derously at 0545. The deafening sounds of the 5- and of the attack force. The USS Collett, DeHaven and 6-inch guns seemingly stir the sea, as the menacing Gurke, having sustained only slight damage during the echoes resoundingly bounce and swirl through the recent exchange with enemy shore batteries, are anxchannel. Dawn is announced with a massive bang, as ious to unleash their fury. The destroyers Henderson, the channel affords excellent acoustics. Mansfield, Southerland and the Swenson are also poised The destroyers chime in vociferously, concentrating to fire. The cruisers USS Rochester and USS Toledo, cartheir hardy 5-inch guns on Wolmi-do, specifically rying Admirals Higgins and Struble respectively, as well

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A U.S. Marine using a flamethrower on Wolmi-do. Radio Hill. Intelligence has reported the island, linked to Inchon by a causeway, to be defended by about 400 North Korean troops. Subsequent information, extracted from prisoners, makes it clear that the defenders are attached to the N.K. 226th Marine Regiment and the N.K. 918th Coast Artillery Battalion. Radio Hill’s seaward profile has already been transformed by the bombardments from ghostly gray to pitch black, etched with some deep crimson. And now it is obscured by huge clouds of smoke. The defenders are unable to see the approaching Marine Corsairs diving to inflict more punishing blows. At 0600, the F4Us descend rapidly. In a blazing flash, Wolmi-do is carpeted with bursting napalm bombs and their rockets’ red glare. The whistling death plummets to the ground with earth-shattering effects, as the planes criss-cross the island, pounding it with multiple layers of bombs and napalm, while shredding it with linking chains of vicious machine gun fire and riveting rockets. The horrific air strikes cease at 0615, but Wolmi-do is scheduled to immediately receive several additional lethal surprises. And the Corsairs will reinitiate their strikes to protect the ground Marines. While the naval surface vessels and aircraft have been clobbering the target areas, the decks of the troop ships have been humming with animation, as the Marines board the landing boats. The designated spearhead of the invasion force is the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Colonel Taplett. Company G, aboard the USS Diachenko, and Company H, aboard the H.A.

Bass, will lead the assault and Company I, the recently established third rifle company, will debark the USS Wantuck and come in as reserve. In conjunction, Regimental Headquarters, the armor, vehicles, and various types of equipment, are aboard the flagship of Captain Sears, the LSD Fort Marion. L-Hour is confirmed: 0630. The Marines’ spearhead force has been aboard the landing craft since about 0600, awaiting the signal to attack. The 5th Marines desire to rekindle their peculiar fondness for the sight of North Koreans. The last encounter with the Communists had been at the gruesome Pusan Perimeter, and the Marines have some unfinished business to pursue. The Marines are not anticipating the Communists setting the table or offering an elaborate meal, but they do expect to eat dinner in Seoul, and the sooner the better. In the meantime, as ordered, the swashbuckling Corsairs harness their flying swords at 0615, and an eerie silence permeates Wolmi-do, now totally consumed by choking smoke and incinerated debris. Nonetheless, the remaining enemy survivors are about to be struck by yet another sizzling hurricane of fire. The trio of LSMRs, led by Commander Clarence T. Doss, waiting patiently north of the objective, dart from their positions as the aerial attacks subside. The vessels sprint toward the coast, catapulting thousands of rockets into the enemy positions. During the searing barrage, one of the LSMRs veers south, cruising past Green Beach and pulverizing it. Then the straying LSMR

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U.S. Marine assault force (first wave) aboard LCVPs as they approach the beach at Inchon. focuses on Radio Hill, saturating it with rocket fire before departing. Once the LSMR advances beyond North Point of Wolmi-do, the torch passes to the sailors commanding the landing craft and the 5th Marines’ spearhead. The red flag is propelled to the yardarm of the control vessel, underscoring the anxiety and pre-battle anticipation of the watching assault troops. The landing craft, having ceased their circling, are formed on-line for the assault. Seventeen LCVPs, transporting the 3rd Battalion, and three LSVs, containing nine tanks, glide toward the departure line. Then swiftly, the red flag drops. At 0625, a loudspeaker aboard ship proclaims: “Landing Force crossing line of departure.” General MacArthur, like the troops, has enjoyed little sleep when he enters the bridge of the Mount McKinley to observe the landing, just as the announcement is being spoken. The confining flag deck is becoming overcrowded with officers, and each of them focuses intently, peering toward the bland shoreline shrouded by a dismal hovering haze and engulfed by lingering fires. Inchon lies about one mile away, but it’s an especially long mile, if you happen to be General MacArthur or a member of the first wave of the 5th Marines. This is the first major amphibious invasion since the landing on Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. Many ranking officers, including General Omar Bradley, have considered the era of the amphibious invasions over forever, destined to attain the same

fate as the forlorn horse soldiers. The theory of the demise of the amphibious invasion has developed since the appearance of the atomic bomb during the latter days of World War II. Both General MacArthur and the Marine Corps wholeheartedly dispel the theory. General MacArthur has held steadfast, unwilling to yield on his belief that Inchon will fall, and by amphibious troops. MacArthur’s flamboyant proclamation, “We will land ... and I will crush them,” is now dependent upon the Marines and their ability to fulfill his promising boast. There are some positive things in MacArthur’s favor, despite his detractors and his selfproclaimed odds of 5,000-to-1 against success. Since the birth of the Marine Corps, November 10, 1775, no adversary has ever thrown the U.S. Marines back to the sea. And the 1st Marine Division intends to keep its honor clean. During the hazardous trip to the beach, the Marines are consumed with a mixture of solemn and joyous thoughts. Some hold tightly to their fond memories of loved ones at home and others are praying that the most recent blessings of the chaplains will bring them safely through the murderous ordeal. Many remember one somber, sardonic quote, attributed to General of the Army, Omar Bradley, while he was speaking during Congressional hearings on October 19, 1949: “I also predict that large scale amphibious operations will never occur again.” Some of the Marines and sailors distinctly recall President Truman’s reference to the Marine Corps as being “nothing more than

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Landing craft transport scaling ladders as well as Marines close against Blue Beach. a police force for the Navy.” As the landing boats charge toward shore, the slogan “Truman’s Police Force” is prominently displayed on several of them. A mere eight minutes have trickled by since the first wave passed the departure line. Rockets and 40-mm shells maintain their steady stream, pulverizing the southern portion of the island, when one platoon of Company G, 5th Marines and three platoons of Company H violently plow ashore against Green Beach, three minutes behind schedule, at 0633. They are followed by the second wave, which brings in the remainder of the two assaulting companies, within two additional fleeting moments, at 0635. The landing is seriously hindered by the mass of destroyed enemy small craft that clutter the approaches and confine the landing strip on the beach to fifty yards, thereby creating extremely close quarters during the early and most critical minutes of the landing. Due to the huge amount of shipwrecked debris, the underwater demolitions teams had been unable to fully dislodge the wreckage in time to ease the strain of the landing. And as usual, everything does not work out as expected. Lieutenant Bohn’s first step from the boat is a sobering one, as he sinks in water over his head. But other than the quick bath, most things go well. So far, no enemy land mines have been encountered, and no enemy fire emerges to slow the advance. In the meantime, a neutralizing process is underway, as swarms of circling Corsairs from VMF-214 and VMF-323 swoop down and sweep the areas fifty yards

in front of the Marines, spitting deadly machine gun fire to open holes and ensure a speedy advance. The tanks of Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, smash ashore at 0646, bolstering the foot Marines and adding some rolling steel cleats to their sturdy boots. The Navy’s guns and the aircraft have purposely spared the causeway, giving the tanks access to the mainland when it becomes necessary. The Marines have been met primarily by ugly debris and some grotesque indications of mangled bodies and death, but few enemy shots ring out. A rapid reorganization occurs at the water’s edge, and the advance begins. Lieutenant Bohn’s Company G swings to the right and moves against Objective 1-A, Radio Hill, advancing against some sporadic fire as it charges up the northern slopes, again encountering no mines. Marine riflemen take aim and rapidly snap out effective fire, suppressing the resistance. Most of the enemy encountered choose to surrender. Bohn’s Marines shoot to the top and occupy the summit. Company H, commanded by Captain Patrick Wildman, operating on the left, moves straight ahead to assault Objective 2-B, which includes the shoreline factory area facing Inchon and the badgered eastern spur of Radio Hill, but the platoons are restrained; they are compelled to move slowly through the twisted and burning rubble. At 0655, twenty-two minutes after the landing, Sergeant Alvin E. Smith, 3rd Platoon, Company G,

September 15, 1950 plants the colors. He affixes Old Glory to a battered tree atop the shattered crest of Radio Hill, not too far from the demolished radio towers. His actions are instantly noted aboard the Mount McKinley. MacArthur and the other officers are observing the flag raising from the bridge. MacArthur, his chest swelling and his eyes beaming with undeniable pride, retains his commanding composure while rising from his swivel chair and nonchalantly motioning to the other officers, saying: “That’s it. Lets get a cup of coffee.” Meanwhile, on Wolmi-do, there is no time for the Marines to savor the moment. Much remains to be done to ensure total victory. The battle moves to the next plateau. Company H, commanded by Captain Patrick Wildman, drives toward the causeway that links the island with Inchon. A small detachment is also dispatched to secure North Point, which has been reduced to debris. About one platoon of enemy soldiers on North Point evades the sweep, causing complications for the fourth wave, which arrives at 0659. Company I (Reserve), commanded by Captain Robert McMullen, comes in as the fourth wave and moves through North Point, once a somewhat elegant resort, but now about the only remnant of opulence is the swimming pool. Thinking it unoccupied, Company I proceeds to advance, paying little heed to the many caves that had been used for dual purposes: to store goods and for refuge from bombardment. The roving unit encounters surprising resistance. Concealed

334 North Koreans begin lobbing grenades, which further splatter the debris and scatter the Marines. Soon after the explosions, the Marines regain their composure and the interrupted momentum, then search for the source of the grenades, discovering it in a group of nests entrenched on the low cliff facing Inchon. An interpreter attempts to convince the trapped Communists that their predicament is futile and that they should surrender. A response is forthcoming, as the cornered enemy begins slinging more grenades. Meanwhile, the recently arrived tanks of Lieutenant Sweet are standing by, impatiently waiting for a call from the ground troops. Captain McMullen obliges, subsequent to the refusal of the enemy (about platoon strength) to capitulate. The M-26s sprint into position while Marine riflemen deploy and provide ample cover fire to dampen any enemy fire. Then, a dozer tank, directed by McMullen, plows into the pocket and plugs the enemy filled holes, exterminating the threat by permanently sealing off the openings. Company I then resumes its advance, trailing the movement of Company H, and encounters another surprise as it moves toward the causeway. The advancing Marines come upon another cavern, thought to be unoccupied until peculiar noises begin filtering out of it. Instinctively, Marine riflemen take aim, then stand ready as an M-26 tank encroaches the entrance, pauses momentarily as it sets the turret’s sights, then pumps two whizzing rounds, dead-center, through the entrance.

Results of U.S. bombardment: Industrial buildings in Inchon on fire.

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Marines holding a causeway that links Wolmi-do with the mainland at Inchon, September 15. Both rounds strike pay dirt as explosions shake the ground. Immediately thereafter, huge puffs of billowing smoke and flame emerge erratically from the incinerated cave. The Marines are soon flabbergasted, as thirty Red troops wobble through the dust and raise their hands high. Company H, which had been attempting to clear the industrial area, continues its prolonged advance, prompting Colonel Taplett to order Company G to secure Radio Hill in its entirety. Lieutenant Bohn’s command races across the ridgeline and secures the eastern spur. Then Bohn speeds a detachment to the western tip of the heights to secure it. During the clearing operations, one enemy armored vehicle boldly attempts to run the causeway from Inchon to Wolmi-do; however, a concerned Marine M26 tank crew becomes fearful that the armored car might get caught in the causeway minefield laid earlier by the engineers. The tank decides to intervene. With precise intent, the tankers swivel the turret into position and fire, scoring a bull’s-eye. The armored car and its occupants are blown into oblivion, keeping the minefield a secret and preventing the engineers from claiming the first kill of an armored vehicle by ground troops. In the meantime, General MacArthur has already leisurely enjoyed his coffee aboard the Mount McKinley, after spotting the most recent performance of Sergeant Smith. And at 0745 a message from Colonel Taplett is received aboard the McKinley: “Captured 45 prisoners. Meeting light resistance.” The news of the 3rd

Battalion’s success is proclaimed over the loudspeaker and shortly thereafter, General MacArthur composes a profound note and requests that Admiral Struble relay it to the fleet: “The Navy and Marines have never shone more brightly than this morning. MacArthur.” Back on Wolmi-do, progress again becomes rapid and by 0800, Radio Hill belongs to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, but more importantly, the 1st Marine Division now dominates the entire island, giving the Marines control of Inchon harbor. Quickly, an elated Colonel Taplett contacts headquarters with the news: “This glove ... Wolmi-do secured at 0800.” Taplett establishes his battalion observation post on the crest, giving him a panoramic view of the beach landing areas at Inchon and a bird’s eye look toward enemy-held Observatory Hill, which towers over Inchon. The positions are undoubtedly an artillery spotter’s delight, and as the afternoon progresses, the Navy’s guns will prove the point. The western base of Radio Hill, near the west coast, had been wrapped with barbed wire intermingled with about 300 antipersonnel mines; however, the obvious amateurish methods used prove to be no deterrent for Technical Sergeant Edwin Knox’s engineers (Company A, 1st Eng. Bn.), who dismantle them effortlessly. So as not to overlook Washington, General MacArthur also pens a message, which is forwarded to the States to be received by Army Generals Bradley and Collins, as well as Air Force General Vandenberg and Admiral Sherman. It reads: “First phase landing successful with losses slight. All goes well and on schedule.”

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LST 1123 at Inchon during low tide. Still, the amphibious firemen of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, must eliminate a Communist outpost on Sowolmi-do (Little Moontip Island), which contains a lighthouse and is linked to the southwestern end of Wolmi-do by a slim 750-yard causeway. In the meantime, Wolmi-do is being combed and transformed into a defensive mode by the bulk of the battalion. Up to now, the 3rd Battalion has sustained slight casualties, considering the weight of the mission. Fourteen Marines have been wounded. While the Marines are mopping up the smoldering terrain, the Marine casualties are expeditiously evacuated to the Fort Marion, but some of the more critically wounded are then shifted to the Mount McKinley. Contingents of the 1st Medical Battalion, which laid out the evacuation blueprint, handle the task admirably. The details have been meticulous, even to the point of committing ambulance boats capable of maneuvering through the low tide. Several minutes prior to 1000, 2nd Lieutenant John Counselman, platoon leader (3rd Platoon), Company G, receives orders to lead the attacking detachment to secure Sowolmi-do. One infantry squad, bolstered by machine guns and a section of tanks, advances. The unit moves toward the puny causeway, a mere 12 yards wide, remaining confident but staying fully alert and prepared to react to potential enemy fire. The suspicion proves right. About one enemy platoon holds the lighthouse and from it, the enemy begins blasting the Marine column as it approaches the entrance of the

causeway, bringing the Americans to a succinct halt and making it apparent that the Communists are bent on holding out. Colonel Taplett directs the infantry and supporting tanks to halt and await instructions. Colonel Taplett then calls for some pinch-hitters to clear the causeway. Within several minutes, Corsairs from VMF-214, led by Major Robert Floeck, appear overhead to eliminate the obstacle with napalm and cannon fire, prompting some of the defenders to avoid the heat by diving into the water. The air strike uncorks the bottleneck and the attack resumes. Mineclearing engineers lead the way, with the tanks on their heels. The riflemen maintain a brisk pace just behind the clanging armor. Meanwhile, the mortars of the 3rd Battalion begin popping some oversize on-target 81-mm shells into the blockage, just ahead of the advancing assault squad, convincingly reducing the heavy fire down to a few flickering sparks. At 1048, Counselman’s squad owns both ends of the causeway, and the observers on Radio Hill are relieved. However, some remaining obstinate resistance, raised by enemy troops who refuse to surrender, must still be crushed. The Marines bolt from the confined passageway and spread out to overwhelm the remaining resistance. The enemy vigorously engages them in a brief but vicious exchange of rifle and machine gun fire. The Marines win the fight, then at 1100, initiate a swift mop-up operation. After about one hour the Marines have the area secured, including the elimination of the caves, which

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Marines engaged in mop-up operations on Wolmi-do Island at Inchon, September 1950. have been individually destroyed by grenades and a bully flame thrower. The defense of Sowolmi-do costs the North Koreans an additional seventeen dead, including some who drown while attempting to swim to the mainland. Nineteen others surrender. Eight additional North Koreans evade death and capture, concealing themselves until dark and then escaping to the mainland. General Edward Craig, who arrives on Wolmi-do during the evening, watches them escape to the mainland while he is observing the activity of the Marines. By noon, the initial phase of the invasion is complete. Of the 400 defenders, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, has captured 136 and killed 108; approximately 150 additional North Koreans have apparently lost their lives within the caves and other sealed positions. Most of the enemy defenders had been recently inducted into the service of the Communists and are green. The prisoners are corralled and placed under guard in North Point at the swimming pool. Next stop: Inchon. The high tides vanish by 1300 and the 3rd Battalion is isolated on Wolmi-do, but the battalion is prepared to remain self-sufficient until the tide rolls back into the seawall, carrying the remainder of the 1st Marine Division and what is expected to be a dynamic jackhammer knockout punch. The 3rd Battalion has sustained seventeen wounded and none killed during the operation to secure its objectives. In the meantime, the fleet stands offshore, shepherding Taplett’s Marines, who maintain a cautious vigil while pondering the possibilities. Would the enemy attempt to dash from the mainland and attack across the mud? Would enemy armor bet its weight on a success-

ful crossing of the causeway to attempt destruction of the battalion? The Marines wait stoically, their weapons cocked. But the enemy at Inchon, estimated to be about 1,600 troops, prefers to remain inactive, exhibiting no outward signs of offense. With the exception of the disappearing armored car on the causeway and some sporadic mortar and machine gun fire, enemy activity is minimal. While the 3rd Battalion prepares to support the main invasion force, Naval and Marine aircraft continue striking the Inchon area, pounding the enemy terrain as far as twenty-five miles from the port, preventing ground reinforcements from easily arriving to bolster Inchon. On Wolmi-do, ordnance troops and other Marines (Ordnance Battalion, Combat Service Group and Service Battalion) focus on transforming the charred island into a support bastion for the 1st Marine Division. On the crammed beachhead area, reconnaissance troops of the 11th Marines spread out and search for appropriate locations to deploy the howitzers that are due to arrive on the rising tide to support the invasion by adding closerange muscle. In addition, miles of crucial communication wire is being strung by signalmen, seemingly unperturbed by the arrival of a late afternoon rainstorm that is harassing them while they work. Colonel Taplett, commanding officer, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, is convinced by the inactivity of the enemy that his command is strong enough to venture across the causeway and initiate a reconnaissance in force, at the minimum, or an attack to seize a beachhead on “Red Beach,” which is scheduled to be secured by the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Marines. Taplett’s request to execute the mission is quickly scrapped by the brass on the Mount McKinley.

339 In the meantime, observers on Radio Hill scan the Inchon area, detecting some suspected enemy emplacements, and relay the intelligence to the warships. The positions are noted with special emphasis on the ships’ maps, and the information is logged and scheduled for special handling during the upcoming pre-invasion bombardment. In one instance, Lieutenant Joseph Wayerski (Shore Fire Control Party officer) calls in the long guns of the Navy. However, soon after, it is discovered that the people are civilians ravaging a mound of rice in the tidal basin area. The guns are called off. In yet another instance, Lieutenant Wayerski, peering into Inchon through his binoculars, catches about twenty enemy troops moving on Observatory Hill. The guns of the Manchester send thirty 5-inch shells to smother the trench area. By 1400, the waters begin to churn as some particular landing craft begin forming near their assigned warships to participate in the landing as command boats. Almost simultaneously, the primary control ship, Diachenko (APD-123), is gliding into its position about 3,000 yards southwest of the line of departure of the “Blue Beach” assault force. The set and drift of the current is discovered to be three and one-half knots, stronger than originally anticipated. The information is immediately dispatched to the attack force commander, and after quick consideration, he sets H-Hour at 1730. At 1430, each ship in the joint task force is informed that 1730 is the designated time for the invasion. Fifteen minutes later, at 1445, the signal “Land the landing force” is issued. Upon receiving the word, the lurking cruisers and destroyers create rainbows of fire as the zooming shells arc toward shore, to further cover the already scorched earth with more destruction. Inchon begins to resemble a colossal over-baked birthday cake embellished with murderous illuminated candles. The enemy terrain is thrashed and bashed for three hours. At the onset of the naval surface bombardment, the free-flying Marine Corsairs of VMF-214 and VMF323 light a few thousand more candles. The pre-invasion barrage is further supplemented by twelve naval planes that Fast Carrier Task Force 77 has employed in the skies over Inchon to circle the area with another ring of fire and to conduct more search and destroy sorties. The air searches are thorough, but no enemy reinforcements are detected. All the while, the weather is becoming increasingly worse as the storm clouds mingle with the war clouds, a combination that places huge hovering patches of impenetrable smog and smoke over the objectives, obscuring much of the area and in particular, Blue Beach, the target of Colonel Puller’s 1st Marines. Activity aboard the Henrico and Cavalier rises to a crescendo, as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Murray, scamper down the cargo nets and board the boats that will propel them to “Red Beach.” The LSTs begin to swell the seas with legions of additional landing craft for the 1st Marines. The LSTs, dubbed “slow moving targets,” begin to resemble giant mechanical whales frolicking in the sea, especially when the wells open.

September 15, 1950 Suddenly, the sea is consumed with aquatic steel chariots, each forming near the lines of departure, preparing to bolt for the beaches to descend upon and annihilate the enemy. The USS Horace A. Bass, designated control vessel for Red Beach, eases toward the departure line, trailed by waves of assault craft and crammed with the elements of the 5th Marines, while the USS Wantuck (control ship) scurries to the departure line off Blue Beach. The PCEC 896, commanded by Lieutenant Reuben Berry, glides toward its assigned position off Green Beach (Wolmi-do) to oversee the numerous waves scheduled to execute an administrative landing there. Meanwhile, the naval surface vessels and the planes maintain pressure on the enemy as their scorching shells continue to soar through the air, seemingly heating the raindrops prior to their decimating impact on shore. The voluminous shelling increases as H-Hour nears, further obstructing vision, but the destructive raids instill even more confidence in the assaulting Marines, who are impatiently awaiting the signal to attack. On Wolmi-do, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, holding indisputable control of the island, limbers up its support weapons while observing the ongoing pulverization of Inchon. The Blue Beach assault boats prepare to advance through the dismal smoke to reach the objective, but not without difficulty and confusion. At about 1640, the maneuver is momentarily interrupted when enemy mortar fire begins hitting the water in close proximity to the control vessel, Wantuck. One of the lurking destroyers swings into action and terminates the hostile fire. The first wave of the 1st Marines, aboard eighteen Army LVTs, penetrates the starting line at 1645, igniting the invasion thought impossible, and giving the Marines the opportunity to overcome supposed insurmountable odds. As the slow moving armored LVTs close on Blue Beach, about 5,500 yards distant, watchful eyes keep a stringent vigil to ensure that no remnants of the North Korean Air Force interfere with the operation or endanger the assault craft. The second wave follows close behind the first wave and receives some guidance from Navy guide boats; however, the trailing waves lack this critical support. The compasses become useless while aboard the metal landing craft, and the fog is horrible, distorting vision badly. Major Edwin H. Simmons, while passing the control vessel en route to the line of departure at 1630, requests instructions from the bridge. He receives a response from a naval officer who speaks through a bull horn and directs the fifth wave toward Blue Beach Two, while pointing to where the beach is supposed to be. Simmons notes: “Nothing could be seen in that direction except mustard colored haze and black smoke.” Major Simmons further states that as they press toward the supposed target area, they converge upon another attacking wave, and quickly ask if the other group is heading for Blue Two. They receive this response from the wave commander: “Hell no. We’re the 2nd Battalion, headed for Blue One.” Major Simmons’s wave then

September 15, 1950 swivels to the right and he attempts to correct the blind course and strike the objective on time. Despite MacArthur’s unwavering confidence in the invasion, precautions have been taken to ensure transfer of command if necessary. In the event of an unexpected disaster, possible but not probable, the attack force, which takes its orders from TADC aboard the Mount McKinley, has a built-in safety net. The USS George Clymer is equipped with an emergency communications network and a control contingent (TAC X Corps), affording a smooth and quick transfer of command to General Cushman. At 1705, the scenario becomes more intense as less than thirty minutes remain until H-Hour. The seafaring mighty midgets again are called to the forefront to electrify the skies with their firestorm of rockets. Admiral Higgins signals the rocket ships to commence firing, and in conjunction, the pounding guns of the cruisers and destroyers come to a succinct halt. More than six thousand rockets are flung against Blue and Red Beaches during a shocking twenty-minute barrage. All the while, the landing craft advance. The attacking Marines are besieged not by the enemy but by slapping winds and the sting of the miserable penetrating rain. Time passes slowly in the assault boats during the final minutes, but activity accelerates as the fury climbs to a frenzied pace. Much of the spectacle is unobservable due to the overwhelming smoke and inclement weather. While the assault boats heading for Blue Beach reach the halfway point about 2,200 yards from shore, the rocket ships cease firing, clearing the skies for a final strafing run for VMF-214 and VMF-233. Meanwhile, the first wave of the 5th Marines, dispersed in line to the left of Wolmi-do, crosses the departure line at 1722 to attack Red Beach. From left to right, the boats, numbered one to four, transport two platoons of Company A, 1st Battalion, toward their objective, Cemetery Hill. At the same time, boats five through eight, carrying elements of Company E, 2nd Battalion, speed toward their beach sector to debark the Marines who will secure the right flank of the beach and seize the hill of the British Consulate. Due to the lack of rehearsals and the poor visibility, several contingents of the waves become mixed, causing some units to wind up on the wrong beaches. This creates problems later. In the meantime, on Wolmi-do the dormant 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, springs into action, blasting the mainland with incessant bursts of machine gun and mortar fire to insulate the landing areas and provide additional umbrella cover fire. Simultaneously, a contingent of engineers, led by Sergeant Edwin Knox, ventures upon the causeway to help clear the way for the tanks of Company A, which are poised to dart to the aid of the Marines as soon as they hit the beach. The tanks proclaim their presence, stinging the beach areas with rapid bursts of machine gun shells and high explosives. Several of the Marine tankers draft a captured Russian gun to test its accuracy by turning it on the

340 enemy. The experiment works well, as the Marines claim the gun is accurate. At dusk, the tanks of Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, which had come in at Green Beach with the 5th Marines, will stream across the causeway to join the main attack. In conjunction, a reconnaissance team lands on Green Beach at 1700 to make preparations for the arrival of the tanks from Company B, due to arrive on the following afternoon. It is an exciting and dangerous few minutes, as the adrenaline flows full-force through the bodies of the Marines whose noses begin to pick up the scent of the prey, in cadence with the bellowing instructions to the riflemen: “Lock and load!” Blue Beach remains under the clutches of smoke, smog and fire as the landing craft navigate through the hovering natural and man-made clouds. All the while, the progress is observed by the circling aircraft, their pilots able to peek through the smoke and debris from their overhead positions. And more planes arrive on the scene. Navy Skyraiders, requested by Captain John R. Stevens, Company A, 5th Marines, add their killing power to the attack, arriving overhead as the first wave of the 5th Marines reaches about thirty yards from the seawall. Lieutenant James W. Smith (FAC) 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, directs their strafing runs to ensure more accuracy to knock out the discovered obstacles. The tide continues to swell, but the seawall remains a formidable obstacle, protruding about four feet above the landing crafts’ ramps. Undaunted, the 5th Marines revert to their hastily constructed and obviously improvised ladders and position them for immediate use. The shores of Inchon continue to undergo excruciating punishment, although the guns of the cruisers and destroyers remain tranquil as the support weapons on Wolmi-do pour relentless fire upon the beaches in concert with the roving aircraft. And now, the clenched steel fists of the first waves of the landing craft open widely, unleashing yet another blow against Inchon, which lays near-naked and charred. The 1st Marine Division crashes into Inchon. The first crack of the whip flashes against the seawall at 1731, sparking the initial lightning bolts of the raging storm, when boats five through eight (Company E) reach the objective. The ladders are thrust haphazardly against the wall while grenades are hurled to clear any hostile troops that might be lingering on the opposing side. In single file, immediately following the detonation of the grenades, the Marines of the 1st Platoon, Company E, scurry up the makeshift ladders, which are swinging and swaying dangerously, as the LCVPs plop back and forth along the wall. The gamble succeeds and the “Hail Mary” ladders sustain the ordeal, much to the delight of the platoon, as the entire complement completes the trek. Some sporadic enemy fire clangs around the beach throughout the landing operation, but no casualties occur. The unit drives inland, advancing about 100 yards to the railroad tracks without encountering any opposition. The 1st Platoon follows the tracks to the

341 British Consulate, capturing it by 1845, while another contingent seizes the built-up area on the opposite side of the tracks on the lower slopes of Observatory Hill. The quick gains provide some supplemental insurance for the twenty-two additional waves of landing craft and LSTs; however, the towering Observatory Hill must still be reduced. Nearby, the four boats operating on the left (north) of Red Beach, which are transporting the main contingent of Company A, sustain some trouble. Boat No. 1, containing half of the 1st Platoon and Tech. Sergeant Orval McMullen, incurs engine trouble, delaying it. However, Boats 2, 3 and 4 hit shore on the heels of Company E at 1733, encountering stiff resistance beyond the wall. Company A is not easily deterred. Sergeant Charles D. Allen, leading the remainder of the 1st Platoon, begins getting his troops off Boat 2 and up the trembling ladders. Enemy fire also rips into them. Several Marines are struck and killed immediately, and the rest are halted on the beach just several yards beyond the seawall. Close by, Boat No. 3 debarks its contingent, a 2nd Platoon squad led by Lieutenant Francis Muetzel. The detachment advances and without the use of ladders it scurries through a hole in the seawall. Suddenly it discovers the ominous presence of an enemy machine gun silently standing in the path of advance. Unperturbed, the Marines charge, and amazingly, the deadly gun remains mute. While the squad romps to positions on the beach, the Marines on Boat No. 4, transporting a second squad of the 2nd Platoon, Company A, and a 3.5-inch rocket section, merge with the troops of Boat No. 3. The pillbox containing the machine gun is occupied, but not for long. Two Marines work their way toward the emplacement, while the others take cover in an unoccupied protracted trench. The unnatural calm within the pillbox is shattered as grenades are popped into it. Following the reverberating explosions, six battered and bloodied Communist troops stagger through the smoke, exiting into the waiting arms of the Marines. Lieutenant Muetzel, 2nd Platoon, Company A, then initiates an attack to secure Asahi Brewery, but some of his platoon is still offshore with the lagging second wave. While Lt. Colonel Murray’s 5th Marines are securing Red Beach, the 1st Marines storm ashore at Blue Beach One on schedule. At precisely 1730, elements of Lt. Colonel Allan Sutter’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, dart from their nine LVT(A)s, encountering no resistance. Grasping the unexpected advantage, the 2nd Battalion’s spearhead drills inland and northward toward a road that edges a knoll and leads farther inland. The advance comes to an abrupt halt. The Navy’s surface vessels had seared parts of the high ground to such an extent that landslides have blocked the exit, immobilizing the amphibious vehicles. The successive waves of the 1st Marines begin coming ashore at Blue Beach One at 1830. The bulk of the remaining eleven LVTs comprising the second wave

September 15, 1950 crash ashore, springing elements of two assault companies into the midst of the enemy-held terrain. The trailing landing craft of the second wave gets clipped by the mud about 300 yards from the beach, compelling the contingent of Fox Company to walk the distance. Some crucial communications equipment is lost along the way. However, unlike many of the landings during World War II, the enemy raises no opposition. The high ground is quickly secured, and the contingents of Companies D and F eagerly await the arrival of the remainder of their unit, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. Slightly after H-Hour, Blue Beach Two becomes the recipient of nine LVT(A)s that are honing in on the drainage ditch on the left, until some keen-eyed drivers take notice of imminent danger due to a confined passageway and an abundance of muck. The landing craft begin reversing their engines. During the precarious maneuver, some nearby enemy troops begin firing from positions close to the waterfront. The resistance is met by return fire. Soon after, the second wave of the 1st Battalion speeds past the army amphibious vehicles, screeching to a stop at the seawall about ten minutes behind schedule. Contingents of Companies G and I (3rd Battalion) on the left and right respectively, catapult ashore. At about the same time, some of the lead craft of the third wave arrive at the seawall and, in effect, place Colonel Ridge’s (commanding officer, 3rd Battalion) tractor ashore prematurely. Blue Beach Two is buzzing with activity as the 1st Marines attempt to get a tight hold. The amphibians transporting Company G initiate a solid column and wedge into the drainage ditch, while the elements of Company I struggle with their improvised ladders to scale the seawall. Some of the aluminum steps fail the test, crumbling under the pressure of the ascending Marines. More improvisation begins. Engineers from Company C, 1st Engineering Battalion, rush to the seawall and fabricate new climbing devices by anchoring cargo nets to it. The venture by Company G into the drainage ditch proves faulty, as the lead vehicle gets bogged down in the mud, paralyzing the five trailing LVTs. Without hesitation, Captain Westover, commanding officer Company G, directs his troops to dismount and prepare to drive inland on foot to complete its primary mission, which is to secure a lowland corridor and block a secondary highway originating in the east and leading to Blue Beach. Colonel Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, commanding officer, 1st Marines, has come ashore early on Blue Beach Two with the third wave to lend his experience to this unrehearsed operation. In retrospect he comments, “I recall being extremely gratified that my prior concern in this connection was not warranted.” Although there had been serious concerns about the operation, the obstacles, expected and unknown, have been conquered thus far. By 1800, the situation on Blue Beach is excellent and

September 15, 1950 Companies G and I have expeditiously cleared the beach, having sustained only light casualties, most inflicted by one obstinate machine gun. This has since been exterminated by fire from an LVT. Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, drives on the left toward the lowland corridor, while Company I attacks toward the seaward peak of Hill 233, Objective Charlie. Back on Red Beach, the 2nd Platoon, Company A, 5th Marines, grinds forward toward its objective, hurrying over the skimpy beachhead, bypassing various locked buildings and disregarding the flaming debris. Nonetheless, the 2nd Platoon remains concerned that the enemy might be holding the high ground on Cemetery Hill, waiting to commence firing. The Marines advance without incident, diminishing fears that they might become stalled and trapped. The platoon moves around the south side of the hill, from where it enters the city and proceeds unopposed along a street leading directly to the Asahi Brewery, which it takes effortlessly. However, the contingents of the 1st Platoon, Company A, which have made it to the beach, remain stalled. They are held up by severe fire originating from a fortified emplacement to its immediate front and by heavy flanking fire. The 3rd Platoon, Company A, lands and finally, the second wave also delivers the remainder of the 1st Platoon. The beach becomes extremely overcrowded. Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez (Company A) leads a detachment to destroy the bunker that is stalling the attack. Lopez gets to within grenade-throwing range and readies his tossing arm, but enemy fire rips into him, knocking him to the ground and causing the grenade to fall. Instinctively, Lopez, despite his critical wounds and anguishing pain, attempts to recover the projectile and toss it at the enemy. Unable to garnish the strength to hurl the grenade and unwilling to risk the lives of his fellow Marines, Lopez clasps the grenade with his wounded right arm and pulls it under his body to absorb the entire blast. He is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism. Two other Marines, carrying flamethrowers, attack the menacing bunker. Both are felled by enemy shells. Time is beginning to run heavily against the success of the mission on Red Beach. The obstacle must be eliminated quickly or the expected waves of additional Marines might be jeopardized by fire from Cemetery Hill, the objective of the 1st Platoon, which remains under the control of the Communists. Captain John R. Stevens, commanding officer Company A, comes ashore at H-plus 5, landing in Lieutenant Muetzel’s 1st Platoon sector. He is immediately informed of the situation, including the death of Lopez. After unsuccessfully attempting to contact Sergeant Orval McMullen in Boat 1, which had earlier stalled offshore, Stevens orders Lieutenant Fred Eubanks (Company A, exec. off.) to get the troops on the left organized and on the advance. Lieutenant Meutzel’s contingent of the 2nd Platoon is recalled from the brewery with orders to rush back to the beach to lend some as-

342 sistance. Along the return route, Meutzel takes note of Cemetery Hill, especially the tantalizing southern slope, which seems to him to be a magnificent path to the crest. Recalling Captain Stevens’ earlier feelings that the 2nd Platoon might be committed to seize the hill if the task would become too difficult for the 1st Platoon, he decides to take it. Muetzel’s 2nd Platoon moves back, heading toward the waterfront, but upon reaching the enemy-held Cemetery Hill, the platoon pivots and sprints up the southern slope, quickly gaining the summit and capturing about twelve enemy troops along the climb. Soon after, the Marines are atop the summit and are confronted by rag-tag contingents of the N.K. 226th Regiment’s Mortar Company. The defenders of the crest resemble zombies rather than tough enemy troops. They exhibit no desire to resist and defend the crest. Each moves slowly from the trenches, as if tranquilized, and passively puts down his weapon before filing down to the base of the hill. A small detachment guards them to ensure they remain docile. Cemetery Hill falls to the 2nd Platoon in less than ten minutes, and again, Muetzel’s unit sustains no casualties. He prepares to dispatch a strong contingent to bolster the 1st Platoon, which is still hung up on the beach. That little corner of the world called Red Beach has been an inferno since the Marines landed thirty minutes earlier. Lieutenant Eubanks, during his few minutes on the beach, gets the 1st Platoon, Company A, back on track. While Meutzel is preparing to send help to the beachhead, the 1st and 3rd Platoons, having won the grenade duel, penetrate the firewall and launch a successful attack against the bunker, destroying it with a flamethrower. With the breathing room, the two platoons break out of the pocket and drive to the fringes of the inland sector of Inchon, establishing contact with the 2nd Platoon there. Company A sustains eight killed and twenty-eight men wounded before culminating the battle in the northern sector of Red Beach. At 1755, Captain Stevens fires an eagerly awaited signal. The amber star cluster flare soon explodes, proclaiming the capture of Cemetery Hill for the 5th Marines. Nonetheless, Observatory Hill must still be secured. Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, arrives at the beachhead at 1800, and is delegated to seize Objective A, the northern sector of the hill. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, is designated to secure the southern portion, Objective B. Both of these units have experienced some trouble during the landings, including troops debarking on the wrong beaches. The snafu causes delays in the attacks and also provides the enemy some time to re-establish some fierce pockets of resistance on the hill. While the day wears on, the beaches become more clogged as additional cargo and troops flow in. At 1830, the LST 859, first of the eight LSTs, crosses the line of departure and closes toward the beach. By 1835, the enemy brings it under fire, and the vessel returns the

343 greeting by activating its guns. The ships’ commanding officers see the crowded beachhead and conclude that the Marines have been unable to advance. Observatory Hill is struck by the return fire, but so is Cemetery Hill, the latter controlled by the 2nd Platoon, Company A, 5th Marines. The erroneous friendly shelling is not received kindly by the ground Marines. The trailing LSTs also come under enemy fire. Their crews commence firing against suspected enemy positions, still unaware of Marines holding forward positions. The LSTs 975 and 857, second and third in the column, fire against suspected enemy positions, causing more friendly fire to strike Lieutenant Muetzel’s platoon, driving it from the crest of Cemetery Hill. The platoon moves to the slope overlooking Inchon, where it then comes under enemy fire originating on Observatory Hill. Then suddenly, one of the shells from an LST scores a direct hit on the building housing the enemy gun, eliminating the trouble. Again, Muetzel’s 2nd Platoon sustains no casualties. In the meantime, an enemy shell ignites a fire on LST 914, endangering fully loaded ammunition trucks and obviously, the vessel. Marines and sailors extinguish the flames, preventing a calamity. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Colonel Roise, is not as lucky as the 1st Battalion. H&S and Weapons Company (1st Shore Party Bn.) lands about 1830, traveling aboard the lead LSTs, and begins driving inland. The friendly fire of the trailing LSTs strikes its ranks hard, inflicting one death and wounding twenty-three other Marines, prompting Colonel Roise to remark: “If it hadn’t been for the thick walls of the Nippon Flour Company, the casualties might have been worse.” Meanwhile, the 2nd Platoon, Company C, reorganized by Lieutenant Byron Magness, executes an attack to seize Observatory Hill, despite the fact that the balance of the company is still regrouping on the beach. Supported by Lieutenant Max Merritt’s 60-mm mortar section, Magness’ platoon drives up the slopes. Sergeant Max Stein becomes wounded while taking on a machine gun nest, but his actions spur more determination by the charging Marines. By 1845 the saddle between Objective A (northern part of Observatory Hill) and Objective B (southern part of Observatory Hill) is controlled by Lieutenants Magness and Merritt. Their sole flare is fired to signal the seizure. But it misfires, preventing the beachhead and Colonel Newton from becoming aware of the victory. Efforts to raise Lieutenant Pedersen (CO, Co. C) by radio also fail. During the contest to seize the saddle, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines (reserve), hits the beach in the 2nd Battalion’s sector, subsequent to evading enemy shore fire at the assigned landing site. Captain Francis Fenton confers with the battalion commander, Colonel Newton. Newton orders Fenton’s battle-tested troops to assume responsibility for Company C’s mission to seize Objective A, the northern part of Observatory Hill.

September 15, 1950 Finally, by 1900, amidst choking smoke and driving rain showers, the eight LSTs and their loose-fingered gun crews reach the dock, to the relief of the Marines. Contact is immediately established between the ground troops and the ships’ guns become quiet. However, there is no tranquility on Red Beach. The attack against Objective A is initiated. Company B, led by Captain Fenton, charges up the slopes under blackened skies, approaching the crest in a two-pronged assault, with one unit pressing directly forward while the other swings around to the left to attack. The latter squirms around the rear of the hill, where it encounters C Company’s 2nd Platoon, which has secured the straddling saddle to the right of Objective A. The enemy raises resistance as the Marines climb the slope, but it is eliminated. The crest, containing an enemy battalion command post, is overrun and secured at 2000. Six Marines are wounded in the process. Quickly, three platoons are deployed, and linkage is established between Company B and the Marines of Company C’s 2nd Platoon, which is holding the saddle to the right of Objective A. At 2240, Colonel Newton contacts the 5th Marines’ headquarters by radio, informing Colonel Murray that the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines’ portion of the O-A line is secure. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines — having incurred several snafus, including the earlier confusion of the boat waves at Red Beach, and the poor visibility — pushes out. Company D, subsequent to reorganizing after reclaiming its troops, which strayed to the wrong beaches, moves out to capture Objective B, the southern part of Observatory Hill. Company D assumes that Company E is holding the summit and it advances without normal precautions. The 1st Platoon, acting as spearhead, openly advances along a street, reaching the top of a hill without incident. The platoon continues its advance, maintaining its march on the road heading toward the second peak, where it expects to establish contact with Company E. Instead, the forward troops are engaged by waiting North Koreans. Machine gun fire suddenly erupts from entrenched positions along the route, prompting the Marines to bolt to the left side of the road for cover, from where they can return fire and destroy the ambushers. The exchange continues as the two forces, holding opposite sides of the road, begin trading grenades during a ferocious fifteen-minute contest, culminating with Lieutenant Heck’s 1st Platoon having the better aim. During the tenacious battle, one of Heck’s Marines is killed and three others are wounded. The corpsman, himself wounded, disregards his own safety, refusing to be evacuated to ensure that he can aid the other wounded. Also, Lt. Colonel Roise and his executive officer, Lieutenant Michael Dunbar, rush forward to the scene of the fighting. Dunbar becomes wounded by a ricochet shell. By the time darkness overtakes the area, the Communists are convincingly driven off the hill and

September 15, 1950 Company D establishes a night perimeter. Three rifle platoons are deployed on the forward slopes of Objective B, and a platoon from Company F (Battalion reserve), commanded by Lieutenant Harry Nolan, moves up to hold the ground between Company D, and the 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, which is holding the saddle with Lieutenant Merritt’s mortar contingent. Activity ceases for the night. Colonel Roise is reluctant to penetrate deeper into the city, since he is unfamiliar with the terrain and because of the total darkness of the night. He concludes that there could be unnecessary casualties, but at regimental headquarters, established earlier on Wolmi-do (1830), there is some concern over his decision. New orders soon arrive from Colonel Murray. During a conversation with Lt. Colonel Murray, commanding officer 5th Marines, Roise is instructed to ensure that the areas considered to be undefendable from a tactical standpoint should, at the minimum, have a forward guard. Outposts are ordered established. With the successful vanquishing of the enemy on Cemetery and Observatory Hills, the O-A line is secure, with the exception of the farthest point on the right, the inner tidal basin. Roise dispatches two squads from Company F and a contingent of S.K. Marines to the tidal basin area. This small force undertakes a reconnaissance mission into Inchon, and it returns at 2300 to inform Colonel Roise that no enemy troops had been detected. Following the briefing by the reconnaissance squads, Colonel Roise orders Company F, less the platoon on Observatory Hill, to spread out on the right flank. Subsequently, just after midnight, Captain Uel Peters deploys his Company (F) adjacent to the tidal basin for the night. Also, at 2000, the 3rd Battalion moves across the causeway from Wolmi-do and rejoins the regiment. Back on Blue Beach, the Marine infantry (1st Marines) continues its inland drive. Company I focuses its attention on Hill 233, and Company G drills toward the lowland corridor. The final waves of the attack force are greatly affected by the approaching darkness. During the initial landings, a serious miscalculation occurs when Colonel Puller orders Lieutenant Jack Hawkins to cross the line of departure with LCVP waves twenty-one through twenty-five comprising the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. The waves are expected at 1815, but a guiding searchlight aboard the control vessel, due to the poor visibility, points toward the tidal basin, placing the waves 45 degrees off course to the northeast. The first two waves debark, presumably at Blue Beach Two. Lieutenant Hawkins, aboard the third wave (23rd), discovers the error and at about the same time, the executive officer, Lt. Colonel Robert Rickert of the 1st Battalion, maneuvering about in his free boat, notices the erroneous landings and begins to intercept the waves and reroute them to the proper landing sites. Lieutenant Hawkins runs along the basin wall, yelling corrective instructions to the first two waves. Most of the Marines get back on track, but one con-

344 tingent is forced to remain overnight on the wrong landing area due to the lack of boats. This platoon, attached to Company B, walks to the mainland on the following day, netting a good many enemy troops along the way. Finally, Hawkins reaches Blue Beach Two, but darkness has beaten him there. Upon his arrival, Hawkins discovers Company C, which has arrived without incident, thanks to a savvy boat coxswain whose intuition brought them to the proper area. The 1st Battalion moves inland to establish a night perimeter. Major David Bridges (Bn. S-3) remains at the beach to direct the late arrivals. Later, Bridges leads about 100 miscellaneous troops from Blue Three toward the 1st Battalion bivouac area, but the contingent overshoots its objective and eventually halts in the heights to the left of Company G, 3rd Battalion. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, has picked up the slack. Company D occupies the strategic road intersection at 2000 (Objective A), and within two hours, Company F secures a portion of Objective D, Hill 117, giving it positions from which it can dominate the Inchon-Seoul highway. Meanwhile, a group under Lieutenant Bruce Cunliffe, composed of the 60-mm section, Company F, 2nd Battalion, misses its rendezvous point due to the darkness. It moves through the 3rd Battalion lines, finally halting near Hill 117, well beyond U.S. positions. Soon after, these Marines encounter some North Koreans and a terse firefight develops. The skirmish is brief as the Communists take off, leaving several dead behind. The Marines sustain no casualties. After the firefight, they remain in place until dawn to rejoin their unit. However, the 2nd Battalion does sustain one killed and nineteen wounded during its inland drive. The enemy sustains about fifty dead, and fifteen Communists are captured. In the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines sector, on the right side of the regimental zone, the enemy has been unable to raise any heavy resistance. Company I informs headquarters at 1900 that the western nose of Hill 123 (Objective C) is secure. Within about one-half hour, Company G, which has been driving toward the lowland corridor, reports that it is establishing blocking positions across the corridor and along the road at the center of the O-1 Line. The task is concluded by about 2030. At about the same time, Company H’s 1st Platoon launches a surprise attack against the enemy on Objective B, the small cape under Hill 94. It is a brief exchange; the North Koreans, about company strength, abandon their fortified positions, leaving thirty enemy dead and wounded behind. The fall of Hill 94 ensures the O-1 Line, but more combat persists in the area for a few hours. Company H, less the 1st and 2nd Platoons, deploys between Companies G and I, securing a solid blocking position about 400 yards to the rear of the O-1 Line. While the ground troops are winding down for the night, the LSTs are rapidly being gutted by the tireless

345 efforts of the Marine 1st Combat Service Group, 7th Motor Transport Battalion, and the Army’s 2nd Engineer Special Brigade, the latter being in charge of the operation. By dusk, 450 vehicles are ashore. Floodlights are then swung into the port operation to permit additional equipment and supplies to be unloaded without delay. More supplies and equipment will arrive in the morning, aboard LSTs and LVTs. The night of September 15-16 remains tranquil for both the 1st and 5th Marines, as the vanquished enemy mounts no night counterattack. Nonetheless, there is one startling development. At Cemetery Hill (5th Marines), two Marines inadvertently digress from their positions emerging in front of the high ground and within sight of enemy guns concealed in a cave at the

September 15, 1950 base of the hill. The enemy strikes both, and attempts to rescue them are thwarted by a ring of submachine gun fire. The Marines, using an interpreter, demand surrender under the threat of sending tanks into the cave. The threat is sufficient. The enemy contingent capitulates. However, the one straying Marine had been killed instantly and the rescued Marine has sustained a mortal blow. During the night of the 15th-16th, General O.P. Smith’s order (OpnO 3–50) to attack is issued to the 1st and 5th Marines; it directs that the assault commence after dawn. The 5th Marines will advance through the southern sector of Inchon, reaching the O-2 Line and coming to positions abreast of the 1st Marines at its

The attack transport Henrico, one of the vessels used to bring the 1st Marine Division to Inchon.

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positions of the previous night, about three miles inland at Hill 117. From that point along the Inchon-Seoul Road, which is essentially the O-1 and O-2 Line for the 1st Marines, the two regiments will simultaneously attack toward the O-3 Line. In the meantime, most of the personnel who became separated from their units during the night are reunited. At dawn, as ordered, the 5th Marines’ attack units move from their positions to converge and begin the assault. The 2nd Battalion will spearhead, trailed by the 1st and 3rd Battalions. Murray’s regiment is to seize two hills (Objective D and E) located on the fringes of the city, north of the Inchon-Seoul highway, to eliminate threats against the imminent ship-to-shore operations at Inchon and to sling a safety net over their sector of the O-2 Line, in coordination with the 1st Marines. This will afford the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, domination of the heights overlooking Inchon. Company D departs its positions on Observatory Hill to bring up the rear of the advancing column behind Company F. Company E, led by Captain Jaskilka, pushes out from the British Consulate and takes the point. There is a puzzling aura forming, as the three battalions merge and begin passing the inner tidal basin, heading through the city. The lack of resistance and the deadening silence are welcome but perplexing. The Marines advance through the hushed streets of Inchon expecting at least some sniper fire, but so far, none develops. Their movement is observed, but only by some

over-tense and bleary-eyed civilians, seemingly bewildered by the maze of destruction surrounding them. It becomes evident that the enemy troops have abandoned the city to seek refuge and to evade the attacking Marines. The Communists had not anticipated the tumultuous thrust of the invasion, and now, there is little they can do to rectify the futile situation. Meanwhile, the 1st Marines are engaging the enemy; Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines begins clearing the eastern ridge of Hill 117 at 0615. Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, attacks to secure a village on its right flank and the high ground above it, meeting stiff resistance. The fire fights continue throughout the afternoon. While the 5th Marines are emerging from Inchon to hook up with the 1st Marines at the O-2 Line, the enemy does mount some opposition. At 0700 an armor column composed of six tanks is spotted by Corsairs at Kansong-ni, about five miles outside of town. The tanks are clanking down the road toward Inchon, unescorted by infantry. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, takes positions outside the city and makes visual contact with the 1st Marines on Hill 117 at 0730, setting the stage for the attacks to seize the 2nd Battalion’s objectives (two hills north of the city). Company D, 2nd Battalion, with an escort of tanks, moves eastward, establishing contact with the 1st Marines on Hill 117 at 0900, having encountered little more than a few sniper shots. And while Company D is linking with the 1st

A destroyed North Korean gun at Inchon.

347 Marines, Companies E and F are sprinting to their respective objectives, each being secured without opposition. With the objectives taken, the main attack by the 1st and 5th Marines is reinitiated just after 0900. As mentioned previously, elements of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, are engaged on Hill 117. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, moving from its positions on Hill 233, initiates its drive to clear the Munhang peninsula. Companies G and I drive southward, encountering no organized resistance. In conjunction, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, regroups in the middle of Colonel Puller’s sector south of the road and advances as the regimental reserve. Other contingents of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, attack in synchronization with the 5th Marines. A platoon of tanks (Company A) and Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, spearheads the drive, followed by Companies D and F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. The juggernaut propels down the highway, unaffected by the resistance, which is confined to some minor sniper fire. The tanks and the elements of both battalions reach Sogam-ni, situated on the O-3 Line, by 1100 and halt in place to await orders. Rising smoke is easily spotted in Kansong-ni, where enemy armor had been detected earlier. At 1045, General Smith issues OpnO 4–50, ordering Colonels Puller (1st Marines) and Murray (5th Marines) to drive from the O-3 Line and secure the force beachhead line, which will terminate the assault phase of the amphibious operation. Smith’s directive also stipulates the immediate establishment of a new tactical bomb line that restricts the aviators from attacking within the boundary, unless the attacks are coordinated with the ground observers. Back at Kansong-ni, several hundred yards in front of Sogam-ni, the Spartan force of enemy armor had not fared well after being detected by the Corsairs at 0700. From atop their positions on Hill 117, the men of the 1st Marines observe a transformation. The T-34 tanks are caught on the road like sitting ducks by the swooping Corsairs. Eight planes (VMF-214) dive low and splinter the column. The planes snatch one tank, consuming it with napalm fire, and seemingly discover oil when another tank is spotted dead in its tracks, oil gushing forth as if from a geyser. And yet another T-34 sustains a brutal blow, as its tracks are blown off. Nonetheless, the victory is costly, as Captain William F. Simpson, during the dangerously low level attack, is unable to recover from the deepness of the dive. He is killed when his aircraft plunges into the earth adjacent to the highway. The men of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, are jolted heavily as they watch their fellow Marine crash. A second wave of VMF-214 picks up the slack, and pours more fire into the enemy armor, destroying two tanks. It appears, though, that both are the same tanks that had been struck by the first wave. The enemy, attempting to escape the wrath of the Marine pilots, seeks refuge in some nearby huts. The Marines spew napalm into the

September 15, 1950 huts, which then vanish into ascending spirals of smoke. VMF-214 pilots continue the attack and apparently assuming all the tanks have been annihilated, the planes destroy two other vehicles, a weapons carrier and a jeep. The planes then make a deadly pass against some camouflaged vehicles, ripping into both of them. However, some of the tanks survive the attack and they recoil within the village that is the next target of the 1st and 5th Marines. The expected tenacious enemy resistance has not materialized and before morning ends, it is obvious to the Marines that attaining the O-3 Line, composed of a three-mile front extended across two connected peninsulas and protected on both flanks by the sea, will not be an arduous task. The theory is further bolstered by the great quantities of abandoned enemy arms and equipment being vacuumed up by the sweeping Marines. By about noon, the 1st and 5th Marines, commanded by Colonels Puller and Murray respectively, operating with the Inchon-Seoul Road as their boundary line, prepare to initiate the advance from the O-3 Line to secure the force beachhead line (FBHL). Similarly to the O-3 line, the FBHL, forming the configuration of a right angle, is insulated by the sea at both ends; its east-west arm lies above and near parallel to the InchonSeoul highway, stretching for five miles, and the northsouth arm of the arc lies about seven miles inland. The north-south arm contains an additional peninsula, Namdong, which will be consumed by the beachhead. Puller’s 1st Marines, operating on the right of the highway, receive the largest mass of terrain (much of it rough) to secure. The regiment’s expeditious advance has caused the 1st Marines to have its components spread over fifteen square miles of ground. The 1st Marines will commence its main attack at 1600. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (led by Colonel Taplett), commences its attack at 1330, driving northwest toward the hills dominating that portion of the FBHL. Company G, advancing on the left, seizes its objective by 1440, while Company I attacks Hill 137, reducing it by about 1440. The swift gains are secured without sustaining any Marine casualties, and twelve enemy prisoners are scooped up in the process. Subsequent to the capture of its objectives, the 3rd Battalion dispatches reconnaissance patrols. Probes are made westward to the sea and east to the outskirts of Ascom City, the latter discovering a bonanza. Elements of Company I, 3rd Battalion, stumble upon an unguarded enemy ammunition depot and a vehicle storage area. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines (Colonel Roise), jumps off at 1335, encountering nominal resistance from enemy positions north of the highway. Nonetheless, the spearhead drives forward, entering Kansongni, where it encroaches a dangerous curve in the road that leads northward and bypasses two lanky hills. Unbeknownst to the advancing column, three lurking T34 tanks that evaded destruction earlier in the day hold positions on the blindside of the curve. The enemy tanks are silently poised, waiting to bludgeon the

September 16, 1950 unsuspecting advance force as it comes into view. But, a contingent of the escorting Marine tanks rushes to higher ground to shepherd the ground troops while they take the curve. Men with the two tanks glance down from their positions on the mound and spot the three T-34s in a neatly formed column. The hatches are drawn tightly and their guns are unelevated, pointed directly at the curve, waiting to spring the ambush. The undetected M-26s commence unrelenting fire, pumping twenty armor-piercing shells into the enemy T-34s, and terminate the battle before the T-34s can get off a shot. Each tank sustains a decimating explosion and becomes consumed with flames. Soon after, the Marines burst around the curve, awed by the combined destruction of the earlier air attacks and the most recent surgery on the tanks. The 5th Marines continues along the road, heading toward Ascom City. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, sprints to the crest of a large hill sitting on the west side of the highway about one thousand yards beyond the curve, while Company F surges forward on the left and speeds over some railroad tracks that run beside the road. Afterwards, the company darts to the high ground near the terrain secured by Company D. Following the capture of this ground, both hills and the adjoining low lands are methodically combed. The operation culminates during the early evening. Although the 2nd Battalion is positioned about 3,000 yards from the FBHL, they own the dominant ground, prompting Colonel Roise to direct his battalion to establish night positions. Company E (reserve), covers the rear, while Companies D and F deploy to guard the approaches to Ascom City, which is to their immediate front. In the 1st Marines sector, south of the highway, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (Lt. Colonel Allan Sutter), operating on the right, attacks at 1600 and drives toward Hill 186. Company D spearheads the assault, trailed by Company F. The swift advance passes below Kansongni. It gains an additional 1,000 yards without encountering the enemy and it reaches the base of the objective. Company D then tackles the jagged slopes of Hill 186. It conquers the slope and overruns the opposition, seizing the crest. Company D then begins to fortify its perimeter. Company F arrives in short order, following the arduous climb, and it deploys to the left, where there is a commanding view of the road. In conjunction, Company E, which has been engaged throughout the day on the right flank, rejoins the battalion and establishes reserve positions near the base of Hill 186, close to the battalion command post. The battle for Hill 186 ignited some resistance. The bulk of the enemy troops fire several rounds and high-tail it, but the fire still inflicts casualties. Four Marines are killed and ten are wounded. In contrast, the enemy loses about 120 killed or wounded and more than thirty prisoners are captured. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (Colonel Ridge), whizzes through the Munhang peninsula, culminating the vigorous sweep by 1600. The battalion regroups at the southern tip of the O-3 Line,

348 where it will be relieved by the Reconnaissance Company, commanded by Captain Kenneth Houghton, at 1700. The terrain separating the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, is being secured by the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Jack Hawkins. The battalion advances speedily, right on the heels of the retreating enemy, at a pace so quick that it shoots about two miles beyond the O-3 Line, when it halts progress in the heights about 2,500 yards south of Hill 186. There are some inconsistencies in the line as the day’s fighting winds down; however, the gaps are soon filled. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, subsequent to relief by the Reconnaissance Company, shifts to the north and establishes rear positions there. Meanwhile, the reconnaissance troops deploy at the base of the Namdong peninsula to shore-up the southern flank of the night perimeter and to ensure contact with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, to its left. Darkness takes over the area as the Marines prepare to get some rest. There is little more that can be accomplished this night. The tanks of Company A are relieved at dusk, when Company B, 1st Tank Battalion, comes ashore. Today’s action has cost the 1st Marine Division four dead and twenty-one wounded, the bulk of the casualties being sustained by the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, at Hill 186. As the day’s actions conclude, it is clear that Inchon belongs to the Marines. General O.P. Smith, having bid his goodbyes to General MacArthur on the previous day, departed the Mount McKinley and arrived on Yellow Beach at 1730 on the 15th. Upon his arrival at the 1st Marine Division’s command post, he informed Admiral Doyle that he would assume responsibility for the ground operations at 1800 on September 16. The amphibious assault phase of the invasion is thereby terminated successfully, within nearly twentyfour hours of when the first wave of Marines hit the beach. General MacArthur’s parting words are preeminent in General O.P. Smith’s thoughts as he prepares to launch the next phase of the operation: “Take Kimpo Airfield at the first opportunity.” The Marines attack Kimpo Airfield on the following day en route to retake Seoul. September 16–November 2 1950 SECOND DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: THE U.N. OFFENSIVE

September 16

Enemy reinforcements attached to the N.K. 9th Division attempt to augment the defenders near Inchon. The N.K. 87th Regiment departs Kumch’on aboard trains that travel by night and remain concealed in tunnels during the day to avoid detection by U.S. aircraft. (See also, September 15, THE INVASION OF INCHON.) Eighth Army sets the date and hour for its breakout from the Pusan Perimeter, in accordance with its

349 revised attack plan of September 11. At 0900 this day, U.N. and ROK troops attack from their present positions to effect a linkage with the X Corps, which landed at Inchon on the previous day. The primary attack force is to advance along the Taegu–Kumch’on–Taejon– Suwon axis. The main thrust is to be by the recently established I Corps, which holds the center of the line. Because of the contour of the terrain, the force has access to the best roads and it is closest to the X Corps. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, General O.P. Smith issues OpnO 5–50, directing the 1st and 5th Marines to launch an attack toward Corps Phase Line CC to extend the front beachhead line (FBHL). The assault is scheduled to commence on the morning of the 17th. In other activity, the ships transporting the 7th Infantry Division arrive at Inchon Harbor. The division troops begin to debark on the 18th. General Almond has requested Admiral Doyle’s assistance in hurrying the debarkation so Almond can speed the 7th Division to positions where it can cut off enemy movement south of Seoul. Also, Lieutenant Max Nebergal, a helicopter pilot (VMO-6), rescues a downed Navy pilot offshore, executing the first such rescue of the Inchon-Seoul operation. The unit, VMO-6, executes other missions as well, including several reconnaissance flights and two missions which spot for artillery. Pusan Perimeter: In the Eighth Army area, the attack intended to break Eighth Army out of the perimeter and propel the troops toward a linkage with X Corps to crush the North Koreans is scheduled for 0900, but neither the weather nor the enemy cooperates. Dawn arrives in cadence with another lousy day, not entirely unexpected in this part of the world. Dark clouds, fog and torrential rains compel the Air Force to abort a planned carpet bombardment of the enemy positions at Waegwan by B-29s. At 0900, many units are unable to commence their portion of the assault on a timely basis, as the North Koreans have begun counterattacks that keep the various units preoccupied with defending the terrain they hold. The ongoing battles for control of the hills merely continue, with savage attacks and counterattacks being launched by both sides. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the attached 5th RCT, commanded by Colonel Throckmorton, initiates its attack. Spearheaded by the 2nd Battalion, the unit advances north, grinding toward Waegwan and Hill 268 southeast of the town. The 3rd Battalion jumps into the fight during the latter part of the 17th. Above Taegu and to the right of the 5th RCT, the 1st Cavalry Division and the South Korean 1st Division are engaged in heavy see-saw fighting with the N.K. 1st, 3rd and 13th Divisions. The struggle has been ensuing here for days and in some areas, for nearly one month along two corridors leading to Taegu, the Waegwan–Taegu Road and the Tabu-dong Road. In the 5th Cavalry sector, vicious fighting is ongoing with elements of the N.K. 3rd Division, about eight

September 16, 1950 miles northwest of Taegu and about five miles southeast of Waegwan. This day, the 1st Battalion drives against Hills 174 and 203 north of the road and Hill 188 south of the road. Enemy resistance is fierce. North of Taegu in the mountains, the enemy has been pounding against the Taegu defenses. Other contingents of the 1st Cavalry Division and the S.K. 1st Division are slugging it out there. Elements of the N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions are within six miles of Taegu and still in the high ground, overlooking the Taegu bowl. North of the 2nd Division and to the right of the 1st Cavalry Division, the S.K. 15th Regiment, 1st S.K. Division, attacks toward the Walled City, a formidable enemy strong point east of Taegu. The tenacious advance breaks through enemy lines, placing the S.K. Regiment to the right of the city. In the meantime, the S.K. 12th Regiment shoots through a gap in the enemy lines and makes giant strides, pushing to a point about thirteen miles in front of the forward units of the 1st Cavalry Division. The S.K. 12th Regiment emerges on the Tabu-dong–Kunwi Road about ten miles northeast of Tabu-dong. The regiment is deep behind the lines of the N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions, and it is poised to amputate one of the key enemy lines of retreat. In conjunction, the U.S. 10th AAA Group is advancing with the South Koreans. In the 2nd Division sector, the enemy launches a predawn attack and pierces the lines of Company C, 23rd Regiment, inflicting twenty-three casualties. All Company C officers become casualties. Nonetheless, the enemy assault is repelled. Meanwhile, the 9th, 23rd and 38th Regiments commence an attack and encounter resolute resistance as they drive toward the Naktong to push the N.K. 2nd, 4th and 9th Divisions and contingents of the N.K. 10th Division back across the river. On the left flank, the entrenched enemy (N.K. 9th Division) on Hill 201 holds back repeated thrusts by the S.K. 9th Regiment. In the center, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment (released from 1st Cavalry Division), which has just returned to the regiment, is committed to the battle. At 1000, after the enemy attack against Company C is repulsed, Lt. Colonel R.G. Sherrard orders his 3rd Battalion to advance. The unit is supported by Company C, 72nd Tank Battalion; however, the North Koreans raise heavy resistance and prolong the fight until midafternoon. By about noon, the skies clear and the persistent pressure finally forces the enemy to begin evacuating its positions and head for the Naktong. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion probes the enemy positions on Hill 409, on the northern boundary of the Division, but no attacks are mounted against it. The hill is defended by contingents of the N.K. 10th Division. In anticipation of a retreat, such as the one prompted by the 23rd Regiment, Eighth Army has prepared a surprise for the enemy. A task force, composed of the 23rd Regimental Tank Company and Battery B, 82nd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, remains mobile and prepared to sever the enemy escape route.

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Top: A Marine unloading operation at the inner harbor of Inchon, September 16. Bottom: LSTs on the mud flats during low tide at Inchon’s inner harbor, September 16. At about 1600, and continuing to dusk, the searchand-destroy task force remains on target, and it mows down enormous numbers of enemy troops as they reach the river area. The task force receives additional supporting firepower when the skies clear and aircraft join the

hunt and pummel the retreating enemy forces, nearly wiping out the entire contingent. In the meantime, the 38th Regiment, attacking on the right flank of the 2nd Division, makes good progress and it maintains pace with the center attacking force, the

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South Korean troops (ROKs) debark a grounded LST at P’ohang-dong. Naval gunfire creates smoke in the background, September 15. 23rd Regiment. Planes also assist the 38th Regiment, delivering potent doses of bombs, rockets and napalm, dropping the deadly cargo just to the front of the assault troops. The flying iron and liquid fire heat Hill 208 to a boil and then the 2nd Battalion seizes it, giving the regiment a perfect elevated view of the Naktong. Later, more fighter planes arrive and they launch vicious strafing runs that hammer the enemy as they flee toward the Naktong west of Changnyong. Subsequent to the day-long thrashing sustained by the N.K. 2nd Division, it begins to evacuate. During the night, the divisional command post escapes to the opposite side of the Naktong, followed soon after by the survivors of the N.K. 4th, 6th, and 17th Regiments. In ad-

dition, the N.K. 2nd Division artillery regiment abandons its positions and completes the escape by the following day. The enemy within the U.S. 2nd Division area continues to receive a tremendous beating on the following day. Dangerous contingents of isolated enemy troops still operate behind the lines, and some are as much as twenty miles to the rear of the 2nd Division’s front. In the 25th Division sector, on the left flank near Masan, no attack is possible as the enemy resistance lingers. Many enemy troops remain behind U.S. lines, and in addition, the enemy positions on Battle Mountain, P’il-bong and Sobuk-san show no signs of relenting. The 24th Regiment, in the center of the division line, is to be the spearhead of the breakout and it is still under daily attack. The

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Top: A U.S. Marine at Inchon takes North Korean prisoners to POW camp. The destroyed tank is a Russian T-34. Bottom: A 5th Marines’ patrol moving through Inchon.

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Top: A contingent of the 1st Marines in DUKWs in Inchon. Bottom: U.S. Marines guard about 700 North Korean prisoners while they are being taken to a POW compound at Inchon, September 16. 27th and 35th Regiments, on the left and right respectively, are confined to their positions until the 24th Regiment initiates the breakout. General Kean organizes a task force, commanded by Major Robert Woolfolk (CO, 3rd Battalion, 35th Regiment). Woolfolk’s task force launches an attack on the following day.

In the ROK I Corps area, the Capital Division is heavily engaged in the vicinity of Kigye–An’gangni–Kyongju. Contingents are doggedly moving through the streets of An’gang-ni. The N.K. 12th Division resists stubbornly. In other activity, the S.K. 3rd Division advances

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The USS Repose, a hospital ship at Pusan. to positions slightly below Pohang-dong and reaches the north bank of the Hyongsan-gang. In conjunction, a task group commanded by Admiral Charles C. Hartman arrives off Pohang-dong; the battleship USS Missouri is among the warships. The Missouri flexes its sixteen-inch guns and the enemy positions below the town are plastered with 2,000-pound shells. Meanwhile, the S.K. 8th Division advances northward, encountering only minor resistance, as the N.K. 15th Division has been devastated. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 7th Division is

advancing from the west to establish contact with the S.K. Capital Division. Also, the beleaguered N.K. 8th Division is under great stress, subsequent to about two weeks of trying to break through the S.K. 6th Division. The equally tired S.K. 6th Division storms against the enemy, initiating a near non-stop four-day struggle that pulverizes the N.K. 8th Division, which sustains about 4,000 casualties. — In Japan: Elements of the 3rd Division have been arriving at Moji for the past several days. By this day, the final elements of the two regiments, the 7th and 15th, debark and prepare to move to Korea.

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U.S. Marines converge near the burning remnants of a railroad station at Inchon.

September 17

Enemy troops begin mining the approaches to the Han River to impede the advance of the Marines. Also, at about this time, the N.K. 70th Regiment moves from Suwon to support the battle for Seoul. Inchon-Seoul vicinity: The landing force commander, General O.P. Smith, USMC, is directed to reinstate a civilian government in Inchon. Although it is only two days since the invasion, the population is returning to the city in large numbers, and Korean Marines are assigned the task of filtering out the Communist sympathizers. Frequently, the S.K. Marines revert to harsh measures when suspecting disloyal civilians. General Smith, after consultation with S.K. Admiral Sohn Won Yil (S.K. chief of Naval operations), selects a political prisoner named Pyo Yang Moon as the mayor of Inchon. Moon, the loser in the previous mayoral contest, will be installed on the following day. In other activity, the North Koreans test their brashness. Two Yak aircraft fly over Inchon’s harbor and bomb the USS Rochester. The Yaks make two passes, the first missing with three of the four dropped bombs, while the fourth one hits the ship’s crane and bounces off without detonating. All the bombs miss on the second pass, but the near misses inflict some minor damage to the ship’s electrical system. One of the two attacking planes passes over the HMS Jamaica, executing a strafing run. Three casualties are sustained. The Yak is blown from the sky. Also, VMO-6, previously domiciled aboard an LST, debarks and establishes headquarters near the 1st Marine Division command post at an improvised airstrip; reconnaissance and rescue missions will begin from dawn to dusk on a continual basis. Also, control of tac-

tical air support is transferred from TADC (aboard the Mount McKinley) to the air support section of MTACS2 on shore. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the attack against Kimpo Airfield is delayed for about one hour due to some unexpected complications. But the preparations are complete. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, maintains positions on a hill west of the Inchon-Seoul highway. The hill contains a knob situated about 200 yards to the front of the perimeter, which slides into the center of Ascom City. Wary of the terrain, Lieutenant H.J. Smith had dispatched the 2nd Platoon at dusk (16th) to establish a forward outpost on the knob where the road swerves to the east and moves through a slash in the foundation of the knob. The platoon, led by Lieutenant Lee Howard, is reinforced by machine gun and rocket launcher teams to bolster its strength. To the immediate rear of Company D, a platoon of Company A tanks is anchored defensively to intercept any N.K. armor that might be advancing along the road from the east. The hefty rocket launchers of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, and the 75-mm recoilless rifles of the 5th Marines are also slightly to the rear of Company D, poised for instant support if required. The opposite side of the highway is held by Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and its perimeter has the added muscle of the 1st Marines’ 75-mm recoilless rifles and 3.5 rockets. The entire front had been extremely quiet during the night of the 16th and the mood within the perimeter was tranquil. At about midnight (16th17th), there is a slight stir, but it is just a truck moving down the highway, hardly even noticed by the 2nd

September 17, 1950 Battalion. The vehicle continues rolling down the highway, but the tankmen of Company A are more inquisitive. When the vehicle approaches the tanks, which are spread out on the highway, it is halted. Everyone is taken by surprise. The Marines are startled to discover that a North Korean officer and four enlisted men had stumbled into the perimeter and penetrated several hundred yards without challenge. The enemy detachment finds themselves captured. The incident turns out well, as the Marines deduce that the enemy headquarters is totally uninformed about the location of the Marines. The encounter is treated as an unusual isolated incident and things go back to normal. At about 0545, the forward outpost (2nd Battalion, 5th Marines) detects an enemy column at a position several miles east of Ascom City. Lieutenant Howard, at the outpost, notifies Lieutenant H.J. Smith (Company D commander) that the contingent is composed of six T-34s and about 200 infantrymen, many of whom are aboard the tanks. Smith dispatches the information to Colonel Roise at battalion headquarters, but Roise initially believes the information might be more wishful thinking than fact. The young officer’s information proves true shortly after the report is forwarded. As with the straggler truck, it seems that the column is not anticipating any opposition. The tanks rumble closer toward Ascom City. Some North Koreans aboard the tanks are leisurely devouring their chow and those walking are consumed with laughter and babbling conversation. It seems as if they think they are on a casual ride, but it is daytime and the column is advancing along the road to intercept the Marines. Nonetheless, Lieutenant Howard is preparing to give the intruders a surprise welcome. The column advances closer, with the trailing infantry maintaining a casual march. Unbeknownst to the Communists, they are entering a midway held by Marines. The 2nd Platoon takes aim, awaiting the suspended order to fire. Lieutenant Howard, unruffled in manner, focuses on the spearhead of the column, permitting it access to the curve. The enemy tanks rumble forward toward Company D’s positions and just as they take the curve, Howard bellows the order to fire. Corporal Okey Douglas, who has moved in position on the lower part of the hill, swings a mighty blow as he unleashes his bazooka from a distance of 75 yards and his 2.36-inch rocket shells kill the lead tank. Douglas continues firing and damages the second tank in the line. Meanwhile, the bazooka has plenty of accompanying fire. The 2nd Platoon is also pounding the tanks with a combination of machine gun, BARs and rifle fire, knocking off many of the infantrymen. The enemy infantry bolts for safety, but to no avail. Some fall directly into the paths of their disoriented tanks. They are squashed by the treads. The others attempt to escape to a nearby rice paddy, but discover their efforts are futile as the Marines’ fire accelerates to shred their ranks. Lieutenant Pomeroy’s tanks from Company A join the

356 contest, and they pulverize the crippled tank and the four other surviving tanks. The enemy armor is barraged by 45 armor-piercing shells propelled from a distance of 600 yards. PFC Walter Monegan, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, is at the curve with his bazooka. He fires from pointblank range to inflict more punishment. And from a distance of 500 yards, Lieutenant Charles M. Jones’ Platoon (AT Co., 5th Marines) commences fire. The platoon’s recoilless rifles strike the enemy in concert with the 75-mm rifles of the 1st Marines, deployed on Hill 186. As the storm of fire continues to intensify, the enemy column is also being struck by the 3.5-inch rocket launchers of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. The one-sided shootout lasts only about five minutes, and it is terminated due to the elimination of targets. The six T-34s are permanently decommissioned and consumed with fire. Two hundred dead Communist troops are scattered between the battered tanks and the rice paddy. Some have managed to escape, but not many. In contrast, the Marines’ casualty list is short. One Marine receives a minor wound. The enemy contingent consisted of troops from the 42nd N.K. Mechanized Regiment and elements of the N.K. 18th Division, based at Seoul. The North Korean Tank Corps is no longer winning any laurels for their Russian tanks, which initially were considered near-invincible. Although the battle lasts only five minutes, conversations concerning the kills continue. Various units from both regiments claim kills and partial kills, due to the tremendous amount of combined fire that converged on the same targets. In the meantime, General MacArthur, Admiral Struble and other top brass arrive at Yellow Beach to confer with General O.P. Smith. From here, the entourage moves to the front, stopping at the 1st Marines’ command post to present medals to Colonel Puller and South Korean Admiral Sohn. MacArthur dips into his pocket and discovers that he hadn’t brought any medals with him. Undaunted, MacArthur instructs an aide to take note of the minor problem. The entourage then moves to the site of the successful bushwhacking of the enemy tanks and all are enthusiastic about the results. However, General O.P. Smith is anxious to get MacArthur and the other top officers out of the area before some enemy straggler causes a major disaster. MacArthur dismounts the jeep to give the area a sweeping look. He is swarmed by the press and their cameras are snapping off photographs to speed back to the States. In addition to MacArthur and Admiral Struble, the entourage includes Generals Almond, Fox, Hodes, Ruffner, Shepherd, O.P. Smith, Whitney and Wright. General Smith is greatly relieved when the group departs the area, heading for the 5th Marines’ command post to inform General Craig and Lt. Col. Murray that they are to receive the Silver Star. The trail of dust in the wake of the speeding convoy of jeeps could not be outdone in a John Wayne movie. Soon after the departure of MacArthur, the Marines prepare to continue

357 the attack, when suddenly the men of Lieutenant George McNaughton’s platoon hear an unfamiliar noise. The unusual sounds emerge from the culvert directly under the place where General MacArthur had halted his jeep. Instantly, the Marines take persuasive action, and seven armed North Koreans decide to surrender. They are the only known survivors of the failed ambush. In Ascom City, a huge enemy depot is discovered. It contains 2,000 tons of captured American ammunition (for artillery, machine guns and mortars), seized by the Communists during June. The ammunition is in good shape and the X Corps will make excellent use of it. Following the departure of MacArthur and his entourage, the Marines launch an attack to secure Kimpo Airfield, which is defended by 400 to 500 troops. In conjunction with the advance of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, the 3rd Battalion advances as regimental reserve, and it takes over specified assembly areas left in the wake of the 2nd Battalion. While the 2nd Battalion attack is ongoing, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, drives on the regimental right and encounters no opposition. By 1900, Company A takes the southern portion of Objective Easy. In conjunction, Company B, 1st Battalion, follows this advance and seizes the northern half of the heights, also without incident. Company C, 1st Battalion, will occupy yet another hill to the west, giving the 1st Battalion positions about 1,500 yards southeast of the 2nd Battalion. Also, the 3rd Battalion, South Korean Marines, having passed through the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, at 0500, drives north, reducing pockets of resistance west of Ascom City as it advances. At 0900, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, jumps off and drives east, spearheaded by Company E. The force moves along the Inchon-Seoul Highway and passes the burning debris of the earlier-destroyed enemy tanks. After an advance of about one mile, the spearhead pivots left to take a secondary road that leads north around the eastern tip of Ascom City, which is now a haven for enemy stragglers. Meanwhile, Company F’s 2nd Platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Tilton Anderson (2nd Battalion), drives directly into and through the city to cover the left flank of Company E. The 2nd Platoon receives no resistance. However, the platoon does not execute a house-tohouse search, nor does it comb the side streets as it moves. At the eastern tip of the city, things are quite different. From various locations on either side of the road, North Koreans fire upon the troops of Company E, hindering progress. Nonetheless, the Marines, led by Captain Samuel Jaskilka, eliminate the obstacles one by one, completing the task by about 1200. Following some confusion due to inaccurate maps, the battalion locates its objectives by the use of reconnaissance patrols and reinitiates its four-mile march (northeast) at about 1400. In the meantime, during the morning, the S.K.

September 17, 1950 Marines experience difficulty on the western fringes of the city, forcing Taplett’s 3rd Battalion to intercede. Company G plows into an enemy machine gun position, eliminating it. Soon after, another G Company contingent drills against an enemy obstacle among the town’s buildings. The heated firefight terminates with eighteen dead Communists; the number of wounded remains unknown, as the enemy departs hastily. Three Marines from Company G are wounded during the fight. Also, the 3rd Battalion’s Companies H and I rush into the town to complete the reduction of enemy resistance there. Following the cleansing of the town, the assembly areas are secured and the South Koreans resume their northward attack. The 3rd Battalion then settles in as regimental reserve and keeps vigil at a strategic road intersection, about halfway between Ascom City and Kimpo Airfield. By about 1500, contact is made between the 3rd Battalion and the 1st Platoon of Company A tanks, under Lieutenant Pomeroy. A rifle platoon (Company F), led by Lieutenant Anderson, accompanies Pomeroy’s tanks, which push out of Ascom City to link up with the 2nd Battalion. But the tanks also experience difficulty in locating a road running northeast. Eventually a route is located that can handle the weight of the armor, but a damaged bridge causes more problems. Engineers (Company A, 2nd Platoon Engineers) rush to the scene to make repairs, and during the wait, more tanks arrive to bolster Pomeroy’s platoon. Although the rolling thunder of the tanks has been halted at the water’s edge, the ground troops of the 2nd Battalion punch forward and reach two hills that lie about 4,000 yards in front of Kimpo Airfield. The hills, objectives A and B, give no appearance of being infested with enemy, prompting Colonel Roise to immediately thread them with rifle companies. At about 1600, Company E’s 1st Platoon sprints to the summit of Objective B without incident, while the remainder of the 2nd Battalion holds in place to await word. Lieutenant Deptula radios that the objective is undefended, and he also makes it clear that the other hill, Objective A, is also clear of the enemy. Furthermore, the platoon leader believes that the descent to the airfield should be effortless. Roise orders the 2nd Battalion to prepare for attack. The battalion faces the objective, and Companies D and E initiate the assault and encounter only sniper fire. The steamroller effect of the attacking Marines is embellished by the arrival of the tanks. Some unfriendly fire greets the armor at a point about 1,000 yards south of the airfield, but it is insufficient to halt the momentum. Marines attached to the 2nd Platoon, Company F, fly from the tanks and exterminate the threat, knocking out one automatic weapon with grenades. The tanks finish the job, splattering the area with seven rounds of 90-mm high explosive (HE) shells that quickly extinguish the resistance. Then, to ensure success, the tanks rivet the ground with effective machine gun fire.

September 17, 1950 In the meantime, Company D, escorted by tanks, joins the fight and drills toward Kimpo Airfield, while the other tanks swivel and move to support Company E’s attack. By 1800, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, is at the steps of the objective, and the enemy is completely caught off guard. The 2nd Battalion secures the southern portion of the airfield’s runway by 2000. The

358 seizure permits the Marines to establish a defensive night-perimeter without too much difficulty. Tanks are on scene to bolster the line. Slightly before dusk, the 1st Platoon, Company E, moves to Soryu-li to hold it, while the remainder of Company E deploys about three hundred yards behind Soryu-li at the airfield. East of the runway, Company E holds the line,

Top: Cargo is loaded on an LST at Inchon. Bottom: Supplies are stocked for waiting LSTs at Inchon.

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Top: At Kimpo airfield, a tractor is unloaded from a Fairchild C-119. Bottom: U.S. troops load a 3/4-ton truck and water trailer aboard a Fairchild C-119 cargo plane at Kimpo airfield outside of Seoul. interconnected with Company D, which deploys west of the runway. In conjunction, Company F deploys south of the runway and focuses on the main road and two nearby secondary road junctions. However, there is some unexpected trouble. In other activity, during the day, Colonel Murray’s

regimental headquarters (5th Marines) is established north of Ascom City, near the railroad station. Although the area has been tranquil, there is enemy presence. While a small detachment is searching for a site to locate the ordnance depot, the North Koreans commence firing, killing Warrant Officer Bill Parrish

September 17, 1950

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Top: U.S. Marine tanks and amtracs. Bottom: Red Beach at Inchon, 17 September. instantly. The enemy fire also wounds two NCOs. The enemy fire had originated in a rice paddy and in an orchard, catching the detachment by surprise as they reconnoitered a small knoll. Reinforcements (1st Platoon A Engineers) speed forward to intercept the enemy force and some quick action brings the enemy activity to a halt. Ten Communists die around the orchard, and soon after, another

seven are taken prisoner by S.K. police. Almost simultaneously, more enemy fire strikes near the command post perimeter, just as advance elements arrive to secure a sector for Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. The incoming fire causes no casualties, but two of the Marines do brave the fire and strike against the attackers, killing four additional Communist troops. More excitement erupts throughout the day as one additional

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Marine is killed and another wounded in close proximtime, elements of the 3rd Battalion are on the scene. ity to the command post. The tankers detect a sinister appearing hut. The M-26s During the night, beginning at about 0200 on the commence firing and one concealed T-34 tank is de18th and continuing until dawn, the enemy mounts molished before it can return fire. several counterattacks against the 2nd Battalion, but Soon after, the ground Marines aboard the tanks all are handily repulsed. The enemy sustains severe cajump off and deploy. The tanks (1st Platoon, Company sualties for its efforts, predominantly inflicted by the B), commanded by Lieutenant Robert Grover, scour Americans and Company E, which receives the brunt the area for targets from their positions on the road, and of the assaults. The remainder of Kimpo is secured on then they begin laying a steady barrage of shells. The the following day. enemy disengages and retires eastward, giving the 1st In the 1st Marines sector, the road to Mahang-ri and Marines control of Mahang-ri just prior to 1600. beyond will be struck solely by the 1st Marines under Subsequent to the fall of Mahang-ri and the domiColonel Puller, as the 5th Marines under Colonel Murnation of Hill 208, the 1st Marines push toward the ray have swung northeast to seize Kimpo. The 1st next objective, Corps Phase Line CC. Colonel Puller’s Marines, supported by tanks, resumes its attack and 1st Marines head for Sosa, the midpoint between drives from Ascom City, heading along the InchonMahang-ri and the objective. In the meantime, ComSeoul Highway, toward Yongdungp’o. Lt. Colonel Allan munist reinforcements are converging on Sosa to disSutter’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, drives forward. mantle the Marines’ attack. Nevertheless, the 1st Company D advances over the heights to the south, while Companies E and F advance on the left and right sides of the road respectively. Communist resistance emerges suddenly near and upon Hill 208, a feature stretching southward from the highway in the vicinity of Mahang-ri, but the artillery of the 11th Marines supplements the attack and pounds suspected enemy positions in the heights to the front. Some progress is made, but an enemy roadblock about 500 yards outside Mahang-ri halts Company E. Its 2nd Platoon becomes besieged by withering fire coming from three separate sides. Reinforcements speed forward to extricate the stalled platoon. Lieutenant McAlee, one of the two officers bringing up the fresh troops, is wounded, but the other, Lieutenant Johnny Carter, gets through. In the meantime, Carter gets medical help for the wounded officer. He requests bazooka and recoilless rifle fire to loosen the opposition. The imperiled platoon then bolts to a tiny knoll to the right of the obstacle to seek more tenable positions, while the remainder of the company moves forward. The skirmish at the roadblock costs the enemy about twenty troops. While the roadblock is being reduced, other units are joining the attack. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, spearheaded by Company G, and one platoon of Company B’s tanks, grinds down the highway. By about 1200, Hill 208 falls to Companies D and F. The village of Mahang-ri is to be seized by General MacArthur arrives at Inchon on a D-plus 2 and is greeted Company E, 2nd Battalion. By this by General O.P. Smith, USMC.

September 17, 1950

362

Marines attack to gain Kimpo. They pass a knocked out enemy tank with enemy dead. Marines resume the assault, spearheaded by Companies E and F, 2nd Battalion, which advance along the left side of the highway, accompanied by the sturdy tanks of Company B’s 2nd Platoon. To the rear of the tanks, Company G, 3rd Battalion, is transported aboard LVTs. The remainder of the 1st Battalion follows close behind, bringing up the rear. Along the route, the column approaches a seemingly dangerous pass, prompting extreme caution. The tank at the nose of the column nudges into the pass against sporadic enemy fire, while the ground Marines fan out on either side of the highway. Then, the enemy fire unexpectedly becomes ferocious, as if the hillside is collapsing. The enemy small arms fire is supplemented by antitank fire and mortars that pummel the advance party. The ground Marines are stymied, unable to advance, and the tank becomes the center of attention because the engine fails. Despite the precarious circumstances, the crew remains calm. Lieutenant Bryan Combings, platoon leader, instinctively recalls that infantry had been aboard his M-26. Combings flings open the hatch to check for any lingering Marines as the enemy is closing. A lone Marine rifleman is still aboard, prompting Combings to irreverently pull him into the tank, and not a second too soon. Like mice on cheese, the North Koreans are atop the tank. Inside the airtight armored tank, a double dilemma arises. Nauseating fumes from

the 90-mm gun are dangerously building, and the rescued Marine is becoming hysterical, giving the platoon leader few encouraging options. Action is taken. The frenzied Marine is knocked unconscious and the pistol port is slid open to forestall asphyxiation. However, the fresh oxygen is accompanied by an enemy grenade, which wounds three of the occupants, including Combings. In near cadence with the detonation of the enemy grenade, the enemy is about to finish the annihilation of the tankers, but the beleaguered crew is saved by the bell. Fortuitously, a second American M-26, commanded by Sergeant Marion Altaire, arrives and cranks a steady ring of machine gun fire upon the stalled tank, peeling off some paint and clearing off the enemy, who succumb to the menacing fire. Meanwhile, Marine planes (VMF-214) soar overhead and dive toward the enemy-held high ground, plastering the positions with bombs, rockets and machine gun fire. Soon after, the entrapped Marines, having neared Heaven’s gates, pop open the hatch and deeply inhale, ever grateful for their new lease on life, compliments of Sergeant Altaire. Meanwhile, Company G regains its momentum and storms forward on the right side of the road to gain the heights above the pass. In cadence with the rejuvenated advance, another section of Cummings’ tank platoon enters the pass and crashes forward with its guns blazing. The enemy loses six antitank guns; however, one

363 U.S. tank loses a track and two additional tanks sustain minor damage. In conjunction, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, surges to the summit of the heights on the left side of the highway and dislodges the enemy. Marine riflemen rivet the ranks of the retreating North Koreans as they break hurriedly for Sosa. After the attacking forces capture the ground, the remainder of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, arrive, and the decision to establish a night perimeter is made. The day’s progress has gained nearly 5,000 yards for the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The enemy sustains about 250 killed and wounded, and seventy troops are captured. The Marines (2nd Battalion) lose one man killed and sustain 28 wounded. The 3rd Battalion’s Company G sustains six Marines wounded. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, commanded by Colonel Hawkins and bolstered by the division reconnaissance company, initiates an attack during the morning, but it encounters only slight opposition. The unit races forward, sweeping through the unfamiliar valleys and unfriendly hills before halting in the heights just south of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. The reconnaissance company advances to the edge of the Namdong peninsula. Captain Houghton’s recon Marines sweep the area for two days and discover a mine manufacturing plant and some prisoners. In yet other activity, in addition to the six enemy tanks destroyed in the morning at Ascom City and the

September 17, 1950 concealed tank wasted later in the day, Marine planes also account for one destroyed enemy tank. The divisional report of fourteen tanks destroyed cannot be verified by the record of division units, and the report of four tanks destroyed during the afternoon are actually part of those reported destroyed earlier in the day near Ascom City by the 1st and 5th Marines and Able Company tanks. At day’s end, the 1st Marines stand within one mile from the village of Sosa. The Marines call for some assistance from their British cousins. The night remains tranquil, possibly due in part to the HMS Kenya, which spends the night offshore and delivers about 300 sixinch shells into suspected Communist positions at Sosa and on Hill 123. At dawn on the 18th, the attack will resume. In the Eighth Army I Corps area, 1st Cavalry sector, enemy resistance remains tough. Repeated attempts by the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, and its supporting tanks to take Hill 203 are unsuccessful. Enemy fire takes a toll on the tanks. On this day, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, enters the fight and attacks toward another objective to the west, Hill 253. Companies F and G engage the enemy, but fail to dislodge the defenders, despite ferocious fighting. Enemy fire compels the troops to withdraw and seek more tenable positions south of the road. During the withdrawal of Company G, Captain Fred DePalina (wounded) holds in place

Map Ascom City 17 September 1950.

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September 18, 1950 to cover the withdrawal, but as he attempts to rejoin his company, the enemy ambushes him. Despite his wounds, DePalina kills six of the enemy before his demise. In the 24th Division area, General Church receives orders to advance through the ground recently cleared by the 5th RCT and cross the Naktong west of Taegu, near the Hasan-dong ferry crossing site. The 21st Regiment initiates the move after dark on the following day. The enemy begins to execute South Korean civilian prisoners as Eighth Army initiates its crossing of the Naktong. Civilians and some U.S. and South Korean troops who had been held in Taejon are taken from their compounds and shot. In other areas, the Communists duplicate the effort. The mass killing intensifies as the Americans close on Taejon. In the 2nd Division sector, the enemy continues to escape across the Naktong River, but pressure from the ground and the sky remains relentless. The Americans are in hot pursuit and the North Koreans do not mount any counterattacks. The 23rd Regiment advances and overruns several abandoned areas that are bulging with equipment and in the process seizes six antitank guns, thirteen artillery pieces and four mortars. In the meantime, the 38th Regiment captures twelve antitank guns, six pieces of artillery, one self-propelled gun and nine mortars. While the ground troops drive against the retreating enemy, planes reinitiate the air strikes and hurl more devastation upon the Communists. The aircraft deposit 260 110-gallon napalm tanks to the front of the 2nd Division. The planes also catch enemy contingents west of Changnyong and strafe them as they retreat. In the 25th Division sector, the recently activated task force, commanded by Major Woolfolk, attacks enemy positions on Battle Mountain and P’il-bong to reconstruct the 24th Regiment’s lines. Despite the heavy support of the 8th and 90th FABNs and air strikes, the enemy is not dislodged. The attacks must be resumed on the following day. The division’s progress is directly connected with clearing a route through the mountains here. In the ROK I Corps area, the Capital Division continues to battle the N.K. 12th Division in the mountains. In the ROK II Corps area, S.K. 7th Division sector, one battalion drives farther west and establishes contact with the S.K. Capital Division (I Corps); the linkage seals a gap between the S.K. I and II Corps that has existed for about two weeks. In Naval activity, the USS Rochester (CA-124) comes under attack by enemy planes. The HMS Jamaica (CVL) comes to her aid and downs two Yak singleengine planes. This is the first incident in the conflict in which enemy planes are destroyed by naval gunfire. In other activity, TF-77, in support of the Inchon operation, executes 304 sorties against enemy targets north of Inchon. — In Japan: Marine Night Fighter Squadron VMF(N)-513, based at Itazuke, initiates the first of

366 fifteen daylight support missions (17th-19th) to bolster Eighth Army during its breakout from the Pusan Perimeter. The squadron, commanded by Major Joseph Reinburg, pounds the entire perimeter and hammers enemy armor, artillery and infantry contingents.

September 18

North Korea finally publicly mentions that there is activity at Inchon, but little is stated. The Communists proclaim that two American aircraft have been shot down by elements of the coastal defense units there, but still, there is no mention of the invasion. Inchon-Seoul vicinity: In the X Corps sector, a ceremony is held in Inchon to proclaim the installation of a civilian government. The proclamation is read in English and Korean as the mayor is being installed. Immediately following the ceremony, the government begins its work and reinstates a police force to maintain order. In addition, food is distributed to the ragged refugees and plans are set up to establish a hospital. The S.K. 17th Regiment, a recently established security contingent, arrives at Inchon and recieves orders to sweep the terrain between Ascom City and the coast. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, debarks and arrives in Inchon during the morning, followed later by the remainder of the regiment. In the latter part of the afternoon, X Corps issues orders to force the Han River. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the attack to seize the remainder of Kimpo is readied, but there are some distractions. During the early morning hours, the enemy mounts several counterattacks, but none is supported with weapons heavier than submachine guns and rifles. Slightly after midnight, Company F (2nd Battalion, 5th Marines) comes under attack at its positions at an overpass located at the southernmost point of the perimeter. Engineers under Lieutenant Wayne Richards and the assault platoon, led by Lieutenant James Harrell, hold the bridge, but the attackers are intercepted by one Marine before they can destroy the bridge. Sergeant Ray Kearl slays the sole officer and three of his men, but two others avoid Kearl and run for safety. The perimeter remains on the alert, and before the first signs of dawn, another enemy contingent approaches the bridge, but it is wiped out. Nonetheless, the Communists persist in the attempt to dislodge the Marines at Kimpo. At dawn, the Communists mount another assault. Again the Marines are prepared, and the Communists are fried before they reach the lines of the 2nd Battalion. The 1st Battalion detects the attackers moving from the south across open ground. Unhesitatingly, Company B commences firing, but to add steam to the fire, it calls for assistance from artillery and the heavy mortar sections. Consequently, the enemy is shredded in front of Kimpo. However, one enemy platoon reaches the lines of Company F, but to no avail. The enemy encounter is fierce, but the Marines under Harrell and the Marine engineers under Lieutenant Richards hold the bridge.

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Top: U.S. Marines control Kimpo Airfield. Bottom: An enemy ammunition depot in vicinity of Yongdungp’o explodes.

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September 18, 1950

September 18, 1950 Sergeant Robert Kitka disregards his safety and remains exposed to the ring of fire, giving his life while he rallies his men. A bulldozer operator, Sergeant David DeArmond, commandeers a machine gun to meet the enemy threat, but he, too, is slain by enemy fire. Nevertheless, the attack sizzles as the surviving North Koreans disengage and flee through a rice paddy. The Marines give hot pursuit. Companies E and F, bolstered by some tanks of Company A, rummage through the area to annihilate the remnant enemy troops before they can reach the Han River. Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, joins in the hunt, supported by artillery. Its objectives are seized by 0930 against nominal opposition. The remainder of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, remains at its positions of the previous day. In the meantime, Lieutenant Deptula’s platoon, the farthest extension of Company E, detects enemy movement at about 0300, when the Communists move against its positions at Soryu-li. When the enemy encroaches, Sergeant Richard Martson bolts to his feet and screams “United States Marines!” while he simultaneously empties his carbine. The remainder of the platoon commences firing at about the same time, bringing the enemy contingent to an instant halt. Twelve of them literally drop dead in their tracks, while the remainder of the column bolts to safety. Undaunted, the Communists launch three more unsuccessful attacks against Deptula’s steadfast platoon. Still, the Communists attempt to take the platoon, adding a T-34 tank to the next assault. Deptula, aware of the isolated position of his platoon, chooses not to take on the tank; rather, he orders his men to move back to the 2nd Battalion positions. The Marines pull back, having sustained one killed and one wounded. The platoon reaches the perimeter of Company E at about 0500. Prior to dawn, despite a solid perimeter, a Communist officer penetrates the line, wounds an engineer, Lieutenant Lawrence Hetrick, and evades capture. At dawn, Colonel Murray is awakened, but not by his bugler. The enemy officer and one rifleman, both near the CP, are firing incessantly. A platoon of engineers attacks and eliminates the threat with a flurry of grenades and rifle fire. One Marine casualty is sustained during the brief exchange. Soon after, the North Koreans mount another twopronged attack, striking the 2nd Battalion’s Company E from the east and from the west. Initially, the Marines believe the fire coming from the east is friendly. Captain Jaskilka orders his men not to return fire, while he bolts to his feet and begins yelling to nearby Company D, telling the men to cease firing. Fortuitously, Jaskilka is not hit by the enemy fire and the mistake is rectified. The Marines pour fire into the attackers, composed of about two squads, but another assault is emerging from the east against the 2nd Platoon. Company E holds firmly. By 1000, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, seizes Kimpo Airfield intact. The North Koreans fail to destroy the runway, which is 150 feet wide and 6,000 feet long.

370 The Marines capture one Russian Yak fighter and two Russian Stormovik planes, which had not been destroyed. The captured aircraft are transferred to Air Force Intelligence. The Yak had been found by Lieutenant Edward Collins (Ordnance Battalion) and it had been armed and fueled. The aircraft is quickly repainted and given U.S. insignias to assure it could be safely flown to Japan, if the enemy threatens Kimpo. At about 1030, Colonel Roise dispatches Company D, escorted by tanks and other heavy weapons, to take Hill 131 (Regimental Objective Dog). For added insurance, the U.S. Navy shepherds the operation, blasting the objective as the Marines advance. The objective is taken without opposition at 1145, giving the Marines the strategic heights that command the banks of the Han River north of Kimpo. The Marines take quick advantage of the prizes. Meanwhile, at 1000, the first U.S. aircraft lands at Kimpo since the invasion during June. The aircraft is a helicopter, piloted by Captain Victor A. Armstrong. General Shepherd and Colonel Krulak arrive aboard the HO3S-1 and they are met by General Craig on the runway. At 1409, a Corsair lands. Marine aircraft attached to MAG 33 also arrive at the field today. Also, Colonel Murray relocates his regimental command post at Kimpo at 1245. The Marines draw X Corps a notch closer to Seoul. Also, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, seizes Hill 99 northeast of Kimpo, before it reaches the Han. Since its departure from Ascom City on the previous day, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, sustains four killed and nineteen wounded, while covering about nine miles over the high ground and through the rice paddies. In contrast, the Marines (2nd Battalion) kill 100 enemy troops in their sector while capturing ten POWs. No figures are available for enemy wounded. Subsequent to the seizure of Kimpo, the 5th Marines sector remains tranquil, especially to the east, from where the Communists are retreating. However, intelligence concludes that about 1,000 enemy troops are forming north and south of the Han River to launch a counterattack against Kimpo. Naval carrier aircraft are committed. Four Skyraiders scorch enemy troop formations that are spotted northeast of the river on both banks. The Communists scatter, but about fifty die suddenly. In related activity, Marine planes discover additional enemy troop formations near Hill 125 and near Haengju, north of the airfield at Kimpo and across from the 5th Marines’ 2nd Battalion. Also, in accordance with the orders of X Corps, Division issues orders to cross the Han River. The 5th Marines will seize crossing sites on the following day, but Puller’s 1st Marines is to continue its drive toward Yongdungp’o. In other activity, the Marine 2nd Engineer Special Brigade assumes responsibility for Inchon’s security, freeing the South Korean Marines to advance to the Han River. In the 1st Marines sector, the attack is resumed. The 2nd Battalion’s D and E Companies drive on the right

371 and left respectively. A mishap occurs, causing casualties when several artillery shells detonate prematurely during the preparation fire. Two Marines (Company E) are accidentally killed and three others are wounded. The 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Thomas Ridge, moves forward, transported aboard various vehicles including jeeps and DUKWs. The 3rd Battalion moves right through the positions of the 2nd Battalion. The forward thrust lacks serious enemy ground opposition and it effortlessly steamrolls over a roadblock to the front of Sosa. By 1200, the town is secured. The 2nd Battalion takes a defensive stance to the right of the village’s railroad and across the tracks, while the 3rd Battalion spreads out on Hill 123, north of the highway and east of the town. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, dashes forward, still meeting little opposition on the division right. The 1st Battalion winds the day down by taking positions in the heights about two miles south of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. In other activity in the area to the left of the 5th Marines, the 1st Battalion, Korean Marines, arrives to assist the 3rd Battalion, Korean Marines, with the search of the Kumpo peninsula. Colonel Puller’s situation remains dangerous. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, posted on Hill 123, sustains a severe mortar bombardment at 1415. The incoming fire whacks the Marines relentlessly as the air observers and ground observers are unable to locate its origin. Thirty Marines sustain wounds within one hour. Later, at 1800, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, comes under fire at its positions south of the road. Fourteen more Marines are wounded there, including the commanding officer, Company E, Captain Albert Williams, and the battalion supply officer, Warrant Officer Bartley Kent. In addition, the enemy has laid minefields along the highway north of Sosa to hinder the Marines’ advance to Yongdungp’o. In concert with the 1st Marines’ assault to seize Sosa, Marine aircraft (VMF-214) have flown close support missions to speed the advance. The pilots detail the destruction of various enemy supply areas, concealed in various places on the sand spit between Yongdungp’o and Seoul. Also, VMF-214 destroys two enemy tanks, but four others avoid damage. Some of the town’s buildings also sustain damage. In the Eighth Army, I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, enemy resistance on Hill 203 continues to be invincible, but the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, remains undaunted. Company A, 70th Tank Battalion, supports the attack against Hill 203, and it, too, sustains losses. Ten tanks have been lost during the fighting on the 17th-18th. Enemy mines decimate six of the tanks; antitank guns knock out two and enemy tanks destroy two others. U.S. tanks demolish two entrenched enemy tanks during the fighting. The 1st Battalion seizes the hill, but the enemy remains heavily entrenched in the hills to the northwest and in particular, on Hill 253, east of Waegwan. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, hammers against these

September 18, 1950 enemy hill positions and pays a stiff price. The 2nd Battalion’s three rifle companies sustain heavy casualties. The combined force dwindles to 165 able-bodied troops, and Company F is reduced to 45 troops. The defenders on the hill mass, including Hills 253 and 371, repel all attacks, forcing the battle to continue into the following day. In the 24th Division sector, the Kumho, a tributary of the Naktong River, becomes an unexpected obstacle. I Corps Engineers have not fabricated a bridge across it as directed, compelling Division to rush its engineers to the crossing to lay sandbags over the covered bridge already there. The division then makes it to the Naktong for its scheduled crossing, but the mission is behind schedule and the traffic is lined up for about five miles, preventing a night crossing. General Church remains concerned about a daylight crossing and pressures Colonel Stephens to push his 21st Regiment across the river before dawn on the 19th, rather than face dawn and possible enemy resistance on the opposite bank. In the 2nd Division sector, the breakout attack receives a stroke of luck in the 38th Regiment’s sector. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 38th Regiment, operating west of Changnyong and east of the Naktong respectively, make great progress. Concealed enemy supplies and equipment are seized near the east bank of the river. More than 125 tons of ammunition and an abundance of new rifles are among the stores discovered buried in the sand or hidden in culverts. Both battalions push patrols across the Naktong in the vicinity of Pugong’ni, where the river is about 100 yards wide and about 12 feet deep. The patrols dart to the heights on the west side of the river. Surprisingly, the nearby high ground is free of North Korean troops, prompting the regimental commander, Colonel Peploe, to order two squads (2nd Battalion) to ford the river and begin establishing a beachhead. The squads travel across the water in squatty rubber rafts, each capable of holding two men, but one platoon is preparing to move in right on their heels. At 1320, Peploe is authorized to dispatch one battalion across the river. In less than three hours, Companies E, F and contingents of Company G, 2nd Battalion, are on the west bank and advancing toward Hill 308, one mile west. This crossing of the Naktong by the 38th Regiment is the first permanent crossing of the river by Eighth Army during the breakout from the perimeter. The 2nd Battalion has caught the enemy off guard and it encounters only minor resistance. Forward contingents of the battalion seize Hill 308 before 1800. Also, the capture of the hill gives the 38th Regiment control of the Ch’ogye Highway. Once atop the summit, the 2nd Battalion troops peer west and detect about one battalion of enemy troops at about 1,000 yards from the hill; however, no counterattack is mounted. The 2nd Division now controls most of the terrain in its sector east of the Naktong, but Hills 201 and 409, to the south and north respectively, remain in enemy control. The former has repelled the repeated efforts of the 9th Regiment, and

September 19, 1950 Hill 409 has been struck by air and artillery, but no major ground attacks have been launched against it. Meanwhile, Colonel Skeldon, 2nd Battalion commander, takes precautions for his beachhead positions on the west bank of the river. He requests aircraft protection, beginning thirty minutes after dawn on September 19. The 38th Regiment collects 132 POWs during this day’s operation, including 32 female nurses. In the 23rd Regiment sector, a patrol composed of twenty-two men of the I&R Platoon attempts to cross the Naktong in its zone, but enemy fire from the west bank of the river repels progress. Three men are killed, one man is wounded, and the patrol is pushed back to the east bank. In the 25th Division sector, the attacks against Battle Mountain and P’il-bong by Major Woolfolk’s task force are resumed, but again, the enemy repels each attack. The Americans sustain severe casualties, including 57 in Company A, 27th Regiment. Also, a contingent of Company C, 27th Regiment, comes under extremely heavy fire while fighting for a ridge in the vicinity of Chindong-ni during the night of the 18th-19th. An enemy grenade is tossed among a few men, but Corporal John W. Collier takes action to save the others by diving on the grenade and taking the full blast. The other three soldiers survive, but Corporal Collier is killed. He is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage and selfless sacrifice. Also, although the enemy is raising tenacious resistance against the division, many of the N.K. units are beginning to withdraw. The N.K. 7th Division begins to retire from its positions south of the Nam River, completing the crossing by the morning of the 19th. In the meantime, contingents of the N.K. 6th Division redeploy to cover the retreat, and then it pulls out from its positions at Sobuk-san. In the S.K. area, on the east coast, the USS Missouri reinitiates her bombardment of the enemy positions below Pohang-dong, pounding the dike there. The fire is guided by Colonel Emmerich, KMAG advisor, attached to the S.K. 3rd Division. In conjunction, the S.K. 3rd Division launches an attack against the positions; however, impenetrable enemy machine gun fire mows down the troops as they race across a bridge. The South Koreans lose an indeterminable number of troops killed and 144 are wounded. The S.K. 3rd Division is determined to take the ground. Thirty-one troops volunteer to make another attempt. The impetuous do-or-die charge takes a high toll on the attackers, as nineteen are hit and stopped on the bridge. Nonetheless, eleven troops successfully run the gamut and clasp a small hold north of the river. More S.K. troops speed across the bridge to bolster the Spartan detachment. The machine guns are intact, but the gunners are found dead, tied to their weapons. In other activity, the S.K. Miryang Guerrilla Battalion, which had been debarked at Changsa-dong about ten miles north of Pohang-dong during the night of the 14th-15th, is evacuated by the U.S. Navy, saving it

372 from annihilation. The unit, armed with Russian-made weapons, had been ordered to torment the N.K. 3rd Division operating north of the S.K. 3rd Division, but the operation fails. The N.K. 12th Regiment has pushed the unit to the beach where the guns of the naval vessels keep the enemy at bay. Thirty-nine troops are killed. LSTs pick up 725 troops, including 110 wounded. Another thirty-two refuse to make a run for the ships. In Air Force activity, planes attached to the 92d and 98th Bombardment Groups strike enemy troop formations in the vicinity of Waegwan to break them up. Forty-two B29s participate and deliver 1,600 bombs.

September 19

The Pusan Logistical Command is redesignated the 2nd Logistical Command. In other activity, the Philippine 10th Infantry Battalion Combat Team debarks at Pusan. Also, President Syngman Rhee speaks to a very large audience in Pusan and makes his intentions clear concerning the South Korean goals. He states: “We have to advance as far as the Manchurian border until not a single enemy soldier is left in our country.” Rhee also states that he does not expect the U.N. troops to halt at the 38th Parallel, but he insists that if they do halt the pursuit, the South Koreans will maintain the advance singlehandedly. Inchon-Seoul vicinity: General Wright, acting upon direction from General MacArthur, dispatches a message to General Hickey (acting chief of staff, FEC, Tokyo), instructing him to prepare Plan 100-C for execution. The plan calls for an amphibious landing at Kunsan, carried out by two U.S. divisions and one South Korean division. The scheduled date is October 15. The plan exhibits MacArthur’s concerns that Eighth Army will be unable to successfully break out of the Pusan Perimeter. General Walker is against the plan. The 31st Regiment, 7th Division, begins to come ashore at Inchon. Also, the USS Missouri, which has been operating off the east coast of Korea, arrives off Inchon to provide support fire for the newly arriving 7th Division, which will operate on the right flank. In conjunction, the USS Rochester and the USS Toledo have been providing long-range cover fire on the left flank, bolstering the Marines and South Korean troops. However, the 1st and 5th Marines have both reached forward positions beyond the range of light cruisers and destroyers. Between today and September 24, the Toledo and the Rochester provide support fire for the 3rd Battalion, S.K. Marines, which is requested by Lt. Wayerski (Shore Fire Control Party officer). The extra firepower comes in handy. During one patrol, operating slightly northwest of Kimpo, the S.K. Marines annihilate a company-strength enemy contingent and they capture about 150 prisoners in close proximity to Chongdong on the south bank of the Han River. In the 1st Marine Division sector, TAC X Corps establishes headquarters at Kimpo Airfield; it is followed by MTACS-2, MGCIS-1 and VMO-6. Cargo transports and other planes arrive at Kimpo Airfield from

373

September 19, 1950

U.S. Army troops move through a village southeast of Inchon, following their landing (X Corps) in September. Japan: a pair of planes from VMF-312 land at Kimpo, and VMF-212, commanded by Lt. Colonel Richard Wyczawski, also arrives today. Lt. Colonel Max Volcansek and his squadron, VMF(N)-542, depart Japan and land at Kimpo at 1830. Volcansek’s squadron, composed of 6 fighters (F7F-3Ns), are the first planes of MAG-33 to arrive at Kimpo. Among 54 officers and 274 enlisted men, the squadron has only twenty trained night fighter pilots, the remainder being volunteer reservists. The 1st MAW remains at Itami Airbase in Japan. The 1st Marine Division command post moves from the Kimpo vicinity and relocates at Ocoso-ri, less than two miles southeast of Kimpo. It becomes operational at 1645. Also, at 0930, Marine General O.P. Smith confers with General Almond at Kimpo to finalize the selection of a crossing site at the Han. They discuss an equally important topic, the availability of bridging materials. In conjunction, the site, in the vicinity of Haengju, becomes the objective, provided it passes a visual inspection from a helicopter. Lt. Colonel Edward Rowny (X Corps engineer officer) informs General Smith that X Corps lacks bridging, except for that transported by Lt. Colonel Partridge’s 1st Engineer Battalion. Partridge tells Smith he will improvise by using one fifty-ton raft to support the ground Marines and that he will bring up another to bolster the effort. He states that rafts will be utilized to transport the tanks and other vehicles. Also, during the meeting, General Almond informs General Smith that the 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, will deploy on the right flank of the 1st

Marines. General Almond expedites its movement to the front to relieve the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. In the 5th Marines sector, the 1st Battalion remains deeply rooted in the heights east of Kimpo Airfield, but as usual, the Marines are about to begin another attack. During the previous night, Colonel Newton received orders from Colonel Murray to secure Hills 80 and 85, the keys to Yongdungp’o, but first, the battalion must level the resistance on Hill 118, the dominant feature standing between the airfield and Yongdungp’o. However, before the 1st Battalion jumps off, it is attacked by a strong enemy force. About 500 North Koreans launch the assault at dawn in cadence with a barrage of mortar and small arms fire, which jolts Company C, 1st Battalion, into action. Many of the Communists are driving down the Yongdungp’o– Kimpo Road seemingly heading for the airfield, while one other contingent is advancing toward Company C’s positions on the crest of Objective Fox to the front of Hill 118. The Communists are met by terrific return fire and their ranks diminish quickly. Despite the enemy counterattack, Company B, 1st Battalion, operating on schedule, lunges toward its objective, Hill 118, where yet other large concentrations of enemy troops have been detected. Company A holds tight to the rear of Objective Easy, poised to engage any enemy troops that reach the airfield approaches. Convincingly, Company C streams steady fire into the attackers, while Captain Fenton’s Company B ascends Hill 118. By 1100, Fenton’s troops gain the crest of Hill 118

September 19, 1950

374

U.S. infantrymen are deployed in the heights along the Naktong River during the Eighth Army drive to Taejon. and their firepower is then focused on the enemy attackers caught between Company C and Company B. It is a strong concoction of deadly fire, thanks to the effective air strikes and artillery fire. Company B secures its objective without sustaining any casualties. The remaining Communists stretched out between Companies A and B are pummeled. The enemy sustains about three hundred killed, and the Marines capture an additional 100 troops. The surviving enemy flees the area, vanishing near the villages and fields in the vicinity of the Han. After the battle, Company C advances to its designated positions on Hill 118. It sustains 2 killed and 6 wounded while turning back the attack. Once both companies are on Hill 118, they regroup, but there is no pause in the action. Nearby, Hill 80 is occupied by

another huge enemy force and the Marines prepare to make another 1,000-yard dash. The assault will be augmented by artillery and air strikes, as Captain Fenton requests the additional muscle. The planes score another bull’s-eye, whacking the enemy with horrific firepower that kills many and disperses the survivors on Hill 80. More enemy troops are detected near the Kalchon bridge, which leads to Yongdungp’o. These Communists begin firing into the positions of Company B at about the same time the Americans spot their positions. Enemy machine gun fire and antitank fire strike at Company B, but Captain Fenton had already called for artillery and it outclasses the enemy fire. Ninety-six artillery shells arc toward the opposite side of the bridge and slap harshly at the enemy positions, quieting their

375 guns, but the several minutes of devastating fire also inflict severe damage to the bridge. At about 1430, Company C drives down the highway moving toward Hills 80 and 85, but the Marines, operating on a tight schedule, spend no time clearing the enemy still standing between the road and the river. With the assistance of planes and a platoon of Company A tanks, Company C rolls forward. Company C’s 3rd Platoon pivots from the road slightly after 1500 and strikes against Hill 80, while the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Robert Corbet, maintains its pace and continues advancing along the road, closing on Hill 85. Both objectives fall nearly effortlessly by 1650, due in great part to the effectiveness of the planes and artillery. But the enemy retains its tenacity and Company C soon comes under severe fire. Enemy mortars, artillery and small arms combine to halt any further advance. Company C halts and establishes defensive positions on the reverse slopes of the heights to prepare for an anticipated enemy counterattack to regain Hills 80 and 85. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, reduces the enemy resistance in the heights within its sector along the Han. The 5th Marines is to be relieved on its hill positions by the 1st Marines; however, the regiment arrives late. By dusk, the 5th Marines control the south bank of the Han in its zone. Also, at Kimpo, Colonel Murray and other officers hold a staff meeting in the command post to prepare for the crossing of the Han. In conjunction, the South Korean Marines who had begun departing Inchon on the previous day deploy on the left flank of the 5th Marines, poised to cross the Han on the 20th with the U.S. Marines. A contingent of fourteen troops (mostly Reconnaissance Company) swims the Han at about 2000 to check the landing area on the opposite bank. The contingent is composed of Captain Kenneth J. Houghton, CO, Reconnaissance Co.; Lieutenant Dana Cashion; two naval officers, Lt. Horace Underwood and Ensign John Seigle; and ten enlisted Marines. The detachment makes it to the opposite bank at about 2040 and encounters two Koreans; both are captured effortlessly. The captives claim they are escaping from Seoul. The group then discovers that the area can handle the nine LVTs, which will carry the company. Four men led by Lieutenant Cashion ascend Hill 125, but before reaching the summit, the detachment pulls back (without incident), thinking the objective unoccupied. Nevertheless, as the patrol returns to the beach, it comes under fire. In the meantime, the area near the north bank seems tranquil, and Captain Kenneth Houghton orders the remainder of the company to begin crossing. The stillness of the night had been interrupted by the clanging noises of the amtracs, which had traveled about five miles from Kimpo to the crossing site. Meanwhile, the Communists prepare to fire. Eight of the vessels’ tractors enter the water and they are immediately greeted by menacing machine gun and mortar fire. The enemy

September 19, 1950 fire focuses on the amtracs and against the advance party on the north bank. The mission begins to get tangled. Four of the amtracs become grounded, jeopardizing the vehicles and the troops aboard them. To make matters worse, communications become poor. The 1st and 2nd Platoons, commanded by Lieutenants Kraince and Philip Shutler, are stuck in the muck. Orders direct them to debark from the LVTs and return to the south bank. In conjunction, the 3rd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Charles Puckett and not yet in river, is to provide cover fire. While the grounded amtracs are attempting to return to the north bank, the advance team is trying to swim out to the vessels. During the confusion, the two captured prisoners break for safety, but Marine fire kills both. Meanwhile, the advance party breaks for the north bank, coming under fire as the men begin swimming. Some Marine mortar shells fall short and create additional havoc for the swimmers. Captain Kenneth Houghton is knocked cold by the concussion of one of the shells, but he regains consciousness and is taken to one of the grounded LVTs. Nevertheless, the remaining men of the advance team of swimmers returns to the south bank; one man, Private Alphonse Ledet, Jr., is missing and presumed dead, and two others in addition to Captain Kenneth Houghton are wounded. The majority of reconnaissance troops on the stranded LVTs make it back to the north bank near Hill 131. From there, they are shipped back to Kimpo. Gunnery Sergeant Ernest DeFazio makes sure his casualties (swimmers) are cared for immediately, and then, he and eight others search for Captain Kenneth Houghton and discover him on one of the grounded LVTs. By about dawn (20th), DeFazio is back at the 5th Marines CP giving a report and Captain Houghton is en route to a hospital. Two of the four stranded LVTs are brought back to the south bank. In the meantime, the Marines have learned another valuable lesson. Initially it was thought that the area was lightly defended; however, the reconnaissance company would have been facing about one battalion if it had landed during the night. A decision had been reached at about 0430 that the 3rd Battalion would cross at 0630. In the 1st Marines sector, the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, USA, moves out of Inchon and relieves the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, at its positions in the high ground south of the highway on the right flank, effecting the linkup by noon. The relief force had arrived later than expected. In the meantime, Colonel Puller orders his 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, to initiate their attack at 1030, the former driving along the highway and the latter advancing on the left of the road. While the Marines push toward Yongdungp’o, the 7th Division protects their right flank. Colonel Puller’s 2nd Battalion is bolstered by tanks, but the armor sustains damage after advancing about 500 yards. Enemy fire originating from the right front on Hill

September 19, 1950 72, in the zone of the 32nd Infantry, pounds the advancing column of Company F. At the same time, the lead Company C tank strikes a mine and loses one of its tracks and two road wheels. Unable to easily advance, the trailing armor halts. The Marines return fire and they receive assistance from artillery and planes (VMF-214). Company F is joined by the remainder of the battalion to ensure the demise of the blockage. Meanwhile, engineers (2nd Platoon, Company C) advance under fire and begin to detonate the mines scattered about the road. The engineers purposely avoid the mines on the shoulders to quicken the reentry of the tanks, and the units to the rear are informed of the lurking danger. Nonetheless, some vehicles are later lost on the shoulders because the troops fail to heed the warning. The enemy is thrown back by the three rifle companies, giving the engineers (Lieutenant George Gabe’s 2nd Platoon) extra breathing room. Shortly thereafter, a 250-yard minefield is cleared. In the meantime, Companies D and F grind forward and advance about one mile under continual fire, most of which is coming from Hill 146, another feature in the zone of the 32nd Regiment to the right of the highway. Unable to await the arrival of the Army regiment, Colonel Sutter continues the advance. Company D spins into the Army zone and charges up the western spur of Hill 146. All the while, VMF-214 planes bombard the summit, in synchronization with the 11th Marines, which streams shells across the entire 2nd Battalion front. While Company D is climbing to the summit, Company F captures a hill to the left. Meanwhile, the engineers are concluding the minefield-clearing operation. By 1300, the tanks roar forward to rejoin the ground Marines. The armor is off and running, but just as it nears the ground troops, another road blockage bars passage. Quickly, a bulldozer tank races to the obstacle and begins to clear the highway, but disaster strikes again, as the Communists had placed mines under the debris. The tank hits a mine and is set afire. Again, the engineers speed to the front and begin clearing yet another minefield, which extends about 75 yards. All the while, the ground Marines are driving forward, securing the terrain as they advance. By 1730, enemy resistance along the highway in the 2nd Battalion sector is reduced. The Marines capture many discarded weapons and one mine-laden truck. The day-long advance gains the 2nd Battalion about 4,800 yards by 1900. Colonel Sutter then orders the battalion to establish a night perimeter. The Communists lose 350 casualties to the 2nd Battalion during the day and an additional five are captured. The Marines (2nd Battalion) sustains four killed and eighteen wounded. In the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines sector, the attack also commences at 1030. Companies H and I, lacking tank support, drive forward on the left of the highway to secure the ridge network, which stretches several miles before culminating at the front of Hill 118. The battalion’s principal objective is Lookout Hill, which will

376 place the 3rd Battalion about 300 yards behind the 5th Marines’ positions on Hill 118. The attacking companies, led by Major Joseph Trompeter (Battalion S-3), burst through the enemy resistance, and they sweep the sheer ridges clean. The Communists’ resistance is moderate, yet tenacious. At day’s end, Lookout Hill falls to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. The action costs the 3rd Battalion two killed and fifteen wounded. Companies H and I peer west from the prize and easily see Yongdungp’o on the opposite side of the Kalchon River. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, subsequent to relief, advances from below Sosa (right flank) to relieve the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, on Hills 80, 85 and 118. Trucks transport the troops from Sosa to Wonjong-ni, but from there, the Marines debark and finish the journey moving by foot along a crude path. Company A, commanded by Captain Robert Barrow, sets a heavy pace to ensure reaching the summit of Hill 118 before nightfall. It arrives as scheduled and relieves Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines there. But at dusk, Companies B and C (1st Marines) are still en route, prompting Colonel Hawkins to change his plans. Hawkins confers momentarily with Colonel Murray (CO 5th Marines), then he directs Company C to join Company A on Hill 118. Hawkins then orders Company B to establish positions on a southern extension of Hill 118. The relief force is unable to complete the mission before dark, causing complications at Hills 80 and 85. The 5th Marines are compelled to pull out before the arrival of the 1st Marine contingents (at 2100), due to instructions to be at the Han at a specified time to make the crossing. The remainder of the 1st Marines arrives in the vicinity and halts at Kal-ch’on Creek, slightly west of the town, but Hills 80 and 85 are unoccupied. In other activity, in accordance with the imminent plan to cross the Han, the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion is ordered to discontinue its support of the 1st Marines. Its LVTs return to Kimpo. In conjunction, the 1st Shore Party Battalion reverts to Division control and moves to the area near Oeoso. In the meantime, the North Koreans are planning to regain Hills 80, 85 and 118, which they had lost to the 5th Marines, but they are unaware that the Marines have abandoned Hills 80 and 85. The North Koreans are also planning another attack against the 1st Marines in synchronization with the planned counterattacks against the 5th Marines’ positions. Also, the leading elements of the N.K. 25th Brigade begin arriving in Seoul. The brigade, commanded by Major General Wol Ki Chan, has many experienced officers who have previously served with Chinese Communist forces. In the Eighth Army area, by today, North Korean High Command issues orders to its primary forces in South Korea to initiate withdrawal. Many of the units to the south had no knowledge of the Inchon Invasion until several days after the operation. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, General

377 Gay initiates his envelopment tactics to surround the enemy. During the day, Gay orders the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, to depart its divisional right positions and redeploy to the divisional left to spearhead the drive to Tabu-dong. In the meantime, with continual air support, the attached 5th RCT initiates its attack to dislodge and destroy the contingents of the N.K. 3rd Division that are defending Hill 268 and the surrounding area along the southern approaches to Waegwan. While the attack is in progress, the 5th Cavalry and units of the 7th Cavalry engage in severe fighting east of Waegwan, along the right flank of the 5th RCT, in support of the RCTs advance. The enemy on Hills 253 and 300 has ostensibly decided to fight to the last man. Nonetheless, both hills fall to the 5th Cavalry. The 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, reduces the resistance on Hill 300 and secures the summit subsequent to a bloody fight. The U.S. sustains 179 casualties, including 28 men killed and four troops missing. In addition, the attached South Koreans sustain 28 casualties. A total of 205 enemy dead are counted on Hill 300. About one mile north of Hills 253 and 300, the North Koreans refuse to capitulate on Hill 371, and they turn back all attempts by the 5th Cavalry to seize it. The hill is finally taken when the enemy retreats from the area. The Waegwan pocket is reoccupied and the 5th Cavalry discovers the conspicuous presence of 27 T-34 tanks and one U.S. M-4, which had been modified by the North Koreans. The armor includes destroyed and captured vehicles. Meanwhile, the 5th Regimental Combat Team drives from the south, intent on popping the cork at the left flank of the N.K. II Corps and then flooding into Waegwan. The advance shatters the defenses of the N.K. 3rd Division in the vicinity of Waegwan. The success of the 5th and 7th Cavalries on the flank speeds the process. Aerial observers spot about 1,500 enemy troops, all slightly north of Waegwan and in the middle of a hurried retreat across the Naktong. Later, the highways leading from the town are each saturated with enemy contingents. Nonetheless, bitter combat ensues throughout the day as the Americans barrel forward, bolstered by roaming aircraft. Dogged persistence pays off. Most of Hill 268 falls to the combat team. Before dusk, the 3rd Battalion is on the hill, and the 2nd Battalion seizes Hill 121, about one mile south of Waegwan. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion swings northwest at Hill 268 and attacks other enemy targets. It will hook up with the other battalions at Waegwan on the following day. In other activity, at 1800, the 5th Regimental Combat Team and the 6th Medium Tank Battalion are placed under the operational control of the 24th Division. In the 24th Division sector, subsequent to delays, the Division is preparing to push elements across the Naktong, near the Hasan-dong ferry site. Once the spear-

September 19, 1950 heading 21st Regiment reaches the west bank, it is to drive north to a spot opposite Waegwan, and from there it is to pivot and secure the primary road leading to Kumch’on. Artillery has twice bombarded the opposing bank during the night to loosen resistance. At 0530, the 21st Regiment pushes off in assault boats under a dense fog. The first contingents hit the opposite bank and start to advance, but enemy fire commences immediately. The troops are snagged by a ferocious cross-fire. Within minutes, both banks come under enemy fire, including the additional sting of artillery and mortars. The 1st Battalion sustains many casualties. By 0730, air support arrives to relieve some pressure. The planes bomb and strafe Hill 174, where much of the enemy fire is originating. Once on the west bank, the 1st Battalion regroups. It has sustained 120 casualties during the perilous crossing. Obstinate Hill 174 falls by 1200. Subsequent to the seizure of the hill, the 3rd Battalion crosses to the west bank of the river, moves north and secures another hill in its path. The trailing 2nd Battalion delays its crossing until the evening and completes the trek by the following morning. In the meantime, other units are crossing about two miles farther south. The 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment, crosses at 1600 against heavy opposition. Prior to departing the east bank, enemy shelling inflicts about fifty casualties. The enemy fire diminishes once the crossing is complete. Later, during the night, the 24th Reconnaissance Company crosses in the same area as the 19th Regiment. Both units are to secure the highway leading from Songju, an enemy-held town about six miles west of the Naktong. The 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion also sustains casualties while it assists the crossing. Ten troops are killed and 37 are wounded. In addition, five attached Koreans are killed, ten Koreans are wounded and five others are missing in action. In the 2nd Division sector, the 9th Infantry continues its quest to vanquish the stubborn enemy resistance on Hill 201. Reinforcements, including tanks, arrive to bolster the assault. Upon their arrival, the tanks heave a mighty blow against the hill. In an unusual tactic, Sergeant George E. Vonton leads one platoon of tanks in a convincing charge to the summit. Vonton’s regimental tanks play a strategic part in the reduction of the resolute resistance. With the seizure of Hill 201, the path is open for the 2nd Division to bridge the Naktong. In the 23rd Regiment sector, the 1st Battalion is dispatched to bolster the 9th Regiment’s assault against Hill 201, while the 2nd Battalion races across the 9th Regiment’s sector and assaults Hill 174. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 38th Regiment, is to spearhead the drive to dismember the enemy units in its sector. In the 38th Regiment zone, the 3rd Battalion crosses the Naktong to defend the bridgehead, while the 2nd Battalion is on the attack. Some artillery, tanks and mortars arrive on the west bank with the 3rd Battalion. In the meantime, due to the heavy damage inflicted upon the two spans of the Changnyong–Ch’ogye

September 20, 1950 bridge, the 2nd Engineer Combat Bn. begins to fabricate a temporary bridge. The floating bridge will expedite the crossing of additional armor and other vehicles. In the 25th Division sector, Battle Mountain is abandoned by the enemy prior to dawn. During the morning, the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment, occupies the summit. In the meantime, the 35th Regiment drives forward encountering nominal resistance, but its 1st Battalion inadvertently passes some enemy troops in the heights outside of Chungam-ni. From their concealed positions, the enemy is able to fire at the battalion from the rear. Nonetheless, Chungam-ni falls on the following day. Also, Company C, 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, is engaged heavily with the enemy near Saga during an assault to seize a ragged ridge. A frontal attack hits stiff resistance and fails, prompting the contingent to strike simultaneously from the front and the flank during the second assault. One platoon, led by Sergeant William B. Jecelin, braves the fire and drives across a rice field and crosses rocky ground under a hail of fire to pound the front and divert attention from the flanks. The attack stalls at the bottom of the slope, but Jecelin bolts to his feet and with fixed bayonet, charges. His men follow suit and after ascending to the crest, the bayonets and rifle butts carry the summit. Nonetheless, the enemy pours fire upon them from a self-propelled gun. Jecelin fearlessly ignores the gun and inspires his men to make another lunge. As the attack drives forward, an enemy grenade is thrown in the midst of some of the troops. Jecelin spots it and blankets it with his body to save the others. The blast kills him, but it instills more determination in the remainder of his platoon. They charge and eliminate all of the enemy contingent. Sergeant William Jecelin is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership and heroism in the face of the enemy. In other activity, the hard-hit task force, commanded by Major Woolfolk, is disbanded. The task force is composed of about battalion strength, and it includes Headquarters, 3rd Bn., 35th Regiment; I Company, 35th Regiment; Company A, 27th Regiment; and Company B and one platoon from Company C, 65th Combat Engineer Bn. The task force receives support from the 25th Reconnaissance Company and the Heavy Weapons Company, 24th Regiment. In the ROK II Corps area, S.K. 1st Division sector, contingents advance through the mountain terrain north of Taegu and get to the rear of the enemy lines, prompting the N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions to begin their withdrawal. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, S.K. 3rd Division sector, patrols advance to the edge of Pohang-dong by dusk. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Force’s Combat Cargo Command initiates an airlift to Kimpo Airfield near Seoul. The supplies and equipment are transported aboard 32 C-54s.

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September 20 Inchon-Seoul vicinity: The 7th Marines arrive off Inchon, bringing the 1st Marine Division to a strength of three regiments. At this time, 49,568 troops have come ashore at Inchon. In addition, 5,356 vehicles and 22,222 tons of equipment and supplies have also been unloaded. Kimpo Airfield is utilized to gain Seoul. Corsairs fly the first sorties from Kimpo. At 0735, planes of VMF(N)-542 execute the first combat mission from Kimpo by destroying two enemy locomotives. The four participating F7F-3Ns stream 3,000 rounds of 20-mm ammo toward the enemy during the attack. Squadrons VMF-212 and 312 also fly combat missions today. The planes that arrived at Kimpo on the previous day are compelled to use the gas remaining in their tanks, as there are no refueling operations yet established. The Marines are also unable to mechanically load the armaments; the bombs are loaded manually. In the 1st Marine Division sector, 5th Marines zone,, there has been much discussion between General Craig, Colonel Murray and staff officers concerning the crossing of the Han River. General Craig notes: “The eyes of the world were upon us. It would have looked bad for the Marines, of all people, to reach a river and not be able to cross.” During the early morning hours it had been decided that the 3rd Battalion would cross. The attack across the Han River begins at 0645. A fifteen-minute artillery barrage, commenced by the 1st and 4th Battalions, 11th Marines, against Hill 125, precedes the attack, but many of the shells miss the mark, giving the ground Marines no advantage. The 5th Marines is bolstered by elements of the 1st Tank Battalion, the Division Reconnaissance Company and elements of the 56th Amphibian Tractor Bn., USA. The attack is further augmented by the 1st Engineer Bn., 1st Shore Party Bn., 1st Amphibious Tractor Bn. and the 11th Marines, which provides artillery fire. Company I, 3rd Battalion, spearheads the 5th Marines’ crossing, but it comes under heavy fire from Hill 125. Thanks to the armor plating, none of the ground Marines are hit, despite the first wave of amtracs sustaining about 200 hits. Four crewmen are wounded. Company I reaches the north bank at 0650, followed by Companies G and H. The enemy continues pouring fire into Company I as it debarks; however, the platoon leaders maintain discipline as they organize for the attack against Hill 125 (Objective Able). Lieutenant Stanley Carpenter deploys his platoon of amtracs to provide some cover fire for the 2nd and 3rd Platoons, which are launching attacks from the left and right respectively. Soon after, the attacking Marines receive some additional help when four Corsairs (VMF-214) arrive and blast the hill. Meanwhile, the attacking platoons continue to come under heavy fire as they grind forward. Lieutenant Peterson’s 2nd Platoon is carried several hundred yards inland by LVTs, while Lieutenant William Sparks’ 3rd Platoon is lunging forward along the key spur on the right. The Communists relentlessly pour fire upon the attackers.

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September 20, 1950

Top: A wounded Marine (during the drive to Seoul) is carried back for medical aid by other Marines. Bottom: South Korean civilians return to their destroyed houses on the fringes of Seoul.

September 20, 1950

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September 20, 1950

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A U.S. tank crew seems to be enjoying the sight of infantry using a cow as a pack animal as they move through Waegwan. The tank with the words “Wild Woody” painted on the side is a Sherman M4A3. Another contingent of amtracs, commanded by Captain Joseph Irick, plows eastward to gain supporting positions. From there, Irick’s amtracs stream shells into the enemy positions. Machine gun and small arms fire inflicts severe casualties. Menacing fire wipes out nearly an entire mortar section, and the Marines have advanced only about halfway up the hill. Lieutenant Sparks (3rd Platoon) becomes wounded and the platoon is taken over by Lieutenant Williamson, but it requires reorganization.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Peterson’s 2nd Platoon continues to gnaw forward on the left, but his communications temporarily cease. Soon after, Peterson is spotted on the left. Captain McMullen orders the 1st Platoon (reserve) under Lieutenant Roy Krieger to rush forward and pass through the 3rd Platoon to give it time to pull back and reorganize. Meanwhile, headquarters troops and engineers arrive to inflate the 3rd Platoon. McMullen orders the attack to gain the

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September 20, 1950

Top: Part of the 187th Airborne Regiment, which is dropped near Sukch’on on 20 September. In addition to 2,800 troops, the planes drop artillery pieces. Bottom: An artillery piece (105 howitzer) awaits loading on a plane from which it will be dropped north of Pyongyang along with paratroopers on 20 September.

September 20, 1950 plateau. The enemy is struck from three sides and the plateau falls. However, casualties force another regrouping before the final thrust to the crest. Company I reinitiates the attack. Despite being wounded, Captain McMullen leads the way. The 1st and 3rd Platoons bolt toward the crest. In the meantime, more Corsairs arrive. Lieutenant Peterson (2nd Platoon) reports from his positions on the left that Communist troops are fleeing from the crest and racing toward the low ground to the north of the hill. The Corsairs have detected the enemy in flight, and the pilots take measures to eliminate them. Company I gains the crest of Hill 125 by 0940. From the heights, the Marines begin picking off many of the Communists as they try to rid themselves of their uniforms to don civilian clothing. The remainder of the 3rd Battalion meets little opposition during the crossing. Company H captures Hill 95 (Objective Charlie) and Company G seizes Hill 51 (Objective Baker), giving the 3rd Battalion possession of all its objectives by 0940. By 0830, the Seoul–Kaesong Railroad is severed and a strategic road at the village of Nung-dong is cut. The 3rd Battalion sustains a total of 43 casualties during the operation, and most have been suffered by Company I. In contrast, the Communists lose about 200 troops. Also, the Marines receive some bonuses. The two previously stranded LVTs are extricated from the mud and Private Ledet, one of the swimmers believed killed on the previous night, is discovered alive. Ledet had been manning an advance outpost and he was inadvertently left behind when the swimmers returned to the south bank of the Han. He maintained his discipline and avoided capture, while being able to gather much intelligence on the enemy. The battalion retains its LVTs and continues the attack by curving southeast to follow the tracks into Seoul. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, fords the Han at 1000. It remains aboard the LVTs and moves through the 3rd Battalion to continue the attack. By 1445, the 2nd Battalion gains control of Objectives Dog and Easy, the heights on both sides of the Kaesong– Seoul Railroad, several miles east of Haengju. Company D digs in on Objective Easy, while Company E deploys on Objective Dog. Company F is ordered to deploy in the hole separating Companies D and E. In conjunction, Army troops attached to the amtracs detect enemy presence on Objective Easy. They ring out several warning shots and soon after, about thirty enemy troops emerge from a cave and surrender. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, is ordered to cross the Han at 1330 and deploy near Hill 95 to await orders to attack toward Seoul. A contingent will be dispatched to Hill 125 to secure the landing area for the night. The 3rd Battalion, subsequent to seizing its objectives during the morning, moves to positions slightly north of Hill 95. The 5th Marines and twelve supporting tanks (Company A, 1st Tank Battalion) are on the north bank of the Han by dusk. The 2nd Platoon crosses at 1410, the 1st Platoon at 1600 and

384 the 3rd Platoon of tanks makes it across the river during the latter part of the afternoon. In related activity, Colonel Partridge’s engineers, as promised, deliver a completed six-float M4A2 raft within four hours. It becomes operational across the Han within six hours of the first crossing of the ground Marines. The crossing site is known as Baker ferry; it is manned by Company B, 1st Shore Party Battalion. Teams 1 and 2 remain on the south bank and Team 3 deploys on the north bank. The 2nd Battalion, S.K. Marines, crosses with the Americans, but their DUKWs are unable to navigate easily. They become stuck near the south bank. Eventually, the Korean Marines are transferred to LVTs. Company A, 56th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, USA, and the S.K. Marines are directed to guard the rear of the 5th Marines. In the 1st Marines sector, the enemy launches several simultaneous predawn attacks to regain the hills lost to 5th Marines. Some North Korean assault troops depart Yongdungpo and move across the rice paddies to Kal-ch’on Creek (which flows north and swings around the western tip of the city into the Han) while one battalion exits the town and drives down the road. The enemy fords the creek and takes Hills 80 and 85 without incident, as the 5th Marines had evacuated both hills at 2100 (under orders to advance to the Han) on the previous night. In conjunction, 1st Marines has not yet occupied them. Part of the enemy force advances to Hill 118, but here the story is different, as Companies A and C bolstered by planes (VMF-323), raise a steadfast defense of the summit and repel the attacks. Now the 1st Marines must retake Hills 80 and 85. Meanwhile, the other enemy force, spearheaded by five tanks, advances down the Inchon Highway toward the positions of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. At about 0400, the faraway sounds of armor are detected by Company F, which is posted to the front in the heights near Company D. The two companies are deployed parallel to the Inchon Road and south of it. The distant clamor of the armor becomes more pronounced as the enemy column closes blindly toward the Marines’ positions. By 0430, the clanking armor is through the positions of Companies D and F, encroaching Company E. The lead vehicle is an ammunition truck which has found itself well in advance of the tanks. Private Oliver O’Neil, a machine gunner of Company E, stands to give challenge and the response is deadly, as enemy fire quickly slays O’Neil. At this point, the pitch darkness is transformed into bright illumination. Two T-34 tanks pull up short of the Marines’ positions and begin to fire blindly. Their fire is met ten-fold. Companies D and F, entrenched in the heights, pour sheets of fire into the enemy. A raging iron-storm erupts as grenades, machine guns, mortars and other small arms begin to pummel the column in cadence with the weapons of Company E, which is streaming more fire upon the North Koreans. The tanks jostle back and forth attempting to

385 evade damage and escape, but the column is destined for destruction. The 11th Marines’ artillery keeps the rear escape route closed, trapping the enemy battalion. In the meantime, the ammunition truck sustains a gargantuan hit and it explodes violently. The tanks continue to come under assault, and then one of the Marines, PFC Gonegan, takes it upon himself to move in closer. Gonegan destroys the lead T-34, then he singlehandedly moves against the second tank and destroys it. Gonegan takes aim on a third tank, which is attempting to reverse and escape, but before he can fire his 3.5 rocket, enemy fire slays him. The incessant hammering causes the enemy infantry to break for safety. They flee up the slopes; however, the guns of Companies D and F shred the ranks, barring escape. At dawn, when the battlefield becomes visible, the Marines peer to the front and see about 300 North Koreans, scattered along the road, on the slopes and in the ditches, but they are all deceased. Marine losses for the engagement are few, but the exact figures for the battle are unavailable. However, the 2nd Battalion’s casualties for the entire day are (including the action subsequent to the enemy counterattack) four killed and 32 wounded. After vanquishing the enemy and terminating the counterattack, the 2nd Battalion, operating on the regimental right, drives along the Inchon–Seoul Highway. At 0645, the battalion begins smashing through sporadic opposition and it reaches the bridge crossing at the western branch of the Kalchon River by 1230, at a point about 2,000 yards from the 2nd span, which crosses the eastern branch of the Kalchon into Yongdungp’o. At that time, the 2nd Battalion commander, Colonel Allan Sutter, dispatches engineers to inspect the span. The engineers report that the damaged concrete bridge can bear the traffic of the tanks. Colonel Sutter also takes serious note of some high ground to the right that lies in the zone of the 32nd Regiment and remains loaded with enemy activity. Sutter requests authorization from the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment (Lt. Colonel Charles Mount), to bombard the ridge to eliminate it as a threat during the attack of the following day. Colonel Mount gives his permission to plaster the ridge at 1300; however, by the time word travels through the 7th Division to X Corps and then to the 1st Marine Division, it is past 2000 when the 11th Marines receive the order to fire the ridge. The barrage occurs, but darkness prevents observation of the damage inflicted on the enemy. Also in the 1st Marines sector, preparations are being outlined to attack Yongdungp’o on the following day, but the first priority is to retake Hills 80 and 85; Colonel Puller designates the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, as the attacking unit. In conjunction, the 2nd Battalion is to drive to the two bridges that cross the Kalchon on the outskirts of Yongdungp’o. The 3rd Battalion is ordered to remain on Lookout Hill. No casualties are sustained by the 3rd Battalion during the entire day.

September 20, 1950 Within fifteen minutes after the heights are secured, General Almond arrives to confer with Colonel Puller. During the meeting, Almond authorizes the 1st Marines to bombard Yongdungp’o. The Marines gladly oblige the general’s order. Aircraft and artillery units initiate a day-long barrage against Yongdungp’o. Also, while the 1st Marines advance, the Army’s 32nd Regiment is to move forward to cover the Marines’ right flank. The 32nd is to attack across a six-mile front to capture Tongdok Mountain, south of the main supply route and about two miles from Yongdungp’o. Shortly after dawn, Colonel Hawkins, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, establishes his outpost on the crest of Hill 118. His arrival occurs just as Companies A and C are confidently throwing back an attack that has emerged from the target hills. Company C, commanded by Captain Robert Wray, is ordered to seize both hills (80 and 85). It will be bolstered by the guns of Major William Bates’ Weapons Company (1st Bn., 1st Marines). Company B, 1st Battalion, commanded by Captain Richard Bland, will seize Hill 55 and several villages on the bank of the Han River while Company C is engaged at Hills 80 and 85. The 2nd Platoon, Company C, led by Lieutenant John Guild, takes the point and moves toward a village that blocks the path to the hills, but after gaining about 500 yards, it is slowed by heavy enemy fire. Captain Wray immediately dispatches the remainder of Company C to augment the assault. The reinforcements split into two groups, move around the flanks of the stalled 2nd Platoon, and then ram through the opposition. Fierce firefights develop, but the Marines prevail and the enemy survivors flee hurriedly toward Hill 80. Subsequent to extricating the 1st Platoon, Company C eases into the small village while simultaneously gaining control of the knoll. Still, some obstinate enemy troops remain in the area. A patrol is dispatched to eliminate the threat. During the latter part of the afternoon, Company C, supported by Weapons and Able Companies, resumes the attack to seize Hill 80. The 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant William Craven, and the 3rd Platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Henry Commiskey, advance on the left and right respectively, executing a successful double envelopment that seizes Hill 80 effortlessly. The fall of Hill 80 occurs slightly before dusk, leaving little time to capture the next objective easily. Captain Robert Wray immediately takes steps to seize Hill 85 by ordering yet another double envelopment. Meanwhile, the enemy, expecting another envelopment attack, reforms its lines by peeling back both flanks to prevent infiltration through the rear or sides. With support fire from the 1st Platoon and Company C’s machine guns, the 2nd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Guild, advances from the left and drives forward through a sheet of fire, reaching the western slope of Hill 85. Simultaneously, on the right, the 3rd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Commiskey, drills directly toward the crest of Hill 85. The Communists raise defiant opposition and pound both attacking platoons. Heroism

September 20, 1950 abounds as the Marines bolt toward the crest through a maze of enemy fire. Red machine guns cut down Lieutenant Guild, inflicting a mortal blow as he nears the summit, but he insists that the fight continue. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commiskey is on the point. He leaps way out to the front of his platoon and hits the crest first. Armed only with his pistol, Commiskey dives into a machine gun nest and kills four of the five defenders. He holds the fifth man down until the platoon catches up, and then he takes out the last defender in the nest. Singlehandedly, Commiskey then races forward and assaults another nest, killing two more of the enemy. Finally, Commiskey leads the platoon to the rear of the hill and drives the remaining enemy from the slope. Lieutenant Henry Commiskey receives the Medal of Honor for his courage in the face of the enemy. Back with the 2nd Platoon, Lieutenant Guild’s wound has not deterred the effort; his Marines continue the charge and reach the summit, just after the 3rd Platoon. By this time, the Communists are sprinting down the eastern slopes and fleeing toward the Kalchon River. Lieutenant Guild, despite the severity of his wounds, continues to inspire his troops. Captain Wray advances to Guild, who is still on his feet. Wray calls for a corpsman to aid Guild, but Guild tells Captain Wray that another wounded Marine “needs one more than I do.” Soon after, Lt. Guild succumbs. During the morning the Marines sustain some other casualties, aside from those incurred in the attacks to regain the targeted hills. When the 5th Marines had seized the hill on the previous day, no efforts were made to clear the enemy from the terrain that lies between the Kimpo Highway and the Han River. Now those enemy troops execute some nasty ambushes. A small contingent of the 1st Signal Battalion rolls along the highway, stringing wire in the 1st Marines zone. As it approaches the Kalchon bridge, the Communists spring an ambush and kill or capture the Marines. The Marines on Hill 118 observe the grizzly incident, but they are unable to give aid. Soon after, and still under the eyes of the 1st Battalion on Hill 118, another unsuspecting Marine vehicle, carrying four men, approaches the ambush site. Again in agony, the Marines on Hill 118 observe the engineers’ truck heading into danger. But their positions are about 1,000 yards away, leaving few options. Captain Barrow, commanding officer, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, orders his troops to fire in front of the moving vehicle, hoping to force it to turn around, but the effort fails. The engineers (Company A) keep advancing and run into a wall of enemy fire, forcing them to abandon the vehicle and break for safety. Three of the Marines make it safely to a rice paddy, but the fourth, PFC Clayton Edwards, wounded and lacking ammunition, is captured. One of the Communists then moves closer and bayonets Edwards in the shoulder. The story does have a happy ending for the Americans, as PFC Edwards outwits his captors and escapes from captivity while he

386 is being transported aboard a POW train heading north. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, the 31st Regiment arrives at Inchon. It deploys south of the 32nd Regiment. The 32nd Regiment, commanded by Colonel Charles Beauchamp, launches an attack to seize Anyang-ni and sever the Seoul–Suwon Highway. The column, spearheaded by tanks of Company A, 73rd Tank Battalion, encounters difficulty as it advances along a small dirt road heading toward the objectives. Three of the forward tanks become damaged when they strike mines and another mine blows up Colonel Beauchamp’s jeep, killing the driver and wounding the radio operator. Beauchamp had dismounted the vehicle just before the explosion and he is spared injury. Meanwhile, the road is blocked, hindering the operation. Nonetheless, the regiment continues the attack. Engineers extract about 150 mines from the road. By day’s end, the 32nd Regiment seizes T’ongdok Mountain and secures part of Copper Mine Hill. The advance costs the 32nd Regiment seven killed and 36 wounded. By dusk, it is deployed to the right of the Marines. Eighth Army area, I Corps, in the 1st Cavalry sector, the 5th RCT, which reverted back to the 24th Division on the previous day, maintains its attack to reduce the enemy in its target zone. The 1st and 2nd Battalions engage the enemy west of Hill 268, making progress against tough opposition. The North Koreans lose about 300 troops during these firefights. Meanwhile, on Hill 268, the 3rd Battalion presses forward against the enemy’s fortified bunkers. Slightly before noon, several contingents of F-51s strike the enemy, delivering napalm and rockets, while simultaneously ringing the bunkers with machine gun fire. The sudden dose of fire breaks the jam. The 3rd Battalion overruns the log-layered bunkers and secures Hill 268. About 250 enemy troops are killed on the hill. By about 1415, the 2nd Battalion drives into Waegwan, hooking up with the 1st Battalion there at about 1430. The 2nd Battalion pushes through the town and startles some enemy troops as they are setting up a minefield. The troops are quickly eradicated and the battalion resumes its advance, exiting the opposite end of the town by 1530. Soon after, the 2nd Battalion seizes Hill 303, north of Waegwan, the final objective of the 5th RCT. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion resumes its advance and seizes Hill 300, which is slightly northeast of Hill 303. At about 1945, the 1st Battalion begins to dart across the Naktong at a point near the Waegwan railroad bridge, followed soon after by the 2nd Battalion. Both battalions complete the crossing by midnight. The 5th RCT sustains severe casualties today: eighteen men are killed, 111 troops are wounded and three men are reported missing. In the 7th Cavalry sector, General Gay orders the 3rd Battalion to swing from divisional right to the left. From there it will trail the 1st Battalion toward Tabudong. The 1st Battalion, bolstered by tanks from Com-

387 pany C, 70th Tank Battalion, jumps off and passes Hill 300 en route to Waegwan. At about 0900, the 1st Battalion is two miles shy of Waegwan. It departs the primary road and begins moving along a primitive secondary road to reach the Waegwan-Tabu-dong Road several miles east of Waegwan. Enemy resistance along the route is heavy. The valley road is clamped between high mountains on both sides, mandating a cautious advance. The column is immediately beset by enemy fire. The tanks spearhead the drive, but the impact is nominal. One of the tanks hits a mine and the entire column becomes stalled, having advanced only about two miles by the middle of the afternoon. At this point, General Gay becomes testy and orders the 1st Battalion to speed ahead to Tabu-dong. The enemy is bypassed as the battalion sprints to the Tabudong Road, and then drives northeast toward the objective. It halts for the night about four miles short of the town. Colonel Clainos becomes wounded by a mine, but he declines evacuation. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion boards trucks north of Taegu and then it moves west toward Waegwan, but the convoy is halted short of its destination. The regimental commanding officer, Colonel Nist, fears that enemy artillery and mortars might ambush the trucks, prompting him to order the troops to march part of the way. The battalion runs behind schedule and the troops are exhausted when they arrive at their destination. General Gay becomes annoyed at the tardiness of the 3rd Battalion, and in addition, there are some other problems. Gay replaces the 7th Cavalry commander with Lt. Colonel William A. Harris, who had been commanding officer of the 77th FABn. At about midnight (20th-21st) Colonel Harris directs his battalion commanders to seize Tabu-dong on the 22nd. He further orders that the first contingent to reach the town is to swing south and establish contact with the 8th Cavalry. Also, Colonel Harris appoints Lt. Colonel James Webel (S-3 3rd Bn., 7th Cavalry) as regimental S-3 to replace Witherspoon (21st). In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, relieves the British 27th Brigade in place, east of the Naktong. The British move north and cross the river in the zone of the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, at about noon. Enemy fire harasses the British as they proceed in single file, marching across a makeshift footbridge. The British sustain some casualties and the enemy gun remains undetected, despite aerial observation. In the 24th Division area, all three regiments have crossed the Naktong, permitting General Church to prepare to attack west along the Taegu–Kumch’on–Taejon–Seoul Road. However, the division still has operation problems and must get the equipment across the river to join the infantry regiments. The bridges that span the Naktong at Waegwan were destroyed during August by the 1st Cavalry Division. Engineers begin a non-stop effort to construct a pontoon bridge across the river and complete it within thirty-six hours.

September 20, 1950 In other activity, the British 27th Infantry Brigade is attached to the 24th Division by the I Corps. It will participate in the attack. In the 19th Regiment sector, the high ground west of the river by the Songju road is held by the regiment. The 24th Reconnaissance Company passes through the perimeter of the 19th Regiment and drives west along the Songju Road, probing deeply. In conjunction, the British Brigade will also attack along this route. The 19th Regiment will support the attack of the 21st Regiment. In the 21st Regiment sector, the 1st Battalion drives north to Hill 170, west of the river and opposite Waegwan, while the 3rd Battalion advances about one mile farther north and occupies the hill there. In the 2nd Division sector, 23rd Regiment zone, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, crosses the Naktong at the Sangp’o ferry site, slightly south of where the Sinban River flows eastward into the Naktong. The precision of the night crossing by the assault boats literally catches the enemy napping. Company L snares a sleeping enemy lieutenant colonel and his staff. The regiment receives some additional fortuitous opportunities. Among the captured documents is a map that pinpoints the present positions of the N.K. 2nd, 4th and 9th Divisions, which are in the vicinity of Sinbanni. The 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, subsequent to the crossing, advances and eliminates the resistance on Hill 227 by noon. This seizure assures command of the strategic high ground that controls the crossing site on the west side of the river. Later, during the afternoon, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, advances toward the Naktong to cross it and seize Hill 207, about one mile above the Sangp’o ferry site. However, the lead unit unexpectedly encounters the Sinban and no one had been aware of the river. Eventually, after a tedious delay, the battalion crosses in DUKWs. During the night, another horrid rainstorm hits the area. The 1st Battalion launches an attack to seize its objective and discovers that the enemy has fled. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, establishes a night perimeter on Hill 227, and unbeknownst to the troops, the North Koreans sneak to positions just under the crest and remain undiscovered during the inclement weather. In the 38th Regiment zone, the regiment remains east of the Naktong and advances along a road about six miles north of the 23rd Regiment, encountering stiff opposition as it moves toward Ch’ogye and Hyopch’on. In the 25th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, secures Chungam-ni. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, seizes the ridge line that stretches northwest from Chungam-ni to the Nam River. On the left, the 27th Regiment encounters tenacious opposition as it attempts to advance. In the S.K. 3rd Division sector, Pohang-dong is secured at 1015. One regiment continues its attack and gains the heights north of the town. Following the seizure of Pohang-dong, the 3rd Division, bolstered by

September 21, 1950 U.S. naval surface vessel fire and fighter planes, drives farther north. By the 22nd, the N.K. 5th Division is in full retreat and Hunghae is seized. In Air Force activity, the mission to supply the troops in Korea, initiated on the previous day by Far East Air Force (Combat Cargo Command), enlarges the mission to push supplies into Kimpo 24 hours a day. The task is made possible because of lighting that had been delivered on the previous day. In other activity, bombers attack several separate areas in and near Pyongyang that contain enemy troop barracks.

September 21 Inchon-Seoul vicinity: Changes occur within the structure of the Marine Air Wing. VMF-214, VMF-323 and VMF(N)-513 are transferred from MAG-33 to MAG-12. VMF(N)-513 remains domiciled at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, and the other two units continue operating off the carriers USS Sicily and Badoeng Strait. Other than the transfer to MAG-12, the mission remains the same, to support the ground troops, while the other squadrons complete their transfer from Japan to Kimpo. Also, VMF-212, VMF-312 and VMF(N)-542 are transferred from MAG-12 to MAG-33. In the X Corps area, General Almond, commanding officer X Corps, establishes his command post at Inchon; he assumes control of all forces ashore at 1700. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the 7th Marines (3rd rifle regiment) arrives. The regiment, commanded by Colonel Litzenberg, begins debarking at Inchon; it will

388 move up to the Han River. The 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, commanded by Major Francis Parry, also arrives; it is attached to the 7th Marines. Colonel Litzenberg arrives at General O.P. Smith’s headquarters and inquires about which unit to debark first. Smith replies: “An infantry battalion.” Litzenberg then asks: “And what next?” General Smith responds: “Another infantry battalion.” In the 5th Marines sector, the enemy mounts a morning counterattack. The company-size contingent is repelled prior to the Marines’ reinitiating the attack along the tracks and highway toward Seoul. The 1st Battalion advances between the river and the rails, while the 3rd Battalion, to the right, moves through the lines of the 2nd Battalion and pushes forward along the railroad tracks. The 1st Battalion seizes several small hills south of the highway and the railroad tracks that parallel the Han River. The prizes include Hills 96 and 68. The Marines dig in and hold Hill 68 throughout the night. The 1st Battalion reaches Sogang at the southern tip of the hills, placing it within three miles of the key railroad station (Yongsan) in Seoul. The 2nd Battalion remains in reserve several miles east of Haengju along the railroad tracks near Hill 51. Two of its members discover a giant toy. Sergeant James Higgins and one other Marine commandeer an enemy locomotive, and after tinkering with it, the novice engineers get the engine running. The advancing train slowly comes to a halt near the regimental command post and it causes some excitement. The train’s stack

389

bellows huge puffs of smoke that can be seen for miles. Sergeant Higgins is emphatically instructed to get his toy back to the rear before the enemy guns use it as a marker to pound the area. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion drives through increasing resistance and gains about five and one-half miles to seize Hill 104 north of the tracks. South Korean Marines are then given responsibility to hold it. Following the fall of Hill 104, the 3rd Battalion pivots northeast and drives toward Hill 296, situated at the western fringe of Seoul. But the western approaches to the city are insulated by a chain of hills that stretch along a north-south line. By dark, the 3rd Battalion advances to Hill 216, located about six miles east of the ferry crossing, and Hill 125. Also, during the night (21st-22nd) an enemy shell strikes the command post of the 5th Marines, which is located in a house northwest of Seoul. The unexpected shell inflicts damage, including a severe wound to the regimental executive officer, Lt. Colonel Lawrence Hays. He is evacuated, but Colonel Murray, only slightly wounded in the blast, orders the CP to be moved to a nearby cave on the opposite slope of a hill. In the 1st Marines sector, the attack to seize Yongdungp’o resumes at dawn. The night (20th-21st) has passed without action erupting between the ground forces, but Marine artillery has been serenading Yongdungp’o throughout the night with riveting fire that keeps the town aglow. At 0630 the Marines advance. To the north, the 1st Battalion’s Company B lunges from

September 21, 1950

its positions and begins the attack, supported by tank fire and mortar and machine gun fire on Hill 85. The ground troops charge across the rickety bridge and reach the eastern bank. From there, the troops move to an undefended knob on the left that peers down on the Han River. Company B’s advance then slows, as the Communists have fortified the two dikes at the northern entrances to the city. The two obstacles are each manned by a company. One dike stretches the length of the western fringe of the town and then joins the other, which parallels the Han River north of Yongdungp’o at the Kalchon bridge. Company B focuses on the latter, giving its rear and left flank the protection of the river while it advances. Enemy fire takes a toll on Company B, but the Marines press eastward, gaining about 2,000 yards by about noon. At this point, the second dike, 500 yards to their front, becomes the priority, and the Marines ignite a furious exchange with the Reds. Nevertheless, the enemy fights the Marines to a deadly stalemate, with both sides sustaining severe casualties. Marine support weapons continue to lend assistance, but some complications develop as the artillery becomes apprehensive about firing too close to the rear of Company B to strike the dike there. By late afternoon, the confusion is untangled and the southern barrier is hammered by the artillery and planes. The enemy takes the punishing blows without collapsing, and the attack remains stalled. By dusk,

391 Company C and Weapons Company are dispatched over the bridge to augment Company B, and to help establish a solid night perimeter. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion attacks simultaneously (0630), jumping off from its positions at the southern extremity of the line. Companies D and E lead the way across the first bridge, completing the trek without difficulty. The ground Marines spread out to assault the second bridge. Then they are suddenly, although not unexpectedly, brought under tenacious fire, originating on a ridge to the right of the highway. Colonel Sutter requests immediate artillery relief, but again there is a delay in getting a response. Sutter takes it on himself to alleviate the problem by ordering his attached mortars to ring the heights with fire. Company D advances on the left of the road, inching toward a formidable dike to the front of the Kalchon’s western branch. Companies E and F grind forward toward the high ground. The fighting becomes ferocious on both sides of the road. By noon, Company D reaches a point about 100 yards from the dike, while Companies E and F continue to slug their way toward the crest. Casualties mount as the day progresses. Enemy fire keeps Company D at bay for the duration of the afternoon. Companies E and F make expensive progress. By evening, they reach positions near the crest, but at high cost. Close-quartered fighting on the summit fails to gain the ridge by nightfall, prompting Colonel Sutter to order both companies to disengage and pull back to Company D’s positions to establish a night perimeter there. The Marines are treated to some phenomenal flying by the pilots of the Corsairs who cover the disengagement. The planes, coordinated by Lieutenant Norman Vining (air controller), rivet the area 100 yards to their front with rockets and bombs, and then the planes dazzle the Marines by indenting the ground with steel zippers about thirty yards beyond their noses to forestall any enemy advance during the withdrawal. The menacing enemy fire inflicts 85 casualties, including eleven dead, on the 2nd Battalion today, increasing its losses to a dangerous point. Since landing at Inchon, the 2nd Battalion has sustained 28 killed and 226 Marines wounded in action. Colonel Puller, aware of the high casualties, at 1530 orders the 3rd Battalion to advance from Lookout Hill to relieve the 2nd Battalion. Soon after, the 3rd Battalion darts from the hill and drives northeast to outflank the dike, which is keeping Company D from making progress. Initially, the 3rd Battalion advances against minor opposition as it crosses the Kalchon, but the enemy raises fierce resistance, including murderous machine gun fire in front of the southwestern approaches to Yongdungp’o. Undaunted, the 3rd Battalion’s machine guns stream fire into the enemy positions at the levees, quieting the enemy battery. The 3rd Battalion maintains its attack and remains under severe effective fire as it nears the menacing dike.

September 21, 1950 By dusk, and subsequent to a cost of eleven Marines killed and eighteen wounded, the dike falls to the 3rd Battalion, which now stands north of the 2nd Battalion at the bridge leading to Yongdungp’o. A night perimeter is established on the same (left) side of the highway as the 2nd Battalion. Basically, at nightfall, the North Koreans have fought the 1st and 2nd Battalions to a standstill in the northwest and southwest respectively. And there is a growing apprehension concerning the fate of another unit, Company A, 1st Battalion, which departed its positions near Hill 80 during the morning to begin trudging through the rice paddies after Company B bogged down at the bridge. Company A, 1st Battalion, commanded by Captain Robert Barrow, drives discreetly toward the dikes located in the rice paddies, near the center of the enemy line. The contingent moves diligently, but with caution. The 2nd and 3rd Platoons advance on the right and left respectively with the 1st Platoon trailing the 3rd Platoon. The staggered columns traverse in the shadows of some low hills, taking a circuitous route to a point west of the primary portion of the city and near the center of the enemy line. Concealed behind a lofty dike, the men regroup, and then they move through the shoulder-high rice with its unique scent and beyond to the uninviting muddy Kal-ch’on Creek. The blazing battles at both ends of the line continue with such intensity that the mud Marines of Company A, reinforced, emerge on the opposite bank of the creek without detection. The troops take refuge behind yet another dike to reform before entering the city. Unembarrassed by their grimy uniforms and unsocial scent, the Marines enter the city. There is no welcoming committee, but the Marines are not offended. They start their own tour, venturing directly through the heart of the town, picking up the distinct sounds of heavy fighting to their left and right. They are also able to spot Marine planes that are plastering the town. Captain Barrow realizes that his command is in the middle of the enemy lines and cut off from the other Marine units. Undeterred by the situation, Barrow continues the advance. By noon, Company A advances several hundred yards, but still no enemy troops are discovered. A check of the buildings bears no fruit. Barrow radios Colonel Jack Hawkins requesting instructions, and he is advised to continue the advance. Barrow senses trouble due to the activity occurring to the southwest. He orders Lieutenant McClelland’s 1st Platoon to pivot and swing from the left side of the highway to the right. His instincts prove true. Enemy reinforcements are spotted on the road leading into town from the direction of Seoul. The enemy advance then comes to a succinct halt when Lieutenant John Sword’s 3rd Platoon pours withering fire into the column, wiping it out. At about the same time, both lead platoons begin spitting bullets toward small units and individual Communist troops in the eastern sector of the town. With blazing fire emerging from the barrels of the Marines’ guns in

September 21, 1950 the middle of the enemy lines, the enemy troops break for safety. Other North Korean troops, farther in the distance, spot the Marines, but fail to identify them. Wasting no time, the 3rd Platoon races through town on the left side of the road, and once at the east side of town, it deploys defensively; Sword deploys his troops on both sides of a 30-foot-high dike that is connected by a road to the Inchon–Seoul road. The defensive positions give the Marines a commanding view of the giant sand spit thath contains an airfield and some approaches to Seoul. Soon after, the 3rd Platoon detects another large enemy force advancing toward the spit. The Marines swing their light machine guns into position and begin to bludgeon the column. Others rush forward with heavy machine guns. The Marines relentlessly maintain their fire, shredding the column on naked ground. The North Korean contingent sustains horrendous casualties, but some enemy troops manage to escape. The 3rd Platoon is soon joined by the remainder of Company A, giving it a ringside seat in the midst of the enemy’s fortress. For Company A, it has already been an incredible day and there is more to come. While the majority of the 1st and 2nd Battalions are exchanging blows with the enemy at the opposite end of the town, Company A is sitting atop the strategic road junction of the enemy. Company A digs in tightly while the enemy is occupied in the western portion of the town. A brief firefight then erupts between the Marines and a tiny detachment of North Koreans who appear to be taking cover behind a colossal hill of coal on the other side of the road junction. One Marine hurls a grenade into the midst of the enemy and surprises even himself. An earth-shattering explosion follows the detonation of the grenade. The alleged pile of coal is actually stacked ammunition covered with camouflage. Company A, with the tossing of one grenade, has quickly informed the remainder of the 1st Marines where it is deployed. Although isolated, the men of Company A hold the key to the demise of the Yongdungp’o garrison, providing they can hold throughout the night to await reinforcements. During the balance of the afternoon, the North Koreans unsuccessfully attempt to destroy the Devil Dogs at the intersection by sending repeated assault parties from the south. In the process of thwarting the attacks, the Marines have expended much of their ammunition. But while inspecting a multi-story building near the intersection, they discover large amounts of captured U.S. Army equipment, medical supplies and heavy caliber ammunition. Although they are unable to utilize the ammunition, the plasma is most welcome. As dusk settles over the area, Company A deploys to defend a compact 100-yard patch of the levee just north of the road junction. Barrow staggers his troops on the slopes of the macadam road there, where it stretches about 25 feet above ground level. Barrow’s BARmen and machine gunners bolster the riflemen by position-

392 ing themselves along the shoulders at the top in order to have the ability to swivel in any direction to place a line of fire. The 3rd Platoon fans out in a semi-circle at the northern end, while the 2nd and 1st Platoons deploy on the east and west respectively. The men of the 60-mm mortars section, lacking ammunition after their afternoon’s work, disperse into the foxholes and become infantry. About two hundred Marines have their fingers in the dike and they expect to see the colors in the morning. However, the North Koreans have a different attitude, and they are equally determined to expel Company A. Soon after daylight vanishes, enemy armor is heard reverberating along the road. Five T-34’s, lacking infantry, begin closing toward the roadblock, but they swerve left just before the blockage and run nose-to-tail along a road that parallels the imperiled dike. Suddenly, from a distance of about thirty yards, the enemy armor spews 85-mm shells and accompanying machine gun fire toward the Marines’ positions. The troops are prepared; their foxholes are especially deep, saving them from harm as the shells shatter the earth. The 3.5 rocket launcher teams, having little experience with the new weapons, spring from their holes and unleash their fire. The Marines demolish the lead tank and watch it burst into flames. Nevertheless, the trailing armor maintain their advance, moving to the end of the perimeter. The T-34s run the course and pound the Marines’ positions with resounding fire before sprinting away to initiate another trip, but the Marine rocket teams dispense some additional lethal medicine from their arsenal. Two more T-34’s sustain hits during the charge, prompting both cripples to wobble away. The remaining two enemy tanks are less than inspired by the loss of their comrades, but they complete the circuit and then make one final pass before they vanish into the town. After the enemy armor depart, the Marines shake the dust from their faces and check for casualties. Only one Marine has become a casualty, suffering a concussion. But the night is only beginning and the Marines expect even more punishing blows to occur. In the meantime, between 1900 and 2100, an aura of tranquility is in the air, except for some minor incursions. McClelland’s 1st Platoon spots and kills several enemy troops who attempt to remove equipment from the multi-story building. The evening passes slowly, but slightly after 2100, the tempo begins to rise. The enemy strikes a hard blow against Lieutenant Sword’s 3rd Platoon, but the northern semi-circle of the defense remains steadfast during the non-stop skirmish. After about fifteen minutes, the North Koreans disengage. Meanwhile, the 3rd Platoon stands ready for the next assault. Within about thirty minutes, the Communists again pound against the northern extension of the road junction, only to be humbled under fire as the Marines raise rock resistance, unaffected by the raucous screams of “Banzai!” The defenders are equally unimpressed by the multi-colored flares that seemingly paint an

393 iridescent glow on the faces of the enemy as they succumb in front of the Marine positions. The enemy mounts several additional attacks, all futile. By midnight the 3rd Platoon, despite its depleting ammunition, has thrown back five assaults, each about company-strength. One Communist POW manages to escape from Company A just before the fifth assault. While fleeing northward toward safety, an interpreter informs the Marines that the prisoner is repeatedly yelling, while he scampers away, “Don’t attack anymore. They’re too strong for you.” No additional assaults are mounted by the enemy. The North Koreans, unable to gain access to their supplies, essentially relinquish Yongdungp’o to Puller’s 1st Marines. Nevertheless, sporadic fighting breaks out during the remainder of the night. At dawn’s first light, Company A begins to assess the battle and it counts 275 enemy bodies around its perimeter, the majority of them near the 3rd Platoon. The four T-34 tanks that scampered back into town are discovered abandoned there. Company C has retained its hold on the eastern edge of the city throughout the night. Meanwhile, elements of the N.K. 18th Division and the N.K. 87th Regiment, N.K. 9th Division, which have been unable to eliminate the Americans at the rear door of Yongdungp’o, evacuate the city before dawn on the 22nd. At 0800 (22nd), the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 1st Marines, attack and encounter only minor opposition as they advance into Yongdungp’o and occupy it, as well as hooking up with the isolated Company C, which is the sole occupant of the town when the bulk of the battalions arrive. The North Koreans sustain heavy casualties at Yongdungp’o. One battalion of the N.K. 87th Regiment suffers an 80 percent casualty rate. In the 7th Marines zone, Colonel Litzenberg establishes his command post at Wonjong-ni by 2200. The village is about two miles south of Kimpo Airfield. H&S Company and the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Major Maurice Roach, deploy in assembly areas close to the Command Post. Lt. Colonel Thornton Hinkle’s 2nd Battalion arrives at Hill 131, about one mile north of the airfield, at 0100 (22nd). It will protect the airfield and a nearby river crossing. Also, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Raymond Davis, remains at Inchon. It unloads the vessels in the convoy. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, the 32nd Regiment, operating on the right flank of the 1st Marines, makes good progress. Its 1st Battalion captures the remainder of Copper Mine Hill, then seizes Hill 300 outside of Anyang-ni. In addition, elements of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment, advance on the left of the Army and adjacent to the Marines’ sector and seize the heights about two miles south of Yongdungp’o. Beauchamp’s regiment is making excellent progress during its second day in the field. By 1430, the Reconnaissance Company of the 7th Division reaches Anyang-ni and soon after, it is ordered to swing south and attack the airfield below Suwon. By dusk, the 1st Battalion, 32nd Regiment, holds the heights northeast of Anyang-ni and dominates the

September 21, 1950 highway east of it. In conjunction, elements move north and make contact with the 2nd Battalion at Toksan-ni. The 2nd Battalion deploys along the Seoul-Suwon highway about two miles south of Anyang-ni. In the meantime, the Reconnaissance Company, 7th Division, augmented by tanks, drives toward the airfield at about 1400; however, the contingent has no maps. While the force is en route to the objective, naval planes precede its arrival and plaster Suwon, destroying a prominent wooden structure that sits upon the large stone wall above the entrance to the town. The rubble clogs the entrance, compelling the attacking unit and its tanks to seek another route. The column then ventures into the city, joined in the meantime by one platoon of engineers (Company B, 18th Engineer Combat Bn.). It is an eventful advance, with Lt. Colonel Henry Hampton (G-3, 7th Division), Major Irwin Edwards (G-2, 7th Division) and two enlisted troops in the lead. Enemy troops throw up some resistance, but it is overcome. When the lead elements approach the center of Suwon, two N.K. officers in a U.S. jeep attempt to escape, but Major Edwards shoots the driver. The other officer, a major attached to the N.K. 105th Armored Division, decides to surrender. Meanwhile, the column engages several groups of enemy troops as it drives through the town toward the airfield. Thirty-seven North Koreans are captured. Subsequently, the column advances to a point about three miles south of Suwon, then discovers it is one mile beyond the airfield. As the night of the 21st begins to wind down, Colonel Hampton and the platoon of engineers head toward Suwon to make contact with the Reconnaissance Company. Communications between the force at Suwon and division have ceased. At division headquarters, concern continues to grow. At 2125, subsequent to an order by Major General David Barr, Task Force Hannum speeds toward Suwon. The armored force commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Hannum, commanding officer, 73rd Tank Battalion, is composed of Company B, 73rd Tank Battalion, commanded by Captain Harold R. Beavers, and the advance group of the battalion in addition to Company K, 32nd Regiment, Battery C, 48th FABn and a medical contingent. While the armored column is en route, Lt. Colonel John W. Paddock (G-2, 7th Div.), accompanying the relief force, makes radio contact with Major Edwards’ command. Slightly before midnight, the armored column reaches Suwon, which is illuminated by a full moon. As with the Reconnaissance Company, the force is compelled to bypass the destroyed East Gate and move in through another part of the aged stone wall. Although the Reconnaissance Company has cleared the town and taken prisoners, the tanks receive a deadly surprise when they enter. An enemy tank, concealed in a house, fires one round and knocks out the point tank, killing Captain Harold Beavers (CO, Company B). A blazing exchange of fire then erupts and that Russian T34 tank is destroyed; however, another T-34 escapes,

September 21, 1950 losing the pursuing U.S. tanks at the town’s exit. The U.S. tanks hold their positions until dawn to deter any possibility of another enemy ambush. In the meantime, the Reconnaissance Company, which remains in position south of the town, detects to the north the conspicuous noise of tanks rumbling forward in the darkness. Anticipating the arrival of the armored column and in response to a previous request, jeeps move out to greet the column and lead it into the perimeter. One tank officer, Lieutenant Jesse Van Sant, believes the tanks have the distinct sounds of T-34s, but his theory is disregarded. Four jeeps move out. The lead vehicle is driven by Major Edwards. Colonel Henry Hampton (7th Division G-3) grabs a ride in one of the other jeeps. The approaching tanks come into view and Major Edwards signals the armor by blinking his headlights. At the same time, Colonel Hampton begins walking toward the tanks to greet the Americans, but as Lieutenant Van Sant had suggested, the tanks are North Korean and they are advancing with their machine guns firing. Hampton continues walking forward, apparently still convinced that the tanks are American. He is quickly cut down by the rapid fire, and several other Americans are also killed. The charging tanks drive forward and one crashes into Edwards’ jeep, but he evades injury and escapes. Edwards rejoins his command the following morning. While the four T-34s are speeding toward the lines of the Reconnaissance Company, one of the escaping troops races back to the perimeter, just ahead of the T34s, and he sounds the alarm. Lieutenant Jesse Van Sant’s tanks are close to the perimeter line and they immediately prepare to give the enemy armor a lethal kiss. The first two T-34 tanks reach the perimeter and stand about thirty yards from the Pershings when Van Sant issues the order to fire; both enemy tanks are decimated. The two trailing enemy tanks halt their advance and make a hasty retreat toward Suwon. At the first sign of daylight, Major Edwards leads the Reconnaissance Company and the accompanying tanks back about one mile to the Suwon Airfield. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker, at Taegu, places a telephone call to General Hickey in Tokyo with an astonishing bit of news. Walker tells Hickey that N.K. Colonel Lee Hak Ku, the chief of staff, N.K. 13th Division, has surrendered to men of the 8th Cavalry near Samsan-dong. Continuing, Walker informs Hickey that the N.K. officer has informed Eighth Army that the N.K. II Corps had issued orders on September 17 mandating all its units to revert to defense. The N.K. 13th Division had not been informed of the Inchon Invasion. The captured officer relays much intelligence to Eighth Army, including the precise positions of the N.K. 13th Division and its command post. In addition, Colonel Lee reports that the division has been driven down to about 1,500 troops and it is no longer able to fight as an effective unit. According to Colonel Lee, the division’s remnant troops are fleeing from

394 Tabu-dong toward Sangju and with its communications network ruined, each regiment is operating independently. However, Lee also verifies that the bulk of the division, during the previous month, had been composed of South Korean conscripts. Nonetheless, the officers are North Koreans. Following the surrender of Colonel Lee Hak Ku, other top ranking officers also surrender, including the division surgeon (27th). One contingent, led by Lt. Colonel Yun Bong Hun, continues to attempt escape, but his group of 167 troops becomes cut off near Tanyang. He surrenders the contingent to S.K. police at Subi-myon. The assigned strength of U.N. forces as of 1800 are: Eighth Army, 76,837; British 27th Infantry Brigade, 1,679; Air Force in Korea, 4,791; Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team, 1,200; and ROK Army, 74,987. In the I Corps sector, during the two days of fighting near Waegwan, on both sides of the Naktong, the North Koreans sustain severe losses of both equipment and troops. In one sector, twenty-nine destroyed enemy tanks are counted by elements of the 24th Division, but it is apparent that many of them had been devastated in earlier combat during July and August. In the 1st Cavalry Division area, 5th Cavalry sector, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, relieves the 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT, at its positions on the east side of the Naktong. Following its relief, the 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT, crosses the river and joins the other battalions there. By now, subsequent to the five days of relentless attack by the 5th RCT, the enemy’s center has collapsed and the right flank has vanished. The N.K. 3rd Division is fleeing from the sledgehammer assault. Meanwhile, the advance enemy positions along the road to Taegu are being pounded by the 5th Cavalry. The fighting is vicious, but the North Koreans positions are no longer formidable. In addition to the pursuing ground troops, the enemy is under constant air attack by fighters and bombers. Nonetheless, between 1,000 and 1,800 troops will form a pocket of resistance at P’onggang by the beginning of October. It will be dubbed “The Iron Triangle.” In the 7th Cavalry sector, the 1st Battalion, which had halted on the previous night near Togae-dong, reinitiates its attack and drives four miles to Tabu-dong. Its commanding officer, Colonel Clainos, is evacuated for treatment of wounds sustained on the previous night. Major William O. Witherspoon (Regimental S3) assumes temporary command of the 1st Battalion. The battalion grinds against Tabu-dong at 1255 and is met by steady opposition. The 1st Battalion initiates a two-pronged strike that bangs against the town from the southwest and northwest. The attacks secure Tabudong by 1635. By about 1735, the 1st Battalion resumes the attack and drives south along the Taegu road, to link up with the 8th Cavalry. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, arrives at Tabu-dong, from where it pivots north and deploys on both sides of the road in a defensive mode.

395 Also, General Gay orders Lt. Colonel William Harris, CO, 7th Cavalry Regiment, to spearhead the divisional pursuit of the enemy. Colonel Harris’ 7th Cavalry Regiment is temporarily without the 2nd Battalion, which has relieved the British Brigade at the Naktong. Harris establishes TF-777 to accomplish the mission. The force is composed of elements of three primary components, the 7th Cavalry Regiment, the 77th FABn and the 70th Tank Battalion. Its vanguard is the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel James Lynch, designated TF Lynch. Task Force 777 also contains two platoons, Company C, 70th Tank Battalion, the 77th FABn, minus one battery; the 3rd Platoon, Heavy Mortar Company; Company B, 8th Engineer Combat Battalion, the regimental I&R Platoon and a TAC party. The attack begins on the following morning. General Gay had decided to cross the river at Naktong-ni, but General Walker countermands the order and instructs Gay to cross at Sonsan. In the 8th Cavalry sector, during the pre-dawn hours, two sleeping U.S. soldiers are awakened by an enemy officer; however, he had come to surrender, not to fight. The enemy officer, Colonel Lee, had vanished from his lines during the night with intentions of surrendering. Lee is the highest ranking enemy officer to become a prisoner of war during the entire Korean conflict. General Walker is immediately informed of the incident and slightly before noon, he relays the information to Tokyo. (See also, In the Eighth Army area, this entry.) Later, during the afternoon, a platoon of Company C, 7th Cavalry, establishes contact with the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, as the latter is advancing north. The link up completes the encirclement of Tabu-dong. The combined operations of the 1st Cavalry Division and the S.K. 1st Division seemingly have trapped large numbers of enemy troops in the mountains north of Taegu. In the 24th Division area, the 11th Engineer Combat Battalion and the 55th Engineer Treadway Bridge Company complete the fabrication of an M2 pontoon float treadway bridge across the Naktong at 1000. The bridge permits the 24th Division to begin to get its tanks and other vehicles into the battle. The bridge is utilized immediately and by midnight, all vehicles are on the west bank of the Naktong. Many of the vehicles are painted with slogans; one of them is “We Remember Taejon.” In the meantime, the enemy forces are in retreat toward Kumch’on. But many rear action units’ weaponry includes tanks, self-propelled guns and antitank guns, as well as infantry. Two enemy units — the N.K. 203rd Regiment, 105th Armored Division, and the 107th Regiment — crossed the Naktong with nine and fourteen tanks respectively. Also, U.S. Air Force forward observers, operating in T-6 Mosquitoes, spot about thirty enemy T-34 tanks that are poised to ambush the vanguard of the 24nd Division. Planes are called by the observers and the aircraft are supported by artillery.

September 21, 1950 Fourteen of the tanks are destroyed and the remainder retire. In the 2nd Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, supported by one platoon of tanks (72nd Tank Bn.), drives toward Sinban-ni to seize it and the enemy headquarters command post located there. The enemy resists fiercely, hindering the advance, but poor coordination between the infantry and tanks adds to the problem. Nonetheless, supporting units make a difference. Twin-40 and Quad-50 self-propelled AA gun vehicles blow some holes in the enemy lines and the 1st Battalion advances half-way to the objective, about two and one-half miles, while bypassing several enemy contingents. In the meantime, the enemy troops who had concealed themselves on Hill 227 during the night launch a surprise attack against Company L while it is eating morning chow. Grenades and small arms fire besiege the perimeter and one platoon is driven from its positions. Twenty-six casualties are sustained. After regaining their momentum, Company L drives back the enemy and by noon, the position is re-secured. In the 38th Regiment zone, the regiment continues to hit heavy resistance during its drive toward Ch’ogye and Hyopch’on. The 2nd Battalion drives toward Hill 239 and receives support from planes. The air strikes make things most uncomfortable for the enemy, as napalm and fragmentation bombs saturate the area. The 2nd Battalion then shatters the remaining enemy opposition and seizes Hill 239, which dominates Ch’ogye. During the fighting in the 1st Battalion sector, enemy documents are captured. One accurately depicts the location of every 1st Battalion position east of the river. The British 27th Infantry Brigade (attached to 24th U.S. Division) is operating on the right flank of the 2nd Division. The brigade has been tracing the steps of the retreating N.K. 10th Division, and it is now across the Naktong. The British brigade is directed to move through Songju, then attack the primary highway, which runs between the river and Kumch’on, at its midpoint. At first light, the British brigade’s 1st Battalion seizes a tiny hill, dubbed Plum Pudding Hill. After seizing the hill, which sits several miles below Songju, the British charge toward the heights to the northeast to its next objective, known to the British as Middlesex Hill (or Point 325). Supported by U.S. tank fire and bolstered by their own mortars and machine guns, the Middlesex Battalion attacks and becomes engaged in heavy fighting. Nonetheless, the British Middlesex Battalion dislodges the enemy and takes the hill before dark. In the meantime, the Scottish Highlander Argyll Battalion is advancing to prepare to assault Hill 282, to the left of Hill 325, on the following day. In the 25th Division sector, the 24th and 27th Regiments advance on the division center and left respectively. The ground is rugged, mandating a slow advance; however, there is no enemy opposition.

September 22, 1950 Meanwhile, the 35th Regiment seizes the Notch, located several miles southwest of Chungam-ni. This is the area where heavy fighting occurred during early September. Many new North Korean atrocities are discovered, such as the 35th Division trooper who had been castrated and had his fingers sawed off. Other dead and unburied 35th Regimental troops, each with their hands tied behind their backs and their feet sawed off, are also found. Following the capture of the notorious Notch, the regiment begins to make a wide westward sweep that advances about eight air-miles without incident, passing the Much’on-ni road. At about 2230, the regiment reaches the heights at Chinju Pass, where it establishes a night perimeter. In the ROK I Corps area, the S.K. 8th Division pushes north and meets minimal resistance. The N.K. 15th Division has literally been knocked out of action as a combat unit. In the ROK II Corps area, S.K. 1st Division sector, contingents have severed the Sangju Road above Tabudong and are attacking south toward the town. The S.K. 12th Regiment is still the most extended unit. It establishes a roadblock northeast of the town and below Kunwi. Meanwhile, subsequent to four dogged days of combat against the N.K. 8th Division, the S.K. 6th Division is advancing rapidly, pushing north beyond Uihung. Meanwhile, the survivors of the decimated N.K. 8th Division flee toward Yech’on. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Force begins to transport supplies and ammunition to the front lines. C-54s arrive at Suwon Airfield south of Seoul to deliver ammunition and food rations. In addition, the troops on the line receive air drops.

September 22

The 65th Regimental Combat Team, composed primarily of the 65th Puerto Rican Infantry Regiment, debarks at Pusan. Inchon–Seoul vicinity: By today, Eighth Army is making progress, prompting General MacArthur to scrap the proposed plan for an amphibious invasion at Kunsan, but Eighth Army is not yet aware that the enemy has begun a full withdrawal. U.S. Eighth Army Intelligence reports: “Although the enemy is apparently falling back in all sectors, there are no indications of an over-all planned disengagement and withdrawal.” In the 1st Marine Division sector, the 1st Marines enters abandoned Yongdungp’o during the morning and hooks up with Captain Barrow’s C Company. Contingents of the 1st Marines, operating on the left, probe eastward and advance about two miles to reach the demolished bridges (rail and road) at the Han River. In other activity, the 1st Marine Division issues the order establishing its battle plan for the seizure of Seoul. The 1st Marines is to ford the Han River near Yongdungp’o and hook up with the 5th Marines at its positions north (Division right) of the city. In conjunction, the 7th Marines, which had arrived on the 21st at Inchon, moves out to deploy north of the 5th Marines,

396 establishing a three-regiment line with the 7th Marines in the center. Meanwhile, General Almond, X Corps commander, alters General O.P. Smith’s order; he adds the S.K. Marines and the S.K. 17th Regiment to the assault force. The 1st Marine Division had expected to capture the city with its own components. In the 5th Marines sector, the objective is to reduce the remaining hill to the front of Seoul. The North Korean defense line at the western fringes of Seoul, from north to south, begins at Hill 296, west of Seoul’s Sodaemun Prison and slightly south of Kaesong highway. The line moves from the summit of Hill 296, then arcs to the east and to the south, following two spur ridges for a distance of about two and one-half miles to the Han River. The largest portion of this erratic ridge line is controlled by a trio of equally elevated hills (105 meters), each named Hills 105 (North, Center and South). Hills 105 North and Center are situated north of the highway and rail routes that shadow the northern bank of the Han River as they lead into Seoul. Hill 105 South sits between the Han and the road and railroad tracks. The two strategic hills dominate the road that runs across the saddle between Hills 105 Center and South into Seoul and the primary rail line (Pusan to Manchuria–Kyonggi). At 0700, the attack commences. The 1st and 3rd Battalions advance on the right and left respectively, while the 1st S.K. Marines drive up the center. Each moves against a separate Hill 105. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines advances from Hill 216 and strikes against Hill 296. By 0945, the battalion reports that its northern objective is secure, subsequent to eliminating moderate resistance. However, the report is premature, as the bulk of the North Korean resistance is on the southern slopes of Hill 296, which have not yet been taken. And Hill 296 is bonded to Hills 56, 88 and 105 N, adding to the depth of the resistance in front of Seoul. Further complicating the task, Hills 105 C, 72 and 105 S, which swing southward, are also heavily defended. The enemy mounts a determined counterattack against the 3rd Battalion, but the Marines, supported by tanks, force the North Koreans to pay a heavy price, including the capture of forty prisoners. During the afternoon, patrols of the 3rd Battalion encounter stiff resistance when they venture northeast of Hill 216. At the village of Nokpon-ni, a fierce firefight develops. The Marines lose 2 killed and 11 wounded before the fighting subsides at dusk. At about that time, the 3rd Battalion receives orders to prepare to eliminate enemy infiltrators who are moving in from the south, southeast and the northeast in an attempt by the Communists to retake the lost terrain. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, assaults Hill 105 South and it encounters heavy opposition, some of which is raised by a captured American machine gun. Company A advances through Company C to launch the assault, supported by fire from Company B, but just after the three assault platoons of A Company

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South Gate of Suwon, after it was captured by Eighth Army on 22 September. become positioned, enemy fire forbids any immediate advance. Eventually the lower slopes of Hill 105 south are seized by Company A; however, Lieutenant Schimmenti becomes seriously wounded, and Lieutenant Nathaniel Mann is killed. By about 1500, Company C concludes its wide sweep and converges on the enemy’s right flank. During the same time period, Company B slides through the positions of Company A and hammers the forward slopes. Later, a fierce artillery and mortar bombardment is called into the fight. MAG-33 commits its planes to further loosen the resistance. At about 1720, the horrific air and ground bombardment ceases. Within fifteen minutes, Hill 105 South is seized by the 1st Battalion. The three attacking

companies sustain a total of 12 men killed and 31 wounded. In conjunction, the support flights of Marine squadrons VMF-212, VMF(N)-542, and VMF-323 greatly aid all three assault battalions. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, S.K. Marines, launches its attack to secure Hill 105 center, but two preliminary objectives to its front must first be taken. The knolls are called Hills 66 and 88. This particular struggle is arduous. Enemy fire fiercely hits the South Koreans, inflicting serious casualties. Marine aircraft support the effort, but nonetheless, Hills 66 and 88 remain under enemy control. The South Koreans retire to their starting point, Hill 104, and reinitiate the attack on the following day.

September 22, 1950

398

U.S. soldiers work along a riverbank near Chinju in search of mines. One of the troops is using an SCR 625 mine detector. Information subsequently gathered from enemy prisoners gives evidence that the crack N.K. 25th Brigade, commanded by Major General Wol Ki Chan and composed of 4,000 to 5,000 troops, sustains forty percent casualties on this day. Another enemy unit, the N.K. 78th Independent Regiment, commanded by Colonel Pak Han Lin, also takes high casualties. By about dusk,

Colonel Murray, reacting to the lack of progress of the South Koreans, orders the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, to withdraw one company to Hill 68. The two remaining companies hold Hill 105 South. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, at dawn, TF Hannum departs a deserted Suwon; it advances past the scene of the previous night’s confrontation and discovers

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American bodies. The column moves to the airfield and joins the reconnaissance company there. During the latter part of the morning, the 31st Regiment (minus 3rd Battalion) arrives at the Suwon Airfield to relieve TF Hannum, which then heads toward Anyang-ni to rejoin the 7th Division. With control of the airfield acquired by U.S. troops, the U.N. now has another airfield located about twenty miles south of Seoul from which to strike the Communists. In conjunction, after the arrival of Colonel Richard Ovenshine’s 31st Regiment, the Reconnaissance Company probes southward, grinding toward Osan. In other activity, the 31st Regiment, 7th Division, runs into difficulty. Company B walks into an ambush about seven miles northeast of Anyang-ni. The company is unable to overcome the enemy. The commanding officer, 1st Battalion, Lt. Colonel Don Faith, recalls the battered company, but the enemy initiates pursuit. Company B, somewhat disoriented, reaches the Two U.S. soldiers, during the advance toward Sanju, work cautiously to affix vicinity of Kwanmundong. two blocks of dynamite to create an improvised super hand grenade. It is bolstered by other elan assault to break out, but it encounters rock opposiements of the 1st Battalion, which repel the enemy tion by the Americans. Subsequent to supporting the efthrust. fort to break up the enemy counterattack, TF Lynch Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment, advances from its positions west of Tabu-dong at 0800. commanded by Lt. Colonel Charles Mount, reinitiates General Gay rides with the convoy. Air Force planes its advance on the right flank of the 1st Marines. The scour the road to the front of the column and strafe the battalion captures several hills between one and two enemy groups as they retreat. Some minor resistance is miles south of the highway and the rail bridges that encountered by the leading armor, but the advance span the Han River. pushes through. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, the 1st CavThe forward elements approach a point where the alry, the U.S. 24th Division, 1st S.K. Division and the highway curves over the crest of a hill, and the lead British 27th Brigade continue to pound against the tank comes under fire from an undisclosed position. N.K. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th and 13th Divisions during The tank is stopped in its tracks. Unable to spot the the fighting along the Kumchon–Taejon Line (Central enemy, General Gay orders the remaining four lead Front). By the 25th, I Corps advances about 35 miles. tanks to charge over the crest with all guns blazing. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, 7th Cavalry zone, a The blind charge overruns two antitank positions and large enemy contingent attempts to escape northward, reopens the route. The column resumes the attack, but but it gets cut off by U.S. troops. The enemy mounts

September 22, 1950

400

The U.S. 32nd Regiment crosses the Han River aboard USMC amtracs. soon after, another obstacle hinders progress. A tenminute grenade duel ensues and it culminates with the termination of the obstruction. When the column reaches Kumgok, en route to the Sonsan ferry site at the Naktong, new orders arrive. A liaison plane soars overhead and deposits a message that changes the course. The task force is ordered to abort the crossing at Sonsan and continue north to Naktongni. The column reaches Sonsan, about ten miles short of Naktong-ni, at 1545. General Gay then returns to the Division command post at Taegu. The advance resumes at 1900, and after moving about five miles, it begins passing through burning villages. Shortly thereafter, it encounters rear-guard enemy troops, but they surrender without resistance. Finally, at about 2230, under a brightly lit moon, the lead tanks halt on a cliff overlooking the river. Crewmen of the point tank detect an antitank gun and immediately take action. The tank rings a shot toward the gun and unexpectedly, it blows up an ammunition truck. The huge explosion illuminates the entire area and puts the enemy on Broadway. Scores of abandoned vehicles are strewn about the area in full view, but more importantly, the river crossing is full of escaping troops. In an instant, the task force begins to saturate the crossing with shells that score effectively. About 200 enemy troops die in the waist-high water. In addition, TF Lynch seizes a huge store of supplies and vehicles, including two operable T-34 tanks and fifty trucks, a good proportion of the trucks still bearing U.S. insignias. The main enemy force, caught here at the Naktong, is the N.K. 3rd Division, but contingents of the N.K. 1st and 13th Divisions are also strung out in the

same vicinity. Colonel Lynch dispatches reconnaissance detachments to check out the crossing site. Subsequent to receiving the reports, he directs the infantry to cross the river during the early morning hours of the 23rd. In the 24th Division sector, the initial objective is to drive about twenty miles to seize Kumch’on, the headquarters of the North Korean field forces. The 24th Division and its supporting units are on the west side of the Naktong and prepared to advance. In other activity, the Scottish Highlander Argyll Battalion (attached to U.S. 24th Division) operating on the right flank of the U.S. 2nd Division, launches an attack prior to dawn. Companies B and C ascend Hill 282 and although it takes about one hour to reach the summit, the enemy fails to detect the units. The enemy troops are still eating their breakfast when the British reach the crest and seize it. While two companies are taking Hill 282, the remaining unit, Company C, advances against Hill 388 about one mile southwest. However, the enemy initiates an attack to recapture Hill 282. Enemy mortar fire and artillery begin shelling the British positions. The tenacious exchange continues throughout the morning, but the supporting American artillery ceases without a definitive reason, and the U.S. tanks cannot bring their weapons to bear due to the contour of the terrain. Slightly before noon, the British request an air strike to neutralize the North Korean counterattack and soon after, the planes appear. The British soldiers place white panels around their positions on Hill 282, but the enemy on Hill 388 uses the same colored panel hoping to fool the aircraft. The ruse works. The TAC party is unable to establish contact with the overhead planes

401

September 22, 1950

September 22, 1950 and disaster follows. At 1215, the F-51s plaster the British on Hill 282, inflicting tremendous casualties within two minutes. The summit becomes an inferno from the bombs and napalm. Survivors dive for safety, some descending about fifty feet down the slope. A few British troops retain the hill and Major Kenneth Muir spots them. Muir had earlier led a detachment to the crest to resupply the troops there. Muir again heads for the crest with about thirty troops to intercept an approaching column of North Koreans. Major Muir, mortally wounded by two bursts of enemy fire, speaks his last words as he is being transported from the summit: “The enemy will never get the Argylls off this ridge.” Unfortunately, there is insufficient strength to hold the hill because only about ten troops remain on the crest, and some of them are wounded. Their position untenable, the British abandon the hill. Major Muir receives the British Victoria Cross (British equivalent of the U.S. Medal of Honor) posthumously. On the following day, the casualty list is accrued. The British lose 13 men killed, including 2 officers, and 74 troops wounded, including 4 officers. In addition, 2 troops are reported missing. The mistaken air strikes account for about 60 of the 89 casualties at Hill 282. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, launches a night attack from its positions at Pusangdong and drives south toward Sonju. Also, during the night of the 22nd-23rd, enemy artillery harasses the troops along the Naktong River bank throughout the night. The sole available raft there is destroyed and the only operable footbridge is wrecked three separate times. The enemy fire creates a nightmare for the troops who are responsible for re-supplying the assault troops. Many local Koreans transport the supplies across the river during the night hours to ensure that some supplies and ammunition are available for the succeeding days. In the 2nd Division sector, a bridge across the Naktong is completed at the Sadung Ferry site during the afternoon, thanks to the ingenuity of the engineers. The river is 400 feet wide at the point of the bridging and the division has only 276 feet of bridging material. In the 23rd Regiment zone, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, and its supporting contingents, having been stalled west of the river on the previous day, remain less than three miles from the objective. Before it can reinitiate the advance, the enemy strikes. At dawn, Company B is pounded. The unit is dislodged from its positions and it sustains heavy casualties, including its commanding officer, Captain Art Stelle, who is killed. The regiment attempts to advance, but resistance north of the road increases. According to Lieutenant William Glasgow, one of the more severely wounded men of Company B, some of the troops had performed “poorly” while under attack. Glasgow had also been involved with the fighting along the Naktong during the latter part of August.

402 South of the road, the 3rd Battalion makes progress against nominal resistance. The 2nd Battalion rushes across the Naktong to support the 1st Battalion north of the road. Nonetheless, the fighting ends in a draw. About two enemy battalions hold the line and forestall the fall of Sinban-ni. In the 38th Regiment zone, the 2nd Battalion occupies Ch’ogye in the afternoon. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment, continues to engage the enemy (N.K. 10th Division) east of the Naktong on Hill 409, until the latter part of the night. Prior to midnight, the 1st Battalion is relieved by the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment. Upon relief, the 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment, begins to bridge the Naktong and link up with its parent regiment. In the 25th Division sector, the enemy continues to retreat, but isolated contingents in the mountains continue to raise resistance. Company A, 24th Regiment, receives some uninvited guests during the early morning hours. One enemy soldier creeps up on a sleeping platoon leader. The American awakes and spots the intruder, then without hesitation he grabs the pointed bayonet and a tussle occurs. The confrontation is short. Another American arrives in time to shoot the enemy soldier. In another pre-dawn incident, a North Korean tosses a grenade into a foxhole, wounding one man and killing the other two soldiers. Subsequently, enemy mortar fire breaks up a meeting and inflicts seven additional casualties, including the death of the commanding officer of Headquarters Company. At the Chinju Pass, contingents of the N.K. 6th Division hinder the advance of the 35th Regiment, but the 1st Battalion grinds to within 200 yards of the summit of Hill 152. In the ROK I Corps area, the Capital Division finally takes Kigye. The beleaguered N.K. 12th Division, down to about 2,000 troops, retreats toward Andong. In the ROK II Corps area, S.K. 1st Division sector, the S.K. 11th Regiment and contingents of the S.K. National Police secure the Walled City of Ka-san. Meanwhile, contingents of the S.K. 15th Regiment drive from the north and link up with the 1st Cavalry Division. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, S.K. 3rd Division sector, Hunghae is taken after several days of hard fighting. The N.K. 5th Division is fleeing toward Yongdok. In Air Force activity, an Air Force Mosquito plane, piloted by Lieutenant George W. Nelson, passes over a group of about 200 North Koreans who are spotted northeast of Kunsan. The group is targeted as it heads north; the Communists units have been ordered to withdraw. The dropped note instructs the North Koreans to move to a specific hill to surrender to friendly forces there. The troops comply. In other activity, Air Force B-29 bombers drop flares over rail targets to illuminate the targets for trailing B-26s that attack the enemy’s trains during darkness.

2 The Korean War

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The Korean War An Exhaustive Chronolog y BUD HANNINGS Foreword by General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.), 28th Commandant

Volume 2 (September 23, 1950–November 12, 1951)

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London

Volume 2 LIBRARY

OF

CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Hannings, Bud. The Korean war : an exhaustive chronology / Bud Hannings ; foreword by General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.). p. cm. Includes index. 3 volume set— ISBN-13: 978-0-7864-2814-4 illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper 1. Korean War, 1950–1953 — Chronology. 2. Korean War, 1950–1953. 3. Korean War, 1950–1953 — United States — Chronology. 4. United Nations — Armed Forces — Korea — Chronology. I. Title. DS918.H336 2007 951.904'20202 — dc22 2007010570 British Library cataloguing data are available ©2007 Bud Hannings. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. On the cover: Situation Map of Korea November 25, 1950; Elements of Eighth Army retire from Sunch’on and move south towards P’yongyang, December 2, 1950 Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com

Contents • Volume 1 • Foreword, by General P. X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.) Preface

1

3

Prologue: The Prelude to War

7

Acronyms and Abbreviations

15

Chronology: January 5, 1950– September 22, 1950 23

• Volume 2 • Chronology: September 23, 1950– November 12, 1951 403

• Volume 3 • Chronology: November 13, 1951– September 6, 1953 803 Appendices 1. Eighth Army, Order of Battle 2. Major Combat Events

975

981

3. United Nations Command, Senior Military Commanders 4. U.S. Air Force Commanders

985

5. Medal of Honor Recipients

988

6. Major U.S. Air Force Units

994

v

983

Contents

vi 7. U.S. Marine Units

997

8. U.S. Naval Vessels

999

9. U.S. Naval Air Units

1002

10. Carrier-Based and Non–Carrier-Based Squadrons 11. U.S. Naval Vessels Sunk or Damaged in Action 12. Numbers of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Wounded 13. U.S. Aces of the Korean War 14. U.S. Army Command Strength 15. U.S. Army Battle Casualties 16. Foreign Nation Forces Bibliography

1021

General Index

1025

Military Units Index

1016

1018

1069

1009

1013

1014 1017

1003

403

September 23

The Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital contingent arrives at Pusan. Inchon–Seoul vicinity: X Corps Headquarters relocates from Inchon to Ascom City. General Almond impatiently complains of what he considers a slow Marine advance. He suggests to General O.P. Smith that the 1st Marines should execute an envelopment attack by utilizing the terrain south of the Han River. In turn, General O.P. Smith rejects the idea, choosing not to divide the 1st and 5th Marines by a river. General Almond, determined to give MacArthur the city of Seoul, issues an ultimatum to Smith, giving him twenty-four hours to break through the stiff resistance or he would commit the 7th Infantry Division by ordering the 32nd Regiment to envelop the enemy positions in Seoul. Seoul, a strategic military objective, is becoming an equally important political prize, fraying the nerves on both sides of the argument. Meanwhile, three days of resolute enemy resistance at the city continues to forestall its capture. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines Regiment advances nearly without incident to the Han River. The 3rd Battalion captures Hill 108, the strategic high ground that controls the damaged bridges that span the river. Later, at 2200, headquarters issues an order instructing the 1st Marines to ford the Han River on the following morning, essentially confirming an earlier verbal directive. In the 5th Marines sector, the 2nd Battalion, S.K. Marines, resumes its attack toward Hill 105 Center, but the resistance on the two knolls (Hills 66 and 88), designated Hill 56 by the U.S. Marines, remains tenacious, and the South Koreans continue to take additional casualties without making any significant progress. At about 1300, Colonel Roise (2nd Battalion, 5th Marines) pushes his command post forward to the base of Hill 104. By the middle of the afternoon, upon authorization from Colonel Murray, Roise’s 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, replaces the South Korean Marines and carries the fight. At this time, it is still not known to the Marines that they are encountering the enemy’s main line of resistance. After a moderate artillery barrage, the 2nd Battalion advances, bolstered by one platoon of tanks. Companies D and F attack while Company E offers support fire from the eastern slopes of Hill 104. Company F, on the right, jumps off from its positions south of the railroad to capture the heights below the railroad tunnel. Meanwhile, Company D, led by 1st Lieutenant H.J. Smith, advances along a sunken road, moving toward Hill 56 north of the tunnel. Complications quickly develop when the assault troops begin crossing about 1,000 yards of rice paddies. The point tank, unable to pass through a huge ditch, becomes immobilized. Consequently, the four trailing tanks stall. Three of the tanks divert and shadow the railroad tracks, while a fourth remains in the paddy to shepherd the ground Marines.

September 23, 1950 Meanwhile, Company F, led by Captain Peters, is incurring heavy casualties. A mortar section is ordered to move up to support Company F, but the instructions, according to Lt. Sansing, are not received on his radio. This snafu costs the company heavily when its three platoons, lacking 60-mm support fire, ascend Hill 56 against sheets of heavy enemy fire. In the meantime, Company D, commanded by Lieutenant H.J. Smith, successfully navigates the sunken road. It easily reaches its initial objective. However, the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Heck, launches its attack on the primary objective, Smith’s Ridge (so named in honor of Lt. H.J. Smith). The 1st Platoon swings to the left to lead the assault, while the 2nd and 3rd Platoons move against the slopes of Hill 56. The 1st Platoon advances effortlessly until it reaches open ground about halfway from the objective. Suddenly, menacing layers of fire, originating from a huge knob on the southern slope of Smith’s Ridge, crash violently upon the exposed Marines, slimming their numbers. The 1st Platoon contains less than half its strength following the several-minute ordeal. The platoon leader, Lieutenant Heck, receives a mortal wound, and his top NCO, Sergeant T. Crowson, receives a severe wound. Meanwhile, Lieutenant H.J. Smith enters the field of fire to personally extricate the beleaguered 1st Platoon. The 2nd and 3rd Platoons (Company D) maintain their efforts to seize the northeastern slopes of Hill 56. Nevertheless, the enemy remains entrenched, giving little ground. Simultaneously, counterattacks are mounted. The 2nd Battalion repulses the enemy attacks, but it is unable to secure the enemy held ridges by dark. Lt. Smith directs his embattled command to establish night positions on the high ground; however, the unit is out of contact with friendly forces. On the eastern slopes, Company F has also spent the day in a wild slugfest. It doggedly advances against heavy resistance to seize the railroad tunnel (northeastern slopes, Hill 56). The 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Anderson, attacks an enemy strong point near the tunnel, but ferocious enemy fire cuts the platoon down to 27 men. Undaunted, the weary contingent forges ahead and engages the enemy at close-quarters, exchanging grenades while they also fire from point-blank range. The enemy force, estimated to be company strength, is annihilated. Seven Marines of the 1st Platoon remain unscathed, while the remainder have been either killed or wounded. The survivors of the 1st Platoon receive orders to return to the company positions. All the wounded and most of the Marine dead are brought back. The troops of Anderson’s 1st Platoon and Lieutenant Nolan’s 2nd Platoon are consolidated as Company F and establish night positions about fifty yards from the isolated 3rd Platoon of Lieutenant Albert Belbusti. Both Company D and Company F hold precarious

September 23, 1950 positions and each is isolated, but anticipated enemy counterattacks never develop during the night (23rd24th). The incessant firing of the 11th Marines’ howitzers upon the enemy positions throughout the night might have been the neutralizer. In the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines sector, enemy troop positions near Nokpon-ni come under effective bombardment as weapons company troops, poised on Hill 296, experiment and blast the troop formations with fire from a captured enemy howitzer. Also, Company H, augmented by tanks, engages the enemy throughout the day. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, similar to the 3rd Battalion, had been assigned defensive duties, but its positions on Hill 105 South remain under fire throughout the day. The opposition’s fire is especially effective. Companies B and C are unable to move about and the troops lack a resupply of ammo, food and water until after dusk. Nevertheless, the Marine air support, although hindered by enemy smoke pots, successfully carries out six missions, including a stunning blow that occurs when planes (attached to VMF-214) led by Lt. Colonel Lischeid pummel an enemy troop concentration, thereby aborting a counterattack against Hill 105 South. In other activity, the recently arrived 7th Marines, commanded by Colonel Homer Litzenberg, receives orders to advance from Inchon to the Han River. The orders stipulate that the regiment is to cross the river and deploy behind the 5th Marines. Headquarters (Regimental) and the 3rd Battalion ford the river during the latter part of the morning. Later, slightly after 1700, Colonel Litzenberg establishes his command post on the north bank of the river. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, remains in position northwest of Kimpo until it is relieved on the following day by a U.S. Army unit. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, continues to debark at Inchon. In the 7th Infantry Division area, the 1st Battalion, 32nd Regiment, secures Hill 290, located about three miles below the Han River and about seven miles southeast of Yongdungp’o. Seizure of the hill gives the 7th Division strategic high ground that commands the southeastern approaches to the Han River and to Seoul. Meanwhile, the 31st Regiment, operating about thirty miles south of Seoul, assumes responsibility for Suwon and its airfield, and has the responsibility to secure the town and capture the heights south of the airfield. The reconnaissance company, which captures prisoners in Suwon, is informed by the POWs that the N.K. 105th Armored Division had been in Choch’iwon on the 18th, en route to bolster the Seoul defenders. The 31st Regiment maintains a steady eye on the southern approach routes to Suwon in search of the enemy armor. In the Eighth Army area, Army Headquarters moves from Pusan to Taegu and reopens there at 1400. The IX Corps (U.S. 2nd and 25th Divisions and their supporting units), commanded by Major General John B.

404 Coulter, becomes operational at 1400. In conjunction, since 21 September, the 2nd and 25th Divisions have shoved the N.K. 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions back about fifteen miles from the area around Mason to Chinju. A shortage of equipment and communications personnel has played a big part in the IX Corps’ delay in becoming operational. These same crucial needs continue to hinder the IX Corps operations. Many of its intended personnel and equipment had been transferred to X Corps. IX Corps has been saddled with running supplies for the I Corps, due to the inability of the rails to maintain pace with the ground troops. The 2nd and 25th Divisions, during the northward advance of Eighth Army beyond the 38th Parallel, will forfeit a portion of the spine of its motor pool. In one instance, the 2nd Division loses 320 trucks to establish a Red Ball Express to provide support for I Corps once it crosses the Han River. Nonetheless, between this day and September 30th, IX Corps fares well. Participating units capture twenty-two antitank guns, forty-one artillery pieces, four self-propelled guns, forty-two mortars and four enemy tanks. It also seizes nearly 500 tons of ammunition. General Coulter confers with General Walker at the 25th Division command post. Coulter receives permission to modify the axis of his attack, switching it from a southwest direction to a westward and a southwestward course. But Coulter is ordered to maintain the corps’ boundaries as they stand. In other activity, it is now apparent that the colossal enemy ring around the Pusan Perimeter has vanished, and it is now equally obvious that the successful invasion of Inchon by the Marines has caused the turnabout. Eighth Army and the South Korean Army are finally on the threshold of the long-awaited offensive needed to regain their honor after the long period of defeat and at times humiliation. The South Koreans had been matched against the N.K. 5th, 8th, 12th and 15th Divisions on the northern front of the Pusan Perimeter. Beginning this day, the South Koreans will advance about 70 miles within a week. At present, about 160,000 U.N. troops are deployed within the Pusan Perimeter, about 76,000 in Eighth Army area and 75,000 in the South Korean Army sector. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, 7th Cavalry zone, TF-777 continues the advance, spearheaded by TF Lynch. At 0430, the ground troops cross the Naktong River to resume the chase. Companies I and K walk through the chilled river water, and in near cadence with the soggy march, an enemy ammo depot on the opposite bank detonates and creates a rousing boom. Nonetheless, the two companies seize the far bank at 0530, about twenty-two hours after the task force had departed Tabu-dong. The 36-mile drive has scooped up 5 enemy tanks, about 50 trucks, 20 pieces of artillery and 10 motorcycles. In addition, the task force has killed or captured about 500 enemy troops. The 1st Battalion, commanded by Major William

405 O. Witherspoon, bolts the river and drives northwest to Sangju, which is discovered to be free of the enemy. In the meantime, engineers modify the crossing site by establishing a ferry and using rafts, each strong enough to transport the tanks and trucks across the river. The task is complete by the following day. In the 8th Cavalry sector, Lt. Colonel Hallett Edson replaces Colonel Raymond Palmer as regimental commanding officer. Palmer embarks for Japan. Later, during early November, Palmer regains his command. Other ranking officers in the regiment are unhappy with the decision by the corps commander, General Milburn, to bring in Edson. In the 24th Division sector, General Church orders the division to initiate its attack. Three regiments advance northwest in a drive that plows along the Taejon–Seoul Highway moving toward Kumch’on. The 21st Regiment spearheads the assault, but General Church has modified his plans to permit the regiments to leap-frog to maintain pressure against the enemy. The advance encounters stiff resistance, which is raised by units of the N.K. 105th Armored Division. The route is blocked at various points by an array of concealed and entrenched weapons, including antitank guns and tanks. The roads are saturated with minefields to further hinder the advance, but the Americans push forward. During the afternoon, a ferocious exchange erupts between the tanks of Company C, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, and those of the enemy. Four Patton M-46 tanks succumb to the combined enemy fire of tanks and antitank guns. But three enemy tanks are knocked out by air strikes and U.S. tank fire. Toward midnight,

September 23, 1950 the 5th RCT is poised to jump ahead of the 21st Regiment and take the lead to Kumch’on. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, continues its advance. The regiment drives south along the Waegwan–Kumch’on Highway moving toward Songju, which it seizes during the early morning hours of the 24th. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the N.K. 2nd, 4th and 9th Divisions, which have been deployed on the opposing side of the Naktong Bulge, retreat west under the pressure of the Eighth Army attacks. The N.K. 9th Division, in the lead, heads through Hyopch’on, but its dust barely dissipates as contingents of the 2nd Division arrive. The N.K. 4th Division departs Sinban-ni and swings toward Hyopch’on, while the 2nd Division moves through Ch’ogye, heading toward Hyopch’on. At Ch’ogye, the 38th Regiment battles fiercely and overwhelms the enemy rear-guards. The U.S. 38th Regiment closes against Hyopch’on on the 24th, in synchronization with the 23rd Regiment. In the 25th Division sector, in accordance with the change in the direction of attack by division, the 27th Regiment moves from the south flank to redeploy on the division’s north flank. In other activity, General Kean establishes Task Force Torman, commanded by Captain Charles Torman (CO, 25th Reconnaissance Co.). During the evening, the task force passes through the 27th Regiment at Paedun-ni. The 27th Regiment then redeploys on the north flank at Chungam-ni, from where it will attack and establish a bridgehead on the opposite side of the Nam River. From there, it is to attack through Uiryong and then drive to Chinju.

ROK troops are aboard trains at Inchon, en route to participate in the attack to regain Seoul.

September 24, 1950 In other activity, the enemy resistance against the 35th Regiment at the Chinju Pass dissipates as the North Korean 6th Division contingents withdraw during the night of the 23rd-24th. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force relocates its Korea headquarters to Taegu from Pusan. Also, Far East Air Force initiates the first known special operations mission of the Korean War when on this day, SB-17 aircraft, attached to the 3d Air Rescue Squadron based in Japan, execute a classified flight over Korea. The SB-17 is a long-range four-engine search and rescue aircraft that is manned by a crew of nine or ten men. Initially, the aircraft was a prototype of the B-17 and received its first flight in July 1935. The plane is heavily armed with thirteen 50-inch machine guns and has the capacity to carry a bomb-load of 17,600 pounds. These Flying Fortresses also played a huge part in the air campaign in Europe during World War II. Afterward, about fifty of the Flying Fortresses (B17Gs) were converted specifically for search and sea rescue missions and re-designated as SB-17s. Two of these, attached to 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, serve during the Korean Conflict from their base in Japan. Two other RB-17s (reconnaissance attached to photo mapping flight), based in the Philippines at Clark Air Base, also serve the U.S. in Korea by executing special missions to gather intelligence. The planes contain radar and they carry boats that can be dropped into the sea to rescue downed pilots. — In the United States: Congress overrides a presidential veto, enabling the McCarran Internal Security Act to become law. The legislation mandates that all Communist organizations must open their membership records and disclose their finances. In addition, the act requires all members of the Communist Party in the U.S. to register with the Justice Department. — In Japan: General MacArthur, upon his return to Tokyo, sends a message to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington explaining that at the earliest opportunity, he is going to restore President Syngman Rhee, his cabinet and other government officials to power.

September 24

Inchon–Seoul vicinity: The 17th Regiment, 7th Division, arrives at Inchon from Pusan, where it had been floating reserve, Eighth Army. The regiment debarks on the 25th, and within four additional days, the unit will be engaged in combat. In enemy-held Seoul, the N.K. 18th Division, which had fought in the vicinity of Yongdungp’o, regroups and prepares to evacuate Seoul and evade the Marines by heading north on Uijongbu Road toward Ch’orwon. In the 1st Marine Division zone, as usual, the Marine aviators are overtaxed. On this day, the 2nd Battalion receives abundant air support. Marine squadron VMF214, commanded by Lt. Colonel Lischeid, strikes enemy positions every two hours, with each strike executed by 5 planes. In addition, VMF-212 establishes a record by executing 12 flights that include 46 sorties. In the 5th Marines sector, the North Koreans retain control of Hills 66 (Marines’ Hill 56) and 88 to the

406 front of Hill 105 Center, having repulsed the S.K. Marines and the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, since the 22nd. According to OpnO 26–50, Hill 105 North is the final objective of the 2nd Battalion. However, Smith’s Ridge and Hill 88 must also be taken by the beleaguered 2nd Battalion. Company D, 2nd Battalion, drives against Hill 66 (56) in synchronization with contingents of the 3rd Battalion that attack from their positions on Hill 296 to strike the enemy’s flank. Company D had watched the previous night pass under relative calm. Company F, 2nd Battalion, has been hit especially hard, and its three platoon leaders (Nolan, Anderson and Belbusti) have all been wounded. About 2,500 Communist troops stand in front of the two scheduled attacking Marine companies. At 0610, the heavy guns of the 11th Marines signal the imminent attack, and planes (VMF-323) arrive to bolster the twenty-minute bombardment. At 0630, Company F drives from the eastern slope of Hill 56 (Lt. Harry Nolan has been evacuated). Lieutenant Belbusti leads about 20 troops toward the heights east of the railroad tunnel, while Lieutenant Anderson jumps off with the able-bodied men of the 2nd and 3rd platoons, which combined, number about 20 men. The attack receives some added muscle when planes (VMF-323) zoom overhead at low levels and drop their bombs in close proximity, but ahead of the charging Marines. The attack on the east slope succeeds and F Company seizes high ground, from which it gains the advantage. Later, planes attached to VMF-214 arrive to assure control of the area. Following the fierce firefights, both platoons are ordered to push forward toward a stone wall on the enemy’s flank, giving the Marines targets at 300 yards distant. The Communists, caught naked in an open field, are quickly shredded, and the objective is taken. Meanwhile, Company D attacks under the cover of a thick mist and permeating smoke that hover over the burning dwellings. The Marines advance toward the base of Hill 56. Suddenly, as the contingent encroaches the objective, enemy fire, originating on Smith’s Ridge, creates a wall of fire that temporarily prevents further progress. The incessant barrage includes artillery and mortar fire as well as automatic weapons. Marine armor roars forward to assist, but one vehicle strikes a mine and another sustains a direct hit by a mortar shell, which disables it. Casualties continue to mount as Company D attempts to break from its untenable positions. The company commander, Lieutenant H.J. Smith, commits every man in the outfit. Still, no advance occurs and the ammunition is rapidly being expended. Relentlessly, the enemy fire continues, answered with equal fervor by the stalled Marines. A donnybrook ensues during the stalemate. In some instances, the opposing sides are within grenadethrowing distances. The Marines, however, score much more accurately with their tosses. A squad led by Sergeant Robert Smith moves around the southern flank of the hill to strike from the flank, but it encounters

407 rock solid resistance. Nine men, including a corpsman, are slain. Sergeant Smith and two other wounded Marines survive. At about 1000, Colonel Roise receives word by radio that Lieutenant H.J. Smith’s Company D is in dire need of reinforcements, but the battalion commander is compelled to deny the request, stating that the reserve troops (Company E) must be retained for the assault against the ultimate objectives. Meanwhile, Colonel Roise, the battalion commander, becomes wounded, but it is not serious. After receiving medical attention for his injured arm, Roise returns to his headquarters to complete the mission. By about 1030, the fog and smoke vanish and the skies clear, providing the Marines with an opportunity. The artillery of the 11th Marines, the mortars of Lieutenant George Grimes’ 81-mm section (2nd Battalion) and Marine planes arrive to bolster the ground troops. Initially, four Corsairs of VMF-323 execute repeated low-level sweeps. Subsequently, additional planes arrive. During two of the air attacks, enemy antiaircraft fire damages 5 of 10 attacking planes. There is no lapse of enemy fire. Mortars and automatic weapons turn up the heat. Undaunted, despite being held up for about two hours, the remnants of Company D, commanded by Lieutenant Smith, remain determined to seize the hill. During the first part of the afternoon, the 30 remaining riflemen of Company D and 14 other Marines (Weapons Platoon) form to attack. Marine aircraft again soar overhead and deposit bombs and napalm while strafing the objective. Soon after, a Corsair executes two dry runs over the target, the latter signaling the commencement of the attack. The Marines find themselves advancing over and through large numbers of enemy bodies that have been slain, in great part, by the thunderous fire of the artillery and aircraft. Marines spring toward the crest in awe of the numbers of Communist dead, which explains the lack of fierce resistance. Short of the summit, Smith halts the attack to regroup for the final push. Shortly thereafter, 32 Marines, with Smith at the front, dart from their positions and sprint toward the crest. The charge surprises the enemy, but not sufficiently to halt their return fire, which pours down the slope. Lieutenant H.J. Smith is killed during the ascent. The remaining able-bodied Marines maintain the thrust, and twenty-six Marines place their clamps on the summit. The defenders react in various ways. Some feign death, while others gallop down the reverse slopes. Some others resist ferociously. Undaunted, despite the weary 100-yard dash up the treacherous slope, the Marines crush the resistance and secure the hill. The foxholes are corroded with layers of corpses and the rest of the summit is carpeted with other enemy dead. Even the bunkers have been transformed into crypts. Meanwhile, 11 trailing Marines bring up the machine guns and ammunition to ensure retention of the bloody crest. The enemy survivors come under vicious fire as

September 24, 1950 they dash down the slope. In the meantime, more Company D troops arrive at the peak to bring the defending force to 56 men. Of these, 26 are wounded. Nevertheless, the wounded refuse to be evacuated. At 1300, Lieutenant Karle Seydel, the lone unwounded officer of Company D, radios word to battalion headquarters that its objectives, including Hill 66 (56), are secure. The North Koreans mount a futile counterattack to retake Hill 66. At day’s end, battleweary Company D has sustained 176 casualties, including 36 killed and 116 wounded (and evacuated). The company’s complement of 206 Marines now stands at twenty-six able-bodied men and the additional four wounded men who had remained on the crest. On the following day, the 2nd Battalion reinitiates the attack against Hill 105 Center. In other 2nd Battalion activity, Company E is restrained from attacking until the other two companies secure their objectives. Following the victories of Companies D and F, Company E strikes against Hill 105 North. At 1500, while en route to its objective, enemy fire rains upon Company E shortly after it passes Hill 56. The menacing mortar and automatic weapons fire hinders the advance, and other obstacles remain in the path. The Communists had laid mines along the approaches. Five tanks (1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Tank Battalion) push forward to augment the assault, but they get snagged in a minefield. One tank is lost to mortar fire and another is destroyed after striking a mine. The remaining three tanks are stymied, unable to navigate through the minefield. Quick action by one daring engineer, Sergeant Stanley McPherson (Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion), forestalls disaster when he ventures onto the blocked road, and while under strong fire, he singlehandedly clears a path for the armor. The tanks then speed forward and unleash their firepower, which decimates a few machine gun strongholds and knocks out two antitank guns. However, the delay is costly; twilight begins to overtake the area and forces a postponement against what appears to be the prominent obstacle facing Company E — Hill 72, which is straddled between Hills 105 North and 105 Center. In the 3rd Battalion sector, the enemy launches two unsuccessful predawn assaults against Marine positions on Hill 296. The 3rd Battalion is scheduled to drive down the eastern spur of Hill 296 to execute a flanking attack and to supply cover fire for the 2nd Battalion. The 1st Battalion is to relieve the 3rd Battalion on Hills 216 and 296. Following the shattering of the predawn attacks, Company H remains engaged with the Communists on the eastern slopes of Hill 296, but at 1550, Company G swings out and smashes into the enemy’s right flank in a coordinated attack with Company H to terminate the resistance there. The 3rd Battalion incurs five killed and thirty-three wounded on this day. By about 2000, the 1st Battalion completes the relief of Company I and various other 3rd Battalion troops on Hill 216. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, atop

September 24, 1950 Hill 105 South, guards the site on the Han where the 1st Marines will cross. In the 1st Marines sector, dawn sparks the initiation of the attack. Company C, 1st Engineer Battalion, moves out and secures a crossing site on the Han at a point about 2,000 yards south of Hill 105 South, but it is an exhausting ordeal, as enemy mines permeate the area. Nevertheless, elements of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, begin the move from their positions near Yongdungp’o at about 0800. LVTs (Company A, 1st Tractor Bn.) speed the battalion across the river, completing the trek by about 0945. The 2nd Battalion sustains 2 men killed and 9 wounded, due to unexpected fire from Hill 105 South, thought to have been reduced previously by the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. Later, Colonel Sutter’s troops establish contact with units of the 5th Marines on the north bank. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Jack Hawkins, and Regimental Headquarters follow the 2nd Battalion across the Han. The 1st Battalion receives orders to drive east and jump through the 2nd Battalion, which is easier said than done. The 2nd Battalion is sprinting toward Hill 79, the regimental objective. At about 1300, unexpected enemy fire again erupts from concealed positions on Hill 105 South. The hostile fire inflicts 4 casualties on the 1st Battalion. At 1500, Colonel Hawkins’ Marines seize Hill 79. They decorate it with Old Glory so enemy troops in nearby railroad marshaling yards could clearly see that the Stars and Stripes had entered the southwest section of Seoul. In other activity, at 1515, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Thomas Ridge, receives orders from Division to relinquish its defense of Hill 108 south of the Han bridges. The battalion is to revert to regimental control and begin to cross the Han. Ridge’s unit completes the crossing by 2000. Again, enemy fire zips into the newest occupants of the north bank of the Han. Ridge’s Marines engage in a heated but brief exchange of fire with the enemy on Hill 105 South. Company I is committed to permanently extinguish the nagging opposition. Ten Communist troops are taken prisoner, but the Marines lose one man killed and two wounded. The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 1st Marines, relieve the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, and assume responsibility for the southern flank of the Marines’ line along the western fringe of Seoul. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, settles down in an assembly area slightly to the rear. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 187th Airborne RCT, relieves the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, permitting the Marine battalion to cross the Han and join the regiment. Also, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, having concluded debarkation at Inchon, rejoins the regiment. The 7th Marines, on the left flank of the 5th Marines, is ordered to sweep across the northern tip of Seoul to guard the north flank and the rear of the 5th Marines. Simultaneously, it is to block the escape routes to the north. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, General Almond

408 arrives at Division headquarters at 0930. He confers with Generals Barr and Henry Hodes, the commanding officer and assistant CO, respectively, and with Colonel Louis Heath, the divisional chief of staff. The discussions include the possibility of a 7th Division attack into Seoul on the following day. Later, when Almond arrives back at his headquarters, he informs S.K. Colonel Paik to prepare for battle, in case his S.K. 17th Regiment is attached to the 32nd Regiment for the attack into Seoul. In the meantime, General Almond decides that he will order the 7th Division to attack into Seoul. At 1400, Army Generals Barr and Hodes, Marine General O.P. Smith and other officers, including Colonel Forney, USMC, X Corps deputy chief of staff, and Colonel Beauchamp, CO, 32nd Regiment, are informed by Almond during a meeting at Yongdungp’o Circle that the attack will commence at 0600 on the 25th. X Corps supplements the 7th Division, attaching the Marine 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion (minus one company) and two platoons of Company A, 56th Amphibious Tank and Tractor Battalion, to it. In addition, the S.K. 17th Regiment is attached to the 7th Division. The three main objectives of the 32nd Regiment’s attack are to capture South Mountain, drive two miles east and secure Hill 120, then capture Hill 348, the dominating feature five miles east of Seoul. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment, launches a successful predawn attack against enemy positions on the south side of the Han River across from Seoul. The surprise attack becomes a deadly wake-up call for some sleeping North Koreans. The battalion easily reduces the opposition, while it also seizes supplies and captures a regimental headquarters. The 2nd Battalion then continues the attack and secures the south bank of the Han at a bend in the river southeast of Seoul. In the meantime, the 31st Regiment is in the Suwon vicinity. The 2nd Battalion, 31st Regiment, deployed on Hill 142 about two miles south of the airfield, comes under severe attack at about 2300. Enemy tanks storm the left flank along the Suwon–Osan road. The battalion holds tough and receives some strong assistance from both the 57th FABn and Battery B, 15th FABn. The attack is repelled and four T-34 tanks are destroyed. In the Eighth Army area, the Army modifies its previous breakout operation order. It directs IX Corps to launch unlimited attacks to seize Chonju and Kanggyong. In Air Force activity, planes continue to seek enemy troop concentrations, but some of the pilots complete their sorties and arrive back at their bases without having discovered any targets. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, Division focuses on the area around Sangju–Naktong-ni until the 25th, but the 7th Cavalry continues to advance. In the 7th Cavalry zone, the tanks of TF-777 cross the Naktong by noon, and they advance 10 miles to Sanju

409 to join the task force there. Colonel William Harris dispatches one platoon of tanks and Company K, 7th Cavalry, to Poun, a thirty-mile jaunt. Meanwhile, General Gay orders a contingent of tanks and infantry to advance toward Kumch’on to bolster the 24th Division elements that are slugging it out with the enemy on the Waegwan–Taejon–Seoul Highway. The 7th Cavalry contingent reaches the 24th Division, but in so doing, it exits the cavalry zone of action and soon after receives orders to return to its operating area. In the 24th Division sector, during the first moments of the 24th, the 5th RCT takes the point and drives toward Kumch’on. A concentration of enemy troops on Hill 140, about three miles outside of Kumch’on, raises tenacious resistance. The advance stalls and the enemy on the hill buys some time to permit other units to withdraw. The N.K. 9th Division retreats toward Taejon, but it is diverted to the area around Hill 140. Other enemy units are committed at Kumch’on to hold back the surging Eighth Army. The rear guard forces include the surviving tanks of the N.K. 105th Armored Division and the 849th Independent Anti-Tank Regiment. The slugfest accelerates as the Americans encroach the objective. Air strikes destroy five enemy tanks and U.S. ground fire finishes off another three. Meanwhile, the ground troops pound the enemy. The 849th Independent Anti Tank Regiment is nearly annihilated. Six Patton tanks are lost to enemy fire. Later in the day, the 21st Regiment drives forward north of the highway, establishes contact with the 5th RCT and bolsters its attack. In conjunction, some enemy contingents lay back along the Waegwan Highway and engage the Division’s trailing unit, the 19th Regiment. By day’s end, the 5th RCT and its supporting contingents sustain about 100 casualties, due mostly to tank and mortar fire. In related activity, the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, seizes Songju at 0200. Later, the unit moves out to hook up with the 27th British Brigade to conduct mopup operations in the area. In the meantime, the N.K. 10th Division begins to bury its artillery before initiating its withdrawal. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the 23rd Regiment rapidly drives from the south in coordination with the 38th Regiment, which closes against Hyopch’on from the northeast to unleash a double envelopment assault. A contingent of 38th Regiment establishes a roadblock that severs the Chinju–Kumch’on Road and blocks the northeastern escape route from Hyopch’on. About two battalions of enemy troops are trapped in the town. During the afternoon, the 23rd Regiment drives into the town and pushes the enemy out. Unwittingly, they flee northeast directly into the roadblock. About 300 enemy troops are killed. But the plight of the enemy is only beginning; soaring Air Force F-51 fighters join the fight. The planes fly fifty-three sorties and further pulverize the survivors while they flee for the hills. Later, after dusk, the 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment, moves into Hypoch’on, and joins the 23rd Regiment there. In the 25th Division sector, Task Force Torman drives

September 25, 1950 along the coastal road heading toward Chinju, but it encounters resistance from elements of the N.K. 3rd Battalion, 104th Security Regiment. By dusk, the task force secures the heights at the road junction about three miles outside Chinju. The enemy force is composed of about 200 troops, according to information later gained from the battalion commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Pak Chong Song, during an interrogation. In other activity, the 35th Regiment regroups at the Chinju pass, subsequent to the withdrawal of the enemy. During the night, a patrol probes to the Nam River and discovers that the enemy has knocked out the bridge span. Also, General Kean, to better handle his area of responsibility with regard to IX Corps objectives, establishes two key task forces, TF Matthews and TF Dolvin. TF Dolvin had formerly been TF Torman. Task Force Matthews is composed of the 25th Reconnaissance Company, Company A, 79th Tank Battalion; one platoon of Company B, 67th Engineer Combat Battalion; an Air TAC party; and the medical section of the 27th Regiment. Two additional task forces also are involved with the attack. TF Matthews spearheads the assault, but is closely trailed by TF Blair, commanded by Major Melvin Blair (CO, 3rd Bn., 24th Regiment), and TF Corley, commanded by Colonel John Corley (CO, 24th Regiment). The two primary task forces are to attack simultaneously, but TF Matthews (on the left) is unable to execute the mission until the 27th, due to the three demolished bridges west of Chinju. TF Dolvin, commanded by Lt. Colonel Welborn G. Dolvin, CO, 89th Tank Battalion, commences its attack from the division right on the 26th. The primary components of the task force are Companies A and B, 89th Tank Battalion, and Companies B and C, 35th Regiment. Task Force Dolvin will split into two units, each composed of tanks and infantry contingents. Other units attached to TF Dolvin are the 1st Platoon, Company A, 65th Engineer Combat Battalion; 2nd Platoon, Heavy Mortar Company, 35th Regiment; the medical detachment, 89th Tank Bn., and some task force trains. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 6th and 8th Divisions push rapidly through the mountains and gain about sixteen miles on this day. The 6th Division reaches Andong before midnight. Meanwhile, the N.K. 8th and 12th Divisions abandon their positions in the vicinity of Andong, but they raise resistance during the withdrawal. Forward units of the S.K. force enter the city. Other S.K. troops arrive to block some of the escape routes, which forces elements of the N.K. 8th Division to divert and move into the mountains. Most of the survivors (about 1,500) make it to the Yalu River. In the meantime, most of the N.K. 12th Division has exited the town. The S.K. 6th Division, operating on the left, drives toward Hamch’ang.

September 25 On or about this date, the N.K. I Corps orders all units still south of Waegwan to retire

September 25, 1950

410

A Sherman medium tank (M4) pauses along a road in the vicinity of Kumch’on while infantry troops pass by. northward. This is the final day of action for the USS Sicily and VMF-214 during the Seoul-Inchon campaign. During the latter part of the day it embarks to receive required maintenance. The USS Badoeng Strait and its VMF-323 assume responsibility for further action in support of the ground troops. The commanding officer of the Badoeng Strait bans the number 17 from the carrier. The first plane lost by the Carrier on D-Day plus 2 was numbered 17. Two days later, a sergeant examining the new aircraft, also designated number 17, was mortally wounded when the guns accidentally fired. And then on September 23, the ill-fated Corsair 17 is again plagued when its pilot, Major Robert Floeck, is killed. Today, Plane Number 17 leaves the carrier and yet another life is lost, prompting Captain John Thach to permanently banish the number 17. Also on this day, Captain Leslie E. Brown, who on September 9 became the first Marine pilot to fly a jet against an enemy force, is killed on another mission. His plane is downed by antiaircraft fire. Inchon–Seoul vicinity: In the X Corps area, slightly before dark, aerial observance detects enemy columns moving out of Seoul. General Almond places an urgent request for Far East Air Forces to illuminate the escape route with flares to aid Marine Night Fighters. A B-29 arrives and its crew obliges and soon after spends about three hours’ flying time over the area to deposit the flares above the enemy. Two gigan-

tic enemy columns receive some punishing blows from the Marine planes. In conjunction, X Corps artillery units unleash their guns and deliver an enfilade of blazing fire upon the closer portions of the retiring enemy. General Almond makes what some construe as a premature proclamation slightly before midnight. He proclaims the liberation of Seoul. The announcement is made precisely three months to the day since the city had been captured by the Communists, and coincidentally, it is on the same day that Almond had promised General MacArthur that it would fall. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 187th Airborne Regiment, arrives at Kimpo Airfield by air from Ashiya, Japan. The airborne troops take responsibility for the airfield. In the 1st Marine Division zone, today, all the Division’s regiments will be north of the Han River and linked together. At 0700 the Division commences the final phase of its attack to seize Seoul. According to OpnO 11–50, RCT 1 and the attached 2nd Korean Marine Battalion is to capture that portion of Seoul within its zone (South Mountain and Ducksoo Palace area). Following these seizures, it is to advance about 6 additional miles and seize Objective Able, the heights beyond the northeastern suburbs. RCT-5 its attached division reconnaissance company and the 1st Korean Marine Battalion are to secure the northwest sector of Seoul.

411 Following this gain, they are to capture Objective Baker, the heights above the Seoul–Uijongbu Road, which lie about 6 miles outside the city. RCT-7 is to seize Objective Charlie, the heights above the Seoul–Kaesong Road near Chonsong-ni, about 6 miles northwest of the city’s center-point. The combat team is to simultaneously cover the division’s left flank. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion, 187th Airborne RCT, is to remain under the control of the 1st Marine Division with orders to guard the left flank, both south and west of the Han River. Also, the attached South Korean Marine units are utilized for mop-up operations. The Korean Marine Regiment (minus the 1st and 2nd Battalions) is to remain as division reserve. Subsequent to the recapture of the city, it is to resume control of its detached battalions and occupy the capital. At 2040, the 1st Marine Division receives a somewhat confusing order, directing it to launch an immediate attack: “X Corps TACair commander, reports enemy fleeing city of Seoul on road north.... He is conducting heavy air attack and will continue same. You will attack now to the limit of your objective to insure maximum destruction of enemy forces.” But Colonel Alpha Bowser, 1st Marine Division G-3, remains unconvinced that the Communists are abandoning the city. He inquires at X Corps headquarters and he is informed that the order, issued by General Almond, stands. General O.P. Smith is adamantly opposed to the order, and he, too, calls headquarters, only to receive a similar rebuff from the chief of staff, General Ruffner, who explains that General Almond insists on an immediate attack. At 2200, Smith reluctantly and against his instincts directs the 1st and 5th Marines, commanded by Colonels Puller and Murray respectively, to attack, but he stipulates that they move only along routes that can be easily identified in the dark. The 1st Marines receives the orders at 2205, and the 5th Marines is informed at 2215, the latter having just turned back an enemy attack about two hours earlier. Both regiments take measures to prepare their exhausted troops to again attack, and the word is passed to the 7th and 11th Marines. Within minutes after the orders to attack are received, the 5th Marines is hit by an enemy counterattack. In the 5th Marines sector, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Colonel Newton, having completed its relief of the 3rd Battalion units on Hills 216 and 296, is poised to advance on the left of the 3rd Battalion upon orders. The leftward shift by the 1st Battalion postures it to protect the steep entrances to both hills. Meanwhile, artillery and air strikes pummel the enemy line throughout the morning. The Marine air support (VMF-214), sustains another loss, its second in two days, when Lt. Colonel Lischeid is shot from the sky over the western portion of Seoul. Within about two additional hours, Lt. Colonels Wyczawski and Volcansek, the commanders of VMF-212 and VMF(N)-542 respectively, also are downed by enemy fire, but these two pilots survive.

September 25, 1950 Subsequent to the preparatory barrages, the 3rd Battalion, under Taplett, drives down Hill 296, in concert with the 2nd Battalion, under Roise, which grinds toward Hill 105 North. The 3rd Battalion is to secure the two southeastern knobs of Hill 296. The 2nd Battalion assault is bolstered by fire from the 3rd Battalion on Hill 296 and one platoon of tanks. Company E spearheads the attack. Company D (less than full strength), on its left, drives northward from Hill 66 (Smith’s Ridge) and follows the ridge line that leans southwest from Hill 296. From there, Company D, led by Lieutenant Seydel, pivots southeast and continues its hard fought advance.At 1320, following a grueling contest, Hill 88 falls to Company D. Meanwhile, Company E, led by Captain Jaskilka, encounters fierce fire originating on enemy-held Hill 72. Despite the horrific fire and mounting casualties, the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Deptula, silences the mortars and the automatic weapons fire. Hill 72 is secured at 1335. Company F, held in reserve, then advances to occupy Hill 72. During the ongoing melee, at 1310, air strikes are requested to thump the enemy positions on Hill 105 North to lessen the resistance against the final attack by the remaining two platoons of Company E. At 1325, the artillery roars and signals the imminent assault by the platoons of Lieutenants James Epley and Samuel Eddy. The attacking Marines relentlessly grind forward, and by 1545, Hill 105 North falls to the 2nd Battalion. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion gnaws forward. Like the 2nd Battalion, it, too, receives powerful blows from enemy artillery, as long-range interdiction fire arrives from Hill 105 North and from Hill 338, on its right and left respectively. After being temporarily held up by Colonel Murray, while Hill 105 North is being secured by the 2nd Battalion, Companies G and H resume the attack at 1435 against extremely dense fire originating from their left. The Marines plow forward, taking heavy casualties as they advance. Company H is hit especially hard as it grinds forward along the giant knob on the open left flank. Nevertheless, it reaches the objective, an intermediate peak, by 1635. In the meantime, Company G secures an unnamed peak north of the 2nd Battalion’s positions, but on the same ridge. Contact is quickly made between the two battalions. Following the seizures, Company I jumps off to continue the assault at about 1700; however, the enemy launches a counterattack and draws blood. The Communist attack is augmented by effective support fire that presses both Companies H and I. The Marines maintain their positions and pound the attacking Reds. Finally, by about dusk, the enemy losses climb to about 100 killed and they abort the assault. The beleaguered Marines then prepare for the next task. Company H reverts to battalion reserve. Company I assumes responsibility for the front lines, and it prepares to drive into Seoul on the following day.

September 25, 1950 In related activity, other elements of the 2nd Battalion successfully attack Hill 105 Center to reduce the resistance there by mid-afternoon. According to information ascertained from enemy prisoners, about 500 North Koreans are killed on Hill 105 Center. Consequently, the Marine advances have destroyed the western defenses of Seoul and inflicted severe casualties upon the enemy. About 1,200 Communist dead are strewn about the hills and in the foxholes. The Marines estimate total enemy dead along the western defenses by all weaponry at 1,750. The 5th Marines enter the northwest sector of the city and advance toward Sodaemun Prison and Government House. A synchronized attack by the 1st and 5th Marines on the following day is planned by the two regiments during the evening of the 25th. But, while the 5th Marine Regiment is preparing the attack, new orders arrive at slightly after 2200 for an immediate attack into the city by the 1st and 5th Marines. However, the enemy strikes first and the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, is attacked by about 200 North Koreans. A savage night-long battle ensues, but the Marines repel the Communists and terminate the action at 0445. While the fighting is raging between the Marines and the enemy, the 5th Marines also has patrols out in an attempt to establish contact with the 1st and 7th Marines. Contingents extending south and southeast fail to make contact with the 1st Marines, and the patrols to the north are unable to locate the 7th Marines. General O.P. Smith had directed the regiments to make contact before assaulting Seoul in the darkness. The divisional attack will be postponed and the 5th Marines does not advance from its positions during the night, except for the patrols. In the 1st Marines sector, the 1st Battalion maintains a blocking position at Hill 79 along the southern portion of Seoul during the morning, while it waits for the 3rd Battalion to alter its course of attack against Seoul. The 3rd Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Thomas Ridge, advances prior to dawn and moves east through the positions of the 2nd Battalion in a column of companies. At that point, it pivots sharply, then drives north toward the center of Seoul. At about the same time, the 1st Battalion shifts slightly backward from its positions, and then it too drives north, operating on the right flank of the 3rd Battalion. The maneuver puts great strength against Seoul, but it creates a hole between the 1st and 5th Marines. Due to an unexpected crisis at Hill 105 South, the 1st Marines lack tank support. The tank column expects to encounter mines along the route, which parallels the rail lines that lead into Seoul. Therefore, the two tank platoons of Company B (commanded by Captain Bruce Williams), 1st Tank Battalion, are bolstered by engineers and by one infantry platoon of Company F to safeguard its passage through the lines of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. Infantry take the point and the engineers are couched between the tanks. The advance through the gap in the

412 lines occurs without incident. But when the column reaches the midway point, an ambush is sprung. Enemy fire rings out from Hill 105 South, thought to have previously been secured by the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, and swept clean by mop-up teams of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. The ambush, perpetrated by about 300 troops, catches the column off guard and its ripping fire inflicts casualties. Lieutenant Babe, commanding officer 2nd Platoon, Company C, Engineers, is struck immediately. The debilitating wound prevents him from ordering the infantry under Sergeant Farrington to strike the left flank of the enemy to eliminate the blockage. Soon after, Sergeant Paolino assumes command of Babe’s engineers, but the enemy force appears much too powerful. Meanwhile, the commanding officer of the tanks, Captain Bruce Williams, ponders a withdrawal to avoid being overrun, but he decides to commit his equalizers. He sends out a flamethrower tank and an M-26 escort. By circuitous route, the armor maneuvers into position on the left flank of the infested slope. The tanks immediately roar into action. Bellowing bursts of napalm bounce along the entire string of enemy entrenchments, compelling the inhabitants to seek cooler ground. They flee directly into the menacing machine gun fire of Lieutenant Cummings’ platoon and then, his tanks shred the fleeing enemy troops. All the while, the engineers and infantry reorganize along the rails and lower slopes by Sergeants Paolino and Farrington respectively. A sharp line of cover fire begins to emerge, but yet another hazard threatens the Marines. Nearby, enemy grenades begin to explode, and they activate the Marines’ instinctive alarms. They spot the problem: three primitive huts that sit on the slope just under the enemy trenches on the left flank. They also discover that an enemy cave is concealed by the third hut. Sergeant Paolino receives permission from Captain Williams to apply tank fire. Lieutenant Cummings responds to a string of hefty bangs on his tank by Paolino. He swivels his turret and pummels the trio of huts with several devastating 90-mm shells. While adjusting his fire to ring the newest target, Cummings and the others observe about ten enemy troops as they file out of the cave with their hands extended high above their heads. After this initial surrender, a steady stream of Communist troops pours out of the endangered cave. Soon after, 131 North Koreans are captured, including two weaponcarrying women in uniform. About 150 enemy troop are killed. Hill 105 South, thought benign, is finally dormant. The column, outnumbered by its prisoners, reinitiates the march and pushes forward after searching the women prisoners. They claim to be nurses, not soldiers, and they complain that they had not been treated fairly. The media fans the incident and the people in the States read some sensational stories. Nevertheless, the

413 Marines maintain they had treated them properly under the circumstances, and had given them clothes that make them look more like women. At about 1200, the small armored task force reaches the positions of the 1st Marines and pulls up to the intersection where the rail tracks converge with the boulevard that leads into Seoul. Lieutenant Cummings reports to Colonel Puller, and then, the push into the city begins. The Marines, spearheaded by tanks, grind forward against roadblocks and fierce resistance. Antitank weapons, mortars and automatic weapons attempt to stall the advance. Nonetheless, the Marines gnaw forward and move down both sides of the boulevard. Two of the lead tanks, including that of Cummings, strike mines, but both are saved. The 1st Marines drives toward the main Seoul railroad and several other key points, including the American and Russian consulates, City Hall and the ancient Ducksoo Palace. By evening, the 1st and 3rd Battalions each penetrate about two thousand yards. The former halts in the heights to the right of the 3rd Battalion. The 3rd Battalion drills directly into the city and halts at positions next to the rail lines and on the western slope of Hill 97. Both units then converge and take up defensive positions on Hill 82 to prepare for the following day’s attack. Engineers begin removing mines, previously set by them, to clear the path for the attack. The 2nd Battalion (Reserve) deploys to the rear of the 1st Battalion to provide cover on the right flank and for the rear. Like the other Marine regiments, the 1st Marines receives orders at about 2200 instructing it to immediately launch an attack into Seoul. At about 0145, subsequent to a fifteen-minute artillery barrage, the 1st Marines are poised to advance. But, Colonel Puller, at about seven minutes before jump off, concludes that the bombardment is insufficient. He requests a repeat performance to bolster the assault. The attack is rescheduled for 0200, but the enemy nixes the attack by striking first. At 0153, an emergency message arrives that proclaims that a fierce enemy assault, including armor, is pushing from the city, driving toward the 1st Marines positions to the southwest. The urgent news suggests that self-propelled guns are also with the attack units. Meanwhile, a 3rd Battalion patrol, led by Corporal Charles Collins and composed of eight Marines and three South Koreans, probes to establish contact with the 5th Marines. Instead, at about 0130, the patrol encounters the surging enemy. A fire fight ensues about four hundred yards to the front of the 1st Marines’ lines. Several men of the patrol make it back to their zone and give the alert. Corporal Collins is not among them; he is presumed killed. In the meantime, Major Edwin Simmons detects the absolute sounds of tracked vehicles, and they are not sporting Marine insignia. Simmons receives word that two enemy tanks are encroaching George Company’s roadblock, which is bolstered with 3.5 rocket launchers, heavy machine guns and some hefty 75-mm re-

September 25, 1950 coilless rifles. Without hesitation, the enemy tanks are plastered with seething fire; one is knocked out and the other retreats. The uninvited visitors derail the Marine assault scheduled for 0200; however, both sides still gather in the darkness. The enemy attack force numbers about battalion strength and it is fortified by tanks. The enemy advance is intercepted by the 11th Marines’ artillery and by mortar fire. The attack reaches its pinnacle at about 0230, but it falls prey to an iron hailstorm, which literally blows the attackers back and stalls the attack. Subsequent enemy infantry advances are ineffective. The surviving armor launches sporadic advances, but they also fail to cross through the Marines’ line. By dawn, the counterattack sizzles and the survivors disengage, then retire hurriedly. Marine fire slays the last two enemy T-34 tanks at 0630. Daylight emphasizes the horror of the killing grounds, which are permeated with the stench of death, the peculiar odor of scorched armor and the scores of mangled corpses. Corporal Collins, thought to have been lost, is not among the deceased. After his patrol encountered the attack force, he had concealed himself in Korean civilian garb. He walks back into friendly lines at about 0630. The N.K. 25th Brigade sustains 475 to 500 killed and a great deal more wounded. In addition, 83 prisoners are collected by the 1st Marines. Interrogation of the POWs, coupled with the combing of the battlefield, determines that seven enemy tanks and two selfpropelled guns were destroyed. If this 700-man enemy force was in the process of abandoning Seoul, as described by General Almond, it had apparently been retiring in the wrong direction. In the 7th Marines sector, the 1st Battalion sends out continuous reconnaissance patrols to maintain contact with RCT-5 and RCT-7 and to sweep the terrain lying between both units. The 2nd Battalion moves out at 0630 to secure Objective Charlie, then takes it without incident at 1215. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion remains in a defensive arc-like posture to protect the highways and trails near the ferry-crossing site at Haengju. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, the 17th Regiment comes ashore to join the 7th Division as its 3rd Regiment. In other activity, the scheduled attack by the 32nd Regiment, reinforced, is being prepared. The spearheading 2nd Battalion and the 96th FABn are deployed east of the town. The 1st and 3rd Battalions, deployed northwest of it, are commanded by Colonels Faith and Schumann respectively. Both units will trail Colonel Mount’s 2nd Battalion when it crosses the Han. Company A, 56th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, and the Marine 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion (minus Company B) had spent an exhausting night to assure success. They were compelled to execute a 25-mile round-trip to transport the troops to a jump-off site about 5,000 yards east of a rail bridge at Yongdungp’o.

September 25, 1950 At 0600, a thirty-minute artillery barrage is initiated by the 48th FABn, and its thunderous roar is enjoined by heavy mortars that sizzle the bluffs beyond the river bank. At 0630, the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment, spearheaded by Company F, begins crossing the river during an usually foggy morning, and it completes the trek without incident. The LVTs transport the troops inland about 200 yards. From that point, they dart across the tiny beach area and ascend the 30 to 60 foot bluffs bringing the vanguard to the slopes of South Mountain. The sun emerges through the fog at about 0730. At about the same time, air strikes pound Hill 120, and South Mountain, the latter standing ominously on the north bank, leans northwest and extends backward directly into Seoul. By about noon, the 3rd Battalion brings up the rear, and soon after, it fords the river and traces the steps of the 1st Battalion. It moves east, jumps through the 1st Battalion and occupies Hill 120. The 1st Battalion then deploys in positions between the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. In the meantime, the vanguard is swiftly ascending South Mountain. It overcomes moderate resistance as it surges to the summit and claims it by 1500. The 2nd Battalion immediately establishes a night defensive perimeter on the summit. The regiment is unable to proceed from the heights into the city because the movement might impede the ongoing operations of the 1st and 5th Marines. In conjunction, the ROKs cross behind the 3rd Battalion against heavy fire, but the LVTs safely deliver the S.K. 17th Regiment. The 32nd Regiment and the ROKs deploy within a zone of action from which they can expeditiously advance on the right flank of the Marines at the prescribed time. Meanwhile, Colonel Mount deploys Company F on South Mountain’s low eastern knob, and he places Company G on the more elevated western knob. During the night of the 25th-26th, while one enemy battalion is being vanquished by a night-long battle with the 1st Marines on the outskirts of Seoul, another enemy battalion assaults the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Regiment. At 0500 (26th), the Communists pound the 2nd Battalion and make some progress. The troops holding the forward positions are temporarily shoved back, but then a counterattack ignites a fierce battle that regains the lost ground. By about 0700, the lines are fully restored and the Reds are shoved off the ridge. The victors count 394 dead Communist troops on the battlefield and another 174 taken prisoner. At 2150, the S.K. 17th Regiment, on the far right flank of the 32nd Regiment, jumps off at 2150 to seize Hill 348. The battle continues throughout the night (25th-26th). By mid-afternoon on September 26, the South Koreans secure Hills 292 and 348. In the 31st Regiment’s sector at Suwon, aerial intelligence determines that the series of hills that lie about ten miles south of Suwon and about two or three

414 miles south of the U.S. positions are heavily fortified by the enemy. These hills command both sides of the road and the railroad lines slightly north of Osan. The 92nd FABn arrives at Suwon to augment the forces there. In the Eighth Army area, during the day, General Walker pays homage to the South Korean forces in tribute to the tremendous progress they have made against the enemy. Walker states: “Too little has been said in praise of the South Korean Army which has performed so magnificently in helping turn this war from the defensive to the offensive.” In other activity, the British 27th Brigade is detached from the U.S. 24th Division and attached to I Corps control. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, General Gay becomes perturbed during the evening of the 25th when orders arrive from I Corps that direct him to retain the 1st Cavalry Division at its present positions. Gay attempts unsuccessfully to contact Eighth Army headquarters to clarify what appears to have been erroneous orders. He wants authorization to resume the attack and hook up with X Corps. General Gay dispatches an urgent message by liaison plane to Eighth Army. Toward midnight and subsequent to the installation of phone lines, Gay receives a call from Colonel Edgar J. Conley, Jr. (Eighth Army G-1). Conley informs him that Walker has authorized 1st Cavalry to attack toward Suwon to establish contact with X Corps if he believes the mission can be accomplished. The cavalry assault force moves out the morning of the 26th. In the 7th Cavalry zone, the unit is to remain in Poun until notified otherwise. In the 24th Division sector, Kumch’on falls to the 5th RCT. The 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Benjamin Heckemeyer, enters the ruins during the morning to eliminate the remaining resistance, and secures it by 1445. In other activity, mop-up operations continue in the vicinity of Songju. The enemy defenders become further exasperated. The N.K. 10th Division, reduced to about twenty-five percent of its strength, has expended nearly all of its ammunition and depleted its fuel supply. Its withdrawal, which had begun on the previous day, moves into high gear. By dusk, the U.S. 21st Regiment jumps off and continues the attack. The regiment drives west along the highway against dissipating enemy resistance. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the 23rd Regiment is ordered to move against Koch’ang via a road that supposedly lies south of the route of the 38th Regiment; however, reconnaissance (air and ground) concludes that the road is either nonexistent or impenetrable. General Keiser then orders the 23rd Regiment to alter its route and advance along a road to the north. At 1600, the regiment (less the 1st Battalion) departs for Koch’ang. The march is tedious and opposition is encountered. Three separate heavy firefights occur, and in addition, the regiment must reconstruct four bridges.

415 Nonetheless, the 23rd Regiment arrives at Koch’ang on the following morning. In the meantime, the 38th Regiment departs Hyopch’on at dawn and it, too, drives toward Koch’ang. Meanwhile, the N.K. 2nd Division abandons its vehicles and equipment as it retreats haphazardly. The debris hinders and then stalls the 38th Regimental vehicles, which cannot navigate around the obstacles. The infantry begins to pursue on foot. The day-long thirtymile chase nets 450 prisoners, and about 260 Communists are slain. At 2030, the 38th Regiment halts several miles from Koch’ang. Air Force planes hammer Koch’ang during the late afternoon and the target is inundated with rockets, napalm and bombs. The swift pace of the 38th Regiment and the heavy steel claws of the Air Force have combined to thwart the plans of the enemy. The N.K. 2nd, 4th, 9th and 10th Divisions had planned to converge on Koch’ang and regroup, but those plans are now impossible. The N.K. 2nd Division is down to about 2,500 troops (maximum), and most are under duress from the U.S. onslaught. The sweep to Koch’ang captures fourteen antitank guns, four artillery pieces, nine mortars and seventeen vehicles. In addition, the 38th Regiment seizes ten motorcycles and about 300 tons of ammunition. The regiment enters Koch’ang on the following morning. By the end of September, most of the North Korean 2nd Division has dispersed into the hills, leaving the commanding officer, Major General Choe Hyon, with only about 200 troops. In the 25th Division sector, Task Force Torman approaches the Nam River bridge, which leads into Chinju. One of the supporting tanks runs over a mine and fragments fly in every direction. Captain Torman is struck and wounded, then evacuated. Captain Charles M. Matthews, CO, Company A, 79th Tank Battalion, assumes command. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion, 35th Regiment, begins to cross the Nam about two and one-half miles southeast of Chinju at 0200 and then drives against Chinju, which is defended by about 300 enemy troops. The 2nd Battalion, bolstered by TF Torman’s tank fire from the opposite bank of the Nam, overcomes the opposition and secures Chinju. During the afternoon, the 1st and 3rd Battalions ford the Nam and join the 2nd Battalion. During the evening, and thanks to an underwater bridge constructed by the 65th Engineers, TF Torman also moves into Chinju. The engineers work throughout the night, and by noon on the following day, vehicles ford the river several miles south of the damaged bridge. Farther south near Uiryong, about 1,000 Korean refugees and U.S. engineers, while under sporadic mortar fire, construct another sandbag crossing of the Nam. The 8th FABn commits its guns and the mortars are put out of commission. During the night (25th-26th), the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, crosses to the north bank, completing the trek by dawn on the 26th.

September 26, 1950 In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 6th Division pushes into Hamch’ang after dark. Within two additional days, it presses through the most rugged part of the Sobaek Mountain Range to draw closer to Chungju. In other activity, the S.K. 8th Division overcomes minefields. It begins eliminating the remaining resistance in Andong and secures it on the following day. In ROK Army Headquarters area, the S.K. 3rd Division, bolstered by the guns of U.S. naval surface vessels, attacks Yongdok, defended by the N.K. 5th Division. The defenders, unable to retreat east by the sea, attempt to evacuate and head inland toward the mountains. The Navy’s guns redesigned the landscape of the town; it is scarred and charred and the rising smoke blankets the skyline. The Communists apparently evacuate swiftly. The South Koreans enter the town to discover horse-drawn carts complete with hitched ponies. The assault troops also capture other equipment, including Russian-made trucks that are abandoned with the motors running. The South Koreans initiate immediate pursuit. One U.S. officer, Major Curtis Ivey (KMAG), has procured 25 trucks through the ingenuity of Colonel McPhail, an advisor to the ROK I Corps. The South Koreans roar up the coastal road to finish off the division, which by now is reduced to about one regiment. In conjunction, most of the time the South Korean forces advance by foot. The trucks are a luxury. In Air Force activity, during encounters with MiGs on this day, Lieutenant Booth T. Holker (334th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group) receives two victories in the vicinity of Taechon. Lieutenant Charles F. Loyd, also of the 334th FighterInterceptor Squadron, downs a MiG in the vicinity of Sinanju. In another air duel, Lieutenant Paul E. Roach, 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, and his wingman combine to knock out another MiG near Anju.

September 26–October 21 1950

Subsequent to the Eighth Army breakout from the Pusan Perimeter and up to October 1, 1950, seven damage survey teams scour the area to attempt to arrive at accurate numbers concerning destroyed or captured enemy equipment. The information is required to offset what apparently have been inflated figures calculated from the units’ daily records. The troops comb every primary route of transportation used by armor between the 38th Parallel and the Perimeter. The Kaesong–Sariwon–Pyongyang Road above the 38th Parallel is also scoured. The detachments discover sixty demolished U.S. tanks. Enemy equipment discovered: 239 enemy T34s, either destroyed or abandoned, and 76 selfpropelled 76-mm guns. Evidence indicates the Air Force should receive credit for sixty of the enemy tanks. U.S. tanks gain credit for killing thirty-nine enemy tanks and the rocket launcher teams receive

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September 26, 1950

credit for thirteen kills, but it is certain that the bazookas accounted for many more enemy tanks than the figures state. The Air Force may have gotten credit for some tanks that had been taken out earlier by the bazookas. U.S. tank losses, since their introduction to the conflict in July and continuing through September, from all causes is 136. The most startling statistic is that nearly 100 (70 percent) of the tanks had been lost to enemy mines. The figure is in sharp contrast to the tank losses attributable to mines during World War II, which totaled 20 percent.

September 26

In Naval activity, the destroyer USS Brush sustains damage by an enemy mine off the east coast of Korea. Inchon–Seoul vicnity: In the X Corps area, the 1st Marine Division zone, after daylight the Marines execute the orders of the previous night. Division issues OpnO 12–50 at 1230. The directive mandates the resumption of the attack against Seoul, and it is slightly altered by committing the 7th Marines to the quest. Prior to the attack, the 1st Marine Division is deployed in a half-moon formation that stretches from the northwest to the south and encompasses the ground between the Kaesong Highway and Hill 82. In the 1st Marines sector, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, commanded by Colonel Sutter, starts early and passes through the positions of the 3rd Battalion. Coming out of reserve, it drives down Ma-Po Boule-

418

vard to seize Seoul. Companies F and G, led by Baker Company tanks, sprint forward. But Lieutenant Cummings’ tank strikes a mine (U.S. M-6) that the engineers had missed during a clearing operation the previous night. The detonation knocks out the tank and inflicts casualties to some ground Marines on both sides of the tank. The advance continues, but the situation gets no better. The Communists have made roadblocks out of rice bags piled eight feet high and about five feet thick, placed about 300 to 400 yards apart. The obstacles are augmented by defenders and anti-tank guns. Nevertheless, the Marine infantry and armor plow forward. Engineers, covered by sharpshooters, move methodically to open a path. Once the mines are eliminated the tanks burst through the barriers, followed by the infantry. As the Marines terminate the individual blockages, other North Koreans continue to fire from nearby buildings. Seemingly, every rooftop, window and alley is launching shells at the charging Marines, who must defend against fire coming from all points. The progress is measured by yards, and the attack is hindered by even more unexpected obstacles, such as groups of civilians, including women and children, scattered along the line of advance. The tanks continue to crash through the bunkers and the ground troops drill deeper, disregarding the intense heat, smoke and flames emerging from the burning buildings. The battle rages furiously, and it includes suicidal

419 missions by individuals carrying demolition charges who attack the armor. The first attempt succeeds when one North Korean dashes fearlessly toward a flamethrower tank and damages it while the vehicle is shadowing two M-26s. However, the crew escapes the burning vehicle and nearby infantrymen cut down subsequent demolition-men well before they reach the armor. The dogged pace of the advance expends the ammunition and consumes the fuel at an alarming rate, which forces the vehicles to move to the rear to procure the necessary fuel and supplies. In the meantime, the infantry wisely pauses to await the return of the tanks before it jumps to the next blockade. Following the return of the armor, the Marines reinitiate the tedious drive into Seoul. Company F, led by Captain Groff, and Company E pound against the enemy resistance until dark and gain about 1,200 yards. At one key intersection, Company F encounters such stiff resistance that Company E, scheduled to peel off to the right, is compelled to throw its weight into the fight to ensure advancement. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, operating on the right flank of the regimental sector, begins its descent from its positions on Hill 82. Companies A and B are to advance on the right and secure the promontory on the northwestern edge of South Mountain and the finger extending out below it. In conjunction, Company C’s objective is the primary railroad station and the nearby slopes of South Mountain, where the enemy remains active, slightly east of the sector of the 32nd Infantry Regiment. Marine planes plaster enemy positions, and a heavy artillery and mortar barrage commences prior to jump off. Upon cessation of the preparatory bombardments, Captain Wray’s Company C spearheads the attack. It descends down the slope and regroups near a stream that runs alongside the railroad yard. From there, the company drives north after fording the river. The Marines encounter moderate resistance that is amplified due to the pesky positions. The Communists are intertwined in buildings and railcars. Nonetheless, the Marines grind forward, yard by yard. The rail station is seized and its yard is secured. Once inside the station, the Marines discover some executed Korean women and children and a few dead Communist troops. By dusk, the area is secure. In the 5th Marines sector, during the early morning hours and following a heavy artillery and mortar barrage, the 3rd Battalion jumps off to finish clearing the remaining opposition from the Hill 296 group. The descent is rugged for both companies; G Company departs its positions on a ridge above Hill 105 North to secure the low terrain to the right of Company I. Meanwhile, Company I descends the huge spur on Hill 296 that leads to the center of Seoul. Both missions are eventful. Company G encounters tenacious opposition throughout the day. In one instance, while Company G is pinned down, PFC Eugene Obregon spots a wounded Marine. Disregarding the

September 26, 1950 tenacious fire, he dashes out to rescue him. After he drags the wounded man to the side of the road, an enemy contingent closes on them. Obregon covers the wounded Marine with his body and he returns effective fire, but eventually he is fatally struck by a burst of enemy machine gun fire. PFC Obregon receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless heroism under fire. Company I, lacking support weapons, attacks. Its commanding officer, Captain McMullen, convinced that his organic weapons can suffice, cancels the preparatory artillery. Almost immediately, the rugged advance by Company I is met by ferocious resistance. The Marines attack down the slopes, but the resistance on the lower section of the slope is much stronger than anticipated. The lack of support weapons takes its toll. The Communists deliver sheets of fire against the two platoons of descending Marines and inflict casualties. The North Korean fire continues without pause, but the Marines push to a knob and seize it, despite both attacking platoon leaders being wounded. To bolster the assault, Captain McMullen throws in his reserve platoon to offset the losses sustained on the right by the 3rd Platoon, and then he takes personal command of the attack. As Company I drills downward, it plows into an enemy labyrinth that contains about 200 troops. Close-quartered bloody fighting ensues, but when it concludes, the Marines evict the North Koreans and send them fleeing to lower positions on the slope. However, Company I is thoroughly drained of strength, unable to advance farther. Company I takes a slight pause to rejuvenate itself, but the tranquility on the knob is short-lived. The Communists mount an unexpected counterattack to retake the positions. The exhausted company reaches inward for a second breath to thwart the assault, but ammunition is becoming scarce. The enemy pushes hard and the donnybrook intensifies as the situation becomes grave. The Marines are pushed to the brink as the casualty list, which includes Captain McMullen, soars. McMullen has just sustained his seventh wound, including World War II and Korea; he is evacuated. To forestall disaster, a small but impetuous supply party led by Lieutenant Wallace Williamson arrives. It barrels into the inferno, and without missing a step, the ammunition is passed out. The infusion of supplies gives the Marines a B-12 shot, and the exhausted company then pours out the iron. It breaks up the assault and destroys the enemy defense system there. Fighting continues the rest of the day. The threat of being dislodged is terminated, but Company I is too weak to seize the peak of the knob before dark. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, operating south of the 3rd Battalion, spends the day mopping up. Also, the 1st KMC Battalion deploys between the Reconnaissance Company and the 3rd Battalion, the former holding the summit of Hill 296 in the northwest. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion remains in regimental reserve. Due to the heavy resistance encountered on this day, the 5th Marines are unable to move into Seoul and establish contact with the 1st Marines.

September 26, 1950 In the 7th Marines sector, the regiment receives orders to drive north of Seoul and secure the mountain pass. From there they are to sever the road running from Seoul to Uijongbu and Ch’orwon, at a point about one mile beyond Government House. The 7th Marines is bolstered by the divisional recon company and the 5th S.K. Marine Battalion. The orders also specify that the regiment is to pinch out the 5th Marines there, and begin an attack alongside the 1st Marines, which is driving northeast. The 5th Marines is ordered to support the 7th Marines until it is pinched out. At that point, the 5th Marines is to revert to division reserve and relieve units of the 7th Marines. The objectives of the 7th Marines: Baker (Hill 171); Dog (northern half of 338); Easy (Hill 342); Fox (Hill 133) and George (Hill 343). The ground is nasty, which ensures a difficult task for the fresh regiment. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Raymond G. Davis, relieves the 2nd Battalion (minus Company D) and the 3rd Battalion at their northeastern positions along the Kaesong Highway during the morning. The relief operation frees both battalions for the attack on Seoul. Meanwhile, at 0630, Colonel Homer Litzenberg orders Company D, 7th Marines, to head southwest along the Kaesong Highway and establish contact with the 5th Marines at Seoul. Initially, the trip is uneventful and at times surprising. Throngs of seemingly happy Korean civilians bellow loud cheers of welcome; however, the unexpected string of greeters prevents the Marines from employing flank guards. The column effortlessly travels through Hoengjeoe, and by about 0900, the convoy nears Hills 338 and 296, two huge slopes on the left and right respectively. The ominous slim valley pass that splits the two overwhelming slopes also is in view. When the column reaches a point slightly in front of Sodaemun Prison in the northwest sector of Seoul, the enemy strikes. Menacing machine guns pour their shells into the approaching convoy and inflict casualties. Among the wounded is the machine gun officer, Lieutenant Goggin. The Marines bolt from the vehicles and take cover to return fire. The target remains about 400 yards down the highway, where the enemy is utilizing a huge tower to deliver their storm of fire. The Marines, lacking flank protection, are caught off guard on flat terrain. Instinctively, they begin to return fire, but the enemy answers with more fire, some originating within 100 yards of the convoy. Both flanks are at risk, making the positions nearly untenable. The commanding officer, Captain Richard Breen, directs the 2nd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Seeburger, to assault the heights near the prison. In the meantime, two mortars are set up and although in naked positions, their 60-mm shells destroy one enemy machine gun position. However, return fire remains relentless. Undaunted, the mortar crews, led by Lieutenant Paul Sartwell, continue to exchange blows. Sartwell becomes wounded twice, but he con-

420 tinues fighting until he is struck by a third and debilitating wound. All the while, the 2nd Platoon closes on the prison, and the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Paul Mullaney, attacks on the left to ascend Hill 338 and break the pressure, but to no avail. Enemy fire forbids success. The struggling company is dangerously stretched out, and lacking armor and artillery, the convoy is guarded only by the 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant James D. Hammond. Captain Breen, himself wounded, receives a call on his radio from Major Raymond Fridrich (Regimental S3). Fridich asks how bad the situation has become, and Breen assures him that his beleaguered Company D will hold its ground. While the Marines seek solutions to extricate the isolated company, the Communists attempt to encircle the command. Enemy contingents rush to the rear of the trapped Marines to prevent rescue. A support column is rushed to the area, but the enemy roadblock forces it to return. The crisis becomes more grave as ammunition and supplies are being rapidly expended. Captain Breen reels in his troops to gain more tenable positions and to prevent annihilation. In the meantime, Marine planes pound the enemy positions to alleviate some of the pressure. Company D (carrying all of its wounded and dead) relocates about 1,000 yards from where it was ambushed, at a split in the road between the two towering enemy-infested slopes. The regrouping is complete by 1600. After taking the new positions, Captain Breen takes defensive measures to ensure that the unit makes it through the night. Additional planes arrive and successfully drop supplies within the tiny perimeter. Two planes are damaged during the mission, and one of them is forced to make an emergency landing at Kimpo. At about dawn on the following day (27th), a rescue unit composed of the tanks and infantry rolls down the highway and extricates besieged Company D. The weary command is transported back to Hoengjeoe-ri. In the meantime, the remainder of the 2nd Battalion had followed the steps of Company D, but as scheduled and unaware of the dilemma, the battalion swings to the left and moves into the hills at Hoengjeoe about one mile from where Company D is trapped. From its positions in the heights, the 2nd Battalion dispatches reconnaissance units to check the area above Hoengjeoe, but they too remain unaware of Company D’s predicament. Then, at 1400, Companies E and F, 2nd Battalion, drive east to capture Hill 343. The assault gains about 1,000 yards, but then enemy fire originating on Hill 338 plugs the hole and stalls the advance. Lt. Colonel Hinkle, to avoid the risk of losing his right flank, orders his men to halt and dig in for the night. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, led by Major Roach, concludes an eight-mile march and arrives in an assembly area to prepare to assault Hill 338 (north). Companies G and H advance to seize it. At 1700, Company G, led by Captain Thomas Cooney, moves around the northern half of the objective, and

421 then he dispatches two platoons to seize the summit. Without opposition, Company G takes the northern summit of Hill 338. Meanwhile, Company H, led by Captain Nicholas Shields, advances to the right of Company G, but as it reaches a draw, heavy fire prevents further advance. Shields, rather than risk his right flank to heavy fire, orders his company to establish defensive positions on the slopes for the night. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, during the midafternoon, Generals Walker and Partridge arrive at Suwon Airfield from Taegu to conduct an impromptu meeting with the 31st Regimental staff. During the meeting, Walker informs those in attendance that the 1st Cavalry Division is advancing quickly and that it will apparently reach X Corps lines within about thirty-six hours. It is possible that, because of the arrival of Walker in Suwon and the warning messages that arrive in X Corps Headquarters, an advance unit of the 1st Cavalry is spared annihilation during the later part of today; unannounced, it plunges into the 31st Regimental lines. In the 31st Regimental sector, the commanding officer, Colonel Ovenshine, orders the 2nd Battalion to secure the heights near Osan. The task force assigned to seize the high ground is composed of Companies E and F, reinforced by a contingent of Company G and two tank platoons. In conjunction, the 3rd Battalion is poised to bolster the attack, if required. Colonel Ovenshine also establishes another task force, composed of contingents of Companies G and H, and Company A, 73rd Tank Battalion. The task force is to drive south along the highway. The two task forces are to attack simultaneously on the following day. In other activity, an advance contingent of TF Lynch (1st Cavalry Div.) establishes contact with the 31st Regiment during the latter part of the night, but the encounter is not expected by the 31st Regiment. (See also, September 26, 1950, In the 1st Cavalry Division, 7th Cavalry sector.) In the 32nd Regimental zone, having crossed the Han on the previous day, the regiment awaits a counterattack, but the night passes quietly. Then, at 0430, the silence is shattered. In the 2nd Battalion zone, automatic weapons fire is heard and the distinct noise of rumbling T-34s is also picked up. Within about onehalf hour, the view to the front displays about 1,000 North Koreans moving toward the Americans on South Mountain. A bloody contest begins as the enemy hordes speed up the pace and charge forward. The 2nd Battalion pours its firepower into the enemy ranks, but the advance continues. On the lower eastern knob of South Mountain, Company F is unable to withstand the onslaught and it is overcome, but to the west, Company G defiantly holds the knob and repulses the enemy while it inflicts heavy losses. Colonel Mount commits his entire reserve, and the attack is halted. Lost terrain is retaken by 0700. The 32nd further clobbers the attackers with everything available as they retreat down the slopes. Company E, 2nd Battalion, mops up the reverse

September 26, 1950 slopes of South Mountain and the ground near its base by the river. The regiment counts 394 dead Communists, including 110 who had been slain within the perimeter. Another 134 enemy troops are captured. In the 1st Battalion sector, north of South Mountain, heavy firefights develop in the streets of Seoul. Following the 2nd Battalion’s victory, the 1st Battalion encounters what apparently is a straggler contingent of the original attacking force against South Mountain. Eighty North Koreans are captured during the skirmish. In the meantime, at 0800, the 3rd Battalion drives four miles east from its positions on Hill 120 to seize Hill 106 (aka 348). En route, an enemy column is detected as it attempts to evacuate Seoul. Company L, commanded by Lieutenant Harry McCaffrey, attacks and devastates a strongly defended fortification, while Company I moves to the base of the objective. Company L’s attack captures a headquarters, seemingly that of a corps and possibly the primary enemy headquarters posted in Seoul. Planes arrive to hammer the retreating column, just as the U.S. soldiers bolt into action. The enemy troops are bludgeoned and rocked into a state of shock. Meanwhile, Company I storms the crest of the hill. The combined effort of the planes and the 32nd Regiment demolishes five enemy tanks and destroys or captures about forty other vehicles. Additional prizes include seven machine guns, several artillery pieces and two ammunition depots. The enemy force loses about 500 killed. In other activity, the S.K. 17th Regiment controls Hills 292 and 348, following its night-long assault. The seized terrain commands the highway four miles east of Seoul. By day’s end, all enemy resistance is cleared from the 32nd Regiment’s sector, giving it an impressive record covering its actions over the past eight days. The 32nd has secured all of its assigned objectives, about 15 percent of the fortified portion of Seoul and South Mountain. Also, patrols of the 1st Marines probe the right flank and establish contact with Company E, 32nd Regiment, at the western foundation of South Mountain. During today’s fighting, the 32nd Regiment sustains 6 killed, 92 wounded and three MIAs. In the Eighth Army area, there is some apprehension at headquarters. General Walker and his staff prefer that X Corps be incorporated under the control of Eighth Army. Walker is convinced that there should be a unified command over all U.N. troops in Korea. However, no written record shows Walker ever bringing his concerns directly to MacArthur. Today, Walker does request of MacArthur that he be kept informed of X Corps’ progress, to afford Walker a clearer focus to prepare for the imminent convergence of the two forces. On the following day, Walker receives a response from MacArthur. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, General Gay meets with his commanders and he issues the order to attack at 1200. The 7th Cavalry will spearhead the advance.

September 26, 1950 In the 7th Cavalry zone, TF Lynch departs Poun at 1130 and speeds northwest to link with the 7th Division (X Corps). Task Force Lynch remains unchanged, except that the artillery unit is composed of only Battery C, 77th FABn. The vanguard is composed of the Regimental I&R Platoon and the 3rd Platoon of tanks (70th Tank Bn.), commanded by Lieutenant Robert W. Baker. Colonel Lynch orders Baker to withhold his fire unless the enemy initiates the action. The armor and infantry speed along the highway without incident and encounter only South Korean civilians. During the middle of the afternoon, the column passes through deserted Ch’ongju, and later, it halts at Ipchang-ni. The column halts after traveling about sixty-four miles due to lack of gasoline, and no refueling truck accompanies the convoy. Extra gas cans are collected from the other vehicles and the troops refuel three of the six tanks. At about the same time, several men of the I&R Platoon spot what they believe to be an approaching enemy tank. The U.S. tanks prepare for action, but the approaching danger turns out to be three enemy trucks. When they notice they are within the clutches of the Americans, all three drivers bolt from their moving vehicles. One of the careening trucks comes to a stop after crashing into an I& R Platoon jeep. The Americans commandeer the enemy’s gasoline to refuel the remaining armor, and the convoy resumes the advance at about 2000. Colonel Lynch, having received permission to use his discretion, orders the convoy to turn on its vehicles’ lights. Lynch also grants Lieutenant Baker permission to fire at the enemy if necessary. The convoy increases its speed and about 2030, it reaches the main Seoul Highway, slightly south of Ch’onan. The task force soon discovers that the town is full of enemy troops. Undaunted, Baker advances in the lead vehicle and the convoy reaches a guarded intersection. Undecided about which way to lead the convoy, he points his finger and inquires of an enemy sentry: “Osan?” The sentry nods, but looks as if he has seen a ghost. He vanishes in the darkness. The convoy roars through the town while congregations of enemy troops merely meander about and watch the task force pass. The convoy holds its fire until it is through the town and on the heels of an enemy contingent of about company strength. The enemy contingent is raked with machine gun fire. The three point tanks advance too far and lose communications with the main force. Meanwhile, Colonel Lynch forms a new point and the task force resumes the advance, spearheaded by one platoon of infantry and bolstered by a bazooka team and a .50-caliber ring mounted machine gun. At a point about ten miles south of Osan, the distinct sounds of tank and artillery fire are heard. Immediately, Colonel Lynch orders the convoy’s lights turned off. In the meantime, the three lead tanks continue their rapid advance and pass through Osan at full throttle, then

422 they pause to check out the situation. Baker believes he hears the vehicles of the TF to his rear, but his detachment spots enemy tank tracks. A large number of T-34s are nearby, but due to the darkness and probably poor communications, the enemy assumes Baker’s tanks are part of their force, and they pass without incident. When the tanks reach a point about three miles north of Osan, they come under enemy fire. The three tanks blaze through the barrage and soon after, discover American M-26 tank tracks, which signal that Baker’s tanks are approaching X Corps lines. However, X Corps expects no friendly tanks. As Baker’s column approaches the perimeter, elements of the 31st Regiment, 7th Division, commence fire, including that of recoilless rifles. Eighth Army has now established contact with X Corps, but it isn’t exactly as planned. One of the incoming shells hits the third tank in line, severing its .50-caliber machine gun and decapitating one crewman. Baker’s tanks continue to race through the friendly fire and burst into the U.S. lines. Baker’s small force receives a bonus. Engineers have just removed the mines along his approach route to accommodate an imminent attack by the 31st Regiment. Additionally, the X Corps tanks purposely hold their fire. The crews think they might be American, once they see the tanks are coming in with lights on and traveling at high speed. Nonetheless, the triggers are ready and only the first tank is to be permitted an unmolested entrance. The second tank is destroyed. Suddenly, and fortuitously, a white phosphorous grenade illuminates the American white star on one of TF Lynch’s tanks, and it is seen by the X Corps tanks. Subsequent to the jubilant link-up, Lieutenant Baker and the tankers with the 31st Regiment try unsuccessfully to contact Colonel Lynch. The main body of the task force lags behind Baker by about one hour, and the route is becoming much more precarious. The convoy proceeds with its lights out and reaches a point shy of Habong-ni at about 2400. The midnight hour rings of potential danger. Colonel Lynch glances at a T-34 that is about twenty yards from the road; it appears to be out of action, like most of the enemy armor encountered along the route. Lynch motions to Captain James B. Webel (Regimental S-3), and he mentions that the Air Force had probably taken the tank out. At about this time, the tank commences firing, and in an instant, an undiscovered tank begins to pound the column. The infantry scatters for cover and a bazooka team speeds back from the point to exterminate the ambush contingent. The first T-34 is blown away, but the second tank rams the column. It maintains its fire and crashes into several vehicles. A recoilless rifle batters the charging tank, and afterward, it becomes entangled with a damaged U.S. vehicle and finally stalls, but its guns remain operable. A bazooka team attempts to destroy it, but the bazooka doesn’t fire. Captain Webel creeps up to the immobilized tank and attempts to board it to deposit a grenade down the hatch.

423 Meanwhile, the T-34 breaks loose and nearly crushes Webel in the process. Webel commandeers a five-gallon can of gasoline and reinitiates his attack. He douses the rear of the T-34 with the combustible fuel and then funnels some directly onto the engine. It explodes immediately and Webel is catapulted from the inferno. He lands about twenty feet behind the burning tank. Webel emerges with only some superficial wounds on his face and hands and two broken ribs. In the meantime, the exchange of fire and the flames from the burning tank attract the attention of other nearby tanks. Colonel Lynch hears the approaching armor, but he cannot verify that they are the tanks with Lieutenant Baker. Taking precautions, Lynch orders the road blocked with a truck. Soon after, two tanks encroach and they are definitely T-34s. One of the North Koreans in his native tongue yells: “What the Hell goes on here?” At the first sound of the inquiry, the Americans open fire. The T-34s snap their hatches closed and begin firing. The truck that blocks their passage explodes in flames. Meanwhile, the three remaining U.S. tanks move up to neutralize the enemy advantage. And then, the enemy ups the ante. Eight additional T-34s arrive on the scene. The armor exchanges bloody blows in the darkness, and the Americas are being struck hard. One T-34 is destroyed, but the North Koreans knock out two of the three task force tanks. Captain Webel disregards his wounds and rushes forward to end the threat. He dashes past several Americans who are holding a bazooka with ammunition, but no one in the detachment knows how to operate the weapon. Webel grabs the bazooka and goes into action. He knocks out two tanks. The enemy troops bolt from their disabled tank only to be met by Webel, who greets them with a submachine gun. Hurriedly, they flee. Meanwhile, Sergeant Willard H. Hopkins boards an enemy tank and slides a grenade down the open hatch to destroy the crew and the tank. Hopkins then forms an improvised bazooka team to continue the hunt. The enemy tanks are being eliminated, one by one, as the battle rages outside of Habong-ni. The remaining enemy tanks continue to fire against the Americans. Some manage to advance well into the depth of the convoy. One tank crashes forward, ringing fire and smashing into vehicles as it moves, until it reaches the southern end of the convoy — point-blank range for a waiting 105 howitzer. The raging T-34 is transformed into debris. Hopkins had attempted to take out this tank, but he became caught in a cross-fire and was killed. The ferocious contest lasts for about one hour and is costly, but the U.S. infantry takes the day. Seven of the ten T34s are destroyed and the remaining three scoot in the opposite direction. TF Lynch sustains 2 men killed and 28 wounded. In addition to the loss of two tanks, the TF loses 15 vehicles. Subsequent to the action, Task Force Lynch remains in place until daylight. In the 24th Division sector, the 19th Regiment leapfrogs over the 21st Regiment and drives to Yongdong,

September 26, 1950 seizing it without incident. Three Americans discovered in the local jail are freed. The 19th Regiment then drives toward Okch’on, about 10 miles east of Taejon. The column reaches the objective at 0200 on the 27th. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, at 0830, the 38th Regiment pushes contingents into Koch’ang. An enemy hospital is seized and 45 enemy wounded are captured. The 23rd Regiment arrives shortly thereafter. Later, during the evening, the regiment advances fourteen miles without incident and reaches Anui at 1930. The regiment discovers the area to be a labyrinth of soggy, flooded rice paddies. The town’s roads are capable of handling the vehicles, but they cannot stray from the highway. The area still contains enemy contingents. They will strike during the night (26th-27th). In the 25th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, crosses the Nam and then as vanguard, it drives northwest to Uiryong and seizes it before noon. The remainder of the regiment follows. TF Matthews is to attack west toward Hadong and from there it is to swing northwest and drive against Iri, Kumje, Kunsan, Kurye, Namwon and Sunch’ang, but the drive does not begin until the following day. The 228-mile drive from Chinju to the Kum River culminates on September 30. In the meantime, Task Force Dolvin, operating on the right, jumps off at 0600. The column departs Chinju, its infantry transported atop the rear of the tanks. The column drives northwest toward Hamyang, tracing the steps of the retreating N.K. 6th Division. The 35th Regiment follows TF Dolvin through this dense, nasty terrain, which has been a sanctuary for guerrillas and other Communist forces. The task force must maneuver through the eastern and northern sides of the rugged, mountainous Chiri-san area. TF Dolvin travels 138 miles during its advance from Chinju to the Kum River, and it encounters mines early on. Several miles out, the lead tank hits a mine and the entire column stalls. Engineers dislodge 11 additional mines from the road and the column resumes its advance, but it enters a new minefield and another tank is damaged. At a third minefield, an enemy contingent unsuccessfully attempts to block the column. The North Koreans are quickly dispersed. The task force discovers 9 vehicles about seven truckloads of ammunition, plus six antitank guns. Later, at about dark, the enemy blows a bridge just north of Hajon-ni. Task Force Dolvin fabricates another crossing and fords the stream during the night (26th-27th). On the following day, the task force again encounters resistance. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 8th Division seizes Andong. Some forward contingents advance farther northwest and drive into Yech’on. In Air Force activity, The 22nd Bomber Group strikes targets in the vicinity of Haeju. The mission is executed by 22 B-29s and they hit an ammunition manufacturing complex. Also, B29s attached to the 92nd Bomber Group attack targets in the vicinity of Hungnam, including the Pujon hydroelectric plant. The air strikes executed this day terminate the first strategic bombing phase against North Korean targets.

September 27, 1950 In other activity, at Taegu, Fifth Air Force establishes the provisional 543rd Tactical Support Group for the purpose of overseeing the Air Force’s tactical reconnaissance squadrons in Korea. — In the United States: The Marine Corps announces that on this day, its 138 organized reserve ground units have within the last 43 days reported for duty. — In Japan: At 1410, General MacArthur signs and publicizes United Nations Command Communique 9, which states that Seoul is liberated. Similarly to the announcement of General Almond, the proclamation is premature. Bloody fighting still ensues throughout the city and by dusk, X Corps controls only about half of it. The proclamation states: “Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, is again in friendly hands. United Nations forces including the 17th Regiment of the ROK Army and elements of the U.S. 7th and 1st Marine Divisions, have completed the envelopment and seizure of the city.” Nonetheless, more of the enemy will have to be eliminated before the entire city is secure. In other activity, MacArthur’s headquarters in Tokyo dispatches a radio message to X Corps in Korea explaining that Eighth Army is closing on X Corps positions and contact should occur at any time. Identical messages are forwarded to NAVFE and to Far East Air Forces. All parties are instructed to take every precaution to ensure that these advancing units are not brought under fire. In other activity, General Edwin Wright receives a memorandum from General Hickey (deputy of chief of staff, FEC), informing him that MacArthur wants a plan developed that would incorporate X Corps as the amphibious invasion force to be committed at Wonsan. General Wright (G-3), head of JSPOG, has the plans forwarded to MacArthur within several hours. The plan, detailing the advance into North Korea, calls for X Corps to land at Wonsan on the east coast or “elsewhere” while Eighth Army concentrates to the west. The plan sparks controversy, as it creates two separate field commands that will split the forces. Wonsan is a likely candidate for the invasion site. It has been the bloodline of Russian supplies being shipped by sea from Vladivostok, and its rail line leads directly north to Vladivostok. The east coast seaport of Wonsan also fills the bill of a geographic swivel, capable of catapulting troops to various strategic locations. These include the prime real estate at Hamhung–Hungnam, fifty miles north. A force also could easily be shot west across the peninsula to P’yongyang.

September 27 Inchon–Seoul vicinity: Seoul still contains an abundance of snipers in buildings and the remaining fortified blockades. One by one, the roadblocks are crumbling. The 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, advances north through the city against fierce opposition. Enemy guns hold up Company C near the rail station. Tanks roll forward to take the brunt of the resistance and blow holes in the defenses. Flamethrow-

424 ers and M-26s fire incessantly, but enemy fire knocks out one armored vehicle and a mine takes out another before the blockage is clear. Soon after, the attack grinds eastward to reduce the remaining opposition. Company E moves on the left while Company A drives on the right, each eliminating the barricades that stand in its path. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, grinds down Ma-Po Boulevard against rigid opposition during the first phase of its assault. The battalion drives to the French Consulate and captures it just prior to 1100. The Marines briskly propel Old Glory up the staff. The flag-raising event is the prelude to the recapture of the U.S. Embassy. During the struggle for the streets of Seoul, a pitched battle erupts at the city’s primary intersection, and the arrival of Lieutenant Cummings’ tanks is a welcome sight. Company D, under the umbrella of the armor, penetrates directly into the hornet’s nest, defended by self-propelled guns. Cummings’ tank knocks two guns out of commission, but then his tank strikes a mine and becomes damaged. Meanwhile, one enemy truck, with a howitzer in tow, is destroyed by Sergeant Mcdonald’s tank as it attempts escape. The advance maintains a steady pace, despite the inability of the 7th Marines to connect with the 1st Marines. By 1530, the Marines whip through the rugged urban streets and secure the Russian Consulate Embassy. Elements of Company E, 2nd Battalion, commanded by Captain Charles D. Frederick, remove the Russian colors and replace them with the Stars and Stripes. Within ten minutes, the Marines dash another 350 yards to the U.S. Consulate, and at 1537, Old Glory is unfurled atop the nearby U.S. Embassy, which still contains a contingent of North Koreans that control a machine gun. The North Koreans capitulate without firing a shot. Company D, operating south of the government compound, drives east, but severe incoming fire from three separate directions halts progress. The Marines take cover in buildings while Corsairs zoom overhead and lace the street with deadly iron streamers that crash within one block of the stalled company. In conjunction with the air strikes, the 1st Platoon, again covered by tank fire, jumps farther ahead in the wake of each pass of the aircraft. The 1st Platoon then lunges forward, taking a wide leap to terminate the resistance. The riflemen and BARmen fire incessantly as they advance and crush the resistance by 1630. The city of Seoul belongs to the U.S. Marines. Although the battle is won, some remnant snipers and several small pockets of Communist troops remain. The Marines, the S.K. Marines and the S.K. police execute mop-up operations. Subsequent to the termination of the organized opposition, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of Chesty Puller’s 1st Marines ignore the lingering sniper fire and march to the eastern sector of the city to establish night positions there. In the 5th Marines sector, at the northern part of Seoul, the enemy resistance finally dissipates, permitting a more

425 rapid advance. Sodaemun is seized without incident by Company E, but too late. A Korean civilian reports that the Communists, anticipating the loss of Seoul, had recently removed about 400 American POWs and shipped them north. Meanwhile, the primary attack of the 5th Marines occurs farther south. At 0645, the 3rd Battalion advances to seize the eastern knob of Hill 296, and then its principal objective, Government House. All the while, huge spirals of smoke still ring upward from the charred and shattered city, half-choking the men of Companies G and I as they clear the heights. To their surprise, they encounter no heavy fire; rather, the remnant defenders on the ridge offer only sporadic sniper fire. Once the high ground is secured, the Marines drive to seize their sector of Seoul. By about 0730, Companies G and I descend the heights and begin plowing through the streets in the western sector of the city. The ground Marines, with supporting engineers and tanks, encounter resistance. Individually, the obstacles along the streets are destroyed and within two hours, elements of Company G establish contact with the 1st Marines. Without pause, the 3rd Battalion presses forward, driving north. Prior to 1030, it secures Seoul Middle School and the heights (Hill 79) north of the school. From here, the Marines lurch against Kwang Who Moon Circle, which boasts the final enemy barricade that raises organized resistance. The Marine tanks advance to crush the barrier. One tank, a flamethrower, nudges close to the blockade at the intersection and unleashes steady bursts of flame that terminate the opposition. From the reduced plaza, Company G, 3rd Battalion, moves without incident to Government House. At 1508, simultaneously, the Marines run down North Korean flags that are flying on two poles at opposite ends of the building. In quick motion, twin U.S. flags are immediately catapulted to the top of the flagpoles, signaling the retaking of the capital. The occupants of the Government House apparently had not expected to be evicted. When Marines enter the unoccupied building, they discover warm food. After vanquishing the organized resistance, the 3rd Battalion reverts to eliminating the remaining snipers and stragglers. In the evening the 3rd Battalion establishes its command post in Government House. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, which is trailing the 3rd Battalion, reaches the Seoul Middle School during the morning. From there, it swings left and drives north toward another strategic target, Hill 338, situated about one mile northwest of Government House. The attack commences at 1300, following air strikes and an artillery and mortar barrage. Initially, the 1st Platoon, Company A, surges forward and gains some high ground. Then the 2nd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Edward Collins, shoots around the left of a wall and climbs to seize the summit. But heavy enemy fire causes a temporary suspension of the advance to allow planes to arrive and quell the resistance.

September 27, 1950 The Marine pilots roar over the area and plunder the enemy positions on the crest. This devastating fire is followed by a heavy concentration of mortars, which provides ample cover fire. The Marines advance behind the whizzing shells and hammer the enemy. The 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Nicholas Trapnell, springs to a knoll just below the towering peak. In conjunction, the 2nd Platoon reinitiates its assault against the summit and it advances to the left of the wall. At about the same time, the 3rd Platoon, led by Sergeant George Bolkow, operating on the right, bolts to the front and becomes the vanguard. The 3rd Platoon bursts through the final resistance and secures the summit of Hill 338 at 1508, to complete the mission of the 3rd Battalion. It now controls the Seoul–Pyongyang Highway at the northwest edge of Seoul. After dark, the bulk of the remaining enemy troops in Seoul abscond. In the 7th Marines sector, in the 1st Battalion zone, near the area dubbed “Haengju Front,” the enemy pops out of the northern hills at about 1200 and drives toward the old ferry crossing at Hill 125. En route, the Communists encounter Company A, commanded by Captain David Banks, the designated guardians of a roadblock at Ryokokyu. Soon after, Company C, commanded by Captain Richard Delamar III, is thrown into the fight to ensure the safety of the bridgehead. The heated exchange ensues without pause and causes the Marines to add more punch. One platoon of Company B bolsters the bridgehead and the slugfest ends. The enemy disengages and bolts for Kaesong. In the 2nd Battalion zone, a contingent that includes tanks, infantry and engineers rolls down the Kaesong Highway and easily establishes contact with Company D. The battle-weary troops, isolated between Hills 238 and 296 since the 25th, are easily rescued. The column then returns to Hoengjeoe, again against no significant resistance. At about the same time, the 3rd Battalion, supported by fire from the 2nd Battalion, jumps off to reduce the northern portion of Hill 338. The assault meets rigid resistance. Companies H and G advance on the left and right respectively. Company H then maneuvers through a precarious draw on the right of Company G, while Company I advances on the left flank of G Company. And then, unexpected heavy fire pours down from the heights. One platoon (Company H), the 3rd, led by Lieutenant Paul Denny, shoots forward, but the 1st and 2nd platoons remain stalled, forcing Captain Shields, the company commander, to reel it back rather than risk isolation. In the meantime, Company I temporarily shifts its positions to bolster Company H, but still the stiff enemy fire prevents advance. Company I then reinitiates its original mission and begins to drive north to reduce the remaining obstinate resistance on the farstrung knobs of Hill 338. Later, Company G is ordered to depart from its ridge line position and strike against Hill 342 to the east. To bolster the assault, Colonel

September 27, 1950 Litzenberg, during mid-morning, orders his 2nd Battalion to strike Hill 343, located about 2,500 yards north of its lines. Like the other ongoing assaults, this, too, is a methodical advance against ferocious enemy fire and over nasty ground. Companies E and F, commanded by Captains Walter Phillips and Elmer Zorn, respectively, launch the attack. Company F advances on the left while Company E, to the right, plows straight ahead. Following a tedious contest, the Marines take the objective by dusk. Company E commands the summit. Meanwhile, Company G, commanded by Captain Cooney, is heavily engaged at Hill 342. Initially, the advance progresses well. It

426 safely passes through a complicated enemy minefield without incident, compliments of South Koreans who had marked the mines. However, upon reaching the objective, the Marines are greeted by sniper fire. The 1st Platoon advances to provide cover fire while the 2nd and 3rd Platoons assault the objective. Enemy fire bars the 1st Platoon from reaching its designated positions in the heights. Meanwhile, the other two platoons advance, but lacking cover fire, they, too, are unable to ascend from the low ground on the slope. For the rest of the day, the enemy on Hill 342 continues to hold the high ground. The 7th Marines have reduced Hill 343 but it still shares occupancy with the

A Marine rifleman, from inside a damaged building, fires at the enemy while two others hold under some cover.

427 enemy on Hills 338 and 342. In conjunction, the 7th Marines, covering the period September 23–27, report 375 enemy dead and 34 prisoners. The regiment captures six rifles, four machine guns and about 600 bayonets. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, at Suwon, the 31st Regiment prepares to initiate its assault to seize the heights at Osan. At about dawn, when the flanking force arrives at Osan, it is fired upon by an N.K. tank, but a bazooka team takes action and knocks the tank out. The contingent then passes through Osan and drives north toward the high ground. Simultaneously, the other task force begins to drive south, but it encounters resistance that, as suspected, is part of the 105th N.K. Armored Division. Enemy tanks and antitank guns bolster the ground troops. The combat that emerges along the highway continues to intensify as the day passes, but progress is slow. Toward the end of the grueling day, the 31st Regiment’s two task forces converge near Hill 113, which contains the bulk of the enemy force. The task forces establish a night perimeter there. During the two attacks, the enemy sustains the loss of 300 troops. In addition, 14 enemy tanks, 6 antitank guns and a few mortars are destroyed. Lt. Colonel Robert Summers, 2nd Battalion, commanding officer, and Major Lester Olson, Regimental S-3, become seriously wounded. In the 32nd Regimental zone, at South Mountain, the day remains relatively tranquil, while the regiment awaits the arrival of the 1st Marines at the conclusion of its attack. Later in the day, the Marines come abreast of the 32nd, facing east. In other activity, the 32nd Regiment reports its casualties for this day as 32 killed, 33 wounded and nine MIAs; however, many of these had been sustained during the previous day’s heavy fighting at South Mountain. (See also, In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, 7th Cavalry zone, this date.) In other activity, General Gay, commanding officer, 1st Cavalry Division, arrives at Osan prior to noon. The 1st Cavalry’s TF-777 does not participate in the ongoing attack of the 31st Regiment, but Gay, upon conferring with a 31st regimental battalion commander, offers to commit the 8th Cavalry to bolster the assault. Gay also agrees to commit the 77th and 99th FABns and one tank company. The battalion commander (31st Regiment), according to Gay, informs him that he will need authorization from higher authority. There is no confirmation of any conversations concerning 1st Cavalry participation, but the cavalry is not called upon to assist. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker receives a response from General MacArthur regarding his inquiry of the previous day. If Walker had retained any hope that X Corps would be coming under the authority of Eighth Army, he now knows it will not occur. MacArthur informs Walker that X Corps will be retained as GHQ Reserve and that it will be confined to occupation of the Inchon-Seoul vicinity, while awaiting new GHQ orders. MacArthur tells Walker that he

September 27, 1950 will be “appraised” of the X Corps situation at an “early date.” In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, 7th Cavalry zone, the enemy lies in wait for the approach of TF Lynch, which resumes its advance at 0700, but the marching column expects trouble. The point detachment comes under fire by a tank, but the threat is quickly eradicated by a bazooka team. Shortly thereafter, the column is fired upon by an enemy machine gun crew. Lieutenant William Woodside mounts an immediate charge that crushes the resistance. Then, the task force encounters two abandoned enemy tanks, but this time, Colonel Lynch takes no chances. Both tanks are destroyed. Task Force Lynch enters Osan at 0800. In less than one half-hour, at 0826, contingents of Companies K and L, 7th Cavalry, encounter contingents of Company H, 31st Regiment, 7th Division, at a bridge slightly north of Osan. Task Force 777 informs General Gay that contact has been established between Eighth Army and X Corps this day, at 0826 near Osan. In the 24th Division sector, the 19th Regiment pulls into Okch’on at 0200 and takes a slight pause. Once the tanks are refueled, the attack resumes. At 0530, the regiment rolls out of town and the enemy is there to meet it. One tank stumbles upon a mine, and immediately following the detonation, an antitank gun demolishes the tank. This is enjoined by heavy fire originating in the heights west of Okch’on. The 1st Battalion mounts an attack, but it gains little ground against the granite resistance. Meanwhile, thousands of enemy troops continue to abandon the Taejon vicinity. The Air Force maintains heat on the besieged city and the nearby strong points, while the ground troops continue to gnaw forward. About 300 enemy prisoners, representing seven separate divisions, are captured during the day. This makes it clear that Taejon is a major point of convergence for the units, which are retreating from positions both south and west of Waegwan. The reports of tanks destroyed conflict; the figures are inflated: the Air Force claims twenty kills, including thirteen near Taejon and eight additional tanks damaged. The ground forces also report thirteen kills outside Taejon; Company A, 19th Regiment bazooka teams claim three of these. At day’s end, the 19th Regiment prepares to launch another attack in the morning. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the 23rd Regiment remains in Anui, its troops confined to the town due to flooded paddies. At 0400, the enemy commences a deadly mortar and artillery attack. The commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, Lt. Colonel R.G. Sherrard, is severely wounded when the command post is struck and his staff is decimated. The battalion executive officer, the S-2, assistant S-3, the artillery liaison officer and one antiaircraft officer are killed by the blast. The pre-dawn bombardment also wounds twenty-five enlisted men (Regimental and Headquarters Companies).

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teen aircraft arrive to extinguish the threat. The firepower of the F-51s is strongly felt by the enemy, and following the delivery of the bombs, napalm and rockets, the task force reinitiates the assault. The charge succeeds and the infantry pushes through, bypassing about 600 North Koreans, but again the column stalls when it arrives at a blown bridge. In other activity, TF Matthews, trailed by the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, attacks at 1000. It drives toward Hadong. Along the route, the column continues to hear news of retreating North Koreans and their American captives. The pace accelerates to close the gap, but the enemy remains about four hours ahead. When the column reaches Hadong at 1730, refugees report that one contingent of enemy troops and its captives are only about one-half hour ahead. The column swings northwest in A Marine fires a sub machine gun (.45-caliber M3) during fighting in Seoul, hot pursuit. while another uses a radio. TF Matthews reaches Komdu, about ten miles disIn other activity, Hill 409 near Hyongp’ung is abantant, and rescues eleven American soldiers (3rd Battaldoned prior to dawn by elements of the N.K. 10th Diion, 29th Regiment). Most are unable to walk, and it vision. The remaining contingents cross to the west is evident that the North Koreans have administered bank of the Naktong, terminating organized enemy reno medical treatment to their wounds. sistance east of the river. Contingents of the U.S. 9th In the ROK II Corps area, S.K. 8th Division sector, elRegiment enter Hyongp’ung during the afternoon. In ements advance to Tanyang, near the upper Han River. the meantime, two companies of the 2nd Battalion, In the Capital Division sector, the Division advances 9th Regiment, secure Hill 409 without incident. On the north through the mountains and moves into Ch’unfollowing day, the 2nd Battalion crosses the Naktong. yang, about thirty-one miles east of the advancing S.K. In other activity, on or about this date, the com8th Division. manding officer of the N.K. I Corps disbands his head— In Japan: General MacArthur is informed by the quarters at Choch’iwon. He and some other N.K. ofJoint Chiefs of Staff that he is now authorized to cross ficers head for the Taebaek Mountains. the 38th Parallel to complete the destruction of the In the 25th Division sector, Task Force Dolvin reNorth Korean forces. The orders stipulate that no U.N. sumes its attack toward Hamyang, but the enemy troops are to cross the Yalu River into Chinese or mounts heavy opposition. The lead tank in the column Soviet territory and they mandate that only South becomes damaged after it hits a mine. In the meanKorean units should proceed to the border. The intime, enemy troops scattered about the nearby ridges structions also direct MacArthur, if feasible, to unite initiate mortar and small arms fire. The U.S. infantry all of Korea under the leadership of Syngman Rhee. fails to dislodge the enemy on the right side of the highHowever, MacArthur is informed that this directive is way, but the tanks eliminate the resistance on the left subject to change, depending on the unfolding circumside of it. Planes are called upon to subdue the resiststances. The JCS mandate in their directive that ance and bolster another infantry assault. MacArthur is to focus on the intentions of the Soviets Meanwhile, General Kean arrives on the scene. Sixand Chinese and inform the JCS immediately if he

429 concludes that they might be preparing to enter the conflict. General MacArthur is also ordered to dispatch his plan of operations concerning the crossing of the 38th Parallel to the JCS for their approval. MacArthur balks at the suggestion that he should seek approval. He requests authorization to cross the 38th Parallel if the North Koreans refuse to surrender. MacArthur receives an answer on the 29th.

September 28 Inchon-Seoul vicinity: Seoul falls to X Corps. The North Koreans are retreating north toward Uijongbu. However, prior to evacuating the city, the Communists wreak havoc on the suspected families of the S.K. troops, guerrillas and policemen. Despicable atrocities occur. During the latter part of the day, Generals O.P. Smith and Edward Craig transfer the 1st Marine Division’s CP from Oeoso-ri to Seoul. In the 1st Marines sector, the 1st and 2nd Battalions resume the attack at 0645, while the 3rd Battalion remains in reserve. It and the 2nd S.K. Marine Battalion execute mop-up missions in the rear. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, sweep the northeast section of Seoul. The battalion overcomes mines and advances against light opposition. In contrast, the 1st Battalion encounters many mines and some solid opposition even though organized resistance has been shattered. Combined, the 1st and 2nd Battalions clear the remainder of Seoul. By dark, the 1st Marines advances to Hill 133 to afford the regiment domination of the Seoul–Uijongbu–Ch’orwon Highway at the northeast fringe of Seoul. The 7th Marines’ attack against Hill 224, about one mile farther north, and becomes stalled by fierce resistance. In the 5th Marines sector, patrols are dispatched throughout the day, but all are without incident. The 5th Marines, subsequent to gaining its objectives, is pinched out by the 1st and 7th Marines. The regiment

September 28, 1950 assembles near the Women’s University in Seoul. Colonel Murray establishes his headquarters with the perimeter of the university. In the 7th Marines sector, elements of the 7th Marines drive down the main road and secure the heights between Seoul and Uijongbu. The enemy raises stiff resistance to protect their escape routes to Uijongbu. During the day’s fighting, Lt. Colonel Thornton Hinkle, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, becomes wounded, and he is evacuated. Major Sawyer replaces him. The day’s prizes include about 75 tons of dynamite, all of it manufactured in the U.S. and thought to have been captured by the North Koreans from the ROKs during the initial stages of the invasion into the south. Colonel Litzenberg establishes his headquarters slightly west of Ducksoo Palace, where Colonel Puller establishes the 1st Marines headquarters. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, in the 31st Regimental sector, naval air strikes are scheduled to hit enemy-held Hills 92 and 113 at about noon to crack the remaining resistance there. The infantry, as ordered, at 0830 begins pulling back from its positions of the previous night as a precaution against being bombed by mistake. The planes arrive on schedule and attack the targets, including a rail tunnel near Hill 92, for about fifty minutes. After the air strikes, artillery (57th and 92nd FABn) and mortar fire begin pounding the slopes until just before 1330. When the guns cease firing, Companies K and L drive against Hill 113. They overcome nominal resistance and seize it by 1515. Company K deploys on Hill 113 and it provides cover fire for Company L, which drives to Hill 92. The objective is quickly seized, giving the regiment domination of both hills within one hour. Enemy survivors retire eastward. The 31st Regiment sustains no casualties during the mission, which clears the highway between Suwon and Osan. The regiment buries more than 100 Communists troops.

U.S. Marines and tanks move through Seoul during the battle for control of the city.

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Supplies on a pier in Pusan. On the previous day, General Gay had offered to commit elements of the 1st Cavalry to bolster the 31st Regimental attack, but the 8th Cavalry remained out of the fight. General Barr, commanding officer, 7th Infantry Division, states that he was never informed of General Gay’s offer. In the Eighth Army area, since Eighth Army’s crossing of the Naktong, the Communists continue to increase the massacre of South Koreans. At Sach’on, the jail is torched, and about 280 police, government officials and civilians are burned to death. Other enemy occupied towns, such as Chonju, Hamyang, Kongju, Mokp’o and Anui, are found to contain mass burial sites. The victims include women and children. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, arrives at Pusan. Soon after, it will join the British 27th Brigade at Kumch’on. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the swift advance of the Division has caught many enemy units in a clamp. Contingents of the N.K. 105th Armored Division are isolated in the vicinity of Ansong and P’yongt’aek. Very few of these enemy troops reach North Korea. Other remnant forces of various units are trapped in the vicinity of Taejon. In the 7th Cavalry zone, ten enemy tanks pound a contingent of the 16th Reconnaissance Company near P’yongt’aek. The detachment sustains casualties, but reinforcements arrive to extricate the besieged unit. Contingents of both Company K, 7th Cavalry, and Company C, 70th Tank Battalion, arrive and encounter

the enemy tanks. Fighter bombers also arrive overhead. The combined thrust of the 7th Cavalry and the aircraft destroys 7 of the 10 tanks. The planes destroy five of the T-34s. In the 24th Division sector, at 0700, the Air Force again lambastes the enemy positions in the heights west of Okch’on, preceding an attack by the 2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment. After the air strike, the battalion drives up the slopes. Surprisingly, it encounters no resistance. During the previous night, the enemy had abandoned the slopes. However, about 800 enemy troops are detected by aircraft as they flee from Taejon while the air strikes are in progress. One other retreating contingent is discovered west of Taejon, moving toward Choch’iwon. Just west of Taejon, the Air Force targets a group of about 1,000 enemy troops. The planes strafe the columns and scorch the area with napalm. In the meantime, the 19th Regiment and engineers prepare to retake the city, which had been seized from them during July. At 1630, a forward detachment of scouts (2nd Bn., 19th Reg.) and engineers (Company C, 3rd Eng. Bn.) move into Taejon, followed within an hour by the main column of the 19th Regiment. Meanwhile, a 24th Division liaison plane lands at the airstrip at 1800, and by 1830, the regiment secures Taejon. The recapture of the city brings exhilaration to the 19th Regiment and the engineers of Company C. The two units were among the final elements to abandon the city on July 20.

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September 28, 1950 However, the good spirits are short-lasting, as the Americans discover more atrocities. In and around Taejon, about 5,000 to 7,000 South Koreans have been massacred. The scenes are grisly. The dead had been tied together in groups, ranging between 100 and 200 people, and each had his hands bound behind his back prior to execution. Forty American soldiers captured during the earlier fighting and 17 South Korean soldiers are among the murdered masses. Only 6 people cheat death. Two Americans, one S.K. soldier and three civilians remain alive when the city is taken. The six survivors, thought to be dead, had only been wounded and were feigning death when buried alive. A group of 500 massacred South Korean troops, each with their hands tied behind their backs, is discovered near the Taejon airstrip. The appalling sights are witnessed by hundreds of American troops, including Generals Milburn and Church, and the innumerable official reports are not exaggerated. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, elements of the 23rd Regiment, driving from the east, approach Hamyang. Contact is made with TF Dolvin at an intersection east of the town. In the 9th Regiment sector, the 2nd Battalion, subsequent to being relieved by the 65th Regimental Combat Team at Hill 409, crosses the Naktong River and rejoins the 2nd Division there. In other activity, the 38th Regiment begins a seventy-three mile advance to Chonju. At 0400, the 2nd Battalion departs Kuch’ang and leads the way across the mountains. The enemy raises some resistance along the route, but the regiment eliminates it and continues on course. The column reaches Chonju in the western plain of Korea at 1315, after being on the road for nine and one-half hours. Once in Chonju, there is no time to relax. About 300 enemy defenders remain in the town. The 2nd Battalion shrinks the ranks of the N.K. 102nd and 104th Security Regiments as 170 prisoners are seized and about 100 additional Communists are killed. Following the skirmishes, the 2nd Battalion halts in Chonju; its vehicles have expended their fuel. The battalion informs a passing liaison plane of the situation, and division begins to deliver more gasoline. In the 25th Division sector, the 27th Regiment departs Uiryong and attacks toward Chinju against minimal resistance. Also, TF Dolvin resumes its attack at dawn and makes progress throughout the morning. It establishes contact with contingents of the 2nd Division at about 1100. Later, TF Dolvin approaches a bridge that is about to be blown. A passing liaison plane detects the enemy at work and alerts the TF. Colonel Dolvin speeds his tanks forward and they arrive just as the span is about to be blown. The enemy is interrupted by the clanging sounds of the tanks’ machine guns, and the bridge is then secured intact. The seizure upsets the enemy’s plans and permits the attack to continue. Once across the bridge, TF Dolvin advances at a steady

432 pace. It sprints about twenty miles per hour. By the middle of the afternoon, TF Dolvin pushes into Namwon and encounters contingents of the U.S. 24th Regiment and TF Matthews. TF Dolvin pauses there until slightly after midnight, before it pushes out toward Chonju. In the meantime, TF Matthews is back on the hunt in an attempt to rescue additional U.S. captives. The task force advances to a river crossing below Namwon at about noon. One tank crosses the river without incident, but those trailing become stuck and the column stalls. Sergeant Raymond Reifers, in the lead tank, continues to advance and he penetrates Namwon unnoticed by the enemy. Apparently, the North Koreans had become preoccupied with a pair of F-84 jets that are striking the town. Reifers moves his tank forward as if accompanied by a regiment. The unexpected armor becomes a great stimulant to the enemy. The North Koreans caught on the streets break for safety. They scamper over fences, and jump from roof to roof, then haphazardly scatter in all directions. The effort to escape prompts the enemy to abandon the American prisoners, although Sergeant Reifers’ tank stands alone in the town while the column remains stalled at the river. Reifers attempts to react accordingly, but he is surprised as voices begin to yell: “Don’t shoot! Americans!” And then, a gate flies open and Americans jam the street. At about the same time, back at the river, the radio in Lieutenant Sawyer’s tank bellows an urgent request for assistance from Reifers. He proclaims that the town is full of enemy troops, and that he has made contact with American captives. By this time, additional tanks cross the river and speed into town to encounter Reifer and 86 near-starved American soldiers. The remnant enemy troops in Namwon are eliminated. Sergeant Reifers is killed in action on 27 November of this year. Later, at about 1515, Task Force Dolvin arrives in Namwon. In conjunction, TF Blair moves out and continues to attack toward Chongup. TF Matthews remains in Namwon until the following day. In Air Force activity, the 7th Fighter Bomber Squadron arrives at Taegu from Itazuke, Japan. It is the first jet squadron to operate in Korea. In other activity, the Air Force’s first three jet reconnaissance planes (RB-45 Tornadoes) arrive in the Far East to participate in the conflict in Korea. Also, Lieutenant Ralph G. Hall (35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group), flying an F-51 Mustang, destroys an unidentified enemy fighter plane parked at the Pyongyang airfield. In Naval activity, a South Korean minesweeper, YMS-905, is damaged when it strikes an enemy mine off the east coast of Korea. Also, Admiral Turner Joy, commander, Naval Forces Far East, issues OpnO 17–50 regarding minesweeper operations off Korea. Things have changed drastically since the termination of World War II, when there was an abundance of ships to handle minesweeping. Only twelve U.S. minesweepers are involved at this time, due to the critical shortage of such vessels. The Japanese supply

433 nine vessels and the South Koreans provide three minesweepers, but the ships lack some of the essential equipment. Two of the U.S. vessels, the USS Doyle and the USS Endicott, are severely restricted by their large size and high-speed capacity. Three other U.S. vessels, the Incredible, Pirate and Pledge, are also too large to function properly in the shallow Korean waters. The remaining U.S. vessels — Chatterer, Kite, Merganser, Mockingbird, Osprey, Partridge and the Redhead— get the primary duty of clearing the mines off Wonsan; these smaller minesweepers each contain wooden hulls and move at slow speeds. Despite their sluggishness, the vessels are tough and easily adapted to the tedious chore.

September 29

In the X Corps area, the Corps has requested that the 1st Marine Division provide a band and two honor guards for the ceremony in Seoul; however, the Marines had not brought their instruments from Japan. It is suggested that the Marines send them by air, but in the meantime, General MacArthur makes it clear that there will be no fanfare at the ceremony celebrating the liberation of Seoul. At 1000, General MacArthur, having traveled from Japan, lands at Kimpo Airfield to preside over the restoration of a civilian government in Seoul. By the time MacArthur arrives, his path of advance into the city has been swept free of resistance, but the enemy had been active during the early morning hours. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, is posted along the route and the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, is deployed all around Government House. With many people, including politicians, citizens and military representatives of the combat units, in attendance, MacArthur begins the ceremony at 1200. He unabashedly refers to God during his short speech, referring to “a merciful Providence” while he reestablishes Syngman Rhee’s government. After his speech, MacArthur leads the audience in saying the Lord’s Prayer. President Syngman Rhee addresses the American military personnel in the audience and remarks, “How can I ever explain to you my own underlying gratitude and that of the Korean people.” General MacArthur departs Seoul immediately following the simple ceremony. His plane takes off from Kimpo Airfield at 1335, to the great relief of the Marines assigned to protect MacArthur and the other dignitaries. The Marines are quite aware that all the mines had not been extricated, and they remain concerned about snipers still in the area. U.S. Intelligence had estimated that Seoul had been defended by about 8,000 soldiers, and that another 5,000 were deployed in Yongdungp’o. In addition, about 7,000 reinforcements had arrived in the area after the invasion of Inchon. This gives the enemy about 20,000 troops, but another 10,000 to 13,000 are spread out between the Han River and Osan. Intelligence also suggests that about 10,000 other troops had been in the area, but either they were not thrown into the fighting or they arrived too late.

September 29, 1950 While in Korea, General MacArthur confers with General Almond (X Corps), General Stratemeyer (FEAF), General Walker (Eighth Army) and Admiral Joy (NFFE) with regards to the Wonsan Operation. During the conference, MacArthur specifies October 20 as the date the 1st Marine Division will land at Wonsan. Later in the day, General Almond confers with division commanders and various staff members at X Corps headquarters in Ascom City, outside Inchon, to discuss the Wonsan Operation. It is decided that D-Day for the invasion will be tentatively scheduled for October 15. Almond’s decision to invade on the 15th is founded on the assumption that Eighth Army will complete relief of X Corps by October 3. The Marines in attendance, including General Shepherd, feel strongly that the schedule laid out by Almond is not feasible, especially in view of the fact that the Marines are still deeply involved with terminating the ongoing Seoul operation. — Inchon-Seoul vicinity: In the X Corps area, all units are informed that another amphibious invasion will probably be undertaken and that it will occur on the east coast of Korea. In the 1st Marine Division zone, at 2000, OpnO 13–50 is issued. It sets forth directions for securing the captured capital. The order specifies that the attack continue eastward, while simultaneous reconnaissance patrols (in strength) probe north and northwest. In addition, the order stipulates that the 1st Marine Division relieve elements of the 7th Infantry Division posted north of the Han River, and that it seize defined blocking positions. In conjunction, the 1st Marines will deploy to the northeast, the 5th Marines to the northwest and the 7th Marines to the north, essentially forming a semi-circle around the capital. Also, the Marines receive responsibility for the area north of the Han River and west of the Pukhan River. In the 1st Marines sector, the enemy mounts two counterattacks, each against the 2nd Battalion. A rifle platoon defending an outpost to the front of the MLR is struck at 0445, but the assault fails. Soon after, the enemy strikes the left flank of the 2nd Battalion, but here, too, the enemy is easily thwarted. Much of the fighting is close-quartered and enemy grenades inflict the bulk of Marine casualties. A contingent of Company E, 2nd Battalion, holding positions at a listening post in front of Hill 132, comes under attack, but the main body of the platoon gets a warning when a runner is sent back by PFC Stanley R. Christianson. Christianson volunteers to hold the position despite the high odds that he would be killed. He attempts to forestall the attack to give his platoon time to prepare. The enemy contingent closes upon Christianson and seven of them fall before his position is overrun. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage and for his selfless sacrifice to save others. The Marines sustain four killed and 28 wounded. The Communists lose 48 killed. In the 7th Marines sector, at about 0600, the North

September 30, 1950 Koreans strike against the positions of the 7th Marines, but the attack is quickly extinguished. Following the early action, the 7th Marines advances from its positions and gains the remainder of its assigned objectives by dusk. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 17th Regiment, operating in the southeast section of Seoul, enters its first battle and encounters a strong enemy force. The firefights continue beyond dusk, and the battalion sustains seventy-nine casualties. The enemy attempts to mount a new counterattack, but the guns of the 49th FABn enter the fight and commence a powerful bombardment that shatters the attack. The enemy losses during the engagement amount to more than 400. In other activity, South Korean Marines secure Yosu on the south coast. In the Eighth Army area, IX Corps, since its establishment, has been short of equipment and some personnel. Now corps has a mere two and one-half companies of trucks to maintain the supply lines of both the 2nd and 25th Divisions. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, 5th Cavalry zone, a small enemy convoy, composed of 9 Russian-made jeeps, heads north from Taejon transporting about fifty Communist troops. Company L, 5th Cavalry, bushwhacks the convoy and the survivors scatter. In the 24th Division sector, headquarters transfers to Taejon; it bears responsibility for keeping the Army line of communications secure within its sector and back to the Naktong River. The 24th Division perimeter stretches about 100 miles: the 5th RCT is deployed near Kumch’on, the 24th Reconnaissance Company holds the Waegwan bridges; the 19th Regiment is deployed in Taejon and stretches to the Kum River, and the 21st Regiment extends southeast from Taejon to Yongdong. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, receives its needed fuel. By 1530, the battalion is back on the attack. It drives to Nonsan and beyond to reach the Kum River at Kanggyong at 0300 on the 30th. At this time, the 2nd Division supply line extends more than 200 miles across rugged terrain and confining roads. The average time for a supply convoy to race from Miryang to the front lines is forty-eight hours. In the 25th Division sector, TF Dolvin advances to Chonju, where it encounters contingents of the 38th Regiment and from there, the TF drives to the Kum River at Iri. In the meantime, Task Force Blair secures Chungup by noon, and then it advances to Iri, which it seizes during the evening. TF Matthews arrives at Iri from Namwon and joins TF Blair there. In other activity, the 27th Regiment departs Chinju and moves north to Hamyang and Namwon, while it keeps the supply road open. In the ROK Army area, on the east coast, the S.K. 3rd Division continues its vigorous pursuit of the retreating elements of the N.K. 5th Division. The town

434 of Samch’ok is captured during the morning, but the division continues the drive and speeds toward Kangnung. In conjunction, a small plane flies over Samch’ok, and a KMAG G-3 officer deposits a message, which is picked up and then forwarded (during the afternoon) to Colonel Emmerich at Kangnung. The message orders the S.K. 3rd Division to attack across the 38th Parallel. The attack commences on the following day. In Naval activity, the commander, Fleet Air Wing Japan, orders the use of planes for detecting and destroying mines in the waters off the west coast of Korea. The patrols operate during daylight. Also, the USS Magpie (AMS-25), while participating in a mine clearing operation, hits a mine and sinks off Pohang. — In Japan: On this day, subsequent to the recapture of Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, General MacArthur receives a message from President Truman: “I know I speak for the entire American people when I send you my warmest congratulations on the victory which has been achieved under your leadership in Korea. Few operations in military history can match either the delaying action where you traded space for time in which to build up your forces, or the brilliant maneuver [Marine amphibious landing] which has now resulted in the liberation of Seoul.” More praise for MacArthur and his command arrives from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Truman also sends praise to the American commanders of the Air Force, Army and Navy: Lt. Generals George Stratemeyer and Walton H. Walker, and Vice Admiral Charles T. Joy. Personal congratulations to the troops of all nations fighting under the colors of the United Nations are also dispatched by Truman. Although the magnificent victory at Inchon has compressed the differences between MacArthur and Washington, they still exist. MacArthur believes firmly that the Communists will conquer Europe via Southeast Asia unless they are halted, and he would prefer more powerful forces in Southeast Asia. But Washington maintains that Europe must receive the bulk of U.S. troops to forestall a Soviet advance there. If this strategy is to continue, the Korean crisis must be held to a small-scale war. In other activity, General MacArthur receives a response to his message to the JCS on the 27th. He receives a confidential letter from General George C. Marshall, which in essence gives him full authority to cross the 38th Parallel. President Truman has approved Marshall’s letter to MacArthur. In other activity, General MacArthur issues Operations Plan 9–50, which gives the 1st Marine Division priority for embarkation at Inchon. The Marines again are the amphibious assault portion of X Corps.

September 30

In the X Corps area, the Corps reports that 14,000 North Korean troops have been killed during the Inchon–Seoul operations, and that an additional 7,000 enemy troops have been captured. Estimates of enemy casualties inflicted by South Korean

435

September 30, 1950

Top: U.S. Army engineers construct a Bailey bridge atop a destroyed span near Chinju. Bottom: U.S. Army gun carriages. On the left is an M19 with twin .40-caliber guns, and on the right is an M16 that carries four .50-caliber machine guns.

September 30, 1950

436

U.S. Army Sheridan medium tank passes a knocked out Russian T-34. troops are not available. Also, there is no exact count on destroyed enemy tanks, but the losses are estimated at 45 to 50 in the vicinity of Inchon–Seoul–Yongdungp’o. Enemy losses at Suwon–Osan amount to about fifteen tanks. The U.S. Army (X Corps) has no tanks in action during the operation. The Marines lose no tanks to the enemy tank forces, but enemy ground forces cost the Marines several tanks. In the X Corps sector, engineers, with the strong support of the FEAF Combat Cargo Command, complete the fabrication of a pontoon bridge across the Han River that permits traffic to cross; 3,034 vehicles cross into Seoul today, and crossings continue 24 hours a day

for many days. The Air Force flies the bridge in from Japan on C-119s, which make seventy-nine flights. The engineers are working on completing a second span across the river to open two-way traffic. In the 1st Marine Division zone, General O.P. Smith is informed of the probable X Corps invasion of Wonsan. The 1st Marine Division assumes responsibility for the 32nd Regiment sector in Seoul, which permits the regiment to move back across the Han River to the south bank. Also, the 1st Marine Division reports that it has inflicted 13,666 casualties upon the enemy during the Inchon–Seoul operation, and it also states that 4,792

437 enemy troops have been captured. The Marines report that they have destroyed or seized nineteen 45-mm antitank guns, 56 heavy machine guns, 337 light and submachine guns, and twenty-three 120-mm mortars, as well as 59 14.5 antitank rifles and 7,453 enemy rifles. The 1st Marine Division sustains the heaviest losses of X Corps: 366 killed, 49 who succumb to wounds, 2,029 wounded and six missing. Marine losses are most severe September 21-27 in Seoul, when 1,482 casualties are sustained; 285 of these occur on the 24th. Division issues OpnO 14–50 at 1500; it designates the missions of the regiments. In other activity, The 1st Marines (RCT-1) takes responsibility for the right flank, and it is to establish blocking positions in the heights from two to five miles northeast of the capital. The 5th Marines (RCT-5) is ordered to maintain a strong reconnaissance presence by dispatching a reinforced battalion to Suyuhyon to establish a blocking position while also protecting the division’s left flank. The order also stipulates that the 5th Marines is to (upon order) commit one reinforced rifle company for Task Force Kumpo. The attachment units are 1st Battalion, 11th Marines; one battery, 50th AAA Battalion, USA; Company A, 1st Tank Battalion; Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion, and one Company of the 1st Motor Transport Battalion. The 7th Marines (RCT-7) is to speed to the area near Uijongbu and secure blocking positions there. The attachment contingents are 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines; one battery, 50th AAA Battalion, USA; Company D, 1st Tank Battalion, and one company of South Korean Marines. The order directs that the KMC Regiment (minus the 1st and 3rd Battalions and one company of the 5th Battalion), augmented by one detachment of Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, is to proceed east to the confluence of the Han and Pukhan Rivers. Once there, it is to secure blocking positions along the road that stretches from Seoul. Also, Task Force Kumpo, when activated by Division, is to include one reinforced rifle company, 5th Marines; the 3rd KMC Battalion; Battery C, 50th AAA Battalion, USA; and, if necessary, a detachment of tanks. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, the 7th Division reports that its 32nd Regiment has killed about 3,000 enemy troops and captured 1,203. The 17th and 31st Regiments each inflict several hundred casualties upon the North Koreans. The 7th Division sustains 572 battle casualties: 106 killed, 409 wounded and 57 MIA. These casualty figures include 166 South Korean troops who had been attached to the 7th Division. In other activity, the 7th Division begins moving to Suwon and Ich’on, south and southeast respectively, to begin the laborious movement by land to Pusan. The division’s tanks and heavy equipment will embark from Ich’on aboard ten LSTs that await the arrival of the 7th Division components. In the Eighth Army, I Corps, area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 5th Cavalry discovers three locomotives and attached trains the enemy had concealed in tunnels. In the 24th Division sector, the road bridge over the

October 1, 1950 Naktong at Waegwan has been repaired and it begins to handle vehicular traffic. Engineers have used pile bents and a 100-feet triple single-panel Bailey bridge to stitch the 207-foot hole. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the regiments are deployed throughout the area from the Kum River and the area south of it. The 9th Regiment stands in the Koryong–Samga vicinity. The 23rd Regiment is deployed around Anui and the 38th Regiment holds positions in the vicinity of Chonju–Kanggyong. In the 25th Division sector, TF Dolvin, subsequent to accomplishing its objectives, is disbanded at 1500. Since the initiation of its attack on September 26, TF Dolvin has sustained one officer and forty-five enlisted men wounded. In addition, three tanks have been lost to enemy mines. In contrast, TF Dolvin has killed about 350 enemy troops and captured 750 others. It has seized or destroyed 19 vehicles, 16 antitank guns and about 250 tons of ammunition. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment, captures Kunsan, a port city on the Kum River estuary, without incident at 1300. In the ROK Army I Corps area, the S.K. 3rd Division continues ripping up the coastal road as it races north. The pace-setting advance outdistances all other attacking units, and it winds up at a point five miles short of the 38th Parallel. Some advance patrols cross the 38th Parallel this day. In the ROK II Corps area, South Korean troops advance several miles north of Andong and inspect a tunnel that had been bombarded by Air Force planes. The tunnel, obviously struck by napalm, contains dead enemy troops at both ends. It is packed with supplies and equipment, including 76-mm guns, 120-mm mortars, five trucks and four jeeps. South of Andong at Uisong, other S.K. troops capture about 100 tons of rice and a tremendous amount of equipment. The cache includes large numbers of tanks and vehicles, and huge quantities of ammunition. The enemy division had expended its fuel and was compelled to abandon the vehicles. In Naval activity, the USS Mansfield (DD 728) strikes a mine off Changjon. — In Japan: General MacArthur dispatches a message to the secretary of defense: “Unless and until the enemy capitulates, I regard all of Korea open for our military operations.”

October 1 The commander-in-chief of the North Korean Forces receives a call for surrender from General MacArthur: “The early and total defeat and complete destruction of your armed forces and war-making potential is now inevitable. In order that the decision of the United Nations may be carried out with a minimum of further loss of life and destruction of property, I, as the United Nations’ commander-in-chief, call upon you and the forces under your command, in whatever part of Korea situated, forthwith to lay down your arms and cease hostilities....” The North Koreans are also informed that they

October 1, 1950 should free all POWs and civilian prisoners. The broadcast receives no response. Subsequently, on October 9, another surrender offer is delivered to the North Korean leader. In other activity, from September 1 until this day, the U.N. has collected about 30,000 enemy prisoners. In the X Corps area, preliminary directions from GHQ, Far East Command, concerning the amphibious landing at Wonsan are delivered to Admiral Struble and General Almond; Joint TF 7 is re-established. Struble is renamed the commanding officer. The objectives of JTF 7 are: to maintain a naval blockade of Korea’s east coast from Ch’ongjin southward; to board and transport X Corps to the Wonsan area and provide cover and support en route; to initiate the required pre–D-day Naval operations; to launch (on D-day) an amphibious assault and seize, occupy and defend a beachhead in the vicinity of Wonsan; and to provide naval gunfire, air and initial logistical support. The North Koreans have maintained Wonsan as a naval base, but it was the Japanese who initially developed the city’s naval capabilities. Also, off Wonsan, a helicopter attached to the USS Rochester discovers enemy mines while conducting a reconnaissance mission; 61 mines are spotted. Also, the USS Missouri participates in the bombardment of targets on the east coast of Korea. In the 1st Marine Division zone, General O.P. Smith receives a memorandum directing him to submit a plan by Oct. 3 for loading the 1st Marine Division at Inchon for the Wonsan invasion; however, at present, no ships have been designated for the operation, thus making it impossible for Smith to provide the requested information at the required time. In the 1st Marines zone, as scheduled, the Regiment deploys at its assigned blocking positions northeast of the capital, and the day passes without major incident. Nevertheless, several patrols encounter some light resistance. In the 5th Marines sector, in the 2nd Battalion zone, patrols are dispatched along the Pyongyang Road, stretching to Munsan-ni and the Imjin River. At 0600 the 3rd Battalion, bolstered by a detachment of engineers, one tank platoon and one battery of artillery, drives toward Suyuhyon. Its rear is guarded by the 1st Battalion’s Company C, which is to simultaneously protect the route of the returning vehicles. The column advances throughout the day, hindered primarily by two enemy roadblocks, but both are demolished. By dusk, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (reinforced), reaches the heights just shy of the objective. An enemy counterattack is sprung on the following morning. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines’ patrols scan their wide area for the enemy. Contact with the enemy is made at about 1030, when about 150 to 200 North Korean troops are detected. The firefight is brief, thanks in great part to the timely arrival of planes and an effective mortar bombardment. The enemy is quickly routed, leaving thirty dead troops on the field. In the 7th Marines sector, the Regiment moves out

438 early. By 0630, the battalions advance with the 3rd Battalion acting as vanguard while the 2nd Battalion trails in reserve. Meanwhile, anticipating an enemy ambush about halfway to the objective, Colonel Litzenberg dispatches the 1st Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Raymond Davis, to take positions from which it can provide cover fire for the 3rd Battalion when it traverses a passageway that is susceptible to heavy fire from concealed enemy positions on the sheer slopes that dominate the pass. The 1st Battalion deploys on both sides of the passageway and awaits the advancing 3rd Battalion. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion becomes snarled when it encounters an enemy minefield. While the ground troops, tanks and artillery units are forced to halt, engineers immediately begin to eliminate the obstacles. During the day’s march, one 3rd Battalion patrol comes across a grisly scene — the bodies of thirty executed civilian Koreans, including some women and one child, all of whom have their hands bound behind their backs. According to a Communist prisoner, the victims are relatives of South Korean soldiers. While Major Roach’s 2nd Battalion struggles to clear the mines and resume the advance, the enemy and the 1st Battalion clash. As expected, the hills are infested with enemy troops. The accompanying artillery initiates a heavy series of barrages that strike both Marine battalions during the day. Aircraft arrive to pound the slopes to loosen resistance, but the enemy holds firmly. The Marines halt the advance for the night. In conjunction, the 7th Marines are reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines (Artillery), Company D, 1st Tank Battalion, Company D, 1st Engineer Battalion and one company of Korean Marines (Company C). In the Eighth Army area, covering the period from its entrance into the war until today, Eighth Army has sustained 24,172 casualties: 5,145 killed in action; 16,461 wounded in action, including 422 who die from their wounds; 42 reported captured and 2,164 missing in action. In other activity, Army suffers from the lack of unloading facilities at Inchon, as the 1st Marine Division has priority due to the Wonsan operation. Also, Army is unable to handle more than one corps beyond the Han River, forcing the IX Corps to suspend its advance into North Korea until the logistics situation eases. The U.N. rail system extends only as far as the original Pusan Perimeter, unable to supply Eighth Army elements now stretched about 200 miles north of it at the Han River. A Herculean effort is undertaken to restore the rails, particularly those north of Waegwan. In conjunction, Eighth Army begins to repair the rail bridges and the larger road bridges, while I Corps assumes responsibility for the remainder of the road bridges. South Korean troops repair the smaller bridges. Advance elements of the Thailand Battalion arrive at Pusan, followed by the remainder on 7 November. Also, the weather is quickly changing and the U.S. and other U.N. troops lack sufficient winter clothing. Eighth Army continues to overwork its vehicles to

439

October 1, 1950

Wounded troops aboard a transport plane en route from Korea to Japan are treated by a nurse. resupply the advancing units. During September and through October, more than seventy-five percent of the Eighth Army vehicles operate on a round-the-clock basis. The practice continues into November. During the operation, the trucks of the 2nd and 25th Divisions are cannibalized to supply other units. The ab-

sence of rails makes the supply situation terrible. Truck drivers must be flown into Pusan or transported there by train to pick up vehicles and drive them north. The trip takes the trucks on a 400-mile journey over nasty highways. In the I Corps area, the corps has logistical problems.

October 2, 1950 Some units are reduced to one day’s supplies. Many tanks are operating in advanced areas with inadequate fuel. The tankers frequently go into action realizing they may not be able to sustain the attack into the following day. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, Colonel Mon Che Won, commanding officer 19th Regiment, N.K. 13th Division, tires of hiding near Tabu-dong and surrenders. The enemy division has been decimated, but some of its troops eventually escape to Pyonggang, dubbed the “Iron Triangle.” In the 24th Division area, the 24th Division advances along the Kumsan Road and captures much enemy equipment and ammunition, fifteen artillery pieces and seven working tanks. In other activity, the North Koreans establish a formidable roadblock on the main Seoul Road in an effort to buy time to permit about 2,000 troops of the N.K. 6th Division to escape to the North. The enemy had abandoned its heavy weapons, near Sanch’ong (Chirye Mountains), but retains its machine guns and mortars. The blockade, about fifteen miles northwest of Kumch’on, holds for nearly ten hours. In the IX Corps area, 25th Division sector, about 200 enemy troops are spotted northeast of Kumsan. A Mosquito aircraft drops a message to them instructing them to lay down their weapons and march to a nearby hill. The North Koreans follow the instructions and wait on the hill until patrols, guided by the plane, advance and capture them. In the ROK I Corps area, two rifle companies of the S.K. 3rd Division shoot across the 38th Parallel just before noon. These riflemen encounter some opposition from entrenched enemy troops, but by the following day, both the Capital Division and the S.K. 3rd Division establish their respective command posts at Yangyang. In the ROK II Corps area, although the enemy is on the retreat, some units have evaded the surging South Koreans and maintained cohesion in the mountains. One of these groups, composed of between 1,000 and 2000 troops, is isolated but not docile. The North Korean contingent launches an attack to break through the S.K. lines and escape northward. Slightly after midnight (October 1-2) the ROK II Corps headquarters in Wonju becomes the recipient of the assault. The Communists overwhelm headquarters and ravage the town. Five American officers are among the dead. The Americans had either been attached to the corps or been in Wonju on liaison missions. The rampage continues until the morning of the 2nd. At its conclusion, between 1,000 and 2,000 civilians are massacred. The North Korean 1st Division, which is retreating through Wonju and Inje, eventually reaches the vicinity of Pyongyang. By the latter part of October, about 2,000 troops assemble there. According to U.S. estimates, about 25,000 to 30,000 Communist troops escape to North Korea, but the vast majority of the force has been destroyed or captured. For all intents and purposes, the N.K. Army has been destroyed.

440 In Air Force activity, Lieutenant Hamilton B. Shawe, a pilot attached to the 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, executes a most dangerous mission. He flies solo to Wonsan, a distance of 425 miles, in an unarmed aircraft to photograph enemy positions there. The Communists score several hits upon his plane, but he is able to get important photographs and return safely to his base. Also, during another encounter between Sabre jets and MiGs near Songchon, Lieutenant Raymond O. Barton, 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, downs one MiG-15 during a morning mission. In other activity, a pilot based on a carrier is reported down about 90 miles inside enemy territory. A rescue helicopter races to the scene. Lieutenant William B. Evans and two escort F-86s arrive at the spot between Kyomip’o and Pyongyang. Evans lands and rescues the pilot. All aircraft return safely, although Evans’ helicopter had come under intense enemy fire. — In China: Premier Chou En-lai, during a speech today, lets it be known that China is prepared to directly enter the Korean conflict. The premier states that China “will not tolerate foreign aggression and will not stand aside should the imperialists wantonly invade the territory of their neighbor.” — In Japan: U.S. troops and the sparse contingents of the other U.N. Allies have supported the South Korean Army’s plight against the Communist invaders. By today, the tables have turned 180 degrees. The North Korean forces are being thrashed all across South Korea. The combination of the invasion at Inchon and the breakout from the Pusan Perimeter has dealt General MacArthur the success he needed to forestall the loss of South Korea to the Communists. U.S. troops who had been mauled and forced into humiliating retreat are now on the offense. The successful advance permits General MacArthur to harness some of his power. Today, MacArthur directs the Air Force to abort its missions to destroy the remaining bridges, rails and roads below the 38th Parallel. He also orders the Air Force to suspend attacks against communication centers in the same area. General MacArthur ceases all attacks against primary installations in North Korea and furthermore, he strikes enemy air fields south of the 40th Parallel from the list of targets.

October 2 Several conferences are held between this day and October 4 concerning the Wonsan operation. Admiral Struble and staff officers decide to establish Advance JTF 7. The advance group — composed of 21 minesweepers, including 8 Japanese, 1 South Korean and 10 U.S. vessels — begins its clearing operation in Wonsan Harbor on the 10th. In the X Corps area, responsibility for Kumpo peninsula is transferred from X Corps to the 1st Marine Division. (Both Kimpo and Kumpo are names used to designate the peninsula formed by the mouth of the Han River. Kimpo is the name of the airfield and Kumpo is the name of the principal town on the peninsula.)

441 Task Force Kumpo, composed of the 3rd Korean Marine Battalion, a unit of the 1st Signal Battalion, USMC, and C Battery, 50th AAA Battalion, USA, relieves elements of the 187th Airborne RCT and assumes responsibility for the operations there. However, no enemy activity is discovered on the peninsula after this day. During the 187th’s watch, the unit had been plagued with a lack of artillery, compelling it to depend on naval gunfire and the spot teams led by Lieutenants Leo McMillan, USN, and John E. Dolan, 7th Marines. Both officers and their respective teams remain with TF Kumpo. The 187th Airborne RCT had protected the Marines’ right flank as they advanced to Seoul. In the 5th Marines sector, the enemy launches a company-sized assault against the Marines at 0230. It is met by tenacious machine gun fire and easily terminated. The Marines discover 67 enemy dead on the field at daybreak. At 0700, the march is resumed and without further incident, Suyuhyon is occupied. In the 7th Marines sector, the N.K. 31st Regiment, 31st Division, still holds its bulwark positions in the heights along the Uijongbu Road, near Nuwon-ni, several miles south of Uijongbu. At 0630, the 1st and 3rd Battalions, commanded by Colonel Davis and Major Roach respectively, reinitiate the drive down the road to fracture the resolute enemy entrenchments on the slopes above the defile. Marine squadron VMF-312 planes swarm over the area throughout the day, plastering the slopes to aid the eviction of the entrenched enemy.

October 2, 1950 The 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Davis, advances on the left (east) of the defile, in conjunction with the 3rd Battalion, which drives forward on the right (west). The 3rd Battalion, commanded by Major Roach, punches its way to the midpoint of the passageway, but again, enemy minefields slow the progress of the tanks and force the engineers to resume the task of clearing the path while under incessant fire. Meanwhile, the enemy throws a roundhouse punch to break up the advance. The North Koreans launch a horrific barrage that includes artillery fire and mortars. These supplement the ongoing small arms fire hammering both of the advancing battalions. The tanks of the 1st Platoon spring into action. They swivel their turrets toward two dingy huts that contain enemy troops. The guns roar and their thundering fire decimates the huts and kills about 35 North Korean troops. During the heated exchange, the enemy manages to thread the needle by firing directly through the 105-mm gun tube of a dozer tank. The shot wounds two Marine crewmen. The 1st Battalion, also bolstered by planes, continues its dogged advance. The battalion presses forward and darts across the stream east of the passageway and then lunges into the nearby heights. The battalion gains only about three hundred yards at day’s end. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, I Corps sector, the South Koreans continue to advance beyond the 38th Parallel. Divisional Headquarters is established at Yangyang about eight miles north of the parallel by both the Capital and S.K. 3rd Divisions.

North Korean officers and enlisted men who surrendered at the 38th Parallel under U.N. guards.

October 3, 1950

442

Elements of the ROK 3rd Division at the 38th Parallel. Western press representatives announce the crossing of the border into North Korea, but official news is not forthcoming until the following day. A U.S. Air Force plane scours the area north of the 38th Parallel in the vicinity of Hwach’on and Kumhwa. The pilot reports spotting many small groups of N.K. troops and estimates a combined total about 5,000. In Air Force activity, the 8th TRS Squadron arrives at Taegu form Japan to become the Air Force’s initial day reconnaissance squadron to operate from a base in Korea. In other activity, a contingent of twenty-two B-29s strikes a Communist military training complex located in Nanam and devastates it. Also, a contingent of F86s attached to the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, clash with MiGs near Kunu-ri. One of the enemy planes is downed by Lieutenant Loyd J. Thompson. — In the United Nations: The Soviets offer a plan to order a cease fire in Korea. The Russian proposal also calls for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Korea. — In Japan: General MacArthur issues U.N. Command Operations Order 2, the order concerning the imminent attack into North Korea. It stipulates specific instructions concerning U.N. operations above the 38th Parallel, and it clarifies the precise mission of X Corps and its plan of movement. X Corps is to revert to GHQ reserve when Eighth Army moves through it, while advancing through Seoul. Also, the 1st Marine Division and X Corps headquarters are to embark at Inchon. The 7th Infantry Division and the majority of X Corps troops are to move to Pusan and

embark there. MacArthur concludes that the congestion at the port of Inchon, combined with the lousy tides, will definitely hinder the mission. He decides that some of the force will have to embark at Pusan to ensure that the operation remains on schedule. On the following day, Eighth Army issues its operation order to blueprint its portion of the attack into North Korea.

October 3

Inchon-Seoul vicinity: X Corps orders the 1st Marine Division to begin moving to an assembly area at Inchon to prepare to embark for Wonsan. The town of Wonsan, located along the southwest tip of Yonghung Bay, is much more accessible and the indigenous tides are more easily conquerable than those at Inchon. The port, considered one of the finest natural harbors in Korea, is strategically located about 80 miles north of the 38th Parallel. By 6 October, the 1st, 5th and 11th Marines are in position at Inchon. The 7th Marines arrives later. The 1st and 7th Marines are scheduled to assault Wonsan. Unlike Inchon, the invasion force will face neither unruly currents nor nasty seawalls blanketed by fog, thereby ensuring the landing craft a quick trek to the beaches. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st and 5th Marine Regiments maintain their positions, but continue to send out patrols. The commandant, General Clifton Cates, arrives by helicopter at Division headquarters. His party includes Generals Edwin Pollock and Clayton Jerome. After receiving a briefing, General Cates departs by helicopter to observe the sectors of the 1st and 5th Marines. Afterward, Cates takes a jeep to the front lines of the 7th Marines to watch the Regiment hammer its way to the objective.

443

October 3, 1950

A USMC F7F Tigercat at Kimpo Airfield. In the 7th Marines sector, the attack to seize the heights above the defile and to gain Uijongbu resumes. Roach’s 3rd Battalion pushes along the west side of the road, while the 1st Battalion, under Davis, drives along the east side, with each afforded heavy air and tank support. The armor throws its full weight into the battle and slams the enemy with relentless firepower, expending 167 rounds of 90-mm shells and about 20,000 machine gun shells to bolster the attacks. The supporting air attacks by VMF-312, although effective, are costly. An unending string of low-level sorties blasts the North Korean–held slopes. Enemy small arms fire knocks out one plane, piloted by First Lieutenant Robert Crocker, who dies shortly after the crash. Another pilot, Major Charles McLean, is also shot down. He lands his plane on friendly terrain and survives. During the day’s fighting, the planes of VMF-312 spot an enemy column of vehicles and immediately take it under fire. The swift action decimates seven vehicles, but one truck escapes destruction. The attackers gain ground and both battalions surge to the high ground on opposite sides of the road. To add more momentum, Colonel Litzenberg commits Major Webb D. Sawyer’s 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. It speeds through the passageway, aware that the 1st and 3rd Battalions dominate the east and west respectively. The attacking Marines welcome the buffer in the heights, which provides them with extra stamina to burst through the remaining obstacles. The attack accelerates further when the 2nd Battalion discovers that the enemy artillery positions and supply centers have been deserted. The 2nd Battalion storms down the

highway heading straight for the objective, fully aware that the regiment has bludgeoned the resistance. Two damaged enemy tanks are captured during the assault, but seven tanks escape. Meanwhile, the Marine planes have also destroyed four additional supporting tanks. Three battalions of the N.K. 31st Regiment, one artillery battalion, and contingents of the N.K. 17th Division and the Seoul Division had staunchly blocked the 7th Marines. Nevertheless, subsequent to three brutal days of grueling combat, Colonel Litzenberg’s RCT-7, the freshest regiment in the division, prevails. Today’s advance of about three miles through strenuous terrain crushes the resistance. At 1700 the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, under Major Webb Sawyer, enters the abandoned town and takes uncontested control of Uijongbu, which is reduced to charred debris by the air assaults. The advance also severs the enemy’s communications between the areas east and west of the captured town. The victory for the Marines’ newest regiment also provides X Corps with a vital blocking position along its final phase line. But the victory is not without pain. The regiment sustains 13 killed and 111 wounded during the three-day fight for the town. The 7th Marines occupy the heights north of the prize and establish a line around the town as a night perimeter. The combat in the vicinity of Uijongbu, during the 2nd-3rd, is the final organized resistance raised against the 1st Marine Division during the Inchon–Seoul operations. From this point on, the Marines hold their blocking positions, but continue to

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Marine Corsairs at Kimpo Airfield. dispatch patrols to the front and along the flank. Orders arrive on October 5 that direct the Marine regiments to begin staging in Inchon. In the Eighth Army area, Eighth Army issues its operation plan for the attack into North Korea. I Corps is ordered to seize a line north of the Imjin River near the 38th Parallel. The order stipulates that the minimum force to be committed is one division. The IX Corps is to relieve the I Corps, then I Corps is to drive north. The advance is to be spearheaded by the 1st Cavalry Division. In conjunction, the flanks are to be protected by the 24th Division and the S.K. 1st Division. In related activity, the ROK Army is ordered to field a new division (the 11th) by October 5. The S.K. 11th Division is to support IX Corps during the operations south of the 38th Parallel. Also, ROK Army is directed to transfer its I Corps to terrain on the east coast, between Chumunjin-up and Yongp’o. Its II Corps is to move to Central Korea and deploy between Ch’unch’on and Uijongbu. Both S.K. corps are then to prepare for the northward attack. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, arrives at Kumch’on to join the British Brigade. Upon the arrival of the Australian Regiment, the British 27th Brigade becomes known as the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade. On October 5, most of the British Brigade will be flown to Kimpo Airfield, where it becomes part of the S.K. I Corps operations in the vicinity of the 38th Parallel.

In ROK Army Headquarters area, I Corps sector, the S.K. 3rd Division maintains its quick paced advance and gains an average of about 15 miles a day, despite formidable opposition raised by the surviving elements of the N.K. 5th Division. Some enemy groups are bypassed during the northward march. These stragglers begin to harass the rear supply columns of the S.K. 3rd Division. Other contingents of the N.K. 5th Division continue to defend the routes of advance as they retreat. Mortar fire and heavy 76-mm antitank guns also pound the South Koreans. — In the United Nations: The Indian delegate to the U.N., Sir Benegal Rau, makes it known that India is against sending U.N. troops across the 38th Parallel. In conjunction, Chinese government officials have informed India’s ambassador to China that the Chinese will enter the war if U.N. troops enter North Korea. — In Japan: General MacArthur makes the first official statement concerning the U.N. crossing of the 38th Parallel.

October 4–10 1950 In Naval activity, Admiral Doyle gathers an array of vessels off Inchon to accommodate the landing force for the Wonsan operation. The ships include some from the Military Sea Transport Service and LSTs, the latter manned by Japanese sailors. Transport Squadron One arrives on the 8th, bringing the complement to 71 vessels. The force is composed of one AGC (amphibious force

445 flagship); eight APAs (assault transports); two APs (transports); ten AKAs (assault cargo ships); five LSDs (landing ship, dock); 36 LSTs (landing ship, tank); three LSUs (landing ship, utility) and one LSM (landing ship, medium). The Naval force also includes six commercial cargo ships (“Victory” and C-2 types). In other Naval activity, Task Force 77 reports that its carrier planes, for the 13-day period covering the Inchon attack, had flown 3,330 sorties. Also, the commander, Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) reports that during the past month, patrols had detected and more than 65 mines, including floating

October 4, 1950 and moored, in the waters off Korea. COMNAVFE orders the bombardment (air and naval surface) of the areas around Chinnampo and Haeju.

October 4 At Wonsan, during the darkened hours, the Communists have been working tirelessly to lay an impenetrable minefield in the channel and on the beaches. Subsequent to the arrival of U.S. X Corps troops, it becomes known that thirty Russians had supervised the entire operation until today. The Russians evacuate the town due to the imminent approach of U.S. and S.K. troops.

Some of the first Chinese Communists captured by U.N. forces in Korea.

October 5, 1950 In the X Corps area, the corps is less than jubilant when Far East Air Forces and the Fifth Air Force, pursuant to an order of July 8, take control of all Marine squadrons at Kimpo Airfield. Nonetheless, the Marines sustain no substantive losses, as the FEAF orders the 1st Marine Air Wing to continue to support the X Corps. In other activity, General Almond issues corps order OpnO-4, which details the plan of operation for the Wonsan mission and specifies the missions of subordinate units. The plan directs the 1st Marine Division to seize a base of operations by initiating an amphibious assault to secure the airport. In conjunction, the 7th Division and the 92nd and 96th FABns receive orders to embark from Pusan and land at Wonsan (upon orders). In the meantime, the 7th Division is directed to attack west toward Pyongyang and link up with the advancing Eighth Army there. In other activity, the fuel situation at Kimpo eases during October, subsequent to the completion of a pipeline that carries aviation fuel from Inchon to the airfield. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Cavalry Division passes through the lines of the 5th Marines northwest of Seoul as it moves toward Kaesong. Also, the S.K. II Corps begins to assemble in the sector of the 7th Marines, in the vicinity of Uijongbu. In the Eighth Army area, Army specifies which route the 7th Division (X Corps) is to use to advance from Inchon and Suwon to Pusan. It is to advance through Ch’ungju, Hamch’ang, Kumch’on, Taegu and Kyongju. The troops are directed to board trains at Taegu to carry them on the last phase of the 350-mile journey. From Taegu, the trucks are to return to the departure areas and duplicate the trip with other troops. In the IX Corps area, IX Corps is scheduled to relieve I Corps, but it is also designated the responsibility to continue reducing the remaining enemy resistance in South Korea. It is also under orders to keep clear the line of communications among Seoul, Suwon, Taejon, Taegu and Pusan. The South Korean police are to assist IX Corps with the operation to finish off the North Koreans in South Korea. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, the S.K. 3rd Division, trailed by the Capital Division, continues to advance, disregarding its own dire circumstances. Many of the troops have no shoes. Undaunted, the advance drives straight over the rocky, mountainous terrain. En route, some of the Capital Division units are diverted into the Diamond Mountains. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces assumes control of all land-based aircraft in Korea, including USMC units. With the recent gains in Korea and the expectation of gaining enemy airfields, Fifth Air Force halts the majority of its raids on fields below the 40th Parallel. In yet other activity, a South African Air Force contingent, the 2d South African Fighter Squadron, arrives and is attached to Far East Air Forces. — In Japan: During the early morning hours an ur-

446 gent telegram for Ambassador Sebald arrives at the embassy from Washington. The message documents a conversation between the Indian ambassador to China and Chou En-lai, whereby Chou En-lai convincingly suggests that if U.N. troops cross the 38th Parallel, Chinese combat troops will join the fight. At this point, it has already been determined that Chinese forces are involved and have been since August. This has been confirmed by antiaircraft fire originating on the Chinese side of the Yalu River in Manchuria. Active Chinese participation has also been irrefutably verified by the capture of Chinese soldiers.

October 5

Admiral Struble reinitiates JTF-7, again utilizing vessels from his Seventh Fleet. The units are: TF-95 (Advance Force), commanded by Rear Admiral Allen E. Smith; TG-95.2 (Covering and Support), commanded by Rear Admiral Charles Hartman; TG-95.6 (Minesweeping), commanded by Captain Richard Spofford; TF-90 (Attack Force), commanded by Rear Admiral James Doyle; TF-79 (Logistical Support Force), commanded by Captain Bernard Austin; TF-77 (Fast Carrier Force), commanded by Rear Admiral Edward Ewen; TG-96.8 (Escort Carrier Group), commanded by Rear Admiral Richard Ruble; TG-96.2 (Patrol and Reconnaissance), commanded by Rear Admiral George Henderson; and TG-70.1 (Flagship Group), commanded by Captain Irving T. Duke. Admiral Struble’s flag will fly aboard the recently arrived battleship USS Missouri. Pursuant to Struble’s order, the Fast Carrier Force and the Patrol Reconnaissance Force initiate search and attack missions prior to the landing of the ground forces at Wonsan. The cruisers, destroyers and minesweepers of the Advance Force will also be operating off Wonsan. These combined forces will coordinate their efforts to lessen enemy resistance and seize control of the seas off the objective. Inchon–Seoul vicinity: In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division zone, as directed by OpnO 15–50, the final order issued by the 1st Marine Division during the Inchon Operation, the 5th Marines culminates its dogged 20 days on the fields of battle. It is to begin staging in Inchon at 1700. The exhausted regiment moves back across the Han River and returns to Inchon, where it prepares to move against Wonsan. In conjunction, the 11th Marines is scheduled to begin its staging at 1700 on the 6th, followed by the 1st Marines, prior to darkness on 6th. The 7th Marines’ orders stipulate that it is to join the other regiments in Inchon during the afternoon of the 7th. The Korean Marine Regiment is to arrive in Inchon prior to darkness on the 7th. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, General Almond, apparently unsatisfied with Colonel Ovenshine’s methods of command during the fighting below Suwon, relieves him of command of the 31st Regiment. Division begins its move toward Pusan at 0350. The 3rd Battalion, 31st Regiment, takes the lead. At about 0750, the 32nd Regiment begins to advance through

447 Inchon. The 32nd Regiment had protected the Marines’ left flank during the advance against Seoul. The 17th Regiment holds in place until October 8 to maintain a blocking position until relieved. The division’s tanks move to Pusan by sea. In the Eighth Army area, Army issues the order authorizing the crossing of the 38th Parallel, but the date for the attack is not publicized. In other activity, the rail bridge at Waegwan is repaired and traffic begins to move across the Naktong River. Subsequent to some preparatory work, engineers persevere for seven days to fix the 165-foot breach in the span. In the I Corps area, the 1st Cavalry pushes north from Seoul to seize an assembly area for the I Corps. Company I, 5th Cavalry, reaches Munsan-ni on the north bank of the Imjin River during the evening. In the IX Corps area, Corps opens its command post at Taejon. The 2nd Division bears responsibility for the terrain west and southwest of Taejon, and the 25th Division will defend the area south and east of the city, as well as Taejon proper. The area of operation for the division encompasses 6,500 square miles of terrain, nearly all of it in the mountains. The enemy, much of which has been bypassed, remains in the high ground, and the 25th Division concentrates much of its activity against guerrillas. In conjunction, the S.K. 11th Division is attached to IX Corps to assist corps in the rear areas of its zone. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, II Corps sector, Corps prepares to attack across the 38th Parallel on the following day.

October 6

The 3rd Logistical Command (USN) assumes responsibility for all unloading operations at Inchon. X Corps uses its muscle to pull strings — it requests that all unloading unrelated to the X Corps mission be suspended to prevent the ongoing operation (Wonsan) from running behind schedule. It is estimated that unless X Corps retains total use of the port facilities, the operation would run six to twenty days behind schedule. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, the 1st Marines departs its positions near Uijongbu and moves to Inchon to join the 5th Marines. Along the outskirts of Inchon where the Marines had established a cemetery, responsibility for it is transferred to the United Nations. A stirring ceremony includes an invocation by Chaplain R.M. Schwyhart (1st Marine Division). Following the prayers, General Almond, USA, gives his remarks and then lays a wreath on the grave of an unknown soldier. Following this, the graves of a Marine, an Army soldier and an ROK trooper receive similar wreaths by General O.P. Smith, General Barr, USA, and S.K. Colonel Lee, respectively. Taps blows and erect riflemen fire volleys over the graves of their fallen brothers. The ceremony ends with the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Korean national anthem. In other activity, the Attack Force–Landing Force

October 7, 1950 obtains the required intelligence and maps to enable staff officers to plan for the invasion of Wonsan, but the arrival is not timely. It soon becomes obvious that the tentative invasion date (October 15) must be postponed. Nevertheless, General O.P. Smith orders the 1st Marine Division to embark on the 8th. The initial Landing Force contingents and accompanying weaponry will prematurely be placed aboard ships to await the conclusions of the planners with regard to the expected enemy resistance at Wonsan. In the 7th Division sector, the 7th Division continues moving toward Pusan, but remnant enemy forces raise havoc with elements of the 2nd Battalion, 31st Regiment. At 0200, the North Koreans spring an ambush from positions in the mountains near Mun’gyong and inflict nine casualties. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the advance to secure the assembly area is maintained. In the 24th Division zone, Division focuses on the terrain around Seoul. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, II Corps sector, the S.K. 6th Division pushes out from its positions in the vicinity of Chonchon and drives across the 38th Parallel toward Hwach’on, which is fiercely defended by the remnants of the N.K. 9th Division. Several days of bitter combat ensue. In conjunction, ROK warships receive permission to proceed as far north as necessary along the east coast of Korea to support the ROK ground troops. In Air Force activity, Kimpo Airfield, under the jurisdiction of the Marine Corps since its recapture, is transferred to the U.S. Air Force. In other activity, a contingent of eighteen B-29s strike the arsenal located in Kan-ni in North Korea. Also, the Air Force initiates a new interdiction blueprint that halts its attacks on the bridges located south of Pyongyang and Wonsan.

October 7

Admiral Doyle, commanding officer of the JTF-7 Attack Force, suggests October 20 as the earliest date on which the Wonsan assault forces could meet for the purpose of invading Wonsan. Admirals Joy and Struble agree with Doyle. The recommendation is then forwarded to General MacArthur, who accepts the tentative date for D-day, but he recommends that everything possible should be done to attempt to jump off earlier. Necessary transport vessels for the invasion have arrived late, and they lack the promised supplies. Also contributing to the delay is the fact that Eighth Army’s relief of X Corps has run four days behind schedule. The carrier USS Leyte Gulf (CV 32) arrives on this day from the Atlantic to join TF-77. Also, Marines are being withdrawn from north of Seoul to participate in Wonsan landings. Elements of 1st Marine Division commence embarking in assault shipping at Inchon for Wonsan operations. In the X Corps area, Corps relinquishes responsibility for the Inchon-Seoul area to Eighth Army at 1200, when elements of Eighth Army relieve the remaining

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The USS Cimarron, a fuel tanker, refuels the carrier USS Leyte Gulf off Korea, while the USS Henderson in the background stands watch. troops of the 7th Marines at Uijongbu. X Corps then reverts to GHQ reserve, as stipulated in prior orders. The 7th Marines move to Inchon to rejoin the division there. In other activity, the 31st and 32nd Regiments begin reaching Pusan. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the 7th Marines departs Uijongbu to join its division at Inchon. During the early morning hours, the 1st Marine Division command post departs Seoul and moves to an area slightly north of Ascom City. The Marine Corps, having concluded one of the most daring and important amphibious invasions of its history, successfully ends the Seoul–Inchon operation, and without incident. At 0935, General O.P. Smith, acting upon orders (Corps OpnO 5), reports to Admiral Doyle to assume responsibility as landing force commander for the expected invasion of Wonsan. The 1st Marine Division casualties for the entire Inchon-Seoul operation stands at 366 Marines killed and 49 who die of their wounds. In addition, 2,029

men are wounded and 6 others are listed as missing in action. Marine Corps records indicate that the 1st Marine Division accounts for the destruction of 44 enemy tanks (the figure is later adjusted to 38 due to duplicated claims). At Kimpo Airfield, squadrons of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing remain in action for two additional days, despite the relief of the ground Marines. The five Marine squadrons, in action since 7 September, terminate operations on October 7, having flown 2,774 sorties. The bulk of the missions during the thirty-three day span consisted of close support for the ground units. Marine aviation losses are 11 planes shot down at a cost of six pilots killed, 1 crewman killed and two pilots wounded. Also, the Flying Angels of VMO-6 buzzed in and out of the furious battlefields to rescue downed pilots and evacuate wounded ground troops. These helicopters and observation planes flew 643 flights within a period of 515 hours. The crews extricated 12 downed

449 pilots from behind enemy lines, and in addition, they evacuated 179 seriously wounded troops to receive medical aid at hospitals at sea and on shore. Subsequent to the seizure of Seoul, General MacArthur, in a report to the United Nations, emphasizes the dedicated effort to prostrate the enemy strength. He states: Events of the past two weeks have been decisive.... Caught between our northern and southern forces, both of which are completely self sustaining because of our absolute air and naval supremacy, the enemy is thoroughly shattered through disruption of his logistical support and our combined combat activities.... The prompt action of our two forces is dramatically symbolic of this collapse.... A successful frontal attack and envelopment has completely changed the tide of battle in South Korea. The backbone of the North Korean Army has been broken and their scattered forces are being liquidated or driven north with material losses in equipment and men captured. In the Eighth Army area, Army prepares to move its headquarters from Taegu to Seoul. The new headquarters opens on October 12. In other activity, Army informs General Milburn of I Corps and the ROK Army chief of staff that the attack to seize Pyongyang is imminent. The 3rd Logistical Command based at Inchon is assigned to Army and its key mission is to maintain the logistical support to sustain the drive into North Korea. However, Eighth Army attaches the 3rd Logistical Command to the 2nd Logistical Command, which is at Pusan. From Pusan, the 2nd Logistical Command maintains its operation to shuttle supplies forward by use of trucks and trains. It is the rails that play the dominant role in moving Army supplies, relegating the trucks and air deliveries to emergency shipments out of Pusan. Also, engineers complete laying a second pontoon bridge across the Han. On the following day, twoway traffic resumes in Seoul. In the I Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the ongoing operation to secure an assembly area continues. The 16th Reconnaissance Company advances into Kaesong. Later, during the night, contingents of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, enter Kaesong. In conjunction, probing patrols cross the 38th Parallel during the latter part of the afternoon. In the IX Corps area, 25th Division sector, a large enemy force composed of about 400 soldiers is detected. The 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, plasters the column with devastating artillery fire. Nearly eighty percent of the North Koreans are killed. Also, during the anti-guerrilla activity of the 25th Division, the 3rd Battalion, 35th Regiment, captures 549 prisoners (October 7–8). The 25th Division, during October, is heavily involved with anti-guerrilla operations within its vast perimeter, which extends for about 6,500 squaremiles of mountainous terrain. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, I Corps sector, the S.K. 8th Division crosses the 38th Parallel and begins its northward attack toward the “Iron Triangle.”

October 8, 1950 In the ROK II Corps sector, vicious combat continues near Hwach’on, between two defending regiments of the N.K. 5th Division and the advancing S.K. 6th Division. In Air Force activity, planes drop food rations to a large group of about 150 POWs who escaped from the Communists as they headed north. — In Japan: General Hickey receives a call from General Frank Allen (asst. commander, 1st Cavalry Div.); Allen, inquiring for General Walker, requests a date for A-day (crossing the 38th Parallel) and he receives the response: “You’re a-Day will be at such time as you see it ready.” General Allen then informs General Hickey that Eighth Army is nearly ready to attack. In conjunction, Eighth Army, subsequent to relieving X Corps, deploys along the 38th Parallel. Elements of the 1st Cavalry will cross on the 9th.

October 8

In anticipation of a premature seizure of Wonsan, General MacArthur has devised a supplementary plan to incorporate a landing at Hungnam, about 50 miles north of Wonsan. But, the modified plan of CinCFE Plan 9–50, issued this day, is not flawless. If implemented, Eighth Army’s mission remains identical, but X Corps would be required to sever the enemy communications north of Wonsan and eliminate the resistance there. In conjunction, the landing at Hungnam by the 7th Infantry Division would greatly hinder its ability to quickly seize Pyongyang by overland march, due to the distance involved. In addition, the usual shortages of landing craft make it implausible for the 7th Division to debark at Wonsan while the Marines are striking Hungnam. If two separate landings occur, the U.S. Navy’s overburdened minesweepers will be overwhelmed by the task of clearing mines from both sites, but the option planners are not yet fully aware of the impending complications. Admirals Joy and Doyle, at their positions in Japan and Korea, respectively, concur that there is not enough time to change the mission of X Corps, but Admiral Joy’s attempts to change MacArthur’s mind are unsuccessful. In related activity, Admiral Turner Joy directs Admiral Doyle and General O.P. Smith to implement his OpnPlan 113–50. In Naval activity, Task Group 95.6, commanded by Captain Richard Spofford, converges off Sasebo. It will initiate action to clear the mines from the waters off Wonsan prior to the appearance of the giant 250-ship flotilla that will transport the 1st Marine Division and other elements of X Corps to the objective. Captain Spofford’s task group departs Japan on the 10th. In the X Corps area, the 2nd Logistical Command is ordered to provide enough supplies of all classes for fifteen days for each of the 25,000 troops boarding ships at Pusan. All troops boarding at Inchon are to be provided ten days of Class II and IV supplies. Fifteen days of re-supplies are to be delivered to Wonsan on October 28, to ensure the operation continues unhindered. To meet the stiff requirements, the logistics personnel are compelled to draw much of the supplies from

October 8, 1950 Eighth Army’s source, Japan Logistical Command. The logistics personnel are unfamiliar with the requirements of the individual units with regard to Class II items, including winter clothing and post exchange comfort items. At Inchon, the loading of bulk cargo for the Wonsan mission begins. The operation, completed by October 16, is overseen by George C. Stewart, commanding officer of 3rd Logistical Command.

450 The 5th Marines, commanded by Colonel Murray, begins boarding ships. The 1st Battalion boards the USS Bayfield, while the 2nd and 3rd Battalions board the vessels George Clymer and Bexar, respectively. By this time, Eighth Army is beyond the 38th Parallel and maintaining its northern drive. In other activity, the 7th Division command post at Anyang-ni is closed. A new CP is established at Pusan.

A view of the terrain at Kaesong. A U.S. soldier in the foreground leans over at communications equipment.

451 Also, X Corps orders the 7th Division to complete its loading operation at Pusan by October 17. In the Eighth Army area, additional United Nations troops are now arriving in Korea. Although it is beginning to seem as if their presence might not be necessary, in light of the ongoing destruction of the North Korean Armed Forces, these troops still must become familiar with U.S. equipment and weaponry. General Walker orders the 2nd Logistical Command to establish a U.N. Reception Center at Taegu University, once the EUSAK departs from it. The center is also to provide clothing and equipment to the new arrivals. The maximum number of troops expected to be receiving training at any one time is 6,200 men. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the advance to secure the assembly area from which to launch the northward attack continues. By the end of the day, contingents of the 7th and 8th Cavalries complete the mission. Ground is secured near Kaesong, in close proximity to the 38th Parallel. Some contingents are within range of enemy small arms fire. During the evening, more probing patrols venture across the 38th Parallel. General Gay issues the order to attack on the following morning. Eighth Army anticipates heavy resistance, once it crashes across the 38th Parallel. Intelligence estimates have concluded that as many as six newly trained divisions are ready to join the North Korean forces that had raised opposition at Seoul. In other activity, the 7th Cavalry receives orders to advance to the Yesong River to locate crossing sites and to eliminate any remaining North Korean troops discovered southwest of Kaesong. The 7th Cavalry lacks bridging equipment, making the crossing especially difficult. All available bridging is being used at Munsanni to carry the primary attack force across the Imjin River there. In conjunction, the I&R Platoon locates the bridge. The span is damaged, but still capable of carrying ground troops. The platoon also discovers enemy presence. The North Koreans hold positions extending from the southern end of the peninsula on the opposite bank (west) to a point about one-half mile northeast of the bridge. Colonel Clainos, commander 1st Battalion, accompanies one Company A platoon to the river and makes contact with the I&R Platoon. Clainos’ contingent, similarly to the I&R Platoon, comes under enemy fire. The unexpected news concerning the bridge ignites quick reaction. Colonel William Harris, commander 7th Cavalry, orders the bridge seized, but General Gay is skeptical and fears the enemy has set a trap on the crossing site. Colonel Harris and his S-3, Captain Webel, eventually convince Gay to permit an attack on the following day. The regiment had been informed by the divisional G4 that gasoline and some ammunition could not be provided to sustain the drive. Colonel Harris and Captain Webel had improvised and sent an officer, Captain Arthur Westburg, to Inchon to seek help. The port commander, Brigadier General George Stewart, and

October 9, 1950 the 3rd Logistical Command take the challenge and provide thirteen LCVs, which arrive at the 7th Cavalry crossing site at the Yesong River the afternoon of the 10th. In the IX Corps sector, the 25th Division continues searching for guerrillas, but these contingents continue to wreak havoc on unprotected South Korean villages and some S.K. police stations. The guerrillas, allegedly instructed by Kim Chaek, commander, North Korean Front Headquarters, have stretched their hit-and-run tactics way down the peninsula. In particular, they seek out U.N. trains and communication wires for destruction. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, Army reorganizes and expands. It activates the 1st Guerrilla Group, which is composed of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions, and it reactivates the S.K. 5th Division at Taegu. In the ROK I Corps sector, the S.K. 7th Division begins to cross the 38th Parallel to the right of the S.K. 8th Division on or about this day. It, too, drives toward the “Iron Triangle.” In the ROK II Corps sector, the S.K. 6th Division overcomes three days of stiff resistance and drives into Hwach’on during the latter part of the afternoon. Two enemy battalions retreat northwest after being driven from the town. Following the seizure, the 6th S.K. Division lunges toward Ch’orwon and Kumwha. In Air Force activity, two pilots in F-80s on a mission near the Yalu River stray northeast across the border into Russia and inadvertently strafe a Soviet airfield in the vicinity of Vladivostok. In reaction, the group commander is reassigned to FEAF headquarters and the pilots receive a court martial. Also, the Air Force reinitiates Razon bomb missions in conjunction with the arrival of better radio-guided bombs from the States. In other activity, the 162d TRS arrives at Taegu from Itazuke, Japan. It is the first night reconnaissance squadron to be based in Korea.

October 9

Admiral Struble issues his operation plan, which blueprints the JTF-7 organization. It is listed as follows: (1) 90— Attack Force, Rear Admiral James Doyle; (2) 95 — Advance Force, Rear Admiral Allan E. Smith; (3) 95.2 — Covering and Support Group, Rear Admiral Charles Hartman; (4) 95.6 — Minesweeping Group, Captain Richard Spofford; (5) 92 — X Corps, Major General Edward Almond; (6) 96.2 — Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, Rear Admiral George Henderson; (7) 96.8 — Escort Carrier Group, Rear Admiral Richard Ruble; (8) 77 — Fast Carrier Force, Rear Admiral Edward Ewen; (9) 70.1 — Flagship Group (USS Missouri), Captain Irving T. Duke; (10) 79—Logistics Support, Captain Bernard L. Austin. In the X Corps area, the loading activity at Inchon is not a longshoreman’s delight and there are many reasons, including a tremendous shortage of loading berths. The port contains only seven berths capable of loading beached LSTs or landing craft, and these can be

October 9, 1950 used only during high tide. Furthermore, the staging area is scant and Inchon has only one pier from where vehicles can be loaded into LCMs. The process becomes one of great improvisation. The Logistical Cargo Command personnel load many of the vehicles onto the top decks of LSTs, which then transport the equipment out to the ships in the harbor. At that point, cranes transfer the cargo to the APAs and AKAs. Other equipment is similarly loaded, unloaded and reloaded again, as the dilemma seems never-ending. In related activity, some X Corps troops begin boarding ship this day. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, General O.P. Smith is informed that the landing site for the Marines is about to be changed. Meanwhile, Admiral Joy maintains his argument (with MacArthur) that the proposed modified plans are not feasible. On the 10th, MacArthur relents and the original plan to land the entire X Corps at Wonsan is agreed upon. In the 7th Division sector, the enemy springs another deadly ambush on the Division in the same general area (in the mountains outside Mun’gyong) as the ambush of the previous day. At 0230, the divisional headquarters column is attacked as it advances through a pass

452

several miles northwest of the town. Six troops are killed by machine gun fire and several vehicles are destroyed. During the afternoon, contingents of the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, secure the pass above Mun’gyong and it remains in the high ground for several days to assure that no further incidents occur. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, armored contingents of the 1st Cavalry Division spearhead the I Corps attack across the 38th Parallel to capture Sariwon and Pyongyang. At 0900, General Gay gives the word to launch the attack. The strategy calls for the 8th Cavalry to act as vanguard and drive straight along the primary highway toward Kumch’on. Meanwhile the 5th Cavalry attempts a rope trick, swinging east and then swinging west in a looping motion designed to lasso the enemy troops south of Kumch’on. In the meantime, the 7th Cavalry is to ford the Yesong River and drive north along the road toward Hanp’o-ri, situated about 6 miles north of Kumch’on, beside the Yesong River at a point where the primary Pyongyang Highway crosses over it. General Gay has calculated that the sweeps of the 5th and 8th Cavalries will stampede many enemy troops into the clutches of the 7th Cavalry. Nonetheless, General Gay is aware that the mission to cross the Yesong River will be extremely difficult, due to the lack of sufficient support. He is depending on the 5th and 8th Cavalries’ attacks to ensure success of the drive. The attack is launched and the 8th Cavalry soon encounters opposition. Enemy mines block the road in frequent intervals, causing the advance to continually stall waiting for engineers to clear the road. Company E is struck by heavy mortar and automatic weapons fire, which pins it in a deadly crossfire and inflicts many casualties. One trooper, PFC Robert H. Young, is repeatedly wounded while he holds his ground and returns fire. He kills five enemy troops before sustaining yet another wound. Tanks rush forward to assist the beleaguered platoon, and Young, still refusing medA pause in the action. U.S. troops take a break to consume C-rations. ical treatment, directs the

453 tanks’ fire. The tanks knock out three enemy guns. Young then begins to aid several other wounded men, but a mortar shell bursts and he is again struck. The fatally wounded Young insists that the other wounded soldiers be evacuated before himself. PFC Young receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary actions. The 8th Cavalry overcomes the obstacles and maintains its drive toward Kumch’on. Meanwhile, the 5th Cavalry becomes slowed but reaches the 38th Parallel at 1930. The regiment commences its attack on the following morning. At 1500, in the midst of a three-hour artillery and mortar bombardment against the enemy-held west bank, one platoon of Company C moves across the bridge and encounters small arms fire. The unit sustains several casualties, but seizes a hold on the west bank. Shortly thereafter, engineers attached to Company B initiate repairs on the bridge while the remainder of Company C, charges across the span and secures a hill to the right. All the while, enemy guns remain active and pound the troops as they cross. Once the entire battalion completes the crossing, the U.S. barrage is adjusted whereby the fire in the vicinity of the bridge is terminated. The 1st Battalion sustains 78 casualties during the crossing. The heaviest toll is suffered by Company C, which sustains six men killed and thirty-six wounded. By dark, the enemy is thinking counterattack. The North Koreans commence their assault to dislodge the 1st Battalion. In turn, Colonel Harris orders the 2nd Battalion to speed up its crossing to bolster the 1st Battalion. However, the enemy guns are still ringing the bridge. Slightly before midnight, Lt. Colonel Gilmon Huff leads his 2nd Battalion to the west bank and reaches a point about 100 yards west of the bridge and on the south flank of Clainos’ 1st Battalion. Company G, 2nd Battalion, spearheads the attack. It drives west along the Paekch’on Road and is soon struck by a devastating enemy counterattack. The 2nd Battalion becomes temporarily stunned, but Colonel Huff maintains his composure and the battalion rebounds splendidly despite the lack of heavy weapons. The night-long fight continues into the following morning. Although Huff is wounded early in the battle, he continues to command until he relinquishes it to his executive officer. The fierce contest remains relentless, but when dawn (10th) rises over the horizon there is no doubt as to the victor. The enemy is vanquished and the 2nd Battalion holds the high ground southeast of the bridge, which assures that the regiment will make further progress. In the ROK Army area, the S.K. 3rd Division and the Capital Division converge on the southern fringes of Wonsan after having advanced about 110 air-miles north of the 38th Parallel. The S.K. 3rd Division has driven up the coastal road, and the Capital Division has advanced along the Wonsan–Iron Triangle Road. The latter captures six enemy tanks and 5,000 Russian rifles as it gains the ground. In addition, about 500 submachine guns, 4 artillery pieces, 11 mortars and 1

October 10, 1950 boxcar full of medical supplies are among the seized enemy equipment during the day’s march. However, the enemy still has some awesome firepower in its arsenal. Contingents of the N.K. 24th Mechanized Artillery Brigade, naval amphibious troops of the N.K. 945th Regiment and some other miscellaneous naval units engage the advancing South Koreans at Wonsan. By the following day, troops of the Capital Division and the S.K. 3rd Division penetrate the enemy lines and enter the city. — In Japan: General MacArthur again urges the North Koreans to surrender. He addresses a message to the “The Premier, Government of North Korea.” As with his announcement on the 1st, the North Koreans ignore the suggestion. Ambassador Sebald, speaking with Colonel Laurence Bunker, an aide to MacArthur, expresses his concerns about the unorthodox method of the general, addressing the surrender directly to the political leaders of an unrecognized government. Bunker worries that it could cause ramifications in Washington. Nonetheless, the Communists show no interest and no official response is forthcoming.

October 10

In the X Corps area, at Inchon, General O.P. Smith establishes his command post on the USS Mount McKinley. He issues OpnO 16–50, which culminates the planning at Inchon regarding the 1st Marine Division’s participation at Wonsan. The chosen points of attack are beaches Blue and Yellow on the eastern shore of Kalma peninsula. The order specifies the particulars of the Wonsan assault, and it includes the blueprint of the duties expected of the subordinate units. Later in the day, an alternate plan is issued that directs (upon orders) the Marines to initiate an administrative landing on Red Beach, situated north of Wonsan, rather than the initial landing sites on Kalma peninsula. The 1st and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, board LSTs and await orders to land. It will be sixteen days aboard the overcrowded ships before these Marines get to refamiliarize themselves with the ground. Once ashore, they are to secure ten objectives within the projected sweeping arc of the beachhead, and each is located in the high ground. The 5th Marines is to land and form west of the town to await instructions. The Korean 3rd and 5th Marine Battalions, attached to the 7th and 1st Marines respectively, are to land behind the U.S. Marines. In the meantime, the S.K. 3rd and Capital Divisions advance rapidly. Just after 0800, the South Koreans, who have punched their way overland, drive into Wonsan. By the latter part of the following day, the port city is secure, and its nearby airfield is fully controlled. These seizures render the invasion of Wonsan unnecessary. In other activity, the 7th Division artillery units depart Inchon and complete the operation by 1700. It is the final major component to leave the town. Off Wonsan, a helicopter swoops over the channel and discovers

October 11, 1950 that the thirty-fathom channel is saturated with mines. The plan to sweep the channel here is aborted. The new designated target area is the 100-fathom curve in the Russian Hydropac Channel that passes between Yo-do and the Hwangto-do Islands. Without delay, the minesweepers begin to vacuum the harbor. By the 12th, the ships clear twenty-four miles to secure the channel to within 10 miles of the inner harbor. In the Eighth Army area, following seventeen tedious days of work by the engineers, Army reopens the 200mile stretch of rails that runs between the Naktong and Han Rivers. Rail traffic begins to cross the Han and roll into Seoul during the latter part of October. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 5th Cavalry commences its attack. The regiment crosses the 38th Parallel and seizes the nearby heights to permit progress along the highway. The 1st Battalion drives forward, but about fifteen miles northeast of Kaesong, the enemy controls a large ridge line with three fortified knobs (Hills 174, 175 and 179). The stiff resistance raised there causes the 1st Battalion to halt its advance for the night. In the 7th Cavalry zone, the 3rd Battalion prepares to cross the Yesong River to join the other two battalions. The required supplies (500 tons) needed to sustain the attack arrive by LCVs from Inchon. Meanwhile, by noon, the 2nd Battalion completes the defeat of the enemy counterattack that had begun on the previous night. During the afternoon the 2nd Battalion secures Paekch’on and the heights north of it. In the IX Corps area, Eighth Army Ranger Company is attached to IX Corps; it hooks up with the 25th Division Reconnaissance Company to add punch to the anti-guerrilla missions that are operating northeast of Taejon in the vicinity of Poun. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, I Corps sector, fighting erupts in enemy-held Wonsan when elements of the Capital Division and the S.K. 3rd Division each push troops into the city. The corps commander, Brigadier General Kim Baik Yil, determines that both divisions had simultaneously entered Wonsan at 0600 and that the city was secured by both units at 1000. However, the enemy has yet to be vanquished and heavy fighting continues throughout the day. Colonel Emmerich is with the 23rd Regiment when it enters the city just before noon. By about this time, the enemy has ceased its morning-long artillery bombardment and has pulled most of its guns from the city to relocate them in the heights northwest of Wonsan. Despite the continuing shelling by the Communists, the South Koreans seize the airfield on the peninsula east of the city. In the meantime, the battle for control of Wonsan continues without pause. Blazing firefights permeate the city’s streets until dusk. The contest then moves to another phase. The heavy street fighting subsides until the following day, but a feverish skirmish erupts for control of the airfield. An enemy armored force closes against it and blasts everything in sight. Nearly all buildings and hangars are destroyed.

454 In the ROK II Corps area, elements of the S.K. 6th Division reach the “Iron Triangle,” the defensive triangular-shaped enemy line located between twenty to thirty miles north of the 38th Parallel in the mountainous east central portion of Korea. It contains a key rail and road communications center that links the east and west coasts of Korea. The Triangle area, with Pyongyang at its northernmost point and supported at the eastern base by Kumhwa and Ch’orwon at the western base, is also the junction that maintains the communication network that runs south through Central South Korea. The ROKs intend to compress the enemy within it and force its collapse. Contingents of the 16th Regiment encounter and defeat an enemy force near Ch’orwon. The 16th Regiment convincingly turns back successive heavy attacks, which forces the enemy to retreat. Later, contingents of the S.K. 16th Regiment penetrate Ch’orwon. In Air Force activity, a crew aboard a 3d ARS H-5 craft while in flight successfully administers blood plasma to a wounded pilot that they had rescued. In Naval activity, TG-95.6 arrives off Wonsan to initiate mine-clearing operations. The big guns of the cruiser Rochester and the destroyers Collett, Maddox, Swenson and Thomas are operating in the vicinity of the minesweepers. A helicopter from the USS Rochester again spots enormous amounts of enemy mines. By the latter part of the afternoon, the minesweepers clear a 3,000-yard channel that extends from the 100-fathom curve to the thirty-fathom line, giving the Navy high expectations that the job might be concluded sooner than expected. However, five more strings of mines are detected, dousing the enthusiasm. The discoveries seem to verify the intelligence reports that stated Russian assistance had been given to the North Korean Communists. Apparently, the Russians began helping the Reds at Wonsan, either during the latter part of July or the first days of August. The North Koreans, utilizing sampans, junks and barges, combined with Russian know-how, spread about 2,000 mines in the sea approaches to Wonsan. — In Japan: General MacArthur orders that UN Operations Plan 2 be placed into effect, superseding all other tentative plans. In other activity, personnel monitoring the various radio broadcasts pick up a broadcast originating in Pyongyang. The speaker is Kim Il Sung, and he is rejecting MacArthur’s call to surrender.

October 11 X Corps closes its on-shore command post and transfers it to the USS Mount McKinley. In other activity, other X Corps troops begin to move by land to Pusan. Engineers, medical personnel, ordnance troops, and quartermaster, chemical and signal units are included. In conjunction, during the seven days of moving X Corps to Pusan, the vehicles transport 13,422 troops and 1,460 tons of supplies and equipment. The 52nd Truck Battalion and 7th Division vehicles handle the task.

455 Inchon vicinity: In the 1st Marine Division sector, Colonel Murray, CO, 5th Marines (reserve regiment for Wonsan), establishes his command post aboard the USS Bayfield. Embarkation of 5th Marines is concluded. In conjunction, elements of the 1st and 7th Marines (reserve and administrative components) board their vessels early; however, the four assault battalions remain onshore until the 13th, awaiting available LSTs. In the meantime, South Korean forces take Wonsan. This prompts the scheduled air support for the invasion to be canceled. Elements of the 1st Marine Air Wing arrive at the Wonsan airfield on the 13th. In the 7th Division sector, the 27th Regiment, 25th Division (Eighth Army IX Corps) relieves the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, 7th Division in the mountains near Mun’gyong. Also, about 450 soldiers (7th Division) are airlifted from Kimpo Airfield to Pusan. In the Eighth Army area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 5th Cavalry reinitiates its attack to clear the hills northeast of Kaesong. The 1st Battalion, stopped on the previous day, is bolstered by the 2nd Battalion to expedite the elimination of the obstacles. At Hill 174, Company C advances against a strong barrage of small arms fire. One soldier jumps into an enemy position, thinking it to be unoccupied, but concealed enemy troops are there to greet him. Lieutenant Samuel S. Coursen jumps to aid the beleaguered soldier who becomes wounded but escapes. Coursen engages the enemy in vicious and bloody hand-to-hand combat. He saves the wounded soldier but loses his life. Later, when the company recovers Coursen’s body, seven deceased North Koreans lie beside him and a few of them had obviously succumbed to Coursen’s rifle butt; their skulls had been smashed. Lieutenant Coursen, for his heroism in the face of the enemy, receives the Medal of Honor posthumously. The three knobs and the ridge fall to the 5th Cavalry during the afternoon. In the 7th Cavalry sector, the 3rd Battalion crosses the Yesong River and joins the other two battalions there, which now places all three regiments on the west bank of the river and above the 38th Parallel. The 8th Cavalry maintains its slow-paced advance toward Kumch’on and dislodges enemy mines along the road as it moves. In other activity, the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, accompanied by a contingent of tanks (Company B, 6th Med. Tank Bn.), crosses the Imjin River and traces the steps of the 5th Cavalry. The British move through the mountains and head northwest to execute an envelopment operation at Kumch’on, but the roads on the maps are inaccurate. An aerial observer had provided Gay with the inaccurate information concerning the roads. The road used by the British deadends in the mountains. The British, with their usual stiff upper lip, backtrack and wind down the road, which is ill-suited for anything larger than a cart. They select another route and reinitiate the drive to Kumch’on, but it, too, leads nowhere, and the British get lost. Undaunted, they dis-

October 12, 1950 cover yet another road and take it, hoping to arrive at Kumch’on, but the effort is futile. The contingent remains lost in the mountainous forest and misses the entire operation at Kumch’on. In the S.K. 1st Division sector, at dawn, the Division departs Korangp’o and crosses the Imjin River. The South Koreans, operating east of the 1st Cavalry Division, drive northwest along a highway that funnels into the road used by the 5th Cavalry. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, I Corps sector, at Wonsan, vicious combat is reinitiated on the streets of the city as the South Koreans continue to purge the enemy. Once the city is secured, the attack moves beyond. By dusk the 3rd S.K. Division, which had carried the bulk of the attack, advances north about one mile. The Capital Division has supported the mission to seize the city. Generals Walker and Partridge arrive at the airfield to inspect it. Later, General Partridge directs the Combat Cargo Command to bring in the supplies on the following day. In the ROK II Corps sector, the S.K. 8th Division and the 7th Regiment, S.K. 6th Division, close on Pyongyang. In Naval activity, planes attached to TF 77 attack North Korean vessels in the waters off Songjin, Wonsan and north of Hungham. Other targets of the carrier planes include railroads, vehicles, and supply depots in the vicinity of Songjin. — In Japan: General MacArthur sends a radio message to General Walker informing him that Wonsan Airfield is to be utilized for land-based planes, which will be under the command of X Corps. It adds that the S.K. I Corps will be detached from Eighth Army and attached to X Corps upon the latter’s landing at Wonsan.

October 12 In Naval activity, minesweeping operations continue off Wonsan, while other elements of JTF 7 bombard enemy positions along the east coast. The warships of TG 95.2 concentrate their fire on Songjin and Tanchon. The USS Missouri pounds the marshaling yards of Tanchon. The cruisers Ceylon, Helena and Worcester focus their fire on Chongjin. Captain Spofford attempts to streamline the minesweeping operation. He requests assistance from the carriers. Thirtynine aircraft attached to the carriers Leyte Gulf and Philippine Sea arrive and drop about fifty tons of 1,000pound bombs in the Russian Channel, but to no avail. The high-percussion explosions fail to detonate the mines. Similar efforts had been undertaken during World War II, and those experiments concluded with identical results. Later, three minesweepers proceed through the targeted area, which had just been bombed. At 1209, the USS Pirate (AM 275), while sweeping approaches to Wonsan, strikes an unexploded mine off Yo-do Island and sinks. Within a short while, at 1215, the USS Pledge (AM–277) hits a mine and it, too, sinks. Rescue operations get underway immediately, but enemy shore batteries remain cogent and hinder the missions. Both minesweepers sustain heavy casualties; 12 men are killed

October 12, 1950 and one wounded man succumbs to his wounds. Exact numbers of wounded are not known, but the figure is estimated to be about 87. During the rescue operation, a third minesweeper, the USS Incredible, comes under severe fire. Still, it rescues 27 sailors before it bolts toward safer waters. In the meantime, the mines remain a serious problem. Captain Spofford deduces that depth charges might be the solution, prompting him to call for more naval craft. This improvised method also fails and proves only that the mines must be destroyed the old fashioned way, one at a time. The flying boats (Mariners and Sunderlands) resume the task of detecting and demolishing the mines with .50-caliber machine gun fire. Navy innovation soon eases the burdensome task. It implements the use of hydrographic office charts. The planes spot the targets on charts and drop them onto the minesweepers to give the crews the exact locations of hundreds of floating death traps. In the Eighth Army area, advance elements of the 1st Turkish Armed Forces Command arrive at Pusan. The remainder of the brigade arrives on the 17th. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 5th Cavalry continues its advance. During the afternoon, the enemy raises fierce resistance at an intersection along the highway. In the meantime, the S.K. 1st Division, driving from the southeast, arrives at the crossroads and bolsters the cavalry. The U.S. commander, Colonel Crombez, and the S.K. 1st Division commander confer. It is decided that the U.S. troops will control the road until the 5th Cavalry pivots at a point about five miles farther

456 north to drive down a lateral path toward Kumch’on. The S.K. 1st Division, supported by tanks of Company C, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, is scheduled to trail the cavalry until it swings off the road. At that point, the tanks are to continue their advance using the main road to Sibyon-ni. From Sibyon-ni, the S.K. 1st Division is to turn northwest and drive toward Pyongyang. In the 7th Cavalry sector, the 3rd Battalion secures the railroad and road bridges at Hanp’o-ri, and it seizes control of the road junction there. Friendly aircraft erroneously strafe the town and inflict several casualties. The captured objectives prove to be strategic positions that enable the 3rd Battalion to tightly close the northern escape routes from Kumch’on. About 1,000 North Koreans remain isolated in the town. After darkness falls, the 2nd Battalion arrives at Hanp’o-ri to join the 3rd Battalion. During the night, 11 enemy vehicles, with their lights on, approach the 7th Cavalry blockade, manned by one platoon of Company L. Four of the vehicles are transporting ammunition and it becomes evident as each explodes. The excursion costs the Communists about 50 men killed, and another 50 are captured, including a mortally wounded regimental commander. A captured document reveals that the N.K. 19th and 27th Divisions plan to break out of the cordon around Kumch’on during the night of the 14th. A captured officer, prior to his demise, informs the Americans that some of the enemy force has been instructed to depart Kumch’on, and head to Namch’onjom, about fifteen miles farther north.

The battleship USS Missouri, operating on the east coast of Korea, bombards Ch’ongjin on 12 October.

457 At the 7th Cavalry crossing site along the Yesong River, a contingent of I Corps’ engineers constructs a pontoon ferry capable of handling tanks. Company C, 70th Tank Battalion, moves across the river and supports the assault. In the 8th Cavalry sector, the regiment continues to attack north, but upon reaching the halfway point from the objective, it is intercepted by a strong enemy force. The Communists commit antiaircraft guns, selfpropelled guns and tanks to jackhammer the 8th Cavalry, but the cavalry calls for air strikes. Sixteen planes arrive and lambaste the enemy positions. Artillery fire is also committed, but the enemy holds steadfastly. Again, the regiment halts its advance for the day. During the heavy exchange, Lt. Colonel Robert W. Kane, the 1st Battalion commander, receives a serious wound and is evacuated. In the 24th Division sector, several groups of the N.K. 43rd Division are trapped below P’aekch’on. The groups bypass the town and attempt to flee north to evade elements of the 21st Regiment. One of these enemy contingents ambushes a 7th Cavalry unit on the following day. Pusan: The 7th Divisional artillery and the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, arrive in Pusan to terminate the divisional transfer from the Ich’on area to Pusan. The units prepare for the Wonsan operation. In the ROK Army Headquarters area, I Corps sector, Wonsan is controlled by the S.K. 3rd Division, which remains in the area for the next week to maintain security until X Corps troops arrive. Twenty-two aircraft, attached to the Transport Cargo Command, arrive at Wonsan Airfield and deliver about 131 tons of supplies required to sustain the South Korean offensive. In other activity, the Capital Division drives farther north as it heads toward Hamhung and the port at Hungnam. In the ROK II Corps, elements of the S.K. 6th Division advance about twenty miles and establish contact with the S.K. Capital Division, which is advancing from Wonsan. In Air Force activity, in conjunction with the recent capture of Wonsan by ROK forces, planes from Far East Air Force Combat Cargo Command arrive there to deliver military equipment and supplies. Planes laden with supplies also land at Kimpo Airfield.

October 13 In Inchon: LSTs, having completed ferrying operations off Inchon, arrive to receive the assault battalions of the 1st and 7th Marines. The boarding operation is completed during the early hours of the 15th. Major General Field Harris, CG 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Tactical Air Command X Corps, arrives on the east coast at the Wonsan Airfield to inspect the facility. He concludes that conditions are acceptable and that operations should be initiated immediately. By the following day Marine aviation units begin to arrive. In the Eighth Army area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 7th Cavalry maintains its roadblock north of Kumch’on, in conjunction with the 5th and 8th Cavalries,

October 13, 1950 which are pressing against the enemy from the south and east respectively to squeeze the Communists at Kumch’on. In the 5th Cavalry sector, the regiment grinds forward, hindered throughout the day by minefields. Nevertheless, the 5th Cavalry overcomes the mines and continues the march. Less than ten miles from Kumch’on, it engages and scatters several hundred enemy troops. By dusk, the 5th Cavalry encroaches the objective and at midnight, it reinitiates the attackand drives from the east to strangle Kumch’on. The forward thrust of the 2nd Battalion overwhelms an enemy force in front of the town. The Americans are to drive into Kumch’on and secure its northern sector. In the meantime, the trailing 3rd Battalion plows into the southern sector of town and secures it. In the 8th Cavalry sector, the regiment encounters fierce resistance as it grinds along the main road. A huge artillery barrage strikes the enemy to loosen resistance and B-17s are scheduled to also pulverize the area, but the air strikes are aborted due to the close proximity of the U.S. troops to the target area. The Communists then launch several counterattacks to hold the 8th Cavalry at bay and buy time to evacuate Kumch’on. During one blistering attack, armor moves under the cover of morning mist and drives into the positions of Company B’s tanks, and within the direct sights of the tank commanded by Sergeant Drewery. From a distance of fifty yards, Drewery’s gunner commences firing, but the T-34 maintains its speed. A second shot strikes the T-34 when it reaches a point twenty yards away, but still it rambles forward. Drewery’s tank is then rammed by the enemy tank and they become entangled, but the U.S. tank reverses gears and pulls free. Immediately thereafter, from a distance of a mere two or three yards, the T-34 receives another punishing blow that shatters its turret and sets it afire. Still, the T-34 refuses to halt. Rather, like a bloodied bull, it again plows into Drewery’s tank. Finally a fourth round strikes the killing blow. In related activity, Company B, 70th Tank Battalion, has a good day of hunting. It kills another six T-34s and loses none. Ground troops account for the destruction of one additional enemy tank. Despite the successes, the Americans are unable to break through the enemy resistance. While the 8th Cavalry is forestalled, the Reds attempt to evacuate Kumch’on, but they run directly into the 7th Cavalry. In the 7th Cavalry sector, a large enemy convoy of trucks and carts accompanied by about 1,000 troops moves north from Kumch’on. All goes well until the column reaches the bridge at Hanp’o-ri, where it is intercepted by the 7th Cavalry and U.S. aircraft. The enemy is relentlessly pounded and the convoy is shredded. About 500 Communists are killed and 201 additional enemy troops are captured, but several hundred more troops evade death or capture and flee northeast into the hills. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, advances north from P’aekch’on. The trailing part of the

October 14, 1950

458

Major General Field Harris (Commander, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing) stands with a captured Russianmade burp gun. column is snarled by an enemy ambush. The North Koreans slam the contingent, which includes some of Battery A, 77th FABn, and Company B, 8th Engineer Combat Battalion. One trooper sprints back to P’aekch’on to inform the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, of the disaster. Colonel Stephens (21st Regimental Commander) is at the command post of the 1st Battalion. He reacts immediately. Reinforcements speed to extricate the beleaguered cavalrymen. But time is of the essence, and apparently the trapped Americans offer little resistance, causing devastating results. The reinforcements arrive at the site, thrash the enemy and capture thirty-six troops. The ambush costs the lives of twenty-nine Americans and eight South Koreans. Also, 30 Americans and 8 South Koreans are wounded. The Communists destroy four trucks and damage 14 others. During the evening, a supply convoy of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, advances down the highway, and it, too, is caught by an enemy ambush. The officer and 11 troops are captured. Five of the enlisted men and the officer manage to escape. In the ROK Army area, the S.K. 1st Division secures Sibyon-ni, a strategic crossroads sector northeast of Kaesong. Meanwhile, the S.K. 7th Division arrives at Pyongyang from Kumhwa.

October 14

Two enemy planes manage to penetrate and strike the harbor at Inchon and the airfield at

Kimpo. The planes remain unidentified, but it is thought they had arrived from a North Korean town, Sinuiju, on the border with China. In the X Corps sector, at Pusan, work crews begin to load the supplies aboard ships for the 7th Division’s Wonsan operation. The troops begin to board on the 16th, and the entire operation is completed on the 17th. In other activity, General Almond flies to Wonsan to confer with the S.K. I Corps commander and inform him of the unfolding developments regarding his corps, which will come under Almond’s jurisdiction, and it will be affected by the newest directive, which stipulates that X Corps makes an administrative landing. Once ashore, X Corps is to initiate a speedy westward advance to hook up with Eighth Army. The drive is scheduled to move along the Wonsan–Pyongyang axis. In the 1st Marine Division area, General O.P. Smith, in accordance with X Corps orders, activates his alternate plan and orders an administrative landing on Red Beach. The Marines are ordered to seize an objective northeast of Pyongyang. Meanwhile, Marine aviators take advantage of the South Korean seizure of Wonsan. Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-312 arrives at Wonsan from Kimpo. In addition, R5Ds (transport planes) deliver 210 men of the advance units of Headquarters Squadron Hedron-12, Service Squadron SMS-12, and VMF(N)513, the all-weather night fighter squadron. VMF(N)-513 initiates missions to deliver bombs

459 and rockets to Wonsan while naval transports embark from Kobe, Japan, and transport critical cargo for MAG-12. The captured airbase is further augmented, as planes attached to Combat Cargo Command arrive to begin ferrying the crucial aviation fuel required to keep the show moving until the sea blockade is broken. In conjunction, the two Marine squadrons, operating from Wonsan, remain dependent upon airlifts until the ships can safely enter port. In the meantime, the support crews are heavily burdened. Only one jeep and eight trailers are available to transfer the bombs. And MAG-12 is presented with a new quandary due to the change in orders for the Marines to execute an administrative landing rather than an assault landing. The new circumstances place MAG-12 under the control of Far East Air Forces, which operates under totally different procedures not indigenous to Marine Corps close-air support tactics. Nonetheless, the Marine aviators try to conform with the new directives, including the requirement that all scheduled missions be received by Headquarters (Fifth Air Force in Seoul) by 1800 on the previous day. Time restrictions make it impossible for the Marines in Wonsan to receive clearance in a timely manner, but a meeting is soon called, and General Partridge (Fifth AF) and General Harris (USMC) agree on a pragmatic solution. Partridge gives Harris verbal permission to plan and execute missions while awaiting permission from Headquarters. The agreement works satisfactorily, and later, during November, General Harris receives permission in writing from Fifth Air Force. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, the North Korean Army, which had earlier slashed through the U.N. forces with little effort, no longer bears any resemblance to its initial characterization of being nearinvincible. The Communists are in complete disarray and the North Korean Army is facing total annihilation. Enemy lines of resistance, standing between the 38th Parallel and the North Korean capital, have vanished. In the 1st Cavalry sector, Colonel Crombez, commanding officer, 5th Cavalry, arrives in Kumch’on at 0830. Crombez orders the 1st Battalion to remain and mop up the town. Crombez directs the 2nd Battalion to drive north and hook up with the 7th Cavalry at Hanp’o-ri, and he orders the 3rd Battalion to move south on the Kaesong Road, to link with the 8th Cavalry. — In North Korea: Premier Kim Il Sung, the leader and commander in chief, North Korea, and Pak Hon Yong, the chief of Supreme Political Bureau, issue a blanket order to all troops of the N.K. People’s Army. The order rationalizes the reasons for the defeat of the North Korean Army and details tough measures to be instituted to insure discipline within the remaining ranks. The measures include the summary executions of “agitators and “deserters.” The pointed command: “Do not retreat one step further. Now we have no space in which to fall back.”

October 15, 1950 North Korean division commanders and regimental commanders are also directed to organize (by the 15th) what Kim Il Sung refers to as the Supervising Army, to be composed of troops who had distinguished themselves on the battlefield. At about this time, Chinese Communist troops begin to enter Korea to aid the North Koreans. Their movement is confined to the darkened hours to avoid detection by aircraft. Eventually, the troops disperse in the heights about 50 air-miles south of the Yalu, amidst the mountains. The line of deployment stretches west from Huich’on and extends about sixty air-miles to skirt through Onjung, and from there to Unsan. By about the 20th, the Chinese units, scattered east to west along this route, are the 38th, 40th and 39th Armies. Two additional armies are hidden in reserve. In essence, the Eighth Army and the ROK II Corps will face fifteen separate Chinese Divisions, excluding the Chinese 125th Division, which will be engaged with the S.K. 7th Division, below Ch’osan. Also, before the end of October, the Chinese 50th and 60th Armies enter Korea to further bolster Chinese strength. The Chinese 42nd Army, composed of the 124th, 125th and 126th Divisions, departs T’ung-hua in southern Manchuria by train for Korea. Subsequent to arriving at Chi-an, across the Yalu from Manp’ojin, the 124th Division is the first unit to ford the river. Two days later the 124th Division, trailed by the other two divisions, marches southeast toward Hagaru-ri. It encounters and engages ROK troops and shortly it will meet X Corps, U.S. Marines.

October 15 Admiral Doyle, commander, Amphibious Group One, issues OpnO 16–50, which calls for an assault landing at Wonsan. It is in contrast to the scheduled administrative landing about to be executed; however, for the U.S. Navy, the movement of troops from ship to shore remains identical, regardless of the type of landing. On October 24, division dispatches instructions canceling OpnOs 16 and 17, and it directs an administrative landing on Kalma peninsula, as ordered by CTF 90. The dispatch is sent at 1450. In the X Corps area, the remnants of the N.K. 7th Division, which had escaped from South Korea, begin to reassemble above the 38th Parallel, in the InjeYanggu vicinity. It has been reported that its commanding general had been killed during fighting near Kumch’on while the division was fleeing north. In other activity, the Fifth Air Force headquarters transfers from Japan to Seoul. The recent victories in Korea permit the Air Force to again base planes on Korean soil, enabling Fifth Air Force to get maximum time over targets. The bombers and fighters will also be afforded heavier bomb-loads and they will have the ability to plunge deeper into North Korea. Also, near Seoul, a group of guerrillas attacks a radio relay station less than five miles from the capital building. Guerrilla activity is ongoing behind U.N. lines, and the raids stretch as far south as Pusan.

October 15, 1950 In other Air Force activity, Chinese Communist antiaircraft artillery downs an F-51 while it is on a mission at the Yalu River in the vicinity of Sinuiju. In yet other activity, Fifth Air Force in Korea establishes headquarters in Seoul. In the 1st Marine Division area, the U.S. Navy LSTs receive the final elements of the 1st and 7th Marines, which concludes the embarkation process. The Division had originally expected a speedy westward advance following the landing at Wonsan; therefore, each RCT is equipped with sixteen trucks, all laden with supplies.

460 Sixteen additional trailers and three truck companies are also committed to the attacking regiments, to enable them to have ammo dumps extended well to the front. By the latter part of the day, the landing craft sail for the objective, and by evening, the majority of the transports also depart. The USS Mount McKinley and USS Bayfield embark on the 17th. The landing force and accompanying X Corps troops that depart Inchon number 1,902 officers and 28,287 enlisted men. Of these, 1,461 officers and 23,938 men are mustered on the rolls of the 1st

A U.S. Sheridan medium M4A3 tank moves back down a hill following its support for an infantry attack against enemy positions.

461 Marine Division. Further breakdown of the numbers are: Marine officers 1,119; Marine enlisted 20,597; Navy officers 153; Navy enlisted 1,002; USA and KMC officers attached, 189; and USA and KMC enlisted attached, 2,339. In other activity, MAG-12 initiates operations from Wonsan. These sorties continue until November 9. There are some early restrictions due to the airfield’s lack of lighting. VMF(N)-513 is unable to conduct night missions until the latter part of October, but it does operate during daylight hours, along with VMF312 and the two fighter squadrons that fly from the carriers. Refueling is not an easy task either, as the ground crews are compelled to hand-roll the 50-gallon drums of fuel from the depot to the airfield one mile away. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker shows signs of dissatisfaction with the pace of the advance. In the I Corps sector, General Milburn, mirroring Walker’s sentiments, attempts to speed the attack. He orders the 24th Division to pivot and then spring an attack from the left (west) of the 1st Cavalry and capture Sariwon. The Division is to then attack north into the capital (Pyongyang). In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, heavy rainstorms begin to strike the area. The inclement weather neutralizes the progress of some units of the cavalry, particularly the 5th Regiment. Nonetheless, General Gay continues to push the advance. Gay orders the British Commonwealth Brigade to take positions to the rear of the 7th Cavalry and prepare to push through it to seize Sariwon. In the 7th Cavalry zone, the regiment reaches positions near Namch’onjom, but it awaits the cessation of an air strike, which begins at 0700, before launching its assault. The 2nd Battalion, bolstered by artillery, drives against staunch defenses. It hammers the enemy, but in turn, the defenders raise tenacious resistance. By noon, the 2nd Battalion reduces the resistance, storms into the town, and secures it. Captured prisoners state that the morning bombardment had devastated the command post of the N.K. 19th Division and killed the division’s chief of staff. The battle for Namch’onjom costs the 2nd Battalion 10 troops killed and thirty wounded. In the ROK Army area, the S.K. 1st Division, operating to the right of the 1st Cavalry Division, advances to the vicinity of Miu-dong, about 12 miles northeast of Namch’onjom, and once there, it encounters a large enemy force. The North Koreans, about regimental strength, are accompanied by artillery and six tanks, but the South Koreans are bolstered by U.S. Air Force planes. The South Korean infantry drives through the high ground while their supporting tanks grind forward on the road. The advance closes toward Suan. In Naval activity, U.S. naval vessels converge on the Wonsan area to support and protect the minesweeping operations and amphibious landings. The approaches to Wonsan are protected by the destroyers and the USS Missouri (BB 63), USS Helena (CA 75), USS Toledo (CA 133), and the USS Manchester (CA 83).

October 16, 1950 — Wake Island: President Truman arrives at Wake Island in the Pacific to confer with General MacArthur, who has flown in from Japan. It is an apparent attempt to clarify misunderstandings between the commanderin-chief and the commanding general, as well as to scrutinize the battle plans for winning in Korea. The meeting ends amicably, but differences of opinion on how to conduct the war will re-emerge. The friction between the general and his commander-in-chief shows no signs of easing. However, at present, it is common belief that the war in Korea is about to be terminated, and in accordance with this premise, agreements are reached during this meeting to alter troop movements to meet the changing situation. MacArthur is of the opinion that Russia is unable to muster forces soon enough to change the situation in Korea before winter, and he believes that Chinese intervention is, at best, a remote possibility. However, the possibility of Communist intervention is not totally discarded by him, or by Washington. MacArthur remains convinced that the hostilities will cease by Thanksgiving Day and that Eighth Army should return to Japan by Christmas. He also believes that X Corps can retain stability within a united Korea until peace is fully restored. General MacArthur receives a Distinguished Service Medal (his fifth) from President Truman. The Department of the Army and the commanderin-chief, Far East, have agreed to embark the U.S. 2nd Division to the States or to Europe. Other participants at the Wake Island meeting include Frank Pace (secretary of Army), General Omar Bradley, Admiral Arthur Radford (CinCPacFlt), General Courtney Whitney, Assistant Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Secretary of State Averell Harriman.

October 16

Elements of the Chinese 124th (CCF) Division cross the Yalu River into North Korea on or about this day, but they are not discovered. The units are later identified by prisoners. During the following ten days, elements of the two regiments move south and deploy near the Chosin Reservoir. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, Wonsan begins to bustle with activity. Marine Fighter Squadrons VMF-214 and 323 arrive off Wonsan from Sasebo, Japan, to begin operations from the decks of the Sicily and the Badoeng Strait. The Marine pilots initiate sorties on the following day. During the latter part of the afternoon, Amphibious Group One and the LSTs, transporting the tractor group, embark from Inchon. These ships will be followed by the main attack force, which departs on the following day. VMO-6 remains under the operational control of the 1st Marine Division, but it is controlled administratively by MAG12. Elements of VMO-6 (still at Kimpo) begin to arrive at Wonsan on the 23rd. In other activity, the 7th Division Advance Command Post is established aboard the USS Eldorado. It will be some time before it is transferred to shore. Wonsan harbor is saturated with enemy mines, causing a

October 17, 1950 two-week postponement of the convoys’ arrival at the objective. Lt. Colonel William J. McCaffrey (deputy chief of staff, X Corps) and the X Corps advance command post depart Kimpo Airfield by plane and arrive at Wonsan. McCaffrey immediately makes contact with the commander of the offshore minesweeping operation and with the ROK I Corps. Once contact is established with the South Koreans, McCaffrey’s group initiates the task of discovering who had laid the minefields and, if possible, determining where the remaining mines are stored. ROK intelligence makes contact with a Korean civilian who had worked in the mine storage area. The civilian leads a detachment to the place where the mines had been assembled. He also informs the party about the captain of a sampan who assisted with the dispersion of the mines. The meek Korean civilian and the other informer disclose that Russian troops had overseen the operation. Thirty-two small boats and their crews had placed about 3,000 mines in the waters off Wonsan and on the beaches. In related activity, South Korean troops have discovered and moved about 1,000 20-pound box-mines to a location at the northern sector of the harbor. Six S.K. troops, including one officer, move about 200 yards away from the stacked explosives and seemingly decide to celebrate. The officer fires into the cache and the explosion that follows shatters nerves and windows for several miles around. The six soldiers are killed in the blast. Also, General Almond is directed to have X Corps attack west. The advance is to drive along the Wonsan–Pyongyang axis, but these orders are modified on the following day. In the Eighth Army area, Army anticipates the imminent fall of Pyongyang and establishes Task Force Indianhead, commanded by Lt. Colonel Ralph Foster (Asst. CoS for G-2, 2nd Division). The force is composed of Company K, 38th Regiment, a contingent of demolition engineers, a detachment of 82nd AAA Battalion automatic weapons vehicles and 6 tanks attached to Company C, 72nd Medium Tank Battalion. A group of counterintelligence troops also joins the mission. The task force moves into Pyongyang with the 1st Cavalry and seizes particular government buildings and some foreign countries’ compounds to gather intelligence. Once the city is secured, Army utilizes supplies that had been airlifted from Kimpo Airfield in Inchon and from Ashiya Airbase in Japan. This cargo sustains the attack and alleviates some pressure, as the trucks are being worn down into wrecks from the non-stop use. In the I Corps area, General Milburn informs General Gay (1st Cavalry) and General Church (24th Division) that the division, which is first to reach Sariwon, will be the division that spearheads the attack into Pyongyang. There is already plenty of competitiveness between divisions and the individual units, and it is not necessarily always friendly, as the troops are becoming increasingly edgy.

462 In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, 7th Cavalry zone, the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Lynch, drives from Namch’onjom. By noon it advances 17 miles and secures Sohung. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Colonel Clainos, passes through the captured town and swings north to prepare to take Hwang-ju on the following day. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion holds the prize and with Company F, it establishes roadblocks south of Sohung. Colonel Harris issues orders to shoot at all targets spotted in front of the perimeter after dusk. Harris’ 7th Cavalry is aware that the British will be passing through on the following morning, but no other friendly troops are due in the area. Colonel Harris transfers his headquarters to Sohung and he arrives there during the latter part of the afternoon. In other activity, the road at Namch’onjom becomes clogged. The 5th Cavalry, the 19th Regiment (24th Division) and the British Commonwealth Brigade converge there and create a log-jam. The vehicles are nearly immobilized. In the 24th Division zone, the 21st Regiment, commanded by Colonel Stephens, advances toward Sariwon and closes on Haeju, against enemy resistance. General Church has ordered the 19th Regiment to speed its advance, but it trails the 5th Cavalry on the highway and becomes part of a massive traffic jam. In the ROK Army area, Army activates the ROK III Corps, which is delegated responsibility of retaining the security of the ROK-held terrain south of the Seoul–Chunchon–Inje–Yangyang line. It is to eliminate the remnant enemy groups, including guerrillas. The ROK III Corps is composed of the S.K. 5th and 11th Divisions. The S.K. 1st Division, commanded by General Paik, overcomes the opposition and drives into Suan. Now standing about forty miles from Pyongyang, General Paik decides that his tactics are “No stop.” Paik intends to drive straight into the North Korean Capital. His troops still lack transportation and many are shoeless. Nonetheless, the South Koreans race far ahead of the U.S. motorized columns.

October 17 By this time, the North Koreans have concluded that it would be futile to prepare a steadfast defense at Pyongyang, and that such a plan would most probably cause the annihilation of the remaining North Korean troops. In conjunction, four South Korean divisions are rapidly racing toward the capital. The British contingent (27th Commonwealth Brigade) of the U.S. I Corps and the Americans are also closing fast. MacArthur’s initial flanking operation of Wonsan by X Corps is executed by the ROKs prior to the landing of X Corps. MacArthur informs General Almond that if Eighth Army takes Pyongyang prior to X Corps’ landing, X Corps is to alter its plans and attack north. By the 19th, the final order is received by Almond and it directs the attack to move north. In other activity, about 300 American soldiers, crammed aboard two enemy trains at Pyongyang, are

463 taken north. During September, when the Communists marched them from Seoul to Pyongyang, the captives numbered about 370 men. The death-trains move slowly, as the tracks along the way must frequently be repaired, and travel during daylight hours is especially dangerous due to U.S. planes. During the repair stops, some of the captive GIs manage to escape into the woods; however, many more do not survive the ordeal. About five to six soldiers die each day during the cruel voyage due to either starvation or dysentery. Their bodies are removed from the trains by the Communists and left to rot in the woods. In the X Corps area, the 1st Marine Division embarks from Inchon aboard the warships of JTF 7’s Attack Force (including TF-90). At 0800, the armada heads for the Yellow Sea to begin the 830-mile voyage to Wonsan on Korea’s east coast. In the 7th Division sector, the loading operation at Pusan is concluded. Men and equipment are set for embarkation. Corps troops begin boarding the ships on the 19th. In the Eighth Army area, Army has concluded that the combined effective force of the N.K. 17th and 32nd Divisions at Pyongyang stands at about 8,000 troops, and Eighth Army is convinced that the enemy will raise only token resistance to permit the bulk of its troops to cross the Ch’ongch’on River to flee north. The river is about 65 miles from the Yalu, and it flows northeast to southwest, similarly to the Yalu. General Walker directs the 1st Cavalry to spearhead the attack into the North Korean capital. Its attached British Brigade had entered Sariwon before the 24th Division. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, General Gay, upon receiving word from Army that his division is to make the attack against Pyongyang, delegates the furthest unit (7th Cavalry) to initiate the attack on the morning of the 18th. In the 7th Cavalry zone, Captain Arthur Truxes, Jr., commanding Company F, holds the roadblock south of Sohung. At about 0300, his troops spot some movement. Pursuant to orders, Company F commences fire; however, the approaching force is a contingent of the 5th Cavalry. The unnecessary firefight costs the 5th Cavalry seven wounded before the two American units discover the error. Testimony shows that opinions differ on some of the details of the firefight. Captain Webel (7th Cavalry S3) states that he informed the 5th Cavalry liaison officer of the orders to shoot, and that he asked him to go to the 5th Cavalry to relay the information. The officer apparently remains in the 7th Cavalry sector during the night. Captain Truxes is killed; therefore, his account of the incident is never ascertained. General Gay replaces Colonel William Harris with Colonel James Woolnough as commanding officer, 7th Cavalry. Harris, infuriated with the disciplinary action, returns to Seoul. Later, Gay alleges that Harris was merely sent back for R&R. In other activity, as scheduled for the morning, the British 27th Commonwealth Brigade moves through

October 17, 1950 the 7th Cavalry positions at Sohung. The unit, equipped with U.S. tanks, drives tenaciously along the main road toward Sariwon. The advance is spearheaded by a platoon of Company A, Argyll 1st Battalion, which travels aboard the tanks. Soon the 7th Cavalry, spearheaded by the 1st Battalion, also drives west toward Sariwon, but it takes a roundabout route to Hwangju to strike against the primary road (Pyongyang Road) north of Sariwon. Russian tanks, seemingly abandoned for lack of fuel, line the road and there is also much human debris. North Korean troops await an opportunity to surrender. But, farther down the road, about four miles short of the objective, other enemy troops establish resistance. Brigadier General Frank A. Allen (asst. 1st Cavalry commanding officer) is accompanying the British. He immediately orders the tanks to rake an orchard to eliminate the opposition there. A spotter plane pinpoints the enemy positions to aid the effort. As the tanks begin to fire, some North Koreans bolt from the orchard, abandon their weapons and sprint to the opposite side of the ridge line. The tanks then oversee the British as they romp through the orchard, confiscate 10 machine guns and clear it of any remaining Communists. Forty Communists are killed and some others are captured. After passing an abandoned battery of antitank guns in the pass, the British roll into Sariwon. The skirmish costs the British one man killed and several wounded. Meanwhile, the 7th Cavalry treks along the slim path toward its objective. At about 1600, General Gay flies over the regiment at Hwangju and drops instructions that direct one battalion to divert southward at Hwangju and join with the British on the primary road to help eliminate or capture a large concentration of enemy troops spotted there. After a brief meeting, the commanders determine that the 1st Battalion (Colonel Clainos) will move to join the British and the 2nd Battalion (Colonel Callaway) will remain in Hwangju. Almost immediately after swinging south and driving down the Sariwon–Pyongyang Road, the 1st Battalion captures a contingent of enemy cavalry and about thirty horses. The 1st Battalion then resumes its advance, but it retains its vehicles rather than switching to the horses. It has been rumored that one of the saddles becomes an ornament for Colonel Clainos’ jeep. Shortly thereafter, the 7th Cavalry’s 1st Battalion encounters more of the enemy and a skirmish erupts. A South Korean interpreter, despite being wounded, advances to the enemy positions and falsely tells them that they are firing upon Russian troops. The enemy is successfully duped and it walks into the hands of the 7th Cavalry. Several of the North Koreans become frustrated and resist, but the episode is brief. A squad leader punches one of the resisters and knocks him into a ditch. Unknown to the cavalrymen, this unusual daylight capture is being observed by several hundred other enemy troops from their positions in the nearby heights. In a little while, the eastern side of the slope

October 17, 1950 begins raining enemy troops who swarm toward the battalion to surrender. The enemy on the west side continues to fire at the 1st Battalion until dusk. Nonetheless, during the evening, about 1,700 enemy troops, including 13 female nurses, surrender to Colonel Clainos’ 1st Battalion. Clainos establishes contact with the Australians by radio at 1800. Later, at 2230, he informs them that he is about to move through the pass to enter the Australian lines. Meanwhile, at about 1700, the Australian 3rd Battalion passes through Sariwon and drives 5 additional miles to close on Hwangju, where the enemy is entrenched in the hills. The Australians halt their advance and prepare to launch an attack on the following morning. During the day, there are many cases of mistaken identity. In one instance, the enemy believes the British are Russian and in another instance, U.N. troops inadvertently accept enemy troops as South Korean troops. A contingent of British reconnaissance troops encounters an enemy truck that is heading north into Sariwon. The Communists break through to the town, but unable to exit, the vehicle reverses course and runs back into the British. About twenty Reds are killed during the second encounter. Another high-spirited fight erupts when the Communists stumble upon the British, begin to call them “comrade” and hand out cigarettes before they realize the troops are British. A closequartered battle erupts. In yet another incident, Lieutenant Robin Fairrey, a British mortar officer, walks around a corner and finds himself in the middle of a group of enemy troops. He bellows, “Rusky! Rusky!” and the North Koreans remain fooled. He briskly walks to safety. During another peculiar encounter, south of Sariwon, a contingent of the Australian 3rd Battalion spots a large enemy force as it approaches a roadblock and prepares for a heated struggle. At the same time, Major I.B. Ferguson jumps upon a tank and begins to call for the enemy to surrender. Erroneously, he informs them that they are surrounded. Surprisingly, they capitulate and the Australians rake in 1,982 prisoners. After this incident, the Australians prepare to launch an attack on the following day, but the troops on the line receive yet another surprise. At 2300, the pass that leads toward Sariwon becomes illuminated. The convoy transporting the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, is moving south on the highway and it advances through the pass with all the vehicles’ headlights beaming brightly. The entourage of accompanying prisoners is highly visible and at midnight, when the column reaches the Australian lines, the Australians are buzzing. Colonel Clainos notes that one Australian soldier quips to another, “Here we are all set for a coordinated attack in the morning and the bloody Yanks come in at midnight from the north, with their lights burning, and bringing the whole damned north Korean Army as prisoners.” In the 24th Division sector, the advance moves up the west coast to the left of the Kaesong–Sariwon–Pyongyang axis. The 19th Regiment closes on Sariwon,

464 but at 1700 orders arrive that instruct it to halt its attack, as the town had already been secured. Meanwhile, Colonel Stephens’ 21st Regiment encounters stiff resistance at Haeju, but it continues to hammer the 300 defenders and overwhelm them. The town is secure before evening. In the ROK Army area, a contingent of South Korean troops eliminates the enemy shore batteries that had been firing upon the minesweepers in the Russian Channel off Wonsan. With Wonsan under control, the S.K. forces also secure the peninsulas and islands that dominate the Wonsan harbor approaches. Although the shore guns are liquidated, the channel remains filled with mines. The Capital Division secures Hamhung, Hungnam and Yonpo Airfield. The S.K. 3rd Division has one regiment en route to Hamhung, and two other regiments are at Wonsan and Kojo. In other activity, the S.K. 1st Division advances from the southeast and reaches a point about 15 miles from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. To the right from the east, the S.K. 7th Division also closes against Pyongyang. Meanwhile, in the central mountains, the S.K. 6th Division drives from the northeast and nears Yangdok, about fifty air-miles from the objective. The S.K. 8th Division is also in the central mountains near Yangdok. It closes on the Pyongyang–Wonsan Road, from where it is to swing west and drive to the city. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Force initiates flights to recently captured Sinmak, less than fifty miles from the Communist capital of Pyongyang. The planes deliver food rations and fuel. Then the aircraft evacuate wounded troops and transport them to Kimpo Airfield. — In the United States: President Truman, back in San Francisco from Wake Island, gives General MacArthur high accolades: “It is fortunate for the world that we had the right man for this purpose, a man who is a very great soldier.” The president notes that the only reason for being in Korea “is to establish peace and independence. We seek no territory or special privilege—the only victory we seek is the victory of peace.” Also, the president mentions the Soviet Union’s incessant military buildup in Asia and Europe, which he then proclaims is threatening world peace. Truman states emphatically: “The free men of the world have but one choice if they are to remain free. They must oppose strength with strength.... We hate war, but we love our liberties. We will not see them destroyed.” — In Japan: General MacArthur issues UNC Operations Order 4 that removes the restriction specified in the previous order issued on September 27 forbidding troops (other than South Korean) from advancing beyond a line extending from Ch’ongju on the west to Hamhung on the east coast. The new line is drawn along an axis thirty to forty miles south of the Manchurian border with North Korea. The order will be confirmed in a distributed message on the 19th. Also, the previous orders restricting Fifth Air Force planes from flying closer than fifty miles from the North

465 Korean border, at the Yalu River, are somewhat relaxed to give the pilots some slack.

October 18 In Naval activity, minesweeping operations continue off Wonsan as the Navy chisels out a safe channel that leads to the harbor. A successful conclusion seems near until a Japanese vessel ( JMS-14) strikes a mine and plummets to the bottom. The tragedy sobers the optimism. In the Eighth Army area, the principal body (5,192 troops) of the 1st Turkish Armed Forces Command, which had arrived at Pusan on the previous day, comes ashore. The Turkish Brigade then moves to Taegu to begin training at the newly established U.N. Reception Center (UNRC). The Turkish Brigade is fully equipped with the exception of certain weapons, which must be provided by the Americans. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the morale of the troops skyrockets when erroneous rumors spread through the ranks. The false notions imply that once Pyongyang falls, the mission of the Americans is terminated and the U.S. troops will embark for Japan, in time to eat dinner there on Thanksgiving Day. In the 7th Cavalry zone, the Regiment resumes its attack at dawn. The 3rd Battalion, following its tedious night march to reach Hwangju, jumps off and bolts across a small stream at Hwangju. From there, it advances toward the objective, Pyongyang. Initially, the enemy raises nominal resistance to harass the battalion, but later, when the 3rd Battalion encroaches the high ground slightly south of the midway point at Hukkyo-ri, the stakes get raised. Communist gunners begin to pour extremely heavy fire into the ranks. The resistance includes high-velocity guns, 120-mm mortars, several entrenched T-34 tanks and a heavily mined road. The U.S. troops are bolstered by planes and twenty tanks attached to Company C, 70th Tank Bn. Enemy small arms fire, which is also tenacious, brings down one of the attacking aircraft. The enemy force, composed of about 800 troops, holds its ground firmly and greatly hinders progress. General Gay becomes impatient with the headway of the assault. Consequently, during the middle of the afternoon, he directs the 7th Cavalry commander, Colonel Woolnough (temporarily replacing Colonel Harris), to commit the remaining two battalions. To speed up the advance, they are each to flank the enemy-dominated ridges. Colonel Webel urges General Gay to cancel the order, claiming that the ridge is nearly secured and that the reinforcements are not needed. Nevertheless Gay, after being informed by Woolnough that the mission is in progress, decides to let the order stand. In the meantime, the 1st and 2nd Battalions advance toward the enemy flanks and the attack continues throughout the night. Also, General Gay tells Colonel Woolnough that the 5th Cavalry is to pass through the 7th Cavalry on the morning of the 19th to resume the assault. After this conversation, Gay departs and locates Colonel Crombez and his 5th Cavalry, which is

October 19, 1950 still scattered along the lousy road that is more suitable for donkeys or oxen rather than cavalrymen. Crombez is informed that his regiment will spearhead the following day’s attack. The 5th Cavalry Regiment, trailing the 7th Cavalry, completes its march through the mountains and reaches Hwangju at 2300. The 7th Cavalry remains deeply disappointed with General Gay. The 7th had spearheaded the drive from Seoul, but it is now being denied the opportunity to take Pyongyang. In the ROK Army area, two South Korean warships strike mines in the channel off Wonsan. A minesweeper sinks and the other vessel sustains damage. In other activity, the S.K. 1st Division rapidly advances toward Pyongyang, far ahead of the American drive, but when it reaches a point about ten miles from the city, resistance intensifies. The combination of the accelerated opposition and a heavy concentration of mines prevents great progress. The South Koreans advance only about two miles. The contest outside Pyongyang continues throughout the night and into the following morning, all the while under a dreary rainstorm. The leading elements of the 1st Cavalry Division stand about 30 miles from the city; however, the cavalry is not encountering heavy resistance. In Air Force activity, during a mission, an RB-29 reconnaissance plane’s crew spots about 75 fighter planes on the ground at the airfield in Antung, China, across the Yalu River along the border with North Korea. The presence of the enemy aircraft suggests an imminent entry by China into the war.

October 19 In Naval activity, the risky minesweeping operation off Wonsan sustains another devastating blow when the S.K. minesweeper YMS-516 is rocked by a thunderous explosion as it passes through a supposedly clear sector of the channel. The area had been swept, but the enemy had also spread magnetic mines. These were implanted with time devices that permit as many as 12 vessels to pass safely before detonation. In other activity, the USS Mount McKinley arrives off Wonsan. Admiral Doyle, General Almond and other X Corps staff set up a conference with Admiral Struble aboard the USS Missouri. Struble thinks it will take three additional days to clear the remaining magnetic mines from the channel. He states that no landing will occur until all the magnetic mines are eliminated from the channel. The UNC Operations Order 4, issued by MacArthur on the 17th, is confirmed today. The new line of operations for the U.N. troops (other than South Korean) runs from Sonch’on and extends through Koindong–P’yongwon–P’ungsan and beyond until it terminates at Songjin on the east coast. The new line remains within the original guidelines of the original JCS directive of September 27, which is still in effect. It is about 100 miles from the Soviet Union. The directives still permit only South Korean troops

October 19, 1950 to operate in the provinces that border the Yalu River and neighboring Communist China. Soon after, on the 24th, General MacArthur again changes the parameters of the operation in North Korea. This directive creates an even larger gap between Eight Army and X Corps. In the X Corps area, following his meeting with Admiral Struble aboard the Missouri, General Almond decides to move to Wonsan on the following day. In the 1st Marine Division area, although it cannot be found in the official government records, the Marines aboard ships in the Yellow Sea, slightly beyond the Wonsan Channel, initiate what becomes known as Operation Yo-yo. The Marines, who had originally been scheduled to storm the beaches on the 20th, find themselves in a most uncomfortable position on the eve of their landing. Rather than facing D-Day and enemy resistance, the Marines face Z-day, as in zany. At about 1700, the colossal 250-vessel armada, which is steaming north, suddenly spins on a dime and swings around, then heads south toward Pusan. The rumors begin as murmurs, but then, they accelerate into great exhortation as the floating procession begins its southward course. The sounds of the Marines bellow across the decks: “War’s over!” “They’re taking us back to Pusan for embarkation to the States.” Nevertheless, if the Marines feel the surge of magnanimous surprise, they are in for another bombshell when dawn arrives on the following day. In the Eighth Army area, the forward distribution center for Army is at Kaesong. It requires about 200 trucks to transport the supplies from there to the forward positions, and most units are more than 100 miles north of Kaesong. The vehicles move food, gasoline and other supplies to small depots located about fifty miles north of Seoul. The 187th Airborne Regiment at Kimpo Airfield in Inchon prepares to parachute into North Korea on the following day. These airborne troops have been held in GHQ Reserve and did not participate in Eighth Army’s attack across the 38th Parallel. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, 5th Cavalry zone, Colonel Paul Clifford’s 2nd Battalion, having received little sleep, departs Hwangju at 0500. The battalion reaches the 7th Cavalry lines at Hukkyo-ri, toward the tail end of a battle in which the enemy has been repulsed by the 7th Cavalry. Three tanks roar into the area and stop suddenly. The tankers open their hatches and begin conversing with each other in close proximity to three 5th Cavalrymen, who realize that the tanks are hostile. One trooper, in obvious slang, yells to the team leader, “Them ain’t GIs, them are gooks.” The bazooka team leader chimes in: “Let’s shoot the S.O.B.s.” Their marksmanship is superior to their use of the King’s English. The three enemy tanks are destroyed. Soon after, Company F, commanded by Lieutenant James H. Bell, pushes off with the added support of one platoon of engineers, a section of heavy machine guns and five tanks. The attacking unit is further bolstered by aircraft.

466 Company F is hardly out of the gate when a jet plane attempts to lend support and nearly causes a disaster. While the column passes by the first burning tank, the jet dives and fires a rocket that knocks Lieutenant Bell out of action by the concussion. Following the nearmishap, Company F picks up its pace and grinds forward. At 1102, the vanguard reaches the southern fringes of Pyongyang, where it pauses briefly at the Mujinch’on River, a tributary of the Taedong River. The advance troops wait while mortar fire is brought to bear on the enemy positions on the opposite side of the twenty-yard-wide river. The defenses include three antitank guns, which are zeroed in on the road bridge. After about one-half hour of effective fire, the guns become docile as the defenders abandon the positions. Following the elimination of the enemy fire, Company F enters the city. The drive had been shepherded by Fifth Air Force aircraft. The official Army records, from an aerial observer’s report, indicate that Company F enters Pyongyang at 1102, but Lieutenant Bell estimates that his unit breached the city at about 1330. Pyongyang is located along the Taedong River, about 40 miles from its confluence with the Yellow Sea. The sector of the city north of the Taedong contains the primary government buildings. South of the river, an industrial suburb area has been established. Bell’s orders direct him to swing west and secure the two railroad bridges (Pusan–Seoul–Mukden Railroad) situated about two miles downstream from the primary road bridge. Particular factories there are also listed as targets. Bell is directed to establish a bridgehead on the north bank of the river. When Lieutenant Bell reaches the south bank of the river, he discovers that each of the three-span railroad bridges contain only one span intact. Using the eastern span, which he considers sturdier, Bell orders a detachment to remain at the southern end to guard the tanks, while he leads the remainder of the company to secure an island in the river. An enemy contingent operating on the north bank destroys a section of the bridge there. During the afternoon, Company F secures the island. Later it is relieved by the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry. In the meantime, the remainder of the 2nd Battalion crosses the Mujinch’on River and swings right to secure the primary bridge (the sole remaining intact bridge at Pyongyang), that spans the Taedong River. Before contingents of Companies E and G reach the objective, the North Koreans detonate the middle span. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, commanded by Colonel John Clifford, then continues northeast to find a new crossing site. Soon after, a contingent locates a stream and discovers that the S.K. 15th Regiment had already crossed there. The South Koreans, familiar with the area, knew the exact location of the crossing site. In the 7th Cavalry sector, at dawn, the two battalions that had flanked the enemy positions in the high ground in front of Hukkyo-ri on the previous day discover that the enemy has abandoned their ridge positions. In other activity, the North Koreans launch an

467

October 19, 1950

A contingent of ROKs (S.K. 7th Division) engage in a firefight with Communists in Pyongyang on 19 October. unsuccessful early morning attack against the 7th Cavalry perimeter at Hukkyo-ri. In the ROK Army area, IX Corps sector, S.K. 1st Division zone, fighting from the previous night continues even after dawn. The division grinds through tough op-

position and gains another two hard-fought miles. Following about one or two hours of tenacious battle, the South Koreans mount an attack supported by tanks of Company C, 6th Tank Battalion. The thrust of the tanks blows a giant hole in the defenses near Kojo-dong.

October 20, 1950

468

The S.K. (ROK) YMS-516 is destroyed after striking a mine on 19 October off Wonsan.

Afterward, the armor converge on both flanks and pulverize the North Korean positions. Machine guns, some other weapons and enemy troops are blown into particles. The tanks account for about 300 deceased Communists. Meanwhile, elements of the S.K. 2nd Battalion, 12th Regiment, 1st Division, maintain their advance and slightly before 1100, the units reach the Taedong River. The regiment deploys northeast of the road bridge along the south bank of the river. As the 1st Cavalry Division pounds its way into Pyongyang, the S.K. 1st Division drills through the city’s defenses northeast of the lines of the 1st Cavalry. The ROKS advance along the Sibyon-ni–Pyongyang Road. By dusk, most of the S.K. 1st Division enters Pyongyang. The records of the U.S. tank unit (Company C, 6th Med. Tank Bn.) that accompanies the South Koreans indicate that its tanks enter the southern fringes of the city at 1245. Soon after, tanks of Company D drive into the city via the identical route. The tanks of Company C swing north to support the S.K. 11th Regiment, which is assaulting the main airfield. It is secure by 1440. Earlier in the day, other South Korean contingents had seized a smaller airfield. In addition, the 8th Regiment, S.K. 7th Division, enters Pyongyang from the east. At 1700, Kim Il Sung University in the northeast sector of the city is secure.

October 20 General MacArthur has been keeping the 187th Airborne Regiment at Kimpo while he prepares to unleash it to conduct a dangerous operation. It is expected to rescue American POWs suspected of being held captive on North Korean trains that are being sent farther north. The mission is executed on this day. The airdrop is supplemented by seventy-four tons of equipment, which is also dropped. This is the first time heavy equipment is airdropped in combat, and it is also the initial use of C-19s in a combat parachute operation. The paratroopers will be followed to earth by such items as 90-mm towed antitank guns, 105-mm howitzers, jeeps and a mobile radio transmission set. In conjunction, seven 105-mm howitzers of the 674th FABn and 1,125 shells are also dropped. Six of the guns survive in operable condition, and only about ten percent of the shells are damaged and fortunately, none explode upon impact. In what is considered a usual practice for MacArthur, he and Generals Stratemeyer, Whitney and Wright have flown from Japan to observe the parachutists. At 0230, during a torrential downpour, the paratroopers fall out for an early reveille. The soaked troops are treated to breakfast before they move to the airstrip to await a change in the weather. At about noon, conditions improve and the flying warriors board their aircraft. About 2,800 men of the airborne unit cram into 113 planes to execute the first combat troop airdrop since World War II.

469 About 1,200 more paratroopers will follow on succeeding days. The total weight of the dropped equipment amounts to more than 600 tons. The C-19s and the C-47s, of the 314th and 21st Troop Carrier Squadrons respectively, are scheduled to make two primary drops at positions about 30 miles north of Pyongyang. Prior to the arrival of the paratroopers, fighter planes fly over the target areas to bomb and strafe the terrain. The commanding officer, Colonel Frank Bowen, Jr., is aboard the lead aircraft, which is airborne at 1200. Once the remaining planes are in the air and assembled, they head toward Sukch’on and Sunchon, to intercept the targeted train. At about 1400, Colonel Bowen and 1,470 troops (1st Bn., Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company, medical personnel, engineers and service troops) jump from their planes over Drop Zone William southeast of Sukch’on. They encounter only some sniper fire. Twenty-five troops are accidentally injured during this jump. One group misses the drop zone by about one and one-half miles. One man is killed by enemy fire while he is descending. The airborne troops of the 1st Battalion quickly seize Hill 97 east of Sukch’on and Hill 104 to the north. Simultaneously they secure the town. The terrain to the immediate north of the town must also be seized to provide the paratroopers domination of the primary road that runs north of Sukch’on. It is cleared on the following day. Colonel Bowen establishes his command post on Hill 97 and a roadblock is established near Hill 104. The 3rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel Delbert E. Munson, also lands in Drop Zone William, but it moves south and establishes roadblocks below the town at the highway and at the railroad. By 1700, its objectives are seized without any casualties. In turn, the enemy loses five troops killed and forty-two others captured. Trailing the first air-drop, at 1420, the 2nd Battalion, commanded by Col. William J. Boyle, jumps to begin its descent and lands in Drop Zone Easy, about 2 miles southwest of Sunchon, against no opposition. However, 20 paratroopers are injured during the jump. Following a quick assembly, the battalion quickly moves out and seizes all of its objectives by dusk. Roadblocks are established south and west of the town and manned by two companies, while another company moves to Sunchon and makes contact with the S.K. 6th Division. The South Koreans are advancing from the southeast, en route to the Ch’ongch’on River. Once all the paratroopers hit the ground, the entourage of brass departs the area for Pyongyang, where MacArthur makes some comments to the waiting press. MacArthur claims that the airborne operation has caught the enemy by complete surprise and that about 30,000 enemy troops have been clamped between the paratroopers in the north and the claws of both the 1st Cavalry Division and the S.K. 1st Division, which are closing from the south. In addition, MacArthur claims

October 20, 1950 that either the demise or capture of the trapped enemy is at hand. While at Sunchon, the 2nd Battalion does not encounter much difficulty, as the S.K. 6th Division secures most of the town and the immediate vicinity. The successful operation does sever two key enemy escape routes that lead to Manchuria. One of the two trains transporting the American POWs into the northernmost areas of North Korea pauses in a tunnel northwest of Sunchon. During the evening, while the train is still halted, the Communists massacre the GIs (See also October 21, 1st Cavalry sector.) In the X Corps sector, Admiral Struble had decided on the previous day not to take unnecessary risks by landing Marines at Wonsan on this day. His decision was probably influenced by the lack of pressure, due to the earlier seizure of the town by South Korean troops and their subsequent advance to positions beyond the North Korean capital. General MacArthur and Admiral Joy concur with the decision. General Almond departs the USS Missouri by helicopter and arrives at Wonsan Airfield, where he assumes command of the X Corps troops in the area, north and east of the Taebaek Range. Most of the X Corps is still at sea. In the 1st Marine Division area, Marines aboard the ships of the armada are again surprised as the flotilla makes another seagoing “about face.” The flotilla reinitiates its northward course and sails back toward Wonsan. The perplexed Marines and accompanying X Corps troops don’t realize their short respite was based on military strategy rather than the cessation of hostilities. Meanwhile, the assault troops mark time aboard ship as they prepare for the landing. The troops reach the pinnacle of grumbling, one of the other things Marines are best known for besides fighting. The warships cruise northward, but after 12 hours and without notice, the vessels again suddenly swirl and retrace the southern course, giving the landing force another quick dose of mixed emotions. The armada takes on an aura of mystery, and the Marines, seemingly on a string, dub the cruise to nowhere Operation YO YO. The troops suffer from a variety of ailments due to the crowded conditions and prolonged duration of the unusual pattern, which automatically reverses course every twelve hours. Operation YO YO creates much more than boredom and anxiety. The transports and LSTs, anticipating a brief cruise, are ill-equipped for the arduous trek and unexpected complications emerge. Smallpox breaks out on the Bayfield and everyone aboard receives urgent vaccinations. Other medical emergencies such as dysentery and various stomach troubles take a high toll. The Marine Phoenix, a heavily laden transport, is plagued with illness, despite all necessary medical precautions. The sick list soars to 750 men during the revolving north-south excursion, which continues until the 25th. In the Eighth Army area, the Communists remove most of the American captives from Pyongyang prior to the arrival of U.N. troops; however, some POWs are saved.

October 20, 1950

470

Troops of the 187th Airborne Regiment board a C-119 at Kimpo airfield on 20 October. One of the paratroopers carrying full gear gets help from two others to make it inside the aircraft. Twenty Americans either escape from the enemy or are rescued when the city falls. Subsequent to the seizure of Pyongyang, General Milburn orders the I Corps to resume the attack and advance to the MacArthur Line, a point about 35 miles south of the Yalu River. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 5th Cavalry de-

ploys in the southern fringes of Pyongyang. The 7th Cavalry will hold at Chinnamp’o, the city’s port, and the 8th Cavalry stretches out in the northern suburbs. Subsequent to the fall of the city, the 7th Cavalry moves to Chinnamp’o, arriving there after a forced night march on October 22.

471

October 20, 1950

Part of the airborne operation on 20 October, when 113 planes fill the skies over the Sukch’on–Sunchon region and drop about 2,800 men of the 187th Airborne RCT. In the 5th Cavalry sector, engineers’ assault boats arrive to carry the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, across the Taedong River to the north bank. The attached 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, also fords the river, and by noon, the troops are being received by the resounding clang of church bells rather than enemy artillery. The Christian churches ring their bells in unison as these Americans enter Pyongyang. In other activity, pursuant to orders of October 16, TF Indianhead, which acquires its name from the patch of the 2nd Division, secures the bulk of its objectives in Pyongyang and in the process discovers much intelligence from within the seized buildings and captured compounds. The documents include both military and political information. The pertinent items are transferred to a special detachment from GHQ Far East Command, which carries them by plane back to Tokyo.

In the 8th Cavalry zone, TF Rodgers, commanded by Lt. Colonel William M. Rodgers and composed of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, and one company of tanks (70th Tank Bn.), departs Pyongyang to establish contact with the 187th RCT (Airborne) at Sunchon. En route, the task force discovers five Americans who escaped from their captors. TF Rodgers arrives at its objective on the following morning. In the 24th Division sector, pursuant to orders from I Corps, the 24th Division, spearheaded by the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, advances toward the Yalu River with instructions to halt at the MacArthur Line. In the ROK Army area, the S.K. 1st Division drives into the center of Pyongyang and effortlessly seizes the Administrative Center, as the defenders exhibit no desire to fight, and in fact, abandon their positions. Soon

October 21, 1950

472

Top: LSTs unload cargo at Wonsan. Bottom: U.S. Navy frogmen engage in a mine clearing operation at a landing beach near Wonsan. after, at 1000, the South Koreans declare the entire city secure. In other activity, the S.K. 1st Division, attached to I Corps, and the 6th and 8th S.K. Divisions (ROK II Corps) are poised to join the I Corps attack.

October 21

General MacArthur arrives by air at Pyongyang Airfield to meet with Generals Walker and

Stratemeyer. While there, MacArthur reviews Company F, 5th Cavalry, the first U.S. unit to enter the North Korean capital. The 5th Cavalry, which arrived in Korea on July 18, less than 100 days ago, receives a request from General MacArthur. He asks that all troops of the Company (nearly 200 men) that initially landed in Korea step forward. Five cavalrymen advance, and of these, three are wounded.

473 In other activity, General Almond attempts to get one Marine regiment to immediately land at Kojo-dong to relieve elements of the S.K. 3rd Division, but Admiral Struble (CO, JTF 7) responds in the negative, still refusing to permit the Marines to pass through the channel due to the minefields. Also, General O.P. Smith, USMC, receives a message from Admiral Joy informing him that at the close of hostilities (anticipated to be in the near future), Joy will recommend that the 1st Marine Division be returned to the U.S., with the exception of one RCT, which would be deployed in Japan. In the Eighth Army area, the airborne operation in North Korea continues. The 1st Battalion, 187th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Arthur H. Wilson, pushes north and captures the strategic ground north of Sukch’on, which gives the battalion domination of the highway there, but there is yet another string of hills that sit north of the 1st Battalion at Sukch’on, and it, too, must be reduced. Later in the day, contingents of the 1st Battalion encounter elements of the 2nd Battalion, 187th Regiment, at Sunchon, linking the two battalions. At 0900, the 3rd Battalion, divided into two combat teams, begins to move from its roadblock position. It drives toward Pyongyang. Company I and Company K advance south along the railroad and highway respectively. At about 1300, Company I reaches Op’ari, where an enemy contingent estimated at battalion strength springs an attack. The muscle of 40-mm guns and 120-mm mortars is thrown at the advancing Americans, who tenaciously engage the enemy for about two and one-half hours of nasty combat. However, the overwhelming numerical strength weighs in heavily. The enemy overruns two platoons of Company I. The commander of the besieged unit, having ninety men unaccounted for, orders a withdrawal toward the west to grasp more tenable positions at Hill 281. Meanwhile, PFC Richard G. Wilson (medic, Co. I, 187th Airborne Regiment), attempts to save some wounded troops by totally disregarding his own safety. Wilson moves about the casualties while the contingent continues its desperate attempt to extricate itself from the ambush. Wilson is convinced that he has retrieved all the wounded, but as the unit withdraws, he moves back into the line of fire to save one more soldier who originally was thought to be dead. Wilson reaches the wounded man, but he lacks a weapon and comes under heavy fire. When the unit retakes the ground, Wilson is found next to the body of the other soldier. Wilson is riddled with bullets and in a position that exhibited his intent of shielding the wounded trooper. PFC Wilson receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary valor and courage in the face of the enemy. Fortunately for outnumbered Company I, the enemy chooses to disengage and retire to their entrenched positions in the heights around Op’a-ri. Meanwhile, the other U.S. column, Company K, moves south along the highway and it, too, encounters about one enemy

October 21, 1950 battalion. Slightly north of Yongyu, the two opposing forces clash, but in this case, the smaller unit, Company K, fends off the Communists. Following a fierce firefight, the enemy breaks off the engagement and moves to positions south of O’pa-ri. Company K resumes its advance along the highway to Yongju and deploys slightly north of it at Hill 163. Company K, at Hill 163 and Company I, at O’pari, are separated by about three miles. The airborne regiment in its entirety is deployed between Pyongyang and Suk’chon. The enemy is stretched along a chain of hills that lean from the southeast to the northwest and are straddled between Pyongyang and the Ch’ongch’on River. The positions are defended by about 2,500 troops of the N.K. 239th Regiment, the final unit to depart Pyongyang. Its mission is to hold the rear against the advancing I Corps, Eighth Army. Suddenly the situation is reversed on the North Koreans, who find themselves in an unenviable position of having their positions being pounded from the rear. At about midnight, the enemy launches a northward attack to penetrate the U.S. lines and flee the trap, but the endeavor does not end successfully. Initially, the attack penetrates the command post of Company K at Hill 163. The company commander becomes wounded twice, but he gives no quarter and lunges directly at a Communist attacker and seizes his burp gun. Immediately thereafter, Captain Claude Josey collapses from his wounds. The company executive officer is also wounded during the brief confrontation, but ultimately the North Koreans are either wiped out or driven back. More attacks are launched. The first one commences just after midnight (21st-22nd). A Company K contingent again resists tenaciously, but the unit holding the roadblock at Hill 163 spends its entire complement of ammunition and is compelled to abandon its positions. At 0400 the enemy ignites another assault against Company K. By 0545 the North Koreans smash into another unit, but this time they stumble into the battalion command post of Company L, a fresh unit. The enemy is met with smothering fire that inflicts heavy casualties upon the attackers. Nevertheless, the North Koreans refuse to relent. They reinitiate the attack and cause some concern among the airborne contingent. A quick call is placed, urgently requesting immediate support, and reinforcements rush to the scene. Company L continues to withstand the thrust of about 300 attackers while headquarters halts the progress of about 450 charging enemy troops. A contingent of the advancing I Corps is also close at hand. The attached British Commonwealth Brigade remains about two miles away at day’s end. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, 8th Cavalry zone, TF Rodgers arrives at Sunchon at 0900 and makes contact with the 2nd Battalion, 187th RCT (Airborne). The linkage is observed by Generals Gay and Frank A. Allen, both of whom are flying overhead in an L-5 plane. The aircraft returns to Pyongyang and General Allen moves back to Sunchon by jeep. He arrives there at about noon and soon after a Korean

October 22, 1950 civilian is brought into the command post of the 2nd Battalion (Airborne) to give details of a slaughter of GIs. The Korean tells how the Communists had recently killed American soldiers in a railroad tunnel about five air-miles northwest of Sunch’on. General Allen, his aide and two correspondents move to the site of the massacre, taking the civilian with them. Along the way, Allen pauses momentarily at the command post of the S.K. 6th Division and picks up a South Korean colonel to accompany him on the mission. At about 1500, the team reaches the tunnel just beyond Myonguch’am. The S.K. colonel climbs the hill from the road and walks into the railroad tunnel to verify the story. Seven dead GIs lie near the track, but their causes of death appear to have been either starvation or disease. The bodies are emaciated and several of the seven corpses have obviously aged wounds. By now General Allen and the others in the party also enter the tunnel. The S.K. colonel moves through the tunnel and emerges at the other end and then, he spots five more dead GIs at the top of a ridge. At about the same time, a seriously wounded GI moves from his hiding place and is rescued. The soldier, PFC Valdor John, is overwhelmed by the sight of the friendly troops, and when he is given General Allen’s coat to make him warm, he proclaims that he is “too dirty to wear it.” PFC Valdor John is the sole survivor of his group of eighteen. The other seventeen American soldiers, each executed by bullets, lie in a blood-filled gully. One correspondent who is present walks away, sickened by the sight, only to stroll directly into another group of massacred Americans. Fifteen more executed GIs lie dead, each holding an empty rice dish in his hands, apparently expecting food from the Communists, not death. And yet another group of 34 massacred GIs are found nearby, bringing the total of executed American soldiers at this site to sixty-six, not including the seven thought to have died from other causes. In addition to PFC Valdor John, twenty-two other Americans are rescued, and of these, two men die during the night. The remaining survivors are carefully transported back to Pyongyang by S.K. troops, and from there they are airlifted to Japan for treatment. The bodies of those killed are taken back for burial. These troops had been the POWs that the airborne had been dispatched to rescue. Information gathered by the survivors details the excruciating journey they endured on the trains that departed Pyongyang on the 17th. In the 24th Division sector, the British Brigade departs Pyongyang at noon and drives north along the road toward Sukch’on, where contingents of the airborne regiment are deployed. Unknown to the British, when they halt for the night, they are close to the beleaguered airborne troops who are heavily engaged. The heavy fire can be heard and it appears to be about three miles farther north. The Commonwealth troops join the fight at dawn. — In North Korea: The Communists make a radio broadcast proclaiming that Sinuiju, situated on the

474 south bank of the Yalu River across from An-tung, China, is the new capital for Kim Il Sung’s government; however, the surging U.N. advance will force the Communists to relocate in the mountains at Kanggye, where the terrain is perfectly suited for guerrilla tactics. It was in this general area (Kanggye–Manp’ojin) where the Koreans had based their operations against the Japanese occupation during World War II. In Air Force activity, A C-47 aircraft operating in the vicinity uses a loudspeaker rather than bullets to convince about 500 enemy troops to surrender. In other activity, Combat Cargo Command initiates the use of helicopters to evacuate wounded from Pyongyang. Fifth Air Force supports the 187th Airborne operation to intercept and rescue American POWs. Air Force helicopters (H-5s of the 3d ARS) evacuated about 35 paratroopers in what becomes the initial mission of helicopters in support of an airborne operation. In addition, 7 former POWs are also evacuated. — In Japan: Continuing to speak with optimism, General MacArthur reiterates his praise of the previous day’s airborne operation and notes that the “War is definitely coming to an end shortly.” However, it is determined that the surprise airdrop is unable to isolate any large enemy units, nor any high-ranking North Korean officers. Information gathered from civilians explains that the chief N.K. officials had departed Pyongyang on October 12 and moved toward Manp’ojin at the Yalu River. Contrasting intelligence indicates that the N.K. government officials had evacuated the capital and moved to the mountains at Kanggye, about twenty air-miles from Manp’ojin.

October 22 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, General O.P. Smith, USMC, issues a new plan to conform with the proposed X Corps boundaries. The Marines will deploy in the far southern portion of the corps zone (according to plan). X Corps is to extend from the Chongsanjangsi–Songjin line. Marine reconnaissance units come ashore on the 24th or 25th to select assembly areas, but the effort proves to be of no value, as General MacArthur, on the 25th, cancels the restrictions and orders the forces to proceed to the Manchurian and Soviet borders. Information reaches General Smith that a dispatch (for the purpose of planning) had been delivered to X Corps indicating that the Americans would leave an occupation force in Korea, comprised of about one division. It also said that the X Corps commander would become commander of the forces. At this time, it is still thought that the final destruction of the enemy is close at hand. In the Eighth Army area, At Pyongyang, Colonel Collier (Eighth Army staff ) establishes Advance Eighth Army Headquarters in the building recently evacuated by North Korean Premier Kim Il Sung. Kim Il Sung had departed in hasty fashion, but a large portrait of Stalin still hangs on the wall. The 3rd Battalion, 187th RCT (Airborne), continues to battle the N.K. 239th Regiment while it awaits

475 reinforcements. In conjunction, the 24th Division continues to close fast. The spearhead unit is the British Brigade. In other activity, General Walker now believes that the U.N. forces have more ammunition than will be required to complete the destruction of the North Korean Army and terminate the war. Walker asks Gen-

October 22, 1950 eral MacArthur to authorize re-routing any additional ships that are transporting bulk-loaded ammunition en route to Korea; Walker wants to divert them to Japan. MacArthur concurs and he initiates action that intercepts six ships transporting 105-mm, 155-mm and Air Force bombs. The vessels are diverted to either Hawaii or back to the States.

A primitive road several miles south of Sunchon. Note the one-way sign on the solitary tree.

October 23, 1950 The commanding officer, Japan Logistical Command, Major General Walter Weible, requests that the commanding general, San Francisco Port of Embarkation, take action to abort fulfilling all pending requisitions for ammunition (pertaining to ground troops). The request also asks that all loaded ships remaining in port be unloaded. The aura of victory is overtaking all levels of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East at this time, and many of the troops expect to be departing Korea in the near future. In the I Corps area, Company C, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, is designated Task Force Elephant. It departs Pyongyang and shoots through Sunchon to reach the railroad at Kujang-dong to intercept any enemy trains that arrive there. The objective is reached at 2200. From Sunchon, the task force, trailed by the S.K. 1st Division, moves west toward Kunu-ri, sometimes referred to as Kaech’on, in the Ch’ongch’on valley. En route, forty American GIs who escaped from the death trains are rescued by the South Koreans. The ROKs immediately transport them back to Pyongyang. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, The 7th Cavalry arrives at Chinnamp’o, thirty-five miles southwest of Pyongyang and is assigned the task to hold the port city. In the 24th Division sector, the Argyll 1st Battalion moves out at dawn to relieve the pressure against the 3rd Battalion, 187 RCT. It moves into Yongju. Then the Australian 3rd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Charles Green, passes through its lines and initiates the advance. Company C, commanded by Captain A.P. Denness, takes the point. Bolstered by the tanks of Company D, 89th Tank Battalion, the contingent moves quickly, but slightly north of the town, the column approaches an apple orchard on both sides of the highway. The apples trees are permeated with enemy troops. The North Koreans commence fire from the orchard, and the Australians spring from their perches aboard the U.S. tanks and bolt into the orchard to shred the enemy in a brutal close-quartered battle. One of the Australians, described as a rather large man with red hair, dives into an entrenchment and ignites a lightning-quick squabble. When the noise subsides and the battle ends, only the Australian trooper emerges from the trench, looking much different than when he entered it. His uniform is splintered and blood is running from his hands, caused by innumerable cuts. Eight deceased North Koreans remain in the foxhole. In the meantime, more enemy fire erupts from another cluster of enemy troops. Colonel Green dispatches another company to meet this threat that emerges from the heights to the right of the highway. A third company sprints to the ground that lies left of the highway to bolster Company C. Green then leads his headquarters contingent directly into the orchard, and they, too, become heavily engaged. Meanwhile, the enemy commits mortars to supplement its automatic weapons and rifle units. Undaunted, the Australians penetrate deeper into the bush, pressing their rifles and bayonets into as many of the enemy as possible. Grenades are also used as the Americans’

476 cousins punch their way through the enemy defenses. Green’s small headquarters contingent is struck by a strong force, but it is quickly cut down to size. Thirtyfour North Koreans are killed and the Australians sustain only three wounded. The Australians whack the enemy and send the survivors into flight. The close-quartered battle costs the enemy a total of about 270 troops killed, and the Aussies collect an additional 200 prisoners during the morning confrontation. The Australian Battalion sustains about seven wounded and none killed. Following the battle in the apple orchard, the Middlesex Battalion moves through the lines of the Australian 3rd Battalion and supported by tanks, it advances. At 1100, the Middlesex Battalion establishes a link with the 187th RCT (Airborne). In conjunction, the 187th Regiment’s 3rd Battalion had scored success against the enemy at Yongyu. The 3rd Battalion, 187th RCT, reports that the enemy it faced had sustained 805 killed and 681 others captured. The combined thrust of the Americans and the Commonwealth Brigade has nearly wiped out the N.K. 239th Regiment. Later, during the afternoon, the 3rd Battalion, 187th RCT, moves back to Sukch’on, trailed by the British Brigade. Once there, the British Commonwealth Brigade relieves the 187th RCT (Airborne). The British then push on toward Sinanju. During the evening, some 24th Division forward elements arrive in an assembly area north of Pyongyang and assume control of the British 27th Commonwealth Brigade, the 90th FABn, and the 89th Tank Battalion. In the ROK area, enemy guerrilla forces continue to operate behind Eighth Army lines. On this day, a South Korean force, composed of more than fifty soldiers and police, are driven from the Hwach’on Dam, located north of Wonju in central Korea above the 38th Parallel. The guerrillas unlock the valves and by the following day, the Pukhan River rises by several feet. It causes damage downstream. S.K. troops recapture the dam on the 25th. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 6th Division continues its rapid advance and begins to close against Kunu-ri, about 45 air miles north of Pyongyang.

October 23 In Naval activity, the USS Mount McKinley ventures into the inner harbor of Wonsan, a signal that the minesweeping operation is finally nearing its welcome conclusion. Admiral Doyle directs the fleet to arrive on the 25th. The order terminates the dubious Operation YO YO, to the relief of the men aboard the ships. The transport group is to enter first, trailed by the tractor group. In the X Corps area, the Advanced Group JTF 7 reports that the channel leading into Wonsan is secure to Blue-Yellow Beach, but the report also indicates that the beach area must still be cleared. In the 1st Marine Division area, two helicopters (VMO-6), piloted by Captain Wallace Blatt and Lieutenant Chester Ward, arrive at Wonsan from Kimpo.

477 The bulk of the remainder of the squadron is en route by LST, but one Echelon unit, commanded by Captain Victor Armstrong, temporarily remains at Kimpo to assist in the evacuation of wounded men of the 187th Airborne Task Force, which is engaged in the vicinity of Sukch’on. Fifth Air Force has requested the aid of the Marine helicopters. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker assumes personal command of the Advance Eighth Army Headquarters. He informs General Coulter that IX Corps will be relieved by the ROK III Corps no later than November 10, thereby freeing IX Corps to drive into North Korea. At Kunu-ri, two GIs who escaped from the Communists straggle into the lines of Task Force Elephant, but again, many more are not so lucky. Later during the afternoon, a South Korean sergeant (S.K. 6th Division) discovers the bodies of twenty-eight additional American soldiers (POWs) along the railroad tracks about four miles north of Kujang-dong. Three other soldiers are found alive. In the Airborne zone, the 187th RCT departs the Sukch’on–Sunchon area and returns to Pyongyang, but it does not use the main road, which is reserved for the British Brigade and the 24th Division. Since October 20, when the 187th Combat Team began its operation, it has achieved excellent success. The unit captured 3,818 enemy troops while ravaging the N.K. 239th Regiment. The operation costs the Airborne Regiment 111 casualties, but of these, sixty-five are jump injuries. Colonel Bowen, the 187th Regimental Combat Team commander, will be promoted to brigadier general. Colonel George H. Gerhart, the regimental executive officer, becomes the CO of the 187th Airborne Regiment. Also, Colonel William J. Boyle, the 2nd Battalion, 187th RCT, commander, will be replaced by Colonel John P. Connor. Colonel Munson, wounded during the operation, returns to take command of the 3rd Battalion, 187th, after he recuperates. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, General Gay appoints Colonel Marcel B. Crombez, commanding officer, 5th Cavalry Regiment, to the position of civil assistance officer for the city of Pyongyang. Crombez is familiar with Korea and its citizens. Colonel Harold K. Johnson (previously CO, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry) succeeds Colonel Crombez as the CO of the 5th Cavalry until December 14. In other activity, during the morning, the S.K. 1st Division, operating to the rear of the 1st Cavalry Division, departs Kunu-ri and advances down the Ch’ongch’on valley, which is much larger than most of the valleys in Korea. Its width ranges between three and twenty miles. When the column nears Anju, its supporting tanks (Company D) capture one enemy T34 and knock out two other T-34s and two selfpropelled guns. Once the enemy armor is reduced to scrap, the force resumes its advance and leaps forward to reach the wooden bridge at the river several miles northeast of the town. Just before noon, one platoon of tanks commandeers the bridge and gains access over

October 23, 1950 the Ch’ongch’on River. Between this day and the 24th, the S.K. 1st Division crosses the Ch’ongch’on River at Anju and at several other seized crossing sites. In the meantime, another contingent of tanks continues moving farther downstream to Sinanju and discovers it abandoned by the enemy. The bridges there are out. Without fanfare, repair to the Anju bridges begins. By the following morning, vehicular traffic begins to cross the Ch’ongch’on River. The Ch’ongch’on and its tributaries, the Kuryong and Taeryong Rivers, each flowing from the north, mold the final dominant water barrier in the Eighth Army field of operations south of the North Korean border. The Ch’ongch’on River will prescribe the greater part of Eighth Army’s tactics and troop deployment strategies in the latter part of October through November. In the 24th Division sector, the British Brigade arrives from Sukch’on at Sianju, several hours after the arrival of the tanks that are supporting the S.K. 1st Division. The British contingent also seizes an airstrip about five miles southeast of the town. Meanwhile, the 24th Division, pursuant to orders, concludes its twelve-mile northward advance from the Pyongyang vicinity to Sunan. The Division has not arrived in time to rescue General Dean. As reported by Korean civilians, General Dean had indeed been at Sunan and from there shifted farther north before the arrival of the Americans. Up to this time, Dean’s fate had been unknown. In the ROK Army area, ROK I Corps, on or about this day, elements of the Chinese XIII Army Group arrive in the vicinity of Sudong. The 370th Regiment is the first unit to arrive, followed by the 371st and 372nd Regiments that come into the area during the next few days. The Chinese have apparently crossed the Yalu River near Manp’ojin on about the 14th or 16th. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 6th and 8th Divisions, operating on the U.N. right in conjunction with the advance of I Corps (on the left), advance swiftly despite the mountainous terrain. The S.K. 6th Division whacks its way through the mountains and has seized two enemy trains near Kunu-ri. Eighth enemy tanks are aboard one of the trains. The S.K. 6th Division surges forward, and near Kujang-dong, another bonus is found, fifty boxcars, each crammed with ammunition. The S.K. 6th Division encounters stiff resistance outside of Huich’on. Nonetheless, the South Koreans drive from the south and overwhelm the enemy force, estimated to be regimental strength. During the night (23rd), they drive into Huich’on and seize supplies and equipment, including twenty T-34 tanks, each in need of only slight repairs. From Huich’on, the division swings west and advances toward Onjong, located about ten air-miles northeast of Unsan. Meanwhile, the S.K. 8th Division reaches Tokch’on at midnight (23rd-24th) and from there, it pivots north and grinds toward Kujang-dong at the Ch’ongch’on River. In Air Force activity, planes attached to Combat Cargo Command for the fourth consecutive day

October 24, 1950 deliver supplies, ammunition and equipment to the paratroopers. The Flying Boxcars (C-47s), in the fourday period, have dropped about 600 tons of supplies in addition to the 4,000 paratroopers of the 187th Regimental Combat Team.

October 24 Off Wonsan, a conference is held aboard the USS Missouri to decide when to debark the Marines. Admirals Struble and Doyle and General Almond conclude that the Marines will debark at Yellow and Blue Beaches, as originally designed by Marine Division OpnO 16–50. The landing is scheduled for the morning of the 26th. It is also decided at the meeting that the minesweepers, subsequent to securing the inner harbor at Wonsan, would proceed to Hungnam and clear the channels there. Apparently, the task becomes much more difficult and more dangerous than anticipated. The inner harbor area is not fully secured by the minesweepers until November 4. Wonsan is to be utilized as a supply base. In conjunction, the Hungnam mine-clearing operation, required to support X Corps in northeast Korea, is equally hazardous. Also, VMF-312, while operating out of Wonsan, detects a plump enemy column tramping along a road about 39 miles south of the airfield. The pilots dive and attack, spewing relentless fire upon the estimated 800-man contingent. The pounding is incessant and registers hit after hit, while the Communists seek refuge from the hell-fire, but there is little chance for escape and no entrenchments to offer shelter. The planes dive in near-overlapping layers and ravage the enemy columns with cogent fire that decimates the ranks. The fire disperses the remnants and speeds their retreat. In other activity, while the Marines at sea fare badly aboard the crammed ships, several special guests, including “Thanks For The Memories” Bob Hope and the USO, arrive at Wonsan by air to entertain the troops. Hope’s entourage beats the Marines to Wonsan, and much of his humor during the USO show is pointed to the seafaring Marines. In other activity, Marine pilots report coming under fire from positions in Manchuria. In the Eighth Army area, Eighth Army contingents cross the Ch’ongch’on River, penetrating the sole remaining primary river standing between Eighth Army and the Chinese border. It has been about four weeks since the seizure of Seoul. Subsequent to the breakout at the Pusan Perimeter, Eighth Army has driven 160 air-miles north of Seoul, seized the Communist capital at Pyongyang and played a key role in ravaging the remaining North Korean fighting units. Eighth Army has undergone a remarkable transformation since the invasion of Inchon less than six weeks ago. The combined thrust of Eighth Army and the ROK forces have catapulted the front lines 300 miles northward to enter the enemy’s back yard and place them close to the Yalu River and China. In other activity, advance contingents of the Netherlands Battalion and the British 29th Brigade arrive in Korea.

478 In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, at Anju, the S.K. 1st Division completes its crossing of the Ch’onch’on River. The ROKS move northeast to seize Unsan. Trucks begin to roll across the repaired bridges at 0900. The tanks of the 6th Medium Tank Battalion discover a crossing site east of the bridge and ford the river there. In the 24th Division sector, The 1st Battalion, British Middlesex Regiment, boards assault boats and crosses the Ch’ongch’on River at Sinanju. The primary Pyongyang Road crosses the river there and leads west and northwest to Sinuiju, on the coast at the North Korean border. The remainder of the Commonwealth Brigade and its vehicles wait until nightfall to cross over the bridge at Anju. In conjunction, engineers continue to repair and prepare the terrible roads for carrying the bulk of Eighth Army’s logistical support units, a prerequisite if the attack to the Manchurian border is to be sustained. In the ROK Army area, I Corps sector, the I Corps has been driving swiftly through the mountains in the eastern sector of Korea, and with its capture of Wonsan, X Corps’s debarkation there is switched from an amphibious invasion to an administrative landing. In the ROK II Corps area, the South Korean 6th and 8th Divisions continue to make progress. The S.K. 6th Division, having pocketed Huich’on on the previous night, drives toward Ch’osan at the Yalu River, about sixty air- miles away. This fast-paced drive places the unit far in advance of all other divisions, including the Americans. The march heads west, but then the division swings north to reach its objective. During the night, the 7th Regiment moves through Onjong, then pivots and races north to catch up with its forward battalion. Ch’osan stands at the Yalu about fifty air-miles away. — In Japan: In Korea, the advance forces of the U.N. command are crossing the Ch’ongch’on River. General MacArthur issues a new order to his commanders in Korea, which removes the previous restrictions on the northward advance to the Yalu. He directs all participating units to implement maximum force and drive to the Yalu River. In reaction, the JCS send a memorandum to MacArthur, stipulating that his order is in direct conflict with the initial orders of September 27 concerning the U.N. advance, but the message does not countermand MacArthur’s order. It merely requests an explanation. MacArthur responds to the JCS on the following day.

October 25

In the X Corps area, Corps issues OI (Operation Instructions) 13, but a copy of it does not reach General O.P. Smith until the 27th. The Marines’ area of operations stretches fifty miles wide and runs 300 miles north to south. In the 1st Marine Division area, finally, after seven trying days of cruising up and down the Yellow Sea, the transports move into Wonsan harbor and drop anchor to the jubilation of the 1st Marine Division, which is anxious to set foot on ground. But, the approaches

479 are not totally secured until the latter part of the afternoon, which causes many of the Marines to be treated to yet another day of Navy hospitality (and some seasickness). The main body debarks on the following day. During the evening, five LSTs arrive at the beach (Kalma peninsula). Contingents of Combat Service Group, Engineer and Shore Party, debark. Advance elements have been ashore for about nine days, and they have used Korean laborers to prepare for the landing. Tonight, Shore Party Group C, commanded by Major George A. Smith, takes responsibility for Yellow Beach. Shore Party Group B, commanded by Major Henry Brzezinski, takes control of Blue Beach. The task of debarking X Corps is hefty and many of the heavy-laden amphibious craft are unable to pass through the shallow water. The shore parties fabricate ramps, composed of sand-filled rice bags, which stretch about thirty feet into the water. X Corps directs the 1st Marine Division to relieve the South Korean units at the Chosin and Fusen Reservoirs and to deploy one RCT where it can focus on the Hamhung area, about 50–60 air-miles south of the reservoirs. In other activity, reconnaissance units, which had cleared the channel during the past several days, have selected various assembly areas for the Marine regiments. One of the locations is the Saint Benedict Abbey, near Wonsan, which had been selected for the 7th Marines to give the unit a good jump-off spot for its drive north. In the Eighth Army area, toward the latter part of October, the Far East Command has altered the ratio of South Korean troops assigned to U.S. divisions. The previous figure of 100 men per company is lowered to twenty-five per company. The new procedure releases several thousand South Korean troops for reassignment to the South Korean Army. In other activity, Army is informed of the capture of a Chinese soldier and the probability that tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers are now positioned to block the northward advance. In the I Corps area, at 1600, Corps circulates its orders calling for the advance to the Yalu River. The attached S.K. 1st Division is to continue the mission of destroying the remaining North Korean troops in the sector. However, the Chinese have already crossed the Yalu and as the order is being published, they are already on the attack against U.N. forces. In other activity, S.K. General Paik, the 1st Division commander, is informed about the intervention of the Chinese while he is attending a celebration in Pyongyang. He rushes back to his command post at Yongbyon, and soon after, he moves forward to inspect the enemy dead. His conclusions make it irrefutable that the force is Chinese, and he so informs General Milburn, I Corps Commander. Paik had previously served with the Japanese Manchurian Army during World War II, where he became knowledgeable of the Chinese. In the 24th Division sector, the British 27th Commonwealth Brigade maintains its advance throughout the day. Later, during the evening, the unit crosses the

October 25, 1950 Taeryong River, at Pakch’on. Once on the west bank of the river, the British progress is slowed by opposition. In the ROK Army area, the S.K. 9th Division, composed of the 28th, 29th and 30th Regiments, each containing two battalions, is established today. By the end of the month, additional forces will be attached to become the 3rd Battalions of the respective regiments of the newly activated 9th Division. The S.K. 1st Division continues its advance. It has units spread out on the road that runs between the Ch’ongch’on River and Unsan. The 15th Regiment, spearheaded by tanks of Company D, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, advances without incident to Unsan, about fifteen air-miles north. The forward contingent of the column passes through the town and continues the advance. The column gains about one and one-half additional miles and is about to cross a bridge when suddenly it is struck by a storm of enemy mortar fire. The South Korean troops spread out and engage the enemy, estimated to be about 300 Chinese. After a short while, the South Koreans capture one Chinese soldier, the first Chinese troop to be seized. The soldier informs his captors that 10,000 Chinese are dispersed in the hills north and northwest of Unsan, and he also states that another 10,000 Chinese Communists are deployed east of the town. Apparently, Chinese 39th Army units are on the move against Unsan. The South Koreans continue to battle the Chinese throughout the afternoon. The TACP controller has been under constant fire and unable to establish communications with the Mosquito plane in the area, but eventually the hook-up is made. Shortly thereafter, news of the arrival of large numbers of Chinese troops is sped to Eighth Army. The captive is taken to Pyongyang and interrogated there on the following day. In the meantime, the S.K. 12th Regiment, the second unit in the advancing column, reaches Unsan, but it swings west. It also encounters Chinese troops soon after it exits the town. Fighting erupts at the enemy roadblock. The trailing 11th Regiment halts short of the town and establishes a night perimeter. The battle north of Unsan continues tenaciously throughout the day and into the night. In the ROK I Corps area, The S.K. 3rd Division and the Capital Division advance north, the former toward Changjin Reservoir and the latter along the coastal road. Elements of the S.K. 3rd Division reach two hydroelectric plants of the Changjin Reservoir, the midway point from the reservoir. After dark a prisoner is taken who states that he is from the 5th Regiment, Chinese 8th Army. Also, south of the Changjin Reservoir, elements of the Chinese 124th Division, 42nd Army, engage contingents of the S.K. 26th Regiment. It is the 42nd Army that will soon engage the 1st Marine Division in the vicinity of Sudong. This entire day has been exceptionally cold, and during the early morning hours of the following day, the troops will witness the first snowfall of the season. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 6th Division

October 25, 1950

480

maintains its quick advance during the morning, but it pauses at Kojang about eight air- miles from Ch’osan. The ROKs prepare to attack Ch’osan on the following day. Also, the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, S.K. 6th Division, composed of about 750 troops, departs Onjong and drives northwest toward Pukchin. A KMAG advisor, Lieutenant Glen C. Jones, is with the battalion. It advances about eight miles and encounters enemy fire. The South Koreans are about to find out first-hand that the Chinese have entered the war. South Korean troops jump from the vehicles to eliminate the obstacle, thought to be remnant North Korean troops, but the foe is the Chinese 40th Army and the

ROKs have entered a deadly trap. The Communist Chinese nearly wipe out the battalion. Only about 400 ROKs evade death or capture and are able to make it back to Onjong. Stragglers move back into the town during the afternoon. Lieutenant Glen Jones is captured and dies in a Communist prison camp. When troops at Onjong hear about the encounter with the Chinese, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, S.K. 6th Division, speeds to support the 3rd Battalion. En route, it detects enemy movement in the heights to the north. Patrols are immediately dispatched, and during the mission, the troops capture another Chinese soldier. The Communist captive bears even more bad news. He in-

An ROK minesweeper hits a mine off Wonsan.

481 forms the South Koreans that the Chinese have been implanted in the hills around Pukchin since October 17, waiting for the U.N. forces. Soon after, as elements of the battalion advance farther along the road, another Chinese soldier (seriously wounded) is captured. The Chinese stake out the approaching 2nd Battalion and isolate it, but the South Koreans extricate themselves from the trap and make it back to rejoin the 1st Battalion and regimental headquarters in Onjong. In the meantime, the S.K. 8th Division arrives at Kujang-dong during the night (25th-26th). On the following day, it swings north and marches up the Ch’ongch’on Valley to hook up with the S.K. 6th Division at Huich’on. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Force, which initiated the use of B-29s against enemy targets the previous June, on this day suspends combat flights for its B-29s. The bombers have run out of lucrative targets. In other activity, restrictions on close-air support missions near the Yalu River are removed. This action frees pilots and permits the fighters to increase their fields of attack as far north as the border with China. Also, Combat Cargo Command on this day delivers 1,767 tons of equipment to various locations within Korea to set a new record for deliveries on a single day. — In the United States: The Department of the Army informs General MacArthur that the scheduled transfer (October and November) of enlisted reserve corps troops from the States to the Far East is to be canceled, but the dispatch of 17,000 NCOs will proceed as scheduled. — In Japan: General MacArthur, responding to the message from the JCS on the previous day, informs the JCS that the new directive ordering the advance to the northernmost border of Korea is of “military necessity.” MacArthur also explains that the South Koreans are incapable of carrying the mission by themselves, and he believes he has enough leeway in the present directives to issue the order extending the area of advance. General MacArthur also informs the JCS that the entire matter of the advance to the Yalu had been covered at the Wake Island Conference. Fifth Air Force is authorized to fly certain missions up to the Yalu River to afford ground troops close support, but the planes are forbidden to bomb any targets within five miles of the border. Nonetheless, missions that encroach the Manchurian border continue to come under close scrutiny and must be overseen by a tactical air control party or a Mosquito observer.

October 26 In the X Corps area, at the first glimpse of daylight, the transports off Wonsan are especially animated as the Marines clog the decks and begin their long-awaited descent to the landing craft. Thirty-nine waves are set to hit the beaches in an administrative landing on what has finally become DDay, dubbed “Doyle Day” by General Almond. At 0730, tanks (1st Tank BN., USMC), adapted with deep water apparatus, burst from the bellies of LSUs, crash through the waves and come to rest on the beach.

October 26, 1950 At about the same time, the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion moves onto the beachhead to deliver men and supplies. The seemingly unending line of landing craft continues to pour men and equipment onto the beaches. At 0900, the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, sprint from LSTs and land on Yellow Beach, while headquarters (1st Marines), aboard the USS Noble, arrives on other landing craft. Colonel Puller’s 2nd Battalion (Reserve), 1st Marines, remains aboard ship until the 28th. The rifle units of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, depart at 1200 by train for Kojo, a little seaport town about forty miles down the coast. It remains unscathed by the hostilities. Another train, carrying reinforcements and supplies, will depart for Kojo on the following day. Upon arrival at Kojo, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, begin to replace the South Korean troops and take responsibility for the supply depot. Unknown to Lt. Colonel Hawkins, the supplies have dwindled as the South Koreans have expended nearly everything in the depot. By 1700, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, establishes its night positions near Wonsan. In other activity, Colonel Puller is informed by General O.P. Smith that he has been selected for promotion to brigadier general. While the 1st Marines are landing, advance contingents of the 5th Marines (Reserve) begin landing at 0800 on Yellow and Blue Beaches; however, the majority of the regiment (minus 2nd Battalion and some reconnaissance units) comes ashore on the following day. The 7th Marines lands on Blue Beach and then advances north of Wonsan to assemble around Saint Benedict’s Abbey, which was recently ravaged by the Communists during their retreat. Colonel Litzenberg establishes his command post there at 1300. Also, the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, and some reconnaissance units of the regiment land on this day, but the majority of the artillery regiment debarks on the 27th. The remainder of the 11th Marines comes ashore on the following day. Later, during the night, two Marines are instantly killed when they attempt to pick up booby-trapped firewood on the beach. These are the only Marine casualties to occur on D-Day. According to its schedule, Combat Service Group establishes its Class I, III, and V Depots, but other supplies (Class II and IV) arrive on the beach. This causes an enormous mix-up, which hinders the operation. About 1,500 to 2,000 Korean laborers are hired daily to untangle the supplies and issue them to the various units. In the ROK area, the S.K. Capital Division, holding positions north of Hungnam, continues to drive northward utilizing three regimental combats teams, including a motorized cavalry regiment dubbed “The Flying Regiment” by General Almond. This cavalry unit speeds toward the border, supported by a tactical air control team of the 7th Division and by an LST that supplies it from sea. The cavalry drives northeast toward Songjin. Also, the 1st Regiment, Capital Division, advances toward P’ungsan.

October 26, 1950

482

An LVT, followed by an LCT, moves to the beach at Wonsan on 26 October. A C-54 in the right background is making its landing approach. In the Eighth Army area, Army intelligence officers interrogate a recently captured Chinese prisoner at Pyongyang. He speaks no Korean, nor Japanese. Throughout the day, more information concerning the Chinese intervention pours into headquarters. It is concluded that the Chinese troops have been dispatched to assist the North Koreans to defend the border approaches. Intelligence also determines that “there is no indication of open intervention on the part of Chinese Communist forces in Korea.” Nevertheless, North of Unsan, the S.K. 1st Division remains entangled with Chinese forces and their presence is further confirmed when thirty dead Chinese troops are discovered. The S.K. 12th Regiment repels the Chinese west of Unsan and surrenders no ground. The 11th Regiment advances to bolster the 12th Regiment, but the Chinese envelop the rear and the S.K. 11th Regiment withdraws to eliminate the enemy unit that is cutting the main supply road south of Unsan. Unfortunately, the 11th Regiment fails to reduce the enemy force. Instead, it is shoved north to the fringes of Unsan. Meanwhile, during the morning, the S.K. 15th Regiment is also forced to give some ground. It pulls back to more tenable positions. Lt. Colonel John S. Grow-

den, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, commanding officer, moves to prevent his armor from becoming jeopardized. Growdon orders Company D’s tanks to retire and redeploy in the heights southeast of the town. Also, the U.S. 10th Antiaircraft Artillery Group receives information concerning the new threat; it prepares for a possible withdrawal. At present, the U.S. 17th FABn, 10th AAG, and two companies of the 6th Medium Tank Battalion are supporting the S.K. 1st Division. According to S.K. intelligence, about one Chinese division is in action against the S.K. 1st Division. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 6th Division remains in position at Kojang, but it dispatches a reconnaissance patrol into Ch’osan. The reconnaissance unit, accompanied by Major Harry Fleming (KMAG advisor, S.K. 7th Regiment), advances into the town and observes enemy troops reaching the sanctuary of Manchuria by streaming across a small footbridge that spans the Yalu. The patrol establishes some machine gun positions to intercept the enemy column, but alters the line of fire to prevent the guns from firing into China. In the meantime, the town is combed for enemy remnants before the patrol returns to Kojang. A small contingent is left behind to protect the artillery and

483 hold the town until the following day, when the S.K. 7th Regiment is expected to arrive. A strange precedent is set by the reconnaissance patrol. On the 24th, General MacArthur authorized all U.N. units to drive to the Yalu. This patrol is the first unit to reach the river and it is also the final Eighth Army unit to advance to the Yalu. In other activity, the S.K. 8th Division advances up the Ch’ongch’on valley en route to Huich’on to join the S.K. 6th Division. Also, at 0300 the Communists strike the South Korean positions at Onjong. The South Koreans attempt to flee, but officers halt the troops at the southeastern fringes of the town and restore order. Three KMAG advisors are with the regiment when the attack commences. The Communists pierce the lines at 0600, and the South Korean 2nd Regiment begins to abandon its lines and retreat. The regiment becomes disorganized. The survivors move about three miles east and encounter a Chinese roadblock. Rather than fight their way through it, the South Koreans flee into the hills. Two American advisors escape, but a third, Captain Paul V. Liles, is captured by the Communists. About 2,700 troops of the regiment make it back to Ch’ongch’on, out of an initial force of 3,100 troops. In other activity, the 10th Regiment, S.K. 6th Division (less one Battalion), and the 19th Regiment, S.K. 8th Division, are at Huich’on when the Chinese encounter the S.K. 2nd Regiment. The ROK II Corps’ commanding officer, Major General Yu Jae Hung, orders the 1st Battalion, 10th Regiment, to remain in Huich’on while the other troops attack to reclaim the abandoned vehicles and weapons of the 2nd Regiment. The force moves west and reaches the general area on the 28th. In other activity, the S.K. 7th Regiment, 6th Division, is deployed around Kojang. It prepares an attack for the following morning to occupy Ch’osan, but it is informed of the devastation of the 2nd Regiment by the Chinese and ordered to withdraw to rejoin the division. The order cannot be executed. Major Fleming (KMAG advisor) responds to the orders by informing ROK 6th Division that the regiment lacks ammunition, gasoline and food. Fleming requests an airdrop, but it does not arrive until 1100 on the 28th. By this time, the Chinese 38th Army has bolstered the Chinese 40th Army against the S.K. 6th and 8th Divisions at Onjong and Huich’on. The enemy then drives the ROK II Corps back to Kunu-ri.

October 27 In the X Corps area, the 1st Marine Division closes its command post on the USS Mount McKinley at 1000, and reopens it in a crusty Russian barracks about one mile north of Wonsan. General O.P. Smith receives his operational instructions (issued on 25th). The Marines are to secure the Wonsan beaches, relieve the South Koreans in the area and proceed north to the border with Manchuria. The instructions also direct the Marines to guard the Wonsan–Kojo–Majonni area, while dispatching patrols on all roads that head west in the zone of operations.

October 27, 1950 In addition, the Marines receive two orders; commit one engineering company to assist the South Koreans with repairs along the Yonghung–Hamhung railroad, and prepare a battalion landing team for debarkation at Chongjin, upon orders. In other activity, the remainder of Colonel James Brower’s 11th Marines (Artillery) debarks at Wonsan. The 2nd Battalion, which had debarked on the previous day, is assigned to the 1st Marines at 1715. The 1st and 3rd Battalions, 11th Marines, remain in assembly and await orders. The ongoing operation to unload supplies continues under difficult circumstances. Many of the landing craft, laden with heavy cargo, are unable to move into the beaches, compelling shore party personnel to fabricate piers that stretch about thirty feet from shore. Some other vessels get hung up on a nuisance sandbar and must be towed. At Kojo, the South Korean troops, having been relieved on the previous day by elements of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, head north. Today, a second train departs Wonsan at 1330 to deliver reinforcements and supplies for the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, at Kojo. The train arrives late in the afternoon following an uneventful trip. In addition, a convoy composed of vehicles from the 1st Battalion, the Motor Transport Battalion and Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, arrives from Wonsan. The convoy is further bolstered by the 1st Platoon, Company C, 1st Engineer Battalion, and a contingent of Company D, 1st Medical Battalion. The area around Kojo remains tranquil throughout the day, but only on the surface. The South Koreans confer with Lt. Colonel Jack Hawkins concerning the perimeter that extends along a coastal plain for a distance of about 5,000 yards (diameter) and encompasses the terrain from the bay to a cluster of slight hills. Marines assume responsibility for the perimeter. The Marines have been informed by the South Koreans that the enemy has confined its activity to sporadic raids to commandeer rice. Nevertheless, the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Hawkins, takes extra precautions to secure the perimeter, including the vulnerable supply depot at the rail station, which is poorly positioned just south of Kojo on dangerously low ground. The depot is susceptible to attack from every point. The bulk of the regiment deploys west of Kojo. However, Company B, commanded by Captain Wesley Noren, deploys south and southwest of Kojo atop several lumps of high ground amid the rice paddies. Extending east to west, the 1st Platoon holds the east slope of Hill 109, the 3rd Platoon takes positions in high ground south and west of the 1st Platoon, and the 2nd Platoon deploys on Hill 185. Company C holds positions about one and one-half mile north of Company B. The 2nd, 3rd and 1st Platoons, respectively, spread out from west to east. About 250 yards east of Company C, two platoons of Company A hold the ground. Its 3rd Platoon spreads out on the crest of Hill 117. Colonel Hawkins establishes his command post

October 27, 1950 north of Company A’s positions. The mortar platoon (4.2" mortars), commanded by Lieutenant Kaufer, shares the slope with Hawkins’ command post. While the Marines are establishing their positions, the valley southwest of Kojo becomes flooded with refugees who are attempting to reach the port. Darkness arrives and prevents the Marines from inspecting the refugees to weed out enemy infiltrators, but Colonel Hawkins funnels them toward the peninsula northeast of Kojo to keep them isolated until morning. However, it becomes apparent that some Communist troops have infiltrated the march to the sea. At about 1600, hostile fire strikes a detachment of Marines as they lay wire near Hill 185, and at about 1800, near Hill 109, enemy fire strikes a small detachment of Marines while they attempt to repair a stalled vehicle. The vehicles are abandoned. At about 1900, another detachment comes under fire, but it retrieves the stranded vehicles. Aside from the minor skirmishes, the day passes without any obvious signs of organized resistance, but once darkness arrives, signs of the enemy emerge. The Marines also become acquainted with Korean cold weather. The heat of summer has faded and the first frost appears. The foxholes spaced around the perimeter of Company B each contain two men. One man attempts to get warm and rest while the other keeps vigil with his rifle. Suddenly, the calm is shattered when the enemy launches simultaneous attacks against opposite ends of Company B’s positions. Soon an equally devastating thrust is thrown against Company C. These well-organized assaults are sprung from grenade-throwing distance in lightning-quick fashion. During the engagement, the enemy attempts to be cunning by using English. The soldiers bellow: “Come this way.... Don’t shoot! We’re friends.” Shouts of warning fly from the foxholes, nearly in cadence with the explosion of the hostile projectiles. The tranquility is gone and the frost is forgotten as the Marines defend their positions. The 1st Platoon, Company B, holding the eastern slope of Hill 109, is struck quickly and the position is overrun. Seven Marines are slain before they get out of their sleeping bags. At about the same time, the command post and the 3rd Platoon come under severe attack at several locations. In response, Marines launch mortars, including 60-mm and 81s, which closely pass over the defenders’ heads to rivet the paths of the attackers. The mortars seal the entranceway and hold the line for the 3rd Platoon, but the pressure against the 1st Platoon continues to build. Once the tenacious skirmish winds down it becomes clear that the 3rd Platoon and the command post has held. Later, the enemy mounts another fierce attack to dislodge Company B. Meanwhile, back on Hill 109, the enemy utilizes blaring whistles and brilliant flares as it methodically pounds the 1st platoon’s positions. About 160 Communists attack and isolate an outpost position and overwhelm a squad deployed on the right flank. All the while, the slugfest in the perimeter of Com-

484 pany C continues. The enemy, having gained positions about ten feet from the perimeter, lunges against the Marines’ positions. The contingent pierces the lines, gains ground and isolates about twenty Marines. However, they persist, and eventually their actions throughout the night reunite them with their unit. Although Company C is pushed back, it is only temporary. The troops soon recover the momentum and regain the advantage. And afterwards, for the remainder of the night, they repel every enemy attack. Although the horrendous night-long combat does isolate Companies B and C from the remainder of the battalion, the mortars incessantly pound the approaches and contribute greatly to keep the situation stabilized. Undaunted, the Communists continue to press the attacks. At 2215, beleaguered Company B is the recipient of a repeat performance. The Reds again pound against the positions of the 3rd Platoon, led by Sergeant Matthew Monk, on the heights to the south and west of the tenuous positions of the 1st Platoon. The 3rd Platoon, bolstered by mortars and machine gun fire, slashes the attackers and thwarts the assault. However, the enemy, despite incurring severe casualties, presses relentlessly. Meanwhile, the 1st Platoon (Company B) is shoved from its positions on the eastern slopes of Hill 109. When the unit withdraws, thirty troops are missing. Sergeant Clayton Roberts makes the extrication possible by singlehandedly holding the ground and covering the evacuation with a light machine gun. The 1st Platoon evades annihilation, but Clayton is encircled and slain. And the donnybrook continues within the positions of the 3rd Platoon, which is struck by another multi-pronged assault. Its left rear and front are simultaneously stung heavily. Finally, at 2350, when it becomes inevitable that the positions are untenable, Captain Noren, CO, Company B, requests permission from battalion to pull back. Without hesitation, permission is granted. The three platoons are ordered to converge at a point where the railroad tracks meet the dike. At about midnight, while Companies B and C are exchanging heavy blows with the Reds, artillery (Fox Battery) arrives in the vicinity of Kojo and establishes positions northeast of the town on the beach by about 0200. The three beleaguered platoons, each exhibiting heavy discipline, maneuver to the point of convergence. By 0215, the 2nd Platoon, having fought its way from Hill 185, is the last to arrive at the dike. Here the three Company B platoons regroup. Captain Noren, lacking an operative radio, instinctively forms a defensive circle that covers both sides of the railroad tracks at a point just south of Chonchon to thwart an anticipated attack. Noren’s instincts prove true, but in the meantime, the artillery of Fox Battery prepares for fire. Noren’s men combine spare parts and reactivate a radio, extending their chances of survival. The Reds strike from the east and from the west; however, Company B returns heated fire and firmly holds the line. By about 0300,

485 radio contact is established between Noren and the mortar units, which provides the mortarmen manmade night vision. Under the guidance of Captain Noren, an avalanche of 61-mm fire disperses the enemy attack. Simultaneously, they deliver sheets of 81-mm mortar fire into Chonchon-ni. By 0330, the Communists disengage and retire northward toward Kojo. One Marine is killed and six are wounded in the engagement. By about 0400, Fox Battery artillery registers, but its guns remain still. The battlefield known as Company B’s area has become silent, and it remains quiet until dawn. In the 7th Division sector, like the 1st Marine Division, the 7th Division has been stuck aboard ship and floating off Pusan for ten days. On this day, it receives orders and departs for Iwon, about 150 miles north of Wonsan. The initial plan of attack called for X Corps to drive west from Wonsan, but the situation has drastically changed and the attack will advance north toward the N.K. border at the Yalu River. The 17th RCT, commanded by Colonel Herbert B. Powell, is scheduled to spearhead the landing at Iwon, and this causes logistics problems. The 17th RCT, which could encounter resistance at the new objective, unloads its equipment from the transports and reloads it on LSTs to enable it to overcome opposition on the beach. Seven LSTs, transporting the 17th RCT, leave Pusan, but in the meantime, South Korean troops pressing north by land have already secured the town. They continue the advance. In the Eighth Army, 1st Cavalry sector, the attached S.K. 1st Division receives assistance. C-119s arrive from Ashiya Airbase, Japan, and deliver tanks of the 6th Medium Tank Bn. and fresh ammunition for the howitzers of the U.S. support units. The S.K. 12th and 15th Regiments launch an assault and make some progress north and west of Unsan, while the 11th Regiment fights to secure the ground south of the town. The 11th Regiment secures the highway, then during the afternoon, it reports that the Chinese have withdrawn heading northwest. In the 24th Division sector, the British launch an attack from their positions at the Taeryong River. The 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, bolstered by artillery, gains about three miles, but then it encounters fierce opposition. Artillery and air strikes are ordered to support the advance and the added muscle nets ten T34s and two self-propelled guns destroyed. The tenacious enemy resistance convinces the British Brigade commander, Brigadier General Coad, that daylight advances will cease and that intense combat is imminent. Coad reverts to a different type formation, better suited to meet heavy opposition. In the ROK I Corps area, The S.K. 3rd Division continues to drive toward the Changjin Reservoir, but the resistance is becoming increasingly rigid. In Air Force activity, planes (B-26s) attached to the 452nd Bomber Group are launched on their initial combat mission in Korea. The unit had been recently activated in the States.

October 28, 1950

October 28

On this day, the North Koreans again move General William Dean. He is taken in secrecy to Manchuria and kept from being seen by anyone, even the Chinese. In a memoir written later, General Dean recalls that the numerous flies in Manchuria are not bothered by the cold; “They just move indoors.” He notes that during his captivity near Pyongyang he killed thousands of flies in one day. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, Division orders direct RCT-5 (minus 2nd Bn.), under the temporary control of RCT-1, to bear responsibility for Munchon and Yonghung, and Company A, 1st Tank Battalion (attached to 5th Marines), receives responsibility for the three primary roads that converge on the MSR from the west. In the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines sector, the early morning hours remain hectic, but the bulk of enemy activity has subsided. At 0418, the 1st Battalion gets word by radio to the 7th Marines concerning the situation at Kojo, but communication remains poor. The 7th Marines, in turn, informs 1st Marines, which finally gets information to the 1st Marine Division. Companies B and C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, each are greeted at dawn with a silent perimeter, but the Communists launch an assault against Hill 117, defended by Company A. One platoon, led by Lieutenant John Sword, repulses the assault. Meanwhile, Company B reinitiates its withdrawal from Hill 109, slowed somewhat by the evacuation of its wounded. Marines attached to Company A help carry the wounded through the deep and muddy rice paddies coated by a slim layer of ice. The operation ensues without incident, but suddenly, a contingent of enemy troops emerges from Kojo and heads west. The Marines do not pause to determine whether the Reds are moving to attack or trying to escape. Rather, the artillery, joined by the weaponry of Companies A and B, commence firing and kill about 75 of the estimated 200 Communists. The survivors scatter into the heights west of the town, hotly pursued by a contingent of C Company. Planes of VMF(N)-513 arrive at about 1035 to further terrorize the retreating enemy. Despite continuing poor communications between the aircraft and the forward air controller, the planes swoop in low and deliver a powerful dose of fire. At 1238, a report received at division headquarters describes the ordeal of the 1st Battalion: “Received determined attack from south north and west from sunset to sunrise by large enemy force. Estimated from 1,000 to 1,200 ... civilian reports indicate possibly 3,000 enemy this immediate area. Have suffered 9 kia, 39 wia, 34 mia, probably dead. Two positions overrun during night. If this position is to be held, a regiment is required ... request immediate instructions. Send all available helicopters for wounded.” Instantly, a decision is made to hold Kojo. Orders are drawn to dispatch Colonel Puller’s 1st Marines and a reinforcing battalion. And to bolster the one offshore destroyer, a second destroyer is requested to be sent to Kojo. In addition to one hospital ship for casualties, an

October 28, 1950 LST is also requested to transport the tanks, which had been unable to make the land trip due to poor roads and bridges. The LST 883 embarks with the tanks, but the vessel gets snagged by a sandbar and is unable to reach the area until the following day. Helicopters are also dispatched to Kojo to evacuate wounded. During the day, things brighten somewhat when seventeen Marines, listed as missing, make it to their lines safely. Several more are rescued later. By the 29th, accurate casualty figures become known. The 1st Battalion continues to assess the situation, and all intelligence points to a heavy attack, expected to be launched after dark. Fresh reports arrive at division at 1415 and 1840, each delivering urgent information. The first dispatch mentions the possibility of 7,000 enemy troops of the N.K. 5th Division being near Tongchon. The second report, which arrives over the radio, indicates more dire news. It exclaims that the enemy is on all sides, except the sea, and that no reinforcements have arrived. Nevertheless, the 1st Marines hold the perimeter. At 2230, reinforcements arrive on the first train to enter the area. But since 1000, there has been no action. A second train with reinforcements arrives within several hours. With the arrival of Colonel Sutter’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and its supporting units, the 1st Battalion rests easier. The 2nd Battalion reinforcements establish night positions at Hill 117 and bunk with the 1st Battalion. Puller informs Division that the situation is well, and that no further artillery should be required. Meanwhile, the Navy keeps the pressure on Kojo, initially with one destroyer, the USS Hank, and then with two when the USS English arrives and begins to plaster the town. Both vessels remain offshore throughout the night. The USS Wantuck, transporting medical personnel, rushes to the area, and VMO-6 dispatches six helicopters to the 1st Battalion positions. To keep the lid on the enemy, Marine Corps’ planes pummel Tongchon throughout the day, reducing it to ashes. In other activity, at 0800, division issues OpnO 18–50, which designates the tasks of the regiments. The 1st Marine Division is delegated to cover 15,000 square miles. It is imperative to deploy troops at Majon-ni, situated along the Imjin River and at a key road junction that spins east to Wonsan, west to Pyongyang and south to Seoul. The 1st Marines is to relieve the South Korean troops in the vicinity of Wonsan–Kojo–Majon-ni, establish blocking positions and dispatch patrols. The situation at Kojo creates some problems at Wonsan; the 2nd Battalion is required to move out of Wonsan to support the 1st Battalion. Since the departure of the 3rd Battalion to Majonni to relieve South Korean troops there, no other 1st Marine units are available to patrol the roads or establish blocking positions at Anbyon. To remedy the situation, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, and the 5th Korean Marine Battalion are attached to the 1st Marines and assigned the responsibility for patrol and blocking positions. The 1st Marines also receive additional muscle with the availability of the 1st Amphibious Tractor

486 Battalion, Company B, 1st Armored Amphibian Tractor Battalion, and the 1st Shore Party Battalion. Each of these units can be utilized to protect the airfield and Wonsan harbor area. The 1st Marines is to prepare to activate a battalion landing team for Chongjin. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (reinforced), commanded by Lt. Colonel Thomas Ridge, arrives at Majon-ni at 1600 to relieve elements of the 26th S.K. Regiment. The ROKs are transported to Wonsan in the vehicles that had brought the 3rd Battalion. The 3rd Battalion’s mission is to establish defensive positions, keep the 28-mile highway to Wonsan open, dispatch patrols and prevent the enemy from using the roads there. The battalion is composed of the three rifle companies, headquarters and service (H&S) company and weapons companies, but it is bolstered by Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 3rd Platoon, Company C, 1st Engineer Battalion, contingents of ANGLICO, 1st Signal Battalion, Company D, 1st Medical Battalion and H&S Company, 1st Marines. Although there are extra troops, the area is rough and the dominating ground is far from the town. Ridge and his S-3, Major Joseph Thompson, decide that company outposts will be established only during daylight hours and that the battalion perimeter, with a circumference of 3,370 yards, will be heavily patrolled to maintain control of the three key highways. Colonel Ridge’s command post is established in the local schoolhouse. The responsibility for the three roadblocks falls to Major Edwin H. Simmons’ weapons company. Along with containing the enemy, Simmons’ troops also bear responsibility for sorting out the Communist troops that pose as civilians. In the meantime, the 5th Marines is to deploy to the rear of the 7th Marines (in the vicinity of the Hamhung–Chosin Reservoir Road), relieve contingents of the South Korean Army at the Fusen Reservoir and establish roadblocks. The 7th Marines is to relieve contingents of the S.K. I Corps along the Hamhung– Chosin Reservoir Road. Once the relief is complete, it is to push elements to the northern edge of the reservoir and to Changjin. From these points, the 7th Marines is to prepare to drive to the northern border of Korea. This is a monumental and punishing task. The roads, except the key coastal route, are primitive mountain paths unsuitable for tanks or heavy vehicles. The 11th Marines (reinforced and minus detachments) is to assemble near Hamhung and await orders. Also, The 1st Marine Division gets its full complement of combat troops ashore by the end of this day. In the ROK area, Capital Division sector, the S.K. Cavalry Regiment overcomes fierce resistance and seizes Songjin, 100 miles northeast of Hungnam. Also, the S.K. 1st Regiment, driving inland, encroaches P’ungsan at about the midway point from the KoreanManchurian border along the Iwon–Sinch’angni–Hyesanjin Road. Meanwhile, the ROK 18th Regiment advances toward the Pujon Reservoir.

487 In the Eighth Army area, reports about the Chinese units in Korea and their probable numbers continue coming into headquarters, but the information is not considered totally accurate. Nonetheless, General Walker and his staff become acutely aware of Chinese advances north of the Ch’ongch’on River. The original information extracted from prisoners and gathered from the field causes Eighth Army to modify its conclusions. In other activity, the rails that lead to Seoul are opened, permitting trains to cross the Han River and reach the city, but by now, Eighth Army is beyond the capital. Some advance elements have reached points about 200 miles north of the Imjin River at Chonchon. However, the rails extend only into Munsan-ni at the south bank of the Imjin River. In the 1st Cavalry sector, the attached S.K. 1st Division has forestalled an enemy rout in its sector. The skirmishing around Unsan subsides; however, the South Koreans capture two more Chinese troops. The drastic changes in the situation alarm General Walker. He orders the 1st Cavalry Division to relinquish its security mission at Pyongyang, immediately advance to Unsan, then pass through the S.K. 1st Division to launch an assault toward the Yalu River. General Gay orders the 8th Cavalry to spearhead the attack. It will depart Pyongyang on the following morning. In the 24th Division sector, the British Brigade drives fifteen miles and reaches positions about three miles from Ch’ongju, then halts for the night and prepares to attack on the following morning. In the 5th Regiment zone, the Regiment, trailing the British, crosses the Ch’ongch’on River, becoming the first 24th Division unit to cross it. The 5th Regiment pushes farther and crosses the Taeryong River. Then, from positions above P’akch’on and on the right of the British units, it drives north toward Taech’on. In the ROK Army area, I Corps sector, South Korean contingents (S.K. 3rd Division) sustain heavy casualties as they drive against fierce enemy resistance near Sudong. In the ROK II Corps sector, the S.K. 19th Regiment, 6th Division, and the S.K. 10th Regiment, S.K. 8th Division, each minus one battalion, reach the area of Onjong, the point where the 2nd Regiment had previously broken ranks and run. Neither makes any further progress. Both regiments have a minor enemy encounter on the 29th. In other activity, the S.K. 7th Regiment, 6th Division, receives supplies by airdrop and prepares to withdraw south. In Air Force activity, a recently captured airfield at Sinanju along the mouth of the Ch’ongch’on River is utilized by C-47s to evacuate wounded. The airfield, about forty miles north of Pyongyang, becomes the northernmost field used by the U.S. Air Force.

October 29

In the X Corps area, OpnO 18–50, issued by 1st Marine Division on the previous day, is altered. The 1st Battalion, S.K. Marines, is attached to the

October 29, 1950 5th Marines and the 5th Battalion, Korean Marines, is attached to the 1st Marines. The security of Munchon and Yonghung, thirteen and thirty-two miles north of Wonsan, respectively, is delegated to the 5th Marines, bolstered by Company A, 1st Tank Battalion. In the 1st Marines area, helicopters in support of ground troops initiate reconnaissance missions. Several Marines isolated by the previous fighting are rescued by Lieutenant George Farish’s patrols. During the afternoon, the undisturbed bodies of twelve Marines are discovered when a patrol led by Captain Noren (Company B) arrives back at its previous positions near Hill 109. Later, Noren’s detachment probes farther south and encounters enemy fire originating in the ruins of Tongchon. Marine planes arrive to assist. Twenty Communist troops hurriedly flee their positions; however, there is little chance of escape. Noren’s patrol, bolstered by machine guns, shreds the enemy force and kills 16. In other activity, patrols of Companies D and F enter Kojo and see first-hand the devastation inflicted by planes and naval surface vessel guns. No enemy presence is found. Nor does Company E’s patrol encounter any enemy activity as it scours the terrain west of the town. General Craig and General Almond arrive at Kojo on this day and they conclude that the situation is stable. Meanwhile, LST 883 arrives at Kojo, but it runs aground and must be nudged by a tug. Its cargo, ten tanks of Company C, 1st Tank Battalion, is no longer required and the LST returns to Wonsan. The bodies of nineteen Marines and seventeen enemy prisoners are brought aboard. Pilots of VMO-6 rush seven seriously wounded Marines from Kojo to a hospital transport vessel moored off Wonsan, and twenty-four other wounded are transported from Kojo to Wonsan. Marine casualties for the mission are 23 killed, 47 wounded and four missing in action. The estimates of Communist casualties are 250 killed and an indeterminable number of wounded. Marine patrols count 165 enemy dead and capture 85 men. At Majon-ni, Ridge’s 3rd Battalion maintains control of the roads. Civilians are halted and questioned at blockage points to weed out enemy troops. Today, 24 POWs are seized. This operation continues for seventeen days, and the average number of prisoners taken is 82 per day. A supply convoy arrives to supplement the 3rd Battalion, but it is the last one to safely make the trip for one week. In related activity, 3rd Battalion patrols detect no enemy activity along the roads to Wonsan, Pyongyang, or Seoul. As a precaution, Major Simmons’ weapons company continues to plaster suspected enemy positions, and the effort is coordinated with planes capable of spotting enemy targets and calling in air strikes. These missions, during the first four days, discover no enemy activity. However, prisoner interrogation sessions confirm the presence of the battered 15th N.K. Division and its components, including the 45th, 48th and 50th Regiments. The enemy division, commanded by Major General Pak Sun Chol, has been moving

October 29, 1950 north from Seoul under orders to initiate guerrilla activity in the Imjin Valley and attempt to dominate the area. Intelligence, based on prisoner information, estimates that about 11,000 enemy troops are in the area. In the 7th Marines sector, the Regiment, having only received some of its winter gear, departs Wonsan by overland route for Hamhung and completes the trek by the 31st. The 7th Marines is scheduled to be the vanguard for the advance to the northern border of North Korea. The full amount of cold-weather gear is received by the 7th Marines when they reach Koto-ri. In the 7th Division sector, the 17th RCT, commanded by Colonel Herbert B. Powell, lands at Iwon without incident. The remainder of the Division follows later. The entire Division, except for the majority of its tanks, is ashore by November 8. Minesweeping operations prior to the landing reveal no mines. The 7th Division is also scheduled to drive to the northern border of Korea. This day, the 1st Battalion, the 49th FABn, and Company A, 13th Engineer Battalion, move fifty miles from the beachhead and deploy at Cho-ri, from where the 7th Division is to begin its drive to the town of Hyesanjin at the border with Manchuria. The ROK I Corps, already on the move, is far ahead of other X Corps troops. The 3rd Infantry Division, due to arrive in Korea about November 8, is to relieve the 1st Marines units deployed south of Hamhung, and then the Marines are to advance to the Yalu. In the Eighth Army area, the emergence of the Chinese Communists into the conflict and the near instant destruction of the ROK II Corps cause grave concern, and the rising number of confusing reports filtering into headquarters makes matters worse. General Walker releases the S.K. 7th Division from U.S. I Corps and attaches it to the faltering ROK II Corps, which is sustaining terrible routs by the Chinese. Army also directs the ROK II Corps to deploy the S.K. 8th Division north of the Ch’ongch’on River to establish defensive positions that stretch eastward from Yongbyon to Kujang-dong. From there, the S.K. 7th Division is to pick up the defensive line and string out to the south toward Tokch’on. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 8th Cavalry advances from Pyongyang and reaches Anju at the Ch’ongch’on River. It establishes a night perimeter at Yongsan-dong during the evening. In the S.K. 1st Division sector, an attack is launched at dawn, but it is repulsed by the Communist Chinese. Fifth Air Force planes arrive to bolster the attack, but still the Chinese remain well-entrenched and raise resolute resistance. Due to the near destruction of the ROK II Corps, the S.K. 1st Division has become a key player in holding off the Chinese on the northern extension of the U.N. line. However, the S.K. 1st Division and the 24th Division, the nearest Eighth Army contingent to the west, are separated by fifteen miles. In the 24th Division sector, the British initiate an attack to seize Ch’ongju; the Australian 3rd Battalion supported by some aerial assistance advances. Mean-

488 while, an observation plane spots enemy tanks and supporting North Korean troops. Air Force aircraft arrive and decimate four T-34s. The Australians (Argylls) then press forward and seize the pass and the ridges in front of the objective. At about 2200, the North Koreans launch a counterattack. They commit tanks and employ self-propelled guns. The Australians, indifferent to the danger, move up bazooka teams, and shortly thereafter, three additional T-34s are destroyed. Accompanying U.S. tanks join in and pour their fire into the enemy ranks. Enemy fire during the skirmish slays nine Australians and wounds thirty others. On the following day, the Australians move into Ch’ongju. In the 5th Regiment zone, the Regiment, commanded by Colonel Throckmorton, drives closer to Taech’on and encounters strong North Korean resistance. Planes quickly arrive to support the advance. The combination of ground force and air power knocks out the resistance, giving the 5th Regiment control of Taech’on. Nine enemy tanks and four self-propelled guns are destroyed in the heated skirmish. Eighty-nine prisoners are seized and of these, two are Chinese, but no Chinese units had engaged the 5th Regiment at Taech’on. The two Chinese POWs, apparently stragglers, are the first Chinese captured by American troops. From Taech’on, the 5th RCT drives northwest toward Kusong against a defending force of about 5,000 to 6,000 North Korean troops. In the ROK Army area, I Corps sector, more tenacious fighting occurs near a Changjin Reservoir hydroelectric plant, located about thirty miles inland from Hungnam. The close-quartered engagement takes a toll on the South Koreans and a rapidly depleting supply of grenades adds to the problem. During the brutal struggle, sixteen additional Chinese are taken prisoner. They inform their captors that the Chinese 370th Regiment, 124th Division, 42nd Army, is deployed slightly north of the reservoir, and that the remainder of the division is at Hagaru, at the southern fringe of Changjin Reservoir. General Almond is informed of the Chinese POWs by S.K. General Suk Won Kim. Also, sixty North Korean troops are captured by the S.K. 26th Regiment. Ironically, most of the enemy’s mortars, machine guns, and Thompson submachine guns are U.S. issue, which had apparently been previously captured from the Nationalist Chinese. Also, the Chinese 124th Division, facing nasty mountainous terrain, has advanced into North Korea without transporting its artillery. The division’s heaviest weapons are 82-mm mortars. In the ROK II Corps area, the Chinese cut off the attacking units of the S.K. 19th and 10th Regiments and badly whip them. The ROKs lose all three of their artillery batteries and every vehicle in the column. The S.K. 7th Regiment, 6th Division, begins withdrawing from Kojang to reach the remainder of the division, but time has withered away and the Chinese wait in ambush. Almost immediately after the column gets underway, it encounters a roadblock, but this regiment attempts to fight its way through. Air support arrives to

489 neutralize the enemy’s power and it forestalls disaster. However, at dusk, when the fighter plane support ceases, the regiment is overwhelmed. Still, many South Korean troops hold their positions and tenaciously resist throughout the night. During the dark of night, many others vanish into the hills. By dawn the South Koreans are thoroughly beaten. According to a document captured later, in March 1951, it seems as if only one battalion of the Chinese 373rd Regiment, 125th Division, had engaged and destroyed the S.K. 7th Regiment. Major Fleming, the only American to survive the battle, is wounded fifteen times and captured. Major Fleming survives his imprisonment by the Communists and is among the POWs exchanged in 1953. The other survivors, about 875 troops of an original number of 3,552, evade capture or death and make it back to Kunu-ri to rejoin the division. The regimental commander, Colonel Lim Bu Taik, and two of his battalion commanders escape, but the other S.K. staff officers and KMAG advisors are killed or captured.

October 30 In the X Corps area, at headquarters in Wonsan, General Almond briefs General Barr, 7th Division commander. Almond makes it clear that the 7th Division will drive to Hyesanjin on the Yalu River, while the Marines advance to the border via Chinhungni, Koto-ri and Hagaru. The 3rd Infantry Division is to assume responsibility for the rear. General Almond, pointing to the map and referring to the surge to the border, optimistically states: “When we have cleared all this out, the ROKs will take over, and we will pull our Divisions out of Korea.” Major Henry J. Woessner, (S-3, 7th Marines) attends a portion of the briefing. Woessner makes a reconnaissance flight over the route of advance. (See also, In the 7th Marines sector, this date.) In the 1st Marine Division sector, at Kojo, the division continues to maintain outposts across its front and probing patrols. During the past several days, Marines have recovered various pieces of equipment that had been abandoned earlier. Much to their surprise, nearly all the equipment is still operable. Relief contingents arrive at Kojo on the following day. In other activity, engineers under 1st Lieutenant Leroy Duffy continue working to complete an OY landing strip along the eastern perimeter, but the effort is tedious because the valley, which contains a rugged cliff, is not suitable for accommodating planes. In the 7th Marines sector, Major Henry Woessner takes an aerial surveillance flight aboard an Air Force plane and scrutinizes the expected route along which the 7th Marines will advance. The reconnaissance flight discovers no enemy forces, but it does reveal much rugged terrain that stretches along the MSR. Woessner informs Colonel Litzenberg of the various dangers that lurk along the route in the vicinity of Hamhung– Hagaru. Litzenberg then calls a briefing meeting to inform the officers and NCOs of what might occur because of

October 30, 1950 their actions. He states that they might be initiating the opening battle of World War III. And Litzenberg then emphasizes the point to his 7th Marines. “We can expect to meet Chinese Communist troops, and it is important that we win the first battle. The results of that battle will reverberate around the world, and we want to make sure that the outcome has an adverse effect in Moscow as well as Peiping.” In the ROK I Corps area, the elements of the S.K. Capital Division drive to positions just south of the Pujon Reservoir. In other activity, along the coastal road, the S.K. Cavalry Regiment continues its advance. In its path stands an enemy force of about one battalion strength. The enemy contingent retires and heads north toward Kilchu, an inland town that is out of range of the U.S. naval surface gun fire. South Koreans give pursuit. In the Eighth Army area, Army continues making progress, but logistically the situation is still poor. The railroad lines lack the distance to maintain pace with the rapid advance of the ground troops. In some instances, such as with the 24th Division, the trucks remain the beasts of burden. Their trips begin at the termination point of the divisional rail lines at Yongdungp’o south of the Han River and must move northward more than 200 miles, much of it along primitive paths, to reach and supply the units at Pakch’on. The unsung heroes of the motor pool are the mechanics who have kept the vehicles rolling nonstop for the past two months. In the 1st Cavalry sector, the 5th Cavalry arrives at Yongsan-dong from Pyongyang. The regiment, commanded by Lt. Colonel Harold K. Johnson, is directed to guard the rear of the 8th Cavalry, which has now advanced to Unsan to relieve the pressure from the S.K. 1st Division. In the 8th Cavalry zone, the 1st Battalion arrives at Unsan during the afternoon. Its commanding officer, Major John Millikin, meets with KMAG officers attached to the 12th Regiment, 1st S.K. Division, to discuss the situation. Millikin is informed of the condition of the divisional line, which is under tremendous strain. The line stands 800 yards north of Unsan but is being driven back by the surge of the Chinese. Company C, 99th FABn, advances to bolster the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry. Also, the enemy is beginning to set large fires in the mountains, seemingly to create hovering smoke to conceal Communist troop movement in the area. The 8th Cavalry relieves the S.K. 12th Regiment on the following day. In the 24th Division sector, the Australian 3rd Battalion (Argylls), having defeated the defending enemy force outside the town, enters Ch’ongju. During the evening, the North Koreans bombard the town with an artillery barrage. The 3rd Battalion headquarters area becomes the recipient of six high velocity shells. One projectile, of the six that strike near headquarters, soars over the crest of a hill, smashes into a tree and detonates close to the commanding officer’s tent. Although many troops are nearby, only one man is wounded, but it is fatal. One shell fragment plunges

October 31, 1950 into Colonel Green’s stomach. Green is rushed to Anju for emergency treatment, but he succumbs in three days. Lt. Colonel I.B. Ferguson succeeds Colonel Green as commanding officer, 3rd Australian Battalion. One other British officer, Major Reith, is killed by either enemy tank or artillery fire. In other activity, British Brigadier General Coad informs General Church that the Commonwealth Brigade at Ch’ongju is extremely tired. He requests that a U.S. regiment leap-frog ahead of it. General Church orders the 21st Regiment to pass through the British Brigade and take the point. By dusk, the 21st Regiment passes through the British lines and advances north, observing many houses in Ch’ongju that are burning under the brightness of the autumn moon. In the 5th Regiment zone, Throckmorton’s 5th RCT continues to grind forward toward Kusong against stiff opposition, which includes tanks and self-propelled guns. Planes arrive to blast the enemy positions and provide support for the advance. In the ROK I Corps area, General Almond arrives at Hamhung to speak with Chinese POWs held at the command post of General Kim Suk Won. The prisoners state that most of the troops in their parent unit, the 124th Chinese Division, had initially been in Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Army when it surrendered to the Communists during the Chinese Civil War that followed the close of World War II. General Almond informs General MacArthur of the presence of Chinese troops in northeast Korea. In other activity, three battalions of the 1st Antiguerrilla Group are assigned to the newly activated S.K. 9th Division. One battalion is attached to each regiment as its 3rd Battalion.

October 31 U.S. aircraft are intercepted by Russian-made MiG-15s near Sinuiju, but these propeller driven craft engage and knock out several of the Communist jets. This is the first encounter between U.S. planes and MiGs, but it is not determined whether the enemy planes are piloted by North Koreans or by a possible “volunteer air force.” In other activity, ships attached to CTF-90 move to Moji, Japan, to begin to transport the 3rd Infantry Division to Korea. The first contingents of the 65th RCT arrive on November 5. Also, ComNavFE dissolves JTF7. In conjunction, TG-95.2 Support and Covering Group now comes under the jurisdiction of CTF-90, commanded by Admiral Doyle. In the 1st Marine Division area, Lt. General Lemuel Shepherd, Jr. arrives at Wonsan and meets with Admiral Struble, General O.P. Smith and General Almond at X Corps headquarters. It is ascertained at this meeting that Communist Chinese soldiers had been captured by South Korean troops near Hamhung. Information is also being gathered by the 1st Cavalry Division, since it is encountering Chinese troops in Western Korea. Shepherd takes a helicopter to Kojo to make an aerial inspection of the perimeter. At 1430, the LST 973 arrives at Kojo and debarks the 5th Battalion, KMC

490 Regiment. On the following day, U.S. Marines begin moving to Wonsan. Also, General Smith orders Colonel Murray, CO, 5th Marines, to dispatch one battalion to Chigyong, eight miles southwest of Hamhung. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, moves out, but one company is diverted and instructed to relieve a contingent of the 7th Marines at the advance supply point at Yonpo Airfield, about five miles southwest of Hungnam. The 1st Tank Battalion (minus Company C, attached to 1st Marines) departs for Munchon. Its Company A is already there. The components of the 11th Marines, excluding the battalions attached to the RCTs, are deployed at Munpyong, about five miles northwest of Wonsan. In the 7th Marines sector, a small patrol composed of three jeeps moves out on a reconnaissance mission to aid the upcoming advance. The contingent, led by Captain Myron Wilcox, stops at the ROK 26th Regiment’s command post. When the patrol reports back, it informs headquarters that it encountered one Chinese prisoner at the ROK 3rd Division lines. Actually, the South Korean 26th Regiment has captured sixteen Chinese prisoners to date. The 7th Marines are scheduled to relieve the South Korean 3rd Division at Sudong on November 2. In other activity, a patrol composed of five jeeps and twenty men moves toward Chigyong, but it encounters no enemy presence. Colonel Litzenberg believes he will be engaging Chinese forces soon. On the following day, he again sends out patrols. In the 7th Division area, the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, and headquarters depart Cho-ri and move 70 miles to P’ungsan, about the mid-point between the landing site at Iwon and the ultimate objective, Hyesanjin. The journey is relatively quiet, as the 1st Regiment, S.K. Capital Division, has already advanced there, clearing the resistance as it moved. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker gives General Milburn, I Corps commander, a verbal order to continue the attacks of the 24th Division within the limits of the fluid situation in the vicinity of Unsan, but some contingents penetrate farther than anticipated. These over-stretched units are quickly ordered to pull back. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, General Gay establishes his divisional command post at Yongsan, about twelve miles south of Unsan. In the 8th Cavalry sector, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions relieve the 12th Regiment, S.K. 1st Division. Another South Korean unit, the 2nd Battalion, had been attacked during the night and forced to surrender more than one mile. But this battalion insists on regaining the ground before being relieved. Later, General Milburn, I Corps commander, confers at the 8th Cavalry command post. It is agreed that the S.K. 2nd Battalion is stable. On the following day, it attacks to re-secure the lost ground. In the 24th Division sector, the 21st Regiment continues its advance that began October 30 from Ch’ongju. The column moves cautiously along the eerie route.

491 Despite lack of sleep, the regiment still maintains alertness at 0200 as it reaches a point several miles west of Kwaksan. Suddenly, dark shadows begin to come alive. Nearly 500 enemy troops concealed in the heights spring an ambush. The surprisingly bright illumination spotlights seven tanks that lurk along the road. At about the same time, the enemy infantry pours out menacing fire that rivets the column, and in concert, the point tank, standing about 300 yards away, spews a string of fire toward the 2nd Battalion. Soon the other T-34s commence firing. The roar of incoming fire galvanizes the troops, who instantly return heavy fire. Unending strings of flying orange shells catapult from the posted T-34s to deliver the thunderclap from many angles, all converging near the American armor. Undaunted, the U.S. tanks immediately unleash their fire power. An avalanche of fire begins to spin directly toward the origin of the gun flashes to transform the ambush into a spectacular duel between nocturnal fireballs. But when the guns silence, it is the Communists who have been bushwhacked. Most of the sheets of fire that swarmed into the area had failed to hit the mark and the few shells that struck the U.S. armor harmlessly bounced off without exploding, similarly to what happened to TF Smith when its ammo ineffectively bounced off the T-34s when the U.S. first encountered them back in July. Lt. Colonel Charles Smith, commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Regiment, was the commander of Task Force Smith during that lopsided July battle. The fighting remains heavy throughout the night, but at dawn’s first light, the enemy is vanquished and the heights are free of North Koreans, as they have abandoned their positions and equipment. Five enemy tanks, seven antitank guns and one self-propelled gun have been reduced to twisted, charred metal. In addition, fifty dead North Koreans remain at the scene of the failed ambush. The 21st Regiment resumes its march following the early morning battle and encounters only sporadic, minimal opposition. The 1st Battalion jumps ahead of the 2nd Battalion and leads the way. By noon on the following day, Lt. Col. Charles B. Smith’s contingent reaches Chonggo-dong. In the 5th Regiment zone, the 5th RCT forces the collapse of the defenders at Kusong and secures it slightly after noon. The combat team resumes its attack on the following day. In the ROK I Corps area, General Almond again visits Hamhung and finds that seven more Chinese soldiers have been taken prisoner. They provide information that one more Chinese division is deployed near the Changjin Reservoir. In the ROK II Corps area, the Chinese launch attacks against the ROK II Corps’ defensive line, and pound against the positions north and east of Kunu-ri. The incessant attack cracks through the lines of the S.K. 16th Regiment, 8th Division, at a point near its boundary with the S.K. 1st Division. One battalion collapses

November 1, 1950 and runs for the hills. The Chinese Communists also hammer the S.K. 7th Division’s lines south of the Ch’ongch’on River.

November 1 Marine Corps planes initiate nightly strikes against Sinuiju at the mouth of the Yalu River. These raids ignite incessant fires, but according to reports from the pilots, enemy vehicle traffic continues to flow south through the town. Pilots of VMF(N)-542, on a nightly basis, detect convoys that originate in Antung, Manchuria. The air-strikes continue until November 9 and all intelligence information is passed to Division G-2 Officers. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the assistant division commander, General Craig, inspects the area at Hungnam where division headquarters will be located after it moves from Wonsan on November 4. While there, Craig is taken to see a ghastly scene, the bodies of about 200 civilians. The North Koreans had killed them and left them lying along a knob in a perfectly straight line. In the 1st Marines zone, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, maintains its roadblocks and patrols at Majonni, but no enemy activity is detected. Lt. Colonel Ridge, concerned about resupply problems, requests a practice air-drop. The operation is a success and Ridge’s instincts prove correct. On the following day a supply convoy is attacked and forced to return to Wonsan. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, remains at Kojo. Also, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, at Anbyon, awaits relief by Korean units. Marines receive word of the heavy losses incurred by the 1st Cavalry Division while engaged against Chinese forces, but their orders are not altered. The 7th Marines is still to drive to the border with Manchuria and the initial objective remains Koto-ri, about twenty-three miles north of Majon-dong. In the 7th Marines zone, the regiment is transported by truck to an assembly area between Oro-ri and Majon-dong. A patrol composed of twenty-one jeeps moves to the vicinity of Huksu-ri, about 45 miles northwest of Hamhung, to search for Chinese. The convoy halts about 4,500 yards in front of the town and establishes a night perimeter. During the night, fire is exchanged sporadically with North Korean guerrillas; however, the patrol reports that no contact is made with Chinese forces. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, probes about four miles north and reaches the area of the ROK positions above Majon-dong. During the latter part of the afternoon, the 7th Marines establish a secure and stiff night perimeter. The 7th Marines is bolstered by the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, commanded by Major Francis Parry; Company D, 1st Engineer Battalion, commanded by Captain Byron Turner; the 1st Motor Transport Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Olin Beall; and the Division Reconnaissance Company, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Ralph Crossman. The 7th Marines is augmented by Company E, 1st Medical Battalion, commanded by Lt. Commander Charles K. Halloway,

November 1, 1950

492

Top: 11th Marines artillery (105-mm howitzers) in action. Bottom: 11th Marines artillery crew.

493 USN; contingents of the division military police company; and components of the 1st Signal and 1st Service Battalion. When the 7th Marines advances to the border, its entire left flank will be exposed, with the exception of the division reconnaissance company, which is scheduled to be relieved by RCT-1 shortly. In the 7th Division zone, the division contains 18,837 men, which places it at nearly full strength, and an attached complement of 7,804 South Koreans. At P’ungsan the North Koreans engage the 1st Regiment, S.K. Capital Division, a couple of miles north of the town. The recently arrived 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, U.S. 7th Division, receives its baptism under fire when it joins in the battle to help the ROKs turn back the heavy assault. The commanding officer, Colonel Powell, orders his 17th Regiment to prepare to attack at 0800 on the following day to eliminate the remaining resistance, but the North Koreans have other plans of their own. In the Eighth Army area, headquarters is not taking too seriously the ongoing infusion of Chinese troops into the battle; many of the incoming reports that give specifics concerning Chinese troops are disregarded. The U.S. 2nd Division has thoughts of being shipped back to Japan due to the anticipated termination of the war, but those dreams are shattered. The Division is attached by Army to the I Corps and ordered to make a snappy assembly at Sunchon and be prepared to move out to cover a newly created gap between Army and the ROK II Corps. Eighth Army now faces a new threat. Its right flank is unprotected since the thrashing of the ROK II Corps. The Chinese have crossed the Ch’ongch’on River and are threading the gap. In addition, the Chinese jeopardize the center of Eighth Army’s lines at Unsan, where the S.K. 1st Division is attempting to hold the line. With the arrival of the 8th Cavalry at Unsan, the line of deployment will be: the 8th Cavalry, north, west and south of the town; and the S.K. 1st Division northeast, east and southeast of Unsan. In the I Corps area, during the afternoon, General Milburn receives a call from General Walker, who informs him that the ROK II Corps has disintegrated and is no longer considered a cohesive fighting unit, thereby leaving U.S. I Corps’ right flank bare. Milburn is directed to take protective measures and to assume control of any ROK units that move into I Corps’ area. Milburn immediately dispatches a contingent of troops, commanded by General Rinaldo Van Brunt, to hold the line. His force, principally composed of engineers and ordnance troops, moves to positions on the Kunuri–Anju Road, southwest of Kunu-ri to defend the right flank and the pontoon bridges that span the Ch’ongch’on River. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, General Gay, concerned with the stretched out deployment of his 1st Cavalry Division, requests permission from I Corps to move the 7th Cavalry from its tenuous positions near Ch’ongch’on to Yongsan-dong, and he requests that

November 1, 1950 the 8th Cavalry withdraw a few miles from Unsan. His requests are denied. Gay also is disturbed because the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry is dangerously over-extended at the corps’ eastern boundary. At Yongsan-dong during the afternoon, General Gay and General Charles Palmer (1st Cavalry Artillery Commander) scrutinize the conversations that are buzzing across the artillery radios when an aerial observer recounts the bizarre activity in his view. The observer, guiding the fire of the 82nd FABn, explains that two separate enemy columns moving southeast along the paths near Myongdang-dong and Yonghung-dong continue to advance, despite being pummeled by artillery shells. Both enemy columns remain oblivious to the bombardment. General Palmer takes the radio and orders the 99th FABn to lend its guns to the fight to intensify the heat. In the 5th Cavalry sector, Lt. Colonel Harold K. Johnson prepares to dispatch the 3rd Battalion to the boundary line with the S.K. ROK II Corps to support the collapsing lines there. The regiment is to advance east at 1230. At about noon, the 8th Cavalry executive officer, Lt. Colonel Hallet Edson, arrives at Johnsons’ Headquarters and explains that throngs of civilian refugees are pouring into the middle of the area that separates the 5th and 8th Cavalry Regiments. He reports that the civilians speak of seeing huge numbers of Chinese troops driving from the west and closing on the immediate rear of the Korean civilians. This places the enemy near the Nammyon River at its confluence with the Camels’ Head Bend of the Kuryong River, a tributary of the Ch’ongch’on. The information is an unwelcome reality. Colonel Johnson, ordered to protect the rear of the 8th Cavalry, dispatches a patrol of the 1st Battalion to confirm the story. The platoon speeds to the scene and validates the information. The Chinese are located at positions less than five air-miles from the 8th Cavalry lines at Unsan. About 2,000 Chinese are in a valley about nine miles southwest of Unsan and another large group, composed of about 3,000 troops, is at Obong-san, about six miles southwest of Unsan. In the meantime, Johnson accompanies the 3rd Battalion to its objective about six miles northeast of Yongbyon. Johnson orders the battalion to deploy in a set of low hills near the Yongbyon–Kujang-dong Road to meet any threat coming from the east. Johnson and the 3rd Battalion commander venture farther east to get a handle on the situation. Soon after, they encounter troops of the ROK II Corps. The South Koreans are totally disorganized and in full retreat, oblivious even to the moving vehicles. Johnson returns to his command post (5th Cavalry) at Yongsan-dong during the evening and receives intelligence gathered by the 1st Battalion’s platoon. The Chinese were detected at Turtle Head Bend along the Kuryong River and they are close to the 8th Cavalry lines. The 1st Battalion commander, in response to the information, rushes reinforcements (Companies A and B) to bolster the platoon.

November 1, 1950 Johnson dispatches Company C (in response to request from 1st Battalion commander) to speed north to further augment the force. However, while Company C is en route, the Communists strike and dislodge Company B. Four mortars and other equipment are abandoned. Company B is then directed to withdraw and dig in near the newly established positions of Company C. The enemy roadblock at Turtle Head Bend thwarts the two U.S. rifle companies, despite their air support throughout the day. The situation continues to deteriorate as enemy troops now hold entrenched positions on three sides of the 8th Cavalry Regiment. Its only buffer is to the east, defended by the S.K. 15th Regiment. The 2nd Battalion, which had sustained heavy resistance on the previous day, reinitiates its drive. It arrives in the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, zone during the early morning hours of November 2 to aid the battle-weary troops there. In the 8th Cavalry zone, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are in place, having relieved contingents of the S.K. 12th Regiment on the previous day near Unsan, but the 1st Battalion remains in a defensive stance to the rear of the 2nd Battalion, S.K. 12th Regiment, awaiting the ROKs to retake lost terrain from the Chinese. In the S.K. 1st Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 12th Regiment, supported by tanks (6th Med. Tank Bn.) makes minor gains, but the Chinese are not easily moved. Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, initiates an attack to support the S.K. 2nd Battalion. Supported by tanks of Company B, 70th Tank Battalion, the unit drives north shadowing the west bank of the Samt’an River. The added weight of B Company’s tanks succeed in reducing the pressure on the S.K. Regiment. The attack regains about one-half mile by noon. Nonetheless, three U.S. tanks sustain damage during the fight, and the afternoon wears down the determination of the S.K. 12th Regiment. Fierce enemy mortar fire halts further advance by the tanks. The S.K. battalion commander, who on the previous day insisted on regaining the ground, now informs the cavalry that if it is not relieved by 1600, the positions will be abandoned. In response to the S.K. ultimatum, Colonel Raymond Palmer rejects the idea and forbids any U.S. advance, while the Chinese continue their intensive artillery attack. Nevertheless, the 1st Battalion relieves the South Koreans at 1600 by necessity. The South Koreans abandon their positions and retreat through the American lines. However, the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, remains in place and simultaneously relieves the ROKs. All the while, the heights on the east side of the river become more crowded as legions of Chinese troops move along the ridge. Meanwhile, the S.K. 11th Regiment, 1st Division, is deployed near the ROK II Corps boundary. An enemy column advances toward the regiment and it is detected less than ten miles southwest of Unsan. Planes and artillery strike the column before it can inflict damage. About 100 horses and an indeterminable number of enemy troops are killed. Later, during the afternoon,

494 other enemy columns are spotted in the same general area and also in the area northeast of Unsan. Again planes arrive to hammer twenty-nine troop-laden vehicles. About two miles away, the S.K. 15th Regiment is heavily engaged east of the river, then Chinese on the ridge begin to approach its lines. The 8th Cavalry is deployed in a half-moon type perimeter. Its 1st Battalion stands one mile northwest of Unsan on the west bank of the river and slightly below the village of MaeBong-dong. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions continue the east-west line, which leans southwest and slides over a mountain to a point several miles west of Unsan. There it cuts across the east-west road that leads out of Unsan before it swerves southeast to the Yongsan-dong–Yongbyon Road, three miles southeast of Unsan. The enemy plows through the South Koreans. By 1700, the 8th Cavalry comes under attack. By dusk, the Americans face the enemy on three separate sides, north, south and west. The initial assault is supported by new weaponry, truck-mounted Russianmade rockets. Major Millikin’s 1st Battalion sustains the assault and is aided by artillery, which zeroes in on the enemy rocket trucks. Effective fire forces the enemy to withdraw their rockets. Prior to the withdrawal, the enemy’s attack had hit an ammunition truck parked near the battalion headquarters. The 1st Battalion controls the Samt’an River’s northern approaches by dark, but its left flank is fragile. At some points, troops are insufficient to stretch to the primary ridge that moves into Unsan. Contact in this area between the 1st and 2nd Battalions is possible only by patrols. The main ridge is manned, but only with outposts of both battalions. Following the initial attack at 1700, the enemy renews its assault at 1930 and again pounds the 1st Battalion, but this new assault also hammers the entire line and ruptures the right flank, which withdraws about 400 yards. Meanwhile, a platoon of engineers and the heavy mortar company rush to help hold the line. The troops defending the left flank pull back about 200 yards to tighten the line. The 1st Battalion then holds against vicious attacks. The Communist Chinese discover holes on the primary ridge, and at about 2100, they begin funneling through to descend upon the rear of the 2nd Battalion. Shortly thereafter, all hell begins to break loose. Both battalions are fully engulfed in battle, and to the east, the South Koreans are heavily engaged. Northeast of Unsan, the tank contingent guarding the bridge over the Samt’an River discovers large numbers of enemy troops on the opposite bank. This new threat imperils the 1st Battalion’s positions north of Unsan. Major Millikin sends an officer across the river to attempt to locate the mortarmen who had been supporting the ROKs, but his jeep comes under fire, which forces him to scurry back. By about 2300, the S.K. 15th Regiment collapses. While the Communists to the east barrel past the 1st

495 Battalion positions, Millikin orders all 1st Battalion trains and non-combat vehicles to move back through Unsan and converge on the road fork south of the town. Lt. Colonel William Walton gives a similar order and the 2nd Battalion also begins withdrawing its vehicles. By 2300, each battalion had paid high prices and lost some ground during the close-quartered fighting. From the road fork, the vehicles of both battalions move southeast and reach Ipsok. To make matters worse, the 1st Battalion is nearly out of ammunition, and the reserve stores are close to exhaustion, too. Unknown to the 1st and 2nd Battalions, a meeting had been held at I Corps headquarters at 2000 to deal with the deteriorating circumstances in the South Korean II Corps sector. This is the second meeting on the subject this day. The meeting concludes with an order going out to the 8th Cavalry to withdraw and for the Corps to take a defensive posture. However, the news of the enemy progress in the 8th Cavalry zone is still not known at I Corps Headquarters. Slightly after midnight, General Gay returns to his headquarters and is told of the disastrous news at Unsan. The orders to withdraw arrive at Colonel Palmer’s headquarters at about 2300. At midnight, the 8th Cavalry attempts to withdraw, but easier said than done. Colonel Palmer orders Colonel Edson, the 8th Cavalry Regimental executive officer, to oversee the operation. Elements of the 3rd Battalion deploy to defend the exit route at the south fork near Unsan. Edson and Captain Rene Guiraud (Regimental S-2) and a contingent of the I&R Platoon travel to the junction to coordinate the regiment’s withdrawal. By about midnight, Captain Filmore McAbee (3rd Battalion S-3) and one platoon of Company I, 3rd Battalion, move to the junction to guard the approaches from the north. Soon after, the four tanks of the 1st Platoon arrive, followed by two tanks of the 2nd Platoon (70th Tank Battalion) to bolster the road fork positions. Upon arrival of the 2nd Platoon’s tanks, the 1st platoon of tanks crosses the Kuryong River to cover the withdrawal from there. The regiment’s trains pass through safely, as do those of the 1st and 2nd Battalions. North of Unsan, the beleaguered 1st Battalion remains under severe pressure, and the supporting tanks (Company B, 70th Tank Battalion) on the right flank at the bridge northeast of the town are equally endangered. They have been compelled to withdraw to the road fork at the northeast tip of Unsan. The tanks attempt to hold the fork to permit the 1st Battalion to extricate itself. One platoon each from Companies A and B act as rear guards, while the companies, including Company D, retreat to the fork. Meanwhile, the enemy has heavily penetrated Unsan. Major Millikin arrives at the north road fork slightly before Companies A and B, which arrive at about 0030 November 2. Enemy fire originating in Unsan inflicts more casualties, which prompts Millikin to divert the troops. He directs them to skirt around the eastern side of the town and proceed to the road fork

November 1, 1950 south of Unsan, then hold in place until he arrives. In the meantime, two tanks and several Company D mortar vehicles have arrived at the northeast road fork. Other tanks have entered Unsan. They are engaged against the enemy in an attempt to fight their way to the southern road fork. Four tanks of the 1st Platoon, Company B, break through, but the course remains much rougher for the remaining tanks and the mortar vehicles. At about 0045, two more tanks and the mortar vehicles attempt to break through and get the wounded to safety. Burning debris blocks passage at a turn. The first tank maneuvers around the fiery truck, but then it gets bogged down in a crater. Quickly, the Communists rake the stalled tank with shells while blowing the tracks on the remaining tank. The other vehicles also are pummeled. Apparently, all the wounded aboard the mortar vehicles are lost. Of the ten tanker crewmen, two are killed, including the tank commander of the stalled tank. Five others are wounded. Meanwhile, the scattered 2nd Battalion lacked good communications when the order to withdraw had been issued. Company H, the only unit in contact with Lt. Colonel Walton, is given the instructions with orders to pass on the word to the other units. There is still contact between the rifle companies. Millikin had told Walton that he would try to keep control of Unsan until the 2nd Battalion had withdrawn. Some of the 2nd Battalion will break out, but much of it will be cut off, unable to reach the road fork. Walton reaches the roadblock and from there he leads 103 troops to Ipsok, arriving the following morning. The situation near and in Unsan continues worsening. By about 0100, Millikin is greeted by stragglers from the ROK 15th Regiment and troops of various units, including Company C, but Chinese soldiers also arrive north of the town at the road fork. The Americans evacuate the area in small groups and try to make it to the southern fork. Another contingent, Company H, 2nd Battalion, meets Millikin and his small group at about 0200 as they take a circuitous route to the fork south of Unsan. This group reaches the destination, but the scene is ugly and permeated with abandoned equipment. The enemy is closing fast and the south road fork is now under small arms fire. Millikin encounters Major Robert Ormond, 3rd battalion commander, and one platoon of infantry from Company I at the roadblock. Ormond informs Millikin that no new orders have arrived and that the 3rd Battalion had been instructed to cover the withdrawal of the 1st and 2nd Battalions. Ormond departs to begin to withdraw his 3rd Battalion. Millikin uses the radio of the lone operable tank at the south roadblock to try to contact other units, but he is able only to communicate with another tank. It is at the Kuryong River and engaged. Millikin and the troops with him attempt to break through the blockage by following the remaining tank at the fork, but enemy fire thwarts the effort. Millikin’s contingent bolts from the area in tiny groups that head

November 1, 1950 south. Millikin and the men ford the Kuryong River and reach Ipsok on the morning of the 2nd. Contingents that are moving to the rear of Millikin had not reached the south road fork. And west of the blockage, the Chinese had brought other units to a sputtering halt. Battery A, 99th FABn and the 3rd Platoon, Company B, 70th Tank Battalion, are stopped less than one mile from the fork. Almost immediately the road becomes jammed as vehicles are deserted. The tanks then become paralyzed; the crews are forced to destroy the weapons and abandon their armor. Most of the infantry (primarily 2nd Battalion) and the tankers make a dash for the heights, but some manage to reach the south road fork. In conjunction, the stragglers spread out. Some reach the positions of the 3rd Battalion on the following morning and others stumble into the lines of the ROK troops at Ipsok. In the 3rd Battalion area, south of Unsan, the enemy has been quiet to this point. By about 0130, the supporting artillery components (99th FABn units) of the 3rd Battalion begin passing through the fork. In the 3rd Battalion zone, things have been tranquil during the day. The battalion command post is several airmiles south of Unsan and slightly north of the Nammyon River. Northwest of the headquarters, along a ridge line atop a stream, Companies I and K are deployed. The perimeter is further protected by a platoon of tanks (Company B, 70th Tank Battalion) dispersed on either side of the road north of the river. And elements of Company M guard the bridge to the rear. By midnight (1st-2nd) Major Ormond informs his commanders that the withdrawal is imminent. Soon, Companies I and K receive orders to pull back to the command post; Company L, stretched out west in the heights along the south side of the river, is ordered to protect the withdrawal. At 0115, the first units, Battery B, 99th FABn, and battalion headquarters move north and pass the south road fork without incident. At about 0230, Captain Bolt, commanding officer, Battery C, pauses to speak with Colonel Edson at the road fork and Edson assures him that everything is under control and that the artillery should proceed. Bolt’s convoy, composed of twenty vehicles, moves out toward the Kuryong River. The second vehicle misses a turn and it goes unnoticed momentarily by Captain Bolt, but then he orders his jeep to halt to await the column. In the meantime, the vehicle that missed the turn is forced to reverse and the mishap clogs the road. Suddenly, Bolt spots some troops moving toward his stalled jeep, and at first glance, they appear to be retreating 8th Cavalrymen. However, when shots ring out, it becomes apparent they are enemy troops. The jeep roars off, but when it rounds a curve about twenty Chinese troops are to its front stretched along the road. Chinese fire rings out, but Bolt returns fire with his submachine gun and the ambush is thwarted when the enemy scatters. The jeep keeps moving with Bolt’s gun blazing and it breaks through several more small groups

496 of enemy troops and finally makes contact with the convoy, which is now Battery B and four tanks (1st Platoon Company B, 70th Tank Battalion). Bolt directs one of the tanks to return down the road and fire upon the enemy, but the tanker states that he has expended his ammunition. At about the same time, Bolt’s jeep vanishes around the curve, another U.S. vehicle comes under fire at the road fork and its driver loses control of the vehicle, causing it to tumble over and block the highway. All attempts by a tank to push it aside are futile, and the tank becomes disabled. It is abandoned after its weapons are demolished. The last vehicle to pass the roadblock is Bolt’s jeep. For the remainder of the troops at the roadblock south of Unsan, the nightmare continues to become more grim. Colonel Edson attempts to raise resistance to break out, but to no avail. There is no group of soldiers who band together to strike back. Several officers collect troops who have abandoned their vehicles, but while the officers attempt to gather more, the others stream for safety. In the meantime, Major Ormond had spoken with Major Millikin at the roadblock and then moved back to his headquarters to complete the withdrawal. He departs only moments before the Chinese command the area at the roadblock, which makes his withdrawal difficult. Unable to move north, Ormond chooses a circuitous route and orders some tanks to guard the withdrawal. A tanker, Sergeant Elmer L. Miller, sets out to probe for a crossing site for the tanks, but he is forced back. Before 0300, the vehicles are positioned nose to tail awaiting orders, but again, grave mistakes are made and pandemonium occurs. The Company M squads at the bridge south of headquarters observe a contingent of troops encroaching the Nammyon River bridge, and assume they are South Korean. The troops pass over the bridge and advance toward the command post without incident, but then a Chinese bugle blares to ignite a gruesome surprise assault on the CP. Chinese converge from all directions, but the Americans believe it to be a North Korean attack. Major Ormond and Captain McAbee leave their headquarters to gauge the depth of the assault. Ormond moves toward Company L at the river but he becomes wounded and left unattended for the night. McAbee heads for the bridge to the south, but he also is wounded. Undaunted, McAbee attempts to reach the command post and encounters several Chinese, which he eliminates with his carbine. Then, McAbee stumbles upon about thirty more Chinese troops who are trying to destroy a tank; again he fires his carbine until all his ammunition is expended. Having sustained a great loss of blood, McAbee reinitiates his bid to return to the command post. It is a harrowing trek. He brushes with the enemy several more times, and even though they have him in their reach, he works his way out of the crisis. Meanwhile, small arms fire intensifies and grenades are flying in every direction. All the while, the shrill sounds of whistles and giant speakers in the distance

497 bellow the amplified sounds of stampeding horses. The Chinese also blare taps. During the swift attack, the Chinese toss explosive charges into the vehicles, setting many afire. The Americans are caught flat-footed and some are still bleary eyed in their foxholes and trenches, still awaiting the order to board the vehicles. Bloody hand-to-hand fighting is the order of the day, but the enemy holds the advantage. Many of the troops near headquarters are thrashed and stabbed to death by bayonets. The morbid sight of slaughtered soldiers is not easily cloaked under the brightness of the moon, nor are the grim expressions on the faces of the surviving fighting men. The enemy continues to press forward, hoping to annihilate those at the command post. The chaplain, Father (Major) Emil Kapaun, ventures outside to check things out and spots Captain McAbee as he struggles to reach the CP. Father Kapaun rescues him, and then someone else is yelling for help. Major Moriarity, the battalion executive officer, rushes to the aid of another officer (Battalion S-4), who is wrapped up on the ground with a Communist. Moriarity kills the enemy troop with his pistol and he eliminates one other enemy soldier in the vicinity. Later, Moriarity spots a group of U.S. infantry positioned around Sergeant Elmer Miller’s tank. As he moves to the tank, the enemy begins to sling mortars that land dangerously close to the armor. Moriarity gathers the men and leads them south to ford the stream. Along the way, they encounter and destroy an enemy contingent at the stream. Moriarity and the troops then head southeast toward friendly lines, picking up stragglers as they move. In the meantime, at about the same time headquarters had been struck, the Chinese also pour fire into the 3rd Battalion lines. The tanks, still posted near the road south of the command post, are struck hard. Sergeant Miller, who had gone to seek a crossing, creeps back to his tank to join the defenders. Again at closerange, Miller uses his pistol. One of the tanks is damaged and then it blows. The remaining three tanks pull back to the road and successfully hold back the enemy. The tank fire prevents them from fording the stream from the south. Company L, southwest of the command post along the stream, also receives heavy attacks. Nonetheless, Company L fights tenaciously and completes its previous orders to reel into the command post. Company K attempts to make it to the battalion zone and is struck by an ambush that inflicts heavy losses on one platoon and its command group. However, the remainder of the company reaches headquarters and augments the defenses there. The three tanks band tightly together and the nearby infantry help galvanize the resistance. At the command post, the small group of defenders throws back the Chinese and holds until dawn, but the cost is high. Enemy grenades slay three soldiers who had manned the machine gun at the command post, and of the twenty or so troops who defended the position, only five remain alive at dawn.

November 1, 1950 In the 24th Division sector, elements of the Chinese 66th Army engage contingents of the 19th Regiment in small firefights near Kusong. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion continues to set the pace for the 21st Regiment. It reaches the fringes of Chonggo-dong by noon, which places the regiment within eighteen air-miles from the Yalu River. The troops of the 21st Regiment are anxious to proceed to the border; however, orders have filtered down from I Corps that direct the regiment to halt and establish strong defensive positions at Chonggo-dong. The order delivered by Colonel Stephens stuns the troops, but they are not fully aware of the rapid changes dictating the battle plans. During the afternoon, the 1st Battalion is struck by a grueling counterattack. A North Korean infantry force, composed of about 500 troops and augmented by seven tanks, attacks the lines of the 1st battalion to ignite a fury-filled battle. The U.S. artillery and the ground troops propel a hurricane of fire toward the attackers, while the tanks of Company A, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, gallop toward the enemy armor to instigate a deadly joust. The opposing tanks begin to bludgeon each other. The tanks slug it out and pound each other with incessant fire for about one-half hour. The tanks’ guns subside after the seventh T-34 is decimated. Meanwhile, the curtain of fire raised by the 1st Battalion and the accompanying guns of the artillery repulse the infantry and inflict about 100 casualties. Two of Captain Jack G. Moss’ tanks receive some minor damage. This action becomes the Eighth Army’s northernmost battle for the duration of the conflict and Lt. Colonel Charles B. Smith’s 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, is the engaging unit. TF Smith, which had fought the initial battle against the North Koreans during early July, was commanded by Colonel Smith and the task force included elements of the 21st Regiment. In the 5th Regimental zone, the regiment reinitiates its attack. The column advances several miles north of the town and runs into a formidable enemy roadblock. Undaunted, the RCT rams against it and pulverizes the defenses. The enemy loses between 300 and 400 troops. In addition, six anti-tank guns, eight howitzers (76-mm), five machine guns and eight mortars are destroyed. Two self-propelled guns are also decimated. Once the road junction is secured, forward elements of the regiment push north and reach positions about ten miles beyond the town. At about noon, a liaison plane flies over Kusong and drops an urgent message instructing the regiment to halt where it stands. The 5th Regiment’s reaction is the same as the 21st Regiment’s; the disappointment of the troops is conspicuous. Toward the end of the night, at about 2300, orders arrive from division directing the regiment to pull back to the Ch’ongch’on River at once. The 21st Regiment receives the same instructions and during the night (Nov. 1-2), both regiments retire to the river, still perplexed by the turn of events. In the ROK II Corps area, the S.K. 15th Regiment comes under severe attack during the day and during the

November 1, 1950

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The Pacific, November-December 1950. battle, it captures some equipment including two 57mm recoilless rifles and two other automatic rifles. Each weapon is marked conspicuously with Chinese identification. By 1900, the supporting U.S. artillery unit, the 10th

AAA Group, is ordered to prepare to pull back. At about 2030, the fire center controlling the guns is shut down, and within another hour, the unit moves back. The vehicles head south with their lights out. In the meantime, the struggling South Koreans still

499

Map of Korea, November-December 1950.

November 1, 1950

November 1, 1950

500

Leaflets are loaded into a bomb-type cluster adapter (M16M1) in Japan on 1 November. The leaflets are afterward dropped in North Korea to persuade North Koreans to surrender. have some artillery support as the more mobile 90-mm guns of the 78th AAA maintain fire for one or two more hours, until orders arrive from corps that mandate a pull-back. By midnight (1st-2nd), the South Koreans have been decimated and shortly thereafter, the ROK 15th Regiment is rendered unfit for battle. Nearly the entire regiment is killed or captured. The collapse of the regiment gives the Chinese an easier route toward the 8th Cavalry. The regiment’s equipment is totally

written off, and the losses include four liaison aircraft, used to assist the 6th Tank Battalion and the 9th FABN. The planes are destroyed on the ground by U.S. aircraft to prevent capture. In other activity, Chinese Communist units continue to smash against the South Koreans. Below the Ch’ongch’on River, the S.K. 7th Division has been shoved back to the vicinity of Won-ni. The gigantic Chinese Communist pressure jolts the ROK II Corps

501 into positions that have the line facing east, but this opens a huge hole between its left flank and Eighth Army. General Milburn arrives at ROK Headquarters and discovers that it is moving to Sunchon. Milburn is informed that communication with the various units has been lost. The ROK commander believes he has three battalions of the S.K. 7th Division still able to fight. Milburn orders the South Koreans to hold Kunu-ri and he informs them that a contingent of U.S. troops is en route to strengthen the defense. In Air Force activity, a group of American planes, including one B-26, is attacked over North Korea by a band of three Yaks. One of the enemy planes is downed by the B-25 and the other two are shot down by two F-81 fighters. Also, a contingent of six MiGs, later on this same day, attack a group of F-51 Mustangs and a T-6 in the vicinity of the Yalu River, but the U.S. sustains no losses. — In the United States: President Truman is temporarily residing in the Blair House. He survives an assassination attempt there on this day when two Puerto Rican nationalists spring their attack, but one is killed and the other is apprehended before the president can be harmed.

November 2

The U.N. Command believes about 16,500 Chinese are now in Korea and that about 450,000 more remain in Manchuria, close to the Yalu River. In the X Corps area, General Almond relocates his command post farther north at Hamhung. The remainder of his headquarters arrives on the 10th. On the 14th, the USS Mount McKinley arrives off Hungnam. Admiral Doyle and his staff can now coordinate with General Almond. In the 1st Marine Division sector, Corps directs the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines to depart its positions near Kojo and return to Wonsan. The departure, which occurs this day, causes the X Corps boundary to be adjusted. It is moved 70 miles farther south. In conjunction, the Korean Marine Regiment, recently detached from the 1st Marine Division, is directed to assume responsibility for the Corps’ zone south of the 39th Parallel. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, positioned at Anbyon, about eight miles southeast of Wonsan, is relieved by Korean contingents. The 2nd Battalion departs by trucks to return to its regiment, which is stationed farther north. Also, following completion of mine-sweeping operations, the port facilities at Wonsan become operative today. During the next nine days, the Combat Service Group moves nearly 4,000 tons of ammunition by rail from Wonsan to Hamhung. At Majon-ni, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines’ patrols continue, but the enemy’s inactivity ceases. A motorized patrol of Company H ventures south from the village along a slim road and hits an ambush site after traveling about five miles. Enemy fire pours down from each

November 2, 1950 side of the heights and creates massive problems for the patrol when the vehicles stall. Marines attempt to set up their mortars and machine guns to return fire, but their positions are poor, and the enemy is concealed, which causes casualties to climb. A desperate message is sent by radio to headquarters: “We’ve been hit. Send help. Send help.” Soon after, enemy fire takes out the radio. Two men defy the fire and race their jeep back to headquarters to get reinforcements. They arrive safely, but one of the tires had been blown by an enemy shell. Two rifle companies and other Marines with 81-mm mortars rush to rescue the besieged patrol. One man in the relief force, PFC Jack Golden, transporting a heavy machine gun, ascends to a position atop the enemy. Meanwhile, communications between Majon-ni and Wonsan remain terrible, which causes a delay in getting air support to the imperiled patrol. Major Simmons convinces a pilot of an OY to take him to the battle scene, from where he can observe the positions. Marine Corsairs then arrive to assist and the enemy is forced from the heights. Rescue operations continue and the seriously wounded are evacuated by helicopters. One Marine dies during the night, but the other wounded are evacuated by three helicopter flights. In related activity, a 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines’ supply convoy, escorted by a rifle platoon of Company G, departs Wonsan en route for Majon-ni. It is ambushed about seven miles outside of Wonsan. A withering storm of enemy fire strikes the column. The first two trucks escape harm and continue to move, but the third vehicle, transporting diesel fuel and C-3 explosives, bursts into flames. The two lead trucks encounter an impassable road and turn back. About the time they reach the ambush site, the other vehicles are attempting to turn around. During the dangerous maneuver, enemy fire continues to thrash the area. Two trucks fail to safely navigate the narrow road and are lost. In the meantime, reinforcements race to the area and three Corsairs attached to VMF-312 arrive and drive off several hundred enemy troops. Riflemen aboard six trucks and five tanks, including a dozer tank, safely rescue the imperiled convoy and return it to Wonsan. Nine Marines are killed and fifteen are wounded during the ambush. Nonetheless, the 1st Marines at Majon-ni desperately need the ammunition. Lt. Colonel Ridge requests delivery by air and within several hours, C-47s of the Air Force soar overhead and deliver more than 150 parachutes, each carrying supplies to the Majon-ni perimeter. Colonel Puller, concerned that his Marines would require more supplies and ammunition, schedules another truck convoy for November 4. In the 5th Marines sector, the Regiment prepares to move to Hamhung. The 1st Marines hold responsibility for the MSR as far north as Munchon and the road from there to Chigyong. Also, a distance of about 54 miles is to be guarded by the Special Operations Company, USA, and some Korean agents. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, departs today after being released from the 1st Marines.

November 2, 1950

502

An LST unloads equipment at Iwon, about 180 miles north of Pyongyang. Elements of the U.S. 7th Division gather nearby on the beach. In the 7th Marines sector, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Raymond G. Davis, departs its assembly area and moves toward Majon-dong. It is closely followed by the 2nd Battalion, commanded by Major Webb D. Sawyer. The columns are accompanied by VMF-312’s Corsairs that

are on scene to aid reconnaissance and provide close-air support. The columns receive some long-range fire from Chinese units and incur a few casualties. The 2nd Battalion takes responsibility for the heights on both sides of the MSR, despite being the trailing battalion. The artillery also is involved. Batteries G and

503

November 2, 1950

North Korean POWs at Wonsan. H are pushed to the front before noon. Battery I, also of the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, commences firing at about noon with the initial barrage. The artillery executes 26 missions during the day. During the afternoon, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, begins to climb the eastern slopes of Hill 698 to relieve the South Koreans that are unable to secure and hold the summit. Once the ROKs see the Marines, they abandon their positions and seek positions in the rear. Colonel Litzenberg continues to get his regiment organized to meet any threat in the valley. By about 1630, the regiment completes a 1,300-yard advance. The troops are susceptible to coming under fire from any direction. Litzenberg has directed that the columns be restricted to a minimum of 4,000 yards and a maximum of 6,000 yards, to ensure that either close-artillery or inter-battalion infantry support can be utilized to fend off any opposing force. Colonel Litzenberg remains concerned about potential dangers that could emerge. He directs Colonel Roach to take a reconnaissance flight by helicopter to scrutinize the Sudong valley, which abuts the smaller valley that the 7th Marines have occupied. Roach takes the excursion flight to the area below Oro-ri during the afternoon, but no Chinese presence is detected. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion pushes two

Company D platoons ahead. They drive up the steep slope, against what starts as sporadic fire and culminates with mediocre fire from the summit. The attacking platoons are ordered to pause while calls for air strikes are made. The planes appear within several minutes and the suspected positions are blasted. Despite an open field of about fifty yards, the Marines inch forward and sustain casualties while they climb. The Marines finally take the summit, but enemy troops remain in well-concealed positions, and they continue their fire against the exhausted Marines. Captain Milton Hull, concerned about the condition of his Marines after the stiff ascent, and their ability to hold the summit, orders them to pull back and take positions on the eastern slope. Meanwhile, Hull calls for support fire to keep heat on the enemy, but it never arrives. Company D, 2nd Battalion, holds its positions despite the lack of artillery fire. Company E moves to relieve Company D. At 2200, Company E passes through D Company and establishes a night perimeter at positions on a plateau that lies about 150 yards from the crest. Back in the valley earlier in the day, aircraft had plastered the heights to provide some security for the regiment. The Corsairs of VMF-312 and VMF(N)-513 continue their support missions; the former executes twelve missions

November 2, 1950 and the latter contributes several additional sorties. At about 1700, three Marines are wounded when an enemy shell strikes the regimental command post. By dusk, the regiment begins to forge a night perimeter. While Company D is committed on the eastern slope of Hill 698, Company A, commanded by Captain David Banks, digs in along the right side of the MSR. Its three platoons stretch across Hill 532 to a spindle of Hill 727, and from there the line swerves and flows backward to cover the left flank. The line is bolstered by a 3.5 rocket squad, deployed to intercept any advancing armor. Mortars are placed in the vicinity of the company command post. Lieutenant Colonel Davis establishes his command post to the rear of Company A; it is protected by one platoon of Company C and a battalion of 81-mm mortars. Opposite Company A, to the left of the MSR, C Company establishes its line on the northeastern slopes of Hill 698. In the process of moving into position, the company receives some luck. The opposition raised against Company D hinders the movement of C Company until dark, but the Chinese who have kept a constant vigil on Marine movement fail to detect the deployment of Company D. To further tighten the perimeter, one platoon of Company B and headquarters deploy close by and to the rear of Company A on a spindle of Hill 698. The remaining two platoons of Company B also deploy to the rear of Company A, but on the lower portion of Hill 727. The 2nd Battalion maneuvers to strengthen its perimeter, while its Company D and E are engaged on the slopes of Hill 698. Company D remains on the lower portion once it is relieved by E Company. Company F strings out along the precipitous Hill 727. The 2nd Battalion command post is established in a small glen just under the positions of Company F. The CP is bolstered by contingents of the 7th Marines antitank company and some 4.2 mortar units. To close the loop, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, commanded by Major Maurice Roach, deploys in such a way as to create a backup perimeter. Opposing ridges separated by the MSR are occupied by Companies I and H on the right and left respectively. Both companies are linked from the south by Company G, which stretches across the valley and holds the regiment’s southernmost point, from where it is poised to guard the regiment’s trains and the command post of Colonel Litzenberg. As the latter part of the day approaches, still there are no significant signs of concentrated Chinese presence. The perimeter does, however, receive sporadic incoming mortar rounds. Later, toward midnight, the Chinese Communists make their presence known. Unknown to the 7th Marines, who are expecting some Chinese, there are two regiments lurking nearby. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, reports at about 2300 that enemy forces are attacking its right flank, defended by Company A. The pressure is actually a probing movement. During the night fighting, an enemy contingent at-

504 tacks the positions of Company B, 1st Battalion. Sergeant Archie Van Winkle takes the initiative. He races across the ground for about 40 yards, through an onslaught of heavy fire, to regroup the command. Then he leads an attack despite having been wounded during his jaunt. Sergeant Van Winkle is hit again with a grievous wound to the chest. The others provide some momentary help, but Van Winkle refuses evacuation, choosing instead to continue leading his beleaguered platoon. He shouts orders until he falls into unconsciousness. His extraordinary heroism inspires the platoon further. They continue the fight and repulse the assault. Sergeant Van Winkle is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his tremendous courage and leadership in the face of a superior numbered enemy force. Van Winkle is the first Marine reservist to receive the medal. Twelve other Marine reservists will receive it as well. Subsequent to the probing attacks, at 2400 (2nd3rd), a heavier assault begins. In related activity, the 1st Marine Division’s reconnaissance company moves toward Huksu-ri to probe for Chinese presence and returns to the valley on the following day to assist against the Chinese attacks in the 7th Marines sector. (See also, November 3, In the 7th Marines zone.) In the Army’s Special Operations Company area, enemy guerrillas strike the MSR. A call is placed for support and the Marine 1st Tank Battalion speeds a patrol to the area west of Munchon. The guerrillas are driven off by the Marines. The U.S. Army contingent loses some equipment and one man is wounded. In the 7th Division sector, at P’ungsan, the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, prepares to jump off and initiate an attack at 0800; however, in the meantime, the North Koreans launch an assault at 0700. The enemy strikes against the Americans and ROK lines with the strength of about one regiment to ignite a day-long slugfest. As the fighting ensues, other elements of the regiment arrive to bolster the 1st Battalion. By the latter part of the day, all but one company arrives. By day’s end, the 1st Regiment, Capital Division, is relieved by elements of the 17th Regiment. The ROKs depart the area and join the Capital Division, which is driving along the coastal road. At the beachhead at Iwon, the debarkation continues, hindered by the weather. The unexpected slow pace keeps many vehicles from coming ashore. In the ROK I Corps area, at Kilchu, a town situated twenty miles north of Songjin and almost fifteen airmiles from the coast, has become fortified by North Koreans who have moved north and out of the range of the U.S. Navy’s big guns. Prior to dawn, the cavalry regiment, South Korean Capital Division, attacks to eliminate the opposition. Stiff resistance repels the attack, but the cavalry unit is bolstered by the 1st S.K. Regiment. Still the town holds. The fighting remains fierce throughout the day. It continues on the following day.

505 In the Eighth Army area, the recent entrance of Chinese troops into the Korean conflict has imperiled I Corps. Steps are being taken to prevent it from being trapped above the Ch’ongch’on River. There is a constant flurry of activity, including a steady flow of new orders being issued throughout the day, all centered around getting the corps to more tenable positions to hold the river line. The I Corps is to funnel through the Anju–Pakch’on areas. The U.S. 19th Regiment, 24th Division, and the British Brigade (27th Commonwealth) will form a galvanized bridgehead on the north side of the Ch’ongch’on to defend the ford crossings of the tanks and the bridges that span the Ch’ongch’on and Taeryong Rivers. The line must hold if the allied offensive is to regain any momentum. However, a huge five-mile hole lies between the lines of 19th Regiment’s left flank and the British Brigade. At Anju, the 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion resumes its role as an Infantry unit and defends the bridges there. In the I Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, 5th Cavalry zone, contingents are rushing to the aid of the cavalrymen near Unsan. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, drives to positions north of Unsan and reaches there at 0400. The 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, had held these positions on the previous day, until forced out by the Chinese. At dawn, Colonel Johnson’s 5th Cavalry reinitiates its mission to rescue the beleaguered 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry’s survivors, still at the battalion command post, south of Unsan. The 1st and 2nd Battalion, on the left and right sides of the road respectively, are to drive forward and seize the enemycontrolled ridge to their front and create a gap to permit the 3rd Battalion to surge through and extricate the trapped 8th Cavalrymen. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, released for this duty during the morning, speeds to the area. Its attack will be bolstered by tanks. General Gay authorizes the commitment of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, to support the attack of the 5th Cavalry. It is to drive toward the left flank of the Chinese and pound the flank in conjunction with the 5th Cavalry’s frontal assault. The attack, also supported by air strikes, commences, but anticipated light artillery is not brought up to support the assault. Apparently, corps or even higher sources do not authorize their movement. Consequently, the assault force is augmented by a mere two 155-mm howitzers. The spearhead fails to gain its objective. Both assault companies fall short of the goal. Elements of the 7th Cavalry needed to strike the Chinese left flank never reach the battle area. Following some afternoon air strikes, the 2nd Battalion drives against the enemy-held positions, but the hefty air strikes are deemed ineffective. The battalion is unable to gain ground. However, the attack does cost the 2nd Battalion heavy casualties. By 1500, another grim decision is made. General Milburn tells General Gay that the 1st Cavalry Division is to abort the attack and retreat, which leaves the feisty survivors of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, to the mercy of the enemy.

November 2, 1950 Just before dark a liaison plane flies over the positions of the trapped cavalrymen and deposits an order from General Gay, which instructs the survivors to withdraw after dusk. The message fails to instruct the isolated troops on how they are to transport the wounded through the lines of the Chinese. General Gay claims that his order to have the 5th Cavalry retreat and leave the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, alone is the most difficult decision he was ever called upon to make. The failed attack costs the 5th Cavalry about 350 casualties and of those, about 250 of these are sustained by the 2nd Battalion. In the 8th Cavalry zone, many troops of the 8th Cavalry, including those with Major Millikin, have made it to Ipsok from the vicinity of Unsan during the night. Millikin’s group had crossed the river before dawn and arrived at Ipsok at about 0800. Millikin discovers his trains there and about 200 1st Battalion troops (mainly men of Companies A and B) who had been among the first to evacuate Unsan. Four tanks (Company B, 70th Tank Battalion), five artillery pieces and the greatest part of the battalion headquarters, which departed the area the night before, reaches Ipsok, but nearly half of the 1st Battalion’s heavy weapons and mortars have been lost. Also, more 1st Battalion troops filter into Ipsok to give Millikin a more accurate picture of the disaster. The 1st Battalion casualty list, including all brackets, stands at about 15 officers and 250 enlisted men. At dawn the survivors of the 3rd Battalion near Unsan still hold the command post. The Chinese have been driven off. However, enemy mortars continue to rain on the Americans, which compels them to keep their heads low. About one hour after first light of dawn, U.S. planes arrive overhead and initiate day-long strikes to keep the Chinese at bay. During the lull in the ground combat, the survivors seek out the wounded and assess the damage. Major Ormond is located, but he has been severely wounded. It is also determined that the other 3rd Battalion staff officers are either wounded or missing. Just over 200 men, including six officers, remain able to fight. About 170 wounded soldiers are rounded up within 500 yards of the besieged 200-yard perimeter and brought to safety. Attempts to reinforce and resupply the embattled troops unfold. A helicopter tries to land to evacuate the seriously wounded troops, but enemy fire hits the aircraft and the crew departs without landing. However, twenty-one critically wounded are flown out of Ipsok by helicopters. In the meantime, some medicine is airdropped. And, a pilot in a Mosquito plane helps build morale by informing the exhausted troops that a 5th Cavalry relief column is at the road fork north of Unsan, a position held the previous night by the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry. As previously mentioned, the attack fails. Subsequent to the order to withdraw the 1st Cavalry Division, word does reach the trapped troops. A plane soars overhead and delivers orders to withdraw by their own methods.

November 3, 1950 Nevertheless, the 8th Cavalry survivors near the command post area choose to ignore the order. They remain in place to fight or die. The tiny perimeter is now much smaller, and the command post (where 50–60 wounded are held) is about 150 yards outside the lines. Only two machine guns remain there to defend it. The tankers and infantrymen brace for a tough night as the last of the planes depart the area. The Chinese strike up the band, the bugles and the whistles and everything else they can muster. Heavy artillery shells ring the spartan perimeter and Sergeant Elmer Miller, who thinks the shells are from mortars, moves his tanks outside the area in an attempt to add a slight safety net for the infantry, but to no avail. The bombardment continues to intensify. The infantry, undaunted by the full-scale barrages and full of obstinacy, continue to forestall disaster. All of the tanks are hit by shells, and one is set afire. One of the crew is killed trying to extinguish the flames. Miller speaks with the infantry over his radio and it is agreed that the tanks, which are extremely low on fuel and lack sufficient ammunition, are of no more value to the trapped soldiers. The tanks head southwest, but within several miles, they are abandoned. Miller and several of the tankers eventually reach friendly lines. In the meantime, the wounded at the perimeter begin to outnumber the able-bodied troops. Major Ormond, seriously wounded during the opening moments of the initial Chinese attack (November 1), still refuses treatment until all the other casualties are tended. Relentlessly, the Chinese maintain the pressure. They mount six major night attacks against the perimeter. But the Americans refuse to capitulate. The Americans fire bazooka shells to ignite their own vehicles to provide some nocturnal illumination. Nonetheless, the Chinese come in hordes, wave after wave, and charge across an open field. During the fighting, about fifty men of the 2nd Battalion that had been isolated in the heights during the day race to the perimeter to give it added strength. Meanwhile, the Chinese eliminate the machine guns at the old command post and overrun it. They capture about fifteen walking wounded, but permit between 30–45 seriously wounded troops to remain. Both Captain McAbee and Chaplain Kapaun are among those seized and taken to the Nammyon River area. At dawn, the defenders still hold the ground and Chinese dead are piled in layers. Still, no relief force is en route, but a three-man patrol reaches the besieged unit. In the ROK area, having anticipated relief by the 7th Marines, the South Koreans have pulled back from their forward positions at Sudong and redeployed about four miles south of the village at a valley junction. At 0600, the South Koreans are struck by an enemy force comprising about two platoons. The enemy attack subsides after about one-half hour. Later, elements of the 7th Marines approach. The South Koreans pull up stakes and stream toward the rear. In other activity, within the Iron Triangle, near P’y-

506 onggang, about 1,000 Communist guerrillas attack a work train, but the ambush backfires. A 200-man contingent of the S.K. 17th Regiment is aboard as an armed guard. The regimental unit repels the attackers, kills about 40 and captures 23 others. Upon interrogation, the captives reveal that about 4,000 guerrillas are in the area to strike all trains that attempt to reach Wonsan. To meet the threat, the whole 27th S.K. Regiment moves to the area and later, it is bolstered by units of the U.S. 25th Division. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches an RB-45 Tornado jet, which becomes its first reconnaissance mission of the war. November 3 1950–January 24 1951. THIRD DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: CHINESE COMMUNIST FORCES (CCF) INTERVENTION.

November 3 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, the Division accelerates its march to the north, which mandates that the Wonsan-Hungnam MSR be securely held. The 1st Marines and contingents of the 1st Tank Battalion guard the route from Wonsan to a northward point about fifteen miles distant. In conjunction, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, protect the route from Hamhung south to Chigyong. A 54-mile gap remains nearly totally undefended. The area stretching from Chigyong to Munchon is protected only by Special Operations Company, USA, and some patrols of Korean Counter Intelligence units. Both of these outfits are under X Corps control. In the 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, at Kojo, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, initiates its overland march to Wonsan. En route, information arrives that informs Colonel Sutter that Korean bandits, unaligned with either side, have blown the rail line at Anbyon. Colonel Sutter halts the march at Anbyon and he stops two small convoys (a train and a truck convoy), which had also departed Kojo. Another small contingent of the battalion also pauses for the night at Anbyon. In the 5th Marines zone, the regiment has been scouring the routes that lead to the Fusen Reservoir, which is located east of the 7th Marines operations, without incident. In the 7th Marines zone, the Chinese had initiated small actions against the perimeter of Company A, 1st Battalion, at 2300, on the previous night. Around midnight (3rd-4th), the pressure begins to intensify as the Chinese 370th and 371st Regiments move to shred the 7th Marines. The 372nd Regiment, Chinese 124th Division, establishes a defensive perimeter in the vicinity of Chinhung-ni, less than five miles north of Sudong. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, reports two enemy battalions on its left flank. The enemy fire continues to increase during the first hour, and by 0100, the Chinese that had silently navigated the ridge lines are poised to launch a full-scale assault against the left and right flanks. At the sound of blaring bugles, the illumination of

507

November 3, 1950

U.S. troops fire a 3.5 rocket launcher (M20) into the heights against Communist positions on 3 November. flares, and the howling of shrill whistles, two battalions of the Chinese 371st Regiment sprint down the slopes and plow into 1st and 2nd Battalion perimeters. Companies A and F on the east and Company B on the west are struck. However, on Hill 698, Company C encounters no activity along its lines. The Chinese, who brandish grenades and submachine guns, show no signs of timidity. They descend the slopes with total disregard

to the Marines’ return fire. Close-quartered fighting erupts in the heights, and at times, the enemy detects holes in the line. When this opportunity arises, the Chinese bolt straight down to the lowest reaches of the slopes and gain positions within the Marine perimeter to carve a wedge between the battalions. During the fighting, an enemy tank moves down the MSR and effortlessly passes a roadblock when the

November 3, 1950 guards believe it to be friendly. Soon after, a T-34 comes to a halt just to the front of Company A’s command post. At about the same time that a sergeant yells “tank!” as a warning, the T-34 commences fire, which prompts the Marines to scramble for safer positions from which to return fire. But the tank roars back onto the road and speeds south toward the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines’ command post, then halts and bangs out some more shells. Nevertheless, the tank fire overshoots and instead strikes the heights to the rear of the CP. Nearby Marines return fire, but the rockets and recoilless rifles do not stop the tank. The tank retires while under fire and moves back to the highway and comes within firing range of Company A’s roadblock. This time the Marines are prepared. Their 3.5-inch rockets commence fire and the tank is hit by at least one shell, but the only apparent damage is that the sandbags that insulate the turret are set ablaze. However, the armor also sustains some inconspicuous damage. The simmering tank instantly gets off a round from about point-blank range. The solitary shell strikes a solid devastating blow that takes a very high toll on the antitank crew, and nearly wipes it out. The enemy tank then disengages and moves back toward its lines, visible because of bouncing sparks and a trail of flame that vanishes once the tank rounds the bend; it is abandoned on the following day. This loss brings the number of available enemy tanks down to four. Nonetheless, the destruction of the tank does not provide a reprieve for the Marines in the heights. Instead, the enemy, dressed in sneakers, continues to creep and leap upon the Americans. Company A, now perilously deployed and heavily outnumbered, continues to sustain high casualties, while its 1st and 2nd Platoons attempt to throw back simultaneous assaults that press from three separate directions. The combat expands from the heights and breaks out in the lower ground at the MSR. The 3rd Platoon, deployed at the beginning of the spur, absorbs elements of the other two hard-hit platoons that had been forced back. Meanwhile, enemy infiltration prevents some of the troops from completing the pull-back. Those troops join with Company B, but here, too, enemy pressure causes problems. The Communists tighten a vise on two of Company B’s platoons and compel both to move to the low ground. In turn, the remaining platoon is also forced to pull back. But, the enemy’s occupation of Company B’s ground is temporary. A do-or-die counterattack retakes the ground. In the meantime, west of the MSR, other contingents of Company B remain engaged in hotly contested skirmishes to the rear and on the left flank against Chinese forces that bypass Company C on Hill 698. Reinforcements are committed to the battle to thwart the attacks. The 1st Battalion reserve, Company B’s 2nd Platoon, moves to fill the gap on the left flank, but there, too, the enemy infiltration curtails the aid. Enemy troops stretched along the river bed flood the MSR with fire that severs the relief route and halts the reserves before they can cross the MSR.

508 Still, in the heights and also besieged by infiltrating Chinese, Companies E and F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, maintain their steadfastness, giving no ground. The Chinese numbers continue to multiply in all areas. By now, enemy contingents have bee-lined from the heights and grabbed positions along the MSR. Other components are poised to inundate the valley and overwhelm the command posts of the AT Company, as well as both the 1st and 2nd Battalion CPs. Chinese who spotted even small gaps along the flanks of Companies E and F in the heights have gnawed their way to dominant ground at the principal curve in the MSR. The maneuver splits the route between the 1st and 2nd Battalions. The main defending force at the curve is Battery I, but it occupies low ground and remains unaware that about one company of Chinese troops has circumvented the Marine positions in the heights above it and has settled in for the kill. Meanwhile, more Communist troops flood the valley. The advance overpowers the positions of the 4.2inch mortar sections of the 7th Marines; one mortar tube is captured. The darkness factor does not favor the Marines. They realize that the Chinese have struck in force, but the total damage to the perimeters will not be understood until the break of dawn, when it is discovered that enemy forces hold ground that is unmistakably within the Marine perimeter in the valley that lies south of Sudong. During the course of the confusing night fighting, the mortars and the howitzers of Batteries G and H bombard suspected enemy positions, but much is blind fire that probably scores little damage. The defenders trying to hold Hills 698 and 727, as well as the valley, eagerly await the rising sun and the imminent arrival of Marine Corsairs. The Chinese have pushed, shoved, and thrown everything they have available to dislodge the 7th Marines, but to no avail. At the break of dawn, despite the intense pressure and the rising rate of casualties, the 7th Marines still hold. Colonel Litzenberg prepares to rectify a bad situation, particularly the weaknesses along his right flank. His tattered and exhausted regiment prepares to retake the ground and evict the Chinese. The end of the suppressing darkness brings mixed blessings. The enemy seems to be herded in batches amidst and above the Marines. They had successfully conducted an elaborate and unrestrained night-long attacking maneuver, which has them positioned to either celebrate the demise of the 7th Marines or at least act as a human guillotine to decapitate many of its components. The newly discovered irregular alignment of the enemy regiments seems to present an immense challenge to Litzenberg’s strategy. Unwilling to capitulate to the odds against some of his isolated units, Litzenberg utilizes his unexpected defensive stand to regroup. The Marines’ artillery, mortars, heavy machine guns and infantry fire in unison. As expected, Corsairs arrive to stitch the ridges with steel seams. The planes of VMF-312 remain on scene. They scorch the squatted enemy formations that lie upon the naked ridges, but they also form a deadly sky-chain that delivers

509 enormous sheets of fire toward Chinese artillery, trucks and an assortment of other vehicles. At 0910, VMF-312 is joined by four planes of VMF(N)-513. Together, they further shatter the stability of the enemy. Meanwhile, the ground Marines struggle to hook up with Battery I at the key road bend along the MSR. By 1100, the Chinese are dispersed and Battery I is again able to hold tenable positions. The battery joins the other artillery units’ action by catapulting its supply of shells into the enemy lines. In addition, the 7th Marines continue to kill off infiltrators that remain within the respective sectors of the 1st and 2nd Battalions. The Chinese continue to raise tough opposition during the day, but now the Marines’ firepower is far superior to that of the diminishing Chinese still in the valley. The 1st Battalion puts its heavy machine guns to work. By noon, the low ground is under Marine control. And by late afternoon, more concentrated action evicts the Chinese from the valley. The Chinese attempt to depart the valley by heading north, walking astride the railroad tracks. The 1st Battalion’s weapons company rivets the column with machine gun shells that ravage the ranks. The daylight retreat greatly increases enemy casualties. Six hundred and sixty-two enemy bodies are counted when the din of battle subsides. Nevertheless, other Chinese units are simultaneously engaged against the Marines in the 2nd Battalion sector. The enemy still holds ground in the heights on a spur of Hill 727, above the MSR at its dominant curve. Consequently, some contingents of the 2nd Battalion remain isolated. To ensure availability of sufficient ammunition, Colonel Litzenberg requests that planes deliver supplies to his forward contingents. Company D, deployed at the base of Hill 698 and south of the roadblock, is ordered to cross the river and eliminate the blockage. Contingents of Company E advance up the slope against opposition. By about 0800, the 2nd Platoon, led by Lieutenant John Yancy, gains positions about 50 yards from the summit, which is defended only by one Chinese soldier. Atop the summit, the defenders show no signs of relinquishing control. The 3rd Platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Bey, moves through the 2nd Platoon and charges toward the crest, but an avalanche of grenades tumbles down the slope and forces the 3rd Platoon to halt its attack. At about 1400, planes arrive to plaster the top of the mass and clear the way to the crest. Company E drives to the peak and discovers its 40 defenders, all of whom are deceased. In the meantime, the roadblock at the curve still exists. Company D’s attempt to take out the enemy on the spur of Hill 727 hits obstacles. Passage through the valley had gone well, but at the water’s edge, enemy fire bars a crossing. Company D improvises. It swings left to new positions near the slope of Hill 698. From there, the Marines face Chinese on the opposite side of the MSR.

November 3, 1950 During the operation, Litzenberg again improvises. He directs Lieutenant Delong, executive officer, AT Company, to advance with a 75-mm recoilless rifle to join the fire of the planes and the ongoing artillery barrage that are pounding the obstacle. At about this time, the division’s reconnaissance company returns from a night patrol and forms near Litzenberg’s command post. It, too, joins the battle, and fires upon the enemy from the rear. These reconnaissance troops climb into the heights atop the enemy positions, then they move north along the ridgeline to attack. All the while, Company D continues to destroy the remaining resistance on Hill 698 while it drives toward the blockage. The ground troops continue to receive support from the air and artillery, a combination that takes a high toll on the defenders and prompts them to abandon the roadblock. Company D, subsequent to terminating the resistance on Hill 698, awaits the cessation of two air strikes, then it mounts a stiff charge. In the meantime, the Chinese head for safer positions. The reconnaissance company’s troops spot the retreating Chinese as they scurry across open ground. Immediately, they call for air strikes to annihilate them, but the response is negative, as Captain Hull’s Marines are too close, and in fact, directly in the target area. The MSR is re-secured by 1810; however, the enemy does raise two counterattacks to oust Company D. Both assaults fail. Twenty-eight dead Chinese are counted at the roadblock. With the route again open, Marine supply convoys begin again to roll north from the regimental CP at about dusk to bolster the 1st and 2nd Battalions and to bring out the wounded. About 100 casualties are transported back to either the division hospital or to Hungnam, to receive treatment at the 121st Army Evacuation Hospital. The Chinese resort to long-range harassment fire and a spattering of some light contact through the night of the 3rd-4th. Nevertheless, Marine artillery and mortars negate the enemy’s efforts. The sporadic night contacts are deemed to be either Chinese patrols or Communist stragglers, not full-size contingents. The fighting initiated on November 2 continues through November 4, and in the process, the ranks of both attacking enemy regiments are greatly thinned. The 371st Regiment’s 1st and 3rd Battalions sustain a combined loss of about five companies and the 370th Regiment’s 3rd Battalion incurs the loss of about two companies. The dead count in the 370th Regiment’s field of attack stands at 793. Subsequent to the battering the two enemy regiments have received at the hands of the 7th Marines, they move back to the lines of the 372nd Regiment to defend against the expected advance of the 7th Marines. In addition, planes spot various enemy columns while they hurriedly move in the area south of the Chosin Reservoir. The reports estimate about three convoys that travel in groups of about 15 to 20 trucks in a column. Litzenberg absorbs the information and prepares to encounter more opposition on the following day.

November 4, 1950 North of Chinhung-ni, elements of the 124th Chinese Division entrench themselves on gargantuan Hills 891 and 987. These dominant masses overlook the MSR at a point about two miles north of the town. The Chinese are unable to accommodate the remaining four tanks of the 344th N.K. Tank Regiment because the narrow roads will not permit passage of armor. Meanwhile, relative calm settles in for the night and the 7th Marines’ perimeter, which had been unnaturally altered on the previous day, is restored. One difference is that east of the roadblock, the heights are now possessed by Company D. At dawn, probing patrols will penetrate farther north to set the tone for the advance. In the 7th Division area, At Iwon, the 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, debarks. The remainder of the regiment comes ashore on the following day. Its mission will be to advance and deploy west of the 17th Regiment on its left flank in the vicinity of P’ungsan. In other activity, the 17th Regiment at P’ungsan requests an airdrop of ammunition and supplies. In the Eighth Army area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the dwindling number of survivors, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, receive no reprieve. The Chinese continue to hammer the defenders, but the Americans exhibit a fighting spirit. Early in the day, a three-man detachment moves to the old command post to get rations to the wounded. The patrol is told that the Chinese had been there and taken prisoners. The enemy attacks continue throughout the day, but the Americans again hold and throw the Chinese back. The defenders continue to rack up heavy casualties against the Chinese, but they attack in legions. The cavalry’s ammunition is quickly depleting and no air support is available, but the Americans borrow from the Chinese. After each attack, the troops slither out of their holes and retrieve ammunition and weapons from the piles of dead Chinese that lie close to their positions. The Americans keep the weapons but return the ammunition on each succeeding attack. The Chinese inch closer, but the 8th Cavalry retains its honor and still controls the perimeter. The number of Communist buglers that have been silenced is unknown, but the blaring noise continues through the night. At dawn (4th), having repelled all assaults, the cavalrymen maintain their positions. The 8th Cavalry reports that it is about 55 percent under strength. Division consensus considers the regiment unfit for combat until it receives replacement troops and becomes re-supplied. In the British 27th Commonwealth Brigade zone, pursuant to orders, the Brigade has moved from Taech’on. It deploys near Pakch’on to build a defense at the northwest junction of the bridgehead. Chinese Communist troops move into Taech’on soon after the British depart. The British have had some slight skirmishes at Taech’on and several enemy troops desert and enter British lines. The deserters are Chinese, and upon inspection of enemy dead near Taech’on, it is discovered that they are attired in superb fur boots.

510 In the 24th Division sector, the 19th Regiment moves from its positions and redeploys northeast of Anju; from left to right, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions stretch from the Ch’ongch’on River to the Kuryong River. Meanwhile, the 5th RCT deploys to the rear of the ROK II Corps, less than five miles northeast of Kunu-ri. The South Korean 7th Division holds Hill 622, about three miles northeast of the town. In the 2nd Division sector, the 9th Regiment is deployed south of Kunu-ri and delegated with responsibility for guarding the road to Sunchon. In the ROK II Corps area, after the redeployment of the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, the S.K. 1st Division disengages its fight with the enemy at positions northeast of the Americans. Afterwards, the ROKs withdraw through the U.S. positions and cross the Ch’ongch’on. The maneuver by the South Koreans is complete by the following day. The S.K. 7th Division’s 3rd and 5th Regiments are stationed on the most strategic terrain at Kunu-ri, Hill 622. It is a huge mountain that lies several miles northeast of the town. The 8th Regiment, 7th S.K. Division, is posted east of Kunu-ri and held in reserve. Hill 622 controls the town and Ch’ongch’on Valley, through which flows the rails and communication lines. The U.S. 5th RCT is stationed to the immediate rear of the S.K. 7th Division.

November 4

U.N. minesweepers conclude the minesweeping operation to clear the inner harbor at Wonsan. Still, mines remain in the channel. The minesweepers move to Hungnam to secure a thirtytwo mile channel and also to sweep the inner harbor. In the X Corps area, Special Operations Company, USA, operating between Chigyong and Munchon, informs corps that it has spotted huge numbers of North Koreans as they descend into the area west of their positions. Also, Corps informs the 1st Marine Division that mounted guerrillas had struck Kowan about fifteen miles north of Munchon and fired upon the railway police. In the 1st Marine Division area, the command post is relocated from Wonsan to Hungnam in coordination with the assignments that direct the 5th and 7th Marines to initiate missions in the north. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, which has been under the operational control of the 1st Marines while performing patrol details for the 1st Marines, is included in this movement. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and two accompanying convoys arrive at Wonsan from Anbyon. General O.P. Smith arrives at Hungnam by helicopter and establishes the command post at 1100. At 2130, a train transporting 160 officers and men of headquarters also arrives from Wonsan. Enemy guerrilla fire strikes the train while it is en route, but no casualties are sustained. A defensive perimeter is established to fortify the CP. Two outposts and eight machine gun positions are spread about to guard all probable approach routes. Unknown to the Marines at the command post, three nearby connected caves house about

511 250 tons of high explosives. This dangerous material is not discovered for about one week. A detachment of sixteen Marines guards it until it can be removed from the caves and detonated. In other activity, Division issues OpnO 10–50; it directs the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, to prepare to move to Chonjin, located 220 air-miles from Wonsan; however, the order is rescinded by X Corps on November 9. In the 1st Marines sector, At 1440, a heavily guarded thirty-four supply vehicle convoy departs Wonsan for Manjon-ni. A light observation plane is airborne and two Corsairs are available to bolster the column, but no forward air controller makes the trip. Instead, a tactical air control party, placed toward the rear of the convoy, receives the information from the OY and transfers it to the VMF-312 Corsairs. Company A, reinforced by one platoon of Company C, engineers, a mortar section and a contingent of recoilless rifles, provides ground security for the convoy. The engineers act as vanguard to clear the path of obstacles. The column encounters four unprotected enemy roadblocks. Engineers effortlessly plug the craters to speed progress, but the next obstacle is heavily fortified by troops in the heights that spring an ambush on the engineers. About eight miles out, a wall of fire cascades down from the high ground on both sides of the primitive road. Vehicles stall and clog the path, which hinders the advance of the riflemen. The engineers take cover near their vehicles and return effective fire to forestall disaster. In the meantime, the Corsairs arrive to assist, but the effort falls short due to the lack of the forward air controller and the approach of dusk. The convoy’s commanding officer, Captain Barrow, attempts a return to Wonsan rather than risk unnecessary casualties in the darkness. The vehicles reverse direction through a series of harrowing turns on a dangerous road, where one false move could plunge a vehicle several hundred feet into the valley. Long-range artillery fire accelerates and it prompts Barrow to order the convoy to proceed without lights. The besieged convoy makes it back, but along the route, one vehicle misses a turn and shoots off the path. Fortuitously, the truck, transporting twenty Marines, lands on a rare road shoulder and no fatalities occur. Other Marines pull the men to safety. Captain Barrow’s force sustains eight men killed and sixteen injured. The convoy loses five vehicles. Barrow’s reinforced Company A retraces the route on the following morning. Colonel Puller informs Barrow that the failure of the mission was due to the late start and the absence of a TAC, not his decision in the field. In the 5th Marines zone, the 5th Marines detaches its 1st Battalion to divisional control. In addition, its 3rd Battalion deploys near Oro-ri, while the 2nd Battalion moves toward the Sinhung Valley to relieve the S.K. 18th Regiment. The 2nd Battalion effect the relief at about 1145, at positions about five miles north and

November 4, 1950 fifteen miles east of the 7th Marines. Lt. Colonel Roise’s 2nd Battalion is given the task of guarding the Sinhung corridor while assessing the enemy’s positions and related strength. The 2nd Battalion is to inspect particular northerly paths to the Chosin and Fusen Reservoirs. Patrols will be initiated on the following day. In the 7th Marines sector, at about dawn, elements of the 1st Battalion advance through the valley floor and move toward Sudong. They reach the fringes of the town without incident, and then return to the perimeter, again without encountering resistance. Colonel Litzenberg directs the 2nd Battalion to hold in place in the heights on Hills 698 and 727, to provide cover fire for the advance. At about 0800, the column moves out, spearheaded by the 1st Platoon’s reconnaissance company. The reconnaissance company moves swiftly in jeeps. Soon after, the 2nd and 3rd Platoons begin to move through the heights above the town, while the 1st Platoon enters the supposedly unoccupied town. At a point midway through the town, the lead jeeps swing around a turn and stun some lingering Chinese troops. A heated fire-fight erupts, but thirty minutes later, three Chinese are killed and twenty others are taken prisoner. Meanwhile, the 7th Marines maintains its advance as it shadows the reconnaissance company. Following the interruption at Sudong, the 2nd Platoon replaces the 1st Platoon as vanguard. Later, the column reinitiates its drive toward Chinhung-ni, while the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, moves out from its positions south of Sudong and follows the route taken through the lowlands by the reconnaissance company. At the next objective, Chinhung-ni, there is a railroad connecting point that services Funchilin Pass with cable cars. The rail lines straddle the west side of the river, opposite the highway, and the tracks enter the town by way of a bridge that crosses over a medium stream. At Samgo station, slightly beyond the town, a small contingent of Chinese soldiers are posted, but they seem not to notice the approaching jeeps of the reconnaissance company that are clearly visible on the highway on the opposite bank. Neither do the Marines detect the presence of the four T-34s lying in wait along their approach route, but suspicions are soon raised when conspicuous enemy tank tracks are discovered at a point about 2,000 yards in front of Chinhung-ni. Word of the tracks is sent back, but orders from Lt. Colonel Davis instruct the reconnaissance platoon to advance. The 2nd Platoon moves directly past the first Communist tank as it reaches the road that enters the town. The vanguard continues for a short distance, and at that point, the Marines glance across the river and spot the Chinese on the opposite bank, yet they fail to detect yet a second tank that is perilously close to them. The Marines fire upon the enemy ground troops, prompting the Chinese to hurriedly disperse, but not before many of them succumb to the effective fire. During the brief exchange, Lieutenant Sharon and his troops notice a strange pile of brush, which conceals the second tank. There are no visible signs of it being

November 4, 1950 occupied. Sharon and two other Marines board the tank and suddenly the periscope begins to turn. Staff Sergeant Twohey and Corporal McDermott both move into action. McDermott breaks the glass, while Twohey quickly deposits a grenade into the tank. Sharon, Twohey and McDermott fly from the tank to take cover just as it detonates. The grenade damages but does not kill the tank, which suddenly bolts forward. Twohey re-boards the cantankerous vehicle and makes another grenade deposit. In quick motion, the grenade is flipped into the periscope. Afterwards, a huge bang terminates any further movement by the tank. Smoke emerges from the charred armor, but to be sure, more devastation is thrust upon the tank. Other troops, including the recoilless rifles and Company C’s 3.5-inch rocket crews, begin to catch up with the vanguard. The recoilless rifles and rockets blast the tank to ensure its demise. In the meantime, the first tank remains tranquil, but at the burst of fire, a third tank springs from its cover, a thatched hut that collapses as the tank roars out. The enemy tank appears as the nearby valley becomes consumed with advancing vehicles and Marines. The tank’s turret points toward the column and prepares to unleash its 81-mm shells. A forward air observer, Lieutenant Elledge, radios for air support while the recoilless rifles and rockets again commence fire. The tank is hit, but not fatally. It advances farther and comes under attack from the air. One of the planes dives and delivers a killing blow with two 5-inch rockets that strike the mark and instantly decimate the armor. Both VMF-312 and VMF(N)-513 provide close-support missions. It is not determined which outfit scores the kill. Following the destruction of the second tank, Lieutenant Sharon and the reconnaissance Marines move forward, but prudently, in expectation of more trouble. And they find it. The landscape is again unnaturally bulging. A fourth tank is detected, nestled just to their front and nudged alongside a hill. Meanwhile, the trailing Marines continue to advance, and at about the same time Sharon spots the fourth tank, the initial tank is discovered by other Marines. Tank number one, back near Chinhung-ni, finds itself in the middle of the advancing Marine column. The recoilless rifles and the rockets hammer it with fire. The crew decides to abandon the tank and surrender. In the meantime, the final tank comes under attack by Sharon’s men, who ford the stream and close on the armor. But before a shot is fired, the crew, which is outside and to the rear of the tank, capitulates without a struggle. The surrender culminates the demise of the 344th N.K. Tank Regiment. The abandoned tank is not spared. The recoilless rifles and rockets destroy it. All the while, the trailing elements continue to arrive at Chinhung-ni. The 7th Marines gains about 6,000 yards by the middle of the afternoon and at that point, Colonel Litzenberg prepares to form his perimeter. By 1600, the 1st Battalion begins to dig in tightly. Recon-

512 naissance company patrols are dispatched into Funchilin Pass to probe enemy strength and confirm earlier reports of enemy troops across the canyon from Hill 987 on Hill 891. The units are to penetrate about 2,000 yards and establish an outpost on Hill 891’s southern tip. The Reconnaissance company’s 3rd Platoon, led by Lt. Charles Puckett, takes the point as the column rolls about one mile deep into the pass and reaches a point where the road swerves to the east and obstinate Hill 987 bulges on the west. The precarious highway moves dead east for about 1,000 yards before it makes a deep curve, and then ascends on a coinciding route that heads back toward the initial point of the curve, but just before the point, it again changes direction and leads north, astride the granite-like slopes of Hill 891. The road challenges all vehicles, with or without accompanying opposition. The patrol proceeds with prudence and expects danger at any moment. At about 1630, immediately after rounding the steep curve, the Communists commence firing. To the left, across the abyss, shells descend from Hill 987. From the front on the slopes of Hill 891, more fire is poured upon the lead vehicles. To the right, a Chinese patrol operating on the serpentine highway joins the attack. The riveting fire halts the patrol and compels it to remain pinned to the ground with no alternative except to await help. Finally, through the combined aid of Marine aircraft and darkness, the besieged patrol is able to extricate itself and return to the perimeter. Enemy fire inflicts fatalities. Two men are killed and five others are wounded. Also, the two lead jeeps are destroyed. The remainder of the night is calm for the 7th Marines. During the tranquility, Colonel Litzenberg establishes the blueprint for the following day’s advance. The Marine night fighters of VMF(N)-513 receive little sleep. They execute sorties to bombard and strafe enemy convoys in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir to lessen resistance for the following day. Also, during the day, an enemy contingent attacks Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, at its positions on Hill 532. The contingent, led by Sergeant James L. Poynter, repels the assault, despite initially being surrounded. Poynter spots three enemy machine guns being brought against his diminutive command. He bolts from his position, knocks out two of the crews and then eliminates the third gun, but in the process, Poynter is mortally wounded. His actions save the platoon, which is able to extricate itself from encirclement and deploy in more favorable positions. Sergeant Poynter is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, deployed to afford cover fire for the day’s offensive, engages the enemy at a strategic position near Hills 698 and 727. Company E receives the task of taking the elevation, which has already survived five assaults by other U.N. units, including Marines. Corporal Lee H. Phillips leads the attack and begins to ascend the nearly

513 un-ascendable hill. When the detachment makes it up the rocky cliff, its numbers have been cut to five, with the others all wounded along the way. Nevertheless, Phillips’ command charges against the strongpoints and eliminates all but one; however, his command is again thinned, down to three men. Undaunted, Phillips continues the ascent to eliminate the lone surviving obstacle. The position is seized by the Marines, but shortly thereafter, a larger enemy force counterattacks. The attack is repulsed; however, Corporal Phillips is killed. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism and leadership in the face of a hostile force. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, the tardiness of the unloading operation at Iwon beachhead has created pressure on the 17th Regiment at P’ungsan. The regiment on the previous day had requested an airdrop with particular emphasis on the delivery of 4.2-inch, 60mm and 81-mm mortar ammunition to ensure it has enough weaponry and supplies to meet any threat that might arise. The items are dropped this day. In other activity, patrols discover that the enemy to their front has vanished. Expecting no resistance, the 17th Regiment advances, feeling the chill of the 2-degree weather, to the Ungi River without incident. At Iwon, the 31st Regiment completes its debarkation and begins to initiate its movement to the high ground at the Pujon Reservoir, where it will deploy west of the 17th Regiment to guard the left flank. It, too, will soon experience the Korean winter in the mountains. The 32nd Regiment begins to debark, then it advances southwest along the coast, and after passing Hamhung, it pivots and heads northeast to deploy at Tangp’ang-ni, from where it will stage to participate in the upcoming offensive. In the ROK I Corps area, heavy fighting continues at Kilchu as elements of the S.K. Capital Division reinitiate the battle to seize the town. The contest continues into the following day. In the Eighth Army area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the survivors of the 8th Cavalry (south of Unsan) now number about 450 men; however, of these, about 250 troops are wounded and unable to fight. Realizing that circumstances are not going to be altered for the better, it is decided that those still able should attempt to break for safety. A small 4-man probing contingent, composed of two officers and two enlisted men, squirm out of the perimeter and creep to the old command post, then, after a brief pause, the group safely makes it to the river and beyond to a village, unoccupied except for several wounded Chinese. Lieutenants Walter Mayo and George Peterson remain at the village to check out the crossing site, while the enlisted men, at about 1430, return to the 3rd Battalion perimeter to bring out the remaining officers and troops. Captain George McDonald (2nd Battalion), Captain William McClain (Company E), Lieutenant Paul Bromser (Company L) and the other healthy troops begin to head east and barely in the nick of time.

November 4, 1950 Just after they move out, the Chinese carpet the perimeter with white phosphorous shells, obviously preparation fire for yet another assault. As the able-bodied troops depart, reportedly there are no tears from the wounded. In fact, they remain steadfast and encourage those leaving to hurry back with reinforcements. Captain Clarence Anderson, battalion surgeon, elects to remain behind with his wounded. The 200 evacuees continue moving throughout the night, disregarding their weariness and the inclement weather that deteriorates further when a rainstorm moves over the area. The column swings from its eastward direction and moves northeast, and then it swings southward. By the following morning, the column still has not been spotted by the Chinese. Major Ormond is taken prisoner, but he succumbs from his wounds. Later, it is reported that he had been buried near Unsan. The chaplain, Father Kapaun, dies in a Communist prison in 1951. Captain Filmore McAbee and the surgeon, Captain Anderson, survive captivity and return to the U.S.A. during the POW exchange after hostilities end. At Anju, endless columns of refugees flood across the Ch’ongch’on River heading south. In the 24th Division sector, the U.S. and British contingents that hold the line north of the Ch’ongch’on River to protect the retreat of the I Corps receive a strong attack. About 1,000 Chinese soldiers skirt across the Kuryong River and strike the rear of the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment. The effect is devastating. The Chinese interrupt a radio operator while he is informing headquarters of the attack and abruptly terminate the transmission. Soon after, and without any genuine resistance, evident by the lack of casualties, the Chinese have overrun the positions and the regiment abandons its positions hastily. Reinforcements rush to the scene, but the 1st Battalion almost in its entirety bolts eastward across the Kuryong and the Ch’ongch’on Rivers. Its equipment is abandoned; however, some equipment and vehicles are self-destroyed. The reinforcements, composed of contingents of the 3rd Battalion, make no headway. The remainder of the battalion enters the fight, but still the Chinese hold the road. At about the same time, Chinese pound against the defenses of the 5th RCT south of the river. The alarms ring loudly at divisional headquarters and General Church attempts to forestall total disaster. Church directs General Garrison Davidson to take command of all 24th Division troops north of the Ch’ongch’on. By about noon, Davidson reaches the 19th Regimental command post and takes command of TF Davidson and in addition, he is directed to co-ordinate the activity of the British troops at the bridgehead. However, the enemy presses forward at full-throttle. At some points, the night attacks further pierce the lines of the 19th Regiment. By mid-afternoon, General Church orders the 21st Regiment to await darkness, then ford the Ch’ongch’on to prepare to attack on the following day to push the

November 5, 1950 Chinese back. British defenders on the western portion of the Ch’ongch’on bridgehead receive a slight reprieve, but only until dawn on the 5th. Across from Pakch’on, on the west bank of the Taeryong River, the Australian 3rd Battalion and the bulk of the British Argyll 1st Battalion are deeply dug in at their positions. The Middlesex Regiment and Company A of the Argylls are posted in and around Pakch’on. These British Commonwealth units are bolstered by the guns of the 1st Cavalry’s 61st FABn, which are deployed less than three miles south of the town. In addition to the attacks against the defenses at Kunu-ri and the western sector of the Ch’ongch’on bridgehead, the Chinese have dispatched other contingents east with orders to bypass Pakch’on and close toward the U.S. artillery positions to eliminate the guns and, simultaneously, sever the road to the rear of the British. The mission succeeds. By dawn November 5, the enemy is poised for the attack. In the 5th RCT zone, the enemy crashes through the defenses of the South Koreans on Hill 622 and plows into the American defenses south of the Ch’ongch’on near Kunu-ri. The progress threatens the right flank of Eighth Army. The Chinese elements are components of the 38th Army and estimated to be about division strength. Initially, the 5th RCT surrenders about 1,000 yards, but it quickly bounces back. The vicious fighting at times is close-quartered, with tenacious hand-to-hand fighting. Chinese machine guns enter the fight and rip into the ranks. Lieutenant Morgan Hansel disregards his own safety and singlehandedly charges numerous enemy emplacements to prevent the annihilation of one platoon of Company C. The courageous action of Hansel results in the loss of his life. But, the regiment thwarts the attacks and holds Kunu-ri. In the ROK II Corps area, Chinese forces close against Hill 622 and the powerful surge plows into the S.K. 3rd Regiment and drives it back toward U.S. lines. The retreating South Koreans are halted and by Captain Hubert Ellis, who dispatches the unit back toward the hill. In addition, the 8th Regiment is taken out of reserves and committed. Heavy see-saw fighting continues on the mountain throughout the day, but by dusk, the Chinese are driven back and the South Koreans control the strategic northwest ridge. In Air Force activity, while Eighth Army comes under heavy pressure, B-26s arrive to provide close-air support. The air strikes in the vicinity of Chongju kill about 500 of the enemy.

November 5 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, Captain Barrow again leads his convoy toward Majon-ni. It departs Wonsan at 0830, which should provide plenty of daylight if the Communists intend to spring another ambush. Barrow also changes the rules. Anticipating that the enemy will hear the noisy lead vehicles, he sends out his infantry with orders to alternate the platoons, but main-

514 tain a pace that keeps them at least 1,000 yards in front of the vehicles. The modified plan produces excellent results. Apparently, the enemy is resting and having breakfast while awaiting the roar of the vehicles when the Americans unexpectedly arrive. The vanguard platoon, led by 2nd Lieutenant Donald R. Jones, silently rounds a curve near the scene of the previous day’s fighting and discovers an early morning picnic with about seventy participants. Without warning, the platoon riflemen open fire. The threat that had lurked is instantly terminated. Some of the contingent escape, but fifty-one of the Communists succumb and three others are taken prisoner. The Marines sustain no casualties, nor do they sustain any for the remainder of the trip. The convoy passes the ambush scene unhindered by the enemy corpses and rolls into Manjon-ni just after lunch without further incident. The supply-laden trucks are greeted jubilantly by the 3rd Battalion defenders; Army Intelligence has informed them that the enemy has planned to attack the perimeter at 0100 on the 6th. With the arrival of the ammunition and supplies, coupled with Barrow’s reinforced Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, the 3rd Battalion initiates a search mission to discover the suspected 2,000–3,000 enemy troops expected to launch the attack. A strong force composed of Companies G and I, bolstered by a contingent of weapons company, advances about six miles along the Pyongyang Road to the suspected objective. Except for some distant sniper fire, the convoy encounters no resistance. Eighty-one enemy troops are encountered, but they choose to surrender without any prompting. Although it had not been necessary, the convoy was further buffered by artillery units in Manjon-ni. Nevertheless, Army Intelligence reports prove true. The Communists initiate an attack during the early morning of November 6. In the 5th Marines sector, in the Sinhung Valley, the 2nd Battalion initiates reconnaissance patrols composed of about squad strength. Additionally, reinforced combat patrols are dispatched to augment the inspection of the routes that lead to the reservoirs. These patrols continue until November 9. Ultimately, the patrols discover that all southern routes to the Fusen and Chosin Reservoirs are not fitted for military traffic. However, the road that leads northeast from Sinhung is capable of sustaining traffic to the sector of the 7th Division and beyond to the Manchurian border. Lieutenant Colonel Roise’s 2nd Battalion begins making contact with U.S. Army patrols on November 7. In the 7th Marines sector, the memory of the ambush on the previous day is fresh in the minds of the regiment as it plans to advance. Mortars and the artillery of the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, are to remain in positions south of Sudong, from where they can catapult support fire if opposition emerges from the heights in Funchilin Pass. At 0700, the 1st Platoon’s reconnaissance company

515 retraces the steps of the patrol that had gotten snagged on the previous day. It drives down the highway, guarding the right flank in concert with the 1st Battalion, also designated to protect the right flank. The 2nd Battalion trails the lead 1st Battalion, but it is to pass through and take the lead to initiate the attack to secure the pass. However, the enemy remains tightly concealed and within impregnable positions, awaiting the arrival of the vanguard. At the same place Lieutenant Puckett’s 3rd Platoon had been bushwhacked, the Chinese catch the 1st Platoon, led by Lt. Hargett. It, too, is unable to advance, nor is it able to immediately retire. But within minutes, support fire arrives to cool the slopes. The artillery crashes down on the enemy positions and the planes of VMF312 arrive on scene to blister the heights. During the enfilade, the 1st Platoon pulls back to avoid the friendly fire. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Major Roach, departs at 0800 to clear the obstacles. Company I drives toward Hill 987, while Company G, commanded by Captain Thomas Cooney, advances toward equally obstinate Hill 891. The enemy raises walls of fire that strike both companies as they reach the vicious bend in the road. The intense fire

November 5, 1950

Chinese POWs.

Two captured Russian-built 76-mm self-propelled guns.

November 5, 1950

516

A U.S. infantryman has a .30-caliber Browning automatic rifle (M1918A2) at an assembly area. essentially severs the highway and forces the Marines of Company G to hold where they stand. The Marines return fire as effectively as possible. Captain Cooney is wounded twice during the day’s fighting. Meanwhile, from about 1000 until the end of the day, the engagement leans toward the action of the planes, artillery and mortars that support the Marines against the long-range mortars of the enemy. During the course of the day’s combat, General O.P. Smith pinpoints Koto-ri as the initial target, but the task becomes unattainable. The day-long ground skirmishes remain nearly stationary with no measurable gains. During the incessant bombardments, one of the enemy troops decides to call it a day. He jumps from his position and surrenders to Marines. Following his capture, the Chinese soldier outlines the positions of his comrades. The Americans zero in on the two battalions on Hills 891 and 987 and the enemy battalion held in reserve on a knob between Hill 987 and 1304. The huge amount of firepower dispensed by the Americans keeps the enemy at bay and scores much destruction to men and equipment. Although the Chinese in the heights sustain heavy losses and have watched many of their guns fall prey to the American air and artillery barrages, they maintain control of their positions when the fighting subsides at the fall of darkness. In the meantime, Marine pilots from VMF-312 pound enemy positions throughout the day to disrupt convoys running between Chinhung-ni and the Chosin Reservoir. Twenty-one trucks are decimated. During

the raids, the pilots report that the ridges are infested with Chinese. They also report that the air strikes have greatly diminished their numbers. The planes of VMF(N)-513 execute 37 sorties that consume 90 hours of close-support missions. The roving aircraft blast an array of targets that stretch from Koto-ri to the reservoir at Haguru, and inflict more losses of men, equipment and vehicles upon the enemy. Marine casualties for the day are extremely light, and due as much to the nasty terrain as well as enemy fire. It becomes apparent that the Marines will need another day to take their objective. Colonel Litzenberg establishes a night perimeter and prepares to reinitiate the attack on the morning of the 6th. The 3rd Battalion will lead the attack. As darkness settles, the area at the pass again becomes peaceful and no enemy night-attack forms. Only a few minor encounters occur along the perimeter. In the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, the first units of the 3rd Division arrive at Wonsan. The 2nd Battalion, 65th RCT, debarks, followed by the remainder of the regiment. The operation is completed on November 18. The 65th Regiment is the first of the 3rd Division units to join X Corps. When the Regiment embarked from Puerto Rico, its enlisted men were all Puerto Ricans, and 64 of the complement of 206 officers were also Puerto Rican. Now it is composed of Puerto Ricans, men from the Virgin Islands, Japanese-Americans and Americans. South Korean draftees also join the regiment.

517 In the ROK I Corps area, at Kilchu, following several days of fighting, the South Koreans encircle the town before dawn. The North Koreans continue to resist, but by noon, the town is captured by the S.K. 1st Regiment and the cavalry regiment. Corsairs attached to the 1st Marine Air Wing support the attacks and knock out two tanks and four pieces of artillery, and they also slay about 350 ground troops. On the following day, when the toll is taken, the enemy has sustained 530 killed. The South Koreans lose 21 killed and 91 wounded. Upon questioning POWs, it is determined that Kilchu had been defended by elements of the N.K. 57th Brigade. In addition, the South Koreans capture nine 45-mm antitank guns. In the Eighth Army area, Army proclaims that due to an “ambush,” all arriving replacement troops would be assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. The decision is mandated because of the mauling of the 8th Cavalry Regiment at Unsan. Casualty figures, thus far, are high; about 1,000 troops are listed as missing in action. However, stragglers continue to arrive within friendly lines and when the final census is taken, the losses total about 600 troops. In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the surviving men of the 8th Cavalry continue to head toward friendly lines. From their positions in the heights, they observe Chinese troops, including infantry and horse cavalry, that are moving on a road below them. Undetected, the Americans continue to move through the hills toward Ipsok. In the 24th Division sector, Colonel Throckmorton’s 5th RCT has repelled the Chinese attacks of the previous day. Kunu-ri remains safe. In the 19th Regimental zone, the previous day’s fighting at the bridgehead has cost the 1st Battalion some ground, but this day the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 21st Regiment, are thrown into the fight and the ground is regained. Nevertheless, the Chinese continue to infiltrate in great numbers and they then combine with North Korean forces. The Chinese 355th Regiment (119th Division), the Chinese 358th Regiment (120th Division) and one N.K. regiment oppose the U.S. 19th Regiment. After dark, the Chinese and North Koreans launch an attack that crashes against the entire front and lasts through the night of the 5th-6th. Vicious combat erupts in every sector and artillery fire is called upon to assist the outnumbered ground troops. The 1st and 3rd Battalions successfully hold their ground; however, the Chinese hit the 2nd Battalion on Hill 123 especially hard. The attacks strike the front and rear of the line to gain surprise against Companies E and G. Hill 123, on the right flank of Eighth Army and less than five miles above the Ch’ongch’on River, overlooks the village of Ch’ongch’on. Apparently, some Chinese discover the communication wires of Company E and trace them to the rear of the command post. One trooper, Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr., Company E, is the first to be greeted by the Chinese. Red Cloud, positioned on the tip of

November 5, 1950 the ridge where a path heads to the command post, spots the enemy. He clasps his BAR, bolts to his feet and unleashes devastating fire that rips into the Chinese at point-blank range. Return fire cuts Red Cloud down, but he refuses medical treatment; rather, he struggles to his feet, clamps his arm around a tree and resumes fire that kills more Chinese. Enemy fire finally inflicts a mortal wound, but Red Cloud’s valiant actions buy some desperately needed time. Another Company E BARman, Corporal Joseph Balboni, spots Chinese troops that encroach his position. Balboni, from a distance of about seventy-five feet, intercepts the Communists and rains fire upon them. Again, they maintain the advance despite the wall of fire. Balboni refuses to yield; he remains steadfastly in place and maintains his incessant fire until enemy fire kills him. The Communists, seemingly disregarding their high losses, continue to attack and finally penetrate the battalion lines. The Chinese overrun much of the area. Many men of Company E are still asleep when the enemy strikes from the rear. The Chinese slaughter some with shots to the back of the head and others are killed while still in their sleeping bags. The tenacious enemy pressure forces the 2nd Battalion to pull back. By 0300, it has surrendered about 1,000 yards. For the next several hours, the 2nd Battalion struggles to retain control of its new line, but it holds. At about dawn, the Chinese disengage and the eastern bridgehead remains intact. The 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, which had been routed on November 4, has received new equipment. During the night (5th-6th) it moves back across the Ch’ongch’on River to the north bank. Corporal Red Cloud receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy. Corporal Balboni, credited with the death of seventeen Communist troops subsequently discovered to the front of his corpse, receives the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. In the British zone, at the western sector of the bridgehead along the Ch’ongch’on River, the Chinese strike against the U.S. 61st FABn, which is deployed to the rear of the British perimeter. The attack is geared to include the destruction of a strategic bridge and to ensure the annihilation of the artillery battalion. Suddenly, shells arcing from the east rain upon the artillery positions. The artillerymen react positively. The gun crewmen and every other available man circles the tightened perimeter to form a solid wall of fire, including that of automatic weapons. The British are informed of the ongoing assault, and they immediately rush reinforcements to the aid of the Americans. Planes appear to hammer the attackers throughout the day and into the night. Company A, Argylls, speeds to the area. Slightly afterward, the Australian 3rd Battalion receives orders to withdraw from its positions on the west side of the Taeryong River and redeploy east of the river. From a quickly tightened line, the artillery batteries prepare for the brunt of an attack. Battery C

November 6, 1950 becomes the recipient of the harshest fire. Its commander, Captain Howard Moore, shifts one howitzer to meet the threat. From point-blank range, a raging storm of fire streams eastward into the advancing troop formation and causes the enemy-occupied rice paddy to turn blood-red. Within about forty-five minutes, another howitzer redirects its withering fire against a new line of attackers. And, to further hinder the advancing Communists, an aerial observer guides the fire of yet another battery toward the charging Chinese. The artillerymen maintain their discipline and exhibit no signs of abandoning their positions, despite the incoming firestorm of mortar fire and small arms fire. Nevertheless, the Chinese continue their relentless assault. Initially, the attackers comprise only about one battalion, but the entire assault force climbs to the strength of an entire division during the attempt to decimate the British Brigade and the 61st FABn, 1st Cavalry Division. More air power arrives to pound the attacking Chinese and help forestall the isolation of the Commonwealth brigade. The Chinese continue to inundate the area. Accurate fire saves the bridge, which an enemy demolition team attacks. One enemy soldier is slain within twenty yards of the objective. The besieged artillerymen fend off the onslaught, but the attack takes a toll. One howitzer, six vehicles and some other equipment are destroyed; however, loss of life is less than anticipated. By 0900, the 61st Artillery Battalion has sustained thirty-five wounded and two dead. Battery C sustains some fatalities and eighteen wounded. At about the same time, two tanks pull into Battery C’s line to stiffen the resistance. Outside the meager perimeter, enemy dead continue to pile up. British reinforcements, Company A, Argyll, and some additional tanks also arrive at the perimeter. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Argyll Battalion receives instructions to withdraw to the east bank of the Taeryong River. Following a quick regrouping, Company A, Argylls, drives against a menacing hill about two miles below Pakch’on. The British seize the objective, but an enemy counterattack regains the heights. During the afternoon, the Australian 3rd Battalion, which has moved through the zone of the Argylls, attacks to dislodge the Chinese on the hill in front of Pakch’on. It’s a bloody close-quartered assault that includes bayonets. The Australians retake the ground, but the cost is high; twelve troops are slain and 64 men are wounded. The determined artillerymen and the equally heroic actions of the reinforcements have held the perimeter, but there are simply too many enemy troops against it. During and after the attack, the Pakch’on bridgehead is relinquished. With the Australian assault, the Middlesex 1st Battalion drives south to open the road. Meanwhile, the U.S. artillery units and the remainder of the brigade retire south under heavy fire toward the Ch’ongch’on River. The Australians trace the steps of the British Brigade and enter the new perimeter

518 about 4,000 to 6,000 yards north of the Ch’ongch’on. It is built along a chain of hills on both sides of the Pakch’on Road. The Chinese await dusk, then upon the signal of the bugle launch another attack. The assault strikes the farthest extension of the perimeter, which is defended by the exhausted Australians. Two greatly outnumbered companies give some ground; however, the powerful thrust fails to knock out the Australians. Following about four hours of incessant fighting, the battle begins to subside, and when the sun rises on the 6th, the Australians watch the enemy retire northward through a valley. In Air Force activity, Bomber Command initiates incendiary bomb strikes against selected North Korean cities and towns. A contingent of twenty-one B-29s attached to the 19th Bomber Group strike Kanggye and drop 170 tons of fire bombs. The strike devastates the town, which is located less than 20 miles from the border with China. — In Japan: General MacArthur dispatches a crucial report to the United Nations, which includes the particulars of Chinese participation in Korea. He enumerates the complications developing because of their involvement. MacArthur has become concerned about the heavy infusion of Chinese soldiers and their equipment into Korea. He orders the Air Force to bomb the Yalu River bridges on the Korean side of the river to halt or at least lessen the abundance of ground forces entering Korea. The orders go out, but word reaches Washington, and the JCS immediately countermand the order. MacArthur argues vehemently that the destruction of the bridges is necessary and he implores the intervention of President Truman. Also, General Willoughby’s intelligence summary makes it clear that the Chinese have the potential to commence a full-scale counteroffensive.

November 6

The 65th RCT (minus one battalion), subsequent to landing at Wonsan, is directed to relieve contingents of the 96th FABn at Yonghung. The artillery unit had only recently been deployed there. The other regimental battalion had been given a temporary assignment with the 1st Marine Division and is operating at Majon-ni. At Yonghung, the artillerymen come under attack during the early morning hours and lose some equipment and ammunition to the enemy. The 2nd Battalion, 65th RCT, which arrives later during the afternoon, will be attacked on the 7th. In Naval activity, Task Group 95.6 initiates minesweeping operations in the vicinity of Hungnam. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, mineclearing operations postpone troop movement by water from Wonsan to Hamhung. The disruption compels Division to increase rail movements. During the afternoon, one train that departs Hamhung is halted at Yonghung at 1700 due to reports of guerrilla activity. The first two trains that depart Wonson complete the journey, but at dusk, a third train, protected by 38

519 enlisted Marines and one lieutenant attached to the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion, encounters difficulty. It is halted at Kowon due to a break along the tracks. Korean guerrillas take advantage of the darkness and strike the stalled train, firing from all sides. The surprised Marines feel the bullets as they rip through the wooden walls and drop to the floor. Soon after, grenades are tossed into the car and they kill eight men and wound two others. The other twenty-nine Marines take positions about two hundred yards from the damaged train and engage the guerrillas. Six men sustain wounds. The Marines then break off the firefight and make it to the lines of the 96th Field Artillery Battalion. On the following day, at about 1400, a fourth supply train is forced to stop south of Kowon because of a break in the rails due to sabotage. The Marine guard advances to examine the scene and comes upon the devastation of the previous day. The bodies are found and one ammunition car remains in flames. The damage is too bad to easily repair. Train service is postponed until 9 November. Also, the 1st Marine Engineering Battalion receives orders to improve the main supply route to enable tanks to reach Koto-ri. In the 1st Marines zone, at 0100, the expected time of an enemy attack, the perimeter at Majon-ni remains quiet. Nevertheless, the Marines keep a deep-seated vigil. Army Intelligence information proves true. At 0130, conspicuous alarms go off. Booby traps explode in cadence with sudden illumination created by tripwire flares. Despite the blasts and instant lighting, no enemy is seen. The engagement remains at longdistance, as the North Koreans fail to openly attack. At about 0500, in a thick fog, the battalion outpost, located within the Company H zone, is attacked. Marine wiremen, artillerymen and mortarmen raise stiff resistance, but lack of ammunition compels them to pull back. Briefly, the enemy takes the abandoned outpost; however, the moment the fog dissipates, H&S Marines, led by Captain Thomas McCarthy, retake the position. Corsairs arrive overhead to totally terminate the skirmish at 0730, as the Communists head for the heights. The Marines sustain two wounded during the fighting. In other activity, Company A, which had brought in supplies on the previous day, heads back for Wonsan and retraces the steps through “Ambush Alley.” The convoy transports unusual cargo, 619 Communist prisoners who are jammed into the vehicles to be transferred to a stockade. Following the return of Company A, Colonel Puller dispatches the 2nd Battalion to Munchon-ni, but there are only sufficient vehicles to carry one rifle company. In addition, the convoy must travel the treacherous Majon-ni Road to reach the village, which sits near the crown of the highest pass within Ambush Alley. Less than five miles out, the convoy is ambushed. As the final vehicle enters a curved portion of the road, a steady stream of boulders cascades from the heights to

November 6, 1950 block passage. The trucks stall, leaving the troops no options. To their right stand huge slopes, and to the immediate left, there is a perpendicular drop. Meanwhile, heavy enemy fire rings down from the high ground. Company E’s riflemen jump from the vehicles and begin to return the fire, but the enemy positions are well concealed. Rather than remain trapped, the Marines attack to clear the roadblock, manned by about 200 enemy troops. They burst through the enemy positions, but the attack is costly. The Marines sustain eight men killed and thirty-eight wounded. Six truck drivers are also wounded. Captain Charles Frederick, the Company E commander, and four other officers are also wounded. The most seriously wounded are evacuated by helicopter and the others are returned to Wonsan once Able Company arrives on scene. As the passage is cleared, the Marines count sixtyone enemy dead on the field. About 300 boxes of small arms cartridges and fifty containers of 120-mm shells are discovered and destroyed during the operation. By 1600, the balance of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, under Colonel Sutter, and Company A converge on the roadblock from different directions. Company A then transports the wounded and its entourage of prisoners to Wonsan without incident. Meanwhile, as scheduled, Colonel Sutter’s force moves to Munchon-ni. In the 5th Marines zone, patrols continue to inspect the routes near the Chosin and Fusen Reservoirs. In the 7th Marines sector, Colonel Roach’s 3rd Battalion prepares to attack through Funchilin Pass. Company I reinitiates its drive to secure Hill 987. Company G supplies support-cover fire to the troops of Company H as it drives against the southeastern slopes of Hill 891. The craggy terrain causes horrendous problems. Company H begins its advance at 0800, but it takes about seven hours to reach the jump-off point, the high ground slightly above Company G. In the meantime, Company I grinds forward only about 300 yards, but in the process it throws back a counterattack and continues to fend off fire from the heights above the MSR. Prior to H Company’s attack, two Corsairs pound the enemy positions in conjunction with barrages by the artillery and mortars. At about 1615, two platoons of Company H drive down the slopes and reform in the vicinity of the sharp curve in the road to strike from the southeast and secure Hill 891. When the ascent to the summit begins, the two platoons use separate but parallel paths, each destructive to the assault troops because of the precipitousness of the slope and the dogged soil. The Chinese raise resistance against one of the platoons, but the other encounters no opposition. The unopposed platoon, operating on the right, makes it to a point where the two paths converge just below the crest. Meanwhile, the hard-pressed platoon, led by Lieutenant Minard Newton, joins with Lieutenant Robert Dale Reem’s men. Lieutenant Harris, Company

November 6, 1950 H commander, who had climbed the slope with Newton’s platoon, now directs Newton to lead Reem to the crest where they will divide. Reem is to swerve to the right and Newton to the left to overwhelm the opposition. The Chinese react determinedly by initiating a counterattack, in concert with a wave of grenades to annihilate Newton’s force. One man, Sergeant Foster, singlehandedly charges to interrupt the assault. His actions cost his life when he surges to the summit, but he inspires the other Marines to break up the attack. Meanwhile, on the left, Lieutenant Reem’s group remains engaged in close-quartered fighting. Reem calls his squad leaders together to finalize the assault to gain the right portion of the crest, but an enemy grenade is flipped into their area. Reem blankets the grenade with his body and sacrifices his life to spare the other nearby Marines. Following the death of Reem, Sergeant Anthony Ricardi assumes command of the platoon. By this time, it is dusk and Company H is overtired from the tedious climb and the incessant battle. Lieutenant Harris, at about 1800, informs the battalion commander, Major Roach, of the condition of his men. He reports eight casualties, including two dead. The platoons are running low on ammunition. Colonel Litzenberg, upon notification of the situation, orders Roach to withdraw the attacking platoons. Aware of remaining Chinese strength, support fire is commenced to provide an umbrella during the descent to the friendly lines of the 7th Marines. As the sun disappears, the enemy apparently decides to vacate the area. The darkness brings tranquility throughout the night and at dawn, there still are no visible signs of the enemy. The Chinese 124th Division had met and engaged the 7th Marines, but it had sustained heavy casualties. Colonel Litzenberg, who had informed his Marines of the importance of victory over the Chinese in the first battle, had not been disappointed. Lieutenant Robert Dale Reem, Company H, 3rd Battalion, who had been killed during the fighting, is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism in the face of hostile enemy fire. In the ROK I Corps area, the Capital Division holds Kilchu; however, reports indicate that more enemy forces, about six to seven battalions, have departed Ch’ongjin, advancing southward on the coastal road. The armor-supported column will encounter the South Koreans on November 12. In addition to the advancing enemy, the South Koreans face more hardship; another brutal touch of Korean winter is also en route. By the 16th, the temperature will be 16 degrees below zero. In the Eighth Army area, the Chinese maintain predawn strikes against Kunu-ri and the Pakch’on bridgehead, but these are the final major confrontations that occur during the first phase of Chinese participation in the conflict. Observers in aircraft detect great numbers of Chinese as they travel north throughout the daylight hours. Eighth Army has sustained twelve days of terrific battle against the Chinese, but the Ch’ongch’on bridgehead has held.

520 In the 1st Cavalry Division sector, the remnants of the 8th Cavalry continue to evade the Chinese as they move south. The troops realize they are close to safety once they see the U.S. artillery in action, but before reaching the lines, the Chinese detect them and in a flash they are surrounded. With little time to spare, another quick decision is made. Rather than surrender, the group will splinter itself into small detachments to attempt a break out from the trap. The fighting 8th Cavalrymen run out of luck. The Chinese decimate the groups and by about 1600, the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, no longer remains an organized fighting force. Nearly all its remaining troops are either captured or killed during the fighting and breakout at Yongbyon. Aside from some stragglers who rejoin later, fewer than 200 enlisted men and ten officers of the 3rd Battalion escape to rejoin the 8th Cavalry Regiment. Initially, more than 1,000 men of the 8th Cavalry are unaccounted for, but during the next few weeks, some troops make it to U.S. lines. Tanks that patrol the area continue to encounter and rescue Americans who were wounded during the fighting at Unsan, some of whom have been hidden and cared for by friendly Koreans. Later, it is determined that 8th Cavalry losses at Unsan totaled about 600 troops. The Communists eventually make it known that they captured between 200 and 300 of those troops at Unsan. In the 24th Division sector, 19th Regimental zone, the Chinese attacks of the previous night have been thrown back. But, the hole between the bulk of the regiment and the 2nd Battalion to its left remains open. Slightly after dawn, the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment, launches an assault and seals the gap. Subsequently, the 19th Regiment starts rebuilding its initial lines along the eastern bridgehead. In the 2nd Division zone, a patrol of Company M, 23rd Regiment, led by Lieutenant Doric A. Ball and assisted by a local Korean chief of police, uncovers a large enemy arms-manufacturing center less than ten miles northeast of Kangdong in an abandoned lead mine. The underground location, in proximity to P’yongyang, is out of reach of U.S. bombing raids. It was the bombing strikes that compelled the North Koreans to transfer the facility from its above ground location to the cave. The facility, known as Arsenal No. 65, is split into nineteen big rooms and utilizes offices, storage sections, and manufacturing. The underground complex also contains an auditorium and about 400 lathes that were manufactured in America, England and the Soviet Union. These machines had given the enemy the ability to make burp guns and 120-mm mortars. In the 25th Division zone, a 27th Regimental patrol composed of the I&R Platoon, Company L, and Battery C, 8th Field Artillery Battalion, is ambushed by guerrillas as it moves between Kumch’on and Sibyonni. Reinforcements speed to the scene and reach it by midnight, but the enemy had vanished, taking captives

521 with them. The relief force rescues the wounded survivors and it rounds up several others who had been missing. Later, on the 9th, another contingent discovers a shallow grave that contains the bodies of 15 men of the 8th FABn. According to an account by a survivor, the Communists interrogated one of the captured men, Lieutenant Harold G. Parris, who gave them only his name, rank and serial number. The other captives followed suit and consequently, the Communists executed them. In other activity, a Communist force composed of about 1,000 troops controls the town of Ich’on. During the previous week, the North Koreans had attacked a field hospital in Ich’on and massacred the wounded and the hospital personnel. On the following day, the 27th Infantry and the S.K. 17th Regiment, attacking from the southwest and east respectively, strike against the town and drive the enemy out. In the British sector near the Ch’ongch’on River, dawn arrives and the new line has held against fierce enemy attack. The enemy disengages and begins moving north. The enemy attacks of the previous day and night against the bridgehead cost the Chinese high casualties without the luxury of destroying the defending elements. According to British estimates, the Chinese sustain between 600 to 1,000 casualties due to air attacks and lose about 300 troops to ground fire. — In Japan: General MacArthur receives his answer from Washington concerning the bombing of the Yalu Bridges. As requested, Truman had been brought into the decision-making process. The JCS inform MacArthur that he now has permission to bomb the bridges, but he is forbidden to strike the dams and power plants on the Yalu. MacArthur is further restricted by instructions not to violate Manchurian air space, nor to strike any targets in Manchuria. Enemy planes blow across the border, strike targets at will, then shoot back across the Yalu, aware that U.S. planes are forbidden to pursue. This practice remains in effect for the duration and presents the enemy with an extraordinary advantage. Nonetheless, during the course of the war, U.S. planes shoot down the enemy at a ratio of fourteen to one despite the restrictions.

November 7

By today, pursuant to the recent FEC directives concerning the number of South Koreans serving with U.S. Divisions, 8,272 ROK troops have been detached and transferred back to ROK control. Several thousand additional South Korean soldiers are close to being released from U.S. units. In other activity, the S.K. 2nd Division, which had been decimated during the early days of the conflict, is re-established this day. It is initially composed of two regiments, the 17th and the 38th, but within a week a third will be attached. In the X Corps area, at Yonghung at about 0300 the recently arrived 65th RCT, 3rd Division, is attacked by guerrillas. The combat team sustains six killed and

November 7, 1950 fourteen wounded. The guerrilla elements, composed of between 500 and 800 men, also strike the 96th FABn and contingents of the 4th Signal Battalion, USA. A Marine tank of Company D, 1st Tank Battalion, and one M-29 (“Weasel”) move to the besieged troops to evacuate the wounded. An Amtrac platoon, assigned to guard the empty train that had been stalled since the previous day, also aids the evacuation mission. At 1400, the train is permitted to move to Wonsan, but about two miles down the track, the engine and six cars derail while passing a split in the rails. The accident costs one man killed and 14 injured. Also, General O.P. Smith meets with General Almond at Wonsan. General Almond decides to slow the pace of the troops that are sprinting to the border. General Smith suggests that the priority ground to hold is Hamhung, Hungham and Wonsan. Almond is inclined to add Hagaru, but he concurs with Smith that the other three should get the most attention. It is decided that Wonsan supply trains will run only during daylight hours and that the complement of guards will be increased from 38 to 58 men. The 65th RCT, the 96th FABn, and the S.K. 26th Regiment are temporarily assigned to the 1st Marine Division. Their responsibilities are to protect primary points and bridges. The South Koreans are to push the North Koreans toward the 65th RCT at Yonghung, but the mission never gets initiated. During their short tenure under Marine control, the S.K. units carry out security duties along the MSR. In the 1st Marine Division sector, following fortyeight hours of intense fighting, the Marines compel the Chinese Communists to cease making contact against Marine units and begin to retreat northward. In the 5th Marines zone, patrols of Lt. Colonel Roise’s 2nd Battalion encounter patrols attached to the U.S. Army units in the vicinity of the Fusen Reservoir. In other activity, the 1st Battalion’s Companies A and B, led by Major Merlin Olson (executive officer), move toward Huksu-ri, an obstinate road junction west of Oro-ri. No enemy activity is discovered, but the Marines encounter an enemy force on the following day. In the 7th Marines zone, the unit, composed of a force that includes 34 percent reservists, defeat the Communists after heavy fighting at and around Sudong. The 7th Marines is the first U.S. unit to defeat the Communist Chinese in battle. The Chinese 124th Division has abandoned the area during the previous night after several days of battling the Marines near Sudong. This disengagement by the enemy provides the Marines easy access to the southern slopes of Hills 891 and 987, both of which, the Marines discover, are unoccupied, while they climb to the crest of Hill 891 against no resistance. The 7th Marines personnel ponder the absence of the Chinese, but they continue to search. The Marines realign their forces along the MSR and simultaneously dispatch patrols, but no enemy encounters occur.

November 8, 1950 In the Eighth Army area, a small group of Canadians, composed of 345 troops, arrives at Pusan to prepare for the arrival of the main body of 10,000 volunteers, but because it appears that the war is nearly at an end, the Canadians send only one battalion and hold the remainder in Canada. At Pakch’on, aircraft strike the enemy positions and inflict heavy damage to components of the re-created N.K. 105th Armored Division. It loses six tanks, fortyfive vehicles and several armored cars. The N.K. armor had been committed to aid the Chinese, who are traveling light, but the Fifth Air Force has more or less canceled its importance by decimating most of its equipment before it can advance to the scene of battle. However, some armor arrives at several of the skirmishes. — In Japan: During a general headquarters meeting, General Willoughby gives a brief but detailed evaluation of Chinese units operating in North Korea. Based on additional intelligence, he specifies that individual reserve contingents are still in Manchuria, but they are nudging close to the Yalu River. During the meeting, Ambassador Sebald asks Willoughby if the information on “units and locations” was accurate. Willoughby responds: “Affirmative.”

November 8 In the 1st Marine Division area, at Majon-ni, the Communists bolster their forces to about 250 troops. They maneuver toward the rear of an outpost defended by two squads of Company H’s Second Platoon, 1st Marines. To forestall encirclement of the squads and prevent further jeopardy, a Company I platoon and the remaining two platoons of Company H move out to engage the enemy. Supported by artillery fire and mortars, the enemy force is quickly dispersed, but not before sustaining heavy losses of about 100 troops. The Marines lose one man killed and ten wounded during the clean out operation. In the 1st Marines sector at Wonsan, it is reported that aircraft have spotted some small enemy vessels. Colonel Puller is then informed that there have been two unidentified explosions. The level of concern at headquarters begins to rise as more information arrives. It states that the enemy is launching an amphibious landing north of Wonsan. Supposedly, the force is being transported by between 500 and 1,000 boats. An armored patrol attached to Company C, 1st Tank Battalion, speeds to the suspected target area, but no enemy is sighted. In the 5th Marines zone, a skirmish develops when an enemy force is encountered short of the objective of Companies A and B. Orders arrive, which direct them to disengage and return to regimental lines. Headquarters has received word that a force of about 2,000 North Koreans is en route to the MSR. The 5th Marines are being reeled in to meet this potential threat. Meanwhile, Company D, reinforced, moves to a valley northwest of Sinhung and advances to within ten miles east of Koto-ri. During the overnight mission, a sleeping Chinese trooper is snagged and brought back

522 to headquarters. Upon interrogation, the prisoner claims that he is attached to the Chinese 126th Division and he informs the Marines that China is prepared to throw twenty-four Divisions into the conflict. In the 7th Marines sector, just as on the previous day near Sudong, patrols search in vain for Chinese Communists, while the remainder of the regiment advances along the MSR. At about 1200, a group of fifteen volunteers, attached to the 2nd Battalion and led by Lieutenant William Goggin, probes through the ragged, mountainous area west of the MSR. The patrol engages Chinese in one firefight. Lieutenant Goggin sustains a superficial wound, but no other Marines are hurt. The platoon reaches the plateau at the Chosin Reservoir at about 1400 on the 9th, finding no visible signs of the enemy at Koto-ri. In other activity, General Almond arrives in the 7th Marines sector. Upon being informed of the actions of Captain Cooney at Hill 891, now dubbed “How Hill,” General Almond awards him a Silver Star, despite not having authentic citations with him. The general simply attaches a note to Cooney’s uniform, complete with his signature, attesting to the award. In the 7th Division zone, the landing operation at Iwon is completed. When the debarking operation is completed, 28,995 troops, 5,994 vehicles and about 30,116 short-tons of supplies will have been brought ashore. In other activity, the 31st Regiment, en route to the Pujon Reservoir, encounters Chinese opposition a little more than ten miles from the southern end of the Pujon Reservoir on the eastern slopes of Paeksan, a huge peak that rises to a height of 7,700 feet. This, the initial battle for the 7th Division, begins during the early afternoon in bitter cold weather and terminates prior to dusk. The Chinese unit, later found to be the Chinese 376th Regiment, 126th Division, sustains about fifty killed prior to its disengagement. Also, a patrol encounters a U.S. Marine patrol about halfway between Hamhung and the Pujon Reservoir, initiating the first contact between the 7th Division and the 1st Marine Division in northeast Korea. In Air Force activity, about seventy B-29s, supported by fighter planes, initiate the first bomber attack against the Yalu River bridges and other targets at Sinuiju. The planes execute the largest incendiary strike of the war. Russian MiGs arrive to intercept and drive off the U.S. planes to protect the rail and highway connection that links China and Korea. This clash ignites the first air duel between jet planes. A U.S. Air Force F-80, piloted by Lieutenant Russell J. Brown (16th Interceptor Fighter Squadron), knocks out a MiG-15, which plummets to the earth in flames. Brown’s elimination of the Soviet-made MiG-15 over Sinuiju gives him the first jet air-to-air kill in Korea. The name and nationality of the downed Communist pilot remains unknown to the West. The air raids against the border bridges continue until the end of November, but pursuit of enemy planes terminates at the Yalu.

523 In the X Corps area, some small enemy vessels are sighted by aircraft.

November 9 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, again the supply trains begin to roll at Wonsan. Since the hold-up on the rails, about 95 cars have accumulated in the yards. In the 5th Marines zone, the Regiment is ordered to deploy along the MSR that leads to the Chosin Reservoir. Colonel Murray directs the 1st Battalion to defend it at Majon-dong, and he instructs the 3rd Battalion to spread out near Chinhung-ni. Some complications develop on the following day and cause the mission to extend into two days before it is completed. In the 7th Marines zone, Lieutenant Goggins’ patrol reaches the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir at 1400. Finding Koto-ri unoccupied by the enemy, Goggin informs Colonel Litzenberg of the situation, then he leads the patrol back to the lines of the regiment’s 3rd Battalion near Sudong. There is relative quiet within the lines throughout the night. In other activity, Lt. Colonel Randolph Lockwood relieves Major Webb Sawyer as commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. Sawyer becomes executive officer on the 10th. He succeeds Major Roland Carey. In the Eighth Army area, 25th Division zone of the Iron Triangle, at Ch’orwon, a defending force of 800 South Korean police is struck and driven out by a 1,400-man contingent of the N.K. 4th Division’s 18th Regiment. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, the 7th Reconnaissance Company, 7th Infantry Division, pushes to Sillyong, which is east of P’ungsan, and deploys to safeguard the power facility located there. In Air Force activity, Sergeant Harry J. Levene (Lavine), a gunner aboard a B-29 (RB-29, 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron), downs a MiG-15 during an air engagement. Levene receives credit for the first kill of a jet during the war. The B-29 becomes damaged during the attack, but it makes it back to Japan. The plane makes a crash landing in which five of the crew die. November 10 A convoy of supplies and the 3rd Korean Marine Corps Battalion arrives at Majon-ni to fortify the area against increasing numbers of enemy troops. The Korean Marines deploy in the sector vacated by Company I, 1st Marines, which had recently departed for Wonsan. In the afternoon, enemy troop concentrations are discovered less than five miles from Majon-ni by an observation plane of VMO-6. Remedies are quickly sought. Through the assistance of aerial observers, the force of about 300 troops is scattered by effective artillery fire. Also, Intelligence informs the 1st Marines that an attack against the perimeter by the N.K. 45th Regiment should be expected during the night of the 11th-12th. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines gain six miles in the Changjin Reservoir area on this day.

November 11, 1950 In the 5th Marines’ zone, an enemy force ambushes a Company C, 1st Battalion, patrol. The patrol is extricated on the following day by an attack by the battalion. In the 7th Marines zone, the 1st Battalion begins its march at 0830. It passes through the 3rd Battalion lines and exits the Funchilin Pass, then occupies Koto-ri at about 1000. There is little contact with the enemy for the next several days; however, the Marines, now entrenched in the mountains of northeastern Korea, create a defensive perimeter around the village. A new terror enters the perimeter and the Marines are unprepared for it. Another frigid Korean winter arrives with devastating results: casualties due to the unexpected cold. In the 3rd Division sector, an advance contingent of the 3rd Division establishes a tactical command post at Wonsan. Elements begin to arrive on the following day. In the Eighth Army area, 25th Division zone, a 500man unit of the 5th Regiment, N.K. 4th Division, moves into and occupies the town of Yonch’on, which lies about ten miles south of Ch’orwon, a town seized by the North Koreans on the previous day. Later, elements of the 25th Division’s 24th Regiment attacks to regain the town, but the Communists repulse it. After dusk, the North Koreans strike hard. They spring a fierce ambush outside the Ch’orwon, which inflicts devastating damage and loss of life against Company A, 24th Regiment, and the I&R Platoon. On the following day, the 24th Regiment resumes its attack and secures Yonch’on. The North Koreans also attack P’yonggang, defended by the S.K. 17th Regiment. The heat of battle rages incessantly throughout the day and by dawn on the 11th, the South Koreans become isolated. In Air Force activity, a contingent of B-29s attached to the 30th Bomber Group comes under attack by MiG-15s near the Yalu River. One of the planes is shot down, the first B-29 lost to the enemy. The crew is able to parachute; however, they are in enemy territory when they land. The crew is captured and imprisoned. In other activity, the recently arrived 437th TCW (Troop Carrier Wing) initiates its airlifts on this day to deliver cargo to Korea.

November 11

In Naval activity, the USS Buck (DD 761) and the USS Thompson (DE 203) collide (at 39° 13' N, 129° 32' E). Both vessels sustain some damage. In the X Corps sector, OpnO 6 directs an advance to the border with Manchuria. The 1st Marine Division is to establish blocking positions to the west in the villages of Huksu-ri and Yudam-ni, but it is to still continue its northern drive to the border. Corps issues OpnO 6 at 2400. The S.K. I Corps and the 1st Marine Division are to advance on the left and right respectively. The 7th Infantry Division is to proceed up the middle. The 3rd Infantry Division is to relieve contingents of the 1st Marine Division, then assume responsibility for the Wonsan-Hamhung vicinity. The S.K.

November 12, 1950 26th Regiment, attached to the 3rd Division, will assist. The Marines are to establish blocking positions at Huksu-ri and Yudam-ni. The rear of the corps’ sector is held by elements of the 1st KMC Regiment, deployed south and west of Kojo. The various forces are widespread and resupply will be difficult, but the feeling remains that the Chinese will not pour into the conflict. In the 1st Marine Division area, the Marine zone of operations at the Yalu is about 40 miles wide. Two roads that branch off from the Changjin area approach it; one terminates at Huchanggangu and the other ends at Singalpajin. From there, the 7th Division zone leads east to Hyesanjin, then leans sharply north before turning east again toward Hapsu. The South Korean I Corps picks up at the Hapsu–Chuchonhujang area. It is to march north along the coastal route to secure Chongjin. In the 1st Marines sector, near Majon-ni, the 1st Marines continue to prepare for an anticipated attack against the perimeter. In the 5th Marines zone, the 1st Battalion launches an assault to rescue a patrol of Company C, which had been trapped since the previous day. Following the successful mission, the battalion departs for Majon-dong. In the 7th Marines zone, at Koto-ri, Company C encounters an enemy force. The company reports four killed and four wounded, while inflicting forty casualties upon the enemy. In other activity, Lt. Colonel William Harris (son of Major General Field Harris) succeeds Lt. Colonel Roach as CO, 3rd Battalion. Roach had become Battalion S4 on the 10th. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, X Corps directs Division to prepare to continue its northward drive. Kapsan, below Hyesanjin, and the south shore of the Pujon Reservoir are to be secured by the 17th and 32nd Regiments, respectively. The 31st Regiment is to drive forward on the left of the 17th Regiment, then advance to the border at Hyesanjin on the Yalu. In the 3rd Division zone, the 15th Regiment begins to debark at Wonsan. It is followed by the 7th Regiment, which completes the operation on November 17. The mission of the 3rd Division is to relieve the 1st Marine troops deployed in the vicinity of Wonsan and those stationed south of Hamhung. Additionally, the 7th Division is to control the primary highways in the southern portion of X Corps zone, eliminate any guerrilla activity and maintain the security of the Hungnam coastal strip. It is a Herculean task, as the area handed over to it is ninety by thirtyfive miles. Four regimental combat teams are established, each having separate missions and separate sectors. Colonel John S. Guthrie commands the 7th RCT, which is held in reserve, with responsibility for controlling the area near the coast from Chong-dong to Hungnam. The 10th FABn will support the 7th RCT. Colonel Dennis M. Moore commands the 15th RCT, which assumes responsibility for the security of Wonsan and the area south and west of it, including the

524 Wonsan–Majon-ni–Tongyang Road; it is supported by the 39th FABn. The 65th RCT, commanded by Colonel William W. Harris, takes responsibility for the division’s west central zone, north of the positions of the 15th RCT, which includes the Yonghung–Hadongsanni Road, the primary highway that leads into the regimental sector from the coast. It is supported by the 58th Armored Artillery Battalion (Self-propelled guns) and by Company C, 64th Heavy Tank Battalion. The fourth RCT, the ROK 26th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Rhee Chi Suh, is augmented by Battery A, 96th FABn. The ROKs are directed to control the area west of Hamhung, the northern portion of the division zone. The combat team will also patrol the area of X Corps to the boundary with Eighth Army. In the ROK area, the 3rd Korean Marine Corps Battalion lands at Wonsan with orders to move westward and establish a blocking position near Tongyang. In the Eighth Army area, 25th Division zone, the 24th Regiment successfully regains Yonch’on from elements of the N.K. 4th Division, but the victory brings little joy. Upon regaining the ground, the unit reaches the site of the ambush that occurred on the previous night and discovers the corpses of thirty-eight U.S. soldiers. All the vehicles had been torched. In other activity, the elements of the S.K. 17th Regiment, surrounded at P’yonggang and still embattled with elements of the N.K. 4th Division, refuse to capitulate. The accompanying KMAG advisor, Major Robert B. Holt, sends out a radio call for help, requesting the 3rd Battalion, posted at Ich’on, to attack eastward and break the encirclement of the 1st and 2nd Battalions. Major Holt also requests and receives an airdrop of ammunition, to ensure the besieged units can survive until the reinforcements arrive and arrangements are made to pick him up. A Mosquito observation plane lands and soon after, Holt directs the arriving aircraft to enable the planes to strike with accuracy. The enemy continues its quest to eliminate the South Koreans, but in vain. Finally, having sustained heavy casualties, due in great part to effective air strikes, the Communists pull out during the night of the 11th-12th. However, on the 13th, again the North Koreans attack to seize P’yonggang. — In Japan: General MacArthur, apparently still anticipating a successful mission, suggests that X Corps offers assistance to Eighth Army to speed its march to the Yalu. MacArthur’s request is delivered to X Corps by General Wright, G-3 of Far East Command. General Almond will reply on 15 November.

November 12 In the X Corps area, X Corps issues OpnO 6; it stipulates that the 3rd Division is to relieve contingents of the 1st Marines. The 3rd Division would then be responsible for the security of the X Corps’ left flank, but it is also to plan to launch a westward attack. Meanwhile, the 1st Marines is to prepare to move north. Also, planes attached to carriers strike a Yalu River border town, Hyesanjin. These air strikes thoroughly damage the area and destroy the military

525 facility there. A warehouse and barracks are set afire and destroyed. When elements of the 7th Division reach it on the twentieth, they observe a town in ruins. In the 1st Marine Division sector, General O.P. Smith, commanding general, 1st Marine Division, issues FragO at 2130. It directs the seizure of Hagaru and it orders the 5th Marines to dispatch a battalion to Kotori. In the 1st Marines zone, at 0130, the Communists initiate an attack against the perimeter at Majon-ni. It fails to deliver any genuine punch. Several small probing attacks strike the lines, and these are followed by a weak attack against the Korean Marines. The Communists seem intimidated once they encounter a minefield that lies close to the perimeter. The lagging attacks cease by 0600, to end the final engagement at Majonni, when the enemy disengages and pulls back. Casualties for friendly forces are two men killed and six wounded. Later, in retrospect, General Ruffner, CoS, X Corps, states that the “Marines had done a masterful job at Majon-ni.” Ruffner adds that he believed the Marines broke up the remaining North Korean units that otherwise would have created much trouble at Wonsan. Following the disengagement at Majon-ni, the N.K. 15th Division concentrates on guerrilla operations in the Imjin Valley. At Majon-ni, the American and Korean Marines are to be relieved on the following day. At Wonsan, a large U.S. Army convoy that includes thirty-six Marine supply vehicles departs for Majonni at 1030. The 1st Battalion, 13th Regiment, 3rd Division, is the relief unit. The convoy proceeds past the Marine outposts held by elements of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, but soon after, a damaged bridge and several craters halt progress. Enemy guerrillas open fire and pound the convoy. The action kills two soldiers and wounds three more. A jeep and two supply vehicles are also lost. The delay postpones the arrival of the Army contingents at Majon-ni until the following day. Lt. Colonel Robert Blanchard directs his 1st Battalion, 15th Regiment, to establish a defensive perimeter while repairs are completed. In the 7th Marines zone, there is no contact with the enemy at Koto-ri, but the Marines do spot Chinese forces. On the following day, the 7th Marines will set out for Hagaru. In the 3rd Division sector, the North Koreans initiate roadblocks along the main supply routes and launch ambushes at various points to hinder the division’s progress. These clashes continue until the end of the month and at times, inflict heavy casualties. The 15th RCT sustains the heaviest casualties and at times great losses of equipment, while operating west of Wonsan, between Majon-ni and Tongyang. It appears as if the North Koreans are acting in concert with the Chinese troops that have entered Korea. In the ROK I Corps area, a huge clash occurs when a large force of enemy armor and supporting infantry encounter and engage elements of the S.K. Capital Divi-

November 13, 1950 sion at a point along the coastal road near Orang-ch’on, about thirty miles north of Kilchu. The contest rages at a feverish pace under poor weather conditions. The nasty weather prevents the arrival of supporting planes and the scene is out of range for the guns of U.S. Navy destroyers. But, the heavy guns of the cruisers can hit the mark. The USS Rochester sails to a point from which its firepower can join the battle, but still the ROKs are compelled to fall back under the pressure. On the following day, the two antagonists resume the fight.

November 13 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division zone, Division issues OpnO 21–50. It directs the 1st Marines to secure Huksu-ri, while the 5th Marines deploy to guard the MSR and simultaneously prepare to pass through the 7th Marines at Haguru, from where it will move to Changjin, about forty miles north. The 7th Marines are to capture Hagaru and await orders to move against Yudam-ni. The division reconnaissance company is to operate on the right flank, in the Soyang-ni–Sinhung Valley, and extend as far as the division’s eastern boundary. In the 1st Marines zone, relief troops, the 1st Battalion, 15th Regiment, 3rd Division, arrive at 1530 and begin to assume responsibility for the Majon-ni area. The 1st Marines prepares to move to Wonsan and departs at 1015 on the following day. In the 5th Marines zone, the 2nd Battalion begins to depart the Sinhung Valley en route to relieve the 7th Marines at Koto-ri. The battalion, under Colonel Roise, had encountered little opposition during the mission. Nevertheless, it has captured thirteen prisoners, including one Chinese trooper. In the 7th Marines zone, the regiment departs for Haguru once contingents of the 5th Marines arrive at Koto-ri to relieve them. Additional relief elements of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, continue to arrive through the following day. Through verbal orders from the divisional commander, the 7th Marines is to establish blocking positions at Toktong Pass, midway between Hagaru and Yudam-ni, until more reinforcements arrive. The regiment will encounter about 150–200 enemy troops, bolstered by machine guns, near the pass. Air power and artillery is called upon to assist and afterward the enemy is scattered. General O.P. Smith remains concerned about fullscale Chinese intervention. At Koto-ri, an OY (observation plane) airstrip is completed this day. At Hagaru, the necessary equipment to fabricate an airstrip will require much heavier equipment. Lt. Colonel Partridge, CO, 1st Engineering Battalion, will be responsible for the project. A sturdy road will have to be constructed to enable the heavy equipment and armor to be transferred to Hagaru. In the ROK Army area, the S.K. 32nd Regiment is activated at Seoul and attached to the recently reestablished S.K. 2nd Division. In the ROK I Corps area, at Orang-ch’on in the S.K. Capital Division sector, the North Koreans continue to drive against the S.K. lines. Later in the day, after

November 14, 1950 the weather clears somewhat, Corsairs arrive and join the fight to blast the enemy positions. Armor spread about a snow-filled battlefield feels the sting of the planes. Two tanks are destroyed; one is damaged and another disengages and retires hurriedly through six inches of snow to avoid the firepower of the airstrike. The enemy has pushed the 18th Regiment back across a stream, but it still has some tenacity and will again engage on the following day. The 1st S.K. Regiment loses no ground. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, the 17th Regiment, acting upon Corps’ orders, sets up to launch an attack against the enemy at the Ungi River. It is scheduled to cross the frigid waters on the following morning, disperse the enemy and reconstruct the bridge that had been destroyed by the enemy. In preparation for the crossing, Colonel Powell directs South Korean troops to fabricate a floating footbridge by laying planks between empty oil drums. This mission, initiated by the 2nd Battalion, gets underway, but the North Koreans seriously disrupt the plans of the 3rd Battalion. Later this day, during the night of the 13th-14th, the enemy operating upstream opens the floodgates of the dams in the area and the results are disastrous. In the Eighth Army area, 25th Division zone at P’yonggang, the S.K. 17th Regiment, which has repelled enemy attacks on the 11th-12th, is again struck. After dark, elements of the N.K. 4th Division launch an assault that strikes both the town and the airport, but again, the South Koreans repel the attacks. Fighting lasts into the late morning hours of the 14th. For their unsuccessful effort, the Communists lose 141 killed and 20 taken prisoner. The S.K. 17th Regiment sustains 11 troops killed and 23 wounded. Nevertheless, the guerrilla activity in this area will not recede. Once the U.S. 25th Division pulls out to prepare for its part in the upcoming offensive, scheduled for November 24, the South Koreans face even more pressure.

November 14 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, seventeen days of operating at Majon-ni ceases for the 1st Marines. Having been received by Army contingents of the 3rd Division, the Marine contingents depart for Wonsan. The mission accounts for 1,395 prisoners, the majority of whom have voluntarily surrendered. The Marines sustain 16 killed in action, four of whom die of their wounds, and 45 wounded. Marine estimates of enemy casualties at Majon-ni are 525 killed, but numbers of their wounded are unknown. Regarding the main supply route, Marine casualties amount to nine killed and eighty-one wounded while guarding convoys as they moved through Ambush Alley. In other activity, at 1820, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, arrives by train at Chigyong from Wonsan. Other elements follow by truck convoy. Also, the ROK 3rd Korean Marine Corps Battalion arrives at Majon-ni from Wonsan, then it advances about twelve air-miles and establishes a roadblock near Tongyang, along the north-

526 south road, where it crosses the Wonsan–P’yonggang Road. In the 7th Marines zone, Hagaru is seized without incident at 1400. In the ROK I Corps area, heavy fighting continues at Orang-ch’on for the fourth day and the enemy continues to hammer the Capital Division, but the South Koreans dish out equal punishment. Nonetheless, the pressure forces the Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Regiment to pull back and give ground. The South Koreans are saved from more disastrous results by continuing close-air support that stops the North Koreans from a full-scale breakthrough. The combined hammering by the ROKs and the support fire of the Navy and aircraft finally deflate the enemy’s staying power. This day, the planes take out another three tanks, two self-propelled guns and twelve trucks. By the following day, the 18th Regiment, S.K. Capital Division, resumes its advance. In related activity, thirty B-29s deliver 40,000 incendiary bombs to the vicinity of Hoeryong, along the Tumen River at the Manchurian border. The Korean town is located about 100 miles southwest of Vladivostok. In the 7th Infantry Division zone, in below zero weather, the 17th Regiment launches its assault to cross the Ungi River. The 2nd Battalion fords the river by use of a recently constructed floating footbridge, but the enemy has complicated the operation by flooding the river with water from an upstream dam, which brings the water level to about waist high to hinder the crossing of the 3rd Battalion. Crossing without the footbridge causes instant casualties among the troops who attempt to cross the freezing cold water. Those who crossed had to immediately return, but then their clothes had to be cut from their bodies. The endeavor costs 1 man killed, six wounded and another eighteen with frostbite. The battalion is forced to postpone the crossing and use the footbridge later. The rapidly sinking temperatures also hinder the operation of the vehicles and compel the regiment on the following day to urgently request special supplies to keep the gasoline from freezing. The needed item is an alcohol-based antifreeze that can be mixed with the gas. The enemy fire aimed at the regiment is from a great distance and off-target. In the Eighth Army area, the road blockage established by the 3rd Korean Marine Battalion lies on the Army boundary line that separates it from X Corps. In Air Force activity, B-29s again bomb the bridges at Sinuiju along the Yalu River, but the mission is interrupted when fifteen MiGs attack. Two of the B-29s are damaged, but all return to their base. In other activity, a band of MiGs attack a four-plane formation of B-29s in the vicinity of Sinuiju. The planes attached to the 371st Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bombardment Group (M), engage the enemy. A tailgunner aboard one of the closing planes attempts to take out a MiG, but his firing range is outside the gunner’s range. Sergeant Richard W. Fisher, aboard the same aircraft as the central fire controller, finds the MiG

527

November 15, 1950

A Corsair on the ice covered deck of the USS Badoeng Strait on 14 November 1950. within his sights. Fisher commences fire and holds the trigger down until a huge cloud of black smoke is spotted, and then he pours more fire into the plane until it begins to fall from the air to crash. — In the United States: Captain Leonard A. Miller becomes the first Marine to be assigned to helicopter training at Quantico. —In Japan: In Tokyo, General MacArthur and Ambassador Sebald discuss the Korean strategy from MacArthur’s point of view. MacArthur specifies that he intends to decimate the Yalu River bridges, thereby severing supply routes and cutting off enemy forces between the Yalu and the U.N. forces. Air Force and ground forces will devastate all fortified obstacles in these sectors as they drive the enemy across the Yalu, but he indicates that specific instructions will halt the U.N. troops at the Yalu. Ambassador Sebald later states that General MacArthur believes if the offensive fails, the only viable alternative would be to make air strikes against strategic enemy targets in Manchuria. Lt. General Stratemeyer, commander, Far East Air Forces, during a later conversation with Ambassador Sebald, states that he “could flatten China with his airpower if authorized to do so.” Stratemeyer’s opinion is not an isolated one among the military commanders. However, some Washington

politicians and the United Nations members feel otherwise. They seem intimidated by the thought of Russia and China combining their forces.

November 15 In the X Corps area, General Almond responds to MacArthur’s letter of 11 November. He seeks permission to continue the northern attack, but to also initiate an attack west of the Chosin Reservoir. Meanwhile, MacArthur, prior to Almond’s letter reaching him, decides to instructs Almond by radio, to devise an attack plan (alternate to OpnO 6) to move his attack westward to seize Chanjin and sever the Chinese main supply route, the Manpojin–Kanggye–Huich’on Road and rail line. This changes the mission, as CinCFE had during the latter part of October called for a drive to the border. The X Corps report indicates that the enemy’s stiff challenge to Eighth Army’s drive prompted the change in plans. In the 1st Marine Division sector, General O.P. Smith dispatches a letter to the commandant, General Clifton B. Cates. It indicates his opposing view to the ongoing optimism regarding the U.N. war efforts in Korea. Smith and his staff anticipate the probability of Chinese intervention on a large scale and initiate preparations for such an event. Smith emphasizes the eighty-mile gap between the Eighth Army and the Marines. He also states:

November 16, 1950 Someone in high authority will have to make up his mind as to what is our goal. My mission is still to advance to the border. The Eighth Army will not attack until the 20th. Manifestly, we should not push on without regard to Eighth Army. We would simply get further out on a limb.... I believe a winter campaign in the mountains of North Korea is too much to ask of the American Soldier or Marine, and I doubt the feasibility of supplying troops in this area during the winter or providing for the evacuation of sick and wounded. Smith’s letter contains other thoughts and concerns, including his “wide open left flank” and the deployment of one Marine Division scattered along a single mountain road from Hamhung to the border, a distance of about 120 air miles. Later on, during 1956, General Almond comments on General Smith’s letter. He states: “I am mindful of the skepticism of General Smith in all of the supply plans that X Corps conceived and I sympathize with his viewpoint very thoroughly. However, in my mind there was always the assistance to be gained by air supply either drop or landing them and the counterpart of that, the evacuation to be expected by plane from the air field that we were to build.” In the 1st Marines zone, the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry, completes its relief of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, which had been deployed to block the enemy at Ambush Alley. Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, deployed to the rear of Wonsan, is also relieved by Army forces. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, prepares to move seventy miles to Chigyong. Problems with the rails have also hindered a quick move. In the 5th Marines zone, the 2nd Battalion is perched at Koto-ri. The 3rd Battalion is at Chinhung-ni, supported by Battery K, 4th Battalion, 11th Marines, a detachment of 1st Service Battalion and Company B (minus 3rd Platoon), 1st Engineer Battalion. In addition, the 1st Battalion and Company D, 1st Tank Battalion, is deployed at Majon-dong. In the 7th Marines zone, the regiment stands at Hagaru, the entrance to the Chosin Reservoir. General Edward Craig, assistant division commander, arrives at Hagaru. He believes it should be the Marines’ forward base. In the 11th Marines zone, Lt. Colonel Harvey Feehan assumes command of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. He relieves Lt. Colonel Ransom M. Wood, who had commanded the battalion since its arrival in Korea on 2 August. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, because of the severe weather conditions, division requests 500 oilburning stoves, 250 squad tents and special fuel. Also, the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, fords the Ungi River and deploys to the left of the 2nd Battalion, which had preceded it. Each makes only minimal gains during the day. Also, a 3rd Battalion patrol advances to the eastern side of the Pujon Reservoir. In the ROK I Corps area, following hard fighting against a large enemy force, the S.K. 18th Regiment,

528 Capital Division, reinitiates its advance toward the border. In Naval activity, the U.S. Navy initiates minesweeping operations in the vicinity of Songjin.

November 16 An Army tugboat, towing a crane barge, strikes a mine at the entrance of the Wonsan harbor and disaster ensues. The vessel sinks and only ten men out of about forty troops survive. In the X Corps area, General Almond, in response to MacArthur’s directive to devise an alternate plan of attack, directs his staff to produce a blueprint. The initial plan is given a negative by Almond, but a second plan is developed during the next four days. He accepts it, but makes some modifications. The third draft is then taken to Tokyo to be presented to General Headquarters. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the mine clearing operation at Hungnam is complete. The port is opened. In the 1st Marines zone, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, departs Wonsan by rail and moves towards Chigyong. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, departs on the following day. In the 7th Marines sector, the regiment occupies Hagaru and discovers a new enemy, the weather. The temperature at Hagaru stands at four degrees below zero, indicating a vicious premature beginning of winter. Generals O.P. Smith and Field Harris arrive to inspect the area. General Harris, commander 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Tactical Air Command, X Corps, had been asked by Almond to check out the site. Almond wants an airstrip long enough to handle R4Ds to enable evacuation and resupply missions to be carried out. A suitable site is discovered south of the village. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, the 17th Regiment, across the Ungi River, advances about eight miles, in marked contrast to the slow gains of the past several days. Information reported by observation planes reveals that the enemy units are separating into small contingents and retiring in the direction of Kapsan, the objective of both the 17th and the 32nd Regiments. Also, a patrol of the 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry, moves from its positions east of the reservoir to reconnoiter the northern side of the Pujon Reservoir. The contingent discovers and engages about 200 Chinese troops. Following a short firefight, the Chinese retire. In Naval activity, the USS St. Paul (CA 73) joins in the operations with Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) at Kyojo Wan. Also, the USS Rochester (CA 124) arrives off Songjin to bolster Cruiser Division 5. November 17 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, at Wonsan, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, departs for Chigyong. The final components of RCT-1 also depart. The 1st Tank Battalion’s headquarters and service companies begin operating at Soyang-ni, about eight miles northwest of Hamhung. The route from Chinhung-ni to Koto-ri still is unable to carry M-26 tanks, but engineers continue to expand the width of the curves along the one-way road. In the 5th Marines zone, pursuant to Division OpnO

529

November 17, 1950

A contingent of the recently arrived Thai Battalion is inspected by a U.S. Army officer and a Thai officer on 17 November at Taegu.

U.S. Marine riflemen in vicinity of Yudam-ni.

22–50, issued at 0800, the regiment receives instructions for its imminent advance east of the Chosin Reservoir. The 5th Marines is to pass a minimum of one battalion through the 7th Marines at Hagaru and advance about seven miles up the east side of the reservoir to secure Sinhung-ni, northeast of Hagaru. Then, upon orders, the 5th Marines is to capture a key road junction about twenty miles north of Hagaru at Kyolmul-ni. Lt. Colonel John W. Stevens II replaces Lt. Colonel George R. Newton as commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. In the 7th Marines zone, today’s Division OpnO 22–50 presents the regiment with multiple missions. It is to post at least one battalion to guard the division’s left flank between Hagaru and Yudam-ni. It also is to relieve contingents of the 5th Marines and assume responsibility for the MSR in its area, between Chinhung-ni, Hagaru and Koto-ri. The division reconnaissance company holds responsibility for the left flank of the MSR, near

November 18, 1950 Majon-dong, while the 11th Marines deploys its 4th Battalion in the same vicinity awaiting orders to advance north. In the ROK I Corps area, the Capital Division continues its march, but the pace has slowed, due in part to the enemy, but equally due to the temperature, which has sunk way below zero. These troops have not been properly equipped to deal with the elements. Most have only fatigues, inadequate shoes and one blanket per man in addition to a U.S. winter overcoat. This day, an LST arrives at Songjin, bringing 26,000 South Korean winter uniforms. Other supplies are en route. Another LST departs Pusan transporting winter shoes, socks, field jackets and other necessary items of clothing. Also, a report that details fighting between the evening of the 14th through today lists the North Korean casualties at 1,753 killed and 105 captured. It also reports the seizure of 101 burp guns, 62 light machine guns, four rapid-fire guns and 649 rifles. In related activity, the USS St. Paul is en route to throw its weight into the advance. Also, the S.K. 3rd Division, on the advance along the coastal road, is nudging toward the Capital Division. The 23rd Regiment departs Songjin en route to Hapsu. In Naval activity, operations to clear the harbors of Hungnam, Chinnamp’o, Inchon and Kusan are complete. The harbors are safe and prepared to accept shipping.

November 18 In the X Corps area, the debarkation of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, commanded by Major General Robert H. Soule, at Wonsan is completed this day. Its arrival brings X Corps to its full strength of major units. X Corps now consists of the 1st Marine Division, the 3rd and 7th Infantry Divisions and the ROK I Corps. Each is assigned a zone, but the area for each is massive. The 65th Regiment, 3rd Division, establishes its perimeter, but a huge gap that contains the Paeksan Pass, which reaches a height of 5,600 feet, exists between it and the S.K. 26th Regiment, posted to the north. Attempts are initiated by Company B, 65th Regiment, to establish contact with the South Koreans. Between today and November 22, two separate engagements develop between the Communists and Company B, but the Americans cannot penetrate the pass. And there are no roads capable of handling vehicles in the northern part of the 3rd Division sector. In other activity, X Corps requests and receives permission to use the S.K. 26th Regiment to seize Huksuri. Subsequently, the 1st Marines are to relieve the Koreans, but these orders change on November 21. In the 1st Marine Division area, at Majon-dong, Lt. Colonel Harry Milne, CO, 1st Tank Battalion, has recently established a provisional tank platoon composed of two Sherman (M4A3) tanks attached to Headquarters Company and four Company D dozer-tanks. The improvised tank platoon departs for Hagaru and arrives without encountering any resistance. Thanks to

530 the opening of the road to Hagaru to heavy traffic, the engineers begin constructing the airstrip. In the 1st Marines sector, the regiment, still hindered by poor rail and truck transportation, is behind schedule in its attempt to reach Chigyong. The final contingents are still en route. However, the mission is still to march westward to secure Huksu-ri. In the meantime, the S.K. 26th Regiment departs Chigyong during the early morning hours of the 19th to seize Huksuri. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, patrols of the 31st Regiment spread out on both sides of the Pujon Reservoir. In the ROK I Corps area, the S.K. 22nd Regiment, 3rd S.K. Division, departs Kilchu and advances toward Hapsu, the same objective as that which elements of the S.K. Capital Division are driving toward. Both divisions of I Corps are receiving supplies from six Korean LSTs. In Naval activity, planes attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) encounters a group of Russian MiG-15s. An engagement ensues and the Soviets lose one plane; five others sustain damage. The F9Fs sustain no losses.

November 19 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division zone, five huge dozers arrive to assist the engineers of Company D at Hagaru. The engineers must create the airstrip from a piece of earth that stands like solid rock in a frozen wasteland. The runway is to be 3,200 feet, some shorter than what the engineers’ manuals dictate, but the engineers hope it can suffice. Also, a supply regulating station is established at Hagaru to permit a resupply operation to function. Previously, the supply depots had been handled by the 1st Service and 1st Ordnance Battalions at Hamhung. The port operation at Hamhung is the responsibility of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade, USA. Korean laborers are also employed. Trains depart Hungnam for Chinhung-ni once the Marines put the line back into activity. The 1st Service Battalion gets the job. Korean civilians operate the trains. Once at Chinhung-ni, the trains are unloaded and from there the supplies are trucked to Hagaru. The newly unfolding operations expect large casualties. The divisional hospital, expanded to 400 beds, remains at Hungnam, staffed by Companies A and B, 1st Medical Battalion, and H&S personnel. The 1st, 5th and 7th Marines receive Companies D, C and E, 1st Medical Battalion, respectively. Soon after, division anticipates the need of a hospital scenario at Hagaru. It is decided that in an emergency, medical detachments will be airlifted from Hungnam. To further bolster the operations, the hospital ship USS Consolation will embark from Wonsan and take a position off Hungnam. In addition, heated rail cars will be emplaced to handle the transporting of casualties along the 35-mile stretch of narrow gauge tracks from Chinhung-ni. In other activity, the 1st Motor Transport Battalion (minus detachments) comes under the control of the 1st Supply Regulating Detachment at Hagaru, which

531 increases the productivity of supply movement for the Marines. Transportation units have been overwhelmed since the Wonsan landing. The 7th Motor Transport Battalion had earlier been moved to the operational control of X Corps, which forces the 1st Mountain Battalion to be attached to the 7th RCT. In the U.S. 3rd Division zone, one great difficulty, because of the lack of roads, is the task of supplying the S.K. 26th Regiment, which is deployed on the opposite side of Paeksan Pass. In addition to the nasty terrain, intelligence estimates that of around 25,000 North Korean guerrilla fighters operating in its zone, most are within about a ten-mile radius of the ominous pass. In the 7th Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, following a strongly coordinated assault supported by artillery and tanks, seizes Kapsan. North Korean troops, defending from their foxholes, are mismatched against the roving tanks that roll through as if passing anthills. In addition, other enemy infantry, deployed in trenches and pillboxes, receive a hurricane of fire compliments of the guns of the 15th AAA Artillery Battalion. The enemy troops quickly bolt from their positions to escape the firestorm, but combined effective fire slays them as they run. Subsequently, under the identical support fire, the 1st Battalion crosses the river and secures the town by 1030. After the capture, it advances, trailed later by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, and by evening, it stands about 23 miles from Hyesanjin along the headwaters of the Yalu River. The regimental command post is established in Kapsan for the night. On the following day, the regiment closes against the Yalu. In the 31st Regimental sector, both the east and west sides of the Pujon Reservoir are patrolled without incident. By the 20th, the regiment begins to move to terrain near the Cho-ri–P’ungsan Road to the rear of the 17th Regiment. In the ROK I Corps area, the USS St. Paul is on scene and its guns bolster the ROK Capital Division’s advance. Also, the weather is sufficiently clear to permit aircraft to shadow the advance. This day, planes destroy two tanks and two artillery pieces. Intelligence determines that the opposing force engaged with the Capital Division at Orang-ch’on is the N.K. 507th Brigade and one Regiment of the N.K. 41st Division, which combined total about 6,000 troops. On the following day, the Capital Division bolts across the Orang-ch’on River and reinitiates its drive toward Ch’ongjin. In Air Force activity, Musan, North Korea, is attacked by a group of fifty B-26s (light bombers), initiating the first massive strike by light bombers during the Korean War. The planes drop incendiary bombs on the military barracks in the town, located along the Tumen River at the border with Communist China.

November 20 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, the British 41st Independent Commando, Royal Marines, arrives at Hungnam to serve

November 20, 1950 with the U.S. Marines. The unit, commanded by British Lieutenant Colonel Douglas B. Drysdale, is composed of 14 officers and 221 enlisted men. It had been in Japan attached to ComNavFE and had requested to serve with the American Marines. General O.P. Smith, during conversations with Admiral Doyle in the beginning of November, had consummated the agreement to have the British join the 1st Marine Division. General Smith will utilize the troops, who are greatly skilled in reconnaissance, to guard the left flank of the Marines’ advance. The British contingent suffers from the lack of transportation and is scheduled to move to Hagaru on the 28th, in conjunction with the transfer of the division CP to Hagaru. In the 3rd Division sector, in Majon-ni, the 1st Battalion, 15th Regiment, which had relieved the Marines on the 13th, is struck by an enemy assault during the night and the fighting continues into the early morning hours of the 21st. The enemy force, composed of about two hundred troops, is repulsed; however, at a point, it succeeds in breaking through the perimeter line. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, in freezing cold weather and along ice-covered roads, the 17th Regiment reinitiates its march to the border at Hyesanjin. The 1st Battalion acts as vanguard, trailed by the 3rd and 2nd Battalions. The columns tread slowly for nineteen miles as the troops cautiously walk along the treacherous mountain roads. They encounter only sporadic light opposition, raised by small enemy contingents. The march terminates several miles from the objective and establishes a night perimeter. Also, upon orders of General David Barr, the 31st and 32nd Regiments advance to the vicinity of P’ungsan–Kapsan to take positions behind the 17th Regiment; however; contingents are left behind to keep secure the mountain passes that lead east. South Korean troops arrive at about midnight on the 20th-21st to relieve Company I, 32nd Regiment, at Sillyong on the divisional right front, but mistaken identity by both parties ignites a firefight. The skirmish ends quickly, but five South Koreans are wounded. In related activity, U.S. Air Force planes arrive on this day to drop food and gasoline to the 7th Division at Kapsan. In the ROK I Corps area, having tended its wounded following the vicious struggle of the previous week, the Capital Division crosses the Orang-ch’on River en route to seize the big industrial facilities at Ch’ongjin, about thirty miles north. Once there, the unit will be only 65 air-miles (southwest) from the Siberian border. In the Eighth Army area, intelligence estimates that the Chinese build-ups are emerging in Korea, as well as in Manchuria. Nevertheless, headquarters in Tokyo remains convinced that the Chinese will not intervene in great strength. — In Japan: General MacArthur receives a U.N. directive indicating that only minimum sized units will

November 21, 1950 advance to the boundary of Korea and Manchuria. The order also states that no U.N. troops are permitted to leave or enter Korea by use of the Manchurian or Soviet borders. The directive insists that the international border be “meticulously preserved.” The general belief is that the advance is occupational and will not incite confrontation with the Chinese.

November 21

In the X Corps area, the U.S. 7th Division reaches the Manchurian border. The pending massive Chinese Communist assault is still unexpected. Up to this point, the Chinese remain intertwined with North Korean units under the guise of volunteers. X Corps informs the 1st Marine Division that the 1st Marines are relieved of responsibility for Huksu-ri, which is now placed under the 3rd Division, with its modified boundary. General Almond receives a request from Major General Robert H. Soule, 3rd Division, who wants Almond to realign the existing boundary between the 3rd Division and the 1st Marine Division. By modifying the line and extending the 3rd’s perimeter northward by only several miles, it would give the division access to the Huksu-ri–Sach’ang-ni Road and provide an easier method of resupplying the S.K. 26th Regiment. Soule receives an affirmative response on the following day. In Majon-ni, a patrol composed of two officers and 91 men of the 1st Battalion, 15th Regiment, moves west-

532 ward by vehicles to make contact with the 3rd Battalion, Korean Marines, holding the roadblock at Tongyang. At about the halfway point, while the convoy passes through an eight-mile gorge, disaster strikes. The column drives directly into an ambush, which costs the unit 28 men killed and the loss of nearly its entire complement of vehicles and heavy weapons. The Communists mine the roads to impede the U.S. movement between Majon-ni and the South Korean Marines at Tongyang. With Majon-ni imperiled, reinforcements are rushed to bolster it. One company of infantry from the 2nd Battalion, accompanied by a contingent of tanks, speed to the perimeter. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, the 17th Regiment enters and occupies Hyesanjin without incident by 1000. In addition to Colonel Powell, commanding officer of the 17th Regiment, Generals Almond and General Barr enter the town with the leading contingents and they observe the remnants of the objective, which had been heavily struck by carrier-based planes on the 13th to bring about near-total destruction. Word of the occupation of Hyesanjin by the 7th Division reaches General MacArthur, who dispatches a message to X Corps commander General Ned Almond: “Heartiest congratulations, Ned, and tell Dave Barr that he hit the jackpot.” General Almond, on the following day, sends his congratulations. At this time, the Yalu is nearly totally frozen. Only

A contingent of the 17th Regiment, U.S. 7th Division, in the desolate village of Hyesanjin at the Manchurian border on 21 November.

533

November 23, 1950

Troops of the 17th Regiment, U.S. 7th Division, move through the snow at Hyesanjin at the Manchurian border with China on 21 November. about a six-foot-wide channel remains open and within days, the entire river will be frozen over. As troops stare across the Yalu, they see Chinese guarding the opposing banks and an unscathed village on the Manchurian side several hundred yards upstream. The close proximity of CCF soldiers immediately raises concerns of the troops about the probability of China’s entry into the conflict. Still, there is no official word on any imminent threat of a major attack by the Chinese. The troops are preparing for Thanksgiving and a hot meal featuring turkey.

November 22 In the X Corps area, Corps directs the 3rd Infantry Division to establish blocking positions at Yudam-ni. In other activity, the boundary separating the 1st Marine Division and the 3rd Infantry Division is changed to move the Huksu-ri–Sach’angni Road into the 3rd Division’s zone. In conjunction, the 26th S.K. Regiment receives orders from the 3rd Division to establish positions at Huksu-ri and Sach’ang-ni. Following several successful skirmishes, including one at Sach’ang-ni that costs the enemy more than 100 killed or captured, the order is carried out. Soon after, the South Koreans again initiate attacks northward and westward, gaining several miles beyond Sach’ang-ni. General Almond offers his optimistic congratulations to the 7th Division for its success in reaching the border at Hyesanjin: “The fact that only twenty days ago this division landed amphibiously over the beaches at Iwon and advanced 200 miles over tortuous mountain terrain and fought successfully against a determined foe in subzero weather will be recorded in history as an outstanding military achievement.” In the 1st Marine Division sector, General Smith will begin to step up the advance now that he can utilize

the 1st Marines to occupy rear positions on the MSR and dispatch the forward two regiments and the accompanying British contingent. In the 7th Division sector, despite frigid weather conditions and primitive mountain roads, elements of the 17th Regiment advance to Hyesanjin at the Yalu River and become the first American unit to reach the border. It is also the only U.S. component to reach the border. News of this mission arrives throughout X Corps by the following day. The fact that no Chinese opposition is encountered expands the optimism of the troops and makes for a happy Thanksgiving. The 32nd Regiment at Kapsan prepares to drive to Singalpajin to deploy to the left of the 17th Regiment, which is at Hyesanjin. Task Force Kingston, commanded by 2nd Lieutenant Robert C. Kingston, advances without incident to Samsu and enters it by the middle of the afternoon. Later, the remainder of the 3rd Battalion (minus Company I) arrives there. It and the nearby 32nd Regiment are to hook up, but as the 17th Regiment initiates an attack, North Korean resistance prevents the hook-up. North Korean opposition continues to hinder the 17th Regiment in this area for the next week. In Majon-ni, a patrol supported by armor heads toward Tongyang to again attempt to establish contact with the ROK Marines, but it is compelled to abort the mission because the Communists had spent the night destroying the road and laying mines along the route. This action totally isolates the 3rd Korean Marine Battalion at its roadblock positions and places the South Koreans in great jeopardy. Their only sure source of supplies from this point on will be by airdrop.

November 23

In the X Corps area, it is Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, the eve of the U.N. offensive

November 23, 1950 scheduled to be carried out primarily by U.S. troops. Most of the men believe they will be home by Christmas. The day’s festive menu throughout the various X Corps units, as prescribed by Corps, is shrimp cocktail, roast turkey, cranberry sauce and candied sweet potatoes. For dessert, the samplings include fruit salad, fruit cake, mince pie and coffee. This menu had been

534 distributed from Corps to subordinate commands on 18 November. In the 1st Marine Division sector, Division OpnO 2350 is issued at 0800. RCT 1 is to relieve contingents of the 7th Marines near Hagaru and Koto-ri and it is to guard the MSR at Chinhung-ni, Hagaru and Kotori. The 5th Marines is to capture Kyolmul-ni, which lies

X Corps troops enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at Hamhung.

535 about twenty miles north of Hagaru. In addition, the 5th RCT is to prepare to advance northwest to the village to seize Toksil-li. From there, upon orders, the RCT is to prepare to move northeast about fifteen additional miles to secure Tuan-di. The 7th Marines is to march to Yudam-ni, secure it and maintain one battalion there. Additionally, the OpnO directs the Royal Marines to advance on the left flank, as far as fifteen miles west of Koto-ri. The combined force of division reconnaissance troops and the British might be in a position to discover and destroy Chinese forces that have been undiscovered by regular infantry patrols. The 1st Tank Battalion is ordered to guard the main supply route near Majon-dong and Soyang-ni. The 1st Engineer Battalion is ordered to augment Division operations, but to primarily focus on the airstrip at Hagaru and the upkeep of the MSR. In the 1st Marines zone, the regiment still suffers from lack of adequate transportation vehicles. The 1st Battalion, using 11th Marines’ trucks, arrives at Chinhungni and relieves the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. In the 7th Marines zone, pursuant to OpnO 23–50, the Regiment advances to seize Yudam-ni. The 1st Battalion acts as vanguard. It will miss its Thanksgiving dinner. The route is sporadically blocked with a variety of minor obstacles, including abandoned roadblocks that contain cunningly placed booby-traps. The regiment also encounters several detachments of enemy troops, but they, too, are overcome. In Majon-ni, for the third time in as many days, a contingent of the 15th Regiment moves out to establish contact with the South Korean Marines at Tongyang, but the contingent is also forced to first repair holes and clear mines along the way. The South Korean Marines have been directed to dispatch a contingent to hook up with the advancing Americans. Initially, all goes well as the convoy advances, even through the site of the recent ambush. However, once it advances about two miles beyond the ambush site, the Communists, from concealed positions, again strike. The patrol returns fire against the force of about 300 troops and during the heated skirmish, the South Koreans arrive from the opposite direction to partially foil the ambush. Nevertheless, the Communists continue to pound the positions of both the Americans and the South Koreans. Sixteen men of the regimental patrol sustain wounds and three others are missing in action. At about this time, the patrol and the Korean Marines break off the fight and retire to their respective lines. On the 25th, yet another attempt will be made to unclog the Communist blockage. In the South Korean 3rd Division sector, a contingent of the S.K. 26th Regiment, operating near Sach’ang-ni along the highway that leads south from Yudam-ni and the west shore of the Changjin Reservoir, captures 26 Chinese soldiers. In the U.S. 7th Division sector, elements of the 7th Division occupy Hyesanjin on the Yalu River. At Samsu, North Korean contingents continue to raise opposition against the 32nd Regiment, preventing Task Force

November 24, 1950 Kingston from advancing to Singalpajin. Also, as of this day, casualties due to the extreme weather have skyrocketed. The 31st Regiment has sustained 83 frostbite cases and 53 of these are evacuated. The divisional cases of frostbite stand at 142. In other activity, a downed pilot, stranded about eighty miles behind enemy lines near Kanggye, comes close to being captured, but a helicopter crew risks its own safety to rescue the pilot. Just as the helicopter reaches the position, the pilot shoots a flare into the air. Enemy fire commences immediately, but the helicopter lands and one man, Sergeant James K. Bryson, leaps from the helicopter and brings the injured pilot to the aircraft. The crew takes off with Communist troops about two feet from their helicopter. Although the helicopter sustains hits, it makes it back to friendly lines at Sinanju. In Naval activity, the East Coast Blockade and Patrol Task Group (TG-95.2) comes under the operational control of United Nations Blockading and Escort Task Force (TF-95).

November 24

The Eighth Army offensive begins at 0800. General MacArthur dispatches a special message to the U.N.: “The United Nations’ massive compression in North Korea against the new Red Armies operating there is now approaching its decisive effort.... If successful this should for all practical purposes end the war[,] restore peace and unity to Korea, enable the prompt withdrawal of U.N. military forces, and permit the complete assumption by the Korean people and nation of full sovereignty and international equality. It is that for which we fight.” By this time, MacArthur’s intelligence units and his troops in the field have determined that Chinese Communist contingents have been infiltrating North Korea. General MacArthur flies to Korea to oversee the initiation of the planned offensive. On the following day, Communist forces swarm against Eighth Army’s western positions and follow this attack with another gigantic assault on the 28th, against the 1st Marine Division positions to the east near the Chosin River. In other activity, X Corps G-3 Lt. Colonel Chiles delivers X Corps OpnPlan 8, Draft 3 to Headquarters in Tokyo. It is approved at United Nations Headquarters, but with some alteration. The proposed boundary separating X Corps and Eighth Army is moved farther south and into the 1st Marine Division sector. Eighth Army and the X Corps, under Generals Walker and Almond respectively, begin the final attack to gain the remainder of terrain between the UN forces and the northern border of Korea at the Yalu River. The carriers of Task Force 77 support the offensive. The Eighth Army and X Corps operate independently. According to calculations the Americans, along with the South Koreans and other allies, expect to encounter nearly 50,000 Chinese and North Korean troops as they advance the final 100 miles that stand between them and northern border of Korea, where it primarily meets the Yalu River and Manchuria; however, at

November 25, 1950 the northeastern border, for a short distance, it meets with Soviet territory. At this time it is thought that the conflict would be terminated by Christmas Day. General Walker, as of the previous day, maintains logistical control of General Almond’s X Corps, which had arrived in Korea during the previous September; however, X Corps operates as a totally separate command. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, General Frank W. Milburn orders his two divisions to advance west and northwest toward Chongju and Taech’on, but he retains the British Brigade to keep it in reserve. The 21st Regiment, 24th Division, operating on the left, moves out with a supporting complement of tanks, then along Route 1 toward Chongju, just under twenty miles away. On the corps’ right, two regiments of the ROK 1st Division move against Taech’on, but they lack a good road and are forced to advance along both sides of the Taeryong River. En route, the force encounters some enemy resistance, but it is still able to reach a point less than five miles from its objective by nightfall. The Chinese launch a stiff counterattack that lasts through the night of 24th-25th and terminates at about dawn. Some South Korean units on the right (east bank of the Taeryong) are driven back about two miles; however, those on the west bank maintain their positions. In the IX Corps sector, the 2nd Division, under General Laurence B. Keiser, stands about three miles in front of the 25th Division, and essentially, it stays in place when the offensive begins. Nonetheless, General Keiser, in an effort to prevent any penetration of its west flank, directs the 9th and 38th Regiments to adjust their positions by making a small forward jump to the lower bank of the Paengnyong River, a tributary of the Ch’ongch’on River. In the meantime, General John B. Coulter orders the 25th Division, led by General William B. Kean and his second in command, Brigadier General Vennard Wilson, to advance north (left), towards Unsan. The 24th and 35th Regiments hold the right and left respectively, while Task Force Dolvin advances in the center. These I Corps troops move parallel to the Kuryong River. Enemy resistance is sporadic, which permits Task Force Dolvin to advance about seven miles. Meanwhile, the 24th and 35th Regiments gain about four miles. During the advances, thirty weary troops of the 8th Cavalry are discovered by Task Force Dolvin. These troops, earlier captured at Unsan and subsequently released by the enemy, are suffering from wounds, frostbite or both. In the ROK II Corps sector, the ROK 7th and 8th Divisions gain only about one mile and at some points, much less, particularly when the forces encounter two battalions of Chinese infantry. Nevertheless, the ROK 3rd Regiment, 7th Division, is able to gain additional ground. It reaches the Paengnyong River and makes contact with the U.S. 38th Regiment, 2nd Division (I Corps). In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, the 2nd Battalion and 1st Marines Head-

536 quarters initiate the relief of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, at Koto-ri. The operation is completed on the following day. In the 5th Marines sector, each of the three battalions is now operating east of the Chosin Reservoir. General Smith remains concerned about the situation and carefully watches the advance, while awaiting the supplies to increase at Hagaru. In the 7th Marines zone, the advance toward Yudamni continues. The 1st Battalion pauses to celebrate Thanksgiving a day late; they savor their turkey dinner. They do not realize this will be the last hot meal for seventeen days. In the 3rd Division zone, at Sach’ang-ni, the S.K. 26th Regiment holds its positions in the vicinity of Paeksan Pass. It is to be relieved on the following day by elements of the U.S. 7th Infantry Regiment. In other activity, there has been a large Communist buildup in this area. Contingents of the Chinese 125th Division have been here for several weeks in expectation of a U.N. advance. At Samsu, Task Force Kingston (32nd Regiment) still is unable to break through to hook up with the 17th Regiment at Singalpajin. In the Eighth Army area, at 1000, the offensive begins. MacArthur is flying overhead to observe the units as they advance against no resistance. Various components across the wide front gain between 4,000 and 16,000 yards. There has been guerrilla activity in Eighth Army’s area (west coastal area) during November, but it has been at a lower level than that which has been unfolding in the central and northeast sectors of Korea. Nevertheless, Eighth Army patrols continue their activity to discover enemy presence. The area north and east of Pyongyang contains many deposits of enemy supplies that have been concealed in abandoned mine shafts, caves and tunnels. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces and Fifth Air Force strike enemy targets. B-29s for the former hit the Yalu River bridges and for the latter, fighters execute close-air support mission. The Eighth Army offensive continues in conjunction with the air strikes. Also, planes attached to Combat Cargo Command fly missions to drop ammunition to the front lines.

November 25 A contingent of C-47s, attached to the Greek Royal Hellenic Air Force arrives in theater and is attached to Far East Air Forces. In the X Corps area, Corps issues OpnO 7. It is tailored to conform with the plan presented to Tokyo on the 24th. Basically it directs the Corps to supply more assistance to the ongoing Eighth Army offensive. The attack, primarily carried out by the Marines, 3rd and 7th Infantry Divisions and the S.K. I Corps, is to commence at 0800 on 27 November. The 1st Marine Division is to advance to the Yalu and seize Mupyong-ni en route. The 3rd Division is to establish and maintain contact with Eighth Army’s right flank, while simultaneously guarding the left flank of X Corps. In addition, upon order, the overtaxed 3rd

537

November 25, 1950

November 25, 1950 Division is to bolster the 1st Marine Division while it guards the airfield and harbor at Wonsan. Meanwhile, it is to seek and destroy any enemy guerrilla units operating in its sector. The 7th Division is directed to launch its assault from the east side of the Chosin Reservoir and advance to the Yalu River. The 7th Division is also to cooperate with the S.K. I Corps and secure the terrain in the vicinity of Pungsan. According to the directive, the S.K. I Corps is to depart the areas of Hapsu and Chongjin and move to the border while eliminating the enemy within its sector. A briefing occurs at 1000. General Smith is informed that his division will now form the northern arm of the pincer movement rather than launch the attack east of the Chosin Reservoir. In conjunction, the 7th Division will attack from east of the reservoir to reach the Yalu River. In related activity, the 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry relieves the S.K. 26th Regiment at Sach’ang-ni. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the boundary changes now thrust the Marine lines across Korea to the area north of Eighth Army. The path for advance leads west about fifty-five miles and stretches from Yudam-ni to Mupyong-ni. The rear boundary of the Marines has also moved north, to a point slightly south of Hagaru, listed as 3rd Division responsibility. However, General O.P. Smith, aware that the 3rd Division is too overstretched to provide enough troops, requests permission to deploy garrisons at Koto-ri and Chinhung-ni. The response is affirmative. Now the 3rd Division retains responsibility for the security of the MSR leading south from Sudong to Hamhung. The attack remains scheduled for the 27th, with the 1st Marine Division acting as vanguard. In the 5th Marines sector, two tanks accompany a platoon-strength patrol that reaches the area near the end of the Chosin Reservoir. It encounters some enemy troops and a brief fight ensues. The chase nets one prisoner and five killed. In addition, the Marines destroy an abandoned 75-mm gun. Neither this patrol, nor any others, including a helicopter reconnaissance flight, uncover any large numbers of enemy troops. In addition, subsequent to relief by elements of the 32nd Regiment, the 5th Marines prepares to move against Mupyong-ni. In the 7th Marines zone, Yudam-ni is seized by the 1st Battalion, which encounters paltry resistance. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, contingents of the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, and regimental headquarters arrive later. In the 7th Division zone, the 1st Battalion, 32nd Regiment, begins the relief of the 5th Marines, thus terminating Marine activity in the area east of the Chosin Reservoir at 1200. The Army battalion remains under temporary operational control of the 1st Marine Division. By noon on the following day, all elements of the 5th Marines are to be relieved. In the ROK I Corps area, elements of the Capital Division reach Ch’ongjin. The advance is preceded by a

538 thunderous bombardment of naval gunfire, which permits the ROKs to more easily encircle the objective. During the evening, the 1st Regiment slips to a point about five miles north of the town, while the 18th Regiment deploys along the southern fringes. Meanwhile, the ROK Cavalry Regiment moves to the western tip of the town and captures the airfield. An attack to seize Ch’ongjin is planned for the following day. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division, enters Chongju without incident, while the 19th Regiment continues to move towards Napchongjong. This seizure places the 24th Division on the Eighth Army first phase line. In other activity, the Corps is struck, as part of an ongoing Chinese offensive, by contingents of the 50th and 66th Armies. In the 1st ROK Division zone, the Chinese continue to raise heavy resistance near Taech’on, which prevents the South Koreans from gaining the town. Following day-long opposition, the objective remains three miles beyond their reach. Nevertheless, the Division is deployed in close proximity to the U.S. 24th Division. In the IX Corps sector, the 38th Infantry, 2nd Division, remains in place at Paengnyong, while the 9th Regiment moves through the Ch’ongch’on Valley and gains about two miles. Later, the 2nd Division establishes night positions along its fifteen-mile perimeter that stretches across the Ch’ongch’on Valley. A contingent of the 38th Regiment holds positions north of Kunu-ri and east of the Ch’ongch’on River. Its line extends southeastward towards the lower bank of the Paengnyong River. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 38th Regiment, are deployed on a line that extends parallel to the south bank of the Paengnyong River to the zone of the ROK II Corps. On the left side of the perimeter, the 9th Regiment is deployed in line with the 38th Regiment, but a wide gap of about one-half mile stands between them. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions, minus one company of the 2nd Battalion (38th Regiment), hold the line on the opposing side of the river, with each company in separate positions along a series of ridges. The 23rd Infantry is deployed in the vicinity of Kunu-ri, but a contingent composed of headquarters, the 1st Battalion and one tank company is stretched out across the valley highway at the lower bank of the Ch’ongch’on River, just to the rear of the 9th Regiment. In the meantime, the Chinese XIII Army Group, commanded by General Li Tien-yu, initiates its offensive, with the heaviest thrust unfolding against the IX Corps; however, other contingents will strike the I Corps and the ROK II Corps. In the 2nd Division zone, the Chinese commit elements of the 39th and 40th Armies to launch two regiments against the forward 9th Regiment positions, while another regiment drives against the middle of the 38th Regiment at Paengnyong. The 2nd Battalion, deployed in the high ground, is not assaulted, but the 3rd Battalion sustains a heavy hit and as the fighting continues through the night, the

539 regiment is compelled to give some ground. Meanwhile, other Chinese troops funnel through the gaps between the separate company positions of the 3rd Battalion and plunge ahead into the lines of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, as well as the 61st Field Artillery Battalion. The artillery contingent, a unit of the 1st Cavalry Division attached to the 2nd Division, is severely struck. The commanding officer of Battery A is among those slain. The entire unit begins a hasty retreat. But Battery A leads the way, as it abandons its weapons and vehicles. The routed Americans scatter with a few moving east, but the Chinese pursue the main group, which is speeding southward right into the positions of Colonel Freeman’s 23rd Regiment. The 23rd also sustains a heavy attack, but despite the initial confusion caused by retreating troops and heavy Chinese fire, the assault is repelled. The Chinese retire to Chinaman’s Hat, a mountain northeast of the 23rd Regiment. They will return later. Meanwhile, another Chinese regiment plows into the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry, in a double strike. While some of the regiment hits the front, another column moves through the gap between the 9th Regiment and the 38th Regiment, which gives the Communists positions from which to lunge forward into the rear of the 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment. The momentum blows through the lines and tramples over the command post and the medical aid station. The Chinese continue moving and make their way to Chinaman’s Hat to hook up with the regiment that preceded them. Prior to dawn, the Chinese bolt from the mountain positions and again strike Colonel Freeman’s lines, on the right flank east of the valley road. The Chinese force a small collapse on the flank, but Freeman modifies his positions and his troops repulse the assault. By dawn, the enemy returns once again to Chinaman’s Hat. In the 38th Regimental zone, the evening remains quiet, but toward midnight, yet another Chinese regiment that had eased through the half-mile gap between the 9th and 38th Regiments launches an attack that pounds against Company A, which is deployed north of the Paengnyong River. Simultaneously, the same regiment strikes against the regimental boundary positions of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions on the opposing bank of the river. These assaults jackhammer Companies F and L, but they are unable to gain ground. Both companies hold steadfastly. The enemy maintains the attacks for about three hours, but at 0230, after the apparent realization of having sustained heavy casualties, the Chinese disengage. Nonetheless, at about 0500, the attack is reinitiated. Meanwhile, isolated Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment, becomes encircled. The remainder of the 1st Battalion initiates a counterattack to regain lost ground. The attack is executed just before dawn when the battalion jumps off and drives east into the west flank of the Chinese, who had earlier penetrated the middle of the regiment’s lines. Shortly thereafter, the enemy is driven off and the perimeter is realigned to its former positions.

November 26, 1950 In the 25th Division sector, resistance is encountered as the columns move towards Unsan. The bulk of the fire is from long-range artillery and machine gun fire; however, some small arms fire meets the advance. Nevertheless, the division gains about two miles as it pushes along the left bank of the Kuryong River, reaching a point about one day’s march from Unsan, when it establishes night positions. Later, the Chinese (39th and 40th Armies) strike, but in less force than that used against the 2nd Division. The brunt of the assault hits Task Force Dolvin’s lines on the east side of the Kuryong River, where they also control two hills in their most forward positions. The fighting lasts throughout the night of the 25th26th. Eventually the Chinese push the Americans from one of the hills. In the S.K. II Corps area, the Chinese Communists strike hard against the Koreans at Tokchon, located about seventy miles southwest of Yudam-ni, a point that the 7th Marines are preparing to move toward. The South Koreans are slugged back by contingents of the 38th and 42nd Armies, but the episode is not sufficiently bad to warrant changes in the attack plan. However, the Chinese will again strike on the following day. Meanwhile, the S.K. 16th Regiment, ROK 8th Division, assigned to the east flank of the corps (and Eighth Army), engages enemy troops east of Yongdongni. The enemy assault, which includes horse-cavalry troops, succeeds in driving the regiment back about two miles. Despite the regimental setback, the corps’ gains seem in line with General Walker’s plans to maintain the offensive. Nevertheless, the threat against the II Corps endangers the nearby 2nd U.S. Division and the right flank of Eighth Army. In Majon-ni, using a full-strength attack, the 1st Battalion, 15th ROK Regiment, drives from Majon-ni and the South Korean Marines advance from Tongyang to converge upon the Communist force that holds the ground separating the two contingents. The combined power of the two forces overwhelms the enemy and clears the passageway from Majon-ni to Tongyang. The victory costs the Communists about 150 killed and the loss of a huge amount of ammunition and four 120-mm mortars. Although the enemy is dispersed, they continue to operate in the area for the duration of the conflict.

November 26 The S.K. 1st Division captures an important enemy document that specifies how the Chinese appraise the fighting ability of their American opponents. After the Chinese 39th Army drove the U.N. forces from the vicinity of Unsan, the Chinese 66th Army Headquarters issued a memorandum (on November 20) based on the resistance raised by the 8th Cavalry Regiment. The memo states the potency of the U.S. mortars and artillery and emphasizes the terrific transportation network. It also underscores the accuracy of air strikes and long-range artillery. However, the Chinese depiction of American soldiers, once cut off, is not very positive:

November 26, 1950 They abandon all their heavy weapons and play possum.... Their infantrymen are weak, afraid to die, and haven’t the courage to attack or defend. They depend on their planes, tanks and artillery. At the same time, they are afraid of our fire power. They will cringe when if on the advance, they hear firing ... they specialize in day fighting. They are not familiar with night fighting or hand to hand combat.... If defeated, they have no orderly formation. Without the use of their mortars, they become completely lost.... At Unsan, they were surrounded for several days, yet they did nothing. They are afraid when the rear is cut off. When transportation comes to a standstill, the infantry loses the will to fight. The document also states the goals of the Chinese against the Americans in the future; the terms include avoiding highways and level terrain to evade the fire of tanks and artillery and night attacks: “As a main objective, one of the units must fight its way rapidly around the enemy and cut off their rear.... Small leading patrol groups attack and then sound the bugle. A large number will at that time follow in column.” The Chinese XIII Army Group will maintain its offensive and attack throughout the night of the 26th into the 27th, hitting most points except the Eighth Army west flank. In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, Division issues OpnO 24–50 at 0800. It orders the attack, which is to commence at 0800 on the following day. General O.P. Smith moves by helicopter from Hungnam to Yudam-ni, and he cautiously observes the MSR en route. Among the units spotted south of Chinhungni, are the 1st Tank Battalion less the Provisional Armored Platoon at Hagaru and Company D’s 2nd Platoon at Chinhung-ni. Upon returning to Hungnam, General Smith is informed that the Communists have scored greatly against the S.K. II Corps, which had been thrashed, endangering the right flank. This unexpected setback imperils both the U.S. 2nd Division and the Turkish Brigade, exposing them to a flank attack. No enemy activity is discovered during the day and the night remains especially frigid, but inactive. In the 1st Marines zone, the vehicles previously used to transport the 1st and 2nd Battalions to their new positions have returned to Chigyong. They transport the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (minus George Company and elements of a weapons company), to Hagaru to relieve the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. Company G has remained at Chigyong due to lack of trucks. When the attack is launched on the 27th, the 1st Marines is to remain in divisional reserve to guard the MSR, Chinhung-ni, Hagaru and Koto-ri. Hagaru, located at the base of the Chosin Reservoir, contains the Marines’ sole airstrip and it is not yet completed. Nonetheless, Hagaru must hold or there is no way to regroup the scattered division. The responsibility for Hagaru, surely a huge task, lies solely with Lt. Colonel Ridge’s 3rd Battalion. In the 5th Marines zone, the 5th Marines prepares to

540 pass through the 7th Marines on the 27th by 0800, and from there move to seize the road junction at Yongnim-dong, about twenty-seven miles west of Yudam-ni. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, completes its move from the reservoir to Yudam-ni by evening. The town, surrounded by five huge ridges, is located in the middle of a giant valley. These massive ridges, each with large numbers of nasty peaks, dangerous spurs and spooky draws, exhibit a natural blueprint for disaster. The ridges are named North, Northwest, South, Southeast and Southwest. The difficult terrain, matched with abominable weather, guarantees a grueling mission. Today’s temperature plunges to zero degrees. On the 27th, the weather in Korea reaches a temperature of 20 degrees below zero. The 2nd Battalion receives orders to seize a pass west of Yudam-ni. The attack will be assisted by the 7th Marines, which will drive forward along two ridgelines. In the 7th Marines zone, the regiment is to guard the MSR from Yudam-ni to Sinhung-ni, which lies about seven miles west of Hagaru. The Division Reconnaissance Company is to act in conjunction with the 7th Marines and operate north of Yudam-ni. The British Royal Marines unit will operate southwest of Yudamni to guard the Division’s left flank. The 7th Regiment is deployed on four of the five ridges that encircle Yudam-ni. Companies D and E, attached to 1st Battalion, are deployed on North Ridge. The 1st Battalion stands on both South and Southeast Ridges, while the 3rd Battalion is deployed on Southwest Ridge. These positions give the 7th Marines the heights that dominate the attack route of the 5th Marines. A patrol composed of a rifle platoon of Company A, 1st Battalion, moves into an ambush site and comes under fire from point-blank range. Lieutenant Frank N. Mitchell maintains discipline, then bolts to the front of his command, takes over an automatic weapon and returns fire. Mitchell gets volunteers to gather the wounded, despite the confusion of the darkness. The Marines move into the enemy terrain to conduct the search. With the litter bearers to his rear, Mitchell carries the fight to the enemy. Afterwards, the platoon is able to extricate itself, while Mitchell, already repeatedly wounded, provides cover fire. He is slain while holding the line to enable his troops to withdraw. Lieutenant Mitchell is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary bravery and leadership while under enemy fire. Later this day, the 5th Marines receives a new objective, a pass about ten miles west of Yudam-ni. Contingents of the 7th Marines will grind forward along Northwest and Southwest Ridges to protect the 5th Marines’ flank. At 2200, the regimental officers confer on the individual missions. The 3rd Battalion is to penetrate deeper along Southwest Ridge on the 27th, but it is also assigned the task of securing an objective on the opposite side of the MSR. It is to take Hill 1403, on Northwest Ridge, to enable it to provide sufficient

541 support for the 5th Marines. Companies D and E are assigned responsibility for running patrols along the west coast of the reservoir and on North Ridge. The 1st Battalion is to scour South and Southeast Ridges with patrols while focusing on the routes along the low ground. The primary road to Hagaru stretches through the valley between huge hills. In other activity, the Regiment announces that it has captured three Chinese soldiers, attached to the Chinese 60th Division. Intelligence officers have discovered from the captives that the Chinese 58th, 59th and 60th Divisions had arrived in the vicinity of Yudam-ni on the 20th. This brings the total of identified Communist Chinese units in northeast Korea to six divisions. Nevertheless, it is still thought that the Chinese probably will not attack in strength. Rather, it is thought that a westward withdrawal will be executed. The Marines anticipate an engagement with the Chinese in the mountains west of Yudam-ni. In the 11th Marines area, the units deployed in the vicinity of Yudam-ni are to contribute support to the attacking elements. In the ROK I Corps area, Ch’ongjin is attacked and captured by the S.K. Capital Division. Following the victory, the ROKs prepare to pivot and initiate a northward attack that will push the force inland along the highway and railroad toward Hoeryong, which is located at the border with Manchuria. In the Eighth Army area, reports regarding the losses inflicted upon the ROK II Corps pour into headquarters during the day. General Walker, informed that his right flank now consists of the 38th Regiment, 25th Division, moves feverishly to rearrange his defenses. By day’s end, General Walker is informed that the estimate of about 54,000 Chinese troops in the area is inaccurate. The new estimate by Intelligence is more than 100,000 troops. The Chinese XIII Army Group, under General Li Tien-yu, continues its offensive. During the course of this day and into the following day, the greater part of the Eighth Army sector comes under assault. In the I Corps area, the situation is comparatively calm, but General Milburn remains concerned about the Chinese threat as I Corps, like the other Corps, is at less than full strength and General Walker is also utilizing I Corps forces to strengthen other units that face imminent threat by the enemy. In other activity, General Hobart Gay is ordered by General Walker to redeploy his 1st Cavalry Division to meet what appears to be a serious threat by the Chinese, due to the collapse of the ROK II Corps this day. The cavalry makes preparations to depart from its positions at Kunu-ri and Sukch’on on the following day to establish new positions at the village of Sunchon and protect the approaches from the east. The 187th Airborne RCT, augmented by the Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team, will take over the protection of supply depots at Kunu-ri and Sukch’on. In other activity, the British 27th Brigade is directed by General Walker to redeploy with the IX Corps to

November 26, 1950 bolster its forces in place of the reserve Turkish Brigade, which is en route to Tokch’on. Although the Eighth Army offensive is essentially at a standstill, the 24th Division is deployed along Route 1 and poised for an advance to the Yalu River, but this attack, despite anticipation of slight resistance, is aborted for fear of the division overextending itself and becoming isolated with no means to launch a relief force. General Church then orders the 5th Regimental Combat Team to establish positions to the right of his two regiments that are extended along Route 1. Church assumes that this deployment will fill the hole between the ROK 1st Division and the 24th Division’s positions. The ROK 1st Division is operating on the corps’ right and has advanced along the banks of the Taeryong River to the vicinity of Taech’on. Although the Koreans had advanced beyond the 24th Division, the Chinese continue to raise fierce resistance. In the meantime, General Su Ching-huai, commander of the Chinese 66th Army, awaits dusk before he orders his force to drive down the east bank of the Taeryong River. Once properly positioned, the Chinese spring an attack against both sides of the river and strike the 11th and 12th S.K. Regiments on the east and west sides respectively. The South Koreans on the east side are driven back, and on the west bank the 12th also loses ground, but it is able to recapture the terrain by dawn on the 27th. Nonetheless, the Chinese maintain the pressure on the 27th and the enemy progress is beginning to seriously threaten the 24th U.S. Division, which is stationed on the west side of the Taeryong River. In the IX Corps sector, General Walker directs General John B. Coulter to use his reserve, the Turkish brigade, to recapture Tokch’on, which had been lost by the ROK II Corps. Tokch’on gives the Chinese a path towards the rear of Eighth Army, but if it is seized, the Turks would hold the ground and be near the 2nd Division northwest of the village. The assault is set for the following morning and if successful it will give Eighth Army control of the Tokch’on–Kunu-ri Road, an attack route from the west to Kunu-ri. In the meantime, General Coulter dispatches the 1st Battalion and he will later order the 2nd Battalion to move out with both units expected to be at Wawon by dawn on the following day. In the 2nd Division zone, in the Ch’ongch’on Valley, the 9th Regiment, led by Colonel Charles Sloane, redeploys in the heights above the upper bank of the Ch’ongch’on River. Due to losses within the 3rd Battalion during the previous night’s combat, the regiment is bolstered by the 2nd Engineering Combat Battalion (minus Company C). Meanwhile, General Keiser makes other adjustments. The 1st and 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, advance and redeploy below Chinaman’s Hat, the latter taking positions alongside the 61st Field Artillery Battalion. The artillerymen had, by this time, returned to their positions of the previous night and reclaimed some of the abandoned weaponry lost, prior to pulling

November 26, 1950 back and establishing new lines near the other two artillery battalions deployed under the 27th Regiment. General Keiser directs his final reserve unit, the 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, to deploy to the rear of the 27th Regiment. It stretches out in the vicinity of Kujang-dong on a highway east of the town that is used to resupply the 38th Regiment. A contingent of Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, led by Sergeant John A. Pittman, volunteers to attack and regain a previously lost strategic position. The detachment encounters heavy fire. A grenade lands in the midst of the patrol and Pittman throws his body upon it to take the full impact. He survives and the others are saved from harm. When medics reach him, he immediately asks how many of his men had been wounded from the blast. The answer was none. Sergeant Pittman becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his intrepid actions and selfless sacrifice to save others. In the 38th Regiment zone, at Paengnyong, Colonel Peploe is working on his defenses, but his command had sustained very heavy casualties on the previous day. Company G stands at about sixty troops and Company A had been devastated after being caught in a trap. There is no enemy activity during the early part of this day; however, Peploe’s lines, north of the supply road, seem to be in the direct route of the enemy, which at this time is mauling the S.K. II Corps. Once informed of the inability of the South Koreans to hold the line, he deduces that the 38th Regiment might well become the right flank of the Eighth Army if the II Corps falls. As the day progresses, the Chinese on Chinaman’s Hat prepare for yet another assault. After dusk, they descend from the mountain and execute a two-pronged attack against Colonel Freeman’s 23rd Regiment, and later, just before midnight, they pound against the middle of Colonel Sloane’s 9th Regiment. During the first assault, the enemy forces Freeman to abandon his command post. Shortly thereafter, just prior to midnight, Freeman commits Company F and headquarters personnel from the 2nd and 3rd Battalions as well as the regimental headquarters company. The attack regains the command post, but the Chinese who still dominate the heights east of the Ch’ongch’on River unleash a hurricane of fire that again forces Freeman to abandon the positions. Rather than risk unnecessary casualties, Colonel Freeman postpones any further activity until daylight. In the meantime, the 9th Regiment, posted on the ground east of the Ch’ongch’on River, remains vigilant during the night, which passes without enemy activity, but as midnight nears, the middle of the line suddenly comes under a severe attack. The 2nd Battalion returns fire, but the pressure continues to mount. The enemy, bolstered by mortars, recoilless rifles and 3.5 rocketlaunchers, evicts the weary battalion and drives it to the bank of the river. The battle continues, but after awhile, the 2nd Battalion is compelled to escape to the east bank, leaving some of its weapons behind. The regimental com-

542 mander, Colonel Sloane, calls in artillery support to cover the retreat and it apparently deters enemy pursuit across the river. Consequently, the 2nd Battalion escapes; however, the ordeal squeezes the unit of its operational ability for the time being. In the 23rd Regiment’s zone, the night passes without any major combat. Despite the routing of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, the Chinese choose not to ford the river into the 9th Regiment’s zone on the east bank. In the 38th Regiment sector, which lies in and around Somin-dong to the right of the 9th and 23rd Regiments, elements of the Chinese 40th Army launch attacks just after darkness overcomes the area. The first assault is sprung against Company C while it is en route to the east side of the perimeter to reestablish the positions previously held by Company G. The enemy, driving from the northwest, encircles Company C, but only with a contingent of the force. Other troops in the attack force continue moving and strike the middle of the perimeter hammering against Companies F and L. The heavy penetration causes problems throughout the lines and some companies are compelled to give ground. The Chinese continue to pour troops into the area and it is determined that about two divisions are involved between this contest in the 38th Regimental zone and the nearby ROK II Corps sector. During the engagement, many of the American units get splintered and wind up in different companies. As the night-attack intensifies, Colonel Peploe calls upon the S.K. 3rd Regiment to assist. It had already retired from the ROK II Corps perimeter. All the while, Peploe struggles with the dilemma of reorganizing his scattered units while he gets help from the 2nd Reconnaissance Company, which holds the line on the Kujangdong Road in an effort to halt the South Koreans who are hurriedly retiring. The 38th Regiment is forced to pull back on two sides, the east and north. Nevertheless, the regiment continues to engage the enemy all through the night and into the following day. In the 25th Division sector, General Kean aborts plans to reinitiate the advance of the 25th Division. Instead, he prepares for a potential attack by the Chinese. Task Force Dolvin, which had been struck during the previous day, and the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, are enjoined as Task Force Wilson. However, the ranger company, which had been attached to the 1st Battalion and had recently withdrawn from the front, is not part of the new task force, which is to be commanded by General Vennard Wilson. Kean’s deduction that the Chinese would attack proves to be accurate. Slightly after 1200, while a twocompany contingent of the 24th Regiment is attempting to retrieve supplies that had been dropped by planes, are caught in a trap by the enemy. The remainder of the regiment under Colonel John Corley is not involved in a rescue, but the greater number of the troops slip away and make it to the lines of the 2nd Division.

543 In the meantime, Task Force Wilson is bolstered by the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, which establishes positions to its rear. The 24th Regiment, minus the contingent that had been encircled, is augmented by the remainder of the 27th Regiment, the latter having been held in reserve. Later in the day, the reports of the near disintegration of the ROK II Corps’ resistance is authenticated. Peploe is compelled to again realign his forces. The 38th Regiment establishes a new line beginning with the 2nd Battalion, which holds the ground above the highway to Kujang-dong. The other units in the regiment extend eastward to the town of Somin-dong and from there, the regiment stretches through the heights west of the road leading to Tokch’on. These drastic redeployment maneuvers are in place by about 1800, but still the weakened regiment is unable to form a large perimeter. Consequently, the right flank of Eighth Army, specifically, the 38th Regiment, is confined to a small perimeter, leaving open paths for attack from the northeast. And adding to the dilemma, there is also a huge threat to the rear of Eighth Army. In the S.K. II Corps area, the Chinese reinitiate the attack that causes the Korean II Corps to collapse under the extreme pressure. The inability to withstand the assault causes the Eighth Army offensive to ostensibly stall prior to the commencement of the 1st Marine Division jump-off on the 27th. During the previous night, much of the South Korean corps came under heavy attack when an enemy regiment pounded its way through the 16th ROK Regiment, while other forces clamped down on the ROK 7th Division. By 0800 this day, the corps is being shredded at various points all across the perimeter. The enemy pressure compels the east flank to collapse. Its defenders, the 21st Regiment, abandons its positions and heads for Yongdong-ni and another, the 10th Regiment, begins retiring to the same location. The west flank, defended by the ROK 3rd Regiment, for the time being remains unscathed, but only until dusk. Then the Chinese push some of the regiment from its sector into the lines of the U.S. 38th Infantry. Throughout the day, the Chinese continue to plow through other South Korean lines. An enemy regiment pushes against an unsteady 7th ROK Division and effortlessly causes its 5th and 8th Regiments to hastily retire. Lacking the support of these two regiments, the 3rd regiment soon departs the area and speeds towards the lines of the U.S. IX Corps. Other Chinese troops are able to bolt from the corps’ frontal positions and advance to Tokch’on, ten miles inside the perimeter. This unexpected action isolates the 2nd Regiment, ROK 6th Division, which had been held in reserve in the village. The South Koreans are unable to regroup. General Yu’s repeated attempts to galvanize some type of resistance fails. The Chinese continue to topple the resistance and overrun additional terrain as troops that had come in from the northeast take the towns of Yongdong-ni and Maengsan.

November 27, 1950 In Air Force activity, light bombers (B-26s) under the guidance of tactical air control party (TACP) initiate their first night close-air support missions. Sixtyseven planes attached to the 3rd Bomber Group strike targets along the Eighth Army’s bomb-line. Nonetheless, the massive bombing runs do not halt the Communist pressure in northwestern Korea against Eighth Army or in the X Corps zone in northeast Korea. Lieutenant John W. Enyart, while on a reconnaissance mission in the area around Tokch’on, receives a message on the radio about a ground observer and his contingent that the Communists had encircled. Enyart, despite being in an unarmed plane, moves through extremely heavy fire, lands on a primitive airstrip and rescues the controller, then he returns to pick up another of the contingent, but by the time he returns, the Communists control the strip. — In Japan: Reports indicating nearly a 100 percent increase in the estimated number of Chinese troops in Korea reach the Far East Command. Nonetheless, despite the fact that 100,000 Chinese troops are facing Eighth Army, the information does not bring the Intelligence section to disagree with Eighth Army that the Chinese will initiate a major offensive. Rather, both General Willoughby in Japan and Walker in Korea think the enemy will rely on defense and counterattack. Eighth Army still concludes that its offensive, although stalled, will soon be reinitiated and if the Chinese take the offensive in the valley, their effort will only stall the drive to the Yalu. These conclusions regarding the U.N. offensive are dispatched by Headquarters to Washington.

November 27

In X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, Hagaru, defended by the 3rd Battalion, is under threat by the Chinese. Lt. Colonel Ridge, after scanning the terrain, realizes that his battalion is insufficiently strong to withstand a major assault, due to the length of the perimeter that extends about four miles. And this only includes protection of the two reverse slopes. Other areas would have to be covered by supporting fire. To add to the uncertainty, while the Marines anticipate an assault from either the hill east of the town or a draw that heads into the southwest end, the Chinese could yet find another approach. The Chinese who control the heights around the town can observe the Marines as they fortify their positions. Also, a convoy (Headquarters Battalion) arrives at Hagaru to set up the divisional command post. While the Marines must evaluate the time and estimated strength of an assault, they are also under the gun to check a large amount of Korean civilians who are moving into the town. The refugees had been halted and searched at a roadblock, and then escorted to the local police station for interrogation. The day passes without an enemy attack being launched. In the 5th Marines zone, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, drives down the highway leading from Yudam-ni to seize its objectives. Company H moves to Toktong Pass. The battalion is supported by the guns

November 27, 1950 of Battery H, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, which remains in Hagaru. The carved, undersize highway slithers along the valley and passes between the gargantuan walls of Southwest and Northwest Ridges. The vanguard, Company F, commanded by Captain Uel Peters, advances toward the first objective, an elongated knob on Northwest Ridge. This frozen, rock-hard spur lies about 500 yards across a ravine from Hill 1403. At about 0935, Chinese that hold positions on the knob commence long-range fire that strikes the Marines just as they approach the entry to the ravine. Meanwhile, an overhead spotter plane from VMO-6 detects enemy troops entrenched along the entire front. Company F pauses to reassess its situation. In the meantime, engineers speed to the front to demolish undefended roadblocks that are scattered along the MSR. Nine such obstacles are unblocked. Company D, 2nd Battalion, advances down the MSR, while Company F moves along slopes and passes through the 7th Marines on Hill 1403. It too comes under heavy fire as it approaches the mouth of the ravine. Mortar units and recoilless rifles return fire against the slopes of the knob. By 1015, the guns of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, begin to hammer the slopes and the barrage eases the resistance. At 1115, planes of VMF-312 jolt the slopes with heavy strikes, then Companies F and G resume the attack. Company F’s 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Gerald McLaughlin, plows toward the knob’s north flank. It is bolstered by cover fire from the remainder of the company from positions on Hill 1403. The combined strength of the air strike, mortars and artillery that pummels enemy positions prompts many of them to flee westward from the knob. The northern portion of the knob is seized by the 1st Platoon by 1300. Three Chinese are captured. Following the collapse of the northern half, the southern half of the knob above the road is attacked. The 2nd Platoon, led by Lieutenant Donald Krabbe, moves through the 1st Platoon, and afterwards, it encounters heavy machine gun fire as it advances. The menacing fire originates on another peak that lies about 1,000 yards to the west. While the advance continues in the heights, Company D grinds forward along the road. It reaches a bend in the road effortlessly, then drives toward a valley road junction several hundred yards in the distance. Meanwhile, the Chinese have constructed layers of defensive positions in the heights of the eastern slopes of Sakkat Mountain to stall the advance. The Chinese commence firing upon Company D. The blanket of fire compels Colonel Roise to terminate the attack. At 1440, Company D is directed to establish a defensive perimeter by extending across the MSR on a spur of Southwest Ridge. Fox Company is directed to establish positions on Northwest Ridge. The key attack gains 1,500 yards with the successful seizure of the intended objective. Nevertheless, the attack is unable to gain the additional several miles targeted by the advance. The lack of further success turns into a blessing. Further

544 gains would have caused the Marines to become totally encircled. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, arrives from its positions east of the reservoir to Yudamni subsequent to dusk and establishes positions in the valley. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, under Lt. Colonel Taplett, which had been on the east coast of the reservoir, arrives at North Ridge at about noon. The troops deploy on an unoccupied spur that flows to Hill 1384. In the 7th Marines zone, the sun begins to rise at Yudam-ni, but it beams no heat. The scene at Yudamni at daybreak is bleak. Near- frozen men gather close to the fires to thaw their rations and de-ice their weapons for the dogged day that awaits them. The 5th Marines launch the primary assault. The 7th Marines remain high in the hills. Companies G and H, 3rd Battalion, on Southwest Ridge move out at 0815. Company H, commanded by Captain Leroy Cooke, seizes Hill 1403 without incident. Cooke had become company commander on November 12. Lieutenant H. Harris reverted to executive officer. Initially, Company G, commanded by Captain Thomas Cooney, also makes good progress. It swiftly gains about 1,200 yards and secures Hill 1426, a dominating peak on Southwest Ridge, by 0845. The advance encounters no opposition. However, the Chinese lurk in the distance. Cooney’s Marines resume the advance, but resistance rises almost immediately, as another ridge about 500 yards distant is layered with Chinese. In other activity, a contingent of the 1st Service Battalion arrives to institute a system of resupply and to build a divisional depot. Rations are down to about three days’ supply, but a convoy requested by the 7th Marines arrives well after dark. Additionally, Lt. Colonel Beall, CO, 1st Motor Transport Battalion, commands a night convoy from Yudam-ni to Hagaru. Beall anticipates a return trip on the 28th with additional supplies to ease the situation. He takes all 5th and 7th Marines’ organic vehicles except between 40 and 50 trucks. Although the Chinese have heavily infiltrated the area, the trucks reach Hagaru unmolested; however, there is no return trip. Also, four M-4 tanks (Provisional Tank Platoon) depart from Hagaru for Yudam-ni, but all return after each slides off the road. Later, one M-26 succeeds in making it to Yudam-ni before the Chinese sever the road to prevent any others from arriving. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, experiences difficulty during the afternoon. Company G pushes forward to occupy a peak of Hill 1426 by 1500. The advance is costly. During the fighting, Captain Cooney heads to the rear to bring up reinforcements, but he sustains a mortal wound. Captain Eric Haars becomes commanding officer, G Company, on 27 November. Similar to the 5th Marines’ predicament, the heavy fire originating on Sakkat Mountain hinders progress. Company G is compelled to withdraw from the crest. Company I, 3rd Battalion, speeds from its positions in

545 the heights above Yudam-ni to bolster the efforts of Company G. At about 1230, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, diverts from its patrol duties in the valley between South and Southwest Ridges. It climbs to the sound of the guns in the high ground to offer its firepower. Chinese fire clamps the advancing company with a ring of fire, prompting Company C to lunge forward from its positions at Yudam-ni. During an attack against Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, on the night of the 27th-28th, an enemy grenade is thrown into the midst of some Marines during a heated battle in which the platoon leader had been wounded. The assistant leader, Staff Sergeant Robert S. Kennemore, is directing the return fire when the grenade lands in the vicinity of a machine gun position. Kennemore immediately moves to it and places one leg upon the grenade to take the brunt of the blast. His actions save a machine gun squad and the gun. Kennemore survives the blast and his Marines drive the enemy from their positions. Sergeant Kennemore becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his heroism and leadership against a superior enemy force. Still, the Chinese hold the dominating ground. In addition, while elements of three battalions (2/5, 1/7 and 3/7) slug it out on Southwest Ridge, more complications develop. A patrol of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, encounters heavy resistance on the west coast of the reservoir at positions about 400 yards from Yudam-ni. Marine planes provide support and quell the machine guns positioned north and northeast on North Ridge. At 1645, the patrol disengages and extricates itself, but some casualties are sustained. By day’s end, the battalion gains include about 1,200 yards on the crest of Southwest Ridge. About 2,000 yards is gained with Company H’s seizure of Hill 1403, which is in concert with the primary assault launched by the 5th Marines. The advance of Company H gains about 1,500 yards. In the meantime, Company F, 2nd Battalion, departs Hagaru at 1200 en route to heights at the midpoint of Toktong Pass about seven miles distant. In other activity, Colonel Litzenberg dispatches his S-4, Major Maurice Roach, to Hagaru to procure ammunition, petroleum items and rations. Litzenberg requests five truckloads of each item. Toward the latter part of the day, the trucks arrive at Yudam-ni. These are the final truckloads of supplies to reach the perimeter. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, orders arrive from General Walker directing the 1st Cavalry Division to join the IX Corps. It moves out on the following day for Pukch’ang-ni to join with the S.K. 6th Division to form a defensive line to protect Sunch’on from a Chinese assault. In the Turkish Brigade zone, the advance from Wawon, ordered by General Walker on the previous day, begins during the morning. The unit, having no battle experience, is supported by one tank platoon (72nd Tank Battalion) to bolster the attempt to seize Tokch’on. In the meantime, a large enemy force advances west-

November 27, 1950 ward from the objective, Tokch’on. When the information reaches headquarters, the Turkish Brigade is contacted and ordered to abort its attack. The brigade, led by General Tahsin Yasici, at about noon, begins to retrace its steps; however, rather than pull back to positions about seven miles east of Wawon, the order is misinterpreted and the Turks redeploy along the Kunuri road just outside of Wawon. In the 24th Division zone, Division remains west of the Taeryong River, but the progress of the enemy forces General Church to make some quick adjustments to avoid being isolated. He directs the 21st Regiment at Chongju to depart for Napch’ongjong, while the 19th Regiment advances from the latter to Pakch’on, which lies at about the middle of the corps sector on the east side of the river. The Chinese 66th Army, which is advancing on the east side of the river against the ROK 1st Division, causes peril for the 24th Division. General Milburn, the I Corps commander, is set to order the 24th Division and the S.K. 12th Regiment to pull back about five miles on the following day to be positioned in conjunction with the S.K. 1st Division, which has given up ground. In other activity, the 25th Division (IX Corps) is directed by General Walker to transfer to the I Corps. In the ROK 1st Division zone, the Chinese 66th Army maintains its advance. The defending ROK units on the east bank of the Taeryong River are unable to withstand the pressure. Consequently, the enemy gains about five miles. The Chinese are able to deeply penetrate and also jeopardize the 25th Division (IX Corps). In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, General Keiser begins to take steps to realign his perimeter into a more compact line along the Ch’ongch’on river in an effort to thwart the Chinese, who are on the offensive. The new line is to be established on the following day. In the 9th Regimental zone, the 2nd Battalion attempts to regroup at Kujang-dong after having been pushed across the Ch’ongch’on River during the early morning hours. Due to the excessive shortage of manpower, the regimental commander, Colonel Sloane, is forced to redeploy the unit, despite its lack of equipment (having lost it the previous night). Nonetheless, the left flank badly needs some protection; Sloane dispatches the 2nd Battalion back across the river to form a defensive line. The beleaguered battalion is needed particularly because of the 25th Division’s withdrawal back to Ipson. By dusk, the 2nd Battalion completes its move and establishes the far left positions of the regiment. In related activity, subsequent to darkness, the Chinese again strike along the 2nd Division perimeter. The 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment, along with the 2nd Engineering Battalion hold positions on the west side of the Ch’ongch’on River, but a Chinese attack forces both units to abandon their positions and ford the river. Meanwhile, other regiments on the east side of the river also come under a stiff attack. The Chinese offensive jeopardizes the entire 2nd Division, particularly its flanks.

November 27, 1950 In the 23rd Regimental zone, at first sunlight the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 23rd Regiment, advance toward the regimental command post, which had been relinquished to the enemy during the early morning hours after a battle that had begun just before midnight. In the 38th Regimental zone, Colonel Peploe, having sustained some setbacks the previous night, decides to withdraw somewhat to concentrate on the middle of the regiment’s positions, whereby they can consolidate and maintain dominance over the Kujang-dong Road. The regiment stretches out along a two-mile perimeter between Kujang-dong and Somin-dong. After dark, the Chinese engage the 9th Regiment on the west side of the Ch’ongch’on River and they also unleash a stinging assault against the 38th Regiment along its perimeter on the west side of the river. Enemy units plow into the lines from both the east and the north. The regiment is unable to withstand the overwhelming numerical strength and is compelled to retire towards Kujang-dong. The regiment continues raising resistance into the following day. In the 25th Division sector, elements of the Chinese 39th and 40th Armies continue their offensive. Other units of these armies also pound the 2nd Division perimeter. The Chinese drive from the north during the early morning hours and hammer the 35th Regiment and Task Force Wilson in the middle and on the left respectively. The main outposts and Task Force Wilson get stung at about 0300, and within one hour, the main body sustains a major assault. The Chinese 117th Division drills against the perimeter line and with the support of mortars and machine gun fire, some indentations are made, but the line holds and the enemy sustains high casualties. By 0800, with their casualty list rapidly climbing toward 400 killed, the Chinese abort the attack. In the meantime, Task Force Wilson on the east side of the Kuryong River engages the 115th and 116th Chinese Divisions. Initially, the enemy vanguard strikes, but soon the task force sustains an attack by both regiments. At this point, reinforcements drawn from the divisional reserve are committed to bolster Task Force Wilson; however, as the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, prepares to advance, it comes under attack by elements that had succeeded in penetrating sufficiently to arrive in the rear of the task force. Meanwhile, other enemy units attached to the same group strike about one mile behind the 2nd Battalion at Ipsok. There the artillerymen (8th FABn) gain enough time to fire at point-blank range before they retire to more tenable positions. This enfilade, supported by machine gun fire, buys enough time for the battalion to safely retire with all of its equipment. Following the evacuation, the 8th Field Artillery Battalion redeploys slightly less than five miles to the rear. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment, continues to exchange heavy fire with the Chinese and denies the enemy any gains. Nonetheless, the Chinese prevent the 2nd Battalion from getting to Task Force Wilson. Un-

546 daunted by the overwhelming force against it, TF Wilson maintains the positions. Later, due to modifications along the line of the 25th Division by General Kean, the task force finally withdraws under the protective fire of the 27th Regiment (excluding 2nd Battalion) to rejoin the main body, which during the day had withdrawn about four miles and redrawn its perimeter. Company E, 27th Regiment, is to defend the task force’s command post in the vicinity of Ipsok to prevent the enemy from using the darkness to penetrate. The company commander, Captain Reginald Desidario, accompanies a reconnaissance patrol and afterwards draws a defensive line. Soon after, the company comes under attack. Desidario is wounded, but he refuses evacuation and retains command. Another attack follows and Desidario bolts from his position and charges the attackers, taking some down with his carbine and others with grenades, but again he is wounded, mortally. The remainder of his command continues the fight and repels the assault. Captain Desidario is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his tremendous leadership and courage in the face of a superior enemy force. In the meantime, the ROK 1st Division has regrouped at its new positions, essentially forming and covering the left flank of General Kean. The 25th Division, including its Task Force Wilson, completes its task prior to 1900, then it redeploys on an east to west line, which passes through Ipsok. Nonetheless, the Chinese 39th Army remains intent on maintaining its attack. Slightly before midnight, the intensity of the Chinese attack accelerates when the 39th and 66th Chinese Armies, operating from the west, advance on two fronts, south and southeast, with both expecting to converge on Yongsan-dong, a strategic village that lies between the Taeryong and Kuryong Rivers. The attack forces stream towards the objective, which is to the rear of the ROK 1st Division and on the left of the 25th Division perimeter at Ipsok. The 39th Army elements drive along the west bank of the Kuryong and strike the 35th Infantry, 25th Division, while the 66th Army hammers the ROK 11th and 15th Regiments, which hold the left flank of the 25th’s perimeter. The enemy attacks terminate about dawn; however, the Chinese are able to seize Yongsan-dong without the knowledge of the 35th Regiment. Pursuant to orders by General Walker, the 25th Division is attached to the I Corps, to bolster it following the evaporation of the ROK II Corps. In its place, General Walker attaches the 1st Cavalry Division, under General Gay, to the IX Corps. General Coulter’s perimeter on the east is lessened by the loss of the 25th, but with the addition of the 1st Cavalry Division, the perimeter is extended on the west. The IX Corps is to receive one division of ROK II Corps troops or a combination of troops to establish a force equal to a division. The corps at this time is composed of the U.S. 2nd Division, the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, the British 27th Brigade, the Turkish Brigade

547 and an ROK II Corps division. The 1st Cavalry, at positions east of Sunchon and in the vicinity of Kujongni, advance to Pukch’ang-ni on the following day. In the ROK II Corps area, confusion continues following the strong Chinese offensive that rolled through the area. General Yu focuses on regrouping scattered troops of both the ROK 7th and 8th Divisions; however, only disorganized groups have reached the vicinity of Pukch’ang-ni. Essentially, the entire corps is unfit for the field. The situation is so dangerous here that General Coulter is informed by General Walker that the S.K. II Corps sector is being placed under his responsibility. In other activity, Sgt. Raymond N. Reifers, 25th Reconnaissance Company, is killed in action near Unsan, North Korea. Sgt. Reifers had entered Namwon with his tank on September 28 and liberated eighty-six American POWs by surprising the enemy and pushing them into a panic. (See also, September 28, In the 25th Division sector.) In the 1st Marine Division zone, at dusk the regimental CPs of the 5th and 7th Marines are within Yudamni, supported by their respective headquarters contingents; however, the 7th Marines’ antitank company remains at Hagaru. In addition, the headquarters elements of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, and some sections of its weapons company also are at Hagaru. The majority of the artillery of the 11th Marines is at Yudam-ni, but only a few tanks are there in support of division. The 1st and 4th Battalions and Batteries G and I, 3rd Battalion, are on scene. Battery K, 4th Battalion, remains under the direction of the 1st Battalion until its parent unit arrives. The 3rd Battalion is deployed below the slopes of Hill 1240 (North Ridge). Its 105s had provided support fire for the 7th Marines on the 26th and 27th. The 1st Battalion arrived earlier this day to provide support for the 5th Marines operating in the valley between South and Southwest Ridges. The 4th Battalion, 11th Marines arrives later in the day, but all three batteries will be in operation on the lowlands that separate South and Southeast Ridges by 2300. South of the town near South and Southeast Ridges, along the lowlands, stand the howitzers, thirty 105mm and eighteen 155-mm. To the north of these, the 75-mm recoilless rifles and the mortar companies of the 5th and 7th Marines are posted. Nevertheless, these artillery and mortar units lack stockpiles of extra ammunition. Enemy fire harasses the artillery positions throughout the day, but few casualties occur due to the marksmanship of the enemy. The units of the 5th and 7th Marines that are scattered amid the heights comprise ten rifle companies (all under full strength). Two battalions of the 5th Marines are posted near the town in the valley and two additional rifle companies of the 7th Marines hold extended and isolated positions along the MSR. On North Ridge, Companies D and E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, occupy Hills 1240 and 1282. The combined perimeter spans about one mile in width,

November 27, 1950 but a gap of about 500 yards exists between the two units. The flanks of both units are naked; however, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines’ units stationed below in the valley can provide support. The 1st Battalion holds positions in the valley just below Hills 1240 and 1282. The 3rd Battalion’s perimeter is established at the foundation of North Ridge, near Hill 1384. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel John W. Stevens II, and the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Taplett, are in position to assist the 7th Marine units on Hills 1240 and 1282. To the left of North Ridge stands Company H, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, which is dug in on the summit of Hill 1403, the terminal height of Northwest Ridge. Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines holds positions in the wide ravine to the left of Northwest Ridge and its line stretches along the left side of the ravine until it links with Company F. The latter unit had earlier captured its spur from the Chinese. Company F’s left flank is above the road that separates the spur from Southwest Ridge. Opposite Company F stands Company D, which is deployed on a slim finger of Southwest Ridge. Farther left stands the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines’ Companies G and I. These two units hold the summit of Southwest Ridge. Behind these units on the same hill mass to their left stands Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, which is deployed on Hill 1294, a terminal peak that towers above a wide valley that separates it from South Ridge. To hold the floor of the valley, one platoon of Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, deploys to protect the approaches to the Marine artillery to the rear. On South Ridge, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, is entrenched on the farthest point of the cone-shaped ridge that juts about 1,600 feet into the sky. The company’s weapons are focused upon the deep and slim gorge that lies between South and Southeast Ridges. Opposite South Ridge, Company C holds perilous positions on a finger of Southeast Ridge, which lies about five miles from Yudam-ni. The positions guard a narrow portion of the MSR at a point where it sharply swerves east about three miles from Yudam-ni valley and leads into Toktong Pass. Another unit is farther left and separated from Company C by two miles of rugged mountain terrain. Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, is deployed in Toktong Pass, which is equally dangerous ground with overextended positions. The mission of Company F is identical to that of Company C, 7th Marines, to protect the MSR between Hagaru and Yudam-ni. After dusk, the Communist Chinese 9th Army Group, commanded by Sung Shin-lun, springs from its concealed positions in northeast Korea to conclude its mission. It expects to annihilate the 1st Marine Division. The Marines are aware of some Chinese presence, but the Communists have successfully concealed their overwhelming numbers by moving only at night. Now, the heretofore hidden hordes close

November 27, 1950 against the Yudam-ni perimeter under cover of deep sable skies. Twilight quickly fades, leaving not even a glimpse of moonlight on the village as the sun slips behind Sakkat Mountain at 1630. It had been a grueling, cold day; however, once the skies over Yudam-ni darken, the intolerable weather takes yet another turn for the worse. The frigid weather shows no mercy to either the troops or their equipment as the temperature in the pitch-dark village drops to twenty degrees below zero. The combination of bone chilling cold and eerie darkness stirs the imaginations of the guardians of the perimeter, each of whom look forward to a quiet night and the arrival of dawn. The Marines’ carbines and BARs are unreliable due to the extreme cold and in many cases the weapons fail to function at all. However, the M-1 rifles and the Browning machine guns split the difference between life and death for many of the Marines on the rugged ridges. The troops remain unaware that the stark silence is about to be shattered by a massive attack against their northwest arch, at North and Northwest Ridges. In synchronization with this powerful frontal blow by the Chinese 79th and 89th Divisions, another assault will be unleashed against the southern portion of the perimeter by the 59th Chinese Division. The Chinese 59th Division, having maneuvered to positions to the south, will launch its attack to sever the MSR between Yudam-ni and Hagaru at South Ridge and Toktong Pass. Meanwhile, the Marines hold their positions and try to avoid frostbite. Just before midnight, the Chinese announce their presence with the flare of whistles, sirens and blaring bugles. Screaming infantrymen, donned in rubber sneaks, recklessly charge under the cover of machine gun fire. These three Chinese divisions crash against the 5th and 7th Marines to test the mettle of the two regiments. The 5th and 7th Marines complain about the nasty weather, lack of sleep, cold food and just about everything else on this piece of frozen terrain, but as always, the grumbling ceases at the first sizzling sound of gunfire. At about 2100 the pernicious trap set against Northwest Ridge is sprung by elements of two units of the Chinese 89th Division, the 266th and the 267th Regiments. About fifteen minutes earlier, Company I, 5th Marines, had come under fire at its positions on the slopes of Southwest Ridge by vanguard elements of the 237th Chinese Regiment. These sniper-type actions in the south continue sporadically while the attacks against North and Northwest Ridge unfold. The Chinese initiate several diversionary probing raids. While the Communists continue to silently inch closer to the perimeter of the 5th and 7th Marines’ positions on Northwest Ridge, one enemy patrol jabs at the roadblock manned by Company D, 5th Marines. A quick flurry of soaring grenades exchanged by the two sides and the skirmish terminates with the death of two Chinese. Mortars join the skirmish, which prompts an

548 expeditious withdrawal by the enemy patrol. At about the same time, other enemy detachments poke annoyingly at Company F’s perimeter on Northwest Ridge, but here, too, the contact is slick and quick. The enemy prods for a while, then disappears into the bleak darkness. As the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, fends off the stinging actions against its mid-section, more enemy troops flood into the area. Northwest Ridge is permeated with Chinese troops, most within a couple hundred yards of the Marines, which sets up a deadly confrontation that threatens Companies E and F. Company H, 7th Marines, dug in on Hill 1403 to the north, is equally imperiled. Suddenly, the piercing sounds of whistles blast and the Chinese bugles blare to signal the ominous charge into a blood-filled confrontation between two halffrozen forces. These shrill sounds infuse the defenders with a surge of adrenaline that prepares them for the imminent clash for survival. Meanwhile, more sinister sounds arrive when the thundering mortars streak through the bleak night air to plummet upon the Marine lines. This is followed by the roar of blazing submachine guns, coupled with the lightning crackle of grenades. Shortly thereafter, more vicious fire pours upon the Marine lines when the Chinese add some savage automatic weapons fire, which originates from positions all along Northwest Ridge. This massive unanticipated wave of hellish fury, devised to crack the nerves and destroy the 5th and 7th Marines, transforms Northwest Ridge into a cauldron of death. By 2125, the mortars begin to strike the rear positions of Companies E and F. Shortly thereafter, the machine gun fire subsides, only to be replaced by another round of shrill whistles and bellowing yells of charging columns of Chinese troops who boldly encroach the steadfast Marine perimeter. Upon reaching grenadethrowing positions, the columns begin to flow into a ragged skirmish line. The Marines, initially surprised, now anxiously wait the signal to fire. At nearly the same time, Company H, 7th Marines, deployed slightly north on Hill 1403, sustains a withering attack by these seemingly unending waves of enemy troops. The machine gunners and riflemen of Companies E and F raise a solid wall of fire and create a horrid mountain of enemy dead all along their front, but for every enemy troop slain, seemingly, five or more appear. Eventually, the overwhelming numbers of Chinese force a crack in the thinly held gap. They flush through a point on the northern spur to expose the Marines’ flanks with this jagged wedge. During this lightningfast incident, Company F’s right side is penetrated and the enemy forces back a portion of one platoon, threatening a breakthrough in the fragile draw. Nearby, the 1st Platoon, Company E, stands at the fringe of the penetration where it forms a small but cohesive line of defense against the onslaught. A detachment from the 1st Platoon, Company E, led by Lieutenant Jack Nolan, and a section of light machine guns

549 race to the front to sew up the hole and bolster the 1st Platoon. In addition, the 81-mm howitzers of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, enter the fight and propel round after round into the enemy positions to lessen the pressure within the gap. The battlefield psychology works and the barrage validates the laws of physics. A howitzer shell and an enemy soldier cannot occupy the same space. The iron injections strongly support Company E, and it holds firmly to forbid any further enemy penetration and encroachment to its rear. Unable to crack through Company E, the Chinese maintain their pressure against the rear positions of a defiant Company F. Meanwhile, the 2nd Platoon, Company E, stretched thinly on the right front of the perimeter, scores a fortuitous round of shots. During the incessant donnybrook, its machine gun fire cascades upon a Korean hut and gains unexpected results. The succeeding explosion ignites a huge fire that propels spiraling arcs of flame into the ebony sky. At about 2215, the enemy assault reaches its pinnacle, but by 2230, when the hut becomes a huge bonfire, the attack nears its culmination. The immense illumination creates a gargantuan natural spotlight that dispenses imminent doom for the enemy. The hovering radiance pinpoints the precise locations of the Chinese troops as they tramp through the slim corridor. Clusters of other enemy contingents dispersed along the adjoining slopes instantly discover that their concealed positions have been revealed. The Marines become jubilant, having discovered what appears to be the whole remains of the primary enemy assault force. A short while ago, while the attack was hitting high gear, Lt. Colonel Roise had been saddled with some pessimism based on the tremendous odds that faced his command. Roise had ordered H&S Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, to form a defense around the CP; however, the challenge has been met and the threat forestalled. As the Marines react to their new-found prize, the gloom dissipates and the CP remains unscathed. The scant number of Chinese who succeed in breaking through the lines ultimately encounters furious return fire. Their effort is futile and fatal. The Marines take complete advantage of the ongoing raging fire. Every available weapon is brought to bear on the Chinese that still remain alive in the grilled corridor. Marine fire hammers the shattered attackers. The ruthless force of arms shreds the columns and scorches the corridor and its opposing slopes. The enfilade ends at 2400. At the conclusion, the grim result is that the primary attack force has been blown into oblivion. Nevertheless, the Communists still hold ground on the northern tip of the spur, which gives them tenable positions from which they can deliver a deluge of fire into the Marines’ positions. In addition, Company F remains separated from Company E. Patrols are unable to re-establish contact with the isolated unit. Lt. Colonel Roise pushes Company D’s reserve platoon to positions that fortify Company F’s side of the perimeter to equalize what Company E had

November 27, 1950 earlier done to plug the gap on its side. In essence, the reassignment keeps the defense in the gap more cohesive and forbids easy advance through the draw. The Communists, having sustained huge losses, abort further attempts to re-enter the draw. In the meantime, at Company H, 7th Marines’ isolated positions on Hill 1403, north of the 5th Marines’ units, come under attack at 2135. They soon discover that the half-moon perimeter that stretches from the road to the crest of the hill is vulnerable to attack from all directions. The mission of the far-strung company is to safeguard the communications that link with Yudam-ni and the valley. Captain Cooke, the CO, posts his command post on the reverse slope. Subsequent to a series of quick, stabbing raids lasting about thirty minutes, the Chinese mount a fierce frontal strike against the right side, held only by one platoon, led by Lieutenant Elmer Krieg. This powerful blow quickly rips through the front line of the outnumbered platoon. As the brittle right flank folds, communications also end between the platoon and the company command post. Lieutenant Krieg orders his troops to redeploy to the left to link with Lieutenant Paul Denny’s platoon to form a tougher defense. The Chinese maintain the pressure; however, the command post makes an urgent request for supporting fire to strengthen the line. The valley floor seemingly rises to a crescendo as the howitzers and mortars catapult shells toward the lost ground on the crest to subdue the enemy. Captain Cooke regroups his platoons and readies a counterattack. When the barrage lifts, Cooke leads a futile charge to regain the lost terrain from the newly entrenched Communists. The attack hits a solid wall of machine gun and small arms fire that terminates the charge and kills Captain Cooke, who had been at the point of the assault. Lieutenant James Mitchell assumes temporary command. Company H sustains heavy casualties, but the Chinese are unable to overrun its positions. By about midnight, Lieutenant H.H. Harris climbs the hill to relieve Lieutenant Mitchell and discovers that Lieutenant Minard Newton is the sole unwounded company officer. Harris quickly redeploys Newton’s platoon from the left flank to the right flank to give it more sturdiness. Newton’s platoon counterattacks and recaptures some primary real estate to guarantee that the company locks its hold on the frozen hill, despite the high casualties sustained. During the fighting, a few troops wind up at Lt. Colonel Taplett’s 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines’ CP, at the foot of Southwest Ridge. They report that Chinese had overrun their mortar position on Hill 1403. Despite high losses, the Chinese bring in more reinforcements to break the impasse. Following about two hours of quietness, the enemy again advances toward the perimeter and strikes Companies E and F, 5th Marines, and Company H, 7th Marines, with ferocious fire. In the infamous draw, about three hundred Chinese advance towards the center of the two-mile front, manned by Jaskilka’s Company E. To the left, more Chinese

November 27, 1950 close toward Company F. To the right, Company H, in the heights on Hill 1403, is struck along both flanks and the front. Blazing fire meets the threats at all points. At Company E’s positions on the floor of the draw, several hundred Chinese fly into the incessant machine gun fire; most die suddenly. Trailing columns note the grim scene in the bloody corridor and choose to stop short and take cover. Most of the remaining action in Company E’s zone is long range; however, some sporadic close-range action occurs on the flanks. In the meantime, about two hundred Chinese assault F Company. Company F sustains high casualties as it pours deadly fire into unending numbers of charging troops who plow into the center of the line. The enemy disregards their layers of dead as they tramp over them to break through. Eventually, two outnumbered machine gun positions are overwhelmed, but the company holds. Throughout the remainder of the night, Companies E and F hold their ground. Back in the heights, Company H remains under tremendous siege for about one hour. Successive waves of Chinese also pound this perimeter, but Harris’ command catapults round after round into the attackers, increasing the number of corpses on Hill 1403. The roadblock in the valley, defended by Sergeant William Vick (Company H, 7th Marines) also holds firmly and gives no ground. Nevertheless, the beleaguered company, out of touch with other units, is ordered by Lt. Harris to pull back at 0400 and redeploy to the rear of Company E, 5th Marines. By about 0600, Company H successfully disengages and fights its way back, but the situation deteriorates as the enemy gains the heights of the key hill and with it, the means to strike the rear of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. The 2nd Battalion is threatened with isolation and those Marines on North and Southwest Ridges face a threat to their flanks and rear. In addition, by break of dawn, the Chinese are able to scrutinize the positions of about two thousand Marines still deployed down in the hazardous valley. While the elements of the Chinese 89th Division pound the Marines on Northwest Ridge, contingents of the Chinese 79th Division seek to wipe out two isolated companies of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, at their lonely positions in the heights above Yudam-ni on North Ridge at Hills 1240 and 1282. These attacks simultaneously threaten the command posts of the 5th and 7th Marines in Yudam-ni. The Marines surmise that the village will become a target. Colonel Taplett redeploys his 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. He directs it to switch from its compact assembly area north of the village to form a wide defensive perimeter in the same vicinity, to forestall any potential breakthrough from the slopes of Northwest Ridge. Companies H and I dig in on Hill 1403 facing the ridge, while Company G spreads out at Southwest Ridge. Two platoons of Company G entrench themselves at the foundation of the ridge, while the third

550 platoon disperses among the slopes to establish an outpost there. Meanwhile, Colonel Taplett establishes his 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines’ CP in the low ground at the foundation of Northwest Ridge, between Hill 1282 and the knob of Hill 1384. Taplett learns that the spur of Hill 1384 is undefended. He dispatches one platoon of Company I, with orders to take positions about 300 yards up the slope. About 300 yards to the rear of Company I, a detachment of South Korean police manning machine guns holds a section of the spur that lies directly above the battalion CP. The enemy elements had maneuvered over the spine of North Ridge to reach positions near the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. The 1st Battalion, 235th Chinese Regiment, is to overrun Hill 1240, but it receives no orders to capture Hill 1282. Inadvertently, while advancing in the bleak darkness, the enemy 1st Battalion climbs a knob that leads toward Hill 1282, still thinking it is the objective. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 236th Regiment, operating to the left of the 1st Battalion, 235th Regiment, moves toward its objective, unoccupied Hill 1167. However, the tactical error rolls into its ranks and causes the 3rd Battalion to end up at the foundation of the sheer slopes of Hill 1240. The terrain is in sharp contrast to the shallow rolling slopes of Hill 1167. The confusion stalls the attack of the 3rd Battalion for a few hours, but the equally confused 1st Battalion, 235th Regiment, executes its attack at 2200. Convinced they are stalking a lone Marine platoon on Hill 1240, the Chinese launch their assault against Company E, commanded by Captain W.D. Phillips, positioned on Hill 1282 about 1,000 yards west of Hill 1240. The Chinese 1st and Special Duty Companies initiate probing raids with the resounding sounds of their sub machine gunners and grenadiers. The Marines commence fire and drive the attacks back. Within about two hours, the Communists lunge against Hill 1240. At 2345, Company D, 2nd Battalion, informs headquarters of enemy infiltration on the hill. Both Company D and Company E prepare for the inevitable. All patrols interacting between the two companies are postponed. Two platoons of Company E plant themselves on the crest, while the remaining platoon, under Lieutenant Bey, deploys in the rear to the right of the line to hold a spur on the eastern side above Yudam-ni. Company D diligently denies the freezing temperature on Hill 1240 to bolster its positions. At midnight, amidst the howling winds and darkened crevices on the crest, Chinese bugles bellow to signal the attack. Instantly, these clamors are joined by the screaming chants of the night-assault troops who charge the perimeter’s northeastern bow. They advance headlong into an intrepid sheet of gunfire, provided by Lieutenant Yancey’s platoon. Many of the chants cease as the attacking squads are ripped to pieces. The Chinese attempt to sidestep the hurricane of fire by swerving eastward to break through, but here, too, the Chinese face disaster. Bey’s platoon holds an iron grip on the jutting spur. His Marines fire incessantly

551 and again thin the ranks of the Chinese. Undeterred, many more continue to charge, ignoring the layers of their dead comrades that are splattered along the ghastly perimeter. The remainder of the two attacking companies maintain their futile attack. By about 0200, the Chinese have been ravaged by Company E and the assault to begins to fizzle. Company E takes high casualties but remains rigid. Machine gunners and riflemen, aided by the timely tossing of grenades, maintain the pressure. By about 0300, both enemy units are literally wiped out as fighting units, having sustained the loss of nearly every man. When the battle subsides, Hill 1282 remains in possession of battered Company E, 7th Marines. The hill’s frozen slopes become cluttered with more than 200 recently deceased Chinese of the 1st Battalion, 235th Chinese Regiment. Reinforcements are struggling to reach the embattled U.S. command, but in the meantime, the Chinese show no signs of relenting. In a short while, the 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 235th Regiment, is thrown upon the fiery gauntlet to seize the obstinate crest. The scant force, the surviving troops of the first attack, are clamped into the unit, bringing the attack force to about 125 men. Meanwhile, back at Hill 1240, on North Ridge, the probing raids also begin at about midnight when elements of the 3rd Battalion, 236th Chinese Regiment, explore the perimeter of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. These jabbing raids shift upward to a fullscale attack just after 0100. Within the first thirty minutes of the initial attacks, some Chinese bolt through the saddle between Hills 1240 and 1282. They occupy positions in the high ground, from where they commence fire upon the regimental (5th and 7th) command post in the village. Actually, an outpost on Hill 1384 held by Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, had received incoming fire prior to 2100, becoming the first unit to come under fire. It is this outpost that gets badgered at 0145, about thirty minutes after the battalion goes on full alert. Once the enemy commits to the assault, Colonel Murray redeploys the 1st Battalion in anticipation of a second assault. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, moves to positions to the rear of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. At 0100, the 1st Platoon, Company A, led by Lt. Nicholas Trapnell, begins to ascend the slippery slopes of Hill 1282 to bolster hard-hit Company E, but the trek takes longer than two hours. The abominable weather, having reached twenty degrees below zero, makes the task unbearable. Shortly thereafter, Company A’s 3rd Platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Snyder, makes the ascent, trailing the 1st Platoon. In the meantime, at 0145, Company I’s platoon on the spur of Hill 1384 reports that it is coming under increasingly heavy fire from the heights above. Soon after, reliable word is spread from Company H, 7th Marines, on Hill 1403 that Chinese are maneuvering around the hill to sever the MSR. By dawn, Company H is forced to withdraw from the hill, leaving it to the enemy. Some of these troops make

November 27, 1950 it to the lines of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, while others reach the positions of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. A short time later, at about 0218, Company I identifies enemy movement and commences firing to thwart a platoon-sized enemy contingent. The enemy unit retreats, but this incident is soon overshadowed by the advance of a larger force. Between one and two companies begin to flow down the slopes of Hill 1384. They sweep over the undersized Company I platoon and lunge nearly 300 yards toward the South Korean police. The Koreans, on the spur that overlooks the command post, dish out tenacious machine gun fire to momentarily halt the marauders, but the Korean platoon is unable to permanently hold. It is compelled to pull back, leaving the heights to the swarming enemy. Down below in the draw, the CP becomes threatened. H&S and Weapons Companies return fire toward the heights, but the former is forced to pull back to the other side of the MSR. The Weapons Company, holding more tenable positions, holds its ground despite the avalanche of fire from above. All the while, the 3rd Battalion rifle companies remain unengaged. Nevertheless, the CP stands nearly naked in the draw since the pull back of H&S Company. Taplett, informed of his precarious situation, chooses to remain in the tent to maintain contact with his rifle companies. The Chinese, apparently thinking the tent is unoccupied, fail to direct their fire upon it, leaving Taplett the opportunity to control his command. The battalion executive officer, Major John Canney, departs the tent, leaving the S-3, Major Thomas Durham, armed with only his pistol to guard Taplett. Canney moves to regroup H&S Company, but as he reaches the MSR, an enemy bullet kills him. Outside the blackened CP tent, Taplett has one other guard, PFC Louis Swinson, whose radio has fallen prey to the elements. Swinson, poised with his rifle, keeps vigil on the approach routes to the CP. This harrowing incident, which lasts for about one hour, goes unnoticed by the battalion’s three rifle companies posted about 300 yards away. Luckily, the Chinese make no genuine effort to storm the CP. Very few Chinese attempt to make the descent from the spur. Back on Hill 1282, a second assault is thrown against Company E, 7th Marines while reinforcements are en route to the summit. The exhausted troops of Company E repeatedly throw back the attackers, but at high cost, including probable annihilation at any moment. Meanwhile, the 1st Platoon, Company A, reaches the bloody peak slightly after 0300 and takes positions with Lt. Bey’s platoon on the spur that bolts out from the eastern side of the ridge. The platoon arrives prior to the full velocity of the Chinese thrust. Subsequently, the haggard 3rd Platoon of Lieutenant Snyder arrives to reinforce the few survivors of the two besieged platoons. Snyder, unable to establish contact with the troops on the spur, directs his men to intertwine with the troops of E Company, but even more Chinese reach the crest to offset the arrival of reinforcements. The Oriental chants and screeching whistles

November 27, 1950 increase the intensity, but now the sky bursts with illuminating flares and the profound reverberating sounds of multiple explosions that quiver the frozen earth. Brutal hand-to-hand combat and ferocious exchanges of grenades and gunfire erupt. The wild donnybrook inflicts horrifying numbers of casualties to both sides. The Marines’ resources are quickly diminishing. Eventually, the Communists drive a wicked spear between the defenders holding the crest and those on the equally perilous spur. By 0400, the summit is overrun by Chinese. They take over the command post on the peak and begin to speak in Chinese on the captured telephone. The summit takes on the appearance of a slaughterhouse as the surviving men of Company E attempt to circle the rhetorical wagons for a final stand. Like falling dominoes, the remaining able-bodied Marine officers become casualties during this desperate struggle. During the regrouping, Lieutenant Yancy, a wounded platoon leader, is again struck, as is Lieutenant William Schrier of the mortar section. Lt. Leonard Clements, the other Company E platoon leader, sustains a wound. The company commander, Captain Phillips, continues throwing grenades at the encroaching enemy until he is slain. Immediately, Lieutenant Raymond Ball (executive officer) assumes command of Company E, but he, too, has sustained multiple wounds. Yelling advice and encouragement from his prone position, Ball sustains several additional wounds that render him unconscious. He is rushed to the medics, but he succumbs. Recently arrived Lieutenant Snyder (3rd Platoon, Company A, 5th Marines) assumes command of the dwindling company and his battered platoon. The Chinese ignore their horrific casualty rate that has climbed to about 250, as opposed to the 150 sustained by the Marines on this contested Hill 1282, which now resembles a huge morgue. By 0500, the Chinese control the crest, but they remain convinced that their effort has given them Hill 1240. The enemy wedge has widely separated the Marine defenders. Snyder’s survivors have been pushed to the reverse slope. The contingent stands at about one-half rifle platoon from Company E and about six able-bodied men of his 3rd Platoon. The combined casualties of the two Company A Platoons, since their ascent to the summit, stands at about forty killed and wounded. To the left, the remainder of Company E’s riflemen, led by Lt. Bey, and Lt. Trapnell’s 1st Platoon, Company A, 5th Marines retains a precarious hold on the summit of the rugged southeastern spur directly above Yudam-ni. Meanwhile, the Chinese have also made some substantial gains at Hill 1240 against Company D, 7th Marines which had brushed back the initial probing strikes. At about 0105, elements of the 3rd Battalion, 236th Chinese Regiment, uncork a full-blast assault against the perimeter, which ignites a furious slugfest. The enemy surge encounters a platoon led by Sergeant O.J. Reller when it slams into the northwestern sector,

552 and another platoon led by Lieutenant Seeburger that holds the eastern (right) side of the line. Supporting machine gun sections hold the line to the front of Captain Hull’s CP. Successive assaults are turned back by Reller’s unit, but the Chinese intensify the effort and pour unending amounts of troops into the battle. By 0230, the enemy breaks through the line on the left. Full-throttled pressure bars Seeburger from moving to assist Reller’s platoon. Lieutenant Webber, a machine gun platoon leader, attempts to stem the tide by rushing reinforcements, but the Chinese raise the pressure against the CP and compel Weber to abort the attempt. Heavy fighting continues without pause. Nonetheless, by 0300, Captain Hull’s CP is overwhelmed by Chinese. The remnants of the two platoons on the line and the reserve platoon, led by Lt. Anthony Sota, is directed by Captain Hull to form at the base of the hill. Hull, wounded but determined to hold the hill, regroups his troops and leads a counterattack to regain the lost ground. The assault stuns the Chinese and prompts them to give ground, but the weakened command finds itself in near untenable positions. The Chinese mount an attack, pounding the diminutive contingent at three separate points. The Marines hold steadfastly as they simultaneously defend their front, right flank and the right side of their rear. The cost is high, but as dawn approaches and the company becomes compacted like a squad, the remaining sixteen able-bodied Marines still hold their positions. However, the Chinese retain the heights to their front, the slopes to the rear and both flanks. The Communists’ gains on Hill 1240, combined with the seizure of Hill 1282, add to the dilemma of holding Yudamni and preserving the firepower of the accompanying artillery units, especially the 3rd Battalion, under Major Parry, and Battery K, 4th Battalion. The former is deployed just under the slopes of 1240 and the latter stands at positions just under the southeastern spur of Hill 1282. While the 5th and 7th Marines are engulfed in bitter combat at North and Northwest Ridges, other Chinese contingents begin to whack the defenders at South Ridge. Company B, 7th Marines, is heavily engaged with elements of the Chinese 59th Division at Hill 1419. By the arrival of dusk, the company has sustained serious casualties. Company C drives down the MSR and deploys across the road from Hill 1419 to support B Company. After the arrival of reinforcements, Company B brings out its wounded and returns to Yudamni with Lt. Colonel Davis, who had brought in Company C (only two rifle companies), commanded by Captain Morris. He establishes positions on Hill 1419. His two platoons deploy in a half-moon perimeter along the lower slopes of the eastern spur. The 60-mm mortar section is also within the perimeter. In the distance is the ominous crest. At 0230 (28th), the slopes come alive with the usual notorious sounds of attacking Chinese. The right flank of the perimeter is heavily struck by large numbers of

553 troops that spring from the heights. The defending platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Jack Chabek, sustains high casualties and the Chinese penetrate. The left flank then comes under a ferocious attack and the weakened platoon under Sergeant Earle Payne also is pummeled. One squad is deployed in higher ground, causing the platoon to partially collapse and be pushed back. This detachment becomes totally isolated and its fate remains unknown at dawn. Captain Morris attempts to forestall disaster. He speeds reinforcements to both flanks, utilizing his headquarters and mortar personnel. The maneuver saves the command from being decimated. The Marines contend with the attacks until dawn, when the din of battle subsides and artillery fire is turned against the enemy positions. Nonetheless, enemy fire continues to rain down on the beleaguered unit from every direction. The circumstances remain dire, as the combat had destroyed the radio and racked up high casualties. The pinned-down command, which has sustained about forty casualties, also suffers from lack of air support due to the break-down of communications. Meanwhile, the Chinese have gained control of the MSR leading south toward Toktong Pass and to the north toward Yudam-ni. Attempts to contact the missing squad from Sergeant Payne’s platoon are futile. One man, Corporal Kiesling, voluntarily heads up the slope to locate it, but machine gun fire slays him. The daylight brings no solace to Company C. It becomes captive to the terrain while the enemy begins to encircle it. The only option is to tighten the perimeter and hold until relief arrives, but ammunition is running low. The besieged company regroups in hills east of the road. Throughout the morning of the 28th, Captain Morris and his Marines await rescue. Meanwhile, they watch the Communists form a deadly circle around the diminutive perimeter. In Fox Company’s zone, Captain William Barber, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, deploys his unit midway through Toktong Pass, upon a sequestered hill just north of the MSR. The reinforced company, composed of 240 officers and men, also has heavy machine guns and 81-mm mortars. The machine guns are placed with the rifle platoons. The 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant J. Dunne, and the 2nd Platoon, commanded by Lieutenant Elmer Peterson, take the right and left flanks respectively. With each leaning toward the MSR, the platoons string down the hill to fortify the 3rd platoon, under Lieutenant R. McCarthy, which holds the crest and stares northward. At the foundation of the hill, Barber establishes his headquarters. Between it and the flanking platoons, the reverse slope is held by headquarters company and a rocket section and these are hooked to the flanking platoons. The night positions of Fox Company are under a full moon, which creates a mixed blessing, but the temperatures become extremely hostile, challenging the minds and numbing the bodies of the men. The area remains quiet throughout the night of the 27th and into the early part of the 28th, but concentration is difficult.

November 27, 1950 The exceptions to the silence are the convoys transporting the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, and the 4th Battalion, 11th Marines, back to Yudam-ni and the empty vehicles of Lt. Colonel Beall that are en route to Hagaru. The 3rd Platoon stretches out along a hilltop position linked to the other two platoons, which lean down the slopes pointing toward the MSR. Each of the platoons is bolstered by machine gun units. Fox Company’s positions remain unchallenged during the night of the 27th; however, this situation changes drastically during the early morning hours of the 28th. Under a bright moon, the 3rd Platoon waits apprehensively in anticipation of an attack, but it is hindered by the extreme cold that dulls attentiveness. Lieutenant McCarthy zips through the positions a little after 0100 to make sure all are prepared for the inevitable. He emphasizes the need to maintain a constant vigil. At about 0230, the Chinese announce their presence when a force estimated at about company strength plows into the positions of Company F. The enemy tries to open a gap between the lines of the 2nd and 3rd Platoons. The attack is met with ferocious fire that inflicts heavy casualties upon the enemy on the hills; however, the 3rd Platoon under McCarthy, holding the crest, is struck with an overwhelming blow that nearly eradicates two squads. Although McCarthy’s command loses fifteen killed and nine wounded, eight survivors make it back to the reserve squad’s positions. Meanwhile, as the Chinese take this peak, the Marines steadfastly hold and otherwise prevent penetration, due in great part to the valor of several who refused to accept defeat. These men, PFC Robert F. Benson, Private Hector A. Cafferatta (2nd Platoon) and PFC Gerald J. Smith, supported by Smith’s fire team, provide two enemy platoons with sudden death, eliminating these contingents in their entirety. Private Cafferatta intentionally makes himself a target to draw fire away form the others. He leapfrogs along the lines, singlehandedly taking on the enemy as they arrive. Fifteen of them fall. He wounds many others during his atttempt to buy time for reinforcements to arrive. In one incident, at close quarters an enemy grenade is tossed near him and others. Cafferatta jumps into the gully, retrieves the grenade and tosses it back; however, just after it leaves his right hand, it detonates. He loses one finger and sustains other injuries to his hand and arm. He disregards the wounds and continues to battle the enemy. Later he is hit by a sniper’s bullet and is finally forced to agree to evacuation. Private Cafferatta, for his extraordinary heroism under fire, becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Fox Company remains engulfed in combat throughout the frigid night. Apparently, the Chinese had expected to overrun two rifle platoons, but instead, these attackers bump into the main command post of Captain William Barber, which contains the mortars. Barber’s troops fall back to more tenable positions, giving the enemy some running room, while the Marines climb higher to a cluster of trees that stand above an

November 28, 1950 embankment along the MSR. The Chinese give pursuit and find themselves unable to climb the hill. On each attempt to ascend the embankment, Marine fire cuts them down. While they take measures to find safety behind the embankment, the Marines pull the pins on grenades and let them tumble directly upon the Chinese. After concluding the Marine positions are impenetrable, the enemy attempts to retreat, but as they hit the open ground, Marine fire eliminates more of them. The Chinese attack finally is deemed over at 0630 on the 28th. About 100 dead Chinese are laid out to the front of the 1st Platoon and along the MSR at the foundation of the hill, while another 350 are in front of the 2nd and 3rd Platoon positions. These Marines sustain 20 killed and 54 wounded.

November 28 Intelligence reports reveal that the Chinese are heavily involved in Korea, something that had not been anticipated. General MacArthur sends additional information to the United Nations concerning new players in the fighting: “Enemy reactions developed in the course of our assault operations of the past four days disclose — continental armed forces in army, corps, and divisional organization of an aggregate strength is now arrayed against the United Nations forces in North Korea.... Heavy reinforcements are now concentrated within the privileged sanctuary north of the international boundary and constantly moving forward.” Soon after Macarthur sends an alert: “We face an entirely new war.” Within several days, President Truman issues a statement that points the blame on the Soviets. Also, during the evening, General MacArthur summons Generals Walker and Almond to Tokyo to confer with them regarding the situation in Korea. Walker and Almond return to Korea during the following day. In the X Corps area, 7th Division sector, following a week of heavy skirmishing with North Korean troops, Task Force Kingston, reinforced, commanded by 2nd Lt. Robert C. Kingston, finally breaks through and reaches Singalpajin. TF Drysdale arrived at Koto-ri, but instead of being used for reconnaissance as planned, circumstances compelled X Corps to slip it into the operations designed to bolster Hagaru. The 41st Independent Commando, Royal Marines, joins with U.S. Marines and Army contingents on the following day in an attempt to break through to Hagaru. In the 1st Marine Division sector, General Oliver P. Smith arrives at Hagaru from Hungnam and officially establishes headquarters at 1100. Staff and intelligence officers fill him in on the situation, while plans continue for an assault. Agents operating in the field report back later in the day and inform headquarters that they have actually conversed with enemy officers and the Chinese boasted that they would seize Hagaru on this day, after dark. Meanwhile, Lt. General Edward M. Almond, USA, arrives at Hagaru to discuss strategy with General Smith. In the 1st Marines sector, Lt. Colonel Ridge continues

554 to direct his 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, to prepare for an imminent attack. The enemy has established positions that isolated Marine positions at Yudam-ni, Fox Hill, Hagaru and Koto-ri, preventing the Marines from maintaining contact with each other. Companies H and I protect the south and southwest sector of the line. George Company was to defend East Hill, but it has not yet reached the area. Other units, including Company D, 1st Engineer Battalion, and elements of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, are deployed on the southeast part of the perimeter, which links How Company with East Hill. Lacking the manpower of George Company, East Hill had to be defended by troops from X Corps headquarters and a contingent of the 10th Engineer Battalion, USA. The area just north of East Hill is held by the Antitank Battalion (7th Marines). The Chinese launch an attack on the following night. In the 5th Marines zone, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, executes an attack to lessen the pressure in its zone. Company C, which had recently deployed to reinforce the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, to hold the line in the valley, comes under the jurisdiction of the 7th Marines to help stabilize the unsteady situation on Hills 1282 and 1240. Two platoons under Captain Jack R. Jones during the early morning hours begin to climb Hill 1282 to support Company E, 7th Marines. Meanwhile, the other Company C platoon moves to Hill 1240 to bolster Company D, 7th Marines. As the contingent under Jones ascends the slope, many wounded Marines are descending and even from them, it is impossible to determine what is actually occurring at the crest in the darkness. Nonetheless, the platoons maintain the slow advance in the bitter cold. By about 0430, enemy fire from the nearby crest alerts the Marines they are near the objective. Shortly thereafter, it becomes clear that the situation is grim. Company E has lost is positions and about twenty survivors are regrouping to attempt an attack to regain the lost ground. Captain Jones aligns his two platoons and joins the Company E survivors under Sergeant Daniel Murphy. Supported by mortars, the men launch their attack just after the crack of dawn to dislodge the 235th Chinese Regiment’s 3rd Company, 1st Battalion. In numbing cold, the Marines defy the onslaught of machine gun fire and a barrage of hand grenades. They lack artillery cover due to the close quarters of the opposing forces. And the skies are clear of planes; the Corsairs have not yet reached the target. Nevertheless, the charge gains speed and overwhelms the enemy defenders. Of the fifty or so Chinese troops, only about five survive. Within a while, led by an officer who had survived the attack, another enemy platoon ascends the slope, only this time, the slope is dominated by Marines. Another Chinese platoon follows and it, too, is struck by riveting fire. The Marines repulse attack after attack and finally the enemy company is reduced to seven survivors. The Chinese commander has one company remaining and

555 it is down to one platoon. The Marines of Company C also greet this attack and it, too, amounts to nothing more than additional dead Chinese. Following the final attack by the remaining reserve squad, six of these Chinese remain standing. The Chinese 1st Battalion, 235th Regiment, loses about 400 men, including nearly every one of the NCOs, platoon leaders and company commanders. Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, sustain 15 killed and 67 wounded. Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, suffer about 120 casualties, including killed and wounded. Following the early morning action the Marines attempt to rescue their wounded, some of whom are from Company E, still in their foxholes on the slope of Hill 1282. The operation succeeds despite heavy fire from enemy positions. By about noon, the Marines definitely maintain control of Hill 1282. In the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines zone, Lt. Colonel Roise’s battalion at Northwest Ridge has been heavily involved against the Chinese. The enemy is able to gain some ground on the spur and it overruns two machine gun positions. However, the Marines succeed in repelling several major attacks in the draw and along the spur to the left of the 7th Marines’ lines. The 5th Marines dominate in its area and the enemy dead continues to rise, but at about 0430, stragglers from Company H, 7th Marines, which had held Hill 1403, arrive at 5th Marines lines, which makes it clear that the Communists hold the hill and that communications with the remainder of the 5th Marines at Yudam-ni are also in jeopardy. At one point during the early morning hours, fifteen Chinese troops penetrate the positions of Company F and all are killed. By about 0600, a counterattack executed by Company E succeeds in pushing out the Chinese and it regains the two machine guns that had earlier been seized. In the meantime, Company E, 5th Marines, takes the offensive and engages a large Chinese force on the spur, which is setting up an assault against the 2nd Battalion’s right flank. After the night’s combat in Roise’s zone, the weather inflicts more casualties than the enemy. The Chinese, however, suffer heavy casualties. Combined, Companies E and F sustain 60 casualties to the elements and seven killed. Also, 25 Marines are wounded. The Chinese sustain about 500 killed, but this figure does not include those killed at Hill 1403, as Company H had not made a body count. The 5th Marines, under recent orders to launch an attack after dawn, abort the assault following an assessment that the area now contains too many Chinese troops. At about 1650, orders to officially stop the offensive arrive from General Oliver P. Smith’s headquarters. The 5th Marines deploy to positions where they can cooperate with the 7th Marines. By 2000, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, complete a movement from Northwest Ridge to Southwest Ridge. In the meantime, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, relieves contingents of the 1st Battalion, 5th

November 28, 1950 Marines at Hill 1282 (North Ridge). Also, Companies G and H, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, establish positions from where they can guard the northwest approaches to Yudam-ni. The beleaguered troops at Hill 1240 are relieved by Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. In the 7th Marines zone, at about 1015, Company A, 1st Battalion, acting as vanguard, moves out to rescue Companies C and F, both of which are trapped and surrounded at their positions along the MSR that heads to Hagaru. The remaining troops of the 1st Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Davis, bring up the rear. They encounter heavy enemy resistance, particularly after they drive into the gorge between South and Southeast Ridges. The unit manages to reach a point about one mile from the besieged companies just after 1500; however, after it ascends to the high ground, the Chinese effectively halt the column. Meanwhile, Davis directs Company B, to take a circuitous route and outflank the Chinese by advancing on the west side of the MSR to gain the heights. The operation, supported by mortar fire and planes, succeeds. Combined, the relief force drives the Chinese from their positions. From the newly gained ground directly overlooking the positions of Company C, the force deploys in a half-moon position and points towards the MSR, forming a solid line of fire between the Chinese to the South and the once imperiled platoon. Although the trapped Marines of Company C have an umbrella of protection, Fox Company, which had been unable to extricate itself from the Toktong Pass, is still jeopardized when darkness overtakes the area. Davis’ relief force prepares to establish night positions, but Colonel Litzenberg concludes that to permit the 1st Battalion to remain in its dangerous positions could also endanger the 1st Battalion. Davis is ordered to return to Yudam-ni to eliminate any possibility of being surrounded in the gorge. Shortly after receiving the directive, Davis moves out. The unit brings Company C and its 46 wounded Marines along. In the 2nd Battalion’s zone, Company F remains in control of its positions; however, the Chinese night attacks have inflicted casualties that total 54 wounded. After dawn, the Marines scrounge around the Chinese dead and seize many weapons, including American Thompson submachine guns and some Springfield rifles. Attempts to relieve Company F through the day are unsuccessful, but some air support by Australian planes eases the pressure for a while. In addition, Marine RFDs drop supplies, but the unit on Fox Hill sustains two casualties while it retrieves the supplies from the bottom of the hill. The unit remains surrounded and two separate rescue missions from Hagaru and Yudamni each fail to reach the lines. Fox Company prepares to hold the position. The situation on the hill remains tranquil through midnight, but during the early morning hours of the 29th, the Chinese attack. In the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines zone, a counterattack is initiated against Hill 1384. Company G commits two platoons while one remains in place at the outpost

November 28, 1950 on Southwest Ridge. Both units move out simultaneously, push across the MSR and quickly rescue the imperiled command post of Lt. Colonel Taplett. Continuing, the Marines move into the draw and eliminate resistance, essentially ensuring the safety of the Weapons Platoon (3rd Battalion, 5th Marines) still stuck there. From this point, the attacking platoons continue to advance through the stark darkness and reach the spur defended by about 25 Chinese. After evicting the defenders, the Marines claim the spur and soon after, the Korean police platoon, which had earlier abandoned the position, redeploy there. Once the ground is secured, the attack is halted to await sunrise. Soon after, at the first glimpse of the sun, the attack is reinitiated by these two dogged platoons. To the amazement of the commanding officer, Colonel Taplett, the troops have clearly penetrated the enemy’s lines and stand at the approach to the crest of Hill 1384. Taplett, aware that only the platoons of Lieutenants John Cahill and Dana Cashion are on the offensive, immediately orders the attack to cease. Nonetheless, these platoons have alleviated the enormous pressure on the other Marines in the valley west of Yudam-ni. The attack had also cleared a path for H Company, 7th Marines, which permits it to retire from imperiled positions and join with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, at the slopes of Hill 1403 at Northwest Ridge. Following orders to retire, Cashion and Cahill return to the recently captured spur. In Company D’s zone, the unit holding Hill 1240 has been under attack by the 3rd Battalion, 236th Chinese Regiment, and it holds only a skimpy piece of the hill while defending against attacks from several sides. The 3rd Platoon, Company C, 5th Marines, had earlier advanced to support it, but the darkness and enemy resistance had impeded progress. As the sun rises, it becomes obvious to the Marines on Hill 1282 that their counterparts on Hill 1240 are in trouble, but the distance of 1,000 yards is too much for an easy solution. With the light of the sun and the determination of Lieutenant Dawe’s platoon, a hookup finally occurs with Company D, 7th Marines. However, by this time, the situation is getting more grave, as the Chinese are massing on the reverse sides of Hills 1240 and 1282. The Marines are able to eliminate the enemy from Hill 1240, but they lack sufficient strength to hold off a major attack. All communications have ceased, which forbids Dawe’s from informing Headquarters of the imminent assault and eliminates any possibility of artillery support. At about 1100, the sirens blare and the Chinese send about two battalions against the diminutive force. Unable to totally withstand the attack, the Marines are compelled to pull back, but they hold again about 150 yards to the rear and refuse to budge. Dawe’s shattered platoon and about sixteen survivors of Company D repel the remaining assaults. Relief finally arrives at about 1700. Company B, 5th Marines, arrives at Hill 1240 and discovers the high casualties it cost to hold the ground. Only about one-half of Dawe’s platoon

556 still functions and most of Captain Hull’s Company D has been lost to the casualty list. In the Eighth Army area, prior to noon, due to the intensity of the enemy offensive, General Walker issues orders to the I Corps and the IX Corps to pull back from their respective positions to draw a new line of defenses at the Ch’ongch’on River. The redeployment operations begin at about noon, but the IX Corps is unable to complete the operation by the end of the day. As the day passes, General Walker learns of several situations in the Eighth Army sector that impede his plans, but still he is convinced that the re-initiation of the offensive will proceed in a short while. Complications develop in the 1st Cavalry sector, the ROK II Corps sector and in both corps areas. Meanwhile, the onslaught of the Chinese XIII Army Group also continues to thwart plans. By day’s end, it becomes crystal clear that the bridgehead at the Ch’ongch’on River will not be completed to ensure that the Chinese will be halted. Specifically, the ROK II Corps, already having been clobbered, is positioned to fold and Eighth Army’s left flank is endangered. Throughout the day, reports both from the field and from the air, filter into headquarters and sound the alarm about large numbers of enemy troops moving southwest towards Sunch’on, while another huge force advances from two directions, east and northeast, against Kunu-ri. In the I Corps area, the 24th Division establishes new positions without any major interference by the enemy; however, pursuant to orders from Eighth Army, the bulk of the division, except the 5th Regimental Combat Team (attached to Eighth Army), will move again on the following day to strengthen IX Corps. In the 25th Division sector, the 25th Division has recently been transferred from IX Corps to I Corps. The division had come under assault during the latter part of the previous night by elements of the 39th Chinese Army. The fighting, which concentrated heavily upon the 35th Regiment, continued until sunrise. Task Force Wilson also sustains a severe assault by contingents of the Chinese 39th Army. The enemy pressure compels TF Wilson to pull back to the vicinity of Yongbyon, east of the Kuryong River. Subsequent to the termination of the attack, the 35th Regiment is ordered to move from its positions near Ipsok and advance to a point slightly less than five miles below the Kuryong River, from where it can guard the approach to Kunuri. The 35th Regiment heads towards its objective, but en route, the unit is unaware that Yongsan-dong had fallen during the early morning hours and when it approaches the town, it is hit with heavy enemy fire. The 35th Regiment is able to return fire and eventually break through the trap, but much of its equipment is abandoned in the process. The regiment, led by Colonel Fisher, finally arrives at Yongbyon, where it regroups and deploys in a spot just northeast of the 27th Regiment. In the meantime, the 27th Regiment redeploys in positions that lie to the right of TF Wilson. In

557 conjunction, the enemy assault of the previous night had gained nearly five miles and in the process had pierced the lines between the Kuryong and Taeryong Rivers. The unexpected advance increases the danger to the entire I Corps. In related activity, under orders of General Walker, General Milburn oversees the redeployment of his entire corps. The corps initiates a move to the Ch’ongch’on River, where it is to design a new bridgehead that extends from the mouth of the river to the village of Pakch’on, in conjunction with the IX Corps, also under orders to retire to a new line. The latter will deploy along the lower bank of the river at Pugwon and stretch out toward the southeast to the village of Taeul-li, which is near the boundary of the X Corps. During the afternoon, the ROK 1st Division sets up as cover force by deploying its 11th and 15th Regiments, while the remaining regiment, the 12th, heads for the new line at the river. With the support of the ROKs, the 24th Division and the 25th Division retire to the new defensive line at the Ch’ongch’on River. During the operation, the Chinese 66th Army repeatedly attempts to eliminate the cover force, but the South Korean regiments repel the enemy attacks. The 24th Division under General Church stretches out along the west side of the Taeryong River with its 21st Regiment and forms a half-moon between it and Route 1, a strategic highway. The remainder of the division establishes a perimeter on the east side of the Taeryong. The 25th Division under General Kean disengages and retires about two miles to positions near the Kuryong River (corps’ right). In addition, Task Force Wilson is disbanded. Although the 24th Division’s retirement had been simple, the 25th Division had been heavily engaged with elements of the Chinese 39th Army, making the operation much more complicated. Nonetheless, General Kean by the end of the day has his three regiments in place, following the two-mile southward march to the Kuryong River. The 24th and 27th Regiments line up between the east bank of the Kuryong to the vicinity of the west bank of the Ch’ongch’on, near the village of Puwon. Consequently, the 25th forms a blocking position along the highway that leads from Yongbyon in the north to the Ch’ongch’on River, as well as the path to Kunu-ri. Meanwhile, the two South Korean regiments that had covered the retreat are still in great jeopardy. General Paik orders the 11th and 15th Regiments to remain in place throughout the night rather than risk unnecessary casualties. Subsequent to dawn on the 29th, they are to join the main force at the new lines. In other activity, as the day progresses, more modifications occur as General Walker becomes concerned that the Chinese, who are making large gains in the ROK II Corps area, might well cut off the rear of Eighth Army. He orders General Church to dispatch the greater part of his 24th Division to the IX Corps for deployment at Sunch’on. With only one regiment of the 24th scheduled to remain in I Corps area, Walker

November 28, 1950 directs the British 29th Brigade to move up to Anju to bolster the I Corps. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the 1st Cavalry Division under General Gay, like the other units in Eighth Army, receives new orders. Rather than retire to the newly drawn defensive line, the 1st Cavalry is directed to drive up the Sunchon Road to bolster the ROK 6th Division, posted near Pukch’ang-ni. General Gay, however, does not immediately initiate the advance. Instead, he awaits the arrival of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, which is en route from Kaech’on. Meanwhile, the 7th Cavalry holds in place at a point near Pukch’ang-ni, less than ten miles from the South Korean 6th Division. The 8th Cavalry remains at Sinch’ang-ni, leaving its objective, the primary lateral road between Songch’on and Pyongyang, open for the Chinese advance. The delay adds to the dilemma of Eighth Army. The Chinese launch large-scale attacks towards midnight (28th-29th). In the meantime, the 5th Cavalry initiates its advance to division positions during the morning hours, but enemy resistance occurs soon after it departs the vicinity of Kaech’on. The vanguard, composed of the intelligence and reconnaissance platoon, is intercepted by Chinese who hold dominant positions in the heights near Samso-ri. The ambush succeeds in devastating the platoon, leaving only four troops, including the platoon sergeant, as survivors. Reinforcements trailing the advance unit arrive, but the enemy force, originally at about 100 troops, is now heavily increased. Heavy fighting continues as the 2nd Battalion bolts to both sides of the highway and into the respective heights to terminate the blockade, but Chinese fire prevents any progress. The regiment is compelled to regroup and modify the route to evade the trap. Nevertheless, the 5th Cavalry, due to its circuitous route, does not arrive at Sunch’on until late in the night. Consequently, the ROK 6th Division receives no reinforcements and at least four enemy regiments are encroaching its positions. General Gay anticipates completing the movement on the following day. In the 2nd Division zone, General Keiser oversees the redeployment of the division at Kujang-dong. The line stretches from a point about three miles west of the Ch’ongch’on River to a point that lies about four miles southeast of the river. Two regiments, the 23rd and 38th, hold on the left and right, respectively, with the 9th Regiment being held in reserve at two locations, Yongdam-ni below Kujang-dong and at Pugwon. The S.K. 3rd Regiment at this time is with the 38th U.S. Regiment. The ongoing Chinese offensive causes more adjustments within Eighth Army. The IX Corps receives new orders this morning. The 2nd Division is to raise as much resistance as possible while the division pulls back to the new line, drawn for the division as the ground between Pugwan and Wawon, the latter being where the Turkish Brigade under General Tahsin Yasici is posted. The high number of vehicles causes the road to become

November 28, 1950 too congested, slowing everything down until a quagmire develops. The attempt to simultaneously move the 9th, 23rd, and 38th Infantry Regiments as well as the ROK 3rd Regiment and armor paralyzes the Ch’ongch’on Road, particularly between Kujang-dong and Kunu-ri. While the roads remain jammed, the Chinese continue their attacks. Units emerge from the east and the north against the 38th Regiment. Despite the confusion, Colonel Peploe modifies his plans and moves his 38th Regiment and the ROK 3rd Regiment westward toward Kujang-dong. And from there, Peploe pivots southward to the vicinity of Kunu-ri. He halts the movement at about 2000 to await daylight on the following day. In the meantime, the 23rd Regiment under Colonel Freeman moves in separate units with one battalion trailing Peploe’s 38th Regiment and another following the 9th Regiment. The remaining battalion (1st), accompanied by the 72nd Tank Battalion, maintains the Division rear to cover the main body. The tanks are repeatedly forced to fight off Chinese units on the heels of the Division. The 9th Regiment, led by Colonel Sloane, again fords the Ch’ongch’on River to the west side and drives southward to Pugwon, where it arrives about one hour before midnight. Colonel Sloane spreads out his regiment. He places the 1st Battalion along the west side of the river on the right and rear of the 24th Regiment, 25th Division. He directs his 2nd Battalion (9th Regiment) to establish positions above the town along the valley road. The 3rd Battalion takes positions in the heights just south of the village. Slightly farther to the rear, about two miles south of the village, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 23rd Regiment, deploy and await orders to relieve the 9th Regiment. Also, the 27th British Brigade, posted in the vicinity of Kunu-ri, is to redeploy about five miles south of Sunchon at Chasan, from where it will be poised to bolster either the 1st Cavalry Division or the 2nd Division, whichever becomes more threatened. General Keiser anticipates completing his redeployment at the crack of dawn, but the Chinese choose not to let the night pass quietly. At about midnight, the bugles blare near the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment’s positions below Pugwon, only a short while after it had arrived. Unfortunately for the 2nd Division defenders, the new lines are not yet set up and there is much confusion between the division and the Turkish Brigade assigned to it. While the 2nd Battalion comes under attack, the Turks at the opposite end of the line sustain an assault at about the same time. The Turks had, in the meantime, been under assault at Wawon by the Chinese 38th Army. At about dusk, the Turks are out of radio contact with corps. They disengage and pull back several miles to regroup at Sinnim-ni, arriving there a few strokes before midnight. The Turkish Brigade had been totally unaware of its recent attachment to the 2nd Division, and although earlier it had communications with corps, at this time there is no contact with either the 2nd Di-

558 vision or corps. Nonetheless, the mix-up is costly. The brigade was ordered to be at Wawon and it does not become aware of its attachment to the 2nd Division until the latter part of this night. With the Turkish Brigade absent at Wawon and the non-arrival of the 1st Cavalry Division in the ROK 6th Division zone, the Eighth Army situation becomes precarious, particularly when the Chinese also seize Pugwon in the valley. And the Turkish Brigade, which is regrouping at Sinnim-ni, again comes under attack in the early morning hours of the following day. The Chinese mount a huge force along the road between Kunu-ri and Sunchon, which the 2nd Division uses as its supply road. Some of these enemy troops are dispatched to establish roadblocks in the I Corps sector, along a road that runs southeast from Anju to Sunchon. These enemy units, on the following day, attempt to ambush elements of the 24th Division as its units move toward Sunchon. In the 25th Division sector, General Kean continues to rework his lines at Ipsok. In conjunction, the 25th Division is transferred to the I Corps. Also, the 1st Cavalry Division, commanded by General Gay, is transferred from I Corps to IX Corps. In Air Force activity, U.S. troops encircled in the vicinity of the Changjin Reservoir by Chinese begin to receive supplies from planes of Combat Cargo Command. The air-drop resupply missions continue for two weeks. In related activity, the 35th Fighter Interceptor Group based at Yonpo, North Korea, begin to fly closeair support sorties to bolster the beleaguered ground troops that are surrounded. B-26 light bombers, for the first time, with the added element of more accurate radar, are able to bomb within 1,000 yards of he front lines. In other activity, a solitary small plane penetrates and bombs the airfield at Pyongyang. The raid inflicts damage on eleven P-51 Mustangs parked on the ground. During the day’s fighting, pilot Lieutenant William P. Dougherty (35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group) strafes the airfield at Pyongyang and destroys a parked enemy fighter of undetermined make. In Naval activity, due the enormous enemy pressure, all available aircraft are requested for Eighth Army and X Corps. TF-77, which has been concentrating its carrier planes on the Yalu River bridges, switch the priority to the ground forces to provide close-air support. — In Japan: General MacArthur, following a conference with his staff and the field commanders in Korea, notifies the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C., that his command in Korea is preparing to cancel the offensive and take a defensive position. The Joint Chiefs concur; however, there is disagreement between them and MacArthur about the type of defensive lines to be established. MacArthur clings to the strategy of the ongoing separation of Eighth Army and X Corps under Generals Walker and Almond

559

November 28, 1950

Signs of a Korean winter at sea. A Navy crewman aboard the icy deck of the USS Philippine Sea turns the snow-covered propeller of an F4U Corsair fighter prior to its takeoff.

Top: An M41 (155-mm howitzer) in action near Pukch’on on the east coast of Korea. Bottom: A U.S. infantry contingent advances to rescue a convoy stalled under heavy enemy fire during U.N. withdrawal.

561 respectively. However, the Joint Chiefs are convinced that a line is required between Pyongyang and Wonsan, the latter on the east coast of Korea in the X Corps area. The major concern of Washington is that the gap between the forces affords the Chinese an opportunity to drive a wedge between the two and outflank either or both. MacArthur contends that the purported line is neither supportable nor tenable, due in part to the lack of roads in the mountains that divide the I and IX Corps. He further contends that the available forces under him are insufficient to retain Pyongyang. Nonetheless, he receives no encouraging words from the Joint Chiefs regarding reinforcements.

November 29 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, the enemy had attacked at about 2230 on the 28th and struck the center of the line defended by Companies H and I. The Chinese had surrounded the command post; they stole clothing but chose not to penetrate further against the outnumbered Marines. They had gained East Hill soon after an ROK platoon gave way. Reinforcements from X Corps, composed of engineers and signalmen, arrive to bolster How Company. How Company and Item Company are able to regain the territory and the divisional command post remains intact. The defenders at East Hill were not bolstered with any infantry troops. The army engineers there lose 10 killed and 25 wounded. Of the ninety ROKs, some are killed and wounded, but most are missing. By 0400 on this day, the Marines prevail and the Chinese attack fails to gain its objectives. The Marines initiate plans to counterattack at 0440 to restore the line and liquidate the resistance on East Hill. The Marines move out with artillery support at 0530 and within about one hour, the line is restored. In the meantime, the attack to regain East Hill is suspended until the early morning fog clears. By about 0930, Marine planes (VMF-312) arrive to deliver napalm on the enemy-held hill. The Marines, however, have no artillery or mortar support as they climb the slippery slopes against enemy fire and grenades. The tossed grenades pick up speed as they roll down the icy slopes. The Chinese still hold the hill at noon, but by that time reinforcements arrive. Nevertheless, the exhaustive trek to the hill by Able Company (1st Platoon), led by Lieutenant Nicholas A. Canzona, does not attack. Orders arrive to cancel it. Headquarters had planned an attack from a point other than the southwestern slope, which is held by troops under Major Reginald R. Myers and his improvised unit. Myers, however, is later credited with preventing the Chinese from encircling Hagaru-ri. Myers becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his heroism under fire. Canzona, leading approximately twenty men, afterwards moves up the opposite slope, but his contingent, too, is pinned down and subjected to the same resistance as that sustained by Myers. As the night settles around the hill, the Chinese still control the summit.

November 29, 1950 In addition, George Company, 1st Marines, and British Commandos had not been able to break through from Koto-ri. The Chinese hold the heights outside Kotori and despite dogged fighting, dusk arrives and the advance stalls less than five miles outside Koto-ri. One hill had been seized, soon after the column departed and the second objective, Hill 1236, is seized after a heavy skirmish by the British and Marines. At the third objective, Hill 1182, Captain Carl Sitter (George Company) is ordered by Colonel Drysdale to disengage after the attackers sustain unending heavy fire. After dark, an enemy grenade is tossed into a truck that holds elements of Company G. PFC William B. Baugh shouts a warning to the others in the vehicle, then to save lives, he blankets the grenade with his body to absorb the full impact of the blast. PFC Baugh is awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty. The situation at Hagaru remains desperate and the column is ordered to continue the drive. Air cover vanishes at dusk, but the column advances. Later, it is ambushed. The Chinese destroy a truck in the middle of the convoy and block the road. Consequently, vehicles and personnel (including a reserve unit, Company B, 31st U.S. Infantry Regiment) in the rear of the destroyed truck become isolated. Tanks rush from Koto-ri, but the hills cleaned out earlier are again held by Chinese, who impede the tanks’ progress at Hill 1182 and Hill 1236. In the meantime, the column splinters into several groups, which also decreases the ability of the smaller groups to forestall overwhelming Chinese forces. Some of the troops at the rear are able to make it back to Koto-ri before midnight and some in the middle of the column get back by about 0230 on the following morning. Those still defending the column, under Major John N. McLaughlin, USMC, include only about forty operable troops (British, Army and Marines) who begin to run out of ammunition. During the confrontation with the Chinese, more of the troops are able to escape. About one hundred infantry and one tank company punches through to Hagaru. The battle is known as the Fight in Hell Fire Valley. At dusk, the lead elements of the column under Drysdale are unaware that the column had been cut off. Drysdale’s British troops and the Americans reach the perimeter at Hagaru at about 1900, after fighting through more heavy enemy fire about 2,200 yards from Hagaru. British Lt. Colonel Douglas Drysdale had been wounded during the advance. Command passes to Captain Carl L. Sitter, Company G. The troops remain in reserve for the night, but on the following day, George Company is ordered to attack East Hill, which still jeopardizes Hagaru. In conjunction, one contingent of twenty-two British Marines becomes isolated, but the fate of the men remains unknown until the breakout from Hagaru. On 7 December, the British Marines will be rescued. The precise casualties remain unknown; however, the estimated casualties are: 41st British

November 29, 1950 Commando, 18 killed or MIA and 43 wounded; George Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 8 killed or MIA and 40 wounded; Company B, 31st U.S. Infantry, 100 killed or MIA; Divisional Headquarters Battalion, USMC, 25 killed or MIA and 25 wounded; 1st Signal Battalion, 4 killed or MIA and 2 wounded; 7th Motor Transport Battalion, 2 killed or MIA and 3 wounded; elements of Company B and Company D, USMC, 12 and 8 wounded respectively; and elements of Antitank Company, RCT-5, USMC, 1 wounded. The Allied force also loses 75 vehicles. Captain Carl Sitter is awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism, leadership and courage during the breakout. Captain Sitter, while carrying out his duties, also moved from foxhole to foxhole weeding out infiltrators. During the fighting, Sitter was wounded in the face, arms and chest, yet refused evacuation. In the 7th Marines sector, Company F, 2nd Battalion, on Fox Hill comes under an enemy mortar attack at about 0215. Shortly thereafter, a force of less than fifty Chinese, having discovered what they believe to be a weak spot in the line, initiate a charge and manage to push the Marines back a short distance, but the Marines still hold firmly at that point. Rather than risk unnecessary casualties in the dark, they suspend further action, but once the sun rises, they bolt forward and drive the enemy from the hill. Once the regained positions are secured, the Marines, still entrapped, prepare for another long day while awaiting relief. Various colored parachutes gathered from the air-drops of the previous day are stretched out to provide the planes with a conspicuous spot for supplies to be delivered. As expected, about mid-morning, supplies including ammunition are dropped and soon after a helicopter from VMO-6 lands and delivers fresh batteries for the radios. Chinese fire damages the helicopter, but its pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Englehardt, departs safely. No relief force is able to reach the beleaguered unit, but during the afternoon, more planes arrive to drop fresh ammunition. Despite the marker chutes, the deliveries sometimes miss the target and force the Marines to brave enemy fire to retrieve the desperately needed mortar shells. A patrol moves out to gather the stray ammo, but effective fire prevents it from making it back to the lines. Consequently, the ammunition and the patrol are stranded about 500 yards from the main body. Lieutenant Elmer Peterson, the leader of the detachment, sends the men back individually. In the meantime, a relief force composed of Companies A (1st Battalion, 5th Marines), Company B (1st Battalion, 7th Marines) and G Company (3rd Battalion, 7th Marines), bolstered by mortars and a recoilless rifle detachment, set out to rescue the besieged unit, but shortly after it moves out at 0800, it encounters heavy resistance. Aircraft arrive to support the advance. The planes remain overhead, but after gaining about 4,500 yards, the ground troops are notified by the pilots flying cover that the Chinese hold strong positions on either side of the MSR and in the high ground. Headquarters at Yudam-ni is also notified of the situation.

562 The new crisis compels Colonel Litzenberg to modify his orders. Rather than rescue Fox Company and continue forward to open the route to Hagaru, Major Warren Morris is directed to abort the plan to move to Hagaru and confine his actions to extricating Fox Company. Nevertheless, the Chinese strength is far superior to the composite battalion under Morris. By about 1315, the orders are again modified and the rescue force is ordered to return to Yudma-ni due to the possibility of it, too, being surrounded. After dark, Captain Barber, Fox Company’s commanding officer, dispatches another contingent and it succeeds in retrieving the supplies. All remains relatively quiet until the early morning hours of the following day. In the 7th Infantry Division sector, Lieutenant Colonel Don C. Faith (TF Faith), deployed north of Sinhung-ni with his 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry, above the perimeter of the 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, drive through enemy resistance to reach Sinhung-ni. During intense fighting on the night of the 27th-28th, the Chinese managed to separate the units and prevent a link-up. On the 28th, Marine closeair support maintains missions to keep the positions from being overrun. Chinese attacks are beaten back and afterwards, Colonel Faith drives southward to link with the forces at Sinhung-ni. Nevertheless, the combined force remains greatly outnumbered and under threat of annihilation. Reinforcements (one company) from the 31st Infantry Regiment are dispatched (29th) to rescue the beleaguered force, but the Chinese hold greatly superior numbers. The relief force sustains heavy casualties and it is forced back. In addition, two of the supporting tanks are destroyed. Lieutenant Colonel Faith assumed command after the senior ranking officer was killed. Faith holds in place and receives supplies from air deliveries to forestall disaster. Later, on 1 December, the force attempts to drive through the resistance to reach Marine lines at Hagaru. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, 24th Division zone, General Church, acting on orders from Eighth Army, directs the division to advance from its lines on both sides of the Taeryong River to new positions closer to Sunchon. The movement begins at about noon and continues into the latter part of the night. The 19th Regiment leads the advance from Pakch’on, while the 21st Regiment is held up to await South Korean reinforcements to take over its positions on the I Corps’ left. The 21st, under Colonel Richard W. Stephens, departs for the objective during the latter part of the afternoon. By the time the 19th Regimental Combat Team advances less than five miles beyond Anjou on a highway that leans southeast towards Sunchon, it is informed that the Chinese have erected at least two roadblocks. Colonel Moore directs part of his force to eliminate the blockages, while he takes the remainder on a circuitous route via Route 1 to the village. Meanwhile, the contingent driving down the lateral road from Anju hits the first ambush at about 1400 and

563 effortlessly drives the Chinese from their positions. Several additional miles down the road, more Chinese are encountered and they hold the heights near a reservoir. The regimental combat team utilizes its tanks and mortars while it requests air strikes. The combination of fire power quickly clears the heights of the enemy and permits easy passage towards Sunchon. Colonel Moore’s force arrives slightly after dusk and the task force that had been directed to clear the blockage arrives prior to midnight. The 21st Regimental Combat Team under Colonel Stephens arrives afterwards. Both regiments are in place and prepared for action by the following morning. In the 25th Division sector, around midnight (28th29th), elements of the Chinese 40th Army move down the west side of the Ch’ongch’on River and strike the 24th Regiment, 25th Division. Subsequent to the assault, which succeeds in jolting and denting the regiment’s right flank, the Chinese ford the river and join the Chinese forces that had captured Pugwon in the IX Corps sector. I Corps maintains its bridgehead, but later during the afternoon, orders arrive to retire to a new line, similarly to those orders that arrive at IX Corps. General Milburn is directed by General Walker to await dusk and then retire to a new line, but following this, the corps is to again move on the following morning to a line behind the Ch’ongch’on River. The U.S. 25th Division under General Kean and the ROK 1st Division complete the initial phase of the operation prior to midnight (29th-30th). While the Chinese attack in the IX Corps sector, some elements move through a gap created when the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment (IX Corps), retire from their positions on the Ch’ongch’on Road to rejoin the main body of the regiment. This enemy contingent drives into Kunu-ri and at about midnight, assaults the positions of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment. It also prepares to move out to positions southwest of the village, where it is to establish a perimeter close to the 23rd Regiment (2nd Division, IX Corps) below the Kaech’on River. The strength of the unexpected attack stuns the battalion, but it rallies and heavy fighting ensues. The battalion command post loses communications with regimental headquarters, but the battalion headquarters’ troops are able to fight their way back to Colonel Corley’s headquarters. Soon after he arranges for the Air Force to provide support, however, the three trapped companies are unable to break through the enemy line, which has come in from the east to positions in their rear. In the IX Corps area, 1st Cavalry Division sector, the 7th Cavalry Regiment’s positions along the Sunchon Road about seven miles below Walpo-ri become active early in the morning, due to retreating South Korean troops of the ROK 6th Division, which had been scattered by a Chinese attack just prior to dawn against its lines near Pukch’ang-ni. The 1st Cavalry Division had been expected to reinforce the 6th ROK Division on the previous day, but General Gay had delayed the advance. Nonetheless, as the South Korean troops and hordes of

November 29, 1950 Korean civilians race to the perimeter, it becomes apparent that the Chinese will soon be banging on the door. The unending lines of civilians moving south are complicating the task of the 7th Cavalry in several ways, including the presence of enemy troops disguised as civilians within the crowds. The 7th Cavalry troops bring some semblance of order by about 0630; however, at about the same time, the Chinese 125th Division that holds the heights above the cavalry positions commences firing. Fire is quickly returned by the cavalry. The contest ensues for about two hours and the added weight of artillery fire finally terminates the enemy enfilade. During the tenacious exchange, South Korean units continue to speed toward the friendly lines. One of these contingents gets severely rattled when its lead vehicle stalls and clogs the highway. Rather than clearing the path by ditching the truck, the South Koreans abandon their vehicles and weapons and sprint to the 7th Cavalry perimeter. Shortly thereafter, a seven-man contingent of the 1st Battalion moves out and retrieves sixteen vehicles and eight howitzers. Also, while the civilians flood the lines, some of the pretenders toss grenades and casualties occur. Seven troopers are wounded and one officer is killed. After the fight ends, orders arrive from General Gay that direct 7th Cavalry to withdraw to a new line at Sinch’ang-ni, three miles to the rear. The cavalry along with the 6th ROK Division, without interference from the enemy, moves out during the afternoon. Once at the destination, the South Koreans deploy in the heights west of the village and the 7th Cavalry establishes positions above the village along the Sunchon Road along Eighth Army’s right. Following the deployment, the zone remains free of enemy attack until the latter part of the night, when the Chinese initiate an assault. At about 2230, the cavalry comes under heavy fire, including machine guns and mortars. The enemy infantry launches its attack about one-half hour later and it is intercepted by equally ferocious fire from the two advance battalions. The attack is repulsed, but about 150 Chinese penetrate a gap in the line and advance directly into the village of Sinch’ang-ni. The two forward battalions are each compelled to fend off attacks against their respective command posts. Two tanks, accompanied by riflemen acquired from the reserve battalion, advance at about 0200 (30th) to eliminate the infiltrators. In less than one hour, the enemy retires. Prior to pulling back, the Chinese sustain a loss of 350 killed and 10 captured; however, the number of wounded is unknown. The 7th Cavalry sustains 38 killed, 107 wounded and 11 missing. It is reported, but not for certain, that the Chinese 37th Regiment, 125th Division, had initiated the attack. In the 5th Cavalry zone, the 5th Cavalry deploys about two miles north of Sunchon along the Taedong River, which places the regiment to the left of the ROK 6th Division. All the while, the 8th Cavalry continues

November 29, 1950 its trek from Sinch’ang-ni to Songch’on. The combined forces of the 1st Cavalry Division and the 6th ROK Division extend along what is known as the Sunchon– Sinch’ang-ni–Songch’on Line. In the 2nd Division sector, in the Ch’ongch’on Valley near Kunu-ri, the tranquility of the night gets shattered at about midnight (28th-29th). The Chinese 40th Army, which has elements moving down both sides of the Ch’ongch’on River, initiates a full-scale assault that strikes units of the I Corps on the west side of the river, while elements operating on the east side hammer the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment (2nd Division). The 2nd Battalion raises resistance, but it is unable to repulse the attack. The Chinese push the battalion back and seize Pugwon. After dawn, the contingents that engaged the 25th Division (I Corps) on the opposite bank arrive at Pugwon. In conjunction, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 9th Regiment, retire to a line to the rear of the 23rd Regiment, which remains posted along the valley road below Pugwon. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment, which is deployed with the 25th Division on the west side of the river, continues to support its 24th Regiment before finally returning to the main body toward the latter part of the night. In other activity, during the early morning hours, the 2nd Division’s command post below Kunu-ri is informed by some Turkish troops with a convoy transporting supplies to the Turkish Brigade that an enemy blocking force had been posted along the road north of Sunchon. Steps will be taken in an effort to eliminate the roadblock, but in the meantime, the relocation operation begins. A patrol of military police is dispatched to confirm the report and it proves accurate; however, one man is killed and several are wounded when the contingent encounters the roadblock in a pass in the vicinity of the village of Yongwon, less than five miles from the command post. In the meantime, unknown to General Keiser, a platoon of American tanks, attached to the British 27th Brigade, encounters the blockage while it moves south on the highway, but it breaks through due to the enemy’s inability to destroy the armor. Subsequently, a reconnaissance company supported by artillery attempts to eliminate the problem before noon, but the Chinese refuse to be dislodged. The 2nd Division dispatches yet another unit, Company C, 38th Regiment, supported by a contingent of tanks to augment the reconnaissance force already there, but the enemy force had been strengthened and still, the blockage remains intact. By dusk, the operation is aborted and the contingents are ordered to return to the division’s headquarters. In the meantime, the corps commander, General Coulter, once aware of the roadblock, orders the British Middlesex Battalion (reserve) to divert from its mission to clear some Chinese from Samso-ri and instead, advance towards the blocked pass. By dusk, the British are slightly more than five miles from the target. Plans are made for a joint attack on the following morning, with the Americans striking from the north and the British attacking from the south.

564 In the Turkish Brigade zone at Sinnim-ni, the right flank of the 2nd Division, an attack is launched by contingents of the Chinese 38th Army against the advance units of the brigade shortly after midnight. Communications, which had been poor on the previous day, show no improvement, and the lack of contact with brigade headquarters at Kaech’on adds to the dilemma of the brigade. Nonetheless, the three defending infantry battalions continue to battle the enemy until dawn. Meanwhile, word gets back to headquarters only when the artillery battalion abandons its positions and retires to Kaech’on. General Yasici is told that the infantry units are encircled, but due to the darkness, he postpones sending reinforcements until first light. Slightly after dawn (29th), a relief force accompanied by one platoon of tanks (72nd Tank Battalion) speeds to the rescue. Without any interference from the Chinese, the infantry and the relief force return to headquarters. In related activity, due to the fluid activities within the 2nd Division sector and the rising threat of the Chinese, General Keiser by about noon is again changing plans for his defensive line to meet the threat, which is expected to include a massive enemy assault along the entire Eighth Army line. Just off the northeast tip of Kaech’on, the right flank of the 2nd Division, the 38th Regiment establishes positions that extend along the Tokch’on–Kunu-ri Road toward a string of hills that run directly below Piho-san Ridge on the left. The S.K. 3rd Regiment deploys on the left in the heights while the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 38rd Regiment, extend over to Kaech’on, which is held by the Turkish Brigade. And the 1st Battalion remains in place at a point about one mile east of Kunu-ri, where it had deployed the previous night. West of the U.S. 38th Regiment’s positions, General Keiser directs the 23rd Regiment to set up along the Ch’ongch’on Road between Kunu-ri and Pugwon. The 2nd Battalion takes the point position about two miles below Pugwon, while the 3rd Battalion takes up positions slightly north of Kunu-ri and the 1st Battalion redeploys slightly east of the 3rd Battalion, to protect yet another route to Kunu-ri. In the meantime, the 9th Regiment continues to hold at its positions below Pugwon to the rear of the 23rd Regiment. The new 2nd Division line heavily depends on the Turkish Brigade at Kaech’on. Instructions are delivered to its commanding general to deploy his force in two places, the high ground at the southeast end of town near the 38th Regiment and within the terrain below the Kaech’on River from where the force can dominate a valley that contains a road from Sunchon. The Turks, however, prove unwilling to cover the terrain below the river and only about two companies move to the hill on the edges of the town. The main body of the brigade remains in the village, which causes a conspicuous weakening of the divisional right flank when only two battalions of the 23rd Regiment are posted below the river in position to attempt to block the passageway of the Chinese forces above the Kaech’on River.

565 While General Keiser prepares to design his new line and prior to receiving a new Eighth Army order to again withdraw, his perimeter comes under attack during the afternoon by elements of the Chinese 38th and 40th Armies. The Chinese skirt past the Turks at Kaech’on and a contingent of the 38th Army plows into the 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry’s right flank, shattering it from the sheer strength of the attack. Urgent requests for the Turks to reinforce are dispatched, but still they fail to respond and remain within the village. Shortly thereafter, the Turks are greeted with a heavy artillery barrage that forces reaction. In conjunction with the incoming shells, Chinese troops emerge unscathed from a valley that lies southwest of the village. U.S. tanks in support of the Turks commence firing from their positions on the opposing bank of the Kaech’on River, but the Chinese relentlessly continue to advance toward some high ground about one mile behind and northwest of the village. Rather than initiate a counterattack, the Turks flee westward through a pass. The Turks’ abandonment of their positions further jeopardizes the 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, the sole defenders along the road. In the meantime, the Chinese reach the hills northwest of the village and ascend to positions from which their fire can dominate the road leading toward Kunu-ri. All the while, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 38th Infantry, are heavily engaged with the advancing Chinese. Reinforcements composed of elements of the 1st Battalion mount trucks and speed eastward toward the embattled troops outside of Kaech’on; however, the convoy is brought to an abrupt halt when it encounters the Turkish Brigade racing westward on the same highway. The confusion brings all traffic to a halt. The retreating Turks prevent any further movement by the relief force. Consequently, the 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment, is directed by Colonel Peploe to abort the mission and withdraw to a position alongside the highway at a point about one mile east of Kunu-ri. Shortly afterward, he orders the 2nd and 3rd Battalions to disengage and make their way back to positions in the rear of the 1st Battalion. While the 38th Regiment is attempting to redeploy, the Chinese are also striking the 3rd South Korean Regiment, which is posted in the hills slightly south of Piho-san Ridge. The Koreans withdraw to positions just behind the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, and establish positions about one mile northeast of Kunu-ri, with its right flank linked close to the left flank of Peploe’s 1st Battalion. The new line is designed to bolster the covering fire for troops retiring from the east; still the Chinese pressure continues to mount. Heavy fire rings down from the heights into the pass, essentially trapping Americans and Turks there. Only a few tanks and other vehicles transporting wounded are able to break out. As the situation worsens, air power is called upon, but the Fifth Air Force is less than efficient with close-air support after dusk. Nevertheless, the Chinese are the recipients of a B-26 air strike and it does the trick with sufficient accuracy to terminate the Chinese fire.

November 29, 1950 Shortly after the cessation of the enemy fire and still in complete darkness, the 38th Regiment units in the pass and the Turks move out heading west towards Kunuri. The 38th Regiment is able to regroup at the new positions by about midnight, but the Turkish Brigade remains in a shambles with many of its officers unaccounted for and its units scattered in disorganized groups. Some troops still are in the pass and others are haphazardly located all along the road from the pass to Kunu-ri and beyond, as far as the 2nd Division headquarters more than five miles beyond Kunu-ri. During the struggle in the pass, Chinese gains have continued to force Eighth Army to modify its plans and the 2nd Division is in the process of yet another withdrawal to positions farther beyond Kunu-ri, but the confusion in the pass hinders the movement. The 23rd Regiment under Colonel Freeman, presently deployed north of Kaech’on, pulls back to a line below the town and south of the Kaech’on River, under cover fire of the 38th Regiment and the ROK 3rd Regiment. Freeman also leaves his 3rd Battalion along the Ch’ongch’on valley road near Kunu-ri to ensure safe passage of the regiment. The retirement places Freeman’s regiment, except for a contingent of riflemen and some supporting tanks, between the Kaech’on and the Ch’ongch’on Rivers. The 38th Regiment and the ROKs then pull back under cover of the riflemen of the 23rd Regiment and one platoon of tanks. The Chinese interfere with the execution of the retirement; they strike the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, along the road, but the battalion disengages before midnight. It speeds toward the new perimeter, but one company and some tanks pause near the northern tip of Kunu-ri to cover the rear. Later, at about midnight, the Chinese encroach the tanks (72nd Tank Battalion) and their supporting Company L. The rear guard raises tenacious resistance and repeatedly turns back the assaults. After the fourth attack is repelled, the tanks and the riflemen head for the main body’s positions south of the river. Once the 3rd Battalion abandons its positions on the Ch’ongch’on Road, a hole develops that leads directly to what becomes, at this time, an undefended left flank of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment (25th Division, I Corps). Meanwhile, the 3rd ROK Regiment’s 1st Battalion had also been struck with great force as it attempted to reach the lines of the 2nd Division. Here, too, the South Koreans battle with tenacity until they are able to disengage at about 0400 (30th). New orders from Eighth Army arrive at about 0100 on the 30th. The 2nd Division is to disengage at Kunu-ri and withdraw to the new line and redeploy at positions that extend southeastward between the villages of Sunchon and Songch’on. Once in place, the 2nd Division will be in close proximity to the 1st Cavalry Division, which is to deploy about six miles outside of Sunchon. The withdrawal is to take place on the following day (30th). — In Japan: At a General Headquarters briefing, the mood is somber. The typhoon-like surge of the

November 30, 1950 Communists had ravaged the center and west portions of the Eighth Army right wing, decimating the South Korean II Corps as it advanced. The total collapse of the right wing creates great peril for the left wing. An instant pull back to the Ch’ongch’on River is initiated to avoid a second catastrophe. Reports on the previous day had announced that more than 200,000 enemy troops are involved with the powerful offensive. Some estimates project the amount to be nearer 300,000.

November 30

In the X Corps area, the 1st Air Delivery Platoon, domiciled at Wonsan Airfield, has been involved with responsibility for 141 replenishment missions that consisted of 864 man-hours of flight, and the delivery by parachute of about 377 tons of supplies. At Hagaru, General Almond concludes that it is not pragmatic to consolidate the forces in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir. Almond authorizes General Oliver Smith to destroy all equipment that might impede his withdrawal to Hamhung, but Smith informs Almond that all equipment will be necessary in order for the Marines to fight their way out and carry their wounded with them. At the conference it is also decided that Wonson is to be abandoned. The aircraft there was relocated at Yonpo by 1 December; however, during the transfer period, missions were maintained to provide support for the ground troops. In the 1st Marine Division area, the situation in Yudam-ni remains calm; only some sporadic skirmishes with the Chinese occur. Nonetheless, the Marines again received little or no rest, as attacks had been anticipated. In the 1st Marines sector, George Company, which had fought its way to Hararu-ri on the previous day, is heavily engaged at East Hill. Just before midnight, engineers of Able Company plow into the positions of George Company without pausing to give the password, “Abraham.” The Communists were right on their tails, so they shouted the password and the response, yelling Abraham Lincoln. The hill is defended by the 1st Platoon of Baker Company engineers and the 3rd platoon of Able Company engineers as well as George Company’s 2nd and 3rd platoons. Other units there include the 1st Platoon, Able Engineers under Lieutenant Canzona, a couple of tanks and elements of the 1st Service Battalion. The enemy regiment arrives just behind the engineers and a donnybrook breaks out. George Company is overwhelmed and compelled to give ground and abandon their positions with the Communists Chinese giving pursuit. Toward the bottom of the hill, the elements from the 1st Service Battalion join the fight and the Chinese there are eliminated. Meanwhile, the Chinese who gain the evacuated positions hold the ground, but with no friendly troops in the area, they are pounded with artillery and by tank fire. In addition, the enemy is struck by withering machine gun and mortar fire. The Army engineers who had been thrown into the positions as a makeshift defense prove themselves to be a credible fighting force,

566 which greatly assists in holding the line and preventing a breakthrough at the gap on the central and northwest slopes of East Hill. The night fighting occurs under nasty conditions along extremely icy slopes. The British commandos that had arrived with the Marines remain in reserve during the initial fighting; however, following the losses sustained by George Company, the British Commando unit moves to secure the line and bolster the remaining George Company able bodied troops. A counterattack during daylight (1 December) retakes the lost ground and within a short while, air cover arrives to ensure it is not again threatened. George Company and the support units combined sustain about sixty casualties, including killed and wounded. Also, at about midnight, the Communists strike in force against Item Company’s positions. The attackers are shredded by the concentrated fire power. Several Chinese advance to the well-defended foxholes, only to be killed. Marine estimates place the enemy dead at between 500 to 750. Item Company, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Joseph R. Fisher, sustains 2 killed and 10 wounded. In the 7th Marines zone, Fox Company maintains its hold on Fox Hill despite the lack of reinforcements and continuing frigid weather. The previous night had been calm, but at 0200, the Marines are greeted by a curious sounding Chinese soldier who pretends to pass himself off as an officer from the 11th Marines. Fox Company hears a plea that the Marines should surrender to the Chinese and in return they would be given clothes and fair treatment. The Marines, unable to see the benevolent messenger, greet him with illumination shells. Once the sky brightens, the Marines notice that the impostor is trailed by a large force of Chinese troops approaching from the south. The Marines, having refused surrender and the new clothes, greet the attackers with hot steel as they maneuver across the valley. They unleash a furious enfilade of fire, including machine gun and mortars, which devastates the enemy assault. By dawn, it is clear that the Marines still own the hill and when the Corsairs soar overhead just after dawn, the success is validated. About three enemy companies are wiped out. Fox Company sustains none killed and only one Marine wounded. In the Eighth Army area, toward the latter part of the previous night, General Walker had issued a general order directing all Eighth Army units to withdraw to a new line at a point about twenty miles south of Kunuri, in an effort to prevent any chance of being encircled by Chinese who are swiftly moving down from the north and the east against Kunu-ri. The new line is expected to galvanize Eighth Army’s corps and tighten the defenses, which are expected to hold firmly about thirty miles above Pyongyang, near the villages of Sukch’on, Sunchon and Songch’on. In the I Corps area, General Milburn, in compliance with Army orders, directs the withdrawal of corps to the new line. In the 25th Division sector, at Kunu-ri, Companies I,

567 K and L, 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, remain under heavy fire from an attack that had begun at about midnight of the previous day. Their confined positions in Kunu-ri had received air support, but the blocking enemy force had been impenetrable. The three companies maintain their positions throughout the day until about 1630, when they succeed in breaking out of the trap. The engagement costs the battalion 1 killed, 30 wounded and 109 missing. Following the break out, the troops head for the regimental lines which Colonel Corley established about five miles southwest of Kunuri. The remainder of the division had begun to retire

November 30, 1950 to the new line at 0700, under the protection of the 5th Regimental Combat Team (24th Division) at Anju, near the Ch’ongch’on River. It will, later in the day, assemble outside Sunchon. The ROK 1st Division initiates its retirement at 0600 and heads for Sukch’on. By about 1800, the cover force receives instructions from General Milburn to abandon its positions and head for Yongyu; however, friendly troops are still coming through the area and Colonel Throckmorton decides to remain for their safety. Some of the retiring forces are attached to the 3rd Battalion, 24th Regiment, which had for awhile been cornered in Kunu-ri, but others include tank units of the 89th Tank Battalion and

An ice covered Marine convoy during the fighting withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir.

November 30, 1950 troops from the 27th Regiment, 25th Division. Consequently, Throckmorton’s combat team is unable to depart from the Ch’ongch’on River until the early morning hours of the following day. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, during the early morning hours, the Division command post comes under fire by an enemy patrol that had overwhelmed a small contingent of military police posted on a nearby hill. The Division, however, is still preparing to withdraw south to its newly designated positions at Sunchon. The operation commences at 0330. The 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, trailed by the mortar company, leads the way from Kunu-ri, followed by the 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment, and a contingent of tanks. The columns are expecting to eliminate a roadblock in a pass along the way, but at about 0630, the enemy initiates an attack north of the roadblock. The lead vehicles pull back, while infantry contingents prepare to clear the high ground of the enemy. The Chinese repel an attack launched by the 2nd Battalion and one company of the 3rd Battalion. Meanwhile, the remainder of the 3rd Battalion seeks to hit the Chinese from another direction, but as the enemy pulls back from this attack, yet another hill to the south commences fire and both battalions are brought to a halt. The Chinese, having moved to expand the roadblock, had not been anticipated by the battalion, and the British Middlesex Battalion still remains south of the roadblock, unaware of the snag in the plan. The British wait in place for orders from the 2nd Division to attack from the south. Attempts are made by the 2nd Division to contact the British by radio, but without success. Also, on the north side of the blockage, the ROK 3rd Regiment is committed to the fight. In addition, urgent messages are sent to IX Corps headquarters requesting that it contact the British and instruct them to attack the blockage. As this activity continues, the ROKs move up and relieve the 9th Regiment, which is stranded on the west side of the road, to permit the regiment to regroup and prepare to renew the attack. Tanks are then directed to crack the blockage and race to the British positions south of the pass. The tanks plow through intense fire and succeed in reaching the Middlesex Battalion. By the time the tanks arrive, the British had already received the orders from IX Corps to attack, but the Chinese also stymie them. Some small gains are made by the South Korean 3rd Regiment, but it is a gain of less than one mile, despite being supported by air strikes and machine gun fire from accompanying tanks. The morning passes into afternoon and while General Keiser is still attempting to solve the problem and eliminate the roadblock, the Chinese are closing fast on Colonel Freeman’s 23rd Regiment near Kunu-ri. The situation in the 23rd Regiment’s positions make it clear that General Keiser can not use the roads used by I Corps to move south. He decides, based on his assumption that the Chinese have only small arms fire against them, to run the blockade. All units and their vehicles are directed to form with

568 the 38th Regiment taking the lead, while the 23rd Regimental Combat Team holds the rear. The lead tank breaks through to the British positions by 1400; however, it comes under severe fire from the heights and is forced to plow through two blockages, each composed of recently captured American vehicles. The tank rumbles along and pushes the vehicles out of its way, but the delay causes a domino effect throughout the convoy that stalls the entire line. The arrival of the lead tank causes the British to send a premature message to Eighth Army headquarters proclaiming that the supply road between Kunu-ri and Sunchon had been cleared. Back on the MSR, the Chinese fire, including machine guns and mortars, rains down on the 38th Regiment and casualties rise rapidly while stalled and destroyed vehicles clog the roads further. Attempts are made to clear the highway and other troops try to rescue the wounded, but each time the convoy gets rolling, another stoppage develops. Eventually, the discipline of the regiment dissolves; however, all the while, fire is returned by the Americans as well as the South Koreans and the Turks that are attached to the convoy. Meanwhile, the 9th Regiment, under Colonel Sloane, is moving down the road toward the pass and by now the enemy fire is much heavier, particularly at the pass. The 2nd Battalion and the regimental mortar company lead the way, while the 3rd Battalion remains farther back as protection against any Chinese coming in from the rear. While the lead troops of the 38th Regiment break through the pass at about 1500, the MSR and the pass begin to resemble a massive junkyard with trucks and other vehicles scattered about. The 9th Regiment contingents and some ROKs and Turkish troops hit the pass but, again, disabled vehicles create a major problem. The other trailing contingents — including the divisional headquarters unit, the 82nd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion and the 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment — get squeezed between the vehicles and the incessant fire from the opposite sides of the pass. The length of the stalled units reaches back for at least two miles. By about 1500–1530, General Keiser reaches the front of the blocked convoy at the pass. Shortly thereafter, air support is requested, but still, Keiser contemplates abandoning all vehicles in order to break out. However, the planes that arrive succeed in their attacks, flying dangerously low in the close quarters of the pass. Apparently, the planes come in at such low altitudes that they can clearly see the enemy groups in the heights above both sides of the pass. A combination of bombs, napalm and machine gun fire quells most of the enemy fire. Meanwhile, tanks roar forward and begin to shove the debris off to the side to clear a path for the stranded convoy, which by about this time has been shortened. Colonel Freeman’s 23rd Regimental Combat Team, holding up the rear, receives permission to take a different route around the roadblock, using instead the Kunu-ri–Sinanju–Sukch’on Road through the I Corps

569 sector. Freeman, subsequent to receiving permission to use the alternate road, inquires of the 38th FAB and the rear elements of the 9th Regiment if they want to accompany his outfit, but they decide to remain in the rear of the main column. Freeman’s force, including attachments, makes it to Sunch’on just before midnight. In the meantime, darkness settles in and the fighterbombers are forced to depart the area, but their efforts ease the pressure enough for the remainder of this section of the column to complete the run through the pass. Some enemy fire continues, but it is not sufficient to halt the column. Nonetheless, the final section of the column, including division engineers, the trailing units of the 9th Regiment and four artillery battalions, have yet to enter the pass. The lead unit is the 17th Field Artillery Battalion. It begins the trek after darkness falls and encounters no enemy fire, but when nearly out of harm’s way, misfortune strikes as the unit attempts to cross a stream slightly west of the village of Karhyin-dong. Suddenly, one of the 8-inch howitzers overturns and tumbles into a ditch. Rather than permitting it to fall into the hands of the enemy, one soldier moves into the ditch and disables it. Enemy troops in the village spot a light being used by the artillerymen and soon the area comes under mortar attack. Nevertheless, the battalion moves forward to the assembly area. The 37th Field Artillery Battalion, trailing the 17th, also comes under fire, but it, too, makes its way through the pass to safety. The remaining units in the column advance toward the pass, but by now the Chinese have descended from the heights to positions extremely close to the highway. As the convoy jumps off, it comes under severe attack and the road becomes blocked by the damaged and destroyed vehicles. Some in the lead are able to penetrate the fire and continue, but for the remainder of the final segment of the column, it is a dead end. As the attack continues, the troops attempt to break out of the trap, leaving the equipment, weapons and vehicles; however, the Chinese had been closing in great strength, making it difficult for the stragglers to evade the Chinese and make it to Sunchon. In related activity, November is an especially difficult for the 2nd Division, particularly after the 15th of the month, when 4,940 battle casualties are sustained, including 1,267 for the 9th Regiment, 1,075 for the 38th Regiment, 485 for the 23rd Regiment, and 1,461 for the 2nd Division Artillery. In addition, the 2nd Engineering Battalion sustains 561 casualties and the 72nd Tank Battalion suffers 19 casualties. Units that sustain lighter casualties are the 2nd MP Company, 13 casualties; 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 27 casualties; Divisional Headquarters Company, 15 casualties; Divisional Headquarters, 3 casualties; 2nd Signal Company, 10 casualties; and one other detachment suffers three casualties. Equipment losses for the division are also extremely high and include 64 pieces of artillery and more than one hundred trucks.

December 1, 1950 — In the United States: President Harry Truman makes another statement regarding Korea: Recent developments in Korea confront the world with a serious crisis. The Chinese Communist leaders have sent their troops from Manchuria to launch a strong and well-organized attack against the United Nations forces in North Korea.... Because of the historic friendship between the people of the United States and China, it is particularly shocking to us that the Chinese are being forced into battle against our troops in the United Nations command.... If aggression is successful in Korea, we can expect it to spread through Asia and Europe to this hemisphere. We are fighting in Korea for our own national security and survival. This country is the keystone of the hopes of mankind.

December 1

Some U.S. forces and other U.N. troops continue to come under attack by enemy aircraft, which then quickly seek sanctuary across the border in Manchuria. In air action over Korea, the U.S. fighter pilots outfight the Soviet aircraft, including the superior MiGs, knocking them out at a ratio of fourteen to one. Rather than permit General MacArthur to authorize his forces to pursue across the Yalu River, the U.N., with the support of the U.S. State Department and the British Government, seeks to open peace negotiations with the Communists. In other activity, Fifth Air Force designates the 1st Marine Air Wing as the unit to provide close-air support for X Corps. Also, the initial C-37 arrives at Nagaru-ri to evacuate X Corps casualties. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marine Division and supporting elements have for several days come under attack. A battle that had started around midnight the previous night, at East Hill in the area covered by the 1st Marines, is concluded. Unknown to the Americans, the Chinese attacks had lessened due in great part to the enormous casualties that had been recently inflicted upon them by X Corps. High casualties were also sustained by some American units that had been in the area east of the Chosin Reservoir. Three beleaguered battalions and some ROK troops under Lieutenant Colonel Faith, isolated at Sinhung-ni and close to being wiped out, attempt to break out and fight through to Hagaru. Since the U.S. Army units came under heavy attack on the night of 27–28 November, more than six hundred casualties have been sustained. After destroying their howitzers and other equipment before they can be seized by the Communists, the column, under close air support of Marine pilots, moves out heading toward Hagaru. Lt. Colonel Don Faith had been able to lead the column through one roadblock, but enemy fire again pins it down. Faith takes the point and leads an assault to demolish the obstacle. At a point about thirty yards from the roadblock, enemy fire rips into him and inflicts a mortal wound, but Faith refuses to quit. From his position, he directs the attack. Although Faith succumbs, his courage and leadership permits the beleaguered column to break through and reach safety. Lt. Colonel

December 1, 1950 Faith is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire. At the time Faith is killed, the column stands about five miles from Hagaru. The remainder of the trek is extremely dangerous, particularly with all the wounded in the column, and the lack of command due to the high casualties among officers and NCOs. The survivors lose discipline. The column splinters into a confused group of individuals who each seek personal safety. Small parties band together and move forward. Somehow, most stragglers make it to the Marine perimeter by about dawn on the following day. About 670 of the survivors of TF Faith are inside the safety of the Marine perimeter. At daybreak, Marines move out in search of other survivors and discover more than they can transport. A convoy of assorted vehicles and some sleds, led by Lieutenant Colonel Beall (1st Motor Transport Battalion), is gathered. The convoy moves through the lines to collect the remainder of the survivors of Task Force Faith. Three hundred and nineteen additional troops, most suffering from frostbite and other wounds, are rescued. The Marines afterwards share some confounding news. As it turned out, the Chinese not only raised little opposition, but they in fact on several occasions assisted in the rescue. The three army battalions posted east of the reservoir sustain a casualty rate of about seventy-five percent during 27 November through 1 December. Task Force Anderson departs Hagaru in search of more survivors, but Chinese resistance holds up the column. The commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Berry K. Anderson, receives orders to abort the mission and return to Hagaru. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Beall maintains his search operation. The Marines cancel their operation when it is believed that all survivors had been saved. A total of 1,050 soldiers out of the original force of 2,500 are saved. The Marines also count more than three hundred dead in the abandoned vehicles of the task force. Three hundred and eighty-five of the survivors remain to participate in combat. The contingent is formed into a provisional battalion after being supplied with arms by the Marines. The casualties at Hagaru place additional problems on the force there. Calls are made for aircraft to attempt a landing on a makeshift airstrip, created upon the frozen ground. At about 1430, a C-47 descends to pick up a group of the wounded. The wheels bounce upon the riveted airstrip and then, despite the ice and snow, comes to a stop to the amazement of many observers. Soon after, the anxiety accelerates as the plane moves to take off and, as if in the very last seconds, gains just enough momentum to lift off and clear the hills to the south. The engineers that had carved that airstrip out of the frozen ground under searchlights within sight of the enemy had gained time and foiled any attempt by the Chinese to annihilate the trapped force. Aircraft will continue to evacuate the wounded and provide the ground forces with supplies.

570 The situation remains grim, but the Marines at Yudam-ni refuse to capitulate. They prepare to fight their way back to Hungnam. The mood however, remains somber, as circumstances forbid the transportation of the dead, an everlasting creed of the Marine Corps; however, all wounded are evacuated or placed in the convoy. No others are transported. Every man in the column, except the seriously wounded, faces the elements during the forced march along the frozen terrain. The vehicles, other than those carrying supplies, are reserved for the anticipated wounded and for the wounded of Fox Company, 7th Marines. The bodies of eighty-five men had to be left behind. Chaplains accompanying the troops conduct services at the grave sites in the field cemetery at Yudam-ni. The evacuation plan, as stated by General Oliver P. Smith, calls for the transportation of all the wounded and the equipment. However, several Chinese divisions are deployed to block passage. This day, the 1st Marine Division initiates its fighting withdrawal from Yudamni, which takes the Marines (and afterwards other troops, including U.S. Army, British and South Korean) along a 56-mile highway of death and devastation. The temperatures drop to well below zero as troops advance under a massive air cover operation. The heights are a non-ending set of obstacles, blanketed by Chinese troops. An improvised battalion, dubbed the “Damnation Battalion,” had been formed on the previous day. The unit is composed of George Company (3rd Battalion, 7th Marines), Able Company (1st Battalion, 5th Marines) and the remaining able-bodied elements of Dog Company and Easy Company (2nd Battalion, 7th Marines). The unit quickly becomes galvanized and uses a green bandana as their signal of pride and cohesion. The improvised contingent is given responsibility for clearing and maintaining the shoulder of the heights during the advance of RCT-7. The unit also contains elements of the weapons companies of the 7th Marines and some communications troops, also of the 7th Marines. Major Maurice E. Roach is assigned as the commanding officer. The against-all-odds maneuver begins at about the time when the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, relinquishes its hold on Hill 1282, which allows it to pull back somewhat to relieve the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, who hold the left portion of the line. Once relieved, the 7th Marines redeploy south of Yudam-ni astride the main supply route. Surprisingly, the Chinese offer little resistance to the maneuvers, validating the decision to unfold the plan during daylight to assure air cover. Meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd Battalions remain the sole units deployed north of Yudam-ni. The pull-back from hill 1282 is problematic during the final phase, as the Chinese move within close range of George Company. Grenades become the weapon of choice, by both the Marines and the clinging Chinese. The situation becomes grim; the Marines need air cover, but due to the intermingling of the forces, it is not feasible. One officer, Lieutenant Daniel Green, comes up with a solution and it is soon tested. Corsairs arrive to

571 attack, but they drop no munitions; rather, they fly over for effect and while the Chinese seek cover, the Marines speed away. Afterwards, the Corsairs again visit the slopes and deliver a lethal blow that is bolstered by mortars and artillery. George Company becomes the grand recipient of the strategy. The unit sustains no casualties during the withdrawal. At Hill 1240, 1st Lieutenant John R. Hancock unfolds his own ruse. After acting as rear guard at the hill, Hancock requests no air cover to permit elements of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, to just slip away. No casualties are incurred, as the Chinese have no notice of the withdrawal. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, advances at 0900 against enemy-held Hill 1542, while How Company of the same battalion moves against Hill 1419 to blow a hole in the Chinese obstructions. Hill 1419 holds steadfastly. Reinforcements are committed to the fight and at

December 1, 1950 about 1930, the Marines vanquish the enemy there. At this time, the temperature stands at sixteen degrees below zero. The Marines gain the starting point from where the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, departs to reach Fox Hill. At 2100, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, led by Lieutenant Colonel Davis, begins to slug its way through the snow to traverse the mountains, despite no rest throughout the day. The first enemy obstacle to their front is Hill 1520, but en route, the elements extract a high toll as the Marines plow forward, often falling along the frozen slopes. Two over-exhausted columns ascend the hill and following a harrowing climb, the enemy estimated at about platoon strength is eliminated. The Marines, after the victory, essentially collapse, ignorant of the enemy fire and the sub-zero temperatures, surely the latter poised to inflict fatalities. At 0300, the column finally halts its progress. Nevertheless, the officers remain concerned and double check

U.S. Artillery north of the 38th Parallel is in action against enemy positions.

December 1, 1950

572

Top: A wounded U.S. troop is placed into liaison plane that evacuates him to receive medical aid. Bottom: An F-80 Shooting Star. the men to ensure they are still capable of comprehending the surroundings and the situation. Meanwhile, the vanguard, Lieutenant Colonel Taplett’s battalion (3rd Battalion, 5th Marines), moves out to clear the heights on the opposing sides of the MSR. The two attacking units intend to converge in the vicinity of Toktong Pass and Fox Hill. Taplett’s force is able to advance nearly 1,500 yards after it jumps off about 1500, but at that point, heavy resistance is encountered by the Chinese on opposite sides of the road.

Company H and Company I peel off west and east respectively, then nudge forward yard by yard until about 1930, when the obstacles are eliminated. Following the slight conquest Taplett orders a short pause, but by the aura of the deep darkness, it becomes clear that there will be little rest. Just before midnight the Marines again advance, unknowingly against the opposite slope where the 7th Marines were engaged. Chinese had permeated the heights above the MSR and it is How and Item Companies (5th Marines) that move

573 out to clear them off the mountain. How Company advances against slight opposition, but in the case of Item Company, it is quite different, as the Chinese bring about massive resistance, including an attack against the column. George Company joins in the fight and is caught by terrible enemy fire. In the meantime, Item Company becomes isolated in the frozen wilderness as the night-long clash ensues. After dawn, the results become apparent. Company Item had been severed into only about the strength of two platoons, when the reserve company (George) moved through the lines. During the night’s vicious combat, Sergeant William G. Windrich’s contingent (Company I) is suddenly struck by a tenacious counterattack. Windrich, aware that his positions are untenable, attacks rather than withdraws. His Marines charge the assault troops. They defy the incoming machine gun and mortar fire and press forward through a storm of withering fire and soon get pounded with grenades. Windrich continues the attack to break up the Communist force, but overwhelming fire prevents further progress. Windrich, badly wounded and having lost seven of his command, moves back to the positions of the company’s main body to get volunteers, then returns to the scene to evacuate the wounded. Afterwards, the wounded are evacuated, but Windrich continues to ignore his head wound and maintains control of the survivors of his contingent. The Communists launch another stiff attack against Windrich’s flank and he again becomes wounded, yet still refuses evacuation. The wounds take a severe toll

December 1, 1950 on Windrich, so much so that he is unable to stand. From a sitting position, he controls his defenses and his Marines, in turn, repel the assault to save the command. However, Sergeant Windrich is not alive to see the Communists vanquished. The combination of the bitter cold and massive loss of blood cause him to fall into unconsciousness and succumb. Sergeant Windrich is awarded the Medal of Honor for is extraordinary heroism and intrepid courage in the face of the enemy. Nevertheless, about three hundred and forty-two Chinese are also there and their fighting days had been terminated. In the Eighth Army area, the Chinese offensive continues, but Eighth Army, which had for the most part completed its withdrawal to the new line about twenty miles below Kunu-ri, has paid an expensive price. It loses equipment, weapons and vehicles. Eighth Army units come under heavy attack at certain points along withdrawal routes, but the enemy does not pursue. The short reprieve brings no solace to General Walker, who remains convinced that the enemy is not too far off, and he anticipates new attacks against his lines. But even more importantly, he is concerned that the enemy might still outflank his forces or totally surround it. Meanwhile, Walker’s force is greatly weakened from the combat of the past couple of weeks and one unit, the 2nd Division, is too weakened to remain on the field. This day, General Keiser leads his 2nd Division to a village about ten miles below Pyongyang to regroup and rebuild its strength. The plight of the 2nd Division, the other casualties within Eighth Army and the potential

A contingent of the 1st Marine Division prepares for its fighting withdrawal from Yudam-ni, located slightly west of the Changjin Reservoir.

December 1, 1950

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Top: U.S. Marines on 1 December huddle against snow covered vehicles at Yudam-ni, awaiting orders to break out and move to Hagaru to join with other Marine forces there. Bottom: A Marine column moves from Yudam-ni to Hagaru en route to Hungnam. overwhelming strength of the Chinese moving in from the east present a major dilemma for Walker. If he remains at this new line, he risks being overrun. Plans are laid to again retire. The Eighth Army forward units remain about thirty miles above Pyongyang, but with the

2nd Division out of action, the remaining units, including the few reserves, lack the strength to defend against what now appears to be more than 150,000 troops within six separate Chinese armies and the accompanying North Korean troops and guerrillas.

575 Walker’s reserve units are composed of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team with its attached U.N. units, a battalion of troops from the Philippines and another from Thailand. Another reserve force is a recently arrived battalion from the Netherlands, which is just preparing for use in the field. In addition, the French have committed a battalion of troops, which arrive in Pusan this day. In related activity, Eighth Army has no major encounters with the enemy, which permits headquarters to concentrate on building a series of defensive lines in their blueprint for the withdrawal. In Air Force activity, F-86 fighters (4th Fighter Interceptor Wing) arrive in Japan aboard the USS Cape Esperance. In other activity, Fifth Air Force Headquarters relocates in Seoul from Nagoya, Japan. The 314th Air Division receives responsibility for the air defenses of Japan. Also, a contingent of six MiG-15s intercepts and engages a group of three B-29s in an aerial duel that lasts for about six minutes, the first extensive MiG attack since the breakout of the war. The B-29s are escorted by F-80s, but still, three of the B-29s sustain damage. At Pyongyang, planes of Combat Cargo Command evacuate about 1,500 wounded troops. — In the United States: President Truman announces that the North Koreans have been supplied with weaponry by the Soviet Union; he also proclaims the Chinese are actively involved in the fighting: “As the United Nations forces continued to defeat the aggressors and continued to advance in their mission of liberation, Chinese Communists participation in the aggression became more blatant.... The only explanation is that these Chinese have been misled or forced into their reckless attack, an act which can only bring tragedy to themselves, to further the imperialistic designs of the Soviet Union.” The President notes that 53 nations are unified to halt the aggression and that in essence, the U.N. and each of these nations is under assault by the Communists. Meanwhile, General MacArthur is convinced that he must be permitted to use air power to strike across the Yalu against enemy positions in Manchuria to halt the offensive. The thought of retaliation across the Yalu causes trepidation within the United Nations, for fear it might trigger World War III. — In Japan: The U.S. Navy commissions the Atsugi Naval Air Station.

December 2 In the X Corps sector, following a night-long confrontation with both the Chinese and the elements, the 1st Marine Division remains on the offensive. Several obstacles had been overcome earlier in the day. (See also, December 1, 1950, In the X Corps sector.) At about dawn, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, moves closer to Fox Hill and prepares to strike nearby Hill 1653. Initially, as the contingent encroaches Fox Company positions, no communications occur, causing concern that friendly fire might strike the 7th

December 2, 1950 Marines. Several obstacles are seized and in the interim, radio contact is made with Fox Company. Slightly before 1130, the initial elements of Baker Company enter Fox Company’s lines. Soon after, the remainder of the battalion arrives. During the operation, a contingent moves back to get the wounded and during the operation, a Chinese sniper fatally wounds Lieutenant Peter A. Arrioli (MC), USN, the 7th Marines’ surgeon. Fox Company (2nd Battalion, 7th Marines), commanded by Captain Barber, remains strong enough for the fights to come, but after five days of resisting the Chinese, it had sustained 26 killed, 3 missing and 89 wounded. Captain William B. Barber becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership and courage during the period. Also, in the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines sector, the Chinese pound their rear-guard positions at Hill 1276 during the early hours of 2 December. Lieutenant Colonel Roise (2nd Battalion, 5th Marines) orders Fox Company to attack and regain some lost ground; however, upon gaining the crest of the hill, after dawn today following two other assaults, enemy fire from the reverse slope compels the contingent to pull back. Air cover arrives and pounds the Chinese positions at about 1000. The Chinese also lose troops when they abandon their positions and flee into the sights of Company D and G. The struggle for control of Hill 1520 also continues. George Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, moves against it, bolstered by How Company and a composite force composed of the men of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, now known as Dog-Easy Company. At 1200, the western slope falls to the Marines of George Company. Meanwhile, the Chinese erect a roadblock along the MSR and detonate a bridge to halt the Marines. George Company descends from above the Chinese positions, while the others drive forward, augmented by air attacks that pummel the enemy positions. The blockage is eliminated; however, the blown bridge slows the advance until a modified route can be erected by engineers. Afterwards, the column continues its advance. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, comes under fierce attack by elements of the 79th Chinese Division at 0430. Item and George Companies remain heavily engaged until dawn, but it is Item Company that sustains the bulk of the attack at Hill 1542. The combined strength of both companies on this day is down to about two hundred troops. The Chinese report later that one hundred enemy troops (Item Company) were killed. No records of that time from the 7th Marines exist; however, estimates of the Marine Corps place the Item Company’s actual casualties from the night’s fighting at thirty to forty troops killed or wounded. During the day’s struggle of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, attached Company Jig, a provisional platoon including artillerymen and riflemen — has engaged the Chinese in a furious fight near Yudam-ni when the Communists approach in uniforms of

December 2, 1950 friendly troops. Sergeant James E. Johnson takes command of the platoon and directs its fire. When the platoon is ordered to seek better positions from which to defend, Johnson holds his position and provides cover fire. Sergeant Johnson is last seen by his troops resisting the onslaught despite his wounds in a violent exchange between him and the enemy. Johnson uses hand-to-hand combat and his grenades to buy time for his platoon. Sergeant Johnson is awarded the Medal of

576 Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage under fire and for his intrepid leadership in the face of an overwhelming superior enemy force. In related activity, the withdrawal continues throughout the day. Meanwhile, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, advances on the right of Company G at Hill 520 against an obstacle to the front of it. The troops of Company H encounter fierce resistance, but later, after support from planes, the unit advances. After

Top: Elements of Eighth Army retire from Sunchon and move south toward Pyongyang. Bottom: Defenders at Hagaru airstrip fire 105 howitzer shells at the enemy, which has the airstrip encircled.

577 dusk, the objective is seized. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, arrives within about 1,000 yards of Fox Hill at 0200 on 3 December. The route of the division is tedious, but the Chinese are unable to halt its progress. In addition to the Chinese, the Marines continue to get pelted by an equally pernicious enemy, the weather. By dawn of 3 December, a new layer of fresh snow blankets the area. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, under Lt. Colonel Raymond G. Davis, following yet another sleepless night in the frigid Korean hills, maintains its advance to secure positions from which the battalion can relieve a beleaguered rifle company and secure a strategic mountain pass to ensure the Marines make it to Hungnam. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker initiates a withdrawal from the Sukch’on–Sunchon–Songch’on Line, just having reached it after withdrawing from Kunu-ri. Pyongyang is to be evacuated and the new line is to be drawn below the village. The forward units remain about thirty miles above the village and at a point about ten miles below that, a cover force will set up to delay any Chinese forces that attempt to close on the retreating columns. The enemy, in the meantime, continues to close from the east to present General Walker with yet another problem, the possibility of the enemy getting into Pyongyang by swerving west and catching Eighth Army before it can pass through the town. The operation moves into high gear as troops are sped southward into Pyongyang to retrieve the supplies, while other units rush toward the port of Chinnamp’o to extricate equipment and supplies still remaining there. Meanwhile, to protect the retreat, Walker dispatches contingents to guard the east flank from assault. Pontoon bridges that span the Taedong River are barred to civilian traffic and the 187th Airborne troops set up positions at each of the eight bridges to enforce the rule. Walker had received authorization from Far East Command to destroy all supplies and equipment that could not be brought out with army. — In Japan: The carrier USS Princeton (CV 37) arrives at Sasebo from the U.S. From there, the Princeton will depart for Korean waters.

December 3 In the X Corps area, the 1st Marine Division and attached troops continue their drive to Hungnam. In the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, sector near Fox Hill, the composite company known as DogEasy Company is declared ineffective due to high casualties. Company G takes its place along the main supply route. The 3rd Battalion is accompanied by one tank and although the new coat of snow gives the appearance of a tranquil mountain area, the Marines are aware that the hills are still consumed with Chinese. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, initiates a set of attacks against the enemy positions. The Chinese are startled and take no time to defend. Instead, they abandon their positions and inadvertently head straight to-

December 3, 1950 wards another Marine contingent, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, which is on the attack. As the disorganized Chinese battalion speeds southwest with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, in pursuit, the skies clear as planes arrive to strike other enemy positions at about the same time Lieutenant Colonel Taplett’s 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, is closing. The Chinese battalion’s untimely encounter with the threesome power of two Marine battalions and the aircraft brings about its demise. By 1030, the enemy battalion is annihilated. Soon after, by 1300, the Chinese had also been eliminated at Toktong Pass, which permits the linkup of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, and the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. The first phase of the break-out ends successfully, but at high costs. After the anticipated rendezvous at the pass, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, with the convoy holding the wounded reinitiates the advance towards Hagaru along the route to Hungnam. Some of the less seriously wounded abandon the trucks to make room for the troops with major wounds and still, the vehicles are jammed. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, which had defended the pass to permit the columns to pass safely, descends from the heights and joins the column to the rear of the 5th Marines. Marine observation planes (VMO-6) maintain a flying blanket overhead to forewarn the column of any enemy positions that might lurk along the road. Six separate Marine squadrons combine to fly one hundred and forty-five sorties. The airborne Leathernecks fly low-level missions that at times bring their planes to dangerously low altitudes, but that type of cover flight has become common practice. The Marines are determined to win and to discredit the erroneous reports that for months had been emerging from the American press, which frequently accused the American troops as being weak and unable to handle the heavy burden of combat. At about 1930, following the harrowing march through the snow and winds and the incessant fighting for more than one week, mostly without sleep of any length, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, calls a halt to the march. From a point about several hundred yards from the base at Hagaru, all the pain is discarded. Those able to walk gather into a tightly knit formation, then march straight into the camp. They had accomplished what few thought could be done and they did it as promised, carrying their wounded and their dead. Lt. Colonel Raymond G. Davis, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, receives the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership during the treacherous march, which included the rescue of an encircled rifle company. Nonetheless, more miles of treacherous terrain stand between them and Hungnam. A contingent of Royal Marines had moved out of Hagaru to cover the flanks, but for the most part, the Marine aviators had cleared most of the loitering Chinese out of the way. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and the 4th Battalion, 11th Marines, are the next units expected at Hagaru.

December 3, 1950

578

Top: U.S. Marines en route to Hungnam carry one of their wounded. The hills in background are held by the enemy. Bottom: Marines move through frigid weather along frozen roads toward Hungnam. Chinese opposition obstructs the progress of the column at about 0200 on 4 December. In the Eighth Army area, preparations for a withdrawal from the Pyongyang area continue. Meanwhile, the Chinese withhold offensive action, but apparently

they are making plans to close from several directions to snap a trap around Pyongyang. Reports of enemy activity to the east and southeast of the town are scrutinized. General Walker becomes more convinced that the enemy is poised to cut off the withdrawal routes

579

December 3, 1950

Top: A transport plane, while taking off, passes over a Marine transport plane that burned after crashing on the improvised airstrip at Hagaru. The in-flight plane is evacuating seriously wounded who are unable to make the march to Hungnam. Bottom: Vehicles in line at a dock wait for evacuation at Hungnam. near Sin’gye. The orders to retreat are to be executed on the following day. The new and temporary line is to be at a point about fifteen miles below the village of Pyongyang, with a secondary plan that calls for preparations to move from there to another line that drops the troops on the east about thirty miles. In conjunction, those on the west will pull back about fifty miles. — In Japan: General MacArthur informs Washing-

ton that he requires reinforcements in large numbers in order to beat back the challenge of the Chinese who have involved themselves in Korea. Based on his calculations, MacArthur believes that without additional troops, he will have few options, and be compelled to offer resistance while his forces withdraw southward in an effort to avoid the total devastation of the U.N. forces in Korea.

December 3, 1950

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U.S. Army engineers place sachel charges on a railroad bridge in the vicinity of Pyongyang as the U.S. prepares to abandon the area.

581

December 4, 1950

Chinese prisoners captured by U.S. Marines during fighting withdrawal in the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. Some of the Chinese are wearing canvas shoes (sneaks) and others rags, but some others are wearing U.S. boots. All of the Chinese are wearing quilted uniforms.

December 4 Along the main supply route, the remaining elements of the 1st Marine Division continue to advance toward Hagaru from Yudam-ni. During the march, the column comes under attack at about 0200, shortly after some of the vehicles transporting artillery run out of fuel. The units to the front, Company G and Company H (3rd Battalion, 5th marines), continue to advance, unaware of the problem. Chinese forces open fire on the convoy. Marines attached to the 4th Battalion, 11th Marines (truck drivers and artillerymen), repulse the assault and in a short while, more Marines arrive to bolster the stalled convoy. The unexpected attack causes confusion and a few of the troops panic. Others restore calm. The 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, and Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, arrive and by that time, Lieutenant Colonel Taplett had also arrived at the ambush. The warrant officer with the pointed tongue, after moving around a bend, soon returns with a driver and an artillery piece in tow. Ground troops combine with artillerymen to eliminate the blockage, but in the midst of the darkness and confusion, the Chinese blow a bridge, further complicating the possibility of further progress. By daylight, the artillery begins to pound the enemy positions from close range and the Chinese are also struck by air attacks. Again, the Marines advance and the Chinese sustain devastating losses, estimated at about one hundred and fifty troops. The remaining el-

ements arrive at Hagaru at 1400, bringing the first phase of the operation to a successful close. Of the 1,500 casualties that arrive at Hagaru, about one third of them are suffering from frostbite. Four days of Hell and fourteen miles of damnation end for the 1st Marine Division, but still for the Marines and the supporting troops, including the British and South Koreans, it is still a long, long way to Hungnam. The Marines are startled to learn, while at Hagaru, that there were doubts among the American press and public that they could extricate themselves from the Chinese trap. Despite the hardships endured, the Marines at Hagaru, with a few exceptions, remained fully confident that they would fight through the remaining Chinese and reach the coast at Hungnam. Some in the United States had prematurely written off the entire 1st Marine Division. In the Eighth Army area, Eighth Army is to withdraw to the new line, which is to stretch from Kyomip’o along the lower bank of the Taedong River on the west to Koksan in a valley near the Yesong River. I Corps moves out to deploy in the vicinity of Kyomip’o by traveling along a route through Pyongyang. In the meantime, IX Corps is to move along Route 33 toward the eastern sector of Eighth Army near Koksan. The east flank of army is in the Yesong Valley defended by the ROK II Corps, and the arrival of the IX Corps is intended to augment the South Koreans and ease

December 4, 1950 somewhat General Walker’s concern for his east flank. The Chinese continue to remain inconspicuous. In Air Force activity, a three-plane contingent of reconnaissance Tornadoes is attacked by MiGs. The enemy shoots down one of the planes in what becomes

582 the first successful shoot down of a jet bomber in the history of air power. In Naval activity, Far East Naval Forces arrive at Wonsan to evacuate the U.S. forces there. The USS St. Paul (CA 73) is delegated as the gun fire support coor-

U.S. infantry troops (X Corps) south of Koto-ri work in the snow to fortify foxhole.

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December 5, 1950

Conditions at Marine positions in Koto-ri during early December. The Marines are greeted by another snowstorm. dinator during the operation. Also, the United Nations Blockading and Escort Task Element (TE 95.1) provides naval surface gun fire and air support for Eighth Army forces that are stretched between Chinnampo and Inchon. The operation continues into the following day. In other activity, Lieutenant Thomas Jerome Hudner, a pilot of Fighter Squadron 32, attached to the USS Leyte Gulf (CV-32), attempts to assist a downed pilot in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir. Hudner flies in circles to protect the other aviator. Soon after, Hudner decides to land in full view of the enemy to save the pilot, whose plane had caught fire with him trapped in the cockpit. Hudner attempts unsuccessfully to retrieve the pilot. Afterwards, and still in great danger, he calls for a helicopter, all the while in the view of the enemy. The helicopter arrives, but still the pilot could not be extricated. Lieutenant Hudner becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism in the face of the enemy, with great risk to his own life in an attempt to save another pilot, above and beyond the call of duty. — In Japan: General MacArthur receives a response from Washington regarding his recent request for reinforcements, but it is not what he had expected. General Joseph Lawton Collins, Army chief of staff, makes it clear in a meeting with MacArthur that no large number of troops will be committed at this time. Nonethe-

less, MacArthur is also informed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Washington, that they were in agreement with him on the establishment of beachheads from which the troops could be evacuated if necessary. Collins remains in the region for a while and spends a few days in Korea to get an onsite perspective of the situation.

December 5 In the X Corps area, at Hagaru, the 1st Marine Division continues its operation to reach Hungnam. The Chinese for the fourth straight night do not initiate any offensive action against the American lines at Hagaru. On this day, 1,400 casualties remain at Hagaru, but by the end of the day, all are evacuated by air, to bring the total of air evacuations of wounded to 4,312 troops (1 December through 5 December). The casualties include 3,150 Marines, 1,137 U.S. Army and 25 British Royal Marines (Task Force Drysdale). X Corps figures differ slightly from Marine records, with X Corps totals amounting to 4, 207 for the identical time period. The Marines and other forces at Hagaru get a short reprieve, as the arrivals from Yudam-ni require some rest. The next step of the advance to Koto-ri will commence on the following day. At 0800 on this day, OpnO 25–50 is issued. The General Order lays out the plan for the breakout, which is to commence on the following day at dawn. There is no activity against the base today and it

December 5, 1950

584

U.S. Army engineers construct a treadway bridge across the Taedong River. The new bridge is built close to another bridge that is operational. remains tranquil throughout the night, permitting the troops to prepare for the next jump-off without major interruption, other than the ungodly weather. Nonetheless, the Marines and the U.S. Army elements at Hagaru are aware that the Chinese, although concealed, are in the vicinity in overwhelming strength. Intelligence gathered from POWs indicate that seven complete divisions block the path and another two enemy divisions are also suspected of being nearby. The identified divisions are: CCF 58th, 59th, 60th, 76th, 79th, 80th and 89th. The other two thought to be in the path are the CCF 77th and 78th. The X Corps forces are composed of only three Marine Regimental Combat Teams, 5, 7 and 8. In the Eighth Army area, U.N. forces evacuate Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The Americans and the Allied units attached to Eighth Army continue to retire toward the new line about fifteen miles below the capital. During the morning, large portions of the city are set afire and troops attached to IX Corps work to destroy all equipment and supplies not scheduled for transport by the retiring forces. The rail yards are jammed and operations are underway to move out the wounded; however, there is a shortage of operable trains due to several reasons, including damage from previous Allied air strikes. Prior to 0800, most sections of the city are afire and all pontoon bridges that span the Taedong River are blown by engineers. Lingering, although unseen, Chinese pressure forces a hurried retreat, which hinders the operation to destroy the equipment. There is a huge amount of supplies and too little time. Consequently, although nearly all units are beyond the city during the day, the quagmire at the rail yard prevents the evacua-

tion of about fifteen M-46 tanks that are parked atop flat cars. At Chinnampo, the port has been active for the last several days in an effort to transport wounded and remove supplies and equipment. Like the activity at Pyongyang, the operations continue without interference from the Chinese. Eighth Army utilizes U.S. Naval vessels, Japanese commercial vessels and even Korean sailboats to help with the task. The forces there are loading equipment, but they also allow boarding throngs of civilians and captured enemy troops. It was, for a while, thought that the prisoners should be left at the port, but after discussions, it is decided that the retreating South Korean forces would probably liquidate them. By about 1700, the final vessels embark under the protection of U.S. destroyers offshore and a nearby British aircraft carrier that had been posted in the Yellow Sea to provide air cover during this last day of the evacuation of Chinnampo. As at Pyongyaang, engineers detonate the explosives to ensure the port town is of little value to the enemy. In conjunction, the vessels head toward Inchon and Pusan, with the service troops and the supplies primarily going to the former and the wounded and POWs moving to the latter. Evacuation of Chinnampo and Inchon is handled by naval vessels of Amphibious Task Force (TF 90.1) and United Nations Blockading and Escort Task Force (TF 95). In related activity, General Walker orders I Corps and IX Corps to dispatch patrols to attempt to locate the enemy positions, but neither makes any contact. The absence of any prisoners makes it difficult for the time being to guess the next move of the Chinese. In Air Force activity, Combat Cargo Command

585

December 6, 1950

Two bridges that span the Taedong River, both blown by U.S. forces on 5 December. continues the operation to supply the troops surrounded in northeastern Korea. The recently arrived Greek contingent of C-47s participates in the airlift. During this day’s operations, 3,925 wounded and sick troops are transported to Japan. Most of the men are lifted from the primitive airstrip at frozen Hararuri. In other activity, the Air Force cancels its strikes against the Yalu River bridges. The extreme cold weather along the Korean–Manchurian border has temporarily made the bridges irrelevant; the rivers are totally frozen, which permits the Chinese to walk across. — In the United States: The rift between General MacArthur and President Truman continues to intensify, as the president remains infuriated at certain public statements made by MacArthur. Truman, on this day, issues a directive relating to all American officials stationed overseas, including military leaders, that any public statements be in concurrence with U.S. policies and that no statements or communications are to made by these officials about foreign policy or military matters. This is particularly directed toward General MacArthur and essentially prohibits him from making statements to the press or the other media from the United States. In conjunction, there is great division between Washington and MacArthur on the way the conflict in Korea is being handled. And MacArthur has been defending his methods and strategy against the accusations

that he is responsible for the failures of the U.N. Command to halt the Chinese.

December 6 General Collins, Army chief of staff, concludes a three-day stop in Korea. During his visit, he spent some time conferring with Generals Walker and Almond, the commanding officers of Eighth Army and X Corps, respectively. He returns to Japan to confer with General MacArthur. Collins gains the separate opinions of Walker and Almond. Walker believes Eighth Army must withdraw, while Almond is convinced his X Corps can draw a solid line at Hungnam and withstand the Chinese attacks. A strategy meeting will be held at Far East Headquarters on the following day to solidify a plan. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, at dawn, the X Corps 1st Marine Division and attached units, again unmolested overnight by the Chinese, commence the breakout from Hagaru. RCT-1 is assigned to hold Koto-ri and Changhung. RCT-7 drives southward. It had been relieved on the previous day from its deployment along the Hagaru perimeter by RCT-5. RCT-5 moves out against East Hill and from there it is to trail RCT-7 to protect the rear. The coordinated attacks of RCT-5 and the spearhead, RCT-7, receive air support at about 0700. The advance is to be protected by scores of planes at just about all times. The Marine squadrons at Yonpo average about 100 sorties a

December 6, 1950 day and other Marines aboard the Badoeng Strait fly another thirty-five sorties a day, while the U.S. Navy’s carriers provided additional blanket coverage to the point of nearly creating a traffic jam in the skies above the column. The carriers Leyte Gulf, Valley Forge, Philippine Sea and Princeton are instructed to place the column on the top priority list and each carrier is directed to commit no less than one hundred sorties a day. Other carriers, the Bataan and the Sicily, are closing on the area and they too are to join in the protective umbrella. In addition, the 11th Marines contribute non-stop artillery support for both RCT-7 and RCT-5. In the meantime, at Hagaru, during the night of 5–6 December, the artillery units continued to plaster the forward routes with artillery shells that could not be transported. In addition to the Marines, the survivors of Task Force Faith — numbering 385 troops and other 7th Infantry Division elements numbering slightly more than 100 soldiers — are with the column. The soldiers, formed into a composite battalion, are under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Anderson and attached to the 7th Marines. Meanwhile, enemy-held East Hill, a Chinese stronghold since 29 November, falls to the Marines at about 1100, when the resistance vanishes. Upon occupying the hill, about thirty Chinese troops that had died during the fighting are discovered. Following the seizure of East Hill, the Marines move against another hill in the near distance; however, the Chinese do not relinquish it easily. Nevertheless, by 1430, the Marines secure the objective. Soon after, the Chinese are preparing a counterattack, but the Marines commence a momentous and what turns out to be a historical bombardment. While elements of RCT-5 pummel the Chinese, planes arrive and deliver more lethal punishment. Consequently, the Chinese that are snagged on a saddle choose to capitulate. A Marine patrol of platoon size, led by 1st Lieutenant George C. McNaughton, accepts the surrender of 220 Chinese, a record seizure for the 1st Marine Division during the Reservoir Campaign. Despite horrendous casualties, the Chinese continue to strike against Marine positions at East Hill until about midnight, but the casualties do not deter them. Soon after, at about 0205 (7 December), the Chinese launch yet another assault against RCT-5. The Chinese charge and get dropped. More waves follow and again they are eliminated, but still, even more continue to make futile charges. The Marines sustain casualties, but the return fire decimates the attackers. Most of the killing was observed due to the high volume of tracer shells and the illuminating flares that spotlighted the Chinese as they advanced. By the time dawn arrives it becomes noticeable also that the Chinese escape route coincided with the line of fire of the Marines’ artillery. One group of about sixty Chinese had maneuvered directly into the gun sights, resulting in the instant demise of the group. A smaller contingent nearby, composed of about fifteen troops, had immediately surrendered. As the Marines of RCT-5 check the field after daylight, the estimated

586 figure of Chinese killed to the front of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, stands at about 800 troops. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, sustains 13 killed and 50 wounded. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, sustains 10 killed and 43 wounded. To the front of the 1st Battalion are 260 Chinese, killed at Charlie Company’s lines. At Able Company, 200 killed Chinese are counted. While RCT-5 had engaged the enemy at East Hill for nearly twenty-two hours, RCT-7 had continued its forward drive toward Koto-ri. The 7th Marines initially seizes its first objective effortlessly when it catches a small contingent asleep in the heights just outside Tonae-ri, but soon after, the RCT encounters fierce resistance. The resistance is eventually overcome by about noon, but again, within a short while, the Chinese hold another blocking point. That, too, is reduced after dogged fighting. By dusk, RCT-7 stands at a point about 5,000 yards below Hagaru. The opposition had been anticipated and the order to continue to drive forward had always been part of the planned offensive withdrawal. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, advances to what had become known as Hell Fire Valley, but there, the enemy machine gun position halts progress until just about midnight, when U.S. Army tanks arrive to liquidate the blockage and permit the drive to continue. However, the Chinese also had blown yet another bridge, once again bringing the beleaguered column to a halt. The troops of Company D make repairs that allow the march to resume. The column soon after comes across another blown bridge and still, the Americans continue. After a delay of about one additional hour, a bypass route is used and the 7th Marines move along the final stretch without opposition and enter Koto-ri. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, encounters opposition when its train is struck at about 2100, but Company G and Company I form a protective shield and repulse the attack, which had come from close range. More trouble is encountered in the vicinity of Hell Fire Valley. At about 0200, elements of Company I, supported by a contingent of tanks, eliminate the obstacle before dawn. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion, which is advancing on the west side of the river and clearing the heights, descends the hills and hooks up with the column, which enters Koto-ri at about 0700 (7 December). During the afternoon, the 7th Marines had progressed far enough to finally permit Division Train Number 1 to depart Hagaru at about 1600. Enemy resistance is encountered but elements of the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines (Batteries George and How) repulse the attack. Afterwards, at a point about 3,500 yards south of Hagaru, again the convoy is struck. The convoy stalls, but the Marines hold the ground and following a two-hour conflagration, the enemy disengages. Marine estimates place the number of troops that fled the area at only about fifty. The remainder of the force, numbering between 500 and 800, had either been killed or wounded. Another part of the convoy, the

587

December 6, 1950

Top: U.S. Marines, accompanied by Marine tanks, move along frozen road from Koto-ri to Hamhung during breakout. Bottom: Chinese POWs captured by Marines during fighting withdrawal from Koto-ri to Hamhung. division headquarters company, also faces tenacious opposition after it departs Hagaru. Most of the resistance occurs during the early morning hours of the following day. Division Train Number 2 departs Hagaru after dark on 6 December. The initial units that abandon Hagaru arrive at Koto-ri in just under sixty hours; however,

the latter parts of the column encounter more difficulty, which adds nearly twenty additional hours to the hazardous trip. In addition to the normal day sorties by Marine pilots and the supporting planes from the U.S. Navy carriers, Marine Corps Night-Fighter Squadrons supply limited protection during the darkened hours. Also,

December 7, 1950 for the first time in any conflict, a transport plane is used as a TADC (tactical air direction center). The Marines use the aircraft to continue effective close-air support during the breakout. An RSD is used as the airborne tactical command post. It remains in action for six days. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker’s new lines below Pyongyang stretch from Kyomip’o to Sin’gye with the I Corps deployed on the west, while the IX Corps leans from Yuli towards Sin’gye on the left, in close proximity to the ROK II Corps in the Yekong Valley. Although there remains great concern about the large amount of Chinese that had been in pursuit, still there is no major interference detected this day. Walker, in the meantime, does get a fresh reminder that the Chinese are around, as reports arrive at headquarters notifying him that Chinese troops have been spotted at Pyongyang. Aircraft take note that hostile forces are also on the move at Chinnamp’o, the port city recently abandoned by Eighth Army. Meanwhile,

588 a 1st Cavalry Division contingent, composed of two battalions, in search of the Chinese, encounters and engages a North Korean force at Koksan in the Yesong Valley (ROK II Corps zone). Adding to these anticipated reports, Walker also learns that the North Koreans and their guerrilla counterparts are advancing towards his positions and all indications point to them striking the rear and the east side of the line. Walker decides to retreat as planned to the next line, but still he is unaware of whether the Chinese are poised to strike his left flank. The Chinese, who seemed to be everywhere Eighth Army moved during the latter part of November, remain concealed. The absence of Chinese forces, at least from the sight of the Eighth Army, leads Walker to think that they might well have swerved away from his east flank in an attempt to slide between his force and that of the X Corps. This maneuver could give the enemy an open running field from which they could swarm into South Korea. To counteract this possibility, Walker concludes that he must establish a blocking force (Line A), which will extend across the peninsula from the area near the mouth of the Yesong River to the Sea of Japan. Meanwhile, top level strategy talks will be held on the following day in Japan and Walker, pursuant to orders that emerge from the meeting, will alter the line. In Air Force activity, a unit attached to the Strategic Air Command, the 27th Fighter Escort Wing (FEW) based at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, initiates missions from Taegu, Korea. This is the first time the F-84 Thunder Jet fighters enter combat in Korea. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff forward to General MacArthur in Japan the directive of President Truman regarding public statements by U.S. officials and military leaders regarding U.S. policy. (See also, December 5, 1950.)

December 7

A single U.S. soldier with full gear during the withdrawal from Kotori to Hamhung. U.S. Army troops, ROKs and some British had been with the 1st Marine Division during the fighting withdrawal.

In the X Corps sector, at Hagaru, some Marine elements still remain, while the columns RCT-1, RCT-5 and RCT7 continue to move towards Kotori. The front elements have already arrived, but the column in its entirety is stretched across about a twelve-mile run. Division Train Number 1 had not been able to depart Hagaru until 1600 on the

589 6th. During the ongoing breakout from Hagaru, the remaining elements of the 7th Marines had entered Koto-ri by about 0700 this day. The 2nd Battalion arrived on the previous night. During the latter part of the morning, units of the battalion move out to provide cover for trailing elements of the 1st Marine Division. In addition to establishing positions at points between Hill 1182 and Koto-ri along the MSR, another mission is assigned to the 2nd Battalion. Information had been passed to the ground troops that a group of British Marines had been spotted by aircraft on 4 December. The pilots that spotted the British contingents noticed that the word “help” was imprinted in the snow. Other planes airdropped food and supplies to ensure that the troops could hold out until the help they requested could arrive. The men had become isolated while Task Force Drysdale was under attack on the night of 29–30 November. The 2nd Battalion retrieves the entire group of twenty-two British Marines. By 1700, the remaining units of RCT 7 arrive at Koto-ri. In the meantime, the divisional trains had begun their departure on the previous day and while en route, stiff Chinese opposition continues to impede progress. Artillerymen and others, including clerks and headquarters personnel, act as infantry to defend the convoys. Also, the Division Headquarters Company convoy, which had departed Hagaru late on the previous day, again encounters stiff opposition at about 0130. Marine Corps Night-Fighter squadrons arrive to provide some air cover, while the Marines attempt to beat back

December 7, 1950 the attack. The planes neutralize the Chinese until just prior to dawn. By that time, a contingent of about thirty Chinese close against the convoy, which also has a large contingent of Chinese POWs within the column. As the MPs continue to keep vigil on the prisoners, while defending against the attack, the prisoners come under intentional fire from the attacking enemy forces. The Chinese prisoners who had been contained along the road immediately attempt to break, which places them in the sights of the Chinese and the Marines. Of the 160 POWs, 137 are killed. The wounded POWs had been left at Hagaru. Soon after the fierce exchange, the convoy reinitiates its advance and upon entering the vicinity of Pusong-ni, a brief firefight develops as a small contingent of enemy troops, concealed in houses in the village, are captured. The convoy, after reaching Hell Fire Valley at about dawn, halts progress. At the time, there is no enemy resistance; however, the troops receive the grim task of surveying the field where many of the members of Task Force Drysdale had died. A detail attempts to identify the bodies of the headquarters personnel and MPs there, to provide information for the contingents that later will arrive to remove the bodies. Afterwards, the convoy rolls into Koto-ri at about 1000. Other units follow and by about 2300, the only units not yet at Koto-ri are the contingents of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, the rear guard. The final elements depart at slightly after noon, just ahead of the major explosion detonated by the engineers that destroyed the town and prevented the Chinese from

U.S. Marines halt at a bridge destroyed by Chinese Communists during the march to Humnang. Bridge sections are dropped by planes and Marine engineers secure a crossing.

December 7, 1950

590

An aerial view of the route taken by the 1st Marine Division from Koto-ri to Hamhung. The mountains are full of Chinese troops. The part of the bridge blown by the Chinese can be seen on the right. acquiring any supplies or ammunition still in the village. The Marines at Koto-ri prepare for the next phase of the breakout, which commences on the following day. Meanwhile, planes attached to Combat Cargo Command arrive to deliver food and supplies, and when

they depart, they evacuate the wounded. In addition, eight C-119s drop bridge sections to the troops to provide a means to cross a treacherous gorge with a depth of 1,500 feet. This is the first bridge to be delivered by air in the history of warfare. The bridges arrive by parachute. Some sections are damaged and one section lands

591

December 7, 1950

Top: The 27th Fighter Escort Wing (Bergstrom Air Force Base) introduces the F-84 Thunderjet into combat in Korea on 7 December. Bottom: Marine casualties (many from frostbite) in the vicinity of Changjin Reservoir wait to be evacuated for medical aid. within Chinese positions; however, the ingenuity of the engineers prevails and with some modifications, the engineers are prepared to erect the span. Still, the distance between the engineers at Koto-ri and where the bridge is to be erected stands several miles away. Several Chinese strong points, including Hill 1328, a mass that stood south and southwest of the village and Hill 1081, another huge threat located a few miles north of the village, remain in the way. The drive to reduce the obstacles is scheduled for 8 December. Also, the operations at Yonpo Airfield are beginning to wind down. Marine Squadron VMF-214 returns to the USS

Sicily. VMF-214 had moved to Itami on December 4, but by about 15 December, the squadron will operate from the USS Bataan. In conjunction, the 1st Marine Air Wing is commanded by Major General Field Harris. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker continues preparations to withdraw to the new line, Line A, to be established along the Haeju–Sin’gye–Inchon Line. The operation to pull back is to begin on the following day; however, new orders arrive from Far East Command and the plan will be modified. Meanwhile, patrols continue to operate from both the

December 8, 1950 I and IX Corps in search of the location of the Chinese. The 1st Cavalry Division, which had engaged some North Koreans at the village of Koksan on the previous day, dispatches a contingent back to the village this day, but no enemy troops are encountered. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces’ B-29s bomb targets in the vicinity of the Changjin Reservoir to provide some relief to the Marines and attached units of X Corps, while they fight their way from Hagaru-ri amd Koto-ri (see also, In the X Corps area, this day.) — In Japan: A major conference is held in Tokyo to deal with the deteriorating situation in Korea. The attendees include General MacArthur, Admirals Joy and Struble, General Stratemeyer (Air Force Far East Command), Lt. General Shepherd, USMC, and General Collins, Army Chief of Staff. The group discusses the various possibilities available to forestall disaster in Korea, based on all available information received from intelligence reports as well as the convictions of the commanders in the field. At the conclusion of the meeting, based on what is and is not considered conceivable, a decision is made to rely basically on the blueprint provided by General Wright of G-3 (Staff Operations and Training). This strategy calls for the sea lift of X Corps at Hungnam, from where it can be transported to southeastern Korea to permit it to converge with Eighth Army to galvanize the strength of both units for a more solid block of resistance against the advancing Chinese armies, now estimated to number nearly 170,000 troops. A series of potential defensive lines are to be established, four of these above Seoul, with the defense of Seoul to be paramount; however, if the positions there become untenable, and only then, General Walker will be authorized

592 to relinquish it. The fourth and final line above Seoul is to run across the peninsula in its entirety, extending east to west from the coast to the Imjin River. The final lines are spaced between the South Korean capital, with the last one to be set up in the vicinity of Pusan. In conjunction, MacArthur informs Generals Walker and Almond by radio that new orders concerning the general withdrawal will arrive on the following day.

December 8 General Walker receives new orders (Order Number 5) that establish the guidelines for the withdrawal of Eighth Army and the incorporation of X Corps into Army. MacArthur’s order sets up nine specific lines of defense. Walker begins to implement the plan. He switches from his original line to the one designated by Far East Command. The new line (Line B) is nearly identical to Line A; however, as it stretches from east to west, according to MacArthur’s directive, at Hwach’on the westward section swings southwest along the lower bank of the Imjin and Han Rivers, which shortens the line somewhat on that side, while it maintains the original eastward line from the village. The defense of Seoul is to be at this line. The various units are directed to initiate movement to their respective positions. In the X Corps area, the Marines of the 1st Division and attached forces at Koto-ri begin to depart en route to the coast at Hungnam. The Chinese remain in the area in great numbers, yet Koto-ri has not come under a major attack since the night of 28–29 November. The town, however, remains surrounded and the breakout is not expected to be less difficult than the twelve miles the troops had already traveled from Hagaru. About ten thousand troops arrived at Koto-ri

Marine riflemen are deployed along an icy road to defend against an attack during the breakout from Koto-ri.

593

December 8, 1950

U.S. planes drop supplies to elements of 1st Marine Division at the Changjin Reservoir as it fights its way to Hungnam. from Hagaru. The diminutive village, on 8 December, is crammed with more than 14,000 men, including the Marines and U.S. Army troops already there. The Marine garrison at Koto-ri amounts to 2,640 troops, bolstered by 1,535 U.S. Army troops and twenty-five

British Royal Marine Commandos. The new arrivals from Hagaru include 9,046 Marines, 818 U.S. Army, 125 British Royal Marine Commandos and 25 ROK Police (attached to the 5th Marines). While the operation unfolds at Koto-ri, engineers

December 8, 1950

594

Top: General O.P. Smith, commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division, pays a final tribute to the eightyfive Marines who remained at Yudam-ni. Bottom: Marine tanks awaiting the order to depart Koto-ri.

595

December 8, 1950

An armored column of 1st Marine Division prepares to move from Koto-ri on 8 December. A Pershing M26 is in foreground. The other tanks are Sherman M4s. widen the airstrip to provide access for larger planes to transport the wounded; however, the 1st Marine Division still must fight through the enemy forces. All those not seriously wounded continue with the breakout column. In the meantime, the Chinese, pragmatic in their

choices of direct attack against the Marines, continue to mount obstacles, including blowing bridges, but they mount no offensives against the main body of the 1st Marine Division at Koto-ri. Daybreak on 8 December brings yet another obstacle

December 9, 1950 into the picture. A fresh snowstorm saturates the area. At 0800, the Marines press forward to take out the opposition in the vicinity of Funchilin Pass, which dominates the route to Hungnam. The heights north of the pass are held by the Chinese. RCT-7 (reinforced) drives south toward the hill mass at Hill 1328. Two objectives stand at the hill, one southwest of the village and the other south, known as Objectives A and B respectively, held by elements of the CCF 60th Division. After reducing both, the 7th Marines are to sprint forward to the next objective, slightly less than three miles from Koto-ri. In the meantime, RCT-5 drives towards another obstacle, Hill 1457, known as Objective D, at a point about two and one-half miles south of the village. Simultaneously, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, head north from Chinhung-ni to reduce Hill 1081, while the remainder of RCT-1 (reinforced) holds fast at Koto-ri to defend the trains (convoy). In the 1st Battalion zone, Company A, led by Captain Barrow, moves to gain the summit of Hill 1181, while Company C, under Captain Wray, drives against its southwestern tip. Meanwhile, Company B, commanded by Captain Noren, presses against the enemy on the southern slope of Hill 1181. Baker Company strikes with surprise and gains an enemy command post, where the Chinese had apparently been preparing breakfast. The rice continues to boil as the exchange ensues. Although the 1st Battalion had not yet been engaged in a major battle during the period at the reservoir, its skills had not been dulled. The defenders at the southern slope are killed, except for those who flee. Company B sustains 3 killed and 6 wounded. Company A also uses the snow and the element of surprise to take out the defenders on the summit. One nasty machine gun blocks passage for a short while, but it is eliminated and afterwards, the remaining defenders in the bunker are immediately wiped out or killed as they attempt to flee from the crest. About sixty Chinese are killed. Company A sustains 10 killed, primarily from the machine gun nest, and 11 wounded. In the meantime, Company C holds at its objective on the southwestern tip of the mass, but Company A remains under pressure. At about midnight, the Chinese launch an attack against Company A, but it fails. To the area south of Koto-ri, the Chinese raise tenacious resistance against RCT-7 and impede its progress. Despite using the reserves, Hill 1328 remains under Chinese control, while the 3rd Battalion regroups. The objective falls on the following day. Other elements of the 7th Marines, attacking in support of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, encounter stiff resistance in the vicinity of Hill 1304. In conjunction, RCT-5, also attacking southward, seizes its initial objectives. The high ground near the northern entrance to Funchilin Pass is taken by the U.S. Army Provisional Battalion (attached to RCT-5) without opposition. From there, the provisional battalion jumps off and takes the ground at the northwestern tip of Hill 1457, against no opposition. By 1330, the battalion secures its sector and holds-

596 for the remainder of the day. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, holds at Koto-ri until about noon and then moves against Hill 1457. While Company C drives up the slopes, it joins with elements of the Army Provisional Battalion, and the two contingents combine their strength to clear the hill while Company B seizes the heights and provides cover fire for Company C’s assault. By mid-afternoon, the objective is seized and by dusk, night positions are established as Companies B and C form with the provisional troops. Meanwhile, Company A establishes a separate perimeter along the main supply route. The rear positions are covered by the British Royal Marines, who deploy in the high ground to protect against enemy infiltration from the rear of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. Darkness and more frigid temperatures overtake the area and the day ends without reaching the blown bridge. Nonetheless, the Chinese still resist launching a major assault against the 1st Marine Division. Although there had been no major setbacks, the most grim part of the day at Koto-ri came about when there was no means of transporting the dead that had been brought in or retrieved from the field along the route from Hagaru. One hundred Marines, soldiers and Royal Marine commandos are interred at Koto-ri on this day. The area surrounding Koto-ri also continues to be the gathering place for Korean civilians, intent on moving through the Communists to reach Hungnam. The civilians are not permitted to enter the perimeter due to the infiltration of Communist troops; however, some medical assistance is offered to the civilians who had lost everything except what they carried with them. One small incident of joy occurs as U.S. Navy personnel assist two pregnant women who give birth. In the Eighth Army area, a new UN unit, the Greek Expedition Force, arrives in Korea. It will be attached to the U.S. 7th Cavalry.

December 9 In the X Corps sector, at Koto-ri, the breakout continues as the 1st Marine Division and its attached forces reinitiate the attacks to clear passage along the main supply route leading to Hungnam. North of Koto-ri, one obstacle still impedes progress, but as dawn emerges and the skies are clear, the Marines in the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines (RCT-1), are aware that air cover is en route. The Chinese raise heavy resistance, but the persistence of Company A prevails, despite the elements and the tenacity of the enemy. Company A, which had departed Koto-ri with 223 Marines at about 1500, take possession of the hill with a strength of 112 men. At the instant of victory, the number is cut by one, as Staff Sergeant Ernest J. Umbaugh is killed. Umbaugh had led a heroic mission at the onset of the fight for the hill by charging with a squad to destroy a Chinese bunker with grenades to open the way to the summit. The Marines of Company A, during the ascent to the crest, eliminate 550 Chinese defenders. Meanwhile,

597

December 9, 1950

Top: Marine Corps tanks shepherd the ground troops during the fighting withdrawal to Hungnam. Bottom: U.S. Navy and Marine Corps planes pound enemy positions in the mountains in front of a Marine column.

December 10, 1950

598

The 1st Marine Division on 9 December resumes its march to Hamhung after engineers repair a destroyed bridge. The bridge sections were air dropped, the first time in the history of warfare that a bridge was delivered by parachute. Company B, also operating north of Koto-ri, takes its initial objective on the slopes without opposition. Company A’s domination of the Funchilin Pass greatly improves the chances of success of the breakout. In the RCT-5 sector, the 1st Battalion maintains its positions at Hill 1457 (Objective C). The remainder of the RCT5 makes final preparations to depart Koto-ri, scheduled for 10 December. In RCT-7’s sector, south of Koto-ri, the attack advances against the remnant resistance on Hill 1304. It is taken by Company A, led by Lieutenant Hovatter, while Company B, commanded by Lieutenant Taylor, drives to its next objective (Objective C) a nose above the main supply route, slightly more than two miles south of Koto-ri. RCT-7 maneuvers freely, as most Chinese defenders have vanished and those who pop up as conspicuous targets are very speedily disposed of by the air cover. Company C, led by Captain Morris and bolstered by one platoon (Company B), encounters some resistance at the site of the blown bridge, but the ground is seized, which opens the way for the engineers to bridge the gap and provide the exit route to Hungnam. By 1530, the span is erected and in the process the engineers improvise with plywood to place panels on the treadways to allow passage of the tanks and the trucks. The bridge undergoes its stability test at 1800, when the first vehicles begin the descent. Trouble strikes early, as one of the vehicles, towing earth-moving equipment, col-

lapses one of the plywood panels. The mishap halts all traffic and unhinges the entire day’s work. The Marines again improvise as Lieutenant Colonel Partridge assesses the damage and concludes that with some alterations, the span can be adjusted to handle the traffic, if the treadways get realigned at the furthest space possible, setting the planks at points to handle the jeeps as well as the M-26s. Subsequent to extricating the stalled equipment, the traffic stood ready and the first jeep barely passes over with no room to spare while its tires rub against the sides. Nonetheless, the span holds and the remaining traffic follows. At about 0245 on the morning of 10 December, the vanguard of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, moves into Chinhung-ni, a position protected by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Division. In other activity, Amphibious Task Force (TF 90) evacuates the 1st ROK Corps from Songjin. In Air Force activity, Combat Cargo Command, following two straight weeks of supplying the trapped X Corps troops in northeastern Korea, ends the mission. The planes (C-119 and C-47s) of the participating units had executed 350 flights. During the operation, just under 5,000 sick and wounded troops are evacuated and the planes deliver 1,580 tons of supplies, including ammunition and equipment.

December 10 In the X Corps area, the 1st Marine Division and attached units continue their withdraw

599 from Koto-ri to Hungnam. The convoy had encountered some difficulty en route, but after the delays, traffic reinitiated its movement against sporadic opposition. The lead elements in the convoy arrive at Chinhung-ni at about 0830, on the heels of the vanguard of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, which had arrived about 0400. Chinese remain in the area in concealed positions, including the village of Sudong, and other Chinese troops in large numbers are spotted east of Hill 1081 during the latter part of the morning. Earlier, Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, came under attack on Hill 1328 (Objective A), but the assault was repulsed. Once the enemy sightings are confirmed, a massive artillery bombardment is initiated and it is supported by air strikes, which when combined, overwhelm and destroy large numbers of Chinese in the valley as they move southward, oblivious to the horrific numbers of slain troops in their midst. Meanwhile, at about 1300, Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, pounds against a Chinese stronghold near the railroad, located north of where the 1st Battalion was deployed. With the support of air cover, the area is reduced. Task Force Dog (3rd Infantry Division) is posted at Chinhung-ni and other U.S. Army units attached to the 65th Infantry Regiment are deployed in the vicinity of Sudong and Madjong-dong, in an effort to keep

December 10, 1950 the main supply route clear. The division trains and the 5th and 7th Marines move through Sudong without incident; however, subsequent to darkness, the Chinese block passage just outside Sudong. Elements of the 65th Infantry Regiment reduce the obstacle. Afterward, it is assumed that the road is open; however, by midnight, the Chinese bolt from their positions in the village of Sudong and stun the convoy. The initial moments inflict casualties on some of the drivers. The trucks attached to RCT-1, caught in the unusual ambush, are set afire, causing great confusion within the ranks. Lieutenant Colonel John U.D. Page, USA, and Marine PFC Marvin L. Wasson move to the midst of the confusion and restore order, simultaneously eliminating about twenty Chinese at the head of the stalled column. Page is killed in the exchange; PFC Wasson returns to the fray wounded. Another U.S. Army officer, Lieutenant Colonel Waldon C. Winston, takes command and leads a counterattack with troops of the 52nd Transportation Truck Battalion, USA, and Marines. Wasson ignores his injuries and takes out an entire house with several rounds from a 75-mm recoilless rifle. The inhabitants that make it outside are then liquidated by machine gun fire. Wasson’s determination and his actions impress Lieutenant Colonel Winston, who nicknames Wasson “The

The port at Hungnam is crammed with supplies that are being loaded in conjunction with the abandonment of the port city.

December 10, 1950

600

Some of the thousands of Chinese dead who tried to annihilate the 1st Marine Division during its march to Hungnam. Spirit of 76.” Lt. Colonel Page is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism during the period 29 November–10 December. Nevertheless, the MSR remains unpassable until dawn. The donnybrook had also cost RCT-1 nine vehicles and one armored personnel carrier. PFC Wasson, who had been wounded prior to destroying the enemy strong point, further aids the cause by pushing stalled vehicles off the road while their cargo of ammunition is exploding. In the 3rd Battalion sector, 1st Marines zone, the battalion abandons its positions at the Hill 1328 mass south of Koto-ri at about 2100 and descends to join the column. A column of tanks trails the regimental column in a change of strategy to ensure that if a tank stalls, it will not halt the column. However, with the tanks in the rear, other difficulties emerge, as the armor is just ahead of throngs of civilians, interlaced with Chinese troops who pose as refugees. The forty tanks are protected only by a Marine Corps reconnaissance company. Slowly and cautiously, the tankers maneuver the serpentine paths that are

layered with ice. The reconnaissance troops guard the flanks with extra vigil on the trailing civilians. While the lead elements continue to advance, problems develop in the rear when one of the tanks becomes a victim of the weather. Its brakes freeze. Thirty-one of the tanks are unaffected, but the stalled tank and the eight behind it remain stranded about two thousand yards from the temporary bridge at the pass. Pandemonium sets in when a small group of Chinese approaches the rear guard and pulls off a ruse, pretending to surrender, only to open fire from close-range amid the civilians. The platoon commander, Lieutenant Hargett, attempts to check out the Chinese, and as they open fire, his carbine misfires due to the weather. Meanwhile, the encounter at close-range also includes enemy burp guns and grenades. Hargett uses his carbine as a club and beats one of the Chinese to death, but in the process, he is wounded by grenade fragments. Corporal A.J. Amyotte, a BAR man, takes out the other four Chinese. As the platoon withdraws, the last tank in the stalled column is abandoned to other Chinese troops and the

601 next in line is also lost. As the reconnaissance troops move forward, they pass the other vacated tanks. Finally, the stalled tank is repaired and it and one other is salvaged. Both scurry toward the bridge. During the fighting an explosion knocked one Marine, PFC McDermott, unconscious, and it is assumed by the others nearby that he had been killed. The crewmen of the last two tanks in the column are lost and in addition, the reconnaissance platoon sustains three men MIA and twelve wounded. Two of the missing are later reported as killed; however, McDermott later regains consciousness and manages to use a bypass of the blown bridge with the civilians. Later he rejoins his unit. Once the two tanks clear the bridge, the engineers there (believing all able Marines have made the break) blow the bridge. The column completes the last phase of the

December 11, 1950 move from Koto-ri at 1300 on 11 December, when the final elements arrive. Also, VMF-311, the initial USMC jet squadron to participate in combat sorties, begins its support of the ongoing withdrawal of X Corps. Twelve F9Fs arrive at Yonpo, from where the squadrons operate until 14 December; afterwards they operate from Pusan. In the Eighth Army area, a naval convoy from Songsin debarks elements of the South Korean Capital Division to hold the perimeter at Seoul during the operation to evacuate the city.

December 11

General MacArthur arrives in Korea from Japan to observe firsthand the situation and to confer with Generals Walker and Almond, commanders of the Eighth Army and X Corps respectively.

U.S. army troops (X Corps) guard a pass about twelve miles north of Hamhung during the evacuation of the port city.

December 11, 1950

602

Top: A U.S. Army artillery contingent prepares to fire against enemy positions north of Hamhung. Middle: Tanks carrying ground troops move through a village in the vicinity of Kaesong, the former capital of North Korea, during the Eighth Army withdrawal toward Seoul. Bottom: Buildings burn at Sibyonni during the Eighth Army withdrawal toward Seoul.

603 X Corps in northeastern Korea becomes MacArthur’s first stop. Following a conference with General Almond, he proceeds to General Walker’s headquarters to hold a discussion on the Eighth Army plans to withdraw and on the importance of holding control of Seoul. In the X Corps area, the final elements of the 1st Marine Division and attached units arrive in the Hamhung–Hungnam sector to conclude the breakout from Hagaru. The 1st Marine Division casualties, since it departed Koto-ri on 8 December, amount to 51 killed (24 die of wounds), 16 missing and 256 wounded. The 1st Marine Division, upon its arrival at Hungnam, had reversed the Chinese plans. The overwhelming forces thrown into the region to surround the Marines and annihilate the division failed. Instead, the 1st Marine Division fought its way along a sixtymile route, and through the support of air cover, devastated the Chinese forces it encountered. The fighting withdrawal of the 1st Marine Division, which was at the time unaware that it had been written off by many in the United States, evolves as the greatest achievement of a trapped American fighting force in the history of the United States. Between six and eight Chinese divisions were planted to wipe out the Marines and they failed, while sustaining overwhelming casualties that greatly impeded their ability to mount a full scale invasion against Hungnam. The Chinese up to this point have not yet attempted to collapse the perimeter, which is defended by contingents of the U.S. 3rd Division and the U.S. 7th Division. Enemy attacks are anticipated from three separate directions: along the coast from the northeast, from the Changjin Reservoir area, and from a southern point at Wonsan. Chinese advances had essentially severed any possible route back to South Korea over land. The evacuation is scheduled by sea and as long as possible, from the airfield at Hungnam. General Almond’s evacuation plan calls for the 1st Marine Division to depart first, followed by the 7th and 3rd Infantry Divisions. It becomes a challenging operation to protect the perimeter while abandoning Hungnam. Also, the South Korean Marines (1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment), which had been attached to the U.S. 3rd Division, moves to the airfield at Yonpo, from where it will be evacuated by air. During the operation, air cover is provided by the Navy and Marine Corps and in addition, U.S. naval vessels offshore remain to provide protection if their guns are needed. The Allied forces to be evacuated number more than 100,000 men and more than 18,000 vehicles. Endangered supplies weigh in at about 350,000 tons, placing a Herculean task upon Admiral Doyle. His transport group numbers about 125 ships, but the number is insufficient to handle the operation with only one visit to the port. Some vessels would be required to make additional trips to the port at Hungnam. The troops and the transports get additional protection as seven aircraft carriers move into the area to ensure nonstop air cover. The U.S. Navy also had moved one battleship, seven destroyers, two cruisers and several rocket

December 12, 1950 ships into the area to form a line stretching from ten miles south of Hungnam to a point about ten miles north of the port.

December 12 In the X Corps sector, at Hungnam, the evacuation operation continues. By the following day, the 5th and 7th Marines begin to board the vessels. In other activity, Brigadier General Edward A. Craig, assistant division commander, and an advance party are flown from Hungnam to Masan to prepare it for the arrival of the 1st Marine Division, which is to assemble there. Masan is located on the Bay of Masan about forty miles west of Pusan. The Marines are familiar with Masan, as it is where the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade assembled at the Bean Patch following the Battle of the Naktong during the previous August. Also, Marine Corps reports that division casualties during the fighting at and after the Chosin Reservoir when the Marines broke out stands at between 3,000 and 3,300, including those missing in action. In the Eighth Army area, Eighth Army establishes a defensive perimeter north of Seoul to protect the capital. I Corps had withdrawn into Hamhung–Hungnam perimeter. General Walker continues to work out the details of the withdrawal lines. With Line B now established above Seoul, the new addition, Line C, is prepared. It will be initiated along the lower bank of the Han River and extend northeast to the village of Hongch’on and from there it will lead eastward to Wonpo-ri. In addition, Line D is drawn about fortyfive miles below Seoul, where it extends from the west coast running in a northeastwardly direction through several villages, including P’yongt’aek, Ansong and Wonju, before terminating at the east coast port of Wonpo-ri. These two lines are to give Eighth Army a buffer zone if they are compelled to relinquish Seoul, but Walker also believes these lines to be mandatory, due to his perception that the ROKs, who will bear responsibility for a large part of Eighth Army’s eastern line, will give way once attacked in strength, thereby jeopardizing the Eighth Army forces still above Seoul. Meanwhile, with the Chinese now facing Eighth Army and X Corps in great strength, all possibilities must be considered. Walker directs Eighth Army units in the north to head south, while he orders ROK units northward toward Line B. During the operation, which continues until December 22, the Chinese remain inconspicuous and only some North Korean troops contest the withdrawals. However, both corps, I and IX, experience difficulty with the unending lines of refugees that trail the columns and clog the roads. In conjunction, the U.S. 2nd Division continues to rebuild its strength, subsequent to the beating it took during the previous November. At this time it is unprepared for the field and is already below Seoul. Although the Chinese have yet to take the offensive, Walker has concluded that Seoul can he held only if the South Koreans don’t fold, for if they do, much of Eighth Army will get caught above Seoul. However, Walker also

December 13, 1950

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The march is over. Marines at Hungnam hurry aboard a U.S. Navy troopship, where they will receive some hot Navy food. anticipates the IX Corps’ arrival, which will bolster his line and give Eighth Army the ability to hold the capital. — In Japan: The Anti-Submarine Hunter Killer Group (TG 96.7), composed of the USS Bairoko (CVE 115) and Destroyer Division 32, initiates exercises off eastern Hunshu. The force is bolstered by submarines attached to Submarine Group (CTG 96.9). Also, Command, East Coast Blockading and Patrol Task Group (CTG 95.2) (COMCRUDIV 5), establishes East Coast Korea Blockade Patrol Element (TE 95.22). TE-95.22 is subsequently renamed TG 95.5.

December 13 In the X Corps sector, the evacuation of Hungnam continues. At 1500, General Oliver P. Smith, USMC, attends the graveside services for the troops interred at the cemetery there and afterwards, he moves aboard the USS Bayfield, where he reestablishes his command post for the 1st Marine Division. Elements of the division continue to board, while the U.S. 3rd and 7th Infantry Divisions maintain the perimeter. No Chinese attacks are mounted against the city. While the evacuation continues, Marine planes at Yonpo continue to strike Chinese positions. December 14

In the X Corps sector, USMC squadrons at Yonpo cease operations in conjunction with the final phase of the abandonment of Hungnam. The field there remains in operation to continue airlifting the wounded from the area. The Marine land-based fighters there move to Japan. In Air Force activity, Combat Cargo Command initiates its abandonment of Yonpo Airfield near Hamhung in conjunction with the approach of Chinese units.

In other activity, the U.S. Air Force drops its initial Tarzon bomb, which is a 6-ton version of the Razon bomb. — In the United States: In the United Nations, the General Assembly passes a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Korea. A contingent of representatives is selected to sit at a peace table with the leaders of the Communists. It is to be an enduring ordeal, as the Communists, when they do attend, are arrogant and unwilling to seek compromise. Rather, the Chinese Communists, under the wing of the Soviets, humiliate the Allies with a continuous string of unending obstacles as they maintain their quest to wrest South Korea from its liberty.

December 15 In the X Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division completes its boarding of vessels at Hungnam and embarks for Pusan. The Marines had arrived at Hungnam from Koto-ri on 11 December. Hungnam remains under the protection of the 3rd and 7th U.S. Infantry Divisions, which are also in the process of abandoning Hungnam. Some Marines remain there to assist with the final phases of the evacuation. The units include elements of the Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company and the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion. By this time, the 1st Marine Air Wing has been redeployed at Japan, Pusan and aboard carriers. In conjunction, the initial naval gunfire support at Hungnam commences with night harassing missions, executed by the USS St. Paul (CA 73). Also, air control is transferred from 1st Marine Air Wing Tactical Air Direction Center to the USS Mt. McKinley (AGC 7). The wing’s command post transfers to Itami Air Force Base, Japan. The Marine fighter squadrons and VMO-6 (helicopters and light fixed wing planes) play a dominant

605

December 17, 1950

U.S. F-86 Sabre jets. The F-86 made its initial appearance (4th Fighter Interceptor Group, USAF) in Korea on 15 December 1950. role in safely concluding the breakout. VMO-6, during the period 28 October to 15 December, executed 1,544 flights in support of the 1st Marine Division and at times, isolated Marine units had contact only with VMO-6. Also, along the 3rd Division perimeter at Hungnam, Chinese forces mount attacks in the vicinity of Chigyong and Orori. The lines have already been thinned due to the loss of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment, which had moved to Yonpo, from where it was to be airlifted to its new assembly area in South Korea. The 3rd Division anticipated pulling back to the next line on the following day; however, the probing enemy assaults prompt General Soule to pull back during the afternoon of 15 December. In the Eighth Army area, General Walker orders the 1st Cavalry Division to advance to positions northeast of Seoul to establish a blockage in the event the Chinese attempt to move against the capital from the village of Chunchon. Also, the bulk of army headquarters departs Seoul for Taegu. Meanwhile, Walker remains concerned about the forces west of Seoul, as their destiny depends greatly on the performance of the South Koreans along the eastern side of the line if an enemy attack commences. A small contingent of headquarters will remain in the capital. In Air Force activity, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group introduces the F-86 Sabrejet into its operations in Korea. Also, Far East Air Forces Bomber Command launches its initial mission on a new sector interdiction plan. — In the United States: President Truman declares a state of national emergency.

December 16

In the X Corps sector, the Chinese press against the perimeter at Hungnam. They strike heavily against the north and west portions of the defensive line, defended by the U.S. 3rd Division. The probing action is carried out by elements of the Chinese 81st Division (Chinese 27th Army). While the military commanders continue to control the evacuation of the port and forestall enemy penetration of the perimeter, other problems develop as Korean refugees in large numbers flood into the area. The

civilians create a huge problem, including the inevitability of enemy troops masquerading among the throngs entering the perimeter. Simultaneously with the withdrawal of the combat troops, the defensive line continues to thin out. The U.S. 7th Division began its embarkation on 14 December, beginning with the 31st Infantry Regiment and other units that had been at the Chosin Reservoir with the Marines. Other units that followed included the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, and the 57th Field Artillery Battalion. In the meantime, the remainder of the 32nd Infantry forms a part of the protective line. The ROK I Corps, relieved by the 32nd Infantry, withdraws from the line still held by elements of the 3rd and 7th Divisions at the Songch’on River. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the Division command post is established at Masan. The 1st Marine Division is being placed into Eighth Army reserve from X Corps, effective 18 December. The transfer of all units, except VMO-6 and some smaller specialist units, from Hungnam to Masan will be completed by the following day. General O.P. Smith is concerned about his Marines, particularly since they had struggled during the Chosin Reservoir operation, which took a high toll on their physical strength. General Smith, soon after arriving at Masan, informs the commander of Naval Force Far East, Admiral Joy, that the Marines had only enjoyed fresh food on three days since they had arrived in Korea. Admiral Joy reacts quickly by dispatching a refrigeration vessel, which arrives at Masan with 50,000 rations of turkey. — In the United States: President Truman issues a Declaration of National Security (national emergency), attempting to inspire Americans during the crisis in Korea. He requests that they become even more neighborly and make whatever sacrifices are necessary for the welfare of the nation. Truman declares: “World conquest by Communist Imperialism is the goal of the forces of aggression that have been loosed upon the world.”

December 17 At Hungnam, the ROK I Corps embarks for Samch’ok, where it is to redeploy as part of the defensive line of Eighth Army. Other units that

December 17, 1950

606

Left: Two U.S. soldiers transport items, including stove pipes, on their backs en route from Pyongyang to the 38th Parallel. Right: A. U.S. soldier gets a haircut during a blizzard.

U.S. troops (Eighth Army) erect barbed wire obstacles north of Seoul.

607

December 18, 1950

A U.S. Army tank keeps a vigil for the enemy while a contingent of Eighth Army soldiers digs foxholes as part of the defense of Seoul. depart include the majority of troops attached to X Corps headquarters, which embark for Kyongju, where an advance command post is to be established. The 3rd Division elements in the vicinity of the Yonpo airfield prepare to withdraw to the next line of defense, in conjunction with the abandonment of the airfield. Another temporary airstrip in close proximity to the harbor is used to transport the remaining wounded. In Air Force activity, a patrol composed of F-86 Sabre jets encounters a contingent of MiGs, the first time the Sabres spot MiGs. Lt. Colonel Bruce H. Hinton, 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, receives credit for the first kill of a MiG by a Sabre. In other activity, Combat Cargo Command, which began to evacuate Yonpo Airfield on the 15th, completes the operation on this day. During the period December 14–17, the units evacuate 228 sick and wounded, and 3,891 other people. Also, the planes carry out 20,088 tons of cargo.

December 18 The 1st Marine Division, which sailed from Hungnam on 15 December, is assigned to Eighth Army. The orders from X Corps commander General Almond arrive at Masan at 2240. The Marines previously were assigned to X Corps. The Marines, after arriving in Pusan, had moved about 30 miles to Masan and assembled there while awaiting further orders. At Hungnam, the airfield at nearby Yonpo ceases operations. The final elements to depart are part of the Fifth Air Force. Marine squadrons based there had already moved to Pusan and to a base at Itami, Japan. While in operation during the abandonment of

Hungnam, the transport planes there evacuated about 3,600 troops and managed to transport nearly two hundred vehicles. The airmen also evacuated several hundred civilians. Subsequent to the closing of Hamhung and the airfield at Yonpo, the U.S. Navy commences a thunderous ground shaking bombardment that plasters the entire front. Using a couple of cruisers, seven destroyers and several vessels that carry rockets, the Navy propels 34,000 shells and 12,800 rockets as a farewell to any Chinese troops observing the withdrawal. At the tail end of the shelling, the USS Missouri chimes in with the other ships with its guns bringing finality to the bombardment by contributing 162 16-inch shells. Meanwhile, along the Hungnam perimeter, relief operations continue as elements of the 3rd Division take positions along the lower banks of the Songch’on River, while the 7th Division units there prepare to embark for Pusan. During the evacuation of Hungnam, the Chinese, this day intensify their attacks against the perimeter. The enemy contingents that launch the probing attacks are attached to the Chinese 79th Division; however, as the Chinese encroach, it is thought that two other divisions, the 80th and 81st, are also in close proximity. The attacks fail to inflict any severe damage to the lines, although some temporary gains are made against some isolated outposts. Also, contingents of the ROK I Corps, transported by elements of Amphibious Task Force (TF 90), land without incident at Bukuko Ko in the vicinity of Samch’ok. — In the United States: General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed supreme commander, Allied Powers, Europe (NATO).

December 19, 1950

December 19

In the X Corps sector, the remaining ground troops at the Hungnam perimeter pull back to the next line. The 3rd Division units initiate relief of the 17th and 32nd Regiments (7th Division). Meanwhile, enemy forces accelerate attacks against the perimeter as it shrinks. In addition to the presence of elements of the Chinese (CCF) 7th Army Group, North Korean units appear in the vicinity. All enemy incursions are turned back as the evacuation of Hungnam continues.

December 20

At Hungnam, the enemy probing attacks of the past few days subside. Large numbers of Chinese remain also in the vicinity of the Changin Reservoir, but there, too, the 1st Marine Division passed earlier without a major confrontation. Within the perimeter, General Almond relocates his headquarters (X Corps) from the city to the USS Mt. McKinley in the harbor. The remaining troops along the perimeter covering the withdrawal are placed under the command of General Soule. The ROK I Corps, by this time, has been transported by sea from northeastern Korea to Pusan and in the vicinity of Samch’ok for its new assignment, attachment to Eighth Army. The operation to move the corps by sea places it in position to augment Eighth Army at its new line. The corps is attached to Army and then dispatched to its assigned position. It will complete the move within the next few days. Walker assigns the two divisions of ROK I Corps to the eastern end of the line. Also, elements of the U.S. 7th Division, commanded by Major General David G. Barr, begin to embark for Pusan and complete the operation by the following day. Also, at K-9 airfield, where Marine Squadron VMF311 operates alongside and under the jurisdiction of Fifth Air Force, seventeen officers and fifty-one enlisted men arrive. The new arrivals increase the squadron to a complement of twenty-seven pilots and ninety-five enlisted men. The task of the jets of VMF311 is to seek and destroy Chinese troop formations that are gathering for an expected offensive. In Naval activity, the USS Bataan (CVL 29) is detached from Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) and reassigned with Escort Carrier Group (TG 96.8). A short time later, the Bataan is again transferred. It joins Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) on December 24. In Air Force activity, Operation CHRISTMAS KIDLIFT commences. The Air Force takes action to prevent Korean orphaned children from falling into the hands of the Communists. Twelve planes (C-54s) attached to the 61st TCG (Troop Carrier Group) evacuate 806 South Korean children from Kimpo, then transport them to Cheju-Do Island, a friendly-held location off the Korean coast.

December 21 The Chinese in the vicinity of Hungnam still do not mount a major assault against the perimeter as the evacuation continues. As on the previous day, there is no consequential activity by the enemy. Meanwhile, the U.S. 7th Infantry Division contin-

608 ues boarding the evacuation vessels in the harbor. The remaining ground troops further shrink the perimeter under an umbrella of air cover.

December 22

By this date, the 1st Marine Division and the 7th Infantry Division have abandoned Hungnam, but the U.S. 3rd Division continues to hold the line against the enemy, which is closing at a slow pace. By the following day, the three regiments (7th, 15th and 65th) withdraw to their final line in preparation for evacuation. In the meantime, artillery units and other support contingents are boarding the evacuation transports. Despite the lack of a strong defensive line, the Chinese still initiate no major assaults. Nevertheless, some smaller scale assaults are launched against the line. Engineers work tirelessly to ensure the imminent destruction of everything that cannot be evacuated from Hungnam. The 1st Marine Air Wing units that operated during the Hungnam redeployment operated from K-9 (VMF-311 Panther jets), an Air Force field near Pusan; and from Itazuke, Japan (VMF[N]-542 and VMF[N]513). The Corsair squadrons operated from the USS Bataan, a light carrier (VMF-212), the light carrier Sicily (VMF-214) and the light carrier Badeong Strait (VMF-323). In addition, VMO-6 operated from various Seventh Fleet ships during the evacuation of Hungnam. In Air Force activity, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing employs a new tactic to level the playing field against the MiGs that have greater speed and can climb higher. The tactic consists of four flights of four Sabres, each arriving on target at separate elevations and at five minute intervals. The mission, led by Lt. Colonel John C. Myers (group commander), encounters a band of MiGs and a donnybrook erupts. The battle rages at elevations as high as 30,000 feet, but the opposing planes also badger each other at tree-top level in a hurricane of fire that lasts for about twenty minutes. Colonel Myers bags one MiG, his first during the Korean War. Added to his World War II score of 24, the hit gives him 25 air victories. Five other MiGs are downed, including one by Lt. Colonel Glenn T. Eagleston, commander of the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Although it is Eagleston’s first kill of the Korean War, he has 18.5 kills on his record from World War II. The others are downed by Captain James O. Roberts, 1st Lieutenant John Odiorne, 1st Lieutenant Arthur L. O’Connor and a U.S. Navy exchange pilot, Lt. Commander Paul E. Pugh. Pugh claims a second kill on 30 December; however, Air Force records do not confirm the claim. The Americans also damage two other MiGs, one plane shot up by Captain James Jabara, who later becomes an ace. The Communists score one kill. They down a Sabre jet flown by Captain Lawrence V. Bach. It is the first Sabre jet lost. The downing of six enemy planes on a single day is the highest total for the month and the highest since June. In other activity, Headquarters Fifth Air Force,

609 Eighth U.S. Army in Korea, and the Joint Operations Center relocate to Taegu from Seoul.

December 23 In the X Corps sector, at Hungnam, the X Corps perimeter guards shrink the perimeter to the final phase line. Although only the U.S. 3rd Division holds the line, still the Chinese and North Koreans fail to mount a major offensive. Some isolated fire strikes the perimeter, but no damage is incurred. This is the final day in which the enemy fires upon the troops at Hungnam. In the Eighth Army area, the I Corps and the IX Corps by this time have reached their respective positions along the new line (B), above Seoul. Both corps are responsible for part of the western sector of the line, with I Corps deployed near the lower banks of the Han River and of the Imjin River. IX Corps takes responsibility for the sector covering Routes 3 and 33, in the vicinity of the 38th Parallel. The South Koreans, with responsibility for the eastern part of the line, have encountered heavy resistance as they attempt to advance to their new positions. In addition, the ROKs lack sufficient vehicles to transport the troops. Nevertheless, the five South Korean divisions, three presently in central Korea and southern Korea and two others attached to the ROK II Corps, fail to reach their respective positions. Walker, aware of the dilemma, reaches deep and brings up the ROK III Corps and two divisions of the ROK II Corps to fill the gap. The ROK III Corps takes positions along the middle of the eastern sector of the line, north of Chunchon and just under Line B, along the 38th Parallel. Their positions terminate near the IX Corps. Meanwhile, the ROK II Corps, up from South Korea, plugs a gap along Route 24 to prevent the enemy

December 23, 1950 from drilling through central Korea and the Hongch’on River valley to move from there toward the capital. ROK I Corps, recently arrived from X Corps area in northeastern Korea, has also been assigned responsibility along the line. By this day, its two divisions are deployed on the far end of the eastern line, where they establish blocking positions along the east coast road and at several strategic mountain paths. The addition of the seven South Korean divisions on the line provides General Walker some protection on the eastern side of the line; however, he continues to be concerned about their ability to withstand an enemy onslaught. On 23 December, Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker is killed in a vehicular accident outside of Seoul. General Walker is succeeded by Lieutenant General Matthew Ridgway. In the interim, Major General Frank W. Milburn, I Corps’ commanding officer, assumes temporary command of Eighth Army. During the morning hours, General Walker’s jeep after departing Seoul to check the situation at Uijongbu, about ten miles north of the capital, encountered a stalled column in the opposite lane heading south. While the driver attempted to pass the trucks, a vehicle being driven by a Korean civilian pulled out and while heading south, his truck wound up in the northbound lane. General Walker’s driver made an attempt to evade the oncoming vehicle, but the truck and the jeep collided, causing Walker’s jeep to roll over. Afterwards, General Walker and the others who had been thrown from the jeep were aided by the trailing vehicles in the column, but General Walker was declared dead at a nearby facility of the U.S. 24th Division. In Air Force activity, A contingent of 11 U.S. troops and 20 ROKs, trapped about eight miles behind enemy lines, are rescued when three Air Force H-5 helicopters, protected by fighters, arrive and extricate them.

U.S. soldiers and ROKs board LCVPs at Hamhung while the evacuation of the port city continues.

December 24, 1950

610

Two soldiers (Eighth Army) in a company area eat their dinner under a Christmas tree. Other troops are in the background on either side of the tank. In Naval activity, the USS Charles S. Sperry (DD 697) comes under fire from enemy shore guns while it is operating at Songjin. The vessel is hit several times.

December 24

The evacuation at Hungnam comes to a close without a major enemy assault. The perimeter remains unmolested by enemy fire. The remnant units withdraw toward the wharfs, while less than ten platoons remain deployed as rear guards. The U.S. Navy provides its guns for added incentive to the enemy to hold fast. Admiral Doyle’s warships plaster an area that stretches inland for about one and one-half miles. At about 1430, Army engineers and Naval underwater demolition units detonate the port, which contains a combination of four hundred tons of ammunition and dynamite, the latter frozen. The gigantic explosion also includes hundreds of barrels of oil and gasoline, as well as about five hundred thousand-pound bombs. Despite the horrific circumstances of the evacuation of the entire X Corps, plagued by nature’s elements as well as enemy forces, the operation concludes successfully. The X Corps, composed of 105,000 troops at Hungnam, is fully evacuated without the loss of a single man to enemy fire. After hearing of the successful operation, President Truman sends a message to General Almond and Admiral Joy, expressing his gratitude:

“This saving of our men in this isolated beachhead is the best Christmas present I have ever had.” As the final vessels depart, there is still quite a bit of high morale and a sense of sentimentality, as greetings of Merry Christmas are exchanged on this most memorable Christmas Eve. Only a short time ago, while the 1st Marine Division was en route to Hungnam, Christmas was on their minds. As reported by the Marine Corps, the optimistic message circulating through the ranks on one particular day had been: “Only fourteen more shooting days until Christmas.” After the capture of Chinese prisoners during the following year, the question of why the Chinese did not mount serious opposition at Hungnam began to be answered. Intelligence gathered showed that the high casualties inflicted upon the 9th CCF Army Group by the 1st Marine Division during its withdrawal from northeastern Korea forbid a full-scale offensive. The damage inflicted eliminated a force of three corps of four divisions each, militarily non-effective for a minimum of three months. Unintended consequences, from a Chinese point of view, included the inability of the Chinese to funnel those troops to attack Eighth Army. Major General Oliver P. Smith later said of the 1st Marine Division: “With the knowledge of the determination, professional competence, heroism,

611

December 24, 1950

U.S. Army engineers at Hungnam place explosives on a pier during the last stage of the evacuation of X Corps, 24 December. devotion to duty and self sacrifice displayed by officers and men of this division, my feeling is one of humble pride. No division commander has ever been privileged to command a finer body of men.” At Masan, Christmas Eve becomes a big event. The battle-hardened Marines are especially thankful to be alive

for Christmas. A group from the 5th Marines appears at division headquarters and sings Christmas carols. In Air Force activity, during the evacuation of Hungnam, B-26s combine with the surface vessels to pound the enemy positions in front of the town, while the final ships at port embark.

December 24, 1950

612

Top: The USS Begor off Hungnam during final detonation on Christmas Eve. Bottom: U.S. Army engineers blow up the docks at Hungnam on Christmas Eve 1950. In related activity, the 3rd Rescue Squadron (ARS) evacuates 35 former POWs from enemy held ground.

December 25 The Americans anticipate a major attack against its positions on Christmas Day; however, it does not occur. By this day, X Corps’ evacua-

tion of North Korea is complete. All X Corps troops are either in South Korea or en route. In other activity, the Communists cross the 38th Parallel and re-enter South Korea. — In Japan: General Matthew Ridgway arrives in Tokyo from the United States en route to assume

613

December 27, 1950

A U.S. Eighth Army company bivouac area, complete with fresh snow. command of Eighth Army in Korea at about midnight (25th-26th).

December 26 General Matthew Ridgway, the newly appointed successor to the late General Walker, arrives at Taegu at 1600 to take control of Eighth Army. General Ridgway starts off his tour with disappointment after discovering that his staff (formerly Walker’s staff ) is so far in the rear. In the Eighth Army area, the North Koreans at about this time initiate actions against defenses along the eastern section of the line near Chunchon. The ROK III Corps is unable to halt the advance and within several days, the enemy advances from the Hwach’on Reservoir and penetrates the ROK 8th Division lines, gaining about one mile. At about the same time, another replenished North Korean force moves towards the southwest against the ROK 9th Division (ROK I Corps) and penetrates there to initiate an advance that reaches a point below Chunchon by 30 December. The latter threat poses the most danger, as the enemy establishes a roadblock more than twenty miles south of Chunchon. — In Japan: At 0930 General Ridgway meets with General MacArthur in MacArthur’s office in the Dai Ichi Building in Tokyo. The only other person in the meeting is Major General Doyle O. Hickey. MacArthur explains to Ridgway that according to previous information from General Walker, the Chinese always avoid the roads and attack with terrific fire power during the night hours. The discussion also involved MacArthur’s belief that an attack against China by forces already in Formosa (Taiwan) would ease the pressure against Korea, but that Washington opposes such action. Ridgway subsequently notes that General MacArthur displayed no animosity towards Washington for the decision to prohibit the attack. Ridgway also inquired of MacArthur if he had permission to launch an attack. McArthur’s response: “The Eighth Army is yours Matt.

Do with it what you want.” After the private meeting, Ridgway confers with the chiefs of all the General Headquarters general staff and two others, Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy (Naval Forces, Far East) and Lt. General George E. Stratemeyer (Far East Air Forces). By about noon, Ridgway departs for Korea.

December 27 General Matthew Ridgway, subsequent to the untimely accidental death of Lt. General Walton H. Walker, assumes direct command of the U.S. Eighth Army. Ridgway is flown to Seoul, where he convenes a meeting with his staff and others there before departing to visit each division and corps to acquire first-hand information on the situation among the troops. One area is not on the list, the ROK Capitol Division sector in eastern Korea, as it is not thought to be under threat. At Seoul, General Ridgway confers with Generals Milburn (I Corps) and Coulter. Ridgway arrived at Kimpo Airfield on a B-17 Flying Fortress, which followed a circuitous route from Japan and maintained a very low altitude to give Ridgway a good opportunity to observe the layout of the land prior to meeting with the Eighth Army officers (IX Corps) regarding the defensive positions at Seoul. Ridgway directs the generals to establish a line above Seoul and to select specific contingents to control the heights in the event the Chinese launch an attack. Two divisions will be assigned to the bridgehead there. Nevertheless, precautions are taken to protect the Han River bridges below the city in the event evacuation becomes necessary. General Ridgway anticipates an imminent assault. In the meantime, he is informed of North Korean activity along the eastern line at Chunchon. U.S. contingents are sped to hot spots to defend against penetration. The 2nd Division is ordered to deploy north of Ch’ungju at Wonju. Ridgway is aware that the 2nd

December 28, 1950 Division had been hit hard recently at Ch’ongch’on, but his grave concern about an attack against a weak right flank compels him to push the 2nd to the limit rather than risk disaster. Another of Ridgway’s concerns is the defensive lines. He requests 30,000 civilian volunteers. By the following day, President Syngman Rhee provides 10,000 and within two additional days, Ridgway has 30,000. The Korean laborers using picks and shovels construct two defensive lines to bolster the defenses against Chinese attack. The line dug to the north is to act as a halting block, but the line south of the Han River is to become the final line, one which is to be held at all costs. Also, General Ridgway is unimpressed with many of the Eighth Army unit commanders. Rules change immediately, as officers are directed to be at the front with the troops and if they have paper work to complete, it is to be done at night. Ridgway also concludes that the fighting men still have no answer to two basic questions, “Why are we here?” and “What are we fighting for?” General Ridgway, this same night, pens a response. The message explains that the real estate is unimportant and he explains that the “issues are whether the power of Western Civilization, as God has permitted it to flower in our beloved lands, shall defy and defeat Communism....” He closes: “It has become and it continues to be, a fight for freedom, for our own survival, in an honorable, independent national existence.” In the X Corps area, the U.S. 7th Division, which had abandoned Hungnam on 20–21 December, redeploys at Yongch’on.

December 28 The North Koreans continue to launch attacks against the ROK positions in the ROK II Corps sector. The attack initiated from Inje above the 38th Parallel on 26 December and the penetration continues towards Hongch’on. At this time, General

614 Ridgway continues to assess the situation by visiting the various defensive positions. Ridgway becomes concerned, not of the courage of the units, rather, of the spirit. Ridgway later describes his impressions, stating that at the time, “Eighth Army was bewildered.” Ridgway focuses on rebuilding a fighting spirit in his troops. Eighth Army is taking steps to prevent a breakthrough to the capital at Seoul. The X Corps is still completing its withdrawal from Hungnam after a prolonged fight and is not yet ready for offensive action. Some elements of X Corps have not yet debarked at Pusan. In the 1st Marine Division zone at Masan, the Marines continue to train and rebuild their skills. At this time, they remain about two hundred miles from the front. The trek to the front, when called, will not include a lot of new vehicles. Only abandoned vehicles are replaced. Unfortunately, the Marines, upon fighting their way from the Chosin Reservoir, brought out their equipment. Now while the other units that lost or abandoned their vehicles in the field receive new replacements, the Marines must use their bullet-riddled trucks. Also, General O.P. Smith receives word that he is to journey to Kyongju on 30 December to participate in a X Corps conference. The 1st Marine Division on 27 December was returned to X Corps from Eighth Army reserve. In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) reinitiates its operations off the east coast of Korea. The task force provides close-air support for the Eighth Army elements on the left flank and the carrier planes also strike enemy targets. — In Japan: The first Bell helicopters arrive from the States. They are scheduled to be delivered to the Marine observation squadron in Korea. The Marines have initiated and completed the first “piggy-back” delivery of aircraft that had been flown around one-third of the world in RSDs.

British tanks that had been withdrawn from the 38th Parallel enter Seoul.

615

December 29, 1950

Top: A military convoy crosses the Han River at Seoul. A blown bridge is in the background. Bottom: A Sherman medium tank transports U.S. soldiers to positions north of Seoul to establish a defensive line.

December 29 General Ridgway continues his tour of Eighth Army positions. I Corps holds the ground westward at Kanghwa Island with the 8213th Army Unit, a ranger company. Heading eastward, the Turkish Brigade is deployed at the Han River estuary on the Kimpo peninsula between the Rangers and the 25th Division, which is posted near Route 1, along the lower

bank on the Imjin River. The eastern sector (I Corps’ right) is manned by the ROK 1st Division, which is stretched along the Imjin as far east as Route 33, at the Wonson–Seoul Corridor. The I Corps reserve, the British 29th Brigade, holds positions on the outskirts of Seoul. In the IX Corps sector, which stretches along the 38th Parallel in the Wonsan–Seoul corridor, the ROK 6th

December 30, 1950 Division holds the left along Route 33, with the U.S. 24th Division to its right (west) at Route 3. At Uijongbu in the vicinity of the junction of Routes 3 and 33, the British 27th Brigade is deployed as reserve. According to intelligence reports, the main attack is anticipated to directly strike at the junction of where the British are deployed in reserve. The 7th Cavalry Division (reserve) is posted along the Chunchon–Seoul Road. The cavalry is reinforced with a Filipino battalion and a contingent of Greeks (Expeditionary Force). The ROK II Corps is posted at the westward end of the defenses at the 38th Parallel, astride the ROK III Corps. In addition, the ROK I Corps is deployed along Eighth Army’s right in extremely nasty terrain, with the ROK 9th Division in the mountains there, and beyond the slopes, the Capital Division is posted along the coastal road near Yangyang, at the far eastern terminus of the line. The enemy had moved across the 38th Parallel, beyond the ROK III’s line, and it slipped through a gap in the ROK II lines. In other activity, on this day, Major General Robert B. McClure directs the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division, and a French contingent to move to Wonju to check a North Korean force. However, the remainder of the division will move there and the 23rd is ordered to Hongch’on. Also, General Ridgway orders the operation at Pusan to accelerate to quicken the debarking of the U.S. 3rd Division at Pusan. Other steps taken by Ridgway include stringent orders for his commanders. Divisional commanding officers are to be deployed with their battalions at the front and respective corps commanders are directed to be with whichever of their regiments is the most heavily engaged. In Air Force activity, RF-51 planes initiate tactical reconnaissance missions from Taegu. The RF-51s have a longer operating range than the RF-80s that had been used before the new arrivals. In Naval activity, the USS Rochester (CA 124) arrives at Inchon. The carrier begins operations there as Amphibious Task Element (TE 90.12).

December 30 A plane transporting the body of Lt. General Walton Walker departs Haneda Airfield to return the fallen general to the United States. As the year comes to an end, the new Eighth Army commander, General Ridgway, completes a quick sweep of the Eighth Army area that over several days gives him on overview of the situation. Ridgway had concluded that an offensive was not possible. The recent clashes with the enemy had drained morale and the X Corps, including the 1st Marine Division, had just undergone a period of intense combat and was recuperating as temporary reserves. At this time, no accurate estimates of numbers or positions of the enemy is known; however, it is thought that six separate armies of the Chinese XIII Army Group are poised from where they can strike the Eighth Army lines. Defensive steps are taken to block suspected approach routes of the enemy.

616 The 2nd Division had, on the 27th, received orders to move to Wonju from Ch’ungju, to draw a line protecting an approach route from the northeast. Ridgway left little time for the X Corps to catch its breath. He directed X Corps to speed up its reassembly as portions of the 3rd Division were still in the process of debarking at Pusan. Nonetheless, it will be a while before X Corps in its entirety is redeployed for combat. In the meantime, on the following day, the 1st Marine Division and the 3rd Infantry are assigned to army reserve. Also, the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, moves toward Hongch’on, about twenty-five miles north of Wonju; however, the recent North Korean progress through the ROK sector places strong points in the path. The Communists establish a road bock in front of Hongch’on. At this time, the ROK 27th Regiment holds Hongch’on. The South Koreans and the U.S. 23rd Regiment combine efforts to eliminate the obstacle. In other activity, the U.S. 3rd Division, after completing unloading at Pusan, moves to a location south of Kyongju. In the 1st Marine Division zone at Masan, General O.P. Smith and a small party is flown from Masan to Kyongju to attend a conference at X Corps headquarters. General Smith is informed that the 1st Marine Division is to redeploy above Taegu at Pohang-dong and prepare to operate in that region about sixty-five miles north of Pusan. However, on the following day, circumstances change and the division receives new instructions.

December 31, 1950–January 1, 1951 As the Communist offensive begins, the Eighth Army order of battle is: I Corps: From left to right, northeast of Seoul — Turkish Brigade, U.S. 25th Division and ROK 1st Division. Also, the British 29th Brigade stands in reserve. IX Corps: From left to right north of Seoul—ROK 6th Division and U.S. 24th Division. The 1st Cavalry Division and the British 27th Brigade are in corps reserve. ROK III Corps: From left to right along central front — ROK 2nd, 5th and 8th Divisions. The ROK 7th Division stands in reserve. ROK II Corps: The ROK 3rd Division stands at the east-central front. ROK I Corps: From left to right — The ROK 9th and Capital Divisions along the eastern front. X Corps: The U.S. 2nd and 7th Divisions at Wonju and Chungju respectively hold positions from which the ROKs on the Eighth Army’s central and eastern front can be supported. Eighth Army Reserve: 187th Airborne RCT at Suwon region with the Thailand Battalion attached; the U.S. 3rd Division at Kyongju; the Canadian Battalion at Miryang; and the New Zealand FABn at Pusan. The 1st Marine Division on this day receives orders transferring it from X Corps and placing it back in Eighth Army reserve. The total number of U.N. forces in Korea at the start of the New Year stands at 444,336 troops.

617

December 31, 1950

December 31, 1950

618

December 31 The Communist Chinese Third Phase Offensive is launched. The enemy force includes at least seven Chinese armies, supported also by the NK I and V Corps. The attack force is estimated at about 174,000 Chinese and 60,000 North Koreans. The number of Communists either in Korea or in Manchuria, poised to enter Korea, is 740,000 troops. In the area north of Seoul, the 2nd Division continues to form in the vicinity of Wonju to neutralize an ongoing North Korean offensive. The 23rd Regiment advances above Wonju against the North Koreans in front of Hongch’on. In the meantime, the ROK 27th Regiment closes on the roadblock from Hongch’on, assisted also by the ROK 5th Regiment. Progress is made against the obstacle, but it is not totally eliminated. In related activity, the X Corps’ U.S. 7th Division dispatches elements to Chech’on, below Wonju, in an attempt to lay the foundation for a supply system along Route 29. The remainder of the division is to follow and to coordinate with the 2nd Division. Other steps in the works include the two reserve X Corps divisions, the 1st Marine Division and the 3rd Infantry Division. The Marines, as soon as possible, are to depart Masan and deploy in the region known as Youngch’on–Kyongju–Pohang-dong. Meanwhile, the 3rd Infantry Division, once pre-

pared, is to redeploy south of Seoul, in the P’yongt’aek– Ansong region. General Ridgway’s instincts regarding a full-scale attack prove correct. The arc (Bridgehead Line) above Seoul becomes threatened. The earlier North Korean attacks that slipped through the ROK defenses northwest of Hongch’on on the 26th are now being bolstered by Chinese forces, which penetrate the main line of the ROK and advance from the northeast towards Tokchong, through the center above Tokchong and Kap’yong farther west. Meanwhile, the Chinese attacks, which had started on the previous day, strike against the I and IX Corps lines, but the U.S. 25th Division does not come under assault and the U.S. 24th Division is met with only light enemy probing attacks. By about midnight, the Chinese attacks intensify against the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions of the I and IX Corps, respectively. As the New Year begins, the combined Chinese–North Korean force pushes towards Seoul. In the 1st Marine Division zone at Masan, the Division is again placed under the jurisdiction of Eighth Army, following only four days with X Corps. The Marines are directed to continue training and rebuilding until advised to move to the Ulchin–Yongju–Yechon axis or to assume responsibility for the primary defensive line. Nevertheless, in less than one hour, new orders arrive instructing the Marines to move to the Pohang–Andong region to halt any enemy intrusions there.

1951 January 1

In the Eighth Army area, a major Communist offensive begins at midnight (December 31– January 1) and crashes into both the I Corps and the IX Corps perimeters. All units, except the U.S. 25th Division and the Turkish Brigade (extreme left) and the ROK Capital Division on the east coast, are struck. The attack is launched by elements of the Chinese 38th and 39th Armies, while other Communist forces crash against the ROK III Corps positions. Combined, the attacks stretch across a front of about forty-five miles in an attempt to collapse resistance along the 38th Parallel and then converge upon Seoul. The Chinese offensive follows an earlier offensive initiated by North Korean units on 26 December. The Chinese intervention during the Chosin Reservoir Campaign threw large forces into the war unexpectedly; however, despite the huge amount of enemy troops engaged, the 1st Marine Division extricated itself at great cost to the Chinese. This offensive also involved a large force, initially about three divisions,

with others in reserve. The United States, however, is not caught by surprise and General Ridgway has taken steps to ensure that the mistakes of the initial invasion of June 1950 and the later Chinese intervention does not cause the eviction of the UN from Korea. By dawn, the enemy makes progress against the ROK 1st Division. The ROK 12th Regiment is driven from its lines by the Chinese 116th Division. The gap is opened as the 11th and 15th ROK Regiments are unable to hold and they too fall back. Nearby, the ROK 6th Division is hit by elements of the 113th Division and elements of the 116th Division, but it only loses some ground and remains fixed. A U.S. artillery unit, Battery C, 9th Field Artillery Battalion, nearly gets wiped out after the collapse of the ROK 12th Regiment. The artillery troops attempt to reach American lines after the ROK unit flees, but they get snagged in an ambush. The troops relinquish four guns but escape capture or death.

619 In the meantime, General Ridgway is heading north while observing large numbers of vehicles crammed with ROK troops moving southward. Ridgway’s attempt to halt the traffic is fruitless. Upon reaching the front, it turns out better than expected, as most of the 1st and 6th Division had not retreated. During the melee, the U.S. 24th Division is hit hard, but it holds, while the U.S. 25th Division receives only nominal opposition and also remains in place. Rather than risk unnecessary casualties, a counterattack is ruled out by Ridgway and the planned disciplined withdrawal is ordered. In the I Corps sector, the South Koreans are to pull back to reassigned positions at Line C, while the U.S. contingents are directed to move back to the Seoul bridgehead, which arcs around the capital. The withdrawal includes the American Rangers and the Turkish troops from Kanghwa Island and the Kimpo peninsula. Prior to the evacuation, which begins during the afternoon, there was some confusion. General Milburn had intended to hold in place at the bridgehead, but that order is countermanded by Ridgway, who is prepared to conserve his forces by evacuating Seoul if necessary. During the evacuation, the ROK 1st Division is to hold in place until dawn on 2 January to act as rear guard. The Chinese launch several attacks against the South Korean lines, but afterwards, the area remains quiet until about midnight. The South Koreans during the afternoon assaults withdraw southwestwardly several miles, but it is disciplined. In the IX Corps sector, the 24th Division is able to withdraw without great opposition. The Division, reinforced by the 7th Regiment, 1st Cavalry, arrives at the bridgehead line and with the cavalry deploys on the left. In the meantime, the ROK 6th Division encounters heavy opposition as it moves back from Line B. The South Korean division under General Chang Kuk reaches Tokchong too late to pass through easily, as the Chinese arrive there first, and compel the ROK 6th Division to take a circuitous route. The opposition creates havoc by causing the units to become separated. A U.S. convoy waits at a designated point to gather the division and transport it to the new line of defense; however, at dawn on the following day, only about four battalions arrive. In related activity, the ground troops receive no coordinated air-ground support due to an explosion of requests that nearly strangle the system. Nonetheless, about 300 U.S.-U.N. fighter bombers (FEAF) are to strike enemy formations and other targets. Marine squadrons attached to Admiral Ruble’s carriers about eighty miles south of Inchon participate in the attacks. VMF-323 strikes an enemy position at a village south of Imjin, while another group strikes enemy positions in front of the central sector of the line. Also, Marine Squadron VMF-212 strikes the enemy along the coastal highway on the east coast during the morning and later pounds enemy positions in the vicinity south of the Hwach’on

January 2, 1951 Reservoir. Afterwards, VMF-212 is ordered to the west coast to support the other two squadrons operating there.

January 2 In the Eighth Army area, I and IX Corps withdrew on the previous day to preassigned positions as the Chinese continued to advance. General Ridgway directs the 92nd and 96th FABns (supporting X Corps) to dispatch contingents of their 155-mm howitzers to head north to Seoul to bolster the I and IX Corps’ artillery. The new perimeter is manned by 10 regiments and more than 250 artillery pieces. In the I Corps sector, the perimeter is held by the Turkish Brigade, 24th U.S. Infantry (Colonel John T. Corley), 35th Infantry (Colonel Gerald C. Kelleher), British Brigade (Brigadier Brodie), and elements of the ROK 1st Division, with the 27th Infantry (Colonel John H. Michaelis) in reserve. The 1st ROK Division, which remains in place, comes under new attacks at about midnight (1st2nd) and the clashes continue until dawn. At that time, upon orders, the South Koreans withdraw to Pongilch’on. By midnight on the 2nd, the 1st ROK Division is in place, below Seoul along the Han River. In the IX Corps sector, the perimeter is defended by the 19th Infantry (Colonal Ned D. Moore), 21st Infantry (Colonel Richard D. Stephens), 5th Infantry (Colonel John L. Throckmorton) and the British Commonwealth Brigade (Brigadier Basil A. Coad). In addition, the 7th Cavalry (Colonel William A. Harris) and the attached Greek contingent are in reserve. It becomes apparent that the ROK 6th Division encounters difficulty after initiating its withdrawal. A convoy waits just outside Seoul to pick up the troops to transport them to the new positions, but most of the division is still en route and in small groups. The Chinese had cut off the escape route on the previous day. The other units, including the 24th Division and the attached 7th Regiment, 1st Cavalry, had arrived the previous night. Troops of the ROK 6th Division continue to arrive during the day, but by the following morning, still only about one-half of the division makes it to Seoul. Communications between the ROK units and General Ridgway’s headquarters remains poor. In the ROK II sector, the ROK 3rd Division is withdrawing toward Hongch’on. On the following day, the division will be assigned to the ROK I Corps and deployed in the mountains in the west near the Capital Division. In the X Corps sector, General Ned Almond begins to establish his command post at Wonju. The 2nd Division (General Robert B. McClure) and 7th Infantry Division (Major General Claude B. Ferenbaugh) reenter the fight to thwart the Chinese offensive. It assumes responsibility for three additional ROK Divisions in a newly created corps zone, between the IX

January 3, 1951 Corps and the ROK III Corps. General Ridgway confers with Syngman Rhee to inform him of his dissatisfaction with the performance of the ROKs, then travels to the area held by the 23rd RCT and confers with Colonel Paul Freeman at the front and explains the necessity of preventing the Communists from seizing Wonju. In related activity, the 2nd Division’s 23rd RCT, supported by the French Battalion, attacks north of Hoengsong, while the 38th Regiment, supported by the Dutch Battalion, advances to positions to the rear of the 23rd RCT. Meanwhile, in the zone of the 23rd Regiment, Company E, positions on a hill manned by a platoon commanded by Sergeant Junior D. Edwards come under a fierce attack. The platoon is forced to abandon the hill. Edwards, afterward, singlehandedly attacks the enemy position. Grenades evict the enemy, but soon after, they return and again, Edwards moves to liquidate the obstacle. He charges and succeeds in destroying the gun and its crew, but in the process, yet another enemy machine gun opens fire. Undaunted, Sergeant Edwards attacks the third position and destroys it; however, the enemy fire inflicts a fatal wound. Although Edwards is killed, his force is able to continue the counterattack and regain the lost hill. Sergeant Edwards is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his enormous courage under fire. In the ROK III Corps sector, the Communists also drive against the ROK 5th Division. By this time, elements of four separate Chinese armies are on the attack, the 38th, 39th 40th and 66th. One other, the 50th, is within range of striking UN positions. And yet another, the 542nd Army, stands at Kumhwa. Also, the X Corps moves up to the front and deploys at positions between the IX Corps and the ROK III Corps. In Air Force activity, in line with the reversals of Eighth Army and the recent evacuations of Pyongyang, where the 8th and 18th Fighter Bomber Groups had been operating, and the subsequent abandonment of Seoul, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group completes its evacuation of Kimpo Airfield. The final Sabre jet of the 4th FIG departs on this day for Japan. After dusk, while enemy fire strikes the airfield, the remaining ground troops and pilots of the 4th FIG depart on a C54. Meanwhile, other aircraft, including F80C–equipped 51st Fighter Interceptor Squadron and the RF-51-Ds of the TRS, still remain. On the following day, the 3rd, the pilots launch one last raid prior to their departure from Kimpo.

January 3 Three Chinese armies now threaten Seoul with their nine divisions and another strong force composed of two additional divisions is nearby, waiting to push forward. General Ridgway directs the X Corps to deploy and assume responsibility for part of Line C (south bank of the Han River). Five divisions are to hold the positions in the vicinity of Route 29. The U.S. 2nd and 7th Divisions and the ROK 2nd, 5th and

620 8th Divisions spread out in an effort to prevent the enemy from attacking from the vicinity of Chunchon. In conjunction, the 1st Marine Division had been detached from X Corps, following the breakout from the Chosin Reservoir during mid December 1950. The Marine division at that time was attached to Eighth Army as reserve in the vicinity of Masan. While General Almond’s X Corps deploys, the ROK III Corps is to stretch eastward across the mountains towards the ROK I Corps sector. The ROK 3rd Division in the western part of Korea is ordered to move eastward and deploy in the ROK I Corps area near the Capital Division. At this time, despite the redeployment maneuvers, a large gap exists between the U.S. 2nd Division and the ROK Capital Division. While Eighth Army attempts to shore up the defenses, the Communists increase the tenacity of the attacks. By 0300, the I Corps comes under fierce attacks as the Chinese plow into the 25th Division on the corps’ left. While the enemy there continue to funnel into the corps lines from Route 1, other units moving along route 33 pound the British positions on the 25th Division right. In a sector held by the British 29th Brigade, the lines explode at about 0730, when the Northumberland Fusiliers on the right are struck heavily and forced to pull back. Shortly afterwards, the Royal Ulster Rifles holding the left of the perimeter are pounded and two of the rifle companies are overwhelmed. Despite the setbacks, armor and infantry mount a counterattack and during the afternoon, following a brutal hand-tohand fight, the Chinese are halted and pushed back. However, the British sustain about 300 casualties. In conjunction, the British Brigade had been a fresh unit and until this day, not engaged in a major fight. The commander of the Royal Ulster Rifles, Major C.A. H.B. Blake, is among the fatalities. In the IX Corps sector, during the early morning hours the area remains calm, but at about 0500, the U.S. 24th Division comes under attack. The initial thrust against the 21st Infantry Regiment causes only slight problems and the attacks are repulsed later in the morning. However, the 19th Regiment encounters much stiffer opposition and the 2nd Battalion is unable to hold its ground. After surrendering some terrain, the 2nd Battalion, bolstered by armor and air support, is able to regain the lost ground during the afternoon. Nonetheless, General Ridgway, aware of the great numbers of enemy troops threatening the bridgehead, decides to abandon the bridgehead line and redeploy his forces below Seoul. In addition to the pressure being mounted by the Chinese, the North Koreans who had penetrated the lines in the east as they drove from Inje are now closing with two corps, composed of more than ten divisions. In the eastern sector, the ROK divisions are still in the midst of a withdrawal and many of the units remain unaccounted for, as communications remain sporadic. Information acquired is not helpful to the situation at Seoul. Reports have the ROK 2nd Division in

621

January 3, 1951

On 3 January 1951, portions of Seoul are afire, while the S.K. government officials and U.N. forces again abandon the capital.

January 3, 1951

622

A view of traffic on the Hongch’on–Wonju Road on 3 January 1951. peril with two regiments encircled by the enemy and the other devastated, its strength reduced by more than sixty percent. In the ROK III Corps sector, the units are still gathering and the C Line is unprotected. About one hour after noon, the order is given to prepare to evacuate Seoul. The abandonment includes evacuating Kimpo airfield and Inchon. General Ridgway insists that all civilian traffic be halted at the bridge at 1500. He places General Palmer as commander of 1st Cavalry Division in charge of the bridge operation, with orders to halt all non-military traffic with use of arms if necessary. However, the Korean civilians cooperate fully, despite their imminent danger at the hands of the Communists. The I Corps under General Milburn withdraws from the Seoul bridgehead at 1600 without incident; however, Chinese elements are within striking range. Contingents of the Chinese 39th and 50th Armies stand just beyond the Seoul bridgehead. For most units, the withdrawal moves smoothly, but the British 29th Brigade, which holds the rear, comes under attack. Its rear guard encounters fierce opposition slightly before midnight and part of the Royal Ulster Rifles, along with a contingent of tanks, becomes entrapped. Some are able to drive through the enemy encirclement, but about two hundred and fifty troops or more are killed or captured. About ten tanks are also lost. The main body of the British Brigade moves across the Han River by 0330 on 4 January. The IX Corps initiates its withdrawal at about noon, although the official order was not executed until 1300. The whole maneuver is completed without incident, with the final elements crossing the M2 bridge east of

Seoul by 0200 on 4 January. The engineers attempt to take the bridge down, but many components are either frozen or jammed. Consequently, at about 0730 on 4 January the bridge is blown. The 5th RCT, 7th Cavalry, and the British 27th Brigade abandon their positions by moving through I Corps sector and crossing over the bridge there and again, without any contact with the enemy. All units cross the bridge by 0900 on 4 January. The Turkish Brigade deploys at Kimpo Airfield and the 187th Airborne RCT deploys at Suwon Airfield, under orders to be prepared to launch an attack towards Ichon and Wonju on a moment’s notice. In the X Corps sector, advance elements of the 7th Division arrive at Wonju in search of positions to deploy for defense. The corps command post had been established at Wonju on the previous day. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces Bomber Command joins the attack to bomb Pyongyang. The strike force, composed of more than sixty B-29s, delivers 650 tons of incendiary bombs against the enemy there. In related activity, Far East Air Forces executes 958 combat sorties, which sets a one-day record. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff authorize the Marine Corps to add three fighter squadrons to its force, which will bring its number of fighter squadrons to twenty-one. — In Japan: General MacArthur responds to the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding their recent communication informing MacArthur that Korea was not a place where a major war should be fought. There is great concern that the U.S. might be forced to evacuate

623 Korea, but the decision had been to remain in Korea if possible. When MacArthur was informed on 30 December 1950, the fateful line was drawn at a point about half the distance between Seoul and Pusan. If the Communists are able to push the U.S. that far, orders to abandon Korea are to be forthcoming. MacArthur informs the Joint Chiefs that he has no schedule for evacuation and at present, it isn’t necessary. MacArthur suggests a naval blockade of China and air attacks against China’s defense manufacturing. The suggestions of MacArthur are not accepted in Washington.

January 4, 1951

January 4

In the Eighth Army area, Fragmentary Operations Plan 20 is issued as an order, which calls for a withdrawal to Line D (extending from the west coast at P’yongt’aek to Samch’ok, on the east coast. General Ridgway had not anticipated such a quick withdrawal; however, intelligence reveals that Communist forces have been converging at points between Suwon and Wonju, creating a threat based on the possibility that the enemy might be able to penetrate between the I and IX Corps forces and the X Corps units at Wonju. The move is initiated during the evening and is completed by 7 January.

The final elements of U.N. troops depart Inchon aboard an LST on 4 January.

January 4, 1951

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Top: Engineers prepare to blow a rail bridge across the Han River at Seoul on 4 January 1951. Bottom: The rail bridge over the Han after it was demolished. In conjunction, the 7th Division is establishing positions in the vicinity of Wonju. The process is accelerated to strengthen the line there, while the 23rd and 38th Regiments, 2nd Division, pull back on their offensive posture to form a defense at Wonju.

In other activity, at 0900 at a meeting in the command post of the U.S. 27th Infantry Regiment, a rescue of the entrapped British regiment is discussed, but British Brigadier General Brodie concludes that too many other lives would be lost in the attempt

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January 4, 1951

Top: The pontoon bridge across the frozen Han River, used to evacuate Seoul. After the final U.N. elements cross on 4 January, the bridge is blown. Bottom: The pontoon bridge across the Han River at Seoul as it blows.

January 5, 1951 and it is ruled out. Some of the rear guard troops who had been trapped on the previous day successfully fight their way out, but many are lost. (See also, January 3, 1951.) The bridges in the I Corps and IX Corps areas are either dismantled or destroyed. Elements of Company K, 27th Infantry Regiment, tear down the remaining bridge over the Han and become the final unit to depart Seoul. The other forces had completed the evacuation by slightly after 1300. During the evacuation, there was no inadvertent interference from civilian refugees. All civilians had, on the previous day, been prohibited from using the roads and bridges to ensure that Communist infiltrators could not intermingle. Following the demolition of the bridges, Company K crosses the Han by walking across the frozen river. Within a short time after the evacuation of Seoul, advance Chinese troops enter the city. Soon after, while observed by a small ROK reconnaissance patrol, the North Korean flag is raised in the city. General Ridgway, although in Korea as Eighth Army commander for only about nine days, remains unconcerned about the ability of his forces to repel the Chinese, but his plan calls for doing it on his timetable. His grave concerns are focused upon some of the upper level officers who don’t share his enthusiasm or his determination to galvanize his troops. Each step backwards had been anticipated and new innovation directed by Ridgway already is bearing fruit. He has demanded that all wounded and dead be brought out and not left to the enemy and he has ordered all units to resist fiercely. Essentially, Ridgway is attempting to eradicate what is known as “bugging out.” The withdrawals have not yet been completed, but Ridgway is prepared to again give ground rather than lose high casualties unnecessarily. The I and IX Corps redeploy above Suwon. In conjunction, the U.S. 3rd Division (under Major General Robert H. Soule), in Eighth Army reserve, is attached to I Corps. The 187th Airborne RCT (Brigadier General Frank S. Bowen Jr.) is placed under the operational control of IX Corps and directed to deploy east of Suwon to form a blocking defense to thwart an advance from the area near Ichon and Yoju. In Air Force activity, most planes and their crews had abandoned Kimpo Airfield by the 2nd, but some still operated there on the 3rd. Despite the evacuation and the fact the Seoul is being taken, a C-119 transport lands at Kimpo to evacuate any troops that might still be there. In other activity, Captain Charles F. Wright, a B-26 pilot, while on a bombing mission in the vicinity of Sunchon, destroys a few enemy structures and more than ten vehicles. Afterwards, he turns his rockets and his remaining two bombs on a train he spots. The locomotive manages to escape destruction and progress into a village. Undaunted, Wright dives to an elevation just above the trees and passes with his lights on under intense enemy ground fire. The locomotive is illumi-

626 nated by Wright’s lights and it is destroyed. The enemy ground fire fails to down Wright’s plane. He returns to his base unharmed.

January 5

Eighth Army continues to withdraw toward Line D. The withdrawal works in contrast to Ridgway’s orders of fighting while pulling back. There is little contact with the enemy. During the pullback, a wide hole develops on the east flank as the IX Corps abandons its positions. Probing patrols of the enemy force in the vicinity of Yongdungp’o encroach the positions of the ROK 1st Division, but fortuitously, the gap is not discovered. At Suwon, the situation becomes confusing as refugees create congestion and block the rails there. In Air Force activity, Pyongyang, which came under a heavy air strike on 3 January, is again struck when 59 B-29s plaster the city with 672 tons of incendiary bombs. In other activity, the 18th Fighter Bomb Group executes its final missions from Suwon. The structures at the airfield are destroyed by U.S. ground troops before they abandon it. In Naval activity, the redeployment by sea of the troops from Inchon to Taech’on continues. The operation is completed by 12 January.

January 6 In the Eighth Army area, Eighth Army continues its withdrawal, but the pull-back is accomplished without any attempts to maintain contact with the enemy to inflict losses and forestall progress. By this time the enemy is moving south of Seoul. The I Corps and the IX Corps complete the withdrawal by the following day. Also, during the morning of 6 January, the enemy strikes the ROK 3rd Battalion, 11th Regiment (ROK 1st Division), but the attack is repulsed by about noon. Later, during the night of 6–7 January, two divisions of the North Korean V Corps advance towards Wonju and by dawn, both units are in position to launch attacks. In related activity, the North Korean II Corps advances subsequent to dusk. The NK 2nd and 9th Divisions move out from the vicinity of Hongch’on en route to the area northeast of Wonju, while the North Korean 10th Division sets out from its positions at Chunchon and advances through the mountains, which are undefended, toward Wonju. The 10th Division, under orders to avoid contact, inadvertently makes contact with elements of the ROK 7th Division during its advance on the 8th, but the minor skirmishes quickly cease. However, the North Koreans bump into the U.S. 7th Division on 9 January and heavy fighting erupts. In Air Force activity, Combat Cargo Command completes its resupply mission to sustain the 2nd Division, which is heavily engaged with the enemy. During the operation, which lasted several days, 21 C-47s attached to a Troop Carrier Squadron land at Wonju and deliver 115 tons of cargo, while C-119s, attached to the 314th TCG, air drop 460 tons of supplies and ammunition to the 2nd Division.

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January 7, 1951

An Air Force C-119 Flying Boxcar passes over some nasty terrain during January to drop supplies to ground troops.

January 7

The carrier HMS Theseus, commanded by British Admiral Andrewes, arrives back in waters off the west coast of Korea to resumes air patrols and provide naval air support in that region. In the Eighth Army area, in conjunction with the recent withdrawal, Eighth Army initiates reconnaissance patrols to re-establish contact with the Chinese Communist forces. Eighth Army is unable to impress General Ridgway, who is determined to change the general attitude with the ranks. By this time, Eighth Army has surrendered Seoul, but it has not inflicted any genuine damage to the Chinese during the offensive that had begun at the start of the new year. Meanwhile, Eighth Army has been pushed back more than fifty air-miles. The I Corps and IX Corps complete the withdrawal to Line D, which stretches west from the vicinity of P’yongt’aek, then eastward toward Changhowan-ni and from there northeast to

the Han River. Strong words are pointed towards Generals Milburn and Coulter, I Corps and IX Corps commanders respectively, from General Ridgway, who becomes infuriated after learning that the withdrawal from Seoul had no contact with the enemy. Earlier, Ridgway had ordered both to make contact and inflict casualties while pulling back. No U.S. troops engaged any enemy forces since the abandonment of Seoul. The government buildings, hotels and other structures had been blown by explosives to prevent them from being used by the Communists. In addition to Line D, for the I and IX Corps, the line extends eastward toward the coast in the ROK I and III Corps sectors, but still a large gap remains undefended in the eastern sector. General Ridgway had altered the original Line D in those sectors on 5 January. He moved the line about forty-five miles lower to Samch’ok on the coast. The mountains east of Route 29 are

January 7, 1951

628

comes the responsibility of the 7th Infantry Division and elements of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division. At Chech’on the 17th Infantry Regiment (7th Division, X Corps) and the 9th Infantry Regiment (2nd Division, X Corps), bolstered by one battalion of the 23rd Regiment (2nd Division, X Corps), hold the line. In the western sector of the X Corps area, the line extends from the vicinity of Wonju and moves southwestwardly to the perimeter of the IX Corps at the Han River. The main body of the U.S. 2nd Division stands at Wonju. The X Corps commander, General Almond, continues to bring back cohesion in the ROK 2nd, 5th and 8th Divisions as they continue to straggle into the lines from the mountains north of Line D and east of Wonju. The ROK 5th Division deploys in the west alongside the ROK 8th Division, which is placed in the center. Meanwhile, the beleaguered ROK 2nd Division, at the time only containing slightly more than 3,000 troops, is assigned as X Corps reserve. At 0500, the North Koreans strike Wonju. They approach without being noticed as they walk with the unending throngs of civilians who are fleeing. After A well bundled South Korean child waits for his parents to gain passing through checkpoints, the guerpassage on a vessel set to depart Inchon. rillas reach two separate command posts of the 2nd Division and commence firundefended. Both the I Corps and the IX Corps are ing. Units of the 2nd Division react swiftly and more directed to begin strong patrols to search for and engage than 100 of the North Koreans are captured. Nonethethe enemy. The 27th Infantry Regiment (Wolf hound less, attacks are launched against the main defenses, Regiment) of the I Corps, pushes north from P’ybut they, too, are repulsed. ongt’aek and heads toward Osan, but encounters no At about the same time, elements of the North Koenemy forces. The regiment, led by Colonel John H. rean 12th Division strike from the west against the 10th Michaelis, is supported by tanks of the 89th Tank BatRegiment of the ROK 8th Division. The ROKs there talion (Colonel Thomas Dolvin) and the 89th and 90th are unable to stem the tide. As pressure mounts, the FABns (Colonels Gus Terry and James Sanden respec2nd Division commander, General McClure, unable tively). to contact General Almond, pulls out of Wonju, with In addition, an IX Corps patrol moves toward Inthe intent to maintain the high ground just south of chon and encounters only small enemy detachments. the town. However, the pull back moves to positions Other patrols on the western front encounter no enemy farther back and below the village, where the 23rd Regforces. iment redeploys. Also, in coordination with the evacuation of Seoul, In the meantime, the 38th Regiment withdraws even Inchon had to be abandoned. The evacuation of Infurther, to Mich’on, about seven miles from Wonju. chon is completed this day by the Western Deployment — In Japan: The issue of abandoning Korea remains Group commanded by Admiral Thackrey. The U.S. unsettled, as Washington and General MacArthur are Navy successfully evacuates about 5,000 troops, 2,000 still communicating without results. General Ridgway vehicles and about 70,000 tons of supplies. The reinforms MacArthur that no evacuation of Korea should maining supplies are destroyed by engineers under take place if it would leave the South Korean forces Eighth Army engineer Colonel (later brigadier general) alone to face the Chinese and North Koreans. RidgPascal (Pat) N. Strong. way repeats the message on the following day. During In the X Corps sector, steps are taken to provide a dethis period of indecision, rumors continue to fly among fense in the event that the Communists exploit the hole the units that the UN forces are going to abandon to initiate a thrust along Route 29. The part of the road Korea and no one in high command is able to give any from Chech’on that stretches southward to Andong bedefinitive answers to quell them.

629

January 8 In the Eighth Army area, General Ridgway establishes two new lines, E and F, as the discussions about whether the UN forces, primarily the U.S., will abandon Korea. Line E is established about twentyfive miles below Line D, while Line F is drawn about sixty-five miles to the rear of Line D. The next line, known as the Raider Line, forms a semi-circle about twenty miles to the front of Seoul and the final line of defense is the Peter Line (previously Pusan Line). General O.P. Smith, USMC, is called to Taegu to meet with General Ridgway. They discuss the possibility of attaching one Marine RCT to X Corps, but Ridgway does not insist. General Smith, reluctant to again serve with Almond (since his experience from the previous year), returns to Masan to discuss the subject; however, shortly after he returns, the idea is scrapped. A new plan is offered, suggesting the entire Division move to prepare to defend the MSR in the Andong and Kyongju region. On 10 January, the 1st Marine Division departs Masan for Pohang. In the I Corps sector, a 3rd Division contingent (1st Battalion, 15th Regiment) is ordered to head north. The patrol moves toward Ansong and encounters strong opposition near the village, but initial progress is uninhibited and the artillery had not been able to maintain the pace. By the following day, the battalion, which is imperiled, requests authorization to pull back from its positions more than twenty miles ahead of the main body. In the X Corps sector, General Almond becomes distressed after being informed how far the 2nd Division commanded by Major General Robert B. McClure had moved from Wonju. One battalion of the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, is dispatched at dawn to secure Wonju and its airstrip, while the remainder of the regiment secures the heights on the fringes of the town. At about noon, elements of the 2nd Battalion encounter some North Koreans near Hill 247, but the small group is easily scattered. Soon after, despite the time of day, the contingent, Company K, discovers yet other North Koreans, and they are asleep. The soldiers bolt from the their naps and head for the hills to signal the arrival of the Americans. During the skirmish, about two hundred North Koreans are killed. However, in the meantime, other enemy contingents numbering at about regimental strength close from two sides, compelling the 2nd Battalion to pull back to positions just beyond Hill 247. Wonju remains under North Korean control. In related activity, the ROK 10th Regiment is struck by the North Korean 12th Division. The South Koreans are driven back to Mich’on, which creates more problems, including the opening of a hole on the flank of the 23rd Regiment. Consequently, the 2nd Battalion is ordered back to its initial positions to guard the flank. In Air Force activity, TF-77 is compelled to abort its close-air support missions for X Corps due to blizzard conditions in Korea. The Fifth Air Force takes the task and launches B29s (Superfortresses), which remain

January 9, 1951 unaffected by the weather. The planes strike Kimpo Airfield outside of Seoul to prevent it use by the Communists.

January 9 General Ridgway arrives by plane at Masan to confer with General O.P. Smith, his staff officers and regimental commanders of the 1st Marine Division. Ridgway underscores the need for reconnaissance and a quick engagement with the enemy once the division moves to the MSR at Yongch’on under Eighth Army control, unattached to any corps. In the Eighth Army area, X Corps sector, another attempt is made to clear the North Koreans from Wonju. The town is strategically located at a point considered a key to holding domination over central Korea. A 2nd Division contingent, Task Force Skeldon, composed of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry, and the 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry, advances during a snowstorm at 1000. As the column approaches Hill 247, unprotected by air cover, the North Koreans holding the high ground commence fire and hold up the column. The task force is unable to ascend the hill due to enemy fire, but the unit holds there throughout the day. The task force establishes night positions and afterwards it is reinforced by a French battalion. In related activity, the ROK 8th Division again comes under heavy attack and for a while, the 2nd Division’s rear is threatened, but the South Koreans hold firmly. In other activity, the North Korean 10th Division (NK II Corps) is intercepted by elements of the U.S. 7th Division at a spot east of Route 29 near Chech’on. The unit, the NK 27th Regiment, is shredded. About 500 North Koreans are killed. Fourteen others are captured and the information gathered is extremely important. The POWs inform their captors of the blueprint of the offensive and they detail the objectives, initially Tanyang and afterward Taegu. Also, the 7th Division begins to arrive in the X Corps sector. The 17th Infantry Regiment led by Colonel Herbert B. Powell is the first to complete the trek through the treacherous icy mountain roads. Soon after, Powell is promoted and he is replaced by Colonel William “Bill” (Buffalo Bill) Quinn. The 32nd Infantry Regiment, led by Colonel Charles Beauchamp, trails closely behind. In conjunction, the 31st Regiment ( John A. Gavin) remains in reserve as it continues to rebound from its heavy losses during the previous year at the Chosin Reservoir. In the ROK III Corps sector, the ROK 9th Division arrives at Chongson. The ROK 7th Division had arrived at Yongwol on the previous day. General Ridgway bolsters the corps by placing the ROK 3rd Division (ROK I Corps), also near Yongwol, under General Yu Jai Heung, the new III Corps commander. By the following day, the ROK units are deployed at positions from where they are able to block the N.K. II Corps’ advance, expected to come from the heights east of Route 29. General Ridgway, determined to hold the ground, also dispatches the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat

January 10, 1951 Team to the X Corps sector. And in yet another move, Ridgway directs the 1st Marine Division, at this time, Eighth Army reserve, to move from Masan to the Pohang-dong–Kyongju–Yongch’on region. Meanwhile, some North Korean units had advanced to points beyond Route 60 between Yongwol and

630 Chech’on and orders are given by Ridgway to liquidate all of them.

January 10 In the Eighth Army area, General Ridgway receives the plans for the evacuation of Korea from General MacArthur, in the event such a move

Elements of the U.S. 2nd Division move slowly along an icy mountain pass road south of Wonju on 10 January.

631 becomes necessary. The blueprint includes the evacuation of the South Korean Army and nearly 140,000 POWs, composed of just over six hundred Chinese and the remainder, North Koreans. In the X Corps sector, the 23rd Infantry Regiment (2nd Division), continues for the third successive day to secure Wonju. The attacking force, lacking air support, is also pressed by the temperature, which dips as low as 25 degrees below zero, while the troops plod through deep snow. At Hill 247, the regiment advances toward the town against heavy opposition. Due to new snow storms, no air cover is available. The attack stalls by about noon. The regiment fortifies its positions and continues to withstand attacks throughout the day. The intensity of the enemy assaults subsides somewhat following darkness, but the enemy is unable to dislodge the Americans, who dig in on the hill mass. The attacks are costly for the North Koreans. Colonel Paul Freeman’s estimate of enemy dead or wounded is about 2,000. In the 1st Marines zone at Masan, OpnO 2–51 is issued in conjunction with OpnO 1–51 of the previous day. The order authorizes the Division’s movement to Yongch’on by road and water, to be in position to plug the gap where the enemy had penetrated the ROK III Corps on the 2nd Division’s right. At 0545, the vanguard of RCT-1 departs overland for the Pohang–Andong region. The 1st Marine Division has replenished much of its equipment, but the division remains nearly 1,900 men short of its full complement. The shortage of Marines has been a concern of General O.P. Smith, but the Marine Corps and Navy speed the gears and scramble to fill the ranks. Marines are snatched from security detachments in Japan, the Philippines and other Pacific stations, while others are gathered at Camp LeJeune and Camp Pendleton. By 21 January, 1,000 replacements have joined the division and another 799 aboard the General Darby are about to debark at Pusan. The task of finding and relocating nearly 1,800 Marines and getting them to the 1st Marine Division had been a remarkable achievement and exhibited the extraordinary cooperation of the Air Force, Navy and Marines. In Air Force activity, the inclement weather over Korea again forces Fifth Air Force to cancel close-air support missions. Again, Far East Air Forces launches some sorties, but it is the lowest amount since July of the previous year. In other activity, Brigadier General James E. Briggs, USAF, becomes commanding officer of Far East Air Forces Bomber Command. He succeeds General Emmett O’Donnell. Beginning with this change of command, Strategic Air Command initiates a practice that changes commanders of the Bomber Command every four months. The change is brought about to permit various officers to receive wartime experience. — In the United States: George C. Marshall, the secretary of state, asks Congress to authorize the draft of 18-year-old males through legislation.

January 13, 1951

January 11 The weather remains nasty, but improves slightly. Far East Air Forces and Fifth Air Force are able to resume air strikes against enemy positions in support of the ground troops. In the Eighth Army area, X Corps sector, the 23rd Regiment under Colonel Paul Freeman continues to withstand attacks by North Koreans at Hill 247 and again, the regiment holds steadfastly and inflicts high casualties upon the enemy. The regiment receives reinforcements when additional elements of the French Battalion arrive. More support arrives when the skies clear at about noon, permitting planes to help liquidate more of the attackers attached to the North Korean V Corps. In the 1st Marines zone at Masan, the LSTs 898 and 914 embark with elements of the Tank Ordnance, Engineer and Service Battalions, as part of the operation to relocate the 1st Marine Division to the Pohang–Andong region. The operation is completed by 17 January. January 12

General William Dean, a captive with the North Koreans, is moved in secrecy from Manpo to Kanggye. At this time, the Americans still have no word on the fate of Dean since his disappearance during the previous June. There has been no word on whether he had died or been captured. In the Eighth Army area, IX Corps sector, General Church dispatches a contingent of the 24th Division to Yoju. In the X Corps sector, outside Wonju, the North Koreans again attack the 2nd Division’s 23rd Regiment at Hill 247, but still, the Americans and the attached elements of the French battalion remain fixed at their positions. The North Koreans again are unsuccessful and they sustain high casualties. Nevertheless, the weather takes a high toll on the defenders; frostbite, trenchfoot and other ailments strike the 2nd Division. Although the enemy is unable to dislodge the Americans at Hill 247, the North Koreans still control Wonju. In Air Force activity, Wonju, now controlled by the Communists, comes under attack by B-29s attached to the 98th Bomber Group. Ten planes carry out the attack, which deposits 500-pound bombs that are timed to detonate in the air and spread the fragments over large areas. The new experiment works well and hinders the enemy’s progress. In another new tactic, the Air Force introduces Shoran (a short-range navigation system) on its B-26s to improve the precision of the bomb runs.

January 13

In the Eighth Army area, X Corps sector, the 2nd Division continues to work to secure Wonju. At Hill 247, the North Koreans again attack the positions of the 23rd Regiment, but the assaults are much less in strength than those launched over the past several days. The final attacks to dislodge the regiment cease during the morning. The overall progress of the 2nd Division is unsatisfactory to the corps commander, General Almond. He requests and receives authorization to relieve General Robert McClure. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches a mission to destroy an enemy controlled bridge at Kanggye.

January 14, 1951 The plane drops a Tarzon 6-ton radio guided bomb and it is the first effective mission that uses the bomb. It scores a direct hit on the center span and knocks out nearly 60 feet of the span. The bombing is witnessed by General William Dean, who is being held nearby at a place about ten miles north of Pyongyang. Dean maintains his sanity by keeping up with mathematics, including square roots, and he keeps a tally on the flies he kills. On one day, he kills 2,866, and he has to hand the results over to a North Korean officer. In his memoirs, he recalled that he would watch a guard who slept with his mouth open and the flies would enter and exit the guard’s mouth at will.

January 14 In the Eighth Army area, the X Corps sector, the 2nd Division commander, Major General Robert L. McClure, is relieved. He is succeeded by Major General Clark L. Ruffner. McClure had only been in command for about one month. Historians give various reasons for his dismissal — some say political reasons, due to his differences with Almond, and others claim incompetence. Upon McClure’s relief, General Collins appoints him commander of the 6th Division back in the States at Fort Ord, but the damage is done and McClure’s career is essentially over. He retires the following year. The assistant division commander, General George Stewart, is also a new appointment. In other activity, elements of the 2nd Division continue trying to secure Wonju. The 23rd Regiment at Hill 247 is no longer under attack by the North Korean V Corps. The ROK 8th Division also receives a reprieve, as the North Korean V Corps ceases all activity against it as well as the area south of Wonju. The N.K. V Corps, under General Pang, has sustained extremely high casualties and its supplies and ammunition are extremely low. Intelligence recently gathered from captives of the N.K. II Corps’ 10th Division prompts General Ridgway to switch priorities. Rather than seizing Wonju, the focus moves to Tanyang, an objective of the N.K. II Corps offensive. The ROK 8th Division at Chech’on is redeployed at Tanyang. In conjunction, the 2nd Division deploys along a twenty-two mile section from Chech’on to the Han River, which covers the gap created in the western part of the sector with the redeployment of the ROK 8th Division. In Air Force activity, elements of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing and the 27th Fighter Escort Group are ordered back to Korea from Japan. The units move to Taegu. The initial mission is air-to-ground bombing. After about 150 sorties, the F-86A Sabre jets of the 4th Interceptor Squadron return to their normal missions, without complaints from the pilots. Also, missions by the F-84E Thunderjets are not a fair match for the MiGs; however, the pilots do more than hold their own. In Naval activity, a frigate, the Prasae of Thailand, which had grounded on 7 January, is destroyed by friendly naval gunfire from vessels of the East Coast Blockading and Patrol Task Group (TG 95.2).

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January 15

General Collins, USA, and General Hoyt S. Vandenberg arrive in Korea to confer with General MacArthur and inform him of the president’s views regarding the evacuation plans. MacArthur is told to stall as long as possible to protect Eighth Army and that in addition to evacuating the ROK Army, all South Korean government officials and the entire SK Police Force is to also be evacuated. After the conference, Collins and Vandenberg move to Korea to confer with General Ridgway at Taegu. General Collins, afterward, speaks to the press in an effort to quell rumors with regard to the possibility of abandoning Korea. He states: “As of now, we are going to stay and fight.” In the Eighth Army area, since 1 December of the previous year to this day, Eighth Army has been compelled to relinquish about 200 miles. It is the largest surrender of ground in such a short period in the history of the United States. The results have devastated morale; however, General Ridgway remains convinced that the leadership problems, as well as the discipline of Eighth Army, can be restored to transform the troops into a victorious army. An exception is the 1st Marine Division. Ridgway concurs with General O.P. Smith that the Marines, despite a horrendous 13-day fighting withdrawal at the Chosin Reservoir, have high morale and that they have lost none of their fighting ability. In the I Corps sector, patrols continue, but little contact is made with the enemy. At this time, a North Korean offensive is ongoing, but it is not making any gains. Meanwhile, intelligence gathered suggests that Chinese forces are moving southward below Seoul. General Ridgway orders Eighth Army to initiate strong reconnaissance missions in the western sector. The I Corps is ordered to dispatch a contingent, including tanks and infantry (27th Regiment, 25th Division), artillery and engineers to Line D, in the Suwan–Osan region. The mission is called Operation WOLFHOUND. Marine squadron VMF-212 (CVE Bataan) and landbased Air Force planes support the advance and a battalion from the U.S. 3rd Division protects its right flank. The situation in the IX Corps sector is identical to that of the I Corps area. In the IX Corps sector, General Coulter orders the ROK 6th Division to deploy in the vicinity of Kumyangjang-ni to protect the eastern part of Eighth Army’s positions. In related activity, elements of the 15th Regiment, U.S. 3rd Division, bolstered by a contingent of tanks, also moves along the identical route, but along Route 20 it encounters heavy resistance that prevents the unit from reaching Suwon. The opposition against the 3rd Division is the only resistance encountered by Operation WOLFHOUND. Despite no resistance, progress is slow due to the conditions of the roads and bridges, many of which have been badly damaged. The main body of the 27th Regiment (25th Division), reinforced, halts for the day near Osan. The force includes the 89th Tank Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery B, 90th Field Artillery Battalion, 65th Engineer Battalion, 25th Reconnaissance Company, elements of the

633 25th Signal Company and two tactical air control contingents. The 1st Battalion, 27th Regiment, and its accompanying tanks halt progress in the vicinity of Paranjang near the coast. In the X Corps sector, North Korean forces continue to close against Tanyang and Chech’on. The X Corps remains active and frequent patrols are dispatched in search of the enemy. The North Korean 10th Division, which received a pounding earlier by the U.S. 7th Division, continues to act as vanguard of the North Korean II Corps. The regiment is heading for Andong. The weather remains nasty and it is also taking a toll on the Communist forces as they advance. At times, temperatures drop to more than twenty degrees below zero. — In Japan: An advance detachment of Marine Air Group 33 arrives at Bofu to initiate work on an airfield that had been rejected for use by the Air Force. On the following day, Seabees arrive to begin the heavy construction. The Navy initially declines the field, claiming it could not furnish the money for an Air Force field to be used temporarily by the Marines. However, the Air Force agrees to pay for the steel planking on the runways and the Navy agrees. In conjunction, in Korea, repairs are being made on K-1 field, but until both airfields are operational, the only Marine squadron in combat is VMF-212, which operates from the carrier USS Bataan.

January 16 Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-311, which has been experiencing mechanical and other problems, is grounded. The jets had been operating, but not adequately. VMF-311 is the solitary Marine jet squadron in Korea. Marine Fighter Squadrons 323 and 214, aboard the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE 116) and the USS Sicily (CVE 118) move to Itami, Japan. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, two separate columns of the 27th Regiment arrive at Suwon from Routes 1 and 39. By early afternoon, no opposition is encountered except for a few Chinese stragglers. The units executing Operation WOLFHOUND are ordered to retire to the Chinwi River. In conjunction, a small company-sized contingent moves towards Suwon to clear it of any enemy. No enemy forces are spotted along the southwestern fringes of the town, but after moving onto Route 1, the contingent is attacked by Chinese troops. A firefight ensues for about one-half hour. Afterwards, the unit moves on as air cover arrives to strike the enemy positions. Chinese troop formations near Suwon and Kumyangjang signal alarms within Eighth Army. Rather than risk a penetration that might get Communist troops to the rear of the 27th Regiment and the 89th FABn, both units are ordered to redeploy below Osan. The plan anticipates pursuit by the Chinese; however, the enemy does not advance. In the X Corps sector, strong patrols maintain a presence and sporadic encounters with the enemy cut into the manpower. The Communists’ resupply system is poor and as time elapses, the combination of casualties (due to weather and X Corps resistance) and ammuni-

January 17, 1951 tion shortages work against the N.K. II Corps and in the favor of X Corps. In the 1st Marines zone in the Pohang–Andong region, the division command post is established at Sinhung.

January 17

In the Eighth Army area, X Corps sector, the North Korean V Corps is unable to knock out the 23rd Regiment below Wonju and sustains high casualties in the process. It withdraws from the region and redeploys in the vicinity of Hoengsong. In the meantime, the N.K. II Corps continues its advance, but progress is sluggish. The X Corps troops continue to punish the columns, which are also badgered by the inclement weather. To make the North Koreans’ journey even more difficult, General Almond had earlier ordered the destruction of all structures that might be used by the Communists to avoid the freezing temperatures. In Naval activity, the USS Bataan (CVL 29), along with Destroyer Division 72, arrives and relieves the HMS Theseus and accompanying destroyers. The armada assumes responsibility as Carrier Task Element (TE 95.11). In Air Force activity, a contingent of F-86s attached to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group initiates operations at Taegu. The Sabre jets execute their initial fighter bomber sorties in air-to-ground missions. The planes carry out close-air support missions, but they also execute reconnaissance missions. The pilots of the Sabres remain concerned about the advantage of the MiGs and continue to request heavier ammunition. The consensus is that the only sure way for a MiG to be knocked out is to maneuver to its rear and kill it from close range. Consequently, a miss from close range also places the Sabre pilot in additional danger. The MiGs operate in the area which is in close proximity to their bases, which usually places them at a higher elevation with the option of choosing when to attack. In other activity, due to a shortage (only three remain in the theater) of radio guided bombs, Far East Air Forces suspends Tarzon bombing missions. The few available bombs are retained in the event they are needed for an emergency. In conjunction, between this day and the following day, Combat Cargo Command executes 109 sorties by C-119s to maintain a steady drop of supplies and ammunition to the front lines. — In Japan: General Collins, subsequent to his visit along with General Vandenberg, USAF, to Korea, returns to Japan. The short tour invigorated their outlook on the situation in Korea and it convinced them General Ridgway had things under control. Ridgway’s positive outlook and their personal observations present a different picture than that which is held by General MacArthur, who only about one week ago believed Korea to be untenable. After finding morale and attitudes higher than previously thought, General Collins focuses on the weaknesses of Eighth Army and concludes that the most vulnerable point is within the X Corps sector at Wonju.

January 18, 1951

January 18

In the Eighth Army area, X Corps sector, patrols continue to search for North Korean forces, but on this day, no complete contingents are encountered. The opposition is confined to small groups, signifying the effectiveness of the X Corps patrols. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the Marines move out from the Pohang-dong–Andong–Yongdok region on a search and destroy mission against the North Korean guerrillas and the N.K. 10th Division. The defensive perimeter includes the town of Pohang, about 65 miles north of Pusan, along the western shore of Yongil Man, a bay within the defensive perimeter, about five miles above the command post at Sinhung. Pohang contains two jetties with ten feet of water alongside to provide a place for landing craft to debark troops and equipment. The line swings out from Pohang to Yongch’on and then begins to circle through Uihung, Ulsong and Andong, from where it swings back towards the coast at Yongok, north of Pohang. The primary task of the Marines is to keep the 75 mile stretch of the MSR from Pohang to Andong clear. However, the new sector assigned to the 1st Marine Division encompasses 1,600 square miles, much of which is mountainous terrain. By this date, the N.K. 10th Division is within several miles of Andong and intelligence has ascertained that guerrilla operations are ongoing as far west as Tanyang and as far south as Taejon, which threatens the MSR of the I Corps. Nevertheless, the Marines search much terrain; however, up to this point, there is only sporadic contact with any considerable enemy forces. In one instance on this day, a patrol of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, comes upon a group of N.K. troops east of Andong, but the soldiers flee with Marines in pursuit. Most escape, but three are captured and identified as members of the N.K. 27th Infantry, 25th Division, which had been devastated during the Inchon operation of the previous September. Subsequent to its rehabilitation, the division, now led by Major General Lee Ban Nam, is engaged in guerrilla operations. With the capture of the three enemy troops, the enemy division, which had been concealing its location, has been discovered. Consequently, the mission is terminated before a strike could be launched against the rear of X Corps.

January 19 In the Eighth Army area, by this time, at least five enemy divisions are operating against Eight Army; however, there is no cohesiveness and the offensive that began on 7 January has lost all its tenacity. General Ridgway, meanwhile, continues to strengthen his foundation, while he prepares to launch a strong counteroffensive. The North Korean II Corps is no longer in a position to inflict much damage. The N.K. 2nd, 9th, 27th and 31st Divisions each have sustained heavy casualties and the commander, General Hyon Choe, is about to order a withdrawal. Choe’s 10th Division near Andong is also close to collapse. In the X Corps sector, a patrol from the 38th Regiment discovers that Wonju is not heavily defended.

634 Once General Almond is informed of the slim defenses, he instructs the 2nd Division to retake the town. The 9th Infantry Regiment is selected for the task. The 2nd Battalion is transformed into a task force with supporting elements that include Company E, 38th Infantry, a contingent of tanks, and a unit of the 15th FABn. The task force, led by Colonel Cesidio V. Barberis, bumps into some stiff resistance. Following a fierce fight with the frequent use of grenades and bayonets, the enemy is vanquished and the objective is gained. Following the seizure, patrols of the 1st and 2nd Battalions probe to the north, northeast and northwest. A large North Korean force is detected at Hoengsong, but the troops withdraw under fire and the patrol briefly enters the town before returning to Wonju. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces begins a campaign to try to stem the flow of enemy supplies and reinforcements from reaching the front lines. The air campaign, which continues for three weeks, is carried out by fighters, light bombers and medium bombers. In Naval activity, the USS Leyte Gulf (CV 32), attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77), completes its tour. It is detached and soon after, on 26 January, it departs for the United States. Also, Escort Task Group (TG 95.5) is activated, which bolsters the United Nations Blockading and Escort Force (TF 95) with seven additional frigates. In other activity, a contingent of the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT 1) is spotted by an enemy patrol while it is engaged in a surveying mission on the west coast of Korea. The unit, attached to the USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124), sustains 2 killed, 5 wounded.

January 20 General MacArthur arrives in Korea from Japan to confer with General Ridgway at Taegu; however, he also meets with the press and states that the UN intends to remain in Korea and will not be ousted by the Communists. He emphasizes that they will remain as long as the UN intends them to stay. The visit seems out of the ordinary, as the offensive ordered by Ridgway had already begun. Nevertheless, MacArthur’s staff states that his visit was to personally give his approval for the action. In the Eighth Army area, General Almond is directed by General Ridgway to initiate infantry patrols, bolstered by armor, and dispatch them into the area along the Yonju–Wonju Line to intercept enemy units that attempt to seal off the region. In addition, the patrols are designed to prevent the North Koreans from launching operations south of the line. The patrols are in conjunction with the reconnaissance operations initiated by Ridgway on 15 January. It had recently been concluded that the Communists had decreased the numbers of their forward units along the P’yongt’aek–Samch’ok Line and Ridgway intends to take advantage. The respective corps commanders are directed to initiate brief but vicious attacks to intimidate the enemy and throw them off balance to prevent them from launching a new attack. In Air Force activity, after an absence of several weeks,

635 MiG-15s are again spotted in the skies by U.S. F84s. This is the first time the MiG-15s encounter the F84s. No losses are reported. In Naval activity, Amphibious Task Force (TF 90) initiates an operation to transfer Communist prisoners from South Korea to the island of Joje-do and to transport civilian refugees to the island of Oheju-Do.

January 21 General Ridgway issues a statement that stipulates his considered opinion on why the troops are in Korea, an apparent response to the questions that have been lingering since the start of the conflict, “Why are we here?” and “What are we fighting for?” He says: “In the final analysis, the issue now joined right here in Korea is whether Communism or individual freedom shall prevail; whether the flight of fear-driven people we have witnessed here shall be checked, or shall at some future time, however distant, engulf our own loved ones in all its misery and despair. Those are the things for which we fight....” In the Eighth Army area, 1st Marine Division sector, the Marines continue to search for guerrillas, but still, the enemy remains evasive. Also, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment is attached to the 1st Marine Division. The four battalions of the regiment are directed to depart Chinhae for Pohang. Some are carried by LSTs and others move overland by convoy. A regimental command post is established at Yongdok, along the coast, north of Pohang. In the IX Corps sector, a contingent (one battalion) of the 24th Division, bolstered by artillery, deploys at Ich’on. In Air Force activity, a force of 12 MiG-15s attack U.S. planes this day and the superior numbered enemy force is able to down one RF-80 and one F-84 Shooting Star. An MiG-15 is downed by Lt. Colonel William E. Bertram, commanding officer, 523rd Fighter Bomber Squadron, 27th Fighter Escort Group. Bertram receives credit for the first victory by a USAF F-84 Thunderjet over an MiG-15. In conjunction, this is the first major battle between the Chinese pilots and the Americans. The Chinese, between combat losses and accidents, primarily the latter, are compelled to seek more training. The Chinese 4th Air Division is withdrawn from its base at Antung and Russian pilots assume responsibility in the area known as MiG Alley. January 22

Marine Squadron VMF(N)-513, which had arrived from Japan to replace VMF-311 jet squadron, executes its initial combat mission from K9 field. Squadron VMF(N)-513 had been based at Itazuke, Japan, until transferred to replace the jets at Pusan, which had engineering problems. In the Eighth Army area, IX Corps sector, a unit (TF Johnson) under Colonel Harold K. Johnson is formed for a one-day advance. Task Force Johnson is composed of the 70th Tank Battalion (Henry Zeien) and the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry (1st Cavalry Division), reinforced with a company of 8th Cavalry’s heavy mortar company. On the right, the task force is supported by

January 23, 1951 the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry, and on the left by elements of the 7th Infantry. Another contingent, the 1st Battalion, 35th Regiment, 25th Division, advances with tanks of the 89th Tank Battalion in support and heads towards Suwon as a feint to divert attention from the main attack. The task force moves out at 0530. It advances northward to a point about five miles east of Kumyangjang-ni. No enemy forces are encountered en route to Yangji-ri, indicating no organized opposition below Route 20; however, resistance is later met in the high ground above the town. One part of the force moves east toward Och’on-ni, against no opposition. The other group moves west and encounters slight opposition, which is repelled by an air strike. En route back to friendly lines, the identical unit encounters another small enemy force and drives it away. The clash costs the task force two killed and five wounded; but the enemy loses fifteen killed. Air strikes kill an estimated fifty additional enemy troops. In conjunction, the 7th Infantry seizes Kumyangjang, while the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry, advances toward Ich’on, where the Communists are engaged with an Australian patrol. The 5th Infantry contingent moves against the enemy and afterward moves into Ich’on. Also, the 35th Regiment is able to make exceptional progress. It reaches and retakes Osan, which provides the 25th Division with strong positions slightly beyond the town, which they use to establish roadblocks. The 35th Regiment is out front, with the 24th Infantry south of it. Farther to the rear, a British contingent is deployed on Line D. The entire operation had been executed for purposes of encountering and killing the enemy while gathering intelligence. TF Johnson had encountered few enemy troops; however, the operation is deemed a success for several reasons, including the new spirit of the troops, but most importantly for confirming that neither the I Corps or IX Corps fronts are under any serious threat from the Communists. In the X Corps sector, little contact is made with the North Koreans. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the situation is identical. The Marines’ clearing operation continues for more than two weeks, but without any intense contact with the enemy. On this day, a patrol of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, discovers a guerrilla contingent attempting to conceal itself southeast of Andong, in the vicinity of Mukkye-dong. The Marines sustain no casualties during the engagement. The Communists vanish into the darkness. —In Japan: The airfield at Bofu is prepared to begin operations. Lieutenant Colonel Paul J. Fontana, USMC, establishes the MAG-33 command post.

January 23 In the Eighth Army area, General Henry I. Hodes, chief of staff to General Ridgway, directs General Almond to ensure that X Corps maintains contact with the IX Corps at Yoju to keep the

January 23, 1951

636

A contingent of the 25th Division is en route to Osan on 23 January 1951. pressure on the enemy and prevent them from operating south of the Yoju–Wonju Road. The directive is in conjunction with an offensive that is ordered by Ridgway, scheduled to be executed on 25 January. In other activity, the NK 10th Division (NK II Corps) is ordered by the corps commander, General Choe, to cease its offensive and attempt to retire toward P’yongch’ang. The order is issued with a stipulation that if the division is unable to backtrack, due to the X Corps’ blocking its path northward and the 1st Marine Division scouring the area below, the unit is to initiate guerrilla tactics. The beleaguered North Koreans begin to move northward, faced with the task of evading both X Corps patrols and the Marines. On the following day, the remainder of the enemy corps also initiates a retreat. Also, intelligence reports that the majority of the enemy forces are located in the area below Seoul near Route 20 and farther north and east along the Han River. In related activity, VMF-212, aboard the light carrier USS Bataan, is the only Marine squadron operating at this time. While scouring the west coast and providing cover for the 1st Marine Division since the 16th, the squadron detects Chinese forces entrenched along the coast as far back as sixty miles from the lines. The discovery indicates that the enemy has learned lessons from Inchon, and exposes their apprehension about the Marines’ ability to execute amphibious landings. Three of the planes had been hit by small arms fire on the third day of operations and one of the planes, pi-

loted by Captain Russell G. Patterson, Jr., was downed. Patterson crashed behind enemy lines; however, a daring helicopter rescue saved his life. One other pilot, Lieutenant Alfred J. Ward, was shot down and killed on the following day. Marine Squadron VMF-312 is able this day to begin missions against Seoul from its refurbished field at Bofu, Japan. In Air Force activity, a force composed of thirty-three F-84s (27th Fighter Escort Wing) based at Taegu strike enemy-held Sinuiju. The planes arrive in three flights, two that attack and a third that provides cover. Prior to the bombing run, eight planes strafe the field before MiG pilots at Antung can react, keeping the MiGs from gaining an advantage of holding the high altitude. Consequently, the air battles are fought primarily at elevations of about 20,000 feet. The MiGs arrive from across the Yalu River to intercept the F-84s. A huge air battle erupts and continues unabated for about thirty minutes. The F-84 ThunderJets knock three of the MiGs from the sky and sustain no losses. Two of the MiGs are downed by First Lieutenant Jacob Kratt, Jr., in less than two minutes. In other activity, a group composed of about forty F80s, attached to the 49th Fighter Bomber Group, attack the antiaircraft positions at Pyongyang, while an accompanying force of twenty-one B-29s bomb the airfield there. Captain Allen McGuire and Captain William W. Slaughter, also of the 27th FEW, each claimed a MiG during the battle of Sinuiju. In addition,

637 three probable kills are claimed by the 27th. However, only three kills are listed in the Air Force official records of 1988. McGuire’s claim is not among those. Also, four other MiGs are damaged. The U.S. sustains no losses.

January 24

In the Eighth Army area, General Partridge, acting as pilot, and General Ridgway initiate a reconnaissance flight. After two hours, the pair discover no large enemy formations in front of the I Corps, headquartered at Ch’onan. After the flight, Ridgway concludes that his forces will be able to take ground and hold what they have when an offensive begins on the following day. In other activity, the North Korean II Corps ceases its unsuccessful offensive and begins its withdrawal towards P’yongchang. The offensive had begun on 7 January and four divisions (2nd, 9th, 27th and 31st) had sustained more than about a fifty percent casualty rate, including those caused by the weather. In addition, the N.K. 10th Division, which had advanced farther south toward Andong, also sustains extremely high casualties. Meanwhile, Eighth Army prepares for an offensive (Operation THUNDERBOLT), scheduled to commence on the following day. In the 1st Marine Division sector, Communist guerrillas that had been attempting to operate in the zones of the 1st and 5th Marines on this day venture southeast into the zone of the 7th Marines. During the afternoon, the positions of Company A and the 1st Battalion command post at Topyong-dong come under mortar fire. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral I.N. Kiland (COMPHIBPAC) relieves Rear Admiral J. H. Doyle, commander Amphibious Group I, of the operational command of Amphibious Forces, Far East (TF 90). Also, Marine Corsairs remain in the air over two downed pilots to protect them until a rescue helicopter arrives. — In Japan: The 1st Marine Air Wing increases activity at Bofu airfield. General Field Harris establishes his headquarters. Shortly thereafter, VMF-214 and VMF-323 arrive from Itami, Japan, to join with VMF 312, which had commenced operations on the previous day. January 25–April 21 1951. FOURTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: FIRST U.N. COUNTEROFFENSIVE

January 25

At K-9 field near Pusan, VMF(N)513, which has been flying in support of Eighth Army, gets its first request to support the 1st Marine Division ground forces in the Pohang region. In the Eighth Army area, Eighth Army initiates its offensive (Operation THUNDERBOLT), an attack executed by the I and IX Corps, to drive to the Han River. Both I and IX Corps had on the previous night established positions about five miles above Line D. Each

January 25, 1951 corps is to commit one division, augmented by armor and with the stipulation of bolstering the force with an ROK regiment if required. X Corps is directed to protect the right flank, while it initiates some diversionary attacks north of the Yoju–Wonju Road. The cruiser USS St. Paul, some destroyers and the British cruiser HMS Ceylon remain offshore to support the offensive, which is also bolstered by the artillery of the 64th, 90th and 159th FABns along with the guns of the Turkish Artillery Regiment and the British 45th Artillery Regiment. In the I Corps sector, the 25th Division advances with the 3rd Division covering the west flank. The Recon Company (25th Division), supported by the 3rd Division Recon Company on the far left, advances up the west coast road toward Suwon, while on the right, the 35th Regiment advances in two columns. One contingent moves up the Osan–Suwon Road, while the other drives northward from Paranjang, also toward Suwon. The 24th Infantry Regiment trails the 35th, to maintain control of the Paranjang Road. To its right, the Turkish Brigade moves northeastwardly toward Kumyangjang. Only the Turkish contingent operating east of Osan encounters heavy opposition. By day’s end, the 35th Regiment advances to Osan and deploys in positions to encircle it; however, the enemy makes no attempt to counterattack; rather, it abandons the place, except for a rear guard. Meanwhile the 27th Infantry Regiment (reserve) moves to Osan. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Cavalry Division drives north in two columns. The 8th Cavalry (Colonel William A. Harris) moves along Route 55 on the right, while the 7th Cavalry (Colonel Harold Johnson) operates on the left and rolls up Route 13. Neither corps encounters any heavy resistance. During the advance of the 7th Cavalry, elements of the 24th Division reinforce the attack force. Initially, the support unit (2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment) holds at positions between Ichon and Yogu to await orders to join the attack. By the afternoon, the 8th Cavalry advances to the Suwon–Wonju Road, where it encounters some opposition, but it is overcome. In the meantime, the 7th Cavalry, reinforced by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, advances to Ich’on. The 5th Cavalry (Colonel Marcel Crombez) remains in reserve. The U.S. Navy, at the request of General Ridgway, increases its patrols along the west coast to protect the left flank. On the following day, the offensive of the I Corps advances towards the second phase line out of the five lines identified earlier by General Ridgway. In the 1st Marine Division sector, one day following a mortar attack, the command post of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, is attacked by a contingent of about 100 guerrillas. The Communists lose seven killed after an exchange that lasts about one and one-half hours. In the 7th Marines zone, the 3rd Battalion, supported by a contingent of National Police, engage the enemy in the Chiso-dong area. Initially, nine of the enemy are killed, but as the battalion moves to take Chiso-dong,

January 26, 1951 the resistance holds and the battalion is forced to halt for the night. In the meantime, artillery continues to pound the enemy positions. Marine squadrons VMF(N)-513 and VMF-323 receive calls to support the attack, but due to the inability to communicate with the forward air controller, the sorties are not effective. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces makes some changes. Combat Cargo Command, a provisional unit, is succeeded by the 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo). The 315th Air Division does not come under Fifth Air Force with regard to administrative and logistical support; rather is comes under the direct jurisdiction of Far East Air Forces. In other activity, in conjunction with Eighth Army’s operation to regain territory, including the port of Inchon and the airfield at Suwon, a force of sixty-eight C119s support the offensive. Between this day and 7 February, the aircraft deliver by air-drop 1,162 tons of supplies and ammunition to the troops at Chunju, south of the Han River. — In Japan: Marine Squadron VMF(N)-542 receives orders at Itazuke to support the Eighth Army advance. The F7F pilots of the squadron are directed to make the long flight of about 200 miles and after arriving, maintain non-stop patrols near the Han River to ensure the Communists cannot retire across the frozen river unobserved. The Marine aviators pound enemy formations and convoys; however, they report no large numbers of enemy troops attempting to retire across the river. While in support of the advance, the squadron gets tapped to spot targets for the U.S. and British cruisers that are bombarding Inchon.

January 26

Marine Squadron VMF(N)-513 executes forty-nine combat missions between this day and 31 January. The missions include 110 sorties, but of these, only ten are in support of the 1st Marine Division. In the Eighth Army area, I Corps sector, the 25th Division moves toward the 2nd phase line against light opposition. By 1300, the airfield at Suwon and the town itself is occupied by elements of the 35th Regiment. Later, General Ridgway arrives at Suwon and discovers a town in ruins. At Kumyangjang, Chinese defenders raise fierce resistance against the Turkish Brigade. Fighting continues throughout the day until about 1930, when the Turks finally reduce the resistance. The Turks fight fiercely and gain a strategic hill just outside the town; however, most enemy deaths had been caused by artillery bombardments. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Cavalry Division encounters heavy resistance in the high ground above Yangji-ri, where Task Force Johnson had met heavy resistance on 23 January. The 8th Cavalry is unable to dislodge the opposition and sustains 28 killed and 141 wounded while it is encircled, until elements of the 7th Cavalry speed to reinforce it. The 7th Cavalry strikes from two separate directions to relieve the 8th Cavalry from its jeopardy. The cavalry is unable to advance to

638 the second phase line. Meanwhile, the 7th Cavalry is ordered to shift east to defend the first phase line that stands slightly outside Ich’on. Following the lackluster performance of the 8th Cavalry, it is replaced by the 5th Cavalry. The 8th Cavalry is placed in reserve at Kumyangjang. In other activity, Major General Blackshear M. Bryan becomes commander of the 24th Division. He succeeds General Church, who is transferred to the U.S. to become commandant of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. It is a standard policy to relieve officers and to have them contribute their combat experience to training in the States and Church’s transfer is part of that procedure. Also, by the end of the month, General Barr, the commanding officer of the U.S. 7th Division (X Corps), will be named commandant of the Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He will be succeeded by Major General Claude B. Ferenbaugh. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the Marines continue to maintain patrols in search of an elusive enemy. The guerrillas do not hold the confidence of the Korean civilians and often when spotted by the villagers, the information is passed onto the Marines. In addition, the North Korean guerrillas are not properly equipped nor supplied to carry out an extensive guerrilla operation. The Marines, although not often calling for VMF squadrons for support on this type of mission, depend on VMO-6 to aid in the search for the Communists. The OY observation planes scour the hills and once an enemy contingent is spotted, helicopters are used to keep the Marines supplied while they give pursuit. In the 1st Marines zone, TF Puller, led by Colonel Lewis B. Puller, is dispatched to Chongja-dong, less than ten miles northeast of Uisong, in a rapid response to a Korean police report that several hundred enemy troops had taken the village. Artillery plasters the village prior to a planned assault set for 1500. Company A enters the village, but discovers no enemy, only an abandoned village. In conjunction, on this same day, Colonel Puller is promoted to brigadier general. Colonel Francis M. McAlister succeeds him as commander, RCT 1. In the 7th Marines zone, the attack from the previous day is reinitiated to advance one more mile to seize Chiso-dong. Artillery and more effective air strikes support the Marines against the defending force of about 400 troops. Chiso-dong falls to the Marines by 1530. The air strikes led by VMF-323 (Captain Don H. Fisher and VMF(N)-513 (Captain Floyd K. Fulton) are the first flights to succeed with air to ground cooperation since the Chosin Reservoir Campaign of the previous year. In other activity, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, seize Hapton-ni, about eight miles southeast of Topyong-dong. The Communists, after being evicted, mount a failed counterattack and for the day’s action, sustain 161 casualties, either killed or captured. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces improves its communications in the Korea Theater. On this day, it

639

January 26, 1951

Top: A plane in the distance (top right center) descends during a close-air support mission to bolster the 1st Cavalry Division near Ich’on on 26 January. Bottom: A convoy (96th FABn) crawls its way along an icy highway in the mountains to reach 1st Cavalry Division positions. launches its initial C-47 “control aircraft.” The plane contains sufficient communications equipment to ensure its ability to maintain communications by radio with all T-6 Mosquitoes, with its tactical air control parties, and with the Tactical Air Control Center. Also, a contingent of planes attached to the 27th

Fighter Escort Wing at Taegu encounters enemy aircraft in the vicinity of MiG Alley. One MiG is lost, shot down by First Lieutenant Jacob Kratt, Jr., who received his first victory on 3 January. This is his final aerial victory of the conflict. In other activity, at about this time, some in command

January 27, 1951 remain fearful regarding the Eighth Army offensive, prompting General Partridge to direct a large number of his Fifth Air Force units to depart for Japan until the success of the offensive becomes clearer. The 49th Fighter Bomber Wing, 27th Fighter Escort Wing and the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing are among those outfits ordered to Japan. Nevertheless, the doubts about General Ridgway’s success soon vanish, as Eighth Army sends the Communists into retreat. Consequently, the 334th Squadron will be reordered back to Korea. In Naval activity, Communist shore batteries at Inchon commence firing against the USS St. Paul (CA 7).

January 27

At airfield K-1, outside Pusan, Colonel Boelcer C. Batteton, USMC, establishes the MAG-12 command post, but the runway remains incomplete for about two additional weeks. In the meantime, the Marine squadrons of MAG-12 continue operating out of nearby K-9 airfield. In the Eighth Army area, I and IX Corps sectors, Chinese resistance remains light, but progress remains very slow due primarily to an intensified search for the enemy. In the I Corps sector, the 35th Regiment (25th Division) advances less than three miles beyond Suwon. In the meantime, the Turkish Brigade advances to a point between Suwon and Kumyangjang-ni. Also, the S.K. 3rd Division enters the fight today. Initially, a reconnaissance force advances, but afterwards, the division launches a heavy attack. In the IX Corps sector, the Chinese continue to mount heavy resistance from their positions in the high ground slightly above Yang-ri, where the 8th Cavalry has been stalled since the previous day. The 5th Cavalry takes the offensive. It leap-frogs over the 8th Cavalry and drives against the stronghold to the west, killing several hundred Chinese during its drive to Kumyangjang-ni. At Hill 312, the fighting is ferocious, as both sides pound against each other in close-quartered hand-tohand combat. After reducing the obstacle and reaching the town, the 5th Cavalry advances slightly more than one additional mile along Route 17 to reach the first phase line. In the meantime, the 7th Cavalry Regiment remains at its positions in the vicinity of Ich’on. Intelligence gathered from captured Chinese points to only one army in the immediate area, the 50th Chinese Army. From that information and other intelligence, Ridgway discerns that the bulk of the resistance is forming near the Han River and it is suspected that the forces include the six armies of the Chinese XIII Army Group and the North Korean I Corps. Ridgway’s attack plan is modified to strengthen the attack of the I Corps. He informs General Milburn to include the 3rd Division in the next attack. To reinforce the 3rd Division, General Milburn attaches the Turkish Brigade. In the X Corps sector, subsequent to the N.K. II Corps’ pull-out from P’yongch’ang, a U.S. contingent composed of infantry and artillery advances to posi-

640 tions from which an artillery barrage is commenced to destroy the town. — In the United States: The Marine Corps decides to appoint about 500 master sergeants, warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers to the rank of temporary second lieutenant to bolster the Marine Corps leadership during the ongoing Korean conflict.

January 28 By this date, all Marine tactical squadrons are in action for the first time since the previous December. The great majority of flights originating at Bofu in Japan and K-9 at Pusan are diverted from reconnaissance missions to support the ground troops. In the Eighth Army area, General Ridgway commits the 3rd Division (I Corps) and 24th Division (IX Corps) to the attack. The move by Ridgway drains the reserve down to two units, the British 27th Brigade and the Commonwealth Brigade in the I and IX Corps respectively. Nonetheless, Ridgway is convinced his force is fully prepared to remain on the offensive and be more than a match for the enemy. In the I Corps sector, elements of the 3rd Division drive northward toward Kumyangjang against sporadic resistance. In the early morning hours of the following day, the Chinese launch an attack against the perimeter. The 25th Division continues its advance toward the Han River. Elements reach a point about two miles from phase line three, the half-way point from the river, and eliminates resistance as it moves. One contingent of the 35th Regiment, 25th Division, enters Suwon. Marine Squadron VMF-312, out of Bofu, Japan, receives a message that enemy troops north of the Suwon had concealed themselves in a small village. Through the direction of a Mosquito plane, the Marines plaster the suspected location and destroy about forty structures. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the advance continues and it, too, receives resistance above Yangji-ri. The 5th Cavalry halts at the 2nd phase line and the 7th Cavalry ends its day about two miles below the line. The assaults against the 7th Cavalry had come from a new unit, the 112th Division, 38th Army. Intelligence gathered from captured troops indicates that the division had just been sent south to intercept the IX Corps. At about this time, Colonel Harold Johnson, 7th Cavalry, moves to I Corps to become G-3. He is replaced as 7th Cavalry commander by Colonel Pete Clainos, who had been the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry. The 24th Division, commanded by Major General Blackshear M. Bryan, advances on the right of the 1st Cavalry Division. It moves through the area above Ich’on and Yoju, where the Han River takes a sharp turn in a southeastwardly direction. The 5th and 19th Regiments, led by Colonels Throckmorton and Kinney respectively, drive north toward the Han River, while the reserve 21st Regiment remains in the rear in the area around Yoju, also along the Han.

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January 29, 1951

Top brass at the front lines north of Suwon on 28 January. Major General Courtney Whitney is second from left; Lt. General Matthew B. Ridgway has a grenade hanging from his left shoulder, commander Eighth Army General MacArthur is on the far right and General Kean, the commanding officer of the 25th Division, is in the background to the rear of MacArthur.

January 29

In the Eighth Army area, Operation WOLFHOUND continues. The I Corps and IX Corps each receive opposition and in some instances, land mines are encountered, but the mines are unsophisticated and poorly placed. By this time, the Chinese have committed additional units and the U.S. corps, based on information gained from POWs, move against five

Chinese divisions and one NK division. The 148th, 149th and 150th of the 50th Army stand in the path of the I Corps’ 3rd and 25th Divisions. The 112th and 113th Divisions (38th Army) oppose IX Corps’ 1st Cavalry Division. In addition, the North Korean 8th Division opposes the Turkish Brigade and the 35th Regiment (I Corps).

January 29, 1951 In the I Corps sector, during the early morning hours, the Chinese strike hard against the 3rd Division positions near Kumyangjang and inflict heavy casualties upon the 65th Regiment; however, at dawn, the positions remain under American control. In the IX Corps sector, on the right, elements of the 24th Division and of the 2nd Division (X Corps) form a motorized patrol and advance from Yoju, east of the Han River, towards a set of enemy-dug tunnels, but Chinese there cut the patrol off. Planes arrive to relieve the besieged troops. Reinforcements arrive about 0330 on 30 January. The patrol, composed of forty-five troops, sustains five dead, twenty-nine wounded and five missing and presumed captured. In the 1st Cavalry sector, the Chinese raise fierce resistance against the 5th and 7th Cavalry Regiments on the left and right respectively, north of the Suwon–Wonju Road. In the 1st Marine Division sector, a report of a large North Korean force spotted in the vicinity of Chachondong is received at the 5th Marines. A force is mounted

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to find and destroy the enemy; however, no contact is made. Additional information given to the Marines by South Korean police indicate that the guerrillas are planning to invade the village to confiscate food. In other activity, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment, recently attached to the 1st Marine Division, establishes a command post at Yongdok, which is in the area covered by the 7th and 5th Marines. The South Koreans receive a new sector, F, which is created out of sectors C and D, held by the 7th and 5th Marines respectively. Their section of responsibility stretches along the Yongdok–Andong Road and includes the villages of Pongdok, Chaegok-tong and Chinandong. The 1st Battalion is assigned the western portion of Sector F, while the 1st Battalion deploys in the central sector and the 2nd Battalion is assigned the eastern portion of the sector. In conjunction, the 5th Battalion is attached to the 1st Marines and directed to deploy and patrol in the area around Andong. The regiment does not have a 4th Regiment due to the fact that the Korean word for 4th and death is identical and by the Koreans “4th” is considered a word associated with bad luck. In the X Corps sector, a strong patrol of the 23rd Regiment, which had been dispatched towards Chipyong to divert attention from the main thrust, Operation THUNDERBOLT, meets with a patrol from the 21st Regiment that had departed Yonju. The combined force of slightly less than sixty men, including four officers, proceeds by jeeps towards Chipyong. The contingent is shadowed by an observation plane, but they encounter no enemy forces. Several miles from Chipyong, the patrol halts near the village of Sinchon to reconnoiter the double rail tunnels (Twin Tunnels) there. As they encroach the tunnels on foot, the enemy in the heights commence fire and the ambush proves deadly. Some are immediately killed during the melee and some others are seized. The remainder scurries up a hill to establish a desperate line of defense. All the while, the liaison plane is urgently sending word back to headquarters. Soon after, while the patrol fights off attempts to annihilate it, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, speeds to the ambush site. Although under heavy fire since about noon, the beleaguered patrol remains tenacious throughout the afternoon and is still holding steadfastly at dusk The infantry advances one step at a time. A soldier using an A-frame when the reinforcements arrive. The advances alone, with two jeeps to his rear and a truck moving up troops of Company F mount an aton his right. tack, clear the heights of the Chinese,

643 and extricate the survivors of the patrol, which includes 37 wounded. In Naval activity, TF 77 initiates action against bridges located along the east coast of Korea.

January 30

In the Eighth Army area, Operation THUNDERBOLT, which commenced on 25 January, continues against more solid resistance. The I Corps and the IX Corps each attach a South Korean regiment to augment the strength of the respective advances. In the IX Corps sector, the 24th Division pushes out the right. Heavy resistance is raised by the Chinese and it continues into the following day. General Ridgway orders the I and IX Corps to direct the final units at Line D to depart and advance to hold the ground that had been seized. In addition to resistance by the Chinese, the North Koreans are congregating east of Route 29. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the Chinese attack the Greek Battalion at Hill 381. The struggle for control of the hill continues throughout the night and often includes close-quartered fighting. Some of the Greeks, at times, expend their ammunition, but they switch to knives and rifle butts rather than surrender the crest. The Chinese disengage by dawn after sustaining heavy casualties. In other activity, in the 5th Cavalry zone, 1st Lieutenant Robert M. McGovern, Company A, leads a platoon against an enemy stronghold in the vicinity of Kumyangjang-ni. When the platoon reaches a point on the slope about 75 yards from the bunker, heavy fire pounds the assault and McGovern becomes wounded; however, he refuses to quit. The attack continues, despite the storm of enemy fire and the addition of grenades. The grenades for the most part are tossed back into the enemy positions, but still, casualties climb from the devastating fire. McGovern spots the machine gun that is holding up the attack. He charges it, but when he is within about ten feet of the nest, the ripping fire knocks his carbine from his hands. Still, McGovern advances. Singlehandedly, he takes on the enemy using his pistol and grenades. Seven of the enemy are killed by his actions, but in the process, McGovern’s wounds are fatal. He succumbs after eliminating the obstacle. His troops, however, with fixed bayonets, continue the attack and ascend to the crest, throwing grenades as they attack. The enemy abandons the hill. Lieutenant McGovern becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor, posthumously for his heroism and leadership under fire. In the 24th Division zone, Company E, 5th Regiment, launches an attack against enemy-held Hill 256, which has been retained by the enemy despite several attempts to dislodge them. A platoon led by 1st Lieutenant Carl H. Dodd acts as vanguard, but it is quickly halted ny intense fire including mortar and artillery, which originates from concealed positions. Dodd, ignores the small arms fire and the bombardment to attempt to reorganize his paralyzed platoon, and then, still oblivious to his own safety, he singlehandedly bolts towards an obstinate gun position. Dodd eliminates

January 31, 1951 the machine gun and its crew. His actions inspire the remainder of his command. They fly forward with fixed bayonets and an abundance of grenades. The swift and sudden thrust of the platoon takes the enemy positions one by one as they plod forward. The initial obstacles fall and then Dodd again reorganizes his men to take the grand prize, Hill 256. At a point about 200 yards from the hill, Dodd again singlehandedly takes on a machine gun nest and destroys it and the crew. The advance continues with Dodd at the point. The troops move through a peasoup fog, with their bayonets fixed and yet more grenades. The advance vanquishes the enemy on 31 January and Hill 256 is seized. Lieutenant Dodd becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership and bravery in the face of a superior enemy force. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the Marines await a raid by North Korean guerrillas, expected to hit Chachon-dong in the 5th Marines zone. The Marines had been informed of the raid and had on the previous night set up an ambush by concealing themselves throughout the village. Nevertheless, at dawn, the enemy fails to arrive. In the X Corps sector, following the ambush near the Twin Tunnels at Sinchon on the previous day, it becomes apparent that the Chinese control Chipyong. General Ridgway, once informed of the incident, takes immediate steps to counter the Chinese. He orders General Almond to establish positions to protect Eighth Army from an attack through the Han River Valley. X Corps is directed to block any potential flow of enemy forces from the Twin Tunnels. The task is given to the 23rd Regiment. In Air Force activity, supplies arrive by planes at the airfield at Suwon, which had been captured on the 28th. C-54s attached to the 61st TCG (Troop Carrier Group), the first U.S. planes to land since the field’s capture, bring 270 tons of supplies to fuel the Eighth Army advance. In Naval activity, the Blockading and Escort Force (CTF 95) initiates a bombardment of Kosong and Kasong. The operation includes minesweeping as part of the mission designed to act as a diversion landing on the east coast of Korea. On the following day, warships of Amphibious Task Force (TF 90), including the USS Montague (AKA 98) and USS Seminole (AKA 105), continue the deception by feinting a landing in an attempt to confuse the enemy ground forces.

January 31 Major General Bryant E. Moore assumes control of the U.S. IX Corps. He succeeds General Major General Milburn, who had been transferred to I Corps to replace General Coulter. Coulter’s transfer is not related in any way to his service in the field and in fact he is promoted to lieutenant general. In other activity, the I Corps and the IX Corps continue to encounter heavy resistance during Operation THUNDERBOLT. The I Corps, after a dogged advance, makes it to the 3rd phase line, while the IX Corps

February 1, 1951 advances only slightly beyond the 2nd phase line. General Ridgway prepares to add more punch to the offensive and simultaneously, he expands the front. The ROK III Corps and the 1st Marine Division will also be thrown against the enemy. The fifth phase line still stands some distance away at Inchon and from there eastward to Yangp’yong. At this time, General Ridgway’s intent remains unchanged, to eliminate as many enemy forces as possible and to gain and retain ground, but without concentrating on fixed lines and positions. His blueprint does not include the recapture of Seoul, unless it falls in line with the advance. Ridgway requests and receives support from Fifth Air Force to prevent the enemy from driving north or south from the Han River. In the X Corps sector, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment (2nd Division), supported by the French Battalion and bolstered by tanks and artillery, moves against the enemy at the tunnels where a patrol had been ambushed on 30 January. The advance over and across snow-filled icy terrain is long and treacherous. The tunnels are reached during the afternoon, but no Chinese are discovered there. The battalion establishes positions at Sinchon, near the Twin Tunnels; however, corps commander General Almond had intended the force to advance farther. Nevertheless, it is about dusk and further progress could prove dangerous. Almond orders a bombardment of a nearby village, thought to be held by the enemy. The order is reluctantly carried out, as a probe determines no enemy there. The barrage is fired, but not directly at the village. Colonel Freeman, the commander of the 23rd Regiment, becomes concerned that the barrage had only informed the enemy of the presence of his force and had invited an attack. His intuition proves correct. Prior to dawn on the following morning, the Chinese attack. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the search for the enemy continues, but with little success, as the North Korean guerrillas are less than anxious to engage the Marines. Meanwhile, the locals still provide no assistance to the Communists, which makes their task more difficult and they are unable to easily acquire food. In Air Force activity, the 21st TCS (Troop Carrier Squadron) executes a clandestine mission. A specialized unit of the squadron deposits a UN agent into enemy-controlled territory below the 38th Parallel, at a point in the vicinity of Yonan located on the west coast of Korea. This mission is the first of this type to be recorded during the war.

February 1–6 1951 In the 1st Marine Division sector, information from the 7th Marines begins to circulate that the 5th Marines are to expect elements of the NK 25th and 27th Regiments, which are in flight in front of the 7th Marines. The 5th Marines prepare a welcome and deploy, while anticipating a decisive engagement to eliminate the foe during the early days of February; however, the North Koreans disappoint the 5th Marines. The guerrillas approach Topyong-dong and swing north-

644 ward to evade the 5th Marines. The guerrillas move right into the waiting arms of the 1st Marines, specifically, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The Marines close the clamps tightly with the added support of the Korean Marines as the latter (2nd and 3rd Battalions) establishes blocking positions on the escape routes near Sango-ri and Paekcha-dong. The remnant enemy forces scatter and move only in small groups to avoid total destruction. On 5 February, the North Korean guerrillas encounter the Korean Marines southwest of Yongdok. The Korean Marines, commanded by Colonel Kim Sung Eun, at the request of the 7th Marines, establish blocking positions. One platoon of the 2nd Battalion, Korean Marine Regiment, encounters the Communists at their entrenched positions. The Koreans, after encountering enemy mortar fire and machine gun fire, begin an undisciplined retreat after abandoning their equipment and weapons. The Koreans lose 1 killed, 8 wounded and 24 missing in action. The missing troops later show up minus their weapons. No U.S. Marines participate in the action, which becomes the sole engagement that ends in a success for the guerrillas. On the following day, the Korean Marines attack in battalion strength with the support of four planes of Marine Squadron VMF(N)513; however, again the guerrillas escape after raising some minor initial resistance.

February 1 In the X Corps sector, Second Division zone, the 23rd Regiment comes under fierce attack at the Twin Tunnels north of the Han River. The attack initiated by the Chinese 125th Division prior to dawn is relentless, but the enemy receives incessant return fire, including the guns of the artillery, accompanying tanks and mortars. The Chinese, after encountering an insurmountable wall of fire, pull back to regroup for a second attack. It occurs at about dawn, when the French contingent holding at Hill 453 is struck by a string of waves, each as ferocious as the one that preceded it. Nonetheless, the French troops, drawn from French forces in Africa, Madagascar and other French garrisons in Asia, hold the ground. Chinese thrusts against the 23rd Regiment continue throughout the day. The U.S. infantry is bolstered by the 37th Field Artillery Battalion, which had been with them since they established positions there on the previous day. For a while, the situation remains desperate. The French by mid-afternoon lose their high ground and they along with the remainder of the 23rd Regiment have diminished most of their ammunition. However, the remainder of the 23rd Regiment continues to hurl sheets of fire towards the attackers, who seem to continually multiply. Meanwhile, reinforcements are sped to relieve the beleaguered force. While the fresh elements of the 23rd Regiment drive forward, the 9th Regiment sets itself up to replace the contingent if necessary. One platoon of Company I is pushed from its positions and its leader

645 becomes wounded. Another man, Sergeant Hubert L. Lee, assumes command and leads a charge, but he, too, becomes wounded. Lee disregards his leg wound and drives forward. The enemy drives his contingent back five times, but still Lee adamantly refuses to quit and by this time, he is literally crawling ahead, having sustained two wounds. Lee encroaches the enemy obstacle, forces himself to get up and from a kneeling position, and pours more fire into the enemy until he is yet again wounded. Lee still maintains command and directs the final charge. Lee’s actions lead to the attack team eliminating 83 of the enemy and pushing the remainder from the hill. Sergeant Lee becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and leadership under fire. In the meantime, the Chinese continue to press forward to complete the attack and claim a victory, but the skies clear and planes that had been unable to operate earlier arrive to save the day. A contingent of Marine planes arrives and saturates the enemy formation with bombs. More planes follow as the Marines continue to paper the slopes in front of the French with fire. The Chinese hopes of gaining the hill go up in smoke as they receive riveting fire from the ground troops while they are pummeled from the skies. The slopes remain full of Chinese, but most are deceased. The survivors retreat hurriedly with Colonel Freeman’s 27th Regiment in pursuit. The U.S. sustains 45 killed, 207 wounded and 4 missing. The majority of the casualties occur within the French Battalion and the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment. The Chinese suffer about 3,600 casualties. More than 1,200 Chinese dead are counted. The operation at Twin Tunnels had been launched as a precautionary measure; however, in the process, it had turned into a major victory against the Chinese, who lose the 125th Division as an effective force. In related activity, while Operation THUNDERBOLT is ongoing, General Almond is authorized by General Ridgway to initiate an offensive (Operation ROUNDUP) to seize Chipyong-ni, which he has concluded is a key defensive position of the Chinese, which provides them with domination on Highway 2, Highway 24 and Highway 24A. U.S. possession, in addition to eliminating a strong point, would also position the Americans so they can trap the enemy forces below the Han. The operation commences on 5 February.

February 2

In the I Corps sector, the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division, and the Turkish Brigade launch an attack to reduce Hill 431, which has been raising tough resistance to the I Corps advance (Operation THUNDERBOLT), which had begun on 25 January. The battle continues for several days. The Turks and the 35th Regiment units gain ground on the lower slopes of the hill, but stiff counterattacks push the UN troops back. In the X Corps sector, during diversionary probes, the village of Hoengsong is seized after some minor resistance is eliminated.

February 4, 1951 In the 1st Marine Division sector, the Marines continue to search for enemy forces while maintaining control of the MSR, with most of their focus on the stretch between Andong and Yongchon. Meanwhile, between shortages of food and supplies, combined with the relentless pressure of the Marines, the North Koreans continue to evade the Americans. Large groups of Communist forces are not encountered in the sector, but the patrols continue. In Naval activity, during patrol activities, the USS Partridge sustains severe damage and sinks after striking a mine. Eight crewmen are killed and six others are wounded.

February 3

In the I Corps sector, 25th Division zone, the violent struggle continues for control of enemy-held Hill 431, but the dogged attempts of the 35th Regiment and the Turkish Brigade are unable to penetrate the defenses. General Ridgway changes strategy by directing General Kean to abort the futile frontal assaults and revert to a flank attack, which commences on the following day. In the 3rd Division sector, the 3rd Battalion, 15th Regiment, encounters heavy resistance from entrenched enemy positions on a hill in the path of their advance. The battalion plunges forward and engages in a horrific battle for the elevation. The hill is seized due to the doggedness of the assault; but the cost is heavy. Fifteen enlisted men are killed and the wounded list soars. Following the victory, Colonel Ed Farrell, the 3rd Battalion commander, is evacuated due to his wound. He is replaced by Colonel Clyde H. Baden. In the 1st Marine sector, a patrol of RCT-7 unexpectedly encounters a North Korean 2nd lieutenant who surrenders, along with three of his men. The lieutenant offers information that exposes exactly how bad things have been going for the guerrillas and how the various units are seeking to survive rather than to engage the Americans. In addition, the officer explains that the North Korean commander of the guerrillas, Major General Lee Ban Nam, has been essentially a recluse, spending his time by himself in foxholes in the heights. On 23 January, another Communist had been captured and papers he was carrying instructed the North Koreans to attempt to break out of the encirclement and make it back to positions in the north. Meanwhile, conditions remain poor for those units unable to escape, particularly knowing they were on their own with no chance of resupply or reinforcements.

February 4

Air attacks ordered by General Ridgway after four days achieve only nominal results against the enemy. In fact, by 5 February, a new Chinese division (114th) arrives in the IX Corps sector. In the I Corps sector, 25th Division zone, the 35th Infantry Regiment and the Turkish Brigade, bolstered by a heavy artillery bombardment, launch yet another assault to clear the obstinate defenders on Hill 431. The fight carries into the following day, as the troops tangle with the enemy and bone-chilling cold. In the IX Corps area, 2nd Division sector, the enemy

February 5, 1951 launches an attack at 0100 against an outpost of the 19th Regiment outside Sesim-ni manned by a platoon of Company A. The platoon, led by Master Sergeant Stanley T. Adams, reacts quickly after Adams spots the force of about 250 troops closing on his positions under a bright moon. Adams leads twelve of his men in an impetuous charge with bayonets fixed. When his contingent reaches a point about fifty yards from the enemy, Adams is struck in one leg by a bullet. He falls, but only momentarily. Once back on his feet, the charge continues. He is knocked down four additional times by the concussion of grenades that detonate and still he is able to lead the attack against a superior force. At close range, the battle rages and the struggle turns to the bayonets and rifle butts. Despite the overwhelming numbers, the enemy is vanquished. More than fifty of the enemy are killed and the remainder of the force chooses to retire. Adams continues to hold the rear while his detachment heads back to the outpost. Sergeant Adams receives the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership and heroism in the face of the enemy. In conjunction, Adams receives word that his battalion is pulling back. He leads the platoon back to the battalion lines, aware that the battalion is no longer threatened by a surprise attack. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the 7th Marines receive some unusual assistance in their quest to catch and destroy or capture the North Korean guerrillas in their zone. An R4D aircraft, with an interpreter aboard, spots a large group of Koreans and through the use of a loud speaker aboard the plane, the interpreter, speaking in Korean, urges them to surrender immediately or expect an attack. About 150 begin to surrender by walking with their hands in the air. Those who choose not to surrender are attacked. Marine squadron VMF323 is called upon and soon after, the group is hit hard with bombs, rockets and napalm; however, it is soon determined that the Koreans had not been soldiers; rather, civilians, as they explain, who were swept up and used as forced laborers by the guerrillas. The plane had actually spotted them as they were in the process of escaping from the Communists. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force, after concluding that the C-47s are unable to maintain sufficient speed to keep up with the B-26s while dropping flares, makes some changes. The Air Force suspends the C-47s and replaces them with modified B-26s.

February 5

The I and IX Corps are up against seven enemy divisions. The Chinese 38th Army has deployed three divisions on the east, while another three divisions from the 50th Army stand at the center, bolstered by the North Korean 8th Division to the west. Other North Korean forces are at Seoul and Inchon. In the I and IX Corps sectors, Operation THUNDERBOLT is reinitiated. General Ridgway senses that the recent attacks have shaken the confidence of the Chinese. He orders General Milburn (I Corps) to initiate full-scale offensive operations with his armor-infantry task forces (TF Dolvin and TF Bartlett).

646 Two I Corps divisions (3rd and 25th), bolstered by tanks, advance. The Turkish Brigade and elements of the 35th Regiment maintain attacks against the flanks of Hill 431 and force the enemy to give ground and withdraw to regroup in the terrain, known as the open end of the horseshoe-shaped ridge. Meanwhile, other hills in the area are cleared. TF Dolvin seizes Hills 300 and 178, following the reduction of stiff opposition. Afterwards, TF Dolvin is ordered to move to the rear of the 35th Infantry, which had been in the lead during the advance. In the meantime, TF Bartlett has a mix-up during the day. It awaits orders to advance from its commanding officer, but Colonel William Bartlett falls on ice and never issues the order. Consequently, the 64th Tank Battalion does not move out on time. Later, under Joseph G. Fowler (executive officer), the tanks roll. Progress remains slow during the advance, but by 8 February, the 25th Division reaches a point within about five miles from the Inchon–Yongdungp’o Road. Meanwhile, the 3rd Division plows forward against opposition and by the 9th, reaches the Han River. In the 3rd Division sector, its three regiments advance as task forces, each named after the commander of the respective organic tank companies. (TF Tony, TF Myers and TF Fisher). The vanguard of the attack is led by the 65th and 15th Infantry Regiments on the left and right respectively, with TF Myers and TF Fisher in support. Meanwhile, the 7th Regiment supported by TF Tony remains in reserve. In the IX Corps sector, the advance encounters resistance and progress is tedious, but the land becomes much more of an obstacle than the enemy as the units move towards the Han River. Both the 24th Division and the 1st Cavalry Division face tough resistance from the Chinese 39th Army. In the 1st Cavalry sector, the 5th Cavalry still acts as vanguard, along with the 7th Cavalry. However, only the 7th Cavalry encounters heavy resistance as it drives towards the Han. In the 5th Cavalry advance, the Chinese resistance diminishes somewhat, which permits the northward advance to continue. However, all across the front, the elements cause obstacles and present natural dangers, due to both ice and mud. Later, during the night of the 5th-6th, the Chinese launch a counterattack against the 3rd Battalion and greatly threaten one unit, Company L. The company resists with ferocity and is able to avoid disaster by mounting a counterattack that routs the Chinese. In the X Corps sector, Operation ROUNDUP begins. The X Corps offensive is launched in coordination with the attacks of the I and IX Corps advances. The ROK 8th and 5th Divisions on the left and right respectively initiate the advance. The U.S. 2nd Division (General Nick Ruffner) supports the ROK 8th Division. Its support includes elements of the 38th Infantry (1st Battalion), 15th FABn and the 503rd FABn. The U.S. 7th Division bolsters the ROK 5th Division and its support includes elements of the 17th Infantry (2nd Battalion), 49th FABn, 31st FABn and the divisional Recon Company. In

647 conjunction, the 23rd Infantry Regiment at Chipyong and other units, including the 37th FABn and the 1st Ranger Company, are in position to support the northwestward attack of the ROK 8th Division, which is thought to be the most vulnerable to a Chinese counterattack. Enemy resistance remains light on the first day, but afterwards, it builds. Nevertheless, the advance is hindered more by the terrain than the enemy. The Corps commander, General Milburn, retains his 2nd and 7th Divisions along the line of departure and the reserve division, the ROK 2nd Division, remains weakened from its earlier contest during the Chinese New Year. In addition, the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team is being pulled from the line. The ROKs are en route to Hongchon. All the while, concerns have arisen at Eighth Army regarding a massive Chinese offensive that intelligence has discerned will be launched against Wonju, in the X Corps sector, by 15 February. In the 1st Marine Division sector, General O.P. Smith has concluded that his Marines have completed the mission in the Pohang region. He responds to a request from General Ridgway as to the time in which the mission will be complete. General Smith informs General Ridgway that the 10th NK Division units in the Marine sector have been sliced down to a strength of about forty percent. He also states that the force is no longer capable of mounting a major attack and that the Marines’ mission is essentially complete and awaiting a new assignment. In Air Force activity, an F-51 Mustang, piloted by Major Arnold Mullins (67th FBS), engages and downs a Yak-9 in the skies about seven miles north of Pyongyang. The kill by Mullins is the sole victory in the sky by an Air Force pilot during February.

February 6 General Thomas J. Cushman, USMC, assistant commanding general, 1st Marine Air Wing, advises the commanding officer, General Harris, that the K-1 airfield at Pusan is nearly complete and will be able to accommodate one squadron on 8 February and an additional one on each succeeding day. In conjunction, K-3, near Pohang, when completed, is scheduled to be the permanent base for MAG 33, but K-1 is to be used in the interim. In the I Corps sector, armored units advance against some opposition, but most of the obstacles encountered are mines. The advance had been held up for a short time while TF Dolvin awaits TF Fowler, which had been lagging behind due to a late start on the previous day. Ridgway had insisted all units advance abreast for a more galvanized attack and less chance of the enemy penetrating by counterattack. The advance is slowed by minefields along the road, but the enemy had laid them in such fashion that they are easily spotted. During the advance, elements of I Corps seize North Korean troops affiliated with the N.K. 47th Division in the vicinity of Anyang. The enemy 47th Division had apparently deployed at Kwanak Mountain, south of Seoul, after being relieved at Inchon by the N.K. 17th

February 7, 1951 Division. TF Dolvin again secures Hills 300 and 178, then as on the previous day, the armor moves back behind the 35th Regiment. In the IX Corps sector, 24th Division zone, the advance moves cautiously and sluggishly towards the Han River. The Chinese spring a strong assault at a point between the 19th and 21st Infantry Regiments. Both U.S. units resist fiercely, but the Chinese inflict high casualties before the assault is halted. In Air Force activity, a group of C-54s evacuate 343 sick and wounded troops from Chungju. The planes, attached to the 315th Air Division, transport the troops to Pusan. In other activity, eight C-54s arrive at Taegu from Japan, each transporting sections of a 310-foot treadway bridge from Japan to Taegu. The bridge is composed of 279 separate sections. Also, a contingent of six C-119s pass over enemy territory and in an attempt to torment the troops there, the crews drop thirty-two boxes, each one individually booby-trapped to explode once opened. The surprise packages are dropped while the planes are over Kwangdong-ni. In yet other activity, the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron executes its initial night photographic mission.

February 7 The I and IX Corps continue to advance (Operation THUNDERBOLT). The enemy raises opposition and it grows more intense as the offensive continues. In the I Corps sector, as on the previous two days, TF Dolvin again moves to clear Hills 300 and 178. The Chinese, in the meantime, greatly reinforce Hill 300 and with the fresh troops, they are able to prevent TF Dolvin from re-seizing the entire hill. As dusk settles in over the area, TF Dolvin is directed to disengage and return to positions to the rear of the 35th Infantry Regiment at Anyang. By this time all units of the I Corps attack force are on line, in conjunction with the original directive of General Ridgway. Nevertheless, TF Fowler had not experienced an easy day. During the advance, enemy resistance at one of the targeted hills had been especially ferocious. The 1st Platoon, Company E, 27th Infantry, 25th Division, hits stiff resistance and gets stalled. Two other platoons of the company, led by Lieutenant Lewis W. Millet, execute a bayonet charge against a dug-in force of about 200 troops. The powerful thrust cracks the defenses and the cold steel evicts the defenders on the crest. The platoons follow his lead and the ascent bludgeons the enemy as it moves. Millet, who gets wounded by grenade fragments, takes out two of the enemy during the ascent with his bayonet and a few others with grenades. Captain Millet becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary valor and leadership during the assault. In the IX Corps sector, 24th Division zone, the 19th Regiment, which had come under heavy attack on the previous day, is again hit with a furious assault when it

February 8, 1951 attempts to continue its northward advance. The Chinese pressure forces the regiment to give ground, a hill that the leading 3rd Battalion had passed. The 1st Battalion is pushed back while the 3rd Battalion gets cut off and is forced to fight its way back to the main body. Recently appointed commander of the 19th Regiment, Colonel Ollie Kinney, is shortly thereafter relieved and transferred to the position of division G-2. He is succeeded by Colonel Peter W. Garland.

648 In the X Corps sector, during Operation ROUNDUP the ROK 5th Division discovers an enemy force of about 4,000 troops. Plans are laid to attack and eliminate them on the following day.

February 8

General Ridgway directs General Milburn to drive his I Corps against Kwanak Mountain. In conjunction, he requests help from the U.S. Navy and asks for it to send a diversionary force against Inchon

U.S. B-26s of Fifth Air Force (452nd Light Bomber Wing) strike a marshaling yard south of Wonsan. The target is hit with napalm.

649 on 10 February. Preliminary activity is carried out by the USS Missouri (BB 63) and a group of amphibious vessels. In other activity, Marine Squadron VMF-323 arrives at K-1 from Japan. It will be followed by VMF214 on the 9th and VMF-312 on 10th. The squadrons are scheduled to move again to K-3, near Pohang, once it is finished. In the I Corps sector, the advance continues against light resistance. The North Korean opposition that had appeared seems to have moved south to cover the withdrawal of the Chinese 50th Army, but by this day, the North Koreans also are heading north rather than holding positions to resist the advance. In the IX Corps sector, the Chinese raise stiff resistance. At some points along the advance, enemy counterattacks force withdrawals. In the IX Corps sector, the advance pushes against a point below the Han River, where the Chinese have poured reinforcements in order to hold a bridgehead. In the X Corps sector, Operation ROUNDUP continues. The Corps’ main thrust is handled by the ROK III Corps, which is advancing along Route 29. The South Koreans gain ground beyond Hongsong to the north, northeast and northwest. The ROK 7th Division pushes elements to within several miles of Ch’angdongni and the ROK 9th Division stands above Chong-son; however, enemy resistance has slowed progress of the ROKs. The slow-down provides the enemy with an opportunity to bang against the right flank of X Corps. In conjunction, the U.S. 7th Division advances to the rear of the ROK 7th Division. Also, General Ridgway transfers the ROK 3rd Division to General Almond for the remainder of Operation ROUNDUP. The ROK 3rd Division is assigned the task of continuing the maneuver to come in from the east to encircle Hongch’on, while the ROK 5th Division establishes blocking positions on the exposed right flank. In the ROK 5th Division sector, the enemy launches an attack against the ROK 27th Regiment before the South Koreans are able to launch their offensive. The South Koreans are struck hard, east of Route 29, forcing one battalion to collapse. Afterward, the regiment retires. Fighting continues to rage between the 27th Regiment and the North Koreans into the following day. In Air Force activity, enemy rail lines in North Korea are attacked by a large force composed of B-26s, B29s, and fighters. The strikes hit the area that stretches from Hoeryong to Wonsan. In other activity, Brigadier General John P. Henebry becomes commanding officer of the 315th AD. He succeeds General Willliam H. Tunner. During post–World War II General Tunner handled the Berlin Airlift, but he had been assigned this task on a temporary basis.

February 9

In the I Corps sector, Kwanak Mountain is seized by the 25th Division without the support of air cover. Bad weather had cancelled all flights. Pa-

February 10, 1951 trols from the division drive ahead in the snow to reach positions near Inchon and Yongdungp’o. TF Dolvin, part of the 25th Division, advances to positions from which the city of Seoul can be seen, but no move into the city is attempted. The task force again receives orders to withdraw and take positions to the rear of the infantry. Meanwhile, the 3rd Division pushes against no resistance and TF Myers advances to the Han. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th Division’s 27th Regiment finally concludes its hard fighting that had begun on the previous day. During the early morning hours, the North Koreans disengage. Steps are quickly taken by General Almond to restore his right flank. On the following day, Almond orders the ROK 5th Division to establish positions slightly less than fifteen miles northeast of Hoengsong, at about the same place where the North Koreans struck the 27th Regiment. Also, the U.S. 27th Regiment, 2nd Division, had earlier established positions in Chipyong-ni and afterwards initiated patrols. On this day, a patrol spots a heavy concentration of enemy troops on an elevation, Hill 444, almost five miles east of Chipyong-ni. One battalion, the 1st (9th Regiment), is dispatched north from Yonju, while another battalion moves from the east to reduce the resistance on Hill 444.

February 10

During Operation THUNDERBOLT, progress continues. In the I Corps sector, the 25th Division seizes the Inchon-Yongdungp’o Road by 1100. In the meantime, no enemy activity is discovered in Inchon; however, the port, earlier destroyed by U.S. forces upon abandonment, is still a massive scene of destruction. Consequently, the planned amphibious diversionary landing is cancelled. In the meantime, General Ridgway, convinced that the enemy is in retreat, loosens the leash on the advance to accelerate pursuit. In addition, TF Dolvin and TF Fowler are combined as one task force. It races to the Kimpo peninsula, where Task Force Allen moves forward in two columns. The east force effortlessly takes Kimpo Airfield. The troops continue their progress throughout the day and by dusk, the advance of about 11,000 yards gains positions nearly ten miles above the Han River. Other units trailing the task force include the 24th and 35th Regiments. The two regiments and the attached ROK 15th Regiment hold positions along the Han, between the airfield and Yongdungp’o. Meanwhile, the Eighth Army Ranger Company and the 25th Division’s Reconnaissance Company close on Inchon. At about 1700, the reconnaissance force enters Inchon and no enemy troops are discovered; however, at about the same time, the small force of ROK Marines that had been with the amphibious force that aborted the landing arrives at Inchon aboard small boats. In the 3rd Division zone, operating on the Corps’ right, the 65th Infantry Regiment and the 15th Regiment advance to the Han and join with Task Force Myers. The regiments encounter only one sighting of enemy forces near the river. The 15th relieves the 65th

February 11, 1951 Regiment at the river, which permits the 65th to revert to reserve. The successful advance to the Han River boosts the morale of Eighth Army. It had driven the Chinese back across the river and forced the Communists to surrender strategic ground, including Kimpo Airfield, Inchon and Suwon, all of which had been required for the U.S. to regain air superiority in the northern reaches of North Korea, particularly MiG Alley. In the X Corps sector, Operation ROUNDUP begins on the eastern flank. The U.S. 7th Division dispatches one battalion from its positions near P’yongchang to a point about fifteen or sixteen miles east of Hoengsong, in an effort to flush out the North Koreans there and pinch them between the U.S. troops and the ROK 5th Division, which had been ordered to a point northeast of Hoengsong. General Almond also dispatches a contingent of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team to bolster the east flank to the rear of the ROK 5th Division at a point about slightly less than ten miles east of Hoengsong. In conjunction, the ROK 3rd Division, deployed on the fringes of Hoengsong, prepares to jump off on the following day to coordinate with the attack of the ROK 5th Division.

February 11 General O.P. Smith, USMC, arrives in Taegu to confer with General Ridgway with regard to the next mission to be assigned to the Marines. Several possibilities are discussed and Ridgway proposes relieving the 24th Division at the Han River, at the Yoju corridor in the IX Corps sector, and redeploying on the east coast in the event an amphibious landing is required. No decision is reached. However, Ridgway makes it clear that he has confidence in the Marines’ ability. By day’s end, the Chinese launch their offensive (fourth phase) in the 2nd Division sector, and by the following morning, as Ridgway had mentioned, the Marines find themselves being ordered to the center of the hornets’ nest at the rear of IX Corps, where the brunt of the attack is being felt. The ongoing offensive, which has carried Eighth Army to the Han River and put the Chinese to flight, causes more complications in Washington. There are differences of opinion on whether to push beyond the 38th Parallel; however, the powers to be, including the Pentagon and the State Department, are in agreement with the British and French that the strategy should be to halt at the 38th Parallel and negotiate with the Communists to terminate the war. In contrast, General MacArthur believes it necessary to continue the attack and he is adamantly opposed to the UN policy of giving the Communists a free, untouchable sanctuary in Manchuria. In the X Corps sector, the ROK III Corps maintains its progress. The ROK 7th Division deploys in the vicinity of Ch’angdong-ni after first driving through it. The ROK 3rd Division advances along Route 29 to a point about five miles above Hoengsong. Farther east, the ROK 5th Division moves toward its blocking po-

650 sitions on the east flank. Also, the ROK 8th Division reaches a point along Route 29, slightly less than ten miles north of Hoengsong. In the meantime, the ROK 9th Division plows through the Han valley and establishes contact with the ROK I Corps. In the South Korean I Corps sector, by this date, elements of the Capital Division, which had been joined by the ROK 9th Division, stand in the Taebaek mountains. Kangnung and Chumunjin are both occupied. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, seizes Hill 444 east of Chipyong-ni, eliminating a threat against the 2nd Division positions. After dusk, the Chinese launch an attack that drives from Hongch’on to the right of the U.S. 2nd Division that strikes the ROK 8th Division. The Chinese also evade the Americans (Support Force 21) at Ch’angbong-ni. Meanwhile, the Chinese force the regimental headquarters to order the ROK 21st Regiment to withdraw and hook up with the American Support Force 21. The Chinese also pound the ROK 10th and 16th Regiments. Chinese troops flood both sides of Route 29 as they drive forward. By about midnight on the 11th12th, the command posts of the 10th and 16th Regiments are both overrun. The swift movement also isolates the ROK 20th and 50th Field Artillery Battalions and Support Team A. Shortly thereafter, the ROK units lose all communications between regiments.

February 12 The Chinese offensive that unfolded northeast of Wonju at about midnight continues to gather steam. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the 5th Cavalry gathers at IX Corps headquarters in Changhowon-ni, slightly more than ten miles below Yoju. Also, the 7th Cavalry, which had been making remarkable progress, stalls slightly more than ten miles from its objective, the Han River. The enemy is deeply entrenched in the vicinity of Mugam on Hill 578. General Ridgway decides that the hill must be taken before the 7th Cavalry is relieved by the 27th Regiment (25th Division). A full-throttle attack to reduce the obstacle is scheduled for 14 February. In the X Corps sector, within about one hour after midnight, it becomes apparent that the Chinese had overrun the ROK 8th Division. The supporting American units get caught in the confusion. By about 0100, 2nd Division artillery units request permission to pull back to more tenable positions. The U.S. support team withdraws toward the positions of the 38th Regiment and encounters fierce opposition as it drives eastward. The unit finally arrives at friendly lines by about dawn; however, the cost of the drive is high. Only six men are immediately known to be wounded, but the missing number nearly 150 troops. In addition, two tanks are lost. More than 7,000 South Korean troops are either killed or captured. The ROK 3rd Division also comes under heavy attack. The ROK 22nd and 23rd Regiments withdraw to the vicinity of Ch’angbong-ni before the Chinese envelop them. By 0245, the Americans (Support Force

651 21) receive authorization to withdraw. The Chinese, however, had gained positions along Route 29 and pound the troops as they move. En route, Support Force 21 passes abandoned artillery of the 503rd Field Artillery Battalion. The commanding officer of SF 21, Colonel Keith, has no troops in his command who can drive tractors and no explosives. The artillery is left for the enemy. Keith’s column, following a tedious flight, joins with the 3rd Battalion. Finally, at about 1000, the column arrives at the lines of the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment (2nd Division). It discovers that the Chinese are also attacking the 38th Regiment. The 38th had been designated as the unit to hold the line at the Route 29 mountain road junction. Keith’s artillery is deployed to bolster the positions. The defenders at Hill 300, in the 38th Regiment’s zone, are hit especially hard by a large force. By about 0300, the units are ordered to pull back. One of the troops, Sergeant Charles R. Long, Company M, a forward observer for the mortar section, holds his ground to assist in the withdrawal by directing fire. In addition, as the enemy closes on him, he reverts to resisting with his carbine and grenades. However, the overwhelming enemy force is able to encircle him. Sergeant Long is killed, but his company safely pulls back and afterwards, returns to retake the positions. Long becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary valor and selfless sacrifice in the face of the enemy. The ROK 8th Division had nearly been annihilated. By 1100, the 2nd Division receives orders to designate the 38th Regiment a Regimental Combat Team. Support Force 21 is ordered to withdraw to Hoengsong. Support Force 7, deployed several miles north of Hoengsong near the ROK 3rd Division, also receives orders to withdraw to Hoengsong. In the meantime, the Chinese continue to encircle various units, including one regiment of the ROK 3rd Division. The ROK 5th Division is also being compelled to fight its way towards Hoengsong. The situation continues to deteriorate and by noon, General Almond informs General Ridgway that Hoengsong will be abandoned in order to defend Wonju. The fighting withdrawal continues into the morning of the 13th and casualties become high. Nevertheless, the Dutch Battalion becomes key to a successful withdrawal. The final units to abandon Hoengsong for Wonju are the Dutch Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (7th Division). The casualty list for X Corps, including the ROK troops, at best estimate (11 February through early 13 February) stands at about 9,800 South Koreans, 1,900 Americans and 100 Dutch. Equipment losses are also heavy. The South Koreans (3rd, 5th and 8th Divisions) lose more than 1,000 weapons, including 14 howitzers and they also lose nearly 90 vehicles. The Americans and Dutch lose more than 300 weapons, including twenty howitzers. The 15th Field Artillery Battalion abandons fourteen howitzers and the 503rd Field Artillery Battalion loses 5 artillery pieces. In addition, the U.S. loses two tanks and just under 300 vehicles.

February 13, 1951 In conjunction, Far East Air Forces’ planes arrive overhead and drop supplies at the airstrip near the X Corps command post at Wonju. In the 1st Marine Division sector, orders arrive from Eighth Army headquarters that instruct General O.P. Smith to prepare to move out of the Pohang–Andong region and redeploy in the rear sector of the IX Corps to galvanize the lines there where the Chinese are making their strongest thrust. General Smith is also directed to dispatch reconnaissance units to the Chungju region. In conjunction, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment is detached from the 1st Marine Division and attached to the ROK Capital Division, which is deployed on the east coast at Samch’ok. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces makes emergency passes over the X Corps command post and drops supplies. Also, a C-47 plane is struck by enemy antiaircraft fire while it is dropping leaflets during daylight hours. The plane makes a crash landing at Suwon. The incident prompts Fifth Air Force to discontinue the daylight leaflet flights. In other activity, a contingent of B-26s using guidance of flares strikes enemy positions along the front lines; however, on this mission, two enemy planes in the area use the illumination to attack UN positions.

February 13–16 1952 In Air Force activity, H-5 helicopters deliver medical supplies to the besieged elements of the 2nd Division and evacuate more than forty wounded troops. Air Force planes also drop supplies. Fifth Air Force focuses on closeair support missions to bolster the positions of the encircled troops. February 13 General MacArthur arrives in Korea and confers with General Ridgway. It is decided that Chipyong-ni in the X Corps sector will be held. It remains clear that the I and IX Corps are to hold the line at the Han River. In other activity, the 1st Marine Air Wing is nearing completion of its consolidation of all units to Korea. At K-1, near Pohang, Lieutenant Colonel Fontana establishes the MAG-33 command post. The squadrons temporarily at K-1 are directed to move to K-3. In the meantime, the support units are en route from Japan. Also, the jets (VMF-311) that had been grounded due to engineering problems during early January are back in operating condition and their arrival from Japan is imminent. Also, by the end of the month, the all weather Marine Squadron VMF(N)-542 will be based at K-1 near Pusan; however, VMF(N)-513 will operate from K-1. Another group, the Headquarters Squadron (photo pilots), is in the process of transferring from Japan to K1. In the I Corps sector, the Communists (North Korean 6th Division, N.K. I Corps) launch a counterattack against the rear near Suwon. Initially, the N.K. 1st Regiment crashes into the 15th Regiment, but fortuitously, the 65th Regiment, composed of Puerto Ricans, deployed in the nearby high ground, is able to intercept

February 13, 1951

652

On 13 February, it is decided to hold Chipyong-ni. The 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, and attached French troops hold the crossroads for several days although surrounded. the enemy. The 65th at the time is catching a breather from its recent stint at the front. The 65th bolts from its positions and swarms around and upon the invaders and prevents them from penetrating to the divisional command post. The North Koreans are shredded during the night (13th-14th). On the 14th, the U.S. force scours the area and it is determined that 1,152 enemy troops had been killed (counted). In addition, 353 enemy troops are taken as prisoners. The 65th Regiment is responsible for eliminating nearly 600 of the enemy. Although the enemy attack is repulsed, the fact that they had struck with such force and had gotten behind the lines causes concern. Once the 3rd Division fords the Han on the advance, only the 35th Regiment, the Turkish Brigade and the ROK 1st Division remain on the south side of the Han River across from Seoul. Consequently, a repeat attack could succeed and in so doing, isolate the 3rd Division on the opposite bank of the Han. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the

Communists launch a night attack against the 8th Cavalry while it is preparing to participate in a diversionary attack to support the 7th Cavalry, which is held up at Hill 578. The Chinese assault is thwarted, but the lines are penetrated. The 8th Cavalry remains confined to holding the ground and liquidating the intruders. It is unable to jump off on the morning of the 14th in support of the 7th Cavalry. In the X Corps sector, General Almond attempts to regroup and prepare for the defense of Wonju. The unexpected attack by such a great force, composed of four Chinese divisions and two North Korean divisions, is too strong to halt. However, General Ridgway remains convinced that the resupply ability of the enemy is unable to sustain a prolonged offensive. The enemy swarm into Hoengsong after it is abandoned during the early morning hours of this day, but the Chinese do not initiate pursuit of the U.S. 2nd Division while it moves to Wonju. By this time, all contingents north of Wonju, including the 38th Infantry (and Dutch Battalion attached),

653

February 13, 1951

Top: A contingent of the 15th Regiment, U.S. 3rd Division, engages the enemy as it moves toward the Han River. Bottom: A U.S. tank starts its move around a curve as it advances toward the Han River.

February 14, 1951 187th Airborne RCT, ROK 18th Regiment (ROK 3rd Division) and the 2nd Battalion, 17th Regiment (7th Division) succeed in making it back to positions around Wonju. Meanwhile, the withdrawal by X Corps jeopardizes the forces at Chipyong-ni, which is defended by the 23rd Regimental Combat Team, composed of the 23rd Infantry Regiment (Colonel Paul F. Freeman, 2nd Division), 1st Ranger Company, 37th Field Artillery Battalion, and other units, including Battery B, 503rd Artillery Battalion, Battery B, 82nd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, Company B, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, and the French Battalion. The Chinese launch a full-scale attack against the defenses of Chipyong-ni at about 2200. The contest lasts throughout the night into the morning of the 14th. Colonel Freeman, after learning of the withdrawal to Wonju, requests permission to abandon Chipyong, but it is denied. He is told to hold and that reinforcements (5th Cavalry and a British Brigade) will be dispatched to ensure the ground is held. In other activity, the 2nd Division Reconnaissance Company and Company L, 9th Infantry, at Chuam-ni come under assault by elements of the Chinese 116th Division throughout the day. The Chinese attempt to encircle the force after dark and on the following day, a stronger assault is launched. In the 1st Marine Division sector, departure orders arrive from Eighth Army that instruct the Marines to depart for Chunju, in the rear of the IX Corps on 15 February. In Air Force activity, priority airlifts develop for the 315th AD. The planes evacuate 800 sick and wounded troops from airstrips in the forward areas, including Wonju. The men are transported to Taegu and Pusan. The operation requires a large number of C-47s and drains the supply. Requests for airlifts from other locations cannot be answered. — In Japan: The Photographic Unit, 1st Marine Division, transfers from Itami Air Force Base to Bradshaw Air Force Base at Pusan. The photographic unit will work in conjunction with the 15th Troop Carrier Squadron.

February 14

The enemy continues its attacks, but the Korean winter is taking a toll on their ranks and enthusiasm. In addition to being pounded by ground forces, aircraft and artillery, the Communists find it difficult to find protection from the frigid cold. Most towns have been decimated, leaving few houses and huts and when they find temporary sanctuary, planes usually attack and destroy the structures. In addition, many of the Chinese are now poorly dressed for the season. It is difficult to acquire medical attention. Nevertheless, those still able continue to maintain the attack. During the previous November, when the Chinese entered the conflict openly on the side of the North Korean Communists, they were in close proximity to Manchuria and they had bases to their rear, but now,

654 they are more than 250 miles from the Manchurian border. In the IX Corps sector, the 5th Cavalry Regiment at Changhowon moves out to open Route 24A and drives to the isolated RCT 23 at Chipyong-ni. The cavalry is bolstered by a contingent of engineers, two tank companies and two artillery battalions. The column is trailed by vehicles carrying supplies and a contingent of ambulances. The advance makes progress until it hits a destroyed bridge, which forces the advance to suspend at Hup’o-ri until the engineers improvise and construct a modified bypass around the obstacle. Meanwhile, RCT 23, which had earlier been supplied by air, remains isolated until the following day. During the night, the Chinese launch yet another assault against Chipyong-ni. U.S. positions on the north and east are hit hard, but by dawn of the following day, the Communists Chinese fail to make gains. The successful defense of Chipyong-ni eliminates some heavy problems for General Ridgway. If it had fallen, although only a diminutive village of a few huts, the Communists would have gained the road junction there and imperiled the entire Eighth Army front. However, the eastern perimeter is also struck with a severe attack and gains are made by the Chinese. Company G, 5th Cavalry is compelled to abandon its positions by about 0300 on the 15th. Nearby artillery positions, held by the 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, are deployed from where the battalion continues to pound the enemy. The effective fire keeps the Chinese at bay. The U.S. launches a counterattack at 0400. The force (TF Crombez) is composed of Company G, 5th Cavalry, reinforced by Company F, and a contingent of rangers. The attack gains some of the lost positions of Company G; however, the Chinese push the attackers back and inflict high casualties. A contingent of French troops support the attack and they, too, pull back. In the 7th Cavalry zone, a scheduled attack to clear the enemy from Hill 578 commences; however, circumstances surrounding the assault cause complications. Scheduled air support had been diverted to Wonju and a supporting attack by the 8th Cavalry is aborted due to an enemy counterattack against the 8th Cavalry on the previous night. Nonetheless, at 0700, following a prolonged artillery bombardment, the 7th Cavalry, supported by a contingent of tanks (70th Tank Battalion) drives against Hill 578. The attack continues against steadfast resistance throughout the day and into the following morning. The Communists continue to come under heavy fire, but still they give no ground. Finally, after about twenty-four continuous hours of gruesome fighting, the 7th Cavalry prevails. Hill 578, through the efforts of the entire regiment, including the attached Greek Battalion, falls on the morning of the 15th. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 23rd Regiment and its support units at Chipyong continue to come under assault from the attack launched during

655 the previous night. The defenses had been under heavy bombardment and the usual infantry assaults, but the Chinese receive equal punishment from the encircled perimeter. Although the attacks are repulsed, the town remains surrounded and the anticipated reinforcements do not arrive. The 3rd Battalion is struck again at about 0630, but the Chinese fail to break through. At about 0730, the sector defended by the French also repels an attack. The Chinese disengage and withdraw into the heights around the town. Colonel Freeman had become wounded during the night long fight by a shell fragment, but he declines evacuation and remains in command. Planes arrive during the afternoon to drop supplies, but the reinforcements will not make it to Chipyong. The 27th British Brigade is stalled by heavy resistance and the 5th Cavalry with a contingent of tanks is still at the Han River at Wonju. The Fifth Air Force arrives overhead and drops supplies and ammunition, but the delivery lacks heavy mortar shells and illumination shells. Other airdrops follow for the next three days. The supplies get dropped during night hours at designated spots illuminated by burning rags that had been soaked in gasoline. During the resupply flights, ninety-three transport planes deliver more than 400 tons of supplies and ammunition. After dark, the Communists attack, initially by propelling streams of mortar and artillery shells into the beleaguered perimeter and afterwards with the ground troops that as usual remain oblivious to the artillery barrages. The 2nd Battalion is hit especially hard on the southern sector of the perimeter, where the pressure continues to build. Although the defenders lack illuminating shells, a Fifth Air Force Firefly (C-47) supports the defense and lightens the skies with flares attached to parachutes that linger overhead for about fifteen minutes to provide a grand view of the charging enemy. The Chinese close and the battle quickly changes to a fierce hand-to-hand contest. Never-ending waves pound against the lines and by 0315, Company G is compelled to give way. It withdraws. In the process, the battery of the 503rd FABn is lost. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion is also under heavy assault. A counterattack is mounted by the 1st Ranger Company and Company F in an attempt to regain the lost ground, but the Chinese refuse passage. The slug-fest continues straight through the night into dawn. Still, no reinforcements arrive, but Colonel Freeman’s troops hang on and refuse to capitulate. Also, during one attack against Company I, an enemy grenade is tossed into a machine gun position and knocks it out. Another machine gun replaces it. Sergeant William S. Sitman, attached to Company I, and his detachment provide protection for the new crew. Meanwhile, another grenade is thrown into the position. Sitman blankets the grenade to save the lives of the others. He is fatally wounded, but the others remain unscathed, able to continue the fight. Sitman becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously

February 14, 1951 for his tremendous heroism during the attack. His actions also save five other men at the machine gun emplacement. Colonel Freeman had been ordered to evacuate because of his wounds and a replacement arrived during the afternoon of the 13th, but the plane left without waiting to evacuate Freeman. Nonetheless, he had earlier refused evacuation and he continues to hold command, even though Colonel John H. Chiles arrives to assume command. In other activity, the 2nd Division Reconnaissance Company and Company L, 9th Infantry, at Chuam-ni, again come under heavy assault. The U.S. defenders attempt to withdraw, but the Chinese had established blockages and destroyed a bridge, impeding the pullback. More than 200 casualties are sustained and of those, about 114 are killed. In the meantime, the Chinese also move against Wonju. Some ground is surrendered by the French and some penetration is made against the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, during the morning. However, by afternoon, all lost ground is retaken. Air support and artillery pound the Chinese columns, but despite heavy losses, the unbroken link in the column continues to advance. Once again, there seems to be more Chinese than artillery shells. The overtaxed artillery units request permission to suspend the bombardment, but they are ordered to continue firing until the final shell is expended. Shortly thereafter, word is passed again that the guns are near collapse from overuse, but the order comes back to maintain fire until the guns explode. The number of Chinese dead continues to climb, yet more walk into the whirlwind of fire. Finally, by about 1500, Chinese losses grow too high and the attack against Wonju is aborted. As the enemy ranks collapse and the retreat begins, the overworked guns continue to fire into the enemy troops that head north. Just under 650 Chinese dead are counted between midnight on the 13th-14th until dusk on the 14th, but overall Chinese casualties are estimated at 3,200 killed and 2,500 wounded. The devastation inflicted upon the enemy eradicates four Chinese divisions from the field. In related activity, the British 27th Brigade moves from IX Corps to X Corps during the morning hours. It is attached to the U.S. 2nd Division. Afterwards, the British advance up Route 24 against opposition. Also, the ROK 6th Division arrives later, at about 1100 and it, too, is attached to the 2nd Division. The South Koreans deploy at a place near the convergence of the Han and Som Rivers. In the ROK III Corps sector, the ROK 3rd and 5th Divisions had pulled back from their respective positions and are in the process of redeploying between P’yongch’ang and Wonju. During the afternoon, both divisions are engaged by North Korean units. The ROK 3rd Division is able to withstand the assaults; however, the 5th Division, farther east, is unable to hold firmly. The division is tossed into more chaos. The ROK sector becomes more disorganized and two divisions, the

February 15, 1951 ROK 7th and 9th, receive orders from General Yu to withdraw from their respective sectors. The order to withdraw threatens the left of the X Corps lines. In conjunction, North Korean forces at this time are moving against P’yongch’ang.

February 15

The Chinese continue their counterattack against the central front. They drive southeast in force from the IX Corps sector to the X Corps front and isolate the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division. In the IX Corps sector, General Ridgway designates IX Corps with Operation KILLER, designed to eliminate the Chinese and terminate the counterattack. In the X Corps sector, the 5th Cavalry continues to move to rescue the isolated 23rd Regiment, 25th Division, at Chipyong. Meanwhile, the defenders receive some unexpected help Planes that could not come on the previous day had concluded their mission at Wonju and now arrive to support Colonel Freeman’s exhausted troops. Marine and Navy planes plaster the enemy positions by executing more than 130 close-support sorties. Colonel Freeman, the commander of RCT 23, convinced that the threat is now under control, agrees to be airlifted out of the area. Colonel Chiles assumes command. More supplies arrive when transport planes from Japan drop the desperately needed ammunition. However, some of the parachutes drift into enemy territory. Subsequent attempts to extricate the supplies take a toll as enemy fire inflicts casualties. All the while, the Chinese hold strong positions in front of the advancing 5th Cavalry. Colonel Crombez concludes that his force will fail to reach Chipyong before dusk. He decides to send armor with infantry atop, a controversial decision. At Chipyong, Colonel Chiles urges Crombez to continue to advance even if it is impossible to bring the vehicles. The column moves out at 1545 and soon after, at Koksu, enemy fire halts the advance. The infantry (Company L, 3rd Battalion) bolts from the tanks to find safer positions, while the tanks work to silence the enemy. Meanwhile, the tanks are ordered by Crombez to plow forward, but without informing the attached infantry. Chaos follows as the bewildered infantry troops watch tanks leave. Most are able to jump aboard, but others are left stranded. Later, about one mile up the road, the enemy again commences heavy fire and halts the column. The infantry repeats itself and jumps from the tanks to get out harm’s way. Soon after, the infantry seeks cover, and the tanks again dash forward, leaving the infantry on its own. Those who are able jump aboard the armor, but a large number — including the 3rd Battalion commander, Colonel Edgar J. Treacy — misses the ride. Those who catch the train soon find themselves prime targets, as the Chinese continue to bring the armor under attack. The infantry, having only their uniforms as armor, cling haphazardly to the tanks as

656 they charge through the fire. Finally, at about 1700, the battered armor and weary survivors of the infantry arrive at the perimeter, just about the time the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry, 2nd Division, is launching a counterattack. The siege is lifted, but the cost is high. Company L, which had been with the armor, stands at 23 men out of 160 that began the advance. Of the 23, 13 are wounded. One tank had been destroyed and only its driver survived (with serious burns). The stranded infantry had been told that the tanks would return for them, but no relief force is sent. Later, many of the troops make it back to friendly lines; however, the cost remains high with 12 killed, 40 wounded and 19, including Colonel Treacy, missing. Colonel Crombez had refused Treacy permission to join the relief column, but Treacy jumped aboard anyway, refusing to let his troops undertake such a dangerous mission without him. It is later learned that Treacy had been captured and died from his wounds in captivity. At Chipyong, the 23rd Regiment sustains 52 killed, 259 wounded and 42 missing. Charles Parziale replaces Treacy as commander, 3rd Battalion. In the X Corps sector, the U.S. 7th Division is ordered to speed a contingent (31st Infantry Regiment) from the vicinity of P’yongch’ang to the rear of the ROK 5th Division to bolster Chech’on, held by the 32nd Infantry Regiment. To further strengthen the line there, the 17th Infantry Regiment suspends its advance along Route 29 toward Wonju and deploys to the rear of the ROK 3rd Division. In other activity, the British 27th Brigade continues to advance along Route 24 against nominal resistance, as it attempts to reach Chipyong. At Chipyong, RCT 23 continues to hold, but the Chinese maintain extraordinary pressure against the entire perimeter. The defenders had received supplies by air on the previous day, but again, the ammunition is nearly expended. The Chinese, however, are unable to overwhelm the steadfast combat team. The most desperate sector is held by the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment. A new counterattack is launched to restore the lost ground, but the strength of Company B, Freeman’s last reserve, is insufficient. The attack fails to regain the ground. At about 1200, Air Force and Marine planes arrive to strike the Chinese positions. Later, the Chinese are compelled to disengage. At about 1630, while the planes and artillery maintain a constant attack, tanks are spotted by RCT 23’s tanks and to their jubilation, it is a relief column under Colonel Crombez. As the tanks begin to converge, the enemy retires and the flight provides a large amount of targets for the U.S. Crombez’s contingent sustains 3 killed and 4 wounded (armor) and Company L sustains 12 killed, 40 wounded and 19 missing. Chinese casualties, estimated by RCT 23, amount to more than 4,900. TF Crombez estimates about 500 casualties inflicted upon the Chinese during the trek to reach Chipyong-ni. The Chinese had committed elements from about six regiments

657 to the unsuccessful assault to reduce Chipyong-ni. RCT 23 reports 52 killed, 259 wounded and 42 missing. In the 1st Marine sector, the operation in the Pohang– Andong region known as the guerrilla hunt officially terminates this day. The division begins to move to Chungju in the IX Corps sector; however, the 1st Marine Division remains under Eighth Army rather than IX Corps control. During the period covering the operation (18 January to 15 February) the Marines successfully complete all objectives, including keeping the MSR clear. For the same period, Marines sustain 19 killed in action, 149 wounded in action, 7 who later die of wounds, and 10 missing. In addition, the Marines sustain 1,751 other non-battle casualties, primarily frostbite. The Marines had essentially knocked the 10th N.K. Division out of action and prevented it from achieving any success. The Marines count 120 enemy dead and another 184 are seized as prisoners, but no estimates are available for enemy wounded. In the ROK I Corps sector, at 1400, the ROK I Corps assumes control of the SK 3rd, 5th and 8th Divisions. In other activity, elements of the N.K. V Corps drive against the ROK 3rd Division and for a while, the 22nd ROK Regiment is threatened; however, artillery support is provided by the U.S. 7th Division and the assault is repelled. The ROK 5th Division on the left does not fare well. By day’s end, the 5th Division retreats about five miles and it is considered ineffective for the field. In Naval activity, at Masan, the USS Wiseman (DE 667) initiates a program that trains Korean midshipmen of the ROK Naval Academy and other naval personnel from the Service School at the Chinhae Naval Base.

February 16 In the I Corps sector, an enemy force on Hill 185 takes a platoon of the 7th Regiment, 3rd Division, under heavy fire and stalls the attack. Lieutenant Darwin K. Kyle jumps up to defy the intense fire and inspires his men to follow him. Shortly thereafter, an enemy machine gun again stalls the assault. Kyle singlehandedly charges the nest, engages its three occupants in hand-to-hand combat and eliminates all of them. Six men are already wounded when yet another nest opens fire. Kyle again leads an assault and in the process, he takes out four more of the enemy before enemy submachine gun fire kills him. Lieutenant Kyle becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary valor and heroism while leading his troops under fire. In the IX Corps sector, a pending plan to commit IX Corps to an attack against the flanks of the Chinese salient is postponed due to several reasons, including the inability of the 1st Cavalry Division to field two of its regiments (7th and 8th). The 25th Division, which had relieved the 1st Cavalry Division, initiates an advance to Line Boston at the Han River. Four regiments

February 17, 1951 move out with the British Brigade on the left, the 24th Infantry (center), 27th Infantry (right) and to the far right, the 5th Infantry (24th Division, I Corps). The advance is bolstered by powerful artillery bombardments that eliminate many of the Chinese who otherwise would have increased the resistance. In other activity, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Cavalry, depart the vicinity of Hills 143 and 152 respectively and advance to Chipyong-ni. Also, Colonel Crombez, who arrived on the previous night to lift the siege at Chipyong, departs for Koksu’ri. Afterward, supply vehicles and ambulances depart Koksu’ri for Chipyong-ni and en route, the troops gather some U.S. troops, including wounded, along the road. The troops had been stranded during the advance of TF Crombez. The defenders at Chipyong-ni serve as an example of Ridgway’s conviction that the Eighth Army could withstand the Chinese with its rejuvenated fighting spirit. Also, the 7th and 8th Cavalry, relieved at Mugam by elements of the 25th Division, prepare to move to Yonju. The 5th Cavalry participates in the offensive that is being launched. In related activity, Colonel Robert Blanchard replaces Colonel Michaelis as commander of the 8th Cavalry. Michaelis, in command of the regiment for less than one month, is reassigned to other duties in Pusan. The 7th Cavalry, having engaged in vicious combat for a few weeks, including the hardfought battle at Hill 578, is battle-weary, but in addition, the regiment is hit with an outbreak of typhus, making it incapable of resuming the attack. It is placed in reserve with the 8th Cavalry at Changhowon. Also, the 24th Division remains in its positions outside Yoju, near at the Han River. In the X Corps sector, some attacks occur along the Wonju Line, but none are substantial, as the enemy offensive begins to subside. The ROK 3rd and 5th Divisions again come under pressure, but neither is forced to give ground.

February 17 Following the end of heavy fighting at Chipyong-ni, the S.K. 6th Division and the British 27th Brigade revert back to IX Corps. The Chinese had used five divisions against the 2nd Division’s lines, but the 23rd RCT and the attached French Battalion had held. The Chinese disengage. In related activity, General Ridgway arrives at Chipyong to confer with Colonels Crombez (5th Cavalry) and Chiles (23rd Regiment). In the X Corps sector, enemy pressure against the Wonju Line diminishes further and by the following day, it is apparent that the North Korean V Corps has withdrawn from its sector. Although the U.S. had anticipated a heavy assault against Wonju, no efforts have been made by the Chinese since 14 February. In Air Force activity, during the night (17th-18th), B-26s execute the initial mission that uses a new shortrange navigational system for precision bombing missions. The system, known as Shoran, operates with an

February 18, 1951

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Elements of the 27th Regiment, 25th Division, move along a snow covered mountain in the vicinity of Kyongan-ni on February 17. At about this time, the 3rd Division is to hold a sector of the Lincoln Line. airborne radar device coordinated with two ground beacon stations. In Naval activity, enemy positions at Wonsan are bombarded by Task Element of UN Blockade and Escort Task Group (TG 95.2).

February 18

In the Eighth Army area, General Ridgway during the latter part of this day declines a recommendation by his staff to hold in place and establish a defensive perimeter. Ridgway is unwilling to even consider canceling the offensive and affording the

659 enemy an opportunity to retire in leisurely fashion. Eighth Army is ordered to remain on the offensive. During the meeting with his staff, Ridgway informs them that the 1st Marine Division will anchor the attack as part of IX Corps. In the I Corps sector, there is no contact with either the North Koreans or the Chinese. The 25th Division sees some action in support of the IX Corps drive. By day’s end, it becomes apparent that the Chinese and the North Koreans are abandoning South Korea. It is a significant accomplishment for Ridgway, who, since he assumed command of Eighth Army, has believed his troops could prevail. The victory also proves the theory of Ridgway and others that the Communists could not drive Eighth Army from Korea. It is estimated that since the previous October, Eighth Army, including the 1st Marine Division and the supporting air and naval units, had decimated about fourteen Chinese divisions. And Ridgway had accomplished the tremendous turnabout in less than sixty days. In the IX Corps sector, at 0745, the I Corps commander, Major General Bryant E. Moore, informs General Ridgway that one of his regiments (5th Infantry, 24th Division) has reported its front, east of Mugam, to be wide open with no enemy in the way. All fortifications encountered had been abandoned; however, the enemy had apparently departed hurriedly, as many weapons remained, and they had also abandoned large amounts of cooking equipment. The reports are passed on to other units and warnings of a ruse are sent out, but similar encounters occur all across the line, indicating the enemy is in the process of a general withdrawal. Meanwhile, the 1st Cavalry Division, supported by the British 27th Brigade, and the ROK 6th Division advance towards the heights overlooking the Wonju–Seoul railroad line at a point several miles northwest of Chipyong-ni. The troops are ordered to form a line to prevent the enemy from entering the Han River Valley. Reconnaissance probes on the previous night discovered that enemy resistance had begun to vanish except for an obstacle west of the river. The Chinese had evacuated their positions in the hills and apparently too fast to consider taking their dead along. The U.S. advance is effortless at the abandoned positions. About 600 dead remain on the field. Large amounts of ammunition and supplies had also been left behind. The U.S. 24th Division expands the offensive and drives towards Hajin by pushing through the bridgehead, but the entire IX Corps had been ordered to attack by General Moore. The corps is also supported by elements of the I Corps. Its 25th Division advances through the western portion of the bridgehead. Great progress is made throughout the day. The Chinese raise only some sporadic resistance. Opposition throughout the central region dissipates. By 1800, the Han River, near Yongp’yong, is reached by elements of the 24th Division, while the 1st Cavalry arrives to deploy in the Hajin–Chipyong area.

February 20, 1951 Also, after being directed by General Ridgway to move from Pohang-dong, the 1st Marine Division (minus 7th Marines) arrives at Ch’ungju and prepares to spearhead the IX Corps drive when Operation KILLER commences. In conjunction, the Marines replace the 2nd Division and the 187th Airborne RCT in the vicinity of Wonju. The relief permits the U.S. Army units to rejoin X Corps on the 21st, when the boundary is modified to bring Wonju into the IX Corps jurisdiction. In the X Corps sector, there is no contact with the Chinese or North Koreans.

February 19 In the Eighth Army area, General Ridgway arrives at IX Corps headquarters at Yoju to meet with General Bryant Moore and other staff officers, including Generals O.P. Smith and Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller, both of the 1st Marine Division. General Ridgway continues to work on Operation KILLER, scheduled to commence on the 21st. Ridgway is not totally sure of the combined strength of the Chinese and North Koreans, but best estimates from Intelligence place the opposition at about 6 to 7 new Chinese armies and four North Korean corps (plus, three armies and one corps in reserve). Also, during the conference in which X Corps attended, the 1st Marine Division learns it is being detached from X Corps and placed under IX Corps control. General O.P. Smith (1st Marine Division) had not been receptive to again serve under General Almond (X Corps), since his experience with him in the previous year during the Inchon–Chosin Reservoir campaign. The Marines also learn that two army units, the 74th Truck Company and the 92nd FABn, are being assigned to the 1st Marine Division for added support. The Marines need no introduction to the 92nd FABn. Under the leadership of Lt. Colonel Leon F. Lavoie, its guns had provided welcome support during the Chosin Reservoir operations. Although the Marines will spearhead the attack, they will be supported by the entire IX Corps and X Corps, except for the 187th Airborne RCT. The Marines are directed to drive northeastwardly from Wonju and liquidate as many of the enemy as possible during Operation KILLER. In Naval activity, Task Group 95.9, commanded by Rear Admiral A.E. Smith, is established. Admiral Smith is relieved this day of command of United Nations Blockading and Escort Force (CTF 95) by Vice Admiral William Andrewes. Also, enemy shore batteries in the vicinity of Wonsan initiate fire against the USS Ozbourn (DD 846). February 20 General MacArthur arrives in Korea from Japan. He confers with General Ridgway in the X Corps sector at a forward command post near Wonju. Ridgway doesn’t particularly appreciate the conference, as MacArthur’s appearance acts as an automatic signal to the enemy that an offensive is underway. MacArthur announces that the offensive had been ordered by him, yet he had no part in it.

February 21, 1951

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A contingent of the U.S. 7th Division climbs Hill 675 on 20 February. In the 1st Marines sector, the focus is on last minute preparations for the advance by the 1st and 5th Marines scheduled for the following morning at 0800. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces establishes “Special Air Mission.” The specialized unit, attached to the 315th Air Division, is assigned the responsibility for handling the flights for high ranking officials, but another task is to execute missions that drop leaflets over enemy terrain and, when needed, to broadcast messages from speakers installed on the aircraft.

February 21

By this date, the Communist salient at Chech’on is eliminated, which foils their attempt to turn the Allied flank. Operation KILLER commences. The offensive (IX and X Corps) moves against the enemy east of the Han River and south of Line Arizona, which runs from the vicinity of Yangp’yong stretching across Route 29 at a point several miles above Hoengsong and across Route 60, at a point about six miles above P’yongchang. In the I Corps sector, the units of the I Corps and the 24th Division (IX Corps) deployed along the lower bank of the Han River protect the west flank of the attacking forces. In the IX Corps sector, the units advance up Route 29. In the 1st Marine Division zone, General Puller, the assistant division commander, concerned about the 5th Marines’ possible delay in reaching the line of departure

in time for the attack, contacts General O.P. Smith to inform him of the snarled traffic on the highway. Smith and General Bryant Moore (IX Corps) at the Marine command post at Wonju deliberate and conclude that the attack will commence on time, with whatever troops are on line. However, the delay causes the jumpoff time to be changed to 1000. The advance to seize the ridgeline several miles south of the heights that dominate Hoengsong is led by the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. The elements provide most of the resistance as the Marines move under pesky rain, unending mud and slush, but no close range resistance. During the latter part of the afternoon, the enemy engages the Marines, but from great distance. After two fire fights, the enemy retires. The Marines sustain three men wounded. They establish night positions and spend a most uncomfortable night in water-drenched foxholes. During the early morning hours, the ground remains frozen; however, by afternoon it begins to thaw, causing havoc. In addition to the normal problems associated with nature, the thawed ground exposes land mines that become active and deadly once the ice thaws. In the X Corps sector, the assault drives up Route 60. As the offensive jumps off, nature delivers unexpected obstacles. The weather had suddenly turned relatively warmer, following about three weeks of continual cold that ranged from about 15 degrees below zero to about 33 to 34 degrees above zero. On this day, the temperature rises to

661 nearly 50 degrees. Subsequently, the region is struck by rainfall and during the next several days, some roads became impassable and many bridges are either damaged or washed out. In the meantime, the Chinese and the North Koreans had used the time to continue their retreat. The 2nd Division, attacking on the right of the Marines, commences its assault on the 22nd.

February 22 In the Eighth Army area, Operation KILLER continues against sporadic resistance. The offensive continues to be impeded by the elements. In the IX Corps zone, the 1st Marine Division continues its advance with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, acting as vanguard. Similarly to the previous day, again the elements become the primary problem impeding the attack. The enemy continues to retreat and raises opposition only from long range. In the X Corps sector, the 2nd and 7th Divisions initiate their attacks, but the elements create major problems which make the crossing of the Chech’on River hazardous. The river, usually more like a shallow stream, flows wildly at a depth of more than three feet. The lighter vehicles are unable to cross due to the strong currents. The tanks, however, make it across, but it is nearly 48 hours later when the two divisions finally get all units across the river. The 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, hops aboard the tanks and gets a lead on the other infantry units. February 23 Operation KILLER continues, but progress remains slow. The condition of the roads interrupts the supply system; however, planes bolster the drive and drop supplies to maintain the efficiency of the offensive. While the ground troops continue to advance in search of the enemy, engineers work tirelessly to repair the roads and the bridges that had been affected by the elements. About 800 sorties (Fifth Air Force) are flown in support of the advance. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines finally encounter opposition. The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 1st Marines, advance together to seize two elevations along a ridge in front of the objective. Marine air support requested on the previous day to bolster the attack does not materialize; however, the artillery provides sufficient punch. The Marines eliminate the resistance and gain the first hill. During the afternoon, they move to evict a contingent of about battalion-strength from deeply entrenched positions on the remaining hill. The assault is augmented by two air strikes. The hill is seized and 61 enemy dead are counted. The Marines lose 1 killed and 21 wounded. In the X Corps sector, the 2nd and 7th Divisions encounter stiff resistance en route to Chipyong-ni. Urgent calls for air support go out and soon after, the call receives a response. Planes, including Marine Squadron VMF-312, arrive and the Chinese positions are pounded during the afternoon raids. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces Bomber Command executes its initial B-29 bombing mission that uses the more efficient MPQ-2 radar. The planes

February 24, 1951 strike a bridge located less than ten miles northeast of Seoul.

February 24

In the IX Corps sector, the helicopter transporting Major General Bryant E. Moore during Operation KILLER crashes in the Han River. General Moore and his pilot sustain no major injuries. However, less than one hour after the crash, General Moore suffers a heart attack and succumbs. General Moore had only recently assumed command of IX Corps. He is temporarily replaced by General Oliver P. Smith, USMC. Also, during the crossing of the Chech’on River, one of the tanks strikes a mine and a steel fragment strikes Colonel Cesidio Barberis, the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. Although he isn’t killed, Barberis is critically wounded and evacuated. He is replaced by Colonel Peter F. Bermingham. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st and 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, drive forward and seize the intended Phase 1 objectives. Following an artillery barrage and an air strike, an infantry patrol (1st Marines), supported by one tank, moves into Hoengsong. Afterwards, a platoon of tanks and Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, enters the village, but the Chinese in the nearby heights to the west initiate mortar and machine gun fire. Two tanks sustain slight yet damaging hits, as their antennae are severed. Nevertheless, the Marines modify their strategy and by the use of a runner, Captain Wray is able to coordinate the enemy’s positions. They are soon eliminated by the tanks. In the meantime, Chinese are spotted by an aerial observer who informs the battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Schmuck, that the Chinese are maneuvering to ambush the patrol as it begins to move deeper into the town. The patrol is ordered to withdraw. Planes are called upon to blast the Chinese as they attempt to set up the ambush. Captain Wray’s contingent moves northwest of the village to a spot known as “Massacre Valley,” the scene of a recent ambush of a U.S. Army truck convoy. The survivors are retrieved. Later this day, enemy fire originating in the high ground northwest of Hoengsong causes problems and kills one Marine and wounds four others. The 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, returns fire and terminates the enemy fire. By dusk, all divisional preliminary objectives are achieved. In other activity, General Lewis B. Puller assumes command of the 1st Marine Division in place of General O.P. Smith, who receives temporary control of IX Corps. In the X Corps sector, the 2nd and 7th Divisions encounter fierce resistance in front of Chipyong-ni. Air strikes are called upon to break up the resistance. Planes from VMF-312 arrive and strike the positions marked with white phosphorous. The enemy is struck repeatedly by napalm and rockets in addition to strafing, which compels the Chinese to abandon their positions. However, Major Daniel H. Davis, executive officer of

February 25, 1951

662

the squadron, is killed after his plane loses a wing and crashes on his eighth run. Elements of the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, advance to the Hoengsong–Pangnim Road. Conditions remain terrible and there is concern of stretching too far without a proper path for resupply, but orders arrive from X Corps to continue the attack. Meanwhile, elements of the 7th Division advance to Pangnim. In Naval activity, two destroyers and other vessels protect the landing of ROK Marines at Sindo-ri Island in Wonsan Harbor without incident. In Air Force activity, a huge contingent of planes composed of sixty-seven C-119s and two C-47s, attached to the 315th Air Division, distribute by air drop 333 tons of supplies and equipment to the units along the front lines.

February 25

Operation KILLER continues; however, the main advance is suspended temporarily by General Ridgway to await resupply of ammunition and fuel as well as supplies. The entire operation is not halted, thanks to air drops of supplies. Once the supplies are at the front, the attack to the main objective, Phase Line Arizona, resumes. The IX and X Corps maintain the offensive, but the elements remain nasty. In other activity, General Ridgway issues orders for the second phase of Operation KILLER, to begin on 1 March. In the IX Corps sector, the ground Marines are disgruntled because they are receiving mostly Air Force support instead of their usual close-air support by Marine squadrons. The 1st Marine Air Wing is under Fifth Air Force jurisdiction and as the advance continues, the U.S. Army and the British units request Marine fighter squadrons. On Feb. 23, the third day of Operation KILLER, the Marine squadrons flew 101 of the 800 sorties. Marine pilots are known for flying support missions just above the helmets of the ground troops if necessary. Also, the weather impedes the advances of the 1st Cavalry Division and the 24th Division, each advancing on the Marines’ left. The Commonwealth Brigade, which replaced the 7th Cavalry, hits severe resistance east of Chipyong. Elements of the Australian and Canadian Battalions attempt to eliminate the obstacles, but the Chinese repel the attempt.

February 26

General Ridgway

unfolds his plan known as Operation RIPPER during a meeting with the commanders of the I, IX and X Corps at Changhowon. The operation is to commence on 10 March; however, the date is later changed to 7 March. Although there had been much discussion in Washington on why Eighth Army should not attempt to cross the 38th Parallel, Ridgway’s plan had been accepted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The operation is intended to liquidate as many Communists as possible to disrupt their plans, if any, about launching an offensive. Another part of the operation is to regain Seoul. Also, the Combat Cargo Command continues to overwork its crews and planes to deliver more than 600 tons of supplies and 1,193 passengers to keep the offensive moving. On the previous day, the planes had delivered nearly 500 tons of supplies and just over 1,000 passengers. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division prepares

A view of some Korean mountains from the top of a pole. A lineman repairs a communications wire, a task that apparently does not get too many volunteers.

663 for the next phase of the operation. While it holds its positions at Hoengsong, the next objective is within sight of the troops that observe the hills to the north of the village. The Marines face a river crossing, without the benefit of a bridge nor engineers to construct a bridge. They also must push their way forward to relieve the ROK 6th Division at the point prior to fording the river. Nevertheless, they improvise. Major (later General) Edwin H. Simmons (Weapons Company) pulls out a manual on how to construct a “Swiss bent bridge.” Simmons hands the book to Sergeant Carmelo J. Randazzo. Randazzo becomes the engineering expert and by dark of the 28th, the bridge is complete in two parts. One length stretches 120 feet to a sandbar and from the sandbar to the opposite bank, the span stretches 60 feet. In the X Corps sector, as part of Operation KILLER, Company E, 17th Regiment, 7th Division, gets stalled as it attacks a ridge in the vicinity of Maltari. The two squads at the point are prevented from an advance by ferocious fire. Corporal Einar H. Ingman, Jr., assumes command of the point after several men and the two respective squad leaders become wounded. Ingman, without waiting for his command to follow, bolts from his position to silence an enemy machine gun that rivets his men’s positions. He eliminates the entire detachment and its gun, but then he is brought under fire by yet another gun. Ingman darts toward the menace, but he is hit by fire and grenades that knock him to the ground. Despite wounds to his neck and face, Ingman rises and continues to charge, using only his rifle. His stamina exceeds normal human expectations and he is able to eliminate the entire second gun crew. But, just after clearing the nest, he collapses into unconsciousness. By this time, his squads are back on the attack and they finish the task. The enemy force of about 100 troops is vanquished. They abandon the hill and retire. Ingman is rushed to the rear for medical aid. He survives and becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage and leadership in the face of an overwhelming enemy force.

February 27 Operation KILLER continues. The IX and X Corps continue to advance slowly. By the following day, the IX Corps, operating in the east, is at the heights above Hoengsong and the X Corps reaches positions in the heights just under five miles north of the junction of Routes 20 and 60. February 28

By this day, the Communist threat in the area south of the Han River folds, terminating weeks of heavy fighting. By the end of this day, the entire line of Eighth Army is restored with no gaps and no enemy forces threatening the lines. The IX and X Corps have each reached Arizona line on the west and east respectively. Operation KILLER continues. In addition to the recent loss of Major General Moore, some other command changes had occurred during February. Brigadier General Charles D. Palmer

March 1, 1951 replaced General Gay as commander, 1st Cavalry Division (IX Corps), and Brigadier General J. Sladen Bradley assumes command of the 25th Infantry Division. He succeeds General Kean.

March 1

General Ridgway again holds a meeting with his corps commanders at Changhowon to update the plans for Operation RIPPER. The date is changed from 10 March to 6 March; however, the offensive actually commences on 7 March. Later this same day, the operation orders are officially issued. The designated lines are Albany, Buffalo, Cairo and Idaho. In the IX Corps sector, some units continue to advance to reach the Arizona Line, but they face no heavy resistance. The Chinese 39th Army is deployed to the front of IX Corps. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, moves across the new bridge built by regular Marines under the supervision of Sergeant Randazzo. The attack force vanguard advances to the heights north of Hoengsong, with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, trailing. The Marines’ arrival on the west bank of the river had been announced by a tumultuous artillery bombardment. In addition, planes arrive, but behind schedule, to deliver air strikes. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 7th Marines, hit resistance. Initially the 2nd Battalion encounters small arms fire and afterward, both Battalions enter an area that is booby-trapped, which stalls the attack. The Chinese remain deeply entrenched and the artillery is unable to evict them. By the middle of the afternoon, it is decided to halt the drive until the following day. In related activity, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, east of the river seizes Hill 208 and afterwards, joins with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. In other activity, General Puller informs General Shepherd, commander, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, that Marine close-air support is non-existent and repeated requests go unanswered. He further explains that Navy and Air Force planes arrive and do a good job, but not the same as would be accomplished with Marine pilots. The message is sent in hope of getting back to direct Marine support rather than Joint Operations Center for Fifth Air Force. In the X Corps sector, the enemy raises opposition in the heights above Route 20. The resistance continues, particularly against the 2nd Division, until the 5th. The X Corps is facing the North Korean III Corps (minus NK 3rd Division). In Air Force activity, Bomber Command (FEAF) initiates the initial mission of a new interdiction campaign. The B-29s executing the mission are to be escorted by twenty-two F-80s, but headwinds cause problems and the rendezvous does not occur. Nonetheless, the jets arrive over the target area, Kogunyong, prior to the arrival of the B-29s. Consequently, the F80s run low on fuel and return to base, leaving the B29s unprotected in the North Korean skies. A band of MiGs attacks the Superfortresses. The B-29s attempt to fight off the MiGs, and succeed in downing one.

March 2, 1951 However, ten of the B-29s sustain damage and of these, three are unable to return to Japan and make emergency landings in South Korea.

March 2

Although most of the IX and X Corps had reached the objectives along the Arizona Line, other units are continuing to advance towards it. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the advance continues, but while the Communists remain well entrenched in the heights, the Marines trek across rocky ground. The 11th Marines’ artillery catapults streams of shells into the enemy positions, but they are not dislodged. In the 1st Cavalry Division zone, enemy mortars strike the perimeter. The commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, is killed during the attack. He is replaced by Lt. Colonel Richard L. Irby. The 5th Cavalry has been undergoing other unexpected changes of command. The 3rd Battalion commander, Colonel Treacy had been taken prisoner of war in early February. Charles T. Heinrich replaced Morgan Heasley as commander of the 3rd Battalion.

March 3 In the ROK III Corps area, the corps, which had initiated an offensive along Route 20 during the latter part of February, encounters fierce resistance. It had departed from the sector around Kangnung to establish a defensive line in front of the IX and X Corps. The advancing force, composed of two regiments of the ROK Capital Division, is unexpectedly attacked by elements of the NK 2nd Division at a point about twenty-five miles west of its departure point, at a village known as Soksa-ri. The ambush takes a devastating toll on the regiments and knocks them out of action. The casualties amount to 59 killed, 119 wounded and 802 troops missing. In the IX Corps sector, the Marines close upon the Arizona Line. At dawn, the final objectives come into sight as the Marines gaze north towards the five enemyheld hills along Phase Line Arizona from west to east, Hills 536 and 533 in the path of the 7th Marines, and Hills 321, 335 and 201 in that of the 1st Marines. The 7th Marines attack is met with fierce resistance at Hills 536 and 333. The 1st Battalion is called upon to cover the left flank of the regiment and simultaneously support the assault against Hill 536. At Hill 333, the enemy holds steadfastly against the 3rd Battalion. At dusk, the summits of both hills remain in enemy hands. In the 1st Marines zone, at Hill 321, the Chinese are abandoning their positions as the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, approach. The Marines overcome the resistance without much effort, but the unit still sustains casualties due to the trek across the nasty terrain. In the meantime, Hills 335 and 201 are secured. By the following day, the 1st Marines executes mop-up operations, while the 7th Marines prepares to mount another assault to take the summits of Hills 536 and 333. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces resumes bombing missions that use radar guided Tazon bombs. These missions had been suspended on 17 January due to a shortage of the bombs.

664

March 4 In the IX Corps sector, General William M. Hoge, USA, arrives at Yoju to assume command of IX Corps. On the following day, he replaces General O.P. Smith, USMC, the temporary commander. Smith returns to resume command of the 1st Marine Division. In turn, the temporary commander, General Puller, resumes his duties as assistant division commander. In the 1st Marine Division zone, subsequent to an artillery bombardment, the 7th Marines, at 0800, launches an attack to gain the crests of Hills 536 and 333. The only resistance encountered is the rear guard. The main body had evacuated the area during the night. The 1st Marine Division, having eliminated the five hills along the Phase Line Arizona, achieves its objectives to terminate its part of Operation KILLER by dusk. However, mop-up operations continue on the following day. The 1st Marine Division during the eight days of the operation sustains 48 killed, 345 wounded and 2 missing. The Marines are unable to count all of the enemy dead, because often, when time allows, the Chinese bury their dead before abandoning the area. The Marines however, count 274 dead and they have seized 48 prisoners. March 5

The date for the commencement of Operation RIPPER is 6 March; however, there is concern that the ammunition supplies are not yet sufficient to ensure all units have ample amounts. The operation is postponed for one day in order to acquire more supplies. In the IX Corps sector, Major General William J. Hoge assumes command of the IX Corps succeeding the temporary commander, General Oliver P. Smith, USMC. General Joseph Swing, the initial selection by Ridgway, is unavailable. The U.S. Army refuses to release him form his post at the Army War College. General Ridgway had received heat from various sources for selecting General Smith to command an army corps, but he did not acquiesce. Nevertheless, General Smith did find some humor in the way the army rushed to find a permanent commander. In the X Corps sector, following five days of heavy resistance, the 2nd Division finally scatters the N.K. troops that had been holding formidable positions in the heights. After dark, the North Koreans abandon their positions.

March 6

In the IX Corps sector, all units by this time reach the Arizona Line or have advanced to positions close to it. In Air Force activity, F-86 Sabres attached to the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, after an absence of several months, again initiate raids from Suwon against targets in the Yalu River area. The 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, has no breathing room at Suwon, with its one runway and no taxiway. The pilots must back up the runway after landing to park their planes. The 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, another recalled unit, moves to Taegu and stages its jets through Suwon.

665

March 7

By this day, Operation KILLER achieves only some of its objectives and falls short of liquidating all of the enemy forces below the Arizona line. Nevertheless, IX Corps reports 7,819 enemy killed, 1,469 wounded and 208 captured. In the meantime, the enemy continues to withdraw from its positions. Operation RIPPER commences at 0545 with a massive artillery barrage that rings enemy positions north of the Han River until about 0615, when the guns switch to targets deeper in the enemy’s territory. The offensive is designed to continue to eliminate as many enemy forces as possible. The seizure of territory is not a primary part of the operation. Naval task forces have been bombarding enemy positions since the previous month and they continue to operate. In addition, the U.S. Navy has commenced several diversionary operations to feign an amphibious attack. The ultimate objective of the offensive is the Idaho Line to the east is along the Han River, less than ten miles from Seoul. From there, it stretches across a portion of the eastern sector of the I Corps sector until it reaches a point near the 38th Parallel. The attack, which is also supported by Fifth Air Force, is planned to advance in phases to a group of lines, Albany, in the vicinity of Hongch’on, slightly more than ten miles in front of the I, IX and X Corps; Buffalo Line, in front of the I and IX Corps and the Cairo Line, which concerns only IX Corps and signified the gateway to Ch’unch’on. As usual, General MacArthur arrives in Korea, but in line with the request of General Ridgway, his arrival occurs later in the morning, which permits the offensive to jump off without the enemy getting a premature signal from MacArthur’s presence. While at Suwon,

March 7, 1951 MacArthur, at a press conference, mentions the possibility of a stalemate in Korea. His remarks reflect his displeasure with Washington, which does not agree with his plans, including permitting the Nationalist Chinese to invade the China mainland and a huge number of U.S. reinforcements. In the I Corps sector, the U.S. 3rd Division and the ROK 1st Division, in the eastern and western areas respectively, are directed to protect the flank and defend Inchon, where the Navy is tirelessly unloading supplies to support the offensive. The 3rd Division maneuvers along the Han south of Seoul to draw attention away from the 25th Division, while the ROK 1st Division advances northwest of Kimpo Airfield. Meanwhile, the 25th Division, which holds ground east of Seoul, is to drive across the Han River where it converges with the Pukham River and from there, it is to clear the heights above the Pukham River. From there the 3rd Division is to deploy from where it can drive against enemy-held Seoul and to simultaneously defend the IX Corps’ left flank. Prior to dawn, elements of three regiments of the 25th Division cross the river in boats, followed by tanks. The assault regiments are the 27th and 35th, but the 24th Regiment (including Turkish Brigade) also has a key role during the offensive. Shortly thereafter, at sunrise, planes arrive to bolster the advance. The enemy throws up resistance, including road obstacles, but after short bursts of heavy fire, the Communists retire. By dusk, the advance gains less than three miles, but the division pushes elements across the Han River in the vicinity of the Pukham River and establishes a bridgehead on the north bank. During the night, the Chinese attack the positions of

A Sherman tank (M4) attached to the 89th Tank Battalion in the foreground crosses the Han River near its convergence with the Pukham River on 7 March.

March 8, 1951 the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, pounding against Companies E and F. The companies are driven from their positions in the heights, but on the following day, a counterattack is mounted and the ground is regained. The Chinese resistance remains heavy for several days and the average ground gained remains about the same. The 25th Division unexpectedly seizes more than 300 Chinese prisoners during the first day of the operation. After interrogation, it seems apparent that the Chinese have lost much of their fighting spirit, a piece of intelligence that adds to the morale of Eighth Army. Circumstances have changed greatly since the Chinese have ventured so far south from Manchuria and their main bases. In the IX Corps sector, the primary thrust of the offensive begins. The advance drives towards Chunchon and Hongch’on. The 187th Airborne RCT remains at Taegu, prepared if necessary to support the advance. Four divisions jump off. In the eastern half of the sector, the 1st Cavalry, 1st Marine Division, and the ROK 6th Division plow towards Hoengsong. The 24th Division, operating on the Corps’ left, drives forward across the Yongmun Mountains. In the 24th Division zone, the 19th Regiment encounters stiff resistance in the vicinity of Yonggong-ni. A squad attached to Company I attempts to ascend a hill, but heavy fire halts progress. The squad leader, Sergeant Nelson V. Brittin, under the support fire of the detachment, plows ahead and throws a grenade at the first entrenchment he encounters, but while returning to his detachment an enemy grenade explodes and wounds him. He disregards his injury, grabs more grenades and heads back to eliminate more of the enemy and clear the path for his troops. Brittin expeditiously moves, eliminating obstacles in his way and then, his weapon jams. He jumps into the next foxhole and with the butt of his rifle and bayonet, he eliminates those in it. But still, the platoon is unable to advance, due mostly to another machine gun nest. Brittin maneuvers to its rear, deposits a grenade and then speeds to the front to finish off the several occupants in the nest. Afterward, the platoon is able to advance, but shortly thereafter, yet another enemy machine gun halts progress. Once again, Brittin singlehandedly drives toward the nest. Brittin is stopped short of the nest by automatic weapons fire that kills him instantly. His actions, however, inspire the remainder of his command and the objective is seized. Prior to his demise, Brittin had eliminated twenty of the enemy and destroyed four machine gun nests. Sergeant Brittin is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary valor under fire. In the 1st Marines zone, the initial objective is slightly more than five miles distant, just beyond Oum Mountain, but no map is required, as its towering peak is visible from the line of departure. During this offensive, the Marines are en route to reintroduce themselves to the Chinese 66th Army, commanded by General Show Shiu Kwai. The 7th Marines and the 1st Marines on the left and right respectively advance abreast against light resistance.

666 Meanwhile, the 5th Marines remains in reserve, confined to patrols in the vicinity of Hoengsong. The Hoengsong–Hongchon Road that curves through Kunsama Pass actually parallels the boundary separating the 7th and 5th Marines. During the advance, the Marines are jubilant; the sky is full of MAG-33 squadrons, which more than makes up for an unusual decrease in artillery support due to a shortage of shells. By day’s end, all objectives are achieved. The Marines sustain 7 men wounded in action during the advance. Elements of the 2nd Division (X Corps) accompany the Marines and search for troops that had been killed during February (Operation ROUNDUP). In the X Corps sector, the drive focuses on clearing enemy forces along two separate north-south routes. Also, the ROK 5th Division is reattached to X Corps. Enemy resistance raised by the North Koreans against the 2nd and 7th U.S. Divisions and the ROK 5th Division remains heavy for several days. The 7th Division drills along Route 20, holding the right, while the 2nd Division advances through the Pungam’ni corridor on the left. In conjunction, the ROK troops work the ridges in between the two U.S. divisions. In the ROK sectors, the ROK I and III Corps move to clear the other part of the sector to the east. The ROK 3rd Division and Headquarters, ROK I Corps (ROK 9th and Capital Divisions), are detached from X Corps and reattached to the ROK III Corps. During Operation RIPPER, the ROK Corps are designated responsibility for clearing Route 30. The I Corps is deployed near the coast, at or near the Idaho line; however, the ROK III Corps is fixed farther inland and it is to drive north through the Taeback ridges to reach the line at a point about five miles above Route 20.

March 8

In the I Corps sector, 25th Division zone, the 24th Regiment, which had lost some ground on the previous night, launches a counterattack and drives the Chinese back, then regains the ground. Progress also continues for the 27th and 35th Regiments as the advance moves into the heights of the Pukham valley. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th and 1st Marine Regiments resume the attack and again become jubilant when MAG-12 Marine squadrons are spotted overhead during the trek. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, accompanied by Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, encounters some stiff resistance, but it does not last too long. The 11th Marines pinpoint the area and initiate an artillery barrage that terminates the resistance, again raised by rear-guard troops entrenched mostly in log bunkers. As the 7th Marines advance, Company A encounters fierce resistance originating on a hill mass to the left of Oum San, several hundred yards distant. Two men of the 2nd Platoon are killed and several others, including Lieutenant Clayton Bush, the platoon leader, are wounded when their positions sustain a direct hit from a high explosive shell. The 1st Platoon takes over and with the support of tanks, the enemy is evicted from the hill. The Marines’ system to root them out seems to

667 work well. Initially, the resistance is struck by napalm and then fire from the tanks’ 90-mm shells, just prior to the close-quartered assault, when the Marines close and toss hand grenades into the bunkers. By dusk, the Marines reach their assigned zones. In Naval activity, U.S. and British warships USS Manchester (CL 83), USS Evans (DD 754), USS Sperry (DD 697) and HMNS Evertsen (DD), initiate a siege bombardment of enemy-held Songjin.

March 9 In the I Corps sector, 25th Division zone, progress continues as the Division maneuvers to outflank Seoul. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines suspend the advance to await the Army units on the right to move up and come abreast. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, establishes blocking positions, while the 1st and 7th Marines dispatch patrols on the flanks in search of the enemy. In the X Corps sector, 7th Division zone, Company C, 17th Regiment, encounters heavy resistance near Taemi-dong. Tenacious impenetrable fire from automatic weapons stalls the advance. Captain Raymond Harvey’s 1st Platoon is at the point. Harvey takes the initiative to unclog the path. He drives singlehandedly to the first machine gun nest and eliminates it and the crew, then bolts to the next nest and destroys it. The platoon is then able to advance, but only until the next machine gun halts its progress. Harvey, with an apparent propensity for defying the odds, again singlehandedly moves against the third nest and somehow gets through a riveting blanket of fire from where he is able to destroy it, too. With the destruction of the third nest, Harvey again leads the platoon forward, but he pauses after spotting yet another nest. Captain Harvey springs toward the obstacle and plugs a hole with grenades to destroy the gun and the five members of its crew. By this time, Harvey is wounded. Nonetheless, he refuses evacuation and maintains command. The platoon presses forward, with the remainder of the company trailing. The obstacles are liquidated and the advance continues. Captain Harvey becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary actions under fire and his steadfast leadership in the face of the enemy. March 10

Operation RIPPER continues to push ahead against some enemy resistance, but it is compelled to frequently give ground. Large numbers of Chinese and North Koreans are converging on the area above the 38th Parallel. General Ridgway establishes a command post at Yoju. In addition, he directs Eighth Army headquarters to move from Taegu to Chongju, to conspicuously show the advance is permanent. In the I Corps sector, resistance against the advance subsides. By this day, the enemy forces have rebuilt their numbers with fresh troops from Manchuria. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines maintain patrols, but the advance remains on hold. In conjunction, to the rear, the Marine service moves up to the vicinity of Hoengsong.

March 12, 1951

March 11

Enemy resistance, which has often been heavy since the opening of Operation RIPPER, diminishes. This permits huge gains all across the front. In the IX Corps sector, elements of the corps begin to arrive at the Albany Line. Other units follow during the next two days. The attack to reach the second line begins on 14 March. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the advance is resumed after the Reconnaissance Company, reinforced with a platoon of tanks, relieves the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. The Communists continue to withdraw as the Marines move forward. Resistance in front of the advance remains light, but at Hill 549, a patrol from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, unexpectedly comes under heavy fire. Tanks accompanying the patrol return fire from a distance of about fifty yards, while Marines gnaw forward and from close range, five enemy bunkers are blasted with hand grenades. The patrol, which initially loses one man killed and nine wounded, withdraws. The 11th Marines then plaster the hill to finish destroying any remaining bunkers.

March 12 In the Eighth Army area, General Ridgway holds a press conference at his recently established command post at Yoju. Ridgway proclaims that an Eighth Army offensive to regain the 38th Parallel would be a momentous victory and would ensure that the Communists’ thrust had been halted, essentially accomplishing the goal of the U.N. Also, U.S. planes on reconnaissance missions observe large numbers of enemy troops as they move away from Seoul. Although it isn’t a definite sign, it is thought by the Americans that the Communists are preparing to abandon the South Korean capital without a fight. After dark, patrols from I Corps move across the Han River and discover some enemy positions along the river that have been abandoned. By dusk, the 1st Marine Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and the 24th Division are in positions along the Albany Line. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division advances and in most instances merely occupies ground, as the enemy has retreated. Also, the recovery unit of the 2nd Division, which has been moving with the Marines since the 7th, has retrieved the remains of more than two hundred and fifty troops, primarily from Support Force 21. In addition, the troops recover five operable 155mm howitzers, thought to have been destroyed by planes when the unit retired. The operation also recovers four of six tanks that had been lost and six M-5 tractors. General Ridgway had arrived in the Marines’ sector during the morning and after departing, he had his pilot fly him over the recaptured area in Massacre Valley near Hoengsong where elements of the 2nd Division (Support Force 21) had been devastated the previous February. In Air Force activity, a contingent of four RF-80 Shooting Stars, attached to the 36th Fighter Bomber Squadron, are intercepted by a band of 12 MiGs while on a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of Nansi.

March 13, 1951 The F-80 pilots engage the enemy, but no MiGs are downed, although several are damaged. During the air duels, two of the MiGs collide and both crash.

March 13 In the I Corps sector, the 25th Division’s three attacking regiments by this time are fully deployed at the Pukham River (Albany Line). The 35th Regiment, which arrived on the 11th, established its lines on the east side of the river. The west side of the river is occupied by the 24th Regiment. In the nearby high ground (Yebong Mountain mass), the 27th Regiment establishes positions from where it can advance several miles to the Seoul–Chunchon Road in the vicinity of the outskirts of Seoul. After dark, patrols from the 3rd Division and the ROK 1st Division venture about one-half mile above the Han River without incident. The lack of enemy contact prompts a crossing of the river the following day. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division continues to occupy positions against no resistance along the Albany Line. The IX Corps advance (First Phase, Operation RIPPER, March 7–March 13) reports enemy casualties as 6,413 killed in action and 216 captured. The IX Corps’ casualties are reported as 158 killed, 965 wounded and 35 missing in action. In the X Corps sector, elements of the 2nd and 7th Divisions arrive at the Albany Line. In the ROK I Corps sector, elements of the ROK 9th Division and the Capital Division hold a line that stretches from the vicinity of the Huangbyong Mountains to the coast, in close proximity to Chumunjin. A large force of North Koreans, survivors of an earlier operation initiated by the Marines and the ROK 2nd Division, avoided liquidation and on this day approach the ROK line. The division had been trapped in the Pohang-dong–Andong–Yongdok region since February, but it managed to move through the Taebaek Mountains and reach the Chungbong Mountains. The ROK troops, aware of the threat to their rear, funnel two regiments of the ROK 9th Division and a contingent of troops from the Capital Division to engage and destroy the remnant force of about two thousand men. The opposing sides skirmish this day. In the ROK III Corps sector, the Albany line is reached and some of the units are able to move beyond it. March 14

Operation RIPPER initiates Phase Two. Eighth Army drives towards the second line, Buffalo. In the I Corps sector, on the west side of the Pukham River, the 25th Division advances towards a point slightly less than five miles above the Seoul–Chunchon Road. During midday, small contingents of the U.S. 3rd Division and the ROK 1st Division bolt across the Han River, anticipating resistance at a prominent obstacle, Hill 348 several miles south of the capital; however, the positions had been abandoned by the enemy. Other patrols also advance. One unit moves to the Seoul–Chunchon Road without incident, while another advanced to the city’s southeastern fringes expecting resistance from Hill 175, a heavily defended part of South Mountain, but it, too, had been abandoned.

668 General Ridgway’s intuition had been correct. The Communists abandoned Seoul without a fight. Elements of the ROK 1st Division move into the capital against no opposition and unfurl the ROK colors on the capitol building. This seizure is the fourth time Seoul has changed hands since the conflict began. In the IX Corps sector, Hongchon becomes the objective of the 1st Cavalry Division and the 1st Marine Division. The town is secured on the following day and afterwards, the respective forces deploy along the Buffalo line outside the village in position to hold Route 29, which moves northwestwardly towards Chunchon and Route 24 through the Hongch’on River valley. Also, the 1st Cavalry, operating on the west, moves against Hongchon, while the 1st Marine Division drives against it from the east through the treacherous Oum Mountains. The Marines reach a point several miles outside Hongchon, but after the exhausting trek, they establish night positions rather than continue the drive. Meanwhile, the 1st Cavalry had arrived at the river just west of the village by mid-afternoon. The enemy raises fierce resistance that continues into the 16th and beyond. In conjunction, the 24th Division, supported by the ROK 6th Division, clears the western sector of the corps’ zone effortlessly, due to the total lack of resistance. The advance continues to the lower bank of the Hongchon River and the Chongp’yong Reservoir, still without opposition. The attack to seize Hongchon commences on the following morning. In Air Force activity, Bomber Command initiates a new tactic. Its B-26s drop a new type of spike on the highways frequented by enemy convoys. Tetrahedral tacks are designed especially for this type of mission and they perform much better that what had previously been used, roofing nails. In Naval activity, enemy positions and other targets, Chaho, Kyojo Wan, Songjin and Wonsan, are bombarded by Fast Carrier Task Forces (TF 77) from this day until 8 March. The USS Missouri (BB 63) participates and receives credit for the destruction of fifteen rail and highway bridges.

March 15

By this date, the offensive has accounted for more than 7,100 enemy dead; however, the Chinese and North Koreans continue to withdraw, making it difficult to greatly increase the numbers and thoroughly liquidate the Communists forces. In other activity, the 1st Marine Air Wing by this time is authorized to fly forty sorties per day in closesupport missions for the 1st Marine Division. Also, Marine Squadron VMF(N)-542 is at about this time heading back to the Marine base, El Toro, California, to be transformed into an all-weather jet (F3D) squadron. Other changes include VMF(N)-312 relieving VMF-212 on the USS Bataan. Meanwhile, VMF212 moves to K-3 at Pohang. General Ridgway, having Seoul back in the hands of the UN, decides to exploit the Communist retreat by

669 expanding the offensive and moving farther north to the Imjin River. The I Corps plays a larger part in this operation, which becomes known as Operation COURAGEOUS in place of Operations KILLER and RIPPER. In the I Corps sector, Seoul is searched for enemy remnants, but only some North Koreans who apparently deserted were discovered. Outside the city, patrols scour the area north of the capital and encounter no opposi-

March 15, 1951 tion until reaching a point about five miles out. North of the capital, it is discovered by aerial observance that the enemy had established defensive positions. Troop concentrations are observed along the route between Seoul and Uijongbu. The Belgian Battalion, attached to the U.S. 3rd Division after its arrival during the latter part of January, is also unsuccessful during its search for the enemy troops in its sector, along the eastern fringes of the capital.

A patrol advances through Hongch’on, seized without opposition by the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, on 15 March.

March 16, 1951 Ridgway orders the 3rd Division to move from the south bank of the Han River to positions north of Seoul, along the Seoul–Uijongbu Road, along the Lincoln Line (east sector) next to the 25th Division’s positions. The ROK 3rd Division is also ordered to move across the Han River and deploy along the Seoul–Munsan Road along the Lincoln Line (west sector) next to the 3rd Division. The British Brigade is to move from reserve to Yongdungp’o and be prepared to bolster the Lincoln Line. The movement is initiated on 16 March. In the IX Corps sector, the 24th Division, operating in the extreme left section of the sector and still bolstered by the ROK 6th Division, reaches the lower bank of the Chongp’yong Reservoir. Nearby, the ROK troops deploy in the high ground above the Hongchon River. As the advance continues, the 15th, 24th and 27th Regiments of the 25th Division, operating on the corps’ right, reach the Seoul–Chunchon Road by about dusk. Its attached Turkish Brigade advances to a point on the extreme right of the zone to positions slightly less than three miles above the road. Meanwhile, the Turks deploy there near the 24th Division. In other activity, the Marines hit stiff resistance at a ridge slightly east of Hongchon. While the Marines eradicate the opposition, a contingent, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, seizes the town at about 1200 without incident. The 1st Battalion commander, Major Webb D. Sawyer, dispatches a patrol through the demolished village in search of remnant Chinese forces, but none are found. The town was unoccupied, however. Bombs dropped earlier by planes of the Far East Air Force were set to detonate when touched. As the patrol moves back, one jeep is damaged when it detonates a “Butterfly” bomb. Later, while specialists (Company D, 1st Engineer Battalion) work to eliminate the bombs, the battalion moves through and deploys in the heights just northeast of the village. The bomb-clearing operation lasts for three days. The 1st Cavalry Division remains at the Hongchon River until the remainder of the Marine force moves beyond the opposition on the ridge to join it and reinitiate the advance. Later, General Milburn (I Corps) is directed by General Ridgway to deploy in the high ground just outside the city. Milburn chooses the heights about two miles west of the capital that stretch across the ridge containing Hill 348. Lincoln Line, links with the Buffalo Line in the sector held by the 25th Division. A section of the line is to be held by the 3rd Division; however, the larger part is held by the ROK 1st Division, with the South Koreans receiving responsibility for Seoul and the U.S. holding the lesser portion east of Seoul. General Ridgway also instructs Milburn to not fortify with full strength; rather, to deploy one battalion, bolstered by some tanks. The South Koreans are instructed to deploy one regiment. Instructions are also delivered that insist that no attack be initiated. Ridgway explains that the present task is to shadow the enemy retreat. In other activity, the enemy raises fierce resistance

670 east of Hongchon against the Marines. Following daylong fighting, the enemy abandons its positions after dark. In the X Corps sector, the advance towards the Idaho Line continues. This day, the North Koreans raise resistance, but it is the sole incident during the advance. By the following day, all corps units reach the objective. The 38th Regiment, 2nd Division, had been opposed by North Koreans who held a pass (14th15th), but the resistance is overrun. The Communists lose 345 killed (counted) and an estimated 800 additional casualties had been inflicted (killed and wounded). The 38th Regiment sustains 12 killed and 156 wounded. In Air Force activity, a contingent of planes executes an armed reconnaissance mission in North Korea. During the operation, which had been initiated in support of ground forces, one element of the force, led by Lieutenant Clarence V. Slack, Jr., moves against gun positions in the Sunan rail yards. Slack’s low level drive draws fire and the remaining planes are able to carry out the raid. However, Slack’s plane is hit and it crashes. In Naval activity, Task Element of TG 95.2 commences a bombardment of enemy positions in the vicinity of Wonsan and inflicts heavy casualties, estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 troops. In other naval activity, the destroyer USS Lind (DD 703) pounds enemy positions at Singi, delivering devastating effects there also. Casualties at Singi are estimated at about 2,000.

March 16 In the I Corps sector, elements of the U.S. 3rd Division and the ROK 1st Division, supported by the artillery, cross the Han River against no opposition. The vanguard (2nd Battalion, 65th Regiment) is transported across in boats and DUKWs. As the troops proceed to their positions on the Lincoln Line, they encounter mines and booby traps, but no enemy troops impede their movement. Most of the civilian population in Seoul had departed back in January, when the city was evacuated, but about 200,000 still remained under the Communists domination. Unlike the celebrated takeover during the previous September, following the invasion at Inchon, the city is retaken with no celebration. In the IX Corps sector, the Marines prepare to eliminate the obstacles east of Hongchon that have impeded their progress. The enemy raises stiff resistance that lasts for the next two days. In the meantime, the 1st Marines encounter heavy resistance north of Hongchon. At 1230, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, drive against Hill 428, but at dusk, despite air strikes by VMF-214, the Chinese still control the hill and continue to fire from concealed mortar positions. After dark, the Chinese abandon the hill. Meanwhile, the 7th Marines attack toward Hill 399. The 1st Battalion methodically moves from bunker to bunker eliminating the defenders by lobbing hand grenades into the entrenchments. Also, in the corps’ western sector, the ROK 6th Division and the U.S.

671 24th Division encounter nominal resistance near the Hongchon River and the Chongp’yong Reservoir. In the 1st Cavalry area west of Hongchon, the enemy continues to hold and offer furious resistance. Nevertheless, the corps receives orders to advance. The ROK 6th Division is ordered to move to positions close to the 1st Cavalry to positions, which causes the Chinese to become concerned about their flank. The 1st Cavalry is directed to drive from the river to the Buster Line to place it near the 24th Division along the Buffalo Line. The new position stands about five miles distant. At the conclusion of the advance, the cavalry is aligned to the Marines who hold on the Buffalo Line, the right side of the corps’ sector. The 24th Division is ordered to advance and cross the Pukham River on the left side. In Naval activity, Far East Air Forces launches a record setting number of sorties. The planes fly 1,123 sorties in support of Operation RIPPER, a new high for a single day. In Naval activity, the East Coast Blockading and Patrol Task Group (TG 94.2) comes under fire by enemy shore batteries at Wonsan.

March 17, 1951

March 17

During the offensive (Operation RIPGeneral MacArthur arrives in Korea from Japan. He is met by General Ridgway at Suwon and from there they both fly to Wonju in the 1st Marine Division sector. MacArthur and Generals Ridgway and O.P. Smith, riding in a jeep, visit various units on the front. In the IX Corps sector, enemy resistance still impedes the 1st Cavalry Division in the region near the Hongchon River. The enemy defends strongly, but the Chinese also mount counterattacks. All units advance, but only the cavalry encounters heavy resistance. The ROK forces and the Marines driving on the left hit only sporadic opposition. In the 1st Marine Division sector, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, continues to mop up at Hill 399, which had fallen after a tough fight on the previous day. In other activity, MacArthur, while in Korea this day, arrives at the command post of the 7th Marines. Also, the 1st Marine Division receives orders to mount an attack toward Line Buffalo. The attack force is to be composed of the 5th Marines after the unit passes through the positions of the 7th Marines and the 1st Marines. PER),

The citizens of Seoul fill the streets on 17 March, two days after the capital is regained from the Communists.

March 17, 1951

672

Elements of the 187th Airborne Regiment are in the air aboard C-119 Flying Boxcars, while other planes continue to load paratroopers. In the X Corps sector, by this day, all Corps units have advanced to the Idaho line. In the ROK III Corps sector, like the X Corps, all units have advanced to the Idaho line. In Air Force activity, a contingent of planes from the

36th Fighter Bomber Squadron is intercepted by MiGs while on patrol in the vicinity of Sunchon. No planes are shot down by either side; however, a MiG collides with an F-80 piloted by 1st Lieutenant Howard J. Landry. Lieutenant Landry is killed and the pilot of

673

March 19, 1951

The 187th Airborne, accustomed to rugged duty, jumps out of C-119s over nasty terrain. the MiG also dies. Landry receives credit for the downed Communist MiG, posthumously. No other planes of Fifth Air Force are lost during the month of March. It is thought the Russians are changing units, which could account for the bad marksmanship of the pilots. The Russians do not change pilots individually; rather they exchange entire units. The new more inexperienced contingents are the No. 303 and the No. 324 Fighter Air Divisions.

March 18 General Ridgway maintains a close eye on the field operations during Operation RIPPER. After analyzing the accumulation of facts collected by intelligence, air observation and information from captives, Ridgway directs the I, IX and X Corps to dispatch reconnaissance patrols into the region between the Hwach’on Reservoir and the east coast. In the IX Corps sector, the entire corps advances. The 24th Division, which had crossed the Han, joins with the ROK 6th Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and the 1st Marine Division. The momentum swells, but the Chinese withdraw further. After assessing the situation, General Ridgway orders the IX Corps to maintain the attack and seize Chunchon. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th and 1st Marines advance against only sporadic resistance and make good progress during the trek to the Buffalo Line.

March 19 In the IX Corps sector, the ongoing advance continues to make excellent progress and by overwhelming scant rear-guard actions, the units reach the Buster-Buffalo Line towards the latter part of the day. Meanwhile, the Chinese continue to pull back rather than raise concentrated resistance. The largest prize of the day falls to the ROK 6th Division. A contingent of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, acting as the spearhead, surprises a battalion-sized unit just above the Hongchon River. The Chinese battalion sustains 232 killed after the ROKs launch a three-pronged attack. The Chinese also lose much equipment; however, only two of the enemy force are captured. In conjunction with General Ridgway’s orders of the previous day, General Hoge directs his corps to advance to the next line, the Cairo Line. The drive will place the 1st Cavalry Division within striking distance of the objective, Chunchon. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the attack continues against minimum resistance, mostly some sniper fire and mortars, except in the path of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. As the 2nd Battalion advances, enemy fire originating on ridges west of Hill 330 compels Fox Company to halt. While the battalion pauses to prepare strategy to eliminate the fire, a tank platoon (Baker Company, 1st Tank Battalion) moves forward and directs their fire effectively. The Marines, using the tanks’

March 19, 1951

674

The 5th Regiment, 24th Division, after fording the Honogch’on River on 19 March, climbs another enemy-held hill. 90-mm shells as a diversion, scurry along the ridgeline and take out the bunkers with grenades so quickly that the Communists had not yet recovered from the tank fire. The Marines sustain no casualties. Afterward, they establish night positions on Hill 330.

In the 1st Cavalry zone, General Ridgway inserts the 187th Airborne RCT into the attack. The paratroopers are directed to prepare to drop north of Chunchon on 22 March to ambush the Communists as they attempt to escape the advancing 5th and 8th Cavalry Regiments.

675 However, when the ground troops arrive at Chunchon, they find it abandoned. Ridgway cancels the airdrop, but the paratroopers are committed to bolster the I Corps on 23 March. In Air Force activity, a flight of B-29s, attached to the 343rd Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Wing (M), is intercepted by MiGs in the vicinity of Sonchin. One of the attacking MiG-15s is downed by a tailgunner, Sergeant William H. Finnegan. In Naval activity, the carriers of Fast Carrier Task Force (CTF 77) are informed that the mission of rail interdiction has successfully been completed. Intelligence concludes that the enemy trains were severely hampered by the operation and capable of only using small sections of the rails. By 14 March, traffic along the rails on the northeast coast of Korea is essentially terminated, due to the massive destruction inflicted upon the bridges.

March 20

Eighth Army commences its advance from the Buffalo Line to the Cairo Line. In the IX Corps sector, the advance continues. General Ridgway prepares to intensify the offensive and attempt to isolate and destroy the NK I Corps, known to be in the vicinity of Uijingbu in front of the Imjin River. Ridgway determines that if he uses the ground forces and bolsters an advance with paratroopers, the enemy could be trapped at Munsan-ni when it retires along Route 1 to cross the Imjin. The operation in conjunction with the paratroopers is set to commence on the 22nd. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment is reattached to the 1st Marine Division. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces receives fifteen new jet planes, F-94Bs. The aircraft are all-weather jet fighters. The planes will be added as escorts for the B-29 Superfortress night raids.

March 21

In the I Corps sector, the Corps prepares to move toward the Cairo Line, which General Ridgway stretched to the Han River at Haengju. Line Cairo had been drawn above the Lincoln Line at points varying between five to ten miles distant. The I Corps is scheduled to be at the line by the following day to coincide with a planned airdrop of the 187th Airborne RCT on the 22nd at Munsan-ni. En route, the corps encounters some resistance from the Chinese east of Uijongbu and to the west of the village, some North Korean resistance is raised. The operation is designed to reach two other lines, Aspen and Benton, but the advance is contingent upon the orders of Ridgway, which include a full-scale move by the entire corps to the Benton Line at the 38th Parallel. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Cavalry Division arrives at the Cairo Line without having encountered opposition. The progress and lack of enemy forces prompts General Ridgway to cancel a planned airdrop by the 187th Airborne RCT and its attached 2nd and 4th Ranger Companies, which was scheduled for the 22nd. A reconnaissance task force slides into Chun-

March 23, 1951 chon at 1330 and finds itself in control of the abandoned town. The first encounter with the enemy occurs later at a point about ten miles southeast of the town. The small enemy contingents discovered there raise no opposition; rather the troops scatter from the area at Route 29 and vanish in the Soyang River valley. The town remains under U.S. control. With this seizure, Operation RIPPER has achieved its objectives with regard to real estate, but the purpose is also to destroy as much of the enemy as possible. By this time, it becomes evident that the Chinese are continuing to withdraw, but in addition, they are regrouping for what is an expected attack. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines and the 5th Marines press forward on the right and left respectively, with the Korean Marines moving up the center. The enemy raises fierce resistance against the Korean Marines as they advance in an area that lacks roads. Airdrops keep the force supplied, and it receives outstanding artillery support, but still, it is a hard-fought advance that continues until the morning of the 24th.

March 22 At Taegu, during the middle of the day, General Ridgway authorizes the airdrop of the 187th Airborne RCT at Munsan-ni. It is scheduled for 0900 on the 23rd, to be coordinated with an armored task force from Seoul that is to hook up with the paratroopers near Munsan-ni. The task force includes 6th Medium Tank Battalion (24th Division, IX Corps), the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry (3rd Division, I Corps), elements of the 58th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (3rd Division) and one battery of the 999th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. In addition, the task force includes a pair of British Churchill tanks, both capable of laying down a bridge. In the I Corps sector, the corps’ advance to the Cairo Line begins at 0800. By day’s end, despite only nominal opposition along the march, only the ROK 1st Division moving along Route 1 reaches the line. It arrives there about noon, while the 3rd Division, moving along Route 3, and the 25th Division, to its right, establish night positions short of the objective. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st and 5th Marines encounter only light resistance, primarily by North Koreans who apparently are acting as rear guard for the Chinese 39th and 66th Armies, which continue to retreat ahead of the Marine attacks. In related activity, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment presses ahead against tenacious resistance at Hill 975. March 23 Eighth Army initiates a major offensive designed to advance to positions at the Imjin River. Washington had been sending mixed signals regarding a re-crossing of the 38th Parallel, including private reports not to cross due to diplomatic talks and public statements that the choice is up to MacArthur. MacArthur had confined movements, but on this day, he informs Ridgway to disregard his recent orders and to attack in force beyond the 38th Parallel. Also, Task Force Growdon, an armored contingent, departs Seoul en route to bolster the 187th Airborne

March 23, 1951 RCT (Colonel Frank S. Bowen), which is flown from Taegu aboard 135 planes at 0730 and dropped over Munsan-ni as part of Operation COURAGEOUS, designed to eliminate the NK I Corps and reach the 38th Parallel. The massive formation is supported by Fifth Air Force aircraft, which attack enemy positions while the planes transporting the paratroopers, protected by Mustangs (P-51s), move above the Yellow Sea to arrive from the west at Munsan. In other activity, General Ridgway modifies the Benton Line, stretching it to reach Chunchon, where the 1st Cavalry occupies a patrol base, and from there to the IX Corps’ right, where the ground is held by the 1st Marine Division. The extension links the Benton Line with the Cairo Line. Ridgway has blueprinted the advance to include bringing I Corps from the Lincoln Line at Seoul to the Imjin River, which would stretch Eighth Army’s line slightly less than ten miles from the 38th Parallel, from Munsan to Chunchon (west to east). In the I Corps sector, TF Growdon, commanded by Lt. Colonel John S. Growdon, passes through the ROK 1st Division along Route 1 as it moves to Munsan-ni. The armor is followed by the ROK force that is to relieve the paratroopers. After passing through and driving up the highway, the armor is barred from crossing a damaged bridge at the Changnung River. While seeking a nearby crossing of the shallow river, a tank in the

676 column strikes a mine. No enemy resistance arises, but more mines there and farther along the route slow the column to a crawl. Meanwhile, at 0900, on schedule, the paratroopers of Operation TOMAHAWK drop at Munsan-ni, while the armor support remains about fifteen miles away. Other unexpected problems also develop; one of the planes transporting the paratroopers is compelled to return to base due to engine failure. The plane that returned to Taegu is carrying Colonel Arthur (Harry) Wilson, the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion. Nevertheless, the bulk of the force, transported by more than 100 twin-tailed Flying Boxcars, drops as planned slightly northeast of the town, but in the confusion, the elements of the 1st Battalion are inadvertently dropped in the identical zone used by the 3rd Battalion (Delbert E. Munson) and the 4th Ranger Company, instead of a point southeast of the town. The miscalculation causes some problems, as no troops are at the south drop zone. Later, when the remainder of the force (1st Battalion) arrives, it drops in its proper zone, but lacks full strength and the small force for a while remains isolated. The Communists bring Wilson’s contingent under fire from their positions in the heights; however, Wilson directs his troops to safer positions. The Communists remain in the high ground and make no move against the Wilson’s troops. Company B, 1st Battalion,

A vanguard of the 24th Division advances across an enemy-built footbridge northwest of Ch’ongp’yong on 23 March.

677

March 23, 1951

Elements of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team in the high ground east of Munsan-ni are en route to intercept the enemy forces to the front of the 3rd Division. moves from the north drop zone to the south zone to bolster the force under Wilson and deter the North Koreans from launching an attack. In the meantime, resistance against the paratroopers remains nominal and Munsan-ni is seized. Afterward, a contingent leaves for the southeast drop zone to rescue troops from heavy enemy fire originating on Hill 216. By 1700, the rescue has succeeded and the entire force is at Munsan-ni. The operation cost the force nineteen casualties from battle and another eighty-four from accidental injuries during the jump. The enemy sustains 136 killed and 149 captured. The bulk of the NK I Corps at Munsan-ni had retired prior to the arrival of the airborne troops. It was determined that the enemy force encountered was the NK 36th Regiment, 19th Division, composed of about three hundred to

five hundred troops. The armored task force vanguard arrives to join the paratroopers at 1830. In other activity, the U.S. 3rd and 25th Divisions continue to advance. The 3rd Division, under General Robert H. Soule, encounters resistance; however, it arrives at Uijongbu and takes it effortlessly at 0900. The initial unit to enter is TF Hawkins, composed of elements of the 64th Tank Battalion and contingents of the 15th and 65th Infantry Regiments. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the units continue to come up on the Cairo Line, but the center of the advance handled by the Korean Marines’ 2nd and 3rd Battalions continue to be blocked at Hill 975. In Air Force activity, in addition to the incidents listed earlier on this same date, helicopters evacuate sixtyeight paratroopers who were injured during the jump.

March 24, 1951

678

A Marine Pershing Tank (M26) at a tight spot on a mountain road as the 1st Marine Division advances north and east of Ch’unch’on. Also, one of the C-119s that transported the paratroopers catches fire en route back to its base and crashes. It is thought the plane might have been hit by bullets. In other activity, forty-five F-86 jets escort a contingent of twenty-two B-29s on a bombing mission to destroy two bridges in North Korea. The B-29s, attached to the 19th and 307th Bomber Groups, sustain no losses.

March 24

General MacArthur arrives in Korea from Japan to confer with General Ridgway. Before de-

parting for the meeting, MacArthur issues a statement indicating that he is willing to hold a conference with the Communists to initiate a cease-fire. The statement includes MacArthur’s opinion that the Chinese were not going to prevail in Korea. His statement causes consternation in Washington. President Truman, awaiting information on the ongoing operation, had prepared a speech, timed to the U.S. drive to the 38th Parallel. The Communists accept MacArthur’s statement with disdain. MacArthur’s position pushes him farther

679

March 24, 1951

Elements of the 5th Regiment, 24th Division, operating on the right of the 25th Division during an Eighth Army offensive, captures enemy troops on 24 March. from President Truman. Word arrives from the Joint Chiefs of Staff for MacArthur to report to them if he receives a response from the Chinese, but none is actually anticipated. In the meantime, Truman moves toward replacing MacArthur. General Ridgway extends the Cairo Line from its end in the right of the IX Corps sector, held by the 1st Marine Division, to the east coast at Chosan-ni. In the I Corps sector, the bulk of the armored task force under Lt. Colonel Growdon arrives at the positions of the paratroopers (187th Airborne RCT) near Munsan-ni by 0700 on the following day. The column had been impeded by mines along the route. Four tanks sustain damage from the mines and another two are damaged by enemy artillery fire on the last leg of the journey. Also, the ROK 1st Division arrives at Munsanni to relieve the airborne troops. At Munsan-ni, General Frank S. Bowen, Jr., commanding officer, 187th Airborne, takes command of TF Growdon. The armor is directed to run patrols along the Imjin River to reconnoiter ferry crossings and to search along Route 2Y, a road that leads to Sinch’on. The mission succeeds in seizing twenty-two enemy troops. Another six are reported killed. The U.S. sustains no casualties; however, one tank is scuttled after it snags in a stream, unable to cross. In related activity, another contingent, TF Boone, ROK 1st Division, begins to arrive at Munsan-ni prior to noon. Company C, 64th Tank Battalion (on loan to the ROK 1st Division from the U.S. 3rd Division), is the first unit to arrive. Subsequently, the ROK Division under General Paik relieves the paratroopers. The South Koreans assume command from General Bowen at 1700 and deploy around the town. TF Boone estab-

lishes positions slightly above the town, while the remainder of the division deploys below Munsan-ni, near Route 1, leading northeastwardly to nearby Pobwon-ni, slightly more than five miles from Munsan-ni. Despite the success of taking the objective, the NK I Corps still evades confrontation and retires further. In addition, the Chinese 26th Army remains entrenched, prepared to raise strong resistance to the I Corps’ 3rd and 25th Divisions. The 25th Division, operating on the corps’ right since the previous day, has also encountered large numbers of land mines that have impeded progress. Nonetheless, by dusk, the 25th Division advances to the vicinity of Uijongbu, held by the 3rd Division, which is encountering fierce resistance. In the 3rd Division sector, the Chinese had fortified their positions at two separate hills. The division jumps off unaware of the firepower on Hill 337 northeast of the village and Hill 468 just northwest of it. The resistance remains tenacious throughout the day; however, Hill 337 is secured by the 15th Infantry Regiment. The enemy maintains control of Hill 468, despite repeated efforts by the 65th Infantry to evict them. Efforts are undertaken by General Bowen to commit the 187th Airborne in an eastward attack to strike the Chinese that threaten the 3rd Division and catch them between his attacking force and the advancing 3rd Division. The column encounters natural obstacles. At 1800, only a small unit of tanks is able to move out. The remainder of the column’s vehicles hold up for fuel. Later, en route, the weather interferes. Some tanks are held up by landslides and then rain further impedes the mission. The tanks return to Munsan-ni; however the remainder of the force, excluding the 2nd Battalion, 7th

March 25, 1951 Infantry, which had earlier returned to the 3rd Division. The task force under General Bowen arrives at Sinch’on on the following morning. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment overcomes the resistance at Hill 975 and afterwards forms along the Cairo Line. Also, the 24th Division continues to advance to the right of the 25th Division (I Corps) en route to the 38th Parallel. In Air Force activity, a new and larger helicopter, the H-19, is introduced to the Korean War. The H-19 is much more powerful than the H-5 now used to transport the wounded, and it has a greater range of operations. In other activity, C-46s and C-119s pass over Munsanni and drop large quantities of supplies and ammunition. The planes return on the 26th and 27th to drop more supplies to the troops on the ground. The amount dropped during the three deliveries totals 264 tons.

March 25

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur authorizes the U.N. forces in Korea to cross the 38th Parallel, if it becomes necessary for tactical purposes. In the I Corps sector, the 187th Airborne RCT arrives at Sinch’on at 0600 and soon the attack is reinitiated. The objective, Hill 228 along the west side of Route 33, is heavily defended by the Chinese. In the meantime, the 3rd Division and the 25th Division reinitiate the advance, but the enemy raises only nominal resistance against both. During the afternoon, armor from the 3rd Division arrives to bolster the attack of the airborne, but still, the resistance repels the assaults.

March 26

In the I Corps sector, the Chinese continue to hold Hill 228 against attempts by the 187th Airborne RCT. Later in the day, tanks from the 3rd Division arrive to bolster the assault, but still the Communists do not yield. In conjunction, during the attack to gain the hill, the U.S. armor is able to destroy an enemy T34 tank. It is the first T34 destroyed since General Ridgway assumed command of Eighth Army. In other activity, the 3rd and 25th Divisions continue to advance against sporadic light resistance. In the IX Corps sector, late in the day orders arrive instructing the corps to continue to advance to the Benton Line. In the 1st Marine Division zone, orders arrive to move to a new Cairo Line, but it actually an extension of the present line to the boundary between the IX and X Corps. In the X Corps sector, the identical order arrives and the X Corps also moves to the Benton Line. The moves of the IX and X Corps remain unopposed; the Chinese have pulled back without contesting the advances.

March 27

While Operation RIPPER continues, General Ridgway convenes a meeting at Yoju with I, IX and X Corps commanders and the commanding officers of the respective divisions. The conference is to map out further strategy with regard to the options facing Eighth Army.

680 Word is circling that in addition to the Chinese and North Koreans posted above the 38th Parallel, the Russians are also close to entering the conflict against the U.N. force, primarily composed of U.S. fighting troops. In the I Corps sector, following fierce fighting that began on the 25th, the 187th Airborne RCT seizes control of Hill 228 along Route 33. For the second day in a row, the 3rd and 25th Divisions encounter only slight resistance. Following the capture of Hill 228 at 0900, the paratroopers prepare to attack to clear the high ground along Route 33. Also, later in the day, elements of the 3rd Division arrive to join the 187th Airborne RCT at its position along Route 33. The plan to trap the enemy between the two forces fails to materialize. Two regiments, the 15th and 65th, arrive, but en route, no enemy forces are detected. In related activity, the 25th Division continues to advance and it, too, encounters only slight sporadic resistance. In the IX Corps sector, 24th Division zone, the Commonwealth Brigade (Brigadier B.A. Burke) is brought out of reserve to relieve the 19th Regiment (Colonel Peter Garland) and assume responsibility for the center of the line. Burke had recently replaced Basil Coad as commander of the British Brigade. In Naval activity, the USS Boxer (CV 21) relieves the USS Valley Forge (CV 45). Two vessels, the Glendale (PF 36) and the Carmick (DMS 33) collide near Songjin during a fog.

March 28

In the I Corps sector, the 187th Airborne RCT reinitiates the attack along Route 33 and again bumps into stiff resistance from strongpoints in the heights along the east side of the highway. Nonetheless, by dusk, the paratroopers secure the ground. In the meantime, the 3rd and 25th Divisions advance against nominal resistance and by the latter part of the day, both divisions arrive at the Aspen line. While elements of the 3rd Division and the 187th Airborne RCT maneuver to entrap the Communists, the bulk of the enemy in the area is able to slip away and safely cross the Imjin River to continue the northward trek. The 24th and 35th Regiments (25th Division) continue the drive, but the former encounters heavy resistance that halts its progress. By the following day, the 27th Regiment bolsters the 24th Regiment. The combined strength plows through the Communist resistance. In related activity, the 187th Airborne Regiment reverts to reserve. It moves to Taegu. In Naval activity, Vice Admiral H.M. Martin succeeds Vice Admiral A.D. Struble as commanding officer, Seventh Fleet. Also, activity gets underway to reopen the port of Inchon.

March 29 I, IX and X Corps continue to advance to their final respective positions to bring Operation RIPPER to a conclusion. No major enemy resistance is encountered. The NK I Corps remains elusive while it withdraws to positions beyond the Yesong River. In related activity, the 187th Airborne RCT departs from

681 the line and returns to Taegu. Also, General Ridgway issues a plan for the next phase, Operation RUGGED. In the X Corps area, elements of the corps relieve the 1st Marines. In conjunction, the 7th Marines are to revert to reserve in the vicinity of Hongchon and become attached to the 1st Cavalry Division, which is preparing to attack beyond Ch’ongch’on. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches B29s, escorted by fighter planes, on another mission to destroy bridges at the Yalu River. The fading of winter and the thawing of the river once again make the bridges a threat to the UN forces. During the winter months, fighters and light bombers of Fifth Air Force concentrated on destroying the bridges at the Yalu, but their efforts failed to knock out the spans.

March 30 Eighth Army components close on the final phase line, which has become the Benton-Cairo Line. Eighth Army by the following day completes the operation and achieves its goals with regard to territory. The line extends to the 38th Parallel. In the I Corps sector, 25th Division zone, the 27th Regiment relieves the 24th Regiment and assumes responsibility for the left part of the sector. Also, the 35th Regiment encounters fierce resistance at Chongsong and the supporting artillery is unable to destroy the deep bunkers. Nevertheless, the infantry plods forward and methodically eliminates the obstacles one by one. In Air Force activity, a band of MiGs intercepts a bombing mission over Sinuiju. During the attack, Technical Sergeant Charles W. Summers, a tailgunner aboard one of the B-29s (28th Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group [M]), places a diving MiG in his sights and fires more than 300 shells at it. The MiG takes hits, including some into its air intake, causing it to explode in mid-air. Also, Sergeant Norman S. Greene, aboard another of the B-29s, points his sights to an attacking plane just prior to the actual release of the bomb load on the target. Greene, manning the plane’s gun on the left, begins to fire as the MiG attacks from at 8 o’clock. Greene fires about fifty shots at the MiG before it explodes in mid-air. March 31

The U.S. crosses the 38th Parallel for the second time. Operation RIPPER is complete. The UN forces are on the Idaho Line and all geographical objectives have been gained. The offensive does not eliminate as many enemy troops as expected, because the Communists continue to withdraw rather than engage in a major confrontation. Nonetheless, the advance, which gained a minimum of twenty-five miles, has brought the U.S. forces back to the 38th Parallel. The operation also regained the South Korean capital. From 7 March until this day, Eighth Army reports that 4,800 Chinese and North Koreans had been captured. In addition, it is reported that enemy casualties had been extremely high. Elements of the 5th Regiment (24th Division), formed as an infantry-armor contingent, encounter opposition and a brisk firefight ensues. The Communists sustain more than 30 killed during the confrontation. Soon after, Colonel Throck-

April 1, 1951 morton becomes an aide to General Collins. Colonel Arthur (Harry) Wilson of the 187th Airborne RCT replaces him as commander of the 5th Infantry Regiment. In Air Force activity, during a mission of the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, a Canadian pilot, Flight Lt. J.A.O. Levesque, Royal Canadian Air Force, in an F-86, downs a MiG-15. It is the first kill of a MiG by an F-86 since the previous year. The MiG-15s are lighter, able to climb higher and carry heavier ammunition. The Sabres hold 50-caliber machine guns, while the MiGs have two 23-mm cannon and one 37-mm cannon. The Sabre’s guns fire much more quickly, as opposed to the slower weapons on the MiGs. The difference is usually the skill of the pilot that gives the U.S. the advantage. One flaw of the MiG is that at high speeds, the pilots are prone to lose control of the aircraft and another is that at high altitudes, a MiG is susceptible to uncontrollable spins. The Sabres, however, with their adjustable stabilizers, are much more steady. Yet the Sabres are weighed down by a slow climb rate and insufficient acceleration in speed during level flights. In other activity, the a contingent of the 3rd ARS (Air Rescue Squadron) flying an H-19 helicopter, penetrates enemy lines and picks up about eighteen U.N. troops. This is the initial time the H-19 is committed to a special operations mission. In yet other activity, the 3rd Air Division grounds its C-119s for repairs and maintenance. While the C-119s are grounded, the workload will be carried by C-47s. By the end of April, the C-119s are back in action. — In Japan: General MacArthur informs the Joints Chiefs of Staff that about 475,000 enemy troops are Korea, including about 274,000 Chinese; however, it is also estimated that about 478,000 enemy troops are stationed in Manchuria in reserve. The figures raise extra alarms in Washington, particularly because intelligence has deduced that the Communist air forces have also greatly increased. Another concern is that the Soviet Union, already clandestinely involved, may be considering entering the war openly. In Washington, tentative plans are laid for a withdrawal from Korea to Japan if the Russians enter the war.

April 1-21 1950 During this period, while the Chinese continue to mount their forces for an offensive, they string out troops along mountain tops to maintain a vigil for approaching planes. As part of the strategy, the Communist sentinels fire shots to signal the arrival of the aircraft. In addition, the Chinese plant dummy trucks and tanks near antiaircraft guns. As the planes close to attack, they come under heavy fire. During this period, the Marine squadrons lose sixteen planes. Two of the pilots are able to survive by either crash landing or parachuting into friendly lines, but nine are killed and one other is captured. Three other Marine pilots are rescued behind enemy lines and one other crashes in enemy territory, but makes it back to friendly lines.

April 1, 1951

April 1

Operations RUGGED and DAUNTLESS are initiated. The mission continues until 22 April. The offensive is designed to drive beyond the 38th Parallel and make inroads, while several possibilities about the next phases of the conflict linger. The U.S. and U.N. remain concerned that Russia will enter the conflict with supposed volunteers from Mongolia. Ridgway and MacArthur both conclude that the conflict will not terminate in total victory, rather, by stalemate. Consequently, the offensive is to push north to gain ground prior to a cease fire. As Eighth Army prepares to launch the offensive, it is known that the Communists also are preparing to initiate an offensive, but intelligence is unable to determine exactly when. Precautions are taken to repel an offensive by redeploying various units to protect Seoul and other strategic targets. The primary objectives of the Eighth Army offensive are the towns of Ch’orwon and Kumhwa, located in the south, and the town of Pyonggang in the north. The layout of the three targets above the 38th Parallel forms a triangle and the area is soon dubbed the “Iron Triangle.” Ridgway designates the first phase line, Kansas. It is drawn in the west from the lower bank of the Imjin River and it stretches eastward passing over the routes to the objectives and continues beyond to the Hwach’on Reservoir. From the reservoir, the line is adjusted to shift northward to a point about ten miles from the 38th Parallel, before tailing off in a southeastwardly direction to terminate at the coast in the vicinity of Hwach’on. The advance is supported by large numbers of Korean reserves who transport supplies on their backs. About 15,000 reserves acting as porters are attached to the advance. In the I and IX Corps sector, I Corps is directed to work with IX Corps to gain and clear the area that stretches between the Imjin River to the western tip of the Hwach’on Reservoir. In the 1st Marine Division zone (IX Corps), the orders change. Rather than reverting to reserve, the Marines are directed to continue the attack with two regiments, the 1st and 5th, and to relieve the 1st Cavalry Division (7th Marines attached). In the X Corps sector, the corps, operating on the east, is directed to secure and hold the ground that runs from the reservoir to Route 24, located in the Soyang River Valley. In conjunction, the ROK I and III Corps are to cover the territory extending from Route 24 to the town of Yangyang.

April 2

Eighth Army continues to prepare for the initiation of Operation RUGGED, designed to advance beyond the 38th Parallel to the Kansas Line, en route to what becomes known as the “Iron Triangle.” After Eighth Army reaches the Kansas Line, General Ridgway has a blueprint in place to redeploy particular units to prepare against an enemy counterattack, while IX and X Corps (Operation DAUNTLESS) continue the advance to the primary objective, for the purpose of disrupting the enemy rather than conquering the territory.

682 The phase lines drawn for the operation are known as the Utah Line and the Wyoming Line. A secondary plan includes a pull-back by the two corps to the Kansas Line if the Communists launch a counterattack. The offensive commences this day; however, it doesn’t actually accumulate full steam until 5 April. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division is ordered to go into reserve in the vicinity of Hongchon; however, the 5th Marines and the 1st Korean Marine Regiment are directed to continue the attack. In the X Corps sector, General Ruffner assumes temporary command of the X Corps, while General Almond departs for Japan. While Almond is in Japan on April 2-9, General George Stewart temporarily replaces Ruffner as 2nd Division commander.

April 3

General MacArthur again arrives in Korea from Japan as Operation RUGGED (the advance to the Kansas Line) unfolds. The date for commencement had been moved up from 5 April to this day. MacArthur arrives on the east coast within the ROK I Corps zone. General Ridgway and MacArthur confer and concur that the Kansas Line should be held. On this visit, MacArthur moves north by jeep from Kangnung and crosses the 38th Parallel in the ROK 9th Division zone. It is MacArthur’s strong opinion that at the conclusion of the operation, the conflict will be at a stalemate. The enemy forces that stand in opposition to the I and IX Corps are the Chinese 26th, 39th and 40th Armies. Also, the N.K. III Corps, which had evaded the advancing forces during Operation RIPPER, stand in front of X Corps and the ROK I and III Corps. The N.K. III Corps is composed of elements of the 1st, 15th and 45th Divisions, supported also by the 69th Brigade. In the I Corps zone, the troops near the Imjin River (west) hold in place, but in the eastern sector of the zone, the 24th (IX Corps on loan to I Corps) and 25th Divisions drive north along Route 3 toward the Iron Triangle. The offensive is supported by the 6th, 64th and 89th Tank Battalions, air support and artillery support. In the IX Corps sector, the advance commences with the Commonwealth Brigade, ROK 6th Division and the 1st Cavalry Division. The 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments ford the Soyang River and drive toward the Hwach’on Reservoir, slightly north of the 38th Parallel. The Greek and Thai contingents are attached to the 7th and 8th Cavalries respectively. The advance also includes the 7th Marines, which is temporarily attached to the 1st Cavalry Division. The Marines under Colonel Litzenberg advance to the rear of the cavalry. In other activity, in the 1st Marine Division sector, the 5th Marines and the 1st Korean Marine Regiment maintain the advance. In Air Force activity, an attempt to rescue a downed F-51 pilot by a helicopter crew of the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron succeeds. The pilot is retrieved in enemy territory southeast of Pyongyang by an H-19 service test helicopter.

683 In other activity, a contingent of Sabre jets encounters and engages a band of MiGs. The MiGs lose three planes and of these, one is downed by Captain Jabara (334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron), his first. The Sabre jets sustain no losses. In a repeat performance on the following day, the MiGs lose one plane. No losses are sustained by the Sabre jets. In Naval activity, Logistic Support Force (TF 92) composed of Service Squadron Three and Service Division Thirty-one and United Nations Blockading and Escort Force (TF 95) come under the operational control of the Seventh Fleet. Also, Rear Admiral A.E. Smith is reassigned as commanding officer of the U.N. Blockading and Escort Force (TF 95).

April 4 In the I Corps sector, the 25th Division closes on the high ground above the Hant’an River and secures it by the following day. The 24th Division advance encounters nominal resistance except at the right where the enemy stalls the 2nd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, at the western slopes of Kungmang Mountain. The Chinese stand prepared for a tough contest and have permeated the approaches with land mines and barbed wire. In the IX Corps sector, the British contingent operating on the corps’ left had also been stalled by the heavy fire from the heights on Kungmang Mountain. In the X Corps sector, the 1st Cavalry continues to advance. The 7th Marines, attached to the 1st Cavalry, moves north with the 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments against nominal resistance, which permits them to be among the first Eighth Army troops to recross the 38th Parallel.

April 6, 1951 ready died and he is wounded again; still, he refuses personal treatment. While attending to another wounded Marine, Corpsman Dewert is struck again, this time with a fatal wound. Hospital Corpsman Dewert is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism and selfless sacrifice. In the X Corps sector, the 23rd Infantry Regiment, which had relieved the 5th Marines, prepares to launch an attack the following day against the Hwach’on Reservoir. — In Japan: General MacArthur, aware that all assigned forces had crossed the 38th Parallel, informs the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the advance would continue to the Kansas Line. MacArthur’s message also mentions that I Corps will commence Operation DAUNTLESS, designed to move the line forward to Lines Utah and Wyoming.

April 6 Operation RUGGED continues to make progress. In the I Corps sector, elements of the 24th Division (temporarily attached to I Corps) reach the Kansas Line, which stretches along the south bank of the Hant’an

April 5

In the I Corps sector, the 24th Division’s 2nd Battalion, 21st Infantry, supported by planes and artillery, clears the enemy from the western slopes of Kungmang Mountain early in the day. After the high ground is secured, it is occupied by the 5th Infantry Regiment. The 21st Regiment arrives at the Kansas Line on 6 April. The 24th Division is temporarily attached to I Corps. In the IX Corps sector, subsequent to the eviction of the enemy on Kungmang Mountain, the British 27th Brigade, operating on the corps’ left and stalled by fierce enemy fire, is able to reinitiate its advance. On the following day, the British move to the Kansas Line without incident. In the 1st Marine Division zone (IX Corps), a heated firefight erupts and some Marines are wounded. An accompanying Navy corpsman, Richard D. Dewert, assists the wounded and himself becomes wounded, but he refuses treatment and continues to brave the heavy fire. On his third run he discovers one Marine had al-

A contingent of the 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, climbs yet another Korean hill.

April 7, 1951 River. In the 25th Division zone, General Joseph S. Bradley prepares for Operation DAUNTLESS. He selects the Greek detachment and the 24th Regiment to act as vanguard when the Division crosses the Hant’an River. As part of the ongoing preparations, the 27th Regiment, deployed on the left, is relieved by the Greek contingent, while the 24th Regiment deploys on the right, after relieving the 35th Regiment. The 27th and 35th Regiments, subsequent to being relieved, revert to reserve. In the 24th Division zone at the Kansas Line, the 19th Regiment relieves the 5th Regiment and the latter prepares to join with the 21st Regiment to be the vanguard of the Division’s advance in Operation DAUNTLESS. In the IX Corps sector, the ROK 6th Division encounters resistance as it moves up the center, but it pushes through and reaches the Kansas Line. In other activity, the 1st Cavalry Division drives on the right. Its 7th and 8th Regiments advance on the left (east) side of the Pukham River and encounter primitive routes and enemy resistance, raised by elements of the Chinese 39th Army. However, the 7th Marines (attached to the 1st Cavalry) encounters no strong resistance as it pushes forward on the west side of the river. At day’s end, the cavalry remains several miles short of its intended positions at the Hwach’on Reservoir. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 23rd Infantry Regiment (French Battalion attached) initiates its northward attack towards the eastern edge of the Hwach’on Reservoir (Kansas Line). In conjunction, the 23rd is the only regiment on the offensive. The 9th and 38th Infantry Regiments remain in reserve. The French contingent advances to the Kansas Line by 8 April. In the 7th Division zone, the 17th and 32nd Regiments will attack towards the Kansas Line, subsequent to relieving the ROK 5th Division.

April 7

On this date, the total air defense of the Pusan–Pohang area becomes the responsibility of the 1st Marine Air Wing. In conjunction, the Air Defense Section of the Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2 initiates the implementation of the defense system. Also, General Ridgway remains concerned about the possibility of the Chinese opening the gates of the dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir. Ridgway had modified the Kansas Line to place it into the IX Corps zone. Earlier, it had been determined that the dam could not be destroyed by the available bombs. With the modification of the line, the 1st Marine Division is to secure the dam, subsequent to its relief of the 1st Cavalry Division at the Kansas Line. Also, on this day, the 4th Ranger Company is released from the 187th Airborne RCT and attached to IX Corps. The corps commander, General Hoge, decides to use the rangers to knock the dam’s gates out of commission. General Palmer is not aware that the plan is to strike quickly with only the rangers. On the following day, instead of using only the rangers, General Palmer directs the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, and the attached rangers the task of taking the dam.

684 In the I Corps sector, 3rd Division zone, an infantryarmor patrol, composed of the 64th Tank Battalion and Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment, moves north of the 38th Parallel above the Hant’an River and encounters opposition, which it scatters. During the exchange of fire, the Communists hold positions in bunkers; however, they do not deter the patrol. The Chinese sustain high casualties, including nearly forty troops captured. The patrol, led by Lt. Colonel Wilson Hawkins (64th Tank Battalion), sustains only a few casualties, each of a non-serious nature. In Air Force activity, a contingent of 48 F-84Es depart Japan to rendezvous with B-29 bombers while they venture into MiG Alley. The bombers pound targets at Sinuiju and Uiju under the protection of the 27th Fighter Escort Wing. MiGs arrive to intercept and of 30 planes on the attack, one is able to break through the jets to reach the bombers. One B-29 is shot down. In Naval activity, Special Task Force (TF-74)—composed of the USS St. Paul (CA 73), USS Lind (DD 703), USS Massey (DD 778), USS Fort Marion (LSD 22), and the USS Begor (APD 127)—carries out a demolition mission at Sorye-dong. A landing force, composed of British Marines of the 41st Independent Royal Marine Commandos, executes the landing against no resistance and destroys rails in the area.

April 8 Navy Task Force 77 initiates maneuvers off Taiwan and near the coast of mainland China to show force and discourage the Communists from launching an invasion of Taiwan. Intelligence gathering had picked up the possibility of such an assault during spring. The exercise apparently succeeds. No invasion occurs; however, in the absence of the U.S. Navy off Korea, the Communists had been able to make huge repairs to the rail and bridge system that the carrier planes had destroyed the previous March. The task force and its planes depart the Formosa Strait and resume attacks over Korea on 16 April. In the IX Corps sector, fierce resistance continues from the previous day above Chunchon, as the 1st Cavalry drives toward the Kansas Line. During the latter part of this day, General Palmer issues orders to the two attacking regiments (7th and 8th) to form in tighter and greater strength on the following day. Both units are stalled, but the pressure against the 8th Cavalry forces it to pull back. To bolster the attack, the 5th Cavalry is plucked from reserve. In addition, General Palmer prepares the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, for the task of taking the Hwach’on dam. The attack is scheduled for 10 April. However, in the meantime, at about midnight (8th-9th), the enemy opens the floodgates to catch the cavalry by surprise and impede any progress. The attacking units had been forewarned of the possibility of the attempt to flood the route and the troops are prepared. The waters of the Pukham River rise high, but cause no casualties. The sweeping waters damage some bridges and force the Americans to remove some floating bridges. In related activity, the enemy forces that had

685 impeded the cavalry advance withdraw to avoid being trapped by the flood waters, but some forces remain to hold the dam. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, attached to the 1st Cavalry Division, encounters fierce resistance that originates on a ridge near the western end of the Hwach’on Reservoir. Unable to overcome the mortar and machine gun fire, the patrols also become jeopardized by hand grenades. An urgent call for air support is placed; however, all air traffic for the Marines remains under the control of the Joint Operations Center. The Marines are told help is on the way, but at one point, orders come down that state the 1st Marine Division is not eligible for air strikes until it comes out of reserve. And yet more bureaucracy emerges, but finally after six hours, U.S. Air Force planes arrive. In the meantime, Marine squadrons had been in operation supporting the ROKs and the 7th and 8th Cavalry. In the 1st Marine Division zone, orders arrive from Eighth Army to relieve the 1st Cavalry Division at Line Kansas and commence an attack toward Line Quantico above Hwach’on and about ten miles below the Iron Triangle. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the French Battalion attached to the 23rd Regiment reaches the Kansas Line; however, it encounters fierce opposition from entrenched positions on Hill 796, in the vicinity of the southern part of the reservoir.

April 9

Operation DAUNTLESS, ordered by General Ridgway in coordination with Operation RUGGED, is set with a commencement date of 11 April. In the IX Corps sector, the 7th and 8th Cavalry Regiments advance without resistance following two days of hitting tenacious opposition. The regiments arrive at the Kansas Line prior to noon. In related activity, the operation to seize the dam is initiated and General Palmer anticipates its seizure on this day to finalize the mission, prior to being relieved by the Marines on the following day. The 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, jumps off slightly after noon, but the task becomes more difficult than anticipated. The approaches forbid the passage of tanks. The primitive path is too slim even for artillery, so much so that at points, even a jeep is hardly able to maneuver. Company F, 2nd Battalion, spearheads the assault to gain Hill 454, located above the dam and afterwards, the rangers that trail are to bolt to the dam and disable the gates. Enemy mortars pound the force and then, more fire pounds the company. Machine guns and small arms stall the advance and prevent Company E from gaining access to Hill 364 along the southern tip of the ridge. Meanwhile, the enemy holding Hill 364 pours fire upon the cavalrymen to bring the attack to a halt. Division artillery to the north is too far from the target to provide accurate fire. An air strike is called upon to crack the resistance, but it fails to dislodge the enemy. The Chinese hold the dam. General Hoge, the corps commander, and General Palmer, 1st Cavalry commander, agree to commence

April 10, 1951 another assault on the following day. Lt. Colonel John W. Callaway’s 2nd Battalion again gets the task.

April 10 In the IX Corps sector, the bulk of the 1st Cavalry Regiment initiates its movement from the Kansas Line; however, the 7th Cavalry remains in place to launch a second attack to seize the dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir. Company G (2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry), jumps off and as on the previous day, enemy fire prevents progress. The troops have no room to maneuver and they come under fire from the north and the northwest while they are stalled at the base of the diminutive road. The U.S. artillery remains too distant to support the assault and in the meantime, the weather deteriorates, which prevents the possibility of air strikes. General Hoge concludes that Calloway’s 2nd Battalion had not attacked strongly and he decides to attempt yet another assault. General Hoge remains focused on securing the dam prior to withdrawing the 7th Cavalry; however, the 3rd Battalion is already withdrawing from the Kansas Line. Nevertheless, a third assault is planned for the following day. In related activity, the ROK 1st Division patrols, which had been encountering elements of the N.K. 8th Division near the far bank of the Imjin River, on this day find the enemy positions abandoned. Subsequent patrols advance to the old capital of Korea, Kaesong, more than ten miles above the Imjin River, without detecting enemy presence. In the 1st Marine Division zone, as the Division prepares to advance from Line Kansas to the Quantico Line, it is directed to postpone its attack. The Marines are directed to confine their activity to patrols. In the X Corps sector, elements of the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, operating on the corps’ left (Operation SWING), move along the lower shore of the reservoir in an attempt to eliminate the remaining opposition on Hill 796 and catch the withdrawing N.K. 1st Division. The enemy evades an engagement. Some escape across the reservoir in boats and others pass through Yanggu and speed north. The 23rd Regiment arrives in Yanggu and deploys on the Kansas Line on 15 April. The enemy contingents had been part of the N.K. 1st Regiment (also known as 14th N.K. Regiment). In the 7th Division zone, the 17th and 32nd Regiments on the left and right respectively drive toward the Soyang River, which stands at the 38th Parallel. The advance is impeded by the elements and the enemy as it crawls towards its objective, Inje, along the Kansas Line, a few miles north of the 38th Parallel. The 7th Division is the sole Eighth Army unit that remains short of the Kansas Line. — In the United States: The Defense Department issues an order (effective 1 May) that lowers the intelligence standards for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The adjustment brings the level equal to that of the Army. For the first time since World War II, the Marine Corps as well as the Air Force and the Navy will be accepting draftees.

April 11, 1951

April 11

686

In the I Corps sector, Operation DAUNTcommences. It consists of two phases, the first, a drive to the Utah Line, followed by a drive to the Wyoming Line. The 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, supported by the Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team and two companies of the 64th Tank Battalion, drives toward the objective. The force pushes up the corps’ center. On the corps’ right, the 25th Division and the 24th Division (X Corps) drive toward Ch’orwon and Kumhwa against resistance raised by the Chinese 26th and 40th Armies.

LESS

In conjunction, the 25th Division encounters heavy resistance as it moves, holding up progress. The 25th Division gets across the Hant’an River after four dogged days to gain positions in the high ground between Route 33 and Route 3, known as the Pogae-san heights. After two additional days, the division arrives at a point about five miles from the Utah Line. Meanwhile, the 24th Division, on loan from X Corps, drives against resistance originating on the ridges (Kwangdok-san) along the Yongp’yong River. In the IX Corps sector, the 7th Cavalry again initiates

A U.S. convoy crosses the Soyang River at the 38th Parallel.

687 an attack to clear the Chinese from the dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir. The regiment, commanded by Colonel William A. Harris, has already expended much of its ammunition and its supplies have dwindled. Although Harris is authorized to commit the entire 7th Cavalry Regiment, he is convinced there is insufficient time to resupply the regiment in time to sustain a fullscale assault. Since the attack of the previous day, some artillery, two 8-inch batteries of the 17th FABn, and one 155mm battery of the 4th FABn (1st Marine Division) has arrived to points close enough to support the assault. However, the weather again is inclement and air support is unavailable. The assault is further hampered because much of the cavalry’s amphibious equipment had already been moved to Taegu or transferred to the 1st Marine Division as it moved up on the 10th to relieve the 1st Cavalry. Colonel Harris conducts a scavenger hunt and the search comes up with fewer than ten boats to use to carry rangers, but not all are equipped with motors. In addition, boat operators are lacking, which compels Colonel Harris to improvise and use men from his own regiment. Nonetheless, prior to dawn, two platoons of the 4th Ranger Company push off to take the dam. The rangers safely debark on the eastern peninsula, but the trailing rangers cross in daylight and the Chinese pour fire upon them. In the meantime, the first unit encounters heavy fire as the rangers move to seize the heights. The attack stalls and back on the water, some of the trailing rangers are forced to return to their starting point. All the while, Chinese on the western peninsula rush to bolster the defenses against the attacking force. The rangers under Captain Dorsey B. Anderson remain stalled, prompting Colonel Harris to call up the 3rd Battalion, Company I, which crosses the reservoir at about 1100. Due to the difficulties caused by the lack of boats and motors, the unit is unable to quickly reach the eastern peninsula. By midday, only one platoon reaches the rangers. In coordination with the attack to seize the dam, a diversionary attack gets stalled before it can advance. A patrol initiated by Company A is unable to evict gunners in the northwest. To further derail the mission, Company E, 2nd Battalion, is still held up at the western ridge, unable to advance from its base. The enemy’s fortifications withstand U.S. artillery fire and maintain heavy fire that forbids progress. Before nightfall, the attack is cancelled. The rangers and Company I are ordered to withdraw rather than risk being overwhelmed during the darkened hours by a Chinese assault. The elements of Company I at the front and the rangers pull back without being harassed by the Chinese. At about dusk, the troops move to the south shore of the reservoir. Just after midnight the rangers and Company I reach the positions of the regiment at the Kansas Line. The mission had been costly, as both units sustain high casualties. The 7th Cavalry is afterwards placed into reserve. Its commander, Colonel William Harris, is transferred to the United States. He is replaced by Colonel Dan Gilmer.

April 12, 1951 In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) initiates operations in the Straits of Formosa just outside the three-mile limit of mainland China. Carrier planes carry out an air parade that lasts for three days. During the operation, photos of particular potential targets in China are acquired. —In the United States: General Douglas MacArthur is fired by President Truman. He is succeeded by General Matthew B. Ridgway, who at this time is commander, Eighth Army. With his promotion, Ridgway also receives the other posts held by MacArthur: supreme commander, Allied Powers in Japan; commander-in-chief, U.N. Command in Korea; U.S. commander-in-chief, Far East; and commanding general, U.S. Army, Far East. Lieutenant General James A. Van Fleet succeeds General Ridgway as Eighth Army commander in Korea beginning 14 April. General Ridgway arrives in Japan from Korea and he makes it clear to the Japanese that all polices will remain in place, with no changes to come.

April 12 In the IX Corps sector, the ROK 1st Marine Corps Regiment relieves the 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, at the Kansas Line. In Air Force activity, since the arrival of spring and the thawing of the rivers, the Yalu River bridges remain a high priority of the U.S. Air Force. On this day, fortysix B-29s, escorted by a force of 100 fighters (F-84s), move against the targeted bridges. However, the B-29s fail to maintain a close formation and compel the escort fighters to spread out too far. The planes are met by a large force of about 50 or more MiGs that arrive from across the Yalu. At the approach of the enemy, the escort fighters try to close their ranks, but the MiGs are able by that time to break through and down two of the B-29s while inflicting severe damage to a third that forces it to make an emergency landing at Suwon. In addition, four to seven others are damaged in the skies. The B-29 gunners score seven kills. One of the tailgunners credited with a victory this day is Sergeant Ercel S. Dye, attached to the 371st Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bombardment Wing (M). Sergeant Dye begins firing at a charging MiG from a distance of 2,000 yards and his finger remains on the trigger when the MiG stands at 50 feet away, veers off, goes into a vertical dive and explodes upon impact. The escort force of F-84s destroys four others in aerial duels. Another tailgunner, Sergeant Robert A. Winslow, attached to the 30th Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group (M), gets a kill when a MiG closes on the rear. Winslow keeps the plane under fire and just as it pulls even closer to pass and reaches a point just above Winslow’s plane at a distance of about 50 feet, he lets go with another series of shots that strike paydirt. The MiG sustains successive explosions and crashes. No F-84s are lost. Although the spans sustain some direct hits, the raids do not succeed in destroying the bridges. The B-29 gunners initially claim ten kills, but the Air Force

April 13, 1951 awards credit for only seven. Of these, Sergeant Billy G. Beach gets credit for two of the downed MiGs. Colonel Meyer and Lt. Colonel Hinton each get one kill (the final one for both men). Other gunners aboard B29s, including Sergeant Lyle R. Patterson (30th Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, M), Sergeant David R. Stime (371st Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bombardment Wing, M), and Sergeant Royal A. Veatch (30th Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, M), also receive credit for a victory after each gunner downs one of the MiG-15s. In addition, two Sabre jet pilots, Captain Jabara and Captain Howard M. Lane, each down one of the MiGs. The climbing total of B-29 losses compels General Stratemeyer to suspend B-29 Superfortress attacks in the Sinuiju region. The F-84 Thunderjets are not capable of neutralizing the MiGs. General Partridge reports to Far East Air Forces that it would take the F-86 Sabre jets to handle the MiG threat against the bombers. — In Japan: General Ridgway and General MacArthur meet at the Embassy library in Tokyo. During the meeting, General Ridgway decides to wait until General Van Fleet arrives on April 14 before officially replacing MacArthur. Ridgway returns to Korea to continue to control Operations RUGGED and DAUNTLESS.

April 13

General Ridgway is completing some final issues prior to moving to Japan. However, he will retain much control over Eighth Army after General Van Fleet becomes its commander on the following day. Strategy sessions this day determine that at present, the Chinese are not yet prepared to launch an offensive. Nevertheless, new lines are established by Ridgway’s staff in the event that withdrawals are forced by a later Communist attack. Line Delta, the initial line to the south, stretches east to west from coast to coast, originating at Chonchon. Secondly, the Nevada Line, also extending from coast to coast, runs from the west at the lower bank of the Han River and afterward, it pivots northeastwardly toward Yangyang. Line Golden is drawn from the Han River, slightly more than five miles west of the capital, to a point that intersects with the Nevada Line in the vicinity of Yongp’yong. In other activity, the I Corps continues to advance to the Utah Line. Also, the X Corps and the ROK III Corps maintain the advance to the Kansas Line. In the X Corps sector, enemy resistance against the 7th Cavalry Regiment in the center and the ROK 5th Division on the right begins to lessen considerably. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force reconnaissance planes discover as many as 400 to 500 MiGs parked on one field in Manchuria. The intelligence brings the dilemma of the U.S. aviators, once again, to the forefront. Even now, at this stage in the war, Congress has not provided sufficient funding for the number of Sabre jets required to neutralize the overwhelming enemy planes and pilots. Nonetheless, the Sabre jet pilots ignore the odds and continue to prevail in the skies. The U.S. planes are forbidden from chasing MiGs

688 across the Yalu, but on occasion, some planes stray. And in some instances, pilots intentionally cross the river, apparently accidentally on purpose. The number of kills by Sabre jets sometimes varies from official records. There is combat footage of MiGs with their wheels down as they approach a landing strip and other footage shows parked MiGs on a field in Manchuria. In Naval activity, Commander Fleet Air, Japan, is designated CTG 96.4. Also, Commander Fleet Air Wing Six is designated CTG 96.2. The designations cause the detachment of Fleet Air Wing Six from the operational control of Commander Fleet Air, Japan.

April 14

General Van Fleet arrives in Korea to assume command of Eighth Army. He is met by General Ridgway upon his arrival. The transfer-of-command ceremony commences at 1700 hours. Ridgway directs Van Fleet not to advance beyond the Wyoming Line in strength and to inform him if it is necessary to move beyond the Utah Line. General Ridgway departs for Japan later in the day, but avoids going to headquarters as a courtesy to General MacArthur, who had not yet departed for the United States. He remains quartered at a hotel in Tokyo. In the ROK III Corps sector, the ROK 5th Division, after overcoming resistance in the Taebaek Mountains, arrives at the Kansas Line. The advance had been extremely difficult for the troops, who had no roads to ease the march. In addition to the weather and the enemy obstacles, the force had to be supplied by air drops. In the I Corps sector, the 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, arrives at the Utah Line. The regiment, bolstered by elements of the 64th Tank Battalion and the Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team, had encountered contingents of the Chinese 26th Army en route to the line, at points between the Imjin River and Route 33, but the opposition was eliminated. The rapid progress of the 65th Regiment greatly extends the I Corps line, but at this time, there is no indication of an enemy offensive in the works. Since about 9 April, Eighth Army units have spotted large plumes of smoke. Planes also spot the fires and the origins. The enemy is intentionally starting fires to camouflage daytime troop movements. The nasty weather, combined with the smoke, causes difficulty for the U.S. air operations and for the artillery.

April 15 Eighth Army operations continue, but the enemy, with regard to major combat, remains elusive. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th Division advances in the vicinity of Inje. It encounters and evicts elements of the N.K. 45th Division from their positions. Subsequent to clearing the village, the advance is bolstered during the night by artillery that hammers the ridges above Inje, to further clear the path to the Kansas Line. In the U.S. 7th Division zone, the 17th Regiment encounters mines and other obstacles along Route 29 as it moves toward the Kansas Line; however, opposition

689 from the N.K. 15th Division had subsided over the past few days. The 17th Regiment establishes contact with the 2nd Division this day. In the meantime, the 32nd Regiment is also pushing towards the Kansas Line against heavy resistance. In Naval activity, Marine Force Far East (TF-91) is re-designated Marine Air Force Far East (TF-91). Also, Escort Carrier Group (TG-96.8) is dissolved.

April 16

General Van Fleet arrives in the ROK Army zone to confer with the commanders and the South Korean defense minister. Also, the Communists continue to retreat, leaving most of the Eighth Army front much more quiet than usual. In the IX Corps sector, the British 27th Brigade arrives at the Utah Line. The British had moved across and cleared elements of the Chinese 40th Army from Paegun Mountain while it was en route to the line. The British Brigade is relieved by the ROK 6th Division’s 19th Regiment. One contingent of New Zealand artillery remains with the South Koreans, while the brigade moves to Kap’yong as corps reserve. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th Division advances to the Kansas Line against no organized resistance. The division had secured Inje on the previous day and the remaining enemy forces on nearby ridges had apparently been cleared by nightlong artillery bombardments. Also, more contingents of the 17th Regiment, 7th Division, enter Yanggu this day to form with the 7th Division along the Kansas Line. The 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, continues to advance against resistance towards the Kansas Line. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces initiates a short series of missions against Pongyang, Kangdong and Yonpo and various airfields in the vicinity. Between this date and 20 April, B-29s fly about ten sorties each day against the targets. — In Japan: General MacArthur departs Japan. General Ridgway confers with the headquarters staff subsequent to a farewell ceremony for MacArthur. While MacArthur is being driven to the airport, he witnesses huge crowds of Japanese who had lined the route from Tokyo to Haneda Airport to say farewell. The entourage arrives at the airport at 0700, and an Army band is in place to accompany the flyover by U.S. planes and a nineteen gun salute by an artillery unit. The plane that transports MacArthur and his family arrives in Hawaii before continuing on to the States. General Ridgway makes some immediate changes. Major General Doyle O. Hickey, acting chief of staff (Far East Command and U.N. Command) is officially appointed to the post. He had been acting chief of staff since the previous September in place of General Almond, who departed as commander of X Corps. During their final conversation, MacArthur informs Ridgway that if he had the choice of selecting his own successor, “I would have chosen you.” Thirteen years later, according to Ridgway, a report surfaces from an interview MacArthur gave to a reporter in 1954 that

April 17, 1951 places Ridgway at the bottom of MacArthur’s list of field commanders.

April 17 General Van Fleet moves across the entire front, covering it from coast to coast. Up to this point, the initial phase of Operation DAUNTLESS succeeds. Nevertheless, there is still great concern that the Communists are preparing to strike. Also, The U.S., aware of a massive operation to rebuild the airfields for the People’s Air Force since February, launches attacks to destroy the airfields to prevent the Chinese from providing air support to their ground troops. It was earlier decided that premature strikes could not have succeeded in total destruction. This day, B-29s pound the bases and the air attacks continue until the 23rd. The massive air strikes take out the fields and prevent the Communists from providing air support for their spring offensive. In the I Corps sector, enemy resistance against the 25th and 24th Divisions begins to subside. One patrol, attached to the 5th Tank Battalion, 24th Division, plows along Route 3 and reaches a point about six or seven miles from Kumhwa without incident. Meanwhile, the 25th Division maintains its slow-paced advance. In the IX Corps sector, on the opposite side of the Hwach’on Reservoir from the X Corps positions, ongoing patrols of the 1st Marine Division and ROK 6th Division search for the enemy. All reports indicate that the Chinese continue to retire. Nevertheless, Eighth Army still anticipates an enemy offensive in the making. Also, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment deploys elements in the high ground above the Pukham River, west of the dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir and on the ridge inside the Pukham loop, to prepare to evict the Chinese still holding the dam. The 7th Cavalry fails to seize it prior to being relieved by the Korean Marines. In the X Corps sector, General Almond orders patrols to probe for enemy hot spots above his positions along the Kansas line. The 32nd Regiment, 7th Division, arrives at the Kansas Line. In Air Force activity, a specialized U.S. and South Korean contingent executes a mission known as Operation MiG. The party gets behind enemy lines in an H-19 helicopter to the scene of a crashed MiG-15 in the vicinity of Sinanju. The detachment succeeds in retrieving particular components of the plane and gets them back to friendly lines where they can be transferred to gather intelligence. En route, the helicopter is hit once by enemy fire, but it returns safely. In other activity, B-29s, escorted by F-86 Sabre jets of the 4th Interceptor Fighter Wing, attack enemy bridges. —In the United States: General Douglas MacArthur arrives in San Francisco from Hawaii, where he had been received by large, enthusiastic crowds. Upon his arrival back in the States during the evening, again, huge crowds gather along the route from the airport to the city, causing the motorcade a long delay in

April 18, 1951 reaching the hotel. On the following day, the people of San Francisco gather again and the city celebrates MacArthur’s return with a tickertape parade. President Truman, by executive order, extends the enlistments of U.S. military personnel, which freezes all discharges.

April 18 In the I Corps sector, elements of the 25th Division, including the 35th Infantry Regiment, the 89th Tank Battalion and a contingent of artillery, advance through the Hant’an River valley without incident, until the force reaches a point about five miles from Ch’orwon. In the IX Corps sector, a small patrol of Korean Marines fords the Pukham River slightly less than five miles west of the dam at the Hwachon Reservoir and afterward discovers the town of Hwach’on undefended, except for eleven Chinese troops, who are quickly seized. In the X Corps sector, patrols again venture north of the Kansas Line in search of enemy positions, but no major concentrations are located. In Air Force activity, rescue helicopters come under fire during evacuation sorties. Ten H-5 helicopters (3rd ARS) arrive at the front line to pick up seriously wounded troops to get them to medical facilities. Five of them come under fire; however, all complete their missions and twenty troops are evacuated safely. April 19

Elements of the attacking units of I and IX Corps are on the Utah Line. In the I Corps sector, the 25th and 24th Divisions plow forward against the enemy and the elements toward the Utah Line. Enemy fire, combined with heavy rains and primitive roads, slow progress, but the bulk of the 25th Division arrives at the line on the following day. The 24th Division also arrives on the line on the 20th. Eighth Army pauses to catch a slight breather and get the units re-supplied before it reinitiates the

690 attack. The offensive to reach the Wyoming Line resumes on 21 April. In the X Corps sector, for the third straight day, General Almond’s patrols encounter no enemy strong points north of the Kansas Line. Only sporadic resistance is encountered. In Air Force activity, the C-119s ground on 31 May begin to come back into service. The first plane to receive some modifications and be reconditioned is placed back in operation. — In the United States: General MacArthur arrives in Washington, D.C., and delivers an address to a joint session of Congress. MacArthur gives his outlook on the conflict in Korea, his thoughts on the Communist threats to the U.S. and the necessity of bringing about victory. The speech, which lasts slightly longer than thirty-five minutes, is interrupted about fifty times with loud, sustained applause. MacArthur closes by saying: “I am closing my fifty-two years of military service. When I joined the Army, even before the turn of the century, it was with the fulfillment of all my boyish hopes and dreams. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the Plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barrack ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that old soldiers never die; they just fade away. And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Goodbye.”

April 20 Intelligence is unable to provide a specific date for the anticipated enemy counterattack, but it is thought to be between this day and 1 May. Nonetheless, no outward signs of an offensive are spotted in any sector of Eighth Army. Intelligence had determined

The British 29th Brigade takes a pause during its pullback under pressure by enemy offensive.

691 that the Chinese had succeeded in getting two new Army groups (III and IX) into the region near the Kumch’on–Koksan–Ich’on area. The information leads the U.S. to speculate that the attack, when launched, will pour across the Imjin River from the north and northwest. General Van Fleet informs General Ridgway that all units are either at or close to their respective Lines (Kansas and Utah) and that Eighth Army will initiate the next phase of Operation DAUNTLESS on the following day. General Van Fleet, in addition to directing the I and IX Corps to advance to the Wyoming Line, requests of Ridgway authorization to have the X Corps and the ROK I and III Corps push to Kansong, a town situated along the coast near the junction of Route 24 and the coastal road. The X Corps objective stands slightly more than twenty miles above Yangyang. Ridgway authorizes the plan, but he modifies the route of attack by shortening the arc of the eastern sweep. The operation is to commence on 24 April. In other activity, two planes attached to Marine Squadron VMF-312 aboard the light carrier Bataan encounter and engage four enemy Yak fighters in the Pyongyang–Chinnamp’o area. Three of the enemy planes are destroyed; one escapes. In the I Corps sector, the 3rd Division under General Robert H. Soule, unlike the 24th and 25th Divisions, had made long gains during the advance. The Corps’ line, due to the progress of the 3rd Division, extends from the mouth of the Imjin River to a point about ten miles from Ch’orwon, which gives the I Corps about thirty miles to defend if the Communists launch an attack. The ROK 1st Division, on the 3rd Division’s left, holds ground at Route 1 that extends from the mouth of the Imjin to a point about fifteen miles distant, known as the Korangp’o-ri bend. The 3rd Division stands at the Korangp’o-ri Route 33 sector. It is augmented by the British 29th Brigade. In the X Corps sector, patrols advance to a point about two miles above the Kansas Line, but still, the enemy remains elusive.

April 21

Marine planes attached to a carrier encounter enemy aircraft for the first time over Korea. Two Yaks are downed by Captain Philip C. DeLong, while another Marine pilot, 1st Lieutenant Harold U. Daigh, downs one plane and inflicts damage upon one other. Also, The U.N. forces, composed primarily of U.S. troops, advance beyond the 38th Parallel as the final phase of Operation DAUNTLESS commences. The 1st Marine Division launches an attack in its zone in coordination with the operation. The Marines drive toward the area above the Hwach’on Dam. At the same time, the elusive enemy that has been difficult to engage since about the 11 April initiates an offensive on this day. In the I Corps sector, 3rd and the 25th Divisions push off for their respective objectives. The 25th advances towards Ch’orwon while the 24th drives towards

April 22, 1951 Kumhwa, the latter at the point of the Iron Triangle. Both divisions move beyond the Kansas Line and gain, at some points, about five miles, against minor sporadic resistance. Meanwhile, the 25th Division moves across the Pogae-san heights en route to Ch’orwon, but the task is much more difficult, as the troops are hit by heavy artillery fire. After dark, the Chinese attack the Utah Line particularly hard in the zone of the Turkish Brigade at Route 33. During the night (21st-22nd), patrols discover that the Chinese have fortified positions at the Imjin River. In the IX Corps sector, no enemy opposition is encountered. The ROK 6th Division moves in the Kwangdok-san ridges, alongside of the 24th Division (on loan to I Corps). In the 1st Marine Division zone, after a three-week delay, the Division is directed to initiate its attack from the Kansas Line to Line Quantico. The attack is to begin the following day. In the X Corps sector, patrols of the 2nd and 7th Divisions encounter large concentrations of North Korean troops in the area east of the Hwach’on Reservoir. The discovery of various concentrations of enemy units, some of which contain up to 1,000 troops, is a signal to Eighth Army that they are relieving and reinforcing units, but still, there is no absolute evidence to prove a counterattack is imminent. Also, Marine Air Group 12 (Forward Echelon) begins to operate from the airport in Seoul. In Air Force activity, a plane (SA-16) attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squad takes off for the scene of a downed enemy Yak pilot in the vicinity of Chinnamp’o to try to retrieve him for the purpose of gathering intelligence; however, after the plane lands and puts out a raft, enemy fire becomes too heavy. The mission is aborted and the plane takes off without harm and without the enemy pilot. Also, Major Blake, on a mission as part of the 13th Bombardment Squadron, comes under heavy fire from antiaircraft guns as his bomber approaches the target. Despite the lack of gun turrets on his B-26, Blake passes at low levels and bombs and strafes the marshaling yard at Songchon. His plane sustains some damage to the radio antennae, but Blake destroys one locomotive, damages another and damages about 15 boxcars. After expending all of his ammunition, including machine gun shells, Blake chooses to remain overhead until daylight to try to detect moving trains. After dawn he calls for fighters and guides them to the marshaling yards. April 22–July 8 1951. FIFTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: CCF SPRING OFFENSIVE.

April 22 The Communists launch a spring offensive (fifth phase). Aerial observation spots large concentrations of enemy forces to the north of I and IX Corps and more are detected northwest of I Corps. More enemy units are spotted east of the Hwach’on Reservoir above Yanggu and Inje. The combined Communist

April 22, 1951

692

U.S. troops (25th Division) assist a wounded soldier on 22 April to get him down a hill to medical aid. force moving against Seoul numbers about 270,000 troops and includes the III, IX and XIX Army Groups. The Chinese, following a four-hour bombardment, unleash three armies in a two-pronged assault. Under a full moon amid endless sounds of whistles, flares and blaring bugles, the Chinese launch the first phase of the attack against Eighth Army troops in central Korea, as a diversion. The primary assault is thrown against I and IX Corps to encircle and destroy Eighth Army defenders and seize Seoul. About 50 percent of the available enemy forces in Korea participate in the attack; however, it is not heavily supported by artillery, nor does it receive close-air support. Nonetheless, by the following day, the Communist offensive is in full swing across the entire Korean peninsula. In the I Corps sector, the advance to the Wyoming Line is reinitiated. Enemy resistance is encountered, but on the left flank, the coveted dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir is seized effortlessly by the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. It becomes apparent on the ground that the enemy offensive is underway, as civilians approach from the northwest. More evidence is discovered in the 3rd Division zone, when a patrol captures a soldier attached to the Chinese 34th Division, 12th Army. At about 1700, air observers in the 25th Division zone spot a huge column with vehicles and artillery as it moves down Route 33, on a collision course with the Turkish Brigade. Meanwhile, in the 24th Division sector, other enemy ground troops are spotted on Route

33. The U.S. initiates an artillery attack to impede progress. As General Bryan directs the 24th Division in preparation for an imminent attack, the ROK 6th Division, positioned beside the 24th, seems to be in line for a direct assault. Elements of the 24th Division had seized prisoners attached to the Chinese 59th Division. In the 25th Division zone, as anticipated, the brunt of the enemy assault strikes the Turkish Brigade. Following a heavy artillery bombardment, which lasts several hours, the Chinese strike the Turks’ perimeter along Route 33. At about midnight, elements of the Chinese 179th Division (III Army Group) plow into the Turkish lines and the positions of the 24th Regiment. The Turks are split into several isolated contingents as the Chinese push through between the Turks and the left flank of the 24th Regiment. Artillery support is cancelled due to the close-quartered fighting. The Chinese pound against the lines throughout the night and by dawn, they are threatening also the 27th Infantry Regiment. Some enemy forces penetrate about two miles beyond the front lines. At dawn the Chinese strike the Division’s right, defended by the 27th Regiment. However, the 27th Infantry throws up a wall of fire that the Chinese are unable to penetrate. After less than one hour of failed attempts and high casualties, the Chinese disengage. General Sladen Bradley, the division commander, directs the 24th and 27th Regiments to pull back about two miles. The Turkish brigade is directed to leave the line to regroup. Despite the harrowing night, the Turks

693 emerge with much less damage than expected. Nevertheless, one of the isolated Turkish contingents, a full company, is annihilated. The reserve 35th Infantry Regiment assumes responsibility for the Turkish zone. In the 3rd Division zone, the Chinese also strike at about midnight of the 22nd-23rd. The initial thrust against the 65th Infantry Regiment hits the Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team and knocks it out of its positions, but otherwise, no gains are accomplished. Throughout the night, the two enemy divisions (34th Division, 12th Army and 29th Division, 15th Army) expend many troops. During the morning of the 23rd, the Filipinos mount a counterattack and regain the ground they had lost at the beginning of the fight. In the meantime, the attacks subside, but the withdrawal of the Turks has left the right flank of the 65th Regiment exposed. Also, the regiment’s perimeter remains under threat by the Chinese XIX Army Group, which is pressing against the British 29th Brigade deployed in the southwest. The British also come under severe attack at about midnight. The enemy crashes through a hole that exists between the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Belgians along the Imjin River near Hill 194. Word is passed from the Belgians that the enemy is moving to unguarded crossings. Reinforcements attached to the Ulster battalion speed toward the two suspected bridges, but Chinese forces ambush the column. The unit is nearly annihilated. The Chinese, meanwhile, continue to pour into the region with some moving to assault the Belgians at Hill 194, and others heading straight to the two unguarded bridges. Soon after, Company Z (Northumberland Fusileers), deployed on Hill 257 on the opposite bank, is attacked. Another objective that comes under attack by the forces that cross the bridges is Company X, also of the Fusiliers, deployed on Hill 162 along the Imjin, but downstream from Hill 257. Company Y, deployed in the right tip of the zone, evades attack, but the enemy advances on both sides of their lines. The Chinese dominate the bridges from positions at Hill 257 and at dawn, their artillery fire prevents U.S. reinforcements from accessing the Hant’an crossing along Route 11. In addition, Chinese reinforcements continue to arrive to bolster the assault against Hill 294, held by the Belgians. At about dawn, the British commander concludes that a pullback is necessary. In the IX Corps sector, the advance continues without encountering any heavy resistance. Later in the day, the ROK 6th Division captures members of the Chinese 60th Division. Other Chinese are captured by the Turkish Brigade. Information gathered from the POWs indicates that an attack by the enemy would be launched subsequent to dusk. In the ROK 6th Division zone, the advance towards the Wyoming Line is halted by about 1600. The commanding officer, General Chang, disregards the advice of his KMAG advisor regarding the deployment of the division and deploys his reserve (7th Regiment) too close to the front, immedi-

April 22, 1951 ately behind his 2nd Regiment. The 2nd Regiment and the 19th Regiment fail to establish defensive positions as ordered. Within about four hours, the Chinese strike the ROK 6th Division, which collapses. The ROK 2nd and 19th Regiments retreat haphazardly, leaving great quantities of weapons and equipment for the Communists. The reserve 7th Regiment, after seeing the stampede, also retires aimlessly. The failure to stand and fight jeopardizes many other units. The New Zealand artillery contingents in support of the 6th Division are compelled to withdraw. Nearby, the South Korean artillery battalion, unprotected after the abandonment of positions by the 6th Division, is caught by the Chinese before it can retreat. The Korean artillerymen, like the infantry, abandon their weapons. U.S. units in support of the South Koreans are also compelled to pull back; however, the Americans carry out all their equipment and weapons. They head eastward to link with the 92nd Armored FABn, but the route is clogged by retreating Koreans and abandoned vehicles. When the elements of Company C, 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion, and the 2nd Rocket Field Artillery Battery arrive at the lines of the 92nd Armored FABN positions, much of their weapons have been left behind along the unpassable road. While the U.S. toils to fill in gaps and hold against the attacks, the ROK 6th Division continues to run. General Chang is unable to regroup any of his command until about dawn on the following day at positions about ten miles from where they were supposed to be. The 24th Division and the 1st Marine Division are both severely jeopardized. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th and 5th Marines advance on the left and center, with the 1st Korean Marine Regiment moving on the right. In conjunction, the 1st Marines are kept in reserve. During the day, the advance meets with little opposition. All the while, the enemy pours troops into the vacated positions of the ROK 6th Division. At 2130, word arrives that west of the division positions, the ROK 6th Division is under strong pressure. Just after 2200, orders arrive instructing the Marines to cancel the scheduled resumption of the advance (at 0800 on the 23rd) and instead, consolidate their positions. At about the same time, the ROKs collapse, which creates a huge hole. The Chinese plow through the gap and punch against the 7th Marines with the brunt of the assault, but the 5th Marines also come under attack. The 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, is called from reserve to move up and fill the gap on the division’s left flank. Meanwhile, the retreat of the ROKs jams the roads and hinders the advance of the 1st Marines. Just before midnight, the Chinese strike the Korean Marines (2nd Battalion) at Hill 509 on the right and maneuver to partially surround the 1st Battalion. At the same time, the center of the perimeter, held by the 5th Marines, sustains a tenacious assault. At the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines’ command post at Hwach’on, a contingent is immediately dispatched to gain Hill 313, the dominating point that controls the town. A bitter

April 23, 1951 contest ensues as, the Marine platoon and the Chinese each covet the hill. The Marines lose 7 killed and 17 wounded. Reinforcements from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, move to reinforce 1st Battalion, but by dawn, the situation eases. The Marine platoon holds Hill 313; the Chinese had abandoned it during the night. In the 7th Marines area along the Division left, the 1st Battalion braces against the onslaught of about 2,000 troops of the 358th Regiment, 120th Division, Chinese 40th Army. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Marine 1st Battalion holds steadfastly, thanks in great part to the support of artillery. During the battle, PFC Herbert A. Littleton, Company A, 1st Battalion, is on guard when the attack is sprung. He alerts the forward observers and remains at his post to help guide the artillery, but just after more Marines rush to join him, the enemy tosses a grenade in their positions. Littleton spots the live grenade and blankets it with his body to save the others. His sacrifice spares the others and permits them to support the artillery. PFC Littleton is awarded the4 Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless sacrifice. The 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, move up in time to help hold the line west of Hwach’on. By dawn on the 23rd, the American and South Korean Marines had thrown back the attacks. The town of Hwach’on and the dam are preserved. No further attempts to gain it are made. With the arrival of dawn on the 23rd, it is apparent that the Chinese fail to exploit the gap on the flanks, opened with the retreat of the ROK 6th Division. Only frontal attacks had been thrown against the Marines. In the X Corps sector, elements of the N.K. 45th Division launch attacks against the 32nd Infantry Regiment on the 7th Division’s right flank, but no progress is made. However, the ROK 3rd Division, holding the east flank, is hit hard. Before noon on the following day, the Communists drive the ROKs back and create a gap with which to reach Inje. In the ROK III Corps sector, contact is made with elements of the N.K. 12th Division (V Corps) by the ROK 5th Division at a spot above Inje. Prior to this day, the ROKs had been encountering elements of the N.K. 45th Division. In the 25th Division zone, pressure by the Chinese and North Koreans prompts the Marines to order the air support section of MCTACS-2 to pull back about six miles and reestablish positions about one mile north of Chunchon. On the 24th, the unit again withdraws to a point about four miles south of the town. In Air Force activity, by this date, the airfield at Suwon has been improved above its primitive condition and additional Sabre jets of the 334th and 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadrons of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing are now there, which permits the U.S. to dispatch more planes into MiG Alley. The planes on this afternoon get an opportunity to unfold their recently developed tactic, which has been made possible by adding two planes to each flight, bringing the total from four to six planes. With the added power, the

694 Sabres expect to neutraize the MiGs that attack and separate the formation into two pairs. A patrol of 12 Sabres is intercepted by a band of 36 MiGs while on patrol by the Yalu River. When the MiGs use their tactic of one diving and one climbing, they discover that four Sabres pursue the one that climbs and two chase the one that dives. In addition, the Communists discover that their timing is bad, as another twelve Sabres arrive to relieve the one already engaged. The tactic works well. Four of the MiGs are destroyed and another four sustain damage. One of the downed planes is credited to Lt. Colonel Eagleston. It is Eagleston’s second and final kill of the war. Captain Jabara also gets one kill, his fourth.

April 23–27 1951 The U.S. Marines engage and halt the Chinese Communist offensive and prevent them from turning the IX Corps’ flank. April 23 Far East Air Forces concludes a series of devastating raids against enemy-held airfields. B29s have been saturating the airfields, particularly those in the forward areas in the vicinity of Pyongyang, since the 17th. On this day, the planes also execute about 340 sorties in close-air support missions. The bombers succeed in eliminating air support for the enemy offensive launched the previous day. In other activity, prior to noon, General Van Fleet determines that the positions of the I Corps and the IX Corps have become undefendable, subsequent to the hasty retreat of the ROK 6th Division on the previous day. General Van Fleet aborts the advance to the Alabama Line (scheduled for 24 April) and he directs I and IX Corps to establish entrenched positions along the Kansas Line. Nonetheless, by day’s end, the corps perimeter remains in peril due to enemy pressure. During the latter part of the day, it is suggested to abandon the Kansas Line for the Golden Line, just to the front of Seoul, but General Van Fleet prefers not to grant the enemy more territory without having them pay a stiff price. In other activity, Naval Task Force 77, operating in the Sea of Japan, changes its fast carrier mission from interdiction to close support. Other air support includes USMC fighter squadrons, five of which are landbased in southeastern Korea and a sixth aboard the escort carrier Bataan. The ground troops are also supported by the Fifth Air Force, which on this day carries out 340 sorties. The 1st Marine Air Wing flies 205 sorties and of these, 153 are in support of the front, including the I Corps as the 24th and 25th Divisions and elements of the 3rd Infantry Division withdraw to the Kansas Line. In the I Corps sector, at Hill 194, defended by the Belgians in the British 29th Brigade zone, a heavy enemy assault is launched. Reinforcements from the U.S. 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, bolstered by tanks, move against the two bridges that had been unprotected but now remain under the guns of the Chinese. Heavy fire from the heights at Hill 257 prevents the Americans from attempting to force the Hant’an crossing.

695

April 23, 1951

A contingent of the 25th Division is deployed in the hills south of Ch’orwon, April 23. British Brigadier Thomas Brodie pulls back his force and draws a line about two miles below Hill 257 and deploys on both sides of Route 11. Meanwhile, Brodie requests help from General Soule, who dispatches the 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, to bolster the British positions. The Gloster Battalion, holding near Route 5Y, had engaged the Chinese since the previous night on Hill 148 west of the road and Hills 144 and 182 on the opposite side of the road. Company A, on Hill 144, remains unscathed, but Company D, at Hill 182, sustains high casualties, but surrenders no ground. At Hill 148, Company A repels the enemy throughout the night, but by dawn, the remaining able-bodied troops are unable to continue to hold. The positions at an ancient castle near the summit of the hill are abandoned. Company A establishes an ambush at the Imjin and after successfully eliminating many Chinese, the unit retires without sustaining any casualties. After dawn (23rd), the battalion redeploys in the vicinity of Solma-ri. Company A occupies Hill 235 and the remainder deploys nearby on either side of the road. During the early part of the day, the Chinese attempt to ford the Imjin in force at several locations, but artillery fire and air strikes halt the penetrations prior to noon. In related activity, the ROK 1st Division, bolstered by tanks, repels several intrusions. The 12th ROK Regiment eliminates the probing attacks by about noon. Other elements push out in front of the perimeter and

engage enemy forces until dusk. The regiment inflicts high casualties on the enemy. About midnight (23rd24th), the Communists again strike the ROK 1st Division. Later, after the ROK 6th Division again abandons its positions, the British Brigade is in the line of the Chinese advance. The South Koreans halt their flight after getting to the rear of the Australians. At about 2200, a platoon of U.S. tanks (4th Platoon, Company A, 72nd Tank Battalion), under orders to withdraw as the Chinese approach, had been one of the units on guard at an outpost by the Kap’yong River while the South Koreans retreated. Suddenly, the unit comes under fire as the approaching troops, thought to be ROKs, actually are Chinese. The tankers resist the hordes tenaciously and with the hatches open. The engagement costs the platoon two of its tank commanders and its commanding officer before it is able to turn and retire and hook up with the 2nd platoon at the Kap’yong ford. En route, another tank platoon (1st Platoon) intercepts the 4th Platoon at the blocking position. Chinese troops compel the 4th Platoon leader to return to the island ridge, while the remainder of the platoon continues toward the ford. In the meantime, the Chinese continue to flood through the gaps. The Australians on Hill 504 maintain a steadfast defense, despite the lack of artillery support. Repeatedly, the Australians repel assaults. The Chinese gain two positions held by platoons, but one is later regained. During the nightlong contest, the U.S. tanks on the island hold the

April 23, 1951

696

U.S. troops in search of enemy near the Hant’an River. ground, but Company B, 2nd Chemical Mortar Company, deployed behind the Australians, had pulled out and abandoned its vehicles and weapons. The 213th FABn and the New Zealanders, also deployed to the rear of Hill 504, had been ordered to pull back by Brigadier Burke when Chinese pressure became too great. Nevertheless, the Australians hold. By about dawn on the following day, the Chinese again sustained heavy casualties. Their attacks subside. However, at about midnight (23rd-24th), the Communists reinitiate contact and engage some units of the 24th and 25th Divisions. The ROK 1st Division and the British 29th Brigade, each deployed along the Imjin

River, also come under attack. Company B, holding the battalion’s right flank, becomes surrounded. Meanwhile, within the British zone, Company C, along Route 5Y, is directed to withdraw to positions between Companies A and D near Hill 235, but Brigadier Brodie is convinced that the troops on the right flank would not be able to penetrate the Chinese to reach safety. The isolated unit, Company B, spends the night repelling all attempts to destroy it. In the 3rd Division zone, General Soule orders a pullback from the western part of the zone along the Utah Line. At about noon, the 65th Infantry Regiment begins to drop back by passing through the 7th Infantry

697 Regiment. As the leap-frog move unfolds, the 3rd Battalion, 65th Infantry, bolstered by tanks (64th Tank Battalion) and the 3rd Reconnaissance Company deploy slightly above the Hant’an River along Route 33 to defend there until the Belgian contingent on Hill 194 is able to extricate itself. The 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, supported by tanks, moves up Route 11 to attack Hill 675 on the summit of Kamak Mountain. Later at about 1800, the 1st Battalion pivots and moves north against Hill 257, but only minimal progress is made by 2000. In the meantime, the Belgians are able to abandon their positions and reach relative safety on Route 33, which leads them to an assembly zone at the junction with Route 11. In conjunction, the 1st Battalion, led by Colonel Weyand, breaks off its attack and rejoins the 7th Regiment along the Kansas Line. Also, once the Belgians form with their vehicles and head to the line, the 65th Infantry’s 3rd Battalion and its supporting armor and reconnaissance units abandon the blocking positions at the Hant’an River and head for the Kansas Line. Meanwhile, the Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team, expected to plug the hole in the British Brigade’s line, arrives at the brigade’s headquarters at about 2000, but too late to attempt to deploy between the Gloster Battalion and the fusiliers. At about midnight, the Communists press against the entire 3rd Division line. Meanwhile, the beleaguered ROK 6th Division (IX Corps) remains scattered, but more than 2,000 troops had been regrouped by General Chang. He is directed to move his force several miles north to the Kansas Line. The Chinese, however, rip into the positions of the 24th Division (on loan to I Corps) at the center of the line to open a hole between the 19th and 5th Infantry Regiments. The struggle continues through the early morning hours and some units are compelled to give ground. General Bryan orders his reserve 21st Regiment to seize the high ground, where the penetration first occurred, but the Chinese arrive before the regiment could take it. The Chinese are able to drive a wedge that penetrates about three miles, but General Bryan readjusts his regiments, drawing them back and forming a galvanized line. Chinese pressure remains constant, but the line holds. After General Bryan learns of his unprotected flank because of the ROK 5th Division’s retreat, he directs the 21st Regiment to plug the gap. The Chinese again fail to take advantage of the hole, instead launching frontal attacks. Patrols of the Eighth Army’s Ranger Company (attached to the 21st Regiment) move out in an eastward direction, but no Chinese forces are discovered on the flank. The division manages to withdraw to the Kansas Line by 1800. After dark, the Communists again strike the ROK 6th Division and as on the previous night, it immediately collapses and runs. The retreat causes pandemonium as the roads clog. The New Zealanders had sped to support the ROK 6th Division, but before the contingent could prepare its defense, it, too, becomes jeop-

April 23, 1951 ardized. In addition, the 27th British Brigade’s positions become threatened. In the 25th Division zone, in the eastern section, by dawn, enemy pressure lessens. The Division is able to reach the Kansas Line during the afternoon. After arriving, the 24th and 35th Regiments redeploy on the ridges that the division previously held between the Yongp’yong and Hant’an Rivers. In conjunction, the 27th Regiment and the Turkish Brigade set up positions at the Yongp’yong River. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, preparations are being completed for the advance to the Alabama Line, but by about 1100 on the following day, the operation is cancelled. The 1st Marine Division is ordered to form a line that extends from the dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir in a southwestwardly direction that traces the Pukham River. The line is designated Pendleton. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, are taken by truck from the village of Todun-ni along the west bank of the Pukham River to Hill 902, but the Chinese also are en route to gain the hill, aware that it controls the river where the 1st Marine Division would have to cross. The Chinese are unable to arrive first. Companies G, H and I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, occupy three separate ridge lines that straddle the path to the hill mass, with mortar and machine gun support to their respective immediate rears. By mid-day, the three Marine regiments complete the establishment of a line formed in what might be described as a fish hook, but some separations exist between the regiments. Nonetheless, the Marines are prepared for an expected Chinese night assault. By day’s end, it becomes evident that the ROK 6th Division remains unstable and disorganized, which places the Marines in further jeopardy. In conjunction, the 11th Marines (Marine Artillery) is deployed at Chich’on-ni. The 92nd FABn and the other units, including the 987th FABn, that were driven back subsequent to the retreat of the ROK 6th Division are directed to form in the vicinity of the 11th Marines. During the operation to move to the Kansas Line, observation planes detect large numbers of Chinese moving through the vacated positions of the ROK 6th Division. The Marines conclude that these forward forces are en route to sever the supply line. At Horseshoe Ridge, defended by the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, elements of the Chinese 120th Division launch an attack at about 2000. Several hundred Chinese rush in successive waves and compel a forward position of Company C to pull back under the relentless thrust, which includes machine gun and mortar fire and, from close-range, hundreds of grenades. The Marines, however, hold the ridge, despite about four hours of non-stop combat and a simultaneous eerie serenade of Chinese chants and yells. At about midnight, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, is attacked, but Companies G, H and I receive the brunt of it. At Company G’s outpost, the Communists overrun the small contingent and force it back.

April 24, 1951 A nearby contingent led by Tech Sergeant Harold E. Wilson attempts to return fire and cover the retirement. Wilson becomes wounded twice as he assists the survivors from the outpost. The heavy fire continues to pour down from the heights. Despite his wounds, Wilson refuses evacuation and maintains control over his contingent. Meanwhile, he is wounded twice more and incapacitated, unable to use his arms to fire. Undaunted, Wilson continues to hand ammunition and weapons to his fellow troops and in addition, he finds time to call for reinforcements. When they arrive, he also directs them against the enemy. Wilson continues in extreme pain, but he refuses to quit and his men follow suit. At dawn, the enemy has been repulsed and the ground remains under the control of C Company. Wilson becomes the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his outstanding leadership and courage in the face of the enemy. Other units that come under attack include the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, and the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. Nonetheless, by dawn, the Marines remain in place and the Chinese sustain a huge number of casualties. In other activity, the ROK 6th Division is expected to arrive at the Kansas Line; however, by the latter part of the afternoon, it remains in place, still unprepared to move. General Hoge, concerned about the absence of the ROKs on the Kansas Line, directs the British 27th Brigade to deploy and defend the Kap’yong River Valley to the rear of the South Koreans. Hoge wants to assure that the Chinese cannot sever Route 17 and take the village of Kap’yong. The blocking positions guard against intrusions along both valley approaches. Elements of the Royal Australian Regiment deploy at Hill 504 and a contingent of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry spreads out on Hill 677. The British positions are supported by U.S. contingents, including elements of the 72nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion and the 74th Engineer Combat Battalion. In the ROK III Corps sector, at about midnight (22nd23rd), while the corps prepares for an advance on the following day to the Alabama Line, the Communists strike the positions of the ROK 35th Regiment, ROK 5th Division, at midnight. The Communists continue to pound the regiment and by dawn, the South Koreans take flight. In the meantime, the North Korean 12th Division funnels into the zone. The enemy advances into a large gap between the 35th and the 5th Regiments (7th ROK Division). Although 35th deserts its positions, the ROK 5th Regiment attempts to hold, but it too is compelled to retreat or risk entrapment. The 5th Regiment makes a disciplined fighting withdrawal. Afterwards, all ROK forces in the vicinity of Inje come under the control of Colonel Min Ki Shik, the commander of the 5th Regiment. In Air Force activity, F-86s attached to the 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron begin to operate from the airfield at Suwon. From this location, the F-86s are able to stay in the air on target for longer periods when op-

698 erating in the area near the Yalu River, known as MiG Alley. Also, in an effort to bolster the offensive, Far East Air Forces presses its capacity in the air by initiating more than 1,000 sorties on this day. The performances of the pilots remain identical for the next three days, with an average of 1,000 combat sorties each day. The planes achieve great success and inflict heavy casualties upon enemy forces and in the process huge amounts of supplies are also destroyed.

April 24

In the I Corps sector, the 24th and 25th Divisions and elements of the 3rd Division are now on the Kansas Line. The Communists, at about midnight (23rd-24th), launched attacks against some units, but heavier assaults had been thrown against the ROK 6th Division and the British 29th Brigade at the same time. On this day, the attacks intensify. Despite heavy support for the 1st Marine Division, Marine squadrons also support I Corps with 57 sorties. In the 24th Division zone, Hill 664 is gained by the Chinese 179th Regiment, giving it dominating high ground; however, throughout the day, the Chinese fail to push the 24th Division from its positions. The line is augmented by two battalions of the 27th Infantry Regiment (25th Division) that deploy at the base of Hill 664. Repeated assaults are repelled. Some minor gains are made against the 17th Regiment, but U.S. counterattacks regain the lost ground. Although the 24th Division holds the line, it discovers that large numbers of Chinese forces are gathering in positions to strike the right flank, held by the 21st Regiment, and other attacks against the front. In the British 29th Brigade zone near Solma-ri, along Route 5 at Hill 235, as dawn emerges, Company B, Gloster Battalion, still holds its ground but the situation deteriorates. The Chinese prepare to liquidate the isolated command. Under cover fire, the beleaguered troops try to break out by descending the south slopes, but the trek turns into tragedy. Only twenty men escape the Chinese fire to reach the main body at Hill 235. At Hill 235, the Chinese mount a furious attack and temporarily gain the summit, but the casualty rate had been so high that a counterattack regains the ground. The Gloster Battalion receives word that reinforcements are en route, but in the meantime, the Chinese are massing for a full-scale attack. Complications develop as the reinforcements encounter problems. In the 3rd Division zone, events of the previous night cause General Soule to modify his lines. The Chinese had on the previous night shadowed the 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment (3rd Division), as it withdrew from the vicinity of Hill 257 and afterwards, attacked elements of the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Royal Ulster Rifles at their positions near Route 11, about two miles south. On this day heavy fighting breaks out between the enemy and Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, in the vicinity of Popsu-dong. The attack is too strong to thwart. Orders to retire arrive, but Corporal

699 Clair Goodblood, a machine gunner from Company H attached, volunteers to cover the withdrawal. Meanwhile the assault continues and waves of enemy troops storm the area. Another man assists Goodblood with the Herculean task of keeping the enemy at bay, but a grenade is tossed into their position. Goodblood slams himself over the other man to protect him, but to no avail, the grenade wounds both. Goodblood resists evacuation, instead insisting on getting the other trooper out. The badly wounded Goodblood remains at his machine gun to ensure the withdrawal succeeds. Eventually the enemy overruns his position, but when the command returns and retakes the ground, Goodblood is not alone. About 100 enemy dead are still in the field to the front of his silent gun. Corporal Goodblood is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and his selfless sacrifice. In another fierce contest, Company H, 3rd Battalion, comes under a heavy assault during darkness. The enemy is introduced to Corporal Hiroshi Miyamura, a New Mexican who leads a squad of the machine gun section. Miyamura first bolts from his position with a rifle and fixed bayonet to protect his squad. In the brief contest, about ten of the enemy fall to the steel, but afterwards, the machine gun takes over, until the position becomes untenable due to the exhaustion of his ammunition. Still Miyamura pauses at the gun after he directs the remainder of his detachment to withdraw. The fighting corporal disables the gun and then, with his bayonet, fights his way back to another machine gun and continues to fire against the hordes of enemy troops. When last spotted by the survivors of his squad, he was heavily engaged against a large number of enemy troops. Corporal Hiroshi H. Miyamura, known as “Hershey,” is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism against insurmountable odds. At this time, there is no knowledge of the corporal’s fate; however, he is not killed; rather captured. He survives brutal treatment and loses about fifty pounds in captivity. In the meantime, the Gloster Battalion’s withdrawal to Hill 235, linked with the pull-back of the 7th Regiment, creates a large gap of about four miles. General Soule orders British Brigadier Brodie to dispatch a battalion to block the hole. In addition, Brodie is directed to dispatch a contingent of tanks, supported by infantry, to advance and clear Route 5Y, to permit reinforcement of the Gloster Battalion. Six Centurians attached to C Squadron, 8th Hussars, and four tanks of the 10th Philippine Combat Battalion shepherd three rifle companies; however, the Centurians are too large to pass some points on the road, leaving only the light tanks of the Filipinos to complete the trip. The Glosters remain under the impression that the full complement is en route and Colonel Carne has determined that his force is not sufficiently strong to fight its way out of the trap. In the 65th Regimental zone, the Chinese strike the

April 24, 1951 area with mortars and small arms, while the Northumberland Fusilier and Royal Ulster Rifle Battalions fight off strong frontal assaults by the Chinese 188th Division. Some elements of the enemy division manage to penetrate to the rear of the two battalions. Also, by about dusk, the situation along the entire 7th Infantry Regiment perimeter becomes calm. During the afternoon, the lull in the battle permitted the 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, to relieve the 3rd Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, at the center of the regimental line. Once relieved, the 3rd Battalion moves to rejoin its main body to prepare to extricate the isolated Gloster Battalion. A few hours before midnight, the tranquility along the 7th’s line is shattered. The Chinese press the entire line and by about 0230, the 2nd Battalion becomes encircled. Nevertheless, through some complicated maneuvers, the isolated battalion is able to splinter into small contingents and break through the Chinese lines to reach friendly forces by about dawn (25th). The 1st and 3rd Battalions, still under the regimental commander Colonel Boswell, thwart the repeated assaults and hold the line. A group of Gloster troops, captured on the previous night, escape harm when U.S. planes strike the Chinese positions near Hill 675. They also literally escape and reach friendly lines during the morning. It is learned from the escapees that at least 1,000 Chinese are deployed at Hill 675. The decision to continue the relief effort is suspended until the following day. Nevertheless, during the afternoon, it is learned that the Philippine 10th Combat Battalion Team had broken through with the Centurians trailing, so again the strategy is changed and the attack to rescue the Glosters is reinitiated. Soon after, the tank on the point loses a track from either a mine or mortar fire and it blocks the route. The Chinese pour fire upon the stalled tank and ground troops descend the heights to reach it. In the meantime, two of the heavier Centurians advance and move cautiously past the stalled Filipino column. The tanks move only a short distance farther due to the thinning of the path, but they do manage to rescue the jeopardized crew in the disabled tank. The attack is cancelled and the relief force is ordered to withdraw. In the confusion of the order, the 10th Battalion Combat Team inadvertently is directed to retire, rather than hold a blocking position as earlier ordered. The Gloster Battalion remains stranded. The failure of the ROK 6th Division to hold its positions, combined with the deteriorating situation of the beleaguered British contingent, the I Corps is unable to execute a withdrawal on schedule as planned by Eighth Army. While efforts are undertaken to extricate the British, the Chinese maintain enormous pressure against I Corps. In the ROK 1st Division zone, the Communists had suspended their attacks at about noon on the previous day, but later, at midnight (23rd-24th), again an attack is launched. The ROK 12th Regiment is compelled to surrender ground where it stood on the right flank

April 24, 1951 along the Imjin. By dawn, elements of the Chinese 190th Division shoot across the Imjin at several places in the vicinity of Korangp’o-ri, where earlier contingents of the 189th Chinese Division had crossed. The enemy forces break into various columns and some penetrate between the 11th and 12th ROK Regiments, while others drive south between the 12th Regiment and the isolated Gloster battalion. Following a day-long counter-attack, the ROKs, supported by Company A, 72nd Tank Battalion, regain the gap and establish entrenched positions there between the two ROK regiments. The penetration causes great concern at corps headquarters. General Milburn moves to bolster the line to protect Seoul. The only available reserve, the 15th Regiment, 3rd Division, speeds to establish a line slightly more than five miles behind the ROKs where Route 1B can be blocked. General Milburn dispatches the 2nd Battalion, 15th Regiment, to secure another secondary road, Route 2X. By about 1800, the 1st Battalion encounters an enemy roadblock near Uijongbu and immediately eradicates it. The enemy loses twenty defenders and the rest abandon the obstacle. Afterwards, the 15th Regiment, rather than risk unnecessary casualties, suspends its clearing operation until dawn on the following day. Also, about dusk, the 25th Division in the eastern corps sector comes under a tenacious assault that continues relentlessly until about midnight (24th-25th). The Americans fight off elements of three divisions (Chinese 29th, 81st and 179th). During the attacks, the 24th and 27th Regiments give ground and withdraw southward about one mile, but the Chinese pursue. While the 25th Division attempts to halt the Chinese progress, the 24th Division holding the corps’ right sector also is struck. The pressure becomes too high, which compels General Milburn at 0500 (25th) to order a pullback to the Delta Line. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marine Division withstands a night-long attack against its line and inflicts large numbers of casualties against elements of the Chinese 40th Army (359th and 360th Regiments, 120th Division) and the Chinese 39th Army (115th and 116th Divisions). After daybreak, the division withdraws from its Pendleton Line to the Kansas Line. During the final phase of the attack, the Chinese manage to get behind the Marines to strike against the 92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion as it is beginning to move out. The troops redeploy to defend and soon after, they are bolstered by Marine tanks. The enemy pays another steep price and fails to interrupt the withdrawal. The attacking force of between 200 and 300 troops is decimated. The 92nd sustains four killed and eleven wounded. The largest problem during the attacks seemed to have been maintaining an ammunition supply. Marines in some instances became runners to hand carry ammo to the front, after transporting wounded Marines to safety. One VMO-6 helicopter, piloted by Lt. Robert E. Matthewson, is downed during the morning while at-

700 tempting to evacuate wounded. Although the helicopter is destroyed, he survives. Another helicopter arrives to lift him to safety, but he declines the offer and instead picks up an M-1 rifle to join the infantry as they withdraw. In related activity, some enemy forces attempt to shadow the Marines as they move toward the Kansas Line, but the fighting withdrawal of the rear-guard receives support from planes and artillery. Forty-nine Marine Corsairs and forty Navy and Air Force Ads shepherd the Marine pullback. Three Corsairs and one observation plane are downed by the Chinese during the operation. However, the pull-back is successful, so much so that by dawn on the 25th, the Marines’ perimeter is free of major opposition. The 120th Division (40th Army) and the 39th Army’s divisions fail to mount any future major attacks during the offensive. The move to the Kansas Line is necessitated primarily because the ROK 6th Division is still unable to move into position. On this day, General Chang informs General Hoge that he is in the process of regrouping about four thousand to five thousand men in his command that converged on positions behind the Australians on Hill 504. At Hill 504, the Australians continue to hold against ferocious attacks. They have no artillery support, but still, they hold. The commanding officers request reinforcements from British Brigadier Burke. The Australians lose a little ground, but from the new command post, some good fortune arrives. The New Zealanders have by this time regrouped and redeployed to provide artillery. The defenders on Hill 504 also are greeted by the sound of Marine Corsairs. The combined fire of the Australians, the artillery and the Corsairs shreds the attacking columns. Repeated assaults are repelled; however, during one of the air strikes, an Australian unit is inadvertently hit with napalm. The accident costs the lives of two men and it wounds several others. Despite the apparent success, the Australians on Hill 504 remain in peril due to a large hole between them and the Middlesex positions. Prior to noon, Brigadier Burke orders the hill abandoned. The U.S. tanks (72nd Tank Battalion) on the island ridge transport Colonel Ferguson from his command post to Hill 504 to execute the withdrawal. The tanks bring out wounded and then they return across the field of fire to transport ammunition and supplies to the troops on the hill. Defying the odds, the tanks also pick up volunteers from Company B, 74th Engineer Battalion, and transport them to the abandoned positions of the mortar company that fled the previous night. The engineers, afterwards, are protected by the tanks as they gather some of the equipment that they had earlier abandoned. In the meantime, the Australians move off Hill 504, while the tanks push to the north to block the ford and prevent the Chinese from moving through the Kap’yong Valley to overwhelm the Australians as they withdraw.

701 As the Australians descend from Hill 504, the Chinese begin to ascend, but unexpectedly, they are greeted by smoke signals. The New Zealanders pound the slopes with artillery shells that deliver the smoke screen. The New Zealanders also present the Chinese with a large dose of high explosive rounds as they descend one company at a time while covering the rear. Both the Australians and the New Zealanders move through the Middlesex lines slightly after dusk. In related activity, after the Australians evade the Chinese, the Canadians on Hill 677 become the prey. The Chinese launch the attack against Hill 677 at about 2200 and the battle continues through the night. In the X Corps sector, at about dawn, the ROK 5th Division is struck by the N.K. 12th Division. The defenders collapse and the Communists drive easily to Inje. At the lines of the U.S. 7th Division, the N.K. 45th Division plows against the 32nd Regiment, positioned left of the ROK 5th Division, but here the Communists do not fare well. And nearby, at the west flank of X Corps perimeter, the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, also holds firmly. During the enemy assault, the North Koreans converge upon a draw near Tokko-ri, but while there, unexpectedly, an iron storm overwhelms them. A U.S. forward observer for artillery spots the enticing target and alerts the artillery. Shortly thereafter, the relentless bombardment commences and scores a massive series of direct hits on the troops numbering about 400. The artillery observer who detected the formations informs headquarters that only two North Koreans came out of the gully. The ill-fated advance of the N.K. 45th Division is unable to gain territory, but once the 32nd Infantry Regiment abandons its positions to deploy on a ridge and link with the ROK 5th Division that had been shoved below Inje, the North Koreans occupy the 32nd’s positions. In the ROK III Corps sector, the NK 6th Division drives against the III Corps positions and penetrates to a point several miles below Inje, but the ROKs are able at that time to halt the momentum. In Air Force activity, a B-26 light bomber gets shot down by enemy fire in the vicinity of Ch’orwon. The 3rd Air Rescue Squadron dispatches an H-19 helicopter to rescue the pilot and the navigator. The rescue attempt is not an easy task. The helicopter first rescues the pilot and the navigator is then rescued, but under special circumstances. The navigator had broken his leg and is captured by two enemy troops. Nonetheless, he is able to seize one of his captors’ guns and the enemy then flees. Both men are safely retrieved and brought back to friendly lines. During the retrieval, the rescuers work while fighter planes circle and keep the enemy pinned down.

April 25

General Van Fleet remains concerned about the security of Seoul, particularly since the I Corps had withdrawn from the Imjin River, which provided an opportunity for the Communists to slip across the Han River estuary without being detected. If ac-

April 25, 1951 complished, they enemy could effortlessly drive down the Kimpo peninsula to the rear of the capital and capture Inchon along with Kimpo airfield and the airport at Seoul. To thwart such enemy progress, Van Fleet requests support from the U.S. Navy. He gets it from Task Force 95. By the following day, planes from the western section of the task force maintain vigil over the area where it is thought a crossing might be attempted. The USS Toledo embarks from the Sea of Japan to the area near Inchon, from where it can provide its guns to the operation. In the I Corps sector, prior to dawn General Milburn concludes that the I Corps must abandon the Kansas Line due to Chinese pressure. At 0500, the order for the corps to withdraw is issued. General Milburn remains concerned about the isolated Gloster Battalion. To maintain cohesion during the withdrawal, the 24th and 25th Divisions are to commence the move at 0800; however, the 3rd Division and the ROK 1st Division are to hold in place until the beleaguered Gloster unit is retrieved. As it turns out, the relief efforts fail and the cost is high, due in part to bad communications. The Gloster Battalion on Hill 235 apparently believes that help is en route and that the troops can hold. The general withdrawal causes one attempt by the 65th Regiment, 3rd Division, to be cancelled, but another contingent from the only available reserve, the 64th Tank Battalion and the 65th Infantry tank company, is available. British Major Huth suggests that tanks alone would be unable to break through to the trapped command, and his opinion is based on his experience of the previous day’s rescue attempt. Nevertheless, no strong infantry is included. The commander of the 65th Infantry tank company is informed also that he is not to commit his full company. The one tank platoon that departs is short one of its tanks. During the planning, the 3rd Division commander, General Soule, is unaware of just how bad the situation is for the Gloster Battalion. All the while, the ROK 1st Division is attempting to advance to secure ground lost by the ROK 12th Regiment of the previous day. The ROKs are supported by elements of the 73rd Heavy Tank Battalion. General Kanh intends to have his force clear the area and break through to the Gloster Battalion. While the Gloster Battalion attempts to hold, the initial rescue team hits opposition short of its target and is halted. The fire fight costs the tanks most of their ammunition and they cancel the advance. By about noon, the ROKs become stalled. In the meantime, at about 0900, the Glosters are directed by Brigadier Brodie to fight their way out of the trap. At about the same time Brigadier Brodie instructs the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Royal Ulster Rifles to retire southward along Route 11, through the lines of the Belgians. The retreat of the British is hotly pursued by the Chinese, costing the British dearly. Many wounded are left unprotected on the tanks as heavy Chinese fire rips the tanks as they race for safety.

April 25, 1951

702

Artillerymen of the 204th FABn, deployed north of Seoul, initiate a barrage with their “Long Toms.” Chinese fire disables some of the tanks and the occupants are apparently all killed. Later, Brodie is able to get the mangled forces back to the Delta line. Meanwhile at about 0900, the Gloster Battalion under Colonel Carne attempts to break out, but not in the direction of the advancing 65th Infantry tank company; rather, Carne intends to head southwest from Hill 235. Colonel Carne directs the troops to withdraw, but he informs them he is staying with the wounded, about fifty troops. Suddenly others — including the chaplain, the battalion surgeon and some medics—also decide to stay. About 100 men with Captain M.G. Harvey take a separate route than the main body. Soon Harvey’s group encounters two Chinese as they enter the valley, but both are eliminated. Later they are spotted by an observation plane, but the Chinese also detect the men

and more troops are hit. Eventually, they encounter American tanks, but initially the tankers mistake them for enemy and six more troops are wounded. The Gloster survivors reach safety with the tanks and the ROKs at about 1400. Most of the remainder of the battalion that attempted to break out had been captured en route. Meanwhile, in the 7th Regiment zone, heavy fighting continues from the previous day. Company A, 1st Battalion, near Popsu-dong continues fighting a delaying action, while the 3rd Battalion pulls back. Two squads have already repelled repetitive assaults, but more of the enemy continues to press against their diminutive positions on the right flank and threaten to isolate the contingents. Corporal John Essebagger, Jr., with one of the

703

April 25, 1951

The 65th Infantry, 3rd Division, traverses a valley road during late April. The regiment reverts to reserve on 27 April. squads, senses the danger as the noose closes. He volunteers to hold the line to provide cover fire for a withdrawal. The squad, under cover fire from Essebagger, safely evacuates. Essebagger manages to eliminate a high number of the enemy but is finally overrun. Corporal Essebagger is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his tremendous heroism under fire and his selfless sacrifice to save others. In the 3rd Battalion area, the enemy launches a ferocious attack against Company I. Two troops try to stem the tide, but the enemy fire kills one of the troops, leaving Corporal Charles L. Gilliland to stand alone with his automatic rifle. Rather than retreat, Gilliland holds his ground and pours fire into the attackers, but the odds are too great. He bolts from his foxhole in pursuit of two of the enemy who had penetrated his sector. He eliminates both with his pistol. In the process, Gilliland is wounded in the head. He refuses treatment and when orders arrive to pull back, he volunteers to hold the line to provide cover fire. The company safely retires. Corporal Gilliland is killed. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage and selfless sacrifice. Also, the Chinese 354th Regiment, bloodied by the Australians at Hill 504 on the previous night, also moved against the Canadians holding Hill 677. The Chinese had been reinforced by elements of the 118th Regiment. Aware of the impending threat, the Canadians under Lt. Colonel J.R. Stone switched a contingent from positions on the northern slopes to a southern slope on Stone’s intuition that the Chinese might move against the rear. The attack, beginning with machine gun fire and mortars, had struck at 2200 on the 24th, but the Canadians had not been caught off-guard. While Company B defended the southern slope, the remainder fought off frontal assaults. The Canadians received some additional support from a bright moon, which fortuitously illuminated the targets. A large contingent of Chinese is whacked decisively by artillery as they move across the Kap’yong River heading east. While the New Zealanders hammer the enemy at the river, the Canadians mow down the Chinese that

emerge from a gully during the frontal attack. In the meantime, the rear approach comes under attack, but here, too, the troops of Company B repulse the initial charge. Afterward, some ground is lost to a second attack, but subsequent assaults throughout the night into dawn (25th) are repelled at the rear. At about 0200 on this day, the Chinese mount a tenacious assault against the front of the perimeter. Company D, holding the left flank, is nearly overwhelmed by an enormous force, but the commander calls in artillery upon his own positions. The artillery succeeds in bolstering the positions and the Canadians push the Chinese from the crest. By dawn, with the added support of tanks attached to the U.S. 72nd Tank Battalion, the Chinese abort the attacks against the flanks. The hill remains under Canadian control. However, the Chinese hold ground along the Kap’yong Road, which prevents the British from getting supplies to the beleaguered force. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Stone defies the odds and requests an air drop. About six hours later, planes from Japan fly over and deposit ammunition and supplies. The Canadians (Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry) compel the Chinese to abandon the attack during the latter part of the afternoon. The Chinese sustain high casualties for their failed attempt to seize the hill. The Canadians lose ten killed and twenty-three wounded. Also, during the operation to withdraw, the 25th Division’s route includes two bridges, one at Route 3 and another at Yongp’yong. The Chinese earlier gained Hill 664, several miles north of the Route 3 crossing, prompting General Bradley to deploy the 3rd Battalion, 27th Infantry, in front of the bridge to block any Chinese advance. The entire 27th Regiment receives responsibility to keep both bridges secure for the withdrawal. By the evening, the 27th Regiment arrives at the Delta line. In the meantime, the 5th Infantry Regiment (on loan from IX Corps, 24th Division), is deployed along Route 3A a few miles to the rear of the Kansas Line. It is directed to cover the pull-back of the 19th and 21st Infantry Regiments and its support units, including the 555th FABn and Company D, 6th Medium Tank Battalion.

April 26, 1951

704

The 5th Infantry anticipates the arrival of the 8th Ranger Company, but before it can arrive, the Chinese encircle it. The Rangers attempt to hold at Hill 1010 just off the right flank of the 21st Regiment. The 5th Regiment moves out to rescue the rangers. In the meantime, the 19th and 21st Regiments reach the Delta Line. The 21st Regiment is attacked by the Chinese after its arrival, but the enemy thrust from the east is repulsed. Subsequently, the ROK 6th Division in the IX Corps and the 21st Regiment make contact on the line. While the regiments establish their new positions, the rangers attempt to break through the Chinese lines. A contingent of tanks moving toward the embattled hill spots some rangers who broke out. Sixty-five exhausted rangers are picked up. They are the survivors of the 8th Ranger Company. After the surviving rangers are brought to safety, the 5th Regiment and its support units initiate the move to the Delta Line. En route, Chinese holding high ground on opposite side of the escape road pound the column and hit the 555th FABn especially hard. The column stands less than one mile from the Delta Line when it comes under the heavy assault. Colonel Wilson’s forces return fire and succeed in eliminating the threat on the east side of Route 3A, but even more fire continues to pour down from the west side. Successive attacks fail to eliminate the enemy. The 1st Battalion is repulsed three times and the 2nd Battalion also is stymied. In addition, a contingent of tanks attempt to quell the fire, but it costs Company A, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, two of its tanks and the infantry atop them. No reinforcements arrive from the Delta Line, but a separate road is discovered and the column takes the circuitous route unhindered by the Chinese, and arrives at the lines of the 19th Regiment slightly after dusk. In the IX Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division galvanizes its positions at the Kansas Line. On the previous day, subsequent to moving from the Pendleton Line, the Chinese entered Hwach’on and covered the area, including where the dam is located, but the Marines retired unhindered by pursuers. On this day, the Marines’ zone remains relatively tranquil.

The casualties incurred by the 1st Marine Division on 24-25 April amount to 18 killed and 82 wounded, which brings the total casualties since 1 April to just under 300. The IX Corps instructs the 1st Marine Division to be prepared to move back to Chunchon on the 26th to deploy on the south bank of the Soyang River to guard the service units as they withdraw their respective supply depots. The Chinese assaults in the IX Corps zone had failed, but they change strategy and try to penetrate the I Corps to seize Seoul. In the X Corps sector, the U.S. 2nd Division modifies its positions to adjust to the absence of the 1st Marine Division. The 23rd Regiment pulls back to positions near the eastern fringes of the Hwach’on Reservoir. The redeployment places the regiment about online with the Marines who are deployed along the Kansas Line at the western end of the reservoir in the vicinity of Yuch’on-ni. The X Corps commander, General Almond, initiates several directives to blunt the enemy offensive. The ROK 5th Division is ordered to mount a counterattack to regain Inje, which the division had surrendered on the previous day. The town is seized, but the Communists afterward force the South Koreans to retire. The ROK III Corps, expected to join in the attack, never advances. Almond also directs the 2nd Division to initiate contact with the 1st Marine Division on a daily basis to ensure a coordinated effort against any potential threat. General Ruffner establishes TF Zebra, composed of elements of the 72nd Tank Battalion and the 2nd Reconnaissance Company, bolstered further by a French Battalion and a Netherlands battalion. The 1st Ranger Company joins TF Zebra, which is commanded by Colonel Elbridge L. Brubaker. In related activity, after General Almond is informed of the failure to retain Inje, he orders yet another assault to commence on the following day.

April 26 Although the enemy continues to attack toward Seoul, the ferocity of the assaults is lessening largely because the Communists have sustained devastating numbers of casualties, estimated to be nearly 50,000 along the I Corps lines. The Communists sever

A U.S. M46 Patton tank tows a disabled tank through Uijongbu.

705

April 26, 1951

U.S. troops near Uijongbu. A battalion commander on a field phone reports his positions. the highway that links Seoul with Chonchon (Central Korea) and Kansong (East Coast). General Van Fleet, Eighth Army commander, establishes another defensive line that runs from coast to coast. The line begins just above Seoul and uses the existing Golden Line and stretches across Korea to the vicinity of Yangyang on the east coast. Van Fleet’s new line receives no name and is soon dubbed the “No Name Line.” The section covering the Pukham and Han corridors falls into the area where the 24th Division is deployed. Consequently, responsibility for that region falls to the IX Corps. The 24th Division, on loan to the I Corps, is posted in position to guard the corridors; therefore on the following day, the 24th Division reverts back to IX Corps. The carrier USS Toledo (CA 133) arrives off Inchon to provide air support in the event the Communists at-

tempt to penetrate Seoul. Also, the 1st Marine Division commander, Major General O.P. Smith, is relieved by Major General Gerald C. Thomas. In the I Corps sector, the enemy continues to press against the recent line of defense, the Delta Line. The line is meant to stand only temporarily as the corps withdraws towards the Golden Line. Prior to noon, General Milburn issues orders to withdraw to positions in the vicinity of Uijongbu. Nightlong enemy attacks make inroads against the ROK 1st Division. After dusk, the Communists strike against the entire corps front, except for the lines of the 24th Division, which holds the right section. However, there is action in the sector. A unit of Company C, 21st Regiment, becomes isolated during the day when the platoon is ordered to pull back. Sergeant Ray E. Duke, once aware of the predicament,

April 26, 1951

706

An F80 Shooting Star (top left) leaves the area after striking enemy positions on hill near Ch’orwon. leads a charge to extricate the isolated troops. The attack succeeds but afterward another one is launched. Duke, wounded by this time, continues to rally his men and soon after, he is wounded yet again. The platoon is ordered to withdraw, but Duke’s wounds in both legs forbid any walking. Two others carry him out, but Duke becomes concerned for their safety and orders them to leave him. Sergeant Duke holds his positions and continues firing at the attacking troops until he is killed. Sergeant Duke is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary actions under fire. The assaults against the 25th Division focus upon the 27th Infantry Regiment. Some ground is gained by the attacks, but with the support of radar-controlled bombs and flares bursting overhead as the Chinese push forward, they are halted with devastating results. Other heavy attacks strike the 65th Regiment (3rd Division) and the ROK 1st Division west of Uijongbu. The Chinese meet a wall of artillery fire and air strikes also descend upon them as they are repelled by the 65th and the ROKs along the left sector of the 3rd Division’s lines.

In the meantime, the 15th Regiment to the right of the ROKs is compelled to surrender some ground. Nearby in the area defended by the 11th Regiment and a tank destroyer battalion, a North Korean force smashes through and inflicts high casualties on the troops of the tank destroyer battalion. The enemy thrust is capped by counterattacks of the South Koreans, bolstered by U.S. tanks. In the IX Corps sector, a planned attack by the ROK 5th Division (X Corps) to regain Inje is aborted due to yet another debacle caused by the ROK 6th Division on the left part of the IX Corps sector on the previous day. The IX Corps, due to the I Corps’ changes, modifies its lines to conform with the adjusted positions of the I Corps. In conjunction, the 1st Marine Division pulls away from the Kansas Line and redeploys along the Pukham River in the vicinity of the northern fringes of Chunchon and then the line curves along the lower bank of the Soyang River. The Marine zone remains quiet during the night of the 25th-26th except for several small probing assaults

707 and some mortar fire. Other adjustments in IX Corps include the redeployment of the ROK 6th Division, which is directed to pull back and form the line that links with the right flank of the I Corps. In addition, the British 28th Brigade redeploys in the evacuated positions previously held by the Australians and Canadians in the high ground above Kap’yong. In the X Corps sector, adjustments are ordered by General Almond to maintain alignment with the IX Corps. The new positions link with the Marines at the Soyang River and extend toward the vicinity of Yanggu, from where it stretches southeast to the ROK 5th Division positions. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces initiates an

April 27, 1951 attack by B-29s during the night (26th-27th) against enemy forces that are converging to launch an attack against IX Corps. The Superfortresses pound the enemy positions and succeed in causing the Communists to abort the attack.

April 27

In the I Corps sector, at 0600, the 24th Division reverts to the IX Corps. In conjunction with the jurisdiction transfer, the boundary between the two corps is similarly adjusted. In other activity, General Milburn issues orders to with draw to the next line, just above the Golden Line in front of Seoul. In the 25th Division zone, the Chinese strike against

On 27 April, the 24th Division reverts to IX Corps. In this picture the 24th is pulling back to new defensive lines.

April 27, 1951

708

An infantryman of the 24th Regiment, 25th Division, is deployed in the hills along the Wyoming Line. the 27th Infantry Regiment as it prepares to move from the first phase line. The 35th Regiment also comes under attack while it tries to establish positions to cover the besieged 27th Regiment. The fighting continues throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Later the regiment makes it to the second phase line. In the meantime, the Chinese strike also at the 3rd Division and hit the 7th Cavalry, which had on the previous day reinforced the 3rd Division. The flank of the 3rd Division might have been very vulnerable had it not been covered by the cavalry. The cavalry, by the afternoon, eliminates the attacks, which originated

from the northeast. The cavalry had come under assault as part of the thrust against the ROK 1st Division’s 15th Regiment. Following the confrontations, the 7th and 15th Regiments form along the second phase line, while the 65th Regiment is placed in reserve. The 7th Cavalry, which remains to bolster the 3rd Division, deploys on the left alongside the 7th Regiment in the center of the line. The ROK 1st Division area calms during the afternoon and the division reaches the second phase line. The divisional perimeter remains tranquil throughout the night.

709 In the IX Corps sector, the front remains relatively tranquil during the night, again exhibiting the enemy’s inability to launch strong attacks there. A withdrawal to the No Name Line continues.

April 28 Eighth Army receives word from General Van Fleet that he intendts to hold firmly at the No Name Line and in so doing retain Seoul. Van Fleet’s directives unambiguously dictate no retreat from the line, unless it is his order. Van Fleet further stipulates that if a withdrawal becomes necessary due to pressure against Eighth Amy, the forces are to move back to the Waco Line, which will still keep the Eighth Army positions above the Nevada Line. In the I Corps sector, General Milburn again issues orders to withdraw. This move places the corps at Line Golden. The withdrawal causes the other forces to move back to No Name Line. Concentrated efforts over the past several days had continued to focus on discipline and determination to preserve the capital, Seoul. During the morning the various corps units initiate the withdrawal. No heavy assaults are launched by the enemy, but some North Korean contingents are spotted above the Han River in the vicinity of the village of Haengju. Artillery units and the big guns of the USS Toledo pound their positions to prevent a crossing of the Han. The bombardment succeeds and the troops that survive the fire storm retire. Earlier in the day, the 7th Cavalry, temporarily attached as support for the 3rd Division, engages a Chinese contingent, and the cavalry is unscathed. Later the 7th Cavalry reverts back to the 1st Cavalry Division. In related activity, the ROKs are able to withdraw without incident to reach the Golden Line earlier than expected. While the enemy intrusions have subsided, Eighth Army prepares to launch a counterattack. The 3rd Division (minus the 65th Regiment in reserve) receives the order to launch the attack. Also, the remainder of I Corps establishes defensive positions to protect the capital. The ROK 1st Division comes under attack toward the latter part of the day. Once again, the guns of the USS Toledo stationed off Inchon lend their support and combined with the artillery and supporting tanks, the South Koreans force the Communists to abort the assault. At about dawn on the 29th, armored patrols are dispatched. April 29

It is sometimes reported that on this day, a massive force of about 6,000 enemy soldiers attempt to cross the Han River to use the Kimpo peninsula to get behind Eighth Army and seize Seoul, but no official government records document the attempt. However, on the previous day, a large enemy assault at the Han was aborted due to heavy naval and artillery fire. In the I Corps sector, Fifth Air Force planes attack enemy forces west of Seoul and inflict heavy casualties. In the 25th Division sector, some enemy troops form for an attack, but it is not launched. After dusk, artillery fire and air attacks break up the force. Meanwhile, the 3rd Division holds steadfastly in its zone slightly outside Seoul.

April 30, 1951 Also, the ROK 1st Division dispatches patrols in search and pursuit of the N.K. 8th Division, which had unsuccessfully attacked the previous night. In less than three miles, the patrol finds more than nine hundred enemy dead in the field. In the IX Corps sector, withdrawal to the No Name Line continues. In Naval activity, the U.S. Navy initiates a diversion mission to relieve pressure against Eighth Army. The warships USS Helena (CA 75), USS Manchester (CL 83), USS Bausell (DD 845), USS Rogers (DDR 876), USS Agerholm (DD 826) and the USS Anderson (DD 786) plaster various targets on the east coast of Korea in the vicinity of Kojo-Tongchon. The USS Okonogan (APA 22), USS Telfair (APA 210), and USS Winston (AKA 94) execute an amphibious landing. The operation continues into the following day.

April 30

The Chinese offensive is halted north of Seoul and north of the Han River. General Van Fleet orders Eighth Army to fortify the line designated No Name, to bring it up to the level of the Golden Line, which provides Seoul with a staunch umbrella of protection. General Van Fleet makes it clear to the various commanders that despite the casualties inflicted upon the enemy, he expects yet more attacks. The fortifications are to bolster as much as possible the entire line, with expectations that the attack would come from the east or against the front at Seoul. Van Fleet is also concerned with the dam at the Hwach’on Reservoir, which still stands. Rather than risk the Chinese flooding the area, he requests and receives air support to partially knock out the flood gates. Naval Task Force 77 sends a contingent of AD Skyraiders on this day. The dive bombers knock out one gate and on the following day, they return to finish the task. During the Chinese spring offensive (22 April to 30 April), the number of U.S. Army casualties up to 29 April amounts to 314 killed and 1,600 wounded. Estimates of enemy casualties for the period 22 April through 30 April vary. Eighth Army reports 13,349 known killed and 23,820 estimated killed. The reports also account for 246 POWs. The United Nations Command reports estimate enemy casualties for the same period as 75,000 to 80,000 killed and wounded. Of those, 50,000 casualties occurred in the Seoul region. There is no exact official count, but it is known that the enemy casualties were extremely high. In the I Corps sector, the units will deploy to protect the approaches from Uijongbu. The units include the 25th Division, 1st Cavalry Division and the ROK 1st Division along the line. The 3rd Division and the 29th British Brigade stand in reserve. Also, in the I Corps sector, the line is defended by the ROK Capital Division and the ROK 11th Division. In the IX Corps sector, the British 28th Brigade, 24th Division, ROK 6th Division and 7th Division (X Corps) stand along the No Name Line. The reserve is composed of the 187th Airborne RCT and it is deployed along the south bank of the Han River to the rear

May 1951 of the 24th Division to thwart an attack if one is launched through the Pukham Valley. The 7th Division had been directed to move from Eighth Army’s east flank in X Corps to stiffen the center of I Corps by deploying at positions from which it can bolster the ROK 2nd and 6th Divisions. Also, by this date, the 1st Marines become reserve, while the 5th Marines, 1st Korean Marine Regiment, and 7th Marines deploy along the No Name Line. In other activity, the 1st Marine Division is for the third time in eight months transferred to the operational control of X Corps. The Division is to deploy in the western corps sector subsequent to its boundary with IX Corps being shifted slightly more than ten miles to the west. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division comes under the operational control of X Corps, having passed from IX Corps. The 1st Marine Division and the 2nd Division (minus the reserve 65th Infantry Regiment) hold the corps’ left to defend the Chunchon–Hongch’on region. The corps’ right is held by the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions. In the ROK III Corps sector, the zone is held by the ROK 9th and 3rd Divisions. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force continues to press the enemy by pounding their positions. On this day, 960 sorties are executed. During the day’s action, two downed pilots are retrieved behind enemy lines in separate missions by two H-5 helicopters, one of which is hit by enemy fire. Nonetheless, both pilots and both helicopters return to friendly lines safely. In other activity, enemy fire brings down three out of four F-51s that attack enemy targets at Sinmak. The high loss indicates to Far East Air Forces that the enemy has initiated the use of radar controlled anti-aircraft guns.

May 1951 In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force establishes a radar station on Chodo, located in the Yellow Sea. From there, the radar direction center remains effective as far away as the Yalu River on the border with Manchuria. With the addition of the facility, the Sabre jets receive support that aids their efforts. During the month of May, the center is responsible for the downing of 6 of the 27 MiGs that are shot down by pilots of Sabre jets. The Sabres also shoot down an additional 6 planes. However, during May, the Communists, also supported with more modern radar, down five F-86s, three F-84s and one F-51 Mustang. Also, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing begins an experiment by carrying 1,000-pound bombs for use in air-to-ground operations, but the aircraft is unsuitable for the task. Subsequently, with the arrival of the F-86F, the plan becomes feasible. May 1

Although the Communists sustained high casualties during the offensive, intelligence estimates place more than 500,000 Chinese troops in Korea, bolstered by just under 200,000 North Koreans. Intelli-

710 gence also estimates that about 300,000 troops are within striking distance of Eighth Army. The enemy, however, continues to have supply problems. All corps initiate patrols that stretch out as far as five miles from the line in search of enemy forces. The patrols continue into the following day, but only near the I Corps sector are any Communist elements detected in strength. An ROK 1st Division patrol discovers elements of the N.K. 8th Division along Route 1. In the meantime, all units continue to strengthen the line in their respective sectors. The land in front of the lines is augmented by barbed wire, mines and drums that contain a mixture of napalm and gasoline. Patrols in the X Corps sector stretch westward and General Van Fleet also orders forward patrol bases to be established about five miles out along a line leading east to Route 24. In line with General Van Fleet’s corps adjustments for the next enemy attack, Eighth Army as of this date, is deployed from left to right: I Corps — ROK 1st Division, 1st Cavalry Division and the 25th Infantry Division; with the 3rd Infantry Division and the British 29th Brigade in reserve; IX Corps — the British 27th Brigade, 24th Infantry Division, 5th and 6th ROK Divisions and the 7th Infantry Divisions, with the 187th Airborne RCT in reserve; X Corps—the 1st Marine Division, 2nd Infantry Division, and 5th and 7th ROK Divisions; ROK III Corps–ROK 9th and 3rd Divisions; ROK I Corps — Capital Division and ROK 11th Division. In Naval activity, the USS Helena (CA-75) comes under extremely heavy fire from enemy shore batteries deployed in the vicinity of Wonsan.

May 2 Eighth Army continues to strengthen the No Name Line and the corps continues to form a regimental combat team to respond quickly to any Communist intrusion. In the I Corps sector, patrols continue to scout the front in search of the enemy. In addition, preparations are underway to advance the front east of Route 24 to the Missouri Line. May 3 By about this time, Eighth Army is focusing on patrol bases to maintain contact with the enemy. Also, by this time, the artillery units’ acute ammunition shortages have ended. The artillery units are under orders to execute fire each day, but the 11th Marines react with a protest, proclaiming that the troops are seldom in contact with the enemy. The artillery shells are, as some would contend, wasted, until later in the month when the Chinese again attack. The shortage of ammunition again occurs. In the X Corps sector, the Marines continue to bolster their positions along the No Name Line; however, there is a lull in the combat as the enemy apparently prepares to launch the next phase of its spring offensive. The attack is anticipated along the eastern sector of the Eighth Army perimeter. In Naval activity, carrier planes attached to the USS Princeton (CV 37) attack and damage the Hwach’on Dam.

711

May 4, 1951

A squadron of F-9F Panther jets prepares to land on the USS Princeton (left center). The USS Philippine Sea is nearby (upper right).

May 4 In the I Corps sector, a contingent of the 12th Regiment, ROK 1st Division, moves up Route 1 to establish a patrol base. In the 25th Division zone, the establishment of a patrol base is complicated by a shortage of reserve troops. To solve the problem, the 7th Infantry (3rd Division) is pulled from reserve. In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the

7th Cavalry is designated as the unit to establish an advance patrol base in the vicinity of Uijongbu. — In the United States: A bill that authorizes the Marine Corps to double its size to 400,000 is passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate. In addition, the commandant of the Marine Corps is to become a consultant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

May 5, 1951

712

Top: An AD Skyraider on the deck of the USS Princeton prepares to take off on a mission. Bottom: U.S. Navy carrier planes (AD Skyraiders) strike the Hwach’on Dam.

May 5 The Canadian 25th Infantry Brigade arrives in Korea. In Air Force activity, enemy fire shoots down an F51 in the skies north of Seoul. A crew attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron is alerted and dispatched to attempt to rescue the pilot. They take off in an

H-5 helicopter, locate the pilot, and successfully retrieve him. Enemy ground troops open fire, but no harm comes to the crew or the pilot.

May 6

The Imperial Ethiopian Expeditionary force (known also as the Kagnew Battalion) arrives in Korea.

713 The Ethiopian force is not a heavily trained combat outfit and it has arrived with no equipment or weapons. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral G.R. Henderson relieves Rear Admiral R.A. Ofstie as commander, Carrier Division 5 and Task Force 77. In other activity, the vessels USS Helena (CL 75), Orleck (DD 886), Fiske (DD 842), Buck (DD 761) and HMS Cockade (DD), initiate a bombardment of enemy targets in the vicinity of Kansong and Kosong to soften enemy resistance for the ROK troops in the area. The operation continues into the following day as the ROKs advance to the Missouri Line. A patrol of the 1st Korean Marine Regiment reports that the naval fire had inflicted devastating damage to enemy targets and spared the ROK troops from possible annihilation.

May 7

The six ROK divisions in the eastern sector of the line initiate a move to the Missouri Line. In the I Corps sector, the advance encounters only minimal sporadic opposition. In Air Force activity, the 39th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 35th Fighter-Bomber Group, is transferred into the 18th Fighter Bomber Group, commanded by a new CO, Colonel William P. McBride. This is a component of the plan to combine all F-51 Mustang squadrons into one contingent. It occurs while the 35th Group is converting their aircraft. In Naval activity, the USS Hoquiam (PF 5), operating off Songjin, comes under fire by enemy shore guns. One seaman is injured.

May 8

The advance to the Missouri Line by the ROKs continues. In the I Corps sector, the ROK 1st Division advances up Route 1, and on this day, some N.K. resistance is encountered. Skirmishing continues during the advance, but by the following day, the South Koreans compel the enemy to retire. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions advance on the Corps’ right. In the ROK III Corps sector, the 3rd and 9th Divisions move forward. In the ROK I Corps sector, the 11th and Capital Divisions advance. In Air Force activity, two U.S. ground troops caught in enemy territory north of Seoul are located and extricated by an H-5 helicopter attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron.

May 9 General Ridgway and Ambassador Muccio meet with South Korean President Syngman Rhee. Ridgway informs Rhee that leadership within the ROK forces is poor and must be improved. Also, the Fifth Air Force strikes enemy positions in the vicinity of Sinuiju, near the Yalu River. The 1st Marine Air Wing participates in the attack, which is executed by several hundred planes, including Marine Corps Corsair fighters and Panther jets. The massive strike against the enemy airfield and vicinity is executed by 312 planes and the attack results in the destruction of 15 enemy jets and 100 buildings.

May 11, 1951 In the I Corps sector, enemy resistance against the ROK 1st Division is terminated. The division establishes a patrol base along Route 1 and then returns to the No Name Line. In the ROK I Corps sector, a contingent of the ROK 11th Division, a tank destroyer battalion, moves well beyond the Missouri Line and enters Kansong, slightly more than fifteen miles above the line. Kansong is strategically located where Route 24 terminates at the coastal highway. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th Division arrives at the Missouri Line. In Air Force activity, the airfield at Sinuiju is pounded heavily by a combination of Air Force F-51s, F-80s and Marine Corps F4-Us. The strike force is protected by U.S. Navy F9Fs and Air Force F-84s and F-86s. During the attack, a contingent of about 50 MiGs arrive from Antung on the opposite side of the Yalu River in Manchuria, but their attack is mild at best and in one instance, a group of eight MiGs passes within one hundred yards of a formation of Sabre jets, but it makes no move to attack; rather it keeps moving. The attack damages the airfield sufficiently to knock it out of action.

May 10

Preparations continue for a move by Eighth Army to the Kansas Line; however, intelligence reports continue to point to an imminent Chinese offensive. By this time Communist resistance is becoming more tenacious. In addition, it has been determined that the enemy now has about 1,000 planes available and that about fifty new enemy airfields are nearly completed. Large concentrations of enemy troops are detected in the area north of the I Corps. In Naval activity, a contingent of U.S. Air Force personnel, transported by a contingent of Amphibious Task Force (TF 90), arrives at Inchon from Okinawa.

May 11

General Van Fleet cancels a plan to advance to the Kansas Line, scheduled to begin on 12 May with an attack toward the Topeka Line. The attack had been scheduled on 9 May, but the situation has changed. Intelligence informs Van Fleet that the enemy offensive is about to be reinitiated imminently. Initially Eighth Army knows about eight separate Chinese armies. Four (12th, 20th, 60th and 64th) are not in the immediate area. Of the four (15th, 27th, 63rd and 65th) that are in nearby sectors, intelligence can find only one division out front. Later Van Fleet is informed that five of the armies are staging in the region west of the Pukham River from where they are positioned to launch an attack against the west central sector. Although the primary attack is cancelled, the ROK III and I Corps remain under orders to continue their attack toward the Missouri Line. Later the orders will be modified, instructing the ROKs to stay ahead of the No Name Line, but to postpone the advance to the Missouri Line. In the I Corps sector, the 3rd Division is still scheduled to move into corps reserve, but this day, combat teams form to prepare to support any corps sector. The

May 12, 1951 7th RCT assembles in Seoul, from where it is positioned to speed to support the I Corps. The 65th RCT deploys about twenty miles southeast of Seoul near Kyongan-ni, from where it can bolster the IX Corps. The 15th RCT forms in the vicinity of Ichon, near the junction of Route 13 and 20, about thirty-five miles southeast of Seoul, from where it can augment the X Corps. In the IX Corps sector, a contingent of the ROK 9th Division moves into Inje during the afternoon without incident. In Naval activity, the USS Orleck (DD 886), guided by a shore fire control party (ten Marines in group acting as eyes of naval ship) pound enemy positions along the east coast of Korea and inflict about 300 casualties. Also, pursuant to requests by the U.S. Air Force at the end of April, planes attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77) are launched against four specific enemy targets—rail bridges. Three of the bridges are demolished.

May 12 While Eighth Army continues to reinforce its defenses, the ROK III and I Corps press forward toward Inje and Yongdae-ri with a full scale attack. The ROK 3rd, 9th, 11th and Capital Divisions all participate. A reconnaissance contingent of the ROK 9th Division that had entered Inje on the previous day encounters an enemy force slightly beyond the town and drives it off before returning to the main body; however, the main attack is unable to reach its objectives due to a combination of the distance involved (Yongdae–ri is nearly fifteen miles northeast of Inje) and the amount of resistance encountered. Meanwhile, Eighth Army still has no complete picture of where the enemy is deployed. — In the United States: General O.P. Smith, recently transferred commander, 1st Marine Division, assumes command of Fleet Marine Force Pacific Troops and Marine Barracks, Camp Pendleton. May 13

By this date, more intelligence is collected and it becomes evident that large enemy forces are shifting from positions in the west and west central regions to the east, but there is no precise information on when and from where the attack will be launched. Intelligence determines that the Chinese have advanced five armies into the region to the front of Chunchon–Inje area, a huge threat against the X Corps and the ROK III Corps. In the meantime, the elements begin to work against Eighth Army, which will impede air observation missions. In Air Force activity, a contingent of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing, while on a mission (experimental) as a ground attack force, encounters enemy fire. The planes are carrying 1,000-pound bombs. One of the pilots, Bud Mahurin, a World War II ace, is shot down and captured.

May 14

The No Name Line is heavily fortified in preparation for a Communist offensive. The line is bolstered by interlocking machine gun positions, an unending series of miles, and strategically placed drums of

714 napalm and gasoline, each set to detonate by electrical devices. The line is also augmented by barbed wire. Also, the Canadian 15th Infantry Brigade, in reserve, is ordered to move from Pusan to Kumnyangyang-ni, slightly less than twenty-five miles southeast of Seoul. The Canadians are to deploy and defend against an enemy attack, if it emerges from the Pukham or Seoul–Suwon corridors. In the IX Corps sector, the 187th Airborne RCT prepares to launch an attack toward Kap’yong on the following day. On this day, weather prevents observation planes from initiating any missions and as the day progresses, the heavy rains also hinder ground reconnaissance patrols. In other activity, General Van Fleet visits the 24th Division perimeter and after observing the defenses, concludes that the division has not properly bolstered the lines.

May 15

The Chinese reinitiate the offensive with a force estimated at 21 divisions, supported by 9 North Korean divisions on the flank. The main attack strikes X Corps and the ROK III Corps. In the IX Corps sector, the 187th Airborne RCT aborts its planned attack against an enemy force, thought to be in an assembly area near Kap’yong, due to inclement weather, which has caused the roads to become too poor for travel. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions are struck hard by the Chinese. By the following day, the ROKs are driven from the high ground to the right of Chonchon. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches daylight strikes against enemy positions to impede their progress.

May 16–20 1951

The Communists maintain pressure against the UN forces in Korea. In an effort to sustain the ground troops, Far East Air Forces maintains an aggressive campaign to keep the troops supplied with rations, equipment and ammunition. During this five-day period, the aircraft attached to the 315th AD deliver an average of 1,000 tons of supplies each day.

May 16–23 1951

The Chinese launch the second and final phase of the Spring Offensive. The attacks are halted by the 23rd. By 30 May, Eighth Army is again positioned at the Kansas Line.

May 16 Eighth Army continues to bolster its defenses. The most solid information on the enemy intentions had come from captives picked up during the past week. According to one captive caught above Seoul, the 2nd Division, X Corps, and the ROKs along the eastern part of the line are the primary objectives. The information proves true during the latter part of this day, when the Chinese offensive (fifth phase, second and final effort) is re-ignited. The Chinese 60th, 15th and 12th Armies strike from positions above the Soyang River from the vicinity of Chunchon to Naep’yong-ni (Battle of Soyang-gang). This is the start of the Second Chinese Communist

715 Spring Offensive. The 27th Army launches its attack against the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions. In addition, the N.K. V Corps and II Corps strike the eastern sector of the line. The strength of the attacking force is estimated at 21 Chinese divisions, supported by 3 North Korean divisions. In the IX Corps sector, a contingent of the 7th Marines holding along Route 29 is attacked during the night in a contest that lasts about four hours. Captives seized by the Marines provide evidence that the Chinese III Army Group is in the area and in position to threaten the X Corps. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions are hit with heavy attacks with the main thrust penetrating between the two divisions. The Chinese 87th Division, 27th Army, drives toward Sangam-ni as the ROKs again collapse quickly. By midnight (16th-17th), both divisions are authorized by General Almond to withdraw to the No Name Line. The infantry units scatter haphazardly, but the artillery units of both divisions make it safely down Route 24 to reach the lines of the U.S. 2nd Division. By noon on the following day, the ROK 7th Division is still disorganized. The only available ROK 7th Division forces on the field are two battalions of the reserve 3rd Regiment. In the meantime, the ROK 5th Division is able to get forces to the right flank of the 2nd Division. The 2nd Division becomes jeopardized due to the collapse of the ROK 7th Division. The division is defending a fifteen mile front with the 9th and 38th Regiments holding the left and bolstered further by Task Force Zebra, which holds the right side of the perimeter. The French Battalion stands about five miles behind the lines of TF Zebra, and remains the only reserve in the division zone. In the 38th Regiment’s zone, the attached Netherlands Battalion is posted on Hill 710 and Hill 975 to augment the 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment. Daylight attacks against the 2nd Division’s lines indicate that stronger attacks are imminent. Meanwhile, the French and Dutch Battalions, along with the U.S. 23rd and 38th Regiments, drive southward to secure the MSR. At about dusk, the Communists pound against the lines of TF Zebra and the 38th Regiment in an attempt to penetrate between the two units. The attacks continue until about dawn on the following day. In conjunction, during 16th-17th, the 38th FABn fires more than 10,000 rounds. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the perimeter is not tested by the Chinese. However, during the early morning hours of the following day, the Chinese make contact.

May 17–22 1951

Far East Air Forces continues to support the ground troops as they attempt to quell the enemy offensive. B-29s attached to Bomber Command execute ninety-four sorties against the enemy ground troops and of these, most are after dusk and designed to deter enemy night attacks. Superfortresses undertake other missions during this time.

May 17, 1951

May 17 The U.S. Air Force intensifies its support to bolster X Corps. Orders from General Stratemeyer stipulate that a minimum of twelve medium bombers be committed for night runs to pulverize suspected enemy positions in front of the Eight Army lines, within the X Corps sector. Enemy targets selected by X Corps become the recipients of the bomb loads, composed of about three hundred and fifty 500-pound bombs. In the face of the enemy’s re-initiation of the offensive, the ROK Army Headquarters, ROK III Corps and I Corps pull back to the No Name Line. During the early morning hours, the 30th FABn, ROK 9th Division, gets snagged by an enemy roadblock as it moves back. The 11th Regiment, ROK 3rd Division, trailing the 30th FABn, also gets tangled in the roadblock. By the latter part of the day, the artillery that survives and the 11th Regiment moves back toward Hyon-ni to the north to establish positions there. Also, the scattered ROK 5th Division is later able to regroup and make it to the right flank of the 2nd Division. The No Name Line, by about 0100, is stabilized and secure, but in the X Corps sector, the attacks continue relentlessly. In the IX Corps sector, the boundary is shifted about four miles to the east to modify positions prior to an expected heavy attack against the X Corps. The 1st Marine Division is directed to relieve the 9th and 38th Regiments, 2nd Division (X Corps), which permits the two X Corps regiments to extend farther eastward. In addition, the ROK III Corps and I Corps are ordered to withdraw to the Waco Line, more than fifteen miles below the No Name Line. General Almond is directed by General Van Fleet to realign his forces to the southeast, where a link is to be made with the ROK III Corps at the Waco Line. In the X Corps sector, two battalions of the 3rd Regiment, 7th ROK Division, stand their ground and engage elements of the Chinese 81st Division in the vicinity of Sangam-ni. In the 2nd Division sector, by about dawn, concentrated attacks against the 38th Regiment and TF Zebra terminate, but the fighting does not end at other spots that remain contested in the sector. At about the stroke of midnight (16th-17th), elements of the Chinese 45th Division, 15th Army, drive against the positions of the 2nd Battalion, 38th Regiment at Hill 755, defended by Company E. In less than three hours, Company F comes under siege at Hill 755. It withdraws to positions to the rear of the 3rd Battalion. In the meantime, in the 1st Battalion zone, Hill 1051, held by Company A, and Company C, on Hill 914, remain under attack since the previous night. Assaults that had begun at about dusk on the previous day continue to fail, but the pressure to hold becomes too great. As the Chinese ascend the slopes, their numbers quickly lessen due to the defenders and an avalanche of artillery fire, combined with deadly mines and illumination flares. The U.S. forces at most points remain steadfast after having inflicted huge numbers of casualties against the attack force.

May 17, 1951 Company A, at Hill 1051, is struck with a severe blow at about 0200, but it holds. A contingent of Netherlands troops is rushed to support the beleaguered platoon at dawn, but Chinese opposition is too stiff to break through. Subsequently, the full battalion prepares to advance to rescue the defenders at Hill 1051, but too late. In the meantime, Company C is compelled to abandon Hill 914. The Chinese begin to flow into the gap about one hour prior to noon, due in part to the inability of the Dutch and French contingents to plug the gap. At 1300, the Netherlands force is directed to advance, but the force stays in place. Finally, after more prodding, the Netherlands Battalion advances at 1500, but it makes no progress against the Chinese forces in front of it. Colonel Chiles, X Corps G-3, at about 1430 takes charge of the X Corps front, including TF Zebra, the French Battalion and the reserve 23rd Regiment. Reinforcements are en route to bolster the positions. They include the ROK 8th Division and the 3rd Division (minus the 7th and 65th Combat Teams). The 3rd Division reinforcements arrive first just before noon, when the vanguard of the 15th RCT moves into the area. The remainder of the division will be in place by the following day. The X Corps also receives an influx of artillery units, borrowed also from IX Corps. General Van Fleet intends to halt the attack and deliver a punishing blow to the enemy. Earlier, Van Fleet had stated: “I welcome his [Chinese] attack and want to be strong enough in position and fire power to defeat him.” Preparations had been made to increase the artillery against the Chinese during this offensive by about 500 percent and according to the situation, the pace could be maintained for seven days without resupply. While the ammunition is a priority, it is accepted that other supplies would not be delivered on a regular basis for the duration of the offensive. The order to execute the monstrous bombardments upon suspected enemy positions is issued late on this day. On the following day, more than 41,000 rounds are expended and the total increases on successive days. Also, the artillery attacks are augmented by radarguided air strikes. Planes deliver 500-pound bombs against targets of Chinese troop concentrations, some of which are less than 500 yards from the perimeter. The afternoon remains relatively quiet, but the Chinese, despite sustaining heavy losses, continue to mount more forces against the X Corps lines. The X Corps boundary is realigned to move southeast and connect with the ROK III Corps at the Waco Line, below the No Name Line. Late in the day before dusk, large concentrations of enemy troops are detected as they filter through the gap to strike the front of the 38th Regiment, 2nd Division, and near the front of the 23rd Regiment. The attack force is composed of elements of the Chinese 45th Division. Air strikes are called upon and the artillery commences a tumultuous bombardment that causes high enemy casualties, but the Chinese ignore casualties and continue to press. The 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry

716 Regiment, is struck with a strong blow and some penetration occurs. Nevertheless, the toll extracted by the 3rd Battalion, coupled with the air and artillery, thins out the force and the Chinese fail to sustain their thrust. The 3rd Battalion regains the lost terrain and ousts the enemy from the lines by the early hours of the 18th. Along the eastern sector of the 2nd Division zone, the Chinese also sustain horrific casualties, but again, they are not dissuaded as they funnel through the area between Hill 1051 and Hill 914. Undaunted by the relentless bombardment, the Chinese (181st Division, 60th Army, attached to 12th Army) walk through the enfilade of fire, oblivious to the shells, bombs and the massive amount of dead Chinese that they pass over as if stepping on a leaf or tree branch. Before dusk, the Chinese reach the positions of the French Battalion at Hill 975. The French hold their ground, but only for about two hours before they are compelled to withdraw, giving the Chinese an opportunity to hammer the left flank of the 23rd Regiment during the early morning hours of the 18th. In the meantime, to the front of the left flank of the regiment, Company F comes under attack, but it completely suppresses it by about midnight (17th-18th). After failing to make progress the Chinese disengage and head east. At the same time the 23rd Regiment is repulsing the enemy, the ROK 5th Division elements, deployed on the right flank, come under attack, but General Almond authorizes a withdrawal to positions east of Chaun-ni. By morning of the 18th, the entire 38th Regiment becomes imperiled. The same circumstances face the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 38th Infantry, which became jeopardized after the Netherlands Battalion, without a fight, abandoned its positions on Hill 975. Much pressure is placed upon the 1st and 2nd Battalions (38th Regiment) until daylight on the 18th, but by then the forward companies eliminate the threat. However, Companies A and F are isolated and unable to breakthrough from their positions to the rear of Company B, which remains encircled. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion at Hill 800 and beyond to the southeast through Han’gye to Hill 693 remains intact and under no immediate threat. In the 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of Chinese, about regimental strength, manage to get through to the rear of a Korean Marine patrol base in an attempt to strike the 2nd Division; however, a recent move by elements of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, puts them in position to greet the Chinese. At about dusk, the battalion completes a roadblock at the Morae–Kogae pass along the Chonchon road, and by midnight (17th-18th), it is reinforced by Company G, to place the entire regiment there. Although the Marines had not expected the Chinese, it becomes apparent that the Chinese’s thoughts of a free run to the 2nd Division are shattered by the fortuitous move of the 3rd Battalion. At the northern tip of the Marines’ perimeter, the Chinese are welcomed by a surprised Company I, a platoon of

717 Company D, tanks, and a weapons company platoon. The Chinese are caught completely off guard, but they return furious fire. The exchange transforms the area into a cauldron of fire. Two tanks are lost, and the Chinese attempt unsuccessfully to destroy another. The fight continues into the following day. In Naval Activity, Rear Admiral R.A. Ofstie, having recently been relieved of his command of Task Force 77 by Admiral Henderson, becomes Chief of Staff, Naval Forces Far East. He succeeds Rear Admiral A.K. Morehouse.

May 18

General Van Fleet, after assessing the situation, makes a decision at about midnight (17th-18th) to bolster the eastern sector of the X Corps, due in great part to the inability of the South Koreans to hold their positions. The remaining 3rd Division contingents are directed to move eastward from Seoul and other units will follow, including the 7th RCT and the 65th RCT, which will redeploy on the 19th and 20th respectively. In conjunction, the 15th RCT is unaffected; it is to remain attached to the 2nd Division. Van Fleet also directs the I Corps, IX Corps and the 1st Marine Division to dispatch patrols and prepare to attack a phase line (Topeka).

May 18, 1951 In the IX Corps sector, the 7th Marines are ordered to withdraw from blocking positions along Route 29 and relieve the 1st Marines at its positions on the right sector of the zone, along the No Name Line, to permit the 1st Marines to relieve the 9th Infantry Regiment (X Corps). On the division’s left flank, the 5th Marines relieve the 38th Infantry Regiment (X Corps) after elements of the 7th Division (X Corps) redeploy in the 5th Marines sector. In the X Corps sector, subsequent to the pull back on the previous night by the French Battalion on Hill 975, elements of the Chinese 181st Division effortlessly gain access to Route 24, which enables the enemy to strike at the left flank of the 23rd Infantry Regiment at Chaun-ni by about 0330. Other enemy contingents advance to positions in the heights west of Chaun-ni to place the Chinese between the village and the French Battalion, which had withdrawn to some high ground on the fringes of Putchaetful. In the X Corps sector, General Almond orders a boundary shift. The boundary is extended slightly less than fifteen miles to connect corps with the Waco Line and the ROK III Corps at Habae-jae. During the threeday battle (16th-18th), General Ruffner, 2nd Division

Marines on patrol. The silhouette of one Marine can be seen in the rear doorway, while other Marines move toward the front of a hut. One enemy casualty can be seen. His boots are visible in the doorway.

May 18, 1951

718

The smoking lamp is lit. A trio attached to the U.S. 7th Division pauses to smoke cigarettes along a road in the vicinity of Chungbangdac south of the Hongch’on River on 22 May. commander, reports 900 killed, wounded and missing. He reports Chinese and North Korean losses at 39,000. In the 2nd Division zone, the 1st Marines (IX Corps) completes relief of the 9th Regiment, which permits the 9th Regiment to complete its redeployment to bol-

ster the 38th Regiment. By noon, the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry, begins to establish positions between the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. During the realignment of the 2nd Division line, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are directed to punch forward to attempt to rescue Company B,

719 38th Regiment, which has not been able to break out of its encirclement at Hill 724 because of the Chinese that had massed on Hill 710 to the rear of Companies A and F. Another attempt to rescue the beleaguered unit is scheduled to commence at about 1800. Planes expected to support the advance are compelled to return to base due to a sudden unexpected storm. Cancellation of the air power is followed by the suspension of a massive artillery barrage. Meanwhile, the 9th Regiment — bolstered by Company G (38th Regiment) and the Dutch battalion — is en route to extricate the trapped units. By the following morning, when stragglers that reach the positions of the 9th Regiment are counted, the casualties are extremely high. Company A stands at eighty-nine men and two officers. Company B accounts for seventy-four enlisted men, but no officers. Company F accounts for no officers and eighty-one enlisted men. The other units in the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 38th Regiment also sustain high casualty rates. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, holds Hill 800 and awaits the arrival of the 5th Marines, which on the following day is to fill the gap there between the 3rd Battalion and two battalions of the 9th Infantry Regiment. The Chinese, however, advance after dark to seize Hill 800. Company K, defending the summit, receives an enormous amount of support. With each successive assault, artillery strikes are called upon and the Chinese continue to get raked with relentless fire. All the while, the troops of Company K wait in the security of the defenses. The attacks continue until dawn on the following day, but the crest remains unscathed and the Chinese lose about 800 troops to the artillery bombardments. In the 23rd Regiment zone, orders direct the regiment to redeploy along the new line in positions east of Route 24; however, the Chinese block the only route capable of carrying vehicles. To add to the crisis, a mix-up in communications causes more problems. The French inform the 72nd Tank Battalion that the road from Chaun-ni is mined. The information is passed on to Chaun-ni, but it does not reach the officers. Consequently, the supply trains of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, some tanks of the 72nd Tank Battalion, along with a contingent of a mortar company face mines and a wall of fire, unless the Chinese can quickly be evicted. Elements of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, bolstered by a platoon of tanks, attempts to clear the way, but the Chinese force is insurmountable. The 3rd Battalion advances to positions near the roadblock by early afternoon, while the 2nd Battalion works to clear other enemy forces along the road, but to no avail. Orders arrive instructing the supply trains and accompanying units to plow through the blockade, while the 2nd Battalion moves to join with the 3rd Battalion for a combined withdrawal. Still unaware of mines along the route, the convoy, led by tanks, rolls out of Chaun-ni, but after traveling only a short distance, the lead tank hits a mine and stalls the entire convoy.

May 18, 1951 The Chinese, meanwhile, remain perched in the high ground on opposite sides of the road and immediately open fire. Pandemonium breaks out as the drivers, including tankers, attempt to escape the fire by abandoning the vehicles. The second tank in the column rams its way through the iron debris and gets ahead of the disabled tank, but to no avail. Soon after, it also loses a track to a mine. Attempts are made to get the convoy off the road and onto a stream bed leading southward. There, too, the enemy totally disrupts the withdrawal. Drivers again abandon vehicles, some of which are halted by collisions and others afire by burning ammunition. The troops flee toward the 2nd and 3rd Battalions and accompany them on yet another tedious and dangerous phase of the withdrawal. The rear guard of the force is Company C, 72nd Tank Battalion. At about 1830, even the weather turns against the retreat. Heavy rain begins to saturate the area. Nonetheless, by about midnight, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions reach positions behind the 1st Battalion. In the meantime, the Chinese enjoy a scavenger hunt among the abandoned vehicles. The ROK 5th Division, positioned east of Chaunni, is forced to retire in disorderly fashion. The ROKs halt the retreat at positions slightly south of Hill 683, but only some are there. Many more South Koreans are scattered all about. Also, elements of the ROK 7th Division holds the X Corps’ east flank at positions southeast of Hasolch’i, slightly below P’ungam-ni. The bulk of the division is like the ROK 5th Division, scattered as far away as the ROK III Corps sector. In the X Corps zone, a night-long battle at the Morae– Kongae pass ends successfully for the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. The Chinese had mounted a tenacious assault, but a counterattack by Company I regains the ground and suppresses the assault, while other Marines and tanks bolstered by artillery maneuver to seal off the enemy’s rear. By dawn (18th), the Chinese sustain a devastating defeat. Air support again arrives late at about 1030, but still there are plenty of enemy targets in the area. The Chinese lose 112 killed (counted) and 82 POWs. The U.S. loses 7 killed and 19 wounded. In other activity, the 1st Marine Division, acting on Eighth Army orders, shrinks its perimeter to support the 2nd Division on the east. While the 1st Marines speed to relieve the 9th Infantry, 2nd Division, the 7th Marines pull back to the No Name Line to relieve the 1st Marines. In conjunction, the 5th Marines pull out of the division’s left flank to relieve the 38th Infantry Regiment on the far right. In turn, the relief by the Marines allows the 2nd Division the flexibility to deploy from where the Chinese moving from the east can be engaged and halted. In the ROK III Corps sector, the 5th and 9th ROK Divisions each receive orders to withdraw to the Waco Line. Both divisions are attacked and each collapses. The South Koreans lose several hundred vehicles and all of their artillery. In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) launches planes in support of Eighth Army. The day is

May 19, 1951 costly, as 6 aircraft (5 F4U, 1AD) are lost, the highest casualty rate to this point in the conflict. Two of the pilots are rescued, but three others are killed and one is missing. Also, the vessels USS Duncan (DDR 874), Brinkley Bass (DD 887), and the Leonard F. Mason (DD 852) combine their fire power and propel more than 1,000 rounds of 5-inch shells against enemy positions at Wonsan. Enemy shore batteries on Kalma Gak return heavy fire, but no damage or casualties are sustained by the naval warships.

May 19 The Communists continue to mount high casualties as they maintain the offensive. Meanwhile, Eighth Army continues to modify its lines and strategy to terminate the attacks. By this day, the fighting tilts to the eastern part of the lines. By darkness, the entire eastern front is threatened by the total strength of the Chinese IX Army Group, positioned primarily between Han’gye and Soksa-ri. At Soksa-ri, only one platoon of the Reconnaissance Company (3rd Division) is positioned. However, General Van Fleet is convinced that the Chinese are stretched too far. After checking along the entire front, Van fleet concludes that a massive counterattack will crack the Chinese offensive. He schedules the offensive by the I and IX Corps, against enemy supply areas and communications centers in the vicinity of Mansedari, Hwach’on and Inje, to begin on the following day. General Ridgway arrives at X Corps from Japan and confers with Generals Van Fleet, Almond (X Corps) and Hoge (IX Corps) at Hoengsong. Eighth Army urgently requests full-scale air support to stem the tide. In the X Corps sector, another difficult day emerges as the Chinese relentlessly move to overwhelm the X Corps. In the 2nd Division zone, stragglers from the 23rd Regiment continue to arrive at the 9th Regimental positions, following the failed attempts to extricate the isolated units. The 23rd Infantry Regiment and accompanying units sustain 72 killed, 158 wounded and 190 missing. More than 150 vehicles, including some tanks, are lost. The regiment inflicts upon the enemy more than 2,200 killed and 1,400 wounded. The 23rd Regiment captures 22 Chinese soldiers attached to several divisions, the 31st, 35th and 181st. Also, elements of the 3rd Division arrive from Seoul. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, deploys to hold Route 20 and to protect against intrusions from the mountain paths northwest of their line. The remainder of the 7th Infantry arrives later and deploys in the vicinity of Ami-dong. At the divisional right, the 15th RCT (on loan from 3rd Division) passes through the ROK 3rd Regiment and gains P’ungam-ni prior to noon. Afterward, the 15th RCT gains the high ground to the northwest of the village. The ROK 3rd Regiment and several contingents of the ROK 7th Regiment shadow the 15th RCT to positions north and northeast of P’ungam-ni. In the 23rd Regiment zone, prior to dawn, again, the Chinese launch an attack. The regiment calls for assis-

720 tance from artillery and by air strikes to inflict more casualties upon the 181st Regiment. Meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd Battalion remain under great pressure until about noon, when the skies clear and planes arrive to support counterattacks. After eliminating the threat, the battalion advances to positions near Route 24, below Hasolch’i. In the meantime, the 9th Regiment continues moving to its positions above Hasolch’i after dusk. The 1st Battalion deploys to the right of the ROK 35th Regiment. The 2nd Battalion moves to positions to the rear of the ROK 36th Regiment. Also, the French Battalion is prevented from linking with the ROK 36th Regiment, positioned northwest of Hasolch’i. Also, the 2nd Division receives a huge amount of support from the U.S. Air Force, which delivers about 700 radar controlled bombs after dark to help smash the enemy troop formations in front of the 2nd Division. In the 3rd Division zone, elements of the Chinese 93rd Regiment, 31st Division, arrive after dusk and compel a small reconnaissance contingent of the 3rd Division to evacuate the their positions in Soksa-ri. In the ROK III Corps sector, disorder remains rampant as troops from various units are still scattered about. None of the units reach the Waco Line. In the ROK I Corps sector, the Capital Division and the 11th Division remain disciplined and the units are able to arrive at the Waco Line. In Air Force activity, enemy fire shoots down an F51 in the area southwest of Ch’orwon. An H-5 helicopter from the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron is dispatched to attempt to rescue the pilot. The mission is successful and the pilot is retrieved and brought back to friendly positions; however, enemy fire is encountered while the crew is bringing the man aboard.

May 20 Operation STRANGLE commences. The operation is designed to destroy the enemy’s rail and vehicle traffic where it can be caught in North Korea. The operation is unfolded primarily with air power, but the planes are not able to provide sufficient air power to the ground troops. Eighth Army for some time receives fewer than 100 sorties a day. Operation STRANGLE continues into September. Also, the I Corps and IX Corps initiate counterattacks (Operation DETONATE), while the X Corps continues to fend off the remaining attacks in its area. The Communists against X Corps continue to sustain extremely high casualties without making progress. Also, by this date, the Communist offensive is halted, unable to gather any momentum against the galvanized Eighth Army. In the I Corps sector, the advance moves toward the major road center in the Yongp’yong River valley; however, the orders will be modified and on 23 May, subsequent to rearranging the IX Corps–X Corps boundary in an eastward direction, the IX Corps will assume responsibility for the road hub west of the Hwach’on Reservoir and the security of the Hongch’on–Chunchon–Hwach’on Road. In conjunction, the modified

721 orders give X Corps responsibility for the road centers east of the Hwach’on Reservoir. On this day, General Milburn directs a three-division advance. The 1st Cavalry Division advances up Route 33, while the 25th Division drives north along Route 3, toward the Yongp’yong River valley. In addition, the ROK 1st Division advances toward Munsan-ni. In the 25th Division zone, Company E, 35th Regiment, engages an enemy contingent in the vicinity of Seoul. During the struggle, just as the vanguard approaches the positions of the enemy, a grenade is tossed into the ranks. Sergeant Donald R. Moyer spots the live grenade and to save the lives of the others with him, he dives on it and takes the full blast. Sergeant Moyer receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless actions on behalf of his fellow soldiers. The hill is later taken. In the IX Corps sector, the counterattack is executed by the 24th Division and the ROK 2nd, 6th and 7th divisions. The IX Corps objective is to pursue and engage the enemy reserves; however, the progress of the attacks rates poor at best, despite only minimum opposition. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, elements of the Chinese 34th Division strike the positions of the 9th Infantry Regiment northeast of Hasolch’i. Following

May 20, 1951 the massive air bombardment of the previous night, this is the only heavy attack to commence by dawn. Nevertheless, the defenders, Company C, receive massive support, including air attacks and artillery, bolstered further by a counterattack launched by Company A. The attacking force of about five hundred troops is liquidated. In other activity, elements of the 7th Regiment, 3rd Division, in battalion strength, advances to evict the Chinese that occupied Soksa-ni on the previous night, but the Chinese repulse the attempt. Nearby, above Soksa-ri, the Chinese strike against the 23rd ROK Regiment (3rd Division). In the 23rd Infantry Regiment zone, the left flank is hit by the 181st Regiment, which emerges from the Naech’on River valley. The Communists move through a wall of withering fire while planes deliver yet more killing power. The fire is so overwhelming that the Chinese halt and retire before crashing into the regimental line. To the rear of the devastated 181st, more Communists gather to again brave the deadly fire; however, Eighth Army relentlessly maintains its artillery fire and B-29s saturate the various gathering places of the enemy formations. The powerful display riddles the Chinese and prevents any attacks against the 2nd Division throughout the night of 20–21 May.

General Ridgway (far right) discusses strategy with (from left to right) Major General William M. Hoge (IX Corps commander), Blackshear M. Bryan (24th Division commander) and Lt. General James A. Van Fleet (Eighth Army commander).

May 21, 1951 The convincing efforts against the 12th Army galvanizes the division. General Almond had withdrawal plans in effect, but prior to execution, he concludes that the line will hold steadfastly and he aborts the withdrawal. Instead, he directs his attention to modifying the lines to prevent the possibility of an attack from the east. While the 2nd Division remains in place like a steel picket fence, Almond prepares to take Soksa-ri back on the following day. The lines are further strengthened by the arrival of the 65th RCT (3rd Division). Another contingent, the ROK 8th Division, arrives in the vicinity of Chech’on, giving General Almond the option of dispatching the South Koreans from there to augment the eastern flank of X Corps. The ROK 8th Division had been operating in South Korea engaged in eliminating guerrillas behind Eighth Army lines. General Almond also has elements of the ROK 7th Division at P’ungam-ni, as well as elements of the battered 38th Regiment. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment attacks with the IX Corps; however, the three U.S. regiments remain in place. During the early morning hours, again the Chinese are surprised when they unexpectedly encounter Marine forces. At about 0445, a large contingent of about regimental strength encroaches the lines of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, expecting to occupy the positions, but not anticipating that the Marines already hold it. The surprise is deadly and one-sided. By 0930, the Chinese are introduced to every available weapon of the 7th Marines. The Marines count 152 dead and collect fifteen prisoners. The Chinese survivors flee into the hills. In Air Force activity, a contingent of Sabre jets on a mission get intercepted by about 50 MiGs. The Sabre pilots call for support, but in the meantime, they engage the MiGs in a wild shoot-out in the skies. One of the pilots, Captain Jabara, has problems with his plane; he cannot drop one of his wing tanks. Nonetheless, he maintains a stable flight. The Communists lose three MiGs, two of which are downed by Captain Jabara for his fifth and sixth kills. The Sabre pilots note a possible fourth kill and they report five MiGs damaged. Subsequent to the less than sterling performance, the Russians who had piloted the MiGs fail to show up for awhile, but they return to the skies on 31 May. Captain Jabara becomes the first jet-to-jet ace. In Naval activity, U.S. warships continue to operate off Wonsan. Enemy shore batteries inflict slight damage to the USS Brinkley Bass (DD 887) and inflict casualties. One seaman is killed and nine others are injured before the ship pulls back out of the range of the guns. Also, the USS New Jersey (BB 62) initiates its activity in the conflict by pounding enemy positions in the vicinity of Kansong and afterward at Kosang and Wonsan. On the following day, the USS New Jersey sustains minor damage to gun turret No. 121 after being fired upon by an enemy shore gun. One seaman is killed and three others are wounded.

722 In other activity, with air support provided by the USS Bataan (CVL-29) and naval surface support fire, British commandos land on the west coast of Korea across from Cho-do Island. The operation continues into the following day, with warships, including the USS Toledo (CA-133), providing continued naval surface support fire. — In Japan: General George E. Stratemeyer, the commanding officer of Far East Air Forces, suffers a severe heart attack. On the following day, he is replaced by General Partridge. Partridge’s position as commander Fifth Air Force is temporarily filled by Major General Edward J. Timberlake, Jr., USAF.

May 21 The Chinese offensive begins to slacken along Eighth Army’s front, except in the ROK III and I Corps sectors. However, the Eighth Army offensive of the I and IX Corps accelerates in an effort to drive the Chinese back and inflict punishing casualties. Toward the latter part of the day, the ROK III Corps receives orders to hold and make no additional withdrawals. The order stipulates that the corps re-establish its defensive positions along Route 20. Also, at about the same time, the ROK I Corps is directed to withdraw from its positions along the Waco Line and establish new defensive positions that protect Route 20, the section that stretches between Yuch’on-ni and the coast at Kangnung. In the I Corps sector, the progress continues and the entire force closes on the Topeka Line. Elements of the ROK 1st Division enter Munsan-ni prior to noon. In the IX Corps sector, the counterattack continues to make slow progress. In the X Corps sector, General Almond orders an attack to regain Soksa-ri. In other activity, the 187th Airborne RCT is released from IX Corps reserve. It moves to positions to the right of the 1st Marine Division, which places it to the left of the 2nd Division. Also, in the 7th Division zone, a platoon of Company F, 17th Regiment, attacks an enemy position in the heights in the vicinity of Monyeri. Enemy fire stalls the advance and grenades that plop down the slope cause the troops to scatter for safety. Sergeant Joseph C. Rodriguez, 2nd Platoon, jumps from his protected position and pushes toward the enemy. He sprints through the raging enemy fire for about sixty yards, then deposits a few of his grenades directly into the first foxhole he spots. Immediately he bolts forward and eliminates an automatic weapon with another delivery of grenades. Following his impetuous climb, Rodriguez reaches the summit and immediately liquidates the occupants of two additional foxholes. Still on the hunt, Rodriguez locates the remaining gun emplacement and takes it out to ease the path to the summit for the rest of his command. Rodriguez receives credit for the elimination of fifteen of the enemy. The enemy is routed. Rodriguez becomes the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism under fire. In Air Force activity, a contingent of four F-86 Sabre

723 jets led by Lieutenant Baldwin encounters and engages a band of MiGs in the skies over Kyebang-san. The patrol, which had arrived from Japan, is hitting bad weather and its target is in a mountainous area. However, the Sabres contact a tactical controller who guides them through the foggy weather to spot the target, a force the size of about two battalions, placed to threaten friendly troops. The planes arrive over the target just as the enemy is ascending a steep draw. But the Americans, in addition to the rain and overcast skies, are greeted by heavy antiaircraft fire. The combination of poor weather and low fuel compels the tactical control plane to depart the region. Nevertheless, the Sabre jets execute an attack. The strafing runs are so effective that the friendly ground troops get the needed relief and take the ground, where they discover and count about 700 enemy killed by the air attacks. They find huge stacks of equipment and supplies — no longer of any use. The planes had also destroyed the supplies. — In Japan: Major General Partridge, commander Fifth Air Force, succeeds General George E. Stratemeyer as commander Far East Air Forces. General Stratemeyer had suffered a heart attack. Major General Frank E. Everest succeeds General Partridge as commander Fifth Air Force; however until Everest can arrives to assume command, Major General Edward J. Timberlake becomes temporary commander.

May 22

The Communist focus, according to Eighth Army intelligence, seems to be against objectives along Route 20, Py’ongch-ang and Yongwol, and from there to Kangnung, but General Van Fleet remains convinced that the Communists’ attacks are fizzling out. Van Fleet directs the ROK I Corps to bolster the positions along Route 20 by establishing defenses to thwart an assault from the east. The orders stipulate that if enemy pressure prevents the I Corps from holding there, it is to form to protect the road hub at Kangnung. Meanwhile, the enemy forces in the X Corps zone initiate a withdrawal subsequent to dusk. Although enemy intentions remain uncertain to Eighth Army, the Chinese apparently have concluded that the casualty rates sustained during the offensive have been too great to continue the advance. Nevertheless, the Communists still have enormous reserves in the region. All the while, the Eighth Army counterattack continues in the I and IX Corps sectors. In the IX Corps sector, still only slight progress is accomplished. The full corps attacks reach no farther than the Georgia Line. The corps’ poor progress prompts General Van Fleet to commit the X Corps to join in on the following day to strengthen the assault. In the X Corps sector, recently formed Task Force Yoke, led by Colonel Lawrence K. Ladue, moves to take control of Habae-jae to prevent the Chinese from using it as a path to strike the line. TF Yoke is composed of the 2nd Battalion, 38th Regiment, a large contingent of the 72nd Tank Battalion, one platoon of the 15th

May 22, 1951 Infantry’s tank company and the greater part of the ROK 3rd Regiment. In addition, TF Yoke includes one battery of the 300th FABn and a tactical air control party. The task force advances through the lines of the ROK 7th Division near P’ungam-ni en route to the Habae-jae road junction; however, the objective is not achieved. The advance, due in great part to the tardiness of the ROKs, misses the mark by less than five miles. Later, Task Force Able is formed to resume the task of seizing Habae-jae. The task force is initially composed of the 15th RCT and two units from TF Yoke, the ROK 3rd Regiment and the 300th FABn; however, the force is altered. Almond returns the ROKs to the 7th Division and replaces them with the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. One company of the 72nd Tank Battalion is added. The advance is set for the following day. Colonel Ladue, commander of TF Yoke, succumbs two days later due to a heart attack. Also, the 187th Airborne RCT initiates an advance up Route 24 to seize the high ground near Han’gye. The afternoon advance encounters only light resistance and effortlessly gains the objective. In related activity, regarding the primary attack, the 2nd Division, reinforced with the 187th Airborne RCT, moves against Inje, while the 1st Marine Division pushes toward Yanggu (Hongch’on–Omyang–Yanggu axis). During the arduous trek to Yangu, the 1st and 5th Marines sustain many injuries due to the nasty terrain. The Marines attack toward Hill 1051, which had been seized by Chinese on 17 April. The 5th Marines while advancing and engaging rear-guard units of the Chinese 15th Army through some fortuitous luck, discover eleven 2nd Division troops that had been wounded and unable to reach friendly lines during the earlier Chinese attack. In the ROK III Corps sector, the ROK 3rd Division, commanded by General Kim Jong Oh, and 9th Division, led by General Choi Suk, again are unable to complete tasks assigned to them and both divisions are mauled by the Chinese by early afternoon. The lines of both units collapse and their command posts vanish as the Communists overrun positions effortlessly. Some units of the ROK 3rd Division are discovered on the following day at positions fifteen miles below Hajinbu-ri. Also on the following day, some elements of the ROK 9th Division, through the efforts of a KMAG advisor, begin to regroup about five miles southeast of Hajinburi. By the latter part of the day, General Van Fleet concludes that the ROK III Corps is no longer cohesive. The III Corps is designated inactive. The ROK 3rd Division is transferred to the ROK I Corps, while the ROK 9th Division is placed under the jurisdiction of X Corps. The failure of the South Koreans increases the difficulty for Eighth Army, but Van Fleet remains convinced that the Communists are in the process of a major withdrawal. He removes the ROK Army forward headquarters from the field and Van Fleet himself assumes responsibility for the ROK I Corps.

May 23, 1951 In the ROK I Corps sector, during the early morning hours, the Communists smash into the ROK 20th Regiment, 11th ROK Division, at Yuch’on-ni. The regiment is driven out by the elements of the N.K. II Corps. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force executes a large number of close-air support sorties and reports that the attacks inflict about 1,700 casualties on the enemy.

May 23 In the I Corps sector, Task Force Able, commanded by Lt. Colonel Thomas R. Yancey, resumes the attack toward Habae-jae road center, in place of TF Yoke, which had not been able to seize it on the previous day. Although the task force is only several miles from the target, it, too, is unable to reach the objective due to the rough terrain. In the 3rd Division zone, the advance continues against North Korean rear-guard units. Elements of the 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, reach the pass north of Soksa-ri. Also, the 65th Infantry Regiment reaches positions west of the 7th Regiment, while the ROK 9th Division holds the rear of the advance in reserve. In the IX Corps sector, after some modifications are made amidst the forces, the corps finally experiences some progress and gains ground. Nonetheless, the largest advances move only slightly more than five miles against the Chinese 63rd and 64th Armies, which continue a hurried retreat. The task force, composed of tanks and the 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment (24th Division), led by General Bryan, makes the deepest penetration and seizes Kap’yong. In the X Corps sector, the ROK III Corps sector is assumed by X Corps subsequent to the ROK III Corps being dissolved on the previous night by General Van Fleet. Also, the 1st Marine Division initiates its attack northward toward Yanggu at the eastern tip of the Hwachon Reservoir, to secure the road hub at the eastern tip of the reservoir. The advance is led by the 1st and 5th Marines. Meanwhile, the 7th Marines, after being relieved by a contingent of the 7th Infantry Division (IX Corps), moves to the east to operate on the Division’s right flank. In other activity, a contingent of the 2nd Division, including the 187th Airborne RCT (attached), is directed by General Almond to establish a bridgehead at the Soyang River and from there advance to Inje. In Air Force activity, Brigadier General Robert H. Terrill assumes command of Far East Air Forces Bomber Command. He succeeds General Elbert Briggs. General Briggs will return to the States in June to assume the position of deputy commander, Fifteenth Air Force, at March Air Force Base in California. In Naval activity, two LSMRs (Landing Shore Medium Rocket) launch a huge barrage against enemy positions at Wonsan during their initial action at the siege of Wonsan. The two vessels fire more than 4,900 rockets during a 35-minute period as part of Operation FIREBALL, executed by cruisers and destroyers. May 24

General Van Fleet continues to become impatient with the tardiness of the offensive. He is con-

724 vinced that if the corps commanders quicken the pace, the Chinese and North Koreans attempting to withdraw can still be caught in a vise and destroyed. In other activity, the saga of a group of 18 Marines and one U.S. Army interpreter captured during the previous year ends at U.S. lines. The captives had been brought to the Communist lines near Ch’orwon, probably to be used as laborers during April. During an artillery barrage, the Chinese guards seek cover while the POWs flee. On the following day while concealed in the heights, the band fabricates a sign from wallpaper stripped from a nearby destroyed house, reading: “POW 19 RESCUE.” A pilot in an observation plane spots the sign. On the 26th, several tanks roar to the area and rescue the men. In the I Corps sector, the advance pushes up Route 3 toward the Kansas Line. Elements reach the line on the following day. In the IX Corps sector, the objective is the Topeka Line at a point in the 7th Division’s newly assigned area, just above Chunchon. General Ferenbaugh, the 7th Division commander, is directed by General Hoge to dispatch an armored force toward Chunchon to discover crossing sites at the Soyang River. Task Force Hazel is formed for the task, but it is only a light unit, composed only of a platoon of tanks, the 7th Reconnaissance Company and a contingent of engineers. The task force comes under heavy attack by small arms and machine gun fire along Route 29 near Sinjom, about eight miles from Chunchon. Captain Hazel, immediately after coming under attack, pulls back the vanguard, which consists of jeeps and half-tracs, then pushes eleven tanks to the point. The Chinese continue to pound against the tanks as they drive through the pass; however, the enemy fire strikes only harmless blows against the armor. Despite being intercepted by an enemy force of regimental strength, by the latter part of the afternoon, the armor rolls into Chunchon. Captain Hazel is ordered to remain in Chunchon and await reinforcements, two tank platoons carrying supplies and ammunition. In the meantime, General Ferenbaugh moves out to catch up with the task force to oversee the operation. After Hazel’s armor enters Chunchon, the tank crews scour the town and the river banks. About 100 Chinese are discovered and of those, some are either killed or captured while others escape. Also, at Hill 302, the tank crews spot a large Chinese contingent attempting to flee. The tanks unleash an avalanche of fire upon the hill. The Chinese continue to flee without returning fire. Meanwhile, after no communication from General Ferenbaugh, grave concern arises. When Captain Hazel is asked if the general is at Chunchon, Hazel replies that he didn’t even realize the general was en route. A special unit moving up the road solves the mystery. The troops come upon the place where General Ferenbaugh’s twojeep convoy had been ambushed at 1630. Two men were killed, but the general, his driver and aide escaped harm and sought concealment off the road.

725

May 24, 1951

Top: A contingent of the 31st Regiment, 7th Division, in action near Ch’onchon on 24 May. One of the troops, a casualty, receives aid from a medic. Bottom: The 34th Regiment is deployed in the hills near Ch’unchon.

May 25, 1951 A platoon of tanks led by Lt. Ivan G. Stanaway, while preparing to move out to reinforce Captain Hazel, speeds to the point of ambush and encounters some opposition. Nevertheless, the tankers rescue the wounded man along the road. Soon after, General Ferenbaugh and the others are located. The tanks wait patiently until dark, unaffected by the small arms fire. At that time, the general and the other two men abandon their concealed position, reach the tanks in single file and climb aboard by squeezing through the escape hatch. By about 2100, the tanks and the general’s contingent return to the lines of the 38th Infantry. In related activity, the situation at Chunchon changes. Captain Hazel receives new orders that direct him to abandon the village and return due to concerns that resupply might not be possible. During the pullback from Chunchon, two tanks in Captain Hazel’s command are lost; one is destroyed after it runs out of fuel and another drops off the road into a gully. Otherwise, the contingent sustains no damage from the enemy. However, some captives held atop the tanks are struck by small arms fire. In the X Corps sector, the offensive continues in an effort to push the enemy to positions that might trap it between the IX and X Corps. The 2nd Division initiates a drive to the Soyang River to secure the Umyangni bridge with an armored force. The task force is initially commanded by Colonel Brubaker, but while he is en route P’ungam-ni, Colonel William Gerhardt takes command of the force at Han’gye. The operation gets a late start at 1300. The spearhead of the column takes precautions on the road to avoid mines, but this slows the drive. An irritated General Almond orders the tanks to open the throttles and advance. In the meantime, the main body remains at Han’gye, prompting Almond to relieve Colonel Brubaker (commander 187th Airborne). In the meantime, the vanguard, led by Major Charles A. Newman, races toward the objective. Just below Umyang-ni the armor encounters an enormous force of Chinese that numbers several thousand. The Chinese are startled by the sudden appearance of a line of tanks and raise no resistance. They break for safety while the tanks open fire. Afterward, the tanks roll into the town and scour the area near the river for more enemy troops. In the meantime, enemy contingents continue to run north as the tanks maintain a stream of fire upon both banks of the Soyang River. Later, about 1830, the main body of Task Force Gerhardt arrives to join the vanguard. In the 2nd Division zone, the 38th Infantry Regiment advances to a position slightly less than ten miles from Hyon-ni-on, but the progress is hindered by poor road conditions more so than enemy resistance. On the following day, the 24th Regiment is removed from reserve to secure the Soyang bridgehead. In the meantime, the 187th Airborne Task Force (minus the contingent attached to TF Gerhardt) moves up Route 24 on the side of the road opposite the Marines and makes only slight progress against heavy resistance. On the following day,

726 a contingent punches through the resistance and fords the Soyang River to establish a bridgehead. In the 1st Marine Division zone, on the corps’ right, the advance up Route 24, to the rear of TF Gerhardt, reaches the area around Yanggu, which is secured; however, the 7th Marines jumps off late, due to a vehicle shortage and enemy resistance. Consequently, the Marines end the day short of the objective, the high ground west of Umyang-ni. The 7th Marines maintain the move toward the Soyang River. In related activity, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Marines, encounter heavy resistance as they advance toward their objective, several hills north of Han’gye. Hill 1051 is spotted as the origin of the enemy fire. Artillery fire is requested to clear the hill. Shortly thereafter, the summit and the southeastern slopes are engulfed with fire that promptly evicts the Chinese, who flee northward. By about 1300, Hill 883 is gained by Company D. The Marines continue their advance and by midnight, Colonel Hayward, commanding officer, reports that the objective of the 5th Marines has been secured. In Naval activity, the USS Manchester (CL 83) and the USS Brinkley Bass (DD 887), operating in the vicinity of Wonsan and using night radar, commence firing upon an enemy formation and cause the group to disperse. The Manchester seizes four enemy sampans that contain eleven enemy dead and one wounded. In Air Force activity, the 136th Fighter Bomber Wing (Air National Guard), which had previously arrived in Japan from the U.S., initiates its initial combat mission of the war in Korea. The troops are drawn from Texas and Arkansas.

May 25

In the IX Corps sector, TF Hazel against sets out for Chunchon, this time supported by one battalion of the 17th Infantry Regiment (7th Division). No ambushes are encountered and the enemy is not found along the route or in Chunchon. Apparently, the Chinese believed that the tank column that entered Chunchon on the previous night had been the spearhead of a large force and rather than engage, they retired. Nevertheless, the air observers spot large enemy formations, one composed of more than ten thousand troops, along and near Route 17 above the village. Afterward, well before noon, artillery and air attacks pummel the retiring enemy forces. In the meantime, the remainder of the 17th Infantry speeds to Chunchon and initiates pursuit from there at about noon. To add to the dilemma of the Chinese, the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division, is advancing up the Kap’yong–Chiam-ni road en route to link with the 17th Regiment, 7th Division, at Chiam-ni. Observation planes continue to shadow the advance and while on patrol, a sign (later discovered to be made of wallpaper and shells) is spotted southeast of Chunchon. It reads: “POW 19” and is underscored by shells with the word “rescue.” The pilot accepts the message as urgent and drops a note to the tanks in the town. Soon after, eighteen Marines and one soldier are soon

727 greeted by three of Captain Hazel’s tanks. The troops had been seized at the Changjin Reservoir during the previous November and abandoned when the town was evacuated this day. Just before dusk, observation planes on patrol detect a large group of Chinese moving west toward Route 24 (X Corps troops are en route there); however, an escape hatch remains there and the enemy continues to move across the road throughout the night. In conjunction, elements of the Chinese 106th Regiment, 34th Division, take advantage of the absence of U.S. troops and establish defensive positions to protect the retreat. Task Force Gerhardt (X Corps) is within striking distance, but the commander fails to dispatch any units, despite his awareness that a twenty-truck convoy had been ambushed and only one vehicle had survived. In the X Corps sector, as in the IX Corps sector, aerial observers detect large enemy formations attached to the Chinese 12th and 15th Armies as the units retire from positions below the Hwach’on Reservoir. The X Corps troops react by increasing the pact to reach Hwach’on town, while artillery and planes deliver devastating blows against the columns, formed by more than 10,000 troops and unending rows of vehicles, as they head north. In the 2nd Division zone, the 23rd Infantry Regiment arrives at the Soyang River and lays a bridge across the river to ease the path of trailing units en route to Inje, another strategy needed to cut off the retreating enemy. Also, General Ruffner is alerted to an ambush of twenty vehicles attempting to drop back and get supplies. Of twenty trucks, nineteen are destroyed and only two drivers survive. The 23rd Infantry Regiment is ordered to advance to liquidate the roadblock, but not until dawn on the following day. In the 38th Infantry Regiment zone, the North Koreans raise fierce opposition below Sangam-ni and halt the regiment’s progress. In conjunction, the 9th Infantry Regiment advances, but encounters no opposition. The Communists in the 23rd Infantry’s zone continue to retire through the gap between the front of the Marines (X Corps) and TF Gerhardt in the vicinity of Umyang-ni. Meanwhile, the North Koreans being pursued by the 38th Regiment maintain their retreat toward Inje. General Almond forms Task Force Baker, using elements of Task Force Gerhardt and the remaining units of the 187th Airborne RCT. The task force sets out on the following day to secure Kansong along the coast. Other action following the establishment of the bridgehead at the Soyang River includes placing the 2nd Division (minus the 9th Infantry) into reserve. The ROK 5th Division assumes responsibility for the 2nd Division zone stretched between Route 24 and the P’ungam-ni–Hyon-ni–Inje road. Other corps changes include the 3rd Division assuming responsibility for the area protected by Task Force Able, which is disbanded. The 3rd Division continues to keep the ROK 8th and 9th Divisions attached. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines reaches its objectives, short of the Soyang River. At that

May 26, 1951 point, the Marines are relieved by the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. The 1st Marines are placed in reserve. Meanwhile, the 7th Marines, advancing to the rear of the 5th Marines, continues advancing toward the Soyang River.

May 26–28 1951

During this period of the ongoing U.S. offensive, the remaining Communist forces below the 38th Parallel either escape north of the parallel or are driven beyond it. However, some scattered forces remain south of the 38th Parallel. During this period, great numbers of enemy forces surrender, many without attempting to resist. In addition, the Chinese have broken one of their traits by risking disaster and moving during daylight hours to escape the wrath of Eighth Army. Chinese retire while the North Koreans are sacrificed in rear actions to permit the Chinese to flee without a fight. The Communists come under attack by planes and artillery that devastate their ranks.

May 26 In the I Corps sector, the 3rd Division, reinforced, advances against sporadic resistance. The 7th Infantry Regiment effortlessly reaches its objective, the road junction east of Habae-jae. In the IX Corps sector, the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division (X Corps) and the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division (IX Corps), both converge upon Chiam-ni. Several miles southwest of the town, the regimental headquarters of the 17th Regiment and the medical detachment establish positions separate from the infantry units. In the meantime, the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, in the center, drives toward positions within several miles of Chiam-ni. The ROK 6th Division is directed to shift from the center to the east and advance with the 7th Division. During the day’s operations, some of the Chinese caught below Chiam-ni escape the trap set by the three closing regiments; however, others remain in the area. One group drives against the non-infantry contingent outside Chiam-ni slightly after midnight (26th-27th); however, despite no infantry units, the headquarters and medical personnel hold steadfastly and pulverize a contingent of about three hundred. More Chinese follow and they, too, fail to break through. The Chinese even attempt close-quartered fighting and still find themselves on the short end, with high casualties. Failing to penetrate and shoot through to safety, the enemy bolts for the high ground and from there attempts to harass the perimeter. By about dawn (27th), riflemen arrive from the south to take over the fight. The 5th Infantry, 24th Regiment, eliminates the last of the assault troops. The Americans lose two killed and twenty wounded while defending the perimeter. The Chinese sustain about three hundred killed, and about two hundred and fifty wounded. In addition, four hundred and fifty Chinese are captured. In the X Corps sector, recently formed TF Baker advances toward the coast to seize Kansong. Also, the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, advances at dawn to knock out the roadblock along Route 24. The enemy defenders there, attached to the Chinese 12th Army, are eliminated.

May 27, 1951 The advance moves forward up Route 24 toward Inje after fording the Soyang River in late morning. Later, the enemy again raises resistance and prevents the 23rd Regiment from breaking through to Inje. In related activity, the 7th Marines advance on the west flank of the 23rd Infantry Regiment. The Chinese had been retiring in a northwesterly direction, but subsequent to the elimination of nearly the entire 106th Division, the retreating forces pivot and move to the northeast toward Yanggu. The 2nd Division is ordered to seize Inje to provide easy passage across the Soyang River and through the town to speed its pace to Kansong. General Almond, X Corps commander, and General Van Fleet remain convinced that the opportunity to cut off and eliminate many Chinese below Route 24 is still available. In addition to the formation of TF Baker by General Almond, this day he directs the 3rd Division to form Task Force Charlie, composed primarily of 7th Infantry Regiment, and attack northeastward to the coast to capture and secure Yangyang. The advance of TF Charlie experiences problems. The task force hits mines and an impassable bridge that suspends further progress after a gain of under five miles. The pursuit continues across the entire corps front and during the afternoon, the skies clear, giving the advance the support of air attacks. Air observation planes spot more large enemy formations as they move hurriedly north and west of Inje. The information is forwarded to headquarters. Soon after, artillery in sup-

728 port of the 38th Infantry’s advance catapults streams of fire toward designated targets above Inje. Later, fighter planes arrive overhead and deliver more punishing blows. The Communists attempt to outrun the shells and bombs, but without much success. In addition to the artillery and fighter planes, the Communists also become the recipients of about thirteen tons of bombs delivered on target by B-29s. Despite the overpowering bombardments and strafing runs, the 38th Regiment is unable to break through a blockage established by the N.K. 19th Regiment, 13th Division, in front of Hyon-ni. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the advance toward Yanggu continues. In the ROK I Corps sector, the South Koreans enter Kansong. Consequently, TF Charlie is ordered to halt its attack on the village. In the 7th Marines sector, the 7th Marines close on the Soyang River. The 2nd Battalion crashes into an enemy ammunition dump and seizes the remnant forces there, 27 troops, some of whom are wounded and apparently left behind. The Marines also confiscate a huge amount of ammunition and supplies, including 100,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, 12,000 mortar rounds and 9,000 grenades. By dusk, the 7th Marines arrive at the south bank of the Soyang River.

May 27 The U.S. counterattack continues to make progress as the Chinese and North Koreans maintain

The U.S. 2nd Division sustains casualties during the fight to seize Inje. Some of the wounded are transported across the Soyang River.

729

May 27, 1951

Top: U.S. planes pass over positions of the 187th Airborne RCT (vicinity of Umyang) and drop supplies. Bottom: Sherman tanks (M4s) attached to the 1st Cavalry Division cross the Imjin River. their respective retreats. Eighth Army progress remains behind the schedule expected of it, prompting General Van Fleet to plan a new phase, Operation PILE DRIVER. Van Fleet’s blueprint calls for the I and IX Corps to sever the enemy communications by securing the Wyoming Line, which will also provide domination of the area at the base of the Iron Triangle. The operation also encompasses the simultaneous establishment of a solid defensive wall to prevent the enemy from exiting the triangle from the northwest, along the primary

roads leading to Chunchon and the Hwach’on Reservoir. In other activity, Major General Thomas J. Cushman succeeds General Harris as commander 1st Marine Air Wing. In conjunction, Brigadier General William O. Brice, recently arrived from the U.S., succeeds General Cushing as deputy commander. In the IX Corps sector, at Chiam-ni, some Chinese still search for a route of escape, but the clamps continue to tighten. One group tries unsuccessfully to break out

May 28, 1951 during the early morning hours. Afterward, all escape routes close. The 17th and 21st Infantry Regiments discontinue their respective operations around Chiam-ni and moved to participate in the main advance along Route 17, but the 5th Infantry Regiment, supported by the ROK 19th Regiment, 6th ROK Division, begins a mop-up of the area. About 2,000 Chinese are captured. In the X Corps sector, despite poor weather, some air observations flights operate, and reports continue to indicate strong enemy forces on the retreat. One group of about seven thousand is detected as it drives north along the Hyon-ni–Inje Road in front of the 38th Infantry Regiment. Meanwhile, TF Baker drives toward Inje at full speed, avoiding some enemy units as it moves, aware that the trailing 23rd Regiment will engage them. The North Koreans raise opposition and impede the advance of the 23rd Regiment. TF Baker plows into Inje at 1430, but the 23rd Regiment encounters stiff opposition. Nonetheless, by about dusk, Hyon-ni is secure. Later, Task Force Baker and elements of the 23rd Regiment secure the town, but by that time it is too late to push to Kanyong. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the attack advances to a point slightly more than five miles from Inje. In the X Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division (5th and 7th Marines) continues its advance against a vanishing enemy.

May 28

The elements again are uncooperative, preventing any air activity until the afternoon. Nonetheless, activity across the Eighth Army front continues to focus on destroying as many enemy troops as possible. Also, General Ridgway arrives in Korea from Japan to confer with General Van Fleet in Seoul. The conference regards Van Fleet’s intent to attack beyond the Kansas and Wyoming Lines and secure the T’ongch’on area near the coast. Van Fleet seeks permission to penetrate farther to engage the enemy troops that escaped the trap that was expected to nab them at Route 24. Ridgway, however, is adamantly opposed to stretching the lines to the T’ongch’on region, which in his opinion would be too risky. Nevertheless, Van Fleet receives authorization to modify the Kansas Line where it stretches east of the Hwach’on Reservoir. In the I Corps sector, General Milburn plans a threedivision advance to the Wyoming Line. The objective of the 1st Cavalry Division on the corps’ right becomes the section of the line southwest of Ch’orwon to the Imjin River. The 25th Division is to advance on the right of Route 33 to seize Kumhwa at the eastern point of the triangle, while the 3rd Division drives forward to seize Ch’orwon. The full-scale advance for the I Corps is set for 3 June, followed two days later by the IX Corps. In the IX Corps sector, General Hoge, like General Milburn in the X Corps sector, plans for a three-division attack to reach the Wyoming Line. The 7th Division and the ROK 2nd Division are to seize the terrain above Route 17, extending northwest from Hwach’on to the Iron Triangle. In conjunction, the ROK 6th Di-

730 vision is directed to take the territory above the western side of the Hwach’on Reservoir from Route 17 to the Pukham River. In other activity, at Chiam-ni, the 5th Infantry Regiment and the ROK 19th Regiment continue to mop up. The Chinese, still trapped, surrender in large numbers. The total of captives gained stands at 38,000 troops. Meanwhile, the 17th Regiment, 7th Division, drives up Route 17 and encounters some tenacious resistance. Nevertheless, the regiment overcomes the Chinese covering forces and pushes to Hwach’on, which it reaches by about 1400. In related activity, the main body of the ROK 6th Division advances on the right against no opposition, but makes little progress as it reaches the area west of the reservoir. Consequently, the Chinese still have open escape routes near the Hwach’on Reservoir. The air observation flights that resume during the afternoon discover that the area below the reservoir had surely been evacuated. Meanwhile, the 17th Infantry Regiment pushes beyond the village of Hwach’on. But the 20th Chinese Army, which slipped through the lines, posts elements above the village that halt the advance. In addition to the disciplined troops north and east of Hwach’on, other elements of the Chinese 20th Army raise ferocious opposition farther west against the advance of the 24th Division and the ROK 2nd Division.

May 29 At Seoul, the talks between Generals Ridgway and Van Fleet conclude. General Van Fleet is directed to provide Ridgway with a blueprint that estimates the Eighth Army situation as far out as sixty days. In conjunction, the report is also to include Van Fleet’s suggestions for future operations. With regard to the advance to the Wyoming and Kansas Lines, Ridgway anticipates strong opposition in the terrain below the Iron Triangle and along the flanks there. Nonetheless, it is thought that the objectives can be achieved within two weeks. In the X Corps sector, the 5th and 7th Marines each encounter tenacious enemy resistance. Calls are made to get immediate air support; however, the Marines still are not able to maintain direct support from the Marine squadrons. The Marines request 92 sorties and receive only 55. In addition, only 20 are handled by Marine Corsairs or Panther jets. Thirty-five sorties are executed by Air Force Mustangs and jets. Marines who are accustomed to immediate and direct support are essentially left to clear the resistance from the ground. Most flights arrive between two and four hours late. In one incident within the 5th Marines zone, Company C, 1st Battalion, becomes heavily engaged near Kwagch’idong. A rifleman and scout, PFC Whitt L. Moreland, uses his skills to support the elimination of an obstinate position. Moreland afterward leads a detachment against a heavily fortified bunker. As the unit approaches the obstacle, enemy grenades land in their midst. Moreland shoves a few away, but one remains to endanger

731 him and others nearby. He dives on it to save the lives of the others. PFC Moreland receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless sacrifice. In Naval activity, the USS Stickell (DD 888) and USS Burlington (PF 51) land a raiding party near Songjin. A few small boats are destroyed. The party sustains no casualties.

May 30

By this date, Eighth Army is back on the Kansas Line. Subsequent to the recent discussions with General Ridgway, General Van Fleet makes preparations to carry out Eighth Army objectives, which will also include contingency plans. While plans are being drawn for the advance (Operation PILE DRIVER), the weather again acts against the operation. Heavy rains strike across the area and continue during the following day, causing nasty consequences for the troops and vehicles that must move along the water-clogged ground and roads. While the I and IX Corps prepare to attack, it becomes evident, as predicted by General Ridgway, that the Communists are willing to pay a huge price to hold the Iron Triangle. Patrols from each corps encounter resistance.

May 31

According to reports, the enemy sustains more than 62,000 casualties during the U.S. counterattack, which began on 20 May. When the Chinese offensive is added, enemy casualties rise to more than 73,000 and include 44,705 killed, 19,753 wounded and 8,749 captured. Of the casualties, the 1st Marine Division reports 1,870 killed (counted) and 593 captured. Eighth Army estimates of enemy casualties for the last half of May include 17,000 killed (counted) and 17,000 POWs. Eighth Army reports 33,770 casualties for all of May, with most sustained by the South Koreans. American casualties amount to 745 killed, 4,218 wounded and 572 missing. In addition, Eighth Army sustains 6,758 non-battle casualties, mostly from disease. In the IX Corps sector, the casualties for May, including the Chinese offensive and the U.S. counterattack, amount to 341 killed, 2,011 wounded and 195 missing. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines encounter a treacherous pass that leads into Yanggu. The Marines atop the ridges that overlook the pass begin a slow and methodical descent to clear the enemy. General Van Fleet, who happens to be at the 7th Marines’ positions, looks up at the towering ridges and in amazement asks: “How did you ever get the men up those cliffs?” Colonel Nickerson responds with a succinct answer: “They climbed.” By dusk, the Marines complete their descent, evict the enemy and gain control of Yanggu and its airfield as well as the surrounding heights. In the meantime, the 5th Marines reaches positions about 6,000 yards northeast of Yanggu. During the month of May, the 1st Marine Division sustains 75 killed, 8 who die of their wounds, and 731 are wounded in action. In other activity, the enemy launches an attack against Hill 120, defended by a contingent of the 187th Airborne Regiment. The Communists support the

June 1, 1951 ground troops with artillery, machine guns and mortars. The diminutive force, attached to Company G, is unable to withstand the superior numbers of attackers because of expending their ammunition. The platoon is ordered to withdraw. Corporal Rodolfo P. Hernandez, although wounded, attempts to hold the line while the others retire. Hernandez fires into the rushing forces until his weapon fails. The sentinel continues to battle with a rifle and bayonet until his wound (a combination of a grenade, bayonet and a bullet) forces him to drop in place, unconscious. However, his actions save the others and they return to retake the ground. Corporal Hernandez is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force initiates Operation STRANGLE, designed to destroy the supply lines of the enemy. Also, a contingent of B-29s is intercepted by MiGs in the vicinity of Sinuiju. The Superfortresses and their escort planes engage the attack force and when the air battle subsides, the Russians lose four MiGs, against no U.S. losses. The gunners aboard the B-29s take out one of the MiGs and two others are downed by the Sabre jets. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral A.A. Burke, recently appointed commanding officer, Cruiser Division 5, aboard the USS Los Angeles (CA 135), arrives off the east coast of Korea and assumes command of Bombline Element (TE 9.28).

Summer 1951

During the summer, the Soviets and the Chinese have amassed about 445 MiG15s across the Yalu River, where they remain safe from U.S. forces. Far East Air Forces, at this time, has only 89 F-86s (Sabre jets) in its force. Only 44 are assigned to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing, which greatly curtails its efficiency against the MiGs. To add to the dilemma, at times due to maintenance, about half remain out of service. Lieutenant General Otto P. Weyland, recently appointed FEAF commander, has constantly requested additional planes but his pleas are met by deaf ears in Washington. The consensus in D.C. continues to focus on the Soviet threat to Europe. The massive cutbacks in the military following the close of World War II continue to hurt the troops in the theater. Nonetheless, the top brass in the Air Force will begin to replace the F-86As with F-86Es, but not on a large scale; rather, one at a time. It is well that the E-model, featuring a “flying tail” (a horizontal stabilizer moving as one unit) and hydraulically powered flight controls that substantially increased maneuverability, begin to arrive, because the 4th FIW is now faced with an improved MiG, the MiG-15bis. This version has a more powerful engine that gives it a higher maximum speed and a greater operational altitude.

June 1

Eighth Army issues orders to all Corps to bolster the Kansas and Wyoming Lines. In conjunction with General Ridgway’s recent instructions to

June 2, 1951 General Van Fleet to suspend any major attacks toward the T’onch’on region, each corps is directed to initiate only limited attacks and strong reconnaissance missions in addition to their normal patrols. In an effort to further solidify the defensive line, all civilians are moved from an area five miles behind the Kansas line to a point above the line where forward patrol bases are located. The relocation of the civilians permits the troops to more easily deal with and identify the enemy, while the defenses are being more heavily fortified. The full-scale attack is scheduled to jump off in the I Corps area on 3 June. In the meantime, on this day the weather clears, but the enemy resistance continues to be aggressive. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th and 7th Marines launch an attack toward the Kansas Line. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, encounters fierce resistance at Hill 651, defended by about 200 North Koreans. The attacks by noon are still unable to dislodge the Communists, but air strikes are requested to quicken the eviction. Four Marine planes arrive and plaster the slopes with bombs and strafing runs, which succeed in cracking the defense wide open. The Marines afterward push forward and seize the hill. Also, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing initiates its plan of deploying one squadron at Hoengeong, which is located to the rear of the 1st Marine Division. In Air Force activity, a band of 22 MiGs attacks a group of B-29s attached to the 343th Bomber Squadron. One of the B-29s is shot down, but the Superfortresses’ gunners down two of the MiGs. The Russians again, after failing to make progress against U.S.

732 pilots, sink into temporary invisibility and do not return to the skies until 17 June. Also, one other B-29 is damaged. In other activity, a flight of F-86s, attached to the 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, encounters a band of 18 MiGs near Sinanju while it is escorting a B-26 bombing mission. A U.S. Navy exchange pilot, Lieutenant Simpson Evans, Jr., attached to 336th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, gets the victory. The plane is set afire and the wing falls off, causing the MiG to crash. Another pilot attached to the 336th Squadron, Captain Richard O. Ransbottom, also gets one of the MiGs. Ransbottom knocks the MiG out after three bursts of machine gun fire. The pilot is able to eject, but his plane crashes in flames. In yet other activity, Far East Air Forces Special Air Mission transports a group of fifteen South Koreans that parachute behind enemy line on a mission to gather components of a crashed MiG. The entire contingent is captured. —In Japan, Major General Frank F. Everest, USAF, assumes command of the Fifth Air Force (Major General Edward J. Timberlake had been in temporary command after General Stratemeyer suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized). — In the United States: The 3rd Marine Brigade is activated at Camp Pendleton, California.

June 2 In the I Corps sector, final preparations are made for the attack scheduled for the following day. In the 25th Division zone, a contingent of Company

A U.S. observation plane is on a mission above mountains in search of enemy movements and positions.

733 C, 24th Regiment, engages an entrenched enemy position in the vicinity of Chipo-ri. The platoon leading the attack gets stalled by intense fire. The platoon leader becomes wounded, but he is evacuated. Meanwhile, Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton assumes command, then continues the attack by ascending farther up the slope, despite the heavy fire. Charlton takes the point and single-handedly eliminates two gun positions and six defenders. Soon the platoon is again stalled by heavy fire. Undaunted, Charlton leads yet another attack, until he is felled by grenades. Despite a serious chest wound, Charlton refuses medical aid and instead leads yet another charge that seizes the ridge. Upon gaining the crest, Charlton notices that the reverse slope contains another gun emplacement. Singlehandedly, Charlton drives straight into the position and takes it out with grenades. The company gains control of the hill and the enemy retires. Charlton, however, succumbs from his wounds. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary leadership in the face of the enemy and for his tremendous individual heroism. In the IX Corps sector, patrols continue, but the jumpoff for the main assault remains three days off. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, advances toward the Kansas Line. Intense enemy fire holds up the advance until tanks arrive to add some punch to the drive. The tanks pour fire into the log bunkers, providing time for the Marines to reach the forward slope of Hill 610. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, continues to drive along a parallel ridge. The enemy positions on Hill 610 are completely eliminated by 1945. Afterward, the 2nd Battalion jumps out and advances another 5,000 yards. Later, the enemy mounts a failed counterattack against Hill 610. In other activity, the 1st Marines prepares to relieve the 7th Marines as ordered the previous night. The 1st Marines arrives at the assembly area at 0630, but shortly thereafter, an enemy mortar strikes a gathering of officers, killing the artillery liaison officer and wounding four company commanders. More than thirty enlisted men are wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Homer E. Hire is unharmed. Nevertheless, the scheduled operation to pass through the 7th Marines and continue the attack is suspended until the following day. In Naval activity, the Begor (APD 127) and Underwater Demolition Team 3 (UDT 3), operating on the east coast of Korea in the vicinity of Kojo, lands a group of ROK guerrillas on Song-do Island during the night of June 2-3.

June 3

Operation PILE DRIVER commences. The I Corps launches its advance from the Kansas Line to the Wyoming Line. It encounters tenacious resistance as the Chinese anchor themselves to hold the Iron Triangle. Following a couple of clear days, the rains again descend upon Eighth Army sectors to further hamper the advance. In the X Corps zone, the 1st Marines, which had sus-

June 5, 1951 pended the attack for one day, moves out to seize the objective, designated X-RAY. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, drives toward Hill 516, while the 3rd Battalion advances along a parallel ridge. Planes attached to VMF-214 and VMF-323 support the advances and the objective is secure by 1900. Also, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, supported by air attacks, drives to seize Hill 680, which falls by about 1400. Then the Marines move against nearby Hill 692. Air support is requested after the attacking force is halted by intense enemy fire. However, fog sets in and delays the planes. At about 1600, the attack is resumed without air cover, but as the Marines approach the summit, the planes arrive to drop napalm. The Marines scatter to avoid becoming casualties of the friendly fire. While they run to seek cover, enemy fire inflicts some casualties. Once the planes complete their passes, Company A reinitiates the attack and gains Hill 692. The day’s fighting terminates the Battle of Soyanggang, which had begun on 16 May. The Marines continue the offensive in their new zone of responsibility, east of the Hwach’on Reservoir. In Air Force activity, during a resupply flight, friendly ground artillery fire downs two C-119s as they are in the process of dropping supplies. The tragedy compels the U.S. to change its method of identification to distinguish friend from foe during the Air Force’s air-drop flights.

June 4

Bad weather and continuing stiff oppositions impedes the advance of the I Corps as it punches its way toward the Wyoming Line. In the X Corps sector, the ROK 5th Division advances toward the Kansas Line in coordination with the 1st Marine Division, the latter already on the move toward the line and the Punch Bowl. In other activity, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment relieves the 5th Marines. The Korean Marines receive the task of seizing Hill 1316 (Taeam-san). In the ROK I Corps sector, the Corps has advanced against light opposition and by this date, its three divisions reach and deploy along the Kansas Line to protect the area that stretches across a ridge to the front of Route 24. In Naval activity, Marine Fighter Squadron VMF312 departs the USS Bataan (CVL 29) for Itami Air Force Base, Japan.

June 5 Two F-80s on patrol spot several Communist MiG-15s at 39–52 N, 12–50 E, the deepest southern penetration by enemy jet fighters at this point in the conflict, with the exception of one incident the previous year, when a naval helicopter had come under attack in the same zone during December 1950. Also, the IX Corps commences its advance to the Wyoming Line. Like the I Corps, it too becomes hindered by inclement weather and tough resistance as it slowly grinds forward. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Korean Marines move to seize Hill 1316, defended by North Koreans who had been directed by the Chinese

June 6, 1951 to “hold until death.” The hill is located in extremely nasty terrain and the battle to gain it lasts five day without any success by the Korean Marines. On 10 June, the strategy to take the hill changes. In the 7th Division zone, a contingent of Company I, 31st Regiment, led by 1st Lieutenant Benjamin F. Wilson, moves against an obstinate enemy position in the vicinity of Hwach’on–Myon. The vanguard gets stalled as it presses ahead, but Wilson speeds to the point and takes his own action. He drills toward the position with his rifle and grenades, takes out the position and its four defenders, then races forward to the next obstacle. Wilson, leading a charge with his troops’ bayonets fixed, takes the next obstacle and about 27 defenders are eliminated. The Communists mount a counterattack to regain the ground, but again, Wilson takes action before his command, which is regrouping, can be overwhelmed. Single-handedly, Lieutenant Wilson bolts forward, takes out seven of the attackers and wounds two others. The enemy, apparently stunned Wilson’s action, retreats hurriedly. The contingent then completes its regrouping and moves against its primary objective, but when it reaches a point about fifteen yards from it, the enemy commences fire. The fire becomes impenetrable, which compels the troops to pull back. During the withdrawal, Wilson becomes wounded. Meanwhile, the enemy mounts yet another counterattack. The company resists, but the company commander and the platoon leader become wounded. Wilson, despite his own wound, leads a counterattack and throws the enemy back, buying enough time for the

734 company to make a disciplined withdrawal. Lieutenant Wilson becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his services above and beyond the call of duty. In Air Force activity, Colonel Ralph H. ‘Salty’ Saltzman assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Group. He succeeds Colonel William P. McBride.

June 6–8 1951

The Chinese continue to resist in front of the Iron Triangle, but the I and IX Corps maintain pressure, which finally punctures the enemy lines on 8 June. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines continue to advance against building resistance.

June 6

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the advance to the Kansas Line continues. The Marines’ objectives are five ridgelines that run northwest to southeast along the Kansas Line. At 1300, the 5th Marines moves out to seize Hill 729. Air support does not arrive until 1400 due to fog. Nevertheless, by 2100, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Marines, regroup on the first ridge and for the next ten days, they secure the four remaining ridges.

June 7 In the IX Corps sector, 7th Division zone, the Communists launch an attack against a contingent of Company F, 31st Regiment’s perimeter near Pachidong. Elements of the company are deployed on two strategic hills separated by a large saddle. The enemy strikes at 0300 and the fire immediately becomes fierce. Four of the defenders are immediately wounded, but while the contingents defend, the wounded are

Sikorsky helicopter is on a dangerous slope, held down by Marines during high winds.

735

June 7, 1951

A Marine casualty receives plasma from a medic after being wounded by a mine. Four other Marines also sustained wounds from the explosion. evacuated. A machine gun manned by PFC Jack G. Hanson becomes extremely important, situated where it can protect the command post and the weapons platoon. Hanson volunteers to hold his position to permit the platoon to withdraw to more tenable positions. The 1st Platoon is able to retire and regroup for a counterattack. Soon after, the assault is launched and the ground is regained. PFC Hanson remains at his machine gun, but he had been killed. His machine gun had expended its ammunition but Hanson remained at his post. He is discovered with his pistol in his right hand, a blood-

ied machete in is left hand, surrounded by 22 dead enemy troops. PFC Jack Hanson is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage in the face of a superior numbered enemy. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces initiates a three-day campaign by B-26s and B-29s that saturates enemy positions in the Iron Triangle during the darkened hours. The planes drop radar-directed 500-pound bombs that burst over the heads of the enemy troops and spread fragments over a wide area. The Air Force’s campaign is designed to loosen the resistance against imminent attacks by the friendly ground troops.

June 8, 1951

736

A Sikorsky helicopter approaches a landing site to evacuate wounded Marines. In Naval activity, a raiding party debarks from the USS Rupertus (DD 851) at Songjin and soon after comes under enemy fire. The contingent returns to the ship without sustaining any casualties. Three prisoners (North Koreans) are seized and carried back to the ship.

June 8

The Communists’ resistance cracks and the I and IX Corps increase the pace of their respective advances toward the Wyoming Line. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines continue to advance toward the Kansas Line, but Major General Gerard C. Thomas becomes concerned about climbing casualties. He commits the greater part of the reserve 7th Marines to add more strength to the attack. Only the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, remains in division reserve. In other activity, the ROK 7th Division is ordered to drive above the eastern sector of the Hwach’on Reservoir to secure it and gain the Kansas Line. The 1st Marine Division drives against North Korean resistance in front of the lower portion of the Punch Bowl.

June 9–11 1951 Elements of the I and IX Corps reach their objectives at the Wyoming Line. Communist forces have withdrawn farther north. In the X Corps sector, the advance to the Kansas Line continues. June 9

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the reserves (7th Marines) join the advance to the Punch Bowl. Heavy resistance continues, but the Marines also face especially nasty terrain and lousy weather. The advance is hindered by many natural obstacles, including landslides that frequently block the

routes and at times cause vehicles to veer off the roads. Frequent fog also creates problems by preventing air cover. In the 1st Marines zone, during the early morning hours as the 2nd Battalion prepares to advance, an enemy mortar barrage strikes the lines just prior to an enemy attack by a company-sized contingent of North Koreans. The attack is easily repelled and the North Koreans sustain heavy casualties. After eliminating the North Korean attackers, the advance jumps off on schedule and as the 1st and 2nd Battalions advance, the resistance continues to be heavy. Nonetheless, prior to noon, the Marines seize the first ridge and by 1600, with the support of elements of the regimental antitank company, the second ridge is gained. In the 7th Marines zone, the 1st Battalion advances along the ridgeline, while the 2nd Battalion punches forward through the valley to secure Hill 420. The North Koreans raise heavy resistance, primarily from mortars and artillery fire; however, the Marines secure the hill prior to dusk. The Marines count 85 N.K. dead and they capture sixteen others. In Naval activity, in an effort to expedite the exchange of information between TF-77 and forces in the vicinity of Wonsan, the U.S. Navy initiates an air drop and pick-up station on Yo-Do Island.

June 10 In the I Corps sector, elements of the 3rd Division, ROK 9th Division and the 10th Philippine Battalion seize high ground south of Ch’orwon. In the meantime, the 25th Division and the Turkish Brigade reach positions within several miles of Kumhwa. In the X Corps area, the ROK 7th Division arrives at

737

June 10, 1951

U.S. Army engineers move in front of a tank along a road south of Ch’orwon on 10 June to clear any mines laid by the enemy. the Kansas Line, the objective of Operation DETONATE. The Marines, meanwhile, trudge across the rugged terrain against heavy resistance and make only slow progress. In the 1st Marine Division zone, enemy resistance prompts a change in strategy. General Almond confers with Colonel Wilbur S. Brown (Commander, 1st Marines) and afterward, by 1100, the entire 2nd Battalion is committed to bolster the assault. During the ferocious contest, Corporal Charles G. Abrell, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, participates in a charge against a fortified enemy gun position. Abrell, already wounded, closes on the position, but he is hit twice more while he is at the point within striking distance of the obstacle. Despite, or possibly because of, the three wounds, Abrell continues to advance, while he calls for the others to follow. With a grenade in his hand, Abrell pulls the pin and dives into the bunker. The entire enemy gun crew is killed and Corporal Abrell is mortally wounded. Corporal Abrell is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for is selfless courage in the face of the enemy. The Communists raise tenacious resistance throughout the day. By dusk, both battalions are short of their objectives and although many Communists had been liquidated by grenades and bayonets, they still hold steadfastly. The 11th Marines in support of the attack

coordinate their fire and deliver a relentless barrage to soften the resistance. In addition, air strikes bolster the ground troops, but in the end, it is the infantry that finally evicts the defenders from their log bunkers. The Marines secure their final objective including Hill 802 prior to midnight (10th-11th). The Marine casualties for this attack include 14 killed in action and 114 wounded in action. The 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, which seized Hill 802, sustains 9 killed and 97 wounded. Colonel Brown moves to the front to observe the final assault. Later, he states: “It was a glorious spectacle, that last bayonet assault. In the last analysis, 2/1 had to take its objective with the bayonet and hand grenades, gnawing its way up the side of a mountain to get at the enemy. It was bloody work, the hardest fighting I have ever seen.” Also, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment, following five days of failed attempts to gain Hill 1316, at 2000 prepares to mount a night attack. The defenders are caught completely off guard when they are struck by the weight of three battalions at 0200 on the 11th. In other activity, the ROK 5th Regiment secures its objectives during the morning hours. In Air Force activity, the 315th Air Division is able to expand its resupply operations with the opening of the airfield at Chunchon to cargo planes. The airfield, located slightly below the 38th Parallel, about fifty miles

June 11, 1951 northeast of Seoul, expands the ability of the planes to resupply the troops in the field by air drop. In Naval activity, two PB4Y-2 planes initiate action to assist the night operations. The aircraft drop flares to illuminate the target areas for Marine Squadron VMF-323. — In Japan: Lt. General Otto P. Weyland assumes command in Tokyo of Far East Air Forces, replacing General Partridge. Partridge had been commanding officer of Fifth Air Force until May 21, when he succeeded General Stratemeyer as commander FEAF.

June 11

In the I Corps sector, the Communists, facing pressure from the 3rd Division, ROK 9th Division and the Turkish Brigade, abandon Ch’orwon and Kumhwa. The gains of the 3rd and 25th Divisions continue to press the Communists. Two tank-infantry forces drive across the Iron Triangle to P’yonggang and enter it on the 13th. In the X Corps zone, 1st Marine Division sector, the 1st Marines recuperates for only a short while following the tenacious battle on the previous day. The advance continues with the 3rd Battalion taking the lead; however, by this date, the North Koreans in front of the advancing 1st Marines are no longer able to raise strong resistance. By 14 June, the Marines reach the Brown Line, an extension of the Kansas Line. In other activity, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment launches a full-scale attack, turning the table on the North Koreans defending Hill 1316 and the adjacent ridges. The defenders, totally surprised, are unable to react quickly enough to resist the three-battalion onslaught. Hill 1122 falls and the enemy withdraws from the shoulder, providing the Korean Marines an easy task to seize Taeam-san (Hill 1316). The Korean Marines sustain about 500 casualties during the operation. In Air Force activity, an F-51, while on a mission, gets shot down in the vicinity of Kyomipo. The pilot ejects and lands in the Taedong River. A rescue plane attached to the 3rd ARS arrives to pick up the pilot at just about dusk and despite enemy fire originating on either side of the river, the SA-16, with its lights off, safely passes low hanging electrical transmission wires, then lands on the river, which is filled with debris and rocks. Nevertheless, the pilot is successfully extricated.

June 12

The I and IX Corps strengthen their positions along the Wyoming Line. In Naval activity, the USS Walke (DD 723) strikes a floating mine at 38–52 N, 129–25 E. Twenty-six enlisted men are killed and 35 receive minor wounds.

June 13

In the I Corps zone, patrols from Ch’orwon and Kumhwa push forward to P’yonggang at the tip of the Iron Triangle and enter the town without incident. Although the town is deserted, the Chinese have not totally abandoned the region. They are redeployed in dominating ground northeast and northwest of P’yonggang. The patrols, detecting the enemy strength, then pull back out of the town.

738 In the IX Corps sector, Chinese forces are detected northeast of Kumsong. In the X Corps sector, North Koreans hold positions east of the Hwach’on Reservoir.

June 14 The USS Thompson (DMS 38), while operating against the enemy off Songjin on the 99th day of the siege, sustains fourteen hits by shore batteries. The vessel sustains some damage and in addition, three men are killed and another three are wounded. One other seaman receives a superficial wound. June 15

By this day, all geographical objectives of Operation PILE DRIVER are attained. Also, an infantry battalion from Colombia arrives in Korea. Colombia is the final member country to send ground troops to the United Nations forces. However, some additional British units (headquarters and service contingents) also arrive during June. The British units would later, during the latter part of July, be formed with other United Kingdom contingents as the 1st Commonwealth Brigade. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force headquarters, located at Taegu, relocates again to Seoul.

June 16

By this date, Eighth Army achieves its objectives, as elements of all units have arrived at their respective positions along the Wyoming-Kansas Line. In the X Corps sector, The 1st Marine Division reaches its objective, a line extending from the Hwach’on Reservoir to the Punch Bowl.

June 17

In the I Corps sector, the Communists reoccupy P’yonggang. In the X Corps sector, the advance continues toward the Kansas Line. The 7th Marines, which had joined in the attack on the 9th, still lacks the 3rd Battalion, but it prepares to come out of reserve on the following day. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is at this time the sole unit in division reserve. In Air Force activity, a band of about 25 MiGs attacks a formation of Sabre jets near the Yalu River in the vicinity of Sinuiju. The enemy is especially aggressive, but to no avail. The U.S. sustains no losses; however, the Communists sustain one MiG destroyed and six others damaged. The MiG is downed by Captain Samuel Pesacreta, attached to the 4th FighterInterceptor Group. Captain Pesacreta’s contingent of four F-86s had been attacked by eight MiGs. Also, a Polikarpov Po–2 biplane, a type of aircraft from the pre–World War II days dubbed “Bedcheck Charlie,” makes a usual bombing run over Seoul. The plane, which rarely scores great damage and can hardly reach 100 miles per hour, scores a big hit on this day. Its bomb strikes the ramp at Suwon and destroys one Sabre jet of the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and inflicts damage on eight others. — In Japan: Fifth Air Force issues a warning, stating that the Communists have increased their number of planes in Korea from about 800 in mid–May to about 1,050 at present. Despite constant air strikes against the Communists’ airfields in North Korea, the

739 fields remain operable. At this time there are an estimated 58 Communist divisions in Korea. The U.S.–U.N. air strikes have not halted the flow of supplies and ammunition that continues to arrive to maintain their resources.

June 18 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the advance closes on the east-west hill that identifies the Brown Line. The terrain is too difficult to mount an attack except directly from the front. The enemy-held ridge is defended by the 1st Battalion, 41st Regiment, N.K. 12th Division. The Marines ascend the ridge and just as they approach the crest, the North Koreans, concealed on the opposite slope, launch an attack. Company G, 7th Marines holds solidly and repels five successive charges. Company I participates in the fifth enemy assault and it, too, refuses to budge. At about dusk, the brutal contest ends. The Marines establish night positions and prepare to resume the attack on the following morning. In Air Force activity, a group of 40 MiGs encounters and intercepts a formation of F-86 Sabre jets during the morning to ignite another wild fight in the skies. The Russians fare poorly and lose a minimum of five of their MiGs, two of which are downed by Lieutenant Ralph D. Gibson. Nevertheless, the Russians do shoot down one Sabre jet, the second Sabre lost during the war. Another pilot, Captain Erwin A. Hesse, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, also receives credit for downing one of the MiGs. In Naval activity, the USS Evans (DD 754), operating off Wonsan, comes under fire by enemy shore guns, but no major damage is sustained; however, some sailors receive minor wounds. June 19 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines prepare to complete the seizure of the ridge along the Brown Line, but the enemy absconded during the night (18th-19th). In Air Force activity, again a band of MiGs intercepts

June 21, 1951 and engages a formation of F-86 Sabre jets in MiG Alley. It is the third consecutive day that the Russians have come out to fight. The Sabre jets manage to damage four MiGs, but one Sabre jet is lost. —In the United States: President Truman signs a bill that lowers the age of those eligible to be drafted to eighteen and one-half.

June 20 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the modified Kansas Line is completely secure by noon. Preparations to bolster the line are begun immediately. In Air Force activity, F-51 Mustangs intercept the contingent of six Il-10s (Ilyushins). Two of the enemy craft are shot from the sky, but neither kill is officially credited to the pilots. Three others are damaged. One of the pilots to get a victory is Lieutenant James B. Harrison. It is the last official kill by an F-51 pilot during the conflict. While the Mustangs engage the Il-10s, MiGs arrive, but at the same time, Sabre jets arrive to bolster the F51s. During the air battle, one of the MiGs moves away from the Sabres and hits one of the Mustangs with shells that rip off one of its wings. The pilot is unable to bail out and goes down with his plane. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral G.C. Dyer relieves Rear Admiral A.E. Smith as Commander United Nations Blockading and Escort Force (CTF 95). Also, carrier planes encounter MiGs while operating against enemy propeller aircraft along the west coast of Korea. It is the first recorded incident of MiGs coming to the support of conventional aircraft under attack. In other activity, the USS Brinkley Bass (DD 887) initiates SCAB (ship control of aircraft bombing) when it controls and guides a B-26 bomber-run in the vicinity of Wonsan. June 21 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines and the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment stretch their right and left flanks respectively,

A squadron of F-86 Sabre jets prepares to take off for MiG Alley.

June 22, 1951 which pinches out the 7th Marines. The 7th Marines revert to reserve.

June 22

The 1st Marine Division, as of this date, terminates two months of continuous fighting against the Chinese spring offensive. The Marines are directed by Eighth Army to establish patrol bases on the Badger Line, but when General Almond arrives at the 1st Marine Division command post, it is decided that stretching out patrol bases while units are still in contact with the enemy is risky and the idea is shelved. However, on the following day, again orders arrive directing the patrol bases be set up.

June 23 The 1st Marine Division is again instructed to establish patrol bases. The order is reluctantly carried out. The Marines are aware that each of the three battalion patrol bases will become susceptible to enemy incursions and may be encircled and imperiled. —In the United States: A hint of a possible cease fire in Korea is spoken by the Soviet representative to the U.N. during a broadcast (U.N. Price of Peace) in which Jacob Malik claims that the warfare in Korea is the fault of the United States. However, toward the end of the program, Malik slips in the proposition that the Soviet Union thinks that the war could be stopped by mutual agreement of both sides pulling back from the 38th Parallel. The U.S. shows no outward signs of accepting the suggestion as genuine, but steps are taken in the event that a cease fire might be in the works. Diplomatically, the U.S. probes to discern the credibility of Malik’s remarks. Militarily, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Eighth Army assess the situation on the ground in Korea to determine where a dominating line should be drawn prior to any talks with the Communists. June 24

(Korea) In the I Corps area, 3rd Division zone, the Communists launch a strong assault at about 0200 against the 15th Regiment sector. About two battalions chash against the perimeter. Company B, holds firmly for awhile, but the overwhelming strength threatens the entire line. PFC Emory L. Bennett bolts from his foxhole carrying his automatic rifle to attempt to stem the tide, while his outfit regroups. All the while, the enemy continues to press forward and some penetration occurs. Orders to pull back are given, but Bennett, although wounded, volunteers to maintain his one-man defensive line. In conjunction, the contingent safely pulls back, thanks to the rear guard fire, attributed to Bennet’s weapon. Nonetheless, PFC Bennett sacrifices his life to save the others. Bennett is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism and his selfless sacrifice to save the remainder of the command. — In the Soviet Union: In a move that catches the attention of the U.S., two newspapers in the Soviet Union publish the entire context of the recent statement made by Jacob Malik with regard to a cease fire in Korea. The article signals Soviet approval of a cease

740 fire. On the following day, influential newspapers in China publish Malik’s statement. The U.S. senses that the Communists are ready to initiate talks to bring about a cease fire.

June 25

A staff officer from headquarters in Japan arrives in Korea to discuss strategy with General Van Fleet regarding where the line should be drawn with regard to negotiations with the Communists. The possible location considered by General Ridgway and Van Fleet had been the Kansas Line, but Ridgway is considering a forward line about twenty miles above the Kansas Line and another ten miles out front as an outpost line. General Van Fleet is not in favor of extending beyond the Kansas Line due to the possibility of unnecessary casualties, but only recently, during the counterattack, it had been Van Fleet that had been in favor of a much deeper penetration. Also, one year has passed since the Communists unleashed their invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950. Since that fateful day, about 1,250,000 men have been killed, wounded or captured. Of those horrific numbers, about one million of the casualties have been the Communist Chinese and the North Koreans. Other victims include about two million civilians who died from various causes, including warfare and disease. The Communists, one year after the invasion, hold much less territory, having lost about 2,100 square miles. In addition to the massive loss of equipment, including 391 planes, 1,000 artillery pieces and countless small arms, North Korea has been reduced to rubble. Essentially, by this time, the Chinese Communists under Mao Tse-tung’s “volunteers” had sustained a devastating defeat and a loss of face as the great offensive (Fifth Phase) failed to gain any objectives and surely Seoul would not become a present by May Day as promised. Although Eighth Army initially sustained tremendous setbacks due to being unprepared for the conflict, at this time the Eighth Army is at a razor’s point and Generals Ridgway and Van Fleet are prepared to finish the job and bring victory to the people of the Republic of South Korea. But diplomacy and the situation in Washington are prodding to turn to the peace table and settle on a stalemate. General Ridgway is informed this day by the Joint Chiefs of Staff that cease-fire negotiations are expected to begin soon. In Air Force activity, the 8th Fighter Bomber Group moves its operations to Kimpo Air Base in Seoul, subsequent to repairs being completed on the runway to lengthen it. The unit reinitiates its combat sorties from there, while work continues on the runway. In other activity, a flight of F-86 Sabres, led by Captain Milton E. Nelson (335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group), encounters a large force of enemy planes in the vicinity of Sinuiju. The American patrol comes under attack. Captain Nelson maneuvers and gets behind one of the MiG15s. Nelson knocks the MiG from the sky, leaving

741 the enemy 24-plane contingent short one aircraft. Nelson, who had won a victory in the same area on 20 May, will achieve others here on 9 July and 11 July.

June 26 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of Marines pushes out ahead of the perimeter and establishes a patrol base on Hill 761; however, the isolated battalion comes under heavy mortar fire and by the following day, it is ordered back to the main lines. In Air Force activity, the recently arrived 136th Fighter Bomber Wing, which executed its initial combat mission on 24 May, on this day encounters a band of MiGs. The F-84 ThunderJets, while providing an escort to B-29s to the airfield at Yongyu, are intercepted. One of the MiGs is downed and credit is claimed by 1st Lieutenant Arthur E. Olinger and Captain Harry Underwood. The MiG had been able to evade a flight of Sabres before it encountered the ThunderJets. This is the first kill of the war for the Air National Guard. — In China: The Chinese Communists broadcast their approval of cease-fire talks by acknowledging the comments of Jacob Malik, the Soviet representative to the U.N., one day after Chinese newspapers had printed the context of his remarks. However, the Communists stipulate that the U.S. must acquiesce to the often repeated Communist demands that Formosa (Taiwan) is to be returned to Communist (Red) China and all United Nations forces must be withdrawn from Korea. They also demand a seat at the U.N. June 27 The U.S. notices changes in the Communists’ broadcasts. Pyongyang radio continues to encourage the eviction of the U.S.-U.N. forces, but on this day, the statement changes from “drive the enemy to the sea” to “drive the enemy to the 38th Parallel.” President Truman authorizes General Ridgway to publicize an offer to negotiate a cease-fire. In Naval activity, South Korean guerrillas bolstered by U.S. naval surface ships spring a raid on enemy-held Chong Ye-ri, on the west coast of Korea. The guerrillas seize several prisoners and they destroy two ammunition depots. — In the Soviet Union: The U.S. directs its ambassador to the Soviet Union in Moscow to inquire about the Soviet positions with regard to the demands of the Chinese on the previous day. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko informs Ambassador Alan G. Kirk that the position of the Soviet Union does not include any contingencies such as territorial claims; rather the talks from the perspective of the Soviets should be confined to military matters. The Soviets, through Gromyko, inform the U.S. representative that territorial and political matters should be discussed later and separately from the military matters. June 29

Enemy shore batteries in the vicinity of Wonsan harbor return fire against the USS Tucker

July 1, 1951 (DDE 875). The vessel sustains some minor damage and one man is slightly wounded.

June 30

A Marine Tigercat squadron (VMF 513) known as the Flying Nightmares engages and destroys a PO-2 above Seoul by the Han River. It is the first PO-2 downed by an F7F. The PO-2s are not constructed of metal and while they had been raiding the area around Seoul, the Marine squadrons had difficulty tracking them, as they avoided detection by radar. The strength of the Marine Corps on this date stands at 192,620 men. In Naval activity, the siege of Wonsan, which includes a naval bombardment, continues on this, the 134th consecutive day. —In Japan: Following a long period of political maneuvering in the U.S., the U.N. and by the Russians and Chinese, the stage is set by Washington to delegate General Ridgway to publicly offer a cease fire in Korea. The preceding maneuvers had been complicated, as the U.S. does not officially recognize either the Chinese or North Korean authorities. In turn, the Chinese take no responsibility for the Chinese troops claimed to be volunteers, but the Chinese commander is authorized to act on their behalf. At 0800, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Ridgway broadcasts the statement. The statement suggests that if the Communists agree to talks, a meeting could be convened in Wonsan Harbor aboard a Danish hospital ship. The cease fire offer is addressed to the commander in chief of the Communist forces in Korea. The Communists reply to General Ridgway’s proposal on the following day.

July 1 The Communists respond to General Ridgway’s cease-fire proposal of the previous day. In China and Korea, Peking radio and Pyongyang radio simultaneously break into their respective programming to broadcast a combined reply from Peng Teh-huai (China) and Kim II Sung (N.K.) which essentially agrees to talks; however, the Chinese prefer to meet at Kaesong rather than at Wonsan harbor. As part of the Communist reply, a proposal to call an immediate cease fire for the duration of the talks is made. U.S. officials realize by the offer means the Chinese are not prepared to attack and need a cease fire to rebuild their devastated units and bring in yet additional fresh troops. General Ridgway agrees to meet with the Communists at Kaesong, but the cease fire proposal is ignored. As earlier directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Ridgway intends to continue operations, including missions by the Fifth Air force. A preliminary meeting occurs on 8 July. In the I Corps sector, infantry supported by tanks moves to clear the Sobang Hills of the Chinese who had re-occupied the area subsequent to the Eighth Army’s June offensive; however, the Chinese are able to hold the ground. Also, the commander of the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance (Intelligence) Wing, Colonel Karl L. (Pop)

July 2, 1951 Polif ka, while on a mission in the vicinity of the front lines near Kaesong, is hit by enemy fire. His plane, an RF-51, crashes and Colonel Polif ka is killed. He is temporarily succeeded by Colonel Bert N. Smiley until the permanent successor, Colonel Vincent W. Howard, assumes command on 4 July. Colonel Polifca had been the first pilot to spot the Japanese fleet while it moved toward Port Moresby during May 1942, just prior to the eruption of the Battle of the Coral Sea.

July 2 Typhoon Kate strikes and hinders operations, including those of Fast Carrier Task Force 77, which is unable to launch planes. July 3

In response to news of a downed pilot in North Korea, a Navy helicopter pilot, Lieutenant John Kelvin Koelsch, volunteers to take the rescue mission.

742 Lacking fighter coverage, he descends to low level below the clouds and locates the downed pilot, despite weather conditions that include a total overcast. Koelsch defies tenacious enemy fire and lands. The pilot, wounded, is raised into the helicopter, but more fire strikes the helicopter and it crashes into the mountain. Koelsch gets his crew and the wounded pilot out of the helicopter and together, they vanish in the woods to evade capture. Nine days later, the group is captured. Lieutenant Koelsch is later awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and leadership under fire. Koelsch succumbs while imprisoned by the Communists. In other activity, the USS Everett (PF 8), operating off Wonsan, sustains minor damage from enemy shore batteries. One seaman is killed and seven are wounded.

Troops of the 7th Regiment, 3rd Division, in action atop a hill on 3 July.

743

July 7, 1951

Elements of the 7th Division in action in the Iron Triangle on 3 July.

July 4

In the I Corps area, 3rd Division sector, Company B, 7th Regiment, seizes Hill 586, but the contest is extremely difficult and drains the victors. While the contingent attempts to catch a breather, the enemy prepares for a counterattack. After dark it is launched and the 1st Platoon is hit heavily and compelled to pull back. Sergeant Leroy A. Mendonca remains in his position to provide cover fire. The enemy comes under a wall of fire form Mendonca, until he exhausts his ammunition and they encounter his rifle butt and bayonet as he attempts in vain to block the rushing wave. The platoon rejoins the main body and the hill is retained after the enemy is routed. Sergeant Mendonca gives the ultimate sacrifice to save the command. He is credited with the elimination of about 37 enemy casualties prior to his demise at his post. Mendonica is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire and his selfless sacrifice to save others in his command. In Naval activity, Bombardment Element (TE 95.21) encounters fierce return fire from enemy shore batteries at Wonsan. On the following day, Wonsan is struck heavily.

July 5

The enemy at Wonsan has recently bolstered

its positions and reached a capacity from which U.S. warships become threatened with heavy fire. Carrier planes pummel selected targets in the Wonsan area. The mission includes 247 sorties. In other naval activity, warships bolster a mission executed by about 600 ROK troops who launch a raid upon the mainland opposite Cho-do Island.

July 6

In Air Force activity, a tanker (KB-29M), attached to an air materiel command but flown by a crew of the strategic air command and attached to the 43rd Air Refueling Squadron, refuels four separate RF-80 Shooting Stars. The task is accomplished in enemy territory while the planes are in flight engaged in reconnaissance missions. This is the first in-air refueling that occurs over enemy territory during a combat mission. In Naval activity, the USS Evans (DD 754) lands a shore fire control party (SFCP) on Hwangto-do Island, located in the southern section of Wonsan Harbor, to direct fire. Three destroyers blast the area and level buildings and a torpedo station.

July 7 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment is notified that

July 8, 1951 it will be receiving orders to move out on the following day to establish a patrol base on Taeu-san. In Naval activity, a shore fire control party and elements of the 1st Korean Marine Regiment debark the USS Blue (DD 744) at Wonsan to establish an observation post from which the fire of warships can be directed against enemy targets.

July 8

A U.S. three-man liaison team meets at Kaesong with Communist representatives to set up the official armistice talks. The date agreed upon is 10 July. After sitting across the negotiating table from the U.S. representatives, the Communists notice the difference in height between the two sides. They saw off part of the legs of the chairs to make the U.S. representatives appear shorter. Another piece of mischief by the Communists occurs when the chairs are arranged so the U.N. representatives are facing north, where the losers are made to sit in Asia during negotiations. Communist photographers make good use of the shots of the participants at the table and when the pictures are viewed across Asia, they give the illusion of defeated Americans. An even more devious tactic is used when the Communists insist that all vehicles fly white flags for identification purposes, but when the photos are distributed, it gives the impression to the Orientals that the U.N. had capitulated. They also insist that the U.N. representatives remain unarmed; however, when the U.S. representatives and accompanying troops are photographed without arms, the pictures show the Communists well armed.

744 The Communists also outdo the U.S.-U.N representatives, as they received a confirmation that the peace talks will be held at Kaesong, which is directly in the path of the Eighth Army. The Communists realize that by holding the talks in Kaesong, the Americans will be unable to advance and secure the strategic road center there. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, elements of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment move out to establish a patrol base at Taeu-san at 1030, but little progress is made. Enemy mortar and machine gun fire halts the advance on the right, while the left section manages to reach Hill 1100, still short of Taeu-san. In Air Force activity, a four-plane contingent of F-86 Sabre jets led by Lieutenant Richard S. Becker (334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group) encounters a pair of MiGs in the skies over Pyongyang. He takes one of the two MiGs by machine gun fire from his F-86. The MiG, after being struck, begins to spin out of control and rolls into a dive that takes it directly into the ground about one mile south of the Pyongyang East Air Field. July 9–November 27 1951. SIXTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: THE U.N. SUMMER-FALL OFFENSIVE.

July 9 General Ridgway appoints Vice Admiral C.T. Joy, USN, as chief of the U.N. delegation that will convene with the Communists for the truce talks at Kaesong. Others in the delegation are Major General

Communist representatives at Kaesong are (left to right): Major General Hsieh Fang (Chinese Army); Lt. General Teng Hua (Chinese Army); Lt. General Nam II, chief delegate; Major General Lee Sang Cho (N.K. Army) and Major General Chang Pyong San (N.K. Army).

745

July 10, 1951

UN representatives at Kaesong are (left to right): Major General Lawrence C. Craigie (USAF); Major General Paik Sun Yup (ROK I Corps commander); Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy (Far East naval commander), acting as chief delegate for U.N; Major General Henry I. Hodes (deputy chief of staff, Eighth Army) and Rear Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN. L.C. Craigie, USAF, Major General H.I. Hodes, deputy chief of staff, Eusak, Rear Admiral A.A. Burke, USN, and Major General Paik Syn Yun, ROK Army. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Korean Marines reinitiate the advance to establish a patrol base at Taeu-san. The full weight of the battalion pushes forward on the right, but similarly to the previous day, the enemy halts the advance. In the meantime, the troops that had reached Hill 1100 on the previous day are driven back. Hill 1001 is seized by the 1st Battalion, but it is apparent that Taeu-san can not be seized by the Korean Marines. During the operation, the Korean Marines sustain 222 casualties. Subsequently, the task is given to the 2nd Division. Taeu-san is designated Hill 1179.

July 10

Armistice negotiations begin at Kaesong on this day in an attempt to bring a conclusion to the conflict that has been ongoing since June of the previ-

ous year. Admiral C. Turner Joy (commander Far East Naval Forces) leads the U.N. command negotiations. Admiral Joy informs the Communists that the U.S.U.N. will not under any circumstances suspend action unless and until the negotiations are completed. The Communists, who recently requested an immediate cease fire, are not in a position to contest. Consequently, they are compelled to agree to a continuation of hostilities. The U.S. also maintains a naval blockade of Korea’s east and west coasts and the U.S. Navy and Air Force maintain consistent bombardment of Communist shore batteries. From the beginning of the war until now, the Communists have sustained horrendous casualties that total almost one million. The recent spring offensive by the Communists helped to dramatically increase the numbers. The huge losses and inability to overwhelm the U.S.-U.N. forces is apparently the primary reason the Communists have agreed to talk about a cease fire.

July 10, 1951

746

A signal corps team at work making repairs to a communications line along a mountain pass south of Hwach’on. The U.S. is inclined to believe the Communists are stalling for time to rebuild their shattered forces. At this time, the front extends from the Imjin River to Ch’orwon, then parallels the base of the “Iron Trian-

gle” before swinging southeast to the lower tip of the Punch Bowl and from there it runs north and east to the Sea of Japan at a point above Kaesong. At Kaesong, the neutrality of the place is not conspicuous. The Chinese

747 carry Tommy guns and attempt to intimidate U.N. envoys. In addition, the Chinese propagandize the “white flags” on the U.N. jeeps, attempting to transform the neutrality into a scene of surrender or capitulation. The film is played throughout Asia. As the talks begin, the U.S. holds 163,000 POWs, most of whom are North Korean. The U.N. has sustained about 294,000 casualties and of these, the South Koreans account for 212,500. U.S. casualties stand at 77,000, mostly sustained by the U.S. Army, which loses 11,327 killed and 42,900 wounded. Of the wounded or injured in action, 1,075 later succumb from their injuries. In addition, 6,088 soldiers are captured and of these, 2,583 die while held in captivity by the Communists. Another 3,979 soldiers are reported missing in action and among these, 3,323 are subsequently declared dead. In Air Force activity, a contingent of F-80s, while on a mission, spot an enemy convoy stalled at an impassable bridge. The pilots of the F-80s relay the information and location to Fifth Air Force. Shortly thereafter, every available aircraft is directed to converge on the convoy. The planes deliver a massive amount of bombs, rockets and machine gun fire that shreds the stalled column. It is reported that more than 150 vehicles, including about 50 tanks, are demolished in the attacks. — In the United States: The Marine Corps will accept 7,000 draftees to help bolster its force of 194,000

July 11, 1951 troops to bring it closer to its authorized strength of 204,000. This is the first time the Marines has drafted men since World War II.

July 11–12 1951

Operation CAVE DWELLER commences. The USS New Jersey (BB 62) and USS Leonard F. Mason (DD 852) combine their firepower to blast enemy positions, supply depots and troops formations in the vicinity of Kensong. Estimates of enemy casualties are 129 killed.

July 11

General Ridgway prepares for operations to further destroy the enemy and force a quick decision for an armistice at Kaesong. Restrictions upon Eighth Army on operations had been lifted on the previous day by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, giving Ridgway authorization to expand the lines. In addition to the normal air and ground operations, Eighth Army is preparing to execute Plan Overwhelming, set tentatively for commencement on 1 September. The plan, designed by General Van Fleet at the request of Ridgway, calls for an offensive to move the line from Kansas to the P’yongyang–Wonsan Line. However, Van Fleet is convinced he can do much more to damage the enemy when operating from the Kansas Line. Meanwhile, Ridgway considers the possibility of high casualties and the remote possibility of a settlement at Kaesong. In Naval activity, U.S. warships, including the USS

USS New Jersey in action off the east coast of Korea.

July 12, 1951

748

The battleship New Jersey’s guns in action, in a close-up view of a bombardment of enemy positions along the east coast of Korea. Blue (DD 744) and the USS Evans (DD 754), operating near Yo-do Island, come under fire from enemy shore batteries; however, no damage is sustained.

July 12 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines inform X Corps that the patrol base established by the 1st Korean Marine Regiment near Hill 1001 is to be considered the 1st Marine Division patrol base. July 13 A plane (VMF[N]-513) piloted by Captain Donald Fenton spots and destroys a PO-2 in the vicinity of Seoul. It is the second elusive non-metal biplane destroyed over Seoul. July 14 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, combat for the past two weeks has not been too heavy. Nonetheless, the casualties, including the Korean Marines (attached), amount to 55 killed, 360 wounded and 22 missing. In other activity, Marine squadrons (MAG 12) at K-46 near Hoengsong abandon the field and move temporarily to K-1 near Seoul. Subsequently, MAG

12’s new field will be K-18, on the east coast at Kangnung, about forty miles to the rear of the 1st Marine Division lines and just slightly below the 38th Parallel. In Naval activity, elements of the British 4lst Independent, aboard an LST, arrive from Wonsan at Yo-do Island. In Air Force activity, one plane attached to the 452nd Bomber Group launches an attack against two separate enemy convoys it spots during the darkness in the area north of Sinanju. The crew of the B-26 light bomber reports both columns devastated with a combined loss of 68 vehicles either destroyed or damaged.

July 15 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd Division completes its relief of the 1st Marine Division. The 2nd Division is then designated as the attack force to push the Kansas Line forward to the Punch Bowl. The 2nd Division is flanked by the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions on the east and west respectively.

749

July 21, 1951

U.S. planes strike an enemy industrial complex. The target is hit with napalm bombs.

July 16

In the X Corps sector, the 1st Marine Division is in the process of moving to the rear of X Corps. The maneuver is completed by the following day.

July 17–31 1951

By this date, nearly all of the 1st Marine Division is in X Corps reserve. The exception is the 5th Marines, which is in the vicinity of Inje as “ready reserve,” under the operational control of X Corps. Subsequently, the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, is attached to the operational control of the 2nd Division. In related activity, the 7th Marines and the Division Reconnaissance Company move to the vicinity of Yanggu to participate in training and to support the building up of the fortifications there. Also, by about this time, General Almond is relieved as commander of X Corps by Major General Clovis E. Byers. General Almond returns to the States. In Naval activity, Communist shore batteries on Kalmagak, Umi-do and Ho-do Pando bombard naval warships (TE 95.21) operating off Wonsan and the U.N. positions on islands. Fire is continuous and well coordinated. The USS O’Brien (DD 725) sustains only one minor casualty. The LSMR (rocket ship) 409 and the LSMR 525 sustain only minor damage. Other U.S. warships speed to the area to augment the force already there. Task Element 77.14 (USS Helena [CA 75] and accompanying destroyers arrive and Task Element 77.11, USS New Jersey (BB 62) moves to bolster the relief force. The Helena is on site by evening. Also, the USS New Jersey arrives during the early morning hours of the 18th.

July 18

Operation KICKOFF commences at 1500 in Wonsan harbor. The warships initiate what becomes a daily ritual. The vessels maneuver at five knots, moving clockwise and firing effectively at known enemy positions, where the batteries had been used to threaten the U.S. Fleet. The bombardments begin each day at the same time and continue until dusk.

July 21 At Cho-do Island, following a clandestine operation, a contingent of the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron terminates a mission that began one week ago in an effort to disassemble components of a downed MiG-15. The crashed aircraft contains many parts that help the U.S. unlock its secrets. The detachment is provided with protection while the operation is in progress. The mission succeeds in salvaging the parts, the most ever from a captured MiG. The protective force includes planes, attached to a British carrier, that maintain low level flights, while Fifth Air Force executes high level flights. A vessel that contains a crane is provided by the U.S. Army. Also, a Marine patrol composed of three F4-Us is attacked by 15 MiGs at a point when the Marines’ F9Fs are nearly out of fuel. The Marines fend off the MiGs, which show little aggressiveness, then head for cloud cover. One of the planes fails to return to base. The fate of the pilot, Lieutenant Richard Bell, is for a while unknown, but he is captured. Bell returns during the POW exchange in 1953.

July 22, 1951

750

U.S. Army engineers make road repairs at a spot near Inje on 21 July. Torrential rains caused large washouts. A deep drop can be seen in the center. The Communists’ demand for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Kaesong goes unheeded. Consequently, the truce talks are temporarily aborted.

In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force officially orders the establishment of the air defenses of South Korea. The defensive measures are to be undertaken by the 502nd Tactical Control Group and its attached units.

July 24 The 116th Fighter Bomber Wing (Air National Guard), composed of F-84 ThunderJets, arrives at Japan. The wing, the second National Guard air unit to arrive, will be based at Misawa and Chitose Air Bases in Japan. The 116th is the second Air National Guard aviation unit to arrive in the theater. It follows the 136th Fighter Bomber Wing, which came the previous May. The 116th had come in from its base in Georgia. The arrival of both Air National Guard units does not necessarily improve the combat capabilities for Far East Air Forces. In conjunction with the arrival of the F-84 ThunderJets, elements of the 27th Fighter Escort Wing provide training for the crews, but the 27th has been returned to Strategic Air Command due to the efforts of General Curtis LeMay. Once the training period is completed, the 27th departs for the States. The acute shortage of Sabre jets continues to impede operations and raise the danger level for those pilots in the theater. Far East Air Forces is in urgent need of about a fifty percent increase in Sabres, but the Air Force chief of staff, General Hoyt Vandenberg, will inform FEAF to expect no more than a ten percent increase.

July 26 The maintenance crews of MAG 12 abandon K-46 at Hoengsong and join the squadrons at K1. The airfield had been abandoned due to chronic maintenance problems caused by the primitive, rocky runway.

July 22-24 1951

July 25 British warships initiate a bombardment of enemy positions near the Han. The HMS Cardigan Bay (PF), HMAS Murschison (PF), ROKN Apnok (PF 62), and several minesweepers participate.

July 27

Major General Christian F. Schilt assumes command of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

July 28 The USS Los Angeles (CA 135), subsequent to the recent mine-clearing operation in the Haeju Man channel, arrives and bombards enemy positions in the area. In the meantime, British warships continue to bombard the area along the north bank of the Han River. July 29 In Japan: Regimental Combat Team 160, 40th Infantry Division, undergoing amphibious landing exercises at Chigasaki Beach, completes its training. In Air Force activity, a contingent of U.N. jet fighterbombers and some reconnaissance planes operating near Pyongyang spot a group of MiG-15s, but the planes avoid contact with the enemy aircraft. July 30

A huge contingent of fighter bombers, composed of 354 Air Force and Marine Corps squadrons protected by ninety-one F-80s, strike enemy targets in the vicinity of Pyongyang.

751

July 31

The USS Helena (CA-75), while bombarding enemy positions in the vicinity of Wonsan, is struck by enemy shore battery fire, but no major damage is sustained.

August 1, 1951

August 1 At this time, the 1st Marine Division reports its strength as 1,386 officers and 24,044 enlisted men. In addition, the division has 165 interpreters and 4,184 civilians, the latter known as cargadores (laborers).

A U.S. carrier en route to Japan. Its deck is covered with F-84 Thunderjets that will join the air war in Korea.

August 6, 1951

752

An Eighth Army convoy of trucks moves along a recently repaired road leading into Inje on 1 August. The road is similar to many others, a single lane with a deep drop-off.

August 6

By this date, LSMRs (rocket ships), according to Navy reports, have fired more than 100,000 rockets at enemy positions. Also, the USS Carmick (DMS 32), operating in the vicinity of Chongjin, destroys four sampans and seizes 13 fishermen (enemy).

August 10

The carrier USS Princeton (CVE 37),

after being detached from TF-77, moves to Yokosuka, Japan, and from there it embarks for the United States.

August 11 The truce talks in Kaesong resume after the Communists agree to maintain Kaesong as a neutral site. In Naval activity, the enemy at several locations fires

753 upon U.S. Navy warships. Near Ho-do Pando, the USS Dextrous (AM-34) comes under attack from shore batteries and sustains two strikes that inflict casualties. One sailor is killed and three others are wounded. The vessel sustains some damage. Also, the destroyer USS Hopewell (DD 681), coordinating with a SFCP party on Hwangto-do Island at Wonsan Harbor, initates a bombardment of enemy positions. Also, warships continue to blast Communist positions in the vicinity of the Han River’s north bank.

August 12 In the X Corps sector, the 2nd Division is informed that a possible attack is being planned against Hills 983, 940 and 773. Just after midnight (12th-13th), a directive arrives instructing Division to draw up plans to seize the hills in question and submit the plan to X Corps. August 13

In the X Corps sector, orders arrive instructing the 2nd Division to decrease its boundary. The directive is an extension of an earlier order to plan for an attack against Hills 983, 940 and 773. That sector of the boundary, which is reduced, is taken over by the ROK 7th Division.

August 14

Although newspapers in the United States continue to speak of the possibility of a truce in Korea, various directives that spread through Eighth Army discount that possibility. On this day, all divisions in Korea receive word that Eighth Army had been in receipt of requisitions for winter clothing, surely signaling that the troops would be spending a second winter in Korea. In the X Corps sector, the 2nd Division is informed that the attack to seize Hills 983, 940 and 773 is imminent. In conjunction, the ROK 36th Regiment (7th ROK Division) is attached to the 2nd Division. The ROKs are to spearhead the assault. In conjunction, Company B, 72nd Tank Battalion, is attached to the 7th ROK Division to augment its offensive strength. In Naval activity, the destroyer USS William Seiverling (DE 441), operating off Tanchin, halts Communist fishing sampans and seizes 9 men.

August 15 In the X Corps sector, an attack against an ominous ridgeline, which had been included in Eighth Army’s planning while negotiations continue at Kaesong, is now in the final planning stages. The assault is scheduled to commence on 18 August. The enemyheld objective, later known as Bloody Ridge, includes three hills, 983, 940 and 773, but the ridges that link the hills must also be secured. On the western end, four separate rugged ridges converge to form Hill 983, which is also the highest peak. Hill 940 lies east of Hill 983, along the center of the ridge on the opposite side of a deep ravine and farther east, about 1,000 yards, the Communists hold Hill 773. Each of the hills is well defended and the fortifications are camouflaged. The bunkers are often linked and built so well that they are shielded from artillery and air strikes, which essentially leaves the job of clearing to the ground troops. Each of the three enemy-held hills

August 17, 1951 are a threat to the 2nd Division, as the North Koreans are able to use them as strategic observation posts to maintain a vigil on the western zone along the Kansas Line at Hill 1179 (Taeu-san), a 3,890-foot-high mountain defended by about one regiment (1,700 troops). The 2nd Division had earlier eliminated the enemy east of the hill, but with three obstacles remaining, Eighth Army had directed that they be destroyed. The 9th, 23rd and 38th Regiments have been dispatching patrols to evaluate the enemy’s intent and it is concluded that no offensive action is imminent. However, the enemy artillery posted along the ridgeline makes it mandatory that the hills be seized. During this month of August, while the troops must endure the trials of combat, nature is also working against Eighth Army. Frequent heavy rains sometimes reduce the roads to mud and inflict damage to the bridges. Engineers work tirelessly to keep the roads open and the bridges operable, but fierce enemy artillery bombardments constantly interfere and often the engineers are ordered to suspend their work. In conjunction, to soften resistance, fighter planes strike the enemy area during the night (15th-16th) and deliver napalm while strafing the ridges; the rear slopes are struck by a B-26 that drops 500-pound bombs.

August 16–17 1951 In the X Corps sector, the preliminary stages of the offensive to gain the area soon to be known as Bloody Ridge continue. Enemy positions continue to come under bombardment in an effort to soften the resistance against the ROK 7th Division before its attack. — In Japan: The final contingent of the 40th Infantry Division, Regimental Combat Team 224, completes its training (amphibious) at Chigasaki. August 17 A Chinese security patrol is ambushed near the “neutrality zone.” The Chinese at Kaesong protest and insist that the U.N. apologize. After an investigation, it is determined that the ambush had been staged by South Korean partisan irregulars who acted out of the U.N. and South Korean government jurisdictions. No apology is made. In the X Corps sector, the 2nd Division initiates a preattack bombardment against Hills 983, 940 and 773, in an attempt to soften resistance for the ROK 36th Regiment, ROK 7th Division, which will launch the attack on the following day. The enemy is struck by planes and artillery; however, the North Koreans are not too hard-hit. Their bunkers are deeply entrenched and well camouflaged. Many of the bunkers are linked and some are spacious enough to quarter more than fifty troops. In Naval activity, Special Bombardment Group TG 95.9 is established. It is composed of the vessels USS New Jersey (BB 62), USS Toledo (CA 133), the Dutch destroyer Van Galen (DD) and USS Agerholm (DD 826). Also, the British continue to plaster enemy positions along the north bank of the Han River. The HMAS Murchison (PF), HMS Cardigan Bay (PF) and the HMS Morecombe Bay (PF) participate; however,

August 18, 1951 due to the imminent arrival of a typhoon, the ships abandon the area for safer waters.

August 18–20 1951

Typhoon Marge sweeps into the area. The 1st Marine Air Wing evacuates Korea for Japan. The air units return on 21 August.

August 18–September 5 1951

BATTLE BLOODY RIDGE In the X Corps Sector zone, following the lifting of a two-day bombardment, the ROK 36th Regiment, ROK 7th Division, advances through a thick and murky fog toward a ridgeline that includes Hills 983, 940 and 773. Hill 983 stands OF

754 in the west at the convergence point of four knife-like ridges. Hill 940 lies east of Hill 983 on the opposite side of a huge ravine and farther east is the other major link, Hill 773. In an attempt to bolster the assault, the 2nd Division uses elements to draw attention from the primary attack. The 23rd Infantry Regiment attacks in the east against fierce resistance and the 38th Regiment attacks northeast of the targeted three hills. The 38th Regiment is able to secure its objectives in the heights there and afterward, its guns bolster the ROK attack. The attack is also bolstered by an im-

A contingent of the 2nd Division ascends Hill 1179 (Taeu-san). Stretcher bearers are among the column.

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August 18, 1951

Wounded troops attached to the U.S. 2nd Division, able to walk, descend Hill 1179 (Taeu-san). mense amount of artillery support, which includes the four division artillery battalions and three other artillery battalions, composed of two medium and one 105-mm battalion. Other support units include several tank companies and two heavy-mortar companies. Meanwhile, the ROKs initiate the frontal assault.

Initially, the resistance is nominal, but as the ROKs encroach the slopes of the respective objectives, the resistance intensifies. Small arms fire rings down upon them as they ascend the slopes. Machine gun fire and mortars, as if synchronized, pour down from each of the three respective hills. The ROKs, however, continue to drive up the

August 18, 1951 slopes and en route to the summits, often the Communists pop out of their bunkers to ignite closequartered fighting. The ROK 36th Regiment maintains its discipline and tenaciously drills forward, eliminating bunkers as they ascend. Nevertheless, by the latter part of the afternoon, the enemy fire becomes too fierce to penetrate. The attack is suspended. The 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, which had launched a diversionary attack, secures Hill 1059 with Company G; however, the enemy artillery fire against the advance of Company E compels it to halt and retire. After dark, the ROKs re-ignite the attack, still exhibiting great persistence, a trait that often in the past had been lacking with ROK units. In the meantime, the 2nd Division informs the 9th Infantry Regiment to be ready to jump to relieve the ROKs in the event they succeed in seizing the hills; however, the North Koreans are equally determined to hold the real estate. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions claw forward to within several hundred yards of their objectives, but at that point, the enemy fire forbids further advancement. The ROKs establish night positions and prepare to resume the fight on the following morning. At dawn on the 19th, it quickly becomes apparent that the Communists had not abandoned their positions. Enemy fire continues to be heavy against all units at the respective hills and the enemy guns also begin to bombard the support guns of the 38th Regiment. All the while, the ROKs slowly but methodically grind forward against the menacing fire. At Hills 940 and 773, the ROKs attain positions slightly more than 200 yards from the respective summits and at Hill 983, on the west and the highest peak on the ridge, they hammer their way to positions slightly more than fifty yards from the summit. Once again, the ROK 36th Regiment establishes night positions, still determined to take the objectives. Meanwhile, the 2nd Division continues to support the assault, but no U.S. units are ordered to relieve the ROKs. On the 20th, the ROKs finally begin to achieve some success for their tireless efforts. On the slopes of Hills 940 and 983, the stamina of the ROKs greatly outweighs that of the Communists and the ROKs gain the advantage as they begin to punish the defenders on the respective hills, but still the summits continues to be defended by deeply entrenched troops in formidable bunkers that are being eliminated one by one. At Hill 773, the ROKs battle relentlessly again, outweighing the defenders’ determination. The summit is gained and secured by 1800. Immediately, the South Koreans establish defensive positions in expectation of a counterattack. As anticipated, the Communists, determined to oust the ROKs, mount a counterattack to evict them from Hill 773, but it is met with rigid, non-bendable resistance from the ROK 36th Regiment. Although the South Koreans hold the summit, the situation becomes close to a

756 crisis. Ammunition and supplies have been greatly depleted during the heated contest, and still, the remaining hills must be secured. The North Koreans remaining on Hills 940 and 983 continue to dominate, but the rugged determination of the ROKs carries over from the previous day. After another tenacious day of battle, both hills fall to the 36th Regiment. In addition to securing all of its objectives, the 36th ROK Regiment enjoys a pause in the combat; the North Koreans either choose not to attack or are unable to launch a counterattack during the night (21st-22nd), permitting the regiment to catch a breather. Nevertheless, the depletion of supplies remains a huge concern. While the ROKs and the 2nd Division are maneuvering to seize the objectives, the negotiations in Kaesong are deteriorating. The Communists have been stalling for time; however, on the 22nd, after apparently concluding that their demands are being ignored, the Communist leader, Nam II, proclaims that the U.N. had, through air attacks, attempted to kill his delegation and abruptly cancels the meetings at Kaesong. The ROKs have up to this point gained the objectives, but their task is extended to include several other unnamed hills slightly north of their present positions. However, the North Koreans exhibit no signs of withdrawing as they had in the past, which makes it plain that the contest to secure the no-name hills will be yet another grueling advance. Enemy artillery remains extremely active on the 23rd and based on the amount of fire, there is no lack of ammunition or guns, despite a Herculean effort by the Air Force bombers to halt the flow of Chinese arms. The ROKs move cautiously toward the hills designated A, B and C. Elements of the 2nd Division continue to dispatch reconnaissance patrols. None of the patrols encounter any heavy resistance until 24 August, when the North Koreans try to deliver a killing blow to the ROK 26th Regiment and terminate the advance before the troops reach the objectives. As the ROKs push ahead on the 24th, the resistance galvanizes. The Communist counterattack succeeds in bringing the advance to a halt. In addition, the North Koreans initiate attacks against elements of the 2nd Division, including patrols of the 38th Regiment and others posted near Hill 1059. By the following day, the 2nd Division takes steps to augment the ROKs. The 9th Infantry Regiment shifts toward the area near Hill 983 to initiate contact with the ROKs positioned on the southwest slope, while the 38th Infantry Regiment moves hurriedly to establish a link with the ROKs at Hill 773. All the while, the ROKs are instructed to focus their attack against the undesignated hill known as “C,” which stands to the front of Hills 940 and 773. Still the North Koreans maintain an iron wall of resistance on the 25th, preventing the ROKs from gaining ground in front of Objective C.

757 However, in the zones of the U.S. 38th Regiment, again the North Koreans become elusive and avoid major contact with the Americans. Subsequently, as part of an X Corps offensive, the seizure of Objective “C” becomes the responsibility of the U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment. During the night (25th-26th), the Communists revert back to their tactics of night assaults. At 0245, the North Koreans holding positions to the north of Hill 983 execute a two-pronged assault. While some units surge forward with a frontal assault, other contingents maneuver to gain positions between Hills 940 and 983. The gains threaten Hill 940 and Hill 983, the latter becoming encircled by 1200. In the meantime, elements of the 38th Regiment, holding positions north of Pia-ri, come under fierce attack. Unable to release the pressure, the troops are compelled to withdraw slightly more than one thousand yards. At Hill 983, the situation has severely deteriorated and the ROK positions become untenable; however, there is no route of escape. By 1430, with no options, the surviving members of the 36th ROK Regiment are compelled to capitulate. Meanwhile, after news of the fall of Hill 983 and of the retreat of Companies F and G north of Pia-ri, steps are hurriedly taken to plug the line. Company E at the Kansas Line is rushed to reinforce Companies F and G, while at Division headquarters, plans are modified to include the recapture of Hill 983. The task of evicting the North Koreans is delegated to the 9th Infantry Regiment. The North Koreans, however, do not remain dormant during the day. Later, about one and one-half hours before midnight (25th-26th), elements of the 38th Regiment (2nd Battalion) move to Hill 773 to augment the contingent of the ROK 36th Regiment there, which has been able to throw back repeated attacks that were launched prior to dusk. As scheduled, during the morning of the 27th, the 9th Regiment advances to seize its objectives, but enemy resistance continues to block all progress of the attacking 2nd Battalion. Consequently, at dusk, Hill 983 remains under Communist control. In the meantime, X Corps remains determined to conquer the objectives, particularly to prevent the enemy from maintaining positions from which they can continue to observe X Corps’ positions and operations, but equally important, because Hills 983 and 773 dominate the Hwach’on Reservoir, the source of the capital’s electricity. The depth of the artillery in the fullest sense is brought to bear upon the crafty enemy defenses on Hill 983. Subsequent to dusk, the 2nd Division catapults thousands upon thousands of rounds that rock the slopes and plant an iron picket fence composed of more than 22,000 shells. While the thunderous artillery bombardment pounds the enemy positions, the 3rd Battalion prepares to pass through the beleaguered 2nd Battalion to continue the assault. As dawn emerges on the 28th, the 1st Battalion

August 18, 1951 remains at the Kansas Line while the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, takes the point to spearhead the assault against the unyielding defenders at Hill 983, but another enemy again enters the contest. The inclement weather, in its predictable manner, has transformed the roads into giant pits of mud. The condition of the roads causes delays in the battalion’s jump-off until afternoon. Meanwhile, the North Koreans sustain the identical torrential rains, but they are unaffected by the poor conditions of the road and wait in their camouflaged bunkers for the advancing infantry. As the 3rd Battalion drives toward the objective, the resistance refuses to falter; however, the 3rd Battalion presses ahead despite the rings of fire. Company I and Company F lunge forward inch-by-inch and yard-by-yard and by darkness, following the dreadful trek, still fall short of the prize. The summit remains a long three hundred yards or so from their grasp. As the sun sets the 3rd Battalion attempts to establish night positions to protect against a counterattack; still the weather refuses to relent. The pesky, irritating rain that has helped to bog down the advance increases in intensity and inundates the area. The slopes of the hill are transformed into a series of unruly streams of water that funnel into the ravines and the mountain streams. While the 2nd Division continues to implement strategy to end the quest for Hill 983, the raging flood waters wreak havoc on logistics. Bridges, including the primary Bailey bridge (LaDue bridge) at the Soyang River, sustain damage during the night of the 28th when a runaway pontoon bridge gets tossed against one of its anchors, damaging the northern end. Traffic on the double-span is curtailed, but the problem becomes especially complicated because of the great need to maintain the flow of ammunition and supplies. A circuitous route is used to ease the pressure. Vehicles at Chunchon are ordered to move out with supplies. Toward the latter part of the day, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, both of which have sustained grueling punishment during the advance, are informed that they will be joined by the 1st Battalion on the 29th. Nonetheless, the North Koreans hold steadfast throughout the day’s fighting. While the North Koreans attempt to cling to their positions, including Hill 983, X Corps moves to add more muscle to the attack. In addition to the continuation of the assault to gain Hill 983, X Corps on 29 August orders a larger attack, scheduled for 31 August. In the meantime, the 9th Infantry continues to slug its way forward against resolute opposition, carrying the prolonged battle into the next day, still without a victor at the ridge that becomes known as Bloody Ridge through an article in Stars and Stripes. Prior to dawn on 30 August, the 9th Infantry Regiment resumes its attack to clear the ridgeline that encompasses Hills 983 and 940, as well as the lingering defenders farther north at Objective “C,” the

August 18, 1951

758

The 9th Regiment, 2nd Division, ascends Hill 940 during the Battle of Bloody Ridge (18 August–5 September). unnamed hill that had not been secured by the ROKs. The 1st and 2nd Battalions press ahead against continuing opposition, which has been reinforced by a contingent estimated to be about 1,000 troops. The slug-fest at Hill 940 rages throughout the day without success. In the zone of Company A, the casualties rise to about fifty percent and the list includes the company commander (wounded). Orders arrive to pull back, but in the meantime, Lieutenant John H. Dunn, who had assumed command, is also killed. Command reverts to an artillery officer, Lieutenant Edwin C. Morrow. During the withdrawal the troops receive cover fire requested by Morrow. Seven battalions of artillery lay smoke to aid evacuation of the wounded that have to be carried down the slopes. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, moves to relieve the ROKs at Hill 773, but they had already absconded and instead, as the battalion moves up the slopes, the troops are met by North Koreans. Following a tenacious fire fight, the battalion is pushed from the hill. After a while, the battalion regroups and plows

up the slope a second time, only to be halted short of the summit. It loses a hill thought to have been controlled by the ROKs. At dusk, after concluding a brutal contest and sustaining high casualties, the U.S. contingents establish night positions and prepare to spend another uncomfortable and restless night prior to the next attack, most probably before the sun rises. On 31 August, at 0400, the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, forms at the assembly area where it had originally occupied positions prior to the attack. Despite lack of sleep, the troops are ordered to be ready in case of an attack. After a suspension of several hours, the trucks move to the vicinity of Worunni, where again they are stalled until nearly 1200. Then a short ride takes them to a point from which they attack Hill 773 from the east. Company C, in the lead, reaches the tip of the ridgeline and swings left to attack the first knoll that stands between the column and the objective. The trek is effortless, as the knoll is controlled by elements of the 38th Regiment, who recently established an outpost there. The column advances in

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August 18, 1951

U.S. armor (Quad 50s) is in action to bolster the 9th Regiment’s attack against Bloody Ridge. single file obscured by fog, but a more ominous sight is the haze and low clouds that completely cloak Hills 773 and 940, as if they don’t exist. Nevertheless, the vanguard of the column out in front of the first knoll realizes that, at any time, the next step could ignite the fight for the hill. As the scouts on the point arrive slightly beyond the first knob, sudden but anticipated enemy machine gun fire strikes with effect. A brief fire fight erupts with devastating results. Several troops and the commanding officer of Company C are wounded. Meanwhile, the enemy remains unscathed, as their positions are about two hundred yards away and contained in fortified bunkers. Soon after, the two remaining officers become wounded

and at about the same time, the fire becomes so heavy that the advance is halted. The battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Gaylord Bishop, is posted at the 38th Regimental positions on a hill east of the road, placing him within sight of the fight. Visibility is poor and Bishop is informed of the situation by radio. He directs Company B to jump to the front and continue the attack. The 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Joseph W. Burkett, takes the point and leads the drive toward the first knoll under support fire from the remainder of the company and elements of Company C. The advance has no artillery or air support due to the fog, but four machine guns provide some comfort as Burkett drills forward through the fog.

August 18, 1951 Resistance against the platoon remains light, giving the platoon leverage to reach the knoll, but as it arrives at the diminutive hill caution rules as they await some deadly grenades to come tumbling upon them. None are tossed. Burkett lunges up the hill and throws a grenade over to the reverse slope, while several of his troops trail the grenade and discover abandoned positions. Burkett leads his platoon toward the next knoll, but en route, in addition to losing radio contact, the support fire from the machine guns also ceases, causing great concern, particularly because at about the same time, the enemy fire intensifies. Nonetheless, the platoon forges ahead directly into the path of incoming grenades that cause the vanguard of the platoon to scatter. Fortunately, the grenades continue to tumble farther down the hill and detonate without causing any casualties. After the grenades harmlessly explode, more follow, but Burkett detects the bunker from which they came and moves to liquidate the position. Meanwhile the second grenade toss does inflict casualties, some due to the troops not attempting to get out of harm’s way. In the meantime, several BAR teams rush to support the beleaguered platoon. Immediately after their arrival, PFC Domingo Trujillo, standing straight up, fires his BAR directly into the bunker, but unbeknownst to Trujillo, the bunker remains deadly. As he lowers his BAR, another BAR man spots a North Korean in the bunker preparing to fire. In an instant, the 2nd BAR misfires and Trujillo is hit directly in the chest and neck, killing him instantly. Lieutenant Burkett, although hindered by the fog, orders his troops to provide cover fire while he maneuvers to get atop the bunker. Shortly thereafter, Burkett bolts through the haze to the opposite side of the knoll and squirms along the ridge to a point he believes is just above the bunker. He pulls the pin and deposits it right on top of the bunker and then for good measure drops another. Meanwhile, another soldier tosses several more grenades to Burkett and each is dropped into the bunker. To Burkett’s surprise, the six grenades had apparently only stirred the hornet’s nest. The bunker that defended the frontal approach to the crest also had a back door. A North Korean bolts through the door and tosses at least five grenades at Burkett, who hurriedly dives down the ridge, but not quickly enough. The first wave scores no harm, but as he warns a sergeant, another grenade lands farther up the slope and explodes about five or six feet from where they stand. Both Burkett and Sergeant Hartman, the man who initially tossed the grenades to Burkett, are both wounded. Burkett is still able to direct his platoon. He orders the men to withdraw out of the range of grenades and remain there until he can return with help. Nonetheless, Burkett is overruled by the regimental commander, Colonel Bishop, who concludes that it is too late to reinitiate the assault. He orders Com-

760 pany B to establish a night perimeter and resume the attack on the following day. Meanwhile, other troops from Company B are dispatched to assist with the evacuation of the wounded from Lieutenant Burkett’s platoon. At dawn on 1 September, the weather is cooperating. The daylight is no longer obscured by fog and haze. Still, the crack of dawn signals another day of gruesome combat. After another restless night, the 9th Infantry Regiment moves out to vanquish the remaining defenders on Bloody Ridge, held by the Communists since 18 August. The attack is spearheaded by Company A. Due to the absence of fog, artillery is able to support the advance. Cover fire is applied along the ridgeline between Hills 773 and 940 and the former also becomes the recipient of mortar and heavy machine gun fire, supplied by Company C, which also supports the assault. As the vanguard reaches the point of advance gained on the previous day by Company B, again, the North Koreans pour fire upon the attacking platoon. A second platoon, led by the company commander Lieutenant Elden Foulk, speeds forward and it, too, incurs casualties, including Lieutenant Foulk. Despite a serious wound, Foulk makes it back to the lines of Company C and just before he collapses, Foulk requests reinforcements for Company A. Once Colonel Bishop is informed, he throws Company B back into the fight. The reinforcements sprint to the lines of Company A and jump ahead, drilling straight toward the obstinate bunker that has halted progress. After the reinforcements close on the obstacle, a few grenades clear the way. The ferocious resistance on the third knoll is terminated by 1000. Having secured the first three knolls, the 9th Regiment focuses on the next objective, the tallest peak of the ridge that encompasses Hill 773, a ridgeline known as the question mark due to its curvature that seems to form a hook at the tip. It stands less than 300 yards distant, but in the hills of Korea, 300 yards, at times, are measured by inches and underscored with blood and steel. The advance pushes forward at about 1400 and casualties mount on both sides. Company B is operating with only about fifty troops. As the vanguard pushes ahead, suddenly, enemy fire originating on Hill 940 pounds the unit just about the time the troops encounter several more bunkers, each of which are heavily fortified. Occupants of the concealed bunkers begin to lob grenades that wound more troops. Company B is compelled to withdraw, but only for a short time. Quick thinking on the part of the commanding officer, Captain Edward Krzyzowski, places the company back on the offensive. A runner acquires a bazooka and ammunition to level the field. The first bunker is liquidated and then a second is destroyed by an agile soldier, PFC Edward K. Jenkins, who slivers into position above the obstacle and maneuvers into position from where he drops several grenades upon the defenders to silence the guns

761 there. In a short while, Jenkins destroys the third bunker as he positions himself from where he can attack. After catching three grenades tossed to him, he deposits two of them into the laps of the defenders to terminate the resistance. Progress is still stalled; yet another one emerges and the fire halts the advance. Attempts are made to inch forward to knock it out, but the twenty-five yards separating them is also covered by several other positions that place the empty space in a menacing cross-fire. After assessing the odds and the fastapproaching darkness, it is concluded that the combined guns on Hill 773, those on the peak of the question mark and the longer-range weapons on Hill 940 make the bunker a task too risky. Companies A and B, now holding a combined strength of only forty some able-bodied men, cancel the advance and establish a night perimeter. At dawn on 2 September, the quest to secure the objectives continues. No major assaults are launched; however, small probing advances press against Hill 773 and discover the occupants are prepared to fight. The advancing platoons are each greeted with hand grenades tossed from the high ground on the slopes. Meanwhile, urgently needed replacement troops are assigned to the 1st Battalion. The beleaguered 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, receives more than 150 replacements, including 6 officers. Company A and Company B are each bolstered by 65 men and Company C receives 20 men. In addition, each company receives 2 officers. The force is augmented by artillery fire, air strikes and mortars, focused primarily against Hill 940 and the western sector of the ridgeline. Although no large sized assaults are initiated, Lieutenant Mallard, acting commander of Company C, establishes an outpost on the most recently captured knoll and from there, he is able to communicate by radio with some tanks. The tanks in turn pound various targets selected by Mallard. The clear skies allow heavy mortars to focus upon Hill 773. Enemy-held Hill 940 is pounded by artillery and to further inflict punishment upon the enemy, planes arrive to strike the western portion of the ridgeline. As daylight arrives on 3 September, the 9th Infantry fine tunes its strategy for the attack. At 0900, the assigned platoon of Company C is directed to move to spearhead the assault; however, before the advance jumps off, orders arrive from Colonel Bishop to hold in place until an imminent air strike is carried out. At about 1030, planes arrive and deliver napalm upon targets selected by the Company A, whose commander, Lieutenant Robert D. Lacaze, had replaced Lieutenant Foulk of the 2nd after he had been wounded. Lieutenant Mallard continues to control the tanks’ fire and the mortar units. Hills 773 and 940 are deluged with an avalanche of fire. In early afternoon, the air strikes are completed and Company C jumps off, but its composition has greatly changed in the past few days. Of the three

August 18, 1951 platoons, the combined strength is about 85 troops and of these, two of the platoons are battle hardened while the other is composed primarily of replacement troops. In a short period of time, the fresh troops will receive their baptism of fire. The vanguard leads the way around the curve of the question mark and immediately encounters obstacles. The obstinate bunkers present less of a challenge than that which would be encountered if the attack moved directly over the treacherous ridge against heavy machine gun fire from Hill 940; however, the task remains daunting. The advance presses against the first of a trio of bunkers and then the second, but as they move forward, it begins to rain grenades. The grenade launching originates on the opposite side of a steep ravine that separates the North Koreans there by only a few, but deadly, yards. The troops sustain high casualties, primarily from the grenades, but the first two bunkers are destroyed. The third bunker, however, is able to halt the advance. The platoon is too badly battered to continue. A second platoon, also battle tested, moves out to continue the attack, but it, too, comes under devastating grenade and small arms fire, which inflicts high casualties. All the while, the third bunker operates under the protection of cover fire from adjacent positions, jeopardizing both platoons. Through the earlier actions of Colonel Bishop, 6 men who had taken a course in flame throwers arrive during the morning to bolster Company C, at about the same time that both platoons stall at the steps of the third bunker. Soon after, Lieutenant Mallard dispatches his third platoon along with the flame throwers. A platoon from Company A covers as reserve while the final Company C platoon advances. Heavy fire impedes the advance. One of the three accompanying flame thrower teams is victimized by the enemy fire, but only the flame thrower is hit, sparing the men from harm. The two remaining teams make it to positions just under the summit and point the flame throwers toward the sky before pulling the trigger. The flames are propelled on an angle that carries the burning jelly over the top of the knife-like ridge and onto the reverse slope, jolting the Communists into a frenzy as they abandon the bunker. The flame thrower trainees are now battle tested and their clearance operation opens the way for the remainder of Company C to swerve around the hook of the question mark and into the path leading to two additional bunkers, the final obstacles in front of Hill 773. The advance continues and the bunkers are silenced. Afterward, there is a final thrust to the summit and Hill 773 is back in the hands of the U.S. The quest on this day drains Company C from its starting complement of about 85 troops to a force about the size of a platoon. Lieutenant Mallard directs his weakened Company

August 18, 1951 C to establish night positions and with authorization from Colonel Bishop, he uses the Company A platoon and incorporates it into Company C to strengthen the perimeter and provide him with an opportunity to merge the fresh troops with his veterans. Although much progress had been accomplished, the North Koreans continue to threaten the positions and inflict more casualties. Shortly after securing Hill 773, Lieutenant Mallard is struck and wounded by friendly fire when an artillery shell inadvertently drops short of its target. While he is moving back to receive medical attention he encounters Captain Krzyzowski, who is directing Company B’s deployment in the area vacated by Company C. While they exchange information, fire from an enemy machine gun on Hill 940, 1,000 yards distant, strikes and kills Krzyzowski. The wounding of Mallard and the death of Krzyzowski is a costly blow. Only two officers remain among the three infantry companies of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. Circumstances unexpectedly change for the 9th Infantry Regiment on 4 September as the men peer at the death and destruction on the ridge, which by this day has been shattered by a combination of air strikes, artillery bombardments and the direct fire of tanks. The 9th Infantry is ordered to suspend its advance toward Hill 940 due to a planned full-scale attack. The bomb-scarred ridge is pummeled with more bombs and napalm and the attack is underscored with earth-shattering artillery bombardments. While the 9th Regiment has encroached but not reached the summit of the ridge the 38th Regiment, as part of the ongoing X Corps’ offensive, has pierced the enemy’s defenses. On this day it secures Hills 660 and 774 north of Pia-ri. Elements of the 38th Regiment, on 26 August, had been pushed from positions north of the village to positions about 1,000 yards below the village. But now they have retaken the ground and are in position to provide its guns to bolster the 9th Regiment at Bloody Ridge. In addition, the 23rd Regiment is directed to move west into another cauldron, designated Objective “N,” a stretch of the ridge leaning northward from Hill 983 to Hill 778. At dawn on 5 September, the target is Hill 940. Yet again, the overtaxed troops of the 9th Regiment ascend the slopes to the summit, but this advance succeeds. The ground troops charge to the summit to deliver a resounding blow that ensures victory. The ground troops of the 1st and 2nd Battalions literally pass hundreds of North Korean corpses as they ascend the slopes, in what becomes the final assault on Bloody Ridge. The troops still on the crest bolt from their positions in an attempt to escape. The 9th Infantry Regiment permanently secures the hill at about 1400. Communist losses in defending the blood-stained ridge amount to more than 4,000 killed and about 7,000 wounded. While the 9th Infantry Regiment is securing its objective, the 23rd

762 Regiment also scores successes during its supporting role against Objective “N.” (See also, September 5, 1951.) Despite the horrific losses inflicted upon the North Koreans on Bloody Ridge, the Communists, after retiring from the ridgeline, immediately begin to regroup and form a new line of defense from which to terminate the continuing progress of the 2nd Division. The North Koreans replenish their grievous losses with several new battalions and form a new defensive line in yet another rugged ridgeline that extends north to south and encompasses Hills 851, 931 and 894. At Hill 894, to the south, the curvature of the slopes swing in a southwestward direction and begins to level out with a group of smaller hills near the village of Tutayon. This defensive line becomes the next battleground for the 2nd Division. Like Bloody Ridge, this new killing field receives a name that overshadows the respective hills, Heartbreak Ridge.

August 18 In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces commences Operation STRANGLE, designed to destroy and damage the enemy rails in North Korea. The Air Force had commenced a similar operation with the identical name on 31 May to destroy enemy supply lines. Also, a 2-plane patrol attached to the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, led by 1st Lieutenant Richard S. Becker, encounters and attacks a solitary MiG-15 in the vicinity of Sinuiju. Becker knocks it out at 1115 following a short hunt and then within a few minutes, at 1121, Becker pumps several bursts of machine gun fire another MiG-15 and damages it severely, but it remains in the air. He closes further and from a distance of about 200 feet, he again pulls the trigger and the MiG catches fire, while the pilot ejects from the aircraft. August 19 In the I Corps sector, following a fourday struggle, elements of the 2nd Division seize the crest of Hill 1179 (Taeu-san), in the vicinity of the southwestern tip of the Punch Bowl. Earlier, ROK troops had failed to seize the objective. August 20 Enemy shore batteries fire upon the destroyer USS Uhlmann (DD 867) while she operates off Ho-do Pando Island at Wonsan. The Uhlmann returns fire and knocks out two guns of the seven that had been spotted. The warship aborts further fire due to the activity of a friendly contingent on the ground in the same area. The Uhlmann sustains no damage. August 22

At Kaesong, the Communists, having made good use of the partial lull in battle to refurbish their forces, use another delaying tactic. The Communist representatives at the peace table in Kaesong abruptly walk out of the meeting after claiming falsely that U.N. planes had broken the neutrality of Kaesong by dropping napalm bombs. After dusk, the Communists and a USAF team, using flashlights, inspect the supposed location of the bombing by a U.N. plane. Colonel Andrew J. Kinney and his party discover a hole

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August 26, 1951

A pontoon bridge in the I Corps sector, 3rd Division zone, was overwhelmed by flash flood and washed about 300 yards downstream. and evidence of exploding grenades. No scorching from napalm was found, but there were some unexplainable metal parts, including the tail-fin of a rocket. Nevertheless, the Chinese demand a “confession” and an “apology.” None is given. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the division is informed that it is to prepare for a return to offensive action. In Naval activity, the cruiser USS Toledo (CA 133) continues to operate off the east coast of Korea in support of the X Corps and the ROK I Corps. Also, the USS Essex (CV 9) joins Fast Carrier Task Force 77 in place of the USS Princeton (CV 37), which recently embarked for the U.S. The Essex is the first carrier capable of carrying jets to arrive in the war zone. By the following day, the jet fighters (F2H McDonnell Banshees) engage in their first combat missions.

August 23

At Kaesong, the Communists halt the negotiations, claiming erroneously that the United Nations had violated the neutral territory. In Naval activity, the cruiser USS Los Angeles (CA 1351) arrives on the east coast of Korea to relieve the cruiser USS Toledo (CA 133).

August 24 Missions carried out this day and the next by light bombers (B-26’s) report more than 800 enemy vehicles destroyed during the ongoing night raids against enemy supply lines. In Air Force activity, Colonel Benjamin S. Preston, Jr.

(336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter Interceptor Group), while leading a patrol encounters a group of four MiG-15s. Preston’s four Sabre jets attack. The trailing MiG is picked up by Preston, who from a range of about 500 feet snaps off six bursts of machine gun fire that downs the enemy plane. While the MiG plummets, the pilot is able to bail out at an elevation of about 9,000 feet to free himself of the burning aircraft. Also, Captain Jack A. Robinson (334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter Interceptor Group), while on patrol in the vicinity of Taechon, observes a MiG traveling alone. Robinson closes for the attack and releases a string of machine gun fire that strikes and downs the MiG.

August 25

The USS Essex (CV-9) launches fighter planes to fly escort for U.S. Air Force bombers on a mission over the enemy rail yards at Rashin. It is the first time during the Korean War that U.S. Navy planes escort an Air Force bomber mission. It also becomes the first mission in which U.S. Navy fighters fly as escort for Air Force bombers on a combat mission. Other naval surface craft involved with the mission include the USS Helena (CA 75), USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD 748) and the USS Rogers (DDR 876).

August 26–28 1951 Transport Division 13 initiates an amphibious demonstration near Changjon to cut the resistance in front of the ongoing advance of the ground troops. Amphibious vessels, the cruiser

August 26, 1951

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USS Helena (CA 71), the battleship New Jersey (BB62), a contingent of destroyers and some minesweepers participate during some portions of the operation.

August 26 The 1st Marine Division informs all of its components that offensive actions are imminent. At this time, the Division is deployed as follows: the 1st Marines at Chogutan, the 5th Marines in the vicinity of Inje, the 7th Marines near Yanggu and the 1st Korean Marine Regiment at Hangye. The division command post and the service units are posted along the Hongchon–Hangye Road near Tundong-ni. In conjunction, the 11th Marines (minus) with the 196th FABn (11th Marine Regiment Group) is at this time an element of X Corps artillery. The 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, is attached to the 1st Marine Division, while the 3rd Battalion is attached to the 2nd Infantry Division. August 27

In the X Corps sector, Communists seize the recently captured Bloody Ridge from the ROK 5th Division during the night of the 27th-28th. The U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division, attacks, but fails to regain the hill. Subsequent to the loss, it is decided to commit a five-division attack in the X Corps sector. In related activity, 1st Lieutenant Lee R. Hartell (Battery A, 15th FABn, 2nd Division), attached to Company B, 9th Regiment, comes under attack near Kobangsanni, during the early morning hours. Hartell, as a forward artillery observer, does not withdraw, despite overwhelming numbers of the enemy who encroach his position. Instead, he remains in place to direct the artillery. He is about to be overrun, but still he maintains

his hold on the microphone, while calling for flares. Just in time a protective wall of fire arrives that drives the Communists back, but only for a short time. Soon after, yet more of the enemy arrive, but Hartell, by this time mortally wounded, continues to guide the artillery and in his last directives, he urges both artillery batteries without pause. Lieutenant Hartell is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his intrepid courage in the face of the enemy. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th and 7th Marines are directed to move to the region south and west of the Punch Bowl to relieve U.S. Army and ROK units at Bloody Ridge. The 1st Korean Marine Regiment also moves with the other two regiments, but the 1st Marines is to remain in division reserve. Early on this day, the 7th Marines near Yanggu prepare to move to the Soyang River, but no trucks arrive until 2100. In conjunction, the 5th Marines at Inje are to trail the 7th Marines. Meanwhile, the troops are under a constant rain. The 3rd Battalion finally arrives at the 7th Marines command post at Sohwari at 0300 on the 28th.

August 29

X Corps orders a larger attack, described as a “limited offensive.” The attack is to commence on 31 August. The advance is in conjunction with the ongoing battle to control Bloody Ridge in the 2nd Division zone. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, arrives at Sohwari at 0300, following a tedious day of waiting at the jump-off point until nearly midnight. After arriving, the Marines discover their bivouac area is flooded, which forces the troops to remain in the trucks to attempt to get a little rest. In

An LST laden with boxcars awaits unloading.

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August 29, 1951

A crane unloads a boxcar at Pusan. addition, the assembly area is on the opposite bank of the Soyang River. The first contingent to attempt to cross is Company H, but the trek becomes so perilous that the remainder of the battalion must be carried by DUKWs. Nevertheless, both battalions, the 2nd and

3rd, are on the opposite (west) bank by mid afternoon to begin relief of the U.S. Army and ROK units. Also, two battalions of the 1st Korean Marine Regiment, to the left of the 7th Marines, assume responsibility for the area formerly held by contingents of the

August 30, 1951 2nd Infantry Division and the ROK 8th Division. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, on the west bank of the Soyang, relieve elements of the ROK 8th Division at a hill position about one and one-half miles north of Topyong. During the evening, enemy mortars strike the lines without harm.

August 30

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 1st Korean Marine Regiment, are positioned to the rear of the line of departure on Hill 755. The Korean Marines make last minute preparations for the attack, scheduled to commence on the following morning. In conjunction, the 2nd Battalion holds at the regimental positions on the Kansas Line. In the meantime, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 7th Marines complete relief of the ROK 8th Division. Back on the opposite bank of the Soyang, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, had relieved elements of the ROK 8th Division on a hill position about one and one-half miles north of Topyong.

August 31 In the X Corps sector, in conjunction with the ongoing attack by the 9th Infantry to gain Hill 983, X Corps commences an offensive all along the front, which actually is a full-scale drive to the Hays Line. The 2nd Division’s objectives, aside from Hill 983, is a hill mass that runs north-south in the eastern sector of the divisional zone. The targeted ridgeline stretches into the 1st Marine Division zone as it swerves into the northern rim of the Punch Bowl and intersects with an east-west ridge there. The Punch Bowl is cut from the 2nd Division zone and left for the Marines and the ROK 5th Division. The section delegated to the 2nd Division extends about 3,000 yards and includes a formidable enemy-held position, Hill 1243. The 38th Infantry is delegated Hill 1243. In the 23rd Infantry Regimental zone, two battalions remain in reserve for use at any point in the divisional sector and the other battalion holds in place along the Kansas Line. The path to Hill 1243 is notched with a series of other hills that must first be secured prior to the primary target, Hill 1243, known as Kachilbong by the locals. Those initial obstacles include 1059 and 1181 and each of them that lean northeast from Taeusan is as ominous as the largest of the group. The effort to secure the entire group will not be supported by tanks due to the nasty terrain. The vanguard of the 23rd Infantry, the 1st Battalion, moves out at dawn. After a few hours, the resistance accelerates and becomes intense. Company C, at the point, plows into a large enemy force, but holds its ground. In the meantime, the other companies move up to reinforce, with one pivoting in an attempt to corral the opposition, but the North Koreans slug it out and give no ground. The intense combat terminates at dusk with no clear victor. In the 1st Marine Division zone, an attack is launched against the northern section of the Punch Bowl. The 7th Marines and the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment commence an attack at 0600 to seize the X Corps’ objective, designated Yoke, a ridgeline running west to

766 east from Hill 930 through Hill 1026 and beyond to Hill 924 to the east. In conjunction, the first objective, the hill mass northeast of Topyong, is presently occupied by the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. Meanwhile, the sector of Yoke Ridge, east of Hill 924, lies in the path of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. Hills 924 and 1026 are to be secured by the Korean Marines. Also, the 1st Tank Battalion is ordered to prepare to support the attacking regiments. In related activity, the 5th Marines are to patrol the Kansas Line and the 1st Marines remain in X Corps reserve in the vicinity of Hongchon. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, initially encounters light resistance, but as the advance continues, the opposition becomes heated and the slopes of Hill 702 are inundated with mines. The attack is suspended during the latter part of the afternoon. In conjunction, the Korean Marines also come to a halt. In other activity, Marine Transport Helicopter Squadron 161 arrives in Korea. The unit will get organized and begin to move to Airfield X-83, near Sowo-ri, where VMO-6 is stationed.

September 1

Planes attached to Far East Air Forces, directed by the destroyer USS Hopewell (DD 681), carry out bombing and strafing missions in the vicinity of Wonsan on this day and the next. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the commander, Major General Clark L. Ruffner, having completed his regular tour of duty, departs for the U.S. The assistant commander, General Thomas de Shazo, assumes temporary command, until Ruffner’s replacement, Major General Robert N. Young, arrives to assume command on 20 September. At this time, the 2nd Division has the highest rate of deaths in action. In other activity, the 23rd Regiment resumes its advance toward Kachilbong (Hill 1243). The attack receives a huge assist by a thunderous artillery bombardment that strikes like a jackhammer to loosen the resistance. As the troops advance, the enemy attempts to repel the advance, but to no avail. Cracks in the defense appear and as the momentum builds, the North Koreans pull back, permitting the 1st Battalion to ascend the slope of Hill 1059 and plunge upon the summit by 1100. Afterward, the regiment makes quick progress as it drives along the ridge toward the next objective, Hill 1181, which is seized by about 1900. Once Hill 1181 is secure, the regiment establishes night positions. In addition to the full complement of the regiment, other troops had been attached to assist in the tedious task of maintaining supplies and ammunition, which can be carried only by people in this terrain. The regiment gets assistance from Korean laborers, headquarters and service company, and some crewmen from the tank units who help transport the ammunition. In related activity, the Communists strike the positions of the 2nd Reconnaissance Company (2nd Division) with mortars and artillery fire. Sergeant Charles W. Turner takes notice that the assault is pinpointed

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September 1, 1951

The summit of Bloody Ridge, Hill 983, in the hands of the 2nd Division. The battle for Bloody Ridge raged from August 18 through September 5. toward the tanks. He speeds to the tanks about 100 yards distant, mounts a tank and takes over the machine gun, then while pouring fire into the enemy positions, he directs fire for the tank’s 75-mm gun. With Turner atop the tank and exposed, the armor is struck

more than fifty times. Seven enemy machine gun nests are destroyed, but during the fierce engagement, Turner is killed. Lieutenant Turner is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire.

September 2, 1951 Also, in the 9th Regimental zone, the Communists launch an attack with contingents of three separate divisions. The positions of Company A, 1st Battalion, near the Naktong in the vicinity of Agok, are bashed, but no penetration occurs; rather, the unit is bypassed, which jeopardizes it and places it in near isolation. Soon another enemy unit encroaches its positions, but it is spotted. PFC Luther H. Story takes over a machine gun from his wounded gunner and then focuses on the approaching hordes as they ford the river. Story eliminates about 100 of the enemy. However, as usual, more take their place. The intrepid actions of Story forestall disaster, but in a flash, he spots a truck closing on their positions and it contains troops and a trailer laden with ammunition. Story bolts to the road, then flings grenades. After exhausting his supply, he slithers back to his squad to get more and then throws them at the truck. Nonetheless, the enemy continues to press forward. Company A is ordered to withdraw, but Story, although wounded, volunteers to remain to afford cover fire. When the final elements of his unit depart, he is seen fighting off a far-superior force. PFC Luther H. Story is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary actions and heroism under fire. In the 7th Division area, the 17th Regiment is heavily engaged with the enemy in the vicinity of Chup’ari. One platoon becomes stalled by vicious enemy fire that kills the platoon leader. Corporal William F. Lyell takes command and leads an attack against the heavily fortified positions, but the platoon again stalls. Lyell moves quickly despite the fire and confiscates a recoilless rifle with which he proceeds to knock out the obstacle to permit the attack to resume. Soon after, two other enemy positions stall his platoon. Lyell remains undaunted. He grabs a supply of grenades and singlehandedly charges two bunkers and eliminates both; however, he becomes wounded. Nonetheless, Lyell leads his command to the north slope, from which the troops are positioned to fire into the enemy resistance. In the meantime, reinforcements rush to the slope, but Lyell is mortally wounded while providing cover fire. Corporal Lyell is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary actions in the face of hostile fire. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, and the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment reinitiate the attack to seize objective, Yoke. The 3rd Battalion, Korean Marine Regiment, passes through the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, and drives toward a ridge on the flank of the ridgeline objective. After a dogged fight, the Korean Marines encroach the crest of Hill 924 by 1700, yet the Communist North Koreans are able to hold until about 2100 before the objective is secured, only to be lost again by a furious counterattack at midnight (1st-2nd). In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, encounters tenacious North Korean resistance near Hill 702. The Communists launch five counterattacks against the 7th Marines on Hill 602 and some penetrate

768 the lines of the 3rd Battalion. Patrols of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, operating on the opposite bank of the Soyang River, see the distress and call for air strikes to aid the 3rd Battalion. The 11th Marines also saturate the enemy positions with an avalanche of fire. The all-day engagement breaks off at dusk. In related activity, Air Force planes arrive to drop ammunition and supplies to the Korean Marines; however, of thirty-nine additional air drops in X Corps during the month of September, this is the only one that is delivered to the 1st Marine Division. All other supplies have to be delivered by Korean laborers. In Air Force activity, a contingent of the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, encounters MiGs in the vicinity of Sinanju. Major Winton W. Marshall, the leader of one section of the flight, drives directly into a pack of 30 to 50 enemy planes. No U.S. planes are lost. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns (anti-tank artillery, mortars and machine guns) strike the HMAS Murchison (PF) while the vessel is operating against Communist positions along the north bank of the Han River. The British sustain three wounded, two seriously.

September 2

In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 38th Regiment bolts from its positions on Hill 1181 en route to Kachilbong (Hill 1243); however, enemy pressure again becomes heavy. The advance, led by the 3rd Battalion, is subjected to artillery fire and mortars, as well as the entrenched enemy. The vanguard force presses forward and eliminates strong points as it moves. Enemy machine guns and burp guns are silenced to ease the pathway. The fire intensifies as the advance encroaches the summit, but the ascent continues, step by step. Darkness settles over the area; however, the illumination of gunfire signals that the battle continues unabated, exhausting both the defenders and the attackers to the point that the side with the most stamina will prevail. The summit suddenly becomes silent at 2145 when the contest ends. The beleaguered 38th Regiment vanquishes the defenders and holds the hill as the victors. Despite exhaustion, there is no time to relax until a perimeter is established to safeguard the summit. Subsequently, on 7 September, the 38th Regiment is relieved on the ridgeline by the ROK 5th Division. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines again reinitiate the attack to seize objective Yoke. At Hill 924, the Korean Marines, who participated in a see-saw battle for control of the hill on the previous day, mount a furious assault at dawn. The 11th Marines support the advance and by noon, the objective is secured. Following the capture of Hill 924, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Korean Marine Regiment, moves through the 2nd and 3rd Battalions to lead the way to Hill 1026, to the west. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, which had turned back at least five counterattacks on the previous day, is again struck before it can jump off to seize its objective. However, the Marines repulse the

769 attack by 0700, and regroup to move against Hill 602. At about 0900, the attack commences. Supported by 11th Marines’ artillery, the summit is secure by about 1100. The North Koreans mount several counterattacks to reclaim the hill, but all fail. At about 1500, the North Koreans disengage and retire. In Air Force activity, a contingent of four F-86 Sabre jets, attached to the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, led by Major Winton W. Marshall, encounters a pack of six MiG15s in the vicinity of Sinanju. Major Marshall moves in close behind the trailing plane and flames it with several bursts of fire. The plane sustains a hit in the fuselage and afterward, Marshall pours another burst of machine gun fire to down the MiG. The enemy pilot is spotted after he bails out. Also, Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, the commanding officer of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing (later, 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing) engages and destroys one MiG-15 in the skies northwest of Taechon.

September 3

In the X Corps sector, the 2nd Infantry Division and the ROK 5th Division continue to advance west of the Punch Bowl against minimum resistance to make substantial gains. In related activity, the 9th Infantry, since 31 August, has been engaged in the vicinity of Tondul at Hill 700. Captain Edward C. Krzyzowski had eliminated several obstacles on the first day of the conflict and on the succeeding days, he continues to take a lead in the attacks. Often he singlehandedly eliminates obstinate enemy positions. Krzyzowski, although seriously wounded, ordered his command to pull back while he provided cover fire. On this day, again Krzyzowski leads the way. Initially several positions are overrun, but still, enemy fire is able to stall the advance. Krzyzowski maneuvers into position on a knoll to direct mortar fire, but before he can direct the fire, he is slain by a sniper. Captain Krzyzowski is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, fortify their positions on Hill 602. The 1st Korean Marine Regiment reinitiates its attack to gain Hill 1026. In conjunction, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, comes out of reserve and fills in a part of a new sector that occurred when the 7th Marines’ zone was stretched to cut down the length of the Korean Marines’ area. The North Koreans react tenaciously against the Korean Marines and mount a ferocious counterattack, but following a brutal contest that lasts more than three hours, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment prevails. Later, at 1230, the North Koreans again mount a strong attack to regain the hill, but they fail. By about 1430, the Communists disengage and retire. By 1800, all X Corps objectives of Ridge Yoke are accomplished and the 1st Marine Division holds the entire Hays Line, which is also the complete northern rim of the Punch Bowl. The North Korean defenders are victimized after four difficult days of combat; how-

September 5, 1951 ever, the cost of victory had been expensive. Casualties, including the Korean Marines, amounts to 109 killed and 494 wounded. The Communists lose 656 killed (counted) and 40 are captured. In Naval activity, Vice Admiral I.N. Kiland, USN, commander Amphibious Force Far East (CTF 90), is succeeded by Rear Admiral T.B. Hill (commander Amphibious Group 1).

September 4

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines consolidate their positions along the Hays Line. In conjunction, patrols are dispatched northward in search of enemy units, while preparations are made to commence the next phase of the 1st Marine Division’s attack. In the course of the operation to seize Ridge Yoke, it became apparent that the Communists had taken advantage of the lull in combat while peace talks were underway in Kaesong. The Communists’ fire power during the recent Marine operation was almost equivalent to that of the 11th Marines and U.S. Army units that supported the Marines. While the Communists managed to build their arsenal in Korea, the 1st Marine Division concludes that the next phase of the attack must be postponed until 9 September, to allow time to replenish artillery and mortar ammunition. The supply depot, Ammunition Supply Point (ASP) 60-B, is located about five miles to the rear of the guns and just under fifty miles from Hongch’on. Due to the extremely poor condition of the road, which for most of the distance is a slim serpentine path, the time required to make one round trip is about twenty-five hours. All the while, about fifty trucks will not be available for other division uses. In related activity, during the daylight hours, patrols are unable to spot the enemy, but during the night (4th-5th), the North Koreans strike positions of the 5th Marines along the Kansas Line. Similarly, in the 7th Marines area, about five miles in front of the 5th Marines, patrols move out from the Hays Line without encountering the enemy. The Communists continue to strike the Marine perimeter with artillery; however, the locations of the guns are concealed. In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) sustains the loss of four planes, three by enemy fire and a fourth by mechanical difficulties. Three pilots are killed and the one who survives sustains injuries from burns.

September 5

In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, in coordination with the 9th Infantry Regiment, attacks and seizes Objective “N” slightly after 1600. The battalion was bolstered by Company B and Company C, 72nd Tank Battalion. While the 2nd Battalion secures its objective, the 1st Battalion encroaches the summit of Hill 618. Shortly after Objective “N” is secured, Hill 618 comes under the control of the Regiment. Control of Hill 618, west of Bloody Ridge, gives the regiment a strategic piece of real estate that is a natural blockage along the MSR, causing the curve in the road running northward to swerve eastward.

September 6, 1951

770

Top: A rescue helicopter lands on the USS Boxer following the rescue at sea of a downed pilot. Bottom: A U.S. Navy tanker refuels a destroyer (left) and a cruiser (right) in the Sea of Japan. In Naval activity, CTG 95.6 is ordered to initiate a minesweeping operation in the area from Wonsan to the waters near Hungnam, to clear the way for warships to patrol the area from which their guns can safely reach their targets. Hungnam is scheduled to come under bombardment for the first time since X Corps

abandoned it, during the period following the Chosin Reservoir campaign of the previous year.

September 6 In the I Corps sector, 3rd Division zone, the positions of Company L, 3rd Battalion, near Ch’orwon on Hill 284 come under attack during the

771 night (6th-7th). Small outpost positions are overrun. During the savage exchange, Corporal Jerry K. Crump observes two enemy troops closing on a friendly unmanned machine gun. The two troops are killed, both by bayonet. Afterward, he moves back to his foxhole, now inhabited by four other men of the command and each is wounded. Shortly thereafter, an enemy grenade is tossed into the foxhole. Crump, in an attempt to save the others, blankets the grenade with his body. All survive. Corporal Crump is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism in the face of the enemy. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 23rd Infantry Regiment relieves the 9th Infantry Regiment, the latter having just completed a prolonged hardfought series of battles for Bloody Ridge. After completing the relief, the Company E, 23rd Regiment is dispatched to occupy Hill 785, located northwest of Objective “N.” Company F deploys on Hill 778 northeast of Objective “N.” In other activity, toward the later part of the night, an enemy contingent operating from Hill 618 launches an unsuccessful attack against Company I.

September 7

In the I Corps sector, the Communists launch a strong assault against the positions of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 35th Regiment. One man, Private Billie G. Kanell, defies the mortar and artillery barrage to fire at the approaching ground troops. A grenade lands near Kanell and two nearby troops, but Kanell blankets the grenade to save the others. He survives, but is badly wounded. Shortly thereafter, yet another grenade is thrown at the small group and again, Kanell, unable to move quickly, still gathers the energy to smother the grenade with is body to save the others. Private Kanell is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy and for his selfless sacrifice to save others. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, Division command post is moved to a place near the eastern sector of the Hwach’on Reservoir. The 38th Infantry Regiment is relieved at Kachilbong (Hill 1243) by the ROK 5th Division. (See also, September 2, 1951.) Also, reconnaissance patrols operating west of Hill 1181 near Kachilbong encounter enemy units on Hill 868. Other enemy contingents are discovered north of Hill 660 at Hill 703.

September 8 Naval ships operating on the west coast of Korea land a contingent of about 200 ROK guerrillas who launch a raid against enemy positions. Estimates of enemy killed are slightly more than 100. Also, the USS Seiverling (DE 441), while operating off Wonsan, comes under enemy fire from shore positions. The Seiverling is struck several times, but no casualties are sustained. In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the Division’s artillery units and the 72nd Tank Battalion support ROK attacks this day and the next. The ROK 5th Division at Kachilbong dispatches a contingent north, against an enemy strongpoint at Hill 1211, but the assault fails to make progress. Another attack supported

September 9, 1951 by elements of the 72nd Tank Battalion is launched by the 7th ROK Division to secure Hill 883, but it, too, fails to gain the objective.

September 9

In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 38th Infantry Regiment, move to the ridge that curves west off of Hill 1181 to secure and occupy it, but the move fails; the Communists have gained positions there. The enemy penetration causes complications, as the Communists who had infiltrated the area also plant mines. Two tanks hit mines as they patrol along the Pia-ri–Worun-ni Road. In the 1st Marine Division zone, orders are issued that instruct the 7th Marines to prepare to commence an attack on 11 September to seize Objectives Able (Hill 673) and Baker (749). In other activity, the 1st Marines receives orders that detach the unit from X Corps reserve and place it under the 1st Marine Division, with orders to prepare to pass through the 7th Marines once the objectives are secured. Then they are to extend the attack against Objective Charlie, a ridgeline that stretches northeast from Hill 1052. One company of the 5th Marines is to remain on the Kansas Line, while the remainder of the regiment moves into 1st Marine Division reserve. Also, Marine Transport Helicopter Squadron 161 completes its transfer to Airfield X-83. The large transport helicopters will be used to drastically change combat supply tactics within three days. The squadron now consists of 15 HRS-1 Sikorsky helicopters. The helicopters are able to carry more troops (4 to 6 men in full gear) and can transport three to five casualties in litters. In Air Force activity, a group of 28 F-86 Sabre jets operating in the area between Sinanju and Pyongyang is intercepted by a massive force of 70 MiGs. A group of 6 Sabres under Captain Richard S. Becker (334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron) on the patrol in the area between Sinanju and Pyongyang spots a force of 30 MiGs flying above the Sabres. Soon after, Becker spots yet another large formation closing on his command. Despite the odds, Becker orders the squadron to attack right into the enemy formation. The impetuous pilots totally disrupt the Communists. The Communists break their formation, but during the ongoing maneuvering, Becker gets separated from his squadron. Meanwhile, as he prepares to withdraw, Becker spots another contingent of about 15 planes. Rather than withdraw, Becker on his own dives toward the enemy and again the enemy becomes unbalanced. The aggressiveness of Captain Becker keeps him safe through the battle and he downs one of the MiGS, bringing his total for kills to five. Also, during the air battles Captain Ralph D. Gibson, 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, also downs a MiG, his fifth kill to date. Both Becker and Gibson become aces. They join Captain James Jabara, who became the first jet-to-jet ace during the previous May. In conjunction, each of the officers, Creighton, Becker and Fisher, receive the Silver Star for their heroism and leadership under fire.

September 10, 1951

September 10–12 1951

In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 38th Regiment takes action against enemy elements that had been encountered at Hill 868 on the 7th. The day-long assault by Companies A and G gnaw through the resistance and begin to ascend the slopes; however, ferocious resistance prevents the units from securing the summit. Night positions are established and on the following day, three companies attack. Company E maneuvers to positions from which it ascends from the southwest, while Companies A and G grind forward from the northeast. Again, the enemy pours continuous fire upon the assault troops. The ascents on either side are able to encroach the summit, but the Communists refuse to budge. The first to grasp a hold near the crest is Company E, which reaches a point slightly more than fifty yards from the crest by about 1830, but the enemy is prepared to react and the force is met by grenades in such numbers that the assault is halted. Meanwhile, the other units maintain the assault and reach positions nearly within arm’s reach of the crest, but here too, the Communists compel the force to pull back. While the enemy holds formidable positions, the 38th Regiment refuses to disengage. The regiment establishes night positions and prepares to reinitiate the attack on the 12th with additional fire power. Following two unsuccessful days of combat, the attack commences with Companies A, E, G and I synchronized. The four companies advance in unison and the combined power eventually wears down the resistance. Nevertheless, the advance again is blood-filled, as the infantry drills to the summit and secures it by mid-afternoon. In other activity, the 9th Infantry Regiment initiates the relief of the 23rd Regiment and completes the operation by 11 September. Company B, 72nd Tank Battalion, which has been attached to the 23rd Regiment, is attached to the 9th Regiment to provide support. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the Advanced Echelon HMR 161 (Helicopter Transport Squadron) arrives at Nayhyon-Ri, from where it will support ground operations of the Marines. In Air Force activity, Captain Ward M. Millar, an F-80 pilot, following a harrowing set of circumstances, finds himself in territory south of Pyongyang. Captain Millar, attached to the 7th Fighter Bomber Squadron, had been shot down. He ejected and upon landing broke both of his ankles. The Communists captured him. About two months later, Millar escaped with the aid of a North Korean sergeant. Both then evade the Communists for about three weeks. On this day, an H-5 helicopter locates Millar and the North Korean and retrieves both men, then transports them back to Seoul. In Naval activity, the USS Redstart (AM-378) and the USS Heron (AMS-18), while operating in the vicinity of Wonsan, are each struck by enemy shore batteries.

772

September 11

In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 23rd Regiment, upon relief by the 9th Infantry Regiment, initiates relief of the 38th Infantry, beginning with the units not engaged against Hill 868. The entire regiment is relieved by 13 September. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines initiates the assault to gain Hills 673 and 749; however, the ground between the Marines and the objectives include three formidable and dominating enemy-held positions, Hills 812, 980 and 1052, on Kanmubong Ridge, about 4,000 rugged yards from the primary objectives. And yet, one other obstacle had to be taken first, Hill 602, just to the front of the spearhead of the attack, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. At just about dawn, Company H, 3rd Battalion, in the center, prepares to jump off, but inclement weather delays the assault. With the element of surprise lost, the ascent up the hill is easily detected. The Communists halt the advance at about the mid-way point. Company I moves up the southwest spur of the hill to divert attention and release some pressure from Company H, but while H Company is able to reach a point about fifty yards from the crest, Company I somehow gets off course and ends up on the spur with H Company at about 1245. All the while, the North Koreans from their dug-in bunkers steadily pour machine gun and mortar fire into the Marine positions. Before dark the North Koreans launch two counterattacks that succeeded in pushing the Marines back. Equally tenacious resistance is raised on Hill 673 (Objective Able), in the 1st Battalion zone, causing the 1st Battalion to also establish night positions short of the objective. During the darkness, the 2nd Battalion moves out and reaches positions behind the North Koreans on Hill 673 and prepares to strike from the rear.

September 12 In the I Corps area, 25th Division zone, Company B, 27th Regiment, engages the enemy in a fierce battle in the vicinity of Kumhwa. The intense enemy fire stalls the attack. Lieutenant Jerome A. Sudut attempts to clear the blockage; he drives directly toward the obstacle and ignores the wall of fire directed at him from the bunker. Sudut succeeds in destroying the obstacle and three occupants while the others retire hurriedly. Although the thrust succeeds, Sudut becomes seriously wounded. Nonetheless, he refuses evacuation and instead leads the next assault. The abandoned bunker had in the meantime been reoccupied by the enemy who had used connecting trenches without being discovered. The platoon is again stalled. Sudut and one rifleman advance, but the rifleman is wounded. Sudut moves forward and eliminates three of four occupants before running out of ammunition. The remaining enemy soldier is greeted by Sudut, armed only with his trench knife, but still he prevails. The actions of Sudut inspire the command and they follow to seize the objective. Lieutenant Sudut had been wounded fatally. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his intrepid actions and unwavering leadership in the face of the enemy.

773 In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, Company B, 23rd Infantry Regiment, secures Hill 702 without a major contest by mid-afternoon. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, which had maneuvered behind the North Koreans on Hill 673 without being detected, springs from its positions at the first crack of sunlight. The attack catches the Communists totally off guard. Although the 1st Battalion is slowed tremendously by mines that pepper the slope, the troops complete the ascent by 1415. During the ascent, Company B halts due to a wall of fire. Sergeant Frederick W. Mausert III, an acting platoon leader, bolts form his cover to retrieve two wounded Marines. Mausert receives a head wound but he refuses evacuation. Within minutes, Mausert leads a bayonet charge and en route to the objective, he gets hit again. His helmet absorbs the shot. He is knocked down but otherwise okay. Meanwhile, as the troops are ready to take the final objective, the crest, enemy fire again stalls the attack. Mausert refuses to halt. He jumps ahead, runs directly toward the enemy machine gun to draw fire away form the remainder of his command, and stops only when the fire cuts him down. Still, Mausert remains adamant about leading his men to the crest. He ignores his multiple wounds, bolts to the summit and destroys a machine gun nest before he is fatally wounded. Sergeant Mausert is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, seize its objective, Hill 602, and all attacking units reach the summit by 1030. During the attack, Second Lieutenant George H. Ramer leads his 3rd Platoon against a heavily fortified position. During the treacherous ascent, the bulk of his command becomes wounded. Lieutenant Ramer, with the able bodied men of the platoon, continue the climb and once at the crest, Ramer singlehandedly destroys an obstinate bunker. Ramer and eight other Marines seize the summit. However, the positions become untenable. Ramer, having sustained two wounds, directs the remainder of his contingent to seek shelter, but he refuses evacuation and holds the crest until the enemy finally overwhelms him. Lieutenant George Ramer is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage under hostile fire. Later, at slightly after 1710, the 2nd Battalion reports Hill 749 (Objective Baker) secure; however, the North Koreans retain positions on the slope and threaten the Marines. Later, when the 1st Marines begin to relieve the 7th Marines, the 2nd Battalion is too engaged and some units are isolated, making the change impossible. Subsequently, a two-battalion surge secures the objective. Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, is not relieved by the 1st Marines until 1100 on the following day. During the two-day contest, the Marines sustain 22 killed and 245 wounded. Enemy killed are calculated only by actual count, which is, for the identical time period, 30 killed and 22 prisoners.

September 13, 1951 In other activity, during the night (12th-13th), the 1st Marines relieves the 7th Marines and assumes responsibility for the zones of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, which pass into reserve. The helicopters are able to carry only two wounded Marines per trip, prolonging the evacuation mission.

September 13–October 15 1951

THE BATTLE OF HEARTBREAK RIDGE Having recently cleared Bloody Ridge of the enemy, X Corps now prepares to eliminate the next North Korean line of defense, a ridgeline north of Bloody Ridge and equally treacherous. After being driven from their prior positions, the Communists retired to a series of razor-tipped ridges that include Hill 894, on a straight line about three miles north of Bloody Ridge, Hill 931, north of 894, standing as the tallest peak on the ridge, and beyond, the final major obstacle, Hill 851, sometimes referred to as the needle. The ridges are nestled between the Sat’ae-ri Valley and the Mundung Valley on the east and west respectively. The North Korean 12th Division (N.K. III Corps) is deployed on the west bank of the Suip-ch’on River in the high ground above it to dominate the Mundung-ni valley. The other primary unit, the 6th N.K. Division, also of the N.K. III Corps, is deployed to defend Heartbreak Ridge and the Sat’aeri Valley. Although Eighth Army is not focused on real estate for the sake of gaining it, the ridgeline that stretches about seven miles, specifically because of its strategic location, poses a tremendous threat to X Corps positions, mandating that the resistance there be leveled to prevent any catastrophic events from occurring to disrupt the U.N. bargaining power with the Communists. The 2nd Division, which prevailed at Bloody Ridge after a prolonged duel, again receives the task. It is given responsibility for securing the southern portion of the ridgeline to cut off any possibility of the valleys being used as a funnel to threaten the lines west of the Punch Bowl. The key to the domination of the valleys is Hill 931. However, the enemy has tirelessly fortified the ridges and used their excellent skills to camouflage their positions to gain extra advantage during the eight days since they had been driven from their final bastion at Bloody Ridge. During the final planning session, there is no unanimous consensus on the degree of resistance the Communists are willing to raise to hold the ground. In the recent past, the North Koreans, under orders from the Chinese, have been holding their ground, but at Bloody Ridge, their losses were extremely high, apparently bringing some on staff to conclude that the resistance would not remain rigid for too long. Others, including the commander of the artillery, remain convinced that they will “fight like hell” to hold the terrain. At this time, General Ruffner has transferred back

September 13, 1951

774

Company B, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, moves up to relieve Company C during the fighting on Heartbreak Ridge (13 September–15 October). to the U.S. The 2nd Division is now commanded by the acting division commander, Brigadier General Thomas E. de Shazo. He decides to launch the assault with only one regiment, the 23rd, rather than two, based on his leaning toward the theory that resistance will not be too substantial. Backup plans in place have the 9th Regiment prepared to lunge toward Hill 728 immediately after the fall of Hill 894. At 0600, following a preliminary artillery attack of one-half hour, the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment,

led by Lt. Colonel Virgil E. Craven, advances north from Hill 702 as the spearhead of the assault force. A protective umbrella of artillery fire supports the drive. The 37th FABn assumes responsibility for direct and immediate support, while other units — the 38th FABn, 96th FABn, 503rd FABn and one battery of Company C, 780th FABn—add supplemental support. The 37th and 38th FABns are posted several miles southeast of the objective. The 96th is deployed more than five miles south of the objective

775

September 13, 1951

A U.S. soldier attached to the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division, pauses for a rest near an enemy casualty during the fighting on Heartbreak Ridge. and the 503rd is positioned nearly ten miles southeast of the ridgeline. Even farther back, Company C, 780th FABn, is deployed slightly more than ten miles south of the ridge. As the advance progresses there is an everincreasing anxiety caused by the lack of serious resistance. The veterans and the replacements each realize that the tranquil appearance of the valley is but a ruse to conceal a cauldron of fire on the brink of erupting at any time. The apprehension of the vanguard is not confined; rather, it is evenly spread within the ranks of Lt. Colonel Henry F. Daniels’ 2nd Battalion, which is directly behind the 3rd. Initially, there is an ominous silence as the advance ventures through the Sat’ae-ri valley en route to the eastwest spur of the ridge upon which the ground troops will traverse to the core of Heartbreak Ridge. From there the regiment splits to take out Hill 851 to the north with one battalion, while the other pivots to the south to seize 931 and 894. As the troops advance, the resistance becomes severe, much more so than the strategy session had anticipated. Nevertheless, the 3rd Battalion presses ahead and then, the North Koreans open the flood gates. The columns are pounded with ravaging artillery barrages and menacing mortars. Casualties are

incurred. With each yard gained, more casualties are sustained, yet, still the advance continues. The grueling trek to the east-west spur continues to slowly wedge through the walls of fire. The 3rd Battalion reaches the spur and begins the ascent, but soon after, the North Koreans, holding concealed positions, reveal their presence and unleash deadly streams of fire from machine gun and mortars. That ferocious burst of firepower, added to the incoming artillery fire, forbids passage and compels the 3rd Battalion to essentially hug the ground at the foot of the hill. The heavy resistance also prompts a change in the schedule, as the 9th Infantry had been awaiting word on the seizure of Hill 894 as a signal to move against Hill 728. With the obvious stall in the advance, the 9th Regiment’s attack is suspended. In the meantime, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions establish night positions and prepare to spend another uncomfortable, sleepless night in the Korean wilderness. On the morning of 14 September, General de Shazo moves to get the attack back on track. He directs the 9th Regiment, at Yao-dong, to abort its plans to seize Hill 728 and focus on relieving the overwhelming pressure on the 23rd Regiment by

September 13, 1951 attacking Hill 894. The 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, moves toward the objective, Hill 894. The attack is supported by elements of Company B, 72nd Tank Battalion, and further augmented by the heavy mortar company and a battalion of 155-mm howitzers to help insulate the troops and level the field if strong resistance lies in the path. After the battalion surges forward, it meets only nominal resistance, which permits quicker than expected progress. By dusk, the battalion holds positions less than 700 yards from the summit of the objective. The attack is suspended for the night. The troops establish a night perimeter and begin preparations to continue the assault on the morning of the 15th. Unlike the most recent struggles to claim ownership of the dreadful real estate in this region of Korea, the 2nd Battalion has sustained extremely light casualties. On the 15th, the stalled 23rd Regiment resumes its attack to break through the resistance and thread the line between Hill 931 the dominant peak on the ridge and Hill 851. The enemy still commands the approaches with positions at various angles that seal the slope and keep the regiment from ascending beyond the lower portion of the hill. In the meantime, the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment, resumes the ascent on the southwestern slope of Hill 894. After a rough climb on the ragged slope, the vanguard bursts upon the summit during the afternoon to the dismay of the defenders, who are handily evicted. The battalion accomplishes its mission with only 11 casualties. The main mission in the seizure had been to press the enemy sufficiently to reduce the resistance against the 23rd Regiment, but the capture has no effect. The 23rd Regiment is unable to capitalize and ends the day at the lower portion of the ridge. On the 16th, the circumstances of the 23rd Regiment remain dismal; however, other than the conquest at Hill 894, the entire 2nd Division continues to be impeded by the aggressive defense of the ridge. Even the continuous artillery bombardments and air strikes fail to collapse the iron resistance. The North Koreans burrow down during the massive strikes and when the artillery silences, they return to their guns. While the 23rd Regiment attempts to modify its attack by switching from a column formation to advancing abreast, the commanding officer also alters the tactics. Colonel Adams orders the 2nd Battalion to pivot and move southwest toward Hill 931, while the 3rd Battalion maintains its drive to the west. In another support move, elements of the 1st Battalion, Company C, move against Hill 931 by passing through the positions of the 9th Infantry Regiment at recently captured Hill 894 to launch an assault from the south. As the separate units push ahead, each is easily observed by the North Koreans who wait patiently in their bunkers for the Americans to come within range of their small arms and grenades. As the day passes, casualties continue to mount, but still the

776 men climb and eventually encroach the summit of Hill 931, only to find themselves on the receiving end of cascading grenades and machine gun fire. The hill and the ridgeline remain under North Korean control. In the meantime, because the American regiments have not gained control of the hills or the valleys, the Communists continue to effortlessly resupply and bring in fresh troops. On the 16th, the N.K. 13th Regiment, 6th Division, moves onto the ridge and relieves the N.K. 1st Regiment. By the termination of the fighting on the ridge on the 16th, the U.S. forces begin moving beyond exhaustion. Their relentless pursuit of victory has brought forth no results, yet there are no signs of giving up the struggle. Of course the morale droops, but primarily because of the difficulty of the terrain and the inability to quickly acquire supplies. Unlike the Communists, the U.S. troops experience terrible logistics problems. Often, the Korean laborers abscond, abandoning the supplies as they flee. The roads are jammed due to the enemy’s ability to pour fire at all strategic points that lead to the 23rd Regiments’ positions. Another equally disturbing fact is that the task of evacuating the casualties is equivalent to walking through a firestorm. The trek back from the front of the regiment’s positions while carrying a wounded soldier in a litter can take as long as eight to ten hours. And there is no indicator of the situation changing for the better. Nevertheless, the struggle to gain superiority continues on the 17th and the 18th. Still the Communists hold. On the 17th, Company C, 23rd Regiment, comes under a vicious attack. One platoon holding strategic ground is hit by wave after wave. PFC Herbert K. Pililaau volunteers to hold the ground to afford cover fire while his exhausted platoon, upon orders, pulls back. He expends his automatic weapon ammunition, then reverts to grenades and when that supply is expended, Pililaau takes on the enemy that closes upon him with hand-to-hand combat. His final stand is accomplished with his fists and trench knife, but finally the enemy overruns his one-man line. On the following day, when Corporal Pililaau’s body is retrieved, the detail counts more than forty enemy dead around him. Corporal Pililaau is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. On the 19th, the contest is again reinitiated, but while the troops slug it out with the North Koreans, Colonel Lynch concludes that changes should be made to turn the tide of the battle to break the stalemate. Colonel Lynch, the commander of the 9th Infantry Regiment, is convinced that the assault must be enlarged and strengthened to punch a hole in the resistance that to this point has remained nearly invincible. His theory is that if he dispatches his 1st Battalion to seize Hills 867 and 1024, both located less than five miles south of Hill 894, which is presently held by the 9th Regiment, it will appear as if a major assault is being launched from the west. If

777 the ruse works, he contends, the North Koreans will take the bait and slim their lines on the ridge to thwart the threat. However, General de Shazo, the acting commander, disagrees. He contends that the priority of X Corps, by a directive of General Byers, remains Hill 931, where the enemy had repulsed an attack by elements of the 9th Infantry Regiment on the 16th. On the following day, 20 September, General de Shazo reverts back to the position of assistant division commander as General Young arrives and assumes command of the 2nd Division. Colonel Lynch’s idea of the previous day is well received by Young. The plan is put into effect and the diversionary attack across the Mundung-ni Valley is scheduled to commence on 23 September, with Hill 1024 as the initial objective. Meanwhile, there are no changes in the zone of the 23rd Regiment. It continues to grind forward with similar results, unable to permanently crack through the resistance. Throughout the 22nd, Hill 931 is assaulted from two sides, but at day’s end, the North Koreans are able to hold the crest. On the following day, the 1st Battalion climbs to the summit, but during the early morning hours of the 23rd, it sustains severe casualties. The battalion, after expending all of its ammunition, relinquishes the crest to the N.K. 3rd Regiment, 12th Division. During the 22nd, while the 9th Regiment prepares for its upcoming assault, General Van Fleet directs X Corps to expand its west flank to bring it alongside the IX Corps positions. Pursuant to Van Fleet’s order, General Byers orders the ROK 7th Division to prepare to advance to seize yet another elevation, Hill 1142, which stands northwest of Hill 1024. The additional objective becomes another component in the attempt to draw forces away from the 23rd Regiment. The two attacks jump off on the 23rd and unlike the 23rd Regiment, both forces, the 9th Regiment and the ROKs, push forward and gain ground. The attack continues to gain ground on 24 September in both zones. On the 25th, Hill 1024 is gained by the 9th Regiment. Meanwhile, the ROKs maintain their progress against Hill 1142. The strategy of the X Corps begins to show success. The Communists feel the pressure closing against Heartbreak Ridge. The North Koreans anticipate an attack against another strategic point, Hill 867, farther north in the Mundung-ni valley. To counteract the 2nd Division movements, the Communists dispatch the N.K. 3rd Regiment, 6th Division, from its positions on Heartbreak Ridge, to forge a defensive line at Hill 867. On the 26th, while the ROKs take Hill 1142, still the pressure against the 23rd Regiment remains rigid. During the day’s contest, the French Battalion takes over for the 2nd Battalion and pushes south, but without any progress. In conjunction with the southern push, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, contin-

September 13, 1951 ues to grind north against near-impregnable positions of the heavy mortar and machine gun crews at and along the approaches to Hill 931. The 2nd Division had launched the attack on 13 September and as of this date, the casualties have risen to well more than 1,600 men. The 23rd Regiment has been hit the hardest; its casualties soar to more than 950 troops. Colonel Adams, the regimental commander, on the 26th informs General Young that the ongoing operation is destined to accomplish only more grievous casualties unless the plan of attack is drastically modified. Adams concurs with the strategy of Colonel Lynch, 9th Regimental commander, and requests the attack be greatly expanded to compel the Communists to slim their defenses on Heartbreak Ridge, to defend against a wider assault. General Young and General Byers, X Corps commander, consider Colonel Adams’ plan and by the following day, it is authorized. The 23rd Regiment is ordered to halt its attack while new plans are drawn to execute a full-scale divisional assault, through both the valleys with the support of all available artillery and armor. The operation is later dubbed Operation TOUCHDOWN. The operational order is issued on 2 October in an effort to transform the two valleys of death into places of victory. The preliminaries prior to the attack depend heavily on logistics to ensure that each participating unit has sufficient ammunition to sustain the attack for the duration. The transport crews become overtaxed to fulfill the requisitions, particularly because of the arduous trek from the rear to the front along pot-holed paths. Having learned from the debacle of the 23rd Regiment on Hill 931, supply depots are placed north of the Kansas Line so an abundant supply of ammunition will ready to go forward when required. Meanwhile, the engineers are equally tested. The 2nd Engineering Battalion must transform the holetorn road leading through the Mundung-ni valley into a highway capable of carrying Sherman tanks. The Communists have earlier taken precautions to make the road impassable by creating obstacles, including the usual menacing mines, but they have also pushed huge rocks from the heights. The engineers, working without their bulldozers, which are out of operation and in for repairs, plod forward. When possible the obstacles, such as craters, are repaired. Others are detonated, but if all else fails, the engineers modify the route and swerve it to the stream bed until it can be again diverted back upon the road. The engineers, by working without their mechanized equipment, draw less attention from the enemy. During the first few days of October, the 2nd Division units deploy at their respective jump-off points and await the signal to attack. Meanwhile, the commanders spend countless repetitive hours going over the attack strategy. The 72nd Tank Battalion is informed that the roads are prepared to

September 13, 1951 shuttle the armor through the Mundung-ni valley and that at those points too tight for passage, the engineers had sculptured the slopes with explosives to remove the jagged rocks. In the 23rd Regimental zone, Task Force Sturman, established two days prior to the assault, is formed as yet another diversion to knock the enemy on Heartbreak Ridge, while simultaneously protecting the right flank. It is to drive through the Sat’aeri valley to pound against the enemy on the east slope of the ridge. The task force is built from a composite of units, including a French platoon and a company-sized contingent created out of the 2nd Division’s security units. The task force is further bolstered by the 2nd Reconnaissance Company and the 23rd Tank Company. As dawn breaks on 4 October, the troops of the 2nd Division begin final preparations for the attack as the armor begins to roll toward the respective starting lines. However, while the divisional assault is not scheduled until late on the night of the 5th, Task Force Sturman bolts ahead and moves northward through the Sat’ae-ri valley to distract the enemy. And the task force is not the only distraction. Forty-nine fighter bombers arrive to bomb and strafe the enemy’s positions. On 5 October, the stage is finally set for Operation TOUCHDOWN. The entire 2nd Division is lined up and ready to charge to the end zone, known as Heartbreak Ridge. During the afternoon, a thunderous, earth-shattering artillery bombardment commences. Meanwhile, as TF Sturman grinds ahead in the Sat’ae-ri valley, the 72nd Tank Battalion has its engines at the ready to plow through the Mundungni Valley and lead the way to the objectives, Hills 867, 1005, 980 and 1040, on the western sector of the valley. They are to be seized by the 9th Regiment, operating on the Divisional left flank. In the meantime, the 23rd Regiment prepares to advance against the obstinate prize, Hill 931, and the ridge stretching from there to the west, but its task doesn’t halt there. The 23rd is to position itself from where it can pivot to either move to secure an objective west of Hill 851, known as Hill 520, or to directly attack Hill 728, or bolster the attack of the 38th Regiment against it, depending on the progress of the offensive. The 38th Regiment is assigned responsibility for securing Hill 485. Through some luck, elements of the 38th Regiment on the previous day had detected that Hill 485 had been abandoned by the enemy. In the late afternoon of 5 October, the artillery preparation commences. Later, just prior to the jump-off at 2100, Marine night fighter squadrons arrive and plaster the enemy positions with a combination of rockets and napalm, adding streams of machine gun fire that rivet the slopes. The tankinfantry forces move out in a wide-sweeping strike that finds cracks in the defenses. On the left, the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry, encounters only nominal op-

778 position as it drills toward Hill 867, while the 1st Battalion pushes toward Hill 666 and encounters similar resistance. On the west the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry, presses toward Hill 867. Doggedly, the offensive continues through the dark of night in an all-out effort to end the stalemate. The 1st Battalion drives toward Hill 666. The full-throttle advance continues to progress throughout the following day and no serious problems develop with resupply. On 7 October, Hill 867, defended by the N.K. 3rd Regiment, 12th Division, falls to the 3rd Battalion, but there is no pause in the fight. On the following day, Hill 960 is secured by the 3rd Battalion, while the 1st Battalion evicts the occupants of Hill 666. Coupled with the progress of the 38th Regiment, by the 8th, the 2nd Division achieves five of its objectives. The rapid progress signals the fast approaching demise of the now temporary invincibility of the Communists on Heartbreak Ridge. The 23rd Regiment, snagged in a quagmire since the initial attack commenced, receives the sparks necessary to break out from the abominable positions before the area is transformed into a graveyard. The developing strategy to disrupt the security of the enemy’s galvanized lines unfolds well in the zone and the absence of an artillery bombardment and air strikes on Hill 931 underscores the ruse. The defenders are anticipating a leisurely night, unaware that the 23rd is finally on the move. The property value of the hill rises steeply. The attack maintains the element of surprise as the attached French platoon gives all outward appearances of driving against Hill 931, while the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment, advances in the direction leading to Hill 851. All the while, the 2nd Battalion creeps quietly up the slopes of the real target, Hill 931, in a stealth move coordinated with the guns of the 37th FABn, the latter awaiting the signal to commence firing. Over the course of the operation, each enemy bunker yet undestroyed is marked for oblivion by the artillery. As the 2nd Battalion encroaches the target, every available piece of artillery goes into action, sending an enfilade of fire upon the slopes with tremendous effectiveness. The mortars, which had inflicted about eighty-five percent of the casualties on the 23rd Regiment, begin to be silenced. Meanwhile, the infantry charges toward the crest, using flame throwers as they climb, taking out other bunkers previously unmolested by the artillery. The momentum of the charge stuns the defenders as the 2nd Battalion rolls forward like an assembly line to finish the project with their rifles and grenades. The attack continues in lop-sided fashion. The enemy is unable to return any punishing fire. While the enemy is being eliminated, the regiment sustains only light casualties into the early morning hours of the 6th. By about 0300, about one-half of the hill is controlled by the 2nd Battalion. The enemy, however, still attempts to thwart the inevitable. A strong counterattack is

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Two U.S. troops rush through heavy fire and smoke. mounted. The 2nd Battalion, in anticipation of the attack, is fully prepared and repulses it handily prior to dawn. At the crack of dawn on the 6th, still in the zone of the 23rd Regiment, the attack is reinitiated. As the 2nd and 3rd Battalions grind forward, a link is made with the French battalion. Some resistance re-

mains, but the powerful thrust of the combined strength of the three regiments clears the hill by about noon. Back in the 38th Regiment’s zone of operations, after occupying Hill 485 on the 4th, the regiment’s 1st Battalion focuses on Hill 728, which it secures by about noon. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion moves

September 13, 1951 against Hill 636, which is secured on the following day. The seizure of the two hills proves to be a key achievement during the early stages of the operation. It gives the 38th Regiment dominating positions from which to shepherd the engineers while they continue to complete the last leg of the pathway for the tanks. And, it permits the 38th Regiment to provide an umbrella of cover fire. In conjunction with the seizure of the second objective, Hill 636, the 72nd Tank Battalion is attached to the 38th Regiment. The tankers, led by Lt. Colonel John O. Woods, assist the regiment in the quest to seize several more targets, beginning with Hill 605 farther north and from there Hill 905–Hill 974, which stretches northwest from Hill 636 to Hill 1220 along the Kim Il Sung Mountain range. In addition, Hill 841 north of Hill 974 falls into the zone of the 38th Regiment. On the 9th, from newly gained positions at Hill 960, northwest of Hill 867, the 9th Regiment continues to advance northwest to secure Hill 1005, beyond Hill 666. Some stubborn resistance occurs at the objective as the troops close upon the crest, but the close-quartered fighting rises to a crescendo of fury following an order to fix bayonets. The cold steel of the regiment’s bayonets overcomes the grenades and burp guns of the defenders. The hill falls, further shrinking the enemy’s tenacious stranglehold on the high ground. In the meantime, the ROK 8th Division, which is advancing against Hill 1050, pounces upon it and secures it on 10 October. By 10 October, the engineers finish the task of removing the obstacles and laying the road, which acts as a draw-bridge for the armor to plow deep into the enemy’s lair, something totally unexpected by the Communists. While the tanks of the 72nd Tank Battalion surge forward, supported by a contingent of engineers and an infantry detachment (Company L), they stumble upon the vanguard of the Chinese 204th Division (68th Army) while they are leisurely relieving elements of the N.K. V Corps in the vicinity of the village of Mungdung-ni. Suddenly the Communists come under an avalanche of fire that totally catches them off-guard. As the Chinese break for safer positions, the tank-infantry force pursues. During the running fight, the troops sustain casualties as they bolt through Mungdung-ni, but the Chinese sustain high casualties. During the exchange, the tanks continue to penetrate deeper and in conjunction with the advance, the tanks are spaced from where they can provide cover for one another while simultaneously pounding the enemy positions. The operation succeeds in severing the enemy supply lines on the western side of Heartbreak Ridge. The loss of the supply line also hampers the ability to bring in fresh troops, which adds another spike into the enemy’s defenses, which are tumbling but not yet toward a total collapse. As the tanks plow forward, the 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry, launches

780 an attack against Hill 605, but there, the enemy refuses to budge. Company L, 38th Regiment, encounters fierce resistance in the vicinity of Mundung-ni. To break the impasses and get the platoon on the advance, Sergeant Tony K. Burris singlehandedly advances through the fire to destroy the obstacle. Burris tosses a bunch of grenades and takes out 15 of the enemy force. The fighting continues into the following day, while the 3rd Battalion presses ahead. On the 9th, at the next ridge in the path, Burris again takes action and leads a contingent to the crest, but he becomes wounded en route. Upon reaching the summit, he is again wounded. Undaunted, he stands to expose the enemy position and provide guidance for a 57-mm rifle team. The machine gun nest is quickly destroyed. The attack resumes, but Burris refuses evacuation. He settles for emergency aid on the spot, then participates in the attack. Again, a wall of enemy fire stalls the advance. Burris, ignoring his wounds, lunges forward to take on the machine gun nest and he succeeds in destroying it and the 6-man crew. Afterward, Burris bolts to the next nest. He moves to within grenade throwing range and tosses it to eliminate the nest, but in the process, enemy fire cuts him down with a mortal wound. The remainder of his command secures Hill 605 on Heartbreak Ridge. Sergeant Tony Burris is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism and courage in the face of the enemy. Also on the 9th, while Hill 605 falls to the 2nd Battalion, the 1st Battalion strikes a fatal blow against Hill 900 to bring it down and under the control of the 38th Regiment. Nevertheless, in this region of hills and more hills, the 38th Regiment remains on the attack while the tanks scour the valley on a search and destroy mission. Two other objectives remain in the zone, Hills 974 and 1220 in the Kim II Sung Mountain range. They fall on 12 and 15 October, respectively. The tanks make full use of the paths modified by the engineers, roaring through the valley and inflicting devastating punishment. Thanks to the lightning strikes of the 72nd Tank Battalion during five brutal days, the enemy loses about 350 bunkers on or near Heartbreak Ridge. The combined actions of the 72nd Tank Battalion and TF Sturman in the Mundung-ni and Sat’ae-ri Valleys respectively seal the fate of the Communists by encircling Heartbreak Ridge with an armored picket fence. The defenders are left with no hope of relief and only two options: surrender or fight to the last man. They choose the latter. On the 10th at Heartbreak Ridge, the 23rd Regiment moves to dispose of the remaining resistance on the final objective, Hill 851, which by this time is defended by North Koreans and by Chinese elements who had escaped the fury of the tanks near Mungdung-ni. The 1st and 3rd Battalions, supported

781 by the French Battalion, close the clamps on the obstinate defenders who choose not to capitulate. In conjunction with the attack to gain the hill, the 2nd Battalion moves from Heartbreak Ridge to Hill 520, slightly south of the village of Mungdungni. However, some enemy forces still hold parts of Hill 520. The hostile ground is to be seized by Company G. The 3rd Platoon is delegated as the unit to spearhead the attack. Company G, 2nd Battalion, led by Lt. Riddle (acting commander) is bolstered by Companies E and F. Company F is posted from where it can pass through the positions of Company G to continue the assault, and Company E is deployed nearby on a separate ridge about 500 yards to the south. From its positions, Company E is to provide cover fire. One small hill stands between the attackers and the target on the top of Hill 520, which is flat ground. During the afternoon at about 1300— following an artillery barrage, heavy machine gun fire and recoilless rifles that pound the hill — the platoon moves hurriedly to the knoll under cover fire from other elements of Company G. The number of defenders remains unknown, making it difficult to determine if one platoon is sufficiently strong enough to reduce the resistance, but a direct attack is still considered as the most effective route. The Fluor Spar Valley there is inundated with mines. The platoon, led by Corporal David W. Lamb, comes under severe enemy fire, much of which originates on the south side of the hill, but the platoon advances to the knoll unscathed. While maneuvering to eliminate the enemy positions, the platoon is forced to take incoming fire from the enemy, but other dangers also lurk; friendly fire behind them is also stroking the terrain. One man, PFC Harry Schmidt, stands out amid the platoon. He wears a bright yellow band around his waist, marking him as a prime target, but essentially, his daring is actually a beacon for the U.S. support weapons that follow the yellow band to identify the exact location of the advancing platoon. The enemy maintains their positions and as one squad swings to the left side of the objective, enemy fire brings it to a halt. After several of the troops are wounded, a call is made for reinforcements. In the meantime, the main body of the platoon comes under more fire and some casualties are incurred at the knob in front of the hill. The 1st Platoon, led by Lt. Jay M. Gano, is thrown into the fight. However, Gano, new to the outfit, delegates temporary command to Private Cliff R. High, who has been in charge of the platoon, to maintain his position and give Gano a little time to gather combat experience. Nevertheless, as the 1st Platoon begins its sprint toward the 3rd Platoon, several men are struck and one is literally restrained by Private High. Meanwhile, the remainder of the platoon under Gano continues moving ahead until Gano is killed. As the 1st Platoon stalls, without leadership, other

September 13, 1951 problems develop as the machine gun up front with Corporal Lamb expends its ammunition at just about the same time some North Koreans bolt from their concealed bunkers on the hill. Urgent calls are placed by Lamb and support fire pours upon the hill, but ineffectively, striking above the enemy. As the platoon members begin to withdraw, pursuit is given by the Communists, but unexplainedly, they halt and head back up the hill. Suddenly, the 3rd Platoon is obscured by smoke and the objective is not visible either. Lieutenant Riddle orders machine guns posted at the jump-off point to commence firing at the suspected positions on Hill 520 and the targets are apparently hit effectively; word reaches Riddle that the fire was on target. Afterward, Private High again moves ahead with the 1st Platoon, passing wounded troops who are moving back toward the main line. Meanwhile, Corporal Lamb is in the process of receiving more ammunition. Both Lamb and High prepare to take the next move to gain the hill; however, enemy fire still pounds the positions to rack up more casualties. With a combined strength of less than twenty men, Lamb and High advance about thirty yards before encountering machine gun fire, but the contingent continues to push and fortuitously the fire is not well-aimed. As they cover about thirty remaining yards, the enemy begins to use grenades, one of which wounds Corporal Lamb. Before the attack can stall, one soldier, Corporal Arne Severson, clasps his machine gun and defies the fire. He advances with his weapon blazing. The enemy takes Severson out with a grenade just as he reaches the slope. Despite having sustained two broken legs, a determined Severson is able to establish a position from which he continues to fire at the enemy. As the attack fails to make more progress, Severson is retrieved by others and pulled back to the main body. Although progress remains slow and plagued with complications, the remaining able-bodied men of the two platoons launch a second assault to gain the hill, and in the process, Private High is downed by a grenade and knocked unconscious. His troops erroneously assume he had been killed and head back to the line of departure, but soon they are astonished to see High appear back at the line. A new attack is prepared by Private High. The attack is initially bolstered by the arrival of three flame throwers. Unfortunately, one of the men carrying the weapons is wounded as the attack jumps off and the other two turn out later to be inoperable, again leaving the task of destroying the bunkers to the infantry. Eventually, Private High and several others take out an obstinate bunker (eastern side of the hill), then move to the south side of the hill where other enemy bunkers stall the attack. One particular bunker remains unscathed despite intense efforts to eliminate it. Although the bunker remains active, it is kept at bay by riflemen. But yet another bunker

September 13, 1951 comes to life. Soon after, it is silenced by a grenade, opening the way to the top of the hill. Amazingly, Private Schmidt is still wearing his bright yellow waistband as the troops ascend the hill. Three bunkers are encountered, but each is unmanned. Once the troops reach the top of the hill, eight enemy troops are detected as they attempt to escape to the northwest. Soon after, on the north side of the hill, the enemy command post is discovered. The troops also spot eight soldiers there and quickly accept their surrender. At another bunker, not known to the Americans, surprisingly, four troops emerge and surrender. Some of the defenders are able to escape, but the hill itself falls to Company G at 1600 following a harrowing three-hour battle. While the 2nd Battalion takes and maintains the security of Hill 520, the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment and the French Battalion plod forward to reduce Hill 851. The cost is thirty casualties, most of which are minor. The North Koreans and Chinese desperately toil to hold Hill 851, but their resources have weakened greatly at Heartbreak Ridge since the opening of the full offensive on 5 October. The 23rd Regiment, which had sustained heavy casualties while bogged down during the first couple of weeks, is exhibiting ferocity as they advance. Although the hill in question is but a speck of battered ground, to the 2nd Division it is the summit to be gained in honor of all the troops who had fallen there. During the 11th and 12th, the 2nd Battalion and the French contingent press ahead, again in small but methodical steps, eliminating obstacles as they move. In a coordinated maneuver, the 3rd Battalion bolts to the east-west spur that stretches from Hill 520 (held by the 1st Battalion) and the 2nd Battalion’s objective, Hill 851, to threaten the hill from the west and alert the enemy of their presence, to again bolster the main attack. During the night of the 12th-13th, the two attacking battalions establish night positions and prepare to reinitiate the advance on the following day. On 13 October, the North Koreans and the Chinese defenders on Hill 851 are greeted at dawn by the first glimmer of daylight and the uninvited French Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Ralph Monclar, which pounces upon the foe and gains the coveted prize for the 2nd Division. The grim path to victory had taken thirty days, most of which were consumed with horrendous combat and horrific casualties on both sides, but in the case of the enemy, they are much more severe. The 2nd Division sustains more than 3,700 casualties, with about 1,800 inflicted on the 23rd Regiment (including the attached French contingent), primarily from the deadly mortar fire that dominated the ridges for weeks. The U.S. Army estimates that about 25,000 casualties had been inflicted upon the enemy at Heartbreak Ridge during the period 13

782 September through 15 October. The defending units were composed of the N.K. 6th, 12th, and 13th Divisions and the Chinese 204th Division. The 2nd Division had also been supported by Fifth Air Force; however despite 842 sorties that delivered about 250 tons of bombs on suspected positions, the enemy had so brilliantly constructed the bunkers that most were unscathed and had to be destroyed by direct hits. Nevertheless, the air power played a vital part in the victory by disrupting enemy movements and assisting in suppressing enemy artillery. In the end, similarly as it had been through the ages, it was the infantry that had to finally take out the obstacles one by one. For most of the world, Heartbreak Ridge will be remembered as one more barren piece of valueless ground in the Korean wilderness, but to the 2nd Division, it is not retained as a passing dreadful memory. Rather, it and the recently hard-fought contest for Bloody Ridge will be indelibly etched in their hearts. At a cost of nearly 4,000 casualties, for the 2nd Division its losses had hallowed the ground on Heartbreak Ridge. Operation TOUCHDOWN had crumbled the resistance and carried the 2nd Division across the finish line and helped to write the newest chapter in its history. With the capture of Heartbreak Ridge, the X Corps sector is no longer under the observation of the enemy and the lines in the sector are aligned with IX Corps.

September 13 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines jump off and advance at 0900, six hours late due to a lack of sufficient ammunition and supplies, as well as an ongoing evacuation mission to get wounded Marines to medical facilities. Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, is relieved by the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, south of Hill 749 (Objective Baker) at 1100. Afterward, the task of relieving the remaining two companies begins. The North Koreans are deeply entrenched in bunkers. The 7th Marines are on the opposite slope of Hill 749, about 400 yards from where the 1st Marines expected the troops to be, based on a report. In the meantime, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, is unable to push closer to its objective, Hill 751, because of fire from enemy controlled Hill 749. Elements of the 2nd Battalion continue to hold. At 1600, the advancing 3rd Battalion remains several hundred yards short of the 2nd Battalion. Finally, at about 2025, the two units are joined. However, the night does not remain calm. The Marines are subjected to mortar attacks and several counterattacks. Hill 749 remains under Communist control throughout the night. In other activity, the Marines have had difficulty getting re-supplied; however, on this date, the 1st Marines receive a bonus, dubbed Operation WINDMILL. Just prior to 1600, four choppers, transporting the landing point section (20 by 40 feet), and soon after, seven helicopters each transporting about 800 pounds of ammunition and

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A U.S. mortar team fires upon Hill 931, north of 894. It is the highest peak on what becomes known as Heartbreak Ridge. The battle for the ridge continues from September 13 to October 15.

September 13, 1951

784

A contingent of the 2nd Division (Fire Direction and Control Team) are deployed from where they can observe the crest of Hill 931 (Heartbreak Ridge). supplies, depart to deliver to the 1st Marines. The 11th Marines contributes to the historic operation by laying smoke to help cover the flights as the choppers move at low altitude. The first chopper arrives at 1610 and the cargo, sus-

pended in a net, is unloaded. The chopper then takes off, transporting five wounded Marines and two others in litters. One of the Marines on the flight receives medical attention back at X-83 within thirty minutes after being wounded. The operation, which includes

785 twenty-eight flights, ends in a space of two and one-half hours. In addition, the Marines receive 18,848 pounds of supplies and 74 wounded are evacuated. The Marines had been working on such a transport system since 1947, but this is its first trial, one that changes military transport forever.

September 14 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the attack to secure Hill 749 continues. At 0800, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, inch forward against artillery, mortar and machine gun fire to eliminate the North Koreans on the northern slope of the hill. The concealed bunkers are slowly eliminated one by one. During the engagement, PFC Edward Gomez, an ammunition bearer, moves forward with a rifle squad to ensure his machine gun is supplied with ammunition. An enemy grenade is tossed into the area containing Gomez and other Marines of Company E, 2nd Battalion. To save the others, Gomez grabs the grenade and throws himself in the trench to take the full shock of the grenade. Gomez survives and becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions, above and beyond the call of duty. While the 2nd Battalion gains only about 325 yards, it is sufficient to give the 3rd Battalion breathing room to surge to the crest of Hill 751. The day’s grueling pace does not totally eliminate the resistance north of Hill 749. In Air Force activity, a plane attached to the 8th Bombardment Group Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, executes strikes against an enemy train in the vicinity of Yangdok. The pilot of the B-26, Captain John S. Walmsley, Jr., scores damage, but the train, laden with supplies, is not destroyed and Walmsley’s ammunition had been expended. Rather than depart the area, he calls for assistance and another B-26 arrives. Walmsley stays and uses his searchlight (experimentally attached to his plane) to illuminate the target. He dives in at extremely low altitude, making his aircraft a lucrative target, so he can blast the area with his searchlight. Walmsley makes the pass but is hit by enemy fire and he crashes into a mountain. Captain Walmsley is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty. (See also September 13–October 15 1951 THE BATTLE OF HEARTBREAK RIDGE.) September 15 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, prepare again to knock out the resistance that continues to impede progress, but the North Koreans seem to have an endless supply of ammunition and countless concealed log bunkers. An artillery bombardment is requested to precede the assault of the 2nd Battalion, but the enemy guns are not silenced. Once again, the Marines advance at 1710, but they come under walls of fire. The crossfire is so intense, the Marines are forced to withdraw under cover fire of the 11th Marines’ artillery. The enemy tactic (crossfire) is dubbed the “North Korean T Formation.” In related activity, the 5th Marines move from the

September 16, 1951 Hays Line into position to pass through the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, on the 16th. In the meantime, Company F, 2nd Battalion, engages a strong entrenched force on Hill 749. A forward platoon is hit with overwhelming strength and compelled to pull back. Corporal Joseph Vittori and two others, during the withdrawal, race through the retreating column to engage the advancing enemy. The trio encounters a force and in a close-quartered fight, the Marines prevail. At that time, an un-manned machine gun is covered by Vittori. He moves from point to point to cover the flanks and pours fire upon the enemy, while Marine casualties continue to climb. Nonetheless, Vittori, mortally wounded, holds his ground. The 1st Korean Marine Regiment and the Division Recon Company are to assume responsibility for the 5th Marines’ vacated positions along the Hays Line. At midnight (15th-16th), the 2nd Battalion is nearly smothered by a forceful assault, but the Marines meet the attack with even more ferociousness. The battle continues into the daylight hours. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, near Hill 751 comes under a tenacious attack. In the ROK 8th Division zone along the left flank, the entire division moves against enemy-held Hill 854. Some progress is made as the South Koreans force one of the three defending North Korean battalions to abandon their positions during the contest that continues into the following day. In Air Force activity, General Otto P. Weyland informs General Vandenberg that the continuing growth of the strength of the Communists (Russian and Chinese) in the air is reaching epidemic proportions. At this time, the Air Force still does not have enough Sabre jets to counter the threat due to Washington’s refusal to provide more planes. Weyland proclaims that the Communists are in position to expand MiG Alley straight down to Pyongyang if they are not stopped. During the month of September, FEAF loses three F-86 Sabre jets, one P-51 Mustang, one F-80, and one F-84. Intelligence has ascertained that the Communists (with the belief they have greatly weakened the U.S. Air Force) have initiated a massive program to restore the airfields in North Korea. If the work is completed, MiG Alley would be expanded to the point that the Communists would be fighting for air superiority. More Sabres are not forthcoming, but an operation to destroy the airfields will be initiated. The first three fields, strung between MiG Alley and Pyongyang, become the first priority. The fields are Namsi, Taechon, and Saamcham. Subsequent reports by the Chinese indicate that the three fields come under 119 attacks.

September 16 General Van Fleet arrives in the 2nd Division sector and the 1st Marine Division sector to confer with the commanders and to check on the condition and morale of the units. At this time, Van Fleet instructs the respective Corps commanders to “firm up his line by 20 September and to plan no further offensives after that date.”

September 17, 1951 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, at one minute after midnight (15th-16th), the Marines are alerted to another night without sleep as Communist artillery begins to ring the perimeter of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. The booming sounds of 76-mm, 105s and 122-mm shells are accompanied by mortar fire. The screeching sounds of North Korean whistles and blaring bugles signal the arrival of yet another night attack. The exhausted Marines, still able to fight despite their diminished numbers from casualties, become galvanized. The ground runs red as the Communists come against the lines in successive waves. The Communists penetrate, slightly against weaker parts of the line, but as the Marines there are compelled to give some ground, one man, Corporal Joseph Vittori, plows through the line of retreat to lead a counterattack. In addition, Vittori bolts from one foxhole to the next to man machine guns , while others there fall from wounds. Neither Vittoli, nor the other Marine are willing to become the vanquished. Every wave that strikes is shattered and by 0400, the North Korean force, estimated at regimental strength, temporarily runs out of troops for the next wave.Corporal Vittoli is killed during the final minutes of the fight. When Corporal Vittori’s body is recovered, more than 200 dead Communists are counted at his front. Corporal Vittori is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy. The North Koreans also strike the 3rd Battalion positions at Hill 751. This attack also occurs slightly after midnight, but not with the same intensity. Nevertheless, the attacking force of about 150 troops is also repelled. Later, at 0830, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, moves out to pass through the 2nd Battalion to finish the fight. Enemy resistance along the ridge line running to Hill 749 still has a powerful punch. Nonetheless, the 1st Battalion plows forward in yet one more grueling day of combat. At 1800, it concludes. Hill 749 (Objective Baker) is secured. The Marines establish night positions with both Hill 749 and 751 in their possession. Lt. Colonel Horace E. Knapp had been wounded and evacuated on the previous day. He had been replaced on this day by Lt. Colonel John E. Gorman. Also, during the first part of the afternoon, the 5th Marines commence an attack to seize Objective Dog, a hill mass about 1,000 yards distant. The attack is spearheaded by Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, which drills forward on a path that runs between Hill 680 and 673 (Kanmubong Ridge) and leads directly into yet another enemy crossfire. The advance, short of the objective, is halted at 1700 to evacuate wounded and get a well-needed pause. Another unit, Company, D, requests a signal to identify the positions of Company H. A white phosphorous grenade is used; however, planes on a mission to strike enemy-held Hill 980 on Kanmubong Ridge mistake the signal as a target location. Company H is struck by napalm and strafing machine gun fire. No casualties are incurred thanks to a last-minute recogni-

786 tion panel that is spotted in the nick of time. By this time, it is too late to reinitiate the attack. It is suspended until 0400 on the following day. During the four-day contest to secure Objective Baker (Hill 749), the Marines sustain 90 killed, 714 wounded and 1 missing. The North Koreans lose 771 killed (counted) and 81 POWs; however the estimate of enemy killed is reported as more than twice the number counted. There will be no pause for relaxation for the Marines. In Naval activity, one of the jets (F2H) crash lands on the carrier USS Essex (CV 9), causing damage and loss of life. Four men are missing, three are killed and 27 others sustain injuries. In other activity, the Photo Unit, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, relocates from Pusan to Yongil Man, Korea.

September 17 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines reinitiate the attack to secure Hill 812. The attack, scheduled for 0400, is postponed until 0700. The vanguard again is Company F and the delay in jumping off, surprisingly, gives the Marines an advantage. The enemy is spotted while still eating breakfast. At about the same time, the positions are sent to the 11th Marines and an artillery bombardment prompts the Communists to abort the meal. The attacking unit advances swiftly until it gets caught in the expected crossfire. At about 0830, Company E leap-frogs ahead with one platoon of Company F. Air strikes are requested, but again no planes arrive. By 1100, progress remains extremely slow. Lt. Colonel Stiff concludes that it will take a full-powered push to win the prize. Bolstered by a preliminary artillery bombardment, the platoon from Company F lunges against the flank, while Company E plows straight ahead. The enemy is totally unprepared along the flank and the attack severs the resistance there. Within about thirty-six minutes, the Marines climb to the summit and following gruesome, close-quartered fighting, the Marines prevail. The quest for Hill 812 proves to be the spear that pierces the spine of the resistance. From Hill 812, Company E bolts westward along the ridgeline that links with Hill 980 and prepares to seize it, but permission is denied because the North Koreans still hold Hill 1052 and from there, the new prize would be imperiled. Company E is directed to withdraw 600 yards toward Hill 680. In the meantime, while the Marines establish defensive positions, the enemy left at Hill 980 continues to shell the perimeter in conjunction with enemy-held Hill 1052. Company E holds along the ridgeline that leads to Hill 980, while Company F deploys around Hill 812. Meanwhile, the 1st Marines hold the area north of Hill 751, but the regiment is not linked to the 2nd Battalion. September 18–21 1951 In the X Corps area, 1st Marine Division sector, pursuant to Operation Order 27–51, Hill 854 is to be secured, either by relief of the ROK 8th Division if it is in their hands or by attack, if still controlled by the Communists during the operation to relieve the South Koreans. The

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September 19, 1951

On 18 September, Sherman M4 tanks bolster the 2nd Division in the vicinity of Hill 1179 (Taeu-san) near Pia-ri. By 21 September, the 2nd Division sector stabilized, but fighting did not cease. 1st Marine Division begins to stretch its line farther east to relieve the ROK 8th Division in a complex troop reformation. The ROK 8th Regiment, after being relieved, is to in turn relieve the ROK 5th Division on the far left. Afterward, the ROK 5th Division is to redeploy in a newly created zone to the left of the 1st Marine Division. The operation is completed by 21 September. The North Koreans still control much of Hill 854, giving the Marines the task of clearing the remaining resistance there. On the 20th, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, relieves two battalions of the ROK 10th Regiment near Hill 854 without incident; however, eleven casualties are incurred due to friendly mines. The Marines move ahead using maps from the ROKs that fail to correctly identify where mines had been placed. In addition, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines relieves two battalions of the 21st ROK Regiment. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, schedules an attack to clear the southwest ridgeline for the afternoon; however, it is postponed due to lack of expected air cover. Slightly after 1700, the battalion jumps off and it also becomes victimized by friendly mines just as Company H reaches a point about fifty yards from the line of departure. One man is killed and another is wounded. Consequently, the attack is suspended to await engineers who can eliminate the problem. The attack is reinitiated on the following day. In the meantime, the Marines direct the ROKs to find the mines they planted and eliminate them.

September 18 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, come under attack at 0430. Company E’s positions are hit hard, compelling the unit to give some ground. The Commu-

nists launch another assault at 0840, but it fails. The North Koreans maintain constant artillery bombardments against the Marine positions throughout the day. The 1st Marine Division reports casualties for this day as 16 killed and 98 wounded. Most of the day’s casualties are sustained by the 2nd Battalion. Other than the artillery fire, the day remains tranquil. The Marines also pass the night (18–19) with little activity. Nonetheless, at dawn, the Communists break the silence. In Naval activity, CTG 95.9 (attached to CTF 95) initiates a two-day mission against Wonsan. The enemy positions in the area are attacked by planes as well as naval surface guns and rockets. The British carrier HMS Glory (CVL) had moved from the east coast of Korea to the west coast to participate in this mission.

September 19

In the Eighth Army area, Fifth Air Force executes missions to support the crossing of the Naktong River near Waegwan by the 24th Division. Also, The 1st Cavalry Division crashes through the enemy lines. In the X Corps sector, the entire line, except for the sector covered by the 2nd Division, is now stable. (See also, September 13–October 15 1951 THE BATTLE OF HEARTBREAK RIDGE.) In the 1st Marine Division zone, the enemy still controls Hills 980 and 1052. Between the two hills and the Marines stands “The Rock,” a 12-foot-high granite knob on the ridgeline about 700 yards west of Hill 812. The North Koreans hold the western side, while the Marines hold the top and the eastern side. The northern slope is the only area able to provide some protection to the Marines. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, desperately need sand bags, barbed wire and other items. Thanks to new

September 20, 1951 additions, in the afternoon the Transport Helicopter Squadron has 10 helicopters execute 16 flights to deliver more than 12,000 pounds in about one hour. In other activity, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, relieves the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 1st Marines, then deploy to the right of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. The 1st Battalion’s line extends eastward along the ridge toward the Soyang-gang. In conjunction, during the day, the Marines continue to fortify their positions, hindered primarily by long-range artillery fire. In other activity, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, reinitiates the mission to clear Hill 854. In what has become habitual, the requested planes, due to arrive at 0700, arrive overhead at 1040. The four Air Force F-15s strike their targets and leave the area. At 1220, subsequent to an artillery barrage, Company H again leads the way. Enemy resistance remains firm, prompting the vanguard to request another air strike; however, the Marine Air Wing is not in direct coordination with the Marines. Fifth Air Force planes never arrive. Absent the air strikes, the Marines call upon the artillery and mortars. The advance remains sluggish against the ferocious resistance, but the Marines grind forward toward the peak. At 1745, word is passed back from Company H that the hill is under Marine control. The battle for Hill 854, which erupted on the previous day, cost the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 64 casualties, including those affected by friendly mines and of the total, nine are killed. The Communists’ dead, according to actual count at the hill, amounts to 159. The additional number of killed and wounded, estimated by the Marine Corps, stands at 150 and 225, respectively. Also, Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (VMF 323) de-

788 parts the USS Sicily (CVE 118) en route to Kangnung, from where it will reinitiate land-based operations. In Naval activity, the USS Toledo (CA 133), the USS Craig (DD 885) and USS Parks (DD 884) initiate a bombardment of enemy positions at Wonsan, prior to an air strike by planes attached to the HMS Glory (CVL).

September 20

This date marks a significant turning point in the war. The strategy for the remainder of the conflict changes from a war consumed with perpetual movement to a conflict based on position. It had long ago been decided in Washington, D.C., not to fight for complete victory and now as the Eighth Army has achieved extraordinary success and is beginning to peak, defensive lines become the new way of conducting the war. As of this day, X Corps is to cease offensive attacks and according to General Van Fleet’s order of 18 September, to “firm up the existing line and to patrol vigorously in front of it.” Meanwhile, the IX Corps remains engaged at Heartbreak Ridge. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, at 0315, the North Koreans strike the Marine positions on the eastern side of “The Rock” as part of a plan to regain Hill 812. The enemy initially pounds the area with artillery and mortar fire, but right after, the Communists close against a platoon of Company E, 2nd Battalion. The Marines ignore the fire of the burp guns and grenades and mount a counterattack, but the North Koreans push the platoon back. The Communists occupy the lost ground and take aim on Company E. Another counterattack is mounted at 0500. Company E drives directly into the enemy’s front while Company F duplicates its strategy at Hill 812 and strikes the

An enemy bunker after being reduced by the 7th Marines. An enemy casualty is on the lower left. Also, the tree fragments are casualties of Marine artillery.

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September 21, 1951

Marines on Hill 884 receive supplies on 20 September, delivered by a Sikorsky helicopter. Communists’ flank. The North Koreans are caught off guard by 2nd Platoon’s strike against their flank. The resistance vaporizes as the Communists bolt for their side (west) of The Rock. The North Koreans lose 60 killed. By this date, the Marines, since the operation began on 11 September, have secured three of the four objectives; however, Objective Charlie, the ridgeline in the 1st Korean Marine Regiment zone, northwest of Hill 1052, still needs to be seized. As the Marines prepare to take the remaining objectives, everything changes and quite suddenly. Division Operation Order 26–51 places an immediate halt to offensive operations. As it turns out, the fight for The Rock becomes the final chapter in the nine-day battle and it is the last “action of mobility” for the Marines in Korea.

In Naval activity, the USS Orleck (DD 886) bombards enemy positions at Wonsan. Targets hit include an ammunition depot and one sampan. A directive is received by Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77) that 20 September is the final day the task force will be required to supply close-air support missions. In other activity, Marine Squadron VMF-323 arrives at Itami Air Base, Japan, from the USS Sicily. The squadron will depart for Korea on the 24th and begin operation from Pusan.

September 21

Operation SUMMIT In the X Corps sector, at Hill 884, the Marines introduce a new tactic of getting troops from an assembly area to the front. At 1030, after a one-half hour delay due to fog, a contingent

September 21, 1951 of Marines attached to the 1st Shore Party Battalion is transported by helicopter to Hill 884 to clear two separate landing sites to receive what becomes the first fighting force delivered by helicopter to a battlefield. Two helicopters, each transporting one team, hover over their respective landing sites, which stand about 100 yards from each other at a point on the hill several hundred yards from the crest. The Marines assigned to the task, using knotted ropes that dangle dangerously from the helicopters, slither about thirty feet down the ropes during high winds. The initial part of the operation succeeds within about forty minutes. These are the only two sites on the hill capable of handling such an operation. Each encompasses an area of about 50 square feet and both contain two sides of the landing space that terminate at a sheer cliff. Within minutes after the sites are cleared, the waiting helicopters of HMR-161 zoom into action at Field X-83. With

790 the exception of some temporary minor communication problems between X-83 and the landing point team, the operation is flawless. Within three and one-half hours (flight time), 224 Marines and almost 18,000 pounds of supplies and equipment are transported about fourteen miles and delivered to the battlefield. One contingent includes a heavy machine gun platoon from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. The welloiled operation brings a helicopter above the respective landing sites every thirty seconds and the time spent there hovering averages about twenty seconds, while five Marines with full gear descend the ropes. The identical trip without the use of the helicopters would have taken fourteen hours and required supplies to be carried by laborers. The final part of the mission, the task of laying a telephone line between the Reconn Company on Hill 854 and the 1st Marines command post about eight

An M16 multiple-gun motor carriage maneuvers through mud in the vicinity of Kumsong on 21 September. Infantry in the background and a jeep move in opposite directions.

791 miles to the rear of the hill, is also a success. The time to lay each line takes about fifteen minutes. General Byers, USA, X Corps commander, is among many who congratulate HMR-161 and the participants in the operation. Byers commentst: “Your imaginative experiment with this kind of transport is certain to be of lasting value to all the services.” Another commenting on the tremendous achievement is Major General Gerald C. Thomas, who remarks: “Operation SUMMIT, the first helicopter borne landing of a combat unit in history was an outstanding success. To all who took part, well done.” The team responsible for the blueprint that had to be created within a twenty-four hour period included Lieutenant Colonel George W. Herring (commanding officer of HMR-161); Lt. Colonel William C. Mitchell (Herring’s executive officer); Major Ephraim Kirby Smith (Reconn Company CO) and Lt. Richard C. Higgs (acting division embarkation officer).

September 23, 1951 In the 1st Marines zone, an enemy force launches a probing assault against the lines of Company G, 3rd Battalion, during the early morning hours. The attack is repelled; however, during the fight, a grenade is tossed into a foxhole occupied by Corporal Jack Davenport and one other Marine. Davenport, in an effort to save the other Marine’s life, takes the brunt of the explosion by covering the grenade with his body. Corporal Davenport is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his courage under fire and his selfless sacrifice to save the life of another. In Naval activity, Marine Squadron VMF-212 departs Itami Base, Japan, aboard the USS Rendova.

September 23 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marine Reconnaissance Company deployed at Hill 884 is relieved by the 1st Marines. In other activity, Marines in forward observation

The French Battalion attached to the U.S. 2nd Division occupies Hill 931 (Heartbreak Ridge) on 23 September.

September 25, 1951 posts place a call to the Navy and the USS New Jersey responds. Enemy positions that had been spotted by the observers are struck by the big 16-inch guns of the New Jersey (BB-62), which hits its targets more than twenty miles away. The 2,000-pound shells destroy ammunition depots, artillery positions and troop formations. The Marine patrols also receive hefty support from the artillery of the 1st Marine Division and U.S. Army units that are attached, which add extra punch to the patrols. The North Koreans are greeted by the New Jersey a few additional times when called by the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 1st Marines, while on patrol through the end of the month. This is the first use of the Navy’s guns in support of the 1st Marine Division since the latter part of 1950. The naval bombardments are sometimes able to break up counterattacks before they can be initiated. The Marines are appreciative of the naval fire power supporting them along their front, which is spread about thirteen miles in the mountains of the Korean wilderness and partly northwest of the Punch Bowl, where it linked with the ROK 5th Division. In Air Force activity, a group of eight B-29 Superfortressess, attached to the 19th Bomber Group, strike and destroy the center span of the Sunch’on rail bridge. The bombers use the SHORAN bomb system (airborne radar device coordinated with two ground beacon stations), which prove to be unaffected by the extremely heavy cloud cover.

September 25

In Naval activity, a contingent of F-84s spot sixteen MiG-15s near Sinanju, but no fight erupts. Later a larger group, composed of 36 F-84s, encounters 16 MiG-15s in the same general area and yet another group of 37 F-84s encounters about 100 MiG-15s. Combat ensues and the carrier planes report the destruction of five MiGS and five others damaged. The carrier planes sustain one plane damaged. In Air Force activity, the Chinese reinitiate their participation in the air battles. They (with 32 MiGS) join with the Russians to increase the number of MiGS against the already outnumbered Sabre jets of the Americans. Far East Air Forces planes, while on the attack to destroy bridges at the Ch’ongch’on River battle, come under attack. During the following month, ten separate air battles occur between Chinese pilots in their MiGS and Americans in their Sabres. Afterward the Chinese will report the destruction of 20 downed American planes and another 10 damaged. These records show a marked difference from those maintained by Far East Air Forces, which for the identical period report 40 MiGs destroyed and U.S. losses at seven F-86s, two F-84s, five B-29s, and one RF-80. A contingent of the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, led by Major Richard D. Creighton, is one of the units that encounter the enemy this day. Creighton spots one MiG and attacks. The MiG becomes damaged and Creighton again fires to bring the plane down in the vicinity of Anju.

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September 27

General Matthew Ridgway suggests (to the Chinese Communists) that site of cease fire talks be relocated from Kaesong to a site near the No-Man’s Land village of Songhyon. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, helicopters again take combat troops to the front. A daytime exercise is initiated in preparation for a genuine movement after dark. Subsequent to dark, Operation BLACKBIRD commences. Six helicopters (HRS-1) lift Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, from a dry stream bed in the vicinity of Hill 702 and transport the unit (more than 200 troops) to the northwestern rim of the Punch Bowl. The landing site, encompassing an area of 50 by 100 feet, is prepared by the 1st Shore Party Battalion. The entire operation, including a round-trip of 13 miles, takes place in less than two and one-half hours, despite traveling a circuitous route to prevent the enemy from observing the operation. After the troops arrive and begin the one-mile march to the front, one Marine is wounded by a mine. Shortly thereafter, it is determined that the entire area is mined, causing the march to be aborted. The operation experienced other problems. The pilots had been temporarily blinded by the glare on their windshields and the trip through the mountain passes became dangerous due to the nasty terrain and the artillery flashes. After assessing the results, it was concluded that transferring troops during darkness would be restricted to friendly territory. Operation BLACKBIRD is the only time troops are lifted in the darkness during the entire conflict. In Air Force activity, a C-124A Globemaster aircraft, during an operation known as PELICAN, transports its initial cargo, 30,000 pounds of aircraft parts, from Japan to Kimpo Airfield in Korea.

September 28 In Air Force activity, a reconnaissance plane (RF-80) remains in the air for slightly more than fourteen straight hours on a combat mission over Korea, thanks to airborne fuel tankers. The RF-80, while in flight, is refueled repeatedly by two separate KB-29M tankers. In Naval activity, the HMAS Murchison, while moving along the Han River, comes under fire from artillery, mortars and small arms. The vessel sustains some slight damage and one man is wounded. September 29

In the United States: The draft numbers for the month of November are elevated on this day from 33,700 to 39,000. The Marines will take 10,000 for November and for the following month, 9000.

September 30

General Van Fleet proclaims in a statement the reasoning for his strategy: “My basic mission during the past four months has been to destroy the enemy, so that the men of Eighth Army will not be destroyed.” Van Fleet states that it is “imperative” to eliminate as many weapons as possible and “mandatory” that the high ground be controlled. By controlling the high ground at the cost of “losing a comparative few, we saved other thousands.” Van Fleet notes that Eighth

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October 1951

A B-26 bomber on a mission over North Korea. Army estimates of enemy casualties from 25 May through 25 September amounts to 188,237. At the close of his statement, General Van Fleet notes: “The Communist forces in Korea (as the Eighth Army autumn campaign begins) are not liquidated, but they are crippled.” In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines have, since the 20th, been under orders to restrict their actions to patrols. However, from the 20th until this day, the Marines have exhibited no passiveness. Casualties for the period include 59 killed, 331 wounded and 1 missing. Enemy losses number 505 killed (counted) and 2327 prisoners. Marine casualties for September stand at 1,822, and the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment has sustained 594. North Korean losses for September stand at 2,799 killed (counted) and 557 prisoners. In Air Force activity, Brigadier General Joe W. Kelly assumes command of Far East Air Forces Bomber Command. He succeeds Brigadier General Robert H. Terrill.

October

During this month, the U.N. forces in Korea at the maximum reaches 236,871, U.S. Army; 21,020, Fifth Air Force; 30,913, U.S. Marines (including 5,386 officers and enlisted men of the 1st Marine Air Wing). The ROK forces total 286,000 troops and from other nations, the combined total equals 32,172. The forces are composed of four corps and fourteen divisions deployed along a front that extends about 123 miles across the Korean peninsula. Enemy forces along the front total 600,000 men, including reserves and units deployed to fill in as reinforcing units.

In numbers, each side hovers around 600,000; however on the field, the enemy greatly exceeds the U.S.-U.N. forces, because more than twenty five percent of the Allied forces are behind the lines in duties such as maintenance and administration. In the Eighth Army sector, the units are essentially operating on a defensive mode. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, activity is limited to patrols. The activity for the entire month is greatly reduced from previous months, so much so that Division, rather than maintain a daily diary, merely splits the month into two parts. Nonetheless, while the enemy continues to evade, when contact is made, they are engaged. The ratio of casualties for October stands at 20 to 1 in favor of the Marines. During the previous month, the ratio had been 4 to 1. In Air Force activity, by this time the Communists are building their confidence in the air, with flights being initiated by Russian and Chinese pilots. Meanwhile, the U.S. air strength remains at a disadvantage due to the shortage of Sabres. The shortage, however, does not prevent the FEAF from continuing its missions. On this day, the MiGs intercept a flight of Sabres and lose two against no U.S. losses during the ongoing campaign to destroy or damage North Korean airfields. In related activity, a contingent of four F-86 Sabre jets, attached to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group and led by Lieutenant George L. Jones, encounters and engages a pair of M-15 MiGs in the vicinity of Tokch’on this morning. Jones downs one of the MiGs.

October 2, 1951

October 2 In Naval activity, Task Element 95.11 (Task Group 95) receives orders directing its aircraft to initiate the daily bombing of the area along the northern bank of the Han River west of Yesong Gang. In ad-

794

dition, spotter planes are to be provided for the warships that are bombarding enemy positions in the vicinity of Han Point. In Air Force activity, during Operation SNOWBALL on October 1–3, C-119s, attached to the 315th Air Division, test a new tactic. The planes drop 5gallon drums of napalm behind enemy lines. In air combat between F-86 Sabre jets and Communist MiGs, the Communists lose six planes. One of the MiGs is downed about 15 miles east of Uiju by Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, the commanding officer of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. Another MiG is downed by Colonel George J. Ola, 4th FighterInterceptor Group. The U.S. sustains no losses. Also, Captain Paul W. Bryce, Jr. (4th FighterInterceptor Group) finds two MiGs on either side of his F-86 just as he is departing the area near Chongju at about 1500. Bryce begins to climb, moving directly toward the enemy planes, and passes the one of the MiGs so closely that his Sabre jet begins to vibrate violently, but as he passes, the MiG sustains greater shock and the plane breaks up. Bryce had not fired his machine guns. The enemy pilot is observed ejecting from his plane before it crashes. Captain George W. Dunn of the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, spots a trio of three MiGs taking two other Sabres under attack near Sonchon. Dunn drives into the MiGs, lets go with a long burst of machine gun fire and General Matthew Ridgway (commander-in-chief, U.N.), on left, confers with strikes one of the enemy Major General Claude B. Ferenbaugh, commander 7th Infantry Division on 2 planes in the wing and October. fuselage. The enemy pilot

795 attempts to evade Dunn, but to no avail. Dunn stays on his tail and again opens fire. The burst pounds the cockpit and afterward, the MiG still remains in flight, momentarily. The plane begins to climb, but soon after, it rolls to the left, then spins uncontrollably and crashes. On this same day, Dunn, still leading his flight, encounters another band at a point about 15 miles southeast of the Sui Ho Reservoir. He engages a damaged MiG and downs it to receive one-half of a victory, sharing it with his wingman, who damaged the plane and then passed it without being able to finish it off.

October 3

In the I Corps sector, Operation COMcommences. Major General (later Lieutenant General) John W. O’Donnell, in command of I Corps since relieving General Milburn, directs the operation, which is intended to fortify the defensive line and secure the Jamestown Line. In addition, the operation is designed to improve the rail lines from Seoul to Ch’orwon and Kumwa. The operation is completed successfully by 15 October. In Air Force activity, a flight of F-80s attached to the 8th Bomber wing are intercepted by a band of MiGs while on a mission. The pilots report a probable three MiGs downed against no U.S. losses. In Naval activity, Operation RETRIBUTION commences. The HMS Black Swan (PF) moves up the Han River to draw fire, while 11 planes of TE 95 lurk nearby. Once the enemy exposes its positions, the planes swoop down and plaster the positions, inflicting damage to the defenses and casualties to the Communists troops. MANDO

October 4 In the X Corps sector, the 2nd Division is engaged in fierce fighting in the area west of the Punch Bowl. October 5 In Naval activity, the USS Firecrest (AMS 10), while operating off Hungnam, receives fire from shore batteries. No casualties are sustained, but the vessel has some slight damage. In related activity, Task Element 77.14, composed of the USS New Jersey (BB 62), USS Helena (CA 75), USS Small (DD 838) and the USS Hanson (DD 832), bombard enemy positions in the Hamhung–Hungnam area. The mission is the first naval bombardment of the area since X Corps troops abandoned it in December. In Air Force activity, a four-plane contingent of F-86s, 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th FighterInterceptor Group, led by Major Richard D. Creighton, encounter a band of three MiG-15s near Taech’on. Creighton downs on plane. The MiG crashes but the pilot ejects. October 6 In Air Force activity, a four-plane patrol of F-86s, attached to the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (4th Fighter-Interceptor Group) come under attack in the vicinity of Sinanju by a large force of MiG-15s. Lieutenant Arthur L. O’Connor moves against the six enemy planes that are firing at two Sabre jets below his plane. He leads his element into the middle of the fight to disrupt the MiG air attack and he then moves against the MiGs that are attacking a con-

October 11, 1951 tingent of B-26 bombers who arrive on target. During the tenacious fight, O’Connor’s wingman’s aircraft gets hit and he attempts to pull back, with MiGs on his tail. O’Connor disengages his dog fight and heads to protect his wingman. Once again O’Connor is able to disrupt the enemy. Several of the MiGs are damaged, but none are downed. O’Connor and his wingman make it safely back to their base. In Naval activity, a contingent of friendly guerrillas operating on the west coast of Korea near Pungchon withdraws under some protective fire from a British warship, the HMS Amethyst.

October 7 In Naval activity, Rear Admiral J.J. Clark, commanding officer Carrier Division 5, replaces Rear Admiral John Perry (commander Carrier Division 1) as commander, Fast Carrier Task Force 77. The USS Ernest G. Small (DD 838) sustains heavy damage after striking a mine off Hungnam. Nine crewmen are killed and 18 others are wounded. October 8

In Air Force activity, in one encounter with MiGs, a Sabre jet knocks one down. No losses are sustained by the U.S. unit. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral C.F. Espe, USN, replaces Rear Admiral T.B. Hill as commander, Amphibious Group 1 and Amphibious Task Force 90.

October 9

Sergeant Tony Burris, 38th Regiment, 2nd Division, is killed during action against the enemy. Burris is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. (See also, September 13–October 15 1951 BATTLE OF HEARTBREAK RIDGE.)

October 10

After delaying since late August, the Communists respond to General Ridgway’s requests to resume the peace talks. Since the talks had stalled, the U.S.-U.N. forces had succeeded in gaining much of the high ground along the front. The new positions seem to convince the Chinese that the ground will not be retaken and it probably would help to end the stalled talks. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces acknowledges an ancient Chinese anniversary, the overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty in 1911. The planes drop leaflets for the benefit of the Communist troops and they broadcast over the radios. In Naval activity, Task Group 95.9 commences an air and surface attack against Kojo Island. Also, the USS Small (DD 838), en route from Hungnam to Sasebo, Japan, strikes a mine and sustains severe damage (loses its bow); however, the crew is able to keep the ship afloat with the remainder kept water-tight.

October 11 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation BUMBLEBEE commences. At 1000, as part of the operation in which the 7th Marines at Won-tong-ni participate, the 3rd Battalion is lifted by helicopter and transported to the division’s center along the front. The operation involves 156 flights by 12 helicopters. The distance from Field X-77 to the front lines is about 17 miles and the duration of time is

October 12, 1951 about 10 to 12 minutes, with the helicopters landing at one-minute intervals and spending an average of seventeen seconds unloading the troops. The helicopters are beginning to play a much larger part in the war in Korea. In just under six hours, 959 fully equipped men and equipment are transported. The total amount of weight transported during the operation amounts to 229,920 pounds. In conjunction, the remainder of the 7th Marines (1st and 2nd Battalions) move by overland routes to the front to complete relief of the 5th Marines. In Naval activity, Kojo again comes under attack by Task Group 95.9. Also, the USS Renshaw (DDE 499), while operating off Songjin, comes under fire from enemy shore guns. The vessel sustains some minor damage and one crewman sustains a slight wound. The enemy fire was unexpected, as the area had been quiet for a few months.

October 12 By this date, the new line, Jamestown, is secure. An offensive to establish the line had commenced during the previous month by five divisions, the 1st Cavalry (IX Corps), 3rd, Infantry (I Corps), 25th Infantry (I Corps) and the ROK 1st Division (X Corps) along with the 1st British Commonwealth. The offensive advanced to extend the line three to four miles from the vicinity of Kaesong to Ch’orwon. Also, friendly guerrillas operating from the island of Sinmi-do on the west coast of Korea abandon the island after Communist pressure makes their positions untenable. In Air Force activity, during continuing operations to damage and destroy airfields in North Korea, one MiG is destroyed, with no U.S. losses. October 13

Typhoon Ruth arrives and inflicts much destruction in the Japan-Formosa-Korea region and its force hinders naval and air operations for several days. In the IX Corps sector, Operation NOMAD and POLAR commences. It is designed to secure phase lines, later designated the Missouri Line. The operation is carried out with the 24th U.S. Division, supported by ROK forces. It is completed by 22 October. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, from 1 October to this date, 87 North Korean troops surrender to the 1st Marine Division. (See also, September 13–October 15 1951 THE BATTLE OF HEARTBREAK RIDGE.)

October 14 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines maintain only patrols through October 31; however, while the infantry penetrates further into enemy territory, other patrols include tanks and when necessary, all units receive artillery support and air cover. October 15

The U.S. 2nd Division seizes Heartbreak Ridge (See also, September 13–October 15 1951 THE BATTLE OF HEARTBREAK RIDGE). In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, ur-

796 gent calls for help arrive for a beleaguered ROK unit that had become surrounded while operating in the IX Corps sector. The ROKs had sustained casualties and had expended most of their ammunition. Marine helicopters are dispatched (Operation WEDGE) to assist the isolated contingent. Six helicopters (HRS-1) arrive with 19,000 pounds of ammunition and evacuate 24 wounded troops.

October 16 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, advances against North Korean fortifications in the high ground near Changhang. The Communists raise fierce resistance and pound the attacking force with artillery, mortars and machine gun fire, but to no avail. The objective is breached just prior to 1540. By 1700, all resistance is eliminated. The Marines withdraw after determining that the area is untenable due to booby traps and mines. They sustain three killed and 18 wounded. The Communists sustain 35 killed (counted). In Air Force activity, a contingent of 16 Sabre jets commanded by Major Richard D. Creighton, 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, while escorting fighter bombers on a mission near Sinuiju, prepares to leave the area and return to base due to being low on fuel. Just as the formation prepares to turn, Major Creighton spots a huge force of MiG-15s that number about 100 and are closing against the fighter bombers. Creighton’s Sabres, at a higher elevation, abort their departure and dive to tackle the 100 MiGs. While the MiGs focus on the Sabres, the fighter bombers complete their mission. In the meantime, the skies become consumed with the opposing planes. The clashes spread south for about 100 miles reaching down toward Pyongyang. During the encounter, four MiGs are downed and three others are damaged. During the same aerial donnybrook, four of the planes under Major Franklin L. Fisher drive into an eight-plane formation. He downs one of the MiGs and just as he is running out of ammunition, MiGs close on him, but he is able to take evasive action and then he downs a second MiG. Aware that the fighter bombers have completed their task and that the Sabres are nearly running on fumes, Creighton orders his command to disengage. No U.S. losses occur. An Air Force publication noted that a total of nine MiGs are destroyed on this day, but still there are no U.S. losses. Also, Colonel Benjamin S. Preston, Jr., 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, closes on two MiGs and damages one, then as it begins to dive, Preston again scores and downs the MiG about 7 miles east of Sinuiju. In other activity, B-29s execute thirty-one day and night sorties on the 16th-17th. The Superfortresses concentrate on rail bridges and marshaling yards, but the airfield at Samchang is also hit. In yet other activity, a flight of four F-86 Sabres attached to the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, encounters and engages a group of eight MiGs in the vicinity of P’anp Yong

797 Dong. Lieutenant Orren H. Ohlinger heads right into the enemy formation, takes the second in line and opens fire. The MiG slows from the hits, permitting Ohlinger to pour more fire and finish it off. Also, a flight of four Sabre jets, attached to the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, encounters and engages a band of two MiGs in the vicinity of Sinanju. Lieutenant John J. Burke and his element leader attack the pair. Burke scores a hit on his target and it is shot from the sky. Also, Lieutenant Merlyn E. Hroch, attached to the 334th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, while on patrol with three other Sabre jets, spots a MiG that attacks two other F-86s. Hroch moves against the MiG and opens fire. It sustains damage, but the enemy pilot evades destruction by heading into the sun. Nevertheless, Hroch’s wingman takes over and blasts the aircraft from the sky. It plummets to the earth about 10 miles from Pyongyang.

October 17 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment attacks separate Communist strongpoints in the area northwest of Hill 751 and south of Hill 1052. The contingent, bolstered by tanks and artillery, eliminates twenty-five fortified bunkers. During the operation, 15 enemy troops are killed (counted) and three others are captured. In Naval activity, the USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747), while operating off Hungnam, is hit by enemy shore gun fire. The vessel sustains damage to the steering engine room and casualties are inflicted. One man is killed and two others are wounded. October 19 In Air Force activity, C-54s evacuate sick and wounded from Korea. The troops are transported to Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, from where they are then moved aboard C-54s to a new 1,000 bed medical facility opened this day by the U.S. Army at Camp Drew, north of the airbase. October 21–30 1951 More than 100 MiGs are spotted each day in the skies over North Korea, the first time the Communists have initiated sorties there. During this period, the engagements between the Air Force and the Communists cost the loss of three F-86 Sabre jets. The Communists lose five MiGs. October 21

In the IX Corps sector, elements of the 24th Division seize the high ground in the area just south of Kumson.

October 22

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines execute Operation BUSHBEATER to clear the enemy from the east flank of the division. A contingent of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, is airlifted by helicopters (HMR-161) to the target zone. The troops drive westwardly toward the Soyang-gang River in coordination with a simultaneous operation by the Marine Reconnaissance Company, which is closing from the opposite direction. Other similar opera-

October 23, 1951 tions are executed during October. One code-named HOUSEBURNER is carried out literally, as the Marines attempt to destroy as many huts as possible to ensure that the enemy is not able to use them during the frigid Korean winter. In Air Force activity, in response to word of a B-29 being shot down, two SA-16s, attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, speed to the scene and retrieve the entire 12-man crew of the downed aircraft. The rescue marks a record. It is the highest number of men retrieved on any single day of the war. Also, another B-29, piloted by Captain Lyle B. Bordeaux (30th Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group) takes extremely heavy fire while on a bombing mission over the airfield at Taech’on. The plane’s controls begin to fail, but Bordeaux keeps her in the air. Enemy fighters also arrive and the machine gun fire wounds several crew members. Bordeaux, aware of the dire circumstances, maintains his composure and although the craft continues to lose altitude, he refuses to land in enemy territory or abandon the wounded. He makes it back to the vicinity of Seoul and continues to circle a small island until all of the crew bails out. As the last man out, Bordeaux jumps from an elevation of about 1,000 feet.

October 23

The USS Helena (CA 75) is hit by enemy shore gunfire while operating off Hungnam. The vessel sustains some damage and four crewmen sustain slight injuries. In Air Force activity, the 30th Bomber Wing strikes Namsi Airfield and ignites a furious and costly air battle. FEAF launches nine B-29s to strike Namsi Airfield, located between MiG Alley and Pyongyang. One of the bombers is forced to return to base. The mission is protected by a force of 55 F-84s attached to the 49th and 136th Fighter Bomber Wings. In addition, F-86 Sabre jets fly overhead at a higher elevation to intercept any MiGs that might arrive. MiGs encounter and engage the Sabres, preventing the Sabres from protecting the B-29s. As the F-86s fight off the MiGs, numbered at about 100, and down two, other MiGs strike the B-29s and F-84s. The bombing force is hit by a contingent of about fifty MiGs and it is not certain whether they are a part of the force that engages the Sabres or a totally separate band. Nonetheless, the MiGs are an overmatch for the ThunderJets and their straight wings. The Communists score heavily upon the force. Without the Sabres there, the MiGs easily penetrate the protective formation and succeed in shooting down three of the B-29s. Of the remaining five bombers, three receive such tremendous damage that they make emergency landings in either Korea or Japan. One of the seriously damaged bombers is piloted by Lieutenant William E. Reeter (372nd Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bombardment Wing). Reeter and seven of his crew are badly wounded, but he retains command and decides not to bail out due to the wounded on board. His action saves the crew from

October 24, 1951 capture or worse. The plane remains in formation to receive further protection en route back to a base. During the encounter, three separate fires erupt aboard the aircraft, but all are extinguished. The plane successfully makes an emergency landing in Korea. Also, Colonel Albert C. Prendergast, commander, 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing, flying a Republic F-84E in the mission, expends all of his fuel and is forced to bail out, but he dies in the failed attempt. The B-29 gunners claim the downing of three MiGs and the F84E pilots also claim three. One F-84 is also shot down during the air battles. The engagement is referred to as the Battle of Namsi. General Vandenberg, aware of the disaster and the slaughter of the B-29s, rethinks his position about not sending more Sabres. It becomes evident that if more Sabres don’t arrive, the outnumbered Americans will soon run out of B-29s and their crews. Consequently, Vandenberg orders the dispatch of 75 F-86 Sabre jets to Korea. Air Defense Command gets the directive to fill the slots at once. The new arrivals will be F-86Es, a newer version, and Vandergrift also orders a crew and crew chief for each plane. The planes will be deployed primarily with the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing, but some move to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. Experienced airmen of the 4th Wing move to the 51st to help them with the transition to the Sabre jets. One of the veterans is Colonel Francis S. Gabreski. He assumes command of the 51st Wing. Far East Air Forces, with their new additions, will have a complement of 165 Sabres. Nevertheless, not all of the planes will be available for combat. In addition, the pleas of General Otto P. Weyland have finally doubled his force, but the odds remain great. The Communists have more than 550 MiGs that can attack and then run across the Yalu River, which the Sabres are forbidden to cross.

October 24 In Air Force activity, the Far East Air Forces campaign to bomb North Korean airfields continues. On this day, an 8-plane contingent attacks the field at Sunch’on and during the mission a force of about 70 MiGs intercepts the formations. The Americans shoot down two MiGs, one by gunners on the B29s and another by Colonel Harrison R. Thyng, attached to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. However, the Communists down another of the B-29s. The loss prompts General Weyland, commanding officer, Far East Air Forces, to suspend B-29 attacks for two days. Afterward, the daylight raids are reinitiated. October 25 The peace talks that had been aborted by the Communists on 23 August 1951 are renewed this day. The location is changed from Kaesong to Panmunjom, a small village slightly north of the 38th Parallel. The talks are held in tents because the village has no houses. In Air Force activity, F-51 Mustangs execute a large amount of sorties against enemy forces in the I Corps sector and report that the strikes account for about 200 enemy casualties. In other activity, while on a rescue mission to re-

798 trieve a downed pilot in enemy territory, an H-5 helicopter is hit by enemy fire and forced to make an emergency landing. The men evade capture by making it to concealed positions, where they remain unscathed until the following day. On the 26th, two additional helicopters arrive at the scene and rescue all four men. In Naval activity, Marine planes attached to VMF312 attack targets, including rails and locomotives near Myong-dong. A band of eight MiGs attack the Corsairs, but the enemy pilots’ poor marksmanship fails to do the Marines’ F4U4Bs any harm. Afterward, the pilots spot another group of MiGs, numbering 16, but again are spared damage.

October 26

U.N and Communist representatives at Panmunjom concur on a line of demarcation (spelled out on the 23rd) and sign an agreement by initialing maps that designate the respective positions, which essentially is listed as “a line linking up the farthest points of repeated contacts up to 2,000 yards forward of the United Nations MLR” (Main Line of Resistance, front lines). General Van Fleet, Eighth Army commander, pursuant to the cease fire, directs his corps to maintain “aggressive defensive actions until a full armistice is concluded.” The line of demarcation is to remain in effect for thirty days; however, Van fleet insists that if a full ceasefire is not in place by 27 November, the agreed upon line would become subject to modification in conjunction with positions at that time.

October 27 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines dispatch a reconnaissance contingent to estimate the strength and positions of an enemy force detected north of the 1st Battalion’s lines. The intelligence gathering continues for three days and on the following day, an attack is launched to eliminate the problem. Also, the 1st Marine Division initiates use of an airfield at Sokchori, located in the ROK I Corps sector. In Air Force activity, B-29s, on a final daylight raid of the medium bombers, knock out six MiG-15s, a high mark for a single day for the gunners. The Superfortresses are protected by F-84s and RAAF Meteors during the raid against Sinanju, but all the planes are downed by the B-29s. Three other MiGs are damaged. Up until the last week in October, only six B-29s had been lost, but during this one week, five have been destroyed and another eight sustain heavy damage. The losses force FEAF to halt daylight attacks by B-29s. The daylight attacks by the Superfortresses will not resume until 19 September 1952. In other activity, during the day’s missions, the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, attacks the rails at Kuni-ri and subsequently, the formation moves against a troop center at Youndong. One of the men in Captain Richard D. Anderson’s command is shot down by antiaircraft fire. Anderson remains overhead to protect the other pilot and while doing so, enemy fire also hits his plane. Nevertheless, he remains in the area. Meanwhile, an H-5

799 helicopter from the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, escorted by fighters, arrives and rescues the pilot.

October 28 In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, enemy fire stalls Company G, 3rd Battalion, in the vicinity of Chong-dong. Lieutenant Lloyd Burke moves on his own to end the blockage. He drives against several bunkers and throws grenades into each of them. Following that action, Burke returns to get a rifle, then heads back and eliminates the defenders in a second bunker and moves again toward a third. The contingent that had been stalled bolts up and advances, but soon after, yet another bunker stalls progress. Burke sets out one more time and on this trek he brings a light machine gun and several boxes of ammunition. His gun eliminates about 75 more enemy troops before he expends all the ammunition. However, he sends for more ammo and reinitiates the one-man wrecking crew’s advance. By this time he is wounded, but not enough to halt his attack. He carries the light machine guns in his arms as he drives forward. A machine gun position and two mortar positions fall victim to his marksmanship, as well as about 35 additional enemy troops, bringing the count to more than 100 killed. The men in the command, about 35, are stunned by Burke’s fearlessness. They are inspired to drive forward and continue the attack. Lieutenant Burke becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and leadership in the face of the enemy. In Air Force activity, a patrol of the 336th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, encounters MiGs in the vicinity of Taech’on. During the engagement, one MiG is downed by First Lieutenant Robert H. Moore. October 29 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the USS New Jersey and the USS Toledo support the actions during the last two weeks of October. By the end of the month, the New Jersey executes 11 missions and the Toledo participates in 41 missions. On this day, the USS Toledo receives a message from General Gerald Thomas: “Your accurate and effective fire during period 24–29 October made an important contribution to operations of this division. Many thanks and come again.” In Naval activity, the USS Osprey (AMS 28) is hit and damaged by enemy shore batteries at Wonsan. No fatalities occur, but one crewman is badly wounded. October 30 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, dispatches Company C, led by Captain John R. McMahon, to eliminate enemy positions on a ridge to its front. The contingent sweeps along the ridge destroying bunkers as it advances. The North Koreans manage to threaten the attack by pouring mortar and small arms fire; however, the Marines quickly find protective cover and pull back under the support fire of artillery fire, air strikes and heavy machine gun fire. The operation costs the company one man wounded. The Marines destroy

November 1, 1951 about 40 enemy bunkers. The North Koreans lose 65 killed (counted). In Naval activity, the British destroyer HMCS Cayuga, operating off the west coast of Korea, comes under fire from enemy shore guns on Amgak Island and sustains some slight damage.

October 31 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, pursuant to orders from General Thomas, uses Communist tactics against the enemy. They initiate an artillery attack to signal a night assault; however, as the guns silence, the Marines use a North Korean bugle signal to trip up the Communists. The bunkers empty as the North Koreans answer the call to man the open trenches to prepare to defend. Instead of Marine infantry, the Communists are greeted by mortar and artillery fire. Estimated casualties amount to 47 killed and 48 wounded. In other activity, the 1st Marine Division, for the month of October, reports 50 killed, 2 missing and 2 missing in action. The figures include the Korean Marines. Enemy casualties are reported as 709 killed (counted) and an estimated count of 2,377 killed. The number of enemy wounded is estimated at 4,927. The Marines also capture 571. In Air Force activity, subsequent to a successful experiment with the C-124A during the latter part of September (Operation PELICAN), the plane returns to the United States. The plane’s performance convinces the leaders of the 315th Air Division that it would require the services of a squadron of the C-124A Globemasters in Korea. In other activity, the Air Defense Section of the Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2 relocates to Pohang and is placed under the control of Marine Ground Control Interceptor Squadron 1. The squadron continues to operate as the Tactical Air Direction Section. November 1951–May 1952

The Chinese, unlike the U.S., do not rotate individual pilots in a fashion such as a particular number of missions. Rather, like the Russians, they rotate entire units. Between November of this year and May of 1952, the Chinese rotated 17 MiG-15 regiments and one La-11 regiment. The practice gives, in this instance, combat experience to about 450 pilots, but it also at times places inexperienced pilots up against the American Sabre pilots. In the air duels that do occur, with few exceptions, the Americans prevail, against both the Chinese and the Soviets.

November 1

At this time, about 208,000 enemy troops face Eighth Army, but in reserve, the enemy has nine Chinese armies totaling about 235,000 troops and with four North Korean Corps in reserve, the force is strengthened by another 138,000. The U.N. forces, composed primarily of U.S. troops, number about 195,000; however, many of these are support troops. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines continue to remain active along their front,

November 2, 1951 the eastern portion of the X Corps zone, but activity is restrained to patrols. Nevertheless, the Marines are aware that enemy units — including the 1st, 15th and 19th N.K. Divisions — remain to their front. Throughout November, the Marines maintain responsibility for the eastern sector of X Corps zone in eastcentral Korea. In Air Force activity, Colonel Harrison R. Thyng assumes command of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing.

800

November 2

In Air Force activity, Lieutenant Colonel George L. Jones (334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group) and one other pilot, while on a mission near Sonch’on, spot two MiGs. Jones fires at one and damages it, but before he can finish the plane off, he expends his ammunition. With smoke blowing from its wing the MiG begins to dive, and Jones’ wingman, Lieutenant Richard A. Pincoski, takes aim and finishes it. Both pilots share the kill.

A victory ship unloading cargo unto a DUKW at Inchon on 3 November. The DUKW will carry its cargo directly to waiting rail cars.

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November 6, 1951

Other types of cargo also arrive in Korea, including this net full of turkeys for the upcoming traditional dinner on Thanksgiving Day. — In the United States: The Defense Department calls for a January draft of 59,600 men.

November 3 An SA-16, flying to retrieve a downed pilot, comes under intense fire and its mission is aborted. The helicopter, attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, moves to the Korea Bay and defies the 6 to 8 foot waves to land and retrieve another downed pilot without harm. November 4 In the I Corps sector, the 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers (British Commonwealth Division), holding positions on Hill 355 subsequent to its seizure during the previous month, comes under a surprise night attack by the Chinese. The positions first come under a bombardment that lasts about three hours and it is followed by an attack signaled by the whistles and bugles that direct the Chinese foot soldiers to charge toward the perimeter with total disregard to the barbed wire. The British are forced to surrender some ground when elements of Company B are overwhelmed, but later, during the early morning hours of the 5th, the positions are regained and the Chinese are driven back. By dawn, the British control the hill; however, in yet another of the fights on a hill with no lasting value, the British lose 7 killed, 87 wounded and slightly more than 40 missing.

In Air Force activity, a large group of MiGs, composed of about 60 planes, attacks a formation of 34 F86s in the skies near Sinanju. Following the air duels, two of the MiGs are downed and three others are damaged. The U.S. reports no losses. Captain William F. Guss, USMC, attached to the USAF 4th Fighter Squadron, knocks down one MiG to become the first Marine pilot to down a Chinese MiG. In Naval activity, an F9F-2 plane crashes through the barricades on the USS Antietam (CV 36), causing damage and injuries to the crew. Four men are killed and ten others are injured, one severely. In addition, two planes are destroyed and six others sustain varying degrees of damage.

November 5

In the United States: Lt. General Lemuel Shepherd (commander Fleet Marine Force, Pacific) is appointed on this day as commandant of the Marine Corps, scheduled to succeed General Clifton B. Cates. Shepherd assumes the position on 1 January 1952. General Cates does not retire upon the end of his term as commandant. He is appointed as commanding officer, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.

November 6 Chinese Communists flying jet fighter planes and Soviet medium bombers strike the island of Taehwa-do in the Yalu Gulf. It is the initial confirmation of Chinese pilots flying Soviet bombers (TU-2s).

November 7, 1951 In Air Force activity, a contingent of eleven enemy twin-engine light bombers strike friendly-held Taehwado Island in what is the first confirmed air-to-ground action by an enemy light bomber contingent since the outbreak of the war. The Communists mount a night amphibious raid and seize the islands of Ka-do and Tan-do on the west coast of Korea.

November 7–8 1951

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the artillery of the 11th Marines is especially busy as they fire in coordination with the 90-mm rifles of the 1st Marine Tank Battalion in an effort to destroy enemy fortified positions. The two-day continuous bombardment pounds 34 known artillery positions and 25 bunkers. The attack also concentrates on 22 machine gun positions and several supply dumps. The two U.S. units aggressively pound the enemy positions throughout the month, but the Communists have actually been able to augment their fortified positions to make them less accessible to the artillery attacks.

November 8

A group of F-86s and F-80s spots a large formation of MiGs that numbers more than 100 planes; however, only a small number choose to take on the outnumbered American planes. The U.S. loses one F-86. The enemy loses one MiG and one other is damaged. Also, Marine Squadron VMF-214 departs Itami aboard the USS Lenawee (PA-195) at Kobe, Japan.

November 9 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, preparations are made to celebrate the birthday of the Marine Corps, which falls on the following day. Orders (OP-nO 50–51) arrive instructing the division to arrange for a massive bombardment of a particular position from where the enemy is able to observe Marine lines. In Air Force activity, eleven stranded crewmen of a downed B-29 are rescued by a C-47 that lands on the beach on Paengnyong-do Island located off the southwest coast of North Korea. The 19th BG attacks marshaling yards at Hwang-ju, Kowon, and Yangdok; the Saamcham Airfield; and a barracks area. In other night attacks, 98th BW B-29s bomb Taech’on Airfield, fly five close support sorties and a leaflet sortie, and strike Hungnam. In Naval activity, U.S. warships engaged in minesweeping operations at Wonsan Harbor west of Modo and Sin-do Islands come under fire from enemy shore batteries before the mission is completed. November 10 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, enemy positions on Hill 1052 are greeted by a thunderous bombardment in celebration of the Marine Corps’ Birthday, which is on this day. Eightythree Marine planes in coordination with the 11th Marines’ artillery and the division’s tanks, mortars and machine guns light up Hill 1952 like a Christmas tree. The USS Los Angeles joins in the celebration and adds its big guns. The Marines, in the spirit of the day, de-

802 liver 50,000 leaflets to the hill, each extending an invitation for the enemy to join the Marines for their birthday dinner that evening. Twenty North Koreans surrender; however, it is uncertain whether the unusual invitations had anything to do with it.

November 11 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, along the Minnesota Line, the 5th Marines relieves the 1st Marines. This operation becomes the largest helicopter lift (Operation SWITCH) of troops since the inclusion of helicopters in the Marine operations. About 2,000 troops are moved by helicopters, which deliver 950 troops to Hill 884; another 952 Marines are transported from the hill to Field X83. The entire operation is completed in about ten hours, another tactical historic first for the U.S. Marines. Hill 884 soon becomes known as “Helicopter Hill.” In Naval activity, the USS Gloucester (PF 22) comes under fire while operating off Hungnam. One man is killed and 11 others are wounded. November 12 General Ridgway instructs General Van Fleet to halt all Eighth Army offensive action, except those required to bolster the main line of defense (Operation RATKILLER). In addition, Eighth Army is to establish outposts at positions 3,000 to 4,000 yards to the front of the MLR. The 155-mile line extends from the Yellow Sea in the west to the Sea of Japan in the east. The I Corps, commanded by Lt. General John W. O’Daniel, holds the left, followed by IX Corps (Major General Willard G. Wyman) and to the right, the X Corps (Major General Clovis E. Byers), followed by the ROK I Corps. The activity across the entire front during November and December of this year remains relatively light. In the I Corps sector, the South Korean 1st Division mounts continual probes with tank-infantry forces, but no major battles develop. The raids continue until 16 December. In Naval activity, the USS New Jersey (BB 62), operating on the west coast of Korea, commences its final bombardment of enemy troop positions. The gunners receive guidance from an air spotter attached to the HMS Sydney (CVL). Also, the USS Los Angeles (CA 135), operating on the east coast of Korea, provides fire support to the Marines and the ROK I Corps, each engaged at the front. The U.S. Navy estimates enemy casualties at about 105 to 140; its reports state that 27 bunkers are destroyed and an undeterminable number of other bunkers are damaged. In yet other activity, Rear Admiral H.E. Regan assumes command of Carrier Division 17 (Hunter Killer Group). He relieves Captain J.L. Kane. — In Japan: Marine Fighter Squadron VMF 214 departs Japan en route to the U.S. and its base at El Toro (Marine Corps Air Station), California.

3 The Korean War

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The Korean War An Exhaustive Chronolog y BUD HANNINGS Foreword by General P. X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.), 28th Commandant

Volume 3 (November 13, 1951–September 6, 1953; Appendices; Bibliography; Index)

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London

Volume 3 LIBRARY

OF

CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Hannings, Bud. The Korean war : an exhaustive chronology / Bud Hannings ; foreword by General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.). p. cm. Includes index. 3 volume set— ISBN-13: 978-0-7864-2814-4 illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper 1. Korean War, 1950–1953 — Chronology. 2. Korean War, 1950–1953. 3. Korean War, 1950–1953 — United States — Chronology. 4. United Nations — Armed Forces — Korea — Chronology. I. Title. DS918.H336 2007 951.904'20202 — dc22 2007010570 British Library cataloguing data are available ©2007 Bud Hannings. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. On the cover: Situation Map of Korea November 25, 1950; Elements of Eighth Army retire from Sunch’on and move south towards P’yongyang, December 2, 1950 Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com

Contents • Volume 1 • Foreword, by General P. X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.) Preface

1

3

Prologue: The Prelude to War

7

Acronyms and Abbreviations

15

Chronology: January 5, 1950– September 22, 1950 23

• Volume 2 • Chronology: September 23, 1950– November 12, 1951 403

• Volume 3 • Chronology: November 13, 1951– September 6, 1953 803 Appendices 1. Eighth Army, Order of Battle 2. Major Combat Events

975

981

3. United Nations Command, Senior Military Commanders 4. U.S. Air Force Commanders

985

5. Medal of Honor Recipients

988

6. Major U.S. Air Force Units

994

v

983

Contents

vi 7. U.S. Marine Units

997

8. U.S. Naval Vessels

999

9. U.S. Naval Air Units

1002

10. Carrier-Based and Non–Carrier-Based Squadrons 11. U.S. Naval Vessels Sunk or Damaged in Action 12. Numbers of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Wounded 13. U.S. Aces of the Korean War 14. U.S. Army Command Strength 15. U.S. Army Battle Casualties 16. Foreign Nation Forces Bibliography

1021

General Index

1025

Military Units Index

1016

1018

1069

1009

1013

1014 1017

1003

803

November 13, 1951

The USS New Jersey bombards the western coast of North Korea with its full complement of nine 16inch guns. The gunners receive guidance from an air spotter.

November 13

The USS Toledo (CA-133) initiates Operation COUNTER-PUNCH, a mission designed to destroy enemy gun positions on Kojo Island to eliminate batteries that have been causing problems for the fleet. The mission reports indicate several direct hits on the targets.

November 15 In the IX Corps sector, 24th Division zone, a contingent of Company K, 21st Regiment, launches a night attack against a fortified enemy position in the vicinity of Kumsong. Enemy fire however, becomes intense and the attack is halted. Orders arrive for the contingent (3rd Platoon) to withdraw. The unit withdraws under heavy fire and PFC Mack A. Jordan volunteers to remain behind to afford cover fire. Jordan advances against an enemy machine gun and destroys it with three hand grenades, giving the withdrawal some breathing room. Afterward, Jordan begins to charge another nest, but a burst of fire severs both of his legs. Despite the horrific wounds, Jordan remains at his gun and continues to fire until the platoon arrives back at his position. PFC Jordan is awarded the Medal

of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism in the face of the enemy. The 24th Division returned to Japan during February 1952 and reverted to Far East reserve. During its duty in Korea, which began just after the Communist invasion of South Korea ( June 1950), it participated in seven campaigns. The division returned to Korea during July 1953 to help restore order in the POW camps.

November 16 The enemy rails in the territory that stretch from Sinanju to Sukch’on come under heavy attacks by planes of Fifth Air Force. The strikes cut the rails there and between Kunu and Sunch’on in more than 100 separate places. While on the mission, the aircraft also strike various selected targets including fuel depots, bridges, other structures and gun emplacements. November 18 In Air Force activity, a formation of F-86s (4th Fighter Interceptor Wing) attacks the airfield at Uiju. Two of the four Sabre jets remain above, while the other two, piloted by Captain Kenneth

November 18, 1951

804

Top: A pontoon bridge across the Pukham River, erected by the 378th Engineer Battalion in the IX Corps sector (ROK 6th Division zone). Bottom: A Patton tank moves along the MSR in the I Corps sector on 17 November. D. Chandler and 1st Lieutenant Dayton W. Ragland, come in low just above the 12 parked planes and rake the field with 50-caliber fire. Four of the parked MiGs are destroyed and the remainder on the ground are damaged, all on one pass.

In other activity, a group of three F-84 fighter bombers is intercepted by MiGs. The F-84s jettison their bombs, abort the scheduled mission and evade losses by heading back to their base. The planes escape unharmed. In other activity, while taking off from its base en

805 route to Korea, a B-29 has an accident. The bomber, holding a full load of bombs and a full supply of fuel, experiences a malfunction on the runway prior to being airborne. The plane loses all of its power; attempts to bring it to a halt fail. The aircraft crashes and catches fire. Sergeant Plumley, one of the crewmen who had escaped from the inferno, glances and discovers the radar operator helplessly in shock under the tail section. With total disregard for his own safety, Plumley heads back and retrieves the man, then gets him to safety.

November 24, 1951 Also, the U.S. Navy initiates a relief operation. The USS Helena (CA-75) is relieved by the USS St. Paul (CA-73). The USS Toledo (CA-133) is relieved by the USS Rochester (CA-124) and the USS New Jersey (BB62) is relieved by the USS Wisconsin (BB-64).

November 21 In the IX Corps sector, 1st Cavalry Division zone, the Chinese attack the positions of Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, at its positions near Sokkogae. A platoon under Lieutenant James L. Stone is hit especially hard, but Stone retains his discipline and is able to control the situation against the superior numbered force. A flame-thrower, expected to support the platoon, malfunctions, and still Stone remains confident. He repairs the flame thrower in time to put it in the fight. All the while, the platoon is being overwhelmed by the unending enemy forces. Stone is again wounded, but he continues to resist and lead his diminishing platoon until he actually falls into unconsciousness as the position is being overrun. Lieutenant Stone is awarded the Medal of Honor for his intrepid heroism and courage in the face of an overwhelming enemy force. In Naval activity, the cruiser USS Los Angeles (CA 135) and the destroyer USS Hamner (DD 718), upon the request of TF Kirkland, initiate a bombardment of the area around Kojo in support of the ROK I Corps.

November 23 In the I Corps sector, 3rd Division zone, the Communists launch a strong attack against the perimeter of the 7th Regiment. Company F receives the brunt of the assault. A direct hit followed by another destroys a bunker in which PFC Noah O. Knight had been deployed. Knight; however, is able to escape death. Although wounded, he makes it to a better firing position and pours fire into the intruders, but apparently the position is not well suited for focused return fire. He moves to another position and in full view of the enemy, he rings the area with shells and forces a halt in the attack. Soon after, Knight spots another group of troops that had penetrated and he turns his fire on them, eliminating or wounding the entire squad. Shortly thereafter, Knight finds himself without any remaining ammunition and at about the same time, he sees three enemy troops carrying explosives. Knight charges with his rifle butt, leading the way, and knocks two of the trio out of action. Third man detonates the explosives and kills himself, the other two men with him and PFC Knight. PFC Knight is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage in the face of hostile fire. In Naval activity, the USS Hyman (DD 732) is hit by enemy shore battery fire on Kalmagak while it maneuvers to turn and retire. The vessel sustains only slight damage.

November 22

November 24

November 20

Task Group 95.8 bombards Hungnam on this day and the next. The attack includes air strikes.

U.S. rocket ships LSMR 401, 403 and 404, attached to LSR Division 31, initiate offensive action against the vicinity of Wonsan on this day and the next.

U.S. warships support friendly guerrillas that launch a raid against the enemy on Kado Island on the 24–25th. Also, planes attached to the 98th Bomber Wing

A fresh snowstorm and frigid weather do not postpone washday in the 24th Division area on 24 November.

November 27, 1951 strike targets in the vicinity of Tongch’on and hit the airfield there and a marshaling yard. The aircraft also execute five close-air support missions. Another enemy marshaling yard at Hambusong is struck by aircraft attached to the 19th Bomber Group. In addition, the 19th BG’s aircraft also strike a marshaling yard complex at Munchin, the airfield at Namsi and the Hoeyang land bridge.

November 27

At Panmunjom, the opposing negotiators agree on a cease-fire line. In Air Force activity, Major Richard D. Creighton, 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and downs a MiG-15 to become an ace. (See also, October 16, 1951, In Air Force activity.) November 28, 1951–April 30, 1952. SEVENTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: SECOND KOREAN WINTER.

November 28

In Air Force activity, a four-plane contingent of the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, encounters a band of

806 MiGs in the vicinity of Saryuk-Tong during the morning. One MiG is downed by 1st Lieutenant Dayton W. Ragland. The plane crashes in the sea south of the village of Sotogi-do. Also, pilot Winton W. Marshall (335th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group), while leading a patrol detects a pair of MiGs in the vicinity of Sang-dong. Marshall moves against the lead plane and after getting close, he opens fire. He scores damage, but runs out of ammunition before he can finish the task. His wingman replaces him in the chase and downs the MiG-15. Also, Lieutenant Samuel A. Groening (335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group), while engaged against a contingent of MiGs near Sang-dong, gets credit for one-half a kill when his flight leader runs out of ammunition after damaging a MiG. Groening maneuvers to take up the fight and finishes off the MiG. It crashes in flames in the vicinity of Chamha-Ri. In Naval activity, Communists raid the island of Hwangto-do in Wonsan Harbor on this day and the next. The raid is launched from sampans and receives only nominal opposition. Seven Korean Marines are

A self-propelled 155-mm gun illuminates the night sky in the IX Corps area, 25th Division sector, on 26 November. The 25th Division is relieved by the 2nd Division during mid–December.

807 killed and one civilian loses his life. The enemy also seizes five civilians as prisoners. The enemy destroys nearly every structure on the island.

November 29 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, combat controls continue as they have for the entire month of November, with similar results. After dark 11 separate Marine ambush patrols operate in areas between 1,500 and 2,000 yards to the front of the MSR. At dawn on the following day, the combined contact with enemy forces amounts to one Communist killed and one POW seized. The Marines sustain four wounded. In Naval activity, large numbers of MiG-15s are spotted in the Korean skies. More than 300 enemy planes are counted and of those, approximately 265 are engaged in four separate air battles. Also, Rear Admiral John Perry relieves Rear Admiral J.J. Clark and assumes command of Fast Carrier Task Force 77. November 30 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Marine casualties for the month of November amount to 34 killed and 250 wounded (including casualties of the 1st Korean Marine Regiment). Communist losses amount to 408 killed (counted) and 1,728 estimated killed and 2,235 wounded. Also, 104 enemy prisoners are seized. In Air Force activity, a contingent of F-86s attached to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group encounters a group of 44 enemy planes, including TU-2s, LA-9s and MiGs in the vicinity of Taehwa Island. The encounter erupts into a donnybrook in the sky. The U.S. pilots shoot down 12 of the enemy aircraft and damage 3 others. The U.S. reports no losses. Also, Major George A. Davis Jr., pilot and commanding officer of the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, shoots down two of the enemy planes, a Russian-made TU-2 (four-seat twin-engine medium bomber) and a MiG. Major Davis becomes an ace, but not for the first time. During World War II, while piloting a P-47 in the Pacific, Davis had seven victories, which earned him the status of ace. He is the first man to become an ace in both wars. Also, Winton W. Marshall, (335th Squadron), shoots down two enemy planes during the fight and he, too, becomes an ace. Although the Russians classify the TU-2 as a medium bomber, by U.S. standards it is considered a light bomber. The Russians first introduced the TU-2 on 31 January 1941. During the Korean War, the TU-2 is used by the Chinese 8th, 10th and 20th Bomber Divisions, with the 8th and 10th being deployed in Manchuria, from where they are to support the Chinese units in Korea. However, Fifth Air Force planes attack an enemy amphibious force that had attacked and seized Taehwa. The air attacks disrupt the enemy while the friendly troops return from Cho-do and retake the island. The Chinese are unable to provide effective support for the ground troops with the TU-2s in Korea, which compels them to withdraw the two air units (8th and 10th Bomber Divisions) from Manchuria during March 1952.

December 2, 1951 Also, Colonel Benjamin S. Preston Jr. (336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group) during this day’s aerial combat downs an LA9 when his flight encounters and attacks a contingent of enemy bombers escorted by MiG-15s. The enemy plane is shot down in the vicinity of Sedo Island. In other activity, Colonel Seymour M. Levenson assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Group. He succeeds Colonel Ralph H. Saltzman. In Naval activity, a Communist force operating in the Yula Gulf raids the island of Taehwa-do. On the following day, the destroyer HMS Cockade (DD), while evacuating friendly forces, is struck by enemy fire. One crewman is killed.

December 1

While peace talks continue at Panmunjom, Eighth Army continues to work on its defensive lines in preparation for yet another winter on the Korean peninsula; however, patrols are maintained. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, patrols are dispatched on a daily basis along the east-central portion of Korea. During the night hours, the Marines often establish positions known as “duck blinds.” Contact with the enemy is only sporadic and light during these aggressive patrols. In related activity, Communist guerrillas still operate behind the lines. These pesky threats are dealt with by helicopter patrols. In Air Force activity, the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing, commanded by Colonel Harrison R. Thyng (formerly of the 4th FIW) initiates its first combat mission. The planes depart from Suwon, but no MiGs intercept the flight; however, on the following day, the formation does encounter MiGs. One is shot down and the victory for the squadron’s first kill is credited to First Lieutenant Paul E. Roach. Also, Flying Officer Bruce Gogerly (77th Interceptor Fighter Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force), while participating in a combat mission on this date, engages and downs a MiG-15 near Songchon. Gogerly’s machine guns hit the fuselage and the right wing, causing the pilot to lose control. The MiG crashes into a hill.

December 2 In Air Force activity, a contingent of F-86 Sabre jets, attached to the 335th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group, led by Captain Michael J. Novak, spots MiGs while on patrol near Pisokko. After observing a MiG moving against two Sabres, Novak moves against the MiG and knocks it out of the air. Also, Captain Nelton R. Wilson (334th FighterInterceptor Squadron), while on patrol in the vicinity of Kumson-ri and commanding the flight of five Sabre jets, observes a friendly aircraft coming under attack. He dives directly at the MiG and strikes it several times, hitting the tail and wing, forcing the plane to crash. Another pilot of the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Major Zane S. Amell, while leading his flight of four F-86s, downs one of two MiGs that attack his flight in the vicinity of Samhwa-Ri.

December 3, 1951

December 3–4

A contingent of the 41st Royal Marine Commandos aboard the USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124) lands on the east coast of Korea to destroy transportation depots in the vicinity of Tanchon. In Air Force activity, Communist pilots initiate their first air-to-ground attack. The jets strike the lines in the vicinity of Ch’orwon, located slightly less than sixty miles northeast of Seoul.

December 5 Again, large numbers of enemy MiG-15s, estimated at more than 300, are spotted and engaged in the skies over Korea. December 6

The initial contingent of the 45th Infantry Division is transported from Hokkaido, Japan, to Inchon.

December 8

In the United States: The Defense Department calls for a January draft of 55,000 men. The Marine Corps will take 14,000.

December 13

In Air Force activity, in the vicinity of Sinanju, U.S. Sabre jets of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing are intercepted twice on this day, during the morning sweep of the Sinanju area and again during the afternoon mission. The Americans prevail in all of the duels in the sky and knock out a total of thirteen MiGs. During the engagements, Major George A. Davis, Jr. (334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 4th FighterInterceptor Group) shoots down four of the enemy planes, which makes him, to this date, the highest scoring ace. (See also, November 30, 1951, In Air Force activity.) Also, Captain Theodore S. Coberly, attached to the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, is another pilot who scores a victory on this day near Songhyondong. Still another pilot, 1st Lieutenant John P. Green, Jr. (336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th FighterInterceptor Group) knocks down a MiG while leading a contingent of Sabres in the vicinity of Sanggu-dong. Green observes a band of MiG interceptors diving toward his contingent and he maneuvers his plane to get to the rear of one of the MiG. Then after successive bursts of machine gun fire, the enemy plane begins to spin out of control. The pilot is able to eject, but the MiG crashes. Although the Russians and Chinese hold vast superiority in numbers of planes and advantages of the MiG over the Sabre, they are unable to prevail against the Sabre jet pilots. Lieutenant Richard A. Pincoski, 334th FighterInterceptor Squadron, downs one of the MiGs. It crashes near Inhung. Following this thrashing, the MiGs are less than anxious to engage. Between this date and the end of the year, the passiveness becomes apparent; only five MiGs are destroyed and of these, one is brought down by an F-84 pilot. Also, some sources give a total number for MiGs shot down as 14 rather than 13, and include another incident.

808

December 14

B-29s attached to the 19th Bomber Group launch a night attack against the marshaling yards at Maengjung-dong.

Mid-December 1951

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, the first National Guard division to deploy in Korea arrives from Japan to relieve the 1st Cavalry Division and take its place on the line north of Seoul. In the IX Corps sector, the 2nd Division comes out of reserve and relieves the 25th Division. Both the 1st Cavalry and the 25th Division move to Japan.

December 16 In the I Corps sector, raids by the ROK 1st Division, against enemy positions south of Panmunjom that have been ongoing since the previous November, cease. For the remainder of the year, the ROKs initiate only patrols. In Naval activity, the British destroyer HMS Constance (DD), while operating on the west coast of Korea near the Amgak peninsula, is hit by enemy shore gun fire. Despite some damage, no injuries are sustained. December 17 A Communist force operating on the west coast of Korea launches an attack on the night of the 17th and effectively eliminates friendly guerrilla activity on the island of Ung-do and Changyang-do on the 17th and 18th. December 18 During the peace talks, for the first time, some progress is made; however, not toward an armistice. A list of prisoners is exchanged, providing some accountability on the subject of missing and actually held prisoners. The list contains the names of 3,198 U.S. troops and of these, only 61 Marines (including 2 U.S. Navy corpsmen) are held. As the U.N. hands its list of Communist prisoners to the enemy representatives, the Chinese become disgruntled. The names have been changed into English, making it difficult for the translation back to the Oriental characters. The Chinese attempt in vain to retrieve their list. This transfer of names is the final one until 1953 at the time of the initial prisoner of war transfer (Operation LITTLE SWITCH). Names of some captured during October, November and December of this year are not included in the Communist list, creating anxiety in the States for some families, who are not aware of the respective captives until April 1953. December 19 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, relieves the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, in Operation FAREWELL, the final mission for Lt. Colonel George W. Herring (commander HMR-1). Herring soon after departs for the States to become commander, Marine Helicopter Experimental Squadron at Quantico, Virginia. Lt. Colonel Mitchell remains as executive officer, but Colonel Keith B. McCutcheon succeeds Herring. In Air Force activity, planes attached to the 307th Bomber Wing strike the marshaling yard complex at Chongju.

809

December 25, 1951

A group of troops (1st Cavalry Division) gather around a small container of burning gasoline trying to keep warm. The poncho of the soldier on the left seems to be hung up on the tree. The 1st Cavalry Division is preparing to move back to Japan during mid–December.

December 20

Enemy positions at Wonsan are struck by a combined attack of surface warships and planes. Also, the Hungnam Blockade and Bombardment Element, TE 95.24, is established. The unit is ordered to patrol the area and prevent the Communists from returning to re-mine areas already cleared; however, its responsibilities also include the destruction of enemy forces operating in the vicinity of the ChahoHungnam area. In yet other activity, U.S. and British ships are ordered to establish an anti-invasion station in the vicinity of Cho-do and Sokto Islands, located on the west coast of Korea. The ships involved include the USS Manchester (CL 83), USS Eversole (DD 789), HMS Tobruk (DD) and the HMS Alacrity (PF). The HMS Tobruk, actively supporting LSTs landing troops at the islands, is struck by enemy fire, but no damage is sustained. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches planes to strike enemy rails and other selected targets between Sinanju and Sukch’on. The combined total sorties by all units is 530. The raids make thirty cuts in the rails; a supply depot at Kunu-ri is also struck.

December 22 Another sighting of a Communist jet aircraft, unlike the MiG-15 and similar to the F-86, confirms the arrival of the MiG-21 in the Korean Theater.

In Naval activity, the LST 661 operating at the Amgak peninsula near Sokto receives slight damage after being hit by enemy shore gun fire. No casualties are sustained.

December 23

At Koje-do, the POWs attack and kill ten prisoners. Later on this same night, in another compound, during another melee, fourteen POWs are killed and twenty-four others are wounded. No action is taken to discover the perpetrators.

December 24 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, nineteen patrols move out and return at dawn on Christmas Day. Enemy contact is made by only two patrols and in each incident, short firefights erupted with enemy patrols. Meanwhile, the enemy has some long-range contact with the U.S. Navy. The guns of the USS St. Paul, a cruiser, blasts enemy positions and destroys 7 enemy bunkers. In Air Force activity, B-29s attached to the 98th Bomber Wing make a Christmas Eve run and strike a railroad bridge at Sinanju and the airfield at Taech’on. In Naval activity, on the west coast of Korea, an LST completes the evacuation of more than 7,000 refugees from Cho-do, Paengnyong-do and Taechong-do Islands. December 25

Eighth Army celebrates Christmas in Korea. Turkeys are cooked and eaten by troops

December 26, 1951

810

Elements (179th Regiment) of the recently arrived 45th Division enjoy hot food during a pause on a mountainside.

811

December 27, 1951

Mail call: A truck is loaded with mail for the troops around Ch’onchon, delivered by a C-119. all across the lines. At sea, the cooks provide similar Christmas dinners for the sailors and aviators.

cause is not certain, but it is thought the loss was due to an enemy mine.

December 26 A heavy snow blankets the entire Eighth Army area. The elements prevent any major patrol activity. In Naval activity, a South Korean vessel, ROKN PC 740, is lost in Wonsan Harbor off To-do Island. The

December 27 The agreed upon thirty-day cease fire concludes; however, it is proclaimed that both sides renew the agreement, which is to remain in effect indefinitely. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces executes 900

Late December 1951

812

Christmas mail gets some extra protection. A Sherman tank laden with sacks of mail heads for the front lines. sorties. The planes strike various enemy targets, including artillery positions, locomotives, rail cars and other structures. In Naval activity, Sosuap-To, located on the west coast of Korea, falls to the Communists.

Late December 1951 In the I Corps sector, the Communists launch a series of raids against the ROK 3rd Division. The enemy force, at about battalion strength, strikes at positions in the eastern mountains area under the support of artillery and mortars. The ROKs lose one outpost and afterward, they launch two counterattacks to recapture the position, but both attacks fail. Finally a third assault regains the outpost. The enemy makes no further attempt to take the ground. December 28

On this day, an enemy force, clad in white parkas to blend in with the snow, attacks the 1st ROK Division sector during the afternoon. The clash in the freezing cold lasts about forty minutes. The South Koreans are eventually pushed back by the enemy force, estimated at about battalion strength. On the 30th, the ROKs launch a counterattack with the support of tanks and manage to recapture only about 900 yards of the lost territory, failing to regain the outpost. Nevertheless, on the following day, the high ground is seized, but still, the outpost remains under Chinese control at the start of the New Year. A stronger attack is launched on 3 January 1952. In Air Force activity, a 4-plane flight attached to the 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st FighterInterceptor Group, led by 1st Lieutenant Paul E. Roach,

encounters two MiGs near Yongsang-dong. Roach leads an attack and downs one of the MiGs, which crashes. The pilot is able to eject.

December 29 The USS Eversole (DD 789) comes under attack by an aircraft during the darkened hours while the ship is operating on the west coast of Korea south of Sokto Island, but no damage is sustained. In other Naval activity, on the west coast, friendly guerrillas attack and regain Sosuap-to Island. December 30 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, is directed to prepare for a raid to be executed on the night of 1–2 January 1952. The unit delegated to initiate the raid is Company H. December 31 The year comes to an end with an armistice that is not actually an armistice, but it is in conjunction with a war that is not officially a war, at least if it is referred to by people not on the battlefield. In Korea, to the troops, it has been and continues to be a war; later it is often referred to as the “Forgotten War.” However, no serviceman who spends even one day in the Korean conflict, particularly during winter, will ever forget it. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, when the Marines first introduced the helicopter to the battlefield earlier this year, there had been much speculation about the vulnerability of the choppers. However, in addition to establishing the helicopter as the newest weapon on the front lines, the performance of the

813

December 31, 1951

Thanks to an armed escort of Sabre jets, Santa makes it to visit with some of the troops in Korea. Marine pilots and their coordinators had been sterling. As 1951 phases out, not one helicopter pilot has been lost to enemy fire. Several planes, however, have been lost. During the month of December, Marine ground troops had requested air support 22 times, but the Ma-

rine pilots remain under Fifth Air Force control, restricting close-air support. Only five requests received air support. Also during December, despite the lack of any major combat operations, the Marines while on patrols sus-

Top: A halftrack (Quad .50) on guard. The vehicle is barely visible due to the ice and snow. Bottom: Winter 1951 in Korea.

815 tain 24 killed (including the 1st Korean Marine Regiment), 139 wounded and 8 missing. The enemy sustains 246 killed (counted) and 56 captured. Also, at the

January 1952 stroke of midnight, the 11th Marines, a long way from Times Square, rings in the New Year by initiating a tumultuous bombardment of enemy positions.

1952 Early 1952

The Communists begin organized disruptions in the prison compounds on Koje-do, in response to the initiation of screening prisoners to weed out hard-liners. The Communists resist and attack the guards. The first compound to undergo the inspections is met by POWs with hand-made weapons. One soldier is killed and about 75 prisoners are killed. On April 10, medical personnel are attacked when they enter a compound. During early

May, Brigadier General Francis T. Dodd, the commander at Koje-do, is briefly taken prisoner by the captives. Rioting by the Communists had occurred since the previous year. Between April 1951 and July 1952, about 115 prisoners die during the period of unrest.

January 1952

In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces continues to fight uphill against the MiG

One piece of the Eighth Army artillery that bombarded enemy positions during January.

January 1, 1952

816

threat. While the U.S. pilots continue to control the skies, it is from sheer intensity rather than raw numbers. The Air Force, due to lack of resources, a lingering problem that goes all the way back to Congressional cuts following the close of World War II, impedes progress. The planes, particularly the nemesis of the MiGs, the Sabre jets, lack spare parts. This jeopardizes entire units. About 45 percent of the Sabres are out of action. The units are so over-extended that they urgently need external tanks and they are near total exhaustion. Consequently, the planes carry out missions with less fuel (only one external tank) than required and often the planes need to return too early from a mission or face ditching for lack of fuel. All the while, the Communists continue to add more MiGs to their arsenal and still they have the opposite bank of the Yalu as a line of safety where the Sabres dare not go, due to orders. By this time, the North Korean airfields have had such a thrashing that the Communists now stage their planes in Manchuria at Antung and other places. The MiG formations come to be called trains by the Americans. A usual day includes two separate attack or interceptor groups departing Manchuria, and afterward both converge on Pyongyang to return to Manchuria as one group. January 1 — February 2 1952 Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77), using the full moon to its advantage, strikes against enemy rails during the pre-dawn hours (Operation MOONLIGHT SONATA). The raids

continue until 2 February to damage the enemy’s rails and isolate locomotives and leave them vulnerable for later air attacks.

January 1 The U.N. initiates a mission composed of an artillery bombardment and air strikes against Communist positions. The mission continues through the end of January. In other activity, Kimpo airfield is bombed by an aircraft that is not identified. The two bombs cause some damage, including to one USAF F-86. In addition, two bombs drop on Inchon, again by an unidentified aircraft. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, at this time, the attached units serving with the 1st Marine Division are the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment, the 1st Korean Artillery Battalion and the U.S. Army Searchlight Company. Another attached unit is Battery C, 1st 4.5 Rocket Battalion. Also, a patrol initiated on New Year’s Eve becomes the first Marine unit to engage the enemy during 1952. At slightly after midnight, the ambush patrol of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, clad in white to blend in with the snow, waits patiently as an enemy patrol moves to within about five yards of its positions, then opens fire. Of the six-man enemy patrol, one is killed and it is estimated that four others are wounded, but due to the darkness, the enemy is able to vanish and prevent the capture of prisoners. The patrol sustains no casualties and returns to friendly lines at 0400. In other activity, during the night of 1–2 January,

A 2nd Division patrol sets out on a reconnaissance mission.

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January 1, 1952

A column is en route to deliver a New Year’s dinner to Company L, 21st Regiment, 2nd Division, at their snowed in positions near Kumsong. Company H, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, clad in white suits, moves out in the snow from Hill 812 heading toward the first objective, only to find the bunkers vacated. Afterward, the unit closes upon the second objective at the Soyang-gang River. Soon after, twelve Marines pass through a suspected mined area, but the

next man in line detonates a mine. Newly distributed thermal boots prevent the more serious wounds that usually occur. An ambush is set in motion, but no enemy is encountered. The condition of the wounded Marine forces the unit to pull back rather than advance to the

January 2, 1952 next objective. The contingent moves back in two separate groups on the chance that some prisoners might be gained. One of the columns does capture two North Korean troops. This raid takes place in the same area where heavy combat had ensued during the previous September. Also, the Communists control the dominating ground near the left-central positions of the Marine perimeter, particularly the nasty terrain west of Hill 812, where distances of only about 100–150 yards separate the two forces. — In the United States: General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., is succeeded by Lieutenant General Franklin C. Hart as commander Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Shepherd in turn becomes Commandant of the Marine Corps, succeeding General Clifton B. Cates, whose term ends.

January 2 In the X Corps area, the 2nd Division dispatches patrols from the vicinity of Kumsong. The troops are clad in white uniforms to blend in with the snow. January 3

In the I Corps sector, the task of evicting the Chinese from an outpost they had seized from the ROK 1st Division during the latter part of December 1951 continues. On this day, a heavy attack is launched, following several lighter assaults that failed. The South Koreans continue to pound against stiff resistance, but finally on 8 January, the hill is regained.

January 4

During the night of the 4th-5th, more than 100 Yak fighters are spotted in the vicinity of the front lines, signaling the enemy’s increased ability to place large numbers of propeller aircraft in the air to attack U.N. positions after sunset. In other activity, the I Corps is coming under increasing pressure from the enemy against its left flank on the Kimpo peninsula and Kangwha Island. Cruisers attached to CTF-95 are ordered to move into the area to bolster I Corps.

January 5 Enemy shore guns on the northern edge of Amgak peninsula commence firing against the USS Swallow (AMS 36), hindering its mine clearing operations north of Sokto in the Murad channel. Other warships and planes operating nearby respond to the fire and eliminate the threat. January 6 In Air Force activity, a patrol of F-86s, composed of seven planes attached to the 25th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group, spots a band of four MiGs near Wongsong. The Sabres attack. One of the MiGs is downed by Major William T. Whisner Jr. In Naval activity, Naval Task Force 95 (U.N. Blockading and Escort Force) receives responsibility for the protection of the eleven coastal islands north of the 38th Parallel (East and West coasts) and four additional islands south of the 38th Parallel on the west coast, the latter containing special U.S. Air Force equipment. The task had previously been handled by Eighth

818 Army (land defense) and TF-95. The move is in reaction to the earlier seizure of two western islands near the mouth of the Yalu River by the Communists during November 1951. The task is handed to two blockading task groups in the east and west respectively. Task Group (TG) 95.1 (West) is assigned responsibility for six islands, Sok-to and Cho-do, each located between the 38th and 39th Parallels. The others, Paengyong-do, Taechong-do, Yongpyong-do and Tokchok-do, stand between the 37th and 38th Parallels. Task Group (TG) 95.2 (East) takes responsibility for nine islands, each above the 38th Parallel in Wonsan harbor and held by friendly forces. They are Mo-do, Sin-do, So-do, Tae-do, Hwangto-do, Ung-do and Yo-do. Another island group of two lies north of Wonsan, with Yang-do being the largest and Nan-do south of it below Wonsan. During the latter part of 1951, U.S. Marines had been dispatched to the most strategic islands to act as advisors to the Korean Marines. The Marines assume command of the island defenses for both task groups during early 1952; however, the bulk of the fighting is handled by the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. In other naval activity, a small boat used by X Corps to gather intelligence encounters the USS Erben (DD 631) off KoJo, Korea; however, the small craft is not equipped with the proper identification signals and it is mistakenly thought to be an enemy craft. The Erben sinks it.

January 7 The 40th Division initiates its redeployment from Japan to Korea to join IX Corps and relieve the 24th Division. The first echelon lands at Inchon on 11 January. Soon after, the 160th Regiment moves out for the positions of the 24th Division. The 40th Division, a California National Guard unit, initially arrived in Japan the previous April. In Air Force activity, a 4-plane patrol attached to the 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st FighterInterceptor Group, encounters a band of 12 MiGs in the skies over Uiju and an air battle erupts. One MiG is downed by Captain John M. Heard. January 10 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines is relieved by the 7th Marines. The 5th Marines reverts to reserve. In other activity, subsequent to several days of adapting to new techniques, Helicopter Squadron HMR161 executes a new mission, Operation CHANGIECHANGIE, which transports a battalion to relieve another, but the troops (2nd Battalion, 7th Marines) are lifted to relieve the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. The troops are delivered to the company perimeters rather than on a battalion level. January 11 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Major General John T. Selden succeeds Major General Gerald C. Thomas as commander, 1st Marine Division. In other activity, Operation MOUSETRAP is initiated to test HMR-161’s ability to quickly execute a mission

819 against guerrillas. At 1000, the operation gets underway and shortly thereafter, 500 Marines are lifted to a landing site, pre-cleared by the Air Delivery Platoon. Several additional operations are executed during the following three days. The operations go well and experience only minor problems. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns on Ho-do Pando commence firing upon the USS Redstart (AM 378) and USS Dextrous (AM 341), both of which are engaged in mine clearing operations, but lack protective warships. The ships move to get out of range, but the Dextrous sustains multiple direct hits at just under 5,000 yards from shore. The damage is slight; however, one crewman is killed and two others are wounded. In other activity, the USS Gregory (DD 802) and USS Mackenzie (DD 836) trade fire with enemy shore guns at Wonsan. The warships, following an exchange of about one hour, sustain no damage or casualties. In contrast, the naval vessels score damage against the enemy positions.

January 12 In the X Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, elements of company L, 38th Regiment, launch an attack against enemy positions in the vicinity of Ponggilli. The vanguard, a lead platoon, comes under fire from two separate directions while it begins its ascent on the elevation. Corporal Ronald E. Rosser, a forward observer (Heavy Mortar Company), transfers his radio to another soldier and with only his carbine and grenades, charges the blockage. Rosser destroys the first bunker, then moves against the next obstacle. He encounters and eliminates seven enemy troops en route to the bunker, which he then destroys with a grenade. Two defenders are also killed, but Rosser expends his ammunition. After a brief and harrowing trip back through the intense fire, Rosser acquires an abundance of ammunition and then reinitiates his singlehanded attack. The next bunker in line falls to Rosser, who seems indomitable. Rosser is accompanied this time by other soldiers, but each of them is hit by enemy fire. Nevertheless, Rosser drives ahead, ignoring the fire. He attacks two additional bunkers until he again exhausts his ammunition. Still defying the odds, he returns to the platoon and gets more ammunition, then attacks once again. He sprints to the crest, deposits grenades in the bunkers and expends his ammunition. As the platoon withdraws, the wounded Rosser halts several times to retrieve other wounded troops. Corporal Rosser survives the ordeal and becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and courage in the face of enemy fire. In Air Force activity, U.S. Sabre jets on patrol discover three enemy trains, each heading for the security of a tunnel. The jets plaster the opening of the tunnel and collapse it to block passage. Afterward, the trains are raked by fire from the planes. The attack destroys some boxcars and two of the three locomotives. In other activity, the Air Force initiates a two-day mission to destroy a strategic enemy bridge. Ten

January 23, 1952 Superfortressess based on Okinawa continue to strike the railroad bridge that spans the Ch’ongch’on River east of Sinanju. The bridge is damaged heavily and rendered out of service following the delivery of 396 500pound HE bombs.

January 13 Enemy positions on Amgak peninsula come under air and surface vessel attack. Marine planes attached to the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE 116) participate. In addition, the destroyer USS Collett (DD 730) and the USS Rochester (CA 124), attached to CTF-95, pound the positions from the sea. Also, CTF-95 initiates Operation JUNKET, a mission designed to seize, rather than destroy, small enemy vessels for the intent of using them for intelligence and other purposes. January 14 The 7th fleet learns that Ohwa Island is now under Communist control. The Communists had also seized Sunwi-do on the 8th and Changnin-do on the 10th. It becomes clear that their next objectives are Walle-do and Yuk-to. January 16

In Naval activity, enemy positions at Wonsan continue to come under naval bombardment by warships of TE-95.21 and TF-77. This day begins the twelfth month of non-stop bombardment.

January 17

In Air Force activity, a pair of F-86 Sabre jets encounters MiGs in the vicinity of Puchin. The two enemy planes close from 6 o’clock and the Sabres take evasive action to maneuver and take the offensive; however, when the F-86s make a sharp turn and the MiGs follow, both of the enemy planes break up as they cross the jet wash. While both MiGs fall in shattered pieces, the two Communist pilots are observed drifting down in their respective parachutes.

January 18 The destroyer USS Halsey Powell (DD 686) uses its small boat to move in close at Samhe and direct its guns against lucrative targets. The operation is dubbed CHICKEN STEALER. Shore batteries fire at the Halsey Powell, but no damage is reported. On the following day, again, the Halsey Powell comes under fire, but no damage is scored. January 19 In the IX Corps sector, the 160th Regiment, 40th Division, completes its relief of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division. January 22 The 40th Division is attached to Eighth Army (IX Corps). January 23

The operation to evacuate refugees from islands threatened by the Communists on the west coast of Korea is completed as four LSTs, attached to TF-90, remove the final civilians before the mission is suspended due to an outbreak of typhoid. The operation, which began during the previous December, has moved more than 20,00 people to other locations in South Korea. In other activity, the carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV 47) arrives to join the 7th Fleet.

January 24, 1952

January 24

An experimental operation dubbed Operation HELICOPTER, in which the wounded on the front lines are evacuated and flown directly to the hospital ship, USS Consolation (AH 15), docked at the port of Sokch’o-ri, is completed this day. It began on 21 December 1951. The vessel is the only hospital ship to have a landing pad to receive helicopters.

January 25 A downed pilot in the Yellow Sea becomes the focus of a rescue helicopter that attempts to pick him up while under fire. A contingent of F-84s in the area blasts the ground troops to keep them from bringing harm to the pilot, located close to shore. During the retrieval mission, the F-84s engage enemy planes and three MiGs are destroyed. In other activity, six enemy aircraft are destroyed this day and another four are damaged. The U.S. reports no losses. Also, a 4-plane flight of F-86 Sabres, attached to the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st FighterInterceptor Group, spot a MiG in the vicinity of Yongsan. One pilot, Major William F. Shaeffer, flying in the third position, closes on the enemy aircraft and downs the plane with several short bursts of machine gun fire. The pilot is spotted after he ejects. January 26

While operating in waters in the vicinity of the southeast Cho-do anchorage, enemy shore batteries on the mainland fire upon the destroyer escort USS Fletcher (DDE 445) and the USS Apache (ATF 67). No damage is sustained by the vessels; however, reports from the HMS Belfast indicate that return fire from the U.S. warships inflicted damage to the batteries. Also, the HMS Belfast and the Constance (DD) come under fire from enemy batteries on the Wolsari peninsula. The warships return fire and eliminate the threat. The vessels sustain no damage. In Air Force activity, Captain A.T. Thawley, while operating his F-84 near the Yellow Sea, is shot down behind enemy lines. Soon after, a rescue helicopter arrives and while under fire, succeeds in safely retrieving him.

January 28

In the IX Corps sector, the 223rd Regiment completed the relief of 21st Regiment by 28 January. The 40th Division assumes responsibility for the area that includes Kumsong and Chwapae-ri. Also, the 5th RCT and the 6th Tank Battalion are attached to the 40th Division. By early February, the 224th Regiment, still in Japan, and the 140th Tank Battalion will join the main body. During February, like other units in Korea, the division has no major action, but it does dispatch patrols and some enemy contact is made.

January 29

Two planes operating off the USS Antietam are lost while engaged against the enemy, but one pilot is saved. In addition, another aircraft on the Antietam, a Panther jet (F9F), is lost due to non-combat causes.

January 30

Enemy positions at Wonsan are struck by planes and naval surface fire by Task Element 77.

820

January 31 In Air Force activity, during the month of January, despite the acute parts shortages, including external tanks and Sabre wings, the weakened squadrons still score victories. The 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing shoots down 27 MiG-15s and the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing scores five kills. The 51st is equipped with the more advanced F-86E, while the 4th FIW still flies the F-86As. The improved Sabre contains an advanced fire control system and flight controls. February 1

Rear Admiral John Perry, who assumed command of Fast Carrier Task Force 77 during the previous November, is relieved by Rear Admiral F.W. McMahon. In related activity, TF-77 modifies its operations plan by adding two daily strikes by propellor driven planes. Also, the USS Essex (CV-9) departs TF-77. It is replaced by the arrival of the USS Valley Forge (CV-45).

February 2

The Communists abandon Sunwido and Yoncho-do. In Air Force activity, Colonel Ernest G. Ford assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing. He succeeds Colonel Turner C. Rogers, who held the post since February 1951. Rogers returns to the States, following fifty missions, to become deputy commander of the Crew Training Air Force at Randolph Air Force Base.

February 3 The USS Manchester (CL 83) and the destroyer USS Higbee (DD 806), which screens the cruiser Manchester, are operating off Hojo. The Manchester pounds the enemy’s positions and scores direct hits on an ammunition dump. The bombardment ignites secondary explosions and it is estimated that about 550 enemy soldiers are killed or wounded. In other activity, the destroyer USS Porterfield (DD 682), operating off Cho-do Island, sustains damage from enemy shore gun battery fire, but no casualties occur. Due to a shortage of spotter aircraft, Fifth Air Force informs the U.S. Navy that the ongoing spotter mission will be suspended for ten days. February 4 The HMS Ceylon (CL) and HMS Cockade (DD) provide protection during a landing at Mudo-ri Island by friendly guerrillas. The guerrillas debark the LSTs 516 and 692 and land without opposition. In other activity, the USS Endicott (DMS 35), receives some slight damage while operating off Kojo, but there are no casualties. Also, another carrier, the USS Philippine Sea (CV 47), begins operations with TF-77. February 5 Friendly guerrillas are rescued at an island in the vicinity of Yuk-to. The HMS Charity, the rocket ship LSMR 401 and ROKN AMC 303 participate. February 7

In Air Force activity, Colonel William H. Clark assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing. He succeeds Colonel Ernest G. Ford.

821 In Naval activity, the USS Osprey (AMS–28) comes under fire at Songjin and receives support from the HMS Alacrity. The British warship is struck five times and sustains some slight damage; however, no casualties are reported. In other activity, the Communists abandon the islands of Yuk-to, Mudo-ri, Changnin-do, Ohwa-do, Sunwi-do, Yongho-do and Yongwi-do off the west coast of Korea, due to extreme pressure from rocket ship bombardments and elements of the 1st South Korean Marine Regiment. In turn, the islands are occupied by friendly guerrillas.

February 8

The Communists attack and seize Mahap. The friendly guerrillas there are evacuated by the HMAS Warramunga. In other activity, a helicopter aboard the USS Manchester takes off on a mission to rescue a Navy pilot and his crewman at a point about 25 miles from Wonsan. The helicopter arrives safely, but it is not able to take off due to mechanical problems. Another helicopter attached to the U.S. Air Force arrives to rescue all, but enemy fire prevents the chopper from landing. On the following day, the rescue attempts are aborted when it is learned that the troops had been seized by the Communists. Planes from TF-77 destroy the disabled helicopter. In yet other activity, other aircraft losses for this day by TF-77 include one helicopter from USS Rochester (CA 124), and one AD and one F4U from the USS Valley Forge (CV 45). Also, Marine Fighter Squadron 212 relocates its command post on the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE 116) to Itami, Japan.

February 9–10 1952

In the X Corps zone, 1st Marine Division sector, the 11th Marines initiates a massive artillery barrage to present the illusion of cover fire to support a withdrawal as part of Operation CLAM-UP, scheduled to commence on 10 February. More than 12,000 rounds are fired; however, other Eighth Army units across the front also carry out similar exercises to deceive the enemy. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches light bombers to strike a rail bridge at Chongju. The planes, using radar controlled bombs, drop one hundred tons of 500-pound bombs. The mission succeeds in disabling the north bypass span.

February 10 Eighth Army initiates Operation CLAM-UP, designed to give the illusion of a withdrawal; however, it is set to fool the enemy into sending out patrols to allow Eighth Army the possibility of seizing prisoners at any point along the front. In the IX Corps sector, the 40th Division participates in Operation CLAM-UP. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, all regiments on line, the 7th Marines, 5th Marines and the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment, from right to left, display an intent to withdraw, while the reserves, the 5th Marines at the rear, withdraw and await darkness to be

February 12, 1952 returned to their positions by vehicles. Later this night, enemy patrols probe, but receive no return fire from the Marines. In Air Force activity, a four-plane contingent of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, is intercepted by a group of Russian MiGs near the Manchurian border. Just prior to the contact, two of the Sabre jets had returned to base due to one of the planes having exhausted its oxygen. The remaining two aircraft continue to guard the accompanying fighter bombers on their mission. Both of the Sabre jets take on the MiGs. Major George A. Davis, Jr., flies directly into the enemy formation and knocks down one of the MiGs, while the others focus their fire upon his plane. Davis, however, takes out another of the MiGs and then afterward, rather than use evasive action to avoid being shot down, he slows his speed to down a third plane, but the enemy fire scores a direct hit and Major Davis’ Sabre jet crashes into a mountain. In the meantime, the MiGs are disrupted and the fighter bombers are able to complete their mission. Major Davis is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism in the face of the enemy. He was an ace of the Korean War and World War II. Prior to his demise, Davis achieved 14 air victories over the enemy, including two that were shot down on 30 November 1951. There is some conflict on Davis’ number of kills this day. The official Medal of Honor citation lists three. A New York newspaper this same day reports one kill and three probable kills. On 12 February the Air Force modifies the record, changing it to two kills and one probable. There is no combat footage of the air battle. (See also, November 30, 1951, In Air Force activity.

February 11

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, after dark, a North Korean patrol probes Marine lines near Hill 812. The Marines ignore the intrusion initially as Operation CLAM-UP continues. The Communists attack using white phosphorous grenades, prompting the Marines to acknowledge their presence. The enemy sustains 10 killed and two others, both wounded, are captured. — In Japan: Elements of Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-115 arrive at Yokosuka, Japan, from the United States. Also, the Command Post, Marine Fighter Squadron 312, moves from Itami Air Base to the USS Bairoko (CVE 115), and Marine Fighter Squadron 212 departs Itami for Pusan, Korea. The LST 742 remains active with the evacuation of refugees. It picks up about 600 at one point before moving to Sunwi-do to evacuate about 1,800 others, before transporting all to Kunsan.

February 12

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communists continue to probe the Marine perimeter, while the Marines continue the feint of a withdrawal. At about dawn, the enemy attempts to probe deeper and encounters a rapid response from the 1st Marines. The short exchange costs the enemy 9 killed

February 13, 1952 (counted) and 3 wounded. By this time, the Communists conclude that Eighth Army had not withdrawn. In Naval activity, despite continuous mine sweeping operations in the vicinity, new mines continue to be discovered.

February 13 The Communists commence artillery barrages against Eighth Army positions. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communists launch after dark raids against Hills 812 and 854, which reconfirms that Eighth Army had in fact not withdrawn. The enemy sustains heavy casualties. February 14 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communists repeat the attacks of the previous day by launching night raids against Hill 812 and 854, only to suffer similar results and high casualties. In the 2nd Division sector, a contingent engages an enemy force. The Americans and accompanying ROKs sustain some casualties. February 15

Operation CLAM-UP ceases following five days of attempting to convince the enemy a withdrawal had been made. The operation had not been too successful. Fewer prisoners had been seized than during the five-day period that preceded the operation. In addition, while the enemy patrols sustain heavy casualties after venturing into the trap, the other enemy lines had received a reprieve due to the silence of Eighth Army’s artillery. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines terminate their portion of Operation CLAM-UP and the results are satisfactory. The enemy losses in the zone amount to 56 killed (counted) and 54 wounded.

822 In Naval activity, Escort Squadron 5 is disbanded. Ships that are shifted to Escort Squadron 7 include the Sausalito (PF 4), Albuquerque (PF 7), Everett (PF 8), Bayonne (PF 21), Newport (PF 27) and the Evansville (PF 70). Also, Australian destroyer HMAS Bataan comes under fire while operating off Sokto Cho-do, but no damage is sustained and no casualties occur.

February 16 At Wonsan, it has been exactly one year since the bombardments started. On this day, the warships USS Gregory (DD 802), USS Twining (DD 547), and USS Rowan (DD 782) pound enemy positions. In other activity, the U.S. Army introduces its own version of aircraft for the forward observers. The L-19 Bird Dog handles forward air control to spot enemy artillery positions and other tasks such as enemy positions. With the arrival of the aircraft, the Fifth Air Force no longer has to provide planes for the task. February 17 Planes attached to TE-95.1 strike enemy targets at Sokto and Cho-do. The strikes are supported by the naval surface guns of British warships, including the HMS Ceylon (CL), HMS Cardigan Bay (PF), HMCS Nootka (DDE), HMCS Athabaskan (DDE) and HMAS Bataan (DD). In addition the rocket ship, LSMR 403 participates. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches attacks against enemy rails and other lucrative targets. The strike force executes 695 sorties that take out vehicles in a convoy in the vicinity of Sinanju and supply depots stretched between Kumsong and Sibyong-ni. The planes cut the rails in more than 50 places.

A wounded soldier (2nd Division) receives aid from a medic on 14 February. Other troops help an ROK soldier reach the medic.

823

February 18 By this date, the islands of Wi-do, Pa-do, Dunmad-do and Yongho-do are under the control of the Communists. In Air Force activity, a contingent of planes from the 8th Bombardment Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Group, attack enemy supply columns during the night. A large convoy is spotted and Captain Byron A. Dobbs requests flares to illuminate the target. During the attack under the lights, Dobbs’ aircraft is struck by ground fire. Dobbs informs the flare plane that he is departing the area; however, a fire breaks out on board. Captain Dobbs maintains control of the aircraft until the entire crew bails out. February 19 On this day, 389 MiG-15s are spotted in the skies over Korea, the largest number counted on a single day up to this point in the conflict. Air Force pilots down three enemy aircraft. In other activity, in response to a Communist North Korean proclamation for amnesty, it is learned by this date that several ROKs and guerrillas are turning themselves in to the Communists under a guarantee of no reprisals and a complete pardon, once they surrender and confess to their crimes against the North Korean government. The Communists launch unsuccessful attacks this day and the next against Yang-do and Nan-do in the vicinity of Wonsan harbor. The defenders are supported by naval vessels. February 20 A Communist force, subsequent to a shore battery barrage, launches an amphibious raid against the forces on Yang-do near Songjin. The assault force from the mainland numbered about 250, but heavy fire from naval warships shreds the sampans and causes many casualties. The USS Shelton (DD 790), HNZMS Taupo (PF) and the USS Endicott (DMS 35) participate. By 1030, the mop-up operation is completed. Seventy-nine enemy dead are counted and 14 others are seized. The friendly forces on the island sustain 8 killed, 3 missing and 20 wounded. In other activity, Rear Admiral John Perry relieves Rear Admiral F. W. McMahon as commander, Fast Carrier Task Force 77. February 21 A North Korean general officer (N.K. 24th Mechanized Artillery) defects. Brigadier General Lee II arrives at the island of Tae-do in Wonsan harbor aboard a confiscated sampan and surrenders to Marines. He brings along a wealth of information contained in his briefcase that details Communist top secrets, which include plans and tactics for pending attacks against selected Wonsan islands. Immediately after a debriefing, General Lee II is sped to Eighth Army headquarters to be debriefed by intelligence. February 22

A Marine plane attached to VMA312 passes over Paengyong-do and a second aircraft follows dropping a message, apparently for the members of Task Element 95.15 who are inspecting the antiaircraft weapons. The pilot drops the message, but inadvertently, he also drops a 500-pound bomb. The

February 25, 1952 bomb hits slightly west of the command post. Although much damage is sustained, no fatalities occur. In other activity, Fifth Air Force announces for the second time that spotter planes are in short supply, causing another suspension of flights for a period of seven days. In Naval activity, enemy shore battery fire strikes the USS Shelton (DD 790), which is operating off Yang-do Island in the vicinity of Songjin. Twelve crewmen are wounded. Also, an exchange erupts after shore batteries in the southern section of Wonsan harbor fire upon the USS Kyes (DD-787). The USS Rowan (DD-782), operating nearby, arrives to bolster the Kyes and during the fight, it is struck. The vessel has some damage, but no casualties are sustained. Later, the destroyer USS Shelton engages enemy shore batteries at Songjin in a contest that lasts just over a half hour. The enemy fire hits the Shelton three times and inflicts three casualties, each grievously wounded.

February 23 The USS Henderson (DD 785) sustains slight damage while operating off Hungnam, but no casualties are sustained. In Air Force activity, Major William T. Whisner, Jr., attached to the 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and downs a MiG-15. The aerial victory makes Major Whisner an ace. Fast Carrier Task Force 77 initiates an operation designed to eliminate the threat against friendly islands by Communist forces. According to naval reports, 303 small boats are destroyed and another 547 are damaged between this date and March 5. February 24

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, at Hill 884 is relieved by the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. The relief operation is carried out by HMR-161, in what is the 5th major helicopter operation at the hill. Hill 884 is often referred to as Helicopter Hill. In Naval activity, in response to the increasing accuracy of the enemy shore gun batteries in the vicinity of the Sokto Cho-do area, Far East Air Forces is requested by TG-95 to provide two aircraft and make them available daily from 1730 through twilight, the period following the departure of the carrier planes. The threat by the guns is against friendly shipping.

February 25

At Pusan, a conference is convened aboard the USS Wisconsin (BB-64) with U.S., British and ROK naval officers in attendance to discuss various priority items, including the shortage of resources hampering operations. Rear Admiral G.C. Dyer, USN (CTF-95), Vice Admiral Martin, USN (7th Fleet), Vice Admiral Robert P. Briscoe, USN (7th Fleet), British Rear Admiral Scott Moncrieff and Vice Admiral Sohn (ROK) participate. Other subjects covered at the meeting include a plan for evacuation in the event of a cease-fire and the ongoing operations to maintain the security of the islands. In other activity, Marine Fighter Squadron 115 command post arrives at Pusan from Yokosuka, Japan. The

February 26, 1952 unit joins Marine Air Group 33. Marine Photo Squadron VMJ-1 is established.

February 26

Far East Air Forces again launches raids against enemy bridge targets. Ten B-29 Superfortressess, using radar controlled bombs, plaster the Sinhung railroad bridge near Huichon. The planes drop 100 tons of bombs and the mission succeeds in destroying two spans of the bridge, located in the north central sector of Korea. In other activity, Colonel Cecil H. Childre assumes command of the 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo). Childre succeeds Brigadier General John Henebry.

February 27 Enemy shore guns on Mayang-do commence firing upon the USS Henderson (DD 785) and USS Ptarmigan (AM 576), while the warships are engaged in mine clearing operations. Neither vessel sustains any damage. In other activity, the ever-increasing sightings of MiGs continues. On this day, the observations of 86 F-86s spot and count 404 MiGs in the skies over the northwestern sector of Korea. This is the highest amount of enemy MiGs spotted to date on a single day. February 28

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, HMR-161 Squadron is grounded due to repeated failures of the tail assembly, which had caused several helicopters to make emergency landings. The problem, discovered to have been caused by the extreme weather, is finally corrected by 14 March, when new modified tail assemblies arrive in Korea from the U.S. In other activity, the month closes with an average of 13 patrols per day, 5 daylight reconnaissance and 8 night-patrols, most of which make no enemy contact. Only one of the night ambush patrols out of the last 185 reports enemy contact; only six contacts are reported by the reconnaissance probes. During the month of February, the Marine artillery commences 679 “observed” firing missions. The targets: 211 against troops, 175 against bunkers, 96 against enemy artillery positions and 75 on other type targets. Also, the 90-mm guns of the 1st Marine Tank Battalion make excellent use of their elevated positions, particularly at Hills 812 and 854. Aided by the 92nd U.S. Army Searchlight Company, the tankers are able to ring direct fire upon the enemy 24 hours a day. The searchlights provide illumination and simultaneously blind the enemy’s sight of the tanks. Throughout the entire winter period, the Communists fail to knock out any of the searchlights. Marine casualties (including the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment) for the month of February, despite no heavy combat, amount to 23 killed, 102 wounded and 1 missing in action. February is the final month in which the Marines deploy in east Korea. During the following month, the 1st Marine Division redeploys in west Korea.

February 29

In the IX Corps Sector, the 40th Division initiates activity against the enemy in its zone of responsibility. Tanks of the 140th Tank Battalion, which had arrived from Japan during early February, knock out more than five enemy bunkers and damage more than

824 thirty others. Another six bunkers are eliminated when the 224th Infantry Regimental Tank Battalion initiates its part of the operation in the vicinity of Kumsong. In Air Force activity, during the month of February, 17 MiGs are shot down by Sabre jet pilots. Ten are downed by the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing and 7 are downed by the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. The U.S. loses two Sabres, including that of Colonel Davis. (See also, February 10, 1952, In Air Force activity.) In Naval activity, the U.S. Navy aborts its island evacuation mission after determining that the Communists on the various islands in the area of Raeju– Ongjin have infiltrated the groups being relocated. All future evacuation missions will be monitored closely to include only those known to have supported the U.S.–U.N. forces. One exception includes those Koreans thought to be in line for Communist reprisals.

March 1952 In Air Force activity, during the month of March, the Sabre jets down 37 MiGs and during the following month, an additional 44 MiGs are destroyed. The Americans lose six Sabre jets during the same period. March 1 The USS Endicott (DMS 35) comes under fire from enemy shore batteries on the east coast of Korea, east of Chuuronjang. The Endicott sustains no damage, but its return fire ends the threat. In other activity, Marine Fighter Squadron 312 is re-designated Marine Attack Squadron 312. Also, intelligence reports indicate a large enemy buildup in the vicinity of Cho-do, prompting the U.S. Navy to initiate interdiction fire on this day and the next to impede the enemy’s ability to launch an attack against the suspected target, Re-do. March 2 The USS Endicott, which had come under fire on the previous day, again comes under fire as it plasters enemy positions at Kyojo-Wan. No damage or casualties are reported. In other activity, the LCPL, attached to the LST 561, founders off the west coast of Korea. Twelve men aboard — two U.S. Navy and two U.S. Army officers, one South Korean naval officer, five navy enlisted men and two Royal Marines — are all lost. — In Japan: As a precaution in anticipation of a demonstration by Communists ( Japanese Communist Party), U.S. naval personnel at Chigasaki Beach are evacuated. March 3

Vice Admiral R.P. Briscoe assumes command of the 7th Fleet. He succeeds Vice Admiral M. Martin. Also, observers on warships and ROK sources report that the Communists have, during darkness, constructed new shore batteries on Ho-do Pando and at other positions on the south shore of Wonsan harbor.

March 4

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the ground Marines receive an air drop of 260 tons of supplies and ammunition, compliments of fiftyone C-119s. It is the largest drop of the month in Korea.

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March 5

In Air Force activity, a downed naval pilot near Yongyon is plucked from the ground by a hoist lowered from an Air Force rescue helicopter. During the rescue, jet fighters overhead continue to hammer antiaircraft positions to suppress enemy fire. The helicopter and the planes return to their respective bases safely. In other activity, Lieutenant Robert H. Moore, attached to the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing) leads a 4-plane flight of F86s on patrol. Near Namsan-ni, the flight encounters a pair of MiGs. The Sabres attack. Moore closes against one of the two enemy planes and scores damage, but the MiG continues to fly and begins a dive to evade Moore’s Sabre jet. Moore keeps the heat on the enemy pilot and stays on his tail, but during the deep dive, the MiG breaks up and disintegrates. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns in the vicinity of Kalmagak commence firing upon the USS Pelican (AMS 32) and the USS Curlew (AMS 8), both of which are engaged in operations offshore. No damage or casualties are sustained. In other activity, Rear Admiral F.W. McMahon, the commander of Carrier Division 5, assumes command of Carrier Division 1, upon relief of Rear Admiral John Perry. Also, the USS Essex embarks for the United States after her first tour during the Korean War.

March 6–April 1 1952

Planes attached to Fast Carrier Task Force 77 (TF 77) fly sorties to destroy rails and bridges. The reports indicate 2,659 rail cuts and 123 bridges taken out, as well as damage to 43 other bridges.

March 11, 1952 In other activity, Task Element 95.22 commences Operation ROOFLIFTER, a mission of short duration. The warships enter Songjin harbor and plaster the buildings, destroying many. The vessels HMAS Warramunga (DD) and USS Moore (DD 747) participate.

March 9

The USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747) and the HMS Morecombe Bay (PF), while operating off Songjin, direct their fire upon enemy gun emplacements, which had fired upon the USS Merganser (AMS 26). The guns are knocked out of action.

March 10 In Air Force activity, a four-plane flight of F-86 Sabre jets attached to the 25th FighterInterceptor Squadron (51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing) encounters four MiGs near Sinchang and an aerial battle erupts with the Americans downing one of the enemy planes. Captain Paul R. Henderson, in the trailing plane, strikes the first hit; however, his plane is so close to the tail of the MiG that the fuel smacks his windshield and blocks his view. His wingman, Lieutenant Sabin L. Anderson, takes over and downs the MiG. In other activity, Lieutenant Richard R. Martin, attached to the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing), while leading a patrol composed of four F-86s, encounters one MiG in the vicinity of Sakchu. The plane first spotted by Anderson is also downed by Anderson. March 11

The destroyer USS Burke (DD 763), operating near Cho-do, comes under enemy shore gun fire. The vessel sustains no damage, but its return fire knocks out the enemy position.

An F4U Corsair prepares to take off on a mission.

March 11, 1952

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Top: An F7F Tigercat (1st MAW), about to drop napalm tank on an enemy target. Bottom: Panther jet during takeoff from an airfield in Korea. In other activity, elements of Mine Squadron 3 encounter a new type of Russian mine while operating aboard the USS Colonial (LSD-18). The mine (RMYaM) is secured and taken back for research. It had been designed for shallow water as a moored contact chemical-borne mine. In yet other activity, the destroyer USS Arnold J. Isbel (DD-869) screens the USS St. Paul (CA-73), a cruiser, while she pounds enemy positions in the area south of Chongjin. Also, a swarm of enemy swept-wing jet

fighters attacks two Marine photo planes (Banshee jets, F2H-2P). The two planes survive, but both sustain damage. In Air Force activity, enemy positions in the vicinity of Sinmak come under a heavy attack by Far East Air Forces. The planes strike a massive military complex on a four square mile area, and drop a huge amount of napalm, 33,000 gallons. And the aircraft also drop 150 tons of bombs that hit targets there, including troop training areas. Fifth Air Force reports indicate that the

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March 12, 1952

A ground crew loads rockets aboard a “Devilcat” Corsair prior to taking off on a mission. raid is the largest napalm raid on a single day during the war. In other activity, Air Force planes initiate a two-day attack against the Sinchang-ni choke point, located about ten miles east of Sunchin. The raids are executed by ten B-29 Superfortress that drop 91 tons of bombs on the target. The bombs devastate the point and forbid passage. — In the United States: The Marine Corps announces it will halt accepting draftees on 30 June due to an increase in volunteers.

March 12

Eighth Army is in the process of a massive unit realignment across the entire front, which at present stretches about 125 miles. In the I Corps sector, 25th Division zone, a night patrol composed of elements of the 24th Regiment encounters fierce opposition as it maneuvers near Soksori. The small contingent sustains high casualties and only one medic is along. The corpsman, PFC Bryant E. Womack, moves as quickly as possible jumping from casualty to casualty and he becomes wounded. Womack disregards his own injury and continues to wedge between the downed troops to administer aid. But again, he is hit, this time with mortar fire that tears off his right arm. He refuses aid, aware that without it, he will

die. Nonetheless, he instructs other soldiers on how to give the first aid to the other wounded. The patrol withdraws and Womack is the final man to leave the field, but shortly thereafter, while being carried by other troops, he succumbs from loss of blood. PFC Womack is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery and selfless sacrifice to save others in the command. In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, General Van Fleet arrives at the division command post to announce a key command decision. It involves the Marines being redeployed on the far left of Eighth Army area, where they are to relieve the 1st ROK Division in the I Corps sector (West Korea). The Marines are to position themselves from where they hold responsibility to protect against intrusion along the primary and historic invasion route into the capital, Seoul. Pursuant to orders (OI 272) from Eighth Army, the move is to be completed by 1 April. In Naval activity, a reconnaissance team lands on a diminutive island slightly south of the Suwon Dam lighthouse on an unspecified mission. The operation is dubbed ALCATRAZ and reported as having been successful. In other activity, the HMS Cossack provides support fire for friendly guerrillas that land in the vicinity of

March 13, 1952

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Haeju at Cho-do Island. The naval fire, according to reports by the guerrillas, had succeeded in eliminating about sixty percent of the enemy garrison there. In addition, the Cossack supports another landing of friendly guerrillas on Onchon Island. The assault succeeds and the guerrillas regain Onchon.

In Naval activity, a Communist force attacks a group of small islands (17th-18th) north of Kojo, manned by friendly guerrillas. The destroyer USS Hamner is able to evacuate the small guerrilla force and transport them to Nan-do Island, which is thought to be occupied by the Communists.

March 13 The USS Manchester (CL 83), USS James E. Kyes (DD 787), USS McGinty (DE 365) and the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779), supported by planes attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77), respond to enemy guns on Kalmagak at Wonsan that are pounding U.N. ground forces. The naval guns and the effective air strikes eliminate the guns.

March 18

March 14

Enemy guns on Mayang-do fire at the USS Toucan (AM 387) from a range of about 10,000 yards, but the rounds fall short and no damage is sustained.

March 15

A Communist force makes an unsuccessful raid against Yong-mae in the Haeju approaches. The attack is repelled by the destroyer HMS Concord. In other activity, enemy shore guns in the vicinity of Songjin score successive hits against the HMS Morecombe Bay (PF). The vessel sustains damage, but none of the crew is injured. In yet other activity, the Marines receive some new protective equipment. Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 121 receives the first shipment of combat armor plating, which is to be mounted and tested. In Air Force activity, Brigadier General Wiley D. Ganey assumes command of Far East Air Forces Bomber Command (Provisional). He succeeds Brigadier General Joe H. Kelly, who had held the post since September 30, 1951. — In the United States: President Truman directs that the military responsibility for Formosa, the Pescadores, and the Philippines be transferred from commander-in-chief Far East to comander-in-chief Pacific Area. In conjunction, TF 72 comes under the jurisdiction of the commander, Pacific Fleet.

March 16 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the transport General Gordon arrives at Sokcho-ri with replacements (18th Replacement Draft). The fresh arrivals debark only to discover they are to ship out. While the 174 officers and 1,135 Marines prepare to join in the redeployment mission (I Corps, left flank of Eighth Army), the Gordon accepts 103 officers and 1,135 enlisted Marines for the voyage back to the States. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns in the Songjin Chaho region near Dojo-ri fire upon the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and the destroyer escort USS Duncan (DDR 874). The warships return fire and score damage, including two direct strikes. The Wisconsin sustains three wounded, but none seriously. March 17 In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the U.S. 25th Infantry Regiment assumes responsibility for the Marine zone, while the Marines prepare to move to positions near Seoul in west Korea.

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines receive orders to move from Camp Tripoli to its new positions near Munsan-ni. Also, the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, and the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment arrive aboard LSTs at the Kimpo peninsula from Sokcho. They are transported by Amphibious Redeployment Group (TG 90.5). The operation is completed by the 24th. In other activity, a contingent of Communists launches a new raid against islands north of Kojo on this day and the next. The U.N. ground troops, supported by the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and destroyer USS Higbee (DD 806), repulse the attack.

March 19 The USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and USS Higbee (DDR 806) commence a night bombardment in support of ROK troops in western Korea. The carrier USS Antietam (CV 36), having finished her first tour in Korea, returns to the United States. March 20

In the X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines moves from Camp Tripoli to the new positions on Eighth Army’s far left in West Korea. In conjunction, a contingent of the 8th ROK Division assumes responsibility for the 7th Marines’ positions. Also, the 1st Tank Battalion and the antitank companies of the 1st, 5th and 7th Marines depart their positions in X Corps sector and move by sea to the new area in West Korea. In Air Force activity, a U.S. Air Force patrol, operating near the Sui-ho Reservoir on F-86 Sabre jets, comes under attack by an aggressive band of MiGs. A furious battle erupts in the sky as both sides persist in knocking out the other. When the battle ends, the enemy loses five planes and retires with about 13 others damaged. The U.S. reports no losses. In other activity, a four-plane contingent attached to the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st FighterInterceptor Wing, encounters a pair of MiGs in the vicinity of Sokha-dong. The flight leader, Major Donald E. Adams, engages and shoots down one of the enemy planes. In Naval activity, the destroyers USS Wiltsie (DD 716) and Brinkley Bass (DD 887) bombard enemy gun positions in the vicinity of Wonsan. At least one battery was severely struck. According to spotters, it received seven direct hits, delivered by the Brinkley Bass.

March 21 In the IX Corps sector, ROKs (Capital Division and ROK 6th Division) begin to relieve the 40th Division. The operation is completed by 30 March. The 40th Division in turn relieves the S.K. 2nd Division. By 1 April, the 40th Division assumes total responsibility for the area around KumhwaKumsong.

829 In Naval activity, the USS Osprey (AMS 28), subsequent to coming under fire from an enemy battery at Wonsan, opens up and pounds the position with return fire, made more effective by spotters. Three batteries are knocked out of action. The vessel sustains no damage or casualties. In other activity, friendly guerrillas supported by the South Korean vessel AMC-309 launch a raid on the north bank of the Han River. The raid succeeds in killing 25 Communists and destroying enemy barracks. The South Korean guerrillas sustain no casualties. Also, on the east coast of Korea, ROK contingents land at various points in the vicinity of Iwon today through the 25th to gather intelligence, including the selection of lucrative targets. The troops are transported by the Wantuck (APD 125) and the raids are conducted during darkness.

March 22

In The X Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marine Division establishes a command post near Tongji-ri. In Naval activity, enemy shore batteries near Kojo commence firing upon the destroyer Hamner (DD718). Although star shells had illuminated the warship, the rounds fall short. Also, enemy shore batteries at Kalmagak take the destroyer Stickell (DD 888) under fire. The USS Brinkley Bass joins with the Stickell and both vessels return fire. Neither ship sustains damage or casualties. — In the United States: The Marine Corps activates six additional battalions and establishes a new Marine air group on the west coast. The new units bring the corps up to its full strength of three divisions and three air wings by June 1952.

March 23 In the X Corps sector, the 5th Marines moves overland to West Korea after being relieved by ROK troops. Also, Marine Transport Helicopter Squadron 161 relocates its command post to a site about four miles outside Munsan-ni. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force, in an effort to eliminate the pesky PO-2 (Bedcheck Charlie) and other small propeller-type aircraft, introduces the F-94B night-fighter. On this day, the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, equipped with the F-94Bs, relocates to Suwon. The new aircraft has a long-range capability, but initially, restrictions are set upon them due to the highly sophisticated fire-control system and classified radar equipment, to keep it from being acquired by the enemy. The restrictions from making deep penetration into North Korea are lifted during November of this year. In the meantime, Marine F3D Skyknights begin to provide protection for the B-29s and they also execute the normal interception patrols. The Marine aviators also commit a squadron of twin-engine F7Fs for the task of escorting the B-29s on their bombing missions. In Naval activity, Communist shore batteries, for the fourth consecutive day, commence fire upon the U.S.UN. warships operating in the area. Again, no damage or casualties are reported. The destroyers USS Wilt-

March 25, 1952 sie (DD 716) and USS Brinkley Bass (DD 887) return fire and pound the batteries east of Kalmagak. In other activity, a small continent of 40 ROKS, 3 U.S. officers and one enlisted man (U.S. Army), accompanied by a civilian photographer, are transported by the USS Wantuck (APD 125) on a clandestine mission. The party debarks near Chuminjin to attempt to seize prisoners and cause disruption to the rails. Although an enemy patrol is observed, no engagement occurs. The contingent returns to the vessel. Scheduled plans for the night of the 24th and 25th are aborted.

March 24 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marine Air Wing units in support of Division VMO-6 and HMR-161 complete their respective moves from Airfield X-83 in the Punch Bowl area to a site (A-17) several miles below Munsan-ni. In conjunction, the rear echelon establishes positions at Ascom City. Although both helicopter squadrons are under the control of the 1st Marine Air Wing, they act under the operational control of Division. In other activity, a Communist force attacks a small contingent, composed of two squads of Korean Marines, on Ho-do Pando Island on the west coast. The assault is supported by guns and mortars on the mainland. The South Korean Marines sustain 33 killed, one wounded and one missing. In Air Force activity, a patrol attached to the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing) encounters a contingent of MiGs in the vicinity of Namsi-dong. Two pilots of the four-plane flight move against the solo flying MiG. Lieutenant James A. McCulley and his wingman, Lieutenant Richard H. Schoeneman, simultaneously open fire and the MiG is destroyed. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun fire at Ho-do Pando strikes the destroyer USS Brinkley Bass (DD 887). The vessel sustains damage, but the crew is able to make repairs and return to action. Five crewmen are injured and one is evacuated for medical aid. March 25 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines arrives near Munsan-ni from east Korea and deploy to the rear of the 7th Marines. Rather than revert to reserve, as scheduled, the 5th Marines is directed to deploy at positions between the 1st and 7th Marines, due to the need to bolster the overextended front lines. With the exception of some artillery, the entire 1st Marine Division by this date completes its movement from west Korea to east Korea, during the maneuver known as Operation MIXMASTER. On this day, the Chinese commence artillery fire against the Marine perimeter. One hundred and eighty-nine shells fall within the lines of the 1st and 5th Marines. Ten Marines are wounded. In other activity, a Chinese sniper kills one Marine in the 1st Marines zone. On the following day, another is mortally wounded. The Marines stay deployed along what remains the front lines for the duration of the conflict to hold the route to Seoul, which had been used for centuries by invading armies. The Marines’

March 25, 1952

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Elements of the 5th Marines fight the mud and spring thaw to reach new positions in west Korea. orders direct them to aggressively defend their sector of the Jamestown Line. The enemy in front of the Marines are the Chinese Communists. To the west of the perimeter stands the Chinese 65th Army and to the north, the Chinese 63rd Army. In addition, the Communists, while holding the strength of 15 infantry battalions, also have 10 artillery battalions with a combined number of 106 guns. The Marines are lacking their usual close-air support, as the Marine Air Wing remains under the control of Fifth Air Force, and orders restrict air support to 96 sorties per day along the entire 155-mile front of Eighth Army. In Air Force activity, enemy rail lines in North Korea again come under a tremendous attack as Fifth Air Force executes 959 sorties. The planes focus primarily on the area where the rail lines stretch from Sinanju to Chongju, but other targets are hit, too. The strikes pound the lines and cut the rails in more than 140 separate places. In addition, some units of the strike force also pound the Sunchon–Pyongyang Road and afterward reports indicate 27 hits against enemy vehicles.

March 25–31 1952

In the I Corps sector, a Chinese contingent of about 100 troops initiates probes against the 1st Marine Division lines, particularly against the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regi-

ment, which holds responsibility for the point known as Freedom Gate on the left of the perimeter. It is the key bridge in a chain of three that span the Imjin River and lead to the capital. Five separate actions occur. For the Marines, the Freedom Gate bridge is the artery that maintains contact and provides resupply for the regiments north of the river. The other bridges, X-ray and Widgeon, are positioned farther east.

March 25

Ho-do, a small, insignificant island that had recently been occupied by elements of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment is attacked by the Communists. The island, about 4,000 yards below Sokto, lies about 400 yards from the mainland in North Korean territory. By dawn on the 26th, following the amphibious assault, no Korean Marines survivors are known; however, after the Communists abandon the island on 2 April, six S.K. Marines who had concealed themselves on the island arrive at Sok-to. The island is not again occupied by U.N. Forces.

March 27 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Colonel Frederick P. Henderson becomes division artillery commanding officer, succeeding Colonel Bruce T. Hemphill. The artillery units are pressed heavily; the area to

831 defend is too wide for the amount of units. In addition, Fifth Air Force continues to hold jurisdiction on Marine air squadrons, restricting their support for the Marine ground troops along the Jamestown Line, as well as two other back-up lines to the rear, the Wyoming Line and Kansas Line, both established prior to the arrival of the Marines. To the front of the MLR, the Marines must also maintain an outpost line of resistance, which further spreads the units across positions about 2,500 yards in front of the main line of resistance. Nevertheless, during these first days along the Jamestown Line, the majority of casualties occur from mines previously planted and poorly marked by the South Koreans. In Air Force activity, after being informed of a downed pilot captured by Chinese troops, a helicopter crew takes off and heads for the vicinity of Pyoksong. One of the crewmen, using a rifle, keeps the Chinese pinned down while another lowers a hoist. The mission succeeds in retrieving the pilot. In Naval activity, the HMS Crane (PF) comes under fire from shore batteries on recently captured Ho-do Island. The vessel sustains only slight damage.

March 28

The USS Burlington (PF 51) comes under attack by enemy shore guns on Ho-do Pando, but no damage is inflicted; however, the warship responds to the attack and propels more than 120 rounds toward the origin of the fire. Some direct hits occur, based on the amount of fires seen raging. Also, the destroyer USS George K. Mackenzie (DD 836) reaches a high point during the period March 28–30 while operating off Sinchang. The Mackenzie fires her 8,000th 5-inch round.

March 29 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the administrative rear echelon arrives to complete the deployment of the 11th Marines’ artillery regiment in west Korea. The Marines discover problems with their defenses, including an area far larger than the available manpower to defend it. Korean farmers working their lands on terrain separating the MLR from the Chinese create an obstacle. The Chinese, from their positions, also find the farmers just in front of their positions. The Marines’ positions are out of range of U.S. warship guns. In Naval activity, an enemy contingent near Punghodong takes the USS Murrelet (AM 372) and the USS Symbol (AM 123) under fire with small arms and machine guns, but the effort is futile. The warships sustain no damage. In other activity, Rear Admiral F.X. McInerney assumes command of Amphibious Force Far East and of Task Force 90. He relieves Rear Admiral C.F. Espe. — In the United States: President Harry S Truman, while in attendance of the Jefferson-Jackson dinner (Washington National Guard Armory), announces that he will not run for reelection. March 30 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, ground contingents of the night-squadrons move

April 1, 1952 from their east coast field to Field K-8 on the west coast, slightly more than 100 miles south of Seoul. VMF(N)513 completes its redeployment there by 11 April.

March 31

The 1st Marine Division activates the Kimpo Provisional Regiment to bring about more operational control of the Kimpo defense units. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces Bomber Command initiates a two-day operation executed by B-29s that fly 29 sorties against rail targets, specifically, against the Sinhung-dong rail bridge and the Kwaksan railroad track, but other targets are also struck as secondary targets of opportunity. In Naval activity, the USS Boxer (CV 21) arrives to join Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) and serve her 3rd tour during the Korean War.

April 1952 Fifth Air Force, since the previous May, has lost 243 aircraft during the interdiction to destroy the Communist transportation system. Enemy guns have damaged another 290. At this time, only 131 airplanes have been replaced. In other activity, elements of the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion (USMC) arrive at the Kansas Line. Units not included are Company A, at KPR, and Company B, at Pohang. Later, during July, the battalion relieves the Reconnaissance Company on the line. In turn, the Reconnaissance Company becomes part of Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division. April 1

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese, following an artillery bombardment of about thirty minutes, launch an attack against the lines of the 1st Korean Marine Regiment at 2200. Troops of the 1st Battalion, stationed at an outpost in front of the lines, are first to come under attack. The Communists penetrate at a point between two outposts and reach ground within 200 yards of the MLR and within arm’s reach of the Freedom Gate. Another contingent drives against positions farther south, but here, progress is stymied. By about 2345, the Chinese abort the attack and return to their lines. Meanwhile, to the left of the 1st Battalion, the 3rd Battalion comes under a stiff attack. By about midnight (1st-2nd), the Chinese force the 1st Battalion to give ground; however, soon after, a counterattack retakes the ground. At 0300 the Chinese launch a new assault, but it, too, is repelled. The Korean Marines sustain 2 killed and 10 wounded. The Chinese sustain 2 killed (counted) and another 10 estimated killed and 10 wounded. The stamina of the 1st Korean Marine Regiment prevents the Communists from gaining the key bridge that leads to the capital and preserves the western flank of the 1st Marine Division. In Air Force activity, contingent of F-86 Sabre jets (Fifth Air Force) encounters a band of MiGs and a tenacious air battle erupts. The Americans knock down 10 MiGs and lose one plane. During the duels in the sky, Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, the commanding officer of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing (and 4th Fighter

April 2, 1952 Interceptor Wing), kills one of the MiGs, which makes him an ace for the second time. Gabreski, known as “Gabby” to his friends, had become an ace during World War II when he gained 28 kills. On a subsequent mission, his plane’s engine unexpectedly malfunctions and he is forced to make a crash landing; the Germans capture him. Also, Major William H. Wescott, 25th FighterInterceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, while leading a 4-plane flight, encounters a group of 12 MiG-15s in the vicinity of Tangmok-tang. Wescott knocks one of the MiGs from the sky. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral M.A. Souchek (Carrier Division 3) relieves Rear Admiral F.W. McMahon (Carrier Division 5) as commanding officer, Fast Carrier Task Force (CTF 77); however, Admiral McMahon resumes command soon after and retains it until 23 April. Enemy shore guns are active this day. At Ho-do Pando, the USS Wiltsie (DD 716) comes under fire. It and the USS McGinty (DE 365) combine their firepower to knock the positions from where the fire originated. The vessels sustain no casualties or damage. Also, at Wonsan, the USS Condor (AMS 5) comes under attack from shore guns. It sustains no damage. In other activity, the USS Leonard F. Mason (DD 852) also engages the enemy at Wonsan. During the time the vessel returns fire, an explosion occurs in the locker that contains the depth charges. The ship sustains some slight damage, but no casualties are incurred. In Air Force activity, major air contests erupt on this day, as about 363 MiGs are spotted in the skies over northwest Korea. The reports indicate 10 MiGs definitely destroyed and a probable three more downed.

832 Twelve other MiGs are damaged during the day in seven separate air duels. The U.S. loses one F-86; two others sustain minor damage. It is the largest air battle of the war to date.

April 2

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese, following their attacks of the previous night, begin to focus on defending their lines. Nevertheless, later on this day, the Chinese probe the positions of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. Two enemy patrols are detected in the Korean Marines sector. In other activity, the Marines record that 3,876 artillery shells and 118 mortar rounds strike the division positions this day. For the entire month of April, the Communists propel 5,000 rounds of artillery and 3,786 mortar rounds into the perimeter. In Air Force activity, a four-plane patrol of the 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing) encounters six MiGs in the vicinity of Sinuiju. One MiG is knocked out of the sky by Lieutenant Dale W. Smiley. In Naval activity, U.S. naval warships continue to come under fire from enemy shore gun batteries. At Wonsan, the USS Symbol (AM 123), USS Murrelet (AM 372) and the USS Edmonds (DE 406) come under attack while operating off Wonsan. Also, in the area near Kalmagak, the destroyer USS Wiltsie (DD 716) is fired upon. However, the enemy barrages score no damage, nor casualties.

April 3 In aerial combat, Captain Robert H. Moore (336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron), on a sortie, engages a MiG and prevails. It is his fifth kill, which makes him the ninth ace of the Korean War. In conjunction,

A U.S. Navy F4U-5N Corsair (Nightfighter) returns to its carrier just prior to sunrise.

833 Moore flies an F-86 Sabre jet. All the aces of the Korean War except one fly F-86 Sabre jets. A U.S. Navy ace, Lieutenant Guy Bordelon, achieves his ace status in a Navy F4U-5NL Corsair night fighter. Only two pilots achieve the status of ace in a plane other than an F86. This figure does not include aces whose combined score includes kills achieved during World War II and Korea. These are John W. Andre, USMC, and William E. Lamb, USN.

April 4

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines patrol encounters and captures a Chinese soldier.

April 5

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment initiates a night raid against the Chinese positions. Three platoons of the 10th Company move out at 2300, and after they ford the Sachon River, they encounter an obstacle, tangle wire. Soon after, the patrol is met by an enemy sentry who alerts the line and a firefight breaks out. Friendly artillery and mortar fire is called upon to support the attack. In coordination with the support fire, the patrol prepares to advance toward the objective, Tonggang-ni. At 0148 on 6 April, the 1st platoon strikes from the right, followed immediately thereafter by the 2nd platoon, which drives directly into the front of the enemy position to ignite close-quartered fighting, in which the Korean Marines prevail. The Chinese disengage and head for their bunkers, from where they continue to fire. After a period of about one-half hour, Communist reinforcements are detected as they encroach the skirmish. Using the artillery support for cover, the patrol withdraws at 0230. No prisoners are seized, but seven civilians encountered in the area are brought out with the patrol. The Korean Marines sustain 2 killed and 18 wounded. In contrast, the Chinese sustain 12 killed (counted) and an estimated 25 wounded. The patrol arrives back at its lines at about 0400. In other activity, a 5th Marines’ patrol collects 34 civilians in the area between its lines and the Chinese. A wounded Chinese soldier is also seized. Also, Operation PRONTO is executed. The operation becomes the initial major troop movement by helicopters and trucks in the I Corps sector. The helicopters (HMR-161) and vehicles transport 670 Marines (2nd Battalion, 7th Marines) and 10,000 pounds of rations from Munsan-ni to the Kimpo peninsula, across the Han River. Due to the “neutrality zone” created because of the talks at Panmunjom, a circuitous route is taken, which makes the round-trip helicopter flight a 57-mile route.

April 6

The destroyer USS Wiltsie (DD 716) again comes under fire from enemy shore batteries at positions near Kalmagak; however, no damage is sustained. In other activity, the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61) arrives back in the Korean Theater to relieve USS Wis

April 11, 1952 consin (BB-61) and replace her as the flagship of the 7th Fleet, commander, Vice Admiral Robert P. Briscoe. In Air Force activity, Captain Iven C. Kincheloe, Jr., attached to the 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, prevails in an air duel with a MiG when his F-86 downs the enemy plane. It is his fifth kill, which makes him the tenth pilot to become an ace during the war.

April 7

Enemy shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Chongjin, using heavy guns, fire upon the USS Endicott (DMS 35). Another vessel, the destroyer Chandler (DD 717) combines her firepower with that of the Endicott and the guns (75-mm and 120-mm) are knocked out of action. The U.S. vessels sustain no damage and no casualties. Another incident occurs near Nan-do, when the destroyer USS Hamner (DD 718) moves into the line of fire from enemy shore guns and like the Endicott, no damage or casualties occur.

April 8

Weather conditions deteriorate immensely. All naval and air operations are suspended.

April 10

At Koje-do, medical personnel enter Compound 95 to aid a sick prisoner and remove him from the compound, but the POWs attack the medics. A force of about 100 ROK troops is ordered into the compound to rescue the troops and restore order. In Air Force activity, Brigadier General (later, major general) Chester E. McCarty, assumes command of the 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo). McCarty succeeds Colonel Cecil H. Childre, who assumed the post at the end of February. In Naval activity, an enemy plane probes in the Yellow Sea where the USS Rochester (CA 124) is operating. The unidentified aircraft does not respond to challenges by the Rochester; rather it heads north. In other activity, at Wonsan, the naval bombardments continue. Planes and surface vessels pound selected enemy targets. The cruiser USS St. Paul (CA 73) and the destroyer USS Hanson (DDR 832) participate. Also, in the area north of Ho-do Pando, enemy shore gun batteries take the destroyer USS Silverstein (DE 534) under fire from a range of more than 12,000 yards. Nevertheless, no damage is incurred.

April 11

Brigadier General Clayton C. Jerome, USMC, replaces Major General Christian F. Schilt, USMC, as commander, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The change of command ceremony takes place at Field K-3. In Naval activity, U.S. warships, including the destroyer USS Wiltsie (DD 716) and the destroyer escort USS McGinty (DE 365), operating in the vicinity of Wonsan, come under attack by enemy shore batteries, but no damage is reported. Also, at Ho-do Pando, the destroyer escort Silverstein (DE 534), the USS Cabildo (LSD 16), and the USS Apache (ATF 67) commence firing against enemy gun positions. In yet other naval activity, the destroyer escort USS Edmonds (DE 406), operating south of Hungnam, is brought under fire from a range of about 10,000 yards. The Edmonds is able to avoid damage and its guns silence the hostile fire.

April 12, 1952

April 12 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese launch an attack against the center of 5th Marines line, but it is repulsed. In Naval activity, the USS Wiltsie (DD 716), while operating near Wonsan, comes under fire, but no damage is scored. In other activity, the Communists mount an attack against Yongmae Island. The amphibious assault is interrupted and repelled by the destroyer HMS Bataan. April 13 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese for the second day in a row launch an attack against the 5th Marines; again it is repelled. April 14 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communists by this date decrease the number of infantry probes; however, the Marines begin to receive more artillery assaults. Between this date and the end of the month, Kimpo air base is hit by 25 artillery shells, but up to this point in April, only four rounds had been fired into the area of Kimpo. In other activity, I Corps extends the front of the 1st Marine Division by 6,800 yards, which until now has been the responsibility of the 1st Commonwealth Brigade. The already overstretched line now runs a distance of thirty-five and one-half miles (including the Kimpo peninsula). The directive compels the Marines to modify their defenses. The outpost line is pulled back in order to permit the Marines to bolster their main line of defense. Also, although the Communists decrease their activity, the Marines accelerate their activity before the month ends with Operation CLOBBER, using a potent combination of tank fire and artillery rounds to pound the enemy positions. Company D, 1st Tank Battalion, adds its flame-throwing tanks to the 11th Marines’ artillery. The tanks fire upon troop assembly areas as well as enemy observation posts and artillery and mortar positions. The attacks occur during darkness, therefore the results of the operation remain unknown. In Air Force activity, the 403rd Troop Carrier Wing (Medium) arrives in Japan from the States. The 403rd is the first Air Force Reserve wing activated for service in Korea. In other activity, an SA-16, attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, braves enemy ground fire and successfully plucks a downed U.S. naval pilot from the sea and transports him to safety. April 15 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese launch an attack against Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, at its positions on Outpost 3, a 400-foot hill manned by a reinforced platoon. The Marines are twice struck by artillery, during the afternoon and at dusk. At 2330, a green flare is spotted at Hill 67 and afterward, another artillery bombardment strikes the positions of Company E. About 10 minutes prior to midnight (15–16), another green flare is spotted and it apparently is the signal to cease fire, but only temporarily. The barrage is terminated, but in a few minutes, the artillery begins again, but to new positions west of the outpost.

834 Meanwhile, the Communists launch their assault, charging directly against the front of the defenses. Suddenly, the outpost is under assault from three sides. The Marines are compelled to pull back to consolidate their beleaguered positions. Nevertheless, from their imperiled positions, they are able to hold the ground and force the Communists to disengage without gaining the outpost. The Chinese regroup and launch yet another attack, only to gain the same results. The Marines hold and drive the Communists back, except for three who are captured. The Chinese greatly outnumber the defending company and they had also plastered the position with artillery, mortars, machine guns, hand grenades and recoilless rifles before meeting the Marines in hand-to-hand fighting, in which the Marines again prevail. The Communists sustain 25 killed (counted) and another 25 estimated killed, as well as 45 known wounded and three prisoners. The Marines sustain six killed, five missing and 25 wounded. Communications between Chinese headquarters and the attack force during the assault are picked up by U.S. intelligence. After the order to withdraw is overheard, artillery units set up and commence firing toward all withdrawal routes. Nevertheless, the Chinese escape without further casualties. The attack to test the Marines’ staying power is the final attack against Marine positions for the remainder of the month. However, the regimental commander, apparently pleased by the courage of his platoon, concludes that the outpost is too large to be held by only a reinforced platoon. In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) launches a surface and air attack against Chongjin. The carriers USS Philippine Sea (CV 47) and Boxer (CV 21) launch a combined total of 246 sorties against enemy targets. In addition, one cruiser and three destroyers participate.

April 16 In the 1st Marine Division sector, 1st Marines zone, an enemy force launches a night attack against the positions of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, near Panmunjom. During the probing attack, a grenade lands in their midst among some wounded. Corporal Duane E. Dewey spots the hot missile, yells a warning, pulls a wounded medic from harm’s way, then blankets the grenade with his body to save the others. Corporal Dewey survives and is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage and selfless sacrifice in the face of hostile fire. In Naval activity, the carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV 47) is relieved by the carrier USS Valley Forge (CV 47). The USS Murrelet (AM 372), while operating near Musa-dan, comes under enemy machine gun fire from a distance of less than 1,000 yards on this day and the next. The Murrelet and another accompanying vessel, the Toucan (AM 387), retaliate and silence the guns. April 17 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese launch an early morning assault against the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment at 0100. The Korean Marines repel three separate attacks. All

835 three are terminated by 0400. This is the final attack in the 1st Marine Division zone during April. In related activity, Marine patrols continue to operate and maintain a vigil on the terrain where the outposts had been withdrawn. The only sector in which tanks can participate is the area guarded by the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. The remainder of the line is not suitable for armor. In Naval activity, The USS Murrelet (AM 372) and USS Toucan (AM 387), which had recently (15th-16th) exchanged fire with the enemy at Musa-dan, again come under fire while operating in the vicinity of Songdo Gap. Neither vessel sustains any casualties or damage. At Nan-do, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon the destroyer USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747) from a distance of about 13,000 yards in the vicinity of Nan-do Island, but the rounds fall short. In other activity, the USS Thomas (DDR 833), operating near Chuuronjang, comes under enemy fire. It is soon joined by the British destroyer HMS Concord. Neither vessel sustains any damage. In yet other activity, the enemy at Wonsan fires upon the USS McGinty (DE 365). Meanwhile, the destroyer Maddox (DD 731) rushes to join with the McGinty and both return fire, which knocks out the enemy guns. Neither the McGinty or the Maddox sustain any damage or casualties. Also, intelligence reports indicate that the Communists have been building up for attacks against a series of friendly held islands, including Kakhoe, Kotkpo, Kulto, Kyo-dong, Porum, Sogom, Songmo and Yongmae. The reports specify that the attacks will be

April 19, 1952 launched in three phases. It is thought that the initial target will be Yongmae.

April 18

The USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747) comes under a short burst of enemy fire while it operates near Kojo, but no damage is incurred. On 18–19 April, Marine carrier-based Squadron VMA-312 carries out 80 sorties in support of Eighth Army. The number of flights is a Korean record for carrier-based squadrons up to this date. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation LEAPFROG commences. Helicopter Squadron HMR-161 transports one battalion of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment to the Kimpo peninsula, a short trip of about six miles. The exercise is to test the feasability of moving the Koreans over water to replace one unit with another, while experimenting with the language barriers between the crews and the troops. The operation goes smoothly and due to the interpreters, the language difference does not become a problem. The crews discover that instead of transporting five troops in full gear, they can move six Koreans on each helicopter, due to the difference in weight between the American Marines and the Korean Marines.

April 19 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines receives instructions to form a rescue and recovery force. The unit is to be prepared, if necessary, to be able to move expeditiously to rescue the U.N. Truce Team at Panmunjom. In conjunction, the Everready Rescue Force deploys at Outpost 2, east of Panmunjom. To bolster the force, another unit, the Forward Covering Force, stands ready to expedite the

A convoy including tanks (1st Tank Battalion, USMC) advances. South Korean women can be seen in the water on the bottom right.

April 20, 1952 movement of infantry by tanks to the high ground about one-half mile beyond Panmunjom. In the event a rescue becomes necessary, once the team is retrieved, the Pick Up Force, composed of elements of the 1st Tank Battalion, would take the representatives and speed them back to friendly lines. Along the route, yet another force, the Rear Covering Force, composed of a tank-infantry force, is to shadow the pickup force. In Naval activity, enemy shore batteries take the USS Endicott (DMS 35) under fire while she operates near the Songjin–Chongjin area. The vessel sustains some minor damage, but no casualties are incurred. A British destroyer escort operating near Kirin-do comes under enemy fire and inadvertently receives fire from friendly forces as she maneuvers between the island and the mainland.

April 20 By this date, the three Marine tactical squadrons of MAG-12 (VMF[N]-513, VMF-212 and VMF-323) complete their redeployment to the west coast of Korea. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, MAG12 completes its redeployment from east Korea to its new base, K-6, located about thirty miles south of Seoul. Other Marine air support units are deployed at K-3, and yet others are based at Itami Air Force Base in Japan at Honshu. The Chinese sustain 36 killed (counted) and an estimated 46 wounded. The Korean Marines sustain 2 killed and 5 wounded. In Naval activity, elements of TF 90 initiate the transport of the 38th Infantry Regiment from Inchon to Koje-do. The operation is completed on 22 April. April 21

An explosion (powder fire) occurs on the USS St. Paul (CA 73) while it is engaged in combat operations off Kojo. Thirty crewmen are killed. In other activity, the USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124) debarks ROK troops on eight separate occasions to launch intelligence raids along the northeast coast of Korea. The raids are conducted through 4 May. Also, Marine Attack Squadron 312 relocates its operations from the USS Bairoko (CVE 115) to the USS Bataan (CVL 29). In Air Force activity, Captain Robert J. Love, attached to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, encounters, engages and destroys two MiGs in an air battle. The two kills give Captain Love the status of ace.

April 21

In Air Force activity, a four-plane contingent of F-51 Mustangs (67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group) escort a rescue helicopter in the vicinity of Sonch’on. During the mission, while trying to ensure the helicopter gets back to friendly lines, one of the planes, piloted by Lieutenant Jack E. Shepard, gets hit by enemy ground fire. He ignores the severe damage and continues the attack against the enemy position to protect the helicopter. Shepard expends his ammunition, then launches mock dives to divert the enemy. Lieutenant Melvin Souza, of the same outfit, also greatly aids the beleaguered helicopter that had become damaged in the rescue attempt

836 of picking up a downed pilot. Souza positions himself under the helicopter, then responds to the enemy ground fire by diving against the enemy positions and afterward they guide the helicopter and the rescued F80 pilot to safety.

April 22 Planes of the three MAG-12 Marine squadrons participate in a Fifth Air Force attack that sets a one-day record with 1,049 sorties flown. In Air Force activity, due to an acute shortage of fighter bombers, Fifth Air Force presses Sabre jets into a new task, to execute armed reconnaissance mission of the Communists’ communication lines. Planes attached to the 4th and 51st Fighter Interceptor Wings carry out the missions. In Naval activity, the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61) and the destroyer USS Bradford (DD 545) are attacked by enemy shore batteries near Mayang-do; however, no damage is incurred and no casualties are reported. Also, the USS Iowa (BB 61), the USS Manchester (CL 83) and carrier planes strike the region that stretches between Hungnam and Sinp’o. April 23 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation CIRCUS commences. Helicopter Squadron HMR-161 transports the 7th Marines (minus two battalions) from its positions to new positions across the Imjin River to landing sites to the immediate rear of the Wyoming Forward Line, the secondary defensive line. The helicopters transport 1,185 troops in only 90 minutes. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral John Perry relieves Rear Admiral F. W. McMahon and assumes command of Carrier Division Five and Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77). In other activity, the British destroyer HMS Concord (DD) comes under enemy shore gun battery fire in the Songjin-Chonjin region. The British return fire and report severe damage inflicted upon enemy positions. The vessel sustains only minor damage; however, a direct hit causes the death of two crewmen and the wounding of four others. April 24 In Naval activity, at Yanag-do, a group of enemy sampans encounter the USS Endicott (DMS 35). One of the boats and its several occupants are seized. The two other boats, along with their occupants, are destroyed. At Songjin, the USS Osprey (AMS 28) comes under fire while it is sweeping the area for mines. The Osprey and another warship, the USS Doyle (DMS-34), return fire. No damage is incurred and no casualties occur on either vessel. In yet other activity, the USS Brush (DD 745), operating off Sokto, is called upon to support Combat Air Patrol planes (TARCAP) that are being fired upon. The guns of the Brush eliminate the problem and the planes resume their mission unimpeded. Also, other ships are engaged in retaking islands previously lost to the Communists. By this date, friendly guerrillas have re-occupied Hachwira-do, Tok-to, and

837 Yuk-to and in each instance, the landings had taken place without incident, as the enemy had abandoned the positions. Also, two Marine F2H-2Ps (VMJ-1) piloted by Major Robert R. Road and 1st Lieutenant Lytton F. Blass, while on a mission, come under attack by a band of MiGs, but both planes complete the mission and return to base without harm. — In Japan: Marine Squadron VMA-312 departs Itami Air Force Base to board the USS Bataan.

April 25 Aerial photographs taken over Pyongyang show evidence that the Communists, by gathering huge amounts of sand, intend to make the airfield there once again operable. In other activity, the U.S. Navy reports from the USS Boxer indicate that the Communists, according to photographic evidence, are massing large numbers of boats in the areas west of No-do Pan at Wondan and Soman and Songjon bays. Eighty-three boats of fishing boat size or smaller and 17 large vessels of about 60 feet are counted. April 26

All HRS-1 helicopters are grounded due to a problem with the tail rotors. The problem is solved by mid–May. These Marine helicopters had, only several days before, participated in a large troop transport maneuver. In Air Force activity, Major William H. Wescott, attached to the 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter Interceptor Group, while on a mission engages and destroys a MiG, the fifth to his credit in the past four weeks. Major Wescott becomes an ace, the twelfth of the conflict. In Naval activity, the USS Cabildo (LSD 16) is hit

April 28, 1952 by enemy fire while operating off Ho-do Pando. Two crewmen are wounded and the ship sustains some slight damage. In other activity, while two boats are withdrawing from Umi-do under the protection of the destroyer escort USS Silverstein (DE 534), enemy shore batteries fire upon the sampans. Fire is returned by the Silverstein and another vessel, the destroyer USS Maddox (DD 731). In addition, planes from the carrier USS Valley Forge (CV 45) participate. No casualties are reported aboard the ships.

April 27

Enemy shore batteries near Kosong commence firing upon the USS Samuel H. Moore (DD 748). The destroyer returns fire and knocks out the battery. Also, the USS Waxbill (AMS 39) pours fire upon an enemy battery near Wonsan, which had fired first. The Waxbill sustains no casualties; however, its fire knocks out the battery.

April 28 Enemy shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Ho-do Pando fire upon the USS Conserver (ARS 39) and a smaller South Korean vessel, which are off the western side of Yo-do. The vessels withdraw under the protection of a smokescreen laid by the destroyer USS Maddox. Meanwhile, the Maddox and the destroyer escort Silverstein pound the suspected positions of the batteries and end the threat. In yet other Naval activity, the destroyer escort USS McGinty (DE 365) fires upon and damages an enemy Russian T-34 tank that had been operating on Kalmagak Island. In Air Force activity, a downed pilot of a Hawker Sea Fury is saved by a rescue helicopter for the second time in less than one month. The rescue helicopter, 3rd Air

A helicopter crew rescues a downed pilot at sea.

April 29, 1952 Rescue Squadron, retrieves the pilot and transports him back to friendly lines.

April 29–30 1952 Far East Air Forces sustains three tragic losses during this two-day period when, on separate missions, three planes attached to the 315th Air Division crash — a C-46, C-47 and a C-119. The total number of men lost climbs to sixteen. April 30

Marine Squadron VMO-6, during the month of April, dispatches its eleven fixed-wing aircraft (OE-1 observation planes) on 508 missions, including more than 275 for artillery spotting. Other missions include reconnaissance, photo reconnaissance and weather. In addition, the squadron’s helicopters complete 248 flights, most over enemy territory. Also, Marine squadrons operating under Fifth Air Force also remain busy during April. Fifth Air Force dispatches 1,397 Marine planes on missions connected to the interdiction raids to disrupt the North Korean transportation operations. In addition, Marine squadrons fly only 47 missions in close-support of the 1st Maine Division; however, the Marines are also dispatched to other U.S.-U.N. forces and complete 547 sorties in that endeavor. Marine squadrons based at sea also support Eighth Army heavily during April. (See also, April 18, 1952.) Also, another Marine unit, the recently created Marine Photographic Squadron 1 (VMJ-1), attached to MAG-33, is deeply involved with reconnaissance missions of Fifth Air Force. The specialty squadron is responsible for about one-third of the daylight photos. The squadron is composed of ten McDonnell Banshee F2H-2P planes, twin-engine aircraft capable of flying at high altitudes at a speed of 550 miles per hour. The aircraft are single-seat jets, each carrying three cameras. In Air Force activity, a patrol attached to the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing) encounters and engages a trio of MiG-15s in the vicinity of Pihyon. Lieutenant Arlan P. Brietenstein closes against one of the planes and opens fire. He scores damage, but then passes over. His wingman moves into position, continues the attack and downs the MiG. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries at Lighthouse Point take the destroyer USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) under fire while she is engaged with the destruction of enemy targets in Hungnam. The Fox turns her attention on the origin points of the enemy fire and plasters the entire area. Also, the USS Maddox (DD 731) and USS Laffey (DD 724), pound the enemy rails at Wonsan and damage rail cars and enemy shore gun batteries. In other activity, the carrier USS Princeton (CV 37) arrives to join Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77). The Princeton, on its first day of its second tour, gets involved in an accident. While the vessel is getting refueled, it collides with the USS Cacapon (AO 52). Some slight damage occurs to the Cacapon.

838 In yet other activity, the USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124) concludes a successful operation after debarking friendly troops along the northern coast of Korea. The raiding contingent destroys a railroad bridge and stretches of track in the same area. During the operation, several prisoners had been seized. In Marine Corps air activity, a contingent of Panther jets (F9F-2), attached to Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-311, encounters and engage eight MiG-15s in the skies over Kunu-ri. One Marine plane sustains damage and it is reported that one MiG had been damaged by Captain W.E. Daniels. This is the initial air-toair encounter of 1952. May 1, 1952–November 30, 1952. EIGHTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: SUMMER-FALL 1952.

May 1

In the Eighth Army area, the units deployed across the front from west to east are as follows: (I Corps–General John O’Daniel) 1st Marine Division, 1st Commonwealth Division, 1st ROK Division, and the U.S. 45th Division; (IX Corps–General Wyman) ROK 9th Division, U.S. 7th Division and U.S. 40th Division; (ROK II Corps) ROK 6th, ROK Capital and ROK 3rd Divisions; (X Corps) ROK 7th Division, U.S. 7th Division on line, with the ROK 8th Division in place at the Punch Bowl, recently evacuated by the 1st Marine Division; (ROK I Corps) ROK 11th Division, alongside X Corps and to the far east, the ROK 5th Division at the Sea of Japan. In Naval activity, the operation to relocate POWs that had begun on 19 April from Koje-do to other internment facilities by CTG-90 is completed this day. The relocation movement transferred 80,225 men. Also, the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) comes under enemy shore gun fire while it is operating near Hungnam. No damage or casualties are reported. In other activity, the HMS Whitesand Bay (PF) provides support to friendly guerrillas that launch a raid in the Haeju approaches. The successful mission gains 12 prisoners and includes the confiscation of enemy documents. In yet other activity, aerial photographs gather evidence that the Communists have initiated the movement of heavy artillery pieces into the east coast of Korea. Eight new guns are spotted in the area southwest of Hamhung.

May 2 A contingent of friendly guerrillas, supported by the HMS Whitesand Bay (PF), launches a successful raid on the mainland against Ponggu-Myon, located in the Haeju region. May 3

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment initiates a patrol at just after darkness to seek and capture enemy troops in the vicinity of Hill 34, located near the rail line of Kaesong and less than one mile west of the Sachon River. No prisoners are gained; however, during an early morning shoot out, the South Koreans prevail.

839 They account for 12 enemy killed. The Korean Marines sustain one man wounded. In Air Force activity, the number of U.S. aces during the war climbs from twelve to fourteen on this day. Five MiGs are destroyed by Sabre jets. Of the five kills, Major Donald E. Adams, 16th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, downs two and Captain Robert T. Latshaw, Jr., attached to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, shoots down one. Both Adams and Latshaw become aces. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries at Hungnam fire upon the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) without effect; however, the ship’s return fire liquidates the battery. In another incident, Communist troops using small arms fire upon the USS Ptarmigan (AM 376) and USS Toucan (AM 387) while they are maneuvering to sweep mines in the vicinity of Chaho to Mayang-do.

May 4

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, moves out on patrol at about dawn en route to an old position, Outpost 3, to occupy the high ground there. The patrol arrives at the objective at 0900, but at about the same time, word arrives that an enemy attack is imminent. Troops on a nearby elevation that were moving toward the patrol had been spotted by an aerial observer. A short artillery barrage precedes an attack by about 60–70 Communists. The enemy is greeted with small arms fire and shortly thereafter Marine Corsairs arrive to hammer the enemy mortar positions that had fired upon the patrol. The attack is repelled with 14 Chinese killed. Later, the Chinese again come under attack at about 1330, when Corsairs return to pound the positions. Under the cover fire of the Corsairs, the patrol begins to move back to its lines, but en route, the troops encounter an uncharted minefield that kills two Marines who are carrying stretchers and wounds four others. Meanwhile, specialists eliminate the mines and with the support fire from other Marines on patrol from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, the patrol reaches friendly lines and a medical aid station where vehicles are standing by to transport the seriously wounded to medical facilities. The patrol reports the deaths of 27 enemy troops, one of whom is shot into the air after a direct hit by an artillery shell. In Air Force activity, a contingent of 25 F-86 Sabre jets strike the airfield at Sinuiju. No MiGs intercept, but five of nineteen counted on the ground are destroyed, despite being protected by revetments. In other activity, a patrol led by Lieutenant Richard H. Schoeneman (16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing) spots a group of enemy IL-10 type aircraft in the skies near Yongsansi. Schoeneman destroys one of the planes. Also, Lieutenant James A. McCulley (16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron) downs a Yak aircraft during the fight.

May 5

The USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779), subsequent to coming under fire from enemy shore gun

May 7, 1952 batteries south of Hungnam, returns fire and knocks out one battery. Later, this same day, the warship again returns and pounds yet another gun position, but receives no hostile fire. No damage is sustained by the ship.

May 6

While operating in the waters near Singhang-ni, the destroyer USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779), seizes 3 enemy sampans and 15 North Koreans. In another incident, raiders aboard the Fox seize a large sampan and 32 North Korean fishermen near Paegandan. In yet other activity, the carrier USS Valley Forge (CV 45) sustains some damage following a mechanical failure that led to the loss of the steering. The Valley Forge collides with the USS Firedrake (AE 14), which is alongside the carrier to resupply it with ammunition. No casualties are reported by either vessel. In other activity, the commanding officer of VMJ1, Major R.R. Reid, executes the squadron’s first mission in Korea, escorted by USAF fighters (F-86 Sabre jets). The mission is to gather photographs in enemy controlled territory.

May 7

Brigadier General Frank T. Dodd, USA, is taken captive by the Communist prisoners at Koje-do. As the gates at Compound 76 are being closed, the POWs grab Dodd and pull him back into the compound. The Communists had used the POW camps to their advantage. Some troops surrendered specifically to pass orders from the high command. Four enclosures had earlier been constructed at Koje-do to house 6,000 prisoners, but the camp is well over its limits by the start of 1952. The Communists tie notes to stones and toss them from one compound to another. In addition, they use songs and chants (smuggled into camp with supplies) to pass orders. Other methods included feigning sickness to meet at medical clinics. The Communist POWs also had by this time amassed a huge arsenal of hand-made weapons including knives, axes, jagged pieces of metal and spears made from tent poles. In Naval activity, USS James C. Owens (DD 776), while firing at targets of opportunity near Songjin, receives an estimated 100 rounds of 75 mm fire from 10 gun batteries in the hillside area near Songjin Lighthouse. The vessel sustains damage from six hits and many near misses. Two men are killed and seven others are wounded. In other activity, enemy shore gun batteries are active at Wonsan. The USS Waxbill (AMS 39) comes under fire, but no harm is inflicted. The USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) receives enemy fire from two separate batteries at Mayang-do and Yuktaeso. No damage is inflicted upon the warship; however, the two batteries from where the fire originated are both eliminated by return fire. In yet other activity, aerial observance flights record high activity regarding enemy vehicles. More than 4,000 vehicles are observed each night for six consecutive nights.

May 8, 1952

May 8 In the Eighth Amy area, General Ridgway calls for an urgent meeting to deal with the seizure of General Dodd at the Korean prison compound. Ridgway attempts to solve the problem prior to his departure to Europe to succeed General Eisenhower. Ridgway refuses to capitulate to prisoner demands to save the general because he believes “in wartime, a general’s life is no more precious than the life of a common soldier....

840 If in order to save an officer’s life, we abandoned the cause for which enlisted men had died, we would be guilty of betraying the men whose lives had been placed in our care.” Ridgway informs the Communists that Dodd is no longer the camp commander and that if he is not set free immediately (by 1000, 10 May), force would be used. General Van Fleet orders a contingent of the 3rd Division’s

A Communist supply depot at Suan, less than forty miles southeast of Pyongyang, comes under attack by U.S. planes. A Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star makes a low-level pass. A napalm tank is falling just below the left wing.

841 tanks to move 200 miles from the north to Koje-do to help handle the problem. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation Order 12–52 is issued. It directs the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, to seize several objectives, designated S, V and X. The targets stand in front of Outpost 3 (Objective Y) and they are to be taken to prevent their use by the Chinese. At 0430, the 1st Platoon, Company A, moves toward a diminutive ridge west of OP 3, objective S. The platoon is shadowed by the 2nd Platoon, which moves to the right, while the remaining platoon protects the rear. The hill falls with little effort. Afterward, the 1st Platoon pivots and drives northward toward the remaining objectives, four peaks (V, X, Y and Z) stretching a distance of 1,399 yards. With the support of rocket fire, the Marines press ahead and take the first hill, V, and eliminate about 15 of the defenders and wound a similar number. At this time the Marines have sustained 5 wounded. In addition, one enemy soldier is seized. Meanwhile, the enemy initiates an artillery barrage against the attack force. One Marine is killed and three are wounded. While the main body of the patrol edges toward Objective X, the 1st Platoon continues toward OP 3, all under severe fire, while friendly fire continues to permeate the objectives. At intervals, the friendly fire creates an unnatural dust storm that temporarily and completely obscures the vision of the advancing infantry. At Objective X, the Chinese raise formidable fire and during the struggle the 1st Platoon repels a strong counterattack, but afterward, it becomes isolated and the remainder of the company comes under assault. Nevertheless, the Marines repulse the attack. At 1435, the 1st Platoon is ordered to rejoin the company; however, as it moves an intense artillery barrage pounds the withdrawal route. The barrage kills three Marines and wounds several others during the 5minute thunderclap. By this time, three objectives have fallen, but the final one remains under enemy control. It is determined that the positions are untenable, prompting a withdrawal. Support fire comes into play and a nearby diversionary contingent in the vicinity of Objective S also provides protective fire. The patrol returns to friendly lines by about 1730 and the remainder of the battalion arrives shortly after. During the mission, intended to seize prisoners, 35 enemy soldiers are killed (counted) and 53 are wounded (counted); however, it is estimated that an additional 70 Chinese had been killed and another 105 wounded. The Marines sustain 7 killed and 66 are wounded. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches the first of four planned interdiction attacks between this day and 24 May. On this day, 465 sorties are initiated by fighter bombers. The planes hammer the supply depot at Suan, about forty miles southeast of Pyongyang. The attack is sustained for thirteen hours with the aircraft pounding the complex yard-by-yard. More than 200 storage buildings and other targets are either destroyed or damaged. The strike is the most massive one-day attack since the war began.

May 12, 1952 Also, one F-86 Sabre jet is shot down by anti-aircraft fire during a strike against the marshaling yard at Kunu-ri. The downed aircraft becomes the first F-86 lost during a fighter bomber mission.

May 9

In Naval activity, information gathered from prisoners points to a potential pending invasion of Yang-do from the mainland. The conclusion is based on intelligence regarding five separate Communist boatbuilding operations on the mainland across from Yangdo Island. In other activity, the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779), operating off Hungnam, launches a raid on the inner harbor that nets 2 prisoners.

May 10 The deadline, 1000, set by General Ridgway passes, but General Van Fleet does not order his forces to retake the prison compound by force. Van Fleet claims it is because the tanks have not arrived, but he also holds up for some other reasons. General Ridgway claims the other reasons are unclear to him. Meanwhile, the Communists in the compound demand more outrageous concessions, including admitting use of germ weapons, poison gas and experimenting with the atom bomb. Later this same day, General Colson and Dodd reply with a draft in which Dodd falsely admits to the killing and wounding of Communist prisoners, to the jubilation of the Communists. Dodd is released on the following day. In Naval activity, the destroyer USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) seizes four North Koreans (fishermen) in the water south of Hungnam, near Mayang-do Island. Also, at Wonsan, the USS Merganser (AMS 26) and USS Redhead (AMS 34), come under enemy fire from Kalmagak, but no damage and no casualties are reported. In addition, the destroyers USS Maddox (DD 731) and USS Laffey (DD 729), operating in the same area, commence fire against rail targets and score effectively, while the enemy also takes them under fire without success. May 11 General Dodd, held in the prison compound by the POWs, is released at 2130. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines relieves the 5th Marines in the central sector of the Marine zone. With its responsibility for the peace corridor, the 7th Marines also assumes responsibility for the rescue of the UN truce representatives at Panmunjom. In conjunction, the 7th Marines replace the tanks in the force with M-39 personnel vehicles, a tracked personnel carrier designed by the U.S. Army. It resembles the USMC amphibious tractor. Also, the Marines retain a medium tank, a model that contains extra radios and becomes known as the “porcupine” because of a huge number of antennas. In Naval activity, a frigate, the USS Evansville (PF 70), launches a raid off Mayang-do Island. The raiding party seizes four prisoners. May 12 In Naval activity, the enemy batteries at Wonsan continue to harass the U.S. warships. The Maddox, Laffey, Herbert J. Thomas, Evansville and other

May 13, 1952 vessels engaged in the minesweeping operation come under the guns of the Communists. The warships return fire, but the origin of some batteries is difficult to pinpoint. The Herbert J. Thomas sustains some minor damage. At Hungnam, a small raiding contingent aboard the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) maneuvers in a whale boat, lands and captures 30 prisoners. The Fox transports the prisoners to the vicinity of Wonsan, transfers them and then moves back into position near Hungnam to bombard enemy positions there. In yet other activity, the carriers USS Valley Forge (CV 45) and the USS Princeton (CV 37) each launch six planes after dark to search for enemy trains. The mission is successful. Sixteen locomotives are spotted and the planes cut the rails to the front and to the rear on eleven of the locomotives. Subsequent sorties pound the areas and destroy nine of the locomotives and damage two others. — In Japan: General Ridgway departs Japan for Europe to succeed General Eisenhower. General Mark Clark succeeds General Ridgway. Clark begins almost immediately to correct the problems at Koje-do. Within a few days, he directs Brigadier (later major) General Haydon L. Boatner to restore cohesion. All civilians are ordered from the island and the prison compounds are reconstructed to hold no more than 500 POWs each. In addition, Boatner orders the 187th Airborne Combat Team to Koje-do.

May 13

On this day, a contingent of 12 F-86 Sabre jets, led by Colonel Walker M. Mahurin, the commander of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, strike enemy targets in western Korea. They include Sinuiju, its airfield and the airfield at Uiju during the morning. In early afternoon, targets include the marshaling yard at Kunu-ri, where a Sabre jet had been lost to enemy fire on the 8th. In late afternoon the Sabre jets maintain the attacks and Sinuiju, which had bee hit on the 8th and earlier this day, is pounded again with 1,000-pound bombs. During the strikes, five MiG-15 are shot down by the Sabres; however, the Americans lose one plane, that of the commanding officer, Colonel Mahurin. He is captured, but he survives imprisonment. Later, when he writes his autobiography, he makes it clear that although both the United States and the Soviet Union made official denials about Russian pilots fighting against the U.S., in fact it was the Russians who piloted most of the planes in the war, and particularly in MiG Alley. It becomes widely known from various sources during the 1990s the Russians piloted about seventy-five percent of the flights in support of the Communist North Koreans. Nonetheless, during the war, American pilots knocked out the enemy planes by a ratio of about 14 to 1.

May 14

In the 1st Marine Division zone, logs arrive for the purpose of constructing bunkers. The project is dubbed Operation TIMBER. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Hungnam, near Yuktaeso-ri and Mayang-do

842 Island, open fire on the USS Douglas H. Fox. The vessel sustains no appreciable damage; however, two crewmen are injured. The Fox returns fire and knocks out the battery.

May 15

The target selected by Fifth Air Force for this day is a vehicle maintenance complex that contains a power plant. The facility, located in Tang-dong, north of Pyongyang, gets whacked by fighter bombers that execute 265 sorties. The planes’ crews report the destruction of 39 structures and the power plant. During the attack, two MiGs are shot down by Lieutenant James H. Kasler, attached to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, who becomes an ace with the two victories.

May 16 In Naval activity, the USS Murrelet (AM 372) and USS Symbol (AM 123) come under fire while sweeping near Songjin. The USS Doyle (DMS 34) and USS Thomas (DD 788) promptly return fire and take the pressure off the other two vessels. No damage is sustained and no casualties are reported. In another incident, the ARC 304 comes under fire as it maneuvers in the Han River estuary. The fire originates from ground troops using mortars and heavy machine guns. Nevertheless, no damage or casualties occur. Also, a contingent attached to East Coast Korea Blockading and Patrol Group (TG 95.2) captures seven enemy troops off Ho-do Pando. By the following day, intelligence is gathered from the prisoners that indicate an imminent attack against Yo-do. In other activity, as part of the response to recent riots by POWs at Koje-do, to add to other units — including tanks that moved 200 miles from the north — transport planes in Japan speed a large contingent of the 187th RCT from Japan to the island of Koje-do on May 16–17. Aircraft, including C119s, C-46s and C54s, transport 2,361 troops to help suppress the insurrection. During the riots, General Frank T. Dodd, USA, had been taken prisoner. May 17 In Air Force activity, by this date, most men of the 39th Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group, have been transferred into the 51st Fighter Group and have switched from their F-51 Mustangs to F-86 Sabres; however, the F-51s continue to be used by the 19th Group until early 1953, when it, too, moves to the F-86s. The 18th is the final group to fly the Mustangs. Major James P. Hagerstrom is the first ace of the group. He achieves his fifth victory in a Sabre jet during March 1953. In related activity, Colonel Sheldon S. Brinson assumes command of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group. In conjunction, during the upcoming summer, the F86F will be introduced into Korea. The initial F-86F Sabres are attached to the 39th Squadron, 51st Wing, at Suwon. The F-86F had been designed as a fighter bomber. Consequently, the remaining F-51D and F80C contingents will begin to prepare to be reequipped with the F-86F.

843 The changes will add two fighter-bomber groups that fly Sabres, the 8th (F-80C) Fighter Bomber Group and the 18th (F-51Ds). Fighter Bomber Group. The 8th Fighter-Bomber Group is composed of the 35th, 36th and 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons. The 18th Fighter-Bomber Group is composed of the 12th and 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons and the South African Air Force’s No. 2 Squadron. In Naval activity, a contingent debarks the USS Buck (DD 761) and launches a raid in the area south of Kojo. The mission succeeds in gaining six prisoners. Also, the HMS Belfast (CL), while operating near the mouth of the Taedong River, comes under fire from enemy shore batteries. No damage or injuries are reported; however, the ship’s return fire pounds the position.

May 18 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a platoon attached to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, is ordered late in the day to return to the lines from an outpost position. Two of the squads are ordered to return to the main lines, while the platoon commander, 2nd Lieutenant Theodore H. Watson, with the remainder, is encircled by the enemy. Watson and the contingent engage the enemy unit, composed of about fifty troops. Artillery fire arrives to thwart the Communists, but they remain undaunted. Watson and the others seek cover in the bunkers and call in the artillery fire directly upon their positions. The bombardment breaks off the attack and the troops are able to return to their lines. In Air Force activity, the rescue helicopters of the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron once again brave enemy fire to assist an airman in need. Despite intense enemy fire from troops along the shore, an SA-16 lands in the water and retrieves a pilot from a downed F-84. May 19 The U.S. 7th Division initiates the relief of the 40th Division and afterward, assumes responsibility for the Kumhwa Valley. In other activity, the 1st Marine Air Wing commander, Major General Selden, finally persuades Fifth Air Force to modify its directives regarding close-air support for the Marines. The plan permits twelve closeair support missions per day, still not what the Marines desire for top performance, but better than they had been receiving. Marine pilots are accustomed to coming in at treetop level in support of their Marines on the ground, but the Air Force policy differs greatly. MAG-12 receives the task and it is to begin on 21 May. The order is to remain active for a thirty-day period, but it is extended. Later, during July, the number of sorties per day is increased to twenty, to the jubilation of the Marine ground troops. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries at Chongjin commence firing upon the USS Symbol (AM 123), USS Murrelet (AM 372), USS Doyle (DMS 34), and the Australian destroyer HMAS Warramunga. No damage is reported by the vessels. At Cho-do, the USS Lowry (DD 770) comes under fire, but no damage is reported.

May 23, 1952 In other activity, friendly guerrillas land on the mainland near Haeju with the support of surface vessels and aircraft. The raid succeeds in killing or wounding about 150 enemy troops and the group destroys many buildings. The attack had been planned by the Haeju Patrol and Defense Unit (95.12.4), which controls the mission. The vessels HMS Ocean (CVL) and the HMAS Bataan (DD), participate. In yet other activity, Vice Admiral J.J. Clark assumes command of the U.S. 7th Fleet at Yokosuka, Japan. He succeeds Vice Admiral R.P. Briscoe.

May 20

Colonel Harrison R. Thyng, the commander of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing, engages a MiG in an air duel and prevails. The kill, his fifth, makes Colonel Thyng the 16th ace of the Korean War.

May 21 The USS Mount Baker (AE 4) and her escort, the South Korean vessel Apnok (PF 62) accidentally collide. The Apnok sustains heavy damage and high casualties, including 25 killed and 21 wounded. The Mount Baker sustains no damage or casualties. May 22 Lieutenant General William K. Harrison replaces Admiral Joy as chief representative for the U.N. at Panmunjom. Joy, having led the team for more than ten months, requested the change. In Naval activity, the accidental explosion of a rocket aboard the USS Bataan (CVL 29) causes great damage. No fatalities occur, but four crewmen are wounded. Despite the seriousness of the explosion, the vessel is able to continue operations. In other activity, a group of raiders from the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) join with a contingent of friendly guerrillas and land north of Kojo at Ch’ilbo. Enemy guns fire at the Douglas H. Fox, but with the guidance of air spotters, the ship pounds the battery positions to silence the guns. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches 472 fighter-bomber sorties against the Kijang-ni industrial complex, located southwest of Pyongyang. The facility, which makes ammunition, grenades and some small arms, is devastated by direct hits and secondary explosions. May 23 The HMCS Athabaskan (DD) and a close air patrol attached to the USS Bataan (CVL 29) scour the area near Taedong Man in search of enemy vessels. The enemy shore guns open fire, but no damage is inflicted. The search fails to discover any enemy vessels. In other activity, at Sinchang-ni, the USS Walton (DE-361) debarks a raiding party that uses a whale boat to conduct a mission. Enemy machine guns fire upon the whale boat and the Walton, but no damage or casualties occur. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches its final attack of four planned major interdiction strikes. The fighter bombers execute 275 sorties against the facility, located in the vicinity of Kijang-ni. The raid inflicts high amounts of damage to the steel plant, leaving only about twenty percent of it operable. In other activity, a rescue helicopter (H-19), oblivious

May 24, 1952 to inclement weather, uses its instruments to successfully retrieve a Marine pilot after his AD-2 was downed. Also, B-29s are launched to complete a twoday mission to drop delayed-action bombs in the vicinity of Kijang-ni for the purpose of impeding the enemy repair efforts.

May 24 The South Korean government proclaims martial law in Pusan during a period of political instability. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun battery fire takes aim on the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) north of Kojo, but without effect. In turn, the Fox pounds the position and silences the guns after delivering several direct hits. May 25

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, the Chinese had launched three recent unsuccessful attacks against the division’s lines. In retaliation, this night a contingent, including nine tanks attached to the 245th Tank Battalion and elements of the ROK 1st Division, springs an attack against a Communist-held town, Agok, less than ten miles from Ch’orwon. Also on this night, the Chinese attack a patrol base of the 45th Division and the defenders repulse it. In Naval activity, planes attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) strike targets at Chongjun in conjunction with the surface vessels, including the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61) and several destroyers. The carriers launch 244 sorties. In other activity, a raiding party attached to the destroyer USS Douglas H. Fox operates in the area north of Kojo and destroys about one-half of a 2,000 foot fish weir. Also, the USS Swallow (AMS 36), while under fire from enemy shore gun batteries near the Songjin Harbor, requests support from the USS Murrelet (AM 372), but as the ship speeds to the scene, it is hit several times. The Swallow sustains two hits. However, neither vessel sustains any major damage. In yet other activity, the British cruiser HMS Belfast supports a raid by friendly guerrillas in the area near Pongyang, on the west coast of Korea. Other supporting vessels include the HMS Whitesand Bay (PF), the LST 1089, and the USS Bataan (CVL 29). Reports following the raid account for about 300 enemy killed. Four others are seized. In enemy activity, about 150 North Koreans aboard junks land and occupy Yongwido.

May 26 The USS Endicott (DMS 35), while on patrol near Yang-do, interrupts a group of North Koreans while they are fishing. Four men are seized. In other activity, the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) supports a contingent of friendly guerrillas who launch a raid near Kojo. The guerrillas encounter opposition shortly after landing, but the men are able to withdraw without sustaining any casualties. The YMS 504, a troop carrier, also participates. In yet other activity, the HMS Constance, a British destroyer, demolishes two junks and captures seven prisoners in the Yalu Gulf.

844 In Air Force activity, subsequent to a successful test period (Operation PELICAN) during the previous September, the initial delivery of C-124 Globemasters arrives on this day in Korea. Two squadrons of the 315th Air Division start to switch from C-54s to the new aircraft. In other activity, ten planes attached to the 19th Bomber Group attack targets in the vicinity of Sinhung-dong. The bombing runs by B-29s, which continue into the following day, destroy one locomotive, 16 boxcars, sections of rails and part of the Sinhung-dong rail bridge.

May 27 In Seoul, the assembly hall is encircled by South Korean military police. A group of about fifty representatives (anti–Syngman Rhee) of the legislature are forcefully taken from the hall and transported to a military police station. Four of the representatives are jailed. In Naval activity, the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779) comes under enemy shore gun fire while on patrol off Suwon, but it sustains no damage. Fire is returned and the battery fire is halted. In Air Force activity, Lt. General Glenn O. Barcus assumes command of Fifth Air Force. He succeeds Lt. General Frank F. Everest, who had held the post since 1 June 1951. May 28

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, a patrol is intercepted by Chinese while it operates on the right side of the line. The patrol becomes trapped, but its communications remain intact. Urgent requests for reinforcements are received and within three hours, despite enemy artillery and mortar fire, the besieged patrol is reached by the fresh troops. By dawn on the following day, the Chinese disengage. In the 1st Marine Division zone, pursuant to Operation Plan 16–52, at 0300, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, commences an attack to seize Hill 104 (Objective 1) and the Tumae-ri Ridge along the old outpost line of resistance. Again, the vanguard is Company A, which drives forward and at just about the time it reaches the base of the objective, a counterattack is launched. Nonetheless, the Marines quickly adjust by fixing their bayonets and charging to the summit. In answer to the attack and the heavy support fire, the Communists commence an artillery barrage against the Marines’ positions on the summit. In the meantime, Company C, to the left, is ordered to seize one of two enemy positions, though it had initially been ordered to only feint an attack. Company C, at 0554, moves against the hill and is met with heavy resistance. While the contingent is stalled by heavy fire, PFC John D. Kelly asks and receives permission to transfer his radio to another man, so he can participate in an attack to loosen the resistance. Kelly lunges forward and eliminates one strongpoint, then sprints to the next one a machine gun position. Kelly becomes wounded, but he destroys the nest. Without pause, he then charges a third. Although mortally wounded, Kelly makes it to the bunker, discovers the opening and fires from point-blank

845 range. Kelly succumbs, but the other Marines, inspired by Kelly, seize the objective. Meanwhile, at Company A’s positions, the enemy raises equal opposition. Corporal David B. Champagne leads an attack against a heavily fortified bunker and succeeds in reducing it, but Champagne becomes seriously wounded. Soon after, the Communists launch a counterattack. Despite his wounds, Champagne refuses evacuation and continues to lead his fire team. Suddenly a grenade lands in the midst of the group. Champagne grabs it and lobs it back to the enemy, but at the instant it is leaving his hand, it detonates. Champagne loses one hand and gets blown right out of the trench, leaving him badly wounded and exposed to the immediate front of the approaching enemy. Soon after, before he can even receive aid or be pulled back into safety, an enemy mortar lands and mortally wounds him. Although the fighting is fierce, the Marines prevail. By 0700, both of the objectives are under Marine control. Meanwhile, the Communists pour heavy fire upon the positions of Company C, and at Hill 104 Company A remains under severe enemy fire. Slightly after noon, the attack is recalled. By 1405, the troops arrive back at friendly lines. Still, the enemy artillery and mortar positions are able to operate at full speed despite air attacks and artillery fire intended to eliminate it. The Marines sustain 9 killed and of these, two receive the Medal of Honor posthumously — Corporal David B. Champagne and PFC John D. Kelly. The Marines inflict 40 killed and about 40 others wounded upon the enemy. During the battle the enemy propels 4,053 rounds into the Marines’ positions. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries at Wonsan fire upon the USS Lof berg (DD 759) and the USS O’Bannon (DDE 450). The USS O’Bourn (DD 846) and the USS Condor (AMS 5) also come under fire and they, too, report no damage or casualties. Two North Koreans, each armed and apparently working for the N.K. Army, surrender to the O’Bourn and hand over a camera and film.

May 29

The island of Yongwi-do is occupied by North Koreans. In Naval activity, the USS Murrelet (AM 372) and USS Firecrest (AMS 18) receive enemy fire while sweeping the extended area between Hungnam and Mayangdo. The Firecrest sustains machine gun hits. Neither ship has major damage or personnel casualties. The batteries are silenced by the sweepers and the USS Radford (DDE 446). In other activity, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon a friendly held island at Wonsan until the USS O’Bannon (DD 450) moves up and propels a barrage that silences the battery. Also, near Hungnam, the minesweeper USS Murrelet (AM 372) comes under fire during operations to retrieve a downed pilot. The gun is knocked out of action and the Murrelet sustains no damage or casualties. At Wonsan, the USS Ozbourn (DD 846) and the

June 1, 1952 USS Radford (DDE 446) are fired upon by enemy shore gun batteries on 29–30 May. No damage or casualties are reported. Also, the minesweeper USS Heron (AMS 18) comes under fire by ground troops using machine guns. The Heron sustains some small damage, but no casualties occur and the fire is silenced by the ship’s return fire.

May 30

In Naval activity, enemy ground troops using machine guns commence firing upon the minesweepers USS Firecrest (AMS 18) and USS Heron (AMS 10), which are operating in the HungnamMayang-do area. Another vessel, the Colombian Capitan Tono, moves into position and silences the enemy fire. Also, Navy and Marine carrier aircraft close out the month of May with a total of 3,100 rail cuts to impede the Communists’ transportation system.

May 31 Enemy shore battery guns posted in the vicinity of Chuuronjang take the vessels HMCS Nootka (DD), USS John W. Thomason (DD 760) and the USS Endicott (DMS 35) under fire. About 160 rounds from seven separate guns participate, but the enemy fire causes no damage or casualties. In contrast, the surface vessels return fire and hit four of the guns. Also, the destroyer HMS Constance, on patrol in the Yalu Gulf, seizes an enemy junk and four North Koreans, bringing the total of prisoners seized by the ship to 18. In other activity, the minesweeper USS Murrelet (AM 372), operating in the vicinity of Hongwan Roads, encounters two enemy picket sampans. A whale boat approaches to accept the surrender of the occupants, and one of the Communists bolts from a concealed position and tosses a grenade, which kills one crewman of the Murrelet and wounds two others. The others in the whale boat react and commence fire. The phony surrender terminates with the entire party of 10 enemy killed. In yet other activity, Rear Admiral John E. Gingrich assumes command of United Nations Blockading and Escort Force. He succeeds Rear Admiral George C. Dyer. Gingrich’s flagship is the USS Dixie (AD 14). June 1952

In Air Force activity, during the month of June in air battles between U.S. pilots and Communist MiGs, the Sabre jets knock down 20 MiGs against the loss of three F-86 Sabre jets.

June 1

Commander Charles B. Langston is appointed commander, Republic of Korea Naval Forces (COMROK NAVFOR) and chief of the Naval Advisory Group, ROKN. He succeeds Commander Michael J. Luosey. Also, in the Songjin-Chongjin region, the HMCS Nootka (DD) and the USS John W. Thomason (DD 760) come under fire from guns located east of Chuuronjang. No hits are scored by the enemy; however, one round that comes close causes a little damage to some equipment on the Nootka. Meanwhile, near Hungnam, the enemy fires upon the USS Firecrest (AMS 18). Following the enemy’s first shot, the USS Radford (DDE 446) returns fire and eliminates the gun.

June 3, 1952 In other activity, friendly guerrillas, supported by the HMS Amethyst (PF), land at a spot opposite Kyodong-do; however, the mission is cut short due to heavy enemy resistance. Also, during a usual Yalu Gulf patrol, the HMS Constance (DD), encounters an enemy junk, the fourth discovered by the Constance. The three occupants are seized. Also, friendly guerrillas occupy Yongi-do subsequent to its abandonment by the Communists.

June 3 Enemy ground troops commence firing machine guns against the minesweepers USS Heron (AMS 18) and Firecrest (AMS 10) while they are maneuver in the vicinity of Hongwon. Shortly thereafter, the destroyer escort USS Radford (DDE 446) pivots its guns and eliminates the enemy fire. June 4 In Air Force activity, in quick response to word that a British pilot had been downed, an H-19 helicopter of the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron speeds to the scene and despite enemy automatic weapons fire, the helicopter evades damage and retrieves the pilot. In other activity, Fast Carrier Task Force 77 initiates Plan INSOMNIA. The mission is carried out on 4–5 June during darkness from midnight until dawn as planes seek out and destroy enemy trains. The aircraft destroy four locomotives during this operation. —In Japan: Vice Admiral Robert P. Briscoe becomes commander, Naval Forces Far East. He succeeds Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy, who has held the post since 1949. On the previous day, Admiral Joy requested a list of selected targets (power plants) in North Korea and

846 on this day, it is received at headquarters from Fast Carrier Task Force (CTF 77). The targets include plants that can be struck from the air and from naval surface vessels.

June 5

Enemy shore gun batteries at Wonsan open fire upon several warships as they engage in minesweeping operations south of Ho-do Pando. The USS O’Bannon (DDE 450), USS Lof berg (DD 759) and the USS Radford (DDE 446) move in and bombard the suspected enemy positions. The vessels report no damage or casualties.

June 6

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, commanding officer Major General David L. Ruffner orders an attack (Operation COUNTER) to gain ground west of Ch’orwon and establish eleven patrol bases across the division front. The attack, initiated by two regiments, by the following day succeeds in seizing ten of the eleven objectives. Subsequently, the Chinese mount several counterattacks until 11 June to eliminate the patrol bases, but each attack is repelled. The Division moves to take the final objective on 13 June. In Air Force activity, F-86 Sabre jets of Fifth Air Force, during aerial battles, down eight MiGs. The U.S. reports no losses.

June 7

In Air Force activity, Operation HIGHTIDE, a test to ascertain the feasibility of refueling planes while on combat missions, commences. Thirty-five F-84 ThunderJets depart from Japan and in flight they rendezvous with tankers (KB-29Ms), get refueled and then

A giant searchlight mounted atop a 21⁄2 ton truck in the region west of Ch’orwon.

847 continue toward targets in North Korea. The test is successful. In other activity, during a night flight over the west coast of North Korea, Lieutenant John W. Andre, USMC, VMF(N) 513 Squadron, encounters and knocks out a Russian piston-driven Yak fighter. Andre, a Marine pilot, is flying a World War II vintage Corsair, but his kill is the first in which a Russian plane of that type is blown from the skies during darkness by another aircraft. Lt. Andre, in addition to his record setting engagement, also becomes the first Marine night fighter ace of the Korean War. The ace status for Andre includes four kills during World War II. Two others who served in World War II also become aces when their kills from World War II added to the Korean War victories reach five. They are William E. Lamb, USN, and John W. Andre, USMC. Andre and Lamb are rarely listed in the names of Korean aces because it took both wars to reach five. Some aces from the subsequent Vietnam War attain the achievement when their kills from the Korean War are added to those in Vietnam.

June 9

A contingent of Communists moving by sail junks attempts to land and attack the friendly guerrillas on Mudo, but the South Koreans repel the assault. The guerrillas report that they eliminated four of the seven attack boats. Two guerrillas are wounded during the incident. In other activity, the minesweeper USS Condor (AMS 5) comes under attack by enemy shore gun battery fire while she is operating in the waters south of Ho-do Pando and west of Suido. No damage is reported; however, return fire from the Condor records one direct hit on the battery. In Air Force activity, the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron dispatches an H-19 helicopter after receiving word of a downed U.N. pilot. Enemy fire attempt to knock out the helicopter, but it avoids damage and retrieves the pilot. — In the Soviet Union: The Communist newspaper Pravda proclaims that the U.S. is using torture and gas chambers at their POW compounds. The Communists claim that the Americans are using the tactics to prevent the prisoners from showing their desire to be repatriated.

June 10

At Koje-do, the 187th Airborne Combat Team moves into the POW compound where the Communists are resisting. Within the compound, the prisoners had been able to acquire gasoline from U.S. supply vehicles and they also fabricated a blacksmith’s operation to forge weapons. The troops use tear gas and it ignites gasoline tanks, which the Communists had hidden. The uprising is terminated within about one and one-half hours. About 150 Communists are killed or wounded. One American is killed and 13 are wounded. The barracks are also burned from the fires. Subsequent uprisings are terminated quickly by tear gas. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Brigadier General Twining is succeeded by Brigadier

June 13, 1952 General Robert O. Bare as assistant divisional commander of the 1st Marine Division. In other activity, Colonel Thomas C. Moore assumes command of the 7th Marines. He succeeds Colonel Russell E. Hornsowetz. In conjunction, Colonel Hornsowetz becomes assistant chief of staff, divisional G-3. In Air Force activity, the 19th Bomber Group dispatches an 8-plane contingent of B-29s on the night of the 10th-11th against a rail bridge south of the Yalu River at Kwaksan, but the North Korean target is bolstered by searchlight (radar controlled) and a band of MiGs. The MiGs intercept the force and destroy two of the B-29s and inflict damage on one other plane. The implementation of the new air defenses causes Fifth Air Force to speed up new electronic counter measures (ECM) designed to interrupt the enemy radar by jamming the signals. Some sources report a 10-plane contingent, but the Air Force indicates eight planes. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns on the eastern peninsula of Songjin harbor commence firing upon the USS Evansville (PF 70), but no damage is inflicted. The USS Endicott (DMS 35) and the USS Thomason (DD 760) move into position and pound the battery. The gun is silenced.

June 11

At Koje-do, the Communist leaders in the prisoner compounds insist the POWs continue to resist. During the night, they order the deaths of fifteen prisoners. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral A. Souchek (Carrier Division 3) assumes command of Carrier Division 5 and of Carrier TF 77. He succeeds Rear Admiral John Perry. Also, the carrier USS Valley Forge (CV 45) embarks for the United States. In other activity, reconnaissance parties, using whale boats, move from the USS Duncan (DDR 874) and the USS Buck (DD-761). The party attached to the Duncan encounters enemy fire from a village while giving pursuit to several sampans, but the contingent manages to return to the ship without casualties. The party that embarked the Buck encounters no resistance near Kojo and no enemy activity is discovered. However, six Communists (sailors) in a sampan move up alongside the Buck while it is off Kosong and they surrender.

June 12

The USS Albuquerque (PF 7), operating near the southeastern shore of Wonsan harbor, pounds suspected enemy positions. Enemy shore guns in the area return fire. No damage is sustained, but one crewman is injured.

June 13 In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, the unit initiates Phase II of Operation COUNTER PUNCH. An assault is mounted to gain the final objective, a hill it had surrendered during the previous March at the southern edge of a T-shaped ridge line, slightly less than ten miles north of Ch’orwon. With artillery and air support, the 2nd Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, advances against stiff resistance and ignites close-quartered fighting. The Chinese launch four separate counterattacks, but none succeed. On the following day, the 2nd

June 14, 1952 Battalion is relieved by the 3rd Battalion, which continues the attack and seizes the objective. In Naval activity, a contingent attached to the USS Buck (DD 761) and a group of friendly guerillas, while on a mission in a 50-foot motor launch in close proximity to Kojo, come under fire and are compelled to return to the ship. Two men are wounded, but not fatally. The boat returns to the ship and the Buck commences fire upon the battery and terminates the fire.

June 14

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 180th Infantry, seizes the final objective of Operation COUNTER PUNCH by 1200. The seizure of the eleventh position provides the Division with a solid chain of patrol bases at points ranging between one-half mile to two miles in front of the main lines. The first phase of the operation had begun on 6 June. The Chinese initiate counterattacks to regain the lost ground, but they fail. The attacks occur all along the line, but initially the emphasis is against Hill 191. However, the defenders hold firmly and repulse the battalion-sized assaults. The Chinese mount a new attack on 20 June. In Air Force activity, subsequent to information gained by reconnaissance flights that the Communists had repaired the runway at the airfield in Pyongyang, a group of fighter bombers, attached to Fifth Air Force,

848 execute 150 sorties that strike the field and disable it once again. All planes return safely. In Naval activity, the USS Skagit (AKA-105), LSM 226 and a contingent of LSTs attached to TF 90 initiate the movement of U.S. Army engineers, their equipment and provisions to selected sites, scheduled to become new holding centers for POWs, after being moved from Koje-do. In the IX Corps sector, 40th Division zone, a patrol of the 223rd Infantry Regiment engages the enemy in the vicinity of Minari-gol while the contingent is on the search for prisoners. While ascending a nasty hill, the enemy commences fire and throws both automatic weapons and small arms fire into the ranks. Several become wounded. Sergeant David B. Bleak, a medic, administers to the wounded, but then rejoins the patrol on the ascent toward the military crest of the elevation. Bleak is fired upon from a nearby trench, but he descends upon it and eliminates the occupants, two with his hands and the remaining one with his trench knife. Soon after, a grenade tumbles near his position and that of one other trooper. Bleak protects the other from the blast, then again tends to the wounded. Shortly thereafter, he becomes wounded, but he disregards his own injuries and continues to help the wounded. He takes one man down the slope, but two enemy troops stand in his

A contingent of U.S. infantry troops prepares to initiate a reconnaissance patrol.

849 path. Bleak ignores the two bayonets leaning toward his body, clasps both of the enemy and with a powerful thrust he bangs their two heads together like clashing cymbals. Apparently, the head-banging does the trick, as he walks away with the wounded man in his arms to get him to safety. Sergeant Bleak receives the Medal of Honor for his tremendous courage and selfless heroism in the face of the enemy. In other activity in the same area, Corporal Clifton T. Speicher, Company F, takes action when his platoon gets pinned down. Speicher, although wounded, charges an enemy position to attempt to terminate the deadly fire. He reaches a point about ten yards from the machine gun and again he is wounded. He drives into the bunker, occupied by three troops. Two of them die by his rifle and the other is taken out with his bayonet. Inspired by Speicher, others bolt forward and seize the objective. Speicher makes it the bottom of the slope, but then he collapses and dies. Corporal Speicher is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy.

June 15

In Air Force activity, Lieutenant James F. Low, attached to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, out of flight school for only about six months and holding four victories (his first on 4 May), engages and prevails over a MiG-15. Lieutenant Low, with his fifth kill, becomes an ace. He gets a sixth MiG, then heads for the States on tour, to encourage men to become pilots. He returns toward the end of the year and destroys three more MiGs. During the Vietnam War, Low gets shot down by a ground-to-air missile on 16 December 1967, and on 8 May of 1968, without consent of commanding officers in the POW camp, he and two others accepted a Communist offer (to further their propaganda) to go home. Lieutenant Low had fought also in World War II. A movie, The Hunters, was released during the late 1950s. Low was portrayed by Robert Wagner (Lt. Ed Pell). Also, the other airman aboard the plane that got shot down, Lieutenant Howard Hill, had also ejected and was captured, but he remained in a Communist prison with the other POWs until the end of the conflict. In Naval activity, the vessels HMCS Athabaskan (DDE) and ROKN AMC 301 provide support for a contingent of friendly guerrillas during a raid in the Tokhyon-san area. The raid is deemed a success and with the guns of the surface vessels and accompanying aircraft, the enemy casualties amount to 60, including 25 killed. Two junks laden with fuel are destroyed, and the guerrillas manage to seize enemy documents. The guerrillas are also able to evacuate twenty civilians. The mission costs the group one man wounded.

June 16

Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) begins to accelerate its attacks against enemy primary transportation facilities, including the rails. Carrier planes had been executing interdiction sorties, but the new strategy will include entire air groups being sent out to destroy the targets.

June 21, 1952

June 17 Enemy batteries on Mayang-do fire upon the USS Shoveler (AS4 382). Shortly thereafter, planes from TF-77 arrive on scene to plaster the gun positions while the USS Duncan (DDR 874), which had also arrived in position, propels a barrage toward the battery. The guns are silenced. No damage or casualties are reported by the vessels. June 18

Enemy shore gun batteries at Mayangdo commence firing upon the minesweeper USS Firecrest (AMS 10). The burst of fire prompts the minesweepers operating there to pull back out of the range of the guns, while the USS Duncan (DDR 874) initiates a barrage that silences the guns. No damage is inflicted upon the vessels and no casualties are reported. In other activity, restrictions on attacking electrical power stations in North Korea is lifted. Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77) is authorized to strike at will.

June 19

In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches B-29s that execute an extraordinarily high number of sorties, 35, against the enemy targets in North Korea during the night of the 19th-20th. Also, the railroad bridge at Huichon is struck by 27 medium bombers. In Naval activity, the USS Mockingbird (AMS 27) and USS Heron (AMS 18) maneuver to pick up a downed pilot off Mayang-do, but the mission is momentarily interrupted by enemy shore guns. Nevertheless, the pilot is rescued and another warship, the destroyer USS Rowan (DD 782), provides protection to the minesweepers. No casualties are reported and no damage is sustained. In other activity, a contingent of friendly guerrillas, supported by the HMS Amethyst (PF), launches a raid near the Haeju approaches. During the operation, as reported, the enemy loses 14 men to the guerrillas and 27 other enemy troops are killed by fire from the Amethyst.

June 20

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, the Chinese again launch an attack to seize Hill 255 to the southwest of Hill 191. Following a horrific barrage by the artillery and mortar fire, an entire regiment attacks. The Chinese pound against the defenses, but in return, the defenders return devastating fire. The struggle continues into the following day, but again, as in the other recent assaults, the Chinese fail. In Naval activity, the USS Bayonne (PF 21), while operating near Hungnam, destroys 17 sampans. Also, enemy ground troops at Chojcho-do open fire on the minesweeper USS Shoveler (AM 382). The small arms fire is answered by the guns of the USS Duncan (DDR 874). Also, the USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124), operating under the control of CTF 95, initiates a mission that continues into the 23rd. South Korean troops are landed along the northeast of coast of Korea under cover of darkness to destroy selected objectives and to attempt to gather intelligence.

June 21 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a patrol from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines,

June 22, 1952 moves out to establish an ambush site; however, an enemy contingent is lying in wait and when the patrol approaches, it comes under heavy fire. The 16-man patrol is ordered to withdraw. One portion composed of ten men makes it back to the line of departure, while the others move toward a friendly outpost, but one man is reported missing. On the following day, the missing Marine is located. He had been killed by enemy mortar fire.

June 22 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, while a search for a Marine from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, missing since the previous day, is underway, another patrol is dispatched to attempt to recover a body in the area known as “No Man’s land.” The patrol moves out at dawn, under cover of smoke delivered by artillery, and reaches the man. While heading back with the corpse, the enemy pounds the return route with a mortar attack. One Marine is killed and another is wounded. The patrol afterward arrives back at the 2nd Battalion with the remains of the one body and that of the Marine slain during the recovery mission. In Naval activity, word is passed that all ships attached to United Nations Blockading and Escort Force (CTF 95), deemed to be operating in the path of Typhoon Dinah, are to seek safer waters. The winds at Sasebo, Japan, reach about 40 knots and prevent TF-

850 95 from resuming normal operations. No damage is sustained by any of the vessels. The typhoon passes west of Sasebo. Other ships in the region continue to evade the storm until it vanishes on the 24th.

June 23

Fifth Air Force initiates a large-scale attack that strikes eight North Korean power plants (hydroelectric) in the central and northwestern sectors of North Korea. Up until this point, the FAF raids had concentrated on the Communist transportation system, but it is concluded that the results of the operation, in effect since May 1951, had been in doubt. This is the first time that planes of MAG-12 and MAG-33 (USMC) are assigned targets next to each other that are simultaneously attacked. In Naval activity, USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) joins TF-77 to initiate its second tour of duty during the Koran War. The Bon Homme Richard and the carriers USS Philippine Sea (CV 47), USS Boxer (CV 21) and the USS Princeton (CV 37) launch planes that join with Fifth Air Force aircraft in a huge raid by 290 planes that strike the hydroelectric plant at Suiho, on the Yalu River. The mission also targets eight other hydroelectric plants in the vicinity of Kyosen and Fusen. The attack is record-setting, as the Communist power plants are attacked for the first time, pursuant to the recent lifting of the restrictions against striking power stations. And, it is the first time during the conflict,

Marine pilots (MAG 33) following a large air attack by Fifth Air Force in 1952.

851 since autumn of 1950, that four carriers are operating simultaneously. Forty Skyraiders (ADs) and Corsairs (F4Us), attached to Marine Air Croup 12 (lst MAW), strike a hydroelectric plant at Chosin and inflict damage. In addition, 38 F9F-2s attached to Marine Air Group 33 (lst MAW) strike a separate power plant at Chosin and inflict devastating damage that destroys the facility.

June 23–27 1952

In Operation PRESSURE PUMP, Fifth Air Force initiates a series of raids against Communist industrial targets. Air Force, Navy and Marine planes fly 1,654 sorties, including attack and escort flights, during this three-day period. The air attacks inflict devastating damage by knocking out eleven of thirteen target plants and most probably destroying the other two. The massive loss of power tosses most of North Korea into a blackout situation for about two weeks. Planes from VMF-311 and VMF-115, attached to MAG-33, destroy the power complexes known as Chosin 3 and Chosin 4 during these raids on the 23rd24th, in what becomes the initial mission of this type for the Marines’ F9F jets. Also, of the 1,654 sorties flown, only two planes are lost and of those, both naval pilots are picked up by rescue aircraft.

June 24 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the positions of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, come under a day-long series of artillery attacks until about 2130. As the guns silence, the Chinese launch an attack against a thinly manned outpost known as “Yoke” and also as Hill 179. The defenders, 34 troops of Company F, meet the attack with ferocious fire; however, the ever-charging numbers begin to overwhelm the unit. Enemy fire prevents a withdrawal and reinforcements are unable to penetrate the fire. Nevertheless, the Marines on the slope move to bunkers to continue to resist the envelopment. The Chinese take the slope, but the Marines defiantly continue to resist and the enemy is unable to eliminate them. The Chinese retire about 0300. The Marines return to the slope, only to come under yet another attack. The Marines again head for the bunkers and place more urgent calls for artillery, which soon arrives. The Communists disengage about dawn, and the Marines still hold “Yoke.” The Marines sustain 9 killed and 23 wounded. The Communists sustain 12 killed (counted) and an estimated additional 50 killed. On this day the Communists also strike four other outposts, but none sustain the intensity of combat such as the fighting that occurs at the Yoke. The total casualties for the 2nd Battalion for the day include 10 killed and 36 wounded (including the casualties at Yoke). The Chinese, for the first time, wear gas masks during the attack, but they toss white phosphorous grenades, not tear gas. Nevertheless, it is thought by the Marines that the ploy was to imply erroneously that the U.S. was using poison gas. In Air Force activity, twenty-six B-29s initiate close air support sorties. Other planes (fighter bombers) strike the rail complex at Samdong-ni, North Korea,

June 29, 1952 the choke point of the east-west and north-south rails lines. Other planes, B-26s, initiate night raids that drop delayed-action bombs to impede any repair activity implemented by the enemy. In Naval activity, planes from the four operating carriers, the USS Philippine Sea, Bon Homme Richard, Princeton and the Boxer, again launch attacks against Communist power plants in North Korea. The attacks, which had begun on the previous day, succeed in the destruction of transformer stations in the Hwanghae Province at Yuchon, Haeju, Chaeryong, and Kaishu. In addition, the power plants at Changyon have been damaged.

June 25 The conflict, which had begun with the invasion of South Korea by the Communists in North Korea on 25 June 1950, enters its third year. In Naval activity, again the four operating carriers (Fast Carrier Task Force, TF 77) launch attacks, as 193 sorties are flown against enemy targets. Having already devastated enemy power plants during the past few days, the aircraft are sent against targets at Wonsan. June 26

An airstrip project that began 3 June is completed this day on Yo-do Island. The airstrip, 2,700 feet long and 120 feet wide, is designated as Briscoe Field. It is to be used for intelligence flights and for emergency landings. In other activity, Communist shore guns fire upon the HMS Ceylon (CL) while it is operating near Popkyo-ri. The enemy rounds fall way short, but return fire from the Ceylon is effective. In yet other activity, friendly guerrillas bolstered by the vessel ROK AMS 50 launch a successful raid at Susa-ri. The guerrillas seize 5 prisoners and report that about 100 Communists are killed. The guerrillas sustain no casualties.

June 27

The USS McCoy Reynolds (DE 440), a destroyer escort, encounters a sampan near Mayangdo carrying five male refugees. The civilians are taken aboard the ship. Subsequently, enemy ground troops near Hungnam at Konjap’o commence firing with machine guns at the ship from a distance of about 2,300 yards. The enemy fire causes no harm.

June 28

In the I Corps sector, 45th Division zone, the Chinese launch yet another assault against Hill 255. The defenders come under severe attack for more than four hours, but give no ground and punish the Chinese in the process. During the entire month of June, the 45th Division sustains 1,004 casualties, while the estimate of casualties inflicted by it upon the Chinese is about 5,000. — In the United States: President Truman signs a compromise bill passed by Congress that authorizes the Marine Corps to increase its strength to three divisions and three air wings, but in addition, the bill raises the status of the Marine commandant, giving the present and future commandant equal status with the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

June 29

In the I Corps sector, Major General Paul

June 30, 1952 W. Kendall succeeds Lt. General O’Daniel as I Corps commander. In the 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment initiates a patrol to seize Chinese troops at an outpost near the Sachon River, less than five miles from Panmunjom. The unit moves out under supporting guns, but no prisoners are seized. Nevertheless, the patrol destroys 7 bunkers, burns several others and kills 12 enemy troops and wounds 6 others. The Korean Marines sustain light casualties. Due to the weight of the flamethrowers against the weight of the average Korean Marine, the troops designated as carriers end the patrol exhausted. In Naval activity, friendly guerrillas, bolstered by warships, launch a raid on the mainland at a point north of Yongmae-do. The guerrillas return to the ships at dawn on the 30th and bring two prisoners aboard. The HMS Ceylon (CL), HMS Comus (DD) and the HMS Amethyst (PF) participate.

June 30 In Naval activity, since the outbreak of the war on 25 June 1950, until this date, the Navy and Marine Corps have completed about 195,000 flights. During this month, Navy and Marine aircraft rail cuts total about 1,700. In May, the rail cuts totaled about 3,100. Also, during the month of June, enemy air activity is light compared to the beginning of the year, when Communist jets flew 3,700 sorties. During this month, only 308 enemy sorties are flown. — In the United States: The Marine Corps strength at this time stands at 231,967 men. July 1952

The Chinese bring a new weapon into their arsenal in Korea. The weapon is a 132mm Russian rocket (Katusha), which is able to simultaneously launch 16 rockets from a truck. The Marines gain the information from a POW who informs them that two Katusha regiments are now operating in Korea. Also, during the month of July, the Navy sustains only three fatalities. It is the lowest number of combat fatalities for one month since July of the previous year, when no fatalities occurred. In Air Force activity, during July, pilots of F-86 Sabre jets, while engaged with MiGs, destroy 16. Four Sabre jets are lost. Also, 404 Communist sorties are sighted during July. (See also, July 4, 1952, In Air Force activity.)

July 1

In the I Corps sector, Operation AMAZON— a plan to ensure the four bridges in the corps sector remain operable during the coming flood season — is initiated. The operation includes removing debris from the rivers to prevent damage to the bridges. Also, elements of the ROK 1st Division commence an attack against enemy positions in the heights overlooking the Imjin River. Heavy fighting ensues and the South Koreans inflict 112 killed before they disengage and return to their lines. In the 1st Marine Division zone, patrols are dispatched after dark and on the next two successive days, the patrol moves out under cover of darkness to gain prisoners.

852 In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries near Kojo commence firing upon the USS Albuquerque (PFT). Another vessel, the USS Perkins (DDR 877), provides support and commences firing to silence the enemy guns at a distance of about 11,000 yards. Between 75 and 100 enemy rounds are fired, but no damage is scored. The Perkins’ guns terminate the enemy fire.

July 2 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, initiates a night patrol of platoon strength, a prelude to a new attack at dawn. The contingent advances to Objective Yoke (Hill 159) without incident and establishes positions near there, from which it can offer support fire for the anticipated attack at dawn by another platoon. In the 5th Marines sector to the right of the 7th Marines, a night-patrol is initiated against three enemy outposts. Company A, 1st Battalion, moves out and effortlessly seizes the first two objectives near Samichon, as they are unoccupied. Prior to moving against the final objective, during the early morning hours of the 3rd, the company is ordered to return to its lines. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns initiate fire against the USS Perkins (DDR 877), which is on the Nan-do patrol. The ship receives no damage, but its return fire eliminates the hostile fire. July 3

In the I Corps sector, 45th Infantry Division zone, a contingent of infantry, supported by tanks, attacks an enemy-held hill mass in the area west of Ch’orwon. The attack inflicts 79 killed upon the Chinese. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, dispatches a platoon as the second part of a mission that began on the previous night. Unlike the other platoon that reached its objective without encountering enemy presence, the Chinese commence firing on the advancing platoon, halting progress. Suddenly, the platoon is up against a battalion at Hill 159 (Yoke). Despite the withering fire, it continues to push forward. Sergeant William E. Shuck, Jr., in charge of a machine gun squad, also assumes command of a rifle squad after its leader is taken out. Shuck, also wounded, leads an attack against the summit and he becomes wounded a second time, but still, he refuses to relent. Pressing forward, he attempts to gain the summit until ordered to withdraw. After making sure all the dead and wounded are coming out with the platoon, he begins a withdrawal. However, he is struck and killed by a sniper. Sergeant Shuck receives the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire. The Marines sustain four killed and forty wounded. The Chinese estimated losses stand at 50 killed and 150 wounded. In the 5th Marines sector, on the right, one patrol (1st Battalion) dispatched the previous night returns during the early morning hours of this date without having made any enemy contact. After dawn, a patrol of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, engages an enemy contingent and gains prisoners. As the patrol advances, a Marine accidentally sets off an enemy mine that signals the Marines’ presence. Afterward, a tenacious one-hour skirmish

853

July 3, 1952

A chaplain prays with a dying soldier. develops. The Marines sustain 1 killed and 11 wounded, prior to withdrawing under the cover of artillery delivered smoke. Chinese casualties are unavailable. Later, a night patrol is dispatched by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. Just prior to midnight (3rd-4th), an enemy contingent encroaches the ambush. Six Chinese are killed and 8 are wounded. The Marines sustain no casualties and return to their lines by 0015 on 4 July in time for a celebration. In other activity, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment dispatches a patrol that engages and kills nine Chinese. Also, I Corps issues a directive in conjunction with an earlier order from Eighth Army; it orders a battalionsized attack prior to 7 July. The 1st Marine Division commander attempts to persuade the corps commander to extend the date, explaining that more than 2,600 Marines are set to depart for the States and equally importantly, there is insufficient time to plan and prepare for such a large-scale assault (Code Name B2). In addition, General Selden proclaims that the replacement Marines will not be in place until 11 July, and that a battalion-sized attack would weaken the division line that extends 35 miles. Nevertheless, I Corps ignores his plea and orders the attack to commence on schedule. Selden afterward sets the date for the Marine raid to commence on the night of the 6th-7th. In other activity, a ferry is placed into operation to

ease the flow of supplies to the troops on the front lines north of the Imjin River. The Honker bridge is out of service due to the recent torrential rains. By the following day, the waters recede to put the Widgeon bridge back into service. In the IX Corps zone, 7th Division zone, a contingent of infantry moves against an enemy-held hill ten miles south of P’yonggang and succeeds in decimating the defenses there and annihilating the 45 defenders. In addition, the ROK 9th Division launches two separate raids and succeeds in destroying enemy positions, including bunkers, machine gun emplacements and fortified trenches. The Chinese sustain sixty killed. In the ROK II sector, South Korean infantry units commence a successful attack against enemy positions northeast of Kumhwa. The Chinese sustain 65 killed. In the ROK I Corps sector, North Korean forces attack an observation post that coordinates naval gunfire concentrating on the enemy’s communication lines along the Nam River. The Communists fail and lose an estimated 600 troops during the assault. In Air Force activity, the recently arrived C-124 transport planes receive their initial flight on this day. The group, led by General McCarty, the commanding officer of the 315th Air Division, departs Japan for Korea. Thirteen sorties are flown over enemy-

July 4, 1952

854

controlled territory. The Globemasters drop more than twenty-two million leaflets. The C-124s had arrived in Japan during the latter part of May. In Naval activity, at Kojo-do, the operation to relocate about 70,000 Communist POWs, those thought to be instigators, begins. TF-90 transports the prisoners to other islands that now contain new and improved camps. The operation is completed on 17 July. Also, enemy shore gun batteries located between Wonsan and Hungnam commence fire upon the USS Current (ARS 22). The destroyer escort USS Currier (DE 700) pinpoints the two separate batteries and returns fire. No damage or casualties are sustained by the warships. In addition, the Currier, while supporting the USS Zeal (AM 131) and the USS Symbol (AM 123), comes under enemy shore gun fire near Mayangdo, but again, no damage is sustained. In other activity, planes attached to TF-77 strike the electrical power plants at Fusen and Puryong. Also, more than 300 friendly guerrillas, supported by the HMS Comus (PC 703), launch a successful raid against enemy positions on the peninsula at a place north of Mudo-ri Island.

July 4 Artillery units along the entire Eighth Army front celebrate the Fourth of July by initiating bombardments. In the I Corps sector, every available gun salutes Independence Day by firing voluminous rounds at designated times in Operation FIRECRACKER. The 11th Marines fire 3,202 rounds. In other activity, in Seoul, about eighty representatives (anti–Rhee) are strong-armed and brought into

the assembly hall and prevented from leaving until constitutional amendments are passed. Subsequent to the votes, Syngman Rhee announces a presidential election on 5 August and on that date he declares victory, claiming more than seventy percent of the vote. In Air Force activity, a large force composed of seventy F-84s and about fifty F-86s launch an attack near the Yalu River against the North Korean Military Academy, located at Sakchu. More than fifty MiGs arrive from across the Yalu to intercept the Americans. The MiGs, many of which are piloted by Russians, score some penetration when four of them break through the fighter cover, but none of the fighter bombers sustains any damage. Meanwhile, as the battle continues in the sky, the Sabre jets own the day. The Communists lose 13 MiGs. The Americans lose two Sabres. The fighter bombers’ raid against the military academy, however, is not rated as being effective.

July 5 The USS Orleck (DD886) and USS Doyle (DMS34), operating off Chuuronjang and bombarding selected targets there, come under enemy fire as they maneuver to turn. About 70 enemy rounds ring out from a distance of about 6,000 yards, causing momentary concern. Nevertheless, the ships maintain their focus and pull back under fire until they reach a distance of about 16,000 yards from the shore gun batteries. The Orleck does sustain some minor damage and one crewman is slightly wounded. July 6 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation BUCKSHOT commences. At 2200, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines reinforced, initiates its attack. Company C drives toward Objective Yoke. Meanwhile,

Objective YOKE, another rugged hill in Korea.

855 Company B, which had moved out just after Company C, moves toward Combat Outpost (COP) Green and encounters no enemy presence. The vanguard of Company C, however, encounters heavy fire and it becomes isolated, but the resistance is overcome and the objective is seized at 0020 on the 5th. On the left, Company A and its supporting tanks move out behind the other units at just before the stroke of midnight, en route to the heights southwest of Yoke as a diversionary tactic. The Communists continue to pound the attack force. At about 0200, elements of Company C encounter Company A, which has sustained casualties, including the company commander and other officers. By about 0310, both companies are authorized to return to the battalion lines, which are reached at slightly after 0830 on the 7th. The diversionary infantry-tank force arrives back at the lines about 0645. The operation gains no success and no prisoners. The Marines sustain 12 killed 85 wounded and five missing. (See also, July 3, 1952, In the 1st Marine Division zone.) During 4–7 July, 22 Marines are killed and 268 are wounded during combat operations. In Naval activity, the carrier USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47) completes her second tour of duty in Korea. Fighter Squadron VF-112 (F9Fs) completes its tour with a near-sterling record. The squadron sustains no major damage to any planes and no losses. In other activity, friendly guerrillas, supported by the vessels HMS Mounts Bay (PF), ROKN LSSL 107 and the USS Kimberly (DD521) launch a reconnaissance raid on the mainland in the vicinity of Chinnampo.

July 7

While the destroyer USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD 869) is en route for the Formosa Patrol, an accident occurs. Four men are washed overboard. One man is lost and of the three recovered crewmen, two are injured.

July 9

The HMS Ocean (CVL), HMAS Warramunga (DD), and USS Kimberly (DD-521) combine their power to strike the enemy positions on the west coast of Korea in the vicinity of the Sillyon Myon peninsula, north of the Taedong River. The attacks pound the coastal guns and the anti-aircraft batteries.

July 10 In Air Force activity, the 315th Air Division initiates an operation that relocates the 474th Fighter Bomber Wing to Kunsan Air Base I, South Korea, from its present location at Misawa Air Base in Japan. The operation, the biggest movement of a unit thus far in the war, is completed in three weeks. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns on Mayang-do Island and the mainland open fire on the destroyer USS Hollister (DD-788), but no damage or casualties occur. July 11

In Air Force activity, Operation PRESSURE PUMP commences. Far East Air Forces planes focus on thirty separate targets at Pyongyang, one of which is the North Korean Ministry of Industry. The aircraft initiate 1,329 sorties and destroy three targets, including the Ministry of Industry. Most of the others sustain

July 15, 1952 damage in what becomes the raid that executes the most sorties for a single day during July. On the night of 11th-12th, B-29s initiate 71 combat sorties and of these, more than 50 are against targets at Pyongyang. In Naval activity, the Communist capital of North Korea is struck by a massive air attack as the planes pound industrial targets in and around Pyongyang. Planes attached to the USS Princeton (CVA 37), USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) the HMS Ocean (CVL), aircraft attached to the U.S. and Australian Air Forces and Marine planes join in the attack. In other activity, a sampan in the vicinity of Mayyang, carrying three North Koreans, encroaches the destroyer USS Hollister (DD 788). The men surrender. Intelligence gathered from the prisoners leads to information regarding five guns on the mainland that are held in caves and can be moved out on tracks to fire upon U.S. warships.

July 12

The USS Hollister (DD 788) lands a reconnaissance party ashore near Hongwan. During the operation enemy shore guns commence firing on the Hollister. Despite firing more than 100 rounds, no damage is inflicted. In other activity, the USS Juneau (CL 119) comes under fire while she is operating near Sinpo, but no damage is incurred. In turn, the Juneau opens a barrage that ends the hostile fire.

July 13

In Air Force activity, aircraft attached to Far East Air Forces execute sorties that are a new way of forewarning towns of imminent bombardment. The planes drop leaflets that specify the targets to be stuck by air raids. In Naval activity, planes are launched from the carriers USS Princeton (CVA 37) and the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) for a mission that becomes the first close-air support mission undertaken by TF-77 during 1952. The Princeton comes under fire from enemy shore guns located near the Suwandan lighthouse, but no damage is sustained. In other activity, the destroyer USS Hollister (DD 788) comes under fire from three separate guns while she operates near Sinch’ang. The destroyer returns fire and scores one direct hit. No damage is sustained by the Hollister.

July 14

The USS Southerland (DDR 743) comes under fire from enemy shore gun batteries located near Kojo. The vessel is hit four times during a barrage of more than 60 rounds, at distances ranging from 3,000 yards to 13,000 yards. The vessel sustains some damage and 8 crewmen are wounded. In other activity, friendly guerrillas, supported by the HMS Belfast, HMS Amethyst, and the USS LST 883, launch a raid on the Changsan Got peninsula.

July 15

In Air Force activity, a cement making facility and a locomotive repair complex at Sungho-ri become the focus of Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers on this day. The planes execute about 175 sorties that pound both targets.

July 16, 1952 In Naval activity, the recently completed airstrip on Yo-do Island at Wonsan harbor serves a useful purpose on this day. Seven distressed Corsairs engaged in a search for a downed pilot have expended most of their fuel and are forced to land on the island to refuel. Afterward, the planes return to their carriers. In other activity, enemy shore guns on Mayang-do commence firing upon the USS Hollister (DD 788). No damage is sustained. Subsequently, the battleship USS Iowa moves into position and destroys the guns that had fired upon the Hollister. In yet other activity, a contingent of Communists numbering about 156 men land on Changin-do, held by friendly guerrillas. The HMS Belfast, HMS Amethyst, and planes attached to the USS Bataan (CV129) support the friendly guerrillas. During the incident, enemy shore gun batteries fire ineffectively upon the HMS Amethyst. The enemy batteries are afterward reduced. Meanwhile, the naval vessels set up a ring around the island to further support the guerrillas. Also, the USS Orleck (DD 886) opens fire on an enemy train that is composed of five flat cars carrying artillery and ten boxcars transporting explosives. The train is destroyed.

July 16 A U.S. plane (RB-26) is attacked while it is flying over the Yellow Sea on a weather reconnaissance mission, but the plane is able to evade the enemy craft by dropping to a very low altitude of about 100 feet. July 17 In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force further extends the number of sorties to be flown on a daily basis by MAG-12 in support of the Marines on the ground. The number increases from 12 per day to 20. The air support is requested directly from MAG-12, bypassing Fifth Air Force, which speeds up the time of arrival and assures the ground troops that the flights will be on time. Also, if the 1st Marine Division lines are under attack, or if a major offensive is underway, the number of sorties is automatically increased to an appropriate number. By August, the operation comes to an unexpected halt due to complaints from General Van Fleet, Eighth Army commander, who maintains that the Marines are part of Eighth Army and must request their support through Fifth Air Force. On August 2, the Marines lose their most potent weapon against the enemy positions on the respective reverse slopes of the hills. Under Fifth Air Force, most of the time, the requests for close-air support run either late or fail to materialize. By the middle of summer 1952, the Marines receive permission to use radar bombing, coordinated by a forward observer. The tactic developed by the Marines is different than that used by Fifth Air Force. The Marines’ unit is contained within a trailer, making it more mobile, and it is able to deliver bombs within one mile of friendly lines. In Naval activity, friendly guerrillas reoccupy Changin-do Island. Of the 156-man North Korean force that had recently invaded the island, 60 are killed,

856 another 30 die by drowning while trying to swim to safety and 41 are seized as prisoners. The reoccupation is supported by the vessels HMS Belfast, HMS Amethyst, and ROKN PC 702. The friendly guerrillas sustain 8 killed and 12 wounded.

July 18 In China: Two U.S. carriers, the USS Essex (CVA 9) and USS Philippine Sea (CVA 37), arrive off the coast of China to exhibit a show of strength. However, while there, the planes initiate flights to obtain intelligence and photographs between July 18 and July 24. July 19

The destroyer USS Orleck (DD 886), while operating near the coast, comes under fire by enemy shore gun batteries. The vessel sustains some slight damage and 5 crewmen are wounded. In other activity, the enemy artillery in the Wonsan area initiate a bombardment of friendly held islands Hwangto-do and Yo-do during the afternoon; however, no casualties are reported. The batteries also fire upon the USS Parks (DD 884), but no damage is incurred.

July 20

In Air Force activity, The 31st Fighter Escort Wing initiates Operation FOX PETER ONE, a mission that includes a cross-ocean flight from Turner Field in Georgia to Misawa Air Base, Japan. Fifty-eight F84Gs, the entire complement of the air wing, make the journey with each aircraft being refueled en route. The mission is the largest mass trans–Pacific non-stop air movement of jet planes. The F-84Gs, which emerged from the earlier F-84Es, by the end of the year will have atomic capability. The first of the planes had left the assembly lines prior to the new capabilities. In addition to SAC (Strategic Air Command) receiving the planes at Georgia, another SAC unit, the 27th Fighter Escort Wing, based at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Texas, will also receive F-84Gs. In Naval activity, the USS Duncan (DDR 874) and USS Essex (CV9) accidentally collide during a refueling operation. The Duncan sustains some damage and one crewman is injured.

July 22

A contingent of about 300 enemy troops, while repairing a break in the rails south of Wonsan, come under heavy fire from the destroyer USS Parks (DD 884). The incoming rounds pound the rails and a bridge and inflict about 74 casualties on the work party. In addition, the Parks illuminates the area overhead to guide planes that arrive to strike the area.

July 23 Underwater Demolition Team 5, during the last week of July, initiates six separate raids against enemy fishing facilities. The raiders are supported by the USS Diachenko (APD 123) and two ROKN motor torpedo boats. During the operation, six prisoners are seized and taken back to the ships. July 27

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, relieves the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, and the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, relieves the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, on

857 the left and right respectively on the position known as Bunker Hill (Hill 122). The 1st Marines, composed of 3,603 Marines led by Colonel Walter F. Layer, stand across the terrain described as “No Man’s Land” from two Chinese divisions. Another elevation, Hill 124, is located southwest of Bunker Hill, about 200 yards from the main line of resistance ( Jamestown Line). The Hill 124–122 axis is referred to for tactical purposes as Bunker Ridge. Other defensive positions include Hill 56A (Samoa) on the right flank, which defends against the approaches to Bunker Hill and farther west, Hill 58A (Siberia), which is above a ravine that runs along the east sides of Hills 122 and enemy-held Hill 120, which stands northeast of Bunker Hill. Also, the Chinese hold a position known as Taedok-san, which reaches a height of 800 feet, about twenty-three feet higher than the Marines’ dominant position, Hill 201 at 660 feet. Taedok-san, north of the Marines’ positions, dominates the entire Bunker Hill area. The Chinese at this time are unable to launch their 60-mm mortars against Marine positions, because they do not hold positions to do so; however, one position held by the Marines, known as Siberia (Hill 58A), is suitable terrain. Nevertheless, the hill held by only a squad becomes an imminent objective and an attempt to seize it occurs on 9 August. The attempt ignites the BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. In Naval activity, a contingent of eight Firefly F-51 aircraft, attached to the HMS Ocean, are attacked by MiG-15s. Two of the British planes are damaged, but none are lost, in what becomes the initial attack by MiGs of planes attached to TE 95.11. In other activity, after dark, three groups of night hecklers are launched by TF-77. One of the groups carries out its mission and returns to its carrier, while the other two groups complete their respective missions and land on an airfield. Also, heavy rains arrive on this day and continue until the 30th, causing devastating flooding and damage to the bridges. In the I Corps sector, the decking on the Widgeon bridge is under water. The Honker bridge is removed to keep it from being washed away. By the 29th, the X-ray bridge is washed away and herculean efforts are undertaken to save the Freedom Gate bridge.

July 28 The USS Strong (DD 758), operating off Cho-do, with guidance from a naval gunfire support team, shells a troop concentration of about 150 men. The Strong also maneuvers off Sok-to and commences firing at enemy shore gun battery positions. Return enemy fire inflicts no damage upon the Strong. In other activity, the USS Princeton launches two strike groups with a combined total of 38 planes (13 ADS and 25 F4Us) that raid the area around Kilchu, where a magnesium plant and other facilities, including a thermo electrical power plant, are located. The air strikes inflict heavy damage. The affected facilities include barracks.

August 1, 1952

July 30 In Air Force activity, during the night of the 30th-31st, Fifth Air Force commences the largest raid on a solitary target since the war erupted. Superfortresses (B-29s) attack the Oriental Light Metal (Aluminum) Works, less than five miles south of the Yalu River and the Manchurian border. During the massive raid, the enemy raises extremely intense fire, but all planes return safely. In other activity, many of the ground troops had become isolated during the recent torrential rains. On this day, the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron becomes overtaxed. Its helicopters rescue about 650 people, including troops and Korean civilians. About 600 of the people retrieved are handled by the unit’s H-19s, while the rest are picked up by H-5s. Two of the H-5s retrieve 60 troops in the I Corps sector. Combined, the helicopters execute more than 100 sorties and of these, the H-5s initiate more than 30 missions to retrieve 60 people, including troops and civilians. July 31

In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, two reinforced companies are ordered by Major General James C. Fry to attack and seize Hill 266 (Old Baldy), which the Communists had seized earlier in the month. Heavy fighting continues into the following morning, but the hill is regained. Once the Chinese are evicted, work begins to bolster the position in anticipation of a strong counterattack. The Chinese counterattack on the following night. In Naval activity, two MiG-15s attack and damage a U.S. Navy PBM while it is on a reconnaissance mission over the Yellow Sea. The tail-gunner is killed, but the plane manages to make an emergency landing at Paengnyong-do. Subsequent to receiving repairs, the plane returns to Japan and its base at Iwakuni.

August 1952

In Air Force activity, more than 1,150 Communist sorties are spotted during August. Also, major air battles erupt on 6 August and on 30 August. The total number of MiGs lost for the month is 33. In contrast, the U.S. loses two fighters. One of the MiG kills is acquired by an RCAF pilot attached to the 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

August 1

In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the Chinese launch a strong counterattack to regain Hill 266 (Old Baldy), which they had lost during the night of July 31–August 1, but supporting artillery and mortars of the 2nd Division provide extra muscle for the defenders. The assault is stopped during its early stages. A new attempt to gain the hill is undertaken on 18 September. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries near the Songjin Lighthouse commence firing on the USS Carmick (DMS 33), but no damage is reported. The Carmick returns fire and ends the hostile fire. Other warships that come under fire this day include the HMCS Nootka (DDE), which is operating on the west coast of Korea near Samjong. In other activity, the carrier USS Essex (CVA 9) initiates combat operations to begin its second tour of duty with TF-77.

August 2, 1952

August 2

In the I Corp sector, 1st Marine Division zone, General Selden delegates the 7th Marines (reserve) the task of bolstering the Kansas Line, the secondary line of defense behind the Jamestown Line. In Naval activity, enemy-held Chongjim is attacked by naval surface vessels and carrier planes, but inclement weather impedes the attack. Nevertheless, it is reported that the results had been very successful.

August 3

Enemy shore gun batteries near Chodo commence firing upon the HMS Belfast (CL). About 20 rounds are fired and one strikes the vessel and causes some damage. Four crewmen are wounded, but there are no fatalities.

August 4

The Communists violate the neutral zone at Kaesong with the presence of ground troops. The incident forces a one-day suspension of the talks. On the following day, the Communists claim they will respect the neutral zone. Consequently, the talks resume. Also, according to U.S. records, by this date, more than 1,000 Communist MiG aircraft have been shot down since the beginning of the Korean War on June 25, 1950. In Naval activity, the USS Carmick (DMS 33) is attacked while operating near Yujin Dan, but no damage is sustained. The ship returns fire and it effectively causes the guns to silence. Also, enemy ground troops in the vicinity of Tanchon commence firing with machine guns against the South Korean vessel ROKN MTB 27. Soon after, the destroyer USS Porter (DD 800) pounds the suspected origin of fire and inflicts about 75 casualties on the enemy.

August 5

During a raid conducted by MAG-12, the commander, Colonel Galer, is shot down. As he attempts to abandon the plane, he gets snagged, probably by a shoulder strap. Galer, a previous recipient of the Medal of Honor, climbs back into the cockpit to free himself and then he jumps, but his spiraling plane clips him as he is descending. As he tumbles, he manages to pull the cord. He lands about ten feet from his crashed plane. Immediately thereafter, a rescue operation goes into effect as Galer signals his position and then seeks safer ground. After changing positions and evading the enemy during some harrowing hours, during darkness, a helicopter passes over and then returns to the sound of his radio. Galer releases red smoke and seconds later, he is pulled aboard. The helicopter rescue parties are renowned for their heroism under fire to save others. En route back to a ship, the helicopter is hit several times by enemy fire, but it reaches the vessel safely at just about the time the fuel tank nears empty.

August 6

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines, by day, man a trio of combat outposts (COPs) that run along a diagonal line from the southwest to the northeast, but the Chinese plan to eliminate them. The outposts, named Elmer, Hilda and Irene, become priorities for the enemy and rather

858 than attempt to evict the Marines, they choose to occupy the outposts during the absence of the defenders. During the darkened hours of this day, the Chinese occupy Elmer, the outpost to the far southwest. In Air Force activity, a contingent of 36 Sabre jets encounters and engages a force composed of 52 MiG15s. After the air duels close, the MiGs find the formation is shortened by the loss of six planes. In Naval activity, MAG 33 sets a new record — its Marine pilots fly 141 sorties this day. In other activity, an F9F Panther jet on the deck of the USS Boxer explodes and ignites a fire, which causes other explosions of gasoline and ammunition. Nine crewmen, including one officer, are killed and 63 men are rescued from the sea by nearby vessels and some helicopters. In total, 12 planes are destroyed. Nevertheless, the carrier remains operational. On the following day, a Court of Inquiry is appointed by the commander of the 7th Fleet, Vice Admiral J.J. Clark, to determine the cause of the explosion. On 27 August 1952, the explosion was blamed on a failure to take precautions during servicing of the plane. Apparently, the plane’s machine gun was not cleared prior to releasing the bolt to firing position. Also, the destroyer USS Pierce (DD 753), while operating near Tanchon, comes under fire from enemy shore gun batteries. The vessel sustains some damage and 10 crewmen are injured.

August 7

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a contingent of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, moves toward COP Elmer to set up the usual day-long outpost, but the Marines are unable to reach the post because the Chinese had occupied it during the previous night. Two other COPS, Hilda and Irene, remain under Marine control, but the Chinese also covet them. In Naval activity, in the Philippines, a U.S. Navy Mariner PBM aircraft crashes into the western side of Bataan Mountain in the vicinity of the entrance to Manila Bay. The accident takes the lives of all 13 aboard.

August 8–10 1952 In the ROK II Corps sector, the Capital Division engages Chinese forces in the area east of Kumsong. The two sides trade blows for several days for domination of a hill. Finally, on 10 August, the Chinese disengage and retire, giving the South Koreans control of what becomes known as Capital Hill. The ROKs sustain 48 killed and about 150 wounded. The ROKs estimate the Chinese casualties at more than 350 confirmed killed and another estimated 450 killed and 190 estimated wounded. The ROKs continue to engage the Communists in their sector of east Korea. August 8

In Air Force activity, a contingent of Sabre jets attached to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 5th Fighter Interceptor Group, encounters a band of MiGs. During the air duels, one pilot, Captain Clifford D. Jolley (Utah National Guard), scores his fifth kill to become the first National Guard ace. Jolley

859

August 9, 1952

A view of the rugged terrain known as Capital Hill, east of Kumsong. had gotten his first victory on his birthday, 4 May 1952, and his second on the Fourth of July. Afterward, on 7 August, Jolley knocks down two additional MiGs for his third and fourth kills. Jolley becomes the 18th ace of the Korean War with 7.5 kills and a possible thirteen others downed. — In Japan: In Naval activity, a U.S. Navy plane (Mariner PBM) crashes on Shikoku Island, Japan, while on a night patrol. All aboard the aircraft, including 5 officers and 9 enlisted men, are killed.

August 9–17 1952

THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone,

at about 0100, the Chinese launch an attack to seize Hill 58A (Siberia) to gain ground from where they can strike Marine lines with 60-mm mortars. The defenders, one squad from Company E, is compelled to withdraw to the MLR. In the meantime, the Chinese move against other positions of Company E south of the outpost. The Marines there break up the assault with mortar fire. Afterward, plans are quickly developed to regain Siberia (Hill 58A). The enemy contingent that had gained Siberia stands at about four squads, but Chinese guns also bolster the position. At 0400, following a five minute artillery barrage, a platoon moves from the MLR

August 9, 1952 against the objective and reaches the base of the hill by about 0525. Progress is thwarted at that point when enemy artillery forces the contingent to pull back. Casualties incurred since the original attack against Siberia climbs to 32 wounded and one killed. At 0650, four Marine jet fighters appear overhead and blast the enemy positions on Siberia, but no infantry attack follows. Later, Air Force F-84 Shooting Star jets strike the objective and afterward, the Marines launch another assault using a reinforced platoon to evict the Chinese. The attack force, composed of a contingent of Company A and one platoon of Company E, presses forward and again comes under extremely heavy fire. Nevertheless, the Marines drill forward, inching close enough to become recipients of enemy grenades and closequartered fighting. By 1103, the Marines regain the hill and immediately establish defenses to attempt to hold it. A support platoon of Company E arrives to bolster the position, but at about the same time, the Chinese initiate another artillery barrage that pummels the outpost position. The Chinese, in the attempt to conquer the hill, to this point expend 5,000 artillery rounds. The Marines initially seek shelter in bunkers, but the artillery barrage is overwhelming. Again, for the second time, they are compelled to abandon the hill during the middle of the afternoon as the casualty rate rises to about 75 percent. A new attack is launched after Company E is replaced by Company A. Company C is brought up from the rear and moves out without any artillery support at 2245. The company reaches the enemy positions at the hill at slightly after 0100 on the 10th and immediately receives enemy fire. The Marines charge the positions and overwhelm the defenders. Some choose to resist and they are killed; however, most of the Chinese had abandoned the outpost at the first sign of the Marines. The hill, Siberia, is again under Marine control by 0116. After gaining the objective (Siberia Hill 58A), Company C commander Captain Casimir C. Ksycewski directs another platoon to initiate pursuit of the Chinese who fled to the opposite slope. Meanwhile, the Chinese focus on yet another attempt to regain the hill. The Marines engage the Chinese on the opposite slope until about daybreak. At that time, a Chinese contingent of about company strength launches a counterattack and once again, the hill changes hands. Since the initial attack against Siberia on the previous day, the Marine casualties have risen to 17 killed and 243 wounded. The 1st Marines, later on 10 August, convene a staff meeting and conclude that the Chinese positions at Bunker Hill (Hill 122) and on Hill 120 are the strategic enemy-held positions that are causing the casualties. The Marines decide to modify their strategy and focus upon Bunker Hill rather than Hill 58A. They determine that by eliminating Bunker Hill, they can bolster their MLR and

860 deprive the Chinese of a key observation post. A diversionary attack against Siberia is planned by the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, to keep the enemy offguard, while the primary assault to seize Bunker Hill is to be launched by the 1st Battalion on 11 August. During the preparation period, fire is directed upon Hill 85A and Hill 122 by planes, artillery and tanks during the hours of daylight. Another part of the plan includes the 5th Marines, which is to commit its guns to support the diversionary attack against Hill 58A by pounding enemy targets in the Ungok region. The Marines on the ground will be supported by the 11th Marines’ artillery during the long struggle to maintain control of Bunker Ridge. The infantry and armor units also receive enormous support from the Fifth Air Force and the 1st Marine Air Wing. The artillery backs every attack and defensive move by the Marines except for the initial seizure of Bunker Hill and a diversionary attack against Siberia, both of which had been planned for execution without any artillery support to maintain the element of surprise. On the 11th at dusk, the diversionary attack against Siberia gets underway when eight tanks attached to Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, drive toward the MLR, where they will head north to divert attention from the primary assault, which is to unfold against Hill 122. Four of the tanks are armed with 90-mm guns and four are equipped as flamethrowers; the latter lead the way. Elements of the 1st Battalion participate in the attack. Meanwhile, elements of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, move against the main objective. By about 2110, the armor with the attack against Siberia begins to fire its 90-mm rounds, while two of the flame throwers maneuver between Hill 56A (Samoa) and the main line of resistance, using flame to illuminate its path. Once at the objective, the flame throwers work their way up the slope of Hill 58A and from the crest, the tanks drive down the opposite slope and rake the terrain with machine gun fire. After completing the run, the tanks return, using the same method, lighting the way with flame. Shortly after completing the run, the second set of two tanks runs an identical mission on the hill. The flame throwers return to friendly lines after completing their mission; however, the four other tanks (M-46s) with the 90-mm guns remain at the front to support the ground troops, 3rd Platoon, Company D. The 3rd Platoon evades the low ground used by the tanks and makes its way over the heights to Hill 56A (Samoa) slightly before 2300 and from there the platoon sprints toward Hill 58A. All the while, the tanks continue to maintain fire upon Hill 58A (Siberia), the diversionary target, and the primary objective, Hill 122 (Bunker Hill). As the diversionary attack unfolds, the main assault commences shortly after Company D moves beyond Samoa. The primary attacking unit, Company B, which reverted to operational control of the 2nd

861 Battalion, 1st Marines, at 1800, departs the MLR and drives through the darkness toward Bunker Hill. The vanguard reaches the objective and by 2318, contingents begin ascending the slopes. Within about ten minutes, one platoon gains the crest, while another is at the base of the hill. Both units begin to sweep across the forward slope. As the attack moves north, enemy fire intensifies. In the meantime, at Siberia, the 3rd Platoon, Company D, continues its attack and with the supporting fire, it is able to claim Hill 58A (Siberia) prior to 2330. Within about ten minutes, the Chinese launch a counterattack to regain Siberia, only to be repelled. The attack lasts only about ten minutes before the enemy disengages. However, as previously planned, once the Chinese retire, Company D also pulls back, having finished its part of the diversion. Back on Bunker Hill, the Marines are struck by grenades. Nonetheless, the attack continues with close-quartered combat. On the east slope, the Chinese are forced to retreat up the hill, followed closely by pursuing Marines. The Marines give no quarter and by about 0300, the vicious fighting begins to subside. And then suddenly, as the Marines begin to establish defenses on Bunker Hill, a group of Chinese troops emerges from a sector overlooked during the struggle to gain the hill. The Marines attached to the 1st Platoon handle the unexpected enemy presence. At about 0345, they engage a contingent of Chinese that hold positions in a draw to the front of Bunker Hill, but no enemy counterattack is launched. At dawn on 12 August, the Marines still hold Bunker Hill. The casualties incurred amount to 1 killed and 22 wounded. In addition, at Siberia (Hill 58A), the diversionary objective, 1 casualty had been sustained, a wounded platoon leader. Nevertheless, the Chinese do not abandon their quest to reclaim Bunker Hill. During the morning of the 12th, the Marines continue to fortify their defenses. Responsibility for Bunker Hill falls to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. Later, about 1500, the Chinese commence an artillery and mortar attack against the Marine positions, prompting the Marines to seek cover and drop their shovels in exchange for their weapons to meet an anticipated assault. The Chinese, however, delay the attack for more than one hour. In the meantime, the enemy barrage inflicts more casualties upon Company B, compelling the unit to pull back from the summit and redeploy on the reverse (eastern) slope. At the time of the enemy bombardment, no radio communications exist between Company B and the 3rd Battalion, but as a precaution, Company I is dispatched to reinforce the troops at Bunker Hill. In the meantime, a force of about 350 Chinese probes Company B’s positions on the hill in search of a hole. The Marines check the attack against the west portion of the perimeter and then against the northern sector. Nevertheless, the Chinese then focus on the

August 9, 1952 southwest, but by this time, Company I reaches the beleaguered company. By about 1715, the Chinese disengage and withdraw to positions on the north side of the hill, while the Marines maintain control of the reverse slope. Initial reports indicate that 58 Marines had been killed or wounded, but later reports change the figures to 34–35 killed and 29 wounded. The majority of casualties were incurred from artillery and mortar fire. After the Chinese disengage, the Marines bolster the perimeter. Further steps include the movement of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, to replace Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, along the MLR. The reconnaissance platoon of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, deploys on Hill 1124, from where it can support Bunker Hill and the Jamestown Line. Other modifications occur throughout the 1st Marine Division sector. By the end of this day, all of the 7th Marines’ mortars are placed under the control of the 1st Marines in the event they are needed. All available artillery is also directed to bolster Bunker Hill. Other moves include the redeployment of two provisional platoons (118 Marines) of the 1st Battalion into the zone of the 3rd Battalion. At a strategic point of entry to the Marines’ right flank on Bunker Hill, the draw between Bunker Hill and the MLR is held by tanks. Their 90-mm guns and flamethrowers make passage by the enemy a most difficult challenge. At about 2300, the Chinese mount a feint against other positions; rather than launch a new attack against Bunker Hill. Slightly after 2300, a Chinese contingent stumbles upon a Korean Marine ambush site at the Sachon River, south of the Munsanni–Kaesong rail line, and ignites a ten-minute firefight. The Chinese quickly withdraw. Another diversionary attack is launched against Hill 48A (Stromboli), located east of Bunker Hill, about 500 yards in front of the MLR. The Chinese launch their assault against Stromboli just after midnight (12th-13th). The attack is apparently part of a larger assault against the MLR. Just as the defenders on Hill 48A inform the 1st Marines headquarters of the ongoing attack, Company F, on the right sector of the 1st Marines, also comes under assault. The Chinese make no inroads at the MLR nor at Hill 48A, defended only by one squad. Reinforcements from Company F speed to the besieged squad, but enemy fire forces the reinforcements to halt their mission and return to their lines. In the meantime, the positions of Company F continue to come under attack. There, too, the line holds, as it does across the entire Jamestown Line. Back at Hill 48A (Stromboli), the Chinese continue unsuccessfully to evict the defending squad. At one point, the Chinese encircle the defenders and it is thought that the position had been overrun; however, a report arrives at headquarters that the

August 9, 1952 Marines there continue to hold, but they are encircled by a contingent of about platoon strength. At 0325, a rifle platoon is dispatched to rescue the squad on Hill 48A, but while the reinforcements are en route, the Chinese intensify their effort to dislodge the elements of Company F. Nevertheless, the Marines’ thwart the Communists’ attempts to seize Hill 48A with superior hand-to-hand combat. All the while, the reinforcements pound their way through the resistance to reach the outpost and relieve the pressure. As the Chinese withdraw from Hill 48A, they focus again on Bunker Hill and mount a heavy attack at about 0100 on the 13th. At Bunker Hill, enemy mortar fire begins to hammer the Marine positions on the southern slope, just prior to 0100, and this is followed by an increase in artillery fire. The Marines place calls to the 11th Marines and request and receive “Box-Me-In” fire, a defensive barrage that affords some added cover to the troops on Bunker Hill as the Chinese mount their attack. By 0130, the Marines in Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, spot a conspicuous line of Chinese attackers moving abreast toward the perimeter to strike the center and right parts of the line. The Marines are greeted with heavy machine gun fire as well as enemy rifle fire, but in return, the Chinese receive a thunderous response. All attempts to break through the front lines are repelled and afterward, the Chinese move to attack the rear, but here, too, the Marines prevail. The battle rages non-stop for about four hours, but the Chinese fail each time they try to penetrate. The Marines are ably supported by artillery, mortar, tank and rocket fire. The Chinese also take a beating from the artillery and tank fire at various assembly points and other locations in the draw that leads to Bunker Hill. The tanks, using their special illumination lights, are able to pinpoint enemy movement as the Chinese maneuver to envelop the Marines on Bunker Hill. The savage fighting continues without pause, but the defenders hold steadfastly. In the meantime, Chinese reinforcements move toward Bunker Hill. At 0330, the contest for domination of Bunker Hill rises to a crescendo and continues unabated for about one additional hour before the signs of victory begin to flash about the hill, when Chinese artillery fire intensifies in coordination with a decrease in their small arms fire, indicating a withdrawal, but some time passes before the Marines can claim victory. The Marines have also sustained heavy casualties while holding on to the terrain and holes have to be plugged to maintain the security of the MLR. Company G, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is directed to move to Bunker Hill to assume responsibility for the contested hill. However, due extremely high casualties, two reinforced squads from Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, the closest unit, are sped to the hill prior to the arrival of Company G.

862 Just after dawn Company G arrives at Bunker Hill while the battle is still raging, but soon after, the initial signs of victory prove true as the Chinese disengage under an intensified artillery bombardment. The Chinese sweep the battlefield clean, taking all their casualties. A contingent of the Marines scours the battlefield just after the withdrawal and discovers no enemy dead; however, seven live Chinese are spotted, engaged and eliminated on the north slope of Bunker Hill before they can rejoin the main body. By noon on the 13th, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, arrives at Bunker Hill and completes its relief of the exhausted troops that held off the Communist attacks of the previous night and the early morning hours of this day. The relief troops, like those they replaced, are about to face the enemy and an extra adversary, the high heat and humidity of a Korean summer day. By the latter part of the afternoon, the remainder of the 7th Marines of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions (minus Company H) who had played supporting roles at Bunker Hill are en route back to their respective reserve positions. During the actions of this day, Marine planes fly 94 daylight sorties in the vicinity of Bunker Hill, followed by four night missions. The enemy onslaught included between 5,000 and 10,000 rounds that hit the 1st Marine Division zone between 1500 on the 12th and 0600 on the 13th. The effort kills 24 Marines and wounds 214 others. In the 2nd Battalion zone, the Marines lose 7 killed and 33 wounded while defending the outpost at Stromboli. Chinese casualties amount to 210 (counted) killed and an estimated additional 470 killed, plus an estimate of 625 wounded. Still, the Communists intend to overrun Bunker Hill. Later on the 13th, at about sunset, the Chinese initiate an artillery attack against Company G’s positions at an outpost near Panmunjom. Combat Outpost 2 is on a dominant elevation atop the peace corridor. The 90-minute bombardment inflicts several casualties. Another unit, Company H, to the rear of the outpost, receives incoming artillery toward the last part of the barrage against the outpost and some Chinese troops move toward the outpost, but no actual attack is initiated. Bunker Hill, which continues under artillery and mortar attacks, remains a priority and at 2100, the Communists launch yet another attack to evict the Marines. The new inhabitants, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, have only begun to settle in at the positions and have no plans to relocate. The Chinese work their way through the draw east of Hill 58A, while the Marines prepare to defend and receive additional artillery support with the ever-popular “Box-Me-In” defensive ring. The lines are struck in two places, to the center and the right flank, each by a platoon. Some of the enemy penetrates, but the intrusion is temporary, as they are liquidated by grenades and small arms fire. The Chinese

863 maintain the assault for more than one hour, but they make no progress. By 2215, having gained only massive casualties, the Chinese withdraw after a fast sweep of the field to remove the dead and wounded. However, during this attack, the Chinese leave twenty bodies on the field. The estimate of enemy killed is 175. Company H, while enduring the ground attack, is also struck by about 3,000 artillery shells. The company sustains 7 killed and 21 wounded, but none of the casualties are inflicted by the enemy attack force; rather, the artillery and mortars are the cause of the casualties. Before the defenders can get a pause in the combat, the exhausted men of Company H are once again called to the sound of the enemy bugles, as yet another assault is launched at 0225 on the 14th. The defenders also find themselves under fire from Siberia, a nearby hill where the Chinese commence firing with a heavy machine gun. The men on Bunker Hill get an assist from tanks that illuminate the target and effortlessly blast the machine gun into instant silence. The Chinese return artillery fire against the U.S. tanks and wound one man, and one of the tank’s searchlights is damaged. The Marines conclude that the short attack had been unfolded more to reclaim enemy dead that had not been retrieved during the earlier engagement, particularly since it lasted less than five minutes. Nonetheless, the Marines find no time to rest, as they understand that the Chinese will again launch an attack. As dawn (14th) emerges, the Marines hold Bunker Hill. Helicopters await the arrival of the casualties to transport the most seriously wounded to hospital centers in the rear. In the meantime, elements of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines relieve Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, and assume responsibility for the 2nd Battalion’s MLR in what is known as the Siberia sector, which lies next to the area that contains Bunker Hill. Another move to bolster the defenses occurs when a reinforcing platoon from Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, arrives at Bunker Hill just prior to sunset on the 14th. During the day’s fighting, only four sorties are flown by Marine planes and none are executed after dark. The remainder of the night seems relatively quiet, possibly too quiet. A patrol is dispatched at about midnight (14th-15th) from Bunker Hill to probe the enemy, but the contingent returns and reports no contact. A short while later, a small incident is reported as unfolding on the left flank at Bunker Hill and another enemy contingent is spotted farther west. The enemy detection initially signals a minor action; however, the Chinese have much larger plans and they explode across the entire Bunker Ridge at 0118 on the 15th. The Chinese attempt to penetrate, but once again, support fire rings the Marines’ positions to buffer the perimeter and simultaneously the artillery

August 9, 1952 shellacs the enemy assembly areas. Fortunately for the Marines on Bunker Hill, a tanker’s searchlight illuminates a huge gathering of Chinese in the draw as they prepare to strike from the northeast. The spotlight ends all chances of a surprise attack. The Chinese receive no time to recover from the exposure, as friendly artillery and mortar fire deliver a tornado of fire that is supplemented further by the tanks’ 90-mm guns. The enfilade whacks the enemy formation and causes a hurried, disorderly flight to safer positions. The troops get an unexpected breather on Bunker Hill, but the pause is short. By 0206, the usual bombardment commences and afterward, the Chinese continue to regroup to form for the attack. At 0315, the shelling begins to diminish as the Marines brace for the imminent assault, but still it does not materialize immediately. At 0400, the enemy guns become completely silent and still no assault is launched. Dawn on the 15th arrives and the Marines still hold Bunker Hill. Since Company H ascended to defend the hill, the enemy has sustained about 350 killed, the great majority caused by artillery and mortars, but only forty are actually counted. Company H has sustained 35 casualties, including 7 killed. Upon relief by Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, Company H sustains four additional casualties inflicted by enemy mortars as the unit returns to the MLR. At Bunker Hill, the Communists commence another attack at 1640 while the area is undergoing a strong rainstorm. They advance without the support of artillery. The Marines, despite receiving no warning signal of the enemy artillery, are prepared for the intruders and most do not reach the lines. Those that do succeed in encroaching the perimeter are eliminated. The Communists disengage at 1750, and again, uncharacteristically, they are unable or unwilling to remove all of their dead. Thirty-five Chinese troops are left on the field. The Marines sustain four wounded. Five Marines are evacuated due to battle fatigue. The night of the 15th passes without any major incidents and as midnight arrives, the apprehension begins to build along the perimeter. The Marines await the next bugle call to signal one more long night of combat. At 0040 on the 16th, the suspense ends. The bugles blare and the whistles blow, followed by a battalion-sized contingent that initiates a charge, supported by artillery and mortar fire. The defenders face attacks from the west and the north. The powerful thrust is able to make some penetration, but no panic strikes the troops. A quick call for reinforcements brings a platoon from Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, to help extinguish the fire, but by the time the contingent departs the Jamestown Line, the Marines on Bunker Hill have already thwarted the assault. The enemy disengages by 0315. The Marines sustain 3 killed and 27 wounded during the early morning attack. The Chinese sustain an estimated 40 killed and 30 wounded.

August 9, 1952 Shortly thereafter, in the sector held by Company B, the Chinese ignite another firefight at about 0515, but it terminates within ten minutes and no infantry attack is launched. The Marines sustain no casualties. At dawn on the 16th, Bunker Hill still remains under the control of the Marines. Company B, however, comes under attack by the enemy three additional times before it is relieved at Bunker Hill during the morning of the 17th by Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. Dawn on the 17th finds Bunker Hill under control of the Marines and on this day, the prolonged struggle for domination of the hill terminates. Nevertheless, during August, the Chinese continue their fruitless efforts to dislodge the Marines. The Communists launch seven separate attacks during August and each time, the Marines prevail. Of the seven assaults, the Communists only mount one attack that is considered a full-scale assault. It is unleashed on the night of 25th-26th and the results are identical to the other attacks, total failure.

August 9 In Naval activity, four British Sea Fury aircraft attached to the HMS Ocean (CVL) are attacked by a group of eight MiG-15s in the skies north of Chinnampo. Following the air duel, one MiG is lost. The British sustain no losses. August 10 In Naval activity, the HMS Mounts Bay (PF) comes under fire from enemy shore gun batteries near Songjin and sustains three hits. One crewman is killed and four others are wounded. The warship returns fire and scores a hit on one gun. In other activity, the USS Van Valkenburgh (DD 656) comes under fire near Kangson-ni, but no damage is inflicted and no casualties occur. Also, the enemy batteries composed of about nine guns on Ho-do Pando near Wonsan commence fire upon the destroyers USS Barton (DD 722) and the USS Jarvis (DD 799). About 250 rounds are fired and the damage is slight; however aboard the Barton, one crewman is killed and one other is wounded. The Jarvis sustains no damage and no casualties. In turn the warships had returned fire and it is reported that two of the guns are destroyed. August 11 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a patrol of the 5th Marines attempts to reach one of its COPs, Hilda, during the ongoing attack by the 1st Marines against Bunker Hill. The 5th Marines are acting in conjunction with the diversionary attack. Nevertheless, the Chinese are there, having occupied it first, giving the Chinese two of the 5th Marines’ three combat outposts. The enemy had occupied Elmer on 6 August. The Marines, who had only occupied the forward outposts during the daylight hours, also lose the final one, Irene. On 17 August when the Marines attempt to reoccupy it, they find it is already held by the Chinese. In Naval activity, the guns of the destroyer HMS Concord (DD) exchange fire with a contingent of enemy ground troops, about 100 strong, on the Ongjin penin-

864 sula as they move to invade Cho-do Island, held by friendly guerrillas. The destroyer’s guns break up the planned attack and compel the enemy to abort the mission. Also, at Wonsan, enemy shore guns propel about 30 rounds toward the USS Grapple (ARS 7) and inflicts damage. The vessel is struck below the water line by a 105-mm shell, but only slight damage is sustained. Meanwhile, the destroyer USS Barton (DD 722) returns fire and strikes three of the enemy gun positions. Also, a South Korean naval vessel, the ROKN FS 905, while moored off Yo-do Island in Wonsan Harbor, comes under attack by enemy shore guns. The vessel, which had arrived with fuel and ammunition for the motor torpedo boats, is struck by one shell, but no major damage or casualties occur.

August 13

In the 1st Marine Division sector, during the fighting at Bunker Hill, Hospital Corpsman John E. Kilmer on 13 August continues to move across the ranks to aid the wounded and direction evacuations. All the while, Kilmer is exposed to small arms, mortars and machine gun fire, but he disregards it. A mortar fragment eventually wounds Kilmer, but he insists on continuing to help the other wounded. Soon after, another mortar bombardment arrives and Kilmer shields a wounded Marine with his body. A fragment strikes and kills the corpsman. Corpsman Kilmer is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary actions on the field of battle in the face of the enemy. Also, Marine artillery (11th Marines), subsequent to modified plans to coordinate with air strikes, begins to show good results. On this day, 124 sorties are flown by Marine pilots and no planes are hit by enemy fire. However, four sustain minor damage. Under the new standing operating procedure (SOP), artillery strikes enemy artillery positions in conjunction with the friendly air strikes, thereby impeding enemy reaction fire. The practice is soon after adopted by the other services. During a recent air strike, General Lamson Scribner, while observing, noted there had been no artillery fire against the antiaircraft positions of the enemy. It had been his brainstorm to modify the procedures during air strikes by implementing artillery flak suppression fires. After that, Marine plane losses, which had reached a high during the previous June, begin to decrease and never again rise to the previous limits.

August 14 A six-man reconnaissance patrol of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team engages the enemy in the vicinity of Kumwha, after it penetrates about 3,500 yards into enemy controlled terrain and gets caught in an ambush by a superior force. The patrol returns fire and before it gets completely encircled, the band sprints to a slim draw. Meanwhile, Corporal Lester Hammond, Jr., declines entering the draw. He remains upright in an exposed position in an attempt to resist the enemy and call for artillery to break up the enemy force. The artillery arrives and the enemy

865 scatters, but in the meantime Hammond is hit with a mortal blow. Reinforcements arrive to extricate the beleaguered platoon. Corporal Hammond is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary courage under fire. In Naval activity, Enemy shore battery guns near Songjin commence firing against the USS Porter (DD 800), but of the approximately 20 rounds fired, no hits occur. The Porter returns fire and reports one enemy gun destroyed. Another vessel in the same area, the HMS Mounts Bay (PF) comes under fire from two guns, but she too, receives no damage. The area near Songjin remains active throughout the day. Subsequent to darkness, the destroyers Porter and Jarvis (DD 799) lay offshore at about a distance of 3,000 yards, guided by contingents in motor whaleboats and ROKN motor torpedo boats near the shoreline. Upon the approach of an enemy train, the information is dispatched to the destroyers that promptly propels a round of shells toward the moving target. The operation on this night nets two trains struck and damaged, one by each of the destroyers.

August 15

In Naval activity, the USS Grapple, while on patrol (Flycatcher Patrol) in search of enemy sampans in the vicinity of Hungnam, is accidentally struck by friendly fire, due to the darkness and the inability of the crew on the USS Chief (AM 315) to recognize her as a friendly vessel. The mistake has deadly effects. Two rounds from a distance of 1,000 yards strike the Grapple and cost the lives of two men and the wounding of 9 others. After-action reports indicate that the Chief did not relay visual recognition signals prior to opening fire. In other activity, the British destroyer escort HMCS Crusader (DDE) and a New Zealander vessel, the HMNZS Rotoiti (PF), each fire upon an enemy troop concentration on the mainland opposite Kirin-do, in support of friendly guerrillas engaged in a raid. In yet other activity, the USS Redhead (AMS 34) and the USS Heron (AMS 18), while operating off the Yujin Dan peninsula, come under enemy fire from shore gun batteries. The barrages fail to score any damage or inflict casualties.

August 16 Communist gun positions on Kalmagak open fire on friendly-held Hwangto-do Island off Wonsan. However, no damage is sustained. August 17 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the struggle for Bunker Hill, which began on 9 August, ends. (See also, August 9–17 1952 THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.) On this day at Bunker Hill, Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, is relieved during the early morning hours by Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. The Marines continue to hold the hill. The enemy will probe the positions of Company C only once during the two days it is on post on the hill. During the same period, only a few artillery and mortar shells strike the area. In other activity, a patrol of Company F, 2nd Battal-

August 20, 1952 ion, 5th Marines, comes under attack while it advances to establish an outpost. The enemy bombards the patrol with artillery and mortar fire and grenades. One of the enemy grenades flips into a trench occupied by some Marines attempting to avoid the bombardment. PFC Robert E. Simanek spots the grenade and to save the lives of the other Marines, he pounces on it and takes the full blast. Simanek becomes badly wounded, but he survives. He receives the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and selfless sacrifice. In other activity, a typhoon moves into Okinawa, cancelling the operations of the B-29s based there.

August 18 In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces begins Operation STRANGLE against North Korean railroads. An earlier maneuver also dubbed Operation STRANGLE, by the Air Force, occurred August 1951 and May 1951. Both operations were designed to destroy the enemy’s supply lines. In Naval activity, the carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) marks its 50th consecutive day at sea, which up to this time, is the longest period of continual operations by a carrier attached to Task Force 77 since autumn of 1950. In other activity, all naval and air operations against Wonsan cease as Typhoon Karen arrives at Korea. The ships of TF-77 move out to seek safer waters on August 18–19. August 19 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation RIPPLE commences on August 19–20. HMR-161 initiates a new combat tactic in an attempt to cut down damage and injury from enemy fire, which follows U.S. rocket fire flashes and return fire against the U.S. artillerymen. Helicopters transport elements of the 4.5 Rocket Battery to firing positions and after completing their volleys, the helicopters evacuate the artillery pieces to the next location before the enemy guns can pound the positions. The strategy changes the way artillery is used on the battlefield. In addition, with the use of helicopters, the guns can be moved much quicker and delivered to firing locations that could not be reached by other means. Also, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, relieves Company C at Bunker Hill. August 20

A primary Communist supply center on the west coast of Korea at Changpyong comes under a massive air attack that includes planes of Fifth Air Force as well as U.S. Navy and Marine Corps squadrons. Reports by returning pilots estimate that about 80 percent of the facility had been destroyed. In other activity, the USS Thompson (DMS 38) holds in place off Songjin while awaiting the arrival of an air spot plane to direct its fire. In the meantime, enemy shore gun fire commences. One of the shells explodes above the bridge and causes casualties. Damage to the Thompson is slight; however, 3 crewmen are killed and 10 others are wounded. In yet other activity, a group of 12 Princeton F9Fs are

August 22, 1952 attacked over Sukchon by a band of MiG-15s, but the U.S. sustains no damage or losses.

August 22 The Communists again use tactics to stall the talks at Panmunjom. The U.N. is accused of launching an air attack at Kaesong. The accusations are obviously false and set up with phony evidence, but the talks are postponed. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, two separate ambush patrols of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, engage Chinese contingents after dusk. Both sides sustain serious casualties. August 23

Eighth Army requisitions 25,000 armored vests, a type recently tested successfully in the field by the Marines, including ground troops and aviators engaged in low-level close-air attacks. In Air Force activity, in conjunction with the ongoing Operation STRANGLE, B-26s strike enemy supply routes during the night (23rd-24th) and report the destruction of more than 800 vehicles. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marines Division zone, a small Chinese contingent of four troops maneuvers near Bunker Hill just prior to dawn. One of the enemy troops makes it to the top of the hill from where he fires upon the Marines and wounds one. The incursion is otherwise, short-lived, as another Marine, a sniper, takes him out.

August 24 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, which had relieved Company D, receives some enemy fire at its positions on Bunker Hill (Hill 122), but no assault is launched. August 25 The Air Force and the Navy team up to launch Far East Air Forces Bomber Command’s largest attack during the month of August. Thirty-five B-29 Superfortresses, accompanied by U.S. Navy fighters, strike the marshaling yard at Rashin. Until now, this target had been spared due to restrictions with regard to targets located less than 20 miles from the border with Russia. The bombers drop 300 tons of bombs on the facility in the northeastern sector of North Korea. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, following several days of non-action, the Chinese launch an attack against Company F at Bunker Hill. The Marines, led by Captain Clarence Moody, initially are struck by a small force, composed of about two squads, at about dusk. The enemy encroaches the right flank and commences a short burst of machine gun fire, accompanied by the tossing of a few grenades, but afterward, the enemy withdraws. About one hour later, however, the Chinese mount a stronger assault, composed of about two companies and supported by artillery. The Marines holding the right center of the outposts become the recipients of the assault, but Captain Moody requests and receives some added muscle from the 11th Marines. Tanks within range of the enemy also commence firing to ensure the Marines’ positions remain in place. During the

866 initial fighting, the Marines withdraw from a forward outpost that had been utilized as a listening post. In the meantime, a contingent of the Chinese manage to slither through the maze of fire and penetrate the lines; however, by about the same time, midnight (25th26th), a reinforcing platoon that had departed the main defense line arrives and the enemy quickly retires, in conjunction with the cessation of the enemy guns. Within about thirty minutes, the enemy fire subsides completely. Subsequent to the end of the contest, the Marines move out to reoccupy the abandoned listening post, but enemy fire prevents the contingent from reaching it. This action culminates the major attempts during August by the enemy to regain Bunker Hill. The Marines sustain 8 killed and 57 wounded. They estimate enemy casualties at 100 killed and 470 wounded (most coming from the artillery and tank fire).

Late August 1952

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a 58-man contingent of the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion arrives to bolster the ranks of the 1st Marines, which had sustained high casualties during the fight for Bunker Hill.

August 27

The USS Competent (AM 336), while operating off Chaho, comes under heavy fire from enemy shore gun batteries. About 100 rounds are fired. The ship sustains no damage. In other activity, friendly guerrillas are fired upon by the destroyer USS Tingey (DD 539). The Tingey, cruising northward, spots what is thought to be an enemy gun position on Song-do and the crew opens fire. The defenders sustain no fatalities, but 4 troops are wounded. Subsequently, on this same day, enemy gun positions on the mainland fire upon the guerrillas and inflict one fatality and wound one other man. In yet other activity, the USS Competent (AMS 336) and the USS McDermut (DD 677) come under enemy shore gun fire. Both ships are able to avoid damage; however, the Competent loses its sweeping gear as it maneuvers to get out of the range of the guns.

August 28

A unit known as Guided Missile Unit (GMU) 90, operating from USS Boxer (CVA 21), between this day and 2 September, launches 6 guided missiles (F6F drones) against targets in Communist controlled parts of Korea. The mission succeeds in destroying one target, but misses four others. In addition, one of the launches is aborted. In other activity, the USS Sarsi (ATF 111), while on patrol off Hungnam, strikes a mine. The vessel sinks within twenty-one minutes. Other ships in the area rush to initiate a rescue operation and of the crew, reported as 97 men, the rescuers save 92. The USS Zeal (AM 131), USS Competent (AM 316), and the USS Boyd (DD 544) participate. To ensure the enemy is unable to salvage the vessel, a warship remains in the vicinity. On 20 August, a salvage operation is undertaken. The ship is located in an upright position, but it is determined that enemy shore gun fire would impede the

867 retrieval of the Sarsi. Consequently, the ship is destroyed. In yet other activity, the USS McDermut (DD 677) comes under fire off Wonsan. No enemy hits occur, but one near miss causes some slight damage; however, no casualties are sustained.

August 29

Pyongyang is struck by a massive air attack. According to Navy records, more than 1,000 planes, including Marine, Navy and Air Force units, participate. In addition, Australian and British aircraft participate. The Communists continue to try to intercept the bombing raids, but with little success. During the month of September, Fifth Air Force loses seven Sabre jets; however, the enemy loses sixty-four MiGs. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the USS Tingey (DD 535) moves up to target enemy mortar positions on the mainland that had begun firing on Song-do, held by friendly troops. The destroyer’s guns terminate the enemy fire.

September 1, 1952 In Naval activity, enemy guns fire upon Mu-do Island, held by friendly troops. The British destroyer HMAS Bataan (DD) quickly provides support. An effective barrage silences the enemy fire. In other activity, enemy guns on the mainland east of Cho-do take the USS LSSL 108 under fire. A British warship, the cruiser HMS Newcastle (CL), initiates a barrage and silences the enemy fire.

August 31

During August the 1st Marine Air Wing sets a record for sorties flown during one month, with 5,869 sorties flown in support of Fifth Air Force missions, including close air-support for the 1st Marine Division. In Naval activity, it is reported that Communist guns have hit nine ships fighting under the U.N. banner. The closest month for the Communists was February 1952, a period in which eight ships had been hit.

September 1952 In Naval activity, the U.S. Navy, during the period September 1952 through August 30 In Air Force activity, a contingent of March 1953, concentrates on targeting enemy oil reSabre jets engages a large force of MiGs. Five of the fineries and other strategic sources of supply. On the MiGs are shot down, bit no Sabre jets are lost. first day of the operations, planes from three carriers launch air attacks and pound the refinery at Aoji and other lucrative targets. About two weeks later, the U.S. Navy launches another massive attack and receives no response from the enemy. The Communist pilots evade the U.S. planes rather than engage. During October 1952, the commander of the 7th Fleet, Vice Admiral Joseph J. Clark, initiates a new type of bombing raid, known as the “Cherokee Attack.” Admiral Clark, of Cherokee ancestry, concludes that although the massive raids of the Fifth Air Force and U.S. Navy have not eliminated the huge underground stockpiles, he believes plenty of supplies are concealed above ground, beyond the range of U.S. artillery. Eighth Army is ecstatic about the imminent support, but red tape and bureaucracy enter the picture. Far East Air Forces raises concerns about coordination and Fifth Air Force believes it should control the flights. The details are eventually worked out, with designated strike areas and oversight by Fifth Air Force on flights within a specified bombline. Clark’s “Cherokee Attacks” bomb targets beyond the range of the friendly artillery and behind the enemy’s MLR for the duration of the conflict. Also, U.S. Navy reports for September 1952 indicate that the planes flown by Navy and Marine pilots had expended 6,200 tons of bombs, 6,100 rockets, and 1,700,000 rounds of ammunition. A break in the action on Old Baldy (Hill 266). Two soldiers take a breather. One man catching a cigarette glances at September 1 In Air Force activity, a another who has his left hand bandaged and a grenade close small contingent of MiGs evades patrols maintained by F-86 Sabres and reach Haeju at hand.

September 1, 1952

868

American Patrol: F-86 Sabre jets in flight over North Korea in search of MiG-15s. slightly north of the 39th Parallel. During the flight they manage to score damage upon an F-51 Mustang. In Naval activity, Task Force 77 focuses its air power on the bomb-line area and upon preselected targets, including supply depots and enemy front line positions. The Navy-Marine air attacks against Musan and Hoeam-dong are one of the few times the Panther jets are used exclusively as an attack plane. Also, planes attached to Task Force 77 attack a syn-

thetic oil production facility at Aoji, less than five miles from the Manchurian border and less than 10 miles from Russia. In other activity, enemy shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Kangsong commence firing upon the destroyer USS Agerholm (DD 826). The vessel receives one hit and sustains some minor damage. In addition, one crewman is wounded. The destroyer returns fire and eliminates the enemy fire.

869 Also, Major General Edwin A. Pollock assumes command of the 1st Marine Division. He succeeds Major General John T. Selden. Prior to assuming command of the 1st Marine Division, General Pollock had commanded the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

September 2

Due to problems with the F3D-2 aircraft that can cause an engine to explode, the planes are grounded, except for daytime flights close to K-8 airfield.

September 3 In Air Force activity, B-29s attached to Far East Air Forces Bomber Command execute fiftytwo sorties during the night of the 3rd-4th. They score much damage in what becomes the highest number of sorties on a single day during the month. September 4

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marine positions in the 1st Marines sector at Bunker Hill had, since the night of the August 25th-26th, been relatively quiet, but at this time, the Chinese again decide to probe the Marine defenses. Attacks are launched against Bunker Hill (Hill 122) and Stromboli (Hill 48A). The Chinese initiate an artillery bombardment upon Bunker Hill at 2030. About ten minutes later, the commanding officer of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, sends word to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, that his positions are under attack by a platoon-sized contingent. Captain Stanley Moak directs his troops while they meet the challenge and turn the attack back. However, the Marines had only encountered the initial probe. At about 0100 on the 5th, the enemy mounts a stronger assault beginning with a ferocious bombardment. Shortly afterward, the Chinese move directly toward the defenses on Bunker Hill, with an apparent attitude that they are about to effortlessly occupy the objective. Their presumption that the artillery had liquidated the defenders is quickly disproved when the Marines open fire on the Chinese as they encroach, walking upright. The Chinese hurriedly retire and begin to reform for another attack. During the second assault, the Marines hold steadfastly and inflict heavy casualties upon the Chinese; however, some of the enemy is able to penetrate the lines. A group of Chinese attempting to outflank the positions at Bunker Hill instead find themselves straying from the objective and in the line of fire of troops on the main line of resistance. That hapless group makes a speedy retreat, but their presence is unexpected by other Chinese, who mistake them for Marines and open fire upon them. At about this time, some of the group reaches positions within the Marine lines, but here, too, their luck finds no fortune, as the Marines counterattack and clear the area. The Chinese battalionsized attack fizzles out and a retreat is called. The estimate of Chinese casualties amounts to 70 killed and 305 wounded (high casualties caused mostly by the troops who strayed into the MLR and were hit

September 4, 1952 by fire there, the troops of Company F and the Chinese). The Marines of Company F sustain 12 killed and 40 wounded, with the greater number of casualties being inflicted by enemy artillery and mortars. Meanwhile, at Stromboli (Hill 48A), the Communists strike about five minutes after the attack begins against Bunker Hill. The Marines at the outpost return fire against a reinforced platoon to ignite a twohour contest. The Chinese, supported by machine guns on nearby Hill 104, plow against the outpost, but the Marines deliver streams of return fire that prevent the Communists from making any progress. In addition, the Marines receive artillery and mortar fire support, which apparently provides an advantage. The enemy guns on Hill 104 suddenly become silent after barrages strike the positions. At 0240, the Chinese disengage. The Marines sustain no casualties. Enemy casualties are unknown and no estimates are reported. During fighting in the 3rd Battalion (5th Marines) zone, PFC Alford L. McLaughlin, Company L, works two machine guns as his area is hit by two enemy battalions. McLaughlin holds both guns and fires from the hip at the unending waves that plow against the positions. The guns become too hot and he places them on the ground, then uses his carbine and grenades to continue his one-man stand. More enemy troops advance and more fall. The Marines hold their ground and McLaughlin’s actions play a primary role in turning back the assault and holding the outpost. He is credited with killing about 150 of the enemy and wounding about 50 more. PFC McLaughlin, despite standing in open ground to return fire, survives his wounds. He is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage in the face of overwhelming enemy force. In Air Force activity, the Sabre jets have an extremely busy day. While escorting 75 fighter bombers (F-84s) to preselected targets north of the Ch’ongch’on River, the formation is brought under attack by MiGs that swoop into the area from across the Yalu from their sanctuary in Manchuria. The escort forces are composed of only 39 F-86s, but they eagerly engage the MiGs, numbered almost ninety. The 13 kills equal that of a recent engagement on 4 July. However, on this date, the superior numbered enemy force, which includes Russian pilots, knocks down four of the Sabre jets. One of the downed enemy planes is credited to Major Frederick C. “Boots” Blesse (334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron), who scores his fifth kill to become an Air Force ace. By the end of the month, Blesse achieves a total of eight MiGs and one LA-9 to his credit. On 3 October, he gets his next MiG, giving him a total of ten. During the course of the day’s combat, seventeen separate air battles are fought with the Communists, who have the ability to shoot across the Yalu to safety and then return to fight again. In Naval activity, a U.S. Navy helicopter, while on a mission, malfunctions and crashes after it loses all power. The 3rd Air Rescue Squadron is alerted and it

September 5, 1952 dispatches a helicopter, which successfully rescues the two crewmen. Also, a downed fighter pilot is picked up by the 3rd ARS.

September 5

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, fighting that began the previous day continues at Bunker Hill and more casualties occur. One corpsman, Edward C. Benfold, moves amidst the wounded following a night-attack. Benfold spots two Marines in a trench along a ridge and he makes his way to them to see if they require aid. As he arrives, enemy troops arrive. Two of the enemy charge the position and two others toss grenades into the trench. Benfold grabs the two grenades and bolts from the trench, then charges the enemy. He pushes a grenade into the chest of each attacker, killing both; however, Benfold is mortally wounded. He is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his intrepid act of bravery above and beyond the call of duty. In other activity, the positions of the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment, along the western flank of the three mainland 1st Marine Division regimental sectors, come under attack. At about sundown on this day, one of several positions, Outpost 37, is struck by an enemy barrage. The Chinese maintain their fire into the following day and increase their targets. Outpost 37, on the 5th, does not come under an infantry assault, but on the 6th, the Chinese launch attacks against it and Outpost 36 as well as the regimental observation post on Hill 155 (known also as Hill 167). In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces launches daylight sorties against a mining (ore) and processing plant northeast of Sinanju. More than two hundred sorties are initiated during two separate raids. Estimated number of destroyed buildings is about seventy. In other activity, near Kusuch’on, a patrol composed of three F-86 Sabre jets is tailed by a MiG, but the enemy is spotted by another set of Sabre jets led by Major Richard L. Ayersman (334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing). Ayersman and his wingman initiate an attack. Once the pilot in the MiG realizes he is under attack, he attempts to make a hard right to evade damage, but in the process, the stress during the turn breaks up the MiG. It plummets to the earth. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries on the Pipa-got peninsula on mainland across from Sok-to open fire upon the Thai vessel Tachin (PF). No damage is inflicted; however, the warship returns fire and silences three guns. In another incident, enemy guns on Kalmagak fire upon a friendly held island in the vicinity of Wonsan. The USS Lewis (DE 535) pours rounds into the positions and silences the enemy fire. In yet other activity, while the destroyer USS Blue (DD 744) provides support for minesweeping ships near Hungnam, it comes under fire from enemy shore gun batteries on the Sohojin Lighthouse peninsula. No damage or casualties occur to the Blue.

870 Also, the USS Swallow (AMS 36) comes under fire in the Hungnam approaches while it conducts sweeping operations. The USS Comstock (LSD 19), too, is fired upon. Neither ship sustains damage or casualties. Also, warships fire upon and silence enemy batteries on the mainland east of Cho-do, which had been bombarding Sosa-ri, on the friendly island of Cho-do. The enemy fire is terminated. The vessels USS Cardigan Bay (PF), HMS Morecombe Bay (FF), USS LSMR 412 and the USS Bradford (DD 545) participate. No damage is sustained by the ships; however, the friendly Koreans at Sosa-ri sustain six casualties.

September 6

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment’s positions continue to come under bombardment by Chinese forces. However, unlike the previous day, the Chinese also launch ground attacks against several outposts. At 1605, Outpost 36 is struck by a barrage of short duration, but following a pause of about two hours, again the enemy guns commence firing against it and Outpost 37. The enemy bombardment also strikes the regimental outpost. In the meantime, the Communists form near the Sachon River and slightly after 1900, the Chinese ignite a charge at the sound of bugles and whistles. Outpost 36 and 37 are attacked, but the former faces the most severe challenge. Outpost 36 repels the initial charge and afterward, another attack is repulsed. However, the Chinese remain relentless and mount a third attack, which unfolds at a speed that is too strong for the South Koreans to forestall. The communications on the outpost are severed during the third assault. One of the besieged squad leaders is able to make his way to the S.K. 10th Company with news that the position had been overrun. Nevertheless, by about 2220, the severed communications line is reestablished and the remaining defenders are able to confirm that the position is again held by the S.K. Marines. The Chinese had in fact taken the hill, but at an expensive price, which apparently compels them to retire rather than attempt to hold the ground. The S.K. Marines at Outpost 36 lose nine killed and seven wounded. At Outpost 37, only four casualties are sustained. Meanwhile, at the regimental observation post, enemy artillery inflicts one fatality on the S.K. Marines and two others, U.S. Marines, are also killed. The Chinese losses are estimated at 110 killed or wounded. In conjunction, 33 Chinese dead are counted on the field near Outpost 36. In the 5th Marines zone, the Chinese launch a stiff attack in the 1st Marines’ sector (Bunker Hill and Stromboli) during the early morning hours. However, at about the same time, the 5th Marines’ perimeter also comes under attack. The five forward outposts—Allen, Bruce, Clarence, Felix and Gary — become targets of the Chinese. They strike Gary first, but the position on the right of the line receives only shelling.

871 No ground troops move against COP Gary; however, the remaining outposts come under artillery and infantry assaults. The Chinese artillery pummels the slopes. Initially, the defenders at Allen, Bruce and Clarence feel the thrust of the attack, but about thirty minutes later, the Chinese also pounce upon COP Felix. COP Bruce comes under fire about 0010 by heavy machine gun fire, artillery and mortars. The barrage lasts for slightly more than one-half hour and just after it subsides, a reinforced company-sized assault begins. Meanwhile, the others are hit by squad-sized contingents. At Bruce, the Marines receive “Boxed-in-Fire,” which quickly neutralizes the enemy thrust and compels the enemy to withdraw. Nonetheless, the 5th Marines repel all attacks. By 0420 the Chinese, after scouring the field for their dead and wounded, withdraw. The Marines sustain 32 casualties, including killed and wounded. No estimates of enemy dead are available. Nonetheless, the enemy undoubtedly sustains heavy casualties. At dawn, the Marines at Bruce inspect the field and discover that every bunker on the forward slope had been decimated by the enemy artillery. And on the reverse slope, the results had been nearly identical, as only two bunkers avoid destruction. In conjunction, during the action in the 5th Marines’ sector, one Marine exhibits extraordinary heroism under fire. PFC Alford L. McLaughlin (Company I, 3rd Battalion) at COP Bruce utilizes two separate machine guns, grenades and a carbine to singlehandedly eliminate about two hundred enemy troops. McLaughlin becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor. In addition, one other Marine, PFC Fernando Luis Garcia, sacrifices his life to save that of his sergeant by diving on a grenade. Garcia receives the Medal of Honor postumously for his courage above and beyond the call of duty. During the daylight hours, the Marines work under fire to rebuild the defenses. Marine and Air Force planes execute support missions of the 5th Marines by pounding enemy bunkers and enemy artillery positions. Later, the Chinese mount new attacks. COP Bruce is struck by artillery and mortars at 1915. By just about 2015, as the shelling subsides, enemy ground troops punch forward to penetrate the outpost, but it is handily repulsed. The Chinese mount new assaults. In the meantime, COP Allen comes under bombardment. At Bruce, the Chinese fire inflicts high casualties and wrecks the defensive bunkers, but still, the Marines give no ground. Two additional assaults are launched with punishing results. Additional Marines continue to join the ever-growing casualty list, to a point in which nearly every man at Bruce has either been killed or wounded. But still, the Chinese are unable to dislodge the defenders. The Marines face the enemy on the forward slope, while another contingent works to encircle the Marines on the reverse slope. Nothing works for the Chinese as the wounded band of Marines holds firmly. At 0400 on 7 September, the Chinese once again disengage. The Chinese failure terminates a 51-hour siege to liquidate the Marines at Outpost Bruce. The 5th Marines hold Bruce at a cost of 19 killed and 38 wounded. In the

September 8, 1952 meantime, at the other secure outposts, the 5th Marines sustain an additional 5 killed and 32 wounded. They count 200 Chinese dead and estimate that in the final eight hours another 200 had been wounded. In the 25th Division zone, a listening post of Company A, 27th Regiment, in the vicinity of Sat’ae-ri comes under attack by a force composed of about one reinforced company. Corporal Benito Martinez holds a machine gun position. He immediately opens fire to cut down the attackers, but the enemy continues to penetrate and begins to encircle the post. Martinez maintains contact with the MLR, but insists that no rescue attempt be undertaken due to the great risk. Martinez eventually expends his ammunition and begins to withdraw, using his automatic rifle and pistol to fend off the enemy. Martinez keeps the enemy at bay for about six hours, but just prior to dawn he makes telephone contact with the main body for the final time to state that his position is being overrun. During Martinez’s amazing stand, his outfit is able to regroup and regain the lost ground. Corporal Martinez is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

September 7

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, fighting continues from the previous day at the 5th Marines outposts In the 25th Division zone, a three-man outpost near Mundung-ni, manned by elements of Company G, comes under heavy attack. Two of the three defenders are killed during the initial blow, which includes artillery and mortar fire; however, Sergeant Donn F. Porter survives and attempts to singlehandedly hold off two platoons. His communications severed, Porter battles fiercely without the imminent arrival of reinforcements. His rapid fire slays about fifteen of the attackers. And then a wall of fire is sent his way. He pulls back, then when a group of the enemy is about to pounce upon him, he bolts from his position with fixed bayonet and takes on six Communists, eliminates them and repels the assault. Sergeant Porter survives the ordeal, but as he moves back to reoccupy the outpost and await help, he is killed by an artillery barrage. Sergeant Porter is awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage in the face of a superior enemy force.

September 8

In Air Force activity, Two Sabre jets encounter and engage four MiGs in the skies near Namsi-dong. During the aerial duel, Major Richard Ayersman (334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing), who had prevailed in a fight on the 5th, downs another MiG on this day. Also, Major Frederick C. Blesse, attached to the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (4th FighterInterceptor Wing), engages and destroys a MiG-15 in the vicinity of Sinuiju during the early afternoon. Within two hours, Blesse engages and destroys another near Pihyon. Major Blesse had also downed a MiG on 4 September near Wonsong. Also, Captain William B. Craig (334th FighterInterceptor Squadron) downs one MiG. It, too, crashes near Pihyon.

September 9, 1952

872

An ROK soldier receives first aid following a skirmish with Chinese on 8 September at Capital Hill, east of Kumsong. In the ROK II Corps sector, the Capital Division engages a Communist force in the vicinity of Capital Hill east of Kumsong. The ROKs sustain some casualties, but lose no ground.

September 9 In Air Force activity, forty-five F84 fighter bombers, with an escort force of F-86 Sabre

jets, strike the North Korean Military Academy at Sakchu. The facility had been attacked earlier on 4 July, but with negative results. The formation is attacked by MiGs that are able to penetrate the fighter protection and down three of the ThunderJets. Meanwhile, the Sabre jets fight off the MiGs and down five of them without sustaining any losses.

873 In Naval activity, a band of four MiGs intercept and attack a three-plane flight of F4U-4Bs of VMA-323, but the MiGs score no hits.

September 10 Marine pilots attached to the USS Sicily, while on a mission near the 39th Parallel in search of enemy troop formations, unexpectedly encounter two MiG-15s that attempt to ambush a contingent including two planes, one flown by Marine Captain Jesse G. Folmar and the other by Lt. Willie L. Daniels. Just after the MiGs appear, two other Russian jets arrive on scene. The Marines, in propeller-driven planes, face jets, but still Captain Folman is able to down one of them. With the odds still greatly against them, the Marines afterward disengage and head for the carrier. It’s the first time a propeller-driven aircraft shoots down a jet. With the MiGs in pursuit, the engagement continues and enemy fire seriously damages Daniels’ plane, shooting off part of his left wing. Daniels is forced to abandon his plane, but Captain Folman remains overhead and once he concludes Daniels is okay in the water, he radios for a rescue team. Lt. Daniels is plucked from the water and returned safely to the USS Sicily. September 11

Enemy batteries in the vicinity of Napchin commence firing upon a trio of minesweepers, the USS Curlew (AMS 8), USS Osprey (AMS 28) and a South Korean vessel, the ROKN AMS 513. No damage is sustained by any of the ships. In other activity, 22 fighters (F9Fs of VMF-115) of MAG-33 at Field K-3 are dispatched to a point in North Korea near Sariwon, south of Pyongyang, to strike suspected enemy troop formations. As the jets are returning to base after the mission, the weather changes drastically and a heavy fog prevents their landing. The jets are diverted to K-2 at Taegu. The weather causes tragedy. Sixteen of the jets make their way safely to K-2 and succeed in landing. However, six of the planes, flying in formation, make a descent and each plane strikes the side of a mountain due to zero visibility. The planes missed clearing the mountain by a mere 600 feet. All six pilots are killed.

September 12 In the skies over Korea, 3 F4Us from Marine Squadron VMA-323 are attacked by four MiGs. A ten-minute air duel erupts, but neither side sustains any damage or shoot-downs. In addition, 2 F4Us from VMA-312 are also intercepted and attacked by MiGs. In Air Force activity, the massive Sui-ho power plant complex comes under a two-layered attack during the night of the 12th-13th. Since the implementation of new enemy defenses, the U.S. has modified its tactics to work around the radar controlled searchlights. The first strike is made by U.S. Navy planes and Air Force B-26s that plaster the area with low-level fragmentation bombs that explode and spread large amounts of fragments to disable the searchlights. Simultaneously, a four-plane contingent of B-29s maneuvers to the east to confuse and jam the enemy radar. All the while, 25 B-29s drop their payloads on

September 16, 1952 the main power plant. Communist MiGs arrive and they succeed in shooting down one of the B-29s (medium bomber) and they damage a few others. The raid, however, does knock the power plant out of commission. After-action reports determine that the modification of tactics (hitting searchlights and jamming radar) most probably had been responsible for the low number of B-29 losses.

September 13

Planes attached to TF 77 are launched to deliver two separate attacks against enemy supply complexes and troop concentration areas at Heeryong, located along the Manchurian border. Neither of the strikes is met with heavy opposition; however, reports indicate that a large number of enemy planes is hovering in the area of Manchuria, about seventy miles from the point of attack. Also, enemy batteries fire upon the USS Lewis (DE 535) and USS Evansville (PF 70), but no damage is sustained. Return fire eliminates the hostile fire. At Wonsan, aircraft attached to the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) spot and attack a vessel of about 130 feet.

September 14 Marine Fighter Squadron VMA121, led by recently appointed commander Lt. Colonel Wayne M. Cargill, completes its 5,000th combat sortie since its arrival in Korea during the previous October. September 15

In Air Force activity, during the early afternoon, a pair of F-86 Sabre jets from the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, encounters a sole MiG-15. The MiG is downed by Lt. Colonel Caroll B. McElroy in the skies near Wonssong-dong. Another pilot of the same outfit, Captain Clifford D. Jolley, while flying in a separate patrol, engages and destroys one of three MiGs encountered in the vicinity of Tongsong-ni. In Naval activity, the USS Barton (DD 722), while operating about 100 miles east of Wonsan, hits what is thought to be a mine. The explosion causes flooding in the forward fireroom. Five crewmen are reported missing and another six are injured. Nonetheless, the ship is able to remain operational. It embarks for Sasebo, Japan. Also, the 1st Marine Air Wing establishes a new squadron (VMC-1). The squadron’s missions are restricted to electronic countermeasures.

September 16 Friendly guerrillas on Hachwirado are fired upon by enemy artillery on Amgak. The USS Bradford (DD 545) is in the area and returns fire in support of the guerrillas, but the results of the barrage are unknown. The guerrillas sustain some casualties from the enemy guns. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches 110 sorties by B-26s. The great majority of the strikes are night interdiction raids and armed reconnaissance. The bombers use a recently achieved tactic that creates roadblocks. After-action reports indicate the destruction or damage of more than one hundred vehicles.

September 17, 1952

September 17 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, establishes an outpost on Hill 124 in the left sector of the regimental perimeter. The Chinese are not receptive to the new inhabitants and promptly plan to evict the squad that holds the post. In Naval activity, planes attached to TF-77 launch attacks against enemy military targets at Tanchon and Pukchong, two cities located on the northeastern coastline of Korea. In other activity, a group of MiGs passes over the USS Bradford (DD 545), which prompts the warship to commence firing. A burst of 32 rounds is expended, but no hits are made. The MiGs make no attack against the Bradford. September 18

In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the on-again off-again battle for Hill 266 (Old Baldy) is re-ignited. The hill, lost during July, had been recaptured during the latter part of August and subsequent counterattacks have failed to regain it for the Communists. On this day, in conjunction with an artillery bombardment, an enemy contingent of about two-company strength, bolstered by tanks, strikes swiftly and after ascending the slopes, the defenders are forced to withdraw. Shortly thereafter, the contingent forms positions about 400 yards from the crest, then the troops launch a counterattack to regain the summit. However, Chinese return fire becomes too intense to penetrate. In Naval activity, a peculiar incident occurs when an aircraft with the definite appearance of an American F-84 pursues a friendly aircraft in circles in the vicinity of the bomb-line. The unidentified plane carries USAF markings, including the star on the wings. Nevertheless, after ignoring radio contact, the unidentified plane leaves the area. It is thought that the Communists had probably been able to salvage parts from downed U.S. planes to come up with an operable aircraft. In other activity, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon the minesweeper USS Heron (AMS 18) while she operates near Wonsan, but the ship does not sustain any damage. In yet other activity, a South Korean vessel, the ROKN MTB 26, experiences an explosion in its engine room, which causes the vessel to sink off Chinhae, Korea. No fatalities occur, but 4 crewmen are injured.

September 19

In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, another counterattack is commenced to regain Hill 266 (Old Baldy). Tanks support the assault and although enemy fire remains fierce, as it was the previous day, the 2nd Division contingents ascend to the crest and secure it. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment, which holds the west flank of the division perimeter, again comes under attack by the Communists. At Outpost 36, a contingent of Chinese who had earlier crossed the Sachon River during daylight emerge from concealed positions and form to

874 attack, while other supporting units move against Outposts 37, 33 and 31 in a diversionary move. Backed by artillery and tanks, the Chinese lunge against the outpost from the north, east and west. The Korean Marines aggressively return fire and by about 2000, the Chinese secure the hill, while the Korean Marines attempt to reform to take it back. At 0115 on the 20th, the Koreans press forward only to discover Chinese reinforcements coming from a distance of less than one mile. The Korean Marines abort the counterattack. Nevertheless, the Chinese remain on the offensive. The Chinese move swiftly and rather quietly to positions that encircle the Korean Marines. By 0520, the outpost is completely overrun. Many of the Korean Marines escape the entrapment and make it back to friendly lines. Those few unable to escape are captured and taken from the field when the Chinese later depart. In Air Force activity, B-29s initiate a daylight attack for the first time since the previous October. With an escort of F-86 Sabre jets as protection, a group of 32 B29s strike strategic enemy military targets southwest of Hamhung, including barracks and supply depots. The raids are bolstered by an RB-45 aircraft that moves ahead of the attack force and circles an assembly area to gather information on the weather and relay it to the strike force. In Naval activity, Communist gun batteries in the vicinity of Wonsan commence firing upon the USS Cunningham (DD 752) and strike it with a direct hit on the first round. The batteries follow with more than 100 additional rounds and inflicting four more hits. The ship sustains damage, but no fatalities occur. However, eight crewmen are wounded.

September 20 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese move to eliminate a recently established outpost manned by one squad of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, on Hill 124. The Chinese launch the attack in conjunction with the appearance of two green flares that burst overhead at 0345. The illumination signals that the attack is imminent. The squad comes under assault by four separate groups, with the main thrust being executed by a contingent of about twenty troops. The Marines receive incoming mortars, grenades and sub-machine gun fire, but dish out deadly doses of fire that slam into the attackers. The tenacious exchange lasts only about five minutes and nearly every man in the defending squad becomes wounded, but the Communists are unable to penetrate. The Chinese disengage and vanish into the darkness. In other activity, the 1st Korean Marine Regiment, which surrendered Outpost 36 during fighting that began on the previous night, mount a new counterattack at 1400. Since retaking the hill, the Chinese have fortified their positions and those on the far side of the hill find themselves protected from the artillery of the 11th Marines. Nonetheless, the positions remain lucrative targets for the Marine air squadrons.

875 Prior to the counterattack, elements of three squadrons, VMA-323, 121 and 212, pound the positions in concert with the guns of the 11th Marines, softening the path for the Korean Marines. The bombardment works well. The Korean Marines, backed by artillery and tank fire, charge the positions against a frazzled group of Chinese who have been unable to recover properly from the thunderous barrage. The Communists are overrun, but they withdraw only a short distance to positions northwest of the hill. Following the recapture of the outpost, which culminates a 20-hour battle, the South Korean Marines hold it for the balance of the month with no new attempts by the Communists to retake it. In addition, by retaining control of the outpost, the Korean Marines are able to continue to fire upon Chinese positions. The South Korean Marines lose 16 killed, 47 wounded and 6 missing. The Chinese casualties are estimated at 150. The S.K Marines actually count 20 dead. In Naval activity, two MiGs approach and attack a PB4Y, attached to Squadron VP-28, as it passes in the vicinity of Shanghai. It is the first time MiGs react to a U.S. reconnaissance flight in the area around Shanghai. The MiGs make five passes and on each pass they fire, but the aircraft is able to evade damage and it returns to NAF Naha.

September 21, 1952

September 21–29 1952

In Naval activity, the USS Weiss (AFD 135), accompanied by two South Korean motor torpedo boats, initiates an operation with an Underwater Demolition Team, which executes an operation against enemy fishing complexes. The team succeeds in seizing 5 sampans, 5 commercial nets and traps and in addition, the team seizes 44 prisoners.

September 21

In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, a contingent of Communists attack the perimeter near Hill 266 (Old Baldy), but no ground is lost. In the X Corps sector, after dark, while the U.S. 45th Division is in the process of relieving elements of the ROK 8th Division, the North Koreans launch an assault to gain a hill along the South Koreans’ MLR. The North Koreans commit two full battalions, which manage to overrun the hill and drive the ROKs, at some points, back about 1,000 yards. Nevertheless, the remainder of the ROKs on the left halt the penetration before the Communists can exploit the gain. The fight continues into the following day. Elements of the ROK 8th Division, augmented by tanks of the 45th Division’s 245th Tank Battalion, counterattack and seize part of the hill. Later, the South Koreans push to regain the entire hill. The divisional

At Old Baldy (Hill 266), a Quad 50 bolsters a 2nd Division counterattack.

September 22, 1952 reserve regiment is committed and it ascends to the crest and secures it by dusk. The 45th Division completes the relief operation on 26 September. In Air Force activity, a contingent of 41 F-84s, escorted by F-86 Sabre jets, strike an enemy ammunition facility in Pukchong. During the raid, MiGs arrive to intercept the formation. Captain Robinson Risner, attached to the 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and knocks down two of the MiGs, which brings his total number of kills to five to make him an Air Force ace. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries commence fire upon the destroyer escorts USS Jenkins (DDE 447) and USS Taylor (DDE 468) while they are operating off Hwangto-do Island, but the enemy fire is inaccurate and scores no damage. Other enemy guns also fire upon the friendly held island of Hwangto-do in Wonsan harbor, but the Jenkins is able to move into position and silence the guns. In another incident, enemy guns in the vicinity of Chaho fire upon the British destroyer HMS Charity, but no damage is sustained.

September 22–26 1952

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation HAYLIFT commences. The 7th Marines becomes the recipient of HMR-161’s latest project to test the ability of re-supplying a combat regiment on the MLR. The helicopter squadron transports all Class I, III and V items, as well as items of Class II and IV that can be transported. All supplies, with the exception of valuable cargo (including mail), is to be carried in slings. The operation succeeds and it is determined that by using about 40 percent of a squadron’s capabilities, it can sustain a combat regiment on the main line of resistance for about five days without difficulty.

September 22 Friendly forces on Sosa-ri, along the west coast of Korea, come under an artillery barrage by enemy batteries on the mainland. The British vessel HMS Cardigan Bay (PF) and the destroyer USS Bradford (DD 545) move in to support the friendly forces by bombarding the enemy positions. Another friendly held island, Yo-do, off Wonsan, also comes under attack by enemy batteries. In other activity, the 1st Marine Air Wing grounds 14 of its F9F-2s due to the discovery of cracks in some of the nose wheel spindles and in the socket and bushing assembly castings. Also, a Chinese Communist naval vessel fires at a VP-28 PB4Y plane, but the gunners lack accuracy. The plane escapes damage. September 23

Communist shore batteries located at Songjin open fire on the destroyers USS Walker (DD 517) and USS Cunningham (DD 752). Neither ship sustains any damage and no casualties are reported. In other activity, the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61) comes under enemy fire from batteries at Kalmagak in Wonsan harbor. The Iowa’s big guns quickly extinguish the enemy fire when her 16-inch shells arrive upon their positions.

876

September 24 In Naval activity, a South Korean naval vessel, the ROK AMS 506, runs aground near Yo-do Island and tears a small hole in her starboard bow. After about nine hours of toil, the vessel is back in operation and on the way to complete its mission. In other activity, enemy batteries pound the positions of friendly forces on Wollae-do and Yuk-to. The New Zealander vessel HMNZ Rotoiti (FF) maneuvers into position and returns fire in support of the guerrillas. September 25 Enemy shore gun batteries posted near Wonsan attack the USS Taylor (DDE 468), but no damage is inflicted. The Taylor returns fire and eliminates the hostile fire. September 27

Subsequent to dusk, a trio of B26s operate in the central sector of Korea to broadcast during the sorties. The crews of the planes broadcast for a total of three and one-half hours. All three planes return to their base without harm.

September 28 Marine Major Alexander J. Gillis (VMF-311), attached to the US Air Force 335th Fighter Squadron (4th Fighter Group), while flying a sortie as part of a four-plane mission near the mouth of the Yalu River with one other plane, encounters then chases two MiG-15s. Gillis forces one of the planes to crash and later this same day, he encounters another MiG. Gillis damages the MiG and the pilot is forced to eject; however, Gillis’ plane also becomes inoperable and he ejects into the Yellow Sea. Gillis is rescued. He is the second Marine pilot to score two kills in one day during the Korean War. Late September 1952 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the regimental area of the 1st Marines, which includes the Hill-124–122 axis, is probed by the Chinese, but they make no serious attempt to seize either outpost. The situation is basically the same in the remainder of the division zone. The 7th Marines, which had deployed in the divisional right on 7 September after relieving the 5th Marines, also sees no major challenges against its positions. The 7th Marines holds responsibility for the right flank of the 1st Marine Division. The 7th Marines also assume seven outposts from the 5th Marines and two others, Frisco and Verdun, are established on the 14th and 26th, respectively. Verdun stands on the far eastern sector of the perimeter, near the boundary with the British 1st Commonwealth Brigade. September 29

Fighter bombers attached to Fifth Air Force execute 207 close-air support sorties. The planes strike targets that include enemy artillery positions and bunkers.

September 30

Encounters between Sabre jets and MiGs occur 706 times during the month of September, but during the following month, the figure drops to 434.

877 In other activity during September, aircraft of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps expend 6,200 tons of bombs, 6,100 rockets, and 1,700,000 rounds of ammunition. Also, a large group of 48 B-29s drawn from the 19th Bomber Group, 98th Bomber Wing and the 307th Bomber Wing strike the sole remaining strategic target in North Korea, the Namsan-ni Chemical Plant, on this day and the next. The target is located less than 400 yards from the Yalu River. Five of the planes in the strike force are equipped with ECM (electronic counter measures) flak suppression to disrupt the enemy’s radar controlled searchlights. The planes successfully attack the facility and during the assault, seven B-26s dive to very low altitudes and knock out eight of the lights, numbered at about forty.

October 1952 In Naval activity, U.S. Navy pilots fly 11,004 sorties during the month of October, the highest monthly total since the outbreak of the Korean War. About one-half of the sorties are in support of Eighth Army ground forces. Marine pilots (1st Marine Air Wing) execute 3,765 sorties during October, which becomes the second highest monthly total, behind June 1951. Slightly more than one-third of the flights are close-air support; however, this is due to the Marines being under the jurisdiction of Fifth Air Force, which restricts Marine missions. In addition, Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161 (HMR 161) evacuates 365 casualties during October, which also sets a record for the highest number of evacuations for one month. Also, since January 1952, 63 incidents have occurred in which Fifth Air Force planes inadvertently caused casualties among friendly troops. Of the 63 incidents, Marine pilots are responsible for 18 or just over 28 percent; however, Marine pilots have been flying between 30 to 40 percent, per month, of all Eighth Army close-support missions and have handled all missions within 5 to 100 yards of the main line of resistance, bringing the pilots into extremely close range of friendly troops on the ground. Also during October, minesweeping operations swept 10 mines, 22 fewer than the previous month. Of the ten, four were magnetic, raising the total of magnetic mines to 18 discovered in Korean waters. In Air Force activity, during encounters with MiGs in October, the Sabre jets down 27 MiGs. Four Sabres are lost. October 1

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, certain changes of the enemy strategy become more plain at about this time. It had been noticed that enemy probes of Marine positions occurred much less often. For about the past two weeks, the enemy has not initiated any primary ground actions. While the infantry has remained quiet, the enemy artillery units are becoming much more active. On this date, the Chinese issue an ultimatum demanding that

October 2, 1952 the 1st South Korean Marine Regiment on Outpost 86 surrender or the Chinese would obliterate the defenses there. The demand is ignored and as promised at 2000, the Chinese initiate a bombardment. The Koreans withstand 145 rounds during the next 20 hours. In Naval activity, an enemy shore gun battery posted near Songjin fires upon the destroyer escort USS Naifeh (DE 352) without success. In Naval activity, pilots’ targets change from strategic targets to tactical targets.

October 2

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese have apparently focused on four of the nine outposts of the 7th Marines — Detroit, Frisco, Seattle and Warsaw, all of which straddle ground that is somewhat lower than the outposts in the regiment’s western sector. The Chinese initiate a major artillery and mortar bombardment of Seattle and Warsaw at 1836. The barrages continue for precisely one hour and just as the fire subsides, the Chinese ground troops launch two separate attacks. While Warsaw’s reinforced platoon defends against a force composed of about company strength, the Chinese also send a squad against Seattle. During the ferocious fight at Warsaw, a grenade lands in the midst of five Marines. Private Jack William Kelso grabs the grenade and moves from the bunker to toss it back; however, it detonates in his hands. Kelso, despite his wound, returns to the bunker and instructs the other Marines to head back to the MLR while he remains to cover their withdrawal. Kelso continues to fire against the advancing Communists until he is repeatedly hit and succumbs. Private Kelso becomes the recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously. After heavy fighting at Warsaw that lasts about 45 minutes, the Chinese take the outpost. Within about five minutes, the Chinese overrun Seattle. Immediately following the loss of the outposts, the Marines form to retake them. At Warsaw, one platoon from Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, leaves the MLR at 2047 and effortlessly regains the hill, which had been found abandoned. Meanwhile, the other outpost, Seattle, will be attacked during the early morning hours of the following day. In other activity, the Chinese continue to bombard the positions of the S.K. Marines at Outpost 36. Later, following one of the artillery bombardments at 1915, the Communists mount a ground attack against Outpost 37. The Korean Marines defending the post are only at platoon strength; however, they repel the assault for more than one hour before the enemy’s superior numbers compel the Koreans to abandon the post. In the meantime, the Communists also attack Outposts 36 and 86. The defending S.K. Marines at OP 36 resist fiercely and repulse two assaults, but by dawn on the following day, the enemy strength forces the Koreans to abandon the hill, leaving it to the Chinese who quickly occupy it. At Outpost 86, the Chinese drive steadily against the defending platoon; however, they mount a battalion against it and prior to midnight, the hill is lost.

October 3, 1952 The Korean Marines continue to hold Outpost 37, but it, too, is a priority for the Communists and will come under stiff attack on the following day. Also, on the 3rd, the S.K. Marines mount a counterattack to regain Outpost 86. In Naval activity, the destroyer escorts USS Marsh (DE 699) and HMCS Iroquois (DE) come under enemy fire off Songjin. The Iroquois sustains one hit that causes damage and takes the lives of two of the crew. In addition, eight others are wounded and of those, one dies later this day. The Marsh remains unscathed. Return fire is dispatched by both vessels and the enemy guns are eliminated. On the following day, the Marsh again comes under fire, but again the guns are inaccurate and no damage is sustained.

October 3 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marines Division zone, at 0340, two squads attached to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, depart the MLR to regain Outpost Seattle, which the Chinese had seized during the previous night. The contingent proves too weak in numbers to wrest the hill from the Chinese. The unit is recalled, but afterward, at about dusk, the enemy is struck heavily by an artillery barrage that precedes another assault by three squads. The Chinese artillery and grenades again prevent the Marines from gaining the hill. Casualties from the artillery had become extremely high. The attack is aborted. At 2225, artillery again plasters the Chinese positions on Seattle, but once again, the Chinese are able to hold. A new assault is launched, but yet again, the enemy artillery and grenades inflict heavy casualties, which stalls the advance. The contests at Warsaw and Seattle have caused 101 casualties, including 13 killed. During the early morning hours of the 4th, the Chinese launch a counterattack to regain Warsaw. In other activity, the South Korean Marines mount counterattacks to regain Outpost 37. The second charge gains the crest, but enemy fire forces the S.K. Marines to find safer positions on the reverse slope. The battle to secure the hill renews on the following day. In other activity, the S.K. Marines stand by during the early morning hours while planes and artillery bombard Outpost 86, which the Chinese had seized on the previous night. The combined power of the strikes, coupled with a counterattack at 1015, compels the Chinese to abandon the post, but they only move a short distance until the artillery begins to pound them at their new positions. Soon after, they are spotted scurrying away. Meanwhile, the S.K. Marines focus on fortifying the positions at the outpost in preparation for an anticipated assault, which occurs on 6 October. In Naval activity, two F4Us attached to TF-77 strafe Yang-do Island and inadvertently strike two South Korean naval vessels, the ROKN MTB 25 and MTB 27. Some minor damage is inflicted, but no casualties are reported. In another incident, enemy fire from a battery near Wonsan attempts to strike the destroyer USS Taylor (DD 551), but no damage occurs.

878

October 4

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese, who had on the previous night gained and later abandoned Outpost Warsaw in the 7th Marines zone, mounts a new assault at 0145. During the previous night, the defenders had been forced to abandon the hill, but after re-occupying it later that same night, the Chinese now face a stiffer defense. The Marines repel the attack and sustain no casualties. In other activity, the battle for Outpost 37 rages within the zone on the 1st South Korean Marine Regiment, which has been fighting since the 2nd for control of the hill. On this day, and into the next, the gruesome struggle causes the contest to become a see-saw battle, with possession of the outpost changing hands four times. The final one leaves the hill in the possession of the Communists. In Air Force activity, Brigadier General William P. Fisher assumes command of FEAF Bomber Command (provisional). He succeeds Brigadier General Wiley D. Ganey, who has held the position since the previous March (provisional). In other activity, Captain Manuel J. “Pete” Fernandez, Jr., while on a mission, engages a MiG and downs it to get his first victory. Captain Fernandez will subsequently gain 13.5 more victories, with the fifth kill occurring on 2 February. In Naval activity, a group of seven Corsairs attached to the USS Kearsarge (TF-77) are attacked by seven MiGs near Yongpo in the initial contest between TF77 pilots and fast enemy jets. One of the Corsairs is lost. In other activity, 263 planes attached to TF-77 attack enemy positions of the Chinese 67th Army at Hoeyang, in what becomes the largest air attack by the Navy subsequent to the massive air assault against the synthetic oil plant at Aoji near Manchuria on 1 September.

October 5 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communists maintain their pressure against outposts held by the South Korean Marines, but they are less aggressive against the American Marines. Since October 1, the South Koreans have lost two outposts, but in the 1st Marines zone, none have been surrendered to the Chinese. However, late on this day, at 2230, the Chinese manage to ambush a 1st Marines patrol. The patrol gets snagged, but quickly returns fire in a fire fight that lasts about twenty minutes before the Marines make it to the reverse slope of the hill and request support. While mortars fly into the Communists’ positions, the Marines are able to make their way back to friendly lines. The Marines sustain four casualties. The Chinese sustain 13 killed (counted). No estimates of Chinese wounded are available. In the 7th Marines zone, the Chinese mount an attack against Outpost Frisco, but the contingent, estimated at the strength of a squad, is repelled. Later, due to the high casualties sustained over the past few days at the contested outposts, the 7th Marines take steps to reinforce the perimeter (MLR) in its sector.

879 At 1200, the zone held by the 3rd Battalion, which had sustained high casualties, is divided into two sectors. The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, assumes responsibility for the extreme right, which includes Warsaw and Verdon. The modifications along the line place all three battalions at the front, beginning on the left with the 2nd, followed by the 3rd and 1st Battalions holding the far left. In other activity, aircraft attached to Fifth Air Force and U.S. Navy units aboard carriers combine to launch an attack against Loeyang, where elements of the Chinese 67th Army are deployed.

October 6

In the I Corps sector, the Chinese mount a full scale assault to gain Hill 281 in the eastern sector and nearby Hill 395, the elevation on the left flank of IX Corps at the boundary with I Corps. At Hill 281, the Communists encounter the French Battalion, which meets the attack with brute strength and returns fire as rapidly as the enemy appeared on the slopes. The initial two companies ascending the hill are soon joined by two more, but still, the French refuse to surrender any ground. The Chinese commit two additional companies into the fight, but still, the French maintain their positions and intensify their return fire. While the French pour continuous fire into the ranks of the attackers, more enemy troops are killed, and yet, others continue to advance and more troops join the struggle. By dawn, an entire enemy regiment is pounding the French positions, but finally, after sustaining extremely high casualties, the Communists disengage. Meanwhile, at Hill 395, the fighting remains heavy throughout the night into the following day, but at dawn, although the ROK 9th Division retains possession, the Chinese remain on the attack. By early afternoon, a reinforced attack by the Chinese carries the po-

October 6, 1952 sition. The ROKs withdraw and afterward mount a determined counterattack and recapture the hill. Nevertheless, the Chinese mount subsequent attacks, until 12 October, against Hill 281 and at Hill 395. A see-saw battle continues until 10 October. At the conclusion of the engagements, Hills 281 and 395 are under the possession of the ROKs. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines mounts an attack to retake Outpost Seattle, which the Chinese had seized on 2 October. The contingent, a reinforced platoon (Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines), moves out at 0600, but enemy mortar and artillery fire prevent the detachment from reaching the objective. Shortly thereafter, reinforcements advance to support the attack, but still, the enemy firepower prevents the attack from gaining the hill. Air support arrives to bolster the ground assault, but the Chinese are not dislodged. Following about five hours of tenacious fighting, the Marines disengage at 1100. The mission costs the 1st Battalion 12 killed and 44 wounded. The enemy casualties are estimated at 44. Later, at about dusk, the Chinese take the offensive by initiating an artillery and mortar bombardment that strikes five regimental outposts. The enemy also pounds two locations along the MLR. In conjunction with the massive shelling, the Communists launch ground attacks against all of the objectives that had been under artillery assault. The land forces strike at 1930 while the artillery bombardment continues, and by midnight (6th-7th), about 4,500 rounds strike 7th Marines positions. At Warsaw, on the far right, the Marines receive punishing fire and for a while, communications are severed between the outpost and the MLR. However, by about 2000, the communications are restored. While under assault, friendly artillery delivers “Box-Me-In” fire to

A 90-mm gun motor carriage in action at Hill 395 (White Horse) northwest of Ch’orwon during October.

October 7, 1952 provide a buffer. The Marines, all the while, repel the attack and by about 2235, the Chinese disengage. In the meantime, at Outpost Carson on the far left (west), the fighting subsides by 2050 as the Chinese disengage. The adjacent outpost to the east, Outpost Reno, holds off the attack, which ceases slightly before 2300. The cost of holding Reno and Carson climbs to 12 wounded and no fatal casualties. Two other outposts, Detroit and Frisco, receive the brunt of the Chinese assaults. At the former, the Chinese attack at 1900 in company strength and fail to gain Detroit, but later at 2100, a new assault makes gains. Support fire arrives from the 11th Marines, but in the midst of the fighting at close quarters, the communications between the outpost and the MLR are cut off. Reinforcements rush to the beleaguered outpost, but enemy fire prevents the unit from reaching it. Meanwhile, the MLR comes under attack and at about the same time, distress calls requesting artillery (variable time fuse shells) are heard on the radio from the defenders at Detroit. The Marine artillery, for a while, halts the attack, but other reinforcements are unable to reach Outpost Detroit due to intense enemy artillery fire. Suddenly, at 0115, the Chinese again pound against the outpost and once more are halted by friendly artillery. Nevertheless, the artillery fails to force a withdrawal. Meanwhile, the communications picked up from the outpost are the voice of Chinese. A detachment is dispatched to reconnoiter the area and returns at 0355 with news that the outpost had fallen. The garrison, except for two wounded Marines who manage to escape, falls to the Communists. Following ten brutal hours of combat, the Marines disengage, leaving the outpost to the Chinese. Meanwhile, the fighting continues at Frisco, manned by Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. The enemy attacks at 2000 and advances to the trenches, but the Marines repel further progress. At 2130, a contingent of the enemy penetrates, but friendly artillery again arrives to push the Chinese back. At slightly after midnight (6th-7th), a third attempt to eliminate the outpost is launched and again, the trench-line is pierced. The first group of reinforcements are barred from reaching the outpost by artillery fire, but afterward, during the early morning hours of the 7th, elements of Company H and Company I rush to bolster the outpost and maintain a counterattack to ensure the Marines hold the hill. During the gruesome night fighting, a reserve company dispatches a reinforced platoon (Company I) and it tips the balance. By 0715, all Chinese are driven from the area, giving the Marines control of Outpost Frisco. Nonetheless, victory at Frisco brings no jubilation. The position must be reinforced due to its present untenable positioning. Instead, during the afternoon of the 7th, it is decided to abandon the hill. During the two-day fight for the outposts, the 7th Marines sustains 10 killed, 105 wounded seriously and another 23 with superficial wounds. Also, 22 are reported missing (includes Out-

880 post Detroit). The Marines estimate Chinese casualties at 200 killed and an unknown number of wounded. In other activity, the Communists move against the third and final primary outpost manned by the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. The assault is launched at 2200 and by midnight (6th-7th), the S.K. Marines lose the hill. The South Koreans regroup and mount a counterattack during the early morning hours of the following day and regain the hill prior to dawn. Nonetheless, the Chinese begin an artillery and mortar barrage that pushes the Marines from the hill. In the ROK II Corps sector, the Chinese launch a series of attacks against the ROKs at two separate hills and against an outpost, each on the left flank of the ROK Capital Division. The Chinese are unable to gain the two hills, but the outpost in the center of the line is seized. The struggle for the outpost remains active throughout the month, but the South Koreans are able only to reach positions within about 300 yards from the summit. As October fades, the Chinese maintain domination of the outpost. In other activity, Major Alexander J. Gillis, the commanding officer of Marine Squadron VMF-311, ends his tour with a bang. While on a mission, the flight is intercepted by MiGs. Major Gillis downs two of the MiGs, but he, too, is shot down in the process. Gillis is rescued, but not until he spends four hours in the Yellow Sea.

October 7

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a prolonged battle for outposts in the 7th Marines sector closes this day with the Marines holding Frisco, but concluding that without reinforcements, the position is untenable. The outpost is abandoned. Since the beginning of October, the Communists have gained six outposts in the Marines’ sector, OP 37, 36 and 86 (left flank) in the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment sector and Outposts Detroit, Frisco and Seattle. The gains give the Chinese positions from which they can harass and threaten Jamestown Line and in the terrain east of the Sachon River, the Communists are able to carry out patrols without Marine interference. The Communists inadvertently receive additional help from the U.N., as the Marines, as well as the remainder of Eighth Army, are forbidden from initiating any major offensives. Also, during the fighting at Outpost Frisco during the night of the 6th-7th, while the Chinese banged against the 7th Marines, Sergeant Lewis G. Watkins, Company I, 3rd Battalion, while wounded and leading an attack against a machine gun nest, finds himself a recipient of an enemy grenade that drops in the midst of his contingent. Watkins grabs the grenade, but before he can toss it back, it explodes, killing him. Sergeant Watkins becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for his extraordinary courage saved the lives of his fellow Marines. Also, the Communists’ gain of the outposts activates

881 their quest to gain even more. Those they pursue are located in the sector of the 7th Marines, the far right battalion along the division front. However, for a short while, another period of quiet overcomes the battlefield, while the Chinese prepare to strike with strength. In Air Force activity, carrier aircraft join once again with planes of Fifth Air Force to launch an attack against enemy positions. On this date, the strike is against the Chinese 26th Army, which is deployed in the vicinity of Yongpyong-ni. In Naval activity, on this date, the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61) fires its 4,000th 16-inch round during its service in Korea. In other activity, planes attached to TF 77 come under attack on two separate occasions by MiGs in the vicinity of Wonsan and Hungnam. Neither side sustains any losses. In another encounter, one MiG-15 attacks a four-plane contingent of F4Us south of Hungnam and downs one of the F4Us.

October 8

At Panmunjom, the U.N. representatives again sense the Communists are simply marking time rather than engaging in serious talks. The senior representative, General William K. Harrison, after suggesting several ways of solving the POW exchange problem and having them ignored, calls a recess in the talks. General Harrison assumed his position during the previous May when he succeeded Admiral Turner

October 8, 1952 Joy. Talks resume toward the latter part of the year to solve the stand-off, but no solution is agreed upon until the following year, subsequent to the death of Joseph Stalin. In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the ROK 8th Division retains control of Hill 281, but between this day and the 12th, the Chinese continue to sporadically attempt to seize it. At Hill 395, the Chinese mount a counterattack and seize the hill. It is the fourth time Hill 395 has changed possession since 6 October. The ROKs regroup to form for a new counterattack. Heavy fighting continues at Hill 385 for the following two days. The Chinese hold their positions and hammer the South Koreans, but the attack maintains its intensity and on the 10th, the ROKs regain the crest and drive the Chinese off. In the meantime, artillery fire begins to bolster the ROKs and a Chinese counterattack by two battalions fails to dislodge the South Koreans. In Air Force activity, planes attached to the 98th Bomber Wing launch a daylight attack in coordination with the amphibious diversion feint. The strikes against Kowon are in conjunction with carrier planes that are part of the strike force. In other activity, a huge attack force — composed of 11 B-29s (Far East Bomber Command) and 89 aircraft attached to TF-77 — strikes the enemy rail complex at Kowon. The bombers deliver VT fused 500-pound

A U.S. helicopter (USMC) arrives at Panmunjom, where the truce talks have been reinitiated.

October 9, 1952 cluster bombs. The Air Force records ten B-29s in the attack rather than eleven.

October 9

In the I Corps and IX Corps sectors, the battle for control of Hill 385 continues. The ROK 9th Division is unable to regain Hill 395 (IX Corps) and at Hill 281, the French battalion continues to hold. On 10 October, the South Koreans again attack to regain Hill 395. In Air Force activity, Communist communication complexes located in the vicinity of Huichon and in the area that stretches from there to the bomb line in front of Eighth Army come under heavy attack by fighter-bombers. In related activity, Fifth Air Force planes execute close-air support sorties that strike enemy positions and halt the units from joining an ongoing attack in the IX Corps sector. In Naval activity, it is reported that 14 North Korean PT boats have been spotted in Unggi Bay, which is the norththernmost inlet on the east coast of Korea. In other activity, enemy shore gun batteries near Songjin commence fire upon the USS Carmick (DMS 33). Five separate batteries propel 80 rounds toward the Carmick and all miss the mark. In yet other activity, planes attached to TF 77 fly 91 missions in support of X Corps troops, in an attempt to dislodge and destroy entrenched Communist forces.

October 10

In the I Corps sector, the South Korean 8th Division, after two days of fighting, mounts a counterattack that regains the crest of Hill 395. The South Koreans immediately bolster their positions and with the support of artillery turn back a Chinese counterattack. One battalion of the 9th Division, supported by tanks, advances and gains high ground north of the hill to add a buffer. Subsequently, the South Koreans push further and by 15 October, gain ground up to one thousand yards in front of the hill, ending the Chinese attempts to recapture it. In Air Force activity, a contingent of F-84s, escorted by four F-8s, moves against a target at the mouth of the Yalu River. The Sabres are led by Captain Robinson Risner (336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron). Just prior to reaching the target zone, Risner, with authorization from his commanding officer, radios a code to his flight members instructing them to turn of their IFF (friend or foe identification) in the event they are compelled to cross the river. At the target, MiGs are spotted as they climb for higher elevation. Meanwhile, the MiGs detect the F-86s and the battle erupts, with the Sabres forced to cross the Yalu. Risner maneuvers to the rear of a MiG, but his fire does not take it down. More fire is poured upon the MiG, but still the enemy pilot evades harm. Nonetheless, Risner stays on his tail as the MiG heads for Antung, Risner’s wingman, Joe Logan, follows to protect Risner’s plane. As the chase continues, the pilot in the MiG rolls and flies upside down, passing just over the trees, and then both planes are flying side by side with each able to see the other’s eyes. Risner, again

882 to the rear, chases the MiG directly through a space that separates two hangars and then, with more fire, the MiG finally explodes. Risner and Logan find themselves in the midst of a lot of enemy flak. Both planes break for the south. Risner remains unscathed, but Logan’s plane is badly damaged (fuel and hydraulic fluid stream). Risner directs his wing man to maintain his throttle firewalled, then at great risk to both men, Risner moves to Logan’s rear and when his fuel is gone, Risner literally pushes the disabled jet toward Chodo. Risner’s risky procedure works! Both he and Logan return to Chodo and then Logan bails out after requesting a pick-up. Risner lands, unaware that Logan ejected safely, but on the descent, Logan gets caught up in the chute and drowns before the rescue team reaches him. (See also, September 21, 1952, In Air Force activity.) In Naval activity, planes attached to TE-95.11 launch an attack intended to destroy the irrigation system that feeds the Communist rice fields on the west coast of Korea. The aircraft strike the sluice gates located in the Yonan–Pyongchon region. The damage permits salt water to flow into the rice paddies. In other activity, on this date, TG-95.3 is established for the purpose of patrolling southern Korea (Military Sea Defense Zone). During the group’s first day in action, about 500 Japanese fishing vessels are instructed to stay clear of the designated zone.

October 11 A tragic accident occurs on the carrier USS Kearsarge (CVA 33) when an unexpected and especially strong wind gust flips an active helicopter while it is on the deck. The rotor blades kill four crewmen and another five men on the flight deck are injured. October 12–16 1952

The Communists at Kojo suspect a major attack due to increased activity, as the operation known as the KOJO AMPHIBIOUS FEINT begins on the 12th. Planes attached to five separate carriers bolster more than 100 naval surface warships that give the appearance of preliminary tactics. The impostor exercise is designed to draw enemy ground forces into the open to present a lucrative target for the aircraft and to simultaneously provide genuine training for the troops who would be engaged in an amphibious assault. Nonetheless, the Communists do not take the bait. In Air Force activity, the 315th Air Division participates with the 187th Regimental Combat Team in a parachute exercise. The paratroops jump as part of the KOJO AMPHIBIOUS FEINT. The exercise lasts until the 14th.

October 12 In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the Chinese attacks against Hill 281, held by the French Battalion, finally end this day. Their attempts to seize possession of the hill began on 6 October; however, none had been successful. In the 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines relieves the 1st Marines and assumes responsibility for the

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October 13, 1952

Planes (McDonnell Banshee F2H-2Ps) prepare to land on the USS Kearsarge following a mission over North Korea. The Banshees are twin-engine aircraft capable of flying at high altitudes at a speed of 550 miles per hour. center of the line, which includes Bunker Ridge. The 1st Marines moves into reserve. In the 25th Division zone, a small patrol attached to the 14th Regiment ventures into enemy controlled territory to destroy an outpost, but en route, the detachment from Company L, 3rd Battalion, gets snagged by an ambush team. The leader of the patrol is wounded seriously. Another soldier, PFC Ernest E. West, directs the remainder of the patrol to head back to friendly lines. Meanwhile, West maneuvers to the downed patrol leader and despite heavy fire, reaches him. As West is about to carry the man to safety, three Communists carrying grenades begin to close; however, he finds time to protect the wounded soldier while eliminating the three enemy troops. The struggle is costly for West. He becomes wounded and loses one of his eyes. Nevertheless, he prevails and brings the wounded patrol leader back to friendly lines. PFC West becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor due to his extraordinary leadership and heroism in the face of a superior enemy force. In Air Force activity, a downed Sabre jet pilot receives help from an SA-16 aircraft and a rescue helicopter; he is retrieved by the helicopter. Soon after, the SA-16 rushes to retrieve another downed pilot at a distance

of about 100 miles away in the harbor at Haeju. The pilot, who was forced to eject when his F-84 caught fire, is able to hold on in a dinghy until the SA-16 from the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron arrives, thanks to fighters that remain over the area to keep the enemy at bay. The pilot is rescued and later returns to his unit, the 69th Fighter Bomber Squadron. Also, Far East Air Forces launches an attack against enemy positions on the Haeju peninsula. The raid, carried out by twenty-six B-29s on October 12–13, strikes nine separate preselected areas where troop concentrations had formed. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon a contingent of minesweeping boats operating near Tongch’on under the protection of the cruiser USS Toledo (CA 133). The boats report no casualties. Meanwhile, the guns of the Toledo dispatch 24 eight-inch rounds to the suspected origin point of the fire and exposes three enemy tanks. Later this same day, the Toledo comes under fire from enemy batteries in the vicinity of Un-Bong-San; however, the gunners are inaccurate and no damage is inflicted.

October 13 The Communists launch an air attack against Seoul and Cho-do Island. This is the first attack

October 14, 1952 against the island on the west coast since it had been placed under command of the U.S. Marines nearly one year ago. No casualties are sustained. The air attacks, carried out by diminutive fabric-covered biplanes, are referred to as “Bedcheck Charlie” raids. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines establish Outpost East Berlin. It and Berlin are located in the forward position of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. On this day, Lt. Colonel Barrett assumes command of the 3rd Battalion, replacing Lt. Colonel Russell. Also, to the far left, Outpost Carson, Reno and Vegas stand in the sector of the 2nd Battalion about 1,000 yards to the front of the MLR. In the right, the 1st Battalion controls Outpost Warsaw and Verdon and on 16 October, a new outpost will be established in the 1st Battalion sector. In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces and U.S. Navy carrier planes strike enemy positions in the vicinity of Kojo as part of the KOJO AMPHIBIOUS FEINT. Simultaneously, naval surface vessels shell Kojo at the area of the beach where an amphibious invasion would land. In Naval activity, the destroyer USS John R. Craig (DD 885), while operating off the east coast of Korea near Kijin, fires upon enemy positions and receives return fire from enemy batteries. The Craig sustains no damage or casualties; however, the fire from the Craig terminates the fire coming from the batteries. In other activity, the USS Toledo (CA 133) again comes under enemy fire. This day it originates in the vicinity of Kojo. The marksmanship of the gunners is inaccurate and no damage or casualties are reported. In another incident, enemy guns fire upon the USS Lewis (DE 535) while she operates near Hungnam. The enemy propels 84 rounds toward the Lewis and all of them miss. In contrast, the gunners on the Lewis return 214 rounds toward the enemy and score at least one direct hit while also eliminating the hostile fire. In yet other activity, two single-engine planes encroach Cho-do, held by friendly forces. The planes drop 15 bombs, but they do not inflict any casualties and no damage is reported. The anti-aircraft guns on Cho-do prove to be less than reliable. Also, in the vicinity of Kojo, minesweeping boats come under enemy fire, but no damage is inflicted. Larger vessels move into the slot to complete the mission, but the enemy fire intensifies and the ships are compelled to pull back. The USS Osprey (AMS 28) escapes a direct hit, but near misses cause damage and in addition, four men, including the executive officer, are slightly injured. Also, the USS Perkins (DDR 877) avoids a direct hit at Kojo, but it, too, is damaged by near misses, which propel shell fragments that cause minor damage. One man is killed and 17 others are wounded. Also, carrier planes and Fifth Air Force aircraft strike Kojo as part of the invasion feint.

October 14

In the IX Corps sector, 7th Division

884 zone, the 31st Regiment and the ROK 2nd Division commence attacks designed to seize Hills 500 and 598, both located less than five miles north of Kumhwa and necessary to control to bolster Kumhwa, the right finger of the Iron Triangle. Two battalions of the 31st Regiment move out and after encircling Hill 598, the contingents ascend and seize the crest following a ferocious six-hour fight. Subsequently, the Chinese launch a night attack and regain the hill. The battle for domination of the hill resumes on the following morning, when the 31st Regiment launches yet another attack, which retakes the hill and seizes two smaller hills nearby. Nonetheless, the Chinese are unwilling to concede. The Communists regroup and mount yet another counterattack and commit two battalions to regain the terrain. The 31st Regiment, however, meets the charge with massive firepower and prevents the Communists from succeeding. As the sun sets on the 15th, the Americans control the hill. During the fighting, PFC Ralph E. Pomeroy, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry, takes action to cover his platoon with his machine gun when it comes under a heavy assault. Pomeroy pours non-stop fire into the enemy until his gun mount is destroyed by mortar fire. Pomeroy lifts the weapon and carries it in his arms to continue firing. He had also been wounded, but he refuses to relent. He moves directly toward the enemy position and continues to rain fire upon them until his ammunition is exhausted at a point about ten yards from the enemy. Still, he refuses to seek safer positions. Pomeroy uses the machine gun in unusual fashion: as a club. He begins to pound the attackers, but soon after, he is again hit, and it is a mortal wound. PFC Pomeroy is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary valor in the face of the enemy. In the meantime, elements of the ROK 2nd Division launch its attack against Hill 500. The South Koreans succeed in gaining the objective, but the Chinese contest tenaciously. Consequently, the battle for control of Hill 500 continues until the end of October with possession changing hands frequently. Finally, the South Koreans prevail and Hill 500 remains under their control. In the X Corps sector, 7th Division zone, an attack is launched by elements of the 31st Regiment to seize terrain near Kumhwa. Company A advances to positions about 50 yards from the objective, but at that point a wall of fire is thrown at it. Lieutenant Edward R. Schowalter, Jr., the platoon leader, maintains discipline while the 2nd Platoon speeds to the point. Schowalter becomes wounded during the advance, but he remains in command and leads the next phase of the attack. When Schowalter reaches the crest of the ridge, again he is wounded. He continues to battle and the enemy is routed; however, the lieutenant is wounded a third time. Again he refuses evacuation and continues to direct the attack until the objective is seized. Afterward, Schowalter is transported back for medical treatment. Lieutenant Schowalter is awarded the Medal of Honor

885 for his unwavering leadership and fearless courage in the face of the enemy. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns fire upon the destroyer USS O’Brien (DD 725) as it maneuvers off Kojo, but none of the 30 rounds hit the mark.

October 15 In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, by this day, the control of both Hill 281 and 395 are no longer in doubt. The Chinese on 6 October launched attacks against Hill 281, the left anchor of I Corps, and Hill 395, which protects the left flank of IX Corps. The massive attempt to collapse the IX Corps flank ends in total failure. The French Battalion holds Hill 281 and the ROK 9th Division retains Hill 395. The Chinese sustain 2,000 killed (counted) on the slopes of the two hills. The ROK 9th Division reports that the attacking unit, a reserve division of the 38th Chinese Communist Army, had essentially been eliminated as a battle ready division. In the IX Corps sector, the 31st Regiment prevails at Hill 598. (See also, October 14, 1952.) In Air Force activity, as part of the KOJO AMPHIBIOUS FEINT, thirty-two C-119s attached to the 403rd Troop Carrier Wing depart Taegu and upon their approach to Ch’orwon, the planes drop to an elevation of 800 feet as if to drop paratroops, then the planes return to their base. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries at Kojo are again active. The USS Diachenko (APD 123), USS Perkins (DDR 877), USS O’Brien (DD 725), and the USS Evans (DD 754) receive hostile fire. However, none of the vessels sustain any casualties or damage. As part of the KOJO AMPHIBIOUS FEINT, a contingent of troops climb down to assault landing craft. The troops are taken close to shore and then they are returned to the ship. (See also, In Air Force activity, this day; and see October 12–16, 1952.) October 16 In the IX Corps sector, the 40th Division, which has been in IX Corps reserve undergoing training, receives orders to relieve the U.S. 25th Division. After the transfer of responsibility, the 40th Division passes to X Corps control. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, establishes Outpost Ronson, part of a trio that includes Warsaw and Verdon, the latter being near the 1st Commonwealth Brigade boundary. The establishment of Ronson was necessitated by the recent loss of Outposts Seattle and Warsaw, which had been responsible for the protection of the area. Outpost Ronson becomes a key position, as it is closest to the Hook, a primary defensive position of the Marines. The jagged Hook, although important, is also vulnerable as the J shaped terrain in the east flows northwest into the Communists positions. The Hook holds the dominant ground in the sector and holds the key to the Samichon Valley, from which the Chinese can emerge from the northeast on a direct line to Seoul. At Ronson, the Marines stand less than 300 yards from

October 20, 1952 the Hook and only 200 yards southeast of the enemy on Seattle.

October 18 In the IX Corps sector, 7th Division sector, the task of bolstering the positions around Kumhwa continues. Elements of the 31st Regiment push out from Hill 598 and advance 1,000 yards, but the Chinese, later this day, initiate a counterattack and regain the ground. They are unable to regain Hill 598, which the 31st has held since the 15th. The Communists attempt to gain the hill, but the 31st Regiment repels the attacks. On the 27th, the 31st Regiment at Hill 598 is relieved by ROK troops. In Naval activity, Far East Air Wing 14 reports that Chinese Communist LSTs fired at one of its PB4Y-2 aircraft and inflicted some damage to its starboard wing and its number 4 engine. In other activity, enemy shore guns at Kosong fire upon the destroyer USS Craig (DD 885). No damage is sustained. Meanwhile, near Sondok, the USS Impeccable (AM 320) and USS Chief (AM 315) come under fire, but no damage or casualties occur. Also, enemy guns near Songjin fire about 38 rounds at the USS Yarnall (DD 541) without success; however, no explosion occurs when the shells hit the water, which indicates that the ammunition might have been armor-piercing. In related activity, Rear Admiral Lucien A. Moebus, chief of Naval Reserve Training, announces that twothirds of the air strikes flown from carriers are executed by reserve Marine and Navy pilots that have been recalled to duty. October 19

In the I Corps sector, the 1st British Commonwealth Division, which recently assumed responsibility for the Hook, comes under attack at 1900. The enemy force, composed of about battalion strength, encounters elements of the Black Watch and Canadian units, which had relieved the U.S. Marines. Heavy fighting continues until 0430 on the following day, but the Chinese fail to make any gains. The British are supported by I Corps artillery and by the 11th Marines, the latter glad to reciprocate for the earlier help afforded the Marines by the British on 26–28 October. The Communists lose more than 100 killed. In Naval activity, enemy shore guns at the western Haeju approaches fire upon junks manned by friendly Koreans. Soon after the barrage begins, the British vessel HMS Morecombe Bay (PF) commences firing at the origin point of the hostile fire. It propels 24 rounds that silence the guns. In other activity, the USS Parks (DD 884), subsequent to being fired upon near Yusong, returns fire and quickly terminates the hostile fire.

October 20 On this day, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77) forms ECM Hunter-Killer Teams, composed of two ECM equipped aircraft, four Skyraiders and four Corsairs assigned as escorts. The teams are directed to destroy enemy radar centers.

October 21, 1952

886

The rockets on an AD Skyraider are examined prior to the plane’s takeoff.

October 21 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, concern regarding artillery ammunition continues to accelerate in the 7th Marines sector. The quota allotted for the remainder of the month is placed at 20 rounds of HE (105-mm high explosive) and 4.3 rounds of 155-mm high explosive for each tube. Lacking ammunition, the Marines revert back to machine guns, but it becomes evident to the enemy as they appear and receive no artillery fire. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries at Hapchinni in Wonsan harbor fire upon two South Korean vessels, the ROKN AMS 501 and AMS 503. The

USS Lewis (DE 535) maneuvers into position and returns fire. During the encounter, the Lewis sustains a hit in the forward fireroom, starboard side. The damage includes the loss of her No. 1 boiler. Another shell hits the fantail, causing only slight damage. Nevertheless, the vessel loses 7 killed and one other crewman wounded. The Lewis is able to continue operating. Prior to pulling out of the area, she had sent 162 rounds into the enemy positions.

October 23

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, preparations are made to bolster the

887 defenses at the Hook, by now determined to be the objective of the Chinese. Enemy artillery fire saturates the terrain containing the dug-in defenses and continues at such a devastating rate that the Marines are unable to make sufficient repairs. As one bunker is fixed, more shelling destroys another. Nonetheless, the 1st Battalion adapts to the conditions. Company A, 1st Battalion, assumes responsibility for the battalion’s left sector, which includes the Hook. The commanding officer, Captain Frederick C. McLaughlin, deploys a reinforced platoon on Outpost Warsaw. At Ronson, a squad is deployed.

October 24 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communists increase activity. Beginning at 1800, an artillery bombardment commences. More than 1,200 shells rock the 7th Marines’ zone in a 24hour period. In conjunction with the shelling, which includes mortars, the Marines detect large enemy troop movements west and northwest of the Hook. The areas hardest hit are Outposts Ronson and Warsaw, along with the portion of the MLR in the vicinity of the Hook. The shelling causes much damage, but more importantly, it becomes difficult to repair the defenses because of the enemy fire. It becomes apparent that the Chinese, who succeeded earlier in gaining outposts, now have their eyes set on the Hook. The Marines return fire, but it is shallow due to the ammunition shortages. The 7th Marines’ positions are struck with nearly 3,000 rounds by 1800 on the 26th and the great majority of them fall into the area of the 1st Battalion. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force and Eighth Army, subsequent to a thirty-day testing period in the IX Corps, come up with a solution for problems that occur when close-air missions are executed and artillery fire ceases. With new flak suppression proficiency, the artillery is now able to continue to fire while the air strikes are in progress. In Naval activity, planes are launched from the carriers of TF-77 on a mission to execute a primary attack against Communist rail and supply complexes in the vicinity of Hyesanjin, which is near the Manchurian border. After-action reports indicate the attack achieved good results. In other activity, upon receipt of orders, the 7th Fleet changes its targets to those located north of the MLR (main line of resistance). October 25 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 7th Marines attempt to mount return fire against a continuing thunderous enemy bombardment, interpreted by the Marines as the first signs of a massive attack. Although encumbered by shortages of artillery ammunition and strict quotas, Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, begins to pound enemy positions. The tanks fire against the enemy 54 times and on the following day, they fire nearly 175 rounds of high explosive shells. In concert, the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, fires 575 and 506 rounds on the 25th and 26th, respectively. The Marines also receive support

October 26, 1952 fire from the 4th Battalion, 11th Marines, which fires just under 200 rounds on the 25th-26th. Still, the Chinese artillery overshadows the U.S. guns. Other preparatory support fire arrives from rocket fire and air support, but the amount of planes is not overwhelming. Four planes of Marine Squadron VMF323 strike a trench-line southwest of the Hook and on the following day, three other planes of the squadron attack enemy positions on an elevation about 1,000 yards southwest of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. In Air Force activity, B-26s and fighter-bombers attached to Fifth Air Force strike the Kumgang Political School. The raid inflicts severe damage.

October 26 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, work continues in the vicinity of the Hook to solidify the defenses in preparation for what is believed to be an imminent attack against the 7th Marines by the Chinese. Enemy artillery continues to relentlessly bombard the area. At 0410, Company C, led by Captain Paul B. Byrum, arrives to relieve Company A on the 1st Battalion’s left sector at the Hook. Meanwhile, Company B, led by Captain Dexter E. Evans, protects the battalion’s right flank of the main line. While the Marines prepare, the Chinese are not idle. During the early morning hours of this day, unknown to the U.S., Chinese forces move undetected from positions west of the Hook to an assembly area about one mile from there. The troops are in close proximity to where an air strike is delivered by VMF-323, but the concealed position of the enemy infantry (3rd Battalion, 357th Regiment) remains undiscovered. After dusk, an enemy contingent strikes the positions of the 11th Marines at a forward outpost. While the outpost is bludgeoned with artillery and mortar fire, ground troops close on the position. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Sherrod E. Skinner, Jr., aware of the imperative need to keep the communications open with the MLR, takes action to preserve the position and the surviving defenders. Skinner continues to use the radio to call upon artillery to blast the approaching Communists, but his radio goes silent. He leaves his position to maintain order in the cramped perimeter and also directs the machine gunners. The ammunition begins to run out as the night progresses. Skinner is able, with the survivors, to forestall the enemy for about three hours before the overwhelming numbers of the enemy overrun the position. Skinner orders his troops to feign death and the ruse works. Enemy troops even search the imposter corpses. However, afterwards, one of the Communists tosses a grenade into the bunker. Lt. Skinner, the twin brother of another Marine officer, blankets the grenade with his body, which costs him his life, while he saves the lives of the others in the bunker. Two Marines survive and Lt. Skinner becomes the recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary heroism under fire. In the X Corps sector, the Communists launch an attack against the perimeter of the 40th Division. The

October 26, 1952

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enemy is met by fire from the 160th Infantry Regiment (Companies F and G). The attack is repelled.

October 26–28 1952

BATTLE OF THE HOOK Throughout the 26th, the Chinese take measures to remain out of sight — until about 1800. At that time, the 7th Marines, one squad on Ronson, comes under attack from two sides. The diminutive force is overwhelmed. No one escapes. Shortly thereafter, Outpost Warsaw about 600 yards northeast of Ronson is besieged. The defenders come under assault from the east and west simultaneously. However, the Marines return a hurricane of fire and within minutes, artillery fire shatters the ground to their front, but the Chinese continue to advance through the ring of fire. The assault troops arrive in the midst of their own artillery, which causes some of them to die before they can be fired upon by the Marines. Suddenly, it is the Marines themselves who are the only line of defense as Chinese charge the bunkers.

U.S. Marines take machine gun ammunition to the Hook.

The Marines respond desperately, but with great discipline, using their bayonets as well as the butts of their rifles to halt the invaders. As they swing their rifles, toss grenades and lunge their bayonets into the enemy, they are unable to eliminate the horde. A brutal gruesome three minutes passes when at 1907, the Marine radio man calls out: “We’re being overrun.” At that moment, the radio goes dead. With Ronson gone and apparently, Warsaw, too, the situation along the 1st Battalion positions at the Hook appear grim. Nonetheless, the 7th Marines maintain discipline. All the while, the enemy artillery is increasing its already relentless fire on the Hook. This new acceleration forces the restrictions on Marine artillery fire to be lifted. At 1859, reinforcements (Company A) are rushed to the Hook to bolster Company C in its efforts to halt the attack. However, just after the first platoon departs, the Chinese strike the MLR at the Jamestown Line. The initial assault is followed by a second wave that presses hard and builds great pressure against the line. The onslaught plows into the area slightly east of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, and at the Hook. The line becomes greatly imperiled as the momentum pushes the Chinese into the Marines’ trenches and upon the crest of the ridge. Closequartered fighting erupts as the Marines attempt to close the flood gates. However, the Chinese continue to pour into the area and force the Marines to pull back. Rear guard troops maintain a steady stream of cover fire to keep the Chinese from overwhelming the forces in retreat. Meanwhile, back at Warsaw, all had not been lost. At 1944, radio reports are picked up that the Marines at Warsaw are still holding out and that the Chinese are right atop the beleaguered bunkers. Artillery fire is called upon by the Marines with instructions to strike their own positions. The 11th Marines immediately respond, to forestall disaster with the risk of blasting their fellow Marines. In the meantime, the main thrust of the Chinese attack continues to receive heavy artillery and mortar support as it drives forward to collapse the Jamestown Line in the 7th Marines zone. While the Marines remain under pressure from the assault, some Chinese maneuver to positions about 400 yards south of the Hook and slither around the flanks and pierce the defenses of Company C, 1st Battalion. Here, Lt. John W. Meikle, 1st Platoon, forms a defensive perimeter close to the MLR, while other Marines form a defensive line near the crest, about 500 yards east of the Hook. Meikle’s contingent is joined by the vanguard of Company A, which had set out just before the Chinese struck the MLR. The remainder of Company A is moving toward the crest of the east-west ridge to meet what is expected to be the point upon which the enemy places his main thrust. The entire area is engulfed with vicious combat, but by 2330, it is apparent that the defenders at Warsaw have fallen and there is no good news at any point along the line.

889 All units are battling to halt the attack, while simultaneously, they prepare to counterattack to regain all lost ground. At Warsaw, the 11th Marines open up with a huge barrage to makes things uncomfortable for the Chinese there and to keep their momentum unstable in front of the outpost. Other steps taken include air support. Marine pilots are able to provide some assistance, as two planes on separate sorties at 2113 and 2306 blast enemy positions. The Marines defenses are also bolstered by tanks, which begin to fire upon the enemy’s main line at about 1930. Although the Chinese had initiated their attack, still other contingents remain in concealed positions, but Marine intelligence for some time had been anticipating the enemy offensive and concluded that the Chinese focus would fall upon the outposts of the 2nd Battalion rather than the 1st Battalion. The calculations and estimated plan of targets proves to be accurate as the combat continues to unfold across the area. Prior to 1800, the starting point of the enemy artillery, Marine artillery units had been redeployed to support the 2nd Battalion. In addition, the usual night ambush contingent scheduled to deploy near Reno is given extra fire power by increasing it from a squad to a full platoon. The ambush platoon, drawn from Company E, moves from the MLR slightly after dusk and in a while establishes its hidden positions several hundred yards from Combat Outpost Reno. While the Hook is under heavy attack, the invisible Marines hold their positions in absolute silence for the long wait that might snag an enemy patrol. Their patience is rewarded at midnight, but it takes a while longer for the extraordinary benefits derived from the mission to be realized. The tranquil appearance on the darkened Korean terrain as Chinese forces approach Combat Outpost Reno to strike it from the rear is an illusion. The Communists had remained out of sight for the day and even as they approach to spring the attack, their presence goes unnoticed, until midnight. Nearby, the Marines holding camouflaged positions detect some slight noises in the distance, raising the possibility that an enemy patrol might be encroaching, but the Marines do not stir. Soon after, the noises pinpoint Chinese contingents that are slowly moving to form for an attack against Reno. The Marines hold quietly, but word of the enemy’s presence is radioed to alert the defenders at Reno. Meanwhile, the Chinese remain under surveillance by the ambush platoon, which still refrains from firing. Just as it appears that the Chinese are ready to strike, the Marines open fire. The sudden wall of fire pounds the Chinese and derails their concentration. The ambush platoon maintains a steady stream of deadly fire as the Chinese attempt to reorganize to take out the ambush platoon, but instead, the Chinese become lucrative targets for the two squads of Marines at Reno. The combined fire strikes like a

October 26, 1952 Korean rainstorm. Unable to react with any type of counterattack, the disorganized Chinese finally are able to regroup after the pernicious ten-minute river of fire to escape further harm. The ambush platoon thwarts the two-company attack against Reno. Although the outpost is not hit with a major attack, before dawn on the 27th, the Chinese make another attempt. At 0400 on the 27th, the Marines at Reno find themselves the recipients of a determined attack, one quite different from those previously executed by the Communists against the Marines since they arrived in West Korea. The first wave moves against them from the northeast, but it is just the vanguard of a series of rolling waves, one after the other, that pounds against the outpost. The Marines, however, react accordingly by increasing their fire to accommodate the enemy and crack the spinal column of the onslaught. The first wave is shredded and the second receives equally heavy fire, but some Chinese are able to penetrate the wall of fire. The Marines are compelled to seek cover in the bunkers to regroup and call for artillery fire. Soon the sky is full of incoming artillery fire that descends ferociously on the Chinese just as they are on open ground. The cloudburst of shells drives the Chinese back and preserves the outpost. By 0440, the Chinese call it a day. In the meantime, the menacing attack continues to threaten the Marine domination of the Hook. At slightly after midnight (26th-27th), Company A, 2nd Battalion, which had been earlier dispatched, finally joins up with Company C at the Hook and passes through to protect the line from the crest of Hill 146. Just after passing Company C, the enemy commences fire against the vanguard, but it is followed right after by artillery and mortars that pound the remainder of Company A. The fire is too intense to move farther. The commander, Captain Fred C. McLaughlin, halts the attack temporarily to find a way to clear the obstacles. After a short halt, the attack is resumed, but yet again, intense enemy artillery fire prevents progress. The Marines suspend the attack and dig in to await support. The situation of the beleaguered company is relayed back to the regimental command post. Colonel Thomas Moore reaches into his final reserve unit, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, and orders it to speed to the 1st Battalion’s positions, report to the commander there and then move forward to relieve the pressure of Company A by hopping over it and maintaining the attack. When the attack by Company H takes off, Lieutenant George H. O’Brien, Jr., is at the front. He bolts from his position as he yells to his troops to follow him, and they are right on his heels. As the detachment encroaches on the enemy positions, O’Brien is hit by automatic weapons fire from close range. Undaunted, he jumps up from his prone position and continues to lead his Marines straight into

October 26, 1952 the enemy. O’Brien pauses briefly to aide one of his Marines then bolts to the bunker and begins to fire as he also throws grenades into the bunker. He drives against the enemy and in the process is interrupted three times from the concussion of enemy grenades. Still, O’Brien refuses medical aid. O’Brien and his command pound against the enemy for about four hoursbefore he instructs his force to establish a defense to meet an anticipated counterattack. Afterward, another contingent relieves O’Brien’s force and resumes the attack. Meanwhile, the Chinese continue to penetrate at various spots along the line, particularly along the MLR, where it winds eastward from the Hook and along the ridge that leads toward Hill 146. The Chinese, by this time, control about one mile along the line. The penetrations also provide them with a pathway to the 3rd Battalion boundary southwest of the Hook. During the incursion along the MLR, the Chinese overrun an outpost bunker in the sector of Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines. The Marines in the bunker are ordered by Lieutenant Sherrod E. Skinner to feign death. Chinese troops inspect the bunker and are fooled by the ruse, which gains more time for the defenders and permits them to continue to call in artillery on the Chinese positions. Other Chinese follow and they, too, are fooled, but one soldier tosses a grenade into the midst of the Marines, causing casualties (See also October 26, 1952). At 0505, after having been attached to the 1st Battalion, Company H (3rd Battalion) arrives at the 1st Battalion CP. Within about forty minutes, the unit advances to the positions of Company A, where its leader, Captain Bernard B. Belants, confers with Captain McLaughlin and afterward drives forward to reach the ridgeline and resume the assault. By 0800, Company H stands at the ridgeline and moves to drive to the salient from the summit of Hill 146. The attack commences as the Marines descend directly into the guns of the Chinese, who open up with small arms fire and mortars as the Marines advance to about two hundred yards from the jump off point on the crest. Captain Belants yells the order to attack. In a flash, an Irish Texan, Lieutenant George H. O’Brien, bolts from his prone position and calls, “Follow me!” With O’Brien at the point, his platoon follows to keep the pace at full throttle, despite a lack of sleep. To the front of the enemy’s main trench, an enemy shell strikes O’Brien and he instantly hits the ground, but in another instant, he is back on his feet and again on the charge, with hand grenades at the ready. He closes on the objective, but again, the enemy halts his progress by wounding one of his Marines. O’Brien stops to give aid to the wounded man and afterward, he renews his charge. Just as he is about to toss a grenade, Chinese fire again halts his progress. He changes to his carbine and liquidates the stumbling block and almost as an af-

890 terthought, releases the grenades. The bunker is silenced, but not O’Brien. He and his platoon lunge forward toward the Hook but run into yet another wall of artillery fire before the bunker can be overrun. The protective artillery fire of the Communists preserves the bunker, but the devastation inflicted by Company H is sufficient to disrupt the Chinese momentum. However, the Chinese artillery is undeterred. The troops of Company H come under a ferocious attack that compels them to withdraw. Lieutenant O’Brien becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his exceptional gallantry and courage in the face of the enemy. During daylight on the 27th, Marine air squadrons arrive overhead to support Company H and inflict some pain on the Chinese positions. Four planes of VMA-121 fly over enemy-held Outpost Seattle at 0840 and deliver a bountiful supply of bombs and napalm that interrupts the troops assembling there as they prepare to move to the Hook. Another former Marine outpost, Irene, is also visited by Marine pilots. Four planes from VMA-323 arrive overhead at about 0940 and drop 4,000 pounds of napalm and more than 6,000 pounds of bombs on the Chinese assembled there. Other contingents of Chinese troops known to be moving against the Jamestown Line are caught by planes of VMA-212. The troops are bombed and strafed as they advance along the MSR. Later, 30 planes participate in eight separate strikes prior to dusk. While the Marines continue to maneuver to regain the ground that had been lost and as they continue to halt the Chinese advance, they receive other support fire. Two tanks of Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, point their guns toward several enemy targets, including Seattle, where a 76-mm gun continues to impede Marine operations. The guns also pivot to pound enemy positions southwest of the Hook. During one of the attacks by planes of VMA-312, the Marines, at 1440, observe first-hand the usual old fashioned delivery system of a Marine pilot flying close-air support. The pilot dives and unleashes the napalm from an elevation of fifty feet. Other support fire originates from the 2nd and 4th Battalions, 11th Marines, and from the rocket battery. While the enemy is overwhelmed by the artillery and air units, the Marines lay out the final plans for retaking the ground with a determined frontal assault. By about noon, Company I’s 1st Platoon (3rd Battalion, 1st Marines) passes through the command post of Company C and heads directly to the summit of the ridge from where the units initiate their attack, supported by fire from the 11th Marines and opposed by tenacious enemy artillery and a well entrenched contingent deployed along the perimeter of the Hook. Nonetheless, the Marines grind forward, slowly but methodically. The path is strewn with obstacles being thrown at the advancing Marines with great tenacity, but the Marines plod forward, taking casualties as they press ahead.

891 By about 1635, the Marines reach positions on the ridge at a forward artillery observation post bunker, but still short of the summit. All the while, enemy artillery continues to strike, but not only at the attacking force. It reaches as far to the rear as the command post, but still, the Marines persist and refuse to grant the ground to the Communists. By about 1700, the vanguard reaches the trenches and halts to await troops still trailing. The Chinese continue to monitor the advance and as the Marines pause, yet another barrage strikes the trenches, prompting the troops to seek more tenable positions. The small group of Marines, unwilling to remain targets, bolts for the reverse slope with the remainder of the platoon. Nearby, about 250 yards to the right, the main body of the company holds on the reverse slope, waiting for a pause in the bombardment for the opportunity to break for the final run to evict the Chinese from the Jamestown Line and repossess their lost ground. While they wait, the enemy artillery continues to pound the positions, yet no move is made to retreat. In the meantime, another unit is en route to augment the repossession mission, but the trek is dangerous even without the enemy artillery, as the moon is completely obscured, and in the total darkness, it is difficult to notice the countless shell holes that permeate the route. Elements of Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, arrive at positions near Company I at about midnight (27th-28th). The first unit to position itself for attack is the vanguard of the 1st Platoon; however, the 3rd Platoon also closes on its position. Just after midnight, at 0019, the Chinese along the trench line (Hook) on the part of the Jamestown Line they had seized on the 26th, are greeted with the unwelcome sounds of Marines’ rifles, machine guns and grenades. As the Marines nudge forward, more of the enemy positions are silenced, but always, more take their place. The main objectives at the trenchline remain obstinate and the defenders pour punishing fire toward the Marines. Although the moon is obscured, the night sky over the Hook is constantly illuminated by streaks of tracer fire and the burst of artillery shells, amidst the constant clack-clack of the machine guns and rifle fire. After about 90 minutes of grueling combat, the Marines halt the attack, move back somewhat and call for some heavy fire to plaster the ridgeline’s pinpointed obstacles. While the guns and mortars hammer the selected positions, the guns also layer the approach routes that pass Outposts Ronson and Warsaw, to keep the passage free of enemy reinforcements. While the Marines remain in place, the Communists receive volley after volley, until about 0340, when Company B springs from its positions and commences a charge to reach and seize the ridgeline. Again, the Chinese raise horrific resistance, but it lacks the substance to halt the assault. Company B

October 26, 1952 plows into the enemy positions and again, closequartered fighting erupts. When it terminates at 0600, the Hook, once again, belongs to the U.S. Marines. Work still remains. The Chinese still possess the former Marine COPs Ronson and Warsaw. Without further pause, the 7th Marines complete the mission. By 0630, Ronson is secured and by 0845, the Marines retake Warsaw to regain the dominant ground and prevent further use by the Chinese. The victors, despite the seizure, receive no time to relax. The positions must be immediately fortified, but with dawn, the Marines also receive a natural obstacle, as the Hook is overwhelmed by a dense fog that impedes the tasks. Company B assumes responsibility for the major portion of the Hook; however, the line of the 7th Marines, south of the Hook, remains under the protection of Company A and Company C, both of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. A platoon from each company is deployed there. Following the cessation of the battle, elements of Company B scour the area, with the exception of the collapsed bunkers and trenches, in search of enemy killed, but none are discovered. While the inspection of the battlefield continues and the defenses are repaired and augmented, the two platoons of Company A and C are relieved, permitting both units to return to their respective companies. The Communist losses climb to more than one third of an entire battalion. The Marines count 274 killed and 73 wounded, but the estimates of casualties are 494 killed and 370 wounded. The figures include 22 killed (counted) at Reno, due in great part to the ambush platoon. The Marines also sustain high casualties, particularly with regard to missing Marines. The Chinese at times had moved right through their own artillery as it pounded the Marines, which caught some of the outposts by surprise. The Marines sustain 70 killed and 386 wounded. Of the wounded, 286 are evacuated for medical treatment. In addition, 37 are reported missing and of these, it is later learned that 27 had been captured. The loss of the 37 Marines, most of whom had been seized during the initial attacks against the outposts, becomes the second highest number of Marines seized during the Korean War. Earlier, during November 1950, more than 40 Marines had been captured when participating in the operation of Task Force Drysdale. At COP Reno, 9 other Marines had been killed and 49 Marines had been wounded (29 are evacuated) during the Chinese diversion operation. In the aftermath of the struggle, the Marines learn some lessons from the new tactics that had been implemented by the Chinese during the unsuccessful bid to claim the Hook. They used layers of troops by having reserves on the heels of the opening waves, which enabled them to send the first wave and

October 27, 1952 immediately thereafter, send the second to move beyond the first, but the tactic didn’t prove valuable too often, according to Marine reports, due to the poor leadership of the units involved. But more importantly, the Marines now realize that non-stop efforts to curtail their flow of supplies has not succeeded. The Chinese continue to control inexhaustible supplies of artillery shells. In addition, it is discovered that Chinese speaking fluent English would stand at a bunker and instruct any Marines inside to surrender and when no response was forthcoming, the Chinese dropped satchel charges and bangalore torpedoes to destroy them and seal the entrances. Also, the Marines receive additional help during the contest when the British provide tanks and artillery support fire. In turn, during mid–November, the British come under attack at the Hook and the 11th Marines reciprocate by providing artillery support to help the British thwart the assault.

October 27

In the I Corps sector, elements of the ROK 2nd Division relieve contingents of the U.S. 31st Regiment (7th Division) at Hill 598. The U.S. seized the hill following a see-saw battle on the 14th-15th and have held it against several subsequent enemy counterattacks. The South Koreans are also tested after they assume responsibility for the hill. They hold firmly until the 30th, when the Chinese mount a heavy attack. In Air Force activity, aviation engineers working on the Seoul Municipal Airport complete a project that expands and bolsters a heavy-duty runway that is suitable for handling combat cargo operations. In Naval activity, at the bomb line, an enemy contingent in a boat attempts to land behind friendly lines, but the scheme is discovered by the USS Orleck (DD 886). A contingent from the Orleck boards an armed boat and heads for the enemy, but the Communists are able to avoid capture and escape. In other activity, planes flown by Navy and Marine pilots of TF-77 carry out 1,122 sorties on this day.

October 28 The USS Orleck (DD 886) is in position when enemy shore guns near Kojo fire upon the ROKN YMS 518. The enemy guns are soon given a response and the rounds from the Orleck silence the enemy fire. No casualties are sustained by the South Korean vessel or the Orleck. In other activity, the USS Mansfield (DD 728) comes under attack by enemy shore guns at Wonsan, but none of the 40 rounds succeeds in scoring a hit. In yet other activity, the carrier USS Oriskany (CVA 34) arrives to join TF-77. On this, its first day in action, the Oriskany launches its F9F-5 Panthers, which make their initial entrance into combat. October 29 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese, following the defeat at the Hook, turn their attention to the left flank, defended by the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment and a piece of real estate that contains Hill 155, an elevation

892 that stands at a strategic place with a panoramic view of the nearby Chinese positions and of the spacious Sachon valley. Equally important, Hill 155 holds the flank of the most prominent ground (Paekhak Hill) in the entire 1st Marine Division zone, which encompasses nearly 35 miles. The Chinese had earlier gained several outposts in the South Korean sector and the signs of a new offensive begin on this day at 1800. The Chinese initiate a massive artillery bombardment to confirm suspicions of an imminent attack against Outposts 39, 33 and 31 in the northeast area and Outpost 51 in the southern (west) half of the MLR. The bombardment follows closely on the Communists’ failed attempt to seize the Hook in the U.S. Marines sector. As the artillery and the tanks that join in the barrage continue to rise to a crescendo by the following day, the defenders continue to prepare for a ground assault. The ongoing action had been predicted, because of the past pattern of the Chinese attacks. The Chinese are expected to repeat their actions of early October, expected to switch flanks. Aware that the Chinese had lost the struggle for the right flank, preparations are underway to meet the next threat against the opposite flank. The enemy artillery confirms the suspicions. The bombardment ceases at 1800 on the 30th after having propelled 1,881 shells into the Korean Marines’ positions, with the greatest number landing at two locations, COP 39 and COP 33. On the following day, in synchronization with an assault, another 1,500 rounds ring the perimeter of the South Korean Marines.

October 30

In the IX Corps sector, the ROK 2nd Division, which assumed responsibility for Hill 598 from the 31st Regiment, 7th U.S. Division, on the 27th, comes under a fierce enemy assault. The momentum of the attack carries the Chinese to the crest and the South Koreans are driven off the hill. Subsequent counterattacks to regain the hill fail. Also, as the prolonged battle for Hill 598 began on 14 October, the ROK 2nd Division had been engaged in a see-saw battle for Hill 500, another key elevation to control Kumhwa. By the end of the month, the ROKs are able to retain the hill. (See also, October 14, 1952.)

October 31 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Communist Chinese maintain an inconspicuous presence in the area facing the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment during the day, but all the while, they unfold their plan to seize the four key remaining outposts there. Although the South Koreans, during early October, surrendered ground and some key outposts, the S.K. Marines on this day are expecting the attack. While the Chinese ground troops remain inactive, the enemy artillery remains quite active. At 2200, the Chinese commence an eight-minute barrage that pounds COPs 39, 33, 31 and 51, a signal to the Chinese ground forces to prepare to attack, but in this case, the South Korean Marines receive the bombardment as a signal that the Chinese are on the move.

893 As the guns subside, the attack commences, with each of the four outposts targeted. The Chinese sweep in from several directions and strike simultaneously from the north, west and south. The Korean Marines at COP 39, the northernmost outpost, become encircled by elements of two separate companies, while the outpost to the far south, COP 51, is whacked by a fourcompany contingent. Other units slam into the two posts in the center, COPs 33 and 31. The Chinese at COP 39 are engaged tenaciously by the defending platoon; however, the superiority in numbers grants the Chinese an advantage until the platoon receives extra punch from U.S. artillery. Initially, the Korean Marines are compelled to surrender some ground, but the fight continues unabated into the early morning hours of November 1. By 0410, it is clear that the Chinese fail to seize the northernmost outpost, the stepping stone to Hill 155. Their efforts against the other outposts had terminated with similar results. At COP 31, the Koreans trade nasty blows with the attackers until 0155, but during the engagement, no ground is surrendered and the Chinese are forced to retire. Meanwhile, at nearby COP 33, defended by only two squads of Korean Marines, the Chinese force, about company strength, is able to make some progress. Although the South Koreans give ground, they remain relentless in their defense and return fierce fire throughout the night to vanquish the attackers and regain the ground. Their determination, backed by artillery fire, equalizes the opposing strengths. However, the Chinese continue to pound the defenses and transform the fight into close-quartered combat, but still, the Korean Marines hold their ground. By 0515, the sounds of vicious battle subside and all occupied positions of the Chinese are again controlled by the defenders. The Chinese withdraw. To the south, COP 51 is struck by a two-pronged assault at the initial point of contact just after 2200, but here, too, the defenders are prepared. Three enemy companies drill into the southwest defenses, while another contingent of company strength drives against the outpost from the north. The thrust of the assault seems less intense than assaults against the other outposts. The initial storm of fire brought upon the outpost is fierce, but it quickly tails off. By the early morning hours of 1 November, the pressure lessens greatly and by 0330, the Chinese abandon the field, leaving COP 51 under control of the Korean Marines. The Chinese fail again to gain any ground and similarly to the recent attacks against the Hook, they sustain high casualties. The 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment sustains 50 killed, 86 wounded and 18 missing while defending the four outposts. The Chinese sustain 295 killed (known) 461 wounded (estimated) and 9 POWs. The Chinese units that participated in the battle include 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 581st Regiment; 2nd

November 1, 1952 Company, 1st Battalion, 582nd Regiment; 4th Company, 2nd Battalion, 584th Regiment; 4th and 6th Companies, 2nd Battalion, 585th Regiment; and 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 585th Regiment. In Naval activity, the South Korean vessel ROKN PCS 205 comes under fire while it is operating near Haeju, but no damage occurs.

November 1952

In Air Force activity, during encounters with MiGs in November, Sabre jets knock down 31 MiGs and in the process, three Sabres are lost. In Naval activity, Navy and Marine pilots, during the month of November, execute 7,660 sorties. The totals are down due to much inclement weather during the month. In comparison, totals reached 9,438 in September of this year and 11,004 in October. Also, during November, about one-half of the sorties flown by Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77) are in support of ground forces. In other activity, this month’s interdiction operation by the ADNs and F4Us eliminates 206 trucks and inflicts damage on another 274 vehicles. The majority of the intercepted enemy traffic is along the routes running southward, during the darkened hours, from Hamhung to Wonsan. The other most popular route had been the east-west path from Wonsan to the enemy’s front lines.

November 1

In Air Force activity, fighter bombers, attached to Fifth Air Force, strike railroad bridges at Yongmi-dong. In other activity, the 61st Troop Carrier Group begins to prepare to complete its tour and return to the States. It starts to phase out its C-54s from its airlift operations. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries near Sinuong fire upon the USS Vammen (DE 644). No damage is sustained; however, a shell fragment injures one man. Marine Squadron VMF(N)-513 receives 12 of the new F3D-2 aircraft to bring the squadron to its full complement. The Fifth Air Force puts the pilots to work without delay. The night squadron’s Skyknights begin to escort B-29s on the bombing runs into North Korea. The enemy planes that had been attacking the bombers begin to evade the Marines’ jets. The enemy starts to send one plane across the front of the formation to tease and incite pursuit, while other MiGs wait to ambush the Marines. Nevertheless, the Marines’ aircraft contain tail warning radar, which foils the MiGs before they can come from the rear to attack without warning. The new Douglas Skyknights perform admirably and by 31 January, the squadron knocks out five enemy jets and one piston-operated plane without sustaining any losses. The first night kill occurs on 3 November. In other activity, Marine Helicopter Squadron VMO-6 receives congratulations from the commanding officer, 1st Marine Air Wing, for completing 20,000 combat flights since its arrival in Korea.

November 2, 1952

894

A VMO-6 helicopter landing at a base.

November 2

Planes attached to the carriers USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) and the USS Oriskany (CVA 34) of TF-77 launch the first in a series of raids against the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. Three raids are carried out in three days.

November 3–4 1952 In the X Corps sector, the Communists launch an attack against the lines of the 40th Division in the vicinity of Heartbreak Ridge. The assault is repulsed and the defenders inflict high casualties upon the attacking battalion. November 3

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, are relieved on the Hook by the 1st Battalion, Black Watch, 29th Infantry Brigade. The transfer of responsibility terminates Marine deployment at that part of the Jamestown Line. In other activity, a sergeant on a night mission picks up an apparent enemy aircraft on his intercept radar. He loses contact, but afterward, regains it. The sergeant passes the information to the pilot, who in turn spots the exhaust stream of the plane. Soon after receiving the okay, he pulls the trigger and a short volley of 20mm shells hits the aircraft. The enemy plane explodes and crashes on Sinuiju Airfield. The pilot, Major William T. Stratton, Jr., and Master Sergeant H.C. Hoglind receive credit for the initial enemy jet downed by airborne intercept radar. Major Stratton had been flying one of the new Douglas Skyknights. In other activity, a Marine pilot flying an F3D engages and downs a Yak-15 Jet. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries near Chodo mount a bombardment against the minesweeper USS

Condor (AMS 5); however, no damage or casualties occur. In another incident, enemy guns located south of Chaho fire upon the destroyer USS Uhlmann (DD 687) while the Uhlmann is targeting enemy positions. Enemy ground forces join in the attack and fire machine guns and mortars. A total of about 160 rounds target the ship and of these, three hits occur. The vessel receives some damage and 13 crewmen are wounded.

November 4 In Air Force activity, reconnaissance planes that had flown over Yongmi-dong determine that three railroad bridges targeted in raids of 1 November are back in operable condition. The Communists are also working on two bypass bridges and the photographs show they are nearly finished with the project. — In the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, having campaigned on a promise to seek an end to the Korean War, is elected president of the United States. November 5

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Colonel Thomas C. Moore is succeeded by Colonel Loren E. Haffner as commanding officer, 7th Marines. In other activity, a typhoon hits Okinawa and cancels all scheduled B-29 flights.

November 6 Far East Air Forces confirms the presence of 15 IL-28 twin-engine light jet bombers in Manchuria. The planes are capable of striking any point in Korea. Up to this point, the primary threat to the F86 bases in Korea had been the MiG-15s. In the IX Corps sector, 3rd Infantry Division zone, the Chinese again take advantage of Eighth Army’s limitations on offensive actions. They launch an attack against

895 a slimly garrisoned outpost in the 3rd Division zone and seize it. Afterward they try to seize positions in the 7th Division zone, in the area guarded by the Ethiopian Battalion. The Ethiopians give no ground and pummel the attacking force. The Chinese engage for only a short period of time and then withdraw. Atypically, the Chinese leave dead troops on the field. When the Ethiopians scour the area, they discover 131 Chinese corpses. In Air Force activity, in conjunction with information that shows the railroad bridges at Yongmi-dong remain clear, a new attack is launched to destroy them. One hundred fighter bombers strike the targets and during the mission, it is determined that the Communists continue to work on two bypasses, but they also have started to construct a third bypass bridge. The enemy also deployed more artillery.

November 8

A plane attached to VMF(N)-513 encounters and engages a MiG-15 in the skies near the Yellow Sea, northwest of Pyongyang. The MiG is downed, giving the crew, Captain Oliver R. Davis and Warrant Officer Dramus F. Fessler, the first kill of an MiG-15 by the squadron.

November 10

The 315th Air Division, in addition to other duties, evacuates the sick and wounded to Japan from Korea. On this day, the 250,000th patient is transported to Japan. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Marines

November 16, 1952 here and across the globe celebrate the service’s 177th Birthday. Also, the 1st Marines relieves the 7th Marines on the Jamestown Line. In other activity, 22 Panthers of VMF-115 (MAG33) work to ease the pressure on the ground Marines’ celebration by attacking enemy supply depots and troop formations. These planes each carry four 500-pound napalm tanks, the initial time a tank that large is dropped by a fighter.

November 12

Far East Air Forces dispatches a six-plane B-29 contingent attached to the 98th Bomber Wing to strike the railroad bridges at Pyongyang on the night of the 12th-13th. The contingent knocks four of them out of commission.

November 13 Far East Air Forces initiates an experimental air attack. A five-plane contingent of B29s, attached to the 307th Bomber Wing, drop incendiary cluster bombs on the Communist supply complex at Sopo. The raid’s results are less than expected. November 15

In Air Force activity, a component of the 315th Air Division that is responsible for transporting troops on R&R (rest and recreation) between Japan and Korea sustains its first fatal accident on this day. A C-119 (403rd Troop Carrier Wing) that is transporting forty passengers from Japan to Korea crashes in Japan. The crew and all passengers are lost.

The British salute the Marines. The Black Watch Pipe and Drum Corps performs for the Marines in celebration of their 177th anniversary (founded November 10, 1775).

November 17, 1952

November 16

Twenty-one planes of Marine Squadrons VMA-121 and VMF-212 (MAG-12) strike a hydroelectric plant about 25 miles south of Wonsan. The 1st Marine Air Wing actually flies 98 sorties against enemy targets on this day.

November 17 In Air Force activity, the enemy hydroelectric complex at Kongosan comes under attack by fighter bombers. Also, Colonel Royal N. Baker, the commanding officer of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, knocks out his fifth enemy plane in MiG Alley to become an Air Force ace. In Naval activity, carrier planes carry out a mission (two-day attacks) from three carriers against Chongjin, Hoeryong and Kilchu. On this day, the focus is upon Chongjin and the attack is made by planes that deliver four air strikes. Surface vessels involved include the battleship USS Missouri (BB 63) and the cruiser USS Helena (CA 75). Meanwhile, planes pound Kilchu and Kyongsong. November 18–19 1952

The Chinese launch unsuccessful attacks against the Hook, now defended by the British who had recently relieved the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. During the attacks, the 11th Marines support the 1st Battalion, Black Watch, 29th British Infantry Brigade, by propelling more than 2,000 rounds into the enemy positions. In Air Force activity, in MiG Alley on the 18th, Captain Leonard W. Lilley, attached to the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and downs a MiG, his fifth, which makes him an Air Force ace. Also, during the night of the 18th-19th, the 98th Bomber Wing strikes the enemy supply complex at Sonchin, located about 35 miles from the border with Manchuria. The six B-29s encounter new tactics that are implemented by the enemy. MiGs intercept the formation and drop flares under clear skies, which alert the searchlight positions and permit the lights to lock in on the bombers. One of the B-29s is shot up too badly to make it back. The crew abandons the plane while it is over Cho-do. In Naval activity, planes attached to two carriers of TF-77 attack Hoeryong, near Manchuria on the Yalu River, and other selected targets along the coast. The air strikes work in conjunction with a special mission conducted by an Air Force aircraft that passes over the site at about noon to gather photographs. A third carrier also participates in the day’s action to provide CAP (Combat Air Patrol) planes and to launch raids against additional targets. The carriers launch 86 sorties and the combat air patrol is along to provide protection for the propeller-driven planes. In other activity, an engagement erupts between planes attached to TF-77 pilots and a group of MiGs, when the enemy (Russians), arrives from Vladivostok to attack the fleet. The planes lack Russian identification, but it is a certainty that they have

896 Russian pilots. The force of seven MiGs attacks the four-plane contingent of F9F-5s at a point about 35 miles north of the task force. Two MiGs are shot down and one other is damaged. In contrast, one F9F-5 is damaged.

November 19

In the I Corps sector, the Chinese mount an assault against the lines of the 1st British Commonwealth Division. Although most Eighth Army lines have been reasonably quiet, all units, including the British, are on alert. The British repulse the assault and the Chinese sustain more than 100 casualties. In Air Force activity, enemy positions at Kanggye come under successive heavy attacks by a combined total of 179 planes attached to the 49th and 58th Fighter-Bomber Wings. In Naval activity, the minesweepers USS Kite (AMS 22) and USS Heron (AMS 18) come under fire while operating near Kalmagak Peninsula. The Heron escapes harm; however, the Kite sustains some damage and casualties. One officer and four enlisted men are injured, but not seriously. On the following day, the Kite again comes under fire while she is operating off Wonsan, but no damage or casualties are inflicted.

November 20 In Naval activity, off Wonsan, the USS Kite (AMS 22) and USS Thompson (DMS 38) come under fire from shore gun batteries. The Thompson is hit once, but the damage is very slight. In addition, one man is wounded, but not seriously. In other activity, an F2H-2P aircraft is accidentally lost due to a malfunction of the port catapult of the USS Essex (CVA 9). The Essex is compelled to sail to Yokosuka, Japan, to make repairs. November 21 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Colonel Walter F. Layer is succeeded by Colonel Hewitt D. Adams as commander of the 1st Marines Regiment. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries are again active. Near Sin-po, the destroyer USS Miller (DD 535) comes under fire, but no damage or casualties occur. At Wonsan, the USS Kite, which is becoming a traditional target, again comes under fire for the third time in several days. No damage or casualties occur. In other activity, the minesweeper USS Pelican (AMS 32) and the destroyer escort USS Hanna (DE 449) accidentally collide near Yongdo. Both ships sustain only slight damage. Also, in Japan, Rear Admiral Francis X. McInerney assumes command of Service Squadron 3. He succeeds Rear Admiral Burton B. Biggs. November 22 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines, which had recently relieved the 7th Marines at the front, initiates Operation WAKEUP, a raid designed to strike enemy positions to the front of COPS Reno and Vegas. Company D, 2nd Battalion, advances prior to dawn in an attempt to seize prisoners. The mission encounters no enemy artillery fire; however, the Chinese react with mortars and machine gun fire. No prisoners are captured, but the raid

897 is deemed a success due to the information gained regarding the enemy’s defenses in the area. In Air Force activity, a group of four F80s led by Major Charles J. Loring, Jr., attempts to provide close support for ground troops in the vicinity of an elevation known as Sniper Ridge (IX Corps sector). The planes, attached to the 80th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group, arrive over the selected targets and initiate the attack. Loring, while diving at low altitude, delivers his bombs, but enemy fire strikes his plane. Loring steers his aircraft directly into the enemy positions to sacrifice his life and take out the guns there. Major Loring is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless sacrifice. One other F-80 is lost during the operation. Also, during an engagement between U.S. and Communist MiGs in MiG Alley, Lieutenant Cecil G. Foster, attached to the 16th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, knocks down one of the MiGs. It is his fifth kill, which makes him the most recent Air Force ace. In Naval activity, a MiG-15 attacks a Navy PB4Y while it is conducting a normal patrol flight at an altitude of about 300 feet. The pilot of the PB4Y enjoys a particularly good day. The MiG makes eight passes, but each time, the enemy pilot’s marksmanship is poor. The Naval pilot returns safely from the mission.

November 23 The destroyer escort USS Wiseman (DE 667) inadvertently strikes a rock. The accident causes damage and compels the vessel to sail to Sasebo, Japan, to make the necessary repairs, including to her damaged sonar dome. November 24 The destroyer escort USS Hanna (DE 449) comes under heavy fire from enemy shore gun batteries near Songjin. The ship sustains one hit that inflicts some damage and costs one killed.

November 26, 1952 In other activity, enemy forces based on a small island in the zone of Patrol Squadron 9 fire at and hit a patrol plane while it is on a reconnaissance mission in search of enemy radar stations. Although the PB4Y aircraft is struck three times by machine gun fire, no serious damage is inflicted. The plane continues on its mission. Aerial photos acquired by the plane indicate the presence of an enemy radar station based on the island.

November 25 In Air Force activity, Albert J. Freund assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Group, composed of the 12th and 67th FighterBomber Squadrons, and the South African Air Force’s No. 2 Squadron. Freund succeeds Colonel Sheldon S. Brinson, who held the position since 17 May 1952. No. 2 Squadron has experience with the F-51Ds. The South African pilots had been using them since their entrance into the war. The 12th Squadron, known as the “Fightin’ Foxey Few,” and the 67th, Squadron, known as the “Fightin’ Cocks,” each had their planes painted differently. The 12th’s planes appear similar to the Flying Tigers of World War II, with conspicuous shark’s teeth and bright yellow propellers. The planes’ propellers of the 67th Squadron are painted red and the planes are adorned with a picture of a rooster. The attached South African No. 2 Squadron planes each feature the picture of a springbok (spring buck), known also as an African gazelle. In Naval activity, the USS Thompson (DMS 38), while in the vicinity of Wonsan, becomes the recipient of what is thought to be enemy bombs. Six to eight explosions are heard at a distance of about 300 yards from the ship, but no direct identification is made. The ship’s lookout reported the sounds of aircraft, seemingly jets, passing over. November 26

In the X Corps sector, although the front is relatively quiet, the rocket launcher sections is

T66 Multiple Rockets in action during darkness.

November 28, 1952

898

Rocket launchers (T66 Multiple) in action against enemy positions in the 40th Division sector (X Corps). active. T66 multiple rocket launchers fire upon enemy positions. In other activity, a contingent of six enemy planes, each a single engine piston type, operating on the west coast of Korea pass over and bomb the friendly island of Cho-do; however, the bombing raid inflicts no damage or casualties. In other activity, a band of MiGs intercepts a sixplane contingent of F4Us (VMA 312) attached to the USS Badoeng Strait. The encounter occurs over Chaeryong. The Americans fire eight HVAR rockets toward the attackers and the enemy pilots lose their focus and disengage. No damage is sustained by either side.

November 28

In Air Force activity, two heavily

defended towns, Sinuiju and Uiju, come under a strong air attack during the night of the 28th-29th by B-29s. Initially, five B-26s execute flak suppression missions to disrupt and jam the radar that controls about 94 of about 116 heavy gun emplacements. Then the B-29s arrive in three separate waves at forty-five minute intervals. Enemy searchlights, some of which are also guided by radar, illuminate the skies as the raids unfold; however, the B-26s, equipped with electronic countermeasures, succeeds in disrupting the enemy’s defenses. The airfield at Sinuiju is pounded by 14 Superfortresses, while the locomotive repair complex there is hit by six of the B-29s. The airfield at Uiju is hit by ten of the bombers, while four others strike the communications complex at Uiju. The B-29s all safely return to base.

899 In Naval activity, a flight of six Corsairs (VMA-312), led by Major Mervin B. Porter, USMC, comes under attack by four MiG-15s, but the superior MiGs are unable to score any kills. The Communist pilots disengage after a ten-minute engagement.

November 29 President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower departs by plane for Korea to fulfill a campaign pledge. He spends three days in the country and visits various military units. Eisenhower also spends time with Generals Mark Clark and James Van Fleet. Eisenhower’s visit to Korea changes nothing with regard to bringing an end to the war, but the general feeling in the U.S. remains focused on bringing about a truce. After concluding his visit, Eisenhower embarks by sea for Hawaii. Also, while Eisenhower is overseas, General MacArthur announces that he has a blueprint for ending the war. Subsequent to Eisenhower’s return, he meets with MacArthur at John Foster Dulles’ residence to discuss the plan, a call to the Soviet Union to demand the unification of North and South Korea and the unification of Germany under the supervision of the U.S. and the Soviet Union. MacArthur’s proposal includes the use of atomic weapons against enemy installations. MacArthur’s plan receives no serious consideration. However, subsequent to a test of a nuclear weapon during January 1953, the possibility of using atomic weapons in Korea to terminate the war is considered. November 30

In the X Corps sector, 45th Division zone, a patrol of Company C, 179th Regiment, moves into enemy terrain to seize prisoners; however, it is met by intense enemy fire in the vicinity of Songnae-dong. The patrol, however, reaches the crest of the hill and hand-to-hand combat erupts. Orders arrive for the detachment, which had completed its mission, to pull back. Three troops, including PFC Charles George, remain at the crest to provide cover fire. An enemy grenade is thrown into their midst. PFC George yells to the others, then pushes one man out of the way and dives on the grenade to take the full impact. Afterward, the two able-bodied soldiers evacuate George, but once they carry him to an aid station, he succumbs. PFC Charles George is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism and selfless courage in his attempt to save others. In Japan: An explosion of gasoline occurs on the USS Ashtabula (AO 51) while the vessel is at Sasebo. The accident costs the life of one man, who is reported missing; another three crewmen are injured. In addition, the ship sustains damage. December 1, 1952–April 30, 1953. NINTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: THIRD KOREAN WINTER.

December 1952 By this time the U.N. forces have greatly improved their efficiency and many ROK units that had earlier been mauled have been

December 6, 1952 exceeding expectations. By the latter part of the month, about three-fourths of the U.N. line is under the responsibility of the ROK forces. In total, the U.N. has 16 Divisions on the lines: 11 South Korean; three U.S. Army; one Marine and one British Commonwealth. At this time and for the past two months, the offensive action of the enemy has greatly subsided, and as 1953 rolls around, the battlefield remains relatively quiet until spring. In other activity, at the prison compound in Pongam-do, the Communists unsuccessfully attempt a breakout. About 85 are killed and more than 100 are wounded. In Air Force activity, 31 MiGs are downed by Sabre jets during December. Two Sabre jets are lost. One notable victor in December was Capt. Manuel J. “Pete” Fernandez, who got his first MiG on October 4. Before he was finished, Fernandez would become the third highest scoring ace of the war with 14.5 kills.

December 1 Four unidentified planes shadow an aircraft attached to Patrol Squadron 22 while it is over the East China Sea. The planes make no visual contact, but they are identified by radar. No attack or probe is attempted and the aircraft completes its mission. — In Japan: Headquarters Naval Forces Far East relocates at Yokosuka. December 2

In Air Force activity, in an effort to bolster IX Corps during the fighting at Sniper Ridge in the sector north of Kumhwa, FEAF Bomber Command, which had been supplying one B-29 for radar controlled bombing missions, jumps the total to three planes between this date and December 7.

December 3 In the I Corps Sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines receive a large group of VIPs who arrive at the division command post and receive a briefing by Major General E.A. Pollock, the commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division. The dignitaries include General Dwight D. Eisenhower (presidentelect), General Omar Bradley (chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff ), General Mark W. Clark (commander in chief, Far East), General James A. Van Fleet (commanding general, EUSAK), and Lieutenant General Paul W. Kendall (commanding general, I Corps). Others include Charles E. Wilson, secretary of defense–designate, and Major General Parsons, (retired), special assistant to Eisenhower. In Air Force activity, enemy swept-wing jets are encountered by an F-86 operating in the vicinity of Pyongyang. The swept-wing aircraft had not been spotted since 9 August of this year. December 5

Cho-do Island comes under a small enemy air attack slightly after 2100, when the enemy drops three bombs. Nonetheless, they fall harmlessly in what is reported as the fifth such attack on the island.

December 6

Two friendly-held islands, Sok-do

December 7, 1952

900

General “Ike” Eisenhower (president-elect), on the left, eats a meal with troops of the U.S. 3rd Division during his visit to the front lines in Korea. and Cho-do, are bombed. Neither sustains any damage or casualties. A destroyer, the HMCS Crusader (DDE), responds with 79 rounds, but no hits are reported. In other activity, the minesweeper USS Merganser (AMS 26) comes under fire while she operates near Wonsan. A destroyer escort, the USS Seiverling (DE 441), targets the origin of the enemy fire at the mouth of the Namchongang River, but it comes under fire by other guns on Kalmagak. The Seiverling propels 101 rounds toward the guns that fired upon the Merganser and another 56 rounds toward Kalmagak. No damage or casualties are sustained by the Naval vessels; however, the return fire from the Seiverling terminates the hostile fire. Also, the destroyer escort USS Moore (DE 442) and the destroyer HMCS Haida (DD), operating near Songjin, come under fire, but again, no damage or casualties are inflicted. Return fire from the ships eliminates the hostile fire. In Air Force activity, subsequent to experimentation the previous October, the tested flak suppression technique becomes effective across the Eighth Army front lines, permitting the artillery to continue its fire during close support sorties.

December 7

In Naval activity, at Kalmagak, once

again, the enemy guns are active. The minesweeper USS Merganser (AMS 26) comes under attack, but of the 30 rounds fired, none succeed in hitting the vessel and no casualties occur.

December 8

In Naval activity, elements of TE95.11 attack Ongjin, a primary supply complex for rice. The raid destroys about eighty percent of the supply depot. In other activity, planes attached to the USS Essex (CVA 9) strike the rail complex at Hunyung, which becomes the northernmost penetration thus far in the war.

December 9 In Naval activity, TF-77 launches a full-scale attack against rail complexes and an ammunition depot in the vicinity of Rashin. More than ten buildings are devastated and another five are damaged. The success of the raid is quickly visible from the chain of explosions. December 10

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Colonel Lewis W. Walt succeeds Colonel Eustace R. Smoak as commanding officer, 5th Marines. Also, on this day, 1st Lieutenant J.A. Corvi and Master Sergeant D.R. George, both USMC, receive credit for the first enemy plane destroyed by a Marine plane

901 through use of lock-on-radar gear. The two Marine aviators, attached to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing all-weather squadron, down an enemy PO-2 aircraft in the vicinity of Korea. In yet other activity, it becomes known that Marines in Korea are testing armored shorts.

December 11

In Air Force activity, at Kunsan Airfield, a B-26 attached to the 3rd Bomber Wing accidentally catches fire and explodes before it can be extinguished. The flames jump to other aircraft and cause the loss of three other B-26s and six nearby F-84 ThunderJets (474th Fighter Bomber Wing). In Naval activity, a Marine F3D night interceptor downs a Russian-built biplane (PO-2). In other activity, the destroyer USS Shields (DD 596), the destroyer escort USS Seiverling (DE 441) and a group of minesweepers that are operating in Wonsan harbor come under attack by enemy shore gun batteries. The minesweepers quickly seek cover behind a smokescreen while the warships return fire. None of the naval vessels sustain any damage or casualties. Also, the minesweeper USS Waxbill (AMS 39), while anchored off Yo-do Island, is struck lightly by the destroyer USS Marshall (DD 676). The destroyer sustains no damage and the Waxbill suffers only some slight damage.

December 12 In Naval activity, the USS Marshall (DD 676), which collided with a minesweeper on the previous day, continues to operate in Wonsan harbor. On this day, enemy shore guns fire 20 rounds at her, but no damage is sustained. Also, in the same vicinity, the USS Grasp (ARS 24) and USS Seiverling (DE 441) are fired upon from guns posted in the vicinity of the Wonsan airfield, but again the vessels sustain no damage and no casualties. December 13

In Naval activity, the minesweeper USS Waxbill (AMS 39) and the destroyer USS Marshall (DD 676) come under fire by enemy shore guns located near the mouth of the Namchongang. No direct hits occur, but some rounds fall near the vessels. No damage is sustained and no casualties occur.

December 14

The Communist prisoners at Pongam-do incite riots. More than 3,500 of the 9,000 POWs move against the guards. Eighty-four prisoners are killed and about 120 are wounded. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries near Chongjin fire upon the South Korean vessel, ROKN YMS 504. The USS Rochester (CA 124) returns fire in support of the South Koreans. In conjunction, no casualties or damage are sustained by either vessel.

December 15 Mu-do Island, in the Haeju approaches and held by friendly guerrillas, comes under an artillery attack, but no damage is sustained and no casualties are inflicted. December 16

In Naval activity, Yuson-dong,

December 22, 1952 previously unscathed, becomes a primary target for TF-77. Planes from three carriers strike the objective to destroy its manufacturing buildings and rail facilities.

December 17 Two IL-28 twin-jet bombers are spotted for the first time by two Sabre jet (F-86) pilots. One is seen after it crosses the Yalu River, escorted by two MiG-15s, in the vicinity of the Sui-ho Reservoir, and the other is detected across the river in Manchuria. December 18 In Japan: The supplies of aviation fuel at Sasebo, by this day, are totally expended. The shortage creates a dilemma and no fuel is expected until after Christmas. A fuel tanker arrives on 27 December. December 19

In Air Force activity, reconnaissance aircraft acquire photographs of three planes on the primary airfield at Pyongyang. This is the first sighting of aircraft at the field since October of the previous year. In Naval activity, three rounds of enemy artillery are propelled toward the USS Waxbill (AMS 39) while she is operating near Wonsan, but none causes any damage or casualties.

December 21

In Air Force activity, a new landing strip is completed this day. The project was undertaken by the 366th Engineering Aviation Battalion, which completes a new landing strip at PusanEast.

December 22 Information from a captured North Korean soldier alerts the U.N. forces to an imminent attack by the N.K. 23rd Brigade against the west coast islands. The regiment is deployed on the Korean mainland across from Sok-to. On the following day, the information proves accurate. The Communists bombard Sok-to and Cho-do. Naval spotters posted on the island group track the fire and inform nearby patrol ships in the Yellow Sea. The artillery attack, which had begun just after dusk, is quickly extinguished by the ships at sea. The attack by ground forces does not occur. In Air Force activity, enemy fire in the vicinity of Haeju knocks down a British Glory Sea Fury plane, but the pilot ejects and awaits rescue in an inlet of the Yellow Sea. A rescue plane (SA-16) arrives and retrieves the pilot. In other activity, a Greek (Royal Hellenic Air Force C-47) plane that is transporting patients collides with a U.S. F-80 jet fighter bomber at Suwon Air Base in South Korea. The collision is the only medical evacuation mission during the entire war that involves fatalities. In Naval activity, TF-77 launches another huge air attack. Three carriers launch planes that strike the Kwangsuwon Airfield and other lucrative targets there, including barracks, vehicle depots and construction complexes.

December 23, 1952

902

A contingent of the 7th Marines in reserve along the Kansas Line.

December 23

In Naval activity, at Wonsan, enemy shore guns fire upon the cruiser USS Toledo (CA 133), but to no avail. The rounds all miss the mark. In another incident, the destroyers USS Marshall (DD 676) and USS McGowan (DD 678), while providing protection for a sweeping operation, come under enemy fire in Wonsan harbor, but no damage is scored and no casualties occur to the destroyers or the South Korean minesweepers. In other activity, enemy guns on the Ongjin peninsula fire upon South Korean vessels, the ROKN MTB 23 and MTB 25. The South Koreans return fire by propelling 32 rockets at the village from where the hostile fire originated.

December 25 In the Eighth Army area, this is the third Christmas celebrated by Eighth Army and the Marines in Korea. In Naval activity, the USS Sullivans (DD 537), a destroyer, comes under fire by enemy shore guns while operating off Songjin, but no damage is sustained. Also, at Wonsan, the destroyer USS McGowan (DD 678) comes under attack by enemy shore gun batteries, but she, too, remains undamaged. In other activity, a contingent of planes (ADs), attached to VMA-121 (TF-77), mistakes a friendly F51 of the South African Air Force as a hostile aircraft and shoots it down.

In yet other activity, friendly guerrillas on Mu-do Island on the west coast of Korea come under attack by enemy guns (unknown location) and cause some casualties. Two guerrillas are wounded.

December 26 In Air Force activity, the 18th Fighter Bomber Group and attached No. 2 Squadron (South African Air Force) moves to the uncompleted jet base at Osan, located below Seoul, about 35 miles south of Suwon. The 18th Group had been operating from Chinhae in the vicinity of Pusan. In Naval activity, during a regular flight in search of enemy submarines, a Navy PBM-5 aircraft, attached to Patrol Squadron 47, crashes in the Sea of Japan. Ten members of the crew are killed and four survive. The cause of the crash is never determined. December 27 In Naval activity, planes attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77) attack enemy rails in North Korea in what is a re-initiation of the rail interdiction operation. In other activity, the 581st ARCW (Air Resupply and Communications Wing) initiates sorties through December 31 to transport flight agents into enemyheld territory for clandestine operations to gather intelligence. The operations originate in Seoul when four H19 helicopters take off to execute the drop offs.

903

December 29, 1952

Wash day in a frozen Bivouac area.

December 28 A British plane is hit by enemy fire and the pilot is forced to eject over the Yellow Sea north of Cho-do, but he spends little time in the water. An SA-16 attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron lands and safely retrieves him in less than three minutes.

December 29 Enemy guns on the Changyonsan peninsula commence an artillery barrage against Sunwido Island, held by friendly guerrillas. More than 200 rounds of mortar and artillery rounds pound the island, but no damage is sustained and no casualties occur.

December 30, 1952 In Air Force activity, the 30th Bomber Wing launches a contingent of eleven B-29s that strike the enemy’s headquarters area at Teagam during the night of the 29th-30th. Reports from the night attack show that 146 buildings are destroyed.

December 30

In Air Force activity, a reconnaissance plane (RB-26), while operating as part of Operation SPOTLIGHT, discovers five locomotives standing in one marshaling yard. Soon after, two B-26s arrive and strike the yard. Four of the locomotives are destroyed and the remaining one is damaged. Also, on the night of 30–31, enemy-held Choak comes under attack by planes attached to the 19th Bomber Group. The strike against a processing facility there is made under a full moon, which makes the mission even more dangerous. MiGs intercept the formation and one of the B-29s is shot down and two oth-

904 ers receive heavy damage, which forces both to make emergency landings at Suwon Air Base.

December 31 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Francis Spellman, who also is the vicar for Catholic Chaplains of the Armed Forces, visits the 1st Marine Air Wing at K-3 in Pohang. While at the airfield, he takes the time to shake hands with about 1,000 Marines. The cardinal had also visited the 1st Marine Division command post, where he celebrated Christmas Mass. Subsequently, the Marines at K-3 are also visited by the Episcopal Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bishop Austin Pardue. Also, from 1 December to this day, Marine Squadron VMF-115 carries out 726 sorties as part of Fifth Air Force.

A pause in the fighting. Cardinal Spellman of New York celebrates Christmas Mass in front of 2,500 Marines.

905

January 12, 1953

1953 January 1953 Chronic fuel shortages impede Eighth Army operations. Fuel is rationed. It is cut 17 percent from the previous month’s allotment down to 829 gallons per man per day. Diesel fuel, also in short supply, is cut by 7 percent, which limits it to 1.41 gallons. Vehicle operations are greatly reduced throughout the month. In Air Force activity, in aerial battles with MiGs during January, Sabre jets down 37 MiGs and one TU–2, a medium bomber. One Sabre jet is lost. In other action, offensive action on the part of the enemy remains dormant during the frigid winter months of January and February, but the Chinese execute numerous raids. Clashes occur in the area known as “No Man’s Land;” however, the Chinese usually pay the higher price. Nevertheless, the enemy, following the upsets, changes tactics and initiates greater use of ambush operations. The Chinese ambushes succeed initially, as the U.N. troops are caught by surprise, but eventually they adapt. January 1 In Air Force activity, Colonel Frank S. Perego assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing. He succeeds Colonel William H. Clark. In Naval activity, Navy casualty figures, including the First Marine Air Wing, totals 132 men killed, an increase of 16 fatalities for the year 1951. During December 1952, no U.N. ships had sustained a direct hit from Communist guns. In other activity, Rwangto-do Island, held by friendly guerrillas, comes under an artillery attack that includes about 90 rounds of incoming shells. The destroyers USS McGowan (DD 678) and USS Marshall (DD 676) return fire in support of the guerrillas. January 4–14 1953 Inclement weather greatly impedes the carriers of TF-77 during early January. The planes operate on only two days during the period 4–10 January. On 10 January, horrific weather arrives and includes high gusty winds accompanied by snow and ice, which hinders operations until 14 January. January 4 In Air Force activity, the enemy supply complex at Huich’on is struck by a force of 124 planes of the Fifth Air Force. Also, during the night of the 4th-5th, planes attached to FEAF strike the enemy supply complex and the rails at Huich’on. Twelve B-29 Superfortresses, attached to the 307th Bomber Wing, carry out the mission. In Naval activity, Major Deane M. Barnett, USMC, while on a bombing mission, is killed when his plane fails to pull out of a dive. He is the first Marine aviation fatality of 1953.

January 8

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a patrol of the 7th Marines engages a Chinese force composed of about 80 troops near Hill 134 near COP 2. In other activity, Marine Major General Vernon E. Megee succeeds Major General Clayton C. Jerome as commanding officer of the 1st Marine Air Wing. Also, MAG-12 flies more than 28 sorties in support of the 1st Marine Division. The strikes, executed by planes of VMA 121, VMA-212 and VMA-325, concentrate on the Panmunjom corridor.

January 9

A joint operation of the USAF and the USMC is initiated in an attempt to destroy the enemy rails at two specific targets: Sinanju, slightly less than fifty miles north of Pyongyang; and at Yongmi-dong, beyond the Ch’ongch’on and Taedong Rivers in northwestern Korea. The first target, Sinanju, is hit by seventeen B-29s. Other targets include antiaircraft positions in the vicinity of Sinanju and the two marshaling yards at Yongmi-dong and Maenjung-dong. The air strikes continue until 14 January with excellent results. The mission knocks out the two rail systems for about 16 days.

January 10 In Air Force activity, the targets struck on the previous day by B-29s are again hit, this time by 158 fighter bombers that pound the targets during daylight hours. Also, during the night (10th-11th), enemy positions in marshaling yards at Sonchon and Anju come under attack by B-29s attached to the 307th Bomber Wing. During the attack, a searchlight catches a bomber and nearby enemy fighters shoot it from the sky. In Naval activity, nasty weather does not interfere with enemy artillery. While TF-77 is fighting the weather, warships USS Merganser (AMS 26) and USS Firecrest (AMS 10) are attacked with about 40 rounds from gun positions near Ponggang-ni. No damage is inflicted upon the ships and no casualties occur. January 11

In Air Force activity, reconnaissance photographs show that the recent raids against the enemy rails in the vicinity of Yongmi had been successful. The rails are inoperable. Also, inclement weather halts air activity.

January 12

In Air Force activity, fighter bombers reinitiate air attacks against rails and other selected targets in the vicinity of Sinanju. The strikes are maintained throughout the night. Also, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group at Osan starts to convert from F-51Ds to F-86Fs. Sabres initiate their service with the 12th and No. 2 (South African) Squadrons. The other unit, the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, continues to fly its F-51 Mustangs until it,

January 13, 1953 too, receives Sabres on 23 January. The pilots receive support and training from experienced Sabre pilots that are transferred from the 4th and 51st Groups.

January 13

In Air Force activity, an enemy contingent of MiGs numbered at about 13 attack a B-29 while it is on a leaflet dropping mission in enemy territory in North Korea. The B-29 is shot down. On the 22nd, the Communists publicize the fate of the crew, including Colonel John K. Arnold, Jr., the commanding officer of the 581st ARCW (Air Resupply and Communications Wing). Also, during the night of the 13th-14th, aircraft attached to the 307th Bomber Wing and the 19th Bomber Wing attack enemy marshaling yards at Sinanju and Kunu-ri as part of the ongoing air strikes.

January 14 In Air Force activity, during an encounter with MiGs, Lieutenant Joseph C. McConnell, attached to the 39th Fighter Interceptor Wing, downs his first MiG. During World War II, McConnell had been a navigator aboard a B-24. Also, Captain James Jabara, now a major who achieved ace status during May of the previous year, returns to Korea for his second tour. January 15 In Air Force activity, reconnaissance planes capture photographs of a previously undisclosed section of a new camouflaged yard at the Sui-ho hydroelectric dam. The mission also discovers that two of its four generators are operable. In Naval activity, the HMS Sparrow (PF) comes under attack while operating near Huryomdon. The enemy guns score one hit, which causes some slight damage. Also, the minesweeper USS Pelican (AMS 32) comes under enemy fire while on a sweeping mission in the vicinity of Haeju, but no damage is inflicted and no casualties occur.

906

Mid January–May 1953 In Air Force activity, since the introduction of the Sabre jet to the Korean War, pilots have been concerned about the ability of their 50-caliber machine guns to match the potent sting of the heavier weapons of the MiGs, which also have the ability to climb higher than the Sabres. Far East Air Forces initiates an experiment with mounting heavier guns on the Sabres. The effort is dubbed Project Gun Val. The 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing receives eight of the specially modified Sabres, each armed with four 2-mm cannon rather than the usual four machine guns. These eight planes (Gun Val aircraft) fly 284 combat sorties, but not as a unit. The planes fly with the regular Sabres to conceal their extra fire power. Nonetheless, MiGs are encountered 139 times and engaged 41 times, but the results, which are 6 kills and 3 probable kills, do not raise the enthusiasm. Air Force officials recognize the kill ratio is higher than the usual Fifth Air Force average, but it is deemed to be because of the skill of the test pilots and the more favorable conditions rather than the cannon. In addition, it is discovered that the firing time of four seconds is not sufficient and another flaw is that at elevations higher than 35,000 feet, the guns’ compressors stall. It is thought that the malfunction of the gun might have caused the loss of one of the planes. January 16 As of this date, U.S. casualties in Korea stand at 128,971, including 22,735 dead, since the outbreak of the war on 25 June 1950. January 17 In Air Force activity, during the night of the 17th-18th, the radio broadcasting facility at Pyongyang comes under attack by a contingent of eleven B-29s of the 98th Bomber Wing; however, the crews

U.S. Navy on the ground in Korea. Sailors clear a runway at an emergency airfield during a blizzard.

907

January 18, 1953

The flight deck of a U.S. carrier resembles a skating rink in the middle of the sea. Navy crewmen clear the ice and snow to permit operations to continue. on this mission have two problems. The radio installation is located underground at a depth of more than forty feet and in addition, it is thought that a POW compound is nearby. The planes score at least eight direct hits, but due to the depth, the bombs (2,000 pound) do not penetrate to devastate the radio station. In Naval activity, a tactical air control party is attacked. One man is killed and three others are wounded. In addition, two vehicles are damaged. It is thought that the attack was inadvertently executed by two planes (F9Fs) attached to Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77).

January 18

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st and 7th Marines initiate Operation BIMBO, designed to feint an attack and draw the Chinese from their positions. Elements of the 1st and 7th Marines, supported by artillery and air cover, move out at 0630. Meanwhile, the artillery pounds enemy positions and planes deliver napalm. The Chinese react by returning fire

against approach routes thought to be used by the Marines. However, the Chinese fail to send out large forces. Some troop formations are located and struck by the artillery. The mission is completed by about 0800. In Naval activity, enemy guns on an island east of Swatow in the Formosa Straits downs a Neptune patrol plane attached to VP-22A, which had been on a normal patrol flight. The aircraft crashes into the sea, but a Coast Guard rescue plane rushes to the scene to pick up survivors. Eleven of 13 members of the crew are saved; however, as the plane takes off, it crashes. The plane catches fire and sinks. Nevertheless, additional rescue teams speed to the scene. American and British surface ships converge on the scene of the tragedy accompanied by aircraft from the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as some planes from the RAF, but the enemy guns remain active and hinder the operation. The rescue operation does succeed in saving ten men. Three of the rescue planes sustain some damage, but no losses occur.

January 22, 1953 In other activity, the USS Colahan (DD 650) comes under fire while operating near Yujin Dan Point, but the ship sustains no damage or casualties. Also, the South Korean vessel ROKN YMS 514 comes under fire in the Haeju approaches, but again, no damage is sustained. In other activity, enemy guns fire upon the minesweepers USS Waxwing (AM 389) and USS Merganser (AMS 26) while they are operating off Ongjin, but the guns based on the mainland are unable to score any damage. In yet other activity, Cho-do, a friendly-held island, is bombarded by artillery on the mainland. No damage is inflicted and the friendly troops sustain no casualties.

January 22

In Air Force activity, the final F-51 Mustangs, a staple of the 18th Fight Bomber Wing, are brought out of combat as the wing moves toward a full complement of Sabre jets. This terminates the wing’s use of the single-engine propeller driven aircraft in combat sorties of the Korean War. In other activity, the Chinese Communists broadcast on Peking radio that Colonel John K. Arnold, Jr., and his surviving B-29 crewmen (shot down on the 13th) are in the hands of the Chinese as POWs. The announcement is unusual, as the Chinese rarely gave names of their prisoners. Three of the crewmen died in the crash. Colonel Arnold is not released during 1953 when the POWs are exchanged. The Communists keep him imprisoned until 1956. Few details are available, but apparently, the Chinese, through spies, spot Arnold in uniform with two covert CIA agents in Tokyo at headquarters, and it is thought that his plane had actually been ambushed to catch a big stick in the CIA. Arnold is charged and convicted of spying by the Chinese. The specialized unit, Air Resupply and Communications Service, is known to have worked in close cooperation with the CIA on clandestine missions.

January 23 In Air Force activity, during a mission in the vicinity of the Yalu River, Captain Dolphin D. Overton, III, engages and downs two MiG-15s for his third and fourth victories. His first two victories occurred on the 21st and 22nd while attached to the 116th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. It is thought that Overton had two additional kills on this day, but there is no record because both occur while his plane is across the Yalu. Overton gets is fifth kill on the following day. On this same mission, the squadron commander of the 116th, Lt. Colonel Edwin L. Heller, is shot down at a spot about 100 miles across the Yalu in Manchuria. Heller survives his imprisonment by the Communists despite severe torture and is returned at the conclusion of the conflict. Word of the incursion into Communist China moves all the way to the top, to General Mark Clark, with ramifications that ripple along the chain of command. Lt. Gen. Glenn O. Barcus, the Fifth Air Force commander, tries but fails to strip Overton of his ace status; however, Overton is shortly thereafter ordered back to the States by the commander of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

908

January 24

In the I Corps sector, Marine fighter planes fly close-support missions in support of the Marines on the ground. In Air Force activity, there is activity between the Sabre jets of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing and Communist MiGs. One pilot, Captain Dolphin D. Overton, III, of the 16th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, achieves his fifth kill to become an ace. Overton’s achievement is extraordinary, as he accomplishes the feat during a four-day period. The other pilot, Captain Harold E. Fischer, Jr., of the 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, also gets his fifth kill to become an ace. Also, Colonel Maurice Martin assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Group. He succeeds Colonel Sheldon S. Brinson.

January 25

In the X Corps sector, a contingent of the 31st Infantry Regiment (7th Division) launches an attack against an enemy position, Spud Hill (Operation SMACK). In Air Force activity, the Communists have been using the peace talks at Panmunjom to their advantage in many ways, but their ruse of re-supplying their ground forces without interruption ceases as of this day. The Air Force receives new orders from the U.N. command. The Communists are informed that they will receive a free pass on only one round-trip convoy per week. All other convoys, as of this day, heading toward the front lines become susceptible to attack.

January 28 In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon the destroyer USS Kidd (DD 661) while she is off Kojo; however, none of the 18 rounds scores any damage. In Air Force activity, a contingent of fighter bombers strikes a troop concentration in the vicinity of Pyongyang. In the X Corps sector, the U.S. 45th Division relieves the 40th Division. The relief operation is completed by 31 January. The divisional artillery remains in place and reverts to the control of the 45th Division. In addition, the 140th Tank Battalion passes from 40th Division control to the 45th Division. In other activity, during a bombing mission on the night of the 28th-29th, which is carried out under a full moon, one of the B-29s of the 19th Bomber Group sustains an explosion while over the target area southwest of the town of Sariwon. The exact reason for the loss is uncertain, but it is thought that the full moon made the plane a conspicuous target for enemy fighters rather than anti-aircraft fire. The loss becomes the fourth Superfortress to go down since the previous December. No other losses are sustained during the remainder of the war. The escort fighters (Douglas F3D-2 Skyknights) flown by Marine pilots are equipped with radar, which the Marines use this day. One of the enemy’s planes is downed. The kill is the first enemy jet knocked out by a radar-equipped jet fighter plane. January 29 In Air Force activity, the troop concentration area in the vicinity of Pyongyang, which

909 had been attacked on the previous day, is again struck on this day by a contingent of fighter bombers. Also, during a B-29 bombing mission on the night of the 29th-30th, the Communists again intercept the formation. The flight, like that of the previous night, comes under additional danger due to the full moon. No B-29s are downed, but the MiGs are able to inflict heavy damage to one of the planes. And, similarly to the previous night, the radar-equipped Skynights knock down one MiG. Also, on the night of the 29th-30th, an F-94 Starfire, attached to the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (radar-equipped), locks in on an enemy LA-9 (Lavochkin LA-9 had been the first all-metal Lavochkin fighter; during World War II it was dubbed the Fritz). This victory is the initial kill by a Starfire during the Korean War. The Chinese and the North Koreans make great use of the LA-9 during the Korean War.

January 30 In Air Force activity, a pilot attached to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing engages and vanquishes an enemy TU-2s (Russian-built twin-engine bomber) over the Yellow Sea northeast of Pyongyang. A TU-2s had not been seen in the area since 30 November 1951, when the Communists launched an unsuccessful and costly raid against Taehwa-do. In other activity, a contingent of B-29s, on a bombing mission during the night of the 30th-31st, is intercepted by MiGs. No losses occur, but one plane is severely damaged and compelled to land in South Korea. Also, Captain Ben L. Fithian and Lieutenant Sam R. Lyons, attached to the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, score the Air Force’s first night victory. The propeller-driven LA-9 is shot down completely by their F-94 radar. In Naval activity, no surface vessels come under attack, but the enemy artillery launches an attack against Mu-do, a friendly held island in the Haeju approaches. About 120 rounds are fired from positions on the mainland, but no damage is sustained. February 1 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines initiate the final rehearsal in advance of a major raid (Operation CLAMBAKE) against Hill 31 and 31A. The 5th Marines have been practicing for five weeks and the Marine air squadrons also have been involved with preparations. The two objectives are located north of the 5th Marines zone in the Ungok Hill mass. The assault, including a feint against three other targets — Hill 104, Kumgok Hill and Red Hill — is scheduled for 3 February. February 2

In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force launches 96 fighter bombers against a military complex located slightly south of Kyomipo. The planes destroy 107 buildings in the area where the troops are housed, eliminating sleeping quarters and sanctuary for many Communist troops from the frigid Korean winter weather. In Naval activity, two F4Us attached to the carrier USS Kearsarge (CVA 33), caught in an emergency sit-

February 4, 1953 uation, jettison six bombs each. It is thought that these bombs inadvertently became responsible for the lives of three friendly troops and the wounding of another five. In other activity, at Hungnam, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon the destroyer USS Halsey Powell (DD 686). No damage occurs and no casualties are sustained. — In the United States: President Truman directs that Task Force 72 is to cease its naval blockade of Formosa. In conjunction, the directive is apparently made for strategic purposes, but it does not impede the ongoing Formosa Patrol.

February 3

Operation CLAMBAKE In the I Corps sector, the 5th Marines initiate an operation that includes the entire regiment either directly or by support of the attack force. The raid focuses on Hills 31 and 31A, but other contingents press against Hill 104, Kumgok and Red Hill in a diversion mission. At just after the break of dawn, the operation gets underway when tanks and infantry feint an assault against the diversionary targets. Meanwhile, the main force encounters opposition as the two contingents move against Hill 31 and 31A. Tanks from Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, pivot and move from the diversionary part of the assault to cross the rice paddies, still frozen from the Korean winter, to block the left flank of the attacking infantry (Company A, reinforced, 1st Battalion). With the support of air cover, artillery and tanks, the assault advances against intense enemy fire at the respective objectives. Chinese on Hill 31 and at 31A mount counterattacks, but they are quickly neutralized by the Marines. During the fight, a detachment of Company A, led by Lieutenant Raymond G. Murphy, advances to clean out an enemy blocking point. Murphy, although wounded, refuses treatment and continues to assist with other wounded. He moves against the fire to direct teams to evacuate the wounded. Once the mission is accomplished, the contingent moves down to the base of the hill and in the process Murphy is again wounded. Nonetheless, he moves back up the hill under fire to sweep for any wounded Marines that might have been left behind. Lieutenant Murphy becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism in the face of hostile fire. The Chinese sustain about 390 casualties, including 90 killed (counted). The Marines sustain 14 killed and 91 wounded. In addition, the Chinese destroy one flame-thrower tank.

February 4 A band of six MiGs attack a 4-plane contingent of Corsairs (VMA-312) piloted by Marines in the skies over Sokto. The presence of the MiGs signals an elevation of the quality of the Communists’ radar stations north of the Taedong-gang estuary. The MiGs initiate the duel, but no Corsairs sustain any damage. The Communists sustain damage to one plane.

February 6, 1953

February 6 In Naval activity, Enemy fire, including artillery, small arms and machine guns, strike at a contingent from the USS Halsey Powell (DD 686) who are in a whale boat on a raid at Hwa-do Island. The incident costs the raiders two wounded. In another incident, enemy shore guns posted on Hwa-do Island fire upon the USS Halsey Powell, but no damage is sustained. In yet other activity, two MiGs encounter and attack a group of four Sea Fury planes off Chinnampo. The MiGs attack on one pass, but no damage is inflicted. February 8 Communist gunners in the vicinity of Kojo spot a South Korean motorized sampan and take it under fire, expending 10 rounds without hitting the diminutive target. A much larger vessel, the destroyer USS Swenson (DD 729), moves into position and fires its guns to eliminate the hostile fire and permit the sampan to continue on its mission. In other activity, two other South Korean vessels, the ROKN MTB 23 and MTB 25 launch a rocket attack against Communist positions on the mainland at a point northeast of Paengnyong-do. February 9

In Air Force activity, the military complex at Kyomipo, which had been hit with a terrific air attack on 2 February, is attacked again. On this day, when Fifth Air Force fighters and light bombers arrive, they focus upon an abandoned steel mill being used instead as an ammunition factory and as a repair center for locomotives. The raid succeeds in reducing the target to debris. In Naval activity, no surface vessels come under attack by shore gun batteries, but Communist artillery initiates bombardments of several friendly held islands in Wonsan harbor, including Yo-do, Sin-do and Hwangto; however, none of the rounds inflict any damage or casualties. In other activity, the carriers USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47), USS Oriskany (CVA 34) and USS Kearsarge (CVA 33) maintain a sustained two-day air assault on February 9–10 against lucrative enemy targets that are stretched from Wonsan to Songjin and beyond to Hoeryong. The attacking planes focus on transportation facilities and vehicles as well as supply depots.

February 10

In Naval activity, a group of vessels—the HMS Crane (PF), HMNZS Hawae (PF), and HMS Opossum (PF)— focus on attempting to locate what is thought to be an unidentified submarine. One of the ships had recently made contact with the vessel. Following a prolonged search, it is determined no sub was in the area. In other activity, as on the previous day, Communist shore guns initiate a barrage upon friendly positions in Wonsan harbor. Both Tae-do and Yo-do come under attack, but again the enemy gunners are unable to score any damage or cause any casualties.

February 11 Lt. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor takes command of the Eighth Army. He succeeds General

910 Van Fleet, who lost a son in the war after he was shot down. The general retired from the army shortly after he returned to the States. In Naval activity, a report by Task Force 77 indicates that about 80 percent of the enemy trucks that had been destroyed or damaged by the task force during the past several weeks had been eliminated by pilots flying night missions. In other activity, the Communist gunners at Wonsan again bombard friendly held islands, making it the third successive day for the harassment fire. Yo-do, Hwangto-do and Tae-do become the recipients of the enemy’s marksmanship, which remains identical to the past two days. No damage is sustained and no casualties occur.

February 12

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the area held by the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, is hit by a Chinese probe at COP Hedy (Hill 124). The enemy patrol, composed of about platoon strength, is supported by artillery. The enemy activity rolls into the early morning of the 13th; however, the Marines hold all ground. In Naval activity, Rear Admiral Clarence E. Olsen assumes command of TF-95. He succeeds Rear Admiral John E. Gingrich. In other activity, friendly islands in Wonsan harbor undergo their fourth consecutive bombardment by Communist gunners. Hwangto-do, Sin-do, No-do and Tae-do come under attack, but yet again no casualties occur and no damage is inflicted. Also, an HRS-1 helicopter attached to HMR-161 (USMC) crashes during a mission, causing the first fatalities of the squadron. The pilot, Captain Allen W. Ruggles, and Technical Sergeant Joe L. Brand are reported missing and presumed dead.

February 13

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment dispatches a patrol against enemy-held Hill 240, located along the Sachon River’s west bank, several miles north of the mouth of the river. At this time during the conflict, both sides dispatch raiding parties against the opponent’s defenses. In Naval activity, Hwangto Island, held by friendly forces in Wonsan Harbor, comes under a short attack by Communist artillery. Four rounds hit the island, but no damage is inflicted.

February 14

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a patrol of the 7th Marines moves out to establish positions from which to wait in ambush for enemy patrols. En route to the selected area, the Chinese instead ambush the patrol. The Marines react and return fire, while reinforcements from the MLR speed to the scene. The Chinese abandon the area. In Naval activity, the Communists continue to rain artillery shells on friendly islands in Wonsan harbor on what becomes the sixth day in a row. Hwangto-do and Yo-do receive a combined total of about 124 rounds. Fire is returned by the destroyer USS DeHaven (DD

911 727) and the destroyer escort USS Moore (DE 442), and the enemy guns also fire on both vessels. Neither ship receives any damage or casualties, but on Yo-do, two men are killed. In addition, nine men are wounded, including one U.S. Marine officer. Also on Yo-do, damage is sustained, including a direct hit on the command post of the Korean Marines. At Hwangto-do, at least two bunkers collapse under the fire.

February 15 In Air Force activity, the hydroelectric power plant complex at Sui-ho comes under a massive attack when twenty-two F-84 ThunderJets, attached to the 474th Fighter Bomber Wing, pound the target with 1,000 pound bombs. The escort force is composed of a formidable contingent of eighty-two F-86 Sabre jets that form a protective shield that prevents enemy MiGs from intercepting the ThunderJets. No losses are sustained by either the Sabre jets or the ThunderJets. Meanwhile, the Communists in the region receive another blow against one of their sources of power. The facility remains out of action for a few months, leaving the Communists in the region short of heat and electricity. In other activity, on the night of the 15th-16th, the radio broadcasting center in the vicinity of Pingjangni (Pyongyang radio) comes under attack. Previously, on 27 January, eleven B-29s dropped 2,000-pound bombs on the broadcast center at Pyongyang, but its location, more than forty-feet below the ground, kept it from harm. On this raid, the planes focus on the power lines and succeed in knocking the radio station off the air. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries again bombard friendly islands in Wonsan harbor. The destroyer escort USS DeHaven (DD 727), subsequent to a barrage striking Yo-do, returns fire. No damage is sustained at Yo-do on the seventh continuous day of shelling. February 16 In Air Force activity, a contingent of Fifth Air Force aircraft and units of the 1st Marine Air Wing attack a military complex that holds troop housing areas and supply depots at various spots in the western sector of North Korea, in the vicinity of Haeju and Sariwon. The strike force, composed of 178 planes, is led by the 1st Marine Air Wing. Lieutenant Joseph McConnell, Jr., attached to the 39th Fighter Interceptor Wing, downs an enemy plane, his fifth aerial victory, to become an ace. In other activity, the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron becomes a total jet squadron (RF-80s) on this day, as its remaining F-51s depart for Japan. In Naval activity, this day marks the second anniversary of the siege of Wonsan. The naval blockade and supporting air strikes continue, while the city is essentially isolated with its 30,000 Communist troops. Despite the deplorable condition within the city, the Communists are able to continue to use it as a transportation complex and a supply center. At this time, only about 6,000 civilians are in the city.

February 19, 1953 In other activity, the cruiser USS Toledo (CA 133) strikes positions of batteries that have been bombarding the friendly islands in Wonsan harbor. The Toledo’s guns score 3 direct hits. In other activity, Marine Captain Ted Williams, following a mission to attack enemy positions in North Korea, crash lands at a forward base. Captain Williams survives. Other than being known as a Marine officer, Captain Williams is known as a Boston Red Sox star outfielder. — In Japan: In Naval activity, a U.S. Navy PV2–5 plane, attached to Patrol Squadron 29, having completed an ASW patrol and picking up some damage, crash lands at Atsugi (Naval Air Station). The accident is caused by a malfunction in the hydraulic system.

February 17

In Naval activity, in the skies over Pyongyang, a contingent of five F4Us, attached to TF77, encounter and engage a group of six MiG-15s. Neither side sustains any losses. In other activity, Yo-do, a friendly-held island in Wonsan harbor, again comes under an attack, this time of short duration. The enemy barrage is in apparent retaliation for an air attack delivered by planes of TF77.

February 18 In Air Force activity, a new joint operation is initiated by the Air Force and MAG-33 in an attempt to destroy a North Korean training center for tankers and infantrymen located southwest of the capital, Pyongyang. The mission is commanded by Colonel Louis B. Robertshaw, USMC, the first Marine to lead such a large joint force, composed of more than 500 aircraft. The 208 jets that participate maintain the air strikes for two days and afterward it is determined from photographs that the 379 sorties destroyed more than 240 buildings. Air Force records note 243 buildings destroyed and for the same raid, U.S. Marine Corps records indicate 288 destroyed. On this day, four F-86 Sabre jets engage a force of 48 MiGs in the skies south of the Sui-ho Reservoir. When the congested skies clear of the criss-crossing aircraft, the MiGs are short two of their contingent from air battles and two others are lost by self-inflicted crashes. They attempt to shadow an F-86 to take it out and are unable to copy the complicated maneuver of the F-86 pilot. Both of the pursuing MiGs lose control of their aircraft, which spin out of control and crash into the earth. The Sabre jets sustain no losses. Also, Captain Manuel J. Fernandez, Jr., attached to the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, receives his fifth and sixth kills to achieve the status of Air Force ace. In Naval activity, a sampan moving about 25 miles south of Chongjin is encountered by the destroyer escort USS Wiseman (DE 667), which seizes five civilians as prisoners. The crew of the Toledo also destroys the sampan. February 19

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment

February 21, 1953 zone is probed by a Chinese contingent composed of about two platoons. Guards posted to the front of COP 33 encounter and engage the enemy contingent and afterward move back to the outpost. Friendly artillery is called upon and the combination of the artillery and mortars inflicts casualties, compelling the enemy to hurriedly withdraw. In Naval activity, the destroyers USS Prichett (DD 561) and USS Gushing (DD 796) accidentally collide. Neither ship sustains any casualties, but both are compelled to make repairs at Sasebo, Japan.

February 21

In Naval activity, planes from three separate carriers of TF-77 launch a raid against enemy rails and bridges.

February 22

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines dispatch elements of Company H, 3rd Battalion, during the morning to attack enemy-held Hill 35A, located southeast of the Ungok mass. As the Marines advance toward the initial trenches, the vanguard uses flamethrowers to more quickly terminate the possibility of interfering grenades emerging from the bunkers. After dusk, the 7th Marines send out a probing patrol with some additional muscle. The attack force, composed of a reinforced platoon bolstered by four M46 tanks, moves out at 2137 en route to enemy-held Hill-159 (Yoke), located slightly north of Freedom Gate Bridge and in the vicinity of the peace corridor. The force moves toward the objective; however, the Chinese foil the attack. An enemy ambush emerges as the force composed of Company B, 1st Battalion, reaches Hill 90. The column is hit on three sides and within minutes, the exchange becomes a close-quartered battle as the Marines slug it out with the Chinese, who attack with company strength. The donnybrook continues for about thirty minutes, while reinforcements rush from the MLR. By 0138, the Chinese disengage and withdraw. Enemy losses stand at 45 killed (counted) and another 33 estimated killed. In addition, the estimate of enemy wounded is 33. The Marines sustain 5 killed and 22 wounded. In Air Force activity, at Suwon, squadrons of the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group, which had been flying F-80s, begin their training with F-86Fs. The pilots are able to adapt easier than those of the 18th Bomber Group, which had switched from F-51 Mustangs. On this day, the 36th Squadron initiates training. The 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron begins its training on 14 March, followed by the remaining squadron, the 80th, on 1 May. The 80th Squadron is the final unit to fly the F-80 Shooting Stars in Korea. In Naval activity, friendly islands in Wonsan harbor are shelled by enemy shore guns for about 30 minutes. The USS Moore (DE 442) and USS Chauncey (DD 667) take the shore batteries under fire and are themselves taken under fire by several rounds that land close, but harmlessly. Four friendly troops on Yo-do Island are wounded.

912

February 23

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Operation HAYLIFT II commences. It is a more complicated mission than a similar test (HAYLIFT I) that had been carried out during the previous September, when helicopters were used to resupply a frontline regiment. During this operation, helicopters are used to resupply two regiments, the 5th and 7th Marines. The operation is twice interrupted by fog; however, despite the elements and some other difficulties, the operation after five days is completed and the two regiments receive 1,600,406 pounds of equipment and supplies. No members of HMR-161 are injured during the operation, which terminates on 27 February. HMR-161, commanded by Lt. Colonel John F. Carey, logs a total of 765 combat hours composed of 575 combat flights in February, out of a total 1,183 flights (1,275.5 hours).

February 24

In Naval activity, the Communists propel only two rounds against Hwangto-do Island on this day, making the situation in Wonsan harbor relatively quiet. No damage is inflicted and no casualties are inflicted. In other activity, the HNMS Johan Maurits Von Nassau (DD) moves to get a man on Sosuap Island who is sick and transport him to receive medical aid. While en route to Sosuap Island, manned by friendly troops, the ship’s boat comes under fire from another friendly held island, Taesuapt. The incident takes the life of one crewman and one South Korean officer is wounded seriously.

February 25 The 5th Marines initiates an offensive designed after the recent Operation CLAMBAKE. The new mission, dubbed Operation CHARLIE, focuses on Hill 15 (Detroit), which stands about two miles east of Hills 31 and 31A, the objectives of CLAMBAKE. Company F, 2nd Battalion, initiates the raid to destroy enemy positions and if possible, capture prisoners. The weather, prior to dawn, is inclement, as it had been on the previous day. The bad weather prevents air cover for the attack. The raid, however, succeeds in reaching the hill, where it is discovered that the enemy bunkers and defensive positions had apparently remained unscathed, despite a prolonged period of long range artillery attacks and air raids. In Air Force activity, following a conversion from F51 Mustangs (early January) and an extensive retraining period, the 18th and No. 2 (South African) Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group, initiate their first combat mission in Sabre jets. By the beginning of March, the 18th Fighter Bomber Group will concentrate only on fighter combat missions. February 26

In Air Force activity, planes of the Fifth Air Force react swiftly to the Communists’ increased activity with daylight convoys. Armed reconnaissance sorties are launched during daylight hours to search and destroy any enemy vehicles detected in motion around the front lines.

February 28

In Air Force activity, two modified

913 versions of the H-19 helicopter (disassembled) arrive in Japan, aboard MATS (Military Air Transport Service) C-124s (Globemasters) on a direct flight from the States. The new model, an enlarged helicopter, had undergone extensive testing prior to shipment. Once in Japan, the helicopters are assembled and given additional test flights before they arrive in Korea to be attached to the 3rd Air Rescue Group. In Naval activity, during the month of February, despite much inclement weather, the combined amount of sorties flown by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots totals 8,680. During this same period, three aviators are killed. A total of 18 planes are lost and of these, nine are lost to enemy fire. In other activity, during February, the enemy is able to damage only one vessel and it is nominal. Minesweeping operations for the month reveal 12 mines.

March 1

In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the Chinese launch an attack against Hill 355 (Little Gibraltar), held by the 2nd Division since 30 January, when the unit relieved the British Commonwealth Division. The momentum of the attack gains some ground, but only temporarily. The 2nd Division units push the Communists back and repel the assault. Nevertheless, the Chinese make another attempt to seize the hill on 17 March. In Naval activity, the USS Valley Forge (CVA 45) launches jets and propeller aircraft that pound the Chosin No. 1 power plant. The attack inflicts heavy damage. In other activity, the friendly island of Yo-do in Wonsan harbor once again is struck by an artillery barrage from Communist guns; however, no damage is inflicted.

March 3 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, there is little activity during the early part of March; however, on this day, the South Korean Marine Corps Regiment dispatches one of its probing patrols. The patrol does not encounter any major opposition. The U.S. Marine patrols also seldom come into contact with enemy contingents of any large size. In Naval activity, aircraft from TF-77 make their first major mission of delivering leaflets throughout Korea. The planes drop the leaflets along the east coast of Korea, from the bomb-line to points as far north as the Yalu River. March 4 In Naval activity, an accident occurs off Nan-do Island when the South Korean vessel ROKN LSSL 110 collides with the destroyer USS Laws (DD 558). The Laws sustains some minor damage. March 5 In Air Force activity, with a hint of spring in the air, Fifth Air Force takes advantage of the clear skies and launches a huge strike force that executes 700 sorties against enemy targets of interest. The industrial sector at Chongjin in the northeastern area of North Korea comes under a blistering attack by sixteen F-84 ThunderJets. The F-84s hammer the rails and slice them repeatedly. The planes devastate many buildings and demolish four bridges (two rail and two highway).

March 8, 1953 In the meantime, fighter bombers are also on the hunt in support of the ground troops. Reports from the crews of the fighter bombers account for the devastation of a combined total of 56 bunkers and artillery positions. The pilots also find time to strike troop positions and supply areas. In other activity, Far East Air Forces launches seventeen B-29s of the 98th Bomber Group to strike Onjong, a strategic enemy supply depot complex, on March 5–6. Also, a two-plane contingent of B-29s strikes the marshaling yard at Naewan on the east coast of Korea, while two other medium bombers pound enemy positions to the front of IX and X Corps positions. In conjunction, the planes that attack Naewan are equipped with the SHORAN bomb system (airborne radar device coordinated with two ground beacon stations). In Naval activity, the destroyer USS Chauncey (DD 667), operating near Yo-do Island in Wonsan harbor, comes under attack, then returns fire and silences the enemy batteries. In another incident at Wonsan, Communist gunners launch five rounds toward the battleship USS Missouri (BB 63). Unharmed, the Missouri returns the fire and its long guns quickly extinguish the hostile fire. In yet other activity, the carrier USS Valley Forge (CVA 45) launches planes that deliver an attack against the Chosin No. 1 hydroelectric station. The raid results in much damage to the complex. — In the Soviet Union: Premier Joseph Stalin succumbs.

March 6

In Naval activity, a tragic accident occurs this day on the carrier USS Oriskany (CVA 34). A plane on its return from a mission lands on the deck; however, it has a 250-pound bomb hung up. Upon landing the bomb comes loose and explodes on the ship’s No. 3 elevator platform. Two crewmen are killed and 13 others are injured. In other activity, the destroyer USS Laws (DD 558), while operating near Hungnam, comes under enemy shore battery fire, but the barrage is inaccurate and no damage is sustained by the ship.

March 7 In Naval activity, off Nan-do, the destroyer USS Black (DD 666) inadvertently collides with a South Korean boat used for intelligence purposes. The collision causes the boat to sink, but no damage is sustained by the destroyer. Six of the men on the boat are lost; however, nine survivors are rescued. In other activity, the Formosa Patrol Force, Pacific Fleet (FORMPATPAC), is established this day. Rear Admiral T.B. Williams is named as the commanding officer. March 8 Colonel Lewis B. Robertshaw, USMC, commander of MAG-33, flies a mission aboard his F9F Panther and bombs an enemy ammunition area with six 250-pound bombs. The mission is the first Marine jet night MPQ (ground radar controlled bombing) mission.

March 9, 1953

March 9

In the I Corps sector, 7th Division zone, a 34-man patrol moves into an ambush site and gets deeply intertwined to the point of becoming completely surrounded. The Chinese spring the ambush with total surprise and inflict devastating casualties. Although outnumbered nearly two to one and outgunned, the patrol refuses to capitulate. The Americans continue the fight, while those still able maintain heavy return fire. Every man in the patrol becomes a casualty. Twenty men are killed, 12 are wounded and two are reported missing. In Air Force activity, media reporters have been proclaiming that the border with Manchuria is frequently violated by U.S. pilots, who give chase to the Communists’ planes that enter North Korea from Manchuria, strike, then head back to the safety of the no-fly zone that begins at the Yalu River. Far East Air Forces responds to the press on this day that U.S. pilots halt pursuit at the Yalu and hold strictly to the rule of not entering Manchuria, but in the heat of battle in the northern reaches of North Korea, it is possible that some of the planes inadvertently stray across the border. It is the rule forbidding the Americans from crossing the border that permits the Communists a free pass if they can outrun the F-86s to reach the river. The Communists are well aware of the advantage afforded them by Washington. Also, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington are informed that despite the reports by the press, the air war in Korea is operating strictly under the authorized guidelines. In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries bombard the friendly islands at Wonsan harbor. The recipient islands are Hwangto-do, Tae-do and Yo-do. No damage is sustained and no casualties are inflicted by the enemy fire. In other activity, the South Korean minesweepers ROKN AMS 506 and AMS 510 come under enemy fire near Anbyon. About fifty rounds are fired and both vessels sustain some slight damage; however, no casualties occur.

March 10

In the I Corps sector, 7th Division zone, a two-platoon contingent of the Colombian Battalion raids Chinese positions, but superior enemy fire power, including artillery, forbids progress. The Colombians disengage after a short exchange and withdraw. The Colombians sustain 19 killed, 44 wounded and 8 missing. In Naval activity, the Communist gun batteries again bombard friendly islands in Wonsan harbor, but less than 20 rounds are expended. Hwangto-do and Yo-do come under fire, but no damage or casualties occur. In other incidents at Wonsan, enemy gunners fire upon the battleship USS Missouri while her guns are pummeling enemy positions. None of the enemy rounds strike closer than 500 yards from the Missouri. Also, the minesweeper USS Merganser (AMS 26) is fired upon, but no rounds threaten the ship.

March 11 Communist troops at Wonsan fire mortars upon Hwangto-do and Yo-do Islands, but no damage is sustained and no casualties occur.

914

March 12 Far East Air Forces initiates a strike during the night of the 12th-13th against a military troop center near Choak, where an ore processing facility is located near the Yalu River. The target is struck by twelve B-29s of the 307th Bomber Wing. March 13 In Naval activity, planes from the carriers USS Valley Forge (CVA 45), USS Oriskany (CVA 34), and USS Princeton (CVA 37) execute a huge air attack against Communist targets, specifically their rails and bridges, in an effort to cripple transportation routes. In other activity, the Communists initiate one of their usual bombardments of friendly held islands at Wonsan. Hwangto-do is struck with mortar barrages as well as artillery rounds, but the guerrillas there report no damage and no casualties. March 14 In Air Force activity, the Communists get a bonus at each of their positions that come under attack on this day. In addition to dropping bombs and strafing the positions, the planes drop leaflets that tantalize the enemy. Crewmen of Fifth Air Force let the leaflets, containing a solitary question, drop like snowflakes. The question is: “Where is the Communist Air Force?” Also, aircraft of the 18th Fighter Bomber Group, composed of planes of the 12th and 67th Squadrons, initiate missions along the Yalu River. No MiGs are encountered by the 12th Squadron; however, two planes of the 67th get intercepted by a band of about 12 MiGs and for a while, the Sabres are caught between the enemy aircraft. Both pilots, Captain Jim Hagerstrom and Pat Buie, fight their way out of the trap. Buie’s plane, although not shot down, is badly damaged. In Naval activity, the carrier USS Oriskany (CVA 34) launches 104 sorties that strike a large mining center northwest of Songjin. March 15 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Colonel Owen A. Chambers assumes command of HMR-161 (Marine Transport Helicopter Squadron). He succeeds Lt. Colonel Frank F. Carey. In Naval activity, Marine pilots (VMA 312), attached to the carrier USS Bataan (CVL 29), take advantage of the clear skies and spot several lucrative targets. Two suspected radar towers are destroyed, along with eight rail cars and a power transformer. March 16 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, two separate but minor skirmishes occur in the 5th Marines zone. A Chinese contingent briefly engages the defenders at COP Reno and in another firefight, a contingent of the 5th Marines on patrol skirmishes with a Chinese patrol near COP Carson. In Naval activity, at Wonsan, Communist shore batteries again bombard Hwanto-do Island, but no damage is sustained. At Songjin, enemy shore gun batteries fire upon the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787), but the shells all fall far short. In other activity, at Songjin, Communist shore batteries fire at the minesweeper USS Gull (AMS 16). Sixty

915 rounds are propelled toward the vessel and one hits, causing some slight damage. In addition, two crewmen are wounded.

March 17 In the I Corps sector, 2nd Division zone, the 2nd Division comes under attack by the Chinese. Just east of the 1st Marine Division, the Communists strike against Hill 355, known as Little Gibraltar. The 2nd Division had relieved the British Commonwealth Division at the hill on 30 January. Elements of the 2nd Division had earlier, on 1 March, repulsed an attack; however, this assault is made by a stronger force, an entire battalion. The Communists strike from the north and northeast and remain oblivious to the minefields and barbed wire. They are able to penetrate and reach the trenches atop the crest. The 2nd Division defenders are forced from the summit; however, two platoons holding blocking positions surge forward and plug the hole to halt further penetration, while the remainder of the force on the slopes engages in ferocious fighting that includes point-blank range firing and hand-to-hand combat. The struggle ensues throughout the night, but by dawn, American reinforcements arrive to augment the position and the Chinese are driven off. While the Chinese disengage and retire, U.S. artillery and mortar fire continue to pound the retreating troops. During the latter part of the month (23rd), the Chinese launch other assaults against I Corps positions. In the 1st Marine Division zone, a Chinese contingent of about platoon-size sets up an ambush post in the area traversed by Marine patrols operating near COP Vegas. The Chinese snare a patrol, but only momentarily, as the Marines evict the ambush party. The Chinese retire quickly. In Air Force activity, the Communists get no reprieve as ground troop locations in MiG Alley come under a heavy attack by medium bombers of the 307th Bomber Wing and the 19th Bomber Wing. The attack, executed during the night of the 17th-18th, strikes the positions at Punghwa-dong, located only a few miles from the MiG base at Sinuiju, one day after Fifth Air Force dared the MiGs to come out and fight. Nonetheless, no planes are lost. The bombers sustain only some minor flak damage from artillery units on the ground. In Naval activity, the USS Taussig (DD 746) and USS James E. Kyes (DD), while operating near Songjin, come under fire from Communist shore batteries. The Taussig sustains some slight damage after receiving one hit. March 18

The LST 623 attempts to embark from Sokch’o, however, as the vessel begins to leave the harbor, it runs aground on breakwater rocks. The grounding inflicts heavy damage upon the ship.

March 19 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese launch simultaneous companysized attacks against two outposts manned by the 1st Marines. COP Hedy and Esther are separated by about one and one-half miles. A reconnaissance patrol oper-

March 22, 1953 ating in front of COP Esther detects the enemy movement and scurries back to the outpost to prepare for the assault. The Marines at both outposts repulse the assaults. COP Hedy is the first to force a disengagement, but it had only been brushed, as the Chinese company continued directly into the Jamestown Line, only to be greeted by heavy doses of artillery and mortar fire. At Esther, the Chinese continue to attack for several hours but are forced to retire without gaining the outpost. During the unsuccessful attempt to seize the ground, the Chinese along the MLR and at both outposts become the recipients of 2,400 rounds of artillery and mortar shells. In other activity, a patrol of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, composed of Company B, moves out during the early morning hours and raids enemy-held Hill 31A. The raid (Operation ITEM) is the first against the objective since February, when it and another target, Hill 31, were raided. Following air strikes and an artillery bombardment, two platoons move out at 0518. The raid nets no prisoners, due in part because the preliminary strikes prompted the Communists to seek cover on the reverse slope; however, enemy artillery strikes heavily and the Marines disengage and withdraw to the MLR at 0700. In Naval activity, planes from three carriers of Task Force 77 execute a full-scale attack against a primary Communist industrial target, the city of Chongjin. The industrial targets in the northeastern sector of the city are deluged with bombs, delivered by 169 sorties. In other activity, the Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan take Yo-do Island under fire, but no damage is inflicted and no casualties occur. Hwangto-do also comes under attack, but again, no damage and no casualties. Also, the Communists take the cruiser USS Los Angeles (CA 135) under fire while she is operating near Wonsan, bombarding enemy gun positions. The Los Angeles sustains no damage and no casualties.

March 20 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, HMR-161 initiates a four-day operation to resupply ammunition by helicopter for the entire Division. March 21 Communist representatives at the peace talks at Panmunjom indicate they are prepared to operate under the provisions of the Geneva Convention with regard to sick and wounded POWs. The Communists also imply that the exchange of the sick and wounded could bring about compromise to eliminate the obstacles and move to a full armistice. In Air Force activity, Operation SPRING THAW commences. Far East Air Forces launches eighteen B-29s of the 19th Bomber Group to strike the bridges at Yongmi-dong to impede enemy movements. The operation continues on the night of the 22nd-23rd and results in the destruction of two of the spans. March 22 In Air Force activity, the Communists repair the bridge spans at Yongmi that had been damaged the previous night. However, the work project

March 23, 1953 does not go unnoticed. Eight more B-29s arrive on the night of the 22nd-23rd an again pound the spans, including the one that had been repaired. The planes are not sent back on the following day, based on the premise that enemy artillery and possibly aircraft would be waiting and cause high casualties. In Naval activity, at Wonsan, for the second consecutive day, Communist gunners fire upon the battleship Missouri, but to no avail. The destroyer USS Prichett (DD 561) and the minesweeper USS Waxbill (AMS 39) both come under fire with the identical results, no damage and no casualties. The Communist shore batteries also fire upon Hwangto-do and Yo-do, but the guerrillas sustain no damages and no casualties occur. Yo-do also comes under fire, but yet again, the Communist gunners fire without achieving any accuracy. In other activity, planes attached to TF-77, while on a mission near the Manchurian border, observe an aircraft on the Manchurian side of the border at Ta-kushan. The plane appears to be a Russian-made TU-4, a Communist version of the B-29.

March 23 In the I Corps sector, 7th Division zone, the Chinese mount strong attacks to evict the U.S. 7th Division from three outposts, Hills 255, 191 and 266, the latter receiving the biggest thrust of the assault. At Hill 255, known as Pork Chop Hill, and at Hill 191, the Chinese are repulsed. At Hill 266 (Old Baldy), defended by elements of the Colombian Battalion, the first wave of Chinese steam-rolls into the positions at about 2100 and seizes the objective. The Colombian troops withdraw to the southeastern slope. On the following day, the 7th Division mounts a counterattack and fights its way to the crest, where a tenacious brawl erupts. The Chinese, however, retain the bunkers and trenches. The elements of the 7th Division are compelled to disengage. A new counterattack is mounted on the 24th, but again, the Chinese prevail. The Chinese gain one of the three hills, but in the process, according to the records of the U.S. 7th Division, they sustain about 750 casualties. At Hill 191, the fighting is of short duration. The defenders request assistance while the enemy battalion begins its ascent. The reinforcements arrive to bolster the line and force the Chinese to abort the attack soon after it had begun. In the meantime, at Hill 255, another battalion launches an attack and, bolstered by tanks and artillery, the Chinese succeed in gaining the summit. The elements of the 7th Division are forced to withdraw about 700 yards, but by midnight, a counterattack unfolds. Slightly after midnight (23rd-24th), the 7th Division contingent initiates a charge that carries them to the summit, where they eliminate or disperse the Chinese to reclaim the hill. In Naval activity, jets attached to the USS Oriskany (CVA 34) execute a devastating attack (known as “Lights Out”) against a water power facility, located below the Fusen Reservoir. In other activity, at Songjin, while the destroyer USS

916 Owen (DD 536) is operating, Communist shore gun batteries fire upon her, but the two rounds fail to inflict any harm. And at Yo-do, Communist gun batteries fire upon guerrilla positions; however, the bombardment causes no injuries or damage.

March 24 The Communists hold Hill 266 (Old Baldy), despite renewed attacks by the 7th Division. Hill 266 had been initially gained by the 2nd Division during the previous summer. March 25 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese, after failing in two attempts on the 23rd to gain COPS Hedy or Esther (Vegas Outposts), focus upon other outposts in the zone defended by the 1st Marines during the latter part of the night. No progress is made by the enemy, but on the following day, after dusk, the Chinese resume the assault against COP Dagmar, an engagement that proves to be the preliminary exchange prior to a large-scale attack. In Naval activity, Communist shore batteries commence firing upon the destroyer USS Prichett (DD 561) while she is operating in the area around Wonsan. Despite fourteen rounds being expended, no harm comes to the ship. March 26–31 1953

THE BATTLE FOR VEGAS In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the recent series of raids against outposts have not gone unnoticed by the Marines. Although they have been restrained, along with the rest of Eighth Army, since the previous year when the peace talks began, the intelligence units have been working at full strength. With the first days of spring upon them and knowledge of past Communist actions considered, a major attack is not out of the question. The U.S. troops and the other U.N. forces have now completed three winters in Korea and if history repeats itself, the roads will flood, the bridges will become imperiled, and the mud will greatly impede overland operation by vehicles. During the winter, some modifications along the Jamestown Line shortened the Marine sector, but not much. The Marines continue to be responsible for a 33-mile stretch of the line and still, they are the major obstacle standing between the Communists and the South Korean capital, Seoul. Following a couple of early morning skirmishes, the front lines of the 1st Marine Division remain tranquil throughout the day; however, a keen vigil is kept in the event the Chinese maintain their tradition of launching a spring offensive. The Marines pay particular attention with the realization that the Chinese would like an opportunity to avenge their failure at the Hook during the previous October. While the winter passed, none of the Chinese initiatives gained any genuine progress, other than the seizure of a few outposts. Had they scored some major successes or moved to position from which they could be staring at the capture of Seoul, the U.N. might have been pressured into

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March 26, 1953

Outpost Dagmar under artillery attack on 26 March. bending to some of the more ludicrous demands by the Communists at the talks in Panmunjom; however, the ongoing stalemate is not working to their advantage. Nevertheless, the Marines are aware that if they falter along their perimeter, the situation at Panmunjom could change, particularly because the Chinese had gained Old Baldy on the 23rd in the U.S. 7th Division zone and on this day, the 7th Division abandons the hill. Eighth Army intuition regarding the attack comes to fruition at 1900, when the Chinese launch a full-scale assault against the Marine positions. The vanguard of the defense, the 120 or so Marines at Carson-Reno-Vegas, senses the imminent approach of the Chinese as enemy positions on Hills 44, 40, 35 and 33 commence firing with small arms and machine guns that essentially plunder the ground all along the entire 5th Marines’ line. The 5th Marines perimeter becomes a cauldron of fire as the non-stop shelling pulverizes some command posts and severs communications with the strungout outposts. The defenders at the outposts do not require further signs of attack. The thunderclap shakes the earth just as the sun retreats over the horizon. While enemy artillery rings the area in synchronization with mortar fire, the shelling extends even to the rear areas, transforming what had been a rather ordinary day into the beginning of a hellish night. While the enemy bombardment propels a steady stream of shells into the 5th Marine positions in the left and

center, an enemy contingent on another nearby position, Hill 144, rakes the Marine zone with heavy machine gun fire and rifle fire. Meanwhile, outposts Carson, Reno and Vegas, each renamed from their previous designation of Allen, Bruce and Clarence, come under artillery and mortar fire. The outposts stand in the western (left) zone of the 5th Marines’ line, which is defended by the 1st Battalion, but the three hills are each defended by only about forty-fifty Marines, assisted by two Navy corpsmen. At the same time, other outposts come under attack, including Berlin and East Berlin in the 3rd Battalion’s zone. Farther along the line, the Chinese pound 1st Marines’ positions, including COPS Hedy, Bunker, Esther and Dagmar, which are spread across the center of the regimental line. They had come under bombardment several minutes prior to the primary artillery assault that commenced at 1900 as part of a Chinese diversion. In conjunction with the artillery assault in the 1st Marines’ zone, small contingents begin to probe the defenses. The defenders at Hedy, Esther and Dagmar are struck by units ranging from squads to platoons, while other units are detected advancing against the MLR positions farther west, defended by the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. The enemy thrust begins as a powerful blow, and within minutes after the attack is ignited, it becomes more potent. At Hedy, Bunker, Esther and Dagmar, the assault begins at just about the same time as the artillery fire.

March 26, 1953 The ground troops, at about company-size, are supported by machine gun fire on Hills 44, 114 and 116 and additional support is provided by riflemen on Hill 108. The defenders hold steadfastly against the superior numbers and methodically mow them down at each of the outposts, but at Dagmar, the Chinese are able to make some penetration against the defending group of only 27 Marines who revert to close-quartered fighting to remove the intruders from the trenches. For about two hours, the Marines use every tool in their arsenal from rifles to bare knuckles and bayonets to defend their positions. Reinforcements from Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, arrive from the MLR and efficiently clear the remaining Chinese from the trenches. By 2120, Dagmar is secure, as the Chinese abandon the assault. During this diversionary attack, the Chinese sustain 10 known killed and an estimated additional 20 killed. The Marines in this sector sustain 4 killed and 16 wounded. In the meantime, by 1910, the 358th Regiment, 120th Division, attached to the 40th Chinese Army, unleashes about 3,500 troops that flow profusely from four points—Ungok, Arrowhead, Hill 25A and Hill 190— and drive directly into the 5th Marines’ positions. Contingents of 6 companies, pulled from three separate battalions, swoop upon the perimeter from several directions to smash through the outposts. At Carson, where about 1,200 mortar rounds hit by 1920, the defending platoon is struck by two platoons that had advanced rapidly from Ungok. At the same time, Reno and Vegas are each pounded by a company-sized contingent. The Chinese from Arrowhead and from Hill 29 (3rd Company, 1st Battalion), sprint across the Seoul Road and launch a frontal attack, while elements of the 7th Company, 3rd Battalion, which descend from Hill 190, maneuver from the north to surround the outpost and strike from the rear. The third spearhead of the attack is composed of the 8th Company, 3rd Battalion, and units from the 9th Company, which slither along the ridgeline and move about 500 yards south of Hill 25A and Hill 155, north of Vegas, from where they smash against the frontal defenses. With the combined strength of the three outposts standing at about 120 Marines, the Chinese hold an advantage of about 20-to-1. The defenders receive some extra muscle due to the division’s anticipation of the assault. Artillery and tanks had already prepared by registering their fire on suspected approach routes and for protective “Box-Me-In” fire. U.S. artillery and tanks had begun to return fire at the first sounds of the guns. Protective fire is thrown around the outposts and the approach routes are also stung with voluminous volleys; however, the overwhelming numbers of Chinese and their uncanny trait of ignoring even direct hits as they advance are not strong enough to halt the tide. The outposts are essentially isolated as they attempt to hold against insurmountable odds.

918 The Marines at Carson and Reno resist ferociously; however, their numbers are too small to plug every hole. By 1935, some Chinese are able to penetrate the lower trenches of both outposts, but still, they are unable to overwhelm the defenders. The struggle turns to close-quartered brutal fighting as the Chinese press harder, only to discover that the Marines refuse to capitulate. At Carson, the initial force numbers only 54 Marines, but following one hour of relentless combat, the post had not been taken. The Marines had reverted to their knives, bayonets, rifle butts, boots and fists to retain their ground. All the while, reinforcements are heading to augment the Marines, but by the time the two reinforced squads from Company C and D are about to move to the besieged post, the Chinese, at 2000, suddenly released the pressure against Carson. It had held. The fighting tails off and by 2135, the Chinese withdraw and join in the attack to seize Reno and Vegas. The Marines continue to receive mortar and artillery fire until about midnight, but no further attacks are launched against the position, even on the following day. While, Carson, Reno and Vegas resist the Chinese assaults, two other outposts, Berlin and East Berlin, in the far reaches of the 5th Marines sector (right flank), also come under assault and the strength there is close to the bare minimum. Each outpost is defended only by a reinforced squad from Company G, 3rd Battalion. Nevertheless, the Chinese concentrate less strength against both of the posts and the defenders are able to turn back the attacks and preserve both Berlin and East Berlin, which had come under assault by three platoons, one against East Berlin and the others against Berlin. For a short period, communications with headquarters are lost and reinforcements are dispatched. By 2115, the Chinese abort the attacks and retire. However, at Reno and Vegas, the situation had become more grim. The defenders at Reno are initially struck by two companies that bang against the front and rear simultaneously and penetrate the trenches. Like Carson, an abundance of friendly artillery fire is poured upon the approaches, but the Chinese continue to advance through the whirlwind of fire. The Marines continue to mow down the intruders, but seemingly, for every enemy soldier eliminated, a few more appear. The overwhelming numbers compress the Marines into a small defensive position, due to the absence of a sufficient number of bunkers and defensive trenches. Unrelenting fire by the Chinese shreds the numbers of the defenders. Of forty Marines that had met the initial charge, only 7 are able to continue the struggle after a tenacious exchange that lasts about one-half hour. While the Chinese continue to smother the resistance, the Marines hold out in a cave, but here, too, the Chinese hold the advantage, as all entrances are sealed by the enemy, choking off the air supply.

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A view from the front. A first aid bunker built on a reverse slope to afford some safety for the wounded. The bunker was erected by the 1st Engineer Battalion, USMC. Desperate calls are made by the surviving troops of Company C at 2000, explaining that their air supply had been cut. Artillery units propel illumination shells to expose the enemy, while tanks stationed to the rear of the beleaguered outpost take advantage of the artificial light and pound the enemy, but still the Chinese hammer the defiant hold-outs in the cave. In the meantime, a flare plane arrives to provide more illumination for the support fire. Reinforcements from the MLR move to Reno within fifteen minutes of the urgent calls for help, but en route, by way of the Reno Block, an enemy contingent waits in ambush near Hill 47 at about 2115. The contingent, elements of Company F, 2nd Battalion, returns fire and is able to make it to the blocking position. Another relief column, composed of troops from Company C, 1st Battalion, is moving behind the initial group by about fifteen minutes, but it, too, is intercepted before it can advance one-half mile. Artillery fire showers the 2nd column, forcing a temporary halt. After a pause, it renews the advance, only to be hit again as it nears Hill 47. The unit fights its way past the obstacle; however, more enemy troops await them. Two platoons prevent quick passage and continue to inflict casualties upon the reinforcements. By the time the group encounters the third obstacle, 10 Marines have been wounded seriously and evacuated. The situation at Vegas is similar to that at Reno. The defenders come under horrific bombardment and like the Marines at Reno, friendly artillery

mounts return fire to pummel the approach routes and lay out a protective ring of “Box-Me-In” fire to bolster the defenses. However, the overwhelming waves force the Marines to seek cover in a cave to give them more tenable positions and afford some protection from the friendly fire. Reinforcements, composed of elements of Company D, 2nd Battalion rush to bolster Vegas, but the troops are intercepted at the Block. A fierce exchange erupts, but as the two opposing forces face each other at close range, the Marines prevail in the hand-tohand combat and push the Chinese back. Although the Marines are unable to break through, they are able to prevent the Chinese from dominating the position. While Company C trades blows with the Chinese, yet another relief force, drawn from Company F, 2nd Battalion, is quickly attached to the 1st Battalion and ordered to join the relief column at the Reno Block to strengthen the attack of Company C, 1st Battalion. Company F, 2nd Battalion (attached to 1st Battalion), drives through unrelenting artillery and mortar fire in an attempt to hook up with the troops at the Block. The first contingent leads the way at 2227, with another platoon about 400 yards to the rear. The entire trek is executed under a tumultuous firestorm, but it is unable to halt the column. Casualties mount quickly, even at the first steps of the advance; however, the Marines endure, aware that the advance relief force and the survivors at Reno face a more desperate situation. One of the platoons of

March 26, 1953

920

An M46 dozer attached to the 1st Tank Battalion (USMC) with an improvised protective shield. The fencing is designed to cause a 3.5 rocket to explode before it strikes the tank. Company F sustains a casualty rate of 70 percent before it finally reaches the advance elements of Company C at the Block. All the while, the few remaining defenders at Reno continue to hold, but at last report, only seven Marines had been ablebodied and the string of attackers continues to be endless and other units continue to pour from the hills. The Chinese unleash fresh troops from positions to the rear of Chogum-ni and from Hills 31 and 31D, to replace the ones that had fallen and to bolster the respective assaults. One of the enemy groups is spotted in the vicinity of Chogum-ni at 2100, but it is not able to easily join the offensive. U.S. tanks and artillery pulverize the position and cause the Chinese to disperse before they can launch their assault. All along the chaotic battlefield, there is a constant clash of shells and bayonets, grenades and raw knuckles as the Marines galvanize to halt the onslaught. The relief column of Company F, 2nd Battalion, fights its way to the positions of Company C, 1st Battalion, at the Block, where it joins with the battered force. The Chinese maintain effective fire on the position, but as the two groups combine their firepower, they are able to either liquidate or chase the Communists who had entered the trenches there from the north and south. Meanwhile, at Reno, the defenders report at 2145 that the position is still active, but the report details how the Chinese are attempting to dig their way into the cave. A faint sounding radio message is received

at about 2300 from the cave at Reno, but it is unintelligible. It is the last message sent. Like the reinforcements en route to Reno, the same circumstances had befallen Company D, 2nd Battalion. It, too, is stalled at the Block, unable to break through to the diminishing number of defenders at Reno. In an attempt to wipe out the relief forces, the Chinese crash against the Block at 2157 with two platoons. Within about twenty minutes, two additional platoons plow against the relief forces, while the area is also plastered by mortars and artillery. The Marines resist with extraordinary tenacity and repulse three separate attacks in the Block by 2300. Within the following hour, another large force of about company strength prepares to lunge from Reno to pounce upon the Block. While the Marines brace for yet another assault, they receive effective interference, as artillery and 90-mm guns of some tanks score repeated direct hits to eliminate the threat and buy time for the beleaguered troops in the Block to regroup for a thrust against Reno. Back at the MLR, at 2323, another relief force, a platoon from Company E, 2nd Battalion, is sped to the Vegas Block to bolster Company D. However, Chinese resistance refuses to falter. Enemy fire accelerates and more fresh troops are funneled into the fight. The 5th Marines continues to raise ferocious resistance, but the regiment is exhausting its reserve in the process. In the meantime, at 2300, the Chinese throw a

921 huge number of fresh troops against the Block to crush the Marine relief columns and by midnight (26th-27th), the situation becomes more grim as communications with Vegas are completely severed. The reinforcements for Reno and Vegas remain pinned at the Block and yet even more enemy troops are pouring into the region, while the Chinese artillery continues to lambaste 5th Marines’ positions. At the Block, the troops, despite the enfilade fire, regroup to make another attempt at reaching Reno, but it is unable to execute the attack. While the Marines maintain their attacks to regain Vegas, the Chinese threaten another outpost, Kate, in the 1st Marines’ zone. The defenders there spot about two platoons near the barbed wire and engage the force. Following about a 15-minute firefight, the Chinese retire, but shortly thereafter, at midnight, the Chinese begin to probe Outposts Dagmar and Esther. The Marines had anticipated the encounter, as both had been probed on the previous night. At Dagmar, the Marines of Company I, 1st Marines, call upon artillery support and head for the reverse slope to await the termination of the bombardment. Afterward, the defenders reoccupy the positions, supported by artillery and mortars. The Marines exchange fire and clash at close-quarters in the trenches with the Communists for about two hours and at the cessation of the fight, the Marines hold sole possession of the trenches and the outpost, as the Chinese, unable to make gains, withdraw. Slightly afterward, Outpost Hedy and Outpost Bunker also come under attack by a small enemy contingent, but at both positions, the enemy is stymied and thrown back by the 1st Marines. Back at the Vegas Block, by about 0145 on the 27th, the reinforcements under Captain Ralph L. Walz are whittled down to one platoon, yet he rallies the force and within an hour, they spring into an attack three times. During one skirmish, the Marines slug it out for one-half hour of give-no-quarter combat. Following the donnybrook, the troops again reorganize and evacuate the wounded. Nevertheless, the Chinese still retain Reno and Vegas and by this time, the enemy is able to open a valve and pour fresh troops against the Block. At about 0246, while under severe mortar attack, a new wave of Chinese is spotted as it flows toward the Reno Block from the direction of Reno. The 1st Battalion immediately orders the artillery to plant a picket fence of shells upon the advancing force, while simultaneously directing Captain Walz to break off the engagement and move back to the MLR with the elements of Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, and Company F, 2nd Battalion (attached to 1st Battalion), 5th Marines. In the meantime, fighting at Vegas, which also had come under control of the Chinese by midnight (26th-27th), continues into the early morning hours of the 27th, as Company D, 2nd Battalion, and Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, attempt to

March 26, 1953 penetrate beyond the communication trench of the outpost, a point about 400 yards from Vegas. Meanwhile, the Chinese continue to pour fresh troops into battle as if they are being created on a conveyor belt. During the first hours of the 27th, the Chinese send a new layer against the Marines, who resist savagely. A reinforcing unit, composed of elements of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, is rushed to bolster the forces trying to rescue Vegas, but the move is in vain. At 0300, the first relief platoon advances to within 200 yards of the outpost, but dismal news overshadows the advance. It is learned the Vegas as well as Reno had fallen to the Chinese, giving them some progress in this early stage of their offensive. By about 0400, the relief units are under orders to postpone an attack and return to the MLR. Shortly thereafter, the contingents — composed of Companies D and E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, and Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines — disengage, return to the MLR and prepare to mount a new assault during the daylight hours of the 27th. In conjunction, the relief force for Reno arrives back at its lines at 0440, followed by the reinforcements for Vegas, which arrive at 0530. The first eight hours of the struggle for CarsonReno-Vegas terminates with the Chinese temporarily holding a better hand, with control of two outposts, Reno and Vegas. Nonetheless, there is no aura of despair hovering over the 5th Marines’ perimeter, rather, a more galvanized determination to return and evict the new occupants. However, other priorities have to first be handled. The defenders inflicted heavy casualties upon the Chinese, compelling them to pay an exorbitant price for the real estate. The Marines, too sustain high casualties. In the 1st and 3rd Battalion zones, stretchers, ambulances, vehicles and helicopters are all engaged in moving and evacuating the wounded. During the course of the battle for the outposts, the two regiments had sustained 150 casualties (excludes relief force casualties), while inflicting about 600 casualties upon the Chinese. Many of the wounded Marines, after being treated, return to the field to assist in the evacuation of others. The more seriously injured are transported by helicopters (VMO-6 and HMR-161) to Inchon, where two hospital ships, the USS Haven and USS Consolation, are anchored. The helicopters also transport supplies of blood for those who require transfusions and deliver them to various medical aid stations along the lines. While the 5th Marines prepare the day’s battle plans, the 11th Marines concentrate their guns upon Reno, Vegas and other enemy-held positions to soften them for the attack and also to repay them in kind for the 14,000 artillery and mortar shells that whacked the 5th Marines during the ghastly eighthour donnybrook. In turn, the Marine artillery returned more than 10,000 rounds during that same

March 26, 1953 period. Chinese artillery positions also come under attack by Marine planes of VMF(N)-513, which soar overhead and pummel targets in the vicinity of Hills 190 and 98. The Marines piloting the jets use radar controlled bombs and strike before the arrival of other planes, subsequent to dawn. The Chinese discover at dawn that the 5th Marines are not yet re-knocking on the gates of Reno and Vegas, but unknown to the enemy, the delay had not been due to timidity of the 5th Marines; rather, a slight postponement occurs until a Marine squadron arrives. At precisely 0650, as the Chinese and the Marines glance toward the sky, it is apparent that the attack is imminent. The Panther jets from VMF-115 arrive to join with the artillery that is riveting the enemy’s positions. The Panthers strike at Reno and Vegas. The ground attack, rescheduled for 0900, is again suspended due to some communication difficulties. In the meantime, the Marine pilots remain extremely busy as more planes, attached to VMF-311, arrive. Without the interference of the 5th Marines, they take the opportunity to revisit the target repeatedly. Four separate strikes, each by six aircraft, blanket the area. In addition, U.S. Air Force Thunderbird (T-33) jets arrive and deliver more punishment. All the while, the artillery and the 1st Tank Battalion maintain their fire. The tankers (Company A) spot two contingents of Chinese involved with moving logs in an apparent step to bolster the bunkers, but the 90mm guns disrupt the process. One of the contingents is annihilated; however the other group makes it through the streams of fire. At 1120, the attack is commenced, with the selected target being Vegas, leaving Reno for a subsequent attack, but in the process of regaining Vegas, Reno remains under the guns of the artillery and mortar to fire to isolate it from the main assault force. While Vegas is bludgeoned with air strikes as well as fire from the 11th Marines and the 1st Tank Battalion, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, moves up and passes the line of departure at 1120. Chinese return fire immediately crashes into the path of the advancing column. The vanguard presses forward without any relief from the enemy small arms and artillery, making the trek most difficult. Shells are flying inbound from several locations, stalling the advance. Soon after, the attack continues, only to again be halted by artillery. By slightly after 1200, the vanguard, the 1st Platoon, is nearly totally eliminated. Only nine Marines remain able-bodied. Nevertheless, the advance troops refuse to stall. The forward nine press ahead, moving through soggy swollen rice paddies toward the slopes of the Vegas Hills. At about the time the thinning spearhead reaches a point about 200 yards from the MSR, enemy reinforcements are spotted as they rush from Hill 143 to augment Vegas. In the meantime, the enemy guns continue to hammer the approaches and maintain a wall of fire in front of the objective.

922 The combined fire of the opposing forces creates unbearable noise, at times making it difficult to communicate on the ground, and the unending streams of shells descend upon the area like a horrific iron hailstorm. Vegas, begins to resemble a fortress atop an erupting volcano and the Marines of Company D are plodding through the intense fire, at times becoming frozen in place due to the impenetrable walls of fire. While the Marines work to find a way to take the crest, Marine squadrons join with the ongoing bombardment and add to the intensity of the conflagration. Vegas is now heavily reinforced and supporting guns are on the nearby slopes. While the vicious fire staggers the advance, it is unable to immobilize the troops. They have come to stay and reclaim the ground where their fellow Marines fell the previous night. But, now, there are many more defenders. Between noon and 1300, four additional contingents arrive at Vegas from Hill 153. By 1315, another contingent of about company-size arrives. And still others are en route, one group from Reno and another from Hill 21B. The Chinese plan an all-out effort to deprive the Marines of their prize. In the meantime, the Marines of Company D, get some additional support from the sky, as the planes of three squadrons are overhead criss-crossing the hills and byways in search of prey. The Douglas Skyknights of VMA-121 blend perfectly with the fighter jets of MAG-33 Squadrons VMF-115 and 311. The planes strike swiftly and devastate the landscape, particularly that which is determined to contain troops formations, bunkers, artillery positions and trenches. All the while, Company D grinds toward the slopes. Reinforcements are en route from the MLR to assist in the struggle. The Provisional Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, jumps off just after 1200 and in a short while, it is trailed by Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. By 1305, just about the time the objective receives a large amount of fresh troops, Company D, initiates a determined push to take the outpost. From the lower slopes of the hill, riflemen engage the enemy using everything in their arsenal, including BARs, M-1s, grenades and carbines, as they gnaw forward through the fire storm coming from the upper slopes and supporting guns of the nearby hills. After a period of about two hours of facing horrific resistance, four Marines lead the way as they scramble out of the trenches. Soon after, by 1322, while still braving small arms, mortar and artillery fire as the shells explode all around them, they creep from the trenches. In the meantime, Company E, 2nd Battalion, arrives from the MLR and is directed to pass through Company D, retrieve and evacuate the wounded and take over the task to seize the summit of Vegas. The commander of Company E leads his command forward and they Company D; however, the enemy fire remains intense despite the day-long bombardments

923 and air strikes. The reinforcing unit is unable to advance beyond the positions of Company D. Slightly afterward, elements of Company D advance to positions at the finger of Vegas, but here, too, a wall of artillery and mortar fire prevents passage to the crest. Another reinforcing contingent, Company F, 2nd Battalion, which departs the MLR at 1530, arrives within an hour at the positions of Company D. Upon its arrival, Company D heads back to its line of departure. Company F assumes the point to spearhead the assault, but the enemy pinpoints its positions and at 1730. It is besieged with an enfilade of crushing fire that disrupts the jump-off. The troops are compelled to gnaw forward, while support fire from the 11th Marines and planes of VMF-323 try to extinguish the origin points of the seemingly inexhaustible enemy fire. While the attacking elements creep forward slowly, soaring aircraft swoop toward targets on Hills 190 and 139, providing close-combat support by diving low and delivering their respective munitions upon the slopes. While the hills explode and giant fireballs ascend, the planes again dive to deliver more punishing blows. While the enemy attempts to find cover, tanks along the MLR inject their 90-mm rifles into the fight and plaster the northern crest of Vegas, the obstinate stronghold of the Chinese. While the bombardment continues, Company H reinitiates its attack at 1800 from a point about 400 yards from the crest of Vegas. By this time, elements of Company E, 2nd Battalion, join with Company F, led by Captain Ralph F. Estey, placing the attack force at three platoons. As the Marines lunge forward, they reclaim a piece of the objective and ignite another close-quartered savage duel in the lower trenches that terminates after about one and one-half hours of grueling combat. Company E moves to the right of the outpost and begins to regroup by 1930. Meanwhile, a contingent of Company F, composed of two platoons, maneuvers to reach positions within 50 yards of the summit by about 2000; however, they stall as the Chinese fire intensifies. Company F is compelled to pull back due to ferocious mortar and machine gun fire originating at the left (Able) gate of Vegas. By this time, the struggle for control of Vegas has been ongoing for more than 24 hours and neither side shows any outward signs of backing down. While the Marines prepare to spend another sleepless night, the Chinese continue to fortify their positions and bring in fresh troops from Reno, the other outpost they had overrun on the previous night. The Chinese waste no time in trying to push the Marines from the outpost. At 1830, they launch the first of three counterattacks. The outnumbered Marines are unable to remain on the crest, but they repulse each of the night assaults convincingly and in addition, as the night passes, the Marines engage in various firefights. In addition to their failure to

March 26, 1953 dislodge the Marines, the Chinese also are compelled to tolerate a night sky permeated with Marine squadrons that illuminate the slopes controlled by the enemy by dropping more than 50,000 pounds of explosives. Night fighter planes attached to VMF(N)513 and aircraft attached to MAG-12 (VMA-212 and VMA-323) participate in the support of the ground Marines and execute nine strikes (radar controlled bombing) between 1830 and 0115 (28th). By midnight, the attack forces of Companies E and F, 2nd Battalion, are beyond exhaustion, having continued the fight begun by Company D and clawing their way to Vegas for about ten hours, but there is little time for rest. Some relief is gained after midnight, when the heavy guns of the Chinese turn from Vegas and initiate a barrage against the MLR, but the early hours of the 28th are not tranquil. Enemy troops posted on Hills 57A, Detroit and Frisco rise up sporadically and pepper the Marine positions with small arms fire. Nonetheless, the Marines, having paid little attention to the constant shelling of the mortars and artillery, pay even less attention to the harassing infantry fire while they prepare to launch another assault to reclaim the northern summit of Vegas. While the Marines prepare to ascend to the summit, the artillerymen of the 11th Marines are also overactive, focusing on the targets of the day, the troop assembly areas at Vegas and the mortar positions. At 0355, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battalions, 11th Marines, fire in unison and unleash a ravaging series of volleys that crash into the northern slopes of Vegas with a thunderous roar and devastating impact, showering the Chinese with 2,326 rounds of 105-mm and 155-mm shells. As the enemy attempts to react to the withering fire, Company F is already on the move and within thirty minutes, the Marines gain enough ground to reach positions from which they can throw grenades. The attack, however, once again becomes stalled; the Chinese return fire remains tenacious and impenetrable. The first assault group is forced to pull back to the south slopes, but only for a while. As the Marines form for another assault, they again receive extra support to keep the Chinese off balance. Planes streak across the sky and descend upon the enemy positions and strike swiftly, while the guns of the 11th Marines again begin to bellow and propel more artillery shells into the enemy, all in concert with other units that pound the slopes with mortars in concert with the tanks that pummel the positions with their 90-mm rifles. The Chinese, however, seem to be able to replace the guns as soon as they are destroyed. At sunrise, the Chinese still control the hill and are still able to raise fierce resistance. A short while after the sun peeks over the horizon, an F4U Corsair from VMA-213 is spotted as it approaches the area and about one-half hour later, another Corsair (VMA-323) arrives. The two planes

March 26, 1953 set the stage for an upcoming series of air strikes by laying a smoke screen that hovers over an area stretching three miles from Arrowhead to the extreme boundary between the Marines and the Army. After Vegas is blanketed by smoke, a swarm of jets from VMA-121 arrive to land the first blow of the new day. Eight jets dive and unleash yet another devastating blow upon the enemy positions that so far refuse to yield. However, more planes will return. The Chinese will have to contend with the troops on the ground and the five squadrons who bomb and strafe their positions throughout the entire day. At 0600, Company F resumes its attack, but it fails to penetrate the rock solid defenses. Captain Estey orders his troops to withdraw to regroup for yet another assault. While Company F prepares to resume the assault, the support units and the Marine squadrons spring to action. At 0920, the guns roar and the planes soar above the targets and descend again to pummel the defenses. The pulverizing closeair support strikes continue until 1315. Meanwhile, Company F drives toward the crest and by 1015, the troops reach positions less than twenty yards from the trench line of the left finger of Vegas and encounter another wall of fire. The Marines slug it out for 22 minutes. During the intense fire fight, an enemy machine gun shell wounds one Marine. A corpsman rushes to give aid and pull him to safety, but the machine gun prevents the corpsman from dragging the wounded man to safety and keeps the squad pinned tightly to the ground. Sergeant Daniel P. Matthews, the squad leader, spots the imperiled twosome, assesses the situation and moves to outflank the position. He bolts on top of the rock formation protecting the gun and takes the crew from the rear by surprise. Singlehandedly, he rushes the Chinese and despite receiving a grievous wound, he continues his charge, kills two on the crew, and causes another to flee, leaving the machine gun to him. Matthews destroys the gun. The heroism displayed by Matthews inspires the squad to push further, but he succumbs to his wounds before aid can reach him. The wounded man, however, is pulled to safety. As the contest continues, reinforcements are moving up to relieve Company F, which by this time stands at less than forty-five effective troops. By 1300, Company E, 2nd Battalion, led by Captain Lorence, takes the lead, while Estey’s Company F, having launched six counterattacks since the previous day, leaves the line. The vanguard of Company E advances to within 150 yards of the summit by 1245. As the troops encroach the crest, the U.S. artillery begins to lift the barrage and shift directions, turning the power toward the supporting positions of the enemy, Hills 150, 153 and 190. During the transition, the spearhead inches closer and at 1301, the final charge is mounted. The Marines, led by Staff Sergeant John J. Williams, leap upon the crest, defying intense fire, and tear into the defenses

924 to extricate the dug-in Chinese and either liquidate them or drag them from their bunkers. The overwhelming assault to vanquish the defenders lasts about six devastating minutes. At 1307, the Marines claim the crest and secure Vegas to bring it back under Marine control. With Vegas back in the hands of the 5th Marines, another unit that had moved up to bolster the attack, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, is ordered back to its lines. In the meantime, the Chinese move to retake the outpost. Enemy fire begins to hammer the new occupants of the crest and at 1320, the Chinese counterattack. Reaction by the 11th Marines is fast and fierce. The guns of the artillery, bolstered by friendly mortars and the tanks of the 1st Tank Battalion, commence firing and essentially seal off the outpost with steel that deters further advance by the enemy. The thrust of the counterattack begins to immediately diminish, while Company E continues its mop-up operations. Finally, at 1401, Vegas, except for one hot spot, the topographical crest (northernmost tip), is secure. During the day’s fighting, only two prisoners are taken. After securing the objective, the Marines reestablish defensive positions and begin an immediate resupply to ensure that all is prepared when the Chinese return. The attack is expected to begin at any time, allowing no relaxation for Company E nor the supporting units. Initially, only five squads, composed of 58 Marines from Company E, and 8 from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, hold the position. Later in the afternoon, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, led by Captain Walz, deploys to hold the rear trenches, while Company E digs deeply at the outpost to ensure they are not evicted when the next wave strikes. With the rear supported by 150 Marines of Company F, Vegas is defended by slightly more than 200 Marines, commanded by Major Benjamin G. Lee, a sergeant major during World War II and a veteran of Guadalcanal. In addition to the artillery, the defenders are also supported by Marine squadrons that maintain a flying protective umbrella over the area. While the Marines strengthen their defenses, the Chinese toil to form for attack, but patiently, they await sunset before attempting to smash into the Marines’ positions. Then, at 1955, the first of several attempts at retaking the outpost commences. Vegas lights up like a Christmas tree as artillery, mortars and even 3.5-inch rockets arc skyward and then plunge upon the outpost. Al the while, a force composed of about battalion strength departs enemyheld Reno en route to clear Vegas; however, the movement is not inconspicuous. The column is immediately brought under severe fire. Two light and one heavy artillery battalions of the 11th Marines are joined by the 623rd Artillery Battalion of the U.S. Army. The combined power of the artillery propels 4,670 rounds into the attack force, and they are further pounded by the 4.5-inch Rocket Battery. The

925 Chinese are inundated with descending shells that bring a succinct halt to the attack. Meanwhile, the enemy ignites a fire fight on the right flank at 2023. The tenacious exchange continues for twenty minutes before the Chinese disengage. However, pressure against Vegas continues for about one hour. Nevertheless, despite the threats from the ground and the bombardment, the Marines hold steadfastly. While the Marines at Vegas withstand the attempts to push them from the outpost, activity against Outpost Carson develops, ending the tranquility there since the defenders threw back the Chinese during the initial hours of the battle on 26 March. The enemy threats against Carson continue into the early morning hours of the 29th, but the Chinese fail to penetrate and retire. Back at Vegas, the ominous night air breeds some apprehension among the Marine defenders, who continue to brace for the inevitable: the next attack. At about 2230, the Marines react to an approaching force closing from Hill 153. Riflemen deployed about twenty-five yards below the summit intend to fend off the attackers, but the initial thrust gives the Chinese a temporary hold on the crest. Shortly thereafter, the battling Marines retake it, but at nearly the same time, the enemy sparks a vicious fire fight that quickly tails off for about an hour. At 2300, the Chinese burst upon the outpost in their third try to dislodge the Marines and retake Vegas. Suddenly, a force composed of about two companies slams into the outpost, igniting a huge conflagration. Blistering fire is exchanged as the Marines maintain a steady stream of fire to forestall a calamity. In the meantime, artillery fire erupts as the 11th Marines propel another series of volleys that slam into the enemy and provide a protective buffer for the Americans on Vegas. Still, the Chinese keep pressing, oblivious to the bombardment that makes the slopes quiver. Just before midnight (27th-28th), the Chinese become the recipients of 6,108 rounds. Nonetheless, about two hundred enemy troops squeeze through the enfilade and gain positions above the Marines, but no penetration is accomplished. Much of the devastation is observed, as flare planes swarm across the night-sky and illuminate the targets. The Marines become encircled by about 0045, but the artillery and mortar fire keep the enemy from breaking through the defensive ring. Reinforcements rush to Vegas to support the defense, while the Chinese continue to take a beating from the big guns, which by 0130 convince the Chinese to abort the attack. Vegas is held, due in great part to the combination of the tenacity of the Marines and the overwhelming support of the artillery, tanks and planes. During the Chinese retreat, enemy troops at Reno commence firing with small arms and bazookas; however, the 5th Marines, having thrown back three attacks by the combined strength of two battalions, remain unintimidated.

March 26, 1953 As the Chinese attempt their disengagement, reinforcements from Company E, 7th Marines, barge through the enemy line that had encircled Vegas and hook up with the original defenders, Companies E and F. Together, they initiate a charge and drive the remaining Chinese from the outpost, except for one remaining strongpoint, the topographical crest (northern peak) of the hill. However, the peak does not offer sanctuary for too long. Company E, fresh on the attack, drives up the heights and moves through Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, at the rear trenches to replace Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. All the while, artillery continues to stream fire toward the enemy positions on Reno and other points of interest. In addition, Marine air squadrons swarm overhead and strike selected targets. The friendly fire creates a protective shield around Vegas for the next two hours, while the Chinese on Reno sustain ten air strikes until 0459. Meanwhile, the 11th Marines, for a two-hour period alone, propel 4,225 rounds of artillery shells that further pock the landscape of Reno and restrain any thoughts by the enemy of mounting an offensive against Vegas. At 0450, just after the last air strike of the morning, Company E bolts from its positions, sprints to the topographic crest and wrests the summit from the Chinese to culminate the blood-filled struggle for control of Vegas. Many of the officers and NCOs had been either killed or wounded during the siege, including Major Benjamin G. Lee, who steadfastly led his troops and repulsed many of the enemy’s counterattacks during the final phase of the battle. Lee is killed along with Captain Walz (Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines) just prior to the conquest of the hill, when an enemy mortar shell scores a direct hit and instantly kills both. Another prominent officer at Vegas during the initial siege and re-conquest was Lieutenant John S. Gray, who as a member of the 11th Marines remained at Vegas as an artillery observer to coordinate the strikes. He was fatally wounded by a mortar round while trying to reposition himself during the early morning hours of the 29th to attain a better point of observation. Subsequent to dawn, the exhausted, battered victors of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, and Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, regroup and consolidate their defensive positions on the costly outpost. They finish the task by about 0830, uninhibited by the enemy. The troops, composed of three platoons, spread out and deploy, with two platoons holding the primary sector and the remaining contingent taking the heights. The operation is shrouded by a blanket of smoke, but while regrouping, tonly a very few enemy troops are spotted. For the rest of the morning, a resupply operation is underway while the trenches and bunkers are being repaired. The Marines also devote time to the evacuation of wounded and bringing in replacements to

March 26, 1953 solidify the outpost for the next attack. The day’s operations, although unhindered in any major way by the enemy, is pestered by rain that saturates the troops and transforms the shell-pockets into pools of mud. While the enemy encounters the same nasty weather, they are also compelled to tolerate a day-long series of strikes, coordinated by air observers who pinpoint assembly areas and supply centers. The operation ceases at dusk, when the rain is joined by snow, prompting the air observers to return to their bases. As daylight begins to fade, the Chinese begin to emerge from their positions. Not unexpectedly, enemy guns bellow. Under the protection of darkness, the assault begins as three companies charge Vegas from their positions on Hill 153 and from Reno, banging against both flanks. However, the darkness suddenly is transformed into daylight as the sky overhead is greatly brightened by illuminating shells as part of the Marines’ response. Within about ten minutes after the attack commences, five U.S. artillery battalions initiate another earth shattering bombardment. The Chinese are inundated with flying shells; 6,404 rounds plow into the assault troops and the approaches to the coveted Vegas, inflicting extremely high casualties. The Chinese are also struck by streaming rockets and by the heavy mortars of a fresh U.S. Army unit, the 461st Infantry Battalion (Companies A and C), which just arrived in the 5th Marines’ zone to augment the 11th Marines, which are also supported by the 8-inch howitzers of Company C, 424th FABn, assigned this day to the 17th FABN. The blistering combination of artillery, mortars and rockets strikes with such enormous magnitude that the attack falters, then collapses as the formations hurriedly seek cover by withdrawing. Nonetheless, the Chinese continue to have fresh troops to commit and later at 2045, another attempt to reclaim Vegas is made, only to receive the identical result — failure. Toward midnight (29th-30th), things begin to stir at the right finger of Hill 153 when Chinese movement is detected to the rear of the finger. The column is immediately brought under fire. Streams of artillery, mortar and rocket fire converge on the target, riveting the area. The Chinese halt the advance within ten minutes. However, the night’s combat is not terminated, as the Chinese mount yet another assault to gain Vegas. During the early part of the morning, again initially under the cover of darkness, the Chinese descend from Reno and Hill 153 in battalion strength in a determined effort to dislodge the Marines and claim domination of the outpost. Like their previous assaults, the Chinese maneuver in an attempt to encircle the Marines; however, the Marine support weapons also react in identical fashion. Round after round of artillery streaks through the night air, accompanied by mortars and rockets that descend rapidly and powerfully amid the attacking forces.

926 Meanwhile, at Vegas, the Marines prepare to defend the hill, but during what turns out to be the final major attack, the Chinese never make it to the objective. By 0215 on the morning of the 30th, the Chinese abandon their final attack and relinquish their claim to Vegas. Following four grim and bloodfilled nights of unabated ferocious combat, the Marines prevail. At dawn on the 30th at Vegas, the Marines are greeted with clear skies, a good sign, as the skies will be occupied with overprotective observation planes and fighters as work is reinitiated to stabilize the defenses of the outpost and repair the massive damage to the bunkers and trenches. Nearby at the enemy positions, the planes take advantage of the clear weather and devote a lot of time to bombing and strafing to inflict destruction and rattle the ground forces to keep them from organizing a major offensive. At Hill 21A, a primary source of trouble near Reno, planes from VMA-212 and VMA-323 strike during the morning. Prior to noon, Hill 25A is struck by eight F4U Corsairs, making the task of repairing the defenses difficult. Aircraft strike targets in the afternoon, including 21B at Reno. While the enemy is preoccupied with the Marine air squadrons, at Vegas, Company G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, arrives and resumes responsibility for Vegas after relieving Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. The outpost comes under no major threat during the daylight hours; however, a small enemy contingent of five troops approaches the perimeter about one hour before noon, walking as if preparing to surrender. The Marines maintain a wary watch as they come close. The five Chinese begin to toss grenades and fire their automatic weapons. Just as suddenly, the Marines open fire. Three Chinese die suddenly and the other two are seized. One of the captured prisoners later succumbs. On this same day, 30 March, a message for General Pollock from General Shepherd, the Marine commandant, arrives at the 1st Marine Division headquarters, expressing the sentiments of the commandant: “The stubborn and heroic defense of Vegas, Reno and Carson Hills, coupled with the superb offensive spirit which characterized the several counterattacks are a source of reassurance and satisfaction to your fellow Marines everywhere....” As dusk settles over the outpost, there is a stark silence in the nearby enemy-held position at Reno and the other nearby hills. The Marines make preparations to defend against an attack, while the giant long-reaching searchlights of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Platoon, 61st Artillery Battalion, light up the potential battlefield and focus upon routes that might be used by the enemy for withdrawal. All the while, the defenders wait for the sound of the Chinese buglers and the shrill sounds of the whistles that usually accompany the preliminary artillery attack. Nevertheless, they wait in vain. The Chinese apparently concluded that another attack would prove fruitless. The

927 fifth night at Vegas remains uneventful, to the jubilation of the Marines. Subsequent to vanquishing the Chinese at Vegas, the Marines, both on the line and in the reserve units that had participated in the conflagration, summarized the battle in terms common to battle tested Marines, referring to the summit of Vegas as “the highest damn beachhead in Korea.” During the morning of the 31st, Companies D and F, 5th Marines, move from Vegas to the MLR. At 0800, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, returns to control of the 7th Marines. During the remainder of the day, fresh units relieve others at other outposts, including Corinne, Dagmar, Hedy and Bunker. During the five-day battle for control of Vegas, the Marines sustain 1,015 casualties, seventy percent of the casualties sustained by the entire 1st Marine Division during March. The casualties include 116 killed and 801 wounded. Of the wounded, 441 are evacuated. In addition, 98 Marines are reported missing and of these it is learned for certain that 19 had been captured. Marine positions, including the attack and counterattack movements, sustained 45,000 rounds of artillery, mortar and rocket fire. The Chinese 358th Regiment is decimated and eliminated as an effective fighting unit. Enemy losses, with estimates considered conservative by the 1st Marine Division, include 536 killed (counted), another 654 estimated killed, 174 wounded (counted) and another 853 estimated wounded. Also, four Chinese are captured. The Chinese 358th Regiment initially numbered between 3,000 and 3,500 troops. During the fierce fighting, two corpsmen and one Marine exhibit extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty and become recipients of the Medal of Honor. They are Hospital Corpsman Francis C. Hammond (posthumously), Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette, and Sergeant Daniel P. Matthews, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.

March 26 In Air Force activity, a large amount of enemy MiGs are sighted on this day by Allied pilots who count 289 enemy planes, the most sightings since April of the previous year. In Naval activity, as the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787) maneuvers near Songjin, she appears as a lucrative target to Communist gunners posted in the area. Fifty rounds are fired at the vessel and all miss the mark. In other activity, the Communists launch 36 rounds toward the guerrilla-held island of Yo-do in Wonsan harbor, but none score any damage. Also, the enemy batteries take aim on the destroyer USS Seton (DD 790), but the effort is futile. Other vessels in the harbor also become targets. The USS Eversole (DD 789), ROKN AMS 502 and the AMS 515 come under a barrage from shore batteries, yet again, no damage is inflicted and no casualties occur.

March 27, 1953

March 27–28 1953 In Air Force activity, at Osan, the 18th Fighter Bomber Group continues to convert from F-51 Mustangs to Sabres. By this date, the 12th Squadron has 25 F-86Fs. By 17 April, the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron will reach its full complement of Sabre jets. In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (Task Force 77) focuses its attention on a selected piece of enemy real estate, composed of less than two square miles and crammed with supply complexes in a section only about 10 miles north of the MLR (main line of resistance). Sorties are launched on two successive days from three separate carriers in an attempt to inundate the area with bombs and strafing runs. The USS Princeton (CVA 37), USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47) and the USS Oriskany (CVA34) combine to launch 216 sorties. March 27 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines ground all HRS-2 helicopters with more than 200 hours of flight time. Tests in the U.S. had determined a flaw in the main rotor blades. New rotor blades are sped from the States and the helicopters are back into action by 2 April. In Air Force activity, apparently, the Communist pilots have received copies of the Air Force leaflets daring them to come out and fight. On this day, a contingent of two RF-80s and two RAAF Meteors is intercepted by MiGs (carrying extra fuel in outside tanks) in the skies between Sariwon and Sinmaktwo, at a point less than forty miles from the front lines. However, no losses are reported. In other activity, MiGs engage other friendly planes. Major James P. Hagerstrom, attached to the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing, gets his fifth kill to become an Air Force ace. By war’s end, Hagerstrom will receive credit for 8.5 kills; he had also achieved ace status during World War II with six kills. In Naval activity, Communist gunners launch a barrage of 60 rounds against the cruiser USS Los Angeles (CA 135) in the vicinity of Wonsan. One shell inflicts slight damage. In other activity, the carrier USS Oriskany (CVA 34) launches three Corsairs, each with pilots who volunteered for the mission. The trio sweeps over the Hamhung Highway by a primary point that is well defended, and with a backdrop of a brightly illuminated moon, they dive and release their bombs. The raid is a huge success. The pilots blast and destroy the center span of the bridge and are en route back to their ship before the enemy gunners can prepare to fire a shot. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff issue a statement regarding the “stalemate” in Korea: “In view of the extensive implications of developing an effective conventional capability in the Far East, the timely use of atomic weapons should be considered against military targets affecting operations in Korea, and operationally planned as an adjunct to any possible military course of action involving direct action

March 28, 1953 against Communist China and Manchuria.” Later, during mid–May, the Joint Chiefs suggest specific actions.

March 28

The UN is informed by the Communists that they are now willing to discuss the proposals offered by the U.N. representatives regarding the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners. The Communists had received the proposals during December 1951. It does not go unnoticed by the U.N. and Eighth Army that on this day, the Chinese are heavily engaged for the third successive day against the U.S. Marines at Vegas in the Eighth Army, I Corps, sector. In addition, the sudden willingness to talk follows the recent death of Joseph Stalin. The talks resume on 6 April. In the I Corps sector, the Chinese launch attacks against the 25th Division lines to seize five outposts. In Air Force activity, more MiGs rise to engage the U.S. Sabre jets and one of them is knocked down by Colonel James K. Johnson, attached to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. The victory brings his number of kills to five, which makes him the newest ace; however, on the following day, that title will be held by yet another Sabre pilot. In Naval activity, the destroyer USS Prichett (DD561) comes under fire while she operates in Wonsan harbor, but the sighted airburst falls short of the vessel and no damage occurs. Also, Communist shore batteries fire upon Hwangto-do, also in Wonsan harbor and held by friendly guerrillas. The enemy barrage causes no harm. In other activity, Communist shore batteries near Hungnam fire upon the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787) and USS Waxbill (AMS 39), but no damage is inflicted. In yet other activity, Marine Air Group 12 reaches a new record when on this day it executes 129 sorties and delivers more than 207 tons of bombs on enemy positions in close-air support of the 1st Marine Division in the I Corps sector.

March 29 In the Eighth Army area, I Corps zone, the Chinese attacks that began on the previous night in the 25th Division zone seize three of the five outposts that came under attack. In Air Force activity, MiGs again engage Sabre jets of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing and for the second day in a row, one of the pilots becomes an ace. Lt. Colonel George L. Jones downs his fifth enemy plane to become the ace of the day. In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan fire upon two friendly islands, Sin-do and Yodo, but no damage is inflicted. March 30

In a not so unusual manner, the Communist shore gun batteries again launch an attack against friendly held islands at Wonsan, including Yodo and Hwangto-do, but yet again, no damage or casualties are reported. In another incident near Wonsan, the destroyers USS Prichett (DD 561) and USS Shelton (DD 790) become the recipients of 15 enemy artillery rounds, but all fall short.

March 31

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Divi-

928 sion zone, the Marines at Vegas clean up following a five-day battle at Carson-Reno-Vegas (Nevada Cities Outposts). During the contest, which included two days of bad weather and restricted air operations, the 1st Marine Air Wing executed 218 combat missions in support of the Marines. The participating squadrons are VMAs 121, 212 and 323; VMFs 115 and 311 and VMF(N)-513. The figure amounted to 63 percent of the month’s total of 346 close-air-support missions. (See also, March 26–31 1953 THE BATTLE FOR VEGAS.) In Naval activity, Surface vessels and carriers of TF77 launch the first of a series of attacks against the Communist positions, specifically, the Wonsan harbor coastal defenses. Enemy shore gun batteries fire upon the USS Prichett (DD 561), but the barrage falls short and the rounds land harmlessly in the harbor. However, the Prichett is able to maneuver and fire back at the guns to silence them. Also, Marine pilots had been greatly restricted during March, due to 19 days of nasty weather. Nevertheless, the Marine aviators execute 917 close air support sorties during the month. In addition, Marine pilots of VMF(N)-513, assigned to escort the B-29s during night-missions, report that no B-29s were lost during March. The Marines had been assigned the escort duty during the latter part of 1952 and since that time, while protecting the bombers, they have downed one Yak-15 and three MiG-15s. When the flights of the Marines and those of the U.S. Navy are combined, the total of sorties for March amount to 9,062. The pilots, during the same period, deposit 6,671 tons of bombs, 2,041 rockets and 1,100,000 rounds of ammunition in the course of executing 14,100 firing runs.

April 1953

In the X Corps sector, the 40th Division (X Corps reserve) receives orders to relieve the S.K. 20th Division at the Punch Bowl (Line Minnesota). Divisional headquarters are established at Nambakcho-ni. The 224th Regiment remains attached to the 45th Division, where it had been transferred during the previous month. On 14 April it relieve the 5th RCT (45th Division sector). Meanwhile, the 160th Regiment prepares to relieve the 279th Regiment (45th Division). The 160th Regiment passes to control of the 45th on 19 April and replaces the 279th as 45th Division reserve.

April 1

In Air Force activity, during a bombing mission carried out by Far East Air Forces B-29s, one of the planes misses the opportunity to hit the primary target; however, prior to returning to its base, the crew spots an enemy convoy. The B-29, attached to the 307th Bomber Wing, drops its bombs on the convoy using only a visual sighting and reports the opportune strike bears great results. The Air Force notes that this raid is the first such attack in the history of Far East Air Forces Bomber Command operations in North Korea. In Naval activity, a downed pilot, assigned to the USS Valley Forge (CVA 45), is in danger of being captured as a Communist boat closes and prepares to pull him aboard. Suddenly, at great risk, a helicopter defies

929 the enemy and flies into harm’s way and snatches the pilot before the enemy can grab him from the water. All aboard the chopper make it safely back to the carrier. In other activity, a boat from the destroyer USS James E. Kyes (DD787) encroaches the shore in the vicinity of Chaho to gather audio and visual intelligence regarding movement of enemy trains. A train heading north is observed. Shortly thereafter, the information is forwarded and a plane attached to the U.S. Air Force appears overhead. The train is attacked and damaged, but not destroyed.

April 2

Enemy guns on Hapchin-hi fire upon the USS Prichett (DD561), but neither of the two shots are accurate. In other activity, the friendly islands of Cho-do and Yo-do at Wonsan come under fire from Communist guns, but no damage is inflicted. In addition, the USS Los Angeles (CA 135) comes under fire at Wonsan. The barrage does cause some damage. And, 13 crewmen sustain minor injuries. Another fourteen crewmen are hit by shrapnel, but because they are wearing vests, no harm comes to them.

April 3 In Naval activity, the USS Prichett (DD561) receives an enemy barrage of about 40 rounds, tracer shells, as she operates during the early part of the morning. None of the rounds strike the vessel. April 4

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 5th Marines culminates 64 days on the line and reverts to division reserve. The regiment initiates its move to Camp Rose and completes the redeployment on the following day. In its place, the 7th Marines comes on line. The 7th Marines sector includes the right sector of the MLR. Meanwhile, the 1st Marines control the center portion of Jamestown and defend the MLR there, as well as 12 outposts, one of which is COP-2 near the Panmunjom peace corridor. In Naval activity, at Wonsan enemy guns fire upon the friendly island of Cho-do. About 220 rounds strike the island and cause some casualties. One man is killed and 10 others are wounded. No U.S. naval vessels are in position to return fire. Yo-do Island also comes under attack, but there, no damage is inflicted and no casualties occur. In other activity, Yongwol, in the vicinity of the Haeju approaches and held by friendly guerrillas, is invaded by a force composed of about 90 North Korean troops. The guerrillas receive some prompt assistance from planes attached to Task Unit 95.1.1 and with the air support, despite ten hours of fighting, the Communists disengage and head back to the mainland.

April 5 In preparation for the resumption of talks regarding a prisoner exchange with the Communists, the Munsan-ni Provisional Command is established. It is placed near the 1st Marine Division railhead at Munsan-ni. The new command is responsible for preparing to receive U.N. prisoners and is to be led by Colonel Raymond W. Beggs, USA, assisted by another

April 6, 1953 U.S. Army officer, a Marine officer and one South Korean representative. Colonel Wallace M. Nelson, USMC, assumes command of the U.N. Personnel and Medical Processing Unit. In addition to preparing for the arrival of U.N. prisoners, the new unit begins to construct a temporary camp to hold Communist prisoners during the transition. At this time, the Communists are being held at facilities at Koje, Cheju, and Yongcho Islands and at a hospital in the vicinity of Pusan. In preparation for the upcoming exchange, security regulations at Panmunjom and Munsan-ni, about ten miles southeast, are strictly enforced. Both locations are off limits to Eighth Army personnel, except those involved with the operation. Marine engineers initiate Operation RAINBOW, which involves the construction of what becomes known as Freedom Village. The entire facility is built by fewer than one hundred Marines in 31 working hours. The units involved with the construction include Company A, 1st Shore Party Battalion; elements of Headquarters and Service Companies; and a platoon of Company D, 1st Engineer Battalion. Work begins on this Sunday at 0800 and continues until 0100 on the 6th, when a pause of five hours occurs. At 0600 on the 6th, work resumes and the village is finished by 2000. In Naval activity, the USS Maddox (DD 731) and the South Korean minesweeper AMS 515 come under heavy fire at Wonsan, but no damage is sustained. In addition, Sosa-ri Island comes under attack by Communist shore gun batteries. One Korean is killed and 10 others are wounded. In other activity, the destroyer James E. Kyes (DD 787) comes under enemy fire while she is operating near Mayang-do Island. No damage is sustained by the vessel.

April 6 The peace talks resume at Panmunjom after the Communists react to proposals they received during October 1952 regarding the solution to the stalemate of exchanging prisoners. U.N. representatives arrive, but there is no certainty of having serious discussions. The Communists have been, for the duration, using the talks as a stall tactic. However, if the Communists are serious, the U.N. is prepared to bring the conflict to an end. On 28 March, a letter from the Communists arrived at General Mark Clark’s headquarters in Tokyo. The letter informed Clark that the Communists were now willing to exchange wounded and sick POWs and they proclaim that “the delegates for armistice negotiations of both sides immediately resume the negotiations at Panmunjom.” Clark responds to the letter, but cautiously, and the response is worded to ensure that the POW issue remains separate from the armistice talks. Also, At Munsan-ni, the Marines complete the construction of Freedom Village, the facility that will hold and process the returning POWs. The facility is divided into three parts and holds 35,500 square feet of

Marines plant a welcome sign at Freedom Village in anticipation of the first arrivals of repatriated POWs.

931

April 9, 1953

Communist representatives at Panmunjom at the close of the first day’s talks during April. hospital tent space, 84 squad tents and 5 wall tents. Three miles of combat standard roads are constructed. The site also includes reserved areas for ambulances, landing strips for helicopters and an abundance of signs written in both English and Korean, underscored with five 50-foot flagpoles. (See also, April 5, 1953.) In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Wonsan commence firing on ships this day, including the minesweeper USS Redhead (AMS 14) and the destroyer USS Maddox (DD 731), but neither vessel sustains any harm. Also, other guns at Wonsan fire upon Yo-do Island and Tae-do Island. No damage is sustained.

April 6 In Air Force activity, a series of raids are made by B-29 bombers of Far East Air Forces between this date and 12 April and each of the three separate attacks are hit again on the succeeding morning by fighter bombers. The planes launch the night attacks on the 6th-7th, 7th-8th and 11th-12th. The attacks each focus on the operable railroad bridges at Sinanju that span the Ch’ongch’on River. On each of the mornings that the fighter bomber formations arrive, they are treated to stalled vehicle traffic at the spans, which provides lucrative targets. April 7 In Air Force activity, the 8th Fighter Bomber Squadron initiates its first combat mission in Sabre jets. The sorties move to the Yalu River. By the beginning of May, the group will be flying fighter bomber missions. It will be equipped with its full complement of F-86F Sabre jets by 4 June.

In Naval activity, the USS Los Angeles (CA 135) and USS McDora (DD 534) come under fire in Wonsan harbor, but no hits are scored. In addition, the shore gun batteries pound Yo-do Island and Tae-do Island, but no casualties occur and no damage is sustained.

April 8 In Naval activity, Sok-to Island comes under attack by Communist shore gun batteries, but no damage is inflicted. The batteries also fire upon naval ships in the area, but no damage is sustained by any of the vessels. April 9

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese commence a 2-hour artillery bombardment against Outpost Carson, one of the outposts they failed to gain during the attack in late March. The barrage sends about 2,000 shells into the outpost positions. Then at 0345, the Chinese launch an attack with a force composed of about 300 troops that close from Reno ridgeline and from Arrowhead to the north. The outpost is defended by a contingent from the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. When the enemy encroaches at about 0345, it is met by the defenders’ weapons as they reach the trenches. At a few spots, some of the enemy are able to penetrate the barbed wire; however, the attack comes under heavy fire. The heated, closequartered fire fight lasts for about one and one-half hours. A contingent of reinforcements (2nd Battalion, 7th Marines) moves toward Carson at 0545, but as it reaches Elko, a recently established outpost following the loss of Reno, enemy fire stalls the advance.

April 10, 1953 In the meantime, a contingent of tanks from Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, and two other tanks from the 7th Marines’ armored platoon commence fire. Their 90-mm rifles, combined with the mortars from Carson, inflict much damage to the attackers. The enemy force also comes under attack by artillery of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines. By 0700, the Chinese withdraw from the vicinity of Carson. The attempt to take the outpost fails. Another contingent (Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines) arrives to bolster the outpost. The Marine defenders lose 14 killed and 44 wounded and evacuated. Another 22 are wounded but not seriously. In addition, 4 Marines are reported missing. The Chinese sustain 60 dead (counted) and another 90 estimated killed, as well as an estimated 70 wounded. Within about fifteen minutes after the enemy is driven off, planes from Squadrons VMA-212 and VMA-323 arrive on scene and begin to strike Chinese positions. They are joined by Corsairs from VMA-121. The three squadrons linger in the area until the middle of the afternoon and deliver a combined total of more than 140,000 pounds of bombs on targets north of Carson. After dark, the Chinese, who had hurriedly departed the area at Carson, attempt to return and recover killed troops left on the field. The endeavor proves fatal. The Marines at Carson detect the enemy at a destroyed and unoccupied bunker, and immediately initiate action to eliminate the intruders. The Chinese sustain 15 dead (counted) and an additional estimated 15 killed. Also, the Chinese sustain 7 wounded (for certain) and another 27 estimated wounded.

April 10

In the I Corp sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (reserve), moves to the Kansas Line to begin a two-day training exercise. The training is later transformed into a construction problem, as the spring rains have devastated much of the line’s defenses, including the bunkers. Other parts of the regiment also undergo training, including an amphibious operation (MARLEX 5), conducted by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. Other exercises conducted by the Marines during April include a joint operation with ROKs, U.S. Army units, and the British Commonwealth Division, when a four-day exercise called EVERREADY GEORGE begins near Seoul on 20 April. In other activity, Marine Panther jets arrive over Carson in the 7th Marines’ zone to resume air attacks, which had been flown on the previous day by other squadrons against Chinese positions, following a failed attack against the outpost. The planes are from VMF squadrons 311 and 115, but unlike the previous day’s strikes, no enemy troops are spotted. Nonetheless, after dark, other planes attached to VMA-121 and VMF(N)513 execute ground control radar bombing runs. In Naval activity, Yo-do Island again comes under attack by Communist shore batteries, but without effect. On the west coast of Korea, Cho-do Island comes under attack, but no damage is inflicted. Also,

932 near Cho-do, the LSSL 107 comes under attack, but no damage is inflicted.

April 11

At Panmunjom, the opposing representatives sign an agreement at noon regarding the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners. Rear Admiral John C. Daniel, USN, signs on behalf of the U.N. and Major General Lee Sang Cho signs on behalf of the Communists. In accordance with the agreement, the prisoner exchange (Operation LITTLE SWITCH) is scheduled to begin at Panmunjom on 20 April. The U.N. is disappointed in the number of prisoners the Communists agree to release (450 Koreans and 150 non–Korean), The U.N. states that it intends to release close to ten times that amount. Nevertheless, when the exchange ends on 26 April, the Communists release 684 prisoners and the U.N. releases 6,670. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a small contingent of about 30 Chinese troops approaches Elko, the outpost established the previous month to replace Reno. The early morning encounter occurs on the reverse slope; however, it is a short exchange. Artillery is called upon and immediately thereafter, the popular “Box-Me-In” fire arrives to provide a buffer while the defenders handle the intrusion. The Chinese retire shortly after their arrival. Later, planes from the Marine squadrons again appear overhead to renew air strikes against enemy gun positions and other targets of opportunity. The Chinese, who have tried and failed several times to take Carson since the 26th of March, launch another attack slightly after 2100. Chinese move from Ungok to the west ridge of the Marines’ perimeter. The Marines engage the force composed of about 70 troops and within ten minutes of artillery, mortar and small arms fire, and tank fire, the enemy loses about 20 killed and wounded. The attack is aborted. In Naval activity, the USS Eversole (DD 789), while operating near Wonsan, is brought under fire by about 50 rounds from the mainland, but none of the shells hit the ship.

April 12 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese, for the fourth successive day, probe the area of Carson-Elko-Vegas. On the three previous nights, the Chinese gained little except casualties. On this day, subsequent to dusk, a group of about the strength of only two squads approaches Elko. The enemy exchanges fire with the Marine defenders for about fifteen minutes, but again, they are repulsed and forced to withdraw. In other activity, after a period of testing, a new tactic is employed with regard to the Marine squadrons’ close-air support missions. The Marines on the ground in the 7th Marines’ sector use two or more 24-inch searchlights from strategic positions along the MLR during the night-attacks. The searchlights, which create an artificial horizon, guide the pilots and allow them to operate with great accuracy regardless of the depth of darkness. The pencil-shaped beams are adaptable for either target location or illumination. Air observers

933 operating in VMO-6 light liaison aircraft maintain control over the missions and from the air, the observers direct the units operating the searchlights. On this first night of operations with the new tactic, two missions are flown by F7F Tigercats piloted by Major Charles L. Sachroeder and 2nd Lt. Thomas F. St. Denis. The Marines continue to use the tactics until the 1st Marine Division is pulled from the line at the end of May. In the meantime, the ground crews and the pilots rave about the system, as the searchlights, according to reports forwarded to the Commandant, are a huge success: “results ... exceeded all expectations.” In Air Force activity, Captain Joseph C. McConnell, Jr., attached to the 39th Fighter Interceptor Wing, had achieved ace status on 16 February and by this date he is credited with eight kills. Nonetheless, on this date, enemy fire knocks McConnell out of the sky and into the Yellow Sea. McConnell is able to survive in the water and an H-19 helicopter from the 581st ARCW (Air Resupply and Communications Wing) arrives and successfully rescues him. In Naval activity, the Communist shore battery guns commence firing on naval surface vessels operating near Wonsan, but no hits are inflicted. In other activity, on the east coast of Korea near the bombline, the destroyer USS McCord (DD 534) receives one round of enemy fire, but it falls short of the vessel.

April 13 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the area encompassing Carson-Elko-Vegas is especially quiet during the hours after sunset. As the days begin to pass, enemy activity tails off even more. However, during early May, after the Marines transfer the area to the U.S. 25th Division, the Chinese become reinvigorated and activity rapidly increases. In Air Force activity, the F-86F, the newest Sabre jet, is flown into its first combat sortie by a pilot attached to the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing. In Naval activity, planes attached to TF-77 attack Chongjin. The targeted city is the recipient of 119 sorties that focus on the industrial sector and transportation centers. In other activity, Communist shore gun batteries fire upon Cho-do, held by friendly guerrillas. At Wonsan harbor, the USS Los Angeles (CA 135) bombards enemy positions. The enemy returns one round, but it fails to hit the ship. April 14 Tae-do, in Wonsan harbor, is struck by enemy shore guns and some mortars, but no damage is inflicted and no casualties occur. April 15

A Chinese Nationalist steamer, the Menten, sinks in the Pacific while en route from Kaohsuing to Sencho. An American ship, the USS Mispillion (AO 105), is able to mount a rescue operation and save 14 members of the crew, which reportedly had been composed of 52 men. Twenty-seven bodies are recovered. Cho-do Island comes under bombardment by a con-

April 16, 1953 tingent of enemy planes. Two men on the island are killed and 22 others are wounded from the air attack. In other activity, the British destroyer escort HMCS Crusader, while operating near Tanchon, discovers three separate targets, each an enemy train. The ship’s guns pound the moving trio and inflict damage upon all three of the trains. As of this date, about seventy-five miles of destroyed train tracks that link Kusong with Kunu-ri and Sinpyong have been repaired by the Communists. The task, despite interdiction bombing raids, has taken about seventy days. The enemy actually constructed bypasses to circumvent blockages created by the Air Force bombers while pummeling the rail facilities at Chongju, Sinanju, and Sunchon.

April 16–18 1953 In the X Corps sector, 7th Division zone, at about 2200, the Chinese launch an attack against Hill 255 (Pork Chop Hill), defended by elements of the 31st Infantry Regiment. The Americans number less than 100 troops, but they attempt to hold against a tenacious charge. Communications fail; however, through the use of flares, they receive support from the artillery. Nevertheless, the artillery is able only to delay the assault. Once it ceases, the Chinese resume the relentless attack and by 0200 on the 17th, the enemy controls much of the hill and the defenders are totally isolated. Reinforcements mount a counterattack at 0400 and are able to reach the positions of the defenders, but afterward, the combined strength is insufficient to regain the lost ground. Subsequent to dawn, the Chinese move to eliminate the Americans; however, the survivors, about 55 troops, defiantly hold their positions in the high ground. The real estate encompassing the outpost suddenly becomes of great value, as Eighth Army concludes that it must not fall to the Communists to prevent them from boasting of a victory at Panmunjom. At 2100 on the 17th, two companies of the 17th Regiment move out to evict the Chinese and rescue the men at the outpost. The Chinese, holding the western tip of the hill, are not greeted by whistles and bugles; rather the cold steel of the attacking force, which simultaneously strikes from two sides to ignite a furious battle that continues into the following day. Pork Chop Hill, already deeply scarred from heavy fighting, becomes a cauldron, as neither side is willing to concede the ground. Both the Americans and the Chinese pour fresh troops into the day-long donnybrook, but by about dusk, the Americans prevail as the Chinese retire, leaving the Pork Chop under American control. The Chinese, however, continue to hold Hill 266 (Old Baldy) and from their positions, they are able to maintain surveillance of Pork Chop Hill. The hill is fortified soon after the Americans regain control and the Chinese continue to attempt to retake it. Like several other hills that have been gained, lost and regained at high cost, Pork

April 16, 1953 Chop Hill is abandoned by the Americans during July.

April 16 In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan fire upon minesweeping vessels in the harbor, but no ships receive damage. In addition, the batteries fire about 56 rounds toward the destroyer USS Maddox (DD 731). The vessel is struck by one of the shells and it inflicts damage on the main deck. Three men are injured. The Maddox returns fire, but it is unable to terminate the enemy fire. In other activity, a contingent of troops, including U.S. Marines and South Korean Marines, are formed as a raiding party. The group, supported by the destroyer USS Owen (DD 536), moves ashore in rubber boats and succeeds in damaging a stretch of rails. The mission is carried out without incident and afterward, the men safely return to the ship.

934 Also, enemy planes pass over Inchon and Seoul on April 16–17, but the pilots do not drop any bombs; rather the planes deliver leaflets that boast of the Communist wishes for “peace.”

April 17 On this day, the combined missions of Marine planes of MAG-12 and MAG-33 fly 262 sorties against enemy targets. The air strikes drop more than 228 tons of bombs and expend 28,385 rounds of ammunition. In conjunction, the 3rd and 7th U.S. Divisions, between 0410 and 2030, receive close-air support by VMF-311 and VMF-115. All targets are selected by Fifth Air Force on this record-setting date for Marine sorties. In Naval activity, enemy shore gun batteries fire three rounds at the destroyer USS Shelton (DD 790) while she is operating in Wosan harbor, but each of the rounds falls short.

Soldiers take a wounded man (7th Division) on Pork Chop Hill (Hill 255) to the rear for medical aid.

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April 20, 1953

At Pork Chop Hill, a U.S. soldier in a jeep holds a .45-caliber pistol, while two Chinese POWs (captured on 17 April) are taken back for interrogation. A tank is in the left background. In other activity, Tae-do, Yo-do, and Hwangto-do are again bombarded by enemy shore gun batteries in Wonsan harbor.

April 18

In Naval activity, the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787), while operating near Chaho, bombards an enemy railroad and she is met by heavy return fire. The Kyes fires to terminate the guns, but without success, forcing the ship to move out of range rather than risk being hit. In other activity, Marine helicopters of HMR 161, supported by the 1st Marine Air Delivery Platoon, FMF, transport rocket launchers and ammunition to the Waya-dong area. Once there, the launchers are positioned and a salvo is soon after en route to the target. The firing site is then expeditiously vacated within three minutes after the first salvo, before the enemy can pinpoint the weapons and return fire. Also, in Wonsan harbor, the USS Eversole (DD789) is fired upon, but no damage occurs.

April 19 In Naval activity, the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787), while operating near Wonsan, is hit by a round during a 60-round barrage. The ship sustains damage to the main deck and one man is seriously wounded. Another three crewmen are slightly wounded.

Also, the USS Shelton (DD 790) becomes the recipient of a 25-round barrage in Wonsan harbor, but no shells strike her. The USS Curlew (AMS 8), a minesweeper, is also brought under attack in the harbor, but the rounds fall short. In addition, the friendly islands of Tae-do and Hwangto-do, also in Wonsan harbor, are hit with a combined total of 66 rounds, fired by enemy shore gun batteries. No harm is inflicted to the friendly troops there. Other incidents at Wonsan include enemy guns firing 26 rounds at the battleship New Jersey (BB-62) and 15 at the destroyer escort USS Renshaw (DDE 499). Neither vessel sustains any damage.

April 20

Operation LITTLE SWITCH (Code-named LITTLE SWAP) begins this day at Panmunjom. The operation concludes on 26 April. On this day, the first group (fifty troops) of prisoners arrives at 0825. Another contingent of fifty troops arrives about two hours later. When the first prisoners arrive, the apprehension greatly decreases. Until the arrival of the troops, there was a feeling that at the last minute, the exchange would be cancelled by the Communists. After passing through a gate that displays a giant sign, “Welcome Gate to Freedom,” the men are transported to Munsan by ambulances. Of the 100 troops

April 21, 1953

936

U.S. Army convoy transporting U.N. POWs (initial group) to Freedom Village. The convoy moves through front lines of U.S. Marines, some of whom observe the activity. returned, thirty are Americans. General Clark, the U.N. commander, and other high ranking officers are there to greet the troops. Although the new arrivals are processed, there are no intelligence debriefings. Within about 24 hours after returning, the men are transferred to K-16 at Seoul and from there to Haneda Air Force Base in Tokyo. In Naval activity, Hwangto-do, and Tae-do, both in Wonsan harbor, again come under attack by enemy shore gun batteries. No damage is sustained and no return fire by naval vessels is reported.

April 21 In Naval activity, for TF-77 on this day, the pilots get to choose their targets (BOY-SAN DAY). Also, the destroyer USS Henderson (DD 785) comes under attack, while on patrol in the vicinity of Wonsan. Twelve rounds are fired, but none inflict any damage. Also, the Communists, as usual, bombard friendly islands in the harbor. Hwangto-do, Yo-do, and Taedo Islands are struck by the enemy shore battery guns, but no casualties are sustained and there is no major damage. April 22 In Naval activity, at Wonsan, Hwangtodo and Tae-do Islands yet again come under fire from enemy shore gun batteries, but damage or casualties occur. Also, the USS Manchester (CL 83) comes under

fire while in Wonsan harbor. Some shrapnel causes slight damage, but no casualties are sustained.

April 23 In Naval activity, at about 1430, the Communist shore gun batteries initiate a massive bombardment of Tae-do from their positions on Kalma Pan-do. The attack causes casualties, one, extremely serious. The USS Henderson (DD 785) and the USS Owen (DD 536) move into action. The Owen closes on the island to get the U.S. Marine in need of immediate medical attention while the Henderson pours fire upon the enemy positions. Meanwhile, the enemy guns turn their attention to the ships and specifically, to the Henderson, which receives the brunt of the fire. The Owen, however, is able to retrieve its boat and the casualties (in total, four South Korean Marines and 1 U.S. Marine injured). While the mission is ongoing, a call for air support had been heard and a response is forthcoming as 12 planes from TF-77 arrive to pound the enemy positions. By 1730, the firing is terminated. In conjunction, the four slightly wounded South Koreans are transported to Yodo; however, the U.S. Marine is taken aboard the USS Manchester following his surgery. In other activity, four unidentified enemy planes attack a contingent of four Royal Navy Sea Furies at a point about 10 miles east of Amgak. No planes are lost,

937 but the attack inflicts damage on all four of the Sea Furies. Also, Communist shore gun batteries again bombard friendly islands in Wonsan harbor. Hwangto-do, Sado, Sin-do and Tae-do come under attack, but again, no casualties occur and no damage is sustained on any of the islands.

April 23 In Naval activity, the USS James C. Owens (DD 776) and the USS Henderson (DD 785) come under a heavy bombardment from Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan; however, none of the 100 shells inflict damage to either vessel. April 24 As usual, the Communists initiate bombardment of friendly islands in the vicinity of Wonsan. Hwangto-do, Sin-do, Tae-do and Yo-do are struck, but no damage occurs. April 25 In Naval activity, the destroyer USS James C. Owens (DD 776), while operating near Wonsan, comes under attack by enemy shore gun batteries, but no damage is sustained. In another incident, the USS Saint Paul (CA 73) is fired upon by enemy shore gun batteries in the southern sector of the Wonsan area during the morning and again during the afternoon. Neither attack causes any damage. In yet other activity, Communist gun batteries fire upon the friendly island of Hwangto-do, but without effect. April 26 At Panmunjom, the prisoner exchange that began on 20 April, concludes. Of the 684 troops freed from Communist captivity, 150 are non–Korean and of the latter, there are 15 Marines and 3 Navy medics (in support of Marine units) and one naval aviator. Each of the captured Marines had been wounded at the time of capture and they had only recently been taken prisoner, either in October 1952 at the outpost contest or at the Carson-Reno-Vegas Outposts during March 1953. In the X Corps sector, the 223rd Regiment, 40th Division, relieves the S.K. 223rd Regiment along the Minnesota Line. On the following day, the 224th Regiment and the 40th Division artillery are passed from the 45th Division back to the 40th Division. Also on the 27th, the 40th Division assumes total responsibility for the area protected by the S.K. 20th Division. Some of the artillery (40th Division) continues to support the S.K. 12th Division. In other activity, the armistice talks resume at Panmunjom; however, major differences continue and one concerns the POWs. The Communists continue to demand the return of all POWs, while the U.N. insists that any prisoners not wanting to be repatriated will not be compelled to return. Also, the entire U.N. and Communist delegations convene a meeting in Panmunjom for the first time in about six months. In Naval activity, the USS Owen (DD 536) comes under attack by enemy shore gun batteries, while the Communists simultaneously bombard friendly-held islands in Wonsan harbor. Hwangto-do, Sin-do, Tae-do

April 29, 1953 and Yo-do are recipients of what has become a daily bombardment. No damage is inflicted on the islands or the USS Owen.

April 27

In Naval activity, the USS Gurke (DD783), USS Owen (DD 536) and the USS Maddox (DD 731) each comes under attack by Communist shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Wonsan. The batteries also bombard Hwangto-do Island and Tae-do Island. No damage is inflicted upon the warships and no damage occurs on any of the friendly islands.

April 28

On this day, the U.N. changes the names of the MLR (main line of resistance), which until now was known by various names in separate sectors; such as Jamestown in the I Corps sector and Missouri, Duluth, Minnesota and Cat in others. The entire line now becomes known as “Main Line of Resistance.” Another modification includes the elimination of the word “Korea” with regard to the acronym “EUSAK” (Eighth U.S. Army in Korea). From this date forward, it becomes simply, “Eighth U.S. Army.” In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, all remains quiet and the trend continues until the end of the month. Marine patrols scour the terrain and find it difficult to detect enemy contingents. Even the incoming artillery has greatly diminished. The Marines are preparing to transfer the area to the 25th Division. The 1st Marine Division is reluctant to relinquish hold, but Eighth Army insists on the change. The Marines make it clear they are moving into reserve under protest of Marine commanders. Although it at times seems as if an armistice is near, there is a belief among the Marines that they will have to return to the area if the Chinese make an unexpected lunge against Carson-Elko-Vegas, a strategic blocking point in front of Seoul. In Naval activity, The Communist guns at Wonsan again roar as they take the USS Owen (DD 536) under fire along with a friendly held island, Hwangto-do. Other targets that receive some attention this day are Tae-do and Yo-do Islands. Despite the series of barrages, no damage or casualties are inflicted upon the warships or the guerrilla-held islands.

April 29 In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces attempts to acquire an enemy MiG-15. A B-29 is dispatched to North Korea to drop leaflets to apparently search for a defector. The mission is dubbed Project MOOLA. In Naval activity, the enemy shore gun batteries at Wonsan harbor spot a helicopter (HU-1 Unit 19) while it is on a mission in the harbor in search of mines. The Communists propel 14 rounds at the helicopter, but the crew is able to evade the fire and escape damage. The guns also target the usual objectives, the friendly islands in the harbor. On this day, it is Hwangto-do, Tae-do and Yo-do that become the recipients of the barrages. Nonetheless, the attacks cause no damage, nor casualties. In one other incident there, the USS Gurke (DD 783) comes under fire, but it, too, incurs no damage.

April 30, 1953

April 30 In Naval activity, at Wonsan harbor on Ho-do Pando, recently improved enemy shore batteries cause concern for the warships operating in the area. Destroyers receive a directive to avoid the area during daylight hours, because of the difficulty in spotting the positions of the guns. They are able to remain concealed, visible only when the flashes are spotted. Steps are taken to prepare to eliminate the new threat against shipping. In other activity, the destroyer USS Owen (DD 536) comes under attack while operating in Wonsan harbor and in addition, the Communists also bombard friendly islands. Nonetheless, no damage is inflicted and no casualties are sustained. Also, during the month of April, minesweeping operations discover 37 mines, a big increase over recent times and the largest amount found for one month since August of the previous year. Another statistic that climbed during April is the amount of rounds — 2,091 — fired against TF-95, which is record setting. With regard to the Communist batteries at Wonsan, 1,050 rounds had been fired at friendly-held islands during April and the incessant bombardments had accounted for 9 wounded and no fatalities. In other activity during April, the combined total of flights by Navy and Marine pilots amount to 9,458 sorties, which include 15,600 firing runs on targets. The pilots expended 7,052 tons of bombs, 2,874 rockets and 1,500,000 rounds of ammunition. May 1–July 27 1953. TENTH DESIGNATED CAMPAIGN: KOREAN SUMMER 1953.

May 1

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 25th Division begins to replace the 1st Marine Division on line. The operation is completed on 5 May, when the 25th Division assumes responsibility for the zone, which stretches thirty-three miles. In Air Force activity, in recognition of the Communists’ celebration of May Day, Fifth Air Force fighter bombers contribute with some fireworks. The broadcasting facility, Radio Pyongyang, is hit with a heavy attack by planes attached to the 4th and 51st Fighter Interceptor Wings. The planes, for a short while, give the impression that they are en route to the Yalu to strike targets there, but upon reaching the river, the planes change course and strike the capital. Monitoring the battle from the air, General Glenn O. Barcus, who assumed command of Fifth Air Force in May 1952, is aboard one of the planes. He proclaims that the Fifth Air Force would revisit the radio broadcasting facility each time the Communists spread “filthy lies” about Fifth Air Force. In Naval activity, the USS Dextrous (AM 341) and the USS Ruddy (AM 380) come under fire while sweeping off Hungnam. The ships are able to evade the enemy fire, but during the maneuvers, the Ruddy discovers her magnetic tail missing.

938

May 2 In Naval activity, Communists pour streams of fire on the destroyers USS Maddox (DD 731) and USS Owen (DD 536) from guns on Ho-do Pando, with the number soaring to more than 200 rounds. No casualties are incurred; however, both ships sustain slight damage. May 3

In Naval activity, a contingent of guerrillas lands on the mainland in the vicinity of Haeju to infiltrate enemy positions. The mission is supported by the HMS St. Brides Bay and the ROKN PCS 201. In other activity, the destroyer USS Gurke (DD 783) comes under fire while operating in Wonsan harbor, but no damage is sustained. In addition, the Communist batteries in the area bombard So-do Island and Yodo Island, but again, no damage is inflicted and no casualties are sustained.

May 4 In Naval activity, the USS Maddox (DD 731), operating near the Hamhung approaches, comes under attack by enemy shore gun batteries, but no harm is inflicted. Also, the Communist batteries at Wonsan bombard friendly islands. Just under 100 rounds hit, but no damage or casualties occur. May 5

The U.S. 25th Division, which had been deployed in the IX Corps sector, assumes responsibility at precisely 1120 for the far right coastal area of the I Corps. It replaces the 1st Marine Division, which moves to Camp Casey and reverts to I Corps reserve. However, the 11th Marines and the Marine armor units remain to support the 25th Division under control of I Corps. Camp Casey is constructed by Marine engineers about 15 miles east of the Marines’ positions on the MLR. While in reserve, the Marines continue to train to remain prepared. Exercises include amphibious landings (MARLEX 1 on 13 May). The 25th Division is deployed from left to right as follows: Kimpo Provisional Brigade; TF Track; 27th Regiment; 35th Regiment; Turkish Brigade. In Naval activity, the cruiser USS Bremerton (CA 130) strikes enemy positions at Wonsan harbor and she receives return fire from the batteries, which inflict some minor damage and cause two casualties, but neither man is seriously wounded. Also, the batteries fire upon the friendly islands as usual and again without effect.

May 6

In Naval activity, the British destroyer HMS Cockade bombards enemy rails in the vicinity of Songjin, but enemy batteries there return fire. The ship sustains no damage and no casualties. In other activity, Mu-do Island, near the Haeju approaches, comes under attack by Communist batteries on the mainland; however, no damage occurs and no casualties are sustained on the island or to the South Korean vessel ROKN PG 315, which had been in the vicinity.

May 7

At Panmunjom, the Communists relent. After a prolonged period of refusing the U.N. proposal

939

May 8, 1953

The vanguard of the 3rd Turkish Battalion arrives in the I Corps sector to relieve the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. regarding the exchange of prisoners, the Communists accept the proposal that those prisoners not wanting repatriation be housed in neutral custody within Korea, rather than being kept in a neutral foreign country. The negotiating teams still need to complete discussions on the final details regarding the blueprint for the Demilitarized Zone. In conjunction, the South Korean president, Syngman Rhee, becomes infuriated by the terms of the agreement. He concludes that the U.S. would settle for a divided Korea and create a permanent threat against South Korea. Rhee threatens to carry on the fight alone. In the meantime, Rhee works to upset the upcoming cease-fire plans. In Naval activity, the British destroyer HMS Cockade (DD) comes under shore gun battery fire near Songjin, but no damage or casualties occur.

May 8

In Naval activity, the USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747) and the USS Brush (DD 745) come under fire while operating near Wonsan. One round out of about 60 fired upon the Moore strikes it and inflicts some slight damage, but no casualties. The Brush remains more elusive and receives only two rounds that fall without effect. In other activity, the HMNZS Hawae (DDE), operating near Haeju, comes under fire along with the South Korean vessel ROKN YMS 514. Neither vessel sustains damage or casualties. Also, the HMS St. Brides

U.S. Navy corpsman dons an armored vest that had been worn by an infantryman when five pounds of TNT accidentally exploded at close range. The vest saved the man’s life.

May 8, 1953

940

A Marine tank in action in support of the Turkish Brigade.

941 Bay (DE) provides support for a guerrilla raid on the west coast near Haeju-man, but the raid is unsuccessful, which compels the contingent to withdraw.

May 10

In Air Force activity, an 8-plane contingent of ThunderJets, attached the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing and led by its commander, Colonel Victor E. Warford, strikes targets near the Yalu River. The enemy raises heavy antiaircraft fire, but the strike force hits the hydroelectric complex at Sui-ho. Also, during the night of the 10th-11th, a formation of thirty-nine B-29 Superfortresses strike a military complex located less than fifteen miles from the MiG base at Sinuiju. The planes plaster the entire complex, composed of 375 acres at Yangsi. About twothirds of the base is destroyed. All planes return to base. In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries on the Kojo peninsula fire upon the ROKN AMS 503, but no damage is sustained. Also, the USS Maddox (DD 731) comes under fire while operating near Yang-do, but the gunners are unable to strike the ship.

May 11 In Air Force activity, a group of F-84 ThunderJets, attached to the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing, begin to attack a chain of irrigation dams that had, until this point in the war, been off the target list of selected objectives in North Korea. On this date, the planes drop their bombs on the Toksan Dam, which controls water on the Potong River at a point about twenty miles north of the Communist capital of Pyongyang. The bombs hit their mark. Water crashes through the walls and flows uncontrollably with such power that five enemy bridges are swept away. In addition, the primary north-south highway is made impassable, while simultaneously, the airfield at Sunan becomes flooded and inoperable. And yet more severe damage is caused by floods when they oversaturate about five square miles of rice paddies. Similar attacks continue in the region for about two weeks. In Naval activity, four enemy trains unexpectedly come under attack by four destroyers as they encroach Tanchon. Each of the trains sustains damage. The naval attack is part of two ongoing interdiction operations of TF-77, known as Operation PACKAGE and Operation DERAIL, begun in December 1951. The mission calls for cutting five primary rail targets by air and naval surface attacks. May 12 In Naval activity, the USS Philip (DDE 498) comes under fire near Soho-ri, but the four rounds fall short. Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan bombard friendly held islands in the area through May 15 with more than 200 rounds, but the main focus points to Yo-do Island, which contains Briscoe Field. — In the United States: President Eisenhower nominates Admiral Arthur W. Radford for the position of chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, to succeed General of the Army Omar M. Bradley. May 13 At Panmunjom, the discussion about prisoner exchange continues to be contentious and no

May 16, 1953 progress emerges. General Harrison, the top U.N. representative, offers a counterproposal to one offered by the Communists, but nothing is settled and the crosstable conversations become heated. The talks are recessed. However, during early June, the Communists relent and accept Harrison’s plan, which essentially had been the U.N.’s final offer. The acceptance by the Communists terminates 18 months of refusal to come to an agreement. In conjunction, the president of South Korea, Syngman Rhee, already incensed by the terms of a possible armistice, renounces the agreement. In other activity, Fifth Air force continues to strike enemy targets. In Naval activity, the carrier USS Boxer (CVA 21) initiates its first combat sorties of its fourth duty tour during the Korean War.

May 14 In Naval activity, the South Korean minesweeper ROKN AMS 503 comes under fire while operating near the bomb-line, but the enemy rounds miss the vessel. May 15

In the I corps sector, not too long after midnight (14th-15th) and not yet two weeks since the 25th Division relieved the Marines and assumed responsibility of Carson-Elko-Vegas, the Chinese decide to test the mettle of the new defenders of the line. Two enemy battalions descend upon a string of outposts, including Berlin and East Berlin. One battalion surges toward Carson-Elko-Vegas while the other drives against Berlin–East Berlin. The outposts, defended by the Turkish brigade, receive support from Turkish artillery units and the 11th Marines, as well as the tanks of Company C (USMC). The attack is repulsed and the enemy sustains high casualties, estimated at 200 killed and 100 wounded. Later, during daylight, planes arrive to bomb and strafe. Combined, the 11th Marines and the 25th Division expend 11,527 rounds of artillery. Enemy artillery fires about 10,000 rounds. In other activity, the 1st Marine Air Wing undergoes some changes. VMF(N)–513 is transferred to MAG-12 from MAG-33. The squadron, equipped with new twin-engine jet fighters (F3D-2s) redeploys at K-6 (Pyongtaek). The squadron had been operating at K-8 (Kunsan). In Naval activity, ROKN AMS 506 comes under attack while operating near Haeju. The vessel sustains some damage and in addition, five crewmen are slightly wounded. In yet other activity, the destroyer USS Brush (DD 745) comes under attack near Wonsan. The ship sustains one hit, which inflicts only slight damage to the vessel; however, four men are wounded seriously and another five receive superficial wounds.

May 16

In Air Force activity, the attacks against previously restricted targets that began on the night of the 11th-12th continue. A contingent of planes from the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing executes 90 sorties against another dam in North Korea, the Chasan

May 17, 1953 irrigation dam. The strikes split the dam, causing flood waters to roar through the area. Several railroad bridges are washed away and many rice paddies are ruined. In Naval activity, planes attached to TF-77, known as the “Morning Hecklers,” spot and attack an enemy train as it moves along the eastern coast of Korea. The attack succeeds and damages the train. In other activity, Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan launch nine rounds against the friendly held island of Tae-do. No damage is sustained.

May 17

In Naval activity, a contingent of South Korean troops (ROKs), supported by two destroyers, the USS Brush (DD 745) and the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787), launches a raid at a spot north of Kojo. The mission succeeds and the troops are able to destroy 14 enemy sampans and some automatic weapons. The troops also ignite about fifty fires. Another destroyer, the USS Maddox (DD 731), targets and strikes a locomotive as it moves through the Songjin region. Secondary explosions provide instant illumination that permits follow-up fire to hit and ravage the entire train. In yet other activity, planes attached to the escort Carrier USS Bairoko (CVE 115) bolster a raid by amphibious troops along the west coast of Korea, slightly less than fifty miles northwest of Seoul. The successful raid confirms the ability of the U.N. forces to either land or retrieve friendly forces from the Lonan peninsula–Fohan estuary area.

May 18

In Air Force activity, two survivors of a B-26 that had crashed behind enemy lines use a mirror to try to alert passing U.S. planes of their location. The signal is picked up and a harrowing rescue operation unfolds. The isolated crew members are in constant danger of being discovered. In addition to a helicopter, fighters are called upon to clear the way. In the meantime, the H-19 helicopter moves from its base to a holding point on a small island off the Haeju peninsula. The fighters arrive to open the route and pound enemy positions with the H-19 following in their path, moving through the enemy line at an elevation of 5,000 feet. The helicopter crew spots the signals from their mirror, then swoops down, lands for about thirty seconds, and retrieves both men. The helicopter and the fighters depart without harm. Also, the Air Force gets its first triple jet ace. Captain Joseph C. McConnell, Jr., during the previous April had been shot down but rescued on the 12th. At the time, he had eight aerial victories. On this day his total climbs to sixteen kills, when he shoots three more MiG15s. Captain McConnell (39th Fighter Interceptor Wing) becomes the highest scoring ace of the Korean War. Also, Lt. Colonel George I. Ruddell, the commanding officer of the 39th Fighter Squadron, downs a MiG, his fifth, to become an ace. In other activity, on 10 May, B-29s had attacked a military complex at Yangsi and destroyed about two thirds of it. On this night (18th-19th), eleven Super-

942 fortresses return to strike again. The B-29s pound the remaining structures on the base.

May 19

In Air Force activity, a huge Communist supply depot at Unsan-dong comes under attack during the night of the 19th-20th by a contingent of the 19th Bomber Group. The target, located less than ten miles from Sinanju, where a MiG base is located, is relentlessly pounded by the B-29s. After-action reports indicate that 140 buildings had been reduced. The complex also contains a troop center for units on their way south. In Naval activity, another episode of destroyers on the hunt unfolds near Chaho. The warships USS James E. Kyes (DD 787) and USS Eversole (DD 789) are not in search of enemy vessels; rather, enemy trains moving through the darkness. One is spotted and immediately taken under fire. The guns propel a total of 418 rounds and of these, 128 are star-shells. Combined, the destroyers’ power pummels the train into debris, as later reported by gathered intelligence. In other activity, another usual barrage of friendly islands in Wonsan harbor occurs. The barrages score no damage. — In the United States: The Joint Chiefs of Staff proposes the use of naval and air operations against Communist China and Manchuria. The recommendation includes the use of nuclear weapons and the proposal also urges using surprise and full-scale attacks rather than a gradual increase of strength. The National Security Council, on the following day, agrees with the recommendation. The secretary of state, John Foster Dulles, explains the U.S. intent to the prime minister of India and suggests that the information regarding the bombing of targets above the Yalu would be struck if the talks at Panmunjom did not bring about a quick settlement. An armistice is signed during the latter part of July and it is never made public whether the U.S. threat to use atomic weapons was genuine or a bluff.

May 20 In Naval activity, Communist batteries bombard two friendly held islands, Sangchwirado and Hachwirado, both located along the west coast of Korea. Neither island sustains any damage or casualties. In other activity, the destroyer USS Bradford (DD 545) encounters a small boat near Yang-do Island, but the boat’s crew fails to respond to a challenge from the Bradford. The boat is sunk; it had held 24 friendly guerrillas. The Bradford picks up 5 survivors. May 21 In Air Force activity, a contingent of B-29s launches an attack on the night of the 21st-22nd, against another dam, the Kuwonga dam. The Superfortresses use the SHORAN (airborne radar device coordinated with two ground beacon stations) bomb system, which pinpoints the target; however, despite seven direct hits, the dam fails to crack. The Communists had drained about twelve feet of the water level to lower the pressure. May 23 In Naval activity, Task Force 77 initiates flights to familiarize and train its pilots in MPQ radar controlled bombing.

943

May 24 In Naval activity, at Wonsan, the Communist gunners continue to attempt to knock out a U.S. warship, but yet again, they fail. The cruiser USS Bremerton (CA 130) becomes the recipient of a 10-round bombardment and all the shells miss the mark. May 25

The Communists increase the intensity of artillery bombardments on the positions held by the Turkish Brigade through May 27, but no land assaults are initiated against the Nevada Cities Outposts (Carson-Elko-Vegas). In Naval activity, the friendly guerrillas on Yo-do Island in Wonsan harbor come under attack by Communist shore gun batteries, but no damage is inflicted. In other activity, the carrier USS Boxer (CVA 21) and the USS Mispillion (AO 106) accidentally collide, but no serious damage occurs and no casualties are sustained by either vessel.

May 26

In Naval activity, Communist gun batteries at Wonsan pour a 50-round barrage at the USS Duncan (DDR 874). The only damage sustained is the ship’s radio antenna, which is clipped by a shell fragment. In other activity near Wonsan, the friendly island of Hwangto-do comes under attack by enemy batteries, but no damage is inflicted.

May 27 In Air Force activity, aerial reconnaissance flights detect conspicuous activity that signals an imminent full-scale enemy offensive, giving Eighth Army time to prepare. In Naval activity, at Wonsan, the Communist shore batteries launch an artillery barrage upon the battleship USS New Jersey (BB 62), which has come on scene to assist TF-77 planes in the mission to liquidate the retractable batteries that continue to threaten the fleet and the friendly islands. The battery gunners waste 12 shells on the New Jersey, which returns fire and ends the hostile fire. In other activity, the British cruiser HMS Newcastle pounds enemy batteries located in the vicinity of the approaches to Chinnampo. Enemy batteries return fire, sending about 30 rounds toward the Newcastle, but the ship sustains no damage or casualties. In yet other activity, during the earliest part of this morning, six enemy planes bomb an airfield between Inchon and Yongdungpo and on the same mission, the pilots bomb a pipeline in the area. The attack inflicts some slight damage to one F-86 and two F-80s. One man is injured. May 28 In the I Corps sector, in the Nevada Cities Outposts, following several days of probing and active enemy artillery positions, a large portion of the line explodes in raucous fashion at 1800. In concert with a thunderous artillery barrage that crashes into the I Corps sector, the Chinese unleash a full-scale assault force that encompasses a distance of more than 17,000 yards. The force extends eastward from COP-2 across the Carson-Elko-Vegas sector to the Berlin–East Berlin area, and beyond into the sector protected by the British

May 28, 1953 Commonwealth Division. The Chinese, who had been repeatedly blocked by the Marines from breaking through to Seoul, make another attempt. Primary elements of the Chinese 120th Division are committed against the 25th Division and its attached units. The sounds of the guns, the screeches of the whistles and the blare of the bugles accompany the enemy battalions as they swarm from their positions and crash toward their respective objectives, to seek and find points of penetration. The attacking ground forces simultaneously plow against the line and against the outposts defended by the Turks. One battalion pounds against Carson and Elko, while another hammers Vegas. On the right flank, a third enemy battalion drives into Berlin and East Berlin. The Turks at Carson and Elko resist tenaciously and exchange violent blows for three hours. But, the Chinese continue to use relentless pressure and advance to the point that hand-to-hand combat erupts, while the Turks continue to try to turn back the attack. The gallant stand of the two Turkish platoons is unable to repel the assault. Carson falls. Meanwhile, at nearby Elko, the Turks are still holding, but here, too, the pressure is building too high for the solitary platoon to hold without reinforcements. Orders arrive at Elko that instruct the defenders to abandon the post and make it back to the MLR. Since the beginning of the onslaught, the 25th Division artillery and the 11th Marines artillery have pounded the enemy with repeated volleys that plunge into and around the columns, as they attempt to collapse the outposts. Marine tanks form along the line in the sector held by the Turks. Initially, 15 tanks of the 1st Marine Tank Battalion are in place in support of the Turks. As the enemy approaches their 90-mm rifles unleash a steady stream of fire to crush the columns, but still the Chinese advance. As the attacks build momentum, even more tanks arrive to further punish the attack forces. Eventually, 33 Marine tanks are on the line. They propel round after round into the enemy columns. Despite the heavy artillery and the tanks, the Chinese maintain the assault. While the Chinese are overrunning Carson and Elko, the defenders at Vegas, numbering 140 troops, dish out punishing fire from their positions and prevent the Chinese from seizing the outposts. Other positions along the line also hold their ground. On the far right, in what turns out to be a diversion, the Turks at Berlin and East Berlin retain both outposts, as the Chinese break off the attacks. Back at COP-2, held by the 35th U.S. Infantry Regiment, the Chinese are unable to penetrate. The regiment forces a withdrawal by midnight (28th-29th). The wide-ranging assault does not leave the British Commonwealth sector unscathed. The Chinese pound against Outposts Ronson and Warsaw. The British resist tenaciously and like the Turks, receive support from the 25th Division and the 11th Marines. In addition, the 4.5 inch Rocket Battery (USMC) is deployed at the Hook in support of the British.

May 28, 1953 The Chinese maintain the pressure into the following day. All across the line, the troops of the 25th Division are hammered and the outposts become endangered. At the Nevada Cities Outposts (Carson-ElkoVegas) area, the combat remains vicious throughout the day at Vegas, with control changing hands several times, as neither the Chinese nor the Turks relent, but in the end, the Chinese prevail. And, in the meantime, a counterattack regains Elko. By about noon, in addition to the massive artillery and tank support, Marine air squadrons arrive and also pummel the enemy at every opportunity. The Chinese come under attack by VMA Squadrons 212, 121 and 323 repeatedly throughout the day, as seven four-plane strikes pound the troops and cause the ground under them to quiver. Afterward, more Marine planes arrive to execute ground controlled radar bombing strikes. During the early part of the day, the 1st Marine Division, in reserve at Camp Casey, receives orders to prepare to return to the line. At 1315, the 1st Marines, commanded by Colonel Wallace M. Nelson, is transferred to the operational control of the I Corps. About two hours later, the 1st Marines, along with its antitank and heavy mortar companies, stand ready at the Kansas Line in the 25th Division zone on hold, awaiting the order to attack. Another Marine unit, the 1st Division Reconnaissance Company, is ordered to the Imjin River to relieve a reserve company of the 14th Regiment. Although the Marines arrive and prepare to take on the attackers, the order does not arrive. They spend the remainder of the day waiting for orders. At 2300, with the Chinese holding Carson and Vegas, the 14th Regiment (reserve), which participated in the counterattack to regain Elko, is informed that the positions are untenable. It is ordered to abandon the outpost. In addition, the Turkish elements at Vegas are also ordered to abandon their positions and retire to the MLR. The withdrawal continues the rest of the night and into the following morning. By dawn, the Turks and U.S. troops of the 14th Regiment complete the retreat to the MLR. At dawn on the 30th, the Nevada Cities Outposts, which the Chinese had not been able to take from the 1st Marine Division earlier, are under Chinese control. The sun is obscured as inclement weather casts an ominous aura over the lost outposts. The day passes without ground attacks to regain the lost terrain and the rain dominates the region. In the meantime, the elements of the 1st Marines remain under the control of I Corps and hold in place, in case the regiment is needed to regain the lost ground. The Marines are released from I Corps control on 5 June, the day Eighth Army concludes that the three hills are no longer considered strategically important. Eighth Army also decides that the lost territory will remain under Chinese control and that no new attacks would be mounted to regain the ground, which only a short time ago was indeed critical and strategic. On March 26, the Chinese launched a five-day as-

944 sault to gain the coveted hills and failed, costing them extremely high casualties. The Marines, during the struggle to hold the hills, sacrificed 116 killed and sustained 801 wounded, while eliminating the Chinese 358th Regiment as a fighting unit. The 25th Division reports estimated enemy casualties for the period May 28–30 as 2,200 killed and 1,057 wounded. The Turks, during the same period, while defending the outposts, sustain 104 killed, 324 wounded and 47 missing. (See also, March 26–31 1953 THE BATTLE FOR VEGAS.)

May 28

In Air Force activity, another key target, previously restricted, the Kuwonga Dam, comes under attack by B-29s. The planes drop 2,000-pound bombs that strike the dam; however, it does not crack. Nevertheless, the Communists, in order to repair the damage, are compelled to drain the reservoir. The North Korean water supply required for irrigation is wasted. In Naval activity, vessels in Wonsan harbor do not come under attack, but Communist shore gun batteries bombard friendly islands in Wonsan harbor. The enemy barrage totals 131 rounds, but no damage is inflicted on any of the target islands.

Late May 1953

By this time, while the 1st Marine Air Wing continues to phase out the F7F Tigercats in Night Fighter Squadron 513, the 24 new F3D-2 twin jets are further bolstered by four more that arrive from the carrier USS Lake Champlain. The squadron begins its initial primary nightfighter mission since the outbreak of the Korean War. The new Skyknights continue to carry out the task of escorting the U.S. Air Force B-29s on night missions, a task assigned to the 1st Marine Air Wing during the latter part of 1952. Since the Marines’ Tigercats began escorting the bombers, none had been lost to enemy planes since 29 January 1953. The Skyknights also have retained a sterling record while protecting the flights.

May 29 In Naval activity, a new squadron, VMA332 (MAG-12), arrives to replace VMA-312, which is scheduled to return to the States following its 33month tour as part of the wing as West Coast (CTE 95.1.1) Aerial Reconnaissance and Blockade Squadron. VMA-332 is scheduled to operate from the carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115). The departing squadron had operated from the USS Bataan (CVL-29), a smaller carrier that is also about to end its tour in Korea. In other activity, General Mark Clark receives authority from Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson to take any action necessary to prevent the situation in Korea from getting out of control, due to the ongoing opposition from Syngman Rhee. The U.S. recently drew up emergency plans (Plan EVER-READY) to seize control of the S.K. government and place Rhee under custody, if it becomes necessary. The plan includes placing Rhee’s prime minister, Chang Taek Sang, into the presidency and if he declines, to establish a military regime.

945 In Naval activity, at Yang-do Island, the USS Swift (AM 122) and USS Redstart (AMS 378), while moored, come under a brisk 25-round artillery barrage. The Swift sustains one hit, but it causes only slight damage. In addition, one crewman sustains a superficial wound. The Redstart is unscathed. In other activity, two British vessels, the HMS Newcastle (CL) and the HMS St. Brides Bay (PF) come under fire while operating west of Chinnampo. The marksmanship of the enemy gunners remains poor. No damage is sustained and no casualties occur.

May 31 In Air Force activity, Lt. General Samuel E. Anderson assumes command of Fifth Air Force. He succeeds General Glenn O. Barcus, who had assumed the position during May 1952. Also, two planes of the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron are lost on this day. The leader of the day’s mission, “Tex” Beneke, is killed upon take-off and another pilot is killed during the mission. The other two planes in the contingent are badly damaged upon landing and subsequently scrubbed; however both pilots survive. In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries in the vicinity of Wonsan open fire on two friendly islands, Hwangto-do and Yo-do. All shells miss their targets. The Communists, during the month of May, had launched 786 rounds into the friendly islands in Wonsan harbor. U.S. warships had also come under fire during this same period. — In Japan: Marine Squadron VMA-332 arrives at Itami Air Base from Florida. June 1 Airfields in North Korea become a high priority for TF-77 and Fifth Air Force. All restrictions are lifted, including a directive that requires 48-hour notice prior to any attacks near the border with Manchuria. In Naval activity, Secretary of the Navy Robert B. Anderson announces through testimony that U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots had flown thirty-seven percent of the air strikes flown by the U.N. during the conflict in Korea to this point, less than two months before the end of the fighting. June 2

In the X Corps sector, the Communists launch an attack against the perimeter of the 40th Division along the Minnesota Line (Punch Bowl). A fierce fight ensues, including close-quartered combat. The attack is repelled by the 223rd Regiment. For the remainder of the month, the 40th Division continues to dispatch strong patrols to gather intelligence and to establish ambush sites. In Air Force activity, B-29s initiate raids to support IX Corps. The Superfortresses initiate missions that focus upon disrupting enemy troop concentrations, training areas and supply depots, but other targets are also struck. In Naval activity, The USS St. Paul (CA 73) and USS Manchester (CL 83), while operating in the vicin-

June 5, 1953 ity of Wonsan, come under heavy fire from Communist shore gun batteries, but of the 38 rounds fired, none come close to either vessel. Another vessel operating at Wonsan, the USS Bole (DD 755), becomes the recipient of fire from the batteries, but none of the 14 rounds fall close to the ship. Nevertheless, the Bole returns fire and terminates the hostile fire. In other activity, Communist shore gun batteries near Chaho commence firing upon the USS Wiltsie (DDY 16) and the USS James E. Kyes (DD 787). The barrage does not threaten either ship; however, return fire from the two destroyers terminates the hostile fire.

June 3 In Naval activity, at Wonsan, the USS Lofberg (DD 759) and USS Bole (DD 755) come under fire by enemy shore gun batteries, but no harm is inflicted. In addition, the batteries fire upon the friendly islands of Hwangto-do and Tae-do. About 129 rounds are fired at the two islands, but none cause any damage. In other activity, the HMS Morecombe Bay comes under fire in the vicinity of Shinnampo, but no damage is inflicted. Also, the destroyer USS Wiltsie (DD 716) spots and fires upon an enemy train as it moves near Tanchon and damages it. Soon after the train is disabled, aircraft from TF-77 arrive and totally destroy it before they return to the USS Boxer (CVA21). In other activity, subsequent to dusk, several Sovietbuilt PO-2 planes make a bombing run over Chaho, but no damage or casualties occur. June 4 On this day, the Communists accept the U.N.’s final offer regarding prisoners, which had been proposed on 7 May. In the X Corps sector, 7th Division zone, a detachment of Company K, 17th Regiment, comes upon an enemy contingent about to dig positions on the slope of Pork Chop Hill. A heavy firefight erupts, but as the battle ensues, the enemy increases in strength and the detachment is ordered to pull back. PFC Charles Barker volunteers to provide cover fire, while the others retire. Barker is last seen while engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the attackers. PFC Barker is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his tremendous heroism and selfless sacrifice to save others. In Naval activity, the USS LSMR 409, a rocket ship, comes under effective fire at Wonsan. The enemy scores two hits; however, only slight damage is caused. In addition, five crewmen are injured. The ship returns fire, more than 200 rockets. The LSMR resumes operations, but the gun batteries remain silent. June 5

Eighth Army, having lost the Nevada Cities Outposts, Carson-Elko-Vegas, to the Chinese during late May, decides this day to forego any new attempts to regain the lost ground. The outposts, previously designated as major posts, are now considered non-critical. (See also, March 26-31 1953 THE BATTLE FOR VEGAS.) In Air Force activity, Major Vermont Garrison, who had achieved status as an ace during World War II, on

June 5, 1953 this day as commanding officer of the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron engages and vanquishes two MiG-15s, for his fifth and sixth kills of the Korean War, since 21 February of this year. Major Garrison will knock down a total of 10 MiGs and become a double-ace before the end of the war. Also, during 1966, Colonel Garrison again returns to combat as commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing.

June 5-7 1953

Typhoon Judy arrives at Japan and moves past Kyushi, one of its southern islands. The inclement weather hinders TF-77 for several days.

June 6

In Naval activity, the USS PC 706 maneuvers through a dense fog in Wonsan harbor and spots a group of five enemy fishing boats (sampans) on the beach at the northern end of Ho-do Pando and destroys them.

June 7-19 1953

In Naval activity, Naval and air power during this final phase of the conflict focuses upon enemy front line positions that face Eighth Army. Carriers working together in groups of three and four pound the enemy positions day and night. In addition, on the eastern front, the enemy is under heavy bombardment by the guns of the battleship New Jersey.

June 8 At Panmunjom, a final agreement on the exchange of POWs is reached between the U.N. and the Communists. Soldiers not wanting to be repatriated will, after a period of four months from the date they come under the jurisdiction and custody of the peace commission, be given the status of civilian. POWs who seek asylum will be set free. On the following day, the South Korean assembly denounces the peace plan and rejects the proposal. In Naval activity, the USS Lof berg (DD 759) and the USS Bole (DD 755) come under fire while operating near Wonsan, but the barrage of about 60 rounds causes no damage to either vessel. June 9 In Naval activity, a celebration is held aboard the USS Boxer (CVA 21) in honor of the 59,000th landing of a plane on her deck. In other activity, the USS Bole (DD 755) pounds enemy positions at Wonsan and the enemy gunners return fire, but the Bole sustains no damage. June 9-15 1953 The Communists initiate an offensive that focuses primarily on the ROK II Corps and some X Corps positions. Some territory is gained, but a high price is paid, as the enemy loses about 16,300 killed. In addition, 81 are captured. Eighth Army is bolstered by the carriers USS Princeton (CVA 37), USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47), USS Boxer (CVA 21), and USS Lake Champlain (CVA 39). The planes essentially ignore the elements and often operate with 300-foot ceilings, rather than 1,500 feet. June 10 From today until 17 June, the combined flights of U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine planes

946 amount to 8,359 sorties against enemy targets in support of the ROKs, who are being pummeled by the Chinese. The Marine squadrons execute 1,156 of the sorties and for the entire month of June, Marine pilots fly 3,276 sorties, although impeded on 23 days due to inclement weather. On this day, 68 planes of VMF-115 and VMF-311 pass over enemy targets in the vicinity of Chaeryong and deliver napalm that splatters about a troop complex composed of 333 structures. Subsequently, aerial photos of the area are obtained and it is determined by count that 230 buildings were reduced to debris and another 40 were damaged. In other activity, a contingent of 8 single-engine planes bomb the friendly held island of Psengyong-do without effect. No damage is inflicted and no casualties occur. In the I Corps sector, the Chinese continue to take advantage of the lull in activity of Eighth Army as the conflict seems to be moving toward an armistice. The Communists had shuffled troops and supplies into the area around the Pukhan River near Kumsong, from where they launch a strong attack against the ROK II Corps. On this day, two enemy divisions of the 60th and 68th Chinese Armies descend southward on opposite sides of the river and plunge into the ROK lines. The massive push splinters the South Korean positions and within six days, the Chinese make huge gains by shoving the ROKs (5th Division) back about 4,000 yards. The Chinese continue their offensive by pivoting west. The Communists pound against the ROK II main line of resistance and they stretch directly into the X Corps sector to strike the ROK 20th Division at the Punch Bowl. The South Korean forces collide with the enemy all across their front, but the intensity of the attack builds in momentum as it rolls forward. Finally, by the 28th, the pressure lessens along the line; however, the South Koreans are badgered in the process. In addition to bulldozing and shrinking the S.K. front lines by 4,000 yards along a 15,000-yard sector of the perimeter, the Chinese also add to their recently won outposts by gaining more hills east of the Pukhan River. The South Koreans inflict an estimated 6,600 casualties upon the enemy; however, in addition to losing the ground, the South Koreans sustain about 7,300 casualties. In the X Corps sector, 3rd Division zone, the enemy launches an attack against Outpost Harry, manned by elements of Company K, 15th Regiment. At a nearby listening post, one of the defenders had been wounded. Master Sergeant Ola A. Mize leaves the defenses, bolts to the wounded soldier and gets him back to safety. Meanwhile, Mize rallies the troops and in the process, he gets knocked down several times by artillery and mortar blasts. Each time he is able to return to his position. Mize and the able-bodied troops move from bunker to bunker to eliminate the enemy that had penetrated.

947 At about the same time, Mize spots the enemy about to overrun a machine gun position. He darts to the gun and eliminates ten of the enemy while the others withdraw. Mize then returns to the command post to find more wounded. He supports the wounded and calls for artillery to pound the enemy approaches. At dawn, Sergeant Mize leads a counterattack to drive the remaining enemy form the outpost. Sergeant Mize becomes a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and leadership in the face of a superior numbered enemy force. In Air Force activity, planes from Far East Air Forces Bomber Command and from Fifth Air Force combine their power to strike enemy airfields in North Korea that are either operable or close to being back in service. The fields at Sinuiju and Uiju come under a blistering air strike by fifteen B-29s of the 98th Bomber Wing, while a simultaneous attack is made by Fifth Air Force planes (F-84s) on the airfield at Kanggye.

June 11

Between February 27, 1952, and this date, the pilots of the 1st Marine Air Wing have completed more than 80,000 combat sorties in support of the divisions of the United Nations Command. In Naval activity, the USS Wiltsie (DD 716), a destroyer, becomes the recipient of about 45 rounds of enemy battery fire while she operates near Wonsan. The vessel is struck by one shell and sustains some damage on the main deck (starboard side); however, the ship is able to continue its mission. The batteries at Wonsan also propel the usual barrage upon friendly islands in the harbor, but no damage or casualties occur. In yet other activity, a sea lift is initiated to evacuate friendly Koreans from coastal islands north of the 38th Parallel. About 19,400 people are relocated in anticipation of an imminent armistice; however, prior to departing, the people destroy their property to prevent the Communists from making use of it. In Air Force activity, the air raids against enemy airfields continue. The field at Chunggang-ni is struck by thirteen F-84 fighter bombers. After-action reports indicate that the runway had been knocked out of commission.

June 12

In the ROK II Corps sector, the Chinese strike against the ROK 5th Division at its right flank, near the Pukhan River. The fighting continues into the following day, but a counterattack by the South Korean 8th Division (reserve) fails to halt the Communist advance. The pressure remains great as the Chinese maul the ROKs. By the 14th, the Chinese are able to completely encircle one regiment and in so doing, imperil the left sector of the X Corps. In Naval activity, the USS Manchester (CL 83) and USS Carpenter (DDE 825) initiate a bombardment of enemy positions in the vicinity of Hungnam. Communist batteries return fire, but inflict no harm.

June 13 The USS Lake Champlain (CVA 39), having recently arrived to serve with TF-77, launches

June 15, 1953 planes that strike enemy airfields at Chongjin, Hoemun, Hoeryong and Wonsan. In related activity, an accident occurs when 20-mm rounds inadvertently hit two planes. The aircraft are destroyed. No casualties are reported.

June 13-18 1953

The massive campaign to destroy and damage airfields in North Korea continues. During this period U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps planes combine to destroy the dams at Namsi and Taechon. The targets come under attack by B-29s, F-84s and Marine F4U Corsair fighterbombers; however, the dams hold. It had been intended to crack the dams to cause flooding of both airfields.

June 14 In Naval activity, Task Force 77 launches a large air attack, which includes a strike against the Hasepori marshaling yard, a primary supply depot. The air strikes (more than 500 sorties) are intended to slow the Communist offensive by bolstering the Eighth Army ground troops. In other activity, Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan fire upon the USS Lof berg (DD 759) and the USS Bole (DD 755) without effect. The batteries also fire upon friendly islands in the harbor, but no casualties or damage occur. In yet other activity, the USS Bremerton (CA 130), while operating near Wonsan, also comes under a failed attack. Also, the Communist gunners bombard the friendly-held island of Cho-do and the USS LST-529 in Wonsan harbor, but with a rapid response, the USS LSMR 409 launches rockets that terminate the enemy fire. June 15-30 1953 The Chinese initiate attacks in the I Corps area and by the 30th, the fighting nets only two outposts. In Naval activity, enemy batteries at Wonsan expend more than 100 rounds against a series of American warships, but none of the shells cause any harm. The targets had been the USS Lof berg (DD 759), USS Bole (DD 755) and USS Current (ARS 22). June 15 Planes operating from the USS Princeton fly 184 combat sorties, which set a record for the most sorties flown from a carrier on a single day. The combined sorties for the Navy and Marine Corps this day totals 910, a record for a single day. In the Eighth Army area, General Maxwell Taylor, in response to the Chinese gains in the ROK II Corps sector, modifies the boundary separating the ROK II Corps and X Corps, pushing X Corps boundary to the Pukhan River. Taylor also attaches the ROK 5th Division to X Corps. Other adjustments are made by X Corps on the following day. In the 1st Marine Division zone, Major General Randolph McC. Pate assumes command of the 1st Marine Division. He succeeds General Pollock, who retires. General Pate, similarly to General Pollock, moved from command of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp LeJeune to take command of his new division.

June 16, 1953 In other activity, in response to the enormous gains by the Chinese against the ROK forces, the Far East Air Forces, including U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps squadrons, unleash what becomes the highest number of strikes of the entire conflict. The planes fly 2,143 sorties. For the period 14 June through 17 June, Fifth Air Force executes 3,941 combat sorties at a cost of nine pilots killed. Eleven aircraft are lost and another 11 are seriously damaged. In addition, 42 planes sustain minor damage. In Air Force activity, Brigadier General Richard H. Carmichael assumes command of Far East Air Forces Bomber Command. He succeeds Brigadier General William P. Fisher, who assumed the position on 4 October 1952. In the ROK II Corps sector, the commanding officer attempts to halt the huge enemy penetration. The ROK 3rd Division is dispatched to plug the hole that opened between the ROK 5th and 8th Divisions. In Air Force activity, Colonel John C. Edwards assumes command of the 18th Bomber Wing. He succeeds Colonel Frank S. Perego.

June 16 The Chinese maintain enormous pressure against the ROK II Corps. The collapse of its 5th Division over the past several days has created new problems for the X Corps, which finds its left flank in danger. In the X Corps sector, the commanding officer, Lieutenant General I.D. White, tightens the front of the ROK 20th Division and in addition, he directs the reserve ROK 7th Division to bolster the left flank of the 20th Division. The moves are positive, but in the meantime, the right flank of the ROK 8th Division had been unable to hold its ground and the ROK 5th Division, defending east of the Pukhan River, had totally collapsed. The ROK 8th Division mounts a counterattack, but the Chinese repel it. Consequently, the ROK 8th Division establishes a new line about 3,000 yards back from where it had stood originally. In Naval activity, Communist shore batteries at Wonsan initiate a three-day bombardment of the friendly held islands in the harbor that continues through June 18. The artillery causes no casualties. In other activity, the USS Princeton (CVA 37), bolsters the ground forces on the front lines by launching a record-setting 184 sorties. It is the highest number of sorties flown from a single carrier on any one day since the beginning of the war. Also, a U.S. Navy plane (AD) intercepts and destroys an enemy PO-2 aircraft in the skies over the front lines. In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force executes 1,834 sorties, which sets a record for a single day during the Korean War. More than half are close-air sorties against enemy positions in the Pukham valley to bolster friendly ground troops. (See also, June 15, 1952.) June 17

By this date, at Panmunjom, the U.N. representatives and the Communists are finishing up

948 with the remaining details of the truce line to be drawn and the final items regarding the truce. In Naval activity, the Communist shore gun batteries on Ho-do Pando focus on a trio of U.S. destroyers and propel about 150 rounds in an effort to finally bag an American ship before the close of hostilities. The targets, USS Irwin (DD 794), USS Rowan (DD 782) and the USS Henderson (DD 785), remain unscathed and continue their missions in Wonsan harbor.

June 18 Under orders of South Korean President Syngman Rhee, South Korean troops release more than 25,000 North Korean POWs that are anti–Communist. The former troops scatter from four separate compounds and disperse among the civilian population of South Korea. Most had been unwilling to seek repatriation. American troops, small in number, are unable to hold the masses back while the South Korean troops who had opened the gates merely observe the stampede. The escapees receive word on Seoul radio to evade U.S. forces to avoid recapture. The incident ignites a furor and the Communists imply that the U.S. had been involved with the release of the POWs. The U.S. maintains its efforts to restore the negotiations to a point from which the final truce can be worked out. Discussions are held with the president of South Korea and with the Communists. By the end of June, General Clark is informed by Washington to work out the details and if necessary, sign an armistice without the cooperation of the South Koreans. President Rhee has threatened to pull the ROKs from the line, a potential major problem, because at this time, about seventy percent of the troops on line are South Koreans. In other activity, the attacks against the ROK II Corps and the X Corps, which began on 10 June, begin to diminish by this day. General Taylor orders the ROK II Corps and the U.S. X Corps to alter their lines and initiate relief of the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions. Taylor’s directives also mandate that the boundary separating the ROK II Corps and the X Corps be realigned to where it had been on 15 June. In conjunction, the mid-month attacks against the ROK II Corps are costly for both the Communists and the South Koreans. The estimated Chinese casualties are 6,628 troops. The ROK II Corps sustains 7,337 casualties. In other activity, U.S. Marines assist in preventing anti–Communist POWs from escaping from a U.N. prison camp in the vicinity of Inchon. In Air Force activity, Captain Lonnie R. Moore engages and downs MiG for his fifth kill to become an ace. Another pilot, Captain Ralph S. Parr, Jr., from the same unit as Moore, the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also receives his fifth kill to become an ace. In Naval activity, the destroyer USS Irwin (DD 794), while operating near Kalmagak, is bombarded with 90 rounds of enemy fire. The main deck sustains some damage from one hit and 5 crewmen are injured. Another destroyer operating in the same area, USS Rowan (DD 782) becomes the recipient of about 45 rounds

949 and sustains 5 hits. The Rowan sustains damage and 10 casualties, three of whom are serious. The cruiser USS St. Paul (CA 73) also comes under fire, but none of the rounds strike the vessel. In other activity, a South Korean boat operating in Wonsan harbor, carrying intelligence personnel, engages a Communist boat, the first enemy patrol boat spotted in the harbor in more than one year. The engagement lasts for about ten minutes.

June 19 In Naval activity, a U.S. Navy plane (VP– 46), while on patrol in the vicinity of Kwanga Island off the coast of China, comes under fire from an anti-aircraft gun, but the plane is unharmed and resumes its mission. In other activity, the USS Rowan (DD 782), which had been damaged by enemy fire on the previous day, again comes under fire while operating near Yang-do. Despite a 125-round barrage, the Communist gunners fail to strike the ship. Also, the cruiser USS Bremerton (CA 130) comes under fire while operating in Wonsan harbor, but the battery fire fails to inflict any harm. June 20

Nine enemy planes penetrate without incident and bomb Seoul, with the bombs landing in close proximity to the residence of the South Korean president, Syngman Rhee. Two people are killed and eight others are injured. In other activity, the USS Current (ARS 22) and the USS LST 855 collide at Sesebo, Japan, while in the process of transferring supplies. The Current sustains no damage, but the LST 855 sustains some damage. No personnel casualties occur on either ship.

June 21 The 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team arrives in Korea from Japan. Today the entire unit and its equipment are transported to an airbase near the front lines. The 187th Airborne RCT will be attached to the 2nd Division. In a few days, the 34th Regimental Combat Team (24th Division) will also arrive to further bolster Eighth Army. The 34th RCT deploys to the rear of the 2nd Division. June 22

In Air Force activity, Colonel Robert P. Baldwin, attached to the 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and shoots down a MiG to receive his fifth kill, which makes him an ace. In other activity, Far East Air Forces initiates flights June 22-23 to transport the 187th Airborne Combat Team from Japan to Korea to augment Eighth Army reserve, as the Communists continue to press to make territorial gains to improve their bargaining position at the peace talks in Panmunjom. Twenty-seven C-47s and sixty-one C-119s of the 315th Air Division carry 3,252 paratroopers to complete the mission. The planes also deliver 1,771 tons of cargo. In Naval activity, a U.S. Navy plane (P2V) comes under fire while on a normal patrol off the coast of China near Amoy, but no damage is inflicted and the plane is able to carry out its mission.

June 23

In Air Force activity, by this date, only one North Korean airfield is operable due to the con-

June 26, 1953 stant air strikes by Far East Air Forces and Fifth Air Force. Lt. General Otto P. Weyland directs his forces on repetitive attacks to ensure the fields are more heavily damaged. He concludes that a new series of raids over a period of about four or five days would permanently close the fields. In Naval activity, the HMAS Culgoa arrives on scene near Haeju at Yongmae Island to evacuate a small friendly guerrilla force, subsequent to an invasion by Communist Chinese troops. In conjunction, the Chinese hold the island for two days only and then abandon it, permitting the friendly guerrillas to return.

June 24 The Chinese again take the offensive after about six days of light activity. The South Koreans are again the primary target. Communist attacks strike in the IX Corps sector, against the ROK 9th Division, which is deployed just west of the ROK II Corps. In Naval activity, Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan bombard the friendly-held island of Hwangtodo and four more rounds at USS Irwin (DD 794). No damage or casualties were experienced. June 24-30 1953

The 1st Marine Division remains in reserve; however, the Marine artillery units remain on the line and MAG-12 and MAG-33 squadrons remain extremely active in support of Eight Army units. As part of Fifth Air Force, Marine pilots fly constant support missions. On 30 June, the Marines execute 301 sorties. In other activity, during the same time period, the Communists look to enlist “a few good men” by propelling propaganda leaflets into the U.S. Marine lines.

June 25

This day marks the third anniversary of the North Korean invasion of South Korea. Also, the Chinese, who had attacked ROK forces in the IX Corps sector on the previous day, launch a new attack, this time against the I Corps. A separate enemy division strikes the ROK 1st Division at its positions to the right of the British Commonwealth Division, along the left flank of the I Corps. In related activity, the 7th Marines, still in reserve with the entire 1st Marine Division, receives word that it has been placed on standby in the event it is needed to help quell the Chinese attacks. In Naval activity, four F4U-5N planes attached to TF-77 are temporarily assigned to Fifth Air Force for the purpose of night patrols over Seoul, due to the recent penetrations of propeller-driven enemy aircraft. Fifth Air Force does not have any propeller-driven night fighter aircraft. In other activity, the destroyer USS Gurke (DD 783) comes under heavy shore gun battery fire while she operates near Tanchon. The vessel is struck twice and some damage is sustained. Three crewmen are superficially wounded.

June 26 In the I Corps sector, by this time, the Chinese attacks against the ROK 1st Division, which began on the previous day, gain several forward outpost

June 27, 1953 positions. The 7th Marines had been placed on standby the previous day, in the event that it was needed to support the ROKs; however, this day, it reverts back to reserve. Instead, the 1st South Korean Marine Corps Regiment, KMC/RCT (minus its 3rd Battalion), is ordered to stand by for possible action. The KMC/RCT afterward moves from its area at Arrowhead to the left part of the ROK 1st Division’s sector. In related activity, the Marine 1st 4.5 inch Rocket Battery is directed to move from its positions in the I Corps to positions about 20 miles east to bolster the ROKs. The Marine contingent remains in the sector until 30 June to provide support fire. All the while, as the Chinese pound the ROKs, the 25th Division sector remains quiet. Also, the friendly-held islands in Wonsan harbor come under the increased focus of the enemy shore gun batteries June 26-28, but despite the three-day bombardment, no casualties are inflicted and no damage is sustained.

June 27

The vessel HMNZS Kaniere, while operating in the vicinity of the approaches to Chinnampo, comes under heavy fire. Nevertheless, of the 55 rounds fired, none cause any harm. — In Japan: The weather in Japan deteriorates and the flooding which follows torrential rains on Kyushu Island knocks out the land-lines of communications between Yokosuka and Sasebo, causing problems for the Navy. The lines are not totally restored for a few weeks.

Late June 1953

In the I Corps sector, the Chinese launch several attacks and manage to gain control of two outposts in the ROK 1st Division zone. The thinly manned outposts had been struck by forces of regimental strength. Similar attacks are launched in the X Corps sector, against the ROK 9th Division and the U.S. 3rd Division. The Chinese are unable to penetrate the defenses of the ROKs and at the 3rd Division positions, some temporary gains are made; however, elements of the 3rd Division counterattack and regain the lost ground.

June 28 In Air Force activity, the recently arrived 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team begins its return to Japan. Two regiments, the 19th and 34th, return between this day and 2 July aboard transport planes of the 315th Air Division. The combat team had arrived on 22 June to bolster Eighth Army. In Naval activity, a U.S. Navy VP-1 plane, while on a photographic mission off the China mainland, comes under fire near Chiu Tung island (28-33 N, 121-56 E) and again near Chinghsu Island (28-30 N-121-52 E); however, the anti-aircraft fire has no effect. The plane is able to continue its mission without sustaining any damage. June 29 In Naval activity, the USS Irwin (DD 794) while off Wonsan during the darkened hours, comes under fire by enemy ground troops who attempt to hit the vessel with machine gun fire, but similarly

950 to the shore gun batteries, the marksmanship is poor. The ship is not hit by any of the fire. Enemy shore gun batteries at Wonsan also fire upon friendly islands, but no damage is inflicted.

June 30 In Air Force activity, Fifth Air Force Sabre jets engage and destroy 16 MiGs during this day’s action. It is the largest number of MiGs downed on a single day during the conflict. Lieutenant Henry Buttelmann, 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, gets credit for one of the MiGs, which gives him his fifth victory and makes him an ace. The previous high for downed enemy planes on a single day had occurred on 13 December 1951, when American pilots shot down fourteen enemy planes. In Naval activity, in what has become a ritual, the Communist shore gun batteries at Wonsan propel 30 artillery shells on the U.N. held islands, but all rounds land harmlessly. In other activity, the USS Manchester (CL 83), while operating near Wonsan, comes under fire from enemy shore gun batteries, but none of the rounds, about 40, hit the ship directly. However, a shell fragment strikes the vessel and inflicts some minor damage, including the door to a powder room. Also, the carrier planes from TF-77, assigned to Fifth Air Force, prove their worth. Two enemy propeller planes attempt to penetrate to bomb Seoul and they are intercepted and shot down by one of the night patrol planes. In yet other activity, aircraft attached to Marine Aircraft Group 12 execute 217 sorties and deliver a recordsetting 340 tons of bombs and napalm on Communist positions. In related activity, U.S. Navy and Marine pilots, during the month of June, execute 9,238 sorties. For the same time period, the British aviators execute 864 sorties. — In the United States: At this time, Marine Corps strength stands at 249,219 men. July 1953 In the Eighth Army area, the estimated casualties of the Chinese against Eighth Army for the month of July 1953 amount to 72,000, including 25,000 killed — the equivalent of seven divisions — in the attacks against the IX Corps and the ROK II Corps. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, during July 1953, the final month of the Korean War, the Marines sustain 181 infantry killed in action, but with the wounded, total casualties rises to 1,661 men. Chinese losses against the Marines amount to 405 killed (counted), 761 estimated killed, 1,988 estimated wounded and 1 prisoner, to bring the total casualties to 3,155. During the final ten days of the war, the assault against the MLR on 25 July had been the heaviest. The Chinese, during the final ten days, strike I Corps 25 separate times, eight against Marine positions, five against the British 1st Commonwealth, six in the 1st ROK area and six in the U.S. 7th Infantry Division zone.

951

July 1

The 1st Marine Division, held in reserve since early May, prepares to return to its former lines in West Korea to relieve the 25th Division, which assumed responsibility for the area on 5 May. In Naval activity, an enemy train running south along the east coast of Korea is spotted by the HMCS Athabaskan (DDE). The ship pours fire upon the train, but the locomotive escapes. Nevertheless, it speeds off alone, leaving twenty boxcars behind. Soon after, planes attached to TF-77 and the destroyer escort USS Wiltsie (DD 716) destroy seventeen of the boxcars.

July 4

In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces reinitiates its campaign against enemy airfields on July 4–5. The primary airfield at Pyongyang, the airfield at Taechon and the one at Namsi come under attack by a contingent of twenty-four B-29s. Namsi will be hit again on the 7th.

July 5 In Air Force activity, Colonel Maurice L. Martin, commander 18th Fighter Bomber Group, assumes command of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing. He succeeds Colonel John C. Edwards. Four days after the conclusion of the conflict, on 31 July, Colonel Avelin P. Tacon assumes command of the wing. In Naval activity, a celebration is held aboard the carrier USS Boxer (CVA 21) in honor of its 60,000th plane landing. In other activity, the LST 578 is accidentally damaged when it becomes grounded while operating near Cheju-do. The vessel’s lower compartments flood. July 6–11 1953

THE BATTLE OF PORK CHOP HILL (HILL 255) The Chinese, aware that the armistice is near, continue to find a weakness along the lines to snatch a major victory during the waning days of the war. Recently, fresh troops in the form of the Chinese 1st Army (Chinese 1st, 2nd and 7th Divisions) had arrived to relieve other Chinese units, providing the Communists with extra incentive to launch an attack. The enemy had also been broadcasting demands for surrender, offering the 7th Division units a choice, either surrender or die, as well as other intimidating threats; however, the Chinese had made similar threats all during the conflict and in most cases, it was the enemy which paid the ultimate price. In this case, the men of the 17th Regiment ignore the threats. The threats are received with equal attention that is given to the Chinese bugles. At times, during some battles, the Americans actually acquired Chinese bugles from enemy troops that no longer had use for them and the Americans would use the confiscated bugles to confuse the enemy. On this day, subsequent to dusk, the Chinese mount a major assault against a coveted outpost in the 7th Division’s zone, Hill 255, known as Pork Chop Hill. Earlier, during the previous March, the Chinese failed in a similar attempt. On this day, subsequent to dusk, amid a miserable torrential rainstorm, the Chinese commence a massive artillery and

July 6, 1953 mortar bombardment that crashes all along the perimeter of the 7th Division. However, the main objective is the outpost on Hill 255, about 500 yards to the front of the MLR and near the enemy-held Old Baldy. Encouraged by the shrill sounds of whistles, the blare of the Chinese bugles and the vociferous shouts of prodding officers, the infantry charges forward, oblivious to the return fire and obstacles, including barbed wire. Some forward detachments of the company-sized defending force, the first to see the approaching hordes, make it back to the main defenses, manned by Company A, 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment. Initially, elements of the Chinese 7th Division move silently toward the target and soon after, on the signal, they start the ascent on the first of many attacks. Successive waves pound against the American defenses. The outpost is hammered by a force of about company size, but the subsequent attacks continue to build in strength. Although vastly outnumbered, the defenders take a high toll on the enemy. The troops peer down the slopes and suddenly see an ocean of Chinese. Heavy fire commences to knock out the initial wave, but the Chinese are more numerous than the amount of ammunition available. After the machine gun ammunition is expended, the troops revert to other weapons, including the bayonet. However, the sheer numbers of the enemy eventually force the Americans to pull back from the crest and regroup. The south slope becomes the new line of defense for Company A, and soon after for Company B, which arrives to bolster the positions. Meanwhile, the Chinese, during the course of repeated assaults, gain ground on the north and west slopes and a large portion of the east slope. In the midst of the nasty weather, the grim darkness and near-insurmountable odds, the troops of Companies A and B launch counterattacks to match the determination of the relentless Chinese. Despite disrupting the communications of the Americans and controlling the summit by the following day, the Chinese are unable to finish off the defiant defenders, who themselves hold an invaluable piece of the hill, the primary trench, and the key to preservation, the access road from the outpost to the rear and the 7th Division’s MLR. On the morning of the 7th, the intense fighting continues; however, neither side can claim victory nor permanent progress. The attacks and counterattacks do not change the control of the hill. On the 8th, Companies E and G, 17th Infantry Regiment, relieve Companies A and B. Vicious fighting continues, but still, the battle remains fluid and neither side gains the advantage. Again, on the 9th, the U.S. 7th Division mounts unsuccessful attacks. Nevertheless, neither side is willing to concede. The bloodbath continues into the following day, the 10th, when the Chinese mount yet another night attack in an attempt to gain total control of Hill 255.

July 6, 1953 The pork chop-shaped elevation, by this time, becomes one more battle-scarred piece of earth that holds no great value, except the lives of those who have been lost to hold it. And, the contingents of the 17th and 34th Infantry Regiments that have been fighting to hold what they have, plus evict the Chinese, remain determined to regain the battered ground. On the 10th, little remains on the hill that can be further destroyed, except the troops. The Communists continue to propel mortar shells into the American positions at a rapid pace. Company K, 32nd Infantry, arrives at Pork Chop Hill during the morning, but it had to pass through storms of artillery and mortar fire in order to relieve one of the other beleaguered units. The Americans continue to hold the hill positions, but the Chinese form for a major assault during the morning hours of the 11th, when a battalion attacks the Americans. The superior numbers of the Chinese compel the Americans to give some ground; however, they remain steadfast in the collapsed trenches. In the meantime, it becomes evident to the commanders that the Chinese are willing to spend as many lives as necessary to take the hill and that the strategic value is outweighed by the additional cost of American lives. It is decided to abandon the outpost, but with the Chinese able to observe the operations on Pork Chop from Old Baldy, the maneuver to withdraw could be extremely costly, particularly if it is initiated in the darkness. In an attempt to fool the Chinese, it is decided to use the armored personnel carriers during daylight on the 11th to inconspicuously remove the defenders. The Chinese are familiar with the daily runs by the armor to bring up ammunition and supplies. The ruse works perfectly, as the Chinese are convinced that the armor had been bringing in supplies and reinforcements. Consequently, the hill is abandoned without incident, but prior to departure, the area is set with various booby traps. Nearly two days pass before the Chinese figure out what had occurred. Once they do, they move out to occupy the American positions to control the entire hill, only to be hit with devastating artillery fire that transforms the pocketed summit into what looks like a section of a level prairie. During the final battle for Pork Chop Hill, General Trudeau, the 7th Division commander, led one of the counterattacks up the slopes. Two men, Corporal Dan D. Schoonover (Company A, 13th Engineering Bn.) and 1st Lt. Richard T. Shea, Jr. (Company A, 17th Infantry Regiment) become recipients of the Medal of Honor, posthumously. The Americans sustain just under 250 killed and more than 900 wounded. The Chinese sustain casualties estimated as high as about 6,000. (Sometimes now there is confusion about who held Pork Chop Hill at the end of this final battle.

952 The confusion is due to a motion picture titled Pork Chop Hill made in 1959. It showcased the grueling warfare during the battle to gain Pork Chop Hill; however, the picture was focused on a previous battle for the hill during April 1953. [See also, March 23, 1953, and April 16–18, 1953.])

July 6

The 1st Marine Division initiates relief of the U.S. 25th Division in the right sector of the I Corps. It redeploys where it had been prior to 5 May. However, since the departure of the Marines, the Nevada Cities Outposts (Carson-Elko-Vegas) and another large portion of the line are now occupied by the Chinese. The 7th Marines relieves the U.S. 14th Regiment and the Turkish forces (TAFC) deploy to hold the right regimental sector. The 5th Marines assumes responsibility for the center portion of the MLR. In conjunction, the 1st Marines reverts to regimental reserve. The 11th Marines and other units, including the armor, are already on line in support of the 25th Division’s efforts against the Chinese.

July 7–9 1953

THE BATTLE FOR BERLIN– EAST BERLIN On this day, one day after the 1st Marine Division regiments began to relieve the 25th Division in the I Corps sector, the Chinese launch an attack while the relief is still in progress and before the Marines can fully establish stiff defensive positions. The Chinese have recently mauled the ROKs all along the line and they have also seized key outposts (Nevada Cities) in the sector taken over by the 25th Division when the Marines had been taken from the line and placed into reserve. At Berlin and East Berlin, where the Turks have not yet been totally replaced by the Marines, the artillery and mortars begin to strike during the initial moments of the attack. In concert, the Chinese swarm upon the two outposts from their newly won positions in the heights at Vegas. Berlin and East Berlin, at this time, are each defended by one platoon (2nd Battalion, 7th Marines). Two separate reinforced battalions, attached to the Chinese 407th Regiment, 136th Division, charge Berlin and East Berlin in successive waves to collapse the resistance. However, the brutal forces are slowed by heavy return fire. Nonetheless, the tidal wave of Chinese crashes into the lines despite the walls of fire. By about 15 minutes before midnight (7th-8th), the besieged defenders are face-to-face with the Chinese and engaged in savage close-quartered combat. The Marines at both posts desperately fight to throw back the assault. At Berlin, some Turks had not yet departed when the Chinese attack slams into the post. A nearby contingent of Marines from Company F, a reinforced squad, operating at an ambush site, is able to bolster Berlin to build a more formidable shield of resistance. However, at East Berlin, they receive no reinforcements and are compelled to fight alone until some reinforcements can arrive. Here, too, nasty

953 hand-to-hand combat ensues as the Marines are fired upon from point-blank range. The isolated platoon, which receives artillery and mortar support, is unable to stem the tide. The outpost is overwhelmed by the building momentum of the battalion. Nonetheless, vicious fighting continues. The Marines refuse to capitulate, but by midnight, radio communications from East Berlin cease. While the outnumbered survivors at Berlin and East Berlin continues to resist, steps are taken to get reinforcements to them from the MLR, only 325 yards away, but Chinese artillery and small arms fire stand in the path. Nevertheless, the Marines prepare a counterattack. In the meantime, while communications at East Berlin had been severed, headquarters is aware that at Berlin, the defenders still hold steadfastly. By 0130, the situation at Berlin becomes uncertain. All radio reports from there cease. Meanwhile, the regiment moves at full throttle to reinforce the main line in the event the Chinese are able to collapse the outposts and move against the MLR. At 0355, a reinforced squad from Company F moves out without the protection of artillery fire to launch a surprise attack at 0445. The Chinese stop the assault and prevent further advance. Shortly thereafter, a second counterattack is launched at about 0445, but again the Chinese intercept it with artillery fire. Fifteen Marines become casualties, but the enemy artillery fails to halt the advance. The reinforcements continue to drive forward, but within about one hour, prior to reaching the objective, orders arrive that direct the contingent to halt and return to its lines. It had been decided instead to unleash another artillery attack and send fresh troops into the battle. At the time the counterattack is aborted, it remains unknown whether there are any survivors at either outpost. By 0630 on the 8th, grim news arrives. East Berlin has fallen and still there is no news regarding the defenders at Berlin 500 yards west. At dawn on the 8th, preparations continue for a counterattack to regain East Berlin and if need be, Berlin; however, Berlin had survived the onslaught and the Marines and Turkish elements still hold there. The enemy battalion had not been able to fold the defenses. But, the situation remains grave. Only 18 defenders are able-bodied. Size restraints at the outpost prevent a large force from being dispatched to reinforce. Consequently, an 18-man contingent (reinforced) from the 2nd Battalion speeds toward the battered outpost, while a more potent detachment of reinforcements prepares to take East Berlin back from the Chinese. Under an artillery barrage of the 11th Marines, Turkish artillery and mortar fire, a two-platoon (reinforced) contingent drawn from Companies G and H, 3rd Battalion, jumps off at 1000. The advance encounters fierce enemy artillery fire, and it strikes just as the contingent from Company H gets snagged by the friendly barbed wire of the Marine defenses.

July 7, 1953 The Company H platoon gets pounded while it is trapped within the wire. The unit is suddenly reduced to only twenty troops. In the meantime, Company G squeezes through the positions of Company H and maintains the attack. Just prior to 1130, the platoon arrives in close proximity to the Chinese and a violent fire fight breaks out. Both sides exchange grenades during the savage encounter at the main trenchline at East Berlin. While the counterattack hammers the Chinese at the trenches, artillery and tanks continue to catapult rounds into the defending positions at East Berlin. The positions are plastered. Both the forward and reverse slopes become inundated with a whirlwind of fire, but the crest, too, is pounded. The Chinese seek cover from the devastating artillery and mortar fire; however, more deadly fire strikes the trenches and bunkers from the 90-mm rifles of the Marines’ tanks. The bombardment is methodical and at times dangerous even to the Marines, particularly when the fire zooms directly over the heads of the attacking Marines to strike just to their front. During the mission to re-secure the outpost, the weather remains horrible, which inhibits the air support. While the Marines push forward, the observers adjust the fire to maintain a shield to their immediate front, almost as if they are advancing in cadence with the rounds of the long-guns. The dogged advance continues as the Marines maintain the attack and engage the enemy at close-quarters for about one additional hour, while they ascend to the crest. At about noon, four Panthers penetrate the nasty weather that has brought about poor visibility and come in from the north to bomb and strafe enemy reinforcements and bunkers to soften the resistance. The planes contribute and distribute more than 10,000 pounds of bombs as they pass over the Chinese positions. The Chinese raise fierce resistance against the Marines, but still, the obstacles are eliminated one by one as they climb the slope and remain focused on the main objective, the summit. The climb up the treacherous path ends and the Marines pounce upon the crest. The Chinese defenders are then quickly dispatched, with some actually being thrown down the reverse slope. At 1233, East Berlin is back under the belt of the Marines. The Chinese are again vanquished, but until reinforcements arrive, control of the hill remains in the hands of only twenty ablebodied Marines who still stand at the outpost. Although the 7th Marines had been engulfed in a brutal fight to regain East Berlin, other operations also continue. At 1300, just after retaking the outpost, the 7th Marines completes the relief of the remaining Turkish forces at Berlin, giving the 7th Marines control of both outposts. Within two additional hours, at 1500, the entire sector is transferred from the 25th Division to the 1st Marine Division, but still, some units of the 25th are not fully relieved. As the transfer takes place, the Kimpo Provisional

July 7, 1953 Regiment and the Division Reconnaissance Company are rejoined under the 1st Marine Division. Operations continue in the Marine zone during the afternoon, but few enemy troops are detected. Nevertheless, it remains clear that the enemy artillery positions remain active. During the period of the 7th-8th, the enemy battalions of artillery, numbering about 17, propel about 19,000 rounds into the Marine perimeter. However, the Marine and U.S. Army battalions rapidly return fire to neutralize the enemy and impede the Chinese from launching a major assault. By about dusk, an enemy contingent is detected as it moves near Frisco, en route to the Berlin–East Berlin positions. The formation is pounded by artillery, which stymies a further advance. Later, under darkened skies, the Chinese form for another attack, but it is not launched until after midnight (8th-9th). At 0104 (9th), a Chinese contingent, estimated at the size of a reinforced company, swings down from Vegas and moves toward Berlin. The force strikes solidly, but the weakened defenses suffice and the Marines return tenacious fire. In the meantime, the Chinese bounce off Berlin and plow into East Berlin, but here, too, the Marines resist ferociously. At the first sounds of the enemy guns the darkness of the night becomes a brightly illuminated sky, when the Army’s massive searchlights scour the enemy paths to produce lucrative targets for the tanks, artillery and mortar crews, as well as the defending Marines at the outposts. While the opposing artillery exchange blows and the Marine tanks pound the slopes, the brunt of the fighting remains with the ground Marines, who by this time are heavily engaged and intertwined with the enemy, clashing in hand-to-hand combat at both outposts. The grueling, close-quartered battle continues for about two hours. Supporting “Box-Me-In” fire rivets the area to the front of the respective outposts and provides some added protection, while the Marines revert to hand grenades and bayonets to fend off the intruders. By 0315, the Chinese abort the attacks and retire. By dawn on the 9th, the Marines again regroup and organize the perimeter in preparation for yet another attack. Reinforcements arrive to augment the outposts. The unsuccessful attempt to seize the Berlin–East Berlin outposts cost the Chinese 30 killed (counted) and an estimated 200 more killed. The estimate of Chinese wounded is 400. The 7th Marines sustain 9 killed, 12 missing and 126 wounded and evacuated. Another 14 Marines sustain minor wounds. The Chinese, following their defeat, sink back into inactivity for about the next ten days, which permits the Marines to repair the defenses, complete the relief of the 25th Division units still in the zone and initiate active patrols. However, in addition to dealing with the Chinese, the Marines find that another adversary has come back to plague their oper-

954 ations, the spring rains of Korea. Torrential rains had continued without pause during the battle from 5 July through 8 July and more is on the way.

July 7

Spring rains continue to disrupt operations all across the front. The storms cause the roads to flood, inflicting extensive damage. On this day, the Spoonbill bridge (formerly X-Ray) in the 1st Marine Division zone becomes submerged under 11 feet of water and it collapses under the pressure. In the I Corps sector, at 0300, the 5th Marines, commanded by Colonel Harvey C. Tschirgi, begins to assume responsibility for the eastern half of the MLR when the 3rd Battalion relieves elements of the U.S. 35th Regiment. In the afternoon, the 2nd Battalion and antitank personnel are on line in the western sector of the battalion. Also, at 0445, the 7th Marines, commanded by Colonel Glen C. Funk, assumes responsibility for the right regimental sector. It replaces the 14th Regiment, 25th Division, and the Turkish contingent. In addition, the first elements of the 1st Marines, commanded by Colonel Wallace M. Nelson, deploy near the Imjin River by 1300 and assume responsibility for two bridges there, Spoonbill and Libby. The view from the Marines’ positions is identical to what it had been on 5 May, when the 1st Marine Division had reluctantly moved from the line after having fought to hold the ground. Although the landscape and landmarks remain in place, there is a substantial difference. Three of the outposts held by the Marines are now occupied by the Chinese. In addition, those particular landmark outposts, Carson, Elko and Vegas, had stood in dominant positions to block enemy approaches. In particular, the loss of Vegas now imperils Berlin and East Berlin, which are again defended by the Marines as well as another remaining outpost, Ava. The Chinese, aware of the return of the Marines, choose to launch a strike before the Marines can settle into their positions. The Communists strike at 2100. (See also, July 7–9 1953 THE BATTLE FOR BERLIN– EAST BERLIN.) In Air Force activity, Namsi, which had been struck by B-29s on the 4th, again comes under air attack. In a follow up raid on this day, 16 medium bombers strike the marshaling yard and a supply depot. In Naval activity, two American vessels, the USS Symbol (AM 123) and the USS Wiltsie (DD 716) come under fire from about six batteries while they are operating near Wonsan, but no damage is incurred. At Hodo Pando, the Communist shore gun batteries fire upon the Lof berg (DD 759), USS Thomason (DD 760) and the USS Hamner (DD 718). Some damage is sustained by the Thomason, but no casualties occur and no damage is sustained by the other vessels. Return fire by the warships totals 800 rounds.

July 8

In Naval activity, the destroyer USS Irwin (DD 794) engages enemy shore gun batteries located at a point about ten miles south of Songjin. The Irwin loses its electrical power due to exploding shrapnel that

955 strikes the main mast. Five men, including the commanding officer of Destroyer Squadron 24 (DesRon 24), are wounded. In other activity, the destroyer USS Wiltsie (DD 716) comes under fire in the vicinity of Chaho. No direct hits occur; however, an overhead shell burst causes injuries to five of the crew. No damage is sustained by the vessel. In yet other activity, the friendly held islands in Wonsan harbor again come under bombardment, but no casualties occur and no damage is sustained. Also, Admiral Felix B. Stump assumes command of Pacific Fleet. He succeeds Admiral A.W. Radford.

July 10 In Air Force activity, while the Communists are preparing to make yet another push for territorial gains prior to a truce, Fifth Air Force moves to impede their efforts. A contingent of fighter bombers strike rail bridges at Sinanju and Yongmi-dong. During the night (10th-11th), the bridges at Sinanju are bombed by a contingent from the 8th Bomber Wing. Simultaneously, the rail bridges at Yongmi-dong come under attack by a group of B-29s attached to the 307th Bomber Wing. July 11

On this day, President Syngman Rhee agrees to an armistice according to the terms of the Allies. For some time, Rhee had been against the terms and had even ordered the release of POWs. During the entire month of July in Korea, the clouds deliver deluges of monsoon rains that interfere with ground operations. The nasty weather also hinders Fifth Air Force, which on twelve separate days is compelled to cancel all flights. Nevertheless, when possible, combat missions are executed. On this day, while flying with Fifth Air Force, Major John Bolt, USMC, attached to the Fifth Air Force, 51st Fighter Interceptor Group, knocks down two MiG15s, the fifth and sixth to his credit. Major Bolt accomplishes the feat on his 37th Sabre jet mission. He had downed the other four planes in the period since 16 May 1953. While leading a 4-plane contingent (F86s) in the skies east of Sinuiju, Bolt achieves both kills in a time span of five minutes. By this action, he becomes the 37th jet ace of the Korean War and the first Marine jet ace in the history of aviation. In the X Corps sector, the U.S. 40th Division relieves the 45th Division at its positions in the vicinity of Heartbreak Ridge. In Naval activity, at Wonsan, Communist shore gun batteries bombard the cruiser USS St. Paul (CA 75) and inflict damage to two guns. However, no crewmen are injured. Also, the batteries fire their usual barrages against the friendly held islands in Wonsan harbor and propel a total of 150 rounds that land without effect. In yet other activity, the British destroyer HMCS Huron runs aground on the western side of Yang-do Island and sustains some damage.

July 12

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Marines recently came upon an area that con-

July 13, 1953 tains a previously unknown minefield. Teams have been working to disarm them, but they are of a new type of Russian-made mine that have both pull and tension fuses. On this date, the uncharted mines cause casualties. Four Marines are killed after accidentally detonating mines and another eight are wounded. In other activity, Marine patrols encounter enemy forces. A contingent of the 5th Marines, on a reconnaissance mission near COP Esther, engage in a short fire fight while another patrol (platoon) of the 7th Marines engages an enemy contingent in the vicinity of COP Elko. Other Chinese contingents are detected by elements of the 11th Marines. The Chinese make no major moves against the Marines; however, in the areas controlled by ROK forces, activity is heavy. The Chinese press against the South Koreans at various spots along the center and eastern part of Eighth Army’s line. In Air Force activity, reconnaissance flights executed by RF-80s acquire photographs that clearly show a sharp increase of enemy anti-aircraft artillery on the ground facing IX Corps and the ROK II Corps. The intelligence provides more affirmation of an imminent Communist offensive. Far East Air Forces immediately takes steps to impede the enemy’s efforts. In Naval activity, Tae-do Island in Wonsan harbor is hit by 7 rounds from Communist shore gun batteries, but no damage is inflicted. In other activity, the battleship USS New Jersey (BB 62) announces its presence to the enemy in the vicinity of Kojo when its big guns launch 169 16-inch shells into suspected enemy positions. Obvious damages noted are the radar tower, two bridges and a control bunker.

July 13–20 1953

BATTLE OF KUMSONG RIVER SALIENT The Communists launch a major attack with a force composed of six divisions drawn from six separate armies. The Chinese focus primarily upon the positions of the IX Corps in yet another effort to increase their diminishing bargain power at Panmunjom, while at the same time trying to punish the ROKs. The IX Corps includes the U.S. 3rd, 40th and 45th Infantry Divisions, but it is the ROKs who feel the brunt of the offensive. Following a day-long artillery and mortar bombardment, the Chinese spring the attack at dusk against ROK units holding the central front. The first units to come under attack are those of the ROK 9th Division, which is struck along its right flank by elements of the Chinese 72nd Division (Chinese 24th Army). Simultaneously, the Chinese 203rd Division (Chinese 68th Army) bangs against the Capital Division at the Kumsong Bulge. The defenders are unable to withstand the overwhelming thrust of the attacks. The South Koreans abandon their outposts. Heavy fighting continues for some time, but by about midnight (13th-14th), part of the main line of defense collapses and in the area known as Sniper Ridge, the ROKs withdraw to prevent encirclement.

July 13, 1953 In the meantime, the ROK 6th Division had also come under a tenacious assault along its positions, which border those of the Capital Division. Elements of the Chinese 204th Regiment (Chinese 68th Army) swarm against the lines of the ROK 19th Regiment and overrun an outpost. Like the other areas, the fighting remains heated throughout the night, but by dawn, part of the 19th Regiment is surrounded. The main line of resistance, by this time, has been deeply penetrated. After cutting through the collapsed part of the line, these Chinese bolt toward the units that are attacking the Capital Division to the west. While the 9th, Capital and 6th Divisions struggle to hold the lines, to the east, the ROK 8th, 3rd, 5th and 7th Divisions are also under pressure to draw attention from the primary attack. During the initial part of the assault on the 13th, Chinese forces press against an outpost of the ROK 8th Division and encircle it, while other forces pound against an outpost in the sector of the ROK 8th Division. And yet other units push against the ROK 5th and 7th Divisions. The grueling contest continues throughout the night into the morning hours of the 14th. Subsequent to dawn, the steadfastness of the ROK 3rd Division falters following heavy artillery and mortar support for the Chinese. The Communists drill through the main line defenses and attempt to penetrate further; however, the 22nd and 23rd Regiments, which have been rocked hard, are bolstered by the 18th Regiment. The 18th Regiment holds at its blocking positions. Nevertheless, the enemy maneuvers around the positions of the ROK 5th Division and pours into positions to the rear of the 23rd Regiment and jeopardizes the entire line. Faced with the imminent possibility of a double envelopment, the ROK 3rd Division withdraws. Although the Chinese are able to maintain cohesion, the confusion of the night fighting has caused many of the ROK units to become separated and some become encircled and isolated. The situation for the ROKs becomes more grave when it becomes known that communications between units have been severed, leaving only runners to transport messages. Back at Corps headquarters, the situation at the front remains unclear, as the ROKs are not anxious to relay word of bad tidings. Nonetheless, it becomes obvious that the Chinese progress threatens more than the ROK Capital and 3rd Divisions. With both shoulders of the Kumsong imperiled, other ROK Divisions are in danger. General Maxwell Taylor orders a general withdrawal of the ROK Capital, 6th, 8th, 3rd and 5th Divisions to a point south the Kumsong River line at its foundation. The move is initiated to constrict the Eighth Army lines and decrease the amount of ground to be defended. However, the confusion among the ROKs remains high and many of the retreating troops pass right through the new defense line and hurriedly

956 continue to retreat, again jeopardizing Eighth Army lines. While the danger continues to build on the 14th, Generals Mark Clark and Maxwell Taylor take quick action to bar the door. The 187th Airborne RCT is sped from Japan and attached to the 2nd Division. The 2nd Division relieves the U.S. 3rd Division on the line. The ROK 9th Division is relieved by the 187th Airborne RCT. Afterward, the ROKs pull their lines in tightly to be in position to bolster the Capital Division, which continues to retire. In addition, the U.S. 3rd Division, after being relieved, sprints to blocking positions from which it can bring a stop to the Communist advance. By the 15th, the 3rd Division assumes responsibility for the zone of the Capital Division, which is brought under the operational control of the 3rd Division. In the meantime, on the 15th, other steps are taken by Eighth Army Commander General Taylor to ensure the Communists are halted from doing more damage. Taylor places the 11th ROK Division under the ROK II Corps and its commander, Lt. General Chung Il Kwon, orders it to relieve the ROK 3rd Division. Along with the 3rd, the ROK 6th Division is ordered to move to the rear and reorganize. By the following day (16th), the ROK II Corps initiates a counterattack to regain the lost ground and restore the line. The Chinese had made substantial gains during the offensive, but in the process, the ROKs, supported by Eighth Army artillery, had inflicted heavy casualties. The Chinese, too far from their major medical facilities, are struggling with the task of aiding the casualties, while simultaneously working to hold the ground. The three-division counterattack by the ROK 11th, 8th and 5th Divisions plunge ahead and advance abreast of each other. The main thrust is bolstered by the ROK 6th, 3rd and 7th Divisions, all of which hold blocking positions in reserve. The push continues for several days and by the 19th, the high ground south of the Kumsong River is gained. On the 19th, the ROK 6th Division leap-frogs over the ROK 5th Division to lead the attack and seize ground on the opposite bank of the river, but by this time, the Chinese have regained their footing and maintain intense resistance that bars passage to the north bank of the river. On the 20th, the attack is aborted, leaving the ROKs holding the river line. Some minor Communist attacks are mounted during the final week of the conflict, but none score any success. Nevertheless, at the battle’s end, the Communists had eradicated the Kumsong salient and claimed victory, but the cost for the propaganda to claim the win was extremely high. Eighth Army estimates for Communists losses exceed 28,000 casualties. Ironically, all the ground gained during this struggle at the Kumsong salient will be within the Demilitarized Zone and pursuant to the signing of the armistice on 27 July, the Chinese will be compelled to give it up.

957

July 13 In the IX Corps sector, the Chinese launch a massive attack against the South Korean zone. Three enemy divisions plow against and crash through at points along the Capital Division’s perimeter at the center and right; however, on the far left, the defenders maintain some discipline. At about the same time, the Chinese also strike the ROK II Corps’ lines by pounding against the ROK 6th Division, deployed on the II Corps left. The thrust of the Communist attack against the Capital Division causes a partial collapse. While the left holds and withdraws with cohesion, the other parts of the line fold, which increases the threat against the ROK 6th Division. The Chinese maneuver to encircle the 6th Division, but without success. The South Koreans make a disciplined withdrawal before the Chinese control the rear. All the while, the 8th and 3rd ROK Divisions also come under severe attacks, but at both areas, the troops are able to pull back without total collapse. General Taylor takes steps to bring about a stiff line to prevent further penetration and avoid envelopment. In Air Force activity, the enemy contingents that are hammering the ROK II Corps come under heavy attack by planes of Far East Air Forces that execute close-air support sorties to help the ROKs hold the line. The air strikes continue into 20 July in support of the BATTLE OF THE KUMSONG RIVER SALIENT. During the period 12–19 July, B-29 medium bombers initiate almost one hundred missions to support the ground troops. The planes bomb the enemy positions and approach routes with 4,000-pound air-burst bombs and they drop delayed action anti-personnel bombs to try to halt or at least slow the offensive. (See also, July 13–20 1953 BATTLE OF KUMSONG RIVER SALIENT.) July 14

Spring rains continue to cause havoc for Eighth Army. Torrential rains strike this day and continue into the following day, causing massive flooding. The water rises to 26 feet at the Libby bridge. Roads in most sectors are impassable for about three days.

July 15 The Communists launch a series of fruitless assaults against the front lines of Eighth Army and sustain an astonishingly high number of casualties, estimated at 27,973. In Air Force activity, Major (later colonel) Vermont Garrison engages and destroys a MiG-15 for his 10th kill, which makes him a double ace. (See also, June 5, 1953, In Air Force activity.) Also, Major James Jabara, attached to the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and destroys a MiG-15, his fifteenth aerial victory, to become the world’s second triple jet ace. In Naval activity, an enemy motorized sampan traveling near Songjin is unexpectedly encountered by the British destroyer HMAS Tobruk. Shortly thereafter, the sampan terminates its service when it is sunk. July 16–20 1953 In Air Force activity, fighter-bombers launch repeated air attacks against the bridges at Ch’ongch’on, inflicting severe damage that makes them impassable.

July 16, 1953 In Naval activity, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF-77), during the final phase of the conflict, has four carriers on hand to contain enemy enthusiasm as they continue to seek territorial advantage prior to an armistice. It is the third time since the outbreak of the war that four carriers have been on station.

July 16 In the I Corps sector, 3rd Division zone, an enemy force attacks a contingent of Company D, 15th Regiment, at its positions near Choo Gung-dong. Corporal Charles F. Pendleton is able to take quick action to engage the enemy, but the force is much superior and the defenses are not too strong. Pendleton fires into the advancing troops and eliminates about 15 of them. The remainder retire in flight from Pendleton’s grenade toss. Aware of the danger to the flanks of the diminutive position, Pendleton bolts from the trench, places the machine gun on his knee to stabilize it and fires at the next incoming wave, but not until he eliminates an enemy soldier that gets too close. The enemy line is riddled. Soon after, a grenade is tossed at Pendleton, but he grasps it and throws it back. Meanwhile, the other defenders return fire to whack the intruders, but their numbers seem to increase, despite casualties. In the meantime, Pendleton becomes wounded by another grenade, but he refuses evacuation. The enemy continues to press, but Pendleton gives no ground. And then, another grenade strikes and destroys his machine gun. He switches to a carbine and maintains his defense of his position. However, in a short while, an enemy mortar shell strikes and Pendleton sustains a mortal wound. Corporal Pendleton is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his unceasing courage and tenacity in the face of overwhelming enemy fire. In the 1st Marine Division zone, similarly to 12 July, Marine patrols encounter Chinese forces near outposts. Chinese propagandists on this day broadcast warnings to the Marines, instructing them not to move from their positions. The warning: “Not to go on patrols or be killed.” Just prior to 2300, a 13-man patrol (5th Marines) encounters and engages a force near Hedy, in a brisk exchange that lasts for less than ten minutes. The Marines sustain no casualties. The Chinese sustain one killed and two wounded. At midnight (16th-17th), another 5th Marines contingent from the 2nd Battalion gets snagged in an ambush near enemy-held Hill 90. About 30 to 40 Chinese, deployed in concealed positions with a V formation, catch the 15-man patrol and blast away. The patrol immediately returns fire and calls for reinforcements and artillery support. The two sides clash for about two hours before the Chinese disengage. The Chinese, during the ambush, press repeatedly in an attempt to capture Marines. Seven Marines are unaccounted for when the battle terminates. During the night of the 17th, a patrol moves out and covers the area of the ambush. The patrol discovers six of the seven missing men and retrieves their bodies. The Chinese sustain 10 killed (counted) and an additional estimated nine killed and three wounded.

July 17, 1953 In Naval activity, the friendly held islands in Wonsan harbor receive their usual bombardment from the shore gun batteries. Not unexpectedly, no damage is sustained.

July 17–20 1953 General Maxwell Taylor orders a counterattack by the ROK II Corps to establish a new MLR south of the Kumsong River. The attack is commenced by three divisions to gain dominant positions in the heights above the Kumsong River and to establish a new line (MLR). The offensive encounters resistance for the next three days, but the ground is seized. — In the United States: The 3rd Marine Division receives word that it is to prepare to ship out to reinforce the UN command in the Far East. July 17

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a patrol from the 7th Marines, one of several Marine contingents dispatched on the night of the 16th, is struck by ambush at 0045, shortly after departing the Ava Gate, located about 250 yards northwest of the main part of the outpost. The 30-man patrol from Company A suddenly comes under attack from three sides when they arrive at the ambush site, but the Marines immediately return fire. The explosive exchange between the patrol and about 40–50 Chinese continues for about fifteen minutes. By 0050, friendly artillery is propelled into the enemy positions and surrounding area. During the fight, while they defend their positions, the Marines lose radio contact, and no reinforcements move from the main body of Company A; however, the Chinese disengage at about 0100. The patrol returns to base, but upon arriving, it discovers that four men from the patrol are not among them. A contingent then moves out to try to locate the missing troops. Three of the missing are located and their bodies are retrieved. Meanwhile, the search for the remaining Marine continues into the daylight hours, assisted by smoke to help protect the searchers, but at 0545, the search is discontinued. The Marines sustain 3 killed, 1 missing and 19 wounded and evacuated. Another two Marines suffer minor wounds. In Naval activity, at Wonson harbor, the friendly held islands in the harbor come under bombardment, but no damage is inflicted. There is no report of warships returning any fire. In other activity, the enemy batteries launch a barrage against Cho-do Island with similar results. The warships operating in the area do not return any fire.

July 18

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the Chinese shift their focus from U.S. Marine positions and probe the 1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment lines (KMC/RCT). The Korean Marines engage in four separate fire fights, all of brief duration. In the 7th Marines zone, a night-patrol that moved out on the 17th advances to positions in close proximity to the Chinese trenches at Ungok without being detected. At 0112, the 36-man contingent (Company C) opens the attack, first by firing a white phosphorous

958 grenade straight into a Chinese machine gun position that had been menacing Marine lines to ignite a heated 20-minute fire fight with about 15 Chinese defenders. After striking the machine gun position and taking on the defenders, the Marines move back to the base; however, in an apparent response to the recent broadcasts by the Chinese telling the Marines to remain at their posts or be killed, the Marines leave a message for the Chinese. Before pulling back, the Marines deposit a Marine Corps recruiting poster.

July 19–20 1953

THE SECOND BATTLE FOR THE BERLIN–EAST BERLIN OUTPOSTS The Marines, since their return to the line on 6 July, have worked on building the defenses along the MLR and at the outposts; however, much of the strategic ground in place when the Marines were taken from the line during early May had been surrendered in their absence. Key posts, the Nevada Cities Outposts, remain under Chinese control. The Chinese recently attempted to take ground from the Marines, but the outposts Berlin and East Berlin, following a prolonged fight, remain in Marine hands. At Berlin, a detachment of fewer than fifty men holds the position. On this day, at 2200, the Chinese unleash a strong attack. A reinforced battalion acts as the component of the first waves. Enemy artillery and mortars soar in the air and pound into both outposts. Marine support units reciprocate and unleash a whirlwind of fire, with some rounds zooming toward the enemy columns. Simultaneously, friendly fire blankets the posts with “Box-Me-In” fire. The enemy bombardment also takes the 3rd Battalion MLR under heavy fire. Although Berlin and East Berlin appear to be the primary objective, the Chinese also strike against 5th Marine positions at Outposts Ingrid and Dagmar. Both of these outposts also come under heavy artillery, mortar and small arms fire. But, Outpost Dagmar is struck only by troops. The 5th Marines’ contingent at Dagmar repels the assault. Meanwhile, back at Berlin and East Berlin, by 2230, swarms of enemy ground forces ascend the slopes of the respective outposts against ferocious fire. While the defenders maintain stiff opposition, more Chinese descend from Detroit, Jersey and Hill 139 to the north and converge upon the outposts; however, with only a combined total of 74 Marines and no space for more, the situation becomes more grave for the elements of Company I, who stand alone. Tanks of Company C bolster the artillery and mortar fire, but still, more Chinese advance. The slopes are permeated with Communists. At Berlin, by 2000, the enemy reaches the halfway point to the crest. Turkish artillery units stream fire into the enemy, too, but the massive shelling is unable to thwart the advance. All the while, the defenders continue to pour fire upon the attackers. By midnight

959 (19th-20th), while the Chinese inch closer, the situation at both outposts moves beyond critical. Soon after, following non-stop fighting at Berlin and East Berlin, the defenders are no longer able to halt the onslaught. At 0146, both outposts are declared lost and under Communist control. Once again, the Chinese are able to overwhelm slimly garrisoned Marine outposts; however, work begins immediately to take the lost ground back. The artillery and mortar fire, supplemented by the tanks, intensify the fire and hammer the enemy-held positions while the Marines organize a counterattack. Elements of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines (reserve), are placed on 30-minute standby. Meanwhile, Companies D, E and F are under operational control of the 3rd Battalion. Lieutenant Colonel Paul M. Jones, at 0400, issues an order (Battalion Operation Order 2-53) for an attack to commence at 0730 to retake the outposts. The troops prepare to launch the counterattack, but at 0700, the Marines are ordered by I Corps to abort the attack. Meanwhile, the Chinese continue to push for more terrain to devalue the bargaining power of the U.N. at the peace talks in Panmunjom. I Corps concludes that the two posts, Berlin and East Berlin, even if retaken by the Marines, cannot hold if the Chinese mount strong attacks to retake them. It is decided this same day to totally devastate both positions with artillery and air power. The loss of Berlin and East Berlin provides the Chinese with another stepping stone, but a major concern is Hill 119 (Boulder City) to the rear of the Berlin outposts and under the responsibility of the 1st Marine Division. While the artillery and air power spends the day reducing the two hills that contain Berlin and East Berlin, the ground Marines work to bolster Hill 119. While the artillery and tanks maintain a day-long barrage against Berlin, East Berlin and positions at Vegas, the skies are crowded with air observers who coordinate the attacks. The observation planes remain airborne from 0830 until after dusk. The MAG-12 Marine Squadrons (VMA-121 and VMA212) streak overhead to deliver their first of nine close-air support strikes at 1145. Nearly 20,000 pounds of bombs are dropped on East Berlin during the initial attack; however, throughout the day, until 1930, Berlin, East Berlin and other enemy-held positions remain under air attack. The 35 participating aircraft drop more than 145,000 pounds of bombs, while the pilots also expend 6,500 rounds of 20-mm ammunition. As the Chinese seek cover from the planes, they are still under attack by the artillery and armor, which maintain a non-stop bombardment. By dusk, the enemy positions are struck by 3,600 rounds from six battalions under the 11th Marines. More firepower is added by the armor that pummels the enemy with 200 rounds of HE and WP shells, along with 6,170 rounds of machine gun fire. And

July 19, 1953 not to be left out, the 1st 4.5-inch Rocket Battery sends repeated volleys against the outposts. The once formidable positions at Berlin and East Berlin are reduced to debris, a combination of decimated bunkers and collapsed trenches. For the outposts that are no longer considered tenable positions, the Marines sustain 6 killed and 56 missing. Another 86 sustain serious wounds and are evacuated, while 32 others are less seriously wounded. The Chinese casualties, estimated by the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, are 75 killed and 300 wounded. The total strength at Berlin and East Berlin amounted to 81 Marines. Following the battle, it had been determined that the Marine defenders and the supporting units had mauled the enemy so badly that it had become ineffective and that for the Chinese to hold the positions, they would have to bring in another battalion. The I Corps commander, Lieutenant Bruce C. Clarke, remarks in a letter to the commandant of the Marine Corps, regarding his opinion on Berlin and East Berlin: “The outposts in front of the MLR (main line of resistance) had gradually lost their value in my opinion because, between the MLR and the outposts, minefields, tactical wire, etc. had made their reinforcement and counterattacks very costly ... holding poor real estate for sentimental reasons is a poor excuse for undue casualties.”

July 19

The representatives of the U.N. and the Communists agree on the terms for an armistice. By the following day, Eighth Army begins to plan on the boundary lines of what will become the Demilitarized Zone. Although an agreement is reached, fighting continues. In Naval activity, a patrol plane attached to CTU 96.2 encounters several aircraft near the Shantung peninsula in East China. One aircraft approaches the patrol plane from Mo Yeh Tae, while two others encroach from the sea. Although the planes shadow the patrol plane, no attack is initiated and after a short time, the closing aircraft all turn and head in a westward direction, permitting the patrol to continue unimpeded. In the IX Corps sector, 40th Division zone, a patrol composed of elements of Company F, 223rd Regiment, moves out near Tutayon in search of enemy forces. The patrol encounters difficulty in the darkness when the patrol leader and the assistant leader both accidentally slip and fall from a steep cliff of about 60 feet. The leader orders the men to return to safe lines, but Sergeant Gilbert G. Collier (assistant leader), also injured in the fall, decides to remain with the leader. Both men subsequently attempt to make it back, but the leader’s ankle injury and Collier’s back injury impede the return trek. During the daylight hours of the following day, both men conceal themselves and await darkness before resuming the trip back to their lines. En route they get

July 20, 1953

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ambushed. Collier takes on the attackers, kills two, and gets wounded again in the process, then gets separated from the patrol leader. Soon after, Collier begins to locate the other soldier and again is attacked by more of the enemy. Collier eliminates or wounds some before he expends his ammunition, then reverts to hand-tohand combat and takes care of the others, those who don’t run. However, he becomes mortally wounded. Sergeant Collier is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary bravery and courage in the face of the enemy and for his selfless sacrifice to save the life of another. In Air Force activity, Captain Clyde A. Curtin, attached to the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, engages and downs two MiG-15s on this day, to become an ace.

July 20

In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the 1st Marines initiate relief of the 7th Marines, the latter due off the line on 26 July. The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, commanded by Lt. Colonel Frank A. Long, comes under operational control of the 7th Marines. Company F is immediately directed to bolster Hill 119 (Boulder City) due to I Corps’ order not to attack to retake Berlin and East Berlin, lost to the Chinese on the night of 19th-20th. As the relief of the 7th Marines begins, the activity against the two surrendered hills is extensive. While ar-

tillery and air strikes hammer the enemy positions, the Chinese continue to bombard the Marines’ positions. The Chinese artillery, between 1800 on the 19th and 1800 on the 20th, propel 4,900 artillery and mortar rounds into the sector of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. Also, as other elements of the 1st Marines initiate relief, contingents of the 3rd Battalion, led by Lt. Colonel Roy D. Miller, join with the 2nd Battalion to bolster Hill 119 (Boulder City) and Hill 111. (See also, July 19–20 1953 THE SECOND BATTLE FOR THE BERLIN–EAST BERLIN OUTPOSTS.) In Air Force activity, Major Stephen L. Bettinger, attached to the 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, vanquishes a MiG-15, his fifth kill of the war, which makes him an ace. In Naval activity, Communist shore batteries in the Wonsan area send yet another series of barrages against the friendly islands in Wonsan harbor, without effect.

July 21 Fifth Air Force directs planes from MAG33 (VMF-115 and VMF-311) to discontinue flights for FAF in the IX, ROK II and X Corps. The planes are to shift their power to the 1st Marine Division zone, due to the threat of an attack there. In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, the front remains relatively quiet since the clash of the 19th20th, in which the Chinese had gained Berlin–East

Supplies arrive at Boulder City.

961 Berlin. The Marines continue to work to bolster the lines at Hill 119 (Boulder City) and Hill 111. It is believed that the Chinese plan a strike to gain the strongpoints to cut off access to parts of the Imjin River, once the armistice is signed. In other activity, at Outposts Hedy and Dagmar, defended by the 5th Marines, preparations are made in anticipation of a full-scale attack by the Chinese, but it does not occur. However, at Hedy, the defenders detect a small group of Chinese, each wearing burlap bags, as they encroach the perimeter. Marine riflemen greet the intruders and three of the Chinese drop suddenly. The remainder of the party hurriedly departs. In Naval activity, the Communists, using junks, launch an attack against the friendly forces on Ohwa Island. The force of about 150 enemy troops initially score success by killing 7 officers and wounding about 20 of the troops, but the progress sours after about 4 hours, when a New Zealander warship, the HMNZS Hawae, arrives to evacuate the surviving friendly troops. The enemy presents a grand array of targets and the Hawae takes advantage by pummeling the enemy in what is described as a “turkey shoot.”

July 21

In Air Force activity, Far East Air Forces Bomber Command launches its last strike of the Korean War. The mission is carried out by eighteen B-29 Superfortresses that bomb the airfield at Uiju this day and the next.

July 22 In Air Force activity, a 3-plane contingent of Sabre jets attached to the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing engage a band of MiG-15s. The Sabres sustain no

July 24, 1953 losses, but the Communists lose one of the four engaged MiGs. It is shot down by Lieutenant Sam P. Young. He receives credit for the last MiG to be shot down during the Korean War. However, on the 27th, the final day of the war, another type of enemy plane is shot down.

July 23 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, while the relief of the 7th Marines by the 1st Marines continues, the defenders are deployed in a three-battalion sector rather than the usual twobattalion sector. The front line sectors are lef, center and right by the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. In Naval activity, the USS St. Paul (CA 73) comes under fire while on duty in the vicinity of the Wonsan perimeter. No damage or harm occurs. July 24

BATTLE OF BOULDER CITY OUTPOST In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, led by 1st Lieutenant Oral R. Swigaet, Jr., moves into position and relieves Company G, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, at Hill 119 (Boulder City). Precautions continue to be taken due to an expected assault against Boulder City. At about 1940, soon after enemy troops are detected to the rear of Hill 139, the formation is brought under fire. The forward observers pin the columns, about regiment-strength, at a point about 700 yards northwest of Berlin. Less than one hour later, the enemy artillery erupts, followed by an enemy surge in the right sector of the line. Hill 111, to the right of Boulder City at the extreme right of the sector, is the first position to be stung by the

The battle-torn terrain to the front of Outpost Boulder City as seen from a helicopter.

July 24, 1953

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two-battalion assault. At this time, the 1st Marines are still in the process of relieving the 7th Marines’ units there. The enemy pounds against Hill 111, just as Companies H and I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, are exchanging places with Companies H and I, 7th Marines. The enemy, using the blackness of the night and the poor weather, penetrates at Hill 111. The nasty weather prohibits air strikes and the lack of air observers also impedes the artillery. Nonetheless, the defenders at Hill 111 hold, in what turns out to be only a diversion, while the primary objective remains Hill 119. The Chinese disengage slightly before 2130. Meanwhile, at Boulder City, the defenders have been in a non-stop battle to hold the positions against everincreasing numbers of Chinese. Following the initial waves that crash into the positions, other reinforcements continue to flow from East Berlin and the Jersey Ridge, where most of the columns converge upon the Berlin Gate, the most direct path to Hill 119. The targeted hill is held by Company G, 1st Marines. The superior number of enemy troops is unable to collapse the defense, but the Marines’ numbers continue to diminish, as the clash remains close-quartered and vicious. The Marines maintain their firing at a rapid pace, but more enemy troops continue to advance. The beleaguered company is struck by a second powerful assault at 2100. Still, the men of Company G hold the line, despite the fact that their casualties continue to dangerously climb. Friendly artillery opens the spigot and streaks round after round into the charging enemy

to stem the tide, but the attackers remain oblivious to the cloudburst that rains steel upon them. To add even more muscle, the 1st 4.5 Rocket Battery delivers successive blows into the enemy positions. By about 2200, the entire length of the trenchline (700 yards) becomes a close-quartered shoot out intertwined with hand-to-hand combat. Bayonets, rifle butts and fists rattle the ditches. The Chinese are unable to claim the trenches, but as the conflagration intensifies, Marine casualties soar. Two corpsmen are killed prior to midnight and of the other six with the unit, nearly all are wounded, making it difficult to aid the fallen Marines or evacuate the more seriously wounded. By midnight (24th-25th) the overwhelming pressure by the Chinese against the perimeter finally forces the line, held by beleaguered Company G, to falter. The left and right flanks are driven back to the reverse slope, yet the Marines refuse to relent. Horrific combat continues by those Marines still standing. The Chinese pour more force against the staggered company and still the Communists are unable to roll them over, despite having inflicted a casualty rate of seventy-five percent. At about fifteen minutes after midnight, the able-bodied defenders resist as if they have the Chinese outnumbered, and though their ranks have been cut drastically, there is no despair. Word arrives that Company I is en route and about to bolster the line, which brings a thunderous cheer that reverberates through the trenchline.

U.S. ground troops are airlifted by helicopter to the front.

963 While Company I speeds to extricate Company G and galvanize the line to extinguish the enemy fire, the unit is struck on the reverse slope of Boulder City by enemy mortar and artillery fire. The Chinese had picked up a coded message in time to swivel some of its gun barrels and pinpoint the Marines’ positions, inflicting 35 casualties. Nevertheless, Company I presses forward and joins with the surviving defenders to help cut the odds. In the meantime, the Communists are able to penetrate the ever-thinning frontal position and for a while, they actually gain the crest; however, the Marines, who only recently lost a hill and on the following day, were ordered not to take it back, seem determined to take it right away rather than risk having the Chinese retain it by default. At 0130, Captain Louis J. Sarror leads Companies G and I in a relentless charge that barges directly into the Chinese and slams them back to begin to restabilize the conditions at Hill 119. The Marines strike menacing blows and give no quarter as they plow through the enemy in a dogged two-hour bloodbath. At 0330, the MLR is totally restored to order with the Marines back in control. Sarror’s Marines ensure that at dawn, they will not have to launch another counterattack to re-secure the ground. By 0550, Boulder City belongs to the Marines. The victors become ecstatic upon the appearance of four additional platoons, drawn from Company E, 1st Marines, and Company E, 7th Marines. During the struggle, an outpost guarded by elements of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, comes under a strong attack by about two battalions. The company gets pinned down. While the men try to extricate themselves, Sergeant Ambrosio Guillen attempts to maintain discipline and direct the defense. Guillen is able to rally the troops and they meet the enemy head-on in hand-to-hand combat. Again Guillen takes responsibility and his Marines pound the Chinese sufficiently to beat them back and cause them to abort the attack. Sergeant Guillen had become seriously wounded during the fight and refused medical attention in order to ensure his men would be the victors. Sergeant Guillen’s platoon prevails, but he dies of his wounds. Sergeant Guillen is awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his extraordinary leadership, courage and heroism in the face of an overwhelming enemy force. Meanwhile, Boulder City and Hill 111 had not been the only recipients of the Chinese attacks. The 5th Marines’ positions at Esther and Dagmar come under attack at 2115. However, the Chinese, soon after striking both outposts, only give Dagmar a light blow before focusing on Esther. The enemy, like in the 1st Marines’ zone, is supported by mortars and artillery. Heavy fighting continues until after midnight and beyond in a tight-fisted, close-quartered raging battle. Company H, the defending unit, is pushed hard by the superior numbered force, estimated at the size of a reinforced battalion. The enemy thrust eventually gains

July 24, 1953 ground in the forward trenches. Nevertheless, the Marines return fire relentlessly and although imperiled, they surrender no ground in either of the rear trenches. The Chinese maneuver to isolate the Marines at Esther, but to no avail. Long-distance help is accelerated to forestall disaster. The artillery and mortar fire is rapidly increased and several tanks commit their 90mm rifles against the Communists. In addition, the Chinese still face the Marine riflemen, machine gunners and some testy flamethrowers. By 0640, the Chinese disengage, having failed to seize Esther. The Marines sustain 12 killed and 98 wounded (35 evacuated). The Chinese sustain 85 killed (counted) and an additional 110 estimated killed, along with an estimated 250 wounded. During the previous night into the morning of the 25th, the Chinese commit 3,000 troops against the outposts. In addition to the Marines on the ground, the several thousand enemy troops are showered with just under 24,000 rounds by the 11th Marines in the same period, between 2200 and 0400. The 11th Marines and ten battalions under its operational control include units of the 25th Division, I Corps and the British 1st Commonwealth Division. The attackers at Esther were the recipients of 7,057 rounds in support of the 5th Marines and 16,668 rounds to bolster the 1st Marines at Boulder City. The Chinese, however, again make an offensive move in yet another chance to dislodge the Marines and increase their bargaining positions at the peace talks. At 0820, Boulder City (Hill 119) is again struck. The Marines meet the new threat with devastating fire and inflict severe casualties upon the enemy. Still, the Chinese probe and for the balance of the morning into the early afternoon, the opposing sides exchange blows, but at 1335, the last of the Chinese on Boulder City are evicted from the forward slope. In the meantime, the 1st Marines continue with relief of the 7th Marines. At 1100, Boulder City comes under control of the 1st Marines. At Hill 111, mop-up operations continue as elements of Company H, 1st Marines, and of Company H, 7th Marines, root out remaining enemy troops still in and around the trenchworks. Later, at 1815, the 1st Marines complete relief of Company H, 7th Marines, along the MLR. As the day winds down, the temporary period of tranquility is again shattered at Hill 119, when the Chinese mount yet another assault at 2130 to reduce the Marine resistance. The 1st Marines and the 7th Marines are each struck by a contingent estimated at two-company strength. They receive instant support fire from the 11th Marines. The artillerymen are joined by the tankers. The combined strength of the ground troops and the support units force the Chinese to abort the assault. And still, they refuse to quit. Later, at 0130, Boulder City and Hill 111 are again besieged. During this latest attack, the Communists are able to advance in some places to the trenches, but again, only to be driven back out by the persistence of the defenders. By dawn on the 26th, Boulder City complex, including Hill 111,

July 24, 1953 remains under Marine control. The Marines sustain 19 killed and 125 wounded. The Chinese sustain 30 killed (counted) and an additional estimated 84 killed, along with an estimated 310 wounded. Subsequently, even more enemy contingents attempt to test the lines, but they are each met with riveting fire by Marine riflemen and machine gunners. The effective impenetrable fire halts the Chinese in their tracks. Meanwhile, the Communists realize the armistice is imminent and decide to mount yet another attack in a desperate effort to gain the Boulder City complex to impede U.N. access to the Imjin River. Picking a usual time, at 2130, the Chinese initiate the charge. By this time, the 1st Marines retain responsibility for the area, having completed the transfer at 1330. Marines on the line are led by Captain Esmond E. Harper, commanding officer, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. Harper had assumed command after Major Thurston had been seriously wounded. The Chinese attack is shattered. Still, they refuse to quit. At a few minutes after midnight (25th-26th), another platoon rushes the defenses and receives the same fate as the former, in what becomes the final assault to take Boulder City. The platoon is handily repulsed. Later, Hill 111 comes under assault when yet another Communist force of about platoon strength barges against its defenses at 0045. The Chinese engage the Marines until about 0205 and after failing to make any gains and receiving a battering blow, the attack is aborted. This last attack against Hill 111, on 26 July, is the final action of the Marines in Korea. The Chinese make no further attempt to test the mettle of the Marines. The armistice is signed on the following day at Panmunjom.

July 24

TF-77, launches 536 sorties against the enemy, which becomes a record setting day; however,

964 the record is broken on the following day, when 538 offensive and 62 defensive sorties are flown, the highest number on a single day during the war.

July 25

In the United States: President Eisenhower announces that the 3rd Marine Division (and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing), commanded by Major General Robert H. Pepper, is to be sent to the Far East to bolster the forces under General Mark Clark’s Far East Command.

July 26

The friendly-held island of Hwangto-do comes under fire from the mainland by machine gunners and anti-tank weapons. No damage occurs. Also, the USS Swift (AM 122) fires upon enemy sampans in Hungnam harbor. During the incident, the enemy shore guns commence firing upon the Swift. No damage is inflicted upon the Swift; however, the enemy guns receive return fire and the hostile fire is eliminated.

July 27

ARMISTICE At 1000, in Panmunjom, the Communists and the U.N. representatives sign the armistice to bring an end to the Korean War, often referred to as the Korean Police Action. Lieutenant General William K. Harrison, Jr., signs on behalf of the U.N. Chinese General Nam II signs on behalf of the Communists. Subsequently, General Mark Clark (for the UN), General Kim II (for the North Koreans) and General Peng Teh-Huai (for the Chinese) also sign the papers. The truce becomes effective at 2200. No treaty is ever signed; however, the truce remains in effect. Since the conflict erupted with a Communist invasion of South Korea on 25 June, 1950, the war is finally terminated after three years, two months and two days, but not until 2200. In the meantime, both sides clash throughout the day.

At 1000 on 27 July 1953, the armistice that brings the hostilities in Korea to an end is signed. Lt. General William K. Harrison, Jr., signs on behalf of the United Nations. General Nam II signs the document on behalf of the Communists.

965 In the I Corps sector, 1st Marine Division zone, a message goes around that instructs the Marines, all 26,000, that there shall be “no celebrating fire related in any way to the advent of the armistice.” In addition, no defensive fire is to be commenced after 2145, unless an infantry attack is launched against the positions. Nonetheless, in Korea, it is an awfully long time between 1000 and 2200. Following the fighting at Boulder City, during the early morning hours, the artillery of the 11th Marines remains active. At about dusk, when the Chinese launch a barrage, the 11th Marines return fire rapidly, bringing the total of rounds fired for July to 75,910, including 102 on this day, with the final round being fired at 2135, ten minutes prior to the armistice becoming effective. Also, the Marine squadrons remain active during the final day of combat. The 1st Marine Air Wing executes 202 sorties. The final jet flight of the squadron is flown by Captain William I. Armagost (VMF-311), who lands a devastating blow (four 500-pounders) on a Chinese supply depot at 1835. The final flight is completed by Captain William J. Foster, Jr., who delivers two 2000-pounders against enemy positions at 2135 in support of U.N. troops. Not to be outdone, at sea off Wonsan, on the final day of the seventeen month siege, U.S. and British naval ships bombard Wonsan. The ships await 2200 and simultaneously turn on their lights. The armistice, which was not assured, occurs at 2200. For about an hour prior to the truce, Chinese troops, who had been conspicuous along their lines, increase in number by about 2100. Many of the enemy troops, apparently having confidence that they wouldn’t be picked off, light candles. Others light flashlights and yet others wave banners while they search for their dead and wounded. Some Chinese actually walk up to a Marine outpost and request water while they attempt to strike up a friendly conversation. Another group of Chinese walks up to outpost Ava and delivers gifts, then invites the Marines to a party. The Marines love a party as much as anyone; however, the Chinese receive no verbal response. The Marines peer intently at the Chinese, but they remain absolutely silent. All the while, the wait continues as the Marines remain skeptical. A solitary enemy volley of five mortar rounds strikes Korean Outpost Camel at 2152, but no fire is returned. Eight minutes later, while the Marines stand at the ready, scanning the ground to their front, a white cluster shell bursts in the sky, and then another burst is seen, followed by more and then more, until the entire sky that stretches from the Yellow Sea to the Sea of Japan, a distance of 155 miles, is filled with brilliant illumination. The war ends. The Marines during the conflict lose 4,262 killed and 26,038 wounded. More than forty Marines become recipients of the Medal of Honor and of those, 26 are posthumous awards. Also, since August 1950, when the first Marine was captured, until the termination of

July 28, 1953 the war, 221 were captured. About 90 percent of the Marine POWs are returned. In Air Force activity, Capt. Ralph S. Parr, Jr., attached to the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, engages and destroys an IL-12 transport plane, for his tenth victory of the war, making him a double ace. In other activity, in a final farewell to the enemy, fighter bombers of Fifth Air Force attack enemy airfields in North Korea during the last hours before the armistice becomes effective. Reconnaissance aerial photos of the airfields acquired by aircraft (67th TRW) provides evidence that all Communist airfields in North Korea are out of action with regard to being able to handle the landings of jet planes at the conclusion of the war. In yet other activity, Lieutenant Denver S. Cook launches the final FEAF Bomber Command sortie of the Korean War. The mission is carried out in an RB29 of the 91st SRS. Cook’s mission is to drop leaflets in Communist territory. Also, the final Air Force bombing sortie of the war is carried out by a B-26 of the 8th Bomber Squadron during a close-air support mission (radar directed) subsequent to dusk. Ironically, the same unit initiated the first air strike against North Korea. The last combat sortie of the war is carried out by an RB-26 of the 67th TRW that executes a mission into North Korea. When the armistice begins and the skies across Korea are illuminated by flares, all planes of Far East Air Forces are either three miles offshore or at bases below the front lines. In other Naval activity, the U.S. Navy continues offensive action on the final day of the war, but completes its action prior to the effective time of the armistice, which is 2200. Planes (Navy and Marine) attached to TF-77 pound enemy airfields, but place a higher priority on the enemy’s transportation complexes. Targets destroyed include 23 rail cars, 11 railroad bridges, one railroad tunnel and 69 buildings. Other targets destroyed include 9 highway bridges. In addition, while the pilots complete their mission on this final day of the war, they succeed in making forty cuts in the rails and several road cuts, but the airfields had not been neglected. The pilots pound five airfields.

July 28

In the 1st Marine Division zone, which includes the prisoner release point at Panmunjom, the Marines play a primary role in the exchange of prisoners; however, other responsibilities include the establishment of a new line (Post Armistice Battle Positions). In addition, they are directed to create a “No-Pass Line” at a point about 200 yards short of the boundary of the Demilitarized Zone. A military demarcation line (MDL) is established between the U.N. and Communist positions, in conjunction with the opposing battle lines at the time the conflict was terminated. The opposing sides each withdraw 2,000 yards to create a 4,000-yard buffer zone. Although a truce had been signed on the previous

Top: The fighting is over. Elements of the 1st Marines withdraw from positions along the main line of resistance on 28 July. Bottom: A badly malnourished American POW enjoys an American cigarette for the first time in a while as he receives new clothes at Freedom Village at Panmunjom.

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July 28, 1953

The U.S. 7th Division prepares to abandon its positions on 31 July following the armistice.

August 1, 1953

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The 40th Division at Heartbreak Ridge prepares to abandon its positions, subsequent to the armistice. day, the Marines remain battle-ready in the event the Chinese attempt to break the truce. Meanwhile, activity at Freedom Village is renewed as the Marines prepare to receive the arriving prisoners (Operation BIG SWITCH). At Munsan, the former Freedom Village is too small to handle the large amount of expected prisoners, about 400 per day for an entire month. A new receiving center is constructed. Also, the U.N. forces initiate a salvage operation. Outposts and fortifications are reduced and equipment and ammunition is collected and transported back to various depots.

August 1 In the 1st Marine Division zone, the ongoing operation to redeploy at the new main battle position (MBT) located south of the Demilitarized Zone is completed by 0900. August 5–September 6 1953 Operation BIG SWITCH At 0855, five minutes prior to the official designated time for the exchange to commence, three Russian-made jeeps, each transporting one Chinese officer and two North Korean officers, lead a convoy from the Communists’ sector of the peace corridor. Following closely, a convoy of trucks and ambulances head for the Provisional Command Receipt and Control contingent at Panmunjom. A large column of rising dust signals the approach of a convoy and alerts the Marine sentinels. Between this day and 6 September, 3,597 U.S. POWs are returned from captivity. The figure includes 157 Marines (42 officers and 115 enlisted men), of which 28 are aviators. In addition, the figure includes 947 British, 228 Turks, smaller numbers

of Australians, Filipinos, Canadians and 7,848 South Koreans. The U.N., during this time, returns 75,799 POWs (5,640 Chinese and 70,159 North Koreans). The Communists return a total of 12,737 POWs. During the entire conflict, 7,140 Americans had been captured and of these, 4,418 are returned; however, 2,701 succumb while in Communist captivity. The major difficulty to evolve (besides the behavior of many Communist prisoners as they are repatriated) is caused by South Korean president Syngman Rhee, who refuses to allow any Indian troops to land on South Korean soil. The U.N. had designated the Indian troops responsibility for overseeing the Communist POWs who did not wish to be repatriated. Consequently, the entire contingent (6,000 troops) aboard ships had to be airlifted from carriers off Inchon and transported by helicopter to the Demilitarized Zone. Out of the total number of Americans seized as prisoners, 192 are subsequently found guilty of either misconduct against fellow prisoners or cooperating with the enemy. None were Marines. One Marine is disciplined for cooperating with the enemy, by penning an article for a pro–Communist magazine. Twenty-one Americans (no Marines) and one British soldier defect. A total of 22,000 Communists refuse repatriation. One other Englishman, a diplomat (George Blake), who was seized in Seoul during 1950, had been won over by the Communists, but he is not immediately discovered. About ten years later, he is found to have become a Russian spy. Most of the American turncoats later return to the U.S.

969

August 5, 1953

A road map of the route used by convoys to transport repatriated U.N. POWs. Radio checkpoints are scattered along the road to monitor movement and relay progress to headquarters during Operation Big Switch, 5 August–6 September 1953.

August 5, 1953

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Top: A Marine observes other troops working to fill a trenchline in accordance with armistice. Bottom: Indian troops depart the USS Point Cruz en route to the buffer zone to guard the Communist POWs that had chosen not to be repatriated. The South Korean president refused Indian troops from setting foot on South Korean soil.

971

September 4, 1953

A jubilant group of former American POWs, the first to arrive back in the States, prepare to debark at San Francisco on 22 August 1953.

August 6 In the United States: The Marine Corps extends its tours of duty for Marines in Korea from 11 to 14 months.

forces in Korea continue to receive elements of the 3rd Marine Division. Its final contingents arrive in Japan on this day.

August 30 Although the armistice was signed July 27 between the U.N. and the Communists, the U.S.

September 4

On this day, concerns about Major General William F. Dean, USA, captured during the

September 4, 1953

972

Major General William F. Dean, who was commanding officer of the 24th Division when he was captured in July 1950, boards a plane in Tokyo on 21 September for a flight back to the United States.

973

September 6, 1953

An airman with a young fan standing near a Sabre jet at Sampson Air Base, New York. early days of the war on August 25, 1950, vanish. Dean is among the POWs released this day. (See also, July 21, 1950; October 23, 1950; and October 28, 1950.)

September 6 At Panmunjom, the last contingent of POWs arrives. The 160 men, transported by the Communists from their sector of the peace corridor, arrive at 1100.

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Appendix 1. Eighth Army Order of Battle Units Deployed to Korea

If the commanding officer attended West Point, the class year and cadet number of the graduate is noted. However, it is noted only once and some served with separate units. An alphabetical list of the West Point graduates is included in the appendix.

1st Cavalry Division (Dismounted) Deployed 2 September 1950. Detached from I Corps on 27 November and attached to IX Corps. Regiments: 5th Cavalry, 7th Cavalry and 8th Cavalry

24th Infantry Division Detached from I Corps during early December 1950 and attached to IX Corps. Regiments: 5th, 19th, 21st

Commanders Lt. General Walton H. Walker (West Point, 1912, Cadet No. 5090)—July 13, 1950–December 23, 1950. (General Walker was killed in a vehicle accident on the 23rd.) Major General Frank W. Milburn (West Point, 1914, Cadet No. 5304)—Temporary commander until Ridgway assumed command. Lt. General Matthew B. Ridgway (West Point, 1917, Cadet No. 5657)— December 26, 1950–April 1951. Lt. General (later general) James Alward Van Fleet (West Point 1915, Cadet No. 5404)— April 14, 1951–February 11, 1953. Lt. General (later general) Maxwell D. Taylor (West Point 1922, Cadet No. 6831)— February 11, 1953. Note: On 23 December 1950, Lieutenant General Walton J. Walker was killed in a vehicular accident, outside of Seoul. ded by Lieutenant General Matthew Ridgway. In the interim, Major General Frank W. Milburn, I Corps’ commanding officer assumes temporary command of Eighth Army. Note: On 11 April, 1951, General Douglas MacArthur was fired by President Truman. He was succeeded by General Matthew B. Ridgway. General Ridgway upon assuming the new post, received the other posts held by MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Allied Powers in Japan; Commander-in-Chief, U.N. Command in Korea; U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Far East and Commanding General, U.S. Army, Far East. I Corps (I Corps, deactivated while participating in the occupation of Japan during March 1950. It was reactivated on 2 August 1950 at Fort Bragg.

1st Republic of Korea (ROK) Infantry Division During April 1951, transferred to newly established ROK Corps.

27th British Brigade (including supporting units) Detached from I Corps during Eighth Army withdrawal beyond 38th Parallel and attached to IX Corps.

I Corps The I Corps components following reorganization as of 31 December 1950. From left to right, northeast of Seoul: Turkish Brigade; 25th Division; ROK 1st Division. Also, the British 29th Brigade was held in reserve. I Corps subsequent to reorganization during January 1952. (In this reorganization I-Corps lost the 1st Calvary Division, 24th Infantry Division and 27th British Brigade) 1st Cavalry (reattached to I Corps during April 1951 then later during Japan (December 1951) 3rd Infantry Division — The 3rd Division was later during January 1953 detached (transferred from I Corps January 1953) Regiments: 7th, 15th, 65th 25th Infantry Division — Later transferred from I Corps during March 1952)

975

Appendix 1

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Regiments: 24th, 27th, 35th 1st ROK Infantry Division (transferred to ROK Corps during April 1951); 45th Division (Oklahoma National Guard) attached December 1951

IX Corps December 31, 1950 From left to right north of Seoul: ROK 6th Division, U.S. 24th Division. The 1st Cavalry Division and the British 27th Brigade were in corps reserve.

I Corps 1952

IX Corps After Reorganization March 1951

25th Division — During March, the 25th Division was detached from I Corps.

(Subsequent to transfer of the 1st Marine Division and 187th ARCT.) Units: 1st Calvary Division; 7th Infantry Division— Attached March 1951; 24th Infantry Division — Attached to IX Corps latter part of 1950; ROK 2nd Infantry; ROK 6th Infantry

1st Commonwealth Division (British)— Attached March 1952 ROK 1st — Attached March 1952; ROK 8th — Attached March 1952; ROK 9th—Attached March 1952

I Corps Reorganized January 1953 Units 2nd Division — Attached January 1953; 3rd Infantry Division — Detached January 1953; 7th Division — Attached January 1953; 24th Infantry Division — Detached January 1953; 25th Division — Attached January 1953; 45th Infantry Division — Detached January 1953; 1st Marine Division — Attached January 1953

British Commonwealth Division Infantry — Detached January 1953 ROK 1st Infantry Division — Attached January 1953; ROK 2nd Infantry Division — Attached January 1953; ROK 8th Infantry Division — Detached January 1953; ROK 9th Infantry Division — Detached January 1953; ROK 15th Infantry Division — Attached January 1953 Following the cease fire in 1953, I-Corps remained in Korea until 1971.

IX Corps, Ninth United States Army Corps (During the occupation of Japan, U.S. IX-Corps was headquartered at Sendai, Japan, and commanded the 1st Calvary Division and the 7th Infantry Division. It was deactivated during the downsizing reorganization of occupation forces on 28 March 1950.) Units: 2nd Infantry Division— 23 September 1950— The Division was placed into Eighth Army reserve towards the latter part of the year. (Deemed incapable of combat by latter part of the year due to casualties and loss of equipment). 25th Infantry Division— 23 September — The Division was placed into Eighth Army reserve towards the latter part of the year. (Deemed incapable of combat by latter part of the year due to casualties and loss of equipment.) 1st Calvary Division— Attached to IX Corps latter part of 1950. 24th Infantry Division—Attached to IX Corps latter part of 1950. 1st Marine Division— Attached to IX Corps latter part of 1950. ?th ROK Infantry Division—Attached to IX Corps latter part of 1950. 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (ARCT)— Attached to IX Corps latter part of 1950.

IX Corps Reorganization January 1952 Units: 1st Calvary Division — Detached January 1952; 2nd Division — Attached March 1952; 3rd Infantry Division — Attached March 1952; 7th Infantry Division—Attached March 1951; 24th Infantry Division— Detached January 1952; 40th Infantry Division (California National Guard)— Attached March 1952; 45th Infantry Division (Oklahoma National Guard)— Attached January 1952 and detached March 1952; ROK 2nd Infantry Division—Detached January 1952; ROK 6th Infantry Division — Detached March 1952; ROK Capital Division — Attached March 1952

IX Corps Reorganization January 1953 Units: 2nd Division — Attached March 1952 — Detached January 1953; 3rd Division — Attached January 1953; 7th Infantry Division — Attached March 1951 — Detached January 1953; 40th Infantry Division (California National Guard)— Detached January 1953; ROK 3rd Infantry Division — Attached March 1952 — Detached January 1953; ROK 9th Division — Attached January 1953; ROK Capital Division — Attached March 1952 Note: IX Corps was reactivated at Fort Sheridan, Illinois on 10 August 1950. It arrived in Korea on 22 September 1950. IX-Corps departed Korea for Okinawa during November 1956.

X Corps X Corps was activated on September 6, 1950. The Commanding Officer was Major General Edward M. Almond. Units: 3rd Infantry Division; 7th Infantry Division; 1st Marine Division; ROK 2nd Infantry Division; ROK 5th Infantry Division; ROK 8th Infantry Division On 24 December 1950, X Corps, which had operated independently of Eighth Army, came under Eighth Army.

X Corps Reorganized During April 1951 2nd Infantry Division — Attached April 1951 — Detached March 1952; 3rd Infantry Division—Detached April 1951; 7th Infantry Division—Detached April 1951 Regiments: 17th, 31st, 32nd 25th Division — Attached March 1952; ROK 2nd Division — Detached March 1952; ROK 5th Divi-

977 sion — Detached April 1951; ROK 6th Division — Attached March 1952; ROK 7th Division — Attached April 1951; ROK 8th Division — Detached April 1951

X Corps Reorganized January 1953 25th Infantry Division—Detached January 1953; 40th Infantry Division — Attached January 1953; 45th Infantry Division — Attached January 1953; 1st Marine Division — Detached January 1953; ROK 6th Division — Detached January 1953; ROK 7th Division — Attached April 1951; ROK 12th Division — Attached January 1953; ROK 20th Division — Attached January 1953 Note: X Corps remained in Korea until 1955. It was deactivated at Fort Riley, Kansas on 27 April 1955.

Corps Commanders I CORPS Major General John B. Coulter — August 2, 1950— Coulter transferred to IX Corps on 12 September 1950; Major General Frank W. Milburn transferred from IX Corps to I Corps on 11 September 1950 and assumed command at Taegu; Major General John W. O’Daniel—19 July 1951–June 29, 1952; Major General (Later Lt. General) Paul W. Kendall (West Point 1918, Cadet No. 6212)—29 Jun 1952–April 11, 1953; Major General Bruce Cooper Clarke (West Point 1925, Cadet No. 7658)— 11 Apr 1953.

IX CORPS Major General Frank W. Milburn—August 10, 1950. Transferred from I Corps assumed command of IX Corps at Miryang on 12 September 1950; Major General John B. Coulter — 12 September 1950–January 3, 1951. Transferred from I Corps to assume command of IX Corps; Major General Bryant Edward Moore (West Point 1917, Cadet No. 5845)—January 31, 1951–February 24, 1951 (died from heart attack after helicopter accident); Major General William Morris Hoge (West Point 1916, Cadet No. 5505)—assumed command of IX Corps at Yoju on March 4, 1951. He replaced General O.P. Smith, USMC, the temporary commander subsequent to the death of General Moore; Major General (Later Lt. General) Willard Gordon Wyman (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6383)— December 24, 1951–July 1952; Major General Joseph Pringle Cleland (West Point 1925, Cadet No. 7831)—Temporary command July 31, 1952–August 1952; Major General (Later Lt. General) Reuben E. Jenkins—August 9, 1952

X CORPS COMMANDING OFFICERS Major General Edward M. Almond — August 26, 1950–July 1951; Major General Clovis Ethelbert Byers (West Point 1920, Cadet No. 6707)— 15 July 1951–December 1951; Major General Williston Birkhimer Palmer (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6264)—December 5, 1951–August 1952; Major General (later Lt. General) I. D. White — August 15, 1952; General ID White had been the commanding officer of the Constabulary in Germany from 1948–1951.

Eighth Army Order of Battle Division Commanders 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION Major General Hobart R. Gay — September 1949– February 1951; Major General Charles D. Palmer — February 1951 — July 1951; Major General Thomas Leonard Harrold (West Point 1925, Cadet No. 7639)—July 1951–March 1952; Major General Arthur Gilbert Trudeau — March 1952–March 1953; Brigadier General William J. Bradley — March 1953– April 1953; Major General Joseph P. Cleland — April 1953–June 1953 Units: Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 5th Cavalry Regiment; 7th Cavalry Regiment; 8th Cavalry Regiment Artillery Units: 61st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 77th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 82nd Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 99th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 29th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: Company A, 71st Tank Battalion (Heavy); 70th Tank Battalion (Medium)— Replaced Company A, 71st Tank Battalion, August 7, 1950; 8th Engineer Battalion (Combat); 16th Reconnaissance Company; 15th Medical Battalion; 13th Signal Company; 27th Ordnance maintenance Battalion; 15th Quartermaster Company; 15th Military Police Company; 15th Replacement Company Attached Units: 4th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne)— December 31, 1950–August 1, 1951; Thailand 21st Infantry Regiment; Philippine 10th Battalion Combat Team; Greek Expeditionary Force

2ND INFANTRY DIVISION IN KOREA (ARRIVED AUGUST 3, 1950) Commanding Officers: Major General Laurence Bolton Keiser (West Point 1917, Cadet No. 5719)— April 1950–December 1950. Note: General Keiser had been ADJ and Commanding officer with 2nd Division since 1948. Major General Robert B. McClure — December 1950–January 1951. He is relieved of command on 14 January 1951. Major General Clark L. Ruffner—January 14–September 1951. On 1 September, Major General George Craig Stewart (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 7193), assistant commanding general (1950–51) temporarily command (April 2nd–9th) replaced Ruffner as 2nd Division commander, while Ruffner assumed temporary command of X Corps, while General Almond was in Japan. Major General DeFazio assumed temporary command of the 2nd Division (1 September–20 September 1951). Major General Robert N. Young — September 1951–May 1952). Major General James Clyde Fry (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 6958)—May 1952–May 1953. Major General William L. Barriger (West Point 1918, Cadet No. 5979)— May 1953–March 1954. Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 9th Infantry Regiment; 23rd Infantry Regiment; 38th Infantry Regiment Artillery Units: 12th Field Artillery Battalion

Appendix 1 (155mm—arrived Nov. 51); 15th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 37th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 38th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 503rd Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 82nd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: 72nd Tank Battalion (Medium); 2nd Engineer Battalion (Combat); 2nd Reconnaissance Company; 2nd Medical Company; 2nd Signal Company; 702nd Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 2nd Quartermaster Company; 2nd Military Police Company; 2nd Replacement Company Attached Units: 1st Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) (23 Oct 1950–1 Aug 1951); Netherlands Infantry Battalion; French Infantry Battalion

3RD INFANTRY DIVISION IN KOREA Commanding Officers: Major General Percy W. Clarkson—March 1947–August 1950. Major General Robert S. Soule—August 1950–September 1951. The 3rd Division under Soule debarked on 18 November 1950 in Korea to participate with X Corps. Major General Thomas J. Cross — October 1951–May 1952. Major General Robert Leroy Dulaney (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 7195)—May 1952–October 1952. Major General George Winfered Smythe (West Point 1924, Cadet No. 7545)— October 1952–May 1953. General Smythe, prior to taking command had been in command of the 24th Division while it was in Japan during 1952. Major General Eugene Ware Ridings (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 7074)—May 1953–October 1953. Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 7th Infantry Regiment; 15th Infantry Regiment; 65th Infantry Regiment Artillery Units: 9th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 10th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 39th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 58th Armored Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 3rd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: 64th Tank Battalion (Medium); 10th Engineer Battalion (Combat); 3rd Reconnaissance Company; 3rd Medical Battalion; 3rd Signal Company; 703 Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 3rd Quartermaster Company; 3rd Military Police Company; 3rd Replacement Company Attached Units: Eighth Army Raider Company; 8245th Army Unit (12 Nov 1950–26 Dec 1950); 3rd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) (31 Apr 1951–1 Aug 1951); Belgian Infantry Battalion

7TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN KOREA Commanding Officers: Major General David Barr— May 1949–January 1951. General Barr returned to the States and became commandant of the Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Major General Claude Birkett Ferenbaugh (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6520)—January 1951–December 1951. Major General Lyman Louis Lemnitzer (West Point 1920, Cadet No. 6625)— December 1951–July 1952. General Lemnitzer became commanding general Far East Ari Forces and chairman Joint Chiefs of staff (1960–1962). Major General Wayne

978 Carleton Smith (West Point 1925, Cadet 7799)—July 1952–March 1953. General Smith, prior to assuming command had also been assistant commanding officer, 45th Division (1952). Major General Arthur G. Trudeau — March 1953–October 1953. General Trudeau, prior to assuming command, had commanded the 1st Cavalry Division. Major General Lionel Charles McGarr (West Point 1928, Cadet No. 8378)—October 1953–May 1954. General McGarr during 1952–1953 had also been assistant commanding general of the 2nd Division and the commander of the U.N. POW compound. Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 17th Infantry Regiment; 31st Infantry Regiment; 32nd Infantry Regiment Artillery: 31st Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 48th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 49th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 57th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 15th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: Company A, 77th Tank Battalion; 73rd Tank Battalion (Medium)—Replaced Company A, 77th Tank Battalion, during August 1950; 13th Engineer Battalion (Combat); 7th Reconnaissance Company Other Units: 7th Medical Battalion; 7th Signal Battalion; 707th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 7th Quartermaster Company; 7th Military Police Company; 7th Replacement Company Attached Units: 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne)— December 31, 1950–August 1, 1951

24TH DIVISION IN KOREA Commanding Officers: Major General William Dean 24th Division July 4, 1950. General Dean was later captured and thought killed. Brigadier General John H. Church — July 22, 1950–December 1950. General Church returned to the States as commandant of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Major General Blackshear M. Bryan — December 26, 1951. The 24th Division embarked from Japan during February 1952 and did not return to Korea until July 1953. Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 19th Infantry Regiment; 21st Infantry Regiment; 34th Infantry Regiment Artillery: 11th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 13th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 52nd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 63rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 26th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: Company A, 78th Tank Battalion (Heavy); 6th Tank Battalion (Medium)— Replaced Company A, 78th Tank Battalion on August 8, 1950; 3rd Engineer Battalion (Combat); 24th Reconnaissance Company; 24th Medical Battalion; 24th Signal Company; 724th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 24th Quartermaster Company; 24th Military Police Company; 24th Replacement Company Attached Units: 5th Infantry Regiment (5th RCT)— September 31, 1950–January 1952; 555th Field Artillery Battalion; 8072nd Tank Battalion (Provisional); Eighth

979 Army Ranger Company — October 10, 1950–March 28, 1951; 8th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne)— April 31, 1951–August 1, 1951; British 27th Commonwealth Brigade

25TH DIVISION IN KOREA Commanding Officers: Major General William Benjamin Kean (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6508)— 1948–1951. Major General Joseph Sladen Bradley (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6462—February 28, 1951–1951 Major General Ira Platt. Swift (West Point, Cadet No. 6219)— 1951–1952. Major General Samuel T. Williams—1952–1953. Major General Halley Grey Maddox (West Point 1920, Cadet No. 6793)—1953–1954 Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 24th Infantry Regiment (which was replaced on 1 August 1951 by: 14th Infantry Regiment— Replaced 24th Regiment on August 1, 1951 as part of the U.S. Army’s integration policy. 27th Infantry Regiment; 35th Infantry Regiment Artillery: 8th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 64th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 69th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 90th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm) Other Units: Company A, 79th Tank Battalion (Heavy); 89th Tank Battalion (Medium)— Replaced Company A, 89th Tank Battalion on August 7, 1950; 65th Engineer Battalion (Combat); 25th Reconnaissance Company; 25th Medical Battalion; 25th Signal Company; 725th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 25th Quartermaster Company; 25th Military Police Company; 25th Replacement Company Attached Units: 5th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne)—(April 30, 1951–August 1, 1951); Turkish Brigade

Eighth Army Order of Battle Artillery: 143rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 625th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 980th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 981st Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 140th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: 140th Tank Battalion (Medium); 578th Engineer Battalion (Combat); 40th Reconnaissance Company; 115th Medical Battalion; 40th Signal Company; 740th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 40th Quartermaster Company; 40th Military Police Company; 40th Replacement Company Attached Units: 11th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) 1 July 1951–1 September 1951 (In Japan)

45TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN KOREA Commanding Officers: Major General James C. Styron (West Point 1918, Cadet No. 6132)— September 5, 1946–May 20, 1952. Major General David L. Ruffner—May 21, 1952–March 15, 1953. Major General Philip DeWitt Ginder (West Point 1927, Cadet No. 8193)—March 16, 1953–November 30, 1953. Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 179th Infantry Regiment; 180th Infantry Regiment; 279th Infantry Regiment Artillery: 158th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 160th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 171st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); 189th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm); 145th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion Other Units: 245th Tank Battalion (Medium) 120th Engineer Battalion (Combat) 45th Reconnaissance Company; 120th Medical Battalion; 45th Signal Company; 700th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion; 45th Quartermaster Company; 45th Military Police Company; 45th Replacement Company Attached Units: 10th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) (in Japan—1 July 1951–15 September 1951)

5TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM 40TH INFANTRY DIVISION (NATIONAL GUARD) IN KOREA Commanding Officers: Major Gen D.H. Hudelson— On February 1, 1951, General Hudelson informed the Division (at the time in California) that it should prepare to embark for Korea. The 40th Division, a National Guard division was one of only two National Guard divisions to serve in Korea. General Hudelson remained as Division commander until June 1, 1952. Brigadier (Later major general) General Joseph P. Cleland — June 2, 1952–July 30, 1952. Brigadier General Gordon Byrom Rodgers (West Point 1924, Cadet No. 7345), assistant commanding general—Temporary command, July 31, 1952–August 8, 1952. Major General Joseph P. Cleland—August 9, 1952–April 16, 1953. Major General Ridgely Gaither — Assumed command on April 17, 1953, several months prior to the conclusion of the conflict and he retained command after the armistice was signed. Units: Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company Regiments: 160th Infantry Regiment; 223rd Infantry Regiment; 224th Infantry Regiment

Units: 5th Infantry Regiment; 555 Field Artillery Battalion (105mm) (Known as “The Triple-Nickel); 72nd Engineer Company

187TH AIRBORNE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM 187th Airborne RCT (Brigadier General Frank S. Bowen Jr. Units: 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment; 674th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion (105mm); Airborne Antiaircraft Artillery Battery, 187th ARCT; Airborne Engineer Company, 187th ARCT; Military Police Traffic Platoon, 187th ARCT; Quartermaster Parachute Maintenance Company, 187th ARCT; Medical Ambulance Platoon, 187th ARCT; Medical Clearing Platoon, 187th ARCT; Pathfinder Team, 187th ARCT Attached Units: 2nd and 5th Ranger Infantry Companies (Airborne)—March 3, 1951–April 4, 1951) 5man FECOM Tactical Liaison Office Team, 8177th Army Unit. (Tactical Intelligence)

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS Commandants: General Clifton B. Cates — January 1, 1948–December 31, 1951. Lt. General Lemuel Shepherd (Commander Fleet Marine Force, Pacific prior to

Appendix 1 appointment) January 1, 1952–December 31, 1955. Note: General Cates did not retire. He was appointed commanding officer, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.

1ST PROVISIONAL MARINE BRIGADE AND 1ST MARINE DIVISION 1st Provisional Marine Brigade Commander — Brigadier General Edward A. Craig — July 7, 1950–September 13, 1950; Deputy Commander — Brigadier General Thomas J. Cushman Note: On 5 July, the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, commanded by Brigadier General Thomas J. Cushman, was formed at El Toro, California for the purpose of bolstering the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade. 1st Marine Division Commanding Officers: Major General Graves B. Erskine, commanding officer, 1st Marine Division was assigned to the State Department for a secret mission in Southeast Asia during 1950. Brigadier General Harry B. Liversedge—Temporary commander 1st Marine Division relieved by General O.P. Smith on August 1950. General O.P. Smith — July 25, 1950–April 26, 1951 (General Oliver P. Smith — Departed Washington, D.C. on July 18 to assume command of the 1st Marine Division. He replaced the temporary commander, Brigadier General Harry B. Liversedge on 25 July.). General Lewis B. Puller — Temporary command 2 April-( April, While General O.P. Smith was in temporary command of the IX Corps. Major General Gerald C. Thomas—April 26, 1951–January 11, 1952. Major General John T. Selden — January 11, 1952–August 2, 1952. Major General Edwin A. Pollock — August 2, 1952–June 15, 1953. Major General Randolph McC. Pate June 15, 1953

1ST MARINE AIR WING Commanding Officers: Major General Field Harris— departed El Toro on August 31, 1950 in advance of the Air Wing to prepare for the invasion of Inchon. General Harris remained in command until May 27, 1951. Major General Thomas J. Cushman — May 27, 1951–July 27, 1951. Cushman succeeded Major General Field Harris. Major General Christian F. Schilt — July 27, 1951–April 11, 1952. Brigadier General Clayton C. Jerome — April 11, 1952–January 8, 1953. Major General Vernon E. Megee — January 8, 1953.

SOUTH KOREAN CORPS: ROK I Corps; ROK II Corps; ROK III Corps Commanders who graduated the U.S. Military Academy, West Point: Major General William L. Barriger (West Point 1918, Cadet No. 5979). Major General Joseph Sladen Bradley (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6462. Major General Clovis Ethelbert Byers (West Point 1920, Cadet No. 6707). Major General Bruce

980 Cooper Clarke (West Point 1925, Cadet No. 7658)— 11 Apr 1953. Major General Joseph Pringle Cleland (West Point 1925, Cadet No. 7831). Major General Robert Leroy Dulaney (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 7195). Major General Claude Birkett Ferenbaugh (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6520). Major General James Clyde Fry (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 6958). Major General Philip DeWitt Ginder (West Point 1927, Cadet No. 8193). Major General Thomas Leonard Harrold (West Point 1925, Cadet No. 7639)— July 1951–March 1952. Major General William Morris Hoge (West Point 1916, Cadet No. 5505). Major General William Benjamin Kean (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6508). Major General Laurence Bolton Keiser (West Point 1917, Cadet No. 5719). Major General (Later Lt. General) Paul W. Kendall (West Point 1918, Cadet No. 6212). Major General Lyman Louis Lemnitzer (West Point 1920, Cadet No. 6625). Major General Lionel Charles McGarr (West Point 1928, Cadet No. 8378). Major General Halley Grey Maddox (West Point 1920, Cadet No. 6793). Major General Frank W. Milburn (West Point, 1914, Cadet No. 5304). Major General Bryant Edward Moore (West Point 1917, Cadet No. 5845). Major General Williston Birkhimer Palmer (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6264). Lt. General Matthew B. Ridgway (West Point, 1917, Cadet No. 5657). Major General Eugene Ware Ridings (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 7074). Brigadier General Gordon Byrom Rodgers (West Point 1924, Cadet No. 7345). Major General Wayne Carleton Smith (West Point 1925, Cadet 7799). Major General George Winfered Smythe (West Point 1924, Cadet No. 7545). Major General George Craig Stewart (West Point 1923, Cadet No. 7193). Major General James C. Styron (West Point 1918, Cadet No. 6132)Major General Ira Platt. Swift (West Point, Cadet No. 6219); Lt. General (later general) Maxwell D. Taylor (West Point 1922, Cadet No. 6831); Lt. General (later general) James Alward Van Fleet (West Point 1915, Cadet No. 5404); Lt. General Walton H. Walker (West Point 1912, Cadet No. 5090); Major General Willard Gordon Wyman (West Point 1919, Cadet No. 6383)

Sources U.S. Army, Center for Military History, USMC Historical Division, Washington, D.C. U.S. Military Academy records Division histories (1st Cavalry, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 24th, 25th, 40th and 45th Divisions)

Books (each listed in bibliography) America’s Tenth Legion, X Corps in Korea Ebb and Flow

Appendix 2. Major Combat Events The list is not all-inclusive, but it does reflect the major incidents of combat. All of the action listed below are detailed in greater depth within the context of the book on the respective corresponding date or dates.

January 23, 1951—The U.N. forces in Korea under General Ridgway, resumed its offensive (Operation Thunderbolt). February 13–15, 1951— The Battle of Chip’Yong February 21, 1951—Limited offensive by IX and X Corps. March 7, 1951— IX and X Corps initiated Operation RIPPER an advance across the Han River. April 22, 1951— The Communists launched their Spring Offensive. April 22–25, 1951— The Battle of Imjin River April 23–25, 1951— The Battle of Kap’Yong May 16, 1951— The Communists initiated the second phase of their Spring Offensive. May 20, 1951— Fifth Air Force launched Operation Strangle, a full-scale interdiction campaign. May 21, 1951— The U.N. launched a counteroffensive. June 26, 1951–March 26, 1953— The Battle of Old Baldy July 10, 1951— The Communists and the U.N. representatives hold the first of the Truce talks. The meeting convened at Kaesong. August 31, 1951—The U.N. launches what became its final offensive of the war. While Eighth Army attacked to realign its lines, the 1st Marine Division attacked towards the Punch Bowl. September 13–October 15, 1951— The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge October 24, 1951— Battle of Namsi Air Force October 25, 1951— The Truce Talks, which had been stalled for a couple of weeks, reconvened at Panmunjom. Three days later, a cease fire was agreed upon. August 9–17, 1952— The Battle of Bunker Hill August 18–September 5, 1951— Battle of Bloody Ridge October 6–15 1952— Battle of White Horse Hill October 14, 1952–November 5, 1952— The Battle of Triangle Hill (Hill 598) October 26–28, 1952—(Korea) The Battle of The

June 25–June 28, 1950— The Invasion of South Korea by the North Koreans. July 5, 1950— The Battle of Osan July 5, 1950–February 18, 1951—Battle of Wonju July 16, 1950— The Battle of the Kum River July 19–20, 1950— The Battle of Taejon August 7–15, 1950— The U.N.’s First Offensive (Bloody Gulch) August 17, 1950— The First Battle of the Natong Bulge (Pusan Perimeter) including Battle for Obongni (No Name Ridge) September 1–5 1950— The North Koreans launch major offensive. Includes Second Battle of Naktong Bulge. September 3, 1950— Second Battle of the Naktong Bulge (Pusan Perimeter) September 5–13, 1950— The Battle of Yongch’on (Spread out on individual dates) September 15, 1950— The Invasion of Inchon September 15–September 27, 1950— Campaign to Retake Seoul. September 27, 1950— Seoul Recaptured. October 19, 1950— The capital of North Korea, Pyongyang was captured by Eighth Army. November 2, 1950—Chinese attacked Eighth Army at Unsan. The attack marked the first time the Chinese November 26–27, 1950— Chinese launched offensive against Eighth Army. November 27, 1950–December 11, 1950—Chosin Reservoir Campaign. The 1st Marine Division fought its way to Hungnam. December 31, 1950–January 15, 1951— The Communists launched a full-scale offensive against the entire 38th Parallel.

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Appendix 2 Hook (The contest for control of the hill actually lasted until July 1953) November 12, 1951— General Ridgway, commander U.N. forces in Korea ordered an end to all offensive actions, except for patrols. March 23, 1953—The First Battle of Pork Chop Hill March 26–30, 1953—(Korea) The Battle for VegasReno-Carson Outposts (Nevada Cities) May 28–30, 1953— Communists launched heavy attack against I Corps (Nevada Cities Outposts and the vicinity of the Hook) July 6–11, 1953—(Korea) The 2nd Battle of Pork Chop Hill (Hill 255)

982 July 7–9, 1953— The Battle for Berlin-East Berlin Outposts July 13–20, 1953— The Communists launch full scale attacks in the IX Corps and the ROK II Corps sectors (Battle of Kumsong River Salient). July 19–20, 1953— The Second Battle for The Berlin-East Berlin Outposts. July 24–27, 1953—The Communists launch strong attacks against Berlin Outpost area (Boulder City). July 27, 1953—Cease fire agreement consummated. The Armistice remains in effect.

Appendix 3. United Nations Command, Senior Military Commanders See also Appendix 1: Eighth Army Order of Battle.

IX Corps Major General Frank W. Milburn — August 10, 1950–September 1950 Major General John B. Coulter — September 12, 1950–January 1951 Major General Bryant E. Moore — January 31, 1951–February 23, 1951. General Moore was aboard a helicopter that crashed on the 23rd. Within a short time after the crash, he suffered a heart attack and died. Major General Oliver P. Smith, USMC — Temporary command of I Corps on February 24, 1951. He retained control until March 1951 when a U.S. Army officer assumed command. Major General (later Lt. General) William F. Hoge — March 5, 1951–December 1951 Major General Willard G. Wyman — December 24, 1951–July 1952 Major General Joseph P. Cleland — July 31, 1952– August 1952 Major General (later Lt. General) Reuben E. Jenkins — August 9, 1952

Commander-in-Chief United Nations Command (CINCUNC) General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur — General MacArthur was selected as the U.N. Commander on 8 July 1950. Lt. General (Later general) Matthew B. Ridgway succeeded General MacArthur on April 11, 1951. In conjunction, MacArthur had been fired by President Harry S Truman. General Mark W. Clark — May 12, 1952

Commanding Generals Eighth U.S. Army in Korea (EUSAK) Lt. General Walton H. Walker—July 13, 1950–December 23, 1950. General Walker was killed in a vehicle accident on the 23rd. Major General Frank J. Milburn — Temporary commander until Ridgway assumed command Lt. General Matthew B. Ridgway — December 26, 1950–April 1951 Lt. General (later general) James A. Van Fleet—April 14, 1951–February 11, 1953. Lt. General (later general) Maxwell D. Taylor—February 11, 1953.

X Corps Major General Edward M. Almond (General MacArthur’s chief-of-staff ) assumed control of X Corps on August 26, 1950–July 1951 Major General Clovis E. Byers—July 15, 1951–December 1951 Major General Williston B. Palmer — December 5, 1951–August 1952

I Corps Far East Air Forces (FEAF)

Major General John B. Coulter — August 2, 1950 Major General Frank W. Milburn — September 11, 1950 Major General John W. O’Daniel — July 19, 1951 Major General (later Lt. General) Paul W. Kendall— June 29, 1952–April 1953 Major General Bruce C. Clarke — April 11, 1953

Note: See also, Appendix U.S. Air Force Commanders During the Korean War Lt. General George E. Stratemeyer — 26 Apr 1949– May 1951 Lt. General Earle E. Partridge (temporary) May 21, 1951

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Appendix 3

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Major General (later Lt. General) O. P. Weyland– June 1, 1951

Fifth Air Force Lt. General Earle E. Partridge — October 6, 1948– May 1951 Major General Edward J. Timberlake — May 21, 1951–June 1951 Major General Frank F. Everest—June 1, 1951–May 1952 Lt. General Glenn O. Barcus — May 30, 1952–May 1953 Lt. General Samuel E. Anderson — May 31, 1953

Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy—August 26, 1949–June 1952 Vice Admiral R. P. Briscoe — June 4, 1952

Seventh Fleet — Task Force 70 Vice Admiral A. D. Struble — May 6, 1950–March 1951 Vice Admiral H. H. Martin — March 28, 1951– March 1952 Vice Admiral R. P. Briscoe — March 1952–May 1952 Vice Admiral J. J. Clark — May 20, 1952

ROK Army (Chief of Staff ) Major General Chae Byung Dok — April 10, 1950– June 1950 Lt. General Chung II Kwon — June 30, 1950–June 1951 Major General Lee Chong Ch’an — June 23, 1951– July 1952 Lt. General Paik Son-yup—July 23, 1952–May 1953

Appendix 4. U.S. Air Force Commanders The biographical information listed below is not intended to be a comprehensive study; rather, it is meant to provide a snapshot of the various individuals.

May 1953. During 1944, General Barcus commanded the 64th Fighter Wing (Italy). In February 1945, he was appointed commanding general of the 12th Tactical Air Command in France until 1946, when he was ordered back to the States. For a while he was the chief of staff of the Tactical Air Command at Langley Field, but by March 1947, he was appointed as commander of the 12th Air Force at March Field, California. He remained the commander when the 12th Air Force relocated to Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. Subsequently, during 1949, he was appointed commander of the First Air Force at Fort Slocum, N.Y. Soon after, he was transferred to Mitchel Air Force Base in New York during September 1949. By 1951, he was appointed deputy commander of the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and by the following year he was appointed chief of staff of Tactical Air Command. After he departed Korea, General Barcus became vice commander, Air Training Command. Lt. General Samuel E. Anderson. 21 May 1953.

Far East Air Forces Lt. General George E. Stratemeyer. He had been the chief of Air Staff during World War II. During the first year of the Korean War, he was the commander of Far East Air Forces until he was succeeded on 21 May 1951. Lt. General Earle E. Partridge. 21 May 1951 to 1 June 1951. General Partridge had been the commanding general of Fifth Air Force during the first year of the Korean War. He was promoted to lieutenant general during April 1951. After his short duty as temporary commander FEAF, he returned to the States and later, during 1954, he returned to Japan as commander of FEAF. General Otto P. Weyland. 10 June 1951 to 1954. General Weyland received the appointment when General Stratemeyer suffered a heart attack.

Fifth Air Force Vice Commanders Major General Edward J. Timberlake, Jr. 18 June 1951. General Timberlake became vice commander during December 1949. Later, during 1951, he became the commander of Fifth Air Force. Brigadier General Delmar T. Spivey. 6 August 1950 to 1 December 1950. During World War II, while serving with Eighth Air Force in Europe in 1943, General Spivey was shot down over Germany. Subsequent to his release as a POW during 1945, he became assistant chief of Air Staff for Personnel of the Air Training Command at Fort Worth, Texas. Shortly thereafter, during October 1945, he became deputy chief of staff of the command. Prior to the outbreak of war in Korea, Spivey entered the War College and afterward served at various locations, including the Air University in Alabama. While with Fifth Air Force headquarters in Japan, he commanded the Rear Echelon, Fifth Air Force, until December 1950, when he was named com-

Fifth Air Force Commanders Lt. General Earle E. Partridge. 21 May 1951. See Far East Air Forces. Major General Edward J. Timberlake, Jr. 21 May 1951 to June 1951. Lt. General Frank F. Everest. 1 June 1951 to 30 May 1952. In 1947 following World War II and prior to the Korean War, General Everest was appointed commander of the Yukon Sector, Alaskan Air Command, headquartered at Ladd Field, Alaska. In June 1948 he became assistant deputy chief of staff for operations at Air Force Headquarters in Washington, D.C. When he left his position as commander Fifth Air Force, he assumed the position of deputy commander of the Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Lt. General Glenn O. Barcus. 30 May 1952 to 31

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Appendix 4 manding general of the 314th Air Division in Japan. When that unit was deactivated during February 1952, Spivey was appointed commander of the Japan Air Defense Force. Brigadier General James Ferguson. 18 June 1951 to 26 January 1952. During World War II, General Ferguson organized and commanded the 405th FighterBomber Group in the States and moved to Europe during early 1944. During April that year, he became assistant chief of staff with the 9th Fighter Command. Subsequent to the end of the war, General Ferguson returned to the States (December 1945) and served in various capacities until 1947, when he was transferred to Ankara, Turkey, with the U.S. Air Force advisory group, where he later became the head. From there he moved to the Far East during June of 1950 and became assistant to the vice commander and later assistant deputy of operations for FEAF, until he became vice commander of Fifth Air Force. Brigadier General Dudley D. Hale. 26 January 1952 to 23 September 1952. During World War II, General Hale served in Europe with 12th Air Force. In 1945 he was transferred to the Army and Navy Staff College. During 1946, he became an operations instructor at the at the National War College and then was appointed chief of the Communications Division of the Air University at Maxwel1 Field, Alabama. Subsequent to other assignments in the States, he was transferred to Korea in January 1952 to assume the position of vice commander or the Fifth Air Force, a position he held until November that year, when he became assistant chief of staff for operations, Allied Air Force, Central Europe, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers in Europe. Brigadier General Edward H. Underhill. 23 September 1952.

Thirteenth Air Force Major General Howard M. Turner. 15 October 1951. Prior to assuming command of 13th Air Force, General Turner had commanded the First Bombardment Division (Eighth Air Force) during the latter part of World War II. Afterward, he commanded 10th Air Force at Brooks Air Force Base ( June 1946). Subsequently, during 1948, he became deputy commanding general of Air Defense Command at Mitchel Air Force Base, N.Y. In December 1948, he became vice commander of the Continental Air Command, also at Mitchel AFB. Major General Ernest Moore. 16 October 1951 to October 1952. General Moore assumed command of the Philippine Command and 13th Air Force at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines on 16 October 1952. On 1 October 1952, he was appointed as deputy chief of staff, Far East Command, headquarters Far East Air Forces. Brigadier General John W. Sessums, Jr. 10 October 1952. General Sessums was attached to the XXII Tactical Air Command in Italy during World War II. He flew twenty-two combat missions, but he also operated on the ground behind enemy lines. Later he became

986 chief of staff of XXII TAC, and afterwards, chief of staff, 12th Air Force during June 1945. Following other duty in the States, during February 1951, he was deputy commanding general of the Air Research and Development Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and later, during August 1951, he became deputy for Development of the Air Research and Development Command.

Twentieth Air Force Major General Alvan C. Kincaid. 31 July 1950. Prior to his service with the 20th Air Force, General Kincaid served in France during 1944 with the Ninth Air Force. He was appointed commanding general of the 84th Fighter Wing. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed chief of staff of the Ninth Tactical Air Command in the European Theater and subsequently became deputy commander for administration of the Ninth Air Force. After the war, he became chief of staff of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe ( July 1945). Later, prior to being transferred to Korea, he served during 1946 as chief of staff of Air Training Command, based at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. General Kincaid was afterward, during August 1948, transferred to the 20th Air Force based in Guam at Harmon Air Force Base, where he became commanding general. The 20th Air Force relocated to Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa in May 1949 and General Kincaid remained at his post until he departed for the States to take command of the Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. Major General Ralph F. Stearley. 31 July 1950 to 13 January 1953. During World War II (April 1944), General Stearley became the operations officer for Ninth Tactical Air Force in the European Theater and later, during August of that year, he assumed the same duties with the recently established Allied Airborne Army. In April 1945, he assumed command of the Ninth Tactical Air Division of the Ninth Air Force. After the war, during September 1945, he was appointed commanding officer of the Air Section, 15th Army Theater General Board (European Theater). Following various duties in the States, including commander of the 14th Air Force at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida and at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, he arrived in Okinawa during 1950 to assume command of the 20th Air Force at Kadena Air Force Base. Brigadier General Robert W.C. Wimsatt. 14 January 1953 to 7 February 1953. During World War II, General Wimsatt served in Greenland (Greenland Base Command). He assumed command during 1942 when Colonel Giles departed to take command of the North Atlantic Wing of the Air Forces Ferrying Command. Later, during April 1949, he became commanding officer of the 4th Interceptor Fighter Squadron, which at the time was based in Delaware. Brigadier General Fay R. Upthegrove. 8 February 1953. During World War II, General Upthegrove served in the Pacific Theater from February to April 1942.

987 Afterward, he commanded the 305th Bomb Group (Utah) and after about two months there, he moved to take command of the 99th Bomb Group in Arizona. Subsequent to the Group transferring to Idaho and then Iowa, he retained command when it departed for North Africa during early 1943. Later, during 1944, he assumed command of the 304th Bomb Wing, 15th Air Force (Italy). After the war ended, he embarked for the States and assumed several different positions, including commanding officer of Chanute Field in Illinois. From there he was transferred to Germany, where he took command of the 7100th Headquarters Command Wing, USAFE, during 1948. By 1951, he became part of the Strategic Air Command in the States and again after a couple of new assignments, he assumed command of the 20th Air Force in Okinawa during 1953. Following that tour of duty, he assumed command of the 313th Air Division, FEAF during March 1955.

Far East Air Materiel Command (FEAMCom) and FEALogFor

Brigadier General John P. Doyle. 10 June 1952. Prior to assuming command of Far East Air Materiel Command at Tokyo, Japan, General Doyle served in New Guinea from January 1943 to March 1943. Afterward, he was transferred to the Mediterranean Theater and attached to the 2686th Medium Wing (later redesigned the 42nd Bomb Wing) as the chief of staff. During September 1944, he assumed command of the unit prior to its departure to France. Just after the war, he was appointed deputy chief of staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe. During the following year, he assumed command of the 12th Air Force (California). During 1947, Doyle became chief of staff for the Air Defense Command (Mitchel Air Force Base, N.Y). Following other assignments, he became commander of the Far East Air Materiel Command at Tokyo, Japan; however, he was reassigned to Air Force headquarters during July 1952 to become director of transportation. Major General Paul E. Ruestow. June 1952. Prior to assuming command of Far East Air Materiel Command, General Ruestow served during World War II, but his duty stations were in the States until 1944 and then he was transferred to England and afterwards France, where he became deputy commander Air Technical Service Command Europe. Later he served in Germany and upon his return to the States during 1947, he received several assignments before being sent to Korea to assume command of FEAMC in Japan. He remained at that post for more than three years.

U.S. Air Force Commanders

314th Air Division and Japan Air Defense Force Maj. General Delmar T. Spivey. 1 December 1950 to 20 January 1953. See Fifth Air Force Vice Commanders. Maj. General Roy H. Lynn. 20 January 1953. Prior to assuming command of 314th Air Division and Japan Air Defense Force, General Lynn moved to the ChinaBurma-India Theater during 1944 with the 20th Bomber Command (India). During August of that year, General Lynn assumed command of the Third Tactical Air Force. In December he became deputy commander of the Strategic Air Force Detachment in that theater. Shortly thereafter, during July, he was appointed commanding officer of the 84th Air Depot in that theater. Following the close of the war, Lynn became deputy chief of Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Field (California). Other assignments followed, including attendance at the War College at Newport Rhode Island, with the Director of Intelligence at Air Force Headquarters and some security assignments in both D.C. and Texas. Following his appointment as commander of FEAMC in Japan, he was appointed commander of Fifth Air Force during September 1954.

FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional) Major General Emmett O’Donnell, Jr. 8 July 1950 to 10 January 1951. Prior to assuming command of FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional), General O’Donnell had attended West Point (Class of 1928) and he led the first B-29 attack against Tokyo during November 1944. Earlier, during 1941, prior to the attack at Pearl Harbor, O’Donnell led the 14th Bomber Group from there to the Philippines on 5 September to reinforce General MacArthur. They arrived at Clark Field in Manila one week later to complete the initial mass movement of land-based bombers across the Pacific from Hawaii to the Philippines.

Sources The United States Air Force Historical Center The U.S. Air Force Museum U.S. Air Force in Korea (1950–1953), Office of Air Force History, Washington, D.C. 1983, By Robert F. Futrell, Government Printing Office

Appendix 5. Medal of Honor Recipients Names with an asterisk indicate killed in action. The list below provides the names of the recipients in alphabetical order. Each entry included the unit which the recipient belonged and the date (or dates) and the location where the action occurred in which the man became a recipient. In addition, the date of birth and the city or town of birth are also listed. In most instances, when practical, the respective actions are to be found in the main sequence of the book on the date shown below. The list includes 131 recipients; of those, 94 made the ultimate sacrifice.

Class, U.S. Navy, attached to the 1st Marine Division. Korea, 5 September 1952. Born: 15 January 1931, Staten Island, New York. *Bennett, Emory L.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Sobangsan, Korea, 24 June 1951. Born: 20 December 1929, New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Bleak, David B.— Sergeant, U.S. Army, Medical Company 223d Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. Vicinity of Minari-gol, Korea, 14 June 1952. Born: 27 February 1932, Idaho Falls, Idaho. *Brittin, Nelson V.— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company I, 19th Infantry Regiment. Vicinity of Yonggong-ni, Korea, 7 March 1951. Born Audubon, New Jersey, Date unknown. *Brown, Melvin L.—Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company D, 8th Engineer Combat Battalion. Near Kasan, Korea, 4 September 1950. Bonr Mahaffey, Pennsylvania, Date unknown. Burke, Lloyd L.— First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company G, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Near Chong-dong, Korea, 28 October 1951. Born: 29 September 1924, Tichnor, Arkansas. *Burris, Tony K.— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company L, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Vicinity of Mundung-ni, Korea 8 and 9 October 1951. Born Blanchard, Oklahoma Date unknown. Cafferata, Hector A., Jr.— Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company F, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 28 November 1950. Born: 4 November 1929, New York, N.Y. *Champagne, David B.— Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 28 May 1952. November 1932, Waterville, Maryland. Charette, William R.— Hospital Corpsman Third Class, U.S. Navy Medical Corpsman, attached to Marine rifle company. Korea, 27 March 1953. Born Ludington, Michigan, Date unknown. *Charlton, Cornelius H.— Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry

*Abrell, Charles G.— Corporal USMC, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Hangnyong, Korea, 10 June 1951. Born: 12 August 1931, Terre Haute, Indiana. Adams, Stanley T.— Master Sergeant (then Sfc.), U.S. Army, Company A, 19th Infantry Regiment, Near Sesim-ni, Korea, 4 February 1951.— Born: 9 May 1922, DeSoto, Kansas. Barber, William E.— Captain, USMC, commanding officer, Company F, 2d Battalion 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Chosin Reservoir area, Korea, 28 November to 2 December 1950. Born: 30 November 1919, Dehart, Kentucky. *Barker, Charles H.— Private First Class (then Pvt.), U.S. Army, Company K, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Sokkogae, Korea, 4 June 1953. Born: 12 April 1935, Pickens County, South Carolina. *Baugh, William B.— Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3d Battalion, 1st Marine, 1st Marine Division. Vicinity of Koto-ri to Hagaru-ri, Korea, 29 November 1950. Born: 7 July 1930, McKinney, Kentucky. *Benfold, Edward C.— Hospital Corpsman Third

988

989 Division. Near Chipo-ri, Korea, 2 June 1951. Born: 24 July 1929, East Gulf, West Virginia. *Christianson, Stanley R.—Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Seoul, Korea, 29 September 1950. Born: 24 January 1925, Mindoro, Wisconsin. *Collier, Gilbert G.— Sergeant (then Corporal), U.S. Army, Company F, 223d Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. Near Tutayon, Korea, 19–20 July 1953. Born: 30 December 1930, Hunter, Arkansas. *Collier, John W.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company C, 27th Infantry Regiment. Near Chindong-ni, Korea, 19 September 1950. Born: 3 April 1929, Worthington, Kentucky. Commiskey, Henry A., Sr.—First Lieutenant (then 2d Lt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Yongdungp’o, Korea, 20 September 1950. Born 10 January 1927, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. *Coursen, Samuel S.—First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company C, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Near Kaesong, Korea, 12 October 1950. Born: 4 August 1926 Madison, New Jersey. *Craig, Gordon M.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Reconnaissance Company, 1st Cavalry Division. Near Kasan, Korea 10 September 1950. Born: 1 August 1929, Brockton, Mass. Crump, Jerry K.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company L, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Chorwon, Korea, 6 and 7 September 1951. Born: 18 February 1933, Charlotte, North Carolina. *Davenport, Jack A.— Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Songnae-Dong, Korea, 21 September 1951. Born: 7 September 1931, Kansas City, Missouri. *Davis, George Andrew, Jr.— Major, U.S. Air Force, CO, 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, 5th Air Force. Near Sinuiju, Korea. Born: 1 December 1920, Dublin, Texas. Davis, Raymond G.— Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Korea, 1 through 4 December 1950. Born: 13 January 1915, Fitzgerald, Georgia. Dean, William F.— Major General, U.S. Army, commanding general, 24th Infantry Division. Taejon, Korea, 20 and 21 July 1950. Born: 1 August 1899, Carlyle, Illinois. *Desiderio, Reginald B.— Captain, U.S. Army, commanding officer, Company E, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Ipsok, Korea, 27 November 1950. Born: 12 September 1918, Clairton, Pennsylvania. *Dewert, Richard David— Hospital Corpsman, U.S. Navy attached to a 1st Marine Division Marine infantry company. Korea, 5 April 1951. Born Taunton, Massachusetts, Date unknown. Dewey, Duane E.—Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company E, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Ma-

Medal of Honor Recipients rine Division. Near Panmunjon, Korea, 16 April 1952. Born: 16 November 1931, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dodd, Carl H.— First Lieutenant (then 2d Lt.), U.S. Army, Company E, 5th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Near Subuk, Korea, 30 and 31 January 1951. Born: 21 April 1925, Evarts, Kentucky. *Duke, Ray E.— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Near Mugok, Korea, 26 April 1951. Born: 9 May 1923, Whitwell, Tennessee. *Edwards, Junior D.— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company E, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Changbong-ni, Korea, 2 January 1951. Born: 7 October 1926, Indianola, Iowa. *Essebagger, John, Jr.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company A, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Popsudong, Korea, 25 April 1951. Born: 29 October 1928, Holland, Michigan. *Faith, Don C., Jr.— Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Northern Korea, 27 November to 1 December 1950. Born: 26 August 1918, Washington, Indiana. *Garcia, Fernando Luis— Private First Class, USMC, Company I, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 5 September 1952. Born: 14 October 1929, Utuado, Puerto Rico. *George, Charles— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Near Songnae-dong, Korea, 30 November 1952. Born: 23 August 1932, Cherokee, North Carolina. *Gilliland, Charles L.— Corporal (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Company I, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Tongmang-ni, Korea, 25 April 1951. Born: 24 May 1933, Mountain Home, Arkansas. *Gomez, Edward— Private First Class, USMC, Reserve, Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, Hill 749, 14 September 1951. Born: 10 August 1932, Omaha, Nebraska. *Goodblood, Clair— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company D, 7th Infantry Regiment. Near Popsu-dong, Korea, 24 and 25 April 1951. Born: 18 September 1929, Fort Kent, Maine. *Guillen, Ambrosio—Staff Sergeant, USMC, Company F, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Songuch-on, Korea, 25 July 1953. Born: 7 December 1929, La Junta, Colorado. *Hammond, Francis C.— Hospital Corpsman, USN, attached as a medical corpsman to 1st Marine Division. Korea, 26–27 March 1953. Born Alexandria, Virginia, Date Unknown. *Hammond, Lester, Jr.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company A, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. Near Kumwha, Korea, 14 August 1952. Born: 25 March 1931, Wayland, Missouri. *Handrich, Melvin O.— Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 5th Infantry Regiment. Near Sobuk San Mountain, Korea, 25 and 26 August 1950. Born: 26 January 1919, Manawa, Wisconsin.

Appendix 5 *Hanson, Jack G.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company F, 31st Infantry Regiment. Near Pachi-dong, Korea, 7 June 1951. Born: 18 September 1930, Escaptawpa, Mississippi. *Hartell, Lee R.—First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Battery A, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Infantry Division. Near Kobangsan-ni, Korea, 27 August 1951. Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Date unknown. Harvey, Raymond—Captain, U.S. Army, Company C, 17th Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Vicinity of Taemi-Dong, Korea, 9 March 1951. Born: 1 March 1920 Ford City, Pennsylvania. *Henry, Frederick F.—First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company F, 38th Infantry Regiment. Vicinity of AmDong, Korea, 1 September 1950. Born Vian, Oklahoma. Hernandez, Rodolfo P.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company G, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. Near Wontong-ni, Korea, 31 May 1951. Born: 14 April 1931, Colton, California. Hudner, Thomas Jerome, Jr.— Lieutenant ( J.G.) U.S. Navy, pilot (Fighter Squadron 32), attached to USS Leyte. Chosin Reservoir, Korea, 4 December 1950. Born: 31 August 1924, Fall River, Massachusetts. Ingman, Einar H., Jr.— Sergeant (then Corporal), U.S. Army, Company E, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Maltari, Korea, 26 February 1951. Born: 6 October 1929, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. *Jecelin, William R.— Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Saga, Korea, 19 September 1950. Born Baltimore, Maryland, Date unknown. *Johnson, James E.— Sergeant, USMC, Company J, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Yudam-ni, Korea, 2 December 1950 (Declared missing in action on 2 December 1950. Later on 2 November, 1953, declared killed in action) Born: 1 January 1926, Pocatello, Idaho. *Jordan, Mack A.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company K 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Near Kumsong, Korea, 15 November 1951. Born: 8 December 1928, Collins, Mississippi. *Kanell, Billie G.— Private, U.S. Army, Company I, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Pyongyang, Korea, 7 September 1951. Born: 26 June 1931, Poplar Bluff, Missouri. *Kaufman, Loren R.— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company G, 9th Infantry Regiment. Near Yongsan, Korea, 4 and 5 September 1950. ice at: The Dalles, Oreg. Born: 27 July 1923. Entered service at the Dalles, Oregon. *Kelly, John D.—Private First Class, USMC, Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 28 May 1952. Born: 8 July 1928, Youngstown, Ohio. *Kelso, Jack William— Private First Class, USMC, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 2 October 1952. Born: 23 January 1934, Madera, California. Kennemore, Robert S.— Staff Sergeant, USMC,

990 Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. North of Yudam-ni, Korea, 27 and 28 November 1950. Born: 21 June 1920. *Kilmer, John E.—Hospital Corpsman, U.S. Navy, attached a Marine rifle company in the 1st Marine Division. Korea, 13 August 1952. Born: 15 August 1930, Highland Park, Illinois. *Knight, Noah O.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company F, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Kowang-San, Korea, 23 and 24 November 1951. Born: 27 October 1929, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. *Koelsch, John Kelvin— Lieutenant ( J.G.), USN. Navy helicopter rescue unit. North Korea, 3 July 1951. Born London, England. Kouma, Ernest R.— Master Sergeant (then Sfc.) U.S. Army, Company A, 72d Tank Battalion. Vicinity of Agok, Korea, 31 August and 1 September 1950. Born: 23 November 1919, Dwight, Nebraska. *Krzyzowski, Edward C.— Captain, U.S. Army, Company B, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Tondul, Korea, from 31 August to 3 September 1951. Born: 16 January 1914, Chicago, Illinois. *Kyle, Darwin K.—Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Kamil-ni, Korea, 16 February 1951. Born: 1 June 1918, Jenkins, Kentucky. Lee, Hubert L.— Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Ip-ori, Korea, 1 February 1951. Born: 2 February 1915, Arburg, Missouri. *Libby, George D.— Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. Near Taejon, Korea, 20 July 1950. Birth: Bridgton, Maine, Date unknown. *Littleton, Herbert A.— Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Chungchon, Korea, 22 April 1951. Born: 1 July 1930, Mena, Arkansas. *Long, Charles R.— Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Hoengsong, Korea, 12 February 1951. Born: 10 December 1923, Kansas City, Missouri. *Lopez, Baldomero— First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Inchon (invasion), Korea, 15 September 1950. Born: 23 August 1925, Tampa, Florida. *Loring, Charles J., Jr.— Major, USAF, 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing. Near Sniper Ridge, North Korea, 22 November 1952. Born: 2 October 1918, Portland, Maine. *Lyell, William F.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Chup’a-ri, Korea, 31 August 1951. Born Hickman County, Tennessee, Date unknown. *Martinez, Benito— Corporal, U.S. Army, Company A, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Satae-ri Korea, 6 September 1952. Born: 21 March 1931, Fort Hancock, Texas. *Matthews, Daniel P.—Sergeant, USMC, Company

991 F, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Vegas Hill, Korea, 28 March 1953. Born: 31 December 1931, Van Nuys, California. *Mausert, Frederick W., III— Sergeant, USMC, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Songnap-yong, Korea, 12 September 1951. Born: 2 May 1930, Cambridge, New York. *McGovern, Robert M.— First Lieutenant, USA, Company A, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Near Kamyangjan-ni, Korea, 30 January 1951. Born Washington, D.C. McLaughlin, Alford L.— Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Company L, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 4 and 5 September 1952. Born: 18 March 1928, Leeds, Alabama. *Mendonca, Leroy A.— Sergeant, USA, Company B, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Chich-on, Korea, 4 July 1951. Born Honolulu, T. Hawaii. Millett, Lewis L.— Captain, U.S. Army, Company E, 27th Infantry Regiment. Near Soam-Ni, Korea, 7 February 1951. Born: 15 December 1920, Mechanic Falls, Maine. *Mitchell, Frank N.—First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Hansan-ni, Korea, 26 November 1950. Miyamura, Hiroshi H.— Corporal, USA, Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. Near Taejon-ni, Korea, 24 and 25 April 1951. Born Gallup, New Mexico, Date unknown. Mize, Ola L.— Master Sergeant (then Sgt.), USA, Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Surang-ni, Korea, 10 to 11 June 1953. Born: 28 August 1931, Marshall County, Alabama. *Monegan, Walter C., Jr.— Private First Class, USMC, Company F, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Sosa-ri, Korea, 17 and 20 September 1950. Born: 25 December 1930, Melrose, Massachusetts. *Moreland, Whitt L.— Private First Class, USMC (Reserve), Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Kwagch’i-Dong, Korea, 29 May 1951. Born: 7 March 1930, Waco, Texas. *Moyer, Donald R.— Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company E, 35th Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Near Seoul, Korea, 20 May 1951. Born: 15 April 1930, Pontiac, Mich. Murphy, Raymond G.—Second Lieutenant, USMC (Reserve), Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 3 February 1953. January 1930, Pueblo, Colo. Citation. Myers, Reginald R.— Major, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Near Hagaru-ri, Korea, 29 November 1950. Born: 26 November 1919, Boise, Idaho. *Obregon, Eugene Arnold—Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division Seoul, Korea, 26 September 1950. Born: 12 November 1930, Los Angeles, California.

Medal of Honor Recipients O’Brien, George H., Jr.— Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company H, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division Korea, 27 October, 1952. Born: 10 September 1926, Fort Worth, Texas. *Ouellette, Joseph R.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company H, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Yongsan, Korea, from 31 August to 3 September 1950. Born Lowell, Massachusetts, Date unknown. *Page, John U. D.—Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, X Corps Artillery, while attached to the 52d Transportation Truck Battalion. Near Chosin Reservoir, Korea, 29 November to 10 December 1950. Born: 8 February 1904, Malahi Island, Luzon, Philippine Islands. *Pendleton, Charles F.—Corporal. USA, Company D, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Near Choo Gung-Dong, Korea, 16 and 17 July 1953. Born: 26 September 1931, Camden, Tennessee. *Phillips, Lee H.— Corporal, USMC, Company E, 2d Battalion, 7 Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Korea, 4 November 1950. Born: 3 February 1930, Stockbridge, Georgia. *Pililaau, Herbert K.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Near Pia-ri, Korea, 17 September 1951. Born: 10 October 1928, Waianae, Oahu, T. Hawaii. Pittman, John A.— Sergeant, USA, Company C, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kujangdong, Korea, 26 November 1950. Born: 15 October 1928, Carrolton, Mississippi. *Pomeroy, Ralph E.— Private First Class, USA, Company E, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kumhwa, Korea, 15 October 1952. Born: 26 March 1930, Quinwood, West Virginia. *Porter, Donn F.— Sergeant, USA, Company G, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Mundung-ni Korea, 7 September 1952. March 1931, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. *Poynter, James I.— Sergeant, USMC, Reserve, Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Sudong, Korea, 4 November 1950. Born: 1 December 1916, Bloomington, Illinois. *Ramer, George H.— Second Lieutenant, USMC, Reserve, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Korea, 12 September 1951. Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. *Red Cloud, Mitchell, Jr.— Corporal, U S. Army, Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Near Chonghyon, Korea, 5 November 1950. Born: 2 July 1924, Hatfield, Wisconsin. *Reem, Robert Dale— Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company H, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Near Chinhung-ni, Korea, 6 November 1950. Born: 20 October 1925, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Rodriguez, Joseph C.— Sergeant (then Pfc.), USA, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Munye-ri, Korea, 21 May 1951. Born: 14 November 1928, San Bernardino, California.

Appendix 5 Rosser, Ronald E.— Corporal, U.S. Army, Heavy Mortar Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Vicinity of Ponggilli, Korea, 12 January 1952. Born: 24 October 1929, Columbus, Ohio. Rubin, Tibor— Corporal USA, Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division or. Pusan Perimeter, Korea, period from July 23, 1950, to April 20, 1953. Birthplace unavailable. NOTE: Rubin’s actions spanned over a large period during the conflict. His story is not noted at a particular place in the book. Rubin, a Hungarian participated in the capture of 100 enemy troops. In addition, while his unit was withdrawing, he defended a hill by himself. Later after being severely wounded, on 30 October, 1950, he was captured. While in the POW camp, he turned down offers of the Chinese to return him to Hungary and while there, at great risk to his life, he repeatedly broke into enemy storage huts and raided the gardens to get food for the troops in the camp which were starving. *Schoonover, Dan D.— Corporal, USA, Company A, 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. Near Sokkogae, Korea, 8 to 10 July 1953. Born: 8 October 1933, Boise, Idaho. Schowalter, Edward R., Jr.— First Lieutenant, USA, Company A, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Kumhwa, Korea, 14 October 1952. Birthplace unavailable. *Sebille, Louis J.— Major, USAF, 67th FighterBomber Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, 5th Air Force. Near Hanchang, Korea, 5 August 1950. Born: 21 November 1915, Harbor Beach. Michigan. *Shea, Richard T., Jr.— First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company A 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Sokkogae, Korea, 6 to 8 July 1953. Born: 3 January 1927, Portsmouth, Virginia. *Shuck, William E., Jr.— Staff Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 3 July 1952. Born. 16 August 1926, Cumberland, Maryland. Simanek, Robert E.— Private First Class, USMC, Company F, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 17 August 1952. Detroit, Michigan. *Sitman, William S.— Sergeant First Class, USA, Company M, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Chipyong-ni, Korea, 14 February 1951. Born Bellwood, Pennsylvania Date unknown. Sitter, Carl L.— Captain, USMC, Company G, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Hagaru-ri, Korea, 29 and 30 November 1950. Born: 2 December 1921, Syracuse, Missouri. *Skinner, Sherrod E., Jr.— Second Lieutenant, USMC, Battery F, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Korea, 26 October 1952. Born: 29 October 1929, Hartford, Connecticut. *Smith, David M.—Private First Class, USA, Company E, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Yongsan, Korea, 1 September 1950. Born: 10 November 1926, Livingston, Kentucky. *Speicher, Clifton T.—Corporal, U.S. Army, Company F, 223d Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Divi-

992 sion. Near Minarigol, Korea, 14 June 1952. Born: 25 March 1931, Gray, Pennsylvania. Stone, James L.—First Lieutenant, USA. Company E, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Near Sokkogae, Korea, 21 and 22 November 1951. Born: 27 December 1922, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. *Story, Luther H.—Private First Class, USA, Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Near Agok, Korea, 1 September 1950. Born: 20 July 1931, Buena Vista, Georgia. *Sudut, Jerome A.— Second Lieutenant, USA, Company B, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Kumhwa, Korea, 12 September 1951. Born Wausau, Wisconsin, Date unavailable. *Thompson, William— Private First Class, USA, 24th Company M, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Haman, Korea, 6 August 1950. Born New York, N.Y., Date unknown. *Turner, Charles W.— Sergeant First Class, USA, 2d Reconnaissance Company, 2d Infantry Division. Near Yongsan, Korea, 1 September 1950. Birth: Boston, Massachusetts. Date unknown. Van Winkle, Archie— Staff Sergeant, USMC, Reserve, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Vicinity of Sudong, Korea, 2 November 1950. Born: 17 March 1925, Juneau, Alaska. *Vittori, Joseph— Corporal, USMC, Reserve, Company F, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Hill 749, Korea, 15 and 16 September 1951. Born: 1 August 1929, Beverly, Massachusetts. *Walmsley, John S., Jr.—Captain, USAF, 8th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bomb Group. Near Yangdok, Korea, 14 September 1951. Born. 7 January 1920, Baltimore, Maryland. *Watkins, Lewis G.—Staff Sergeant, USMC, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Korea, 7 October 1952. Born. 6 June 1925, Seneca, South Carolina. *Watkins, Travis E.—Master Sergeant, USA, Company H, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division Place and date: Near Yongsan, Korea, 31 August through 3 September 1950. Born Waldo, Arkansas. Date unknown. West, Ernest E.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company L, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Sataeri, Korea, 12 October 1952. Born: 2 September 1931, Russell, Kentucky. Wilson, Benjamin F.— First Lieutenant (then M/ Sgt.), USA, Company I, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Near Hwach’on-Myon, Korea, 5 June 1951. Born Vashon, Washington. Date unknown. Wilson, Harold E.— Technical Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company G, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Korea, 23–24 April 1951. Born: S December 1921, Birmingham, Alabama. *Wilson, Richard G.— Private First Class, USA, Co. 1, Medical Company, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. Opari, Korea, 21 October 1950. Born: 19 August 1931, Marion, Illinois. *Windrich, William G.— Staff Sergeant, USMC,

993 Company I, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Vicinity of Yudam-ni, Korea, 1 December 1950. Born: 14 May 1921, Chicago, Illinois. *Womack, Bryant E.— Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Company, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Near Sokso-ri, Korea, 12

Medal of Honor Recipients March 1952. Born Mill Springs, North Carolina. Date unknown. *Young, Robert H.—Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company E, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. North of Kaesong, Korea, 9 October 1950. Born: 4 March 1929, Oroville. California.

Appendix 6. Major U.S. Air Force Units Major Air Forces Participating in the Korean War

314th Troop Carrier Group (Medium) 315th Troop Carrier Group (Medium)

Far East Air Force (Overall Command) Fifth Air Force (Main Combat Unit) Thirteenth Air Force Twentieth Air Force Commands, Wings and Groups Far East Bomber Command (Provisional) Far East Combat Cargo Command (Provisional) 3rd Bombardment Wing (Light) 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing 17th Bombardment Wing 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing 19th Bombardment Wing (Medium) 27th Fighter Escort Wing 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing 98th Bombardment Wing (Medium) 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing 307th Bombardment Wing (Medium) 374th Troop Carrier Wing (Heavy) 403rd Troop Carrier Wing (Medium) 437th Troop Carrier Wing (Medium) 452d Bombardment Wing (Light) 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing 483rd Troop Carrier Wing (Medium) 6002nd Tactical Support Wing 6131st Tactical Support Wing 6133rd Tactical Support Wing 6149th Tactical Support Wing 19th Bombardment Group (Medium) 22nd Bombardment Group (Medium) 92nd Bombardment Group (Medium) 307th Bombardment Group (Medium) 1st Troop Carrier Group (Medium — Provisional) 61st Troop Carrier Group (Medium)

U.S. Air Force Units in the Korean War AACS Units 1249th AACS Squadron; 1818th AACS Group; 1935th AACS Squadron; 1954th AACS Squadron; 1973rd AACS Squadron; 1993rd AACS Squadron; 1st AACS Squadron — Mobile

Air Control Units — Tactical 116th Tactical Control Squadron; 502nd Tactical Control Group; 605th Tactical Control Squadron; 6132nd Tactical Control Squadron; 6143rd Tactical Control Squadron; 6147th Tactical Control Squadron; 6148th Tactical Control Squadron; 6149th Tactical Control Squadron; 6150th Tactical Control Squadron; 6164th Tactical Control Squadron

Air Control Units 511th Air Control and Warning Group; 527th Air Control and Warning Squadron; 528th Air Control and Warning Squadron; 529th Air Control and Warning Group; 606th Air Control and Warning Squadron; 607th Air Control and Warning Squadron; 608th Air Control and Warning Squadron; 848th Air Control and Warning Squadron

Air Force Advisory Group 6146th Air Force Advisory Group

Air Police 3rd Air Police Squadron; 49th Air Police Squadron; 374th Air Police Squadron; 452nd Air Police Squadron; 1503rd Air Police Squadron; 6149th Air Police Squadron

Air Rescue Units 3rd Air Rescue Group; 3rd Air Rescue Squadron; 39th

994

995 Air Rescue Squadron; Det. F, 2157th Air Rescue Squadron (Note: Redesignated 36th Air Rescue Squadron)

Ammunition Units 543rd Ammunition Depot Squadron; 547th Ammunition Supply Squadron; 567th Ammo Supply Squadron

Bomber Units 2nd Bomb Squadron; 3rd Bomb Group 3rd Bomb Wing 8th Bomb Squadron; 30th Bomb Squadron; 130th Bomb Squadron; 13th Bomb Squadron; 17th Bomb Wing (Group); 19th Bomb Group; 19th Bomb Squadron; 22nd Bomb Squadron; 22nd Bomb Wing; 28th Bomb Squadron; 33rd Bomb Squadron; 34th Bomb Squadron; 37th Bomb Squadron; 84th Bomb Squadron; 85th Bomb Squadron; 90th Bomb Squadron; 92nd Bomb Squadron; 93rd Bomb Squadron; 95th Bomb Squadron; 97th Bomb Group; 98th Bomb Squadron; 98th Bomb Wing; 301st Bomb Wing; 307th Bomb Squadron; 307th Bomb Wing; 32