U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 1 (of 5): The Pusan PerimeterMontross, Lynn
History
U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 1 (of 5): The Pusan Perimeter
Montross, Lynn
Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Campaigns; United States. Marine Corps -- History -- Korean War, 1950-1953
On the other Marine front, 25 miles distant, 1/5 had a return
engagement before dawn on 13 August with the enemy in the Changchon
area. Company commanders had received orders the night before to alert
their units at 0400 for the withdrawal. General Craig’s Op Order 10-50
was a complete and well planned field order, despite the need for
haste; but the enemy interrupted with a surprise attack launched from
concealed positions occupied under cover of darkness.[267]
[267] Craig, 12 Jan 54.
Baker Company’s defense setup for the night on Hill 202 consisted of
the 3d, 1st, and 2d Platoons tied in from left to right in that order.
The action began at 0450 with enemy automatic weapons fire. Marine
60-mm. mortar illuminating shells revealed an NKPA infiltration on the
right in the area of the 2d Platoon.
This effort soon proved to be a diversionary attack for the purpose
of masking the main blow. At 0455 3 enemy flares went up, 2 red and 1
green. They were the signal for an assault on the left flank at the
other end of the Baker Company position. The enemy, as a wounded Marine
NCO put it afterwards, was “right on top of the 3d Platoon in a few
seconds” with grenades and burp guns.[268]
[268] Tobin, of 26 Apr 54.
This was one of the occasions when the Marines were painfully reminded
that the NKPA 6th Division had been made up originally of veterans of
the Chinese civil war, conditioned by experience for the rigors of
night fighting. Marine security had not been at fault, yet the enemy
had managed to creep forward in uncanny silence to positions within
grenade-throwing distance.
In an instant the Marine position was overrun, with the machinegun
section being wiped out except for two men. Communication troubles
added to the confusion. Platoon radios had been rendered inoperative
by mud and water while crossing rice paddies, and telephone wires were
believed to have been cut. Two runners were killed during Tobin’s
efforts to maintain contact with the hard-pressed troops on the left
flank. A third runner got through with orders for the remnants of the
platoon to fall back within the perimeter of the adjacent 1st Platoon.
The troubles of Baker Company were compounded at this stage when the
enemy turned two of the Marines’ own machineguns against them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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