U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 2 (of 5): The Inchon-Seoul OperationMontross, Lynn
History
U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 2 (of 5): The Inchon-Seoul Operation
Montross, Lynn
Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Campaigns; United States. Marine Corps -- History -- Korean War, 1950-1953
South of the Inchon-Seoul Highway, the 1st Marines attacked from the
O-3 Line at 1600. Sutter’s 2d Battalion drove forward on the right
of the MSR and passed below Kansong-ni without incident. Continuing
a thousand yards farther, Company D scaled the rugged slopes of Hill
186, cleared the summit, and dug in. Fox Company climbed the same high
ground shortly afterwards and went into position on the left of Dog and
overlooking the highway. Thus 2/1’s front for the night was across the
road and slightly to the rear of the high ground positions occupied by
Company D of 2/5. Easy Company returned from its independent mission
on the right flank and set up a reserve position in the vicinity of
Kansong-ni, just rearward of Sutter’s CP at the base of Hill 186.[202]
[202] 1st MarDiv _SAR_, Annex Peter Peter; Sutter-Codispoti
interv, 25 Jan 55; 2/1 _SAR_, 4; and Carter ltr, 19 Apr
55.
The enemy attitude in the 2d Battalion’s zone gradually had developed
from occasional sniping early in the day to a pattern of definite light
resistance as the Marines surged over Hill 186. Though most of the
North Koreans fled after firing a few rounds, their token efforts cost
the battalion four killed and 10 wounded. These figures are noteworthy
in view of the fact that total losses for the whole Division on D-plus
1 were four KIA and 21 WIA.[203]
[203] _Ibid._
Sutter’s troops exacted a comparatively stiff price from the Reds in
return, for it was estimated that 120 of the enemy were killed or
wounded. Moreover, the Marines captured more than 30 prisoners, 70
rifles, 10 machine guns, and an ordnance dump loaded with small-arms
ammunition.[204]
[204] 2/1 _SAR_, 4; and Carter ltr, 19 Apr 55.
Elsewhere on the 1st Marines front there was considerably more hiking
than combat. The 3d Battalion completed its sweep of the Munhang
Peninsula about 1600 and assembled at the southern tip of the O-3 Line
to await relief by the Reconnaissance Company.[205] In the course of
rounding up NKPA prisoners and abandoned weapons, 3/1 had encountered
a group of Korean villagers, headed by their schoolmaster, who called
themselves the Young People’s Anti-Communist Resistance League. They
had armed themselves with Russian rifles and light machine guns left
behind by enemy troops fleeing inland.[206]
[205] 3/1 _SAR_, 6; Ridge ltr, 12 May 55; Simmons ltr 15 Apr
55.
[206] _Ibid._; Maj G. C. Westover ltr to authors, 1 Apr 55;
and Capt J. R. Fisher ltr to authors, 18 Apr 55.
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