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
Cries of help brought First Lieutenant Nicholas A. Canzona’s 1st
Platoon of A/Engineers, which had just arrived at Murray’s CP. In
a brief clash around the orchard, the engineers killed ten enemy
die-hards. South Korean police swept through the adjoining rice paddy
and came up with seven prisoners.
About the same time, Major James D. Jordan’s party arrived in the area
to select a position for Battery A of 1/11. Again small-arms fire
crackled. Two of Jordan’s NCOs, Technical Sergeants Kenneth C. Boston
and Donald Comiskey, plowed through the hail of lead and killed four
more North Koreans.[240]
[240] Maj J. D. Jordan interv, 27 Sep 54.
North of the railroad, still another Marine was killed and one more
wounded not far from Murray’s headquarters. For obvious reasons a tight
perimeter of engineers and H&S Company troops was drawn around the CP
during the night. Nevertheless, a Red officer stumbled through the
line in the darkness and seriously wounded Second Lieutenant Lawrence
Hetrick of A/Engineers.
At dawn on 18 September the regimental commander and his staff were
awakened by the chatter of an enemy submachine gun a few yards from the
CP. Holed up in a grain field with one Communist rifleman, the officer
who had shot Hetrick fought fanatically against a whole platoon of
engineers. Another Marine was wounded before the suicidal stand was
crushed by grenades and rifle fire.
There were no regrets when Murray’s headquarters took leave of Ascom
City and displaced to Kimpo.
_Enemy Counterattack at Kimpo_
The air at Kimpo was charged with tension during the night of 17–18
September. Troops of 2/5, manning perimeters which had been laid out on
unfamiliar ground during darkness, had every reason to believe that the
North Koreans would not give up the airfield without a fight.
But there were troubles enough in the North Korean camp, where
confusion and panic seemed to be the order of the day. Intelligence
on the enemy garrison in the Kimpo area presents a scrambled picture
so characteristic of the Communist organization throughout the
Inchon-Seoul operation.[241] It appears that elements of the NKPA 1st
Air Force Division were charged with the operation of the airfield.
Under the command of 40-year-old Chinese-trained Brigadier General Wan
Yong, the division was comprised of the following units or, more often
than not, mere fragments thereof:
[241] The intelligence summary is derived from: 1st MarDiv
_SAR_, Annexes Baker and Queen Queen.
Division Headquarters
1st Co, Engineer Bn, Fighters Regt
3d Co, Engineer Bn, Fighters Regt
3d Plat, Gunners Co
2d Co, 1st Bn, 1st Regt
2d Bn, 1st Regt
Finance Co, 3d Technical Bn
Supply Co
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