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
Oeoso-ri having been an American housing area during the post-World War
II occupation, duplex houses and Quonset huts were available. General
Smith arrived by helicopter on the afternoon of the 19th, and the
new CP opened at 1645. During the next few days the area was treated
to intermittent artillery fire, apparently from a single well-hidden
gun somewhere in the Seoul area. It was an embarrassment to Marine
artillery officers, who were never able to locate the offending weapon,
but no great harm was done.
By this time General Smith could look forward to the arrival of more
units at the front. On D-day the strength of X Corps on paper had been
69,450 ground force troops. In addition to the 1st Marine Division and
7th Infantry Division, there were such major units as the 93d and 96th
Field Artillery Battalions, the 73d Tank Battalion, 56th Amphibian Tank
and Tractor Battalion, the 2d Engineer Combat Group. In GHQ UNC Reserve
were the 3d Infantry Division and the 187th Airborne RCT.[262]
[262] GHQ UNC _OpnO No. 1_, 30 Aug 50.
The 3d Division had not sailed for the Far East in time to take part
in the Inchon-Seoul operation. The 187th Airborne RCT, due to land at
Inchon on 23 September, had been the answer to General MacArthur’s
requests in July for paratroops to land behind the enemy’s lines
in conjunction with the amphibious assault planned as Operation
BLUEHEARTS. Although the Joint Chiefs of Staff decided against flying
an airborne RCT to Japan at the time, the 11th Airborne Division was
later directed to organize and train such a unit for service in the
Far East. On account of the large proportion of new troops filling out
a skeleton unit, General Collins stipulated that the 187th was not
to be committed for an airdrop before 29 September. It was decided,
therefore, that the RCT would be given an initial mission of protecting
the left flank of the 1st Marine Division.
_Advance of RCT-1 to Sosa_
Preliminary planning for the crossing of the river Han began as soon
as the Division staff settled down in the new CP. The reshuffling of
various units had to wait, however, until both Marine regiments took
their assigned objectives of 18 and 19 September. Throughout the 17th,
while Murray’s regiment drove northeastward toward Kimpo, the 1st
Marines had continued the attack from Ascom City along the Inchon-Seoul
Highway. As mentioned previously, Monegan’s rocket launcher and the
75mm recoilless rifles, emplaced in 2/1’s positions on Hill 186, helped
smash the North Korean tank-infantry column at dawn. It appeared that
a second enemy force was supposed to have closed on Marine lines by
taking a parallel course through the hills south of the highway. The
Red infantry, in about company strength, was spotted moving along the
high ground toward Company D’s front on Hill 186. Fox Company dispersed
the column with mortar fire and then notified Dog to be on the
alert.[263]
[263] 2/1 _SAR_, 5; and Cunliffe interv, 24 Aug 54.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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