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
Sutter ordered 2/1 to hold up at 1900 and dig in astride the highway.
The 4,800-yard advance had cost the Marine unit four killed and 18
wounded, against 350 casualties and five prisoners for the North
Koreans. Since all written and personal accounts agree that 19
September amounted to almost one continuous fire fight for the 2d
Battalion, the amazing contrast in friendly-enemy loss figures must be
attributed to the sound employment of Marine supporting arms.[334]
[334] 2/1 _SAR_; Sutter-Codispoti interv, 25 Jan 55; and
Cunliffe interv, 24 Aug 54.
As mentioned earlier, 2/1’s positions for the night were a mile
southeast of the 3d Battalion on Lookout Hill. Company E entrenched
on high ground to the left of the highway--4,000 yards from
Yongdungpo--while D and F manned a long, low hill on the right. Because
the latter height ran parallel to the road, the line formed by Dog and
Fox was at a right angle to that held by Easy. Sutter’s choice of this
L-shaped defense would shortly prove to be an extremely wise one.
_NKPA Counterattacks of 20 September_
The right flank of the 1st Marines was bare. Not until 1200, 19
September, did the 32d Infantry begin relieving 1/1 in its old
positions southeast of Sosa. Liaison between the Marine and Army units
at this time was weak. Apparently many of the Marines were unaware that
General Barr’s OpnO No. 2,[335] for the 7th Infantry Division did not
call for a jump-off by the 32d until 0630 on the 20th. At that time
the Army regiment would attack a series of objectives which included
Hill 146 and other high ground above the road.[336] Thus, the schedules
north and south of the highway were running one day apart, and it would
take the enemy himself to straighten the line when he slammed the gates
of Yongdungpo.
[335] Issued at 2000, 19 September.
[336] 7th InfDiv (USA) _Opn Rpt_, in Inclusions to 7th InfDiv
War Diary for Sep 50.
Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, entrucked below Sosa for its
circuitous journey from the right flank of the regiment to the left,
where it was to relieve the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, on Hills 118,
80, and 85. The 11-mile trip via Sosa and Wonjong-ni was uneventful,
except that the troops had to dismount at the latter village and
proceed on foot over the primitive road. With the first increment to
arrive at Wonjong-ni, Captain Robert H. Barrow, commanding Company A
of 1/1, set a rugged pace to get his troops on top of Hill 118 before
dark. Relieving Company B of 1/5, he expected Charlie Company to pass
through and replace its opposite of the 5th Marines on Hills 80 and 85.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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