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
Since Company H found the going slow in the shambles of the industrial
area, the battalion commander ordered Lieutenant Bohn to seize the
whole of Radio Hill. Accordingly, George Company troops rushed across
the ridgeline to the eastern spur. This done, Bohn dispatched a force
to clear the western reaches of the high ground. By 0800, Radio Hill
became the property of the 1st Marine Division, and with the prize went
control of the island and Inchon Harbor.
When the news of 3/5’s success blared from the loudspeaker on the
flag bridge of the _Mount McKinley_, the commander in chief, wearing
his famous leather jacket and braided campaign cap, withdrew to his
cabin and penned a spirited message to Vice Admiral Struble aboard the
_Rochester_:
“The Navy and Marines have never shone more brightly than this
morning.
MACARTHUR”
Consolidation of Wolmi-do required the reduction of an enemy outpost on
Sowolmi-do, the small lighthouse station connected to the southwestern
tip of the island by a causeway 750 yards long and 12 yards wide. An
islet of about 500 square yards, Sowolmi-do was topped by a low hill
with the navigational beacon on the summit. Before bothering with this
tiny, isolated target, Taplett put his larger house in order.
By previous plan, the three rifle companies of 3/5 took up defensive
positions generally facing Inchon. Item Company occupied North Point,
Wildman’s unit the slopes above the industrial area, and Company G the
crest of Radio Hill. While the battalion dug in, mopping-up operations
throughout the island continued to net more prisoners and reveal
the extent of North Korean fortifications. Radio Hill was ringed by
mutually supporting trenches and emplacements, all of which had brought
only a negligible return on the Reds’ investment in time and labor.
Parked on the western nose of the ridge were two intact 76mm antitank
guns that could have wrought havoc on landing waves approaching GREEN
Beach. Fortunately, these weapons had been exposed to the 40mm fire of
the LSMR covering the beach assault, and their crews had lacked the
stomach to man them.
More antitank guns were scattered around the terminus of the causeway
leading to Inchon, leaving some question as to whether they had been
rushed to the defense of the island or were marked for displacement to
the city.
North Point, once a luxurious resort, was honeycombed with caves used
both for storage and for bomb shelters. The swimming pool, one of the
few structures still recognizable after the bombardment, was converted
by the Marines into a prisoner-of-war stockade.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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