U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 3 (of 5): The Chosin Reservoir CampaignMontross, Lynn
History
U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 3 (of 5): The Chosin Reservoir Campaign
Montross, Lynn
Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Campaigns; United States. Marine Corps -- History -- Korean War, 1950-1953
At 1030 a flight of Australian F-51s (Mustangs) blasted CCF positions
around Toktong Pass, particularly a rocky promontory several hundred
yards to the north on Hill 1653, which the enemy already had
transformed into a redoubt. Within the Marine perimeter, the wounded
were placed in two tents on a sheltered hillside where Navy corpsmen
attended them constantly. According to Lieutenant McCarthy’s account,
the medics, “by candlelight ... changed the bandages, slipped men in
and out of sleeping bags, warmed C-rations for the men, and melted the
morphine syrettes in their mouths before the injections. Because the
plasma was frozen the corpsmen had to watch men die for the lack of it.”
During late morning and the afternoon, Barber sent out patrols to
screen the areas immediately beyond his lines. The scouting parties
met only sniper fire, but other evidence of enemy activity indicated
that Fox Hill was completely surrounded. An appeal for resupply by air
was answered later in the day when Marine R5Ds dropped medical kits
and ammunition at the base of the hill. At a cost of two wounded, the
precious supplies were recovered before sundown.
Fox Company’s perimeter for the night of 28–29 November was the same as
before, except that the ranks were noticeably thinner. Nevertheless, a
feeling of confidence pervaded the men on the hilltop; they believed
implicitly that they could hold. They believed it despite the fact that
strong relief columns from both Yudam-ni and Hagaru had been unable to
break through to them.
All was quiet on Fox Hill until 0215, when CCF mortar rounds killed one
Marine and wounded two others in the 3d Platoon, now reduced to some 20
able-bodied men. About 40 Chinese made a penetration in this area after
a series of probing attacks all along the line. One Marine crew turned
its light machine gun about and brought it to bear on the bunched-up
attackers with deadly effect. A gap in the lines on both flanks caused
the platoon to pull back about 20 yards. At sunrise, however, Staff
Sergeant John D. Audas led a counterattack which regained the lost
ground at a cost of only two wounded.
The second night’s fighting cost Fox Company a total of five killed and
29 wounded. Both Captain Barber and Lieutenant McCarthy suffered leg
wounds, but continued in action after receiving first aid. The company
commander directed that the open ground on Fox Hill be marked with
colored parachutes from the previous day’s air drops. This provision
resulted in accurate drops and easy recoveries when Marine transport
planes arrived at 1030 on the 29th with ammunition and supplies.
Shortly afterwards First Lieutenant Floyd J. Englehardt of VMO-6 landed
with batteries for the SCR-300 and 619 radios. Although his helicopter
was damaged by hits from long-distance Chinese fire, he managed to take
off safely.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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