Other groups, including three more Commandos and 71 Army infantrymen, also contrived to straggle back to the 2/1 perimeter. Although the Chinese did not keep their word as to evacuation of the wounded, they did not interfere with the removal of the more critical cases to a Korean house. When the enemy retired to the hills for the day, an opportunity was found to evacuate these casualties to Koto-ri.[473] [473] LtCol Chidester and Maj Eagan were still missing at the end of the conflict, when the exchanges of prisoners took place. From the information that LtCol McLaughlin has been able to secure, it appears that both officers died of wounds prior to reaching a prison camp. McLaughlin Comments, 5 Nov 56. An accurate breakdown of the Task Force Drysdale casualties will probably never be made, but the following estimate is not far from the mark: -----------------------+-----------+------------+------------- | KIA | Total | | and | Battle | Vehicles Unit | MIA WIA | Casualties | Lost[A] -----------------------+-----------+------------+------------- 41st Commando | 18 43 | 61 | Co. G, 3/1 | 8 40 | 48 | Co. B, 1/31 | 100 19 | 119 | 22 Div. Hq. Bn. | 25 25 | 50 | 18 1st Sig. Bn. | 4 2 | 6 | 7th MT Bn. | 2 3 | 5 | 4 Serv. Co., 1st Tank Bn | 5 6 | 11 | 30 Co. B(-), 1st Tank Bn | 0 12 | 12 | Co. D(-), 1st Tank Bn | 0 8 | 8 | 1 Plat, AT Co., RCT-5 | 0 1 | 1 | -----------------------+-----------+------------+------------- Total | 162 159 | 321 | 75 -----------------------+-----------+------------+------------- [A] Smith, _Notes_, 867–868. “The casualties of Task Force Drysdale were heavy,” commented General Smith, “but by its partial success the Task Force made a significant contribution to the holding of Hagaru which was vital to the Division. To the slender infantry garrison of Hagaru were added a tank company of about 100 men and some 300 seasoned infantrymen. The approximately 300 troops which returned to Koto-ri participated thereafter in the defense of that perimeter.”[474] [474] _Ibid._ A postscript to the Hell Fire Valley fight was written the following spring in front-page headlines announcing the escape from a CCF prison camp of 17 enlisted Marines and a soldier. Among them were five NCOs who contributed firsthand accounts for these pages. Of the 44 Marines listed as MIA, a total of 25 either escaped or survived their prison camp experiences and were liberated in Operation Big Switch.