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
(1) 58th CCF Division: Estimated casualties of 3300 for the 172d
Regiment; 1750 each for the 173d and 174th Regiments.
(2) 59th CCF Division: Estimated 1750 casualties for the 176th
Regiment. No other units identified.
The known Chinese dead in the two night battles amounted to at least
1500; and if it may be assumed that three or four times that number
were wounded, the total casualties would have crippled an enemy
infantry division of 7500 to 10,000 men, plus an additional regiment.
Considering the primitive state of CCF supply and medical service,
moreover, it is likely that hundreds died of wounds and privations
behind their own lines.
The losses of 3/1 at Hagaru were given as 33 KIA, 10 DOW, 2 MIA, and
270 WIA--a total of 315 battle casualties, nearly all of which were
incurred from 28 November to 1 December.[487] There are no over-all
casualty figures for Marine or Army service troops, but it is probable
that their total losses exceeded those of 3/1.
[487] Ridge, _Notes_; Smith, _Notes_, 854.
_Rescue of U. S. Army Wounded_
Casualties estimated as high as 75 per cent were suffered by the three
U. S. Army battalions east of the Reservoir. At 2200 on the night
of 1 December, the first survivors, most of them walking wounded,
reached the Marine lines north of Hagaru with tales of frightful losses
suffered in the five days of continual fighting since the first CCF
attack on the night of 27–28 November.
Following this action Colonel Allan D. MacLean, commanding the 31st
Infantry, had set up a perimeter near Sinhung-ni with the 3d Battalion
of his regiment and the 1st Battalion of the 57th Field Artillery.
Along the shore farther to the north, Lieutenant Colonel Don C. Faith,
USA, held a separate perimeter with the 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry
(see Map 20).[488]
[488] The sources for the operations of Task Force Faith,
unless otherwise noted, are: Statement of Capt Edward P.
Stamford, n. d., 2–15; Statement of Dr. Lee Tong Kak,
n. d.; Capt Martin Blumenson, USA, “Chosin Reservoir,”
in Capt Russell A. Gugeler, _Combat Actions in Korea_,
63–86; X Corps _WD Sum, Nov 50_, 33–34. Chinese accounts
of these actions may be found in ATIS _Enemy Documents:
Korean Campaign_, Issue 84, 7–15 and 20–25. LtCol Faith
had distinguished himself in World War II as aide to
MajGen Matthew B. Ridgway, then commanding the 82d
Airborne Div.
Both positions were hard hit by the Chinese on the night of 27–28
November and isolated from each other. During the next 24 hours they
beat off CCF attacks with the support of Marine and FEAF planes, and
Faith fought his way through to a junction with the Sinhung-ni force.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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