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
After recovering from the initial surprise the Charlie Company outposts
repulsed all further attacks. Wray’s men lost 6 killed and 16 wounded
during the night’s encounters but could count 92 Korean bodies the next
morning.
At 2215 the 3d Platoon of Baker Company had a second attack at the same
points as the first one. The Red Koreans appeared to Captain Noren to
be exceptionally well disciplined and controlled in spite of heavy
casualties inflicted on them by combination of mortar, machine-gun and
small-arms fire, and grenades.[133]
[133] This section, except when otherwise noted, is based upon
the 1stMar _SAR_ 4–5, appendix II, 2; Noren rpt; Bridges
interv 4 Nov 55; Barrow interv 27 Oct 55; 1stMar, _HD Oct
50_, encl. 2; 1; Wray ltr, 24 Jan 56; Hawkins ltr, n. d.;
Statement of Lt James M. McGhee, 15 Feb 51.
The plight of Belli’s platoon was first made known when 2/B on Hill
185 received a message to the effect that 1/B had withdrawn from Hill
109 with 30 men missing. The retirement was made possible by the brave
stand of Sergeant Clayton Roberts, who covered the movement with a
light machine gun until he was surrounded and killed.
The 3d Platoon beat off another attack meanwhile as the enemy closed in
from the left rear as well as the front. With machine-gun fire coming
from both directions, Noren informed the battalion CP at 2350 that his
position was untenable and asked permission to withdraw. His request
being granted, he directed Lieutenant Chambers to pull back from Hill
185, covering the withdrawal of 3/B with 81mm fire.
The intersection of the dike and railway track was designated as the
meeting place for the three Baker Company platoons. Noren covered
the rear of the 3/B withdrawal while his executive officer, First
Lieutenant Chester B. Farmer, took charge of the point. Opposite Hill
109 they encountered Staff Sergeant Robert Fisher and five men whom
Belli had directed to remain at the dike and pick up stragglers while
the rest of 1/B continued to pull back.
Fisher reported that the attack on Hill 109 had been conducted with
skill and discipline. Whistles and red and green flares were used for
signaling by Communists who cut off a listening post and overran a
squad on the right flank. The assault force numbered 160, according to
POW testimony.
The methodical, position-by-position withdrawal of the three Baker
Company platoons was conducted so skilfully that remarkably few
casualties resulted. Noren lost all contact for a short time when
enemy fire severed the antenna on his last operative SCR-300. At about
0215 Chambers’ platoon was last to reach the meeting place, having
beaten off several attacks during its withdrawal from Hill 185. With
another large-scale enemy assault threatening, Noren organized a 360°
defense on both sides of the railway track just south of the village
of Chonchon-ni. One Marine was killed and six wounded by enemy fire
received from the west as well as east.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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