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
That night at 0130, trip flares and exploding booby traps were the
prelude to the first NKPA probing attacks on the perimeter. The enemy
was half an hour late, but otherwise the assault developed pretty much
as the CIC team had predicted, even to the identification of elements
of the 45th Regiment of the 15th NKPA Division. The assailants showed
no disposition to close, and the assault turned into a desultory fire
fight. At 0500, with a fog reducing visibility almost to zero, the
enemy could be heard but not seen in his assault on the battalion
OP. This position was located on the How Company front and manned by
wiremen and artillery and mortar FO teams. When their ammunition ran
out, these Marines were forced to withdraw; but Captain Thomas E.
McCarthy, Second Lieutenants Charles Mattox and Charles R. Stiles with
an assortment of H&S Company personnel recaptured the position the
moment that the fog lifted. The enemy withdrew into the hills after the
Corsairs came on station, and the action ended at 0730 with two wounded
Marines representing the casualty list of 3/1 in the engagement.[179]
[179] S-3 1stMar tel to G-3 1stMarDiv, 0945 7 Nov 50. 1stMar
_SAR_, 10, 3/1 _SAR 7 Oct-25 Nov 50_, 5–6; 2/11 _SAR_,
17; Capt C. R. Stiles ltr to HistBr, G-3, HQMC, 25 Jan
56; Corley Comments.
Able Company returned to Wonsan that morning with 619 of the prisoners
who had been accumulating at Majon-ni until the stockade was almost
overflowing with Korean humanity. Captain Barrow packed the captives
into open trucks covered with tarpaulins. This precaution was taken
in order not to advertise the nature of the cargo while passing
through Ambush Alley, since it might be embarrassing if the guerrillas
attempted to liberate prisoners who outnumbered their keepers three to
one.
Simultaneously with the return of Able Company, Colonel Puller ordered
his 2d Battalion (-) to proceed via the Majon-ni road to Munchon-ni.
Lieutenant Colonel Sutter’s mission was similar to that of Lieutenant
Colonel Ridge at Majon-ni: to block enemy movement along the trails
leading north and to screen civilians. The hamlet of Munchon-ni
squatted near the top of the highest pass along Ambush Alley. Trucks
could be supplied for only one reinforced rifle company--Easy--which
departed Wonsan at 0830.
Four miles short of the objective, the motorized column entered a
horseshoe bend large enough to contain all the vehicles. On the left
of the road was a sheer drop, and on the right rose cliffs 200 feet in
height. The last truck had just entered the bend when the first was
stopped by a landslide roadblock. As the column ground to a halt the
enemy opened up with rifles and automatic weapons from well camouflaged
positions in the high ground at the far end of the horseshoe.[180]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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