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
Following relief by the Army unit, the Marine battalion departed
at 1015 on the 14th by truck for the Wonsan area. A total of 1395
prisoners had been taken during the 17 days of Majon-ni--a large
proportion of them voluntary--and more than 4000 Korean transients
screened. Enemy battle casualties were estimated at 525 killed and an
unknown number wounded.[188]
[188] 3/1 _SAR 7 Oct-25 Nov 50_. General Ruffner, Chief of
Staff of X Corps, later commented: “Personally, I always
had a feeling that the Marines did a masterful job at
Majon-ni. To begin with, it was a very tough assignment
and in the second place I always felt that it broke up
what remained of organized units in the North Korean Army
that would otherwise have given us a tremendous amount of
trouble in our backyard at Wonsan. A lot of determined
enemy action on our perimeter at Wonsan would have been
most disconcerting, troublesome, and unquestionably
slowed down our subsequent movement to the north.” MajGen
C. L. Ruffner ltr to MajGen E. W. Snedeker, 13 Jan 56.
Losses of the Marine battalion numbered 65--16 KIA, 4 DOW and 45 WIA.
Non-battle casualties were remarkably low, owing to strict enforcement
of sanitary and health regulations.[189]
[189] 3/1 _SAR_ 7 _Oct-25 Nov 50_, 7.
The vulnerability of a tenuous MSR must also be taken into account, and
casualties of nine killed and 81 wounded or injured were incurred by
Marines escorting supply convoys through Ambush Alley.
_Movement of 1st Marines to Chigyong_
From the 1st Marines in the Wonsan area to the 7th Marines leading the
northward advance, a distance of more than 130 road miles separated the
elements of the 1st Marine Division. But the arrival of more U. S. Army
units made possible a first step toward concentration.
On 29 October the 17th RCT of the 7th Infantry Division had begun
landing at Iwon (see Map 2), about 60 air miles northeast of Hungnam.
Other units and reinforcing elements followed until all had completed
unloading by 8 November--a total of 28,995 troops, 5924 vehicles, and
30,016 short tons of cargo.[190]
[190] ComPhibGruOne, “Operations Report,” 13–14; X Corps _WD_,
29 Oct 50; X Corps _POR 35_.
Transports had been sent by CTF-90 on 31 October to Moji, Japan, for
the first units of the 3d Infantry Division. The 65th RCT landed at
Wonsan on 5 November, but it was not until the 18th that the last
elements arrived.[191] All four of the major units of X Corps--the two
Army divisions as well as the 1st Marine Division and I ROK Corps--were
then in the zone of operations, even though dispersed over a wide area.
[191] ComPhibGruOne, “Operations Report,” 14–15; X Corps _WD_,
5 Nov 50; X Corps _POR 40_.
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