U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 4 (of 5): The East-Central FrontMontross, Lynn
History
U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 4 (of 5): The East-Central Front
Montross, Lynn
Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Campaigns; United States. Marine Corps -- History -- Korean War, 1950-1953
The experiment was an immediate success. The Division set up a photo
laboratory near the VMO-6 CP for rapid processing and printing. A
helicopter stood by for rapid delivery to the units concerned.[215]
[215] _Ibid._
Not all the variations in tactics were innovations. Lieutenant Colonel
Bernard T. Kelly, commanding officer of 3/7, revived an old device
on 31 May by using indirect automatic weapons fire with good effect.
Four water-cooled heavy machine guns provided long range (2,600 yards)
plunging fires on the reverse slopes of hills in support of his leading
elements during the final attack on Yanggu.[216]
[216] Col B. T. Kelly, interv of 9 Jun 58.
_MAG-12 Moves to K-46 at Hoengsong_
Delay and uncertainty were still the two great stumbling blocks to
adequate air support for the ground forces under the JOC control
system. Marine officers contended that infantry units sometimes
took unnecessary casualties as a consequence. Worse yet, there were
occasions when the expected planes did not arrive at all.
Statistics kept by the 1st MAW and Navy during the spring of 1951
upheld these conclusions. During the Inchon-Seoul operation, the
average delay in receiving air support had been 15 minutes as compared
to 80 minutes in May and June of 1951. Approximately 35 minutes of this
time was required to process the request through JOC. And only 65 to 70
percent of the sorties requested were ever received by Marine ground
forces.[217]
[217] _PacFlt Interim Rpt_ No. 2, II, 523–537.
Generals Shepherd and Harris had discussed the problem during the early
spring of 1951 with General Partridge of the Fifth Air Force. Several
compromises were reached, and for brief periods the 1st Marine Division
received more air support than it could use. Unfortunately, these
periods were at times of the least need. When the chips were down, the
old delays and uncertainties reappeared. General Partridge commented:
The 1st Marine Air Wing was assigned for operational control by
the Fifth Air Force and it was used just as any of the other
units of the Fifth were employed, that is, in support anywhere
along the battle front were it appeared to be most urgently
needed.
In every action such as took place in Korea when the resources
and especially the air resources are far too few, ground
commanders inevitably feel that they are being shortchanged.
They are trying to accomplish their objectives under the most
difficult circumstances and with the minimum number of casualties
and they want all the assistance from the air that they can
get. I am sure I would feel the same in similar circumstances.
However, there was never enough air support to satisfy everyone
and I was most unhappy that this was the case.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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