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
All Marine tactical squadrons were in action on 28 January for the
first time since December. Nearly two-thirds of the flights from Bofu
and K-9 were diverted from armed reconnaissance to troop support. A
typical operation was carried out by four VMF-312 planes on their
second day of duty at Bofu. After reporting to MELLOW they were
directed to Mosquito Cobalt, which had received a message that enemy
troops were hiding in a village just north of Suwon, occupied that day
by the U.S. 35th infantry. Under the Mosquito’s direction they bombed,
strafed, and napalmed some 40 buildings containing CCF soldiers.[60]
[60] VMF-312 _HD_, Jan 51.
The fall of Suwon opened the way to Inchon and Seoul as Chinese
resistance stiffened. Eighth Army progress was anything but reckless,
but Ridgway had served notice on the enemy that he held the initiative
and intended to keep it. Operation ROUNDUP followed on the heels of
THUNDERBOLT. Merely a change in name was involved, for the advance
continued at the same prudent pace without any important amendments to
the original mission.
_Action in the Pohang-Andong Zone_
The Marines in the Pohang-Andong zone had their first brush with
the elusive enemy on 22 January. A patrol of the 1st Battalion, 1st
Marines, flushed out a guerrilla force near Mukkye-dong, several miles
southeast of Andong (Map 5). Captain Robert P. Wray’s Charlie Company
deployed for action at sunset and shots were exchanged. The Marines had
no casualties and the enemy could not have suffered many losses before
he disappeared into the winter dusk.
Even at this early date the Korean Reds seemed to have lost confidence
in their guerrilla operations. In a message dated 23 January taken
from a prisoner, the commanding general of the II NKPA Corps directed
General Lee Ban Nam to withdraw if possible. It read as follows:
Get all of your troops out of the enemy encirclement and withdraw
to north of Pyongchang without delay. Liaison team sent with
radio. If you will inform us of your escape route we will assist
by clearing your advance. If you cannot escape, stay in the rear
of enemy as guerrillas.[61]
[61] 1stMarDiv _PIR_ 116, Encl 1.
By the 24th an enemy drift southeast from the zones of the 1st and 5th
Marines to 7th Marines territory was apparent. The 1/7 command post and
Company A received scattered mortar fire late that afternoon. Action
picked up the next morning when dawn brought an attack by an estimated
100 guerrillas on the regimental command post. After a brisk 90-minute
fire fight the Korean Reds withdrew to the east, leaving seven dead
behind and taking with them an unknown number of wounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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