U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 5 (of 5): Operations in West KoreaUnited States. Marine Corps
History
U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953, Volume 5 (of 5): Operations in West Korea
United States. Marine Corps
Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Campaigns; United States. Marine Corps -- History -- Korean War, 1950-1953
[172] Lieutenant Colonels Gerald F. Russell and Anthony Caputo,
respectively, commanded 3/7 and 2/7 at this time.
Across No-Man’s-Land, units of two Chinese divisions faced the
3,603 men of the 1st Marines. From west to east opposite the Marine
regiment’s frontline battalions were elements of the 580th Regiment,
194th Division, 65th CCF Army and of both the 352d and 354th Regiments,
118th Division, 40th CCF Army. The 352d Regiment held most of the area
on which the battle would be fought.[173] Enemy combat efficiency
was rated as excellent and his forward units were well-supplied. The
Chinese conducted an active defense, using limited objective attacks,
numerous small-size probes, and creeping tactics to extend their
OPLR line. Communist soldiers offered well-coordinated and tenacious
resistance to Marine patrols, raids, and attacks. Within enemy lines a
775-foot elevation, known as Taedok-san, was situated directly north of
the Marine division center and commanded the entire Bunker Hill area.
[173] 1stMarDiv PIR 657, dtd 13 Aug 52.
On JAMESTOWN, the dominating height was Hill 201, 660 feet high[174]
and immediately to the rear of the MLR in the left battalion sector.
Southwest of this elevation was the Marine stronghold, Hill 229, just
23 feet lower than Taedok, and believed by the Marines to have been the
objective of the August battle. Directly north of Hill 201 was Hill
122, adjacent to the enemy OPLR, and called Bunker Hill by the Marines.
It was shortly to become the scene of bitter fighting. The crest of
Hill 122 was about 350 yards long. At a distance of about 700 yards, it
generally paralleled the northeast-southwest direction of JAMESTOWN in
the left of the 2/1 sector and adjoining 3/1 sector.
[174] Frequently cartographers use elevations for names of
hills. Heights on the Korean maps are in meters, and
many of these hills derive their name (i.e., number)
from their elevation. For changing meters to feet, the
conversion factor 3.28 is used.
Southwest of Bunker and a little more than 200 yards from the Marine
MLR was Hill 124. This Hill 124–122 axis, for tactical purposes, was
known as the Bunker Ridge. The ridgeline, roughly “cashew” in shape
almost anchored back into the MLR on the forward slopes of Hill 229.
To the northeast of Bunker Hill and separated from it by a wide
saddle[175] was another enemy position, Hill 120. (See Map 9, for
outposts and key hill positions in the 1st Marines center regimental
area in early August.)
[175] A saddle, the low point in the crest line of a ridge, is
much in appearance like the side view of a riding saddle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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