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
At 2000, Lieutenant Colonel Armitage reported to division that his
force on Hill 122 occupied the entire reverse slope and that the Marine
of I/3/1 and B/1/1 were digging in and consolidating their scant
defenses. Enemy shells were still falling on both Bunker and Hill 124.
Company commanders forward of the MLR estimated that as many as 400
Chinese occupied the ridge on the other side of the slope from the
Marines. Since the crest of the long Hill 124–122 ridgeline was fairly
level, the gentle incline of the Bunker rear slope permitted defending
Marine units excellent fields of fire to the ridge crest, a major
consideration in the 3/1 battalion commander’s decision to adopt a
rear slope defense. Moreover, the top of the ridge could be swept with
direct fire from the MLR as well as supporting weapons from the two
nearest companies on JAMESTOWN. Opposing Marine and Chinese forces were
thus lined up for a continuation of the battle for Bunker Hill.
It appeared that the Chinese wished to attempt a diversionary tactic
of their own. To draw attention away from Hill 122 they engaged a
Marine outpost east of Bunker and a KMC ambush far to the left before
attacking Bunker again. In the KMC sector, shortly after 2300, an enemy
infantry platoon walked into a trap near the eastern edge of the Sachon
and 500 yards south of the Munsan-ni-Kaesong rail line. The brief fire
fight lasted only 10 minutes before the Chinese broke contact.
Perhaps the ambush was incidental to the forthcoming attack against
the Bunker complex, but this same reasoning cannot be applied to
the Communist-inspired action which broke out shortly at Hill 48A,
Stromboli, another friendly outpost far to the east of Hill 122.
Near the right limiting point of Colonel Layer’s 1st Marines and the
5th Marines boundary, Stromboli was another Marine fire-team-by-day,
squad-by-night position. It occupied a small rise 250 yards forward
of the MLR and commanded the immediate sector in all directions. The
entire MLR in the regimental right was dominated by the enemy-held Hill
104, a half-mile north of 48A.
Communist infantry opened the attack without benefit of any supporting
arms preparation and rushed to seize Hill 48A early on the morning of
13 August, a few minutes after midnight. Defending Marines immediately
responded with small arms and automatic weapons fire. By the time the
outpost commander had informed battalion of the attack by radio, the
far right sector of the 1st Marines line, held by Captain Clarence G.
Moody, Jr.’s Company F, had also come under attack. Firing rifles and
submachine guns and hurling hand grenades as they assaulted the main
position, the Chinese attempted to penetrate the JAMESTOWN defenses.
In spite of the enemy’s concerted efforts, the Marine line remained
staunch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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