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
The initial air strike by Marines in the Bunker fighting was on 9
August in support of counterattack plans for Siberia. MAG-33 provided
a morning and evening flight of four F9F jet fighters to destroy enemy
forces and defensive works on 58A (Siberia). USAF fighter-bombers
attacked Siberia and other outposts nearby and enemy artillery
positions supporting the Chinese forward line. On the next day, air
operations, concentrating on Siberia, were stepped up considerably
against enemy outposts. Thirty-five aircraft in nine missions attacked
58A with bombs, rockets, and napalm. These strikes were carried out by
MAG-12 and U.S. Air Force pilots at irregular intervals during daylight
hours. Air controllers reported good results. Other aircraft hit known
mortar locations capable of supporting the Chinese. During the morning,
Marine Attack Squadron 121 (Lieutenant Colonel Philip “L” Crawford)
bombed and burned Bunker Hill. Just before sunset, F-80 and -84 jets
of the U.S. Air Force dropped 15 tons of bombs on mortar positions and
troops on and around Hill 120. Four F-80s also participated with eight
Marine AD-2 propeller-driven attack aircraft in the morning attack on
Bunker.
Air activity in support of the 1st Marines continued unabated on 11
August. Before the diversionary ground attack just after dusk that day,
Marine and Fifth Air Force fliers repeated the treatment that Hills
58A and 122 had received the previous day. During daylight, supporting
weapons positions were hit by FAF fighter planes. At night, MAG-12 air
attacks guided by the MPQ-14 radar bombing system destroyed hostile
artillery and mortars. Also during the dark, the medium bombers of
the FEAF Bomber Command struck deeper in the rear at heavy weapons
locations.
These Air Force bombers conducted four more controlled-bombing attacks
against Chinese artillery during the early hours of 12 August, when
Company B was consolidating its positions and hastily organizing the
defense of Bunker Hill. After daylight and until dusk, MAGs-12 and -33
and USAF squadrons provided four-plane flights to strike troop assembly
areas, supporting weapons positions, and observation posts close to
Hill 122. In late afternoon, Marine pilots in four F9F Panther jets
and three ADs bombed and burned the enemy side of Bunker Hill during
the shelling and subsequent ground attack against the Marines on the
eastern slope.
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