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
[214] Normally a component of the 2d Battalion, Company E
had been attached to the 3d Battalion on 1 September
when the company took over the Bunker Hill outpost. The
relieved Company H was then attached to 2/1, the reserve
battalion, from 1–3 September.
This Chinese withdrawal was only temporary, for the initial probe
proved the forerunner of more serious activity. Again at 0100 on
5 September a heavy deluge of Chinese mortar and artillery began
raining on Hill 122. The intense preparation had apparently convinced
the Chinese attacking force that they had eliminated resistance at
the Marine outpost, for their soldiers walked upright toward Marine
positions, without bothering to make any attempts at concealment. After
discovering that a stout defense was still being maintained at Bunker,
the Chinese again withdrew and reorganized.
When they resumed the attack, the Chinese used considerably greater
caution. This time, in addition to small arms, automatic weapons fire,
and a hail of grenades, their assault was supported by artillery and
mortars. The results of this concerted effort were not too rewarding,
however. Assaults on the center of Hill 122 were repulsed and attempts
to crack the left perimeter of Company E’s defenses were even more
speedily beaten back. A number of Chinese attempting to outflank the
E/2/1 defenders inadvertently strayed too far to the right of the
outpost and found themselves advancing against the MLR south of Hill
122.
When JAMESTOWN forces engaged these wanderers by fire, the latter
quickly realized their mistake and wheeled left for a hasty retreat.
They immediately came under fire of their own troops, some of whom
had meanwhile penetrated 60 yards into the extreme right of the
Bunker positions. At this point, Captain Moak’s Company E launched
a counterattack and restored its positions on the right. This
action forced a general withdrawal of the Chinese force, which the
Marines estimated at battalion strength. Lieutenant Colonel Sidney
J. Altman[215] subsequently advised division headquarters that his
men had killed 30 enemy soldiers and estimated that as many as 305
were probably wounded. This high rate of casualties was attributed,
in part, to the enemy’s mistaken sense of direction, their direct
walking approach which had made them easy standing targets, and to
the box-me-in artillery fires supporting the defenders. Marine losses
were 12 killed and 40 wounded, caused mostly by Chinese mortars and
artillery.
[215] On 20 August Lieutenant Colonel Altman became the
commander of 3/1 in relief of Lieutenant Colonel Armitage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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