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 Army reported that more than 117,000 rounds of artillery and 67
close air support missions had buttressed the UNC ground effort.
Official estimates indicated that in the three-day action the Chinese
had fired 65,000 rounds of artillery and mortar, “up to this point an
unprecedented volume in the Korean War.”[433] The Marine artillery
contribution from its four active battalions during this 28–30 May
period totaled 56,280 rounds in 835 missions.
[433] _Ibid._, p. 464.
During the three-day siege, 15 to 33 Marine tanks poured their lethal
90mm projectiles on the enemy from MLR firing slots. At times the
action was so heavy that the tanks were refueled on line. As they ran
out of ammunition and fuel, “armored utility vehicles of the battalion,
with a basic load of ammunition aboard, maneuvered beside the tanks
in position and rearmed them on the spot,”[434] to permit virtual
uninterrupted tank firing. One Marine was killed in the action the
first night. Although 4,162 rounds of Chinese fire fell near the tank
positions, no damage to materiel was reported. For their part the M-46s
and flames were responsible for 721 enemy deaths, an estimated 137 more
killed, 141 wounded, and an estimated 1,200 injured.
[434] 1st TkBn ComdD, May 53, p. 3.
During the second day of action, nearly 20 missions were flown by
Corsairs and Skyraiders of the three Marine attack squadrons and the
jet fighters of VMF-311 and -115. Altogether throughout 28–30 May,
Marine aircraft had flown no less than 119 sorties for the inflamed
sectors of the U.S. Army 25th Division and adjacent British 1st
Commonwealth Division. Of these, 99 were in support of the sagging
Carson-Elko-Vegas-Berlins line.
Ground action ceased the following day as rain drenched the
battlefield, although the 11th Marines reported sightings of more than
200 Chinese soldiers, most of them on the three recently lost outposts.
Benched while the fierce battle was going on, the 1st Marines remained
under operational control of I Corps as a possible contingency force
from 29 May to 5 June. On the latter date, following the Eighth Army
decision not to retake the Carson-Elko-Vegas outposts, the regiment
reverted to Marine control and returned to Camp Britannia. The previous
day the Communists had agreed on all major points of the UNC final
offer and it appeared that a ceasefire was close at hand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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