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
As a result of an I Corps directive, the 1st Marine Division assumed
responsibility for an additional 6,800 yards of front on 14 April from
the 1st Commonwealth Division sector to the right of the division.
In preparation, the 5th Marines had taken over the western end of
the 1st Marines sector, held by 2/1, two days earlier. On the 14th
the 1st Marines, newly commanded by Colonel Walter N. Flournoy,[50]
extended its line eastward to assume new limiting points and part of
the MLR in the western part of the Canadian Brigade sector. Relief of
the Commonwealth unit was completed without any difficulty or enemy
interference. This additional yardage, plus the Kimpo Peninsula front,
now stretched the Marine division MLR to 35½ miles.
[50] Colonel Flournoy became regimental CO on 10 April,
succeeding Colonel Wade.
As a result, General Selden found it necessary to withdraw the division
general outpost line in order to build up his main line of resistance.
On 17 April, the 1st KMC Regiment reduced its OPLR to an OPLO (outpost
line of observation) and the left battalion pulled its MLR back to
more defensible ground. The Marine division center and right regiments
withdrew their outpost lines on 23 and 24 April. Both regiments then
established forward outposts and listening posts which, in many cases,
utilized former OPLR positions. Many of these posts were manned during
daylight hours only.
Abandonment of the forward OPLR added strength to the main line, but it
also meant that frontline battalions had to commit all their companies
on line, thus losing their reserve. To prevent Chinese occupation of
desirable terrain features on the former OPLR, the division dispatched
combat and reconnaissance patrols forward of its line. In the KMC
sector, the only Marine area favorable for tank operations forward of
JAMESTOWN, tank-infantry patrols were periodically employed.
To the west of the KMC sector, the Marine 1st Amphibian Tractor
Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Michiel Dobervich) was assigned a
section of the KANSAS Line to defend, beginning 16 April. Reinforced
by attachment of the Division Reconnaissance Company (Major Ephraim
Kirby-Smith) that same day, Lieutenant Colonel Dobervich employed
Company C (two platoons), the headquarters LVT platoon, and the
reconnaissance unit to man 30 defensive positions from the Han River
eastward to the KMC western boundary.[51]
[51] Company A, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion had been
attached to the Kimpo Provisional Regiment since 31 March
and Company B was supporting MAG-33 at Pohang.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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