Chapter I: Front Matter

AUG.-SEP. 1950

GENERAL DISPOSITION OF 8TH ARMY & NORTH KOREAN FORCES]

U. S. MARINE OPERATIONS IN KOREA
1950–1953

VOLUME I

_The Pusan Perimeter_

by
LYNN MONTROSS
and
CAPTAIN NICHOLAS A. CANZONA, USMC

Historical Branch, G-3
Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Washington, D. C., 1954

Foreword

An ability to furnish skilled forces to meet emergency situations on short notice has long been a hallmark of the Marine Corps. When the call came for such a force to be dispatched to Korea on 2 July 1950, the Corps was handicapped by the strictures of a peacetime economy. Nevertheless, a composite brigade consisting of a regiment and an air group was made available within a week’s time.

With a reputation built largely on amphibious warfare, Marines of the 1st Brigade were called upon to prove their versatility in sustained ground action. On three separate occasions within the embattled Perimeter--south toward Sachon and twice along the Naktong River--these Marine units hurled the weight of their assault force at the enemy. All three attacks were successful, and at no point did Marines give ground except as ordered. The quality of their performance in the difficult days of the Pusan Perimeter fighting made them a valuable member of the United Nations team and earned new laurels for their Corps.

LEMUEL C. SHEPHERD, JR.,
_General, U. S. Marine Corps,
Commandant of the Marine Corps_.

Preface

This is the first volume of a planned series dealing with United States Marine Operations in Korea during the period 2 August 1950 to 27 July 1953. Volume I is designed to give the military student and the casual reader an accurate and detailed account of the operations in which Marines of the 1st Provisional Brigade and Marine Air Group 33 participated during the fighting in the Pusan Perimeter, from the date of their landing on 2 August until their withdrawal on 13 September 1950, in preparation for the Inchon landing.

Since this is primarily a Marine Corps story, the activities of other services during this period are not described in detail except to present a proper background to the overall account.

Many officers and men who participated in this campaign have contributed to the preparation of the book by answering inquiries, submitting to interviews, and commenting on the preliminary manuscript. Their assistance has been invaluable. Special acknowledgment is also extended to the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Pacific Section, and particularly Lieutenant Colonel Roy E. Appleman, USA, for enemy intelligence material; to the Marine Corps Board Study: _An Evaluation of the Influence of Marine Corps Forces on the Course of the Korean War_ for its interpretations and conclusions; and to _Life Magazine_ for courtesy shown in permitting use of Korean photographs made by Mr. David D. Duncan. Maps included herein were prepared by the Reproduction Section, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Va. United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps photographs have also been used to illustrate this monograph.

T. A. WORNHAM,
_Brigadier General, U. S. Marine Corps_.
_Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3._

Contents

_Page_
I Korea, Doorstep of Strategy 1
The Korean Question--The Russo-Japanese War--Korea as a
Japanese Colony--The Partition of Korea--Red Victory in
China--Civil Strife in Korea

II Red Aggression in Korea 19
Units of the NKPA--NKPA Command and Leadership--The NKPA
Infantry Division--NKPA Air and Armor--NKPA Officer
Procurement Conscription--The NKPA Order of Battle

III The Marine Brigade 37
NKPA Gains of First Week--Early U. S. Decisions--Geography
of Korea--U. S. Ground Forces in Korea--Requests for
U. S. Marines--Activation of the Brigade

IV The Advance Party 55
Conference with CINCFE--The Washington Scene--The Advance
Party in Japan--Voyage of the Brigade--The Advance Party
in Korea--Crisis of the Eighth Army

V Prelude to Battle 87
Reconnaissance by Jeep--Brigade Air Lands--Landing of
Ground Force--Bedlam on Pusan Water Front--The Brigade
at Changwon--The Pusan Perimeter--Brigade Air Strikes
First--Planning the Sachon-Chinju Offensive

VI Action on Hill 342 103
First Platoon Fight--The Perimeter on Hill 342--Call for
Artillery Fires--Task Force Kean Stalled--General Craig
Assumes Control--Enemy Attack at Dawn

VII Advance to Kosong 119
Heavy NKPA Resistance--Assault on Hill 255--Confusion at
Tosan Junction--Brigade Artillery in Support--Encounter
with Japanese Maps--Ambush at Taedabok Pass--The
Seizure of Kosong

VIII Fight on Two Fronts 139
The Kosong Turkey Shoot--The Changchon Ambush--Marines
Ordered to New Sector--Attack of 3/5 to the Rear--Enemy
Dawn Attack at Changchon--Breaking Off Action

IX Battle of the Naktong 173
Task Force Hill Organized--Planning the Next Operation--
Reconnaissance of Terrain--Air and Artillery Preparation
--Company D on Objective--Attack of Company E

X Obong-ni Ridge 189
Company B to the Attack--Advance of Company A--Defeat of
Enemy Tanks--End of the First Day--Enemy Counterattack
on Ridge--Obong-ni Ridge Secured--Supporting Arms Clear
the Bulge

XI Second Naktong 207
The Famous Bean Patch--Planning for Inchon Landing--
Return to the Naktong Bulge--All-Out NKPA Offensive--The
Marines Jump Off--Progress of Brigade Attack--Assault
on Hill 117

XII Mission Completed 227
Collapse of the 9th NKPA Division--Attacks of 5
September--Two Marine Tanks Killed--The Brigade’s
Final Action--Brigade Embarkation at Pusan--Results
of Brigade Operations--Summaries and Conclusions

_Appendixes_

A Glossary of Military Terms 245

B Command and Staff List 247

C Citations and Commendations 253

Bibliography 257

Index 261

Illustrations

_Photographs_

Sixteen-page sections of photographs follow pages 70 and 156.

_Maps and Sketches_

_Page_

The Strategic Triangle 2

The Far East 5

Korea 11

NKPA Order of Battle 35

NKPA Invasion, 15 July 1950 44

Japan and Korea 61

Eighth Army, Situation of Late July 69

Brigade Action on the Southwestern Front 102

Chindong-ni Area 107

Sachon Offensive, 8–10 August 1950 130

Sachon Offensive, 10 August 1950 133

Sachon Offensive, 11 August 1950 134

Sachon Offensive--Changchon Ambush 145

Sachon Offensive, Situation 12–14 August 149

Enemy Counterattack, Hill 202 154

First Naktong Counteroffensive 180

First Naktong, Situation 17 August 1950 185

First Naktong, Situation 18 August 1950 199

First Naktong, Seizure of Objective Two 202

First Naktong, Seizure of Objective Three 205

Second Naktong Counteroffensive, 3–5 September 1950 218

Second Naktong, Marine Attacks of 3–4 September 1950 223

Second Naktong, Enemy Counterattack 232