Chapter I: Front Matter

1st STEP 22 APRIL 2d STEP 16 MAY ]

U. S. MARINE OPERATIONS IN KOREA

1950–1953

VOLUME IV

_The East-Central Front_

by

LYNN MONTROSS

MAJOR HUBARD D. KUOKKA, USMC

and

MAJOR NORMAN W. HICKS, USMC

Historical Branch, G-3
Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Washington, D. C., 1962

Preceding Volumes of _U. S. Marine Operations in Korea_

Volume I, “The Pusan Perimeter”
Volume II, “The Inchon-Seoul Operation”
Volume III, “The Chosin Reservoir Campaign”

Library of Congress Catalogue Number: 55-60727

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office
Washington 25, D.C.--Price $2.25 (cloth)

Foreword

Americans everywhere will remember the inspiring conduct of Marines during Korean operations in 1950. As the fire brigade of the Pusan Perimeter, the assault troops at Inchon, and the heroic fighters of the Chosin Reservoir campaign, they established a record in keeping with the highest traditions of their Corps. No less praiseworthy were the Marine actions during the protracted land battles of 1951, the second year of the Korean “police action.”

The 1st Marine Division, supported wherever possible by the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, helped stem the flood of the Chinese offensive in April. Then lashing back in vigorous and successful counterattack, the Marines fought around the Hwachon Reservoir to the mighty fastness of the Punchbowl. The Punchbowl became familiar terrain to Marines during the summer of 1951, and the Division suffered its heaviest casualties of the year fighting in the vicinity of that aptly named circular depression.

The fighting waxed hot, then cold, as the truce teams negotiated. They reached no satisfactory agreement, and the fighting again intensified. Finally, after a year of active campaigning on Korea’s east-central front, the Marines moved west to occupy positions defending the approaches to the Korean capital, Seoul.

The year of desperate fighting, uneasy truce, and renewed combat covered by this volume saw the operational employment of a Marine-developed technique--assault by helicopter-borne troops. Tactics were continually being refined to meet the ever changing battle situation. However, throughout the period, the one constant factor on which United Nations commanders could rely was the spirit and professional attitude of Marines, both regular and reserve. This is their hallmark as fighting men.

DAVID M. SHOUP
_General, U. S. Marine Corps,_
_Commandant of the Marine Corps._

Reviewed and Approved 20 Nov 1961.

Preface

This is the fourth in a series of five volumes dealing with the operations of United States Marines in Korea during the period 2 August 1950 to 27 July 1953. Volume IV presents in detail the operations of the 1st Marine Division and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, the former while operating under Eighth Army control and also as part of IX Corps and X Corps, USA, and the latter while controlled by the Fifth Air Force.

The period covered in this volume begins in the latter part of December 1950, when the Division rested in the Masan “bean patch,” and continues through the guerrilla hunt, the Punchbowl fighting, and all other operations during 1951. The account ends when the Marines move to positions in the west during March 1952.

Marines did not fight this war alone; they were a part of the huge Eighth United States Army in Korea. But since this is primarily a Marine history, the actions of the U. S. Army, Navy, and Air Force are presented only sufficiently to place Marine operations in their proper perspective.

Many participants in the fighting during this period have generously contributed to the book by granting interviews, answering inquiries, and commenting on first draft manuscripts. Their assistance was invaluable. Although it was not possible to use all the plethora of detailed comments and information received, the material will go into Marine Corps archives for possible use and benefit of future historians.

The manuscript of this volume was prepared during the tenure of Colonel Charles W. Harrison, Major Gerald Fink, and Colonel William M. Miller as successive Heads of the Historical Branch. Production was accomplished under the direction of Colonel Thomas G. Roe. Major William T. Hickman wrote some of the preliminary drafts and did much valuable research and map sketching. Dr. K. Jack Bauer and Mrs. Elizabeth Tierney assisted the authors in research, and Mr. Truman R. Strobridge assisted in proofreading and preparing the index.

To the Army, Navy, and Air Force officers, as well as Marine officers and NCOs, who submitted valuable comments and criticisms of preliminary drafts, thanks are also extended. These suggestions added to the accuracy and details of the text. Additional assistance was rendered by personnel of the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army; the Division of Naval History, Department of the Navy; and the Historical Division, Department of the Air Force.

The exacting administrative duties involved in processing the volume from first draft manuscripts through the final printed form were ably managed by Miss Kay P. Sue. All manuscript typing was done expertly by Mrs. Miriam R. Smallwood.

The maps contained in this volume were prepared by the Reproduction Section, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, and the Historical Branch, Headquarters Marine Corps. Official Department of Defense photographs were used.

The Marine Corps mourns the passing of the prime author of this series and other admirable works of Marine Corps and military history. Lynn Montross, after a lengthy illness, died on 28 January 1961.

H. W. BUSE, JR.
_Brigadier General, U. S. Marine Corps,_
_Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3._

Contents

_Page_

I Interlude at Masan 1

Return to the Bean Patch--1st Marine Division in EUSAK
Reserve--General Ridgway New EUSAK Commander--Ridgway’s
Declaration of Faith--Marine Personnel and Equipment
Shortages--Marine Air Squadrons in Action--The Air Force
System of Control--X Corps Conference at Kyongju

II The CCF January Offensive 21

UN Forces Give Ground--Further Eighth Army
Withdrawals--Marine Aircraft in the Battle--1st Marine
Division Assigned Mission--Replacements by Air and
Sea--The Move to Japanese Airfields--Red China’s “Hate
America” Campaign--A Tactical Formula for Victory

III The Pohang Guerrilla Hunt 41

The New Marine Zone of Operations--1st MAW Moves to
Bofu--Marine Rice Paddy Patrols--Operations THUNDERBOLT
and ROUNDUP--Action in the Pohang-Andong Zone--KMC
Regiment Joins 1st Marine Division--10th NKPA Division
Scattered--New Mission for the Marines

IV Operation KILLER 59

The Move to the Chungju Area--Marine Planes in
Action--Planning for the New Operation--The Jump-Off on
21 February--Stiffening of Chinese Resistance--General
Smith in Command of IX Corps--The Advance to Phase Line
ARIZONA--JOC Air Control System Criticised

V Operation RIPPER 79

Light Resistance the First Day--Seoul Abandoned by
Enemy--Second Phase of the Operation--Changes in 1st MAW
Units--General MacArthur Visits Marine Battalion--1st
KMC Returns to Division--38th Parallel Recrossed by
Marines--Renewal of Division’s CAS Problems

VI The CCF Spring Offensive 99

Prisoners Reveal Date of Offensive--Hwachon Occupied
by KMC Regiment--CCF Breakthrough Exposes Marine
Flank--Marine Air in Support Everywhere--Plugging
the Gap on the Marine Left--Repulse of Communist
Attacks--Withdrawal to the KANSAS Line--Enemy Stopped in
IX Corps Sector--1st Marine Division Returns to X Corps

VII Advance to the Punchbowl 127

Plan to Cut Off Communists--Initial Marine Objectives
Secured--MAG-12 Moves to K-46 at Hoengsong--Fight of
the 5th Marines for Hill 610--1st MAW in Operation
STRANGLE--KMC Regiment Launches Night Attack--1st Marines
Move up to BROWN Line--7th Marines Committed to Attack

VIII The Truce Talks at Kaesong 153

Communists Ask for Truce Talks--Patrol Bases on BADGER
Line--Red Herrings at Kaesong--1st Marine Division in
Reserve--Marine Helicopters Take the Lead--Marine Body
Armor Tested in Korea--MAG-12 Moves to K-18--The Division
Back in Action Again

IX Renewal of the Attack 173

Crossing the Soyang in Flood--Light Resistance at
First--Supply Problems Cause Delay--Resumption of
Division Attack--The Mounting Problem of CAS--First
Helicopter Supply Operation of History--The Fight for
Hill 749--5th Marines Attack Hill 812--The Struggle for
the “Rock”

X The New Warfare of Position 199

Sectors of Major EUSAK Units--Statement by General Van
Fleet--Hill 854 Secured by 3/1--Helicopter Troop Lift to
Hill 884--Helicopter Operation BLACKBIRD--“To Organize,
Construct, and Defend”--Marine Operations of November
1951--The Second Marine Christmas in Korea

XI Winter Operations in East Korea 227

Ambush Patrol on New Year’s Eve--Marine Raid in
Company Strength--Major General John T. Selden Assumes
Command--Boot, Combat, Rubber, Insulated--500 Armored
Vests Flown to Korea--Helicopter Operations MULE TRAIN
and CHANGIE-CHANGIE--The Five Days of Operation CLAM-UP

XII The Move to West Korea 247

Truce Talks--Tactical Innovations--The Marines in
Operation MIXMASTER--Operations of Fifteen Months in
Retrospect

Appendixes

A Glossary of Technical Terms and Abbreviations 263

B Effective Strength of 1st Marine Division 267

C Command and Staff List 269

D Unit Citations 315

Bibliography 319

Index 325

Illustrations

_Photographs_

Sixteen-page sections of photographs following pages 86 and 214.

_Maps and Sketches_

_Page_
1 Korea as a Battlefield 4

2 EUSAK Dispositions, December 1950 9

3 Combat Air Bases 16

4 EUSAK Front Lines, January 1951 23

5 Pohang Guerrilla Hunt 43

6 Operation KILLER 61

7 Area Gained, February-March 1951 77

8 Operation RIPPER Plan 82

9 Operation RIPPER Zone 87

10 CCF Offensive, April 1951 110

11 Actions of 1/1 and 3/1, April 1951 112

12 Night of 16–17 May 1951 124

13 Drive to Yangu, May 1951 129

14 X Corps Routes of Advance, May-June 1951 139

15 1st Marine Division Zone of Action, June-July 1951 140

16 1st MAW Operating Area, May-July 1951 145

17 1st Marine Division Area, September 1951 174

18 X Corps Zone of Action, September 1951 177

19 EUSAK Dispositions, September 1951 200

20 1st Marine Division Situation, September 1951 205

21 HMR-161 Operations 1951 209

22 EUSAK Dispositions, March 1952 252