This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History - Fiftieth Anniversary Edition

658 Pages·2000·2.1 MB·English

by  T.R. Fehrenbach

This Kind of War
Author Biography
During World War II, T.R. Fehrenbach served with the U.S. Infantry and
Engineers as Platoon Sergeant with the 3189th Engineer Battalion. He continued
his military career in the Korean War, rising from Platoon Leader to Company
Commander and then to Battalion Staff Officer of the 72nd Tank battalion, 2nd
Infantry Division. He is currently a Major, Armor USAR.
Previous to his military involvement, a young T.R. Fehrenbach, born in San
Benito Texas, worked as a farmer and was the owner of an insurance company.
He now devotes his time to free-lance writing. He has sold numerous pieces to
publications such as The Saturday Evening Post and Argosy. He is the author of
several books, including U.S. MARINES IN ACTION, THE BATTLE OF
ANZIO, and THIS KIND OF WAR. Mr. Fehrenbach still lives in Texas.
This Kind of War
The Classic Korean War History
T. R. Fehrenbach
An [ 1873 Press ] Book
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, scanning
or any information storage retrieval system, without explicit permission in
writing from the Author.
Copyright 1963 by T. R. Fehrenbach
First e-reads publication 1999
www.e-reads.com
ISBN 0-7592-0079-3
For Lillian
Acknowledgments
THIS BOOK is compiled from many sources, official records, operations,
journals, histories, memoirs, and newspapers; the greater portion, however, is
culled from the personal narratives of men who served in Korea. In this sense,
portions of the book may be more hearsay than history—and a sense of personal
outlook must color each narrative.
There may be errors in these narratives, for memory is often a fragile thing.
Wherever possible, all statements have been checked against official sources, to
verify dates, unit designations, and names of personnel or commanders.
To a very great extent not high commanders but the men who stood around them
were sought out. It is often painful for generals and commanders to talk, and
besides, they tend to write their own memoirs. This is very much a platoon
leaders' book based on the actions of men who led small units across the bloody
face of Korea from June 1950 until July 1953. The majority of the men in these
pages were professional soldiers, and therefore the outlook is not warlike, but
military. Men who did not lead troops in combat in Korea may disagree with
them—but are in no valid position to contradict.
In many cases the names of the men through whose eyes the action was seen are
not reported, for various reasons. In any case the names are not important. What
happened is.
Grateful acknowledgment is made to the hundreds of individuals, in service or
out, who contributed to this book, and to George C. Lambkin, Fort Sam
Houston, Texas, who knows what a Public Information Officer should be.
Without each of these, there might have been no book.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Part I: Beginning
1 Seoul Saturday Night
2 The Crime of Marquis Ito
3 To Make a War…
4 The Plan of General Chae
5 Disaster
6 The U.N. Cloak
Part II: Battle
7 Task Force Smith
8 The Late Company A
9 Taejon
10 Retreating
11 Perimeter
12 Fire Brigade
13 Death on the Naktong
14 The Turn of the Tide
15 Seoul Recaptured
16 Revenge
17 The Taste of Triumph
18 In the Never-Never Land
19 Kunu-ri
20 Into the Valley of Death
21 Terror by Night
22 Changjin Reservoir
23 Chipyong-ni
24 Vae, Caesar
25 Proud Legions
26 Gloster Hill
27 Death Valley
28 May Massacre
Part III: Blundering
29 Truce Talks
30 Bloody Ridge
31 Heartbreak Ridge
32 Stalemate
33 Behind the Wire
34 Frustration
35 Koje-do
36 Twenty Rolls of Toilet Paper, One Quart Mercurochrome
37 Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall
38 The Last Spring
39 Cease-fire
40 Lessons
Chronology
Glossary of Principal Weapons