Table Of ContentSOUTH
KO1EA
F
WESTERN KOREAN FRONT
SITES OF MAJOR OUTPOST BATTLES
1952-53
V
COPI
MUNSAN-NI
U. S. MARINE OPERATIONS IN KOREA
1950—1953
VOLUME V
Operations in West Korea
by
LIEUTENANT COLONEL PAT MEID, USMCR
and
MAJOR JAMES M. YINGLING, USMC
Historical Division
Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Washington, D. C., 1972
Preceding Volumes of
U. S. Marine Operations in Korea
Volume I, "The Pusan Perimeter"
Volume II, "The Inchon-Seoul Campaign"
Volume III, "The Chosin Reservoir Campaign "
Volume IV, "The East-Central Front"
PCN 19000264000
Library of Congress Catalogue Number: 55-60727
For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402—Price $4.50 (Cloth)
Stock Number 0855-0059
Foreword
ENTION THE KOREAN WAR and almost immediately it evokes
M
the memory of Marines at Pusan, Inchon, Chosin Reservoir ,
or the Punchbowl. Americans everywhere remember the Marine
Corps' combat readiness, courage, and military skills that were
largely responsible for the success of these early operations i n
1950-1951. Not as dramatic or well-known are the important ac-
complishments of the Marines during the latter part of the Korea n
War.
In March 1952 the 1st Marine Division redeployed from the East -
Central front to West Korea . This new sector, nearly 35 miles in
length, anchored the far western end of I Corps and was one o f
the most critical of the entire Eighth Army line . Here the Marines
blocked the enemy's goal of penetrating to Seoul, the South Korea n
capital. Northwest of the Marine Main Line of Resistance, less tha n
five miles distant, lay Panmunjom, site of the sporadic truce nego-
tiations.
Defense of their strategic area exposed the Marines to continuou s
and deadly Communist probes and limited objective attacks. These
bitter and costly contests for key outposts bore such names as Bunker
Hill, the Hook, the Nevadas (Carson-Reno-Vegas), and Boulder
City. For the ground Marines, supported by 1st Marine Aircraf t
Wing squadrons, the fighting continued until the last day of the
war, 27 July 1953.
The Korean War marked the first real test of Free World soli-
darity in the face of Communist force. In repulsing this attempted
Communist aggression, the United Nations, led by the United States ,
served notice that it would not hesitate to aid those nations whose
freedom and independence were under attack .
As events have subsequently proven, holding the line agains t
Communist encroachment is a battle whose end is not yet in sight .
Enemy aggression may explode brazenly upon the world scene, wit h
an overt act of invasion, as it did in Korea in June 1950, or it ma y
III
iv Foreword
take the form of a murderous guerrilla war as it has more recently ,
for over a decade, in Vietnam.
Whatever guise the enemy of the United States chooses or wher-
ever he draws his battleline, he will find the Marines with their age -
old answer. Today, as in the Korean era, Marine Corps readiness an d
professionalism are prepared to apply the cutting edge against any
threat to American security.
L. F. CHAPMAN, JR.
General, U.S. Marine Corps,
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Reviewed and approved: 12 May 1971.
Preface
THIS IS THE CONCLUDING VOLUME of a five-part series dealing with
operations of United States Marines in Korea between 2 Augus t
1950 and 27 July 1953. Volume V provides a definitive account of
operations of the 1st Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft
Wing during 1952-1953, the final phase of the Korean War . At this
time the division operated under Eighth U .S. Army in Korea (EUSAK)
control in the far western sector of I Corps, while Marine aviator s
and squadrons functioned as a component of the Fifth Air Force
(FAF) .
The period covered by this history begins in March 1952, whe n
the Marine division moved west to occupy positions defending th e
approaches to Seoul, the South Korean capital: As it had for most of
the war the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, operating under FAF, fle w
close support missions not only for the Marines but for as many as
19 other Allied frontline divisions. Included in the narrative is a
detailed account of Marine POWs, a discussion of the new defense
mission of Marine units in the immediate postwar period, and an
evaluation of Marine Corps contributions to the Korean War .
Marines, both ground and aviation, comprised an integral part of
the United Nations Command in Korea . Since this is primarily a
Marine Corps history, actions of the U .S. Army, Navy, and Air Force
are presented only in sufficient detail to place Marine operations i n
their proper perspective.
Official Marine Corps combat records form the basis for the book .
This primary source material has been further supplemented by com-
ments and interviews from key participants in the action described .
More than 180 persons reviewed the draft chapters . Their technical
knowledge and advice have been invaluable . Although the full details
of these comments could not be used in the text, this material ha s
been placed in Marine Corps archives for possible use by future
historians.
The manuscript of this volume was prepared during the tenur e
of Colonel Frank C. Caldwell, Director of Marine Corps History,
v
VI Preface
Historical Division, Headquarters Marine Corps. Production was ac-
complished under the direction of Mr . Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Deputy
Director and Chief Historian, who also outlined the volume. Pre-
liminary drafts were written by the late Lynn Montross, prime autho r
of this series, and Major Hubard D . Kuokka. Major James M.
Yingling researched and wrote chapters 1—6 and compiled th e
Command and Staff List. Lieutenant Colonel Pat Meid researche d
and wrote chapters 7-12, prepared appendices, processed photograph s
and maps, and did the final editing of the book.
Historical Division staff members, past or present, who freely len t
suggestions or provided information include Lieutenant Colonel Joh n
J. Cahill, Captain Charles B. Collins, Mr. Ralph W. Donnelly, Mr.
Benis M. Frank, Mr. George W. Garand, Mr. Rowland P. Gill,
Captain Robert J. Kane, Major Jack K. Ringler, and Major Lloyd E.
Tatem. Warrant Officer Dennis Egan was Administrative Officer
during the final stages of preparation and production of this book.
The many exacting administrative duties involved in processing th e
volume from first draft manuscripts through the final printed form ,
including the formidable task of indexing the book, were handle d
expertly and cheerfully by Miss Kay P. Sue. Mrs. Frances J. Rubright
also furnished gracious and speedy assistance in obtaining the tome s
of official Marine Corps records. The maps were prepared by
Sergeants Kenneth W. White and Ernest L. Wilson. Official Depart-
ment of Defense photographs illustrate the book.
A major contribution to the history was made by the Office of th e
Chief of Military History, Department of the Army ; the Naval
History Division, Department of the Navy ; and the Office of Air
Force History, Department of the Air Force . Military history offices
of England, Canada, and South Korea provided additional details
that add to the accuracy and interest of this concluding volume o f
the Korean series
F. C. CALDWELL
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
Director of Marine Corps History
Contents
Page
I Operations in West Korea Begin . . 1
From Cairo to JAMESTOWN—The Marines' Home in West
Korea—Organization of the 1st Marine Division Area —
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing—The Enemy—Initial CC F
Attack—Subsequent CCF Attacks—Strengthening the Line—
Marine Air Operations—Supporting the Division and th e
Wing—Different Area, Different Problem
II Defending the Line 51
UN Command Activities—Defense of East and West Coas t
Korean Islands—Marine Air Operations—Spring 1952 on
JAMESTOWN—End of the Second Year of War—A Lon g
Fourth of July—Changes in the Lineup—Replacement an d
Rotation—Logistical Operations, Summer 1952
III The Battle of Bunker Hill 103
The Participants and the Battlefield—Preliminary Action on
Siberia—The Attack on Bunker Hill—Consolidating the
Defense of Bunker Hill—Company B Returns to Bunker Hil l
—Supporting Arms at Bunker Hill—In Retrospec t
IV Outpost Fighting Expanded 145
From the Center Sector to the Right—Early September Out -
post Clashes—Korean COPs Hit Again—More Enemy As-
saults in Late September—Chinese Intensify Their Outpost
Attacks—More PRESSURE, More CAS, More Accomplish-
ments—Rockets, Resupply, and Radios
V The Hook 185
Before the Battle—Preparations for Attack and Defense—
Attack on the Hook—Reno Demonstration—Counterattack—
Overview
VI Positional Warfare 217
A Successful Korean Defense—Six Months on the UNC Lin e
—Events on the Diplomatic Front—The Marine Commands
VII
Vlll Contents
Page
During the Third Winter—1st MAW Operations 1952—195 3
—Behind the Lines—The Quiet Sectors—Changes in the
Concept of Ground Defense—Before the Nevadas Battl e
VII Vegas 263
The Nevada Cities—Supporting Arms—Defense Organiza-
tion at the Outposts—Chinese Attack on 26 March—Rein-
forcements Dispatched—Massed Counterattack the Next Da y
—Push to the Summit—Other Communist Probes—Three
CCF Attempts for the Outpost—Vegas Consolidation Be-
gins—Aftermath
VIII Marking Time (April—June 1953) . . . 313
The Peace Talks Resume—Operation LITTLE SWITCH—Inter-
val Before the Marines Go Off the Line—The May Relief—
Training While in Reserve and Division Change of Com-
mand—Heavy May—June Fighting—Developments in Marin e
Air—Other Marine Defense Activities—The Division I s
Ordered Back to the Front
IX Heavy Fighting Before the Armistice 363
Relief of the 25th Division—Initial Attacks on Outposts
Berlin and East Berlin—Enemy Probes, 11—18 July—Marine
Air Operations—Fall of the Berlins—Renewal of Heavy
Fighting, 24—26 July—Last Day of the War
X Return of the Prisoners of War 399
Operation BIG SWITCH—Circumstances of Capture—The
Communist POW Camps—CCF "Lenient Policy" and In-
doctrination Attempts—The Germ Warfare Issue—Problems
and Performance of Marine POWs—Marine Escape Attempts
—Evaluation and Aftermath
XI While Guns Cool 445
The Postwar Transition—Control of the DMZ and the Mili-
tary Police Company—Organization of New Defense Posi-
tions—Postwar Employment of Marine Units in FECOM
XII Korean Reflection 475
Marine Corps Role and Contributions to the Korean War :
Ground, Air, Helicopter—FMF and Readiness Posture—
Problems Peculiar to the Korean War—Korean Lessons
