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] | |