E. W. Snedeker
Major General, U. S. Marine Corps,
Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3.


Contents

Page
IProblems of Victory[1]
Decision to Cross the 38th Parallel—Surrender Message to NKPA Forces—MacArthur’s Strategy of Celerity—Logistical Problems of Advance—Naval Missions Prescribed—X Corps Relieved at Seoul—Joint Planning for Wonsan Landing
IIThe Wonsan Landing[21]
ROK Army Captures Wonsan—Marine Loading and Embarkation—Two Weeks of Mine Sweeping—Operation Yo-Yo—Marine Air First at Objective—MacArthur Orders Advance to Border—Landing of 1st Marine Division
IIIFirst Blood at Kojo[43]
1/1 Sent to Kojo—Marine Positions in Kojo Area—The All-Night Fight of Baker Company—2/1 Ordered to Kojo—Security Provided for Wonsan Area—Marines Relieved at Kojo
IVMajon-ni and Ambush Alley[61]
Marines Units Tied in for Defense—Political Aspects of Mission—Roads Patrolled by Rifle Companies—Air Drop of Supplies Requested—First Attack on Perimeter—KMC Battalion Sent to Majon-ni—Movement of 1st Marines to Chigyong
VRed China to the Rescue[79]
Chinese in X Corps Zone—Introducing the New Enemy—Communist Victory in Civil War—Organization of the CCF—The Chinese Peasant as a Soldier—CCF Arms and Equipment—Red China’s “Hate America” Campaign—CCF Strategy and Tactics
VIThe Battle of Sudong[95]
The MSR from Hungnam to Yudam-ni—ROKs Relieved by 7th Marines—CCF Counterattack at Sudong—Two Marine Battalions Cut Off—End of NKPA Tank Regiment—The Fight for How Hill—Disappearance of CCF Remnants—Koto-ri Occupied by 7th Marines
VIIAdvance to the Chosin Reservoir[125]
Attacks on Wonsan-Hungnam MSR—Appraisals of the New Enemy—The Turning Point of 15 November—Changes in X Corps Mission—Marine Preparations for Trouble—Supplies Trucked to Hagaru—Confidence of UN Command—Marine Concentration on MSR
VIIICrisis at Yudam-ni[151]
Marine Attack on 27 November—Marine Disposition Before CCF Attack—The Battle of Northwest Ridge—Chinese Seize Hill 1403—Fighting at 3/5’s CP—The Battle of North Ridge
IXFox Hill[177]
Encirclement of Company C of RCT-7—Fox Company at Toktong Pass—Marine Counterattacks on North Ridge—Second Night’s Attacks on Fox Hill—Not Enough Tents for Casualties—The Turning Point of 30 November
XHagaru’s Night of Fire[197]
Four-Mile Perimeter Required—Attempts to Clear MSR—Intelligence as to CCF Capabilities—Positions of Marine Units—CCF Attacks from the Southwest—East Hill Lost to Enemy—The Volcano of Supporting Fires—Marine Attacks on East Hill
XITask Force Drysdale[221]
CCF Attacks on 2/1 at Koto-ri—Convoy Reinforced by Marine Tanks—The Fight in Hell Fire Valley—Attack of George Company on East Hill—High Level Command Conference—CCF Attacks of 1 December at Hagaru—Rescue of U. S. Army Wounded—First Landings on Hagaru Airstrip
XIIBreakout From Yudam-ni[249]
Joint Planning for Breakout—The Fight for Hills 1419 and 1542—March of 1/7 Over the Mountains—Attack of 3/5 on 1–2 December—The Ridgerunners of Toktong Pass—CCF Attacks on Hills 1276 and 1542—Advance of Darkhorse on 2–3 December—Entry into Hagaru Perimeter
XIIIRegroupment at Hagaru[277]
4,312 Casualties Evacuated by Air—537 Replacements Flown to Hagaru—Air Drops of Ammunition—Planning for Breakout to Koto-ri—3/1 Relieved by RCT-5 at Hagaru—East Hill Retaken from Chinese—Attack of RCT-7 to the South—Advance of the Division Trains
XIVOnward From Koto-ri[305]
Assembly of Division at Koto-ri—Activation of Task Force Dog—Air Drop of Bridge Sections—Division Planning for Attack—Battle of 1/1 in the Snowstorm—Advance of RCT-7 and RCT-5—Marine Operations of 9 and 10 December—Completion of Division Breakout
XVThe Hungnam Redeployment[333]
Marines Billeted in Hungnam Area—Embarkation of 1st Marine Division—The Last Ten Days at Hungnam—Marines Arrive at New Assembly Area—Contributions of Marine Aviation—Losses Sustained by the Enemy—Results of the Reservoir Campaign
Appendixes
AGlossary of Technical Terms and Abbreviations[361]
BTask Organization, 1st Marine Division[365]
CNaval Task Organization[373]
DEffective Strength of 1st Marine Division[379]
E1st Marine Division Casualties[381]
FCommand and Staff List, 8 October-15 December 1950, 1st Marine Division and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing[383]
GEnemy Order of Battle[397]
HAir Evacuation Statistics[399]
IUnit Citations[401]
Bibliography[405]
Index[413]

Illustrations

Photographs

Sixteen-page sections of photographs follow pages [148] and [276].

Maps and Sketches