Chosin Reservoir in Korean War

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Korea
Surnames/tags: Korean War Chosin Chongjin

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Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War

Some History of Chosin Reservoir Battles

The Frozen Chosin Blues (song video) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nFOuDrYzqqY

Hamgyong, North Korea near Siberia and China is the NE province and home of Yodok labor camp. It is an inhospitable area to have a battle. When the UN troops and U.S. forces landed in Inchon, South Korea, they moved northward into North Korea. The U.S. Eighth Army crossed the 38th parallel (the prewar border) on October 7, 1950. Then they moved on the W. side of the Korean peninsula toward P’yŏngyang. The X Corps were sent via boats on the Eastern side of the peninsula.

X Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond) had the following divisions:

1) 1st Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Oliver P. [“O.P.”] Smith)

2) 7th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. David G. Barr)

3) 3rd Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Robert H. Soule) with Capital and 3rd divisions of the South Korean I Corps, who crossed the 38th parallel on the east coast highway.

Chinese forces and UN.

In November 1950, UN troops as well as U.S. Army X Corps and the British Royal Marines moved into the mountainous Chosin Reservoir, which was a man-made lake up in the Hamgyong mountains that supplied hydroelectric power to the industrial cities on the coastal plain. This man made lake was frozen due to the intense low temperatures. The troops thought at first this might be their last battle as North Koreans were seeming to lose the battles. They expected to be home by Christmas.

They did not know that China had called up a huge army of 80,000 men. When the Chinese entered, it first had 8 divisions. Wind was blowing at 60 knots, causes the wind chill factor to lower the minus 37 degrees Celsius (minus 34 degrees F) temperature even lower.

China’s troops were poised in Manchuria to come to the aid of its ally, North Korea. When the Chinese entered it first had 8 divisions. As troops died or were killed, they were replaced with more divisions. The other divisions China had called up, were still up in Manchuria.

Battles.

October 25–November 6, 1950 - battle of Onjong-Unsan. The Chinese First Offensive attacked the 8th Army and killed many in an American division and 4 South Korean divisions.

During the 17 day battle, the Chinese forces lost even higher numbers. There were 60,000 replacements for wounded, deaths and the cold.

FREEZING CONDITIONS

The veterans remember the inability to move the wounded: if they were unable to walk to keep warm, death followed quickly. The Chinese kept replacing their forces and advancing.

The U.S. Military had to fight with 9:1 odds in "Hellfire Valley." One marine company was able to hold off an entire Chinese division for 5 nights at a mountain pass. The Chinese blew up a bridge that spanned a 4,000 ft deep valley. This forced the U.S. Military to airdrop another bridge to replace the missing one.

One pilot related the Chinese and U.S. troops were fighting so close together, the bomber could only use one cannon of one wing.

Death toll on all was high.

Chosin Reservoir

X CORPS and the "TASK FORCE

General MacArthur and staff made a poor military blunder. He ordered the 8th army and X Corps to push toward the Yalu.

Under orders on Nov 25, and 26 November, 1950 the lead elements of TASK FORCE MACLEAN, (commanded by COL Allan D. “Mac” MacLean, Faith’s 1/32 Infantry, relieved the 5th Marines, which were sent to join the rest of the 1st Marine Division along the west side of Chosin. There was a delay of some forces. This forced the 1/32, which occupied the 5th Marines forward most positions, were forced to fight alone without any artillery support for 24 hours.

Problems:

Intense Cold with wind

Radio communications were out,

Various units were isolated, without artillery support or communications, and isolated from the other units.

CCF were poised and attacked the widely spread out units of X Corps on 27th. MacLean was in a jeep, near where he saw a group of troops, and thought they were the past due 2/31. However those troops began firing, and he felt those Chinese were part of U.N. But the Chinese showed themselves, firing upon MacLean several times. There was no time to rescue MacLean, and a soldier pulled him into the bushes...

Soon the UN troops including British Royal Marines and U.S. troops (X Corps) knew their only hope to escape a total defeat was to fight harder. They would have to hack their way out through the masses of Chinese soldiers. That severe coldness as well as the combat caused 3000 deaths out of the UN 30,000.

Faith sent out search parties to find MacLean with no luck.

Retreat

They started out withdrawing which was slow as the Task Force loaded trucks and a helicopter for the more seriously wounded. They later discovered the Tank company had evacuated,. Faith knew his force would not survive another attack. They destroyed what artillery, etc and loaded 600 wounded into 30 trucks. When they called for air support, some of the napalm hit their soldiers.

Hill 1221: Heavy fire killed the wounded in the trucks. Another bridge was blown up, so they winched the 30 trucks over a stream. They had to take HILL 1221. How?

Several men charged up the hill as they felt they were going to die anyhow. Many walked out on the frozen reservoir, walking to Hagaru-ri. Then Faith was struck by a grenade and was killed. (He was later awarded the Medal of Honor)

The CCF assaulted the trucks carrying the wounded with their grenades.

Dec 2 some survivors stumbled into the Marine lines. of 1000 retreating (385 were not wounded) the rest had frostbite, shock, and wounds.

The UN and U.S. X Corps even removed 14,000 North Korean refugees on the SS Meredith to South Korea. It was called the “Ship of Miracles"

MEN and WOMEN of Choisin Battles

During the Battle of Unsan, Chaplain Emil Kapaun, a (Roman Catholic) darted between foxholes dragging wounded men back to safety, and exposing himself to fire. He improvised so that if he could not move or drag them, he dug trenchs to protect them further. He was captured by Chinese forces Nov 2, 1950. Kapaun and others were marched northward to POW camps. Again Kapaun did not take breaks, kept carrying the wounded and encouraging all.

In the prison camp, he still risked his life to help all retain their faith and help with the sick and wounded. He was punished for this by having to sit outside in below zero freezing weather without clothes. Kapaun held a sunrise service Easter, 1951. Conditions caused illness to strike, an infected sore, dysentery, pneumonia.. When Kapaun became ill, the Chinese kept him in an unheated “hospital. He died alone. The United States awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor. President Obama presented the award to a nephew, 2013. Emil Kapaun Medal of Honor

WikiTree Profiles

• S/Sgt William Gordon Windrich (May 14, 1921 – December 2, 1950) was a United States Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumouslyfor outstanding heroism as a platoon sergeant in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.

• 1st Lt Frank Nicias Mitchell MOH

• Sgt James Irsley Poynter

• Lt Col Don Carlos Faith Jr (August 26, 1918 – December 1, 1950) He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions from November 27, through December 1, 1950.

• Nicias Mitchell (August 18, 1921 – November 26, 1950), an American combat Marine and first lieutenant who served in World War II and the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor, for his actions on November 26, 1950

• Sgt James Irsley Poynter

• Sgt James Edmund Johnson

• • The Frozen Chosin Blues (song video)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nFOuDrYzqqY

Medal of Honor Recipients for Korea (List)

Barber, William E.

Baugh, William B.

Cafferata, Hector A.

'

Davis, Raymond G.

Hudner, Thomas Jermoe

Kennemore, Robert

Mitchell, Frank

Myers, Reginald

Page, John U.D.

Phillips, Lee H.

Reem, Robert D.

Sutter, Carl L.

Windrich, William G.

VanWinkle, Archie

Sources:

• Wikipedia - Battle of Chosin Reservoir
• Army History.org - Nightmare at the Chosin Reservoir
• Chosin Reservoir.com - Chosin Reservoir Korea November - December 1950
• Korean War Educator - Chosin Reservoir - Epic of Endurance
• US Army Center Of Military History - Chosin Reservoir
• Britannica.com - Battle of the Chosin Reservoir Korean War
• http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/chosin/
• http://www.combat.ws/S3/BAKISSUE/CMBT05N4/SUDONGNI.HTM
• Emil Kapaun Medal of Honor