50 years ago - June 25 to June 30, 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

Dear List Members,

I will be posting a daily short chronology of KW battle history.

Ed


June 25, 1950

At approximately 4 a.m. (Korean Standard Time) on a rainy Sunday
morning  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Army (DPRK - North
Korea) artillery and mortars open fire on Republic of Korea (ROK - South
Korea) Army positions south of the
38th
Parallel, the line then serving as the border between the two
countries.  The opening barrage is followed shortly by tank/infantry
attacks at all points along the Parallel.  At 11 a.m. North Korea
announced a formal declaration of war and what is now know as “The
Korean War” officially began.  In this announcement North Korea
claimed ROK forces on the Ongjin Peninsula had attacked North Korea in
the Haeju area (west) and their declaration of war was in response to
this attack.  This claim was bogus.

U.S. President Harry S. Truman was notified of the invasion and returned
from his home in Independence, Missouri, to Washington, D.C., arriving in
early afternoon. Meanwhile the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution
calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of
North Korean forces to north of the
38th
Parallel.

June 26, 1950

Uijonbu falls to North Korean forces.  South Korean government –
President Syngman Rhee and cabinet – leave Seoul for Taejon. 

President Truman meets with State Department and Defense Department
officials.  He authorizes 
General Douglas MacArthur to: (1) send ammunition and equipment to
prevent the loss of Seoul,
(2) provide ships and aircraft to evacuate American citizens, plus Air
Force fighters and Navy ships to protect the evacuation, and (3) send a
survey party to Korea to study the situation determine how best to help
the ROK government and military.  Later in the day President Truman
expanded his instructions by ordering General MacArthur to use Air Force
aircraft and Navy ships against all North Korean military targets south
the
38th
Parallel.  General MacArthur issues an “alert order” telling all
combat units in the Far East to prepare for possible deployment to
Korea.

June 27, 1950

U.S. Ambassador Muccio & staff leave Seoul for Suwon.  ROK
Army headquarters  leave Seoul for Sihung-ni (about 5 miles south of
Yongdungp’o) without informing their U.S. advisors with
the Korean Military Advisory Group (KMAG.)   KMAG follows ROKA
Hq to Sihung-ni shortly thereafter. After discussions, most of ROKA Hq
and KMAG return to Seoul a few hours later.

During the late evening, the U.N. Security council passes a resolution
calling for member nations to give military aid to South Korea. 
Meanwhile, in compliance with President Truman’s order to provide help to
South Korea and the use of U.S. air and naval forces south of the
38th
Parallel, General MacArthur sent a fact finding group, headed by Brig.
General Church, to Korea.  This group left Japan at approximately 4
a.m. and arriving at Suwon in the early afternoon where they set up a
temporary headquarters.

June 28, 1950

ROKA engineers blow the Han River Bridge at approximately 2:15 a.m.
trapping the bulk of 3 ROKA divisions fighting on the outskirts, plus
ROKA Hq and KMAG personnel still in Seoul.  Somewhere between 500
and 800 people – civilian & military– are killed in the explosion.
All KMAG  were able to escape across the Han River later in the day
via still-operating ferries, arriving in Suwon late that afternoon, where
KMAG senior personnel briefed Gen. Church.

North Korean force entered Seoul in the early afternoon and street
fighting ensued but by midnight Seoul was in North Korean hands.

June 29, 1950

Detachment “X,” 33 officers and men from the
507th
Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, arrive at Suwon and set up their
weapons.  During the day they engage 4 enemy planes, shooting
down
one and damaging another.  These are the first American ground
troops into Korea and theirs are the first shots fired by U.S. Army
personnel arriving from Japan.
 
Gen. MacArthur flies to Suwon and confers with General Church and KMAG
staff, then returns to Japan where he sends a message to the Joint Chiefs
recommending introducing U.S. ground forces into battle. President Truman
receives and approves the recommendation.

USS Juneau shells North Korean positions in the Samch’ok-Kangnung
area (east coast.)

North Korean troops cross the Han River in the Kimpo area and take the
air field.

June 30, 1950

Gen. MacArthur receives permission to employ U.S. ground support
forces and to carry the war into North Korea and the waters offshore but
to stay well clear of the Manchurian and Soviet borders.  Later in
the day he receives permission to deploy one (1) Regimental Combat Team
(RCT) to Korea to establish a defense line in Pusan area to assure
retention of the port.  A few hours after this the order was
expanded to 2 combat divisions and with permission to employ these forces
against North Korean forces in the Suwon area.  The United States
was now fully committed to the Korean War.

General Church goes to Osan (12 miles south of Suwon so he can
communicate with Far East Command Headquarters via telephone. He  is
told that if Suwon Air Field can be held, 2 U.S. infantry battalions will
be flown in the next day.  While he is in Osan, ADSCOM personnel
panic in the belief they about to be surrounded, destroy their documents
and radios, then move to Suwon Air Field to set up a defense
perimeter.  Once there, they decide to retreat south to Taejon and
order AAA personnel to accompany them.  General Church meets the
retreating Americans on the road and orders them back to Suwon but
finding all communications equipment destroyed, orders all to fall back
to Taejon.  

In Japan, MacArthur orders the
24th
Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. William F. Dean Commanding, to deploy to
Korea.  At approximately 10:30 PM the
1st
Battalion,
21st
Infantry Regiment,
24th
Division – less “A”& “D” companies, was ordered to proceed to Itazuke
Air Base fro immediate deployment to Korea, thus forming the infantry
element of what would become Task Force Smith
(TFS.)

Ed Evanhoe, PO Box 916, Antlers, OK, 74523

Author:  DARKMOON: Eighth Army Special Operations in the Korean War

Life Member: Special Forces & Special Operations Associations

Co-List Owner: KOREAN-WAR-L  Web site:
http://www.korean-war.com