50 years ago today - 26 July 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

July 26, 1950

Around 12:15 a.m. the 7th Cavalry received an erroneous  report of a North 
Korean breakthrough in the 27th 's sector and 7th Cavalry Headquarters 
ordered an immediate withdrawal.  At this point the 2nd Battalion, 7th 
Cavalry, scattered in panic, leaving behind the battalion switchboard, 14 
machine-guns, 9 radios, 120 M1 rifles, 26 carbines, 7 BAR's, and 6 60mm 
mortars, all recovered after daylight when a few NCO's and truck divers 
returned to pick up the abandoned equipment.  The  2nd Battalion, 7th 
Cavalry DID NOT return to its former positions.  By evening, 119 men from 
the 2nd Battalion were still missing.

While the 7th Cavalry was trying to reassemble other elements of the 1st 
Cavalry Division held their positions at Yongdong.  The North Koreans 
mounted small probing attacks to tied these elements down while sending a 
regiment in a sweeping flanking movement through Chirye and thence toward 
Kumch'on.  That night North Koreans mounted a major attack against 1st 
Cavalry elements at Yongdong by DRIVING SEVERAL HUNDRED REFUGEES AHEAD OF 
THEM THROUGH AMERICAN MINES FIELDS.  This attack was repulsed.

By dawn the 27th Regiment, 25th Div, had successfully withdrawn to its new 
positions near Hwanggan.  About midmorning the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry 
Regiment, took up a position on the 27th 's right flank but a large gap 
existed between the 27th and the 7th Cavalry Regiment on the 27th 's left 
flank.

34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division, is ordered from its positions in the 
Kunwi-Uisong area north of Taegu to Koch'ang in far south-central 
Korea.  At the same time, division headquarters moves to Hyopch'on, a town 
12 air miles west of the Naktong River, 25 miles north of Chinju.

Much farther to the south, around daybreak a truckload of wounded ROK 
soldiers met the 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry, now attached to the 24th 
Division's 19th Infantry, and informed them the North Koreans now held 
Hadong.  Because of no radio communication with 19th Infantry Headquarters, 
the battalion XO, 3rd Battalion, 29th,  returned to Chinju to pass this 
information to regiment and receive orders.  He was told the 3rd Battalion 
was to continue its mission.  The XO returned to the battalion, now stopped 
at Wonjon, and the battalion continued its advance toward Hadong, stopping 
at dusk at the village of Hoengch'on-ni, about 3 miles from Hadong.

Ed Evanhoe, PO Box 916, Antlers, OK, 74523
Author: DARKMOON: Eighth Army Special Operations in the Korean War
Member: American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)
Life Member:  Special Forces & Special Operations Associations
Co-list owner: KOREAN-WAR-L   Web site:  http://www.korean-war.com
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