50 years ago today - 1 Aug 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

U.S. Army casualties from June 25 through July 31, 1950 totaled 6003: 1,884 
KIA, 2,695 WIA, 523 MIA and 901 reported captured.  Of these more than half 
of these were from the 24th Infantry Division — 3,610.


Aug 1, 1950

27th Infantry arrives and is directed to high ground at Chungam-ni, 15 
miles to the west of Munch’on-ni.  Following a conversation with the S-2 
for the 1st Battalion, 19th, LTC Michaelis became convinced the 19th 
couldn’t hold their positions and that someone needed to block the south 
road into Masan so he unilaterally turned his regiment around and sent it 
to blocking positions on this road in the Chindong-ni vicinity.  Michaelis 
went to the newly relocated 25th Division Headquarters in Masan and told 
them what he had done.  They approved.

Meanwhile, as Michaelis had suspected, the 1st Battalion, 19th had 
abandoned its Chinju Pass positions and relocated to “The Notch,” a few 
miles to the east and in the Chungam-ni vicinity.  While it dug in, the 2nd 
Battalion 19th moved into regimental reserve at the bottom of the pass.

As these moves took place, “A” Company, 8072nd Medium Tank Battalion, 
arrived at Masan.  It was equipped with rebuilt WWII M4E8 tanks.  These 
were the first medium tanks to reach Korea.  That evening the 1st 
Battalion, 29th Infantry was ordered to form a tank/infantry task force and 
make a reconnaissance westward of “The Notch.”


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
PGP public key available on request