50 years ago today - 12 Aug 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

August 12, 1950

In the 7th Cavalry sector during the early morning hours a North Korean 
regiment waded the Naktong in the Hyongp'ung and set up positions on Hill 
265, the norther knob of Hill 409 located 2 miles southwest of 
Hyongp'ung.  Meanwhile a second regiment began crossing the Naktong via a 
partially blown bridge, advancing through Yongpo, then to Wich'on-dong 
where it engaged the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry.  This was the same unit 
which had abandoned its weapons in the No Gun Ri (Nog'un-ri) area east of 
Yongdong and run.  This time the unit fought well, stopping the enemy cold 
and by 9 a.m. had driven the enemy from hill 265 and the Wich'on-dong 
area.  The North Koreans retreated in disorder back over the Naktong with 
heavy loses.

In the Naktong Bulge area the North Koreans had infiltrated a large force 
around Yongsan during the night and set up a strong road block about 3 
miles east of the city on the Yongsan-Miryang road.  A scratch force from 
24th Division Headquarters at Miryang, consisting of clerks, military 
police and 24th Reconnaissance company men, was formed and sent to stop the 
North Koreans from advancing farther east.  After heaving fighting the 
enemy advance was stopped by the scratch group and the North Koreans 
withdrew back to their roadblock positions.  Meanwhile to the south on the 
Yongsan-Masan road the 27th Infantry continued its advance toward Yongsan, 
encountering entrenched enemy with mortars.  With the help of an air strike 
the enemy was routed and the 27th continued north.  As this was going on 
the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment arrived at Miryang and was 
ordered to attack west on the Miryang-Yongsan road.

In the 25th Division sector, shortly after 1 a.m. "C" Company, 1st 
Battalion, 5th RCT came under attack by strong enemy forces and were driven 
from their positions around 4 a.m.  At this point the 5th RCT commander 
decided to ignore orders not move out of the gulch and over the pass until 
dawn so issued the order to move immediately.  In the dark vehicles slipped 
off the narrow road and had to be pulled out before the column could 
continue.  Thus, when dawn broke, much of the column was still in the 
gulch.  At this point enemy fire began on vehicles in the gulch.  These 
included most of the 555th  Artillery vehicles and guns.  Soon afterward, 
enemy tanks and self-propelled artillery appeared on a dirt trail north of 
the gulch and opened fire on the stalled American vehicles while North 
Korean infantry attacked from three side.  In short order the 555th and 
90th Field Artillery Battalions had been overrun and their vehicles and 
guns destroyed.  Survivors fled west over the pass to the west while the 
North Koreans, satisfied with their success, withdrew to the north and into 
the Sokum Mountain area.  Meanwhile the 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT continued to 
advance westward toward Much'on-ni and linked up with the 35th Regiment who 
already occupied the town.  Together these two units proceeded west to 
Chinju Pass and took up positions there.

In the  5th Marine sector the Marines advanced 11 miles toward Sach'on, a 
town 8 miles south of Chinju, during the morning but ran into a North 
Korean ambush and a heavy fight ensued.  That afternoon a Marine battalion 
was withdrawn and sent to the 5th RCT sector to reduce a North Korean 
roadblock which had been placed in back the 5th RCT.
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