50 years ago today - 18 Aug 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

August 18, 1950

In the 5th Naktong Bulge sector North Korean forces counterattacked Marine 
positions on Obong-ni Ridge at about 3:45 a.m.  This attack made small 
gains but was driven off after about 45 minutes of fighting.  The enemy 
lost 183 killed along the Marine perimeter.  At dawn the 1st Battalion, 5th 
Marines, continued the attack down the Obong Ridge and by evening the 
entire ridge was secure.  At the same time attacked the next ridge west of 
Obong Ridge.  9th Infantry mortars supported this attack, which was 
successful.  Soon afterwards aerial observers reported North Korean groups 
attempting to withdraw westward toward the Naktong.  Air strikes and 
artillery air bursts caught many groups in the open inflicting heavy 
casualties.  To the north of the Marines and 9th Infantry, the 19th and 
34th Infantry Regiments made steady progress against light to moderate 
opposition.  By evening it was clear the North Korean 4th Infantry Division 
had been defeated and survivors were trying to escape across the 
Naktong.  The battle of the Naktong Bulge was over.

In the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, 25th Division area, the enemy again 
mounted a battalion-sized attack.  A see-saw battle developed as positions 
were lost and the retaken by counterattack.

Meanwhile far to the north in compliance with orders the 27th Infantry 
mounts a 2-battalion attack up the Tabu-dong - Sangju road.  Meanwhile two 
regiments from the 1st ROK Infantry Division attack north up the ridges on 
both sides of the 27th Infantry.  The 27th reached a point 2 miles north of 
Tabu-dong when word reached them the ROK regiments on the ridges above them 
were stalled so the regiment's advance was halted and the regiment set up a 
4-company front just north of the small village of Soi-ri.  The road at 
this point was nearly straight on a north-south axis for about 3 miles and 
ground in the valley almost flat, falling gently from north to south.  A 
mile north of 27th positions the road forked at the very small village of 
Ch'onp'yong-dong.  The left hand fork (looking north) was the main Sangju 
road, the right hand fork was the road to Kunwi.  Rising from the valley on 
the west was 2,700-foot high Yuhak Mountain.  A 2,400-foot high mountain 
also rose on the east side of the valley.  Shortly afer dark the North 
Koreans launched the first of seven successive attacks.  Led by two T-34 
tanks and a Su-76 self-propelled gun, a column of walking and truck-mounted 
infantry moved south down the road.  Both tanks, the Su-76 and 2 trucks 
were destroyed and the surviving infantry retreated north. 3 more T-34 
tanks appeared but withdrew.

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
PGP Public Key Available on Request