50 years ago today - 23 Sep 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

September 23

The 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry, captured Hill 290, a dominating terrain 
feature three miles south of the Han River and seven miles southeast of 
Yongdungp'o.  Hill 290 dominates the southeastern approaches to 
Seoul.  Meanwhile, the 2nd battalion 32nd Infantry, seized the hills south 
of the railroad and highway bridges across the Han and Seoul.

North of the Han River the Marines, including a ROK Marine battalion, 
continued their attack against enemy positions on Hills 66 and 88, which 
blocked their advance into the city.  Fighting was heavy and the Marines 
made only small gains throughout the day.  Meanwhile the 7th Marines 
finished crossing the Han River and moved into position.

In the 2nd Division sector, the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 
crossed the Naktong, passed through the stalled 3rd Battalion and took 
Sinban-ni after hard fighting.  The 1st Battalion passed through the 2nd 
Battalion and then took Ch'ogye.

Meanwhile the British 27th Brigade, attached to the 24th Division, attacked 
the hills controlling the road to Songju but were forced to withdraw from 
Hill 282 when an flight of F-51 attacked their hill with napalm and rockets 
instead of enemy-held Hill 388 and the North Koreans followed up the air 
attack with a counterattack.  This error caused heavy casualties among  the 
Scottish Highlander Argyll Battalion.   Later that day the 1st Battalion, 
19th Infantry attacked south from Pusang-dong on the Waegwan-Kumch'on 
highway and took Songju.

In the south the 25th Division attacked westward. The attack stalled in the 
north as the 35th Infantry fought off an enemy counterattack at Chinju Pass.

To the north in the 1st Cavalry Division area, the 1st Battalion, 7th 
Cavalry crossed the Naktong River and advanced to Sangju, which had been 
abandoned by the enemy.  Tanks and artillery crossed later in the day and 
joined the battalion there.


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
Web site:  http://www.korean-war.com