50 years ago today - 21 Sep 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

September 21

As dawn broke A Company sized North Korean unit attacked 5th Marine 
positions nor the Han River.  The attack was driven off and the 5th Marines 
advanced Southeast along the road and railroad paralleling the Han 
River.  Resistance increased steadily as the Marines advanced.  By evening 
the 5th Marines faced a line of low Hills running generally north – south 
along the west side of Seoul.  There position was approximately three miles 
from the main train station in Seoul.

On the south side of the Han River, the 1st Marines began their assault on 
Yongdongp’o following a preparatory artillery barrage and air 
strikes.  Their advance met in the resistance and was slow.  One company, A 
Company which was located at the far north end of the Marine lines– that 
is, on the south bank of the Han River, advanced without opposition and 
soon found itself entering the western part of Yongdongp’o.  It advanced to 
the Seoul highway at the eastern edge of Yongdongp’o where it set up a 
roadblock and held this position throughout the day against repeated 
attacks.  When dark fell the North Koreans still held over half of 
Yongdongp’o but pulled out sometime during the night.  As the battles were 
going on the 1st Marine Division’s 7th Regiment arrived at Inchon and began 
landing.

Shortly after dawn the 32nd Infantry Regiment secured the rest of Copper 
Mine Hill.  That afternoon the 7th Division Reconnaissance Company arrived 
at Anyang-ni where it was ordered to turn south on the Seoul-Suwon highway 
and proceed to Suwon, arriving there at approximately 4 PM where it fought 
a number of small battles as it made its way through the town and to a 
blocking position three miles south of Suwon.  After dark a tank-infantry
task force from the 32nd (Task Force Hannum) arrived at Suwon.  Shortly 
after arriving a short sharp tank battle ensued between tanks from B 
Company, 73rd Tank Battalion, and two North Korean T-34 tanks.  One B 
Company tank was destroyed and one T-34 tank was destroyed.

At Waegwan, in the 1st Cavalry sector, the 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT, was 
relieved of its positions on Hill 300, four miles north of Waegwan, by the 
2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, and it began crossing the Naktong.  It 
was across by dark. To the Northeast of Waegwan, the 1st & 3rd Battalions 
fought their way to the Tabu-dong – Taegu highway where the 1st Battalion 
turned south to clear the road and to link up with 8th Cavalry units 
advancing on the town from the south.  The link-up took place that 
afternoon.  As this was taking place, the 1st ROK Division advanced south 
to the Waegwan – Tabu-dong road preventing enemy withdrawal in that 
direction. Thus the North Korean 1st, 3rd & 13th Divisions on Ka-san and 
surrounding terrain had been cutoff.

In the 23rd Infantry sector, the enemy counterattacked 3rd Battalion 
positions at dawn.  Heavy fighting ensued with heavy loses on both sides 
but in the end, the 3rd Battalion retained possession of Hill 227.  To the 
north of this fight, the 1st Battalion, supported by a tank platoon from 
the 72nd Tank Battalion, attacked up the road toward Sinban-ni, 5 miles to 
the west.  A bitter battle ensued with the battalion stopped cold half way 
to its objective.

On the road six miles to the north of the 23rd Infantry, the 38th Infantry 
Regiment, 2nd Division, advanced west on the Ch’ogye-Hyopch’on road against 
heavy enemy resistance but was able to capture Hill 239 overlooking Ch’ogye.

In the 25th Division area, the 35th Infantry captured Chungam-ni and the 
well-known “Notch” 3 miles southwest of the town, then advanced 8 miles, 
past the Much’on-ni road fork, to the high ground of Chinju 
Pass.  Meanwhile, enemy forces in the southern (27th Infantry) area began a 
full scale withdrawal westward.


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