50 years ago today - 9 Oct 1950

[Ed Evanhoe <ede@oio.net>]

October 9

At 9 AM, General Gay gave orders for the 1st Cavalry Division to advance 
into North Korea.  In the division center going by the 8th Cavalry Regiment 
was slow because the highway was heavily mined, thus causing the armored 
spearhead to halt while engineers cleared the road.  To the east, the 5th 
Cavalry Regiment had difficulty in reaching the 38th Parallel due to the 
same reason – mines, but did reach it around 5:30 PM.  In the west the 7th 
Cavalry Regiment advanced to the Yesong River and, following a 3 hour 
artillery-mortar barrage on enemy position on the other side, began 
attacking across the road-railroad bridge at 3 PM.  The lead platoon made 
it across with few casualties and the rest of the 1st of the 1st Battalion 
followed and was across by dark.  The 2nd Battalion began crossing just 
before midnight.

On the east coast, by evening the ROK 3rd and Capital Divisions were at the 
south edge of Wonsan.   The Capital ROK Division was on the Wonsan-Iron 
Triangle road while the bulk of the 3rd ROK Division was on the coast road.

At approximately 2:30 AM a 7th Division Headquarters convoy was ambushed at 
Mun’gyong Pass.  Six men were killed and several vehicles 
destroyed.  Elements of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry cleared the pass 
of enemy by daylight and movement to Pusan continued.


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