| Just from 23rd Infantry it was the 2nd Infantry Division. The units shown in that area were elements of the 45th Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry's 23rd and 38th Infantry Regiments, and a battalion of French troops on T-Bone Ridge. Their official history glosses over any reluctance to fight, but it does point out that between 17 July and 21 July the regiment got really shot to pieces in a real no-holds-barred fight with the Chinese for Old Baldy. The 23rd was not relieved by the 38th until 19 August. It should be noted that in that time frame 3-23 Infantry had a total of FIVE battalion commanders, whereas the other battalions no more than two. I have no clue if this is due to the intensity of the action or one of them letting troops refuse combat. The regimental commander, COL George Mergens, was relieved on 5 August 1952; no reason is given (e.g. normal rotation) but he was awarded a Silver Star so figure he must have been wounded (I have no info on that point). The new commander, COL Joseph Stillwell Jr., took over on 6 August and retained command. Cookie Sewell AMPS |