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The plans for the hit-and-run amphibious raid on Kunsan were issued
the same day from Adm. Joy's Tokyo headquarters. A miniature but truly unified
force was designated - the British frigate HMS WHITESAND BAY Lt. Cmdr. J.V.
Brothers, RN) would carry a mixed British-American force of raiders under
command of Col. Louis B. Ely of the United States Army. Part of the order
read:
"Conduct beach recon and amphibious landing Kunsan during the period 9-14 September. Purpose of this plan is to obtain essential beach information, to disrupt coastal communications, and to hamper enemy reinforcement in the Kunsan area." The one-ship task group left Kobe on Sunday, 10 September, proceeded via the Shimonoseki Strait and arrived offKunsan on 12 September. Led by Ely, the raiders went in that night and reconnoitered 3,000 yards of the beach and found it unsuitable for a major landing. The raiding party was discovered, however, and was fired upon by machine guns from the northern end of the beach. Two men were lost and one seriously wounded. It was not highly successful in the raider sense, but the fact that troops had tried to get ashore near Kunsan was disturbing to the Reds. I wonder how many Marines at Inchon were saved by this raid?
Bob Dove
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