Overview of Korean War

Overview of Korean War Battles/Offensives
(Army and Corps. Smaller operations/engagements posted on separate pages.)

EBB AND FLOW (General time frames)

North Korea attacks South Korea 25 June 1950
Task Force Smith at Osan, South Korea 5-6 July 1950
Kum River Line defense (Taejon) 11-22 July 1950
Pusan Perimeter defense 4 Aug -- 16 Sept 1950
Inchon Landing 15 Sept 1950
Liberation of Seoul (1^st return) 21-30 Sept 1950
Advance into North Korea (west coast) 1 Oct -- 27 Oct 1950
Withdrawal to Ch'ongch'on River Defense Line and second advance toward the Yalu (west coast) 28 Oct -- 25 Nov 1950
Landing at Iwon and race to the Yalu (east coast) 31 Oct -- 27 Nov 1950
Withdrawal to Imjin River Line (west coast) 28 Nov -- 23 Dec 1950
X-Corps withdrawal (east coast) 1 Dec -- 24 Dec 1950
Withdrawal to Defense Line "D" (roughly along the 37^th Parallel -- P'yongt'aek [W] to Samch'ok on east coast) 26 Dec 1950 -- 29 Jan 1951
Advance to Line Boston(south bank of the Han River south of Seoul - I Corps) 18 Feb 1951 -- 6 Mar 1951
Advance to Phase Line Kansas ( north of Seoul to just north of the 38^th Parallel - east coast [2^nd Liberation of Seoul) 4 -- 21 April 1951
1^st Chinese Spring Offensive 22 -- 29 Apr 1951
Defense lines Golden (I Corps) and No Name (IX & X Corps) 29 Apr 1951 -- 19 May 1951
2^nd Chinese Spring Offensive 17 -- 22 May 1951
Advance to Phase Line Kansas (3^rd Liberation of Seoul) 22 May 1951 -- 10 Jun 1951
Advance to Phase Line Wyoming (Imjin River in I Corps sector north of Seoul to north of 38^thParallel in IX Corps and X Corps sectors) 13 Jun 1951 -- 4 Oct 1951
Line Jamestown (MLR in I Corps Sector -- West) 7 Oct 1951 -- 27 July 1953
Line Missouri (MLR in IX Corps Sector -- Central) 23 Oct 1951 -- 27 July 1953
Line Minnesota (MLR in X Corps Sector -- East) 16 Oct 1951 -- 27 July 1953

MAJOR COMMUNIST OFFENSIVES

NKPA 1^st Phase (Seoul) Operations 25 Jun 1950 -- 29 Jun 1950
NKPA 2^nd Phase (Suwon)Operations 30 Jun 1950 -- 6 Jul 1950
NKPA 3^rd Phase (Taejon) Operations 7 Jul 1950 -- 20 Jul 1950
NKPA 4^th Phase (Naktong) Operations 21 Jul 1950 -- 30 Aug 1950
NKPA 5^th Phase (Pusan) Operations 31 Aug 1950 -- 15 Sep 1950
CCF (PLA) 1^st Phase (warning) Operations 25 Oct 1950 -- 24 Nov 1950
CCF (PLA) 2^nd Phase (main attack) Operations 25 Nov 1950 -- 24 Dec 1950
CCF (PLA) 3^rd Phase (counterattack in Wonju - Chipyong-ni areas) Operations 11 Feb 1951 -- 17 Feb 1951
CCF (PLA) 4^th Phase (First Spring Offensive) Operations 22 Apr 1951 -- 29 Apr 1951
CCF (PLA) 5^th Phase (Second Spring Offensive) Operations 17 May 1951 -- 22 May 1951
CCF (PLA) 6^th Phase - canceled and strategic objectives switch to limited operations 1 Sep 1951
CCF attack on Western & Central Fronts 6 Oct 1952 -- 13 Oct 1952
CCF Kumsong River Offensive (ROK II Corps) 14 July 1953 -- 20 July 1953

MAJOR WITHDRAWAL OPERATIONS BY US FORCES

Withdrawal to the Pusan Perimeter 3 July 1950 -- 3 Aug 1950
Evacuation of Hungnam 1 Dec 1950 -- 24 Dec 1950
Withdrawal from North Korea to Line "D" 2 Dec 1950 -- 16 Jan 1951

MAJOR UN OFFENSIVES

Inchon Landing & capture of Seoul 18 Sept 1950 -- 30 Sept 1950
Breakout from the Pusan Perimeter 16 Sept 1950 -- 27 Sept 1950
Operation Thunderbolt 25 Jan 1951 -- 20 Feb 1951
Operation Killer 21 Feb 1951 -- 7 Mar 1951
Operation Ripper (Flanking of Seoul) 7 Mar 1951 -- 4 Apr 1951
Operation Rugged (securing Phase Line Kansas) 1 Apr 1951 -- 15Apr 1951
Operation Dauntless (securing Phase Line Utah) 10 Apr 1951 -- 22 Apr 1951
Operation Detonate (3^rd return to Seoul and retaking Phase Line Kansas north of the 38^th Parallel) 20 May 1951 -- 8 Jun 1951
Operation Piledriver (securing Phase Line Wyoming and The Iron Triangle) 3 Jun 1951 -- 12 Jun 1951
Operation Commando (Securing Phase Line Jamestown) 3 Oct 1951 -- 15 Oct 1951
Operation Nomad and Polar (Securing Phase Line Missouri) 13 Oct 1951 -- 22 Oct 1951

PURSUIT AND MOPPING UP OPERATIONS

Pursuit and mopping south of the 38^th Parallel 28 Sept 1950 -- 30 Nov 1950
Pursuit north of the 38^th Parallel to Yalu River 5 Oct 1950 -- 27 Oct 1950
Iwon Landing and pursuit to Yalu River (east coast) 31 Oct 1950 -- 27 Nov 1950

LIMITED OPERATIONS -- 26 JUNE 1951 THROUGH 27 JULY 1953
(After peace talks initiated)

I CORPS

Operation Doughnut (to seize dominate terrain features in the Sobang Mountains) 1-4 July 1951
Raid on Kwijon-ni 3-8 Aug 1951
Operation Citadel (to move MLR forward to then existing Outpost Line of Resistance -- OPLR) 18-19 Aug 1951
Operation Clean-Up (attempt to sweep enemy forces from front of I Corps positions) 9-10 Sept 1951
Operations Clean-up II (to secure railroad running north from Uijongbu) 29 Sept -- 3 Oct 1951
Operation Polecharge (to secure dominate three hills) 16-18 Oct 1951
Attack on Hill 199 24-30 Oct 1951
Defense of Hill 200 5-10 Nov 1951
First battle of Porkchop Hill 22-25 Nov 1951
Operation Clam-up (ceased activity to lure enemy patrols) 10-16 Feb 1952
Operation Counter (to secure 11 key terrain features on outpost line) 7-25 Jun 1952
First Battle for Old Baldy 26 June -- 17 July 1953
Second Battle for Old Baldy 17 - 22 July 1952
Third Battle for Old Baldy 1-4 Aug 1952
Forth Battle for Old Baldy 18-21 Sept 1952
Defense of Outpost Kelly 18-30 Sept 1952
Fifth Battle for Old Baldy 23-26 Mar 1953
Third Battle for Porkchop Hill 23-26 Mar 1953
Defense of Outpost Carson, Elko, and Vegas 28-30 Mar 1953
Forth Battle for Porkchop Hill 6-11 July 1953
Defense of Outpost Dale & Westview 23-24 July 1953

IX CORPS

Operation Cat & Dog (to destroy enemy positions and capture prisoners.) 26-28 June 1951
Attack on Hill 272 and 487 12-15 July 1951
Operation Cow Puncher (to move Phase Line Utah forward to Phase Line Wyoming) 2-3 Aug 1951
Operation Ohio-Sloan (to secure new positions on Phase Line Wyoming) 8-12 Sept 1951
Operation Cleaver (Tank/Infantry raid into Iron Triangle) 21 Sept 1951
Operation Clam-up (to lure enemy patrols and capture prisoners) 10-15 Feb 1952
Operation Showdown (to secure Hill 598) 14-24 Oct 1952
Defense of Hill 301 24-28 Oct 1952
Defense of Outpost Charlie and King 28 Oct - 4 Nov 1952
(IX Corps withdrawn Nov 1952)

X CORPS

Attack on Hills 1059, 1120 and 1179 26-30 July 1951
Battle of Bloody Ridge (ridge between Hills 900 & 983) 27 Aug -- 5 Sept 1951
First battle of Heartbreak Ridge 9-12 Sept 1951
Second battle of Heartbreak Ridge 13-29 Sept 1951
Attack on Hills 851, 1220 & adjacent ridges 7-15 Oct 1951
Operation Clam-up (to lure enemy patrols and capture prisoners) 10-15 Feb 1952
Defense of Heartbreak Ridge area 6-7 Sept 1952
Defense of Heartbreak Ridge area 3-4 Nov 1952

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