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024 - Chapter 12 Part 1 - Breakout From Yudam-ni · Marine Operations in Korea The Chosin Reservoir Campaign

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, Part one of US Marine Operations in Korea
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  Speaker 1: nineteen fifty to nineteen fifty three, Volume three, The Chosen
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  Speaker 1: Reservoir Campaign by Lynn Montrosse and Nicholas Canzona. This LibriVox
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  Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. Breakout from Udamnie. The
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  Speaker 1: first steps toward regaining the initiative were taken by the
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  Speaker 1: Marine Command as early as twenty nine November. Upon being
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  Speaker 1: informed that the Composite Battalion had failed to open up
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  Speaker 1: the MSR south of udam Nie, General Smith concluded that
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  Speaker 1: it was a task for a regiment. At fifteen forty
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  Speaker 1: five that afternoon, he issued the following orders to RCTs
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  Speaker 1: five and seven. RCT five assumed responsibility protection Udamnee area,
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  Speaker 1: adjusting present dispositions accordingly. RCT seven conduct operations clear MSR
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  Speaker 1: to Hagaru without delay, employing entire regiment. That same evening,
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  Speaker 1: the Division CP received ten Corps O I nineteen providing
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  Speaker 1: that an RCT be redeployed from the udam Knee area
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  Speaker 1: to Hagarou. No further directives from Division were necessary to
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  Speaker 1: implement this instruction, since it had been anticipated in General
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  Speaker 1: Smith's orders. Upon receipt the two Udamn regimental commanders began
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  Speaker 1: joint planning for measures to be taken. The unusual command
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  Speaker 1: situation at Udam Knee in the absence of the assistant
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  Speaker 1: division commander was explained by Colonel Litzenburg. The fifth and
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  Speaker 1: seventh Marines were each acting under separate orders from the division.
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  Speaker 1: The division would issue orders to one regiment with information
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  Speaker 1: to the other, so that division retained the control, and
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  Speaker 1: of course the fourth Battalion eleventh Marines in general support
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  Speaker 1: of both regiments was not actually under the control of
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  Speaker 1: either of us. Lieutenant Colonel Murray operated in very close
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  Speaker 1: coordination with me, sometimes at his own command post and
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  Speaker 1: sometimes at mine. We called in Major mc reynolds, the
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  Speaker 1: commander of four to eleven, discussed the situation with him,
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  Speaker 1: and thereafter Lieutenant Colonel Murray and I issued orders jointly
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  Speaker 1: as necessary. This command arrangement functioned very well. There was
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  Speaker 1: never any particular disagreement. For purposes of planning the supporting
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  Speaker 1: fires for the breakout, an artillery groupment was formed and
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  Speaker 1: Lieutenant Colonel Freehand given the responsibility of coordination. It was
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  Speaker 1: further agreed that no air drops of one hundred fifty
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  Speaker 1: five millimeter ammunition would be requested because of the greater
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  Speaker 1: number of one hundred five millimeter rounds, which could be
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  Speaker 1: received with fewer difficulties. The problems of the two RCTs,
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  Speaker 1: commented General Smith, could not be separated. The only feasible
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  Speaker 1: thing for them to do was pool their resources. The
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  Speaker 1: assignment of command to the senior regimental commander was considered,
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  Speaker 1: but rejected in favor of cooper at zero six hundred.
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  Speaker 1: On the thirtieth, the two RCTs issued their Joint Operation
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  Speaker 1: Order one DASH fifty, which called for the regroupment of
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  Speaker 1: the Yudam Knee forces in a new position south of
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  Speaker 1: the village and astride the MSR as a first step
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  Speaker 1: toward a breakout. Thus, in effect, the two RCTs and
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  Speaker 1: supporting troops would be exchanging an east and west perimeter
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  Speaker 1: for one pointing from north to south along the road
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  Speaker 1: to Hagaroo. Not only was the terrain south of the
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  Speaker 1: village more defensible, but a smaller perimeter would serve the purpose.
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  Speaker 1: Lieutenant Colonel Weinkoff, Assistant G three of the division, flew
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  Speaker 1: to Udam Knee on the thirtieth to observe and report
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  Speaker 1: on the situation. He was given a copy of Joint
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  Speaker 1: Operation Order one DASH fifty for delivery to General Smith
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  Speaker 1: on his return to Hagaroo. That same afternoon, during a
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  Speaker 1: conference with General Almond at Hagarou, the Marine Commander received
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  Speaker 1: ten Corps Operation Order eight, directing him to operate against
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  Speaker 1: the enemy zone, with drawing elements north and northwest of
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  Speaker 1: Hagaroo to that area while securing the Sudong Hagaroo MSR
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  Speaker 1: and At nineteen twenty that evening, Division issued the following
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  Speaker 1: dispatch orders to RCTs five and seven, Expedite execution of
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  Speaker 1: Joint Operation Order one DASH fifty and combined movement RCT
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  Speaker 1: five and RCT seven to Hagarou prepared for further withdraw south,
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  Speaker 1: destroy any supplies and equipment which must be abandoned during
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  Speaker 1: this withdrawal. As a prerequisite, a good deal of reorganization
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  Speaker 1: had to be effected at Udam Knee in order to
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  Speaker 1: provide a force to hold the shoulders of the high
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  Speaker 1: ground through which RCT seven would advance, it was decided
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  Speaker 1: to put together another composite battalion. The new unit consisted
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  Speaker 1: of George Company three seven, Able Company one five and
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  Speaker 1: the remnants of Dog and Easy Companies two seven combined
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  Speaker 1: into a provisional company under Captain Robert J. Poulsen, a
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  Speaker 1: section of eighty one's each from two seven and three
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  Speaker 1: seven weapons companies, and a communications detachment from three to seven.
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  Speaker 1: Major Maurice E. Roach Regimental S four, placed in command,
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  Speaker 1: realized that such a jury rigged outfit might be subject
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  Speaker 1: to morale problems. Noting that one of the men had
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  Speaker 1: made a neckerchief out of a torn green parachute, he
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  Speaker 1: seized upon the idea as a means of appealing to
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  Speaker 1: unit pride. Soon all the men were sporting green neckerchiefs,
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  Speaker 1: and Roach gave the new unit added distinction by christening
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  Speaker 1: it the Damnation Battalion after adopting Damnation as the code word.
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  Speaker 1: Beginning in the early morning hours of the thirtieth regroupment
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  Speaker 1: was the chief activity at Udam Knee. Enemy opposition during
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  Speaker 1: the night took the form of scattered small arms fire
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  Speaker 1: varied with minor probing attacks. This comparative lull lasted until
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  Speaker 1: zero seven to ten, when Item Company of three to
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  Speaker 1: five beat off an enemy assault on Hill twelve eighty
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  Speaker 1: two north Ridge with a support of marine air strikes,
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  Speaker 1: an eighty one millimeter mortar fire in the same area,
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  Speaker 1: George Company had a brisk firefight from thirteen fifteen to dusk.
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  Speaker 1: The plan of the regroupment envisioned a gradual withdraw from
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  Speaker 1: the north and west of Yudam Knee by RCT five
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  Speaker 1: for the purpose of relieving units of RCT seven and
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  Speaker 1: enabling them to extend the perimeter southward from the village.
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  Speaker 1: It failed at twenty five to execute the most difficult
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  Speaker 1: maneuver of the day. Royce's battalion held the line stretching
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  Speaker 1: from Hill fourteen twenty six on southwest Ridge along the
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  Speaker 1: high ground to three fives position on Hill twelve eighty two.
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  Speaker 1: After disengaging with the help of marine, air and artillery,
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  Speaker 1: two five gave up Hill fourteen twenty six and pulled
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  Speaker 1: back nearly a mile, relieving elements of three seven on
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  Speaker 1: the left. Royce's new line included Hill twelve ninety four
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  Speaker 1: on the southwest ridge overlooking the MSR, and extended northeast
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  Speaker 1: to Hill twelve eighty two as before. Meanwhile, one five
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  Speaker 1: continued to hold the defensive line from Hill twelve forty
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  Speaker 1: eastward to Hill eleven sixty seven. These movements freed three
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  Speaker 1: seven to redeploy to new positions astride the MSR about
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  Speaker 1: four thousand yards south of Yudham Knee. In this same
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  Speaker 1: general area, one seven continued to block the valley to
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  Speaker 1: the southwest while holding Hill twelve seventy six of South Ridge,
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  Speaker 1: about twenty five hundred yards south of the village. The
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  Speaker 1: question of whether we should make these movements during daylight
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  Speaker 1: or at night was a difficult one, said Colonel Litzenburg.
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  Speaker 1: We finally decided to make the movements in daylight, when
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  Speaker 1: we could have advantage of observation from air cover and artillery.
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  Speaker 1: The movement, piecemeal by battalion was successfully executed. The enemy
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  Speaker 1: took surprisingly little advantage of the adjustment. Movements were completed
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  Speaker 1: in an orderly and methodical manner as the units drew
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  Speaker 1: rations and ammunition for the breakout. Preparations were made for
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  Speaker 1: the destruction of all equipment which could not be carried out,
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  Speaker 1: and air drops of ammunition and other supplies were received.
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  Speaker 1: As a solution for the problem of casualty evacuation, General
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  Speaker 1: Smith had suggested the construction of an oy strip. A
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  Speaker 1: start was made at zero nine hundred on the thirtieth
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  Speaker 1: by the t D eighteen dozers of Major MC Reynold's
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  Speaker 1: Artillery Battalion, but the area came under enemy fire the
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  Speaker 1: next day, and the nearly completed strip could be used
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  Speaker 1: only twice. Joint planning for breakout. The plan, as finally
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  Speaker 1: agreed upon, called for a combination of the two solutions.
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  Speaker 1: Since it was essential to relieve hard pressed Fox Company
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  Speaker 1: and secure vital Talktong Pass prior to the arrival of
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  Speaker 1: the main column, one force would advance across country, and
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  Speaker 1: since it would have been physically impossible to carry the
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  Speaker 1: wounded over the mountains, the main body would fight its
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  Speaker 1: way along the road to Tactong Pass. The overall plan
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  Speaker 1: for the UDMNE breakout, after being flown to Hagaroo by
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  Speaker 1: helicopter for General Smith's approval, was incorporated into Joint Operation
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  Speaker 1: Order two DASH fifty. This directive, later modified by fragmentary orders,
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  Speaker 1: was issued in the morning of one December nineteen fifty.
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  Speaker 1: It meant dispensing with the vehicles and heavy equipment of
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  Speaker 1: the cross country fours. Only the barest military necessities could
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  Speaker 1: be taken by men loaded down with ammunition while struggling
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  Speaker 1: through snow drifts. The unit selected for the attempt was
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  Speaker 1: the first Battalion seventh Marines, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Davis.
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  Speaker 1: The plan of maneuver called for him to strike off
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  Speaker 1: across the mountain tops under cover of darkness on the
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  Speaker 1: night of one December as other units moved out astride
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  Speaker 1: the MSR from Umn to Hagaroo. Three five was to
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  Speaker 1: be the advance guard. Lieutenant Colonel Tablet's battalion had the
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  Speaker 1: mission of passing through three seven to seize the commanding
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  Speaker 1: ground eye on both sides of the road and lead
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  Speaker 1: the way for the rest of the Udem Knee troops. Thus,
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  Speaker 1: the attacks of one seven and three five would converge
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  Speaker 1: in the general area of Fox Hill and Taktong Pass.
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  Speaker 1: The point of the advance was to be the only
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  Speaker 1: marine tank to reach Udem Knee while the MSR was
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  Speaker 1: still open. It was left stranded after the recall of
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  Speaker 1: the crew to Hagaroo, but staff Sergeant Russell A. Munsel
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  Speaker 1: and another crewmen were flown up from Hagaroo by helicopter
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  Speaker 1: by Colonel Litzenberg's request. They were to man tank D
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  Speaker 1: twenty three when it moved out with the point. Plans
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  Speaker 1: also called for a battery of three eleven to advance
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  Speaker 1: near the head of the column so that I could
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  Speaker 1: go into position near Sinhung Knee and provide covering fires
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  Speaker 1: for the rear guard while other artillery units displaced. The
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  Speaker 1: fourth Battalion of the eleventh Marines had orders to fire
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  Speaker 1: most of its one hundred and fifty five millimeters ammunition
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  Speaker 1: before departure. All the men who could be spared from
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  Speaker 1: this unit were formed into nine provisional infantry platoons. Two
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  Speaker 1: were assigned to reinforce the seventh Marines and three to
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  Speaker 1: the fifth Marines. Four were retained under Major mcrenald's command
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  Speaker 1: to protect the flanks of the vehicle train. It was
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  Speaker 1: further prescribed that the guns of four to eleven were
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  Speaker 1: to bring up the rear of the convoy so that
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  Speaker 1: the road would not be blocked in the event of
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  Speaker 1: any of its vehicles becoming immobilized. Only drivers and seriously
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  Speaker 1: wounded men were permitted to ride the trucks in the
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  Speaker 1: middle of the column, along with critical equipment and supplies.
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  Speaker 1: Since all additional space in the vehicles would doubtless be
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  Speaker 1: needed for casualties incurred in the breakout, as well as
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  Speaker 1: Fox Company casualties, it was decided not to bring out
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  Speaker 1: the dead from udem Knee. A field burial was conducted
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  Speaker 1: by chaplains for eighty five officers and men. All available
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  Speaker 1: marine aircraft were to be on station. Moreover, carrier planes
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  Speaker 1: of TF seventy seven had been released from other missions
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  Speaker 1: by the Fifth Air Force to reinforce the aircraft of
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  Speaker 1: the first MAW and direct support of the udem Knee
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  Speaker 1: troops the fight for Hills fourteen nineteen and fifteen forty two.
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  Speaker 1: The transition from planning to execution began on the morning
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  Speaker 1: of one December. Only the first and third battalions of
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  Speaker 1: RCT five were left to the north of Udam Knee,
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  Speaker 1: and pulling them out was to prove equivalent to letting
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  Speaker 1: loose of the tiger's tail. The Third Battalion began its
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  Speaker 1: withdraw at zero eight hundred, followed ninety minutes later by
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  Speaker 1: the first. The initial phases of the maneuver were carried
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  Speaker 1: out without great difficulty. The first major problem came when
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  Speaker 1: three five's last unit, George Company, pulled down from Hill
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  Speaker 1: twelve eighty two. There, the Marines had been in such
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  Speaker 1: close contact with the enemy that grenades were the main
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  Speaker 1: weapon of both sides. The problem of preventing the Chinese
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  Speaker 1: from swarming over the top of the ridge at the
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  Speaker 1: critical moment and pursuing the Marines down the slope was
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  Speaker 1: solved by First Lieutenant Daniel Greene the Fact with a
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  Speaker 1: dummy run by close supporting aircraft while the first pass
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  Speaker 1: of the Corsairs kept the Communists down. Captain Chester R.
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  Speaker 1: Hermanson commenced his withdrawal as soon as his men moved
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  Speaker 1: out at a safe distance. He signaled to the FACT
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  Speaker 1: who called for live runs of marine air in coordination
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  Speaker 1: with the fires directed by the artillery liaison officer, First
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  Speaker 1: Lieutenant Henry g. Amer. First Lieutenant arthury House's eighty one
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  Speaker 1: millimeter mortar platoon also rendered skillful support during the withdrawal.
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  Speaker 1: The ancient ruse was so successful that George Company disengaged
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  Speaker 1: without a single casualty. Ammunition left behind by the rifle
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  Speaker 1: platoons was detonated just as the rockets, bombs, and napalm
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  Speaker 1: of the Corsairs hit the Chinese, followed by artillery and
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  Speaker 1: mortar shells. Hill twelve eighty two seemed to erupt in
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  Speaker 1: one tremendous explosion. While Captain Hermanson's men crossed the bridge
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  Speaker 1: south of the burning town, an engineer Demolition's crew waited
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  Speaker 1: to destroy the span. The rearguard unit for the withdrawal
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  Speaker 1: of the two battalions was First Lieutenant John R. Hancock's
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  Speaker 1: Baker Company of one five. He felt that his best
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  Speaker 1: chance would be to sneak off Hill twelve forty Accordingly,
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  Speaker 1: he requested that no supporting fires be furnished by Baker
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  Speaker 1: Company except at his request. Making very effective use of
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  Speaker 1: his light machine guns to cover his withdrawal with a
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  Speaker 1: spray of fire, Hancock disengaged without a casualty. The next
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  Speaker 1: stage of the recruitment was carried out in preparation for
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  Speaker 1: the attacks of three five and one seven. In order
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  Speaker 1: to clear the way on both sides of the MSR
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  Speaker 1: three seven minus how Company moved out at zero nine
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  Speaker 1: hundred on one December to attack Hill fifteen forty two,
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  Speaker 1: while how Company went up against Hill fourteen nineteen. Joint
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  Speaker 1: Operation Order one DASH fifty was modified meanwhile by verbal
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  Speaker 1: instructions directing two FI five instead of three five to
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  Speaker 1: relieve one seven on Hill twelve seventy six, thus freeing
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  Speaker 1: Colonel Davis's battalion for its assigned mission. The first Battalion
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  Speaker 1: of RCT five took positions stretching from Hill eleven hundred
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  Speaker 1: on the west side of the MSR to the low
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  Speaker 1: ground southeast of the arm of the reservoir. This meant
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  Speaker 1: that after three seven minus seized Hill fifteen forty two,
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  Speaker 1: three Marine infantry battalions would occupy a defensive line about
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  Speaker 1: three and a half miles in length, stretching diagonally northeast
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  Speaker 1: from that position to the arm of the reservoir, with
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  Speaker 1: Hill twelve seventy six as its central bastion. Shortly before dusk,
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  Speaker 1: Lieutenant Colonel Taplets three five arrived in position to pass
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  Speaker 1: through Lieutenant Colonel Harris's three seven. The two battalion commanders
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  Speaker 1: agreed that three five would execute the movement, even though
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  Speaker 1: three seven had not yet secured its objectives, and three
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  Speaker 1: five attack to stride the MSR at fifteen hundred. Harris's
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  Speaker 1: Itttalian had been having it hot and heavy all day
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  Speaker 1: on hills fourteen nineteen and fifteen forty two. After jumping
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  Speaker 1: off at zero nine hundred, These objectives were too far
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  Speaker 1: apart for a mutually supported attack, and the Chinese defended
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  Speaker 1: the difficult terrain with tenacity. Item company reinforced by artillerymen
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  Speaker 1: and headquarters troops made slow progress west of the road
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  Speaker 1: against the Chinese dug in. On Hill fifteen forty two,
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  Speaker 1: at seventeen hundred, George Company moved into position on the left.
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  Speaker 1: Both companies attempted an assault, but the three seven report
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  Speaker 1: states each attack by I Company and G Company never
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  Speaker 1: reached full momentum before it was broken up. One platoon
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  Speaker 1: of Item Company reached the military crest before being repulsed.
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: When night fell, the Marines were still on the eastern
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  Speaker 1: slopes of fifteen forty two. On Hill fourteen nineteen, about
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  Speaker 1: one thousand yards east of the road, How Company of
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  Speaker 1: three to seven met stiff opposition from Chinese dug in
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  Speaker 1: along four finger ridges as well as the main spur
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  Speaker 1: leading to the topographical carest It became evident that How
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  Speaker 1: Company alone could not seize the hill. In about noon,
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  Speaker 1: Able Company of Davis's Battalion joined the attack on How's left.
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  Speaker 1: The heavy undergrowth gave concealment to the enemy, though it
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  Speaker 1: also offered footholds for the marine scrambling up the steep
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  Speaker 1: and icy slopes. Airstrikes were laid down just ahead of them,
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: blasting the Chinese with bombs, rockets, and twenty millimeter fire.
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: Artillery support, however, was limited by the relative blindness of
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: the forward observer in the brush, but mortar succeeded in
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: knocking out several enemy positions. How Company's attack had come
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: to a standstill because of casualties, which included Lieutenant Harris.
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: First Lieutenant Eugenius M. Hovader's Able Company regained the momentum
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: thanks to the efforts of First Lieutenant leslie C. Williams's
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: first Platoon, aided by how and Baker, which was committed
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: late in the after noon. Able Company secured Hill fourteen
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: nineteen about nineteen thirty. Thus the jump off point for
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: the one to seven advance across the mountain tops had
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: been seized. After setting up hasty defenses, Davis directed that
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: all dead and wounded be evacuated to three five's aid
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: station on the road. How Company was attached to his
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: battalion by order of Colonel Litzenburg, since all units had
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: been thinned by casualties. Then the battalion tail was pulled
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: up the mountain and the last physical tie broken with
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: other Marine units in the Udemnee area. The Marines had
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: seized the initiative never again to relinquish it. During the
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: Chosen Reservoir Campaign March of one to seven over the Mountains,
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: planning at the battalion level was done by Davis, his
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: executive officer, Major Raymond V. Fridrick, and his S three,
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: Major Thomas B. Tiggey. It was decided to take only
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: two of the eighty one millimeter mortars and six heavy
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: machine guns. They were to be manned with double crews
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  Speaker 1: so that enough ammunition could be carried to keep them
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  Speaker 1: in action. Pack set radios an GRC nine were to
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: provide positive communications in case the portable sets SCR three
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  Speaker 1: hundred would not reach the utem knee perimeter. The artillery
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  Speaker 1: liaison officer was to carry a pack set SCR six'
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: ten to ensure artillery. Communications all personnel not sick or
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: wounded were to, participate leaving behind enough walking wounded or
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: frostbite cases to drive the vehicles and move the gear
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: left behind with the regimental. Train extra litters were to
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  Speaker 1: be taken each serving initially to carry additional mortar and
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: machine gun, ammunition and all men were to carry sleeping,
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: bags not only for the protection of the, wounded but
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: also to save their own lives if the column should
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: be cut off in the mountains for several. Days every
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: man was to start the march with an extra bandolier
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  Speaker 1: of small, arms, ammuns cognition and personnel of The Reserve
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: company And Headquarters group were to carry an extra round
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  Speaker 1: of eighty one millimeter mortar ammunition up the first mountain
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: for replenishment of supplies depleted at that. Point after driving
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  Speaker 1: the enemy from the topographical crest Of hill fourteen, nineteen
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  Speaker 1: the four companies were not permitted a breathing. Spell davis
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: feared the effects of the extreme sixteen degree below zero
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  Speaker 1: cold on troops drenched with sweat from clawing their way
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  Speaker 1: up the. Mountain he pressed the reorganization with all possible. Speed,
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: therefore after no enemy contacts were reported by patrols ranging
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: to the. Southeast at twenty one hundred on the night
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: of One, december the column set out in this Order Baker,
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: company First Lieutenant kircaba one to Seventh Command, Group Lieutenant Colonel,
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: Davis Able, company First Lieutenant, Hovader Charlie, Company Captain, Morris Headquarters,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: Group Major Frederic, Howe, company And Lieutenant. Newton the night was,
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: dark but a few stars showed over the horizon in
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: the general direction to be. Taken they served as a,
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: guide with a prominent rock mass being designated the first.
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: Objective the snow covered peaks all looked alike in the,
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: darkness and the guide stars were lost to sight when
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: the columns ascended into. Valleys repeated compass orientations of the,
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: map examined by flashlight under a, poncho never checked. Out
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: the artillery was called upon to place white phosphorus on designated,
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: hills but the splash of these rounds could seldom be.
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: Located the point was slowed by the necessity of breaking
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: trail and snow that had drifted knee deep in. Places
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: after a path had been, beaten the icy footing became
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: treacherous for the heavily burdened. Marines some painful falls were
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: taken on the downhill slopes by men who had to
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: climb the finger ridges on hands and. Knees apparently the
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: enemy had been caught by a complete, surprise for the
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: marines had the dust area to. THEMSELVES a more immediate
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: danger was loss of, direction and the head of the
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: column veered off to the. Southwest while crossing the second,
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: valley a drift in this direction would eventually take the
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: battalion toward the enemy held road To, hagaroo which had
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: been scheduled by The Marine artillery for harassing and interdiction.
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: Fires radio failures Kept kurkaba at the point from receiving
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: messages sent in. Warning an attempt was made to communicate
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: by word of, mouth but the shouts from behind often
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: did not penetrate to ears protected from the cold by parka.
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: Hoods at, last the loss of direction became so alarming
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: That davis himself hurried forward with his radio operator and.
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: Runner in the, darkness he lost touch with them and
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: floundered on, alone panting and. Stumbling it took such effort
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: to overtake the point that he did not make it
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: until the men were scrambling up the next steep. Ridge,
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: there the westward drift was corrected just in time for
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: the battalion was running into its FIRST ccf. Position the
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: column had been heading Up hill fifteen, twenty the eastern
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: and western slopes of which were held by the. Enemy
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: an increasing volume of small arms fire was received As
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: davis gave his company commanders orders to reorganize units in
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: preparation for. Attack exhausted though the men were they summoned
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: a burst of energy and advanced into assault, columns supported
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: by eighty one millimeter mortars and heavy machine. Guns now
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: the exertion of carrying extra ammunition paid. Dividends As baker
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: And charlie companies closed in on A ccf position held
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: in estimated platoons, strength some of The chinese were surprised
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: while asleep or numbed with, cold and The marines destroyed
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: the enemy force at a cost of only a few men.
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: Wounded the attack cleared the enemy from the eastern slope
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: Of hill fifteen, twenty but distant small arms fire was
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: received from ridges across the valley to the. East davis
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: called a halt for, reorganization since the troops had obviously
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: reached the limit of their. Endurance suddenly they began collapsing
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: in the snow like, dominoes as the commanding officer later
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: described the alarming, spectacle and there the men, lay oblivious
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: to the, cold heedless of The chinese bullets ricocheting off the.
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: ROCKS a strange scene ensued in the dim, starlight as
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: company officers and NCOs shook and cuffed the Prostrate marines into.
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: Wakefulness the officers could sympathize even while demanding renewed efforts
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: for the subzero cold seemed to numb the mind as
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: well as the. Body davis had even requested his company
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: commanders to check every order he, gave just to make
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: sure his own weary brain was functioning. Accurately at zero three,
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: hundred he decided to allow the men to rest the
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: first and twenty hours of continuous fighting or marching under
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: a double. Burden as a preliminary the battalion commander insisted
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: that the perimeter be buttoned up and small patrols organized
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: within companies to ensure a twenty five five percent. Alert
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: then the pack radio was set up to establish the
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: knight's first contact with The REGIMENTAL, cp and the men
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: took turns at sleeping as an eerie silence fell over
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: the wasteland of ice and. Stone attack of three five
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: on one to Two, december returning to THE Udm knee.
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: Area it may be recalled That Lieutenant Colonel taplets three
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: to five had passed through three seven at fifteen hundred
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: on One december with a mission of attacking astride THE
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: msr to lead the way for the main column tank
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: d twenty. THREE A How company platoon and a platoon
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: Of Able company engineers set the, pace followed by the
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: rest OF How company and the other two rifle. Companies
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: after an advance of fourteen hundred, yards the battalion column
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: was stopped by HEAVY ccf fire from both. Sides how
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: And item companies fanned out west and east of the,
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: road and a long drawn firefight ensued before The marines
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: cleared the enemy from their flanks at nineteen. Thirty artillery
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: support for the breakout was provided by one eleven and
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: three eleven minus battery H the plan called for one
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: eleven to take the main responsibility for furnishing supporting fires
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: at the, outset while three eleven displaced as soon as
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: possible to the vicinity Of, sinhungni whence the last lap
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: of the march To hagaroo could be effectively. Covered the
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: first battalion would then join the vehicle column and move
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: with it To. Hagaroo taplet gave three five a brief
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: rest after securing his first objectives the high ground on
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: both sides of the road just opposite the northern spurs
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: Of hill fifteen. Twenty then he ordered a renewal of
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: the attack shortly before. Midnight How company on the right
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: met only moderate, opposition but was held up by the
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: inability OF Item company to make headway Against chinese dug
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: in along the western slope Of hill fifteen. Twenty neither
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: one seven nor three five had any idea at the
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: moment that they were simultaneously engaged on opposite sides of
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: the same great land, mass though operated by enemy groups
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: as well as terrain of fantastic. Difficulties so rugged was
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: this mile high mountain that the two marine outfits might
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: as well have been in different worlds as far as
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: mutual support was. CONCERNED Item company stirred up such a
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: hornet's nest on the western slope That Captain HAROLD. O
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: schreier was granted permission by the battalion commander to return
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: to his jump off position so that he could better
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: defend THE. Msr, there he was attacked By, chinese who
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: alternated infantry attacks with mortar. Bombardments radio communication failed and
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: runners sent from the BATTALION cp TO Item company lost their.
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: Way thus the company was isolated during an all night defensive.
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: Fight Second Lieutenant WILLARD. S peterson took over the command
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: After schreier received a second. Wound taplett had ordered his reserve,
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: Company george and his attached engineers into defensive positions to
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: the rear Of Item. Company the engineers on the right
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: flank were also hit by The chinese and had several,
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: wounded including the platoon, Commander First Lieutenant Wayney. Richards before
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: repulsing the, attack COUNTED ccf dead in The Item company
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: area totaled three hundred and forty two at daybreak on
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: the second but The marines had paid a heavy price in.
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: Casualties less than twenty able bodied men were left When
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: George company passed through to renew the attack On hill fifteen.
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: Twenty for that, matter Both george And Howe companies were
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: reduced to two platoon. Strength taplet requested reinforcement by an
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: additional company and was assigned the so Called Dog Easy Composite,
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: company made up of the remnants of two. Seven this
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: outfit moved directly down the road Between george And Howe.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: Companies it Took George company until twelve hundred to secure
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: the western slope Of hill fifteen. Twenty the composite company
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: ran into. Difficulties, meanwhile at a point on THE, msr
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: where The chinese had blown a bridge over a deep
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: stream bed and set up a roadblock defended by miss machine.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: Guns While George company attacked down a long spur above the.
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: Enemy Dog Easy company maneuvered in dephiely To i'll flank.
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: Him Lieutenant green the fact directed the fur us on,
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: target and the ground forces were treated to a daring
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: exhibition of close support by, corsairs which barely cleared the
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: ridge after pulling out of their. Runs the roadblock was
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: speedily wiped, out but the vehicle column had to wait
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: until the engineers could construct a. Bypass then the advance
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: of three to five was, resumed With george and How
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: companies attacking on opposite sides of THE, msr and The
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: Composite company astride the, road following the tank and engineer.
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: Platoons end Of chapter, Twelve part one read By Aaron
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: bennett