Transcriber’s Note
Cover created by Transcriber, using the originalcover and the text of the Title page, and placedinto the Public Domain.
Larger versions of most illustrations may be seen by right-clicking themand selecting an option to view them separately, or by double-tapping and/orstretching them.
WESTERN KOREAN FRONT
SITES OF MAJOR OUTPOST BATTLES
1952–53
U. S. MARINE OPERATIONS IN KOREA
1950–1953
VOLUME V
Operations in West Korea
by
LIEUTENANT COLONEL PAT MEID, USMCR
and
MAJOR JAMES M. YINGLING, USMC
Historical Division
Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Washington, D. C., 1972
Preceding Volumes of
U. S. Marine Operations in Korea
Volume I, “The Pusan Perimeter”
Volume II, “The Inchon-Seoul Campaign”
Volume III, “The Chosin Reservoir Campaign”
Volume IV, “The East-Central Front”
Library of Congress Catalogue Number: 55-60727
For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402—Price $4.50 (Cloth)
Stock Number 0855-0059
iii
Foreword
Mention the Korean War and almost immediately it evokesthe memory of Marines at Pusan, Inchon, Chosin Reservoir,or the Punchbowl. Americans everywhere remember the MarineCorps’ combat readiness, courage, and military skills that werelargely responsible for the success of these early operations in1950–1951. Not as dramatic or well-known are the important accomplishmentsof the Marines during the latter part of the KoreanWar.
In March 1952 the 1st Marine Division redeployed from the East-Centralfront to West Korea. This new sector, nearly 35 miles inlength, anchored the far western end of I Corps and was one ofthe most critical of the entire Eighth Army line. Here the Marinesblocked the enemy’s goal of penetrating to Seoul, the South Koreancapital. Northwest of the Marine Main Line of Resistance, less thanfive miles distant, lay Panmunjom, site of the sporadic truce negotiations.
Defense of their strategic area exposed the Marines to continuousand deadly Communist probes and limited objective attacks. Thesebitter and costly contests for key outposts bore such names as BunkerHill, the Hook, the Nevadas (Carson-Reno-Vegas), and BoulderCity. For the ground Marines, supported by 1st Marine AircraftWing squadrons, the fighting continued until the last day of thewar, 27 July 1953.
The Korean War marked the first real test of Free World solidarityin the face of Communist force. In repulsing this attemp