Chosin Reservoir: As I Remember Koto-Ri Pass, North Korea, December 1950

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Seventeen Medals of Honor were earned during the battle. Tens of thousands of North Korean civilians braved possible death on the battlefield and in the severe weather when they chose to be evacuated to South Korea along with the U.N Forces.

Cohen, Eliot A. (2012), Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War, New York: Simon and Schuster, ISBN 9781439135488 From 28 November 1950 to the final breakout, elements of the 1st Marine Division and of the U.S. Army’s 7th Infantry Division at Koto-Ri were surrounded, vastly outnumbered and assaulted repeatedly by Chinese forces. Fearing an invasion, Communist China’s leader Mao Zedong deployed 200,000 soldiers of the People’s Volunteer Army (PVA) across the Yalu, 120,000 of whom headed toward the Chosin River Valley. With highly disciplined nighttime-only marches, these forces evaded detection and entered the war in early November. But their evasive maneuvers lured Marines and U.S. Army divisions into a valley around a storage lake called the Chosin Reservoir. Sgt James E. Johnson, Co J, 3rd Bn, 7th Marines, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart.I am hit,” Broomhead radioed. He had been grazed in the head by shrapnel or a small-caliber round. His Skyraider didn’t have the power to climb. “I’m losing rpms.” Only God Was His Senior". archive.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021 . Retrieved 31 October 2021. Mossman, Billy C. (1990). Ebb and Flow: November 1950– July 1951, United States Army in the Korean War. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army. ISBN 978-1-4102-2470-5. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021 . Retrieved 28 December 2009. By mid-October 1950, after the successful landing at Inchon by the US XCorps, the Eighth Army breakout from the Pusan Perimeter and the subsequent pursuit and destruction of the Korean People's Army (KPA), the Korean War appeared to be all but over. [11] United Nations (UN) forces advanced rapidly into North Korea with the intention of reuniting North and South Korea before the end of 1950. [12] North Korea is divided through the center by the impassable Taebaek Mountains, which separated the UN forces into two groups. [13] The US Eighth Army advanced north through the western coast of the Korean Peninsula, while the Republic of Korea (ROK) I Corps and the US XCorps advanced north on the eastern coast. [13] Topics. This monument and memorial is listed in this topic list: War, Korean. A significant historical date for this entry is November 27, 1950.

Major General Oliver Smith, in command of the 1st Marine Division, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. This was the Japanese name for the reservoir, the term being derived from the ruling "Chosŏn" dynasty, which ended just 13 years before the Japanese occupation beginning in 1910. The name American also rendered it as Chosin or Chosen. The proper Korean name is Changjin." As part of a plan for the 1st MARDIV to fight its way through to Hagaru-ri, at the southern tip of the reservoir, the Royal Marines formed the nucleus of Task Force Drysdale, which included Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines; Company B, 3rd Battalion, 31st U.S. Infantry; and 1st MARDIV support elements. The task force—922 men and 141 vehicles under Drysdale’s command—began its advance at 9:30 a.m. November 29, with 41 Commando and Company G leading the way.

American veterans of the battle are colloquially referred to as the "Chosin Few" and symbolized by the "Star of Koto-ri". [248] Our country won’t go on forever, if we stay soft as we are now. There won’t be any America—because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a hardier race.” The entire Jangjin (Chosin) Reservoir Battle resulted in 105,000 military personnel and 98,000 North Korean refugees evacuated to South Korea. Hermes, Jr., Walter (1966). Truce Tent and Fighting Front. United States Army Center of Military History. p.2,6,9. Archived from the original on 2009-02-24 . Retrieved 2020-06-02. It was 78 miles from what had been the most forward Marine concentration at Yudam-ni to the sea. The entire world watched spellbound as the lst Marine Division tried to extricate itself from the Chinese stranglehold. Few members of the press thought they could do it. Only the Marines themselves, and those with them, never doubted the outcome. An Offer To Fly The Entire Division Out Refused

The difference between a very serious reverse and a total disaster was a near thing. The most crucial battle was in the northeast, at Chosin." See Roe 2000, p.411 The 1st Marine Division reported 604 killed, 114 dead of wounds, 192 missing, 3,485 wounded and 7,338 non-battle casualties. However, US XCorps disputed the number by only recording 393 killed, 2,152 wounded and 76 missing for the 1st Marine Division. This number is calculated by inserting the 1st Marine Division's casualty data into the XCorps' total casualty report. See Appleman 1990, pp.345–347 and Montross & Canzona 1992, pp.381–382. By now, the end of the first week of December, the bulk of the division plus a hodgepodge of other U.N. troops were assembled at Koto-ri preparing for the final stage of the breakout. Smith expected the 10-mile stretch between Koto-ri and Chinhung-ni to be the toughest yet: a downhill march through a sheer-cliffed ravine with the Chinese occupying the hilltops along the route. Montross, Lynn; Canzona, Nicholas (1992). U.S. Marine Operations in Korea: The Chosin Reservoir Campaign. Vol.3. Austin, Texas: Robert J. Speights. ISBN 978-0-944495-03-2. Causes of the Korean Tragedy ... Failure of Leadership, Intelligence and Preparation KOREAN WAR TIME LINEFor Robert Whited and Jean White, there was never a question that they would serve in the military. And they never doubted the merit of the war they were sent to fight in Korea.

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin ( Korean: 장진호 전투; Hanja: 長津湖戰鬪; RR: Jangjinho jeontu; MR: Changjinho chŏnt'u), was an important battle in the Korean War. [c] The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation " Chōshin ", instead of the Korean pronunciation. [9] [10] [d]Maclean's final fate is disputed between US and Chinese sources. Although both sides agreed that Maclean was shot numerous times while running towards the Chinese soldiers, Chinese sources claim that Maclean was shot dead on the spot, while UN POWs stated that Maclean later died from his wounds while being moved to a POW camp. See Appleman 1990, p.114 and Guang 2007, p.60. Marine veteran Martin Overholt recalls, ''I remember being very tired. There were times I actually fell asleep standing up.'' On the afternoon of December 3rd, 1950, the exhausted Marines would finally march into the perimeter at Hagaru-ri. Credit: U.S. National Archives Captain George R. Cody, HMC 31 Inf., posthumously awarded Distinguished Service Cross for actions east of the Reservoir (RCT 31). [14]