Korean War (42)

 

USS Maddox (DD-731) in Korea

1 May 1953, enemy shore guns on Hodo Pando scored one direct hit on the USS Maddox and one near miss at the USS Owen.  The communists fired over 200 105mm shells at the destroyers during their attack.  Both ships had minor material damage to their hulls.

USS James C Owens (DD-776)

The 1st Marine Division assumed control of the 14th Infantry Regiment and the 5th Marines and opened a new command post at Camp Casey.  A combat patrol engaged in a small fire fight, as did the recon patrol.  By 7 May, the 1st Marine Division, after 20 months of fighting, was relieved and deployed to rear areas.

Company G of the 2nd Battalion/65th Infantry Regiment/3rd Infantry Division relieved element of the 2nd Battalion/15th Infantry Regiment on outpost Harry during daylight hours 15 May on Line Missouri.  On the night of 15-16 May, they were required to defend the outpost and defeated an intended 3-prong attack by a battalion size enemy force.  Fourteen Bronze Stars were awarded to 4 officers and 10 enlisted men as a result of their performance.  From 15-31 May, this unit had 38 ambush patrols, one raid and 4 miscellaneous combat patrols.  Seventeen of the regiment were KIA.

Line Missouri

13-16 May, 5 main irrigation systems were bombed on the Yalu River.  The flooding that resulted caused the destruction of the enemy’s rice crop.  16 May, in a message intended for Mao Tse-tung, Eisenhower’s Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, told President Nehru of India that the U.S. would use the A-bomb if necessary.

 

25 May, all sides at the Panmunjom peace talks accepted a modified version of the UN General Assembly Resolution 610 (originally written back on 3 December 1952), whereby prisoners of war who refuse repatriation should be passed to a Neutral National Reparations Commission (NNRC) supervised by India.  South Korean President Syngman Rhee went into such a rage that became so bad that Eisenhower considered using Plan Ever-Ready.  This was a contingency plan to depose him and seize control of the South Korean government.

Panmunjom peace talks building

27-28 May, in an effort to silence the ever increasing enemy coastal battery activity, the USS New Jersey joined TF-77 aircraft in a heavy air/gun strike on Wonsan coastal defenses.

Shortly after midnight, 6 enemy aircraft bombed a United Nation airfield and the POL (petroleum or oil) pipeline between Inchon and Yongdungpo.  One man was injured, 2 F-80s and one F-86 received minor damage and the POL pipeline was punctured.

The 1st Marine Division units prepared for 8th Army CPX (Command Post Exercise).  Strong enemy attacks in the US I Corps sector caused the alerting of the 1st Marines for a move to blocking positions.

29 May, the 8th Army CPX was postponed because of a continuation of enemy attacks across the Army front.  The 1st Marines passed to operational control of I Corps and moved into positions in the 25th Infantry Division sector.  The Recon Company moved in along the east bank of the Imjin River.

Reno, Vegas and Carson outposts marked

30 May, Outposts Vegas, Elko and Carson had fallen due to persistent enemy attacks.   31 May, at the 5th Marines parade field, MGeneral Pollock and RAdmiral Harp, Jr., Chief of Naval Chaplains, conducted Memorial Day ceremonies.

Click on images to enlarge.

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WWII Update – 

3 February is the day set aside to recognize the sacrifices of the four chaplains during WWII.  I regret that this information is belated, my apologies.  For the remarkable story  – Read –

The Four Chaplains Stamp

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WWII Update – 

The Japanese soldier who refused to surrender…

Courtesy of The Week magazine

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Farewell Salutes – 

Hubert DeBolt – Gig Harbor, WA; US Army Air Corps, WWII PTO, Company A/127 Engineers

Alan Friedland – Boca Raton, FL; US Army Air Corps, WWII

Missing in Action tags

Albert Gonzalez, Sr. – W.Tampa, FL; US Navy, WWII, USS Iowa

Alexander LePage – Tampa, FL; US Navy, WWII and then US Air Force (Ret.)

Joseph Mann – NY, NY & Miami, FL; US Navy, WWII

Ronal James McDougall – Ashburton, NZ; Serv. # 648638, bombardier, 25 Battery J Force

Robert Shawver – Oklahoma City,OK; US Navy, WWII

David John Smith – Rangiora, NZ; Serv. # 098687, 23rd Battalion, WWII

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