The Americans, surrounded, battled tortuously back from Yudam-ni on the west and from Hudong-ni on the east, steadily draining men and trucks and guns. The remains of 4,167 US soldiers were exchanged for 13,528 North Korean and Chinese dead. [c] The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "Chshin", instead of the Korean pronunciation.[9][10][d]. For the 2021 film, see. By 1 December, the PVA 58th Division was virtually destroyed,[167] with the remainder waiting for reinforcements from the 26th Corps of the 9th Army. [88] To start the breakout, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines (3/7) had to first attack south and capture Hills 1542 and 1419 in order to cover the road from Chinese attacks. [16] On 25 October, the advancing ROK I Corps made contact with the Chinese and halted at Funchilin Pass (401214N 1271800E / 40.204N 127.3E / 40.204; 127.3), south of the Chosin Reservoir. I saw guys go up and down those hills, up and down, up and down. At the same time, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines (1/7) would attack towards Fox Company in order to open the road at Toktong Pass. [202], The US XCorps and the ROK I Corps reported a total of 10,495 battle casualties: 4,385 US Marines, 3,163 US Army personnel, 2,812 South Koreans attached to American formations and 78 British Royal Marines. I thought, well, maybe he can't see." [57] The food shortage forced the 9th Army to initially station a third of its strength away from the Chosin Reservoir in reserve,[60] and starvation and exposure weakened the Chinese units, since foraging was not an option in the sparsely populated area. [85] Acting on Almond and Smith's instructions, Lieutenant Colonel Raymond L. Murray and Colonel Homer L. Litzenberg, commanders of the 5th and 7th Marines, respectively, issued a joint order to break out from Yudam-ni to Hagaru-ri on 30 November. [26] Under Mao's urgent orders, the 9th Army was rushed into North Korea on 10 November. "If a person had half their face shot away or a sucking chest wound, you knew he was going to die. [6] Total casualties thus amounted to 52,098 - more than one third of its total strength. Battle of Chosin Reservoir Order of Battle is a list of the significant units that fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir between November 27, 1950 and December 13, 1950. Some stayed in the military, most went back to their homes. We did all the goddam fighting -- there'll be a lot of arguments about that, but the 5th Marines and the 3d Battalion in particular did all the fighting to clear this road. And sometimes they found him, and there was no hugging but just another handshake maybe, a new smile. [180], After the failure of the 26th Corps at Hagaru-ri, the PVA High Command ordered the 26th and 27th Corps to chase the escaping UN force, with the 20th Corps assigned to block the escape route. [153][160], As more reinforcements arrived from Hudong-ni on 30 November,[161] the garrisons attempted to recapture the East Hill. [128], The breakout began as soon as the weather allowed the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing to provide air cover on 1 December. [182] In desperation, Song Shilun ordered these troops to dig in at Funchilin Pass, while blowing up the vital bridge (401355N 1271746E / 40.232N 127.296E / 40.232; 127.296), hoping the terrain and obstacles would allow the 26th and 27th Corps to catch up with the retreating UN forces. Darrell McArdle, Army, "I came around the corner and walked into a North Korean army guy and he probably was the same age as I am. [93], At the same time, 1/7 Marines also tried to break the Chinese blockade at Hill 1419 on 1 December. You think about things. Song Shilun (middle), commander of the People's Volunteer Army 9th Army at Chosin Reservoir On the night of 27 November, the PVA 20th and 27th Corps of the 9th Army launched multiple attacks and ambushes along the road between the Chosin Reservoir and Kot'o-ri. [56] As a result, the 9th Army had almost no winter clothing for the harsh Korean winter. It took us eight days to go 16 miles.'' [209][234], The Marines evacuated from North Korea and spent January and most of February 1951 rebuilding in the relatively secure South Korea, where they destroyed the well-respected but already weakened North Korean 10th Division in counter-guerrilla operations during the Second Battle of Wonju. [122], On 30 November, Major General David G. Barr, the commander of the 7th Infantry Division, flew into Sinhung-ni and met with Faith, who by now had assumed command of RCT-31. [70] With the bulk of the 1st Marine Division gathered at Yudam-ni, Hagaru-ri was lightly defended by two battalions from the 1st and 7th Marines, the rest of the garrison being composed of engineers and rear support units from both the Army and the Marine Corps. [32] Through these roads, Yudami-ni and Sinhung-ni,[f] located at the west and east side of the reservoir respectively, are connected at Hagaru-ri (now Changjin-p) (402302N 1271456E / 40.3838N 127.249E / 40.3838; 127.249). And she said, 'no.' [15] One of the first Chinese units to reach the Chosin Reservoir area was the PVA 42nd Corps, which was tasked with stopping the eastern UN advances. Here was a big rabbit beautiful, he was a beautiful rabbit. [131] Left with no choice, the covering aircraft dropped napalm right in front of RCT-31, inflicting casualties on both American and Chinese troops. Theres no comparison between the two where physical hardship is concerned. [150][151] A task force was formed with 921 troops from 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, G Company of the 1st Marines and B Company of the 31st Infantry. He'd come back and give us each a snowball and we could suck on it or eat the ice. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. [l] From 1990 to 1994, North Korea excavated and returned more than 208 sets of remains, which possibly include 200 to 400 US servicemen, but very few have been identified due to the co-mingling of remains. Jim Valentine, Army, "My squad leader, Bob Devins he was one of my best friends he got killed that night. It was a brutal 17-day battle in freezing weather and rough terrain. I started crying I couldnt stop. [156] As the Chinese attacks dragged on, the task force became disorganized,[157] and a destroyed truck in the convoy later split the task force into two segments. [197] Some skirmishes broke out between the defending US 7th, 17th and 65th Infantry and the pursuing PVA 27th Corps,[198] but against the strong naval gun fire support provided by US Navy Task Force 90, the badly mauled 9th Army was in no shape to approach the Hungnam perimeter. And the regiment kept saying we were going to continue the attack next morning. [224] Paul M. Edwards, founder of the Center for the Study of the Korean War,[225] draws parallels between the battle at Chosin and the Dunkirk evacuation. As soon as I touch him he calms down." But this other guy, if he can get to a hospital ship or get to Japan, he's got a chance of living. He'd drive the distance of this room before the convoy hit another roadblock. Canteens froze and you had to work the bolt of your M-1 so it wouldn't freeze shut. On 27 November 1950, the Chinese force surprised the US XCorps commanded by Major General Edward Almond in the Chosin Reservoir area. [178] The Marine night fighters, however, returned to subdue the Chinese forces,[177] and most of the blocking troops were eliminated. The battle raged on through the night, with the CCF finally withdrawing at dawn for fear of American air attacks. [92] The Chinese struck at night, and the ferocity of the fighting forced the rear covering forces to call in night fighters to suppress the attacks. Outside of official channels, the estimation of Chinese casualties has been described as high as 60,000 by Patrick C. Roe, the chairman of Chosin Few Historical Committee, citing the number of replacements requested by 9th Army in the aftermath of the battle. All efforts failed, despite the destruction of a Chinese company. Then they were gone." Today, the men they call theChosin Few" are well into their 80s and 90s. [142] Meanwhile, from the fighting and ambushes that had occurred the previous night, the garrison at Hagaru-ri noticed the Chinese forces around them. On the first night of the retreat, the Chinese struck the convoy in force and inflicted heavy casualties on 3/5 Marines. In the words of Commanding General Oliver P. Smith: "Retreat, hell.. [71] The attack was soon stalled by the PVA 89th Division and forced the Marines to dig in on the ridges surrounding Yudam-ni. On 24 December 1950, MacArthur submitted a list of "retardation targets" in Korea, Manchuria and other parts of China, and requested 34 atomic bombs from Washington with the purpose of sowing a belt of radioactive cobalt to cease further Chinese advances. They were the unsung heroes. [142] It was not until the dawn of 28 November that the 58th Division arrived at Hagaru-ri. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas L. Ridge, commander of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (3/1), predicted the Chinese attack would come on the night of 28 November. Unaccounted-For: This report includes the U.S. personnel who are still unaccounted for. [103] The 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry, to the north of Sinhung-ni suffered heavy casualties,[104] while the 57th Field Artillery Battalion and the 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry, were almost overrun at Pyungnyuri Inlet. [147] The resulting chaos, however, caused a breakdown in discipline among the Chinese soldiers, who began looting food and clothing instead of exploiting the situation. [80] On 29 November, several efforts by the 7th Marines failed to rescue Fox Company, despite inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese. Everything else was tents, but they had a metal building for the beer to keep it safe." [14] On 19 October 1950, large formations of Chinese troops, dubbed the People's Volunteer Army (PVA), secretly crossed the border and into North Korea. [66] However, attrition due to UN air raids, poor logistics and cold weather had also taken a toll on the way to the battlefield. East of the reservoir an entire convoy was blocked by a blown bridge, and men fled out onto the ice to be gunned down. The Chosin Few They came from everywhere: California, Alabama, Wyoming, and Texas, to name a few. They compare the retreat from Chosin Reservoir to Bataan, and to Dunkirk, and the Alamo, and Valley Forge. [22][23] In response, Major General Edward M. Almond, commander of the US XCorps, formulated a plan on 21 November. At Chosin, there was no rest for the weary, no place for the frozen. John Edward Gray, Army, We were at Camp Lejeune. [187][188] The bridge, consisting of eight separate 18ft (5.5m) long, 2,900lb (1,300kg) sections, was dropped one section at a time, using a 48ft (15m) parachute on each section. [34], The battle was fought over some of the roughest terrain during some of the harshest winter weather conditions of the Korean War. LtCol Ray Davis, the battalion [101], On the night of 27 November, three regiments from the 80th Division attacked the northern hills (402920N 1271532E / 40.489N 127.259E / 40.489; 127.259) and the inlet,[102] completely surprising the defenders. He'd check each patient and then start driving again. Robert Whited, Marines, "I was dumb enough and young enough, I didn't care, you' know. It was raining just a mess. [99] Despite those difficulties, the convoy reached Hagaru-ri in an orderly fashion on the afternoon of 3 December, with the withdrawal completed on 4 December. Chosin Few is a national organization for the surviving troops who served in the Battle of Chosin (Chang-Jin) Reservoir during the Korean War, in November and December 1950. [18] On 6 November, the PVA 42nd Corps ordered a retreat to the north with the intention of luring the UN forces into the Chosin Reservoir. [112] At the inlet, the Chinese assault became a disaster as communications broke down, while devastating fire from the M16 and M19 anti-aircraft (AA) guns attached to the 57th Field Artillery Battalion swept the Chinese ranks. [152][153] It was dubbed "Task Force Drysdale" after its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Douglas B. Drysdale, who also commanded 41 Commando. [226] Appleman, on the other hand, questioned the necessity of a sea-borne evacuation to preserve the UN forces, asserting that XCorps had the strength to break out of the Chinese encirclement at Hungnam at the end of the battle. [183][184] In response, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines (1/1) attacked Hill 1081 from the south, and the hill was captured on 9 December, though the defenders fought to the last man. I got a feeling we're sitting out here all by ourselves.' The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign (Korean language: Chinese: ; pinyin: Chng Jn H Zhny ), [lower-alpha 4] was a decisive battle in the Korean War. At Koto-ri several of us set a boxcar on fire and climbed inside until the flames drove us out . [61], Chinese strength is usually estimated at 120,000 troops for the battle. [143] Almost everyone, including rear support units with little combat training, was pressed into service on the front line due to the manpower shortage,[144] and the entire perimeter was on full alert by 21:30. That was the most difficult thing of all. 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. Click to View Online Archive. [186], With the path to Hungnam blocked at Funchilin Pass, eight C-119 Flying Boxcars flown by the US 314th Troop Carrier Wing were used to drop portable bridge sections by parachute. See, "The difference between a very serious reverse and a total disaster was a near thing. Unknown year, "Chosin" nickname and "Against All Odds" motto, Unknown year, Battle of Chosin Reservoir Memorial, Veterans Memorial Park (, Unknown year, Chosin Reservoir Campaign Memorial (, 1999, "The March Out Of The Chosin", Oak Ridge Cemetery (. Battle of Chosin Reservoir order of battle is a list of the significant units that fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir between November 27, 1950 and December 13, 1950. [72][73] As night came, three Chinese regiments of the 79th Division attacked the ridges on the north and northwest of Yudam-ni, hoping to annihilate the garrison in one stroke. [36] The lubrication in the guns gelled and rendered them useless in battle. [12] North Korea is divided through the center by the impassable Taebaek Mountains, which separated the UN forces into two groups. } "A man had a desire to prove to himself and his buddies that he could do this. [185] At the same time, the 7th Marines and RCT-31 attacked the bridge from the north, only to encounter defenders who were already frozen in their foxholes. [94] As night approached, 1/7 finally captured the peak and started to march through the hills on the east side of the road. He'd jump out of the jeep, grab his rifle, grab his medical kit, and take off with the marines there, fighting the Chinese to get through the roadblock. [81] Aided by artillery from Hagaru-ri and Marine Corsair fighters, Fox Company managed to hold out for five days while enduring constant attacks by the PVA 59th Division. About 1,400 of the roughly 30,000 who survived the battle remain, and of those 160 are expected in San Diego this week. In this gallery, we share their portraits and personal stories. [213] With the absence of 9th Army the Chinese order of battle in Korea was reduced to 18 infantry divisions by 31 December 1950,[214] as opposed to the 30 infantry divisions present on 16 November 1950. [168][169] Much to the frustration of Song Shilun, the 26th Corps did not arrive before the Marines broke out of Yudam-ni. [219][220], Roy E. Appleman, the author of US Army official history South to Naktong, North to Yalu, writes that both sides could claim victory: the PVA 9th Army ultimately held the battlefield, while XCorps held off the PVA 9th Army in a series of battles that enabled it to withdraw most of its forces as an effective tactical unit. The best thing you remember is the guys you served with. The wind howled. . Initially the 9th Army was intended to be outfitted in Manchuria during November, but Mao suddenly ordered it into Korea before that could happen. We both had weapons, and we were both scared to death. Batteries used for the Jeeps and radios did not function properly in the temperature and quickly ran down. And for them to look at her and just feel sort of like they were going to be okay it was a comfort to them." Accounted-For: This report includes the U.S. personnel who have been accounted for (including POW returnees and POW escapees) and all personnel whose remains have been recovered and identified since the end of the war. I've got a few competitors out there with the same idea." [52] Those units would later take the brunt of the Chinese assaults. Linus Chism, Marines, "We were at the Imjin River. [97], Although the road had been opened between Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri, the convoy still had to fight through the numerous Chinese positions on the hills overlooking the road. Chosin Survivors & - The Washington Post Chosin Survivors & By Michael Kernan December 1, 1984 They compare the retreat from Chosin Reservoir to Bataan, and to Dunkirk, and the Alamo, and. Despite being badly reduced by combat, hunger and frostbite, the PVA 59th Division sent in its last five platoons and refused to yield. At Yudam-ni, the 5th, 7th and 11th Marines were surrounded and attacked by the PVA 79th and 89th Divisions, with the 59th Division attacking the road between Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri to cut off communication. [84] At the same time, the US Eighth Army on the Korean western front was forced into full retreat at the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River, and MacArthur ordered Almond to withdraw the US XCorps to the port of Hungnam. [175], Meanwhile, the 7th Marines opened the road between Hagaru-ri and Koto-ri by capturing the high ground surrounding the road. Watch the opening scene ofThe Battle of Chosin. [39] Smith believed there were large numbers of Chinese forces in North Korea despite the fact that higher headquarters in Tokyo said otherwise,[40] but Almond felt Smith was overly cautious. Director Brian Iglesias Writers Brian Iglesias Anton Sattler See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 3 User reviews