CHOSIN RESERVOIR - Saga of Epic Heroism

VFW Magazine ^ | Unknown | B. Gordon Wheeler

[SAMWolf]

BATTLE CASUALTIES

7th Infantry Division

Killed in Action 2,657

Wounded in Action 354

1st Marine Division

Killed in Action 718

Missing in Action 192

Wounded in Action 3,508

Note: The Marines also suffered 7,313 losses to frostbite and indigestion ailments.

Battlefield Valor

Thirteen Americans earned the Medal of Honor in and around Chosin (Toktong Pass, Koto-Ri, Yudam-ni, Hagaru-ri):

Marine Capt. William E. Barber

Marine Pfc. William B. Baugh*

Marine Pvt. Hector A. Cafferata, Jr.

Marine Lt. Col. Raymond G. Davis

Army Lt. Col. Don C. Faith, Jr.*

Navy Lt. Thomas J. Hudner

Marine Sgt. James E. Johnson*

Marine Staff Sgt. Robert S. Kennemore

Marine 1st Lt. Frank N. Mitchell*

Marine Maj. Reginald R. Myers

Army Lt. Col. John U.D. Page*

Marine Capt. Carl L. Sitter

Marine Staff Sgt. William G. Windrich*

* Posthumous

[SAMWolf]

My Thnaks to SpookBrat for the research and idea for this thread.

[MoJo2001]

Great idea, SpookBrat!! I hope the both of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I'm over here freezing, but hey..that's life, huh? LOL!! Hope you both have a great day!

[2timothy3.16]

My DI way back in the early 60's told us aobut Korea, good read, thanks.

[SpookBrat]

You flatter me. LOL You did all the work. I just thought it was an important story worth remembering and learning about.

[SpookBrat]

It's FREEZING here too, but I hate to complain. It's Florida for God sake...I can't believe how cold it is.

[SAMWolf]

I hope you enjoyed your Thansgiving MoJo.

[SAMWolf]

No I'm not, you gave me enough material to work with.

[MoJo2001]

Freezing weather..GO AWAY! COME BACK SOME OTHER DAY! (Not sure when I'd want ya to come back, but stay away..LOL)!! Florida is cold? Well, it's time for me to move to Tahiti. I know it's not cold there!! LOL!

[MoJo2001]

I sure did! I ate a lot! I watched the most boring football game known to man. I helped my neighbor's relatives read the road sign that seemed a bit confusing like: NO PARKING ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET! Not sure what was so stressful. Perhaps, it was the "NO" at the beginning! LOL!

[pgobrien]

Timely post.....an often overlooked conflict, Korea.....1st of our "Police" actions and 1st of our defeats.....but not for lack of courage.

[logos]

I once knew a man who had faced the advancing Chinese Red Army in Korea. He claimed that during one battle which lasted from shortly after sundown to about sunrise he "melted out" two barrels on his .50 cal mg, and was well on the way to doing the same to the third when the sun came up and the battle stopped. Later, when I watched him on the mg range and he excised the target lines from his target at 500 yards, I figured he just might have been telling the truth. That .50 was like an extended pointing finger to him. Never saw anything like it, before or since.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Never forget. I tell the students in my classrooms about the Chosin Reservoir Battle every year (and I don't teach History). Incredible bravery...

[FLAUSA]

Thanks so much for posting this. One of the things that I'm thankful for this
Thanksgiving is the bravery of the common American. It is our greatest strength, both then and now.

[SpookBrat]

"Timely post.....an often overlooked conflict, Korea.....1st of our "Police" actions and 1st of our defeats.....but not for lack of courage.

Bump! Thank you.

[SpookBrat]

*Ping*

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks !

[joesnuffy]

"But for the courageous men of Chosin, and in the proud history of the U.S. Marine Corps, it is remembered, rightfully so, as a victory—a saga of heroism and suffering written by an extraordinarily tenacious, superbly disciplined combat division."

Chosin vets echo those sentiments. Says Trueblood: "South Korea wouldn’t have lived in freedom for 50 years if we hadn’t gone there." Reeves, a quadruple amputee from his wounds sustained at Chosin, believes every battle in Korea was a significant victory. "When I was over there for the Olympics [1988] and saw how far they had come, and had people come out onto the street to thank an American vet in a wheelchair, it was worth it," he says. "If I had to do it all over again, yes, I would."

Hopefully all Americans will remember these men...and what they did there... And not let the VA be defunded or medical care for combat vets be cut or allowed to wither away to substandard levels...By any President regardless of his political party affiliations.

[johnny7]

The frozen chosen of the Chosin. I remember reading about Capt. William Barber... company commander I believe.

Held a hilltop for a extended period of time so that the Marines could continue their fighting retreat.

Task-force Drysdale comes to mind... cut to shreds.

MacArthur made only 2 major blunders in his career. His lack of education about airpower in 1941 and his underestimation of the Chinee in Korea.

The Marines did not panic and stayed a cohesive, fighting force. God bless them!