The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the 31st RCT at the Chosin Reservoir (Nov. 1950)- Nov. 27th, 2003

Army History Foundation ^ | Matthew J. Seelinger, AHF Research Historian

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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Nightmare at the Chosin Reservoir
Thanksgiving, 1950

When most people think of the Chosin Reservoir, they think about the Marines and Chesty Puller, but there was another unit trapped at the Chosin, the 31st Regimental Combat Team of the US Army 7th Infantry Division, better know as Task Force MaClean. About 3000 American soldiers came. Over 1,000 stayed forever. They fought and died on a 10-mile stretch of frozen, snow-covered dirt road on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir.

This is their story.



In late November 1950, a conclusion to the Korean War appeared to be close at hand. U.S., Republic of Korea (ROK), and various U.N. units had advanced deep into North Korea in an attempt to destroy any remaining North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) units and reunite Korea under one government. Some units had even reached the Yalu River, which separated Korea from Communist China.

But just as U.N. forces launched what was hoped to be the final offensive, hundreds of thousands of Communist Chinese soldiers poured into Korea, overwhelming the U.N. troops and completely changing the nature of the war. Fighting in extreme cold and over rugged terrain, the Americans and their allies were forced to retreat south down the Korean peninsula, suffering heavy casualties along the way.


CCF troops prepare to advance and assault the 31st RCT
They would virtually destroy 1st Btn, 32nd Infantry Regiment

For one U.S. Army unit, the intervention of Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) resulted in absolute disaster. The 31st Regimental Combat Team, better known as Task Force MacLean (later known as Task Force Faith), comprised of elements of the 7th Infantry Division, was virtually annihilated east of the Chosin Reservoir. The experiences of the American soldiers who fought and died in the frigid cold of the Chosin area proved to be some of the most harrowing and tragic in the history of the U.S. Army.

In late November 1950, Task Force MacLean and the rest of the 7th Infantry Division were part of the U.S. Army’s X Corps, under the command of MG Edward M. Almond. X Corps had been steadily advancing up the eastern side of the Korean peninsula and was pressing on towards the Yalu.

On 24 November, the Eighth Army, under the command of LTG Walton H. Walker, which had been advancing north along the western side of Korea, went on the offensive. GEN Douglas MacArthur, commander of all U.N. forces in Korea, hoped this offensive would finally end the war, hopefully by Christmas. Yet, MacArthur and many on his staff were soon to make one of the worst military intelligence blunders in U.S. Army history. Ignoring reports of contact with CCF troops, MacArthur ordered the Eighth Army and X Corps to push on to the Yalu.


Colonels MacClean and Faith

On the night of 25 November, one day after Eighth Army began its offensive, the CCF struck Eighth Army with massive numbers of troops. Thousands of Chinese soldiers, armed with burp guns and grenades, with bugles blaring, swarmed the American positions. Several American units were overrun and destroyed. The CCF onslaught took MacArthur and the U.N. forces completely by surprise and almost instantly changed the tide of the war. Soon, Eighth Army was in full headlong retreat southward.

Despite the CCF attack, the X Corps offensive scheduled for 27 November proceeded according to plan. The offensive called for the corps to strike west towards Mupyong, northeast of Kunu in the CCF rear, cut the Chinese supply lines, and possibly envelop the CCF in front of Eighth Army. The attack would be spearheaded by the 1st Marine Division, under the command of MG O.P. Smith, which would advance up the west side of the Chosin Reservoir, with the 7th Infantry Division (led by Task Force MacLean) along the east side of Chosin and the 3rd Infantry Division guarding the Marines’ flanks.


CCF 79th or 80th Division troops in assault on 1st Btn 32nd Infantry Regiment

Task Force MacLean, under the command of COL Allan D. “Mac” MacLean, commander of the 31st Infantry Regiment, had been formed in mid-November to relieve elements of the 1st Marine Division east of the Chosin Reservoir. MacLean, a 1930 graduate of West Point, had served as a staff officer in the European Theater during World War II. After the war, he commanded the 32nd Infantry in Japan. Later assigned to Eighth Army’s G-3 section, MacLean served as Walker’s personal “eyes and ears” during the early days of the Korean War. In early November1950, he eagerly accepted command of the 31st Infantry, a unit he had served with in the Philippines early in his career.

Task Force MacLean consisted of the following units: the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 31st Infantry (2/31 and 3/31); the 31st Tank Company; the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry (1/32), under the command of LTC Don C. Faith; the 57th Field Artillery Battalion, equipped with 105mm howitzers; and a platoon of eight antiaircraft vehicles (M19s with dual 40mm cannon and M16 quad-.50 halftracks) from D Battery, 15th Antiaircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion. In all, Task Force MacLean numbered about 3,200 men, including 700 ROK soldiers.



On 25 and 26 November, the lead elements of Task Force MacLean, Faith’s 1/32 Infantry, relieved the 5th Marines, which redeployed to join the rest of the 1st Marine Division along the west side of Chosin. However, due to delays with the rest of the task force’s redeployment, the 1/32, which occupied the 5th Marines forwardmost positions, stood alone without artillery support for a full day.

Don Faith, commander of the 1/32 Infantry, was considered one of the most promising officers in the Army. The son of a retired brigadier general, he had been handpicked from the Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning by then MG Matthew B. Ridgway to serve as his aide-de-camp. He served with Ridgway throughout Europe and jumped with the 82nd Airborne Division on D-Day. In battle, Faith was considered a virtual clone of Ridgway: intense, fearless, aggressive, and unforgiving of error or caution.



Most of the remaining units that comprised Task Force MacLean arrived on the east side of Chosin on 27 November. MacLean was among the first to arrive and immediately jeeped forward to confer with Faith. He confirmed with Faith that the task force would attack north the following day with whatever forces were on hand and that the 1/32 would spearhead the attack.

MacLean positioned forces north to south in their approximate order of arrival: 1/32 Infantry; MacLean’s forward command post (CP); the 31st Heavy Mortar Company; the 3/31 Infantry; A and B Batteries of the 57th FAB; the 57th FAB CP and the eight A/A vehicles; and finally, the 31st Infantry’s headquarters, located in a schoolhouse in the village of Hudong, and the twenty-two tanks of the 31st Tank Company. C Battery, 57th FAB, and the 2/31 Infantry were lagging behind and had not yet left the Pungsan area.

Late in the day MacLean ordered the 31st’s Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon to scout enemy positions. The platoon was ambushed in the hills around Chosin by CCF troops and every soldier was either killed or captured.


The entire area of the battle, photographed 11/1/50

That night, MacLean laid out his final plans for the next day’s attack with the 7th ID assistant division commander, BG Hank Hodes. He then went forward to finalize them with Faith.

While MacLean and Faith remained confident, Task Force MacLean already faced serious problems. In addition to the disappearance of the I&R Platoon, communications between the scattered units were poor at best. There was no time to lay landlines and radio communications were virtually nonexistent. Furthermore, the task force was not in radio contact with the 7th ID HQ at Pungsan or the Marines in Hagaru-ri. The scattered units of Task Force MacLean were dangerously isolated, not only from the rest of the 7th ID and the Marines, but also from each other.

Also, unbeknownst to the Marines and Task Force MacLean, massive numbers of CCF troops were preparing to attack the dispersed units of X Corps on the night of the 27th. Three CCF divisions (59th, 79th, and 89th) were to hit the Marines at Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri, along with the 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, and farther south. One division (80th) would attack Task Force MacLean.

On 27 November, the X Corps offensive began with the 5th and 7th Marines attacking from Yudam-ni along the west side of Chosin. In light of the rugged terrain, bitterly cold weather, logistical problems, and the situation facing Eighth Army, the X Corps offensive, in the words of one historian, “ranks as the most ill-advised and unfortunate operation of the Korean War.” The Marines, reluctant to carry out the attack in the first place, advanced only 1,500 yards before they met stiff CCF resistance and suffered heavy casualties.



Later after dark, in zero-degree weather, the CCF divisions struck. Two divisions hit the 5th and 7th Marines frontally while a third cut the road between Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri. Elements of another division also struck the 7th Infantry. The situation quickly became desperate for the American forces around Chosin.

East of the Chosin Reservoir, the situation was just as chaotic. During the early evening hours, the CCF 80th Division encircled the unsuspecting units of Task Force MacLean. At about 2200, the division attacked out of the darkness, with CCF soldiers blowing bugles and screaming wildly. The isolated units, cut off from each other, fought for their lives.

Faith’s 1/32 Infantry was hit first along the noth side of its perimeter. Marine CPT Edward P. Stamford, a forward air controller assigned to the task force, took command of A Company after its commander was killed and also called in Marine air strikes. While Marine aircraft and the troops of the 1/32 inflicted heavy casualties on the CCF troops, the battalion suffered over one hundred casualties.


Elements of the CCF 9th Army are part of the 100,000 Foot Infantry Moving Towards Chosin

Several miles south, the situation was similar. The CCF struck the 3/31 Infantry and two batteries of the 57th FAB, overrunning much of their perimeter. Most of the senior officers were killed or wounded. The battle raged on through the night, with the CCF finally withdrawing at dawn for fear of American air attacks. Like the 1/32, the 3/31 and 57th FAB suffered heavy casualties and one of the A/A vehicles was destroyed. Furthermore, the 31st’s medical company was wiped out. Back at the 31st’s rear CP in Hudong, BG Hodes heard heavy gunfire to the north and immediately ascertained something was wrong. He quickly ordered CPT Robert E. Drake to take two platoons of the 31st Tank Company forward to the 3/31 and 1/32 perimeters. Drake’s rescue column, however, soon ran into trouble. Some tanks skidded out of control on the icy road, while others became hopelessly stuck in mud. The column was then attacked by CCF troops with captured American bazookas. Two tanks were knocked out and a wild fight ensued as Chinese swarmed the tanks and attempted to open the hatches. Two more tanks become mired and had to be abandoned. Drake ordered his remaining twelve tanks back to Hudong. Once the tanks returned, Hodes quickly realized Task Force MacLean was in serious trouble. He borrowed one of the tanks and rode to Hagaru-ri to get help.

[snippy_about_it]

Good Morning from America Matt. The pictures do speak for themselves!!!

[Darksheare]

No, but I did spend a few weeks undercover as a mailbox.

[snippy_about_it]

:)

[Darksheare]

Not sure, but China likes to have a hand in every kettle and play everything against the middle.
And then some.

The Falun Gong are outlawed in China as a Counter-revolutionary political group and are persecuted as a religion.
A group of them went to Deerpark NY and built a monastary style compound.
Now mind you, Deerpark NY is as far from the beaten path as one can get around here. Especially where this monastary sits.
(It resembles a Buddhist temple I am told.)
Well, these Chinese gov thugs drive in their Diplomatic plate car all the way from the city out to Deerpark.
Their cover story was that they were 'sight seeing'.
ALL the locals hear that and said "B.S.!!"
This was roughly a year ago, and the local Communist Rag known as The Times-Herald Record covered it.
The Police chief, Tufano I think his name is, honestly was angry about the Falun Gong calling the police to remove these Chinese Secret Police thugs from private property where they were trespassing.
The thugs were taking pictures of the buildings, the layout, the people (To ID them and arrest any family members still in China) and anything else of value.
Tufano refused to arrest the spying thugs, even though they were cleary trespassing, and merely escorted them to the main road where they were 'released'.
The Falun Gong called the FBI, the FBI wanted to know where he thugs were.
Tufano defended his actions.
No more has been heard about it since.

As an aside- during Clinton's Stain in office, a Chinese delegation asked for, and received from Bubba himself, permission to wander through Picatinney Arsenal's R&D areas.
Picatinney Aresenal was given no warning that these spies were coming until they were at the gate.
They had no time to cover sensitive items.
They got a phonecall telling them to give these Chinese spies FULL ACCESS to everything.
Quite a few people there are still P.O'd about it.

[Darksheare]

*chuckle*

[Darksheare]

The fly-by-wire control suite from the F-16 was sold to China thanks to Clinton.
How much you wanna bet that if we could open that bird up and look inside it we'd see a near perfect copy of the F-16's control system?

[Darksheare]

I left about three crumbs for the mice.
/ joke.
No, I left more than that.
Had a bit of a late night, the turkey wasn't done until about 7:30 my time, so we didn't REALLy start until about 8 ish..

[SAMWolf]

Yep! Those look like the pictures my dad has. Wait forever and then you had to buy what that had available no matter what it was. The only places that had anything were American Hotels and "Party Member Stores"

[Iris7]

This is the best telling I know of the 31st RCT action at the Chosin. I have talked old soldier talk with Chosin men, marines, and it was very hard. The cold weather was very cold indeed, 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit with winds gusting over thirty miles per hour. There was no shelter of any sort.

To keep the Chinese away from the wounded - only the seriously wounded rode in the trucks available, fuel was very short - and to keep the Chinese from building heavily dug in roadblocks on the only road to the Sea (going cross country would have meant abandoning the wounded), while being outnumbered many times by very brave Chinese intent on killing them all, was the job at hand. The hill tops had to be held to keep the Chinese from mortaring the retreat. The large Chinese manuever elements attempting to cut off the retreat had to be broken up. It took suicidal determination to get the job done. Good sleeping bags and enough ammunition (close, though), and good air strikes helped.

Talked with an old Gunny who got the Cross there over drinks once, he told me over and over again about cowardly officers who would not do their duty. So he did it for them. He felt more than half screwed to death, too. Well, that is a common feeling. Seeing your duty and doing it properly is beyond so many so much of the time even when they aren't likely to be killed. It gets worse when something really has to be done, and "there is no likelyhood of survival," as Commander Evans put it when he ordered the escorts of Taffy 3 to attack a Japanese battle group with, as I remember, four battleships and eight cruisers and numerous destroyers. Evans had two destroyers and two destroyer escorts. Evans was killed. Posthumous Medal of Honor. Look up "the battle off Samar", during the Leyte Gulf battle. Sam and Snippy have written that one up well here in the Foxhole.

[Iris7]

"...we may not always be 100 percent happy with some of his policies but he is a sincere and good man and we are blessed to have him as President."

I watch everything as closely as I can. About a year ago what President Bush was doing and had done became outstandingly clear in my mind. Ever since then I can see so clearly it is as if I can read his mind. I can read his mind because he has made himself completely open for others to see him as he is inside if you will get beyond the beam in your own eye. This beam in my own eye took some time and doing to see around, let me tell you!! Keep thinking I've got the bugger out of there, and keep finding out after strutting around a bit that it is still in there, big as life and twice as ugly!!

Mr. Bush cannot work miracles. What he does, while being totally open to others at all times, is the deepest sort of statecraft, where every action has carefully considered ramifications. This sort of wisdom is only possible for a man deeply graced by God.

An example is the Medicaid drug benifit law just passed. Old Ted Kennedy towards the end saw what was happening, and said "Stop!! Stop!!" after he had backed it for so long. This has been a most elegant stroke. The Left don't even realize how they are being lead around by the nose.

I would take more time than I have to explain what I am saying to the satisfaction of all, bunches of history, legislative, marketing, internal Left line setting, lots more. Lots of threads to pull together. But I can see it in outline. We are in the presence of a true master.

I think we may have today a President more perfect than ever we have ever had before, and I include George Washington. God's Grace has given us sinners another chance. A miracle has happened.

[snippy_about_it]

Keep thinking I've got the bugger out of there, and keep finding out after strutting around a bit that it is still in there, big as life and twice as ugly!!

Hey Iris7, I've got one of those too. If we don't remove the beam the Lord will slap us upside the head with it!

I believe we have been given a chance and it's a chance to rise up against evil. We are doing it though it seems slow going. I think the people are rising and if you look hard enough you can see it.

As discussed on earlier, our troops are being treated differently now by America's citizens. Is that because of the press? The politicians? Nope, it's because the people are waking up and the old folks like us are making sure the word gets out that things have to change. We can no longer sit idly by and let evil advance with a free hand.

I think there are signs though not perfect or as strong as I'd like I see the right gaining and we just have to keep up the fight.

Now if we could move ahead on protecting our borders, ending immigration from third world enemy countries and exporting jobs while we import workers we might gain something at home. If we don't it will, imo, come down to the street level and will have to be fought there.

On a personal note Iris7, it's so good to see you at Foxhole!

[SAMWolf]

Over confidence put the troops in a dangerous position and once again the guy on the ground paid for it. That anyone got out of the Chosin was nothing short of a minor miracle.

It proves the determination of the men of the US armed forces. IMHO, the start of politcal decisions to not win started in Korea.