The fighting around Chosin Reservoir lasted from November 26 to December 11, 1950.
North Korea 1950- 1st Marine Division- Chosin Reservoir: After having forced the invading North Korean forces out of South Korea, the 1st Marine Division was merciless attacked by invading Chinese Forces. Forced to with drawl 65 miles to the south in -40 degree blowing snow, a trip that took many days, they were repeatedly attack. This is their story as told in a ballad written by Frank G. Gross, USMC Chosin Reservoir survivor.
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Wild Thing’s comment……..
We will never forget!!
….Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Task Force Faith, 7th Infantry Division.
After the liberation of Seoul, the division was put back on ships and taken to the eastern side of the Korean peninsula and put ashore at Wonsan. As part of X Corps commanded by Army Major General Edward Almond the division was ordered to push north towards the Yalu River as fast as possible. The then commanding officer of the division, Major General O.P. Smith, did not agree with his superiors and had become convinced that they were stretched thin and that the Chinese Forces had entered the war. He purposely slowed his advance and consolidated along the way at every opportunity. The 1st Marine Division was attacked by seven Chinese divisions on November 27, 1950. They fought their way out of the Chosin Reservoir against seven Communist Chinese divisions suffering over 900 killed and missing, over 3,500 wounded and more than 6,500 non-battle casualties mostly from frostbite during the battle. The greater part of the Chinese 9th Army was rendered ineffective as they suffered an estimated 37,500 casualties trying to stop the Marines’ march out of the “Frozen Chosin”.
“I’m going to fight my way out, I’m going to take all my equipment and all my wounded and as many dead as I can. If we can’t get out this way, this Division will never fight as a unit again.”
—MajGen Oliver P. Smith, CG, lstMarDiv, Korea, 1950, to LtGen Ned Almond, USA, X Corps, who suggested Smith’s division escape the Chosin Reservoir by letting “every man go out on foot by himself.”
Tom and Mark, thank you both soooooo much.