Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2011 18:28:16 GMT -5
A few days ago I finished reading a book on my Kindle. The title is “The Last Stand of Fox Company.”
I have read a great deal about the Korean War, especially the battle fought around Chosin Reservoir by the United States Marines. It was there, in late November 1950 that about 12,000 Marines, strung out along a 40-mile stretch of mountainous terrain, were attacked for all side by about 100,000 Chinese “volunteers” who had slipped across the Yalu River undetected.
The head of the Marine column was at Yudam-ni, at the reservoir. The other major Marine enclave was 14 miles away at Hagaru-ri. They were separated by a winding a winding dirt road. Midway between the two Marine groups, the road passed through 4,500-foot Taktong Pass. On the night of November 27, 1950 approximately 240 men of Fox Company, 2nd battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, established a defensive position at Taktong Pass. That very night the Chinese attacked all along the road, throwing human wave assaults at the Marines, including the men of Fox Company.
The initial attacks were beaten back. The Marines and Chinese both suffered heavy losses, both from the battle and from the 25 below zero F temperatures. On Fox Hill the ground was frozen too solid to dig defensive positions. The Marines stacked the bodies of dead Chinese (and their own men) for protection.
It immediately became clear the Marine force at Yudam-ni would need to withdraw and join up with the force at Hagaru-ri if the groups were to survive. It would take five days to prepare for that move, fighting off Chinese attacks all the time. It was imperative that Taktong Pass be held. If it fell the consolidation would not take place and the greatly outnumbered-Marines would be chopped piecemeal as they ran out of supplies.
For five days the men on Fox Hill beat off the Chinese attacks and held the pass. On Dec. 2 the column from Yudam-ni fought its way to the pass, relieved Fox Company and the entire force moved on to Hagaru-ri. A Marine general told the press, “We aren’t retreating. We’re just attacking in another direction.”
Anyway, by the time Fox Company was relieved, only 60 of the 240 men were still in fighting condition. Unbelievably, when the consolidated force marched out of Hagaru-ri a few days later, to fight its way to the coast, Fox Company was again placed in the forefront. By the time they reached the evacuation point at Wonsan, less that 40 Fox Company men were fit for duty. Three members of Fox Company received the Congressional Medal of Honor. One of the men honored was in his sleeping bag when the first attack came and almost single-handedly drove back the Chinese-fighting five hours barefoot in 25 below zero temps temps.
At the end of the book was a list of the members of Fox Company. Among the names was one that sounded familiar.
When I was the editor of the local daily newspaper I had an assistant—a wonderful woman, mother of eight. At some point she mentioned to me that her husband, had been in the Marines and was at Chosin Reservoir. I once mention it to her spouse and all he said about that time was that it was “really cold” (he was 19 at the time). When I saw the name in the book I wondered of it might be the same man I had met. I sent his wife an Email. She responded that indeed, her husband was a member of Fox Company at Toktong Pass!
I am currently trying to get together with her husband to talk further about his experience. I told him I don’t want to write anything about it. It would just be a honor to shake his hand and hope some of his luck rubs off on me.
Wayne
I have read a great deal about the Korean War, especially the battle fought around Chosin Reservoir by the United States Marines. It was there, in late November 1950 that about 12,000 Marines, strung out along a 40-mile stretch of mountainous terrain, were attacked for all side by about 100,000 Chinese “volunteers” who had slipped across the Yalu River undetected.
The head of the Marine column was at Yudam-ni, at the reservoir. The other major Marine enclave was 14 miles away at Hagaru-ri. They were separated by a winding a winding dirt road. Midway between the two Marine groups, the road passed through 4,500-foot Taktong Pass. On the night of November 27, 1950 approximately 240 men of Fox Company, 2nd battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, established a defensive position at Taktong Pass. That very night the Chinese attacked all along the road, throwing human wave assaults at the Marines, including the men of Fox Company.
The initial attacks were beaten back. The Marines and Chinese both suffered heavy losses, both from the battle and from the 25 below zero F temperatures. On Fox Hill the ground was frozen too solid to dig defensive positions. The Marines stacked the bodies of dead Chinese (and their own men) for protection.
It immediately became clear the Marine force at Yudam-ni would need to withdraw and join up with the force at Hagaru-ri if the groups were to survive. It would take five days to prepare for that move, fighting off Chinese attacks all the time. It was imperative that Taktong Pass be held. If it fell the consolidation would not take place and the greatly outnumbered-Marines would be chopped piecemeal as they ran out of supplies.
For five days the men on Fox Hill beat off the Chinese attacks and held the pass. On Dec. 2 the column from Yudam-ni fought its way to the pass, relieved Fox Company and the entire force moved on to Hagaru-ri. A Marine general told the press, “We aren’t retreating. We’re just attacking in another direction.”
Anyway, by the time Fox Company was relieved, only 60 of the 240 men were still in fighting condition. Unbelievably, when the consolidated force marched out of Hagaru-ri a few days later, to fight its way to the coast, Fox Company was again placed in the forefront. By the time they reached the evacuation point at Wonsan, less that 40 Fox Company men were fit for duty. Three members of Fox Company received the Congressional Medal of Honor. One of the men honored was in his sleeping bag when the first attack came and almost single-handedly drove back the Chinese-fighting five hours barefoot in 25 below zero temps temps.
At the end of the book was a list of the members of Fox Company. Among the names was one that sounded familiar.
When I was the editor of the local daily newspaper I had an assistant—a wonderful woman, mother of eight. At some point she mentioned to me that her husband, had been in the Marines and was at Chosin Reservoir. I once mention it to her spouse and all he said about that time was that it was “really cold” (he was 19 at the time). When I saw the name in the book I wondered of it might be the same man I had met. I sent his wife an Email. She responded that indeed, her husband was a member of Fox Company at Toktong Pass!
I am currently trying to get together with her husband to talk further about his experience. I told him I don’t want to write anything about it. It would just be a honor to shake his hand and hope some of his luck rubs off on me.
Wayne
