Chosin Reservoir Campaign remembered at the Navy Memorial By Marine Corps Historical Division and Henderson Hall News
Brooke Rowe
Corps Historical Division and Henderson Hall News
(EXCERPT) WASHINGTON (NNS) -- On a blustery Dec. 12, cold enough to
remind those in attendance why they were there, a crowd of 400
gathered at the U.S. Navy Memorial to honor and remember American and
Allied heroes of the epic Chosin Reservoir Campaign of the Korean War
50 years ago. The ceremony, hosted by Secretary of the Navy Richard
Danzig, was one of two national events conducted by the Navy and
Marine Corps to commemorate the campaign as part of the
congressionally authorized 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the
Korean War. The day's events began with a formal, full honors ceremony
at the memorial that was followed by a symposium on the campaign at
the memorial's Naval Heritage Center. Throughout, the focus was on
remembering those who served and honoring their sacrifices by learning
the many lessons of the campaign, a purpose stated by Danzig in his
opening remarks. "We also have an opportunity to learn today from what
happened 50 years ago," Danzig said. "We made strategic assessments
that were overconfident in the wake of a brilliant landing at Inchon.
We positioned ourselves in ways which were strategically unwise... "
Danzig continued, "In the end, whatever deficiencies existed in our
larger plan, in our preparation and our strategic judgments, were more
than compensated for by the amazing courage, the bravery of our
Marines, of our Soldiers, of our Airmen, of our Sailors, of Coast
Guardsmen and Merchant Marine members who fought with us, of our
allies from 21 nations." The Chosin Reservoir Campaign began when Gen.
Douglass MacArthur, in the aftermath of the brilliantly successful
Inchon landing, directed the "X Corps" in the northeast, and the 8th
U.S. Army in the west to advance north towards the Yalu River and the
Manchurian Border in simultaneous, but uncoordinated offensives in
November 1950. X Corps, under the command of Army Maj. Gen. Edward M.
Almond, consisted of the lst Marine Division, the Army's under
strength 7th Infantry Division, and two Republic of Korea Army
Divisions. The lst Marine Division, with elements of the 7th Infantry
Division and the 41 Independent Commando Royal Marines, was ordered to
advance to the Chosin (Changjin) Reservoir along a harrowing
mountainous route, where it was attacked by the 9th Army Group (12
divisions) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Over the weeks
that followed, in brutal, sub-zero winter conditions, the division
would conduct a fighting withdrawal southward to the port city of
Hungnam, bringing all of its wounded and most of its dead and
equipment with it. Along the way, the division and supporting aircraft
from the lst Marine Aircraft Wing and carriers of the Navy's Task
Force 77 would inflict an estimated 37,500 enemy casualties (including
25,000 dead), leaving the 9th Army Group unable to fight again until
the following spring, after it received an estimated 60,000
replacements. Throughout the lst Marine Division's fighting
withdrawal, Marine aircraft and the Air Force's Combat Cargo Command
conducted a critical aerial resupply and medical evacuation. Over
4,000 wounded Marines and Soldiers were evacuated by Air Force
aircraft from the besieged airstrip at Hagaru-ri, near the southern
tip of the reservoir. At Hungnam, while the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry
Division secured the perimeter, the Navy's Task Force 90 -- including
attached merchant ships of the Military Sea Transportation Service
(now the Military Sealift Command) -- conducted one of the largest and
most orderly amphibious withdrawals in history, redeploying 105,000
Allied troops and evacuating close to 100,000 North Korean refugees
who voted with their feet against communism. As Danzig remarked, the
Hungnam operation was "a remarkable achievement of leadership and
orchestration." By Dec. 24, the redeployment and humanitarian
evacuation were complete, and the port destroyed by Navy underwater
demolition teams. In all, 14 Marines (seven posthumously), two Sailors
(one posthumously) and two Soldiers (both posthumously) would receive
the Medal of Honor for their valor during the Chosin Reservoir
Campaign. Among the most moving events of the day came towards the end
of the ceremony, as everyone stood at attention rendering salutes
while the Royal Marine Band played the traditional British honors to
the fallen, "Last Post," followed by "Taps" from a U.S. Marine Bugler.
As the Navy Band played the Navy Hymn, retired Chaplain (Capt.) John
H. Craven, chaplain of the 7th Marines at Chosin, delivered a moving
benediction: "Thank you, Lord, for bringing us home through the snow
and the ice... " For more information about other Korean War
commemorative events, go to
http://www.korea50.army.mil. More information about the U.S. Navy
Memorial can be found at
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Brooke Rowe
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com