Rangers in Korea by Robert W. Black

Author:Robert W. Black [Black, Robert W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-76155-2
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2010-12-28T16:00:00+00:00

The morning report closed with the words, “Weather fair, morale high.” The action known as “the 299 Turkey Shoot” was history.

Chapter 14

On 21 April 1951 United Nations positions were anchored in the west at Munsan, below the 38th parallel. Proceeding east, they followed the course of the Imjin River, then traced northeast to Yonchon and continued east above Hwachon to Taep’ori.

The goal of the Eighth Army was to seize the “Iron Triangle,” an area formed with Chorwon and Kumhwa at its base and Pyonygang at the apex. The Iron Triangle contained key road junctions that made it important to both sides. While the Eighth Army advance drove forward, there was caution; prisoners and increased activity behind the line gave the indication that the enemy was preparing his long expected Fifth Phase Offensive.

In I Corps the 24th Infantry Division had continued in the attack, with armored patrols from the 6th Medium Tank Battalion striking northward toward Kumwha while the 19th and 21st regiments secured objectives along line “Utah.”1 On April 20 the 5th Regimental Combat Team relieved the 21st Regiment on line, and the 21st Regiment then moved to reserve positions along line “Kansas,” an Eighth Army designation for a stretch of defensive terrain above the 38th parallel.

On April 21 the 5th and 19th regiments advanced one to two thousand meters. Up to two thousand meters in front of them, the 8th Rangers were operating and finding good hunting. Two enemy patrols were ambushed and twelve enemy were killed without a Ranger loss.

The Rangers often worked by the eight-million candlepower beams of American carbon-arc searchlights. Mounted on two 1/2-ton trucks, these powerful lights would send out their beams from positions deep behind friendly lines. Their great light would be reflected from low hanging clouds or high hills. The light was helpful to the line infantry in illuminating the ground to there front, but to the Rangers the light could present a danger. On some patrols, Rangers moving under cover of darkness were suddenly exposed to Chinese view when the searchlights came on.

On April 22 a prisoner revealed the Chinese would attack at dark In late afternoon Chinese artillery and mortars began preparatory fire whose heavy volume was itself indicative of something big brewing. With the coming of night, tension increased along the line. Men gripped their rifles and peered anxiously north A radiant moon crept stealthily higher, providing excellent visibility for the approximately 350,000 North Korean and Chinese troops that awaited the order to attack.

Not everyone was coming south. Two platoon-size combat patrols were scheduled for the 8th Rangers. One patrol was to pass through 19th Infantry lines in the east, while the other would cross through the 5th Infantry on the west, along the right flank of the 25th Division.

Lt. Berk Strong’s 3rd platoon made last minute checks, then began to file northward, passing through the forward line of foxholes. The movement was interrupted by the sound of a vehicle horn and flashing lights as a jeep swept into the forward positions.

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