Passing the Test: Combat in Korea, April-June 1951

5. ARTILLERY IN PERIMETER DEFENSE

ARTILLERY IN PERIMETER DEFENSE The Chinese attack that collapsed the ROK 6th Division exposed the flank of the U.S. 1st Marine Division. Several artillery units had moved forward to support the South Koreans and were caught in the enemy onslaught. The battalion commander of the 92d Armored Field Artillery Battalion, Lt. Col. Leon F. Lavoie, describes the situation in his interview with the combat historian 1st Lieutenant Martin Blumenson.1 On 20 April 1951 the 213th Armored Field Artillery Battalion and the 2d Rocket Field Artillery Battery were attached to the 92d Armored Field Artillery Battalion north of Kap’yong. These units moved to positions north of Ch’unch’on and deployed on the east– west road along the unnamed tributary of the Pukhan River. During the period 20–22 April, the Chinese attacked. Enemy forces partially overran the 987th [Armored] Field Artillery Battalion [105mm howitzers, self-propelled], which lost some of its equipment . Enemy troops completely overran the 2d Rocket Field Artillery Battery, which lost all of its equipment.2 The 92d Armored Field Artillery Battalion remained in position through 23 April, when Brig. Gen. William N. Gillmore, the commanding general of the IX Corps Artillery, ordered the 92d to displace south to the Chich’onni area. It was known that the ROK 6th Division had disintegrated and that a serious enemy penetration of friendly lines had been made.3 Capt. Wayne D. Hopkins, battery commander, 2d Rocket Field Artillery Battery, which was equipped with 105mm howitzers as Chapter 5 92d Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 22–24 April 1951 89 ARTILLERY IN PERIMETER DEFENSE well as 4.5-inch rocket launchers, provided additional information about the artillery unit’s losses. On the 22d of April in the morning, we moved up to position [about six miles northwest of Tan’gam-ni]. The 2d Rocket Battery arrived there about 1200 hours and went into position and started firing at about 1300 hours. Large groups of enemy were sighted P u k h a n R i v e r 454 200 Tan’gam-ni Tokch’on Chich’on-ni Wonch’on-ni Todun-ni Hwach’on Inp’ung-ni Ch’unch’on MILES 0 2 1 Area of operations, 92d Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 22–24 April 1951. (Original map by author, based on map in Army Map Service series L751.) 90 PASSING THE TEST about 8,000 yards to the front by air OP and taken under fire. We fired continuously until practically all ammo in the battery was expended, except for about 200 rounds. About 1730 hours one of my forward observers was attacked by two platoons of CCF 3,000 yards behind the front lines. The enemy had infiltrated around the right flank of the 2d ROK Regiment, succeeding in disrupting their communications and allowing the enemy to make a penetration in the center of the 6th ROK [Division] sector. A battery of the 27th ROK FA Bn [field artillery battalion] was overrun shortly thereafter , this battery being in position 2,000 yards forward from my own position. A company of the 2d Chemical Mortar Battalion [Company C] was also overrun, and personnel from these two units began to come back through my position on foot. About 2030 hours I gave close station march order and decided to displace to the rear about 3,000 yards to a place roughly in the vicinity of the 987th AFA [Armored Field Artillery] Bn. Just prior to pulling out from our position . . . the enemy was in close proximity, about 600 to 1,000 yards away, and firing small arms and machine guns. Upon displacing to the rear and reaching the position of the 987th AFA Bn, I found that they had closed station, march ordered, and pulled out. I decided to move on and displace to the rear to the vicinity of the 92d AFA Bn. Upon proceeding down the road about one mile farther, I found the road blocked by vehicles of the 987th AFA Bn. The road had caved in, blocking the exit of all vehicles behind it. Higher headquarters (92d AFA) was notified of the situation . I sent about twenty men from my battery to help repair the road and help the 987th get their vehicles out. The effort was unsuccessful . I pulled my battery off the road into a small clearing about 75 × 75 yards in size. I had four of...