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12. TASK FORCE GERHART
- The University Press of Kentucky
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TASK FORCE GERHART On 19 May 1951, as the 2d Infantry Division took up positions on a new defensive line in the Han’gye area, enemy pressure lessened. The Chinese commander, General Peng Dehuai, had ordered a rapid withdrawal because of heavy losses to his main attack forces in the X Corps’s sector. Sensing that the enemy was off-balance, General Van Fleet ordered counterattacks to begin on 20 May in the U.S. I and IX Corps areas. As it became apparent that enemy forces were withdrawing, the UN counterattacks soon spread to the X Corps area. A combat historian, 1st Lt. John Mewha, completed a detailed study of one of the actions in X Corps, a successful armor exploitation, and describes the situation. During 16–23 May 1951, the Communist forces had hurled division after division at the United Nations lines in the X Corps sector , forcing the 5th and 7th ROK Divisions to disintegrate. The 2d U.S. Infantry Division, although badly mauled, was able to fight a stubborn withdrawing action, enabling the Eighth U.S. Army to send reinforcements to bolster the retreating ROKs and the 2d Division . The 187th Regimental Combat Team was attached to the 2d U.S. Infantry Division, and the 3d U.S. Infantry Division was moved from I Corps to X Corps to support the 5th and 7th ROK Divisions. Realizing the Communist forces had expended most of their energy in their forward advance, Lt. Gen. Edward A. Almond, commanding general, U.S. X Corps, ordered the United Nations forces under his command to take the initiative against the enemy.1 Chapter 12 Company B, 72d Tank Battalion, 24 May 1951 298 PASSING THE TEST On 23 May, the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (ARCT) attacked north and gained four miles. Seeking to achieve a breakthrough and seize critical crossings of the Soyang River, Almond ordered an armored-infantry task force to attack up the main Hongch’on–Han’gye–Puch’aedol–Chuan-ni–Umyang-niKwandae -ri –Inje road (Route 24) the next day. The task force was to retake the same road over which Company C, 72d Tank Battalion , had battled the renewed Chinese offensive little more than a week before (see chapter 10). Lt. Mewha describes the mission of the task force. On 24 May, at 0900, the 2d U.S. Infantry Division was ordered to organize and form a task force consisting of not less than two tank companies, one infantry battalion, and engineer elements. This task force was to form in the vicinity of Han’gye, [and] at 1200 the same day (24 May 1951) was to advance up the Han’gye– Umyang-ni axis to seize the high ground overlooking the Soyang River. The 1st U.S. Marine Division, utilizing one regiment, was to be prepared to follow the 2d U.S. Infantry Division task force at 1500 hours, 24 May 1951, with the mission of seizing the high ground . . . [Hill 452, west of the Soyang River] and exploiting to the north and northwest thereof. The 23d Infantry was to assemble in the vicinity of Han’gye and was to be prepared to exploit along the Umyang-ni–Inje [Route 24] or Umyang-ni–Yanggu [Route 92] axis.2 The 72d Tank Battalion was to play a key role. Officers of the unit describe the initial alert and the formation of the task force. Maj. (then captain) William E. Ross, commander, Company B: On the morning of 23 May 1951, Company B, 72d Tank Battalion, was south of the pass below Han’gye after transferring the 3d Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment, to Hongch’on. At 1000, a runner from G-3, 2d Infantry Division, gave Capt. (now Maj.) William E. Ross a message stating that the company was to attack with Company A, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, at 1300 hours on the same day. The runner said that he had been trying to contact Company B since 0800 hours. Ross immediately reported to Col. William Gerhardt [Col. George H. Gerhart],3 the executive officer, 187th Abn RCT, at [54.81.33.119] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 12:26 GMT) Pu k h a n R S E A O F J A P A N Soyang R HWACH’ON RES Pukhan R Hongch’on R I m j i n R Hant’an R Ha n R Yongp’yong R H a n R Som R Han R Naech’on R...