On Hallowed Ground: The Last Battle for Pork Chop Hill (review)

The last battles for Pork Chop Hill absorbed the attention of American soldiers in the U.S. 7th Infantry Division from March 1953 until the outpost's evacuation in early July. This Korean War history chronicles the heroic, yet futile, effort to prevent the "Chop" from falling into Communist Chinese hands. The heart of McWilliams's dramatic narrative—based on personal letters, interviews, and other unpublished sources—gives texture to the dry and impersonal official records of most military narratives. The author eschews an in-depth analysis of issues such as the role of international diplomacy, the progress of negotiations, and strategy in favor of a military "micro-history" featuring privates, sergeants, and lieutenants fighting a battle they cannot win, but which they dare not lose.

The strengths of this book are compelling. The author clearly portrays just what "stalemate" meant to the ordinary soldier. This was no war of observation and waiting. The men of the 7th Division literally moved mountains to defend this critical hill, incidentally shaped like a pork chop. The frustration of battalion, regimental, and division commanders comes through, too, as they must fight with their hands tied: no counterattacks involving more than a battalion, no diversionary attacks against other Chinese outposts, no additional reinforcements. On top of all that, the imminent armistice made commanders and soldiers wary of being the last man killed on a barren and blasted hill. McWilliams captures these complexities and the anxieties leading to the decision to abandon Pork Chop's hallowed ground to the enemy.

McWilliams also emphasizes the international character of the conflict. Ethiopians, Colombians, and Koreans (both augmentees to the U.S. Army—KATUSA—and Korean Service Corps laborers) struggled alongside American troops, and their contribution cannot be overestimated.

Little touches enhance the attractiveness of On Hallowed Ground. Intimate letters and personal accounts from veterans and their families reveal the anxieties and dreadful consequences of battle. Photographs from archives and personal collections give visual impressions that neatly correspond with the narrative. The author explains military jargon and colloquialisms. Substantial documentation and a comprehensive bibliography illustrate the pains-taking research that went into this book.

The weaknesses of this work are few and easily overlooked. The first two chapters summarize the war from 1950 until March 1953, but they rely too heavily on one dated secondary source, which tends to perpetuate some myths and inaccuracies about the U.S. Army and the war. Maps are few in number and lack detail necessary to support the narrative, which is minutely focused on the tactical level—platoons, squads, and individuals. Lastly, McWilliams admirably wants to tell everyone's story, and he does so with realism and humanity. Nevertheless, it can be difficult at times to follow a narrative that has so many actors and units which are virtually indistinct from one another.

On Hallowed Ground will appeal to readers interested not only in the Korean War, but also military psychology, the nature of ground combat, relationships between officers and soldiers, and the U.S. soldier at war.