When the eagle makes a stand
Upon a distant land
The spirit of the Corps in in his eye,
He lays his anchor down
Upon the troubled ground
And the world knows the words Semper Fi
The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese rule from 1910 to the end of the second world war in 1945. At that time, the victorious allies divided the country at the 38th parallel into North Korea, occupied by Russian troops and South Korea, occupied by U.S. troops. By 1948 the political division had deepened beteen the two Koreas and North Korea established a communist government.
On June 25, 1950, the North Korean army invaded South Korea and pushed far into the south before being confronted by U.N. forces which came to the aid of the South Korean Army. These 15,000 men of the Tenth Corps included the 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), two battalions of the U.S. Army's 7th Division and a force of British Royal Marine Commandos. They routed the enemy and advanced north to the Chosin Reservoir, about 30 miles south of the Yalu River, the border between Korea and Red China.
On September 15, 2010, I was privileged to be at Camp Pendleton for the dedication of a monument to the Chosin Few. It was a perfect California day, early morning overcast skies giving way to soft rays of sun, accompanied by gentle ocean breezes.
The U.N. high command had assured the commanders in the field that the Chinese Army forces were not expected to cross the Manchurian border; the men would be home by Christmas. On November 27, 1950, in minus 30 degree temperatures, an estimated 125,000 Chinese communist troops poured over the border, isolated and surrounded the Tenth Corps there on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir.
September 15, 2010: The 1st Marine Division band played; there were prayers, there was a helicopter flyover. We pledged our allegiance, we sang the National Anthem and we listened while GySgt Joel Daniel played "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipe.
The U.N. forces were almost overwhelmed by the seemingly unending wave of enemy troops; the situation was so critical the U.N. high command had written these units off as lost. The fighting men however, not knowing all was lost, battled their way through enemy lines and road blocks, aided by air support from Navy, Marine and Air Force planes. From that action came the phrase "Retreat Hell! We're fighting in the other direction". On December 7 they made it to the village of Koto-ri, the entrance to the only road leading down the mountain and then on to the sea.
It must have seemed impossible, given the number of casualties and the conditions which hampered movement and treatment but the Division fought its way to the sea, bringing its dead, wounded and equipment. By December 24 the Tenth Corps was successfully evacuated to South Korea by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, along with nearly 100,000 North Korean civilian refugees.
September 15, 2010: We heard moving words from General James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps and keynote speaker, Captain Dale Dye, USMC (Ret). The monument was unveiled, the wreath was placed, echo/taps was played and we watched a dozen white doves fly away into the blue sky. We bowed our heads and prayed again.
In this epic battle the 15,000 allies suffered 12,000 casualties including more than 3,000 KIA, 6,000 WIA plus thousands of severe frostbite cases. The enemy sustained more than 45,000 casualties. A total of 17 Medals of Honor, 70 Navy Crosses and many Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded for the campaign, the most for a single battle in U.S. Military history.
Much of the information related here is taken from the Chosin Few News Digest and from an article and a song by Frank Gross which appears in the Dedication program. This event was sponsored by the Col. William E. Barber Chapter of the Chosin Few in Orange County.
