The Battle of Chosin
American military leaders, including General Douglas MacArthur, were caught off guard by the entrance of the People’s Republic of China, led by Mao Zedong, into the five-month-old Korean War. Twelve thousand men of the First Marine Division, along with a few thousand Army soldiers, suddenly found themselves surrounded, outnumbered and at risk of annihilation at the Chosin Reservoir, high in the mountains of North Korea. The two-week battle that followed, fought in brutally cold temperatures, is one of the most celebrated in Marine Corps annals.
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On September 15th, 1950, UN forces landed at the strategic port of Inchon, on the west coast of Korea, in a surprise amphibious attack orchestrated by General Douglas MacArthur. In hopes of pushing inland and recapturing the South Korean capital of Seoul, U.S. Marines embarked on the risky maneuver. Some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels were committed to the operation. Depicted here is General MacArthur and his staff observing the landing at Inchon from the U.S.S. Mt. McKinley.
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U.S. Marines came ashore at Inchon prepared to plant their flag in Seoul. The port of Inchon was largely undefended, and was captured in a matter of days. UN forces pushed on to Seoul, and by September 25th, 1950, the capital was declared liberated.
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As UN forces crossed the 38th Parallel and marched into North Korea, they began to encounter a new enemy. During battles in early November 1950, American troops captured prisoners who were identified as members of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (CPVA). Top officials brushed off the notion that the presence of Chinese soldiers in North Korea posed a great threat, and ordered troops to continue pushing north towards the Chinese border.
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By November 19th, 1950, UN troops were making their way along perilous mountain roads towards the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. While U.S. tanks and artillery provided the troops a great advantage, it also meant they were trapped to follow a winding single lane road. Engineers frequently repaired sections of the road and tanks often struggled to maneuver across the icy ground. By the time they reached the Chosin Reservoir, the men had traveled roughly 78 miles from the coast.
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On Thanksgiving Day, 1950 a feast was prepared and distributed to the Marines in North Korea, including the men surrounding the Chosin Reservoir. Even though the turkey instantly froze in the plummeting temperatures, the men were happy for the banquet after their long march north.
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As men tucked into their Thanksgiving dinners, there was a sense of optimism around camp. On the following day, General MacArthur would announce to the press that the war would be won in two weeks, and that his men would be, ''home by Christmas.''
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After two brutal nights of attacks, the U.S. Marines west of the reservoir began organizing their breakout towards Division Headquarters, 14 miles south. Wounded were stacked in trucks along with artillery and essential equipment, while any surplus gear was burnt and destroyed, making sure not to leave anything behind for the enemy.
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The first night of battle saw large numbers of casualties. As aid tents became flooded with Marines and soldiers, many wounded were temporarily placed outside on the frozen ground. At Yudam-ni, west of the reservoir, 109 wounded were air evacuated out by helicopter, while the rest would need to be piled on trucks for the ride south
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Marine veteran Martin Overholt recalls, ''I remember being very tired. There were times I actually fell asleep standing up.'' On the afternoon of December 3rd, 1950, the exhausted Marines would finally march into the perimeter at Hagaru-ri.
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Close Air Support was extremely important during the breakout of UN troops from the Chosin Reservoir. American planes controlled the skies, and used it to their advantage. A relatively new deadly weapon in their arsenal was napalm. Napalm, a form of jellied gasoline, would be dropped on enemy troops, causing tremendous and horrific damage.
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A group of U.S. Marines pose for a photo with their cold rations in front of the air evacuation strip at Hagaru-ri. Engineers had worked through the night, under enemy fire, to hack out this makeshift air strip. The strip was of vital importance to the Marines, and allowed for thousands of wounded men to be air lifted to hospitals in Japan.
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On December 8th, 1950, 117 Marines, soldiers and Royal British Commandos were buried in a mass grave at Koto-ri, the command post 11 miles south of the Chosin Reservoir.
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UN forces began their breakout from Koto-ri on December 8th, 1950. The convoy moved out in the midst of a snowstorm. In general, the Marines' winter clothing was cumbersome but effective—except for the shoe-pac. The rubber insoles in Marines' boots caused sweat to freeze into a block of ice, resulting in frostbite for many of the men.
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UN forces marched through the Funchilin Pass on December 9th, 1950. The pass was a particularly steep and precarious section of their march south to the coast. The men fought through bitter winds and harsh temperatures, all while facing sporadic enemy fire.
(Credit: U.S. National Archives)
