On November 4, as the 7th Marines were advancing to the Chosin Reservoir, Lt. Mitchell's platoon defended Hill 532, south of Sudong. Poynter was wounded there in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. In spite of his wounds, when he saw three machine guns setting up only away, he charged the machine gun positions with hand grenades taken from fallen members of his squad, and was able to take out two machine guns. He was killed as he destroyed the third machine gun emplacement; on November 15, the 7th Marines and the 1st Marine Division completed their move north to Hagaru-ri, at the southern tip of the reservoir. The division was to proceed more north to Yudamni, on the western side of the Chosin Reservoir and to seize it, which was done with little resistance on November 25. The  Battle of Chosin Reservoir began the evening of November 27.