Engineers in the American Revolution, 1775-1783, by Paul K.

Walker (GPO S/N 008-022-00149-2).

“Dear Friends at Home”: The Letters and Diary of Thomas James

Owen, Fiftieth New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment, During the CiviZ War, edited and with an introduction by Dale E.

Floyd (GPO S/N 008-022-00224-3).

. THE COVER

View ofthe Libby bridge from the west bank ofthe Imjin River soon

after the bridge’s completion in June 1953.
(OCTOBERl952-JULY 1953)

William R. Farquhar, Jr.

and

Henry A. Jeffers, Jr.

edited and with an introduction by

Charles Hendricks

Studies in Military Engineering

Number 5

OFFICE OF HISTORY

UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA

1989
Library of Congress Cataloging in F’ublication Data

Farquhar, William R.

Bridging the Imjin.

(Studies in military engineering; no. 5)

Includes index.

1. Korean War, 1950-1953-Engineering and construction.

2. Imjin River (Korea)-Bridges. I. Jeffers, Henry A.

II. Hendricks, Charles, 1946- 111. Title.

IV. Series.

DS920.4.F37 1989 951.9’042 88-600476

Second Printing 1992

EP 870- 1-32

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government I?c=inting mce

Washington, D.C. 20402
y pp, 

the Corps of Engineers should reexamine how our predecessors

overcame the engineering challenges posed by the rugged and

unforgiving environment in which that war was fought. A

number of memoirs and studies have evaluated Korean War combat in some detail, but thus far little has been published about the

U.S. Army engineers’ wartime efforts to conquer the Korean

terrain with highways, bridges, ports, and pipelines. Bridging the

Imjin represents a beginning in the effort to fill that gap.

During the last two years of the Korean War, the flood-prone

Imjin River, whose waters could quickly rise 40 feet, flowed just a

few miles behind a long stretch of allied battle lines. Army engineers thus faced a critical requirement to construct secure

bridges across that water barrier. This book examines the efforts

of one engineer unit, the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion,

and its superior command echelons to overcome the serious challenges posed by the unpredictable waters of the Imjin. The battalion’s story is spiced with interesting examples of creative -engineer responses to deficiencies of equipment, building materials,

and trained manpower, circumstances that are so typical of wartime field construction. The 84th Engineer Battalion more re-

’ cently served seven years in Vietnam and now is stationed in

Hawaii.

An important contribution of this volume is the publication for

the first time of a 1953 report on the construction under difficult

field conditions of two durable bridges across the Imjin. This

historical report and the attached documents and photos assembled by its authors lay largely unnoticed in federal repositories

. . .

111
Colonel, Corps of Engineers

Chief of Staff

iv
posed some of the most difficult technical challenges faced by the

United States Army engineer units serving in the Korean War.

Nowhere were those challenges more pressing than along the

lower Imjin River, where tides, ice, and summer floods repeatedly

. threatened to break critical supply lines to United Nations forces

which for two years manned defensive lines just ten kilometers

northwest of the river. After struggling for more than a year with

mixed success to span the lower Imjin with bridges that could

survive the stream’s fury, American military engineers finally

conquered this river in the last year of the war with two modern

bridges erected at sites where earlier spans had failed.

A report prepared in Korea by the military history staff of the

8086th Army Unit tells the story of the construction of these two

successful spans, known as the Teal and Libby bridges. Majors

William R. Farquhar, Jr., and Henry A. Jeffers, Jr., drafted the

narrative report in 1953 and attached to it copies of a number of

related documents. The U.S. Army Center of Military History

holds a typescript copy of that report. Farquhar and Jeffers provide an instructive account of the accomplishment of a difficult

wartime engineering assignment, one which required considerable imagination, determination, and perseverance. Innovative

techniques developed by officers and enlisted men of the battalion

served to overcome the difficulties imposed both by the physical

problems involved and by the shortages of equipment and trained

manpower. As my introduction to their report explains, U.S.

Army engineers found that it was no easy task to overcome the

wartime challenges of the, Imjin River.

In editing Farquhar’s and Jeffers’ valuable narrative, I have . attempted to modernize or correct the spelling and grammar, and,

in several instances, I have corrected minor misstatements of fact

in order to avoid discrepancies between the report and contemporary documents. I have also amended the footnotes of the original

study. I selected for publication 46 photographs drawn from the 57

V
added a fourth appendix drawn from a contemporary document.

Appendix A, taken from Tab 3 of the original study, contains the

official correspondence in which I Corps asked for the replacement of the failed high-level Teal and X-Ray bridges, and Eighth

Army approved imaginative plans for new crossings there. Appendix B contains the engineering report of Eighth Army’s 2d

Engineer Construction Group that illustrates the manner in

which the Teal site was evaluated prior to the decision to build a

low-level bridge there. This appendix was at Tab 1 of the original

study. Appendix C reproduces the section entitled “General Description” of the four-page mimeographed document “Libby HiLevel Highway Bridge,” which was prepared by the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion in 1953 and signed by Major William

C. Carter, Jr., the battalion’s operations officer. A copy of the

document is contained in the Papers of William Clarence Carter,

Jr., at the mce of History, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers. The last and longest of the appendixes is the “Log of

Libby Bridge,” written by Majors Carter and Sam E. Fairchild,

his predecessor as operations officer of the 84th Engineer Battalion.

.

I have made every effort to preserve or, when required, to

restore the integrity of the documents printed in the appendixes.

The first three of these appendixes consist of documents that were

copied manually from the originals by Major Jeffers. I have corrected copying errors found in the documents in Appendix B by

comparing Jeffers’ manual copies with carbon copies of the same

documents drawn from Box 1 of the Papers of Frank Otto Bowman

at the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford, California. I have

not found any other copies of the documents in Appendix A, and

thus they appear substantially as copied in the 1953 report. I

simply rearranged the sections of this appendix to put them in

Vl
owe a special debt of gratitude for his help.

Sincere thanks are also due to the editors who have assisted

my work on this publication-Chris Hardyman, Joyce Hardyman, and Diane Arms. Archivists Morris Izlar and FYed Pernell of

the National Archives and Elena Danielson of the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace provided valuable assistance

with documentary research and photo and map collection. Army

cartographer Arthur S. Hardyman advised me on military map

making. Robert R. Weekes prepared the cover.

CHARLES HENDRICKS

vii
IMJIN RIVER,

OCTOBER 1952 TO JULY 1953

by William R. Farquhar, Jr., and Henry A. Jefers, Jr.

PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Chapter

I. BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

II. THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEAL BRIDGE . . . . . . . 35

III. CONSTRUCTION OF X-RAY (LIBBY)

BRIDGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Appendix

A. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN I CORPS AND

EIGHTH ARMY LEADING TO THE APPRQVAL

OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEAL BRIDGE.. 71

B. ENGINEERING REPORT ON BRIDGE STUDY

AND DESIGN, TEAL SITE, IMJIN RIVER, 2D

ENGINEER CONSTRUCTION GROUP, 14 SEPTEMBER 1952, WITH-SELECTED ATTACHED

DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

C. EXCERPT FROM LIBBY HI-LEVEL HIGHWAY

BRIDGE, A PAPER SIGNED ABOUT JULY 1953

BY MAJOR WILLIAM C. CARTER, JR., OPERATIONS OFFICER, 84TH ENGINEER BATTALION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

D. LOG OF LIBBY BRIDGE, COMPILED BY MAJOR

WILLIAM C. CARTER, JR., OPERATIONS OFFICER, 84TH ENGINEER CONSTRUCTION BATTALION (22 NOVEMBER 1952-5 JULY 1953)

AND MAJOR SAM E. FAIRCHILD, HIS

PREDECESSOR IN THAT POSITION . . . . . . . . . 99

ix
No.

1. Korea, 1 August 1952 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2. The Imjin River Bridges, 1951-1953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3. Battlefront in Western Korea, 31 October 1951 . . . . . . 9

4. Battlefront in Western Korea, 1 May 1953 . . . . . . . . . 135

Illustrations

Fig.

Figures 1-18 appear between pages 12 and 22:

1. Jeep Crossing the Corporal Wright Ponton Bridge on

13 June 1951

2. U.N. Delegates and Newsmen Crossing Honker Ponton Bridge on 15 July 1951 En Route to an Early

Peace Conference Session at Kaesong

3. Artillerymen of the 1st Cavalry Division Crossing the

Floating Treadway Bridge at the Whistler Site in

Early August 1951

4. High Water Covering the Site of the Honker Ponton

Bridge on 6 September 1951

5. Jeeps Crossing the M-2 Treadway Bridge That the . 72d Engineer Combat Company Built on Rock-filled

Crib Piers at the Whistler Site in November 1951

6. Construction of the Whitefront Rock-filled Crib-pier

Bridge in November 1951

7. The Low-level Pile Bridge at the freedom Gate Site

Erected by the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion in January-February 1952

8. The High-level Teal Bridge

9. The High-level Pintail Bridge

10. The High-level Whitefront Bridge

11. Construction Under Way to Reopen the More Southerly Railroad Bridge at the freedom Gate Site

X
g gy y

15. The High-level Teal Bridge After the Flood of 24-25

August 1952

16. A Survivor: The High-level Whitefront Timber-pile

Bridge in September 1952

17. Spoonbill Bridge

18. South Korean Artillery Convoy Crossing Libby

Bridge on 23 May 1983

19. X-Ray Site in October 1952 Showing Newly Erected

Ponton Bridge and Perpendicular Volcanic Rock

Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Figures 20-37, relating to the construction of Teal bridge,

appear between pages 36 and 46:

20. Engineers Driving 16.inch Armco Steel-Column Piles

for the Low-level Teal Bridge in October 1952

21. Cables Used To Align Piles That Had “Walked” When

Driven Against Large Boulders in the Riverbed

22. A Nearly Completed Pier Featuring Diagonal

Channel-iron Bracing

23. Troops Constructing Blackout Shelters for Night

Welding That Could Double as Curing Cabins in

Cold Weather

24. Troops Filling the Hollow Armco Piles With Concrete

25. Anchor Bolts Set in a Concrete-filled Pile Capped by

12-inch H-beams

26. Teal Site on 26 November 1952 Showing Completed

Piers at South End of Bridge and Others Still

Under Shelters

27. Thirty-six-inch I-beams in Place on Bridge With a Pile

Driver Working on One of the Northernmost Piers

28. Side View of Girders in Place

xi
33. Army Vehicles Crossing the Completed Teal Lowlevel

Bridge at the End of January 1953

34. Teal Bridge Underwater on 15 July 1953

35. The Imjin River Flowing 12 Feet Over the Teal

Bridge on 15 July 1953

36. Teal Bridge in Operation on the Afternoon of 16 July

1953 After Floodwater Receded

37. Teal Bridge After the Flood of 15 July 1953 Showing

Minor Damage

Figures 38-63, relating to the construction of Libby bridge,

appear between pages 54 and 68:

38.

39.

40.

41 .

42.

43 .

44.

45.

46.

47 .

48.

49.

The Imjin River at the X-Ray Site

Pile Driving on Cofferdam 1 During February 1953

Excavation of Cofferdam 1 and Pile Driving on

Cofferdam 3

Cofferdam 3 Filled With 240 Cubic Yards of Concrete

Constituting the Initial or A Pour

Interior View of a Cofferdam Showing 12-inch

H-beams, or Whalers -

The Central Concrete Batch Plant on the Imjin’s

West Bank

Close-up View of the Concrete Batch Plant

The 34 E Paver and Rex Pumpcrete Machine

Forms for D Pour That Had Been Put Together on the

Ground, Raised, and Then Lowered Onto the C

Pour Pedestal

The Curing Cabin on Pier 7 in Position for the Final

or E Pour

Steel Mats That Would Reinforce the Bridge Decking

Being Fabricated in the Central Work Yard

Soldiers Casting Guardrail Posts

xii
Across Pier 8 to Pier 7

54. Launching the Span Across Piers 7, 6, and 5

55. Chain Hoist Lowering Girder Complete With Subdecking Across Piers 7, 6, and 5

56. Close-up View of Chain Hoist Lowering Downstream

Girder Across Piers 7, 6, and 5

57. Troops Setting Up the Pumpcrete Pipe To Pour

Concrete Decking

58. A Burlap Drag Being Used To Give the Deck Surface

the Desired Rough Texture Perpendicular to Traffic

59. Concrete Deck Being Covered With Burlap Prior to

Receiving a Seven-day Water Cure

60. Completed Libby Bridge From the West Bank on 4

July 1953

61. View Looking East at the Completed Piers and Superstructure of Libby Bridge

62. Libby Bridge Withstanding the Flood of 15 July 1953

With More Than 20 Feet of Clearance

63. Plaque Erected at the East End of the Bridge as a

Memorial to Engineer Sergeant George D. Libby

64. Major William C. Carter, Jr., in Front of the Libby

Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

65. Excavation of Cofferdam 6, Begun by a 3/4=yard

Clam Bucket on 16 January 1953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

66. Work Continuing on Piers 1, 2, and 3 From

Submerged East Causeway During High Tide on

17 March 1953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

67. Storm Water and a Spring High Tide Combined To

Force an Evacuation of the Causeway on 20 March

1953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...124

68. East Abutment Prior to Stripping of Forms . . . . . . . . . 124

69. Completed Piers 7 and 8 in Late March 1953 . . . . . . . 125

. . . Xl11
73. The 4,100gallonperminute Pump Used To Dewater

Cofferdam 4 so That the Lower Whaler Could Be

Installed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

74. View Showing Cribbing Used in Launching Upstream

Girder From the West Abutment to Pier 7 . . . . . . . . 133

75. Troops Laying the Concrete Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

76. Jackson’s Chariot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

77. View Showing Portions of the 606-foot Girders That

Were Launched From the East Abutment to

Pier !j....................................... 140

xiv
BRIDGING THE IMJIN

CONSTRUCTION OF LIBBY AND

TEAL BRIDGES

DURING THE KOREAN WAR

(OCTOBERl952-JULY 1953)
I

127O E

38’ N

MAP 1
The Imjin River rises high in the Taebaek range along Korea’s

eastern coastline. (Map I) Starting its journey less than 20 miles

west of the important North Korean port of Wonsan, it flows south

through the rugged central portion of the Korean peninsula,

gathering with it the waters of the Komit’an, Yokkok, and

Hant’an rivers before turning southwest at the 38th parallel to

join the Han River as it approaches the Yellow Sea. While the

Imjin appears no more than a sluggish stream during much of the

year, the monsoon rains that mark the Korean summer regularly

transform it into a mighty torrent during July and August.

The lower reach of the Imjin, stretching from the confluence of

the Yokkok to the Han, gained considerable military significance

during the last two years of the Korean War. In this period the

western end of the main battle line between the United Nations

and Communist forces stabilized along the plains and hills a few

miles west and north of the river. fiorn the crossing of the lower

Imjin by American-led U.N. forces in June 1951 until the signing

of the armistice on 27 July 1953, the vagaries of the Imjin’s

summer floods, autumn calms, winter freezes, and spring thaws

posed continuous challenges to the Army engineers responsible

for maintaining passage across its waters. -2

This volume tells the story of the construction during late

1952 and early 1953 of two bridges across the Imjin. Both represented innovative approaches to the problems posed by the river.

The modern, high-level Libby highway bridge supported on concrete piers and abutments and the submersible, low-level Teal

bridge built on 164nch steel piles were novel solutions to bridging

requirements located so near a battlefront. The building of these

bridges climaxed a preliminary 15-month contest between the

Army engineers and the Imjin, during which the engineers

learned the devastating power of the river and began to devise

solutions to its challenges.
the Hantan near where it flowed into the Imjin. The 408foot

floating bridge built by the company supported the advance of the

1st Cavalry Division.’

The same company, aided by elements of I Corps’ 1092d Engineer Combat Battalion, began on 6 June to construct a 492.foot

M-2 floating treadway bridge across the Imjin roughly 8% miles

to the northwest. Designed to support the drive of the British 28th

Independent Brigade, then attached to the 1st Cavalry Division,

the bridge’s ponton rafts had to be assembled one-half mile downstream from the bridge site and then towed there by amphibious

trucks (DUKWs), utility boats, and manpower. Construction was

interrupted by enemy mortar fire around dark and was not cornpleted until early the next afternoon. It was named the Corporal

Wright bridge in honor of Corporal Theodore Wright of the 58th

Engineer Company, who died of wounds received during its construction2 (Figure 1) (Map 2)

During June, United Nations troops pressed their advance in

the mountains east of the Imjin and north of the Hant’an but

undertook only raids and patrols west of the Imjin. In making

these raids, the U.N. forces relied upon floating treadway bridges,

50-ton capacity ferries, and footbridges installed at three sites on

the lower Imjin. The Corporal Wright bridge was replaced by a

ferry and a footbridge on 26 June; another ferry and footbridge

were installed 8% miles north at what would become known as

the Whistler site; and during 20-22 June the 58th Engineer

Company and Company A, 14th Engineer Combat Battalion,

installed a second M-2 steel treadway bridge 16 miles southwest

of the Corporal Wright bridge at what the Americans would later

call the Honker site. This last bridge stood astride the main road

from Munsan-ni to Kaesong, Korea’s medieval capital, and it

enabled a tank and infantry force of the Republic of Korea’s 1st

Division to stage a successful raid on Kaesong3

Because of the danger of a new enemy offensive, I Corps

engineers removed the Honker bridge only four days after its
30’ N

’ Widgeon

X-Ray

(Libby)

l Tongduchon-ni

l Uijongbu

MAP 2
g

floating bridge there on 2 July to accommodate U.N. delegates to

the forthcoming conference. (Figure 2) This time they employed a

mobile crane and a platoon of dump trucks to build up the north

shore approach road to protect it from high water.4

The United Nations forces were thus operating three crossing

points on the Imjin when the 1951 rainy season began in earnest

on 19 July. I Corps measured 5.22 inches of rain in the 48 hours

beginning at noon that day, and by 21 July the Imjin had risen to

11.8 feet. The 1st Cavalry Division’s 8th Engineer Combat Battalion attempted to remove the Whistler footbridge, but began too

late and lost one-third of it. The footbridge at the Corporal Wright

site washed out completely. One section of footbridge slammed

into the ferry at the latter site and sent it a mile downstream.

Together with a disabled DUKW and other debris, the runaway

footbridge then floated all the way down to the Honker site where

it hit and bent the floating bridge, putting it out of service for

three days. Colonel Itschner observed, “A lesson learned during

this latest period is that no floating equipment is dependable

under heavy flood conditions with large quantities of debris.“5

American engineers constructed a new footbridge and ferry at

Whistler in late July, but more high water on 1 August washed

them out. Nevertheless, corps engineers began the more ambitious task of building a floating treadway at the Whistler site on

the very same day. Although they had to suspend work for a time

because of the flood, they managed to complete a 600-foot-long

bridge by the morning of 3 August, when tanks of the 1st Cavalry

Division rumbled across in an offensive drive. (Figure 3) The fate

of this bridge was typical of I Corps’ problems with the Imjin that

August. High water two days later forced the engineers to swing

the bridge to shore, and the receding river left it high up on the

bank. Rebuilt on 6-7 August, the bridge was finally dismantled

on 9 August during a new flood?

The flood of 1 August also swept away the Honker floating
warnings. After the storm turned away from Korea, the battalion

rebuilt the bridge again on the 26th and 27th. A day after its

completion, new floodwaters once more destroyed the bridge.7

Fortunately for the engineers, enemy action that summer did

not match the ferocity of the river. Observing again that “keeping

floating bridges intact during heavy flood periods is an impossible

task,” Itschner was grateful that “the seriousness of the floods

[was] reduced greatly by the quiet tactical situation; during a

more active and operational period such floods could have proven

disastrous to the UN troops.“8

Shortly after the 1951 flood season ended in late August, I

Corps pushed major elements across the Imjin River. The offensive began 7 September when a battalion of the 1st Commonwealth Division advanced to Chalmul. tie more battalions of this

division and elements of the 1st Cavalry Division crossed the

river the following day, advancing to a new Line Wyoming that

ran west of the Imjin from Korangpo-ri northeast through

Chalmul and Kangso-ri.g

The 58th Engineer Treadway Bridge Company and the 14th

and 1092d Engineer Combat Battalions built three M-2 floating

treadways across the Imjin on 8 and 9 September to support this

advance. The 396-foot Pintail bridge just 2% miles below the

Imjin’s confluence with the Hant’an and the 456,foot Teal bridge

4 miles farther southwest supported the advance of the 1st Cornmonwealth Division. At Whitefront, lV4 miles north of the old

Corporal Wright site and 3 miles northeast of Pintail, the engineers completed a 540-foot floating bridge just before midnight on

9 September. These engineer units built a fourth floating treadway across the Imjin, the Widgeon bridge, on 20 September.

While this bridge was only two miles southwest of the Teal bridge,

the broad northwesterly bend in the Imjin between Widgeon and

Teal jutted so close to Line Wyoming that supplies could not be

safely transported on the Imjin’s west bank between the two

bridges. lo
gy p

a causeway later in the month. They built a floating treadway at

the X-Ray site three miles farther south and a floating footbridge

six miles below Korangpo-ri on 18 and 19 October?

On 23 OctoberY two days before the resumption of armistice

talks at Panmunjom, the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion

rebuilt the Honker floating treadway bridge to facilitate access to

the truce talks. The Honker bridge was located just 1% miles

below the footbridge that the Republic of Korea’s 9Olst Light

Ponton Company had installed 6 miles south of Korangpo-ri.

Honker adequately served the area.12

As there were no bridges intact downstream from Honker, I

Corps ordered the Korean company to remove the footbridge and

transport it 3% miles west of the Honker crossing to what would

be called the Freedom Gate site. There, alongside the remains of

the low-level railroad bridge that their countrymen had severed

in June and the high-level rail crossing that had been broken

earlier in the war, the 9Olst Company at the end of October twice

more laid the footbridge across the Imjin. Each time, the powerful

currents of a ten-foot tide washed it out. Colonel Edward Daly, the

new I Corps engineer, finally conceded the impossibility of maintaining a floating r bridge there.13

With winter approaching, I Corps engineers considered alternatives to the floating bridges. Beginning in September, they

looked for appropriate sites for pile bridges. They knew that “if I

Corps was successful in staying across the Imjin River9 that these

permanent bridges would be required to reduce the danger of

flood and ice destroying the M-2 bridges.“14 . Not enough permanent pile bridges could be constructed before ice filled the Imjin, however. So in early November the engineers decided to replace the floating bridges with low-level fixed

bridges that could be constructed quickly. In shallow water, rockfilled crib piers would support the span. The engineers would use

pile piers where the river was at least three feet deep. In either
&Whitefront _

X 9 ROK

., 1 Cavalry X

1 ROK X 1 Commonwealth x

X I

Honker

l Munsan-ni

* *

l Uijongbu

127’ E

MAP 3
treadway bridge during the flood of 9 August. Corps and army

engineers installed other low-level fixed bridges at the Whitefront, X-Ray, and Widgeon sites in late November and December

1951. (Figures 5 CUZ~ 6) The 62d Engineer Construction Battalion

completed the new X-Ray bridge on 26 December, only five days

before ice damaged the floating bridge there and forced its removal?

Spanning the Imjin at the F’reedom Gate site closest to its

mouth proved to be difficult. After the effort to install a floating

footbridge there failed at the end of October, the 1092d Engineer

Combat Battalion proposed a suspension bridge connecting diagonally the two high-level railway spans, the central portions of

which had been demolished. I Corps instead ordered the battalion

to build a 1,450-foot-long and 20-foot-high pile footbridge just

upstream from the destroyed railroad bridges. But as Lieutenant

Colonel Andrew Inge of the 1092d complained during construction, “The design [of this footbridge] had been cut to the bone to

reduce the number of piles and materials. . . . This resulted in

practically no safety factor.“17

Work on this pile footbridge proceeded slowly during November until an embarrassing mishap interrupted construction on

the 30th. That evening a work crew left a raft, bearing a crawler

crane that it used as a pile driver, anchored in shallow water. The

receding tide beached the raft on the sloping riverbed, and the

crane, which was not securely fastened, slid off into the muck. A

five-day recovery effort, assisted by Navy divers, retrieved a virtually useless piece of equipment. Work resumed under stricter

operating procedures on 10 December with a crawler rig borrowed

from Eighth Army, and the footbridge was completed on 2.1 December. By then ice had begun to appear on the Imjin, and on 4

January heavy floes carried by a strong tide destroyed a 160.foot

section of the bridge?

A week before the destruction of the Freedom Gate footbridge,
84th Engineer Battalion to construct a low-level steel- and timber-pile bridge nearby. The bridge would stand on 30 steel bents

in the main river channel and 66 timber bents on the river’s edges

and tidal flats. The battalion was required to build a deck suitable

for both highway and rail traffic.lg

Assigning two companies and devoting over 140,000 manhours to this project, the battalion made rapid progress and was

able to open the bridge on 15 February. (Figure 7) Six days later

friendly aircraft mistakenly bombed the bridge and damaged

seven bents. The 84th replaced all of the damaged bents except

one which stood dangerously close to an unexploded l,OOO-pound

bomb that could not be removed. That area was spanned by a 36.

inch I-beam supported on specially braced bents.2o

The bridge-building success of the 84th at Freedom Gate led

the I Corps engineer to suspend work on the light suspension

bridge there on 4 February 1952, when it was 61 percent cornplete. Toward the end of that month, I Corps built one more bridge

across the Imjin farther north than the other available crossings.

This was a 168foot-long rock-crib bridge three miles north of the

Whistler bridge at the Mallard site.21

Although well suited for the river’s ice, neither the low-level

bridges on rock-crib piers nor the one atop pile piers at the old

Freedom Gate railway crossing could be expected to withstand

the Imjin’s summer floods. The September 1951 surveys had been

designed to locate sites for permanent high-level crossings, and

by the end of October, planning had advanced sufficiently to

permit the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion to begin work

at Pintail on a timber-bent bridge supported on pile piers that

would stand 43 feet above mean low water. The river was only

about 420 feet wide at this point, but the bridge was designed to

have a length of about 1,000 feet to connect the river’s banks at its

own height. 22

After the 58th and 72d Engineer Companies moved the Pin-
supported the ten southernmost bents while steel piles carried

the weight of the three bents to the north. The battalion finished

the bridge on the last day of 1951, after investing 137,000 manhours in its construction.23

In order to prepare more adequately for the summer floods,

Eighth Army in February 1952 assigned its 62d Engineer Construction Battalion to widen and raise the X-Ray bridge and to

build a new high-level bridge on concrete foundations at Pintail,

where the 84th’s earlier efforts had been aborted. Company C of

the 62d undertook both assignments in March after the river’s ice

melted. Driving new piles and constructing timber bents, the

company made rapid progress at the X-Ray site. In mid-April it

installed the 24.inch I-beams that would carry the decking. The

bridge opened to traffic on the 27th.24

The Pintail bridge progressed more slowly. Company C of the

62d poured the concrete foundations in late April and installed

the steel pile and reinforcing rods in early May. The company

launched the bridge’s 48inch I-beams in late May and June and

poured the concrete decking in July. The bridge opened on 24

July, just days before the disastrous flood of 30 July 1952. Like

the X-Ray bridge, Pintail was designed to have a 50-ton capacity

as a two-way bridge or to support 80 tons one way.25 (Figure 9)

As the 62d began work on the new X-Ray and Pintail bridges,

the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion began a high-level

bridge of similar capacity at the Whitefront site. The bridge was

1,184 feet long and stood 44 feet above low water on 13 timber

trestle bents supported by steel piles. (Figure IO) Timber piling

was tried, but it would not penetrate adequately even when a pile

shoe was used. Company B of the 84th completed the bridge by the

end of May, investing 111,000 man-hours in its construction.26

After reopening the low-level railway bridge at the Freedom

Gate site, the 84th also began building a high-level Imjin crossing

adjacent to it. The new bridge u_tilized the remains of the more
Figure 1. Jeep crossing the Corporal Wright ponton bridge on 13 June 

1951. 

Figure 2. U.N. delegates and newsmen crossing Honker ponton bridge on 

15 July 1951 en route to an early peace conference session at Kaesong. 
Figure 3. Artillerymen of the 1st Cavalry Division crossing the floating 

treadway bridge at the Whistler site in early August 1951. 

Figure4. High water on 6 September 1951 covering the site of the Honker 

ponton bridge, which had been washed away in a flood nine days earlier. 
Figure 5. Jeeps crossing the 

M- 2 treadway bridge that 

the 72d Engineer Combat 

Company built on rock-filled 

crib piers at the Whistler site 

in November 1951. 

Figure 6. Construction of the Whitefront rock-filled crib-pier bridge in 

November 1951. 
Figure 7. The low-level pile bridge at the Freedom Gate site that the 84th 

Engineer Construction Battalion erected in January-February 1952 between two destroyed railway spans. The shadow cast by the more southerly of the railway bridges, which the 84th would reopen in July 1952, is 

visible at the right of this 10 March 1952 photo. 

Figure 8. The 

high-level Teal 

bridge, photographed on 27 

July 1952. 
Figure 9. The high-level Pintail bridge on 27 July 1952, just three days 

after the 62d Engineer Construction Battalion had opened it. 

Figure 10. The 

high-level Whitefront bridge on 27 

July 1952. 
Figure 11. Construction under way to reopen the more southerly railroad 

bridge at the Freedom Gate site. The low-level pile bridge is visible at the 

right of this 9 July 1952 photo. 

Figure 12. The 

high-level Teal 

bridge collapsing 

under the pressure of floodwater 

on 30 July 1952. 
Figure 13. Pier from the collapsed high-level Teal bridge lodged against 

protective fender piles at the reopened span of the Freedom Gate bridge on 30 

July 1952. 

Figure 14. The 

high-level Teal 

bridge in early 

August 1952, 

showing damage 

done by floodwater on 30 July. 

--:-9"7 ~~ , - l r-.;. ,... ... . u ", ... _ .. .t 

·. ' 
Figure 15. The 

high-level Teal 

bridge after the 

flood of24- 25 August 1952. 

\ 

Figure 16. A survivor: the high-level Whitefront timber-pile bridge in 

September 1952 with damage largely limited to the fender piles. 
Figure 17. Spoonbill bridge on 20 June 1953. 

Figure 18. South 

Korean artillery 

convoy crossing 

Libby bridge on 

23 May 1983. 
206=foot=long, 4%inch I-beam across the new pier from one original concrete pier to another. (Figure 11) Completed soon after,

this second high-level bridge was opened and dedicated on 17

July, just before the start of the 1952 flood season.27

After their exertions of the previous months, the engineers

were shocked by the destructive intensity of the 1952 floods. The

flood season began early as April precipitation exceeded that

recorded in the fourth month of any of the previous 30 years.

Floodwaters on 13 April wrecked the northerly Mallard and

Whistler rock-crib pier bridges, and nearly topped the low-level

Widgeon bridge well downstream. I Corps engineer troops replaced the Mallard crossing with a new 300.foot-long bridge that

was six feet higher than the old. They raised the Widgeon bridge

by four feet and drove railroad rails above it for an upstream

fender and anchor system.28

Heavy rains at the end of July raised the level of the Imjin by

13 feet on 27 July, causing the new Mallard bridge to collapse and

forcing the removal of the Honker floating treadway. The rains

continued for the next three days, and by 30 July the Imjin at

Pintail had risen 38 feet. At noon that day, after river currents as

fast as 15 to 20 feet per second had exposed the base of some of the

piles supporting the Teal bridge, two of the bridge’s spans washed

out. Debris from Teal washed downstream to X-Ray, where it

struck a bridge that had already been moved about four feet

downstream by the floodwaters. tie piers of the X-Ray bridge

failed at 1:30 PM. (Figure 12) Debris also lodged against the highlevel Freedom Gate bridge near the river’s mouth, leading the

engineers to close it for four hours on 31 July while they removed

the debris with a crane.2g (Figure 13)

The low-level Widgeon bridge submerged on 27 July and remained intact under some 20 feet of water. It reappeared on 3

August after the floodwaters passed, requiring only minor repairs. The success of the Widgeon bridge impressed Colonel Mer-
bridge.3o This lesson was instrumental in determining the design of the submersible Teal bridge constructed that autumn.

An even greater flood roared down the Imjin on 24 and 25

August, fed largely by rains that fell in North Korea. Raising the

Imjin 40.5 feet in ten hours at Pintail, these waters destroyed the

Widgeon bridge and swept away additional piers of the Teal and

X-Ray bridges. (Figure 15) This was the year’s last significant

flood on the Imjin. At the end of the 1952 flood season, the I Corps

engineer observed with some satisfaction that three high-level

bridges-at Whitefront, Pintail, and Freedom Gate-had survived the summer unscathed, and each supported a different

division across the river. (Figure 16) But more than 16 miles

separated the F’reedom Gate and Pintail bridges, and this stretch

of open river could have threatened the U.N. forces if the enemy

had launched a serious offensive in August 1952.31

The need for bridges in that reach of the Imjin led I Corps to

install new floating treadway bridges at the X-Ray and Teal sites

in September and to build a rock-crib pier bridge at the naturally

defiladed Spoonbill site three miles south of the X-Ray crossing.

(Figure 17) With its piers strengthened by piles made from railway rails, the Spoonbill bridge opened to traffic on 30 October.32

But these bridges too would be temporary, and the need to construct permanent bridges to replace the two high-level crossings

that had been destroyed by the summer floods of 1952 remained.

Eighth Army’s 84th Engineer Construction Battalion undertook

the job, constructing a submersible, low-level bridge at the Teal

site and the high-level, steel and concrete Libby bridge at the

X-Ray site. Standing 49 feet above mean low water, the Libby

bridge remains in use today. (Figure 18) The Teal bridge provided

eight years of useful service before it was removed in late 1961. It

was replaced the following spring by a new low-level bridge made

of reinforced concrete. These superb wartime bridges were respon.ses to a river-‘crossing problem that had faced the American

CONSTRUCTION OF LIBBY AND

TEAL BRIDGES,

IMJIN RIVER, OCTOBER 1952 TO JULY 1953

bY

William R. Farquhar, Jr.

and

Henry A. Jeffers, Jr.
Between October 1952 and July 1953 two bridges of unusual

design were built over the Imjin River in central Korea within

range of the enemy’s light artillery. One was a high-level highway bridge which would be a credit to any state highway system

in the United States; the other was an experimental “low-water”

bridge which is expected to survive being submerged by the river

which it spans. This monograph explains why these bridges were

built, and presents some of the problems which had to be solved,

obstacles overcome, and hardships endured by the 84th Engineer

Construction Battalion that built them.

The narrative is written to be understood by the professional

soldier who may have little or no knowledge of engineering and its

special language. For the engineer, however, who might be interested in the technical aspects, many of the engineering details are

included in the supporting documents. In addition, completed “asbuilt” tracings of the high-level bridge (Libby) have been forwarded to the Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, by the 84th

Engineer Construction Battalion. 1

The initial research and rough draft of the narrative were

done by Major William R. Farquhar, Jr. After his departure from

this organization the project was completed and put in final form

by Major Henry A. Jeffers, Jr.

When this project was reviewed by the Commanding Officer,

2d Engineer Construction Group, he suggested that a resume of

the designing phase of the two bridges might be of interest to

other Army Engineers. This informal resume was prepared by his

headquarters and is attached.

Seoul, Korea

21 September 1953
The Imjin River, a tributary of the Han, flows in a meandering

course a short distance south of a 25mile-long stretch of the

stabilized main line of resistance of the United Nations Forces in

western Korea. Its presence close behind the line, between the

front line troops and their sources of supply (and in some cases

their artillery), greatly enhances the importance of the crossings

available. . Seen for the first time during normal weather conditions, the

Imjin is not a particularly impressive river; it can be forded easily

in many places. Its active channel utilizes only about 150 to 200

feet of the 1,200-foot width of the dry riverbed, which is bordered

by almost vertical rock cliffs standing approximately 75 feet

above the mean low water level. It gives no indication in normal

times of the tremendous power it develops when in flood.

During the Korean rainy season of July and August, the Imjin

becomes a raging torrent, largely confined by its steep rocky

banks. Fed by its larger tributaries and many small mountain

streams, it reaches flood heights of 48 feet above mean water level

and a velocity of 15 to 20 feet per second. The rapid runoff of

approximately 95 percent of precipitation during heavy general

rains has caused the Imjin, on occasion, to rise at a rate of more

than six feet per hour?

In addition to these extreme variations in the amount and

speed of the water, the riverbed itself shifts and changes with

each seasonal flood. The sand, gravel, silt, and boulders, which

form the movable material (overburden) in the river bottom, are

scoured out of their resting places by the force of the flood and

deposited again wherever the eccentricities of the river currents

dictate. Specific information as to the degree and nature of the

movement of the Imjin River’s overburden is not available. However, the experience of Japanese and Korean bridge builders, and

that of the Corps of Engineers after two years in Korea, indicates

that the overburden is unstable to a depth equal to the depth of

the water in the stream, or to bedrock, whichever is less.2
During the flood season (1 July to 15 September) and the ice

season (15 December to 25 March), floating bridges cannot be

used because they cannot stand the unusually strong force of the

water or the pressure of the ice. Neither can ordinary military

bridges of the rigid type withstand the pressure of the Imjin flood

plus the impact of tons of debris, including parts of our own and

enemy washed-out bridges which come floating down at high

speeds. 3

In July of 1952 there were five high-level bridges on the Imjin

which were expected to provide communications with the I Corps

front during the flood season.* These were, from north to south:

(1) Whitefront-a two-way, high-level bridge supported by

timber bents on steel piles (CT 260133, Map: Korea 1:25;000).

(2) Parker Memorial (Pintail)-a two-way, high-level bridge

supported by steel piers on concrete bases (CT 231097).

(3) Teal-a one-way, high-level bridge supported by timberpile bents (CT 175057).

(4) X-Ray-a two-way, high-level bridge supported by timber-pile bents (CT 097012).

(5) Freedom Gate (Munsan-ni)-a reconstructed high-level

railway and road bridge on concrete piers and one, light, steeltrestle pier (CS 009955).

There were also in the I Corps sector several floating bridges

and one low-level bridge; these were not expected to be usable

during the flood season. Widgeon, the low-level bridge (CT

151035), is of interest, however, in that it was expected to survive

the floods even though submerged. It was a treadway bridge

supported by rock-filled cribs; this was the first attempt to build a

cheap low-level bridge that would survive being submerged by

the floods and provide a crossing during the rest of the year.

I Corps Headquarters was fully cognizant of the threat that

the Imjin presented to the lines of communication to the front in

its sector. An operational flood plan was prepared “which as-
95. t ws ote 7touy tt te st ote joods

came, a minor rise which overtopped Widgeon bridge and washed

out its approaches but did not otherwise damage it. However,

heavy general rains on the watersheds of the Imjin and the

Hant’an, the Imjin’s major tributary, during the night of 27-28

July and on 28 July presaged a more formidable rise. At Parker

Memorial bridge the river rose 38 feet during the period 5 AM on

27 July to 3 PM on 30 July. Complete data as to flood heights at all

bridge sites are not available due to the fact that flood gauges

were in many instances affixed to the bridges and thus w&t down

the river with them; but of particular interest is the following

from the “Flood Report, 1 July-15 September 1952,” Office of the

Engineer, Headquarters, I Corps, 26 September 1952:

After a rise of 27 feet at Teal . . . two spans failed and were washed

out at 1200 hours on 30 July. Failure of the bridge occurred when little

debris was present in the channel, none hung on the

previous observable displacement of the structure h a

piers,

.d occu

and when no

rred from the

striking of debris. Deb& was not a primary or secondary cause of fajlure

within the observation of spectators. Previous pile penetration of ten feet

had been reduced to as little as two feet on some piers by scour action.

Nine piers were scoured at the base but otherwise still in good condition.

Three piers were completely destroyed by the flood. Maximum velocities

observed upstream were as great as 15-20 feet per second in the deepest

part of the river? .a

At 1330 hours 30 July 1952 the X-Ray two-way high-level bridge

failed when two piers went out. Striking of debris was a contributing

cause of failure of X-Ray, when it was struck by large floating segments

of crib and floor debris from the failure of Teal. This occurred slightly

before the cresting of the flood at X-Ray, at a river stage about one foot

below crest height. At this time, however, a portion of X-Ray bridge had

already been displaced downstream about four feet from a primary

cause which might have caused failure even in the absence of debris, and

which was presumably sliding of pile bents.’

.

Freedom Gate (Munsanni bridge) and Widgeon held up well
pj

started rapid rises where they entered U.N. territory. At the

Parker Memorial bridge the river rose 40.5 feet between 7 AM

and 5 PM. During this flood Widgeon bridge was almost completely destroyed and X-Ray bridge lost five more spans. “At

various times . . . Parker, Whitefront, and FYreedom Gate bridges

were closed to traffic for short periods to enable debris removal

operations to be facilitated. Accumulation of debris against the

timber pile piers combined with high river velocities constituted a

continual hazard necessitating debris removal. The content of the

debris indicated that the enemy had suffered damage to his installations and also that the neighboring Corps had some losses in

bridge and ferry equipment .“8

In early September floating bridges were placed at Teal and

X-Ray sites, and a ferry was operated at Widgeon site as necessary. (Figure 19) The Imjin flood season of 1952 was over, and the

central portion of the I Corps sector was left without bridges that

could withstand the ice season which would begin in December.

The Commanding General, I Corps, felt that replacement of

Teal and X-Ray bridges was an urgent military necessity and so

informed the Commanding General, Eighth Army.g He also rec.

ommended that more substantial structures be built, rather than

restoring the structures which had proved inadequate in the face

of high water. In a later communication, it was pointed out that

the floating bridges at these sites would have to be removed about

11 D,ecember to prevent unnecessary loss of equipment during the

ice season and that it would be highly desirable that permanent

structures be completed at these sites prior to that time in order to

provide continued satisfactory support of the forward elements of

I Corps. lo The Eighth Army Engineer instituted an extensive

study and research program to provide a basis for design and

construction of bridges capable of withstanding the floods and

unusual river conditions encountered on the Imjin?

Armed with the basic data and specifications furnished by
y pg

led to an informal agreement

on the construction of a twoway, high-level bridge at X-Ray

site and a two-way, low-level

bridge at Teal site.13 The formal

concurrence of the Commanding General, I Corps, to this

plan was obtained in late September, and construction at

Teal began almost immediately.14

The result of the research

program, which combined 36

years of Japanese and Korean

Figure 19. X-Ray site in October 1952 showing newly erected

ponton bridge and perpendicular volcanic rock banks.

observation with two years of

American experience, was a firm conviction in the minds of all

concerned that it would be useless to replace the washed-out

bridges with ordinary structures. It was decided that only a highlevel bridge resting on concrete piers extending down to or securely anchored in bedrock would have any potential of withstanding the extreme flood conditions of the Imjin River and providing

a year-round crossing. It was further believed that there was an

urgent military requirement for such a bridge at X-Ray site in the

center of the I Corps sector, whether the current tactical situation

continued, UN. forces advanced, or an armistice was signed. In

the case of either an advance or an armistice, the Freedom Gate

bridge (Munsan-ni) would probably have to be limited to rail

traffic, and thus it would become imperative to have a highway

crossing between Munsan-ni and Kaesong.

Such a justification did not appear to exist at Teal site; in fact,

it was believed that although an urgent military requirement

existed for a crossing at Teal as long as the current situation

continued, either an advance or an armistice would remove the

requirement for any crossing at all at this site. For these reasons
the relatively inexpensive low water bridges so numerous in the

southwestern United States. These bridges are sturdy enough to

withstand being overtopped by flash floods and yet can be put

back into service as soon as the waters recede. In order to duplicate this strength of construction, Teal was designed to be supported on piers composed of 164nch, hollow, open-end steel piles,

driven to bedrock and filled with concrete. This 16.inch Armco

piling was available in the theater but had not been used for this

purpose before. Other low-level bridges had been built in Korea,

but none had been built with the permanent-type materials and

strength of the proposed Teal.

X-Ray bridge, on the other hand, was a complete departure

from military bridge construction. The Corps of Engineers has

designed and supervised the construction of larger, wider, and

higher bridges, but in most cases these bridges were actually

built by civilian contractors or by skilled civilian labor under

Engineer supervision. This was the first time that an all-newconstruction bridge was to be built with sheet-pile cofferdams and

reinforced concrete piers by troop labor. It was to be, in fact, a

commercial rather than military type of bridge, which any state

would be proud to have as part of its highway system.

Both bridges were to be built within easy range of the enemy’s

light artillery. As it turned out, although enemy artillery rounds

fell near both bridge sites during construction, there was no

indication that the enemy made a deliberate attempt to interfere

with the building of the bridges?
The Construction of Teal Bridge

When the 2d Engineer Construction Group received the directive to go ahead with construction of Teal bridge, the job was

assigned to the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion, a unit

which has come to be known as “The Conquerors of the Imjin.”

Lieutenant Colonel James R. O’Grady, commanding officer of the

battalion, appointed Captain A[rlton] W. Hardin, his Assistant

S-3, as project officer and designated Company B, commanded by

Captain Edward H. Goldsmith, to do the construction.

Pile penetration tests were made with open-end Armco piles,

pointed Armco piles, and 12-inch I-beams. Using a 5,000-pound

hammer with 160 blows per minute, it was possible to drive the

I-beams to a depth of a little over 18 feet, the pointed piles to a

depth of 22 feet, and the open-end piles to a depth of 27 feet and to

bedrock. An attempt was made to pull up an open-end pile with

two D-8 hyster winches in order to inspect it for splitting or other

damages, but it was impossible to extract it.

The first preparatory work was begun on 2 October 1952 when

Company B began construction of a causeway from the south

shore out to the site of pier 11. The piers were numbered 1 to 16

from south to north. On 10 October the excavation of the approach

on the north shore was begun. When the approximate grade level

of the approach road was reached, two springs which put out

water at the rate of about 350 gallons per minute were uncovered.

To correct this situation it was necessary to excavate six feet

below the grade level, dig a V-shaped trench with the apex of the

“V” at the springs and the points at either side of the abutment,

and fill it wi.th rock to make a French drain to

By the time the north approach was finished

carry

, some

offthe water.

14,800 cubic

yards of earth had been excavated; some of this earth was pushed

out to make the causeway on the north side of the river and later

caused some difficulty in the use of heavy equipment when it

became boggy. ’
H-beams, as the piles were out of line. This misalignment was

corrected by pulling the piles back into line as much as possible

with a tractor and block and tackle. Colonel O’Grady allowed a

maximum sideways pull of 2.5 inches on the piles, due to the

danger of bending or snapping the pile.3 (Figures 20 a& 21)

On 20 October work was begun on the south approach; the

riverbank on this side was of volcanic rock which was cracked and

fissured. The fissures were filled with clay, a condition which

made blasting the rock out very difficult. A set of charges would

loosen the rock and open up the fissures, but, when a bulldozer

tried to push out the rock, the fissures would close up so that the

clay again bound the rock in place.4 Water, from springs and

occasional thaws, also added complications to drilling holes for

charges as, in the extreme cold, bits and drills would actually

freeze tight in the holes. In all, 14,200 pounds of dynamite were

used to blast out 12,320 cubic yards of rock?

Colonel O’Grady recommended to the 2d Engineer Construction Group that diagonal bracing be added to the pier design to

strengthen the bridge against overturning. (Figure 22) This consisted of a diagonal brace of 12-inch channel iron, running from

the top of each pile to the bottom of the next downstream pile,

bolted and welded in place. The four piles in each of the two rows

in the pier were connected seven feet down from the bottom of the

H-beam cap (approximately at causeway level) with 12-inch

channel iron bolted in place, and the lower ends of the diagonal

brace were welded to this. The purpose of this bracing was to

transmit the shock of debris and pressure of the water from the

top of each pile to the bottom of the next downstream pile, thus

actually exerting downward pressure rather than horizontal

pressure which might overturn the pier. This recommendation

was accepted, and this feature was added to the bridge design!

Despite cold weather and high winds, welding continued on

the capping and bracing of the piers already driven. Cold, and the

bulky clothing it made mandatory, made welders clumsy as they

climbed around on the piers. High winds made it very hard to
\ 

Figure 20. Engineers driving 16-inch Armco steel-column piles for the 

low-level Teal bridge in October 1952. 

Figure 21. Cables used to align piles that had "walked" when driven 

against large boulders in the riverbed. 

., 

-, . 

"' 
Figure 22. A nearly completed pier featuring diagonal channel-iron bracing. 

Figure 23. Troops constructing blackout shelters for night welding that 

could double as curing cabins in cold weather. 
Figure 24. Troops filling the hollow Armco piles with concrete, with 36-

inch 1-beam girders in the foreground. 

Figure 25. Anchor bolts set in a concrete-filled pile capped by 12-inch 

H-beams. 

= 
Figure 26. Teal site on 26 November 1952 showing completed piers at 

south end of bridge, left, and others still under shelters. 1-beam girders 

and the Imjin River flowing north of the causeway are visible at right. 

Figure 27. Thirty-six-inch !-

beams in place on 

bridge with a pile 

driver, in background, working on one of 

the northernmost 

piers. 
Figure 28. Side 

view of girders in 

place. Crew on 

right is placing 

decking. 

Figure 29. Troops placing decking from pier 16 to the north abutment. 

This was the only span which used six 24-inch girders. Note angle-iron 

diaphragming between girders. Visible at center is two-inch by six-inch 

laminated sub-decking and beyond that is three-inch by twelve-inch diagonal decking. 
:: 

Figure 30. Girders in place on piers 8 through 11 allowing the passage of 

water below these spans and the construction of a causeway to pier 11 from 

the north bank. 

Figure 31. Teal bridge from 

the south shore on 7 January 

1953 as troops place decking 

on the north end. 
Figure 32. Teal bridge from 

the north shore on 16 January 1953 when almost completed. This view shows the 

removable guardrail. 

Figure 33. Army vehicles crossing the completed Teal low-level bridge at 

the end of January 1953. 
Figure 34. Teal bridge underwater on 15 July 1953, 

viewed from the south approach road. 

Figure 35. The lmjin River flowing 12 feet over the Teal bridge on 15 July 

1953. 

---
Figure 36. Teal bridge in operation on the afternoon of 16 

July 1953 after floodwater 

receded. 

Figure 37. Teal bridge after the flood of15 July 1953 showing the damage 

to the removable guardrail, which was not removed due to the rapid rise of 

the river. 
taken down and moved as required.7 (Figure 23)

On 20 November the welding on pier 11 was completed, and

concrete was poured into the piles. (Figures24 und25) The canvas

shelters were put to a new use at this time, as it was necessary to

provide heat to keep the concrete in the piles from freezing before

it cured. (Figure 26) A shelter was set up around the pier, and a

hot-air blower maintained a suitable temperature, about 60°,

until the concrete was cured.8

On 29 November, when the tops of the piles were sealed with

asphalt and the bearing plates set in place, the first girders were

lifted into place in span 11 with cranes. The I-beams used as

girders were of three different types: ten spans were made up of

four 36-inch, rolled-steel I-beams; six spans were of four 36-inch,

built-up (bolted splices) steel I-beams; and the remaining span,

from pier 16 to the north abutment, was made up of six 24-inch,

rolled-steel beams. (Figures 27,28, und 29) The first two types

were salvaged from the old Teal bridge.

In normal bridge construction, to allow for expansion, spans

are fixed at one end and rest free on bearing plates at the other

end with a small guide welded onto the bearing plate to prevent

sideward movement of the span. This is not true in the case of Teal

bridge, which will have to resist the force of the Imjin’s floods.

Both ends of each span are bolted in place; however, at one end of

the span the holes for the anchor bolts are round, and at the other

end the holes are slotted and will allow the span to expand lengthwise.g

As soon as the steel was in place from pier 11 to pier 9, the

causeway was cut between them to allow passage of water, and

the causeway from the north shore was pushed out to pier 11.

(Figure 30) It was then possible to drive the piles for the last four

piers (12 through 16). Penetration, to bedrock on all piles, varied

from 15 feet to 32 feet, 8 inches; average penetration was around

27 feet-lo

It was planned to excavate all the way to bedrock for the

abutments so that concrete could be poured directly on bedrock,
decking was started at pier 11 and worked to the south shore; on

22 December the diagonal three-by-twelve-inch decking was

started and nailed down to the sub-decking at a 45’ angle to the

center line. (See Figure 29.) The decking had an overall width of

22 feet, which, with six-inch curbing on either side, left a 21-foot

running surface for vehicles.

By 10 January, the decking, curbing, and guardrail were in

place on all of the bridge except span number one, which had to

await the completion of the south abutment. The guardrail on

Teal consisted of half-inch wire rope strung through pipe posts

which were set in sockets bolted to the outside of the curbing.12

(Figure 32) The guardrail was so designed that it could be removed quickly before floods topped the bridge, thereby allowing

freer flow of water and debris over the bridge.

All construction work on the bridge was completed by 27

January, and it was pressed into service prior to the official

opening, because the division occupying that sector of the front

was being relieved and the bridge was needed.13 (Figure 33) The

official opening and dedication of Teal bridge took place on 31

January 1953, when Major General M. M. A-R-West, Commander of the Commonwealth Division, cut the engineer tape at

the south end of the bridge.

Teal got its first baptism and trial in the flash flood of 15 and

16 July 1953. The water covered the bridge during the early hours

of 15 July, and at the crest of the flood Teal was under 12 feet of

running water. The guardrail was not removed as planned because of the speed of the river’s rise and the danger of working on

the wet structure, which might be overtopped at any moment in

the darkness. The flood receded on 16 July, and by 3 PM Teal was

free of water and in service again; the only damage was to the

removable guardrail.14 (Figures 34-37)
Late in October 1952, the commanding officer of the 84th

Engineer Construction Battalion was advised by the 2d Engineer

Construction Group that his battalion was to construct the highlevel bridge at the X-Ray site. “The Conquerors of the Imjin” were

scheduled for another bout with their old foe. This time the plan

called for the river to be completely overcome before the next flood

season began on 1 July 1953.

On 1 November work began on driving test piles and developing fuller information on the overburden and bedrock conditions.

Plans for the bridge were received on 9 November, and the battalion began to see the type of task it had been assigned.l It was to

build, in seven months, a bridge that was completely outside its

experience, a bridge that would probably have required a civilian

construction firm a year to build in the states. It could not wait for

warm spring weather and ideal working conditions; the bridge

was needed at once. During most of the next seven months the

battalion would be working in the sub-zero cold of the extreme

Korean winter.

The enlisted men of the battalion came from all walks of life,

and most had no experience in construction work. However, every

operation on the bridge was broken down into the simplest tasks

possible, and the men learned rapidly what was required of them.

Simplified forms, jigs, and instructions enabled them to turn out

workmanlike results with a minimum of formal instruction.

Some Korean civilians were employed on the job: approximately

twenty welders, four divers, two riveters, and others as carpenters, sign-painters, tire-repairmen, etc. The Korean welders

needed some additional training, particularly in overhead welding, before they could be used; however, roughly 50 percent of the

welding was done by U.S. soldiers. The battalion also had approximately 155 KATUSA [Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army]

personnel, who proved to be excellent construction workers.2

At the time the work on X-Ray began, the battalion was minus
Preparatory work proceeded through November and most of

December-assembling equipment and supplies and erecting an

equipment maintenance shop, a carpenter shop, a material storage building, and an open storage yard. Causeways were pushed

out into the river from the east shore past the site of pier 3, and

from the west shore beyond pier 6. A source of aggregate (sand and

gravel to be used in concrete) near the site was tried and found

unsuitable due to an excess of silt. Another source was found

upstream near Teal that offered clean washed gravel and sand,

and stockpiling of aggregate at the X-Bay site began.

The basic plan was to construct piers 6,7, and 8 and the west

abutment, using a central concrete batch plant located on the

west bank of the river. Actual construction began on 26 December

with the driving of the first pile for pier 6. Pile driving continued

through piers 7 and 8 on the west side and piers 1,2,3,4, and 5 on

the east side, in that order.3 (Figure 39) The greatest difficulty in

the construction of X-Bay bridge was with these pier bases: driving the pile, excavating the cofferdams, and placing the concrete.

Each of the eight caissons presented a separate and distinct

problem requiring its own solution.

The pier bases were constructed by driving grooved sheet piles

to form a rectangular caisson which was then excavated to bedrock and filled with concrete. (Figures 40 und 41) The tolerance

allowed in rolling the sheet piling in Japan was too great; in some

cases it varied as much as three-quarters of an inch in width.

Some of the piles were painted with red lead and some were not.

The tolerance was less on the painted piles, and most of the splits

in the piling were found at junctures of the two types. Also the

corner piles had ball-and-socket joints, while the side piles had

thumb-and-finger joints; this again made it very difficult to fit

properly. The tolerance in the grooves caused leaks all up and

down the joint. Lead wool was used to pack the joints, but this did

not stop the water. Eventually soft wooden wedges, driven into

the joints, proved to be a fairly effective means of stopping the

flow.4
near the bottom, with the result that backfill (filling up the

excavation), pile extraction, and redrive were necessary, as many

as three times for one of the cofferdams. Unfortunately, when

cofferdam 6 was excavated, the pile extractor had not arrived yet,

and it was necessary to make the initial concrete pour completely

under water. On the other cofferdams, as excavation proceeded, it

was possible to remove boulders that obstructed full pile penetration, extract and replace bent piles, and then drive the piles all the

way to bedrock. In excavating cofferdam 1, it was found that the

piles at one corner had struck a layer of basalt; however, it was

possible to backfill, extract the bent piles, replace them, and drive

on down to bedrock.5

Sub-zero weather greatly handicapped the operation of the

dewatering pumps, which required constant supervision. During

operation, ice would form on the outlets and connections, plugging

up the pumps. When a pump was not in operation, water would

freeze inside the pump mechanism. It was necessary to apply heat

externally to these points to get the pumps operating and to

repeat the application of heat frequently to keep them going.

It was found to be a general rule that the more water that was

pumped out of a cofferdam, the more likely a blowout was to occur

under the pile. This was due to the decreasing inside pressure.6

(Figure 42) In the later stages of the cofferdam work, divers were

used to great advantage to overcome this. The cofferdam was

allowed to fill with water when the bulk of the excavation had

been accomplished, and divers were used to clean the bottom of all

sand, gravel, and loose bedrock. Following this, an initial pour of

three to four feet of concrete was made, keying the pier to bedrock

and sealing off the bottom of the cofferdam. The cofferdam could

then be dewatered and work continued “in the dry.” Only cofferdam 8 was poured completely in the dry.

In these excavations to bedrock, Major William C. Carter,

battalion S-3 and project officer, found evidence to refute, at least

partially, the theory advanced in the preparatory studies for the

bridge that the overburden (mud, sand, gravel, and other mate-
The bedrock itself did not appear to him to have been eroded by

scour action for several hundred years.7 If this is the case, Libby

bridge will have an even greater possibility of surviving the

floods due to the additional protection afforded the caissons by the

overburden.

From the beginning of the project in November until late in

April, work was carried on through periods of extreme cold, sleet,

and snow storms; very few times was the work stopped, day or

night, on account of the weather. Flash floods and spring high

tides eroded the causeways and on 20 March and 13 May 1953

went completely over them. The water and the need for immediate repair of the causeways made the evacuation of men and

equipment necessary on several occasions!

Motors became practically impossible to start without the use

of special warming devices, and it was finally decided to keep the

motors of key vehicles and equipment running 24 hours a day.

Condensation of water in the pneumatic hoses would freeze at the

connections and plug the hose; this could only be solved by applying constant heat to all such connections. The same difficulty of

welding in the extreme cold which was experienced at Teal was

present at X-Ray.

Mixing, pouring, and curing concrete in freezing weather,

often below zero Fahrenheit, presented a whole new series of

problems to Major Carter and to First Lieutenant Donald W.

McKenzie, commander of Company A, who was in charge of all

concrete operations. An aggregate dryer, capable of handling 50

to 180 tons per hour, was used to heat the aggregate to an acceptable temperature, and a 24.head shower unit, permitting temperature control from 37O to HOOF, heated the water for mixing.

(Figures 43 CVZ~ 44) Once the concrete was poured, it would soon

lose its heat and freeze unless some means was found to maintain

a constant above-freezing temperature until it was cured. Unique

curing cabins covered with canvas were designed which served

the double purpose of maintaining heat and providing a work

platform. These cabins could be raised and clamped in place as the
ferdam 6, which was full of water-was accomplished with concrete buckets and a crane. This procedure proved too slow and

created a great deal of wash and wave action, which tended to

wash the cement out of the mix. After about 20 buckets of concrete

were placed, placement was stopped and a new means was

adopted. A 16Gnch Armco pile with a hopper attached was used as

a tremie to carry the concrete down to the bottom of the cofferdam;

the lower end of the pipe was kept about one foot below the surface

of the concrete already poured in order to prevent washing of the

mix. The remainder of pier 6 was placed in this mannerlo

There were still doubts as to the quality of the concrete in pier c

6, and further pouring on this pier was halted until tests could be

made. An attempt was made to obtain samples of the concrete bY

coring, but this did not prove Successful as only about two inches

of core were ever obtained. 0n 4 March>n order to blast out the

concrete came down from the Eighth Army Engineer. The pier

was blasted out down to bedrock, and the concrete, except for the

three and four feet at the bottom, was found to be unsatisfactory.

On 16 March the pier was repoured using a pumpcrete machine

which produced better results? (Figure 45)

Excavation of cofferdam 8 was completed on 13 February, and

the concrete placement was begun using concrete buckets and

cranes. This was the only pier poured completely in the dry. With

the other piers it was necessary to place a three- or four-foot

blanket of concrete at the bottom to reduce water leakage and the

danger of a blowout, then dewater and drill through the concrete

to bedrock to test it, before placing the rest of the concrete.

By late February a pumpcrete machine had arrived and was

operating; this unusual device:was capable of pumping wet concrete for long distances and to considerable heights. The time

required for concrete pouring was greatly reduced due to the

speed with which the pumpcrete could deliver concrete to the spot

where it was needed.

Five pours or lifts were made on each pier, and they were given .-

alphabetical titles for ease of reference. “A” pour was an average
complete pier 5, for instance, concrete was pumped 700 feet hori

zontally and 48 feet vertically.12

Wherever possible, components of the bridge were completed

and assembled on the shore before being placed on the bridge.

Reinforcing steel was prefabricated into mats of the required size

in the central work yard and hauled to the point of use when

needed. (Figure 48) All forms were made in the carpenter shop

under the supervision of Second Lieutenant Harry H.

Nishikimoto and, whenever possible, were so designed that they

could be taken down and reused. A curb form was designed that

would use the same bracket that held the deck slab form. The

superstructure operation was geared to placing 242 feet of deck a

day, and the curb placement was similarly geared, using the same

forms. Guardrail posts were cast in batches of 66, using the same

forms over and over.13 (Figure 49) A full-scale model of a section of

the deck was built in the work yard to give to all concerned

practice and training in the procedures which were to be used.

(Figure 50)

Steel fabrication and placement raised many problems. The

Japanese-manufactured 4%inch I-beams, which were to be used

as girders, had to be riveted together with splice plates in order to

form girder spans of the required length. Fabrication began in

February and continued through 5 June with First Lieutenant

Curtis W. Badman, assisted by Warrant Officer Harry Cooley, in

overall charge of all steel construction.

On the day riveting began, the only man in the battalion who

had civilian experience as a riveter departed for home. However, a

week’s schooling and the help of two Korean riveters soon turned

out good crews. The rivet hammers available through Army supply channels were too light for the seven-eighths-inch rivets used,

and suitable hammers had to be rented from a Korean contractor.14 (Figures 51 and 52)

In early April the beams which were to span from the west

abutment to pier 7 were completed. The two downstream beams

were then spaced at the required distance apart and braced (dia-
Figure 38. The Imjin River at the X-Ray site, showing early progress on 

the construction causeway and test piles driven in November 1952 to 

determine the depth of bedrock. 

Figure 39. Pile driving on 

cofferdam 1 during February 

1953. View shows curing 

cabin on pier 6 on far causeway and the concrete batch 

plant on the far shore. 
Figure 40. Excavation of cofferdam 1 and pile driving on 

cofferdam 3. Pier 7 is visible 

on the far shore. 

Figure41. Cofferdam 3 filled with 240 cubic yards of concrete constituting 

the initial or A pour. Water is being used to cure the concrete, and the 

scaffold floor at right is ready to be set in place. 

- . . z. w... 

-.... 

~ I j 
Figure 42. Interior view of a 

cofferdam showing 12-inch 

H-beams, or whalers, which 

enabled it to withstand outside pressure. Buckling of the 

H-beam is visible at the upper left. 

Figure 43. The central concrete batch plant, which furnished hot aggregates or warm concrete from its location on the Imjin's west bank. The 

plant's two 60-ton bins fed coarse and fine aggregate to the 80-to 150-tonsper-hour dryer that discharged into bins inside the plant. 

./ :. ' "' ... ·~..,.._!.. ., ~·· · 

; - -~ ·<y; -=-- • ·. . ,-- .. $ . • ""''.. 

..... - - -· : •, I ... . V<c . . ... -. -, ·'..; # . 

·-- ·-t.J 

:'4--
Figure 44. Close-up view of the concrete batch plant showing aggregate 

bins and, at bottom, locations where dump trucks and mixers were filled. 

Figure 45. The 34 E paver 

and Rex pumpcrete machine, 

which together proved remarkably successful in mixing cement and moving it to 

the pouring site. 
Figure 46. Forms for D pour 

that had been put together on 

the ground, raised, and then 

lowered onto the C pour pedestal. The curing cabin being 

used as scaffolding is ready to 

be raised into position and 

clamped. 

Figure 47. The curing 

cabin on pier 7 in position for the final or E 

pour. The canvas pipe, 

center, provided heat 

for curing. The 34 E 

paver and the pumpcrete machine, right, 

mixed cement and 

pumped it to the pouring location through 

the pipe, left, that ran 

over the curing cabin. 
Figure 48. Steel mats that would reinforce the bridge decking being 

fabricated in the central work yard. 

Figure 49. Soldiers casting guardrail posts. The reusable forms shown 

could cast batches of 66 posts at once. 
~ 

Fig ure 50. FUll-scale model of a section of decking that was built in the 

work yard for practice and testing purposes. 

Figure 51. Riveters at work on steel beams. Newly trained American and 

Korean riveters developed their skills so quickly that a 121-foot span was 

launched with a deflection of only 17 inches. 
Figure 52. Steel beams being 

prepared for the span from 

the west abutment to pier 7, 

while riveters received training on the beam at left center. 

Figure 53. Steel beams in place from the west abutment across pier 8 to 

pier 7. The 30-foot launching nose may be seen beyond pier 7. 
Figure 54. Launching the span across piers 7, 6, and 5. Launching noses 

extend both east and west into the gap between piers 5 and 6. 

Figure 55. Chain hoist lowering girde1· complete with sub-decking across 

piers 7, 6, and 5. 
Figure 56. Close-up view of 

chain hoist lowering downstream girder across piers 7, 

6, and 5. This girder was lowered in 22 hours, a much 

shorter period than the eight 

days required to lower the 

corresponding girder from 

the west abutment to pier 7 

with jacks. 

Figure 57. Troops setting up the pumpcrete pipe to pour concrete decking. 
Figure 58. A burlap drag being used to give the deck surface the desired 

rough texture perpendicular to traffic. Reinforcing steel for curbing is 

visible. 

Figure 59. Concrete deck being covered with burlap, at 

center, prior to receiving a 

seven-day water cure. A flood 

gauge is visible on pier 1 in 

foreground. 
Figure 60. Completed Libby bridge from the west bank on 4 July 1953. 

Figure 61. View looking east 

at the completed piers and superstructure of Libby bridge. 
Figure 62. Libby bridge withstanding the flood of 15 July 

1953 with more than 20 feet of 

clearance. 

Figure 63. Plaque erected at the east end of the bridge as a memorial to 

engineer Sergeant George D. Libby. 

. / 

r 
Since the girder had to be launched horizontally across the

abutment, which was at deck level, heavy wooden cribbing had to

be placed on the pier caps to receive and support the beams until

they could be jacked down into position on the piers. The three

upstream beams were launched complete with the corrugated

steel sub-decking already welded in place. This sub-decking,

which was available in Korea, provided a simple and speedy

means for construction of the deck forms and did not have to be

removed when the concrete deck was completed. The girders to

span piers 1,2,3,4, and 5 and the east abutment were fabricated

on the east shore and launched across the east abutment. Less \

cribbing and jacking down were necessary for these girders because the top five feet of the end wall of the abutment had not yet

been poured, and the girders could be launched just slightly above

the elevation at which they were to rest. These girders were 606

feet long when launched, and moving them out to their position

required a great deal of engineering skill?

Lieutenant Badman and Warrant Officer Cooley came up with

a suggestion that made it possible to weld the sub-decking on all

girders before they were launched, thus saving a great deal of

time and effort after they were launched. The plan was to launch

the downstream girder (two of the five I-beams connected with

diaphragming) five inches higher than the upstream girder (the

other three beams); this would allow the decking of the downstream girder to pass the decking of the upstream girder freely

during launching, without scraping. Then when the two girders

were lowered into position, the decking would tightly fit together

as planned?

The span for piers 7,6, and 5 was fabricated on the west shore

and launched over the completed decking of piers 7 and 8 and the

west abutment. (Figure 54) Another time-saving expedient was

used here in lowering the girders into position; a frame with chain

hoists was anchored to the completed decking of the other spans

and lowered the downstream girder in 22 hours, while with jacks
chute at the end of the pumpcrete pipe; a straightedge was used to

obtain the desired plane, followed by a burlap drag to remove any

excess moisture and to give the desired rough surface texture

perpendicular to the flow of traffic. (Figures 57 and 58) The

concrete was poured on 14 June, and seven more days of curing

with water-soaked burlap were then required. (Figure 59) Cleanup operations, which consisted of scraping down all piers, painting the guardrails, removing all scaffolding and catwalks, sweeping down the deck and curb, painting the bottom flanges of all

beams, and dressing down the approaches, continued for some

time afterward.

An interesting feature of the bridge’s construction, which was

rather painful for all concerned, was the preparation for demolition should it become necessary. YRvo steel catwalks are suspended crosswise under the bridge between piers 6 and 7 with

steel ladders leading down to them on both sides. Instructions as

to the amount and placement of explosives are painted on the

sides of the beams. The plan of demolition calls for cutting each of

the five beams between piers 6 and 7, allowing this section of the

bridge to drop into the river, which has its main channel at this

point. Channel-iron brackets are welded to each beam to hold the

explosive in place, and a yellow stripe is painted across the deck at

each end of the span to show the proper placement of charges to

break the concrete decking. l7

The original target date for completion of the bridge was 1

July 1953. It was finished on time, but only because of a great deal

of prior planning, hard work, and aggressive spirit on the part of

all concerned to get the job done. F’rom November through March,

work proceeded on two ten-hour shifts; later in March, two elevenhour shifts were put into effect; and after 1 June, two twelve-hour

shifts were employed until the completion of the bridge.

F’reezing weather, high winds, floods, high tides, and even

some enemy artillery, all contributed to slowing down construction. In the construction itself, the driving, excavating, and pour-
7. Private James E. OGrady drowned on 16 April 1953 trying to

help a Korean civilian worker who had become caught in ropes

and was in danger of drowning when the boat in which he was

working capsized. The commanding officer of the 84th recommended that the bridge be named for these personnel. However,

the Commanding General, Eighth Army, directed that the bridge

be named for Sergeant ‘George D. Libby, 3d Engineer Combat

Battalion, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for

gallant conduct and heroic self-sacrifice at Taejon, Korea, on 20

July 1950.1g (Figure 63) The Libby bridge was dedicated with

appropriate ceremonies on 4 July 1953 by General Maxwell D.

Taylor, Commanding General, Eighth Army, and was immediately put into service.
LEADING TO THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSTRUCTION

OF TEAL BRIDGE

HEADQUARTERS I CORPS

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF

APO 358 U.S. ARMY

AG 823 CICS 2 August 1952

SUBJECT: Imjin River Bridges

TO.. Commanding General

Eighth United States Army Korea (EUSAK)

APO 301

1. Recent floods in this sector have destroyed two of the five

fixed bridges over the Imjin River which were available to the I

Corps.

2. Whereas the Corps can and will be supported over the

remaining bridges during the remainder of the flood season this

year, it is considered that the replacement of the damaged X-Ray

and Teal bridges is an urgent military necessity. It is further

firmly believed that more substantial types [ofl structures are

indicated rather than restoration of those structures which have

proven inadequate in the face of the high water.

3. It is deemed important that early consideration of this
t/JO. WS

Brig Gen GS

Chief of Staff
1. Replacement of damaged Imjin River bridges will be accomplished when present river conditions warrant and potential

flood threat has terminated.

2. At the present time an extensive study and research program is being conducted to provide basis for design and construction of type structures capable of withstanding stage floods and

abnormal river conditions encountered on the Imjin and its tributary streams.

BY THE COMMAND OF GENERAL VAN FLEET:
To.

. Commanding General

Eighth United States Army Korea (EUSAK)

APO 301, U.S. Army

1

dated

Reference: Letter this Headquarters, subject as above,

2 August 1952, and 1st indorsement thereto.

2 . To provide adequate support for elements north of the Imjin

River, the permanent bridge destroyed X-Ray site (CT 095012)

and Teal site (CT 174056) during the flood season just terminating are being temporarily replaced with floating M-2 treadway

bridges by Corps engineers.

3. Previous experience has demonstrated that floating

bridges cannot be indefinitely maintained across the Imjin River

during the winter months when ice conditions prevail. To prevent

unnecessary loss of equipment, it is considered desirable to remove all floating bridges about 11 December 1952, the mean date

of freeze-up on the Imjin. To provide for continued satisfactory

support of the forward elements in the I Corps zone of action, it

would seem highly desirable that permanent structures at the

Teal and X-Ray bridge sites be completed prior to damaging ice

conditions .

4. In order that this Headquarters may continue its planning

for winter operations, it is requested that information relative to
t/JOHN K. WATERS

Brig Gen GS

Chief of Staff
1. Statement of the problem: To submit a plan to the Cornmanding General, I Corps, for replacing Imjin River bridges.

2. Facts bearing on the problem:

a. Equally spaced along the Imjin River serving the 1st

Marine Division, the British Commonwealth Division, and the 3d

U.S. Infantry sectors were, prior to 1952 flood season, five highlevel bridges. wo of those (Parker and Whitefront) withstood the

floods. One (Munsanni), potentially the best and most critical,

has one temporary pier which was severely threatened. %o (XRay and Teal) were washed out leaving a large gap in the lines of

communication over the river. (Tab A)

b. I Corps considers the replacement of the two bridges

washed out with more substantial structures as urgent military

necessity. (Tab B)

c. I Corps desires to be informed of the EUSAK plan for the

replacement of those bridges. (Tab C)

d. A general plan has been approved for replacing the temporary span in the Munsanni railroad bridge. (Tab D)*

3. Discussion:

a. For these sites two general designs appear feasible. One is

a two-way high-level bridge costing approximately $600,000 and

requiring eight (8) months to build. The other is a two-way lowlevel bridge at about two-thirds the cost and one-half the time.

The low-level bridge will be topped during floods. It is estimated

that such a bridge would be impassable not more than two or

three months during the year.

b. The sites of the old five high-level bridges are evenly

spaced along the river and adequately serve the near and far

shore road nets. From an Engineer point of view they are excellent
y 

c. A plan was discussed with Engineer of I Corps to replace

the X-Ray bridge with the two-way high-level bridge to be completed before the 1953 flood season and to replace the Teal bridge

with the limited two-way low-level bridge. This plan has been

informally concurred in by the Chief of Staff, I Corps.

d. The high-level bridge at X-Ray appears justified on the

basis that in addition to the I Corps requirement for a permanent

bridge for the present situation there will be an all-year-around

requirement including the flood season for such a bridge both

after a possible armistice or an advance in that sector. After an

armistice or an advance the Munsan-ni railroad bridge would

probably have to be limited to rail traffic and thus a highway

crossing is required between Munsan-ni and Kaesong.

e. Such a justification does not appear to exist at Teal. In fact,

it would appear that, in any situation except for a continuation of

the present one, the requirements for any crossing at all at Teal

would cease to exist.

4. Conclusion: . a. That the plan informally presented to I Corps is feasible

and justified.

b. That formal concurrence of the Commanding General, I

Corps, is required.

5. Recommendations: Concurrence and dispatch of attached

letter. (Tab E)*

- LT COL HIMES1_--_ COL DOVVNING2___._ COL BAKER3

Sch Adv 315 Sch Adv 615 Sch Adv 615

*Not available for inclusion
SUBJECT: Repair of Imjin River Bridges

To.. Commanding General

I corps

APO 358

1. Reference letter your headquarters, dated 14 September

1952, subject: “Imjin River Bridges.”

2. Past experience and results of studies of this headquarters

have conclusively indicated that the only bridges which will have

any potential for withstanding extreme flood conditions in the

Imjin River are bridges resting on concrete piers extending down

to or securely anchored in bed rock. Such structures are extremely expensive and will require both extensive engineer effort

and time-consuming construction.

3. It is believed that there is an urgent military requirement

for a safe, all-weather, all-year-around railroad crossing at Mung

sanni and a similar highway crossing in the Munsanni-X-Ray

reach of the Imjin, whether the present tactical situation continues, whether our forces advance, or whether an armistice

ensues.

4. To meet these requirements, it is planned that the temporary span in the Munsanni railroad bridge be replaced immediately by a permanent span with a planned completion date prior

to 1 January 1953, and to construct at the X-Ray site a two-way

class-60 high-level, all-weather highway bridge with a planned

completion date some time between the ice season of 1952-1953

and the 1953 flood season.

5. It is believed there is also an urgent military requirement
gpy y 

6. Request your comments and/or concurrence in the above

plans.

BY COMMAND OF GENERAL VAN FLEET:

s/C. W. Burleson

t/C. W. BURLESON

Lt Co1 AGC

Asst AG
ENGINEERING REPORT ON BRIDGE STUIIY AND DESIGN, TEAL

SITE, IMJIN RIVER, 2~ ENGINEER CONSTRUCTION GROUP,

14 SEPTEMBER 1952, WITH SELECTED A~ACHED DOCUMENTS

HEADQUARTERS

2D ENGINEER CONSTRUCTION GROUP

APO 971

Engineering Report on Bridge Study and Design,

Teal Site, Imjin River

CONTENTS

Section I Introduction Page 1

Section II The Problem Page 2

Section III Discussion Page 3

Section IV Conclusions Page 5

Section V Recommendations Page 6

Inclosure

1 Acknowledgment

2 Operations Order No. 33, 13 August 1952, Hq,

EUSAK

3

* Plotting of Core Drill Samples, Honker Site, Imjin

River

4 Geological Report on Imjin River, prepared by

FECOM

5* Hydrographic Data, Imjin River at Teal Site
qp

8* Proposed Low-Level, One-Way Bridge Data

Design Computations

Cost Estimate

Critical Items of Materials and Equipment

9* Proposed Low-Level, Two-Way (Restricted Traffic)

Bridge Data

Design Computations

Cost Estimate

Critical Items of Materials and Equipment

10* Proposed Low-Level, Tbvo-Way (Unrestricted Tkaffk)

Bridge Data

Design Computations

Cost Estimate

Critical Items of Materials and Equipment

Attachments*

Plan A Drawings for Proposed High-Level Two-Way

Bridge

Plan B Drawings for Proposed Low-Level One-Way

Bridge

Plan C Drawings for Proposed Low-Level Two-Way

(Restricted Tkaffk) Bridge

Plan D Drawings for Proposed Low-Level ‘Iwo-Way

(Unrestricted Traffic) Bridge

*Not reproduced
gg p

BRIDGE STUDY AND DESIGN

At the Teal Site, Imjin River, Korea

I. INTRODUCTION

1. If the Imjin River is viewed for the first time during normal

weather conditions, a picture is revealed of a small mountain

stream surrounded by rugged mountainous terrain lazily winding itself into the distance. The active channel is relatively small

in comparison to the overall width of the river bed. It can easily be

forded in most places. The almost vertical rock cliff banks, approximately 75 feet above low water, the wide dry river bed of

about 1200 feet width, and the shallow active channel of about

150 to 200 feet width indicate that the Imjin River is approaching

a state of old age. There is no indication during normal times of

the monstrous force that the Imjin River actually develops during

floods.

2. The Imjin River, fed by its tributaries and many small

mountain streams, reaches flood heights of 48 feet above mean

level and a velocity of 15 feet per second and discharges nearly six

million gallons of water per second. The rapid runoff of approximately 95% of precipitation during flash floods has caused the

Imjin River to rise more than six feet per hour. There is no specific

information on what action occurs in the sand and gravel overburden in the river bed during a flood. However, experience with

scour action and the floating out of piling which had 12 to 15 feet

of penetration indicates that the overburden of sand and gravel in

this fast-moving stream is unstable to a depth perhaps equal to

the depth of the flood water in the stream, or to bed rock, which

ever is less.

3. In the preparation of this report, extensive use has been
information together with knowledge gained by the U.S. Army

Engineers during the two years of U.S. operations in Korea has

been used to the maximum extent possible in preparing the analysis, designs, and recommendations contained in this report.

4. Attached as inclosures and referenced hereunder are

copies of core drilling tests by Japanese engineers, hydrographic

data obtained from Japanese records, and design calculations

made by this headquarters, all of which have been used in this

bridge design report. The flood conditions, which have not abated

since 30 July 1952, have prevented accomplishment of core drilling at the Teal site, although contractors, equipment, and personnel have been available to start that work. Seismograph

equipment and crews have not been found available to make

quick profile studies of the river bed subsurface. A sheet-piling

caisson will be sunk at the bridge site and soil samples taken for

analysis as soon as the flood waters recede. Until this river bed

exploration is completed, the soil structure of the river bed and its

bearing capacity can only be assumed from geological studies and

from interpretation of known data at downstream sites, which

sites were studied by the Japanese engineers. It is believed that

this interpretation is sufficiently accurate to provide basic design

criteria and to allow construction estimates within about 15%

accuracy.

5. Designs of two different basic types of bridges have been

developed for the purpose of this report. A high-level, class-50

two-way, permanent type bridge for all-year use is our consideration of the only feasible structure that will insure uninterrupted

year-around use and be able to withstand normal annual and

expected floods on the Imjin River. Its design is restricted to

materials generally available in Korea. Due to the cost in materials and construction effort and length of time required for construction of a permanent bridge, an alternate type design for a

low-level fixed bridge is offered for consideration. The low-level
that the results of the core drilling (yet to be performed) will not

affect the bridge design, but will only indicate the depth to which

piers will have to be sunk.

7. Time has not permitted the development of detailed specifications and construction schedules for each of the bridge plans

submitted herewith. Preliminary estimates of time and construction effort required for each type of bridge are included in the

report. Upon notice by higher headquarters of the design approved for construction, the specifications and construction schedule for that design will be prepared and submitted for approval.

II. THE PROBLEM

8. A high-level one-way timber bridge was constructed over

the Imjin River at the Teal site (CT 174057) during the winter of

1951-1952. That site is within three miles of the present front

line (MLR). Timber piling and timber bents were used for all piers

except the three piers adjacent to the north bank of the river,

which piers had steel H-beam piling. During the floods of July

and August 1952, the bridge was lost due to damage by flood

action. Report of this headquarters to the Engineer, EUSAK

[Eighth United States Army, Korea], 20 August 1952, subject:

“Preliminary Analysis of Damages to Imjin River Bridges during

the Flood of 30 July 1952,” provides information on damages

suffered to that time. The flood of 24 August 1952 washed out

about one-half the structure then remaining. The Engineer,

Eighth Army, subsequently ordered the remaining structure removed and salvaged.

9. In Operations Order No. 33, 13 August 1952 (Incl2), the

Engineer EUSAK directed this headquarters to submit design

data, specifications, and construction plans for a “class-50, twolane Hi-level Highway Bridge over the Imjin River in the vicinity
III. DISCUSSION

10. The report of 20 August 1952, referenced in paragraph 8

above, reflects the opinion of this headquarters concerning the

unstable overburden in the river bed above bed rock. It is appreciated that this opinion cannot be proven until the river bed exploration is completed and the soil is analyzed. However, evidence

now available is so strongly indicative of the instability of the

overburden in the river that it appears necessary to base the

bridge design on that assumption. From an analysis of the Honker

bridge design, it appears that the Japanese engineers apparently

reached the same conclusion during the time of their occupation

of Korea. (See report referenced in paragraph 8 above.) The best

qualified Korean engineers (who also worked with the Japanese

engineers) were recently consulted on this matter and were found

to be firm in the same conviction. Records of core drillings at the

Honker site (CS 086968) (Incl3) provided by Korean engineers

from Japanese records, indicate an average depth of overburden

of about 20 feet.’ A geological study furnished by the Engineer

FECOM [Far East Command] (Incl 4) indicates that the overburden may be somewhat less upstream from the X-Ray site (CT

095013), perhaps about 15 feet in depth. For the purpose of this

study and until core drillings are obtained, an average depth of < . overburden iq assumed as 20 feet.

1#

11. Hydrographic data (Incl 5) was obtained from records

compiled by Japanese engineers during their occupation of Korea. Those records are now in the files of the Bureau of Public

Works, RQK [Republic of Korea]. This data agrees generally with

the data provided by FECOM in the report referenced in paragraph 10 above (Incl 4). A surveyed cross-section of the Imjin

River channel at the Teal site, together with high water records

plotted thereon, is included at Incl 6.
design. A listing of these suspected critical items is included with

the inclosure for each separate type design. There are not believed

to be any critical items required in construction of the low-level

bridges proposed for consideration, although special supply action may be necessary to procure some of the materials and

equipment required.

13. Simplicity of design for early construction of a bridge in

Korea is necessary due to lack of construction skills, lack of

special handling equipment, speed of construction desired, and

economy in use of construction forces and materials. Several

alternate sites were studied, and several alternate designs and

combinations were made and preliminary cost estimates prepared of each for comparison. Two basic types of bridges are

developed in the designs offered for consideration, and all of the

other alternates considered have been eliminated without inclusion in this report. The original Teal site (or possibly 50 feet

upstream depending on results of core drillings) was found to be

the most economical site for construction of a high-level bridge,

and a slightly further upstream site was found to be the most

feasible for construction of a low-level bridge.

14. The high-level bridge is a design using four 48” I-beams,

continuous section over two spans, with 121' 4" spans. The decking is corrugated metal sheets V32” x 13" x 13' with a 4" concrete

wearing surface. Wood decking is offered as an alternate for . consideration. The piers finally selected, after studies were made

of several different designs, are reinforced concrete with a solid

base (tied into bed rock) extending to approximately mean low

water level, with two vertical columns (essentially forming a

bent) 5 x 4’ at base and tapering to 3’ x 4’ at the cap. Construction details are shown on the attached drawings, Plan A. Design

computations, cost estimates, and a listing of suspected critical

items of materials and equipment are included at Incl7. Assuming that work can be started on the high-level bridge by 1 October
1953. The construction effort will be about eight Battalion

months. The estimated total cost is $1,167,366.00.

15. An alternate plan of construction for the same high-level

bridge is under consideration and will be studied in more detail if

the high-level bridge is authorized for construction. The major

change in design would be constructing skeleton bents of 24"

I-beams (cross-braced), with the beams set in the base of the

concrete pier. The concrete base could be constructed during the

cold weather period but it would not be feasible to pour the

concrete columns during the winter months (on either of the two

designs). The superstructure could then be constructed on the

skeleton bents and should be completed by the end of the extremely cold weather. About April when warmer weather arrives,

the bents could then be encased in reinforced concrete, the concrete decking poured, and the bridge would then be ready for

traffic. This method would be more expensive in total steel used,

but would require about 25% less reinforcing steel. It would allow

a more balanced work schedule by taking the maximum workload

off of the final two to three months and allowing a balanced or full

work schedule during the cold weather months, thus insuring

completion on schedule, barring serious accidents.

16. A low-level fixed bridge is offered as a less expensive

solution to provide a river crossing before the winter ice season.

This bridge is designed to withstand damage by floods and would

allow traffic at all times when the river is below a lOofoot level.

The piers, on 69.foot centers, consist merely of a sheet metal

piling caisson driven to bed rock, excavated and tied in to bed rock

with a reinforced concrete slab, refilled and compacted with rock

and gravel, and sealed with a reinforced concrete cap. Two 36”

I-beam girders, with 12” I-beam saddles to support M-2 treads,

will suffice for a one-way traffic class-50 bridge. Construction

details are shown on the attached drawings, Plan B. Design

computations, cost estimates, and a listing of items of materials
17. A restricted two-way class-50 low-level bridge, 20’ 2V2”

width, basically similar to the one-way bridge described in paragraph 16 above, is offered for consideration. A wider pier, addition

of a third 36” I-beam girder and a third M-2 tread, with wider fill

between treads, is the only difference. This bridge will allow twoway traffic for all military vehicles except those exceeding a width

of about loo”, and provided a maximum load of 90 tons per span is

distributed between the three 36” girders (30 tons allowable load

per girder). Construction details are shown on attached drawings,

Plan C. Design computations, cost estimates, and a listing of

items of materials and equipment that may require special supply action are included at Incl 9. About ten to twelve weeks’

construction time by one Construction Company reinforced is

estimated for completion of this bridge. The estimated total cost is

$672,843.00.

18. An unrestricted two-way class-50 low-level bridge, 24’ in

width, basically similar to the one-way bridge described in paragraph 17 above, is also offered for consideration.2Four 36” I-beam

girders will be required. A corrugated sheet metal decking with

4” concrete wearing surface, similar to the decking designed for

the high-level bridge, is proposed for the unrestricted two-way

traffic bridge. A schematic drawing with cross section and elevation is attached as Plan D. Design computations, cost estimates,

and a listing of materials and equipment that may require special

supply action are included at Incl 10. About twelve to fourteen

weeks’ construction time by one Construction Company reinforced is estimated for completion of this bridge. The estimated

total cost is $702,093.00.

19. If bed rock could be reached at depths less than 20 feet

below the river bed, and if the overburden allows an easy penetration of the sheet piling, it is possible that the construction time

can be reduced for the type of bridges shown on Plans C and D.
20. In view of the short construction time available before ice

season starts, it is important to obtain early approval of the

bridge design to allow maximum use of the good construction

period prior to mid-December.

21. From information presently available, it is our opinion

that the only type of high-level bridge capable of withstanding the

force of an Imjin River flood is a permanent type structure embedded in bed rock, designed to shed debris and of sufficient strength

to withstand normally expected impact loads with the river in

flood stage. Reinforced concrete piers on a solid mass reinforced

concrete base appear to provide the only feasible and economical

solution to meet these criteria.

22. Working under weather conditions normally expected in

this country and with equipment, material, and construction

forces available to this command, a satisfactory high-level bridge

cannot be completed until June 1953. About eight Battalion

months of construction effort will be required for its construction.

23. A low-level fixed bridge can be constructed that will be

available for trafic by December 1952 (prior to the ice season).

Such bridge is expected to be able to withstand the forces of the

Imjin River in flood without suffering damage, but it will not be

usable when the river is more than 10’ above mean low water.

Cost in materials and construction effort is relatively inexpensive

in comparison to the high-level bridge. Data are not available in

this headquarters as to the average number of days per year such

low-level bridge would not allow traffic, but from knowledge of

recent floods, it is believed that trafic would be closed for less

than a total of three weeks out of each year.

24. A choice of three different types of low-level bridges is

offered. The most economical type for two-way traffic is Plan C
25. It is not considered economically feasible to complete a

bridge as shown on Plan D (unrestricted two-way traffic) until

after the thaw season, due to difficulties that will be encountered

in laying a surfacing material on the bridge during the ice season.

Use of timber decking would allow completion in January 1953 of

a similar type bridge, provided construction is authorized without

delay.

26. A permanent bridge over the Imjin River at the Teal site

is not presently foreseen as of material value to the permanent

Korean transportation system. The civilian needs are for a road

system between Seoul and Kaesong; the appropriate location for

an Imjin River crossing for that route would be at the Honker site

(CS 086968). A second preference would be at the X-Ray site (CT

095013). The Teal site is considerably upstream from a desirable

crossing for permanent value to the Korean transportation system. Hence a permanent bridge at the Teal site would be primarily of military value only. And if an armistice is signed on the

presently understood terms, the Imjin River will probably be in

the neutral zone.

V. RECOMMENDATIONS

27. Construction of a low-level fixed bridge over the Imjin

River at the Teal site is recommended. It is further recommended

that a bridge be approved which is basically similar to the design

shown on Plan C (two-way restricted traffic). ,
Acknowledgment is made of the valuable assistance rendered

and technical data furnished for preparation of the engineering

report by the following Korean engineers:

Mr. Chae Kyong Yol, formerly Chief, Bureau of Public Works,

ROK

Messrs. Han In Sun and Rim Bon Kun, Seoul Bureau of Public

Works

Mr. Chang Young Sheng, Chief Engineer, Kyong Gi Do [Kyonggi] Province

Mr. Kim Y. K., Chief Engineer, Korean National Railway.
NUMBER 33

1. 2d Engineer Construction Group:3

* * *

H. Submit design, data, specifications, and construction

plans for class-50, two-lane Hi-Level Highway Bridge in the vicinity of Teal bridge, CT 175057. The information to include:

(1) Data compiled on river bottom soil structure and bearing capacity.

(2) Profile of river stages listing low, high, and mean water

levels.

(3) Cross-sectional plot of river bed elevations.

* * *

FOR THE ENGINEER:

s/W. J. Himes

t/W. J. HIMES

Lt Co1 CE

Operations Officer
TO

. Maj. Pusey, EUSAK Engr Sec4

Recently, someone from your office requested information on

river bed conditions for a specific location. We had nothing readily

available and were unable to give you any data then. Subsequent

research revealed some data from which the attached study was

prepared by a geographer in our Foreign Map Library and edited

by a geologist. I don’t know if this will help you at all at this date,

but am sending it to you in hopes that it will. Please let us know if

examination in the field reveals errors or omissions in this report.

If we can help you in any way again, please let us know.

s/Andy

t/E. G. ANDERSON5

Chief

Research and Analysis Branch

Intelligence Division

1 Incl

Study
FOREIGN MAP LIBRARY

INTELLIGENCE DIVISION

OFFICE OF THE ENGINEER

HQ FEC

AUG 1952
The Imjin valley is located in a region of low mountains,

formed on a bedrock consisting principally of metamorphosed

sediments of preCambrian age. These meta-sediments are

widely distributed in the drainage area and consist of quartzite,

limestone, phyllite, and amphibolite with admixture of mica

schist and schistose gneiss. Also, some porphyry, granite, and

basalt are found locally in the district. Among these rocks, only

the more resistant materials, such as quartzite, phyllite, etc., are

transported and deposited in the streams, though some basalt

may come from local areas of outcrop.

At an earlier stage, the Imjin River cut its valley in approximately its present location, and that valley formed the avenue of

movement for a series of basalt flows, partially filling it. These

basalts now extend to the village of Yongsanni on the west side of

the valley and to Kumgong-ni on the east side. The present Imjin

flowed on this basalt surface and has since cut through the existing valley, showing cliffs of basalt as far as Yongsanni on the west

side and farther downstream on the east. Terraces, indicating

several stages of downcutting, have been formed along the

stream.

The influence of the tide acts on the water level of the river as

far as Korangp’o-ri. Changes of level at the Yongsanni ferry are

as follows:

Rise of level at spring high tide . . . . . + 0.9 meters

Mean level of the river . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Fall of level at low tide . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 0.5 meters

Floods of the Imjin are notable and may raise its level about

15m. above the mean. Below are data for several past floods:

Date

Water level Precipitation (in millimeters)

above sea During At I’chon At Yonch’on

22-23 Aug 1922 15.67m. 18-23 Aug 600-700 300-350
p, pp

north (upstream from Yongsan-ni) at Chajip’o, and to the south

(downstream) near Changsan-ni. While bedrock is not reported

visible in the stream at these points, the situation is suggestive of

bedrock control. The lack of alluvial terraces or of broad alluvial

plains at any point along the river in this sector plus the presence

of rapids indicate a stream actively engaged in downcutting, a

condition which does not allow for accumulation of any appreciable alluvial mantle. Furthermore, upstream from Chajip’o, bedrock is exposed along the stream bed; at Seoul, in the same

geomorphic region, bedrock is exposed in the bed of the Han River.

These factors indicate a lack of any general alluviation of stream

valleys in this part of Korea. It should be noted, however, to the

west of the Imjin, tributary valleys are apparently alluviated to

some depth. This is probably only as a result of one-time damming

of these local tributaries by the basalt flow in the main valley.

The longitudinal section is from a reconnaissance of the River

Dept., Korean Government General’s Office, 1929. Between the

rapids of Chajip’o and Changsan-ni, three deep points in the

stream bed are indicated: Korangp’o-ri, 3.5 meters below mean

water level; a point 900 meters above Yongsan-ni ferry, 5.7 meters

below mean water; and near Imjin-ni, 10.5 meters below mean

water. As these occur at the apexes of several meander curves,

they are the points of most active stream erosion and, in an

actively downcutting stream, may be assumed to be on bedrock.

By connecting these deep points in the profile, we have what may

be assumed to be the maximum depth to bedrock beneath the

river surface.

Though the actual river bed at Yongsan-ni is masked by

alluvium, this is considered to be thin. At the ferry, the river is 2.4

meters deep. As bedrock is assumed to be 5.7 meters below the

surface, 900 meters upstream, there is a difference of 3.3 meters

representing the maximum probable depth of alluvium in the

axis of the stream. This figure may probably prove to be high, as

the bedrock surface generally rises in the straight stretches of a

LIBBY HI-LEVEL HIGHWAY BRIDGE

General Description

. Length and Spans: 1074.2 feet, with eight spans 121 feet and one

span 104 feet.

Height: 49 feet to bottom’of I-beams at mean low tide. 79 feet from

bottom of caissons to top of deck.

Roadway: 22-foot traveled way; 25-foot overall.

Piers: Eight piers made of Yawata sheet pile, type #3-5 piles

wide by 19 piles long, driven to bed rock (average elevation15 feet) and cut off at elevation + 15.00 feet. Caisson mucked

to firm bed rock and filled with concrete. Reinforcing temperature steel placed in the top 10 feet of caisson. Above elevation

+ 15.00 feet the piers rise 44 feet consisting of two reinforced

concrete columns 4 feet wide by 5 feet long spaced 10 feet apart

with an intermediate stiffener 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep, and a

cap 4 feet wide, 4 feet deep, by 22 feet long.

Beams: Five 4%inch built-up beams spaced on 57-inch centers

from bridge centerline.

Decking: %-inch corrugated sheet metal subdeck, 25 feet wide,

welded to beams, covered with 7V4 inches of reinforced concrete from top of 3-inch corrugation.

Approach roads: 30 feet wide covered with 12 inches of crushed

basalt base and 4 inches of crushed one-inch aggregate.

Class: 60 ton two-way.
JULY 1953) AND MAJOR SAM E. FAIRCHILD, HIS

PREDECESSOR IN THAT POSITION

LOG OF LIBBY BRIDGE

9 October 1952

Notified by 2d Engineer Construction Group that the 84th

Engineer Construction Battalion would build a high-level permanent-type bridge at X-Ray site on the Imjin River. Design and

details forthcoming.

14 October 1952

A list of equipment and special materials is being prepared,

that will be needed to build bridge. A reconnaissance of Battalion

bivouac area is being made in the vicinity of X-Ray Bridge site.

Plans are being made to move Company A, Company C, and H&S

[Headquarters and Service] Company to this proposed location.

Submitted tentative equipment list to Group C.O., and he

suggested that plans be made to utilize as much [as possible] of

the equipment now in use or will be in use at Teal low-level

bridge.’ At present we don’t know when the X-Ray Bridge job will

start. Have not received any plans to date.

15 October 1952

Got O.K. from 1st Marine Division to occupy area near X-Ray

site. Were told this battalion must construct “bug-out” road in

rear of area. Now, have area swept for mines before starting

preparation of area for quarters.

23 October 1952

Group shipped by rail 21 pieces of 60’ sheet piling with different design from original type we had already received. Are unloading at Munsan[-ni] siding and holding for disposition.
Crushers 18 20’ x 40’ Tarps

7 14 S Mixers34 Herman Nelson

4 Dozers Heaters4

1 Yl%vo-compartment

Aggregate Plant

27 October 1952

Received plan #A-1-39, showing center line and plot plan of

X-Ray site. Received profile, drawing #A-l--39 for proposed

X-Ray [Bridge].

28 October 1952

Received Group Operation Order on X-Ray High-Level

Bridge, #84-376. 5

29 October 1952

Started assembling floats to drive Armco piles6 upstream

from piers to get bedrock profile and also to support cable fastening.

1 November 1952

Marines clearing mines in vicinity of near shore approach to

bridge. Preparation being made to drive two Armco piles (one on

each side) to support cable across river and to drive one pile

opposite each proposed pier approximately 175 upstream to obtain bedrock profile in river bottom and also to be used as anchor

piles to drive caissons.

9 November 1952

Completed driving two Armco cable anchor piles across river

and strung anchor cable.

Received plans for permanent high-level bridge. The following

questions came up: Is 3V4” enough thickness for concrete deck slab

which uses 1” width of reinforcing rods? Whether or not the
corrugated sheetbmetal on decking will be ove

How many fixed and how many free ends of 36” 

free end of beam? The size of pier base? The 

section? The number of reitiorcing rods in sect

Whether or not che base of pier went to bedro

Also received bill of materials from 2d Gro

was returned to Group for correction.

10 November 1952

Drove test A~UICO piles 125’ upstream oppos

6. These piles to be used as test for depth of be

anchors for caisson construction. [We obtaine

suits:]

Length of pile:

Time:

Depth of river:

Penetration below river bottom:

Total below wati* [surface]:

38 

1

9 

20 

[2

[Additional results:]

Depth of river:

Penetration below river

bottom:

#3 

8V2 feet 8

2OV2 feet 2lV

11 November 195. . Received corrected (change 1) copy of 2d G

materials] on X-Ray Bridge. This was chec

against plans and changes recommended to G

12 November 1952

Checked with Group on plans and BM. &

listed above on 9th and 11th Nov. No answer w

on deck slab or corrugated sheet metal. They 

more data on metal. Group issued another she

showing which joints were fixed and which we

a detail of free end joint.

It was O*K. by Group to use new dimensions 
pier as resulted by actual measurements o

giving 1 ft. increase in length and 1 ft. inc

The heights of column sections were give

plans.

l ’

The number of reinforcing rods in cross-

on plans was established as 22. Inserting 2 

The base of pier was to go to bedrock.

No decision was made on H-beams being 

pier into bedrock.

No decision was made as to whether ere

placed or just the bolts before pouring the 

Group O.K.‘d the additional changes 

corrected copy (change II) of BM.

17 November 1952

Notified by Battalion S-48 that 45# i!Y’ c

avail-able as called for on X-Ray BM. Called 

(Gp. [S-13) and h e said to go ahead and req

leaving off weight. He said if 33.9# iron is su

O.K.

Capt. Long at Group is designing a she

that will drive 2 piles at a time. This may 

template for driving caisson.g

24 November 1952

Group notified Battalion last night that 

hand at Pusan and 27 E mixers not availab

Major items now on hand include one 3

cement batch plant complete. One 80 to 

aggregate dryer arrived Munsanni this A.M

Sheet piling arriving on job. Work.progressin

banks.

A Company began erecting large mainte

Nov. Area muddy due to freeze and thaw a

rock base for X-Ray equipment yard, roads

25 November 1952

Aggregate dryer does not have UD 1iA 

unit with the unit. Maj. Norris, Group S-

phone, [by] Carter,lo about 1730 24 Novem
APPENDIX D

27 November 1952

Cal. [Raymond W.]

Beggs, Group Commanding

Officer, visited Battalion

26-27 November returning

10 A.M. today. Discussed

plans for executing X-Ray

project w/general approval

given for all plans except

modification of aggregate

loading into dryer and

method of mixing and placing concrete in caissons.

About 1730 26 November

Cal. Egglestanl l informed

Cal. Beggs that a 34 E paver

was expected in Inch’on from

Yokohama 11 December.

Present plans are as follows:

Progress schedule as per

Figure 64. Major William C. Carter, Jr., project manager for construction of the Libby bridge, in

front of the completed structure.

drawing 376-1, sheet 2, dated 26 November 1952, approved verbally.

Plans [are] to construct straight-line gravity-follow concrete

mix plant along cliff on west bank then move to east bank and

remove on completion of piers and before spring high water.

Plan to batch aggregate in plant but to mix and place concrete

in caissons from three l/z-cu.-yd. mixers arranged near caisson.

Haul batch in 3-compartment dump body. Place concrete in caisson from W2 yd. clam bucket.

Corral1 concrete curing cabins12 will be used to both cure fresh

concrete and as a work platform to place concrete. Also as a

shelter when fitting forms and placing reinforcing steel.

20’ x 54’ shed for concrete storage arrived today by trailer.

10 December 1952

Col. Beggs visited during lunch 9 December and gave decision

on caisson pile dimensions as follows: 19 piles length and 5 piles

wide plus corner pile 4 corners.

At 1700 hrs. talked with Capt. Long, Gp. Equip. 0.,13 and was

advised: UD 14A power unit for aggregate dryer being airlifted to

K-16. l4
104 

Aggregate Elevator is on a boat from 

coming-don’t know where or when. Ba

shipped via rail [from] Pusan. Sheet pil

ready 11 or 12 December.

10 December 195~

Aggregate plant at Marine Bridge co

two secondaries, went into effective pr

after 4 days of tri.als and adjustments. Ou

coarse aggregate with doubtful fine agg

amount of fines and suspected silt and/o

samples picked of&onveyor ! . .&charge th

again about 1430 .-. ‘were taken back by 2

along w/specimen .from Imjin River sand

Concrete batch plant in 3d day of erect

54' cement shed going up on near shor

pleted and roof going on carpenter shop

laid out with approximately 8 trailer lo

Marine Bridge gravel appears unlimited 

take possible within easy 8 [cubic] yd. p

-is fed by dozer and ramp bulkhead. Shov

to. X-Ray yard.

Fender sheet pile on West causeway 

nel erosion of causeway. X-Ray pontoon b

ber.

17 Dece.mber 1952

Staflvisit by Col. Egglestan, Cal. Nor

Klotih, :Gp. Ex. Officer, SW3, S-4, respect

December. Conference concerning Te

X-Ray problem was night of 14 Decemb

cer’s tent. Among problems discussed co

following:

lV2 [cubic] yd. [power shovel] now a

there through January taking off slopes 

bridge steel and piling are complete.

There was general discussion of agg

sample from Marine Bridge plant taken a

8.5 fines passing #80 screen. lg The sand a

of clay and silt, and coarse contains a larg
34 E paver-Inch’on-24 December phoned in by Maj. [Leonard

C.] Nash of Gp. Batch plant-have car number but don’t know

when it will arrive. Aggregate loader-conveyor on a boat from

YED. UD 14A power unit for aggregate dryer was too big for

airlift and is coming up by rail sometime. Rotary drill still at

Pusan. Adapter heads for sheet piles will now be ready noon 16

December. Have had a one-two day ready report for more than a

week now. The adapter head is necessary to set first pile and

delaying the start of actual construction at X-Ray.

On 16 December a call to Capt. Long, Gp. Equipment Officer

said pile adapters were to be ready at noon. Call back from Group

says power failure has delayed completion to Thursday 18 December. Group Ex[ecutive] Officer informs that car number on batch

plant turned out to be car number of car that brought up cement

batch plant. No commercial batch plant will arrive in near future.

Order given to Company A 16 December to proceed to construct

our own plant. This has delayed concrete production several days.

17 December 1952, 1315 hrs.

Just talked with Lt. Col. Norris, Gp. S-3, and request dump

truck platoon (16 trucks with supporting mechanics and supervisors) to report 19 December. To be housed H&S Co.

Norris reports two hours’ work remaining on sheet pile anvil

head. Will call when complete. Requests redesign of steps and

rerequisition of material to be changed to X-Ray.

17 December 1952, 1715 hrs.

Group Ass’t. S-3, Maj. Nash, has called and inform [ed us that]

16 dump trucks with drivers and support to arrive 19 December.

Decision of Commanding Officer to move aggregate production

plant from Marine Bridge to Teal. S-3 concurs. Marine Bridge
106 

aggregate has too heavy a coating of sil

rock crusher crews to move up on 18 D

- 18 December 1952

UD l4A power unit for aggregate dr

rail head yesterday. Today at 1630 checke

604on aggregate batch bins had arrived

Aggregate plant moved Marine Brid

ber. 16 dump trucks to arrive tonight to 

to far shore X-Ray.

Adapter head for sheet piles arrived l

day cutting it with torch down to size. 

actual construction on caissons tomorro

20 December 1952

At 0845 hrs. the lV2 yd. Manitowoc c

5000# hammer, on West causeway nea

sheet pile. As crane swung from W to S t

to the S. Tracks were on E-W axis. Maj. C

Pflueger, W/O [Harry] Cooley were obse

- lered simultaneously, “drop the hamme

stop swing a second then jumped. Rig to

Damage appears to be broken boom sectio

and broken catwalk. Damage to machin

slight. Immediate efforts began to remov

upright machine.

30 December 1952 

X-Ftay project progressing slowly. Pie

with 6 piles to 15 penetration as of 29 De

to 30’ penetration from causeway to bed

be driven to 15 until all are connected 

Concrete mix plant erection procee

aggregate batch bins arrived: two to feed 

mix plant to feed volume measure bucke

returned to. Gp. S-4 as excess.

Coarse aggregate production at Teal 

out first day of operation. Frequent break

ment. 595th [Engineer Dump Truck Co

U6) hauling aggregate from Teal to far s

today begin hauling sand from Spoonbil
APPENDIX D 

Excavation to elevation 53 [feet above m

ing on West abutment. Clay spades and pn

for all excavation.

Carpenter shop completed and erecti

shelter underway. Materials storage yard l

Operations mce carpenter work finished 

*’ Company A and Company C hurting 

company has men working to complete Te

Many items required for first concrete 

Gp. advised on 29 December of shortages. 

11 January1953

Status of project as of 1200 hrs. 11 Jan

Sheet piles pier 6 all driven to within [a

5’ of bedrock with about V3 to bedrock. Pen

below causeway which is at about plus 1

pump21 with lowering attachments and hose 

dewater. 3/4 yd. clam is on site prepared to 

cut to elev. 15.00 per change in caisson d

elev. 15 necessitated because elev. 10 would 

of the time. Well drill rig on hand to drill d

surface is not rough enough to prevent m

Central concrete mix plant is set up an

Paver has been reported for more than two w

Pusan, on water between Pusan and Inch’on

Pusan. Gp. S-4 advises as of an hour ago 

water to Inch’on. Aggregate dryer operated 

ary. Water heater operated on 11 January

All coarse aggregate required [is now

[cubic] yds. [are there], only 700 [are] requi

date to stockpile near shore. Sand stockp

source on river downstream far shore ava

quirements.

West approach road laid out with a curv

with 5%+ grade and curve to south on left 

culvert going in at station 12+51.22 Slop

approaches. Necessary stripping completed

merit must come from Teal on completion o

West abutment nearing complete excav

Gp. CO., Col. Beggs says O.K. to not use f

view of’ rock condition of excavation. Sou
1oa 

stepped to suitable foundation. No wing 

Timbers laid to carry lV2 yd. Manito

7 and for lV2 yd. P&H which is enroute th

pier 8. Pile in place.

Carpenter shop is working on first set 

fabrication is underway. Materials sto

48” built-up beams to begin arriving 

embargo lifts on 13 January, 8 per da

We are needing welding equipment 

must wait tintil Teal finishes.

Excess supplies and equipment are 

Teal. Company A and Company C man

released on 10 January.

Weather past,ten days has ranged f

day of real warm weather.

16 January 1953

Plans have been changed by Army 

lars. Superstructure deck will be W2" th

to top of pavement, 7” at curb. Constructi

curb. Lifts on pours, as planned by 84th 

forms had been built, were changed on 

45O chamfer of 1' under stiffener and 

Major changes made in wing walls

has been promising new design for 3 d

poured concrete tomorrow if plans had be

yesterday produced half the informat

today on steel, which will have to be cu

34 E paver, less drum, arrived at In

going ahead with one 16 S mixer in ce

Piling going in fast oti pier 7 today. l

down from Teal requires several criti

operations on pier 8 can proceed.

26 January 1953 . ’

Equipment deadlined and lack of equ

ity continues to delay seriously X-Ray j

have critically needed lV2 yd. .crane for 

lost for lack of an operational air com

clutch24 went out, and two days were lost 
APPENDIX D 109

Figure 65. Excavation of cofferdam 6, begun by a 3/4-yard clam bucket on

16 January 1953. Shower unit at lower left provided hot water for cement.

Twelve inches of ice on the Imjin provided access to the far shore on foot.

cfm in lieu of 500. Teal is releasing equipment as fast as job

permits.

Continuous problems arise with pumps. Ignition troubles due

to lack of good spark plugs, points are main causes.

Three (3) 314 yd. cranes are down for [piston] rod inserts.

Passed by V4 yd. Koehring day before yesterday just as inserts

began to knock. Engine was full of oil. The clutch of the booster to

boom hoist on 22B causes delays. Same crane needs new tracks.

This machine has cost us valuable days in excavating caisson #6.

Lack of welding machines operational has held up completion

of concrete batch plant. For a week only one welding rig at X-Ray

and it was on pile driving rig or pier 6 most of time.

Steam rig 3 car heater25 came up last Monday 19 January at

night. Operator from 526th [Engineer Panel Bridge Company]

had never seen the machine before and was useless. A bad tube

has caused delay in proper use of rig. Believe it to be O.K. now.

Will place concrete in W abutment today if plant and V4 yd.

mobile Buckeye hold together. Buckeye broke down again last

night. It will not travel due to clutch but can be thrown into gear.

Finished driving piling pier 7 yesterday to average penetra-
. .

y 

Gp. CO. ordered Bn. C.0.26 on 25

excavate, place whaler,

” drive again

rially slow work over present proce

A bad crack in piling, pier 6, ma

GPM can pump from elev. 4% suppor

,’ crack with grout from outside caiss

27 January 1953

Placed concrete in West abutm

yesterday. Finished placing at midn

hrs. First bucket with 2% calcium ch

up in less than 30. min. 1-2-3 mix2g 

cement 32O, rock 125’, sand plus 300

times 18 gal., to get 2” slump.

Diver explored pier 6 caisson and 

3” to bottom. Attempted to put corner 

not succeed. Plan is to pump neat ce

from outside when difKerentia1 is 3

caisson. Welder-diver to weld 2” ang

_ Temperature of 9’ this A.M. caused 

Gp. C.O., Col. Beggs, on job last n

keeping engines running at night.

Hurting for more cats3o to fill ea

from east and cut slopes for B Compan

welders, Herman Nelsons, and cran

28 Janzmy 1953

Diver worked in caisson pier 6 tod

angle iron down to rock against and 

morning diver finally completed tack

Today he is to weld tight.

Attempted to grout with neat c

well drill. Pumped better than 30 

when pump quit, lost prime. Will tr

Have 22B working caisson #6

machine, 4” diaphragm pump, 55 GP

tied up on pier 6..

Mobile 94 yd. Buckeye w/clam ex

26 January. lV2 yd. Manitowoc driv

Need more pumps, centrifugal, m
cranes. lV2 yd. P&H rigging on near 

piles.

3OJanua~yl953,0750 hrs. : Job has been stymied as a result o

concrete cap was placed through a trem

*’ flow coming from under one of the pi

little water is coming in through the 

bottom, placed cap form, set tremie. Di

and leaks only under piling capped off o

will pump grout adjacent to split pilin

On 31 January we will attempt to 

will muck out and pour. If unsuccessfu

out, and pour.

Cal Beggs returned [to] his Hq. on 

Col. Kellytl 8th. Army Operations, .a

Engineer Section.

Col. [Louis J.1 Rumaggi, 8th Army E

be placed around bottom of caisson n

advised Gp. C.O. of conversation. Job n

P&H rigged to drive on east causeway 

pier 1 today.

Rig pulled off of pier 8 on 29th an

penetration. Standard penetration acce

ter inch. This move was result of earli

down in increments and excavate and 

reversed on 29 January by Cal. Begg

driving procedure and soil conditions.

Excavation of pier 7 will continue t

penetration. .

Army is vitally interested in depth 

Will drill down tomorrow when grouti

2 February 1953

The Army Engineer, Col. Rumaggi, 

job yesterday. Col. Rumaggi, after hav

remarked at noon to Col. Beggs, “We 

necessary to fully investigate foundatio

delaying the opening date [of the brid

wish to build a bridge such as this one 

Pier 6 was dewatered after time-co
.

:

2100 GPM and 1000 GPM pumps 

tional. Last night we stood on bottom 

split pile crack. Whaler now in bot

two Korean divers to come 2 Febru

will then be placed on rock bottom, 

days, then finish placing concrete. 

ary]-1 [February] by boom failure 

9 February 1953

Concrete was placed in pier 6 c

and ending 6 February .at 1900 hrs

water, and three large boils in the 

last mucking was completed. An a

near the southeast corner prior to 

Before placing concrete 50 sack

the hole that was full of water a

buckets of concrete were lowered wi

time-consuming and created a grea

rig mounted on four wheels run

whaler holding a 15” pipe by a coll

- which speeded up placing operatio

Pier 7 was quickly excavated to 

remaining excavation is slow. M

boulders. No rock positively eviden

34 E paver arrived on job nigh

Considering use of a “pumpcret

“Bug out fever” prevails past three 

11 February 1953

Col. Beggs, 2d Gp. C.O., visited 

caisson #7, and ordered a concrete b

up to top of bottom whaler. A matte

two days, dewater, and attempt to p

C.O. and S-3 favored and recomme

but were overruled.

34 E paver is being readied for 

Excavation on pier 8 is slow, mo

to frozen ground. Now down to roc

Placed West abutment wing wal

V3 of pour placed Rodded remainde

one bag per V2 c*u. yd.
Job badly needs two additional cr

- ule. Vibrators are in critical category 

80-90 lb. size.

-

Bn. C.O. approved scaffold design 

kicking against 48” beam with hook 

beam. - B Company platoon is placing 48!

sembly and assembly operations.

Adequate coarse aggregate is no

12 February 1953

Job was visited by Gen. Bowma

party; Col. Kelly, 8th Army Engineer 

Beggs, Gp. CO. Col. Beggs left instru

pier 7 after concrete blanket placed 

days and finish placing concrete. 34 

concrete in pier 7, pour A blanket, 

Method of placing was through a ho

piling supported on a four-wheel exp

v

was placed in pipe at bottom to prev

- orders of Gp. C.O. Method does not wo

means is available to keep elevation 

desired height.

Job badly needs generators for 

chines, cranes. A crane is needed to 

crane is needed to erect curing cabin

excavating near-shore caisson.

Nmpcrete plant less miscellaneo

rived last night. Job had two welding 

night. At least ten can be profitably 

12 February 1953,130O hrs.

C.O. just informs that Gp. called 

bridge. This means loss of past week

far shore aligned for four-beam spac

13 February 1953

Gp. S-4 visited job with Gp. Equ

cussed additional materials require

beam to structure. Gp. S-4 says he ha

items manufactured there.
Requested Gp. S4 to ship all ste

14 Februav 1953

Began placing concrete in dry hole

February. As excavation proceeded o

tered at elevation fYom 8’ to 10’ dow

fragmented, broken and weathered on 

atively easily with clay spade. Sheet p

bad material removed. On 13 Februar

broke through northeast corner in 20

tapped down with free 5000 lb. ham

stopped. Foundation was mucked out 

steel set. Foundation again washed d

muck removed. There appears a rou

bottom. No slopes to the east are exce

The rock outcrops with an upward tilt 

strata lying about 35O downward and 

gives an excellent key to prevent slip

All concrete was placed in the dry

ahead of concrete. Pour completed 16

15 February 1953

Gp. C.O. visited job on 14 Februar

of pier 7 where concrete blanket appro

placed. The top of the surface is sof

cementatious material. The top 2” to 5

consolidated but not fully set up. On 

material much harder, and more cem

Gp. C.O. orders excavation of all l

tioned. Hold up work on pier 6 until d

crews worked P.M. 14 February and n

material. 

Job badly needs three more crane

welding machines.

Lowbof5 dispatched to Gp. S-4 toda

National Railway] core drill rig to ge

: 16 February 1953 

i Loose material free of required ce

Material about 1’ under surface found 

’ opinion of Bn. C.O. and Bn. S-3. Gp. 
February and inspection requested, b

up until 16 February. Hole is heated 

approval.

Job is seriously delayed due to sho

needed to handle 43” beams, unloa

needed to load-aggregate bins; crane 

crane is needed to place concrete; c

erecting forms, curing shelters, mov

pumps, and setting up for concrete op

trk. mtd. [truck mounted] crane use

priority.

Small pumps, 55 GPM and 166 GP

ing hammers supplied have been too s

(KNR). Fabrication of steel is a full 

17 February 1953

Lt. Damron advised to bend 6 dowe

6,7, and 8 since 20 dowels were used 

plans.

_ 18 February 1953

Gp. C.O. authorized placing conc

A.M. of 16 February. Placing comme

completed at 0130 hrs., 17 February. 

dry

99

iOn] 17 February 1953, bulkhead w

E paver to discharge into remixer ho

Plan now is pump concrete into piers 

Gp. C.O. authorizes 5’ fall from 

placing in the form.

Core drill from KNR thru Gp. S-

Forms going into pier 6, B pour, an

cabin going up on pier 8. Shortage of 

and cranes is hurting job.

18 February 1953

Lt. Damron advised that all dowel 

6” long, since, ‘/B” rods used instead o

18 February 1953

Lt. Damron brought up plans for 7
progress charts to be filled in and ret

20 February 1953

Gp. C.O. called Bn. C.O. this date 

placing concrete pier 6 until a core sa

,’ Downstream column, pour B, was 

pumpcrete plant on 19 February. Plant

ready for upstream column. Waiting f

this pier’s completion.

Parts of KNR drill rig arrived yeste

bled today. It appears that KNR used 

power unit is now present. It appears 

obtain a core. Just how the 4” pipe dri

core once cut is a mystery to me. I’ve s

on several jobs, but the core tube was 

and possessed “dogs“%nside the tube to 

The job is seriously suffering for wa

[are] needed to place 48” beams, unl

excavate pier 1, and aid in placing con

in 6, 7, and 8.

Weather moderating today after a 

21 Febnwy 1953

Gp. C.O. visited job briefly this A.M

tie Korean drillers from a contrac

to operate the KNR drill rig. Necessar

were determined by the drillers and L

and 84th will dispatch a truck to pick u

hrs., 22 February, from Lt. Lee of 2d G

approximately 2” [in] diameter. This is 

concrete core but must sufEce.

Forms [for] B [pour], pier 8, being 

pedestals, pour A, pier 7, being jackham

due to vibrators not being operation

portion, and insufficient rodding was 

lV2 yd Manitowoc is setting steel o

school underway. Four %” rivets wer

ordered. The l/a” is sufficient to give a ba

returned.
our next bottleneck in placing concr

24 Februury 1953

Cal. Ribbs, 8th Army Engr Section

cussed rivets versus bolts in 48” beam

stock and untrained crews w/no buc

B pour, pier 8, completed in 2 hr

incident using pumpcrete plant.

Drill rig is down 6’8 and has pro

‘Setting forms and curing cabin 

Pier 1 excavated to elev. 3 and two 

leak 400 GPM estimated.

Pile driving pier 2 proceeding nic

22B placed in operation last nigh

Ice too thin today for travel. Plac

between causeways.

Began E approach today and had 

frost.

East abutment excavated today w

- 27 February 1953

Job was visited yesterday by Col. 

34th Gp? The KNR core drill barrel 

February and efforts to extract were 

was removed and Failin&l well drill w

Drill is down 3’ as [oflO hrs. today

use rock bit to drill 20’ taking swe

attempt to take core rest of way. We 

chilled shot to get core. If bottom is n

explained by Col. Beggs is to drill tw

holes outside caisson, pump grout. Re

we then drive piles 8’ away from pre

w/concrete.

Split piles observed in pier 1 at e

pulled. Pulled eleven piles on SE qua

adjacent pile to corner. Resetting p

warped on bottom as much as 18”. Pe

50 per V4”.

Pour B, pier 7, placed yesterday

Successful in’ all respects.
structural steel. Abutment is excavate

28 February 1953

Last concrete aggregate loaded ou

Hauling scrap dirty aggregate to X-Ra

Drill rig drilling in base of pier 6 

10'31 last night. Hole is down to 21’ an

hole. Ordered curing cabin removed and 

removed. Will drill two holes inside tw

wagon drill holes next to pile and at

grouting.

Col. O’Grady decided to jackhamm

concrete and sand, gravel, [and] cement

a blanket on bottom, then placing in 

consolidate by grouting will not be fol

Company A will be assigned the jo

tended from near shore when 7 and 8 

3 March 1953

Gp. C.O. visited job 28 February an

hole before we blow caisson pier 6.

Gp. C.O. called 2 March and said A

caisson pier 6 be grouted.

KNR drill crew arrived late P.M. 

barrel and redrill hole. Riveters from K

.Rain night of 1-2 March left roads an

C pour, pier 8, completed 1930 hrs.

Job needs additional lights for nigh

tio.n and generator for same. a 

4 March 1953,064O hrs.

Col. Rumaggi and Col. Kelly visited 

decision on action to follow on pier 6. W

Split piling pier 1 began pulling.

Four welding machines in 78th for 

structural steel.

KNR could not retrieve core barrel 

brought up. Will try again today.
, 

C.O. advised at breakfast that Cal. B

said “blow” pier 6 and excavate.

5 March 1953

Pour C, pier -7, was placed on 4 Mar

ing cabin, pier 8, was raised lW2 feet

Pier 6 was drilled, 40% dynamite u

caisson and downstream column at 22

Pier 1 piles pulled on NE corner hav

penetration. Excavation for third time 

split have penetrated a strata of rock 8

MSL. All have been type.111 Yawata42 u

groove as well as those [of the] same 

Penetration driving continues on p

Shortage of operational welders is h

fabrication.

East access road fill continues. 

Gp. C.O. advised 4 March that agg

moved.

Gp. S-3, Lt. Col. [Glenn J.] Alle

demolishing pier 6.

7 March 1953,0635 hrs.

Job progressing, but slowly with on

to work on placing concrete. Pumpcret

cabin in raised position works out O.K

built as weather is beginning to mode

Blasting, drilling, and breaking und

6’ down. Hole makes water at a slow see

of the concrete 6’ down is soft, there ap

grout mixed in with the aggregates.

Pier 1 excavation proceeding very d

Large rocks do not enter bucket of cla

Should place D pour, pier 8, today.

Beam fabrication continues with fi

yesterday. No bad shortage of cranes 

aggregate dryer removed yesterday and 

Jackhammer treatment given to do

tal of pier 7, C pour, where 4” “suck” o

stiffener lost? Repair will be monolith
Gp. C.O. inspected job yesterda

personal charge of demolishing pi

down.

Gp. C.O.‘s verbal O.K. received 

uous beam from W abutment to 

continuity for riveting, decking, a

launch to pier 5 from W shore an

Pier 7, pour D, placed yesterd

Excavation continues on pier 

GPM last night.

Diaphragming to be the same 

will not buy X-bracing that does 

Job is hindered for [lack ofl cu

machines, Gp. C.O. and Gp. S-4 a

11 March 1953,0645 hrs.

.. Rained all night. Roads were s

number of frost boils. Far shore cau

ing hindered yesterday due to wet 

- night.

Pier 1 making 500 GPM, whic

GPM pump and installing. Rock 

jackhammered out. Pump-packing 

ing was tightened.

Forms going in E pour, pier 8.

Job needs cutting torches and 

12 March 1953, 0645 hrs.

Hard rain and sleet continued u

ment and materials were evacuat

shine in P.M. helped dry up a bit, bu

this morning. No productive work 

setting forms pier 8 yesterday.

Far shore causeway will requir

higher than normal by four feet a

shore causeway upstream and on 

13 March 1953, 0645 hrs.

Temperature at this hour is 22’ 

and hail intermittent all day yes
y 

filling with firmer material. Adding s

Plan to place cap on pier 8 today. C

cap on pier 7. Pier 6 is excavated down 

to bottom. Sump pump handled wate

. Pier 1 exqavation is hard and slo

.’ Excavation proceeding in sand in pie

expected last night as only two piles 

top down every 10th pile to hold agai

River level from flood is not serio

14 March J953

Placed pour I$ &r 8, last night. H

mean sea level] at 1554 hrs. [at] Inch’on w

hrs. on upstream edge of east cause

15 March 1953

High tide at Inch’on 0459 hrs. 27.5

0915 hrs. 1?.75 MSL. This tide partia

way.

Lack of welders and cutting torch

phragming and cutting of sub-decking

16 March 1953

High tide at Inch’on, 0543 hrs., 

X-Ray 0950 hrs., 14.25' MSL. This ti

Gp. C.O. irispected hole, pier 6, ea

bedrock and bottom, gave orders to f

Placing began at 1100 hrs. and wa

All placing was “in the dry.” Approxima

periodically from downstream end unt

been cover6.d. A mix 8:12:20 was used. 

is superior to requirements.

17 March 1953,171O hrs.

Fair weather for a change with tem

day. High tide at 1030 hrs. rose to ele

Highest tide of spring expected tomor

both causeways and badly eroded n

hinders hauling in sand for concrete 

sand’. bar.
122 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

. 4 Job badly needs welding

machines for steel prefab-

[ricatling and cutting torches.

Moving to near shore from

far shore is order of the day.

Pumpcrete and 34 E are over

and volume buckets for aggregate bins are being set on near

shore.

Figure 66. Work continuing on

piers 1,2, and 3 from submerged

Pier 1 whaler going in tonight. E side of pier 1 piling

caving in at bottom.

Pier 2 down and whaler in

bottom nearly finished. Lots

of sand boils in hole.

Piles on #3 reaching rock

at very irregular levels. Driving proceeding nicely.

Excavation of E abutment

east causeway during high tide

on 17 March 1953.

progressed today. Shooting for

elev. 49.08 downstream and

50.08 upstream. Will hold to these elev[ations] for wing wall

footer bottoms. Will take abutment proper to sound rock wherever located by drill test, probably about 49.0 + 6 inches. Cribbing for steel near shore out 300’ now.

19 March 1953,143O hrs.

Drizzly rain all day.

Pier 1 burst water under third pile from NE corner on E side at

noon. Hole was kept dry with two sump pumps prior to break.

Water now making about 400 GPM. High tide was at 1153 hrs.

Pier 2 sanded in 2’-3’ in downstream side last night. Moving

both pumps to upstream side on middle whaler so we can excavate

sand with clam and find and remove boulder holding up pile

where sand flowed in.

Piles on pier 3 are on rock and exceedingly erratic in depth

pattern. Still more driving to rock all around.

Job delayed for lack of cutting torches and welding machines.

Will remove cabin on #8 Friday and on #7 on Saturday.

Mounted 50-cal. [machine guns] yesterday and day before,
same.

for

34 E pumpcrete bulkhead

operation on near shore.

20 March 1953; 1500 hrs.

Rained harder as the day

nearly 

wore o

the clutch on P&H pile driver wa

wetness of brake. Shut down rig.

Night crew reported for tiork as 

by 1900 hrs. About 2000 hours Lt. 

from C.O. to shut down job as all cra

still heavy.

About 2100 Col. Beggs called a

river. River was then at a low stage

C.O. ordered causeway evacuated. 

0145 hrs.

At 0730 hrs. this date, river was 

ment to resume normal operations

hrs

*At about 1055 hrs. I looked out 

Shack and noted water had risen 

minutes. Walking out of the shack, 

to causeway, a matter of 5-6 minut

rising. Secured Bn. C.O. permissio

ment was evacuated in 20 minutes a

deep in low points on near-shore cau

rapidly. (Figure 67) At 1210 water 

judged by eye from bluff looking at p

dropped about 4 inches as of this ho

ment, steel, batch plant, and drainag

22 March 1953; 1615 hrs.

River over causeway [on] near sh

14.5 to 16.0. Clobdy and misty at th

and forms nearly ready [but] lack 

bolting [to fix]&ng walls [firmly in p

Ditching main area road. Lowere

Roads very bad.
T. --

~- I 

Figure 67. Storm water and a spring high tide combined to force an 

evacuation of the causeway on 20 March 1953. Piers 7 and 8 are in the 

foreground. 

Figure 68. East abutment, completed on 25 March 1953, prior to stripping 

of forms. 
APPENDIX D 125

360’ of footbridge con- /

strutted yesterday for use

when needed from pier 6 to far

shore.

Started filling near-shore

causeway with clay from topside, this P.M. Drilling to blast

rip rap on bluff south of bridge.

Rip rap to be on causeway.

Marines closed roads and

delayed work yesterday and

day before.

25 March 1953

Rained again last night and

road between bivouac area and

X-Ray is impassable again.

Placed concrete in E abutment and wing walls last night,

finishing at 0100 hrs. today.

(Figure 68) Used navy cube4’

for water w/34 E paver disFigure 69. Completed piers 7

and 8 in late March 1953. The

supports seen under the middle

stiffener and the cap stayed in

place at least 14 days.

charging into 2 yd. bucket hoisted by 1% yd. P&H.

Curing cabins on piers 7 and 8 are disassembled and H-beam

bottom-frame remains to come out. (Figure 69)

Set H-beam cap support for platform to launch steel on pier 8

yesterday P.M. Riveting and diaphragming continues on a twoshift basis. Additional welding machines received past three days

bring us to five on far-shore steel. More cutting torches received

yesterday and when more oxygen gauges are received we will be

in good shape on welding rigs but can profitably use more arc

welders. Moved nine civilian welders from B Company to X-Ray

yesterday to take advantage of new rigs.

Water level yesterday and today is at a mean of 12.5’ MSL.

Very little sand in sand bar available. Two 94 yd. drag buckets

pulling from upstream side of near-shore causeway and making

money.

34 E platform disassembled yesterday and will be re-erected

today. Mucking out began yesterday in #1 pier.
Visitors today and yesterday

Army Engr. Sect., arrived 26 

about 2130 hrs. Maj. Zwick, 417t

. is visiting to report on bedrock a

of piers. -

l a Pump trouble is our big pr

0800 we were dewatered in pi

downstream end. Water broke 

wall and forced removal of me

dewater since have failed. Wate

bottom the afternoon of 25 Mar

end, but at least 12” of sand re

piles. This morning the 2100 GP

GPM is producing less than 30

and again hammer all piles in a

Pumpcrete and 34 E platfor

elev. 16 to within 20 ft. of pier 

causeway on far shore.

27 March 1953

Col. Beggs visited job and a

ing water coming in near boul

sent up by Gp. to arrive tonigh

inspect hole after mucking, and 

and over boulder. Dewater, cu

and fill with concrete.

Gp. C.O. approved curb form 

to be screeded 25’ width, corru

flange splice plates. Method of 

spotted near center of bridge an

242’ a day with curb to follow 

Pumps moving to pier 2. Ch

hauling clay for fill up to elev

29 March 1953,1700-hrs.

Visited at 1300 hrs. tod

[Ellsworth B.] Downing, 8th Arm

progress and plans for future o

COL Beggs came up yesterda
APPENDIX D 127

Figure 70. View of the footbridge that enabled the pumpcrete machine to

pump concrete from its location near pier 3, at center, to pier 6 across the

river channel.

on #1 and #2. Divers made good progress today removing sand

and report 1’ sand on upstream end [of pier l] remaining.

Gp. C.O. urged pouring of B and C pours, pier 6, via footbridge.

B pour forms being set now and scaffolding half completed.

Weather is smiling on us for a change.

Causeway extended barely past #3.

Rigging going up on pier 7 for launching and Manitowoc on

last legs.

1 April 1953, 1745 hrs.

Clear this morning and cloudy this afternoon. Placed cap

around edges of pier 1 yesterday P.M. up to bottom whaler. Diver

says concrete is covering bottom and soft this P.M. Maj. Carter

dived in shallow water suit to inspect bottom before placing in

pier 1. Found edges 18” from sides and 36” from ends clean to

bedrock. Sand heaped in center area.

Divers excavating in pier 2.

Placing B pour, pier 6, now using footbridge to span river.

(Figure 70)

Dragline between 6 and 7 has channel to sand bottom. Still
128 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

Figure 71. Downstream girder

launched from the west abutment across pier 8 to pier 7 on 6

April 1953. The 30-foot launching nose extends beyond pier 7.

working, causeway is well past

pier 3.

Second batch of 56 guardrail posts pulled today and

found well faced. New 1000

GPM pump delivered day before yesterday will help. No

critical shortages, comparatively speaking.

Rigging for launching 7-W

span progressing. Hope to

launch next Monday, 6 April.

5 April 1953

Yesterday divers completed

cleaning bottom of pier 2 and

removed all loose rotten bedrock from surface. 4’ cap placed

with pumpcrete successfully.

Will dewater at midnight tonight, drill 4’ hole in bedrock,

and then complete A pour.

Pier 6, C pour this morning using footbridge.

Pier 1 cap excavated and sand previously piled in center by

divers removed. Will pour today remainder of A pour in #l.

Rigging for launching downstream girder (2 beams) on far

shore being completed today.

Dry weather is helping us get back to motor park.48

7 April 1953

Placed A pour, pier 1, on Sunday successfully and on 6 April

placed pier 2, A pour.

Excavation near bottom on pier 3 and all piles down except

NW corner and adjacent piles.

Began driving piling #4 last night.

Causeway barely past #4.

Launched downstream girder from W to 7 yesterday. No trouble; #8 moved 1” with greatest movement occurring just before

nose hit #7. #7 moved 3/# maximum. Both piers always came

back into position. (Figure 71)
Col. Kelly visited job yesterday 

companied by Maj. Eiler. 4g Weath

9 April 1953

Trouble in caisson #3. Last nig

distance for cross members for bott

3’I.I” and the center 3-‘9”. Measur

inside piles from N end to S were 

1 - 79 U 3 - 56 t1 5 - 49 !I 

2 - 58 t1 4 - 61 ?? 6 - 50 11 

Previous reports had indicated 

was supported by [the] fact [tha

whaler. Last night divers said at fir

W wall was determined in. Piles a

between 4-5 piles from N end and 

end. On S end piles are split on W 

rechecking ,measurements this mo

split piles this morning. l3n. C.O. d

We will backfill to middle whaler w

dewater and remove.

Divers report sheet piles in NW 

explanation why 30 minutes of dri

which is one meter high above. ro

progressing.

13 April 1953

Weather is favorable but cold w

predicted schedule today is as follo

Drive Pile:

#3 - 15 April

#4 - 17 April

#5 - 25 April

Excavate:

#3 - 21 April

#4 - 23 April

#5 - 1 May
Launch Steel:

E-2 - 20 May

E-4 - 1 June

E-5 - 10 June

W-6 - 20 May

W-5.- 15 June

Present status: VV-7 downstre

plates [that launching rollers r

finished on 15 April and then l

steel being fabricated on near sho

of today.

Pier 1, C pour, today.

Pier 2, B pour, complete, and 

Pier 3 piles pulled W half and 

Pier 4 piles average 4' off ro

Causeway half way out to #5

Footbridge moved upstream 

current.

Channels between 7-8 and 6

Beads in dry condition and m

equipment shop still soft and im

Gen. Tansey, G-4 D/A:* to vis

ball and making money.

East approach road fill going 

way or sand haul.

16 April 1953

Job progressing. Scaffolding 

going in for D pour. @Ygure 72) H

#6.

Pfc. James E. O’Grady, DS51 

Combat Bn., was drowned this m

with Lt. Badman and five men c

#6 and #7. Boat line to upstream 

drift against a downstream cable 

to help a Korean civilian welder 

current carried him downstream

imately away from him when la
APPENDIX D

unsuccessful at 1500 hrs. from

utility boat.53

Driving penetration to rock

on #3 is slow. All piles to rock

(no go) but another shift required to get penetration. Will

launch far shore three beams

Friday P.M. or Sat. depending

on wind conditions.

21 April 1953, 0900 hrs.

Job progressing and the

most difficulty is on caisson #3

and short 15 piles for #5.

Ordered 35 sheet piles on 9

April. Five of these arrived 20

April and were wrong type.

Lowboys at ESP54 yesterday

were loaded out with non-critical materials, one pulled away

from sheet piles. Schedule calls

for finishing piles, #5, on 25

April. This will delay us.

Figure 72. Inside pier 2 during

D pour showing the pumpcrete

pipe at top and the base for the

pneumatic vibrator, used to assure proper placement of cement, at right.

Pier 3 has a split pile on W side, one pile from SE corner,

making 300 GPM approximately. Have set in a whaler at 12’

down, have prefabbed two other whalers under this one; next

lower 2” overall less in dimension and bottom one 4” overall less in

dimension. Will lower these by measured cable to desired elev. as

excavation proceeds. Have installed second whaler in #4 and

dewatering with sump pump. (Figure 73)

Footbridge from causeway, #5, to far shore in operation yesterday P.M.

Three-beam girder 7-W down one foot and jacking proceeding

nicely. (Figure 74)

Poured E [pour] of #1 yesterday and will place E [pour] on #2

today.

Steel fabrication proceeding on near shore for three spans,

5-4, 4-3, 3-2.

Reinforcing steel prefabbing and carpenter shop deck and
132 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

r’ shifts basis.

23 April 1953, 1440 hrs.

1 Clear, windy, sunny day.

Warm this P.M. Work going

nice1 y.

Deck and curb forms being

prefabbed.

Reinforcing being prefabbed for deck.

Figure 73. The 4,100-gallonper-minute pump used to dewater cofferdam 4 so that the lower

whaler could be installed.

Spans 5-4,4-3,3-2 are in

process of riveting and diaphragming. Have finished 16

splices, four diaphragms X,55

and five sets of stiffeners on

near shore . Setting bearing

plates on #1 and curing #1, #2,

and #6.

#3, divers are cleaning bottom of hole.

#4 has three whalers in position and fourth is now being set

below the lower one. 1000 GPM pump is keeping water down

about 24’ from top. More clam work required when next whaler is

set in.

#5, piles are down to within 10 ft. of rock, going O.K.

Three-beam girder, far shore, jacked down to within 30”.

Pumpcrete set-up going in on far shore. Approach roads W side

[are] to grade most places. Base and finish course for approach

roads to be crushed from local cliff basalt.

25 April 1953, 0925 hrs.

Gp. C.O. visited job yesterday and ordered a bulkhead put in

#3 about 3’ from downstream end to hold concrete up 15’ to seal

off split piles. Remainder of bottom to get a 3’-4’ cap when clean.

Divers finished cleaning bottom yesterday P.M. This A.M. status

is five piles hooked together with 12” H-beams resting on bottom,

three whalers preventing pile movement upstream when filled

with concrete. Timber laps or panels will cover space between

piles and edges of caisson.
APPENDIX D

#4, high pile in SE corner

allowed [to] cave in yesterday

P.M. and pile rig moved over

from #5 and redriven. Excavation by clam this A.M. proceeding nicely. Steel on far shore

7-W is about 14” from cap.

Two 2100 GPM pumps arrived yesterday.

26 April 1953, 1500 hrs.

Placed concrete blanket in

#3 this A.M. and [it is] up 20’

on downstream side. Blowout

in NE corner of #4 about 1500

hrs. Hole now has 3%‘-4%

sand upstream end. Prior to

blowout sand was 8” upstream

and 20”_22” downstream.

Tapped down pile, still in progress.

Figure 74. View showing cribbing used in launching upstream girder from the west

abutment to pier 7.

#5, second whaler going in now.

#4 has 4100 GPM of pumps making full pipe.

Weather fme. All other work continuing.

29 April 1953, 1800 hrs.

Just completed A pour on pier 3. Will pump down #4 after

midnight, clean up blanket cap, and place A pour on #4 tomorrow.

Rain yesterday, last night and all today a slow rain. River not

affected as yet. Watching closely. Night shift advised of precautionary measures to take in anticipation of possible high

water.

#5, bottom (4th) whaler is hanging and clam is cleaning out.

Pile on SW corner will not budge. Hole making about 2500 GPM

with lots of aggregate coming under SW corner. Will muck out

with divers.

Lack about two days riveting on near shore 3 spans, and one

day more diaphragming on span 7-W. Deck going on downstream

of 7-w.

Job on schedule to finish 27 June. A flood will hurt us bad.
Job status as of this hour:

Piers 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8 complete.

Pier 3, pour A complete, B pou

concrete when A pour has set.

Pier 4, a blanket placed 3%’ and 

completed. Will finish A pour on 1 o

Pier 5, expect to complete muck

thick this date.

Causeway complete.

Abutments complete, except E a

steel is launched.

East and west approach roads, su

on E where steel fabrication is acco

Steel 7-W launched and nearly s

Spans from 5-2 will be riveted on 

row. Diaphragming underway.

3 May 1953,182O hrs.

Just finished A pour of pier 5. Th

7 May 1953

Have completed C pour, pier 3 and 

spans of steel on near shore nearly rea

Decking on upstream will be finished 

to follow. [Launching] Boilers are in 

rigging going in now.

Deck on 7-W is ready for concr

Army issued a lot of changes via tel

night but resolved today. Contrary to 

pour monolithic from 7 to 8 to W ab

Forms ready on pier 3, D pour. Wor

of5.

Crusher broke gears last night f

Pontoon bridge going in before Su

of concrete work. Asked for 2 MPs ne

8 May 1953

Deck slab 7-W placed between 0

date. Cracks occurred between 7-8 

Cracks are deep and occur more or l
N

I

1 

MAP 4
136 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

Figure 75. Troops laying the concrete deck. %o steel mats reinforced the

concrete to provide an “antiartillery” safety factor beyond the necessary

load-carrying strength. The concrete placing was monolithic and continMix was 8:12:20. Concrete well vibrated and well placed,

tamped, and screeded. Sun was hot after 1400 hrs. but not when

cracks appeared at 1300 hrs. No cracks observed nearest abutment. My belief cracks were due to movement caused by reverse

loading span 8-W with concrete. Wind was 15-25 MPH. Concrete

is under sand bags and/or canvas and sand. Moist.

11 May 1953,163O hrs.

Rain, a drizzle yesterday and this morning heavier. This P.M.

rain was hard until 1600 hrs. Bn. C.O. ordered evacuation of all

equipment from causeway about 1300 hrs. Evacuation complete

except final removal of footbridge.

Pier 5 ready for concrete D pour.

Pier 3 and 4 lack E pour forms which are on scaffold but not in

place. Schedule calls for D of 5 today and E of 3 and 4 tomorrow.

Curb upstream placed this morning, and about 93 of downstream, span 7-W. Rain prevents proper fmishing.
ggyq

working on forms, #3 and #4. . -. Finished placing curb this P.M. S

toon out. Water now at 20.4 ft., high

Launched 3-beam upstream girde

due to cribbing iinking from rains.

Unloading cement from railhead

Reinforcing prefab and carp [sti

and far shore will be welding.

I Corps C.G.@ visited job this P.M

14 May 1953,082O hrs.

River flood readings, MSL, follow

Date Time Elevation

12 May 1330 20.0’

12 May 1500 20.3’

12 May 1600 20.4’

-12 May 2100 20.4’

12 May 2200 20.0’

13 May 0700 19.0’

13 May 0800 19.4?

13 May 0900 19.6t

13 May 1000 19.Y

13 May 1100 19.0’

13 May 1200 18.7 t

13 May 1300 18.6t

Da

13 M

13 .M

13 M

13 M

14 M

14 M

14 M

Causeway being extended pan w

out to ramp. Men working on ramp 

ramp near E abutment completed but 

Believe quicker to repair old ramp 

17Mayl953 ’ Last pour of last pier completed a

on E pour, pier 5. D pour, pier 5, comp
138 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

Figure 76. “Jackson’s chariot,” which could be rolled from the deck, providing scaffolding for bridge painters.

E pour of #4 and #3 during the daylight of 15 May. Only 15” of

form removed from D pour of #5.

All steel is in place for fmal fabrication on both shores.

Carpenter shop is building more curb forms and deck slab

forms. Also mess tables for H&S and C Companies.

Company C removing forms and building launching scaffolds.

Company A crushing road metal, prefabbing mats, cleaning

and repairing pumpcrete, and policing job site. Have lots of hand

dressing and rip rap to do on far shore approach.

1 platoon, C Company, at Whitefront fender pile job.

22 May 1953

Misty rain this morning.

Four arc welders are at Teal repairing bomb damage that

occurred on A.M. 20 May.

Jackson Chariot58 transported to far shore yesterday and is

now in process of erection to remove catwalks and [to] paint

beams. (Figure 76)

Far shore steel requires two splices to complete riveting of

span 7-5. Near shore requires 27 splices to complete 2-l-E.

Foundation for monument placed 21 May. Carpenter shop

fabricating monument forms.
APPENDIX D 139

Far-shore batch plant removed and disassembled. &ad metal

crushed on two-shift basis. Should finish all reinforcing prefab

tomorrow.

Job now out of 6%” rivets for three days. Crews continued with

other sizes. Ten cutting rigs received yesterday. A big help. Will

return all unit .lVIR rigs now?jg

28 May 1953

Ab6ut 1900 hrs. on 26 May three rounds exploded in the work

area and to the north? The first was W of the material storage

building and exploded about 3’ below average ground level in the

side of a ravine about 20 yds. from a quad 50 of 21st AA Bn., 25th

Inf. ‘Div 61 No one hurt

The iecond round exploded to the north of the main road

beyond the fence some 150 yds. The third was not located but said

to be near the cliff W of #2 round.

Fuses and fragments were recovered from #1 and #2 rounds,

and positive identification made at 25th Div. Arty? as Russian

76 mm. Fuses were KTM-1 point-detonating type. Quad 50 chief

reported an air burst at 0500 hrs. on 27 May upstream from

bridge 200 yds. and on far shore. No verification.

Riveting will be complete today except last minute cut-outs?

Welding of diaphragms nearly complete. Rigging of rollers on #6

complete with roller on top of #3 and #4. Decking still required on

span E-2. Steel 5-7 practically complete. Stockpiling road metal

on near shore. Approach roads up to steel fabrication sites complete, both shores.

Monument requires final top pour and walls. Setting wall

foundation forms today. Cleaning piers down, and policing area.

IIauling unused materials to railhead and ESPs. Weather is fine.

Morale high.

3 June 1953,075O hrs.

Upstream girder E-1-2-3-4-5 launched by 1545 hrs. yesterday. Downstream girder E-l--2-3-4-5 launched by 0730 hrs.

today. (Figure 77) Now jacking down, installing catwalk and

readying for further superstructure work. Rain last .evening and

last night does not help.

On 2 June job was visited by Cal. Davis,w Cal. Ribbs, Cal.

Downing, and Col. Beggs.
140 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

Figure 77. View showing portions of the 606-foot girders that were

launched from the east abutment to pier 5. These were the longest girders

used on the bridge.

5 June 1953

Both upstream and downstream girders are jacked down.

Seven diagonal diaphragms nearest #5 are in process of welding.

Sub-deck complete except for loose areas over piers and diaphragms. Steel beams cut to proper length and in position. E

abutment step forms going in. W approach slab being graded. Gp.

ordered a 50’ slab of 8” reinforced concrete on W approach with

const[ruction] j[oin]t down centerline and expansion jt at 25’. E

approach to be penetration asphalt.

Fill on E approach nearly to grade within 100 ft. of abutment.

Rock is on W approach.

Catwalk complete E to 5 up and downstream.

Slab forms nearly complete upstream.

Getting ready to launch 7-6-5.

9 June 1953

Job Status-Rain began about 0400 hrs., some 50 ft. before

deck slab 5-4-3 was finished. Concrete completed to 3 and rough

screeded, but left high near 3 expansion joint. We are reworking it
forms.

Diaphragms finished. from 3-2 and welding 

sub-deckcoming along behind them fine. Reinfo

3 toward 2.

Gin poles are rigged on 5 and 7 and will be 

more welding. Can begin jacking down 7--6-5 

Army yesterday asked for bridge to be finis

with no more rain will be difficult. A lot depe

11 June 1953,082O hrs.

Finished deck slab 0400 hrs. from 3-2-l-E

removed curb form from 5-4-3 placed yesterday 

lent. Now setting curb starting at 3 working t

Upstream girder from 7-6-5 finally in positi

hrs. Moved gin poles and moved beams into E

night on downstream girder. Beginning jac

Weather clear after 0900 hrs. yesterday and l

raid last Inight for a change.

- Will try to finish off approach road E today

Gin poles and chain hoists worked fine.

12 June 1953

,

Raining-Rains come almost daily now, of th

instead of heavy mist. Very heavy this P.M.

Steel :from 5-6-7 down on bearing plates at 

day. Diaphragming continues.

Placed curb E-1-2-3 today. . Visited by two B.G.s, ROK Army AG and E

Removed pump and crane and all property 

Knocked cff all crews tonight except carpen

ing.

15 June 1953

Deck slab from 7-6-5 placed, finishing at 04

Deck slab from 5-4, west 30’ placed 13 June at 

5-4, 30’ W placed night of 14 June.

Cleaning and policing job.
5 July 1953

The &Ray project became the completed Libby Bridg

day at dedication ceremonies by Gen. Maxwell D. ‘kyl

manding General, 8th United States Army, attended by 

and digni@ies. Good weather, good ceremony. Bridge 

traffic, all except tanks, at 1200 hrs., 4 July. This log is 

closed. .
Introduction

*’ 1. John Miller, Jr.; Owen Carroll; and Margaret !I

19514953 (Washington: Of&e of the Chief of Military H

pp. 162-110; Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corp

Narrative, pp. 12-13, contained in Box 1536, Entry 429, R

407, Records of the Adjutant General’s Of&e, National A

land, Maryland. (All boxes listed in the notes to this Intr

contained in the same record group, entry, and repository

2. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, June 

tive, pp. 3-5, Box 1543.

3. Ibid., pp. 7-10; Command Report, I Corps, Narrativ

June 1951, Box 1538.

4. Command Report; Engineer Section, I Corps, June 1

tive, p. 10, and Annexes 22 and 23, Engineer Section Da

22-23 June 1951; Command Report, Engineer Section, I 

1951, Narrative, p. 3, Box 1550; Walter G. IIerrnes, Z

Fighting Front, United States Army in the ISorean War (W

mce of the Chief of Military History, Government Pri

1966), pp. 15-18.

5. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, July 

tive, pp. 9-12 and 15-19 with the quotation on page 15; An

Engineer Section Daily Journal, 21-25 July 1951; and Ann

Gauge Readings 19 thru 31 July 1951.

6. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, Augus

rative, pp. 3-9, Box 1557.

7. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, Augus

rative, pp. 3-5, 8-11, 15, 16, 20, and 25-27; Command 

Engineer Construction Battalion, August 1951, Box 5077

8. Command Report, Engineer Section? I Corps, August 

rative, pp. 16 and 23.

9. Command Report, I Corps, September 1951, Nar

mary, pp. 10-19, Box 1559.

10. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, Sept

Narrative, pp.. 9-10, Box 1564; Command Report, 1169

Combat Group, September 1951, Narrative, pp. 2-3, Box 

ll Command Report, I Corps, October 1951, Narrativ

pp. 6-49, Box 1566. Command Report, Engineer Section, I 

her 1951, Narrative, pp. 2-4; Attachment 35, Engr Op

October 51, items 3b (11) and (12); and Attachment 38, Eng

28 October 51, item 3a (2), Box 1571. Command Repor

Section, I Corps, November 1951, Attachment 38, Engine

Operations Report 183,31 October-10 November 1951, 
pp

12. Command Report, 84th Engineer Constr

her 1951, Narrative, Box 5078; Hermes, ZYuce 

13. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Cor

rative, p. 4, and Attachment 38, items 3a (2) and 

1169th Engineer Combat Group, October 19

Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, N

ment 31, Engr Opn 0 135,l November 1951.

14. Command Reports, 1169th Engineer Com

1951, Narrative, p. 3, and October 1951, Narrati

quotation.

15. Command &port, Engineer Section, I Co

Narrative, p. 3*

16. Ibid.; Command Report, 1169th Engine

vember 1951, Narrative, p. 12, Box 5161; Com

Engineer [Combat] Battalion,*November 1951, N

and December 1951, Narrative, p. 3, both in Bo

port, 62d Engineer Construction Battalion, Dece

17. Command Report, 1092d Engineer Batta

Narrative, pp. 4-5.

18. Command Reports, Engineer Section, I C

Narrative, p. 4, Box 1585, and January 1952, Nar

Command Report, 1169th Engineer Combat G

Narrative, pp. 3--4, Box 5161. A somewhat varyin

in Command Report, 1092d Engineer [Combat] 

1951, Narrative, p. 3.

19. Command Reports, Engineer Section, I C

Narrative, p. 5, and January 1952, Narrative, p

84th Engineer Construction Battalion, January 

Box 5912.

20. Command Report, 84th Engineer Constr

ruary 1952, Narrative, p. 1, Box 5912; Comma

Section, Eighth Army, March 1952, Narrative, 

21. Command Beport, Engineer Section, I C

Attachment 34, Engineer Periodic Operations 

ary-10 February 1952, and Attachment 32, Eng

tions Report 194,20-29 February 1952, Box 16

22. Command Report, 84th Engineer Constru

ber 1951, Narrative and Annex K, Pintail Bridg

23. Command Report, 1169th Engineer Co

1951, Narrative, pp. 4-5; Command Reports, 84

tion Battalion, November 1951, Narrative, and D

tive and Annex L, As-Built Plans of the ‘Ikal Bri

24. Command Report, 24th Engineer Construc

1952, Inclosure 4, Extract of Operations Order N

Eighth Army, 24 February 1952, Box 6013; Co

Engineer Construction Battalion, March 1952, 
NCYFES 145

and April 1952, Inclosure 15, Engineer Periodic Operations Report 11,

9-18 April 1952, Box 5885; Command Report, Engineer Section, I

Corps, April 1952, Narrative, p. 5, Box 1613.

25. Command Reports, 62d Engineer Construction Battalion, April

1952, containing Engineer Periodic Operations Report 12,19-29 April

1952; May l952, containing Engineer Periodic Operations Reports

l3--l5,30 April-28 May 1952; June 1952, containing Engineer Periodic

Operations &ports 16-18,29 May-29 June 1952, all in Box 5885; and

July 1952, containing Engineer Periodic Operations Reports 19-21,29

June-28 July 1952, Box 5886. Command Report, Engineer Section, I

Corps, July.1952, pp. 1 and 7, Box 1633. Command Report, 24th Engineer Construction Group, February 1952, Inclosure 4.

26. Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, May 1952, Narrative, p. 6, Box 1619; Command Report, 84th Engineer Construction

Battalion, June 1952, Narrative, p. 1, Box 5914.

27. Command Reports, 84th Engineer Construction Battalion, Feb.

ruary 1952, Narrative, p. 2, Box 5912, and July 1952, Narrative, p. 1,

Box 5914; Command Reports, Engineer Section, I Corps, May 1952,

Narrative, p. 7, and July 1952, Narrative, p. 7; Command Report, Engineer Section, Eighth Army, March 1952, Narrative, p. 13.

28. Command Reports, Engineer Section, I Corps, April 1952, Narrative, Box 1613; May 1952, Attachment 33, Engr Opn 0 159,13 May

1952, Box 1619; and June 1952, Narrative, p. 5, Box 1625. Flood Report,

1 July-15 September 1952, Engineer Section, I Corps, p. 2, Box 1633.

29. Flood Beport, 1 July-15 September 1952, Engineer Section, I

Corps, pp. 2-4; Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, July 1952,

Narrative.

30. Flood Report, 1 July-15 September 1952, Engineer Section, I

Corps, pp. 3+5, with the quotation on page 5; Command Report, Engineer Section, I Corps, July 1952, Narrative, p. 1.

31. Flood Report, 1 July-15 September 1952, Engineer Section, I

Corps, pp. 1 and 6.

32. Command Reports, Engineer Section, I Corps, September 1952,

Narrative, pp. 4-5, Box 1645, and October 1952, Narrative, p. 3, Box

1651.

Construction of Libby and Teal Bridges, Imjin

River, October 1952 to July 1953

Preface

1. As-Built Plans of the Libby Bridge, prepared on 3 July 1953, are

contained in the Papers of William C. Carter, Jr., Office of History,

Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kingman Building, Fort

Belvoir, Virginia, and at Tab 11 of the typescript version of this study

contained in file 8-5.lA/DK, Historical Resources Branch, U.S. Army
py, , 

mce of History, Headquarters, U.S. Army Cor

Chapter I

1, Engimhing Report on Bridge Study a

Imjin River, 2d Engineer Construction Group

printed at Appendix B below.

2.

&se

Ibid..This is the official opinion based on 

and Korean engi?eers. Major William C. C

neer Construction Bathlion, found evidence indica

true of the Libby bridge site. See the interview of M

William R. Farquhar, Jr., 5 and 20 July 1953, a cop

to the original study at nb 2. Japanese officia

their nation’s victory in the Russo-Japanese Wa

annexed Korea in 1910. It retained control of 

surrender at the end of World War II.

3. Letter, Headquarters, 2d Engineer Co

August 1952, subject: Preliminary Analysis of D

Bridges During the Flood .of 30 July 1952.

4. Eighth Army St&Study, Imjin River B

1952, printed in Appendix A below.

5. Flood Report, 1 July-15 September 195

corps, p. 1. 

6. Ibid., p. 3.

7. Ibid., p. 4.

8. Ibid., p. 6.

9. Major General (later Lieutenant General

manded I Corps, and General James A. Van Fle

Army.

10. Brig. Gen. John K. Waters, Chief of Sm, 

ing General, Eighth Army, 2 August 1952; 1st I

letter, Commander, Eighth Army, to Commander

1952; and Waters to Commanding General, Eighth 

1952, all printed in Appendix A below.

11. Colonel William C. Baker, Jr., was Eigh

12. The 2d.Engineer Construction Group, com

Henry J. Kelly, was attach4 to Eighth Army.

13. Colotiel Merrow E. Sorley was I Corps Eng

14. Eighth Army Staff Study, Imjin River Br

1952, and Lt. Cal. C. W. Burleson, Assistant Adju

Army, to Commander, I Corps, 29 September 

Appendix A below.

15* Engineering Report on Bridge Study an

hjin River, 2d Engineer Construction Group, 

Eighth Army St&Study, Imjin River Bridges, 24 

Burleson to Commander, I Corps, 29 Septembe
84th Engineer Construction Battalion, by Major F

1953, summarized at ‘&b5 of the original study. . . Chapter II

I

1. Interview of Lt. Col. James R. O’Grady; Gene

Teal. Low-Level Bridge [84th Engineer Construction B

19531, reproduced at nb 6 of the original study. 

2. General Description, Teal Low-Level Bridge.

3. Interview of Lt. Cal. James R. O’Grady.

4. Ibid.

5. General Description,. Teal Low-Level Bridge.

6. Interview of Lt. Col. James R. O’Grady.

7. Ibid.

8. General Description, Teal Low-Level Bridge.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid. . 

.. 11. Interview of Lt. Cal. James R. O’Grady.

12. General Description, Teal Low-Level Bridge.

13. Interview of Lt. Col. James R. O’Gr&dy. The 2d 

relieved the 1st Commonwealth Division in late Ja

Hermes, Duce Tent a%d Fighting Fkmt, p. 389. 

_ 14. Interview of Lt. Col. James R. O’Grady. 

Chapter III

1. Log of Libby Bridge, 84th Engineer Constru

entry for 9 November 1952, printed at Appendix D b

2. Interview of Maj. William C. Carter, Jr. Much 

contained in the summary of this interview also ap

eographed article by Major Carter, “Freedom for all P

which is in the Papers of William C. Carter, Jr.

3. Interview of Maj. William C. Carter, Jr.

4. Interview of Lt. Col. James R. O’Grady.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Interview of Maj. William C. Carter, Jr: 

8. Log of Libby Bridge, 12 and 20 March and 11

1953.

9. Interviews of Lt. Cal. James R. O’Grady and 

Carter, Jr.

10. Log of Libby Bridge, 2 and 9 February 1953.

11. Interview of Maj. William C. Carter, Jr., a

Bridge, 3, 4, and 16 March 1953. The Eighth Arm

Colonel Louis J. Rumaggi. Colonel Rumaggi had replaced 

in that position in October 1952.
13. Interview of Maj. William C. Carter, Jr

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid.

16. Ibid.

17. Ibid.

18. Ibid.

19. Cal. Louis J. Rumaggi, Engineer, Eighth A

Officer, 2d Engineer Construction Group, 24 Ap

‘&b 8 of the original study.

Appkndix A

.

1. Lieutenant Colonel William J. Himes, S

Eighth Army.

2. Colonel Ellsworth B. Downing, Deputy En

3. Colonel William C. Baker, Jr., Engineer

Appendix B

z 1; The coordinates stated are those of the 

2. Paragraph 17 described a two-way b

- “basically similar to the one-way bridge describe

3. The paragraph below contains the one 

among the substantial number assigned to the 

tion Group in this document.

4. Majot John D. Pusey was chief of the T

Branch, Engineer Section, Eighth Army.

5. Major Edward G. Anderson, Jr.

6. Yongsan-ni Ferry was located on the Imjin 

site.

7: Judging by its location in the chart, this ent

be dated. 1 August 1923.

Appendix D

1. Colonel Henry J. Kelly commanded the 

tion Group. He would be succeeded by Colonel Ray

November 1952. ,

2. The Supply Section, or S-4, 2d Enginee

3. Concrete mixers and paveti were numb

capacity in cubic feet. Thus the 14 S mixer had a cap

a 16 S mixer had a capacity of 16 cubic fet, a 27 

27 cubic feet, and a 34 E paver had a capacity 

4. Herman Nelson produced gasoline an

heaters.

--_ __- _. _ __-. .- -- - -- - ~- _ - _ -- _ . =-. . . . --~~
Group, 25 October 1952, is at Inclosure 5 of the groups 

for October 1952, contained in Box 6001, Entry 429, R

&cords of the Adjutant General’s Of&e, National A

Marylanda

6. Each pile was a 16-inch diameter pipe man

Armco Steel Company.

7.

*’ A cross-section of the pier column indicated on 

8. Major Daniel 0. Stoudemire.

9. No template was actually used to drive the sh

10. Major William C. Carter, Jr., S-3,84th Engi

Battalion, joined the unit on 22 November 1952.

11. Lieutenant Colonel Howard K. Eggleston, Jr., E

2d Engineer Construction Group.

12. The concrete curing cabins used on the Libby 

named for the enlisted man in the 84th Engineer Constru

who developed them.

13. Group Equipment Pricer.

14. Seoul Municipal Airfield.

15. Yokohama Engineer Depot.

.16. Before sheet piling could be sunk, it had to b

female-shaped sheet pile head, and an adapter had to be 

pile driver.

17. The &cubic-yard pan range of the plant was the a

which a D7 Caterpillar tractor pulling a trailer of tha

profitably operate.

18. Willard Norris had just been promoted to lieute

would leave the 2d Engineer Construction Group in late 

to assume command of the 76th Engineer Construct

Yongdungp’o, near Seoul 

1% Eight-and-a-half percent of the aggregate wa

pass through a number 80 screen.

20. Fifteen feet above mean sea level.

21. A 2,lOO~gallon=per-minute pump.

22. Station 12 + 51 refers to a location 1,251 feet wes

the bridge, or some 200 fmt beyond the west abutme

23. First Lieutenant Melford Dameron, Jr., is iden

orandum sent by Colonel Raymond Beggs, commande

neer Construction Group, to Brigadier General Frank 

neer, Army Forces in the Far East, on 22 October 19

officers in the group headquarters who should receiv

tion for his role in designing and constructing Libby br

orandum is in the Papers of Rank Otto Bowman, Ho

Stanford, California. A “Lt. Damron” appears occasio

sm journals of the group contained in Boxes 60006

Record Group 407, National Archives, Suitland, Mary

Carter sometimes spells the name that way subsequentl

these apparently refer to the same Melford Dameron
p

25. A steam-operated asphalt bath unit cap

three railway tank cars of asphalt.

26. At this time Colonel Raymond Beggs was t

2d Engineer Construction Group, .and Lieuten

O’Grady commanded the 84th Engineer Constr

27. An internal bracing made from a ten-in

28. Four feet above mean sea level.

29. A concrete composed of a ratio of one pa

coarse aggregate, and three parts sand.

30. D7 Caterpillar tractors.

31. Colonel Henry J. Kelly, who had comma

Construction Group, became Operations mcer, 

Eighth Army, on 8 December 1952. He replace

William Himes in that position.

32. Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Ribbs.

33. KATUSA Corporal Kim Ho Duk.

34. Brigadier General Frank 0. Bowman, Eng

the Far East.

35. Flatbed trailer.

36. The paver was able to park on the bulk

hopper on the pumpcrete.

37. On 10 February Company B, 84th Engin

- talion, moved from the Teal bridge site to Tbngd

12 miles east of the X-Ray bridge site, to construct 

facilities for the 78th Engineer Field Maintenan

38. Teeth built flush.against the inside of th

39. A bucking tool, or bucker, was used to form 

gun

40. Lieutenant Colonel John R. Parker wa

Construction Group stationed at Wonju, Korea, a

mander on 13 March 1953. The 34th Engineer G

Camp Roberts, California, in this period.

41. Failing was a brand name.

42. The Yawata Steel Company zwas a Japan

43. Installing cross braces to fom girders. 

44. In addition to the horizontal middle stiffe

low pedestal, rising a short height above the st

vertical legs of the pier. The pedestal on the downstr

was removed with-jackhammers due to .bad con

45. Tides at Inch’on were derived from a publ

then compared with observed tides at the X-Ra

46. First Lieutenant James J. Scott, Jr.

47. A large steel box. .. :

48. The motor park had for a period been mir

49. Major Keith E. Eiler was chief-of the Pla

Branch, Engineer Section, Eighth Army. 
was outgoing chief of the Supply Division, OfIice of the 

Staff, G-4, General Staff, U.S. Army.

51. Detached service.

52. First Lieutenant Curtis W. Badman was a 

Company B, 84th Engineer Construction Battalion

53. Private O’Grady’s body was recovered on 22 

$4. Engineer supply point.

55. Cross diaphragms.

56. Major General Bruce C. Clarke.

57. Roughly one lane in width.

. 58. This movable scaffold was named after the m

of the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion, War

Jackson, who designed it.

59. The receipt of ten oxyacetylene torches enable

return the torches it had borrowed under Memos of R

units.

60. Chinese shelling of I Corps defensive positio

site increased beginning on 25 May as the enemy pr

assaults on 28-29 May that netted it Outposts Carson, 

These outposts were located about four miles northwest 

atop hills forward of I Corps’ main line of resistance

61. The enemy round .exploded near an emplac

caliber machine guns manned by the 21st Antiaircraf

ion, an element of the 25th Infantry Division. This divis

the 1st Marine Division on the western flank of the 

May 1953.

62. Headquarters, Division Artillery, 25th Infan

63. The last minute cut-outs would replace bad 

64. Colonel Hoy D. Davis, Jr., was an Engineer 

Headquarters, Eighth Army.

65. The visitors from the Army of the Bepublic of 

dier General Min Byong Kwon, the Adjutant Genera

General Urn Hong Sub, the Chief Engineer.
.- Fig.

1 .

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7 .

a.

9.

10.

11 .

12l

13 .

14 .

15 .

16.

17 .

18.

19.

20.

21 .

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

Photo Sources

Photograph SC 370668, Department of Defense 

Center, Anacostia Naval Station, Washington, D

as DSMRC).

Photograph SC 373544, DSMRC.-

Photograph SC 376806, DSMRC.

Photograph SC 379406, DSMRC.

Command Report, 1169th Engineer Combat 

1951, National Archives Reoord Group 407.

Ibid.

.Photograph SC 410709, DSMRC.

Photograph SC 413381, DSMRC.

Photograph SC 413380, DSMRC.

Photograph SC 413379, DSMRC.

Photograph SC 406171, DSMRC.

“Construction of Libby and Teal Bridges, Imjin Ri

to July 1953,” figure 1, file 805.lkYDK, His

Branch, U.S. Army Center of Military History, 

(hereafter cited as “Construction of Libby a

figure 1).

Command Report, 84th Engineer Construction 

1952, National Archives Record Group 407.

Ibid.

Ibid.

Ibid., September 1952.

Photograph SC 435734, DSMRC.

Public mairs Ofke, Combined Field Army @

“Construction of Libby and Teal Bridges,” figu

Commknd Report, 84th Engineer Construction B

1952, National Archives Record Group 407.

“Construction of Libby and aal Bridges,” figur

Command Report, 84th Engineer Construction B

ber 1952, National Archives Record Group 407.

“Construction of Libby and %a1 Bridges,” figur

Command Report, 84th Engineer Construction B

ber 1952, National Archives Record Group 407.

“Construction of Libby and %a1 Bridges,” figur

Command Report% 84th Engineer Construction 

ber 1952, Nation61 Archives Record Group 407.

“Construction of Libby and Teal Bridges,” figur

Ibid., figure 14.

Ibid., figure 15.

Ibid., figure 12.

. -.-- ---
31 .

32 .

33 .

34 .

35 .

l ’ 36.

37 .

38 .

39 .

40 .

41 .

42 .

43 .

44 .

45 .

46 .

47 .

48 .

49 .

50. .

51 .

52 .

53 .

54 .

55 .

56 .

57 .

58 .

59 .

60 .

61 .

62 .

63 .

64 .

65 .

.. 66 .

67 .

68 .

69l l &L 70.

71 .

Ibid., figure 16.

Ibid., figure 17.

Command Report, 2d Engine.er Construction 

National Archives Record Group 407.

“Construction of Libby and !I’!eal Bridges,” fig

Ibid., figure 19.

Ibid., figure 20.

Ibid., figure 21.

Ibid., figure 22.

Ibid., figure.25.

Ibid., figure 26.

Ibid., figure 27.

Ibid., figure 28.

Ibid., figure 32.

Ibid., figure 33.

Ibid., figure 35.

Ibid., figure 38.

Ibid., figure 34.

Ibid., figure 40. l

Ibid., figure 41.

Ibid., figure 42.

Ibid., figure 44.

Ibid., figure 43.

Ibid., figure 45.

Ibid., figure 48.

Ibid., f&we 49.

Ibid., figure 50.

Ibid., figure 52.

Ibid., figure 53.

Ibid., figure 54.

Photograph SC 431293, DSMRC.

Papers of William Clarence Carter, Jr., photo 

Headquarters, U.S. my Corps of Engineer

Papers of William Clarence Carter, Jr., photo 

Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer

Photograph SC 435746, DSMRC.

Slide Collection, Bok 46, Slide 1-16, C&e of 

ters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Construction of Libby and ‘Ikal Bridges,” fig

Ibid., figure 30.

Ibid., figure 31.

Command Report, 84th Engineer Construct

1953, National A&hives Record Group 407. 

Ibid.

‘Construction of Libby and Teal Bridges,” fig

Command Report, 84th Engineer Constructi

1953, National Archives Record Group 407. 
73.

74. . 75.

:. 76. f 77.

Ibid., figure 29.

y gg

Command Report, 84th Engineer Constructi

1953, National Archives Fiord GrouD 407.

Y!onstruction of Libby and Teal Bridies,” figu

Ibid., figure 55.

Ibid., figure 46.
.

gpg 

bridge building, in a compilation of brief accou

behind the front lines. The Military Engine

1951-1958, articles by Army Engineer officers 

during the Korean War over the Imjin (47: 

1140115), the Han (47: 333-336 and 48: 28102

(43: 96-lOO), the Pukhan (44: 86087), and t

43-45) rivers and on railroad bridges in Korea 

47: 333-336).

While rivers have formed significant milit

military bridge building has played an importa

since ancient times, no survey of this topic has 

English since 1853. Bridge-building efforts a

cussed in accuunts of specific wars and campa

number of books discuss military bridging duri

The official history by Alfred M. Beck et al., T

neers: The War Against Germany, U.S. Army 

(Washington: U.S. Army Center of Military His

’ Printing Office, 1985), treats U.S. Army bridge

-Europe during that war in considerable detail. 

American bridge-building effort of the war, m

River, is the subject of special reports by First

and Ninth Armies; XVI Corps; and the 1110th 

Group, but these reports are generally avail

cialized collections on engineer operations and 

such as those of the Office of History of the Cor

Somewhat more widely available is the report 

Group’s engineer Patrick H. Timothy, The 

lluelfth Army Gioup Engineer Operations (Fort B

School, 1946). A publication by the British Cor

neers, Bridging Normandy to Berlin (n.p., 1945

bridge-building efforts of Field Marshal Sir Be

ery’s 21 Army Group. Engineer History, Medite

Fifth Army, 3 ~01s. (n.p., J945?), contains detaile

bridge construction in Italy amid reports of oth

tions there. U.S. Army bridge building in Asia 

discussed in Karl C. Dad, The Corps of Eng

Against Japn, U.S. Army in World War II (W

Army Center of Military History, Governmen

1966).
Suggestions for Fhther l

The efforts of U.S. Army engineers to build 

across the Bqjin River form both an episode i

military bridge building and a little understo

Korean War. Readers of this volume may want 

- reading in either or both of those subject areas

The recently published book by Bevin Alexa

First War We Lost (New York: Hippocrene, 19

superb overview of the military and diploma

Korean War, together with thoughtful insights 

context. Walter Hermes’ Z%uce Tent and Figh

Army in the Korean War (Washington: U.S. 

Military History, Government Printing Of&e

trates on U.S. Army operations during the last 

-war, along with their diplomatic context, while 

James Yingling’s Operat&s in West Korea, U.S. 

tions in Korea, 1950-1953, vol. 5 (Washington

Historical Division, Government Printing OfXice

Marine operations near the Imjin River. Matth

The Korean War (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 

W. Clark's fiom#ze Danube to the YaZu (New York

contain the memoirs of the successive Unite

manders during the last years of the war.

More detailed operational accounts of the fi

Imjin River are provided by Cyril Barclay’s Th

wealth Divisibn: The Stop of British Commoruuea

in Korea (Aldershot, England: Gale and Polden

First Team: The First Caualry Division in Korea, 

January 1952 (Atlanta: Albert Love, 1952). Li

Korean War combat told from the vantage poin

soldier are contained in a book by T.R. Fehrenb

War: A Study in Unp&pbe&ess (New York: Ma

and in two works by one of the most popular mili

the period, S.L.A. Marshall, The River and th

York: Morrow, 1953) and Pork Chop Hill: The Am

IMan in Action, Korea, Spring, 1953 (New York: M

John Ge Westover’s Combat Support in Kore
leading English-language works on military bridg

1816 Major General Sir Howard Douglas published 

works on this subject, An Essay on the Principles an

of Military Bridges, and the Passage of Rivers in M

tions. The book was so popular. that Douglas sub

panded it, and later editions appeared in 1832 and 

discusses many bridging operations in eighteenth a

teenth century warfare, and each edition include

conflicts. The Work of the Royal Engineers in the E

1914-19, vol. 1, Bridging (Chatham: Royal Engine

1921), provides a detailed report on British bridgin

World War I.

The American Civil War witnessed some ve

bridging operations. They are described in a long a

officers Michael McDonough and Paul Bond, “Use 

ment of the Ponton Equipage in the United State

Special Reference to the .Civil War,” Professional M

of Engineers, United States Army, and Engineer D

Large .6 (1914): 692-758. Bridging was less impor

can operations in fiance during World War I, but - -7 U

build sever-al significant bridges across the Ai

River&ward the end of that war. This bridge-bui

discussed briefly in Historical Report of the Chief 

eluding. all Operations of the Engineer Demrtme

Expeditionary Forces, 1917-1919 (Washington: War 

1919), primarily on pages 210.226. W.R. Ingalls, 

the 27th Engineers, U.S.A., 1917-1919 (New York

vides a detailed account of the work of a unit tha

bridge regiment during the MeuseArgonne camp

_ ._.--- _ .__-..-- ~ - -- - -- _--- ._. _.. - ~-

-- ~~~.~ -
Map Symbols 

Military Units-Identification 

Cavalry (organized as infantry) .............................. 0 

Communist Chinese Forces .................................. lccFI 

Infantry .................................................. ~ 

Size Symbols 

The following symbols, placed either in boundary lines or above the rectangle enclosing the identifying arm or service symbol, indicate the size of 

military organization: 

Battalion .................................................. I I 

Regiment ................................................. I I I 

Brigade ................................................... X 

Division .................................................. XX 

Corps ................................................... XXX 

Army .................................................. XXXX 

Examples II 

2d Battalion, 17th Infantry .............................. 2 ~ 17 Ill 

1st Korean Marine Corps Regiment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ 1 KMC XX 

195th Division, Communist Chinese Forces ................. lccFI195 
Index*

A-R-West, Maj. Gen %M. M. See

West, Maj. Gen: M. M. A-R-.

Abutments: 35, 46-47, 50, 68, 107, ‘&

109, 110, 112, 117, 118, 122,

123,124, 125, 133, 134, 136,

137, 140

Aggregate: 50, 98, 102, 104-105,

106,107, 113, 118, 133, 149

Aggregate dryers: 52., 100, 102,

103, 105, 106, 107, 119

Aggregate plants: 100, 103, 104,

105, 106

batch bins: 106, 122

elevators: 104

heating plants: 100

loader-conveyors: 105

shower units: 52, 100, 109

Air compressors: 108, 150

Allen, Lt. Col. Glenn J.: 119, 120

Alluvium: 96-97

Anchor bolts: 39, 46

Anchor piles. See Piles, anchor.

Anderson, Maj. Edward G., Jr.: 93,

148

Angle iron: 110, 113

Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion,

21st: 139, 151

Approach roads: 6, 10, 35, 36, 98,

100, 104, 107, 110, 116, 117,

118, 119, 120, 121, 130, 132,

134, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141

Armco Steel Company: 149. See

aZso Piles, Armco.

Army, Eighth: 7, 10, 11, 12, 23, 32,

33, 53, 71-79, 84, 92, 111, 146,

150

Arnold, Lt. Col. Willard D.: 126

Asphalt: 46, 140

Asphalt bath units: 109, 150

* Roman page numbers refer to text;

those in italics to photographs.

Assault boats: 117

Badman, 1st Lt. Curtis W.: 54, 68,

130, 151

Baker, Col. William C., Jr.: 77,

146,147, 148

Basalt: 51, 95, 96, 98, 132

Bearing plates: 46, 132, 141

Bedrock characteristics: 49, 51, 52,

95,96, 100,111, 126

Beggs, Col. Raymond W.: 103, 107,

110, 111, 112, 113, 117, 119,

123, 126, 139,148, 149, 150

Blackout shelters: 38, 46

Block and tackle: 36

Bowman, Brig. Gen. Prank 0.: 113,

149, 150

British Army

Independent Brigade, 28th: 4

Bulldozers: 100, 104, 117

Burleson, Lt. Col. C. W.: 79

Cables, anchor: 100, 130

Caissons. See Cofferdams.

Cableways: 11

Carpenter shop: 54, 104, 107, 108,

131, 138, 141

Carter, Maj. William C.: 51, 52, 70,

98, 99, 102, 103, 106, 127, 146,

147, 149

Catwalks: 138, 139, 140

Causeways: 8, 10, 35, 42, 46, 50,

52, 55, 102, 104, 106; 107, 110,

111, 114, 118, 120, 121, 122,

123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128,

130,131, 134, 136, i37, 141

Cavalry Division, 1st: 4, 6, 7, 14

Chalmul: 7

Channel iron: 36, 102

Civilian employees, Korean: 49, 54

Clam buckets: 53, 103, 107, 109,

110, 112, 119, 122, 132, 133
162 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

Clarke, Maj. Gen. Bruce C.: 151

Clay: 36, 125, 126

Clay spades: 107, 114

Cofferdams: 34, 50-54, 55, 56, 57,

70, 83, 87, 98, 100, 101, 102,

103, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111,

112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119,

129, 131, 132

Commonwealth Division, 1st: 7, 8,

47, 76, 147

Concrete. See ako Pours.

curing: 69, 132

decking. See Decking, concrete.

forms for: 117, 134, 136, 138

foundations. See Piles, concrete; Piers, reinforced

concrete.

mixture: 50, 103, 110, 112,

F--X_ 114,119,121,150

placement: 50, 51, 53, 54, 56,

59, 64, 69, 87, 103, 109,

110, 112-117, 119, 120,

121, 125-134, 136, 137,

138, 140, 141

test cores: 53, 114, 116, 117,

118

Concrete batch plant: 50, 55, 57,

58, 102-109, 123, 139, 149

Concrete curing cabins: 38, 46,

52-53, 55, 59, 103, 107, 113,

115, 117, 118, 119, 122, 123,

125, 149

Concrete mixers: 100, 102, 103,

108, 148

Construction schedules (Teal

bridge): 86-90

Cooley, WO Harry: 54, 68, 106

Core drill rig: 114, 115, 116, 117,

118

Core drilling tests: 83, 85, 86

Corporal Wright bridge: 4, 6, 13

Corps, I: 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 22, 23,

30, 31, 32, 33, 71-79, 146,151

Cost estimates: 76, 86-89

Cranes: 6, 10, 22, 32, 46, 53, 106,

108, 109, 110-117, 119, 123,

125, 127, 141

Crawler rigs: 10

Culverts: 107

Curbs: 47, 65, 108, 136, 137, 141,

142

forms for: 54, 126, 132, 138,

141

Cutting torches: 108, 120, 121,

122,125, 139, 151

Daly, Col. Edward: 8

Dameron, 1st Lt. Melford, Jr.: 108,

115, 149

Davis, Col. Hoy D., Jr.: 139, 151

Debris, problems with: 30, 31-32,

36,89

Decking: 41, 47, 54, 60, 61, 69, 86,

130, 133, 134, 139

concrete: 12, 64, 65, 68, 69,

86, 87, 88, 98, 100, 101,

134, 136; 140, 141

corrugated steel: 68, 86, 88,

98, 101, 108, 114, 121,

126, 131, 13$, 136, 140,

141

prefabrication ofi 131-132

treadway: 8, 10, 30

wood: 47, 63, 86, 90

Demolition, preparation for (Libby

bridge): 69

Demolition of piers: 119, 120

Dewatering: 51,.53, 107, 110, 111,

112, 113, 114, 126, 128, 129,

132

Diaphragming: 41, 54, 68, 119,

120, 121, 125, 132, 133, 134,

139, 140, 141

Ditches: 123

Divers: 10, 51, 110, 111, 112, 126,

127, 128, 129,132, 133

Dowel bars: 115

Downing, Col. Ellsworth B.: 77,

126, 139, 148

Draglines: 126, 127-128

Drills: 104, 105, 112, 117. See ako

Core drill rig; Well drill rig.

DUKWs: 4,6

Dump trucks: 6, 103, 105, 106

Dynamite: 36, 119
INDEX 163

Earth-moving equipment: 107, 110

Eggleston, Lt. Col. Howard K., Jr*:

103, 104, 149

Eiler, Maj. Keith E.: 129, 150

Enemy fire: 4, 34, 69, 138, 139,

141, 151

Engineer Aviation Brigade, 417th:

126

Engineer Combat Battalions

8th: 6

14th: 4, 7, 11

74th: 130

1092d: 4, 7, 10

Engineer Combat Company, 72d:

10, 11

Engineer Construction Battalions

62d: 10, 12

76th: 149

84th: 7, 8, 11, 12, 23, 27, 35,

49, 98, 99, 108, 116, 146,

149,150, 151

Engineer Construction Groups

2d: 27, 33, 35, 36, 49, 80-97,

99, 101, 102, 104, 105,

108, 116, 146, 148, 149, 150

32d: 117, 150

Engineer Dump Truck Company,

595th: 106

Engineer Field Maintenance Cornpany, 78th: 115, 118, 150

Engineer Group, 34th: 117, 150

Engineer Panel Bridge Company,

526th: 109

Engineer Treadway Bridge Cornpany, 58th: 4, 7, 11 , Engineers, Japanese: 83, 85, ‘l46

Engineers, Korean: 83, 85, 91, 146

Equipment. See also specifx equipment.

damage to and losses ofz 74,

106, 108

shortages: 105, 107, 108-111,

113, 114, 115, 116, 117,

119, 120, 121, 122, 128

Equipment shop: 104, 130

Excavation: 107, 109, 110,

111-122, 126, 127, 128, 129,

131, 133

Fairchild, -Maj. Sam E.: 99

Farquhar, Maj. William R., Jr.: 27

Ferries: 49 6, 10, 32

Flatbed trailers: 114, 131, 149

Floating bridges: 4, 6, 7, 30, 32,

77

Floating M-2 treadway bridges: 4,

6-7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 23, 74

Floods: 6-7, 10, 12, 22-23, 29-30,

31-32, 47, 52, 71, 73, 74, 77,

78, 82, 83, 84, 87, 89, 95-96,

123; 137

Footbridges: 4, 6, 8, 10, 125, 127,

128, 130, 131, 136

Freedom Gate bridge: 8, 10, 11, 12,

16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 30, 31~32,

33, 50, 76, 104. See aZso Munsanni bridge.

I+ench drains: 35

Goldsmith, Capt. Edward H.: 35

Guardrails: 43, 45, 47, 54, 60

posts: 126, 128

Gun emplacements: 122-123, 151

H-beams. See Whalers.

Han River: 3, 96

Ha&an River: 3, 4, 7, 31, 32

Hardin, Capt. A. W.: 35

Herman Nelson equipment: 53,

100, 110, 148

’

Himes, Lt. Col. William J.: 77, 92,

148,150

Hoists: 63, 6& 68-69, 141

Honker bridge: 4, 6-7, 8, 10, 13,

l&, 22, 85, 90

Hot-air blowers: 46, 53

I-beams: 12, 22, 35, 39, 40, 46, 54,

68, 86, 87, 88

Ice floes: 10, 30, 74, 77

Inch’on: 103

Infantry Divisions

2d: 147

3d: 76

25th: 139, 151

Inge, Lt. Col. Andrew: 10

Itschner, Col. Emerson C.: 6, 7

. 
164 0 BRIDGING THE IMJIN

Jackson, WO Peter: 151

Japan, materials produced in: 50,

54,113,150

Jeffers, Maj. Henry A., Jr.: 27

Kaesong: 4, 6, 33, 77, 90

Kangso-ri: 7

Kelly, Cal. Henry J.: 111, 113, 118,

129,146, 148,150

Kendall, Lt. Gen. Paul W.: 146

Kim Ho Duk, Cpl. (KATUSA): 70,

150

Mucking out: 51, 98, 111, 112, 114,

125,126, 128,132,133,134

Munsanni: 4, 33, 77, 78, 99, 106

Munsanni bridge: 30, 31-32, 33,

76, 77, 78. See also Freedom

Gate bridge.

Klotch, Capt. Edward P.: 104 Nash, Maj. Leonard C.: 105

Korangpo-ri: 7, 8, 95 Navy, United States: 10

Korea, Republic of, Army units Nishikimoto, 2d Lt. Harry H.: 54

Infantry Division, 1st: 4, 8, Norris, Lt. Col. Willard: 102, 104,

141 105, 149

Light Ponton Company,

9Olst: 8

Korean National Railway: 22, 114,

115,116,117,118

Korean Augmentation to the U.S.

Army (KATUSA) personnel:

49,70, 116

O’Grady, Pfc. James E.: 70, 130,

151

Overburden (in Imjin River): 29,

O’Grady, Lt. Cal. James R.: 35, 36,

49,51-52,82,85,88

118, 150

Lee, Lt.: 116

Libby, Sgt. George D.: 67, 70

Libby bridge: 3,21, 23, 27 33, 34,

48-70,98, 99-142, 149. See

also X-Ray bridge.

Line Jamestown: 8

Line Wyoming: 7

Long, Capt.: 102, 103, 105

Low-level fixed bridges: 8, 10, 11.

See aZso Teal bridge.

Machine guns, mounted: 122-123 ’

McKenzie, 1st Lt. Donald W.: 52

Maintenance building: 102

Mallard bridge: 11, 22

Manpower shortages: 107

Marine bridge: 104, 105-106

Marine Division, 1st: 76, 99, 100,

125,151

Materials yard: 104, 107

Milburn, Maj. Gen. Prank W.: 4

Min Byong Kwon, Brig. Gen. (RQK

Army): 151

Mine clearing: 99, 100

Models: 54

Motor park: 128, 130, 150

Motors, problems with: 51, 52, 109,

110 -

Pak, Lt.: 116

Parker, Lt. Cal. John R.: 117, 150

Parker Memorial bridge: 30, 31,

32, 76. See ako Pintail bridge.

Pavers: 58, 59, 103, 105, 107, 108,

112, 113, 115, 122, 123, 125,

126, 137, 148, 150 1

Pflueger, Capt. Willard T.: 106

Piers. See aho Piles.

diagonal bracing for: 36, 38,

120

reinforced concrete: 34, 86,

87, 89, 98

Pile bridges: 8, 11

Pile drivers: 10, 104, 105, 106, 108,

109, 110, 111, 114, 123, 133,

149

Pile driving: 35-36, 47, 50, 55, 56,

102, 106, 107, 108-110, 111,

117, 119, 120, 122, 126, 128,

129,131,149

Piles

anchor: 100, 101
INDEX 165

Piles-Continued

Armco: 34, 35, 37, 39, 53,

100; 101, 113

blowouts: 51, 53, 133

concrete: 22, 46, 78

misalignment of 36, 129, 132

penetration tests: 35, 46, 49, 89, 101

railway rails used for: 23

split: 50, 51, 110, 111, 112,

117, 118, 119, 122, 129,

131, 132

Reinforced steel. See also Decking,

corrugated steel.

girders: 46, 54, 63, 64, 68-69,

119, 128, 130, 131, 132,

133, 137, 139, 140, 141,

150

steel: 12, 34, 50-51, 87, 88;.

98, 99, 102, 104, 106,

107,114, 129,131, 149

timber: 12, 22, 32

Pintail bridge: 7, 11, 12, 17, 22,

23, 30, 31, 32, 76

Pneumatic tools: 107, 112

Ponton rafts: 4

Pontoon bridges: 104, 134, 137

Pours. See aho Concrete.

A: 51, 53-54,56, 107, 111,

. 112, 113, 114, 116, 128,

133, 134

launching of 125, 127, 128,

130, 131, 133, 134, 137,

138, 139, 140, 141

launching noses: 62, 63, 68, 128

prefabricated mats: 54, 60,

69, 138

prefabrication of 113, 115,

118, 119, 122, 130, 131,

132, 134, 137, 138, 139

Reinforcing rods: 12, 100, 101, 102,

108,115, 116

Ribbs, Col. Edward J.:‘lll, 117,

139, 150

Rip rap: 125, 137, 138

Riverbed features: 12, 36, 49, 83,

85, 88, 92, 93, 94-97, 111, 112,

114, 122

B: 53-54, 115, 116, 117, 127,

130, 134

bearing capacity: 83, 92

boulders: 36, 51, 112, 114,

121, 122, 126

C: 53-54,59, 118, 119, 127,

128,; 130, 134, 150

D: 53-54,59, 119, 120, 130,

131, 134,136, 137-138

E: 53-54,59, 120, 121, 130,

131, 136, 137-138

Power generators: 102, 103, 105,

106, 113, 114, 116, 118

Power shovels: 104

Pumpcrete plant: 53-54, 58, 59,

M, 69, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117,

119, 122, 123, 126, 127, 128,

131, 132, 138, 150

Pumps: 51, 107, 109, 110, 112, 115,

117, 120, 121, 122, 126, 128,

131, 132, 133, 141

Pusan: 100, 102, 104, 105

Pusey, Maj. John D.: 93, 148

Riveters: 61, 62, 117, 118

school for: 116

Riveting: 54, 116, 117, 120, 125,

132, 133, 134, 138, 139, 150

Riveting equipment: 54, 113, 115,

116, 139

Rock crushers: 100, 106, 134

Rock-filled crib-pier bridges: 8, 10,

. 11, 15, 22, 23, 30

Rumaggi, Col. Louis J.: 111, 118,

126, 147

SFnd: 106, 107, 121, 122, 125, 126,

127, 128, 130, 133

Scaffolding: 113, 127, 130, 136,

138, 151

Scott, 1st Lt. James J., Jr.: 123,

150

Railroad bridges: 6, 8, 10, 11, 12,

16, 18, 33, 76, 77, 78

Rapids: 96

Scouring: 52, 82, 126

Sorley, Col. Merrow E.: 22, 146

Spoonbill bridge: 21, 23, 106, 137,

148
166

Stiffeners: 54, 98, 108, 119, 125,

132, 150

Stoudemire, Maj. Daniel 0.: 149

Suspension bridges: 10, 11

Tansey, Maj. Gen. Patrick Henry:

130, 151

Taylor, General Maxwell D.: 70,

142

Teal bridge

high bridge: 7, 12, 16, 18, 19,

20, 22, 23, 30, 31, 32, 71,

74, 76, 77, 84

submersible bridge: 3, 23, 27,

33, 34, 35-47, 50,71-79,

80-97, 99, 104, 105, 106,

107,108-109,118, 138,

150

Tides, damage from: 8, 10, 30, 52,

121,122, 130, 137

Timber-bent bridges: 11

Timber-trestle bridges: 12, 22

Tongduchonni: 115, 150

nactors: 36, 149, 150

Training: 116

Tremies: 53, 111, 112

Urn Hong Sub, Brig. Gen. (RQK

Army): 141, 151

United Nations delegates: 6, 13

United Nations forces: 3, 4, 6, 23

Utility boats: 4, 131

Van Fleet, General James A.: 73,

79,146

Vibrators: 112, 113, 116, 117, 119,

131

BRIDGING THE IIMJIN

Water heaters: 107

Waters, Brig. Gen. John K.: 72, 75

Welders: 36, 49, 110, 119, 121, 125,

138

Welding: 36, 38, 46, 52, 68, 110,

137, 139, 140, 141

Welding equipment: 108, 109, 113,

114, li8, 120, 122, 125

Well drill rig: 107, 110, 117, 118

West, Maj. Gen. M. M. A-R-: 47

Whalers: 36, 47, 57, 84, 89, 102,

110, 111, 112, 121, 122, 125,

127,129, 131, 132,133, 150

Whistler bridge: 4, 6, 10; l#, 15, 22

Whitefront bridge: 7, 10, 12, 15,

17,20, 23, 30, 31, 76, 138

Widgeon bridge: 7, 10, 22-23, 30,

31-32

Winches: 35

Wing walls: 107-108, 110, 112,

122,123,125

Wire: 123

Wright, Corporal, bridge. see Carporal Wright bridge.

Wright, Cpl. Theodore: 4

X-Ray bridge: 8, 10, 12, 22, 23, 30,

31, 32, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78,

90. see ako Libby bridge.

Yawata Steel Company: 119, 150

Yokkok River: 3

*Yokohama Equipment Depot

(Japan): 103, 104, 105

Yongsan-ni: 95-96

Yongsanni ferry: 94, 95-97, 148

Zwick, Maj.: 126

*us. Go- PRINTING OFFICE : 1992 0 - 325781