Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-05
Ambush
Continued From First Page

Womb itself-when the survivors
of the ambush set up a new line
and beat the Chinese back in
hand-to-hand fighting. The regi-
ment was part of the I'd Divi-
sion.
But when the United States 1st
Marine Division recaptured the
valley Saturday the slaughter was
evident mile of burned and
bullet-torn trucks. blasted field
guns. piles of brass cartridges
where guns were fired to the
death. Hundreds of frozen bodies
of Chinese, Koreans and Amer
leans carpeted roads and valleys.
Today, after an Army investiga-
ton. a staff officer told the first
full story of the terrible retreat.
1t is the account of an almost
hopeless but fighting retreat of a
small American force Of about
2,400, cut off miles behind enemy
lines and outnumbered at least
IL to l.
1T all started" the staff officer
said. with the plan to let South
Korean divisions lead the advance
against the Reds on the central
front supported by special Amer
lean task forces Of artillery with
an infantry guard and with the
main American line several miles
behind.
Joined by Special Team.
1.-The ROK (Republic of Korea
outfit was the 9th Division ad-
vancing mainly toward Hongchon
about Is miles north of Hoeng-
song. A special support force of
one American field artillery bat
talon and a battery of medium
artillery with an infantry bat
talon to protect the artillery was
ordered north to support the ROK
advance. The ROKs were also
Joined by a special support team
of platoon of tanks with an
infantry company.
The night of February 11-12
the Chinese hit the ROKs hard.
BY 2:30 am. the Chinese had
cracked through the ROK line
and were attacking our own Amer
lean infantry perimeter defending
the guns.
I'VE heard later that one ROK
regiment had collapsed but two
ROK regiments must have put up
one helluva fight.
THE American support team
was sent back down the road to
secure a bridge near Haktam so
we could withdraw safely.
THE tanks took a platoon of
infantry. When they got near the
bridge they ran into a Chinese am
bush (and the whole little force
was practically annihilated."
The American-support regiment
was strung out over nearly 20
miles of road.
$4,000 Reds massed.
The regimental commander had
very few forces under his hand
at any one point.
It was estimated the Reds had
at least $4,000 men massed against
the American regiment and the
9th ROK Division.
THE support force started
down the road and managed to
fight all the way back to Saemal
with the Chinese firing constantly
from the hills on both sides of
the road" the staff officer said.
"All this time the battalion in
Saemal was under constant attack
from Chinese rifle, machinegun
and mortar fire.
Officers in Hoengsong had seen
figures massing on Hill 303 that
controlled the Hongchon road.
They thought for a while they
were retreating ROKs.
1.-The Orientals turned out to be
Chinese setting a trap for the
whole American force to the
north.
"Regimental headquarters sent
a security platoon of tanks to
check the road.
"A wild fight fared up and
three of the tanks managed to
break out of the trap with the
loss of several infantrymen.
Call for Rescue Group.
THAT was the first inkling any
body had that the support force
and the Saemal battalion were
trapped.
Our people Immediately or
oered the heaviest air, artillery,
mortar and tank fire onto the