page_title: Battle of Yongju
section_title: 187th RCT airdrop at Sukchon and Sunchon, 20–21 October 1950
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Yongju / Battle / 187th RCT airdrop at Sukchon and Sunchon, 20–21 October 1950
caption_attribution_description: English: Airborne Attack on Sukch'on and Sunch'on, 187th Airborne RCT, 20 October 1950
context_page_description: The Battle of Yongju, also known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard, took place from 21 to 22 October 1950 as part of the United Nations Command offensive towards the Yalu River, against the North Korean forces which had invaded South Korea during the Korean War. The battle was fought between the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade and the Korean People's Army 239th Regiment which was encircled east of Yongju, where it was attacking the US US 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. On 20 October the 187 RCT had parachuted ahead of the advancing UN spearheads into drop zones in Sukchon and Sunchon, 40 kilometres north of the capital Pyongyang, with the objectives of cutting off the retreating KPA forces that were withdrawing up the west coast of the Korean Peninsula and releasing US and South Korean prisoners of war. Although the airborne drop itself was a success, the operation came too late to intercept any significant KPA elements and the US landings initially met little resistance. However, on 21 October as the 187 RCT began to advance south to the clear the Sukchon to Yongju road towards Pyongyang they came under heavy attack from the KPA 239th Regiment, and requested assistance.
context_section_description: Beginning at 14:00 on 20 October, 1,470 men from Lieutenant Colonel Harry Wilson's 1/187 RCT, Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company, as well as supporting engineer, medical and logistic elements, were flown by C-119 Flying Boxcar and C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft from Kimpo Airfield. After forming up over the Han River, the force was parachuted into a drop zone southeast of Sukchon—designated Drop Zone William—supported by US fighter aircraft which rocketed and strafed the ground in preparation for the landing. The Americans subsequently met occasional sniper fire, experiencing only limited resistance. US casualties included 25 men injured in the jump, while one group which landed 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) east of the drop zone lost a man killed in his parachute after being attacked by the KPA. The heavy equipment subsequently followed the initial airdrop, including seven 105 mm M2A1 howitzers and their ammunition from A and C Battery, 674th Field Artillery Battalion. One of the guns was damaged in the drop, however, and was unable to be used. 1/187 RCT subsequently moved west, capturing Hill 97 east of Sukchon and Hill 104 to the north, before clearing the town itself and setting up a roadblock.
  Wilson dispatched patrols to the river in the vicinity of Naeman-ni, and prepared to move south towards Pyongyang. A platoon of engineers reached Songnani-ni at 15:30 but was delayed for 45 minutes by KPA fire. Capturing 15 prisoners, the platoon then moved to Namil-ni where it was further engaged, killing five KPA and capturing another 16. Meanwhile, Bowen established his command post at Chany-ni on Hill 97, along the dykes of the Choeyong River, and was dug-in by 16:00. 3/187th RCT—under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Delbert Munson—jumped into Drop Zone William shortly afterwards, before turning south and adopting a defensive position on the low hills 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Sukchon, where they established roadblocks across the highway and railway. Seizing their objectives by 17:00, the US paratroopers killed five KPA and captured 42 others without loss. Preparing to attack south along the railway and highway, Munson subsequently dispersed his battalion along the high ground south of Sukchon, with Company I on the left and Company K on the right, where they set up a blocking position on the Sukchon–Pyongyang Road. 2/187 RCT—under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William J. Boyle—jumped into Drop Zone Easy, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southwest of Sunchon at 14:20 and although the battalion suffered 20 men injured in the drop, it secured its objectives by nightfall almost unopposed. B Battery, US 674th Field Artillery Battalion was also dropped in support. Two companies then established roadblocks to the south and west of the town, while a third company married up with elements of the ROK 6th Infantry Division at Sunchon, which was pushing towards the Chongchon River.
  MacArthur had flown from Japan to watch the drop from the air, and after observing the landing aboard a US bomber accompanied by a number of war correspondents, he subsequently flew to Pyongyang where he announced to the press that the operation had achieved complete surprise. Estimating that 30,000 KPA troops—perhaps half of those remaining in North Korea—had been caught between the 187 RCT in the north and the US 1st Cavalry Division and ROK 1st Infantry Division to the south at Pyongyang, he predicted that they would soon be destroyed or captured by the UN advance. Yet, while the air drop itself had been a success, despite MacArthur's optimistic predictions the operation came too late to intercept any significant KPA elements and the US landings initially met little resistance. Indeed, most of the KPA had succeeded in withdrawing north, and had crossed the Chongchon River, or were in the process of doing so, while the government and most important officials had moved to Kanggye in the mountains 32 kilometres (20 mi) southeast of Manpojin on the Yalu River. Most of the US and ROK prisoners had also been moved to more remote parts of North Korea
caption: US 187 RCT airdrop at Sukchon and Sunchon, 20–21 October 1950
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