page_title: 5th Cavalry Regiment
section_title: Korean War
hierarchical_section_title: 5th Cavalry Regiment / Korean War
caption_attribution_description: English: With air and artillery support, men of Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, advance on "Hill 45" near Ichon, Korea, after three days of bitter fighting for the objective. January 29th, 1951.
context_page_description: The 5th Cavalry Regiment is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service on August 3, 1861, when an act of Congress enacted "that the two regiments of dragoons, the regiment of mounted riflemen, and the two regiments of cavalry shall hereafter be known and recognized, as the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth regiments of cavalry respectively..." and continues in modified organizational format in the U.S. Army.
context_section_description: On 25 June 1950, the Army of North Korea crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded South Korea, overrunning and destroying large elements of the Republic of Korea Army; within three days, North Korea had captured Seoul.  On 30 June, the United States sent Air Force, Navy, and Marine troops, along with a 1,000 man Army battalion from the 24th Infantry Division  and advisers from the 1st Cavalry Division to support the ROK Army.  On 18 July, the 1st Cavalry Division was ordered to Korea and landed at Pohang-dong, 80 miles north of Pusan, and 25 miles south of the communist forces.  The 5th Cavalry quickly marched on Taejon and was deployed into battle position by 22 July.  The next day, the men received their baptism by fire.  The 8th Cavalry Regiment was swarmed by North Korean troops and the 1-5 Cavalry was sent to fill in the line.  On 24 July, F Company moved to assist the overwhelmed 1-5 Cavalry on their right flank, but the numbers of North Korean troops was too much for the troopers.  Only 26 men from Companies B and F escaped alive to friendly territory.
  Over the next few days, a defensive line was formed at Hwanggan, and the 5th Cavalry relieved elements of the battered 25th Infantry Division on the line.  This line became known as the Pusan Perimeter, and the troopers held on for over 50 days against unrelenting North Korean attacks.  On 9 August, 1-5 Cavalry bore the brunt of a massive enemy attack of five divisions near Taegu.  Troopers of the 5th and 7th Cavalry Regiments used artillery and air support to defeat the North Koreans, and seized Hill 268, "Triangulation Hill," accounting for 400 enemy dead.  The 5th Cavalry Regiment withstood two more large attacks, but held the perimeter.  Pusan became a vital staging port for United Nations troops and materiel, and thanks to the efforts of the troops on the perimeter, enough time had been gained that now the defenders outnumbered the attackers.  On 17 August, after a battle with North Korean troops, a mortar unit from H Company, 5th Cavalry was forced to surrender.  The men were tied up, and 42 were shot and killed and 4-5 more were wounded; this became known as the Hill 303 massacre.
  When Operation Chromite was launched at Inchon, pressure was relieved from the 1st Cavalry Division positions, allowing them to take the offensive.  On 26 September 1950, the 5th Cavalry Regiment crossed the Naktong River and advanced to Sangju, Hamhung, and Osan-dong.  The regiment then seized Chongo, Chochiwan, and Chouni from the reeling enemy.  On 2 October, the regiment was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the Imjin River, and by 9 October, they had pushed north of the 38th Parallel.  On 12 October, as the 5th drove toward the enemy capital, C Company was fighting North Korean forces for control of Hill 174.  During the battle one trooper entered an enemy foxhole he thought to be unoccupied.
  The man was wounded, but his platoon leader, 1LT Samuel S. Coursen, ran to his rescue.  Disregarding his own safety, 1LT Coursen engaged in hand-to-hand combat until he was killed.  When his body was recovered, seven enemy dead lay in the foxhole.  1LT Coursen saved his soldier's life at the cost of his own and received the Medal of Honor.  The 5th Cavalry entered Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, on 19 October and was the first American unit to do so.
  On 25 October 1950, Communist Chinese forces intervened and attacked in force across the Yalu River into Korea.  On 24 November, GEN MacArthur ordered the 1st Cavalry Division back to the front from its reserve positions to counterattack.  Despite this, UN forces fell back and executed an ignominious retreat in the face of overwhelming numbers of Chinese and the bitter cold of the Korean winter.  On 25 January 1951, the 5th Cavalry Regiment moved with the rest of the Eighth Army to counterattack, and advanced 2 miles per day despite fierce resistance and extreme weather.  On the night of 29–30 January, A Company, 1-5 Cavalry was fighting the Chinese for control of Hill 312.  Here, 1LT Robert M. McGovern led his platoon into battle despit
caption: With air and artillery support, men of Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, advance on "Hill 45" near Ichon, Korea, after three days of bitter fighting for the objective. January 29th, 1951.
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