Battle of Chatkol The Battle of Chatkol ( also known as the 55 Nights of Chatkol ) was the name given to the series of skirmishes between UN forces and Chinese forces near the village of Chatkol at the centre of the " Iron Triangle " during the Korean War . The position was held by the Belgian UN contingent for 55 consecutive nights , during which time they came under heavy attack . Chatkol . The small village of Chatkol ( , sometimes " Chat - kol " ) lay right in the centre of the zone labelled " Iron Triangle " between Chorwon and Kumhwa in the South , and Pyonggang in the north . Chatkol was viewed as a decisive communications hub by both Chinese and UN commanders owing to its proximity to the railway running north - east through the triangle . Defences around Chatkol . The villages of Chatkol and Sandong - ni were surrounded to the north to east by an arc of defensive fortifications known the " The Boomerang " on the " White Horse Mountain Range " hill line On the northern portion of the defensive line , there were three " outposts " codenamed ( from left to right ) " " Alice " " , " " Barbara " " and " " Carol " " . The first letter of each outpost denoted which company of the Belgian contingent was responsible for their defence , while the " Heavy Weapons Company " defended the eastern arc of the " boomerang . " The Belgians ' command post was established at Sandong - ni to the north - west of the trench line . Each outpost was manned by as few as three men during the day , but at night - the preferred time for Chinese assaults , this could be increased to over ten men . Both the main positions , and the outposts themselves , were heavily - built and easily defensible , incorporating bunkers and trench lines . In the east , the Belgian positions bordered the South Korean 9th Division . 8 – 9 March : Retaking Outpost Carol . " Outpost Carol " was located at a vulnerable point on the far right of the northern sector of the defences , 200 meters in front of the Belgian front line . " Carol " had been manned by seven soldiers and two machine guns when it was overrun by over 100 Chinese soldiers . The Belgians could not react to the loss of the outpost immediately as they came under heavy and accurate artillery fire from nearby Chinese positions . The next morning , at 06 : 45 and with US artillery support and smoke screen , Belgian soldiers successfully assaulted and re - took the position . In this action 5 Belgians were killed and 17 wounded while Chinese losses were estimated at 25 killed , 40 wounded . 13 March : Retaking Outpost Alice . " Outpost Alice " was attacked at 00 : 15 , first by an artillery bombardment , then by a massed Chinese attack . Retreating to their lines under fire , one soldier from the original garrison was found to be missing . When " Alice " was retaken , patrols were sent out to find the missing soldier . By 06 : 00 , a wounded soldier - survivor of " Outpost Alice " - was seen crawling towards the front line and was evacuated to a MASH hospital by helicopter . 7 – 8 April . Realising that a Chinese breakthrough was a distinct possibility , Corporal Raymond Beringer of the Luxembourg Platoon , A Company moved his Water - cooled . 30 Machine Gun to the roof of his bunker to enable a broader field of fire . After the battle , the bodies of over 20 Chinese soldiers were found within 200 meters of his bunker alone . For this action , Cpl . Beringer was awarded the American Bronze Star and recommended for the Silver Star . Despite this , the paperwork containing the recommendations for both medals were lost and the award was only made in 1992 .