Korean War History - 2nd Infantry Division (2id) (original) (raw)
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Wonju and Chipyong-ni
TERRAIN SKETCH
The village of CHIPYONG-NI lies twenty miles northwest of WONJU. It is situated in an oval shaped valley three miles wide and six miles long. Gently sloping, the surrounding hills range in elevation from four hundred to one hundred meters in height. Absence of undergrowth and timber is very noticeable. This town is a crossroad town, since the road from YOJU enters it from the south, and the road from YANGPYONG enters from the west. Roads in the vicinity are secondary routes, twelve to eighteen feet wide, graded earth topped with gravel, capable of supporting military equipment with maintenance and proper caution. To the southeast, the railroad coming from WONJU has high embankments on which defenses might easily be formed. The enemy seized the dominating hills surrounding the town and cut all routes of supply and evacuation. Because of this, the defense perimeter was drawn tightly around the town using the gentle slopes which afforded the best fields of fire.
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The opening moves of the massive Chinese February offensive against the X Corps front came during the afternoon of the 11th. Powerful enemy units launched a heavy frontal assault against the positions of the halted 8th ROK Division and, simultaneously, reports of a roadblock on the MSR leading to the 10th and 16th ROK Regiments were received at the 2d Division. By evening, the enemy attack had gathered additional strength and all ROK elements were under pressure.
In the Chipyong sector, held by the 23d RCT, plans for an attack on Hill 583, scheduled for 12 February, were canceled in view of the threat posed by the newest CCF move. The 9th Infantry, which had just secured an important hill in the vicinity of Sogu, was alerted to be ready to move to Yoju on three hours notice.
Air observers reported the enemy channeling his main assault south to Hongchon where it split, one column taking the road toward Hoengsong and another shifting westward to the approach route to Chipyong.
The Third Battalion of the 38th which supplied the major forces of Support Teams "A" and "B" reported it was cut off from the 10th ROK Regiment at 0035 hours, 12 February, by a roadblock in the vicinity of Chowon-ni. Two hours later, word filtered back to the 2d Division that four CCF Divisions were participating in the attack on the ROK's and the 8,000 casualties had already been suffered by the disintegrating South Korean forces. This collapse placed Support Force 21 and the two Support Teams in an extremely critical position, extended far to the north with the ROK lines now non-existent and nothing between them and the onrushing enemy. Immediately, all the support forces were ordered to withdraw to a vital bridge at Haktam-ni, four miles north of Hoeng-song on the MSR, and hold there until all UN units to the north and west were clear. Twenty minutes after the order was flashed from Division, the two units began a fighting withdrawal.
The withdrawing elements from the 38th Infantry were under general attack by 0300 hours, receiving fire from the hills and rice paddies lining their withdrawal route. Enemy fire was knocking out the accompanying trucks causing high casualties among the drivers. Artillery pieces with their crews were halted time after time in spite of fierce efforts by the accompanying infantry to fight clear of the enveloping attackers. Meanwhile, the Netherlands Detachment in blocking positions at Hoengsong was ordered to prepare to pass the former support forces through its positions.
The Third Battalion of the 38th reached the Haktam-ni bridge by 0920 hours on 12 February but there was no let-up in the action. Lead elements of the First Battalion had also arrived and together the two forces did their best to repulse the enemy who now surrounded the area. Heavy and accurate mortar fire fell within the hasty perimeter the defenders had established inflicting a high number of casualties.
"Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Major Leonard Lowry, Infantry, Commanding Officer, Company C, 38th Infantry, for action against the enemy in the vicinity of Hoengsong on 12 February 1951. Company C had the mission of covering the withdrawal of a roadbound artillery battalion along a road paralleled by enemy infested hills and ridges. After ten consecutive hours of heavy fighting, during which Major LOWRY heroically led his men in knocking out several enemy roadblocks designed to trap the battalion, the column reached the regimental assembly area and joined the 3rd Battalion. As the two battalions began assembling and reorganizing, a strong enemy force occupying positions on a ridge adjacent to the assembly area placed a heavy barrage of mortar and automatic-weapons fire on the friendly troops, inflicting numerous casualties. Quickly organizing a group of men from his company, Major LOWRY personally led them in an assault on the nearest enemy held hill and succeeded in killing the enemy occupying it. Although seriously wounded during this engagement, he continued to lead his men in assaults on the other hills in the area until the entire ridge had been cleared of hostile forces."
Back at Division, plans were being made to attempt a rescue of the embattled elements of the 38th and at first light a relief force composed of a platoon of tanks from the 38th Tank Company and the regimental security platoon had departed from Hoengsong but immediately it was pounced upon by a force of 400 Chinese and pushed back.
The remaining elements of the First and Third Battalions fighting at Haktam-ni were combined into one unit at 0950 hours with every able-bodied man shouldering a weapon as the Chinese pushed wave after wave of frantic attacks against the force. To make the situation worse, additional roadblocks were being established between the defenders at the bridge and Hoengsong to the south.
Orders for the First Battalion and remaining elements of Support Force 21 to withdraw to Hoengsong were radioed by Division shortly before 1000 hours. The same message directed the Third Battalion to hold its position until further orders were received. It was not until 1145 hours that Support Force 21 began its attempt to withdraw. Air and artillery support pressed into action by Division helped to ease the agonizingly slow-withdrawal for the entire route to Hoengsong was a cauldron of enemy fire. The Third Battalion still struggling to hold the bridge positions, reported its ammunition supply almost exhausted and having suffered crippling casualties. Attempts by liaison planes to drop ammunition met with failure as the desperately needed small arms and mortar ammo drifted outside the meager perimeter into the enemy positions. At 1515 hours, the Third Battalion was ordered to withdraw toward Hoengsong, joining with the First Battalion which had been unable to batter its way through the roadblocks on its escape attempt. With the foot troops leading and the few remaining vehicles following behind, the Third Battalion soon joined up with the First and together they ground their way amid barrages of mortar, small arms and automatic weapons fire which poured down on them from the hills overlooking the road.
Another relief force was organized in Hoengsong to go to the aid of the two battalions. "G" Company from the 187th A/B RCT and a platoon of tanks from "C" Company, 72d Tank Battalion, fought their way northward where they finally made a juncture with the remnants of the former support forces late in the afternoon and the combined units fought back into Hoengsong, held by the Dutch defenders. There, the 38th Infantry regimental commander Col. J. C. Coughlin, ordered them to continue southward to Wonju although it was necessary for them to break another, though smaller, roadblock before they could reach safety.
The defenders of Hoengsong, Company "G" of the 17th Regiment, 7th Division and the Netherlands Detachment, were engaged soon after the shocked and depleted ranks of the support forces had disappeared southward. During this action, the commander of the Dutch forces, Lt. Col. Marinus P. A. DenOuden, was killed. A group of soldiers was observed coming down the MSR from the North by outpost on the Dutch perimeter who immediately placed fire on the approaching troops. "Okay, okay, we're ROK's, okay, we're ROK's." the troops called out. The Dutch, thinking the soldiers could be part of the many withdrawing ROK units, lifted their fire and the group walked into the perimeter. Immediately the infiltrating soldiers, who were all Chinese, opened fire on the Dutch command post. Before they could be killed, five Dutch officers including the Commanding Officer were killed, 14 men were wounded and 8 were later reported missing.
Orders to abandon Hoengsong were received early the night of the 12th and the Dutch with the company from the 7th Division fought a delaying action to the south.
West of the zone of fierce action of the 38th Infantry, the 23d RCT girded itself for the assault it knew was coming. The 12th of February was quiet except for a highly successful raid west of Chipyong by a two-company-sized patrols from the French Battalion which entered a small village, found it heavily-occupied and blew up several large ammunition dumps. Air observers confirmed the southward movement toward Chipyong of large masses of enemy troops. Unusually heavy flare activity was observed north of the perimeter the night of the 12th and 13th.
Brigadier General George C. Stewart, assistant division commander, had arrived in Wonju late in the evening of 12 February to assume command of the defense of the city. He called an immediate meeting of all local unit commanders. There was to be no withdrawal, no evacuation. Everyone would stay. A perimeter defense was to be organized and all available artillery was to be positioned so massed fires could be placed on any approach to the city. Liaison pilots were ordered to fly observation missions throughout the daylight hours to warn of approaching enemy troops or impending attack.
By midnight, the shattered remains of the First and Third Battalions of the 38th Regiment had arrived in Wonju from their harrowing battle in the north. Support Force 21 had suffered more than 1,400 casualties including the commanding officer, Lt. Col. John W. Keith, CO, 15th FA Bn, who was reported MIA. All forward observers who had been with the 8th ROK Division as members of the Support Force 21 were missing. And, in addition to terrific personnel losses, fourteen 105 mm Howitzers and five 155 mm Howitzers had been lost in the bitter fighting north of Hoengsong.
The Wonju defense line was established on the high ground around the city during the night and early morning with the strength placed to the north. The Dutch detachment, now returned from Hoengsong, held the left end of the northern portion of the line. On the right of the Dutch were the 2d Bn, 38th Inf; 1st and 3d Bns, 38th Inf; and the 187th A/B RCT. The 17th Regiment, 7th US Division was placed on the south. The eastern flank was held by the 18th ROK Regiment, the western by the ROK Rangers. In reserve was the 2d Bn, 187th A/B RCT and the 72d Tank Battalion.
As an added precaution in face of the mounting threat by the overwhelming enemy force, the 38th Infantry was directed to reconstitute its regimental combat team by attaching the remains of the 15th FA Bn; "C" Battery, 38th FA Bn; 503d FA Bn (-B); "B" Company, 72d Tk Bn; and "D" Battery, 82d AAA.
Throughout the daylight hours of the 13th, the Wonju area was quiet as the defenders feverishly prepared their defenses.
Westward on the Chipyong sector, the 23rd RCT reported increased enemy activity taking place north, east and west of its perimeter. Southeast of Chipyong, a strong patrol composed of "L" Company, 9th Infantry and the 2d Reconnaissance Company reported itself engaged with 1,000 Chinese on the MSR leading to Chipyong.
Increased flare activity marked the late afternoon and evening around the 23rd's perimeter on 13 February. Small arms and mortar fire began to fall into the area between 2200 and 2300 from the northwest, north and southeast. Shortly before midnight an intense mortar and artillery barrage crashed into the northern sector of the perimeter held by the First Battalion and immediately after it lifted, the long expected attack materialized. Bugles, whistles, and yells sounded out over the cold, night air; dull red and green flares burst and hung in the sky and the arcs of tracers flashed and ricocheted through the dark. By midnight, the frenzied attacks had spread with only the Third Battalion on the southwest not engaged. Mortar and artillery rained in upon the regimental command post, the artillery positions and the sector where the heavy mortars were set-up. The command post of the First Battalion was set on fire by the flying tracers.
Shortly after midnight, the fighting eased but a fresh attack was launched from out of the north and northwest at 0100 hours. The rushing, yelling enemy was repulsed but as the firing died down, troops on the perimeter could hear the click of shovels as the Chinese dug-in to stay.
The force of the attack was shifted at 0215 hours when the Chinese launched a bloody frontal assault from the southwest and east, particularly against "K" Company. The perimeter held strong so with continued pressure in the south the masses of Chinese hurled themselves at the French in the north in yet another effort to pierce the circle of defenders. As the waves of attackers struck the French Battalion, intense pressure on "C" Company of the First Battalion forced a slight withdrawal but an immediate counter-attack regained the lost ground. The entire perimeter blazed with fire as the artillery poured round after round into the determined, frenzied attacking troops and the defenders slammed all the firepower they could muster into the hordes. By 0530 hours, the pressure had eased once again except in front of the French Battalion and 'K" Company, both of whom were repulsing attack after attack.
"C" Company was hit again at 0545 hours but against the attack was beaten off. An attempt by the attackers to infiltrate in the.south was unsuccessful.
At first light of 14 February, the garrison at Chipyong learned that "L" Company of the 9th and the 2d Recon Co. in the southeast were under a three-sided attack with elements of the same force attacking Chipyong. But as the news arrived so did a renewed attempt by the Chinese to slice their way into Chipyong through "K" and "I" Companies. The ring of steel held. Elsewhere, the battered assault troops of the five Chinese Divisions surrounding Chipyong made stabs at the perimeter then fell back under withering mortar, artillery and small arms fire. And with the coming of daylight came a break in the action. The Chinese, fearing the devastating effect of observed artillery fire and air strikes broke physical contact, withdrew and contented themselves with intermittent mortar fire into the besieged garrison.
"Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel Paul L. Freeman, Jr. Infantry, Commanding Officer, 23 Infantry Regiment, for action against the enemy in the vicinity of Chipyong-ni during the period 31 January and 15 February 1951. On 31 January, Colonel FREEMAN was ordered to move his regimental combat team to the vicinity of the Twin Tunnels area south of Chipyong-ni and prevent the enemy from occupying the area. Colonel FREEMAN with two battalions entered the Twin Tunnels area, without effecting contact with the enemy, in the late afternoon of 31 January. Realizing that the enemy forces were not yet emplaced, he deployed his troops in a tight perimeter for the night. at 0450 hours on 1 February, the enemy struck, pressing the attack with such fury that the regimental lines were penetrated in two places. The fighting was intense and the issue hung in the balance throughout the day; however, under the skillful leadership and personal example of Colonel FREEMAN, the task force finally succeeded in routing the enemy at bayonet point, shattering two regiments of the 125th Chinese Communist Division. When the hostile force had been dispersed, 2,855 enemy dead were counted in front of the regimental positions. Reorganizing the combat team, Colonel FREEMAN led his command forward and occupied positions surrounding the town of Chipyong-ni, a critical point in the United Nations defense line. On the night of 13 February, the enemy struck these positions with overwhelming fury, employing five divisions in the assault. For forty-eight hours the enemy pressed the attack, striking at all sides of the friendly perimeter and placing intense mortar and artillery fire on the positions. Skillfully directing the defense and personally exposing himself to the intense hostile fire to restore breaks in the line, Colonel FREEMAN so inspired his troops that they successfully routed the numerically superior hostile force and counted over 5,000 enemy casualties surrounding their positions at the conclusion of the engagement. A Although wounded in the final phase of the engagement, he reorganized the combat team and deployed it in defense of the secured area."
And as the 23d RCT was engaged in repelling the swarms of Chinese around Chipyong, the defenders of Wonju were also coming under attack by the eastward spear of the Chinese two-pronged drive for victory.
The Second Battalion of the 38th Infantry came under heavy, frontal assault at 0345 hours on 14 February in positions on the high ground north of Wonju. Throwing a powerful spearhead into the ranks, some of the leading elements of the attacking force pushed into the positions of "L" and "K" Companies and the outpost of "I" Company came in when it was overwhelmed by the Chinese assault. Artillery was called in on the break-through for the enemy could be heard digging-in on the flanks between the 38th and 187th RCT's. "F" Company of the 187th went forward after bitter fighting and plugged the gap.
The Third Battalion of the 38th, that part of it which remained after the costly withdrawal the previous day, had been put in on the west flank of the northern line. At 0655 hours, the Second Battalion of the 38th was shifted to relieve the Third Battalion which went into reserve. Filling the spot left vacant by the Second Battalion went the remains of the First Battalion.
"Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Bruno R. Orig, Infantry, a member of Company G. 23d Infantry Regiment, for action against the enemy in the vicinity of Chipyongni on 15 February 1951. On that day, Private ORIG, while returning from a wire laying mission, observed a number of his comrades who had been wounded in a fierce enemy attack that was still in progress. With complete disregard for his own safety, he went to the aid of these men and remained in an exposed position in order to administer first aid to them. With the assistance of several comrades from the company command post he began removing the wounded to a place of safety. While returning from one of these trips, he noticed that all except one man of a machine-gun crew had been wounded. Without hesitation, he volunteered to man the weapon. Remaining in this position, Private ORIG placed such effective fire on the enemy that a withdrawing friendly platoon was able to move back without a single casualty. He continued to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy until the company positions were overrun. Later that day, when the lost ground was recaptured, Private ORIG was found dead beside his weapon and the area in front of his gun was littered with enemy dead ."
The Netherlands Detachment came under heavy attack at 0710 and was forced to withdraw slightly. Elements of the Second Battalion were drawn off the line and together with "B" Company of the 72d Tank Battalion moved into the threatened sector to strengthen it and to refuse the left flank to the enemy.
As daylight broke, the liaison pilots had their planes in the air to seek out the enemy. First reports were of two Chinese Divisions moving in column south along the Som River with the obvious intention of encircling the Wonju defenders. AOP's could see parts of the column peel off toward Wonju as it marched southward. Every available artillery piece in the 2d Division and supporting corps artillery was laid upon the marching mass of men. Thunderous barrages roared across the hills as tons of shrapnel poured into the plodding troops. Thousands of shells wrecked havoc never before seen on any army as the pilots reported the river running red with the blood of the massacred troops. Still they came, marching into the rain of death, heedless of the carnage around them they crawled forward. Hour after hour the unbelievable slaughter mounted as dog-tired, exhausted artillerymen slammed an endless stream of shells into the exposed masses of Chinese who continued to press forward. The staggering losses began to tell. The once-full ranks were now thin, blasted, shocked remnants without leaders, without hope. Slowly, as though dazed, the remains of the ranks broke. Now only unorganized bands of useless bodies, they tried to escape north out of reach of the murderous guns. The cracking rain of steel followed them northward and air took up where artillery could not reach. The attack was broken, the threat to Wonju was no longer critical. The "Wonju Shoot" had cost the enemy 5,000 men. Although bitter fighting was waged that night and throughout the following day, the enemy had shifted his main effort to Chipyong. His armies had failed at Wonju after unsuccessfully beating against the lines then dying in unprecedented slaughter under the guns of massed artillery.
While thousands of Chinese were being bloodily repulsed along the Som River west of Wonju, the 23rd RCT was busy repairing the damage wrought by the frenzied attacks of the previous night. Twenty four air drops helped restock the ammunition, ration, medical and equipment supply dumps. Every available man helped in retrieving the air-dropped supplies. Regimental medics worked steadily to relieve the suffering of the wounded and helicopters shuttled in and out of the tight perimeter throughout the day, evacuating the most seriously wounded. Others were treated and made as safe and comfortable as possible to await the opportunity for evacuation when the road blocks ringing the garrison could be broken.
At 1200 hours, the 27th British Brigade, which had earned the respect of the men of the 2d Division for their heroic delaying action after the November Chinese breakthrough in the North, was attached to the Division with the sole mission of clearing the enemy from the MSR from Iho-ri to Chipyong. This drive by the British was to be made in conjunction with a similar relief drive by the 5th Cavalry Regiment along a parallel road from the South..
The 6th ROK Division was also attached to the 2d Division on the 14th and placed on line. Thus the Division front extended from the cutoff garrison of the 23d Infantry at Chipyong on the left, through the 27th BCB, 6th ROK Division, 9th RCT and the 38th RCT holding down the right flank at Wonju.
Reports of increased enemy activity were received by the 23rd RCT late in the afternoon of the 14th. Then at 2030 hours, the Chinese unleashed a mortar barrage on "K" Company and an hour later "C" Company was receiving fire and could hear the enemy digging-in in its positions. In spite of the air-dropped ammo, there was a critical shortage of 8-round clips of M-1 ammunition with the entire supply already in the hands of the companies. Shortly after. darkness had blotted out all observation, the first enemy onslaught of the night fell on the Second Battalion sector. Simultaneously the regimental command post came under a blasting barrage of mortar, artillery and small arms fire which, in an hour, had spread to cover the positions of the mortar company and the trains of the French Battalion. The fighting on the perimeter mounted in intensity with both the Second and Third Battalions engaged in fierce, close combat as the enemy sought to drive a wedge into the perimeter which he could expand and thus enable him to divide the defending forces. Bugles signaled new and stronger attacks as 120 mm mortars showered on the CP area.
A slight let-up occurred about midnight as the enemy regrouped for another attempt. The artillery continued to pour round after round onto the outlying area.
"K" Company was struck at 0130 hours but repulsed two assaults as the pressure again mounted in the south and southwest. Ammunition shortages threatened to become critical and a radio message for relief went through Division to Japan where the supply services of the Japan Logistical Command loaded waiting planes throughout the night so air drops could be made at first light.
The first penetration of the perimeter was made at 0230 hours when savage blows by hordes of Chinese drove in Lo the positions of "I" Company. An immediate counter-attack by "I" and "L" Companies slashed forward and cut the penetration out, restoring the positions in bitter hand-to-hand battle. It seemed impossible that the perimeter could continue to withstand the mounting pressure by the vastly numerically superior foe.
At 0315 hours, "G" Company reported a second penetration and all efforts to stem it had failed. It was withdrawing with heavy casualties. The RCT commander, Lt. Col. John H. Chiles who had been flown into the perimeter to replace the badly wounded Col Paul Freeman, ordered a composite force assembled to counter attack. The 1st Ranger Company, a platoon from "F" Company and the remnants of "G" Company gathered to attack while in the north "A" and "C" Companies beat-off severe attacks. Less than 140 rounds of 4.2 mortar and less than 90 rounds of 81 mm mortar now remained. Orders went out to the embattled lines to conserve ammunition as much as possible. No target was to be fired upon unless definitely seen and in a position to be hit.
"Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Corporal Charles W. Sherwood Infantry, a member of Company D, 23d Infantry Regiment, f or action against the enemy in the vicinity of Chipyong from 13 to 15 February 1951. When his unit was attacked by a large enemy force during the night of 13 February, Corporal SHERWOOD, although wounded by enemy small-arms fire, remained in his position and inflicted heavy casualties until his machine gun was knocked out by hostile fire. The enemy closed to within 20 yards, but he coolly held them off with his pistol until another machine gun could be brought up. A second attempt was made to overrun his position, but Corporal SHERWOOD, heedless of intense hostile fire, accounted for 26 enemy dead before this weapon also was knocked out. On the night of 15 February, a reinforced enemy group made a final attempt to overrun the positions. Corporal SHERWOOD once more manned his gun and, despite intense hostile mortar, artillery, and small-arms fire, inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy until he was mortally wounded."
The composite counter-attack force struck at the enemy penetration at 0615 hours. Hand-to-hand fighting raged fiercely as the Chinese attempted to hold their gains. The counter-attack force suffered mounting casualties and each attempt to move forward was repulsed. "B" Company, the only remaining reserve, was ordered to join in the attack against the penetration at 0800 and, simultaneously, "B" Company of the 2d Engineers was notified it now constituted the reserve and to be ready for immediate commitment.
To the south, the 5th Cavalry relief force spearheaded by heavy tanks was fighting slowly forward against fanatical resistance in an attempt to reach the seriously threatened garrison in time.
The counter-attack effort of "B" Company was repulsed during the morning and the friendly elements were pinned down under murderous fire. The situation was desperate. At 1230, the relief column was 9,000 yards southwest of its goal but progress was slow against the fire from every side.
At 1400, with "B" Company still pinned down, the TACP called air strikes onto the enemy entrenched in the gap in the perimeter. Napalm splashed and seared over the grimly holding enemy troops. It was too much. Burned and screaming they withdrew and "B" Company rose up, firing into the retreating forces, then advancing and regaining the lost positions.Amid the frantic battle, planeload after planeload of ammunition was dropped to the garrison which was holding on by its fingernails. Enemy mortar, falling into the drop zone, inflicted heavy casualties as the troops exposed themselves to regain the precious ammunition and supplies. Counter-battery fire from the RCT artillery and mortar units finally silenced the pounding enemy mortars and the collection of the airdrop continued without letup.
"B" Company had secured the lost positions by 1630 hours and jubilantly reported it could see the head of the tank column pushing forward to the relief of the perimeter. The enemy was abandoning his attack and fleeing in face of the steel barrage from the clanking armor column. With reinforcement in sight, the artillery of the garrison poured out its lethal rain on the exposed and fleeing enemy, inflicting tremendous casualties.
Ammunition stocks were practically depleted by 1700 hours and the regimental commander ordered all units to cease fire. Although the enemy attack had been broken there were new reports of large enemy troop movements from the north and northwest.
Twenty heavy tanks and a handful of infantrymen from the 5th Cavalry Regiment rolled into the perimeter at 1715. The victorious but exhausted defenders realized the immediate crisis had passed. A blessed relief from combat and a strange quiet descended on the area. It was time to take stock of the situation and prepare to meet whatever the future held.
The planes of the Air Force ranged, to the north, wrecking additional slaughter on the enemy who could find no cover. More than 131 sorties had been flown in the Chipyong area throughout the sedge.
Night came onto the perimeter as all units adjusted their lines and began the vigilant guard. Night air drops provided critically needed ammunition. Flares broke the darkness but there was no attack. The whipped, torn ranks of the Chinese Armies dragged northward, tossing mortar and artillery toward Chipyong behind them.
The entire front was quiet. The 2d Division had again stood in the face of all that the armies of China could muster. Despite overwhelming odds and sickening casualties it had held fast. The enemy had been broken.
The reinforced garrison at Chipyong dispatched limited patrols the morning of 16 February to contact the retreating enemy forces and determine his intentions. Only one contact was made, this by "C" Company which ran into fire from self-propelled artillery. Back within the perimeter, a few rounds of artillery had fallen. Otherwise the forces undertook the task of reorganization. The supply elements of the 5th Cavalry Regiment arrived at Chipyong late in the afternoon after an uneventful trip from the south. Immediately the vehicles were off-loaded and the wounded of the 23d RCT who had waited for transport were placed on the vehicles and started for Yoju where they were later placed in medical channels.
By midnight, foot elements of the Cavalry were within 3,000 yards of Chipyong, sweeping the high ground on either side of the road without contact.
Patrols radiated from the Chipyong perimeter in all directions on the 17th, all making moderate enemy contact, but returning safely. At noon, the 23d RCT was attached to IX Corps until full relief could be effected by the elements of the 1st Cavalry Division. Coincident with the attachment, both the 27th British Brigade and the 6th ROK Division were relieved from the 2d Division and the Division front was greatly narrowed, removing Chipyong from its area of responsibility.
The 9th Infantry initiated patrolling action on the 17th forward of the new Division front in conjunction with elements of the 38th RCT on the left and the 187th A/B RCT on the right.
The 23rd was released from IX Corps on 18 February and moved to Wonju while the other elements of the Division conducted patrols, reorganized, resupplied and tied up loose ends after the hectic days of combat.
The Division front was extended eastward on 19 February in preparation for a new operation designed to clear an estimated 67,000 communist troops from the mountain area east of Wonju and north of Chechon. The initial stages of 'Operation Killer," as the new undertaking was known, called for the 1st Marine Division to pass through the 2d Division after which the Division (-38th Infantry) would move eastward and assemble in the vicinity of Sillimni-Chupori-Chechon. The 38th Infantry would assemble at Chechon as X Corps reserve.
Operation Order 24 was published on 20 February. The 9th Infantry with the 38th FA Bn; "C" Battery, 503d; and "C" Battery, 82d AAA, was to go to Sillimni and be prepared to attack north on order; the 23d Infantry with 37th FA En and "B" Battery, 82d AAA was directed to assemble at Nodong, moving by way of Chupori and Chechon and prepare to attack north on order. The French were designated as Division reserve and were to occupy Chechon together with the corps reserve, the 38th Infantry.
The moves and preparations called for in Operation Order 24 were completed by 1630 hours on 21 February.
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