- Monument at Mt. Dosol to Commemorate 623 fallen Marines
The Punchbowl
Researched by Raymond T. Fitzhugh (Sergeant Major USMC Retired)
MAY
16 -18 Chinese attacked the 7th Regt. On Morae-Kang Pass. Enemy had 112 killed and 82 captured. Marines lost 2 tanks
18 7th Regt. Pulled back to “No Name Line” and took 1st Regt. Position. 1st Regt shifted right and took 9th Infantry position. 5th Regt moved two Bn’s east behind “No Name Line” at Hongchon to protect Division’s right Flank. 7th Regt and 1st KMC moved left to take 5th Regt area.
24 -31 1st Regt and 1st KMC crossed Soyang River on 28 May to a position above Hwachon Reservoir which they completed on 31 May. 5th Regt took Hill 1051 at Kari-san. They shifted right and came abreast of 7th Regt. 7th Regt was at the town of Yabggu.
29 C-1-5 made contact with hand to hand combat where C.O. was killed
Casualties for May
DAY – 2 3 5 6 8 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 27 28 29 30 31
KIA – 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 1 7 5 3 8 1 1 2 5 11 21 5 12
Marine KIA 94
Navy KIA 4
TOTAL 98
JUNE
2 1st and 5th attacked abreast, each with two Bn’s. 7th Regt and 1st KMC in reserve. 1st Regt took a small hill called XRAY
2-10 5th Regt attacked toward Taeam-San (Hill 1316) 1-5 had to take 7 peaks. It took two days to move 2,000 yards to take Hills 610, 680 and 692. 2-5 advanced 5,000 yards.
1st and 7th Regt put into a fight. 1st KMC moved into 5th Regt area below Hills 1122, 1216 and 1316 (Taean-san). 5th Regt with 1-5 in reserve moved to southern tip of Punchbowl.
5-10 1st KMC attacked Taeam-San with no success then made a night attack at 0200 and took Hill 1216.
6-14 1st Regt took Brown Line. Was more defensive than Kansas.
9-19 7th Regt and 1st KMC took hills between Taeam-Sa and Taeu-San above the Punchbowl. 10 to 17 tanks out of action from mines in Sochon River Valley. 7th Regt stopped 5 attacks. 5th Regt which started on 6 June took the ridge line overlooking the Punchbowl. They ran into numerous bunkers.
1st Division settled down to patrolling only.
Casualties for JUNE
DAY – 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 22 25 29 30
KIA – 6 17 13 9 5 8 15 21 11 8 9 5 5 9 9 21 2 3 2 1
Marine KIA 179
Navy KIA 4
TOTAL 183
JULY
8-12 1st KMC attacked Taeu-San and took heavy casualties losing all company officers and all but five Sergeants.
The 1st Marine Division went into Corps Reserve with 1st Regt at Hongchon, 5th Regt near Inji and 7th Regt near Yanggu. The Division went through live fire training in preparation for the Punchbowl Offense.
Casualties for July
DAY – 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 14 15 22 23 24 27 30 31
KIA – 2 5 1 2 1 1 4 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 1
Marine KIA 94
Navy KIA 4
TOTAL 98
AUGUST
Hayes Line was named between the Kansas and Wyoming Line.
26 1st Division called out of reserve. 7th Regt then 5th Regt moved to Kansas Line 1st Regt and 1st KMC stayed in reserve.
31 7th Regt began the attack in the Punchbowl. They attached Yoke (Hills 602, 702, 924, 930 and 1026).
Casualties for August
DAY – 7 8 10 12 15 16 17 24 29 30 31
KIA – 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 4
Marine KIA 17
Navy KIA 0
TOTAL 17
SEPTEMBER
Final Marine offense of the Korean War
1-4 7th Regt on right, 1st KMC on left Kansas Line and attacked and seized Yoke on the Hayes Line.
4-10 Had to wait one week to attack Kanmubong Ridge because of supplies. 1st and 5th Regt’s prepare for attack.
11-12 1-7 to attack Hill 673 and 3-7 Hill 749 (which was reinforced by the enemy) Hill 680 became a major obstacle for 2-7 attack between Hills 749 and 812 which was suppose to turn and attack Hill 673. 1-7 thought they had taken Hill 749 but actually they were 1,000 yards away.
12 1st Regt moved to relieve 7th Regt. 1-1 to relieve 1-7 on Hill 673, 2-1 relieve 2-7 on Hill 749 and to attack Hill 812. They did not know the enemy still held Hill 749 because of 2-7 error on reporting. 3-1 to relieve 3-7 on Hill 680 and to attack Hill 751. 7th Regt to Division Reserve.
12-14 2-1 could not find 2-7 or take Hill 749 and only advanced 300 yards, 3-1 took Hill 751.
16 5th Regt relieved 3-1 on Hill 751. 2-1 under heavy counterattack. 3-1 to Hill 673 to relieve 1-1 who joined 2-1 on Hill 749. 2-5 to Hill 812 with cover fire from 3-5.
17 2-5 took Hill 812 and started towards Hill 980. MajGen Thomas gave 5th Regt order to stop the advance.
18-19 2-5 fought at “The Rock” 700 yards from Hill 812 which later was called “Luke the Gook Castle”
20 Division was ordered to stop the offense and take up defense positions. The month ended doing patrols from their defensive positions.
Casualties for September
DAY – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30
KIA – 6 4 1 1 1 1 3 3 7 23 38 8 20 10 15 18 5 6 6 11 12 1 2 5 5 3 4 6
Marine KIA 225
Navy KIA 6
TOTAL 231
OCTOBER
1st Marine Division was in defensive position on the hills of the Punchbowl where they ran patrols.
Casualties for October
DAY – 1 2 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 30
KIA – 1 1 3 1 4 1 2 43 3 2 1 1 8 9 2 2 1 1 3 4 2 2 1 1 3
Marine KIA 63
Navy KIA 1
TOTAL 64
Marine House
Marine House U.S.A.