Battle of P'ohang-dong

Task Force Smith arrives in South Korea.

Following the invasion of South Korea by North Korea and the subsequent outbreak of the Korean War on 25 June 1950, the United Nations decided to enter the conflict on behalf of South Korea. The United States subsequently committed ground forces to the Korean peninsula with the goal of fighting back the North Korean invasion and to prevent South Korea from collapsing. However, US forces in the Far East had been steadily decreasing since the end of World War II five years earlier, and at the time the closest forces were the US 24th Infantry Division, headquartered in Japan.[1][2]

Advance elements of the 24th Division were badly defeated in the Battle of Osan on 5 July, the first encounter between US and KPA forces.[3] For the first month after the defeat of Task Force Smith, 24th Division was repeatedly defeated and forced south by superior KPA numbers and equipment.[4][5] The regiments of the 24th Division were systematically pushed south in engagements around Chochiwon, Chonan and Pyongtaek.[4] The 24th Division made a final stand in the Battle of Taejon, where it was almost completely destroyed but delayed KPA forces until July 20.[6] By that time the 8th Army's force of combat troops were roughly equal to KPA forces attacking the region, with new UN units arriving every day.[7]

While the 24th Infantry Division was fighting on the Korean western front, the KPA 5th and 12th Infantry Divisions advanced steadily on the eastern front.[8] The KPA, 89,000 men strong, had advanced into South Korea in six columns, catching the ROK by surprise, resulting in a complete rout. The smaller ROK suffered from widespread lack of organization and equipment, and it was unprepared for war.[9] Numerically superior, KPA forces destroyed isolated resistance from the 38,000 ROK soldiers on the front before it began moving steadily south.[10]

Tactical map of the Pusan Perimeter in August 1950. The fight at P'ohang-dong occurred between North and South Korean forces on the northeastern line

With Taejon captured, KPA forces began surrounding the Pusan Perimeter from all sides in an attempt to envelop it. The KPA 4th and 6th Infantry Divisions advanced south in a wide flanking maneuver. The two divisions attempted to envelop the UN's left flank, but became extremely spread out in the process.[11] At the same time the KPA 5th and 12th Divisions pressured the ROK on the right flank.[12] They advanced on UN positions with armor and superior numbers, repeatedly defeating UN forces and forcing them further south.[11] On 21 July the KPA 12th Division was ordered by KPA II Corps to capture P'ohang-dong by 26 July.[13]

Though they were steadily pushed back, ROK forces on the right flank increased their resistance further south, hoping to delay KPA units as much as possible. KPA and ROK units sparred for control of several cities, inflicting heavy casualties on one another. The ROK forces defended Yongdok fiercely before being pushed back. They also performed well in the Battle of Andong, forcing the KPA 12th Division to delay its attacks on P'ohang-dong until early August.[14][15] The ROK had also undergone significant reorganization, and after receiving a large number of recruits by 26 July, the ROK had reached an effective strength of 85,871 men.[16]

Along the ROK front of the perimeter, on the eastern corridor, the terrain made moving through the area incredibly difficult. A major road ran from Taegu 50 mi (80 km) east to P'ohang-dong on Korea's east coast. The only major north-south road intersecting this line moves south from Andong through Yongch'on, midway between Taegu and P'ohang-dong.[17]

The only other natural entry through the line lies at the town of An'gang-ni, 12 mi (19 km) west of P'ohang-dong, which is situated near a valley through the natural rugged terrain to the major rail hub of Kyongju, which was a staging area for moving supplies to Taegu.[17] Gen.Walton Walker—commanding the Eighth United States Army—chose not to heavily reinforce the area, as he felt the terrain made meaningful attack impossible, preferring to respond to attack with reinforcements from the transportation routes and air cover from Yonil Airfield, which was south of P'ohang-dong.[18]

With the exception of the valley between Taegu and P'ohong-dong, the terrain along the line was extremely rough and mountainous thanks to the Taebaek Mountains, which ran from north to south down Korea's east coast. Northeast of P'ohong-dong along the South Korean line the terrain was especially treacherous, and movement in the region was extremely difficult. Thus, the UN established the northern line of the Pusan Perimeter using the terrain as a natural defense.[19] However, the rough terrain also made communication difficult, particularly for the ROK forces.[20]

The KPA 8th Division's attack stalled almost immediately. The division drove for Yongch'on from Uiseong. However, the attack failed to reach the Taegu-P'ohang corridor after being surprised and outflanked by the ROK 8th Division. The 8th Division's 3rd Regiment was nearly destroyed by ROK forces immediately, forcing its 2nd Regiment to attempt to relieve it, resulting in at least 700 casualties for the 2nd Regiment. At least six tanks were also destroyed by USAF F-51 Mustangs and mines.[33]

This fighting was so heavy that the KPA 8th Division was forced to hold its ground a week before trying to advance. When it finally broke out, it was only able to advance briefly before it was stalled again by ROK resistance. The division was forced to halt a second time to wait for reinforcements.[33] However, the other two attacks were more successful, catching the UN forces by surprise.[17] The KPA quickly pushed ROK forces back.[34]

East of the KPA and ROK 8th Divisions, the KPA 12th Division crossed the Naktong River at Andong, moving through the mountains in small groups to reach P'ohang-dong.[27] The division was far under strength and at least one of its artillery batteries had to send its guns back north because it had no ammunition for them.[33] UN planners had not anticipated that the 12th Division would be able to do this effectively, and thus were unprepared when its forces infiltrated the region so heavily.[35]

On 9 August troops from the ROK 25th Regiment, Capital Division, probed through the mountains from Kigye to establish contact with the ROK 3rd Division south of Yongdok. It advanced 2.5 mi (4.0 km) north before encountering fierce KPA resistance, which pushed it almost 5 mi (8.0 km) south. It was apparent to the UN forces that the ROK 3rd Division was being outflanked. It held the road 20 mi (32 km) north of P'ohang-dong but there were no defenses inland in the mountains and KPA units had penetrated there.[33]

In the meantime, the ROK 3rd Division was heavily engaged with the KPA 5th Division along the coastal road to P'ohang-dong. The divisions' clashes centered on the town of Yongdok, with each side capturing and recapturing the town several times. On 5 August the KPA launched their attack, again taking the town from the ROK forces and pushing them south. At 19:30 on 6 August, the ROK launched a counterattack to retake the hill.[36]

US aircraft and ships pounded the town with rockets, napalm and shells before ROK troops from the 22nd and 23rd regiments swarmed the town. However, KPA 5th Division forces were able to infiltrate the coastal road south of Yongdok at Hunghae. This effectively surrounded the ROK 3rd Division, trapping it several miles above P'ohang-dong.[36] The KPA 766th Independent Regiment advanced around the ROK 3rd Division and took the area around P'ohang-dong.[37]

Due to severe manpower shortages, ROK commanders had assigned a company of student soldiers to defend P'ohang-dong Girl's Middle School to delay the KPA advance into the town. On August 11 the squad held their ground and confronted the more numerous KPA forces. Out of an initial 71 squad members, 48 died in the 11-hour-long fight. This part of the battle is depicted in the movie 71: Into the Fire.[38]

On 10 August Eighth Army organized Task Force P'ohang, consisting of the ROK 17th, 25th and 26th Regiments as well as the ROK 1st Anti-Guerrilla Battalion, Marine Battalion and a battery from the US 18th Field Artillery Battalion. The task force was given the mission to clear out KPA forces in the mountainous region.[39] At the same time the Eighth Army formed Task Force Bradley, consisting of elements of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division under the command of Brig. Gen. Joseph S. Bradley, the 2nd Division's assistant commander.[40] Task Force Bradley was tasked with defending P'ohang-dong from the KPA 766th Independent Regiment, which was infiltrating the town.[37]

On 11 August Task Force Bradley struck out from Yonil Airfield to counterattack the KPA forces around P'ohang-dong while Task Force P'ohang attacked from An'gang-ni area. Both forces immediately met resistance from KPA units. By that time the KPA had captured P'ohang-dong.[41] What followed was a complicated series of fights through the large region around P'ohang-dong and An'gang-ni as ROK forces, aided by US air power, engaged groups of KPA units operating all around the vicinity.[41]

The KPA 12th Division was operating in the valley west of P'ohang-dong and was able to push back Task Force P'ohang and the ROK Capital Division. At the same time the KPA 766th Infantry Regiment and elements of the KPA 5th Division fought Task Force Bradley at and south of P'ohang-dong. US naval fire was able to drive KPA troops from the town, but it became a bitterly contested no man's land as fighting moved to the hills around the town.[41]

South Korean units push North Korean forces northward after intense fighting, August 11–20.

By 13 August KPA troops were operating in the mountains west and southwest of Yonil Airfield. USAF commanders—wary of enemy attack—evacuated the 45 P-51s of the 39th and 40th Fighter Squadrons from the airstrip, despite complaints from UN commander General Douglas MacArthur. However, the airstrip remained under the protection of UN ground forces and never came under direct KPA fire.[42] The squadrons were moved to Tsuiki on the island of Kyushu, Japan.[43][44]

As the battles at P'ohang-dong raged to the south, the ROK 3rd Division faced increasing pressure from the KPA 5th Division,[27] which continued to attack the ROK unit hoping it would collapse, and the KPA troops were able to slowly erode the ROK division's defenses, forcing it into a smaller and smaller pocket. The ROK 3rd Division was forced further south to the village of Changsa-dong, where US Navy planners began preparations to evacuate the division by LSTs and DUKWs.[44]

The division would sail 20 miles (32 km) south to Yonil Bay to join other UN forces in a coordinated attack to push the KPA out of the region.[26][43] This evacuation was carried out on the night of 16 August under heavy support from the US Navy.[27] In all, 9,000 men of the division were evacuated south, as well as 1,200 National Police and 1,000 laborers.[26] Now at the height of their advance, the KPA divisions had pushed the line to within 12 mi (19 km) of Taegu.[34]

By 14 August large forces from the KPA 5th and 12th Divisions, as well as the 766th Independent Regiment, were focused entirely on taking P'ohang-dong. However they were unable to hold it because of US air superiority and naval bombardment on the town.[26] More importantly, the supply chain had completely broken down for the division, and more food, ammunition and supplies were not available. Captured KPA prisoners claimed the units received no food after 12 August and had been so exhausted that they were completely unable to fight.[43][45] Opposing them were the ROK Capital Division and Task Forces P'ohang and Bradley which had joined forces to prepare for a final offensive to push the KPA out of the region.[46]

UN forces began their final counteroffensive against the stalled KPA on 15 August. Intense fighting around P'ohang-dong ensued for several days, as each side suffered extensive casualties in back-and-forth battles.[46] By 17 August UN forces were able to push KPA troops out of the Kyongju corridor and An'gang-ni, putting the supply road to Taegu out of immediate danger. The KPA 766th Independent Regiment—now down to 1,500 men—was forced to withdraw north to prevent being surrounded.[47]

The KPA 12th Division, also down to just 1,500, evacuated P'ohang-dong after this, having been exhausted from heavy casualties.[27] The two units merged and received replacements, with the KPA 12th Division re-forming with 5,000 men. By 19 August the KPA had completely withdrawn from the offensive and retreated into the mountains.[43][44] Troops of the ROK Capital Division advanced to 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Kigye, while the ROK 3rd Division retook P'ohang-dong and advanced north of the town the next day.[47] The ROK line had been pushed back several miles, but it had managed to repel the KPA.[44]