Inchon Landings - The Korean War D-Day

[Zhukov]

Today in history:

15 September 1950

U.S. Marines land at Inchon, well to the rear of the Communist North Korean forces attacking the U.N. and U.S. forces in Pusan pocket to the south.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/macarthur/maps/koreatxt.html


With their supply line cuts, being completely outmatched, and now thoroughly out maneuvered, the North Koreans would lose their capital and be routed all the way back to the Yalu river on the border with China.

First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez, USMC, leads the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach, as the second assault wave lands, 15 September 1950. Wooden scaling ladders are in use to facilitate disembarkation from the LCVP that brought these men to the shore.

Lt. Lopez was killed in action within a few minutes, while assaulting a North Korean bunker.

Note M-1 Carbine carried by Lt. Lopez, M-1 Rifles of other Marines and details of the Marines' field gear.

Image and text lifted from:http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h96000/h96876c.htm

Though we managed to liberate half of the peninsula, Soviet and ChiCom intervention later pushed U.S. and U.N. forces back to the 38th parallel, and half the peninsula remains enslaved to this day.

Only an armistice, or cease fire, exists between the North and South, and as such the Korean Civil War has never ended.

 

[William Joyce]

I interviewed a man once who was part of this landing, and killed some incredible number of the enemy, in addition to braving fire to save a wounded comrade. He lamented that the Korean war was "the forgotten" war, between WWII and Vietnam, both much more famous.

 

[Gunny]

The Landing at Inchon was commanded by LtGen Lewis B "Chesty" Puller, USMC (of course!), the most decorated Marine in Marine Corps history.

 

[William Joyce]

The Landing at Inchon was commanded by LtGen Lewis B "Chesty" Puller, USMC (of course!), the most decorated Marine in Marine Corps history.

http://www.gnt.net/~jrube/chestpul.htm

"We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem."