Continuing coverage of the 75th anniversary of the Korean War, Ben Harris, command historian for U.S. Forces Korea, discusses key events from September 1950.
September 1950, 75 years ago, is often remembered for two main events: the Incheon Landings on the 15th, and the Breakout from the Busan Perimeter / Nakdong Defense Line, beginning on the 16th. The events leading to and following these two operations are equally significant and set the stage for the fall and winter of 1950-1951.
Along the Naktong River, the first half of September saw vicious combat as the Korean Peoples’ Army strove to break through United Nations Command defenses to capture Pusan. Breakthroughs along the Hangang River, at Masan and Yongsan force Eighth Army to relocate their headquarters from Daegu to Pusan, before the penetrations are defeated by 2nd and 25th Infantry Divisions and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade had served as the fire brigade of the Pusan Perimeter, moving to wherever the fighting was fiercest. On Sep. 7, 1950, they are withdrawn from the line and concentrated at Pusan to load ships for participation in the Incheon Landing. While there, they participate in a deception operation, conducting briefings and rehearsals, in plain sight of suspected communist sympathizers, of their role in landings at Kunsan.
Kunsan was the target for a UNC deception to misdirect communist attention away from Incheon as a possible landing site. Kunsan was bombed, shelled by naval forces, and attacked by Royal Marine Commandos and U.S. Army forces on Sep. 12-13. Along with naval and air attacks on the east coast of Korea, the operation succeeded in diverting communist attention. Instead of landing at Kunsan, however, the 1st Marine Brigade, now joined with the remainder of the 1st Marine Division, landed at Incheon on Sep.15. Within 24 hours they had secured the city and begun moving toward Gimpo Airfield and Seoul.
The 7th Infantry Division landed in Incheon on Sep. 17 and attacked south-east, toward Suwon. That day, Eighth Army began their breakout from the Pusan Perimeter. Initially slogging against KPA forces who were still attacking, by Sep. 22 they were sprinting north along all axes, destroying KPA forces who resisted. Many KPA forces flee northward or melt into the hills of central Korea. On Sep. 27, 7th ID, and the 1st Cavalry Division linked up just north of Osan. After 11 days of street fighting, Seoul was secured on Sep. 29 and officially returned to the ROK government by GEN MacArthur. Along the east coast, ROK Army units pushed north, mainly on foot, rapidly destroying KPA forces. By Sep. 30 they are just five miles south of the 38th Parallel, prepared to take the fight onto communist territory.