Battle of Chipyong-niFebruary 13 - 14, 1951“We are going to stay here and fight it out.”
Battle of Chipyong-niFebruary 13 - 14, 1951“We are going to stay here and fight it out.” With these words, LTC Paul Freeman, Commander of the 23rd Regimental Combat Team, set the stage for the bloody battle of Chipyong-ni. LTC Freeman quickly outlined the mission, “to hold the small American garrison at Chipyong-ni against an advancing enemy force of six Chinese Communist Force (CCF) Divisions.” The importance of the village of Chipyong-ni was its location at the junction of several crucial road networks. A failure to hold the village would endanger the entire Eighth Army.Shortly after nightfall, flares soaring in the air, accompanied with the sound of sirens and brassy bugles, whistles and yells echoing through the cold, night air signaled the beginning of an endless night of Chinese attacks against to perimeter. The fighting continued to rage fiercely as daylight broke on the morning of 15 February. As the garrison tenaciously held the Chinese hordes at bay, deadly air strikes effectively dropped napalm, which destroyed hundreds of enemy troops. Countless planeloads of ammunition were dropped to the beleaguered men as a relief convoy of twenty tanks from the 5th Cavalry Regiment moved to the aid of the 23rd RTC. The arrival of the relief column, coupled with the deadly strafing and napalm attacks and the equally fierce American defensive stand, had finally broken the enemy attack.Fifty-two members of the 23rd RTC died, 259 were wounded and 42 men were reported missing in action during the two-day long Battle Chipyong-ni. The battle of Chipyong-ni resulted in the defeat of a massive Chinese offensive and caused the CCF to suffer its first tactical defeat at American hands. -- source link
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