The Inchon Invasion
The Inchon Invasion
was first brought up in the early weeks of July 1950 when the UN position
at the Pusan perimeter was desperate and looked unlikely to hold. Eisenhower's
flying visit to Korea on 28th June, three days after he had taken command,
convinced him of two things. One; US forces must be committed to hold the
Pusan Perimeter, Two; that the best way to take the advantage from the
enemy was to stage an amphibious landing in their rear and smash the Communist
supply lines. On 4th July, as US Division were beginning to arrive in Korea
and the first given date for an amphibious landing was the 22nd July, the
attack would be led by 1st Cavalry Division. Planning went ahead, and the
date was pushed back to something more realistic, given World War Two experience
with large scale amphibious operations. In July there were hardly any of
the needed landing craft or ships in Korean or Japanese harbours.
Owing to the increasingly desperate situation on the Pusan perimeter, the operation was abandoned and the 1st Cavalry Division was redeployed to the Pusan perimeter to reinforce the UN forces already there. After some discussion, the landing force was settled on the US 1st Marine Corps Division and the 7th Infantry Division. To support the landings, a massive fleet of ships from the US, British Commonwealth and other UN navies was assembled in South-East Asia. With Inchon chosen as the target due to the proximity of Seoul, the next problem was the 10 metre tidal range of the harbour and the date chosen was 15th September to correspond with a sufficiently high tide to get the Tank Landing Ships into shore, where they could unload theirarmour.
With the impending operation, diversionary landings took place along the Korean coast to keep the enemy off-guard. Some local landings gained valuable information from the natives about the enemy dispositions around Inchon. This information was relayed back to the planners.
The Invasion
With the UN
Forces assembled for the invasion, the diversionary attacks were wound
down as air and naval support was directed against the area of Inchon to
soften up the enemy in preparation for the landings. By 13th September,
the Gunfire Support Group including British Royal Navy cruisers and
destroyers, the destroyers (both British and American) moved into the Flying
Fish Channel and destroyed mines in a minefield partially exposed in low
water before moving on to bombard Wolmi-Do from over 1200m. Counter-fire
from North Korean 76mm guns led to only superficial damage to the destroyers
and the destruction of the 76mm guns themselves. The destroyers pulled
out at 1347 hours, after an hour and a quarter of bombardment.
At 1352, the cruisers
laid down a shattering barrage for an hour and a half onto the island with
their six and eight inch guns. Carrier aircraft provided air cover throughout
the bombardment and also attacked the island. At dusk, the Gunfire Support
Group moved out to sea until morning. The pattern was repeated the following
day, with some targets in Inchon also being bombarded. As the group withdrew
that afternoon, the aircraft providing air-cover reported that the enemy
defences on Wolmi-Do were virtually completely destroyed. At midnight,
the landing force for Green Beach rendezvoused with the Gunfire Support
group and moved towards Flying Fish Channel.
The Invasion craft were circling offshore by 0540 hours, and as the
Gunfire Support Group proceeded to flatten the Wolmi-Do island, the invasion
craft moved into position. At 0633 hours, the first troops - two Companies
of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines hit the beach and by 0800 hours, Wolmi-Do
was secured. Only 17 men were wounded, and none killed. The North Koreans
lost 108 dead and 136 captured. Throughout the day, the carrier-based aircraft
pounded positions in and around Inchon to prevent enemy reinforcements
and assault shipping moved into position through those channels which remained
usable at low tide.
The main naval
bombardment of Red and Blue beaches began at 1430 hours,and the first US
Marines landed at 1730 hours. The Red Beach landings were also supported
by the marines on Wolmi-Do. Despite many minor setbacks and a few mistakes,
the marines landed and established a firm beachhead before advancing on
Seoul. The Inchon Landings were an undoubted success. The Royal Navy contributed
warships and support vessels to the Inchon invasion. Please read
H.M.S.
Jamaica The Galloping Ghost of the Korean Coast by Michael Stephens
ex RN
|
|