Post by John Abshire on Feb 23, 2009 8:09:07 GMT -5
Small unit combat action, 20-21 Feb 1951 (2009)
Around 1900hrs we formed up the Platoon and briefed them of the situation as well as introduced the new platoon leader. 2LT. Marc Lauterbac. We then formed up the platoon onto the road and started to make our way down MSR Salemi towards a small village. As soon as we hit MSR Salemi we started to notice that possible enemy infiltrators had placed propaganda on the trees which was collected by the men and turned into me. I then passed the intel to our intelligence NCO, Sgt. Foster, who soon reported back to Battalion the information.
We rounded the 1st bend on MSR Salemi and noticed a tree blocking the path, the MSR needed to stay clear so we cleared the road using axes and man power. Sgt. Bertone’s squad provided security while others took to wielding axes and e-tools to get the tree clear from the MSR. It took about half an hour to get the MSR clear, and once it was clear we started to move out. More and More enemy propaganda was discovered near the downed tree and was turned into myself.
Around 2000hrs we entered the village which we found abandoned and littered with more Chi-com propaganda. We secured the village and SFC. McCurley and Sgt. Bertone walked the outer edge of our perimeter and started to set up a plan for defense. When the Sgts returned from their patrol of the outer edge of our line I ordered Lt. Lauterbac and Cpl. Woodard to scout out an area for a good OP. Woodard had been with the platoon since 1950 and knew the best spots for OPs, and Lauterbac was green and needed some guidance. Not much was thought of that order; we were after all in a rear, secure area.
Around 2100hrs we heard 2 rounds fired from the area of the OP and after many attempts to reach them on the field phones we sent Sgt. Foster and Sgt. Bertone to check out what was going on. They returned shortly with an M1 Carbine, the same carbine 2LT. Marc Lauterbac was issued, and some bloody rags, the OP was empty.
At around 2130 hrs the enemy started to play what appeared to be Communist/Soviet propaganda. The Music was coming from our right flank. Shortly after the music started we started to take incoming illumination rounds. It seemed to us the enemy was trying to get a fix on our position and how many men we had .We had the men start to dig positions around the village and to stay alert, we were at 100% security. The flares and Illum rounds continued for a few more minutes and around 2200 to our front we started to hear a loud speaker, speaking in broken English, more Chi-com propaganda advising us to drop our weapons and surrender.
At Around 2230 we started to take sniper and other assorted small arms fire from our front, left, right, and rear ranks. All the while the music kept playing, the flares kept being popped up, and the loud speaker kept sending out propaganda. We heard the enemy working on something metal across from the mortar pit (located at the front of our position) unknown as to what it was we attempted to send up illumination rounds from the 60 mortar. We only had 4 rounds of Illum, and all 4 rounds were duds, dated back to the previous war (1943) and that further frustrated the situation.
From 2230-0230 we repelled grenade attacks, sniper and small arms fire, mortars, and other assorted small arms. The enemy was able to use the cover of complete darkness to get within grenade range and was able to get a few frags within our perimeter. We sustained no casualties, only a few bruised egos for allowing the enemy to get that close. At one point we had everyone, including the Platoon CP on the line engaging the enemy. At around 0230 the moon started to rise and the enemy ceased their attacks and withdrew from the area, taking with them their music. We then placed the men on 50/50 and let them get a little bit of sleep.
At 0700 we sent the jeep back to Battalion to see about our chow situation and to get orders as to our next move. The men were all awake and started to work a little more on their positions as the sun warmed us up. At around 0730-0800 the enemy stated to mortar our position and open up on us with a machine gun position directly to our front (Obviously that was the metal clanking we heard from the mortar pit earlier that night). We got a fix on the enemy position and fired 2 rounds from the 60mm Mortar, the crew scored a direct hit with the second round and the entire line rejoiced with the silencing of the gun. We still took a few more mortar and small arms rounds as the enemy relocated their MG to a farther position just out of reach of our mortar pit. So we relocated the mortar and dropped more rounds on their position. A mix of MG, Mortars and sniper fire continued throughout the morning. At around 1100 the jeep returned with breakfast and orders from Battalion. They wanted us to patrol the block of woods to our right and to sweep the area to the south and secure a farm house that we had taken sniper and small arms from. I had the men fed in their holes, as we still took a few small arms and mortar rounds.
After the men were fed, Sgt. Bertone led the patrol to secure the woods to our west (right flank) in support of Baker Company who was further to our west. Sgt. Bertone’s patrol made contact around 1330 and started to push the enemy towards the farm house; from there we were able to provide cover fire with the .30 cal Machine gun and the 60mm mortar. At around 1400 the house was secure and Bertone’s squad moved through the tree line to a pass that was called “Grover Pass” as it was located by the Late Lt. Grover from 2nd Battalion. Battalion had told us of a possible strong enemy force in the area and we moved the platoon up to the pass to push through. Sgt. Bertone spotted the enemy ambush and started to move his men into position to outflank the enemy ambush. SFC. McCurley and myself started to move the men up with the .30 cal and rifles (we were out of mortar range) to provide cover fire for the advance of Bertone’s flanking move. At around 1430 Sgt. Bertones Squad made contact with the enemy and started to push them back, we started to provide covering fire and our position started to draw fire from an enemy Machine Gun. After the 2nd burst or so from the enemy machine gun, I, Lt. Abshire, took a round that struck me on the edge of my right eye socket. Sgt. Foster gave me medical attention and we continued to provide covering fire.
Sgt. Bertones squad was taking considerable fire and was unable to exploit the flank despite many assaults. In the process of trying to take the enemy position Pvt. Price and Pvt. Whitley both were killed by enemy fire. We then started to move our position to provide better cover, as Cpl. Peeling crossed the pass he took a round to the hand, he bandaged it himself and then moved down the line. Sgt. Bertones men fell back to the Pass and reported to me that they just didn’t have enough men to make it happen.
At around 1300 we started to dig in along the pass and wait for follow on units to come up to support another assault on the enemy position. We had sustained 4 casualties (our platoon was already down to only 14 men) , we were low on ammo, water, and food. At around 1700 we were relived on the line and we fell back to the battalion to consolidate our platoon and mend our wounds.
While back in the rear, after getting an earful from Major Farmer from 2nd Battalion about where we had decided to take our park our equipment (apparently we parked in their AO and they were very angry with us, something about this isn’t your area) , we then decided to move our men back into the village. We issued out a few class 6 rations and got some much needed rest.
Around 1900hrs we formed up the Platoon and briefed them of the situation as well as introduced the new platoon leader. 2LT. Marc Lauterbac. We then formed up the platoon onto the road and started to make our way down MSR Salemi towards a small village. As soon as we hit MSR Salemi we started to notice that possible enemy infiltrators had placed propaganda on the trees which was collected by the men and turned into me. I then passed the intel to our intelligence NCO, Sgt. Foster, who soon reported back to Battalion the information.
We rounded the 1st bend on MSR Salemi and noticed a tree blocking the path, the MSR needed to stay clear so we cleared the road using axes and man power. Sgt. Bertone’s squad provided security while others took to wielding axes and e-tools to get the tree clear from the MSR. It took about half an hour to get the MSR clear, and once it was clear we started to move out. More and More enemy propaganda was discovered near the downed tree and was turned into myself.
Around 2000hrs we entered the village which we found abandoned and littered with more Chi-com propaganda. We secured the village and SFC. McCurley and Sgt. Bertone walked the outer edge of our perimeter and started to set up a plan for defense. When the Sgts returned from their patrol of the outer edge of our line I ordered Lt. Lauterbac and Cpl. Woodard to scout out an area for a good OP. Woodard had been with the platoon since 1950 and knew the best spots for OPs, and Lauterbac was green and needed some guidance. Not much was thought of that order; we were after all in a rear, secure area.
Around 2100hrs we heard 2 rounds fired from the area of the OP and after many attempts to reach them on the field phones we sent Sgt. Foster and Sgt. Bertone to check out what was going on. They returned shortly with an M1 Carbine, the same carbine 2LT. Marc Lauterbac was issued, and some bloody rags, the OP was empty.
At around 2130 hrs the enemy started to play what appeared to be Communist/Soviet propaganda. The Music was coming from our right flank. Shortly after the music started we started to take incoming illumination rounds. It seemed to us the enemy was trying to get a fix on our position and how many men we had .We had the men start to dig positions around the village and to stay alert, we were at 100% security. The flares and Illum rounds continued for a few more minutes and around 2200 to our front we started to hear a loud speaker, speaking in broken English, more Chi-com propaganda advising us to drop our weapons and surrender.
At Around 2230 we started to take sniper and other assorted small arms fire from our front, left, right, and rear ranks. All the while the music kept playing, the flares kept being popped up, and the loud speaker kept sending out propaganda. We heard the enemy working on something metal across from the mortar pit (located at the front of our position) unknown as to what it was we attempted to send up illumination rounds from the 60 mortar. We only had 4 rounds of Illum, and all 4 rounds were duds, dated back to the previous war (1943) and that further frustrated the situation.
From 2230-0230 we repelled grenade attacks, sniper and small arms fire, mortars, and other assorted small arms. The enemy was able to use the cover of complete darkness to get within grenade range and was able to get a few frags within our perimeter. We sustained no casualties, only a few bruised egos for allowing the enemy to get that close. At one point we had everyone, including the Platoon CP on the line engaging the enemy. At around 0230 the moon started to rise and the enemy ceased their attacks and withdrew from the area, taking with them their music. We then placed the men on 50/50 and let them get a little bit of sleep.
At 0700 we sent the jeep back to Battalion to see about our chow situation and to get orders as to our next move. The men were all awake and started to work a little more on their positions as the sun warmed us up. At around 0730-0800 the enemy stated to mortar our position and open up on us with a machine gun position directly to our front (Obviously that was the metal clanking we heard from the mortar pit earlier that night). We got a fix on the enemy position and fired 2 rounds from the 60mm Mortar, the crew scored a direct hit with the second round and the entire line rejoiced with the silencing of the gun. We still took a few more mortar and small arms rounds as the enemy relocated their MG to a farther position just out of reach of our mortar pit. So we relocated the mortar and dropped more rounds on their position. A mix of MG, Mortars and sniper fire continued throughout the morning. At around 1100 the jeep returned with breakfast and orders from Battalion. They wanted us to patrol the block of woods to our right and to sweep the area to the south and secure a farm house that we had taken sniper and small arms from. I had the men fed in their holes, as we still took a few small arms and mortar rounds.
After the men were fed, Sgt. Bertone led the patrol to secure the woods to our west (right flank) in support of Baker Company who was further to our west. Sgt. Bertone’s patrol made contact around 1330 and started to push the enemy towards the farm house; from there we were able to provide cover fire with the .30 cal Machine gun and the 60mm mortar. At around 1400 the house was secure and Bertone’s squad moved through the tree line to a pass that was called “Grover Pass” as it was located by the Late Lt. Grover from 2nd Battalion. Battalion had told us of a possible strong enemy force in the area and we moved the platoon up to the pass to push through. Sgt. Bertone spotted the enemy ambush and started to move his men into position to outflank the enemy ambush. SFC. McCurley and myself started to move the men up with the .30 cal and rifles (we were out of mortar range) to provide cover fire for the advance of Bertone’s flanking move. At around 1430 Sgt. Bertones Squad made contact with the enemy and started to push them back, we started to provide covering fire and our position started to draw fire from an enemy Machine Gun. After the 2nd burst or so from the enemy machine gun, I, Lt. Abshire, took a round that struck me on the edge of my right eye socket. Sgt. Foster gave me medical attention and we continued to provide covering fire.
Sgt. Bertones squad was taking considerable fire and was unable to exploit the flank despite many assaults. In the process of trying to take the enemy position Pvt. Price and Pvt. Whitley both were killed by enemy fire. We then started to move our position to provide better cover, as Cpl. Peeling crossed the pass he took a round to the hand, he bandaged it himself and then moved down the line. Sgt. Bertones men fell back to the Pass and reported to me that they just didn’t have enough men to make it happen.
At around 1300 we started to dig in along the pass and wait for follow on units to come up to support another assault on the enemy position. We had sustained 4 casualties (our platoon was already down to only 14 men) , we were low on ammo, water, and food. At around 1700 we were relived on the line and we fell back to the battalion to consolidate our platoon and mend our wounds.
While back in the rear, after getting an earful from Major Farmer from 2nd Battalion about where we had decided to take our park our equipment (apparently we parked in their AO and they were very angry with us, something about this isn’t your area) , we then decided to move our men back into the village. We issued out a few class 6 rations and got some much needed rest.
