It was late September of 1951. Brigadier Ham Byeong Seon’s 2nd Division was advancing through Jinhyeon-ri and Bangdong to try and recapture a region along the main line of resistance. This was the location of the “Battle of Jinhyeon-ri-Bandong”.
At the time, the 2nd Division was in control of the area left of the U.S Army 9th Corps. It had advanced past Samok, Seungam-ri, 785 Highland and finally reached 457 Highland. Following strategy, the Division had stopped advancing for three months and been placed in a state of defense. The enemy used the period to regroup and carry out a local offensive, starting the battle.
At 05:40 on September 21, 1951, the 18th Artillery Battalion of Major Jang Gyu Baek and the 92nd, 213th, 937th and 555th Field-Artillery Battalions of the U.S Army’s 9th Corps opened fire on the enemy. The whole area around Mt. Jeokgeun rang out with loud noise. The enemy camp around 663 Highland, Jinhyeon-ri and Bangdong was filled with flames and gun smoke, and the sky was dark with the clouds of war.
The 32nd Regiment decided to advance with the 1st and 3rd Battalions on the right and left wings respectively. When they reached the 734 Highland, they were to prepare themselves and wait for three flares. When they saw the three flares at the end of the bombardment, they were to attack.
At 06:10, when the 20 minute-long shelling had ended, the 1st Battalion of Major Woo Hyeon and the U.S. Army’s Byorun Task Force moved together. The 2nd Squadron was to attack the 2nd target located 1.5 km northwest towards Seungam-ri. The 3rd Squadron was to move on the 1st target, the southern highlands of Ipseokchon. Lastly, the 1st Squadron was ordered to stand by and get ready to support the front-line at any time.
The 3rd Squadron entered Bangdong Valley under the leadership of the Squadron Commander, First Lieutenant Lee Ju Gi, and advanced towards their target; the southwestern ridge. From 200m south of the target, they had to advance on their stomachs because of enemy fire. First Sergeant Yoo Il Hyeong, the Squad Leader, had been advancing with his 1st Company of the 1st Platoon, but could not move forward any further. The enemy had carefully built nests between the cliffs, and their firing, which stopped the advance of the ROK Army, gradually became fiercer and fiercer.
At around 07:50 by which time the 3rd Squadron had been static for a long period of time, a single-F-51 fighter bomber-formation appeared and started strafing the target. Taking advantage of this chance, 1st Company moved to the bottom of the enemy quarters and rushed to prepare a charge.
At 09:30, Sergeant Yoo advanced on the enemy and destroyed their machine gun nests with hand grenades. After that, he embarked upon sustained hand-to-hand fight. He killed one enemy and captured 3 enemies in a second, making a chance for the squadron to charge. The whole squadron charged at the target, the top of the cliff. The hand-to-hand fighting continued for more than 40 minutes.
The enemy strongly resisted, especially at Seosa-myeon, on Mumyeong Highland east of Bangdong. Casualties continued to mount. Enemy hand grenades exploded in the squadron headquarters, killing 2 men. First Lieutenant Lee was injured and collapsed. Soldiers tried to help him, but he leaned his body on a rock and continued to push his men forward. Sergeant Yoo and his men advanced to the top fighting hand-to-hand with the enemy, but had to retreat due to a sudden increase in enemy forces.
At this point, First Sergeant Choi Hak Geun, the 2nd Squad Commander, approached Sergeant Yoo. He suggested that they attack the highland together. Sergeant Yoo and Sergeant Choi took grenades in both hands and climbed to the top of the cliff. Sergeant Choi entered the enemy area and threw a hand grenade at a machine gun emplacement, destroying it.
The Squadron saw the chance and decided to advance forward. After a fierce fight, over a hundred enemies had been killed and about 30 captured. 1st Company completely occupied their target, seizing 60mm mortars, ammunition and various tools.
The 67th Force of the People’s Volunteer Army, which had occupied Geumseong, couldn’t help but retreat.
First Sergeant Choi Hak Geuna and Yoo Il Hyeong were awarded the Hwarang Order of Military Merit on November 5th, 1951.
