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Battle of Jangsari

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Battle of Jangsari
Part of Korean War

LST Munsan and troops at Jangsari
Date15–18 September 1950
Location
Jangsari,[1][2] Yeongdeok County, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea
36°16′55″N 129°22′34″E / 36.282°N 129.376°E / 36.282; 129.376
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
 South Korea North Korea
Commanders and leaders
Lee Myung-heum[3] Unknown
Units involved
Independent 1st Guerrilla Battalion
(ko:독립 제1유격대대)		 5th Division
Strength
772 (estimate) Unknown
Casualties and losses
39 killed (estimate), 32 captured ~120–130 killed in action (estimate)

The Battle of Jangsari (Korean: 장사리전투; Hanja: 長沙里戰鬪; RR: Jangsari Jeaontu) or Operation Jangsa Landing (장사상륙작전; 長沙上陸作戰; Jangsa Sangnyuk Jakjeon) was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War. The official report name for the operation was 'Operational Order 174' (작전명령 174호).

Background

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In September 1950, UN Forces planned to launch an all-out offensive along the entire Pusan Perimeter, in coordination with the Inchon landing.

The main objective of the Jangsari operation was to block the supply route and therefore achieve disruption of the North Korean Korean People's Army (KPA) forces around Pusan Perimeter by hit-and-run tactics[4] and to draw KPA forces away from the Inchon landing.

Battle

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Landing

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The landing force consisted of 'Independent 1st Guerrilla Battalion' comprising approximately 772 student volunteer soldiers specially trained and armed with Russian-type weapons, led by Republic of Korea Army Captain Lee Myung-heum.[5]: 568 

On 15 September, at about 02:00 in the morning in the middle of Typhoon Kezia, the battle group landed from LST Munsan. The entire beach and the adjacent Hill 200 was captured by 14:50 at the cost of about 150 casualties (60 Killed in action, 90 Wounded in action)[6] The LST Munsan, was stranded in the landing. The landing took place in the rear of the KPA 5th Division. Its mission was to harass the enemy rear while the ROK 3rd Division attacked north from Pohang.[5]: 568 

Also on 15 September, UN Forces began the Inchon Landing. On 16 September, UN Forces began their Pusan Perimeter offensive.[5]: 548 

Defence

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On the evening of 15 September, the KPA 12th Regiment sent a battalion to engage the Independent 1st Guerrilla Battalion. The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet bombardment task force had to rush to its assistance and place a ring of naval gunfire around it on the beach, where KPA fire had driven the battalion, saving it from total destruction.[5]: 568 

Withdrawal

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On 18 September, approximately 725 survivors of the Independent 1st Guerrilla Battalion, were evacuated by the ROK Navy's LST Jochiwon. 39 dead were left behind and a further 32 members of the 5th Platoon, 2nd Company covered the withdrawal, were unable to be evacuated.[5]: 568 

Honor

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In 1960, Douglas MacArthur sent the letter to commander Lee Myung-heum[7][8] (He later changed his name to Lee Jong-hoon)

Dear Chairman Lee Jong Hoon:

I was delighted to receive your letter of recent date telling of the formation of the 772 Volunteer Comrade Club. The operation they performed in support of the Incheon Landing was a brilliant one and worthy of the highest commendation. The valor and sacrifice of its members will always be a shining example for the youth of Korea. Please extend to its members my heartiest greetings and affectionate regards. I shall always remember them as loyal and devoted comrades-in-arms.

With best wishes, Most sincerely,

Douglas MacArthur

Memorial

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Since 1960, comrade club had a memorial service.[9]

On 14 July 1980, the surviving Independent 1st Guerrilla Battalion formed the Jangsa Landing Operation Guerrilla Comrades Association. (장사상륙작전참전유격동지회), 51 years since the Jangsa landing operation, the comrades association held a national fund-raising campaign together with the monk of Cheongunsa Temple in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do and established memorial monument on September 14 1991.[10]

On 6 March 1997, the forgotten battle of the Korean War was revealed to the public when the members of the 1st Marine Division Special Reconnaissance Unit, who were searching the shore in front of Jangsari, discovered LST Munsan in the tidal flat under the sea.[11]

A 2,000 tons replica of the LST Munsan was constructed as the Jangsa Landing Operation Commemorative Park, which opened on 16 November 2020.[12][13][14][15]

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References

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  1. ↑ at that time, called Jangsa-dong
  2. ↑ 향토문화전자대전 - 장사리
  3. ↑ He later changed his name to Lee Jong-hoon
  4. ↑ Action Report - Operation 174 from National Archives of Korea
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Appleman, Roy (1961). United States Army in the Korean War: South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu June - November 1950 (PDF). United States Army Center of Military History. ISBN 0160359589. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ↑ 독립 제1유격부대
  7. ↑ 꽃다운 영혼과 뜨거운 구국혼, 당신들을 잊지 않겠습니다
  8. ↑ 장사상륙작전, 잊혀진 영웅들을 찾다
  9. ↑ 盈德上陸戰(영덕상륙전)11周(주) 戰歿將兵慰靈祭(전몰장병위령제)
  10. ↑ 최초공개 - 장사동상륙작전 중 좌초한 문산호(汶山號) 선장·선원 명단
  11. ↑ 영덕앞바다서 좌초 문산함…47년만에 인양
  12. ↑ "문화재방송에 오신걸 환영합니다". www.tntv.kr. Archived from the original on 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  13. ↑ "문산호 복원, 학도군 기념탑 설치 … '장사상륙작전 기념공원' 조성 착착". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  14. ↑ "'장사상륙작전 전승기념관' 영덕 바다 위에 떴다". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  15. ↑ "장사상륙작전 전승기념관 준공식 개최 | 뉴스로". www.newsro.kr. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
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