The tragedy of the Chosin Reservoir

Most people reading this are probably not familiar with the Chosin Reservoir battle in Korea in 1950.

There were around 25,000 American troops and allies, surrounded by over 120,000 Chinese soldiers. The American troops consisted of the First Marine Division and miscellaneous Army troops. 

The Americans had advanced into a trap. And worse, the temperature was 20 degrees below zero. They finally realized this and started a withdrawal, but there was only one road to get out, and they were attacked all along the road, which went for 78 miles. They had to have troops on each side of the road in the hills for some protection for the convoys. Bridges had been blown and had to be repaired when they were withdrawing.

Marines were getting killed left and right, but the withdrawal was finally successful. Later, the Marine general, when asked about the retreat, in true Marine spirit, made the famous comment, "Retreat? … We were just attacking in a different direction!"

When it was all over, in a week, the Marines and Army personnel had suffered 6,000 deaths and 11,543 wounded. The Chinese lost about 50,000 soldiers, many from their frontal attacks, where they were mowed down, but the majority from the cold, as they were not dressed properly and froze to death. This is from a book, "Chosen," about the heroic ordeal of the Korean War.

The book is just full of individual stories of death and near death. For example, Pvt. Jay Ransone was driven off the road along with about 20 others. He turned to talk to the man next to him, a dental officer, and said that they had better disperse as they were getting hit by machine gun bullets. As he spoke, five bullets hit Ransone and his equipment: one through his canteen, one through his ammo belt, one through his bayonet scabbard, one through his parka, and one through his right arm. The next bullet took off the top of the dentist's head. 

These events were typical and lasted 13 days, so it amounted to 1,272 people killed and wounded every day. It is one of the worst defeats in American military history.

Roger Gregory served as a captain in the First Infantry Division in Vietnam. He is a native of Sandpoint. He is now a business owner in Priest River.