The Battle of Pork Chop Hill refers to a pair of related Korean War engagements during the spring and summer of 1953. These actions, occuring as the conflict was drawing towards a negotiated armistice, were controversial in the United States because of heavy loss of life in battles for terrain of no apparent strategic or tactical value. The first battle was described in a book of the same name by S.L.A. Marshall, from which was made the film Pork Chop Hill. The Korean War, from June 25, 1950 to cease-fire on July 27, 1953 (the war has not ended officially), was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ... Pork Chop Hill DVD cover Pork Chop Hill is a war film released in 1959, directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Gregory Peck and Woody Strode. ...

Pork Chop Hill was the nickname for a United Nations military outpost in the "Iron Triangle" sector of Korea along the 38th Parallel. The hill, 255 meters in elevation, had first been seized in October 1951 by the U.S. 8th Cavalry Regiment and defended by the Thai Battalion of the US 2nd Infantry Division in November, 1952. Since 29 December 1952 the outpost was part of the defensive sector of the American 7th Infantry Division. Pork Chop itself was one of a number of exposed hill outposts in front of the Main Line of Resistance (MLR), defended by a single company dug into sand-bagged bunkers connected by trenches. The United Nations (UN) (in French Organisation des Nations unies) is an international organization that describes itself as a global association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... This article is about a political concept. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... 38 parallel can refer to: 38th parallel north, the pre-Korean War boundary between North Korea and South Korea. ... A military division: Infantry Australian 2nd Division British 2nd Division (World War I) British 2nd Infantry Division Canadian 2nd Infantry Division Soviet 2nd Rifle Division US 2nd Infantry Division Airborne German 2nd Parachute Division Cavalry British 2nd Mounted Division US 2nd Cavalry Division Armour US 2nd Armored Division This is... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 7th Infantry Division (Light). ... A company in the broadest sense is an aggregation of people who stay together for a common purpose. ... A bunker is a defensive warfare fortification to protect oneself. ... Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of fortifications dug into the ground, facing each other. ...

Opposing the 7th Infantry Division were two divisions of the Communist Chinese Forces (CCF), the 141st Division of the 47th CCF Army, and the 67th Division of the 23rd CCF Army. These were veteran, well-trained units expert in night infantry assaults, patrolling, ambushes, and mountain warfare. Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme, First World War. ... Patrolling is a military tactic. ... An ambush is a long established military tactic in which an ambushing force uses concealment to attack an enemy that passes its position. ... A typically white color clothes of a soldier trained for mountain warfare. ...

The opposing forces in this sector were roughly equal in size, the 7th Division totalling 11 infantry battalions (including attached battalions from Colombia and Ethiopia), a battalion of armor, and 6 battalions of artillery, while the CCF totalled 12 infantry, 10 artillery, and the equivalent of one tank battalion. In military terminology, a battalion consists of two to six companies typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. ... Alternative meanings: vehicle armour, Armor (novel) A hoplite wearing a helmet, a breastplate and greaves (and nothing else). ... For the thrash metal band, see Artillery (band) Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ...

The First Battle of Pork Chop Hill

On March 23, 1953, a battalion of the CCF 141st Division seized an outpost near Pork Chop Hill called Old Baldy in a surprise night attack that quickly overwhelmed Company B of the Colombian Battalion. Two days of counterattacks by a battalion of the 7th's 32nd Infantry Regiment failed to retake the hill and the UN Command ordered it to be abandonned. This preliminary action exposed Pork Chop to attack from three sides, and for the next three weeks the hill was probed nightly by CCF patrols. March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Mount San Antonio, better known to most Angelenos as Old Baldy or Mount Baldy, is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, USA. While not as unique in its landscape as Seattles Mount Rainier, they are similar in being easily sighted for miles around their...

On the night of April 16, Pork Chop was manned by Easy Company of the 31st Infantry. Shortly before midnight the hill was struck with a massive artillery barrage, followed by a sudden assault by a battalion of the CCF 201st regiment. The hill was quickly overrun, although pockets of Americans held out in isolated bunkers. Elsewhere in the sector other positions were also attacked, placing pressure on the entire 7th Division.

King and Love Companies of the 31st, in reserve behind the MLR, were ordered to counterattack and began their attack at 0430 of April 17. By dawn they reached the main trenches on top of the hill but suffered almost 50% casualties, and half of Love Company's men had not been able to leave the trenches of an adjacent outpost, Hill 200. King Company's commander requested reinforcement and George Company of the 17th Infantry was immediately sent forward, linking up with King Company at 0830. All three companies were subjected to almost continous shelling by CCF artillery as they cleared bunkers and dug in again.

Through a series of miscommunications between command echelons, Division headquarters ordered George Company to withdraw at 1500 after they too had suffered heavy losses, and did not realize the extent of casualties among the other two companies. By the time the situation was clarified King and Love Companies were down to a combined 25 survivors. After twenty hours of steady combat they were pulled off the hill and replaced by two companies of the 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry.

During the night of April 17-18, the 201st CCF Regiment renewed its attacks and again inflicted heavy losses on the defenders. At dawn on April 18 a third company climbed the hill and the battle ended that afternoon. The 7th Division fired over 77,000 rounds of artillery and mortars in support of its companies and the Chinese had fired a similar amount.

American losses were 104 dead and 373 wounded. CCF losses were estimated at several hundred dead and a thousand wounded.

The Second Battle of Pork Chop Hill

The 7th Division rebuilt its defenses on Pork Chop Hill in May and June, 1953, during a lull in major combat. Final agreements for an armistice were being hammered out and the UN continued its defensive posture all along the MLR, anticipating a cease-fire in place. A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ...

On the night of July 6, using tactics identical to those in the April assault, the CCF again attacked Pork Chop. The hill was now outposted by Able Company of the 17th Infantry, under the temporary command of its executive office, 1st Lt. Richard T. Shea, Jr. Baker Company of the same regiment was immediately ordered to assist but within an hour Able Company reported hand-to-hand combat in the trenches. A major battle was brewing and Division headquarters ordered a third company to move up. The action was fought in a monsoon rain, making both resupply and evacuation of casualties difficult. Melée generally means hand-to-hand combat or mano-a-mano. ... Monsoon in the Vindhya, a mountain chain in central India A monsoon is a periodic wind, especially in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia. ...

On the second night the CCF made a new push to take the hill, forcing the 7th Division to again reinforce. Parts of four companies defended Pork Chop under a storm of artillery fire from both sides. At dawn of July 8 the rain temporarily ended and the initial defenders were withdrawn. A fresh battalion, the 2nd Battalion of the 17th, counter-attacked and re-took the hill, setting up a night defensive perimeter.

On both July 10 and 11 the two sides attacked and counter-attacked. A large part of both CCF divisions were committed to the battle, and ultimately five battalions of the 17th and 32nd Infantry Regiments were engaged, making nine counter-attacks over four days. On the morning of July 11 the commander of the US I Corps decided to abandon Pork Chop Hill to the CCF and the 7th Division withdrew under fire. List of military corps — List of military corps by number A number of countries have First, or I, Corps: I Anzac Corps (Australia and New Zealand) British I Corps US I Corps Republic of Vietnam This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise...

Four of the thirteen American company commanders were killed-in-action. Total US casualties were 243 killed, 916 wounded, and nine captured. 163 of the dead were never recovered. Of the Republic of Korea troops ("KATUSA") attached to the 7th, approximately 15 were killed and 120 wounded. CCF casualties were again estimated, 1,500 dead and 4,000 wounded. KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation To the United States Army. ...

Among the Americans, Lieutenant Shea and Cpl. Daniel D. Schoonover, a combat engineer, were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for this battle. Less than three weeks after the battle the armistice was signed and the conflict ended. A US army combat engineer setting up a communications cable. ... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ...

References

• McWilliams, Bill, On Hallowed Ground: The Last Battle For Pork Chop Hill (2004), ISBN 1-59114-480-9
• Marshall, S.L.A., Pork Chop Hill: The American Fighting Man in Action, Korea, Spring 1953 (1956), ISBN 0-425-17505-7