Battle of the Notch
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The Battle of the Notch was an engagement between United States and North Korean forces early in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
on August 2, 1950 in southern South Korea. The fight ended in a victory for the United States after North Korean forces attempting to assault the US position were blocked and repelled repeatedly, suffering heavy casualties. Reeling from the
Hadong Ambush The Hadong Ambush was an engagement between United States and North Korean forces, occurring on July 27, 1950, in the village of Hadong in southern South Korea, early in the Korean War. The fight ended in a North Korean victory following a succes ...
and being driven from the city of
Chinju Jinju () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first (1592) and second (1593) Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War. The Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command is l ...
, the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
's 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division scrambled to protect the pass into
Masan Masan is an administrative region of Changwon, a city in the South Gyeongsang Province. It was formerly an independent city from 1949 until 30 June 2010, when it was absorbed to Changwon along with Jinhae. Masan was redistricted as two district ...
, the final South Korean city before the
Naktong River The Nakdonggang River or Nakdonggang () is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Korea's Three Kingdoms E ...
, where the UN was holding its
Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...
in place. North Korean and US forces unexpectedly ran into one another and a confused battle ensued. American forces were better equipped with heavy weapons and armor thanks to newly arrived equipment in the country, and their better ground during the battle allowed them to repel North Korean advances. The North Korean force eventually withdrew after several unsuccessful attacks, having suffered heavy casualties. As it was disengaging from Masan,
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
(USAF) aircraft caught the North Korean truck columns as they were retreating, inflicting significant damage on them and producing further casualties. This fight, with a number of smaller engagements in the region, effectively stopped the North Korean offensive on the southern flank of the Pusan Perimeter. It also gave both sides a reprieve from the fighting to resupply and re-enforce before engaging in the
Battle of Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...
shortly after.


Background


Outbreak of war

Following the outbreak of the Korean War after the invasion of South Korea by North Korea, the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
decided to commit troops to the conflict on behalf of South Korea. The United States subsequently committed ground forces to the Korean peninsula with the goal of fighting back the North Korean invasion and to prevent South Korea from collapsing. However, US forces in the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The ter ...
had been steadily decreasing since the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, five years earlier, and at the time the closest forces were the 24th Infantry Division of the
Eighth United States Army The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army United States Forces Korea, forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys,
, which was headquartered in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. The division was understrength, and most of its equipment was antiquated due to reductions in military spending. Regardless, the 24th Infantry Division was ordered into South Korea. The 24th Infantry Division was the first US unit sent into Korea with the mission to take the initial "shock" of
Korean People's Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) is the military force of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Under the ''Songun'' policy, it is the central institution of North Korean society. Currently, WPK General Sec ...
(KPA) advances, delaying much larger KPA units to buy time to allow follow on forces to arrive. The division was consequently alone for several weeks as it attempted to delay the KPA, making time for the 7th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, and other Eighth Army supporting units to move into position. Advance elements of the 24th Infantry Division were badly defeated in the
Battle of Osan The Battle of Osan ( ko, 오산 전투) was the first engagement between the United States and North Korea during the Korean War. On July 5, 1950, Task Force Smith, an American task force of 540 infantry supported by an artillery battery, was mo ...
on July 5, during the first battle between American and North Korean forces. For the first month after the defeat of
Task Force Smith The Battle of Osan ( ko, 오산 전투) was the first engagement between the United States and North Korea during the Korean War. On July 5, 1950, Task Force Smith, an American task force of 540 infantry supported by an artillery battery, was m ...
, 24th Infantry Division soldiers were repeatedly defeated and forced south by the KPA's superior numbers and equipment. The regiments of the 24th Infantry Division were systematically pushed south in battles around
Chochiwon Jochiwon () is a town located in Sejong City, South Korea. Jochiwon is located in South Chungcheong Province. As of 2011, Jochiwon has a large foreign community consisting of native English speakers considering its rather small size and populatio ...
, Chonan, and
Pyongtaek Pyeongtaek () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home to ...
. The 24th Infantry Division made a final stand in the
Battle of Taejon The Battle of Taejon (14–21 July 1950) was an early battle of the Korean War, between U.S. and North Korean forces. Forces of the United States Army attempted to defend the headquarters of the 24th Infantry Division. The 24th Infantry Division ...
, being almost completely destroyed but delaying KPA forces from advancing until July 20. By that time, the Eighth Army's force of combat troops were roughly equal to North Korean forces attacking the region, with new UN units arriving every day.


North Korean advance

With Taejon captured, KPA forces began the effort of surrounding the
Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...
from all sides in an attempt to envelop it. The KPA 4th and the 6th Divisions advanced south in a wide maneuver. The two divisions were coordinating to envelop the UN's left flank and were extremely spread out. They advanced on UN positions pushing back US and South Korean forces repeatedly. Forces of the 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, newly arrived in the country, were wiped out at
Hadong Hadong County (, ''Hadong-gun'') is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is on the far-west side of the province, bordering South Jeolla Province. The county office is located at Hadeong-eup. History The county of Hadong was call ...
in a coordinated ambush by KPA forces on July 27, leaving open a pass to the Pusan area. Soon after,
Chinju Jinju () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first (1592) and second (1593) Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War. The Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command is l ...
to the west was taken, pushing back the 19th Infantry Regiment and leaving routes to the Pusan open for North Korean forces. Reeling from the loss, UN planners hastily moved reserve forces to the southwest to repel North Korean advances. Several US infantry regiments as well as the command post of the 24th Infantry Division moved to establish new positions to prevent KPA forces from advancing from Chinju. American forces moved to defend the city of
Masan Masan is an administrative region of Changwon, a city in the South Gyeongsang Province. It was formerly an independent city from 1949 until 30 June 2010, when it was absorbed to Changwon along with Jinhae. Masan was redistricted as two district ...
, the last key city before the KPA reached the perimeter. Located in the mountainous region along South Korea's southern coast, Masan was accessible by two routes from the west.
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
John H. Church Major General John Huston Church (June 28, 1892 – November 3, 1953) was a senior officer in the United States Army. He fought in World War I, World War II and in the Korean War. During the latter conflict, he provided assistance to the South Kor ...
, the 24th Infantry Division's commander, emplaced the 19th Infantry Regiment and the
27th Infantry Regiment The 27th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the "Wolfhounds", is a regiment of the United States Army established in 1901, that served in the Philippine–American War, in the Siberian Intervention after World War I, and as part of the 25th Infant ...
in the area to defend Masan. Eventually, the 27th set up along the southern entrance while the 19th Infantry covered the north, in a pass known as "The Notch," southwest of Chungam-ni. The entire 19th Infantry Regiment, reeling from the fight at Chinju and attempting to hold back North Korean advances, fell back to the Notch.


Battle

The 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry was assigned to hold the Notch and the high ground on the right flank, to the northwest.
Republic of Korea Army The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...
(ROK) troops led by Colonel Min would hold the high ground to the southwest of the Notch. Meanwhile, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry withdrew to reserve positions at the northern base of the pass. During the evening of July 31, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry also arrived in the region. More importantly, A Company of the 8072nd Medium Tank Battalion, armed with
M4 Sherman } The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the Military history of the United States during World War II, United States and Allies of World War II, Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman prove ...
medium tanks rebuilt in Japan, arrived at Masan, some of the first heavy armor the UN had in the war. One platoon of A Company's tanks went to the 27th Infantry in the south while the 19th Infantry in the north got the other half. This put the force of the 19th Infantry and supporting units at 2,335 under the command of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Ned D. Moore, excluding the South Korean forces. The number of North Korean forces committed to the region is not known, however later research suggests that the KPA 6th Division committed at least a battalion to the fight, and it is likely that an entire regiment was ordered to advance on the Notch and Masan. This would put the number of KPA involved in the battle between 500 and 2,000.


Attack

At 06:45 on August 2, C Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry began to move out from its positions on a reconnaissance patrol supported by tanks and armored cars. Before the armored column left the lines, it ran head-on into a North Korean attack starting on the Notch, as mortar fire and three heavy machine guns opened up on it from below the crest of the pass. The road before the pass erupted into a frantic and confused struggle, C Company in the lead was struck with machine gun fire, killing most of its 1st Platoon before the men could disembark from their trucks. American soldiers who dove for cover in the ditches along the road found KPA soldiers already in cover there. The lead M4 was struck with mortar fire and destroyed, while anti-tank weapons set at least one American truck on fire. During this fight, advancing KPA troops captured at least a few of the surprised American soldiers, using them as
human shield A human shield is a non-combatant (or a group of non-combatants) who either volunteers or is forced to shield a legitimate military target in order to deter the enemy from attacking it. The use of human shields as a resistance measure was popula ...
s when advancing up the high ground where the rest of the UN force was firing down at them. In the end, the initial ambush cost the Americans about 30 casualties. C Company overcame several North Korean attempts to cut them off before withdrawing back to the American lines. American forces were quick to counter the attack.
M20 recoilless rifle The M20 recoilless rifle is a U.S. 75 mm caliber recoilless rifle T21E12 that was used during the last months of the Second World War and extensively during the Korean War. It could be fired from an M1917A1 .30 caliber machine gun tripod, ...
s destroyed the machine gun positions, and American mortars began firing on any North Korean positions they could locate. However, KPA forces were quick to advance up the Notch, to the crest of the hill that made up the pass. There, they discovered B Company, 19th Infantry, encamped. The 19th Infantry was apparently not prepared for combat, as KPA forces were able to hit the American force and drive it off the hill, killing several of the American soldiers with
bayonet A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...
s. At about 12:00, B Company was driven from the crest of the Notch, and further confusion erupted when USAF aircraft accidentally strafed the retreating B Company. Neighboring positions also mistakenly attacked B Company, which retreated with 12 killed. ROK forces, meanwhile, had emplaced in the wrong position, too far south, and were not in contact with 19th Infantry. The ROK forces were subsequently hit with friendly and enemy fire, and in the confusion the 19th Infantry attempted to block the South Koreans from advancing, thinking them enemy forces. North Korean snipers were able to infiltrate the rear of the position and kill five UN soldiers with shots to the back of the head. However American forces repelled several advances on the right flank. The M4 Shermans gave the American force a superiority in armor over the KPA for the first time, and were crucial in pushing back each attempted KPA advance. North Korean infantry, unsupported by armor of their own, suffered heavy casualties from the American forces in their positions on the high ground.


North Korean withdrawal

Fighting at the Notch continued through the afternoon, but, the attack still unsuccessful, the North Korean troops withdrew suddenly in the mid-afternoon, allowing American forces to recover most of the casualties and vehicles from the Notch. In the meantime, they set up roadblocks to prevent further KPA attacks from moving down the road. KPA forces disengaged from the fight without attempting to flank the Americans, and by nightfall they were out of the region. In the meantime, the 27th Infantry Regiment surprised a large KPA column advancing on the south road and captured many trucks of supplies. During the North Koreans' retreat from the two roads, USAF planes mounted an airstrike and inflicted heavy casualties.


Aftermath

The American forces reported 57 killed, 37 wounded, 17
missing Missing or The Missing may refer to: Film * ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young * ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras * ''Missing'' (2007 film) (''Vermist''), a Bel ...
and 6 captured, for a total of 117 casualties from the 19th and 29th Infantry Regiments. This number was far lighter than casualties for other unit actions of similar size so far in the war. North Korean casualties are unknown but believed to be far heavier than the American force. Actions in the Notch, as well as attacks on the region for the next few days are known to have largely destroyed the KPA 6th Division, and over 50 percent of its force became casualties in the fighting. The fight was one of the first victories for UN forces in the war. In stopping the North Korean advance at the Notch and around Masan, the UN forces were able to halt the progress of the KPA 4th and 6th Divisions, grounding their flanking moves to a halt and forcing them to withdraw to rebuild and re-supply. In the meantime, the UN forces along the perimeter were being reinforced by heavier infantry and armor formations every day. The KPA defeat and retreat around the Masan region allowed both sides several critical days of reprieve from battle. This would end when the KPA began its final offensive on the UN forces in its coordinated assault on the Pusan Perimeter.


References


Citations


Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Notch, Battle Of The Battles and operations of the Korean War in 1950 Battles of the Korean War involving North Korea Battles of the Korean War involving South Korea Battles of the Korean War Battles of the Korean War involving the United States History of South Gyeongsang Province August 1950 events in Asia