In July, Van Fleet decided that the
enemy intended to hold against major UN advances
from the Kansas-Wyoming Line, and that a further
advance to the Pyongyang-Wonsan line would not be
politically correct. Nonetheless, since Eighth Army
had been ordered into passive defense the enemy had
used the time to build up their supply stocks and
restore front-line combat elements to full
strength. To probe the extent of their recovery,
and maintain the combat readiness of Eighth Army
which had also slackened in the interval, Van Fleet
ordered X Corps to attack in the Punchbowl area,
about twenty miles northeast of the Hwachon
Reservoir. The NK 45th, 13th and 2d Divisions were
strongly dug in on the ridges and repulsed the ROK
8th amd 5th Divisions. The First Marine Division
attacked successfully and won the northern lip of
the Punchbowl in September.
The 2nd Infantry Division had
engaged the NK in savage fighting around Bloody
Ridge, but the NK finally withdrew leaving
substantial stores and over 500 dead.
Our own heavy casualties during the
Punchbowl, Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge fights made
Van Fleet feel that offensives on a larger scale
would be too costly for the terrain gained, in view
of Truce Talks being underway.
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