Crossing the Soyang River on May
16, the CCF 27th Army smashed the ROK 5th and 7th
Divisions, with ROK 7th quickly abandoning its
positions and exposing US 2nd Infantry
Division's right flank. As in the Chongchon
fighting in November, 2id was again threatened
from the east after ROK forces gave way, while
simultaneously facing violent CCF assaults from
its front. Reinforced by Task Force Zebra
(consisting of 72nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Battalion
23rd Infantry, 1st Ranger Company, and strong ROK
elements) they were attacked by 92d Regiment
which had been pursuing the fleeing ROKs.
With great bravery, misplaced in
foot infantry facing determined and dug-in troops
with armor and supporting artillery, the CCF
fought into the wire and minefields trying to
reach the tanks, and were devastated, losing
about 450 dead on the wire and in the valley.
However, the CCF persisted in their assaults,
driving back the Netherlands Battalion and
others. On the 17th, UN artillery fire was
quintupled. On Hill 800, K Company, 38th
Infantry, sat in their bunkers and allowed the
CCF to enter their lines, then called down an
overwhelming barrage of artillery. When the
Chinese pulled back on the 19th, they left some
eight hundred dead behind.
This map shows sections of
several key lines: Line Kansas, Line No-Name,
Line Waco, Line Nevada and Line Missouri.
