Lt. Col. Charles B. Smith,
Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry
Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, led the first
American troops to fight against North Korea. Task
Force Smith, with only two under-strength rifle
companies, B and C, and part of the 1st Battalion,
supported by part of the 52nd Field Artillery
Battalion, fought elements of the North Korean 4th
Division and 105th Armored Division, a few miles
north of Osan, on July 5, 1950.
ADDRESS - TASK FORCE SMITH MEMORIAL - 5 July
1998
by Bill Wyrick, former Plt Ldr, 2nd Plt, C Co,
TFS
(The rostrum is located to the right front of the
audience and the speaker faces essentially north.
The audience is at the speaker's left and the
monument and Hill 117 to his right The speaker
addresses the men who were KIA, MIA, or POW [DIEH]
on 5 July 1950)
Fellow members of Task Force Smith,
it has now been 48 years since we deployed on this
hill. We did not realize it at the time, but we
were the vanguard of the United Nations Forces who
came to help the South Korean people defend their
freedom. Our mission was to delay the main enemy
forces coming down this historic invasion route
Seoul - Taejon - Taegu - Pusan.
My comrades, 53 of you were Killed
In Action here on that day so long ago. 5 of you
are still Missing In Action. 34 of you died in
unspeakable conditions as Prisoners Of War in
either South or North Korea. To you I report that
we completed our assigned task with honor. The
enemy had to deploy his forces in order to eject us
from this hill. When the enemy's tanks reached
this spot, followed by a convoy of truck-mounted
Infantry many miles long, they were traveling at
20-25 miles per hour. About seven hours later the
enemy's infantry was slowly occupying the high
ground to my right. Afterwards, when the main body
of the enemy's force continued down the road to
my left they were walking at 2-3 miles per
hour.
There are a number of your comrades
here with me today. They marvel at the progress the
Korean people have made since we arrived here so
many years ago. Your sacrifice undoubtedly played a
major role in the defense of their freedom.
To the Korean people assembled here
today, I say thank you for honoring my comrades.
Always remember that here, on the fifth day of July
1950, your people and my people became Blood
Brothers.
When you explain the meaning of
freedom to your children - tell them about Task
Force Smith and the foreigners who died here. Tell
them that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!
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