Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [16]
When we finally reached camp, we were able to get a good, hot meal. G.W. and I gathered up all the can-heat we could find, then we went to our foxholes, took our boots off and changed our socks. That night around 2300 hours, flares and artillery started going off, which lasted until daylight. Word soon spread that our supply road was cut off, and that a company from the 38th Infantry Regiment had been annihilated. To our rear, another outfit was engaged in a fierce firefight—the Chinese and North Koreans were everywhere.
Early morning of the twelfth, the French—who were to our right—were hit hard. Our tanks, and twin-40’s, moved so they could hit the Chinese as they were going up the backside of the hill. However, the French called them off, fixed their bayonets and went into hand-to-hand combat; they had a lot of casualties. All day long, helicopters from the aid station were evacuating the wounded.
On the night of the thirteenth, the perimeter around Chipyong-ni was taking light fire, which stopped at 2100 hours. Then all hell broke loose! As artillery and mortar fire started hitting inside our perimeter, the mess tent was hit and set on fire. Some men were killed when the battalion command tent was hit. They kept shelling for hours; while my foxhole buddy and I were both trying to get deeper in the hole, hoping a shell wouldn’t get us. When it stopped, the bugles and whistles started blowing, and the yells of “Bonsai” started, which scares the hell out of you.
Charlie Company was getting hit hard, and taking on casualties. The sarge came over and told G.W. and me to take my BAR [Browning automatic rifle], and go help—which we did until daylight. Of the fourteen clips I took, I fired ten, which totaled two-hundred rounds.
The following day wasn’t any better. Fox and George Companies were getting hit hard; booby-traps were going off, flares going up everywhere, and the Chinese kept coming. Air support was called for and around 1530 hours they came in flying low, due to the bad weather. As they came in to drop their loads, the Chinese fired at them. Artillery and mortar fire kept coming in, and men were going up and down the line passing out ammo and hand grenades—casualties were mounting in these two companies.
Later that night, the Chinese pulled an all out attack—on every position. Baker Company, and one platoon from the French Battalion, was called out of reserve to mount a counterattack and take back ground that had been lost by Fox and George Companies. As our platoon sergeant was gathering up everyone, the French had already left and were at the bottom of the hill when we arrived. After several attempts, and many casualties, we started up the hill again. We were within fifty yards of the top when we came under fire; we returned fire, and kept climbing. When we finally reached the top, I jumped into a foxhole and began to lay down fire from my BAR. Our planes were flying overhead and when the weather broke, targets were called in for them to hit. As the Chinese began to withdraw, the planes came in dropping napalm bombs—catching them in the open.
Suddenly, I was flying through the air and not knowing what had happened, I was scared to death. I hurt all over and couldn’t hear a thing as I was pulled by another soldier down the hill. As I looked around I didn’t see G.W. anywhere. I was taken to the aid station. Here they put some stuff in my ears, wrapped my left wrist, and sat me down on a locker. It was over an hour before my hearing come back. I then asked if I could leave, which they said