Operation Wonsan, or the Clearance of Wonsan, began on October 10 of 1950, ten days before the landing was scheduled to take place. Return fire destroyed three enemy gun positions and the Thomas was hit once, causing little damage and no casualties. [2][4][5][6], The Battle of the Buzz Saw, as United States Navy personnel called it, was a response to the UN's attacks on Wonsan. [1][2], Most of the homes on the island were destroyed in the attack and the North Koreans suffered no casualties. The James C. Owens was attacked on April 25 though again there was no damage sustained. A small surface engagement occurred the same day. [1][2], On September 10, the minesweepers Redstart and Heron were again damaged by shell fire from Wonsan, this time while rechecking pre-swept waters. Typhoon Maysak also hit South Korea, killing at least two people and causing the evacuation of more than 2,200 people to the southern city of Busan. USS Cabildo was attacked again from shore batteries on April 29 from Ho-do Pan-do. Typhoon Haishen struck the Korean Peninsula in the Ulsan area, just north of the large port city of Busan. [2][3], On May 24, the UN station ship at Wonsan detected several small craft southeast of Rei-To Island. [1][2] While anchored off Yo-do Island, with a cargo of gasoline and ammunition for motor torpedo boats, ROKN FS-905 was taken under fire by enemy shore guns and received one hit in the starboard machine gun battery. The type of warfare experienced at Wonsan would last throughout the war. January 2, 1953 marked the first day in a large scale North Korean bombardment of the UN held islands in Wonsan Harbor. On April 29, as the bombardment of UN held island continued, an HU-1 helicopter received fourteen rounds of VT fuzed enemy shells while on a mine reconnaissance flight over Wonsan Harbor. Soviet military advisors were also employed to create more effective mine fields. The artillery opened fire on some American minesweepers but quickly quieted by the escorts. After the Battle of Inchon, in which General Douglas MacArthur landed on the northwestern shores of the Korean peninsula, he ordered X Corps to make a landing at Wonsan where they would proceed west, link up with the Eighth Army and then advance towards Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. [1][2], The first and only naval air battle at Wonsan and Hungnam occurred on October 7. USS Albuquerque was straddled by enemy fire on June 12, wounding one man and on June 19 the North Koreans staged another artillery bombardment against friendly held Hwangto-do. Another shot was a near miss and passed over New Jersey from aft to port. The shot, a 76-millimeter, hit port side on the main deck, tearing a sixteen inch hole and wounding three men. USS Wiltsie received fire from the batteries east of Kalmagak on March 23 and, together with Brinkley Bass, responded with counter-battery fire to silence the enemy guns. Counter battery engagements by USS Manchester, USS James E. Kyes, USS McGinty and USS Douglas H. Fox, plus the help of Fast Carrier Task Force planes silenced the enemy guns. Batteries on Kalmagak fired ten rounds of 76-millimeter fire at the sweepers, the nearest one landing 100 yards from the ship. USS PC-706 destroyed five North Korean fishing boats on the beach at the northern end of Ho-do Pan-do. General MacArthur had directed Lieutenant General (LTG) Walton H. Walker, the EUSA commander, to form a … [1][2], Wonsan was a strategic point during the war, located on North Korea's southeastern coast with a large harbor, an airfield, a petroleum refinery, 75,000 people, and as many as 80,000 troops, including several artillery batteries. On July 6, 1951, the United States launched another naval bombardment of the area, causing high casualties and tempting the North Koreans to retaliate with an especially heavy bombardment on July 17, 1951. On April 2, USS Los Angeles received another hit by Wonsan shore batteries. North Koreans artillery in Wonsan bombarded Hwangto-do on June 7, no casualties were reported but twenty-one shot holes were found to have passed through the flag over the island. The battleship USS New Jersey participated in her first shore bombardment mission of the war on May 20, 1951. When the North Koreans and Chinese recaptured the city, defenses were rebuilt in a more formidable way, additional sea mines were deployed and new artillery batteries were erected. The only ship damaged in action that day was USS James E. Kyes. Between 2:30 and 4:00 pm on April 23, the island of Tee-do was under intense enemy fire from gun positions on Kalma Pan-do. [clarification needed] The destroyer was moderately damaged. Usually the was average was about 500 rounds a month. USS Brush was also hit in the mount that day, making it inoperable, and nine men were wounded, four seriously. In these engagements there were no casualties but in a final attack later on that day, a single MIG-15 destroyed one of four F4Us in another action near Hungnam. The Thompson was hit by one round of the many which straddled her, one man suffered wounds and minor material damaged resulted. That same day, USS Waxbill and USS Marshall collided west of Yo-do, Waxbill sustained topside damage to hull fittings but was still operational and otherwise unharmed. The Prichett was attacked again on March 25 but no damage was sustained, USS Shelton, USS Eversole, ROKN AMS-502 and AMS-515 engaged in a similar action the following day. Three South Korean sailors were wounded but they were able to save their ship from complete destruction. Many of the casualties were blown over the side and into the water when the explosion occurred and it took a long time before all of them could be recovered. A later investigation of the incident recovered a small metal disk from the damaged ship and when analyzed it was concluded to have been part of a torpedo detonator. Jets dropped six to eight explosives over the American ship, the closest landing 300 yards (270 m) away. Over two hundred shells were fired by the enemy. USS De Haven and USS Moore responded with a bombardment of their own and they received fire with the nearest shells splashing 400 yards away. USS Waxbill attacked a shore battery the following day and on April 28 Silverstein and USS Conserver received fire from Ho-do Pan-do. [1][2], Three days after this incident USS Bremerton, USS Lofberg and USS John A. Bole exchanged fire with the batteries, several guns were destroyed and there were no friendly casualties. [1][2], On the following day, Merganser received thirty more rounds of 75-millimeter fire from Kalmagak but she was not damaged. The sampans received the first salvos, around 30 total so the Silverstein and the Maddox returned the fire and suppressed the batteries. No damage was reported as all of the shells landed splashed in the water around 1,000 yards short of the ship, USS Mansfield was also attacked with about forty 75-millimeter rounds. USS Shields, USS William Seiverling and UN minesweepers were fired upon by approximately seventy-five rounds on December 11. [1][2], On October 16, USS Toledo was shot at with four rounds from estimated 75-millimeter and 122-millimeter guns. One of the first objectives of the blockade was to begin plotting the locations of mines and then destroy them. Many of the casualties were blown over the side and into the water when the explosion occurred and it took a long time before all of them could be recovered. One 155-millimeter round, out of sixty, tore a three-foot hole through James E. Kyes, wounding four men in the process, one seriously. The incident was taken as evidence that the North Koreans were beginning to use fire control more regularly. The fire room flooded and there was other less severe damage. USS Parks caught 300 enemy troops repairing a railroad, south of Wonsan on the same day, and fired twenty-eight rounds. The enemy artillery was silenced although they killed one person and wounded two others. USS Buck, USS Wisconsin and USS Saint Paul in Korean waters, 1952. Maddox responded with counter fire but failed to silence the hostile guns. The resulting explosion severely damaged Walke's hull on her port side and 26 men were killed and 40 others wounded. On February 9 and February 10, a maximum effort strike by American naval aircraft was conducted against supply concentrations and transport targets from Wonsan through Songjin to Chongjin and Hoeryong. USS Merganser was fired upon by guns at the mouth of the Namchongang River on December 6, the Seiverling replied with 101 rounds, and was herself taken under fire by guns on Kalmagak. She was struck by one round, causing light superficial damage and one man was injured. While patrolling off Wonsan, North Korean batteries opened fire and she was struck by one shell. INFORMATION RE-PORT CD NO. USS Symbol, USS Murrelet and USS Edmonds received enemy fire near Wonsan on April 2 and again no damage or casualties were experienced. With the minesweeping operation mostly completed, American bombardment groups began shelling the city again. Evacuation of North Korean Civilians PLACE 25X1 ACQUIRED DATE OF INFO. Three splashes were counted near the ship. Other vessels were damaged by mines and battery fire as well but the loss of the Pirate and Pledge proved to be the major engagement during the operation. Wonsan was a strategic point during the war, located on North Korea's southeastern coast with a large harbor, an airfield, a petroleum refinery, 75,000 people, and as many as 80,000 troops, including several artillery batteries. [1][2], USS O'Bannon suppressed enemy batteries on May 29 after the North Koreans opened fire on friendly islands. Two bunkers caved in on Hwangto-do. The operation lasted until May and less sporadically thereafter. The Thompson was hit by one round of the many which straddled her, one man suffered wounds and minor material damaged resulted. Fourteen others, who were wearing body armor, were also hit but not wounded. On February 9 and February 10, a maximum effort strike by American naval aircraft was conducted against supply concentrations and transport targets from Wonsan through Songjin to Chongjin and Hoeryong. Heron was hit by machine gun fire that hit aft section of the vessel. A few days later, USS Toledo received the same treatment while bombarding the city but was not damaged either. One 155-millimeter round, out of sixty, tore a three foot hole through the Kyes, wounding four men in the process, one seriously.[1][2]. After causing heavy damage to North Korean forces within the previous months, the situation escalated as the communists started utilizing new weapons to lift the blockade. Jarvis was not damaged and counter battery fire destroyed two gun emplacements. The Heron was hit by machine gun fire that hit aft section of the vessel. [1][2], Operation Tailboard was the codename for the United States Army landing at Wonsan, and it was found to have been unnecessary. Later on, the USS Gregory and USS George K. MacKenzie engaged in a one hour duel with four 76-millimeter batteries. The Gurke came under fire on the following day, along with the friendly islands of Wonsan Harbor. During the following day the Bass was struck again with one round from Ho-do Pan-do, wounding five men, one seriously, and causing damage to the ship's radio and electronics. [1][2], USS Alfred A. Cunningham received five hits on September 19. The fire room flooded and there was other less severe damage. [1][2], Typhoon Karen swept through Korean waters over the next few days so also blockading activities were suspended. [1][2], USS Manchester was conducting a heavy bombardment of Wonsan on or about July 3 when fragments from a near miss put a two inch hole in the after stack and through the door of a powder room, no one was hurt though. ... UN naval forces, primarily from the United States, successfully kept the strategically important city of Wonsan … [1][2], Mine warfare also increased during the month of April, after months of finding nothing, thirty-two new mines were found in Wonsan Harbor. The Blockade of Wonsan, or the Siege of Wonsan, from February 16, 1951 to July 27, 1953, during the Korean War, was the longest naval blockade in modern history, lasting 861 days. [2][4][5][6], Shortly thereafter, sailors on the nearby destroyers USS Harry E. Hubbard and USS Bradford spotted an oil slick off of Walke's starboard side so they began dropping depth charges on what they reported as being two submarines. The battleship New Jersey was fired at on May 27 but her 16-inch guns quickly put an end to it, meanwhile the islands were still receiving their daily barrage which continued in June. [1][2], In the Wonsan area on April 10, TF-77 carried out a coordinated strike using the guns of USS Saint Paul and USS Hanson. On April 8, at least sixty-four shots were fired at the fleet and a couple days after, USS Eversole and Los Angeles engaged in a duel with shore batteries. Orașul este împărțit în 45 de cartiere (tong) și 14 sate (ri). Twelve shots were fired by the Americans in return. An armed South Korean Army intelligence boat encountered a North Korean thirty foot patrol boat and for ten minutes the vessels fought until the North Koreans withdrew under cover of a battery. North Koreans troops also constructed hidden batteries on Ho-do Pan-do, the Americans bombarded them with 5-inch guns without effect. [1][2], On the same day, USS Silverstein and USS Maddox, in a swept area south of Yo-do, were covering the withdrawal of two friendly sampans from Umi-do, when suddenly enemy batteries opened fire. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Walke's hull on her port side and twenty-six men were killed and forty others wounded. On September 13, aircraft from USS Bon Homme Richard attacked a 130-foot naval like vessel near Wonsan and sank it with rockets and 20 millimeter strafing. Shore batteries increased their effectiveness as well, now that fire control was being equipped, air burst rounds were also starting to be used. USS Gurke also avoided six enemy shells that day. Hungnam was the destination of the SP Bn, less a detachment which sailed for Pusan, along with the DUKWs, to assume responsibility for the unloading of the 1st Mar Div personnel and equipment when they arrived. Vuoden 2008 väestönlaskennan mukaan siellä oli 363 127 asukasta. Five American sailors were wounded. On March 22, during another heavy bombardment, two 90-millimeter air bursts and two 105-millimeter rounds landed near the Missouri but she was undamaged. On the next day, Maddox, Laffey, USS Herbert J. Thomas and USS Evansville, received 206 rounds of seventy-five and 155-millimeter fire and an hour-long engagement. When it became dark, Parks also fired star shells at the location for bombing runs by allied aircraft. USS Curlew also received three shots and another forty-one at the New Jersey and USS Renshaw. Rear Admiral James H. Doyle commanded Task Force 90, a fleet of dozens of American warships which were used in the clearance. COUNTRY Korea SUBJECT 1. Ten days later on May 27, shore batteries at Wonsan fought against the USS Cabildo and Ozbourn. Wonsan (numit în Rusia și Port Lazareva) este un oraș-port din R.P.D. Prichett was attacked again on March 25 but no damage was sustained, USS Shelton, USS Eversole, ROKN AMS-502 and ROKN AMS-515 engaged in a similar action the following day. The incident was taken as evidence that the North Koreans were beginning to use fire control more regularly. Between 2:30 and 4:00 pm on April 23, the island of Tee-do was under intense enemy fire from gun positions on Kalma Pan-do. UN carrier aircraft were used to fire flares while the warships focused on gunnery. [1][2], United Nations ships at Wonsan achieved a significant goal by maintaining a blockade against hostile territory for so long. On January 11, 1952, the next significant gunnery duel began when the Redstart and Dextrous received accurate battery fire from Ho-do Pan-do while they were sailing without an escort. April 19 was a lively day during the Blockade of Wonsan. Though the fire was accurate, no hits were made. The closest shot splashed in the water ten feet from the Waxbill which caused shrapnel damage. While Army forces secured the beachhead from threatening NKPA forces, it was a Navy show and Wonsan served as … USS LST-898 is in the center, with a LSU at right and the harbor entrance control frigate (PF) in the right distance. The other pierced the hull plating of fireroom number one, not detonating but causing a steam explosion which instantly killed six men and mortally injured a seventh. [1][2], A few days after, North Korean artillery fired forty-eight rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells at USS Saint Paul and scored a hit on a gun mount. On 10 December the evacuation of Wonsan was concluded after the outloading of 3,834 troops, 7,009 Korean civilians, 1,146 vehicles, and 10,013 bulk tons of cargo. The USS Ozbourn, USS Radford, and USS Heron also engaged on May 29 and May 30. Because of the constant threat of amphibious assault, approximately 30,000 North Korean soldiers and 6,000 civilians were pinned down and therefore could not be used at the frontline. One landed topside and caused minor damage and slightly injured one man. Both of the vessels were struck by shells and damaged but not seriously. The same day USS Wiltsie received ten near misses from shore batteries east of Kalmagak while providing fire support for Condor. On July 11, in the vicinity of Yo-do island, USS Blue and Frank E. Evans were attacked, approximately fifty splashes were counted near the ships but none of them were hit. The Hungnam evacuation Korean: 흥남 철수 작전 Hanja: 興南撤收作戰 code - named Christmas Cargo, also known as the Miracle of Christmas, was the evacuation of Un On June 28, the destroyer USS Henry W. Tucker received counter-battery fire while conducting a bombardment of Wonsan Harbor. North Korean artillery fired at the American fleet was mostly ineffective, and the city was heavily damaged by UN naval aircraft and warships. While patrolling off Wonsan, North Korean batteries opened fire and she was struck by one shell. Damage topside in one day 247 bombing sorties were carried out against and... The attack without silencing the remaining two artillery pieces because allied patrols the! To save their ship from complete destruction 26 men were counted but there were no,! Machine gun fire that hit aft section of the blockade was to begin plotting the of. 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