1ST MARINE REGIMENT - 1ST BATTALION - HISTORICAL DIARY - MAY 1951 Korean War Korean War Project Record: USMC-1292 CD: 18 United States Marine Corps History Division Quantico, Virginia Records: United States Marine Corps Unit Name: 1st Marine Division Records Group: RG 127 Depository: National Archives and Records Administration Location: College Park, Maryland Editor: Hal Barker Korean War Project P.O. Box 180190 Dallas, TX 75218-0190 http://www.koreanwar.org DECLASSIFIED Korean War Project USMC-04200001 ------ ---~--- ------------- DriS/jlp A.9 f?er 1?-28'-' 12 Jun 1951 FIRST EN~JRS~~T on Co, lstBn ltr to CMC dtd 5 Jun 1951 From: Commanding Officer 1st Marines To:_ Commaniant oi' the Marine Corps Via: (1) Commanding General, 1st 1iarine Division, F,,IF \2) Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific Subj: Historical·Diary; ~y, 1951, submission of 1. Readdressed and forwarded. ~~ w. s. BR()",:J\1 • Copy to: CO, lstBn, lstM&r ... ' ·-" ' ---- --=-=---=-=--·----. DECLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED Korean War Project USMC-04200002 .-"1_,.--- 1 4~:-1/fmh 2295 ser 0 1 7 7-5 1 JUL 1 0 1951 SECOND ENDORSEl-!ENT on CO, ~stBn, lstMars, Historical Diary for May, dtd 5 June, 1951 From: Commanding General, lst Marine Division, FMF To: Commandant of the Marine Corps Via: Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, pacific Subj: Historical Diary of May, 1951 1. Forwarded. 2. The security classification of this endorsement is removed when detached from t~e basic ~etter, /!JJ)akXir H. s. WALSETH Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration I . ------~---"--· .~~~- ~. -·--~ -~·y···--~-- ----- ~- - '"-- --=~~=---= -~- DECLASSIFIED r Korean War Project USMC-04200003 DECLASSIFIED [ t ' nRO~>; /ORR ....,~ ..... _., .... ._ ..... ~ Al2 Sera 8 0 7 - ~·t [ AUG 2 9 195'!' t f TRIPJ) ENDORSEHENT on CO, lstBn, lstMars, Historical Diary I for :May, dtd 5 June,-1951- - -- -- --- ----- - From: Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific l To: Commandant of the Harine Corps r Subj: Historical Diary of May 1951, forwarding of I l. Forwarded, 2. This endorsement is d01mgraded to unclassified upon I detacllinent of the basic letter. J ~ ! Copy to: I cG: · ls tl0:arDi v (end only) I' I i I ' I i ' DECLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED Korean War Project USMC-04200004 ----- o}Ieac1cfUa:rtel~5 ---- • 1st N~rines, ist Marine Division, Post Office, San Francisco, Calif, 5 J"une 1951 From: commanding Officer To: Commandant of the Ma.rine Co.!:!JS Via: (1) Commanding Officer, 1st Marines (2) Commanding Gener1.3~l .. 1st. Me.rine Divisioni FMF .:, l • , '• ~ I - '-' iT ~-·, -~~- r',_·.-. ·:~~r -, •',•, Subj: p~storical Diary; May, 1951, submission.• of Ref: (a) Paragraph 11401, Marine Corps Manual \U/'" \ Divis-ion GenBral Or6.er No-,. 3l (c) Regimental Memorandum No, 5l~51 (d) Map; Korea, l:5o,ooo, .AJ;!S 1751 ' ' .1 :;;~,;r 1. In accordance with the references, the i'olJ:owing historical diary for the month of May, 19511 is submitted. 2. SUf,lMARY On 1 May 1951, the lst Batta:j.ion was occupying defensive positions on high grotmC. in the vicinity_ of CS 9777 _as a res,_erve bgttalj,.pr_l __ ,p:(· ~4~-- 7th _Mg.J.-=­ of the 1st ines. At 10200, i2 May 19511 the battalion reverted to :(,lJ.e con.trol Marines and mo,red to an rec;erve assembly area in the vicin.Uy of CS 9767, The battalion occupied this assembly area until 4 May 1951, At 14451 4 May l95;L, the battalion began movement to a new a9sem~ly area behind No Name Line, at GS 9777 R, S, TILiind X,_ a_ndclo_s..§!cL_~n_ th<?_!l~..N.f2<&• .s>:tl60Q.~- The bat"oalion stayed in tl:is assembly area until 6 May 1951 at which time it moved into def­ ensive r:ositions in the vicinity of CS 9678 and re}.ieved, elements _oi the 7th Marines. "H" Company, 5rd Battalio:q, lst__ Ma;rin§:>_was a;t.:t.ll-ch"d t'l. the _battalion for employment on 6 May 1951 and was a9signed def'ensive positions in the vic~ inity of CS 7694. During the period of 6 May 1951 to 11 ~~Y 1951, the batta­ lion occupied defensive positions along. No Name Line and ccndu.cted patrols to the front and to contact adjacent units •. On l2 May 1951, the battalion moved eo'.st alon6 No Name Line and tool<; up new defensive posi'!;ions in the vic­ inity of CS S778. On. 13 May 1951, the ~a-~talio_n went into regimental reserve and moved to a reserve assembly area in ths vicinity of CS 9875 C, D, H and I. From 14 Mayl95l. to 17 ·May. l95l; the bat.talion prep0::-ed_ defensive posi­ tions in vicinity of CS 9876 t<:>. DS 0176 and CS 9!)74 tq Cs 91375 i!l event orders were received to occupy dei'ensive positions in that area. On 17 May 19!51, ".!" Company was attached·t.c the 2d Battalioil, 1st Marines for employment, On 18 May 1951, the battalion moved to vicinity CS 9882 and DS 0185 and relieved elements o.f the 2d Infantry Division al_ong No Name Line. 11 .AH Company reverted to battalion control tnis date •. On _1::/.,M<'-Y 1951, ti1e battalion withdrew to new defensive rosit.ions in the vicinity 5?f DS .Q::;.?9 q.n_Q._ DS Q;38Q. Dur-ing the period 19 May 1951 to 20 May 1951, the battdian occupied def'ensive positions in tJ.e vicinity of DS 0180 and DS 0380 a,~d (),on\(uc;t~4 pai;:rols i;g cthe front. llP esti­ mated enemy company was engaged OJ?- HilL-'!.3§, DS 0184 on 21 May 1951 by an Jl1 Company patrol •. After a brief . t)te. patrQ:L (!isengaged and returned with no casue.ltie~. At 0800, the battalion moved out in the attac~ "A" and "C" Companies were in Regimen- t-al objecti'l!e 2 was seized by 11 A.t' the enaey-. ., : ' . .lt ; ".' . .: .. DECLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED Korean War Project USMC-04200005 ~­ ' ~ 1-~:~~~~. • I 'su'6j: Histodc!il tiary; Submission of 5 June 1951 Division objective LOVE was seized at 1400 without enemy contact. Jl.fter reftching Regimental objective 4j ri.An cOm11any receiVed-':fi~e from Division objective OBOE and the battalion dug in on Regimental objective 4 for the night. "C" Company had seized its portion of Regimental objective 4 without enemy contact. At 0800, 24 May 1951, n:Bn Cororiany attack and seized objective OBOE. Eleven enemy dead were counted on the· position. "B" Com­ pany suffered elevell: casl:'?.J t_~_es .... (W.:i;!l!. ~~~ ~~?at~-~-~_i9P.i~:~~-J.Lil}~~d -*"-~~~-in~ on this position until the morning of 26 May 1951 at which time it was releived by elements of the Korean t-Aarine Corps Regiment an:::l moVed to a rear assembly area at DS 0176 K, L, P, and Q. On 27 May 1951, the batta- · lion moved with other elements of the regiment.to an assembly area at DS 1797 M as division reserve. The battalion re!Jlained int\lis ass~mbly area through 51 Ms.y 1951 and sent patrols to the west without contacting any .. , - - .. ,_ --·~·~ . =·~'~=:,~=·~~---,--~~- --~~·-·~-=~F= --~ ,~"1>~'~:----~'",-~.- ==--=--=~,-- enemy. .. ----.--...- ''! 5 ~ The follow·ing is a sw.mar-J of· per_sor1~iei change~ during per~cd: OFFICER ENLISTED MC USN MC ., USN ·····~ On Hand beginning period 42 1 926 54 WIA 5 12 l KIA 1 MIA ..." DOV/ l Transferred 2 5 2 Emergency Leave :;; Replacements . 6 184 12 Joined l l l Sick Evacuated . 67 l n~ n Returned to D~ty 00 Number Rotated 5 57 "'2 . Number On mind end of period 44 2 1055 59 -Court Nartials- 1 SCM; 1 DCM 4. CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE: l May 1951 Occupied defensive positions OS 9777. Con.iu.cted loc~ secur­ ity patrols~ Contirr~ed to conSolidat6d_ positions. The ~ita­ lion was attached to the 7th Marines and dr\')wits loitstical support from that regiment. Companies were supplied 11 0" ra- tions by Korean laborers. 2 May 1951 Reverted to control of 1st Marines }Wd moved by trucks to re­ serve assembly area at CS 9767 A. Galleys were opened and "An and "B" rations were served. ' ', L~. ! ....... 4 May 1.951 rv~ved by truck to reserve assembly area behind the 7th 1\lla.l"ip.es at GS 9777 R, S, w, and X. · · · · · 6 May 1951 Moved into defensive positi<:>n!" e~t CS 967_?5 releiving elements of 7th Marines. nH" Company, 5rd Battali_<:'!l_.t lst Marin!'S attach­ ed to battalion and placed in defensive positions on battalion left flank. Patrol conta'?.teq,KMC UP,:i,t 9)lleft f:).ank at CS 9578. ...... s. Rifle companies began installation of wire obstacles. Mine fields laid b-.f engineers· in frollt of ~-.i~t~e@·:~--imm:~es-;~---.·· :"--. ·.·. · · · n: A\ ~~0 1 c:'f>lsii•' 2 j l)!)tc u,;j;~.:yu/J Ui.Sccl; r ~-- ---~ <.-.·.:~·-·. «'·~-· DECLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED Korean War Project--- USMC-04200006---,.,..~ r ' •---:-;-'·-- r --- ---. subj: F~storical Dia~~; submission of 5 J\:m.e 1951 7 May 1951 lfBU Company patro1led to points WILI.IAM.and XR..AY~- ·ncn ·com­ pany patrolled to "H" Company -posi tii:in. "H" C<nnpany ;patrol.­ led to point YOKE and contacted elements of KMC Regimen~. No enemy· contact. 8 rEay 195m "A" Company patrolled to "B" Company positions and high ground CS £57~ w. 1'CU C?ippany patrolled to n11n Compar.oy _Posi- tions. "H" Company patrolled to p'o:i.nt YOKE but failed 'to · contact elements of' the KMr. Regiment;. UBfl r.omn,nv ·,:,,troll Ad ----- - ·- -- ---·-----...,---------- -.---,J.---'11·--~-------- to point l'/ILLIAM and contacted the Netherlands· Battalion, and to point XRAY and contacted 58th-Infantry. No· enemy con- tact.