Skirmish Red, White and Blue

Edward C. Daily

Description

Much about the Korean War still is hidden and much will long remain hidden. Nevertheless, an attempt was made by the author to give a historical account of the 7th Cavalry Regiment's activities during Occupation Duty in Japan after World War II and combat actions within the Korean War. This was accomplished by exploring all known official existing records in the National Military Archives, which have been quoted freely and very often verbatim to give a truthful view of events as they existed at that particular time.

Throughout the years, the original records of the 7th Cavalry Regiment have suffered from many disasters. On March 30, 1952, a fire destroyed the regimental headquarters in Japan, and everything was burned except the regimental colors. To further complicate the matter, but to comply with orders, many valuable records were destroyed to accomplish what they thought was "cleaning out useless files." What this actually caused or created was the existence of incomplete and often inaccurate records.

Perhaps this book will have an eye-opening effect for the reader and will stir memories and answer questions that still prevail or persist. For those who were there, survived the many struggles and hardships, and turned the tide of defeat to victory, I salute all of you. I apologize and ask forgiveness for any errors or omissions that annoy all of those who dare to analyze the confusion, the chaos of battle, to a smartly phrased story. —from the Preface

Sujets

• Histoire
• 7th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
• Military history of the United States
• Military
• History of Korea
• Korean War
• History

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 1992
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781618585301
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 8 Mo

Extrait

TURNER PUBLISHING COMPANY
Publisher s Editor: Robert J. Martin
Writer: Edward L. Daily
Designer: Luke A. Henry
Copyright 1992
Turner Publishing Company
This book or any part thereof may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 92-060620
ISBN: 978-1-56311-088-7
Extra copies available from the publisher.

Chaplain helping a wounded trooper. (U.S. Army Photo)

Strategic withdrawal south of Seoul on January 3, 1951. (U.S. Army Photo)

Republic of Korea soldiers. They were tough and determined fighters. (U.S. Army Photo)
A typical Korean village prior to the Korean War, 1950 .

1st Cavalry Division troopers looking at where two bullet holes almost went through the same hole in his helmet. (U.S. Army Photo)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
The GARRYOWEN
The Author
Legacy of the 7th Cavalry
General George A. Custer
From the Commanders
The Commanders
Esprit de Corps to the GARRYOWEN
Chapter I OCCUPATION DUTY
Chapter II JOURNEY INTO WAR
Chapter III PUSAN PERIMETER
Chapter IV THE BREAKOUT
Chapter V CROSSING THE 38TH PARALLEL
Chapter VI CHINESE INTERVENTION
Chapter VII ADVANCE TO THE REAR
Chapter VIII COUNTERATTACK
Chapter IX CHINESE SPRING OFFENSIVE
Chapter X IRON TRIANGLE
Campaigns
Medal of Honor
Charts
Extracts
Glossary
Roster
Acknowledgments
Friends Remembrances
Sources
PREFACE

Much about the Korean War still is hidden and much will long remain hidden. Nevertheless, an attempt was made by the author to give a historical account of the 7th Cavalry Regiment s activities during Occupation Duty in Japan after World War II and combat actions within the Korean War. This was accomplished by exploring all known official existing records in the National Military Archives, which have been quoted freely and very often verbatim to give a truthful view of events as they existed at that particular time.
Throughout the years, the original records of the 7th Cavalry Regiment have suffered from many disasters. On March 30, 1952, a fire destroyed the regimental headquarters in Japan, and everything was burned except the regimental colors. To further complicate the matter, but to comply with orders, many valuable records were destroyed to accomplish what they thought was cleaning out useless files. What this actually caused or created was the existence of incomplete and often inaccurate records.
Perhaps this book will have an eye-opening effect for the reader and will stir memories and answer questions that still prevail or persist. For those who were there, survived the many struggles and hardships, and turned the tide of defeat to victory, I salute all of you. I apologize and ask forgiveness for any errors or omissions that annoy all of those who dare to analyze the confusion, the chaos of battle, to a smartly phrased story.

Edward L. Daily Author
INTRODUCTION

L to R: Attorney General J. Howard McGrath, President Harry Truman and Defense Secretary Louis Johnson, walk to the White House to discuss first Korean crisis on June 27, 1950. (Wide World)

L to R: Korean Ambassador John Chang and Secretary General Trygve Lie, confirm that it is war against the United Nations. (Acme-UPI)
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, and ended when an Armistice Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. The first 17 months the war raged up and down and across the peninsula of that country. Both North Korea and South Korea were devastated. After the war, machines of the United Nations Command, both North and South Korea and the Chinese Communist Forces had chewed up the country, spitting out waste, much had been lost and very little had been gained by either side. The fight to gain land, for one side or the other, ended almost exactly where it began, along the 38th Parallel.
Although great masses of land were taken and lost again by both sides during the first 17 months of the Korean War, the beginning peace talks saw the war stagnate following a last major engagement in late 1951, which was called the Punchbowl. The war stagnated with combatants on both sides living in trenches. The war was a matter of fierce firefights with small arms, reconnaissance and combat patrols and a matter of howitzers and mortars fired discriminately and indiscriminately.
Numerous books detail the history of early Korean War battles, or engagements, both large and small, of men and machines of war, of the way and manner and fighting abilities of all concerned with the war, especially during the first 17 months of the Korean War.
Very few books have been written of the months that followed from October 1951 until the end in July 1953. In those 21 months, many men died in the trench warfare that existed. A warfare likened to that of World War I, but which was fought in a more modern manner. Although still a shooting war, a dying war, the Korean war came virtually to a standstill, degenerating in 1951 into dreary and seemingly endless battles for the same hills. Even though the war came somewhat to a halt, the men fighting it did not.
The many struggles and hardships of combat that were experienced by the 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, probably were no worse than any other infantry regiment that fought in the Korean War. Justifiably so, nevertheless, the regiment experienced continuous combat and under every possible condition, during the first 17 months of the Korean War. The regiment did their fair share within the United Nations Command in helping to restore peace in South Korea.
But the price of victory did not come cheap. The regiments desperate battles, fought amid the stinking rice paddies and barren wind-swept frozen hills of Korea, cost the regiment more than 600 killed, 3,500 wounded and 300 missing in action. Also during this same time span, the 1st Cavalry Division suffered 16,498 soldiers killed or wounded in action. The Korean War cost the United States 54,246 killed in action, 103,284 wounded and 8,177 missing in action. A grim reminder of the precious price that is paid for freedom.
And history has a way of making fools of all who would second-guess a verdict, and the Korean War is a particular case in point. The accepted wisdom has been that the war in Korea would be recorded as a wasted effort, a stalemate in the struggle against communism that was best ignored and forgotten.
Recent world events, however, have called that premature evaluation into question. Korea might turn out to be the most decisive conflict waged during the entire 20th century - the war that spelled the death knell of Communism itself.
Within the past two years, we have seen the failure of communism throughout the world. Individual freedom has prevailed in large measure because of the United States stand during the Korean War.
As President Calvin Coolidge once said, No man was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave . All Korean War veterans should feel extremely proud because they gave much courage and self-sacrifice to preserve the freedom and democracy in South Korea. I salute all of you . . .

Edward L. Daily Author
THE GARRYOWEN

BLAZON OF THE REGIMENTAL INSIGNIA OF THE 7TH U.S. CAVALRY, USA
A cavalry horseshoe, or, heels upward, with crease, sabre and seven nail heads, white. Above and joining the heels of the shoe, a scroll, azure, bearing the words, GARRYOWEN, or . . .
At the base and emerging from sinister side of the shoe, a dexter arm embowed, vested azure, the hand in the buckskin gauntlet, proper, grasping an old style U.S. Army sabre, or hilted, or blade extending to center or scroll gripe, sabre threaded or . . .
Explanation of Design
The horseshoe is symbolic of the Cavalry. Its color, gold (yellow in heraldic tincture), is the color of the old uniform facings of the United States Cavalry, in existence when the Regiment was organized and still is retained as the color of the Cavalry Arm.
The words, GARRYOWEN, are the title of an old Scottish (sic) war song known and used as the Regimental song since the days of General Custer. Its rollicking air symbolizes the esprit de corps for which the Regiment is noted.
The arm, taken from the crest of the Regimental Coat of Arms, symbolizes the spirit of the Cavalry Charge. At the time of the organization of the Regiment, this position of the arm and sabre was known as Raise Sabre and was taken at the command, Charge. The sabre itself is of the old Cavalry type used in the Indian campaigns. The gauntlet also is symbolic of those times. The blue of the sleeve is the blue of the old Army uniform. The twisted emblem at toe of shoe is symbolic of Indian days.
For many years, the Regimental song was accepted as being of Scottish origin; however, it has been definitely established that the song is of Irish origin. It had been used by several Irish regiments as their quick march; the Fifth Royal Irish Lancers stationed in the suburb of Limerick called GARRYOWEN, (the Gaelic word, meaning Owen s Garden ) used it as their drinking song, the words hardly can be called elevating, but depict the rollicking nature of the Lancers while in town on pay day in search of their peculiar style of camaraderie.
Authority: Boosey: London: (no date, presumably about 1800) Songs of Ireland.
THE SONG OF GARRYOWEN
It was an Irish quick marching or drinking song adopted by the 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1867. Its first introduction to war was at the Battle of Washita, on Nov. 17, 1868. After that, all 7th Cavalry troopers were known as GARRYOWENs.
We are the pride of the Army and a Regiment of great renown
Our names in the pages of history from 66 on down
If you think we stop or falter while into the fray we re goin
Just watch our step, with our heads erect when our band plays GARRYOWEN
THE AUTHOR

Edward L. Daily
Edward L. Daily enlisted directly into the 1st Cavalry Division in 1948. After completing Armored-Infantry basic tra