The Inchon Landing in September 1950 was a surprise attack by UN forces at Inchon, South Korea. Through deception and intelligence gathering, the US was able to overwhelm the North Korean defenders. Several beaches were taken with light resistance. This allowed UN forces to capture the city of Inchon and begin advancing toward Seoul. However, the battle to take Seoul was slow and bloody as North Korean forces resisted heavily in the capital.
The Inchon Landing in September 1950 was a surprise attack by UN forces at Inchon, South Korea. Through deception and intelligence gathering, the US was able to overwhelm the North Korean defenders. Several beaches were taken with light resistance. This allowed UN forces to capture the city of Inchon and begin advancing toward Seoul. However, the battle to take Seoul was slow and bloody as North Korean forces resisted heavily in the capital.
The Inchon Landing in September 1950 was a surprise attack by UN forces at Inchon, South Korea. Through deception and intelligence gathering, the US was able to overwhelm the North Korean defenders. Several beaches were taken with light resistance. This allowed UN forces to capture the city of Inchon and begin advancing toward Seoul. However, the battle to take Seoul was slow and bloody as North Korean forces resisted heavily in the capital.
• CIA placed spies in Inchon two weeks before attack
• Provided intel on fortifications, artillery pieces, and tidal patterns • UN forces conducted deception operations to focus enemy attention on Kusan • USA began bombing Wolmido five days before landing Green Beach
• At 0630 on September 15 3/5 landed on Wolmido island
• North Korean did not expect landing to take place at Wolmido so they were outnumbered 6:1 by UN forces • The island was captured by noon with 14 casualties from US Red Beach
• Late afternoon on September 15 1/5, 2/5, and 3rd Battalion
ROK Marines • Mission was to seize are three thousand yards long and one thousand yards deep • Despite coming under heavy mortar and machine gun fire, they cleared the beach by early September 16 • This allowed 3/5 to enter Inchon and take the city by the afternoon Blue Beach
• Much farther south than other two beaches
• 1/1 and 2/1’s mission was to take the beach and the road to Seoul • North Korea sank one tank landing ship, but USA faced little opposition after bombing runs • After taking beachhead they prepped for the inland invasion Kimpo Airfield
• On September 17 2/5 began their attempt to capture the
airfield • Many North Korean troops fled towards Seoul before the fight started • By the morning of September 18 the airfield was under US control • By September 22 they unloaded 6,629 vehicles, 53,882 troops, and 25,512 tons of supplies The Battle of Seoul
• In contrast to the quick victory at Incheon, the advance on
Seoul was slow and bloody. • The NKPA launched another T-34 attack, which was trapped and destroyed, and a Yak bombing run in Incheon harbor, which did little damage. • The NKPA attempted to stall the UN offensive to allow time to reinforce Seoul and withdraw troops from the south. Though warned that the process of taking Seoul would allow remaining NKPA forces in the south to escape, MacArthur felt that he was bound to honor promises given to the South Korean government to retake the capital as soon as possible. The Second Day
• Vessels carrying the U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division arrived in
Incheon Harbor. General Almond was eager to get the division into position to block a possible enemy movement from the south of Seoul. • On the morning of September 18, the division's 2nd Battalion of the 32nd Infantry Regiment landed at Incheon and the remainder of the regiment went ashore later in the day. • The next morning, the 2nd Battalion moved up to relieve a U.S. Marine battalion occupying positions on the right flank south of Seoul. • Meanwhile, the 7th Division's 31st Regiment came ashore at Incheon. Responsibility for the zone south of Seoul highway passed to 7th Division at 18:00 on September 19. • The 7th Infantry Division then engaged in heavy fighting with North Korean soldiers on the outskirts of Seoul. Before the Battle
• North Korea had just one understrength division in the city,
with the majority of its forces south of the capital. • MacArthur personally oversaw the 1st Marine Regiment as it fought through North Korean positions on the road to Seoul. Control of Operation Chromite was then given to Major General Edward Almond, the X Corps commander. • General Almond was in an enormous hurry to capture Seoul by September 25, exactly three months after the North Korean assault across the 38th parallel. • On September 22, the Marines entered Seoul to find it fortified. Casualties mounted as the forces engaged in house to house fighting. • On September 26, the Hotel Bando (which had served as the US Embassy) was cleared by Easy Company of 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. During this fight about 12 North Korean P.O.W.s were killed (apparently while naked and unarmed) in the building's basement. • General Almond declared the city liberated on September 25 even though Marines were still engaged in house-to-house combat.