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14 July 1950: Battle of Taejon begins in South Korea.
After TF Smith was battered in repeated clashes with North Korean forces backed by Soviet-provided T-34 tanks in the vicinity of Osan in late June and early July 1950, the remainder of the U.S. 24th Inf. Div. arrived on the scene.
Commanded by Maj. Gen. William F. Dean, the 24th acquitted itself well but lacked tanks with which to stem the tide of NKPA armor. In addition, the 24th's infantry units were equipped with obsolete 2.36-inch bazooka antitank rocket launchers rather than the more modern 3.5-inch version, of which there were only a few.
By 12 July General Dean realized his best hope was to withdraw his infantry regiments and artillery battalions south of the Kum River and destroy all the bridges. Once this had been accomplished, he established a line that looped north and east around Taejon, which housed the division's HQ and supply elements, along the Kum River. The 34th Inf. Regt. was on the left and the 19th Inf. Regt. was on the right. Each had only two battalions. Meanwhile, he pulled the battered 21st Inf. Regt. to the rear to rest, reorganize and act as the division's reserve force.
The battle commenced on 14 July when NKPA forces crossed the Kum River in boats and vehicles, creating immense confusion in the 34th Inf.'s sector. Companies began to fall back, exposing artillery batteries, and soon the entire line was threatened.
General Dean directed the 34th Inf. to counterattack and regain the lost ground, but it was unable to do so. Not wanting the NKPA to get all the artillery's guns and vehicles, he ordered in airstrikes at the end of the day to destroy the lost weapons and equipment. It was a grim situation indeed.
ILLUSTRATIONS: (1) Men of the 24th Inf. Div.'s TF Smith attempt to slow NKPA armor advancing southward from Seoul, early July 1950. (2) Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker, Eighth Army CO, discusses the situation at Taejon with 24th Inf. Div. CO Maj. Gen. William F. Dean, 7 July 1950. (3) Fighting rages around Taejon, 14 July 1950. (4) NKPA troops pick over an abandoned artillery position in the 34th Inf. sector outside of Taejon.
After TF Smith was battered in repeated clashes with North Korean forces backed by Soviet-provided T-34 tanks in the vicinity of Osan in late June and early July 1950, the remainder of the U.S. 24th Inf. Div. arrived on the scene.
Commanded by Maj. Gen. William F. Dean, the 24th acquitted itself well but lacked tanks with which to stem the tide of NKPA armor. In addition, the 24th's infantry units were equipped with obsolete 2.36-inch bazooka antitank rocket launchers rather than the more modern 3.5-inch version, of which there were only a few.
By 12 July General Dean realized his best hope was to withdraw his infantry regiments and artillery battalions south of the Kum River and destroy all the bridges. Once this had been accomplished, he established a line that looped north and east around Taejon, which housed the division's HQ and supply elements, along the Kum River. The 34th Inf. Regt. was on the left and the 19th Inf. Regt. was on the right. Each had only two battalions. Meanwhile, he pulled the battered 21st Inf. Regt. to the rear to rest, reorganize and act as the division's reserve force.
The battle commenced on 14 July when NKPA forces crossed the Kum River in boats and vehicles, creating immense confusion in the 34th Inf.'s sector. Companies began to fall back, exposing artillery batteries, and soon the entire line was threatened.
General Dean directed the 34th Inf. to counterattack and regain the lost ground, but it was unable to do so. Not wanting the NKPA to get all the artillery's guns and vehicles, he ordered in airstrikes at the end of the day to destroy the lost weapons and equipment. It was a grim situation indeed.
ILLUSTRATIONS: (1) Men of the 24th Inf. Div.'s TF Smith attempt to slow NKPA armor advancing southward from Seoul, early July 1950. (2) Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker, Eighth Army CO, discusses the situation at Taejon with 24th Inf. Div. CO Maj. Gen. William F. Dean, 7 July 1950. (3) Fighting rages around Taejon, 14 July 1950. (4) NKPA troops pick over an abandoned artillery position in the 34th Inf. sector outside of Taejon.
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The South Korean army was desperate and in shambles. Caught unprepared, they were no match for North Korean troops who streamed in single file toward the southern port city of Busan. Troops on the ground quickly realized that their rifle shells, bazookas and other artillery were no match for state of the art Soviet-made North Korean T-34 tanks. They also well knew that if the North Koreans captured Busan, the entire peninsula would fall to the communists.
American troops scrambled to action. On June 30, thousands of them assembled at Itazuke Air Base in Japan. Lieutenant Colonel Brad Smith screamed out to the men, “The lid has blown off! Get on your clothes and report to the [command post]!” Division commander Bill Dean greeted them with grim news. They were headed across the sea to Pusan. Dean directed Smith, “When you get to Busan, head for Daejeon. We want to stop the North Koreans as far [north of] Busan as we can. Block the main road as far north as possible… go beyond [the city of Daejeon] if you can. Sorry I can’t give you more information, but that’s all I’ve got. Good luck to you and God bless you and your men.” With that, the troops shuffled into Air Force C-54 Skymasters, which ferried them to Korea. Those who pressed on toward Daejeon became known as “Task Force Smith.”
Bill Dean and the rest of Task Force Smith made it to Daejeon as Smith had urged them. There, they ran into a hornet’s nest. On the morning of July 20, North Korean troops attacked the city, fighting their way through the city’s narrow lanes. It was mayhem.
Robert Gray remembers leaving Japan for Korea around July 4. Like many others, he arrived in Busan, got on a train, then immediately traveled north to Daejeon, Grey’s job was to prevent the North Koreans from crossing the Geum River and invading the city. Vincent Bentz, one of the men in Bill Dean’s unit, recalled, “everybody was messed up, we didn’t know what was going on anymore.” [Video: Vincent Bentz – Everybody Was Messed Up] Herman Naville and the soldiers in his company knew trouble was ahead as they approached Daejeon. South of the city, they encountered other American soldiers who were beating a hasty retreat. They warned Naville and his company that it was “suicide” ahead. [Video: Herman Naville – Suicide Ahead] Following orders, they pressed on anyway.
On July 16, Robert Gray’s regiment, the 19th, was virtually wiped out and forced to retreat along with Smith’s task force. The North Koreans then streamed across the Geum River, taking the city of Daejeon by July 20. Grey was lucky. He recalled that he had a birthday coming up that he didn’t think he would ever see.
MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth,PO1 William "Chip" Nagel,SGT (Join to see),LTC Steve Mannell,SGT Steve McFarland,MSG Anthony Makar,Lt Col Charlie Brown,Maj Marty Hogan.
American troops scrambled to action. On June 30, thousands of them assembled at Itazuke Air Base in Japan. Lieutenant Colonel Brad Smith screamed out to the men, “The lid has blown off! Get on your clothes and report to the [command post]!” Division commander Bill Dean greeted them with grim news. They were headed across the sea to Pusan. Dean directed Smith, “When you get to Busan, head for Daejeon. We want to stop the North Koreans as far [north of] Busan as we can. Block the main road as far north as possible… go beyond [the city of Daejeon] if you can. Sorry I can’t give you more information, but that’s all I’ve got. Good luck to you and God bless you and your men.” With that, the troops shuffled into Air Force C-54 Skymasters, which ferried them to Korea. Those who pressed on toward Daejeon became known as “Task Force Smith.”
Bill Dean and the rest of Task Force Smith made it to Daejeon as Smith had urged them. There, they ran into a hornet’s nest. On the morning of July 20, North Korean troops attacked the city, fighting their way through the city’s narrow lanes. It was mayhem.
Robert Gray remembers leaving Japan for Korea around July 4. Like many others, he arrived in Busan, got on a train, then immediately traveled north to Daejeon, Grey’s job was to prevent the North Koreans from crossing the Geum River and invading the city. Vincent Bentz, one of the men in Bill Dean’s unit, recalled, “everybody was messed up, we didn’t know what was going on anymore.” [Video: Vincent Bentz – Everybody Was Messed Up] Herman Naville and the soldiers in his company knew trouble was ahead as they approached Daejeon. South of the city, they encountered other American soldiers who were beating a hasty retreat. They warned Naville and his company that it was “suicide” ahead. [Video: Herman Naville – Suicide Ahead] Following orders, they pressed on anyway.
On July 16, Robert Gray’s regiment, the 19th, was virtually wiped out and forced to retreat along with Smith’s task force. The North Koreans then streamed across the Geum River, taking the city of Daejeon by July 20. Grey was lucky. He recalled that he had a birthday coming up that he didn’t think he would ever see.
MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth,PO1 William "Chip" Nagel,SGT (Join to see),LTC Steve Mannell,SGT Steve McFarland,MSG Anthony Makar,Lt Col Charlie Brown,Maj Marty Hogan.
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
Thank you for the additional history information CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana .
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CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth, my pleasure to add masala on MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. and his historical amnesia. LoL
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MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
Good addition. I had intended to resume the narrative othe the 20th but no problem.
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