Over The Beach: U.s. Army Amphibious Operations In The Korean War

Over the Beach Beach US Army Amphibious Amphibious Operations in the Korean Kor ean War War Colonel (Retired) (Retired) Donald W. Boose Jr. Jr. Combat Studies Institute Press US Army Combined Arms Center Center Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Kansas Photo GR-02 (3). LST heading for beach at Iwon with troops of the 2d Battalion, 31st Infantry. Note the rugged mountains in the distance, terrain into which this battalion was about to enter. Photo courtesy George Rasula. Over the Beach US Army Amphibious Operations in the Korean War Colonel (Retired) Donald W. Boose Jr. Combat Studies Institute Press US Army Combined Arms Center Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Boose, Donald W. Over the beach : US Army amphibious operations in the Korean War / Donald W. Boose Jr. p. cm. 1. Korean War, 1950-1953--Amphibious operations. 2. Korean War, 1950-1953--Participation, American. 3. United States. Army--History-Korean War, 1950-1953. 4. Amphibious warfare--History--20th century. I. Title. DS919.B66 2008 951.904’242--dc22 2008038959 First printing, December 2008. CSI Press publications cover a variety of military history topics. The views expressed in this CSI Press publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense. A full list of CSI Press publications, many of them available for downloading, can be found at http://usacac.army.mil/ CAC2/CSI/RandPTeam.asp The seal of the Combat Studies Institute authenticates this document as an official publication of the CSI. It is prohibited to use CSI’s official seal on any republication of this material without the written permission of the Director of CSI. Foreword The Combat Studies Institute is pleased to present the latest publication in our Special Study Series, Over the Beach: US Army Amphibious Operations in the Korean War, by historian and retired Army Colonel Donald W. Boose Jr. Colonel Boose has exhaustively studied and skillfully written the little known history of the Army’s amphibious operations during the Korean War. This book is part of our tradition of publishing high-quality historical studies from outside authors that have continuing relevance to the US Army today. Building on its extensive experiences in World War II, General MacArthur and the US Army conducted three major amphibious landings during the war, including the brilliant counterstroke in September 1950, an assault at the port of Incheon behind North Korean lines. After the massive Chinese attacks of November and December 1950, the Army conducted a number of amphibious withdrawals as it fell back southward on the Korean peninsula to more defensible positions. Throughout the war, the Army also conducted a number of non-assault amphibious operations and over-the-shore logistical operations. Since the Korean War, the Army’s amphibious role has greatly decreased in importance. The Army, however, conducted extensive riverine operations in Vietnam and continues to employ them in Iraq. Additionally, over-the-shore logistics remains an important part of Army doctrine and logistical capability today. This historical study chronicles an aspect of the US Army’s history that may seem remote from the challenges facing the Army in 2008. If history “proves” anything, however, it is that the hard-won lessons from the past tend to be relearned in the future. If this study makes that relearning process faster and more effective, it will have fulfilled its purpose. CSI—The Past Is Prologue! Timothy R. Reese Colonel, Armor Director, Combat Studies Institute US Army Combined Arms Center iii Acknowledgments This study was begun at t