THEEAGLE OFTHEIRONTRIANGLE - Koumanakos

1 , "fairuse" , fairuse, ,warminvitationfordeath,Tobravemen,whoha ddecidedtodieAndkeeptheirnamehonoreeandt heiroathinfaith.(Refrain)TherewereTom,Di ck,HarryandtheEagle snesttheCANDOR egimentalCombatTeamdefendingsectorsWhere itsunitsparticipatedtotheDeathFestWithth eirbravesoldierstobetheactors.(Refrain) haros andremainedfreeSavingtheirpositionsandpr ide.(Refrain)Refrain: , : ,thatwearefightinghere,faithfultoherrule s. (June15 July27,1953).. , $. FreeLanceStar .. (?).. , , ,especiallyinthetrenchwarfareofIRONTRIAN GLE whichthe15thregement, ,daythattheceasefireagreementwassigned,G reekBattalion,knownasSpartan sBattalion,undertheCommandingofLtColGeor geKoumanakos,wasattachedto15thregthathad themissiontodefendthefourSectorsoftheIro nTriangle,TOM,DICK, Nestoftheeagle.

2 On25thofMarch1953,theRegimentalCommander Akers, (Seepage93) .. TheEagleoftheIronTriangle. 11 TheIronTriangleistheareathatconnectsComh wa, ,andthisbattlefieldwasprohibitedtothepub licafter1953, ;b , (MLR)andanditsdefencefromthebeginningof1 953untiltheJulyof1953thattheKoreanwarend ed,wasaresponsibilityofthe CANDO CANDO RCTundertheCom-mandingofLtColAkersJn,was consistedfromthe15thregimentUSArmy,theSp artan sbattalionoftheGreekExpebditionaryForces (GEF) ,onebattalionofthe5thRCT, ,(GEF) , , ,butthehistoryoftheGreekBattalioninKorea (knownasSpartan sBattalion)fromJanuary1953untilJuly1953, ,GeneralGeorgeKoumanakoswasassignedasthe CommandingOfficerofthatBattalionoftheGre ekExpeditionaryForces(GEF).However,atthe beginning,thereisafterthatpreface,aconci seoutlineoftheKoreanWar, ,andicludedocuments,memoriesandlettersof people, ,Ican tmentionthemasIhaven ,wasmetpersonallywithCaptainSkaltsasKost asforseveraltimesbutunfortunately,veryso on, , , (ChapterV)

3 , , ,somethingisnotcorrectinthatbook, , ,I mstillwaitingforanynewexperience,documen torphoto,fromanybody, , , ,LtGeneralEliasKoumanakos,mybrother,whoc overedthechapterIandhepassedawayonApril1 2, ,ImentionCaptainMartinMarcley,Commanding ofKCompany,whowasthefirstthatrespondedto myrequestandsentmemanye-mails, ,MasterSergeantofNCompanyduringJuneuf195 3andheparticipatedatthecounterattackofNC ompanyagainstCCFonthenightofJune17/18195 3, ,evenIdon tknowthemandIdidn thaveanymeantocommunicatewiththem, ,3rdInfantryDivision, , , , , ,3rdCompany,493 CommunicationBattalion,whowenttoKoreaonF ebruary, ,manythingshavechangedsincethetimeofthef irstedition, ,IstaytoaletterthatIreceivedatthebeginni ngofthisyear, O co,GEFB attalion, , ,1950 TOJULY27,1953 Thefollowingtextisbasedto:-Thearticle"Th eWarinKorea"publishedinaSpecialeditionof Pacific StarsandStripes.

4 CANDO , , ,touchedoffonJune25,1950,bythesudden,tre acherousattackuponthetinyRepublicofKorea byCommunistNorthKoreanforces, ,theseland,sea, ,1950,werefromthe24thInfantryDivision."T askForceSmith," ,consistingofelementsofCompaniesBandC,21 stInfantryRegiment,abatteryof105howitzer sfromthe52dFieldArtilleryBattalion,pluss omemortars, ,andrecoillessrifles,reachedPusanonJuly2 ,1950, ,well-trainedNorthKoreansoldiers,spearhe adedbyRussian-madeT-34tanks, ,otherelementsofthe24thhadreachedKoreaan djoined"TaskForceSmith" ,artillery,andmortars;hisinfantrywaswell -trained,tough,andaggressive, , , ,andwhiletheenemywasnotstopped,hewasforc edtoslowdownhistimetable, ,1950,thecommandinggeneralofEighthArmy, , , ,andonJuly13,EUSAK EighthUnitedStatesArmyKorea ,theUnitedStatesArmyForcesinKorea(USAFIK ) , ,1950, ,withtheauthorityvestedinhimbyPresidentT rumaninresponsetoaresolutionoftheUnitedN ationsSecurityCouncil, , ,1950, ,onJuly20, ,whowasawardedtheCongressionalMedalofHon orforhispartinthisfight, , ,theirchancesofdrivingthedefendersoffree domintothesealessened, , ,battle-readydivision,the2dInfantry,waso nitswayfromtheZI, , , , , ,6th,8th,Capitol, ,knownasthePusanPerimeter, "StandorDie" , ,"TaskForceKean,".

5 Thenewlyarrived1stProvisionalMarineBriga de,andthe5thRCT, , , ,the9thRegimentofthe2dDivision, ,thenregained, "BowlingAlley," ,25thDivision,beatbackallthefuriousenemy assaultsdownthe"BowlingAlley" ,whichhadarrivedinPusanonAugust29fromHon gKong, ,the1stCavalryDivision,the24thDivision, ,butbymasterlyuseofreserves,andbysheerco urageanddetermination, ,1950,inoneofthemostsuccessfulandcertain lythemostdelicatelytimedamphibiousoperat ionseverconducted, ,followinginthewakeofaterrificnavalbomba rdment, ,air,andinfantrypower, , ,groundelements, , , ,freenowfromthePusanPerimeter, , ,too,IXCorpsbecameoperational, ,racingnorthwardthroughenemyterritory, , ; ,EighthArmywasreinforcedbyabattalioneach ofPhilippineandAustraliantroops, , , ,theenemycapital, , ,whenthe187thAirborneRegimentalCombatTea mdroppedatSukchonandSumchon, , , , :theMarinesstrikingtowardtheChoShinreser voir,the7thDivisiontothenorthwest, ,asmalltaskforceofthe17thInfantryRegimen t,7thDivision, , , ,unitsofXCorps, ,the7thandthenewlyar-rived3rdDivision,an dROKD ivisions, ,reportshadbeenreceivedofChinesetroopsop eratingwithinKoreaas"volunteers.

6 "Itwasknownthatthesetroopswerecrossingth eYaluinincreasingnumbers,butitwasbelieve dthattheyweremerelyatokenforceandthatthe ChineseCommunistforces,knowntobepresenti nManchuria, , literallyhundredsofthousandsoffresh,well -equippedtroops ,XCorpscameunderheavyattackby12 Chinesedivisions, , ,theRoyalUlsterRiflesBattalionoftheUnite dKingdom39thBrigade,thelastfriendlyunitt oevacuatePyongyang, , ,whichhadbeentrappedbylargeChineseforces , , ,provokingthenowfamousretortofMarines commander, ,"Retreat,hell!We reonlyattackinginanotherdirection." ,andlandandnavalgunfirehittingtheattacki ngenemy,XCorpscompletedtheevacuationof10 5,000militarypersonnel,91,000civilianref ugees,17,500vehiclesand350, ,EighthArmycommander, , , , tenoughtroopstospanthepeninsula, sEve,theenemy , , , ,bymid-January, ,EighthArmycommander,setthestageforthene xtmonthsofcombatoperationbyhisarmywhenhe said,ininitiatingthefirstcoordina-31tedo ffensivebyforcesunderhiscommand," slashingattheenemywhenhewithdrawsandfigh tingdelayingactionwhenheattacks.

7 " ,EighthArmyinflictedanestimated70, , ,insub-zeroweather,theChinesestruckharda tthecentralsectortowardWonju,whichwashel dbythe187thRCT:abattalionofthe17thInfant ry,7thDivision;andtheROK18thRegiment,ROK 3dDivision, ,anisolatedpocketmannedbythe2dDivision , sweakenedconditionaftertheirabortiveassa ult; "OperationKiller."ThisoperationswepttheC hineseandNorthKoreansback, , , ,makinganoccasionalstand, , ,1stCavalryDivision, , ,scurryingnorthward,wasbecominghardtofin d, ,therefore, ,115mileslong, ,inaseriesofsteady,unspectaculargainswit hmaximumcasualtiesbeinginflictedontheRed s,anoperationwasinitiatedtocontinuetheAr my "IronTriangle," , "IronTriangle" , , , , , ,UnitedNationsCommand, , , , ,1951, scapabilities,hesaid," " , ,however,and,inthefaceofcoldlyefficientk illingtacticsemployedbyarejuvenatedEight hArmy, , ,stretchingdueeastfor20miles, ,whichtheenemyloudlyproclaimedashisFifth Phaseoffensive,hadfailed, ,butbyacombinationofairsupport,tankandar tilleryfire,andinfantrytenacity,hadinfli cted20, , ,attemptingtocontacttheenemy, , , , ,severedtheMSR.

8 Andthetwosisterregimentswiththeirattache dFrenchandNetherlandsBattalionsfoughtsou thwardalongtheMSR,brokethetrap,andorgani zedadefenselinesouthofHangye ,lesserenemyattackswerecontainedmoreeasi lyuntiltheenemy,exhausted,casualtyridden ,andinserioussupplydifficulties,reducedt hepressure, ,caughttheenemyinhiswithdrawal,disorgani zedhisforces, , ,mud,andenemydelayingactionimpededtheclo singofmanyotherescaperoutesandpreventedt hecompletedestructionorseizureoftheenemy , , ,twotank-infantrytaskforces, ,anotherfromthe25thDivision,advancedfrom ChorwonandKumhwa,respectively, , ,inkeepingwithhistacticaldoctrine, , , , ,onJune14,1951, ,ifitcouldbeachieved,thancontinuedwasteo fhumanlives,andsinceitwashopedtheremight besomegrainofsinceritybehindtheCommunist offer, ,1951, , ,CommanderNavalForcesFarEast,andfromtheC hineseandNorthKoreanCommunists, , ,inthefaceofalleffortsandconcessionsmade bytheUnitedNationsCommand,theCommunistsh avesucceededindelayingandstallingonthene gotiationsuntil,inthefinalanalysis, ,theCommunistnegotiatorshavefalsified,40 THEEAGLEOFTHEIRONTRIANGLE equivocated,propagandized,threatened,pou ted, , shumanitarianpolicieswithregardtorepatri ationofprisonersofwar, ,theCommunistsuntilMarch,1953,insistedth atprisonersmustbeforcedtoreturntotheirco ntrolwithoutregardfortheindividual swishesinthematter, ,Allieddelegates, , ,1952, swishes, ,theWesternworld ,1952.

9 WhentheLeagueofRedCrossSocietiesinGeneva urgedbothsidesintheconflicttoexchangeser iouslysickandwoundedPOWs.( ) ,1953, sletterwasanswered,theworld snewspaperswerefilledwiththestoryofSovie tPremierJosefStalin , ,1953, sforeignministerChouEn-lai,justreturnedf romStalin sfuneralatMoscow, "neutral" , ,1951,untilApril,1953, ,however,initiatedlimitedoffensivesforke yterrainfeatures, ,thesee-sawbattlesforT-Bone,Vegas,OldBal dy,KellyHillsanddozensofotherlocalizedco mbatoperationssinceJuly, ,theCommunistsbuiltuptheirdepletedground forces,strengthenedtheirdefenses,created vaststocksofsupplies, ,1951, ,the40thandthe45thDivisions, , ,1951, , , ,onFebruary11, , ,1950, ,RoyalAustralianRegiment, ,1950, ,whicharrivedinNovember,1950,coveredtheJ anuary,1951, s2dBattalion,PrincessPatricia sCanadianLightInfantry, ,1950, ,1951, , , , ,1951, (abattalioncombatteam)

10 ,1950, ,1950, , ,1950, ,1950andwentintoactiononthewesternfrontd uringthefirstweekofFebruary,1951, ,1951,andwasattachedtotheUnitedKingdom ,1951,followedamonthlaterbytheColombianB attalionwhichdisembarkedinKoreaonJune14, 1951, :GroundForcesAustralia,Belgium,Canada,Co lombia,Greece,France,Luxembourg,Netherla nds,NewZealand,Philippines,Ethiopia,Unit edKingdom, ,Greece, ,Canada,Colombia,France,Netherlands, ,India,Italy, , (GreekExpeditionaryForces)andlaterasSpar tan sBattalion,wasafullyOrganizedBattalionwi thHq,threeRifleCompanies(N,OandP.)aHeavy WeaponsCompany(QCompany)andaHeadquarters Section,(RCompany).GEF,fromJanuary1953un tilltheendofthewar(July27,1953) ,forallthistime,asapartofthe5thRegimenta lCombatTeam,defendedtheIRONTRIANGLE,init iallyontheSector THEEAGLE SNEST ,thenontheSector DICK andfromJune16,1953 GEFmovedon48 THEEAGLEOFTHEIRONTRIANGLES ector HARRY.