Siege of Wonsan
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The Blockade of Wonsan, or the Siege of Wonsan, from February 16, 1951 to July 27, 1953, during the Korean War
, was the longest naval blockade in modern history, lasting 861 days. UN
naval forces, primarily from the United States
, successfully kept the strategically important city of Wonsan
from being used by the North Korea
n Navy. The blockade also served to divert communist troops from the front line. North Korean resistance used artillery
to oppose the American fleet, although this was mostly ineffective, and the city was heavily damaged by UN naval aircraft and warships.
refinery
, 75,000 people, and as many as 80,000 troops, including several artillery batteries
. After the Battle of Inchon
, in which General
Douglas MacArthur
landed on the northwestern shores of the Korean peninsula
, he ordered X Corps to make a landing at Wonsan where they would proceed west, link up with the Eighth Army and then advance towards Pyongyang
, the capital of North Korea. North Korean naval forces had been well supplied by the Soviet Union
and China with all sorts of sea mines and they were used as much as possible to defend Wonsan. Soviet military advisors were also employed to create more effective mine fields. One of the first objectives of the blockade was to begin plotting the locations of mines and then destroy them. Because of this, the use of minesweeper
s became a necessity and eventually dozens would serve in the blockade. Operation Wonsan, or the Clearance of Wonsan, began on October 10 of 1950, ten days before the landing was scheduled to take place. Rear Admiral
James H. Doyle commanded Task Force 90
, a fleet of dozens of American warships which were used in the clearance. Two days later on October 12, mines sank
the sweepers USS Pledge
and USS Pirate
, killing twelve men and wounding dozens of others, all while under accurate fire from North Korean shore batteries. The United States Navy
Pacific Fleet
responded by starting the production of new minesweepers in the largest shipbuilding program since World War II
. Other vessels were damaged by mines and battery fire as well but the loss of the Pirate and Pledge proved to be the major engagement during the operation.
landing at Wonsan, and it was found to have been unnecessary. Preparations began over 800 miles away at Inchon where on October 15, thousands of marines and soldiers, 30,184 in total, embarked transports to participate in the landing. When they arrived off Wonsan on October 20, the clearance of the mine fields was still taking place so for five days X Corps and the 1st Marine Division were forced to remain on ship to wait for a clear path to the beaches. When it came time to land on October 15, the North Koreans had already withdrawn and the British and South Koreans were securing the area. Ultimately the landing was not needed and MacArthur was criticized for not using the X Corps in the pursuit of the retreating North Korean Army on the Inchon front. On October 19, the South Korean Army captured Pyongyang so instead of heading there the American army went north along the coast to occupy Hungnam
and the Chosin Reservoir
areas while the 3rd Infantry Division landed at Wonsan in November as reinforcements.
before launching another offensive, while holding Pusan Perimeter
. When the North Koreans and Chinese recaptured the city, defenses were rebuilt in a more formidable way, additional sea mines were deployed and new artillery batteries were erected.
in July 1953. During nearly three years of blockading United States Navy ships and aircraft
engaged shore batteries repeatedly. Several American vessels were damaged by land based artillery fire though none were destroyed. UN Tast Group 95.2 was assigned to the blockade and they first bombarded Wonsan on February 17, 1951, targeting everything used by the communists and causing heavy damage. On February 19, the destroyer
USS Ozbourn
, under Commander
Ross E. Freeman, was fired on by shore batteries in the Wonsan area. She received two direct hits and several near misses but successfully rescued a downed pilot from the Valley Forge
with a motor boat, while he was adrift in a mine field. The coxswain
of the boat received a Bronze Star for the rescue. Ozbourn eventually returned to San Diego in April 1951 for repairs and later sailed back to North Korea. On February 24, the undefended island of Sindo-ri, in Wonsan Harbor, was captured by South Korean marines supported by two American destroyers and two frigate
s. Wonsan shore batteries also dueled with UN warships on March 3, but there were no recorded hits. The battleship
USS New Jersey
participated in her first shore bombardment mission of the war on May 20, 1951. While patrolling off Wonsan, North Korean batteries opened fire and she was struck by one shell. Though slightly damaged she sustained one man killed and two wounded, her only casualties during the war. Another shot was a near miss and passed over the New Jersey from aft to port. She then responded by bombarding the enemy position until they were silenced. The type of warfare experienced at Wonsan would last throughout the war.
s and destroyers, fired 4,903 rocket
s in thirty-five minutes, further damaging the defenses of the city. UN carrier aircraft were used to fire flares while the warships focused on gunnery. It was the first time LSMRs would be deployed in the siege of Wonsan and over time would cause heavy casualties to the North Korean garrison
. Between June and September the LSMRs would discharge a total of 12,924 5-inch rockets. During the operation, USS Brinkley Bass
was slightly damaged while engaging a battery, she sustained eight casualties in the action.
and the Brinkley Bass used radar to direct their fire and broke the enemy formation. Four sampan
s were recovered the following day along with the bodies of eleven enemies, one other wounded North Korean was taken prisoner and the sampans were found to have been converted to minelayer
s, with four M-26 mines each.
was a destroyer, under Captain
Marshall Thompson
, of Task Force 77 which was by now assigned to naval operations in the Wonsan area. On June 12 of 1951, the Walke was about sixty miles off the coast of North Korea, at position 38-52 N, 129-25 E, when she was struck either by a torpedo
or a floating sea mine which had separated from a field. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Walkes hull on her port side and twenty-six men were killed and forty others wounded. Many of the casualties were blown over the side and into the water when the explosion occurred and it took a long time before all of them could be recovered. Shortly thereafter, sailors on the nearby destroyers USS Hubbard
and USS Bradford spotted an oil slick off of Walkes starboard side so they began dropping depth charge
s on what they reported as being two submarines. The chase was eventually discontinued and the damage to the Walke was temporarily repaired and she made for Japan. A later investigation of the incident recovered a small metal disk from the damaged ship and when analyzed it was concluded to have been part of a torpedo detonator
. The Walke was later repaired and returned to hostile Korean waters the following year.
, USS Blue
and USS Alfred A. Cunningham engaged the batteries at Wonsan, firing 2,336 rounds of 5-inch shells. the North Koreans offered heavy resistance and over 500 splashes were counted but there was no serious damage to the American vessels. The next day USS Evans engaged the batteries and received four near misses, wounding four men aboard the ship.
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Between late June through August 1951, North Korean attacks on American ships seemed to increase so the United States began concentrating on destroying enemy batteries. On June 28, USS Henry W. Tucker
received counter-battery fire while conducting a bombardment of Wonsan Harbor. She was struck by one round, causing light superficial damage and one man was injured. A few days later on July 3, USS Everett
was attacked by the batteries and took hits, killing one man and wounding seven others. The Americans responded with an attack by the Fast Carrier Task Force
. In one day 247 bombing sorties were carried out against Wonsan and 600 South Korean marines raided the mainland from the island of Cho-do. On July 6, USS Evans landed men on the island of Hwangto-do and then with two other destroyers, bombarded buildings and a torpedo station. USS Blue captured Kukto Island the following day and established an observation point to keep watch on North Korean positions. On July 11, in the vicinity of Yo-do island, USS Blue and the Evans were attacked, approximately fifty splashes were counted near the ships but none of them were hit. Due to the attacks, particularly the Battle of the Buzz Saw, American naval commanders decided on launching Operation Kickoff which referred to maneuvers within Wonsan Harbor, aimed at reducing the batteries. Every day on from July 17, 1951, elements of the allied fleet, assigned to bombardment groups, would sail at five knots to bombard known enemy positions and continue doing so from 3:00 pm until dark. On the first day of the maneuvers, the LSMRs USS LSMR-409
and USS LSMR-525 received heavy accurate fire from enemy batteries on the islands of Kalmagak, Umi-do and Ho-do Pan-do. Both of the vessels were struck by shells and damaged but not seriously. Over 500 shells splashed in the water around USS O'Brien and she sustained at least a couple of hits. One man was injured although the damage was light. USS New Jersey and USS Helena
also participated in the bombardment.
On July 31, the Helena engaged in a gunnery duel, she was hit one time before delivering counter battery fire which destroyed seven gun emplacements and an ammunition dump
. There were no casualties caused by the shell striking the ship but near misses wounded two men. On August 4, British Royal Marines
installed mortar
s on Hwangto-do for use in countering the North Korean shore batteries and on August 11, USS Hopewell
, using SFCP, fired direct and indirect fire missions against enemy troop concentrations and transportation targets in Wonsan area. USS Dextrous
, USS Heron
and USS Redstart
also came under fire by shore batteries that same day while conducting check sweep operations in the vicinity of Hodo-pando. Dextrous suffered two direct hits; killing one man, three wounded and moderate damage. With the exception of an attack on USS Uhlmann
on August 20, while off Hodo-pando, Operation Kickoff proved to be a success as the number of attacks on blockading ships decreased for a while until new batteries were constructed. Seven enemy guns opened fire on the Uhlmann that day and after a long engagement, five of the guns were destroyed and 117 splashes were counted by the sailors but there were no hits. The Uhlmann had to break off the attack without silencing the remaining two artillery pieces because allied patrols entered the area.
was hit three times on September 8 by ground based artillery, her fire room
flooded but there were no casualties. On September 10, the minesweepers Redstart and Heron were again damaged by shell fire from Wonsan, this time while rechecking pre-swept waters and on September 20, USS Orleck
bombarded enemy troops and mortar positions, scoring five hits which destroyed an ammunition dump. Orleck also attacked a large sampan, suspected of minelaying, and struck her four times with gunfire. On September 24, the ROKN PF-62 was also damaged by shore battery fire. After three hits, the frigate was moderately damaged and caught on fire. Three South Korean sailors were wounded but they were able to save their ship from complete destruction. Minesweeping operations would continue for months, the UN ships constantly swept various areas to ensure that no new mine fields were layed. Incidents of shore batteries scoring hits on allied warships also became less common and for weeks no vessels were damaged until October 29 when the USS Osprey
was engaged. The Ospreys engine room
flooded after being hit three times and communications went out, one man was seriously wounded though the ship was saved from sinking. By November 9, the minesweeping mission was eighty percent complete, accurate shore battery fire delayed the UN ships from completing the operation for a few more weeks.
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In late 1951 and 1952 intelligence from captured or surrendered North Koreans became more frequent and reliable. The information told the United States that the enemy was building sampans for minelaying and preparing offensives against the islands around Wonsan. MIG
aircraft were also being reported in larger numbers and would begin to threaten UN aircraft and the blockading force. North Korean Army troops, well supplied by the Soviets and the Chinese, were also conducting large artillery bombardments that demonstrated their supply of ammunition.
Shore batteries increased their effectiveness as well, now that fire control was being equipped, air burst rounds were also starting to be used. With the minesweeping operation mostly completed, American bombardment groups began shelling the city again. The USS New Jersey carried out a series of attacks at Wonsan and other nearby coastal targets from November 1 to November 6, 1951, during which she targeted the petroleum refinery at Wonsan, trains, bridges, tunnels, railroads, troop concentrations and shore batteries.
From November 22 to 24, LSR Division 31, including the LSMRs, 401, 403 and 404, conducted fire missions and on November 24 and 25, naval gunfire supported a guerrilla raid on the island of Ka-do where several North Korean prisoners were taken. On November 28 and 29, the North Koreans launched a small offensive operation, in it, armed sampans attacked the island settlement on Hwangto-do, killing one civilian and taking five civilians prisoner. Most of the homes on the island were destroyed in the attack and the North Koreans suffered no casualties. Another large scale bombardment of Wonsan took place on December 20, with the battleship USS Wisconsin
participating. Six days later the ROKN PC-740 was lost, presumably due to striking mine off To-do in Wonsan Harbor.
On January 11, 1952, the next significant gunnery duel began when the Redstart and Dextrous received accurate battery fire from Ho-do Pan-do while they were sailing without an escort. The fire was concentrated on the Dextrous and she sustained considerable superficial damage and a loss of one man killed and two wounded. Later on, the USS Gregory
and USS George K. MacKenzie
engaged in a one hour duel with four 76-millimeter batteries. MacKenzie was closely straddled with thirty-six rounds but there was no damage or casualties. She also made three direct hits on the North Korean command post. The George K. MacKenzie was engaged again on January 24 from Han-do Pan-do, along with the USS Marshall
. Neither ship was damaged and there were no casualties, two 76-millimeter mortar rounds splashed 1,000 yards away from the Marshall. TF-77 rescued survivors from a helicopter crash on February 8, twenty-five miles outside of Wonsan. Reports from RESCAP indicate that personnel involved were apparently in enemy hands. Heavy flak in the area was the probable cause. The grounded helicopter was also destroyed by TF-77 aircraft. By the one year anniversary of the blockade, bombing Wonsan occurred on a daily basis though occasionally the UN fleet would combine their fire power for larger engagements. On February 16, exactly one year after the blockade began, USS Gregory, USS Twining
and USS Rowan
attacked in the usual bombardments that would last until the end of the war. Enemy shore batteries were active on March 13, at Kalmagak, Wonsan against UN siege forces. Counter battery engagements by USS Manchester, USS James E. Kyes
, USS McGinty
and USS Douglas H. Fox
, plus the help of Fast Carrier Task Force planes silenced the enemy guns. Shore battery fire was most accurate to date indicating the possible use of fire control equipment.
USS Wiltsie
and Brinkley Bass engaged shore batteries at Wonsan on March 20, utilizing SFCP spotting. Brinkley Bass scored seven direct hits on one of the batteries located near the city of Wonsan. Neither ship was struck, but the Bass received some shrapnel. March 20 marked the beginning of a four day attack on the blockade by North Korean artillery, on May 21 USS Osprey
was taken under fire by enemy shore batteries while searching for mines. Utilizing SFCP spot, Osprey silenced three batteries and suffered no damage. Brinkley Bass and USS Stickell
silenced a battery at Kalmagak on March 22. USS Wiltsie received fire from the batteries east of Kalmagak on March 23 and, together with Brinkley Bass, responded with counter-battery fire to silence the enemy guns. During the following day the Bass was struck again with one round from Ho-do Pan-do, wounding five men, one seriously, and causing damage to the ship's radio and electronics. On March 28 USS Burlington
was fired on from Ho-do Pan-do, shots straddled the ship but evasive maneuvers prevented probable hits. The Burlington responded with 123 rounds of her own and caused a small forest fire. USS Leonard F. Mason
experienced an explosion in the depth charge starboard detonator locker on April 1, while bombarding Ho-do Pan-do, no casualties were reported. The Wiltsie, USS McGinty
, and USS Condor
were also engaged in the action. USS Symbol
, USS Murrelet
and USS Edmonds
received enemy fire near Wonsan on April 2 and again no damage or casualties were experienced. The same day USS Wiltsie received ten near misses from shore batteries east of Kalmagak while providing fire support for the Condor. Wiltsie was attacked a few more times within the next several days and they were all inconclusive contacts.
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In the Wonsan area on April 10, TF-77 carried out a coordinated strike using the guns of USS Saint Paul
and USS Hanson. USS Silverstein
, to the north of Ho-do Pan-do, received 30 rounds of enemy fire at a range of 12,400 yards with fall of shot fifty to 300 yards from the ship but without damaging her. The incident was taken as evidence that the North Koreans were beginning to use fire control more regularly. On April 11, the Wiltsie and the McGinty were taken under fire by Wonsan shore batteries. Both ships conducted maneuvers in separate areas and delivered counter battery fire. Silverstein, USS Cabildo
and USS Apache
fired suppression fire against the batteries on Ho-do Pan-do. The McGinty was straddled by enemy shore batteries as she moved near Wonsan on April 17. McGinty and the USS Maddox
replied with counter fire and the enemy guns ceased. USS Cabildo was attacked again from shore batteries on April 29 from Ho-do Pan-do. Three near misses straddled ship and one direct hit amidships caused minor damage to structure and electrical wiring, two were wounded. On the same day, USS Silverstein and USS Maddox, in a swept area south of Yo-do, were covering the withdrawal of two friendly sampans from Umi-do, when suddenly enemy batteries opened fire. The sampans received the first salvos, around 30 total so the Silverstein and the Maddox returned the fire and suppressed the batteries. Aircraft from USS Valley Forge
were also called in to provide close air support
. Silverstein received 110 rounds of estimated 105 millimeter batteries though she was not damaged, Maddox received two rounds. There were no allied casualties in the action.
USS Waxbill attacked a shore battery the following day and on April 28 the Silverstein, and USS Conserver
received fire from Ho-do Pan-do. With South Korean small craft, the allied ships bombarded the opposing battery and laid a smokescreen while other nearby ships withdrew. The Conserver received ten rounds of estimated 122-millimeter fire. On May 7, USS Waxbill was fired on by twelve rounds but apparently did not return fire and on May 10, while sweeping Wonsan Harbor, USS Merganser
and USS Redhead
received ten rounds of enemy fire from Kalmagak. Also that day, the Maddox and USS Laffey
attacked North Korean railroad targets, scoring many hits, two railroad cars were damaged along with two buildings. Batteries on Kalmagak fired ten rounds of 76-millimeter fire at the sweepers, the nearest one landing 100 yards from the ship. Counter fire by Maddox scored two more hits. On the next day, the Maddox, the Laffey, the Herbert J. Thomas and the USS Evansville
, received 206 rounds of seventy-five and 155-millimeter fire and an hour long engagement. North Koreans were using hidden guns which were difficult to locate but were believed to have been fired from Han-do Pan-do, Hapchin-ni and Kalamagak. Return fire destroyed three enemy gun positions and the Thomas was hit once, causing little damage and no casualties. On May 17, TG-95.2 reported that an interrogation of seven prisoners, captured off Ho-do Pan-do the day before, revealed that the enemy were planning an attack on Yodo in the near future. Troops are being concentrated in two locations on He-do Pan-do and are going to use about eighty fishing sampans for transport. Ten days later on May 27, shore batteries at Wonsan fought against the USS Cabildo and Ozbourn. In a typical duel the American ships bombarded the coast and were not damaged, the day after USS Ozbourn accepted the surrender of two North Koreans soldiers.
USS O'Bannon suppressed enemy batteries on May 29 after the North Koreans opened fire on friendly islands. The USS Ozbourn, USS Radford, and USS Heron also engaged on May 29 and May 30. Ozbourn received six rounds of 155-millimeter fire and, the Radford, ten rounds of estimated 75-millimeter gunfire with the nearest one landing fifty yards from the ship. The Heron was hit by machine gun fire that hit aft section of the vessel. There were no friendly casualties in any of the actions and in all cases the ships returned fire with naval guns. On June 5, the O'Bannon, Radford and the Lofberg
attacked and silenced a battery of 75-millimeter guns south of Ho-do Pan-do. The artillery opened fire on some American minesweepers but quickly quieted by the escorts. North Koreans artillery in Wonsan bombarded Hwangto-do on June 7, no casualties were reported but twenty-one shot holes were found to have passed through the flag over the island. USS Albuquerque
was straddled by enemy fire on June 12, wounding one man and on June 19 the North Koreans staged another artillery bombardment against friendly held Hwangto-do. USS Parks caught 300 enemy troops repairing a railroad, south of Wonsan on the same day, and fired twenty-eight rounds. She reported inflicting seventy-four casualties and scoring hits on a railroad bridge and tracks. When it became dark, Parks also fired star shells at the location for bombing runs by allied aircraft. The next exchange in the siege of Wonsan occurred a month later on August 10, 1952. Enemy gun positions on He-do Pan-do, fired upon USS Barton
and USS Jarvis
with approximately 250 75-millimeter to 155-millimeter guns. The Barton suffered superficial damage, one man killed, and one wounded. Jarvis was not damaged and counter battery fire destroyed two gun emplacements. Two days after, the USS Grapple
was the target for about thirty rounds of 105-millimeter artillery. The ship was hit once below the waterline causing slight damage. USS Barton fired eighty-nine shots in response and scored three hits on two North Korean batteries. The ROKN FS-905, was also attacked on May 12.
While anchored off Yo-do Island, with a cargo of gasoline and ammunition for motor torpedo boat
s, ROKN FS-905 was taken under fire by enemy shore guns and received one hit in the starboard machine gun battery. The damage was light and there were no casualties. Hwangto-do was bombarded again on August 16 by the North Koreans with four 155-millimeter artillery pieces and large mortars from Kalmagak. The guns could not be located so none of the allied warships could respond. Typhoon Karen swept through Korean waters over the next few days so also blockading activities were suspended. Several UN warships were damaged during the height of the storm. The communists used the chance to attack Hwangto-do again. After the typhoon passed USS Lewis
fired seven rounds of 5-inch shells at an enemy battery on Kalmagak, which was firing on friendly islands in the Wonsan area. The enemy artillery was silenced although they killed one person and wounded and two others. On September 11, 1952, batteries on Umi-do fired eighteen 105-millimeter rounds at the USS Lewis
, no damage or casualties. On September 13, aircraft from the USS Bon Homme Richard
attacked a 130 foot naval like vessel near Wonsan and sank it with rockets and 20 millimeter strafing. The enemy ship was one of the few sunk by UN forces during the war. Two days later, the Barton hit was suspected of being a floating mine while sailing 100 miles due east of Wonsan Harbor. Five enlisted men were counted missing and later presumed dead, six other men were wounded. The fire room flooded and there was other less severe damage. Flooding was brought under control and she set a course for Sasebo
under her own power. USS Cunningham received five hits on September 19. Guns from Wonsan, estimated to be 105 to 155-millimeters, at a distance of 3,500 yards away, hit the Cunningham with their first shot, four more followed along with seven nearby air bursts. Eight Americans were wounded but none of them fatal and the ship was moderately damaged though she was capable of firing 159 rounds of return fire with 5-inch and 3-inch guns.
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USS Jenkins and USS Taylor came under fire from accurate shore batteries in the vicinity of Hwangto-do, the two vessels received an estimated twenty-one rounds of 90-millimeter and three rounds of 105-millimeter, there was no damage. North Korean forces also bombarded Hwangto-do though their batteries were silenced by thirty-nine rounds from the Jenkins. The North Koreans attacked Yo-do Island with artillery a few days later and on September 23 the USS Iowa
was attacked but her 16-inch guns quickly silenced the perpetrators. USS Taylor also silenced a battery on September 25 and the Heron received 105-millimeter fire but was not damaged. Three splashes were counted near the ship. The first and only naval air battle at Wonsan and Hungnam occurred on October 7. MIG-15s attacked TF-77 aircraft three times, one MIG made a firing pass on two American AD planes so they returned fire. There were no damage or casualties on either side and the MIGs retired to the west. Later on four MIG-15s attacked a flight of F4Us while two others attacked eight ADs near Hungnam. In these engagements there were no casualties but in a final attack later on that day, a single MIG-15 destroyed one of four F4Us in another action near Hungnam. On October 16, USS Toledo
was shot at with four rounds from estimated 75-millimeter and 122-millimeter guns. No damage was reported as all of the shells landed splashed in the water around 1,000 yards short of the ship, USS Mansfield
was also attacked with about forty 75-millimeter rounds. For over a month no artillery was exchanged until November 20 when the USS Kite
and USS Thompson received fire from 120-millimeter guns. The Thompson was hit by one round of the many which straddled her, one man suffered wounds and minor material damaged resulted. USS Kite fought another duel on the following day. She received fifty-five 75-millimeter rounds but again sustained no casualties. On November 25, the Thomson found herself in action, this time against enemy aircraft. Jets dropped six to eight explosives over the American ship, the closest landing 300 yards away. The aircraft were heard by the Thompsons lookout but radar showed nothing. USS Merganser was fired upon by guns at the mouth of the Namchongang River on December 6, the Seiverling replied with 101 rounds, and was herself taken under fire by guns on Kalmagak. Fifty-six additional shells were then sent in that direction. On the following day, Merganser received thirty more rounds of 75-millimeter fire from Kalmagak but she was not damaged. USS Shields
, USS Seiverling and UN minesweepers were fired upon by approximately seventy-five rounds on December 11. The small minesweepers were forced to slip their gear and use smoke pots to help cover themselves. That same day, USS Waxbill and USS Marshall collided west of Yo-do, Waxbill sustained topside damage to hull fittings but was still operational and otherwise unharmed.
On December 12 the Marshall was attacked again, twenty rounds were fired her way but as usual the communists could not hit their target. USS Grasp and the Seiverling were also attacked and they too escaped harm. About forty rounds of North Korean artillery targeted the Waxbill and the Marshall on December 13, while they were patrolling near the Namchongang's mouth. Though the fire was accurate no hits were made. The closest shot splashed in the water ten feet from the Waxbill which caused shrapnel damage. Twelve shots were fired by the Americans in return. Waxbill came under fire again on December 19, three rounds were fired her way but none struck the ship. A few days later USS Toledo received the same treatment while bombarding the city but was not damaged either. On December 23, while providing gunfire support for the minesweepers in Wonsan Harbor, USS Marshall, USS McGowan received approximately thirty rounds of estimated 75-millimeter shells. During the firing, four to nine airbursts fell near the McGowan, sixty to seventy near Marshall, and several rounds between the minesweepers. Throughout the engagements the North Koreans failed to cause any damage. The McGowan engaged in another shore battery action two days later.
USS De Haven
and USS Moore responded with a bombardment of their own and they received fire with the nearest shells splashing 400 yards away. February 16, was the second anniversary of the blockade. Despite that Wonsan was mostly ruins it remained a key transportation hub for communists forced which gave UN forces the incentive for continuing blockade duties. Because of the constant threat of amphibious assault, approximately 30,000 North Korean soldiers and 6,000 civilians were pinned down and therefore could not be used at the frontline. On March 5, during a heavy UN bombardment in Wonsan Harbor, USS Missouri
was challenged by five rounds of 105-millimeter shore battery fire. Missouri was not hit and she hastily silenced the battery. Five days later the Missouri received fifteen more rounds of 75-millimeter to 155-millimeter cannon fire while bombarding the city. The American ship escaped damage again, the nearest shot landing 500 yards off. USS Merganser was also engaged with the nearest shot splashing harmlessly 200 yards from her.
On March 18, 1953, USS Los Angeles
was carrying out bombardment duties at Wonsan when two air bursts and one surface round landed near the ship. On March 22, during another heavy bombardment, two 90-millimeter air bursts and two 105-millimeter rounds landed near the Missouri but she was undamaged. USS Prichett
and the Waxbill also received fire but no damage resulted in any of the attacks. The Prichett was attacked again on March 25 but no damage was sustained, USS Shelton
, USS Eversole
, ROKN AMS-502 and AMS-515 engaged in a similar action the following day. USS Los Angeles was hit by one enemy round on March 27 but the damage was light and no one was injured. A day later two air bursts landed 200 yards from the Prichett and on March 30 and March 31, the Prichett evaded thirty-five more enemy shots without damage. Eight days of combined naval and air operations then started against the defenses of Wonsan. TF-77 aircraft pounded the city but the results were negligible. On April 2, USS Los Angeles received another hit by Wonsan shore batteries. This time there was only minor structural damage to the mainmast though thirteen men were injured. Fourteen others, who were wearing body armor, were also hit but not wounded. The North Korean batteries targeted naval vessels on April 5, USS Maddox received six rounds of 75-millimeter while ROKN AMS-515 avoided fifty shots of 105-millimeter fire, neither of the ships were struck. Two days later on April 7, the communists again targeted the blockading ships but without results. USS Los Angeles and USS McCord
evaded two rounds, the enemy also continued their bombardment of friendly islands off Wonsan. On April 8, at least sixty-four shots were fired at the fleet and a couple days after, USS Eversole and the Los Angelesengaged in a duel with shore batteries. On April 16, the Maddox was hit with one shot out of 156 fired at her during a forty minute action against a ten-gun battery. The shot, a 76-millimeter, hit port side on the main deck, tearing a sixteen inch hole and wounding three men. Maddox responded with counter fire but failed to silence the hostile guns. USS Shelton was fired at three times on April 17. April 19 was a lively day during the Blockade of Wonsan. Twenty-five rounds from 105-millimeter guns were fired at the Eversole but as was typical, the North Koreans did not strike the ship. USS Curlew
also received three shots and another forty-one at the New Jersey and USS Renshaw. The only ship damaged in action that day was the USS James E. Kyes. One 155-millimeter round, out of sixty, tore a three foot hole through the Kyes, wounding four men in the process, one seriously.
On April 22, the North Korean bombardment of UN held islands continued, with dozens of rounds being fired each day, USS Manchester also sustained slight superficial damage from a battery. Between 2:30 and 4:00 pm on April 23, the island of Tee-do was under intense enemy fire from gun positions on Kalma Pan-do. Five marines were wounded, including one American. USS Henderson
provided counter fire while USS Owen
took aboard the casualties. During the mission, Henderson and Owen were fired on so they withdrew and TF-77 aircraft took over by bombing the area. On the next day, Wonsan guns fired around 100 rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter rounds at the USS James C. Owens
and USS Henderson, no damage or casualties were reported. The James C. Owens was attacked on April 25 though again there was no damage sustained. On April 29, as the bombardment of UN held island continued, a HU-1 helicopter
received fourteen rounds of VT fuzed enemy shells while on a mine reconnaissance flight over Wonsan Harbor. The aircraft was not damaged but the encounter told the Americans that another new type of weapon was being used by North Korean forces. USS Gurke
also avoided six enemy shells that day. April 1953 was reported by the United States Navy as being the height of the three year battle with enemy forces firing over 2,000 artillery rounds in defiance of the blockade alone, and over 1,000 more at the friendly guerrilla held islands. Usually the was average was about 500 rounds a month. North Koreans troops also constructed hidden batteries on Ho-do Pan-do, the Americans bombarded them with 5-inch guns without effect. Because of this, UN naval forces were ordered to stay out of the area in daylight until the weapons could be destroyed by cruisers and battleships or naval aircraft. Mine warfare also increased during the month of April, after months of finding nothing, thirty-two new mines were found in Wonsan Harbor. On May 2 the hidden guns made two hits and two near misses each on the USS Maddox and USS Owen, both ships received slight damage and there were no casualties. Over two hundred shells were fired by the enemy. The Gurke came under fire on the following day, along with the friendly islands of Wonsan Harbor. USS Bremerton
engaged in a heavy gun strike against enemy batteries eighteen rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells flew by. One near miss minorly wounded two men and the ship received superficial damage topside. USS Samuel N. Moore
was hit by a 90-millimeter shell on May 8 but it did no significant damage. The round starboard side just above the waterline. The same battery fired at USS Brush
, sixty-four total.
On May 15, TF-77 aircraft attacked an airfield on Yo-do island while American ships silenced the batteries on the islands. USS Brush was also hit in the mount that day, making it inoperable, and nine men were wounded, four seriously. The battleship New Jersey was fired at on May 27 but her 16-inch guns quickly put an end to it, meanwhile the islands were still receiving their daily barrage which continued in June. heavy gun strikes also continued, the communists resisted every UN attack but very few hits were made. On June 3, Wonsan shore batteries fifteen 105-millimeter shells at the USS John A. Bole
and USS Lofberg but no damage occurred. The guns were silenced by return fire. USS LSMR-409
was hit on June 4, causing moderate damage to the messing compartment and the radio room, and resulting in five men wounded. The enemy fired thirty rounds of 76-millimeter fire before being silenced by over 200 rockets from the LSMR.
USS PC-706 destroyed five North Korean fishing boats on the beach at the northern end of Ho-do Pan-do. The weather was very foggy and sure enough Typhoon Judy was announced the following morning which hampered TF-77's operations for three days. The Lofberg and the John A. Bole were attacked on June 8 by batteries but it was another inconclusive contact. Bole spent the next day bombarding enemy guns. On June 11, the USS Wiltsie received an estimated forty-five rounds of 105-millimeter fire. The vessel was hit one time on the starboard side of her main deck but was still completely operational. Shrapnel caused a lot of damage and a four-inch hole in the deck. No casualties were inflicted on American forces. Three days after this incident the USS Bremerton, USS Lofberg and USS John A. Bole exchanged fire with the batteries, several guns were destroyed and there were no friendly casualties. The Lofberg, the Bole and the USS Current
received 110 rounds of fire on the next day without effect. Shore batteries on Ho-do Pan-do were increasingly menacing the allied blockade, concentrated fire was directed against destroyers in Wonsan Harbor on June 17. USS Irwin
and USS Rowan
re-escaped to seventy-five founds and the Henderson avoided another seventy-five, the nearest landing ten yards from the Henderson. The Irwin and the Rowan would fight another battle the following day. In it the North Koreans scored their most number of hits in one engagement. USS Irwin was hit by one round from Kalmagak and it tore a three foot hole in the main deck. Five American sailors were wounded. The Rowan suffered five hits and ten casualties, none of them fatal, and she received forty-five rounds of different caliber altogether. The destroyer was moderately damaged. Thirty-six shells were fired at the Saint Paul but she was not hit.
_shelling_korea_1953.jpg)
A small surface engagement occurred the same day. An armed South Korean Army intelligence boat encountered a North Korean thirty foot patrol boat and for ten minutes the vessels fought until the North Koreans withdrew under cover of a battery. The patrol boat had a speed of twenty knots, carried a radio and was armed with rocket launchers, machine guns and the crew carried various small arms. On June 19 the Rowan and the Bremerton were fired on but no hits resulted. USS Manchester was conducting a heavy bombardment of Wonsan on or about July 3 when fragments from a near miss put a two inch hole in the after stack and through the door of a powder room, no one was hurt though. On July 7, enemy gunners on Ho-do Pan-do concentrated their on the blockade. Over 300 rounds of 76-millimeter to 122-millimeter fire landed near the USS Lofberg, USS Thomason and USS Hamner
. Thomason suffered holes and dents topside due to air burst straddles but there were no casualties. The Americans returned 880 rounds of counter battery fire before the action ended. A few days after, enemy artillery fired forty-eight rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells at USS Saint Paul and scored a hit on a gun mount. Two guns were damaged but nobody was wounded. For the next several days the North Koreans focused on attacking friendly islands until July 23 when the Saint Paul drew twelve rounds of 155-millimeter fire and all of the shots splashed in the water ten to fifty yards from the ship. On July 27 the Saint Paul fired the last American shots of the battle against shore batteries. With the signing of an armistice, the fighting came to an end after 861 days of action.
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, was the longest naval blockade in modern history, lasting 861 days. UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
naval forces, primarily from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, successfully kept the strategically important city of Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
from being used by the North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n Navy. The blockade also served to divert communist troops from the front line. North Korean resistance used artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
to oppose the American fleet, although this was mostly ineffective, and the city was heavily damaged by UN naval aircraft and warships.
Operation Wonsan
Wonsan was a strategic point during the war, located on North Korea's southeastern coast with a large harbor, an airfield, a petroleumPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
, 75,000 people, and as many as 80,000 troops, including several artillery batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
. After the Battle of Inchon
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
, in which General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
landed on the northwestern shores of the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
, he ordered X Corps to make a landing at Wonsan where they would proceed west, link up with the Eighth Army and then advance towards Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, the capital of North Korea. North Korean naval forces had been well supplied by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and China with all sorts of sea mines and they were used as much as possible to defend Wonsan. Soviet military advisors were also employed to create more effective mine fields. One of the first objectives of the blockade was to begin plotting the locations of mines and then destroy them. Because of this, the use of minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
s became a necessity and eventually dozens would serve in the blockade. Operation Wonsan, or the Clearance of Wonsan, began on October 10 of 1950, ten days before the landing was scheduled to take place. Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
James H. Doyle commanded Task Force 90
Task Force 90
Task Force 90 was a United States Navy command during the Korean War that controlled the amphibious forces in theatre. It reported directly to Commander Naval Forces Far East. Its most high profile operation was the Incheon amphibious assault, Operation Chromite.It was later active during Operation...
, a fleet of dozens of American warships which were used in the clearance. Two days later on October 12, mines sank
Action of 12 October 1950
The Action of 12 October 1950 was a battle fought during the Korean War. While conducting Operation Wonsan against sea mines in Wonsan Harbor, a squadron of United States Navy warships was attacked by North Korean Army batteries. During the operation, two American ships struck mines and sank while...
the sweepers USS Pledge
USS Pledge
USS Pledge is a name used more than once by the U.S. Navy:, a fleet minesweeper commissioned 29 July 1944., a fleet minesweeper commissioned 20 April 1956....
and USS Pirate
USS Pirate
USS Pirate has been the name of more than one United States Navy ship, and may refer to:*USS Pirate , a patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918*USS Pirate , a minesweeper in commission from 1944 to 1946 and again in 1950...
, killing twelve men and wounding dozens of others, all while under accurate fire from North Korean shore batteries. The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
responded by starting the production of new minesweepers in the largest shipbuilding program since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Other vessels were damaged by mines and battery fire as well but the loss of the Pirate and Pledge proved to be the major engagement during the operation.
Operation Tailboard
Operation Tailboard was the codename for the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
landing at Wonsan, and it was found to have been unnecessary. Preparations began over 800 miles away at Inchon where on October 15, thousands of marines and soldiers, 30,184 in total, embarked transports to participate in the landing. When they arrived off Wonsan on October 20, the clearance of the mine fields was still taking place so for five days X Corps and the 1st Marine Division were forced to remain on ship to wait for a clear path to the beaches. When it came time to land on October 15, the North Koreans had already withdrawn and the British and South Koreans were securing the area. Ultimately the landing was not needed and MacArthur was criticized for not using the X Corps in the pursuit of the retreating North Korean Army on the Inchon front. On October 19, the South Korean Army captured Pyongyang so instead of heading there the American army went north along the coast to occupy Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
and the Chosin Reservoir
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign ,Official Chinese sources refer to this battle as the Second Phase Campaign Eastern Sector . The Western Sector is the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. was a decisive battle in the Korean War...
areas while the 3rd Infantry Division landed at Wonsan in November as reinforcements.
Evacuation of Wonsan
UN forces would not hold Wonsan for long: after the massive Chinese intervention in the war, allied forces were ordered to evacuate Wonsan on December 9, 1950, taking 7,009 refugees, 3,384 military personnel, 1,146 vehicles and 10,013 tons of cargo in the process. General MacArthur's plan was to regroup in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
before launching another offensive, while holding Pusan Perimeter
Battle of Pusan Perimeter
The Battle of Pusan Perimeter was a large-scale battle between United Nations and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 – September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the Korean War...
. When the North Koreans and Chinese recaptured the city, defenses were rebuilt in a more formidable way, additional sea mines were deployed and new artillery batteries were erected.
Opening Engagements
The blockade began on February 16, 1951 and would last 861 days until the armisticeArmistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
in July 1953. During nearly three years of blockading United States Navy ships and aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
engaged shore batteries repeatedly. Several American vessels were damaged by land based artillery fire though none were destroyed. UN Tast Group 95.2 was assigned to the blockade and they first bombarded Wonsan on February 17, 1951, targeting everything used by the communists and causing heavy damage. On February 19, the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
USS Ozbourn
USS Ozbourn (DD-846)
USS Ozbourn was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. She was named for Marine Private Joseph W...
, under Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Ross E. Freeman, was fired on by shore batteries in the Wonsan area. She received two direct hits and several near misses but successfully rescued a downed pilot from the Valley Forge
USS Valley Forge
USS Valley Forge may refer to: was an Essex-class aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1946, converted to an amphibious assault ship and decommissioned in 1970 was a guided missile cruiser commissioned in 1986 and decommissioned in 2004...
with a motor boat, while he was adrift in a mine field. The coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
of the boat received a Bronze Star for the rescue. Ozbourn eventually returned to San Diego in April 1951 for repairs and later sailed back to North Korea. On February 24, the undefended island of Sindo-ri, in Wonsan Harbor, was captured by South Korean marines supported by two American destroyers and two frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s. Wonsan shore batteries also dueled with UN warships on March 3, but there were no recorded hits. The battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
USS New Jersey
USS New Jersey (BB-62)
USS New Jersey , is an , and was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of New Jersey. New Jersey earned more battle stars for combat actions than the other three completed Iowa-class battleships, and is the only U.S...
participated in her first shore bombardment mission of the war on May 20, 1951. While patrolling off Wonsan, North Korean batteries opened fire and she was struck by one shell. Though slightly damaged she sustained one man killed and two wounded, her only casualties during the war. Another shot was a near miss and passed over the New Jersey from aft to port. She then responded by bombarding the enemy position until they were silenced. The type of warfare experienced at Wonsan would last throughout the war.
Operation Fireball
Operation Fireball was the code name for a bombardment of the Wonsan area from May through September. It involved the cooperation of naval vessels and aircraft from the 5th Air Force which caused heavy damage to the North Koreans. On the night of May 21 and May 22, during the height of the fighting, two American LSMRs, supported by light cruiserLight cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s and destroyers, fired 4,903 rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
s in thirty-five minutes, further damaging the defenses of the city. UN carrier aircraft were used to fire flares while the warships focused on gunnery. It was the first time LSMRs would be deployed in the siege of Wonsan and over time would cause heavy casualties to the North Korean garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
. Between June and September the LSMRs would discharge a total of 12,924 5-inch rockets. During the operation, USS Brinkley Bass
USS Brinkley Bass (DD-887)
USS Brinkley Bass was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Harry Brinkley Bass USN , who was killed in action when his plane crashed in combat during the invasion of southern France on 20 August 1944.-Construction:Brinkley Bass was laid down...
was slightly damaged while engaging a battery, she sustained eight casualties in the action.
Action off Rei-To
On May 24, the UN station ship at Wonsan detected several small craft southeast of Rei-To Island. In a one sided night engagement, the light cruiser USS ManchesterUSS Manchester (CL-83)
USS Manchester , a Cleveland class light cruiser of the United States Navy, was laid down 25 September 1944 by the Fore River Shipyard, Bethlehem Steel Corp., Quincy, Mass.; launched 5 March 1946; sponsored by Mrs. Ernest J. Gladu; and commissioned 29 October 1946, Capt. Peter G...
and the Brinkley Bass used radar to direct their fire and broke the enemy formation. Four sampan
Sampan
A sampan is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers, and are often used as traditional fishing boats...
s were recovered the following day along with the bodies of eleven enemies, one other wounded North Korean was taken prisoner and the sampans were found to have been converted to minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
s, with four M-26 mines each.
USS Walke Incident
USS WalkeUSS Walke (DD-723)
USS Walke , an , was the 3rd ship of the United States Navy to be named for Henry A. Walke, a Rear Admiral during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. The third Walke was laid down on 7 June 1943 at Bath, Maine, by the Bath Iron Works; launched on 27 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs...
was a destroyer, under Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Marshall Thompson
Marshall Thompson
Marshall Thompson was an American film and television actor.He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria, Illinois. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures...
, of Task Force 77 which was by now assigned to naval operations in the Wonsan area. On June 12 of 1951, the Walke was about sixty miles off the coast of North Korea, at position 38-52 N, 129-25 E, when she was struck either by a torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
or a floating sea mine which had separated from a field. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Walkes hull on her port side and twenty-six men were killed and forty others wounded. Many of the casualties were blown over the side and into the water when the explosion occurred and it took a long time before all of them could be recovered. Shortly thereafter, sailors on the nearby destroyers USS Hubbard
USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748)
USS Harry E. Hubbard , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commander Harry Hubbard , who was the captain of the Meredith when it was sunk during the Guadalcanal campaign.Harry E...
and USS Bradford spotted an oil slick off of Walkes starboard side so they began dropping depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s on what they reported as being two submarines. The chase was eventually discontinued and the damage to the Walke was temporarily repaired and she made for Japan. A later investigation of the incident recovered a small metal disk from the damaged ship and when analyzed it was concluded to have been part of a torpedo detonator
Detonator
A detonator is a device used to trigger an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common....
. The Walke was later repaired and returned to hostile Korean waters the following year.
Battle of the Buzz Saw
The Battle of the Buzz Saw, as United States Navy personnel called it, was a response to the UN's attacks on Wonsan. After causing heavy damage to North Korean forces within the previous months, the situation escalated as the communists started utilizing new weapons to lift the blockade. On July 6, 1951, the United States launched another naval bombardment of the area, causing high casualties and tempting the North Koreans to retaliate with an especially heavy bombardment on July 17, 1951. For four and a half hours the destroyers USS O'BrienUSS O'Brien (DD-725)
USS O'Brien , an , was the 4th ship of the United States Navy to be named after Captain Jeremiah O'Brien and his five brothers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph, who captured HMS Margaretta on 12 June 1775 during the American revolution.The fourth O'Brien was laid down by Bath Iron Works,...
, USS Blue
USS Blue (DD-744)
USS Blue , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was the second United States Navy ship of that name, for Lieutenant Commander John S. Blue ....
and USS Alfred A. Cunningham engaged the batteries at Wonsan, firing 2,336 rounds of 5-inch shells. the North Koreans offered heavy resistance and over 500 splashes were counted but there was no serious damage to the American vessels. The next day USS Evans engaged the batteries and received four near misses, wounding four men aboard the ship.
Operation Kickoff
USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875)
The second USS Henry W. Tucker was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was named for Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Henry W. Tucker who was killed in action during the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 May 1942 and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.-History:Henry W...
received counter-battery fire while conducting a bombardment of Wonsan Harbor. She was struck by one round, causing light superficial damage and one man was injured. A few days later on July 3, USS Everett
USS Everett (PF-8)
USS Everett , a , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Everett, Washington.Everett was launched on 29 September 1943 at the Kaiser Cargo, Inc., shipyard in Richmond, California, sponsored by Mrs. Cornelia M. Fitch; and commissioned on 22 January 1944, with Lieutenant...
was attacked by the batteries and took hits, killing one man and wounding seven others. The Americans responded with an attack by the Fast Carrier Task Force
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
. In one day 247 bombing sorties were carried out against Wonsan and 600 South Korean marines raided the mainland from the island of Cho-do. On July 6, USS Evans landed men on the island of Hwangto-do and then with two other destroyers, bombarded buildings and a torpedo station. USS Blue captured Kukto Island the following day and established an observation point to keep watch on North Korean positions. On July 11, in the vicinity of Yo-do island, USS Blue and the Evans were attacked, approximately fifty splashes were counted near the ships but none of them were hit. Due to the attacks, particularly the Battle of the Buzz Saw, American naval commanders decided on launching Operation Kickoff which referred to maneuvers within Wonsan Harbor, aimed at reducing the batteries. Every day on from July 17, 1951, elements of the allied fleet, assigned to bombardment groups, would sail at five knots to bombard known enemy positions and continue doing so from 3:00 pm until dark. On the first day of the maneuvers, the LSMRs USS LSMR-409
USS Clarion River (LSM(R)-409)
USS Clarion River was an LSM-401-class medium-type landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the Clarion River in west central Pennsylvania, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name....
and USS LSMR-525 received heavy accurate fire from enemy batteries on the islands of Kalmagak, Umi-do and Ho-do Pan-do. Both of the vessels were struck by shells and damaged but not seriously. Over 500 shells splashed in the water around USS O'Brien and she sustained at least a couple of hits. One man was injured although the damage was light. USS New Jersey and USS Helena
USS Helena (CA-75)
The USS Helena , a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Helena, Montana. She was named Helena while building after the cancellation of CL-113....
also participated in the bombardment.
On July 31, the Helena engaged in a gunnery duel, she was hit one time before delivering counter battery fire which destroyed seven gun emplacements and an ammunition dump
Ammunition dump
An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump, ammunition supply point or ammo dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives....
. There were no casualties caused by the shell striking the ship but near misses wounded two men. On August 4, British Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
installed mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
s on Hwangto-do for use in countering the North Korean shore batteries and on August 11, USS Hopewell
USS Hopewell (DD-681)
USS Hopewell was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named in honour of the first Hopewell which was named for Pollard Hopewell of St. Mary's county Maryland....
, using SFCP, fired direct and indirect fire missions against enemy troop concentrations and transportation targets in Wonsan area. USS Dextrous
USS Dextrous (AM-341)
USS Dextrous was an acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing....
, USS Heron
USS Heron (AMS-18)
USS Heron was a built for the United States Navy during World War II.Heron was laid down as YMS-369 on 13 January 1943 by Wheeler Shipbuilding Corp., Whitestone, New York, and launched 24 July 1943. The sponsor was Miss Frances J. McCarthy, an employee of the firm. The YMS was commissioned 11...
and USS Redstart
USS Redstart (AM-378)
USS Redstart was an commissioned by the United States Navy for service in World War II. Her task, as a fleet minesweeper, was to clear mines as the fleet proceeded into battle areas....
also came under fire by shore batteries that same day while conducting check sweep operations in the vicinity of Hodo-pando. Dextrous suffered two direct hits; killing one man, three wounded and moderate damage. With the exception of an attack on USS Uhlmann
USS Uhlmann (DD-687)
USS Uhlmann was a World War II-era Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after Ensign Robert W. Uhlmann.-World War II:...
on August 20, while off Hodo-pando, Operation Kickoff proved to be a success as the number of attacks on blockading ships decreased for a while until new batteries were constructed. Seven enemy guns opened fire on the Uhlmann that day and after a long engagement, five of the guns were destroyed and 117 splashes were counted by the sailors but there were no hits. The Uhlmann had to break off the attack without silencing the remaining two artillery pieces because allied patrols entered the area.
Renewed Minesweeping Operations
Because the communnists were still mining the approaches of Wonsan and Hungnam, the commander of CTF-95 ordered on September 5, the minesweeping group CTG-95.6 to sweep the coastline so as to allow UN ships to remain within gunfire range of the shore at all times while blockading. Upon completion, allied warships nolonger had to withdraw out of range each night. While supporting the minesweepers involved in the mission, destroyer USS William SeiverlingUSS William Seiverling (DE-441)
USS William Seiverling was a acquired by the United States Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket...
was hit three times on September 8 by ground based artillery, her fire room
Fire room
On a ship, the fire room, or FR or boiler room or stokehold, referred to the space of a vessel where water was brought to a boil. The steam was then transmitted to a separate engine room, located immediately aft, where it was utilized to power the vessel...
flooded but there were no casualties. On September 10, the minesweepers Redstart and Heron were again damaged by shell fire from Wonsan, this time while rechecking pre-swept waters and on September 20, USS Orleck
USS Orleck (DD-886)
USS Orleck , was a in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1982. In October 1982 she was sold to Turkey and renamed Yücetepe . After her final decommissioning the Turkish government transferred Yücetepe to the Southeast Texas War Memorial and Heritage Foundation at Orange, Texas ,...
bombarded enemy troops and mortar positions, scoring five hits which destroyed an ammunition dump. Orleck also attacked a large sampan, suspected of minelaying, and struck her four times with gunfire. On September 24, the ROKN PF-62 was also damaged by shore battery fire. After three hits, the frigate was moderately damaged and caught on fire. Three South Korean sailors were wounded but they were able to save their ship from complete destruction. Minesweeping operations would continue for months, the UN ships constantly swept various areas to ensure that no new mine fields were layed. Incidents of shore batteries scoring hits on allied warships also became less common and for weeks no vessels were damaged until October 29 when the USS Osprey
USS Osprey (AMS-28)
USS Osprey was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for the osprey.-History:...
was engaged. The Ospreys engine room
Engine room
On a ship, the engine room, or ER, commonly refers to the machinery spaces of a vessel. To increase the safety and damage survivability of a vessel, the machinery necessary for operations may be segregated into various spaces, the engine room is one of these spaces, and is generally the largest...
flooded after being hit three times and communications went out, one man was seriously wounded though the ship was saved from sinking. By November 9, the minesweeping mission was eighty percent complete, accurate shore battery fire delayed the UN ships from completing the operation for a few more weeks.
Escalation of the Naval War
Mig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
aircraft were also being reported in larger numbers and would begin to threaten UN aircraft and the blockading force. North Korean Army troops, well supplied by the Soviets and the Chinese, were also conducting large artillery bombardments that demonstrated their supply of ammunition.
Shore batteries increased their effectiveness as well, now that fire control was being equipped, air burst rounds were also starting to be used. With the minesweeping operation mostly completed, American bombardment groups began shelling the city again. The USS New Jersey carried out a series of attacks at Wonsan and other nearby coastal targets from November 1 to November 6, 1951, during which she targeted the petroleum refinery at Wonsan, trains, bridges, tunnels, railroads, troop concentrations and shore batteries.
From November 22 to 24, LSR Division 31, including the LSMRs, 401, 403 and 404, conducted fire missions and on November 24 and 25, naval gunfire supported a guerrilla raid on the island of Ka-do where several North Korean prisoners were taken. On November 28 and 29, the North Koreans launched a small offensive operation, in it, armed sampans attacked the island settlement on Hwangto-do, killing one civilian and taking five civilians prisoner. Most of the homes on the island were destroyed in the attack and the North Koreans suffered no casualties. Another large scale bombardment of Wonsan took place on December 20, with the battleship USS Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin (BB-64)
USS Wisconsin , "Wisky" or "WisKy", is an , the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin...
participating. Six days later the ROKN PC-740 was lost, presumably due to striking mine off To-do in Wonsan Harbor.
On January 11, 1952, the next significant gunnery duel began when the Redstart and Dextrous received accurate battery fire from Ho-do Pan-do while they were sailing without an escort. The fire was concentrated on the Dextrous and she sustained considerable superficial damage and a loss of one man killed and two wounded. Later on, the USS Gregory
USS Gregory (DD-802)
USS Gregory was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Francis H. Gregory , who served from the War of 1812 to the Civil War....
and USS George K. MacKenzie
USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836)
USS George K. MacKenzie was a of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant Commander George K. MacKenzie .George K. MacKenzie was launched on 13 May 1945 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by Miss Donna MacKenzie, daughter; and commissioned on 13 July 1945, Commander Alvin W...
engaged in a one hour duel with four 76-millimeter batteries. MacKenzie was closely straddled with thirty-six rounds but there was no damage or casualties. She also made three direct hits on the North Korean command post. The George K. MacKenzie was engaged again on January 24 from Han-do Pan-do, along with the USS Marshall
USS Marshall (DD-676)
USS Marshall was a of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant Commander Thomas W. Marshall, Jr. .Marshall was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J., 29 April 1943; launched 29 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas W. Marshall, mother of Lt. Comdr. Marshall; and...
. Neither ship was damaged and there were no casualties, two 76-millimeter mortar rounds splashed 1,000 yards away from the Marshall. TF-77 rescued survivors from a helicopter crash on February 8, twenty-five miles outside of Wonsan. Reports from RESCAP indicate that personnel involved were apparently in enemy hands. Heavy flak in the area was the probable cause. The grounded helicopter was also destroyed by TF-77 aircraft. By the one year anniversary of the blockade, bombing Wonsan occurred on a daily basis though occasionally the UN fleet would combine their fire power for larger engagements. On February 16, exactly one year after the blockade began, USS Gregory, USS Twining
USS Twining (DD-540)
USS Twining , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Nathan C. Twining ....
and USS Rowan
USS Rowan (DD-782)
USS Rowan was a of the United States Navy, the fourth Navy ship named for Vice Admiral Stephen C. Rowan .Rowan was laid down on 25 March 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, Washington; launched 29 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. David S. Folsom, great-grandniece of Vice Admiral Rowan;...
attacked in the usual bombardments that would last until the end of the war. Enemy shore batteries were active on March 13, at Kalmagak, Wonsan against UN siege forces. Counter battery engagements by USS Manchester, USS James E. Kyes
USS James E. Kyes (DD-787)
USS James E. Kyes was a of the United States Navy, named for Commander James E. Kyes .James E. Kyes was laid down on 27 December 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, Washington; launched on 4 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. James E. Kyes; and commissioned on 8 February 1946, Comdr....
, USS McGinty
USS McGinty (DE-365)
The USS McGinty was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort. She was named for Sonarman Third Class Franklin Alexander McGinty, who was killed aboard the gunboat on 5 August 1943...
and USS Douglas H. Fox
USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779)
USS Douglas H. Fox an , was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Douglas H. Fox, the commanding officer of the , who went down with his ship when she was torpedoed and sunk in the naval battle of Guadalcanal 13 November 1942...
, plus the help of Fast Carrier Task Force planes silenced the enemy guns. Shore battery fire was most accurate to date indicating the possible use of fire control equipment.
USS Wiltsie
USS Wiltsie (DD-716)
USS Wiltsie was a in the United States Navy. She was named for Irving Wiltsie.Wiltsie was laid down on 13 March 1945 at Port Newark, New Jersey, by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company; launched on 31 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Irving D. Wiltsie, the widow of Capt...
and Brinkley Bass engaged shore batteries at Wonsan on March 20, utilizing SFCP spotting. Brinkley Bass scored seven direct hits on one of the batteries located near the city of Wonsan. Neither ship was struck, but the Bass received some shrapnel. March 20 marked the beginning of a four day attack on the blockade by North Korean artillery, on May 21 USS Osprey
USS Osprey (AMS-28)
USS Osprey was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for the osprey.-History:...
was taken under fire by enemy shore batteries while searching for mines. Utilizing SFCP spot, Osprey silenced three batteries and suffered no damage. Brinkley Bass and USS Stickell
USS Stickell (DD-888)
USS Stickell was a of the United States Navy. She was named for Lieutenant John H. Stickell USNR , who was killed in action at Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands on 13 December 1943 and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross....
silenced a battery at Kalmagak on March 22. USS Wiltsie received fire from the batteries east of Kalmagak on March 23 and, together with Brinkley Bass, responded with counter-battery fire to silence the enemy guns. During the following day the Bass was struck again with one round from Ho-do Pan-do, wounding five men, one seriously, and causing damage to the ship's radio and electronics. On March 28 USS Burlington
USS Burlington (PF-51)
USS Burlington was a in commission from 1944 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1952 that received two battle stars for World War II service and five for Korean War service.-Construction and commissioning:...
was fired on from Ho-do Pan-do, shots straddled the ship but evasive maneuvers prevented probable hits. The Burlington responded with 123 rounds of her own and caused a small forest fire. USS Leonard F. Mason
USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852)
USS Leonard F. Mason was a in the United States Navy, She was named for Private First Class Leonard F. Mason USMC , who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Guam.Leonard F...
experienced an explosion in the depth charge starboard detonator locker on April 1, while bombarding Ho-do Pan-do, no casualties were reported. The Wiltsie, USS McGinty
USS McGinty (DE-365)
The USS McGinty was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort. She was named for Sonarman Third Class Franklin Alexander McGinty, who was killed aboard the gunboat on 5 August 1943...
, and USS Condor
USS Condor (AMS-5)
USS Condor was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the condor.-History:...
were also engaged in the action. USS Symbol
USS Symbol (AM-123)
USS Symbol was an acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing....
, USS Murrelet
USS Murrelet (AM-372)
USS Murrelet was an acquired by the United States Navy to removed mines from minefields laid to prevent ships from passing. She was the only U.S...
and USS Edmonds
USS Edmonds (DE-406)
USS Edmonds was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket. At the end of World War II, she...
received enemy fire near Wonsan on April 2 and again no damage or casualties were experienced. The same day USS Wiltsie received ten near misses from shore batteries east of Kalmagak while providing fire support for the Condor. Wiltsie was attacked a few more times within the next several days and they were all inconclusive contacts.
USS Saint Paul (CA-73)
USS Saint Paul , a Baltimore-class cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for St. Paul, Minnesota....
and USS Hanson. USS Silverstein
USS Silverstein (DE-534)
USS Silverstein was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket....
, to the north of Ho-do Pan-do, received 30 rounds of enemy fire at a range of 12,400 yards with fall of shot fifty to 300 yards from the ship but without damaging her. The incident was taken as evidence that the North Koreans were beginning to use fire control more regularly. On April 11, the Wiltsie and the McGinty were taken under fire by Wonsan shore batteries. Both ships conducted maneuvers in separate areas and delivered counter battery fire. Silverstein, USS Cabildo
USS Cabildo (LSD-16)
USS Cabildo was a of the United States Navy. She was named for The Cabildo in New Orleans, the old town hall and now a historical museum, where the formal transfer of the Louisiana Territory from France to the United States took place....
and USS Apache
USS Apache (ATF-67)
USS Apache was a , later fleet ocean tug, in commission in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1974. She saw service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.-Construction and commissioning:...
fired suppression fire against the batteries on Ho-do Pan-do. The McGinty was straddled by enemy shore batteries as she moved near Wonsan on April 17. McGinty and the USS Maddox
USS Maddox (DD-731)
USS Maddox , an was named for Captain William A. T. Maddox, USMC. She was laid down by the Bath Iron Works Corporation at Bath in Maine on 28 October 1943, launched on 19 March 1944 by Mrs. Harry H...
replied with counter fire and the enemy guns ceased. USS Cabildo was attacked again from shore batteries on April 29 from Ho-do Pan-do. Three near misses straddled ship and one direct hit amidships caused minor damage to structure and electrical wiring, two were wounded. On the same day, USS Silverstein and USS Maddox, in a swept area south of Yo-do, were covering the withdrawal of two friendly sampans from Umi-do, when suddenly enemy batteries opened fire. The sampans received the first salvos, around 30 total so the Silverstein and the Maddox returned the fire and suppressed the batteries. Aircraft from USS Valley Forge
USS Valley Forge (CV-45)
USS Valley Forge was one of 24 s built during and shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the first US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for Valley Forge, the 1777–1778 winter encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army...
were also called in to provide close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
. Silverstein received 110 rounds of estimated 105 millimeter batteries though she was not damaged, Maddox received two rounds. There were no allied casualties in the action.
USS Waxbill attacked a shore battery the following day and on April 28 the Silverstein, and USS Conserver
USS Conserver (ARS-39)
USS Conserver was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels.Conserver was launched 27 January 1945 by Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California; sponsored by Mrs. H. Price; and commissioned 9 June 1945 at South Vallejo, California,...
received fire from Ho-do Pan-do. With South Korean small craft, the allied ships bombarded the opposing battery and laid a smokescreen while other nearby ships withdrew. The Conserver received ten rounds of estimated 122-millimeter fire. On May 7, USS Waxbill was fired on by twelve rounds but apparently did not return fire and on May 10, while sweeping Wonsan Harbor, USS Merganser
USS Merganser (AMS-26)
USS Merganser was a built for the United States Navy during World War II.-History:Merganser was laid down as YMS-417 by Stadium Yacht Basin of Cleveland, Ohio on 9 January 1944; launched 29 June 1944; and commissioned 11 November 1944.Assigned to the 1st Naval District after commissioning,...
and USS Redhead
USS Redhead (AMS-34)
USS Redhead was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first U.S. Navy ship to be named for the Redhead duck.-History:...
received ten rounds of enemy fire from Kalmagak. Also that day, the Maddox and USS Laffey
USS Laffey (DD-724)
USS Laffey , an , was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for Bartlett Laffey. Seaman Laffey was awarded the Medal of Honor for his stand against Confederate forces on 5 March 1864...
attacked North Korean railroad targets, scoring many hits, two railroad cars were damaged along with two buildings. Batteries on Kalmagak fired ten rounds of 76-millimeter fire at the sweepers, the nearest one landing 100 yards from the ship. Counter fire by Maddox scored two more hits. On the next day, the Maddox, the Laffey, the Herbert J. Thomas and the USS Evansville
USS Evansville (PF-70)
USS Evansville , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Evansville, Indiana.Evansville was launched on 27 November 1943 by Leatham D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, sponsored by Mrs. Don Davis, daughter of the Mayor of Evansville, Indiana; and...
, received 206 rounds of seventy-five and 155-millimeter fire and an hour long engagement. North Koreans were using hidden guns which were difficult to locate but were believed to have been fired from Han-do Pan-do, Hapchin-ni and Kalamagak. Return fire destroyed three enemy gun positions and the Thomas was hit once, causing little damage and no casualties. On May 17, TG-95.2 reported that an interrogation of seven prisoners, captured off Ho-do Pan-do the day before, revealed that the enemy were planning an attack on Yodo in the near future. Troops are being concentrated in two locations on He-do Pan-do and are going to use about eighty fishing sampans for transport. Ten days later on May 27, shore batteries at Wonsan fought against the USS Cabildo and Ozbourn. In a typical duel the American ships bombarded the coast and were not damaged, the day after USS Ozbourn accepted the surrender of two North Koreans soldiers.
USS O'Bannon suppressed enemy batteries on May 29 after the North Koreans opened fire on friendly islands. The USS Ozbourn, USS Radford, and USS Heron also engaged on May 29 and May 30. Ozbourn received six rounds of 155-millimeter fire and, the Radford, ten rounds of estimated 75-millimeter gunfire with the nearest one landing fifty yards from the ship. The Heron was hit by machine gun fire that hit aft section of the vessel. There were no friendly casualties in any of the actions and in all cases the ships returned fire with naval guns. On June 5, the O'Bannon, Radford and the Lofberg
USS Lofberg (DD-759)
USS Lofberg , an , is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Gus Brynolf Lofberg, Jr., who was the commander of the , which was lost in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.-History:...
attacked and silenced a battery of 75-millimeter guns south of Ho-do Pan-do. The artillery opened fire on some American minesweepers but quickly quieted by the escorts. North Koreans artillery in Wonsan bombarded Hwangto-do on June 7, no casualties were reported but twenty-one shot holes were found to have passed through the flag over the island. USS Albuquerque
USS Albuquerque (PF-7)
USS Albuquerque , a , was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico.The first Albuquerque , originally designated PG-115, was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract on 20 July 1943 at the Kaiser Cargo, Inc., shipyard in Richmond, California; launched...
was straddled by enemy fire on June 12, wounding one man and on June 19 the North Koreans staged another artillery bombardment against friendly held Hwangto-do. USS Parks caught 300 enemy troops repairing a railroad, south of Wonsan on the same day, and fired twenty-eight rounds. She reported inflicting seventy-four casualties and scoring hits on a railroad bridge and tracks. When it became dark, Parks also fired star shells at the location for bombing runs by allied aircraft. The next exchange in the siege of Wonsan occurred a month later on August 10, 1952. Enemy gun positions on He-do Pan-do, fired upon USS Barton
USS Barton (DD-722)
USS Barton , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral John Kennedy Barton.-Construction:...
and USS Jarvis
USS Jarvis (DD-799)
USS Jarvis was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the third Navy ship named for Midshipman James C. Jarvis , who was killed at the age of 13 during the historic engagement between the famed frigate Constellation and the French frigate La Vengeance.Jarvis was laid down by the...
with approximately 250 75-millimeter to 155-millimeter guns. The Barton suffered superficial damage, one man killed, and one wounded. Jarvis was not damaged and counter battery fire destroyed two gun emplacements. Two days after, the USS Grapple
USS Grapple (ARS-7)
USS Grapple was an Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for coming to the aid of stricken vessels....
was the target for about thirty rounds of 105-millimeter artillery. The ship was hit once below the waterline causing slight damage. USS Barton fired eighty-nine shots in response and scored three hits on two North Korean batteries. The ROKN FS-905, was also attacked on May 12.
While anchored off Yo-do Island, with a cargo of gasoline and ammunition for motor torpedo boat
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy.The capitalised term is generally used for the Royal Navy boats and abbreviated to "MTB"...
s, ROKN FS-905 was taken under fire by enemy shore guns and received one hit in the starboard machine gun battery. The damage was light and there were no casualties. Hwangto-do was bombarded again on August 16 by the North Koreans with four 155-millimeter artillery pieces and large mortars from Kalmagak. The guns could not be located so none of the allied warships could respond. Typhoon Karen swept through Korean waters over the next few days so also blockading activities were suspended. Several UN warships were damaged during the height of the storm. The communists used the chance to attack Hwangto-do again. After the typhoon passed USS Lewis
USS Lewis (DE-535)
USS Lewis was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket....
fired seven rounds of 5-inch shells at an enemy battery on Kalmagak, which was firing on friendly islands in the Wonsan area. The enemy artillery was silenced although they killed one person and wounded and two others. On September 11, 1952, batteries on Umi-do fired eighteen 105-millimeter rounds at the USS Lewis
USS Lewis (DE-535)
USS Lewis was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket....
, no damage or casualties. On September 13, aircraft from the USS Bon Homme Richard
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31)
USS Bon Homme Richard was one of 24 s completed during or shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. She was the second US Navy ship to bear the name, being named for John Paul Jones's famous Revolutionary War frigate by the same name...
attacked a 130 foot naval like vessel near Wonsan and sank it with rockets and 20 millimeter strafing. The enemy ship was one of the few sunk by UN forces during the war. Two days later, the Barton hit was suspected of being a floating mine while sailing 100 miles due east of Wonsan Harbor. Five enlisted men were counted missing and later presumed dead, six other men were wounded. The fire room flooded and there was other less severe damage. Flooding was brought under control and she set a course for Sasebo
United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo is a United States Navy naval base, in Sasebo, Japan, on the island of Kyūshū. It provides facilities for the logistic support of forward-deployed units and visiting operating forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and designated tenant activities.- History :Sasebo...
under her own power. USS Cunningham received five hits on September 19. Guns from Wonsan, estimated to be 105 to 155-millimeters, at a distance of 3,500 yards away, hit the Cunningham with their first shot, four more followed along with seven nearby air bursts. Eight Americans were wounded but none of them fatal and the ship was moderately damaged though she was capable of firing 159 rounds of return fire with 5-inch and 3-inch guns.
USS Iowa (BB-61)
USS Iowa was the lead ship of her class of battleship and the fourth in the United States Navy to be named in honor of the 29th state...
was attacked but her 16-inch guns quickly silenced the perpetrators. USS Taylor also silenced a battery on September 25 and the Heron received 105-millimeter fire but was not damaged. Three splashes were counted near the ship. The first and only naval air battle at Wonsan and Hungnam occurred on October 7. MIG-15s attacked TF-77 aircraft three times, one MIG made a firing pass on two American AD planes so they returned fire. There were no damage or casualties on either side and the MIGs retired to the west. Later on four MIG-15s attacked a flight of F4Us while two others attacked eight ADs near Hungnam. In these engagements there were no casualties but in a final attack later on that day, a single MIG-15 destroyed one of four F4Us in another action near Hungnam. On October 16, USS Toledo
USS Toledo (CA-133)
USS Toledo was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy active during the Korean War.Toledo was laid down on 13 September 1943 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, launched on 6 May 1945, sponsored by Mrs Edward J. Moan, and commissioned at the...
was shot at with four rounds from estimated 75-millimeter and 122-millimeter guns. No damage was reported as all of the shells landed splashed in the water around 1,000 yards short of the ship, USS Mansfield
USS Mansfield (DD-728)
USS Mansfield , an , is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Sergeant Duncan Mansfield, a Marine who, in 1804, during the First Barbary War sailed with Lieutenant Stephen Decatur aboard the on a covert mission to destroy the recently captured .The name Mansfield was canceled for...
was also attacked with about forty 75-millimeter rounds. For over a month no artillery was exchanged until November 20 when the USS Kite
USS Kite (AMS-22)
USS Kite was a built for the United States Navy during World War II.-History:Kite was laid down as YMS-324 on 31 January 1943 by the Weaver Shipyards in Orange, Texas, and launched 17 February 1944. She was completed and commissioned on 31 May 1944 with Lt. Robert A...
and USS Thompson received fire from 120-millimeter guns. The Thompson was hit by one round of the many which straddled her, one man suffered wounds and minor material damaged resulted. USS Kite fought another duel on the following day. She received fifty-five 75-millimeter rounds but again sustained no casualties. On November 25, the Thomson found herself in action, this time against enemy aircraft. Jets dropped six to eight explosives over the American ship, the closest landing 300 yards away. The aircraft were heard by the Thompsons lookout but radar showed nothing. USS Merganser was fired upon by guns at the mouth of the Namchongang River on December 6, the Seiverling replied with 101 rounds, and was herself taken under fire by guns on Kalmagak. Fifty-six additional shells were then sent in that direction. On the following day, Merganser received thirty more rounds of 75-millimeter fire from Kalmagak but she was not damaged. USS Shields
USS Shields (DD-596)
USS Shields , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Purser Thomas Shields , who fought in the Battle of New Orleans....
, USS Seiverling and UN minesweepers were fired upon by approximately seventy-five rounds on December 11. The small minesweepers were forced to slip their gear and use smoke pots to help cover themselves. That same day, USS Waxbill and USS Marshall collided west of Yo-do, Waxbill sustained topside damage to hull fittings but was still operational and otherwise unharmed.
On December 12 the Marshall was attacked again, twenty rounds were fired her way but as usual the communists could not hit their target. USS Grasp and the Seiverling were also attacked and they too escaped harm. About forty rounds of North Korean artillery targeted the Waxbill and the Marshall on December 13, while they were patrolling near the Namchongang's mouth. Though the fire was accurate no hits were made. The closest shot splashed in the water ten feet from the Waxbill which caused shrapnel damage. Twelve shots were fired by the Americans in return. Waxbill came under fire again on December 19, three rounds were fired her way but none struck the ship. A few days later USS Toledo received the same treatment while bombarding the city but was not damaged either. On December 23, while providing gunfire support for the minesweepers in Wonsan Harbor, USS Marshall, USS McGowan received approximately thirty rounds of estimated 75-millimeter shells. During the firing, four to nine airbursts fell near the McGowan, sixty to seventy near Marshall, and several rounds between the minesweepers. Throughout the engagements the North Koreans failed to cause any damage. The McGowan engaged in another shore battery action two days later.
Height of the Fighting
January 2, 1953 marked the first day in a large scale North Korean bombardment of the UN held islands in Wonsan Harbor. Over the course of the next few months, enemy shore batteries in and around Wonsan fired hundreds of rounds primarily against Hwangto-do and Yo-do. The operation lasted until May and less sporadically thereafter. It was also a failure, UN intelligence estimated that ninety percent of the North Korean shore batteries were active against friendly islands rather than the blockading fleet, though throughout the bombardments, which occurred almost on a daily basis, only four friendlies were killed and fifteen wounded. During the operation, UN ships constantly responded with counter battery fire. On February 9 and February 10, a maximum effort strike by American naval aircraft was conducted against supply concentrations and transport targets from Wonsan through Songjin to Chongjin and Hoeryong. USS Philippine Sea, USS Oriskany and USS Kearsarge participated in the operations which caused extensive damage to the communists logistics system. As part of the communist bombardment in the Wonsan area, enemy shells killed two men on February 14, including an American marine, and wounded nine others in the most successful North Korean artillery attack against UN land forces. A command post on Yo-do was also damaged, one DUKN was destroyed and two other sustained damaged to their hulls. An aid station, two tents and communication wires were also damaged. Two bunkers caved in on Hwangto-do.USS De Haven
USS De Haven (DD-727)
USS De Haven , an , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Edwin J. De Haven. De Haven served aboard the , flagship of the Wilkes Expedition, officially known as the United States Exploring Expedition, from 1839 to 1842. De Haven also served in the Mexican-American...
and USS Moore responded with a bombardment of their own and they received fire with the nearest shells splashing 400 yards away. February 16, was the second anniversary of the blockade. Despite that Wonsan was mostly ruins it remained a key transportation hub for communists forced which gave UN forces the incentive for continuing blockade duties. Because of the constant threat of amphibious assault, approximately 30,000 North Korean soldiers and 6,000 civilians were pinned down and therefore could not be used at the frontline. On March 5, during a heavy UN bombardment in Wonsan Harbor, USS Missouri
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
was challenged by five rounds of 105-millimeter shore battery fire. Missouri was not hit and she hastily silenced the battery. Five days later the Missouri received fifteen more rounds of 75-millimeter to 155-millimeter cannon fire while bombarding the city. The American ship escaped damage again, the nearest shot landing 500 yards off. USS Merganser was also engaged with the nearest shot splashing harmlessly 200 yards from her.
On March 18, 1953, USS Los Angeles
USS Los Angeles (CA-135)
The third USS Los Angeles was a Baltimore class heavy cruiser, laid down by the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, on 28 July 1943 and launched on 20 August 1944. She was sponsored by Mrs. Fletcher Bowron and commissioned on 22 July 1945, with Capt. John A...
was carrying out bombardment duties at Wonsan when two air bursts and one surface round landed near the ship. On March 22, during another heavy bombardment, two 90-millimeter air bursts and two 105-millimeter rounds landed near the Missouri but she was undamaged. USS Prichett
USS Prichett (DD-561)
USS Prichett , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Lieutenant Commander James M. Prichett .Prichett was laid down 20 July 1942 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, Washington; launched 31 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Orville A. Tucker; and commissioned 15 January 1944,...
and the Waxbill also received fire but no damage resulted in any of the attacks. The Prichett was attacked again on March 25 but no damage was sustained, USS Shelton
USS Shelton (DD-790)
USS Shelton was a of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Ensign James A. Shelton , who was killed in the Battle of Midway....
, USS Eversole
USS Eversole (DD-789)
USS Eversole was a of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Lieutenant John T. Eversole , a naval aviator who was killed in the Battle of Midway....
, ROKN AMS-502 and AMS-515 engaged in a similar action the following day. USS Los Angeles was hit by one enemy round on March 27 but the damage was light and no one was injured. A day later two air bursts landed 200 yards from the Prichett and on March 30 and March 31, the Prichett evaded thirty-five more enemy shots without damage. Eight days of combined naval and air operations then started against the defenses of Wonsan. TF-77 aircraft pounded the city but the results were negligible. On April 2, USS Los Angeles received another hit by Wonsan shore batteries. This time there was only minor structural damage to the mainmast though thirteen men were injured. Fourteen others, who were wearing body armor, were also hit but not wounded. The North Korean batteries targeted naval vessels on April 5, USS Maddox received six rounds of 75-millimeter while ROKN AMS-515 avoided fifty shots of 105-millimeter fire, neither of the ships were struck. Two days later on April 7, the communists again targeted the blockading ships but without results. USS Los Angeles and USS McCord
USS McCord (DD-534)
USS McCord was a World War II-era Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after Commander Frank C. McCord....
evaded two rounds, the enemy also continued their bombardment of friendly islands off Wonsan. On April 8, at least sixty-four shots were fired at the fleet and a couple days after, USS Eversole and the Los Angelesengaged in a duel with shore batteries. On April 16, the Maddox was hit with one shot out of 156 fired at her during a forty minute action against a ten-gun battery. The shot, a 76-millimeter, hit port side on the main deck, tearing a sixteen inch hole and wounding three men. Maddox responded with counter fire but failed to silence the hostile guns. USS Shelton was fired at three times on April 17. April 19 was a lively day during the Blockade of Wonsan. Twenty-five rounds from 105-millimeter guns were fired at the Eversole but as was typical, the North Koreans did not strike the ship. USS Curlew
USS Curlew (AMS-8)
USS Curlew was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be named for the curlew.-History:Laid down, 18 July 1942 by the J. N. Martinac Shipbuilding Co...
also received three shots and another forty-one at the New Jersey and USS Renshaw. The only ship damaged in action that day was the USS James E. Kyes. One 155-millimeter round, out of sixty, tore a three foot hole through the Kyes, wounding four men in the process, one seriously.
USS Henderson (DD-785)
USS Henderson was a of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship of that name, and the first named for United States Marine Corps Major Lofton R. Henderson...
provided counter fire while USS Owen
USS Owen (DD-536)
USS Owen , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Elias K. Owen.Owen was laid down 17 September 1942 by the Bethlehem Steel Corp., San Francisco, California; launched 21 March 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Hope Owen; and commissioned 20 September 1943, Comdr. R. W...
took aboard the casualties. During the mission, Henderson and Owen were fired on so they withdrew and TF-77 aircraft took over by bombing the area. On the next day, Wonsan guns fired around 100 rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter rounds at the USS James C. Owens
USS James C. Owens (DD-776)
USS James C. Owens , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant James C. Owens, Jr., a member of Torpedo Squadron 8 on board Hornet . His entire squadron was lost in an attack against Japanese carriers 4 June during the Battle of...
and USS Henderson, no damage or casualties were reported. The James C. Owens was attacked on April 25 though again there was no damage sustained. On April 29, as the bombardment of UN held island continued, a HU-1 helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
received fourteen rounds of VT fuzed enemy shells while on a mine reconnaissance flight over Wonsan Harbor. The aircraft was not damaged but the encounter told the Americans that another new type of weapon was being used by North Korean forces. USS Gurke
USS Gurke (DD-783)
USS Gurke was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for United States Marine Corps Private Henry Gurke , who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor....
also avoided six enemy shells that day. April 1953 was reported by the United States Navy as being the height of the three year battle with enemy forces firing over 2,000 artillery rounds in defiance of the blockade alone, and over 1,000 more at the friendly guerrilla held islands. Usually the was average was about 500 rounds a month. North Koreans troops also constructed hidden batteries on Ho-do Pan-do, the Americans bombarded them with 5-inch guns without effect. Because of this, UN naval forces were ordered to stay out of the area in daylight until the weapons could be destroyed by cruisers and battleships or naval aircraft. Mine warfare also increased during the month of April, after months of finding nothing, thirty-two new mines were found in Wonsan Harbor. On May 2 the hidden guns made two hits and two near misses each on the USS Maddox and USS Owen, both ships received slight damage and there were no casualties. Over two hundred shells were fired by the enemy. The Gurke came under fire on the following day, along with the friendly islands of Wonsan Harbor. USS Bremerton
USS Bremerton (CA-130)
USS Bremerton , named for the city of Bremerton in Washington state, was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden in New Jersey on 1 February 1943, launched on 2 July 1944 by Miss Elizabeth K...
engaged in a heavy gun strike against enemy batteries eighteen rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells flew by. One near miss minorly wounded two men and the ship received superficial damage topside. USS Samuel N. Moore
USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747)
USS Samuel N. Moore , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Samuel N. Moore. He took command of Quincy on 20 May 1942 and died on the night of 9 August 1942 when that cruiser was sunk while fighting in the Battle of Savo Island.Samuel N...
was hit by a 90-millimeter shell on May 8 but it did no significant damage. The round starboard side just above the waterline. The same battery fired at USS Brush
USS Brush (DD-745)
USS Brush , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charles Brush.Brush was launched 28 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Miss Virginia Perkins, great-granddaughter of Charles Brush; and commissioned...
, sixty-four total.
On May 15, TF-77 aircraft attacked an airfield on Yo-do island while American ships silenced the batteries on the islands. USS Brush was also hit in the mount that day, making it inoperable, and nine men were wounded, four seriously. The battleship New Jersey was fired at on May 27 but her 16-inch guns quickly put an end to it, meanwhile the islands were still receiving their daily barrage which continued in June. heavy gun strikes also continued, the communists resisted every UN attack but very few hits were made. On June 3, Wonsan shore batteries fifteen 105-millimeter shells at the USS John A. Bole
USS John A. Bole (DD-755)
USS John A. Bole , an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Commander John Archibald Bole, Jr., who was the commanding officer of which is thought to be lost on 16 February 1943.John A. Bole was renamed on 15 June 1944 prior to...
and USS Lofberg but no damage occurred. The guns were silenced by return fire. USS LSMR-409
USS Clarion River (LSM(R)-409)
USS Clarion River was an LSM-401-class medium-type landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for the Clarion River in west central Pennsylvania, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name....
was hit on June 4, causing moderate damage to the messing compartment and the radio room, and resulting in five men wounded. The enemy fired thirty rounds of 76-millimeter fire before being silenced by over 200 rockets from the LSMR.
USS PC-706 destroyed five North Korean fishing boats on the beach at the northern end of Ho-do Pan-do. The weather was very foggy and sure enough Typhoon Judy was announced the following morning which hampered TF-77's operations for three days. The Lofberg and the John A. Bole were attacked on June 8 by batteries but it was another inconclusive contact. Bole spent the next day bombarding enemy guns. On June 11, the USS Wiltsie received an estimated forty-five rounds of 105-millimeter fire. The vessel was hit one time on the starboard side of her main deck but was still completely operational. Shrapnel caused a lot of damage and a four-inch hole in the deck. No casualties were inflicted on American forces. Three days after this incident the USS Bremerton, USS Lofberg and USS John A. Bole exchanged fire with the batteries, several guns were destroyed and there were no friendly casualties. The Lofberg, the Bole and the USS Current
USS Current (ARS-22)
USS Current was an Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels....
received 110 rounds of fire on the next day without effect. Shore batteries on Ho-do Pan-do were increasingly menacing the allied blockade, concentrated fire was directed against destroyers in Wonsan Harbor on June 17. USS Irwin
USS Irwin (DD-794)
USS Irwin , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Noble E. Irwin ....
and USS Rowan
USS Rowan (DD-782)
USS Rowan was a of the United States Navy, the fourth Navy ship named for Vice Admiral Stephen C. Rowan .Rowan was laid down on 25 March 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, Washington; launched 29 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. David S. Folsom, great-grandniece of Vice Admiral Rowan;...
re-escaped to seventy-five founds and the Henderson avoided another seventy-five, the nearest landing ten yards from the Henderson. The Irwin and the Rowan would fight another battle the following day. In it the North Koreans scored their most number of hits in one engagement. USS Irwin was hit by one round from Kalmagak and it tore a three foot hole in the main deck. Five American sailors were wounded. The Rowan suffered five hits and ten casualties, none of them fatal, and she received forty-five rounds of different caliber altogether. The destroyer was moderately damaged. Thirty-six shells were fired at the Saint Paul but she was not hit.
USS Hamner (DD-718)
USS Hamner was a in the United States Navy during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. She was named for Henry Rawlings Hamner.Hamner was launched on 24 November 1945 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Port Newark, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. Henry Rawlings Hamner, wife of Lt....
. Thomason suffered holes and dents topside due to air burst straddles but there were no casualties. The Americans returned 880 rounds of counter battery fire before the action ended. A few days after, enemy artillery fired forty-eight rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells at USS Saint Paul and scored a hit on a gun mount. Two guns were damaged but nobody was wounded. For the next several days the North Koreans focused on attacking friendly islands until July 23 when the Saint Paul drew twelve rounds of 155-millimeter fire and all of the shots splashed in the water ten to fifty yards from the ship. On July 27 the Saint Paul fired the last American shots of the battle against shore batteries. With the signing of an armistice, the fighting came to an end after 861 days of action.