MIA east of the Chosin Co. C. 1/32 Infantry Purple Heart

[scottplen]

Task Force Maclean / Faith's 1/32 infantry 7th division was sent to the east side of Chosin to relieve the 1st Marine units on Nov 27 1950 that night they were hit by a whole Chinese division . The green soldiers straight from occupation duty in japan with uninsulated cotton uniforms and exhausted from the march without artillery support had little chance against the large CCFs ! 1st night battle left 100 dead ! the next day Mclean was KIA and the Task force became under command of Lt Col Faith who wasted no time in organizing his defenses and fight the CCF with air drops and ground support from USMC fighters ! But CCF was too powerful for the small force .Faith organized a break out fighting up hill 1221 but Faith was Killed attacking a road block by grenade later that day . from that point on Task force Faith was doomed ! most officers were dead and the CCF units overwhelmed the remaining units with grenades and burning the trucks with the wounded inside ! anyone who tried to get out was shot ! only about 385 men survived this disaster on the east side of the Chosin. The army units were at the time thought to be cowards and not to perform well like the Marine units in their fighting withdraw. Lt Faith received the MOH for his actions that cost him his life ! However the Soldiers of the Task force were pretty much forgotten and not until recent times the true story of this unit and its Valor has come to light. Chinese records show the unit had no chance with the 8 to 1 number disadvantage ! and took the brunt of several Chinese divisions giving precious time to USMC units to fight there way out ! The army to this day does not talk about this disaster ! and finally in 2000 this unit received the USMC presidential unit citation ! I am honored to be the caretaker of this brave soldiers memory and hopefully his remains will be found someday !

[patches]

Couldn't of found itself in better hands.

[BigJohn#3RD]

Rest In Peace Soldier

[scottplen]

In looking for research I found a Netflix documentary on task force Faith

Well worth the watch !!!

[kanemono]

Lt. Col. James H. Dill, 7th Infantry Division, wrote the American Heritage Magazine article, Winter of the Yalu (December 1982), which is a first hand account of the escape from the Yalu in 1950.

[scottplen]

Lt. Col. James H. Dill, 7th Infantry Division, wrote the American Heritage Magazine article, Winter of the Yalu (December 1982), which is a first hand account of the escape from the Yalu in 1950.

Thanks I will google it !

[121eagles]

Another source of info - East of Chosin, Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 by Roy E. Appleman.

Appleman compiled accounts of survivors. Awesome read about the tragic destruction of the 31st RCT during freezing conditions and repeated attacks by the Chinese.

[scottplen]

Thanks a tragic story of bravery forgotten !

[scottplen]

Stone honoring him ! Still MIA.