United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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The two chaplains took turns in leading the short devotion. It would be foolish, naturally, to suppose that all the ship's personnel, or even the majority of them, were actively religious, but it should not be underestimated that on this ship as on many others prayer had become an expected part of the daily routine. Victory in the Grasp In early October, Task Force 77 departed the Yellow Sea for Sasebo. The Marines were at Inchon, outloading. Eighth Army now had effective control of the western parts of South Korea, and the ROK I Corps was poised at the eastern end of the 38th Parallel, the enemy in rout all along the front. Victory seemed within the grasp. The success of the September operation, one of the most unusual and hazardous ever undertaken, must be attributed to the coordinated efforts of ground, air, and sea forces.12 After the humiliating setback of the First weeks of the Korean War, it was with both pride and immeasurable relief that after Inchon- Seoul the United Nations Command could assure the world: A successful frontal attack and envelopment has com- pletely changed the tide of battle in South Korea. The backbone of the North Korean army has been broken and their scattered forces are being liquidated or driven north with material losses in equipment and men capturedfx The Communist challenge to the free world had been countered. It was now clear that only the interven- tion of Communist China or Soviet Russia could save the North Korean People's Republic from complete defeat. 12 For estimates of the Inchon-Seoul operation see Montross and Canzona, op. cit., vol. II, pp. 292-2985 Cagle and Manson, op. cit., pp. 101-106. 13 Montross and Canzona, op. cit., vol. II, p. 298. -27-

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CHAPTER 3 COMMUNIST CHINESE AGGRESSION 3 November 1950-24 January 1951 Within 3 months after the North Korean Army in- vaded South Korea, it had been decisively defeated. The tide which had carried the victorious Communists over all of South Korea except the small area behind the Pusan Perimeter had been turned. By the com- pletion of the Inchon-Seoul operation, that part of the North Korean Army not killed or Captured was broken into many small units, each trying to get back across the 38th Parallel the best way possible, or else remain- ing in hiding in the South Korean hills. General MacArthur called upon the North Korean leaders to surrender, his demand was ignored. The United Nations Command then decided to send its forces across the 38th Parallel, allowing for the possi- bility but not expecting that this in turn would call the Chinese Communists into the struggle? On 7 October 1950 the Marines in the vicinity of Seoul were relieved and ordered to Inchon, where they embarked on 12 October for Wonsan on the east coast. There they disembarked on 25 October, after delays necessitated by hazardous and prolonged minesweeping opera- tions. During the time at sea, the chaplains of the lst Division were busy writing letters of condolence to the next-of-kin of deceased Marine personnel. Most of the chaplains had Completed this duty by the time the transports reached Wonsan. The processing of these 1Montross and Canzona, op. nit., vol. III, The Chosin Reservoir Campaign fwashington, 19575, ch. 1. See also: Cagle and Manson, op. eit., ch. 4. Karig et al., op. sit., chs. 22-36. Holy Communion at Sea. Communion is held aboard the BAYFIELD for United Nations troops enroute to the Wonsan invasion by Chaplain Edgar A. Day. --0-'KN KQQ...