Photos US and South Korean Forces

Marine Pvt.1st Class Luther "Lee" Leguire raises the U.S. flag at the American Consulate in Seoul, Korea, while fighting for the city raged around the compound. September 27 1950.

During heavy fighting for the capture of the city of Seoul, Korea, Leguire had one of his many Marine claims to fame as he climbed atop the American Consulate under sniper fire, where he removed the North Korean flag an...d replaced it with the United States flag.

“I just happened to go on the roof to do it,” Leguire said. “It wasn’t a set posed ceremony. We were in combat and there was a sniper shooting at me but apparently he wasn’t that good of a shot.”

It was about two weeks later that Leguire was wounded while engaging the enemy.

“We were ambushed,” Leguire said. “We were going up the hill to help the Fox Company because they were surrounded. We moved up to help them and we had a tank leading us. We were in trucks high in the mountains and the tank only had one place to turn around and we only went half a mile and they were there waiting on us. They knew we were coming. The 50-caliber blew my knee off and the only thing that was holding it was ligaments. I was there lying under a truck.

“They even shot at me under the truck,” Leguire said. “They shot by my head, and shot by my body and shot the tires out of the truck. It was 11:45 a.m. and it was 6:30 p.m. or 7 p.m. at night before they found me. I was the only one left alive in my squad.”

Leguire was in the hospital for a year after being brought back to a hospital in the states.

He was awarded 20 times over for bravery including a Purple Heart, American President’s Unit Citation, Korean President’s Citation and Korean ambassador for peace medal.

“I wear these in honor of those that paid the supreme sacrifice,” Leguire said. “I don’t wear them because I made it. I wear them for all my buddies over there that will never get to wear their medals.”

Source - NARA FILE #: 127-N-A3386)
Photographer Sgt. John Babyak Jr. (Marine Corps)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

5th Regiment, US 1st Marines fire from behind a barricade at Communist-led North Korean forces in the streets of Seoul, the capital of Korea. September 20 1950

Photographer - Lt. Strickland
(Source - NARA FILE#: 111-SC-351391)

(Colourised by Doug)

Baseball great Theodore 'Ted' Samuel Williams in his F4U Corsair, early in the Korean War. Later in the war he would give up the propeller Corsairs to fly the F2H Banshee.

Williams played the 1942 season with a III-A selective service deferment because he was the sole support for his divorced mother, but following the season he enlisted in the naval aviation program. His choice of service was not... surprising since he grew up in a "Navy town," and aviator Charles Lindbergh was one of his childhood heroes. Williams later noted that he first became interested in flying after watching the Navy's majestic lighter-than-air ship "Shenandoah" (ZR-1) in the sunny skies over San Diego as a lad.

Williams learned about tactics and weapons as he practiced advanced navigation, aerial combat maneuvering and formation flying. His athletic ability, steady hand and excellent eyesight made him a very good pilot. In fact, he was good enough to set the Marine gunnery record at Jacksonville, Fla. Williams once again was having an outstanding "rookie" season.

In mid-1944, Marine aviation in the Pacific was in the doldrums. Japanese fighters had been swept out of the air, and the only enemy targets within range of American land-based aircraft were isolated islands left to wither on the vine as the Marines island-hopped across the Central Pacific toward Japan. Marine bombers flew daily "milk runs" to hit those bypassed bases, but the days of dogfighting fighters crisscrossing the skies over the "Solomons Slot" were gone.

With fighter pilots no longer in high demand, the most promising student aviators were made flight instructors, and that is what happened to 2dLt Williams. He finally received orders for the combat zone in the summer of 1945 and was in San Francisco when the war ended. Although the fighting was over, Williams still went to Hawaii, where he played service ball and fished the Hawaiian waters while waiting to muster out.

As the Korean War heated up, the Marines desperately needed pilots-and Williams was one of the best. He returned to active duty six games into the 1952 season. After hitting a home run in his last at bat, he hung up his spikes to don flying boots to patrol the skies of Korea instead of Fenway Park's outfield. Although initially bitter at being called up, Williams later remarked, "The guys I met in the Marine Corps were the greatest ... guys I ever met. " Like them, he reluctantly accepted that going to Korea was the right thing to do.

Williams joined the "Willing Lovers" (a nom de guerre taken from the squadron's "WU tail letters) of VMF-311 at Pohang on Korea's eastern coast in early 1953. Captain Williams flew 39 combat missions, his plane was hit by enemy gunfire on at least three occasions, and he was awarded three Air Medals before being sent home with a severe ear infection and recurring viruses in June. Williams was formally discharged from active duty on 28 July 1953, the day after a cease-fire in Korea went into effect.

Once again he picked up where he left off. He returned to the playing field in August 1953, hitting a home run on his second at bat. He wound up the year hitting .407 in 37 games. He played six more seasons, had the highest batting average twice (1957 and 1958) and played in seven All-Star games after returning from Korea despite impaired hearing as a result of his Korean service.

After leaving baseball, Williams became a well-known outdoorsman and was often seen duck hunting or fishing. The Splendid Splinter succumbed to cardiac arrest at Crystal River, Fla., on 5 July 2002. He was 83 years old.

(Colorised by Chris Whitehouse)

Battle weary Marines seek consolation with God. A painting depicting Christ, 'The Prince of Peace', consoling a battle-weary Marine, provides an appropriate background in the Korean tent, where a Protestant navy chaplain, Lt. Karl Ernst, from McLean, Texas leads First Division Marines in prayer. December 15, 1952
The painting was created by 29 year old fellow Marine, Master Sergeant Russell G. Vickers from Paris, Texas.

(Source - AP Photo/FW)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK

Pvt. Dick L. Powell, of Findlay, Ohio, shares a meal with his puppy friend, 'Fuzzy', near the front in the 35th Regt, 25th Division area on March 12, 1951. Fuzzy first looks on hungrily before he digs in.

This photo may have been taken as the 25th Division participated in 'Operation Ripper' from March 7–April 4, 1951. The operation’s goal was to drive Communist forces out of Hongch’on and Ch’unch...’on and to reach “Idaho,” – just below the 38th parallel in South Korea. (historybyzim.com)

(Source - AP Photo/James Martenhoff)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

Capt. Philip K. Whitehouse USMCR, in his McDonnell F2H-2P Banshee, Photo Recon Aircraft at Pohang, Sth Korea, August 1953

"My dad trained in Corsairs at the end of WWII, and was delighted with the ending of the Pacific war because he was certain that he would have been in on the invasion of the Japanese home islands.
After the war he got his degree in civil engineering at Northwestern while he re...mained in the reserves.
With two children and one on the way he was called back to Korea. He was not at all happy about this, having seen his sister, with a child and one on the way, lose her husband in 1944. He was quite upset that the same could well happen to his wife.
Based in Pohang, he flew reconnaissance over North Korea. He spoke of harrowing flights when he rode up the coast at low altitude shooting sideways into the land and seeing men scrambling to call ahead to their anti-aircraft guns.
Another time he was chased for quite a ways by Chinese MIGs, with nothing to defend himself but cameras. The Air Force boys in their F-86s came to his aid and chased them off. Decades later he spoke of this time and gave thanks to those men while standing in front of an F-86 at the Wright Patterson museum in Dayton.
But even with this, he was always grateful not to be pounding the ground with the other Marines!"

(Colorised and written by his son Chris Whitehouse)

"A Marine assault squad member uses a flame thrower to clean out an enemy pillbox on Korea's central front on May 7, 1951.
Smoke from white phosphorus mortar shells shrouds the assault area to mark the targets and mask the attack."

(Nb. If this date is correct, then this could be a Marine from the 3rd Btn/7th Marine Regt.,1st US Marine Division between Hongchon and Chunchon, prior to their adva...nce north on the 16th May '51)

(Source - AP Photos)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

The confederate flag waves from top of the pup tent of SFC (Sergeant first class) Eugene L. Bursi, of Memphis, Tenn., an artilleryman with the 136th Field Artillery Battalion U.S. Eighth Army, in Korea on April 27, 1951.

(Nb. the only record of a Eugene L Bursi, of Memphis we can find is that of,
Eugene Louis Bursi born Feb 8 1927 - died May 6 2007)
...
(Source - AP Photo - AP1951)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

'Operation Chromite'
American forces land in Inchon harbor one day after the Battle of Inchon began. 16 September 1950.

Four LSTs unload men and equipment while "high and dry" at low tide on Inchon's "Red Beach," 16 September, the day after the initial landings there. LST-715 is on the right end of this group, which also includes LST-611, LST-845, and one other. Another LST is beached on the tid...al mud flats at the extreme right. Note bombardment damage to the building in center foreground, many trucks at work, Wolmi-Do Island in the left background and the causeway connecting the island to Inchon. The ship in the far distance, just beyond the right end of Wolmi-Do, is the Lyman K. Swenson (DD-729).

The amphibious landings of 15 September 1950 at Inchon were General MacArthur's masterstroke. As Eight Army struggled to maintain fighting room in the southeast of Korea, he had his thoughts fixed upon a possible landing in the enemies rear to reverse the war. The biggest logistical challenge was to have all units, their equipment and supplies, as well as transports, landing ships and craft, and other ships, ready in time for D-day.

The landing itself was conducted fairly close to the plan, not meeting more resistance than anticipated. The Advance Attack Group, supported by naval gunfire and close air support, assaulted and capture the tactical important Wolmi- Do Island in an operation that lasted an hour and a half in the morning of 15 September. In the early afternoon the remainder of the assault shipping arrived on station and the order "Land the Landing Force" was given as the tide had started to come in. Due to the amount of supplies and equipment the Landing Force desired to embark, most of the ships in the assault echelon carried in excess of the amount which was considered to be normal. Approximately 13,000 troops and their assault equipment were unloaded the first day.

Improvement of unloading facilities was initiated as rapidly as possible and general unloading was ordered on 16 September. This was the same day as the second echelon of ships arrived with the 7th Infantry Division. During the period D-1 to D-6 unloading continued as rapidly as tidal conditions and unloading facilities would permit. Nearly 50,000 personnel, more than 5,000 vehicles, and 22,000 short tons of cargo was brought ashore in this period.
(vlib.iue.it)

(Source - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / 80-G-420027)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

Private J. Oates 'B' Company 1st Battalion Argyll and Highland Sutherlands, 27th Brigade getting ready to fire his Bren Gun at a sniper, with a blazing house in the background. (possibly at Chongju, 30 October 1950)

"The 1st Battalion led the advance on the 28th (Oct.) with its leading platoon mounted on tanks. The main opposition came from tanks, and this imposed long delays on the column, altho...ugh the air gave all support that could be desired, frequently spotting and destroying tanks in the path of the Battalion. These delays made it impossible to reach Chongju in daylight, and the Battalion halted for the night about a mile away, and it was fortunate it did so as there turned out to be a strongly held and well-sited position defending the town. The following day 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) encountered stubborn resistance, which took the greater part of the day to overcome, but by the evening all was set for the entry to Chongju, which was to take place the following morning, 30th October". (argylls1945to1971.co.uk)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

Private Henry Horneman of Tamworth, NSW, a member of C Company, the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), keeps an eye on the front line from a snow covered position at the Jamestown Line Area, Korea, 1 January 1953. Note his Browning Light Machine Gun at the ready.

In early December 1952, 1RAR took over defences on Hill 355. The position had been poorly maintained and it took 1RAR... ten days and 50 casualties to secure the area and regain control of the approaches. The battalion also supported the Royal Fusiliers in Operation Beat Up (25–26 November) by launching a diversionary attack on Hill 227.
The last action 1RAR engaged in during the war was Operation Fauna (11–12 December). The purpose of the operation was to capture a prisoner and destroy enemy defences. It did not achieve its main objective, but did succeed in destroying the enemy position code-named Flora. Nearly a third of the force became casualties, with 22 wounded and three missing. Operation Fauna shows the risks associated with prisoner-capturing operations, as they were rarely successful and often resulted in heavy casualties.
On 21 March 1953, 1RAR was relieved by 2RAR at Camp Casey, near Tongduchon, and returned to Australia later that month. The battalion returned to Korea in April of 1954, and was involved in training and border patrols. In March 1956, 1RAR ceased its operations in Korea and returned to Australia. (Text by AWM)

(Source: Australian War Memorial, HOBJ3883 - Photographer: Phillip Oliver Hobson)

(Colourised by Benjamin Thomas from Australia)

Fifth battle of "Old Baldy" – March 23–26, 1953

U.S. soldiers observe Chinese positions near “Old Baldy,” a strategic height west of Ch’ǒrwǒn, South Korea, March 1953.

"If not for the heroic resistance of the Colombian troops at Old Baldy, the Chinese forces could have broken the 7th Division's Main Line of Resistance, entering deep into allied territory with very serious consequences, since the... road could lead troops and armored enemy vehicles directly to Seoul.
At this point the command of the Division orders the hill a no man's land, and the most fearsome bombardment begins on Old Baldy. The Colombian Battalion had been unable to regain her men behind lines, stranded, wounded or dead. All were at the mercy of the U.S. Air Force, relentless in its action.
The Colombian casualties resulted in 95 KIA, 97 WIA and 30 MIA, over 20% of the Battalion. The 7th Division considered 750 KIA the losses for enemy troops on Baldy."
(Ref: United States Army Center of Military History, Korea 1951–1953, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1996, p. 278)

(Colorised by Gabriel Bîrsanu from Romania)

Powder smoke and dust billow as a M-20 75mm. recoilless rifle team of a U.S. Infantry Division, fire their weapon at Chinese Communist positions on a hill in Korea.
(possibly the 29th Infantry at The Battle at the Notch, August 1950)

M20 75mm Recoilless Rifle
The RCLR was a breech-loaded, singleshot, man-portable, crew-served weapon. It could be used in both antitank and antipersonnel roles. It c...ould be fired from the ground, using the bipod or the monopod, or from the shoulder. The most stable firing position was the prone position.

Used properly in combat, the 75's proved themselves time after time. They were accurate, hard-hitting weapons. The Infantryman considered the 75 as one of the best supporting weapons for both attack and defense in the Korean War. It could take on a T34 tank at 400 yards, it could destroy pillboxes or cave positions, and it could provide enfilading artillery support. (globalsecurity.org)

(Source - US Signal Corps)

(Colourised by Doug)

‘Two gunners of the Royal New Zealand Artillery's 16th Field Regt. peer out of the windows of their dug-in hut. They are: Gunner Phil Hansen of Petone, left; and Lance Bombardier Hori Chesnutt of Taihape’.

Photograph taken in Korea, 21 December 1951, by Ian Mackley.

New Zealand’s 1056-man 'Kayforce' arrived at Pusan, South Korea, on New Year’s Eve 1950. It was part of the United Nations’ ‘polic...e action’ to repel North Korea’s invasion of its southern neighbour. The New Zealanders joined the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade and saw action for the first time in late January 1951. Thereafter they took part in the operations that led the UN forces back to and over the 38th Parallel, recapturing Seoul in the process.

In April 1951 the Chinese, who had intervened to save North Korea from defeat, launched their Fifth Phase Offensive. The 27th British Commonwealth Brigade fought a successful defensive battle against a Chinese division at Kap’yong. Filling a gap in the UN line caused by the collapse of a South Korean division, the Royal New Zealand Artillery’s 16 Field Regiment played a vital supporting role for 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and the Canadian 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, from 23 to 25 April.

During this action Kayforce suffered its first fatal battle casualty with the death of Second Lieutenant Dennis Fielden. The experienced Fielden had served for seven years with the Royal Artillery and Royal Air Force (RAF) before joining Kayforce. He was posthumously Mentioned in Dispatches for his conduct at Kap’yong. The death of the ‘popular and unassuming officer [was] much regretted by officers and men alike.’ The regiment was awarded a South Korean Presidential Citation, conferred at a parade in February 1952.

The Chinese offensive in this sector had been effectively checked, though Kap’yong later had to be abandoned as the UN forces fell back in good order to positions just north of Seoul.

In all, about 4700 men served with Kayforce and a further 1300 in Royal New Zealand Navy frigates during the seven years of New Zealand’s involvement in Korea. Forty-five men lost their lives in this period, 33 of them during the war (of whom two were RNZN personnel).

(Source - Alexander Turnbull Library Reference no: K-0625-F)

(Colourised by Doug) See More

Douglas B-26 'Invaders' of the Fifth Air Force's 452 Light Bomb Wing used the Y in the tracks as an aiming point, and the accuracy of their calculations is attested by these two fiery blossoms of napalm, both directly astride a line filled with enemy railroad cars. The location of this dramatic photo is a marshalling yard on the main rail line leading south from Wonsan, important East coast port city. Photo taken ca.04/23/1951.

(Colorized by Tom Thounaojam from India) Don't we know this guy!?!!!

A US Marine Corps Vought F4U-4B Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron 214 (VMF-214) "Black Sheep" receives final checks to its armament of bombs and 5-inch rockets, just prior to being catapulted from the Escort Carrier USS Sicily (CVE-118) for a strike on enemy forces in Korea. The original photograph is dated 16 November 1950, but was probably taken in August - October 1950.

USS Sicily
The invasio...n of South Korea by the North Koreans, on 25 June, caused a radical change in her operating plans. Sicily was notified on 2 July that she was needed in the Far East; and she sailed, two days later, for the first of three deployments to Korean waters. Sicily was designated flagship of Carrier Division (CarDiv) 15 and on 3 August launched aircraft of VMF-214 on their first air strike in support of Allied ground forces. During this tour, she supported ground operations at Pohang, the Inchon landing, the advance to Seoul, and the withdrawal of the marines from the Chosin Reservoir to Hungnam before returning to San Diego on 5 February 1951. On her second tour with the 7th Fleet, from 13 May to 12 October 1951, Sicily operated on both the east and west coast of Korea. Her last tour during the Korean War was from 8 May to 4 December 1952, and she served with the United Nations Escort and Blockading Force. Sicily was deployed to the Far East again from 14 July 1953 to 25 February 1954.

(Source - USN Official US Navy photo 80-G-419 929)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

Troops about to board U.S. Army Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw helicopters to be transported by the 6th Transportation Company (Helicopter), Eighth Army, Korea. Late 1953

The H-19 in Medical Evacuation

The 6th and 13th Transportation Helicopter Companies both participated in medical evacuation with emergency missions in April 1953....
The 6th participated in Operation Little Switch, the evacuation of nearly 700 sick and wounded Allied prisoners of war.
This was followed by Operation Big Switch in August 1953, using the entire 13th Trans and most of the 6th Trans in a massive airlift operation. In a 33 day period , over 5,600 released POWs were flown to safety in 1,173 flights.

The H-19 Chickasaw served in Korea for only a few months before a cease fire was declared. They battled not only the weather, the terrain and the enemy, but also lack of spare parts and trained personnel. Members of the 6th and 13th Transportation Companies flew thousands of hours to the very end of the war.

Shortly after the cease fire, helicopters of both companies flew out to the aircraft carriers at Inchon in Operation Byway to pick up more than 5,000 Indian troops.
The crews flew the UN troops to the demilitarized zone and delivered them to their posts to watch over the cease fire agreement. This proved to be the largest movement of troops ever conducted by Army aviation.

The H-19 CHICKASAW HELICOPTER

The H-19, the Army's first true cargo helicopter, was developed in the late 1940s by Sikorsky as the S-55, and tested by the Air Force.

The Army began testing it against other helicopters in its inventory in 1951, and it proved to be more capable than the smaller two-seat H-13 Sioux and the H-23 Raven. In the fall of 1951, the Army placed an order for 72 H-19Cs, which was followed by an order for over 300 of the more powerful H-19Ds.

The Chickasaw traveled faster and farther, and held more cargo than the H-13. Unlike the H-13 which could only carry two litters, the H-19 held eight fully equipped troops or 4 to 6 litters with an onboard nurse. The H-19 could carry 1,350 lbs internally, or sling load 1,000 lbs. It had an all-metal pod and tail boom, and a two bladed anti-torque rotor. (transportation.army.mil)

(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)

A US Marine M-26 Pershing tank grinds up heights along Naktong and gives close support to Marines driving enemy backward. 3 September 1950
North Koreans used anti-tank guns, tanks and automatic weapons in hours-long fire fight before Marines broke them.

The bulk of the M26 (and M26A1) force saw action during the Korean war, from 1950 to 1953. The first units to be called were the ...four infantry division stationed in Japan, only counting a few M24 Chaffees and howitzer support models. The M24s were quickly found no match for the numerous T-34/85s fielded then by the North Koreans. However, three M26s were found in storage at the Tokyo US Army ordnance depot, and were quickly brought back in service with fortune-made fanbelts. They were formed into a provisional tank platoon by Lieutnant Samuel Fowler. They were deployed in mid-July, first seeing action when defending Chinju. However, their engines overheated and died out in the process. By the end of July 1950 more divisions were sent, but still counting mostly medium tanks, M4s of the latest types. Many M26s were hastily reconditioned and shipped. By the end of the year, some 305 Pershings managed to arrive in Korea. (tanks-encyclopedia.com)

(Source - NARA FILE# : 127-GK-234A-A2290)

(Colorised by Gabriel Bîrsanu from Romania)

Carrying her baby brother on her back, a war weary Korean girl walks by a stalled M-26 tank, at Haengju, Korea, June, 1951.

US marine capturing north Korean prisoners of war. Korean War 1953. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)