Saturday 2 FEB WargamersROK wargamed the Battle of Osan, (Task Force Smith) the first US Ground Forces to fight in the KOREAN WAR, July 1950.

Our KOREAN WAR BATTLE pitted Army Pilot Vince Stella (who played Infantry BN Commander LTC C.B. Smith) defending with 400 Infantrymen and SGT Jin Yung Park (Playing Artillery Cdr, LTC Perry) with some of the Infantry and a battery of six 105mm Howitzers.

The North Korean People's Army (NKPA) had a full Infantry Division of 12,000 Troops (they only used 2,000), supported by a Tank Regiment of 40 Russian T-34/85 Tanks (they only used 20) played by Alex Tunis, and Greg White. As you can tell by the numbers, this is a one-sided scenario, with "survival" being the Americans' goal. However, the terrain was well suited for the defense. Smiths hill position had adequate high ground with an excellent open kill zone to the front, and restrictive terrain to the flanks. A highway and railroad ran from Suwon toward Osan right through TF Smith's position. Since the roads had rice paddies on either side, and the enemy were mechanized, the mounted attack had to come through the US position to clear the road to the South.

In the Historical Battle, 33 North Korean T-34/ 85 tanks, smashed through Smith's defensive hill positions from the north at 8:30 a.m.

Unaccompanied by infantry, they overran the American positions, and most tanks did not stop to engage. Perry's Gunner troops destroyed three with 105mm HEAT rounds before another T-34 overran the Gun set up in an antitank role. The rest of the 6-gun battery was set up in support with landline communication, but did not participate in the following infantry attack due to the commo-line being severed by the tanks. All bazookas seemed to be the early World War II models and were completely ineffective against the armor of the Soviet made tanks. After the Tanks had passed, the N. Korean Infantry Attacked. In a few hours, over half of TF Smith was dead or wounded. In all four T-34's were destroyed, and one was immobilized. About 40 North Koreans were killed, and 85 wounded. Smith's Infantry force lost about 150 men killed, wounded, or missing in action (MIA) The artillery were also missing 5 officers and 26 enlisted men. All of the forward observers, machine gun, and bazooka teams were MIA. Smith and his men fled on foot and on the Artillery Trucks, leaving behind all of the Artillery Pieces, and ammunitions, as well as most of the other equipment.

OUR WARGAME, designed to be a faithful recreation, went pretty much the same way, and was a history lesson in defense. The Defenders were required to delay for 6 to 10 turns (2-3 hours) and with-draw over 75% of the force safely. Holding until turn ten, and getting 75% of the force off was a US Minor victory, but anything over 50% losses was a NKPA operational victory.

Our North Koreans (Comrades Alex and Greg) supported the Tank attack with their Infantry, but US Artillery slowed the foot troops, causing the first NKPA Casualties. The US Bazookas and recoilless Rifles opened up on the tanks with point blank side-shots, but to little avail. The best they could do was blow off a few tracks and halt the lead vehicles. This temporarily blocked the defile at the base of the hill. The 105mm gun with six HEAT rounds took out 5 tanks, destroying two, and immobilizing three. This slowed the tank advance, but eventually the gun and crew, fell victim to fire from the tanks. The Recoilless Rifles met the same fate. Because the Roads were blocked with the lead tanks, the follow on NKPA Tanks attacked into the American positions rather than bypassing. However, since the Tanks did not bypass the position, the Artillery Land line was open, and the Artillery remained more effective. Two truck-convoys crammed with troops were hit with HE, taking out 4 entire companies.

With Tanks closely engaging the position, NKPA Infantry managed to close in and attack on both flanks and frontally. The entire US position was overwhelmed. When AT and mortar ammunition ran out, thousands of enemy troops and plenty of Tanks were in the Position. LTC Smith gave the order to disengage, but the B Company Commander took a Main Tank round in the head, and minutes later, the Artillery Officer sent to take charge met the same fate. A few Army Bazooka men and NCO's repelled the enemy close assaults while the others fled. Most squads began to break and run, until the entire battalion was running for the trucks. However, T-34's broke though to the rear and began to take out the US trucks, and the Artillery land-line. Smith was the last one off the hill... or he was going to be, when a T-34 took him out. In the last "mad dash" to safety, the routed remnants of Smith's troops piled onto the few remaining Artillery 21/2 ton trucks, while LTC Perry dragged off three guns with his 3/4 Ton trucks. Thus, while the US Infantry lost a bit more than 50% of his force, the Artillery managed to get out with half he guns, and gunners.

The Defenders did better than historically, having killed more North Koreans than Smith did in 1950 (Mostly due to Artillery fire on Truck Convoys), evacuated 3 Guns, and damaged (temporarily) twice as many tanks. However, the Comrades of the NKPA also did better than historically, in that they were MUCH more aggressive. They killed more US troops and more officers including Smith, and almost managed to cut off and surround Smith's force almost keeping any from escaping... almost.

Lessons Learned

Overall we learned much more about the Battle. Since this wargame system has held true to recreate other Battles we can use it by comparison to note a few things about TF Smith.

First: We can see how foolhardy the historical defense was, considering the numbers, deficient equipment, and armament.

Second: We see how much the battle would change hinged on a few things: AT mines, more HEAT rounds (than six), newer model Bazooka's, Radios for Forward Observers (all things we had in abundance in WWII). Any one of these items could have easily turned the battle from severe defeat to at least parity, stalemate, or successful withdrawal.

Third: While the troops of TF Smith are often portrayed as ill trained and , this scenario indicates that the defeat wasn't due simply to poor training or lack of bravery, but the hopeless sacrificial predicament they were thrust into by senior leaders, like Macarthur. Battle Simulations are only as good as the system and data you put in (garbage-in-garbage-out) But, like conditions produce like results, and if the TF Smith wargame teaches us anything it shows that LTC Smith can't win at OSAN in July 1950 without changing a few of those conditions.

I posted two full Articles about the BATTLE in our yahoo group files. One historical account and one on wargaming the battle. Get them at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WargamersROK/files/