The bayonet, almost forgotten as a weapon, quickly became the symbol of the new aggressive spirit adopted by Ridgway's army. In early January, the French Foreign Legion launched a bayonet attack against North Korean forces on a hill near Wonju. A few days later, two American companies at Wonju launched their own bayonet charge under the command of Forrest B. Walker.
Walker, a black company commander, personally led his men in overrunning and capturing the hill. Ridgway personally recommended Walker for a Silver Star. Then on the 26th, a Turkish battalion "fixed bayonets" and overran a CCF strong point , killing 400 of the enemy in hand to hand combat. The Turkish attack was the subject of widespread, and awe-inspiring, publicity. Ridgway ordered the 8th Army to fix bayonets from then on before going into combat.
Two days later the Greek Battalion found itself attacked by a Chinese regiment of 3000. Backs to the wall they drove off three furious assaults with bayonets, rifle butts and, finally, their bare hands. On January 29th another battalion of French Foreign Legionaries held a key hill overlooking the battle perimeter. The Chinese sent their 125th Division against French, nearly driving them off. The French rallied and charged with bayonets, repelling the attack. Weight of Chinese numbers eventually forced the French off the hill -- but not for long. As the Chinese began to pour a murderous fire into the perimeter of Allied troops, the French officers wrapped red scarves around their heads. The enlisted men then tossed away their helmets, donned their Kepis and unsheathed their bayonets. Screaming their famous battle cry "Camarone!" they drove up the hill with such ferocity they drove the Chinese back and earned a Presidential Unit Citation.
An American company, under Lewis W. Millet charged on February 5th, in what Army historian LA Marshall called the "greatest bayonet attack by US soldiers since Cold Harbor." When the attack was over a quarter of the Chinese defenders were dead and the objective taken. His heroism earned Millet the Medal of Honor.
"Fix Bayonets!" became part of the lore of combat in Korea. One reason bayonet attacks succeeded against the Chinese was perhaps only half of the Chinese attackers normally carried guns. The others were armed only with grenades and were expected to pick up and fight with their fallen comrades arms. Its one thing being able to shoot at a man attacking you with a bayonet and entirely another to hit him with a thrown grenade.
More Korea
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© Copyright 1994 by David W. Tschanz.
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