Battle for the Punchbowl: The U. S. 1st Marine Division 1951 Fall Offensive of the Korean War Page: 131

were the only ones on ours besides the operators. Most of the company had left
a couple of hours earlier so we arrived later at the reserve area and didn't march
in with the company or make roll call.42
Day Three: September 13
The attack plan for the 1st Marines was set forth in Regimental OpnO 20-51. This
order was issued on September 12, and set a timeline for relief of the 7th Marines to be
completed by 2400. The First Battalion, 1/1, was initially to be in regimental reserve,
ready to assume mission of either 2/1 or 3/1 as ordered. For September 13th, 3/1 and
2/1 were to attack towards the objectives 2/7 and 3/7 had been fighting for; 2/1 to seize
the rest of Hill 749 (Division Objective Baker) and portions of the ridgeline that included
Hills 812, 980 and 1052 (Regimental Objective Roger); 3/1 to attack and take an
unnamed Hill between Hill 751 and 812 -- part of a finger ridge than ran up to Hill 1052
from the southeast --, and Hill 751. H-Hour was set for 0500.43
Complications in the tactical situation meant that the 1st Marines, originally slated
for an H-hour of 0500, September 13, had to wait until 0900 to attack. In addition,
ammunition had to be moved up to the front for the regimental assault to begin and
roads had been blocked by the enemy, and "movement of all units to their assigned
positions was very slow due to heavy evacuation traffic on the trails and difficulty in
locating guides and prescribed routes at night." One company of KSCs (Korean Service
Corps) was added to help the regiment move supplies forward, 240 men. One
technological innovation, however, kept the delay to a minimum.44
42 Oral memoir of Jon Charles Genrich.
43 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, OpnOr 20-51.
44 Lynn Montross, et al., The East-Central Front, 187; 1st Mar Div, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 15;
Third Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 3; 1st Marine Regiment,
"Historical Diary," September 1951, 14.

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