Battle for the Punchbowl: The U. S. 1st Marine Division 1951 Fall Offensive of the Korean War Page: 135

and the last companies of 2/7 had a hot fight on their hands for the rest of the daylight
hours. Clearly 749 was no enemy outpost, but a key position in his MLR.52
Dog contacted 2/1 at 1825, and 2/1 reported it had relieved all 2/7 elements.
However, withdrawal of Dog and Easy was impeded at 2200 by heavy enemy incoming.
It took them an hour and a half to finally start for the rear.53
From the perspective of 2/1, the same action described above for 2/7 was reported
as follows. The relief of Fox 2/7 (the company on the south part of 749 - see Map # 23)
by 2/1 ended by 1100. (Whereupon Fox 2/7 began to withdraw), but 2/1 ran into at least
one enemy counterattack at 0820 while getting there. The passage of lines (and relief)
by 2/1 through 2/7 began by 0915.54
Subsequently, 2/1 commenced the assault at 1200 with Easy Company in the lead
supported by "a very close air strike, 81mm mortars and HMG platoon. Tanks were
firing on located enemy bunkers on south slopes of Hill 812 and Objective BAKER."
Going was rough right off the bat. Easy Company "gained the crest of Hill 749 at 1210
and was driven off by murderous enemy mortar and hand grenade fire. At 1230, 2/7
coordinated close in support of 2/1's attack on Hill 749 with the aid of 60mm mortars
and small arms."55
Adequate air support did not arrive to help 2/1 in its assault. "After the jump off it
was immediately apparent from the heavy volume of mortar, automatic weapons, small
arms fire and the hail of grenades employed by the enemy, that further air strikes would
52 st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 13; Lynn Montross, et al., The East-Central
Front, 190; 1st Mar Div, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 16.
53 Second Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, Daily Narrative of
Activities.
54 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 12.
ss Second Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 6.

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