Battle for the Punchbowl: The U. S. 1st Marine Division 1951 Fall Offensive of the Korean War Page: 47

bridges had been swept away due to flooding. It would be a laborious trek to get the
Marine units to their assembly areas, and the speed of movement was impeded very
much by the weather. Some units had to travel as far as sixty miles.24
In what would normally have been only a five hour movement by vehicle, the 7th
Marines and 1st KMC (the KMC regiment) took nearly three days to make the trek to
relieve units of the 2nd Infantry Division, USA (U. S. Army), and the 8th ROK Division,
and then ready for the attack. Departure was 27 August, and arrival was late 29 August.
The 5th Marines (-) would follow soon after (that was the plan anyway). The Division did
not have use of its other infantry regiment, the 1st Marines. 25
This latter unit was in corps reserve and would remain so until September 11-as
it turned out, however, the 1st Marines would be committed before the 5th Marines. While
in corps reserve, the 1st Marines was not under the control of General Thomas but
under X Corps. It would have to be released back to him for use in battle; and the 5th
Marines in division reserve had to guard the division's sector of Line Kansas,
responsibility of which, the 1st Mar Div still had to maintain and man defenses of, even
while the rest of its elements were engaged in combat to the north.26
Despite the slow going, upon word that increasing enemy pressure had the 2nd Inf
Div in possible need of immediate relief, "units of the Division continued the
24 st Mar Div, "Historical Diary," August 1951, 4, 5.
25 st Mar Div, "Historical Diary," August 1951, 4; Seventh Marines "Historical Diary," August 1951, 6; Lynn
Montross, et al., The East-Central Front, chapter IX; U. S. Pacific Fleet, "Third Interim Evaluation Report,"
chapter 15; 1st Mar Div, "Historical Diary," August 1951, 1; 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," August
1951,2. The 1st Marines was not to be released except under authority of X Corps. It was to be the core
of Task Force Able.
26 Lynn Montross, et al., The East-Central Front, chapter IX; U. S. Pacific Fleet, "Third Interim Evaluation
Report," chapter 15; 1st Mar Div, "Historical Diary," August 1951, 1; 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical
Diary," August 1951, 2; 1st Marine Regiment, "Historical Diary," September 1951, 2.

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