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Worst Battle Ever For US Troops? Marine Corp. Trapped? God Bless Those Who Fought At Chosin.
PBS ^ | 2016 | PBS

Posted on 12/23/2017 8:12:31 PM PST by Djl3668

“The Battle of Chosin INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS. UNFORGIVING CONDITIONS. UNYIELDING COURAGE. Film Description On Thanksgiving Day 1950, American-led United Nations troops were on the march in North Korea. U.S. Marine and Air Force pilots distributed holiday meals, even to those on the front lines. Hopes were high that everyone would be home by Christmas. But soon after that peaceful celebration, American military leaders, including General Douglas MacArthur, were caught off guard by the entrance of the People's Republic of China, led by Mao Zedong, into the five-month-old Korean War. Twelve thousand men of the First Marine Division, along with a few thousand Army soldiers, suddenly found themselves surrounded, outnumbered and at risk of annihilation at the Chosin Reservoir, high in the mountains of North Korea. The two-week battle that followed, fought in brutally cold temperatures, is one of the most celebrated in Marine Corps annals and helped set the course of American foreign policy in the Cold War and beyond. Incorporating interviews with more than 20 veterans of the campaign, The Battle of Chosin recounts this epic conflict through the heroic stories of the men who fought it.”

(Excerpt) Read more at pbs.org ...


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: battle; chosin; koreanwar; marines; militaryhistory; northkorea; war
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I can’t imagine the battle being fought in these sub zero temps.

I can’t imagine fighting this battle knowing there was only one road in or out of Chosin.

God Bless our soldiers, God Bless, Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to those who have fought in our wars to protect our freedoms.

Nice work PBS this time around spending tax payer dollars to tell a true story of the heroics of young American kids fighting for their lives so I can give thanks for them today.

1 posted on 12/23/2017 8:12:31 PM PST by Djl3668
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To: Djl3668

2 posted on 12/23/2017 8:14:51 PM PST by gaijin
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To: Djl3668

3 posted on 12/23/2017 8:16:09 PM PST by gaijin
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To: gaijin

I’m watching it now. Again. Wow. Amazing.


4 posted on 12/23/2017 8:16:30 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: gaijin

5 posted on 12/23/2017 8:17:33 PM PST by gaijin
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To: gaijin

So, I hope his new ship that has recently set sail, in his name, deploys well.

The only other winter battle US Troops fought with such such valor, in sub temps, Bulge.

Just top of my head.


6 posted on 12/23/2017 8:24:32 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: Djl3668

The Frozen Chosin....brutal


7 posted on 12/23/2017 8:29:15 PM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: Djl3668

Our family lost one at this time... God rest Cousin, Tommy Buchanan, USMC.


8 posted on 12/23/2017 8:32:51 PM PST by ThomasPaine2000 (Peace without freedom is tyranny.)
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To: Djl3668

Our family lost one at this time... God rest Cousin, Tommy Buchanan, USMC.


9 posted on 12/23/2017 8:34:40 PM PST by ThomasPaine2000 (Peace without freedom is tyranny.)
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To: ThomasPaine2000

Hail Mary done. Hero he is.


10 posted on 12/23/2017 8:35:33 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: Djl3668
Read The Frozen Hours early this year. Novel by Jeff Shaara which dealt with the Chosin campaign. I highly recommend it.
11 posted on 12/23/2017 8:45:11 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Rummyfan

Yes sir. Can you think of any worse battle to fight, in any conditions, outside of Chosin?

Let’s keep this to Amirican Forces for now. Minus 50 and figuring out how to move let alone fight.

Amazing fortitude.


12 posted on 12/23/2017 8:51:04 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: Rummyfan

https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Hours-Novel-Korean-War/dp/0345549228/ref=nodl_


13 posted on 12/23/2017 8:54:12 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: Djl3668

The Battle of Quebec was fought in a blizzard on New Years Eve, 1775, but our troops didn’t do so well in that fight.


14 posted on 12/23/2017 9:01:53 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: Djl3668
My uncle received a battlefield commission on Guadalcanal, survived Saipan, walked out of Chosin with what remained of his company, and retired as a full bird colonel.

He was one of the most amazing men I have ever met. I never got the stories of what my uncles did until after they were dead. Damn shame.

"Ceterum censeo Islam esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

15 posted on 12/23/2017 9:02:43 PM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: Djl3668

From what I have read, those armed with the M1 carbine where pretty much unarmed..
the anemic round would not penetrate Chinese winter coats.


16 posted on 12/23/2017 9:06:50 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure)
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To: Djl3668

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2015/02/09/navy-christens-ship-named-for-marine-legend-chesty-puller/


17 posted on 12/23/2017 9:07:55 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: LonePalm

“Guadalcanal, survived Saipan, walked out of Chosin with what remained of his company, and retired as a full bird colonel.”

Good men become Great Men through adversity.

My dad went into the Army as went to Berlin with a 1 Minute life expectancy. Is my dad any better than your uncle? Never.

My dad is the role model for my son as, it clearly sounds like, your uncle is your role model. Anybody who fought in any one of those battles, let alone three, deserves anything and everything our great country can give a man.

Merry CHRISTMAS.


18 posted on 12/23/2017 9:18:16 PM PST by Djl3668 (Z11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things)
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To: Djl3668
Task Force Faith, a scratch force of Army personnel scrounged up from a motley collection of units, probably kept the Marines from being outflanked. That was an epic stand reminiscent of the 300 at Thermopylae. Of course, the price paid by TFF was horrendous, with 90+% casualties (killed, wounded, MIA and captured).
19 posted on 12/23/2017 9:53:30 PM PST by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: gaijin

A fine example of Gen. McArthur’s arrogance. He didn’t listen to his Intell people.

My father-in-law, a veteran of Pearl Harbor, Tinian, Saipan, Eniwetok and Iwo Jima, hated McArthur with a passion. Said that McArthur needlessly sacrificed too many American lives with his “take all islands” strategy instead of island-avoidance when the Japanese were trapped there and posed no threat to our forces.

After reading the battle reports and casualties suffered in some of these operations, I agreed with him 100%.

My late father-in-law rose in the Army ranks and became one of the most important leaders in our counter-intelligence operations against the Soviet Bloc during the Cold War.

He knew the value of good intelligence and not underestimating the enemy. McArthur wouldn’t have listened to him because of his inflated ego and media built-up image.


20 posted on 12/23/2017 10:17:02 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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