July-August - Air Defense Artillery

"Accompli at Chipyong
iI-IE battle of Chipyong is a classic
example of American superiority in
arms. The action was the basis used for
recommending the 23rd Regimental
C,ombat Team, 2d Infantry Division as
a distinguished unit. The action at
Chipyong, a typical Korean village along
one of the principal rail lines in South
Korea, is positive proof that an active,
coordinated defense can succeed.
Dubbed the Bastogne of the Korean war,
Chipyong played an important part in
Lt. General Matthew B. Ridgway's
Eighth Army offensive action designed
to inflict maximum casualties upon the
Communist enemy with minimum losses
to the United Nations Forces. This is an
account of the action of Battery B, 82d
AAA AW Battalion (SP), a part of the
23rd Regimental Combat Team used in
this action on close support mission.
The French Infantry Battalion under
the leadership of Lt. Co!. (i\lajor General)
Ralph L. Monclar, was attached to
the 23rd Infantry Regiment. Other attached
units were the 37th Field Artil-
Silver Star
SECOND LIEUTENANT BRUCE W. FAULK.
NER, a member of Battery B. B2nd AAA AW
Bn. IS?), 2nd Infantry Division, displayed
gallantry in action against an armed enemy
on 14 February 1951 in the vicinity of Chipyang-ni,
Korea. On that dole the platoon
commanded by Lieutenant Faulkner was attached
to a rifle battalion. During on enemy
attock he remained in an exposed position
I and directed the fire of his weapons against
encl":"Y positions and in support of a counter-
attack. Upon completion of the counterattack,
the infantry was moved elsewhere to
meet another enemy assault. Lieutenant
Faulkner noticed enemy movement and was
subjectod to enemy small arms fire from the
0"0 that the infantry hod just vacated. He
left half his gun crews to provide covering
r" and bd the other half into the area as
riflemen. His aggressive cction was respon.
sib!, for the annihilation of 20 enemy, the
capture of 10, and the security of the de.
fcns:ve perimeter. The gallantry displayed
by Lieutonant Faulkner reflects great credit
uoon himself and the military service. x x x
Florida.
JULY-AUGUST, 1951
By Lt. Col. Walter Killilae and
Capt. Clyde T. Hathaway
lery Battalion (l05mm), Lt. Co!. John
R. Hector; Battery B, 503rd Field Artillery
Battalion (155mm); Capt, Clemen
C. i\larshal, and the 1st Ranger Company.
The AAA Battery rounded out
the organization for combat. As is normal
in defensive situations all artillery units,
including the AAA, were in general
support.
Chipyong was initially occupied on
February 3. For nine days friendly and
enemy patrols were active throughout
the area. Co!. Paul Freeman organized
his forces into an oval defense, assigning
each infantry battalion roughly a quarter
of the ova!. Dispositions are shown on
sketch map.
Battery B had available on February
12, four 1'I19's and six MI6's, with two
basic loads of ammunition. The battery
had an e\'en hundred men present for
duty. Assisting Capt. Hathaway, the battery
commander, were: Capt. James C.
Wilson, executive officer, 1st Lt. Joe \\T.
Seymour, 1st Platoon commander, 2d Lt.
G~orge Hair, 2d Platoon commander,
and 2d Lt. William Faulkner, assistant
platoon commander.
Battle sounds were heard around most
of the perimeter by 2200 hours on February
12. The Battery command post
was alerted and the executive officer established
liaison with regiment. An
initial check on the available communications
was made. Radio communications
consisted of FM (SCR 508 and
ANVRC-5), with all but one of the
combat vehicles and with regiment,
AN/GRC-9 with each platoon commander,
and SCR 300 from each platoon
to each infantry battalion. \\Tire communications
included a conventional
hot loop to those vehicles in the battery
area as well as wire lines to each vehicle
through the units they were supporting.
By 2230 hours, enemy artillery began
falling in the center of the village where
the unit command posts were located.
The first enemy attack was felt by K
Company, 3rd Battalion, on the southeast
perimeter where the enemy advanced
from hill 397. The initial attack
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