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View Full Version : On this day in the Korean war june 30th



bobdina
06-30-2009, 11:14 AM
Gen. MacArthur receives permission to employ U.S. ground support forces and to carry the war into North Korea and the waters offshore but to stay well clear of the Manchurian and Soviet borders. Later in the day he receives permission to deploy one (1) Regimental Combat Team (RCT) to Korea to establish a defense line in Pusan area to assure retention of the port. A few hours after this the order was expanded to 2 combat divisions and with permission to employ these forces against North Korean forces in the Suwon area. The United States was now fully committed to the Korean War.

General Church goes to Osan (12 miles south of Suwon so he can communicate with Far East Command Headquarters via telephone. He is told that if Suwon Air Field can be held, 2 U.S. infantry battalions will be flown in the next day. While he is in Osan, ADSCOM personnel panic in the belief they about to be surrounded, destroy their documents and radios, then move to Suwon Air Field to set up a defense perimeter. Once there, they decide to retreat south to Taejon and order AAA personnel to accompany them. General Church meets the retreating Americans on the road and orders them back to Suwon but finding all communications equipment destroyed, orders all to fall back to Taejon.

In Japan, MacArthur orders the 24th Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. William F. Dean commanding, to deploy to Korea. At approximately 10:30 PM the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division - less "A"& "D" companies, was ordered to proceed to Itazuke Air Base fro immediate deployment to Korea, thus forming the infantry element of what would become Task Force Smith (TFS.)