The Korean War, 70 Years Ago, The Daily Notes, Canonsburg PA
Korean War Weekly Front Pages
21 September 1952 – 27 September 1952
The Daily Notes, Canonsburg PA
“That hill has changed me.”
*****
A correspondent for the United Press traveled with soldiers in the US Second Division. He reported, “The ugly scarred ridge known as Old Baldy curved malignantly over this supply point. Begrimed, bearded infantrymen tumbled down the path from the bunkers above. You could feel the controlled despair of these men. It follows any battle, victorious or not.” He went on to say, “PFC Rafael Leif, Omaha, Nebraska, squinted against the midday sun at Old Baldy’s crest. ‘That hill has changed me,’ he said quietly. ‘I can’t even look at it anymore.’ And he turned away. These troops, who were thrown off the key western front height Friday and won it back Sunday, hate Old Baldy with a fierce passion. To them it is now known as Suicide Hill.”
General Mark Clark, UN Far East commander, met on Wednesday in Seoul with his top land, sea, and air commanders but declined to reveal the reason for the high-level conferences. Clarke said he expected to be in Korea for “a couple of days” and they had “all kinds of things to discuss.” Even as the mysterious meeting took place, Chinese Communists repelled a savage, tank-supported attack on Kelly Hill on the western front by soldiers from the fifth Puerto Rican regiment of the US Third Division. The Puerto Ricans were forced to give up after more than seven hours of heartbreaking fighting. The next day the US soldiers were knocked off another height near Kelly Hill on the western front and the Communist Chinese repelled a UN counterattack in a heavy rain. The Red attack on “Big Nori” consolidated Communist conquest of Kelly Hill, which the Puerto Ricans failed to win back in a valiant assault Wednesday. Puerto Ricans of the 65th Infantry Regiment fighting in the Kelly Hill area west of Chorwon reported the appearance for the first time of “giant” soldiers, apparently from Outer Mongolia.
On Friday American Sabrejets shot down four Communist MIG-15 jets and damaged three others, setting a new record in claims against enemy jet fighters in a single month. Fifth Air Force officials said the day’s claims brought the official toll of MIGs for the first 26 days of September to 55 destroyed, six probably destroyed, and 51 damaged.
(Photo courtesy newspapers.com, Canonsburg Daily Notes)