Bona Fide Effort

The Bukhan Dam held back the 19 billion cubic feet of water of the Hwacheon Reservoir. Concerned the CPVA might open the dam's sluice gates to hamper his movements, General Matthew Ridgeway ordered the dam to be captured or the gates disabled prior to the launch of the upcoming Operation …

1951-04-11

AP189

The Bukhan Dam held back the 19 billion cubic feet of water of the Hwacheon Reservoir. Concerned the CPVA might open the dam's sluice gates to hamper his movements, General Matthew Ridgeway ordered the dam to be captured or the gates disabled prior to the launch of the upcoming Operation DAUNTLESS. The job fell to Colonel William Harris' 7th Cavalry Regiment, and the recently attached 4th Ranger Company led by Captain Dorsey Anderson. Two frontal assaults against the dam's defenses failed, and the 7th Cavalry was due to be rotated out of the line. However, General William Hoge, commanding IX Corps, declared these attempts inadequate and ordered one more bona fide effort before the 7th pulled out. A plan was formed for an amphibious flanking attack across the reservoir by the 3rd Battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Charles Hallden, spearheaded by a night landing by the Rangers under cover of darkness.

Hwacheon Reservoir, S. Korea

The Battle of Hwacheon was a battle fought between 22 and 26 April 1951 during the Korean War between United Nations Command (UN) and Chinese forces during the Chinese Spring Offensive. The US 1st Marine Division successfully defended their positions and then withdrew under fire to the No-Name Line. In mid-April 1951 UN forces in the central front in Korea were engaged in Operation Dauntless to advance UN positions from the Kansas Line 2–6 miles (3.2–9.7 km) north of the 38th Parallel to positions 10–20 miles (16–32 km) north of the 38th Parallel designated the Wyoming Line which would threaten the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) and North Korean Korean People's Army (KPA) logistics hub marked out by the towns of Pyonggang, Ch'orwon and Kumhwa named the Iron Triangle. The advance by US I and IX Corps was to menace the Triangle, not invest it and if struck by strong enemy attacks during or after the advance, the two Corps were to return to the Kansas Line.

American

Communist Chinese

Scenario Type = Standard