Remembering the ‘Forgotten War’

The Battle of Pork Chop Hill was significant because it enabled the United States to prevent North Korea from harnessing the hill.

The Korean War was fought between North Korea and South Korea from 1950 to 1953. The war began on June 25, 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border and rebellions in South Korea. On June 27, 1950, the United States officially entered the Korean War. The U.S. and allied countries supported the Republic of Korea (commonly called South Korea) in repelling an invasion from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (commonly called North Korea). North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union.

In the United States, the battles were controversial because of the large number of soldiers killed for terrain with no strategic or tactical value. According to U.S. sources, Chinese losses were far greater than our own.

The first battle was described in the work “Pork Chop Hill: The American Fighting Man in Action, Korea, Spring 1953,” by S.L.A. Marshall, from which the film “Pork Chop Hill” was drawn.

On June 6 and 7, 1952, the 279th Infantry Regiment seized the six northern hills, while the 180th Infantry advanced on the six southern ones.

Company I of the 180th took Pork Chop Hill after a one-hour firefight and immediately fortified the position.

Battles continued throughout Korea, and at dawn on April 18, 1953, an additional U.S. rifle company (Company A, 17th Infantry) climbed Pork Chop Hill to reinforce the 2nd Battalion companies.

Together, the three companies spent the bulk of the day clearing the trenches and bunkers of enemy combatants and securing the hilltop.

The battle ended that afternoon on Pork Chop Hill, and three months later, on July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed.

Welcome home, Korean War veterans!