Battle of Chatkol
| Battle of Chatkol | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Korean War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 China
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Maj. Gen. G. Smythe Lt. Col. R. Gathy |
Unknown |
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| Units involved | |||||||
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Belgian United Nations Command, 3rd US Infantry Division
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Unknown |
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| Strength | |||||||
| One (understrength) infantry battalion | Various (from small groups, to battalion or regimental level) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 24 killed 18+ wounded 2 missing in action |
Several hundred killed, 54+ wounded |
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The Battle of Chatkol (also known as the 55 Nights of Chatkol) was the name given to the series of skirmishes between UN forces and Chinese forces near the village of Chatkol at the centre of the "Iron Triangle" during the Korean War. The position was held by the Belgian UN contingent for 55 consecutive nights, during which time they came under heavy attack.
The small village of Chatkol (Korean: 찻골, sometimes "Chat-kol") lay in the centre of the zone labelled "Iron Triangle" between Chorwon and Kumhwa in the South, and Pyonggang in the north. Chatkol was viewed as a decisive communications hub by both Chinese and UN commanders owing to its proximity to the railway running north-east through the triangle.
The villages of Chatkol and Sandong-ni were surrounded to the north to east by an arc of defensive fortifications known the "The Boomerang" on the "White Horse Mountain Range" hill line On the northern portion of the defensive line, there were three "outposts" codenamed (from left to right) "Alice", "Barbara" and "Carol". The first letter of each outpost denoted which company of the Belgian contingent was responsible for their defence, while the Heavy Weapons Company defended the eastern arc of the "boomerang." The Belgians' command post was established at Sandong-ni to the north-west of the trench line.
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