Battle of Hill 282

Part of the Korean War

Date	September 23, 1950
Location	Hill 282, near Songju, Korea
Result	Stalemate

Belligerents

United Nations

North Korea

Casualties and losses

United Kingdom
17 dead or missing
79 wounded
Total: 96 casualties (60 of which were caused by friendly fire)

Unknown

United Nations

The Battle of Hill 282 took place on September 23 during the Korean War, and involved the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in an assault on this position as part an operation by 27th British Commonwealth Brigade on the Naktong River.

On September 22, 1950, the Battalion of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders moved up to attack Hill 282 near Songju. Starting before dawn on September 23, B and C Companies after an hour's climb seized the crest of Hill 282 surprising there a North Korean force at breakfast. Across a saddle, and nearly a mile away to the southwest, higher Hill 388 dominated the one they had just occupied. C Company started toward it.

But North Korean troops occupying this hill already were moving to attack the one just taken by the British. The North Koreans supported their attack with artillery and mortar fire, which began falling on the British. The action continued throughout the morning with North Korean fire increasing in intensity. Shortly before noon, with American artillery fire inexplicably withdrawn and the five supporting U.S. tanks unable to bring the North Koreans under fire because of terrain obstacles, the Argylls called for an air strike on the North Korean-held Hill 388.

Just after noon the Argylls heard the sound of approaching planes. Three F-51 Mustangs of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing circled Hill 282 where the British displayed their white recognition panels. The North Koreans on Hill 388 also displayed white panels. To his dismay, Captain Radcliff of the tactical air control party was unable to establish radio contact with the flight of F-51's. Suddenly, at 12:15, the Mustangs attacked the wrong hill; they dropped napalm bombs onto the Argylls' position and also strafed them with 50 calibre machine-gun fire.

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Wikipedia