Battle of Yongsan | |||||||
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Part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter | |||||||
US troops cross rice paddies during an attack west of Yongsan. |
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Belligerents | |||||||
North Korea | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Laurence B. Keiser Edward A. Craig |
Pak Kyo Sam Lee Kwon Mu |
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Units involved | |||||||
2nd Infantry Division 1st Provisional Marine Brigade |
9th Division 4th Division |
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Strength | |||||||
20,000 | 14,500 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
heavy | heavy |
The Battle of Yongsan was an engagement between United Nations (UN) and North Korean (NK) forces early in the Korean War from September 1–5, 1950, at Yongsan in South Korea. It was part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter and was one of several large engagements fought simultaneously. The battle ended in a victory for the United Nations after large numbers of United States (US) and South Korean troops repelled a strong North Korean attack.
During the nearby Second Battle of Naktong Bulge, the North Korean People's Army broke through the US Army's 2nd Infantry Division lines along the Naktong River. Exploiting this weakness, the NK 9th Division and NK 4th Division attacked to Yongsan, a village east of the river and the gateway to the UN lines of supply and reinforcement for the Pusan Perimeter. What followed was a fight between North Korean and US forces for Yongsan.
The North Koreans were able to briefly capture Yongsan from the 2nd Infantry Division, which had been split in half from the penetrations at Naktong Bulge. Lieutenant General Walton Walker, seeing the danger of the attack, brought in the US Marine Corps 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to counterattack. In three days of fierce fighting, the Army and Marine forces were able to push the North Koreans out of the town and destroy the two attacking divisions. The win was a key step toward victory in the fight at the Naktong Bulge.