581st Radio Relay Company at Wonson (1950)

Map Showing Wonson Harbor

The beaches around Wonson have a moderate gradient, and the floor at the water's edge consists of hard-packed sand. The transports at Inchon to transport the Marines to Wonson ran behind schedule with the result that the D-Day landing at Wonson got moved back to a 20 Oct. date. Meanwhile troops of the I ROK Corps (6th ROK Division) rapidly advanced and captured the port of Wonson without a shot being fired before the Marines arrived. The landing at Wonson became delayed due to mines in the harbor. Minesweeping commenced on 8 October.

Russian instructors had trained Korean Reds in the laying of some 2,000 mines in the harbor. Three large fleet sweepers, Pledge, Pirate and Incredible were not well adapted to the shallow sweeping task. Seven small wooden-hulled sweepers were added to the fleet in addition to nine Japanese and three ROK sweepers. On the 12th both the Pledge and Pirate sank, blown up by mines. On the 18th a Japanese sweeper JMS-14 hit a mine and went down and the ROK YMS 516 met the same fate on the 19th. Meanwhile, in what became know as operation Yo-Yo the Marine Division sailed north and south, back and forth, waiting. To the embarrassment of the Marines Bob Hope's USO troop show preceded them ashore. The First Marine Division finally hit Blue and Yellow beaches on October 26th. We had landed a day prior to that and my Army Signal Company was detailed to empty our trucks and assist ferrying Marine Officers to the town.