31st Infantry Regiment (United States) - Korean War

Korean War

In January 1946, General MacArthur restored his former guard of honor to active service at Seoul, Korea, assigning the 31st to the 7th Infantry Division. For the next 2 years the 31st Infantry performed occupation duty in central Korea, facing the Soviet Army across the 38th Parallel. In 1948, the occupation of Korea ended and the regiment moved to the Japanese island of Hokkaido, occupying the land of its former tormentor. When North Korean troops invaded South Korea in the summer of 1950, the 31st Infantry was stripped to cadre strength to reinforce other units being sent to Korea. In September, the division was restored to full strength with replacements from the U.S. and Koreans (KATUSA) hastily drafted by their government and shipped to Japan for a few weeks training before returning to their homeland as members of American units. The 31st Infantry returned to Korea as part of MacArthur's Inchon invasion force.

In November 1950, the 31st Infantry made its second amphibious invasion of the campaign, landing at Iwon, not far from Vladivostok where the 31st had fought just 30 years before. With North Korean resistance shattered, UN troops pushed toward the Yalu River. When Chinese troops swept down from Manchuria, they surrounded a task force led by the 31st Infantry's commander, COL Alan MacLean. COL MacLean and his successor, LTC Don C. Faith, were both killed during the ensuing battle. LTC Faith was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his gallant attempt to lead the command to safety. The 31st Infantry fought against desperate odds on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir from the night of 27 November until 1 December while the Marines did likewise on the west side. Several hundred 31st Infantry survivors managed to make it across the frozen reservoir to the Marines' lines the night of 1 December and the next day, and accompanied the Marines in their fighting withdrawal from the Chosin to Hungnam from 1-11 December 1950. Of the task force’s original complement of nearly 3300 men, only 385 of those who reached Marine lines at Hagaru-ri from the inlet were unwounded. Not one vehicle or piece of heavy equipment made it through. An example of courage shown by unit members is the DSC awarded to Sergeant George H. Paine:

Citation: The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Sergeant George H. Paine, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 31st Infantry Regiment, Seventh Infantry Division, on 30 November 1950, near Koto-ri, Korea. He was with the leading element of the Second Battalion moving north to link up with friendly units when the column was attacked by enemy who were entrenched and concentrated on high ground along the route of advance. Sergeant Paine located several enemy positions on a hillside form which automatic-weapons and small-arms were firing. Bravely and without regard for his own personal safety, he advanced alone against these positions, exposing himself to draw their fire from other elements of the column who were regrouping to make an attack. In his advance, he neutralized two enemy automatic weapons, permitting friendly troops to advance without casualties. Joining the attacking troops of the battalion, he assisted in driving the enemy from their positions around the hilltop. During this action Sergeant Paine was mortally wounded while fiercely resisting enemy forces counterattacking in an attempt to retain the hilltop. This counterattack was repulsed with heavy loss of enemy personnel. The courageous actions of Sergeant Paine were an inspiration to his comrades and enabled the battalion to complete its mission.

HQ Eighth US Army Korea, General Orders No. 113 (4 March 1951). In March 2008 remains from the 1950 Chosin Reservoir were identified as that of a Sgt of the 31st I.R. In April 2008 a PFC was identified as having been killed at Chosin reservoir.

The 31st Infantry was far from finished. The regiment was evacuated from North Korea by sea to Pusan. There it rebuilt, retrained, and refitted and was soon back in combat, stopping the Chinese at Chechon, South Korea and participating in the counteroffensive to retake central Korea. Near the Hwachon Reservoir, two members of the regiment earned the Medal of Honor in some of the war's most determined offensive combat. By the summer of 1951, the line stabilized near the war's start point along the 38th Parallel. For the next two years, a seemingly endless series of blows were exchanged across central Korea's cold, desolate hills. Names like Old Baldy, Pork Chop Hill, Triangle Hill, and OP Dale are among the war's most famous battles, all fought by the 31st Infantry and bought with its blood. By the war's end, the 31st Infantry had suffered many times its strength in losses and 5 of its members had earned the Medal of Honor, Jack G. Hanson (7 June 1951), Ralph E. Pomeroy (20 May 1951), Edward R. Schowalter, Jr. (14 October 1952) and Benjamin F. Wilson (5 June 1951). A United Nations Unit alongside the 31 I.R. at Pork Chop Hill was the Kagnew Battalion.

In Korea the Intelligence/Operations Officer was Young-Oak Kim, who was later promoted to command the 1st Battalion.