SECOND INFANTRY DIVISION
9 JULY: The Commanding General was notified by teletype that the Department of the Army would announce at 10 AM in Washington that the 2nd Infantry Division has been alerted for movement in the near future to the Far East Command. Teletype WAR 85314 established the criteria for the organization and shipment of the Division.
10 JULY: At 1442 hours, teletype WAR 85361 was received. It ordered various personnel to report to Fort Lewis as soon as possible to render all technical assistance necessary to implement the overseas movement of the Division. It also ordered that the Division would move with M4A3 tanks on hand and that shortages would be filled with M26 tanks at Yakima and M4A3 tanks in Ordinance Depot stocks. All units were ordered to move with all authorized 2./36 rocket launchers and with a duplicate number of 3.5 " rocket launchers and that ammunition for those 3.5" launchers was being shipped directly to the Far East Command. It also stated that NO 57mm or 75mm recoilless rifles or sniperscopes were available.
At 0458 a telephone conversation between General Davidson and Brigadier General Ogden established that 25 July would be the earliest date for the first elements of the Division to commence loading. It was also established that the priority for loading would be 9th RCT, 23d RCT and 38th RCT in that order. It was also estimated that it would take three days for one RCT to load provided that adequate shipping, berthing, dock facilities and Port personnel were available for simultaneous loading.
At 0624 a teletype from the War Department Assistant Chief of Staff for G-3 (Operations) confirmed the contents of the telephone conversation with Brigadier General Ogden. It also directed that planning for combat loading instead of convoy loading was imperative.
Department of the Army notified the CICFECOM (Commander in Chief, Far East Command) that departure of the Division would commence on 19 July and that all units will have sailed by 7 August and that travel to Pusan would take 16 days.
Tentative list of ships and estimated departure times follows: *14 July -USNS General Patrick; 18 July - USS General Mann and USNS General Morton; 20 July -USNS Frederick Funston; 21 July -USNS General Freeman; 31 July -USNS General Breckenridge; 1 Aug -USS General Mitchell; 2 Aug -USNS General O'Hara 3 Aug -USNS Pvt Joe Martinez and USNS General Collins; 5 Aug -USNS General Sturgis; 6 Aug -USNS General Greeley; 7 Aug -USNS General Stewart; 9 Aug -USS President Jackson; 15 Aug -USS Thomas Jefferson; 16 Aug - USNS General Ballou and USNS General Randall.
NOTE: As of at least 31 December 1949, all ships above had the prefix USAT (U.S. Army Transport) and operated under Army control. I returned to the US in November 1949 aboard the USAT General O'Hara.
*FURTHER NOTE: The General Patrick did not finish loading until 17 July.
11 JULY: War Department message 65464 from G4/G1 signed by Adjutant General Witsell directed the Commanding General Sixth Army to prepare the 2d Infantry Division for foreign service. The Division was to move from Fort Lewis, Washington to Pusan, Korea. It established the Table of Organization and Equipment which was to be applied to each individual unit. It listed the number of Officers, Warrant Officers and Enlisted Men authorized for each individual unit. Total authorized strength was 919 Officers, 155 Warrant Officers and 17,105 Enlisted men.
24 JULY: Commanding General notified Commanding General, 6th Army that 23d RCT less 37th FA Bn, C and B Companies, 2d Engr Bn, Battery B, 82d AAA AW Bn, departed aboard the USS Darby at 2200. RCT short 3261 from authorized. Cargo ship New World left at 1500 and cargo ship Linfield left at 2200.
25 JULY: General Bradly and Division advance party landed at Haneda Airport, Tokyo at 0200. The Division Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel announced that the 9th RCT was short 200 men, the 23d RCT short 650 men and the 38th RCT short 1600 men.
19 AUGUST: USNS General Stewart, USNS General Collins and USNS General Greeley arrived at Pusan and since there was no place for the troops to stay, they debarked the next day.
20 AUGUST: Part of the group left by motor convoy to Myryang, the rest took a train, both arriving in the late afternoon. Plans were made for relieving the 24th Infantry Division and a liaison group contacted them to become familiar with the tactical situation. North Korean soldiers were changing to civilian clothes and mingling with refugees and infiltrating our positions.
22 AUGUST: Division officially relieves the 24th Infantry Division. 9th RCT relieves 19th and 34th RCT's and the 38th RCT relieves the 21st RCT.
24 AUGUST: There are approximately 65,000 refugees in the northern part of the Division's Zone of Responsibility. The South Korean Government has told them to stay in place as most of them are dependents of Republic Of Korea (ROK) troops. Eighth Army has been asked to send a representative of the South Korean Government to assist in their relocation.
25 AUGUST: Division completed take overe from 24th Infantry Division. Zone of responsiblity begins in the south at the confluence of the Nam River with the Naktong River and North to the town of Hyonpung where the 1st Cavalry Division's Zone of Responsibility begins.
2d Recon Company ordered to make reconnaissance of the area from Changnyong to the area of the boundary between the Division and the 1st Cavalry Division.
Reinforced Company C, 38th RCT ordered to move to Hyonpung.
Physical contact was made with elements of the 25th Infantry Division to the South and the First Cavalry Division to the North.
Disposition of enemy units. Unidentified elements of the 10th Rifle Division are reported to be in the vicinity of Sonjong-Dong and Toksung-Dong. The 29th Rifle Regiment reported near Kaepo-Dong and the 27th Rifle Regiment near Allim-Dong. Some elements of the 29th Rifle Regiment are reported near Choji-Dong. Unidentified armor and rifle units are operating parallell to the Naktong River from the confluence of the Nam-Gang in the south to the confluence of the Hwang-Gang in the north. (suffix Gang is South Korean for River). Elements of the 4th Rifle Division are deployed near Pyongchon-Ni. 18th, 17th and 16th Rifle Regiments of the 4th Division are de[ployed along the Naktong to the Northwest and South of Youi-ni, Tongdong-ni-Taibu-ri-Sinchon-ni triangdle and Pagya-ri respectively.
Enemy losses consist of 14 captured and an estimated 56 killed or wounded. Enemy guerrillas are operating in the vicinity of Changnyong.
Approximately 5,000 refugees have been cleared from Changnyong and Yongsan. About 2,600 have arrived atd the screening center ad Susan-Ni. Screening is being conducted by South Korean Counter intelligence Corps (CIC) personnel under the supervision of a detachment of the Divisions 2d CIC team operating out of Miryang. Evacuation of approximately 50,000 refugees from the Unbong-Ni area was begun. CIC is coordinating arrangements with civilian authorities in Changdo to establish centers for screening and to provide for feeding the refugees. The initial group of refugees is expected tol arrive at Huksoktong feeding station by 2100 hours (9 PM). The initial group of refugees are expected to arrive in areas east of Chongdo between 1200 and 2000 hours on 27 August.
26 AUGUST: 38th RCT ordered to reconnoiter an enemy pocket in the Hill 409 sector. The Division boundary was extended 10.000 yards (about 5 miles) further to the north effective August 28.
The enemy is making preparations for crossing the Naktong. Small groups are moving along the west bank and constructing rafts. Approximately one battalion of enemy troops are digging in across from the 38th RCT. Our patrols indicate that an artillery unit is preparing positions opposite positions of the 38th RCT.
An enemy ammo dump and carts were located and destroyed in the area of the enemy's 25th Regiment, 10th Division at 2024 hours.
The enemy has built a bridge of sandbags laid on the river floor. They are driving cattle ahead of their attacking troops. They are assembling barges and log rafts in the area opposite Changyong.
27 AUGUST: There was increased