Tales of the Yellow Sea

Early dawn, on June 1950, the North Korean army crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded South Korea. The ten-division North Korean army, spearheaded by 150 Russian-made T-34 tanks advanced, capturing Seoul, the capital of South Korea, in four days and continued advancing to the southeastern corner of the peninsula by August 1st. As the casualties mounted, the U.N. Allied Headquarters sent a landing operation to Inchon in the Yellow Sea to cut off enemy supply lines and take Seoul back from the North Korean Occupation. It shortened the war and saved many lives. In preparation for the successful landing operation, the Allied Headquarters deployed the Under Water Demolition Team of the U.S. Navy and a platoon of Korean Marines. They cleared mines along the shipping lanes, swept the enemy off adjacent islands and reconnoitered the landing sites. At dawn on September 15, 1950, UDT's and Marines led the armada of the landing operation, OPERATION CHROMITE, to the landing site. Under heavy enemy fire, they arrived at the beachhead in the first wave of the landing crafts, spearheaded the fierce firefight against tremendous odds, and finally crushed the enemy. At the summit of Mount Ungbong, they raised the U.N. flag to declare the liberation of Inchon.