Battle of Daejeon

The following is a transcription of the plaques at a monument for the Battle of Daejeon on Bomun Mountain in Daejeon, South Korea.

"Summary of Daejon Battle

Behold this place is where United Nations troops, having come to a distant foreign land, faced the enemy and fought, waving the United Nations flag. They have departed, but their achievement will ever shine brightly here.

The Red Hored [sic] which started the war on June 25, 1950, swept like a tide over this land and dyed it red. At that time those apostles of peace, the United States 24^th Infantry Division, were the first to enter the war in order to protect South Korea. Major General William F. Dean, commanding officer of the 24^th Infantry Division, established his operations headquarters at Daejon and set up a delaying action to slow the advance southward of the North Korean troops, pending the arrival of the main force of the United States Eighth Army. The first line of defense for the delaying action was planned for Pyungtaek-ansong, a second line of defense for Charyong mountains at the vicinity of the Chonan area, and a third line of defense was planned for the Keum River. But Smith Company of the 24^th Infantry Division was defeated by the North Korean troops at Jookmiryong which was spearheaded by tanks, pushed southward like an angry tide, and on July 16^th the Keum River defense line was broken, Then the 24^th Infantry Division set up the final defense positions at Daejon and made preparations for pushing back the enemy advance. Seeing this, the North Koreans boasted “If we just capture Daejon, the resistance of the Republic of Korea Army and the United Nations troops will collapse.” As they spearheaded their attack with the elite 105^th Tank Division, flanked on either side by the 3^rd and 4^th Infantry Divisions, our soldiers engaged the enemy in bloody battle.

In particular, Major General Dean, commander of the 24^th Infantry Division, stood in the front lines leading the United Nations troops, and when the North Korean tanks entered Daejon city limits, he fired a 3.5-inch rocket gun and personally knocked out a North Korean tank, thus giving a boost to the drooping spirits of his troops. But it was not possible to stop the North Koreans with their superior strength in numbers. On July 20^th the United States 24^th Infantry Division at last withdrew from Daejon, retreated to the Nakdong River and prepared for a rally. By means of this battle in Daejon, the Division rendered great service toward the establishment of a firm battle line, and in two days of fighting it achieved the military results of many hundreds of enemy soldiers killed, and 15 tanks and 21 cannons destroyed. On the other hand, the 24^th Infantry Division suffered the largest number of high-ranking officers lost since the Civil War, and its commander Major General Dean., after breaking out of the encirclement, retreated south toward Keumsan, but met with the misfortune of becoming missing in action.

However, with the success of General MacArthur’s strategy in the historical Inchon Landing, the South Korean and United Nations troops defending the Nakdong River battle line together initiated a general offensive. Then the 24^th Infantry Division, seeking revenge for its earlier bitter defeat, rushed into the vanguard and crushed the enemy force defending Daejon. So, on September 28^th our lovely Daejon was recaptured, the tide of freedom again overflowed her broad plain, and it was almost as though the hills and streams were shouting, “Long live Korea!” Now the sound of gunfire has ceased, pigeons are on the wing, and the wild flowers bloom beautifully on this hill where we are erecting this monument to preserve for ever the record of the comradeship of the 24^th Infantry Division in its bloodbought [sic] military achievement. The United States 24^th Infantry Division—its name shall shine gloriously for a thousand years!

December, 1981"

"Monument Inscription

On this bright hill where freedom’s sunlight shines, this monument to glory stands sublime.

On June 25, 1950
The day the Red Horde
Swept down like an angry tide
You, the United States 24^th Infantry Division,
Lifting high the United Nations flag,
Came to our defense in the name of freedom,
Fighting to the death on Daejon’s broad plain.
Your blood, indeed, was shed upon this ground,
But still reverberates the battle cry you raised.

Apostles of freedom,
Standard-bearers for peace,
Upon the hearts of our countrymen
Your name is deeply engraved!"