The Battle of Osan was the first engagement between United States and North Korean forces during the Korean War. U.S. Task Force Smith suffered 180 casualties out of 540 men, while inflicting about 120 casualties on the North Korean forces and delaying them half a day.
Task Force Smith was named for Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Smith, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. The division had M24 Chaffee light tan...
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The Battle of Osan was the first engagement between United States and North Korean forces during the Korean War. U.S. Task Force Smith suffered 180 casualties out of 540 men, while inflicting about 120 casualties on the North Korean forces and delaying them half a day.
Task Force Smith was named for Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Smith, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. The division had M24 Chaffee light tanks and M3 Half-tracks, but no one thought beforehand of getting hydraulic fluid for the M24s and flying them by cargo plane to give the needed mobility, armor protection or firepower. Another option was to use LSTs and move the M24 light tanks and half-tracks by sea, which was also not considered. Instead, the force was moved by a hodge-podge of wheeled trucks.
The unit comprised 406 officers and men: half of the battalion headquarters company, two understrength rifle companies (B and C), a communications section, a recoilless rifle platoon...
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