Combat· Korean War
Battle of Naktong Bulge
The First Battle of the Naktong Bulge was the Marine brigade's most savage Pusan fight, an assault on the fortified high ground the North Korean 4th Division held after crossing the river into a dangerous salient.
The key terrain was Obong-ni Ridge, a chain of bare hills the Marines had to take by frontal attack. The first assault battalion was cut to pieces by interlocking fire and friendly-fire mishaps, but the Marines pressed a second effort, seized the ridge crest, and held it against fierce counterattacks. With organic armor and relentless close air support, the brigade then drove west and effectively destroyed the enemy division as a fighting force. The victory eliminated the most dangerous North Korean penetration of the perimeter and cemented the brigade's reputation, though it came at a heavy cost in the rifle companies that did the climbing.
Record no. 606