Men of Task Force Smith
Men of Task Force Smith, I report we
completed our assigned task with honor
Go!
Captain Joseph Darrigo, US Army, was the only American on
the 38th parallel separating the Koreas on the morning of June
25, 1950. He was the first American to observe the North
Korean invasion of the Republic of Korea (ROK). Why was
Darrigo there? What happened after he spotted the enemy
coming down the pike? We explore both those questions in
some detail. That leads you to the men of Task Force Smith,
the heart of this story. But their story must be framed by the
context of the history that put Darrigo at Kaesong on the day
the North Koreans invaded. The Korean War is not a forgotten
war here. The men and women who fought in it are not
forgotten here. Lt. Bill Wyrick, the "Chief," paid tribute to this
task force in 1988. He said, "When you explain the meaning of
freedom to your children - tell them about Task Force Smith."
That's exactly what we'll do.
By Ed Marek
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February 19, 2008
The late Dr. Edwin L.
Overholt, an American hero,
the "Colonel"
Task Force Smith Memorial, near Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, 1999.
Presented by VFW Post 2016, Songtan, ROK, via webshots.com
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As you bump into and brush
elbows with people on the
street, at work, or while seeing
a professional, one thing to
keep in mind is that you don't
always know that you might
be bumping into an American
hero, often an ordinary person
who has done the
Men of Task Force Smith
Captain Joseph Darrigo, US Army, was the only American on
the 38th parallel separating the Koreas on the morning of June
25, 1950. He was the first American to observe the North
Korean invasion of the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Captain Darrigo was pulling observation duty on the border
dividing North from South Korea. He was an advisor to the
ROK Army (ROKA) in 1950, part of the Korean Military
Advisory Group to the ROK, known as KMAG.
Darrigo was a veteran of the Normandy Invasion of WWII,
having landed at Omaha Beach. But it’s now June 25, 1950.
He was the Assistant Adviser to the 12th Regiment, one of
three regiments of the 1st ROKA Division.
Map of the Korean Peninsula, 1950. We will use this map several times to
point out locations we are discussing at the moment. Presented by Digger
History2
He lived in quarters just northeast of Kaesong, the ancient
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extraordinary. He played some
basketball and acted in a play
in high school, became a
doctor, was sent to the front
lines of the Korean War just
days after the invasion began
and only two years after
becoming a MD, part of a task
force of 500 against over 30
world-class tanks and
thousands of infantry, and
saved lives without regard for
himself. He was only a captain
then. He would give the US
Army a career, and then
another career to Gundersen
Lutheran Health System in La
Crosse. Throughout his
civilian career, they
affectionately called him
"Colonel." You'll see why. By
Ed Marek. March 6, 2008
Men of Task Force Smith
capital of Korea. Kaesong today is in the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea (DPRK), better known as North Korea. But
back then, it was just a heartbeat south of the 38th parallel, the
dividing line between North and South.
Why was Darrigo there? What happened after he spotted the
enemy coming down the pike?
In tracking the first question, I became immersed in
eye-opening history about which I was not well schooled, and
should have been: the roots of the Korean War.
Task Force Smith Memorial, near Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, 1999.
Presented by VFW Post 2016, Songtan, ROK, via webshots.com
While pursuing the second question, I quickly learned about
Task Force Smith, men of the 21st Infantry, 24th Infantry
Division, about 400 of them. They were thrown together in
Japan with another 100 from the 52nd Field Artillery. They
were sent to Korea from Japan, took positions near Osan,
ROK, and were instructed to delay the North Korean attack
until reinforcements could get there to turn the enemy back. It
turned out, they were met by a massive North Korean armored
and infantry attack supported by North Korean air.
The men of Task Force Smith are the heart of this story. But
their story must be framed by the context of the history that
put Darrigo at Kaesong on the day the North Koreans invaded.
The American combat action started with USAF and USN air
and sea operations. Then Task Force Smith was inserted, and it
fought with great valor against incredible odds. I then stop the
story, at about July 6, 1950, after the task force successfully
withdrew and reinforcements began moving into position to
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Men of Task Force Smith
fight a three year war that ended in a truce and a new line
dividing the two Koreas.
A Korean War veteran salutes during the singing of the National Anthem,
July 27, 2006 during the 2006 Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
Ceremony held at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo
credit: David Bohrer, White House. Presented by Free Republic.
As I begin, I should convey my feelings on a few subjects.
First, I do not buy the idea that we lost this war. I contend that
our military and its allies won it. One need only compare the
ROK with DPRK following the war up through today to see
this. While the US Alliance defeated North Korea and its
allies, it is clear to me that our political establishment, and
some in the upper levels of our military establishment, failed.
Compassion on the battlefield for a friend. This photo of on GI comforting
another was taken during the Korean War, and published by Life in 1950
I also don't buy this rubbish, begun by the US political
establishment, that this was a "police action," or that this was
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Men of Task Force Smith
something less than a full-scale war. Hubert Koker, writing
"ADA in Korea," for Air Defense Artillery, NovemberDecember 1990 edition, expresses my sentiment:
"The Korean War was an old fashioned kind of war,
dominated far more by field artillery, machine guns and
rifles than by bombers, tanks and aircraft carriers. These
modern weapons, along with paratroopers, occasionally
figured in the fighting, but for the most part, the Korean
War was fought along pre-20th Century lines.
Hand-to-hand combat was common. Bayonets and hand
grenades were widely used, as were barbed wire and
field mines."
The elite US political and military establishment failed to
understand the strategic importance of the Korean peninsula. It
did not understand Korean history. Incredibly, it failed to
understand what happened during the Japanese occupation of
the peninsula, incredible given it had just witnessed what
Japanese brutality did to much of Asia.
The American people also failed their responsibility to the
men and women told to wage this war. David Halberstam, in
his book, The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War,
says it:
"The true brutality of the war never penetrated the
American cultural consciousness ... The Americans who
fought in Korea often felt cut off from their countrymen,
their sacrifice underappreciated, their faraway war of
little importance to their contemporaries."
All of that said, the American GI yet again did his job. So did
the women who cared for him in his hour of great need. I find
enormous pride and gratification in knowing that. The men
and women who responded to the enemy invasion in Korea
uplift me, they inspire me, they buoy me.
They still do. I urge you to search them out. I was lucky
enough to bump into one at a rural Wisconsin summer fair.
Here he is.
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Men of Task Force Smith
This vet served as an aircraft transport loadmaster in the
Korean War. He told me they packed up their loads in Japan,
took off heavy every time, no matter what the weather,
wondering whether they'd ever lift off the runway, landed in
Korea when they could barely see the runway, got their load
off as fast as possible, got back in the air to Japan
immediately, often carrying wounded who needed to get to
Japan right away, and did it all over again, oft times with
little-to-no sleep. He and his crew knew what was on their
loads in-bound: ammo, weapons, food, clothing, medical
supplies everything the guy in the fight needed that they had
on station and could carry. They also knew the state of their
precious cargo out-bound, wounded GIs and their nurses and
doctors, trying to hold the fort until they could get to better
facilities. He was deeply proud of his service, so was I, and I
told him so.
This vet was one of so many who answered the call, as the
Korean Memorial says:
"... to defend a country they never knew and a people
they never met."
Let me introduce you to the late
William "Bill" Wyrick, known as
"Chief," shown here in the day.
During the first days of the
Korean War, he was an Army
lieutenant and the leader, 2nd
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Men of Task Force Smith
Platoon, Charlie Co., Task Force
Smith, 21st Infantry, 24th
Infantry Division. He was with
the first Americans to go to battle
on the ground against the North
Korean enemy.
A few weeks after the initial fight, he was promoted to captain
and commanded Charlie Co. on Korea's east coast. He retired
at the rank of colonel.
Task Force Smith Memorial. "It is a fitting memorial with sculptures
depicting American soldiers facing off in every direction just like they were
that rainy day on July 5, 1950." Presented by GI Korea's ROK Drop Blog.
On July 5, 1988, the "Chief" spoke to those members of the
Task Force who died and were missing in what came to be
known as the "Battle of Osan," the first time American ground
forces met the North Koreans on the battlefield. The Chief
spoke at the Task Force Smith Memorial located just off
Highway 1 between Osan and Suwon, ROK. He stood facing
the North. This is what he told his comrades, KIA and MIA:
"Fellow members of Task Force Smith, it has now been
48 years since we deployed on this hill. We did not
realize it at the time, but we were the vanguard of the
United Nations Forces who came to help the South
Korean people defend their freedom. Our mission was
to delay the main enemy forces coming down this
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Men of Task Force Smith
historic invasion route Seoul - Taejon - Taegu - Pusan.
"My comrades, 53 of you were Killed In Action here on
that day so long ago. Five of you are still Missing In
Action. Thirty-four of you died in unspeakable
conditions as Prisoners Of War in either South or North
Korea. To you I report that we completed our assigned
task with honor ...
"There are a number of your comrades here with me
today. They marvel at the progress the Korean people
have made since we arrived here so many years ago.
Your sacrifice undoubtedly played a major role in the
defense of their freedom.
"To the Korean people assembled here today, I say thank
you for honoring my comrades. Always remember that
here, on the fifth day of July 1950, your people and my
people became Blood Brothers.
"When you explain the meaning of freedom to your
children - tell them about Task Force Smith and the
foreigners who died here. Tell them that Freedom is not
free!"
Many say to this day that the Korean War is the "forgotten
war." No. Not forgotten. Never forgotten. Never.
I fear I became so subsumed by the history leading up to
employment of Task Force Smith, and the first few weeks of
the war, that I have written a far longer report than I had
intended. Not forgotten here, never forgotten here, I felt
compelled to keep researching and writing. The net result is a
long report.
I've done this report in two basic sections, and each section is
in two pages:
Why was Darrigo there? A walk through some history
that put US Army Captain Joe Darrigo on the 38th
parallel, on June 25, 1950, when North Korea invaded.
What happened after he spotted the enemy coming
down the pike? Darrigo wakes up to artillery fire in
Kaesong, within spitting distance of the 38th parallel,
the invasion is on, Air Force and Navy air counterattacks, as do naval ships at sea, and Task Force Smith's
500 men get the nod to delay the invasion force. The
fight is on. The first week of the war.
Epilogue: A photo album of the men of Task Force
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Men of Task Force Smith
Smith: If you have more photos, please provide them
and we'll post them.
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