Siege Of Wonsan
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The blockade of Wonsan, or the siege of Wonsan, from February 16, 1951, to July 27, 1953, during the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
, was the longest
naval blockade A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations ...
in modern history, lasting 861 days.
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naval forces, primarily from the
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, kept the strategically important city of
Wonsan Wonsan (), previously known as Wonsanjin (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...
from being used by the
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
. The blockade diverted communist troops from the front line. North Korean
artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
fired at the American fleet was mostly ineffective, and the city was heavily damaged by UN naval aircraft and warships.


Background


Operation Wonsan

Wonsan was a strategic point during the war, located on North Korea's southeastern coast with a large harbor, an airfield, a
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, 75,000 people, and as many as 80,000 troops, including several
artillery batteries In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to fac ...
. After the
Battle of Inchon The Battle of Inchon (), also called Inchon landing, was an Amphibious warfare, amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The opera ...
, in which
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Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...
landed on the northwestern shores of the
Korean peninsula Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically divided at or near the 38th parallel between North Korea (Dem ...
, he ordered
X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...
to make a landing at Wonsan where they would proceed west, link up with the Eighth Army and then advance towards
Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...
, the capital of North Korea. North Korean naval forces had been well supplied by the
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and
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with all sorts of
sea mines A naval mine is a self-contained explosive weapon placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Similar to anti-personnel mine, anti-personnel and other land mines, and unlike purpose launched naval depth charges, they are ...
, which were used as much as possible to defend Wonsan. Soviet military advisors were also employed to create more effective mine fields. One of the first objectives of the operation was to begin plotting the locations of mines and then destroy them. That made the use of
minesweepers A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...
necessary, and dozens would eventually serve in the blockade. Operation Wonsan, or the Clearance of Wonsan, began on October 10 of 1950, ten days before the landing was scheduled to take place.
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James H. Doyle commanded Task Force 90, a fleet of dozens of American warships which were used in the clearance. Two days later on October 12, mines sank the sweepers and , killing twelve men and wounding dozens of others, all while under accurate fire from North Korean shore batteries. The
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
Pacific Fleet responded by starting the production of new minesweepers in the largest shipbuilding program since
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Other vessels were damaged by mines and battery fire as well but the loss of the ''Pirate'' and ''Pledge'' proved to be the major engagement during the operation.


Operation Tailboard

A US M46 Patton tank disembarks from a Landing Ship Tank, Wonsan (2 November 1950)">Landing_Ship_Tank.html" ;"title="M46 Patton tank disembarks from a Landing Ship Tank">M46 Patton tank disembarks from a Landing Ship Tank, Wonsan (2 November 1950) Operation Tailboard was the codename for the United States Army landing at Wonsan, and it was found to have been unnecessary. Preparations began over 800 miles away at Inchon where on October 15, thousands of United States Marine Corps, marines and soldiers, 30,184 in total, embarked transports to participate in the landing. When they arrived off Wonsan on October 20, the clearance of the mine fields was still taking place so for five days X Corps and the
1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine (military), Marine Division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine E ...
were forced to remain on ship to wait for a clear path to the beaches. When it came time to land on October 25, the North Koreans had already withdrawn and the British and South Koreans were securing the area. Ultimately the landing was not needed and MacArthur was criticized for not using the X Corps in the pursuit of the retreating
North Korean Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) encompasses the combined military forces of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The KPA consists of five branches: the Ground Force, the Naval Force, the Air Force, the St ...
on the Inchon front. On October 19, the South Korean Army captured Pyongyang so instead of heading there the American army went north along the coast to occupy
Hungnam Hŭngnam () is a district of Hamhung, the second largest city in North Korea. It is a port city on the eastern coast on the Sea of Japan. It is only from the slightly inland city of Hamhung. In 2005 it became a ward of Hamhung. History The por ...
and the Chosin Reservoir areas while the 3rd Infantry Division landed at Wonsan in November as reinforcements.


Evacuation of Wonsan

UN forces would not hold Wonsan for long: after the massive Chinese intervention in the war, Allied forces were ordered to evacuate Wonsan on December 9, 1950, taking 7,009 refugees, 3,384 military personnel, 1,146 vehicles and 10,013 tons of cargo in the process. General MacArthur's plan was to regroup in
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before launching another offensive, while holding
Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter, known in Korean as the Battle of the Naktong River Defense Line (), was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one ...
. When the North Koreans and Chinese recaptured the city, defenses were rebuilt in a more formidable way, additional sea mines were deployed and new artillery batteries were erected.


Blockade


Opening engagements

The blockade began on February 16, 1951, and would last 861 days until the signing of the
armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
in July 1953. Throughout the blockade, United States Navy ships and aircraft engaged shore batteries repeatedly. Several American vessels were damaged by land based artillery fire though none were destroyed. UN Task Group 95.2 was assigned to the blockade and they first bombarded Wonsan on February 17, 1951, targeting everything used by the communists and causing heavy damage. On February 19, the
destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
, under
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
Charles O. Akers, was fired on by shore batteries in the Wonsan area. She received two direct hits and several near misses and successfully rescued a downed pilot from with a motor boat, while he was adrift in a mine field. The boat officer of the boat received a
Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
for the rescue. ''Ozbourn'' eventually returned to
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in April 1951 for repairs and later sailed back to North Korea. On February 24, the undefended island of Sindo-ri, in Wonsan Harbor, was captured by South Korean marines supported by two American destroyers and two
frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
s. Wonsan shore batteries also dueled with UN warships on March 3, but there were no recorded hits. The
battleship A battleship is a large, heavily naval armour, armored warship with a main battery consisting of large naval gun, guns, designed to serve as a capital ship. From their advent in the late 1880s, battleships were among the largest and most form ...
participated in her first shore bombardment mission of the war on May 20, 1951. While patrolling off Wonsan, North Korean batteries opened fire and she was struck by one shell. Slightly damaged, she sustained one man killed and two wounded, her only casualties during the war. Another shot was a near miss and passed over ''New Jersey'' from aft to port. She then responded by bombarding the enemy position until they were silenced. The type of warfare experienced at Wonsan would last throughout the war.


Operation Fireball

Operation Fireball was the code name for a bombardment of the Wonsan area from May through September. It involved the joint deployment of naval and aerial assets from the 5th Air Force which caused heavy damage to the North Koreans. On the night of May 21 and May 22, during the height of the fighting, two American LSMRs, supported by
light cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to thi ...
s and destroyers, fired 4,903
rocket A rocket (from , and so named for its shape) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using any surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely ...
s in thirty-five minutes, further damaging the defenses of the city. UN carrier aircraft were used to fire flares while the warships focused on gunnery. It was the first time LSMRs would be deployed in the siege of Wonsan and over time would cause heavy casualties to the North Korean
garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...
. Between June and September the LSMRs would discharge a total of 12,924 5-inch rockets. During the operation, the destroyer was slightly damaged while engaging a battery, she sustained eight casualties in the action.


Action off Rei-To

On May 24, the UN station ship at Wonsan detected several small craft southeast of Rei-To Island. In a one sided night engagement, the light cruiser and the destroyer USS ''Brinkley Bass'' used radar to direct their fire and broke the enemy formation. Four
sampan A sampan is a relatively flat-bottomed wooden boat found in East, Southeast, and South Asia. It is possibly of Chinese or Austronesian origin. Some sampans include a small shelter on board and may be used as a permanent habitation on in ...
s were recovered the following day along with the bodies of eleven enemies, one other wounded North Korean was taken prisoner and the sampans were found to have been converted to
minelayer A minelayer is any warship, submarine, military aircraft or land vehicle deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for ins ...
s, with four M-26 mines each.


USS ''Walke'' incident

was a destroyer, under
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Marshall Thompson, of Task Force 77 (TF-77) which was by now assigned to naval operations in the Wonsan area. On June 12, 1951, ''Walke'' was about 60 miles off the coast of North Korea, at position , when she was struck either by a
torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
or a floating sea mine which had separated from a field. The resulting explosion severely damaged ''Walke''s hull on her port side and 26 men were killed and 40 others wounded. Many of the casualties were blown over the side and into the water when the explosion occurred and it took a long time before all of them could be recovered. The event was the deadliest suffered by the US Navy during the Korean War. Shortly thereafter, sailors on the nearby destroyers and spotted an oil slick off of ''Walke''s starboard side so they began dropping
depth charge A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon designed to destroy submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited ...
s on what they reported as being two submarines. The chase was eventually discontinued and the damage to ''Walke'' was temporarily repaired and she made for Japan. A later investigation of the incident recovered a small metal disk from the damaged ship and when analyzed it was concluded to have been part of a torpedo
detonator A detonator is a device used to make an explosive or explosive device explode. Detonators come in a variety of types, depending on how they are initiated (chemically, mechanically, or electrically) and details of their inner working, which of ...
. ''Walke'' was later repaired and returned to Korean waters the following year.


Battle of the Buzz Saw

The Battle of the Buzz Saw, as United States Navy personnel called it, was North Korea's response to the UN's attacks on Wonsan. After causing heavy damage to North Korean forces within the previous months, the situation escalated as the communists started utilizing new weapons to lift the blockade. On July 6, 1951, the United States launched another naval bombardment of the area, causing high casualties and tempting the North Koreans to retaliate with an especially heavy bombardment on July 17, 1951. For four and a half hours the destroyers , and engaged the batteries at Wonsan, firing 2,336 rounds of 5-inch shells. The North Koreans offered heavy resistance, and over 500 splashes were counted, but there was no serious damage to the American vessels. The next day engaged the batteries and received four near misses, wounding four men aboard the ship.


Operation Kickoff

Between late June through August 1951, North Korean attacks on American ships seemed to increase so the United States began concentrating on destroying enemy batteries. On June 28, the destroyer received
counter-battery fire Counter-battery fire (sometimes called counter-fire) is a battlefield tactic employed to defeat the enemy's indirect fire elements ( multiple rocket launchers, artillery and mortars), including their target acquisition, as well as their command ...
while conducting a bombardment of Wonsan Harbor. She was struck by one round, causing light superficial damage and one man was injured. A few days later on July 3, the
frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
was attacked by the batteries and took hits, killing one man and wounding seven others. The Americans responded with an attack by the
Fast Carrier Task Force The Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38 when assigned to Third Fleet, TF 58 when assigned to Fifth Fleet) was a group of ships in World War II. It was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific War from January 1944 through th ...
. In one day 247 bombing sorties were carried out against Wonsan and 600 South Korean marines raided the mainland from the island of Cho-do. On July 6, the destroyer USS ''Frank E. Evans'' landed men on the island of Hwangto-do and then with two other destroyers, bombarded buildings and a torpedo station. USS ''Blue'' captured Kukto Island the following day and established an observation point to keep watch on North Korean positions. On July 11, in the vicinity of Yo-do island, USS ''Blue'' and ''Frank E. Evans'' were attacked, approximately fifty splashes were counted near the ships but none of them were hit. Due to the attacks, particularly the Battle of the Buzz Saw, American naval commanders decided on launching Operation Kickoff which referred to maneuvers within Wonsan Harbor, aimed at reducing the batteries. Every day from July 17, 1951, elements of the allied fleet, assigned to bombardment groups, would sail at to bombard known enemy positions and continue doing so from 3:00 pm until dark. On the first day of the maneuvers, the LSMRs and received heavy, accurate fire from enemy batteries on the islands of Kalmagak, Umi-do and Ho-do Pan-do. Both of the vessels were struck by shells and damaged, but not seriously. Over 500 shells splashed in the water around USS ''O'Brien'' and she sustained at least a couple of hits. One man was injured although the damage was light. USS ''New Jersey'' and
heavy cruiser A heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in calibre, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval Treat ...
also participated in the bombardment. On August 4, British
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installed
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on Hwangto-do to counter the North Korean shore batteries and on August 11, , using shore fire control parties, fired direct and indirect fire missions against enemy troop concentrations and transportation targets in the Wonsan area. The
minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...
s , and came under fire by shore batteries that same day while conducting check sweep operations in the vicinity of Hodo-pando. ''Dextrous'' suffered two direct hits; killing one man, three wounded and moderate damage. With the exception of an attack on on August 20, Operation Kickoff proved to be a success as the number of attacks on blockading ships decreased for a while until new batteries were constructed. Seven enemy guns opened fire on ''Uhlmann'' that day and after a long engagement, five of the guns were destroyed and 117 splashes were counted by the sailors, but there were no hits. ''Uhlmann'' had to break off the attack without silencing the remaining two artillery pieces because allied patrols entered the area.


Renewed minesweeping operations

Because the communists were still mining the approaches of Wonsan and Hungnam, on September 5 the commander of CTF-95 ordered the minesweeping group CTG-95.6 to sweep the coastline so as to allow UN ships to remain within gunfire range of the shore at all times while blockading. Upon completion, allied warships no longer had to withdraw out of range each night. While supporting the minesweepers involved in the mission, the destroyer escort was hit three times on September 8 by ground-based artillery. Her fire room flooded but there were no casualties. On September 10, the minesweepers ''Redstart'' and ''Heron'' were again damaged by shell fire from Wonsan, this time while rechecking pre-swept waters. On September 20, bombarded enemy troops and mortar positions, scoring five hits which destroyed an ammunition dump. ''Orleck'' also attacked a large
sampan A sampan is a relatively flat-bottomed wooden boat found in East, Southeast, and South Asia. It is possibly of Chinese or Austronesian origin. Some sampans include a small shelter on board and may be used as a permanent habitation on in ...
, suspected of minelaying, and struck her four times with gunfire. On September 24, was also damaged by shore battery fire. After three hits, the frigate was moderately damaged and caught on fire. Three South Korean sailors were wounded but they were able to save their ship from complete destruction. Minesweeping operations would continue for months, the UN ships constantly swept various areas to ensure that no new mine fields were laid. Incidents of shore batteries scoring hits on allied warships also became less common and for weeks no vessels were damaged until October 29 when was engaged. ''Osprey''s
engine room On a ship, the engine room (ER) is the Compartment (ship), compartment where the machinery for marine propulsion is located. The engine room is generally the largest physical compartment of the machinery space. It houses the vessel's prime move ...
flooded after being hit three times and communications went out, one man was seriously wounded though the ship was saved from sinking. By November 9, the minesweeping mission was eighty percent complete, accurate shore battery fire delayed the UN ships from completing the operation for a few more weeks.


Escalation of the naval war

In late 1951 and 1952 intelligence from captured or surrendered North Koreans became more frequent and reliable. The information told the United States that the enemy was building sampans for minelaying and preparing offensives against the islands around Wonsan.
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aircraft were also being reported operating in larger numbers and would begin to threaten UN aircraft and the blockading force. North Korean Army troops, well supplied by the Soviets and the Chinese, were also conducting large artillery bombardments that demonstrated their supply of ammunition. Shore batteries increased their effectiveness as well: with fire control being equipped and air burst rounds also starting to be used. With the minesweeping operation mostly completed, American bombardment groups began shelling the city again. USS ''New Jersey'' carried out a series of attacks at Wonsan and other nearby coastal targets from November 1 to November 6, 1951, during which she targeted the petroleum refinery at Wonsan, trains, bridges, tunnels, railroads, troop concentrations and shore batteries. From November 22 to 24, LSR Division 31, including the LSMRs, ''401'', ''403'' and ''404'', conducted fire missions and on November 24 and 25, naval gunfire supported a
guerrilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, Partisan (military), partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include Children in the military, recruite ...
raid on the island of Ka-do where several North Korean prisoners were taken. On November 28 and 29, the North Koreans launched a small offensive operation. Using armed sampans, they attacked the island settlement on Hwangto-do, killing one civilian and taking five civilians prisoner. Most of the homes on the island were destroyed in the attack and the North Koreans suffered no casualties. Another large-scale bombardment of Wonsan took place on December 20, with the battleship participating. Six days later was lost, presumably due to striking a mine off of To-do in Wonsan Harbor. On January 11, 1952, the next significant gunnery duel began when ''Redstart'' and ''Dextrous'' received accurate battery fire from Ho-do Pan-do while they were sailing without an escort. The fire was concentrated on ''Dextrous'' and she sustained considerable superficial damage and a loss of one man killed and two wounded. Later on, and engaged in a one-hour duel with four 76-millimeter batteries. ''MacKenzie'' was closely straddled with thirty-six rounds but there was no damage or casualties. She also made three direct hits on the North Korean command post. ''George K. MacKenzie'' was engaged again on January 24 from Han-do Pan-do, along with . Neither ship was damaged and there were no casualties. TF-77 rescued survivors from a helicopter crash on February 8, twenty-five miles outside of Wonsan. Reports from RESCAP indicated that personnel involved were captured by the enemy. By the one-year anniversary of the blockade, Wonsan was bombed on a daily basis though occasionally the UN fleet would combine their firepower for larger engagements. On February 16, exactly one year after the blockade began, USS ''Gregory'', and attacked in the usual bombardments that would last until the end of the war. Enemy shore batteries were active on March 13, at Kalmagak, Wonsan against UN forces. Counter battery engagements by USS ''Manchester'', , and , plus the help of Fast Carrier Task Force planes silenced the enemy guns. The accurate shore battery fire indicated the possible use of fire control equipment. and ''Brinkley Bass'' engaged shore batteries at Wonsan on March 20, using shore-based spotting. ''Brinkley Bass'' scored seven direct hits on one of the batteries located near the city of Wonsan. Neither ship was struck, but ''Brinkley Bass'' received some shrapnel. March 20 marked the beginning of a four-day attack on the blockade by North Korean artillery. On May 21 USS ''Osprey'' was taken under fire by enemy shore batteries while searching for mines. Using shore-based spotters, ''Osprey'' silenced three batteries and suffered no damage. ''Brinkley Bass'' and silenced a battery at Kalmagak on March 22. USS ''Wiltsie'' received fire from the batteries east of Kalmagak on March 23 and, together with ''Brinkley Bass'', responded with counter-battery fire to silence the enemy guns. During the following day ''Brinkley Bass'' was struck again with one round from Ho-do Pan-do, wounding five men, one seriously, and causing damage to the ship's radio and electronics. On March 28 was fired on from Ho-do Pan-do, shots straddled the ship but evasive maneuvers prevented probable hits. ''Burlington'' responded with 123 rounds of her own and caused a small
forest fire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a bushfire ( in Australia), dese ...
.


April 1952

experienced an explosion in her depth charge starboard detonator locker on April 1, while bombarding Ho-do Pan-do, but suffered no casualties. ''Wiltsie'', USS ''McGinty'', and were also in action. , and received enemy fire near Wonsan on April 2 and again suffered no damage or casualties. The same day USS ''Wiltsie'' received ten near misses from shore batteries east of Kalmagak while providing fire support for ''Condor''. ''Wiltsie'' was attacked a few more times within the next several days but they were all inconclusive contacts. In the Wonsan area on April 10, TF-77 carried out a coordinated strike using the guns of and . , to the north of Ho-do Pan-do, received 30 rounds of enemy fire at a range of with fall of shot from the ship but without damaging her. The incident was taken as evidence that the North Koreans were beginning to use fire control more regularly. On April 11, ''Wiltsie'' and ''McGinty'' were taken under fire by Wonsan shore batteries. Both ships conducted maneuvers in separate areas and delivered counter battery fire. ''Silverstein'', and fired suppression fire against the batteries on Ho-do Pan-do. ''McGinty'' was straddled by enemy shore batteries as she moved near Wonsan on April 17. ''McGinty'' and replied with counter fire and the enemy guns were destroyed. USS ''Cabildo'' was attacked again from shore batteries on April 29 from Ho-do Pan-do. Three near misses straddled the ship and one direct hit caused minor damage to structure and electrical wiring, wounding two. On the same day, USS ''Silverstein'' and USS ''Maddox'' were covering the withdrawal of two friendly sampans from Umi-do, when suddenly enemy batteries opened fire. The sampans received the first salvos, around 30 total so ''Silverstein'' and ''Maddox'' returned the fire and suppressed the batteries. Aircraft from USS ''Valley Forge'' were also called in to provide
close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
. ''Silverstein'' received 110 rounds of estimated 105 millimeter batteries though she was not damaged, ''Maddox'' received two rounds. There were no allied casualties in the action. attacked a shore battery the following day and on April 28 ''Silverstein'' and received fire from Ho-do Pan-do. With South Korean small craft, the allied ships bombarded the opposing battery and laid a
smoke screen A smoke screen is smoke released to mask the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft, or ships. Smoke screens are commonly deployed either by a canister (such as a grenade) or generated by a vehicle (such as ...
while other nearby ships withdrew. ''Conserver'' received ten rounds of estimated 122-millimeter fire. On May 7, USS ''Waxbill'' was fired on by twelve rounds but apparently did not return fire and on May 10, while sweeping Wonsan Harbor, and received ten rounds of enemy fire from Kalmagak. Also that day, ''Maddox'' and attacked North Korean railroad targets, scoring many hits. Two railroad cars were damaged along with two buildings. Batteries on Kalmagak fired ten rounds of 76-millimeter fire at the sweepers, the nearest one landing 100 yards from the ship. Counter fire by ''Maddox'' scored two more hits. On the next day, ''Maddox'', ''Laffey'', and , received 206 rounds of 75- and 155-millimeter fire and an hour-long engagement. North Koreans were using hidden guns which were difficult to locate but were believed to have been fired from Han-do Pan-do, Hapchin-ni and Kalamagak. Return fire destroyed three enemy gun positions and ''Herbert J. Thomas'' was hit once, causing little damage and no casualties. On May 17, TG-95.2 reported that an interrogation of seven prisoners, captured off Ho-do Pan-do the day before, revealed that the enemy were planning an attack on Yodo in the near future. Troops were being concentrated in two locations on He-do Pan-do and were going to use about eighty fishing sampans for transport. Ten days later on May 27, shore batteries at Wonsan fought against USS ''Cabildo'' and ''Ozbourn''. In a typical duel the American ships bombarded the coast and were not damaged. The day after USS ''Ozbourn'' accepted the surrender of two North Koreans soldiers. USS ''O'Bannon'' suppressed enemy batteries on May 29 after the North Koreans opened fire on friendly islands. USS ''Ozbourn'', , and USS ''Heron'' also engaged on May 29 and May 30. ''Ozbourn'' received six rounds of 155-millimeter fire and, ''Radford'', ten rounds of estimated 75-millimeter gunfire with the nearest one landing fifty yards from the ship. ''Heron'' was hit by machine gun fire that hit aft section of the vessel. There were no friendly casualties in any of the actions and in all cases the ships returned fire with
naval gun Naval artillery is artillery mounted on a warship, originally used only for naval warfare and then subsequently used for more specialized roles in surface warfare such as naval gunfire support (NGFS) and anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) engagements. T ...
s. On June 5, ''O'Bannon'', ''Radford'' and attacked and silenced a battery of 75-millimeter guns south of Ho-do Pan-do. The artillery opened fire on some American minesweepers but were quickly quieted by the escorts. North Koreans artillery in Wonsan bombarded Hwangto-do on June 7. No casualties were reported but twenty-one shot holes were found to have passed through the flag over the island. was straddled by enemy fire on June 12, wounding one man and on June 19 the North Koreans staged another artillery bombardment against friendly held Hwangto-do. caught 300 enemy troops repairing a railroad, south of Wonsan on the same day, and fired twenty-eight rounds. She reported inflicting seventy-four casualties and scoring hits on a railroad bridge and tracks. When it became dark, ''Parks'' also fired star shells at the location for bombing runs by allied aircraft. The next exchange in the siege of Wonsan occurred a month later on August 10, 1952. Enemy gun positions on He-do Pan-do, fired upon and with approximately 250 75-millimeter to 155-millimeter guns. ''Barton'' suffered superficial damage, one man killed, and one wounded. ''Jarvis'' was not damaged and counter battery fire destroyed two gun emplacements. Two days after, was the target for about thirty rounds of 105-millimeter artillery. The ship was hit once below the waterline causing slight damage. USS ''Barton'' fired eighty-nine shots in response and scored three hits on two North Korean batteries. was also attacked on May 12. While anchored off Yo-do Island, with a cargo of gasoline and ammunition for motor torpedo boats, ROKN ''FS-905'' was taken under fire by enemy shore guns and received one hit in the starboard machine gun battery. The damage was light and there were no casualties. Hwangto-do was bombarded again on August 16 by the North Koreans with four 155-millimeter artillery pieces and large mortars from Kalmagak. The guns could not be located so none of the allied warships could respond.


Typhoon Karen

Typhoon Karen Typhoon Karen was the most powerful tropical cyclone to strike the island of Guam, and has been regarded as one of the most destructive events in the island's history. It was first identified as a tropical disturbance on November 6, 1962, ...
swept through Korean waters over the next few days so also blockading activities were suspended. Several UN warships were damaged during the height of the storm. The communists used the chance to attack Hwangto-do again. After the typhoon passed fired seven rounds of 5-inch shells at an enemy battery on Kalmagak, which was firing on friendly islands in the Wonsan area. The enemy artillery was silenced although they killed one person and wounded two others. On September 11, 1952, batteries on Umi-do fired eighteen 105-millimeter rounds at USS ''Lewis'', no damage or casualties. On September 13, aircraft from attacked a 130-foot naval like vessel near Wonsan and sank it with rockets and 20-millimeter strafing. The enemy ship was one of the few sunk by UN forces during the war. Two days later, ''Barton'' hit a suspected of being a floating mine while sailing 100 miles due east of Wonsan Harbor. Five enlisted men were counted missing and later presumed dead, six other men were wounded. The fire room flooded and there was other less severe damage. Flooding was brought under control and she set a course for
Sasebo is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is the second-largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. , the city had an estimated population of 230,873 in 102,670 households, and a population density of 540 per ...
under her own power. USS ''Alfred A. Cunningham'' received five hits on September 19. Guns from Wonsan, estimated to be 105 to 155 millimeters, at a distance of 3,500 yards away, hit the ship with their first shot. Four more followed along with seven nearby air bursts. Eight Americans were wounded but none of them were fatal. The ship was moderately damaged but she was capable of unleashing 159 rounds of return fire. and USS ''Taylor'' came under fire from shore batteries in the vicinity of Hwangto-do The two vessels received an estimated twenty-one rounds of 90-millimeter and three rounds of 105-millimeter, but there was no damage. North Korean forces also bombarded Hwangto-do though their batteries were silenced by thirty-nine rounds from ''Jenkins''. The North Koreans attacked Yo-do Island with artillery a few days later and on September 23 was attacked but her 16-inch guns quickly silenced the perpetrators. USS ''Taylor'' also silenced a battery on September 25 and ''Heron'' received 105-millimeter fire but was not damaged. Three splashes were counted near the ship.


North Korean air attack

The first and only naval air battle at Wonsan and Hungnam occurred on October 7. MiG-15s attacked TF-77 aircraft three times, one MIG made a firing pass on two American AD planes so they returned fire. There were no damage or casualties on either side and the MiGs retired to the west. Later on four MiG-15s attacked a flight of F4Us while two others attacked eight ADs near Hungnam. In these engagements there were no casualties, but in a final attack later on that day, a single MIG-15 destroyed one of four F4Us in another action near Hungnam. On October 16, was shot at with four rounds from estimated 75-millimeter and 122-millimeter guns. No damage was reported as all of the shells landed splashed in the water around 1,000 yards short of the ship, was also attacked with about forty 75-millimeter rounds. For over a month no artillery was exchanged until November 20 when and USS ''Thompson'' received fire from 120-millimeter guns. The ''Thompson'' was hit by one round of the many which straddled her, wounding one and causing minor material damage. USS ''Kite'' fought another duel on the following day. She received fifty-five 75-millimeter rounds but again sustained no casualties. On October 21 ''Lewis'' was furnishing gunfire support for two Republic of Korea minesweepers operating in Wonsan Harbor when they came under fire by enemy guns. ''Lewis'' moved in to assist, returning gunfire and deploying smoke to obscure the minesweepers. She was hit by two 75 mm shells. One landed topside and caused minor damage and slightly injured one man. The other pierced the hull plating of fireroom number one. The round did not detonate, but it caused a steam explosion which instantly killed six men and mortally injured a seventh. ''Lewis'' continued without assistance to return gunfire and to deploy smoke. She then disengaged and made emergency repairs in Japan. Memorial services for the men who were killed in action were held on board on October 27. On November 25, ''Thompson'' found herself in action, this time against enemy aircraft. Jets dropped six to eight explosives over the American ship, the closest landing away. The aircraft were heard by the ''Thompson''s lookout but her radar showed nothing. When USS ''Merganser'' was fired upon by guns at the mouth of the Namchongang River on December 6, ''William Seiverling'' replied with 101 rounds. Seiverling was herself taken under fire by guns on Kalmagak. On the following day, ''Merganser'' received thirty more rounds of 75-millimeter fire from Kalmagak but she was not damaged. , USS ''William Seiverling'' and UN minesweepers were fired upon by approximately seventy-five rounds on December 11. The small minesweepers were forced to slip their gear and use smoke pots to help cover themselves. That same day, USS ''Waxbill'' and USS ''Marshall'' collided west of Yo-do, ''Waxbill'' sustained topside damage to hull fittings but was still operational and otherwise unharmed. On December 12 ''Marshall'' was attacked again, twenty rounds were fired her way but they all missed. and ''William Seiverling'' were also attacked and they too escaped harm. About forty rounds of North Korean artillery targeted ''Waxbill'' and ''Marshall'' on December 13, while they were patrolling near the Namchongang's mouth. Though the fire was accurate, no hits were made. The closest shot splashed in the water from ''Waxbill'' which caused shrapnel damage. Twelve shots were fired in return. ''Waxbill'' came under fire again on December 19. Three rounds were fired her way but none struck the ship. A few days later, USS ''Toledo'' received the same treatment while bombarding the city but was not damaged either. On December 23, while providing gunfire support for the minesweepers in Wonsan Harbor, USS ''Marshall'', USS ''McGowan'' received approximately thirty rounds of estimated 75-millimeter shells. During the firing, four to nine airbursts fell near ''McGowan'', sixty to seventy near ''Marshall'', and several rounds between the minesweepers. Throughout the engagements the North Koreans failed to cause any damage. ''McGowan'' engaged in another shore battery action two days later.


Height of the fighting

January 2, 1953 marked the first day in a large-scale North Korean bombardment of the UN held islands in Wonsan Harbor. Over the course of the next few months, enemy shore batteries in and around Wonsan fired hundreds of rounds primarily against Hwangto-do and Yo-do. The operation lasted until May and less sporadically thereafter. It was also a failure as UN intelligence estimated that ninety percent of the North Korean shore batteries were active against UN islands rather than the blockading fleet, though throughout the bombardments, which occurred almost on a daily basis, only four UN personnel were killed and fifteen wounded. During the operation, UN ships constantly responded with counter battery fire. On February 9 and February 10, a maximum strike effort by American naval aircraft was conducted against supply concentrations and transport targets from Wonsan through Songjin to Chongjin and Hoeryong. , and participated in the operations which caused extensive damage to the communists logistics system. As part of the communist bombardment in the Wonsan area, enemy shells killed two men on February 14, including an American marine, and wounded nine others in the most successful North Korean artillery attack against UN land forces. A command post on Yo-do was also damaged, one
DUKW The DUKW (GMC type nomenclature, colloquially known as Duck) is a six-wheel-drive amphibious modification of the GMC CCKW "deuce-and-a-half" 2½-ton trucks used by the U.S. military during World War II and the Korean War. Designed by a part ...
was destroyed and two other sustained damaged to their hulls. An aid station, two tents and communication wires were also damaged. Two bunkers caved in on Hwangto-do. On March 5, during a heavy UN bombardment in Wonsan Harbor, was challenged by five rounds of 105-millimeter shore battery fire. ''Missouri'' was not hit and she hastily silenced the battery. Five days later ''Missouri'' received fifteen more rounds of 75-millimeter to 155-millimeter cannon fire while bombarding the city. The American ship escaped damage again, the nearest shot landing off her location. USS ''Merganser'' was also engaged with the nearest shot splashing harmlessly from her. On March 18, 1953, was carrying out bombardment duties at Wonsan when two air bursts and one surface round landed near the ship. On March 22, during another heavy bombardment, two 90-millimeter air bursts and two 105-millimeter rounds landed near ''Missouri'' but she was undamaged. and ''Waxbill'' also received fire but no damage resulted in any of the attacks. ''Prichett'' was attacked again on March 25 but no damage was sustained, , , and engaged in a similar action the following day. USS ''Los Angeles'' was hit by one enemy round on March 27 but the damage was light and no one was injured. A day later two air bursts landed 200 yards from ''Prichett'' and on March 30 and March 31, ''Prichett'' evaded thirty-five more enemy shots without damage. Eight days of combined naval and air operations then started against the defenses of Wonsan. TF-77 aircraft pounded the city but the results were negligible. On April 2, USS ''Los Angeles'' received another hit by Wonsan shore batteries. This time there was only minor structural damage to the mainmast though thirteen men were injured. Fourteen others, who were wearing body armor, were also hit but not wounded. The North Korean batteries targeted naval vessels on April 5, USS ''Maddox'' received six rounds of 75-millimeter while ROKN ''AMS-515'' avoided fifty shots of 105-millimeter fire. Neither of the ships were struck. Two days later on April 7, the communists again targeted the blockading ships but without results. USS ''Los Angeles'' and evaded two rounds, the enemy also continued their bombardment of friendly islands off Wonsan. On April 8, at least sixty-four shots were fired at the fleet and a couple days after, USS ''Eversole'' and ''Los Angeles'' engaged in a duel with shore batteries. On April 16, ''Maddox'' was hit with one shot out of 156 fired at her during a forty-minute action against a ten-gun battery. The shot, a 76-millimeter, hit port side on the main deck, tearing a sixteen-inch hole and wounding three men. ''Maddox'' responded with counter fire but failed to silence the hostile guns. USS ''Shelton'' was fired at three times on April 17. April 19 was a lively day during the Blockade of Wonsan. Twenty-five rounds from 105-millimeter guns were fired at ''Eversole'' but as was typical, the North Koreans did not strike the ship. also received three shots and another forty-one at ''New Jersey'' and . The only ship damaged in action that day was USS ''James E. Kyes''. One 155-millimeter round, out of sixty, tore a three-foot hole through ''James E. Kyes'', wounding four men in the process, one seriously.


North Korean bombardment of UN held islands

On April 22, the North Korean bombardment of UN held islands continued, with dozens of rounds being fired each day, some of which hit but only slightly damaged USS ''Manchester.'' Between 2:30 and 4:00 pm on April 23, the island of Tee-do came under intense enemy fire from gun positions on Kalma Pan-do. Five marines were wounded, including one American. provided counter fire while took aboard the casualties. During the mission, ''Henderson'' and ''Owen'' were fired on so they withdrew and TF-77 aircraft took over by bombing the area. On the next day, Wonsan guns fired around 100 rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter rounds at the and USS ''Henderson''. No damage or casualties were reported. ''James C. Owens'' was attacked on April 25 though again there was no damage sustained. On April 29, as the bombardment of UN held islands continued, an HU-1 helicopter received fourteen rounds of VT fuzed enemy shells while on a mine reconnaissance flight over Wonsan Harbor. The aircraft was not damaged but the encounter told the Americans that another new type of weapon was being used by North Korean forces. also avoided six enemy shells that day. April 1953 was reported by the United States Navy as being the height of the three-year battle with enemy forces. The North Koreans fired over 2,000 artillery rounds in defiance of the blockade alone, and over 1,000 more at the friendly guerrilla-held islands. Usually the average was about 500 rounds a month. North Koreans troops also constructed hidden batteries on Ho-do Pan-do, which the Americans bombarded with 5-inch guns but to no effect. Because of this, UN naval forces were ordered to stay out of the area in daylight until the weapons could be destroyed by cruisers and battleships or naval aircraft. Mine warfare also increased during the month of April. After months of finding nothing, thirty-two new mines were found in Wonsan Harbor. On May 2 the hidden guns made two hits and two near misses each on USS ''Maddox'' and USS ''Owen''. Both ships received slight damage but suffered no casualties. Over two hundred shells were fired by the enemy. ''Gurke'' came under fire on the following day, along with the friendly islands of Wonsan Harbor. engaged in a heavy gun strike against enemy batteries eighteen rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells flew by. One near miss gave two men minor wounds and the ship received superficial damage topside. was hit by a 90-millimeter shell on May 8 but it did no significant damage. The round hit starboard side just above the waterline. The same battery fired at , sixty-four total.


Allied air strike against Yo-do island

On May 15, TF-77 aircraft attacked an airfield on Yo-do island while American ships silenced the batteries on the islands. USS ''Brush'' was hit in the mount that day, making it inoperable, and nine men were wounded, four seriously. The battleship ''New Jersey'' was fired at on May 27 but her 16-inch guns quickly put an end to it. Meanwhile, the islands were still receiving their daily barrage which continued in June. Heavy gun strikes also continued and the communists resisted every UN attack but very few hits were made. On June 3, Wonsan shore batteries fifteen 105-millimeter shells at and USS ''Lofberg'' but no damage occurred. The guns were silenced by return fire. USS ''LSMR-409'' was hit on June 4, causing moderate damage to the messing compartment and the radio room, and resulting in five men wounded. The enemy fired thirty rounds of 76-millimeter fire before being silenced by over 200 rockets from the LSMR. destroyed five North Korean fishing boats on the beach at the northern end of Ho-do Pan-do. The weather was very foggy due to
Typhoon Judy The name Judy has been used for seventeen tropical cyclones worldwide: thirteen in the Western Pacific Ocean, three in the South Pacific Ocean, and one in the South-West Indian Ocean. In the Western Pacific: * Typhoon Judy (1953), skirted the Phil ...
, which hampered TF-77's operations for three days. ''Lofberg'' and ''John A. Bole'' were attacked on June 8 by batteries, but it was another inconclusive contact. ''John A. Bole'' spent the next day bombarding enemy guns. On June 11, USS ''Wiltsie'' received an estimated forty-five rounds of 105-millimeter fire. The vessel was hit once on the starboard side of her main deck but was still completely operational. Shrapnel caused a lot of damage and a four-inch hole in the deck. No casualties were inflicted on American forces. Three days after this incident USS ''Bremerton'', USS ''Lofberg'' and USS ''John A. Bole'' exchanged fire with the batteries, several guns were destroyed and there were no friendly casualties. ''Lofberg'', ''John A. Bole'' and received 110 rounds of fire on the next day without effect. Shore batteries on Ho-do Pan-do were increasingly menacing the allied blockade. Concentrated fire was directed against destroyers in Wonsan Harbor on June 17. and re-escaped to seventy-five founds and ''Henderson'' avoided another seventy-five, the nearest landing ten yards from ''Henderson''. ''Irwin'' and ''Rowan'' would fight another battle the following day. In it the North Koreans scored their highest number of hits in one engagement. USS ''Irwin'' was hit by one round from Kalmagak and it tore a hole in the main deck. Five American sailors were wounded. ''Rowan'' suffered five hits and ten wounded and she received forty-five rounds of different caliber altogether. The destroyer was moderately damaged. Thirty-six shells were fired at ''Saint Paul'' but she was not hit. A small surface engagement occurred the same day. An armed South Korean Army intelligence boat encountered a North Korean thirty foot patrol boat and for ten minutes the vessels fought until the North Koreans withdrew under cover of a battery. The patrol boat had a speed of twenty knots, carried a radio and was armed with rocket launchers, machine guns and the crew carried various small arms. On June 19 ''Rowan'' and ''Bremerton'' were fired on but no hits resulted. USS ''Manchester'' was conducting a heavy bombardment of Wonsan on or about July 3 when fragments from a near miss put a two-inch hole in the after stack and through the door of a powder room. On July 7, North Korean gunners on Ho-do Pan-do fired on the blockade. Over 300 rounds of 76-millimeter to 122-millimeter fire landed near USS ''Lofberg'', USS ''Thomason'' and . ''Thomason'' suffered holes and dents topside due to air burst straddles, but there were no casualties. The Americans returned 880 rounds of counter battery fire before the action ended. A few days after, North Korean artillery fired forty-eight rounds of 76-millimeter to 105-millimeter shells at USS ''Saint Paul'' and scored a hit on a gun mount. Two guns were damaged but nobody was wounded. For the next several days, the North Koreans focused on attacking UN islands until July 23, when ''Saint Paul'' drew twelve rounds of 155-millimeter fire, all of which splashed in the water ten to fifty yards from the ship. On July 27 ''Saint Paul'' fired the last American shots of the battle against shore batteries. With the signing of an armistice, the fighting came to an end after 861 days of action.


Aftermath

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
ships at Wonsan achieved a significant goal by maintaining a blockade against hostile territory for so long. UN naval forces inflicted heavy casualties on the North Korean forces while sustaining comparatively few casualties of their own. The North Korean artillerymen who defended Wonsan were mostly ineffective, thousands of dollars' worth of artillery shells were wasted. Wonsan was destroyed and remained so for years after the war, but due to its location, it was eventually rebuilt and is still an important strategic point.


See also

*
List of US Navy ships sunk or damaged in action during the Korean War This is a List of US Navy ships sunk or damaged in action during the Korean War: Sunk in action # USS Magpie (AMS-25), USS ''Magpie'' (AMS-25) blew up after striking a mine, 21 killed/missing in action and 12 survivors, 29 September 1950. # USS Pi ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wonsan
Wonsan Wonsan (), previously known as Wonsanjin (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...
Blockades Naval battles of the Korean War Blockades by the United Kingdom Blockades by the United States Battles and operations of the Korean War in 1951 Battles and operations of the Korean War in 1952 Battles and operations of the Korean War in 1953 Battles of the Korean War involving South Korea Battles of the Korean War involving North Korea Battles of the Korean War involving the United Kingdom Sieges involving the United Kingdom Sieges involving the United States 20th-century sieges
Blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are ...