Inchon Assault Beaches
APDs of TD-111 initiated Landings
APD 124 Bass controlled Red Beach
USS Wantuck, APD-125, controlled Blue Beach
After our LCVPs carried I/3/5 1stMarDiv into the assault at Green Beach to help capture Wolmi-Do that morning, Wantuck was Control Ship for 1st Marines' assault at Blue Beach that evening, when the tidal ebb and flow permitted the second part of the amphibious assault on Inchon. There were 172 amtracs, formed in 25 boat waves, Blue Beach was downwind of burning Inchon, whose smoke combined with dusk and rain squalls to blanket boat lanes and beaches in near-impenetrable mustard-colored haze. PHIBPAC procedures call for 32 guide-boats for proper control of such an assault, but Wantuck had only 4 LCVPs. The first three boat waves went smoothly, but after that confusion reined although thankfully only moderate enemy small-arms fire was met on the beaches and also only occasional shellfire was faced by Wantuck and Gurke. Still, thanks to quick thinking by Marine officers, by H+30 each battalion had its respective assault companies ashore. |
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