Report, Joint Daily Situation Report Number 124

The President 3.402 18, SEC. June aliya Washington, D.C. 31 October 1950 Date. JOINT DAILY SITREP NO. 124 Direction NARS, (maps attached) E.O. From 0700/30 (EST) to 0700/31 (EST) DOD From 2100/30 (Korea) to 2100/31 (Korea) 1. Situation in Brief: Stiffening resistance Limited significant gains to those registered by the 24th U.S. Infantry Division along the west coast, After the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade captured Chongju, the 21st U.S. Infantry RCT passed thru the city, overran an enemy battalion supported by 7 tanks, and ad- vanced 10 miles westward. Supported by a successful air strike, the 5th U.S. Infantry RCT battled its way into Kusong against determined resistance from 2 well dug-in and concealed hostile battalions, supported by armor. The 1st ROK Division was heavily engaged, repulsing 5 sharp counterattacks and in. flicting heavy loss on the enemy. Oh the east-coast, the enemy has broken con- tact with elements of the ROK Capitol Division north of Songjin. Anti-mine surveillance of both coasts was flown by Navy planes, as mine sweeping opera- tions continued. TG 96.8 'provided target combat air patrol and close air sup- port in the Wonsan area. Unloading is proceeding satisfactorily at Wonsan and Iwon, On 30 October, Naval air flew 121 sorties, and U.N. aircraft under FEAF control flew 431 sorties, including 141 combat. (FECOM) (SECRET) 2. Weather: Low scattered clouds over north Korea becoming low overcast in southern Korea with visibility 10 miles, lowering to 1 to 3 miles in light inter- mittent rain, Forecast: Scattered low clouds over north Korea, becoming broken low clouds; overcast of middle and high clouds over south Korea, Visi- bility 10 miles, lowering to 1 to 3 miles in early morning ground fog. (FEAF) (SECRET) 3. Chinese Communist Participation: During the past several days, 10 Chinese Communist PW's were cap- tured either singly or in small groups at various places along the western and central sectors of the front. With the capture of 18 Chinese PW's in the area south of the Chosin Reservoir on 26 and 29 October, the U.S. X Corps tentatively accepted the presence of the 370th Regiment of the 124th CCF Division The Division strength and commander are unknown. A regiment, numbering ap- proximately 2,500g consists of three battalions of 680 each, a regimental artn- lery company of 167 men, an unknown number of horses, four small caliber Japanese infantry cannon, and a regimental mortar company of 180 men, 52 horses and four U.S. 81-mm. mortars, The cannon are carried by 13 horses