At sea, Korea was a small ships' war. Though often working close inshore, firing on supply trains and the like, our frigates seldom came under attack. The incident depicted above was an exception. On February 18,1952, while sinking sampans carrying enemy troops to invade Yang Do Island, Taupo came under heavy fire from a coastal battery. Ten of the 15 sampans were sunk before Taupo withdrew, virtually unscathed. New Zealand vessels steamed over 300,000 miles in Korean waters, but lost only one man. Bottom: Pukaki's engineroom crew.