Battle of Kyongju
The Battle of Kyongju was an engagement between United Nations (UN) and North Korean (NK) forces early in the Korean War from August 31 to September 15, 1950, in the vicinity of Kyongju in South Korea. It was a part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, and was one of several large engagements fought simultaneously. The battle ended in a victory for the United Nations after large numbers of United States (US) and Republic of Korea (ROK) troops repelled a strong North Korean attack.
Battle of Yongju
At 09:00 on 21 October, US 3/187 RCT began to advance south to clear the Sukchon to Yongju road towards Pyongyang. The US paratroopers advanced on two fronts, with I Company moving along the railway line and K Company along the highway. At 13:00 I Company reached Opa-ri, where it encountered a strong North Korean force estimated as a battalion, equipped with 120 mm mortars and 40 mm guns. I Company was caught in an ambush. The North Koreans subsequently attacked the paratroopers and after a battle lasting two-and-a-half hours, they overran two US platoons. I Company was forced to withdraw west of the railway to Hill 281 having suffered 90 men missing. Despite their success, the North Koreans subsequently withdrew to their own defensive positions in the high ground around Opa-ri. Amid the fighting, a US medic attached to I Company, Private First Class Richard G. Wilson, was killed while attempting to reach a wounded man who had been left behind, and he was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Wilson had repeatedly exposed himself to North Korean fire to render aid to the wounded, and later helped many to safety following the order to withdraw. On hearing that one of the Americans previously thought to be dead had been seen attempting to crawl to safety, he went back to the battlefield to search for him and had disappeared. Two days later a patrol found Wilson lying dead beside the man he had returned to rescue, having been shot while trying to shield him from further injury.