Battle of Pusan
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Korea Strait was a small naval battle fought on the first day of the Korean War
, 25-26 June 1950, between the navies of South Korea
and North Korea
. A North Korean troop transport carrying hundreds of soldiers attempted to land its cargo near Busan
but was encountered by a South Korean patrol ship and sunk. It was one of the first surface actions of the war and resulted in an important South Korean victory.
was assigned to insert troops along the peninsula's southeastern coast. The North Korean steamer was one of the vessels. Formerly an American
merchant ship of 1,000 tons, she was armed with machine gun
s and loaded with 600 soldiers of the 766th Independent Infantry Regiment
. It was early morning when the South Korean Navy submarine chaser
ROKS Bak Du San spotted the lone enemy steamer eighteen miles from Busan. The chaser was the lead vessel of the South Korean Navy and was also formerly an American ship, built in 1944 as USS Ensign Whitehead.
Bak Du San first challenged the steamer with signal lights and received no response. But when the South Koreans turned on their searchlights, the North Koreans opened fire, hitting the Bak Du Sans bridge. The helmsman
was killed and the officer of the deck
seriously wounded. Bak Du San returned fire with her main 3-inch anti-aircraft gun
and six .50-caliber machine guns. After the North Koreans began taking hits, the ship attempted to flee the engagement. In a running battle the Bak Du San chased the enemy steamer down and it sank near Tsushima Island
with heavy loss of life. The victory, though unintended, was a major strategic gain. Busan was vital but only lightly defended and if it had fallen the North Koreans would have been one step closer to completely overrunning the country.
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, 25-26 June 1950, between the navies of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. A North Korean troop transport carrying hundreds of soldiers attempted to land its cargo near Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
but was encountered by a South Korean patrol ship and sunk. It was one of the first surface actions of the war and resulted in an important South Korean victory.
Battle
The Korean War began with a massive North Korean invasion of South Korea which nearly overran the country. During the invasion, the Korean People's NavyKorean People's Navy
The Korean People's Army Naval Force is the navy of North Korea. The Korean People's Army is made up of the Ground Force, the North Korean Air Force, and the Navy. It was established on June 5, 1946. The navy strength in the 1990s was about 40,000 to 60,000; current strength is at about 46,000...
was assigned to insert troops along the peninsula's southeastern coast. The North Korean steamer was one of the vessels. Formerly an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
merchant ship of 1,000 tons, she was armed with machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s and loaded with 600 soldiers of the 766th Independent Infantry Regiment
766th Independent Infantry Regiment (North Korea)
The 766th Independent Infantry Regiment was a light infantry unit of North Korea's Korean People's Army that existed briefly during the Korean War. It was headquartered in Hoeryong, North Korea, and was also known as the 766th Unit. Trained extensively in amphibious warfare and unconventional...
. It was early morning when the South Korean Navy submarine chaser
Submarine chaser
A submarine chaser is a small and fast naval vessel specially intended for anti-submarine warfare. Although similar vessels were designed and used by many nations, this designation was most famously used by ships built by the United States of America...
ROKS Bak Du San spotted the lone enemy steamer eighteen miles from Busan. The chaser was the lead vessel of the South Korean Navy and was also formerly an American ship, built in 1944 as USS Ensign Whitehead.
Bak Du San first challenged the steamer with signal lights and received no response. But when the South Koreans turned on their searchlights, the North Koreans opened fire, hitting the Bak Du Sans bridge. The helmsman
Helmsman
A helmsman is a person who steers a ship, sailboat, submarine, or other type of maritime vessel. On small vessels, particularly privately-owned noncommercial vessels, the functions of skipper and helmsman may be combined in one person. On larger vessels, there is a separate officer of the watch,...
was killed and the officer of the deck
Officer of the Deck
Officer of the deck is a position in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard that confers certain authority and responsibility. The officer of the deck on a ship is the direct representative of the captain, having responsibility for the ship.-Overview:In port, the OOD is stationed on...
seriously wounded. Bak Du San returned fire with her main 3-inch anti-aircraft gun
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
and six .50-caliber machine guns. After the North Koreans began taking hits, the ship attempted to flee the engagement. In a running battle the Bak Du San chased the enemy steamer down and it sank near Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island is an island of the Japanese Archipelago situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal...
with heavy loss of life. The victory, though unintended, was a major strategic gain. Busan was vital but only lightly defended and if it had fallen the North Koreans would have been one step closer to completely overrunning the country.