Operation Commando

Operation Commando
	Part of the Korean War
Date	3–12 October 1951
Location	Jamestown Line
Result	United Nations victory
Belligerents
United Nations Australia; Belgium; Canada; United Kingdom; United States; South Korea; New Zealand;	China
Commanders and leaders
James Van Fleet; John W. O'Daniel	Unknown
Units involved
I Corps 1st Cavalry Division; 3rd Infantry Division; Belgian Volunteer Corps for Korea (attached to US 3rd ID); 1st Infantry Division; 1st Commonwealth Division; IX Corps 25th Infantry Division;	42nd Army; 47th Army; 64th Army; 65th Army;
Casualties and losses
4,000	US Claim: 21,000

Operation Commando was an offensive undertaken by United Nations Command (UN) forces during the Korean War between 3–12 October 1951. The US I Corps (including four U.S. Divisions, the 1st Commonwealth Division and the Republic of Korea Army (ROK) 1st Infantry Division) seized the Jamestown Line, destroying elements of the People's Volunteer Army (PVA) 42nd, 47th, 64th and 65th Armies. This prevented the PVA from interdicting the UN supply lines near Seoul.

The attack began on 3 October 1951 from the Wyoming Line, which had been extended during Operation Minden and ended on 12 October, with a few hills south of the line still in PVA hands. Seizing these hills required a follow-up operation—Operation Polecharge. As a result of this 6 miles (9.7 km) advance, the badly mauled US 1st Cavalry Division was withdrawn to Japan for refitting.^[2]

Commando and Polecharge were the last actions in the war of manoeuvre, which had lasted sixteen months. It was replaced by a static war, characterised by fixed defences, trench lines, bunkers, patrols, wiring parties and minefields reminiscent of the Western Front in 1915–17. Australian involvement in this operation is known by historians as the First Battle of Maryang-san.^[3]

^ ^a ^b Johnston, William (2003). A War of Patrols: Canadian Army Operations in Korea. Vancouver, British Columbia: UBC Press. pp. 170-1. ISBN 978-0-7748-1008-1.
^ Blair, Clay (1987). The Forgotten War: America in Korea 1950–1953. New York, NY: Times Books. p. 949. ISBN 9780812916706. OCLC 15790880.
^ Horner, David, ed. (2008). Duty First: A History of the Royal Australian Regiment. Second Edition. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. pp. 72–3. ISBN 9781741753745.

[Johnston-1] Johnston, William (2003). A War of Patrols: Canadian Army Operations in Korea. Vancouver, British Columbia: UBC Press. pp. 170-1. ISBN 978-0-7748-1008-1.

[2] Blair, Clay (1987). The Forgotten War: America in Korea 1950–1953. New York, NY: Times Books. p. 949. ISBN 9780812916706. OCLC 15790880.

[Horner-3] Horner, David, ed. (2008). Duty First: A History of the Royal Australian Regiment. Second Edition. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. pp. 72–3. ISBN 9781741753745.

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