The Suburban Times

A community bulletin board for Western Pierce County.

  • Home
  • To Know
  • To Do
  • To Ponder
  • Obituaries
  • Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • More
    • Share your story
    • Submit an Event
    • Contact

1-23 Infantry hosts Chip’yong Ni memorial ceremony

February 17, 2010 By Ben Sclair

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – The 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment will conduct a wreath-laying ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m., at the Chip’yong-ni memorial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The Battle of Chip’yong-ni, fought in February, 1951, was a decisive battle of the Korean War. A U.N. force, consisting primarily of U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 23rd Infantry Regiment Combat Team, aided by armored cavalry and by air support, led a test of strength a much larger opposing force. The U.N. forces successfully defended their perimeter even after being completely surrounded. The U.N. forces reported 51 killed, and 42 missing after the battle, while enemy casualties were estimated to be at least 200 times that number.

The battle, along with the battle at Wonju by the 2d Division’s 9th and 38th Infantry Regiments, marked the first test of an aggressive change in strategy by U.N. forces that is ultimately credited with ending the war.

The wreath ceremony has been an annual tradition for the unit since after the Korean War. There was a total of 16 Korean veterans from the 23rd Regiment who have been part of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment it was activated at then-Fort Lewis (the 1-23 Infantry Bn. is currently assigned to the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at what is now Joint Base Lewis McChord).

Two of veterans remain actively involved in support to the unit, and have been given honorary titles of the regiment: Honorary Regimental Commander, Lt. Col. (retired) Emil J. Stryker Jr. and the Honorary Regimental Command Sergeants Major, Sgt. 1st Class (retired) Charles Main.

The Senior NCO’s and the veteran’s of The Battle of Chip’yong-ni will lay the wreath at the memorial, a replica of the memorial rock at the Chipyong-Ni battlefield, Korea made from a granite stone retrieved from the same battlefield by members of the 23rd Infantry Regiment.

More information about the Battle of Chip’yong-ni, including an article distributed by the DOD 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Korean War
Committee and an account by the 23rd RCT’s commander shortly after the battle, can be found at the 2nd Infantry Division Association’s website:
www.2id.org/chipyongni.pdf and www.2id.org/chipyong.pdf.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Related

Top Stories

  • Northwest Ports of Tacoma, Seattle and Vancouver, BC Aim to Phase Out Maritime Emissions by 2050
    Northwest Ports of Tacoma, Seattle and Vancouver, BC Aim to Phase Out Maritime Emissions by 2050
  • 2021 Lakewood Summer Event Schedule Announced
    2021 Lakewood Summer Event Schedule Announced
  • Infoblox Renews Lease in Tacoma
    Infoblox Renews Lease in Tacoma
  • Washingtonians Can Track Their $1,400 with “Get My Payment” Tool on IRS.gov
    Washingtonians Can Track Their $1,400 with “Get My Payment” Tool on IRS.gov
  • WSDOT Blog: Tacoma traffic shift, demolition, paving
    WSDOT Blog: Tacoma traffic shift, demolition, paving

Become a better informed citizen.

Join over 30,000 readers each month and get real-local news and information direct to your inbox, Monday-Saturday.


Recent Comments

  • Susanne Bacon on Across the Fence: A Crisp Idea
  • Jaynie Dillon Jones on Across the Fence: A Crisp Idea
  • William Elder on Letter: Music
  • Dave on Strickland Leads Freshman Members on a Letter to Advance Reproductive Health Rights
  • Susanne Bacon on Letter: Music

Contact Us

The Suburban Times
P.O. Box 39099
Lakewood, WA 98496

Ben Sclair, Publisher
253-312-1804

Stephen Neufeld, Marketing Executive
stephen@thesubtimes.com

Copyright © 2021 The Suburban Times • Log in • Privacy Policy

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.