The Outpost War: U.S. Marines in Korea, Vol. 1: 1952

by Lee Ballenger

In 1952, overriding American political objectives dictated that the tactics of UN forces in Korea shift from those of maneuver to those of holding on to territory recently gained at great human cost. In western Korea, along “main lines of resistance,” men of the 1st Marine Division patrolled from lonely outposts. Thus began “the outpost war,” a forgotten period of the “forgotten war”—but one during which 7800 Marines lost became casualties. Lee Ballenger’s THE OUTPOST WAR tells the story of the division’s move to the Jamestown Line in western Korea where the assault-trained-and-equipped troops must dig in and learn to fight an unusual defensive war. It describes their steep, deadly learning curve and reports on major battles of the period, including Bunker Hill and The Hook, while including the trials and tribulations of individuals who were there. The author’s use of official archival sources blended with oral accounts places the reader on the battle line with the Marines. Nearly all of the material in THE OUTPOST WAR has never been published before. LEE BALLENGER served in U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance and tank units during the Korean War. He is currently at work on a sequel to cover Marine Corps operations in 1953. This is his first book. He lives in California.

282 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2000

Reviews

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book goes into great detail on the static warfare endured by Marines on the MLR in 1952. The battles for Bunker Hill and the Hook are discussed in-depth as well as many other outpost engagements. Excellent read.