HMCS Huron Association - Canadian Tribals In Korea

Canadian Tribals In Korea
HMCS Athabaskan Patrols

From 17 to 21 August 1950 Athabaskan operated under the orders of HMS Kenya in the Inchon patrol area. When the ships arrived at their night anchorage on the evening of the 17th, Commander Welland went aboard Kenya for a conference with the latter and with the ROK Navy on future operations. The leader of the ROK naval forces in the area was Commander Lee Hi Yung, the Commanding Officer of Kum Kang San (PC 702). A most aggressive fighter who had under his command a small force of seamen with which he was systematically mopping up the Communists on the islands in the Inchon area. It was decided at the conference that the island of Taku Chaku would be next on Commander Lee’s list and would be assaulted on the following morning. The planning for this amphibious assault would have brought tears to the eyes of a staff officer trained in the conduct of combined operations in the Second World War. It would not be too much exaggeration to say that the planning consisted largely of the commander of the assault forces pointing to a chart and saying something like this to the commander of the naval support ship: “I intend to land somewhere thereabouts at around 0600 tomorrow morning. I’d appreciate your sticking around to help out if we should run into difficulties.

The planning may have been somewhat informal, but the execution was faultless and at 0600 on the morning of 18 August 120 ROK seamen were assaulting the beaches of Taku Chaku while Athabaskan methodically pounded the Communist headquarters in the island village of Supo with 94 rounds of high explosive. At 0700 Athabaskan landed a party of two officers and 30 men to support the ROK forces but the support proved unnecessary as the ROK’s were doing very well by themselves. Before sunset that evening the island had been taken at no cost in casualties to the attacking force. On the enemy side, there were heavy casualties, there were no wounded and no prisoners among them.

Athabaskan remained at Taku Chaku throughout the day ready to lend assistance if necessary. She was anchored in 33 fathoms of water over a very rocky bottom with current running up to six knots and shortly before noon the starboard side cable parted resulting in the loss of an anchor and 18 feet of cable. Nothing daunted, Athabaskan moved closer ashore and anchored again. As there was no need for more active participation she concentrated on treating the numerous civilian casualties brought on board by her own boats and the ROK craft.

Athabaskan weighed anchor at nightfall and moved inshore to patrol near Inchon. Once again the night patrol proved fruitless and the ship returned empty handed to Taku Chaku. Throughout the next day, August 19, Athabaskan remained off the island working with the ROK forces in preparation for the next assault landing. Twenty Lanchester machine carbines and 6,000 rounds of ammunition were lent to Commander Lee’s force and CPO Aveling, Athabaskan’s Chief Gunnery Instructor went ashore to train the ROK seamen in their use, a mission that was entirely successful despite the language barrier. Besides helping in this way, Athabaskan also aided the South Koreans by providing boats and by once again tending the civilian wounded. Commander Lee came aboard before the ship left for her inshore night patrol and concerted plans for an attack the following morning on the island of Ryanku.

After yet another uneventful anti-shipping patrol, at 051 on 20 August Athabaskan was lying at anchor north of Ryanku ready to bombard the five villages on the island, the plan being to panic the civilian population and thereby disrupt communications. At 0637 the ship opened fire with star shell to illuminate the island and then proceeded to pound the outskirts of each village with high explosive. In this way, it was hoped, the objective would be obtained without causing unnecessary civilian casualties, and indeed that is what happened. At the first star-shell burst the villagers took to the hills, communications collapsed, and the defenders were thrown into confusion.

As the darkness faded, Athabaskan shifted anchorage inshore to get out of sight of a heavy enemy battery situated on the mainland nearby. She had just anchored again when two junks came into view making for Inchon. Both motor boats were immediately lowered to give chase. The junks were under full sail and making very good speed and it looked as if they might escape entirely. Athabaskan thereupon took a hand with her 4-inch guns. Her aim was good and the third shell landed some 25 yards from one of the junks. Down came all sails and the men of both crews began hurriedly to remove the only white garments they had – their underwear – and wave them frantically as a signal of unconditional surrender. Both craft were then seized and taken in tow for delivery to the ROK’s.

After stopping the junks Athabaskan turned her fire on a radio reporting station situated on the tiny island of Yo Dolmi in the middle of the channel leading into Inchon. Her aim was deadly and a third of the 36 rounds she fired, at a range of 7,200 yards, scored direct hits. But Athabaskan was not satisfied even with such shooting and when she had disposed of her captive junks she moved t within a mile of Yo Dolmi. The island appeared to be undefended so an armed party under Lieutenant-Commander T.S.R. Peacock, RCN was sent in to complete the destruction of the target. The party met with no resistance and what remained of the station was methodically demolished.

Athabaskan was under orders to leave the Inchon patrol area in the afternoon and rejoin HMS Kenya. The first two joined up to rendezvous with their relief ships near the Clifford Islands, Athabaskan had carried out her first mission with the West Coast blockade force.