Though the major focus of early Korean War military and naval operations was to stem the tide of North Korea's mainland offensive and strike enemy transportation and other assets throughout the peninsula, Republic of Korea forces also carried out a number of raiding and intelligence collecting operations beyond the front lines, as well as maintaining outposts on offshore islands. Many of these activities involved using the ROK navy, with some support from U.S. and British ships, to land guerillas in parts of the country already occupied by the North Koreans.
One such operation required broader U.S. Navy involvement to prevent the expansion of a minor disaster into a larger one. On 15 September 1950, a ROK LST broached and went hard aground while landing a guerilla party behind enemy lines at Changsadong. To prevent capture of the South Koreans until a rescue could be arranged, the heavy cruiser Helena (CA-75) and several smaller ships bombarded the shore over several days. Ultimately, it was necessary to abandon the stranded LST, but the guerillas were successfully withdrawn.
This page features images related to miscellaneous Korean War operations from June into September 1950, including the Changsadong raid.
For links to more pictures of the first months of the Korean
War, see:
For a precis of our Korean War images, and links to more
comprehensive pictorial coverage of later periods and other aspects
of that conflict, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: 80-G-420861 Changsadong Raid, 15-19 September 1950 Republic of Korea LST Munsan, broached on the beach after an attempt to insert South Korean guerillas behind enemy lines north of Pohang in mid-September 1950. A second ROK LST is in the background. Numbers visible inside Munsan's bow opening indicate that she may be the former USS LST-120, which was transferred to the Department of State in 1947. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-420856 Changsadong Raid, 15-19 September 1950 Republic of Korea LST Munsan, visible in the middle distance at center, lies broached in the surf after an attempt to insert South Korean guerillas behind enemy lines north of Pohang in mid-September 1950. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 625 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-420836 Changsadong Raid, 15-19 September 1950 Motor whaleboat alongside USS Helena (CA-75) on 19 September 1950, during efforts to save the broached Korean LST Munsan, visible in the center distance. A second Korean LST is at right, with USS Bolster (ARS-38) attempting to pull the stranded ship free. USS Doyle (DMS-34) is partially visible in the upper left. This situation resulted from an attempt to insert South Korean guerillas behind enemy lines north of Pohang. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 162KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
For links to more pictures of the first months of the Korean
War, see:
For a precis of our Korean War images, and links to more
comprehensive pictorial coverage of later periods and other aspects
of that conflict, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
8 October 1999