In an E-Mail dated 3/27/02, Bill Rowland states, Looks like someone has took excerpts from the original and used them. There should be quite a bit more on tape somewhere in the archives.

From The National Archives


page 1
3rd Battalion
31st Infantry

FIELDS E. SHELTON
Captain, Infantry

Report from Sgt. Bill G. Rouland, RA*******, Company "I", 3rd Bn, 31st Inf. The 3rd Battalion relieved the 5th Marines on the date of November 28, 1950.

On the east side of the Chosin Reservoir. We moved in an took up our positions. "I" Company was in reserve so we moved in behind the 57th Field Artillery, that is "A" Battery. "L" Company was on our left. As soon as we moved in "L" Company sent out a patrol of men, about 18 in all. They covered quite a few mountains and came in. They reported nothing in sight for miles. There wasn't a "Chink" in sight. The same night around 3800 O'Clock in the morning they started their attack by blowing bugles. It sounded like they were playing taps. Then they came in from our rear and from both sides. Their leading troops carried grenades. The next wave of men had rifles. The third wave had machine guns to cover the assault troops. When they came in it was hard to keep the leading troops out of your holes. "K" Company when they was hit, they pulled out and left "B" Battery in a hole. Some of the men fired point blank artillery at the enemy until they overran their positions,then they moved back to "I" Company and built up a line and held it. The (Nov 29, writeen on side ) same morning they formed a group of men and recaptured "B" Battery. The next night they didn't attack at all. The fourth night they attacked around 11:00 o'clock or twelve. Their attack lasted until daybreak. Then around 10:00 o'clock the same day the C.O. said we were making a run for it at 01:00. We moved out on time with wonderful air support. By the time we moved about a mile there wasn't any organization left of the Battery. Most of the officers and NCO's was hits, so it was every man for himself until we reached the Marines. Then what men was left they reorganized and moved on back to this area by covering the left flank.

(Inclosure 4)

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