Osan remembers Battle of Bayonet Hill

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Team Osan paid tribute to the soldiers of the 27th Infantry Regiment, Feb. 3, whose heroic actions 61 years ago helped secure the freedom of South Koreans during the Korean war.

During an annual ceremony held on the same hill where bayonets were used to fight off enemy soldiers decades ago, Korean military, U.S. military and ROTC students stood in formation as the story of the "Battle of Bayonet Hill" was read aloud and remarks were given from guest speaker Maj. Gen. John Macdonald, U.S. Forces Korea assistant chief of staff.

"We are all here today to honor the sacrifice of the men who are not honored for their words but for their courageous actions," Macdonald said. "By being here you have not forgotten about the sacrifice of these men."

On Feb. 5, 1951, then Army Capt. Lewis Millett led Easy Company, from the 27th IR, toward Chinese and North Korean forces up a hill that later marks the location of Osan Air Base. Finding himself and his men in a hail of enemy fire in close contact, Millett told his forces to "fix bayonets," and his two platoons charged the hill.

Millett led the charge with rifle in hand, waving his men up the hill. Chinese soldiers abandoned their foxholes in fear and only a few enemies remained after the fight which hailed victory.

Two days after the initial battle on Feb. 7, 1951, Millett and his men found their way to a location called Hill 180. Quickly surrounded by the enemy, Millett told his forces, "Fix bayonets! Everyone goes with me!" After he had the platoons in position, Millett told them, "Attack straight up the hill."

Captain Millett and his team continued to fight and kill enemy soldiers until he reached the top of the hill. When it was all over, Millett stood atop the saw-toothed ridge and pumped his rifle up and down, signaling to those below that he had conquered the hill.

Nine soldiers lost their lives charging the hill that day, and 47 enemy dead were counted on the forward slope of the hill; 30 as a result of bayonet wounds.

On the reverse slope lay another 50 enemy soldiers, dead of either bayonet or gunshot wounds. Witnesses estimated another 100 Chinese soldiers escaped.

On military maps it was designated as Hill 180. To the men of Company E and the annals of U.S. military history, it would forever be "Bayonet Hill."

But it wasn't just the courage of the men that made this day historical, it was the up-close and personal fight that made this day especially relevant, explained Macdonald.

"They fought with their bayonets, which was something that was not done in recent wars," he said. "It doesn't get any more personal than that. The bayonet is not used today, but the spirit of the bayonet, and the freedom, honor and sacrifice it represents still lives and breathes today because of the people of the past."

Millett was evacuated due to his wounds. His Medal of Honor was presented to him at the White House and Osan Air Base was constructed in the summer of 1952 shortly after the hill gained its fame.

The ceremony included the placing of memorial wreaths, a rifle salute, an A-10 flyover, followed by the playing of Taps.