| Battle of Taejon | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Korean War | |||||||||
 South Korean forces in front of the Daejon Railway Station, July 1950 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 North Korea | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 William F. Dean (POW) |
Lee Kwon Mu[1] Lee Yong Ho[2] | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 11,400 infantry and support |
13,500–20,000 infantry 50 tanks | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | ||||||||
The Battle of Taejon (16–20 July 1950) was an early battle of the Korean War, between U.S. and North Korean forces. Forces of the United States Army attempted to defend the headquarters of the 24th Infantry Division. The 24th Infantry Division was overwhelmed by numerically superior forces of the Korean People's Army (KPA) at the major city and transportation hub of Daejon (then spelt Taejon). The 24th Infantry Division's regiments were already exhausted from the previous two weeks of delaying actions to stem the advance of the KPA.
The entire 24th Division gathered to make a final stand around Taejon, holding a line along the Kum River to the east of the city. Hampered by a lack of communication and equipment, and a shortage of heavy weapons to match the KPA's firepower, the outnumbered, ill-equipped and inexperienced U.S. forces were pushed back from the riverbank after several days before fighting an intense urban battle to defend the city. After a fierce three-day struggle, the U.S. withdrew.
Although they could not hold the city, the 24th Infantry Division achieved a strategic victory by delaying the North Koreans, providing time for other U.S. divisions to establish a defensive perimeter around Pusan further south. The delay imposed at Taejon probably prevented a U.S. rout during the subsequent Battle of Pusan Perimeter. During the action, the KPA captured Major General William F. Dean, the commander of the 24th Infantry Division, and highest ranking U.S. prisoner during the Korean War.
- ^ Alexander 2003, p. 134.
- ^ Appleman 1998, p. 350.