The Road To Simmin-ni*
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Date: November 29, 1950*
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Simin-ni, Korea*
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Turkish Attack-Chinese Delay*
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Design: C. Berry*
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In the early morning hours of November 29, 1950 the Chinese opened an attack on the withdrawing Turkish Brigade which was now in the vicinity of Sinnim-ni. The brigade’s headquarters had pulled back about three miles west of Sinnim-ni into the village of Kaech’on. General Yazici was at first not even aware that his three infantry battalions had been enveloped by the Chinese in the vicinity of Sinnim-ni due to having no communications with them. The Turkish artillery battalion had withdrawn from Sinnim-ni to Kaech’on and informed General Yazici that his three infantry battalions had been completed surrounded and were not able to withdraw any farther.*
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In response Yazici ordered his one reserve infantry company and a platoon of attached American tanks from the 72nd Armored regiment to attack up the road towards Sinnim-ni to open a route for his infantry battalions to withdraw on. The relief element was successful in re-opening the route. Miraculously the three infantry battalions though suffering heavy casualties had survived the Chinese envelopment all night and were still intact.*
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Sources:*
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Turkish Brigade in Korean War- Kunuri Baattles (26-30 Novemder 1950)http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67557*
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Korean War: 1st Turkish Brigade’s Baptism of Fire-by A.K. Starbuck and originally published in the December 1997 issue of Military History magazine.* 