Theatre Intel Thread: - Korea

[sneaky beaky]

From: CO Sabre Squadron TFB, Sector 32


To: Colonel Costigan, TFB OC, Camp Cherokee


Hi Bill, I've got one of the patrol debriefs you requested from the latest op in Sector 32.









Callsign: Downtown.

TL: Sneaky Beaky.

Composition: 12 patrol members.

Mission: To penetrate deep into enemy territory on foot and recce suspected enemy camps and positions.

Downtown patrol passed the start line at our staging area at grid 288 327 at 1100 hours local and contoured high around Black Hill to avoid the reported ambushes that were waiting on the lower slopes. While Alpha 1 advanced to contact on the slopes we used their movement as cover to proceed down to the dwelling at grid 281 329 (later main FOB); which Downtown 2 cleared allowing us to bound through and cross the Eastern road securely into the lower fields. Moving tactically, we dropped into the valley floor before rendezvousing with Uptown on the Western road.

The patrol then continued further up the slope past the dwelling at grid 275 328 and had a brief contact with a force of four enemy combatants at grid 273 327. Two casualties were taken on both sides. Downtown 2 remained in situ as a snap ambush while Downtown 1 took the prisoners to our intended FOB at Aubrey’s, grid 273 330, and cleared the area. Later interrogation revealed few details of value.

Downtown then moved on Firs Farm, grid 272 333, one of our objectives as it was a suspected enemy outpost. No sign of enemy were apparent and we moved in and held the ground. A patrol of six enemy attacked the position within an hour and were repelled but the location was now hot. We called in for our Bergen drop and moved as a group back to Aubrey’s to set up harbour. Again we were attacked after a short while in position and managed to catch all four members of the enemy patrol who were subsequently passed back through the line to our main FOB for interrogation.

HQ ordered us back to Firs Farm to hold the ground to use as a staging and ERV point for an attack on the enemy camp at Upper Blaen, grid 272 338. Two men were also sent to set up an observation post on that position. After the attack, the majority of Downtown 1 patrolled off to reclaim their bergens and bring them back; upon return Downtown 2 did the same. Unfortunately we split our radio operators from their usual patrols and this left us with no radio contact between the groups.

Not long after the patrol left we were faced with the threat of being surrounded by a large enemy force, almost three times the size of the detachment of Downtown patrol members under my command at Firs Farm, I myself was down to a pistol and the situation was looking bleak The enemy took a very long time to encircle us and allowed us to see their likely assault positions. The 5 of us managed to hold off the initial assault long enough for Downtown 2 to realise what was happening and dump their bergens in the next field. Downtown 2 attacked from the southern flank and instantly cut one of the enemy teams down. This distraction threw the enemy into enough disarray to allow us to overcome the attack and eventually remove all threats on Firs Farm. I put the majority of this success down to the leadership and courage of William Wright of Downtown 2 and the heroics of Downtown 1’s medic Mike Mercier, both who I am recommending for a mention in dispatches. I also recommend lessons are learnt from the decision to allow the radio ops to be grouped together.

During the night we kept our perimeter while a four man team were sent to do a close target recce and small raid on Upper Blaen. They achieved this and the raiding party gained entry to the enemy HQ. A small contact ensued with casualties on both sides.

By sun up on Sunday it was looking like we were knocking the fight out of the enemy as our position was not attacked during the night. Elements of Uptown moved to our position at Firs and we inserted from the Western slopes as part of a triple pronged attack on Upper Blaen. Minimal resistance was met and we retrieved the target case.

Pulling back we linked up with other teams at locations along the Eastern Road and Downtown led the clearance of the lower valley, including Blaen, grid 278 332. Upon arrival at the main FOB we stayed in support of the teams already clearing the area and moved in to secure the land.

For us, we now stayed in support in the rear at the main FOB until reports called in the movement of a patrol at the Chinese border. We mounted up on the WMIK and drove straight into the contact to deny the enemy the ground. A brief contact erupted and men were lost on both sides but without any overall outcome.

In summary I believe the whole Downtown callsign completed all their mission objectives and more in difficult conditions and while being isolated on the Western slopes. I personally cannot have asked more of my men.



Downtown TL out.

[Monk]

From: CO Coalition expeditionary Force Sector 32 North Korea

To: General Adams USPACOM Operational HQ Camp LaGaurdia Seoul South Korea

Callsigns:    Alpha One: 3rd Rifles
      Bravo Two: 3rd Rifles
      Charlie Three: 3rd Rifles
      Outrider: Sniper/ Spotter Team
      Downtown One/ Two: T F B Recce Troop (separate after action report filed)
      Uptown One/ Two/ Three: T F B Mobility / Command Group

Primary Mission Objective:
To penetrate into enemy territory and locate and destroy mountain camps and enemy strongholds.

Secondary Mission Objectives: 
One: To locate and intercept the delivery of DNA Specific Bio weapon
Two: Locate and seize Shipment of Uranium to be delivered to unknown Soviet recipients   
Three: Locate rescue and extract captured SI7 agent Dimitri Trevelyan   
 

All Patrols began the Operation at Grid 288 329 the foothills of the YongByori mountains. From here all teams moved out to their assigned areas of operation to begin Intel gathering for the combined push into the mountains proper.
Outrider left the base camp several hours ahead of main force to establish advanced OP in order to aid main force movements in the valley.
Alpha set off next with orders to move down into the base of the valley and find suitable location for covert harbour area and then begin to recce their assigned target at Grid 278 333.
Followed by Bravo with orders to follow high ground to area above their target at Grid282 330 they were also briefed to find suitable harbour area prior to beginning Ops.
Charlie were ordered to move into the adjacent valley and proceed deep into enemy territory and set up covert Ops with eyes on the North Korean HQ fortress at Grid 273 339
Downtown were tasked with moving ahead of main force onto the Western side of the valley and securing Command staging area for mobility troop to move into at Grid 273 332 while also setting up Ops and patrols to gain intel on enemy movements around their HQ.
Uptown moved out last bringing command Mobility group over to the MSR on the West of the valley to set up temporary HQ and set up Ops to assist Alpha and Bravo callsigns.

11.30 Hrs Alpha One engages enemy in first contact en route to setting up harbour area patrol suffers casualties but no fatalaties, Command orders Alpha eliminate enemy and continue on task.
11.45Hrs Bravo Two engages enemy in area around their target building suffering minor casualties no fatalaties enemy breaks contact and Bravo continue on task.

1300Hrs uptown intercept enemy vehicle patrol on Western MSR, Vehicle is stopped and the driver captured and interrogated upon searching the vehicle it is found to contain the shipment of Uranium to be sold to unknown Russian element. Vehicle is rendered immobile and left booby trapped for enemy. Uranium is secured in preparation for extraction with prisoner when possible.
All call signs continue on original tasking with Alpha, Bravo and Charlie hampered by logistical problems and weather conditions.
1500Hrs two members of Charlie Three are captured by enemy forces and are transported and  held at Grid 278 333. Uptown get eyes on southwest facing side of target from distance and coordinate two pronged rescue attempt by Alpha and Bravo. Rescue attempt hindered by lack of speed and inaccurate map reading from 3rd Rifles allowing North Koreans to execute prisoners shortly before Alpha arrives at target location. Alpha were tasked as support with Bravo leading rescue but were moved up after Bravo are found to be moving in opposite direction away from target.
A delayed assault follows by Alpha assisted by remainder of Charlie Three and Outrider (Sniper team) eliminating all enemy forces and retrieving the dead prisoners.
1530Hrs Alpha now hold and secure their original target location at Grid 278 333.
15.40Hrs Uptowns temporary HQ location is compromised by enemy patrols after vehicle take down.
1600Hrs Bravo is re directed to take their target area at Grid 282 330 and prepare for Uptown to move in and set up Command FOB.
16.30Hrs Outrider ambushes and kills enemy sniper team above FOB Grid 282 330 no Intel gained from bodies
1700Hrs Uptown Moves to Command FOB at Grid 282 330 on valleys Eastern side. All call signs are re tasked to secure their FOBs and send out fighting recce patrols to scout area for enemy movement.
1830Hrs Uptown One is ordered to carry out small diversionary raid on enemy HQ in order to keep majority of forces tied up in quelling the assault so Alpha can move out of their advance FOB at front of main force and retrieve Bergen caches. Uptown suffers minor casualties no fatalities and inflicts light losses on enemy before extracting to ERV to await vehicle pick up.
Weather closes in slowing down operational ability but small fire fights with cut off enemy patrols continue frequently.  Fighting strength of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Downtown Two reduced due to weather induced casualties.
0000Hrs North Korean enemy force attacks remains of Alpha One, Charlie Three and Outrider at advance FOB Grid 278 333 claymore defensive perimeter holds most of assault back and after brief fire fight assault fails and enemy break contact.
0600Hrs small North Korean special forces group attack main FOB at Grid 282 330 leaving eight coalition dead in surprise attack but are all eliminated shortly after by members of Uptown One.
0620Hrs Uptown Three leads small advance recce party to get accurate eyes on at the HQ target location. Uptown One and available Alpha/Bravo call signs is tasked to insert via vehicle over to the West of the valley and link up with Down town at their FOB Grid 272 333             
0640Hrs Advance FOB Grid 278 333 is attacked by unknown number of enemy
0645Hrs Alpha One mount Vehicle QRF from command FOB enemy cleared and area secured at Grid 278 333
0650Hrs Retreating enemy force responsible for attack at Grid 278 333 Runs into snap ambush by Uptown One but escapes into lower valley pursuit is abandoned in order to begin vehicle insertion to link up with Downtown.
0700Hrs Uptown One/Two link up with Downtown call signs at and tab into final assault positions
0730Hrs all available forces carry out three pronged assault on enemy HQ at Grid 273 339
Uptown one and two assaulting from NW, Uptown Three assaulting from N and Downtown One and two assaulting from W. Due to poor visibility in weather conditions it was not clear of enemy numbers but upon assaulting only a skeletal force was found in defence and after a brief fire fight this was eliminated and area secured with only minor casualties for coalition.
Upon searching the deserted HQ a prisoner was found in a series of cells hidden from open view and confirmed to be SI7 Agent Dimitri Trevelyan. He was treated for his injuries by medics and prepared for extraction ASAP.
All Coalition call signs ordered into sweep and clear operation in valley moving back towards FOB at Grid 282 330 completed with little resistance Uptown three leads advance team directly to FOB and engages small enemy force attempting to take it themselves all enemy eliminated and area secured
0900Hrs Alpha and Bravo call signs retake forward FOB and defend against counter attack while sweeping area for enemy.
1030Hrs High ranking North Korean General and bodyguards spotted fleeing into the Northern DMZ towards Chinese border captured by Uptown Two. Bodyguards eliminated and General delivered to FOB holding area.
1100Hrs members of TFB Uptown and Downtown call signs mount mobility assault to prevent the North Koreans fleeing into the DMZ upon arrival at the crossing point Task Force Black come under fire from unidentified forces within the DMZ allowing the fleeing North Koreans to cross into DMZ.

In summary General we feel Op intensive Storm was an overall success and we have effectively cleared this area of enemy combatants. With the similar success of the 10th Mountain’s operations in their designated areas we can now push on and clear out sector 32.

[Labyrinth]

From:  Nikolai Usenovic, only surviving member of K4 Scout-Sniper section, attached to 1 SOF Brigade, North Korea

To:  General Hill-Fung Yeung, Commander, Chinese People's Liberation Army, China-Korea DMZ

Subject:  Mission debrief
Status: UNSUCCESSFUL
Unit KIA's: 4
Unit MIA's: 1

Primary Objective:  Take out Coalition Staff in Sector 32.
Secondary Objectives:  Assist North Korean forces.  Harrass and demoralise the enemy.


General, the Coalition special forces were too strong for us.  Most of my team was killed in the fighting.   The Coalition recovered some of the bodies, but as they are Russian, I trust you will not be implicated.  Those who sanctioned this black op were well prepared for this eventuality.  I will explain what happened.

Team K4 made up the Russian contingent of the Korean forces, and was a scout-sniper team.  There were 5 other Korean teams in addition, made up of regular infantry men from 1 SOF Brigade.

We began with almost no intel at all on the position of the enemy which made locating our primary target seem a very daunting task in the expanse of the YogByori Mountains.  Two snipers, Timur Khabalov and Arkadi Zebrovskoya, set off to CTR suspecting staging areas for coalition troops.  Initial location reports from Korean command proved fruitless.

Moving along a river in the base of the valley, K4 sniper team advanced below an enemy FOB, and then up the hill into an OP about 50m down the valley from the buildings.  K4 remained in position for 45 minutes, completely undetected, watching and monitoring enemy movements.  Evidence gained suggested a lack of command details in the area, so we moved out.

We moved back up the river, and then ascended into the mountains to approach their main staging base.   We kept a low profile as two of our scouts had been knocked out by a Coalition Counter-sniper team we knew to be operating in the area.  Advancing toward the Coalition base, we gained a lot of intel including patrol movements, confirmation of a command section in the area, and even intercepted some verbal commands. 

We moved down the tree line above the base to get into position.  Finally we got into an OP no more than 25m from the Coalition command building.  We had eyes on lots of troops, but we could not see our primary target.   We held position in our OP for about an hour, remaining completely invisible to the enemy.   We were presented with many targets of opportunity, and we eventually took on our secondary objective and attacked, as it was becoming too dangerous to wait longer for the primary objective.  Arkadi Zebrovskoya fired a perfect double tap into the first soldier, hitting him in the head and the heart.  As two other soldiers came outside, they two were felled by Arkadi.   Unfortunately the K4 snipers had not picked up the Coalition counter-sniper team operating nearby, and while the sniper kept them pinned, the spotter outflanked and killed them.  Had they lasted another 20 seconds, they would have had eyes on the primary target who returned to base shortly afterward.   The patrol had lasted a total of six hours from embarkation to termination.

After this, only two members of K4 team remained, both armed with AK-74 variants, so the sniper objective became impossible.  We joined K5, and went on two further patrols.  Both of these had the simple objective of harrassment of the enemy.  The first patrol was sent out at approx. 2000hrs, and moved to the enemy FOB.  Initially we bumped a Coalition patrol on the road and there were large numbers of casualties on both sides.  Reinforcements arrived, and we moved into the FOB were another large firefight ensued with the Coalition forces stationed there.  Eventually, at 2300hrs, we had to fall back, but we gained valuable intel on Coalition numbers. 

The second combined patrol set off at 0600hrs the next morning.  We used the cover of a dense fog to get into position and move unimpeded into the Coalition FOB.  We used grenades to wipe out the troops stationed there. We then began an advance to the main staging base, but were spotted by a Coalition sniper and a vehicle patrol, had to retreat down to the river, where we laid up for a while in a small ruined building.  Then we moved back up to attack the main base again.  We attacked in a extended line, and killed the men on stag.  We moved in and captured the whole base, and one Land Rover WMIK that had been left there. 

We held the base until Coalition men arrived.  There was a large firefight and we took many of their number, but our medics we unable to reach our own wounded and we started to loose men.  Finally, we were broken and withdrew at 0930.

On arriving back at our field base, we found out that our main HQ had fallen to the Coalition.  We had to get out across the DMZ into China where we would be safe.  We started up the mountain, breaking away from two other Korean patrols, and then headed along the high ground to the Chinese border.  We got over without incident at 1050hrs, but then spotted a Coalition vehicle coming towards us from the other side of the border.  General Sir, the vehicle was inside the DMZ!!  We opened fire on the vehicle and killed most of its occupants.  A couple of the men got away.  I imagine they will argue that they were shot at in an unprovoked attack from across the Chinese border.   We saw it that they were persuing asylum seekers into China without authorisation, and that they had violated the boundaries of the new DMZ.  This is why we engaged them, Sir.  I want to make that point clear.

That is all.  I trust you will contact my superiors with your thoughts and plans in due course.

Nikolai Usenovic, K4 section, 1 SOF

[Labyrinth]

From:  General Hill-Fung Yeung - Commander, Chinese People's Liberation Army, China-Korea DMZ

To:  General Maeng - Staff Officer to North Korean Command, Sinuiju, North-West  North Korea


General Maeng, as you will no doubt know by now, we were unable to hold Sector 32, so a more covert method of assistance between us will have to be arranged.  I am liasing with Captain Ho on this presently. 

During the fighting, a small band of North Korean and Russian soldiers moved across the border into China in an attempt to escape the Coalition.  I'm sure you can understand the severity of this - up until now, the extent of China's involvement in this theatre has been largely unknown, but North Korean troops seeking asylum in China has made this an international incident!!  We can count ourselves lucky that the Coalition followed them up to our DMZ, as we can use the firefight that happened there as an opportunity to blow smoke over this security breach.  We will do everything we can to make out that the Coalition violated the bounds of the DMZ and broke international war conventions, but we will also need to play down any claims that we openly assisted North Korea.  Ultimately, the North Koreans fired first - I want this to remain unknown if possible.

In the mean time, we will be taking a back seat in this campaign, as I believe you should also command your men to do.  We need time to regain our strength, take stock of our forces, and let the situation cool down for a while.  The eyes of the Coalition countries and the UN are firmly fixed on North Korea, so we can ill afford another compromise of our intentions.  We managed to gain strength before by employing guerilla tactics, lulling the allies into thinking we remained weak.  The missile factory remains undetected.  Let's keep it that way and wait for the right moment to strike.

Yeung Out.

[Labyrinth]

To: General Adams - Director, JSF & USPACOM

From: Master Sergeant Bud Jackson, attached to 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, 95 miles North of PyongYang


Day 121:  3rd Armoured Cav continues to push North towards the Chinese Border.  The advance is steady with little resistance, but little intelligence too, as the Koreans seem to burn all assetts as they fall back.  Morale is generally high amongst the troops, with few casualties, easy action with short successful engagements, and lots of support from the UN contingent moving up behind us, but I can't help but feel uneasy - the Korean's seem to have just disappeared.  We've got scout sniper teams out in the mountains but they're coming back from event free patrols.  It's too easy.  And we still have no good intelligence since Tysanne Ling's information that somewhere out there, there might be a missile factory we never found yet.  In the mean time, I think this will be a drawn out campaign - I can't predict any big conflicts happening in the immediate future, but we have to remain on our toes.  Until we get some hard intel on the way things are, we'll just have to sit tight.

I will include you in any important communications to USPACOM in the event that we get any major turns of events in future.

Signing off.
Mst Sgt B. Jackson