The Battle of Jackson Heights was a battle fought between 16 and 29 October 1952 during the Korean War between United Nations Command (UN) and Chinese forces for possession of a UN outpost position. The Chinese successfully seized the position and defended it against UN counterattacks.
Background
While the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) were preparing their assault on the Republic of Korea Army (ROK) at Baengma-goji (White Horse), they launched several diversionary attacks against ROK outposts on Hills 281 and 391 northeast of White Horse in an attempt to disperse the ROK 9th Infantry Division forces. Sporadic and indecisive fighting continued from 6 to 12 October when the PVA made a serious effort to storm the Hill 391. After the ROK units pulled back, on 13 October a reinforced company from the US 7th Infantry Division attempted in vain to regain the lost positions.
Once the PVA were repulsed at While Horse, the ROK 9th Division sent a battalion from its 28th Regiment to clear Hill 391 on 16 October. The battalion won through to the crest and was able to maintain control until 20 October when PVA counterattacks regained possession of the hill for the next two days. On 23 October, after a bitter hand-to-hand encounter, elements of the ROK 51st Regiment drove the PVA off again, repulsed a counterattack, then withdrew. On the following night the US 65th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division relieved the ROK 51st Regiment on the line.
Since their defeat in the Battle of Outpost Kelly the 65th Regiment had been undergoing a vigorous program of training under a new commander, Col. Chester B. De Gavre. Two weeks of intensive training, however, could not remedy the basic weakness of the regiment, the lack of experienced noncommissioned officers at the infantry platoon level, but the unit was again assigned to assume responsibility for a portion of the Jamestown Line the UN's main line of resistance.
Battle
On the night of 24-25 October, G Company, under Capt. George D. Jackson, took over the defense of the high ground immediately south of Hill 391. Jackson Heights, as it was soon to be called, had enough bunkers to house the command posts of the three rifle platoons, the company headquarters, and the forward artillery observer, but none of these was adequate for fighting off an attack. Jackson's plans for improving his defenses had little chance for early success, since the PVA artillery and mortar fire upon the heights was accurate and the PVA had excellent observation of the G Company movements from the surrounding hills. Facing the company were elements of the PVA 3rd Battalion, 87th Regiment, 29th Division, 15th Army. The 87th Regiment was commanded by Hwueh Yiang-hua.
On the afternoon of the 25th the artillery supporting the 87th Regiment began to send direct 76mm gunfire against the Jackson Heights positions from Camel Back Hill, to the northwest. PVA 82mm and 120mm mortars followed and by dusk G Company had received 250 rounds of mortar and artillery fire and suffered 9 casualties. During the night the PVA sent out patrols that probed G Company's dispositions and continued to send harassing artillery and mortar fire onto Jackson Heights. Captain Jackson used his own 60mm mortars and supporting mortar and artillery fire to break up the PVA probes. Late in the afternoon of 26 October the PVA sent over 260 rounds of direct 76mm gunfire from Camel Back Hill and caused 14 more casualties. From the company listening posts that night came frequent reports of the PVA moving about and digging in. Two PVA soldiers approached within hand grenade range of one of the listening posts on the southwest flank. The men at the post were given permission to use grenades against the intruders. As the two PVA soldiers hastily withdrew, mortar fire was called in to speed their departure. A PVA platoon probed the northern approach to Jackson Heights shortly after midnight, then fell back under interdicting artillery and mortar fire. Another platoon advanced from the north an hour later and closed to hand grenade range. After a 15-minute fire fight, the PVA pulled back, taking an estimated 17 casualties with them. The next eight hours were relatively quiet.