The terror of the Han River Estuary

…at least for the commies

I was doing some research for my next Korea Times piece (yes, I do research for them) when I came across a history of the Australian ship HMAS Murchison.

Work on her was completed in December of 1945, too late to fight the Japanese in World War Two. However, her crew served well in the Korean War.

The Murchison’s main claims to fame were its engagements in the Han River Estuary in 1951, with these two perhaps being the most noteworthy:

On 17 September MURCHISON began her fourth Han River patrol. The early days followed the usual pattern and were uneventful. On the twelfth day, 28 September, MURCHISON embarked the Commander Task Force 95, Rear Admiral G. Dyer USN, for a tour of the Han River estuary. About 1600 the frigate was under way along the north bank of the Han River when unsuspected batteries of 75mm guns and 50mm mortars opened fire. MURCHISON responded with her 4-inch guns and with rapid short range fire, scoring several hits on the 75mm emplacements, silencing all opposition.

Two days later she returned to the scene of the engagement. The enemy, apparently expecting her return, had in the meantime strengthened their artillery. A second gun duel ensued, fought at such short range that MURCHISON’s gunners were firing over open sights at a rate of 20 shells a minute.

Bolstered by their increased armament, the Communist forces maintained heavy concentrated fire and as the frigate endeavoured to manoeuvre in the fast tidal river channel, succeeded in holing the ship at several points above the waterline. However, MURCHISON’s repeated hits took their toll on the enemy guns, reducing them to desultory fire, before the frigate withdrew to await reinforcement. Later joined by other ships of the patrol group she returned and with combined 4-inch shelling ended all opposition. Ammunition expenditure in this engagement totalled 276 rounds 4-inch and 500 rounds from the 40mm Bofors.

The engagements were part of Operation Han.

There is a much longer and much more colorfully written account of the campaign here. How much more colorful? Here is the opening line:

In Korea’s Siberian winter the Han is a highway of ice almost all along the 38th parallel. In summer it moves, swift and black—a dirty evil river—through a hot dry countryside to the Yellow Sea.

Now, that’s not very nice.

In a bit of irony, the Murchison was sold for scrap to a Japanese company in 1962.