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thedrifter
10-21-03, 12:59 PM
The United States Marines

in North China

1945 - 1949


By

Henry I. Shaw, Jr.


Printed 1960
Revised 1962
Reprinted 1968


Historical Branch, G-3 Division
Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Washington, D. C. 20380



DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20380



FOREWORD

The United States Marines in North China, 1945-1949 is a concise
narrative of the major events which took place when Marine ground and air
units were deployed to the Asian mainland at the close of World War II. The
text and appendices are based on official records, interviews with
participants in the operations described, and reliable secondary sources. The
pamphlet is published for the information of Marines and others interested in
this significant period of Marine Corps history.


<SIGNATURE>

R. G. OWENS, JR
Brigadier General, U. S. Marine Corps
Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3


REVIEWED AND APPROVED: 29 April 1968







THE UNITED STATES MARINES IN
NORTH CHINA, 1945-1949


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Original Online
Page Page

The United States Marines In North China, 1945-1949 1 6
Notes 27 32
Appendix A - Major Armed Clashes Between U.S. Marines
and Chinese Communists A-1 35
Appendix B - Marine Casualties Incurred as a Result of
Attacks on Sentries, Recreation Parties, and
Individuals B-1 37
Appendix C - Aircrew Losses Incurred by Marine
Squadrons in Operational Crashes in North China C-1 38





The United States Marines in North China, 1945-1949

By

Henry I. Shaw, Jr.


HOPEH OPERATIONS<1>

The III Amphibious Corps (IIIAC) had just begun a period of intensive
training, in preparation for the invasion of the Tokyo Plain, when the war
ended abruptly. Within 48 hours, a warning order had been dispatched to all
units of the corps to be prepared to mount out for the Shanghai area about 1
October. In anticipation of a wide variety of possible military operations,
the training schedule was modified and accelerated. But before a week had
passed, Admiral Nimitz advised the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force,
Pacific (FMFPac), that tentative plans contemplated the employment of IIIAC in
North China, to accept the surrender of Japanese troops for the Chinese
Central Government and to supervise the repatriation of Japanese military and
civilians. The corps headquarters and corps troops together with the 1st
Marine Division would occupy positions in the vicinity of Tangku, Tientsin,
Peiping, and Chinwangtao in Hopeh Province and the 6th Marine Division (less
the 4th Marines) would move into Tsingtao in Shantung Province. The 1st
Marine Aircraft Wing would move its planes and men to airfields in the
Tsingtao, Tientsin, and Peiping areas. (See maps inside covers). Commitment
of the entire corps in the Shanghai region was assigned as an alternate
mission. Tentative plans for these operations were issued on 29 August,
setting the mounting-out date for 15 September. The 3d Marine Division on
Guam and the 4th Marine Division on Maui were designated area reserve for the
operation.

According to plan, the Hopeh occupation force got underway first. The
corps embarkation order was issued on 8 September, and loading of the corps
troops began at Guam on the 11th. Loading was completed on 19 September, and
the IIIAC Chief of Staff, Brigadier General William A. Worton, departed by air
with an advance party to report to Lieutenant General Albert C. Wedemeyer,
USA, commanding the China Theater (ComGenChina), at Shanghai and proceeded to
Tientsin to prepare for the reception


1





of the occupation forces there. The Commanding General, IIIAC, Major General
Keller E. Rockey, sailed with the convoy from Guam for Okinawa the following
day. Here, ships carrying the troops of the 1st Marine Division (Major
General DeWitt Peck) rendezvoused with this convoy on 24 September. Two days
later, corps troops and the 1st Marine Division sailed from Okinawa for the
anchorage off Taku.

Long before daybreak on 30 September the convoy anchored in the bay off
the mouth of Hai River. With dawn, as if out of nowhere, appeared a swarm of
sampans manned by enthusiastic Chinese crews who sculled their small craft
close to the transports to exchange mutually unintelligible badinage with the
troops lining the rails and to trade cheap trinkets. The aura of good-natured
welcome continued as the Assistant Division Commander of the 1st Division,
Brigadier General Louis R. Jones, and his staff boarded a patrol craft to lead
a procession of LCTs carrying men of the 7th Marines over Taku bar and into
the narrow channel that led upriver to the Tangku docks. It was the start of
a daylong victory parade. "Until long after dark groups of Chinese lined the
river banks, gathered...outside their...houses to cheer each boatload of
Marines."<2>

At 1030, General Jones set foot on the docks and met with Chinese port
officials to complete arrangements initiated by General Worton's advance party
for the reception, transportation, and billeting of the Marines. The 3d
Battalion, 7th Marines, entrained for Tientsin, while 2/7 bivouacked in the
warehouse area beside the docks. Elements of the IIIAC Shore Brigade, built
around the 7th Service Regiment, also disembarked on the 30th to start
unloading cargo. On every hand, the "Chinese military and civilian
authorities were cooperative in the extreme,"<3> and no trouble of any kind
was experienced with the Japanese garrison.

The tumultuous welcome that greeted 3/7 when it arrived in Tientsin was
repeated and reinforced the following day as the 1st Marines and Division
Headquarters Battalion reached the city by rail and road. The streets were
packed with Chinese of all classes and European expatriates. Trucks and
marching troops literally had to force their way through the happy,
flag-waving throngs to reach their assigned billets in the former
International Concessions. To many of the men, it seemed that their welcome
must have out shone and out shouted "any welcome given to troops any time, any
place, and anywhere during the war."<4>

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmchist/nochina.txt

Sempers,

Roger
:marine: