Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 16: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Ridgway) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
flash
C–68607. Ref HNC 188 from CINCUNC Adv, passed to you on 8 Aug 51. Fol receipt of rept contained in ref msg, I directed CG Army Eight to conduct an immediate invest. The fol summary of invest has been recd from Gen Van Fleet:
“The fol is a summary of invest conducted by CG, I US Corps.
“On 7 Aug 51, 5 patrols were dispatched by 1st ROK Div. Of these, 3 remained east of the CS–CT 00 north-south grid line and therefore are not discussed in this msg. One of the remaining 2 patrols, [Page 798] that from 5th KMC Bn, did not adv farther north than the BS 90 east-west grid line. The 5th patrol, from the Div Recon Co departed from a fwd patrol base vie BT 993024 (4500 meters east of Pan Mun Jom) at 0500K and proceeded north arriving vic BT 9905 at 1100 hours without contact or obsn of the enemy. By 1400K the patrol had adv to BT 994068 from which pnt 20 enemy were observed aprx 800 yards to the north. There was no exchange of fire. At 1500K the patrol had moved west aprx 1000 meters to BT 988068 from which pnt it moved southwest to CT 005049. At 1700K the patrol began withdrawing to Div Recon Patrol Base at BS 973969, arriving there at 1900K. During the entire patrol no ammo was fired. This patrol consisted of 1 Off and 25 men armed with 19 M–1, 4 Carbines, 3 BAR, 1 LMG and 2 rocket launchers. At no time were any elms of this patrol closer than 4000 meters to Pan Mun Jom.
“On 16 Jul 51, CG, I US Corps carefully defined the limits of the neutral zone to his subordinate comdrs and on the same date CG 1 ROK Div established a patrol limit line which at its closest pnt is apprx 2500 meters from Pan Mun Jom.
“From detailed rept of invest conducted by CG I US Corps, it is concluded that no United Nations Unit could have been involved in the incident in ques.
“The full written rept of invest by CG I US Corps will be delivered to Adm Joy by Off Courier without delay.”