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SP 4 Richard Bradley
to remember
Burns, Hugh (Mike), LTC USA(Ret).
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Ret. Lt. Col. Hugh (Mike) R. Burns, 92, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, passed away Wednesday, March 25, 2020. He was born May 4, 1927 in Steubenville, OH to Hugh and Altai (Bowman) Burns.
After graduating high school Mike enlisted with in the U.S. Army and served for twenty-two exemplary years with several of those being with the Special Forces Green Beret. He was stationed in many places and saw combat during World War II, Korea and Vietnam and eventually retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Mike loved his family and his country and will be dearly missed.
He leaves behind his wife, Myong Cho and their son, Tae S. Burns, both of the home in Fayetteville, NC.
Mike is preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Altai Burns and his sister, Margery J. Moran.
Korean War/First UN Counteroffensive (1951)/Battle of Kapyong
From Month/Year
April / 1951
To Month/Year
April / 1951
Description The Battle of Kapyong, also known as the Battle of Jiaping, was fought during the Korean War between United Nations (UN) forces—primarily Australian and Canadian—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army. The fighting occurred during the Chinese Spring Offensive and saw the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade establish blocking positions in the Kapyong Valley, on a key route south to the capital, Seoul. The two forward battalions—3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) and 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI)—occupied positions astride the valley and hastily developed defences. As thousands of South Korean soldiers began to withdraw through the valley, the Chinese infiltrated the brigade position under the cover of darkness, and assaulted the Australians on Hill 504 during the evening and into the following day.
Although heavily outnumbered, the 27th Brigade held their positions into the afternoon before the Australians were finally withdrawn to positions in the rear of the brigade, with both sides having suffered heavy casualties. The Chinese then turned their attention to the Canadians on Hill 677, but during a fierce night battle they were unable to dislodge them. The fighting helped blunt the Chinese offensive and the actions of the Australians and Canadians at Kapyong were important in assisting to prevent a breakthrough on the United Nations Command central front, and ultimately the capture of Seoul. The two battalions bore the brunt of the assault and stopped an entire Chinese division during the hard fought defensive battle. The next day the Chinese withdrew back up the valley, in order to regroup. Today, the battle is regarded as one of the most famous actions fought by the Australian and Canadian armies in Korea.
