1 December, Friday In the early morning two Company patrol Jeeps manned by CPLDarrell D. "Mac" McArdle, CPL Merle Ash, SFC Lester Cline, SGT Victor Paradis, an unidentified MP driver, and Engineer Lieutenant, left the Control Point at the base of Funchilin Pass for a routine road patrol north up the Main Supply Route [MSR]. The patrol was ambushed, lost one jeep but was able to return without any casualties.

3 December, Sunday The six members of the cut off check point at Hagiru'ri made their way back to the Company safely.

4 December, Monday The Company duties were confined to the check points and traffic control points facilitating the critical movement of personnel along the MSR.

Gradually the MP’s from the MSR check points made it back to the new Command Post. The Company also turned in thirteen of their motor cycles.

5 December, Tuesday The five members of the cut off check point at Koto'ri made their way back to the Company at Hungnam. CPT Samuel T. Denton relieved the Detachments commanded along the MSR by 1LT Van Buskirk and replaced them with fresh MP’s from the Company.

6 December, Wednesday The surviving trapped 1st Marine Division and 7th Infantry Division elements started their move from Koto-ri south down the Main Supply Route through the Chinese gauntlet.

7 December, Thursday Elements of the trapped 1st Marine Division and 7th Infantry Division received a portable steel Treadway Bridge, dropped by air at Koro'ri. The bridge was needed to span the gap in the Pump House Bridge in the Funchilin Pass.

Task Force Dog, elements of the 3rd Infantry Division, X Corps, augmented by infantry units of the South Korean Army started a northward attack of the Chinese gauntlet forces commanding positions along the Funchilin Pass.

8 December, Friday With supporting artillery fire from Task Force Dog, elements of the 1st Marine Division unsuccessfully attempted to take the crest of Hill 1081, the key strategic position obstructing use of the Funchilin Pass.

9 December, Saturday Elements of Task Force Dog succeeded in seizing the crest of Hill 1081. The Chinese fought to the last man leaving 530 dead. Task Force Dog suffered 111 casualties. A few hours later, construction of the temporary Treadway Bridge was complete and the first of the Marine vehicles began to cross it heading south to the X Corps perimeter at Hungnam.

13 December, Wednesday This period was rather tense for the Company. The Communist push was so overwhelming that the Allied units were ordered to evacuate and the roads into Hamhung were jammed with personnel and vehicle traffic heading for the transport ships at the docks. Manning the traffic control and check points were critical to the orderly evacuation of personnel and supplies.

GHQ ordered the 1st Platoon, with a strength of fifty MP’s commanded by 1LT Van Buskirk and 1LT David L. Boddington, flown to Pusan, South Korea.

15 December, Friday Early in the morning 1LT Van Buskirk’s 1st Platoon arrived at the Pusan Port and reported to the Port Provost Marshal, LTC Brunell. The Platoon was assigned to meet all X Corps traffic arriving at the port docks and on the beaches resulting from the breakout up north. They would then escort them to an assembly area at Hibia, a mile north of Pusan. There the vehicles and personnel were segregated by units and dispatched on their way to each units designated assembly area, eighty miles north. The assignment at Hibia was under the operational control of the Army Transportation Corps. The MP Platoons top priority was to keep the Pusan docks and beaches clear.

16 December, Saturday An accidental shooting resulted in the wounding [stomach] of PFC Clifford J. Stauffer.

17 December, Sunday The Company Command Post [CP], was fired upon with an automatic weapon, after approximately forty rounds had been fired the attacker was killed. It was discovered he was a U.S. Marine, he was killed within two feet of the CP while firing his weapon through the windows.

19 December, Tuesday The Company was issued orders to move out once again. at 1800 hours [6:00 PM] they moved to the docks and boarded the USNS Randall. Their vehicles were loaded on several LST’s. All personnel and vehicles were on board by 2400 hours [midnight] awaiting their departure from the port.

20 December, Wednesday 2330 hours [11:30 PM] With heavy seas in the bay, the Company was ordered to debark from the Randall and board the USNS General Daniel I. Sultan. This transfer took place with much screaming and cursing and was successfully completed by the morning of the 21st.

Note: Sixteen years and ten months later the General Sultan would once again transport members of the 720th MP Battalion to war in Southeast Asia. On 1 October 1966 the General Sultan transported the Battalion from the Oakland Army Terminal, California across the Pacific Ocean to Vung Tau Harbor, South Vietnam, arriving on 18 October 1966.

With births limited on the USNS Sultan the men were issued cards for their sleeping rotation. One card designated your sleep period as night, the other as day. While awaiting transport with the ship anchored in the bay the men passed the time watching the fireworks in and around Hungnam.

24 December, Sunday, Christmas Eve The USNS Sultan weighed anchor and departed Hungnam, North Korea for Pusan, South Korea. 25 December, Monday, Christmas Day The USNS Sultan arrived at Pusan where the ship was greeted by a band playing the tune “If I knew your were coming I’d have bakes a cake.” The Company morale was high enough to appreciate the greeting.

1630 hours [4:30 PM] The Company debarked the ship and waited at the dock until dark before being moved to the RTO. During the wait members of the 1st Platoon who departed by air for Pusan on 13 December, stopped by to visit the Company. The 1st Platoon was assigned to duties in and around the port.

2000 hours [10:00 PM] After some confusion the Company boarded a train and departed Pusan. During the train transport there were numerous stops and tense moments when the train slowed to a crawl to climb the hills along the way.

0400 hours [4:00 PM] The transport train stopped at Kyong'ju, South Korea. Fortunately for the Company, who had no vehicles at hand, drivers and vehicle's were waiting to continue the transport from the train station to their crowded billets in two rooms above the Fire and Police Stations.

27 December, Wednesday CPT Samuel T. Denton, Company Commander, departed for Tokyo, Japan on an emergency leave.

28 December, Thursday The 1st Platoon returned to the Company from duty at Pusan.

31 December, Sunday, New Years Eve The 2nd Platoon, commanded by 1LT David L. Boddington, was detached and moved from Kyong'ju, one-hundred sixty-five miles northwest to Wonju.

For the first time since it arrived in Korea, the Company was without any duty assignments. It was a reward for their strenuous job performance at the check points on the Hagaru'ri Road. The Company moral was high and there was plenty of beer available.