avenues of approach on the western slope. During the day the KPA counterattacked the hill six times, but were repulsed each time. The 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry units continued to come apart under fire, so much that the battalion commander complained to Kean that he needed more officers to keep the men in line. The situation in the Haman area caused Walker to alert the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, a reserve unit, for possible movement to this part of the front. However, it was never dispatched. On August 24, I and L Companies had been so racked by deserters and casualties that they withdrew from the hill. They had suffered 120 casualties during the fight. C Company, along with the ROK police, took charge of the peak. KPA troops continued attacking the 24th Infantry all across its line, probing for weaknesses. On August 25 and 26, C Company beat off several more KPA attacks on Battle Mountain coming along the long ridge extending from Tundok. At one point in these fights, a flight of US Air Force aircraft caught about 100 KPA soldiers in the open and immediately napalmed, bombed, and strafed them. The KPA force was destroyed with few survivors. Task Force Baker, comprising C Company and a platoon of E Company, 24th Infantry with a National Police company, defended Battle Mountain at this time. The special command was established because of the isolated Battle Mountain area and the extended regimental battle front. For the next two days, air strikes continued to rack KPA counterattacks and to prevent them from forming into any serious attack on Battle Mountain. August 28–29 attack The 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry relieved the 1st Battalion in the Battle Mountain area on August 27, and 1st Battalion withdrew to reserve, except for C Company which remained on Battle Mountain as a part of Task Force Baker. The next day, August 28, KPA attacks continued. That day, a KPA company-sized attack struck between C and I Companies before dawn. That night, KPA mortar fire fell on C Company on Battle Mountain. After midnight, a KPA infantry force appeared in the rear area and captured the command post. Some men of C Company left their positions on Battle Mountain without firing when the attack began at 02:45 the next morning, August 29. The KPA then directed their attack toward E Company and overran part of its positions.