them from its position. After three hours of fighting A Company counterattacked at 07:00 and regained its lost position. The next day, August 23, the KPA, frustrated in this area, withdrew from contact in the 35th Infantry sector. Battle of Battle Mountain This high ground west of Haman on which the 24th Infantry established its defensive line was part of the Sobuk-san mountain mass. Sobuk-san reaches its peak at P'il-bong (also called Hill 743) northwest of Chindong-ni and southwest of Haman. From P'il-bong the crest of the ridge line curves northwestward, to rise again away in the bald peak designated Hill 665, which became known as Battle Mountain. US troops also occasionally referred to it variously as "Napalm Hill," "Old Baldy," or "Bloody Knob." Between P'il-bong and Battle Mountain the ridge line narrows to a rocky ledge which the troops called the "Rocky Crags." Northward from Battle Mountain toward the Nam River, the ground drops sharply in two long spur ridges. Men who fought there called the eastern one Green Peak. At the western, KPA-held base of Battle Mountain and P'il-bong were the villages of Ogok and Tundok, from the crest. A north-south mountain trail crossed a high saddle just north of these villages and up the west slope about halfway to the top of Battle Mountain. This road gave the KPA an advantage in mounting and supplying their attacks in the area. A trail system ran from Ogok and Tundok to the crests of Battle Mountain and P'il-bong. From the top of Battle Mountain an observer could look directly down into the KPA-held valley. At the same time, from Battle Mountain the KPA could look down into the Haman valley eastward and observe the US 24th Infantry command post, supply road, artillery positions, and approach trails. Whichever side held the crest of Battle Mountain could see into the rear areas of the other. Both forces, seeing the advantages of holding the crest of Battle Mountain, fought relentlessly to capture it in a six-week-long battle. The first attack against the mountain line of the 24th Infantry came on the morning of August 18, when the KPA overran several E Company positions on the northern spur of Battle Mountain and killed the company commander. During the day, Lieutenant Colonel Paul F. Roberts succeeded Lieutenant Colonel George R. Cole in command of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry there. The next day, the