Every time the UN aircraft departed, the KPA reoccupied their battle positions. Elements of the 24th Infantry were not able to extend southward and join with B Company of the 5th RCT because of stubborn KPA resistance. August 21–26 attack Still farther north along the mountain ridge, in the Battle Mountain area, the battle was going poorly for the 24th Infantry. After C Company lost Battle Mountain, heavy UN airstrikes and artillery fire struck its crest in preparation for an infantry counterattack planned to regain the mountain from the KPA. The hot and sultry weather made climbing the steep slope difficult, but L Company was on top by 12:00 on August 21. KPA troops had left the summit under fire from the UN aircraft, artillery, and mortars. The KPA placed their own mortar fire on the crest and prevented L Company from consolidating its position. This situation continued until mid afternoon when a KPA platoon came out of the trenches on the eastern slope of the mountain and surprised a platoon of L Company with an attack from behind. The other two platoons of L Company, upon hearing firing, started to leave their positions and drift down the hill. The KPA swiftly reoccupied the peak while officers tried to assemble L and I Companies on the eastern slope. Elements of E Company also left their position during the day. US air, artillery, mortar and tank fire now concentrated on Battle Mountain, and I and L Companies prepared another counterattack to retake it. This attack launched soon after, but made slow progress and at midnight it halted to wait for daylight. Shortly after dawn on August 22, I and L Companies resumed the attack. L Company moved up the mountain, with I Company supplying a base of fire. Three KPA grenades wounded six of the troops, causing the rest to retreat without orders from their frustrated commander. They were eventually returned to the hill with some coercion. A few hours later, when a small KPA force worked around its right flank, the company again withdrew back down the hill to I Company's position without orders. Fighting continued on Battle Mountain the next day, August 23, with more National Police units arriving to reinforce I and L Companies. The US and South Korean troops finally secured precarious possession of Battle Mountain, mainly because the supporting fire of US mortars targeting the KPA