▁Chinese ▁column ▁moving ▁into ▁the ▁village , ▁pers isting ▁in ▁their ▁attack ▁with ▁fixed ▁bay on ets ▁even ▁when ▁it ▁became ▁apparent ▁that ▁the ▁Chinese ▁force ▁was ▁larger ▁than ▁anticip ated . ▁The ▁Chinese ▁were ▁rout ed ▁in ▁heavy ▁fighting . ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁later , ▁field ▁command ers ▁reported ▁to ▁The ▁Pent agon ▁that ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁performing ▁extremely ▁well , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁pulled ▁from ▁the ▁lines ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁mission . ▁ ▁Operation ▁Tom ah awk ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁R anger ▁Company ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Regiment al ▁Com bat ▁Team ▁( R CT ), ▁alongside ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁R anger ▁Infantry ▁Company , ▁and ▁began ▁unit ▁training ▁j umps ▁and ▁tact ical ▁exer cis es ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁a ▁combat ▁par ach ute ▁drop . ▁These ▁exer cis es ▁continued ▁throughout ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁as ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁force ▁conducted ▁the ▁ag gress ive ▁Operation ▁Ri pper ▁as ▁a ▁large - scale ▁counter off ensive ▁against ▁the ▁Chinese ▁and ▁North ▁Korean ▁forces . ▁To ▁follow - up ▁this ▁attack , ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Matthew ▁R id g way , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Army , ▁planned ▁Operation ▁Tom ah awk , ▁a ▁mission ▁to ▁insert ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 th ▁R CT ▁and ▁the ▁R angers ▁behind ▁the ▁Chinese ▁lines ▁to ▁cut ▁off ▁Chinese ▁supplies ▁and ▁force ▁them ▁to ▁retre