▁ 1 2 3 ▁men , ▁among ▁them ▁the ▁first ▁white ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁unit , ▁medic ▁Joe ▁Rus so . ▁ ▁By ▁May , ▁the ▁R angers ▁were ▁emp la ced ▁at ▁Hill ▁ 2 5 8 , ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁lines ▁between ▁the ▁ 3 1 st ▁R CT ▁and ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁Division . ▁They ▁conducted ▁frequent ▁pat rol s ▁along ▁an ▁out post ▁network , ▁often ▁encounter ing ▁and ▁eng aging ▁Chinese ▁troops . ▁They ▁fort ified ▁the ▁hill ▁and ▁surrounding ▁areas , ▁which ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁advance ▁out post ▁to ▁warn ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁if ▁the ▁Chinese ▁attacked . ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁the ▁fighting ▁entered ▁a ▁l ull , ▁and ▁troops ▁res umed ▁their ▁rest ▁and ▁recuper ation ▁rot ations . ▁Allen , ▁P ry or , ▁and ▁Fre eman ▁left ▁on ▁one ▁such ▁rotation ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁men , ▁leaving ▁Queen ▁and ▁only ▁ 8 0 ▁en list ed ▁men ▁on ▁the ▁hill . ▁ ▁Hill ▁ 5 8 1 ▁▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁this , ▁however , ▁Chinese ▁in fil tr ators ▁began ▁appearing ▁regularly ▁in ▁the ▁und erm anned ▁ 2 nd ▁Company ' s ▁area , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 5 ▁May , ▁Queen ▁discovered ▁the ▁Chinese ▁were ▁moving ▁in ▁force ▁to ▁Hill ▁ 5 8 1 , ▁several ▁miles ▁from ▁their ▁position , ▁from ▁which ▁the ▁Chinese ▁could ▁fort ify ▁and ▁attack ▁Hill ▁ 2