The 277th USASA Operations Company consisted of three platoons, each in a different location. The 277th had its company headquarters in the 508th compound at Yongdung-po, but that consisted only of the CO, XO and a few support personnel. The operational segments of the 277th consisted of the 1st platoon on Kanghwa-do island, the 2nd Platoon on P-Y-do island and the 3rd Platoon near the village of Sokcho-ri on the Korean east coast. The 277th was an ELINT and DF unit, with ELINT and DF intercept operations at all three platoon sites. The 277th was short-lived. It was eliminated in 1962. When 277th was eliminated, its 2nd and 3rd platoon operations were assigned to the 177th Co and became detachments of the 177th. The 1st Platoon had grown in size and became the 226th USASA Operations Company.

The 277h had its beginnings in 1956 under the 501st ASA Group when it was set up, as a detachment consisting of only some 20 men. The story of how it all began is told in his own words by Elmer Hackbarth, an electronics technician (286.1) who was part of the initial set-up team:

Arrived in Korea Oct 1956 and was assigned to the 12th ASA Det out of the 501st ASA GP. The 12th ASA Det was on a hill next to the DMZ and north of Seoul. I was there for but about a month and then was sent on ahead of my unit to the west coast island of Kanghwa-do at the mouth of the Han River in the Yellow Sea. This was a new camp and construction was just being completed. There was no wiring for operations no electricity except for the generator. My first job was to scrounge some wire and start wiring the operations hut on top of the mountain. It was not easy as we had but the crudist of tools (hammer and nails, and pocket knife). Soon, in about three weeks, my unit and equipment were moved to this location and operations commenced as soon as we could get some antenna's up.

The operator's MOS was 204.1 and my MOS was 283.1. I was the electronic tech and was responsible along with two others to maintain the equipment. It wasn't too long and soon I was the only one left to maintain the equipment due to rotation. In the unit we had the usual radio ops, cooks, motor pool, and one or two officers. We only numbered around 20 in all.

We had to do our own guard duty plus our normal job as usual. I believe we were then renamed to Co C 501st ASA GP. (It's been a long time) There was another Det similar to ours on a smaller island north of us. I believe it was called P-Y-Do. In 1957 the bad guys shelled that group using a gunboat. What a panic that was on the radio. Our high speed radio op was too fast for the ops at Group and had to repeat much of the urgent traffic which we had to relay.

I left around thanksgiving of 1957 and we were going on red alert. There were thoughts that I would never get out of that place. Finally I got to leave but had to train a 204.1 operator to troubleshoot electronic gear. What a disaster. I never did find out how it went after I left although I had tried.

Oh, in October of 1957 we were getting strange telemetering signals. Being bored to death I set up an unused DF set and got a good bearing on these signals. Guess it turned out to be control signals for Sputnik. Now we knew were they launched from.

The mountain top was excellent for monitering signals. I wish my ham radio location at home could hear like that. I found the other web site about Kanghwa-do. There are pictureson that site of the place where I was stationed. However there had been a number of new buildings added. It sure was errie seeing pictures of the place that I had been. Sure would like too hear from some of the guys I served with.

Elmer Hackbarth (283.1)
Co C 501st ASA Gp 1956-57
n9kig@freewwweb.com

The small detachment grew rapidly and by 1958 was known as 1st Platoon of the 277th ASA Company, according to Gary Alexander, who served as its Ops Officer at that time. Here is his story:

I served in the 1st Platoon of the 277th ASA Company from April 1958 to June 1959. I was the operations officer (2nd Lt./1st Lt.). We were located on Kanghwa-do Island which was about 40 miles from HQ (two hours by jeep). The island was separated from the mainland by a few hundred yards of water, you got back and forth on an LST. In the winter it was frozen up so we could not be reached. Before I left a helo pad was put in.

I am sure the 277th later became the 226th. One of the pictures of the 226th I have seen on another internet site is the compound of the 1st Platoon, including the swimming pool we built by damming up the little stream that ran just outside the fence.

When I arrived the CO was Lt. Paul Kennedy. He was replaced shortly thereafter by Lt. Jim Hinely. Lt. Tom Lockhart came a bit later and was there until late in 1959. I found both Jim and Tom on the internet last year (after having been out of touch for nearly 40 years). Visited Tom in Wyoming last summer. Have been in touch with Jim by e-mail, he lives in Georgia, may get down to see him this fall.

We had about 70 enlisted men as I recall. We were in the ELINT business monitoring North Korean radars. The DMZ was the water separating us from North Korea. Had anything started we would have been dead ducks. Our operations hut was on the top of a mountain. Maintaining the road up the mountain was a constant task. We had a relatively good deal because no one from HQ bothered us.

We had a sister unit (the 2nd Platoon) located on P-Y-do, a small island in the Yellow Sea (actually north of the 38th parallel). You got in and out of there by landing on the beach. I visited it once. The 3rd platoon was located way over on the east coast, do not remember exactly where, we had no contact with them.

Our company HQ was in the 508th compound (Camp Spade) at Yongdong-po. Our CO was Lt. Billy J. Chance, a West Pointer. I have also found him through the internet, he lives in his hometown in Kansas. He retired as a bird colonel after 20 years. Our company supply and maintenance officer was Lt. Fred C. Patterson. I have been unable so far to locate him.

One of my memories is of October 1958 when the Russians put up Sputnik. We picked up the signal on the second or third orbit, but HQ in Hawaii was all over us because we did not detect it sooner.

Another memory is of the time we put a mobile unit up on the DMZ on the mainland. All of our guys were really scared by the experience. Too much weaponry and infantry around to suit them I guess.

Gary Alexander
gaa1935@aol.com

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