Mission Command at The Battle of Chipyong-Ni COL Paul L. Freeman's leadership and his effective use of mission command principles before and during the Battle of Chipyong-Ni marked a turning point in the Korean War and is an example of mission command's importance in combat operations. After North Korea invaded the South and US forces became involved to help push them back, Lieutenant General Ridgway, who led the Eight Army in 1951, set a campaign to retake the Korean peninsula named Operation Roundup. The operation called for an offensive push north. The 23rd Regimental Combat Team (23RCT), led by COL Paul L. Freeman, was tasked to occupy Chipyong-Ni to establish a stronghold to anchor the upcoming offensive line and deny them use of the nearby …show more content…
Mutual Trust As ADP 6-0 notes, mutual trust is "shared confidence between commanders, subordinates, and partners that they can be relied on and are competent" TRADOC (2019, July). COL Freeman displayed mutual trust through open communication, his treatment of soldiers, and how he conducted himself on the battlefield. Before the battle, Col. Freeman was already a respected leader because of how he communicated and treated his soldiers. He consistently worked to communicate openly with his subordinate commanders and their soldiers, visiting where they were and being approachable. He also demonstrated trust in how he issued orders, expecting them to be executed without supervision and rarely issuing formal directives (Leadership in the crucible, 21). Leading by Example Sharing hardships with his soldiers and leading by example helped him build mutual trust. After being wounded during the battle, he was ordered to leave but refused; he stayed with his troops until the battle ended. Because of his actions, his soldiers respected and supported him, as noted by one CPT during the battle, "When Col. Freeman said at Chipyong, 'We're surrounded, but we'll stay here and fight it out,' we supported him with enthusiasm," recalled