On 30 July, General Craig had a final conference with Generals Walker and Partridge. This time, Walker himself told the Marine leader that the Brigade would be sent to the southwest; and that the unit, once committed, would be free to push forward without interference from Eighth Army.[123] Partridge interjected that his planes would be available to support Craig’s ground troops if Marine air did not arrive in time.[124]
Immediately after the conference, the Marine officers set out for Pusan by jeep. While their vehicles bounced southward on the ancient road, army headquarters in Taegu was sinking to new depths of dejection. Chinju had just fallen, and the Red column was pounding on toward Masan.[125]
[Illustration: _Commandant Says Farewell--General Clifton B. Cates visits San Diego for embarkation of 1st Provisional Marine Brigade (Marine Corps Photo)._]
[Illustration: _All Aboard--Marines of the Brigade waiting to embark at San Diego for the Far East (Marine Corps Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Mountains of Supplies--Hundreds of tons of equipment ready for loading aboard ships taking Marines to the Far East (Marine Corps Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Arrival at Pusan--Marines catch their first glimpse of Korea as the U. S. S. _Pickaway_ docks (Marine Corps Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Movement to the Front--Brigade troops preparing to entrain at Pusan for the Changwon bivouac area (Marine Corps Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Visit to the Front--Above, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur with Ambassador John J. Muccio and Major General Edward M. Almond, Chief of Staff, GHQ, FEC; and, below, with Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker, commanding the Eighth U. S. Army in Korea (U. S. Army Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Marine Air Strikes First--Above, the U. S. S. _Badoeng Strait_ (CVE 116) nearing Japan with Corsairs on deck; and, below, an F4U armed with eight rockets and a 500-lb. bomb takes off from the U. S. S. _Sicily_ (CVE 118) (U. S. Navy Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Korea the Vertical--Marines of the Brigade literally climb into battle during their first fights in the Chindong-ni area (Marine Corps Photo)._]
[Illustration: _Marines in Action--Above, Brigade infantry and M-26 tank, advancing under fire, pass body of dead United States soldier on left; and, below, ambushed Marines are pinned down temporarily by enemy machinegun fire at Naktong Bulge (Marine Corps Photo)._]