The county of Yeongdong in North Chungcheong Province is located right around the middle of South Korea. It is also home to Samdo Peak, so named because of its position where the three (“sam”) provinces (“do”) of Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang come together.

Temperatures in Yeongdong vary widely throughout the day, and this, combined with the ample sunshine, has made it a rich area for fruit. Some of the leading crops are grapes, persimmons and apples. It’s also well-known for its walnuts.

This county with its lush grapevines was the scene of a horrific massacre that began on July 25, 1950, and lasted for five days.

The events took place a month after the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25. The US military and the Korean People’s Army were engaged in fierce combat around Yeongdong, and residents in its villages of Imgye and Jugok fled to the mountains.

But the US military ordered them to come back from the mountains, claiming it would assist them in taking refuge. They were joined by others fleeing from Daejeon and other locations, with a total of 500 to 600 people in all.

As the procession arrived in the village of Nogeun, sometimes written as No Gun Ri, the US troops blocked the route with tanks and ordered the refugees to travel up via a nearby railway. They proceeded to search their belongings, which consisted of bundles tied in blankets, cast-iron jars, and barley rice.

After completing their search, the US troops disappeared. Shortly thereafter, US bombers arrived and began dropping bombs on the refugees and strafing them.

In an instant, the scene became an image of hell on earth. Blood sprayed as screams and cries rang out. In all, an estimated 100 people were killed.

It was not over. US troops reappeared and herded the 400 to 500 surviving refugees to the nearby Ssanggul Bridge. Anyone who so much as took a footstep outside it was shot. As the bodies piled up, the refugees huddled closer to survive.

For several days, they endured starvation and scorching summer heat. Most of those who fled in desperation were shot dead by the US troops. Eventually, the US forces opened fire into the tunnels beneath the bridge.