Dodge Billingsley is writing a book and producing a documentary film regarding the Utah 213th Armored Field Artillery Battalion’s run in with the CPV 180th Division during the second phase of the Chinese 5th Offensive during the Korean War. The publication and documentary will focus on both units, high- lighting the Chinese 180th Division, and its build up leading into the Chinese Spring Offensive (April 1951), and finally the fateful days of 26-28 May, when most of the division was destroyed by the 213th AFAB and elements of the U.S. 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. The legacy of the 180th Division POWs taken between 26-28 May 1951 will also be examined as they represent almost a third of all Chinese prisoners taken during the war, and were part of the prisoner repatriation stumbling block that held up the armistice.
The book will be published through Helion and Co out of the UK. The film is being produced by Billingsley’s production company Combat Films and Research in participation with Prof (ret) Mark Peterson and Prof (ret) Eric Hyer. The film will be distributed internationally by Journeyman Pictures, based in Surrey UK, and a global distributor of documentary films.
The book and film are targeted to be done by May of 2025, in time for the 74th anniversary of the 27 May battle.
Social Media regarding the progress of the book and film includes both Facebook and Instagram pages with the current title of Miracle at Gapyeong (Kapyong)
https://www.instagram.com/kapyongmiracle213th/
https://www.facebook.com/KapyongMiracle213th