The U.S. Eighth Army, the main symbol of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), transferred its headquarters from Yongsan base in central Seoul to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek on July 11.

On December 19 1950, the SS Meredith Victory, a 7,600-ton merchant marine vessel, was about to leave from the North Korean port city of Hungnam. Hundreds of thousands of refugees flocked to the pier at Hungnam as the bombing of the Chinese army came closer.