(North) Korean People's Army soldiers attack US Joint Security Force soldiers on a tree-trimming operation 18 August 1976 at Panmunjom. |
 Map of Panmunjom |
 The Red Arrows show the North Koreans and weapons |
Swollen river around Santa Barbara Range. The river is over 200 feet wide and over 60 feet deep. Normally the river is only 40 feet wide and 3 feet deep. |
Width of the DMZ in Korea is approzimately four kilometers with two kilometers are above and below the "Military Demarcation Line (MDL)." |
 21 August 1976 - Task Force Vierra and members of the 2nd Engineer Battalion starting to cut the "Axe Murder Tree" down. As the engineers began cutting the tree, there was little or no reaction from the North Koreans. They were totally taken by surprise, and had no clue about what they should do because of the show of force made by the ROKUS forces was so unexpected. |
 Waiting for a reaction by the North Koreans as the tree is being cut down. |
 Two large branches down, one to go - "TIMBER!" |
Reporting - "Mission Accomplished" Notice that none of the soldiers in the pictures have any firearms. No automatic weapons are allowed in the JSA, hence, the mattox handles. |
Cleaning up and preparing to move out. |
 Moving out - Mission Complete |
 2nd Infantry Division engineers cutting down the Axe-Murder Tree near CP3 during OPERATION PAUL BUNYAN |
 View of Command Post 3 and the "Axe Murder Tree" cut down to nine feet. The tree was later removed altogether. The "Bridge of No Return" is to the right of CP 3 |
The "Military Demarcation Line" between North and South Korea with the "Bridge of No Return." One of the most isolated spots in the world. |
View of Command Post 3 - the "Axe Murder Tree" has been removed completely. Today, a monument dedicated to MAJ Bonifas and 1LT Barrett is located where the tree use to be.. |
