"The 2d Enginner (C) Battlion continued to hold the two critical hills southwest of the old 2d division command post until well after darkness. Not a men escaped from the northernmost of the two hills."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Engineer_Battalion_(United_States)
Burning of the colors[edit]
Unfortunately, by this time the engineers' window of opportunity to escape had closed. At 7:30 p.m. on 30 November, Col. Alarich Zacherle, battalion commander, ordered all equipment destroyed. Magnesium grenades were dropped on heavy equipment tracks and engines. Tires were filled with gasoline, thrown inside vehicles and set ablaze. Zacherle then ordered the battalion colors, its custom-made box, and the 25 combat streamers that adorned it soaked in gasoline and set on fire. He wanted to prevent the Chinese from capturing it as a war trophy. About 30 minutes after Zacherle gave that order, the Chinese forces overran the engineers. "Burning the colors and getting the hell out of there" were the only two things on their minds, but very few escaped. When the battalion regrouped after the battle, just 266 of the original 977 Soldiers remained. One officer was present; all others had been killed or captured.
