In what was considered to be Turkey's first real combat action since the aftermath of World War I,[6] the Turkish Brigade attempted to delay the Chinese advances at Wawon.

[8] Delay of the PVA advance after meeting with heavy Turkish resistance helped the other United Nations forces to withdraw without suffering many casualties and reassemble later in December.

In a series of surprise attacks, the PVA managed to cripple the US Eighth Army's right flank by decimating the Republic of Korea (ROK) II Corps, completely stalling the UN advances towards the Yalu River by 4 November 1950.

[11] As part of the offensive, the newly-arrived Turkish Brigade was assigned as the reserve of the US IX Corps, and was placed directly behind the center of the Eighth Army's advances.

[13] Hoping to repeat their earlier successes against the Eighth Army, the Chinese again attacked the ROK II Corps and the UN right flank was routed by 26 November.

[25] Heavy fire from the Turks managed to drive back the Chinese advances, but the attacking PVA regiment continued to spread towards the left flank of the defenders.

By dusk on 28 November, the entire advance battalion was engulfed by the Chinese; sword and bayonet fighting ensued, resulting in 400 Turkish casualties.

[25][27] Observing that Wawon was surrounded by hills occupied by the Chinese, Yazıcı ordered the Turkish Brigade to withdraw 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) westward to the village of Sinim-ri.

On 29 November, the Turks that had been expelled from Sinim-ri were retreating in complete disarray,[33] with the 38th Infantry finding Turkish survivors of the ambush struggling into Kunu-ri.

[38] Both historian Clay Blair and Colonel Paul Freeman believed that the Turkish Brigade was "overrated, poorly led green troops" who "broke and bugged out", and blamed them for not protecting on the right flank of the US Eighth Army.

The American public understands that the United Nations Forces in Korea were saved from encirclement and from falling into the hands of the communists by the heroism shown by the Turks."