Evening star., 1950-12-04
Allies Withdrawing
In Orderly Fashion
From Pyongyang Area
Continued From First Page

ItVWt yVnSIuHy AiVu
Continued From First Pageo
more Chinese Communists at the
fronts deepened the threat to the
entire U. N. position on the
peninsula.
Gen. Macarthur estimated 810,-
900 Chinese are in North Korea
and along the Yalu River bound
airy of Red Manchuria. He said
another 100000 Chinese are mov-
ing to the area from Central
China.
268,000 in Combat Areas.
Thus. China appeared to have
committed one-fourth Of her
armed strength of some 4 million
men to her undeclared war in
Korea. Gen. Macarthur said
preparations for this elbowing
into the U. N. campaign against
invading Korean Reds were made
long ago."
In the actual combat areas.
Chinese Communist forces were
estimated at 268, ,000-with 1884,
900 in the northwest above Pyong-
yang and $4,000 in the north
east.
With the crisis worsening. Gen.
J. Lawton Collins - American
Chief of Staff-conferred in To-
kyo with Gen. Macarthur today
and flew to Korea a few hours
later to inspect the withdrawing
United States Sth Army.
The 9th Army. embracing the
United States 1st and 9th Corps
and remnants Of the South Ko-
rean I'd Corps, was moving south
ward through Pyongyang. Roads
were choked. Flames and smoke
billowed from military installa-
tions destroyed by the U. N. forces
to keep them out Of Red hands.
Planes Screen Withdrawal.
Except for rear guards covering
the retreat from the former
Chongchon River line 10 miles to
the north, no ground action In the
northwest sector was reported up
to midday.
Pyongyang, a city Of 100000,
fell to the Allies October 20. Huge
pictures of Russia's Premier Stain
and Korean Red Premier Kim Il
Sung were found everywhere.
With the help of their Corsair
fighter -bombers, the 5th and 7th
Regiments of the United States
1st Marine Division battled
through Red traps to reach Ha-
garu on the south side of Chang
jim Reservoir.
It was a bloody 12-mile retreat
on the west side Of the big reser-
voir for the Leathernecks. At Ha-
garu they joined doughboys Of
the United States 7th Division who
escaped a Red trap on the east
side of the lake Casualties were
heavy.
But their retreat through the
winding canyon road back to
Hamhung, SO miles to the south,
still was cut off. Six Chinese
regiments were reported occupy
ing mountain positions for at
least 6 miles along the pass lead
ing from Hagaru.
Air Attacks Ordered.
Mai. Gen. Earle E. Partridge.
commander of the United States
5th Air Force, ordered 40 attack
bombers, B-26s, to blast every
ridge and road skirting the
treacherous escape route.
Transport planes made haz-
ardous flights to and from a pas
ture at Hagaru to remove 1900
wounded Marines and doughboys
Friday and Saturday. Far East
Air Force headquarters described
the operation as one of the most
daring" of the Korean war.
Southeast Of the reservoir. an
estimated $4,000 Chinese were re-
ported massing for the drive on
Hamhung and its nearby port of
Hungnam.
A United States 10th Corps in
telligence officer said yesterday
some of the Chinese advance ele-
ments were IS miles from Ham
hung with other buildups within
q 35-mile radius.
Planes Strike at Reds.
American war planes struck at
Chinese Reds on widely separated
fronts in support of embattled
Allied troops. Pilots said they
killed about $500 Chinese and
destroyed or damaged 100 vehicles
In 282 combat sorties.
Operations by fighter -bombers
In the northwest were concen-
trated in the Sukchon area be-
tween Pyongyang and the Chong-
chon River.
F-51 Mustang pilots attacked
three separate columns of Chinese
cavalry with napalm jellied-gaso-
line bombs
One cavalry group was sighted
and bombed south of Sunchon.
less than 80 miles north of Py-
ongyang. The Communists made
no effort to disperse.
A second group of Red cavalry
was sighted further south on the
road. They were riding three
abreast in military formation.
Five Communist MIG-15 jet
fighters attacked an unarmed
F-80 jet photo plane and it's es-
corting jet fighter over Sinuiju.
at the extreme northwest tip of