Evening star., 1950-08-03
Marines at Front With More els
For Showdown Battle in Korea;
Red Forces Massing Near Chiniu
New U. S. Troops
Expected to Enter
Combat by Night
By the Associated Press

TOKYO, Friday, Aug. 4.-Allied
troops, for the first time approach
ing but still inferior to the 10
division strength of the Red in
vaderS, rolled forward for the
showdown fight for South Korea
today with big Pershing tanks.
Elements of two fresh American
divisions-the 1st Marines and
the Arny's I'd Infantry-joined
three other American and five
South Korean divisions along the
shrinking front.
Front line predictions were the
Marines and I'd Infantry troops
would be in battle by nightfall.
The lines stretched from the
general south coast area of Chinju
northward along the winding
banks of the Naktong River. The
Allied troops had quietly with
drawn from their former positions
as much as 18 miles over three
day period.
A daring American oath In
fantry Battalion, on a recon-
naissance sweep with five tanks,
penetrated % miles behind the
Communist lines near Chinju yes
terday.
1t discovered big enemy build
up for the battle for the plains
leading to Pusan, the jammed
American supply port 40 miles
east of the front.
River Picked as Defense Line.
Lief Erickson, Associated Press
correspondent at United States
9th Army headquarters in Korea,
said the big withdrawal of Allied
troops in the west and north put
the defenders on a line of their
choice, the Naktong River.
The fall back, he said, disen-
gagged hard-pressed American
forces while the newly-arrived I'd
Infantry Division and elements of
the 1st Marine Division were
being deployed.
Mr.. Erickson said, however, the
United Nations still lacked enough
power to embark on any real
counteroffensive. He said there
would soon be more carrier-based
planes to help break up the long
supply lines the Communists now
must maintain.
Withdrawals Skillful
The correspondent said the
Allied Withdrawals were skillful. /.
They conserved manpower and
denied the Communists an oppor-
tunity to attack during the critical
time whe nthe reinforcing I'd In
fantry and 1st Marine Division
elements moved up.
These reinforcements arrived in
the nick of time while danger
Gus fight was going on along the
perimeter around crowded Pusan.
The holding actions of the
hard-hit oath, 1st Cavalry and
the 25th Divisions in the Kum-
chon-Pusan corridor and the long
thin Western front bought the
needed time.
The Korean Communists can
not move faster than their in
fantry can walk. They are not
expected to hit the Allied lines
for at least "a hours.
On. the east coast, South
Koreans regained shell-fattened
Yongdok under new Allied
naval barrage cover. They drove
the Communists three miles to
the north of the city. The bar
rage continued with 8-inch
cruiser guns hammering the Reds.
River Best Defense Line.
The meandering Naktong River
offers the Allies what may be the
best natural barrier they have
had up to now in the unequal
Korean war. 1t is deep and broad
in spots and some bridges across
1t have been blown.
A briefing officer at Gen. Mac
Arthur's headquarters in Tokyo
said the Marines would throw
more powerful armor at the North
Koreans than any they had en-
countered. The Marines Pershing
tanks carry Comm. guns. Other
Marine weapons include super
bazookas and flame throwers.
Duels are in the making between
ICao Dnnrh