The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-07-24
COMMUNISTS
PORTS
NEAR pU5AN
Dean Is Reported Alive
Reds Thanking U. 5.
Main Supply Port
(By the Associated Press)

(By the Associated Press
Troops Of the two fresh US. divf-
sions in South Korea halted twin
Communist tank-led assaults
against two American positions in
the central sector today, but in the
southwest sector the Reds wheeled
into position for a drive behind US.
lines, possibly aimed at shearing off
the southern end Of the peninsula.
The Reds attacked east of Taejon
Sunday along a mountain road lead.
ing to Yongdong Their tanks be
gan the attack without infantJ
support, and between 10 and 20
we're knocked out. The Reds then
kicked off again with tanks and
infantry.
The us. First Caviar, Infantry
Division blunted the drive and then
hurled savage counterattack. A
75-minute battle at close quarters
followed, with the Americans get
ting support from fighter planes
and artillery. The Communists
broke and yielded more ground than
their attack had gained in the be-
ginning.
Just to the north. eight North Ko-
rean tanks spearheaded an attack
by TOO Red troops against positions
held by the US. 25th Division. Ba-
zooka-men and planes knocked out
five Of the tanks and halted two
others.
Ports Knocked Out
On the southwest sector the Rods
took Kwangju, almost at the tip of
the peninsula. and nullified for
American use the ports OF Yosu and
Mokopo, to the south. This placed
the Reds in position to launch a
drive eastward in the direction of
Pusan. main American supply port
100 air miles distant. The Com
munists had moved down in the
southwest sector against compare
lively little resistance. and the ad-
vance could develop into a dan
gerous thanking movement against
the Pusan- Taejon rail line.
General Macarthur reported in
communique that the enemy was
building up considerable strength"
on the southwestern, western and
central fronts. North Korean pres
sure was increasing on the central
front in the Hamchang sector along
the corridor leading to the US.
beachhead at Pohang on the east
coast. Twenty-Five miles to the
north of this beachhead area. naval
guns again blasted the ruins of
Yongdok, which was retaken by
the Reds Saturday after having
fallen to South Korean and US.
forces only the day before. The Reds
lost up to 5000 men" at Yongdok.
South Korean spokesman said.
$4,000 Reds Lost
A U. s. Defense Department
spokesman in Washington estimated
the North Korean have lost up to
1900 in casualties thus far.
With clearing weather the US.
air arm roared into battle and into
damaging strategic attacks behind
the lines. The Fifth Air Force moved
it's advance base from Southern
Japan to Korea, where two fields
already are In operation.
B-29 Superforts from Japan
struck at Communist transport lines.
They dropped 80 tons of bombs on
bridges and roads leading to the
Taejon front. Fighters and light
bombers flew 248 individual flights
against Red positions. US. planes
are also dropping propaganda leaf
lets behind the lines.
Dean Reported Safe
A front dispatch reported Maj.
Gen. William F. Dean, so, the red
haired fighting commander of the
battered oath Infantry Division.
escaped from burning Taejon
Thursday night after leading his
men in a bitter street battle. The
General apparently stayed behind
in the mountains. in what is now
enemy territory, to round up Ameri-
can stragglers. Hopes were expressed
that he would safely make his way
back to American lines.