Evening star., 1950-07-29
G|s Beating Off
Fresh Assaults
By Communists
Front Is Virtually
Unchanged as Foes
Are Thrown Back
By ReImon NORM

TOKYO. SUNDAY, July 3o.-Two
American infantry divisions, under
grim orders to stand fast or die.
beat back repeated Communist as
saults today on mountain defense
positions in Southeast Korea.
Gen. MacArthur's headquarters
said early today that the Red
waves breaking against the 1st
Cavalry and 25th Infantry de-
fenses were thrown back and there
was no apprecieble change in the
vital Yongdong sector.
There the Americans confront
elite North Korean invader dlyi-
Sions, and there the United States
9th Army commander, 1t. Gen.
Walton H. Walker, told his men
yesterday they must fight to the
death" if need be.
Gen. MacArthur's warfront
summary said the Reds had made
slight gains in two drives As to so
miles northeast of the Yongdons
section, but did not indicate their
extent. He placed these in the
Yongju-Andong and Tanyang-
Yechon areas. CThe defense of
those positions has been largely
In the South Korean hands. The
mountainous terrain and poor
roads made the zone less vital
than the front northeast and
southeast of Yongdong)
Pusan Threat Confined.
The Reds southwest f1anking
threat to the big American supply
port of Pusan also made some
small gains, but Gen. Macarthur
said Gripping air strikes by Navy
and Air Force planes and increas-
ing numbers of United Nations
ground units have contained the
threat in this area"
His summary placed the South
ern Reds, who are in small force,
in the vicinity of Kochang, IS
air miles northwest of Pusan, and
at a point 10 miles east of Ha-
dong, which also is rs miles from
Pusan.
Some American and South Ko-
rean forces were credited by Gen.
Macarthur with slight gains near
Yongdok, on the east coast, but
that town remained in enemy
hands and was still under Allied
naval bombardment.
1t was in the Yongdong sector,
however, that the immediate
course of the war was being
written.
Yanks Quit Hwanggan.
Tom Lambert, Associated Press
War Correspondent, reported that
American forces completed an Or
derly withdrawal from the mud
hut town of Hwaggan early yes
terday, but sent patrols back in
and found no Reds. The with
drawal permits a consolidation of
positions.
Twanggan is on the central
front, 8 miles northeast of Yong
dong.
The North Korean Communists
Immediately began probing around
near the American positions with
infantry and artillery, Mr.. Lam
bert said.
This afternoon a heavy United
States artillery barrage was laid
down around the deserted town.
The operation was the climax of
brisk battle that had begun Fri
day, with the Reds using their IA
miliar tactics of series of jabs in
search of weak spots, then making
f1anking attacks and a strong
punch with infantry backed by
artillery.
Reds Taking Heavy Losses.
The Reds were taking heavy
losses. More than 5000 died be-
fore the blazing guns of the
United States 1st Cavalry and
25th Infantry Divisions. How
many Reds were wounded none
could tell.
Allied warplanes, land-based and
from carriers, yesterday roamed
dripping Korean skies unchal-
lenged, raining more destruction
on the enemy, his transport and
supply centers.
News Of reinforcements from
Okinawa, American airbase island
in the Ryukyus south of Japan
was reported reliably but unom-
cially. They were not mentioned
by Gen. MacArthur's releases.
In Washington an Army
spokesman expressed belief that
a continuous landing of United
Nations troops and material in
Korea can be expected.
(He voiced this opinion at a
briefing of Pentagon reporters
when questioned about reports
that major reinforcements are
reaching the American forces in
Korea.
CT think you can expect a
(See KOREA, Page A-3)