Evening star., 1950-08-11
Korea
Continued From First Page0

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troops inside the city,
A reinforcing column of Ameri-
can tanks and South Korean
troops was reported nearing the
Pohang airfield and ready to join
the defense.
Communists Hold Ridge.
The Reds held ridge only
3l2 miles from the runway when
the Mustangs had to give up the
battle because of darkness. The
planes went to other airfields in
Korea for the night.
AS darkness set in, two Amer
ican colonels with cooks, clerks
and other normally non-combat-
ant Air Force ground personnel
dug in for night battle on the
field.
Hal Boyle, Associated Press cor
respondent at the airfield. reported
there was no way of knowing how
long the battle might continue.
Earlier this afternoon Mr.. Fo yle
had reported 1t. Gen. Walton H.
Walker, American 9th Army COM
mander, and Maj. Gen. Earle
Partridge, 5th Air Force COM
mander. visited the Pohang Field
and few over the battles in light
observation plane.
Reds Abandoning Chinju.
At the other extreme of the Al
lied battleline, the 9th Army re-
ported North Korean troops were
abandoning their Chinju base near
the south coast before the Allied
offensive that began Sunday.
Reports Of the Reds Chinju
pullback came as the United
States 5th Regimental Combat
Team occupied high ground i'm
mediately east Of the city this
afternoon.
The 9th Army communique re-
leased tonight said this success
fully completed" the 35th's phase
OF the first major U. N. counter
offensive in the Korean war;"
Marines Occupy Kosong.
On the extreme southern flank
of the offensive. the 5th Marine
Regiment occupied the town of
Kosong against strong enemy
resistance" Marine patrols had
moved into the town yesterday.
But inland on the central front,
the Communists had put thou
ssnos of troops over the Naktong
River.
They were reported building up
four or five divisions - perhaps
40, 900 men-for a new blow aimed
at Taegu if they could keep cross
ing the river in strength.
Most of the crossings had been
by night.
An American general staff Of
f1cer called the Reds Naktong
River build-up the greatest masSed
concentration per mile on the
whole 140-mile battle perimeter.
Americans Fight Off Attacks.
The south coastal force of
Americans before Chinju fought
off two co-ordinated Communist
attacks backed by heavy artillery.
One was at the town of Kosong
and the second was about six
miles northward.
Don Whitehead, Associated Press
correspondent, reported from the
southern front that two trapped
Red battalions-cut by United
States gunfire from 1000 to about
/ 900 men-fought desperately to
escape the iron moose drawn by
the junction yesterday of the
5th Army Regiment and the 35th
Regimental Combat Team Of the
25th Infantry Division.
Burn Out Barrels.
American machine gunnerS
burned out the barrels of their
weapons in rapid-firing on the
/, Reds. They called for air-dropped
barrels-and got them. American
artillery protected the United
States regimental command post
by point blank firing on attackers
800 yards away.
The three battalions of the 5th
Regimental Combat Team were
separated from each other by
Communist machinegun and NOR
tar fire, Mr.. Whitehead reported.
The Red attack, starting at
, dawn, threatened the command
, post. But several hours later,
, doughboys had pushed the Reds
! back.
! A general officer at headquarters
said 240 Red dead-"a good days
= bag"-were counted during the "a
hours ended this morning. This