The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-07-06
co N N tx
pU SH IS
UNDERWAY
Heaviest Air Action Of
Present Conflict Re-
ported from Front

A tank-led force of 10000 Com
munist troops stabbed 60 miles
south of captured Seoul today on
the heels of withdrawing American
and South Korean forces. Even so,
Gen. Macarthur advised Washing
ton the Americans situation was
not considered serious.
American jets and bombers, in
the heaviest air action of the war,
hammered at the advancing Reds,
destroying eight of their tanks and
As trucks.
In the face of the steady Com
munist push against the American
and South Korean ground forces,
reassuring word came from both
President Truman and Gen. Mac
Arthur.
Truman Hopeful
Mr.. Truman told news con-
ference there are no present plans
to call the National Guard or
Armed Forces Reserves for duty.
The President. in response to a re-
porter's question, said Of course
ne is hopeful that everything will
work out all right in Korea.
An Army spokesman in Washing
ton said Gen. Macarthur had adj
vised the Pentagon the situation OF
the retreating GI's in Korea "is
not considered serious in any way"
The spokesman denied thai an,
American Infantry outpost had been
wiped out" by the Red advance.
He said the outpost had withdrawn
behind strong defensive positions
with very moderate" losses and
under approved tactical procedure. /.
The North Korean tank force
captured Pyongtaek, SO miles south
of Seoul. Then it overran Songh-
wan, another five miles to the
south, and Chonan, seven miles be-
You'd Songhwan.
Air Force Busy
A spokesman at US. Headquarters
in Korea said 20 to IS North Ko-
rean tanks and 10 to IS Russian
built Yak fighter planes have been
destroyed by American forces in
Korea. But the Communists pressed
on apparently unchecked. and the
spokesman confirmed that the
Americans had retreated from their
forward positions. The spokesman
said $50 to ITO Red tanks are be-
lieved south of the 38th parallel
Gen. MacArthur's headquarters
said tonight rocket firing F-8O Jets
destroyed eight tanks and five
trucks of the Communist force
pushing south from Suwon. In
addition a flight of B-26 bombers
destroyed 40 trucks.
Troops Rolled Back
The spokesman at American
headquarters in Korea said US.
troops had been rolled back eight
to 10 miles but field dispatches
put the vanguard of the tank-led
Communist thrust at least so miles
south of Suwon.
The air war picture was less
gloomy. Raids by B-29 Superforts
and strikes by British and Ameri-
can carrier-based planes against
North Korea targets appeared to
have had telling results. The lack Of
North Korean fighter opposition
over the Pyongyang and other tar
gets has led to speculation that the
Allied strikes against fuel depots
left the Reds short of fuel to get
their planes aloft.
korea's rainy season-upon which
the planners OF the Communist in
vasion obviously had depended
hampered air operations at the
lighting front, but planes. includ-
ing B-29's. were in action, hammer
ing bridges and other strategic tar
gets. Mustang F-51 fighters, slower
and with greater range than the
jets, are on the way to support the
ground forces. Seven American air
lines have contracted with the US.
Defense Department to shuttle men
and supplies to the Pacific theater.
Superf0rts on Way
The carrier Bataan is on the high
seas, probably bound for the war
area. More BIO Superforts-the Air
Force would not say how many
took off last night from Spokane.
Wash. for advance Pacific bases.
Others left Spokane Tuesday night.
Vice Adm. Arthur d. Struble said
in Tokyo his US. Seventh Fleet,
charged with guarding Chinese Ma
tionalist-held Formosa from Com
(CnptinnoI an Dono TNucN