Evening star., 1950-07-23
Communists Killed
by Thousands in
Flaming Bottle
By Tom Lombert

WITH AMEfS1CAN fOhCEO
IN SOUTH KOREA, July GA
haggard, exhausted executive Off
Ger told tonight how his men
fought North Korean tanks, Red
soldiers and their white robed
brethren" through Taejon as the
Americans withdrew from that
flaming city.
1t. Col. Robert L. Wadlington,
st. Martinsville, La. of the oath
Divisions 34th Infantry Regiment
told a news conference:
"1t'S the same old story you've
heard before"
eve killed them, and killed
them by the thousands, but they
came on. don't know where they
get their people," he related.
white robed brethren" pro-
vided a clue. 1t referred to the
long white gowns that are chara-
cteristic dress for male civilians
In this country. Guerrillas dressed
as peasants would wear white
robes.
Knocked Out ii Tanks.
Col. Wadlington, wincing with
fatigue, said his regiment knocked
out IL North Korean tanks in
Taejon in a roaring fight through
flaming streets and narrow roads.
In this the new 3.5-inch bazooka
had its first battle use.
AS they moved, the 34th had
to fight the Reds at road-blocks
through the city that once num-
bered 150.000-and for distance
three miles to the southeast.
Col. Wadlington said the first
fight started Wednesday. 'They
hit us late in the afternoon and
didn't stop. We were fighting all
night long" he said.
About 7 am. Thursday the
first tank of the oncoming North
Koreans was bagged. 1t was knock
ed out with a 3.5 bazooka, and
so was another tank which fol-
lowed. He added:
Almost half an hour later a
tank came. into the town and
hit us. I didn't know where he
came from. He was joined by
several more. They were shooting
hell out of everything"
Communication Broken.
Wednesday night. Col. Wadling-
ton continued, the Reds had turn
ed the flank of an American unit
north Of Taejon. That left a gap
In the American defenses and the
Reds pounded through. Thurs
day morning Col. Wadlington still
was in radio contact with the ad-
vance unit, but by noon communi-
cation was lost.
About ! pm. Thursday, they de-
cided to withdraw from Taejon.
The first echelon left within half
an hour.
Il was trying to get some artil-
lery out and we found a bull
dozer and man who could oper-A
ate it" the weary officer continued.
I'VE thought we had made it and
could use the bulldozer to clear
the road-block. AS soon as the
man who could operate the bull
dozer sat on the seat they got
him between the eyes"
Reds Built Road blocks,
One Of the Red tanks knocked
out by the Americans had set
fire to some buildings in Taejon.
The flames spread. Telephone
poles fell drunkenly across the
streets. The Reds piled vehicles
on the streets to block the Amer
leans.
Amid this flame and fire, Col.
Wadlington said, he and his men
took of like scared cats"
The Reds poured hail of fire
on the Americans, the officer con-
tinued, more stuff than I ever
saw"
Shooting as they went, the
&1AtAS@ @4So44o 4C4V l dCJO11 W U1lQ
the Reds had lined the ridges out
side the city with gunners who
hacked away at the American
columns. Some "white-robed
bretherns" with machineguns and
pistols also fired on the Ameri-
cans, he said.
Il wish you could have heard
the cresendo of fire when they
opened up on U.S." he related.
Everyone who got out had to
go through a fire fight
On the hills outside Taejon,
Col. Wadlington gathered between
so and IS Americans and started
the long trek to safety which
ended when less than half that
number made their way into an
other American-held city.
They tried to catch up with an
American convoy headed toward
safety, but they never made it.
"We were just little behind the
tail of the dog all the time" Col.
Wadlington commented wryly.