Evening star., 1950-08-23
Allies Drive Back Red Vanguard
Of $4,000 Troops Poised For
New A|I-Out Assault on Taequ
Some InfiItrutors
Hurled Back 8
Miles From City
By Russell Brines

ASS0ctore0 rTeSS ToTSi9H ScfISSPoHoSHt
TOKYO, Thursday, Aug. "a
Doughboys drove back vanguards
of $4,000 Red Koreans pressing
down from the north against
Taegu on the Korean central war
front.
A combined Americans South
Korean attack was hurled al
North Korean f1anking inf1ltrators
at dawn. Some Reds had pene-
trated within eight miles of Taegu
The heaviest fighting on the
whole 12o-mile-long Korean bat
tleline was on the American right
flank before Taegu.
A breakthrough by Red forward
elements would unleash five Com
munist divisions for a drive on
Taegu, IL miles to the south of
the bloodiest fighting.
Big Push Imminent.
A big push for Taegu was con-
sidered imminent, but there was
no official mention of it at head
quarters. Gen. Macarthur omitted
his early morning war summary
a usual indication that the situa-
tion Is generally unchanged.
On the Taegu front troops
fought over a 100-yard-wide no.
mans land. Big guns and planes
poured deadly fire into the mar
row line and casualties were be-
lieved to be heavy.
The Reds brought out hoardec
tanks, but kept them out of range
They lost II of them in four days
fighting before Taegu.
Col. John Michaelis, command.
er of the United States 9th
''Wolfhound" Regiment, said hi
expected the opening phase of ar
all-out Red drive on the Taegt
supply and rail hub was near al
hand Wednesday.
Associated Press Correspondent
Don Whitehead at the front
quoted Col. Michaelis as saying
"The next 48 hours could bring
a decision. If we can stop them
we will break the back Of this
drive"
No. u. S. Guns Knocked Out.
Associated Press Correspondent
Tom Lambert reported from the
Taegu front that hundreds o1
Reds attacked American artillery
positions that were pounding 9
wedge the Communists hac
showed into the front line. Nc
United States guns were knocked
out in that attack.
Mr.. Lambert said the NORTH
Koreans tried to cut the Allied
road from Taegu but succeeded IL
slowing supplies only briefly yes.
terday.
The main Kumwha Taeg,
mountain highway from the nortl
was the battle line. Ridges lining
1t were commanded by the Red
when the doughboys jumped of
against them.
In an all-day fight the Ameri
cans drove the Reds from severa
commanding ridges. One annoy
ing Red artillery position wa
silenced early.
The Communists met the Amer
ican-South Korean attack will
heavy artillery and mortar fire.
First Americans to break through
the Communist vanguard tool
high ground, silencing Red artil
lery that had been hamperinl
allied advances.
Reds Driven Back.
On United States unit, attack.
ing over ridges to the east of tn,
main supply road, drove the Red
back on the American right flank
Correspondent Lambert said.
The shifting North Korean.
forced some United States engi
neers from their positions in th'
line.
The engineers, who called them
selves "enginfantry," counter-at
tackled and regained their posi-
tions after killing So Nortl
Koreans.
1t. Anthony Pecoraro of Soutl
Windham, Me-, his voice trembling
with rage, told Correspondent
(See KOREA, Page A-3.)