The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-07-15
TAN Ks HELD
BA(kBUTRED5
BASH Defense
American Artillery Over
rdn-190 Air Sorties Over
Enemy Despite Weather
(By the Associated Press)

tby the ASSOcldteO fIeSS)
Communist invaders crossed the
Kun river today and an American
Army spokesman said the Ameri-
can left flank had been pushed
back west Of Taejon. the emergency
South Korean capital and advance
U.S. base.
US. troops were said to be hold
ing in the center. despite the fact
the Red forces now have an esti-
mated 1000 to 1000 men south OF
the vital Kun line.
South Korean forces gave some
ground in the northward area of
Chongju, so miles from Taejon. as
Communist forces apparently set
off a strong enveloping movement.
| Attacking in overwhelming num-
bers, the North Koreans tried to
get tanks across the shallow stream
20 miles north of Taejon. but
whitening American artillery fire
destroyed three of them and SO far
as is known there is no Communist
armor south of the Kun. Several
tanks, however, have been seen on
the two north-south roads vest Of
Taejon.
The Reds hit hard and overran
one American artillery position after
wading the river. There was no
immediate news of the fate Of those
artillerymen.
The Communist objective ap-
peared to be to drive wedge be-
tween the Americans and South
Koreans at that point and there
was heavy fighting at the juno
ture. The North Koreans repeatedly
suffered heavy losses.
3 Tries Repulsed
Before the Reds finally got their
foothold on the south side of the
Kun, three Of their attempted
crossings had been repulsed by the
Americans.
The Sixth North Korean Divi-
sion, a veteran outfit Of the China
war, was said to be engaged in an
encircling movement north Of the
Kun river near Yesan. about 40
miles from Taejon.
Two other Red divisions - the
Fifth and the l5th-are active
around Tanyang. IS miles north
east Of TAejon. which might be the
spring board for wide enveloping
maneuver to threaten the American
lifeline from the Southern port OF
| Pusan.
The Second and Fourth Northern
Divisions-closest to the vital city
| of Taejon-continued steady pres
sure against South Korean troops
who were said thus far to be hold
ing the line.
| Active Behind Lines
Official communicates and field
reports said Red guerrillas. many OF
them dressed in American uni
forms, also were extremely active
behind the lines South Koreans In
the general area Of Taejon were
reported to have surrounded
Northern guerrilla battalion.
In all. the Americans had re-
pulsed four Red attempts to wade
and ford the Kun river before
superior forces finally managed to
gain a position on the south side.
The Americans, still inflicting
heavy losses, are fighting a rear
guard action as they withdraw.
Moscow's Literary Gazette said
American forces were rolling back
despite support by "a large number
of tanks and artillery" The news
paper published dispatches saying
Northern troops are threatening
American units guarding Taejon by
circling toward their rear. It re-
ported a group of United States
units in the Kun river area-which
the paper said had been ordered by
Macarthur not to retreat-had been
surrounded.
The newspaper told of North
Korean drive along the east coast
toward the American port of Pusan.
Bridgeheads were said to have been
established IS miles north of Pusan
despite heavy fire from American
warships. The dispatch also said
the South Korean Eighth Division
had been destroyed.
Air Attacks Slowed
Bad weather slowed up Allied
air attacks yesterday. but even SO.
American and Australian planes
made 100 sorties between the fight
ing front and the Red-held South