Evening star., 1950-07-20
By the Associated Press.

BY the Asseeiafsd Press,
u TOKYO. Friday, july IL
The tert of Gen. MdcArthur's .
cDnlnluntque, No. 109, issued at
1880 am. today. Japan daylight
time f10:30 am, Thursday,
EDIT. tolIotos:: i
North Korean activity seemed
concentrated in the Taejon area
with the possibility of an all-out
attack to secure this rail and COM
munications center. A co-ordi-
mated infantry-tank attack was
launched this afternoon, presuma-
bly, by the 4th Communist Divi-
sion, with the aid of inflltrating
guerrillaS.
However, final reports indicate
that the United States oath In
fantry Division is still holding firm
respite this sharp increase of Red
activity.
Other Sectors Quiet.
Other sectors remained relative
" quite with pressure being ex-
erted in the Eastern sector as the
enemy 18th and 5th Divisions con-
tinued their action in the areas
south of Mungyong and north of
Yongju.
A Red regiment is reported In
the vicinity of Iri and Nonsar1, An
other Communist force was OBJ
served near the bridge at Kang-
yong and YuSong. +
On the east coast, enemy troops
continued their successful bom-
bardment upon areas along the
east coast.
Carrier Planes Attack Airiields.
Carrier planes of the United
States 7th Fleet operated against
air-flelds in North Korea and re-
ported 18 planes destroyed and
two damaged in 80 SortieS. In
addition they strafed gunboats at
Wonsan. chemical plants at San
song. oil tank cars, destroyed four
locomotives and trucks along the
east coast. The strikes also blasted
water tanks and nine locomotives
near Hangwon,
The 5th Air Force announced
that 76 fighter and IL B-26
bomber sorties were flown with IA
enemy fighter aircraft and one
twin engine bomber destroyed.
Marshalling yards at Kangyong
and Chochiwon were strafed and
several bridges were destroyed
near the two towns. The Air Force
also reported that trucks, rail-
road cars and other vehicles were
destroyed"
TOKYO, July 20 (P).-Tert of
Gen. MdcArth1tr's communtque,
No.. .108, issued at 7:15 pm.
(5:I5 d.nt.. EDIT, toddyJ:
The United States Army's new
3.5-inch rocket launcher, which
made a highly successful entry In
to the Korean war today, is a
modern version of the Army's
World War II 2.36-inch rocket
launcher, commonly known as the
Bazooka.
Battle-tested men of the Gath
Infantry Division, supplied with
the new launcher only short
time before, fired it at seven Red
tanks that were approaching Tae-
jon this morning. Result: seven
enemy tanks destroyed @# @#
How this modern weapon and
its ammunition was manufactured
in the United States, shipped to
Korea and placed in the hands soi
our fighting men in a few days
time is another example of the
determination of American indus
try and United States Army logis-
ticlai1Ss that the armed forces Of
the free nations will be provided
with the best of equipment and
supplies, wherever they may be
and in the shortest possible time.
Need for Weapon Realized.
Actually, experimental work on
the new rocket launcher began
about the time World War II
ended, when Army ordnance and
tactical experts realized the need
for an anti-tank weapon with
greater armor penetration and
faster muzzle velocity than was
provided by the 2.36-inch rocket.
United States ordnance con-
tinued to make improvements on
the 2.36-inch launcher, increasing
its range and accuracy, but in
the meantime developed the larger
weapon. The two are similar ex-
cept that the new weapon Is
larger and is fired from the
shoulder.
The 35-inch rocket launcher is
q two-piece, smooth bore, electri-
cally operated weapon of the open
tube type and has no recoil. I'm
like the 2.36-inch launcher, the
new weapon has an attached
monopod and a bipod for stabili-
cation when firing from the prone
position. Despite it's larger size
it weighs only a few pounds more
than the older version.
Rockets Weigh s Pounds.
Ammunition for the new launch.
er is approximately % inches long
and weighs slightly more thar
eight pounds. The war head con-
tains powerful explosive held ir
the form of a shaped charge.
The action of the shaped charge
enables the round to penetrate any
armored vehicle presently known
Because of new developments in
cluded in the round, it is more
accurate and has faster flight
than the earlier models of the
2.36-inch rocket launcher.
Sighting of the new weapon il
accomplished by means of re-
f1ecting sight which, when the
gunner looks through, superim-
poses scale on the field sight
This scale enables the gunner tx
obtain angular leads on targets