Evening star., 1950-11-18
'1ank-led Yanks:
In Snowstorm
Troops Near Kopson,
| II Air Miles From
| Monchuriun Border
BY the Associofed Press

SEOUL. Nov. 18. - Tank-led
American infantrymen thrust
through a snowstorm today to-
ward the Manchurian frontier in
rugged Northeast Korea. The
mercury was skidding sharply.
Crly scattered rifle fire from
nearby hills opposed the dough-
boys of the United States 7th
Division in the four mile drive
that carried them within two
miles Of burning Kapsan, 81 air
niles south of the Red border.
Associated Press Correspondent
Tom Stone, with the 7th Divi-
sion, reported that the storm,
dropping temperature and rocky
terrain were the biggest obstacles.
However, field officer said: I'VE
expect to make Kapsan tomor-
row."
Smoke Still Rising.
Smoke still was rising from the
town from heavy Allied air strikes
covering the advance. The 7th
Division is the (. northernmost
american unit on the slanting
250-mile front.
Elsewhere Red resistance eyapo-
rated. But on the western Sec
tor 100000 North Korean and
Chinese Communists were report
ed digging into a low mountain
defense line south of the Yalu
Rivers international power sites
on the Manchurian border.
The Red objectives appeared on
the basis of intelligence reports to
be:
/. Let y. N. forces get ahead
under harassment into the higher
mountain gaps in the Northeast
where they might be tied down
through the bitter cold winter at
the end of snowbound supply lines.
2. Resist on a 60-mile line run.
ming through uplands from Tae-
chon in the Southwest to the Tok-
chon and Chongchon River area.
Point of Greatest Sensitivity.
Intelligence sources at 9th Army
headquarters estimated about
$4,000 Chinese in three division
size task forces are on the Tae-
chon-T Tokchon line with about
10000 North Koreans.
The Yalu powersite area appar-
entity is the point of greatest SEN
sitlyity for the Chinese Reds.
The United States 10th Corps
has captured $685. North Korean
and Chinese Communist troops
since the corps assumed control
OF the northeast front October
20, an official announcement said
today.
The 10th Corps also announced
that a United States Army tug
was blown up by mines off Won
san Wednesday. Casualties were
not announced.
On the northeast battlelines,
there were no indications of any
new Red buildups to stop advanc-
ing U. N. forces.
Observer and intelligence re-
ports indicated nothing but a
3-inch snow lay between tank
forces of the American 7th Divi-
sion and air-struck and burned
out Kapsan in the northeast.
Supported by Air Attacks.
Correspondent Stone on the
Kapsan front reported the this
advance was delayed three hours
yesterday to let Sherman tanks
wheel off the road and help clean
out entrenched Reds. The Com
muniSt ambush was lodged in the
hillsides above the mountain gap
road.
The tanks were supported by
artillery fire and Allied air at
tacks. After the skirmish 1913
Reds were counted dead, more
were wounded and American
casualties were assessed as COM
paratively light. The fight was
waged by the 18th Regiment Com
bat Team miles southwest of
Kapsan.
Then the 7th went ahead and
kept going today after an all-quiet
night.
Air observers reported no signs
of enemy life clear up to the
Yalu River. The 7th expected to
reach the near side, opposite
Manchuria. not later than Mon
day on slow march with an eye
cooked for ambushes such as it
encountered Friday.
The clogging snow was accom-
panied by milder temperatures
rise above freezing at some
places from near-zero early in the
week. But the respite for the CT
on the march and in night fox
holes is expected to be brief. The
prediction was clear sky with
large drop in temperature"
The 7th Divisions 31st and 32d
Regiments held to positions be-
(See KOREA, Page A-6.)