Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-02-13
Reds Slip Down Korea Valleys
In Attempt to Split Allied Line;
Offensive Is Shifted to Westward
u. N. Planes Hit
FuriousIy at
Enemy Bands
By the Associated Press

TOKYO. Feb. IS. Chinese
Communists shifted the direction
of their massive attack in Central
Korea today and headed down
mountain corridors in an effort
to split the Allied lines between
Womb and Yoju.
The first Red onslaught dented
Allied lines as much as 18 miles
and swept United Nations forces
out of the road center of Hoeng-
song, 10 miles north of Wonju
and so air miles east of Seoul. Il
But this apparently was only
the eastern wing of a heavier at
tack now gathering momentum.
Leadoff columns of at least seven
Chinese divisions massed in the
area west of Hoengsong and north
of Chipyong struck southwark
today. They slipped past Chip
yong, 10 miles west of Hoengsong
and headed down two mountain
valleys toward the Wonju-Yoju
road
Chipyong Surrounded.
Other Chinese forces surrounded
Chipyong and launched an attack
on the town tonight. Tanks or
self-propelled guns pounded Chip
yong from the southwest while
artillery or mortars were firing
from the northeast. Other attacks
came from the north and east.
Mortar fire was falling inside
Chipyong.
The Chinese were moving in
bands numbering up to 1000 men.
They ran into a fury of Allied air
attacks.
Allied Air Force, Marine and
Navy planes combined in low-level
strikes aimed to break up the
mounting threat to the main East
West road in Northern South
Korea.
Once in possession of the road,
the Reds would be in position to
strike East or West behind Allied
lines. They would menace the
four or more divisions along the
western front in the Seoul area,
and 10th Corps Units holding the
central front line near Womb.
Planes Strike at Bands.
Allied air power scared one
band of 1000 Reds moving down
the westernmost of the two valleys
near Soaking. They hit with
flaming napalm jellied gasoline
and machine guns. Pilots estimated
they killed 800 of this group.
Allied planes also hit two other
groups-about 400 Reds 10 miles
northeats of Yoju and another
100 skirting Chipyong.
There was little ground fighting
today compared. with yesterdays
blazing battle around Hoengsong.
American and South Korean troops
had fought their way out of the
trap sprung by a Goodman Red
force and had taken up new de-
fensive positions.
Both Sides Regrouping.
Much of today was spent by
both Allies and Communists in
regrouping for new fighting.
But there was one clash IS
miles west of Wonju An Allied
force drove back into the hills a
Red column striking for the Won
ju-Yoju road. Allied planes aided
in routing the Reds.
The withdrawal from Hoensong
leaves Chipyong the northern
most Allied strong point on the
central front.
In addition to hitting the Chi
nese, Allied aircraft also destroyed
quantities of ammunition and sup
plies left behind when the Hoen-
song perimeter collapsed. Some
field artillery, heavy mortars and
ammunition were showered with
flaming gasoline bombs before the
Chinese had a chance to salvage
the Allied weapons.
Lieut.. Col. Matt Hoskoc, a divi-
sional operations officer on the
western front, described the up
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