Evening star., 1951-05-17
By WiIIium Jorden
" VUttuFH SVIOSH
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent

| ny Vuu0" SVt0Su
Asseeiafed Press Foreign Correspondent
OKINAWA. May 17.-Shoulo
the United Nations strike at Com
munist. bases in Manchuria?
Many Air Force men at the big
bomoer base here-the men who
would do the job-are not con-
vinced it's good idea.
They are not sure the benefits
of any such move would outweigh
the drawbacks.
Here is the way many said they
see the problem:
If United States bombers were
assigned to hit Red targets north
of the Yalu River border of Korea
they could do serious damage to
the Communists war effort.
Many enemy air bases could be
Iput out of operation. Much of the
Communist supply network feed
ing Red field armies could be dis
Irupted. Communist supply points
and production centers in Man
churia could be destroyed. Troop
movements far behind the front
could be harassed and slowed.
Air Force men agree such at
tacks would be of tremendous help
to the U. N. armies fighting on the
ground in Korea. 1t would Ger
tainly make the 9th Army's job OF
killing Communist soldiers good
deal easier.
If that were the whole story
Air Force men say, there would
be no doubt about the military
advantages of bombing Manchu-
rian bases. But there is another
side to the purely military prob
lem of any venture north of the
Yalu by Allied air power.
No Fighter Escort.
The air experts say that if BIOS
flew to Red target areas very much
north of Antung, Manchuria, at
the mouth of the Yalu, they would
have to travel without fighter es-
cort. Without jets flying cover
the Air Force would expect heavy
losses of superforts. Communist
pilots have shown conclusively
that Red MIG-15 jets can knock
down the big bombers even with
friendly air cover in the sky.
Such losses of big bombers could
mot quickly nor easily be replaced,
they say. The result would be a
sharp drop in Allied air power.
In their initial strikes, United
States planes could do serious
damage to the enemy's war effort.
1t is at least doubtful whether the
Air Force could long maintain that
level of effectiveness-not if they
suffered the losses they say could
be expected.
At present, the Communists
are using their air effort over
North Korea in what looks like
an effective training program for
their pilots. United States air
men who have met enemy jets
say they have noticed big diff
ference from day to day. from
plane to plane, in the skill of
Communist fighters.
Serious implications Seen.
The Air Force is quick to agree
that bombing Manchuria would
have serious implications. The
big question is: Would the Com
munists retaliate with their own
bombers on American installa-
tions in Japan and Okinawa? ?
Would bombing Manchuria mean
the beginning of World War III?
The airmen say that is a ques-
ton for higher authority. But
just on the military merits, many
think the present ground rules"
that make Manchuria immune
from Allied air strikes may actu-
ally operate in the Allies favor.
While the discussion goes on
the United States is building a
huge air base here that will bring
all East Asia within striking dis
taRce of mighty B-36 bombers,
Americas most potent strategic
air weapon.
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