Evening star., 1951-03-03
Heavy Red Fire
Slows Marines
Near Hoengsong
Chinese Seen Pouring
In Reinforcements to
Save Hill Positions
BY The Associated Press

I4d1 l1lCo POo1lCo AlOl tll VI SoPcesA So
Hoengsong today on the Central
Korean front but heavy Chinese
fire slowed their progress.
In three days the Leathernecks
have ground ahead 4 miles across
the jagged hills that rise to $500
feet around Hoengsong.
Chinese mortar fire slowed one
Marine column 21a miles north
east of the road hub. Small arms
and automatic weapons fire
poured from mountain foxholes
barred the Marine column strik-
ing northwest from the captured
town.
There were signs that the Chi
nese were pouring in reinforce
ments in a gamble to save the
last heights guarding roads run
ming north and northwest from
HoengSong.
Pass Burned-Out Convoy.
The Marine column on the left
flank pushed past the burned-out
remains of a United Nations con-
voy that had been ambushed
nearly three weeks ago when the
Chinese and Korean Reds mounted
their massive central front attack.
The convoy was strung Out
along nearly 2 miles on highway.
United Nations and enemy dead
scattered everywhere along the
line were grim reminders of the
fierceness of the fight. Some of
the GIs were dead in their trucks,
victims of the first shots.
In the Pangnim sector east of
Hoengsong, American 7th Divi-
sion infantrymen with flashing
bayonets repulsed a Korean Red
counter attack.
The Reds struck about noon 5
miles northwest of Pangnim,
charging through an intensive
artillery shelling. They swept up
a slope where the Americans
were dug in.
The Doughboys turned a with
ering small arms fire on the ad-
vancing Communists. Many fell,
but others of the 5oo-man force
swept forward.
Col. William (Buffalo Bib
Quinn ordered a battalion of
Doughboys down the slope with
fixed bayonets. The Reds broke
and ran.
Red Roadblock Smashed.
American artillery poured 5000
rounds on a Communist force of
5000 or more troops dug in just
north of the 7th Division posi-
tiQp.
A tank-led patrol smashed a
Red .roadblock and ranged up the
Pangnim- -Changpyong highway to
within 1h miles of the badly
smashed town.
To the west, I'd Division troop
ers cleared Red Koreans from a
hilly area 3 miles northeast of
Haanhungs
On the West flank of the
Hoengsong front, British and
South Korean troops gained up
to 11a miles. They pushed within
l mile of the Yongdu-H Hoengsong
highway. The British 9th Com
monwealth Brigade was fighting
southeast of Yongdu, junction
town along a lateral road linking
with the Chinese supply route
from Hongchon.
South Korean Sd Division troops
turned back four predawn coun-
terattacks today on the front 4
to 9 miles southwest of Hoeng-
song. The Reds struck again in
mid-morning but field dispatches
said the ROKs were holding their
own.
Seoul B0mbarded.
On the far West, Allied big
guns bombarded the old South
Korean capital of Seoul. Fires
burned furiously in the blackened
city. The Communists replied with
artillery, mortar and tank shells.
Eight miles northwest of Yoju.
United States oath Division units
tangled with Red force dug in
on Hill 937.
In the air Okinawa- based B-29s
blasted two airstrips near Pyong-
yong, the wrecked Korean Red
capital. The Far East Air Forces
said the Super Forts pounded the
airfields with 1875 tons of bombs.
Red jet fighters were sighted
(See KOREA, Page A-2)