Evening star., 1951-09-01
Four New Red Divisions Spotted
On Korean East Central Front as
Battles Rage on Mountain Slopes
Some Indications
Seen Thut Enemy
May Open Drive
BY the Associatsd Press

UNITED STATES 9Th ARMY
HEADQUARTERS. Korea, Sept.
-Four new Red divisions were
spotted on Korea's east-central
front today as bloody fighting
continued on the slopes of jagged
mountain peaks.
Associated Press Correspondent
George Macarthur said there were
'Some indications" the Reds might
jump off shortly on major
offensive.
An Allied officer told Mr.. Nc
Arthur the reinforced Red forces
in the east could throw "a whale
of a blow" at the U. N. positions.
But he added he did not believe
the Reds could appreciably dent
the Allied line.
There was Stepped-up action on
land and sea and in the air. Allied
officers said their divisions were
engaged in the heaviest fighting
since the new-suspended truce
talks started in Kaesong July 10.
BomberS and fighters attacked
Red supply and communications
facilities in North Korea.
Jets in 2O-Minute Fight.
Communist and U. N. jets
tangled in a Commute dogfight
high over Northwestern Korea. All
Allied planes returned to base.
Maj. Winton C. Marshall of
Raleigh, N. c.. was credited with
probably destroying one Russian
type MIG.
The ground fighting centered
on the central and eaSt-central
fronts. Gains of up to miles
were hammered out in the east,
and some gains were registered in
the center of the 100-mile battle
line.
The U. NJ Allies were stalled in
a savage all-day battle for Bloody
Ridge" on the east-central front
Associated Press Photographer
Bob Oety reported the Reds fought
to the death from deep bunkers
and machine gun nests.
To the west, Communists coun-
ter-attacked and took a hill they
lost yesterday. But the U. N.
forces Slashed back and recap
tureG it.
When the fighting died down,
more than 460 Communist dead
were counted on the hillside.
Bloody Ridge" is a series of
jagged peaks more than 5000 feet
high. The Allied attack started
at $3.50 am. The infantry ran
into two enemy battalions firmly
established on the slopes. BY GAS
am. they had been pushed back
by whitening mortar and artillery
fire.
Enemy Bunkers Wiped Out.
The infantry attacked again.
They moved slowly up the slopes,
wiping out the enemy bunkerS one
at time. Two air strikes were
called down, but it was mostly
a battle of rifles and bayonets,
mortars and hand grenades.
1t was bitter uphill fighting all
the way. BY nightfall the U. N.
forces still were short of their OBJ
jectives.
On the central front the fieHest
fighting was northwest of Yanggu.
Two Communist regiments were
hurled at the United Nations line
in a five-hour assault. The Reds
were beaten off, but they charged
back two hours later. Again they
were thrown back without denting
the U. N. line.
Apparently none of the new Red
forces were committed to action
today. One of the new units had
been shifted from the western
front, officers said. The other
three had been identified before
today, but they were not known to
be within striking distance OF the
front
Red resistance was stiffening
One United Nations unit was
counterattacked five times today.
The attacks started before dawn
and continued late this afternoon.
United Nations aircraft and ar
tillery had a field day above the
punch bowl" area. One Com
munist company in a ravine was
reported completely wiped out.
Observers counted 218 dead in the
area
COmmunique Reports Action.
The stepped-up actions from
the center to the east coast were
along the north-south valleys of
the upper Pukhan, Suripchon and
Soyang Rivers.
This mornings general head
quarters communique in Tokyo
reported on the. East Korean
lighting:
United Nations WarShips and
carrier-based aircraft combined
their tremendous firepower to
strike hard at enemy troops in
the Kansong area in one Of the
heaviest sea, naval and air attacks
Of the Korean campaign.
Naval and Marine aircraft
blasted targets in advance o1
United Nations ground force.
south of Kansong and also hit
gun positions. railroad bridge.
and supply routes on the cas-
coast from Wonsan north te
Songjin."
The 16-inch rifles of the battle.
ship New Jersey added theil
tremendous firepower to tht
hombardment.