Evening star., 1951-01-21

hOIcdll ulFlSlOllo dO llCdSy kOot Al
casualties were trying to maneu-
yer for break out of the Sobaek
mountains to the plains of South
east Korea.
Reds Working at Airstrips.
A field dispatch did not say how
long the pre- dawn patrol remained
in Wonju. The Allies were forced
out of the town Saturday for the
second time in week.
The dispatch said the patrol
found enemy troops working
feverishly at Wonju's airstrips a
half mile southeast of town. They
either were trying to mine the field
or make it usable. The account
did not say whether the patrol
ran into opposition in Wonju.
A big enemy offensive was ex-
pected at any time.
Patrols were active all along
the front, 9th Army headquarters
reported. New evidence OF re-
newed Chinese buildup on the
Western front was unearthed by
patrols south of fallen Seoul.
Patrol Clashes Numerous.
An Allied patrol reported an es-
timated 5000 Chinese Communists
near Kumyanjang. about Is air
miles southeast of Seoul. Other
enemy troops were on the move in
that area and patrol clashes were
numerous. The whole front was
in ferment.
Allied planes, nervously looking
for targets along the battlelines
finally caught large numbers OF
enemy troops in the open late yes
terday and plastered them with
rockets and machine-gun fire.
The Air Force estimated 375
Communist soldiers were killed or
wounded yesterday. raising the
total for the week to about 1000
Night bombers concentrated on
enemy supply routes to the Cen
trail front, attacking motor con-
voys.
The enemy struck back with a
light night attack, dropping nine
bombs on the Osan sector south
of Seoul. The number of enemy
planes involved was not given.
City Yielded After Fight.
A reinforced Allied patrol gave
up Wonju late yesterday after q
sharp fight with superior num-
berS of Reds who swarmed into
the road and rail center from
three sides four hours earlier.
The U. N. unit pulled back to-
wards the main Allied line, Is
miles south. The Allied patro!
had reoccupied the town Friday
without opposition.
Reds had forced the United
States End Division to pull back
from Wonju for the first time last
Tuesday.
Seven Trans Korean highways
pass through Wonju, making it
the gateway to the heart of South
Korea.
In their second seizure of the
already-wrecked town, the Red
infantry struck in regimental
force with mortar and small-arms
fire.
Planes Make Strikes.
Allied howitzers, mortars and
tank guns roared back. Allied
planes made five strikes that
knocked out two Red machine
guns and some antiaircraft weap-
ons.
But the Communist fire in
creased and the Reds inflltrated
to the southeastern edge of the
town and to rail yards in the
northwest.
Meanwhile, Allied patrols re-
ported rapidly growing threat
of entrapment by mounting Red
forces to the northwest, north
east and south.
The Red attack fell off after
four hours and the Allies retired
to the southeast.
Red casualties in the hot clash
were estimated at 200 killed and
many more wounded.
Reds Seek Route to Taegu.
The United States 9th Army
said the assault on Womb anc
increasing Communist movement
in the observation-disclosures
triangle to the southeast indi-
Gated continuing Red effort "tc
drive along the Wonju-Andone
axis"
Andong is about 40 miles north
of Taegu, keystone of last sum-
mer's Pusan perimeter front.
If the Reds could rush through
the Sobaek Mountains they woulc
have a direct and fairly open
route of advance south OF Taegu
The 9th Army reported elements
of six North Korean divisions
were deployed east and southeast
of Wonju for this effort.
The imminent threat on the
east was a Communist force
grouping just north of the Har
River for an attack on YongWol
key eastern Allied position 81
miles southeast of Wonju.
The town of Yongwol is located
on the Han River. that cuts west
erly across Korea in the shape OF
crooked "V." The town has
changed hands several times.
U. N. troops, identified yester-
day as South Koreans, hold Yong
vol.