Evening star., 1951-02-22
A|IiesAdvancinq
To Wipe Foe
Below Parallel
New Offensive Aimed
Against 10000 Reds
Gains II Miles
BY the Associated Press

TOKYO, Feb. 22.-Allled forces
smashed northward today on a
60-mile rainswept front aiming to
kill, MAIN or capture all Reds in
the mired mountains and valleys
of Central Korea.
Advances in this new offensive
-"Operation Killer"-ranged up
to II miles on the east-central
sector and up to 8l12 on the central
valley, north of Womb.
Resistance was spotty most of
the day but was stiffening at dusk
as Allied spearheads neared the
main forces of the dug-in Chinese
and North Korean Reds. An esti-
mated 10000 Reds are south of
Parallel 49, The Allied objective
is to wipe them out.
Gen. Macarthur announced the
new push today, nearly "a hours
after it began without fanfare.
Mud, Mines Slow Advance.
Field dispatches tonight report
ed an American division on the
right flank of the United Nations
line splashed IL miles to within
miles south of the valley town
of Pyongchang. Deep mud and
Red mines slowed the advance of
other units in the area.
The main Chinese Communist
strength was arrayed in and
around Hoengsong, 10 miles north
of Wonju in the central sector.
a tank-led American spearhead
advanced to within 4 road miles
of Hoengsong by nightfall. The
Chinese earlier had fought briefly
and then ran-some in panic.
A field dispatch said that at
dusk today American machine
gunners and rifiemen were duel
ing from neighboring ridges with
Chinese machinegunners and rifle
men.
The U. N. forces were moving
carefully over every hill and dale,
leaving no foxhole or crag un-
covered. But no major contact
with the Reds was reported.
Weather Biggest Obstacle.
The greatest obstacle to the Al
lied troops of five nations was the
weather.
They were beset by rain, snow,
fog, mud. washed-out bridges, rag
ing streams and landslides. Such
conditions virtually ruled out close
aerial support at the outset. But
United States Air Force, Marine,
Navy, Australian and South At
rican planes roared through holes
in the clouds today to plaster Red
targets.
Teamed up in the new hunter
killer drive were American, Brit
ish, Australian, New Zealand and
South Korean troops. They moved
up behind tanks, self propelled
guns, weapons carriers and jeeps.
The rugged front extends in an
arc from a point near Yangpyong,
81 miles east-southeast of Seoul,
to Pyongchang, on the east-central
sector. Wonju, Is miles west of
Pyongchang. is roughly in the
center of the kickoff point.
The biggest Communist force
was dug in the lofty mountains
about 6 miles north of Wonju.
Red soldiers south of those posi-
tions rushed for cover after brief
delaying actions.
Ordered to Hold Town.
A senior staff officer Said fresh
Chinese Reds of the i96th Divi-
sion with 10000 men ard other
Chinese units were in the Hoeng-
song area He said the Chinese
had orders to hold the town at
all costs.
Hoengsong fell to the Chinese
in their recent attempt to sweep
down the middle of the peninsula
to the key mountain passes be-
low Wonju. But the Allies cracked
that drive wide open with devas-
tating fire power that killed thou
sands of Reds.
Associated Press War Core
spondent Stan Swinton said il
(See KOREA, Page A-3.)