Evening star., 1952-05-14
By Edwin 6. Pipp
North American Newspaper Allianee

TNOIIn AUSTtCon tNSWSEOPet AnlOHC0
American soldiers in Korea
complain that they are forgot
ten men fighting a forgotten
war"
They are fighting a war with
secondhand equipment. There
are no new trucks, jeeps or ar
tillery. Ammunition is rationed.
In the air, the commander of
an F-86 fighter wing says the
Communists can drive our Air
Force from the sky over Korea
whenever they want. A fighter
bomber wing commander says his
outfit is operating with less than
half the planes he should have.
G1S resent that the war they
are fighting no longer is 'front.'
page news. They know that the
folks back home do not realize
that the short reports of patrol
actions in Korea mean more
Americans are being killed and
wounded. They are sure the home
front thinks they are living a soft
life since the peace talks began.
These soldiers-7,000 miles from
home-want everyone to know
they are fighting a war in which
enemy shell fire and close combat
are common.
Much Equipment Rebuilt.
Much of the equipment in Korea
was rebuilt in the United States
and Japan. Rebuilt equipment is
not as good as new. Men in the
front lines want to know where
the new equipment is going. They
know new trucks and tanks are
being built. Flyers want to know
why they are not getting new
planes instead of rebuilt. replace
mentS.
The answer to the CT who looks
at an old truck and wonders why
it isn't replaced with a new We
hicle is this: The Army is afraid
Of Congressional criticism that
would be sure to come if new We
hicleS were sent to Korea while
older jeeps and trucks still are
running.
While I was with a fighter
bomber wing, the pilots were dis
turbed over a picture in Stars and
Stripes showing new F-84s being
delivered to Europe.
why does the United States
send new equipment to Europe
when we need it here and are
fighting a WARP" they ask.
Enemy Mortar Shells Drop.
While I was talking to two
Michigan soldiers in a front-line
bunker. enemy mortar shells began
dropping into other American po-
sitions on hill nearby.
"Why don't you knock out that
Connie gun?" one of the Michi-
gan men asked an artillery OBJ
server.
II know where it is" the OBJ
server replied, "but I don't have
any ammunition" The soldiers
said artillery and mortar ammu-
milton is rationed and can only be
used in emergencies"
Later I asked the regimental
commander about the ammuni-
ton shortage.
"The artillery supporting my
regiment could use all the shells
they have in less than an hour of
steady firing" he said. II can
order them to fire in an emer-
gency. but it would have to be a
break-through before would give
the orders. I hope there is more
ammunition farther back in the
supply line, but I don't have it
here.
But more than artillery shells,
we need hand grenades. That is
one of the infantryman's basic
weapons, and we do not have
enough"
Could Not Get Sandbags.
Other soldiers who were ordered
to build defenses at the front
complained that they could not
get sandbags.
The F-86 wing commander with
whom I talked said the Commu-
nists are playing a game with
American pilots.
1--WE know they can knock us
down when they want to because
they have so many more planes.
But the Red pilots are getting