Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-23
By John A. Giles

zen. James A. van tleeC mas
told Senators more ammunition
for ground forces in Korea would
have allowed them to prevent
some of the enemy build-up-
but Army Chief of Staff j. Law
ton Collins says this would bank
rupt the United States.
A spectator told a reporter the
two four-Star generals became
very heated at several points.
almost reaching the table
pounding stage.
Asked If the Army could have
prevented the enemy'S build-up
and digging in if we had more
ammunition" Gen. Collins as
serted:
MY answer is no."
The exchange between Gen.
Van Fleet, former commander
of the 9th Army in Korea, and
Gen. Collins came during closed
hearings before the Senate
Armed Services Committee. The
testimony was released last night.
A five member subcommittee will
investigate the ammunition stu
alton.
Senator Case, Republican, Of
South Dakota, asked if more
ammunition might have pre-
vented some of the enemy'S en-
trenchment and development of
bunkerS.
Greater Fire Pressure.
1--WE would have destroyed
more" replied Gen. Van Fleet.
THAT is right. If the Army had
been adequately supplied with
ammunition and could put on q
fire pressure on the enemy
greater than it does now, it would
consume more of the enemy, the
enemy supplies, create problems
for him, which, in turn, would
help our air service"
Gen. Collins explained fighter
bombers and an overwhelming
air superiority had been used un-
successfully to prevent the build
up since the start of armistice
talks two years ago.
you don't blast them out?"
asked Senator Case.
1.-THE enemy has come
down by train and truck, but
they also came marching across
country" said Gen. Collins, IF
anybody tried to stop that kind
of movement by artillery. there
would not be enough money in
the whole United States Treasury
to stop it,"
Supplies On Their Backs.
He went on to explain the
tremendous air effort but added
they are OrientalS and they are
used to carrying stuff on their
backs on an A-frame and they
take their time and they go like
O procession of ants.
"Let me assure you that, in
my Judgment, the enemy would
still have built up the way he
has, no matter how much am
munition you would have shot
at him. Furthermore, he would
still have dug in the way he did.
I'm my judgment, and I will
stake my reputation on it as
a military man, you could not
have prevented the build-up of
these forces, or prevented their
being dug in unless you would
have expended more ammuni-
ton than we could possibly pro-
duce IN American industry"
Near the close of the flve-hour
hearing Gen. Collins declared:
There is enough ammuni-
ton in Korea, in the hands Of
the troops. to protect our men.
no matter whether they are at
tackled or not, and to carry out
the type of operation that the
Army commander is now author
lied to carry out.
Matter Of Judgment"
"I say that in my judgment,
and this is q matter of judg-
ment, Senator; Gen. Van Fleet,
though he Is q dear friend Of
mine, says that in his judgment,
there ought to be more.
ut appears to me that Gen.
Van Fleet feels that he did not
have enough ammunition to do
what he would like to have done.
"It Is the point of view of the
people in Washington, who have
the responsibility. that they gave
him all the ammunition that
could be given to him to &C
complish the job then under
way"
Gen. Van Fleet said:
81 want to say in support of
my views that the 9th Army
has been seriously limited in
the quantity Of ammunition it
could fire at the enemy in sup
port Of operations, and in the
saving of lives and destruction
of the enemy.
1--WE have been guided by the
availability Of ammunition being
produced and sent out to the
Far East command, and that,
in my opinion, has been made
quate to do the job in Korea.
That was my statement the
other day and I will stick to
that story"
Cites Grenade Needs.
Gen. Van Fleet reported q
Every critical shortage" Of hand
grenadeS and 81-millimeter NOR