Evening star., 1953-07-17
Allied Infantry Counterottocks
In Korea in First Resumption
Of Open Warfare in 2 Years
Americans May Be
In Force WhittIino
Down Red Coins
By the Associated Press

SEOUL, July 1i.-F1ercely
communicating allied infantry
men-perhaps including Ameri-
cans-whittled down Red gains
of up to seven miles on the
flaming central front today in
what Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor
called "the first resumption of
open warfare in two years"
Latest reports cleared by CEN
sors said South Korean soldiers
hit and overran about 1880 Chi
nese Reds in the KumSong River
valley.
Gen. Taylor, United States 9Th
Army commander, disclosed that
the Chinese Reds massive 10
division offensive this week
mightiest in two years flat
tened the allies Kumsong bulge.
This meant a United Nations
withdrawal of up to seven miles
and total Red gains of up 70 so
square miles.
The 9th American Corps and
I'd Korean Corps were identified
as manning the Kumsong River
line-the first disclosure that
United States infantrymen were
in the area hit by the giant Red
push.
Front Now Stabilized.
Tight military censorship hid
official mention of whether
Americans were taking part in
the big counterattacks.
Gen. Taylor said the front was
stabilized generally along an
east west-line at the base of the
former salient"-where the Allies
held a Seven-mile northWard
bulge as a result of gains 20
months ago.
Dispatches cleared by censors,
meanwhile, told of successful
South Korean counterattacks at
both sides of the front, backed
by swarms of American and
allied warplanes and thunderous
artillery.
The ROK division which last
night smashed a Chinese attack
aimed at the vital highway juno
ton of Kumhwa, western anchor
of the central front, was identi-
fed by Gen. Taylor as the 9th,
heroes of savage fighting at
White Horse Mountain last fall.
ROKs Take Two OutpOStS.
Today the ROKs launched
daring counterattack and recap
tured two outpost hills. Gen.
Taylor said the South Koreans
inflicted heavy losses on the
Chinese.
Other South Koreans were Of
ficially reported to have scored
even larger gains-more than a
mile-on the Kumsong front to
the east, where the Reds had ad-
vanced up to seven miles Mon
day and Tuesday.
Associated Press Correspondent
Forrest Edwards called the Kum-
song counterattack the biggest
allied advance since late autumn,
1851.
Gen. Taylor said U. N. units
recovered rapidly from blows of
the Chinese offensive, which he
estimated at a strength OF 10
divisions - 10000 to 100000
troops.
Commanders have regrouped
their units and have pressed back
to contact with the enemy, in the
first resumption of open warfare
in nearly two years." he said.
u. S. Troops in Middle.
"The attack has been inter-
mittent across the front during
the past two days." Gen. Taylor
said. with the exception of the
two major ROK actions at Kum-
wah and in the Kumsong Valley,
about Is miles apart. Presumably
there were United States troops
somewhere between.
Gen. Taylor's statement said
only that the United States 9th
Corps was defending part of the
front hit by the Red onslaught.
There was no indication which
divisions were on the line.
Latest available information
showed the 9th Corps made up of
the United States 40th, Sd and
45th Divisions and the ROK I'd
(See KOREA, Page A-3.)