Evening star., 1953-01-13
7 New Armies
Put in Korean
Line by Reds
No Offensive Seen;
440 U. N. Planes
Hummer Railways
BY the Associated Press

" Uo ASSOeiOIeo pteSS
SEOUL, Jan. 13.-The United
States 5th Air Force hurled a
crushing 440-plane strike against
Communist rail facilities deep in
Northwest Korea today. It was
the seventh hammering blow on
the Red life line in five days.
Biggest news on the ground
front was that two fresh Chi
nese Communist armies-about
10000 men-have moved into the
line on the Western front. In
telligence officers said there was
no indication of any new Red
offensive in that area, however.
They said one badly mauled
Chinese army was being pulled
out of the line.
In today's air strike United
States Sabre jets, flying pro-
tective cover, downed two Com
munist MIG-15s. probably de-
stroyed one and damaged an
other. the Air Force said.
The fighter-bombers streamed
north in morning and afternoon
raids of 220 planes each only
a few hours after B-29 Super
forts plastered the area with
100 tons of bombs in a night
strike.
Smoke ObscureS Results.
The warplanes piled rubble
atop rubble in their pulverizing
attack on a bridge complex north
of Sinanju. The bridges span
the Chongchon River and form
a bottleneck in the supply line
which tunnels Red war equip
ment from Manchuria and China
southwark to the front.
Clouds of smoke billowed high
over the target and prevented
full observation. But the Air
Force said the raiding warplanes
scored numerous direct hits.
The Air Force renewed its at
tackS on the rail facilities
around Sinanju after giving the
Reds a brief respite. Apparently
they let the Communists repair
the bridges. Now they're out to
knock them down again.
Twelve B-29s few through
strong winds and icing c0ndi-
tions last night to drop their
high explosives. The Reds threw
up some anti-aircraft fire and
two Communist night fighters
made firing passes. There was
no announcement of Allied
losses, if any.
Was Honorary Commander.
Intelligence officers who re-
ported the fresh Chinese armies
moving into the western front
area said one-the 47th-was
the personal pride and Joy of
Red Boss Mao TIE Tung. He is
the honorary commander. It is
normally stationed near Peiping.
1t saw six months of Korean
action-none of it heavy-in
1851. The other new unit was
not identified.
The army being relieved was
identified as the 38th, which took
a beating from South Korean
soldiers on White Horse Noun
tain four months ago.
1t is being relieved after nine
months action - about three
months earlier than usual.
Allied officers have found Chi
nese soldiers particularly slug
gish in the area of the 38th.
United Nations patrols have
ranged deep into it's territory
without drawing fire. The Reds
have mounted almost no patrols
of their own.
Chinese commanders normally
rest their men in the line instead
of pulling them back to rear
areas.
Each Chinese army numbers
about $4,000 men-the equiv
alent of a United States Army
Corps.
Skies over North Korea and
the battlefront cleared today
but temperatures were below
zero all across the battlefront
last night and some snow fell on
the western front.
An allied raiding party
stabbed into Red lines in pre-
dawn cold today and warmed
up at least one section of the
front. The allied troops sprayed
a Communist hill position with
raw napalm (jellied gasoline)
then set it afire with phos-
phorouS grenades. The action
f1ared east of Panmunjom.
Only Red offensive action was
on the eastern front, where 80
Communist infantrymen dented
the Allied lines for a brief
period. The allies fought back
in q tUro. h0lIr hattie