Evening star., 1955-02-05

ported the Russian-built fighters
attacked United States RB-45
reconnaissance bomber and its
covering flight of Sabres over
the yellow Sea between Korea
and Red China.
The announcement, issued by
Gen. Earle E. Partridge, Far
East Air Forces commander, did
not identify by nationality the
Red jets. Presumably they were
Chinese Communist.
There was no word on pos
sible American injuries in the
battle, or on the exact location,
but the Air Force said no United
States planes were lost.
Over International Waters.
The Air Force said the Com
munist jets attacked over in
ternational waters west of ko-
rea this afternoon"
1.-THE other six attackers re-
turned to Communist territory"
presumably Red China), said
the terse announcement.
The United States flyers were
from Osan Air Force Base, 40
miles south of Seoul. Korea.
Reporters and photographers
at Osan were told later by an
All Force spokesman that no
interviews would be permitted
until tomorrow or Monday. 1t
could not be learned how many
Sabres were in the air action.
The Air Force said the RB-45
was Ion a reconnaissance mis-
sion over the yellow Sea when
the four -engined jet bomber was
attacked by four Russian-built
MIG-15s. At the same time four
other MICS attacked the escort
ing jet fighters flying top cover" !"
The Sabres, which ran up a
12-l edge over MICS in the
Korean war. were from the 4th
Fighter -Interceptor Wing trans
ferred from Japan to forward
bases in Korea during the pres
ent Formosa crisis.
(In Washington. spokesmen
for the Defense and State De-
partments said they had no
information on the clashJ
Like Clash Last Year.
The incident was similar to one
slightly over year ago when
Sabres eScorting another RB-45
over the yellow Sea shot down
one MIG after a flight of MICS
attacked.
The RB-45 is a fast medium
Jet bomber converted into a re-
connaissance plane loaded with
cameras and radar search equip
ment.
The planes have been flying up
the coasts of Korea outside the
three mile limit for more than
two years. They or similar air.
craft began such patrols i'm
mediately after the Korean
ar1nistice in the summer of 1858,
after the end-of-the-war agree
ment barred the allies from
flying over North Korea itself.
Today's air battle was the first
air incident in the Far East Com
mand since two Soviet MICS
based either on the Kuriles or
the Habomais shot down a slower
American RB-29 off the east
coast of Hokkaido on November
7, 1854. One crewman aboard
the reconnaissance bomber was
killed in parachuting.
The Reds claimed the Amer
ican plane, which was on photo
mapping mission. was over Rec
territory. This was denied Wig
orously by Gen. John E. Hull, the
Far East commander, and by the
Air Force.
Other Incidents Recalled.
Today's battle was another in
4 series of flareups between
American and Communist air.
craft in the tense sky frontier
between United States-defended
territory in the Western Pacific
and Communist Russia and
China.
Previously announced Incl
dents:
/. November 6. 1851, Navy P2V
with crew of 10 shot down over
international waters over Sea OF
Japan, presumably by Russians
2. october 7, 1852, Soviet fight
erS shot down United States B-2s
(See MICS, Page A-3)