IMPORTANT GAINS MADE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 259, 19 August 1950, Page 5

IMPORTANT GAINS MADE

‘IMPROVED PICTURE” IN KOREA (N.Z.P A—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.55 a.m.) TOKIO, This Day. United Nations’ successes, reported from three important sectors of South Korea’s “defence >ox,” resulted in a considerablyimproved picture to-day. These successes were : A 22-mile joint American-South Korean push at the heart of the Communist build-up norib of Taegu, overcoming the “extremely stubborn” Communist resistance in the Changnyong bridgehead, where American infantry and Marine units were reported to be steadily pushing back the North Koreans; the South Korean capture of Pohang and Kigye, on the east coast.

American and South Korean forces, by last night, had advanced 2h miles in their tank-led attack at the heart of the Communist forces threatening Taegu. Their forward push took them into the hills on either side of the Kunwi-Taegu highway, down which the weight of four Communist divisions yesterday opened the assault on the city. The Americans started the push four hours after the South Koreans, who attacked over rugged, pine and bush-clad hills, on the flank where the Communists put up a stiff resistance. Communist positions had been softened up by, shelling and air strikes, and Army Intelligence estimated that the North Korean troop strength, in this sector, had fallen from 29,000, reported earlier, to 4000 or 5000. The South Koreans/who wore distinctive identification patches, went into the battle with a will, and scaled steep, ridges to dislodge the dug-in Communist troops. They pushed through large tracts of hill faces, burning after fire-bomb raids. It is the first time they have fought the North Koreans with a tank force backing them. “Our morale went up skyhigh, when the troops saw the big ones moving into position,” the South Korean commander said. The attack' was supported by heavy American Patton and Pershing tanks—-used N for the first time in this area. • The whole counter-offensive, extending over a mile wide front, met with “fairly stubborn” resistance from the North Koreans, but the G.l.’s pushed on. Much Ground Regained From the same sector, General Mac* Arthur’s communique, issued early this morning (Saturday), reported that the South Korean Ist Division had regained from half to all of the ground it. had lost in the North Korean attack the day before, and was holding firm in the face of what the communique called tbe “present main enemy effort.” The object of the joint Ameri-can-South Korean drive was, besides assaulting tbe North Korean troops, to secure a road junction 17 miles north of Taegu,, and to straighten out an indentation in the northern defence line. General Mac Arthur’s communique says that units of both the 24th Infantry Division and the Ist Marine Division are steadily pushing back the North Korean forces in the Chang-

nyong bridgeehad. The Marines, apparently having overcome earlier “the extremely stubborn” resistance, had succeeded in turning the North Koreans’ right, flank into the path of the. 24th division units in the northern sector of the bridgehead. At late reports this sector was heavily engaged, says the communique. A spokesman for the 24th Division said that the Koreans are retreating across the Naktong river in strength, and that the Americans now are in command of all strategic ground in the Changnyong bend of the river. One correspondent said yesterday that the Reds were fleeing towards the river without weapons. “Hell of a Licking” Major-General John Church, Commander of thp 24th Division, said: “The enemy has taken a hell of a licking. Ido not think their 4th Division is going to do much fighting for a while.” The Associated Press correspondent says , that the last enemy stand, in the Changnyong bulge,, was made atop a ridge 11 miles long. Its formidable frontal slope had seemed almost insurmountable to attackers, until a terrific barrage of American artillery fire caused the enemy troops to flee down the far side. There Marine and Air Force planes caught them with rockets and deadly napalm bombs, which turned the area into an inferno, (napalm is burning petrol jelly. Its effects have been described as “frying the land and suffocating the living.”). North Korean troops who survived plunged down the slope to the river ahd the slaughter was even greater as the fleeing soldiers tried to swim the deadly water. Allied Corsair and Mustang fighters poured a hail of death into the muddy water, which soon ran red with enemy blood. Recapture of Pobang, the strategic east coast port, which was captured in the North Korean coastal drive more than a week ago, and' of Kigye, 10 miles from Pohang, was effected by South Korean forces, with the. support' of concentrated fire from American tanks, heavy mortars and artillery. They encountered “fairly light” resistance at Kigye but the strength of resistance at Pohang is not described in General MacArthur’s communique. The South Koreans also captured high ground north of Kigye, according to the comunique.