Reds Say Bombs Dropped On Capital Of North Korea

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 July 1950, Page 5

Reds Say Bombs Dropped On Capital Of North Korea

WASHINGTON, July 3 (Rec. 11 a.m.). —Seventeen or 18 North Korean planes were destroyed during the first week of American participation in the war, the Defence Department announced today. It was estimated that the North Koreans had from 100 to 150 combat aircraft. The Communist radio at Pyongyang said that American planes dropped more than 800 bombs on the North Korean capital yesterday. The broadcast said that 39 bombers struck the city in the first attack. Another wave came over seven hours later. North Korean fighters had intercepted the raiders and shot down two. Bombing Miscalculations One of the war’s miscalculations occurred yesterday when four Mustangs, bearing Australian insignia, strafed and rocketed a South Korean ammunition train near the shifting battle line, says the United Press correspondent. At least two South Koreans were, killed. One American was wounded. The strafing set afire cars carrying sorely-needed 105 mm. ammunition.’ For hours molten fragments showered a town and-, the surrounding roads’ and paddyfields. Four American soldiers there described the planes as Mustangs with red, white, and blue circles on their wings. The Associated Press correspondent says that an American sergeant was wounded in the foot when five or seven Australian-marked Mustangs savagely strafed a Korean village where an American command post was digging in yesterday.