GI's THIN GREEN LINE' BATTLES TO HOLD REDS-OFF TAEGU

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23349, 4 September 1950, Page 5

Gl's THIN GREEN LINE' BATTLES TO HOLD REDS-OFF TAEGU

U.S. Front Halted

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter— Copyright.) (10.30 a.m.) TOKYO, Sep!. 4. The thin green line of Si’s baffled in driving rain and lighfning lasf nlghf fo hold off fhe swarming Communisf attack within 12 miles of fhe key city, Taegu.

This fresh onslaught against Taegu, the corner-stone of the whole north-west front, is the most dangerous of the massed offensive by 100,000 Communists against every part of the tautly-stretched 120-mile Allied defence, line.

WEDGE DRIVEN IN U.S. LINE

Thrown in on Saturday night from the northern Naktong River bridgehead in the American First Cavalry Division sector when the two-day-old southern offensive stalled against stubborn resistance and counter-attacks, the tank-supported lunge towards Taegu punched through the First Cavalry Division’s centre, but had been halted by last night. White-clad guerrillas, disguised as peasants, roamed the country only six miles north of Taegu but many have been mopped up, according to frontline reports. Two Communist regiments totalling about 5000 men are directly north of Taegu. Some have pushed into the old walled town 12 miles north of the

Yesterday afternoon a thunderstorm, accompanied by rain and a 25-milc-r.n----hour wind, lashed the Americans north ot Taegu and grounded warplanes which helped to hold off the assault during the morning. Pilots strafing behind the North Korean lines reported a "tremendous’’ movement of troops and supplies carried by hundreds of coooiies south from Kunwi. The offensive is believed to have been launched by between four and five divisions which have been massed

in the Waegwan-Kunwi arc for over two weeks without moving.

The hilly terrain means that the North Koreans can advance on only a narrow front using their mass to exploit a possible break-through. In the centre of the United Nations’ •west wall, the Communists on .Saturday ' night tried to exploit their three-day-j old “Naktong wedge” where the Nam and Naktong Rivers run together 20 miles north of Masan.

"LEATHERNECKS" HURL REDS BACK

But an aggressive counter-attack by United States Marines and the second division sent them reeling back during the day. After a furious artillery barrage the "leathernecks” drove straight west from Yongsan into the dusty plain leading down to the Naktong. On the way their 43-ton tanks knocked out . t least three Communist tanks in an armoured battle. The Marines drove forward several miles into familiar ground—they smashed up the old Naktong bulge bridgehead here a fortnight ago. A counter-attack by the United States Second Division and Marines has hurled the enemy back three miles west and six miles south of Yongsan. The North Koreans here had advanced eight and a half miles eastwards for their biggest gain of the southern offensive, but the Americans have recovered about half of it. The American Second Division fanned out north and south of Yongsan, driving down to the north bank of the Naktong line, where it turns sharply. The Communists facing them were reported to be so disorganised that they turned and ran in some places.

The prisoners were generally young, tired and hungry and said their officers were instructed to shoot them if they tried to surrender. The American Second Division forces were sent north towards Changnyong, eight miles away, where other Americans were beating off heavy attacks. The spokesman said the situation on the north side of the Changnyong area was "still fluid.” On the Masan front. Communist troops and Gl's were still mixed up last night behind the American lines seeking each other in driving rain. Gun flashes and occasional lightning alone broke the black-out on the muddied hills and in flooded valleys of the American-held territory, where six strong Communist pockets and scores of prowlers are attacking or menacing American command posts, artillery positions and communications in the rear.

The North Koreans have not sustained the three-day-old offensive at the front of this sector, but infiltrating columns with mortars have penetrated up to six miles from the front line and are well east of Haman.

PLANES POUND PROBING ENEMY

More —close-support air strikes were called for by the Americans behind their lines than in front yesterday. Pin-pointed attacks on infiltrators by United Nations’ fighter-bombers in this sector approached the 100 mark for the day.

there are signs that the Communists are preparing to throw in fresh divisions.

Over on the east coast the Communist offensive drove the South Koreans back “several thousand yards” south of Kigye, according to an Eighth Army communique.

American staff officers at 25th Division headquarters disclosed that most of the Communist infiltrator groups in the area had been specifically briefed to penetrate as commandos to destroy certain artillery batteries and headquarters. Four artillery units well behind the lines which had been engaged in fierce fights all day with all hands taking part clustered together stockade fashion north-west of Masan last night with their guns pointing in all directions. Intelligence officers estimate that since Friday 28,000 Communist troops, including labour conscripts, had been thrown into the area. The American 25th Division defending the area has regained the ground lost in the first assault but intelligence officers say

The Communists infiltrated on to the Pohang-Yongchon road south of Kigye. Two battalions of British troops yesterday shifted from their orignal camp to another camp near the front line, but are still held in reserve.