American Troops Reach The Manchurian Border

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 November 1950, Page 5

American Troops Reach The Manchurian Border

Dash Through Arctic Cold Over A 6000-Foot Range Of Mountains

SEOUL. Nov. 21 (Rec. 7.20 pm).—The American 7th. Division entered the North Korean Manchurian border town of Hyesanjin in force this morning. The Americans had raced through snow-covered mountains to become the first American forces to reach the border since the campaign began, nearly five months aso. Hyesanjin is about 20 miles due north of Kapsan, key junctior town. 75 miles from the east coast.

The Americans reached the southern half of the town —it is divided by the Yalu River, with the northern half in Manchuria—after a week’s dash of 70 miles, a drive through semi-Arctic winter, cold and snow. The Communist resistance, which varied in strength during the drive, had vanished when Hyesanjin was entered. Major-General Edward Almond, 10th Corps, said the thrust to the border involving the crossing of a 6000-foot mountain range, was completed in 22 days after the division’s leading regimental combat team landed on the Iwon beaches 100 miles further south. He added that the Air Force and Navy contributed magnificently to this rapid drive. Major-General Almond said that byreaching Hyesanjin elements of the 7th Division had “divided enemy-held territory and isolated all the significant forces east of the 127th east longitude.” The 127th meridian runs north through Seoul and west of the Chosin and Puson hydro-electric reservoirs. Major-General Almond said he 10th Corps had liberated 23,000 square miles in less than a month. An American official said today that the Korean half of Hyesanjin had been destroyed. The north-west Korean front was somewhat static today, but Ist Corps headquarters said that air observers had spotted considerable vehicular traffic moving south from the Yalu River towards Chongju, Kusong and Onjong. . . . , The American Marine front around the Chosin reservoir was also quiet, but there are Indications that the enemy is building up strength southwest of the reservoir. The 2nd South Korean Corps advanced up to six miles on the right of the Ist Cavalry Division. American and British patrols on other sectors of the Ist Corps front reported encountering only scattered groups of Communists.

Field reports today said that enemy opposition appeared to be disintegrating, on all the active fronts in northeast Korea. . The South Korean Ist Division, moving up the coastal road, advanced 10 miles virtually unopposed. They captured Chuchonhjan and then penetrated to within 25 miles of Chongjin, a port city which is the last big objective between the South Koreans and the Soviet-Siberian border, bU miles away. Meanwhile, by-passed enemy troops are occupying sizeable United Nations forces. . . . . , . The American 2nd Division, assisted

by British, Turkish and Siamese units, engaged heavily entrenched forces, estimated at 10,000, about 35 miles east of Pyongyang. South Korean divisions fought an enemy force of 10,000 farther south in the Taejon area. Enemy forces were stated to be well organised.