Hungnam Beach-Head Sealed By The Navy

Wanganui Chronicle, 19 December 1950, Page 5

Hungnam BeachHead Sealed By The Navy

SEOUL, Dec 18 (Recd 10.20 pm).— Big guns of the United States Navy have begun to establish a steel curtain surrounding the United Nations Hungnam beachhead, and have made a nomansland of the outer defence arc. General MacArthur’s communique stated today.

Pinpointing Communist troop concentrations, vehicular traffic and road junctions, with the help of air-spot-ters, the heavy cruisers Rochester and Saint Paul and supporting destroyers, bombarded the area yesterday while carrier-based planes pounded troop concentrations, buildings and rail installations. Pilots claimed that 500 casualties were inflicted and an eightmile stretch of railroad was torn up north of Hamhung. Farther north, along the east coast, near Songjin. destroyers effectively bombarded rail installations and bridges. Reports from the Sth. Army's headquarters indicated that it was “all quiet on the western front’’ this morning. Only minor patrol clashes were reported, but the Chinese are continuing to strengthen their build up farther north, according to air observation. American bombers attacked Communist convoys moving south along the main supply routes last night. Pilots reported thousands of unidentified persons travelling south in the Kumchon area, 50 miles north-west of Seoul.