Show of Power

In the biggest single air strike of the war, 312 U.S. planes-- F-80, F-84, F-86 and Marine F9F jets, plus propeller-driven Mustangs and Marine Corsairs--last week smashed the big Red air base at Sinuiju, on the south bank of the Yalu.

The Communists, still working toward committing their air force against U.N. forces, have built 50 new air bases in North Korea, in recent months have built up their strength at Sinuiju, although they have a bigger & better field in their Manchurian sanctuary just across the Yalu at Antung. U.S. intelligence officers guessed that the enemy might launch a massive air effort against the allies, with the claim that it was entirely Korea-based, thus hoping to avoid U.N. retaliation against Manchuria.

While the fast jets flew top cover, to ward off enemy air interference, the F-80s attacked the Sinuiju ack-ack positions and put most of them out of business. (The Americans could do nothing, however, about flak from across the river.) With bombs, rockets, machine guns and napalm, the "props" (propeller-driven planes) smashed field installations, set barracks afire. Only 15 planes were claimed as destroyed on the ground, but Lieut. General Earle Partridge of the Fifth Air Force said: "I am sure this attack has reduced considerably their immediate capability of striking at U.N. forces from Korean bases. Our show of power may make them ponder, too."

A few U.S. planes were damaged by antiaircraft fire. During the attack, some 50 MIG-15s whirled up from Antung, but only a dozen of them challenged the U.S. raiders, and were easily driven off. The others headed back into Manchuria--apparently under the erroneous impression that the U.S. had decided to hit Antung and other Manchurian lairs.

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