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artillery. One could not help wondering about the vulmerability of
the 8th Anny and the Com Zone to a maseive Communiet air assault, or
even to a sudden night assault on Pusan. General Van Fleet's answer
wes that the Sabres would rip them to pieces, and his A.A.A. would
also exact a heavy toll. General Herren, on the other hand, readily
conceded the vulmerability of Pusan, say from a suúden night attack
from the Shantung peninsula. Incidentally, around 75-80 percent of
our supplies nove through Pusan (a magnificent natural harbor), al-
though other ports account for about one-third of South Korea port
capacity, and improvised supply movement over the beaches could also
be resorted to in an emergency. And the Com Zone reserve stocka
afford still another margin of safety.
AMMUNITION SUPPLY
30. Both General Clark and General Van Flect spoke of
the shortages of 155 millimeter ammition, but expressed satisfaction
over the word I gave them on my understanding that the Chief of Staff
had secured approval for an allocation of 15 rounds a day per tube.
This name complaint was voiced meny times at the front. At the regi-
mental and battalion levels, the reply to my questions on ammition
sugply wes that the shortage of ammo for the was the most
serious but that they had frequently been limited and unhappy over
the small ration for other guns and mortars as well, mentioning
specifically the 4.2 mortar. Under current more or less static con-
ditions, both the ration and the complaint are understandable; at
any rate, I dia not hear any complaint at Division or highex levels
over amminition shortage apart from that fox the 155's.
AIREVAC
31. In paragraph 9 I have noted the high words of praise
for the efficient and promot evacuation of the wounded. I saw something
of the Airevac plane phase of this program and was strongly impressed.
The courier planes operating between Korea and Japan are stripped down
and equipped for carrying litters, althouga there were no litter cases
on the tuo in which I traveled. On the return from Travis AFB to Xelly
AFB, however, I flew in a C-97 Airevac carrying about 20 litter cases
and 15 or 20 ambulatory cases; and again from Kelly via Brookley to
Andrews the C-54 Airevae carried both litter cases and anbuletory cases.
These operations wese impressive, end high praise was expressed every-
where for the work of the Flight Nurses.
COM ZOME PROBLEME
32. The most serious economic problem in Koxee appeared
to me to be the growing inflation. I did not take notes on the extent
of this inflation, but it was evident from both the briefings in Tokyo
DECLASSIFIED
4
ARCHIVES NATIONAL AND NEW
RECORDS
E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or
SERVICE"
5.3.77
OSD letter, Aprit 12. 1974
13
By NLT- we NARS Date 6-21-27
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Context sent to Scholar
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"ocrText": "artillery. One could not help wondering about the vulmerability of\nthe 8th Anny and the Com Zone to a maseive Communiet air assault, or\neven to a sudden night assault on Pusan. General Van Fleet's answer\nwes that the Sabres would rip them to pieces, and his A.A.A. would\nalso exact a heavy toll. General Herren, on the other hand, readily\nconceded the vulmerability of Pusan, say from a suúden night attack\nfrom the Shantung peninsula. Incidentally, around 75-80 percent of\nour supplies nove through Pusan (a magnificent natural harbor), al-\nthough other ports account for about one-third of South Korea port\ncapacity, and improvised supply movement over the beaches could also\nbe resorted to in an emergency. And the Com Zone reserve stocka\nafford still another margin of safety.\nAMMUNITION SUPPLY\n30. Both General Clark and General Van Flect spoke of\nthe shortages of 155 millimeter ammition, but expressed satisfaction\nover the word I gave them on my understanding that the Chief of Staff\nhad secured approval for an allocation of 15 rounds a day per tube.\nThis name complaint was voiced meny times at the front. At the regi-\nmental and battalion levels, the reply to my questions on ammition\nsugply wes that the shortage of ammo for the was the most\nserious but that they had frequently been limited and unhappy over\nthe small ration for other guns and mortars as well, mentioning\nspecifically the 4.2 mortar. Under current more or less static con-\nditions, both the ration and the complaint are understandable; at\nany rate, I dia not hear any complaint at Division or highex levels\nover amminition shortage apart from that fox the 155's.\nAIREVAC\n31. In paragraph 9 I have noted the high words of praise\nfor the efficient and promot evacuation of the wounded. I saw something\nof the Airevac plane phase of this program and was strongly impressed.\nThe courier planes operating between Korea and Japan are stripped down\nand equipped for carrying litters, althouga there were no litter cases\non the tuo in which I traveled. On the return from Travis AFB to Xelly\nAFB, however, I flew in a C-97 Airevac carrying about 20 litter cases\nand 15 or 20 ambulatory cases; and again from Kelly via Brookley to\nAndrews the C-54 Airevae carried both litter cases and anbuletory cases.\nThese operations wese impressive, end high praise was expressed every-\nwhere for the work of the Flight Nurses.\nCOM ZOME PROBLEME\n32. The most serious economic problem in Koxee appeared\nto me to be the growing inflation. I did not take notes on the extent\nof this inflation, but it was evident from both the briefings in Tokyo\nDECLASSIFIED\n4\nARCHIVES NATIONAL AND NEW\nRECORDS\nE. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or\nSERVICE\"\n5.3.77\nOSD letter, Aprit 12. 1974\n13\nBy NLT- we NARS Date 6-21-27"
}