ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 651 21 August 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0458) 18 August 1950
| Name: | KIM, T’AE MYON (金泰明) (김태명) |
| Rank: | Sgt |
| Age: | 23 |
| Organization: | 7th Div, 3rd Regt, 3rd Bn, Medic Section Dec No of 3rd Regt: 381 |
| Duties: | Asst Section Leader |
| Education: | Prep Vocation School (2 years) |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Address: | HAMGYONG PUK-TO, OKSONG-GUN, NAMYANG MYON, NAMYANG-DONG 7 (咸鏡北道 穩城郡 南陽洞 南鴨里 七番地) |
| Date and Place Captured: | 17 Aug 50 in vicinity of CHIGA-DONG (1212-1466) |
| Interrogator: | Sgt SHIMABUKURO |
PW was cooperative. Information seems reliable.
Military History:Inducted at NAMYANG (near Manchurian Border 南陽) on Oct 48. Received basic infantry training for 6 months at NAMYANG. Received 4 months basic medical training at WONSAN and did medical side work.
Departed WONSAN 10 Jun 50 - railroad - arrived INJE - 22 Jun
Departed INJE 24 Jun 50 - marched - arrived WONJU - ? Jul
Departed WONJU ? Jul - marched - passed CHECH’ON, TANYANG, YONGJU, ANDONG, CH’ONG-SONG, P’OHANG-DONG and arrived in CHIGA-DONG 17 0700 K Aug 50.
PW and 30 men were captured by the ROK 15th Regt when they were surrounded in a small farm village.
Personalities:7th Div CG: unknown
3rd Regt CO: HWANG, TONG HWA (黃東華) Lt Col; Age 40
3rd Bn CO: unknown (killed in action)
3rd Bn, exec off: KIM, YONGCH’OL (金永哲) Capt; Age 28
Medic Sect CO: OK, CH’OL GUN (玉哲勸) Sr Lt; Age 25
Foreign Elements:PW saw Russian Majors and Lt Cos at WONSAN. 5 or 6 officers at Div and 2 in Regt. Details unknown.
Weapons and Personnel:Medic Section: Originally 8 men attached to battalion, presently 4 men.
Men did not carry weapons. Officers carried Tokarev Pistols
Japanese and Russian drugs and equipment were utilized by the medical personnel. Battalion medic section personnel used only the medicine and equipment suitable for first aid. Severely wounded 10 to 20 men would tie. About 99% of the men in his Div had diarrhea. 20 to 30 men had malaria in his regiment.
At present Co strength is 20 to 30 men and battalion strength about 200 men (including attached units). Regt between 800-900 men.
One SU-76 Bn originally 15 x SU-76 self-propelled artillery pieces attached to Div. Only 4 were left at the time PW was captured.
Div Arty consisted of 6 x 122-mm M/38 Filed Pieces, 5 x 76-mm Guns and unknown number of 45-mm pieces.
Personnel of the Div Recon Co were observed in civilian clothes as well as in uniform.
Attached to Division:
Medical Bn: Lt Col - 1
Major - 1
Major - Culture
Medic Officers (doctor) - 3
Sr Lt’s - 7
Lt’s - 7
Jr Lt’s - 4 (female nurses)
Medical corpsmen 70
Unknown number of untrained enlisted medical sides.
This battalion had no connection with the Medical Company attached to regiment. The Medic Co distributed men to battalions and companies.
Armor:Unknown
Supplies:Food, ammunition and medical supplies did not come in from the rear after 8 Aug 50. Source and supply were unknown. Although they had the guns they could not be used because there was a shortage of ammunition.
Enemy Intentions:Mission of unit to take T’AEGU via YONGCH’ON.
Miscellaneous Information:PW stated that on the E coast there was the 5th Div; in the YONGCH’ON Area, the 7th Div; and 50 km S of ANDONG, the 8th Div.
After ANDONG 2 guerrilla battalions of the 76; (last digit unknown) were attached to the 7th Div.
PW believed that at present there were 3,000 to 4,000 men in the 7th Div.
On or about 15 Jul 50 at PUNGGI, PW saw 500 students (recruits) in his Regt. There were some women who were placed in the Field Hospital.
PW stated that if one saw a guerrilla in civilian clothes the could not tell whether he was a guerrilla or civilian. However they have an identification card and password.
Additional Intentions:Morale was very low due to large number of casualties and constant contact with the enemy without rest.
7th Div Medics did not wear red cross identification of any type. PW states that their troops were not instructed to refrain from firing upon enemy medical personnel.
About 80% of all the wounds were caused by shell fragments. The rest were caused by small arms fire. Casualties caused by aircraft strafing were minor compared to other agents.
No gas training received. PW has not heard of preparation to use gas. No gas masks carried by troops.
Soldiers killed in action are usually buried on the spot by Co and Bn administrative personnel and the location noted in the log book. Occasionally they are buried in groups. Mortar placed over individual graves. Occasionally bodies are not buried for days depending upon the tactical situation.
Seriously wounded personnel are transported by litter, (utilizing the local populations as well as administrative personnel) from the front lines to the Regtl aid station which is usually 2 - 3 kms away. Patients are evacuated from Regt to Div on trucks.
Signed TARKENTON/WALKER
