ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 661 21 August 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - FEAF LN TEAM - 0160) 15 August 1950
(Ref to ATIS Rpt No. 574)
| Name: | HAN CHOL HWAN (韓轍煥) |
| Address: | KANHAM KANSHU GUN SANGYON YOUNG MYON SAN NI |
| Age: | 22 years |
| Rank: | Private |
| Duty: | Rifleman |
| Education: | He graduated from Primary School. |
| Length of Service: | 14 March 1950 to 13 August 1950 |
| Previous Occupation: | Farmer |
| Military Unit: | 3rd Division, 7th Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 9th Company, 3rd Platoon, 2nd Squad. |
| Interrogated By: | KOGA |
| Date of Capture: | 13 August 1950 |
| Place of Capture: | Two km south of WAEGWAN. |
On the 14th of March 1950, prisoner was drafted at CHAERYONG and received infantry basic training. They were allowed to fir four rounds in target practices before departing from CHAERYONG. The 7th Regiment departed from CHAERYONG on the 15th of June 1950 by foot and arrived in YONGPU (영부) on the 20th of June, 1950. Upon arrival, they received 200 rounds of rifle ammunition and began preparation for combat. The 7th Regiment then proceeded to UJONGBU on the 24th of June and arrived there on the 28th of June. Without rest they marched to KYONGSONG on the 29th of June. After a day of rest they proceeded to WAEGWAN via SUWON. PYONGTAEK, CHONAN, TAEJON, YONGDONG, MUJU and KUMCHON. The 7th Regiment walked across the NAKTONG River (chest deep) on the 9th of August and rested on a hill located two km west of NAKTONG River for two days. On the 11th of August, the 9th Company encountered United States artillery and aircraft attacks, taking this opportunity, prisoner and three others threw away their rifles and began to advance toward the United States troop’s line to surrender. On the morning of the 13th of August, they wore discovered by United States troops and taken to TAEGU.
Unit Commanders:Commanding Officer of the 9th Company - Lt PAK PYONG DUK (박병덕)
Assistant Commanding Officer - Lt CHE MYONG NON (최명논)
Commanding Officer of the 3rd Platoon - Junior Lt KIM BONG YOLL (김봉열)
Assistant Commanding Officer - Junior Lt CHE OI HI (최외히)
1st Squad Leader - Sergent LEE SON JO (리선전)
The majority of the troops in the 3rd Battalion had four to six months of basic training; including close order drill, nemonolature of their arms, infiltration course, mountain fighting and hand-grenade throwing. The troops were of high spirit until they came to WAEGWAN, where they encountered artillery fire and aircraft bombing, which almost annihilated their unit.
American PW’S:1. Prisoner observed approximately 100 American eating bread and canned food at the TAEJON airfield. He heard they wre to be sent to SEOUL by truck.
2. At CHONAN he heard order was issued by General KIM IL SUNG that both United Nations and Southern Korean prisoners would not be killed, but would be held for ransom and also used for the exchanged of PWs.
3. He heard there were approximately 300 GIs in the PW compound at SEOUL.
4. All captured PWs were to be sent to Regiment Headquarters, where they are processed by the Intelligence Department, then they are taken care of as seen fit.
5. Prisoner heard that if any North Korean soldiers were found who had killed United Nations or Southern Korean troops, they would be subject to court-martial.
Replacement:1. Prisoner heard that the 7th Regiment was to have 100 replacements at WAEGWAN.
2. He also heard that the 8th and 9th Regiments had received 100 replacements each before arriving in WAEGWAN.
Casualties:1. KYONGSONG - 10 casualties in the 9th company.
2. YONGDONG - 10 killed and 25 wounded in the 9th company.
3. KUMCHONG - 3 wounded in the 9th company.
4. WAEGWAN - the 9th company Commanding Officer, 3rd platoon Commanding Officer and the 1st squad leader were killed in cation.
5. The 7th Regiment was believed to be badly beaten.
Signed TARKENTON/WALKER
