ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 720 24 August 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0538) 21 August 1950
| Name: | LEE SUN SIL (李順實) (리순실) |
| Rank: | Cpl |
| Age: | 26 |
| Organization: | 7th Div, 3rd Regt, Rear Echelon Food Supply Sect, 7th Div - 825 Unit, 3rd Regt - 831 Unit |
| Duties with Unit: | Ration carrier |
| Education: | Primary School (6 yrs) |
| Occupation: | RR freight yard worker |
| Address: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, KYONGSONG GUN, CHUUL WONCH’ON MYON, SOWON DONG 10 (咸鏡北道 鏡城郡 重乙溫面 西源洞 十番地) |
| Date and Place Captured: | 18 1400 K Aug 50, approx 8 km WNW of POHANG-DONG (1230-1460). Approx 4 km E of KIGYE (1210-1460) |
| Interrogator: | Sfc INIMOTO (ATIS) |
PW was fairly intelligent but had limited information due to his assignment to a rear echelon unit.
Military History:Date inducted: Jul 48 CHILIM (吉林), MANCHURIA.
Training: 2,800 conscripts (Koreans) received basic training at a training center called the Independent Trng Regt stationed in “ENKICHI,” MANCHURIA. Cadre of this training center was composed entirely of Chinese officers and men of the CCF. This group of Koreans was the second of its kind trained at this center. No new group of conscripts (Koreans) followed the second class. No weapons issued during basic training. Physical fitness and military discipline were highly stressed during basic training. There was very little communist indoctrination at this center, except that portraits of STALIN and MAO were posted at all vantage points in camp.
Tactical Movement:
Sep 48 - 450 men from Ind Trng Regt departed KILIN by rail. Disposition of remainder (2,350) unknown. Sep 48 - Arrived CHUNGLIANG T’UN. 450 assigned to the Supply Depot Guard Regt stationed at CHUNGLIANG T’UN. Chinese comprised the majority of this Guard Regt. Guard Regt was responsible for the security of numerous military ration warehouses in and around CHUNGLIANG T’UN. Nov 48 - 150 (Chinese officers: Korean enlisted men) departed CHUNGLIANG T’UN on foot. Performed guard duty for short periods at diffenrent places while enroute to CHINA.
Aug 49 - 150 arrived HANKOW (漢口), CHINA. Assigned to the Army Ordnance Guard Unit
Feb 50 - A regt comprised of Koreans, strength 2,000, departed HANK’OW, CHINA by rail.
Feb 50 - Regt arrived SUCHU (徐州), CHINA.
This regt plus other groups from different areas were divided into 4 regts of approx 2,600 men each, forming the 15th Div. All combat units of the 15th Div were armed with US and Jap weapons. No vehicles. Artillery pieces were horse drawn. EM were told that the 15th Div was destined for MANCHURIA to engage in agricultural development.
O/a 14 Apr 50-Advance elements of the 15th Div departed SUCHU on this date by rail.
O/a 30 Apr 50-The entire 15th Div arrived WONSAN via SHANGHAI (上海), CHINA, NUKDEN (彔天), MANCHURIA and SINUIJU (新義州), KOREA. Troops were informed, while enroute, that the 15th Div was headed for NORTH KOREA to help unite KOREA. Although there was no talk of open hostilities, implications of this nature impressed the troops that their true purpose in N. KOREA was to participate in the inevitable clash between the two Korean groups.
15th Div was redesignated the 7th Div, composed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regts. The fourth regiment was not in WONSAN. Probably assigned to another division somewhere else.
18 Jun 50 --- 7th Div departed WONSAN by rail. Troops were informed that the 7th Div was going on maneuvers.
12 Aug 50 --- PW arrived KIGYE (杞溪). Since 7th Div departed WONSAN, PW remained in the rear, transporting rice and vegetables from 7th Div rear Hq to the 3rd Regt Hq. Three Russian trucks, assigned to the 3rd Regt, were utilized in haling food. Route taken by the 7th Div, in tis advance south, was as follows: 38 parallel N of CH’UNCH’ON (春川), WONJU (原州), CHECH’ON (堤川), TANYANG (丹陽), YONGJU, ANDONG, CH’ONGSONG and KIGYE.
When PW and 2 others were dispatched to P’OHANG DONG for food they followed a two-landed, dirt road, via TAL CHON-DONG (1220-1460) to P’OHANG DONG. They observed 1 x SU-76, off the main road, midway between KIGYE and TAL CHON-DONG. Observed large number of troops all along the highway between KIGYE and P’OHANG DONG. Troops in the vicinity of P’OHANG DONG were elements of the 5th Div. Heard from these troops that the 5th Div Hq was located just N of P’OHANG DONG.
16 Aug 50 --- After an unsuccessful search for rice in P’OHANG DONG, PW headed for KIGYE to report same, Hardly any troops observed in P’OHANG DONG at time of departure. Followed the same road back to KIGYE. ROK forces had advanced N of the highway by this time. PW was surprised by a squad of ROK troops and surrendered without resistance.
Personalities:CO, 7th Div - CHON WI (전위)
Rank: Maj Gen
Age: 43
Reported to have served in the Russian Army. Took over command of the 15th Div at SUCHU. Relieve of command early Jul 50. Reason unknown. Name of successor, unknown.
CO, 3rd Regt - HWANG, FNU (黃 )
Rank: Col
Age: 50
Reported to have served in the Russian Army. Relived of command in early Aug 50. Reason unknown. Name of successor unknown.
Weapons and Personnel:Weapons used by personnel of the 7th Div were either US or Jap weapons. US and Jap artillery pieces, brought by the 7th from CHINA, were left behind after the initial attack, due to lack of ammunition. In subsequent attacks, artillery units of the 1st and 5th Div were attached to the 7th Div. o/a 25 Jul 50 at ANDONG 7th Div received an undetermined number of replacements, including S Koreans.
PW estimated that the 7th Div had sustained at least 30% casualties and at present, strength of each regiment is approximately 1,200.
EEI:PW observed elements of the 1st, 2nd and the 3rd Regts of the 7th Div in the KIGYE-POHANG-DONG sector, prior to his capture. 5th, 6th and 7th Divisions are primarily composed of former Korean members of the CCF. PW believes that there are no Korean units with the CCF, at present.
Signed TARKENTON/WALKER
