포로신문
보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 722　24 August 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0542)　21 August 1950

Cooperative and information may be reliable.

Inducted 27 Oct 48 at WONSAN into the Navy (shore patrol). Trained also as infantryman along with naval training due to lack of naval equipment at the time. Trained for 2 months. 28 Dec 48 PW was assigned to the Marine Mechanized Independent Platoon in WONSAN. In the Marine Mechanized Independent Platoon his duty was shore patrol. PW stayed in this unit until 16 May 49 and was assigned ot the 4th Co, 1st Plt, 3rd Sqd as asst sqd ldr at a place 2 km North of HUNGNAM.

5 Mar 50, PW was tranferred to the 8 parallel 7th Constabulary Brigade Signal School company in KUMCH’ON (940-1710) and received signal training, such as laying wires, splicing wires and receiving and sending messages by telephone. PW trained for 45 days. On 21 May 50 he was assigned to the 7th Division, 1st Regt, 2nd Bn, Signal platoon stationed in WONSAN as a platoon leader. PW received his Jr Lieutenant commission 21 May 50. On 18 Jun 50 the 7th Division moved to KANSONG by train and marched to INJE, arriving 19 Jun 50. Departed INJE 25 Jun 50 and attacked the 38 parallel on 26 Jun 50 and marched to CHECH’ON and then through TANYANG, YONGJU, ANDONG, SAKGO-RI (3km East of KUSU-DONG 1190-1510) KIGYE (1210-1460) to P’OHANG-DONG (1230-1460) o/a 10 Aug 50.

Moved back to KIGYE on the same day. From KIGYE the 7th Division proceeded 8 km South and from 10 Aug 50 to 16 Aug 50 tried to take ANGANGNI (1210-1450) but due to heavy artillery and small arms fire ANGANGNI could not be taken. 7th Division fought to take ANGANGNI. The 7th Division suffered heavy losses and was surrounded. 17 Aug 50, the division down to one-third strength, gathered all available weapons and moved to a mountain in the vicinity of KIGYE. There the division tried to reorganize and reopen the road to ANDONG. On 18 Aug 50, while the Division was reorganizing, they were attached again.

The division, then numbering approximately 3,000 men, retreated enmasse leaving all the heavy weapons. PW was wounded and left behind. PW does not know to where the division retreated. PW stated that the 7th Division with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Regts and the Artillery regiment was in the KIGYE Area on 17 Aug 50. He does not know of any units form this division attached to any other division. PW stated the 7th Division did not change the division designation as of 17 Aug 50.

1st Regt CO CH’OE HYOK (崔赫) (최혁)

Rank: Colonel

Age: 40 - Former CCF man

2nd Battalion CO OM UN KOL (嚴銀걸) (엄은걸)

Rank: Major

Age: 30 - Former CCF man

7th Division - approx 2,500 men, 1st Regt - 400 men, 2nd Battalion - 93 men, Company - 20 men, Signal Platoon - 6 men (as of 18 Aug 50). The PW stated that all the troops carried either Mosin rifles or the US carbines (captured from ROK troops). Machine guns were abandoned during the attack on 18 Aug because no ammunition was available. The only replacements that arrived were on 10 Aug or 12 Aug 50. 90 replacements arrived for the 2nd Battalion and 9 replacements for his Signal Platoon. These replacements came from the P’YONGYANG Area. The replacements were all recruits without military training. Additional weapons and ammunition were not received since 12 Aug 50 when the 7th Division was out off.

Observed one self-propelled gun at KIGYE 17 Aug 50 in good condition but thinks it was damaged or abandoned when the troops retreated. PW stated he did not observe any tanks in the 7th Division at the time.

KIGYE 17 Aug 50:

4 x 105mm guns

2 x 120mm M1943 mortars

4 x 76mm mortars

5 x 60mm mortars

2 x Japanese field guns (type unk)

3 x HMG’s

PW stated there were 20 to 30 trucks, some of which were captured from ROK troops. These trucks were all abandoned 18 Aug 50. All the trucks were in good condition.

No supplies were received after 12 Aug 50. PW stated the troops did not have food so they had not eaten for about 5 days except for what they could find during the night in villages. The PW stated because the troops were starving and were physically weak they were no longer effective. The PW said that the troops although starving did not think about surrender because they thought they would be killed if they were captured. The PW thought he would be killed too.

At the time of capture the 7th Division intended to out its way to ANDONG. The PW thought the 5th Division in the POHANG Area was trying to retreat to ANDONG. PW said he and all the troops were ordered to treat the ROK and American prisoners as human beings and to send them to higher headquarters where they would be treated well until the war is over. After the war is over they would be sent back to their country. PW was told that he would be killed if captured by the enemy and he believed this. He did not observe any American prisoners. He observed about 25 ROK prisoners with 2nd Battalion carrying supplies and armed with rifles fighting alongside the North Koreans. They were not coerced. No further information.