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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 777　27 August 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0579)　25 August 1950

Subject was very cooperative and intelligent. Reliability - fair. Subject was wearing civilian shirt and army trousers. Subject claims that the shirt was issued by the 45th Regt at KUMCH’ON. He surrendered after reading a surrender leaflet in his possession. Did not know inf and arty Regt code nos. This PW has been referred to JAG and CIC.

Date inducted: 8 Dec 46.

Training: 8 Dec 46-8 Feb 48: Received military and political trng at Peach Preservation Officers Trng School 4th Subjects. Trng received included range practice (20 rds with M1938 carbine. 20 rds with M1891/30 rifle, 30 rds with PPSH submachine gun, 20 rds with PTRD-41), dismounted drill, sqd, plt and Co tactics, Co level defense tactics, and 4 hrs of political trng per week. Training received at HOERYONG. Strength at that time 2,500.

The Peace Preservation Officers Trng School was organized in a military manner with highest unit Hqs being Regt. The 2nd Unit Hqs (Hqs 1st Div) was situated at NANAM. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd sub-units were situated at SINUIJU, 4th, 5th sub-units in NANAM. st, 2nd and 3rd sub-units became 1st Div on 8 Feb 48 and 4th, 5th and 6th sub-units became 2nd Div.

8 Feb 48-8 Mar 50: Ass’t plt ldr, AT plt, 1st Bn, 4th Regt, 2nd Div trained subordinates in rifle marksmanship, dismounted drill, etc.

8 Mar 50: Assigned as plt ldr, AT plt, 1st Bn, 45th Regt, 15th Div, HOERYONG. Until 2 May 50, inf Regts of 15th Div were known as 7th, 8th and 9th sub-units. 2 May 50 the sub-units redesignated as 45th, 47th, and 50th Regts respectively. 15th Div actually organized 2 Mar 50. 45th Regt then situated at NAJIN, 47th and 50th Regts, in HOERYONG with Div Hqrs. Most unit CO 15th Div down to sqd ldrs were ex-CCF members. All troops with the exception of unit CO were recent conscripts. w Mar 50 - 20 Jun 50 units of 15th Div underwent basic inf trng.

21 Jun 50 - Preparations for combat initiated. 45th Regt ordered to HOERYONG. All troops issued new weapons and ammo. 45th Regt arrived HOERYONG 21 Jun 50.

21 Jun 50 - 45th Regt departed HOERYONG with Div Hqrs. 47th and 50th Regts departed HOERYONG o/a 18 Jun 50. Mode of travel, rail.

24 Jun 50 - 45th Regt and Div Hqrs arrived KUMHWA (金華). 47th and 50th Regts situated KUMHWA.

27 Jun 50 - Entire 15th Div departed KUMHWA on foot. 45th Regt leading, followed by 47th and 50th Regts respectively. Div art’y Regt followed in rear.

28 Jun 50 - Entire 15th Div arrived CH’UNCH’ON (春川). No engagements.

13 Jul 50 - Entire 15th Div arrived UMSONG (陰城) via (1060-1560) HONGCH’ON (洪川), YOJU (驪州), CHANGHOWON-Ni (長湖院) and MUGUNG-NI (聞慶里). First engagement fought 1 km N of MUCHUNG-NI (1050-1570) 1600, 11 Jul 50. All units 15th Div participated. Drive to UMSONG cost 45th Regt about 60 killed and wounded. Losses of other regts unknown. Only 15th Div in area.

o/a 23 Jul 50 - Div Art’y, 45th and 47th arrived KOESAN. Engaged enemy 3 times in drive to KOESAN. All these units participated. Casualties sustained by 45th Regt approx 300. 47th Regt hardest hit with casualties amounting to 2/3 of entire strength. Casualties Div Art’y unknown. 50th Regt separated from Div enroute and proceeded toward CH’UNGJU. Details unknown.

o/a 28 Jul 50 - 45th, 47th and Div Art’y Regts arrived KOMDAN-SAN (Mt) Area (1070-1520). Fought one engagement 28 Jul 50. 45th Regt suffered casualties approx 80 men, losses of other units unknown. 50th Regt still in CH’UNGJU (忠州) Area.

o/a 1 Aug 50 - 45th, 47th and Div Arty arrived PONGHWAN-SAN (Mt) (1140-1510). Fought one engagement lasting 1 Aug 50 to 3 Aug 50. 45th Regt sustained loss approx 120 men. Losses other units unknown. o/a 1 Aug 50, 50th Regt arrived PONGHWAN-SAN Area. 50th Regt also participated in engagement. Losses unknown.

5 Aug 50 - Entire 15th Div arrived KUMCH’ON. No engagements since 3 Aug 50. Route of march SE from PONGHWAN-SAN to OKSAN-DONG, then S on KUMCHON-SANGJU highway. Entire 2nd NK Div situated in KUMCH’ON.

5 Aug 50 - 45th Regt proceeded to SONSAN. 47th, 50th and Div Art’y Regts remained KUMCH’ON with Div Hqs. 2nd Div still in KUMCH’ON. Nothing heard about future employment 2nd Div.

7 Aug 50 - 45th Regt arrived SONSAN. No engagements enroute. Infantry crossed NAKTONG River on same day. Regt’l arty crossed later date. It advanced on SANGJU-TAEJU Hwy following 6 km behind 13th NK Div. At point approx 4 km SE CHANGCH'ON-Myon 45th Regt left hwy and 13 aug 50, climbed YUHAK-SAN. No engagements between 7 Aug and 13 Aug 50.

13 Aug 50 - 45th Regt arrived YUHKA-SAN. Found 13th Div engaged with enemy. O. B. of 13th Div as follows: 19th REgt on high ground east of YUHAK-SAN, immediately E of hwy. 21st Regt on eastern slope of YUHAK-SAN immediately W of hwy. 23rd Regt dug in on west flank of 21st Regt. Div Art’y Regt 13th Div situated 6 km north of YUHAK-SAN. Div front approx 6 km extending E and W.

13 Aug 50 - 45th Regt, 15th Div deployed on west flank of 23rd Regt, 13th Div on western slope YUHAK-SAN.

16 Aug 50 - 47th and 50th Regts, 15th Div arrived YUHAK-SAN. 50th Regt deployed on west flank of 45th Regt. 47th Regt deployed on west 50th Regt. O.B. 13th Div unchanged since 13 Aug 50. 13th and 15th Div fronts extended east and west approx 8 km from point about 200 m E of SANGJU-TAEGU hwy west.

21 Aug 50 - O.B. of 13th Div unchanged. Div and Regt’l Art’y 15th Div arrived N YUHAK-SAN (exact loc unk) o/a 21 Aug 50. 2100 21 Aug 50, 15th Div ordered to proceed to P’AL-GONG-SAN (Mt) (1160-1450). 47th Regt pulled out 2100, 21 Aug 50 in a northeasterly direction followed by 50th, 45th and Div Art’y Regts respectively. O.B. 13th Div unchanged at 21 Aug, 2100.

21 Aug 50 - 21 Aug, 2200 50, subject deserted with intentions of surrendering to ROK forces.

22 Aug 50 - Subject in village immediately NW of YUHAK-SAN.

23 Aug 50 - ROK forces occupied area vacated by 15th Div. Disposition of 13th NK Div unknown. Subject surrendered to ROK forces.

Subject states that the reasons for his surrender were as follows:

1. There are no free selections in N KOREA. There is only one candidate for every office and each candidate is sponsored by one organ, the Communist Party.

2. There is free election is S KOREA. There are as many candidates to every office as the various organizations desire to sponsor - a sign of true Democracy.

3. The NKPA attacked S KOREA under the pretext that S KOREA stated the war. The real reason for the attack was KIM IL SUN’s desire for poser.

4. S KOREA is being supported by the Democratic Nations who care for the preservation of Democracy to the extent of sacrificing men and material.

5. Subject is not a member of the NKLP.

6. Subject volunteered for the Peace Preservation Officer’s Training School with hopes of furthering his education, unaware that it was in reality a military organization.

No information.

1. Subject heard a total of 36 x 76mm M1942 AT guns and 122mm M1910/30 Howitzers were ferried across NAKTONG River W of SONSAN, date unk, by Div art’y Regt. Number of each unk.

2. 45th Regt equipped with 6 x 120mm M1943 Mortars and 6 x 45mm M1942 AT gun and 4 x 76mm M1927 Howitzers when unit crossed NAKTONG River, 7 Aug 50. Art’y of other regts, unknown.

45th Regt equipped with 10 x GAZ-63 trucks on 21 Aug 50. Other units unknown. Trucks in good condition.

Fatigue and lack of food has lowered morale. However, the men are still confident in eventual victory. Fighting spirit kept up by active propaganda. There have been noncases of desertion in subject’s Regt.

15th Div drew supplies from SANGJU (Hearsay). Ammunition for small arms was plentiful but there was a slight shortage of shells for mortars and field guns. However, the shortage has not been acute enough to limit the firing of the pieces. Ammunition supply was replenished during the night by using trucks.

The men were fed 800 grams of rice per day. Each week the men were fed 800 grams of meat. Usually vegetable, etc. were procured by the soldiers themselves. Rice for the Regt was brought by trucks from SONSAN. Original source unknown. There hav been no casualties caused by malnutrition. There has been no outbreak of contagious disease.

The 45th Regt has not received any replacements since leaving N KOREA. There has been no indication that replacements would arrive.

80% of casualties sustained by the 45th Regt were from artillery fire. 45th Regt has not been under air attacks. Remaining 20% were until the end of the engagement or until the units had advanced. This practice resulted in a high death rate.

Three T-34/85 tanks were attached to the 13th Div on 21 Aug 50 in the vicinity of YUHAK-SAN. 15th Div had no armor.

1. N KOREA was to subdue S KOREA by 30 Jul 50, hearsay. General election was to be held on 15 Aug 50.

2. Officers expected American material assistance to S KOREA but did not expect active support by any of the services.

3. Officers knew S KOREA did not have any tanks or heavy artillery and were confident of victory before any such aid from the U.S. would arrive.

4. No information on Koreans from MANCHURIA or CHINA.

5. The above is merely a general belief that the N Korea officers held prior to the war. Nothing official.