ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 901 6 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0686) 2 September 1950
| Name: | AN PYONG IL (安炳逸) (안병일) |
| Rank: | Jr Lt |
| Age: | 22 |
| Organization: | 73rd Ind Inf Regt (Code No 574), AA MG Plt |
| Duties with Unit: | Plt ldr |
| Education: | Middle School (2 yrs) |
| Occupation: | Tailor |
| Address: | HWANGHAE DO, SHINCH’ON GUN, SINCH’ON MYON, KYOTAP-NI, #105 (黃海道 信川郡 信川面邑 校㙮里 一0五) |
| Date and Place Captured: | 31 Aug 50, CHONGJA-DONG (亭子洞) by ROK Forces |
| Interrogator: | Sgt HAYASHIDA (ATIS) |
Subject was cooperative and intelligent but frequent changes of station made it difficult to remember the details, Subject was in a state of extreme fatigue during the interrogation. Reliability fair. Subject claims to have deserted his unit on 31 Aug 50 because of constant friction with his fellow officers.
Military History:Date inducted: 25 Sep 47
Training:
25 Sep 47 - ? Oct 48: NANAM (羅南) Peace Preservation Officers' Trng Ctr. Approx 500 volunteers were accepted by 25 Sep 47 and organized into the NCO Training Bn, 2nd Div. Standard period of Tng 8 mos. Tng received was dismounted drill, range practice (6 rds M1891/30 rifle, 100 rds w/MAXIM M1910 HMG), sqd and plt tactics, military regulations, physical training, one hr political education per day, terrain evaluation, map and compass reading, etc, Instructors were Korean company grade officers who had served with CCF.
Oct 48 - Nov 48: Subject assigned to 6th Regt, 2nd Div during this period, 2nd Div Hqs situated in NANAM, also 5th and 6th Regts. 4th Regt stationed in HOERYONG (會寧). Div art'y regt located 12 km N NANAM, strength 6th Regt approx 2,000 men, 4th and 5th Regts also 2,000 men each. Details Div arty u/k.
20 Nov 48: 6th Regt only departed NANAM with equipment,
27 Nov 48: 6th Regt arrived WONSAN (元山). Upon arrival, 6th Regt redesignated as 3rd Div, 8th Regt. Subject heard new recruits were organized as 6th Regt, 2nd Div in NANAM to replace the redesignated 8th Regt. 4th and 5th Regts and Div Art’y Regt still part of 2nd Div.
27 Nov 48 - 15 Oct 49: 3rd Div, 8th Regt stationed WONSAN. Div Hqs located WONSAN. 9th Regt stationed HAMHUNG (咸興). Hearsay, 7th Regt situated CR'ORWON (鐵原). Div Art'y Regt located WONSAN. NCO trng bn located HAMHUNG. 8th Regt underwent extensive field tng to include 2 mos of Regt'l field problems. All tng was conducted in mountainous terrain.
15 Oct 49 - 7 Dec 49: PW attended 1st Military Academy in P'YONGYANG. Normal period of attendance was 12 mos but subject attended under accelerated program completing course in 5 weeks, Approx 200 NCO's were enrolled in this program, All graduated 7 Dec 49 as Jr Lts. Normal course of 12 mos tng was conducted concurrently with accelerated program. Approx 2,500 cadets were enrolled in this category. 15 Russian officers, name u/k, supervised tng. Type of tng received included plt tactics, rifle marksmanship, w/M1891/30 rifle, M1910 HMG, PPsh sub-MG, and DP LMG, disassembly, assembly and nomenclature of parts of infantry weapons, political tng, and military regulations.
7 Sep 49: Upon graduation, all Jr Lts who received tng under accelerated program were assigned to middle schools to conduct compulsory military tng of male students. Subject sent to CHUULON Higher Middle School, HAMGYONG PUK-TO, KYONGSONG GUN, CHUULON MYON (咸鏡北道 鏡城郡 朱乙溫面 朱乙溫 高級中學校)
10 Dec 49 - 5 Jul 50: Subject served as military instructor at CHUULON Higher Middle School. Out of student body of 300 students, 200 were males. All males were required to receive tng. Students were between 16 and 24 yrs of age. Type of tng conducted included dismounted drill, rifle marksmanship (no actual firing) with M1891/30 rifle; methods of conduct in warfare, scouting and patrolling and military regulations. Tng was conducted 2 or 3 hrs per week. PW was only military instructor at school. Tng conducted in 50 man groups. Each group received 2 or 3 one hr periods of trng each week. Military tng was conducted under direct supervision of NKPA Hq. PW relieved of this duty 5 Jul 50.
6 Jul 50 - 3 Aug 50: PW assigned to 5th Trig Bn with duties as plt ldr. 5th Bn was composed of about 800 conscripts between 10 Jun 50 and 3 Aug 50. 6 Jul 50 - 3 Aug 50, 200 - 300 recruits arrived SINUIJU (新義州) Tng Ctr each day. All recruits were assigned to one of 6 Bns designated from 1 to 6. There was no set tng period. Each tng Bn composed of approx 800 men on 1 Aug 50.
1 Aug 50: 73rd Independent Inf Regt activated. Organization completed 2 Aug 50. Regt composed of 2,500 men from each of the 6 tng Bns. 90% of men received at least one month of tng. Troops issued used but serviceable weapons 1-2 Aug 50. Source of weapons P’YONGYANG Ordnance Section, Ammunition also issued. Regt alloted 5 new YAG-4 trucks.
Tactical Movements:
| 3 Aug 50: | 73rd Ind Inf Regt departed SINUIJU by rail. Order of departure; 1st and 2m Bns followed by 3rd Bn and ancillary units. Units ordered to assemble at ANDONG (安東). |
| 12 Aug 50: | 3rd Bn and lesser units 73rd Ind Regt arrived WONJU (原州) by rail via P’YONGYANG and SEOUL. Travelled during hours of darkness only, usually between 2000 and 0500. During daylight hrs trains were stopped in tunnels. Upon arrival at WONJU subject heard 1st and 2nd Bns had passed 2 days earlier. No incidents between SINUIJU and WONJU. |
| 12 Aug 50: | 3rd Bn and other units departed WONJU and marched via CH’UNGJU (忠州), TANYANG (丹陽), P’UNGGI (豐基), and YONGJU (榮州) to ANDONG, arriving 18 Aug 50. AA Jn plt arrived ANDONG 23 Aug 50. It was ordered to act as security detail for Regt'l finance section. The Finance Section carried 20,000,000 won in S Korean currency. Subject heard that currency was to be used to procure rations for the regt. The currency was in 100 won notes. |
| 25 Aug 50: | Regt’l Finance Section and AA MG plt departed ANDONG and marched to CH’ONGSONG (靑松). 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bns had departed ANDONG together on 20 Aug 50 for CH’ONGSONG. 25 Aug 50 at about, 2200, subject obs approx 2,000 replacements marching south from ANDONG in direction of UISONG. Men were wearing new NKPA uniforms and were unarmed. |
| 28 Aug 50: | AA MG plt and Regt'l Finance Section arrived CH’ONGSONG. Regt’1 Finance remained CH’ONGSONG and AA Plt continued march to TAEJON-DONG. |
| 29 Aug 50: | AA MG plt arrived TAEJON-DONG and joined 73rd Ind Regt less Finance Section. Subject heard entire regt'l losses since leaving SINUIJU was 2 KIA in an air attack, hearsay, 2000 hrs 73rd Regt departed TAEJON-DONG and marched on principal hwy to CHONGJA-RI (1200-1470), arriving at the town 31 0400 Aug 50, No incidents enroute, |
| 31 0400 Aug 50: | Regt made contact with ROK forces. 1st Bn deployed on high ground immediately east of town, 2nd and 3rd Bn on high ground immediately south of town, Regt’l Hqs situated in the southern outskirts of CHONGJA-RI. Regt’l art’y deployed 200 meters SW of 1st Bn, ROK forces were dug in on ridges one km E of CHONGJA-RI. Contact with ROK forces was made unexpectedly, Consequently the 1st Bn received direct fire of ROK forces and suffered the heaviest casualties, Total regt’l losses in the engagement were about 100 men (50% of the loss was through desertions; KIA and WIA was about 30. 16 men were taken prisoners), The engagement lasted until 1000 hrs. The entire Regt withdrew to the west, Subject was one of the deserters so later details are u/k. |
| Name: | LEE CHU WON (理周元) (리주원) |
| Rank: | Lt Col |
| Age: | 30 |
| Position: | CO, 73rd Inf Regt |
| Name: | CHONG PYONG HAK (정병학) |
| Rank: | Lt |
| Age: | 20 |
| Position: | Rcn Officer, 73rd Regt |
Morale: Morale of the troops was very low because of lack of sufficient tng, food and rest. The troops were very difficult to handle under fire. Subject believes this was because the troops had never been in combat before.
Strength: 73rd Regt (estimated)
| Original | Present (As of 31 Aug 50) | ||
| 1st Bn | 600 | 575 | |
| 2nd Bn | 600 | 575 | |
| 3rd Bn | 600 | 550 | |
| 120mm Mortar Co | 60 | (No mortars, men armed with rifles) | 60 |
| PPsh SMG Co | 80 | 80 | |
| Sig Co | 60 | 60 | |
| 45mm AT Co | 60 | (No 45 mm AT guns, men armed with rifles) | 60 |
| Med Co | 40 | 40 | |
| AA MG Plt | 43 | (No MG’s, men equipped w/rifies) 40 | |
| Recon Plt | 30 | 30 | |
| Guard Plt | 40 | 40 | |
| Eng Co | 40 | 40 | |
| 2,253 | 2,153 | ||
Equipment: The regt was very lightly equipped. The heaviest piece was 82mm mortars of which each rifle Bn had 9. There were no 45mm, 76mm Guns or 120mm mortars. The men of these units were armed with rifles. There was no indications as to when the units were to receive their T/O & E equipment. Rifles and 82mm mortars were in good condition.
Supply: Supplies came to the Regt from CU’ONGSONG. Quantity and frequency of resupply unk. Supplies were hauled by trucks. On 31 Aug 50, each rifleman had between 50 and 70 rds of ammo, To each 82mm mortar, there was about 20 rds. Regt’l supply was located in CU’ONGSONG, hearsay, exact location unk.
Replacements: 73rd Regt had received no replacements since departing N Korea.
Additional Info: Subject heard that 73rd Regt was directly under the “Eastern Sector Hqs,” details unk, Subject has not heard of 7th or 12th Div.
Artillery:No information.
Armor:Obs o/a 20 Jul 50 approx 20 tanks loaded on flat cars passing through SINUIJU. Subject noticed train travelling in direction of P'YONGYANG. Tanks were from ANDONG (安東), MANCHURIA since train came to SINUIJU from that direction. Train pulled by two locomotives, No other details.
Foreign Elements:Russians: There were 3 Russian advisors at the SINUIJU Tng Ctr. Details unk. Last obs 3 Aug 50.
Communications Conditions:Obs 10 Aug 50 - 31 Aug 50
a. Railroad line between SEOUL and WONJU was undamaged.
b. RR bridge across HAH River was undamaged.
c. All bridges between WONJU and CH’UNGJU were out. At the site of each bridge, river bottom was raised with sand bags to permit vehicular traffic.
d. Roads were in good condition.
e, Bridges around ANDONG are all out. By-passes constructed to allow vehicular and armored traffic. Details on each location unk.
Strategic EEI:No. information.
Signed TARKENTON/WALKER
