ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1164 19 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0794) 17 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | NAM, Sok San (南錫山) (남석산) |
| PW NO: | 63 NK 2900 |
| RANK: | Sgt (中士) |
| AGE : | 20 |
| DUTY: | Squad Leader |
| UNIT: | 15th Div, Arty Regt, 2nd Bn, 4th Btry, Command Plt-Signal Sqd |
| EDUCATION: | 1 year |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | IMP’O DONG (1190-1440) (林浦洞) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 11 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, PURYONG-Gun, KWANHAE-Myon, SOCHONG-Ni #78 (咸鏡北道 富寧郡 觀海面 湑靑里 八七番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | Sgt AHN (ATIS) |
PW does not know very much about artillery. Further interrogation not recommended.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
Inducted 15 Mar 50, NAJIN. 3 months telephone operator training. Departed NAJlN 15th Div, 10,000 men, fully armed, 26 Jun 50, by rail. Arrived KUMHWA 28 Jun 50.
Issued 36 trucks (ZIS-151). 36 x 76-mm Guns, with ammunition for 76-mm Guns, and food. 16 tanks were attached to 15th Div at KUMHWA.
29 Jun 50, departed KUMHWA - marched - crossed the 38° Parallel - fought the ROK Forces at CH’UNCH’ON (春川), HONGCHON (洪川), HOENGSONG (橫城)?. WONJU (原州), CH'UNGJU (忠州), MUNGYONG (聞慶), SANGJU (尙州), KUMCH’ON (金泉), SONSAN (善山). Date and losses unknown.
8 Sep 50, occupied YONGCH'ON. Departed YONGCH'ON, 8 Sep 50, arrived IMP’O-DONG 8 Sep 50, fought ROK troops for 3 days until captured 11 Sep 50.
Unit Strength and Organization:
Arty Regt - 1,000 men. 3 Bns: 9 x Btry's. Each Btry, 70-80 men. 4 x 76-mm AT Gun M1942. 3 Command Plt, each 20-23 men. 3 Recon and 3 Communication Sqds.
Original Strength:
10,000 men and 16 tanks.
Last known Composition of Unit:
Arty Regt wiped out. 2 x T-34/76 tanks remained in 15th Div out of original 16. 8 remaining 76-mm AT Guns captured by ROK troops. Trucks all destroyed.
Communication:
Telephone wire - Russian and American made. Most used was Russian made wires because of shortages of American wire. Russian made wire can be used up to a distance of 4 miles satisfactorily. Distance on American wire, unknown. Size of Russian made wire is similar to W110 American wire. Contains 7 strands, 4 steel, 3 copper.
Each artillery battery used 3 x UNAF-31 Field Telephones for long range or short range firing. One field phone is placed at the forward observation post, one phone placed at the gun position (4 guns to each phone), and one phone is placed between the front observation post and the gun emplacement because of the poor quality of the Russian wire and phones. The battery commander and one plt ldr directs all firing orders from the front observation post, and one squad leader remains with the guns to direct all necessary adjustments. Range of 76-mm is approximately 6 miles. After firing ceases, the telephone squads retrieve the wire for future use.
Defense for gun battery is only set up in forward areas, about 2 km ahead of guns. Defense measures are not employed in the rear areas. All men in artillery units are armed with M1938 Carbine. No information types of fuzes employed by artillery units.
Personalities:
4th Btry CO:
IM, Sok Kyu (임석규) Sr Lt; Age 25
KANG, In Pu (강인부) Jr Lt; Age 23
Morale:
Morale of unit was high at first stages of the war but gradually declined because the resistance was becoming more determined on the part of ROK and UN Forces. Aircraft action was the primary cause for lowering of the morale of the unit.
Leaflets and Propaganda:
No leaflets observed by PW. Heard about leaflets from a friend in Aug 50. Tried to escape to UN Lines ? Aug 50, but since the artillery units travelled mostly in the rear he had no opportunity to escape.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
