ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1251 22 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0848) 20 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | LEE, Mo Han (李모한) |
| PW NUMBER: | 63 NK 3468 |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| AGE: | 21 |
| DUTY: | Cook |
| UNIT: | 8th Div, Arty |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (6 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Farming |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | HWABON DONG (花本洞) (1160-1460) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 17 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | KANGWONDO, KUMHAW GUN, WONTONG MYON, CHANGYON RI, #785 (江原道 金化郡 遠東面 長淵里 七八五番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | TAKESAKO (FEAF) |
This PW was in good physical condition. Cooperative but information limited.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
| 15 Jul 50: | Inducted into a training unit at P'YONGYANG with 1,400 other conscripts. After 5 or 6 days training, the 1,400 were organized into the 8th Div Arty. |
| 23 Jul 50: | The entire unit departed P'YONGYANG for SEOUL where they remained one day. 3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty (nothing known of other 2 bns) departed by truck for YECH’ON (醴泉) the following day travelling only at night and resting by day. |
| 10 Aug 50: | Upon arriving at YECH’ON the 3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty engaged the enemy for its first battle. |
| 14 Aug 50: | Immediately after this engagement the 3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty travelled by truck to YECH’ON where it was joined the 1st and 2nd Bns, 8th Div Arty. |
| 16 Aug 50: | After a brief rest, the 8th Div Arty, now up to regiment strength departed YECH’ON. But at a point about 8 km from YECH’ON, the regiment received enemy air attack. It unsuccessfully attempted to conceal its guns in train tunnels. The guns were spotted and destroyed. |
| 20 Aug 50: | After this aerial attack, the regiment continued to UIHUNG (義興) via ANDONG where it arrived about 20 Aug 50. At UIHUNG it was learned that the 3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty was able to salvage nine guns. The 2nd Bn, 8th Div Arty was rearmed with 12 x new guns and the 1st Bn, 8th Div Arty was converted into a rifle bn, |
| 26 Aug 50: | On 26 or 27 Aug 50 the regiment, now a composite organization, departed UIHUNG for UISONG (義城). |
| 1 Sep 50: | The regiment engaged the enemy in its 2nd battle. This battle continued for about a week. |
| 10 Sep 50: | The 2nd Bn, 8th Div Arty, still with its nine guns, transferred to another front, near HWABON DONG for its third engagement. |
| 17 Sep 50: | It was here that the PW was captured by ROK troops. |
Unit Organization and Strength:
1. Original organization and strength:
3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty (at SEOUL)
7th Btry - 5 officers and 60 EM
8th Btry - Same as above
9th Btry - Same as above
Wireless Section - 1 officer and 6 EM
Signal Platoon - 1 officer and 20 EM
Recon Section - 1 officer and 7 EM
Supply Platoon - l officer and 10 EM
Finance Section - 6 EM
Medic Section - 3 EM
2. Actual Battle Organization and Strength:
Same with the exception of 1st Bn which was comprised of 270 officers and EM (?).
3. Last Known Composition of Unit:
Losses of 3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty (at HWABON DONG):
7th Co - 6 dead or missing
8th Co - 3 dead or missing
9th Co - 2 dead or missing
Equipment:
3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty (at HWABON DONG)
7th Btry - 3 x 76mm M1942 guns
8th Btry - 3 x 76mm M1942 guns
9th Btry - 3 x 122mm M1910/30 Howitzers
2nd Bn, 8th Div Arty (at UIHUNG)
4th Btry - 4 x 76mm M1942 guns
5th Btry - 4 x 76mm M1942 guns
6th Btry - 4 x 122mm M1910/30 Howitzers
Nothing known of 1st Bn.
Personalities:
3rd Bn Cmdr, a Major LEE Fnu (李 )
9th Bn Cmdr, a Jr Lt RA Ki Ch'al (羅基찰)
Supply officer, a Jr Lt PAK Ki Jong (朴기종)
Morale and Propaganda:
The morale of the 3rd Bn, 8th Div Arty, including the NCOs and privates, was generally low due to a acute shortage of clothing and food. Ever since the battle at YECH’ON around 10 Aug 50, food was normally served once a day. The morale of the officers, however, was extremely high.
The PW was his first propaganda leaflet at HWABON DONG. His immediate feeling was of relief as he had heretofore thought that his only escape from the war was to fight on till his death, He had believed all along that capture meant certain death,
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
