ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1396 26 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (7th Div (4) LDI - 0004) 21 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| NAME: | KIM, Hong Do |
| PW NO: | 56 |
| RANK: | Junior Lt Inf |
| DUTY: | Plt Leader |
| UNIT: | 1st Plt, Hvy MG Co, 6th Bn, 18th Brigade, APO 863 |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | CHANG DONG, S KOREA |
| DATE: | 20 Sep 1950 at 1600 hrs |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG-NAMDO, YONG HUNG GUN, SON HUNG-MYON, SAMSUNG-RI, #98 |
None
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:The Source was conscripted into NKPA in Dec 3, 1948 at his home address and received one year of basic and combat training in SINNUIJU, N KOREA. Discharged as Sgt one year later. Recalled into service July 14, 1950 and given rank of Junior Lt because of his previous military experience. He was immediately assigned to 18th Brigade which was organized in the middle part of July 1950 with soldiers recruited from provinces of PYONGAN-NAMDO and HUMGYONG-BUKDO of N KOREA. It was organized in PYONGYANG and he became a Plt leader. At this time the brigade was comprised of 6 Bns with about 350 in each Bn, plus about 30 EM and officers attached to brigade hqs. It was commanded by General KIM Hong.
18th Brigade moved to SEOUL on July 21, 1950 and reorganized into two Rgts with approximate strength of 1,050. Each Rgt was broken down to 3 Bns. Bn was further broken down to 3 Cos; 2 rifle and 1 Hvy MG Cos. Each Hvy MG Co was authorized 9 7.62 MM "MAXIM" submachine guns. Brigade was called "SHIP-PAL-KUN PUTE, CHOSUN IN MIN GUN". CG was KIM Hong, Hqs in SEOUL.
Source's Bn, led by Maj Pek Yong Un marched to CHONGA DONG (01.1-44.3) on the morning of 18 Sep. His Hy MG Co was separated from Bn and he ordered his guns emplaced on top of a mountain. His Co had 5, 7.62 MM "MAXIM" Hv MG's at the time. When he observed many US ships anchored at Inchon Harbor he became convinced that the cause was lost so he deserted his unit on 13 Sep.
4. REMARKS:The soldiers of PW's unit were very poorly trained and their morale was low. Although he was told by his Bn CO that they would be killed if captured by UN forces, he took a chance and escaped.
UYEDA
