ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1458 29 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0913) 26 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | NO Chae Kil (盧載吉) (노재길) |
| PW NUMBER: | 63 NK 4733 |
| RANK: | Maj (少佐) |
| AGE: | 25 |
| DUTY: | Regt’1 S-3 (Plans and Operations) |
| UNIT: | 6th Div Replacement Regt |
| EDUCATION: | Middle School (2 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | Outskirts of YUNOE-RI (輪外里) (1130-1370) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 19 0900 K Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | CH’UNGCH’ONG NAMDO, YONGI GUN, CHONTONG MYON YANGGOK NI, #335 (忠淸南道 燕岐郡 全東面 陽谷里) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | SEOUL, YONGDUNGP’O KU, TORIM DONG (서울市 永登浦区 道林洞) |
| INTERROGATOR: | Sgt HAMASAKA (ATIS) |
PW appeared to be intelligent. He was cooperative. PW claims he surrendered to US troops voluntarily, however, in interrogator’s opinion, PW surrendered when capture became inevitable. In SEOUL, 28 Jun 50, PW was released by NKPA after serving 2 years of 10 year sentence imposed by ROK Army general court-martial (see chronology).
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
| Mar 43: | PW conscripted into Japanese Army. |
| Apr 45: | Enrolled Japanese pre-flight (glider) training school, TOKYO. |
| Mar 44: | Graduated pre-flight course. Sent to UTSUNOMIYA (宇都宮). Army flight school, UTSUNOMIYA, JAPAN. |
| 15 Aug 45: | End of hostilities of World War Ⅱ, PW discharged. |
| 7 Sep 45: | PW returned to home, CHONUI (全義), South KOREA. |
| Oct 45: | PW moved to SEOUL. |
| 25 Feb 46: | Volunteered for ROK Army, SEOUL. |
| 14 Sep 46: | Enrolled Army OCS, SEOUL. |
| 14 Dec 46: | Graduated 5th place out of 290 graduating students. Commissioned 2nd Lt, Inf, ROK Army. Assigned as Inf Instructor at OCS, SEOUL. |
| May 47: | Transferred to IRI (裡里). Assigned Bn, S-3, 1st Bn, IRI. |
| Jul 47: | Promoted from 2nd Lt to 1st Lt, ROK Army at IRI. |
| 1 Aug 47: | Transferred to 4th Regt, KWANGJU (光州). Assigned Regt’1 S-3. |
| 27 Feb 48: | Transferred to ROK Army Inf Training School, SEOUL. Assigned as Inf instructor. |
| 27 Feb 48: | Transferred to SEOUL ROK Army, OCS, SEOUL. Assigned as instructor. |
| 10 Nov 48: | PW apprehended by ROK Army Intelligence agents, SEOUL. Arraigned before general court-martial, SEOUL. PW charged with violating ROK Army regulation (Jun 47) prohibiting political affiliation by ROK Army personnel. PW admitted political affiliation with Communist Party in SEOUL, however was not party member (At present PW claims he is opposed to Communism). PW also charged with conspiring to overthrow ROK Government. |
| 8 Feb 49: | PW found guilty by general court-martial, dishonorably discharged from ROK Army, sentenced to serve 10 years in civil prison, SEOUL. |
| 28 Jun 50: | SEOUL occupied by NKPA. Political prisoners, including PW, released from prison. Volunteered for Korea People’s Volunteer Corps (朝鮮人民義勇軍). Recruited from SEOUL population by NKPA. |
| 9 Jul 50: | PW conscripted into Korea People’s Volunteer Corps. Assigned Bn adjutant (no rank), 3rd Bn, 1st Brigade SEOUL. |
| 16 Jul 50: | 1st Brigade, SEOUL, composed of five (5) Bns, total strength 2,500. Conscripts (mostly city laborers, some students, ages 18-40; average age 230 untrained, received one (1) hand grenade apiece. Left SEOUL on foot, uniforms of former ROK Youth Organization. Conscripts told they would be armed in the south with captured arms. |
| 15 Jul 50: | 1st Brigade arrived at P’YOUGTAEK. Brigade separated into East and West units. East unit, composed of 1st and 2nd Bns, continued march southward over western route (CH’ONAN (天安), KONGJU (公州), NONSAN (論山), CHONJU (全州), NAMWON (南原 남원), SUNCH’ON (順泉) - arrived SUNCH’ON 9 Aug 50). West unit, composed of 3rd, 4th and 5th Bns, continued in south direction. 1st Brigade still unarmed. |
| 25 Jul 50: | West unit arrived at KWANGJU (光州) via ONCH’ON-NI (溫井里), CH’ONGYANG (靑陽), I-RI, CHONGUP (井邑), SAGA-RI (四街里). |
| 29 Jul 50: | West unit left KWANGJU on foot. |
| 1 Aug 50: | West unit arrived at CHANGHUNG (易長興) |
| 3 Aug 50: | West unit left CHANGHUNG by foot. |
| 5 Aug 50: | West unit arrived at SUNCH’ON. |
| 7 Aug 50: | West unit left SUNCH’ON on foot. |
| 10 Aug 50: | West unit joined East unit at PONGGYE-RI (風溪里). Only 50 troops out of original 2,500 (No casualties to date) armed with rifles and a LMG. |
| 13 Aug 50: | 1st Brigade left PONGGYE-RI. |
| 16 Aug 50: | 1st Brigade arrived at KOSONG (高城) via SACH’ON (泗川). Continued march, by foot, to PAEDUN-NI (背屯里). |
| 20 Aug 50: | 1st Brigade left PAEDUN-NI on foot. |
| 21 Aug 50: | 1st Brigade arrived at 6th Div, 15th Inf Regt’1 Hq area in NAE-DONG (內洞), km Northwest of PAEDUN-NI. On same date 1st Brigade deactivated. |
| 26 Aug 50: | 40 officers, company commander and higher rank, from former 1st Brigade formed 6th Div Replacement Regt. Replacement Regt’1 Hq located in MAEGOK DONG (梅谷洞) (See 6th Div unit disposition), Following South Korea provinces designated areas from which replacement Regt obtained conscripts; CHOLLA NAMDO (全羅南道), CHOLLA PUKTO (全羅北道), KYONGSANG NAMDO (慶尙南道). |
| 26 Aug-6 Sep 50: | Recruiting officers were sent into above areas and in conjunction with local guard units, conscripted approximately 3,000 South Korean males (ages 18-36; average age 24). Physical examinations were given prospective conscriptees by local civilian doctors, however only those with major physical deformaties (amoutees, cripples) and/or mental defects were rejected. No educational requirements. Primary objective of replacement Regt was to conscript South Koreans and train them for combat replacement, 6th Div units. Secondary objective was to furnish man power to haul supplies, mainly ammunition, to combat area from roar. No combat replacements were trained in replacement regt up to 16 Sep 50 because of lack of weapons, uniforms. South Korean conscripts were marched from homes directly to replacement Regt area (See 6th Div Unit disposition). During period 28 Aug-8 Sep, four (4) supply transport units numbering 300, 150, 90, 106 men, respectively, dispatched from replacement Regt to Div Supply depot. Only first group (300 conscripts) returned to unit after hauling supplies to forward area, 6th Div. |
| 11 Sep 50: | PW and one other officer (Maj 少佐) received orders to report to Div Hq. Left same day on foot. |
| 12 Sep 50: | Arrived Div Hq (See 6th Div Unit position). |
| 16 Sep 50: | PW ordered to personally conduct reconnaissance and ascertain US Army unit positions and strength in North-west area of SIPIDANG SAN (十二堂山), 7 km North-west of HAHAN. PW and party of 9 experienced EM from replacement Regt left Div Hq same evening on foot. Equipment consisted of a 1:50,000 map of the HAMAN by 20 Sep 50. |
| 180300 K Sep: | PW’s party penetrated US Army forward line which ran North to South through YUNOE-RI (輪外里) at a point immediately South through YUNOE-RI, however, at this point only PW and one other continued on. Remainder, reconnaissance patrol, withdrew to NAESONG (內松), 3km Northwest of YUNOE-RI. |
| 18 Sep 50: | PW’s party continued by foot over dirt along western outskirt of YUNOE-RI. Fired on by US guards or patrol at northwest edge of village. PW’s partner wounded in thigh. PW sought escape route, carrying wounded partner on back. Later same day decided to surrender since escape back to unit appeared impossible. |
| 190900 K Sep 50: | PW surrendered to US Army unit in north outskirts of YUNOE-RI. |
| Remarks: | Total strength objective, Replacement Regt, was 5,000 South Korean conscripts by 10 Sep, however, only 3,000 conscripted up to 11 Sep 50. PW believes Regt brought up to 5000 strength by now (24 Sep 50). However, does not think adequate equipment and facilities exist for training of conscripts into effective combat troops. |
Personalities:
| Name: | PANG (FNU) (方) (방) |
| Rank: | Maj Gen (少將) |
| Age: | Unknown |
| Position: | CG, 6th Div |
| Remarks: | Military training in MANCHURL. Arrived North KOREA, Jun 49. |
| Name: | NO (FNU) (盧) (노) |
| Rank: | Sr Col (總佐) |
| Age: | 40 |
| Position: | Chief of staff |
| Remark: | Believed came from MANCHURIA together with CG, 6th Div, Maj Gen PANG. |
| Name: | PAK Il (朴日) (박일) |
| Rank: | Sr Col (總佐) |
| Age: | 33 |
| Position: | CO, Replacement Regt |
| Remarks: | Former CG, Korea People’s Volunteer Corps, 1st Brigade (10 Jul-21 Aug 50). Formerly commanded guerrilla unit (designation unknown) along 38° parallel. |
| Name: | CHO In Gyu (趙仁奎) (조인규) |
| Rank: | Lt Col |
| Age: | 29 |
| Position: | Chief of Staff |
| Remarks: | Former Chief of Staff Korea People’s Volunteer Corps; 1st Brigade (10 Jul-21 Aug 50). Formerly Chief of Staff, 15th Inf Regt, 6th Div. Transferred to replacement Regt, 21 Aug 50. |
| Name: | NAM Chae Mok (南再穆) (남재목) |
| Rank: | Col (大佐) |
| Age: | 29 |
| Position: | Regt’1 Supply Officer |
| Remarks: | Former Deputy CG Korea People’s Volunteer Corps, 1st Brigade (10 Jul-21 Aug 50). Formerly ROK Army Capt. Imprisoned together with PW on similar charges (See Chronology) (8 Feb 49-28 Jun 50). |
Weapons and Personnel (11 Sep 50):
6th Div (13th, 14th, 15th Inf Regts, Arty Regt, Replacement Regt, Eng Bn, Sig Bn, NCO Training Bn, Med Bn, Hq Guard Co, Recon Co) - strength of 5,000 (Not including 3,000 South Koreans conscripted into Replacement Regt)
13th Inf Regt - strength of 1,500
30 x MAXIM HMG M1910 (On SOKOLOV Mount)
5 x trucks
14th Inf Regt - TO & E believed to be same as 13th Inf Regt.
15th Inf Regt - TO & E believed to be same as 13th Inf Regt.
Arty Regt - Strength unknown
4 x 122mm M1943 Mortar (truck-drawn)
6 x 45mm M1942 AT gun (horse-drawn)
Remarks: Above weapons observed 4 Sep 50 15km East of CHINJU (晋州) on CHINJU-MASAN(馬山) highway.
Replacement Regt - strength 50 NKPA officers and NCO, 3,000 conscripted South Koreans. No weapons.
6th Div Unit Disposition (16 Sep 50)
| Note: Reference points | (1) WONBUNG-NI (1132-1362) |
| (2) RR tunnel (length 200m) on KEIZAN Railroad 2km South of WONBUNG-NI |
Div Hq - Located in village huts MYONGKWAN DONG (明館洞) located at eastern foothill of wooded hill -2 km Northeast of RR tunnel. 17 trucks and 3 jeeps (Div Hq) hidden in tunnel.
13th (657) Inf Regt - Deployed in line Northwest to Southeast stop wooded mountain 1km East of CHUNGAN-NI (中岩里) (7km West Northwest of HAMAN).
14th (659) Inf Regt - Deployed in line Northwest to Southeast at P’IL BONG (筆埲) mountain 4 km Southwest of HAMAN.
15th (661) Inf Regt - Deployed in line Northwest to Southeast stop high wooded hill 9km South of HAMAN.
Div Arty Regt - Positioned at eastern foothill of high hill 4km South Southwest of tunnel.
Div Replacement Regt
Note: Reference point 300m RR tunnel (1110-1350) located 1km South of South KEIZAN railroad junction of incomplete railroad bed extending south to SACH’ON (泗川). Railroad being used as road.
Regt’1 Hqs - Located in village hunts MAEGOK DONG (梅谷洞) 800m South of tunnel along West side of railroad foundation. Div supply depot located within tunnel (See Supply).
1st Bn - Hq and units located in HWAGAERI (花開里) km Southwest of tunnel.
2nd Bn - Hq and units located in KUAM-NI (龟岩里) 8km South of tunnel and 3km East of SACH’ON.
3rd Bn - Hq and units located in YEHA-RI (禮下里) 4km North of SACH’ON.
6th Div Objective:
At time of 6th Div offensive launched 1 Sep 50 objective was KUMHAE (金海) via HAMAN, MASAN (馬山) CHINHAE (鎭海). Div Hq estimated KUMHAE would be occupied by 3 Sep. Offensive failed. PW believes lack of adequately trained troops and poor supply transportation major contributing factors. PW believes next offensive date for same objective was 20 Sep because of importance stressed on reconnaissance patrol in which he participated (16-19 Sep).
6th Div Capabilities (11 Sep 50):
PW believes 6th Div incapable of future offensive action in present state of organization. Untrained replacements, comprising 50% of Div, constituted greatest problem. In average Inf Sqd only 3 trained and/or experienced troops were available. Remainder were untrained personnel unable to operate submachine guns or HMG.
Shortage of weapons (rifles and ammunition) was acute, however ranked available, were captured US M-1 rifles and carbines. M1891/30 rifles taken from unit casualties were also redistributed.
6th Div Supply Route:
Rail supply route extended from SEOUL to SUNCH’ON via following points: P’YOUNGTAEK (平澤), CH’ONAN (天安), CHOCH’IWON (鳥致院), TAEJON (大田), I-RI (浬里), CHONJU (全州) and NAMWON (南原). From SUNCH’ON supplies were hauled by trucks to Div Supply depot (See 6th Div unit disposition). On several occasions PW observed 20 trucks being used in hauling supplies between SUNCH’ON and Div supply depot. Majority of supplies consisted of small arms ammunition. Some 45mm AT shells were also hauled to Div Supply depot. PW believes greatest supply transportation problem lay in transportation from Div supply depot to forward areas. Army uniforms were never supplied 6th Div personnel.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
