ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1616 4 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0967) 30 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | LEE, Chon Su (李典洙) (이전수) |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| AGE: | 26 |
| DUTY: | Plt Ldr |
| UNIT: | 8th Div, Recon Co |
| EDUCATION: | SEOUL Foreign Language Institute (2 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Clerk at Mine Equipment Mfg Plant |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | SAMKO-Ri (三巨里), 8 km SW UISONG (1100-1490) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 25 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, KILJU-Gun, UNGP’YONG-Myon, PAEKWON-Ni #121 (咸鏡北道 吉州郡 雄坪面 百元里 一二一番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | NAGANO (FEAF) |
PW joined the MINCH'ONG (Communist Youth Organization) and received regular political indoctrination. Deserted his unit and was captured by ROK Forces.
Not recommended for further interrogation.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
1 Sep 49 - PW was inducted into the NKPA at SONGJIN.
3 Sep 49 - A group of 500 recruits departed by train. Arrived at YANGYANG 8 Sep 50. PW received basic infantry and special reconnaissance training for a period of 6 months.
? Jun 50 - Departed YANGYANG as a member of the Security Guard Unit, 1st Brigade, 6th Bn.
29 Jun 50 - Arrived at KWANGWON-Ni (廣院里) and engaged the ROK 8th Div. Casualties were very light.
20 Jul 50 - The Security Guard Unit was combined with the 8th Div and PW was assigned to the 2nd Plt, Recon Co.
The 8th Div departed the KANGNUNG Area on foot after a few weeks rest.
5 Aug 50 - Arrived at YECHON. Enroute from KANGNUNG Area, the 8th Div was attacked by aircraft many times and lost 10 x 76-mm Field Guns, 3 x 122-mm Howitzers, 20 x T-70 light tanks and 50 trucks loaded with ammunition and equipment.
In YECH’ON, the 8th Div was engaged in battle for 5 days and sustained heavy casualties. This was the first battle where the 8th Div met a counter-attack and a large number of troops were captured.
? Aug 50 - The 8th Div arrived at a point 10 km North of UISONG and encountered stiff resistance. They sustained heavy casualties again. The 8th Div received approx 800 replacements from N KOREA and they were assigned to the 1st Bn of the 1st Regt. PW states that the 1st Bn was reorganized and was composed of replacement only.
29 Aug 50 - The 8th Div arrived at a point 7 km NW of SINNYONG (新寧) and engaged in battle continuously.
7 Sep 50 - PW was promoted to Jr Lt (少尉) from Pvt (戰士) because the original platoon leader and majority of original members of the unit were killed in battle.
21 Sep 50 - The 8th Div was stalemated for a period of 20 days between UIHUNG and SINNYONG. The majority of the original force was lost and replaced by untrained recruits from N KOREA and from the S KOREA Volunteer Army.
The Div started a gradual withdrawal 23 Sep 50, The CP arrived at KUMSONGSAN (金聲山) but again retreated 24 Sep 50. They arrived at a point 12 km SW of UISONG and all the major units of the Div were concentrated in this general area.
25 Sep 50 - Again, the 8th Div retreated toward YECH’ON but suddenly met the enemy 8 km SW of UISONG. PW volunteered, two other men, to reconnoiter for an escape route. However, close to enemy lines, PW deserted the reconnaissance patrol and headed for a village held by ROK Forces. Due to exhaustion, he fell asleep in a vacant farmhouse and was captured by a member of ROKA.
Unit Organization and Strength:
Actual Battle organization and Strength: The 8th Div was composed of the following units: Three Inf Regts, Arty Regt, Signal battalion, Engr Bn, Training Bn, Recon Co, Special Guard Plt and Security Guard Plt, The total strength was approximately 10,000 men.
Last Known Composition: As of 25 Sep 50, the Arty Regt did not exist in the 8th Div and the total strength was approx 6,000 men.
Equipment:
As of 25 Sep 50, the 8th Div had 20 x 82-mm Mortars, 100 x HMG and 500 LMGs. PW believes the ammunition for these guns was very low.
Intentions:
PW states that the 8th Div was completely disorganized 8 km SW of UISONG, however, he believes that the major portion of the Div was moving to YECH’ON.
Personalities:
8th Div CG: Maj Gen (少將) O, Paek Yong (吳白容) PW heard that he was trained in USSR.
1st Regt CO: Col (大佐) LEE, Hang Nae (李恒來)
2nd Regt CO: Col (大佐) SA, Saeng (史生)
Recon Co CO: Capt (總尉) CH'OE, Chin Nam (崔鎭南) Graduated the Military Academy in P’YONGYANG, 48.
Morale and Propaganda:
PW believes that the morale of the original members of the 8th Div was fairly high because they were made to believe that all units were making a tactical withdrawal. They also were told that the fall of PUSAN was imminent.
The morale of the replacements seemed very low, especially the replacements arriving from the SK Volunteer Corps. Many replacements attempted to escape combat duty by shooting themselves, but PW heard that they were placed before a military court composed of cultural officers. He also heard that the majority of them were sentenced to death.
PW believes that the 8th Div, as a fighting unit, did not possess any spontaneous will to fight.
PW read two types of US propaganda leaflets near UISONG. He states that he held a feeling of contempt for the things written in the leaflets. However, he planned desert his unit when he was told that he would be severely punished for neglect of duty when his platoon failed to stop two attacking ROK battalions during one of the battles near UISONG.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
