ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1973 24 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 1222) 20 October 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | CHONG, Hui Son (鄭熙善) (정희선) |
| PW NUMBER: | 63 NK 22062 |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| AGE: | 20 |
| DUTY: | Plat Ldr |
| UNIT: | 19th Div, 35th Regt, 1st Bn, 82-mm Mortar Co, 3rd Plat |
| EDUCATION: | Technical College at KOK-SAN (谷山) |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | KUHWA-Ri (九化里), approx 25 km NE of KAESONG (開城) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 11 Oct 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HWANGHAE-Do, SOHUNG-Gun, MAEYANG-Myon, SONGBONG-Ni #243 (黃海道瑞興郡梅陽面書峯里二四三) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | S/Sgt ONODA (FEAF) |
2. ASSESSMENT: PW very intelligent and very cooperative. Reliability, fair.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
25 Jul 50 - Inducted at P’YONGYANG. Entered No 1 P’YONGYANG Military Academy.
16 Aug 50 - PW and approx 60 men graduated from 122-mm Howitzer class and approx 60 men graduated from 76-mm AT gun class. All received commissions as Jr Lt’s (少尉).
17 Aug 50 - PW and 3 officers (122-mm Howitzer Specialist) and 8 officers (76-mm AT Gun Specialist) arrived CHINNAMP’O, and assigned to Ind Arty Bn, Inf Regt (Code 596).
28 Aug 50 - By order of the Ministry of Defense, Ind Arty Bn, Inf Regt was deactivated.
29 Aug 50 - All officers and men were transferred to other units.
1 Sep 50 - Arty Regt, 19th Brigade was organized at SUKCH’ON. PW and 11 officers who had been recently assigned to Ind Arty Bn, Inf Regt at CHINNAMP’O were transferred to SUKCH’ON (肅川) and assigned to Arty Regt, 19th Brigade. Approx 40 officers were assigned here from other units.
15 Sep 50 - 19th Brigade was organized at SUKCH’ON PW and 11 officers who had been recently
17 Sep 50 - PW was transferred to SUNGHO-Ri (勝湖里) and assigned to 3rd Plat, 82-mm Mortar Co, 1st Inf Bn, 35th Regt, 19th Div, as plat ldr.
27 Sep 50 - 35th Regt departed, marched toward the south.
9 Oct 50 - 1st Inf Bn arrived at KUHWA-Ri (九化里).
10 Oct 50 - 82-mm Mortar Co received orders to take all arms and ammunition to Bn Hq because 1st Inf Bn was going to retreat. PW with 5 Pvt’s brought 3 x 82-mm Mortars. Bn CO told PW and 5 Pvt’s to go back and bring 60 rounds of ammunition. They started out and decided to desert the unit and went directly to the UN Forces.
0300 11 Oct 50 - Located ROK Army and voluntarily surrendered to them.
Composition of Unit: (as of 2 Oct 50)
19th Div - (Hq SUKCH’ON (肅川) Code No. 322
Three (3) Inf Regt’s (35th Regt and 2 other u/i Regt’s and an Arty Regt.
35th Inf Regt (Hq SUNGHO-Ri (勝湖里) as of 20 Sep 50.
1,200 men. Three (3) Inf Bn’s
Inf Battalion: 400 men
Three (3) Inf Co’s.
82-mm Mortar Co. - 50 men, 9 x 82-mm Mortars
82-mm Mortar Co - 3 x Plat’s. 16 men per Plat. 3 x 82-mm Mortar each Plat.
Arty Regt: (Hq SOKYANG-Ni (石陽里)
approx 600 men
54 x 122-mm Howitzer
108 x 76-mm AT Gun
Arty Bn: 1st Co (122-mm Howitzer Co)
65 men, 6 x 122-mm Howitzer
1st Plat - Command Plat - 20 men
2nd Plat - 20 men - 3 x 122-mm Howitzers
3rd Plat - 20 men - 3 x 122-mm Howitzers
Personalities:
KWON, Sung Gwon (權勝卷) (권승권) Lt, 25 82-mm Mortar Co CO, 1st Bn, 35th Inf Regt, 19th Div. Originally from 8th Route Army (CCF) (八路軍). Fought in MANCHURIA.
Morale:
Morale of 19th Div was low because only about 10% of officers and NCO’s were regulars while 90% were recently selected from school and totally inexperienced.
No 1 P’YONGYANG Military Academy Classes:
PW was not able to estimate the strength. The following subjects were taught during the period of 27 Jul 50 to 16 Aug 50:
1. Infantry class
2. 120-mm Mortar class
3. 82-mm Mortar class
4. 122-mm Howitzer class
5. 76-mm AT Gun class
6. 45-mm AT Gun class
7. Engineer class
8. Communication class
(122-mm Howitzer Firing Positions)
1. Howitzer leader (Sr Sgt )
2. Gunner (Sgt )
3. Trigger puller (Pvt)
4. Shell loader (Pvt)
5. Shell Carrier (Pvt)
6. Shell Carrier (Pvt)
7. Shell Carrier (Pvt)
122-mm Howitzer Multiple Firing:
It took approx 8 minutes to place the guns in position. The CP would relay the objective and position of target to Gun No 1 by field phone on the range. Squad leader of Gun #1 would then relay the message to the remaining gun positions by vote command. It would take approx 10 minutes to have these guns ready for firing.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
