ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2001 25 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 1175) 17 October 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | PAK Tong Hyon (朴東鉉) (박동현) |
| PW NUMBER: | 63 NK 22063 |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| AGE: | 18 |
| DUTY: | Platoon Leader |
| UNIT: | 18th Div, 22nd Ind Arty Regt, 1st Bn, 1st Bury, 2nd Plat |
| EDUCATION: | P’YONGYANG Agriculture College (2 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | SEOUL (1000-1640) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 27 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | P’YONGAN NAMDO, SUNCH’ON Gun, SINCHANG Myon, Nungde-RI, #282 (平安南道 順川郡 新倉面 靈坮里 二八二) |
| Home Address: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | NAGAO (FEAF) |
PW claimed to hate the leftist elements in N. KOREA because he was brought up in a Christian family. He attempted to cross the 38th parallel into SEOUL but was caught and confined for 15 days. Deserted his unit and surrendered to the Local Security Organization.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
10 Jul 50: Inducted into the NKA at P’YONGYANG and received one month of artillery training.
26 Aug 50: Commissioned Jr Lt (少尉) and attached to the 507th Army unit in P’YONGYANG.
11 Sep 50: 507th Arty unit arrived in SEOUL and it was immediately reorganized. It was redesignated as the 22nd Independent Arty Regt and was attached to the 18th Div. PW was assigned to 2nd Pat, 1st Bn, 1st Btry, 22nd Ind Arty Regt, as platoon leader.
23 Sep 50: The Regt was composed of 3 Bns. The 1st Bn did not possess any gun but the 2nd and 3rd Bns were equipped with 6 x 76mm field guns and 6 x 122mm Howitzers respectively. They were dispatched to INCHON.
25 Sep 50: The 1st Bn of the 22nd Ind Arty Regt was engaged in street fighting within the city of SEOUL. PW deserted his unit and hid.
27 Sep 50: PW came out of hiding and surrendered to the Local Security organization.
Unit Organization and Strength:
1. Original organization and strength; The 22nd Ind Arty Regt was composed of three (3) battalions and a Signal platoon. Each battalion was composed of three (3) batteries, a signal platoon and a supply platoon. The total strength of the 22nd Ind Arty Regt was 2,400 men.
2. Last Known composition of unit: As of 25 Sep 50, PW heard that the 2nd and 3rd Bns of the 22nd Ind Arty Regt which were dispatched to the INCHON Area were wiped out and all their guns were destroyed by UN aircraft. He heard that only 70 men, from the 1st Bn, were able to escape from SEOUL and retreat towards N. KOREA.
Equipment:
The 1st Bn of the 22nd Ind Arty Regt was equipped with 6 trucks and each man was equipped with rifles, 300 rounds of ammunition and 2 hand grenades. Approximately 10% of the men were equipped with UM M-1 rifles and the rest were equipped with 7.62mm Mossin-Nagant M1891/30 rifles.
The 2nd and 3rd Bns of the 22nd Ind Arty Regt were equipped with 6 trucks each and all the men were equipped with US M-1 rifles, 300 rounds of ammunition and 2 hand grenades. The 2nd Bn was equipped with 6 x 76mm field guns and the 3rd Bn was equipped with 6 x 122mm Howitzers. All platoon leaders were equipped with a wrist compass and binoculars.
Unit History:
The 507th Arty unit was activated in P’YONGYANG on 10 Jul 50 and the total strength of 2,400 men were students conscripted from the various schools in N. KOREA. The unit arrived in SEOUL and was reorganized and redesignated the 22nd Ind Arty Regt. The total strength of the unit remained at 2,400 men.
As of 1 Sep 50, a group of 1,500 men from the SK Volunteer Corps arrived in P’YONGYANG and they replaced the original 507th Arty Unit which departed for SEOUL. PW believes the group of 1,500 men are now receiving artillery training in P’YONGYANG.
Dispositions:
PW heard that the 18th Div Hq was located in SEOUL and the 22nd Ind Arty Regt was under its direct supervision.
Knowledge of other units:
As of 1 Sep 50 the 507th Arty unit in P’YONGYANG was equipped with 3 x US guns - 122mm, 57mm, and 76m guns. Believes there is enough ammunition for training purposes only. Heard from a friend that the 18th Div was equipped with 10 medium tanks.
Personalities:
The 22nd Ind Arty Regt’l CO was Col (大佐) HONG Pyong Op (홍병업). Heard that he committed suicide in SEOUL on 26 Sep 50.
Morale and Propaganda:
All the troops of the 22nd Ind Arty Regt were students and the PW believes that 30% of the troops were strongly attached to Communistic ideals. This minority group maintained a firm belief in victory and their will to fight was very high.
However, the morale of the majority group was low and the PW believes that a large number deserted their units during the confusion of the street fighting in SEOUL. PW observed a US propaganda leaflet once in SEOUL and he states that it was very helpful in nullifying his fears about being killed if captured by the UN forces.
4. GENERAL:NKA Training Centers:
The training camp of the 507th Arty unit was located in a wooded area 2km north of the TAEDONG River and NE of P’YONGYANG (125⁰51⁻-39⁰03⁻). The Troops were quartered in straw huts camouflaged with pine branches. PW believes a group of 1,500 men from the SK Volunteer Corps were receiving artillery training here as of 2 Sep 50.
For the Commanding Officers:
WEELDREYER
Executive
