ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2021 25 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (164- MISDI - 1116) 15 October 1950
PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | WHANG, Chong Kun (黃鐘根) (황종근) |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| ORGN: | 36th Indep Security Bn (MINISTRY OF INTERIOR UNIT), 60mm Mortar Co, 3rd Plat. |
| DUTIES: | Plat Ldr |
| EDUCATION: | WONSAN Agricultural College, 1 yr |
| AGE: | 19 |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| ADDRESS: | CHONGJIN-SI, PANJUK-RI, #500 (淸津市 班竹里) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 131200 K Oct 50 at YONGBUNG-MYON (BT 8721) by US 5th Cav Regt |
| INTERROGATOR: | H.N. |
Very cooperative and talked freely. Information seems reliable.
T/O & E AND STRENGTH OF 36th Indep Security Bn:The 36th Independent Security Bn (a Ministry of Interior Unit) was composed of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Rifle companies, a 60mm Mortar Co, Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Co, Recon Plat, HMG Plat, Engineer Plat, Anti-tank Plat, Transportation Plat, Medical Plat, Bn Rear, and Bn Hq.
| 36th Ind Security Bn: | ORIGINAL |
| Rifle Company (each) (3 x Rifle Squads) | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 100-120 |
| 2. Officer | 8-9 |
| 3. Total | 108-129 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. IMG | 3 |
| 2. M1891/30 Rifle | 105-124 (150 rds per) |
| 3. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| c. Remarks: | Of the 8 or 9 officers with the Rifle Co, three were assistant plat ldrs with the rank of Jr Lt. |
| 60mm Mortar Co: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 54 |
| 2. Officer | 5 |
| 3. Total | 59 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. 60mm Mortar (US make) | 2 (25 rds per) |
| 2. 2.67 Bazooka (US make) | 10 ( 5 rds per) |
| 3. M1891/30 Rifles (Russ) | 59 (150 rds per) |
| 4. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| AA Machine Gun Co: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 35 |
| 2. Officer | 4 |
| 3. Total | 39 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. 12.7mm DShK M1938 AA MG | 3 (5 Boxes, US Cal 50 MG ammo) |
| 2. M1891/30 Rifle | 39 (150 rds per) |
| 3. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| Recon Plat: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 20 |
| 2. Officer | 3 |
| 3. Total | 23 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. M1891/30 Rifle | 23 |
| 2. Binocular | 1 |
| 3. Compass | 1 |
| HMG Plat: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 30 |
| 2. Officer | 2 |
| 3. Total | 32 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. HMG (Believed US make) | 2 (5 boxes of ammo) |
| 2. M1891/30 Rifle | 32 (150 rds per) |
| 3. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| Engineer Plat: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 35 |
| 2. Officer | 1 |
| 3. Total | 36 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. M1891/30 Rifles | 36 (150 rds per) |
| 2. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| 3. No other equipment with this unit. | |
| Anti-Tank Plat: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 35 |
| 2. Officer | 2 |
| 3. Total | 37 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. M1891/30 Rifle | 36 (150 rds per) |
| 2. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| 3. No Other equipment | |
| Medical Plat: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 7 |
| 2. Officer | 3 |
| 3. Total | 10 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. M1891/30 Rifle | 6 (150 rds per) |
| 2. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| 3. Litter | 1 |
| 4. Iodines | Unk |
| 5. Indigestion Pills | Unk |
| 6. Bandage | Unk |
| Transportation Plat: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 30 |
| 2. Officer | 2 |
| 3. Total | 32 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. Truck (Old FORD) | 1 |
| 2. M1891/30 Rifle | 32 (150 rds per) |
| 3. Hand grenades | 2 per man |
| 4. Oxen & Cart | 2 |
| Bn Hq: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 32 |
| 2. Officer | 10 |
| 3. Total | 12 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. Pistol (TOKAREV) M1933 | 3 (16 rds per) |
| 2. M1891/30 Rifle | 7 (150 rds per) |
| 3. Hand grenades | 14 |
| 4. ¼ Ton, 4 x 4, Truck (US Jeep) | 1 |
| Bn Rear: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| 1. EM | 2 |
| 2. Officer | 8 |
| 3. Total | 10 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| 1. M1891/30 Rifle | 7 (150 rds per) |
| 2. US Carbine | 2 (15 rds per) |
| 3. Pistol (TOKAREV) M1933 | 1 (16 rds per) |
Present strength (10 Oct 50) of the 36th Indep Security Bn was approx 400 men. Very few casualties suffered but rate of desertion was very high. Unit now has no vehicles nor HMG’s. One AA MG (in poor operating condition) believed to be remaining with AA MG Co. (see 60mm Mortar Section for details of other heavy weapons).
Troops of 36th Bn were all recruits conscripted during Sep 50. Eighty (80) South Koreans were with this unit.
PW believes that there was some relationship between the 36th Indep Security Bn and the 107th Regt (Ministry of Interior Unit) because 107th Regimental Commander was frequently seen at 36th Indep Secuirty Bn Hq.
LOCATION AND ACTIVITIES OF UNIT:On 10 Oct 50 the 36th Indep Security Bn was situated in prepared positions (including pill boxes believed to have been prepared by NK Border Guard Units prior to the outbreak of hostilities) on SONG HAK Mountain (松嶽山) (BT 8414). Bn Hq was located at SAMPO DONG (vic of YONGBUNG MYON) o/a 10 Oct 50.
Hearsay: 33rd, 3rd, and 27th Bns (3rd and 27th Bns were Ministry of Interior Units) (33rd Bn believed to be independent of higher echelon) were located on SONG HAK Mt, 10 Oct 50.
On 13 Oct 50 the 36th Indep Security Bn retreated to SAMPO MYON where they received orders from the Bn CO to retreat individually to KUMCHON (BT 7825)
An unknown and unidentified Brigade Hq was located in KAEJONG on 10 Oct 50.
PW believes that the 107th Regiment was located near SONGHAK Mt, on 10 Oct 50.
PERSONAL AND UNIT HISTORY:PW was inducted into the NKA at PYONGYANG on 5 Aug 50 and commissioned as Jr Lt upon induction. (All college students were commissioned upon induction.)
PW and 100 other newly commissioned officers and 1,000 recruits arrived at SEOUL from PYONGYANG On 12 Aug 50.
PW and 50 other officers were assigned to the Artillery OCS located in SEOUL on 12 Aug 50. PW and his group of 50 were the second and final class to graduate from this Artillery OCS.
Graduating on 17 Sep 50, PW was assigned to the 36th Indep Security Bn which was organized on 18 Sep 50 at SEOUL.
The 36th Bn took defensive positions on the North Bank of the HAN River South of ILSAN-NI (CS 0373) on 18 Sep 50 but withdrw to a point 2 km South of ILSAN-NI. The unit was deployed as a Southern perimeter defense for ILSAN-NI until 30 Sep 50. The 36th Bn marched North to KAESONG (BT 8505) on the main road, arriving at KAESONG on 2 Oct 50. On 2 Oct 50 the 36th Bn, received orders to proceed to HUNGYO-MYON (BT 8587) to defend the area. Arrived at HUNGYO-MYON on 3 Oct 50.
On 5 Oct 50 the unit departed for YUHYUNG (vic BT 7510) arriving on 6 Oct 50. 36th Bn departed YUHYUNG and arrived at SONGHAK Mountain on 8 Oct 50.
On 11 Oct 50 PW and 25 others were ordered to hide a 57mm Gun which they picked up but PW and 15 others deserted and surrendered to US 8th Cav Regt on 131200 K Oct 50 at YONGBUNG-MYON (BT8721)
MORALE:Morale of troops with 36th Indep Security Bn was very low due to improper and inadequate weapons; their dislike of communism; and the plight of the NKA in this war.
The unit is largely composed of troops that avoided conscription until Aug 50.
US PW’S:Hearsay: US PW’s were sent to HOERYONG.
SIGNAL INFORMATION:The 36th Bn did not have any signal equipment or personnel, but they used abandoned telephones and wire which was acquired at the front.
GENERAL INFORMATION:Hearsay: Large numbers of North Koreans were receiving flight training at HARBIN, MANCHURIA during Jan 50.
Above information was learned from a close friend who came from MANCHURIA about a month ago.
Observed on 8 Oct 50, Engineer troops laying 10 wooden box-type mines on the main highway (KAESONG to KUMCHON) 10 meters South of the 38th Parallel. Mines were placed 5 to 10 meters apart in the middle section of the road.
Hearsay: (15 Jul 50)
An uprising against the present North Korean government occurred at CHANGANGDO, KANG GYE after the outbreak of war.
An armed anti-North Korean government group is said to be located in PYONGAN DO.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
