ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2136 31 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (164 - MISDI - 1161) 22 October 1950
| PW NAME: | KUNG Min Chu (弓敏周) (궁민주) |
| RANK: | Lt Col (中佐) |
| ORGN: | Front Line Hq, Signal Sect, Telephone Sect, Const Bn |
| DUTIES: | Telephone Sect Ass’t Chief |
| EDUCATION: | Technical School (Signal), 6 months. |
| AGE: | 34 |
| OCCUPATION: | Technician (communication) |
| ADDRESS: | PYONYGANG SI, TONG TAE WON RI, #407 (平壤市東大院里四0七) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 171900 K Oct 50 at KURO Ri (九老里) approx 4 Km N of SARIWON by 7th Cav (USA). |
| INTERROGATOR: | M.T. |
Cooperative and of above average intelligence. Information obtained herein seems reliable. Recommend further interrogation in consideration of his knowledge on technical data.
T/O & E AND STRENGTH (as of 2 Oct 50)Front Line Hq composed of Operations Section, Cultural Sec, Security Guard Bureau, Recon Sec, Rear Hq sect, Intendence Sect, Military Police Sec, Political and Signal Sections.
Signal Section composed of Telephone Section, Wireless Section and Postal Section.
Signal Sub Section Composed of Signal Regt (通信聯隊), Construction Bn (建設大隊).
Construction Bn Composed of 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th companies.
Each Co had 3x platoons which consisted of 3 x squads.
| Each Platoon: | Original |
| a. Personnel: | |
| Total Officers and EM | 31 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| (1) Field telephone | 8 |
| (2) SMG | 2 (142 rds per) |
| (3) Rifle & carbine | 6 (100 rds per) |
| (4) Tel-wire | 4 km length |
| (5) Vise | 4 |
| Construction Battalion: | |
| a. Personnel: | |
| (1) EM & Officers | 428 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| (1) Truck | 19 |
| (2) Motorcycles | 12 |
| (3) Field telephones | 100 |
| (4) Vise (wire layer) | 50 |
| (5) Wire Cutter | 200 |
Remarks: Two (2) more companies (6th, 7th) in SANGJU and KUMCHON were added to the Const Bn. Each Co consisted of 124 men who were NKA conscriptees & NK Postal employees).
| Signal Section: | Original |
| a. Personnel: | |
| (1) EM | 13 |
| (2) Offers | 9 |
| (3) Total | 21 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo: | |
| (1) Pistol | 9 (16 rds per) |
| (2) SMG | 4 (142 rds per) |
| (3) No other equipment | |
c. Remarks:
Construction Bn (Sig Section) activated in SANJU in early part of Sep 50. It was composed of mostly North Korean Army and North Korean conscriptees (N.K. postal employees).
This Const Bn, with Operation Hq, traveled to KUMCHON in Sep 50.
The Bn retreated from KUMCHON during the latter part of Sep 50, passing ONCHON NI (stayed 2 days), WONJU (stayed 3 days), the 38th parallel, KUMCHON (stayed 3 days, and arrived at CHAERYON on 9 Oct 50.
The Bn Hq remained on a mountain, located approx 2 KM SE of CHAERYONG when PW with other 20 troops left the Hq on a mission, 15 Oct 50. Their mission was to repair telephone lines between Defense Hq and 19th Div Hq at SINMAK (新幕).
When they arrived at SINMAK, PW discovered that the 19th Div Hq and Defense Hq had been already evacuated from the area to an unknown place o/a 16 Oct 50.
Pw heard about 150 others surrendered to US 7th Oav located in KURO Ri (九老) 171900 K Oct 50.
PW heard from a fellow PW that staff members of Defense Hq retreated to CHUNGHWA.
LOCATION & ACTIVITIES OF UNITS;19th Div Hq was located in SINMAK (新幕) until 15 Oct 50.
1st Army Hq of North Korean Army was located in KOCHAN until 15 Sep 50.
The Primary duty of PW’s unit Bn was to repair telephone lines and to lay extention wire between the Operation Hq and the two Armies, 1st & 2nd.
PERSONAL & UNIT HISTORY:PW with six (6) other N.K. Postal employees departed PYONGYANG on 28 June 50 by truck and arrived SEOUL on 30 June 50.
They worked at a former S.K. communication Ministry Building (通信局) for about 3 days.
On 4 Jul 50, they departed from SEOUL and arrived at CHUNGJU o/a 14 Jul 50. Enroute repaired telephone wires. Arrived at KUMCHON, d/u Aug 50. They were still on civilian status.
On 1 Sep 50, PW was commissioned as Lt Col after he relieved the former Construction Bn commander who was killed by UN air raid at HAMCHANG, o/a 25 Aug 50.
PERSONALITIES:KIM; Chaek (金策) Vice Prime Minister - Commanding Officer NKPR Cabinet and also Front Line Operation Hq
Sin, Chong Taek (申天澤) Sr Col
Chief of Signal Section
CHA Tu Song (車두성) Col
Asst Chief of Signal Section
LEE, Chong In (李鐘仁) Col
Regt Commander Communication Regt (former Russian Army Sgt)
VZEPT (Russian) Advisor,
Attached to Communication Section of Front Line Operation Hq
GREGEROFF (Russian) Advisor,
Attached to Communication Section of Front Line Operation Hq (Last seen in NAMCHON on 13 Oct 50.)
REPLACEMENTS:PW’s Bn received 252 new replacements, consisting of untrained conscriptees and technicians from North Korea Postal Dept at SANGJU and KUMCHON (dates unknown)
FOOD SUPPLIES:Food was obtained locally. PW stated that food was insufficient.
MORALE:Morale of PW’s Construction Bn was low because of constant UN Air attacks and lack of training.
US PW’S:About 30 US PW’s loaded on truck. Departed INCHON toward SEOUL o/a 30 Jul 50. Heard that PW’s were captured in SUWON and sent to INCHON.
SIGNAL INFO:Telephone and wireless were used for communication between Front Line Operation Hq and 1st & 2nd Armies Hqs.
Also jeep (6) and motorcycles were used when messengers delivered documents.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
