ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2140 1 November 1950
FIELD REPORT (164 - MISDI - 1149) 22 October 1950
| PW NAME: | CHIN, CH’un Shik (陳春植) (진춘식) |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| ORGN: | Indep Marine Brigade (code 239), 1st Bn, Rear Service Dept, Food Supply Section |
| DUTIES: | Food Supply Officer |
| EDUCATION: | Chemical Tech School, 3 yrs |
| AGE: | 20 |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG NAMDO, YOHUNG GUN, TOHUNG MYON, HAMBONG RI #313 (咸鏡南道永興郡德興面禍奉里三一三) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 172200 K Oct 50 at 2 km S of HWANGJU (YC4182) by 9th Cav |
| INTERROGATOR: | C.H.S. |
PW was captured, while retreating from HWANGJU on the main road, by 9th Cav on 17 Oct 50.
PW was cooperative, info seems reliable. Recommend further interrogation.
T/O AND E & STRENGTH:Indep Marine Brigade (code #239) composed of 5 x Rifle Bns, 1 x Medic Bn, 1 x Signal Bn, 1 x Engr Bn, 1 x Transportation Bn, 1 x 82mm Mortar Bn, and 1 x 105mm Bn (Hearsay).
Each rifle Bn, composed of 3 x rifle companies, 1 x HMG Co, 1 x 82mm Co, 1 x Medic Plat, 1 x Signal Plat and 1 x AT rifle Plat.
Each rifle Co, composed of 3 x rifle platoons and 1 x HMG Plat.
Each rifle plat composed of 4 x rifle suqads.
Bn Hq composed of Culture Dept and Rear Service Dept.
Rear Service Dept was usually 2 Km to the rear of the Bn Hq. It was composed of three (3) sections: (1) Food Supply Section, (2) Clothing Supply Section, (3) Finance Section.
There were also a Weapons Distribution Chief & a Weapons Repair Chief.
Food Supply Section consisted of 8 EM and 1 officer.
Rear Service Dept consisted of 22 EM and 5 officers.
PW stated that ranks of Col and above were called SHOKO (將校) and Jr Lt to Lt Col was called GUNKWAN (軍官).
1st Battalion strength:
Officers & EM 900
Indep Marine Brigade strength:
Officers & EM 7,000
Although the Brigade was called “Independent,” it was responsible to the Naval Hq.
LOCATION & ACTIVITIES OF UNIT: (as of 17 Oct 50)Naval Hq was located at PYONGYANG.
One Marine Brigade was located at WONSAN, called the East Brigade; one was at CHINNAMPO (YO8989), called the West Brigade.
The 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Bns of the West Brigades were located at CHINNAMPO. The 5th Bn was located at CHANGNYON (XC 8335).
The 1st Bn as of 14 Oct 50 was located at ONGJIN (YO0701) and was attacked by UN force while retreating to PYONGYANG.
On 14 Oct 50, at ONGJIN, PW saw elements of the NK Army and 80 naval signal personnel, withdrawing. Reason & destination unknown.
PERSONAL & UNIT HISTORY:Inducted 5 Sep 49 at TOFUN MYON, and arrived at CHINNAMPO on the same day. 3,000 men who arrived at CHINNAMPO on 5 Sep 49 activated the Indep Marine Regt.
PW was placed into the medics and did medical work between 5 Sep 49 and 2 Sep 50. He also underwent sporadic infantry training.
On April 50, the Marine Regt trained in amphibious landings for approx 7 days.
On 10 Sep 50, PW was commissioned and assigned to the Rear Service Dept.
PW stated that he did not know the exact date of the reorganization of the Regt to Brigade, but he first discovered this when he was at ONGJIN.
PERSONALITIES:PAEK, T’ae Chun (백태준), Lt Col, CO 1st Bn
COHOE, Sun Sop (최순섭), Maj, Culture CO 1st Bn
YOM, Su Pong (염수봉), Jr Lt, Operations, 1st Bn
AN Hyo Chan (안요찬), Sr Lt, Med. 1st Bn
HA Yong Ch’ol (하용철), Sr Lt, Rear Serv Bn CO 1st Bn
LEE Mong Chun (리명춘), Jr Lt, Finance, 1st Bn
RO Chung Hi (로중히), Jr Lt, Supply, 1st Bn
LIM Ch’ol (림철), Sr Col, Former CO, Brigade.
KIM T’ae Hyon (김태현), Col. Former S/O, Brigade
REPLACEMENTS:Approx 300 North Koreans were placed in the Marines on March 50 at CHINNAMPO (these men became NCO’s and were sent out to unknown places).
300 men entered the unit in Jul 50 at CHANGNYON.
300 men entered the unit on Sep 50 at ONGJIN.
Marines received basic Inf training.
No naval or amphibious training.
FOOD & SUPPLIES:Food was gathered from occupied South Korean areas.
Clothing, weapons & ammo were brought from Brigade Hqs at CHINNAMO by truck & train.
Source of supply for Brigade Hq - unknown.
MORALE:The morale in PW’s Food Section was low because they knew they were going to lose this war. PW also stated that in the NK Army one may not grumble of express disgust.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
