ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2349 24 November 1950
FIELD REPORT (521 MISD - 0273) 21 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | HONG Wol Kyeng (黃月景) (황월경) |
| PW NO: | 455 |
| RANK: | Recruit |
| DUTY: | Infantryman |
| UNIT: | 32nd Div, 3d Regt, 3rd Bn, 9th Co |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | PUNGSAN (豐山) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | o/a 6 Nov 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | KYONG PUK HORYON GUN SANG IM MYON YONGDONG (慶北 高靈郡 雙林面 龍洞) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HAM PUK SONGJIN SHI UK CHONG 401 BANCHI (咸北 城津市 旭町 四0一) |
Reliability: Fair
Length of service: 2 mos
Education: Primary School (6 yrs)
Age: 38
Physical Condition: Good
3. MILITARY HISTORY:22 Sep 50 - Inducted at SONGJIN (城津) and sent to HAMHUNG (咸興) by train with 400 other inductees.
23 Sep 50 - Reached HAMHUNG (咸興) and departed for PYONGYANG on foot. Traveling was only at night because of aerial attacks. PW estimates that there were about 3,000 soldiers in this group. (50% unarmed, unit unknown). The only heavy weapons seen were three 122mm guns pulled by 3 trucks which passed the marching file at night.
o/a 5 Oct 50 - Reached PYONGYANG about 0600 hours and, marched towards SUNCHON (順川) the same evening. Reason for the march northward nor the designation of the units that were marching northward was unknown. It was rumored they were going to Manchuria and would stay there for ten years.
o/a 10 Oct 50 - PW reached SUNCHON (順川) with the original 400 men. Assigned to the 32nd Inf Div, 3d Regt, 3d Bn, 9th Co. Here they received their first uniforms.
PW saw many soldiers at SUNCHON, who said they had been retreating for 10 days.
Remained in SUNCHON for a day and then moved north with the 3d Regt of the 32nd Div. PW saw the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the 32nd Div move out earlier on the same day and estimates the strength of the 32nd Div at 3600 men. 50% of the Division had rifles and 50% were unarmed
It was rumored among the men that the destination of the 32nd Di vision was KANGGYE (江界). Men of the other Units also retreating said that after KANGGYE (江界) they might be sent into Manchuria. The other retreating Units were only about 50% armed.
o/a 15 Oct 50 - The 32nd Div reached HUICHON (熙川). PW and 4 others deserted together because they did not want to go to Manchuria.
o/a 20 Oct 50 - PW and deserters reached HANDAE-RI (漢垈里) and observed about 500 CCF soldiers and 300 NKA soldiers in the town. PW passed through the village and saw Chinese soldiers within the civilian homes or walking the streets.
Between HAGARI-RI (下隅里) and HANDAE-RI (漢垈里) PW observed 600 CCF soldiers living in civilian homes in the various villages.
o/a 23 Oct 50 - PW and the others reached HANDAERI (漢垈里) and stayed at a farm located on the outskirts of the village for a night. Passed thru HANDAERI the following day and saw about 400 CCF troops.
o/a 3 Nov 50 - Reached YAKSU-RI (藥水里) and stayed in the outskirts of the village for 2 days. PW and the others passed thru YAKSU-RI (藥水里) and saw that the village was occupied by about 200 NKA soldiers. Hearing that the UN troops were in PUNGSAN (豐山) PW and 2 others started for PUNGSAN to give themselves up.
o/a 6 Nov 50 - PW and his companions were captured on the outskirts of PUNGSAN (豐山).
4. PERSONALITIES:PAK Song Chun, 25, Lt, CO, 9th Co, 3d Bn.
5. WEAPONS AND PERSONNEL:The 32nd Division had 3 Regts (1st, 2nd, and 3d); each regiment had 3 Bns (1st, 2nd, and 3d) and each Bn 3. companies numbered consecutively from 1 through 9.
PW's Battalion had a transportation unit with 5 ox carts. The communications platoon in the Bn (about 20 men) had no equipment. 50% of the 3d Regiment was unarmed. PW’s company had 3 DEGTYAREV LMGs and he thought that each company of the 32nd Division had the same number. PW's company had about 18 PPSH Tommy Guns; the other companies were thought to have had the same number.
Calculating the strength of his company at about 120 men, PW estimates that the Division strength is about 3240 men.
No weapons other than the ones mentioned were seen in the 32nd Div.
There were no wounded among the retreating 32nd Division and PW had not heard of the 32nd Division ever haying been engaged. The 32nd Division seemed to be composed of recruits like PW.
6. MORALE:Morale was low because the soldiers did ·not believe in Communism. There were many deserters as the 32nd Division moved northward totaling 1/3 of the division.
o/a 12 Oct 50 - PW read a surrender leaflet which he picked up on the road North of SUNCHON (順川). These leaflets influenced PW and other soldiers very much to desert.
7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:PW has never liked Communism and neither do the majority of the North Koreans because there was not enough money to spend. PW and his cell mates have no respect for the CCF because its intervention has prolonged the war.
For the AC of S, G-2:
SHORT
