ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2394 27 November 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - FWD - 0240) 24 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | CHOU, Min Won (周明文) (Chinese) |
| RANK: | Jr Officer |
| AGE: | 29 |
| DUTY: | Assistant Plat Ldr |
| UNIT: | 42th Army, 125th Div, 374 Regt, 1st Bn, 34th Co |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School 3 months |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | HWA NANG NI (和樂里) (Vic BV 7005) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 17 Nov 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | SHONG UI BING CHANG SHONG BA YEN SHEN (生於賓江省巴彦縣) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | LEEMG CHANG SHONG KUO SAN SHEN SI LEN CHUI SWANG SONG SHAN # ? (竜江省 究山縣 西韓区 双勝鄕) |
PW was cooperative but seems very unobservant. Information considered reliable.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
15 Jul 47: Conscripted into the CCF at KO SHAN SHEN (克山縣) and assigned to Engr Unit. Received training for about 3 months.
Oct 47: Transferred to the KO SHAN SHEN Security Regt, 2nd Bn, 6th Co. Received more training.
Jan 48: Sent to an NCO Training School where he received advanced training.
Sep 48: Upon completion of schooling was assigned to the 12th Regt, 3rd Bn, 12 Co at HAIPEI (海北) as assist plat ldr.
Feb 49: Transferred to the NANDA SHEN (安道縣) Ind 4th Regt, 2nd Bn, 6th Co, 1st Plat.
15 Aug 49: Was transferred to the 169th Div, 506 Regt, Arty Bn at SUDOGUCHI (四道溝区) ANTUNG.
Oct 49: Attended the SHEN YANG TUNG TA JU WI Arty School (瀋陽東文完木端祀學校) for approx 5 months. PW specialized in the use of mortars at school.
Feb 50: Was assigned to the 169th Div, 506 Regt, 82mm mortar Co at SUDOGUCHI (四道溝区).
20 Aug 50: The Arty Co AT GUN Co, 82mm mortar of the 506 Regt, was sent toI LYO TUNG SHONG, TUNG HWA SHENG (遷東省 通化縣).
20 Sep 50: The above mentioned elements were integrated into the 125 Div of the 42nd Array. PW was assigned to the 374th Regt, 1st Bn, 3rd Co, 60mm mortar plat. Stationed at TUNG HWA SHEN, TUI TO KWO CHI (通化縣 文道溝区).
Oct 50: The 125th Div left LUI TO KWO (BB 7385) CHI on foot and arrived at the YALU River.
Oct 50: The unit crossed the YALU River at MANPOJIN over a railroad.
16 Nov 50: The 374th Regt encountered UN Forces and'1 PW deserted.
17 Nov 50: PW was captured by UN forces.
Unit Organization and Strength:
42nd Army (301000 men) composed of 124th Div, 125th Div and 126th Div. Each Div (10,000 men) composed of 3 Rifle Regts, subordinate units unknown. Each Regt composed of 3 Rifle Bns, 1 Arty Co, 1 82mm mortar Co, 1 AT Gun Co. Each Bn (620 men) composed of 3 Rifle Cos, 1 HMG Co. Each Rifle Co (150 men) composed of 3 Rifle Plats. 1 60mm mortar Plat. HMG Co composed of 3 HMG Plat, 1 82mm mortar Plat.
Actual Battle Organization & Strength:
Same as above.
Equipment (As of 16 Nov 50):
374th Regt, 3rd Rifle Co - 12 SMG, 3 LMG and 3 60mm mortar.
374th Regt, 1st Bn, HMG Co - 9 HMG, 2 82mm mortar, 1 AT Rifle.
No arty pieces were believed to have been with the Div. Unit was not armed with Russian equipment.
PW did not see any tanks or armored vehicles in the 42nd army.
Unit History:
The 42nd Army was made up of. 50% battle experienced personnel. Although they did not engage in major battles.
Communication:
The 374th Regt after crossing the YALU River marched for two nights using the main road but on the third night took to mountain trails. This was done because of constant air attack while utilizing the main roads. As the 3 Bns of the 374th Rcgt marched the Regt Hq was always located in between them. A squad from each Bn always marched about 100 meters ahead.
Knowledge of other units:
While PW was with the 169th Div at SUDOGUCHI (四道海区) he heard that the 168th Div was at HUSUNG (撫順) and 170th Div at HULU TO (葫蘆島), MANCHURIA.
PW while in KOREA heard from his company political officer that the 38th, 39th, 40th, 42nd, 50th and 65th Army totaling approx 200,000 troops were in KOREA.
Personalities:
The 42nd Army did not captain any Koreans while in MANCHURIA. 1 Korean was assigned to each company after entering KOREA. Heard that one Japanese was in Regt Hq. Did not see any Russian officers while in MANCHURIA or KOREA.
50% of the 42nd Army is made up of former CNA personnel. These 50% are integrated among the CCF troops.
Morale and Propaganda:
Morale of the Unit as well as PWs was average until notified that they would fight in KOREA. The troops were told by the political officer that the 42nd Army must go to KOREA and help the North Koreans against UN Forces.
PW states that the majority of the troops were opposed to the CCF fighting another country's war.
4. GENERAL INFORMATION:While PW was at LUI TAO-KOO (BB 7305) (TUNG HWA SHEN) (通化県 文通海) he observed approx 36 medium tanks and 60 AA Guns being shipped toward the Korean-Manchurian border o/a 15 Oct 50. PW is definite that they were sent toward the border since the RR leads down to the border. The political officer told PW that this equipment was Russian made.
Clothing:
O/a 16 Oct 50 at LIN TAO KOW the entire personnel of the 374th Regt received a complete outfit of winter clothing. PW states that this clothing issued at LIN TAO KU was different from the original CCF uniform, that both of the brass buttons on the pocket were outside and that there were two side pockets on the jacket.
A three-day ration of kaoliang plus two meals of bread were carried by each individual. After this food was exhausted their food supplies should have been brought in from MANCHURIA by truck but this did not materialize so the unit sent several men to the village to demand food from the villagers.
Each rifleman brought about 60 rds of ammo and each 60mm mortar had 36 rds of ammo after this was exhausted supplies were supposed to have been forthcoming from MANCHURIA but they also had not arrived.
PW states that mentioned ammo would last about 3 hrs, in an ordinary battle so they were instructed no to use it foolishly.
Chain of Command:
The 42nd Army remained intact and under the same chain of command after crossing the YALU River. The 3 Regts of the 125th Div advanced south from the YALU River in three different directions but they all met at TOKCHON (德川) (BV 7005) o/a 16 Nov 50.
US Air and Arty Fire:
Majority of the troops feared air attack and arty fire the most Troops were told by their commanding officers not to dash for cover or make any movements because it would be easy for planes to detect any moving object and if any one did dash for cover they would be shot.
Whenever the unit was under constant arty fire they would retreat to a safe distance and wait until the arty fire coasted. Then if possible the unit would advance forward and attack or stay and try to hold their positions.
Training:
While at LUI TAO KOU PW and his unit trained every day for about a month. Their training consisted of range firing, mortar firing and tactical field training. They were taught to infiltrate any enemy force when they had a Bn strength and the enemy had only a company strength. Although this tactic was used only during dark hours, At times they were taught to send a plat of men in frontal attack exposing themselves to enemy fire while the regt of the Bn would go around under cover and surround the enemy.
Treatment of PWs:
PW states that they were ordered not to beat or kill UN PW's but send them to the rear as soon as possible. They were further told that in the event that they were captured by UN Forces they would be killed instantly.
The 42nd Army was not a volunteer unit. No instructions have been received to appear as volunteers if captured.
Did not hear of Tank Units being with the CCF although he saw some going south. He did not receive any amphibious training or paratroop training.
No part of PW's unit has been integrated into Korean units.
The 42nd Army was in the vicinity of TUNG HWA, conducting training when ordered to KOREA.
PW did hear of an Iron and Steel unit although does not know what unit it is.
Recruiting:
The village or city mayor receives an cider from the CCF to recruit all men between the ages of 18 to 40 yrs. Then the mayor sends out an order to the local police to pick up all eligible men and turn them over to the CCF.
Privates in the CCF received 75,000 Yuan a month while company grade officers received 150,000 Yuan a month.
There were no Russian advisors in PW’s unit; he has not heard of any in the CCF.
PW has no idea as to when the CCF started to move into MANCHURIA.
For the Commanding Officer:
GERARD
