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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2445　1 December 1950

FIELD REPORT (IX CORPS - LDI - 0170)　15 November 1950

PW's information was vague and incomplete although given willingly which could be attributed to his limited military service. Not recommended for further interrogation.

PW inducted into the North Korean military academy at P'YONGYANG 16 Jul 50. After one month of schooling, he graduated 16 Aug 50, commissioned Jr Lt. 26 Aug 50, PW and 49 graduates were assigned to the 580th Secuirty Unit at NANAM. They departed for NANAM by train that day and proceeded as far as YANGDOK (BU-9743) where, due to destruction of bridges and RR tracks by enemy aircraft, the group dismounted and walked, rode on vehicles or trains where possible to NANAM. 10 Sep, it was discovered upon arrival there that the 580th Unit had moved to CHORWON (CT-4334). They finally arrived there o/a 30 Sep 50, after 20 days of marching or hitch-hiking. At CHORWON it was again discovered that the 580th Unit had moved, this time, a short distance southeast to KALMI-MYON (CT-5328), where they joined it the next day. Here PW was assigned as the 4th HMG Plat of the 14th Co, 4th Bn, which was located at SOESAN (coordinates unknown) located approx 20 km south of KALMI-MYON. He arrived there o/a 2 Oct 50 and took command of his 9 man HMG Plat, which was engaged in digging air raid shelters. O/a 7 Oct 50, the 4th Bn including PW's Plat departed SOESAN and marched northwest to ICHON (CT-1662), arrived 10 Oct 50 and joined the 580th Unit. Upon arrival there he was reassigned as the 1st Inf Plat Ldr of the 14th Co, 4th Bn. 12 Oct 50, ICHON was leveled by enemy aircrafts and nearly all houses were burned and destroyed, although casualties in the 580th Unit were light. On the same night the 580th Unit received a reconnaissance report that enemy forces were advancing from CHORWON to ICHON. The Regt therefore was deployed southeast of ICHON. However, the enemy forces did not appear during the night. The following day PW and the 3rd Sqd Ldr went in search of 2 men of the 1st Plat, 3rd Sqd who were reported as missing. In their search they came upon 4 other men from the 4th Bn, busily consuming an oxen which they had killed. The two men joined with the 4 and during their meal the 2 men group decided to desert and flee to their homes. The group travelled north through mountains during the day and stole a ride on the back of a North Korean ambulance truck at night arriving at HWACHANG (BU-8448) o/a 14 Oct 50. 2 men became separated enroute. On the same day the remaining 4 marched southward again and arrived at KOKSAN (BT-9597) on the same night. Here PW separated from the original group who headed toward P'YONGYANG to their homes while he joined 7 others who were headed for their homes in SUNCHON (YD-5267) area. They arrived at SONGCHONG (BU-6048) o/a 15 Oct 50, where the home of one of the men was located. There the remained continued on to WONJON (coordinates unknown) arriving there 16 Oct 50. Here again 2 men dropped out of the group and headed for their homes at CHASAN-MYON (YD-4863). The group, now numbering five men, marched to UNSAN-MYON (BU-4767), arriving there on 17 Oct 50. PW proceeded to his home 21 Oct 50 and surrendered to the Home Security Unit at UNSAN-MYON. He was then investigated and returned to his home in the area. On 13 Nov 50 he was picked up and brought in for investigation at SUNCHON.

PW does not know whether the 580th Unit was the 17th Regt or Brigade. He heard from his Co CO that it was newly organized at NANAM in Aug 50. It was not known how many Bns were under this Brig or Regt, but PW heard from the 580th Unit head that there were 19 Bns under it. The number of companies in each Bn was also unknown.

The 14th Co, under the 4th Bn, was composed of 3 rifle plats. While stationed at SOESAN, the 14th Co also had a 4th HMG plat of 9 men, but when it came to ICHON this plat was absorbed into the other plats of the Co. The total strength of the 1st Plat was 40 men, divided into 4 sqds of 9 - 11 men each. This strength of the other plats in the 14th Co was unknown but it was believed they did not have as many as the 1st Plat.

As of 13 Oct 50, the 17th Regt or Brig was located at ICHON, with about 37 men in the 1st Plat, 14th Co, 4th Bn.

The 580th Unit was a replacement unit but its personnel was not actually sent to the front line as replacements.

Rice was brought to PW's unit from an unknown place in trucks. Meat and vegetables was procured from the local area without monetary payment to their owners.

When PW joined his unit, all riflemen were already supplied with approx 100 rounds. No new supplies were issued during his stay with the 14th Co.

The 1st Plat (PW's unit) had the following weapons: Jap model 99 rifles 37, 2 LMG (Russian M-1946) with 1 box ammo each, 1 F-1 grenade, 1 RG-42 grenade.

PW observed 4 "Maxim" HMGs in a HMG Co of the 4th Bn. No other types of weapons were observed in the 580 th Unit.

The 4th Bn possessed no signal equipment or trucks.

PW heard that a supply train carrying ammo and clothing for the 580th Unit was destroyed at SINGOSAN (CU-6103) RR station o/a 20 Sep 50 by enemy aircraft, and therefore the 580th Unit suffered a supply shortage.

At ICHON, when the 580th Unit was bombed by enemy aircraft 12 Oct 50, PW heard that one the plat in the 4th Bn was annihilated.

Of the 50 men that were sent from P'YONGYANG Military Academy to the 580th Unit, 25 were Koreans who had formerly served with the 8th Route Army in MANCHURIA as plat ldr. They were trained one or two weeks at the academy and were assigned as plat and Co commanders in the 580th Unit. PW states that men in his plat were conscripted in Jul 50 and were entirely untrained. They did not even know how to shoot a rifle.

O/a 30 Sep 50 at CHORWON, PW observed approx 400 UN prisoners of war. Two men among the group were colored soldiers. PW heard a few Australians were in the group. The remainder were heard to be US soldiers. The group looked dirty, tired and undernourished. They were seen picking up cigarette butts and eating raw leafy vegetables. It was heard that they were taken prisoners at SEOUL and were being taken to HAERYONG PW Camp. PW heard they had marched to CHORWON and many were limping and some suffered from infections and swollen feet.

PW states that all men in his Bn were forced to sign a statement in which they swore never to desert their unit and in the event they attempted to do so, it would be fitting and proper for their superiors to shoot them down.

PW, as an officer was ordered to shoot all men attempting to desert.

For the AC of S, G-2: