ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2478 2 December 1950
FIELD REPORT (521 - MISD - 0312) 25 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | LI, Kan Wen (李幹文) (리간문) |
| NATIONALITY: | Chinese (Cantonese) |
| PW NO: | 587 |
| AGE: | 34 |
| RANK: | Private |
| DUTY: | Rifleman |
| UNIT: | 2nd Plat, 2nd Co, 1st Bn, 377 Regt, 126 Div, 42nd Army |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | CHANGHUNG (昌興) |
| DATE CAPTURED: | 17 Nov 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | CANTON CHINA |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HO PU SAN KOU YOUNG ON SAY CANTON CHINA (合浦山口 永安城 廣東) |
| INTERROGATOR: | Cpl SEU |
Attitude: PW was cooperative
Length of Service: 2 yrs
Education: 2 yrs (primary school)
Physical Condition: Good
Reliability: Good
3. MILITARY HISTORY:Oct 45 - PW was inducted at SEI GU KEE, CANTON, CHINA, and attached to Nationalist First Army, 39th Div, 89th Regiment, Mortar Company,
Nov 48 - PW was captured by the 5th Communist Army and assigned to 126th Div, 377th Regiment, 1st Battalion, 2nd Company at HA SAN INN (馬山縣) LIAOSW Province.
Dec 48 - The 5th Army was redesignated the 42nd Army.
Apr 49 - The 42nd Army left PEIPING for HONAM (河南).
Jul 49 - The 125th Div left HONAM for DAI BE SAN (大別山).
9 Feb 50 - 126th, 125th, and the 124th Div reunited at SHINYANG (信陽).
15 Feb 50 - The 42nd Army arrived at HEILUNG KIANG (黑龍江) and farmed for over three months.
Jun 50 - The 42nd Army began military training at the beginning of the Korean Conflict.
23 Jul 50 - The 42nd Army after leaving HEIKUNG KIANG on train, arrived at MEI HO KOW (梅河口) four days later and continued their military training.
12 Oct 50 - The 42nd Army left MEI HO KOW for CHIAN (輯安) MANCHURIA. Stayed at CHIAN for two days. The 126th Div then proceeded to KOREA.
15 Oct 50 - The 126th Div arrived KOREA. PW was told by Battalion Commander that the entire 42nd Army is in KOREA.
13 Nov 50 - The 1st Battalion of the 377th Regiment arrived at KWANG CHO RYO (黃草嶺). PW does not know the whereabouts of the other Battalions.
14 Nov 50 - The 1st Bn of the 377th Regiment was attacked by UN Airplanes for two hours. There were two dead and one wounded in the HMG Co.
15 Nov 50 - The 1st Bn of the 377th Regiment was under artillery fire. PW heard that all the men in the 3d platoon of the 3d Co were either killed or wounded. PW saw seven dead and about twenty wounded. PW has no knowledge of other casualties. During this battle the 1st Bn did not fire on the UN Forces. There were no other CCF elements in this engagement. About 2000 hours the 1st Battalion of the 377th Regiment withdraw. Destination unknown.
16 Nov 50 - PW deserted from his company and was captured at CHANGHUNG-NI on the 17th of Nov by Korean civilians. About half an hour later PW was turned over to American Forces.
4. PERSONALITIES:CHANG, Lin Shang (長林生) (Major), age 28, Battalion Commander.
SUNG, Ta Fu, Captain, age 30, Co CO.
LI, Kung Yi (孫德富), 2nd Lt, age 25, Platoon Officer
5. FOREIGN ELEMENTS:There was a Japanese first aid soldier in the 377th Regimental Headquarters.
6. CODE NUMBERS:Code Number for the 377th Regiment Commander is 9-1.
Code Number for the 1st Battalion is 561.
Code Number for 2nd Co is 672.
7. WEAPONS AND PERSONNEL:The 42nd Army has three Divisions, the 124th, 125th, and 126th Division. Each Division has three regiments and one Artillery Battalion. Each Regiment has three Battalions.
Each Battalion has four Companies. One Company is a Heavy Machine Gun Co. The other three are Rifle Companies. A Rifle Company consists of four Platoons and fifteen men in the mess section One Platoon, the Mortar Platoon consists of:
a. 46 men-one hand grenade per man.
b. Three 60mm mortars-forty round ammo each.
c. Two Japanese knee mortars-fifty rounds each.
The three remaining Platoons are Infantry Platoons consisting of:
a. Thirty men, four hand grenade per man.
b. Three light machine guns, one thousand rounds of ammunition to each LMG.
c. Fifteen rifles, ninety rounds of ammunition to each rifle.
8. LOSSES JN THE 1st BATTALION, 377th REGT:13-14 Nov 50 about 30 casualties.
On their way to KWANG CHO RYON (黃草嶺) from the Korean border thirty trucks of the 126th Div were destroyed by air attack.
9. FOOD AND AMMUNITION SUPPLIES:All supplies were believed to have come from various points in MANCHURIA. Some of the supply points are ANTUNG (安東), CHILIN (吉林), TUNGHWA (通化), MUKDEN (瀋陽).
The 1st Battalion was out of food for seven days. They obtained their food from deserted Korean houses, during the period of Nov 7 to Nov 15. The 1st three days was at KWANG CHO RYO (黃草嶺).
10. MORALE:Morale was low among most of the men because of the hardships and lack of food. They had two meals daily when food was available.
11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:PW on Sep 3d 50 saw four Americans at TUNGHWA (通化) MANCHURIA. They were guarded by a soldier of the 42nd Army Headquarters. The two Americans were dressed in khaki and two were in fatigues. PW heard the Americans were receiving Communist indoctrination daily from an English speaking Chinese civilian. The Americans were living in a house. PW was able to get a glance at them through the window.
Houses around the area were occupied by CCF. All four Americans slept on beds in the same room. All were in good health. PW heard that these Americans had been there since August 1950.
About two-thirds of the CCF disliked the Americans because they believed that if America had not participated in the Korean conflict they would not be in this war.
During Nov 49 ex-CNA personnel were used as replacements in the 42nd Army. About three or four ex-CNA would be assigned to a squad during the first period. By May 1949 approximately half of the 42nd Army were ex-CNA personnel.
Former CNA personnel were given same mail privileges as regular CCF. They used same weapons as regular CCF. Promotions and confidential matters were very difficult for CNA personnel to obtain. During the one month period the PW was in KOREA, the 1st Bn had approximately 12 desertions, 1/3 of which were former CNA.
For the AC of S, G-2:
SHORT
