ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2493 4 December 1950
FIELD REPORT (521 - MISD - 0323) 26 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | CHONG, Ra Teung (陳蘭亭) (CHEN Lan Ting) |
| NATIONALITY: | Chinese |
| PW NO: | #743 |
| RANK: | Pvt |
| DUTY: | Rifleman |
| UNIT: | 42nd Army, 126th Div, 378 Regt, 3rd Bn, 9th Co |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | SACHANG NI |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 23 Nov 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HONANSUN, CHUNG DUOFU, NANYANG CHIEN, KUOFUNCHON (Central CHINA) (河南城 彰德府 安陽県 鄣盆村) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | Cpl TANIGUCHI |
PW was cooperative and talked freely.
Reliability: Fair
Length of Service: 2 yrs 9 mos
Education: Primary School (4 yrs)
Age: 32
Physical Condition: Good
3. MILITARY HISTORY:Feb 48 - Enlisted at HONAMSUN, CHU'GDUO FU, NANYANG CHIEN, JUOFUN (省 彰德 府 安陽県 鄣盆) Central CHINA, and was assigned to CNA, 2nd Ind Regt, 6th Co.
Apr 49 - Fought the CCF and PW was captured. Conscripted into the CCF and given 2 months military training.
Jun 49 - Assigned to the CCF 42nd Army, 126th Div, 378th Regt, 3rd Bn, 9th Co and left for TABEISAN (大別山) (mountain).
Apr 50 - 42nd Army arrived at HUILUNGJAN SUN TAINAN SHEN (黑龍江城 泰安縣).
Jul 50 - 42nd Army arrived at LIAOTUNG SUN, RYUHO SHIEN, FAHLAPEI CHUN (遼東城 柳河県 半拉皆村).
O/a 15 Oct 50 - 42nd Army arrived at CHIAN (輯安).
O/a 17 Oct 50 - 42nd Army entered KOREA (PW heard from CO that the entire 42nd Army entered KOREA.)
22 Nov 50 - 2nd and 3rd Bns of the 378th Regt arrived at SACHANGNI (社倉里). 9th Co, 3rd Bn took up positions 3km SW of SACHANGNI, and the entire 2nd Bn and 3rd Bn (minus 9th Co) moved to a point approx 12 km SW of SACHANGNI.
23 Nov 50 - At 0700, the 9th Co encountered an advancing ROK unit. After one hour of fighting, the 9th Co was disorganized. Casualties were few.
4. PERSONALITIES:LIU (first name unk) (劉), 39, CO, 3rd Bn, 378th Regt.
NIU, Fu U (牛鳳吳), 25, CO, 9th Co, 3rd Bn, 378th Regt.
5. WEAPONS AND PERSONNEL:42nd Army - 124th, 125th and 126th Divs.
126th Div - 376th, 377th, 378th Regts.
378th Regt - Consisted of 1st, 2nd, 3rd Bns and two FA Bns attached to the Regt. They were equipped with five horse drawn 120mm howitzers. The Regt had 2 trucks (1 was damaged by an aerial attack). The 1st Bn consisted of 1st, 2nd, 3rd Rifle Cos and a Heavy Weapons Co. The 2nd Bn consisted of the 4th, 5th, 6th Rifle Cos and a Heavy Weapons Co, and the 3rd Bn consisted of the 7th, 8th, 9th Rifle Cos and a Heavy Weapons Co. Company strength was 120. All were armed with Japanese Meiji 38 model rifles with 60 rds ammo each. All rifle Co had six LMGs (1,000 rds each) and three knee mortars (40 rds each).
Heavy Weapons Co's strength was approx 150. Heavy weapons were 6 HMGs and 3/120mm regimental mortars to a Co. Only the Plat leaders and above were armed with rifles. All the cos were formed of 4 Plats, 3 Sqds to a Plat.
6. ROUTE TAKEN BY 378th REGT INTO KOREA:O/a 17 Oct 50, the 378th Regt crossed the border into KOREA from CHIAN (輯安). DUE to the fact that marching was done only at night and only small paths were taken PW does not know the route taken to SACHANGNI (社倉里)
NO other elements of the 42nd Army were seen. PW does not know at what point the 1st Bn, 378 Regt parted with the 2nd and 3rd Bns, 378th Regt.
7. CODE NUMBER:The lastest code numbers for the 42nd Army known to the PW were as follows:
42nd Army: 34 PU (34 部)
126th Div: 3 CHIL TUI (3 支隊)
378th Regt: 109 CHUNG TUI (109 總隊)
3rd Bn: 563
9th Co: 681
8. SUPPLIES:No ammunition was received after the 378th Regt crossed the border. Food (KAOLIANG, beans, corn) was supplied to the regiment every 3 or 4 days by two trucks from the rear. Supply points were unknown. Food supply was inadequate. Troops received only two meals per day.
9. MORALE:Both CCF and ex CNA troops in the 378th regt had no desire to fight in KOREA. Due to insufficient food supply, morale was low.
10. GENERAL:The regular CCF troops despised the ex CNA troops very much, and they seldom talked to each other.
Desertion rate, both CCF and ex CNA, was very low, due to the fact that deserters in most cases were unsuccessful, because the civilian populace would turn them in, Punishment for desertion was confinement. (for 3 or 4 days)
EX CNA troops never promoted to Sqd leaders. Ex CNA troops were not permitted to operate LMGs or heavier weapons. Their duties were limited strictly to riflemen. They had absolutely no access to classified material.
Food, clothing and rations were issued to the ex CNA troops without discrimination. Mail privileges were granted to ex CNA troops.
The CNA prisoners of war were trained for two mos and assigned to the CCF. This has been a continuous process since PW was captured by the CCF in Apr 49. PW stated that at the time of his assignment to the 42nd Army in Jul 49, three out of ten were ex CAN. At the Present time the ratio is five out of ten. Most of the CCF troops are Manchurian born.
11. CCF OFFICERS:Officers held positions of Plat leaders and up, were addressed according to the positions they held. All officers including political officers had red piping on their uniforms and no other insignia.
Company commanders received 140,000 YUAN per month. The assistant commanding officers (or executive officers) at all levels were accorded the same status as their respective immediate superior and received the same amount of pay.
All officers in an Co ate and slept with the troops. All officers were accorded salutes from the troops. There were two political officers in each company called TSUDO IEN (指導貟). They held the same status as a Co commander. Political officers assigned to bn HQs called CHODO IEN (敎導員) and held the same status as a Bn Commander. Political officers assigned to Regt'l HQs were known as CHUNGWI (政弃) and held the same status as a Regt'l Commander. No friction was observed between political officers and line officers.
CCF troops regarded the officers with respect, but the ex CNA troops bitter against the officers because they were discriminated again in favor of the CCF troops. All troops received 70,000 YUAN per month regardless of length of service or number of dependents.
For the AC of S, G-2:
SHORT
