ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2529 5 December 1950
FIELD REPORT (Ⅸ CORPS LDI - 0141) 7 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| NAME: | CH’OE Ki Hak (省基學) |
| AGE: | 27 |
| RANK: | Jr Lt |
| DUTY: | Plat ldr |
| UNIT: | CHINJU Ind Brig |
| DATE CAPTURED, PLACE: | 252400 Oct 50 vic MUNGYONG (DR2166) |
| CIVIL OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| EDUCATION: | Higher Primary School (2 yrs) |
PW was fairly cooperative during interrogation and the information was fairly reliable. Due to his limited information he is not recommended for further interrogation.
3. OWN ORGANIZATION:PW enlisted 13 Oct 48 at CHINNAMP’O (YC1090) and was assigned to the 4th Independent Infantry Brigade, 120mm Mortar Bn. During his training he received instructions in the operation of the Mortar and this Bn had Korean and Russian Officers as instructors. This Brigade was composed of three Infantry Bns (600 men); 76mm Artillery Regt (36 pcs); and PWs unit. PWs Bn was composed of 3 Mortar Companies with 4 to 6 pieces per company. Each Mortar was operated by six men. One truck attached to it was used to pull the Mortar and carry ammunition. Normally each piece had 80 rds.
O/a 9 Jan 49 PWs Co (3rd Mortar Co) departed S to NAMCHON where he received Mortar Training for 20 days. After this he left for SUNCHON with his unit for additional mortar training until 25 Jul 50. The following day the unit departed and arrived at ONJIN on the same day. On the same day they departed for SEOUL and arrived SEOUL o/a 27 Jul 50 where they spent 10 days. Then his unit was sent to INCHON to guard the area and after 10 days departed and arrived at SINBAN NI (DQ3924) o/a 28 Aug 50. There they remained for four days when PW was ordered to General Headquarters in KUMCHON where he was instructed to report to the CHINJU Ind Brig which was being organized. He arrived there 21 Sep 50. At that time there were about 300 S Korean Forced Volunteers with the brigade. 25 Sep PW and 50 men began a retreat because troops from the front told them of the advance of the UN Forces. He passed through SAMCHONG (CQ9818), HAMYANG (CQ8431), NAMWON, OKCHON (CR7318), KAMCHON (DR2296), SONSAN (DR3711) and arrived at SONGNI SAN (CR9844) on 25 Oct. On arriving there PW and 10 others surrendered. They were exhausted and hungry from the march and saw no hope.
4. PRESENT ENEMY GROUPO/a 18 Oct 50 PW came across a group of about 360 men near KUMCHON. He was told that their group got separated from the parent unit near CHUPUNG-RYONG NI when they were attacked by enemy forces. He was told that they were going to start out after dark. PW tried to join this unit but since he was not a member of the unit he was refused.
5. PRESENT ENEMY METHODS:During PWs trek N, they obtained their directions from the stars or from the villagers, by asking whether any units had passed that way or followed the tracks of some unit which had gone before them.
6. PERSONALITIES:4th Inf Brig (Code 34) CG: I KUN Mu.
CHINJU Ind Brig GO: Sr Col SON Tal,
7. MORALE & PROPAGANDAPW said morale of the troops was low because they were forcibly conscripted.
For the AC of S, G-2:
YAMADA
