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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2534　5 December 1950

FIELD REPORT (Ⅸ CORPS LDI - 0144)　8 November 1950

PW had a fairly sound educational background. He was cooperative during interrogation and gave what appeared to be fairly reliable information. It is deemed, however, that due to language difficulties encountered during interrogation of PW through an interpreter, some of the more important tactical as well as strategic information was not obtained. He, therefore, is recommended for further interrogation.

Formerly a lieutenant and a platoon leader in the 2nd Plat, 6th Co, 2nd Bn, 977 Regt, 326 Div, 104 Chinese Nationalist Army, the PW, upon capture by the Chinese Communist Forces, was recruited as a gun bearer in the 75mm Arty Co, 2nd Bn, 338 Regt, 113 Div, CCF. He was then placed under ideological surveillance and given communistic indoctrination for a period of about two months.

His unit, thereafter, was engaged in combat with the Nationalist Forces up until about January 1950, advancing south as far as KWANSHI Province. The unit then returned to SHINYO (信陽), HUNAN Province around the latter part of Jan 50, where the whole Div personnel was made to do farm work, helping farmers in planting and harvesting crops. PW stated that in the Chinese Communist Army, there were times when a unit would simply put their arms away and revert to the status of a labor unit in order to aid the farmers in need of labor in certain districts, or in times of disaster.

Around Jul 50, his unit reverted back to military status. It then departed for TELING (鉃嶺), MANCHURIA and arrived there by train on or about 10 Jul via CHONGJU (鄭州), TSIENTSIN (天津), SANKAIKAN (上海関) and JINJU (金州). There, PW and unit underwent combat training for about two months. His unit then departed TELING and reached an unknown point west and in the vicinity of the YALU River on or about 15 Oct 50, where they had an additional week of combat training. PW stated that the area of this training was unknown to him because he had arrived there in a box car without windows, and further, that it is unwise to be inquisitive in the Communist army, since it invites suspicion. PW stated that after the completion of the weeks training, all patches, insignias and/or markings, etc., for identification were removed, erased or discarded.

On/or about 23 Oct 50, PW’s unit crossed the YALU River, on a makeshift pontoon bridge, constructed of barrels and planks, at an unknown location. On the first day after crossing the river, his unit was subjected to enemy air attacks, with minor losses to personnel. Consequently, all marches, thereafter, were conducted at night for ten days.

Around 1 Nov 50, PW’s unit made first contact with South Korean Forces at HUICHON. He was told later that the initial contact with the enemy ended in complete victory for his unit. They then made a rapid advance pursuing the enemy forces to the vicinity of CHYUCHANG around 3 Nov 50. After capturing a thermo power plant at an unknown location, PW dug a foxhole in which he slept for the night. When he got up in the morning, his unit was gone. He therefore went over to the US Forces on 5 Nov 50, and gave himself up at KUNURI.

According to PW, the 38th Army, also known as the LANJU Army, consisted of the 112th, 113th and 114th Divisions. The 112th Division consisted of the 334th, 335th and the 336th Regiments. The 113th Division consisted of the 337th, 338th and the 339th Regiments. The 114th Division consisted of the 440th, 441st and 442nd Regiments. Each regiment consisted of four battalions, three of which were infantry battalions of three companies each and the fourth, a service battalion, consisting of Engineer, Signal, Medical and Transportation units, etc. A company consisted of two platoons.

According to the PW, the divisional strength was about 10,000 men, with regiments about 2,800 men.

In addition to the above units, there were two attached battalions to the division. One was the 75mm Arty Bn of about 700 troops and a Security Bn of 700 troops. Sometimes, depending on the situation, PW stated that these battalions were also attached to regiments.

Under the regiment, there was a Japanese 92 type (smaller than 75mm) Gun Co with four guns attached.

The present disposition of his unit was unknown to PW. He believes that all divisions under the 36th Army are now on the east side of the YALU River in NORTH KOREA. He is not certain of the 112th Division, but o/a 2 Nov he had talked to a member of the 114th Division, whom he knew, at an unknown location in NORTH KOREA, and is positive of its presence in addition to his 113th Div.

He was told by his company commander that there are about 70,000 troops (CCF) in NORTH KOREA at the present time and that there was no doubt that the final outcome of the war would end in the victory for the CCF Forces.

The primary mission of his unit was to disrupt, sever, or harass the enemy MSR through active patrol actions, ambushes, and/or by flanking the enemy from the rear.

a. RATION

Food was brought over from MANCHURIA. Two days rations consisted of 5 (Jin) Chinese pounds of rice, dried fish and biscuits. At times canned goods were also issued to the men but it depended on the availability of transportation. PW stated that on one occasion he went hungry for two days because rations did not arrive from the rear due to enemy air action.

b. EQUIPMENT

Weapons in PW’s artillery company consisted of four 75mm Arty pieces with 70 rounds of ammunition per gun. Ammunition was carried by trucks when such transportation was available, and by human bearers on mountainous terrain or whenever there was no vehicular transportation.

113th Div CG TANG (唐) (fnu) Maj Gen Age 50

338th Regt CO SHANG (張) (fnu) Col Age 40

339th Regt CO JYANG (姜) (fnu) Col Age 40

Arty Co CO LEE, Chin U (李淸武) Capt Age 31

Insignia or markings denoting rank were removed prior to the units advance into NORTH KOREA. Rank now is distinguished by the type and color of the seams on trousers and weapons carried on the persons. Battalion commanders and above carried 7.62 Russ pistols, while the company commanders carried Mauser Automatic pistols,

Two months of artillery training was given PW at TELING. A rifle was not issued to PW. He did not know whether replacements came in or not. According to PW, there was one Japanese Medical officer in the Division and Koreans were used as interpreters.

PW was told that it was their duty to give aid to KIM, Il Sung who was fighting a rearguard action against the Americans who were trying to invade MANCHURIA after taking all of KOREA. He was also told that in KOREA he would be fighting Chinese Nationalists in addition to Americans, French and British troops.

PW stated that the morale of the troops was very low. Many among the troops felt that they should not be fighting a war in KOREA when they had a war of their own to wage in CHINA. Attacks by enemy planes did much to lower the morale of the troops and they were in constant fear of them.

PW stated that, besides air attacks, the things they feared most were air controlled artillery barrages. They referred to it as, “airplane artillery fire.” PW stated that they always received artillery fire soon after the plane which flew over them went back in the direction from whence it came.

60% of his unit personnel were former Nationalist troops recruited into the CCF. Treatment of CCF troops and former Nationalists was alike, however, the former Nationalists were not able to express their views as did the regular CCF personnel.

In the immediate vicinity of MUKDEN, PW saw approximately 30 Jet planes while enroute to the Manchurian-Korean border. Exact location and date were unknown. Planes were parked on a field.

PW was told that these Jet planes were the best of the Russ-designed Jets.

For the AC of S, G-2: