ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2546 6 December 1950
FIELD REPORT (Ⅸ CORPS LDI - 0145) 8 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| NAME: | HONG Sun Ha (洪淳河) |
| AGE: | 20 |
| RANK: | Pvt |
| DUTY: | Rifleman |
| UNIT: | 6th Div, Repl Regt, Ind Bn, 2nd Co, 7th Plat, 2nd Sqd. |
| DATE CAPTURED, PLACE: | Surrendered 230900 K Oct 50 at MUNGYONG. |
| CIVIL OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (6 yrs) |
PW was cooperative, but his information is limited. Not recommended for further interrogation.
3. OWN ORGANIZATION:PW was inducted on 8 Sep 50 at KUMI MYON (DQ3896) into the Replacement Regt, 6th Div and received 10 days of infantry training at HYOPCH’ON with wooden rifles. Right after his. training, the entire Repl Regt, composed of 1,500 S Koreans departed HYOPCH’ON on foot and headed toward CHINJU. Just as the Regt arrived at SANCHONG around 23 Sep, they met an unknown unit of the 6th Div who told them to withdraw because enemy troops were approaching. The Repl Regt Comdr soon thereafter ordered his troops to march to CHIRI SAN. After arriving at CHIRI SAN on 24 Sep and spending 5 days, the unit was split into company groups of 150 men and headed towards TAEBAEK SAN. While escaping with the group for approx 28 days in the mountains PW deserted the group, because he believed that his home (KUMI MYON) was near. On 23 Oct, he surrendered to the ROK troops.
4. PRESENT ENEMY GROUP:PW stated that when he separated with his group on 22 Oct there were approx 30 men (2 NK Officers and 28 SKs) of the 150 left. The other units status was unknown because he did not come across these groups since departing from CHIRI SAN on 28 Sep.
PW believes this group might now be in SOBAEK SAN because they averaged about 8 kms per day. Out of the 30, only the two officers were armed with M1924 carbines plus 30 rds of ammo per gun.
When PW separated with other companies of Repl Regt on 28 Sep, the Regt at the time had 1,500 men of 100 men (Only NKs) were armed with M1924 carbines plus 30 rds of ammo per rifle.
5. PRESENT ENEMY MISSION:The present mission of the Repl Regt, 6th Div was to escape and assemble at TAEBAEK Mt range via SOBAEK Mt. Further info was unobtainable because he did not cooperate with his group.
6. PRESENT ENEMY METHODS:PW stated that during their escape villagers were used as guides, because they were not familiar with the S Korean mountains. During travel no lights were used.
7. PRESENT ENEMY SUPPLY & EQUIPMENT:During retreat of PWs group the troops looted food from farmers and villagers. Food was not sufficient, but they had to be content with what they confiscated because there was no other way of seeking food.
8. MORALE:The morale of the Repl Regt was low because they did not have weapons except the officers, Furthermore the majority of the 1,500 troops were S Koreans who didn’t want to fight.
For the AC of S, G-2:
YAMADA
