ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2674 11 December 1950
FIELD REPORT (521 - MISDI - UNNUMBERED) 27 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| NAME: | LEE, Po Kun (李保根) (리보근) |
| AGE: | 26 |
| RANK: | Pfc |
| DUTY: | Asst Sgd Ldr |
| UNIT: | 41st Div, 1st Regt (569 Unit), Reconn Plat |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | CHUURONJANG (朱乙溫井) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 22 Nov 50 |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, CHONGSONG GUN, PUNGOK MYON, PUNGAE RI (咸鏡北道 鍾城郡 豊谷面 豊溪里) |
| INTERROGATOR: | MURANAKA |
PW drove a truck most of the time, although his duty was asst sqd ldr, giving him the opportunity to travel to various places, including one visit to the Manchurian border. PW spoke freely and appeared to be sincere.
Reliability: Good
3. MILITARY HISTORY:22 Sep 50: Inducted at NANAM (羅南), assigned to 569 Unit, as truck driver.
10 Oct 50: Entire 569 Unit dep NANAM and arr NOMPO (論南); 1st Bn went to CHONGJIN; 2nd Bn to KYONGSONG; 3rd Bn to CHONGJIN and PANGJUK TONG (板竹洞), (N of CHONGJIN); 120mm Mortar Co to PANGJUK TONG; and Regtl Hqs with Hqs and Service Units remaining at NOMPO.
25 Oct 50 : Regtl Hqs and Hqs and Service units moved to village 4 km N of CHONGJIN; 2nd Bn moved to NOMPO; other bns remained same location as above.
16 Nov 50: 1st Bn moved S towards HOEMUN (会文).
19 Nov 50: 3rd Bn and Reconn Plat dep CHONGJIN (objective: HOEMUN). Arr CHUURONJANG (朱乙溫井) on 20 Nov 50 and took to hills on 21 Nov 50. PW deserted that night and was captured on 22 Nov 50.
4. ORGANIZATION, PERSONNEL & WEAPONS:| Hqs and Service Units, | 569 Unit: | Total Strength: approx 300 |
| Comm Co | 50-60 | |
| Engr Co | 50-60 | |
| 120mm Mortar Co | 50 | 3 mortars |
| AA MG Co | 60 | No MGs |
| Reconn Plat | 24 | |
| Guard Plat | 25 | |
| PPsh Plat | 60 | |
| Medic Section | 20 | |
| Veterinary Section | 10 |
All men equipped with rifles, PPsh SMGs or pistols. Org of Inf Bns unknown.
5. PERSONALITIES:KIM, Ho (金浩) Lt Col, CO, 569 Unit
6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:1. PW heard from political officer that CCF troops were in HAMHUNG, NK, but never saw CCF troops in any of places that he went.
2. Observed no UN PsW, but o/a 20 Nov 50, he heard from a end in his unit that the UN PsW located at HOERYONG were snipped to the coal mines at ONSONG (EC 8156) and PUNGIN DONG (EC 8655).
PUNGSAN DONG: Sheet 704011 - 1:50,000
KUMPAE DONG
KUMPAE RR Sta.
Sketch No. 1
o/a 20 Oct 50 PW as truck driver with 4 others went to KUMPAE DONG to pick up gasoline and oil for the 569 Unit. After filling up 11 drum cans of gasoline and ½ drum of oil from RR tankers hidden in the tunnels, it was almost daylight, so they were advised to take refuge and food at a naval camp at KOCHAM. While having breakfast at the mess hall, he heard that there was a navy div (marine)? here and that two cows were killed daily to feed the personnel. PW estimates approx 1,500 troops living in about 200 homes within the villages. The personnel wore dark blue navy uniforms and were armed with rifles and PPsh SMGs. Obs - approx 20 trucks. No tanks or other weapons obs.
HOERYONG (EB 6298)
o/a 16 Oct 50 PW drove a truck to HOERYONG to pick up dynamite for the 1st Regt. The dynamite was stored in two concrete reinforced caves measuring approx 8mx10mx3m. Heard there were 15 tons of dynamite stored here. PW loaded 125 boxes of dynamite, each measuring 10"x18"x10" and weighing approx 25 kg each. PW obs several hundred recruits w/o weapons on the hill N of the cave, and a red brick bldg which he heard was the Recruit Trng Ctr Hqs. No tanks, guns or other concentration of troops obs.
PUNGGYE DONG (EC 7530)
Sketch No. 2
o/a 8 Nov 50 PW drove a truck and went to NAMYANG DONG (EC 6955) with the regtl supply officer (maj) to pick up winter uniforms for the officers of the 569 Unit. On the way PW stopped at his home in PUNGGYE DONG and had lunch with his mother and wife. He heard at this time that there were approx 1,000 recruits in and around this town. PW obs approx 500 in the high school bldg area dressed in dark gray cotton padded winter uniforms with no weapons while driving past the bldg and heard from his wife that there were several hundred recruits at CHAK KOL.
A few km S of ON SONG (EC 8156) the truck slid into a hole. The major was asleep on the front seat beside the driver in a slouched position, and when the truck came to a sudden stop, the major slid down to the floor board and broke his back. Since there was no hospital at ONSONG, he drove to the Army Hosp at KYONGWON: (EC 9440). There he was told that the staff and patients of the hosp Bn had moved to MUTANCHANG, MANCHURIA the day before. PW drove the major back to ONSONG, left him at a home, went to NAMYANG DONG, picked up 180 sets of two piece officers winter, cotton padded uniforms (red piping on collar, outer seam of trousers, and an inverted "V" shape red piping on both sleeves between the elbow and wrist) and 1,000 waist strap type ammo belts. Uniforms are made in private homes within the town. Obs a few NK troops but no CCF or tanks.
On the way back, he picked up the major at ONSONG and took him to the. Army Hosp at HOERYONG. There he heard that approx 1,500 patients from this hosp were to be evacuated to MANCHURIA within the next couple days.
PW drove a truck from CHONGJIN to SOKPONG RR Sta on more than 10 occasions during period 12 Oct to 10 Nov 50 to pick up various type ammo for the 569 Unit, SOKPONG RR Sta. was the ammo supply point for all the units in the area, arid the many tunnels N of the RR Sta was used to conceal freight cars bringing in ammo from MANCHURIA. PW recalls meeting personnel from the following units, who came to pick up ammo at this supply point: 570 Unit, 399 Unit, 41st Div Tank Regt, and the Navy Div. He heard at one of the last visits here that the Naval OCS at CHONGJIN had moved to HOERYONG.
For the AC of S, G-2:
SHORT
