ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2764 27 December 1950
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI - 1267) 29 November 1950
| PW NAME: | PAI, Pei Ming (白佩明) (Chinese) |
| RANK & DUTY: | Company Clerk |
| ORGANIZATION: | 66th Army, 196th Div, 586th Regt, 1st Bn, 1st Co (66軍 196師 586團 1營 1連) |
| EDUCATION: | 8 years |
| AGE: | 23 |
| OCCUPATION: | Government Worker |
| ADDRESS: | SHANSI SHENG, TAI-YUAN-SHIH, CHIU-CHENG-CHIEH, FU-SHOU-LI (山西省 太原市 旧城街 福■里 4號) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 240900 I Nov 50 at an unknown location by a ROK Unit. |
| INTERROGATOR: | H.N. |
PW seems sincere and talked freely.
66th Army was composed of the 196th, 197th, and 198th Divisions and 1 Artillery Regiment.
196th Division was composed of the 586th, 587th, and 588th Rifle Regiment and 1 Artillery Battalion.
586th Rifle Regiment was composed of 3 Rifle Battalions (1st, 2nd and 3rd), Guard Company, Mortar Company, and Service Company (特務連) (Service Company was composed of troops working at the Regimental Headquarters, such as transportation and signal personnel).
PW believes that the 587th and 588th Rifle Regiment were of similar composition as the 586th Rifle Regiment.
1st Rifle Battalion was composed of 3 Rifle Companies and 1 Heavy Weapon Company.
Each Rifle Company was composed of 3 Rifle Platoons and 60mm Mortar Platoon.
Each Rifle Platoon was composed of 3 Rifle Squads and 1 LMG Squad.
| Rifle Squad | Original |
| A. Personnel: | |
| EM | 8 |
| B. Equipment & ammo: | |
| Model 38 rifle | 8 (100 to 120 rds per) |
| LMG Squad | |
| A. Personnel: | 8 |
| B. Equipment & ammo: | |
| LMG | 2 (600 rds per) |
| 60mm Mortar Platoon | |
| A. Personnel: | 20 |
| B. Equipment & ammo: | |
| 60mm Mortar | 3 (35 rds per) |
| Rifle Company | |
| A. Personnel: | 130 |
| B. Equipment & Ammo: | Unknown |
| (T/O Personnel includes 20 non-combatant laborers who were not with the unit). | |
| Heavy Weapons Company | |
| A. Personnel: | 150 |
| B. Equipment & ammo: | |
| HMGs | 4 (rds unknown) |
| 82mm Mortars | 2 (rds unknown) |
| Rifle Battalion | |
| Personnel: | Approx 500 |
| 82mm Mortar Company (of Rifle Regiment) | |
| A. Personnel: | Approx 140 |
| B. Equipment & ammo: | |
| 82mm Mortars | 4 (rds unknown) |
| SMGs | unknown |
| Guard Company (of Rifle Regiment) | |
| A. Personnel: | Approx 140 |
| B. Equipment & Ammo: | Same as Rifle Company |
| Service Company (of Rifle Regiment) | |
| A. Personnel: | Approx 130 |
| Rifle Regiment | |
| A. Personnel: | Approx 1,600 |
“Original” in above column signify troops and equipment crossing the YALU River into KOREA with the units. Majority of the units was never up to T/O Strength.
One interpreter, a North Korean, was with the PW’s Company after crossing the YALU River. PW believes other companies were the same.
PW’s unit was under the same chain of command after crossing the YALU River into KOREA. PW claims he never observed any CCF vehicles in KOREA.
PW states that the CCF winter uniform was issued to all troops of the 586th Rifle Regiment at ANTUNG, just before they crossed the YALU River.
During the night of 22 Nov 50, the 196th Division, 66th Army marched southeast from NAMSI DONG (XE 3315) and arrived at a hilly place approximately 36 km (by road) SE of NAMSI DONG. At dawn of 23 Nov 50, orders were issued that the 196th Division was to surround a ROK unit. PW was separated from his unit while it was being deployed and was captured by a ROK unit while trying to locate his unit on 240900 I Nov 50 at an unknown location.
PW heard that the entire 66th Army has entered KOREA. He also heard of other Armies other than the 66th being in KOREA. No other information.
PW was inducted into the Chinese Nationalist Army at TAI-YUAN SHIH (太原市) during Jul 47 and was assigned to the FEN-TOU, 3rd Regiment (舊開第三團) as a Warrant Officer. The FEN-TOU, 3rd Regiment was a unit composed of 500 officers.
During Dec 47, PW was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and was assigned to Service Unit (親訓服務隊) located at TAI-YUEN-SHIH. During Feb 49, PW was transferred to the CNA 19th Army, Iron Blood (鐵血) Division Headquarters (在政治部當幹事業通訓連指導員) as clerk in the political branch and director of the Public Information Company.
On 22 Apr 49, PW was captured by an unknown CCF unit at TAIWEN and was sent to TAI-YO Army District, Liberated Officers’ Education Center (太白軍區解放軍官敎導團) located in PING-TING HSIEN (平定縣) where approximately 2,000 CNA Officers were interned.
During Jun 49, PW was transferred to the HWA PEH Army Political College (華北軍政大學) located in HUPEH SHENG, SHIH-CHIA-CHUANG (河北省石家莊). During Apr 50, PW was assigned to the 66th Army, 196th Div, 586th Regt, 1st Bn, 1st Co, located at TIENTSIN (天津). During the period from Apr 50 to Oct 50, the 66th Army was engaged in farming near TIENTSIN.
On 22 Oct 50, the 196th Division departed TIENTSIN and travelled by train to ANTUNG (XE 1842), arriving at ANTUNG on 25 Oct 50. During the night of 26 Oct 50, the 196th Division departed ANTUNG on train and crossed the YALU River into KOREA. Two hours later, the 196th Division detrained at an unknown Railroad Station, immediately marched, and arrived at CHOLDAN (XE 4204) on 27 Oct 50. O/a 1 Nov 50, the 196th Division arrived at NAMSI DONG (XE 3315) from CHOLDAN. At NAMSI DONG the unit stayed in the hills to avoid detection from aircraft, changing positions frequently at night.
On 23 Nov 50, the 196th Division departed NAMSI DONG and marched southeastward. PW was separated from his unit approximately 36 km (by road) from NAMSI DONG and was captured by a ROK unit while trying to locate his unit.
PW never saw any other CCF unit in KOREA beside his own (196th Div) but heard that the entire 66th Army and other unknown armies had entered KOREA.
HUANG, Jin-Ru (黃敬如), Commander, 586th Regt, 196th Div, 66th Army.
YANG, Wun Shan (楊文山), Commander, 1st Bn, 586th Regt, 196th Div, 66th Army.
At present, the above is not with the unit. Believed to be on leave.
SHUN, Sang-Wen (孫尙元), Ass’t Commander (acting Commander), 1st Bn, 586th Regt, 196th Div.
HOU, Fu-Hai (郝富海), Commander, 1st Co, 1st Bn, 586th Regt, 196th Div.
CHANG, Yu-Shan (張有山), Assistant Commander, 1st Co, 1st Bn, 586th Regt, 196th Div
The 196th Division entered KOREA with 3 days food ration. After the supply was exhausted food was obtained locally.
The 586th Regt, 196th Division entered KOREA with 12 horsecart-loads of ammo.
Ammo being supplied to the 586th Regiment in KOREA was brought in on horse carts from an unknown place. Boxes of new ammo were marked “Northeast Military District Arsenal” (東北軍區兵工廠).
Morale of men in the 586th Regt, 196th Division was very low because they were encountering hardships after being told that CCF units would enter KOREA and overwhelm the opposition. Superiority of UN weapons (i.e. aircraft, tanks, artillery) and the lack of CCF airplanes and tanks were also causing concern.
Telephone communications were used only at battalion and higher echelon. Messengers were largely employed.
Observed 2 US PWs at the 586th Regiment Headquarters o/a 12 Nov 50 near NAMSI DONG (XE 3315).
PW did not volunteer for Korean service.
No instruction were given to the PW to appear as volunteer if captured.
No amphibious training was undergone by PW or his unit.
PW knew nothing of the Iron and Steel Brigade.
There were no Japanese units in the CCF.
PW believes that all the Youth Organizations in CHINA can easily be converted into military units.
PW does not know the type of recruiting program the Chinese have.
PAY RATE: PW, a company clerk, received 6,000 Yuan or 3.6 Kg of millet per month. Platoon leaders usually received 25% more than EM.
PW does not know of any CCF units with Soviet equipment.
No known paratroop training or paratroop units are known to be in the CCF.
All equipment captured by the CCF were used by the CCF. Captured personnel were assigned as soldiers to the capturing unit or sent to Communist Indoctrination Schools.
PW was told by his superiors that the CCF has more troops than the enemy and that it could overwhelm all opposition. PW was also told that Americans are cowards and are lousy fighters.
PW never received any gas training or heard of any CCF units receiving gas training.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
