ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2997 24 January 1951
FIELD REPORT (IX CORPS MISD - 0210) 3 December 1950
| NAME: | TSAO Chow Chun (趙朝臣) |
| AGE: | 22 |
| RANK: | Pvt |
| DUTY: | Runner between Bn & Co CP |
| UNIT: | CCF 39th Army, 116 Div, 18th Regt, 1st Bn |
| DATE CAPTURED, PLACE: | Captured vic CS308980 at 010700 Jan 51 |
| EDUCATION: | None |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
PW was cooperative. He appeared to divulge whatever information he possessed which was more of a general nature and very vague. It is not recommended that he be further interrogated.
a. After entering KOREA from SUIPING, MANCHURIA, the 39th Army passed through KUJANG - UMSAN - KOSONG-DONG (where it engaged the 24th Div). It then crossed the CHUNCH’ON River at an unknown point and remained at a village for a week. It then departed and arrived at MAPYONG (?) which he said was located approx 1 km N of a big river o/a 25 Dec 50. It remained there for 5 days, after which it moved 12 kms to the E of MAPYONG, since the 40th Army was already there. It arrived vic 12 kms E of MAPYONG o/a 28 Dec 50 via WAEJU DONG where it remained until 31 Dec 50 when a general all-out attack was begun.
O/a 31 Dec prior to the jump off, he stated that the 116th Div (Code: NANHAI PU) CP was located at WAEJU DONG. His Bn CP was located approx 12 kms E of MAPYONG slightly inland from the river. Approx 1 km N of the 1st Bn CP was the 18th Regt CP, whose code no. was 41. One km W of the 1st Bn CP was located the 16th Regt CP while the 17th Regt CP was located 1 km to the E.
He stated that the 39th Army consisted of the 114th (?), 115th and 116th Divs. Questioned about the 114th Div, he stated that it was often said by the Bn Staff Officer that the 39th Army consisted of the 114th, 115th and 116th Div. He did not know of any other Divs, otherwise. The 116th Div was composed of the 16th, 17th and 18th Regts. PW’s 18th Regt consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bn. There were 3 companies under his 1st Bn.
The strength of the 116th Div was less than 10,000 troops. The strength of the 18th Regt was approx 2,000 men while the 1st Bn strength was approx 300 men. The strength of a company was about 90 men.
He heard the Bn CO state at a conference with his platoon and company commanders (1) that 5 Armies (Namely the 38th, 39th, 40th, 42nd and 50th) were to make a coordinated attack along a 40 km front commencing 311830 hrs. The army front would be about 12 kms, to each army, eastward from MAPYONG (?) where the 40th Army was prior to 311800 hrs Dec 50. The Bn CO, whose name was TSAO Wan Jan (趙朝章) also stated that a 30 minute artillery barrage was to proceed
the attack. Also heard that the strength of the 5 Armies was 5 times that of the enemy confronting them, which he said was three Divs. He had no idea what the mission of his 116th Div was, except that the 1st Bn was to attack the enemy to their front.
At 311500 hrs Dec, he reported observing an Artillery Division arrive approx 4 kms N of the 1st Bn CP. He asked the soldiers, who were digging gun emplacements and was told that they were from an Artillery Div. Troops wore grey colored uniforms. He saw 2 x 122mm Guns being drawn by eight horses.
Food, which was obtained from the immediate area of arrival, was plentiful. PW said that food was plentiful and that all fared fairly well.
Road signs of the 116th Div are as follows;
For the AC of S, G-2:
IIDA
