ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3009 26 January 1951
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS SPECIAL REPORT 019) 18 January 1951
| PW NAME: | LEE, Kyong Sin (李京信) (이경신) |
| PW NUMBER: | 2648 |
| RANK: | M/Sgt (特務上士) |
| AGE: | 26 |
| DUTY: | S.P. Arty Driver |
| UNIT: | NKA, 15th Div, Self-Propelled Gun Bn, 3rd Btry 3rd Plat |
| EDUCATION: | None |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | YONGCH’ON (永川) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 10 Sep 50 |
| INTERROGATOR: | Cpl NAGAOKA (ATIS) |
PW was uncooperative. Observation poor. Reliability - Poor.
PW’s unit:
NKA, 15th Div, Attached Self-Propelled Gun Bn.
Btry had SU-76, Russian made, self-propelled guns and a total of 25 men.
Approx 130 men in a battalion as of Jun 50.
The members of the NKA 15th Div, Self-propelled gun Bn were trained at P’YONGYANG.
Engaged in battle at KOESAN (槐山) for about 3 hours on or about 25th Jul 50.
Casualties:
2 killed and 3 or 4 wounded by ROK counter-battery fire.
2xSU-76 self-propelled guns were destroyed by counter-battery fire. Self-propelled gun battalion was withdrawn immediately to escape counter-battery fire. The Bn moved back in a disorderly manner.
Men were mostly afraid of air attack.
Men jumped into ditches or under a tree to seek concealment.
Bn had 16xSU-76 Russian made self-propelled guns, 16xDP Russian LMGs, 16xPPsh M-1941 Russian SMGs and about 20xTT M-1933 Russian TOKAREV Pistols.
Weapons were all of Russian manufacture.
Caliber SU-76 Russian self-propelled gun was 76mm.
Armor piercing shells and HE shells were used. Ammunition was all fixed type.
Fuses:
Similar to Russian KTM-1 fuse.
5xSU-76 SPG’s in a company.
Approx 300 rounds of ammunition were carried by a Btry.
Ammunition was drawn from the HOERYONG (會寧) supply point.
Plenty of ammunition was available.
No restrictions on firing.
Btry had armor piercing shells.
Ammunition was carried forward by ZIS-151 2½ ton trucks.
Ordinary dirt roads were used, but only at night due to frequent air attacks.
Approx 300 rounds of 70mm shells a day were expended by Btry.
Guns were on a single line with irregular distances between guns.
Natural cover (such as tree shade) was used for camouflage.
No slit trenches dug.
Guns not dug in.
Light machine guns were always mounted on the front of the self propelled guns.
Each self-propelled gun had one DP LMG (Russian made) and one PPsh M-1941 SMG for securing the self-propelled gun position. Infantry and tanks were not employed.
Guns employed by battalion.
Guns were normally employed in direct support of infantry.
Normally intended as offensive weapons.
About 2 or 3 SPG’s accompany an infantry battalion, but this plan is not always followed.
Infantry commander commanded joint teams.
Wireless radio and field telephones were available for communication.
Wireless radio was used by PW’s unit.
Radio was very reliable.
Russian made telescope and range finder were used for observation.
Five observers used in each Btry.
Wireless and field telephone used to communicate with observers.
No planes available.
Could not mass fires.
No meteorological data used.
Unit had all required equipment and instruments.
Two self-propelled guns were knocked out by counterartillery fire; seven were damaged by air attacks, three by land mines and two due to mechanical failure. Total of 14 self-propelled guns were lost.
For the Commanding Officer:
SHAPPELL
