ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3025 27 January 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI - 1332) 14 January 1951
| PW NAME: | CHOE, Pok Tong (崔福童) (최복동) |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| ORGANIZATION: | NKA 43rd Div, 67th Regt, 1st Bn, 2nd Co, 1st Plat, 3rd Sqd |
| DUTIES: | Kitchen Police |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (2 years) |
| AGE: | 38 |
| OCCUPATION: | Tombstone Craftsman |
| ADDRESS: | CHOLLA NAMDO, MUAN GUN, IRO MYON, TAEYANG RI, #585 (全羅南道 務安郡 二老面 大陽里 五八五) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 131500 I Jan 51 at WONJU (DS 0633) |
| INTERROGATOR: | M.T. |
PW was cooperative and talked freely. Because he was on KP duty, his information is limited but fairly reliable.
PW was wounded by mortar fragment in the vicinity of WONJU Airfield 8 Jan 51.
43rd Division composed of 66th, 67th, and 68th Regt, Medical Section, Supply Section and Recon Plat.
67th Infantry Regiment composed of 3 Rifle Bns.
1st Bn composed of 3 Rifle Cos, Mortar Co, HMG Plat, Medical Section, Supply Section and Recon Plat.
2nd Rifle Co composed of 3 Rifle Plats.
The 1st Platoon was composed of 3 Rifle Squads. Each squad consisted of seven men.
| 1st Platoon | Original (Nov 50) | Present (As of 13 Jan 51) |
| Personnel: | ||
| EM | 32 | 19 |
| Officer | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 33 | 20 |
| Equipment and Ammo: | ||
| Carbine (US) | 0 | 1 |
| Model 38 Rifle | 1 (2 rds) | Unknown |
| Model 99 Rifle | 1 (rds unknown) | Unknown |
| SMG | 1 (75 rds ea) | Unknown |
| M1891/30 Rifles | 3 (24 rds ea) | Unknown |
| Grenade | 1 | Unknown |
| 2nd Company | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM | approx 102 | 64 |
| Officers | 4 | Unknown |
| Total | 106 | 64 |
| 1st Battalion | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM and Officers | 270 (Approx) | Unknown |
| Equipment and Ammo: | ||
| (Equipment other than previously mentioned) | ||
| LMGs | 2 | 2 |
| Rocket Launcher | 1 | 1 |
| HMG | 1 | 1 |
1st Battalion CP was located approximately 4 Km SE of WONJU Airfield at the time of PW’s capture 13 Jan 51.
PW believed that the entire 43rd Division units were located in the vicinity of WONJU, however, he did not know exact locations and activities of the units.
3 Sep 50, PW was forced to join the Volunteer Army (義勇軍) at MUAN (BP 7073) when the NKA occupied the city in Sep 50. Without receiving any training, PW with an unknown number of volunteers were assigned to a HMG Co, 2nd Co, 1st Bn, 33rd Regt of the Volunteer Army.
The Volunteer Army was composed of approximately 400 South Koreans who were forced to join the unit by the NKA.
O/a 30 Sep 50, Volunteer Army retreated from MUAN via mountain ranges, SO PAEK SAN (小白山), OTAE SAN (五大山), crossed the 38th Parallel, and arrived in the vicinity of INJE (DT 2812) o/a 1 Nov 50.
After regrouping troops (“volunteers”, NKA troops), at INJE, PW and 100 troops were assigned to the 1st Bn, 67th Regt, 43rd Division.
When the 43rd Division was reorganized (number of troops unknown), the entire 43rd Division departed from INJE via HWACHON (CT 8617), KUMHWA, KOKSAN, and arrived at SAMDUNG o/a 12 Nov 50.
43rd Division fought with ROK troops for two days in the vicinity of SAMDUNG until the ROK troops evacuated the city.
O/a 18 Dec 50, the entire 43rd Division departed from SAMDUNG and advanced south.
While travelling from SAMDUNG to WONJU, the following route were followed:
| DEPARTED | DATE | MODE OF TRAVEL | ARRIVED | DATE |
| SAMDUNG(BU5320) | 18 Dec 50 | Marched | SUAN | Unknown |
| SUAN (BT7187) | Unknown | Marched | SINGYE | Unknown |
| SINGYE (BT8575) | Unknown | Marched | CHORWON | Unknown |
| CHORWON(CT4235) | Unknown | Marched | CHUNCHON | Unknown |
| CHUNCHON(CS8894) | Unknown | Marched | HWACHON | Unknown |
| HWACHON (DS0854) | Unknown | Marched | WONJU | o/a 7 Jan 51 |
Upon arriving in the vicinity of WONJU the 67th Regt of the 43rd Division was attacked by UN troops.
During the engagement, PW was wounded 8 Jan 51. He was left behind by his 2nd Company.
While PW was hiding in a home, he and 4 other wounded were captured by UN troops six days later 13 Jan 50.
Field telephones were used above the company level. Runners were used below the company level.
HYON, Chol (玄철), Regt CO, 67th Regt, 43rd Division.
KIM, Yun Sik (金윤식), Lt (中尉), Co CO, 2nd Co, 1st Bn, 67th Regt, 43rd Division.
Food was confiscated from villages as they advanced.
Troops in PW’s unit usually carried 4-days ration.
Each Infantry men in PW’s company has carried an average of 102 rds since Dec 50.
Source and route for food and ammo supplies not known to PW.
Morale was high among the troops because they saw CCF troops, helping the NKA, and have heard of victories by them.
8 Jan 51, PW observed two US PW’s, who had surrendered to PW’s company at WONJU. One of them seemed wounded. After he received medical treatment, they were sent to the 1st Bn area, exact location unknown. No further information.
While marching southward, PW once observed an unknown number of the CCF troops. Because this was at night at an unknown location, no further information was available.
a. Did you surrender voluntarily? If so, why?
a. PW did not surrender voluntarily but was captured.
b. Did you see any United Nations leaflets or hear any loudspeaker broadcasts?
a. Negative
c. Can you describe what they said?
a. Negative
d. What was your reaction to them?
a. Negative
e. Did you hear other soldiers discuss leaflets or broadcast? What did they say or do?
a. Negative
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
