ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3163 5 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 - MISDI - 1408) 23 January 1951
| PW NAME: | LEE, Tae Bon (李泰範) (리태범) (NKA) |
| Rank: | Pvt (戰사) |
| ORGANIZATION: | II Corps, 10th Div, Engineer Bn, Signal Plat |
| DUTIES: | Signal Lineman |
| EDUCATION: | 6 years |
| AGE: | 18 |
| OCCUPATION: | Post Office Clerk |
| ADDRESS: | PYONGAN PUKTO, KUSONG GUN, KUSONG MYON, TABU DONG, #125 (平安北道 龜城郡 龜城面 ■部洞) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 191000 I Jan 51 at “KAMNANKOL” (24 Km direction unknown of ANDONG)(DR 7646) |
| INTERROGATOR: | W.T.O. |
| INTERROGATED AT: | HAYANG (DQ 8374) |
PW was cooperative and seemed alert. He is fairly familiar with the Military Service.
Information seems reliable.
II Corps: 10th, 31st and other unknown Divs.
10th Div: 27th, 25th and the 29th Regts, 1 per each regt: Engineer, Medical, Signal, Artillery, Transportation, AT and Recon (150 men) Bns.
Engineer Bn: 3 Engr Co’s and Signal Plat.
25th, 27th and 29th Regiments: Each composed of 3 Rifle Bns, 1 Sig Co, 1 Engr, Med and Mortar Plats.
Each Inf Bn: 3 Inf Co.
Each Inf Co: 4 Inf Plat.
Each Inf Plat: 4 Inf Sqds.
Sig Plat, Engr Bn|original (Dec 50)|present (Jan 51)
Personnel:
EM|15|14
Officer|1|1
Total|16|15
Equipment and Ammo:
SMGs|4 (200 rds ea)|4 (200 rds ea)
M1891/30 Rifles|11 (100 rds ea)|10 (100 rds ea)
Pistol|1 (200 rds ea)|1 (200 rds ea)
Tank Mines|2|2
AT Grenades|6|6
Telephone Wires|2 Km|Unk
Telephones|4|4
Remarks: The same telephone wire was used repeatedly.
Engr Bn
Personnel:
EM and Officers|150|100
Equipment and Ammo:
Tank Mines|40|40
AT Grenades|Unk|Unk
Dynamite|Unk|Unk
LMG|1|1
Troops armed with SMG’s, M1891/30 rifles and a limited number of M-1 Rifles and carbines. No ammo had been used by this battalion up to time PW was captured.
At certain areas, where the unit stopped, 2 to 3 tank mines were laid, but were dug up as soon as the unit began to move again.
Approximately 30% of the unit consisted of recent conscripts.
PW estimates strength of 10th Div to be 1,500 men.
Unk number of 82 mm Mortars were seen in Div.
No other heavy weapons were noted.
Engr Bn was last seen departing “KAMNANKOL” on 181900 Jan 51, heading for ANDONG. PW remained behind in “KAMNANKOL” due to hemorrhoids.
Div Hq followed the Engr Bn approx 12 Km.
27th and 29th Regts passed through “KAMNANKOL” during the night of 18 Jan 51 using secondary roads.
Route of the 25th Regiment unk.
In “KAMNANKOL”, 18 Jan 51, the Engr Bn CO told the troops, ANDONG was only 9 “Ri” (36 Km) away and would take 3 days to reach there, marching at 3 “Ri’s” (12 Km) per day.
10th Div objective was ANDONG; where, the Engr Bn CO said they were to open the second front. The entire II Corps supposed to make contact in ANDONG, presumably on 21 Jan 51.
The Bn CO stated the II Corps and the CCF would reach the ANDONG area, simultaneously and would proceed S to other unknown objectives.
10th Div while enroute, was supposed to conduct guerrilla warfare and harass UN troops. The Bn CO said, upon reaching ANDONG, they would not engage in guerrilla warfare, but would be engaged in a full scale battle.
No equipment and ammo are slated to arrive to 10th Div. The only source of supply was to capture them.
Conscripted Jul 50 at SINUIJU.
Received 2 weeks of signal training.
PW and 80 recruits left SINUIJU in the early part of Aug 50 arriving by train at YANGYANG, a day later.
Left YANGYANG a day later and arrived KANGNUNG.
Assigned to the II Corps, 8th Div, 2nd Regt, 1st Bn, Signal Plat.
8th Div left KANGNUNG Aug 50 and engaged in combat enroute to PALGON Mountain. Arrived in the PALGON Mountain Area middle of Sep 50.
Engaged in battle for 2 weeks in this area.
8th Div was practically annihilated when they started to retreat in disorganized manner, during early Oct 50.
PW with 3 others retreated through the TAEBAEK and ODAE Mountain Ranges, arriving at HWACHON at unk date. Undetermined number of troops from various units were seen retreating through the same route, arriving in HWACHON (CT 8818).
II Corps Hq, 10th Div and other unk Divs were in HWACHON.
Stragglers were assigned to any of the units located there. PW was assigned to the Signal Plat, Engr Bn, 10th Div.
10th Div engaged in guard and security duties in HWACHON. After one week of guard duties, 10th Div was replaced by 39th Div.
10th Div left HWACHON in Dec 50, using secondary roads and arrived at the 38th parallel, o/a 30 Dec 50.
Div arrived in “KAMNANKOL” on 18 Jan 51 after passing through unk places from the 38th parallel.
Enroute, elements of Div engaged UN forces in minor skirmishes. Div was last seen leaving “KAMNANKOL” 18 Jan 51.
Destination of unit unk.
O, Paek Yong (오백룡)
Maj Gen
8th Div CG
Present disposition unk.
About 2 days supply of uncooked rice or rice cakes carried by each soldier. Supply replenished upon reaching any village or town. 3 meals per day was received by each soldier in sufficient amounts.
No ammo supplies are slated to arrive to PW’s unit. Div planning to utilize captured arms and ammo of the UN troops.
Few rounds of ammo used, up to time PW was captured.
Majority of the troops possessed their initial issue of 100 rds of rifle ammo per man.
PW’s unit (Sig Plat, Engr Bn) utilized abandoned wire of UN units. Approx 2 Km of wire carried by PW’s Plat. PW estimates they would need approx 4 Km of Wire before adequate communications could be set up within his Bn. One telephone was usually set up in each Co and Bn Hqs.
When Bn was marching simple communication were established between the Bn Hqs and the CP.
Wire was recovered for further use.
Usually, the Co farthest from the Bn Hqs was connected by wire and if wire permitted, the other Co were then included.
PW’s unit had 4 Russian field telephones and 1 set of dry cell batteries each. Clear conversation could be held by these phones.
Approx a third of the Engr Bn was suffering from frozen feet and toes. They are still marching, with the help of canes.
Some of the troops are confident of winning the war.
Troops did not favor guard duty, and marching at night. Cold weather lowered the morale considerably. Some troops did not care who won the war, as long as the war was ended.
PW did not hear of any desertions in his Bn.
There had been about 6 cases of illness in which the soldiers had to be separated from the battalion.
a. Did you surrender voluntarily? If so, why?
a. Yes, PW surrendered voluntarily.
PW was suffering of hemorrhoids during the march from the 38th parallel. He was often mistreated by the Plat Ldr who urged him to surrender.
b. Did you see any United Nations leaflets or hear any loudspeaker broadcasts?
a. No
c. Can you describe what they said?
a. No.
d. What was your reaction to them?
a. Negative.
e. Did you hear other soldiers discuss leaflets or broadcasts? What did they say or do?
a. Negative.
For the AC of S G-2:
HONG
