ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3202 6 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI - 1427) 27 January 1951
| PW NAME: | CHO, Yong Shik (趙永植) (조영식) (NKA) |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| ORGANIZATION: | Ⅱ Corps, 2nd Div, 6th Regt, 2nd Bn, 4th Co, 2nd Plat, 2nd Sqd |
| DUTIES: | Rifleman |
| EDUCATION: | 6 yrs |
| AGE: | 29 |
| OCCUPATION: | Druggist |
| ADDRESS: | SEOUL, SANWANSHIM RI DONG, 390 (서울 上往十里洞 三九0) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 241300 I Jan 51 at PAEKCHA NI (DS5315) |
| INTERROGATOR: | GNY |
| INTERROGATED AT: | HAYANG (DQ8374) |
PW appeared in ragged clothing, sickly, and was frost bitten on his left hand. He voluntarily surrendered because he had no desire to fight. He was cooperative.
Although information is limited, it seems reliable.
Ⅱ NK Corps: 2nd, 10th and 31st Divs
2nd Inf Div: 4th, 6th & 17th Rifle Regts, Arty Regt
6th Inf Regt: 3 Inf Bn
2nd Bn: 3 Rifle Co (4th, 5th & 6th) HMG Co, Sig Sqd, Recon Sqd & Med Sqd
4th Co: 3 Rifle Plat
2nd Plat: 3 Rifle Sqd
| 2nd plat: | Original (20 Nov 50) | Present (24 Jan 51) |
| Personnel: | ||
| EM | 23 | 6 |
| Officer | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 24 | 6 |
| Equipment & Ammo | ||
| M1891/30 Rifles | 10 (100 rds ea) | 10 (300 rds ea) |
| SMGs | 4 (100 rds ea) | 4 (150 rds ea) |
| Carbines | 3 (350 rds ea) | 3(450 rds ea) |
| M1s | 5 (60 rds ea) | 5 (200 rds ea) |
| Grenades | 2 per man | 3 per man |
PW plat had more ammo at present than originally because of the many casualties from whom the ammo and equipment were removed.
| 4th Co: | Original (20 Nov 50) | Present (24 Jan 51) |
| Personnel: | ||
| EM & Officers | 77 | 23 |
| 2nd Bn: | Original (20 Nov 50) | Present (24 Jan 51) |
| Personnel: | ||
| EM & Officers | 350 | 150 |
| Equipment & ammo | ||
| 60mm Mortar | 1 (50 rds) | 1 (30rds) |
| HMG | 1(1,000 rds) | 1(1,000 rds) |
| LMGs | 2 | 2 |
| 6th Regt: | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM & Officers | 1,000 | 500 |
Casualties of the 6th Regt were due mostly to frost bite, causing the troops to fall back or be hospitalized. Battle casualties were few for the 6th Regt did not see such combat. PW was unable to fire his rifle because it was frozen.
PW heard from his CO that the mission of the Ⅱ Corps was to infiltrate behind UN lines and to conduct guerilla activities. Other information unk.
25 Jul 50 at SEOUL conscripted into the NKA Volunteer Corps. For 10 days, PW underwent basic training.
5 Aug 50, PW was transferred to 6th Div, Ind Regt, as stencil operator (reproducing passes, songs, daily news, etc). This Ind Regt was composed of recruits, who were processed and then transferred out. The same day PW marched with 6th Div southward via unk mountain trails and reached CHINJU (DP1693) 30 Aug 50. Approx 500 or 600 new recruits, conscripted each week from the CHINJU area, were trained in the Ind Regt. After 5 to 7 days of basic training, the new recruits were assigned to component units of 6th Div.
O/a 20 Sep 50, when the UN offensive started, PW retreated with the entire 6th Div northward through unk mountain route and arrived at ICHON (CT1663) o/a 26 Oct 50.
At this time 6th Div had suffered heavy casualties. It was deactivated, and with what stragglers they had gathered the 8th Ind Regt was formed. There were approx. 1,000 men in the new unit whose mission was to infiltrate behind UN lines and conduct guerilla activities in the ICHON area.
O/a 18 Dec 50, PW traveled with this unit southward via unk mountain trails, arriving at YONCHON (CT3118) o/a 27 Dec 50. Here this unit was redesignated as the 6th Regt, a component unit of 2nd Div. The same day, 5th Regt marched via the main highway northward, passing through KUMHWA (CT6538) o/a 28 Dec 50, and then marched south via the main highway, arriving at HWACHON (CT8716) o/a 31 Dec 50. The same day, 6th Regt continued its southward march, this time via unk mountain trail, arriving on a mountain in the vicinity of TANYANG (DR3988) o/a 10 Jan 51. Here, 6th Regt joined 2nd Div and then conducted guerilla activities from mountains between TANYANG and YONGCHUN (DS5314).
17 Jan 51, PW became ill and was separated from his unit. At this time PW heard from other soldiers because of heavy casualties, 2nd Div was to cross the HAN River and move to an unk area N of YONGCHUN. While recuperating from his illness, PW was captured by a ROK Police Co at PAEKCHA-NI (DS5315) on 24 Jan 51.
Food was obtained only through confiscation.
Ammo was obtained from the dead.
No supplies from the rear were available because the unit was constantly moving.
Runners were used for communication between all units of 2nd Div.
Morale of the troops was very low because of the cold climate and also because of long marches with insufficient amount of food and clothing.
Medicine was unavailable; injuries were only bandaged. Approx 50% of the troops of the 2nd Div had frost bite and frozen feet.
They were promised treatment as soon as medicine could be obtained, however, no such supply was obtained. These men were to be treated as soon as s large city was reached; most of these cases fall out of the ranks.
a. Did you surrender voluntarily?
PW voluntarily surrendered to a ROK unit because of this physical condition.
b. Did you see any UN leaflets or hear UN loudspeaker broadcasts?
Yes.
c. Can you describe what they said?
The leaflet which PW read promised good treatment if he surrendered.
d. What was your reaction to them?
After reading the leaflet, PW considered surrendering.
e. Did you hear other soldiers discuss leaflets or broadcasts? What did they say or do?
Negative.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
