ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3294 12 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 - MISDI - 1466) 4 February 1951
| PW NAME: | LEE, Hong Man (李炯萬) (리형만) (NKA) |
| RANK: | Lieutenant (中尉) |
| ORGANIZATION: | Ⅴ Corps, 38th Div, Training Bn, 1st Co |
| DUTIES: | Assistant Company Commander |
| EDUCATION: | KIM, IL SONG University (2 years) |
| AGE: | 23 |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| ADDRESS: | PYONGYANG SI, YONGHUNG NI, #20 BANCHI (平壤市 龍興里 20番地) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 281500 I Jan 51 at HOENGSONG (DS 1049) |
| INTERROGATOR: | MT |
| INTERROGATED AT: | HAYANG (DQ 8374) |
PW was cooperative but answered questions vaguely.
PW was with a training battalion consisting only of officers and no troops.
Information seems unreliable.
Ⅴ NK Corps: 6th, 12th, 27th, 38th, 43rd Rifle Div.
38th Division: 3 Rifle Regt, Training Bn, Eng Co, Sig Co, Guard Plat, and Recon Co.
Training Battalion: 3 Training Co, HMG Co, 82 mm Mortar Co.
1st Training Co: 3 Training Plat. No EM in the Platoons.
| 1st Training Company | Original (20 Nov 50) | Present (28 Jan 51) |
| Personnel: | ||
| EM | 2 | 0 |
| Officers | 5 | 4 |
| Total | 7 | 4 |
| Remarks: | Due to the lack of personnel in the 38th Div, the 1st Company, as well as the other two companies of the training Battalion, has not received troops since Dec 50. | |
| Two EM mentioned above were former South Korean soldiers who were transferred from the 1st Company. Other units in the Training Battalion did not have any weapons and troops (except officers). | ||
| Rifle Regiment, 38th Division | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM and Officers | 1,200 (approx) | unk |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| M1891/30 rifles | unk | unk |
| Carines (US) | unk | unk |
| M-1 Rifles (US | unk | unk |
| MGS (Hvy or Light Unk) | 2 | unk |
| SMG (PPsh) | unk | unk |
| Grenade | 1 ea man | 1 ea man |
| Pistols | unk | unk |
| Remarks: | About 80% of the troops were equipped with small arms. The other 20% of unequipped troops were scheduled to receive captured weapons when available. | |
| 8th Division | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM and Officers | 5,000(approx) | unk |
| Remarks: | PW heard that the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the 38th Division were engaged twice with UN troops on the 38th Parallel in Nov and Dec 50. | |
After all the units of the 38th Division were disorganized at approx 4 Km East of HONGCHON (DS 0272) on 20 Jan 51, the PW Training Battalion officers received reassignment orders to proceed to the 43rd Div which was then at HOENGSONG (DS 1049).
Upon arriving at HOENGSONG 23 Jan 51, PW learned that the 43rd Div was already disorganizing there.
PW was ordered by his Bn CO to go to the 1st Regt of the 12th Div at SANAE RI (寺內里) (approx 4 Km East of HONGCHON, DS 0272) 23 Jan 51.
The main reason for the 38th Div disorganization was lack of weapons and personnel.
PW conscripted 2 Jul 50 into the NKA at P’YONGYANG where he was still attending the KIM IL SONG University.
PW and approx 3,000 University students were sent to an Officers Candidate School (軍官學校) located in P’YONGYANG SA DONG (YD 4922). After undergoing a 20 day arty training course, PW was commissioned as Jr Lieutenant.
PW and 15 other officers assigned to the 18th Brigade at CHORWON (CT 1924) on 27 Jul 50. PW and another officer assigned to the 2nd Bn 10th Brig.
The 2nd Bn consisted of approx 600 troops armed with M1891/30 rifles.
O/a 1 Aug 50 the 18th Brigade (6 Rifle Bn and Artillery Bn) departed CHORWON by train and arrived at SEOUL (CS 2059) the next day.
O/a 25 Aug 50 at SEOUL, the 18th Brigade was redesignated as the 18th Div. PW assigned to the 1st Bn of the 1st Regt, 18th Div. He served with the Bn as a 45 mm AT Gun Plat ldr.
O/a 1 Sep 50, the 1st Bn traveled to INCHON(BS 9050) and remained there until 15 Sep 50. 15 Sep 50, when UN troops landed at INCHON, PW was wounded and evacuated to SEOUL. He was hospitalized at #19 Hospital in SEOUL for 3 days. 18 Sep 50, PW and 5 others traveled to SUWON (CS 2527) by vehicle and arrived there 19 Sep 50.
At SUWON, PW assigned to the 32nd Brigade, 2nd Arty Btry, consisting of approx 80 troops and equipped with 6 x 14.5mm PTRD-41 Guns (50 rd ea gun) and small arms.
32nd Brigade retreated from SUWON o/a 20 Sep 50 and proceeded north, via mountain passages, and arrived CHORWON (CT 1924) o/a 15 Oct 50.
While retreating north, 18th Brigade was redesignated 32nd Div. At CHORWON, PW assigned to 32nd Div, 45mm AT Gun Bn, 2nd Company. After 3 days, the entire 32nd Div retreated north, passing KOKSAN (BT 9795) to SONGCHON (BU 6048).
PW was separated from 32nd Div at TAEDONG NI (BU 9332) because his men did not obey him.
After TAEDONG NI, PW traveled alone passing CHANGNIM (BA 8304), and arrived CHANGJIN o/a 24 Oct 50.
1 Dec 50, PW assigned to the V NKA Corps, 38th Div, Training Bn, 1st Co at CHANGJIN. He was an unassigned officer during the period 24 Oct 50 to 1 Dec 50.
O/a 15 Dec 50, the 38th Div departed CHANGJIN (on foot) and advanced south, via mountain passages, YANGGU (DT 1217), HONGCHON (DS 0272) and arrived at HOENGSONG (DS 1049) on 23 Jan 51.
38th Division was deactivated at HONGCHON because of the lack of troops and weapons.
While at HOENGSONG, PW was captured by the 9th Infantry (US) 28 Jan 51.
PW Training Bn was not engaged in battle while traveling south. There were only officers in the Training Bn.
PANG, HO SAM (方浩三) (방호삼), Lt Gen (中將), CG, Ⅴ NKA Corps
(PANG, HO SAM was the former CG of the 6th Div)
KIM, YE WON (김예원), Sr Capt (總尉), Bn CO, Training Bn, 38th Div.
Food was confiscated from villages and farmers as they advanced.
No food and ammo supplies received by the 38th Div.
Wireless Set was used for communication between Div and Ⅴ NKA Corps HQ.
Below Regt level, field telephone and runners were used.
Morale of PW unit was low due to the lack of weapons and ammunition.
One US PW observed at CHANGJIN 10 Nov 50.
Two ROKA PW were last seen with the Training Bn 38th Div, at HONGCHON 20 Jan 51. They were believed to have joined the NKA because they were sent to Div Hq.
No cases of disease reported in the 38th Div.
About 50% of the troops in the division were suffering from frozen feet and frost bite.
a. Did you surrender voluntarily? If so, why?
a. PW did not surrender voluntarily but was captured while hiding in a farmer’s home.
b. Did you see any UN leaflets or hear UN 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 broadcasts? What did they say or do?
a. Negative
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
