ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3402 16 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS -1340) 9 February 1951
| PW NAME: | TAO, Ko (陶■) |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| AGE: | 24 |
| DUTY: | Mess Personnel |
| UNIT: | CCF, 4th Field Army, 50th Army, 148th Div, 442nd Regt, Guard Co (警衛連), Mess Sqd |
| EDUCATION: | 4 yr Primary School |
| OCCUPATION: | Printer (Books and Newspaper) |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | Vicinity (4 km W) of SUWON (水原), KOREA |
| DATE CAPTURE: | 4 Jan 51 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | MANCHURIA, CHILIN-SHENG, CHILIN, PEILIU-CHIEH, #166 (滿洲 吉林市 北大街 一六六號) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | Sgt OUCHI (ATIS) |
PW was cooperative and intelligent; memory, good. Reliability - good.
a. Chronology:
4 Sep 50: Inducted at CHIUTAI (九台), MANCHURIA and assigned to the Mess Sqd, Guard Co (警衛連), 442nd Regt, 148th Div, 50th Army, 4th Field Army. The 50th Army consisted of approximately 30,000 men.
14 Oct 50: Completed 1 months training at CHIUTAI (九台), MANCHURIA.
23 Oct 50: 50th Army including 14 other armies (Army numbers 38-52) headed for the Korean border by rail.
25 Oct 50: Crossed the YALU River at CHIAN (輯安), MANCHURIA.
10 Nov 50: 442nd Regt (2,000 men), 148th Div arrived at SINANJU (新安州), KOREA on foot. On the same day, 442nd Regt departed for P'YONGYANG, KOREA on foot.
Dec 50: 442nd Regt arrived at P'YONGYANG.
2 Jan 51: PW unit crossed the 38th Parallel in the vicinity of KAESONG (開城).
4 Jan 51: Captured at SUWON (水原), KOREA, at a place 4 km W of SUWON.
b. Unit History:
50th Army was organized in CHIUTAI (九 台), MANCHURIA, in Sep or Oct of 48. It became a part of the CCF 4th Field Army, and consisted of about 30,000 men, 2/3 Manchurian and 1/3 Chinese. There were 14 other armies comprising the CCF 4th Field Army. The numbers ranged from 38 to 52 inclusive. Each army was composed of approximately 30,000 men. 50th Army was composed of former Nationalist soldiers (about 10,000 who surrendered) and conscripted Manchurians. O/a 23 Oct 50, 50th Army and the other 14 armies departed CHIUTAI (九台), MANCHURIA by rail for the Korean boarder. Crossed the YALU River at CHIAN, MANCHURIA, 25 Oct 50.
148the Div fought independently. First engagement with the UN Forces occurred at KUJANG (球場), KOREA, o/a 4 Nov 50. 148th Division's casualties high.
O/a 2 Jan 51, PW unit crossed the 38th Parallel in the vicinity of KAESONG (開城). Two days later, PW and two others were captured by the ROK troops in the vicinity (4 km W) of SUWON (水原), KOREA.
c. Personalities:
LO, Ying Hwan (羅禜恒), 50, Political officer of the 4th Field Army
TSENG, Tse Sheng (曽澤生), 50, CG, 50th Army. Formerly 60th Div (CNA) CG. Joined the CCF in Jul 50 and received about five months of political indoctrination. After completion of course he was appointed the 50th Army CG in Dec 50.
HSU, Wen Lieh (徐文烈), 45, Political Officer of the 50th Army. CCF member for ten years. Served with the 8th Route Army. Acting CO of the 50th Army from Oct to Dec 50.
PAI, Taao Heneh (白造學), 40, 148th Div OG. Enlisted in the CCF at CHIUTAI (九台), MANCHURIA, Jul 50 (same time as the CO of 50th Army). Also attended course on ideological indoctrination.
CHEN, I Chin (陳一振), 40, Political officer of the 148th Div. Served with the 8th Route Army as an officer.
HSIH, Tou Ho (石十如), 40, 442nd Regt Commander. Served with the 8th Route Army in CHINA and MANCHURIA.
WANG, Hsi Leng (王善令), 30, 442nd Regt Political officer. Joined the 442nd Regt at SINANJU (新安州), KOREA in Nov 50. Former member of the 8th Route Army.
HO, Hsiao Shien (何少■), 30, 442nd Regt Operation officer.
YANG, Son Hsin (楊守信), 28, 442nd Regt, Guard Co, CO. Former executive officer of 8th Co, 3rd Bn, 442nd Regt.
FENG, Kwang Ho (■光如), 30, Executive officer of the Guard Co, 442nd Regt.
FAN, Kwang Choan (■廣■), 27 or 28, Political officer in the 442nd Regt. Formerly, propaganda officer of the 148th Div.
d. APO and Code Numbers:
| Unit | Code Name |
| 148th Div | 1st Bn |
| 149th Div | 2nd Bn |
| 150th Div | 3rd Bn |
| 442nd Regt | 1st Co |
| 443rd Regt | 2nd Co |
| 444th Regt | 3rd Co |
| 1st Bn | 1st Sqd |
| 2nd Bn | 2nd Sqd |
| 3rd Bn | 3rd Sqd |
No code name given below bn.
e. Communication:
Company and below - Runners; three in a company.
Company to Bn - Runners; 12 in a Bn.
Bn to Regt - Filed telephone; one per Bn four or five per Regt. Runners were used to forward battle orders to Bn; about 30 runners.
Regt to Div - Radio; one per Regt and unknown number in Div. One communication company per Div and one communication platoon per Regt.
Radio powered by hand generator.
Firing orders for 105mm Howitzers were given over telephones. Number of telephone per battery unknown.
f. Disposition:
As of 4 Jan 51, the 442nd, 443rd, and 444th Regt were assembled at a site about 4 km W of SUWON (水原), KOREA. 148th Div Hq was located further west.
g. Intentions:
3 Regt were to take SUWON (水原), KOREA, 4 Jan 51.
h. Morale (442nd Regt):
Communist party members: The morale was high and will keep on fighting. Goal was to convert non-Communist countries to Communism.
Recruits: The morale was low because of the lack of food and supplies.
i. Replacement:
After engaging in combat, no replacements were received.
j. Evacuation and Treatment of Wounded:
When the 148th Div departed CHIUTAI (九台), MANCHURIA, there were about 60 -67 aid-men (soldiers) and 100 (civilians) stretcher bearers per Regt. Slightly wounded soldiers were transported to Regt aid station via Bn aid station, on stretchers. However, when casualties were numerous, local civilians were employed to evacuate the wounded on improvised stretchers to the Bn and Regt aid stations. Only the lightly wounded were treated at the Regt aid station. The severely wounded were given emergency treatment at the Regt aid station and evacuated to the division field hospital by stretcher bearers. Wounded soldiers who could walk were escorted by one or two aid-men.
Evacuation of the wounded from the Division field hospital to Army field hospital was done by vehicles. The wounded soldiers were later evacuated to the provincial army hospital in CHINA or MANCHURIA.
Bn Aid Station - About 1 km behind the front lines. One doctor.
Regt Aid Station - About 2 km behind the front lines. About 5 doctors.
Div Field Hospital - About 12 km behind the front lines.
k. Supply:
Soldiers carried 3 days ration, about 100 rounds of rifle ammunition, four grenades. Ammunition for the 105mm howitzers were transported by vehicles; Mt gun shells by horse drawn carts. To every Mt gun, there were four or five horses. Ammunition was usually hauled at night. The ammunition dump was located near the Arty gun positions and moved with the division.
Gasoline for trucks came form CHINA. It was transported to Div Hq in drums on trucks. Transported at night. Due to the lack of transportation facilities, food was obtained from occupied villages. The village people were given written statements listing what was given and the amount.
l. Other Units:
PW did not know what units were on the flanks of the 148th Div, but believed that they were elements of the 50th Army.
m. Most Feared Weapons:
Strafing, napalm bomb, and Arty fire.
n. Combat Tactics:
Company and below employed the wedge (triangular 
formation (三三形) in attack. It was used quite frequently. Formation employed by Bn unknown.
Regiment and Division employed the following formations in attacking.
“一占雨面” (Trans unk) - Three groups are aligned, middle group exposed, flank elements concealed. Middle element will deliver fire and engage the enemy after which it withdraws; the flanking elements retain positions. When the enemy pursuing the middle elements are far enough advanced, the flanking elements close in and attack from the side and rear.
“四■一■” (Trans unk) - PW only heard of the above tactics being used and could not elaborate.
o. Foreign Advisors & Personnel:
No foreign advisors were observed but PW heard of one Japanese surgeon who performed all major operations. He wore glasses and wore regular CCF uniforms, but the rank and name were not known.
p. Pay of Personnel (per month):
| MANCHURIA | KOREA | |
| Private | 120,000 yuan | 400 won |
| Plat Ldr | 180,000 yuan | 600 won |
q. CCF Higher Echelons:
Under MAO, Tse Tung (毛澤東), a GHQ called CCF GHQ (中央軍統部) was formed around Jan 50 and CHU, Te (■德) was CG; PENG, Te Huai (彭德懷) CG of the 1st CCF Field Army, as Deputy CG; and another as Asst Deputy CG. The 4th Field Army served under this GHQ.
PW heard from his Regt and Co CO that elements or all of the CCF 1st, 2nd and 4th Field Armies were in KOREA. Statements were made around 23 Oct 50 at time of PW unit (148th Div) departure from MANCHURIA for KOREA. Statement was also made that the Vice CO of the GHQ, PENG, Te Huai (彭德懷) was to come to KOREA to direct CCF operations. At that time it was stated that the CCF 3rd Field Army was defending the mainland area opposite FORMOSA. PW did not hear of the 3rd Field Army at all, all through his period in KOREA.
r. UN PW:
At time of PW unit crossing the YALU River at CHIAN (輯安) 27 Oct 50, PW saw over 180 UN PW, presumably US(Caucasians) soldiers dressed in OD crossing the same bridge into MANCHURIA, destination unk. PW heard that when his unit was around the 38th parallel near KAESONG (開城), a CCF unit had captured about 10 US (Negro) soldiers. Did not learn where they were headed. It was the CCF policy to release all ROK-PW to create favorable impression on the local populace.
For the Commanding Officer:
ROBINSON
