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ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3407　17 February 1951

FIELD REPORT (164-MISDI 1521)　13 February 1951

Fairly cooperative.

Despite the fact that PW is an officer, he is illiterate. However, he apparently has a keen memory. He has had varied military career and has learned much about the NKA.

Information seems to be reliable.

Inducted into the 17th NKA Regiment 22 Aug 49 at HAMHUNG (CV 7517) and received 9 months of basic infantry training. 6 Jun 50, PW was transferred to the Guard Company of the Ministry of Defense which was activated at HAMHUNG and immediately promoted to Jr Sergeant.

PW departed from HAMHUNG during the night of 6 Jun 50, by train with the Defense Ministry’s Guard Company, and arrived at POKKYE-RI (CT 4955) 8 Jun 50. There, the Guard Company was assigned the duty guarding ammunition dumps in and around POKKYE-RI.

PW departed from POKKYE-RI 30 Jul 50, by truck (3 trucks) with the Guard Company of the Defense Ministry, and arrived at SILLIM-NI (DS 1921) 10 Aug 50.

PW departed from SILLIM-NI during Sep 50 when the NKA began it retreat to North KOREA, marched with remnants of other NKA units over trails in the TAEBAEK-SAN Mountain range, and arrived at CHANGJIN (CV 5171) 28 Dec 50. There, PW was assigned to the 1st Regiment, 38th NKA Division as platoon leader of 3rd Platoon, 3rd Company, 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment. PW commissioned Jr Lt.

PW departed from CHANGJIN during the night of 28 Dec 50, marched with the entire 38th Division and arrived at an unidentified village approx 12 Km south of CHANGJIN during the night of 28 Dec 50. There, approx one third of the 38th Division personnel were issued cotton-padded winter uniforms and two thirds of the personnel were issued second-hand rifles 2 Jan 51. These supplies were brought on horse carts and were rumored to have come from MANCHURIA.

PW departed from the village approx 12 Km south of CHANGJIN 9 Jan 51, marched with the entire 38th Division over a mountain trail during day light and over automobile roads during the night, and arrived at YANGJU (DT.1117) 15 Jan 51. There the 1st Co, 1st Regt of the 38th Division was engaged in a brief fire fight against ROK elements 16 Jan 51. Approx 20 men from the 1st Company were killed.

PW departed from YANGGU 17 Jan 51, marched with the entire 38th Div, and arrived 4 Km north of HOENGSONG (DS 1049).

PW departed from the point 4 Km north of HOENGSONG during the night of 1 Feb 51, marched with the 38th Division, and arrived at YOUNGDU-SAN during the night of 1 Feb 51.

There, the 38th Division was deactivated 2 Feb 51 and its personnel absorbed into the 6th, 7th, and 12th NKA Divisions. PW was assigned to the 2nd Regiment of the 7th Division. There, the 2nd Regiment of the 7th Division was attacked by UN ground forces 6 Feb 51. While the battle was ensuing, PW was wounded by UN artillery 9 Feb 51, so PW limped to CHONGGUM-NI to the 7th Division’s Medical Unit, arriving during the night of 9 Feb 51. However, the Medical Unit had no supplies to treat the PW and nine other wounded soldiers.

10 Feb 51, the Medical Unit and other units attached directly to the 7th Division Headquarters abandoned the PW and 9 other wounded soldiers, because the Division Headquarters was moving 12 Km north of CHONGGUM-NI to an unidentified village. At 121900 I Feb 51, PW and the 9 other wounded soldiers were captured at CHONGGUM-NI by advancing elements of the ROK Division.

V Corps (NKA): 6th, 7th, and 12th Rifle Divisions, plus an unknown number of unidentified units.

7th Rifle Division: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Rifle Regiments, plus Communication Battalion, Engineer Battalion, Artillery Battalion, Medical Unit, and Recon Company.

2nd Rifle Regiment: 3 Rifle Battalions plus 120mm Mortar Co, Communications Co, Medical Platoon, Recon Plat, and 45mm AT Gun Company.

3rd Rifle Battalion: 3 Rifle Companies plus HMG Co, Medical Plat, Supply Plat, At Plat, and Communications Plat. (Code: 82mm Mortar Company)

Rear Echelon Unit: Rear Echelon Plat had 2 Squads.

Rear Echelon Unit, 3rd Bn, 2nd Regt, 7th Division

Remarks: The Rear Echelon Unit was activated on 2 Feb 51 but had received no personnel other than the PW as of 9 Feb 51, at which time PW was captured.

Equipment and ammo:

As of 9 Feb 51, the 3rd Battalion’s Rear Echelon Unit had no weapons or equipment at all, although the commanding officer of the 7th Division’s Rear Echelon Unit assured PW that supplies were on the way to the division and had arrived by truck as far as the 38th Parallel.

3rd Bn, 2nd Regt, 7th div

2nd Regt, 7th Div

Remarks: Losses were a result of an attack by UN ground forces 6 Feb 51 to 9 Feb 51.

7th Division is the former 38th Parallel Guard Brigade. The redesignation of the division took place during Aug 50. The former 7th Division is the present 12th Division. PW believes the Redesignation took place during the first part of Sep 50.

7th division Headquarters was located in an unidentified village approx 12 Km north of CHONGGUM-NI as of 10 Feb 51.

The 2nd Regiment CP was located in a 15-house village called YOUNGDU-SAN (DS 2917) as of 9 Feb 51.

The 12 Division and 8th Division Headquarters were located approx 12 Km north of CHONGGUM-NI as of 9 Feb 51.

The mission of the 7th Division was to hold the line from approx 4 Km east of to 4 Km west of YONGDU-SAN.

The 2nd Regiment was at YONGDU-SAN, the 1st Regiment was spread out from YONGDU-SAN to a point approx 4 Km west.

This line was to be held until the 12th and 5th NKA Divisions plus an unknown number of CCF Divisions as well as tank, artillery, and air support could be brought up for all-out attack southward. This additional support was expected to arrive within several weeks. PW was given this information 5 Feb 51 by the 3rd Battalions “Cultural” (Political) Commander and the “Culture” (Political) Commander of the 3rd Co, 3rd Battalion.

As of 5 Feb 51, the expected CCF infantry support was supposed to be in the vic of HWACHON (CT 8717)

PANG, Hyo San (방효산), CG, V Corps.

HAN, Tae Young (한대용), Major, V Corps Hq.

CH’OE, Hyon (최현), CG, II Corps.

7th NKA Division received approx 500 men ad replacements on 2 Feb 51 at YONGDU-SAN when the 38th Division was deactivated.

The 6th and 12th NKA Divisions received an unknown number of replacements at the same time from the deactivated 38th NKA Division.

These replacements brought their small arms to their respective divisions (arms that they had carried as individuals while in the 38th Division).

7th Division personnel received from two to three meals daily. This food was confiscated from villagers at night by details dispatched from each of the 7th Division’s battalions to “collect” rice and other rations from the villagers. 7th Division personnel suffered no shortage of food but the men were not permitted to cook food for a noon meal on days when UN aircraft were in the vicinity.

2 Feb 51, the 7th Division received approx 300 rifles (assorted US, USSR, and Japanese manufacture) plus an unknown amount of small arms ammunition, when 500 men of the deactivated 38th NKA Division joined the 7th Division and was expecting to be resupplied with small arms ammunition, and field artillery by 28 Feb 51. This resupply was supposed to be delivered by trucks from CCF units in North KOREA.

PW observed an estimated 50 horse-drawn 76mm Howitzers 10 Jan 51 (during the night) on the southern outskirts of HWACHON. These artillery pieces, PW believes were to have belonged to an estimated 3 CCF Divisions which were marching both ahead of and behind the artillery pieces.

An unknown number of tanks and artillery pieces were expected to arrive by 28 Feb 51 to support a combined CCF and NKA attack southward in the vicinity of YANGDU-SAN. At the same time aircraft (source and number of aircraft unk) were to support the attack against UN forces.

2nd Regiment of the 7th Division has an unknown number of wireless and field telephone sets that are used for communication from the 2nd Regiment to the 7th Division headquarters and to V Corps Headquarters. PW believes that wireless communication is also maintained by the 2nd Regiment with the NKA GHQ (location unk).

The men of the 7th Division’s 2nd Regiment had low morale because they were constantly harassed by UN aircraft during the day time and were miserable at night because they were cold and weary from both combat and almost continual marching. Consequently, battle efficiency was poor.

Approx 50 infantrymen of the 2nd Regiment, 7th Division were suffering from typhus. They were given an unknown type of medicine to swallow but were not take off the front line because of the 7th Division policy of keeping the men on the line until they can no longer move.

PW knows of no immunization having been given to personnel in V Corps units.

Approx 100 men in the 2nd Regiment, 7th Division had frost bite and had difficulty walking. They were treated by application of an unknown type of white salve, and like typhus fever cases, were not allowed to leave the front line.

PW did not surrender voluntarily. He was wounded in the left thigh by UN artillery and captured by advancing elements of the 5th ROK Division.

PW observed UN leaflets dropped in the vicinity of YANGDU-SAN 5 Feb 51 but was unable to read them as they were written in Chinese characters.

For the AC of S, G-2: