ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3478 21 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 - MISDI - 1512) 12 February 1951
| PW NAME: | WANG, Jui Ching (王瑞淸) (CCF) |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| ORGANIZATION: | 4th Field Army, 38th Army, 114th Div, 342nd Regt, 3rd Bn, HMG Co, 1st plat, 2nd Sqd. (第四野戰軍 38軍 114師 342団 3營 機槍里 1排 2班) |
| DUTIES: | Ammo Bearer |
| EDUCATION: | 2 yr |
| AGE: | 20 |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| ADDRESS: | SHAN TUNG SHENG, CHANG I HSIEN, 9 KU, UNKU HSIANG, AOTOU FOU TSUN. (山東省 昌邑縣 第九區 運固鄕 靑斗埠村) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 101730 I Feb 51 at a place 4 Km East of “SINGU-NI (Phonetic believed to be near CS 54 or CS 64 block) |
| INTERROGATOR: | H.N. |
PW seemed sincere and spoke freely.
Information considered reliable.
a. T/O & E and Strength of Unit:
4th Field Army: Over 10 Armies; 38th, 39th, 40th, 42nd, 66th, and 50th Armies and other unk armies.
38th Army: 112th, 113th, 144 Div, and Arty Regt.
114th Div: 340th, 341st, 342nd Rifle Regiments, Arty Bn, Eng Bn, and Sig Co.
342nd Regt: 3 Rifle Bn, Inf Gun Co, (步兵砲連) 82 mm MortCo, Sig Plat, Recon Plat, Med Unit, Trans Unit, Security Co, and Propaganda Unit.
3rd Bn: 3 Rifle Co, HMG Co and Hq Unit.
HMG Co: 2 HMG Plat, 82 mm MortPlat, and Supply Plat.
| 1st Plat (HMG), HMG Co. | original (2 Oct 50) | present (10 Feb 51) |
| EM and Off | 50 | 26 |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| HMG (US) | 2 (2000 rd per) | 0 |
| 2.36 Rocket Launchers (US) | 1 (9 rd per) | 0 |
| 3.5 Rocket Launchers (US) | 1 (9 rd per) | 0 |
| Carbines (US) | 1 (50 rd per) | 0 |
| All weapons of this platoon were brought with the PW when 26 men from the HMG Company surrendered on 10 Feb 51. | ||
| HMG Company | ||
| EM and Off | 115 | Unk |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| 82 mm Mortar (made in China) | 3 (65 rd total) | 2 (r dunk) |
| Carbines (US make) | 3 (100 rd per) | 1 (rd unk) |
| Hand Grenades | 10 | 6 |
| Mauser Mac Pistols | 3 (100 rd per) | 1 (rd unk) |
| Pistols, 45 Cal (US) | 2 (20 rd per) | 2 (rd unk) |
| Horses | 12 | 12 |
| Other weapons in the 2 HMG Plat were unk | ||
| 3rd Bn | ||
| EM and Off | 450 | unk |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| LMG | Unk | unk |
| Rifles | Unk | unk |
| Wireless Transceivers (US make) | 1 | unk |
| Telephones | 1 | unk |
| 60 mm Mortars (made in China) | 9 | unk |
| Battalion suffered heavy losses of personnel thru casualties and desertions. PW estimated that over half of the personnel were lost. | ||
| 342nd Regt | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM and Off | 1600 | Unk |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| Infantry Guns Range 3 km (size and make unk, made in Japan) | 4 | Unk |
| 82 mm Mortars (made in China) | 6 | Unk |
| Wireless Transceivers (US make) | 1 | Unk |
| Switchboards (capacity and make unknown) | 1 | Unk |
| Telephones | Unk | Unk |
| 1/4 ton, 4 X 4, Jeeps (US make) | 1 | Unk |
| 114th Div | ||
| Personnel: | ||
| EM and Off | 7,000 | 5,000 |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| Field Guns (size unk, made in Jap) | 4 | Unk |
| Trucks | Unk | 2 |
| Jeeps | Unk | 3 |
| Personnel losses were caused chiefly by UN air attacks. Other losses were caused by artillery, illness, and desertions. | ||
b. Location and Activities of Unit:
10 Feb 51, 342nd Regiment was located in the “SINGU-RI” area. 340th Regiment was located to the east of the 342nd Regiment with 112th Division located to the east of 340th Regiment. 113th Division reinforced by the 341st Regiment was located in the eastern combat area approximately 30 Km east of the location of the 342nd Regiment area. The units in the eastern combat area were to attack southward as the other units of the 38th Army were to defend their present position.
50th Army was located to the West of the 342nd Regiment.
10 Feb 51, the 342nd Regiment was attacked by UN Forces, The unit retreated in disorder.
PW heard from his company commander o/a 5 Feb 51 that 38th, 39th, 40th, 42nd, 50th, and 66th Armies of the 4th Field Army were in Korea. These Chinese units, with the addition of 3 NKA Armies, were on the line at present.
c. Chronology:
PW inducted into the CNA 32nd Army during Feb 49 at SHANTUNG-SHENG, CHINGTAO (山東省靑島). During May 49, the 32nd Army arrived at HAINAN Island (海南島).
PW was captured by the CCF 43rd Army at HAINAN Island 24 Apr 50.
PW received 3 months communist indoctrination at KWANGCHU (廣州).
PW arrived at CHLAOTOU (橋頭) during Aug 50 and assigned to 38th CCF Army.
During Aug 50, the 38th Army arrived at KAIYUN (開原) and underwent 2 months training.
1 Oct 50, 114th Division departed KAIYUN and entered Korea via ANTUNG (安東) 2 Oct 50 and marched to TOKCHON where they engaged ROK Units.
Marched southward through PYONGYANG, YONCHON (CT3117), and UIJONGBU (CS2878) 5 Jan 51, arriving at a place approx 12 Km east of SEOUL, 7 Jan 51.
7 Feb 51, 342nd Regiment arrived near “SINGU-RI” and prepared defensive positions.
On 101600 I Feb 51, the 342nd Regiment position was attacked by a UN Unit and withdrew in disorder. PW and 37 others were captured after their route of withdrawal was cut.
d. Personalities:
LIN, Piao (林彪), CG, 4th Field Army, CHANG, Hei Pin (張海浜) CO, HMG Co, 3rd Bn, 342nd Regt.
e. Replacements:
Two ass’t platoon leaders from each company were sent to CHINA to bring back replacements. These men departed 28 Jan 51.
f. Supplies:
Food was obtained locally in exchange for procurement slips.
g. Signal:
While marching, wireless transceivers were utilized for communications between regiment and battalions. Regiment communicated with higher headquarters by means of powerful transceivers.
While at halts, telephones were widely used.
h. Morale:
Daily speeches by Political Officers of units failed to bolster the 342nd Regiment troops’ low morale, caused by UN air power and the lack of warm clothing.
I. UN PW:
PW saw approx 100 TURKISH PW in the TOKCHON area. The TURKISH Troops were captured by the 38th Army and were being sent to rear.
j. Medical:
Many troops of the 342nd Regt were suffering from skin disease. Treatment was unknown.
Approx 20% of the 342nd Regt troops were suffering from frostbitten feet. Severe cases were evacuated for treatment.
k. Psychological Warfare:
PW was captured.
PW saw a leaflet near UIJONGBU 5 Jan 51, It said: “Why are you fighting in KOREA? Your wives and parents are starving in CHINA while you are fighting here. If you surrender we will treat you fairly.”
PW felt good because he believed he might be able to live if he was captured.
Other troops reaction unknown.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
