ATIS ALLIED TRANSLATOR & INTERPRETER SECTION FEC
ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3500 21 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI 1541) 16 February 1951
| PW NAME: | CH’OE Chong Sam (崔宗三) (최종삼) (NKA) |
| RANK: | Sergeant (分隊長) |
| ORGANIZATION: | I Corps, 8th Div, 1st Regt, (Code Number: 51), 2nd Bn, HMG Co, 3rd Plat, 3rd Sqd. |
| DUTIES: | Sqd Ldr |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (3 years) |
| AGE: | 22 |
| OCCUPATION: | RR Flag Signalman |
| ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG NAMDO, HUNGNAM SI, HONAM-NI, 3 KU, #1. (咸鏡南道 興南市 湖南里 三區 一番) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 141700 I Feb 51 at CS 3145. |
| INTERROGATOR: | CHS |
| INTERROGATED AT: | TAEJON PW Compound. |
During the time of interrogation, PW was ill.
PW was cooperative but dates were confusing.
The information seems reliable.
a. Chronology:
Inducted into the NKA in Jun 50 at HUNGNAM.
Received no training.
150 recruits were placed into the 8th Div, 1st Regt, Rear Service Unit at ANDONG 5 Jul 50.
In Nov 50, at CH’OSAN, PW was placed into the 3rd Sqd, 3rd Plat, HMG Co, 2nd Bn, 1st Regt, 8th Div. Received one month of MG training at CH’OSAN.
While traveling from HUNGNAM to place of capture (CS 3145), the following places were passed:
| DEPARTED | DATE | MODE OF TRAVEL | ARRIVED | DATE |
| HUNGNAM | Jun 50 | Train | WONSAN | Jun 50 |
| WONSAN | Jun 50 | Marched | YANGYANG | Unk |
| YANGYANG | Unk | Marched | KANGNUNG | Unk |
| KANGNUNG | Unk | Marched | PYONGHANG | Unk |
| PYONGCHANG | Unk | Marched | CHECH’ON | Unk |
| CHECH’ON | Unk | Marched | YONGJU | Unk |
| YONGJU | Unk | Marched | ANDONG | Jul 50 |
| ANDONG | Jul 50 | Marched | YONGJU | Unk |
| YONGJU | Unk | Marched | CHECH’ON | Unk |
| CHECH’ON | Unk | Marched | WONJU | Unk |
| WONJU | Unk | Marched | INJE | Unk |
| INJE | Unk | Marched | YANGDOK | Unk |
| YANGDOK | Unk | Marched | MAENGSAN | Unk |
| MAENGSAN | Unk | Marched | YONGWON | Unk |
| YONGWON | Unk | Marched | IWON | Unk |
| IWON | Unk | Marched | CH’OSAN | Nov 50 |
| CHOSAN | Nove 50 | Marched | YONGBYON | Dec 50 |
| YONGYON | Dec 50 | Marched | ANJU | Unk |
| ANJU | Unk | Marched | PYONGYANG | Unk |
| PYONGYANG | Unk | Marched | HAEJU | Unk |
| HAEJU | Unk | Marched | KAESONG | Jan 51 |
| KAESONG | Jan 51 | Marched | SEOUL | Jan 51 |
| SEOUL | Unk | Marched | CS 3145 | 14 Feb 51 |
As of 12 Feb 51, PW did not know where his Co Hq was located.
PW Plat surrendered to the 65th Regt 14 Feb 51.
b. Location and Activities of Units:
As of 14 Feb 51, PW did not know where his Company was located. He was on a hill with his Platoon when the 65th Regiment attacked. The Platoon surrendered without any resistance.
PW Battalion was on its way to SUWON to sever the UN supply route and disrupt communications when they surrendered.
c. T/O & E and Strength of Unit:
I Corps: Number of Divisions unknown (8th 47th).
8th Div: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Infantry Regt, Eng Bn, Sig Bn, SMG Co, Anti-Aircraft MG Plat, Guard Plat.
1st Regt: 3 Rifle Battalions, SMG Co, Eng Co, Guard Sqd.
2nd Bn: 3 Rifle Companies, HMG Co, Anti-Tank Rifle Plat, Tel Plat, Supply Plat, 45mm Gun Plat, 82mm Mort Co.
Rifle Co: 3 Rifle Plat.
Rifle Plat: 3 Rifle Sqds.
HMG Co: 3 Plats.
HMG Plat: 3 Sqds.
| 3rd HMG Plat | original (As of 9 Nov 50) | present (As of 12 Feb 51) |
| EM | 15 | 0 |
| Off | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 16 | 0 |
| 3rd Platoon personnel surrendered 14 Feb 51. | ||
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| HMG | 3 (2,500 rd per) | 0 |
| M1891/30 Rifles | 4 (70 rd per) | 0 |
| Grenades | 2 per man | 0 |
| At the time of surrender, all weapons were turned in to the capturing unit (65th Regt). | ||
| HMG Company | ||
| EM | 47 | All “present”unk |
| Off | 4 | |
| Total | 51 | |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| TT Tokarevs | 2 (rd unk) | |
| HMG | Unk | |
| Rifle Company | ||
| PW saw these weapons in the Infantry Company. | ||
| 82 mm Mortar Company | ||
| Equipment and ammo: | original | All “present” unk |
| 82 mm Mortars | 1 (rd unk) | |
| Anti-tank Rifle Plat | ||
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| Antitank Rifles (14.5mm) | 6 (rd unk) | |
| Anti-aircraft MG Plat | ||
| EM and Off | 45 (approx) | |
| Equipment and ammo: | ||
| 12.7mm Guns | 6 (rd unk) | |
d. Personalities:
KIM Yun Il (김윤일), Jr Lt, Plat Ldr, 3rd Plat (surrendered with PW)
LIM Hyon Bok (림현복), Capt, CO, HMG Co.
e. Supplies:
1250 rd of HMG ammo were issued at CH’OSAN on Nov 50 for the PW. HMG Squad, and another 1,250 rd of ammo were received at SEOUL on Jan 51.
Food was received from the rear. An average of 800 grams a day was issued to each man. Source of ammo and food supplies was unknown.
f. Signal:
Communication between Platoon to Company and Company to Battalion was by means of runners.
g. Morale and Battle Effectiveness:
The morale in PW Platoon was low because they do long marches in the cold nights. Food was not sufficient, they lacked artillery and air support. Most of them believed that they will eventually lose this war.
h. UN PW:
PW saw 150 UN PW at P’YONGYANG on Dec 50. They were in an enclosure. PW did not know what happened to them.
i. Medical:
There was no epidemic in PW Battalion. PW suffered from eruptive typhus at SEOUL in Jan 51. PW heard that there was an epidemic. No further information.
Two persons from PW unit had frostbitten feet. Only iodine or mercurochrome were applied to them. PW heard that if these cases become severe, they were sent to the rear to be hospitalized.
j. Psychological Warfare:
PW and his Platoon surrendered to the 65th Regiment because they believed that this war was for a hopeless cause, moreover their food situation was critical.
PW saw UN leaflets at SEOUL in Jan 51. The leaflet stated, “If you bring this leaflet with you when you surrender, we will give you warm food and clothing. The sick will be given medicine”.
After reading the leaflets PW wanted to surrender.
Other felt the same.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
