ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3561 26 February 1951
The following information was obtained from recovered American military personnel, who were interrogated by Central interrogation Center, ATIS, upon arrival in JAPAN from KOREA. The interrogation was conducted by Capt SHAPPELL at Tokyo Army Hospital.
About 1600, 21 Dec 1950, source was dug in on the HUNGNAM beachhead. In a search for wood, he left his position, passed thru a ROK check point and one mile farther on was captured by three (3) NK soldiers armed with concussion grenades, steel stock automatic weapons and one Russian rifle. Subject carried no weapon other than bayonet.
He was immediately searched and his bayonet, cartridge belt, girl’s pictures, drivers license and cigarettes were taken. Medical record was looked at and thrown away. Source was not wearing dog tags.
After the search he was marched about three miles, experiencing friendly artillery fire.
The three (3) captors joined approximately fifty (50) NK soldiers occupying dug-in positions on the side of a mountain.
Here source was motioned to lie down and a guard posted over him.
A NK soldier believed to be an officer then walked up and, in broken but understandable English, began to speak. This Korean wore no insignia but did wear blue trousers with a ½ inch red stripe along the entire length of both legs. The interrogation was begun by the statement, “Don’t try to lie - we know your organization.” Then name, rank & serial number was asked and given, but not recorded by the Korean. Source was asked if the girl in the snapshot was his wife or if not, whether he intended to marry her when the war was over. The interrogation was haphazard and source received the impression that questioner was trying to brag, especially when he was told, “By tomorrow, your Regt will be gone. We have too much strength.” The last question was, “What do you think of RUSSIA helping CHINA?” When the source replied that he was not interested in politics, the interrogator gave him a cigarette and walked off.
During the night an artillery barrage fell into the area and lasted until 0500 but no casualties were suffered. During this barrage, source saw eight (8) Koreans pass through the area with three (3) unknown American prisoners.
When the barrage stopped the same officer who had interrogated source walked up and said, “We are going to return you to your lines. In the future, give us some thought on your treatment.” Two guards walked him back to the place of capture, returned his bayonet, and waved him on. He passed through the same check point and reported to his platoon leader, Lt TEFFT, Co H on 22 December.
While leading a patrol from the 1st Ranger Co eight (8) miles SE of WONJU at about 1400, 22 Jan 51, source was ambushed by forty (40) NK guerrillas. After a short fire fight the 4-man patrol was surrounded and, having no alternative, surrendered. During the fight, Cpl Thomas J. Simpson was shot in the left arm. They were taken to a nearby village, stripped naked, placed in the kitchen of a Korean house, and guarded by two men. The guerrillas were dressed in GI trousers and combat boots and had both GI pile jackets and padded jackets, Chinese style. A white cape was worn outside.
About one hour later; pants, sweaters, boots and fatigue jackets were returned but rings, watches, lighters, money, wallets and dog tags were kept.
Sgt Hayden was taken to another room in the house and given what he termed a well organized tactical interrogation which lasted 30 minutes. The following questions were asked over and over:
What is your division?
Where is your division C.P.?
How many men in your company?
What is your unit location?
What was the purpose of your patrol?
What was the route taken by your patrol?
Maps were used by the guerrillas during the interrogation.
The answers to these questions were not written down nor was the source asked to sign anything.
Of the three other man captured, Cpl La Fontaine was asked the same questions but Cpls Simpson and Singleton were not interrogated.
During the night, the guerrillas sent out ten (10) to fifteen (15) man patrols on five (5) occasions. They returned after about one (1) hour.
The prisoners were not fed but they observed their captors eating C-rations of boned turkey and peas.
Prior to dawn on 23 Jan 51, the guerrillas called in their security guards and made preparations to move. A patrol of five (5) went out and returned at daybreak and the entire group with the exceptions of six (6) left to guard the prisoners, departed. Five (5) minutes later, one of the guards motioned the prisoners out of the house. The six (6) guards then left and when source began walking with them, the guards pointed for him to walk in the opposite direction.
Upon doing so, the 1st Ranger Co was quickly located and the patrol reported in to 1st/Sgt William Cole, 1st Ranger Co at 0700, 23 January.
For the CO, ATIS:
WEELDREYER
