ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3564 26 February 1951
The following information was obtained from recovered American military personnel, who were interrogated upon arrival in JAPAN from KOREA by Central Interrogation Center, TIS. The interrogation was conducted by Capt SHAPPELL at Tokyo Army Hospital
BELL, Thomas D., Sgt RA-14328398, Co A 8 Engr 1st Cav
GONZALES, Joseph, Cpl RA-14328777, Co D 8 Engr 1st Cav
These two men while deer hunting about 4 miles N of SANJU, 28 Jan 51, noticed four Koreans wearing arm bands thought to denote S Korean police. Paying no attention to them, they were suddenly jumped and their weapons taken. The four captors marched them North approximately six miles to a small village and into a house where dog tags, rings, wallets, letters and mittens were taken. The original four guerrillas were joined by five more that evening.
The group walked all that night, entered another village 29 Jan 51, were guarded in a house all day and began walking all that nigh. This procedure was repeated on 30 Jan 51.
On the morning of 31 Jan they entered a third village and here only one guerrilla, armed with a bolt action Russian rifle, guarded them. In the afternoon, when the guard relaxed his vigilance, both subjects attacked him and escaped from the house without seeing the eight other captors. They walked all that night in a southerly direction crossing three ridges and on 1 Feb 51 stopped at a small village of 10-15 houses. The entire population greeted the two, fed them, and by pointing, attempted to show them the right direction. After crossing two large mountains, a ROK patrol they met further directed them until a GHQ raider patrol of Special Activities Group was encountered. This patrol escorted them to SAG Hq from which they were sent to Co K of 5th Cav Regt.
General Information:
The guerrillas were dressed in civilian clothing, wore arm bands similar to those worn by S Korean police and the leader wore a badge to which he would point and say, “Seoul”. Arms included 7 Russian type rifles, 1 Russian sub-machine gun and one U.S. carbine. While traveling, one man was always 1/2 mile in front acting as a lookout. There was no attempt made at interrogation but source felt they were being taken somewhere for interrogation.
Evasion tactics suggested by source:
1. Stay off all trails, stay out of valleys and ravines.
2. Keep oriented on directions at all times.
3. Enter only small villages and then only when hunger demands it.
4. Never enter large villages.
5. Examine any area before moving into it.
6. Be a model prisoner, wait until captors relax watchfulness, then move quickly.
For the CO, TIS:
WEELDREYER
