ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3576 26 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (528 LDI - 0182) 8 February 1951
| PW NAME: | HONG, Chong Il (洪宗一) (홍종일) |
| PW NO: | Jackson Temp #349 |
| AGE: | 25 |
| RANK: | M/Sgt |
| DUTY: | Med Technician |
| UNIT: | NKA I Corps, 8th Div, 1st Regt, 3rd Bn, Medical Det |
| EDUCATION: | High School Graduate |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | CS086406 |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 061500 Feb 51 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | SINUIJU, KUNHWADONG, 9-2 (新義州市 槿花洞 9-2) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | SEOUL, YONGSANKU, WONHYRO ILKA, 87-8 (서울市 龍山洞 元曉路 一街 87-8) |
PW was cooperative and of above average intelligence. Information obtained is considered reliable. Recommended for further interrogation.
a. Unit Organization, Strength and Equipment:
I Corps composed of 8th Div and 2 other Div. 8th Div composed of 1st, 2nd and 3rd regt and Arty Regt. 1st Regt composed of 3 Rifle Bn, and Arty Bn and SMG Co. 3rd Bn composed of 3 Rifle Co, a Med Det, Tpt Det, Arty Plat, Mortar Co, HMG Co, Sig Plat and AT Plat.
Code name for the 3rd Bn, 1st Regt was ODESAN (Phonetic), a name of a mountain; for the Medical Det UIJU (Phonetic).
| Unit | Orig Str | Date | Present Str | Date |
| 1st Regt | 2,200 | Nov 50 | 900 | 6 Feb 51 |
| 3rd Bn | 650 | 〃 〃 | 300 | 〃 |
| Med Det | 8 | 〃 〃 | 3 | 〃 |
Heavy casualties were suffered from UN air and artillery. Very few deserted from his unit.
SMG Co (atchd to Regt) had approx 30 PPSH M1941 SMG. Mortar Co (atchd to Bn) had one 82mm mortar. HMG Co (atchd to Bn) had 9 MAXIM M1910 HMG. Arty Plat (atchd to Bn) had one 82mm mortar. AT Plat (atchd to Bn) had approx 7x14.5mm PTRD 1941 AT rifles.
Med Det had a supply of various types of medicines such as aspirin, morphine, camphor, glucose, calcium, soda, alcohol, gauze, cotton, etc. Each man had a Russian carbine and 100 rd of ammo. Penicilin was available in limited quantity and contain US label.
b. Unit Assignment and Intentions:
Present mission of 3rd Bn was to defend Hill 132 (CS128405).
c. Disposition:
6 Feb 51, 3rd Bn was deployed on Hill 132 (CS128405) when engaged by UN Forces. Approx 50% of the men were KIA. 2nd Bn of 1st Regt was located approx 6 km south of 3rd Bn 5 Feb 51 and PW believed approx 2/3 of the men in 2nd Bn were casualties. 1st Bn of 1st Regt was located in UNHAENG-DONG (CS0949) 6 Feb 51. 1st Regt CP was located 4 km north of Hill 132 (CS128405) 6 Feb 51.
2nd regt of 8th Div, the first regt to become disorganized, was regrouping approx 3 km west of ANYANG (CS1341) 6 Feb 51.
PW heard from another solider in his unit that the 47th NKA Div was located north of the 8th Div 5 Feb 51.
O/a 20 Jan 51, PW observed approx 5,000 CCF troops marching northward during the night a few km north of SEOUL.
O/A 20 Dec 50, PW observed the 72nd NKA Div, 249th KUNBUTAI and two unknown units at HAEJU (YC3813). 72nd Div is a reconstituted Div and the 249th KUNBUTAI and two unknown units were also said to be reconstituted units, last seen o/a 5 Jan 51.
d. Communication:
Field telephones and runners were used for communication between units.
e. Personalities:
LEE, Kwong Mu (李權武), CG I Corps.
PAEK, Hak Lin (白學林), CO 1st Regt, 8th Div.
CHONG, Tong Min (鄭東民), Lt, CO Med Det, 1st Regt.
f. Morale:
The morale of the men in PW unit was relatively low due to fear of fighting, lack of food, and insufficient clothing. Men appeared to be in poor physical condition because of over exhaustion and lack of sleep.
g. Chronology:
PW was conscripted into the NKA at SEOUL 3 Aug 50, and received 20 days training at KUMHWA (CT6537). Upon completion of training, PW was assigned to the 590th Ind Regt and served as a medical technician until transferred to 8th div 10 Oct 50. 8th Div withdrew northwards and arrived at CHOSAN (YF3624) o/a 2 Oct 50. 10 Dec 50 the unit left CHOSAN and proceeded southward arriving at CHONGCHON River o/a 17 Dec 50. Departed CHONGCHON River the same day and marched toward HAEJU (YC3813) arriving o/a 20 Dec 50 via ANJU (YD 2888) and SARIWON (YC4065). Remained at HAEJU until 5 Jan 51 at which time they departed on foot arriving at a point 6 km north of ANYANG (CS1341) 25 Jan 51 via CHANDAN (CS0301), YONAN (BS5099), PAEKCHON (BT6307), KAESONG (BT8604) and SEOUL. From 25 Jan 51, PW was giving medical treatment to the casualties from his unit. PW and two other soldiers raised the “Welcome UN Army” flag when they observed the advancing UN troops and were taken prisoners.
h. Food and Ammo Supplies:
Food was insufficient and consisted of either rice or barley twice per day. No food supplies were said to be brought from the rear.
Ammo was insufficient. Each man was issued 200 rd of s/a ammo after basic training and no additional issued.
i. Psychological Warfare:
PW observed several surrender leaflets during the period 5 Jan 51 to 2 Feb 51. PW and approx 80% of the men in his unit desired to desert and surrender at the first opportune moment. Approx 20% of the men in his unit are communist and they have been given authority to kill any man caught deserting or surrendering.
j. Foreign Advisors:
There were three Russian officers (rank unk) said to be advisors for the 8th Div and last seen 13 Oct 50.
k. Road Blocks, Mine Fields and Bridges:
6 Feb 51, PW observed approx 10 mines (type unk), laid one meter apart in two column, on the north slope of Hill 132.
6 Feb 51, PW observed unk number of mines laid along the shoulders of a broken bridge located approx 4 km south of UNHAENG-DONG (CS0942).
l. Guerrilla Activities:
O/a 10 Jan 51, PW observed approx 100 guerrilla troops dressed as civilians in the town of YONAN. PW heard from his Bn CO that when the guerrilla units occupy YONAN, 8th Div will depart.
O/a 5 Jan 51, PW observed approx 2,000 men dressed as civilians emerging from a tunnel located on KUWOL-SAN (XC9763) and heard that there are approx 20,000 men reported as guerrilla troops in the tunnel.
m. Medical:
Typhus was prevalent in his unit during the period 1-20 Jan 51. Approx 20 men were affected, but no deaths occurred. Patients recovered after being ill for about 15 days, medical treatment received by the patients was unknown to PW since they were sent to the rear for treatment. Every man in PW unit was sprayed with DDT powder as well as the buildings used by the troops.
Another common sickness was Pneumonia. About 10 men from the 1st Regt were affected. Penicilin is said to be given for treatment.
Other than what he had learned while serving as a medical technician in the 8th Div, he did not receive any type of training.
PW did not receive any immunization and had not seen any given to the troops. Steps were taken to prevent the troops from drinking untested water, but the regulation was never strictly enforced.
PW had no knowledge of facilities for handling casualties in rear areas, though he was aware that it existed.
n. HAN River Crossing:
3rd Bn crossed the HAN River over a wooden bridge (2 meters wide) o/a 20 Jan 51 in vic of SONBINGGO (CS2334). At the time of crossing, PW observed approx 300 railroad rails piled on the bank of the HAN River.
o. Night Bombing:
PW unit was not subjected to any night bombing.
Previously interrogated by the 25th Div IPW Team.
Documents found on PW have been processed by the I Corps IPW Team.
For the AC of S, G-2:
OGAWA
