ATIS INTERROGATION NO. 3607 27 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 at Tokyo Army Hospital by Capt GERARD.
Source departed his unit near CH’UNGJU as a member of a jeep reconnaissance patrol on 11 Jan 51. Patrol consisted of 4 men and a Korean interpreter. At approx 112100 Jan 51 the patrol came under fire from enemy in the hills flanking the road. While trying to escape in the jeep, it hit a landmine and was overturned, Still trying to escape on foot, source and Sgt Charles T. GOWEN became separated from the others and were picked up approximately 120300 Jan 51 by a small band of about 5 NK guerrillas. They were marched south for about 7 miles to the guerrilla Hq, where they were searched and everything was taken except pants, shoes and a fatigue jacket. Source who had some knowledge of Japanese spoke to the guerrillas in that language, asking to be allowed to keep his clothing, but was refused. Source and companion were taken to a house and questioned in Japanese by one of the guerrillas who claimed to be an officer. His only question was “Why do you have Japanese soldiers fighting over here?”
At daybreak a column which included both Chinese and NK soldiers went by and the 2 prisoners were placed in the center of the column. As the column marched along the road, groups fell out from the rear in the different villages they passed through. Source and his companion were kept with the last group and when they reached an unknown village they were taken to a Hq located in a Korean house. A number of officers started to interrogate source in Japanese. He was asked “Why are you cold? Doesn’t the American Army have clothing for you?” When answered that the clothing had been taken by NK soldiers, the interrogator became very angry and sent for the soldiers who had taken the clothing. Everything except equipment was returned including the billfolds. The highest ranking officer seemed to be very proud of his position and boasted that he was “The same as Gen WALKER except that WALKER had one star more.” The source’s billfold was checked and the pictures as well as names and addresses of South Korean friends were taken. One of the interrogating officers started to lecture along the following lines: “Why are you here? You should know that TRUMAN and MacARTHUR are only trying to conquer the world.”
At the conclusion of this lecture the PW were turned over to a Chinese officer for a further interrogation, which was done in a much more systematic manner. The interrogation officer using English which be spoke very well, questioned the source and his companion individually in a separate room and wrote down answers to all questions on a form. Before any questions were asked, source was told “I have your wallet with your papers and I know a lot- don’t tell any lies - if you do, you know what will happen.” The interrogation followed the usual form; name, rank, serial number, and questions regarding source’s family. He was also asked about American Army tactics and army organization down to squad level. The interrogator stated that he had just released 6 Americans a few days ago. Source’s companion, Sgt GOWEN, was questioned separately and the statements of each were compared. During the interrogation all were fed, the prisoners eating the same food as their captors.
After the interrogation, source was told that they would be left behind when their captors moved out. They were taken to a small house and when they awoke in the morning the Chinese had departed. Source and his companion made their way south stopping at Korean farmhouses on the way. The villagers tried to give them hand grenades and weapons. Because of frozen feet source was carried the last 6 or 8 miles by friendly SK civilians. They were picked up by a ROK unit and evacuated.
For the CO, TIS:
WEELDREYER
