ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3608 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, TJS. The interrogation was conducted at the Tokyo Army Hospital by Capt SHAPPELL.
Source was captured by Chinese on 1 Jan 51 near KAESONG and was marched North with approximately 100 other Americans and ROK for three nights. During this march they were strafed and napalmed several times by friendly aircraft, and subjected to friendly artillery on one occasion. Source received shell fragments in right leg during this bombardment and knows of three men all of Co K who were killed, Pvt. Hart, Pfc Minner and Cpl. Richards. No casualties were suffered by aircraft strafing.
On the fourth day, a village was reached which had as its distinguishing feature, a high mountain to the east.
Of the original group, approximately thirty-five Americans stayed in this village, and the rest were given nine pounds of rice each and were marched to a PW camp in P’YONGYANG (hearsay). Source knows two men from Co K who were in this group, Pfc Miller and Pfc Morgan. Both men were in good condition and able to stand a long march.
All the wounded, including source, were put into one room and were spoken to only once during their period of capture when they were asked their name, rank, organization, home address, civilian occupation, and amount of schooling. Copies of “The Shanghai News” printed in English were given to read, but source read no articles except those reporting the names of American prisoners held by the Chinese. He could not remember any of these names.
Source’s wound was bandaged four times by Chinese aid men using American gauze. Those men suffering from frostbite were given gauze and told to bandage their feet themselves. Dysentary patients were given pills and a white powder and fed porridge instead of rice.
All the prisoners were forced to boil their own water before drinking. Pots and wood for this purpose were furnished. No doctors were ever seen, but the aid men offered to take any patient who required more medical treatment to a hospital. This was never done. Source once saw two boxes of supplies marked with a red cross. Boxes were approximately 2 1/2 ft long, 2 ft wide and 1 ft high.
Source could overhear classes in communist indoctrination being conducted in the next room. Tirades against President TRUMAN, General MacARTHUR and CHIANG Kai Shek were heard in which it was said that these persons would have their heads chopped off if ever caught by Chinese Communists. He heard no specific instruction because of being more concerned with his wounds than what was taking place in the next room.
On 9 Feb 51, subject was released with 29 other Americans and 3 Australians. Upon release, each man was given $20.00 in MPC, four copies of a safe conduct pass to be given to front line troops along with copies of “The Shanghai News”. These last two items were given to the G-2 of the 24th Div. Three of the four wounded men who were not released at this time were Sgt Marland , who was mess sgt. of either Co C or D of the 19th Regt, Pfc Jack Long of Hawaii, 5th RCT and Pfc Wadley of the 19th Regt.
While being guided back to the lines of the 24th Div on 9 Feb 51, a group of approximately 100 American prisoners going North was passed. A Chinese interpreter told the source that these men were going to the same place where source had been held and which he had just left.
For the CO, TIS:
WEELDREYER
