ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3737 2 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI 1595) 24 February 1951
| PW NAME: | WANG, Chien Hsin (王建新) (CCF) |
| RANK: | Pvt |
| ORGN: | (Korean Aid) Rear Service Unit (後勤部), Independent Transportation Army Group (軍团), 1st Independent Transportation Regt, 1st Bn, 1st Co, 3rd Plat, 2nd Squad. |
| DUTIES: | Truck Driver |
| EDUCATION: | Middle School, 3 yr |
| AGE: | 26 |
| OCCUPATION: | Truck Driver |
| ADDRESS: | SSUCHUAN SHENG, WEI YUAN HSIEN, HSIN I HSIANG (四川省 成遠縣 新義鄕) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 200800 I Feb 51 at CS 3156 |
| INTERROGATOR: | WTO |
PW cooperative but has a poor memory. Despite the fact that the PW was a potential fertile source of information, on supply and transportation activities, information offered was limited and often confusing. However, information derived seems fairly reliable.
a. Personal and Unit History:
PW was conscripted in Jan 46 at HUNAN SHENG (湖南省) into the CNA 5th Army, 105 mm Gun Bn.
Medical discharge Aug 47.
Reconscripted in Jan 48 into the CNA 69th Army at HONAN SHENG (河南省).
Commissioned 1st Lt in Jan 48.
Captured during Jan 49 at PEIKING (北京) by the CCF and assigned to Training Regiment at PEIKING for 3 months, receiving communist indoctrination. Upon completion of this phase of training, assigned to the present unit, then known as the China Rear Service Dept, 1st Trans Regt at PEIKING during May 49.
1st Trans Regt (400 trucks) departed PEIKING in Jun 49 and arrived at HANKOU (漢口) in Dec 49, during which time engaged in supply transportation for the CCF combat units.
1st Bn, 1st Trans Regt (150 trucks) departed from HANKOU in Jan 50 and arrived at HUNAN (湖南) in the same month. Engaged in transporting supplies in the HUNAN area until Apr 50.
1st Bn arrived at HONAN (河南) in Apr 50 and performed transportation duties until Jun 50 when 1st Bn and its trucks were loaded on trains and shipped to LIAOYANG (遼陽), arriving during Jul 50.
1st Regt was believed to be in LIAOYANG then.
1st Bn was engaged in vehicle overhauling, repairing, and maintenance until they, together with the 2nd Bn, were shipped to KUAN TIEN (負句) by train, arriving there 9 Nov 50. Unit was redesignated to its present designation prior to departing LIAOYANG Oct 50.
1st and 2nd Battalions departed KUAN TIEN Nov 50 by truck which were loaded with mostly food supplies and some ammo for KOREA.
Crossed a bridge over the YALU River and arrived at UIJU (XE3253) after approx 5 days of traveling from KUAN TIEN, arriving Nov 50.
1st Bn departed UIJU after a day’s rest and arrived at KUSONG after a 2½ days’ journey.
Most of the trucks were unloaded approx 300 meters north of KUSONG City near a hill.
1st Company returned to UIJU after unloading and returned to KUSONG with food and clothing supplies.
PW platoon was ordered to proceed southward to transport supplies from the rear areas to the 38th, 39th and the 40th Armies. (At KUSONG, transportation companies were attached to various units for transportation.)
PW platoon arrived in the YONGBYON (YE 4011) area.
Traveled southward, using mostly secondary roads until PIAM-NI (phonetic) (N of UIJONGBU) was reached during Jan 51.
(No dates or place names were available.)
Deserted his unit while in this area.
b. Location and Activities of Unit: (As of Jan 51)
1st Bn Hq was heard to be located north of IMJIN River. Heard that it had arrived there during the middle of Jan 51.
2 Platoons of 1st Bn were engaged in transporting supplies to 38th, 39th and 40th Armies’ supply sections from a relay point, to which other transportation units had transported supplies. (Usually a point 40 km to the rear of the Army supply section from unknown sources.)
2nd Bn was heard to be operating in the YONGBYON area.
3rd Bn was heard to be in ANTUNG, MANCHURIA. No details were known.
PW believed that another transportation regiment is engaged in transporting supplies to YONGBYON area from KUAN TIEN.
Various transportation units relayed the supplies to the front lines.
PW knew of no specific depots or supply concentrations in KOREA. The system was quite flexible, and unable to recall areas which had been used.
c. T/O & E and Strength of Unit:
1st Transportation Regt: 3 Trans Battalions, Guard Company
Each Trans Battalion: 3 Trans Companies, Repair Squad
Each Trans Company: 3 Transportation Platoons
Each Trans Platoon: 2 Transportation Squads
Each Trans Squad: 8 Trucks and 16 men
Repair Squad: 28 men (8 technicians)
| 3rd Plat, 1st Co, 1st Bn: | ||
| Personnel: | Original | Present |
| EM | 31 | 15 |
| Officers | 3 | 3 |
| Mechanics | 2 | 2 |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| Trucks (ZIS-151) | 5 | 2 |
| Trucks (Jap TOYODA) | 6 | 3 |
| Trucks (GMC) | 3 | 2 |
| Rifles, Jap M-38 | 1 per truck | Unknown |
| Grenades | 4 per mech | 〃 |
| Spare tires | 1 per truck | |
1st Bn strength was 400 men when first entered KOREA. Present strength unknown. Number of trucks within the Bn was approx 150.
1st Regt strength was approx 1,400 with approx 400 trucks. Present number of trucks were believed to be 100 within the regiment (approx 35 to each battalion).
A limited number of wagons were used. (Three to five wagons were seen hauling supplies almost nightly).
When major motor trouble was encountered, trucks cannibalized parts for salvage.
No extra gas was carried on the trucks due the danger in the event of aircraft attacks.
A few parts were available in the unit.
No major repair facilities were available.
1 Mechanic and 3 Guards were on each truck during movements.
PW unit received their orders form the 13th Army Group, although not a component unit.
d. Personalities:
HUANG, Yen Chih (黃炎植), Regt CO, 1st Regt
CHEN, Kuei (陳逵), Asst Regt CO, 1st Regt
YEN, Ssu Lu (昷土綸), Political Chief, 1st Regt
WANG, Chi (王植), Asst Political Chief, 1st Regt
LIU, Pao Kuang (劉宝光), CO, 1st Bn
LI, Hung (李弘), Asst CO, 1st Bn
CHEN, Chi Wen (陳希文), Training Officer, 1st Bn
CHEN, Wen Kuang (陳文光), Cultural Officer, 1st Bn
LIU Ta Sheng (劉達成), CO, 1st Co
LIU Hsin Shan (劉鑫山), Asst Co CO, 1st Co
CHOU, I (周毅), Political Advisor, 1st Co
e. Food and Ammo Supplies:
PW was in one of the transportation platoons engaged in transporting supplies from points approx 40 km in the rear of the infantry units to the 38th, 39th and the 40th Armies’ supply sections.
The points at which the supplies were loaded on by these 2 platoons were not permanent. Supplies were usually stacked on the sides of the roads where loading and unloading was easy.
An average of two trips per week were made by the PW, usually transporting food supplies.
PW handled ammo for the 39th Army only once during Jan 51.
Trucks usually traveled in 3 to 7 truck convoys only during the night. Occasionally, the 40 km trip took two days due to intense aircraft activities.
Approximately 2½ tons of food supplies were carried by each truck. PW made approx two trips per week, and an estimated 10 to 14 truckloads of supplies were handled weekly by the platoon.
Wagons were used to haul supplies from unknown points, using secondary roads only.
While in the UIJONGBU Area, received supplies from an unknown point near the IMJIN River. Noticed no RR tracks near the road he traveled. Secondary and the main road were used alternately.
While in the UIJONGBU area, hauled five truckloads of food for the 39th Army.
When not in use, trucks were covered with branches and parked approx 500 meters apart at the base of mountains.
Supplies usually consisted of rice and kaoliang.
f. Morale:
Truck drivers greatly feared aircraft. Morale was low because of this factor.
Food was sufficient among the troops of the Transportation Company and did not constitute any detriment to morale.
g. UN PW:
Approx 10 UN PW were seen at UIJONGBU during Jan 51. All were taken to the rear.
h. Medical:
3 men of the PW platoon suffered of internal typhus during Jan 51. Treatment received were unknown injections.
i. Psychological Warfare:
Deserted and surrendered.
Family was suffering due to the CCF conscripting him into the service, and that his wife died due to the communist’s actions.
Being a former CNA officer, PW favored the Nationalist regime more than the Communist.
Saw leaflets at UIJONGBU during Jan 51. It read:
“CCF soldiers, why are you fighting in KOREA when many of you are being killed?” It also showed a picture of a Chinese woman with her child.
Believed its contents and surrendered at the first opportunity.
The troops were contemplating surrendering after reading the leaflets. They are waiting for the opportunity.
j. Convoys:
PW platoon had 7 trucks. Another platoon with the same number of trucks occasionally traveled in a convoy with them. However, the usual convoy was composed of 3 to 7 trucks.
While in the UIJU Area Nov 50, 1st Co left for KUSONG in a convoy (42 trucks).
No set intervals were used. Usually trucks traveled in 50 to 100 meter intervals.
Rifles were fired to signal other trucks to put out their lights.
Wagons refueled the trucks at undetermined locations.
PW convoy usually completed a trip within the same night. When necessary, trucks were run off the road and camouflaged with trees and brush.
Convoys moved at no particular time.
There were times when vehicles moved singly (when only one truck was necessary to transport the supplies).
Due to traveling during the night, routes could not be remembered by the PW.
Other than aircraft, there were no difficulties involved in vehicular movements.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
