ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3848 7 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (528 MISPI - 0181) 8 February 1951
| PW NAME: | LAI, Tzu Ho (來子和) |
| PW NO: | MP #47 |
| AGE: | 29 |
| RANK: | Warrant Officer |
| DUTY: | Asst Plat Ldr |
| UNIT: | CCF 50th Army, 149th Div, 447th Regt, Recon & Comm Co |
| EDUCATION: | 4 yr primary school |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | CS375335 |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 072400 Feb 51 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | YUNNAN-SHENG, CHAOTUNG-HSIEN, CHICHUAN-CHEN, IHPAO SZUCHIA (雲南省 昭通縣 濟川鎭 一保四甲) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| TRAVEL IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES: | INDIA (2 yr) |
Appeared to be in good physical condition at time of interrogation. Was the owner of a clothing store prior to his military service with CNA. Served in CNA for 9 yr. PW and his Plat Ldr (2nd Lt), after staying away from their unit for 2 days repairing telephone lines deserted and surrendered to UN Force 2 Feb 51. While enroute from one place of detention to another, he jumped off jeep and escaped. PW made his way to a farm house and asked for food and while he was there, he was captured by SK Police alerted by the farmer. Cooperative and of average intelligence. Information obtained is considered fairly reliable. Recommended for further interrogation.
a. Unit Organization, Strength and Equipment
50th Army was composed of 148th, 149th, and 150th Div.
The 149th Div had 445th, 446th, and 447th Regt; a Med Sect; a Transportation Sect; an Operations Sect; a Sig Sect; an Adm Sect; a General Staff Sect; and an Arty Bn.
The 447th Regt was composed of 3 Bn; an Adm Sect; a Med unit; a Recon & Comm Co; a Transportation Sect; and a Mortar Co.
Each Inf Bn was composed of 3 Rifle Co and a HMG Co.
The Recon & Comm Co was composed of a Recon Plat; a Comm Plat; and a Telephone Plat.
50th Army code name - LIANGSHANPU (梁山部)
149th Div code name - 2nd Bn (二大隊)
447th Regt code name - 3rd Co (三中隊)
| UNIT | ORIG STR | DATE | PRESENT STR | DATE |
| 447th Regt | approx 1,500 | Nov 50 | approx 700 | 1 Feb 51 |
| Comm Plat | 〃 30 | 〃 〃 | 〃 30 | 〃 〃 〃 |
| Recon Plat | 〃 30 | 〃 〃 | 〃 30 | 〃 〃 〃 |
| Telephone Plat | 〃 30 | 8 Jan 51 | 51 | 〃 〃 〃 |
The Wire Plat personnel increased at SEOUL due to insufficient number of men in repairing telephone lines. The additional men were transferred from the Rifle Co of the 447th Regt.
The Regt received casualties from air strikes and artillery. The air strikes were more effective.
Wire Plat had 8 field telephones (6 US “marking - EE108” and 2 Russian); 2 switchboards (one 10 outlets and one 4 outlets) and telephone wire.
The Comm Plat sent messages by runners to Div and Bn.
The Recon Plat had 2 LMG; 15 Chinese rifles with 100 rd per rifle; and 80% of the men had 2 hand grenades each.
Mortar Co (attached to Regt) had 6 x 82mm mortars and unknown number of rifles and hand grenades.
The Transportation Sect (Div) had 12 trucks (US and Japanese) and 30 oxcarts. PW saw 12 truck convoy between SEOUL and UNJUNG-NI. The trucks were loaded with supplies and were camouflaged.
The HMG Co (Bn) had 6 HMG and rifles.
Each Rifle Co had 2 x 60mm mortars; 6 LMG; approx 18 bangalore type AT charges; and 4 hand grenades per man.
The Arty Bn (Div) had 3 Btry, equipped with 6x75mm guns (3 guns each in 2 Btry) and 1 Btry with 3x 42mm mortars.
The Transportation Sect (Regt) had no equipment.
The Sig Sect (Div) had 1 radio and unknown number of telephones.
b. Unit Assignment and Intentions
29 Jan 51, at UNJUNG-NI, heard from a Political Officer that 50th Army was to withdraw to SEOUL for regrouping and would be replaced by 38th, 39th, and 42nd Armies in 3 days or so. Also heard that the 38th, 39th, and 42nd Armies were regrouping 3 miles north of SEOUL.
PW Platoon assignment was to set up communication between Regt and lower echelons.
c. Disposition
Prior to 24 Jan 51, 149th Div CP was located approx 2 miles north of UNJUNG-NI (CS283396) in a village at northern base of a mountain. The village was not occupied during the day.
29 Jan 51, 447th Regt CP was located in UNJUNG-NI (CS283396).
24 Jan 51, 149th Div Arty CP was located in SONGHYONG-DONG (CS328424).
d. Communication
Communication between Bn and higher echelons by telephones. Bn and lower Hq used messengers but while in combat, telephones were used at Co levels.
Trucks and oxcarts were used at the Div level.
e. Personalities
TSENG, Che-sheng (曾澤生) Lt Gen - CG, 50th Army
LUNG, Yao (隴要) Maj Gen - CG 149th Div, 50th Army
TUAN, Fu-yung (段富榮) Maj - C/S, 149th Div, 50th Army
WANG (王) Maj - CO, Div Arty Bn
WANG, Yung-kuei (王榮貴) Maj - Exce O, Div Arty Bn
f. Armor
Approx 2 months ago, at KANGYANG (north of SEOUL), PW heard from his Co CO that there were 7 UN tanks of which five were operable and a number of operable trucks.
g. Artillery
8 Jan 51, observed 6 dismantled 75mm guns and 3 dismantled 42mm mortars on pack horses being moved south from SEOUL. The Arty Bn (Div) supported companies when engaged in combat. Arty Bn estimated to be 500 men.
h. Morale
Morale was low due to lack of food and clothing.
i. Chronology
PW served in CNA for 9 yr. Captured by the CCF at CHANGCHUNG, MANCHURIA on 17 Oct 48 and integrated into his present unit. The 50th Army crossed the YALU River at ANTUNG in Nov 50. Date of CHONGCHON River crossing unknown. PW unit passed through SINUIJU, CHARYONGWAN (XE4513), CHOLSAN (XE4303), CHONGJU (XD9095), PAKCHON (YE2200), SINAMJU (YD2486), PYONGYANG, KAESONG (BT8604) and SEOUL travelling through mountain trails and MSR during the night.
j. Food and Ammo Supplies
Food was procured from villages and was insufficient.
1 Feb 51, while repairing a telephone line, he picked up a conversation between the Regt Hq and Arty Bn saying that the Regt has 100 rd of artillery ammo and 2,000 rd of rifle ammo at the place where the Regt was the previous night, so come and pick them up.
k. Replacements
24 Jan 51, when PW was at the Arty Bn Hq, he was ordered with 12 officers to go to TAEOK-NI (Coordinates unk) to receive replacements of approx a division of recruits who arrived from CHINA. Unknown number of representatives from the 3 Div in the 50th Army were also ordered to go. PW did not go to receive the replacements because of sore foot. As of 2 Feb 51, no replacements came to the 50th Army.
Wounded personnel were given medical attention and upon recovering were returned to their original units.
Stragglers made their way to adjacent units, which directed them to their original units.
l. Psychological Warfare
After reading UN leaflets which said to surrender and receive good treatment, PW had intentions of surrendering. Did not hear broadcast nor other soldiers discussing leaflets.
m. UN PW
O/a 25 Dec 50, observed 400-500 British PW and KANGYANG heading northward. PW brought rice and beans to a wounded soldier and asked him if he were English and the soldier replied “yes”.
n. Foreign Advisors, Technicians and Troops
One Korean interpreter assigned to each company.
o. Medical
The 50th Army received tetanus immunization once at CHOLSAN about 2 months ago. Indigestion was the most common illness in PW unit because of eating cold food and not resting after eating. No knowledge of narcotics or drugs being used by CCF troops.
p. HAN River Crossing
Crossed the HAN River over the ice during the night o/a 12 Jan 51. No bridging equipment was observed.
q. Effectiveness of Night Bombing
Night bombing was more effective than daylight bombing because daylight bombing was aimed mostly at bldg, while the troops hid in foxholes, whereas at night they come out of their foxholes.
PW was previously interrogated by the 3rd Div IPW Team. “Incorporating 3rd Div IPW Report No. 060 dtd 8 Feb 51”.
For the AC of S, G-2:
OGAWA
