ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 4143 22 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (521 MISDI - 0527) 9 March 1951
| NAME: | KIM, Yang Tae |
| AGE: | 19 |
| RANK: | Sr Sgt |
| UNIT: | III CORPS, 15th Div, 50th Regt’l Supply Sec (NKA) |
| DUTY: | Supply Sgt |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 081300 Mar 51, Vic of DS 476435 |
| CAPTURING UNIT: | “B” Btry, 96th FA Bn |
Attitude: Friendly; cooperative; alert; spoke freely.
Length of Service: 6 months.
Education: 6 yr, primary school
Physical condition: Suffering slightly from frostbitten feet.
Reliability: Fair
Circumstance of Capture: When 50th Regt approached PYONGCHANG, (DS 4635) retreating northward 28 Feb 51, PW fell out from unit due to frostbitten feet and could not continue march. Took shelter in vicinity of DS 476435 with intention of returning to his unit. Remained in village until captured.
a. Chronology
9 Aug 50 - Conscripted into the NKA at KANGGYON, South KOREA. Received basic trng (15 days) at Suwon.
19 Sep 50 - Assigned to Repl Bn, 3d Div, at SUWON.
24 Nov 50 - Successfully retreated to KANGGYE, NK, with 200 stragglers. Were reassigned to 117th Regt (“Temporary”- composed of stragglers),
1 Dec 50 - Departed KANGGYE with the 200, as replacements for 15th Div.
19 Dec 50 - Reassigned to present unit at SONGCHON, NK.
8 Mar 51 - Captured.
b. Organization & Strength: (As of 28 Feb 51)
| Unit: | Strength: | |
| Hq, 50th Regt: | ||
| (1) Forward CP: | Officer | EM |
| Command staff Sec | 2 | 1 |
| Political Sec | 1 | 1 |
| Security Section (保衛部) | 1 | 1 |
| Com Co | 3 | 42 |
| Engr Co | 2 | 38 |
| Recon Plat | 2 | 38 |
| Medical Sec | 3 | 22 |
| (1) Rear CP: | Officer | EM: |
| Command Staff Sec | 5 | 8 |
| Transportation Plat | 1 | 20 |
| Note: Regt supply section included in Command Staff Section of Rear CP. | ||
| 50th Regt: | ||
| Hq & 3 Rifle Bn | 1,600 | |
| Inf Bn: | ||
| 1st Co: | 105 | |
| 2d Co: | 105 | |
| 3d Co: | 105 | |
| HMG Co: | 100 | |
| Political Sec: | Unk | |
| Med Sec: | Unk | |
| Note: | ||
| Battle casualties almost nil, since 50th Regt never committed against UN troops until 28 Feb 51; nor was it ever subjected to aerial bombardment throughout the southward movement from KANGGYE to PYONGCHANG. | ||
c. Weapons: (50th Regt)
| Type of weapons: | Quantity: |
| AA MG: | 2 |
| M-1910 Maxim HMG: | 10 |
| 7.62mm DP LMG: | 72 |
| Simonov A/T rifles: | 2-3 |
| M-1891 Russ rifles: | 60% of troops |
| PPSH SMG: | 20% 〃 〃 |
| Russ Carbines: | 15% 〃 〃 |
| US M-1 rifles: | 5% |
| US Carbines: | |
| Type 38 Jap rifle: | |
| Type 99 Jap rifle: |
Note:
Prior to crossing 38th Parallel 10 Jan 51, every artillery and mortar unit of 15th Div remained north of Parallel in vicinity of KAS-RI (12 km NW of INJE), TOKSAN-NI and KOSA-RI.
d. Supply:
Food:
North of 28th Parallel, 50th Regt Supply charged with supplying provisions for the Regt. Truck (1½ ton), captured from the ROK and over 40 oxen were used to distribute rice to subordinate units. Upon entering South KOREA, most of the oxen were given to North Korean farmers, and it was directed that units forage locally and eliminate the food supply problem.
Mid-Feb a truck load (same truck as mentioned above) of rice was received when 50th Regt established at CHUDONG-NI (DS 1549),
Ammo:
Last resupply of ammunition to 50th Regt issued at KAA-RI, NK (12km NW of INJE), early Jan 51 when truck load of small arms ammo was received from Div Hq.
Same truck later seen at HYON-NI (DT 4000) and at CHOL GOL (DS 2980) mid-January with small arms from North KOREA and at KOLMI DONG (DS 4543) packed with crated ammo. Did not observe ammo distributed since crossing 38th Parallel.
Clothes:
9 Jan 51 at KOSA-RI (5 km SE of INJE, NK) Regt supply truck observed hauling rice to subordinate units. At CHUDONG-NI (DS1549) mid-Feb 51, this truck brought rice, shoes, winter clothing and white cloth (for wrapping feet).
e. Itinerary of 50th Regt:
1 Dec 50 - Dep KANGGYE, NK.
9 Dec 50 - Passed through HUICHON, NK via mountain trails and main roads.
19 Dec 50- Travelling on main roads, arr SONGCHON, NK.
Late Dec 50 - Arr 4 to 6 km N of HWACHON, NK, travelling on main roads via KOKSAN, ICHON, PYONGGANG, KUMHWA. No vehicular traffic observed during this movement.
3 Jan 51 - Arr KOSA-RI (approx 5km SE of INJE, NK) through mountain passes from HWACHON to TKKOL-RI to KAA-RI, resumed travel on good road from KAA-RI to KOSA-RI via TOKSAN-NI.
10 Jan 51 - Crossed 38th Parallel south of KOSA-RI.
25 Feb 51 - Arr YULCHI-RI (DS 5429). Travelled via HYON-NI (DT4000); via main road from short distance south of PANGADA-RI, then southward on small trail to CHOLGOL (DS2980); to HYONGCHON (DS 2749) over foot trails.
Travelled north of main road to CHUDONG-NI (DS 1549) via foot trails and over mountain trails to KOLMI DONG (DS 4543) and YULCHI-RI.
28 Feb 51 - 50th Regt began retreating northward without being committed against UN spearheads.
f. Code Names:
15th Div: MYO HYANG SAN.
50th Regt: CHUN MAN GANG. #781
g. Morale:
Strenuous marches at night weakened majority of older soldiers.
50% of troops are inexperienced and remaining half those who saw little action during summer of last year. Troops usually fell into following age categories:
Under 20: 20%
20-35: 60%
Over 35: 20%
h. Captured Equipment:
1 US jeep for Regt CO
1 ROKA 1½ - ton truck: Used as 50th Regt supply truck.
I. UN PW:
Observed 100 ROK PW with 10 CCF guards at KOKSAN, NK, late Dec 50, as they marched north.
For the AC of S, G-2:
MURANAKA
