ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 4191 23 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (2 DIV LDI 0281) 11 March 1951
| PW NAME: | HONG Chul Su |
| AGE: | 21 |
| DUTY: | Laborer |
| UNIT: | NKA 12th Div, 2d Regt, 3d Bn, 9th Co, 2d Plat |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 0100700 Mar 51 at DS157466 |
| CAPTURED BY: | 503d FA |
| INTERROGATOR: | SFC MURATA |
Cooperative and answered all questions freely. Tactical information and place names were limited. Information seems fairly reliable.
15 Feb 51, source and approx 60 other ROK soldiers of the 3d ROK Div were captured by the NK 12th Div approx. 8 km N of HOENGSONG when they were encircled by the enemy.
Source and 5 others were placed in the NK 12th Div, 2d Regt, 3d Bn, 9th Co as laborers. With the intention of returning to his original ROK Unit, source escaped 9 Mar 51 at approx 1200 hr with 2 others. Source walked through Mt trails until he reached UN Forces and surrendered at 0700 hr 10 Mar 51
a. Intention:
O/a 1 Mar 51, 9th Co arrived SAE-GOL (DS253528) for the purpose of recruiting men to join the NK Army. Every available man in villages were forced to either fight with them or work as laborers.
Heard that due to large casualties suffered by the 6th Div as soon as the 12th Div had built up its strength by any means available it would replace the 6th Div and that the 6th Div will return to the rear for rest and regrouping.
b. CCF:
While at SAE-GOL (DS253528) observed several times groups of 10-12 CCF soldiers. Heard that a CCF Unit was NE of SAE-GOL. These CCF soldiers that he saw had US M-1 Rifles (7 men out of 10) the other 3 men carried baggage on their backs. Each man carried 2 hand grenades.
c. Other units:
Also heard that the 6th Div was somewhere in the vic 8-10 km N of SAE-COL.
d. Strength:
Strength of the 9th Co (HW Unit) was 28 men; 2 officers, 20 EM and 6 laborers.
e. Weapons:
3d Bn (observed) 2x81mm mortars, 3 LMG 500 rd per gun; PPSH SMG and rifles were carried by individuals.
9th Co (observed) 1 LMG, 500 rd; 6 PPSH SMG, 1 mag each; 10 Russian rifles, 50 rd ea; 3 hand grenades per man.
No wireless, radio, or telephones observed, although he heard that the 12th Div had some.
f. Language:
Confidential conversation by the officers in 9th Co was in Chinese. All EM spoke Korean only.
g. Clothing:
All wore winter uniform.
h. Disease:
None among troops, although a couple of, EM had frostbitten feet. Nothing given for the prevention of disease. No medical supply was carried by 9th Co.
i. Food:
Insufficient; all food confiscated from villages. Ate 2 meals per day.
j. Morale:
Low, because of lack of food and because most of the EM think that they cannot win this war although the officers constantly tell them they will win
For the AC of S, G-2:
OJI
