ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 4355
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0068) 25 October 1950
| PW NAME: | PAK Ul Son (朴乙孫) (박을손) |
| RAN: | Pvt (戰士) |
| AGE: | 25 |
| DUTY: | Replacement |
| UNIT: | Replacement Unit |
| EDUCATION: | Primary (6 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 12 km N of POUN (報思) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 30 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, NANAM, HAEBANG-Ni (咸鏡北道 羅南 解放里) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, NANAM, SUBUNG-Ni (咸鏡北道 羅南) |
| INTERROGATOR: | KAWASHIMA (ATIS) |
PW was very willing with keen powers of observation. PW estimation of distance when checked was perfect. Due to lack of installations and military targets in this town PW was limited to general information. Reliability good.
Chronology:
1941-1947: PW left with family to go to MISHAN (密山) (4501320) from NANAM where parents farmed. When PW was 21 years old the family returned to NANAM.
Topographical
MISHAN (密山)
Pvt Obs: 1941-1947
1. Terrain is an extensive flatland bounded by parallel mountain ranges running from east to west.
2. The northern range is rather bare in the lowland but the uplands are timbered with popular, cryptomeria, lespedeza bicolor, and trees that furnish boxes and matchsticks. Popular is used for building boxes and cypress is used for making good grade furniture. There is no factory and everything is made at home.
3. Soil is black clay mixed with small stones.
4. Drainage is slow causing floods during rainy seasons.
5. Crops raised on plains are rice, soya beans, kaoling, corn and vegetables. Rice and kaoling are the extensively raised crops.
6. Suitability for movement of foot troops:
Over grassland is passable.
During rainy season is impassable.
For Vehicles - impassable.
Rivers and Canals:
WULINHO (無林河) River flows eastward through the plain and flows into the AMUR (黒龍江) River.
1. Width 20-30 m, velocity slower than walking, depth 1 m to 5 m with seasonal fluctuation.
2. Nature of bottom-sandy to some clay. Nature of banks-cliffed about 3m. Fordability - men and horses at shallow points. Location of concrete bridge (see sketches A and B).
3. Navigability - not navigable.
4. Floods - twice annually increases to depth 1m. There is no system of flood control.
5. No canal system.
6. Irrigation system - the river bed is higher than farmland, so irrigation is done by damming.
7. Icing conditions - river freezes 3 m thick from latter part of Oct to mid-Mar. Vehicles use frozen river as road during cold weather.
Highway Construction:
The road connecting MISHAN and TUNGAN is the only road and is constructed of gravel and dirt.
1. The road passes through marsh and road itself becomes impassable during heavy rain.
2. From Apr to Jun may be travelled safely.
3. Roads have moderate curves.
4. The labor supply will be inadequate. Only farmers will be available. Grading and roadbuilding raw materials is lacking.
Railroad:
1. Locomotives observed were similar to Korean locomotives with tankers (type 2-6-2). Railroad gauge similar to NK gauge. Fuel used is coal.
2. Railroads are often washed away during floods.
Signal Communication:
Not very many radio sets. Only owned by merchants. Radio station heard is HSINGHING (新京). Telephones are readily available. The telephone exchange is located with Post office in the central part of MISHAN. The exchange at TUNGAN is also with the PO in central part of town.
Telephones are wall types and connections to TOAN and other towns are tolled. Public telephones are more plentiful than private phones.
Communication lines:
The telephone lines (about 20) run along the road (overhead line on wood poles).
Sociological MISHAN (密山)
Pvt Obs: 1941-1947
Population-20,000
Composed of 90% Manchurians and 10% Koreans. Very little emigration. No labor organization. Manchurian gov’t primary school accommodates 500. One Manchurian church.
Health and Sanitation:
Sanitation is very bad compared to KOREA. Seasonal epidemics like dysentery and TB prevalent during summer. Medical facilities and personnel inadequate and people cannot afford the service.
Fire Defense:
Fire station is located next to PO in MISHAN. PW observed 1 truck with fire fighting facilities with 2 or 3 permanent personnel. In case of fire, orders came from Country office to ward office. The ward office in turn notifies the people in the area to aid in fire fighting bringing their own equipment and hand tools. The people assist the fire truck. The fire fighting personnel wear black western uniform with shoes.
For the Commanding Officer:
KANAYA
LOCATION IF BRIDGE SKETCH-A
SKETCH OF MISHAN BRIDGE (密山橋) SKETCH-B
