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ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 694　22 August 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 512)　20 August 1950

Fairly cooperative - information somewhat limited because PW is illiterate.

Inducted in ‘Peoples Liberation Army’ (CCF) 30 Oct 47 at LUNGCHUNG City, MANCHURIA. Trained as rifleman at LUNGCHUNG City 3 months.

Departed LUNGCHUNG City 25 Feb 48 - marched - arrived CH’UNT’IEN (春天), MANCHURIA, about 30 Mar 48. Fought Chinese Nationalist Army at CHANGCHUN.

Departed CHANGCHUN, pursuing CNA Oct 48 - marched - arrived HSAIYANG (characters & location unknown) Nov 48. Fought CNA at HSAIYANG.

Departed HSAIYANG Dec 48 - marched - arrived TANHOU (characters & location unknown), North CHINA, Feb 49.

Departed TANC’HOU Mar 49 - marched - arrived HEILIN, located about 600 km SW of SHANGHAI, Dec 49.

Departed KEILIN 19 Feb 50 - rail - PW left his unit at that time and joined about 15,000 Koreans who had served in the CCF. PW arrived via MANCHURIA at SINUIJU, N. Korea Apr 50.

Departed SINUIJU Apr 50 - rail - arrived WONSAN - 23 Aug 50.

Transferred from CCF’s ‘Peoples Liberation Army’ to N. Korean ‘Peoples Army’ 25 Apr 50. Up to 25 Apr 50, PW had been in the 49th Peoples Liberation Army, 46th Div, 441st Regt, Special Guard Unit, Guard Co, 3rd Platoon, 12th Squad.

Assigned to 7th Div, 3rd Regt, 3rd Bn, 8th Co, LMG Platoon, LMG Squad at WONSAN 25 Apr 50. Trained in Soviet type close order drill and the familiarization with ‘Peoples Army system - 3 months.

Departed WONSAN 16 Jun 50 with entire 7th Div - rail - arrived YANGYANG 18 Jun 50.

Departed YANGYANG 24 2100K Jun 50 - marched - attacked ROK units 25 0440K 25 Jun 50, S of 38° parallel in vicinity of (1700-1140). Proceeded to YONGJU and arrived there about 15 Jul 50. Fought ROK units at YONGJU (榮州).

Departed YONGJU about 23 Jul 50 - marched - arrived ANDONG 8 Aug 50. Fought ROK in ANDONG vicinity.

Departed ANDONG 12 Aug 50 - marched - arrived P’OHANG-DONG 14 Aug 50. Fought ROK at P’OHANG-DONG.

Departed P’OHANG-DONG 14 Aug 50 - marched - arrived KIGYE (1218-1464). LMG Platoon destroyed. PW put in 2nd Plat, 8th Co.

Departed KIGYE 16 Aug 50 - marched south, then northwest towards CHIGA-DONG. Contacted ROK troops at about 17 0700K Aug 50, on a hill about ½ miles E of CHIGA-DONG. 9th Co, 3rd Bn attacked ROK troops on the hill while Automatic Weapons Co, Mortar Co, 7th Rifle Co and 8th Rifle Co (PW was in 8th Co) deployed along bottom of hill, ROK units destroyed entire 9th Co and simultaneously attacked the other companies of 3rd Bn from the rear. 25 men were killed in 8th Co, 3 men (including PW) were captured from 8th Co, 17 Aug 50.

8th Co CO: CH’OE, PONG KWON (최봉권) Sr Lt; Age 26. Killed in action on/about 13 Jul 50 at TANYANG (1128-1568).

2nd Plat Leader: KIM, KUK HYON (金國縣) (김국현) Jr Lt; Age 27

1st Plat Leader: KIM, SANG KUK (金相國) (김상국) Jr Lt; Age 24.

Observed about 15 Soviet officers in WONSAN. 3 Soviet Sr Lts were advisors for 3rd Regt of the 7th Div until the Div left WONSAN 16 Jun 50. Saw no other foreign elements. Never heard that CCF would help ‘Peoples Army’ in any way. PW knows of no Soviets being south of 38° parallel.

7th Div: unknown; 3rd Regt: 3,000 men; 3rd Bn: 670 men; 8th Co: 150 men; 2nd Plat: 45 men; Squad: 10 men.

Riflemen armed with US Rifle M1903 at start of war (25 Jun). Captured M1 rifles later issued to riflemen at TANYANG (1128-1568) 13 Jul 50. Riflemen issued 100 rounds (25 Jun) and 2 grenades. Platoon leaders armed with pistols.

One Machine Guns Co in Bn - approx 150 men - 6 x US water-cooled .30 cal HMGs, 4 x US .30 cal LMGs, 2 x Jap Hotchkiss type HMGs.

One Mortar Co in Regt - approx 160 men - 12 x US 81-mm Mortars, 9 x 45-mm Mortars.

Casualties: 8th Co, 3rd Bn - 45 men (17 Aug 50). Other casualties unknown.

Replacement of approx 80 men and unknown amount of ammunition arrived for 3rd Bn at YONGJU on/about 18 Jul 50.

30 x Medium tanks attached to 7th Div (25 Jun), PW does not know of any replacements of tanks but believed 7th Div had only 3 tanks left 17 Aug 50. Over 30 armored cars attached to 7th Div 25 Jun 50. PW last saw the armored cars at TANYANG on/about 13 Jul 50.

PW observed about 10 x Medium artillery pieces (truck-drawn) at KIGYE, 15 Aug 50.

Observed about 20 x 2½ ton trucks carrying artillery ammunition and about 10 pulling artillery pieces at KIGYE 15 Aug 50. Unknown number of horse carts were attached to rear echelon of 7th Div. Last soon about 13 Jul 50 at TANYANG. Carts were carrying small arms ammunition and rice.

Received average 2 bowls rice per day. Received in addition varying amounts of fish and beef each week. Regt last received food from the rear at P’OHANG-DONG 14 Aug 50.

Mission of 7th Div was to protect the CHIGA-DONG-KIGYE-P’OHANG-DONG line from ROK and/or UN Forces driven out of P’OHANG-DONG.

No gas equipment seen in 7th Div and no gas training received.

Observed about 300 guerrillas between P’OHANG-DONG and KIGYE. PW was told by LEE, KI MAN (李基萬) (리기만), age 24, that he (LEE) was a member of the 766th Guerrilla Regt, which was spread out between P’OHANG-DONG and KIGYE. LEE, KI MAN was a native of HAMGYONG PUKTO and had been in the ‘Peoples Liberation Army’ (CCF) prior to becoming a guerrillas. LEE told PW that all members of 766th Guerrilla Regt were graduates of a Guerrillas Training School located at HOERYONG and officially called the HOERYONG 3rd Military Academy.

PW saw no Safe Conduct Passes but saw aircraft dropping some type of leaflets rear TANYANG (丹陽) on/about 13 Jul 50.

Although PW had been fighting for the Communists for 3 years, he claimed not to know what he was fighting for.