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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 783　27 August 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0586)　25 August 1950

Cooperative - information limited because PW’s sole army experience was the trip from HAMCHANG to vicinity of surrender.

Inducted 6 Jul 50, HAMHUNG (咸興).

Departed HAMHUNG 6 Jul 50 by rail - arrived SEOUL o/a 12 Jul 50 with approx 1,000 other students - spent night in former primary school about 2 blocks from RR station.

Departed SEOUL o/a 13 Jul 50 - marched about ½ hr, crossed HAN River by ferry-marched about 1 hr, boarded train - arrived WONJU (原州) o/a 20 Jul 50

Departed WONJU o/a 20 Jul 50 - marched - arrived TANYANG (丹陽) o/a 30 Jul 50

Departed TANYANG o/a 31 Jul 50 - marched - arrived YONGJU (榮州) o/a 1 Aug 50

Departed YONGJU o/a 2 Aug 50 - marched - arrived NAESONG (內城) (1160-1560) o/a 3 Aug 50

Departed NAESONG o/a 6 Aug 50 - marched - arrived POPCH’ON-NI (1180-1560) o/a 7 Aug 50

Departed POPCH’ON-NI o/a 9 Aug 50 - marched (forced march) - arrived CH’ONGSONG (靑松) (1200-1500) o/a 11 Aug 50

Departed CH’ONGSONG o/a 12 Aug 50 - marched - arrived KIGYE o/a 13 Aug 50. 11th Bn contacted ROK units 13 Aug 50 and drove them about 1 mile South of KIGYE. Held hills about 1 mi south of KIGYE until 17 Aug 50.

17 Aug 50 - Unidentified Regt CO (NKPA) visited 11th Bn CO. PW’s squad ldr told PW that the Regt CO angrily ordered 11th Bn CO to withdraw to the rear as 11th Bn was not supposed to be a combat unit and had no business in the front lines. 2100 hrs, 17 Aug 50, 11th Bn began withdrawal but was cut off by ROK units maintaining pressure on the 11th Bn. Then 11th Bn attempted to proceed west, leaving 1st Platoon, 1st Co, 3rd Bn as a rearguard. At that time PW and one other from 2nd Plt, 1st Co decided to desert. They hid in mountain. On 18 Aug 50, attempted to surrender to ROK soldiers, 19 Aug 50 but were fired on. 20 Aug 50 PW and friend entered a deserted house where they remained until 22 Aug 50 when they proceeded (leaving rifles in deserted house) to KIGYE and surrendered to KIGYE Village mayor who took them to ROK 18th Regt Hqtrs.

1st Co CO: NO, FNU (노), Sr Lt, age approx 27 - 28

11th Bn - 1,000 men, 1st Co - 160 men (prior to battle). 1st Plt, 1st Co - rifleman armed with US M-1 rifles, 2nd Plt, 1st Co - riflemen armed with Jap “38” rifle, 3rd Plt, 1st Co - riflemen armed with Jap “9.9” rifles, 100 rounds, no grenades. 3 x US .30 cal HMGs in 11th Bn (in HMG Plt), 9 x BARs in 11th Bn, 5 x Jap 82mm mortars in Mortar plt of 11th Bn, but no mortar ammunition. Co COs and Bn COs armed with pistols, plt ldrs armed with US carbines. Losses - 11th Bn, about 500 men, no replacement men or equipment (17 Aug 50).

Observed 2 medium tanks and 2 tank retrievers at CH’ONGSONG (1200-1500) o/a 11 Aug 50.

Observed about 20 horse-drawn medium artillery pieces at CH’ONGSONG o/a 11 Aug 50.

Observed about 50 x 2½ ton trucks carrying soldiers and towing 10 medium artillery pieces at YONGJU o/a 1 Aug 50. Observed about 10 horse-carts carrying rice and heavy mortars approx 4 miles east of YONGJU (1150-1550) on YONGJU-NAESONG highway (o/a 2 Aug 50).

Saw no Safe Conduct Passes but did see some leaflets in hills outside KIGYE (15 Aug 50) but dared no read them as squad ldr had warned men against reading US or ROK leaflets.

Hearsay - Railroads no longer operable. Tunnels are used for storage of weapons and ammunition.