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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 880　2 September 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0662)　28 August 1950

Information limited but reliable.

Inducted 13 Jul 50 at SINUIJU. Close order drill until 15 Jul 50. Left SINUIJU 15 Jul 50 with 1,000 new conscripts for SEOUL, by train, arrived 17 Jul 50. Departed SEOUL on foot the day after for SUWON, arrived 19 Jul 50. Departed SUWON 20 Jul 50, arrived P'YONTAEK 23 Jul 50. Departed. P'YONTAEK 21 Jul 50, arrived TAEJON 27 Jul 50. There the 1,000 replacements were equally divided and placed in the 16th and 18th Inf Regt of the 4th Div. Left TAEJON 28 Jul 50, arrived HYOPCH’ONG o/a 5 Aug 50. Left HYOPCH’ONG 6 Aug 50, arrived KOCHAN about 9 Aug 50. Left KOCHAN 10 Aug 50, arrived CHOWON 13 Aug 50. A few of the replacements were issued captured US M-1 rifles and carbines. Left CHOWON 14 Aug 50, crossed NAKTONG River and arrived CHANG HYON 16 Aug 50. All marches were made by night.

30 more replacements were issued captured rifles and carbines. Most of the replacements were not issued arms because of the lack of weapons. They were used to dig fox holes and to transport the Regt's ammunition. The 18th Regt remained in the mountains at CHANG MYON near the NAKTONG River until PW deserted 21 Aug 50.

4th NK Div: 3 rifle regts (16th Inf Regt, 18th Inf Regt and an unidentified Regt). 1 x self-propelled gun Bn (troops and number of guns unknown), 1 x Sig Bn, 1 x Eng Bn, 1 x Medic Bn, 1 x Arty Regt, 1 x Reconn Co, 1 x Company guerrillas, 100 troops, 1 x truck unit, (number of trucks and troops unknown) 1 x replacement unit (strength unknown).

PW heard that the 18th Regt was annihilated on the night of 18 Aug 50, after crossing the NAKTONG River at CHAHGNUNG.

3 x T-34 tanks ware seen in TAEJON o/a 27 Jul 50.

5 x 76m artillery pieces ware seen in TAEJON o/a 27 Jul 50.

The 4th Div lived off the land. Ammo for the 18th Regt was brought by trucks at night to the regts ammunition supply point which was usually located about 4 kms to the rear of the regimental hqtrs. From the ammunition supply point, the ammunition was carried by troops and farmers on “A” frames to the front line.

The 18th Regt received its last supply of ammunition 14 Aug 50. Most ot this had been expended and the regiment had left only from 30 to 40 rounds per weapon. About 1/3 of the troops were not armed.

Morale: Only the sqd ldrs, plt ldrs ate who were trained with the CCF have high morale because they are fanatics and are sure that the NKPA will win the war. The morale of the replacements is very low because of the lack of training, fatigue, and because most of them have read propaganda leaflets dropped by American aircraft guaranteeing safety if they surrendered. The desertion rate in the 18th Regt was said to have been about 40% of the recent replacements. The troops were ordered not to pick up propaganda leaflets. Possession of propaganda leaflets meant court martial. Punishment was said to be severe. Newly arrived troops are watched by their sqd ldrs because of the increase in desertions.

Replacements: NKPA replacements have all been recently conscripted in N Korea and occupied areas. Replacements are usually trained about 2 days and sant to the front. Weapons are issued to the replacements at the front lines. About 50% of the replacements do not have weapons and are used to dig tax holes, transport ammunition of to forage for food. Lightly wounded troops (flesh wounds) are given little medical treatment and are immediately ordered to the front lines. Severely wounded are given first aid and left in the field until the battlefield is secured, then evacuated to the rear to a field hospital. Wounded troops after recovery are usually returned to their organization unless crippled. The PW estimated that 50% of the wounded troops die due to lack of medical care. Medical supplies and doctors are inadequate. When troops are separated during battle from their unit, they are told to join adjacent units until such time as they can find their way back. Prior to battle an area is designated for regrouping in the avant that the unit is forced to retreat.

Captured equipment: US M-1 rifles and carbines were issued to the front line troops. Almost every sqd in the 18th Regt had about 2 M-1 rifles or carbines.

About 70 US PsW were observed at CH’ONAN 27 Jul 50.

The people of recently captured areas are mostly anti-communists because they are being forced to join the army and because their food is confiscated to feed the NKPA.

The troops were told several times a day to tight to the death because if they were captured the US forces would shoot them. Informant knew nothing about aid from the CCF or RUSSIA. The 18th Regt’s mission was to attack TAEGU.