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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 901　6 September 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0686)　2 September 1950

Subject was cooperative and intelligent but frequent changes of station made it difficult to remember the details, Subject was in a state of extreme fatigue during the interrogation. Reliability fair. Subject claims to have deserted his unit on 31 Aug 50 because of constant friction with his fellow officers.

Date inducted: 25 Sep 47

Training:

25 Sep 47 - ? Oct 48: NANAM (羅南) Peace Preservation Officers' Trng Ctr. Approx 500 volunteers were accepted by 25 Sep 47 and organized into the NCO Training Bn, 2nd Div. Standard period of Tng 8 mos. Tng received was dismounted drill, range practice (6 rds M1891/30 rifle, 100 rds w/MAXIM M1910 HMG), sqd and plt tactics, military regulations, physical training, one hr political education per day, terrain evaluation, map and compass reading, etc, Instructors were Korean company grade officers who had served with CCF.

Oct 48 - Nov 48: Subject assigned to 6th Regt, 2nd Div during this period, 2nd Div Hqs situated in NANAM, also 5th and 6th Regts. 4th Regt stationed in HOERYONG (會寧). Div art'y regt located 12 km N NANAM, strength 6th Regt approx 2,000 men, 4th and 5th Regts also 2,000 men each. Details Div arty u/k.

20 Nov 48: 6th Regt only departed NANAM with equipment,

27 Nov 48: 6th Regt arrived WONSAN (元山). Upon arrival, 6th Regt redesignated as 3rd Div, 8th Regt. Subject heard new recruits were organized as 6th Regt, 2nd Div in NANAM to replace the redesignated 8th Regt. 4th and 5th Regts and Div Art’y Regt still part of 2nd Div.

27 Nov 48 - 15 Oct 49: 3rd Div, 8th Regt stationed WONSAN. Div Hqs located WONSAN. 9th Regt stationed HAMHUNG (咸興). Hearsay, 7th Regt situated CR'ORWON (鐵原). Div Art'y Regt located WONSAN. NCO trng bn located HAMHUNG. 8th Regt underwent extensive field tng to include 2 mos of Regt'l field problems. All tng was conducted in mountainous terrain.

15 Oct 49 - 7 Dec 49: PW attended 1st Military Academy in P'YONGYANG. Normal period of attendance was 12 mos but subject attended under accelerated program completing course in 5 weeks, Approx 200 NCO's were enrolled in this program, All graduated 7 Dec 49 as Jr Lts. Normal course of 12 mos tng was conducted concurrently with accelerated program. Approx 2,500 cadets were enrolled in this category. 15 Russian officers, name u/k, supervised tng. Type of tng received included plt tactics, rifle marksmanship, w/M1891/30 rifle, M1910 HMG, PPsh sub-MG, and DP LMG, disassembly, assembly and nomenclature of parts of infantry weapons, political tng, and military regulations.

7 Sep 49: Upon graduation, all Jr Lts who received tng under accelerated program were assigned to middle schools to conduct compulsory military tng of male students. Subject sent to CHUULON Higher Middle School, HAMGYONG PUK-TO, KYONGSONG GUN, CHUULON MYON (咸鏡北道 鏡城郡 朱乙溫面 朱乙溫 高級中學校)

10 Dec 49 - 5 Jul 50: Subject served as military instructor at CHUULON Higher Middle School. Out of student body of 300 students, 200 were males. All males were required to receive tng. Students were between 16 and 24 yrs of age. Type of tng conducted included dismounted drill, rifle marksmanship (no actual firing) with M1891/30 rifle; methods of conduct in warfare, scouting and patrolling and military regulations. Tng was conducted 2 or 3 hrs per week. PW was only military instructor at school. Tng conducted in 50 man groups. Each group received 2 or 3 one hr periods of trng each week. Military tng was conducted under direct supervision of NKPA Hq. PW relieved of this duty 5 Jul 50.

6 Jul 50 - 3 Aug 50: PW assigned to 5th Trig Bn with duties as plt ldr. 5th Bn was composed of about 800 conscripts between 10 Jun 50 and 3 Aug 50. 6 Jul 50 - 3 Aug 50, 200 - 300 recruits arrived SINUIJU (新義州) Tng Ctr each day. All recruits were assigned to one of 6 Bns designated from 1 to 6. There was no set tng period. Each tng Bn composed of approx 800 men on 1 Aug 50.

1 Aug 50: 73rd Independent Inf Regt activated. Organization completed 2 Aug 50. Regt composed of 2,500 men from each of the 6 tng Bns. 90% of men received at least one month of tng. Troops issued used but serviceable weapons 1-2 Aug 50. Source of weapons P’YONGYANG Ordnance Section, Ammunition also issued. Regt alloted 5 new YAG-4 trucks.

Morale: Morale of the troops was very low because of lack of sufficient tng, food and rest. The troops were very difficult to handle under fire. Subject believes this was because the troops had never been in combat before.

Strength: 73rd Regt (estimated)

Equipment: The regt was very lightly equipped. The heaviest piece was 82mm mortars of which each rifle Bn had 9. There were no 45mm, 76mm Guns or 120mm mortars. The men of these units were armed with rifles. There was no indications as to when the units were to receive their T/O & E equipment. Rifles and 82mm mortars were in good condition.

Supply: Supplies came to the Regt from CU’ONGSONG. Quantity and frequency of resupply unk. Supplies were hauled by trucks. On 31 Aug 50, each rifleman had between 50 and 70 rds of ammo, To each 82mm mortar, there was about 20 rds. Regt’l supply was located in CU’ONGSONG, hearsay, exact location unk.

Replacements: 73rd Regt had received no replacements since departing N Korea.

Additional Info: Subject heard that 73rd Regt was directly under the “Eastern Sector Hqs,” details unk, Subject has not heard of 7th or 12th Div.

No information.

Obs o/a 20 Jul 50 approx 20 tanks loaded on flat cars passing through SINUIJU. Subject noticed train travelling in direction of P'YONGYANG. Tanks were from ANDONG (安東), MANCHURIA since train came to SINUIJU from that direction. Train pulled by two locomotives, No other details.

Russians: There were 3 Russian advisors at the SINUIJU Tng Ctr. Details unk. Last obs 3 Aug 50.

Obs 10 Aug 50 - 31 Aug 50

a. Railroad line between SEOUL and WONJU was undamaged.

b. RR bridge across HAH River was undamaged.

c. All bridges between WONJU and CH’UNGJU were out. At the site of each bridge, river bottom was raised with sand bags to permit vehicular traffic.

d. Roads were in good condition.

e, Bridges around ANDONG are all out. By-passes constructed to allow vehicular and armored traffic. Details on each location unk.

No. information.