ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1602 3 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (521 - MISD - 0099) 1 October 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | UM SU CHE (嚴壽春) (엄수춘) |
| PW NO: | 3246 |
| RANK: | Lt Col |
| DUTY: | Regtl Executive Officer |
| UNIT: | Ind 44th Tank Regt |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | SEOUL |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 24 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HANKYONNANDO, TANGCHON GUN, HATAN MYON, TANCHO RI (咸鏡南道 端靑郡 下端面 達山里) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | PYONGTANNANDO, PEIYANG TEPPIL SHI, KUNIN SATE (平安南道 平壤特別市 社洞 軍人舍宅) |
| INTERROGATOR: | PFC TAKEUCHI |
Subject appeared to be very cooperative and was willing to furnish information. Also seemed to be intelligent.
Information reliable.
Subject was stretcher case.
Length of Service - 1 yr 10 Mos
3. MILITARY HISTORY:13 Nov 48 - Inducted at PYONGYANG (平壤) and attached to Ind 44th Tank Regt. Subject appointed Maj because he was a community leader at SEMYON (신용). He received no military schooling or training.
6 Aug 50 - Promoted to Lt Col as Executive Officer of 44th Tank Regt.
10 Aug 50 - Entire 44th Tank Regt departed PYONGYANG by rail.
11 Aug 50 - Unit arrived WONSAN (元山)
The Ind 43rd Tank Regt departed from PYONGYANG for HANGNAM (咸南) and the 76th Inf Regt departed for SEOUL (actual observations) on 10 Aug 50.
17 Sep 50 - Ind 44th Tank Regt departed WONSAN to reinforce troops in SEOUL.
22 Sep 50 - Arrived SEOUL by trucks and were ordered to defend city proper. On 23 Sep 50, seventeen (17) light and heavy tanks were destroyed and majority of personnel killed by strafing and bombing before going into action.
24 Sep 50 - Captured by 32nd inf Regt.
4. FOREIGN ELEMENTS:There were approx 200 Russian officers in PYONGYANG (majority were filed grade or above) and they were accompanied by their dependents. According to hearsay a Lt Gen and Maj Gen were the highest ranking officers.
On one occasion, subject observed the two generals at the training school (Tank).
On 26 Aug 50, when subject returned to PYONGYANG to pick additional tank officers, he heared that the dependents of Russian officers were being evacuated to Russia.
There was a Russian Hospital in PYONGYANG staffed by 20 Russian doctors and nurses. Both Russian and NK civilians were treated here.
Subject states that there were three (3) CCF Inf Div, comprised only of Koreans, engaged in combat in the Southern Front. Elements of the above divisions were seen in NK territory since Mar 49.
On 26 Aug 50, Subject observed a freight train loaded with ten (10) T-34 tanks at the PYONGYANG RR STATION. He heard that the train had arrived from Russia via Manchuria and SINUIJU (新義州). He believes that tanks and weapons are still being supplied from Russia.
5. WEAPONS & PERSONNEL:The Ind 44th Tank Regt was equipped with 10/32T tanks, 7/17T Tanks, 203 automatic rifles, with 210 rds each, 193 rifles, 10/LMG, and 200 pistols. All of the above weapons were made in USSR. Only officers and tank operators were armed with pistols.
Strength of the Ind 44th Tank Regt was 594 men and officers and was commanded by Col KIM, MON JO (believed killed in SEOUL).
6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:PYONGYANG:
A tank “SHIKKOKU” HQ was located at PYONGYANG. It was similar to a corps or an army and was comprised of three (3) tank divisions and eight (8) Ind Tank Regt. Shortly before and after the outbreak of the Korean incident, the majority of these units headed south towards the 38th parallel.
On 10 Aug 50, when the 44th Tank Regt departed PYONGYANH, the 45th Tank Regt was the only element of the “SHIKKOKU” remaining in PYONGYANG. However, subject heard that the 45th Tank Regt had also received orders to depart for SEOUL o/a 25 Sep 50.
Subject believe that beside the 45th Tank Regt, there were two (2) inf divs, an AA regt, as of 10 Aug 50. The strength of the two inf divs were believed to be approx 10,000 men each.
Subject believe that the total complement of the units remaining in PYONGYANG (2 inf divs, 1 tank regt, and AA Regt) was approx 30,000.
These men were very poorly equipped and trained. Their morale was low due to daily air raids.
The strength, number of tanks and weapons of the 43rd and 45th Tank Regts were identical to the 44th Tank Regt.
There was a Tank Training School located about 20 Km E of PYONGYANG. This school was moved to an area 28 Km E of PYONGYANG ON 23 Aug 50. On 26 Aug 50, subject returned to PYONGYANG to receive trucks and five trained tank officers. At this time there were approx 1,000 students at the school. He also observed two Russian officers, a Lt Col and Maj, supervising the training of troops. The name of the Lt Col was BLAKI (phonetic),. 5’5“ in height and weighed about 65Kg. Also observed were 15/32T Russian tanks being used for training purposes.
SEOUL:
There was a large open air ammo dump located in the vicinity of PYONGCHON RI (평천리). Subject heard that there also were many caves in this area. On 26 Sep 50, subject received 6 truck loads of tank ammo from this dump.
KANRI:
A large amount of bombs, ammo and weapons (mostly small arms) were stored in a 2 Km long tunnel located about 20 Km E of KANRI.
UPPA:
Ammo and small arms and rice were stored in a tunnel about 1 Km in length, located about 2 Km E of UPPA. The supplies were transported by trucks to the combat areas daily during the night.
WONSAN:
From 10 Aug to 17 Sep 50, Subject observed a Marine Unit of approx 5,000 men stationed at WONSAN. This unit was commanded, by Maj Gen CHE, MIN CHUN (崔民春).
Just prior to departure from WONSAN, Subject heard from his Regtl CO, that a Marine Division was to be organized at WONSAN. The unit observed was equipped only with rifles. There also was an AA MG unit of approx 200 men who were equipped with 10/AAMG, automatic rifles and rifles.
Four 100M long tunnels (former Jap Army storage) were located about 2 Km W of WONSAN near the airfield.
Bombs, ammo, automatic rifles and rifles were stored here. There also was an open gasoline dump located about 12 to 13 Km E of WONSAN in the mountains. A large amount of gasoline was stored here in drum cans (about 500 to 600 tons).
TRANSPORTATION:
The main road. connecting PYONGYANG and WONSAN is a dirt road 6M about wide. When subject travelled this road on 10 Aug 50, there were three wooden bridges destroyed near YONGPO RI (명포리) which were being repaired. The road, generally, was in fairly good condition.
The main road between WONSAN and SEOUL is also a dirt road about 6M wide. On this route, one bridge near P‘PTONG NI and one near OSAN (烏山) were severely damaged. These bridges were under repair. Road was in fairly good condition.
The railroad between PYONGYANG-WONSAN and WONSAN-SEOUL were both in operation as of 17 Sep 50.
U.S. PsW:
O/a 7 Sep 50, Subject heard through radio that the NKA had captured 200 U.S. PsW at TAEGU (大邱).
For the AC of S, G-2:
SHORT
