ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1953 23 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 1209) 19 October 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | ON, Sin Won (溫信元) (온신원) |
| PW NO: | 63 NK 22064 |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| AGE: | 22 |
| DUTY: | Plat Ldr |
| UNIT: | 19th Div, 2nd Regt, 2nd Bn, AT Co, 45-mm AT Gun Plat |
| EDUCATION: | 8 years - HONGNAM Tech College, 1 year |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | KAEP’UNG (950-1690) (開豊) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 6 Oct 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMYONGNAM-D0, PUKCH’ONG-Gun, SINP’O-Myon, YUKT’AE-Ri #220 (咸鏡南道北清郡新浦面六怡里二二番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HAMGYONGNAM-Do, HAMHUNG, UNHUNG-Ni #117 (咸鏡南道咸興雲興里一一七番地) |
| INTERROGATOR: | MORI (FEAF) |
PW was cooperative and talkative but not observant. Stated that de deserted his unit because he was to court martialed for having four deserters in his platoon.
Had difficulty in remembering place names and was poor in judging distances. Reliability, fair.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
4 Jul 50 - Inducted into NKA at HUNGNAM.
5 Jul 50 - Arrived P’YONGYANG. Attended P’YONGYANG 1st Military Academy for 18 days.
28 Jul 50 - Commissioned Jr Lt with approx 2,000 college students who attended the Academy.
23 Jul 50 - Assigned to 19th Brig, 2nd Regt, 2nd Bn, Mortar Co, 3rd Plat as platoon leader at SUKCH’ON (蕭川).
10 Sep 50 - The 19th Brigade was converted into the 19th Div. PW transferred to 2nd Bn, AT Co.
27 Sep 50 - Departed SUKCH’ON by truck with 19th Div.
28 Sep 50 - Arrived P’YONGYANG. Departed on foot.
30 Sep 50 - Arrived KAESONG (開城) with 19th Div.
1 Oct 50 - The 19th Div established defensive positions along the IMJIN River. The Div CP was located at MUNSAN (汶山) and the 2nd Regt was located at CHANGDAN (長湍).
4 Oct 50 - The AT Co received orders from 2nd Bn Hq to retreat to KYEJONG (雞井), located 12 km N or KAESONG. The 1st Bn of the 2nd Regt was ordered to retreat to KUHWARI (九化里). All units of 2nd Regt were ordered to establish defensive positions along the 38th parallel.
PW while retreating deserted his convoy and arrived KAEP’UNG (開豊) on truck.
6 Oct 50 - Captured by ROK Forces at KAEP’UNG-Gun.
Unit Organization and Strength:
The 19th Div (approximately 10,000 men) consisted of four (?) Regt’s, a 122-mm Howitzer Bn, 76-mm Gun Bn, AA MG Bn and a Rear Dept.
The 2nd Regt (approximately 2,000 men) consisted of three (3) Bn’s, a 120-mm Mortar Co, 76-mm Howitzer Co, 45-mm AT Gun Co, HMG Co, SMG Co, Signal Plt, Recon Plt, Medical Plt and a Rear Dept.
The 2nd Regt (approximately 600 men) consisted of three (3) rifle Co’s, a AT Co, 82-mm Mortar Co, Signal Plt, Engr Plt, Transportation Plt, Recon Plt, Medical Plt, and a Security Guard Plt.
Each Co had about 120 men.
Hearsay: PW heard that the Code Number of the 19th Div was 37. The Code Number of the 19th Div, 1st Regt was 333 and the 2nd Regt was 332.
As of 4 Oct 50, the organization and strength of the 19th Div was same as above.
Equipment:
19th Div: number u/k x 122-mm Howitzer
2 x 76-mm Guns
〃 u/k x 12.7-mm DSLK M1938 AA MGs
〃 u/k x GAZ-67 Soviet jeeps
PW heard that the Div was also equipped with 37-mm AA Guns.
Number u/k.
2nd Regt:
4 x 120-mm Tubular type mortars
2 x 76-mm Howitzers
6 x 45-mm M1942 AT Guns
6 x HMG M1910 (HMG Co)
18 x trucks (GAZ-51 and ZIS-151 types)
2nd Bn:
9 x 82-mm Mortars
2 x 45-m M1942 AT Guns
2 x PTRS M1941 AT Rifles
7 x TAM Field telephones (Sig Plt)
1 x trucks
PW heard that as of 4 Oct 50, the 19th Div had not yet received full issue of equipment from P’YONGYANG.
As of 4 Oct 50, the Div had above equipment and was expecting more. The unit has sufficient artillery shells and ammunition.
Unit History:
The 19th Brigade was converted into the 19th Div on 10 Sep 50, at SUKCH’ON (蕭川). The Div had never engaged in combat as of 4 Oct 50 and consisted mostly of newly conscripted soldier. One veteran was assigned to each plat as asst Plat Ldr.
Disposition:
The 19th Div CP retreated from MUN SAN (汶山) to KUMCH’ON (金川) on 4 Oct 50.
The 2nd Regt CP retreated from CHANGDAN (長湍) to CHOSIM-Ni (㨋澁里) and the 2nd Bn retreated to KYEJONG (雞井) on the same day. The 2nd Regt established defensive positions along the above line.
Supply was transported from P’YONGYANG by trucks. 2nd Regt never received additional supplies.
Communications:
The 19th Div used the dirt road, approx 3 m wide, through SUSAN and SIBYON-Ni to march southward as the main road through SARIWON was in poor condition. PW stated that the above route was also used for supply. As of 27 Sep 50, the small bridges of the above route were not destroyed.
RR was not utilized.
Contact between the units of the 19th Div was made by field telephones. PW never observed wireless sets in 19th Div.
The code name of the 2nd Bn, 2nd Regt, 19th Div was TAEDONG GANG ( ).
Intentions:
The 2nd Bn was ordered to prepare for combat on 4 Oct 50, and hold the defensive positions along the 38o Parallel. PW heard that some subordinate units of the 9th Div was directed to retreat to P’YONGYANG.
Personalities:
KIM, Chong T’ae (金𨑳泰), Maj (少佐), 24, CO, 2nd Regt, 19th Div, Formerly member of CCF and is graduate of P’YONGYANG Military Academy.
KIM, Pyong Ui (金炳義), Sr Lt (大尉), 26, CO, 2nd Bn, 2nd Regt, 19th Div, Formerly member of Guard Unit of the 38o Parallel,
Morale and Propaganda:
Morale of the personnel of the 19th Div was very low. On way to the 38o Parallel from P’YONGYANG four members of PW’s platoon deserted the Plat and PW as plat ldr was held responsible for their desertion and threatened with penalty of death. The causes of low morale were lack of provisions and realization of the futility of ever winning the war.
PW observed a UN Propaganda Leaflet at CHANGDAN (長湍) on 2 Oct 50. The leaflet was to the effect that the UN Forces would advance as far north as the Korean Manchurian Border and that it would be more advantageous for the NKA troops to surrender to the advancing UN Troops. The leaflets were quite effective. PW stated that the soldiers of the 19th Div, 2nd Regt were always saying that if the NKA would provide them with sufficient provision they would fight to the end, leaflets had lowered the morale of the troops considerably.
The NKA propaganda was as follows:
1. The North Koreans should never give up their fight for their motherland and surrender to the US invaders.
2. The US Invaders are attempting to colonize KOREA.
3. The Japanese Army is fighting for ROK Forces and in return are importing rice products from KOREA.
4. GENERAL:PW observed approx 500 US PsW interned in a factory-like building located 1 km NE of the West P’YONGYANG RR Station. The PW CAMP was 200 x 200 m and enclosed by a wooden and barbed wire fence 3 m high. Observed the PsW receiving rice balls.
Heart that the P’YONGYANG Machinery Mfg Plant and one quarter of the plant laborers were destroyed by US aircraft attacks.
Stated that there were two Russian Military Advisory Officers (Arty Col’s) at the P’YONGYANG Military Academy (No 1) as of Jul 50.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
