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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2134　30 October 1950

The following American PsW were interrogated upon their arrival in Japan from Korea by Central Interrogation Center, ATIS. Interrogations were conducted at the 128th Station Hospital by Lts Nunley and Garrett.

Information possessed by these men is as follows:

This officer was captured on 27 Jul 50 at HADONG, Korea, escaped in PYONGYANG, and was picked up by advancing UN units on 20 Oct 50. While in SEOUL, source observed several armed Russians, in civilian clothes going around the PW camp. Later in PYONGYANG he saw two Russian officers but did not know their ranks. He was told by the guards that they were attached to the Russian Embassy in PYONGYANG. Source reports that entire group of American PsW could have escaped on the night they left SEOUL. There were approximately 376 prisoners and only 15 guards. Sources states that it would have been an easy matter to overpower the guards, but since they did not know the whereabouts of UN units they did not take the chance.

On the way to PYONGYANG, source saw an unidentified unit, which some of the prisoners said was not Korean. They were moving from North to South and were all armed with rifles with telescopic (sniper scope?) sights. Source could not estimate size of unit.

Source was told by the civilian school teacher who assisted him to escape in PYONGYANG that the NK government was moving to MAN POJIN (?) near the Manchurian border.

Source reports that NK civilians were much kinder and treated the prisoners much better than the SK civilians.

Captured 28 Jul 50 at a point 20 miles N of CHINJU. Marched from SEOUL to PYONGYANG with the exception of about 40 miles.

When asked about General Dean the Sgt stated that he knew of no American personnel who had seen the General. There was a Lt Tabor, now dead, who was one of the last to see the General alive. A NK doctor in PYONGYANG said the General had died outside SEOUL.

There was a man named LEE, whose full name is unknown, a former radio commentator in SEOUL, who acted as an interpreter and instructor of communistic theory for the NK’s. The Sgt was given 3 or 4 hours to write a speech for the radio. After the speech was written, since it did not contain their ideas, it was discarded and a canned speech given him to study. They Sgt did not make the speech because the group left for PYONGYANG.

The men were required to study communist doctrines for 6 hours per day. This continued for only two days while some Russian civilians were there observing and taking pictures. Afterward the guards and instructors seemed to relax.

A NK Lt PAK stated there would be no surrender and if necessary that NK’s would move into Manchuria.

The Sgt stated that the attitude of the people in PYONGYANG was more congenial than that of the people of S. Korea. The population as a whole seemed to be disgusted with communist rule.

A NK interpreter named KIM HAN SOO, formerly a newspaper reporter in SEOUL, was one of the interpreters.

One of the guards on the way to PYONGYANG was a former ROK Lt, who had joined the communists. He had driven for an American Major in INCHON and was nick-named “Johnny.”

A NK doctor gave two of the wounded PsW injections of something near the heart. Soon after the men died.

This officer was captured on 9 Aug 50 at YONGSAN, Korea. He escaped on 19 Oct 50 and was picked up by advancing UN units approximately 40 miles North of PYONGYANG on 21 Oct 50. Sources observed numerous Russians during his internment. He saw several (exact number unknown) at a place which he assumed was a NK army Hq about 25 miles WNW of the Naktong River sometime around the middle of Aug 50. There were all wearing civilian clothes. Source said that one young Russian, tall, blond, about 20 years old woul docme over and sit with the American prisoners for about an hour or two at a time. This Russian did not speak English but through sign language and words, told the source that he was a Russian soldier and that civilians (armed) around the PW camp in SEOUL. In PYONGYANG he saw some Russians in uniform. He was told by guards that they were members of the Embassy in PYONGYANG. Two Russian officers in a jeep shook their fists violently at the American prisoners as they passed the column. Source stated that all Russians that he had seen south of the 38∘ parallel were wearing civilian clothes.

While in SEOUL (about 10 days) source along with other PsW was subjected to an intense communistic propaganda campaign. They were issued numerous books concerning the communist theory, Marxism, Capitalism, Imperialism, “Life in America,” etc. PsW were required to read these books. In addition, a program was set up whereby every morning for 2 hours and every afternoon for 2 hours, the group was broken into small groups, and one prisoner was required to read aloud to the others. In addition the camp interpreter, KIM AH SOO, and a NK Lt (PARK?), conducted 2 hours classes daily on Korean history and the way that Korea had been exploited by the capitalistic nations.

Source states that the SK prisoners were subjected to an even more intense propaganda campaign. He states that 15 of the SK prisoners joined the NK’s and became guars. They were given rifles and ammunition. These former SK soldiers were guards of the column during the march to PYONGYANG and were even more brutal than the NK guards.

Sources states that had the group known of the location of the advancing UN army when they left SEOUL the entire group could have overpowered their guards and escaped. Sources attempted to organize an escape but some of the prisoners thought that they would be safer by not attempting to escape.

Source reports that at the first big town they arrived in after crossing the 38th parallel (about 15 miles north of the 38∘), he observed a group of about 150 men moving south. He states that they were bigger than Koreans, and were wearing heavily padded cotton vests. The vests did not button in front. Sources was sure that these troops were not Koreans.

Source heard from civilians in PYONGYANG that the NK government had moved to MAMPOJIN. He was told by the guards that this was where the American prisoners were to be taken.

Source was told by the NK interpreter (Major) in PYONGYANG that the NK’s would fight to the last men. The interpreter told him that this conflict would lead to a 3rd world war.

North Koreans tried to force subject to make wire recordings for broadcast both at SEOUL and PYONGYANG.

Nisei soldiers with the PW group received much worse treatment than the rest.

Source was told by Lt Tabor, 34th Infantry, that General Dean was alive for at least two weeks after he was reported missing in action. Lt Tabor said that he and General Dean were together for approximately two weeks in the mountains near TAEJON. He said the group decided to separate and try to work their way back to American lines. Lt Tabor was captured and brought to SEOUL. He died enroute to PYONGYANG/

This officer was the only Negro officer in the PW group in SEOUL. The North Koreans tried particularly to convert him to communism. They told him that since Negros were a minority group in America that communism would be the ideal solution for their troubles. He was made assistant to a sergeant, who was in charge of the communist literature used in the PW camp at SEOUL. He was told that as soon as he arrived at PYONGYANG they were going to send him to school.

According to source, all PsW at SEOUL had to fill out a 4 page questionnaire similar to a PHS. Everyone had his picture taken. This picture was attached to the questionnaire.

Source saw Russians in SEOUL, all in civilian clothes. He saw uniformed Russians in PYONGYANG.

Source was asked to make a wire recording for broadcast, but since he had been injured crossing the Han river he was not forced to do this.

For the Commanding Officer, TIS: