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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2407　29 November 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - FWD 0243)　25 November 1950

Information fairly reliable. PW was cooperative. Not recommended for further interrogation.

8 Jul 50: Conscripted while still attending school. Sent to P'YONGYANG 1st Officers Training School.

25 Jul 50: Graduated, commissioned Jr Lt assigned to the 77 Rifle Regt, 4 Bn, 2 Co, as a platoon leader in HAEJU.

15 Aug 50: A part of the 77th Regt was sent south as reinforcements, the remaining men of the 77th became attached to the 74th Regt when it was organized in HAEJU with the former 77th as its nucleus.

27 Aug 50: The 74th Regt moved south as a replacement unit leaving its Hq and a cadre Bn in HAEJU.

6 Sep 50: The 97th Ind Rifle Regt was organized. 19 officers of the cadre Bn of the 74th were asgd to the 97th Regt. PW was asgd as Plat Ldr.

10 Oct 50: 4th Bn and the 6th Bn of the 97th withdrew towards SONGCHON (BU 6048). Prior to departure PW overheard from a Bn CO that the remaining Bns of the 97th in HAEJU would be organized into a fresh Regt (probably the 99th) with added strength from recruits out of the basic training camps in the surrounding area.

15 Oct 50 : Arrived in SUNAN (YD 3242), 60 km N of P'YONGYANG.

17 Oct 50: 4th, and 6th Bns were attacked by UN fighters with a few casualties resulting. Bns were separated and marched by Cos. Met a unit retreating from SONGCHON whose men said the that within 2 days the UN would invade SONGCHON.

18 Oct 50 : 4th and 6th Bns, were ordered by 4th Bn CO to change their destination to SINUIJU.

20 Oct 50: Arrived in UNSANNI. ROKS attaked from the Northeast, PW's platoon surrendered. The remaining men in 4th and 6th Bns changed their direction toward the mountain. Destination at that time was to enter any part of MANCHURIA and request aid.

Original Organization and Strength:

587 Unit (97 Regt) was composed of 9 Bns, of which 3 were combat Bns and 6 reserve Bns. There were about 5,400 men in the 97 Ind Rifle Regt.

4th Bn - 600 men, comprised 5 Rifle Cos, l HMG Co, and 1 Mortar Co, with an Anti-Tank Plat, Sanitation Plat, Transport Plat, 45mm Anti-Tank Gun Plat and Signal Plat all directly attached to the 4th Bn. Each Co consisted of 3 Rifle Plats and 1 HMG Plat.

Very few weapons. HMG Co had only one LMG.

4th Bn Chief of Staff - CHONG, Bong Ch'ol, Lt, age - 30.

4th Bn CO - SOK, Chong Hyon, Maj, age - 30 (?). A NK star football player, the team and he were invited to play in POLAND in the late part of 1948. The team won, and SOK, Chong Hyon was presented with the rank of Maj in the NKA.

97th Regt CO - HWAN, Chong Ho, Maj - Age - 28 (?). Former graduate of P'YONGYANG 1st OTS.

Morale of unit was always low. Since the 97th Regt was organized in the midst of a battle, most of the men feared the war. In addition the majority of the men in the 97th were forced or tricked into the army.

For the Commanding Officer: