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ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2816　9 January 1951

The following information was obtained from recovered American military personnel, who were interrogated upon their arrival in Japan from Korea, by Central Interrogation Center, ATIS. Interrogation was conducted at Camp Drake by Lt. Fusco.

Source stated that on 30 November 1950 all of Co B, 31st Infantry in addition to about 50 U.S. Marines and 25 Royal British Marines were surrounded by Chinese Communist Forces near the Chosin Reservoir. The Chinese issued an ultimatum, “Surrender or be killed!” The senior officer, a Marine Lt Col surrendered for the group.

After the guns and ammunition were taken, the badly wounded who were unable to walk were separated from the others. The wounded were left alongside the road while the others numbering about 150 were marched off to a settlement of five houses, three miles away.

Here all were searched. The Chinese confiscated all pocket knives and 5 finger gloves. They were not interested in the mitten type gloves. No interrogations were conducted. After being fed, the next morning the Americans were marched off to the north in a column of twelves. All but 4 Americans, including Source, who had severe cases of frozen feet left at this time. The four were guarded by 3 Chinese until liberated by advancing Marines on 4 December 1950.

The following, all Co B personnel, were among the men that Source saw being marched off to the north:

Capt Pockham, FNU - C.O. Co B

Lt Snipen, FNU

SFC Shade, Frank

SFC Clayton, FNU

Cpl Giannini, FNU

Pvt Pittman, FNU

Pvt Shafer, FNU

Source was captured by the Chinese on 18 November 1950 north of the Sinju River. He was taken to a GI truck about 500 yards away. He was driven all night and arrived at an isolated house the next day. He was stripped of his clothes.

Everyday Source was interrogated by an English speaking Chinese officer who assured Source that he would not be killed. A definite attempt and communism indoctrination was made using racial discrimination as a wedge, since Source was an American Negro. The Chinese officer kept his promise and saw that Source was released without being harmed on 1 December near PYONGYANG.

The Chinese officer was a Lieutenant, graduate of the University of California, 23-25 years old, 5’6” tall and weighed about 140 lbs. He had no distinguishing features and did not wear glasses. He told Source many times that he loves the United States and would like to return there.

Source was captured with 2 other Americans by an 18 man North Korean patrol near MASAN on 2 September 1950. They were joined by 9 more Americans who were taken prisoner 2000 yards from the first spot. Four of the men were wounded but they were all kept out in the open all night. They were stripped of their valuables, boots, wallets, dog tags, identification cards and passes.

The next morning they were interrogated separately by a Caucasian officer, nationality unknown. This English speaking officer was about 5’11” tall, weighed about 180 lbs, had dark heavy bushy eyebrows, was light skinned and had an upper lip which curled when speaking. His eyes were not slanted nor did he possess any other oriental features. He wore a brown uniform with black boots and a wide black leather belt and pistol. He spoke a good broken English and Korean. He had an excellent military bearing.

This officer was interested not only in such information as name, rank, serial number, organization, strength and intentions but also emphasized personal background. The interrogator wanted to know all about Source’s family life in the United States, ages of parents, sisters, and brothers, and addresses, age of parents when Source was born and their political learnings. The interrogation lasted between one and two hours.

For 16 days, the 12 Americans were used as orderlies doing the laundry and digging the fox-holes for the North Koreans. Source pointed out that whereas the American Forces dug shallow fox holes to lie in, the North Koreans had the prisoners dig deep ones so that they could stand up in them. Source was fed only every other night.

The group was finally liberated by advancing American forces on 18 September 1950.

(Comment:

As a result of interrogating many recovered American prisoners, attention is drawn to the fact that an intensified effort is apparently being made to discover the names and addresses in the United States of parents and relatives of captured Americans. Dog tags and identification cards, photographs of wives and families seem to be of particular interest to both Korean and Chinese interrogators of U.S. prisoners.)

For the CO TIS: