ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2966 23 January 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI – 1305) 11 January 1951
| PW NAME: | CHO, Song Ung (趙性雄) (조성웅) (NKA) |
| RANK: | Jr Lt (少尉) |
| ORGN: | V Corps, 12th Div (code No 825), 31st Regt (2nd Regt, Code No 829), 3rd Bn, AT Rifle Platoon |
| DUTIES: | Platoon Leader |
| EDUCATION: | Middle School (Graduate) |
| AGE: | 23 |
| OCCUPATION: | Student |
| ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, ONSONG GUN, ONSONG MYON, SIMCHON DONG, #342 (咸鏡北道 穩城郡 穩城面 深淸洞) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 302200 I Dec 50 at ANHUNG-NI (20 Km NE of HONGCH’ON (DS0272) by ROK 3rd Div |
| INTERROGATOR: | H.N. |
PW talked freely and seems sincere. Information seems reliable.
The NKA was composed of the Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ, Ⅵ, Ⅶ, and Ⅷ Corps.
The V Corps was composed of the 12th, 6th, 27th and 38th Divisions.
The 12th Div (cod No 825) was composed of the 30th (1st Regt, code No 828), 31st (2nd Regt, code No 829), and 32nd (3rd Regt, code No 830) Rifle Regiments.
The 31st Rifle Regt was composed of 3 Rifle Bns, 1 Guard Plat, 1 Signal Plat, and 1 Medical Unit.
Each Rifle Bn was composed of 3 Rifle Cos, 1 82mm Mortar Co, 1 HMG Co, and 1 AT Rifle Platoon.
| AT Rifle Platoon, 3rd Bn, | ||
| 31st Regiment: | Original | Present (as of 29 Dec 50) |
| Personnel: | 25 | 16 |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| M1891/20 rifles | 18 (300 rds per) | 12 (300 rds per) |
| SMGs | 6 (400 rds per) | 4 (400 rds per) |
| TOKAREV Pistol | 1 (50 rds) | 0 |
| Hand grenades | 2 per man | 2 per man |
| Remarks: | ||
| PW heard that 3 x 14.5mm AT Rifles were to be issued to this unit in the near future. | ||
| 3rd Bn, 31st Regt: | ||
| Personnel: | 693 | Approx 600 |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| 82mm Mortar | 3 | 3 (400 rds per) |
| LMGs US .30 cal | 2 | 2 (5,000 rds per) |
| LMGs (USSR) | 9 | 9 |
| SMGs | 63 | 62 (400 rds per) |
| M1891/30 rifles | Approx 500 | 500 (200 rds per) |
| Handgrenades | 2 per man | 2 per man |
| Field Telephone | 1 | 1 |
| Wireless transceiver | 1 | 1 |
| Place Departed | Date | Mode of Travel | Place Arrived | Date |
| KANGGYE | 20 Nov 50 | Marched | HUICHON (BV7831) | 30 Nov 50 |
| HUICHON | 30 Nov 50 | 〃 | MAENGSAN (BU8499) | 3 Dec 50 |
| MAENGSAN | 3 Dec 50 | 〃 | YANGDOK (BU9643) | 5 Dec 50 |
| YANGDOK | 6 Dec 50 | 〃 | CHANGDO (DT4183) | 8 Dec 50 |
| CHANGDO | 9 Dec 50 | 〃 | PYONGGANG (CT5442) | 10 Dec 50 |
| PYONGGANG | 11 Dec 50 | 〃 | INJE (DT3135) | 15 Dec 50 |
| INJE | 20 Dec 50 | 〃 | ANHUNG-NI | 29 Dec 50 |
PW was separated from his unit while he was sleeping at ANHUNG-NI on 29 Dec 50.
PW and 8 others surrendered to ROK 3rd Div at ANHUNG-NI on 302200 Dec 50.
KIM, Chaek (金策), Commander, Front line Hq
PANG, (Fnu) (方), Lt, Gen (中將), CG, V Corps, (formerly Commander of the 6th Div)
HWANG, (Fnu) (黃), Maj Gen (少將), CG, 12th Div, (formerly Ass’t Div Commander (artillery) of 12th Div)
CHOE, Hon (崔憲), Lt Gen (中將), CG, Ⅱ Corps, (formerly Commander of the 12th Div)
KIM, C’hol (金哲), Col (大佐), CO, 31st Regt, 12th Div
SIN, MIN (申眠), Maj (少佐), CO, 3rd Bn, 31st Regt
PAK, Hak Pin (朴学濱), Capt (總尉), I & E Officer, 3rd Bn, 31st Regt
PANG, Ui Sok (方義石), Capt (總尉), Chief of Staff, 3rd Bn, 31st Regt
12th Div received no replacements after reorganization 20 Nov 50.
Food was obtained locally from farmers after crossing the 38th Parallel. Troops ate rice, millet, or corn three times a day. Food was sufficient.
Ammo was issued during reorganization during 10 Nov 50 to 20 Nov 50 at KANGGYE (XE3812). None issued to the 12th Div thereafter.
On 20 Nov 50, PW observed a fully equipped artillery Regiment at KANGGYE (XE3812). No further information on this unit.
No artillery seen thereafter.
Morale of the troops of the 12th Div was low because of fatigue from long marches.
| 31st Regt, 12th Div: | Original | Present (29 Dec 50) |
| Personnel: | 2,800 | 2,500 |
| 12th Division: | ||
| Personnel: | Approx 10,000 | Unknown |
Personnel losses were through desertion and illness.
As of 29 Dec 50, the “new” 12th Div was never in ground combat with UN units.
When the 12th Div crossed the 38th Parallel into South KOREA o/a 20 Dec 50, the 3rd Bn Commander, 31st Regt, told the PW the following:
“The mission of the entire V Corps is to conduct guerrilla warfare behind the UN lines. We will ambush using road blocks and attack small UN units. The other divisions of the V Corps (other than the 12th Div) are already below the 38th Parallel.”
During the morning of 30 Dec 50, the entire 12th Div departed ANHUNGNI (20 Km NE of HONGCHON DS 0272) and marched to an unknown place.
PW believes that the Ⅰ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅵ, Ⅶ, and Ⅷ Corps are undergoing training in North KOREA or MANCHURIA.
PW was inducted into the NKA on 25 Jan 50 at ONSONG MYON (LC8253) and was assigned to the Independent Bn located in ONSONG MYON.
On 30 Apr 50, PW was assigned to the 3rd Officers’ School (第三軍官學校) located in PYONGYANG from which he graduated on 25 Jul 50 with a rank of Jr Lt.
O/a 25 Aug 50, PW was assigned to the 12th Div, 31st Regt HQ located in ANDONG (DR 7646), as secretary.
O/a 1 Sep 50, the 31st Regt Hq (approx 1,000 men) retreated northward through TANYANG (DR3987), CHECHON (DS3510), WONJU (DS0734) to INJE (DT3135) arriving at INJE o/a 20 Sep 50.
31st Regt Hq retreated further north through KOKSAN (BT9795), PYONGYANG (YD3718), (passed through PYONGYANG o/a 30 Oct 50), SUNCHON (BU6568), ANJU (YD2988), to KANGGYE (XE3812), arriving at KANGGYE o/a 10 Nov 50.
A total of approx 2,000 men of the 12th Div reached KANGGYE.
During the period from 10 Nov 50 to 20 Nov 50, the 12th Div was reorganized with approx 8,000 men being assigned to the 12th Div. Approx 5,000 newly assigned men were South Koreans who had formerly been with volunteer Army (UIYONG GUN) (義勇軍) Units. 3,000 newly assigned men were North Koreans who had served with various Independent Battalions. PW was assigned as AT Plat ldr, 3rd Bn, 31st Regt during reorganization. Only handgrenades and ammo were issued to the 12th Div during reorganization.
The 12th Div passed through the following places while traveling from KANGGYE to ANHUNG-NI (20 km NE of HONGCH’ON DS 0272).
Approx 20% of the troops were ill (mostly common colds) and approx 20% of the troops were under treatment for exposure.
Runners were used for communications between battalions and companies.
Wireless and telephones were used at battalion and higher echelons.
While marching from KANGGYE (XE3812) to HUICHON (BV7883) during the period 20 Nov 50 to 30 Nov 50, the 12th Div encountered a ceaseless flow of CCF trucks during night-time hauling of supplies Southward and returning empty.
1. Did you surrender voluntarily? If so, why?
a. PW surrendered voluntarily because he was separated from his unit.
2. Did you see any United Nations leaflets or hear any loudspeaker broadcasts?
a. PW saw a UN leaflet near the 38th Parallel o/a 20 Dec 50.
3. Can you describe what they said?
a. The leaflet stated that UN troops will not kill their PsW. A picture of NKA troops captured by the UN were attached to the leaflet.
4. What was your reaction to them?
a. PW resolved to surrender because he thought that further resistance was useless.
5. Did you hear other soldiers discuss leaflets or broadcasts? What did they say or do?
a. No.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
