ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3445 19 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (Ⅸ CORPS MISD - 0242) 2 February 1951
| NAME: | SHAO Fao Ming (邰保明) (Chinese) |
| AGE: | 24 |
| RANK: | Asst Plat Ldr |
| DUTY: | Administrative Officer |
| OCCUPATION: | Carpenter |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (4 yr) |
| UNIT: | CCF 50th Army, 150th Div, 449th Regt, 82mm Mortar Company |
| PLACE AND DATE OF CAPTURE: | Surrendered on 311700 Jan 51 at CS 411288. |
A former member of the CNA and surrendered voluntarily, PW was cooperative and willingly volunteered all information. PW was intelligent and his information is considered reliable. It is recommended that he be further interrogated. PW had a propaganda leaflet and a safe conduct pass with him when he surrendered. He was told that he would be killed upon capture, but that, he took the chance and deserted. He says he is willing to make surrender broadcasts to CCF troops.
a. Chronology:
10 Dec 50, 448th Regt crossed the TALU River by train via ANTUNG and detrained at PAENGMA (XE3336), where it remained for 3 days. PW heard from his CO that 50th Army crossed the YALU at about the same time via the same roads. Details of the crossing are unknown. 7 Jan 51, the Regt arrived at the outskirts of IYOUNGYANG and spent about five days there. It departed 12 Jan 51 and arrived at an unknown village, approx 12 kms N of SUWON, 25 Jan 51 via KAESONG (where it remained at an unk village approx 15 kms N of KAESONG for 2-3 days) and SEOUL. They departed there and arrived at an unk village, approx 15 kms ENE of SUWON on 29 Jan 51 where it made contact with and fought the UN troops until 30 Jan 51. On 302200 Jan 51, PW separated from his unit and took off from the village intending to surrender. At CS411288 PW surrendered to 5th Cav with his weapon, a Jap 99 Model rifle with 70 rd of ammo and 4 Hand Grenades.
b. Organization and Strength:
PW heard from his Co CO that 150th Div was held in reserve until it arrived at village, approx 12 kms N of SUWON where it was ordered to move eastward to set up a line of defense.
50th Army composed of the 148th, 150th Div. The 150th composed of the 447th, 448th and 449th Regt. The present strength of a Regt is 1,100 men, orignally 1,200 men. The 449th Regt com-posed of Bn, Mortar Co and Medical Unit, which consisted of 50-60 Aidemen and 4 Surgeons.
Each Bn consisted of 3 Co and a Hvy Wpn Co. Strength of each of these co was 100 men. Mortar Co was composed of 3 plat of approx 30 men each. Plat size, Propaganda Unit, of about 30 men, was also attached directly to each regt.
c. Deployment of PW’s Own Unit:
As of 30 Jan 51, when he separated from his unit, the 449th Regt CP was located in an unknown village about 4 kms NW of Hill 457 (CS394302).
PW Mortar Co CP was located in a small village located W of and at the foot of Hill 457. One Plat of Mortar Co was located mid-way up the west slope of Hill 457. The other two Mortar Plat were located approx 1 km NW of the Co CP.
One Rifle Co and an HMG plat with 2 HMG of 1st Bn were located on the E slope of Hill 457, facing the UN troops. Foxholes were dug and camouflaged with leaves and by trees. The rest of the 1st Bn and the 2nd and 3rd Bns were deployed on the opposite side and west of Hill 457 and were digging foxholes.
d. Deployment of Other Units:
447th Regt was located on their right flank and the 448th Regt on their left flank.
PW heard from his Co CO that 38th Army was deployed on the left flank (East) of the 50th Army, facing the enemy.
PW heard from his Co CO that 38th, 39th, 40th, 50th and 66th Armies are presently in Korea.
e. Status of Arms, Ammunition, Supply & Equipment:
Arms and Ammo in his company included the following:
| Weapon | No | Ammo |
| 82mm Mortar | 6 | 50 rd ea |
| Rifles (Mostly Jap made) | 10 | 60 rd ea |
| Pistols (Jap Made) | 3 | 20-30 rd ea |
| Hand Grenades | 2 per man |
Following are the Arms and Ammunition in the 449th Regt, including that of his attached Mortar Co:
| 82mm Mortars | 6 | 50 rd ea |
| HMGs | 18 | Approx 1000 rd ea |
| LMGs | 72 | Approx 4-500 rd ea |
| Rifles (Mostly Jap) | Approx 650 | Approx 70 rd ea |
| Pistols | Approx 60 | Approx 20-30 rd ea |
| Hand Grenades | 2-4 per man | |
| Mortar (US) | 4 per Rifle Co | 20 rd ea |
| Mines | 2 per Rifle Co |
29 Jan 51, his Mortar co received approx 30 82 mm shells from the Regt. Whenever they ran out of Mortar shells or ammo, they received replacements from the Regt Supply Section. He did not know where the Supply Section was location.
f. Status of Food and Clothing:
Food, mainly rice, was obtained from villagers or farmers by issuing certificates or coupons printed in Chinese or Korean, saying that the CCF or NKA was in need of the food for an emergency and that it was to be repaid at a later date.
Rice was consumed twice daily since it was not possible to cook rice for three meals during the day. There seemed to be a fair supply of food enough to keep the men going.
The entire Regt received new overcoats at TANGSU located about 15 kms (from PAENGHWA (YE3336). No new issue of clothing was received thereafter.
g. Mission and Intention:
The mission of the PW unit as told by the Co CO was to hold their position at all cost until spring at which time the new offensive was to begin.
h. Personalities:
CHAU Pao Yui (趙寶玉), 35, 449th Regt CO.
WANG Chen Chang (王振昌), 33, the Ass’t Regt CO.
WANG Chia Shen (王家善), 45, 150th Div CO.
LEE Yui Lin (李玉林), approx 31, Mortar Co Comdr.
LEE Chai Yun(李■■), 27, 2nd Plat Ldr.
CHENG Wan Jen(張■仁), 24, 3rd Plat Ldr.
i. Medical:
About 6% of the personnel of his company were suffering from sickness accompanied by severe fever and shivering intermittently. About 3% of the company were suffering from frostbite. 3 men were sent back to the rear with the sickness and severe fever. There was no medicine for whose suffering from frost bite.
j. Artillery, Armor:
He stated that though they presently have no armor or heavy artillery weapons. These will be available scan in the near future because he heard from his Co CO that the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Div of 50th Army and its Asst Regt Comdr had gone to MUKDEN to learn about tank and artillery warfare and also AA Defense methods.
Since they lacked instruments to zero their mortars on a target, he said it was done by sighting which required about 8-10 rd to were in on their target.
k. Propaganda:
Every other day or whenever the men had some spare moment of rest, the propaganda officer told then that if they were captured, they would be killed. PW heard the political officer stating that UN forces will eventually invade China, after it captured the whole of Korea. The officer cited the exigency of destroying then before they invaded their country destroying houses and their country.
27 Jan 51, PW picked up a surrender leaflet and a safe con-duct pass near SEOUL and felt that it was useless to get killed as it said on the leaflets. The Propaganda officer told everyone to bring all the surrender leaflets and safe conduct passes to him, at which time he tore all the leaflets and told them not to believe in them.
l. Communication and Transportation:
There was one telephone Bn level and it was used to communicate between Bn and Regt.
The Mortar Co had 15 horses to transport Mortars, ammo and food.
For the AC of S, G-2:
IIDA
