ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3448 20 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS SP RPT 024) 1 February 1951
(REF TO TIS RPT NO 2358, 2475 & 3447)
| PW NAME: | CHANG, Shun I (張順義) |
| PW NUMBER: | T-100030 |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| AGE: | 21 |
| DUTY: | Artilleryman |
| UNIT: | CCF 4th Field Army, 13th Army Group, 38th Army, 113th Div, 338th Regt, 2nd Arty Btry, 3rd Plat, 8th Sqd |
| EDUCATION: | 5 years Primary School |
| OCCUPATION: | RR Worker |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | TOKCH’ON Area (德川區域) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 1 Nov 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | CHINA, HOPEI-SHENG, TANGSHAN, WAFANG-CHIEH #8 (中國 河北省 唐山市 瓦房街 八号) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | Pvt KIM (ATIS) |
Editors Note: Detailed information concerning Soviet Heavy Tanks given in this report contradicts statements made by PW at the occasion of previous interrogations (See ADVATIS FWD #0226). Due to the possible importance of the information and the uncertain reliability of source, it was decided to conduct yet another interrogation, result of which is published as supplement to this report. While this supplement is again considerably at variance with the basic report, it is considered the more reliable by the interrogators. Since, due to the constantly changing story, it is felt impossible to assess correctly and definitely the reliability of either report, both versions are submitted for whatever consideration is deemed appropriate.
4th Field Army Tank Unit:
The 4th Field Army Tank Unit had the following types and number of tanks:
| Type | Number |
| Jap Model 92 (1932) Tankettes | 180 |
| US Pershing Medium Tanks | 180 |
| Chinese Tanks (Similar to Jap Model 92 Tankette) | 80 |
| Heavy Tanks (I.N Probably JS-3 Heavy Tank) | 600 |
PW observed approx 500 CCF heavy tanks (I.N probably JS-3 heavy tanks) on trains headed for the Manchurian-Korean border from WUCHAITZE(五寨子) (Between KAIYUAN and TIEHLING) MANCHURIA.
Observation: While collecting rice.
Location: 500 km E of WUCHAITZE(五寨子) RR station.
Number of Trains: 4 trains per day.
Number of Freight Cars per Train: 35 freight cars (one tank on each car) each train.
Number of Days: 4 days (25 Sep 50 - 28 Sep 50).
Time of Day: 0800 - 1000 hours.
Specifications:
Type of Tank: Similar to Joseph Stalin 3 Heavy Tank.
Weight: Approx 50 tons (hearsay)
Length: Approx 21 ft
Width: Approx 10 ft
Armor: Approx 4 inches thick (observed rear hull plate)
Crew: 6 men (hearsay)
Gun: Similar to 120mm gun
Length of Gun: Approx 9 ft
Machine Gun: HMG (travelling position of the weapon; approx 450)
Ammunition: 7.62mm (hearsay)
On 21 Oct 50, PW observed approx 17 CCF Baby Tanks (I.N Simi-lar to Jap Model 92 Tankette) just north of the YALU River near MANP’OJIN (滿浦鎭), KOREA.
Location: 15 km NE of CHIAN, MANCHURIA, and 5 km N of MANP’OJIN, KOREA.
Time of Observation: 1900 hours of 21 Oct 50.
Specifications:
Type of Tank: Similar to Jap model 92 (1932 Tankette).
Weight: Approx 3 tons (hearsay)
Length: Approx 10 ft.
Width: Approx 5 ft.
Height: Approx 5 ft.
Clearance: 13 inches (hearsay)
Crew: 2 men
Armor: About ½ inch (observed front hull plate)
Speed: 25 mph (hearsay)
Range of Action: 100 miles
*ED. Note. Sketches attached are exact tracings of PW sketches. No attempt has been made to improve or correct the original sketches.
For the Commanding Officer:
ROBINSON
Approximate Specifications
Weight Approx 50 tons (hearsay)
Length Approx 21 ft
Armor Approx 4 inches (estimation of rear hull plate)
Crew Six men (hearsay)
Gun Similar to 120mm
Machine gun HMG
Ammunition 7,62mm
CCF HEAVY TANK FRONT VIEW
(Probably Russian made JS-3)
(Exact tracing from sketch drawn by PW, CHANG, Shun I) (張順義)
CBS: 25 Sep 50 to 28 Sep 50 at WUCHAITZE(五寨子) MANCHURIA
CCF HEAVY TANK REAR VIEW
(Probably Russian made JS-3)
(Exact tracing from sketch drawn by PW, CHANG, Shun I) (張順義)
CBS: 25 Sep 50 to 28 Sep 50 at WUCHAITZE(五寨子) MANCHURIA
| PW NAME: | CHANG, Shun I(張順義) |
| PW NUMBER: | T 100030 |
| RANK: | Pvt |
| INTERROGATOR: | SFC LEONG (ATIS) |
Fairly intelligent and cooperative but validity of PW descriptions is questionable. Possibility exists that much of information given concerning characteristics of tanks was obtained from sources other than those mentioned by the PW.
HEAVY TANKS (Probably JS type)
O/a 23 Sep 50, while on a ration detail, walking on a trail about 500 yd from the railroad tracks in the area between K’AIYUAN (開原) and TIEHLING(鉄嶺), PW saw three separate trains come by from the direction of MUKDEN at an approximate interval of 15 minutes. The three trains came to a stop at a point almost opposite where the PW was walking. Just then, the PW group also came to a halt and waited at a spot approximately 50 yards from the standing trains while his officer went ahead to effect some sort of negotiation concerning rations. This gave the PW and opportunity for a close inspection of the trains. He counted about 160 tanks loaded on the flat cars of these three trains and was told by his officer that these were Russian tanks. He did not notice any markings on these tanks except that they were painted a dark OD color. (Interrogator compared PW verbal description with the tank drawings in DA Pamphlet #30-2 entitled “The Soviet Army” and noted the similarity to the Russian JS-2. PW sketches, however, clearly show an angled front, which is unique to the JS-3).
These three trains stopped there for about ½ hour and then backed up in the direction from which they had come. After an interval of between 1 to 1½ hours, these tanks reappeared but were loaded on four separate trains instead of three. PW believed these to be the same tanks he saw a couple of hours earlier because the locomotives and the people on them locked familiar to him. This time the trains did not stop but passed by slowly, headed towards T’IEHLING(鉄嶺).
A few days later, one of the officers in PW company told him that he had seen more than 500 tanks loaded on trains during the past four days.
JAPANESE TANKS
Around seven o’clock in the evening, o/a 21 Oct 50, while marching in the area opposite MANP’OJIN(滿浦鎭), KOREA towards the YALU River to cross the border into KOREA, PW saw seven or eight tanks standing by the highway near the bank of the river. PW noticed these tanks were painted a dark tan color. A red star was painted on the gun turret of each of these tanks. Other than this, the PW did not notice any other markings on them. He was told by his squad leader that these were Japanese tanks.
For the Commanding Officer:
ROBINSON
