ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3480 21 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164-MISDI-1514) 12 February 1951
| NAME: | LEE, Man Su (李萬洙) (이만수) (NKA) |
| RANK: | Jr Lt |
| ORGANIZATION: | V Corps, 12th Div, 31st Inf Regt, 1st Inf Bn, 2nd Co, 2nd Plat |
| DUTIES: | Plat Ldr |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School, 3 yr |
| AGE: | 32 |
| OCCUPATION: | Collier laborer |
| ADDRESS: | HAMGYUNG NAMDO, HONGWON-GUN, YONGP’O-MYON, WESANG-NI, #16 (咸鏡南道 洪原郡 龍浦面 外止里 #16) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 051600 I Feb 51 at TAEBONG-NI, 8 km N of HOENGSONG (DS1149) |
| INTERROGATOR: | CHS |
PW was very cooperative, knew the dates and places through which he had travelled in detail. Information seems reliable.
a. T/O & E And Strength:
PW knew of three Corps of the NKA (II, III, & V).
12th Div: 30th, 31st & 32nd Inf Regt, Med Bn.
31st Regt: 3 Inf Bn, Supply Co, Med Sta, (Plat) and Sig Unit.
1st Bn: 3 Rifle Co, HMG Co and 82mm Mortar Co.
2nd Co: 3 Rifle Plat.
Rifle Plat: 3 Rifle Sqd.
| 2nd Plat: | Original (1 Feb 51) | Present (4 Feb 51) |
| a. Personnel | ||
| EM | 29 | 24 |
| Off | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 24 |
| PW believed 4 men were KIA and 2 taken PW | ||
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| LMG (Russian) | 2 (1,000 rd per) | 2 (800 rd per) |
| SMG | 11 (500 rd per) | 7 (500 rd per) |
| M-1 Rifles | 5 (300 rd per) | 5 (250 rd per) |
| 1891/30 rifles | 3 (300 rd per) | 3 (300 rd per) |
| Grenades | 2 ea man | Unk |
| 2nd Co: | ||
| a. Personnel | ||
| EM | 104 | 94 |
| Off | 5 | 4 |
| Totla | 109 | 98 |
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| TT Tokarev Pistols | 3 (80 rd per) | 3 (80 rd) |
| 82mm Mortar Co: | ||
| a. Personnel | ||
| EM & Off | 120 | Unk |
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| 82mm Mortars | 3 (20 rd per) | Unk |
| 1891/30 Rifle | Unk | Unk |
| TT Tokarev Pistols | Unk | Unk |
| HMG Co: | ||
| a. Personnel | ||
| EM & Off | 120 | Unk |
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| HMG | 3 (5,000 rd per) | 3 (rd unk) |
| 1891/30 Rifles | Unk | Unk |
| 1st Bn: | ||
| a. Personnel | ||
| EM & Off | 600 | Unk |
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| Field Telephone | 1 | 1 |
| 31st Regt: | ||
| a. Personnel | ||
| Em & Off | 1,500 | Unk |
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| Wireles Set | 1 | 1 |
| Dynamite Packs | 30 (50 Kilogram) | 30 |
| 12th Div: | ||
| a. Personnel | ||
| Em & Off | 6,000 | Unk |
| b. Equipment & Ammo | ||
| AT Ground Mines | 9 | 9 |
b. Location and Activities of Units:
The 12th Div mission was to stage guerrilla warfare by disrupting communication and supply routes between WONJU (DS0733) and SEOUL.
As of 4 Feb 51, the V Corps Hq was located at HONGCHON (DS0172).
The 12th Div Hq was located at SAMDONG (CS9960).
The 31st Regt hq was located at PAEGOL (12 km N of SAMDONG).
The 1st Bn Hq was located at “KOKCHANG” (곡창) 14 km S of SAMDONG).
The mission of the V Corps was to infiltrate through mountain passes behind UN Forces’ line and destroy the Artillery fortification and roads so that the CCF could approach. There were no specified infiltration distances. PW heard that CCF will start offensive 20 Feb 51.
The mission of all NKA units, for the present, was not to become engaged, but to infiltrate behind the UN lines and stage guerrilla warfare.
PW did not see any mine fields or other defensive measures employed.
4 Feb 51, PW Co was hit by napalm bombs while on hill 420. The first bomb caused the company to scatter. PW and a fellow soldier were captured 5 Feb 51 at TAEBONG-NI.
c. Chronology:
Inducted into the N CHINA Security Unit 13 Mar 46 at MUTANCHIANG (牧丹江). No training
In Feb 47, assigned to the 3rd Inf Regt (Korean Volunteer group) at MUTANCHIANG.
Entered the MUTANCHIANG OCS in Mar 47. Received 3 months Engr course. (graduated as Cpl).
Oct 47 PW assigned to the 1st Arty Div, Engr Bn, (Korean Volunteer Group)at CHILIN (吉林).
Mar 48 reassigned to the CCF 38th Army, 5th Regt. Between Mar 48 to Mar 50, PW fought with this unit at the following places PEIKING (北京), TIECHING (天津), NANCHANG (南昌), HANKOW (漢口), KUANGCHU (廣州), KUANGTUNG (廣東).
1 Apr 50, all Koreans in CCF were gathered together at CHENGCHU (鄭州) and the Indep 15th NKA Div was organized.
PW assigned to the 15th Div, Engr Bn.
1 Apr 50, 15th Div (20,000 men) left CHENG CHU by train arriving at WONSAN (CU6634) 5 Apr 50.
At WONSAN 30 May 50, 15th Div was redesignated as 7th Div. PW was placed in this 7th Div, Engr Bn.
8 Dec 50 at CHAKANG-DONG, SINPUNG-MYON (慈江道 신풍면) near the MANPOJIN area, the 7th Div was reorganized and redesignated as the 12th Div. PW commissioned to Jr Lt.
There was a new 7th Div which was formerly the 6th Div, and there was a new 6th Div which was formerly the 5th Div. (PW learned of these changes from the Co CO at SAMDONG Jan 51.)
There were twon unknown Divisions of an unknown Corps which withdrew in Aug 50 from S of the 38th Parallel, and at present are training in MANCHURIA.
31 Jan 51, the 38th Division was deactivated, and its personnel were placed into various units.
While traveling from WONSAN to TAEBONG-NI, the following places were passed:
| Place Departed | Date | Mode of Tvl | Place Arr | Date |
| WONSAN | 21 Jun 50 | Marched | INJE | 24 Jun 50 |
| INJE | 25 Jun 50 | Marched | CHUNCH’ON | Jun 50 |
| CHUNCH’ON (CS8993) | Jun 50 | Marched | HONGCHON | Jun 50 |
| HONGCHON (DS0272) | Jun 50 | Marched | WONJU | Jul 50 |
| WONJU | Jul 50 | Marched | CHECHON | Jul 50 |
| CHECHON (DS3010) | Jul 50 | Marched | YONGJU | Jul 50 |
| YONGJU (DR6775) | Jul 50 | Marched | ANDONG | Aug 50 |
| ANDONG (DR7545) | Aug 50 | Marched | CHONGSONG | Aug 50 |
| CHONGSONG (ER0531) | Aug 50 | Marched | POHANG-DONG | Aug 50 |
| POHANG-DONG (EQ3387) | Aug 50 | Marched | KIGYE | Aug 50 |
| KIGYE | Aug 50 | Marched | ANGANG-NI | Sep 50 |
| ANGANG-NI (EQ2083) | Sept 50 | Marched | KIGYA | Sep 50 |
| KIGYE | Sep 50 | Marched | SHONGSONG | Sep 50 |
| CHONGSONG | Sep 50 | Marched | ANDONG | Sep 50 |
| ANDONG | Sep 50 | Marched | YONGJU | Sep 50 |
| YONGJU | Sep 50 | Marched | CHECHON | Oct 50 |
| CHECHON | Oct 50 | Marched | WONJU | Oct 50 |
| WONJU | Oct 50 | Marched | by pass HONGCHON | Oct 50 |
| HONGCHON | Oct 50 | Marched | INJE | Nov 50 |
| INJE | Nov 50 | Marched | MAENGSAN | Nov 50 |
| MAENGSAN | Nov 50 | Marched | YONGWON | Nov 50 |
| YONGWON | Nov 50 | Marched | SINPUNG MYON | Dec 50 |
| SINPUNG-MYON | Dec 50 | Marched | YONGWON | Dec 50 |
| YONGWON | Dec 50 | Marched | MAENGSAN | Dec 50 |
| MAENGSAN | Dec 50 | Marched | HYON-NI (현리) | Dec 50 |
| HYON-NI | Dec 50 | Marched | KANGWOL-RI (강원리) | Dec 50 |
| KANGWOL-RI | Dec 50 | Marched | HYONGSONG-NI (형성리) | Jan 51 |
| HYONGSONG-NI | 8 Jan 51 | Marched | SAMDONG | 10 Jan 51 |
| SAMDONG | 4 Feb 51 | Marched | TAEBONG | 4 Feb 51 |
On 5 Feb 51 PW was captured at TAEBONG.
d. Personalities:
CHOE, Al Um (최알음), Lt Gen, CG, 12th Div.
KIM, Chong Gyu (金昌奎), Maj Gen, CG, 31st Regt, 12th Div.
KIM, In Su (金仁秀), Sr Col, CO, 1st Bn, 31st inf Regt, 12th Div.
KIM, Pong San (金鳳山), Capt, CO, 2nd Co, 1st Bn, 31st Inf Regt, 12th Div.
e. Replacements:
31 Jan 51 at SAMDONG, 28 troops form the disorganized 38th Div were placed into the 2nd Co (PW Co).
f. Supplies:
5 Jan 51, PW Co received 20 boxes of 1891/30 rifle ammo from HONGCHON, by truck, which were distributed 60 rounds per person. Source and route of supplies unknown.
Food was foraged from farm villagers.
g. Signal:
Regt and above utilized telephones and wireless.
Co, Regt and Bn employed telephones.
Co, and below utilized runners.
h. Morale:
Morale was low because of lack of food, and clothing.
I. UN PW:
Jan 51, at SAMDONG, PW saw approx 120 ROK PW. PW believed these PW will be indoctrinated and eventually placed into the NKA.
j. Medical:
There were 20 soldiers suffering from typhus, and 15 men with frost bitten feet in the PW company.
There were no immunization or ther counter measures. The sick and frost bitten personnel were placed in farm houses to recuperate. There was no medicine.
k. CCF:
PW saw approx 120 CCF troops resing at CHUNCHON (CS8992) Jan 51.
l. Psychological Warfare:
PW voluntarily surrendered because after many battles, he realized that the communists will eventually lose. His faith in Communism was greatly lowered during the past month.
PW saw UN leaflets written in Chinese Jan 51 at SAMDONG, which he believed.
Leaflets stated: “If you bring this leaflet when you surrender, we will give you warm clothing and warm food.”
Other NKA troops were unable to read them, therefore, reaction was unknown.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
