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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3647　27 February 1951

FIELD REPORT (2 DIV LDI 0150)　10 February 1951

Fairly cooperative but reluctant in answering some questions. Seemed intelligent. Information seems reliable.

Not recommended for further interrogation.

1st Bn had set up a defense position on a big hill approx 9 miles S of HONGCHON and was attacked by elements of the 8th ROK Div on the night of 8 Feb 51. After battling for 36 hr, Bn was encircled and practically annihilated. PW with 2 others threw their weapons away and surrendered.

CCF 66th Army crossed the 38th Parallel 31 Dec 50 and went to HONGCHON 3 Jan 51. O/a 6 Jan 51, 66th Army went to HWACHON, NK to regroup and to reorganize. O/a 3 Feb 51 66th Army again crossed the 38th Parallel and arrived vic of HONGCHON o/a 6 Feb 51. Heard from a political section officer that the 66th Army and the CCF 42nd Army together with the NKA, were to set up defense positions to conduct a delaying action until reinforcements arrived. Also heard from the political officer that the CCF would go on the offensive as soon as their reinforcements arrived. Heard from his Co CO that the CCF 38th Army was to reinforce the CCF 42nd and 66th Armies.

Their defense positions were not too well fortified except for the 2-3 man foxholes which they had dug on the hills.

Elements of the 66th Army were the 196th, 197th and 198th Div, plus a Security Bn and a Mountain Gun Regt. Estimated the 66th Army’s present strength to be 10,000 men.

Estimated the present strength of the 198th Div to be 2,000. Originally the Div had more than 3,000 men. 198th Div composed of the 592nd, 593rd, and 594th Regt and Mountain Gun Bn and Security Bn. Heard from his Plat Ldr o/a 6 Feb 51 that the 198th Div CP was located approx 8 km S of HONGCHON.

594th Regt had approx 1,400 men before they were attacked 8 Feb 51 by ROK Forces and PW estimates the Regt present strength to be less than 1,000 men. Regt consisted of three rifle bn and one Mortar-Machine Gun Bn. (1 Co per Bn).

Weapons observed in the 594th Regt: 27 x 60mm mortars (60 rd per) (9 mortars per Bn), 7 x 82mm mortars (30 rd ea), 2 PTRS M1941 Anti-tank rifles, (4 Mt Guns, 3 destroyed), 12x HMG (3-4000 rd ea) (4 per Bn), 63 x LMG (1000 rd ea) (21 per Bn).

The infantrymen’s chief weapon was the Chinese made 7.9mm rifles (100 rd ea), while few carried captured US M-3 SMG (100 rd ea) and old type Chinese rifles. Ammo transported by trucks in small quantities from rear areas. Observed 1 radio (USA markings) being used by his Bn, powered by a hand cranked generator.

Believes that the 592nd and 593rd Regt had the same type and amount of weapons and ammo, as the 594th Regt.

Does not know the exact locality of the 594th Regt CP, but he believes that it was about 10 km S of HONGCHON. The 1st Bn of the 594th Regt was located on a hill about 12km S of HONGCHON and PW stated that the whole Bn was annihilated 8 Feb 51. Their orders were to fight to death and to hold that hill at all cost.

a. Clothing: Everyone in the 198th Div wore cotton quilted winter uniforms but many of the men did not have leather shoes. Some wore hand-woven straw sandals.

b. Diseases: PW neither saw nor heard of any contagious diseases in CCF Units.

c. Physical Condition: About one-third of the men in his Co were suffering from frostbite.

d. Food: PW Unit received no food supply. Food found in villages was plentiful at times, but was scarce in some villages.

e. Morale: Morale of the troops was low due to the scarcity of food.

For the AC of S, G-2: