ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3689 1 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI 1572) 21 February 1951
| PW NAME: | SU, Sao Tang (蘇紹堂) (CCF) |
| RANK: | 2nd Lt |
| ORGN: | 42nd Army, 126th Div, 376th Regt, 2nd Bn, 4th Co, 1st Plat |
| DUTIES: | Plat Ldr |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School, 4 yr |
| AGE: | 23 yr |
| OCCUPATION: | Restaurant co-owner |
| ADDRESS: | LIAO HSI SHENG, HSIN MIN, HSIEN, CHENGNEI (遼西省 新民縣 城內) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 130600 I Feb 51 at CHIPYONG (CS 7947) |
| INTERROGATOR: | W.T.O. |
Cooperative and talked freely information seems reliable.
a. Chronology:
Conscripted 22 Dec 47 at LIAOTUNG SHENG (遼東省) HSINPIN HSIEN (新浜縣) into the CCF area unit, 2nd Regt, 3rd Bn, 7th Co, 3rd Plat, 9th Sqd. Received no training.
2nd Regt was redesignated 376th Regt and was made a part of the 126th Division, 42nd Army during Oct 48.
42nd Army departed LIAOTUNG SHENG during Nov 48, marched through SHAN HAI KUAN (山海關) and arrived TIENCHIN (天津) in the same month.
Remained there until late Dec 48.
Proceeded to HUNAN SHENG, arriving there during the early part of Jan 49. It remained there until Mar 50, during which time, engaged in forming the HUNAN SHENG “People’s Army” (strength approx 40,000) for the defense of that area.
Arrived at HEILUNG CHANG SHENG (黑龍江省) by train during the middle part of Mar 50.
Engaged in agricultural projects for 5 months.
Departed during Jun 50 and arrived LIAOTUNG SHENG (遼東省) by train during the same month.
Received orders to enter KOREA while at LIAO TUNG SHENG.
While in LIAOTUNG SHENG, the troops were combat-organized and received initial issues of ammo prior to entering KOREA.
PW was commissioned a 2nd Lt Jul 50.
Departed LIAO TUNG SHENG Aug 50 and arrived LIUHO HSIEN (柳河縣) in the same month. It remained there until Sep 50. Arrived at CHIAN (輯安) 19 Sep 50 by train and left on the same day. It crossed the YALU River and arrived at MANPOJIN the same day. (19 Sep 50).
42nd Army marched into KOREA in the following order: 124th Div, 125th Div, then the 126th Div.
Departed from MANPOJIN and passed through KANGGYE (BA 9838).
Engaged for 7 days in an area N of CHORWON with UN units. It then passed through CHORWON (CT4335).
Fought in the 38th Parallel area for 12 hours before proceeding to CHUNCHON (CS8994).
Arrived at CS 9277 20 Jan 51. Left the same day and arrived YANGPYONG (CS 6949) o/a 5 Feb 51.
Engaged in constructing defensive positions for 4 days on the northern side of YANGPYONG.
12 Feb 51 the 376th Regt attacked UN positions and withdrew northward, during the early morning of 13 Feb 51.
PW could not travel during daylight hours and was hiding in the area around CHIPYONG (CS 7947) when he was captured.
b. Location and Activities of Unit:
376th Regt was last seen retreating north from YANGPYONG, 13 Feb 51.
Mission was to conduct an offensive at CHIPYONG beginning 12 Feb 51. The offensive was launched as planned but due to the strong UN defense, the regiment withdrew.
c. T/O & E and Strength:
42nd Army: 124th, 125th and the 126th Divisions, Guard Regt, Engr Bn, Arty Bn, Medical Section, Supply Section, and Politic Section.
126th Div: 376th, 377th and the 378th Regiments, Guard Bn, Engr Co, Arty (Co or Plat (?)), a Medical Dept, Political Dept and Supply Dept.
376th Regt: 3 Rifle Battalions, Guard Co, Arty Btry Med Unit, Supply Section and the Political Section.
Each Rifle Bn: 3 Rifle Companies, HMG Co, Signal Squad, and Medical Sqd
Each Rifle Co: 3 Rifle Platoons
Each Rifle Plat: 3 Rifle Squads
Each Rifle Sqd: 10 men
1st Plat 4th Co, 2nd Bn:
| Original (5 Feb 51) | All “Present” (13 Feb 51) Unknown | |
| EM | 25 | |
| Officers | 2 | |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| LMG (Jap) | 1 (1,000 rd) | |
| LMG (US) | 1 (1,000 rd) | |
| Rifles, Model 38 | 15 (60 rd ea) | |
| Grenades | 4 per man | |
| 4th Company: | ||
| EM | 98 | |
| Officers | 12 | |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| LMG (Japanese) | 4 (1,000 rd ea) | |
| LMG (US) | 2 (1,000 rd ea) | |
| Bangalore torpedoes (Chinese) | 2 | |
| Rifles, Model 38 | Unk | |
| Carbines | 3 (100 rd ea) | |
| M-1, rifles | 2 (100 rd ea) | |
| 60mm Mortars (US) | 3 (20 rd ea) | |
| Pistols | 4 (10-30 rd ea) | |
| Arty Btry, 376th Regt: | ||
| EM | 148 | |
| Officers | 12 | |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| Model 92, Inf Guns (Japanese) | 4 (40 rd ea) | |
| Rifles, Model 38 | 10 (60 rd ea) | |
| Pistols | 4 (20-30 rd ea) | |
| HMG Co, 2nd Bn: | ||
| EM | 148 | |
| Officers | 12 | |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| HMG (Japanese) | 4 (2,000 rd ea) | |
| 82mm Mortars (Jap) | 2 (25 rd ea) | |
| Rocket Launchers | 2 (25 rd ea) | |
| Grenades | 60 (in the company) | |
| Arty Bn, 42nd Army: | ||
| EM | 500 | |
| Officers | 60 | |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| Mountain Guns (Jap) | Unk | |
| Rifles, Model 38 | 〃 | |
| The Arty Bn was last seen in the 38th Parallel area. Guns were dissembled and were being transported south by horses. | ||
| 376th Regt, 2nd Bn strength was estimated at 350 troops 12 Feb 51. | ||
| 376th Regt strength was estimated at 2,000 men. Division strength was approximately 7 to 8,000. | ||
d. Personalities:
U Lui Lin, CG, 42nd Army
Hwan (Fnu), CG, 126th Division
CHOU Shue Tsao, Political Chief, 126th Division
CHANG, Tsu Tsao, Regt CO, 376th Regiment
NYU (Fnu), CO, 1st Bn, 376th Regt
HU Shi Piao, CO, 2nd Bn, 376th Regt
TSU Chen Kwao, CO, 3rd Bn, 376th Regt
TIEN Su In, CO, 2nd Co, 2nd Bn, 376th Regt
e. Replacements:
During Jan 51 the Ass’t Commander of 2nd Bn, 376th Regt, with other officers of the 42nd Army departed for TUNGPEI to recruit replacements for the 42nd Army.
f. Food, Ammo and Other Supplies:
2 meals per day received were sufficient. Food was procured locally.
Entire 42nd Army received fresh supplies of ammo while at CHORWON. (approx 60 rd per man)
g. Morale:
Morale was low due to their being exposed to the cold weather, constant air attacks, artillery shelling, and UN tank attacks.
h. UN PW:
Approximately 60 ROK PW were seen being marched northward N of CHORWON.
Approximately 200 ROK PW were seen being moved northward in the 38th Parallel area.
Heard that they were being taken to a North Korean Hq.
i. Signal:
Companies used runners.
Battalions and above used telephones.
j. Psychological Warfare:
PW was captured.
He saw leaflets at YANGPYONG 6 and 7th Feb 51.
It read: “Although the CCF is wrong, their PW will be treated fairly if they surrender. The CCF troops are being sent to their deaths when they were ordered to KOREA.”
PW believed its contents, however, it did not convince him so that he should surrender.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
