포로신문
보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3808　6 March 1951

FIELD REPORT (IX CORPS MIDI - 0246)　4 February 1951

Cooperative and tried to give all information within his knowledge. Information is limited. Not recommended for further interrogation.

PW was conscripted 20 Jan 49 from MANCHURIA, LIAO LING SHENG, HSIN TAITZU CHUN, PA LI TUN and assigned to a unit which was located there.

Around March 50, reassigned to present unit. O/a 2 Oct 50, 449th Regt, with 150th Div, crossed large bridge spanning the YALU River between SINUIJU and ANTUNG.

150th Div travelled south via PYONGYANG, SARIWON, KAESONG, SEOUL, and arrived SUWON o/a 15 Jan 51. Other units of 150th Div always departed about 1 - 2 days after PW unit. Unit crossing point of HAN River was unknown. It was a mountainous area E of SEOUL. Unit rested in a village approx 2 km E of SUWON for about 5 days. PW 1st Bn (500 men) departed there o/a 20 Jan 51 and o/a 24 Jan 51, arrived at INGO-RI approx 2.4 km NW, where PW and another were captured upon arrival. The 1st Bn Hq personnel with about 50 men immediately moved to YONGMYONG DONG to set up a CP. Elements of 1st Bn remained in INGO-RI and stayed there until 28 Jan 51. During this period troops engaged in digging 2 man foxholes and camouflaged the covering branches with dirt. Location was approx 200 to 300 meters N of INGO-RI in the mountains. Troops slept in village at night and hid in the foxholes during daylight hours.

281900 Jan 51, elements of the 1st Bn were ordered by Bn CO to report to YONGMYONG DONG. Entire unit arrived at its CP same day around 2000 hr. Upon arrival, 1st and 2nd Co with Bn Hq immediately headed back to INGO-RI but before reaching there turned back to YONGMYONG DONG (CS412295) around 2300 hr.

290700 Jan 51, while 1st Bn was on hill 302 (CS409301) approx 800 meters N of YONGMYONG DONG. 1st Bn received continuous artillery shelling until it was forced to withdraw to NW 31 Jan 51. During unit’s withdrawal PW and another soldier was told to search for 6 rounds of 60mm mortar shells which they lost during the shelling. PW and another were left behind and came down to YONGMYONG DONG and hid in one of the houses. 011700 Feb 51 captured because the house owner reported them.

449th Regt composed of 3 Bn and a Regt Hq Guard Co and a 82mm Mort Plat. 1st Bn (500 men) composed of 3 Co, and a HMG Co (120 men each). 3rd Co (120 men) composed of 3 Plat (30-50 men each), and a 60mm mortar sqd (14 men). 1st Bn of about 500 men lost about 200 men in artillery bombardments during the period of 29 Jan to 31 Jan 51 at hill 302.

PW 1st Bn was at hill 302 (CS409301). Because of the heavy artillery shelling, all troops were hiding in the camouflaged foxholes. The 1st Bn (300 men) was forced to withdraw and headed NW.

82mm Mort Plat had 2 x 82mm mortars. 62mm mortar sqd was equipped with two 60mm mortars (48 rd). HMG Co was equipped with four HMG, about 1,200 rd. About 30% of the 500 troops were equipped with rifles mostly Jap 38 and Jap 99. About 80 rd of small arms ammo were carried by each individual. 3rd Co also had 10 large handgrenades, and 6 mortars (Jap make) and some improvised dynamite mines (some square, some round and long and some round). The above heavy handgrenades, knee mortars and dynamite explosives were issued at YANG SHI (XE2527).

Food was confiscated from villagers while the unit travelled south.

Reversable padded cotton coat, winter cap, long wool underpants, socks and shoes were issued at YANG-SHI.

TSENG Jai Sung (曾沢生), CG 50th Army

WANG Chia San (王家善), CG 150th Div

HO Er Shao (河兒■), CO 449th Regt

YANG (fnu) (■). CO 1st Bn

SOO (fnu) (鮢), KIA

SHA Soo Hai (夏土海), Political Officer 3rd Co

CHAO Hai Chun(曹海春), Assistant Political Officer, 3rd Co

Troops in his Bn seem healthy. Once in a while some troops had minor ailment. No one suffered from frost bite.

Morale among the troops in 1st Bn was low after the artillery shelling. Most of the troops were unwilling to fight and many of them did not take orders from their superiors.

Troops were always told by the political officer that they are helping North Korea, that the battle in Korea means that China itself is in a battle and if we lose in Korea it means that we are lost. The were told not to fail as did North Koreans last year; to fight to the end.

For the AC of S, G-2: