ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3810 6 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (IX CORPS MIDI - 0255) 8 February 1951
| NAME: | TUNG, Tsung Chien (董仲謙) (CCF) |
| AGE: | 29 |
| RANK: | Cultural Leader (army civilian) |
| DUTY: | Company Cultural Officer |
| OCCUPATION: | Tailor |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School 3 yr |
| UNIT: | 38th CCF Army, 112th Div, 335th Regt, Litter Bearer Co, Cultural Sec |
| DATE OF CAPTURE, PLACE: | 011200 Feb 51 at UNJONGNI (CS513277) |
PW in good physical condition was unusually cooperative during interrogation. Information considered as fairly reliable. Due to his above average intelligence and long years of military experience, further interrogation is strongly recommended.
a. Chronology:
PW served with CNA from 1940 to Oct 1945, when he resigned to enter the tailoring business. On 12 March 48, he was conscripted into the CCF, in which he served up to the present time.
The 112th Div crossed YALU River at MANPO-JIN by rail on 22 Oct 50. The 113th and 114th Div of 38th Army had already proceeded the 112 Div. From MANPO-JIN, the Div proceeded southward via KANGYE, HUICHON, KUJANG, KECHON, TOKCHON, KUNU-NI, YONCHON, and vicinity of SEOUL and crossed HAN River over the ice 15 Jan 51. From here it passed in vicinity of KWANGJU (CS3948) and arrived SANGBONCHON-NI (CS4746) on 17 or 18 Jan 51. Here 112th Div rejoined the 113th and 114th Div for the first time since entering KOREA.
At SANGBONCHON-NI, 112th Div remained in hiding from air and arty attacks, and as far as PW knows, its elements remained inactive. 26 Jan 51 335th Regt departed southward from SANGBONCHON-NI with the 1st Bn on the left flank, the 3rd Bn on the right flank and the 2nd Bn in the center. The 1st Bn proceeded toward TAEHUN Mt (CS 4627) and arrived Hill 614 (CS498288) 300200 Jan 51, immediately upon arriving and before the unit dug in, it was attacked by arty and automatic small arms fire. The PW remaining toward the rear of his unit hid alone in a house during the attack. At dawn of the same day the attack ended in the immediate vicinity and PW emerged from the house to find that his unit had left. Since the general area was still under constant attack by air and arty PW remained in hiding in the house until 011200 Feb 51, when he was captured.
b. Organization and Strength (Present):
The 38th Army Hq was organized with a staff section, an administrative division and 4 attached units and attached rear echelon section. The administrative division was composed of a security section, a propaganda unit, civilian transportation section and a political training section. The 4 attached units consisted of signal bn, engineer bn, security company, and a 75mm Mt Gun Bn. The rear echelon section included a finance section, weapons supply section, food supply section, a litter bearer bn (called a Combat Service Bn) and a medical section.
112th, 113th, and 114th Div composed the 38th Army. The 112th Div Hq was organized similarly to Army Hq, only on a smaller scale. The administrative division was organized identically to Army Hq. There was also a staff section. The attached unit included signal company, engineer company, 82mm mortar bn, and security company. The attached rear echelon section was composed of a finance section, a food supply section, a medical bn, a litter bearer company, and a weapons supply section.
The 112th Div was composed of 334th, 335th and 336th Infantry Regt. 335th Regt Hq was composed of staff section, an administrative section including a civilian transportation squad, a political squad and a security squad, 4 attached units including signal platoon, 60mm mortar platoon, security platoon and bazooka plat and an attached rear echelon section including a finance squad, a food supply squad, a weapons supply squad, a medical unit, and a litter bearer company.
335th Regt was composed of 3 rifle bn, 1st Bn officers included the Bn Comdr, Asst Bn Comdr, political officer and an asst political officer. Each Bn was composed of three rifle companies and an HMG Co. Each rifle company was composed of three rifle platoons, a 60mm mortar squad, and a mixed platoon, consisting of a mess squad, a signal unit (of 4 men), a medic, a barber and a bugler.
A rifle company had a strength of approx 150 men, including 120 combat troops. HMG Co had strength of 100-120 men.
A litter bearer Bn composed of civilian Chinese was attached to 4th Field Army Hq. The duty of these litter bearers was to carry wounded and sick from the army level hospitals in KOREA back to MANCHURIA.
c. Deployment of PW Own Unit:
PW did not know the present location of his Bn, but he observed the main body moving in a westerly direction at 300230 Jan 51 while under automatic small arms fire.
Present location of 335th Regt Hq was unknown, but as of 28 Jan 1951 known to be located at SANGBONCHON-NI, with 38th Army and 112th Div Hq. It was not known whether or not the Regt CP moved southward from SANGBONCHON-NI 28 Jan 51 with the Bn of the Regt.
d. Deployment of Other Unit:
As of 28 Jan 51, all elements of 113 and 114 were located at SANGBONCHON-NI.
Between the time he crossed the HAN River 15 Jan 51 and the time he arrived at SANGBONCHON-NI 16 Jan 51, he conversed with soldiers of 39th and 40th Armies, and one Regt of the 50th Army. The soldiers stated that the armies were resting in the area.
The 38th travelled ahead of 39th Army, which was followed by 40th Army.
Dec 50 at SIBYON-NI (BT9942) PW conversed with CCF soldiers who stated they were from an arty division attached to the 4th Field Army, and that GHQ which PW believed to be 4th Field Army Hq was located here. Also Dec 50 while enroute from TOKCHON to YONGCH’ON, PW conversed with soldiers of the 42nd and 66th Armies.
Nov 50 PW heard from his Co CO that the 38th, 39th, 40th, 42nd, 50th and 66th Armies of 4th Field Army were assigned to the west coast sector. Further details concerning 9th Army Group were unknown. The Co CO stated that these east and west coast armies had a total strength of over 600,000 men.
PW heard of the 41st Army while in MANCHURIA, but because he has neither seen nor heard of it since entering KOREA, he believes it is still in MANCHURIA.
e. Status of Arms, Ammunition:
Each rifle company had 3 or 4 X 60mm mortars, 9 LMG, 18 M-1 SMG, and Jap model 38 rifles. All combat troops were armed. The HMG Co was equipped with 6 HMG.
The 82mm Mortar Co, attached to Regt, carried 6 mortars.
The arty Bn, attached to Div as well as Army, were equipped with 12 X 75mm Mt Guns each.
At SIBYON-NI Dec 50, observed troops of the 4th Field Army Arty Div were pulling a 75mm gun with 4 horses and a 105mm gun with 8 horses. Both guns were Jap model 38.
Soldiers and officers up to platoon level carried 4 grenades each.
The 335th Regt was supplied with mortar and small arms ammo several times by truck. The latest truckloads observed were at SANGBONCHON-NI 20 Jan 51, when 2 truck loads arrived at night.
f. Status of Food and Clothing:
Food was supplied to the Regt up to TOKCH’ON. Thereafter food was obtained locally.
Clothing was supplied only in MANCHURIA. Prior to entering KOREA.
PW heard from a Chinese civilian in the 4th Field Army that food and ammo supply dumps were located at KUNU-RI, HUICHON and KUJANG.
g. Mission and Intention:
Prior to leaving SANGBONGCHON-NI, heard from his Co CO that the mission of 1st Bn of 335 Regt was to surround village between ICH’ON and SUWON. It was not known whether or not the 2nd and 3rd Bn also were to have participated in the envelopment.
The Co Comdr stated that the mission of 112th Div was to envelop ICH’ON and it was necessary, therefore, to secure the above unknown village prior to such an envelopment.
From the same source, it was also heard that 113th and 114th Div of the 38th Army, as well as the 39th, 40th, 42nd, 50th and 66th CCF Armies were resting in the area between the HAN River and SANGNONCHON-NI for the following 3 reasons:
(1) Awaiting reinforcement of troops.
(2) Awaiting of Chinese New Years (6 Feb) and warmer weather.
(3) Foraging for food supplies.
h. Personalities:
LIANG (fnu) (梁), CG 38th CCF Army
CHIANG (fnu) (蔣), Deputy Comdr 38th CCF Army
LEE (fnu) (李), Adm Off 112th Div
LIU (fnu) (刘)
WANG Chin Hsien (王■賢), CO Litter Bearer Co, 335th Regt
i. Physical Condition of Troops:
PW company, there were 6 cases of malnutrition and 3 cases of trenchfoot since entering KOREA. However the majority of Co was suffering from some degree of malnutrition.
j. Information on Armor, Engineer, and Arty:
He saw no CCF tanks since entering KOREA.
k. UN PW:
Observed 100 US prisoners of war at CHUSONDONG (8 km S of TOKCHON) at beginning of Nov 50.
There was a regimental report at the time stating that the enemy prisoner receipts from the front had totalled approx 800 men, who were from US 1st Cav and 2nd Div and the Turkish Brigade.
For the AC of S, G-2:
YAMADA
