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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 4300

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0003)　13 October 1950

PW was of average intelligence and was cooperative.

On the second month after the PW had matriculated at the LUNG CHING (龍井) Medical College in LUNG CHING, than a private institution, it was taken over by the 8th Route Army and converted into an army medical college, renaming it the China Medical College (中國醫科大學). All students were given the choice of transferring immediately (all lost that privilege after the first few days) or remaining on as military students. The majority remained due to free tuition, lodging, etc.

5 Jan 47: From this day on until graduation everyone led a military life, except that military training was omitted from his program.

1 Dec 48: PW graduated and was sent as intern to 17th Rear Hospital, 4th Field Army in TAHUSHAN (大虎山).

Feb 49: 17th Rear Hospital transferred to small community between T’IENCHING (天津) and PEKING (北京).

Apr 49: Hospital transferred to SHIH-CHIA SHAN (石家山).

May 49: After half year internship with above hospital, PW passed an exam to qualify as physician. Never commissioned but granted the privileges of a company commander.

Jun 49: Hospital again transferred to CH’ANG-SHA (長沙) where it remained.

Apr 50: PW received orders to return to WONSAN (元山) where he was commissioned Lt (中尉) and assigned to 7th Div, 2nd Regt Aid Station.

20 Jun 50: Unit remained there until this date.

25 Aug 50: Arrived ANGAN-NI (安康里) and remained one month.

25 Sep 50: 7th Div began withdrawal.

4 Oct 50: Arrived at HOENGSONG (橫城) where PW gave aid to wounded and consequently separated from Regt Aid station. Captured by ROK troops.

The PW gave the following estimate of the ratio of deaths to wounded for the 2nd Regt. 7th Div (strength 2,800 men as of 25 Jun 50) for the period 25 Jun to 25 Aug (outbreak of war to 2nd Regt arrival at ANGAN-Ni):

140 dead to 560 wounded (25 Jun to 25 Aug)

Period 25 Aug to 25 Sep (operation in and around ANGAN-Ni and KYONGJU (慶州) 210 dead to 840 wounded

Period 25 Sep to 4 Oct - 42 dead to 168 wounded

Total for the period 25 Jun to 4 Oct is 392 dead to 1,568 wounded which gives a ratio of 1 dead to 4 wounded. PW believed the casualty rate of the other regiments of the 7th Div was just as high.

Of the above 1,568 wounded, about half were able to return to duty. However, in most cases, they were never returned to their old units. They were assigned to the other divisions where they were employed as cadres for recruits.

The last known strength as of 4 Oct 50 was approx 990 officers and EM (Total casualties of 1,960 from the original strength of 2,800, plus about 150 replacements up to 4 Oct 50).

To the best of the PW knowledge all the Koreans from the 4th Field Army (第四野戰軍) numbering up to 35,000 men were returned to NK and assigned to the 5th Div (returned around Nov 49). 7th Div (returned around Apr 50) and the 1st Regt, 1st Div (returned since Apr 50).

According to hearsay, up to 10,000 more men from the CCF were assigned to other NKA units.

Name: CHON U (全宇) (전우)

Rank: Maj Gen (少將)

Age: 32

Position: Ex-CG, 7th Div

Remarks: Formerly CG, 165th Ind Div, CCF (composed of Koreans). Was CG, 7th Div from Apr 50 and to 30 Jun 50.

Name: KIM Ch’ol (金哲) (김혈)

Rank: Col (大佐)

Age: 33

Position: CG, 2nd Regt, 7th Div

Remarks: Went to YENAN (延安) in 1943 and was active with the Korean Volunteer Army Forces with CCF.

17th Rear Hospital - 9 doctors and 90 nurses

14th Rear Hospital - 60 doctors and nurses

18th Rear Hospital - 30 doctors and nurses

35th Rear Hospital - 30 doctors and nurses

Only above four rear hospitals of the 20 rear hospitals attached to the 4th Field Army staffed with Japanese and Korean doctors and nurses. All Koreans, however, were returned to KOREA. Korean doctors numbered about 30.

The above doctors all received the treatment and privileges of a regimental commander to alleviate the mental strain they were going through, their desire to return to JAPAN and their indefinite stay in CHINA. Even Japanese nurses with 10-15 years service were granted the privileges of a battalion commander. In contrast, Korean doctors received the privileges of company commander but this was due more to related technical ability than anything else.

With the monetary exchange rate of one Chinese YUAN (元) to ten Manchurian YUAN, as of Apr 50, the average Manchurian’s monthly wage was 500,000 YUAN. In that a half a bushel of rice was 35,000 YUAN, almost everyone had an additional job to supplement his meager earnings. Those who were employed in private firms earned slightly more and public servants, who earned less than those in private firms, were compensated through the reduction of the price of rice to almost half its official retail price.

To all appearance, farmers were leading a better life than under Japanese rule. According to hearsay, they were obligated to turn over 3/10 of their rice crop to the government and in return received clothing, etc. PW believed a minimum of 300,000 YUAN was needed to sustain a family of five for one month (Staple dose not include rice) as of 1949. Believed conditions have not changed much since.

Livelihood of Japanese professional men and technicians was considerably higher. Professors and instructors of China Medical College in LUNG-CHING received clothing and foodstuff for the entire household free of charge plus monthly wage of 800,000 to 1,000,000 YUAN (元). Hearsay, same currency now used in MANCHURIA and CHINA. Troop movement in MANCHURIA and to the Manchurian-Korean border:

In Apr 50 PW observed elements of one of the Armies, numbering 70,000 men, of the 4th Field Army, travelling north to occupy KWANGTUNG Peninsula (Practically the entire 4th Field Army had left MANCHURIA to engage in the fight against the Nationalist Army).

Since the outbreak of the Korean conflict, the PW has heard that two more armies of the 4th Field Army have moved into MANCHURIA from CHINA and taken up positions along the YALU River.

The standard of doctors with the CCF was extremely low to the extent that they were not acknowledged by civilian doctors. However, the military took measures to correct this in Oct 49 by increasing the two year course to five years in all medical colleges. AS of Apr 50, the shortage of doctors was acute in CHINA, particularly North CHINA. This seriously handicapped the CCF as it was never, able to fill the staffs of its Rear Hospitals. Although the T/O called for 15 doctors, the better staffed hospitals had 12 doctors and the poorer only 7. Hospitals of lower echelon units had fewer doctors.

Although requirements to become a medical officer in the CCF called for a medical college education (2 yr at the time), many, including some with no education, qualified as medical officers by simply passing an examination. These medical officers were usually sent to forward units.

According to hearsay, the largest former Japanese medicine manufacturing plant was again in operation and producing one-fifth of the requirements of the 4th Field Army (2/5 were from the SOVIET UNION and the remaining 2/5 American manufactured medicine in stock). Medicine manufactured included sulpha drugs, penicillin, morphine but were of inferior quality.

Midway between MUKDEN and the Chinese-Manchurian border. As of Apr 50 (first observed in Jan 49) observed from a distance of 2½ km when PW was returning to KOREA from CHANG-SHA where the 17th Rear hospital was stationed. Had only one airstrip which appeared to be of concrete construction, 3 km long and running NE by SW (?) or parallel to the MUKDEN-PEKING RR line.

Approx 5 black-painted hangars, the length and width of each not measuring more than 50 meters square, were in a single line perpendicular to the airstrip on the SW (?) end. About 20 aircraft, 10 single-engine fighters and 10 twin-engine transport planes, were observed.

For the Commanding Officer: