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ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 711　23 August 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0529)　21 August 1950

Although the informant’s service has been brief, his information is fairly reliable.

Platoon - 4 squads - about 50 troops

Company - 4 platoons and 1 HMG squad - about 200 troops

HMG Squad - 2 x M1910 HMGs, 12 troops, amount of ammunition unknown

Squad, platoon and company commanders carried 2 hand grenades each.

Battalion - 3 rifle companies and 1 82-mm Mortar Co - about 1,000 men.

Mortar Co - about 70 men - 15 x 82-mm Mortars - 2 M1902/30 Field Guns

Regiment - 3 battalions - about 3,000 tropps 11th, 13th, 15th Regts

3rd Bn of the 13th Regt was in CHINJU on 18 Aug 50. The remaining elements of the 13th Regt were reported to have regrouped at CHOLLA NAM-DON, CHOLLA PUK-TO on Aug 50.

PW forced to join the NKPA, 30 Jul 50 at SEOUL.

Unknown

5 x T-34 tanks were observed in TAEJON on 12 Aug 50. 18 x SU-76 self-propelled guns were observed in OKCH’ON on 12 Aug 50.

2 x 76-mm Filed Guns (M1902/30) were observed at UGAMSAN near CHINJU.

The 6th Div’s objective is to take MASAN. The troops were told daily by their squad leaders never to surrender because they would be shot by the American troops. The men, if they voiced their opinion concerning surrender, were shot by the squad leaders.

On 18 Aug 50, a motorcycle recon unit, consisting of about 15 motorcycles, was observed operating on the highway between CHINJU and MASAN.

The 6th Div lived off the land. On 12 Aug 50, a group of about 40 horse-drawn wagons loaded with ammunition was seen in the vicinity S of OKCH’ON.

Ammunition for the Div is mostly transported by civilians of the captured areas on “A” framed at night. PW has seen thousands of civilians carrying ammunition on “A” frames in the TAEJON Area. He has never seen trucks transporting ammunition in the 6th Div’s Area. Civilian carrying ammunition used trails over mountains and avoided the highways. The ammunition supply for the 6th Div comes from SEOUL, by way of SUWON, ANYANG, P’YONGTAEK, CHONAN, CHOCH’IWON, TAEJON, OKCH’ON and CHINJU. Civilians carrying ammunition on “A” frames followed each unit into battle.

On 7 Jul 50, about 10,000 S Koreans who were forced to join the NKPA were gathered at SUWON as replacements, in 3 replacement regiments.

Two of the replacement regiments were sent to T’AEGU Front and one regiment was sent to CHINJU to the 6th Div, arriving 16 Aug. The troops were assigned to the 13th Regt which had lost most of its troops in previous engagements. The replacements received weapons at the from line.

The replacements were carptured S Korean Army uniforms in combat.

Desertion among the replacements was very high.

Heavily wounded troops of the 6th Div are reportedly evacuated to the rear. Wounded troops received little or no medical attention and most of them died. Lightly wounded troops (flesh wounds) are given first aid and ordered to the front lines. Medical supplies are given adequate. There were no doctors with the 6th Division. There were 2 medical aidemen to each battalion. The death rate of wounded troops was extremely high.

The morale of the troops of the 13th Regt is very low. They still fight because if they did not they would be killed by special guards that follow the front line troops.

Aircraft have affected the morale of the troops considerably.