ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1070 16 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (164 - LDI - 0819) 12 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| NAME: | KIL, Byong Sop (吉炳燮) (길병섭) |
| PW NO: | 2664 |
| RANK: | Sr. Sgt |
| AGE: | 27 |
| DUTIES: | Rifle Sqd Ldr. |
| ORGN: | 8th Div, 1st Regt, 1st Bn, 1st Co, 1st Plt, 3rd Sqd 8th Div Code No. Tiger (범) APO NO. unknown |
| EDUCATION: | None |
| OCCUPATION: | Railroad laborer |
| ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG NAMDO, KOWN GUN, KOWON MYON, SINSONG RI, #50 (咸鏡南道 高原郡 高原面 信城里 五0) |
| DATE AND PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 10 Sep 50, approx 2 Km N of YONGCHON |
| INTERROGATOR: | GWA |
Cooperative, information about 8th Div limited because PW’s unit was separated from other elements of 8th Div from Jun 50 to 1 Sep 50.
3. T/O & E OF UNIT:8th Div composed of 1st, 2nd & 3rd rifle Regts, Signal Bn, Engr Bn, and an Arty Bn which had truck and horse drawn arty pieces.
8th Div, 1st Regt composed of 1st, 2nd & 3rd rifle Co’s, Mortar Plat and MG Co.
Mortar Plat, 1st Bn originally had 5 x 45mm mortars.
MG Company originally had 12 MAXIM HMGs. 6 HMGs were left as of 10 Sep 50.
4. DISPOSITION OF ABOVE UNITS: AS of 10 Sep 50.8th Div Hq was located in ANDONG.
1st Regt Hq was located in an village approx 6 Km N of YONGCHON.
1st Bn was located on a hill approx 2 Km N of YONCHON and was flanked on the W by the 3rd Bn and on the E by the 2nd Bn.
5. ESTIMATED STRENGTH OF ABOVE UNITS:| UNIT | ORIG. STRENGTH | PRES. STRENGTH |
| 1st Regt, 8th Div | ? | approx 800 men |
| 1st Bn, 1st Regt | approx 300 men | approx 250 men |
| 1st Co, 1st Bn | approx 120 men | approx 80 men |
8th Div, 1st Regt, 1st Bn CO: YUN, Ki Kun (윤기근) Major, Age approx 35.
1st Regt, 1st Bn, 1st Co CO: KIM Hong Sik (김흥식) Capt, Age approx 25.
1st Bn, 1st Co, 1st Plat Ldr: KIM, Yun Ho (김윤호) 2nd Lt (Jr Lt), Age 22.
7. PERSONAL & UNIT HISTORY:Inducted on 25 May 50, at HAMHUNG. Received 3 months of basic training in the 8th Div which was then located at HAMHUNG.
In Jun 50, the 8th Div departed southward from HAMHUNG leaving behind the 1st Bn, 1st Regt which was under strength.
PW departed from HAMHUNG on 5 Aug 50, marched with 1st Bn of 1st Regt, 8th Div and arrived at WONSAN o/a 12 Aug 50.
Departed from WONSAN o/a 12 Aug 50, marched, and arrived via YANGYANG and CHECHON at ANDONG o/a 21 Aug 50.
Departed ANDONG o/a 23 Aug 50, marched, arrived via UISONG on a hill approx 8 Km N of YONGCHON on 1 Sep 50, where 1st Bn rejoined the other units of 1st Regt, 8th Div.
Attacked ROK army on 2 Sep 50, 1st Plat, 1st Co, 1st Bn, had approx 15 casualties. PW was promoted from Pvt to Sr Sgt to replace 1st Bn, 1st Co, 1st Plat, 1st Sqd Ldr who was missing in action.
At about 2100 hrs, 10 Sep 50, 1st Co of 1st Bn was proceeding up a hill approx 2 Km N of YONGCHON when it was attacked by ROK small arms fire. PW lost control of his squad members who scattered in all directions and surrendered to ROK soldiers because he did not choose to fight alone.
8. ARMOR:Observed 5 medium tanks at CHECHON o/a 20 Aug 50.
9. ARTILLERY:Observed 3 truck-drawn light arty pieces at CHECHON o/a 20 Aug 50.
10. FOOD & AMMO SUPPLIES:Observed about 10 x 2½ ton trucks carrying rice and ammo approx 12 Km N of YONGCHON o/a 1 Sep 50.
Received average 2 rice balls daily. Rations were supplimented by confiscating food in villages through which PW passed.
11. ENEMY INTENTIONS:Objective of 8th Div was TAEGU via YONGCHON.
Observed no gas equipment south of 38th parallel but received training in the use of gas masks at HAMHUNG during Jul 50.
12. MORALE:Morale was low because of the shortage of food and because few EM willingly supported the purpose of this war. Morale was never high.
13. CAPTURED EQUIPMENT:Equipment is sent to the rear echelon where replacements are instructed in its use. Then rear echelon returns equipment to front line NKPA units.
14. US PW’S:PW’s Co CO instructed his men not to kill US PW’s as they were ordered to send them to PYONGYANG POW camp.
For the A C of S, G-2
SAKAMOTO
