ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1408 27 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0878) 23 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | LEE, Ch'ong Lm (李靑林) (리청림) |
| PW NO: | None |
| RANK: | Jr Sgt (下士) |
| AGE: | 26 |
| DUTY: | Asst Sqd Ldr |
| UNIT: | 9th Div, 2nd Inf Regt, 2nd Bn, 1st Co, 1st Plt, 3rd Sqd |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (2 years) |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 20 0900 K Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | Wooded hill W bank NAKTONG River 6 km SSE of CH'OGYE (1120-1400) |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG NAMDO? HAMJU-Gun, CHUCHI-Myon, KUMAN-Ri #106 (咸鏡南道 咸州郡 州地面 九萬里 一0六番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG NAMDO, HAMJU-Gun, SIN HUNG-Ni #370 (咸鏡南道 咸州郡 新興里 三七0番地) |
| INTERROGATOR: | Sgt HAMASAKA (ATIS) |
PW appeared to be fairly intelligent. He was cooperative, but was vague on tactical movements. PW is considered reliable by interrogator.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
24 Aug 49 - Conscripted into Internal Security 3rd Brigade, HAEJU (海州). Received 15-days basic military training.
Sep 49 - Assigned to Mortar Co, 3rd Bn. Deployed along 38° Parallel SE of HAEJU.
25 Jun 50 - 3rd Brigade crossed 38° Parallel on foot.
10 Jul 50 - 3rd Brigade entered SEOUL via KAESONG (開城).
11 Jul - 10 Aug 50 - 3rd Brigade redesignated 9th Div. PW assigned to 2nd Inf Regt.
10 Aug 50 - 9th Div departed SEOUL.
22 Aug 50 - 9th Div arrived HYOPCH'ON (陜川) via P'YONGTAEK (平澤), T'AEJON (大田), KUMCH'ON (金泉), KOCH'ANG (居昌). (PW does not remember dates and was very vague on travel route). Travelled over mountain roads.
o/a 26 Aug 50 - 9th Div arrived SINBAN-Ni (新反里) 19 km SE of HYOPCH'ON. Deployed in surrounding wooded hills.
3 Sep 40 - 9th Div crossed NAKTONG River at point NNE of SINBAN-Ni. From the river crossing point, 9th Div advanced to the wooded hills 6 km E of the NAKTONG River. Heavy artillery and mortar shelling from US positions were received. Front line casualties were from US tanks and rear area casualties from artillery, mortar and aircraft action. No mortar shells were available in PW's unit after 5 Sep 50.
o/a 14 Sep 50 - 2nd Inf Regt strength was reduced to 400 men and as result, it withdrew W of the NAKTONG River to HYOPCH'ON. At HYOPCH'ON the 1st Co was informed by its Co CO, that the 2nd Inf Regt would be re-enforced by replacements at KORYONG. PW was promoted from Cpl to Sgt.
18 Sep 50 - At HYOPCH'ON, 2nd Regt was ordered back to NAKTONG River to stop US army breakthrough on west bank.
19 0400K Sep 50 - 2nd Regt (strength - 400) arrived in the wooded hill area overlooking the point of a US army unit breakthrough on west bank of the NAKTONG River 6 km SSE of CH'OGYE (草溪).
20 0900 Sep 50 - PW and 7 others from 1st Plt were captured by attacking US army unit.
Weapons and Personnel:
9th Div(1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regts) Strength unknown
2nd Inf Regt (1st, 2nd and 3rd Bn's) Strength - 400
1st Bn - Strength - 100
2nd Bn - Strength - 150
4 × 82-mm M1937 Medium Mortar (no mortar shells available)
3rd Bn - Strength - 150
Unit Code Designations:
9th Div - 315th or 319th Unit
2nd Inf Regt - 315th or 319th Unit
2nd Bn - 220th Unit
Remarks: No Code Designations for Co or smaller units
Unit Objective:
5 Sep 50 - In a pep talk the CO, 1st Co, 2nd Bn, 2nd Regt, E of the NAKTONG River, declared SAMNANGJIN (三浪津) as the objective of PW's unit (Div?).
Surrender Leaflets and Unit Morale:
7 Sep 50 - Surrender Leaflets were dropped by US aircraft over 2nd Inf Regt positions E of NAKTONG River. Leaflets urged NKPA troops to surrender, guaranteeing humane treatment. Co and Plt Ldrs, warned troops against reading leaflets, stating that the US Army would inflict physical violence on NKPA PWs. PW believes the counter-propaganda was effective. A majority of the PWs as a result, were afraid to surrender to the US Army, but at same time, possessed no will to fight. Short rations and lack of adequate arms were contributing factors. PW believes that NKPA troops can be convinced of good treatment, if they surrender to US Army, by a follow up on leaflets.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
