ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1420 27 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0890) 24 September 1950
(Ref to ATIS Rpt No. 1430)
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | KIM, Sang Yon (金祥演) (김상연) |
| PW NUMBER: | 63 NK 3888 |
| AGE: | 24 |
| RANK: | Sr Lt (大尉) |
| DUTY: | Co CO |
| UNIT: | 1st Div, 45mm AT Gun Bn, 14.5mm AT Rifle Co |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (6 yrs), Commercial High School (night courses) (3 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | P'YONGAN NAMDO Prefectural Office Laborer Nov 42-Jun 43, Locomotive fireman Jun 43-Feb 44. Itinerant aircraft fuselage repairman employed by the Jap Air Force in KOREA Feb 44-Aug 45 |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | MAEGOK TONG (1158-1465) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 16 1200 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | P'YONGAN PUKDO, PAKCH'ON GUN, TONGNAM MYON, SOSONGDONG, #270 (平安北道 博川郡 東南面 西松洞 270) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | P'YONGYANG, SOSONG NI, #157 (平壤市 西城里 一五七 番地) |
| INTERROGATOR: | Sfc INOMOTO (ATIS) |
PW had only hearsay information on former Japanese military installations that may be now used by the NKPA. He firmly believes that the Chinese Communist Forces will not intervene in the Korean War because Communist CHINA is still in the process of rehabilitation and has not fully recovered from its drawn-out war with Nationalist CHINA. He has no opinion concerning probable USSR intervention. PW had limited tactical and strategic information. However, he seemed intelligent and alert during the entire interrogation.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
| 1 May 46: | Volunteered to a newly established military school (PYONGYANG HAKWON 学院) in CHINNAMP'O (鎭南浦), which gave flight, infantry and political courses. It occupied the former Sohwa Chongo Aircraft Mfg Plant. PW volunteered for the infantry class. 300 students, including PW, were selected from among all three classes and assigned to the newly established No I Civilian Tng Ctr at KOESAN (槐山). |
| Nov 46: | The No I Civilian Training Center formed the nucleus of the 1st Div which was officially established in Nov 46. PW was assigned to the 14.5mm AT Rifle Co, 45mm AT Gun Bn, 1st Div as a platoon ldr but with no official miliary rank. Militery ranks equivalent to positions held, were granted six months later. |
| 18 Jun 50: | Bn moved to KUMHWA-RI (金華里) where the entire 1st Div was assembled. |
| 25 Jun 50: | 1st Div crossed the 38˚ parallel on trucks to MUNSAN where troops rested for about two days. From MUNSAN the advance of the 1st Div southward included the following towns: SEOUL, SUWON (水原), CHONGJU (春州), MUNGYONG (聞慶), HAMCHANG (咸昌), KUNWI (軍威), HYORYONG (孝令), and MAEGOK TONG (梅谷洞). |
| 15 Sep 50: | PW made up his mind to desert his unit, realizing that the NKPA was fighting a losing battle. |
| 16 Sep 50: | PW surrendered to ROK forces. |
Personalities:
| Name: | KIM MU Jong |
| Rank: | Lt Gen (中尉) |
| Age: | 55 |
| Position: | Ⅱ Corps CO |
| Remarks: | Severed with the CCF. Reported to have been in command of the Ⅱ Corps since its activation. Rumored that Ⅱ Corps Hqs was at ANDONG o/a 15 Aug 50. |
| Name: | KANG Py'ong Jun (강평준) |
| RANK: | Col (大佐) |
| Age: | 24 |
| Position: | Ⅱ Corps Artillery Regt CORemarks: Attended the military school with PW at CHINNAMP'O. Assumed command of Ⅱ Corps Military Regt at time of tis activation about one year prior to start of hostilities. Last observed Col KANG at a point on the highway 5-8 km NW of KUNWI o/a 1 Aug 50. Col KANG may have been on a road reconnaissance tour for a tentative movement of his artillery. |
Tactical Employment of the 45mm AT Gun Bn:
The primary mission of the 45mm AT Gun Bn, due to the maneuverability of its truck-towed guns, was to exploit its mobility to the fullest and oppose any hostile armor break-throughs anywhere along the division sector. In the same sense, it was to be used to reinforce the 45mm AT Gun Co of the Rifle Regts whenever and wherever necessary.
However, in actual practice, the Bn usually remained with Div and from time to time, took up positions on roads and other probable routes of approach of hostile mechanized forces. On a few occasions, guns were brought up to the front lines to be used against enemy personnel. Being a flat trajectory weapon, the 45-mm AT gun had to be set up in the open road and were easily detected by enemy artillery OPs. Another factor which put this weapon in the obsolescent category was its limited range and penetration. The AT Rifle Co, organized in four platoons, was distributed among the rifle regts and AT rifles were used as anti-personnel weapons rather than AT, having proved ineffective against heavily armored tanks.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
