ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1454 29 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0908) 26 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | YA, Kil Ch’an (夜吉贊) (야길찬) |
| PW NO: | None |
| RANK: | Sgt (中士) |
| AGE: | 21 |
| DUTY: | Driver |
| UNIT: | 14th Div Transportation Co (APO 3542) |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School |
| OCCUPATION: | Driver |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 20 km N of TABU-DONG (多富洞) (1140-1460) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 22 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | P’YONGAN NAMDO, MAENGSAN-GUN, OKCH’ON-MYON, PUKCHAN-NI #131 (平安南道 孟山郡 玉泉面 北倉里 一三一) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | MORI (FEAF) |
PW was talkative. He stated that he was considered reactionary by the NKPA officers of his unit and was almost brought before a firing squad.
PW claims he never was a member of the Communist Youth Organization (民靑) but was compelled to join the organization when called to serve in the NKPA.
Recommend further interrogation on NKPA transportation.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:a. Chronology:
18 Feb 48 - Inducted into NKPA at P’YONGYANG. Assigned to NKPA GHQ Security Guard Bn, Intendance Plt, 2nd Sqd. (人民軍總司令部直屆警徫大隊経里小隊二分隊). PW was promoted to driver.
Oct 48 - The NKPA GHQ became the Defense Ministry (保衛省) and the Security Guard Bn was designated a Regt. PW was promoted to driver.
11 Mar 50 - PW and 200 men of the Security Guard Regt was transferred to SINUIJU (新義州). Assigned to 13th Div Transportation Training Co. PW was technical instructor for the 1st Plt.
19 Jun 50 - Departed SINUIJU with 13th Div by train.
21 Jun 50 - Arrived KUMCH’ON (金川).
23 Jun 50 - Departed KUMCH’ON by truck.
1 Jul 50 - Arrived SEOUL. Stayed 2 days at Central Govt Bldg and at AMIK (American Mission In KOREA) Motor Pool for 7 days.
10 Jul 50 - Departed SEOUL by truck.
D/u - Arrived CHINGCHO’ON (鎭川) via SUWON, ICH’ON and MUGUNG-NI. Departed by truck.
D/u - Arrived UMSONG with 10 men. Worked in rice mill for 20 days. Departed by truck.
D/u - Arrived MUN’GYONG (聞慶)
O/a 10 Aug 50 - Arrived at a point 20 km N of TABU-DONG and joined the 13th Div Rear. Engaged in Security guard duty for one month. Their duty was to guard ration dumps.
O/a 17 Sep 50 - Advanced to a point 8 km S of TABU-DONG. Engaged in guard duty. 2 days.
19 Sep 50 - Retreated by truck to a point 20 km N of TABU-DONG. During this period attacked by F-80 and F-51 aircraft on five occasions. Three (3) trucks were destroyed.
21 Sep 50 - At night the 13th Div Rear was attacked by US Forces and were forced to retreat. PW with 50 men were ordered to defend a hill, located N of the road.
22 Sep 50 - The following day when the 50 men learned of the advancing US troops and also about the retreat of the 13th Div Rear, they all deserted. PW saw US trucks along the road and surrendered.
b. Unit organization and Strength:
Original organization and strength: The 13th Div (approx 10,000men, hearsay) consisted of the 19th, 21st, and 23rd Regt, 13th Div Arty Regt, a Training En, Engineer Bn, Medic Bn, Signal Bn and a Recon Co.
The 13th Div Rear (approx 140 men) consisted of twenty headquarters personnel. A Security Guard Plt, a Labor Plt, and a Transportation Co. The Transportation Co consisted of two plt’s and a maintenance plt. The 1st and 2nd Plts had 21 men each and the maintenance Plt had 16 men.
Last Known Composition of Unit: The Transportation Co had 40 men as of 21 Sep 50.
c. Equipment:
Originally the Transportation Co had 4 x six wheeled new type 3-ton ZIS trucks (1950 model, hearsay). When the unit captured SEOUL they confiscated 16 x US 2½-ton trucks (GMC), 3 x ¾-ton US trucks and 1 x jeep. All these vehicles were repaired and used by the Transportation Co.
Repair parts or tires were cannibalized, from damaged vehicles and warehouses in SEOUL. The Transportation Co had 12 x US 2½-ton trucks, one ¾-ton US truck and 2 x jeeps as of 21 Sep 50.
The trucks were used with US identification stars and USA Serial Numbers. Some Vehicles had ROK Army markings.
PW stated that the US -ton trucks were much superior to the Russian 3-ton ZIS trucks, which did not have front wheel drive.
Whenever trucks were destroyed by aircraft, all usable parts were salvaged and the vehicle abandoned.
Transportation troops were armed with M1891/30 rifles but all rifles were taken from them to be sent to the front on 5 Sep 50.
d. Unit History:
The 1st Democratic Youth (民靑) Training Unit was organized 11 Mar 50, at SINUIJU.
May 50, this Communist Youth Organization Training Unit re-designed the NKPA 13th Div.
e. Disposition:
The Ⅱ Corps Hqs to which the 13th Div was assigned, was located in ANDONG as of 21 Sep 50.
The fuel for the 13th Div Transportation Co was brought in 60 gallon drums by truck during the night from fuel dump located in ANDONG.
An ammunition dump and supply dump were located in ANDONG. Civilian drivers were used here.
Supplies were brought to ANDONG by rail as of 21 Sep 50.
f. Communication:
Roads were in fair condition but all bridges were destroyed. Sand bag causeways or NLD (steel) Pontoon rafts were used.
Rail ran to ANDONG.
Messenger jeeps were used for liaison between 13th Div Rear to 13th Div Forward.
g. Intentions:
The mission of the 13th Div was to capture T’AEGU.
h. Personalities:
Ⅱ Corps CG - MU, Jong (武亭); Lt Gen; Age 40. Formerly with the Chinese Communist Army. Returned to KOREA in late 45.
13th Div Hq Rear CO - AN, Chae Son (安載善); Sr Col; Age 40.
Transportation Co CO - LEE, Pyong Wha (李炳河); Capt; Age, 26.
Transportation Co Cultural Officer - KIM, Chu Gan (김주간) Sr Lt; Age 25.
i. Morale and propaganda
Morale of the 13th Div Rear troops was low except for the officers. The cause of low morale was lack of equipment and fatigue.
PW saw a UN propaganda leaflet. The leaflet made statement to the effect that the soldiers were merely fighting for the sake of the Communist Party and not for the majority of the NK people. It also stated the treatment and hospitality they would receive if they surrendered. PW stated that the leaflets were not effective as the troops who saw the leaflets were convinced by their Co CO that they were false.
The NKPA propaganda was as follow:
1. Within 10 days the NKPA would capture PUSAN and CHINHAE.
2. They called the US Forces, US Imperialist invaders.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
